Serena Williams was born in Michigan, but she moved to California when she was a young girl. As a sharecropper from Louisiana, her father was determined to provide a better life for his five children. When Williams turned pro at 14, she beat her sister Venus to win her first major by four years. She began training at age 3 and went pro at age 14. Tennis legend Serena Williams is one of the greatest of all time. Williams holds 23 Grand Slam titles, more than any other woman in history. In addition to playing doubles with her sister, Williams also plays mixed doubles with Max Mirnyi. At the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, she won gold for women's doubles with Venus, and she also won gold for women's singles with Serena. Her endorsement deals have been numerous. Her repertoire has also expanded to include television, film, and fashion.
In addition to her self-named charity, Williams has also built schools in Africa and provided educational opportunities for underprivileged youth around the world. The author published an autobiography titled Queen of the Court in 2010. They have a child together, a son, through their marriage to co-founder of Reddit Alexis Ohanian in 2017. The social media star has millions of followers. Her height and weight of Williams are 5 feet, 9 inches, and 155 pounds.((StarsUnfolded))In this article, we will talk about the workout routine and the diet plan of Serena Williams. We have collected all the information regarding her diet plan and her what kind of workouts she includes in her daily routine to keep herself fit as a fiddle. Thus, stay tuned to know more about it and probably you can follow her plans too!
Serena Williams Body Statistics
- Birth Year: 1981
- Birth Date: September 26
- Height: 5 ft 9 in or 175 cm
- Weight: 84 kg or 185 pounds
- Breasts: 40 inches
- Waist: 30 inches
- Hips: 44 inches
- Body Measurement: 40-30-44 in or 102-76-112 cm
- Dress Size: 14 (US) or 46 (EU)
- Shoe Size: 10 (US) or 7.5 (UK) or 40.5 (EU)
Serena Williams Awards and Achievements
Grand Slam Singles resultsAustralian OpenW (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017)French OpenW (2002, 2013, 2015)WimbledonW (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016)US OpenW (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)Other tournamentsGrand Slam CupW (1999)Tour FinalsW (2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)Olympic GamesW (2012)DoublesCareer record190–34 (84.8%)Career titles23Highest rankingNo. 1 (June 21, 2010)Current rankingNo. 412 (August 9, 2021)Grand Slam Doubles resultsAustralian OpenW (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)French OpenW (1999, 2010)WimbledonW (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016)US OpenW (1999, 2009)Other doubles tournamentsTour FinalsSF (2009)Olympic GamesW (2000, 2008, 2012)Mixed doublesCareer record27–4 (87.1%)Grand Slam Mixed Doubles resultsAustralian OpenF (1999)French OpenF (1998)WimbledonW (1998)US OpenW (1998)Team competitionsFed CupW (1999), record 17–3Hopman CupW (2003, 2008)
Medal record
Representing the United StatesOlympic Games
2000 SydneyDoubles
2008 BeijingDoubles
2012 LondonSingles
2012 LondonDoubles
Serena Williams Workout Routine
The goddess of tennis is Serena Williams. Professional tennis players are fierce, and not afraid to fight for what they want. The career she has built for herself is nothing short of a grand slam. Her beauty, her beauty routine, and her $973 skincare routine make us want to be here - and not just because we can adopt it. Hence, on her 38th birthday, it's the perfect opportunity to laud her as a role model and sports legend.
It doesn't happen overnight that you become a sports phenom. To achieve that, you must work hard, exercise, and follow a good nutrition plan. Some of Williams' favorite healthy snacks and workout routines have been shared over the years. To live your best life like Serena, we've compiled the best tips.The gym is not Williams' favorite place to work out. During tennis season, she follows a strenuous workout routine only to maintain a healthy body and avoid injury.Serena's trainer and close friend Mackie Shilstone, who officiated Serena's wedding, developed an effective diet and workout program focused on enhancing Serena's endurance, flexibility, and muscle functionality.
