Raven Saunders was born on May 15, 1996, is an American track and field athlete who competes in three events including shot put and discus. She won a silver medal in the shot put at the 2020 Olympic Games, throwing a distance of 19.79 meters (64 ft 11 inches). As a University of Mississippi collegiate shot putter, she won three NCAA titles. In 2014 she was a world junior medalist and in 2015 she was a Pan American junior champion. She holds the personal shot put record of 19.96 m (65 ft 5+3*4 in) for herself. Among her other accomplishments, she has advocated for racial justice and mental health.

We will check out what Raven Saunders did so that she was ready for the Olympics 2020. In addition to that, the next Olympic Games are on the way. So, we have included Raven Saunders' diet and workout routine, as well as her tips and tricks on how she prepares for competitions. In addition, it includes what she plans to do in the off-season.

Raven Saunders Statistics

• Birth Year: 1996 (age 25)
• Birth Date: May 15
• Height: 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
• Weight: 108 kg

Raven Saunders Awards and Achievements

Achievements and titlesPersonal best(s)Shot put: 19.96 m (65 ft 5+3⁄4 in)Discus: 56.85 m (186 ft 6 in)Olympic Games

2020 TokyoShot put

National titles

• NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Shot put: 2015, 2016
• NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships Shot put: 2015

Raven Saunders Workout Routine

Saunders puts a lot of emphasis on self-motivation. Her practice and competition are marked by her hyping up herself. "Reassuring myself that I can get it done." She insists she can't take this moment or this throw for granted just because she has 4-5 others in the training. There is a possibility that this is all you have. Single-shot. One-time deal. It's time to go. Come on, let's do this.For Saunders, Tokyo 2020 is his second Olympic appearance. With the Ole Miss track and field team, she placed fifth in the shot put at Rio 2016 as an Ole Miss student. Four years after starting as a Rebel, she has crowned an NCAA champion. Defended the SEC title three times. And an Olympian. On the surface, she seemed to experience a world chock-full of titles and talent. But on the inside, she appeared to be empty.

Saunders no longer considers her value based on how far she throws, or how high she wins. She understands and believes that she’s great. She grasps that she has a streak of a champion. And she doesn’t require a medal to confirm it.

“A medal to me, it really reflects nothing. Because I feel like with or without it, I’m good,” Saunders said. “For me, it’s just going to be the icing on the cake. Everything I’ve done, it’s like OK, it paid off, but I’ve learned to not measure my worth and value on materialistic things. But a medal for other people that look up to me will see oh my god it’s the grand finale to a great story, which on that side would be nice, I mean, I’m not saying I don’t want a medal, because I do want a medal. But yeah, it’s one of those.”

Raven Saunders clearly has struggled with mental health, however, she came through it quite successfully. In the same way, she also comes through physical strength by doing some amazing workout moves. She does not clearly give out her today workout routine, but here is a sample workout that she does in her week in preparation for major events:

Day 1: legs, shoulders, and abs

• Legs: dumbbell squats — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Shoulders: Standing shoulder press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Legs: dumbbell lunge — 2 sets of 8–10 reps per leg
• Shoulders: dumbbell upright rows — 2 sets of 8–10 reps
• Hamstrings: Romanian dumbbell deadlift — 2 sets of 6–8 reps
• Shoulders: lateral raises — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Calves: seated calf raises — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
• Abs: crunches with legs elevated — 3 sets of 10–12 reps

Day 2: Chest and back

• Chest: dumbbell bench press or floor press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Back: dumbbell bent-over rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Chest: dumbbell fly — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Back: one-arm dumbbell rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Chest: pushups — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Back/chest: dumbbell pullovers — 3 sets of 10–12 reps

