September 16, 2024
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and life-style director at mindbodygreen and host of the wonder 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 high of their sport. In our new collection Recreation On, we’re interviewing high athletes about their well-being routines—masking all the pieces from vitamin that makes them really feel robust to the moments that convey them pleasure.
As the primary American girl to win a Grand Slam Main title in wheelchair tennis and one of many high wheelchair tennis gamers within the U.S., 33-year-old Dana Mathewson is aware of what it means to be on the high of her sport.
At all times an athletic child, Mathewson performed quite a lot of sports activities in her youth when she was able-bodied. “I all the time preferred soccer. I preferred softball. I attempted tennis a few times at summer time camp however was not likely into it,” she tells me over a current video name.
Nonetheless, after creating a uncommon autoimmune dysfunction known as transverse myelitis (TM), she grew to become 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 because of Mathewson’s sheer expertise and drive.
Right here, how she stays on the high of her sport.
mbg: What was it like once you began enjoying wheelchair tennis?
Dana Mathewson: My situation shut a variety of doorways that I believed had been my solely doorways resulting in athletic pursuits. However fortunately mother had talked to a variety of completely different individuals once 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 loads at the moment, and I believe that is truly the case for lots of People. Our nation is so large that you just don’t come into contact with a variety of completely different demographics.
At first I used to be one of many children who had no real interest in wheelchair sports activities. I believed it sounded actually boring. I could not conceptualize what it might be.
However my mother was like, “Nope! I need you to be energetic. I’m signing you up for each camp attainable.” And tennis was a type 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. However it simply clicked for me and I have been enjoying it ever since.
mbg: What helps you’re feeling your strongest?
Mathewson: I am an enormous breakfast individual. I can’t begin the day with out breakfast. I do know there’s numerous people who get up and all they want is espresso and an apple. I am not that lady.
I 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 method I’ve protein and carbs to get me going. Having that sizzling meal simply helps me really feel prepared.
Other than 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 somewhat lady. So if you happen to 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 desirous to eat meat due to moral causes, I simply have not actually loved it.
So I eat a variety of tofu. I eat a variety of plant-based proteins. And I do eat rooster and eggs and issues like that. However I discover that once I’m cooking—particularly as a result of my husband is vegan—we eat a variety of plant-based meals. And that is additionally very straightforward to arrange when you could have a tighter schedule like I do.
mbg: What’s your energy coaching program?
Mathewson: I’ve an entire staff of coaches down right here in Orlando that I work with. My energy and conditioning staff has particular packages I’ve to do each day.
So, for instance, Mondays and Wednesdays are lifting days. So for me, that is a variety of higher physique, however we do even have me doing stuff simply to maintain no matter muscle 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 court docket 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 energy. I believe that if you happen to go fully one or the opposite, you may burn your physique out—otherwise you’re not offering your muscle tissues the train that they want.
After I was in faculty, I used to be simply very obsessive about the thought of being skinny and being toned. I believe a variety of women fall into the lure of, “Nicely, 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, nevertheless it doesn”t truly burn energy the identical method it does like burning muscle.
So I attempt to verify I get each: Someday cardio, someday energy, someday cardio, someday energy. They’re each intense days, however your physique will get a break.
After I was in faculty, I used to be simply very obsessive about the thought of being skinny and being toned. I believe a variety of women fall into the lure of, “Nicely, 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, nevertheless it doesn’t truly burn energy the identical method it does like burning muscle.
mbg: How do you get better?
Mathewson: After coaching, there’s a variety 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 assume it is necessary to get better mentally. I put aside time to play with my canine, name my mates, and even simply sit on my sofa and watch TV. I like the Actual Housewives. It is good to have issues in your life that convey you pleasure!
A number of years in the past, my mindset was like, “I must work arduous. I simply must put my head down and be productive the entire time.” However I believe it is truly productive to be lazy typically. 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 needed to ask you concerning the psychological aspect, 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 prior to now 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 enjoying. As a result of at that time, everybody has a great forehand. Everybody has a great backhand. Everybody has a great serve. Possibly one individual is somewhat bit higher than the opposite. However what actually makes individuals win extra typically 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 once I’m enjoying or earlier than the match. I have a tendency to offer an excessive amount of credit score to my opponents earlier than a match even begins. For those who try this, then you definitely’ve already misplaced the match, proper? Since you’re already pondering like, Nicely, she hits tremendous large or she’s actually quick. She’s going to get all the pieces.
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 might appear and feel like to realize the targets. I do it repeatedly and once more.
I are likely to get fairly distracted once I do visualization work. It is truly actually arduous, as it may be arduous for me to remain centered. It is like coaching your muscle tissues to do one thing. However I try this for a couple of minutes at a time, and I will attempt to visualize as I am falling asleep as properly. It helps construct confidence.
mbg: I believe one other factor that units elite athletes aside is resilience. Some a part of me thinks it could be one thing innate, that high athletes are born with. However I additionally assume it is a ability set that may be realized. How have you ever constructed resilience through the years?
Mathewson: I believe you are proper that sure individuals 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, then you definitely’ll rise up six since you’re cussed sufficient to maintain making an attempt. However I believe that that may also be a realized trait too.
With tennis being my private instance, there’s just one individual 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 12 months. So there’s a variety of dropping that it’s important to get comfy with in tennis!
It is week-in and week-out video games, and most instances you do lose. You would possibly win a couple of, however finally you are ending up with an L most probably. Until you are Serena Williams. By nature of tennis being my job, it teaches you resilience since you discover ways to reframe losses.
It is about fostering a resilient mindset—a development mindset. There are methods of “dropping” which can be constructive. You will say, “I misplaced, however that is OK as a result of my serve was actually good right now.” Or ” what, I must work on my returns subsequent time.”
Picture by mbg Inventive / courtesy of supply
mbg: Oh, that is so fascinating. I’ve by no means considered that, nevertheless it’s an ideal level. I guess that is truly an ideal lesson to study early on. I truly really feel like tennis might be an ideal sport for youths to study for that purpose. Talking of, I needed to ask you about recommendation you might need for younger ladies athletes who wish to play tennis. Or any sport actually…
Mathewson: Tennis is de facto technical, so, sure, it may be irritating. It will probably flip a variety of children away from it. Or perhaps children shall be pissed off as a result of they do not have a staff they’ll play with, and that may be arduous.
However tennis is without doubt one of the coolest sports activities in that it permits you to choose 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 staff to play, like basketball or soccer.
However apart from that, I would say to simply keep it up and belief the method. As a result of it is not all the time straightforward.
There’s sacrifices that must be given to a sport that individuals do not all the time take into consideration after they’re children. Like perhaps you will have a event on a weekend once you wish to go to a sleepover. Or perhaps you will be getting pissed off that one follow did not go properly, or different persons are enjoying higher than me.
So attempt to have enjoyable with it nonetheless, as a result of it is not your job. You are allowed to not be excellent. It’s one thing you do for enjoyable. So embrace the enjoyable a part of it.
