Volleyball star Kristen Nuss is a proud member of Team USA, and ready for Paris 2024. Nuss, 26, shared a sweet video of friends and family wishing her and Taryn Kloth the best of luck, with the athlete appearing in a variety of different workout outfits in the clips. “Who’s cutting the onions 🥹 Forever grateful for our incredible support system. We love you all from the bottom of our hearts and can’t wait to represent @teamusa at the pinnacle of this sport on center stage. Let’s get this thing started!” reads the caption on the post. Here’s how Nuss stays strong, fit and ready to compete.
1. Walking and Training
Nuss loves nothing better than going for a walk for a non-volleyball related workout. Otherwise, she is constantly training with her coach. “You want practice to be harder than the game itself,” she told Mind Body Green. “That's where the resilience gets built—in those practice moments when you're in a really hard drill, he's just crushing balls at you, then you're having to do some sort of serve receive and constantly just execute. You get to the point where your brain is like, Go, go, go—but your legs are dying and just stop working.”
2. Louisiana Home
While most volleyball players are based in California, Nuss and Kloth live and train in Louisiana. “I want to rewrite the script,” she told AVP. “No – you don’t have to live in California. No – you don’t have to be mega tall. Of course, we’ll go to Cali to train with other pros. But I have no intention of moving to California in my career. I want this sport to grow all over the country. With a partner from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that feels possible.”
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly
Nuss enjoys a sandwich to fuel her performance. “Honestly, before a big game—and especially depending on when we play—a good ol' peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” she told Mind Body Green. “That is a solid pregame. It's the perfect snack to give you the energy and carbs that you need. We [Kloth and I] eat them a lot when we travel. Day to day, I follow a high-protein diet. It's just about eating a ton of protein in every meal that we get. I personally love doing higher protein, lower calorie, and a lot of quantity because I am someone who enjoys that feeling of fullness.”
4. Repping the Shorties
Nuss is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and wants to inspire other aspiring athletes who are on the shorter side for volleyball. “ When I was coming up in the sport, no one looked like me,” she told AVP. “I wanted to change that. I wanted to provide the shorter kids with someone they could look up to. The desire to inspire is what motivates me the most to keep striving for success. People aren’t coming up on the street and outright telling me, ‘You will never accomplish your goals.’ But now, being partners with 6 feet 4 inches Taryn Kloth, everyone comes up to her. They ask how tall she is, and insist she must play a sport. No one is saying that to me.”
5. Competition Prep
Nuss prepares for a game by listening to music and relaxing. “My approach may be different than most,” she told Mind Body Green. “I have found over the years that if I get super focused and ‘locked in’ that I actually don't perform well. So I try to be a little more laid back. So, in warm-ups, I just try to keep it fun and relaxed. You can find me jamming out to whatever song is playing in my head. Chatting with our coaches. I'm not super focused—keeping it very light. It's just having fun. Because, honestly, that is what I find I need to perform my best.”
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