Namita Nayyar:
Immense contribution of your choreographers Massimo Scali, Elena Dostatni and Nikolai Morozov from behind the scenes of your many successes on the ice dance competitions. Tell us more about their extraordinary role to the pinnacle of success you have achieved.
Leah Neset:
Each year in the spring, we must create new programs for the coming season. Throughout our career, we have worked with several different choreographers. In the most recent season, our rhythm dance was choreographed by Kaitlyn Weaver, and our free dance was choreographed by Nikolai Morozov.
They both did an amazing job, and we really enjoyed skating the programs. Massimo Scali created a very fun show program for us this past season, which we really enjoyed performing as well. Our choreographers always play a very important role in our skating, and we are very grateful for their expertise!
Namita Nayyar:
How your coaches Elena Dostatni and Andrzej Dostatni have played as a catalyst to your meteoric rise as an ice dancer in the world arena.
Leah Neset:
We are very fortunate to have an amazing coaching team. Elena is very invested in every aspect of our skating. She puts so much time and effort into all the details of our programs like our music and choreography, and even the hair, makeup, accessories, and more. She gives all that she has to help us be the best that we can be.
She pushes us to improve every day, and she encourages us to reach for goals we never would have thought possible on our own. She also cares about us as people beyond our skating and always gives thought to our well-being and personal development. Andrzej is also a great part of our coaching team. He always gives us helpful insights for our skating. He especially provides helpful feedback for the technical aspect of our skating, as he is a technical specialist.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Leah Neset:
Our training regime consists of a combination of on-ice and off-ice training. We usually spend about four hours on the ice each day during the week. For off-ice training, we have 1-2 classes per day consisting of ballet, modern dance, ballroom dance, yoga, stretching, and we also work with an acrobat and gymnast for our lifts. Additionally, we have a workout once a week with a professional trainer. In these weekly workouts, we begin with a fifteen-minute core warm-up. We then do a workout circuit consisting of a combination of exercises with and without weights to train our arms, legs, and core.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you train your abs? One secret to your toned body.
Leah Neset:
That is very nice of you! Our workout instructor has provided us with a routine that exercises our core. It consists of variety of exercises, such as plank with hip dips, superman’s, side plank with hip dips, and other exercises. We repeat this routine every week during our workout.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Leah Neset:
I suppose I do not have a special diet, but I do believe that nutrition is important. I work with a nutritionist to ensure that I am fueling properly to keep up with training at a high intensity. She has helped me a lot with my nutrition by making sure that I am getting enough of the nutrients needed to fuel my training and keep my body healthy.
Namita Nayyar:
Five foods you absolutely love and five you keep to a minimum.
Leah Neset:
I love a variety of foods and especially enjoy trying the cuisine of different places that we travel to. This year we had the opportunity to travel to Japan, and I really enjoyed the sushi there, even though I was not previously a big fan of fish. We have also had the opportunity to travel to Europe several times, and I always enjoy the breakfast there, especially the coffee!
Some foods that I especially enjoy at home are eggs and toast for breakfast in the morning, stir fry, and I always love a good smoothie. One food that I also love is Borsht, which is a soup with beets, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. It takes a long time to make, so I don’t have it very often, but it is one of my favorite foods that Artem cooks.
I am not an overly picky eater, so there are not a whole lot of foods that I don’t like. I suppose I am somewhat picky about my fish, as I only really like it if it is fresh. I also am not a fan of really spicy foods, and I am not quite adventurous enough to try foods like liver, chicken hearts, or fish that still have the eyes and scales, etc.
In terms of for health, I do not necessarily avoid certain foods, but I do try to choose healthier options over less healthy options. For example, when possible, I try to choose whole grains over refined grains, and healthy fats, like avocados, over less healthy fats, like butter. I also try to choose natural foods over highly processed foods.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