Serena Williams' pre-pregnancy workout routine, when she was at the peak of her performance:
She starts her workout with a 10-minute warm-up session that involves some form of cardio exercise. Zumba is her preferred form of exercise, but she also likes running, cycling, and swimming.She then moves directly into strength-training exercises. (Source: workoutinfoguru.com) She followed the following routine before becoming pregnant:
1. Arm workout
3.5 to 4 minutes of each of the following exercises
- Fitness ball transfer
- Rolling knee tucks
- Resistance band knee extensions
- Plank rows
2. Booty-beautiful burnout
3-5 sets of 8-12 reps of each of the following exercises
- Barbell pause squat
- Barbell front squat
- Barbell box squat
3. Core and leg workouts
3 sets of 8-12 reps of each of the following exercises
- Bicycle crunch
- Leg crunch: horizontal followed by vertical
- Pillar holds
- Dumbbell walking lunges
- Dumbbell step-ups
Warm-UpNever underestimate the importance of warming up. It is just as important as the rest of the workout because if you don't warm up your body first, you are bound to get cramps. A vigorous exercise session lasting one hour or more is prepared to be performed efficiently without tiring the body. Therefore, no matter who the athlete is, they will always warm up. As part of her warm-up, Serena Williams does Cardio and Zumba to open up the body and make it more flexible. After warming up for about 10 minutes, she moves to her hardcore exercise routine.
Arm ExercisesWhat exercises to perform: Fitness ball transfer, rolling knee tucks, resistance band hip extensions, plank rows.How long: Do each of these exercises for at least 3 to 4 minutes.Butt ExercisesWhat exercises to perform: Barbell Pause Squat, Barbell Front Squat, Barbell Box Squat.How long: Perform 3-5 sets for each of these exercises.Leg ExercisesWhat exercises to perform: Bicycle Crunch, Leg crunch (horizontal followed by vertical), Pillar holds, Dumbbell walking lunges, Dumbbell step-ups.How long: Perform 3-5 sets for each of these exercises.Abs WorkoutThe abs of Serena Williams are among the best tennis players. To build such beautiful abs, she had to perform a series of complicated exercises. There was no easy road to take, and there never is, but a determination was key.PlanksSerena's coach recommends this exercise to anyone who wants to build abdominals. The planks are supposed to be performed with a row using a cable or band.The cable should be connected to something stable, and the plank should be moved to the forearm position. Pull the opposite straightened arm with which you are holding the cable close while keeping one arm flat on the ground. Repeat 3 sets of 15 repetitions for best results.TRXStabilize yourself by pulling both of your knees towards the chest while placing your feet on the TRX strap. Pull and release 15 times, then repeat three times.Medicine BallMedicine ball Squats. When you squat, hold the medicine ball (weighing between 6 and 8 pounds) outside your knees. Continually swing this medicine ball diagonally towards your ear. Make sure you do it as quickly and energetically as you can. This exercise requires 3 sets of 15 repetitions.The medicine ball rested on the side planks. As you are in the side plank position, place the ball on your hip and move your hips up and down continuously. Do so 15 times in one set and three times in a row.SprintsYou can lose fat by sprinting, and anybody with great abs on their body is probably into sprinting. Wendy Williams sprints daily, with one 100m sprint taking her under 20 seconds. Coaches recommend that she sprint at least three times a day.
The pregnancy workout
You might think that Serena would take it easy during pregnancy, but you'd be wrong. While carrying her bundle of joy in her toned abdominals, she made her way through the gym.
In a post on HealthyCeleb, Serena revealed that there were no major dramas while her baby girl was inside her tummy. The process of getting Alexis out was more dramatic. It is worth noting that Serena stated that she didn't think she would enjoy being pregnant as much as she did. One note of caution here, however, is that she could take on a tough workout routine while pregnant because she is an elite athlete. It is not unusual for her to exercise hard while pregnant. It is always important to check with your doctor whether you can exercise while pregnant, no matter how fit you may be before getting pregnant.That is all about the workout routine that she follows. When it comes to working out, she is quite intense and likes to do a bunch of activities. This makes her plan quite comprehensive. In the next section, we will discuss the workout tips and tricks that she is following to stay constant with her schedule.
Serena Williams Workout Tips and Tricks
This is a section where we have enlisted some tips and tricks that Serena Williams follows in her daily routine. She makes sure to follow a consistent workout routine too so that she could stick to tit and see some great results. Check out these tips:
Not A Fitness Freak
Williams isn't crazy about working out at the gym. As a matter of fact, she admits that she only does so to stay healthy and avoid injury.
Pros Need Pros
Since the early 2000s, Williams has been working with renowned trainer Mackie Shilstone to maximize her fitness.
