World No. 5 Coco Gauff has some free time until the WTA Finals kick off next month at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, so she’s making the most of it and finding new ways to improve and get her mind right for the year-end tournament.
Recently, Gauff took to social media to share an unorthodox training technique that she says helps with her “core strength and flexibility.”
The American tennis star revealed she has taken up pole dancing in an effort to get in some innovative workouts, and shared exactly how the skills translate to the sport.
When you’re one of the best in the world, you will do anything that gives you a competitive edge, even if it’s something you wouldn’t conventionally think could help you when you step onto the court.
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Coco Gauff’s Secret Weapon
Coco Gauff using pole dancing to "build more core strength and flexibility." (via IG Stories) https://t.co/jce9duJJ47
— Athlete TikTok (@AthleteTikToks) October 17, 2026
“I look like a dang brick doing this, but [I’m going to] get better,” Gauff wrote on Instagram Stories. “My [second] class this year.
“I did a couple last year but stopped. It really helped me build more core strength and flexibility overall which I need for tennis, so I’m back.”
We’ll have to see how it all pays off when Gauff returns to the court at Indian Wells for the WTA Finals next month.
Throughout the 2026 campaign, Gauff had an impressive 45-14 singles record. She earned approximately $7 million in prize money this season and claimed the Cincinnati Open title, while sitting at No. 4 in the world rankings.
Gauff last appeared in the Round of 16 at the China Open, falling to Elise Mertens in straight sets (6-3, 6-3). We’ll have to see how she rebounds when she returns to the court at Indian Wells in a matter of weeks.
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