The Survivor 50 forged know a factor or two about what it takes to play the sport — so nobody was taking their comeback preparations flippantly.
Many contestants relied on the standard coaching strategies previous to returning to the present, like going to the gymnasium, practising their fire-making strategies and time spent swimming in a pool. Others, nevertheless, opted for some, let’s consider, out-of-the-box strategies. Survivor 46 alum Quintavius “Q” Burdettefor instance, solely tells Us Weekly that he “stood on nails” to “prepare” his physique “to cope with ache.”
“The ache tolerance model of it, it speaks to your mind so you possibly can educate your mind to cope with ache. Like a mattress of nails — you stroll throughout the mattress of nails. I simply stood on (them for) 26 minutes,” Q explains. “It doesn’t pierce your foot, but it surely hurts. I imply, it hurts like crap.”
Genevieve Mushaluk, for her half, ready for her time on Survivor island by consuming all her favourite meals, bulking up within the course of. The Survivor 47 alum tells Us that her go-to deal with was “pierogies.”
Survivor 50: Within the Palms of the Followers premieres with a three-hour episode on Wednesday, February 25, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. The sequence will then go to its regular 90-minute format starting March 4.
Hold scrolling to see how the Survivor 50 stars ready for milestone season:
Rick Devens
Rick Devens solely tells Us that he did “numerous swimming coaching” earlier than touring to Fiji for season 50. The Fringe of Extinction alum provides that ensuring his household, which incorporates spouse Becca and their two youngsters, have been “squared away.”
Charlie Davis
Charlie Davis, surprisingly, took the other method for Survivor 50 by making ready “lots much less” in comparison with season 46.
“I used to be simply on the market, and I feel with that have, I realized what was useful and what wasn’t useful or simply one thing possibly I don’t must do once more,” the Survivor 46 runner up tells Us. “I feel, earlier than 46, I memorized, like, 10 completely different puzzles and that was ineffective.”
Whereas Charlie jokes that it will be “hilarious if a few of these puzzles” ended up making an look on season 50, he needed to spend his time specializing in the larger duties at hand.
“My fundamentals for preparing for Survivor are: ensure you’re in first rate sufficient form, ensure you’re comfy with being uncomfortable and simply watch some Survivor seasons,” he says. “Hear to some podcasts, get your self in the best headspace, and that’s all you possibly can actually do.”
Angelina Keeley
Angelina Keely tells Us that turning into a mom to her two daughters was a “transformative” expertise that helped her put together for Survivor 50.
“I’m extra affected person, I’m extra conscious, I’m extra simply every little thing. I’m much more assured,” the David Vs. Goliath alum explains. “I simply really feel like every little thing in my life proper now’s aligned.”
Aubry Bracco
Aubry Bracco is not any stranger to returning to Survivorhowever the multi-time participant tells Us she’s been placing within the work since her final look on 2019’s the Fringe of Extinction.
“I’d say I’ve been making ready because the Fringe of Extinction ended. I’ve completed loads of work on myself,” she says. “I’ve had a child. My perspective on life … I’m much more grounded. I’ve completed loads of self reflection.”
On prime of the psychological preparation, Aubry has additionally hit the gymnasium and did her analysis on the competitors.
“I’ve been understanding, meditating, listening to a hell of loads of podcasts about all these characters,” she explains. “I’ve been finding out. I’ve been (doing) my survivor homework. It took a bit break, however I caught up and I’m able to go.”
Christian Hubicki
Christian Hubicki did a “good bit” of bodily preparation for Survivor 50 in case any grueling duties from the New Period have been thrown his means.
“I did loads of operating. I hate operating usually, however I did it for this rattling present,” the David Vs. Goliath alum tells Us. “My concern was that they have been gonna do some sort of Sweat or Savvy factor they’ve been doing the previous few seasons and we’ve to run round and get endurance.”
The robotics professor jokes that Survivor’s New Period can get “unusual” and “very sophisticated.”
