In today’s NBA, we are witnessing incredible feats by LeBron James for his longevity. It’s true that we’ve never seen anything like this before, yet, there was another player who had an incredible, productive, long career himself. Yet, this player had a few disadvantages compared to LeBron.
I am speaking of the captain himself, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem played in the NBA for 20 years and is still currently the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and he achieved this without utilizing the three-point line.
Kareem’s last few years were nowhere near as productive as LeBron, true, but, as mentioned earlier, he had obstacles LeBron doesn’t. For one, Kareem didn’t have the benefits of today’s medicine and recovery tools as current NBA players.
Also, the teams didn’t have fancy personal jets to take them to games. This made travel a little less comfortable for Kareem and the other players of his day.
Plus, there’s no denying Kareem played in a rougher era, where players weren’t protected by the league as much. Players were physically beaten up every single game, but Kareem continued to battle through it.
The last difference is Kareem’s massive height of 7’2”. It’s no secret that bigger players are more prone to injuries, especially with their feet and legs. Yet, Kareem never played less than 62 games in a season.
So, what was Kareem’s secret of longevity? Was it the physical gifts he was born with? Or did Kareem have a specific workout plan, especially in his later years, that helped him succeed?
If you chose the latter, then you’d be correct. In today’s article, we’ll dive into Kareem’s workout plan he used in the later stages of his career to help him succeed.
You’ll also see he still uses these techniques to this day to keep him healthy. Also, you’ll discover Kareem has a secret weapon that he’s been using since his high school days.
Kareem’s Workout And Diet Program For A Healthier Life
To be able to play efficient basketball until 42 is extremely impressive. To stay fit and healthy way past your 50s is also an impressive feat, to say the least.
These achievements by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are ones that come not just from his workout program but following a strict diet as well. Today we will learn Kareem’s secrets that you can fit into your life, no matter if you’re a young athlete or over 50.
Via KAR33M:
Kareem is big on meditation and using breathing techniques for finding physical and mental health. As a 20-year-old in 1967, Kareem famously started learning martial arts with the legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee.
While Kareem dived into learning Lee’s martial art, which focused on the physical and mental well-being of a person, this wasn’t Kareem’s beginning. Kareem initially started practicing yoga in high school after picking it up from his father.
This has served him well, as today, he’s not performing kicks and punches of martial arts, but he does regularly participate in yoga, something he did throughout his playing career. Kareem cites yoga for helping him stay injury free during the later stages of his playing career.
“Yoga scares some people,” Kareem wrote on his blog. “They imagine a white-robed cult of New Age zombies sipping herbal green tea and smiling vacantly. For some, the problem is the word itself: yoga. Funny-looking, foreign and too exotic. Okay, for you, we’ll call it ‘power-stretching’ or ‘ultimate breathing’ or ‘hot-bod sculpting.’
“Is that better? Because the truth is that yoga is an excellent means of creating a more flexible and healthy body that will be less prone to injuries. And the most important part of staying fit after 50 is avoiding workout injuries that can disrupt your exercise program for weeks or even months.”
Kareem went on to write about the advice he gave a former football star back in the 1990s to help him prolong his career.
“When Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino came to me to ask me how to extend his longevity and deal with all the collision-type injuries you get from playing football, I steered him to yoga; the next time I saw him, he said it was absolutely helpful in his training regimen.”
Yoga is key to living a healthy life and avoiding those injuries older people often get when they try to exercise. But this isn’t all that helps you stay fit at an older age.
The old saying is you are what you eat, and Kareem agrees with this completely. Kareem had a specific diet that helped him fuel his workout while maintaining his weight.
Kareem’s Diet Plan:
Carbohydrates – As an athlete, you’ll need to eat carbs to boost your endurance. Try eating healthier carbs such as fruit, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and multi-grain bread.
Protein – Protein is key to helping your muscles grow. Plus, it makes you feel full to help from overeating. While exercising daily, try to eat 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For best results, eat a protein-rich meal or snack within 90 minutes after your workout. Try lean meats, meats, eggs, milk, salmon, tuna, yogurt, cottage cheese, peanuts, cashews, and almonds.
Healthy Fats – Most people hear the word fats and freak out. Yet, there are healthy fats, and as an athlete, you need them. Try salmon, avocado, olive oil, and nuts. Just be sure to eat them in moderation.
Kareem’s Workout Plan:
As an older person, athlete or not, staying in shape is crucial for performance and for loving a happy and productive life. As Kareem aged in the NBA, he adapted his workouts to fit his needs best, and he still performs them as he continues to age gracefully in life.
Push-ups – Simple push-ups still act as the best way to strengthen arms, chest, back, and abdominal muscles.
Lunges – A simple workout for any person over 40 can perform. Lunges focus on the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
Jumping Rope – The exercise of jumping rope is a good way to keep your cardio up while strengthening your legs.
Boxing Exercises – To perform boxing techniques enhances your cardio and improves your balance.
Free Weight Techniques – Perform basic curls with weights that you can handle.
When Kareem works out, he believes form is the goal you should have. It doesn’t matter the amount of weight when it comes to free weight workouts. You should be able to lift 10 to 12 times without losing the form, according to Kareem.
During your workouts, Kareem wants you to remember to breathe. Kareem advises you to exhale when pushing against the weight and inhale when lowering it.
When you reach your 40s and above, Kareem stresses the importance of resting your body. He advises you to rest about a minute between sets and rest two days between working on different muscle groups.
So, if you want to stay healthy into your 40s and beyond like Kareem, keep these simple workouts, along with a healthy diet, in mind. Also, utilize the power of yoga to strengthen your body and your mind. If you do, you can also be like Kareem.
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