The key to success? The perfect balance!

Johannes Rydzek’s balancing act toward a well-rounded training regimen.

If you were to think about which sport is the most physically demanding for a professional athlete, Johannes Rydzek’s discipline probably wouldn’t be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet Nordic combined is right up there at the top, as it requires striking a perfect balance between explosive power and strength-endurance. And hardly anyone strikes this balance as well as Johannes, who is one of the most successful athletes in the sport.

If you want to meet Johannes Rydzek in his hometown, you’ll have to get up early and be able to find your way around the high mountains, even off-piste. That’s where this likable native of the Allgäu region heads as soon as his busy schedule allows: to the mountains surrounding his hometown of Oberstdorf. This is where Johannes can best relax, recharge his batteries, and clear his head. In the summer, he goes climbing and hiking; in the winter, he goes ski touring and backcountry skiing. And he prefers to do so with friends or with his younger sister, who is also a successful and ambitious winter sports athlete. However, unlike Johannes—who, with a smile, likes to call himself an “old hand” at winter sports—Coletta Rydzek is just starting her career.

Of course, at just 31 years old, Johannes is anything but “old” in a sport where experience and strength-endurance matter so much—especially in his discipline, which is often called the “crown jewel” of Nordic skiing: the Nordic combined. It is just one of six disciplines that have always been part of the Winter Olympics. Nordic combined is all about achieving the greatest possible distance in the ski jump and posting the fastest time in the subsequent cross-country race. Perfectly combining these two very different sports is the secret to a successful athlete. And it’s no easy task when it comes to training. Ski jumping relies on explosive power and technique, while cross-country skiing depends on strength-endurance and coordination.

“Finding the perfect balance is the key to success”

The physical demands placed on the athletes’ bodies could hardly be more different. And that’s why Nordic combined is considered—mentally and, above all, physically—one of the most demanding sports in existence. Johannes describes training for both sports as a “tightrope walk,” because you can’t train for one and neglect the other.

Competitive sports are always about going higher, faster, and further, but the two-time Olympic champion from Pyeongchang is well aware that it’s impossible without the necessary prevention and recovery. Even though he admits that, in his younger years, he was convinced he could do just that. Today, Johannes knows that he has to take care of himself in order to remain at the top of his game without overloading himself and damaging his own body.

“This balance—taking care of your body in such a way that you never even get to the point where it’s overloaded—is incredibly difficult.”

That’s why, after an intense workout or in the evening following a competition, Johannes invests time in targeted, active recovery. He sets aside 20–30 minutes for this. It’s important to him to stretch, release tension, and accelerate recovery with targeted exercises. He uses a wide variety of BLACKROLL® tools for this, such as the STANDARD fascia roller, the BALL 12, or even the FASCIA GUN, to quickly help himself. Training with resistance bands is also essential for him—just as he places great importance on restful sleep.

We wish Johannes continued success on his “tightrope walks”—whether it’s “clearing his head” in the Oberstdorf Alps or training for the Nordic combined winter season.