Lydia Lassila is an Australian Olympic freestyle skier gold medalist who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. She is the 2010 Olympic champion and the 2014 bronze medalist.
On 20 October 2010, Lassila was awarded the prestigious ‘The Don’ award by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, which recognised her ability to inspire as well as her achievements during 2010, including her gold medal performance at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Lydia Lassila is a four time Olympian as well as a Gold and Bronze medalist. She’s a mother, wife and entrepreneur running her business BodyICE. Lydia has just had her second son Alek and is now back in training to compete at her fifth Olympics. She also recently had a documentary released on her career called The Will To Fly http://thewilltoflyfilm.com/
Achievements of Lydia Lassila
World Cup Podiums
World Cup Gold – 15
World Cup Silver – 16
World Cup Bronze – 10
World Cup Overall
2002-2003 – 2nd
2003-2004 – 2nd
2004-2005 – 2nd
2007-2008 – 2nd
2008-2009 – 1st
2009-2010 – 4th
2012-2013 – 3rd
2013-2014 – 4th
Olympic Games
Salt Lake City 2002 – 8th
Torino 2006 – 14th
Vancouver 2010 – 1st
Sochi 2014 – 3rd
Current World Record
220.91 points, Deer Valley, Utah, USA 2010 (Jump combination: Lay-Double Full-Full & Lay-Full-Full)
Current Olympic Record
214.74 points Cypress Mountain, Canada 2010 (Jump combination: Lay-Double Full-Full & Lay-Full-Full)
2014 Sochi Winter Olympics: First woman in history to perform a quad twisting triple somersault called the Full-Double Full-Full
Honours
2010 Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year
2010 Ski and Snowboard Australia Athlete of the Year
2010 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Don Award
2010 Governor’s Award for Victorian Sportsperson of the Year
2010 Victorian Female Athlete of the Year – Kitty McEwan Award
2010 Victorian Institute of Sport – Athlete of the Year Award
2012 Order Of Australia Medal
Education
2005 RMIT Bachelor of Applied Science: Human Movement
Business
BodyICE – The Complete Icing System, created by Lydia in 2006
Lydia Lassila, an Olympic Freestyle Skier walks us through her incredible professional journey in an exclusive interview with Namita Nayyar, President Women Fitness.
Full Interview on Next Page!
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All Written Content Copyright © 2016 Women Fitness
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are an Olympic Gold medalist, having competed four times at the Olympic Games and training to compete at your fifth Olympics. Walk us through your spectacular journey and how it all began?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
It all began in gymnastics – a sport I competed in until I was 16. I always dreamt of not only going to the olympics but winning an Olympics so when I didn’t make it as a gymnast, I felt like I had let myself down. I felt like I had unfinished business. I still wanted to be an athlete, but I just didn’t know in what sport. That’s when a new opportunity came about – one I wasn’t expecting. The Olympic Winter Institute were looking for ex-gymnasts, I hope they could teach them to ski and convert them to aerial skiers. I had never skied before and knew nothing about the sport but saw it as an exciting opportunity – a second chance to fulfil a childhood dream.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have competed in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, winning a gold and a bronze medal. Introduce us to a day in the life of an Olympic freestyle skier, preparing for the Olympic Games.
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
Each Olympics has been very different for me – a lot happens in a 4-year period. Life happens – you mature, grow and are in a different phase of life. However, my preparation and desire to want to do well has been the same for all of them. The difference is that with each Olympics I’ve got a lot better at planning and strategising and knowing exactly what I need to get the best out of myself.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
My fitness regime is broken down into a few segments.
1. Strength training – using not only free weights but also body weight exercises, fit balls, pulleys, therabands etc
2. Pre-habilitation (i.e.: stabilising exercises that keep my body functioning to prevent injury)
3. Recovery i.e.: yoga, foam rollers, massage balls and ice baths!
Over the years I’ve got to know my body very well and I try to narrow my fitness regime to what my body actually needs to handle the demands and impact of my sport. Being a busy working mum, I’ve learnt to be really efficient with my training and just get in there and do what I need to do.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you follow a special diet or have a strict menu to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
I don’t believe in diets. I believe in eating smart and by experimenting with different foods over the years I know what foods my body needs for optimal performance and recovery which is quite simply a variety wholesome, unprocessed foods.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Training for professional sports requires you to be out in the extreme weather. How are you able to take care of your skin and hair?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
Protection is key and lots of water!!
When I’m outdoors -whether it’s in the surf or the snow I wear Invisible Zinc http://invisiblezinc.com/, It feels like a protective shield on my skin against sun, wind, snow and sometimes rain!
