Do all NBA players lift weights intensely?

[justinandimcool]

For perimeter players, legs and core are the most important.

For big men, legs and core are the most important.

Yes I agree. I might be wrong, but most NBA players probably work their legs and core the most. That's why players that don't look ripped or buff will still be superhuman strong and be able to withstand contact, because of how stable they are in the torso and lower body.

[MaceCase]

Al Horford does and it's directly led to him blowing out his pecs twice. Rumor has it that he was even heavy benching on gamedays.

[Santana Moss]

The general answer to this question is no, not during the season.

Many rely on their genetics for strength, and many choose not to lift because they feel it affects their shot. Others feel lifting makes them more susceptible to injury. Even football players who rely on athleticism rather than brute strength such as Champ Bailey choose not to lift heavy.

When most NBA players lift weights, it's only to gain weight during the summer.

[og15]

Since you said "intensely", then clearly not, I mean it is kind of obvious isn't it?

[Zeezprah]

like others have said, being all bulked up isn't gonna be all that beneficial to a basketball player. many players do lift weights and work out, but they don't build the show muscles most people associate with being strong. functional strength is much more important to these guys than having big biceps and triceps.

and this is coming from a guy who likes to lift, so it's not like i'm dissing working out for health/image.

[AustinRiversGod]

Id be surprised if there was a player who didnt.

And i wouldnt be surprised if a significant amount of them ride bikes too

I started cycling every day but have yet to notice any definition or gains in mass. some guy on a message board said I could cycle and then "do any work out I want" and it won be so easy it would be like cheating. I've been cycling every where and still no muscle mass.

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aware

you just need to eat clenner and tren harder

[Luigi]

Most nba players are weak as crap.....look at players with their shirts off, they have no pecs, no biceps. Lebron and Wade's body's are as good as you will find in the nba, everyone else you can't tell they workout

NBA players do not not lift heavy, they just do high reps

Following NBA training programs will not get anyone big

Well nba athletes don't lift heavy because they'll just get big and bulky. That's not optimal for playing basketball.

Hahaha, your avatar is hilarious. Are you a Harden fan?

[kingkirk]

For some guys, it's just damn hard.

For Durant, with those long ass arms, using those things as levers to lift weights will always make it more difficult for him to put on size in comparison to someone with shorter arms.

Some dudes are just ectomorphs and will find it extremely hard to put on size without eating a **** load of food on a daily basis, which may not be manageable at all times.

As soem have allued to, there is a difference between strength and muscle.

[Joseph17]

Basketball is mainly an endurance sport and if you look at endurance athletes most of them are rail thin (Gebremariam). That's why you never find jacked guys like Corey Maggette have long careers in the NBA. Today's game is more about finesse, endurance, and skill than it is about being ridiculously strong. That's why I think the NBA has the least to worry about PEDs out of all of the major sports.

[spacemonkey]

NBA players only need to put on muscle where it will immediately help their games. Dwight's muscle helped him, where as it would not have helped KG.

Also, where are all the half-naked pictures of Serge? Disappointed, RGM.

[pr0wler]

Okay the bit about functional strength makes sense. How important is it for an NBA player to have big pecs and large biceps? Probably slim to none. In fact, that's just extra weight they're carrying around which can slow them down and negatively affect their shot.

But no matter what, you'll still see those guys that are bulky and ripped to shreds no matter what, like Dwight, Pekovic, Kanter, Perkins etc...and it certainly can't hurt when their job is to battle down low and they're rarely making moves off the dribble or taking long-range jumpers.

[Dupp]

Some guys don't have the body type to put on a lot of muscle (ectomorph). I remember Bosh saying that he tried to gain weight but he just couldn't

Yeah that's just a myth, anybody can put on muscle. Also not being able to put on weight is scientifically impossible, eat more food.

[Sign5]

Yea the somatotypes "ectomorph", 'mesomorph', endomorph has been debunked several times.

[Kevin Johnson]

That's why you never find jacked guys like Corey Maggette have long careers in the NBA.

20 year career - very productive till the end

[Joseph17]

That's why you never find jacked guys like Corey Maggette have long careers in the NBA.

20 year career - very productive till the end

Rare exception and he had to change his game toward the end of his career. I think it would be fair to say as a rule of thumb that the skinny guys with average athleticism have longer careers than jacked guys with ridiculous athleticism. It's just too hard on their knees and joints. That's why Tim Duncan is still productive and winning championships at the twilight of his career. Ray Allen is another example.

[spacemonkey]

lol @ the notion Tim Duncan was only "averagely" athletic. Or even Ray Allen.

On levels of NBA athleticism, these guys were certainly not merely "average".

[Kobblehead]

David Robinson
Karl Malone
Corey Maggette

Legit weight lifters.

[83SixersRocked]

At the combine, they count how many times you can bench press 175 lbs. Durant's number was zero, and he doesn't look like he's tried to bulk since then. Some guys I know used to have concerns that lifting more would affect their shot. But none of them are in the NBA either, so who knows.

[evitcanI]

They probably all use weights in their training, but they don't all lift heavy. Most players do low weight, high rep work, to improve their endurance. Probably very few push themselves lifting during the season, due to injury risk, and fatigue.

It's hard to see how bulking would benefit a player like Nash. He relies almost entirely on his quickness, agility, and endurance. Bosh has put on weight in the past, but iirc he said it was hard on his knees. He has a narrower frame than most players his height, so he will probably always be at a disadvantage wrestling down low. He probably feels like staying light gives him a quickness, and stamina advantage, and wants to play to his strengths. Durant could probably benefit from getting into better shape overall. He's never going to have a bulky looking upper body, but he could definitely gain some strength, and reduce his bf%.

[Mujahydeen]

The general answer to this question is no, not during the season.

Many rely on their genetics for strength, and many choose not to lift because they feel it affects their shot. Others feel lifting makes them more susceptible to injury. Even football players who rely on athleticism rather than brute strength such as Champ Bailey choose not to lift heavy.

When most NBA players lift weights, it's only to gain weight during the summer.

Your general answer is plain wrong.

From the top of my head:

Paul George said his gameday routine includes getting some 100 3-pointers, floaters, and some other shots, then lifting weights. I remember a couple of rookies saying it was hard for them to get used to liftin weights before games. Noah hits weight room twice a week during the season and works on core 5-7 time a week. Gortat said he lifts weights just before the game because it makes his muscle ready for work since the tip-off but it was a schock for him when he came to the league and saw players do that.