Body & Fitness

Olympian Lisa Carrington’s gold medal winning fitness secrets

The Olympic champion canoer tells how she stays on top of her game.

An Olympic athlete lives a life of constant pressure – always pushing their body to its limits in order to make that podium finish, while also ensuring their body and mind is nourished and well taken care of.

It can be a difficult balance, but one our very own Lisa Carrington – two times gold medallist canoer – has learnt to juggle. And, as she tells the Weekly, her secret weapon for success is something we all have access to – a good night’s sleep!

Lisa (28) says it’s essential for rejuvenation and to keep her on top of her game, both physically and mentally. “It’s the best form of recovery, so I get a minimum of eight hours a night – that seems to be my sweet spot of sleep!” she tells the Weekly.

Finding ways to wind down – such as taking time to go to the beach with her family back home in Ohope – also helps her to relax. Here, Lisa tells us why sleep is so important.

How do you relax?

By finding something that calms me, helps me chill out. For me, that’s watching TV, going for a trip to the beach or baking.

You’re committed to eight hours of sleep – do you bounce out of bed or are you more of a night owl?

I’m a morning person. I seem to be incredibly productive in the morning, so that is when I like to get most of my work done.

You took a month out of your training schedule lately, what did you do?

I tried to do things I don’t normally have time or energy for. I took little holidays, like one to Queenstown, then some time-out at home doing a bit of work in my garden (I painted the fence!).

Is having breaks away from intense training crucial in your schedule?

It is a balance – there is always constant pressure to try to become fitter, faster and stronger. Part of the plan is for intense periods with a balance of lighter days or weeks.

What is your next goal?

The Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020 is the aim. I still have the world championships and other competitions between now and then that are really important too, although Tokyo is the pinnacle event.

The importance of sleep

Lisa’s passion for sleep and women’s health saw her design a bed for Sealy to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ last month. She ended

up with a fern design.

“I tried to find something that reflected sleep as well as New Zealand,” she says. “I finally decided on the fern frond as it represents new life, growth, strength and peace.

“It is also never-ending, it reflects rejuvenation. Rejuvenation is essential and relates to sleep, but also to my lifestyle, training and performance as an athlete.”

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