Being a professional athlete can seem like a dream world — it’s like achieving all your childhood goals and becoming the Michael Jordan you always believed you could be. But in order for athletes to perform at insane levels, they work insanely hard and they typically have a routine that allows them to perform at those levels come game day or race day.
Although recovery is trending in the everyday world (nap rooms, CBD relaxation oils, more handheld massagers), it’s been a crucial necessity for athletes for years. Sleep is the first line of defense, followed by eating right and exercising properly. Sound like something you’ve heard before? Aisha Praught Leer, a Jamaican Steeplechase Gold Medalist says, “It’s our job, so obviously we can afford to sleep.” While eight hours of sleep might not make you the best soccer player, runner or triathlete in the world, it will almost definitely help you perform better at your next match.
Each athlete has his or her own routine to prepare for an upcoming challenge, and after spending the day with three elite Under Armour athletes, we had the chance to hear what works for them.
Rachel Schneider, Pro Miler
Schneider had two big wins this year: silver at the Athletics World Cup in London and the Falmouth Road Mile. The middle-distance runner trains in Flagstaff and finished up her track season this year at the Long Island Mile in New York, taking second place. To keep performing at her peak, she does “a lot of mobility drills to enhance proper mechanics,” Schneider says. “I’ve had a lot of foot fractures, and doing proper mechanics has totally helped with injury prevention. It’s something we spend hours on every week and it’s super repetitive, but it’s so helpful.” In addition to mobility, foam rolling, Normatec and meditation are common practices. “I just started using the app called Headspace. Apparently, a lot of people are familiar with [it], and I’m a little late to the game,” Schneider says.