Cirie Fields
Whereas preparing for Survivor 50Cirie Fields knew what could be one of the best use of her time.
“What’s the one factor I might do in a different way? I actually don’t know that it will have an effect on my sport as a lot, or it’d make me a bit extra threatening. Is to be extra bodily match, proper? I can’t. I’m by no means going to be an Olympic swimmer. I do know tips on how to make fireplace higher than I ever had earlier than,” she solely tells Us. “So outdoors of that, I don’t actually know tips on how to put together.”
Benjamin ‘Coach’ Wade
After Benjamin “Coach” Wade ended his Survivor retirement to return for season 50, his first transfer was to observe a few of the eshow’s earlier seasons. Coach shares that he began with Borneo through the pandemic and after finishing Winners at Warfare he “stopped.” As soon as he received the decision for Survivor 50he began “cramming” the New Period, which kicked off with season 41.
“So I actually began cramming, after which I used to be simply overwhelmed. And I used to be, like, simply let me take a look at the Cliff Notes on these gamers so I can perceive them,” he tells Us. “I did watch season 46 as a result of a buddy of mine, Ben Katzmanwas on that season. I began watching 48, didn’t watch the house stretch, (I) tried to compensate for the opposite gamers. So, yeah, I needed to do some little bit of homework.”
Dee Valladares
Dee Valladares’ preparation for Survivor seemed a bit completely different in comparison with her final time round. As an alternative of finding out “the sport,” the Survivor 45 winner needed to prioritize “mentally prepping” and placing on some weight.
“I gained 10 kilos, however due to life, not due to one month (that) I needed to prep,” she tells Usincluding that she was additionally “understanding lots” as a result of she was “about to be in essentially the most uncomfortable place in (her) life.”
Colby Donaldson
Earlier than Colby Donaldson received affirmation he made it on Survivor 50he knew he “wanted to prep” by finding out the seasons he “missed.”
“I’m nonetheless simply as large a fan as I used to be once I despatched in my first (Survivor) software, however there have been some years that I missed, and I would like to return and examine tape on that,” he tells Us. “However in preparation, in the event you’re gonna scout a group and put together your self for battle, it is advisable know your opponent, however you even have to return and watch tape on your self and take a look at a few of the errors you’ve made.”
Colby provides that he is aware of what went flawed throughout his final look in Heroes Vs. Villainswhich aired in 2010. Similar to SurvivorColby is in a brand new period himself.
“That’s what’s thrilling about getting an opportunity to come back again and play once more. Not solely has the sport developed, however I’ve additionally developed,” he explains. “I’m not gonna play the identical sport that I did the final time.”
Genevieve Mushaluk
One factor that Genevieve Mushaluk centered on earlier than returning to Survivor 50 was “bulk up.”
“I did loads of consuming, all of the issues I like,” the Survivor 47 alum tells Usincluding that she wasn’t specializing in the vainness components that she did in her earlier season. “The primary time I got here out, I used to be so, like, anxious concerning the cellulite on my thighs and my unibrow rising in. And this time, I’m like, ‘What the hell? I’m simply right here to play and I’ll look how (I look.)’ However you already know, one million {dollars} (is) gonna look nice on me, so I’m not gonna fear.”
Along with consuming, Genevieve labored on her puzzle abilities.
“One of many challenges, I received zero items on a puzzle. It’s like, I feel a brand new file of horrible. So I’ve practiced puzzle making,” she says. “However I feel the true kicker is gonna be, can my mind nonetheless work once I’m pressured, over-tired, ravenous? … And I’ve been understanding, clearly, not as a lot as, like, Joe (Hunter) and Jonathan (Younger) have been.”
Jenna Lewis-Dougherty
Jenna Lewis-Dougherty tells Us that she sometimes stays “in form” however added extra Survivor components to her exercise routine.
“I’ve some steadiness beams now in-built my yard,” she says. “I practiced my fireplace making.”
Joe Hunter
Joe Hunter’s greatest precedence for season 50 was engaged on his “weaknesses.”
