The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing are fast approaching and Chloe Kim isn’t going unprepared. The 21-year-old Korean-American snowboarder won gold at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang and is making sure she’s just as strong for this year’s competitions.
If you’re wondering what a top athlete does to get in Olympic-level shape, Kim shared some of her workout moves on Instagram and, as expected, they’re tough! Strength and conditioning expert Mike Clancy told Self, “These are very advanced movements. The percentage of the population that could actually do these correctly and effectively is small.”
See the details below.
One-Legged Pistol Squat
One of Kim’s go-to exercise moves is the one-legged pistol squat. Clancy described this as “one of the most complicated movements” and it’s done by lowering yourself on one leg, with the other leg stretched out in front of you.
How does this help Kim in her sport? Amy Gan, a snowboard instructor, said that “a strong, stabilized core is key to nailing spins on the halfpipe. You need a strong core in order to bring your feet close to your chest and grab your board as you spin in the air.”
Single-Leg Lateral Lunge
Next, the Olympic gold medalist showed us the single-leg lateral lunge, which is a side-to-side movement that “targets the inner and outer thighs, and can help improve your coordination and correct any weaknesses or muscle imbalances you may have,” according to Self.
When it comes to snowboarding, Gan said, “Landing wrong in the halfpipe is like falling from a second-story building. Having a strong, well-rounded core and lower-body muscles will help you better handle that [impact] and protect you from injury.”
Plank Knee Tuck With A Twist
Kim also posted an Instagram photo of herself doing the plank knee tuck with a twist. According to Clancy, “The twisting motion of the knee [tuck] works both the internal and external obliques [the muscles along the sides of your abdominals] and also contracts your deep spinal muscles that wrap around your core.”
How does that help Kim in her sport? Gan said, “You have to really wind yourself up before you pop off the lip [the top edge] of the pipe, and much of that power comes from contracting your upper body and your obliques.”
Spinning
In an article on Popsugar, Kim said that her daily training also includes three hours of practice on the halfpipe in the morning, after which she takes a lunch break. In the afternoon, she snowboards some more then hits the gym.
The athlete considers her gym session, which includes “light core, a little cardio” as well as stretching, as “her form of recovery.”
“I hop on a bike for about 20 minutes to flush my legs out,” she said, noting that spinning sessions benefit her knees, which she injured some years ago.
]]>The Inquisitr