Effective Training
Diet and exercise are both key components of Williams's plan, all of which are aimed at improving endurance, flexibility, and functionality.
HIIT It
In order to build strength and endurance in the shortest amount of time, Williams uses high-intensity training.
Pregnancy Doesn’t Mean Break Time
Despite her pregnancy, Williams continued to exercise as she had before. She is a pro, but it's not recommended for pregnant women to take up intense exercise if they aren't used to it.
Make sure you do something every day
Despite not loving working out, Williams still exercises regularly because it adds up to a lot of benefits.She enjoys sharing her intense workouts with others. In 2016, Williams told Nike's Training Club app about one of her workout routines so that fans could try it at home. The workout involved sprinting and squatting and was created in partnership with comedian Kevin Hart. As reported by Elite Daily, the workout begins with stretching, followed by 30-second intervals of burpees and partner push-ups. Additionally, there will side planks during which you drive up your knee. You will sweat a lot.
Her workouts are geared toward improving her mechanics. Swiftness and agility are both required for Williams to move around the court with ease. According to Shape Magazine's Patrick Mouratoglou, you can't train for that by sprinting, since that form of cardio only has you running straight ahead. Speed and changing directions are two things you need to do all the time in this sport, he said. "I'll have her do technical runs side to side, and randomly determine where she's going to run… We can make an exercise where she has to run right, right, left, right, left, left, right, left. Something like that, but she'll go when I signal and they're not in the same time intervals so she doesn't know when it's going to happen."She changes up her routine.“For me, it's so important to mix it up,” she told Fitness Magazine. “I ran, and then I biked. Then I did elliptical. That didn't work out so well, because it was boring, so I tried yoga. I started dancing because I couldn't train when I was sick. We started making up moves, and it was fun. Now I run for 10 minutes, and then I dance.” She has also worked with a trainer, who helps her adjust when she is injured. Fitness told her, for instance, that he made her swim in a pool after one injury to strengthen her lungs. “I remember feeling as if I were going to drown,” she said. “But it worked. I kept winning, and I was ranked 29th for the U.S. Open.”She uses a killer playlist. Fitness Magazine reports that among her power playlists are "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, "Maneater" by Daryl Hall and John Oates, and "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson.
She’s grateful for what her body can do. After experiencing a health crisis, she opened up to Fitness Magazine about how it made her appreciate her body. “I realized that I'm really fortunate to be alive and to be playing and that it's not the end of the world if I don't win,” she replied. “I was able to relax. It was the first time I've ever had so much fun on the court. I would play matches and enjoy myself. That brought a whole new perspective to my game. Now I know I don't have to play again if I don't want to. I play because I love it.”That was all about her workout tips and tricks that she shares with her fans and followers. In the next section, we will discuss her diet plan and the diet tips that she gives out to keep herself in the best possible shape. Take a read ahead.
Serena Williams Diet Plan
As part of her raw vegan diet, Williams practices tennis during the tennis season. She eats exclusively plant-based foods, including beans, legumes, nuts, veggies, fruit, and whole grains, such as quinoa, oatmeal, and brown rice. In addition to chia seeds and hemp, which provide a complete protein source, she sometimes eats chicken for an extra protein boost. It is important for her to stay hydrated all the time. During the off-season, she enjoys fried chicken and other southern favorites.Although Serena has access to plenty of prepared meals to help her meet her healthy goals, she also likes to experiment in the kitchen when she gets the chance. "I love cooking. I don't have a ton of time to do it often, but I love cooking and it's just kind of relaxing for me."You might be wondering exactly what Serena eats on a regular basis, so here's her daily menu.BreakfastSerena makes a simple breakfast of oats, strawberries, and almond butter nourished with almond butter. In addition, she takes some supplements to boost her metabolism during the day.Late Morning SnackShe takes a lightly-weighted morning snack while keeping her breakfast light. Her favorite sandwich is a veggie sandwich without cheese or a brown bread sandwich with almond or peanut butter.LunchIt would not be surprising to find an athlete's lunch entirely composed of salads. Her salad lunch includes spinach, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, mandarin oranges, onions, pita croutons, and peeled almonds. In addition to it, she drinks lemon juice to keep herself fresh and full of vitamins and minerals. It sounds like her meals are refreshing and already make you feel guilty, don't they?Evening SnackShe occasionally has her favorite grilled chicken with a healthy beverage, such as green tea or low-sugar lemonade.DinnerIt is not heavy and easy to digest her last meal of the day. This meal consists of a limited quantity of brown rice, salad, and lots of freshly cooked vegetables.Pre-GameHer strategy for fueling before her matches are to eat carb-loaded foods the night before, such as rice and pasta."The only time I eat pasta is when I'm playing/training. Usually, you'll never see me eating pasta otherwise. 'Cause I feel like I've had to eat it so much in my career. It's just like, I never want to see pasta again," she says jokingly.It is actually her diet that has a distinct personality. "I can have a smoothie for six months," she says. "And then I'll be like, I never want to see a smoothie again for the next six months. And then I'll be like, okay, I'm back on the smoothie. My eating is very moody."She does, however, have a preferred dish right before games. "I usually like to have lots of greens before my match and then fruit actually, and little carbs and some sort of a protein. So I try to knock them [her food groups] all out in one."
