SUMMARY
- When Michael Jordan entered the NBA in 1984, he was initially lean but realized the need for a stronger physique to assert dominance on the court.
- During his prime, Michael Jordan reportedly bench pressed around 300 pounds, showcasing his commitment to physical fitness.
Michael Jordan is arguably among the greatest players in the history of the NBA. He revolutionized basketball as a sport and is still the face of the league. Throughout his incredible journey, he made countless records, some of which remain unbroken to date. Jordan’s physical prowess on the court was undeniable and for this, he had an extensive workout routine that included an impressive bench press.
However, Jordan was not always the bulky-strong kind that his fans remember him by. When he debuted in the league in 1984, he was lean but determined to leave his impact. Soon he realized that his basketball IQ wasn’t enough and he needed a good physique to exert dominance over his opponents. This realization came after he kept on getting defeated by the Bulls’ rival the Detroit Pistons.
In the infamous docuseries ‘The Last Dance’, Jordan said that he was getting brutally beaten up and he wanted to start fighting back. He did so by following the workout and diet given by his trainer, Tim Grover. Interestingly, he made a group, ‘The Breakfast Club’ which initially started as a 30-day solo strength training project. Jordan’s teammates joined him in this project and they all worked out between 5 am and 7 am followed by a breakfast.
Furthermore, as per numerous reports, Jordan bench pressed around 300 pounds in his prime time. This further strengthens his status as being among the hard-working and greatest players. There was no one like Jordan and even now, no one has been able to achieve as much as His Airness did. Despite playing his last game decades ago, he continues to dominate the basketball world without stepping onto the court.
Magic Johnson claims that Michael Jordan is the strongest athlete
During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s ‘Club Shay Shay‘ show, former NBA player Magic Johnson spoke about Michael Jordan. Without even hesitating, he said, “He was the strongest, not basketball player, athlete I’ve ever seen.” This is something that anyone who has even seen a picture of Jordan during his prime days would agree to.
However, for Johnson, the reason behind this was unexpected. He revealed that the 5x NBA Championship title winner could have drinks late at night, get up, play 18 rounds of golf, sleep an hour, and then go for a game and get 30 by halftime. Jordan played and worked out like a beast but also knew just the right things to balance this out.
Notably, he has spoken about how playing golf kept him sane, especially after retiring. Furthermore, Jordan who was once renowned for his physique had an unexpected turn. Back in August 2023, the Bulls star’s pictures on his yacht went viral as fans noticed his significant weight gain. This caused fans and experts to worry about Jordan’s health.