“Time Waits for No One” — Meet LADDER Athlete Monique Billings
By Madeleine Kanazawa
Ever since she started her basketball career, Monique Billings always knew she had what it took to shine at the next level. So when her coaches at UCLA suggested she red-shirt her first year for “development,” she took that as a challenge: Monique ended up playing in all 37 games, led the team in field goal percentage, and was second in blocks and rebounding. By her sophomore year, she was the starting power forward for the team and would go on to lead her school to three NCAA tournament appearances.
In 2018, after reaching the Elite Eight and leading her conference in rebounds and double doubles in her final year of college basketball, the frontcourt star was drafted to the WNBA by the Atlanta Dream. But the work wasn’t over — again, she was told to expect her first years in the league to be development years.
Even though she got off to a blazing start in her third season with a career-high 30 points, Monique still feels that she has more to prove. The LADDER athlete’s underdog career motivates her to work harder for everything, making all the accolades she’s earned so much more worth it. As she prepares for the upcoming season, the self-proclaimed “Recovery Queen” shares the rituals she has before, during, and after training that help her better her best.
Pre-Training
To get in the right headspace to train, I take LADDER Pre-Workout in Strawberry Lemonade. It gives me the energy boost that I need to conquer each workout and keep making progress in the gym.
My warm-up will include dynamic stretching and movements that prime my body for the exercises I’ll be doing for workouts that simulate game-time situations.
In-Training
During my workout, I enjoy LADDER Hydration because it helps me avoid cramps and fatigue.
As for music, the nostalgic vibes of the ‘90s and early 2000s get me in the mood to go hard for all practices and workouts. Songs on repeat include:
- That Girl - Pharrell
- After Party- Koffee Brown
- Beautiful - Snoop Dogg
- Sunshine - Lil Flip
- It Wasn’t Me - Shaggy
Listen to the LADDER Level Up Playlist with a selection of music from Monique and other LADDER Athletes & Advisors on Spotify.
Post-Training
I am the Recovery Queen! Recovery is a form of self-care for me and allows me to provide my body with the love that it needs. One of my favorite forms of recovery is yoga because it’s a great low-impact cooldown after working hard. I always try to listen to my body and adjust to whatever I feel like it needs at the moment.
Monique's Advice to Reach the Next Level
Believing in and betting on yourself is the key! I would encourage anyone who feels unable to reach the next level to set realistic and attainable goals for themselves that will help build discipline and confidence. Having tunnel vision on your focus is something that has helped me get to where I’m at, and I do that by limiting the noise and distractions around me.
Monique’s Top Supplements
There are no secrets — just systems and habits that lead to results. Here are the main LADDER supplements that Monique uses to support her goals.
Supercharge your workouts with an extra surge of energy. Our formula helps fight fatigue and improve focus so you can go harder for longer.
Learn more about how LADDER helps Monique feel at her best!
