Page 37 - Tracy Anderson Magazine – Summer 2020

ACE OF WELLNESS

How Venus Williams serves her body. motivated to tackle their goals,

even if it’s from the comfort
of their home. As I designed
Venus Williams is one of the most accomplished and @elevenbyvenus on Instagram to join me on the journey each piece, movement was top
inspiring women in the history of sports. With seven to become better than your best. of mind to ensure that you feel
Grand Slam titles, five Wimbledon championships, and comfortable and ready to per-
four Olympic gold medals to her name, it’s fair to say that Minutes before a match, what are you doing to form, whether you’re streaming
Venus knows a thing or two about staying connected to get in the right mind-set? a yoga class or chasing the
her body. To learn what it takes to perform at the ultimate Tennis is a very mental sport. You need to have the phys- kids around the backyard. I
level, we spoke to Venus about her approaches to wellness ical skills and strength, of course, but in order to play at personally test each piece to
and the activewear brand we’re obsessing over right now. a high level you need to be a strong thinker. I’ve learned make sure we exceed standards
that my matches can be won or lost before I even step on because it’s important to me
At what age did you commit to the sport of the court based on the mind-set I have. Before matches, I that we’re delivering nothing
tennis, and how have you managed to stay so focus a lot on breathing. It helps center myself, focus my but the best!
dedicated to your practice since then? mind, and tune out the noise. Then I get out on the court
I first picked up a racket and started playing when I was and hustle!
around 4 years old. My dad had us out on the court early,
and for me, tennis evolved from a hobby to a dream very What role does nutrition play in your ability to
early on. Growing up, we’d go to practice straight from perform?
school and often keep hitting even after it got dark. It was My job revolves around my body, so it’s important for me
a lot of work, but I’m glad that I put that work in early to be thoughtful about what I’m putting into it. I’ve been
because it provided an incredible foundation for my career. following a plant-based diet for a while now and have
Tennis has been a dominating force in my life for as long found it really renews my body and keeps up my energy.
as I can remember, and part of the reason I’ve been able I’m on the move all day, juggling practice, gym time,
to keep my passion for the sport is because I try to balance meetings for EleVen and V Starr, so I love anything that I
it with outside interests, too. I have my activewear lifestyle can make quickly and take with me. Smoothies and juices
company EleVen by Venus and my design business V Starr are my favorites—they’re quick, easy, and versatile. Of
Interiors, which keep me busy and allow me an outlet to course, I’m only human and have a major sweet tooth I try
flex my creativity. My mother encouraged us to be inde- to curb, but hey, it’s all about moderation!
pendent and explore our creative sides from a young age,
and in the long run, having the support to pursue other Do you have any particular wellness practices
interests ultimately made me a better player. that you follow the night before, or day of a big
match?
When you’re off the court, what do you do to The night before a match, sleep is the most important thing
condition and stay physically connected to your for me. I sleep a lot more during tournaments because
body? being rested is necessary to perform at my best. I always
When I’m in training mode, gym workouts are just as try to get at least eight hours so my body can reset and
important as tennis practice. It’s my job to be healthy and recharge for the next day. On match day, I always eat a big
keep fit. I normally spend the same amount of time in the breakfast. On a normal day, I don’t like to eat in the morn-
gym as I do on the court and always mix up the workouts ing and will just have something light to get me through
to keep them interesting. No two workouts are the same—it morning practice, but during tournaments I force myself to
depends on my schedule that day, if I’m traveling, and how eat a huge breakfast to make sure I am fully fueled for the
far out from a tournament I am. I usually try to focus on competition ahead. One of the last things I do right before
weights to make sure I’m packing on muscle and keeping I step out on the court is fist bump my team. I’m so grateful
it on. I love strength training and find it to be empowering. to have an incredible support system, and this has just
My favorite exercise is planks—I’m competitive, so I like become routine for us to do ahead of matches.
seeing how long I can hold them for and sometimes I add
in kicks and lifts to really feel the burn. No matter if I’m We’re obsessed with your latest EleVen by Venus
on or off the court, when I’m training I always try to be an collection. What was the inspiration behind it,
11 out of 10. That’s the guiding principle behind my ac- and what is your design process like?
tivewear line EleVen; it’s meant to inspire women, to push I’m always inspired by the fabulous women who wear Fashion: EleV en by V enus
them to be the best versions of themselves in every aspect my collections. EleVen was built on the idea of being the
of their life, and I try to lead by example and do the same best version of yourself. With the Geometric collection, I
as well. I love sharing tips and tricks for staying active and wanted to provide women with fashion-forward activewear
healthy with my fans, so check out @venuswilliams and staples that make them look good and feel good and

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