Track and Field Star Ivona Dadic in Swimsuit Is “Cooling Down”

Austrian long jump champion Ivona Dadic works hard and plays hard—but even her play is beneficial to the intense training regimen she has as an athlete. Dadic, 29, shared pictures of herself taking a cold dip in a natural pond in beautiful Turcini, Montenegro, wearing a red bikini that showed off every inch of her muscular physique. “Perfect cooling down after a hard training session 😊,” she captioned the Instagram post. Dadic has a work ethic typical of an Olympian —so how exactly does she do it? Here are 5 ways the track and field star trains, eats, and competes.

1. Training vs Competing

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Dadic finds competing a walk in the park compared to her training. “Training should be so hard that this enables you to have no fear even in the toughest of competitions,” she says. “It should be easy compared with what you do every day… Technique is not necessarily a product of talent. It can be influenced easily with hard work and that can help you to gain a lot of points. For example, in the past I was not such a good hurdler. But we worked a lot on my technique and changed this year from an eight-step to a seven-step approach to the first hurdle, which is a big benefit for an athlete of my height. But changes like this take a lot of time and you have to be tough and believe in what you do to get through these times.”

2. Training Six Hours a Day

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Dadic’s training regimen is hardcore, to put it lightly. “I train six days a week for about six hours a day,” she says. “The training is very sprint-heavy, of course there is also strength training, especially legs and upper body. In addition to the individual disciplines, we also have running units of around 40 minutes on the training plan. Since a heptathlon competition lasts two days, endurance is also required and you should be well prepared.” Dadic’s training makes working out for fun difficult. “Although I like to go horseback riding or play tennis on vacation, it's difficult to get excited about sporting hobbies in addition to training,” she says. “That's why I prefer to devote a large part of my free time to my friends and family.”

3. Healthy Training Diet

Dadic has a sweet tooth that she keeps under control while training. “Although I don't have a specific diet plan, nutrition is an important issue,” she says. “You eat consciously, especially before competitions. The sense for this develops over time or it arises through common sense. I'm currently trying to avoid meat, which works quite well. But sometimes I can't resist sweets when I'm not competing.”

4. Weightlifting Superstar

Dadic allows fans a sneak peek at her workouts via her social media—and she’s clearly not afraid of weights. “It’s not just cardiovascular exercise, such as running or aerobics, that can benefit your heart,” says Emma Mitchell, physiotherapist at Bupa UK. “Strength training is also good for your heart health. Some studies have shown that just one hour of weightlifting per week can reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke as you get older. This may be because strength training can help to reduce your blood pressure and might lower your risk of obesity too.”

5. Mountain Runs

Dadic didn’t allow pandemic lockdowns to interfere with her training regimen. “When the situation came to a head in the week before March 16, I packed hurdles, javelins and a few other things in the car so that I could train at home in a reasonably meaningful way,” she says. “There is also a perfectly equipped gym at my friend Dario's house in Steyr. And a special training plan was worked out, for example with intensive mountain runs on lonely forest roads for stability over the 800 meters, hurdle training on the asphalted alley in front of the house or jumping exercises on the gravel paths of a park just around the corner. There, to the amazement of the few walkers, I was even [doing] shot put a few times.”

Spanish pole vaulting champion Clara Fernández is one of the most impressive athletes competing right now, and she trains incredibly hard to be a winner. Fernández shared pictures of herself wearing a swimsuit on her social media, and it’s clear from the post that building and maintaining muscle is something she has done for years. But how exactly does she train? Here are the exercises Fernández swears by for strength, speed, and agility.

1. She’s a Runner

Fernández’s training includes plenty of running—including long-distance running. "Any type of aerobic exercise has a positive effect on the heart," says Dr. Dan Meyer, chief of cardiac transplantation at Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas. "Running is such an efficient mode of exercise. It can be relaxing and a stress reliever at times. I find it having as much emotional benefits as physical."

2. She’s Also a Swimmer

Fernández’s athletic background includes swimming, which is a great full-body workout. “Swimming works the heart and lungs,” say the experts at Harvard Health. “This trains the body to use oxygen more efficiently, which is generally reflected in declines in the resting heart rate and breathing rate. It uses the arms, the legs, and other muscle groups in between. This improves muscle strength and flexibility.”

