Andreea Dragoi starts off the day by taking a dip in the pool

San Jose State swimmer Andreea Dragoi is starting off her day the best way she knows how—by taking a dip in the pool. The Romanian model shared pictures of herself posing by the water in a bright aquamarine swimsuit, soaking up the sunshine. "A little hello to start off your day?," she captioned the post.

Dragoi frequently hits the gym for weight training, which is a great way for athletes to gain strength. "Determining which type of workout is more important is entirely dependent on your goals," says Rutgers Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Tufo. "For a distance swimmer, cardiovascular workouts hold a higher priority," said Tufo. "If an individual's goal is to gain strength, then weight lifting should be the focus. Usually, a carefully planned combination of both is optimal."

Dragoi loves to start her day with a sweaty cardio session. "Mix high-impact activities like jogging or step aerobics with weight-supported activities like rowing and cycling," says the University of Colorado Denver. "The more muscles involved in the activity, the greater your aerobic challenge."

Dragoi has a background in ballet and other types of dancing lessons. "The evidence for the health benefits of exercise is indisputable," say the experts at Harvard Health. "Physiologic studies have demonstrated that regular activity builds muscle and bone, reduces fat, increases aerobic capacity, lowers blood pressure, and improves the ratio of 'good' to 'bad' cholesterol."

Dragoi emphasizes the importance of self-confidence for health and happiness. "Remember it's never too late to start doing what you want, take control over your life," she says. "Feeling good about yourself and feeling good in your skin and body is very important to me and I believe it's something that makes someone more powerful."

Dragoi credits her many years of swimming with giving her direction and ambition in life. "After many years of hard training, meets, and many ups and downs, I realized how grateful I was for never giving up on swimming," she says. "As this journey is what made me the person I am today. A strong, ambitious, confident woman that can overcome obstacles that the little girl in her never thought she would."

Link to story: https://bikininewsdaily.com/bnd/AndreeaDragoistartsoffth-3973