Olympic Swimmer Simone Manuel In Workout Gear Is “Grounding” At the Beach

It was a truly historic moment when Simone Manuel claimed gold at the 2016 Rio Games, and now she’s heading for the 2024 Paris Olympics to hopefully do it again. Manuel, 27, is sensibly taking time for herself in the run up to the competition by enjoying beach days and sunshine. The athlete shared pictures of herself strolling on a beach, wearing black shorts and a t-shirt. “Grounding with a sighting of Shamu 🐳 ☀️ 🏖️,” she captioned the post. Here’s how Manuel stays fit, happy, and focused.

1. Balanced Life

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Manuel tries to live a balanced life as an elite athlete. “Balancing my mental and physical health really is a daily practice and I don’t always have it together,” she told Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. “I wish I did, but I’m only human, and so it’s really about understanding when I may not be in a good place or when I might be struggling, and having the awareness to use tools to help me get out of that place.”

2. Dream Big

Manuel has always had high standards for herself. “I’ve always been a person who likes to dream big, who has very aggressive goals,” she told AP. “It would be unfair of me to lower my standards. but at the same time, I do have to give myself grace because this journey is like no other that I’ve ever had in this sport.”

3. Importance of Rest

Manuel wants to emphasize the point that rest is necessary for all athletes. “I think especially as athletes, we sometimes think that taking rest is a sign of weakness, but with the grueling and daunting schedules that we have, it’s really important to listen to your body, but also your mind when you need to take some time for yourself,” she told Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. “Sometimes you can feel pressure to continue to train hard or push your body to limits that are far beyond what it should be reaching, and I think it’s really important to advocate for yourself when you do need that rest."

4. Swimming Foundation

Manuel launched a foundation to encourage people of color to swim. “We’re not going to see more diversity in the sport if it doesn’t start at the grassroots level,” she told AP. “Swimming should be something that’s really positive within the Black community, but historically it hasn’t been.”

5. Head Above Water

Manuel is incredibly proud of her TOGETHXR documentary Head Above Water, which tells Manuel’s story. “I just hope that people take away bits and pieces of the story that can relate to their own personal life to better know how to manage it, but to [also] know that they’re not alone,” she told Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. “I think that is one of the most important things—so many people in this world deal with some of the same things in different ways and to have a sense of community and [to] know that you’re not dealing with [your struggle] alone, I think is something that is really special.”

Beach volleyball champion Sara Hughes has been playing since she was eight years old, and was even mentored by Misty May-Treanor. Now Hughes, 29, is heading for Paris in June, and is doing everything she can to prepare for the big event. The athlete shared a video of herself wearing Nike shorts and a sports bra, lowering herself into an ice bath and then breathing through the initial cold shock. “It’s gotta feel so good on that shoulder 💪🏻,” a fan commented. Here’s how Hughes stays fit, focused, and ready for Olympic gold.

1. Strength Training

Hughes frequently posts videos of herself doing strength training workouts with a personal trainer. She also uses resistance bands to build muscle, endurance, and burn fat. “My favorite place this pre-season! Couldn’t do it without @mykelshannonjenkins & @officialbrycejenkins 💪🏼,” she captioned an Instagram post.

2. Box Jumps

Hughes is a big fan of box jumps, a plyometric exercise. “This exercise trains triple extension and flexion of the key joints – hips, knees, and ankles – and related muscles – quads, hamstrings, quads and calves – used in running,” UK Athletics Level 3 performance coach Graeme Woodward tells Runner’s World. “And also requires a significant neuromuscular contribution which benefits speed qualities.’

3. Misty May-Treanor Mentor

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Hughes grew up watching Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor train at the beach. “For a long time, I was terrified to talk to her,” Hughes told The Athletic. “Having her so close, it was crazy.” May-Treanor noticed the young athlete and became her mentor. “I grew up putting my name on a paper on a pole and playing to stay on the court, and Sara hit the tail end of that,” May-Treanor said. “Bill [Lovelace] had those little kids doing drills and playing alongside adults and in four-on-four tournaments. She’s one of the last of that breed. We all know each other. As an older athlete, you want to take the sport under your wing. I was in her shoes once.”

4. Paris 2024 Dreams

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Hughes has high hopes for Paris 2024. "It would probably be the best feeling in the world," she told Olympics.com. "It's my number one goal, and to get to do it with Kelly [Cheng] is even more special. So we just got to keep moving forward and keep doing well in tournaments and hope we'll stay on track to get there."

5. Ice Baths

Hughes regularly incorporated ice baths into her recovery routine. Studies show ice baths can help with pain and inflammation after training. “Some patients who have swelling and inflammation find great relief from soaking in an ice bath,” sports medicine physician Dominic King, DO, tells Cleveland Clinic. “Start low and go slow. Don’t go too cold and don’t go for more than five minutes, just to make sure you can tolerate it. There is some research that shows that after two to three minutes, additional benefits taper off."

