This article originally appeared on People.
Working out and eating well are the norm for Venus Williams. “It’s my job to be healthy, so it’s something that’s always in the forefront for me,” the tennis pro, 36, told PEOPLE while discussing her upcoming collection for EleVen. “I’ve been doing this for a quite a while, so it’s easy to be in a routine of what I need to eat and what I need to do to perform at my best level.”
Williams varies her workout routine depending on how far out she is from a match, and how tough the match will be.
“If it’s two weeks out, it’s a different routine than the day or two days before,” she explains. “Two weeks out I’m training as hard as I can, and then the day before it’s all about just easing your way into the match.” When she’s in training mode, Williams says gym workouts are just as vital as tennis practice.
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“I usually do an equal amount of time on the court and time in the gym,” she says. “Half the battle is in the gym.”And when she’s not training, she’s sure to give her body the rest it needs.
“Taking time off is also important too!”
As for her eating habits, when Williams is preparing for a tennis match, she’ll load up on healthy carbs such as steamed rice and sweet potatoes. And while she eats a clean, plant-based diet for the most part, she does let herself splurge when she wants to.
“I do splurge, absolutely, because I’m human and I want to have a great life,” she says. “I happen to love different treats and butter, things like that. You just have to live a balanced life.”
