Mikaela Shiffrin’s Viral 'Back Abs' Explained Before Final 2026 Olympics Ski

Mikaela Shiffrin has one more shot at an Olympic medal at the Milano Cortina Games on Wednesday, February 18, in the Women’s Slalom as she hopes to break a streak of eight consecutive races without making the podium at the Winter Games. Beforehand, we are still talking about her viral “back abs” she posted that an expert explained how it’s possible.

The 30-year-old Shiffrin is the winningest skier off all time with 108 World Cup victories, and has won gold in the 2014 Sochi Games in the Slalom, followed by another gold in the 2018 PyeongChang Games in the Giant Slalom.

So far, these Olympics have not been kind to Shiffrin as she finished 11th in the Giant Slalom, and 4th in the Team Alpine Combined event with Breezy Johnson.

She did turn heads, though, with her ab-flexing fit from the Olympic Village earlier in the Games (see above related).

Shiffrin’s crazy back muscles

It was her TikTok post with her crazy “back abs” that had everyone talking, though, where she has crazy muscles on her back that even form a back six-pack.

When asked by NBC about them, Shiffrin had a hilarious reply:

”I wish I had more of them in my front, honestly. I didn’t know that that’s what my back looks like. I don’t know how you get that. I don’t really want it. But, you know, I showed my mom and she’s like ‘Ew, gross. It looks like an alien.’ Thanks, mom.”

The “back abs” explained

Thankfully we get an explanation from an expert SELF Magazine interviewed a certified personal trainer on how one can get those crazy muscles.

“In the case of athletes like Mikaela Shiffrin, back abs are formed through rigorous training that combines strength training, sport-specific movements, and a low body fat percentage,” he explained. “A sport like alpine skiing requires strong posterior engagement (the backside of your body) and constant core engagement.”

He’d add how hard it is to achieve:

“Achieving back abs can be more challenging for the average person compared to developing front abs,” He says. One big factor: visibility depends largely on overall body fat percentage. Lower body fat allows muscle definition to show more clearly, but that level isn’t always attainable, healthy or sustainable for everyone.”

Family history and time are also big factors: “A strong, defined back is often the result of years of consistent strength training. Genetics also influence where you store fat and how easily muscle definition shows up.”

Shiffrin may thank her mom for the genes, too.

Simply put, Shiffrin is built differently, bro.

Nov 30, 2025; Copper, Colorado, USA; Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States celebrates after winning the women's slalom alpine skiing race at the Stifel Copper Cup at Copper Mountain. | Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

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