Tennis Legend Billie Jean King, 79, Shares the #1 Workout She Recommends for Women Over 50
Billie Jean King has been in the spotlight for decades. The winner of 39 grand slam titles, King was at one point the number one tennis player in the world. A fierce advocate for gender equality, King famously won a match against male player Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes in 1973.
At 79, King shows no signs of slowing down. This is thanks in large part to her lifelong dedication to health and exercise. "My mother, into her 90s, would always say to me, ‘Billie, keep moving or it’s over.’ We grew up knowing that education and health are number one. Health is wealth.”
Now that King is almost 80, she's still taking her mother's advice—and we're definitely stealing all of these tips.
What BJK's Workout Routine Looks Like
It's no secret that King loves tennis, and she shows no signs of stopping. "I get tennis in every week," she says. "I do anaerobic exercise, so I don't play, I do drills. I check my pulse rate as I play. I'll do drills for 45 minutes to an hour two to three times a week."
While she loves running, King says she's had "way too many knee operations" to keep it up, so now she rides the stationary bike. "I'll do sprints on the bike, and I also have weights in the bedroom with me that I lift a few times a week," she says. "Everyone’s different, so you should always talk to your doctor, but I think it’s important to keep moving."
But has she tried pickleball? “I’ve tried it a couple of times, but I have trouble with the noise. Plus, orthopedic surgeons keep telling me they’re seeing back and knee injuries from pickleball,” she says.
As far as wellness goes, King also takes a vitamin D supplement. "I take two out and give one to my wife Ilana [Kloss]. I’ve heard that vitamin D is helpful for depression too," she says.
She adds that eating right is also important, although she doesn't always grab the healthiest snacks. "I have trouble with eating—I like sugar too much," she says. "But I don’t eat red meat anymore. I eat fish, I take vitamins and I take my omega-3s. I’ll be 80 this year, and I really feel great.”
Related: These Are the Side Effects You Can Expect From the New COVID Vaccine, According to Immunologists
The Workout She Wants Every Woman Over 50 To-Do
King says there's one type of workout that many women neglect, and it becomes especially important as they age. “Lifting weights when you’re older is really important for women, especially when it comes to preventing osteoporosis," she says. "A lot of women will do a lot for their lower body and not for their upper. So it’s great when they do Pilates or lift weights."
Related: The Easiest No-Equipment Routine for People Over 50
Her Go-To Remedies When She's Sick
Even with exercise, supplements and seasonal vaccines, we all still get sick from time to time. And when this happens to King, she opts for two tried-and-true remedies: Sleep and water.
“Get sleep and hydrate. I try to get to bed early the first couple of days when I'm sick, but it’s proven that when you keep moving it’s helpful for your body and overall health. So I try to get up and do some light movement even when I have a cold."
Plus, King shares the importance of staying up to date on her vaccines. “I have Afib, and every year my cardiologist calls to ask if I got my flu shot," she tells Parade. "When the COVID booster became available, I started getting that as well. I think I’m up to above five now."
Now, King is working with Moderna to make sure people get their vaccines ahead of cold and flu season. "It’s pretty easy to do. Just go to vaccines.gov. You can get your COVID booster and flu shot together," she says. "I got one in each arm. I have to tell you, I got COVID once, and I was always happy I got my booster. I think it helped me not feel the effects as much, I just felt like I had a little cold or something."
Related: 4 Doctors Share the #1 Thing They Buy At the Start of Cold, Flu and COVID Season
What She Does To Keep Age-Related Aches and Pains in Check
Aches and pains pop up more as we get older, and as someone who has had multiple knee operations, King knows this all too well. She says that when these pains do come up, she tries to view them in a positive light. "Even if something hurts, it's better than not feeling anything, right? I keep thinking I am aging, I'm still here. So the most important thing is to keep going. Socialization and relationships are everything, especially as we get older. I think that is what sustains me the most, that interaction—even when my body hurts.”
As far as physical remedies go, King is all about physical therapy and massage. "Physical therapy is the best, and so is massage. When we're home in New York, I'll see my massage therapist two to three times a week."
A massage three times a week? We can certainly get on board with that.