Day 3: arms and abs

• Biceps: alternating bicep curls — 3 sets of 8–10 reps per arm
• Triceps: overhead tricep extensions — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Biceps: seated dumbbell curls — 2 sets of 10–12 reps per arm
• Triceps: bench dips — 2 sets of 10–12 reps
• Biceps: concentration curls — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Triceps: dumbbell kickbacks — 3 sets of 8–10 reps per arm
• Abs: planks — 3 sets of 30-second holds

Full-body Workout Routine

Day 1: full body

• Legs: barbell back squats — 5 sets of 5 reps
• Chest: flat barbell bench press — 5 sets of 5 reps
• Back: seated cable rows — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Shoulders: seated dumbbell shoulder press — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Triceps: cable rope tricep pushdowns — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Shoulders: lateral raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Calves: seated calf raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Abs: planks — 3 sets of 30-second holds

Day 2: full body

• Back/hamstrings: barbell or trap bar deadlifts — 5 sets of 5 reps
• Back: pullups or lat pulldowns — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Chest: barbell or dumbbell incline press — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Shoulders: machine shoulder press — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Biceps: barbell or dumbbell bicep curls — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Shoulders: reverse machine fly — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Calves: standing calf raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps

Day 3: full body

• Legs: leg press — 5 sets of 5 reps
• Back: T-bar rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Chest: machine or dumbbell chest fly — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Shoulders: one-arm dumbbell shoulder press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Triceps: dumbbell or machine tricep extensions — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Shoulders: cable or dumbbell front raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Calves: seated calf raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
• Abs: decline crunches — 3 sets of 10–12 reps

In the next part of the article, we would like to discuss the workout tips and tricks that Raven Saunders might have appended with her daily routine. It appears that these workout tips and tricks assisted her in contending with the pandemic and winning the Olympics. Several of them are discussed below.

Raven Saunders Workout Tips and Tricks

Here is a list of all the workout tips which Raven Saunders followed during and after the pandemic and to prepare for several competitions like the Olympics, most recently. In general, she has done quite well out of it, and anyone who follows her path can use these tips to become more successful. You might want to take a look at a few of them.

1. Decide your target number of repetitions

Using the repetition continuum when designing training programs for muscle building is helpful to stimulate muscle growth. To stimulate muscle growth, you need to perform weight lifting exercises with weights that are only heavy enough to allow you to perform 1–20 repetitions at the max. In general, weights you can lift as few as a few repetitions tend to develop more strength, weights you can lift for 6-12 repetitions tend to develop more muscle, and weights you can lift for 12-20 repetitions tend to induce more muscular endurance.

The repetition ranges will have some crossover, meaning that 3 repetitions at the respective weight will result in muscle growth, 8 repetitions will produce strength, and 20 repetitions will also produce muscle growth. To put it simply, depending on who you are, your muscles may grow more with lower reps using heavyweights, or with high reps using lighter weights.

2. Choose the right amount of weight

Any weight you choose should leave you at or near failure on the specified number of repetitions in every instance. When you use the appropriate weight, you should never be able to perform anything over 20 reps.The goal is to rarely have more than two repetitions left by the end of a set, such as when you are performing a set of 10 repetitions. If your goal is muscle building, you should rarely have more than two repetitions left by the end of a set. As a consequence of the repetition range continuum, you should test different varieties of repetition ranges in various phases of training to see which gives you the best results.

3. Choose your exercises well

Muscle building involves using the right exercises to work out the right muscle. For example, to build bigger biceps, you need to use exercises that target those muscles. There are several methods of performing this exercise, such as bicep curls or compound movements that apply the biceps, such as pullups.

The two principal types of exercises for muscle building are compound and isolation exercises. Both of these can be equivalently effective in causing muscle profusion. However, for the best long-term effects, you should incorporate both compound and isolation movements in your conditioning program.

