So You Want to Train Like One of the World's Fittest Athletes?
Learn how some of Sports Illustrated's 2020 Fittest 50 athletes get an edge on the competition—and how you can incorporate their methods into your life, too.
Milwaukee Bucks forward and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo can score in the paint and sink shots from the outside with his 7’3” wingspan. At age 24, ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin has 66 (and counting) World Cup victories. Ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter dominates distances over 100 miles. Novak Djokovic can stretch his lean, limber body for a backhand return just as easily as he can slap a powerful serve across the net. Eliud Kipchoge can run 26.2 miles in under two hours, while Brigid Kosgei can complete a marathon faster than any woman in history.
History-making, world-class performances aren’t only a result of superior talent or skill—athletes must also be in peak physical shape. The athletes named to SI’s 2020 Fittest 50 list represent the best-of-the-best when it comes to conditioning benchmarks such as speed, strength, agility, flexibility, power, stamina and more. But how do they do it? Many of the world’s fittest athletes will do whatever they can to get that extra edge over the competition, from employing a team of trainers, nutritionists and other specialists, to utilizing science-backed methods and high-tech equipment.
While you might not be able to hire a full team to support your fitness goals, we all can learn from the advanced techniques of the world’s fittest athletes.