How Kristen Nuss Is Preparing For The Olympics

Heading to the 2024 Paris Olympics to characterize Crew USA in seashore volleyball is a celebrity duo generally known as TKN. Final week, we chatted with one-half of that pair, 27-year-old Taryn Kloth—and as we speak, we get to meet up with the opposite half, 26-year-old, 5-foot-6-inch athlete Kristen Nuss. 

The duo heads into the Olympics with a whole lot of buzz: They presently rank second on this planet and effortlessly clinched the primary spot on Crew USA with almost three months left to spare in the course of the qualifying timeline. 

Kristen Nuss: My method could also be completely different than most. I’ve discovered through the years that if I get tremendous centered and “locked in” that I truly do not carry out effectively. So I attempt to be just a little extra laid again. 

Taryn in all probability talked you thru our routine of listening to the identical AirPod [ed. note: In Kloth’s Game On interview, she shared that they listen to the same music by sharing AirPods during warm-ups to help them get in the same mindset]. So, in warm-ups, I simply attempt to preserve it enjoyable and relaxed. Yow will discover me jamming out to no matter music is enjoying in my head. Chatting with our coaches. 

Nuss: In seashore volleyball, we do not have a ton of kit. We get on the court docket, and we’re in our bathing fits. However an absolute necessity is sun shades. I couldn’t play this sport with out sun shades.

We put on Zenni Optical Sport Efficiency Sun shades. We like them as a result of they’ve a whole lot of choices for competitors sun shades with completely different lenses and kinds. It is nice to have the ability to have enjoyable with it—even with the ability to match the colour of our lenses with our fits. Or relying on what the solar is doing that day, we’ll decide lenses to assist efficiency. The completely different lenses will assist with visibility primarily based on the sunshine.

For instance, if there aren’t any clouds and it is simply pure solar, a number of the lenses are higher for that. Or different lenses do not block as a lot of the daylight. Some lenses will assist alter the colour you are seeing—so it is just a little yellow or just a little darker. Numerous that relies on your private desire. 

Nuss: Sleeping points earlier than one thing massive is for positive a factor. There’s been numerous nights earlier than a giant sport or a championship match laying in mattress, and I am identical to, Fall asleep, fall asleep, fall asleep. However I can’t shut my mind off!

If that is the case—if it is a kind of nights—I are likely to concentrate on my respiration. I simply take actually deep breaths, out and in, and actually simply hone in on that. Then I will additionally simply begin counting and I will simply rely. It provides my mind one thing to do aside from take into consideration that one factor—the match. It makes my mind concentrate on one thing aside from, OK, what is going on to be the climate tomorrow? What is the play? How am I going to carry out?

Nuss: Truthfully, earlier than a giant sport—and particularly relying on after we play—a superb ol’ peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That may be a stable pregame. It is the proper snack to provide the vitality and carbs that you just want. We [Kloth and I] eat them quite a bit after we journey.

Each day, I comply with a high-protein food regimen. It is nearly consuming a ton of protein in each meal that we get. I personally love doing increased protein, decrease calorie, and a whole lot of amount as a result of I’m somebody who enjoys that feeling of fullness.

Nuss: I give a ton of credit score to our coach. He buildings apply the place there are some days that it is simply stepping into to get reps—however then there are the times we simply get after it. 

You need apply to be more durable than the sport itself. That is the place the resilience will get constructed—in these apply moments if you’re in a extremely arduous drill, he is simply crushing balls at you, you then’re having to do some form of serve obtain and consistently simply execute. You get to the purpose the place your mind is like, Go, go, go—however your legs are dying and simply cease working. 

Nuss: Nicely, I completely love simply happening a stroll. It is also simply good for the psychological aspect of issues—simply leaving the telephone at dwelling and simply going for a stroll. 

Nuss: I feel for me, an excellent workforce is somebody that is going to instill confidence in you and construct you up. Particularly in seashore volleyball, you want your different half on the court docket to achieve success. 

I’ve seen conditions the place somebody would possibly get a foul set, and the teammate will roll their eyes. It is like, Why are you tearing down your companion? Your companion is the one one who you want essentially the most to succeed at this. 

So I feel a superb teammate is somebody who instills that confidence and belief in you throughout these arduous occasions, like say, if you aren’t enjoying your finest sport. A very good time goes to be somebody who continues to be there and so they’ll nonetheless have utmost belief.

Nuss: Dream massive—no dream is just too massive.

I am just a little undersized in comparison with most different seashore volleyball gamers. Each single time I turned on the TV, nobody regarded like me height-wise. I’d lookup the heights of gamers and everybody was at the least 2-3 inches taller than me. However I simply stored on going. 

Do not let anybody let you know that you could’t.