Drinking roast chicken dinners from a blender, doing bronco runs and enduring cold-water sea swims — being an international rugby star isn’t all glitz and glamour.
But Garry Ringrose loves pushing himself to the limit so that he’s on top form whenever he lines out for Leinster and Ireland.
Currently in camp with the rest of Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad ahead of Saturday’s clash with England, he sat down with Fitter Happier to discuss the sacrifices needed to make it at the highest level.
We start with his hometown of Blackrock — and how he makes himself get into the water for the occasional sea swim.
GARY RINGROSE : “I do it the odd time. If someone suggests it, then I’ll go along with them. I kind of need someone there with me.
“Recovery-wise, after a game it’s good. If you’re feeling a bit banged up, jumping into the sea is like pressing the reset button.
“I try to get in as much as I can, but I could definitely do more of it.”
FITTER HAPPIER: Are there others at Leinster who enjoy a dip?
GR: “There is a teammate of mine, James Treacy, he has raised over €15,000 [€17,400 when we checked yesterday] for charity.
“He was doing a thing called ‘Freezbury’. Every day he would go for a swim in the sea. The first day he went for one minute, the second day two, the third three, and so on.
“He got to the end of the month and spent 28 minutes in the sea, which is nuts.”
FH: Would you consider doing something similar for a good cause?
GR: “I might wait until June or July!”
FH: Is there anything on your sporting bucket list?
GR: “It would be cool to do a marathon, to have that feather in the cap, but I don’t think I’d be making a habit of it.
“I’d love to improve my golf game. It’s probably one of the few other sports we can play, because it’s not too taxing physically. I’d love to get a few lessons and improve on that front.”
FH: Is there an event in another sport that you’d love to attend?
GR: “There are a few that would be cool to go to and one would be the Grand Prix in Monaco, especially after watching the Drive to Survive series.
“The streets and the whole show around it would be cool to see and experience.”
FH: What’s your favourite workout?
GR: “At the start of Covid I bought some gym equipment, thinking it was only going to be a couple of weeks.
“It proved a good investment. What was a living room in the house is still a gym!
“I got an assault bike and I use that a good bit. I don’t know if I’d describe it as my favourite workout, but it’s definitely one of the most rewarding when it’s done.”
FH: How about a least favourite workout?
GR: “I remember when I had operations on my shoulders in the past, getting back pressing heavy was difficult.
“That was more from an injury perspective. You really had to grit through that period of rehab.
“The runs can be tricky at times in terms of the first few coming back after summer, getting the aerobic fitness back.
“We do a fitness test called the bronco in Leinster. That’s probably my least favourite workout.
“You start on a line and there are three cones in front of you — one 20m out, one 40m out and one 60m out. You run to the 20, then back to the line, then out to the 40 and back, and then out to the 60 and back.
“You repeat that five times continuously [total distance 1.2km].
“It doesn’t sound too intimidating or bad, but with all the turns, acceleration and deceleration, and you are running for between four and five minutes straight as quick as you can, it’s tough.
“The first two reps are fine and then you crash and have to grit through the final three.”
FH: What about nutrition — do you count every calorie and macronutrient?
GR: “I use the MyFitnessPal app for a week or two, as a reminder, and then you kind of get into a habit. Then I try to continue the same habits and hit the right targets.
“The big one for me is getting the right calories in, as well as hitting my protein and carbohydrate targets.
“If I don’t hit those targets, then I find I’ll suffer the next day training-wise. So they’d be the three pillars that keep me ticking over nutrition-wise.”
FH: What are those targets?
GR: “I don’t follow it to the letter of the law, but on a lighter training day, it would be around the 3,500 calorie mark, and on a heavier training day it would be closer to 4,000 calories, which can be tricky.
“Protein-wise, it’s two grams per kilo. So for me, it’s 190g of protein most days and 500-600 carbs.”
FH: It can’t be easy to get in so many calories.
GR: “Last year I broke my jaw and was on a liquid diet for a while. That proved difficult, trying to hit those targets on a liquid diet.
“I can’t go near soup anymore! I’ve had a lifetime of it in the space of a couple of weeks.”
FH: Were you blending roast chicken dinners?
GR: “I actually was! My mum and girlfriend both were very helpful in getting the blender out. Then there were protein drinks and calorie shakes. They were fun times!”
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