Weighed at 113 kilos when he arrived in the NBA, Karl Malone remains one of the greatest athletes that the NBA has known in its history. An honorary title that the Jazz legend clearly did not steal given his amazing bodybuilding program!
While the physique of a Zion Williamson seems to take precedence over his health since his draft, the physical preparation of NBA players is more than ever at the center of discussions. Difficult indeed for the latter to combine their workload on the floors with that in the weight room without injuring themselves. Karl Malone can therefore be considered an excellent example to follow in this field.
The XXL and unreal routine of Karl Malone in training
Perceived as a colossus upon his arrival in the league, Malone even had a body fat percentage of less than 5% during his peak hours. A hardly believable figure, which the mythical interior however owed to a colossal work ethic. Erik Karl Fulkerson & Stan Granch report the breathtaking backstage in the columns of the site Coach Marian :
Up at 6 a.m. for an hour of stair machine—level 12. Then sprint around the local high school field for an hour, then up and down the stadium stairs until exhausted, then strength training. And for the grand finale, another hour on the stair machine.
A program that is already exhausting enough just as it is, but which proves to be even more demanding with its hidden nuances, of which here is a brief overview:
resistance work — alternating press with dumbbell on a flat bench. 10-12 horizontal forward reps followed by a 45 degree set, then finish with a 90 degree overhead set. Ah yes, and without rest time between sets.
Balance Board — dumbbell forearm curls while standing on a balance board, followed by back tricep extensions with a slight forward lean. 10 to 12 repetitions
« Mister Twister » — series of abs with Medicine Ball. Lie on your back while holding the Medicine Ball, feet on the ground. Classic abs, followed by abs with the ball held at 45 degrees then at 90 degrees above the head, without rest between each set. 10 to 12 repetitions.
Push-ups with a gym ball — 6 to 8 incline push-ups with hands on the gym ball. Then, without rest, feet on the ball, hands on the floor, 6 to 8 push-ups.
Abs with gym ball — 15 to 20 repetitions while holding a weight plate.
With all that, no wonder the Mailman was able to display such a build on the floors of the league, which largely made possible his long dominance in the racket:
@Yosh_801 @bkomatsu motivation 4 crossfit workouts : An extremely jacked Karl Malone lifts weights in this 1989 photo: pic.twitter.com/FNq809Ln
— Jake Turley (@jtfocus1) January 31, 2012
An icon in its own right in the history of the NBA, Karl Malone can boast of having made his law reign in painting for nearly 20 years. A reign for which his NFL tight-end physique deserves a good deal of credit!
