Ski jumping dominator Ryoyu Kobayashi has been surprisingly open about consuming good food and alcohol.
“I always do my best, but I eat what I want. There’s basically nothing I avoid for the sake of my body. I like to eat, fasting is impossible for me,” Kobayashi told “tarzanweb.jp”.
The 25-year-old said his favorite dish was ramen, a traditional noodle soup. He also takes it with him on trips abroad.
“The food in Japan is the most delicious, so I weigh more than 60 kilograms when I’m at home. In Europe, there are fewer things that I like to eat, so I lose weight and balance my weight like that,” Kobayashi said.
Alcohol during the Ski Jumping World Cup season
He doesn’t take any extra protein, Kobayashi said. “I’m more the type who then eats chocolate or gummy bears.”
The Japanese added: “As long as you don’t feel bad, you don’t have to worry about what you eat.”
Kobayashi also admitted that he drinks alcohol even during the season. “But after 9 p.m. I limit myself and watch my diet. It’s important to stay competitive while enjoying delicious food and alcohol in every country,” said the Beijing Olympic champion and overall World Cup winner in 2018/2019 and 2021 /2022.
“It’s important not to train too much”
Diligent training is also not high on the agenda for Kobayashi.
“In ski jumping, more practice doesn’t mean you get better or win more. It doesn’t take much strength to hit the jump properly and the landing isn’t more stable when you can lift a 120-kilogram weight,” he said. “You don’t need muscles to fly, and too many muscles limit your range of motion. So it’s actually important not to over-train.”