Do retired tennis pros ever become obese? (Like other sports)

[TimeToPlaySets]

Seems like many pro athletes let themselves get fat (or genetically become fat). I can not picture a former USTA player becoming obese.
Same with golfers. Yet, MBA, NFL, even MLB, I see fat old timers. Can anyone cite examples?

Correlation is not causation? Are tennis players a different breed? Any theories to throw about?

[LanceStern]

I cannot cite examples, but all of the "legends" we've seen so far seem to stay in relatively slim form(McEnroes, Sampras, Agassi)

I would tehorize it's because they get into great work out routines for all their life, and tennis (or any individual sport) is relatively easy sport to pick up and play even in older age (unlike football/hockey, which builds you to be BIG and then you can't keep that sport up in your later years). And for the MLB you don't have to necessarily be amazing shape (no offense to baseball players) and it can be a low-demand sport

[dominikk1985]

ivan lendl was very fat a few years ago (I think he weighed at least like 230 or so). but now that he plays again a little he is in pretty good shape again

[Evan77]

check out Kafelnikov. too lazy to post his pics but you can google him. He is obeese right now, looks horrible.

[Hood_Man]

I suppose when you spend most of your younger adult life eating high numbers of calories, to maintain your necessary physique when competing and training, and then stop competing and training but don't adjust, the pounds will pile on.

I wonder if tennis players diets are radically different from other sports?

[smoledman]

Check out Pat Rafter, OMG he's obese.

[kishnabe]

Look at Nadal Soccer Uncle....

Nadal will be overweight with those cookies.

[tennis_pro]

This thread is useless without pics. Here are some:

Kafelnikov



Agassi

[Alchemy-Z]

More retire from other sports = more chances for fatties

you figure 2 NFL teams of 53 players = 106 people.

32 teams.

that's a lot of people...and I know plenty who stayed in great shape...but even if 50% of them didn't that would be 800 something fatties.

Tennis hall of fame is just over 200 members and I think like only 80 are alive.

[JTJet]

LOL at that Agassi pic.

[smoledman]

Originally Posted by tennis_pro

This thread is useless without pics. Here are some:

Agassi

You sir are a genius. Wow, too bad Agassi let himself go like that.

[Mustard]

The late Horst Skoff was pretty big in his last few years of life.

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by smoledman

You sir are a genius. Wow, too bad Agassi let himself go like that.

Big twins on the way?

[smoledman]

Originally Posted by Boricua

Big twins on the way?

He needed all that beer for his little babies.

[Hood_Man]

Doesn't Murray consume 6000 calories a day to maintain his current physique? That'll be a big adjustment when he retires, assuming that stays the same throughout his career.

[Evan77]

Originally Posted by Hood_Man

Doesn't Murray consume 6000 calories a day to maintain his current physique? That'll be a big adjustment when he retires, assuming that stays the same throughout his career.

hm, interesting. where did you get this info? 6000 calories is a lot ... I doubt it.

[Hood_Man]

Originally Posted by Evan77

hm, interesting. where did you get this info? 6000 calories is a lot ... I doubt it.

He was when he was bulking up a few years ago, but I'm just wondering if he still does or not.

I've got arms like pipe cleaners so I don't really know how this muscle maintenance stuff works

Just googled... Michael Phelps for instance was eating 12,000 a day back in 2008 during the Beijing Olympics

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7562840.stm

[Mustard]

Professional athletes consume a lot of calories, so that they can then exercise it off and get a great physique. If they had consumed that many calories and didn't exercise enough, they would be hugely obese.

[jokinla]

Serena already has a whole lot of junk in her trunk, hate to think of what will happen when she retires.

[Hood_Man]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Professional athletes consume a lot of calories, so that they can then exercise it off and get a great physique. If they had consumed that many calories and didn't exercise enough, they would be hugely obese.

Come to think of it, I've just remembered the Isner/Mahut match 2 years ago, where after the second day it was reported that Roddick turned up at wherever Isner was staying with a huge pile of takeaway pizza's. I think it was McEnroe as well who saying that he'd need to concentrate on just stuffing his face that evening with whatever he could get hold of.