To cleanse I normally use Jurlique Clarifying cleanser followed by a vitamin C oil (http://www.skinceuticals.com/c-e-ferulic-635494263008.html and a light moisturiser. In really dry conditions I use bio-oil or coconut oil. Having a Finnish husband we also have a lot of saunas which is amazing for your skin!
For my hair, I just rub a little Moroccan oil on the ends.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influence and motivator in your success throughout your career?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
The best male aerial skiers have always been who I’ve looked up to and who I’ve wanted to emulate – they’ve always motivated me to be better and push beyond my comfort level.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
In any outdoor sports or athletics, injuries are inevitable. What advice would you give to the other sports players & athletes, in order to cope up with these injuries, which in certain cases could be life-altering?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
Firstly there’s a lot you can do to avoid injuries in the first place i.e.: the right physical prep, making sure you’re recovering after each session, making sure you’re getting the right nutrition and rest. In the beginning of my career, I was terrible at knowing when to give my body a rest and often pushed through pain, fatigue and niggling injuries which then turned into serious injuries. Knowing what I know now, it’s so important to have the right support team around you. A team that understands your goals and has helped you put a plan in place to get there. A team that has your back and can advise you when to take breaks and when to push on. Ultimately, I’ve learnt to listen to and respect my body. I’ve learnt to respect the signals of when to push and when to pull back and rest.
Injuries are not fun but I think it’s so important to keep positive and focus on the healthy successful athlete you are striving to be. Don’t look back 🙂
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have been awarded the prestigious ‘The Don’ award by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. How overwhelming did that make you feel? Also, what 3 things do you feel have been your biggest strengths in achieving such great honor and appreciation?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
Winning the Don is an amazing honour. What I’m most proud of as an athlete is that I’ve been able to reach the pinnacle in my sport without being a Diva!! I’ve kept close relationships with my teammates, competitors and coaches – friendships for life – and had a lot of fun along the way. To be successful in anything you need to be a little selfish – i.e.: you need to get your needs met and you need to stay disciplined BUT you can still be a nice person. You can still support and encourage others and at the end of the day it’s those great memories and experiences that you’ve shared that really matter.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are also an entrepreneur. Tell us about your company BodyICE.
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
BodyICE was born out of adversity. I went through a rough patch in 2006 where I had blown my knee twice in a matter of 6 months. The second time being in the Semi final of the 2006 Torino Olympics. I was devastated and knew the long road to recovery ahead. I couldn’t find a decent ice pack that I could use on my knee that was cold enough, wouldn’t slip and leak all over the place. So in frustration, I decided to develop my own.
In the year off rehabbing my knee, I developed a range of joint specific ice pack that would stay in place, compress the joint and be effective in delivering cold therapy and reducing pain and inflammation. Within 6 months, I had BodyICE up and running. 10 years later BodyICE is expanding and thriving. We supply orthopaedic surgeons, hospitals, athletes and weekend warriors world wide with a natural, easy to use and effective cold therapy solution. Through the experience of childbirth and having kids I also developed a range of ice/heat packs for kids www.bodyice.com/kids and Women www.bodyice.com/woman.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
A documentary on your career was released earlier this year called The Will To Fly (http://thewilltoflyfilm.com/), which talks about your journey as a young mother and competing in one of the world’s most dangerous sports. Share with us your experience making this documentary movie.
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
The Will To Fly was 3 years in the making and a really great experience. Katie Bender and Leo Baker co directed the film and followed me all around the world capturing my quest for a title defence at the 2014 Sochi Olympics – this time as a mother. Not only did I want to defend my Olympic title but I wanted to push the boundaries of my sport and myself by being the first woman to attempt a quad-twisting – triple somersault. Luckily for the filmmakers, I did this in the Olympic final.
Making the film was a fun process. Basically I wore a radio mic every day and within no time, the crew was part of the family capturing not only me training and competing but also golden family moments/ It’s been wonderful to see the film played across Australia and now internationally and even better to see the impact it is making – in particular motivating others to go after their goals.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you have any advice for the inspiring female freestyle skiers looking to achieve a similar level of success like yours?
Ms. Lydia Lassila:
Yes! Make sure you have the right support team around you. Work HARD not only physically but mentally. Listen to your body. Have the time of your life 🙂
To know the latest from Lydia Lassila, Check out:
- https://www.instagram.com/lydialassila/
- https://twitter.com/lydialassila
- https://www.facebook.com/lydia.lassila/
Or check out her website: http://lydialassila.com.au/
Women Fitness Team thanks Lydia Lassila for giving her valuable time for this interview, enlightening us and our viewers and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her.
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2016 Women Fitness