UFC star Holly Holm is showing fans what her workout routine looks like these days. Holm, 42, shared a video of herself wearing blue leggings and a sports bra, doing a full stretching session before hitting the treadmill and doing strength training exercises. “We always start with an active stretch, add some cardio, then on to strength training. @teamturningpoint always mixing it up for me!” she captioned the post. “Go get it @hollyholm! We wish you good fortunes in your next fight against Kayla Harrison!” a fan commented. Here’s how this fighter says strong and ready for the ring.
Holm runs five days a week on top of daily sparring practice and mitt work. “I go do my workout, do the media, and go right back to my workouts,” she told Muscle & Fitness. “It may mean running in the dark with a headlamp on because I didn’t get it done before the sun went down, but I know that the time put in then will pay off later. I’m disciplined to get it done, but there are times when it’s challenging for sure.”
Holm says being prepared is her good luck charm. “I just try to stay healthy, keep my body feeling good, eat foods that make me feel energetic but not overly heavy,” she told Muscle & Fitness. “I like to be surrounded by my team—they make me feel good and confident, and the energy is good. Other than that, I just focus on the fight and I know that all the hard work has been put in… The training’s done, and nothing can take away from that, so I try not to get worked up in my head. I try to stay level-headed and keep my body feeing good until it’s time to shine.”
Holm knows how important it is to rest when your body requires it. “On some days, I over-trained,” she told Time. “There will be times, when preparing for a big moment, where it can all seem overwhelming. On those days, you need a rest. For me, it’s going back and taking a bath in Epsom salt. You need to treat yourself. I’m a huge coffee addict. When you go out for coffee or even when you sit down with it at home, you know you’re taking a break. You’re going to enjoy it. If it’s not coffee, maybe it’s a glass of Diet Coke. Or wine. Or some chocolate almonds.”
Holm admits to dreaming of doing both UFC and MMA. “I think about doing both,” she told ESPN. “And my last boxing match, there was a debate if it would be at 135 or 140 pounds. I had already won a title at 140. I wish I would have pushed that [fight at 135] more because I could have been a four-division champion… But why not [actively hold titles in two sports]? I think that sounds fantastic.”
Holm knows how hard it can be to stay motivated—but says it’s worth it. “On your journey to the top, there will be times when you don’t want to make the sacrifices,” she told Time. “When you’d be happier spending time with friends, with family. So many times, I don’t want to hit the gym. I just want the work to be over. But then I would picture the victory. And that’s all it takes.”