Wheelchair Tennis Champion Dana Mathewson’s Finest Suggestions

As the primary American lady to win a Grand Slam Main title in wheelchair tennis and one of many high wheelchair tennis gamers within the U.S., 33-year-old Dana Mathewson is aware of what it means to be on the high of her sport. 

All the time an athletic child, Mathewson performed a wide range of sports activities in her youth when she was able-bodied. “I at all times favored soccer. I favored softball. I attempted tennis a couple of times at summer time camp however was probably not into it,” she tells me over a latest video name.

Nonetheless, after growing a uncommon autoimmune dysfunction known as transverse myelitis (TM), she turned partial paraplegic, “or principally somebody that should use a wheelchair to run or to get round,” she says. 

After encouragement from her mother (which she says was, maybe, insistent at instances), she picked up adaptive sports activities—and this time tennis caught. The remaining unfolded all because of Mathewson’s sheer expertise and drive. 

Dana Mathewson: My situation shut numerous doorways that I assumed have been my solely doorways resulting in athletic pursuits. However fortunately mother had talked to numerous completely different folks after I was within the hospital and came upon what wheelchair sports activities and adaptive sports activities have been. 

At that stage of life, I had by no means seen anybody with a incapacity that wasn’t 90 years outdated. I simply wasn’t uncovered to quite a bit at the moment, and I feel that is really the case for lots of Individuals. Our nation is so massive that you just don’t come into contact with numerous completely different demographics. 

At first I used to be one of many youngsters who had no real interest in wheelchair sports activities. I assumed it sounded actually boring. I could not conceptualize what it could be. 

However my mother was like, “Nope! I would like you to be lively. I’m signing you up for each camp doable.” And tennis was a type of. 

Mathewson: I am a giant breakfast individual. I can not begin the day with out breakfast. I do know there’s a lot of people who get up and all they want is espresso and an apple. I am not that woman. 

I like waking up and having scrambled egg whites or an egg white omelet with toast. If I am actually within the temper, I am going to sauté mushrooms and spinach and put that in there. That approach I’ve protein and carbs to get me going. Having that scorching meal simply helps me really feel prepared.

Apart from that, I feel that I am very massive on veggies. I’ve by no means been a giant meat eater, ever since I used to be a bit woman. So should you have been to supply me a steak, I would not actually need to eat it. However I haven’t got the vegetarian mindset of not desirous to eat meat due to moral causes, I simply have not actually loved it. 

Mathewson: I’ve a complete group of coaches down right here in Orlando that I work with. My power and conditioning group has particular packages I’ve to do each day. 

So, for instance, Mondays and Wednesdays are lifting days. So for me, that is numerous higher physique, however we do even have me doing stuff simply to maintain no matter muscle groups I’ve in my legs lively. That may contain me utilizing the SkiErg machine, the rower, free weights, bench press, and stuff like that. 

Then Tuesdays and Thursdays are extra conditioning-based, so we’ll have courtroom conditioning drills. 

Friday is a circuit the place I mix pulling a sled, rowing, lifting, and battle ropes. It is brutal. 

There’s good variability between conditioning and power. I feel that should you go fully one or the opposite, you’ll be able to burn your physique out—otherwise you’re not offering your muscle groups the train that they want.

After I was in school, I used to be simply very obsessive about the concept of being skinny and being toned. I feel numerous ladies fall into the lure of, “Effectively, I am simply going to be on the elliptical for half-hour or I’ll be on the bike for an hour.” Yeah, that burns energy, but it surely doesn”t really burn energy the identical approach it does like burning muscle. 

Mathewson: After coaching, there’s numerous stretching that we do. That was one thing that I’ve to confess I did not do for the majority of my profession, and I used to be simply fortunate I did not have accidents. However now that I am getting older, I actually see the significance of stretching and cool-downs after a exercise. 

I additionally assume it is necessary to get well mentally. I put aside time to play with my canine, name my pals, and even simply sit on my sofa and watch TV. I like the Actual Housewives. It is good to have issues in your life that convey you pleasure!

Just a few years in the past, my mindset was like, “I must work onerous. I simply must put my head down and be productive all the time.” However I feel it is really productive to be lazy typically. That is what refuels you. Being a sofa potato, being a sloth, being on my own for a bit is what recharges my batteries. 

Mathewson: That is been one thing I’ve actually needed to work on prior to now few years. Tennis is such a mentally based mostly sport, and I did not notice simply how a lot till I received to the extra elite degree of enjoying. As a result of at that time, everybody has a very good forehand. Everybody has a very good backhand. Everybody has a very good serve. Possibly one individual is a bit bit higher than the opposite. However what actually makes folks win extra usually is their mindset. 

And I feel as an early tennis skilled, I heard that however did not actually embrace it or did not actually perceive it, however I very a lot do now.

Lots of what I have been doing is constructive self-talk after I’m enjoying or earlier than the match. I have a tendency to offer an excessive amount of credit score to my opponents earlier than a match even begins. Should you do this, then you definitely’ve already misplaced the match, proper? Since you’re already pondering like, Effectively, she hits tremendous massive or she’s actually quick. She’s going to get every little thing. 

I’ve needed to be taught to visualise constructive outcomes. The night time earlier than a match, I’ll give myself jobs or issues I need to do as a result of I am very goal-oriented. What I imply by that’s I am going to give myself assignments for myself for a match. I am going to write them down on a notecard, then attempt to visualize what it could appear and feel like to attain the objectives. I do it many times and once more. 

Mathewson: I feel you are proper that sure folks have extra of that cussed mindset, which helps you be extra resilient. What I imply by that’s, like, you get knocked down 5 instances, then you definitely’ll rise up six since you’re cussed sufficient to maintain making an attempt. However I feel that that can be a discovered trait too.

With tennis being my private instance, there’s just one individual each week in a match that wins, proper? In order that signifies that everyone else has to lose. You play X variety of tournaments a 12 months. So there’s numerous shedding that it’s important to get snug with in tennis! 

It is week-in and week-out video games, and most instances you do lose. You would possibly win a number of, however finally you are ending up with an L probably. Until you are Serena Williams. By nature of tennis being my job, it teaches you resilience since you learn to reframe losses. 

Mathewson: Tennis is absolutely technical, so, sure, it may be irritating. It could possibly flip numerous youngsters away from it. Or perhaps youngsters might be annoyed as a result of they do not have a group they’ll play with, and that may be onerous. 

However tennis is likely one of the coolest sports activities in that it permits you to decide up a racket and play with anybody on any given day. You may simply go to the park, meet somebody, and play with them. You do not want a complete group to play, like basketball or soccer. 

However other than that, I would say to simply keep it up and belief the method. As a result of it is not at all times straightforward. 

There’s sacrifices that should be given to a sport that individuals do not at all times take into consideration once they’re youngsters. Like perhaps you may have a match on a weekend while you need to go to a sleepover. Or perhaps you may be getting annoyed that one apply did not go properly, or different individuals are enjoying higher than me.