By Carlos Alberto Romay  |  1 February 2019   

The key to a high-performance sport is the mentality, more than physicality. Paula Pareto’s general training method is based on specific circuits of judo, a few minutes and very explosive.

After winning the Olympic gold, in Rio 2016, “La Peque” sought to give priority to her career, especially to the medical residence where she performs at the Hospital of San Isidro. But, the judoka is so restless, that anything can happen. 

That’s why it’s not strange that in the Grand Slam of Ekaterinburg that ended recently, she won a silver medal, and a few days before that, she was climbing the highest mountain in America, walking up to 18 hours a day. 

Paula Pareto Win

Source: lacapitalmdp.com

She did not climb to the top but she accepted the invitation of basketball player, Fabricio Oberto, to join the group of athletes who tried the ascension. Paula Pareto had the excitement of reaching the Plaza de Mulas, at 4,300 meters, just short of the summit, which is at 6,960 meters. 

The purpose was focused on living the experience and carrying on the flag of the “Buenos Aires Youth Games 2018″, referring to the values they represent such as respect, humility, companionship, and sharing stories of life from the team. Experienced people say that climbing is a long-distance race in which you tire little, but you do not stop.

It was a group of 20 people, including 12 athletes who overcame important health problems. One was missing a leg, and another was missing a lung, but they did not let this stop them.

Some people from the training club say climbing means enduring many hours of walking, but the most difficult thing is not to fall mentally, and not let it get you down after spending several weeks sleeping little, living in tents, and feeling cold all the time. A permanent discomfort, day by day, can make you weaken. Pareto did it without having the training base to climb.

Paula Pareto Mountain Climb Team | Fighting Arts Health Lab

Source: infobae.com

Paula Pareto then went on to Russia, where she was able to achieve a medal in each tournament, in a complex category and without complete training. In the final, the Japanese Hiromi Endo, raised a different strategy and Pareto suffered again from an old injury to the right arm.

But to reach a final is not the most important thing. In April, she played the Pan-American, and in the middle of the year begins the qualifications to reach the Olympic Games in Tokyo. At 32, “La Peque” does not loosen up. She is a superior all-terrain, all around-athlete.”

Main image source: Judoinside.com

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About the author

Post - How We're Training

Carlos Alberto Romay currently lives and trains in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His "DO" began late, at 13 years old (1984) with Judo until 16 years old, then he moved to Karate (Zen Sho Shorinji Kenpo No Tumaiti with Hanshi Sigeo Nakazato 8th Dan). At 18 he quit Karate and started Kung-Fu (Hung Gar) based on the qualities of the five animals. In 1995 he tried Full-Contact while practicing and teaching Kung-Fu. In those days he trained with several fighters practicing diverse martial arts (Aikido and Sipalki with Jose Maria Goncalvez, boxing, Taekwondo). In his 30´s he kept training in boxing and started to train MMA (GOA Academy with Favio Martino). By 37 and after 23 years of “official” training he started to train himself.

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