The barbell back squat is an example of a compound exercise that stimulates multiple large muscle groups in a single exercise, eliminating the need for multiple exercises for the same purpose. Thus, you will achieve both more practical muscle energy and more efficient workouts. The advantages of isolation movements are that they help target specific muscle groups, and beginners may find them more comfortable to learn and more trustworthy to use at first than compound movements. Further, isolation exercises are typically more manageable to perform when you are fatigued because you do not have to uphold your entire physique. By doing extra targeted sets at the end of a workout, you may be able to take on another compound exercise if you would otherwise be too exhausted to do another.

4. Structure your workout to avoid overtraining

Whenever possible, complete three sets of 3–5 compound movements per workout, followed by three sets of 1–2 isolation exercises. Your most complex workout sets should be composed of compound movement exercises, while your isolation exercises require higher repetition series. Consider that if you perform three working sets per exercise, you will complete approximately 5–7 compound and isolated movements per workout. Using these types of exercises allows you to harvest the benefits from each one while maximizing your overall muscle-building potential and bypassing the overtraining symptoms.As well as providing indispensable advice to fellow athletes and mates who might be experiencing a similar situation, she also dispenses some personal stories. According to her,

The thing that I would tell them is to seek help, and that you sometimes have to make yourself uncomfortable. I know a lot of times when you're depressed, you feel alone and you don't understand certain things. But if you do the work and you continuously try while you're in the midst of your depression to do certain things and do different things, to push yourself and constantly give yourself positive affirmations. If you're feeling down and you're feeling depressed [remind yourself], "I am worthy." That's one of my favorite affirmations and I repeat those things three times over: I will succeed. I will succeed. I will succeed. I will win. I will win. I will win. Just constantly reaffirming yourself of your words so as your mind is constantly trying to beat you down, you can fight that.

Throughout her training period, Raven Saunders consistently follows the same workout routine, regardless of her off-season or in-season agenda. In addition to following some tips to maintain consistency, she is quite dedicated too. Her personality allows her to remain directed quite well, so she keeps her schedule quite strong. We will review her diet plan in more detail below, but another enigma is her diet plan.

Raven Saunders Diet Plan

As Raven Saunders is an immense advocate for healthy eating and an athlete, her diet is fairly healthy as she incorporates whole foods into her diet. It does not matter what kind of diet she follows or what restrictions she follows. She makes sure she gets all of the macronutrients and micronutrients and other essentials she requires.Because she consumes meals constantly, she gets sufficient energy and doesn't get fatigued easily. As Raven Saunders has not written about her meal plans adequately, we have given you a sample menu that she generally eats. Based on her social media posts and other public confirmation of her meals, here is a sample meal plan she could follow:Sample 1:

• Pre-workout: Banana and a handful of plain almonds
• Post-workout/breakfast: Oatmeal, cottage cheese, and blueberries
• Snack: Hard-boiled egg and whole-wheat crackers
• Lunch: Whole-grain roll, apple and salad of romaine, black beans, roast chicken, veggies, avocado, and olive oil-based dressing
• Snack: Plain yogurt mixed with sliced peaches
• Dinner: Seared salmon, brown rice, and steamed broccoli

Sample 2:

• Breakfast: Whole-grain pancakes, nut butter, and sliced banana
• Lunch before the workout: Half of a roast beef sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes
• Lunch after workout: Another half of the sandwich, clear soup (such as vegetable or chicken noodle), fruit salad, and glass of milk
• Dinner: Grilled chicken, baked potato, and green beans with dried fruit (raisins, dried mango, dried cherries) for dessert

Sample 3:

• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, whole-wheat tortilla, chopped vegetables, salsa, sliced avocado, and a whole orange
• Snack: Banana and a small granola bar
• Lunch: Pasta with grilled chicken and zucchini
• Pre-workout/game: Energy bar or whole-grain crackers and a few slices of deli turkey
• Dinner: Quinoa, shrimp, steamed vegetables, and yogurt or a small amount of ice cream for dessert

Sample 4:

• Breakfast: Smoothie made with pea or hemp protein, fruit, and almond milk
• Lunch: Large vegetable salad with chickpeas, nut-based dressing, and avocado
• Snacks: Pita bread with nut butter and fresh fruit
• Dinner: Stir-fried vegetables with tofu and brown rice

The food that Raven Saunders eats during the day was all that was mentioned. Apart from that, however, she also follows some diet tips that really reinforce her performance. Additionally, one must remain consistent with their diet and for that inference, Raven Saunders follows many small tips before competitions.

