September 16, 2024
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and way of life director at mindbodygreen and host of the sweetness podcast Clear Magnificence College. Beforehand, she’s held magnificence roles at Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports activities Illustrated, and Attract.com.
Picture by mbg inventive / courtesy of supply
September 16, 2024
We love celebrating ladies on the prime of their sport. In our new collection Recreation On, we’re interviewing prime athletes about their well-being routines—protecting the whole lot from vitamin that makes them really feel sturdy to the moments that deliver them pleasure.
As the primary American lady to win a Grand Slam Main title in wheelchair tennis and one of many prime wheelchair tennis gamers within the U.S., 33-year-old Dana Mathewson is aware of what it means to be on the prime of her sport.
All the time an athletic child, Mathewson performed quite a lot of sports activities in her youth when she was able-bodied. “I at all times favored soccer. I favored softball. I attempted tennis a few times at summer season camp however was not likely into it,” she tells me over a latest video name.
Nevertheless, after creating a uncommon autoimmune dysfunction referred to as transverse myelitis (TM), she turned partial paraplegic, “or principally somebody that should use a wheelchair to run or to get round,” she says.
After encouragement from her mother (which she says was, maybe, insistent at instances), she picked up adaptive sports activities—and this time tennis caught. The remaining unfolded all due to Mathewson’s sheer expertise and drive.
Right here, how she stays on the prime of her sport.
mbg: What was it like while you began taking part in wheelchair tennis?
Dana Mathewson: My situation shut loads of doorways that I assumed had been my solely doorways resulting in athletic pursuits. However fortunately mother had talked to loads of totally different folks after I was within the hospital and discovered what wheelchair sports activities and adaptive sports activities had been.
At that stage of life, I had by no means seen anybody with a incapacity that wasn’t 90 years previous. I simply wasn’t uncovered to quite a bit at the moment, and I believe that is truly the case for lots of Individuals. Our nation is so large that you simply don’t come into contact with loads of totally different demographics.
At first I used to be one of many children who had no real interest in wheelchair sports activities. I assumed it sounded actually boring. I could not conceptualize what it will be.
However my mother was like, “Nope! I need you to be energetic. I’m signing you up for each camp potential.” And tennis was a kind of.
I picked up a racket at—I believe then I used to be round age 13—and one thing simply clicked. I do not know what it was that made me like wheelchair tennis greater than able-bodied tennis as a result of it is just about the identical factor besides one’s in a wheelchair. Nevertheless it simply clicked for me and I have been taking part in it ever since.
mbg: What helps you’re feeling your strongest?
Mathewson: I am an enormous breakfast particular person. I can not begin the day with out breakfast. I do know there’s plenty of those who get up and all they want is espresso and an apple. I am not that woman.
I really like waking up and having scrambled egg whites or an egg white omelet with toast. If I am actually within the temper, I will sauté mushrooms and spinach and put that in there. That manner I’ve protein and carbs to get me going. Having that scorching meal simply helps me really feel prepared.
Except for that, I believe that I am very large on veggies. I’ve by no means been an enormous meat eater, ever since I used to be just a little woman. So in the event you had been to supply me a steak, I would not actually wish to eat it. However I haven’t got the vegetarian mindset of not eager to eat meat due to moral causes, I simply have not actually loved it.
So I eat loads of tofu. I eat loads of plant-based proteins. And I do eat rooster and eggs and issues like that. However I discover that after I’m cooking—particularly as a result of my husband is vegan—we eat loads of plant-based meals. And that is additionally very straightforward to arrange when you will have a tighter schedule like I do.
mbg: What’s your power coaching program?
Mathewson: I’ve an entire crew of coaches down right here in Orlando that I work with. My power and conditioning crew has particular packages I’ve to do on daily basis.
So, for instance, Mondays and Wednesdays are lifting days. So for me, that is loads of higher physique, however we do even have me doing stuff simply to maintain no matter muscular tissues I’ve in my legs energetic. That may contain me utilizing the SkiErg machine, the rower, free weights, bench press, and stuff like that.
Then Tuesdays and Thursdays are extra conditioning-based, so we’ll have courtroom conditioning drills.
Friday is a circuit the place I mix pulling a sled, rowing, lifting, and battle ropes. It is brutal.
There’s good variability between conditioning and power. I believe that in the event you go utterly one or the opposite, you possibly can burn your physique out—otherwise you’re not offering your muscular tissues the train that they want.
After I was in school, I used to be simply very obsessive about the thought of being skinny and being toned. I believe loads of ladies fall into the lure of, “Properly, I am simply going to be on the elliptical for half-hour or I will be on the bike for an hour.” Yeah, that burns energy, however it doesn”t truly burn energy the identical manner it does like burning muscle.
So I strive to verify I get each: At some point cardio, at some point power, at some point cardio, at some point power. They’re each intense days, however your physique will get a break.
After I was in school, I used to be simply very obsessive about the thought of being skinny and being toned. I believe loads of ladies fall into the lure of, “Properly, I’m simply going to be on the elliptical for half-hour or I’m going to be on the bike for an hour.” Yeah, that burns energy, however it doesn’t truly burn energy the identical manner it does like burning muscle.
mbg: How do you recuperate?
