Q&A with snowboarder Aimee Fuller
At only 23 years of age, the British athlete is smashing it in competitions as elite as the Winter Olympics. Check out our writer Hannah Bailey‘s Q&A with snowboarder Aimee Fuller to find out her thoughts on fitness, snow sports and healthy food
What kind of workouts do you do to keep fit when you’re not on the slopes?
Off the slopes I do a lot of explosive and strength work. I squat and deadlift, and do loads of bodyweight exercises like spider crawls, bear crawls and chin-ups for shoulder strength. I always finish a session with some form of conditioning, usually 3-4 sets of high-intensity for around 40 seconds. Our sport is very explosive and an average snowboard run is around 40 seconds, so by using the battle ropes and skipping ropes you can finish your session off well. I’ve been using the metal rhino skipping rope, too! It’s so much tougher than normal skipping.
What’s the best fitness class you’ve ever been to?
Spin is great as it’s high intensity and keeps the legs in great shape, which again, when your out on the snow, contributes to performance. Another favourite of mine is yoga. I always do things quickly so this gives me time to relax, refresh the body and get things moving efficiently. It’s also great for preventing injury on the board. The more effective your range of movement, the easier it is to get into new positions in the air and out of bad landings when things get a little tricky.
What other sports do you enjoy?
I love surfing. The sense of freedom and being out in the ocean with friends is the best! I’m also a fan of motorsports and used to race motocross when I was younger. I now drive a KTM 690 Duke. I think the combo of doing gymnastics for two years at the age of 10 combined with the speed of motocross has really helped me with my progression in snowboarding.
Where’s your favourite snowy destination?
I love Mammoth Lakes in California. During the the spring it’s warm and sunny and you can hang in the hot springs after riding. Another favourite is Mayrhofen in the Tyrol region. I love the Vans Penken Park there – it’s one of the best parks in the world.
What would you say to encourage more females to try snowboarding?
It’s a great sport to do with friends, it keeps you fit and it’s so much fun to be outside exploring the mountains and challenging yourself! It’s much more accessible now, too, which helps. The Snow Centre is only a short ride away from London on the train so it’s convenient for getting a few taster sessions in.
What is it that drew you to snowboarding in the first place?
I love speed, and I found I got a huge adrenaline rush from learning new tricks – in fact, I still do. After the Olympics I went out to Aspen, Colorado with Red Bull on one of their performance camps and worked on a new trick called a cab double 9. The feeling of landing something new, no matter how big or small the trick is, is the best…
What’s your favourite healthy winter snack?
On the mountains I’ve been snacking on Wyldsson Snack Tubes. They’re so handy to throw in your pocket for the hill and are a perfect portion size. For breakfast it has to be banana pancakes lathered in Wyldsson Almond Butter as well as Navitas Naturals Dragonfruit Slices. They’re a US brand with some great on-the-go snacks on offer.
We Heart Living – Aimee Fuller action
What’s your signature homemade healthy dish?
It’s got to be a Thai red curry. Check out my recipe!
Sautée onions in Lucy Bee Coconut Oil.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of red curry paste, 1 red chilli, ginger, garlic and chopped lemongrass.
Add organic chicken.
As much veg as you like. My favourites are courgette, peppers and broccoli.
Stir in 1 can of coconut milk.
Let it simmer. Add Kaffir lime leafs at the end when it’s simmering to add flavour.
Serve with a side of quinoa or brown rice and Total Greek Yoghurt to cool the spice if you need to.