Tennis superstar, Serena Williams, has been lighting up the blogosphere the last 24 hours with her stunning shape and revealing outfits. At the 2011 ESPY’s, the 5-time Wimbledon winner wore a pink dress that accentuated her curves and subsequently sent every woman back to the gym to perform a few extra squats.

Yesterday, she was out-in-about in another outfit that showed off muscular and powerful legs. Her hot pants were short enough to send her fans into a frenzy much like how her chic tennis outfits do.

Serena exists in a pop-culture paradox. She is either too muscular to be feminine or too fat for tennis. On the other hand, Williams has the ideal curves for many women of color and keeps men at attention with her skin tight dresses and 4-inch heels.

It’s not a stretch to say, she knows what she’s doing.

Her toned body is often met with juvenile jubilation from male onlookers, who seem to undress her with their eyes. Her body is the centerpiece for men even though Williams feels “my smile remains my favorite part of my body…I think a smile can make your whole body.”

Conversely, ladies try figure out how Serena maintains such a flat stomach and toned arms without losing her firm buttocks and large breasts.

Genetics and a consistent workout plan is the secret to Serena’s shape.

People forget that Serena is not just a workout warrior but a world-class athlete, who receives payment for staying in tip-top shape.

Serena battles with tennis critics who claim she comes into tournaments out-of-shape. Serena now owns up to her occasional slacking, which she says may have contributed to her recent string of injuries.

As a fashion and cultural icon, Williams is becoming increasingly aware of her gender-bending appearance and recent statements allude to some of her insecurities regarding her muscular figure:

“I wanted to get really fit. I wanted to lose some weight. So I’ve been doing Pilates and yoga, trying to lean out my body so I won’t be bulky.”

Serena’s comment suggests that she starting to hear her pop-culture critics a little more than her sport’s critics–who, in their borderline sexist and racist comments in regards to Serena’s bigger than average yet, according to them, “flabby” butt, made her rededicate herself to a workout regimen that gave her unstoppable strength on the WTA circuit but also developed her into a very brawny woman.

In respect to her pop-culture critics, Serena finds it necessary to make sure she gives reporters small secrets to how she nurtures her more toned body: “Smaller portions of every meal, a lot of grilled or baked chicken or fish, and steamed veggies.”

All in all, Serena’s genetics play the biggest role in the shape of her body, and until she puts out a workout video, we will only be able to guess how she keeps her body fit and toned, specifically.

The most important benefit of staying in shape and healthy will always be the internal happiness and humble confidence it gives people.

Serena remarked:

“Since I don’t look like every other girl, it takes a while to be okay with that. To be different. But different is good.”

Let’s hope she continues to be happy with herself because that’s the most infectious and beautiful part of Serena, which bleeds through pictures of the living tennis legend.

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6 Comments

  1. JerseyBred323

    She looks great. I’ve always thought she had a great body but I think she looks even nicer now that she’s leaner.

    She’s had me interested in pilates for a while.

    SMH at “flabby butt.” Her haters are clueless about muscle and are ignorant about the bodies of women of color.

    Google Donatella Versace or Tara Reid and that’s where you’ll find a flabby butt.

  2. She looks hot! regardless

    I know I’ll never look like Sereana because I don’t have her genetics, but I am going to dedicate myself to yoga and Pilates so I can enjoy at least some of the attention she gets.

  3. kudos to serena 100%! she’s beautiful, she’s strong, she’s smart, she’s stylish, she’s happy, she’s confidence 🙂 there will always be jealous on-lookers and i’m glad she hasn’t succumbed to the sneers and envious remarks..i would love to be workout buddies with her.

  4. This line “On the other hand, Williams has the ideal curves for many women of color and keeps men at attention with her skin tight dresses and 4-inch heels,” is a bit stereotypical. But, I digress . . . Serena is an athlete. She’s not keeping her body “toned” to achieve a special look. Her muscle mass is attributed to her intense lower body speed and power. As a former athlete, I’m in awe of her body not because of the stereotypical “thickness” that’s supposed to be valued, but because I know how much work it takes to have so little body fat. Ironically, most women’s curves are composed of well placed fat cells.

    • @Cocoa: I love when people act like stereotypes don’t exist and copy quotes that they don’t read themselves. LOL! No one said ALL women of color want Serena curves, but you’ll hard pressed not to find a woman of color that doesn’t embrace their curves, mainly because men, like it or not, dictate how women of all colors should look, dress, and act. It sucks and needs to be changed!!! but is reality as of right now.

      But anyway, I digress, I think this lady is a great example of talent, but not hard-work. Don’t get me wrong, she is a phenomenal athlete, but she remind me Shaq, in terms of a great athlete who had such a wide range of talent that their main career suffers slightly. Shaq as well Serena has admitted to falling off the wagon.

      Serena is finally getting in shape in latter part of career, let’s not forget that is has NEVER been one to be a workout queen.

      Much love to Serena though, she looks great

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