WHOOP Podcast How 3x Olympic Gold Medalist Aly Raisman is Redefining Recovery and Resilience
Nov 12, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Aly Raisman, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and mental health advocate, shares her journey through the high-stakes world of gymnastics. She discusses the intense pressures and toll of elite competition, revealing how burnout and anxiety influenced her approach to recovery and self-care. Aly highlights her innovative recovery strategies, like gardening and education, while emphasizing the importance of listening to one’s body. Her candid reflections on navigating mental health challenges inspire resilience and balance in pursuing greatness.
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Early Specialization And Work Ethic
- Aly Raisman began gymnastics at age two and chose to specialize at eight after playing other sports.
- Her coaches valued hard work over raw talent and her persistence later made floor her strongest event.
Olympic Pressure Is Uniquely Intense
- Olympic-level training creates unique pressure because the Games are a singular event every four years.
- That singularity amplifies anxiety, reduces balance, and makes recovery harder for athletes.
Training Load And Lasting Toll
- Aly trained six days a week and sometimes seven before 2016, often doing alternate-day seven-hour sessions.
- She says there wasn't enough emphasis on recovery and still feels her body hasn't fully recovered.