Simone Biles Training Routine: Workout and Diet Secrets of a Champion

Simone Biles Physical Training Routine

Daily Training Schedule

Simone Biles maintains an intense training schedule befitting an elite gymnast. She trains about 6 to 7 hours per day, six days a week, taking Sundays as her rest day​. Typically, her training is split into two sessions: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. For example, in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympics she followed a routine of two training sessions (about three hours each) per day on most weekdays​. A usual day might start early with a morning practice around 7–9 a.m., followed by an afternoon practice from roughly 3–6 p.m.​. Between sessions, Biles allows time to refuel, rest, and even take a short nap to recover for the second practice​. This demanding schedule is comparable to a full-time job in hours, underscoring the dedication required to stay at the top of her sport​.

During her training sessions, Biles works on all gymnastics apparatus (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor) to refine her skills and routines. She also includes routine conditioning and drills to build the strength and precision needed for her high-difficulty skills. Overall, her daily regimen is carefully structured to maximize skill practice while managing fatigue across multiple sessions.

Simone Biles Strength and Conditioning

Biles’ workout routine goes beyond practicing skills – a significant portion is devoted to strength and conditioning specific to gymnastics. She explains that her workouts are “all based on gymnastics conditioning, so it’s a little bit different from a typical gym routine”. Instead of heavy weightlifting, she focuses on bodyweight exercises and drills that mimic gymnastics movements. This includes exercises like rope climbing and casts (a conditioning exercise on uneven bars), which build the upper-body and core strength required for skills on apparatus​.

She also does plenty of leg conditioning and plyometrics to power her explosive tumbling and vaults. (Biles has noted that leg exercises come easy to her thanks to her naturally powerful legs, whereas core conditioning is more of a challenge​.)

In preparation for major competitions, she ramps up conditioning volume to boost her endurance and power​.

Flexibility and balance work are another key part of her conditioning. Biles incorporates extensive stretching routines each day to keep her muscles flexible and injury-free. “We have a routine that includes running and then a stretch for every part of our body… we’ll stretch before practice, but especially afterwards, because then you’re tense and you need to stretch those muscles down,” she has explained​.

This commitment to stretching ensures she maintains the range of motion required for difficult skills and aids muscle recovery.

Cross-Training and Flexibility

To complement her gym workouts, Simone Biles has at times included cross-training activities to improve her overall fitness. In some training phases, she has incorporated swimming, running, or biking to build stamina. For example, before Rio 2016, Biles revealed she would swim nearly a mile twice a week and do runs or bike rides as conditioning outside the gym​.

These aerobic workouts pushed her endurance – she joked that after biking 10 miles, “my legs were absolute jello” before going into a balance beam routine​.

Such cross-training helped increase her cardiovascular fitness and leg strength, making long practice sessions and back-to-back routines easier to handle​. In Olympic years, she might scale back cross-training to focus on gymnastics-specific work, but it remains a tool in her program.

Flexibility is critical in gymnastics, and as noted, Biles diligently works on her flexibility each day. Beyond regular static and dynamic stretching, her training may include ballet or dance elements to enhance grace and flexibility in her routines (common for many gymnasts). Biles’ ability to contort and extend her body through difficult skills is maintained by this constant attention to flexibility. By balancing skill practice with conditioning, cross-training, and stretching, her physical training routine builds the strength, endurance, and agility that make her feats possible.

Simone Biles Nutrition Plan

Daily Diet Overview

Despite the demands of training, Simone Biles does not follow a highly restrictive or faddish diet; instead, she focuses on balanced nutrition that fuels her performance. She eats a diet rich in lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables, paying attention to how foods make her feel​.

On a typical training day, Biles often skips a heavy breakfast due to early workouts. “I wake up so early before practice… sometimes I’ll grab a quick bite and sometimes I won’t,” she says​. If she does eat in the morning, it might be something light like oatmeal, fruit, or a granola bar​. She also stays well-hydrated, mainly with water – Biles isn’t a coffee drinker and relies on natural energy in the mornings​.

