One of the most decorated Olympians of all time said that after decades of training, she’s still excited to work out.
Katie Ledecky has earned 14 Olympic medals (nine of them gold) for her prowess in the pool. In events like the 800-meter freestyle, she’s her own biggest competition, breaking her own world records in the quest for her personal best.
“I do really love the training,” she told Business Insider. “And I think because I love the training, it makes it very easy to go to practice every day and really continue to strive toward these big goals that I’ve set for myself.”
Ledecky’s training plan involves long hours in the pool, of course. But her dry-land workouts incorporate a mix of high-intensity circuits and weightlifting to build muscle.
“Swimming is a full-body exercise. So upper body strength, lower body strength, core strength, mobility, all those things are important,” Ledecky said.
The gold medalist’s approach can help you get the most out of your gym time even if you’re not headed for the Olympics, with simple strategies to level up your workouts.
Train for explosive power
A typical workout for Ledecky includes movements like cleans, squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups that help build explosive athleticism to stay ahead in the pool.
“Things like that translate well to developing power and pushing off the wall,” she said.
Non-swimmers can benefit, too: full-body exercises are one of the most efficient ways to build muscle, since you’re working arms, legs, core, and back all at once. They can also improve mobility if you’re training in a full range of motion.
Ledecky also incorporates circuit training with bike sprints and sled pushes. These shorter bursts of high-intensity exercise are great for improving your cardio fitness when you’re short on time, and are linked to better longevity.
Strive for consistency
Ledecky has been swimming since she was six, and competed at her first Olympics (London 2012) at age 15.
Since then, she’s been to the Olympics three more times, dominating at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, in Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. She’s also held multiple World Championship titles.
The training doesn’t stop between big events. To stay focused leading up to international competitions, she said her approach is all about showing up to put in the work, over and over again.
“I’ve just always had a goal of consistency and I take it one year at a time, one day at a time,” Ledecky said.
For everyday athletes, it’s a good reminder to find a sustainable exercise routine. Personal trainers recommend starting small and building up over time, since exercise only works if you can keep doing it long enough to see results.
Find your team
Ledecky said one of her favorite aspects of swimming is the intensely supportive community, from the youngest athletes who start at age six to the most elite competitors.
“It’s seen very much as an individual sport, but I think many swimmers would say they couldn’t do it without their team. There’s such great camaraderie,” she said.
That team spirit, encouragement, and playful rivalry among friends is what keeps Ledecky going through early-morning sessions in a cold pool and long hours of hard training.
A good fitness community can make a big difference for everyday athletes, too — research shows you’re more likely to stick to a workout plan and get results if you find a gym buddy (or many).
“It makes the motivation piece really easy when you know that you’re in it with someone else,” Ledecky said.
Don’t skimp on recovery
For peak performance, training is only part of the equation. Resting is crucial to allow the body to build back stronger. Ledecky has been competing for over a decade, and at 28 said she needs more recovery time than before.
“When I was 15, I don’t remember ever feeling tired,” she said. “I’m definitely making sure that I’m getting extra sleep at night and getting naps in when I can.”
The Olympian said she prioritizes getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet (she loves a veggie omelet and has a partnership with egg brand Eggland’s Best). The basic habits work better than an elaborate or high-tech protocol, according to Ledecky.
“It’s not anything too crazy or too out there,” she said. “It’s really just the simple things I think are the most important things.”
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