We're Not Laughing at LeBron James’ Workout Equipment

From Men's Health

Stephen Curry can mock LeBron James' wacky gym routine all he wants, but the King knows exactly what he's doing.

It was more than a month ago that James, fresh off an NBA Finals loss to Curry's Golden State Warriors, posted an Instagram picture of himself in the middle of an off-season workout for "core and mind stability." But it was a decidedly not-bro-centric workout, with no barbells, dumbbells, big weights, or box jumps in sight.

Instead, the King's throne was a physio ball that he kneeled on, balancing as he subtly moved a large plastic blade. It all looked unlike anything you'd see at your local CrossFit box (which is exactly why Curry found himself doing the "LeBron" to make fun of James at a recent wedding).

But James' workout was actually effective, especially for a veteran basketball player with plenty of miles on his pogo-stick legs. James was training the way you (and one day, Curry) should train, working stabilizing muscles and chasing less of a bodybuilding size in favor of more functional, smart strength. It was a wise approach to off-season workouts, and perhaps the secret to the longevity of James, who has played fewer than 70 games just twice in his 14-year NBA career.

What was James training with? Here's a look at three things found in his gym.

1. The Bodyblade

The obvious source of Curry's chiding is one of the most useful, underrated tools for keeping your shoulders healthy. The Bodyblade has been around for more than a decade, and it's popular in physical therapy circles. It's a thick, uniquely balanced piece of plastic, and your job when you use it is to make its ends waggle back and forth as swiftly and powerfully as possible.

But you can't do that by simply moving the Bodyblade back and forth. It takes small, quick motions to make it react. This forces you to utilize smaller muscles than the big, glamorous ones you hit with military presses and bench presses. You'll instead attack your rotator cuff tendons and the other muscles that support healthy shoulder function.

2. The Physio Ball

This is another thing that's been around for a long time. You've likely done ab work on these large, air-filled balls—which test your balance and force your core to stabilize—but you probably haven't used it the way James does in his Instagram clip. Here, he's kneeling on top of the ball, and no part of his body is in contact with the stable, solid ground. That means his core, from his abs to his lower back muscles to his glutes, must work as a unit to stabilize him with precision.

This is advanced use of the physio ball, and although it's worthwhile, it's also incredibly challenging. It's not the kind of physio ball workout you want to do unless you're comfortable with your core stability, but don't worry—there are plenty of easier ways to train your core on the physio ball. (Check out 6-Week Sweat Off from Men's Health for more ways to sculpt that six-pack.)

3. The TRX

James doesn't actually use the TRX in his Instagram clip ($150, Buy It Here), but you see it hanging there, on the right of your screen in the background, and it fits in with the rest of the King's workout philosophy—or at least the philosophy he's showcasing on Instagram.

He's all about functional training, that is, strengthening connective joint tissue instead of chasing big muscle. The TRX plays well with that, offering plenty of core-strengthening moves and lots of functional workouts.

James, of course, is hoping that it all preps him for a bounceback 2017 season, with or without his good buddy Kyrie Irving. (Or is that Steph Curry's?)

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