Wimbledon champ Serena Williams teams with Kevin Hart for workout
Serena Williams doesn't mind mixing in a few jokes when she works out, so Nike’s idea of pairing the 22-time Grand Slam champion with comedian Kevin Hart for “The Hart Serena” workout was filled with laughter. And a fair bit of sweat, especially for Hart.
Nike brought the two together with trainer Ben Monk for a 15-minute high-intensity, strength-based workout that requires no equipment, just the ability to use your bodyweight to get stronger, Monk says.
Courtesy of Nike
Courtesy of Nike
The warmup includes 20 seconds of bodyweight squats, heel kicks and A-skips before transitioning into 30 seconds of lateral hip openers and spring to backpedal moves.
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Then the “total body strength” portion kicks into gear with up to 40 seconds each of partner hand rows, partner push-up high fives, lateral lunges, side plank knee drives, forward lunges, lateral shuffle, partner hand rows, partner push-up high fives, later bounds and side plank knee drives. (The full workout can be downloaded on the Nike+Training Club app.)
Courtesy of Nike
Courtesy of Nike
The metabolic portion adds in split jumps, quick feet forward and back, burpees, quick feet in and outs and more burpees for a total of about 70 calories burned.
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“Stretching is important both before and after a workout for improving body control and range of motion,” Monk says, suggesting “dynamic stretching before to prep the body for movement and static stretching afterwards to improve range of motion.
Courtesy of Nike
Courtesy of Nike
Of course, if your partner isn’t a professional comedian or arguably the world’s greatest female tennis player to ever play, your workout may not contain the same level of laughs or power. This is Serena, after all.
Tim Newcomb covers sports aesthetics—stadiums to sneakers—and training for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.
