WNBA Star Skylar Diggins-Smith in Workout Gear Is “Dangerously Disciplined”

WNBA Star Skylar Diggins-Smith works out and trains for hours every day, a routine any athlete would find challenging at times—which is why discipline, not motivation, is so important. Diggins-Smith, 33, shared a video montage of herself wearing black leggings and a black t-shirt, training hard with “consistency” written in text over the footage. “It hits different when you’re dangerously disciplined,” she captioned the post. Here’s how the athlete stays strong and focused.

1. Breakfast Is a Must

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Diggins-Smith never skips a protein-packed breakfast—usually scrambled eggs, oatmeal, avocado, or an omelet. “Breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day for me,” she told ELLE. “As the day goes on, you just never know what's going to happen so I think you should get the adequate amount of fuel in your system, [otherwise] it's like having a car on ‘E.’ I think it's so important to get, you know, protein in before I get up and go to practice since I have to work out and stuff like that so I'm not burning off any muscles. To me, that's the one thing I need to start my day.”

2. Living In the Gym

Diggins-Smith’s training changes during the on season. "I start practice around 7:45 a.m. with weights or individual shooting,” she told Refinery29. “We have team practice from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with film, and then we'll cool down and leave around 2 p.m. On game days, we shoot around in the morning, walk through some plays, and then it's game time. During the season you literally live in the gym. I train in bunches because you don't want to peak too early. Off season is all about maintenance. I do yoga, Pilates, meditation, and weights to train different aspects of my body."

3. Pre-Game Carbs

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Diggins-Smith enjoys the same pre-game meal every time. "Chicken pasta with garlic bread (yes, seriously) is my go-to pre-game meal,” she told Refinery29. “I need something carb-heavy to last me until after the game. There's a misconception that you should cut out carbs, but carbohydrates are so essential for what we do as athletes."

4. Mental and Physical Work

Diggins-Smith goes the extra mile every time to give her best as an athlete. “Yeah, you work hard, but do you go game speed every rep?” she told Complex. “Do you take off reps? What's your mentality? Not just physical. What's your mental like? Are you mentally tough? Are you a leader? Do you watch basketball, or do you just play? Do you study the game? Do you watch film? Do you rest and recover? Do you lift? Do you ice your knees every time?”

5. Inspiring Young Athletes

Diggins-Smith genuinely loves giving back to young fans. "When I was a kid, you went outside and rode your bike or went to the playground,” she told Refinery29. “Now, when you drive by a park, kids aren't there anymore. In this age, we have an issue with technology not inspiring exercise. So to empower young women, I share what sports did for me. I do camps all around the country for grade-school-aged kids and talk about the life lessons that came from the game.”