Trainer Mike Mancias of LeBron James Shares 6 Tips You Can Apply to Your Routine | John Eastern
These deceptively straightforward concepts have allowed James to remain at the top of his game for over 20 years.
Working out is more than a profession for LeBron James; it is a way of life. “Strength training is such an integral component of my regimen,” says the four-time champion and four-time Most Valuable Player of the league. “It’s my way of life. It’s my identity.”
This all-in strategy necessitates a continuous pursuit of improvement. According to Mike Mancias, James’ longtime athletic trainer, training as a way of life is committing to improve at everything every day. Strength, conditioning, nutrition, sleep, range of motion, and awareness comprise a holistic approach.
Mancias feels that James’s use of these strategies has kept him at the top of his game for nearly two decades. James has attained longevity and avoided major injuries for the most part by continuously working on his physique and modifying his routine. But as the physical demands on his body have increased, so too have the time demands.
Now in his 19th season, James juggles family, community building, entrepreneurial endeavors, and a demanding 82-game schedule, so efficiency is essential. His training will progress to include a partnership with Tonal. By incorporating the smart gym to his arsenal, his workouts have become more efficient in less time.
Here, Mancias and James provide holistic training advice that any athlete, from the elite to the weekend warrior, may incorporate into their lifestyle.
1. Begin at the Top
Before working on the body, the mind must be trained. James incorporates mindfulness techniques into his personal exercises and meditates in the morning, before practice, after practice, before and after games, and after games.
“A component of longevity is maintaining a sound mind. It must be in a suitable location,” explains Mancias. “LeBron’s engine is always running. Constantly revving. Through these mindfulness exercises, he maintains his sanity despite the constant movement. Meditation is enormous.”
For James, it is also about conditioning his mind to overcome tiny difficulties and challenges in his training, which will prepare him for the larger obstacles he would experience in his life. That is when he feels the most powerful.
James says, “Sometimes your mind and body tell you that you cannot offer more.” “That’s when you tap into another place and push into adversity, push into the last set, push into the last minute of a workout, push through the last seconds, and find methods to be comfortable with discomfort.”
Your Turn: Mancias recommends finding the optimal time of day to spend 10 to 15 minutes alone. For some, this may involve using a guided insight meditation, like as those presented on Tonal. For some, it may be visualization or focusing on the breath. The idea is to put aside your phone or screen, forget about your productivity targets, and focus yourself.
2. Less Is More
A common misperception is that an athlete like James spends hours in the gym exercising. In actuality, it is difficult for James to gain more muscular mass at this point in his career, and he is instead concentrating on leaning down and defining important muscle groups.
“It is largely about correcting LeBron’s core. This has been the top priority for years,” says Mancias. “In the beginning, it was all about increasing strength and proprioception, but now it’s all about mobility. All of our exercises emphasize core stability.”
Installing a Tonal in both James’ personal gym and his team’s practice facility has helped the athlete streamline his workouts. James comments, “It’s easier in the sense that everything is right in front of you.” There is no need to traverse the room to use different equipment or rack weights because everything is within reach.
Your core consists of all the muscles that support your spine, from your chest to your groins, including your back. Mancias states that you do not need to perform a large number of sit-ups, but rather, he recommends focusing on specific core workouts on Tonal, such as straight arm pull-downs or transverse cross-rotational activities, such as the Pallof press with varied difficulty. Plank variants, squats, and leg marches are alternative strategies to create a strong core.
3. Plan Forward
LeBron James has one of the busiest schedules in the world. As soon as the season schedule is released, he and Mancias plan out not only their training days, but also weeks and months in advance. Even if an average person’s schedule may not be as packed as that of a professional athlete, it is still essential to make time for personal health and wellness.
“I have two small children at home, and [LeBron] and I always make it a priority,” says Mancias. “We find between 25 and 35 minutes every day to work on it. Being healthier is owed to ourselves, our families, and our children. Simply find the time to put yourself first.” A practice may last less than an hour, but James and Mancias maximize their time by adhering to the principle of moving with intensity.
Your Turn: Knowing that it takes time for something to become a habit, Mancias suggests scheduling your workouts in advance and adding them to your calendar. You can also set yourself up for success by laying out your training clothing the night before, so you don’t have to search for them in the morning.
4. Blend It Up
Variety is the secret to training success and the spice of life. “You do not want identical reps. You desire different exercises. How they prevent James’ workouts from becoming monotonous, according to Mancias, is by varying the cadence each time.
“LeBron is certainly not generic,” he continues. James can count on Tonal to offer diversity to his routine when they are apart.
“The technology is great since it allows you to exercise alone or in a group,” James explains. “I enjoy the efficiency of being able to get my work done quickly and correctly.”
James uses music to get in the zone before a workout, practice, or game. This is one of the ways in which the trainer keeps things interesting. When James works out, he typically listens to the rhythms and bass of hip-hop, but Mancias will occasionally vary the ambiance by playing Frank Sinatra.
Your Turn: “The majority of our lives are spent indoors,” explains Mancias. “Add an outdoor activity for a change of pace and a different stimulus.” Don’t be afraid to be inventive by, for example, incorporating a brief run outside followed with a short circuit session on Tonal.
5. Fuel for Performance
When working with a Formula One race car similar to LeBron James, you cannot use any form of fuel. “Working out is one thing, but as the old saying goes, abs are made in the kitchen,” Mancias explains. Correct eating habits should entail balancing calories in with calories out and ensuring that the scale is always tipped in favor of calories out.
Typically, James’s pre-game meal consists of healthy carbohydrates and a lean protein source, such as fish or turkey. His typical post-workout or post-game recovery drink is a plant-based shake. “After every physically demanding exercise, you must refuel,” says Mancias.
Your Turn: Hydration is essential not only for preventing muscle cramps, but also for muscle health, connective tissue, and cognitive function. The general rule is to consume half your body weight in fluid ounces each day, according to Mancias. In addition to water, he suggests adding electrolyte supplements or sports drinks with carbohydrates if you’re extremely busy.
6. Rest Hard
James values his rehabilitation as highly as his training. Even though he has experimented with many healing methods over the years, nothing beats eight hours of sleep and watching something other than basketball. James hopes that a well-deserved day off occurs on a Sunday during the NFL season so that he can do nothing but watch football all day and night.
Find something that gives you a mental and physical respite, which can help your body recuperate even more. “If you give the mind a little rest, the body will follow,” explains Mancias. When LeBron is in a positive mental state, the setting for healing and recuperation is excellent.
Your Turn: According to Mancias, recuperation is comprehensive. “It’s everything you do from the moment you leave the field, court, or gym” Diet, rest, and range of motion all contribute to recuperation. A easy technique to adopt after a strenuous workout is to take a short walk and gradually lower your heart rate. This will assist your body in adjusting to the non-exercise portions of your day.
