One of the key figures behind LeBron James’ legendary work ethic is his longtime personal trainer and performance coach, Mike Mancias. During an appearance on the ‘High Performance’ podcast, Mancias recounted a memorable story about his first personal workout with LeBron, which took place when the future NBA icon was just beginning his career. Mancias recalled being immediately struck by LeBron’s physical presence when they first met.
(Cleaned up for better understanding)
“I was taken aback by him because, for an 18- or 19-year-old kid, he was huge. There are a lot of tall guys that come to the NBA, but this guy was just massive and well-proportioned—his shoulders, his back, and his legs were all perfectly balanced. When he walked in the door, I thought, ‘Oh, this guy’s special. This guy’s really special.”
“This is a high school kid?’ He was very business-like, even at 18 or 19 years old. He’d talk about his body, saying things like, ‘My body feels this way; I think I need to do this tonight to help me get right.’ But he was low-key, very professional. That was the first time we met.”
“Mentally, he was still getting there. He was 18 or 19, so he was still figuring things out. He wasn’t yet the professional he is now or the professional he was 10 years ago. He was still a kid in a man’s world, trying to navigate it all. We clicked when I joined the Cavaliers full-time during training camp.”
“I was doing some stretches and mobility work with some of the veterans, and I noticed him watching. He said, ‘Hey, man, show me that exercise. What does that do? What is it for?’ He was very inquisitive early on, and we started gravitating toward each other. He’d ask, ‘How can we do this? What’s this for?'”
“I’d explain, ‘This is for your back, this is for your hips, which will help your legs and ankles,’ and so on. He’d say, ‘Okay, I kind of like that.’ Before every practice, he started saying, ‘Hey, man, let me get that stretch.”
“Let’s try that exercise.’ It was always, ‘Hey, man,’ until finally, one day, he said, ‘It’s Mike, right?’ I said, ‘Yeah, Mike.’ He replied, ‘Alright, cool. Alright, Mike, let’s do this.'”
Mancias knew right away that LeBron was something special. Despite his youth, LeBron carried himself with a maturity beyond his years, approaching his fitness regimen with an almost business-like attitude. He frequently discussed how his body felt and was already considering how to optimize his performance.
Though LeBron was still mentally developing at the time, the seeds of his future professionalism were already visible. Mancias noted that LeBron was inquisitive and eager to learn, constantly asking questions about stretches, exercises, and ways to improve his body.
Their working relationship continued to grow, and before long, LeBron was making stretching and mobility work with Mancias a regular part of his routine. It was clear that even at a young age, LeBron was dedicated to gaining any edge he could, including putting in extra work outside of regular practice hours.
This dedication set the stage for one of the most memorable moments in their early partnership: LeBron’s first personal workout with Mancias at his home.
“Then, the night before our home opener—I think it was Halloween 2007—he asked, ‘What are you doing tonight?’ I said, ‘Nothing,’ and he said, ‘Why don’t you come to the house, and we’ll do some of those exercises because I like the way I feel.'”
“I said, ‘Okay, cool,’ in preparation for the next day. His mind was already thinking about how to do extra work to get to where he wanted to be. He knew he needed to put in the extra work at night to gain an edge.”
“I drove over to his house, and I think it was Halloween night. He opened the door dressed as Batman—this giant Batman opening the door! He changed, and we started doing stretches and exercises in front of about 20 people at his house.”
“They were all looking at me with these eyes like, ‘Hey, don’t mess up the kid. That’s our guy. Make sure you don’t hurt him.'”
“That became the routine: the night before every game, I would drive down to Akron, Ohio, to his home, and we’d do our exercises, stretches, any icing, or any therapy if he had a minor injury.”
“Then he’d ask, ‘Hey, want to stay for dinner?’ We’d talk over dinner, and I remember Bronny James sitting in a high chair, with LeBron spoon-feeding him. Now Bronny’s in the NBA. It’s been quite a journey, and I remember those times fondly—they were very special.” (12:18)
The workout took place the night before the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home opener, which coincided with Halloween in 2007. LeBron invited Mancias over to his house to get in some extra stretches and exercises before the big game. When Mancias arrived, he was greeted by a surprising sight: LeBron James, dressed as Batman, opened the door. “He opened the door dressed as Batman—this giant Batman opening the door!” Mancias laughed as he recalled the moment.
After the initial surprise, LeBron quickly changed, and they got down to work. Despite the casual Halloween setting, LeBron remained focused on preparing his body for the next day’s game. Mancias also remembered the atmosphere at LeBron’s house that night. There were about 20 people watching the workout, all with the same look of concern: “Hey, don’t mess up the kid. That’s our guy. Make sure you don’t hurt him.” It was clear even then that LeBron was already the centerpiece of Cleveland’s hopes.
That night in 2007 set the tone for what would become a regular routine. Mancias would drive to LeBron’s home in Akron before every game, where they would go through stretches, exercises, icing, and any necessary therapy.
LeBron’s commitment to putting in extra work became a hallmark of his career, and Mancias was there every step of the way. Over time, their relationship grew into a deep friendship, marked by moments like LeBron feeding his young son Bronny in a high chair during post-workout dinners. Bronny is now set to make his debut in the NBA, showing how much time has passed.
For Mancias, those early days were more than just workouts—they were foundational moments in the journey of one of the greatest athletes in history. The story of LeBron James dressed as Batman for his first personal workout not only highlights his playful side but also underscores the focus and dedication that have defined his legendary career.
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