‘DWTS’ Quarterfinalist Jordan Chiles Offers an Exclusive Look Inside Her Daily Routine

The professional athlete is part of the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team and is always on the go.

Jordan Chiles / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

If there’s anyone who knows how to balance a busy schedule, it’s Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles. The 24-year-old professional gymnast is gearing up for the semifinals of Dancing With the Stars, airing tonight on ABC at 8 p.m. ET, all while juggling her studies, brand deals and more.

The athlete, who is an NCAA gymnast for the UCLA Bruins, where she’s majoring in African American Studies, says her schedule is always changing. Though she’s learned to adapt, doing so goes against the rigorous—and repetitive—schedule she was raised with as an elite athlete, starting at the age of 11.

“Sometimes no matter how set my schedule looks, things come up that rearrange everything,” Chiles tells SI Lifestyle. “Fun fact about me is I don’t really like change. I adjust because I have to and because it is part of life, but gymnastics raised me on a set schedule and doing the same thing over and over.”

View this post on Instagram

That dedication to her craft on the mat is clearly translating to the ballroom. Over the course of the last three weeks, Chiles and Sosa have scored at least 38/40 total points on the night (38/40 in Week 7, 38/40 in Week 8 and 39/40 last week, respectively).

This evening, it’s Prince Night on Dancing With the Stars, and Chiles and Sosa will perform a Jive to “Raspberry Beret” along with an Argentine Tango to “U Got the Look.” What’s serving as Chiles’s biggest motivation as she heads into the semfinals with her pro partner?

“The opportunity to win the Mirrorball Trophy,” she says. “I’m a competitive person so I am enjoying the process of learning something new and trying my best to be the best version of myself.”

Rise and shine: Chiles’s morning routine

“I’m not really a morning person, but I am so used to having to be up early that it doesn't really affect me,” Chiles admits. “My mornings are usually filled with getting ready for practice, so it’s all pretty automatic.”

6:30 a.m

“Alarm wakes me up. I love my sleep so I need one or two alarms set,” she says. “I shower and get dressed for gymnastics. Let my doggies out and give them breakfast. Pack my backpack. Head to practice.”

Chiles getting ready for the day / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

8:00 a.m.

“Start practice, finish up my rotations, head to strength training,” Chiles notes of her team workouts, which take up most of her mornings.

Afternoons packed with online school and dance rehearsals

Noon

“Drive home and touch base with my team on business-related things,” Chiles says.

Chiles taking a meeting / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

12:30 p.m.

“Order lunch and play with my pups,” Chiles says, noting that she prioritizes quality time with her beloved pets. “Try to take a few minutes to look through Pinterest or social media.”

1:00 p.m.

“Start my first class. Because of Dancing With the Stars, I took online classes this quarter,” Chiles explains of her flexible schooling. “I usually eat my lunch while participating in discussions.”

2:00 p.m.

After a quick 10-minute break, Chiles starts her next class promptly at 2 p.m.

“I usually start to feel sleepy around now so I know a nap is coming,” she adds.

2:50 p.m.

Just before 3 p.m., Chiles is done with classes for the day.

“I usually take this time to either do interviews or have business meetings,” the athlete shares. “[I] brief with my team. But if I’m lucky, like today, I can play with my dogs and just relax for a few minutes.” 

Chiles’s pups / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

3:30 p.m.

“[I] arrive for my DWTS fitting. This is where we start the process for the outfits we wear,” Chiles explains. “The design team is incredible.”

Arriving to the DWTS studio / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

4:00 p.m.

“Start DWTS rehearsals. I love my time in the studio with Ezra [Sosa] and everyone,” Chiles shares. “Now that we are in semifinals, our practice times moved up to six hours. We have two dances to learn, and today I learned the full second dance. We have to fine-tune things but the base is down. Ezra is such an amazing choreographer and teacher. Oh and of course we also take time to do TikToks and have fun.”

Chiles says that being a professional gymnast has both helped and hindered her experience on the show.

“I’m a gymnast so I can flip and twist. I love it, but it’s challenging when in ballroom dance you can’t rely on that alone,” she explains. “When a non-gymnast flips on the show, the people are in awe and want more. Because I’m a gymnast, people think it’s expected of me and want to see less.” 

A selfie from the ballroom / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

Late nights

10:00 p.m.

“Head home and call my best friend and start to unpack my day,” Chiles says of her evenings. To unwind, she’ll often chill with her dogs on the couch while watching a movie and scrolling through Pinterest on her phone.

Chiles unpacking after a long day / Courtesy of Jordan Chiles

10:30 p.m.

“I eat dinner and head to my office to do my homework,” she notes.

11:30 p.m.

“Shower and fall asleep in 2.5 seconds,” Chiles quips. “Some days I have more free time than I did today. It is a lot, but I’m enjoying the challenge.”

Amidst the chaos, Chiles relies on her faith to always keep her grounded in gratitude.

“I pray and try to reflect and remember that everything I’ve been given is a blessing,” she says. “Things come and they go, so I appreciate what I have.”