Pro golfer Michelle Wie West is extolling the many health benefits of Pilates workouts. West, 34, shared a video of herself working out on a Pilates reformer machine, wearing black leggings and a Nike shirt. “If I had one regret in my training journey, it’s that I wish I incorporated more Pilates. I feel so much stronger, centered, and balanced every time I get off my @flexiapilates reformer. So don’t make the same mistake I did and incorporate some Pilates in your fitness regimen!” she captioned the post. Here’s what Wie’s training and diet looks like.
1. Controlled Core Workouts
West is a strong advocate for core exercises and strength training—but with focus on control. “People talk about variety in exercise regime, but I think consistency is just as important,” she told RSNG. “Over time my prime focus has been on core strength, and that’s something I’ve always come back to. It is the foundation for everything else. I also believe in something I call mind-muscle. That is doing all your strength and power exercises but in a way that allows your mind to focus in on the muscles you are looking to train. I have lifted bigger weights in the past, but in a way that is forced and irregular. In that instance, what I am ultimately training is other muscles that are supporting a movement that is off balance. This has been really important to me in terms of getting back into shape after having my daughter. Less really is more sometimes.”
2. Home-Grown Produce
West grows her own fruits and vegetables at home. "I love my garden. It's something I always wanted to do before I stopped playing," she told The Beet. "I have so much kale that I make a ton of green juice and green smoothies. I make a lot of salads and pickled stuff with cucumbers and jalapenos and keep them in my fridge."
3. Golf Workout
West believes aspiring professional golfers should think seriously about their workout regimen. “It's an individual choice. We should never get to a point where golf has moved away from being fun – people should take from the sport whatever it is they want, at amateur level. But I would say that fitness, exercise and strength, as a platform for golf proficiency, is the way forward and accepted,” she told RSNG. “The other thing is, if it’s going to help your golf, it’s also going to benefit your quality of life in other areas, isn’t it? But yes, for those players who want to improve their game, such as the length they hit the ball off the tee, playing shots that they previously couldn’t make and just an all-round better round of golf, regular workouts are the answer.”
4. Venus Williams Protein Powder
West loves Venus Williams’ Happy Viking protein powder brand. "I've been dairy-free for most of my life and as a result, I have less inflammation, more energy, a cleaner, clearer mind, and I'm faster," she told The Beet. "Whenever I make protein shakes I feel like I have to add all these other ingredients, like collagen, oils, and chia seeds, and I don't know if I'm putting in the right amount. That's why I love Venus' product because it's all portioned out and I get exactly what I need. The type of protein matters as well and I also love that it's not soy-based. It's made of pea protein. It tastes like a milkshake and I know when I give it to my daughter to take to preschool, she is getting all of her nutrients in. It's so nice knowing my daughter is eating something nutritious. And I feel the same way for myself, too!"
5. Not a Quitter
West says quitting had never been an option for her career before officially retiring. “All I know in my life is golf, having first picked up a club when I was four years old, beating my father at the age of seven and playing a national tournament at 10 – how could it be anything else?!” she told RSNG. “Even now I am having time away and getting some cool projects off the ground, but golf is still my life. Along with my family, it is still the thing that gets me up in the morning. But yes, I have managed to overcome a lot in my career; and because of that I find it very easy to empathize with so many across all sports who go through similar situations. Life can be tough – you have to find the strength to move forward.”
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