Raven Saunders Diet Tips

The goal of this section is to learn all about Raven Saunders' tips on how to eat adequately. The tips she provides are really nice, and she discussed how they helped her improve her game at the Olympics in general. Although she follows these tips almost daily, she is still very proficient at them. Listed below are a few suggestions she gives to her friends and fans as well:

The Right Carbohydrates

Diets for endurance athletes are often oppressive on carbohydrates, as carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy. Despite recent dietary trends away from carbohydrates, Nutrition Today published a council analysis in 2018 signaling the readers that carbohydrates are still essential for high-intensity performance regardless of the recent trends away from them.It is recommended that you consume 45 to 65 percent of your calories from carbohydrates according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2015-2020. Athletes should strive to stay on the higher of these two ends of this scale.

When it comes to meal planning for athletes, rice, potatoes, and pasta are necessary ingredients. Be sure to regularly choose high-quality carbohydrates in order to gain energy, as well as important nutrition and fiber. In an athlete's diet plan, whole grains, such as brown rice and quinoa, and vegetables are good alternatives for carbohydrates.

Protein Pointers

It's important to recognize that carbohydrates are not the only macronutrient in an athlete's meal plan. In recent decades, athletes' protein and fat requirements have increased significantly. As a consequence of physical activity, the muscles are stressed, which means they require a lot of protein to repair and grow. Lean meats and poultry, fish, dairy products, soy, and nuts are all instances of protein foods.As the expert panel noted in the Nutrition Today report, research has consistently shown that between 0.55 and 0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight (or 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram) are part of a comprehensive athlete's diet.

Based on your weight, you should consume 83 to 113 grams of protein daily if you weigh 150 pounds. You should consume about 20 to 30 grams of protein three to four times a day, focusing on this dose post-exercise to promote muscular repair and growth. Several studies published in 2018 in the journal Nutrients support the recommendation to consume 30 grams of protein post-workout. The meat can be 4.5 ounces of beef, chicken, or fish. Five whole eggs, 2.5 cups of black beans, or 1.5 cups of tofu can also be accepted.

Fats Are Necessary Too

Monounsaturated fats, principally, are the primary energy sources in our bodies. The nutrients they include ensure healthy skin and hair, excellent brain cell growth, and proper absorption of nutrients. However, beware of unnecessary fat intake. Eating too much can leave you feeling exhausted and inactive, especially before practice or a game. Digestive enzymes are decreased by fat. Avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish are healthy fats that you can choose from.

Apart from eating a healthy diet, Raven Saunders also needs some added vitamins and minerals, along with supplements. When she does her training routine, it can sometimes be difficult, and she doesn't have enough food to meet her daily macro and micro requirements. The next section of the article will narrate her supplements.

Raven Saunders Nutrition and Supplements

A listing of supplements that Raven Saunders takes each day can be found here. There may be times when she needs an extra stroke of supplements to make everything work for her because her diet does not meet all of her dietary requirements.

See the following account for all these vitamins and supplements:

1. Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil) There is no doubt that this is the most widely used supplement on the market today, for good reason. Supplementation with high-quality fish oil in large enough amounts can offer the best bang for your buck when it comes to dietary supplements. It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties without harmful side effects, such as over-the-counter medications. Although it is often thought to improve cardiovascular health and function, better lipid profiles (lower triglycerides), and improve brain function and mental acuity. There is one thing that most people don't know, however: all fish oils aren't created the same. Fish considered to be of a certain size, type, or natural habitat can produce toxins with varying levels depending on how the fish is processed. Look for brands that use smaller, cold-water (near the polar ice cap), fresh fish like anchovies or sardines over larger fish like tuna, or those farmed in warmer waters, in addition to looking for the cGMP seal. Ensure that any impurities are stated on the label, measured in parts per trillion and not parts per million. In order to achieve body composition goals and increase performance, athletes and those with a health goal should take 4,000 mg of fish oil spread out over 2-3 servings (it only lasts in the body for about eight hours) and work up to 6,000 mg per day.