Olympic gold medal winner Katie Ledecky is doing what makes her happiest—spending time in the water. The champion swimmer, 26, shared a picture of herself posing in the pool, her aquamarine swimsuit the exact same color as the crystal clear pool water, and wearing a silver Olympics necklace to perfect her look. “I’ve always loved a good summer swim 💛☺️🏊🏻‍♀️,” she captioned the post. How does the athlete stay so strong and fit? Here are 5 ways Ledecky maintains her impressive physique, in season and out.

1. Swimming and Sundays Off

Ledecky trains incredibly hard, with Sunday being her only full day off. “On a hard day, I'll have two swim practices and a weight session,” she says. “I swim twice a day, four times a week and once a day, twice a week and then I have Sundays off. I swim nine to ten times a week and then three weight sessions per week. The only day that I don't train is Sundays so even right now when I'm taking a little bit of time off, I'm trying to stick to a pretty regular routine. So oatmeal for breakfast, some sort of egg sandwich for lunch, or eggs with toast and then dinner is what varies the most but it is either carbs or some sort of protein: chicken, steak, salmon, something along those lines.”

2. Training Diet

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Ledecky starts the day early, and enjoys food that fuel her workouts. “On a really busy day I would wake up around 5:30 a.m. and have some light breakfast, like oatmeal with a banana, and head to practice and do my swim practice,” she says. “Then have chocolate milk and maybe a banana or a granola bar. I then do my weights session and then have some sort of lunch, usually some eggs, maybe an egg sandwich. I usually have a pre-afternoon practice snack, some Greek yogurt with granola is a typical snack for me with some berries. Then I have afternoon practice from maybe 3-5 p.m., and then I'll come back home and make dinner, and maybe an evening snack, a little bit later as well.

3. Strength Training

Ledecky does deadlifts, squats, pull ups, and chin ups at the gym. "It's pretty full-body because that's what swimming is," she says. "I think core strength is incredibly important in swimming — it's that connecting piece between your arms and legs. So we work on strength and we work on power because you have to have that power coming out of the starting blocks and on all of the turns, as well as a good jump."

4. She’s a Napper

Ledecky says regular naps are an important part of her day. “Many people don’t realize this about me because I’m a professional athlete, but I love naps,” she says. “I’d say that athletes are probably the biggest nappers of all time. If I have the time during the day, I’ll definitely squeeze in a nap to recharge for the next workout. When I wake up, it’s usually lunchtime, and I’ll opt for something light and simple: a salad, sandwich or wrap with chicken and avocado. I definitely need protein throughout my day.”

5. Self-Care Before Competition

Ledecky and her teammates always shave before a competition. “Before racing and before a big meet, it's really important to make sure you're doing all the little things right and getting as much rest as you can,” she says. “A big thing for [my team] is the night before a competition starts, we all shave and so that's when I use my Bic Solei razor. We have a shaving party and we played cards, and after we did that of course we all get to bed super early. It's a lot of fun being with Team USA and we just keep things light.”

Simone Biles made headlines this summer when she withdrew from certain Olympic competitions, citing her mental health. But she walked away with the Bronze medal, and afterwards looks happy and chill on vacation. "Beaching until further notice," she captioned one photo on Instagram, on another she said "on island time." Read on to see 5 ways Simone Biles stays in shape (mentally and physically) and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bikini Photos!

1. She Eats This Way

Biles practices so early, she sometimes skips breakfast; if she has time, she’ll eat some protein waffles or oats. For lunch, she’ll order in or "If I cook, though, it's usually pasta, or chicken or salmon in the air fryer, oven, or on the grill," she tells Women's Health. As for dinner: "If I'm feeling like a little bit of a less healthy meal, I get pizza or fettuccine Alfredo with chicken," she says. "I really like home restaurants that are in the area because I feel like I get to be closer with them. I'm not picky. I'll try any new restaurant." Snackwise, "I don't really snack too too much because I'm always at the gym, but if I do, I try to snack on some fruit."

2. She Drinks Protein Shakes

"I love having a Core Power Protein Shake after a workout," she says. "Usually I drink half after the first practice and half after the second practice. One of my favorite flavors at the moment is vanilla. It always changes, but it's currently vanilla."

3. She Withdrew From Certain Events Due to Her Mental Health

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"What I've been through, I've just always fought through it, and it's just been really hard," she said. "We have triggers and unfortunately I had one of my biggest ones here. But to come out and come back with a bronze medal, it means the world to end the Olympics like this."

4. She Knows Therapy Can Work

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"For a while, I saw a psychologist once every two weeks. That helped me get in tune with myself so that I felt more comfortable and less anxious," she told Health magazine in June. Says the Mayo Clinic: "Psychotherapy can be helpful in treating most mental health problems, including:

• Anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, panic disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder
• Addictions, such as alcoholism, drug dependence or compulsive gambling
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
• Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder or dependent personality disorder
• Schizophrenia or other disorders that cause detachment from reality (psychotic disorders)"

5. Her Training Schedules is Intense!

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“I train seven hours a day, I do have Sundays off,” she explained on The Tonight Show. “So, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday I train twice a day. And then Thursday and Saturday I train once a day.” “People always think I’m training, but besides that, I have amazing partners I work with so I get to share my time in between there,” Simone told host Jimmy Fallon. “But it’s not all glitz and glam, sometimes we have to get down and dirty.”