Fitness
LeBron James spends $1.5 million to stay fit! 3 ways to achieve his biohacking routine that helped him dominate NBA
LeBron James continues to dominate in the NBA while being the oldest current player. The basketball player’s fitness at 39 also wows many of his followers. In the recently-released Netflix sports series Starting 5, which follows LeBron throughout the 2023-24 NBA season along with Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis and Jayson Tatum, the makers revealed his biohacking regimen. An X user, Ben Smith, explained in a series of posts how the Lakers’ power forward takes care of his body and mind.
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Ben shared in his post that LeBron spends USD 1.5 million a year to stay fit. He also explained in a series of tweets how the 7-figure biohacking routine has helped him dominate the NBA for 20+ years. For the uninitiated, biohacking involves making incremental changes to one’s body, diet, and lifestyle to improve their health and well-being.
What makes LeBron James a fitness elite?
In the first tweet, Ben talked about LeBron’s nutrition choices. He says, “His rules are simple: avoid artificial drinks, sugars, and fried foods. He prefers natural sugars and foods as much as possible. The emphasis is on eating organic year-round and maintaining proper hydration.”
According to one of LeBron’s interviews, for breakfast, the Laskers’ player has an ‘egg white omelette with smoked salmon + gluten-free pancakes with berries’; for lunch, he has ‘whole wheat pasta, salmon, and vegetables’; and for dinner, he has ‘chicken parm with a rocket salad + a glass of Cabernet’.
In his next tweet, Ben talked about LeBron’s exercise routine, which involves ‘building muscular stamina and optimising gym sessions every day of the week’. His routine includes ‘engaging in compound exercises (using multiple muscle groups like deadlifts and squats) with a lot of reps and lighter weights’.
Recovery is a priority for LeBron James
Amid this intensive training, the basketball player also focuses on recovery. The X user explained, “For LeBron, recovery never stops. He uses the best biohacking tools, starting with an ice bath for managing post-game/exercise inflammation.” The benefits are both physical and mental, including:
• Pain relief
• Reduces muscle soreness
• Boosts mood and alertness
The 39-year-old Lakers power forward also uses a hyperbaric chamber and cryotherapy during recovery.
Meanwhile, according to the X post, LeBron’s most important recovery pillar is sleep. “Sleep is crucial for LeBron’s recovery. He’s well aware of this and aims for 12 hours of sleep each night. He typically takes naps several times a day – on flights or between training sessions,” Ben wrote. Additionally, he sleeps in a 68 to 70-degree room temperature with ‘complete darkness, no TV or phone, and turns everything off 30 to 45 minutes before going to sleep’.
Lastly, the Lakers’ player also stresses creating a stress-free home environment for a healthy mind. During the recovery, he also uses ‘soft tissue work, red-light therapy, compression boots, and hot-cold contrast baths’. Read the complete thread here.