3. She Cycles

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Cycling is another major part of Fernández’s background and training. “Cycling is one of the healthiest and low-impact forms of exercise - meaning it causes less strain and injuries than most other workouts,” say the experts at the University of Montana. “So it's a hobby you can continue to enjoy throughout your long life. And, unlike other forms of exercise, you won't dread doing it. Even if you take cycling seriously and go at it hard, the blood pumping and wind in your face is still exhilarating, even when it's difficult.”

4. Triathlon Star

Fernández takes part in triathlons (seriously, is there anything she can’t do?). Training is crucial for anyone wanting to take part in a triathlon, experts say. “Triathletes can suffer injuries from the compound effect of adding too much training without proper care and guidance,” says Gautam Yagnik, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute at Baptist Health South Florida. “Cross-conditioning is important and a key training element for triathletes, but proper preparation, stretching, hydration, periods of rest and other precautions should be taken to avoid overuse injuries.”

5. Dog Lover

Fernández loves animals, especially dogs, which are known to have health benefits for their owners. “An extensive number of studies in a wide range of journals and disciplines support that interactions with pets contribute to good health and quality of life and healing from serious illnesses and conditions,” says Dr. Maria Iliopoulou, an alumna of the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. “Pets can influence our emotional state, our sense of security and acceptance, and even our positive outlook on life.”

Bulgarian sprinter Ivet Lalova-Collio took some time off from her intense training regimen to don a swimsuit and spend quality time with friends at the Gloria Verde Resort in Turkey. Lalova-Collio, 39, shared a beautiful picture of herself posing in a white and tan bikini on a dock, against a background of blue sea and skies. “GIRLS 🫶🏼”, her friend Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk—a champion long jumper—captioned the post. The Olympian athlete has an incredibly impressive strong physique, and she works hard to maintain her tone and muscle. But how exactly does she do it? Here are 5 ways Lalova-Collio stays one of the fastest women in the world.

1. Weights and Running

Lalova-Collio’s training routine is what you would expect from an Olympian—she runs and lifts heavy weights. “In the winter I do a lot of weights, at least 3 times and tempo runs after,” she says. “In the summer I do fewer weights, but lots of high intensity running. I have weeks that I don’t have a day without putting on my spikes. I think about big championships from the moment I step on the track. Knowing that you have to be at your best there is taking me slowly to the moment and the day of the race. At the day I love some music during the warm-up, I do some strides, some active stretching, getting faster and faster in about 1 hour before the competition.”

2. No Outrunning a Bad Diet

Lalova-Collio recognizes how important diet is—especially for an athlete—when it comes to staying fit and healthy. “If I organize myself around training and what I have to eat and around sport, it's easier so the days goes almost like normal,” she says. “It's all about training, resting and recovery. I spend more time cooking - I really want to eat good and I keep telling people 'don't worry so much about exercise,' be careful because if you stay home all day, you end up eating so be careful about that so I pay more attention to diet.”

3. Strict About Exercise

Lalova-Collio didn’t let pandemic lockdowns get in the way of her training regimen—instead, she became creative about working out outside of the traditional gym environment. “We have a state of emergency - we are not under a lockdown - but we have a lot of restrictions,” she says. “We can't go to parks, tracks are closed, gyms are closed but it's your choice if you want to go out but we all prefer to stay home as much as possible. It's tough times for people who train like us! We run in the streets but I keep saying that athletics is a 'poor' sport - we don't need that much to do what we do. We run, we jump, we do the basic things the human body can do although we try and improve them into something superhuman. Even if we have to run on the street or have to run on the stairs in our building, we are going to make it!”

4. Triumph After Tragedy

Lalova-Collio says a serious accident that almost derailed her career in 2005 was actually the making of her. “I love to say that what saved me when the accident happened was that I was really young,” she says. “I was 21 years old. By that time and in my head, there was no possibility that I’m not coming back and I’m not running again. So I had no idea what I’m facing and how long it’s going to take and how hard it’s going to be and I never thought about it. Of course, I had my dark moment and as I said, I cried a lot. It was really tough for me watching the World Championships in Helsinki later, that the same season that I wanted so bad to be there and compete. But I worked, even on that and it saved me, but mostly my motivation to come back saved me.”

