Athletics
How Yaroslava Mahuchikh trains to break world records
The high jump world record holder talks micro-naps, the power of the sea and enjoying the moment. Here’s what you can learn from her.
“All girls are like birds and, in high jump, you run, you take off and you feel like you’re flying,” explains Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the 24-year-old women’s high jump world record holder.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh knows what it feels like to fly. Born in Dnipro in central Ukraine, she started out as a karate kid before following her sister to an athletics club and falling in love with high jump. By 2016, when she was 14, she was already winning the gold medal at the Ukrainian National Juniors Athletics Championships.
From there, things took flight. She now has an Olympic gold, three senior world golds, the women's high jump world record and five senior European golds – all before turning 25. “I feel that I'm young, but in sports, we have a short period of time when we can achieve great results,” she says. For Mahuchikh, it’s less about focusing on one huge goal, and more about appreciating what’s in front of her right now, be it a bar to be jumped, or open air. “I just try to enjoy every moment,” she says.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh is the women's high jump world record holder
© Gladys Chai von der Laange/Red Bull Content Pool
In typical fashion, Mahuchikh says that while she’s “so happy” with her recent World Indoor Championships win, there’s “room for improvement” with the European Championships and the next summer Olympics in her sights. “During competitions, I usually just enjoy the atmosphere without thinking about results or medals. I’ve worked hard for this, and it comes step by step. Most importantly, I want to feel this energy, I want to feel like I’m flying.”
Whether you’re pushing for sporting glory, or aiming for slightly more down to earth goals, here are Mahuchikh's tips for finding your own wings
01
What does Yaroslava Mahuchikh do in her free time?
Training for the body and the mind
© Vadym Herasymenko/Red Bull Content Pool
Being near the ocean is really good for my mental health
With a new season on the horizon, Mahuchikh could be one of the only athletes that likes spending time in her training camp. It just shows, if you have to do something difficult, you may as well try to enjoy it. It helps, of course, if it’s in one of the world’s most beautiful countries. “I'm looking forward to my training camp in Portugal,” she says. “I like the place so much because there’s forest, track and the sea. Being near the ocean is really good for my mental health. I like to go there and walk around, listening to the sounds of the ocean after training, it helps me reset.”
A reset is vital for everyone, whether you’re looking to smash world records or just set your next work meeting alight. For Mahuchikh, sketching and romantic fiction are key escapes. Proof again that you’re never too old for what feeds you. Like the rest of us, she’s also addicted to TikTok, where she shares elaborate dance routines. “It's cringe, but dancing is also a way to release stress,” she says. In other words, if something brings you joy, do it.
02
What does Yaroslava Mahuchikh’s training look like?
When she isn’t reading bodice-rippers or dropping moves online, Mahuchikh is deeply focused on becoming the best athlete she can be. Her coach, Tetiana Stepanova, sets the plan. “Usually it is the same workouts,” Mahuchikh says, “especially when you’re in a four-week camp. First week is easy. Second one is like, ‘Oh my gosh’, and the third one is the hardest one. The intensity builds up, and the fourth week you might relax again.” A good reminder that no matter how tough a certain period in your own life feels, there is some respite on the horizon.
When you get it just right, the physics take over and you can take the bar higher and higher
When it comes to cardio, it’s all about explosive speed. For Mahuchikh, endurance kills speed, making high jump impossible. In other words, long runs are out, which you’ll probably be glad to hear if everyone’s Strava times are doing your head in on Instagram. “In high jump, you should run almost faster than you can, so you can take this speed from horizontal to vertical in the jump,” Mahuchikh explains. “When you get it just right, the physics take over and you can take the bar higher and higher.”
Explosive speed is important in high jump
© Serhii Levytskyi/Red Bull Content Pool
However training goes, she knows that Stepanova has her back. “We support each other. She taught me not to rush my career, and to focus on doing my best in the future,” Mahuchikh says. It’s proof that having good people on your side is vital. “All of my coaches want to get me through the sport without injuries or depression. We work as a team, with one goal.”
03
What does Yaroslava Mahuchikh eat?
Competition days are when it all comes together. If Mahuchikh is competing in the afternoon, she might wake up at midday in order to maximise energy. (You can use the same excuse when you sleep in). Whenever she performs, she likes a small breakfast or lunch – usually something with bread or a little bit of pasta – so that she has energy for competition without feeling bloated. “I don’t calculate calories,” she says. “I don’t like diets, although in high jump every gram impacts your jump. “Usually I like an empty stomach, because it feels easier to jump.” Again, if it feels good for you, do it.
04
Why does Yaroslava Mahuchikh wear her make-up like that?
Equally as vital as nutrition is presentation, and Mahuchikh can spend almost an hour doing her own hair and make-up before departing the hotel for the stadium or venue. She’s especially well known for her blue and yellow eyeshadow – a deeply patriotic gesture representing the colours of her home country. “I like to show people that Ukrainian people are strong,” she says. “And it’s fitting that I’m a high jumper, because the blue of our flag represents the sky.”
Hair… check. Make-up… check. Medal… check
© Sona Maleterova/Red Bull Content Pool
There’s more to it than pride, though. Mahuchikh says that taking time out to focus on something unrelated to her sport helps settle her nerves and her mind before a competition. “I like the process because it gives me time not to think about competition,” she laughs. “I just focus on my make-up, and maybe I think about then going to warm-up. That’s it.”
05
How much does Yaroslava Mahuchikh sleep?
No matter how the competition shakes out, afterwards Mahuchikh is focused on one thing and one thing only: sleep. “Sleeping is the most important thing for my body and for my mental health,” she says. “It’s vital for recovery.” The thing is, it can be difficult to snooze after competing on the world’s biggest track and field stage. Usually, Mahuchikh finds adrenaline keeps her awake until the small hours of the morning. When she does drop off, though, she aims for 12 hours and doesn’t feel guilty about it.
Then, of course, there’s also the famous micro naps that she enjoys, sometimes mid-competition. Many is the video of her curling up with a blanket and catching some zzzs while she waits for her turn at the bar. “The blanket can keep you warm when the stadium is cold,” she laughs. “You need to keep your muscles ready. And if I nap, it’s smart because lying down preserves energy between jumps!” The takeaway? Naps FTW.
Discover more training tips from the pros
06
What’s next for Yaroslava Mahuchikh?
Arguably, Yaroslava Mahuchikh is the future of track and field. But, whether she’s competing or not, Mahuchikh is excited to see the sport grow. The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship is set to be held in Budapest this September. With a $10M (€8.55M) prize pot, the event will act as a premier season finale, with €128,000 on the line for winners. “I’m looking forward to Budapest,” Mahuchikh says. “The athletes will be the best of the best. It’s something new, and a big step in the future of track and field.”
Yaroslava Mahuchikh is flying the flag for Ukraine
© Sona Maleterova/Red Bull Content Pool
I want to help improve and popularise track and field sports in Ukraine
This, of course, is the company Mahuchikh deserves to keep. She’s flying high, in rare air. But, should her career one day come back down to earth, she’ll still be pushing the sport forward, helping the next generation of high jumpers to leave the next. “I might coach in the future, but only for children,” she says. “I want to help improve and popularise track and field sports in Ukraine, but I’m not ready to think about that yet.”