Sports Then and Now

Thanks to Google, we can find all sorts of workout routines across countless disciplines. You could try your hand at pilates, martial arts, Peloton, or Sweating to the Oldies if you love Richard Simmons’ energy. But, when it comes to training on the same level as Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin (a member of the HomeLight-sponsored US Olympic team who’s earned 47 wins in 11 years), it’s going to take dedication and adopting particular habits.

To start your path toward training like an Olympian, here are five training habits that Shiffrin swears by. Although training habits are intense, you have to remember that she’s been doing this for years! Don’t feel like you have to dive in with the same level of intensity – you can dial things up slowly over time.

Stretching and light cardio

We all know that if we’re doing a tough workout, we need to warm up. To begin her workouts, Shiffrin takes a 10 minute ride on a stationary bike. She’ll also spend some time stretching her muscles so she’s good and limber for what’s to come.

Lower body strength training

To be at the top of her game, Shiffrin must work on lower body strength. She’ll engage in “eccentric overload training.” This type of training requires the use of a weighted bar and performing a variety of lifts and squats. She focuses much of her training on this because as a slalom skier, she’s in a squatting position for the majority of her competitions. These exercises will help her stay in position without difficulty.

Heart-pumping circuit training

Along with working on lower body strength, Shiffrin also spends time working through a circuit that gets the blood flowing and targets multiple parts of the body at once. Her circuits will include pushing and pulling a weighted sled as she sprints. She’ll also do more squats, work on a rowing machine, and a slide board.

Remember: You can push yourself, but don’t push yourself too hard! A circuit like this can be quite challenging!

Keep a detailed log of workouts

When we’re trying to make improvements in our lives, we’ll record our progress regularly. Shiffrin takes recording her workouts very seriously and will keep detailed records after each session. She’ll grade each part of the workout on a scale from 1 to 10 – 10 being the most intense.

After you’ve recorded your workouts over a few months, it’ll feel amazing seeing how much you’ve progressed!

Practice balance

Strength and endurance training is important for skiers, but so is balance training. Shiffrin will dedicate an hour to balance training after completing the circuit training. She’ll do this by walking on a slack like, walk across bolsters while juggling, or she’ll walk backward on the top of dumbbells. There are a lot of ways you can improve your balance, but these are just a few of her favorite ways.

Don’t let your negative thoughts keep you down

It’s not easy to adopt a new workout routine, and it’s definitely not easy adopting a routine as rigorous as Shiffrin’s. There are going to be days where you feel like you’re taking on too much and that you’re pushing your body to it’s breaking point. You’re going to be exhausted and some days you may even feel like you want to give up. However, that’s not the mindset of an Olympian.

On those days where you feel like giving up, it’s okay to take a break. Give yourself a day to recharge and get your mind back on track. If you don’t want to give yourself a day off, perhaps go a little easier on the routine for the day. Whatever you do, remind yourself of your goals. Look back over your workout logs and you’ll see that you are improving!

Be your own cheerleader because in the end, no one can motivate you more than yourself!