Olympic Champ Teddy Riner’s Current Routine: Unveiling His Success Secrets!

The meeting takes place at the French Judo Federation, where the walls are adorned with portraits of judo champions, from historical figures to recent winners. Standing at 6 feet 8 inches, Teddy Riner enters in a black t-shirt and sweatpants, unmistakable in his presence. It’s July 2025, nearly a year after his victory at the Paris Olympics, but the athlete is already looking ahead. He openly shares his desire to compete in the 2028 Olympics, which he anticipates will be his last, but he is also preparing for life after judo: “I’ve always done it. When I became an Olympic champion in 2012, my father told me to go back to school, emphasizing the importance of continuing education. I told him, ‘Dad, I just became an Olympic Champion. Look around.’ And then, he congratulated me.” This memory is etched in his mind, helping him remain grounded. “The reality is, when you’re involved in high-level sports, injuries can happen at any time and everything can end. So, you always have to be careful and know early on what you want to do afterward,” he continues.

While focusing on his “after,” Riner continues to pursue excellence, adhering to a strict lifestyle that matches his ambitions. He has become an ambassador for Bion3, a dietary supplement brand, a partnership that formed naturally as Riner was already a user of their products. “It seemed natural to me because I’ve been taking them for years in the morning at breakfast. These are products I was already using for myself and my family,” he reveals. Alongside his training, he also ensures he eats a balanced diet and gets plenty of sleep each night. “Without that, you can’t recover properly, and you risk injury,” he asserts.

A crucial aspect according to Teddy Riner? Hydration. But also psychological work. This is a topic close to his heart, and as a patron of the national cause for mental health, he aims to raise awareness. Since he was 14 years old, when he joined INSEP, Riner has been working with a psychologist. He has never hidden this fact and now speaks openly about it as a tool that helped him manage pressure from a young age. “It allowed me to grow, to have all the tools I needed to live better. In my view of life, we’re not supposed to keep things to ourselves and suffer. We have tools to improve that,” he shares. He is particularly concerned about passing this message on to the younger generation. “When you’re young, there are things you might not dare to talk about with your parents or friends because you fear they won’t understand what you’re trying to say. And that’s what a psychologist is for.“

Throughout his career, this consistent support has helped him develop mechanisms to manage stress and the whirlwind of emotions that come with a career like Teddy Riner’s: meditation, breathing exercises… The champion has all the keys to stay cool-headed. And looking at his incredible list of achievements, it seems he has found the formula for success. “Once you’ve tasted victory, you want to experience that emotion again and again. I’m very proud of my career because I know how hard it was and that the saying, ‘hard work pays off,’ is true.” Words from a five-time Olympic champion.