After her first practice, Biles usually refuels with a protein shake to help her muscles recover​. Lunch tends to be around late morning or midday once she finishes training. She frequently opts for high-protein foods like chicken or fish (salmon is a favorite) along with nourishing carbs and veggies. “If I cook, it’s usually pasta, or chicken or salmon… on the grill,” she says, noting that she’ll often add vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, or corn on the side​. Sometimes, for convenience, she’ll order lunch via a food delivery app, choosing anything from sushi to pepperoni pizza, depending on what she’s craving – as long as it provides the energy she needs​. Dinner comes after her second training session and follows a similar pattern: a balance of protein, carbs, and veggies. Biles has shared that she and her husband (NFL player Jonathan Owens) often prepare dinners like salmon or chicken with vegetables plus a side of rice, potatoes, or pasta​. She listens to her body’s needs at dinner time. If she’s in the mood for something less strictly “healthy,” she allows it. “If I’m feeling like a little bit of a less healthy meal, I get pizza or fettuccine Alfredo with chicken,” she admits​. Importantly, she always includes some vegetables or a salad even with indulgent meals​. Throughout the day, she snacks sparingly – usually only if she feels hungry between meals, and then it’s often fruit like grapes, strawberries or a banana​. This approach ensures she has steady energy without feeling weighed down during practice.

Fueling Philosophy

Biles’ overarching philosophy on nutrition is to fuel her body for performance while maintaining a healthy relationship with food. She does not rigidly count calories or micromanage every bite. “I eat what I feel good with and try not to overeat or stuff myself because I’m always at the gym,” she explained in an interview​. This intuitive approach helps her avoid the burnout or obsessive habits that some elite athletes face. In fact, Biles is wary of strict dieting or tracking, noting that for gymnasts it “can lead to health problems and eating issues,” so she sticks to eating balanced meals she knows she needs.

Her focus is on nutrient-dense foods that give her energy for long training hours. She emphasizes high-quality protein (for muscle repair and strength), a mix of carbohydrates (for energy), and plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals from fruits and vegetables. “I put a lot of focus on fueling my body,” Biles says, listing staples like eggs, lean meats, whole grains (rice, pasta, etc.), and produce as daily essentials​. She also makes sure to drink lots of water to stay hydrated through workouts​. By being in tune with her body’s needs, she can adjust her intake on heavier training days or leading up to competitions, eating a bit more if needed to ensure she has the stamina for intense routines.

Another aspect of Biles’ nutrition is convenience and consistency. Given her busy schedule, she often relies on simple, quick meals or even food delivery when necessary, ensuring she never skips refueling. She partnered with a food delivery campaign in the past and joked about enjoying everything from falafel wraps to cauliflower pizza, showing that healthy eating can have variety​. What remains constant is that she prioritizes feeling good and energized by her food. This balanced, non-restrictive approach has been effective in supporting her training: she enters the gym feeling adequately fueled rather than sluggish or overly full.

Indulgences and Balance

Even as a world-class athlete, Simone Biles believes in balance and allows herself treats in moderation. She doesn’t completely cut out “junk” food or desserts; instead, she indulges occasionally, which helps her maintain sanity amid a grueling training regimen. Biles has a self-proclaimed sweet tooth only “when the craving strikes,” and she’ll enjoy things like cookies, ice cream, or strawberries with whipped cream from time to time​. She’s even shared a favorite homemade treat: s’mores chocolate chip cookies that she bakes herself​. Such desserts aren’t everyday occurrences, but she makes room for them without guilt when she really wants them.

Importantly, she keeps these indulgences reasonable and tends to balance them with healthier sides. For example, if she has pizza for dinner, she might pair it with a salad or veggies. She’s noted that she’s “not picky” and enjoys trying new restaurants, which means her diet includes a wide range of cuisines and foods​. This variety likely helps her get a broad spectrum of nutrients and not feel bored by her meals.

Alcohol is not a big part of her life, given the demands of training, but Biles does mention that on weekends she may relax with a single glass of wine or a margarita when she’s in off-season mode​. For the most part, though, she keeps her indulgences moderate and mainly for recovery days or special occasions. By allowing these treats, Biles prevents feelings of restriction.

Biles Recovery Strategies

Rest and Sleep

Given the extreme toll of gymnastics training on the body, rest and recovery are crucial parts of Biles’ program. She schedules at least one full rest day per week. Typically, Sundays are her off-days, where she does not train and allows her body to recuperate​. These rest days help her muscles repair and also provide a mental break from the high-intensity routine. Biles has learned that listening to her body is important; if she feels overly fatigued or has nagging aches, she will prioritize recovery to prevent injury or burnout.

Adequate sleep is another cornerstone of Biles’ recovery strategy. She has said “nothing comes between” her and a good night’s sleep​. In practice, she aims to be in bed by around 9:30 p.m. and ideally falls asleep before 10:30 p.m. each night​. This early bedtime ensures she gets around 8–9 hours of sleep, since her training days often start around 6 a.m. or earlier​. Quality sleep allows her to wake up refreshed for morning practice and is critical for muscle recovery, memory consolidation of skills, and overall hormonal balance. Biles also uses small recovery windows during the day: after lunch, if time permits, she will take a short nap (about an hour or so) to recharge before her second training session​. By prioritizing sleep and rest, she maximizes the gains from training and reduces injury risk.

In addition to formal rest days, Biles incorporates relaxing activities in the evenings to unwind. After practice, she might spend an hour playing with her dogs outdoors or catching up with family via FaceTime​. This down-time helps her mentally detach from the pressure of training and signals her body to shift into recovery mode. Overall, a disciplined sleep schedule and regular rest are non-negotiable parts of Simone Biles’ routine, enabling her to train hard while staying healthy.

Physical Recovery Techniques

To keep her body in top condition, Simone Biles relies on a range of physical recovery modalities and therapies. She invests in regular bodywork to soothe sore muscles and address any aches before they become injuries. “I do regular athletic massages and ice massages,” she says, describing her routine​. Frequent massage therapy helps relieve muscle tension from hours of training and improves circulation to aid recovery. Biles also uses ice therapy, such as ice baths or ice packs, to reduce inflammation after intense workouts​. In fact, she has a cold tub at home which she plans to use for cold-water immersion sessions (also known as cold plunges) as part of recovery, complementing the more traditional ice baths athletes use​.

Another tool in her recovery arsenal is compression therapy. Biles has mentioned using compression boots – specialized inflatable leggings that squeeze the legs to enhance blood flow and flush out metabolic waste in the muscles​. This can accelerate recovery in the lower body, which is especially useful after strenuous leg workouts or tumbling sessions. She’s also a fan of soaking in Epsom salt baths, which can soothe muscles and reduce soreness​. The magnesium in Epsom salts is absorbed through the skin and may aid muscle relaxation.

Beyond these, Biles utilizes treatments like acupuncture and kinesiology tape (KT tape) when needed. She’s worked with trainers who apply KT tape to support her muscles and joints during training​. Acupuncture and other sports medicine treatments help address minor tweaks or imbalances, keeping her body aligned and pain-free. Biles ensures she gets professional oversight for her physical health: “I see my athletic doctor every Friday for a check-in,” she shared​. These weekly check-ups help catch any potential issues early and keep her in optimal condition through the training season.

By diligently sticking to these recovery practices – from massages and ice baths to cutting-edge therapies – Biles can sustain a high training load. Recovery is not an afterthought but a key component of her program. It allows her to hit the gym each day feeling as close to 100% as possible. As she has grown in her career, Biles has recognized that smarter recovery (not just endless training) is what enables longevity and consistent performance at an elite level.

Injury Prevention

Preventing injuries is paramount for any elite gymnast, and Biles’ regimen reflects a proactive approach to staying healthy. A major part of injury prevention is the daily stretching and warm-up/cool-down routine she follows, as mentioned earlier. By thoroughly stretching every muscle group before and after practices, she maintains flexibility and reduces the risk of pulls or strains. “It’s very important to keep your body flexible so that you don’t get injured,” Biles emphasizes​. Post-training stretching, in particular, helps to relieve muscle tightness after hours of pounding impact and explosive movements.

In addition to flexibility, strength training itself is a form of injury prevention in Biles’ program. By strengthening her core, legs, and stabilizer muscles (e.g., shoulders, ankles), she better protects her joints when performing difficult skills. For instance, strong leg muscles help cushion landings, and a strong core keeps her form tight to avoid awkward falls. Her targeted conditioning (like rope climbs for grip and shoulder strength, plyometrics for leg power, etc.) all contribute to a more resilient physique less prone to injury.

Biles is also attentive to listening to her body’s signals. If something feels off, she doesn’t push through blindly. During the 2013 season, when she was still rising to prominence, she experienced a setback at a competition that prompted her and her coaches to re-evaluate her mental and physical approach​. She worked with specialists (including a sports psychologist and national team coaches) to address those issues and came back stronger​. This reflects her willingness to address problems head-on rather than ignore them – a mindset that applies to physical injuries too. If she has pain, she’ll treat it and modify training as needed, rather than risk a serious injury.

Another preventive measure is the professional support team around her. Besides weekly doctor check-ins, Biles has coaches and trainers monitoring her technique to ensure she’s executing skills safely and with proper form. Good technique is crucial in gymnastics to avoid freak accidents. For example, under her coaches’ guidance, if she struggles with a skill (like a dangerous beam dismount or the air awareness issue known as the “twisties”), they will have her go back to drills and progressions until she can do it confidently and safely​​. This patience and emphasis on fundamentals protect her from forcing skills her body or mind isn’t ready for.

Lastly, mental health breaks can be considered part of injury (and illness) prevention in a broad sense. Biles made headlines in 2021 by withdrawing from several Olympic events to protect herself from the mental disorientation she was experiencing (the twisties). By stepping back, she likely prevented a dangerous fall and gave herself time to recover mentally. Upon returning to competition in 2023–2024, she cited the importance of the mental work she’d done in the interim, suggesting that addressing mental well-being was key to getting back to top form​​. This illustrates a holistic view of health: that taking care of the mind and body off the apparatus is just as important for longevity as what she does on the apparatus.

Through consistent flexibility work, smart strength training, responsive adjustments, and valuing mental wellness, Biles minimizes her injury risk. This multi-faceted prevention strategy is a major reason she’s been able to perform highly difficult skills for years with relatively few serious injuries.

Mental Preparation Techniques

Sports Psychology and Therapy

Mental strength is a huge part of Simone Biles’ success, and she has actively worked on her psychological preparation from early in her career. In 2013, after a competition setback, Biles began consulting a sports psychologist to help build her confidence and focus​​. She doesn’t divulge all the details of those sessions, but the impact was clear: she “learned to put the expectations of others out of her mind and enjoy her performance in the moment”​. Just weeks later, she rebounded to win her first national championship, a turnaround she credits in part to mental training​. This experience cemented the value of sports psychology in her regimen.

Since then, Biles has made mental health a top priority. She has openly discussed that she sees a therapist regularly to talk through stress, anxiety, or any fears. In her current routine, Biles attends therapy sessions almost every week. “To stay grounded and relaxed, and to keep my head on straight, I try to do therapy almost every Thursday,” she shared in 2023​. Those sessions, typically around 90–100 minutes, help her process her emotions and maintain perspective amid the pressure of competition​. By treating mental wellness with the same importance as physical training, Biles builds resilience. She noted that all the “mental work” she invested in recent years “paid off” when she returned to championship form​.

Working with professionals and engaging in therapy provides Biles with coping strategies for nerves and stress. She has learned techniques to manage anxiety – for example, breathing exercises, positive self-talk, and breaking big goals into smaller, achievable tasks. Her sports psychologist has also helped her handle setbacks. When she faces doubt, Biles will often remind herself of past successes and the preparation she’s done, a habit reinforced through therapy and visualization. By strengthening her mind, she’s better equipped to handle high-pressure situations like Olympic finals. In essence, regular psychological coaching and counseling have become as integral to her program as gym workouts, enabling her to compete with confidence and mental clarity.

Pressure Training and Visualization

One of the ways Simone Biles prepares mentally for competition is by simulating pressure scenarios in practice. During national team training camps and her own gym sessions, she performs “pressure sets” – routines or skills executed under meet-like pressure or after being told “this one counts.” Biles described that at the USA team camps under former coordinator Márta Karolyi, they would create high-pressure practice situations. “Whenever Márta says ‘guys we’re doing beam today’… you just have to get up and hit your sets. She means business,” Biles said, emphasizing that you have to deliver on the spot as if in competition​​. This trains her to handle the mental strain of big moments, making the actual Olympic or World Championship routines feel more familiar. By repeatedly practicing under pressure, Biles learns to control her nerves and execute even when she’s feeling anxious or fatigued.

Visualization is another mental tool Biles uses. Like many elite gymnasts, she mentally rehearses her routines and skills. She has mentioned that normally she can visualize every element of her routines in her head – seeing herself perform the skills successfully. (This was highlighted by its absence during the Tokyo Olympics, when she experienced a mental block and “suddenly couldn’t visualize [her routines] in her head,” contributing to her case of the twisties​.) Under typical circumstances, though, Biles uses visualization to build confidence: by the time she salutes the judges, she has already “seen” herself complete the routine many times in her mind. There are reports that she even watches videos of her past excellent performances to remind herself what she’s capable of, reinforcing positive mental images of success​. This combination of mental imagery and recalling successful experiences helps her enter competitions with trust in her training.

Another aspect of Biles’ mental prep is her pre-competition routine. She’s learned what works for her in the moments before performing. Earlier in her career, Biles had some superstitions (for example, she used to watch the gymnastics movie Stick It before every meet for good luck)​. Over time, she realized these rituals weren’t truly impacting her performance and could be a liability if she couldn’t do them, so she let go of most superstitions​. Now, her pre-meet routine is more about staying calm and focused: she might listen to upbeat music in the gym, do a consistent warm-up, say a prayer, or simply visualize her routines and remind herself to have fun. She’s noted that she turns any nervous energy into fuel, effectively converting adrenaline into power on the apparatus​. By the time she competes, she’s mentally locked in – a state achieved by lots of practice under pressure and mental rehearsal beforehand.

Mindset and Goal-Setting

Perhaps one of the most defining aspects of Simone Biles’ mental approach is her mindset. She cultivates a champion’s mindset built on confidence, enjoyment, and clear goals. From a young age, Biles was encouraged to set goals and track her progress. Her mother, Nellie, would sit down with her at the start of each year to write out goals for the next 12 months and record achievements along the way​. This instilled in Simone a habit of goal-setting that she carries to this day – whether it’s mastering a new skill by the end of the month or aiming for a certain score in competition, she often defines objectives to keep herself motivated. She also journals and reflects on her training; for instance, she has spoken about setting daily intentions during training cycles, a technique she highlights in her gymnastics MasterClass, to stay focused on incremental improvement​. By breaking big dreams (like Olympic gold) into smaller actionable goals, Biles maintains a sense of purpose and direction in her training.

Hand-in-hand with goal-setting is staying positive and confident. Biles works on believing in her abilities, especially when challenges arise. She admitted that sometimes she tends to overthink difficult skills, suddenly doubting herself even after months of successful practice​. To combat this, she leans on the training she’s done and reminds herself of her proven capability. Her coaches might take her back to basics on a skill to rebuild confidence (for example, when she once struggled with a beam element, they had her relearn it step by step until she felt secure again)​. This process teaches her that fundamentals are the foundation of confidence – if she’s solid on the basics, she can trust herself when performing the harder tricks. It’s a mindset of “prepare thoroughly, then trust your preparation.” As she said after her 2013 breakthrough, enjoying the performance and blocking out external expectations became key to her success​. Focusing on fun and personal excellence, rather than medals or others’ opinions, allows her to compete with less pressure and more joy.

Finally, Biles’ mindset embraces the idea of mental health balance. After facing immense pressure as the superstar of gymnastics, she openly took steps to ensure she wasn’t sacrificing her well-being for success. This included stepping away when needed and coming back on her own terms. By doing so, she sent a powerful message that mental preparation isn’t just about pushing through stress, but also knowing when to step back. Now, in interviews, she often encourages younger athletes to believe in themselves and dream big, noting that with self-belief and hard work, “you can do it”​. She leads by example, showing that a strong mind is as important as a strong body. Through goal-setting, positive focus, and caring for her mental state, Simone Biles has developed a champion’s mindset that fuels her historic achievements.

