Here’s what it takes to be Olympic Swimmer Katie Ledecky, and it’s SO impressive we’re tired just reading about it
As of this post, Katie Ledecky has won four Olympic Medals in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, three of them are Gold Medals, and she’s not done yet! But not even Katie Ledecky becomes an Olympian overnight. She works her butt off, and we’ve broken down a typical day to show you what it takes to be an Olympic swimmer.
You have to get up REALLY early.
According to ESPN, Katie gets up at 4:05 a.m. Every. Single. Day. Yeah, we’re hitting the snooze button just thinking of that too.
You have to eat a healthy, energizing diet.
For Katie, breakfast #1 at 4:30 a.m. is two pieces of toast with peanut butter and an apple or banana. After her morning practice, her mom brings her a second, more substantial breakfast, like an omelet or a bagel and egg sandwich, and she often washes that down with a chocolate milk. She eats a snack before each of her other practices, and then dinner is protein like chicken or steak, carbs and veggies. Even though she’s burning TONS of calories everyday, Katie doesn’t eat candy, ice cream or other sweets. Now THAT is commitment!
You have to swim A LOT.
Practice #2 the day after #SwimTrials16 with @katieledecky The process never ends @NCAPswim Embrace the Process pic.twitter.com/WrzpP5Gdfy
— Bruce Gemmell (@CoachGemmell) July 3, 2016
Katie’s workout in the morning from 5:00 a.m.-6:30 a.m. will be about 6,000-6,5000-meters. That’s 130 laps in a 50-meter Olympic pool, or 260 laps in a regular 25-meter pool.
And that’s not all!
She goes back in the afternoon from 3:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. and swims another 7,000-8,000-meters (another 320 laps in your local YMCA pool)!
You don’t just have to swim, you also have to strength train.
Nice form @katieledecky & @conorjdwyer!
Want more of Conor & @USASwimming follow #TeamUSA on @Snapchat!
👻USOLYMPIC pic.twitter.com/FeqmDfutJ3
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) March 31, 2016
She’s a beast, and we love it! We would think that with all that swimming, you could skip Crossfit, but nope! Three days a week, Katie goes to “dryland training,” where she strength trains at the gym.
