Ask The Expert - Rowan Cheshire - Olympic Athlete
As the ski season is upon us and a lot of you will be in training and prepping we interviewed Olympic Freestyle skier Rowan Cheshire to find out her tips for training and lifestyle
Q1. What is your biggest challenge as an Olympic athlete?
My biggest challenge would be having to come back from a lot of injuries. As freestyle skiing is an extreme sport, injury is very common and part of the process.
Q2. How do you work to overcome the pressure and ensure you perform your best on the day of a competition?
I have really got into meditation, this helps a lot with stress and the pressure. Also listening to chilled music before and during the competition really helps me relax.
Q3. What advice would you give to anyone who is off skiing this season and needs to get in shape/injury prevention?
I’d advise to build up your strength in the gym doing multi-planar compound movements, work on single leg exercises also. It’s important for injury prevention to improve your mobility and flexibility.
Q4. What inspired you to write your ebook?
I got a lot of questions about ski specific exercises and fitness in general, so I thought I’d create an eBook with all the information people would need and with exercise sessions for them to follow.
Q5. Do you have any habits that form your daily routine that you swear by?
Doing some form of exercise every day, stretching every day and also meditation/mindfulness exercises.
Doing these things help me stay motivated, happy and healthy. Also help me to really focus and stay on track with my goals.
Q6. What daily / weekly mental health mindset practices you do?
Like I’ve mentioned before meditation is a big one, as well as mindfulness exercises really help with my mental health. For example, mindfulness exercises that I practice as when I’m doing a daily activity such as brushing my teeth and eating, I like the turn everything off (no phone, no TV, no distractions) and really focus my attention on the task at hand, taking in all the little details that you may not think about or notice when doing the task normally.
This really helps your brain calm down and helps you focus on the present moment.
Q7. When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
I think it’s really beneficial in moments like this to take a break. Chill out, do something that you enjoy or calms you. Reset and then come back to the task at hand.
Whether this be a long break, such as a week off from the gym to rest and reset to find your motivation again, or a shorter break like an hour or two from a piece of work.
Q8. The fitness industry is such a busy space, with so much information on offer, it can be overwhelming! What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession?
I think there’s just way too many different opinions flying round and different products that really don’t actually do anything to help people but are marketed really well.
I’d say doing juicing diets and cutting out any kind of macronutrient is bad advice especial for just normal people wanting to lose fat and tone.
For me getting fit and healthy should be a lifestyle and mental change towards exercise and nutrition, and that it should always be balanced and feel good. Not making someone miserable in the process.
Q9. What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)
I think one of the best investments I’ve made is to start my own business. The first year was tough as I didn’t pay myself any money out of the business so was living off savings (was sooo hard). But now it has really paid off and love having a side hustle alongside skiing.
Having started my online PT business it has taught me so much and has given me a lot of opportunities, such as helping me get into university this year to study marketing.
Q10. How do you apply the focus and learning of being an athlete into your daily life?
I think I have a good work ethic from being an athlete and I always want something to be focusing/working on, whether that be a course or the gym.
I’m quite a competitive person as well, so this always comes across in daily life outside of skiing, as I’m always trying to better myself.
Q11. What goals have you set yourself for this year?
My mini daily goals for this year are to have a proper morning and nighttime routine that I stick to. Also a workout routine (when I’m at home and not off to the mountains). Also to stretch and foam role every day.
My big year goals are to go to university, to move into my own place in Manchester in May/June time, a few skiing tricks I want to have achieved and to keeping working and improving myself.
Q12. Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself that most people wouldn’t know?
I’m quite a creative person so I really enjoy painting and drawing in my spare time. Also when I’m away I often buy myself some wool and needles, and crochet myself a scarf.
Thanks so much for reading and a huge thank you to Rowan for agreeing to the interview (we are total fan girls!)
If you want to know more about Rowan and have a look at her AMAZING fitness guides (we've got the skiing one!)
Click here for her website >>>>
And if you want to give her a follow and some love on insta >>>>
We hope you enjoyed this interview and if you want more..... have a look at our 'ASK THE EXPERT' with Carly Rowena
Thanks xx
