Mikaela Shiffrin has done it all on the mountain: record World Cup wins, Olympic golds, and a comeback story for the ages. Now the greatest alpine skier of all time is serving pure relatability in the weight room.
In a recent training breakdown (shared via Women’s Health and circulating widely this off-season), the 30-year-old American casually dropped a line that has gym-goers everywhere laughing and nodding: “Kinda chic to put the weight back on the rack.”
The throwaway comment—delivered with her trademark dry humor while demonstrating strength moves that power her dominance—struck a chord. In an era of abandoned dumbbells and chaotic free-weight floors, Shiffrin’s understated call for basic gym courtesy feels like the ultimate power move.
The Back Abs That Broke the Internet
The quote lands amid ongoing fascination with Shiffrin’s physique. Earlier this year, ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics, a video of her “back abs”—deeply defined muscles along her spine that flex into a near six-pack—went mega-viral after she posted it on social media.
Her reaction was pure Shiffrin: equal parts surprised, self-deprecating, and hilarious.
“I wish I had more of them in my front, honestly,” she told reporters. “I didn’t know that that’s what my back looks like. I don’t know how you get that. I don’t really want it. But, you know, I showed my mom and she’s like ‘Ew, gross. It looks like an alien.’ Thanks, mom.”
Experts later explained the look comes from years of sport-specific strength work, low body fat, and the extreme demands of elite ski racing. Shiffrin has been weight training since around age 10 and still trains six days a week, often combining hours of strength, conditioning, and on-snow work.
What Actually Fuels the GOAT
In the same training content, Shiffrin walks through key exercises that keep her fast and durable: weighted crossover lateral step-ups for glute and hip power, hanging oblique knee raises for core stability (especially critical after her 2024 puncture-wound injury), and mobility-focused prep work.
She emphasizes single-leg movements that mimic the demands of skiing over pure bilateral lifts, plus careful load management. The “put the weight back” line fits perfectly with her no-nonsense, high-standard approach—whether it’s racking plates or executing 63 perfect turns on the way to Olympic gold.
That gold in the 2026 Olympic slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo marked her third career Olympic gold and first since 2018. It came after years of navigating grief following her father’s death, a scary injury, PTSD symptoms, and the unique pressure of being the face of the sport. Shiffrin has spoken openly about the mental side of the comeback, the value of vulnerability with her team, and why she keeps chasing what’s around the next corner: pure curiosity.
Relatable Legend Status
Shiffrin’s latest moment captures why she resonates far beyond the ski racing bubble. She’s the winningest alpine skier ever (108+ World Cup victories and counting), yet she still cracks jokes about her own back muscles looking alien and calls out proper gym etiquette like any regular lifter.
In a world of highlight-reel athletes, Mikaela Shiffrin keeps showing the work—and the personality—behind the records. And yes, she puts the weight back on the rack. Kinda chic, indeed.
