For those of you who hide under a rock during Wimbledon, let me just clue you in: Rafael Nadal is a living legend. For most people, this World Number One Spaniard needs no introduction, influencing and inspiring millions of people with his passion for the game and, if nothing else, his physique. To be at the top of his game – which he is – Nadal has to pay close attention to his fitness and overall wellbeing. After all, tennis is a game that requires the perfect coordination of speed and agility to come out on top. Without these things, how on earth could top players endure lengthy and gruelling matches, put power behind those serves or recover when they’re sets behind? The question is, then, how does Nadal do it?
Not only is Nadal one of the “Big Four” of tennis (the others being Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and, of course, Andy Murray); Nadal is the number one player in the world so, clearly, he’s doing something right (If you’re interested, in the world rankings Djokovic is number two, Murray is number seven and Federer is number eight worldwide). The sheer brilliance of Nadal’s game has led wellness expert and writer Varun Swasthi to investigate the programme behind his performance, and, luckily, he’s sharing that knowledge with us. So, if you fancy yourself the next Wimbledon champion, here’s a comprehensive list of fitness tips from the master himself, so you can know all about his fitness regime, training tips and diet.
1. Endurance: According to Swasthi, ‘Nadal is very strong and has amazing endurance—the two very important factors that keep him in great shape and help him outwork his opponents.’
2. Agility: ‘Nadal believes in sprint training, as it keeps him on his toes all the time,’ Swasthi explains. ‘Since footwork and strokes are the two very important things to focus in a game, Rafa uses the running machine quite a lot for agility and to work out his leg muscles.’
3. Training: Swasthi details, ‘Nadal’s training regime consists of extensive strength training during the preseason and light work during regular season. His practice sessions make up for his workout in the gym. Hence he calls the clay courts his private gym. In the gym, Nadal uses a vibrating platform, which can contract muscles at least 30-50 times per second. The vibrating machine does wonders for muscle strength, blood circulation, flexibility and range of motion. It also reduces pain and helps you recover faster.’
4. Core: ‘Rafa believes in doing core work,’ Swasthi notes. ‘He does front bends at the waist, and then, engages in a variety of push-ups. Next he does a kind of pull-up, where he raises his body slightly and repeatedly for almost a minute.’
5. Resistance: Swasthi points out, ‘Nadal also uses the resistance band a lot, as these bands are more transportable than weights. They also allow for a better workout and a variable resistance. These resistance bands also work the shoulder and rotator cuff better than free weights. This is especially helpful for fixing your joints.’
6. Stretching: ‘Since recovery is very important in any game, Nadal stresses a lot on stretching,’ says Swasthi. ‘Rafa also focuses on getting the right amount of rest in order to not aggravate your injuries any further.’
7. Cardio: Swasthi outlines, ‘Nadal gets his share of cardio in water by doing exercises in a swimming pool. He swims, runs and jogs inside water that actually helps him increase his stamina.’
8. Indulgence: ‘Nadal confesses having a major sweet tooth and eating lots of chocolates,’ Swasthi comments. ‘But he burns all the calories by working out on and off the field.’