5. Power of Positivity

Lalova-Collio says if she could go back in time and give advice to her younger self, it would be to surround herself with positive people who encourage her, and get rid of negative people who would hold her back. “You will later work with a mental coach and discover many empowering things inside of you,” she says. “You will read books on the subject and by training your brain you’ll reach that state of feeling just how you want to feel - which is so important in both training and competition. I’d also say make sure you surround yourself with supportive and positive people.”

Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk is heating up Ukraine in her swimsuit. In one of her latest social media posts the track and field star flaunts her fit figure in a black one-piece during a day on the water. “It was a buzzing day, and any other words here would be superfluous,” she captioned the series of Instagram snaps. How does the champion athlete maintain her fit figure? Here are 5 ways she stays in shape.

1. She Runs

As a top long jumper, running fast is a prerequisite, so it is one of many ways Maryna trains for her job. According to the Mayo Clinic, running is great for cardiovascular health, muscle building, and weight loss. “For every mile run, the average person will burn approximately 100 calories,” they say.

2. She Jumps

Romanchuk also swears by a hurdle jumping workout. She recently shared this video on Instagram of herself jumping over hurdles with her legs together. "My first hurdles jump. What do you think about?” she said. She also jumps on high boxes. Both are great for working her glutes and legs.

3. She Does Ab Work

Maryna does a lot of ab work to keep her midsection tight. “Gym exercises for ABS and stability,” she captioned a video of her workout. “With this exercise routine, my tummy is happy.”

4. She Skis

Romanchuk also skis. "At least once in a lifetime, it's worth visiting, you find yourself in an incredibly amazing fairy tale.✨ I felt like magic around me and I couldn't get enough of the beauty around me,” she captioned a video. Research has linked downhill skiing to a number of health benefits. In addition to promoting physical fitness, it may decrease risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Studies have also found that the more frequently a person skis, prevalence of known hypercholesterolemia, systemic hypertension, diabetes, the frequency of mental stress and the occurrence of memory deficits declines.

5. She Paddleboards

In this recent Instagram post, Maryna is paddleboarding. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) agrees that paddle boarding is great for the core and also a great form of cardio. The water sport can burn an average of 385 calories for a 140 pound male and 436 for a female the same size, per a study conducted by Arizona State University.

Morena Beltrán is getting lots of attention for her latest swimsuit photos on social media. The ESPN personality shows off her incredible figure in a bathing suit via one of her latest Instagram posts. “Absolutely stunning,” commented one of her followers, while many others added fire and heart emojis. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Morena Beltrán stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She Does Strength Training and HIIT Workouts

Morena keeps her body fit with the help of regular high intensity interval training (HIIT) mostly focusing on strength and weight training exercises. “Training that will take you to the stars,” she captioned a photo. There is lots of Research backing up the benefits of HIIT workouts, including body fat reduction, improved cardiovascular function, and mental health. It is also time effective.

2. She Hydrates and Replenishes Her Electrolytes

Morena also prioritizes hydration. “Training is my cable to ground. My little place to escape the routine, unload and continue the day with better energy. And always well accompanied with original Gatorade to rehydrate and replenish the sodium I lose. This is my formula. Which one is yours?” she captained a post. According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine men should drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day and women about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids.

3. She Runs

Morena also goes for runs. According to the Mayo Clinic, running is great for cardiovascular health, muscle building, and weight loss. “For every mile run, the average person will burn approximately 100 calories,” they say.

4. She Swims

You can often find Morena going for a swim, a great way to get regular aerobic physical activity, according to the CDC. Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, such as swimming, bicycling, or running, can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses. In addition to the many physical benefits, there are multiple studies supporting the mental health benefits of swimming as well.

5. She Plays Soccer

Morena, who regularly covers soccer, can be found kicking the ball around, like in this Instagram reel. Not only are there physical benefits to engaging in team sports, but it can also help you “fend off depression," says the Mayo Clinic.