The ‘Fittest Woman on Earth’ Shares Exactly How She Works Out Every Day
She wasn’t kidding. But if you want to take some inspiration from Katrín, you totally can. We sent her training routine over to Paul Roller, C.S.C.S., a CrossFit Level-1 certified coach who teaches at CrossFit Outbreak in Brooklyn, New York, to see how you can scale down her two-a-day sessions to a quick 50 minutes.
“It’s important to understand that Katrín is a professional athlete,” says Roller. “Her program is very advanced and should not be copied by anyone with limited experience.” Mimicking her exact routine might even be dangerous, Roller says, because your body isn’t accustomed to it. Instead, “start slow and increase the amount and intensity of your workouts gradually,” he suggests. “Over time, your body will be able to handle more and more.”
Katrín emphasizes that her workouts vary a lot, but this is what she might conquer over the course of a typical day:
The Warmup
10 minutes breathing/meditation
10 minutes foam roller/dynamic stretching
Repeat 5X:
5 rounds of rowing for 200 meters
15 calories on the airdyne bike
10 burpees
Modification: No Changes
“Katrín’s warmup actually doesn’t need to be modified at all, as it’s recommended to warm up your breathing, loosen up your muscles and joints, and get your heart rate elevated before any strenuous activity,” says Roller. “The only thing you could change, depending on your time constraints, is the length of the warmup. Ten to 20 minutes is more than enough for most people.” But if you want to follow Katrín’s warmup to the letter, this is your cue to go for it. (And if you want to stop after that, hey, we don’t blame you.)
RELATED: Exactly How to Burn More Calories After Your Next Run
Power and Strength
Snatch triples: 5 sets of three snatches
Snatch pulls: 4 sets of 5 reps @85 percent of 1-rep max
Snatch deadlifts: 5 sets of 3 reps @80 percent of 1-rep max
Back squats: 5 sets of 5 reps @75 percent of my 1-rep max
Modification: Use a Lighter Weight
“Forget about the exact details of what Katrín is doing and focus more on the goals of each part,” suggests Roller. “She starts off working on her power and explosiveness using the Olympic lifts (like a snatch), then she works on proper technique and building strength around that.” All of these things are simple to replicate, Roller says—just make sure you’re adjusting to a weight you can handle while maintaining proper form for the entire prescribed number of reps or time.
Not comfortable doing back squats, but want to build up the strength in your back and legs? To modify, Roller suggests trying stiff-legged deadlifts (it’s coincidentally Katrín’s least favorite exercise, but she says she’s learning to love it more so she can get stronger on them).
Here’s what proper form looks like for some of your favorite moves:
RELATED: The Best Strength Workout to Blast Belly Fat
Conditioning
5 rounds of 10 reps of max unbroken power cleans at bodyweight
Max unbroken strict handstand pushups at 26/20/16/14/12 reps
3 minutes of rest between each round
Modification: Do Easier Moves
“Katrín performs intervals with weight lifting and gymnastics as her conditioning routine. Anyone can modify this and get the same stimulus from it,” says Roller. His suggestion: Instead of doing power cleans and handstand pushups like she does, switch to doing five rounds of max kettlebell swings for one minute, followed by max dumbbell bench presses for one minute, then resting for three minutes between each round. “You will still benefit the same way Katrín does during this workout, but on a more intermediate level,” he says.
RELATED: 7 Reasons Your Arms Aren’t Changing No Matter How Much You Work Out
Core Work
5 rounds of 25 GHD situps
15 hip extensions with a 35-pound plate
30 Russian twists with a 35-pound plate
Modification: Fewer Reps, Ditch the Weight
“No matter who you are, you will benefit from core exercises—it’s where all your power comes from,” says Roller. Here’s a modified version of her routine: 25 situps, 15 glute bridges, 30 Russian twists. Repeat for three rounds.
And remember, Katrín works out twice a day, giving her time to fit all of this in. Roller says you can give yourself a time limit for each section, instead of running through the prescribed number of reps and sets. “Instead of doing multiple sessions, you can decrease the time you spend on each portion of the workout and focus on being efficient,” he says. Aim to complete a 10-minute warmup, 15 minutes of power and strength, 15 minutes of conditioning, and five minutes of core work, all wrapped up with a five-minute cooldown.
At the end of the day, Roller says “a good way to think about modifying any workout is to either perform less reps or sets, lower the intensity by adding more rest, or make the exercises easier while preserving the stimulus it applies.” So instead of doing power cleans, you can do kettlebell swings. If you’re not ready for snatch deadlifts, try stiff-legged ones. “It’s great to look up to Katrín as a source of fitness inspiration, but what’s most important is developing a routine that works for your level of fitness while providing a challenge to keep you moving forward.”