Mathewson: After coaching, there’s loads of stretching that we do. That was one thing that I’ve to confess I did not do for the majority of my profession, and I used to be simply fortunate I did not have accidents. However now that I am getting older, I actually see the significance of stretching and cool-downs after a exercise.
I additionally suppose it is necessary to recuperate mentally. I put aside time to play with my canine, name my pals, and even simply sit on my sofa and watch TV. I really like the Actual Housewives. It is good to have issues in your life that deliver you pleasure!
A number of years in the past, my mindset was like, “I must work onerous. I simply must put my head down and be productive the entire time.” However I believe it is truly productive to be lazy generally. That is what refuels you. Being a sofa potato, being a sloth, being on my own for a bit is what recharges my batteries.
My life is a lot on the go as a result of I am both coaching—exerting bodily power all day—or I am touring and competing—so there’s nervous power. So it is necessary for me to show it off.
mbg: I wished to ask you in regards to the psychological facet, anyway. So we simply talked about the way you decompress. However I additionally wish to know the way you activate and prepare for these matches.
Mathewson: That is been one thing I’ve actually needed to work on previously few years. Tennis is such a mentally based mostly sport, and I did not understand simply how a lot till I obtained to the extra elite stage of taking part in. As a result of at that time, everybody has an excellent forehand. Everybody has an excellent backhand. Everybody has an excellent serve. Perhaps one particular person is just a little bit higher than the opposite. However what actually makes folks win extra usually is their mindset.
And I believe as an early tennis skilled, I heard that however did not actually embrace it or did not actually perceive it, however I very a lot do now.
A whole lot of what I have been doing is constructive self-talk after I’m taking part in or earlier than the match. I have a tendency to provide an excessive amount of credit score to my opponents earlier than a match even begins. If you happen to do this, you then’ve already misplaced the match, proper? Since you’re already pondering like, Properly, she hits tremendous large or she’s actually quick. She’s going to get the whole lot.
I’ve needed to study to visualise constructive outcomes. The evening earlier than a match, I’ll give myself jobs or issues I wish to do as a result of I am very goal-oriented. What I imply by that’s I will give myself assignments for myself for a match. I will write them down on a notecard, then attempt to visualize what it will feel and look like to attain the objectives. I do it repeatedly and once more.
I are likely to get fairly distracted after I do visualization work. It is truly actually onerous, as it may be onerous for me to remain targeted. It is like coaching your muscular tissues to do one thing. However I do this for a couple of minutes at a time, and I will attempt to visualize as I am falling asleep as nicely. It helps construct confidence.
mbg: I believe one other factor that units elite athletes aside is resilience. Some a part of me thinks it may be one thing innate, that prime athletes are born with. However I additionally suppose it is a talent set that may be discovered. How have you ever constructed resilience over time?
Mathewson: I believe you are proper that sure folks have extra of that cussed mindset, which helps you be extra resilient. What I imply by that’s, like, you get knocked down 5 instances, you then’ll stand up six since you’re cussed sufficient to maintain attempting. However I believe that that will also be a discovered trait too.
With tennis being my private instance, there’s just one particular person each week in a event that wins, proper? In order that implies that everyone else has to lose. You play X variety of tournaments a yr. So there’s loads of shedding that you must get snug with in tennis!
It is week-in and week-out video games, and most instances you do lose. You would possibly win a number of, however in the end you are ending up with an L probably. Except you are Serena Williams. By nature of tennis being my job, it teaches you resilience since you learn to reframe losses.
It is about fostering a resilient mindset—a development mindset. There are methods of taking a look at “shedding” which are constructive. You will say, “I misplaced, however that is OK as a result of my serve was actually good as we speak.” Or ” what, I must work on my returns subsequent time.”
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: Oh, that is so attention-grabbing. I’ve by no means considered that, however it’s an excellent level. I guess that is truly an excellent lesson to study early on. I truly really feel like tennis might be an excellent sport for youths to study for that motive. Talking of, I wished to ask you about recommendation you may need for younger ladies athletes who wish to play tennis. Or any sport actually…
Mathewson: Tennis is actually technical, so, sure, it may be irritating. It will possibly flip loads of children away from it. Or possibly children will likely be annoyed as a result of they do not have a crew they’ll play with, and that may be onerous.
However tennis is among the coolest sports activities in that it permits you to decide up a racket and play with anybody on any given day. You’ll be able to simply go to the park, meet somebody, and play with them. You do not want an entire crew to play, like basketball or soccer.
However except for that, I might say to only keep it up and belief the method. As a result of it isn’t at all times straightforward.
There’s sacrifices that need to be given to a sport that individuals do not at all times take into consideration after they’re children. Like possibly you may have a event on a weekend while you wish to go to a sleepover. Or possibly you may be getting annoyed that one observe did not go nicely, or different individuals are taking part in higher than me.
So try to have enjoyable with it nonetheless, as a result of it isn’t your job. You are allowed to not be good. It’s one thing you do for enjoyable. So embrace the enjoyable a part of it.