What to Eat
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Oatmeal
- Nut Butters
- Sprouted Quinoa
- Brown Rice
- Ezekiel Bread
- Fruit
- Lemon Juice
- Matcha Tea
- Hemp Seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Cinnamon
- Water
- Chicken (off-season)
What to Avoid
- Junk Food
- Fried Foods
- Processed Foods
- Refined Sugar
- Chemical Ingredients
- Artificial Additives
Food serves as fuel for Serena. "My philosophy is to eat to live. Don't live to eat," she tells Women's Health during a Nintendo gaming event. "I want to have a healthy lifestyle and, so you know, [I'm eating] a lot of greens and mostly plant-based lately, just super healthy stuff."In this way, she is able to see food as something that supplements, rather than as her entire existence. "You need it to survive. And [that's] very hard to live by, cause I definitely love to snack, but this is what I want. These are my goals."
The healthiest pregnancy cravings EVER
Serena says she was a bit disappointed at first because she didn't have any cravings (even though she was longing for them), but a little later on in her pregnancy, she got a few. So what did Serena crave during her pregnancy? Lots of healthy vegetables.Just in case you were under the impression that everything happened by chance, it had nothing to do with luck. It was all down to the eating habits she developed prior to becoming pregnant. No wonder she craved all the extra health-infused veggies her body had grown accustomed to eating when an extra person was growing inside her. In summary, you should prime your body to enjoy healthy veggies before you get pregnant.In an Instagram video posted by her husband Alexis Ohanian (below), he describes how she went from being healthy to being even healthier during her pregnancy.Now that Serena has overcome the hurdles of pregnancy, she is ready to become a mother. These are her top four tips for staying fit and healthy as a mother:Make sure you are in great shape before getting pregnant
- Just a little bit every day will make a difference. These precious minutes will make all the difference even if you just spend a few minutes a day, say, 20-30.
- Getting a good, no, a great night's sleep is incredibly important. In the morning if you don't get enough sleep-which is so common in pregnant women-the next thing you know, you are too tired to exercise, too tired to function, too tired to eat healthily. As you get older, your body just begins to break down, so it is very important to get sufficient sleep. Pregnant women tend to get really bad sleep because of their increased weight, the distribution of their weight, and a whole host of other factors,' Williams said in an interview for FitPregnancy.
- Consult with your doctor about what you should do and what shouldn't be done. And, more importantly, follow instructions.
Serena’s post-pregnancy fitness plans and goals
During the short term, Serena's goal is to get back to pre-pregnancy shape gradually in order to recuperate her body. Exactly how will Serena accomplish this? Through sheer determination. With the tough exercise routine she maintained during her pregnancy, it's no wonder she is back in the spotlight this summer.A mention must be made of the man who helped bring the tennis goddess back to Mount Olympus, Mackie Shilstone.Shilstone said in an interview with ForTheWin: ‘More than what she does on the court, which is what you know her for, I think what she’s gonna do is show women everywhere, mothers, who have complicated pregnancies, who have to face adversities, I’m not talking about losing on the court.
‘I’m talking about within three hours of dying [read about Serena’s life-threatening birth experience on CNN] … I think Serena is gonna set the tone for mothers facing true adversity to weather the storm. I think that’s a bigger story than her winning the next Slam.’That was all about the diet plan that Serena Williams follows. She has a very healthy and wholesome diet which keeps her satisfied the whole day. Thus in the following section, we would also pick up some tips that she gives out. Take a look!
