Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Heather Moyse:
One of my favourite heavy lifts is the rack squat (or bottom-up squat), and then super-set those squats immediately with box jumps. Core strength is extremely important (which is not just about having tight abs), so planks are great (if done properly). When preparing for a bobsleigh season (and not in Calgary), I have been known to push cars! 🙂 It puts me in the same position I need to be in in order to push a sled, and it provides great resistance!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Heather Moyse:
Sometimes I think that people focus too much on their diet, and forget to simply have a healthy relationship with food! I don’t really restrict anything in my diet, but I definitely know the food items that I need to make sure my training is effective. When I’m training, I eat a ton of protein (to help regenerate muscles after training) and complex carbs (to give me enough slow-burning energy to help me get through the day of training). People don’t realize that fats are important as well. Yes, I DO eat dessert (and am known for having a sweet tooth)! But I make sure that I eat the food that is actually going to contribute to my athletic success first! My favourite meals?!…. Meat lasagna or grilled steak/salmon with fries or garlic mashed potatoes, and a Greek salad with no olives. (I’ve never liked olives!) I also make sure that I’m taking minerals, vitamins, and fish oil, and Biosteel is my sports drink of choice (and my protein shake post workout) because it’s delicious AND is tested (so safe to drink for athletes who get drug tested on a regular basis).
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
In 2012, you were named by Sportsnet Magazine as one of the 30 Most Beautiful Athletes on the Planet. You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hair to make them look so stunning? Any special treatment to protect your skin in cold conditions?
Ms. Heather Moyse:
I wish I had a good answer for this. It’s only recently that I’ve starting trying skincare regimes and I am still experimenting with different things. I am really just trying to get in the habit of putting moisturizer on! I do, however, try to use a good quality moisturizer that absorbs quickly into my skin so that it doesn’t leave my skin looking greasy. It’s a work in progress! As for my hair, lately I’ve been using shampoo and conditioner (just on the ends) that is sulfate- and paraben-free. But I will use almost anything (except the stuff found in hotels because I usually can’t stand the perfumy smell of them)!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding girls taking career in sports of Bobsleigh who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in the sports of Bobsleigh?
Ms. Heather Moyse:
Be yourself throughout the process, and make your decisions with the thought of having no regrets to look back on later. Don’t let anyone make you believe that you can’t make it. Strength and speed! To be successful in the sport of bobsleigh (as a brakeman), you need to have both strength AND speed! Having just one and not the other will probably not get you very far, especially if it’s a competitive season leading up to an Olympics, when the field of competition is deeper. You need to be strong to overcome inertia to get the sled moving from a standstill. And the more speed you have, the farther you can run down the hill and, therefore, the longer you can continue applying pressure to the sled, causing it to accelerate to a faster velocity than you would have gotten had you gotten into the sled sooner. So the focus in training should be about explosive power! How quickly can you move a heavy weight?! It’s a fun challenge! You also should put yourself in a mentally healthy environment – surrounded by supportive people in your life – in which you can get the most out of your training!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You on November 21st, 2012 had hip surgery to repair a torn labrum, shave off a couple of bone spurs on the head of your femur, and shave off the front part of your hip socket. In 2014 you excelled in the sport of Bobsleigh and won the Gold at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. How you were able to overcome such a physical injury/setback and what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation?
Ms. Heather Moyse:
Seemingly miraculous recoveries have to do with not giving up, believing in the possibilities (my motto), and having a good team. Not giving up means being diligent, and treating your rehab as if it’s your job – not skipping any steps in the process, no matter how good you may feel. You won’t get very far in the pursuit of any goal if you don’t actually believe, deep down, that it is actually a goal that’s possible to achieve. And your team – surgeon, therapists, trainer, friends/family – is extremely important. Do your research yourself with people who also believe in the possibilities – your surgeon, therapists, trainer, friends/family. There are never any guarantees when pursuing a goal, but it sure is fun to see how close you can get!
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