Rafael Nadal's Training & Diet For Grand Slam Success

Rafael Nadal is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and dedication to gym work and nutrition has been a key feature of his programme.

His physique and fitness is up there with the best of the best, which is why he’s been able to enjoy such a long period of success, winning all four Grand Slams including 14 French Open titles.

Nadal’s lifestyle is extremely focused and he has a smart team around him who ensure his strength and conditioning work and nutrition are as good as they can be.

Here’s a detailed look at how the tennis star eats and trains.

Rafael Nadal Fitness Session

As well as lots of cardio, Nadal does a lot of strength and conditioning to prepare his body for the specific challenges that tennis poses.

A normal session will always start with a long warm-up of three phases. The first part is light dynamic stretching which he uses to stimulate blood flow and lubricate the joints. Nadal also reportedly does up to an hour of stretching each morning, which is probably one of the reasons he’s been able to play into his late 30s.

He’ll then do some work on a power plate - a plate that vibrates to help activate muscles and increase circulation. Finally, Nadal uses a resistance band circuit to help boost mobility.

Core work is one of the big focuses of the main session as it’s fundamental to tennis. A lot of medicine ball exercises are used, as well as a balance board due to the stability in the ankle joints that’s needed on the court.

In terms of the weighted exercises Nadal performs, he’ll focus on a variety of movements including bench presses, trap pull-downs, leg extensions, and bicep curls.

What Rafael Nadal Eats

Matchday and training day nutrition is crucial for Nadal, and the tennis star eats some regular staple meals.

He regularly has a Spanish-style breakfast of fresh bread and Iberian ham, providing a good mix of carbohydrates and protein, along with a glass of orange juice.

Nadal is a big fan of seafood, so he’ll often have fish for lunch but he’ll also eat chicken breast, accompanied with olives which are one of his favourite foods. A mixture of fresh vegetables is also included.

Dinner is often Paella, usually involving more seafood, followed by chocolate.