2. B-Vitamins These compounds enhance energy production and function as neurotransmitter cofactors, thus improving our mood. In addition to this, they boost our ability to detoxify after exercising (and binging). In order to improve bodybuilding and muscle repair (processing protein), if you are lifting heavy or damaging your muscles in your workouts or job, you should take extra B vitamins in order to improve the building (strengthening) process because you are burning through them rapidly. As the standard forms, your body can use, look for riboflavin-5'-phosphate (B-2), methylcobalamin (B-12), pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (B-6), and benfotiamine (B-1) because they can be absorbed by your body easily. Hydrochloride (HCL) forms of the B vitamins should be avoided, as they are unabsorbed by the body and very inexpensive. Taking this supplement in the morning is important since you will stay awake while taking B-12. Be cautious taking thousands of the US RDA. Your urine might be yellow, or orange, but I noticed that once I switched to non-HCL forms of B vitamins, my urine was less yellow, which symbolizes that you're absorbing more nutrients.
3. Magnesium There are probably three supplements that are best recommended for athletes since this is an essential nutrient for biological systems, and many athletes are likely lacking it. Recently, studies have shown that 85% of Americans are deficient. Furthermore, most Americans live a sedentary lifestyle, so think of the problems even with the best trained and exceedingly well-trained populations. Athletes need magnesium because it regulates heart rhythm, helps muscles contract and relax properly, lowers blood pressure, and produces ATP (the energy source in our cells), which must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to function correctly. To circumvent Sudden Poop Onset (SPO), watch out for supplements that comprise amino acid chelates such as magnesium glycinate or magnesium malate as they are enough more absorbable by the body than other (inexpensive) kinds of magnesium like magnesium oxide or magnesium carbonate. The aforementioned nutrient is rightly taken post-workout when you have an empty stomach. Inactive people just require 600 mg a day but more substantial athletes in intricate training form could ingest up to 2,000 mg a day.
4. Vitamin D A hormone rather than a drug works by stimulating the body's production of collagen. We are able to produce vitamin D when we are exposed to sunlight and for most of us, we don't produce enough (25,000 IU/day) even when we frequently go outside. Most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, so you would have to dance around practically naked for a couple of hours every day to reach those levels. In the blood, vitamin D is measured by hydroxyvitamin D - a chemical form - and "normal" levels are stated as 35, but many suggest that level upwards of 70-90 is ideal, especially for athletes (mine was 35 when I was tested last October). Besides operating with calcium to enhance bone thickness, Vitamin D helps reduce soreness, risk of colon and breast cancer, enhances mood and upper respiratory health by supporting the battle against contaminations from viruses and other pathogens. It also enables the brain to discharge melatonin so we can fall sleeping more comfortably– like while you’ve been out in the sun all day and are exhausted as soon as the night befalls. Vitamin D is most effective when taken at night, an hour before bedtime, in the liquid form taken under the tongue is the best form, especially if you hold the liquid under your tongue for 30 seconds prior to swallowing, allowing it to absorb well and start working before being digested. According to studies, supplementing with Vitamin D up to 30,000 units is safe, and European studies show that consuming 150,000 units of vitamin D once a day for three days can help heal upper respiratory tract infections that may be viral in character.
5. Protein Taken within 10 minutes of training, will reduce stress hormones (mainly cortisol) released and reduce recovery time also. A big influence is a decrease in belly fat (no double-entendre denoted). It is recommended to consume 20-30 grams of protein per hour - the maximum amount a body can assimilate, and you only need about .8-1.4 grams per pound of lean body mass per day. Overeating proteins will increase acidity in the body, and this will cause other problems. But protein that is consumed in the right amount also repairs muscles and reduces muscle soreness in addition to providing energy. Protein is a nutrient that should be consumed continuously throughout the day - primarily from animal sources - and most certainly within 10 minutes of training. Since whey protein is an inexpensive protein and highly traded, it is frequently consumed by athletes. The majority of people who consume whey, however, experience side effects such as gas, bloating, and postnasal drip. Protein derived from soy is not a great choice as soy is genetically transformed 100 percent of the time. Soy is also very moderate in branch chain amino acids that are crucial for muscle building. The increase in estrogen levels in the body is not what someone who is trying to build strength wants. Moreover, many people are intolerant to soy for various reasons. Casein is one of the products of dairy, so people who are sensitive to whey might be sensitive to Casein too. Plant-based proteins that combine a variety of sources are less likely to cause allergies because they are derived from a wider variety of sources. At most, you should absorb 20-30 grams at one time.

