coolhandluke121 wrote:DrWood wrote:willing to bet you that letting your muscles atrophy is not good for shooting.
muscle-bound isn't a thing unless you're doing something wrong or are a steroid-jacked-up-bodybuilder(who is still probably doing something wrong).
There's a lot of options between "atrophy" and having pound-for-pound literally some of the biggest shoulders and biceps in NBA history. Larry Bird said he never lifted weights except for a few forearm/wrist exercises for his shot, and he said Durant does the same thing. He believed that other muscles could get in the way of shooting form. Mourning once said he stopped lifting so much because it was affecting his shot. That's anecdotal, but statistically how many good/great shooters have huge upper body muscles? Lebron's shot regressed as he started "bulking up" more (read: dropping HGH like Ibuprofen). Giannis's shot has regressed since he filled out. There are lots of other factors and I'm sure there are counterexamples too, but there certainly seems to be enough evidence to at least make it a question worth asking.
And heck, maybe he is doing something wrong. Honestly things have gotten a little weird since Suki took charge, and some of the growth/changes in players have me asking questions in my head.
It just seems he's a little stiffer and more mechanical. It's not just his shot but also his handle. I don't remember him mishandling the dribble so much in previous seasons, although I didn't watch him much before he was a Buck.
really the only reason lifting could be a problem is if it's a zero sum game and minutes he could have spent practicing shooting instead went to lifting OR if he's practicing shooting in situations dissimilar to how he would during the season--for example if his shooting practice came after lifting whereas during the season he (wisely) didn't lift before games (because you don't want to have fatigued muscles). so, again, it's only a problem if he's doing something wrong.
