With the official start to the U.S. Open kicking off Monday, we are settling in for a tennis-filled couple of weeks. We caught up with tennis pro Lauren Davis, who is now gearing up for her doubles event Wednesday with partner Renata Voracova.
"I've trained really well," says Davis. "It would be really nice to do well in my home slam."
The 20-year-old shares that she gets ready to kill it on the court with a daily fitness regimen consisting of an hour of cardio and 1 to 2 hours of tennis practice. In the morning Davis runs through a series of drills, followed by play points and match play in the afternoon. Whew, we're exhausted just thinkin' about it all!
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According to Davis, she keeps her body fueled and energized with a pre-workout meal that includes some type of protein, veggies, and fruit. And given that she's following a wheat/gluten free diet (the result of a slight allergy), her go-to pre/post-workout snacks are KIND bars, which fuel her for those grueling workouts on the court.
Her favorite move: the lateral hip swing. This is great exercise to warm up and loosen the groin and hips—which is key for preventing injury. Tennis requires a lot of lateral movement and the more flexible you are, the less crossover steps you have to take on court, says Davis. Translation: makes you a more efficient player!
THE MOVE: LATERAL HIP SWING
Place both hands on either on a wall while keeping your torso as immobile as possible. Lift your right leg to the side, keeping it straight and then swing it across your body in the opposite direction. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then switch legs.
Image Credit: Lauren Davis
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