Alex Hall, the American freestyle skier and two-time Olympic medallist, has provided a detailed account of the demanding daily schedule required to compete at the highest level. Based in Salt Lake City but rarely stationary, Hall spends most of the year travelling the world for training camps and competitions, revealing a life built on discipline, teamwork, and academic commitment.
In an exclusive conversation with Business Insider, the 25-year-old athlete outlined his structured routine, from pre-dawn alarms to evening coursework. His regimen highlights the less-visible sacrifices behind elite sport, including managing nutrition for a team of eight, forgoing phone service abroad to maintain focus, and prioritising recovery to sustain performance.
A Team Effort from Sunrise
Hall’s day begins with a strict alarm, avoiding the snooze button even on rest days. “I’m not someone who can sleep that much anyway,” he stated, noting he limits phone use in bed to quickly reply to texts. The morning revolves around a communal breakfast system where two of the eight team members are tasked with cooking, a rotation designed to pair skilled and less-skilled cooks. Their typical meal is a large scramble with vegetables, eggs, and bacon, which Hall supplements with cereal and orange juice, despite not being “a huge breakfast person.”
Offline and On the Slopes
Training consumes the core of the day, running from approximately 10 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. A key to Hall’s focus is his deliberate lack of an international phone plan. “Once I leave the house in the morning, I’m basically offline for the rest of the day until the evening,” he explained, leaving his phone in his backpack to avoid distraction. This isolation, while occasionally inconvenient for contacts, allows for uninterrupted concentration on the slopes.
Lunch is a strategic, abbreviated affair to maintain momentum. Hall avoids full meals, opting instead for quick breaks involving water and granola bars or a fast sandwich. “I’d rather finish a little earlier than take a long lunch and struggle to warm up again,” he said, emphasising the importance of continuous physical readiness.
Recovery, Reflection, and Responsibilities
The post-training protocol is rigorous. The team conducts video reviews of their tricks to identify areas for improvement, followed by a recovery session of stretching, spin bike work, and core exercises lasting no more than an hour. Evenings involve light team activities like soccer or football before another communal dinner, again prepared by a rotating pair.
Hall then dedicates time to his online degree in environmental and sustainability studies at the University of Utah. Taking one or two classes at a time, he commits 30 to 60 minutes every other evening to coursework, a balance that has occasionally required late-night study sessions before competitions. “But that’s on me for procrastinating,” he admitted.
The Critical Role of Rest
Sleep is non-negotiable. Hall aims for seven to eight hours nightly and sleeps with the window open to avoid being too warm. As someone who does not consume coffee or caffeine, he feels the impact of poor sleep acutely, which can affect motivation during intense training weeks. To improve sleep quality while travelling, he now often packs his own pillow, a tip from teammates. He concludes by reflecting on his mindset: “Staying thankful, even on bad days, usually helps.”