Williams' current workout profile looks unrecognizable compared to the brutal two-a-day workouts of her championship years. Heavy barbell squats and punishing lateral medicine ball slams have been replaced by a cardio and pilates workout rotation that protects her joints.
Reformer Pilates forms the backbone of her current physical conditioning. The low-impact carriage resistance targets her deep transverse abdominis and stabilizing muscles around the hips and lower spine, areas heavily stressed during her tennis career and back-to-back pregnancies. Complementing Pilates, Williams relies on Zone 2 steady-state cardio, primarily on an indoor bike or through brisk incline walking. Exercising in this lower heart-rate threshold encourages fat oxidation without triggering the intense hunger spikes and joint inflammation associated with elite sprinting drills. The result is a toned, lithe build that maintains structural strength without adding bulky muscle mass.
