Legendary football star Cristiano Ronaldo is an advocate of the Whoop fitness strap also admired by our own testers.
And now, thanks to data revealed by the company after Portugal’s dramatic shootout win over Slovakia on Monday, we’ve got proof of the old adage that, in the most pressure-filled moments, the true greats have ice in their veins.
The data revealed by the fitness company shows Ronaldo’s heart rate was at its lowest point, when he stepped-up to take his nation’s first penalty in the shootout, which Portugal went on to win.
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Whoop posted a heart rate graph showing the period from just prior to the final whistle to the end of the shoot out. Before taking his spot kick, CR7’s heart rate dropped to around 100bpm from around 180bpm just minutes earlier. During the celebrations after the spotkick, the heart rate went all the way back up again.
Whoop said Ronaldo entered a flow state in the minutes leading up to the shootout, where the striker was able to control his breathing to ensure maximum calmness.
Considering Ronaldo was crying his eyes out moment’s earlier after missing a spot-kick during extra time, the feat could be considered even more impressive.
In an interview with Ronaldo when he began using the Whoop, Ronaldo explained the breathing technique he uses to stay calm.
“When I do it, it controls my heart rate and makes my heart rate come down. It’s something that I practise and build into my routine,” he said (via The Athletic). “It is something that I always do in training, not just in games — because it is a habit. When you keep doing things the same, it becomes a habit, and that’s why I look to control my breathing every time.”
We wonder whether the star player will be able to repeat the feat against France in the Euros quarter-final on Friday night? Or will it all end in tears this time?
