The Dangers of Weight Training for Basketball Players

[eliteballer]

T-Mac
Garnett
Kobe
Jordan
Wilt
Yao

What do all of these guys have in common? Major knee problems after bulking up.

T-Mac added a ton of mass when he joined Houston and ended up shredding his knees.

Garnett bulked up when he joined the Celtics and had a major knee injury in 2009, was never the same.

Kobe bulked up for 2003, needed knee and shoulder surgeries in the summer. Bulked up again in 2005, had major knee problems in throughout 2006 and got surgery that summer.

Jordan bulked up majorly in 96, had knee problems throughout and slimmed down in 1997, he talks about it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn05ZJo53WA&t=6m52s

Wilt bulked up when he went to the Lakers. Major knee injury in 1970.

Yao, same thing problems with his legs/feet when he stated bulking.

There's more. Sure, some players have frames that can handle it but most should be careful when doing it. Knee problems, Back problems, pulling out shoulders, messing up tendons. etc A lot of times it's because guys don't work the legs enough.

Too much weight just puts too much pressure on the body in a sport that is all about running, jumping, explosive moves and cuts, and agility on the floor.

[oarabbus]

Adding something like 5-10 lbs of muscle really shouldn't be a problem. 15-20 pounds, yeah you could be putting too much strain on your body unless you have that kind of frame. For centers though, 15-20 is probably fine. Depending on how big the guy he, he might be able to add 30-35lbs and be at ideal weight.

[eliteballer]

Adding something like 5-10 lbs of muscle really shouldn't be a problem. 15-20 pounds, yeah you could be putting too much strain on your body unless you have that kind of frame. For centers though, 15-20 is probably fine. Depending on how big the guy he, he might be able to add 30-35lbs and be at ideal weight.

yeah but you have to remember taller guys like 7 footers have more fragile bodies, especially the lower extremities.

Oden also started having all his problems when he bulked up in the NBA, I didn't put him there because many think he was just naturally frail(which is true to an extent).

[dubeta]

Worked ok for Dwight and LeBron

[buddha]

more proof LeBron and Wade are on HGH/TRT

[eliteballer]

Worked ok for Dwight and LeBron

Dwight's shoulder injury ring a bell? There are guys who are exceptions like LeBron.

[kshutts1]

Obvious factor is time. Over what time frame is this added weight being added? Any weight of any kind can be harmful, if increased too much too fast. Whether it's fat, pads, actual weights, or even muscle.

Anyone putting on 15-20 lbs of muscle in a summer, yeah, that's something of which to be concerned.

[RoseCity07]

Adding muscle shouldn't hurt you it's the fat that kills them. There is a way to add muscle and lose fat at the same time. It requires strict nutrition. You need a 10 to 20 percent caloric deficit. Then you need to get your protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs with what you have left.

[TheNaturalWR]

Adding muscle shouldn't hurt you it's the fat that kills them. There is a way to add muscle and lose fat at the same time. It requires strict nutrition. You need a 10 to 20 percent caloric deficit. Then you need to get your protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs with what you have left.

Bruh....that shit is close to impossible to do and the way to do it is inefficient to say the least unless you jump on some shit(which they most likely do). Building muscle requires gaining weight and losing fat requires losing weight. You can't do both at the same time.

[RoseCity07]

Bruh....that shit is close to impossible to do and the way to do it is inefficient to say the least unless you jump on some shit(which they most likely do). Building muscle requires gaining weight and losing fat requires losing weight. You can't do both at the same time.

No, gaining muscle requires your body to be in an anabolic state. That means getting the proper macros. It's easy to hit target macros while bulking but it's a lazy method. Bulking will help you add muscle but then you have to do more work to burn the fat. A caloric deficit is how you lose weight. It's easier to not eat something than it is to burn the calories.

If you get your macros but eat under your your energy requirments to maintain body weight you will gain muscle and lose fat.

[NattyPButter]

Dwight's shoulder injury ring a bell? There are guys who are exceptions like LeBron.

are u freaking serious? NVM you are since you asked the question. Dwights weight has nothing to do with his shoulders. He's not running and jumping on his shoulders for weight to be even a problem.

[Beastmode88]

Weight training is not all for hypertrophy purposes.. strength and conditioning are whats important. Everyone has this idea lifting will get u big. Look up powerlifters vs bodybuilders, same concept.

[ballup]

And yet most other NBA players who weight train don't get major knee problems.

[TheNaturalWR]

No, gaining muscle requires your body to be in an anabolic state. That means getting the proper macros. It's easy to hit target macros while bulking but it's a lazy method. Bulking will help you add muscle but then you have to do more work to burn the fat. A caloric deficit is how you lose weight. It's easier to not eat something than it is to burn the calories.

If you get your macros but eat under your your energy requirments to maintain body weight you will gain muscle and lose fat.

You have no idea what you're talking about, seriously. You do know anabolic means eating right? "Proper macros" means you have a specific caloric goal. Please tell me how you build muscle when you don't even have enough energy to maintain your body's current weight. There's only one way to build muscle and that's by eating at a caloric surplus with a sufficient amount of protein. The only time you're going to build muscle and lose fat at the same time is when you're an obese **** who just started lifting. Other than that, it's only possible on gear and recomps.

Caloric deficit = losing fat = losing weight. How on earth can you build muscle when you're losing weight?

[CavaliersFTW]

Wilt's knees gave him problems since he was a teenager... He stated his knees actually felt "fine" for the first time (ever in his playing career) after he started resistance training in the ocean running through cold water mirroring thoroughbred race horse exercises after he was already 35 years old and 310lbs as a Laker. Where as you "couldn't touch them" in his prime, such as 1967, when both knees were so inflamed in the playoffs he had trouble walking up and down stairs and had to sit under a heat lamp for several hours to loosen up just to play. So is it weight from bulking up that causes problems? Maybe. But in Wilt's case at least, he proved it also could be something more, perhaps the knees just need to be exercised properly.

Also, to say "Wilt bulked up with the Lakers" - eh. Wilt lifted weights from the age of 15 and on, not from the Lakers years and on. He was "bulking up" every season. Went from 258lbs as a rookie to 320lbs by only his 5th NBA season, "slimmed down" back to 292lbs and stayed at about 290lbs through most of his prime. Was 300-310lbs as a Laker, 10-20lbs on a frame his size isn't that big of a jump, especially considering he had already been 320lbs before, and didn't get knee injuries then.