Secret Workouts Of NBA Players

**SPEAKER_1** (0:00)
To make it in the NBA takes extreme dedication, both physically and mentally. But to make it to the top of the NBA, that takes it to a whole other level. And you won't believe what these stars did to keep themselves in peak condition throughout their career. Being known as one of the biggest and most dominant players in the NBA doesn't come without a hardy workout routine, and Shaq is no exception. With Shaq being known for constantly shifting his weight through his NBA career, it's hard to pinpoint what his go-to workout routine was. However, going over his years in the league, there are some workouts that he never left out. Starting out with his days with the Orlando Magic, Shaq was trained by coach Brian Hill, who saw potential in Shaq. He believed if Shaq was not only taller than every other player in the post, but also heavier, there'd be no chance that any player could stand a chance at stopping him. It was at that moment that a young and thin 290-pound Shaq began to hit the weights hard. Hitting the bench press became the staple of Shaq's workout regimen. Now retired, Shaq talked about his max bench press days, saying, My max was 475 I'm up to 415 now. I got a bad shoulder. I'm trying to get back to that. My prime, I did it twice. Compound workouts like the bench press, squats, deadlifts, were the key to gaining that muscle mass. Shaq could gain 40 pounds during his 1999 season with the Lakers. Shaq at 340 pounds suddenly appeared a whole lot more menacing than his early days with the magic. Realizing that he could get even heavier, Shaq ballooned up to 380 by the 2004 season with the Lakers. And as with any NBA player with age, came injuries. Specifically for Shaq, his age plus his ridiculous weight wasn't doing him any favors. By the time he set out to Miami during the 2005-2006 season, Shaq had completely abandoned weightlifting and just focused on cardio. Now in Miami, Shaq began to work out there and practice with his team, and at night, he'd head to a 24-hour fitness to get some late workouts in. Shaq's regimen at the gym at night included 45 minutes on a stair master and a mile or two in the treadmill. Shaq talked about leaving the weights behind in LA, saying, When I was in LA, I used to lift and get really big. Of course, when you get big, the numbers get big. People get really intimidated by the number. Seven foot one, 365 Coach said I was too big, so I had to stop with the weights and just work on my cardio. Right now, the number is 325 Since his days in the NBA, Shaq has weighed as much as 400 pounds. However, he's back on a diet and the cardio workout routine he adopted, he kept after his time with the Heat. Before LeBron James became known for his no-nonsense work ethic and preparation for games, it was Kobe...