{"id":112599,"date":"2026-06-18T08:19:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T08:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=112599"},"modified":"2026-06-18T08:20:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T08:20:35","slug":"serena-williams-real-life-workout-the-knee-saving-power-plan-dominating-2026-fitness-right-now","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/serena-williams-real-life-workout-the-knee-saving-power-plan-dominating-2026-fitness-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The Serena Williams Inspired Workout for Glutes of Steel and Strong Arms"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tennis
Photo by John Conrad Williams, Jr.\/Newsday RM via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The last time you promised yourself you’d start working out to get in shape, you probably opened Instagram, saw a barbell squat, and immediately decided a hot girl walk was enough. Fair.<\/p>\n

But we’ve got good news for you. Working out doesn’t have to be torture. Tennis superstar Serena Williams proves to us that all it takes is a little motivation. Her workout routine is a surprisingly methodical mix of strength, cardio, and play \u2013 tuned for power, joint longevity, and a real life that now includes kids, business meetings, and the occasional pole class selfie.<\/p>\n

What Makes the Serena Williams Workout Different<\/h2>\n

At her peak, Serena could spend roughly four hours on court most days, then hit the gym. That is not the assignment for the rest of us. What you can copy are her pillars:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Three focused strength days that hit arms, glutes, core, and legs<\/li>\n
  • Regular cardio, adjusted when her knees complain<\/li>\n
  • Serious warm up and mobility, not an afterthought stretch<\/li>\n
  • High variety \u2013 tennis, weights, Tonal, reformer Pilates, BOSU work, even pole and aerial hoop<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    That blend tracks closely with large studies showing that people who combine solid aerobic work with strength and variety have lower all cause and cardiovascular disease mortality than those who mostly sit still.<\/p>\n

    Serena\u2019s Three Day Strength Split<\/h2>\n

    Day One: Arms and Core Stability<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Serena\u2019s workouts start with about 10 minutes of dynamic stretching and 10 minutes of easy cardio \u2013 think light jog, bike, or brisk walk \u2013 before she touches a weight. Then she leans into stability:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Fitness ball transfers<\/li>\n
    • Rolling knee tucks on the ball<\/li>\n
    • Plank rows with dumbbells<\/li>\n
    • Resistance band hip extensions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Instead of obsessing over reps, she often works in time blocks of around four to five minutes per move. For a mortal version, go for 30 to 45 seconds on, 30 seconds off, for two to three rounds. If the ball work feels like advanced Cirque du Soleil, start with regular planks and slow mountain climbers.<\/p>\n

      \"Sereny
      Photo by Jared Siskin\/GC Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      Day Two: Glute Focused Lower Body<\/strong><\/p>\n

      This is the famous \u201cbooty day,\u201d but it is less about aesthetics and more about power and knee support. The backbone is squats:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Barbell pause squats<\/li>\n
      • Front squats<\/li>\n
      • Box squats to a bench<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        She typically hits three to five sets of eight to 12 controlled reps, loading heavy enough that the last two reps feel challenging without wrecking form. No barbell or no interest in being spotted at the rack? Swap in goblet squats with a dumbbell or even bodyweight squats to a chair. The goal is the same \u2013 strong hips and thighs to take pressure off the knees.<\/p>\n

        Day Three: Core and Legs for Court Ready Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n

        The final day in the split blends ab work and athletic legs:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Bicycle crunches<\/li>\n
        • Leg crunch variations<\/li>\n
        • Pillar holds (long, strong planks)<\/li>\n
        • Walking lunges<\/li>\n
        • Step ups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Three sets of around 12 reps per side on lunges and step ups is plenty. If your knees are cranky, keep step ups low and shorten your lunge stride so you can control the descent. Serena\u2019s priority is not soreness bragging rights \u2013 it is power with control.<\/p>\n

          Serena Inspired Weekly Plan For Real People<\/h2>\n

          Beginner Template<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Day one \u2013 Strength: simplified Day One (planks, band rows, hip bridges)<\/li>\n
          • Day two \u2013 Cardio: 30 minutes brisk walking<\/li>\n
          • Day three \u2013 Rest or gentle mobility<\/li>\n
          • Day four \u2013 Strength: simplified Day Three (light lunges, low step ups, easy core)<\/li>\n
          • Day five \u2013 Cardio: 20 to 30 minutes on bike or elliptical<\/li>\n
          • Weekend \u2013 One \u201cplay\u201d session: casual tennis, pickleball, or dance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Intermediate Template<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            • Three strength days \u2013 Full Serena style split, scaled to your weights<\/li>\n
            • Two cardio days \u2013 One interval style (short bursts, longer rests), one longer easy session<\/li>\n
            • At least one mobility or Pilates inspired session focusing on hips, hamstrings, shoulders<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"author":42690,"featured_media":112649,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[6939,2723],"yoast_head":"\nThe Serena Williams Inspired Workout for Glutes of Steel and Strong Arms - Grazia USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/serena-williams-real-life-workout-the-knee-saving-power-plan-dominating-2026-fitness-right-now\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Serena Williams Inspired Workout for Glutes of Steel and Strong Arms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The last time you promised yourself you’d start working out to get in shape, you probably opened Instagram, saw a barbell squat, and immediately decided a hot girl walk was enough. 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