Name: Caroline Hobbs
Class: 2016
Sport: Tennis
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Her Campus: What are your pre-workout and post-workout meals?
Caroline Hobbs: The night before a match I’ll try to load up on carbs. I’ll usually have pasta. After a workout, chocolate milk helps your muscles recover and is so yummy! Coconut water is also awesome during or after a match; it has as much potassium as a banana (which prevents cramping) and is incredibly hydrating.
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HC: Are there any specific exercises you do in tennis that other college students could easily do themselves?
CH: I do dynamic stretching after running with the team everyday at practice. I stretch a ton in general. I run a lot too, especially in [the] off-season. It’s the easiest way to stay in shape.
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HC: Do you play any other sports for fun or do any other forms of exercise?
CH: I’m in swim for fitness! It’s actually a really fun class and great for endurance training. I do a lot of yoga too, moreso in [the] off-season when I have more time. Yoga Mandali is the best. I love hiking also.
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What do you do to stay in shape during off-season/between seasons?
CH: During off-season I try to run 1.5 or 2 miles everyday. Like I said before it’s the easiest way (even though [it’s] not the most fun or painless way) to stay in shape… For example, 20 minutes of hard, consistent running burns away fat way more efficiently than 20 minutes on the elliptical. And I do yoga twice a week! I also lift, but not super often. I’m going to try for twice a week this year.
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HC: What helps you to unwind after hard practices or workouts?
CH: An ice bath helps my shins wind down. [Laughs.] I usually shower and then eat and then nap if I don’t have tons of work.
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HC: Do you have any words of wisdom for someone who is just beginning a workout regimen on his or her own?
CH: Stick with it! 20 minutes of running can feel like forever when you’re just getting into it, and it’ll feel like you’re going to die if you’re really pushing yourself, but you get used to pushing yourself that hard, and that’s how you get results. And any sort of exercise is so good for you, so if you are debating whether or not to go workout, just remind yourself: you’re doing something good for you! And you deserve that!! It’s also easier to focus on work and easier to go to sleep if you’ve worked out that day.