Jagger Eaton made his Tokyo Olympics debut with a broken ankle and took home bronze, giving the US its first Olympic skateboarding medal in the sport’s debut. While not much time has passed, the 23-year-old Arizona native will enter the Paris Games better in both body and mind.
“The biggest takeaway I got from Tokyo was that it was 10 times more tender in my head than when I got there,” Eaton said. “I really thought about it. As much as it matters, it’s another race and it’s exactly where every athlete who wants to be the best wants to be.”
After Tokyo, Eaton began to spend time focusing on himself and regaining his overall happiness away from his time on his board. She’s one of the favorites for road and park gold at the Paris Games this summer, and you don’t get a medal without putting in the work. The five-time Olympian sat down with me M&F to discuss the changes made in his diet, training and life.
Jagger Eaton does not deviate from expectations
Pressure and expectations are common in sports. Representing your country and being a returning medalist only heightens things. Eaton is one of the favorites to take home the gold in both disciplines and is embracing the challenge presented to him.
“This is exactly where I want it to be,” Eaton said. “I’m ready to be in a situation where they look to me for expectations for our country to get medals. I’m just thankful that people care about skateboarding on this level more than anything else. The legitimacy that the Olympics bring to skateboarding is like no other.”
Happiness is a choice
The first time Eaton stepped on a skateboard was at the age of four. At the age of 11, he competed in the 2012 X Games he became the youngest competitor ever at the time. Through all the awards, medals and recognition that came from his talents on the board, Eaton realized that much of his overall happiness depended on his performance in training and competition. Not living up to his standards could lead to how he treated those he loved.
After Tokyo, he decided it was time to focus on his overall happiness. He started diving into the books of Ram Dass, The Power of Now and he really began to learn to better recognize and appreciate all that he had to be happy.
“I think as athletes, we have such high expectations,” Eaton said. “Even after reading all the books about being completely off social media and getting rid of negative habits, it’s still hard for me to maintain my happiness without a great day of skating. The reason I got into it was because I noticed that I just had to find a reason to be happy for almost nothing, and I think I found it.”
Education Environment
Due to his unusual hours of training and competing in both the track and park sectors, Eaton primarily trains with his coach, Shawn Nicholson. One of the reasons Eaton moved to California was because of the competition and talent within the state. Ideally, he would love to train with the guys he regularly competes with.
The best part of training
There are endless hours of training for months that last 45 seconds. Eaton always knew he was good, but never imagined he could perform at the level he is now. There is an obsession within him to push his limits and his favorite part of training is peeling back the layers to reveal new levels of greatness.
Jagger Eaton Skatepark Soundtracks
Destroy the Lonely and anything new that makes you happy.
At the Skatepark: Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies and Metallica.
Jagger Eaton Skateboard Warmup
Warm-up with hamstring activation
- Sit, bend and turn your toes while bending into active hamstrings
- Do this 5 times per piece
Calf activation
- 10 calf raises with feet facing forward
- 10 calf raises with feet facing inward
- 10 calf raises with feet facing out
Balance work
- stand on one leg with the other knee up
- Then close one eye for 15 seconds
alternative
- Then do both eyes for 15 seconds
- Do 3 rounds on each leg of this
Food day
- BREAKFAST: Three eggs, beans, leafy greens. A lot of water. Some pancakes if the training schedule is heavy that day.
- Red Bull: 30 minutes before the first session
- Lunch before the second session: Chipotle Bowl: white rice, black beans, chicken, lettuce, corn, red sauce and cheese. A tortilla shell if extra carbs are needed
- Dinner: Steak, rice, mashed potatoes and water
- Dessert: Blueberry Muffins
Getting down to the finer details
One of the best things Eaton did for his health was to get a gene test to see what he was deficient in and add supplements for those areas. The difference in how she feels now compared to when she was 19 is night and day. Eaton also says that discipline has also been critical as he doesn’t shy away from eating as clean as he can.
The worst part of training
“For me,” Eaton says, “knowing that the day won’t be the same if (the workout) isn’t done.”
Recovery
Follow Jagger on Instagram @jaggereaton
