When you look back at the best players in the NBA during the 1990s, you can not deny Karl Malone’s greatness. Yes, people always remember him as the star player who lost in two straight Finals to Michael Jordan, but Malone was an incredible player.
On top of being an incredible player on the court because of his basketball skills, Malone was also one of the most physically fit players we’ve ever seen in any era of the NBA.
In this article, we will look at Karl Malone’s workout regime that helped turn him into the physical beast he was.
Karl Malone’s Intense Workout Regime
Karl Malone followed an intense workout regime throughout his playing career and during the summer when the season was over. These workouts helped Malone only miss 10 games during the 18 seasons he played in Utah for the Jazz.
Here is a typical day of workouts Karl Malone would perform during his playing days.
Via Coach Marian:
Morning Stretches – Start the workout with stretches of the back, hamstrings, quadriceps, Achilles, and calves
Stairmaster – Start at 6:00 am and perform for an hour on level 12
Sprints – Sprint around a track for an hour
Stadiums – Run up and down the stadium stairs until exhausted
Resistance Training Alternating Dumbbell Press On A Flat Bench – 10 to 12 reps horizontally in front, followed by a set at 45 degrees. Finish with one set at 90 degrees overhead. No rest in between sets
Balance Board Alternating Dumbbell Curls While Standing On A Balance Board – 10 to 12 reps
Malone’s “Mister Twister” Workout (Medicine Ball Ab Series) – Lie on your back while holding the medicine ball. Keep your back flat and knees bent while your feet are on the floor. Perform reach-through crunches, followed by a 45-degree angle set, and end with a 90-degree overhead crunch, with no rest in between. Perform 10 to 12 reps
Stability Ball Push-Ups – Perform 6 to 8 reps of incline pushups with your hands on a stability ball. After, with no rest period, place your feet on the ball, hands on the floor, and perform 6 to 8 reps of push-ups
Stability Ball Crunches – Perform between 15 to 20 reps while holding a plate weight
Dumbbell Presses On Stability Ball – Lie your back on the ball with your feet on the floor and perform 10 to 12 reps
Alternating Presses On Stability Ball – Sit on the ball and perform 10 to 12 reps
Back Flys On Stability Ball – Lie chest on the ball with feet on the ground, apart. Perform 10 to 12 reps. Then perform 10 to 12 reps with your feet together
Tricep Overhead Extensions On Stability Ball – Sit on the ball and perform 10 to 12 reps
Hammer Curls On Stability Ball – Lie your back on the ball with your feet on the floor. Perform 10 to 12 reps
Alternating Curls On Stability Ball – Sit on the ball and perform 10 to 12 reps
Stability Ball Squats – Place the ball against a wall with your back and have a dumbbell next to you on the floor. Perform 15 squats and at the last squat, pick up the dumbbell and perform as many as you can
Incline And Decline Press – Perform anywhere from 35 to 85 reps
Power Hiking – Malone would power hike in the mountains of Utah. He’d start with a 5-Step warm-up. Then he’d perform 10 to 20 steps of a High knee lift walk, followed by a brisk walk for 2 to 5 minutes. Malone would then lunge walk for 10 to 20 steps; knee lift skip for 10 to 20 steps, and end with the “Mailman Shuffle,” which is 3 side steps, pivot, then 3 more side steps
Alternate Cross Country – Alternate between running, jogging, and walking for 20 to 30 minutes three times per week.
Stairmaster – End each workout with an hour on level 12
There you have it. Karl Malone’s intense workout regime during his playing days. There’s no wonder Malone was so ripped while being one of the most durable players the NBA has ever seen.
When Malone retired from the NBA, he was the second-leading all-time scorer behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Of course, Malone has been bumped to third all-time by another strong and durable player, LeBron James.
Still, Karl Malone’s greatness as a player often gets overlooked. He may have never won an NBA title, but Malone is one of the greatest players in the NBA. And maybe, the strongest player, thanks to his intense workout regime.
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