“I feel lots of people come into this sport specializing in what they will do nicely and sure methods. I attempt to break down my weaknesses, emotionally and mentally,” he tells Us. “Concentrate on that and don’t conceal behind it, however attempt to enhance these weaknesses. So I actually simply spent loads of time in my very own progress of what I would like to enhance on as an individual.”
Jonathan Younger
Jonathan Younger tells Us that he didn’t must do a lot “bodily” to organize for his return, as a result of he works out “virtually every single day.” He did, nevertheless, examine his fellow rivals.
“I’ve studied the gamers. I do know what they’ve completed, why they’ve completed it, at the very least as a lot as I can,” he says, including that listening to host Jeff Probst’s “On Hearth” podcast was a part of his examine materials. “I’ve been listening to ‘On Hearth with Jeff Probst’ and three of (the earlier cohosts) are right here. There’s Rick Devens, Charlie (Davis) and Dee (Valladares,) all three of them are right here, and all three of them are large targets.”
Kamilla Karthigesu
Kamilla Karthigesu hasn’t stopped making ready for her comeback since she wrapped season 48.
“I didn’t cease going to the gymnasium since getting back from 48,” she tells Us. “That was principally as a result of I discovered that I loved lifting issues and placing them down.”
Kamilla provides that whereas she determined to forgo operating previous to the present, she used that point to give attention to fireplace making.
“I even made fireplace (at), like, 11 p.m. the evening earlier than I flew out,” she quips.
Mike White
Mike White shares that engaged on his health was his prime precedence earlier than beginning Survivor 50.
“I feel I’m in higher form than I used to be final time. I really feel like I needed to get in fine condition as a result of (Survivor is) simply so bodily draining,” the White Lotus creator tells Us. “I used to be like, ‘I gotta determine this out. I gotta put together like an athlete prepares for an athletic occasion.”
Ozzy Lust
Whereas Ozzy Lusth has spent more often than not “opening a restaurant in Mexico,” he knew he wanted to chop again on his vices — like “ingesting and smoking” — and take his coaching significantly earlier than his Survivor return.
“As soon as I heard from Jeff (Probst,) I received again on this system and began operating up mountains, doing push ups and mentally making ready for the video games forward,” he tells Us.
Quintavius ‘Q’ Burdette
Quintavius “Q” Burdette took excessive measures to prepare for Survivor 50 after not placing in any preparation previous to his debut on the present.
“The primary time I performed, I didn’t work out, consider it or not … I didn’t do something, puzzles, something Survivor associated. I simply sort of lived my life till the day we left, and I left, and I got here out right here and I used to be in for a deal with. So this time round, I began to work out,” he tells Us. “I labored out every single day. I ran, I jogged, I (lifted) weights, I did puzzles. I stood on nails.”
Not solely did Q stand on nails, he additionally “sat in 35 diploma water for eight minutes each single day” and had each day sauna time.
“It does nothing for the problem, proper? It’s simply all of the psychological — tapping into my psychological, realizing when issues will begin to go away up right here,” he explains. “And the way do I management that? How do I simply sit by way of it? How do I struggle? How lengthy can I am going feeling ache? How lengthy earlier than ache stops? As a result of loads of people don’t perceive when one thing hurts, if you’re standing on nails, yeah, finally it will get to some extent the place it simply doesn’t harm anymore.”
Rizo ‘Rizgod’ Velovic
Not like the opposite rivals, Rizo “Rizgod” Velovic had lower than two weeks to prepare for Survivor 50. Nevertheless, the Survivor 49 alum tells Us that being a “tremendous fan” helped him get in the best mindset.
“I stay, breathe Survivor and all that. So with regards to, like, mentally making ready and emotionally making ready,I’m 100% able to go,” he stated, including that the bodily results of enjoying Survivor 49 wouldn’t cease him. “I misplaced loads of weight, and I used to be already a fairly skinny man, so I didn’t achieve my weight again in 9 days, however I really feel bodily nice. I simply weigh lots lower than I did once I began 49.”