6. Vitamin C As long as it is complexed into carbs to enhance absorption, you will not get a reaction similar to SPO, and you will experience what I mean if you have ever taken high amounts of Vitamin C to "get better". In such an incident, the body is liquidating out what it can't absorb (the Vitamin C in the irregular form) through the small intestine. Most of the vitamin C we consume comes from fruits, which contain fructose, which makes the vitamin easily assimilated by our bodies. In addition to supporting the production of ATP, vitamin C helps wound healing and is an essential cofactor for collagen production and muscle repair. As in the US, the prescribed daily allowance is 90 mg for checking index diseases like scurvy. It is very difficult to overdose on Vitamin C, especially in athletes and other special populations. The recommended daily dose for them should be 4,000-8,000 mg and up to 16,000 mg. Taking Vitamin C during and after exercise is the best time to take it. You can even make your own energy beverage with it, along with some other prevalent ingredients.

7. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) CoQ10 is an important antioxidant found in foods. It is also called ubiquinone (good! ), ubiquinol (not-so-good), or ubiquinol, and in some places, ubiquinol is abbreviated as CuQ10. Among the most important antioxidants in our body is coenzyme Q10. It produces ATP and protects cells from oxidative damage. It also gets rid of lactic acid (and other scraps). CoQ10 SHOULD be in the news more because of its significant associations to the heart – which is huge in CoQ10 to keep us ticking – when it is exhausted from statins (drugs used to tackle high cholesterol) and strenuous athletic training/exercise (ultra-distance athletes, CrossFitters, etc.). Recent reports have traced several young runners stopping dead because of heart failure, in which the lack of CoQ10 caused severe scarring and damage from years of training abuse. I don't want you, my CrossFit friends, to experience your own cardiac failure because of the same reason. CoQ10 is recommended for people who participate in strenuous exercise or who are taking statin drugs.CoQ10 is best absorbed when it is in the form of ubiquinone (not ubiquinol since it enters the cellular environment but does not go into the cells) and transported through oil (make sure the oil is approved and not soy, which is common). CoQ10 enters cell membranes easier because fats improve the absorption of the compound. It would be best to not take your CoQ10 with your fish oils since it can interfere with the absorption process. CoQ10 is usually recommended at a dosage of 100-200 mg per day, but higher dosages can actually be used to treat certain diseases, like essential hypertension and certain heart arrhythmias. When you are approaching an event, increasing your dosage may help you improve performance, endurance, strength, and recovery. It is best to take this supplement post-workout. However, if you are delicate to stimulants, we prescribe not taking them too close to bedtime. After all, it does arouse energy, especially in the heart. Additionally, it will be most powerful if it is not taken along with fish oil or other oil-based supplements as they rightly fight for absorption.