Serena Williams Diet Tips
In this section, we will talk about the tips that Serena Williams follows in her daily diet.
Burn fat as much as possible
Williams has always focused on maintaining a healthy body fat level to speed up her metabolism.
It's time to rise and shine
Williams begins her day with oatmeal, berries and other fruits, almond butter, and a metabolism-boosting supplement.
Snacks that are good for you
She might have an almond butter sandwich with Ezekiel bread for a mid-morning snack. A fat-burning beverage made with matcha green tea, lemon juice, and cinnamon is another option.
Dinner Fit for a Diva
While she's training, Williams usually eats brown rice, chia, and hemp seeds for a complete protein meal along with a salad and other fresh veggies.
Cravings that are healthy
During her pregnancy, Williams says she craved vegetables and was somewhat disappointed that she did not experience any 'fun' cravings.
Concerns regarding health
Williams was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition called Sjorgren's Syndrome, which causes dry eyes, mouth, and throat, so he adopted a vegan diet as part of his treatment.
You're in for a treat
Although Williams generally sticks to a clean vegan diet, she occasionally eats fried chicken, grits, and moon pies that are not vegan.Cooking healthy food is one of her favorite things to do. She told Bon Appétit in 2013 that she cooked gumbo for everyone for years. “My other go-to dishes are something I call a ‘seven-bean delight,’ which really only has five beans, but don't tell. Everyone loves my roasted chicken with garlic. For a minute, it was my turkey tacos. Now it's vegan sushi. I just love to cook!”
Williams thinks about how her body responds to food.According to Glamour, she can't eat before she plays a match. "And I haven't been able to figure out why — it must be nerves!" she said. "But I did have some turkey sausage and a baked potato before this last match. I try to do a combo of protein and carbs." It is important to listen to what your body needs and not force it to do something it isn't capable of handling.“I think that ‘intuitive eating’ tends to align with the idea that our biology interacts with the environment and this plays a role in our intake, hunger, and satiety,” Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, a Massachusetts General Hospital obesity medicine specialist told Refinery29. But she also doesn’t deprive herself."I had fries with lunch today," she told Glamour in 2009. She added that she did not eat all of them, but she wouldn't deprive herself. Her favorite celebratory meal is cheese pizza from Bella Vita in New York.Her habit of skipping breakfast is common.According to a new interview with Women's Health, Williams rarely has time in the morning for breakfast."I often don't make breakfast because I just forget or I'm running around getting Olympia ready," she tells the publication. "And then I go work out." And for more insight into how stars stay fit, check out Cindy Crawford Reveals Her Exact Workout for Flat Abs.Lunch is usually vegetarian staples.Despite not claiming to be vegan or vegetarian, Williams eats plant-based meals to stay energized during the day."I had a bean burger the other day today…[Today] I had a gluten-free bean burrito," she says.She turns to social media for dinner inspiration.Williams uses social media to discover new recipes for dinner."I get inspired by what I see on Instagram," she says. While she keeps her diet diverse, she says she never eats beef or avocados.She relies on carbs when she trains.Williams will fuel up with a high-carb meal, such as pasta, to ensure she has plenty of energy for matches."The only time I eat pasta is when I'm playing/training. Usually, you'll never see me eating pasta otherwise," she says.She doesn't exclusively carbohydrate load when she trains, however. "I usually like to have lots of greens before my match and then fruit actually, and little carbs and some sort of a protein," Williams explains.
She leaves some room for her vices.Even though Williams follows a healthy diet, for the most part, she says there is one sweet treat she just can't stop eating."I love Moon Pies. If 'Moon Pie' sponsored me, I'd be bigger than any house on this planet!" she jokes.Those were the tips and tricks that Serena Williams stick to in her diet. However,r sometimes she feels the need to take some supplements so that she could complete her macros. In the next section, we will discuss her macros and what kinds of supplements she needs to fulfill her daily requirements.
Serena Williams Nutrition and Supplements
In this section, we will discuss some of the supplements that are required by Serena Williams to keep herself on her toes. These supplements allow her to feel stronger and healthier. So take a read ahead: