You dive better if you’re having fun
The pre-season training is when we’re at our most intense, but right now, we’re doing nine training sessions each week, and each one consists of an hour to an hour-and-ahalf in the gym, and then the same amount of time in the pool.
I do a Gyrotonic session – a mix ofyoga, dance, gymnastics, swimming and t’ai chi – twice a week.
Even on my days off, I like to do active recovery, so something that’s going to improve my flexibility and mobility, to allow me to dive better.
I take ice baths and apply ice to my arms, and I like to use recovery compression boots – you put your legs inside them and they compress to improve the blood flow to the area.
You’re a big fan of knitting, and have even created your own knitting page on Instagram. What is it about it that relaxes you? I started knitting just before lockdown. It was initially Lance’s idea, because he sometimes saw people on set (Lance is his screenwriter and director husband) knitting these little squares as a way of switching off and focusing on one thing.
I found a Youtube video and tried to teach myself, which didn’t go very well, so I got an Australian diver, a Russian diver and one of the Chinese coaches to teach me.
As an athlete, it’s just as important to sit down and recover, but I
Olympic Bronze and, right, the dive that won
Daniel Goodfelllow struggle to stay in one place, and if there’s a cupboard that needs sorting out, I’ll do that instead.
Knitting was a way of being able to slow down in the evenings. There’s something really rewarding about being mindful and present, but then also creating a piece of clothing that you can give to someone as a gift.
I started crocheting last summer, so now I’m a ‘double stitcher’. even though you’ve dreamed of it for so long.
Now, I’m going to soak it up. I think you’re able to dive better that way, because you’re actually having fun.
You’ve teamed up with Vodafone to create a yoga routine called Vodayoga, to help combat the effects of home working. How important is staying active to you? In the first lockdown, it was really hard to keep motivated, especially with pools and gyms closed. Doing yoga really helped me to connect my mind and body, so we wanted to design something that got people up and moving.
There are different versions, so people can do 12, 26, or 34 minutes of yoga, depending on their fitness level.
Being active just makes me happy. I find it really difficult to sit still.
People often don’t look forward to lifting weights in the gym, but there are so many different ways to be active, and it’s about finding what works for you. ■ Tom Daley has teamed up with Vodafone to create Vodayoga, a yoga class specifically designed help get the nation in its most flexible state of body and mind, to celebrate the launch of Vodafone EVO – its new flexible mobile offering. For more information visit vodafone.co.uk
The benefits of taking statins for healthy adults outweigh the risks, according to a new review.
Statins lower cholesterol in the blood and around eight million adults take them to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers, led by academics from the University of Oxford, examined the risk/ benefit ratio among groups taking the drug preventatively.
They found the risk of adverse events linked to statins was “low” and did not outweigh their efficacy in preventing cardiovascular disease.
In the study, published in The BMJ, the authors wrote that this suggests the “benefit-toharm balance of statins is generally favourable”.