A Day in Simone Biles’ Training Routine

Simone Biles follows an intense, structured training schedule designed to maximize her strength, agility, endurance, and gymnastics-specific skills. Below is a detailed look at what a full training day might look like, including exercises, repetitions, and time spent on each aspect of her workout.

📅 Daily Schedule Overview

• Morning Training Session: 7:00 AM – 10:30 AM
• Break/Lunch/Recovery: 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
• Afternoon Training Session: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Evening Recovery & Rest: 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM

💪 Morning Training Session (7:00 AM – 10:30 AM)

This session primarily focuses on gymnastics skill work, tumbling, and apparatus training.

1️⃣ Warm-Up & Activation (30 min)

Objective: Increase mobility, prevent injury, and activate key muscles.

• Dynamic Stretching:
  • Arm circles – 2 sets of 30 sec
  • Hip openers – 2 sets of 10 reps per leg
  • Leg swings – 2 sets of 10 reps per leg
• Core Activation:
  • Plank holds – 3 sets of 45 sec
  • V-ups – 3 sets of 15 reps
  • Hollow body holds – 3 sets of 30 sec
• Plyometric Jumps:
  • Bounding hops – 2 sets of 20 meters
  • Depth jumps – 2 sets of 6 reps

2️⃣ Gymnastics Apparatus Training (2.5 hours)

Simone Biles spends the bulk of her training refining her skills on various apparatuses.

• Vault Training:
  • Sprint drills for explosive speed – 5 reps
  • Block drills (for height) – 3 sets of 5 reps
  • Vault routines – 8-10 full vaults
• Uneven Bars:
  • Kip drills – 3 sets of 5 reps
  • Cast to handstand holds – 3 sets of 10 sec
  • Full bar routine – 4-5 times
• Balance Beam:
  • Beam core drills (L-holds, presses) – 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Connection series (back handspring to layout) – 5-6 reps
  • Full beam routines – 3-4 times
• Floor Tumbling:
  • Roundoff back handspring drills – 3 sets of 6 reps
  • Full tumbling pass routines – 6-8 times
  • Dance choreography – 20 min

🍽️ Midday Break & Recovery (10:30 AM – 3:00 PM)

• Snack or Protein Shake: High-protein smoothie or light meal
• Short Nap (Optional): 60 min to recharge
• Hydration & Mobility Work: Foam rolling, massage, or stretching

🏋️‍♀️ Afternoon Training Session (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM)

This session focuses on strength training, conditioning, and flexibility work.

3️⃣ Strength & Conditioning (90 min)

Simone avoids heavy lifting and instead does bodyweight and explosive exercises tailored to gymnastics.

• Leg & Power Workouts:
  • Box jumps – 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Bulgarian split squats – 3 sets of 8 reps per leg
  • Single-leg Romanian deadlifts – 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Sled pushes – 3 sets of 15 meters
• Core Strengthening:
  • Hanging leg raises – 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Russian twists (with med ball) – 3 sets of 20 reps
  • Rope climbs – 3 reps (no legs)
• Upper Body Strength:
  • Pull-ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Push-up variations – 3 sets of 15 reps
  • Parallel bar dips – 3 sets of 10 reps

4️⃣ Flexibility & Recovery (30 min)

To maintain her insane flexibility, Biles does targeted stretching:

• Active Flexibility Work:
  • Splits hold – 2 sets of 45 sec per leg
  • Shoulder bridge stretches – 2 sets of 30 sec
• Passive Stretching & Foam Rolling:
  • Full-body stretch – 15 min
  • Foam rolling – 15 min

🌙 Evening Recovery & Rest (6:00 PM – 9:30 PM)

After a full day of training, recovery is crucial.

• Dinner: Balanced meal with protein, carbs, and veggies
• Epsom Salt Bath/Ice Bath: To reduce inflammation
• Massage Therapy/Compression Therapy: Helps muscle recovery
• Mental Preparation: Visualization & breathing exercises before bed
• Sleep: 8–9 hours to allow muscle repair and performance recovery