How is LeBron James So Durable? (Hint: His Core Workout)

If you want to build durability and be able to play basketball for a long time, you need to copy one man –King James. And you can do this by doing the LeBron James Core Workout.

TL;DR: LeBron James is durable because he prioritizes strengthening his stability and core muscles in his workouts.

LeBron James. Everyone knows him, a basketball fan or not. He is a superstar on and off the court.

But for this article, we are only going to focus on his on-court dominance.

If you’ve seen him play (which I’m assuming you have), LeBron is good.

He can score in a multitude of ways, has court vision like the greats, and defend like the best of them.

And he is super athletic.

With all of these attributes combined, they have led him to three NBA championships, three Finals MVP awards, and four MVP titles.

Oh, he’s also a 16-time All-Star.

But how was he able to do all that? And how is he able to play the way that he does in his mid-30s and in his 16^th NBA season?

Well, he’s part robot.

Nah, I’m just joking.

LeBron is just gifted genetically. And when you pair that with smart training and recovery, then you have a LeBron James.

So how can you, a regular Joe, be like LeBron? You can’t. I’m sorry.

You don’t have his genes. But what you can do is apply some of his training methods so that you can potentially build a durable body like his.

The LeBron James Warmup

LeBron is notorious for his workout videos. And from the looks of it, he loves lifting weights.

But you’re not a professional like him, so you’re not going to go crazy in the gym. Instead, you’re just going to do his pre-practice warmup and pre-game workout.

LeBron does a series of resistance band exercises before he does his basketball workout (which is similar to Kobe Bryant’s basketball workout).

The movements are meant to warm his body up and strengthen core muscles.

But I’m going to change it up and have you do bodyweight exercises.

There’s no specific reason for this other than bodyweight exercises are more accessible than band exercises (you can do the band ones if you prefer).

So here’s LeBron’s warm-up routine:

1. Jumping Jacks or Rope Jumping (30 seconds)
2. Push-ups (10)
3. Bodyweight Squats (10)
4. Non-Weighted Single Leg Deadlift (10 each leg)
5. Lunges (5 each leg)
6. Seated Russian Twists (20 total)
7. Pelvic/Kegel Raise (10)

This should be enough to warm up your body. But if it’s not, add a few more reps to each exercise.

Next, you’re going to do his pre-game workout.

The LeBron James Core Workout

LeBron has amazing conditioning and resilience.

He rarely ever misses games and seldom gets injured. This is really impressive, considering he plays such an explosive, forceful game.

But he is able to do this by doing strength training regularly and recovering properly.

He said that he lifts weights multiple times a week to maintain his muscle mass and strength.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to do this. Remember, LeBron is a beast. You (and me) are just regular Joes imitating a God.

So you are not going to do his full strength regimen. You’re going to do his pre-game workout, which, to be honest, is pretty intense in itself.

Just try to do it consistently one or two times a week.

So here’s the circuit. I modified it a bit and am only suggesting the number of reps you should do. You should listen to your body and do what is comfortable for you:

LeBron’s Pre-Game Weightlifting Circuit

1. Incline Bench Press (2 sets, 10 reps)
2. Push-Press (2 sets, 10 reps)
3. Cable Rows (2 sets, 10 reps)
4. Hanging Leg Raise (2 sets, 15 reps)
5. Multi-Directional Lunge (2 sets, 1 rep per direction, per leg)
6. Weighted Single Leg Deadlift (2 sets, 20 reps)
7. X-Band Walk (2 sets, 10 steps per direction)

When picking a weight, don’t choose one that is too heavy.

Pick something that you know you can do all the reps with. It’s okay to go light. Just make sure your form is correct and you are progressing each week.

Additionally, try to take as few breaks as possible. And when you do take a breather, make it as short as possible.

Also, remember that this is supplementary. Your main goal is to get better at basketball and this circuit is only meant to help you with that.

So, don’t lift a weight that will hinder your ability to practice basketball due to soreness.

Benefits of LeBron’s Core Workout

This type of workout will increase your durability because:

• It develops endurance in both core and major muscle groups, protecting your joints and spine.
• The weights are relatively light so there won’t be a lot of wear and tear.
• The movements are not power movements, so there’s a smaller chance of you injuring yourself.

I prefer doing these circuit workouts over powerlifting or traditional bodybuilding workouts. My body seems to react better to it and I just find them more fun to do.

There’s also a lower chance of me getting injured because I’m using a light weight. And I’m also building a lot of muscle stamina that will translate well into sports.

So that’s the LeBron James workout.

Doing it may not give you all his abilities, such as chasing down an opponent and viciously blocking them, or charging down the lane for a posterizing dunk, but it will surely help you prevent injury.

And endurance for the entire game.

Oh, I forgot –LeBron also does yoga. Yoga and stretching are really important for recovery and injury prevention.

Thus try to, at least, stretch once a day.

Final Thoughts

And that’s pretty much what LeBron does to be durable. It’s a simple but hard workout.

Thus, if you want to become a durable player that rarely ever gets injured, do the LeBron James core workout.