Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Winner of a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Winner of the silver medal in the 2023 World Championships.
Coach at Kansas State University. These are just a few ways to describe the track and field phenom Tara Davis-Woodhall. Women’s Health recently got the chance to pick Davis-Woodhall’s brain about her fitness gear essentials—the training and recovery tools she can’t live without.
Consider this her list of training must-haves. And some of her picks might surprise you (hint: one of them smells really good). These slides with built-in heat and vibration have become Davis-Woodhall’s favorite way to recover after training (our feet need recovery, too!) “The heat and vibration feel incredible after long days, and they’re so comfortable that I honestly don't want to take them off,” Davis-Woodhall tells Women’s Health.
She slips them on after practice, when she’s traveling, and whenever it feels like her feet need a little extra TLC. One of the reasons these slides have become her go-to is that since they’re footwear, she can still multitask while her feet are getting the recovery benefits of heat and vibration therapy. While journaling may not be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think “fitness essentials of a pro athlete,” Davis-Woodhall considers it an essential training tool.
Hydration is important for all of us, but even more so for athletes performing at the highest level. She has additional dehydrating demands on her body outside of training like extensive traveling and spending a lot of time training outdoors. While there are many electrolyte supplements on the market, Davis-Woodhall has found her favorite in Cadence.
It helps her stay consistent because she enjoys the taste, especially the Melonberry and Orange Soda flavors. I also love that it has zero sugar and no caffeine, so I can drink it throughout the day.” Last year, a study examining the effects of athletes using music to boost mood, and that that mood boost can in turn have a positive impact on physical performance. Davis-Woodhall is no stranger to using music as a tool in her training.
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