How Venus Williams Stays Fit on the Road
Venus Williams at the 2015 Wimbledon tennis tournament. (Photo: AP)
The name Venus Williams is synonymous with tennis, and since 1994, the powerhouse has been a constant presence on the professional women’s tour. The winner of seven singles Grand Slam Titles, Williams has traveled to more than 30 countries, bringing home the top prize at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
I caught up with Venus at Title Boxing Club, where she was throwing right hooks at an event put on by Class Pass and Jamba Juice to unveil new juice and fitness pairings. After a fun (and sweaty) class, we chatted about her favorite place to travel in the world, and how she stays fit on the road.
Yahoo Travel: How many days a year are you on the road?
Venus Williams: Oh wow, at least half the year or more. I don’t really keep track, I’m just always on the road. I usually get to come home for a couple weeks before I go somewhere else.
YT: How many countries have you been to?
VW: I don’t know…not as many as you would think because the tour goes to certain cities every year. Probably like 30.
YT: Well, that’s a lot!
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Venus sipping on a post-workout Jamba Juice.
YT: It’s a lot, but when you think about it, I’ve only been to 30 and I’ve been on tour for like 30 years (laughs)! But I think when I finish playing is when I’ll really get to travel.
YT: Why is that?
VW: Because when you’re on tour you just eat, sleep, rest, play. And if you don’t win your match, you just leave.
YT: What is one tournament that you love playing in because of the city and the people?
VW: There are definitely some tournaments you don’t want to play in because you just want to go and explore the city. I would say that Rome is the one place where I just wanted to hang out and explore instead of playing.
YT: I’m sure there isn’t always a gym available when you travel. Can you show me some exercises you do in your hotel room to get energy or break a sweat?
Single Leg Squat
VW: I’m always working on my legs because you can’t buy muscle, so something like a single leg squat is good and easy to do. It helps you to stabilize your glutes and increases your quad strength. I pretty much just do them until I’m tired. Maybe 2-3 sets of 15 on each leg.
Side Stretches
VW: I’m always getting tense in my torso, most likely from swinging the racket and traveling, so I’m constantly doing side stretches. I do the left, the right, the back, and then touch my toes to release tension in my back.I usually hold it for 30 seconds or so.
Dance
VW: I’ve recently started dancing and it’s a really great workout. I got inspired after watching the movie Breakin’, and it’s a great way to break a sweat. I usually don’t get competitive with things other than tennis, like if I go bowling, I’ll just throw the ball down the aisle. But I really like dancing, so if I can’t get a move right, I get frustrated.
Lately I’ve been working on my wave, specifically a 6-point wave that uses both arms. l put on my Beverly Hills cop music and go for it!
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