Beach volleyball athletes Taryn Kloth, left, and Kristen Nuss show off their Olympic bracelets, Friday, June 7, 2024, at Mango’s in Baton Rouge. Beach volleyball athletes Taryn Kloth, left, and Kristen Nuss stand together, Friday, June 7, 2024, at Mango’s in Baton Rouge. Louisianans will soon cheer on homegrown athletes competing on the globe's biggest stage.
Running, diving, trampolining and more — after a long wait, the world's best athletes get their chance to compete, thrive and inspire in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Some of them will make you wonder: "How do they do it?" How did Sha'carri Richardson get so fast? How does Simone Biles jump so high? Duo Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss are excited to represent Louisiana and "enjoy the moment" as they reach for gold, representing Team USA, at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in women's beach volleyball. The Baton Rouge-based professional beach volleyballers are one of the teams to watch in Paris.
They've won titles around the globe in the months leading up to the big event. Kloth says she is working to "stay present in the moment" amid the hubbub and fanfare. "This is what we've put in the work for over the past 18 months," Nuss said.
"The thing we're talking about for years is here." Yes, , but they didn't get to the Olympics without training hard and putting in the work. Lias Abramson, a certified personal trainer at New Orleans Ochsner Fitness Center, leads training with big and small groups and writes tips for keeping fit.
As you watch the Olympics from home, with bated breath and patriotic spirit, you may wonder if you can learn to train like the world-class athletes achieve. The answer is: Yes, you can. Lisa Abramson, a certified personal trainer at New Orleans Ochsner Fitness Center, started her fitness journey 25 years ago.
Since then, Abramson has completed more than 35 races — including Sprint triathlons, Olympic triathlons and half iron Mans. “It's a passion of mine,” Abramson said. “It made me feel good and gave me confidence and got me healthy both mentally and physically.
” “I was doing it for myself. And then I thought, why not do that for other people?” Abramson does fitness training with groups big and small in New Orleans and writes top tips for keeping fit for Ochsner. Her latest advice is helping the average person learn how to train like an Olympian.
Although the top athletes in the world feel light years away in fitness and health, Abramson believes that with these steps anyone can succeed. A good, achievable fitness goal will not be impossible to reach. It requires pushing yourself a little bit as you go along, according to Abramson.
"Don't make excessively hard to reach goals," she said. "Take baby steps." Olympians, and star athletes, don’t become the best by losing focus.
Being intentional with what sport you want to improve on and taking it seriously will make a world of difference. Abramson sited running and swimming as good examples of trackable sports that the average person can slowly build endurance and strength. Focus also includes knowledge.
Doing your research on the sports you love, or the sport you wish to get better at, is essential in starting your Olympic journey right. If you’re a runner, find the athletes that you aspire to be and follow them. What workouts do they do? What do they eat? What shoes do they wear? “Remember: You are an Olympian,” Abramson wrote in her fitness tips article.
Working out regularly and tracking your progress is how you ensure success. Visiting the gym every day, running four times a week, swimming in the early hours of the morning — consistent workouts over time will see the most improvement and change. “Don’t expect results overnight," Abramson said.
“Incrementally, you will accumulate strength and endurance. You’re going to start to see your body respond.” “The watch word of the day is core,” Abramson said.
Now that you’re doing consistent workouts, it’s important to do them correctly. Focusing on form will improve sport-specific performance and will ensure that movements are steady. A strong core, good posture and steady balance will help body awareness in any sport.
Exercises to improve form include planks, yoga and slow, purposeful movements. Going through the motions of the specific sport you working toward slowly in front of a mirror with intention can refine and strengthen routine movements when working out. For more exercises to enhance form, Abramson finds inspiration online on social media apps like Instagram or Pinterest.
“What you drink for hydrating is important," Abramson advises. "Particularly in the summertime." It's not just water the body needs to rehydrate.
Replacing electrolytes, such as potassium and sodium, are vital to staying energized after sweating a lot in a work out. “That's important for any kind of athlete," she said. Electrolytes, both powders and drinks, can be found at your local athletic stores or online.
But, Abramson warns that some electrolyte products have more sugar than necessary to keep your body active. Diet is not everything, but it certainly helps. A healthy diet of lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, some healthy fats and some carbohydrates are all necessary to fuel your body.
“It's important to not overeat or undereat," Abramson said of some common diet fads that require meal-skipping or gaining. "If you're going to be at an Olympic level, you have to make sure to fuel your body.” Burn out is a very real, and very common hindrance to your workout goals.
“You don't want to start out so fast and get too excited about what you're doing that you burn out,” Abramson warned. Recovery days are just as important as workout days. Asking key questions will help to stay on track for longer and avoid injury.
Am I too tired to exercise today? Do I need to stretch more? Do I need to hydrate? Getting enough sleep — seven to eight hours of sleep a night, if possible — and stretching regularly are important components to staying healthy on the road to an Olympian. Abramson recommends dynamic stretching before a workout and stationary stretching after a workout for more satisfying results. “When you exercise, you can't help ignore that you feel good doing it," Abramson said.
"It's a good sense of self-esteem and confidence that nobody can take away from you." Beach volleyball player Taryn Kloth shows off a necklace her mother had made featuring the Olympic rings, Friday, June 7, 2024, at Mango’s. Before heading to the biggest athletic stage in Paris, beach volleyball player Kristen Nuss of Team USA is trying to enjoy the moments.
Nuss' advice for any athlete aspiring for the Olympic stage? "Reap the rewards," Nuss said. "Soak it all in!”.
