He was a legend and if you want to be a legend too then you’re going to want to know training tips from the late Kobe Bryant. Bryant’s workout routine featured a hefty mix of basketball skill routines, track work, and weightlifting. During the off-season, he called his training routine his 666 program, which involved six hours of training, six days a week – it sounds almost superhuman.
For his 666 routine he spent 2 hours on basketball, 2 hours running and 2 hours lifting weights. With five championships, Kobe Bryant obviously knew what he was doing. He once said that during a season, he would focus more on weight training in order to build up his strength levels as the season progressed. During the off season, however, it was about getting more agile. According to Bryant, conditioning played an important part in his workout routine as it got him in tip-top shape.
His routine was one of the hardest and longest in the NBA. He spent plenty of time doing track before even getting on the court. He would then transition into Olympic-style weight lifting, as these movements were important in improving his power and off-ground explosiveness. In this review, we look at some of his best tips and training routines that made Kobe Bryant a legend.
Gym Training Tips From Kobe Bryant
Bench Press Tips
- Set your feet under the bench firmly
- Always squeeze your shoulder blades as you try to lower your weight down.
- Lower your weight down until the dumbbells or the barbells are within an inch of your chest.
- Explode your weight upwards and then extend your weight down until you feel your shoulders lockout.
Lats Training Tips
- Adjust the thigh pad so your knees do not raise during the lift
- Grasp on to the bar with an overhand grip and make sure that it is slightly wider than your shoulder width.
- Hold on to the bar and sit down on the machine. This will help take the weight off the thin stack.
- Slowly pull the bar down on to your upper chest.
- Continue to look up and then try to move the bar down until the V of your neck.
- Stop when the bar comes within an inch of your chest.
- When you finish, slowly stand up and then allow the weight stack to return.
Bench Press Incline Tips
- When doing a bench press incline, ensure to rest on the bench with your feet firmly on the ground. Ensure not to move your feet at all during the workout.
- Lower the dumbbells or the barbell down to your chest, and ensure not to hit your chest.
- Press on the barbells or dumbbells back with your elbows until your arms feel extended.
- The barbells and dumbbells should then follow in a slightly arched pattern between your chest and shoulders.
Military Press Tips
In order to do this well, face the barbell or dumbbells when your feet are shoulder-width apart, or you can opt to sit in the chair.
- Pick the weight up and move it above your collarbone.
- While ensuring that your back is kept upright, raise the bar slowly up until you can lock out the elbows.
- Inhale and then lower the weight down slightly above the collarbone.
- Exhale and then lift the weights back up to the elbows in a locked out position.
- Repeat the above process for a specific number of times.
However, if you happen to have bad knees, just try doing this routine in a seated position with the dumbbells.
The Kobe Bryant Week Training Schedule
Monday
- 2 hours on the track work out
- 2 hours doing basketball skills
- 1 hour of intense cardio
- 1-hour weight lifting of the upper body.
Followed by:
- Bench press
- Incline press
- Lat pull-downs
- Iso hold push-ups
- Bicep curls
Tuesday
- 2 hours on the track work out
- 2 hours doing basketball skills
- 1 hour of intense cardio
- 1-hour weight lifting – Olympic Lifts only.
Followed By
- Romanian Deadlifts
- Stiff-legged deadlifts
- Clean pulls
- Bar dips
- Lateral dumbbell raises
- Triceps press-downs.
Wednesday
- 2 hours on the track work out
- 2 hours doing basketball skills
- 1 hour of intense cardio
- 1-hour weight lifting of the lower body
Followed By
- Leg curls
- Back squats or front squats
- Calf raises
- Leg extensions
- Ab crunches
Thursday
- 2 hours on the track work out
- 2 hours doing basketball skills
- 1 hour of intense cardio
- 1-hour weight lifting of the upper body.
Followed By
- Lat pull-downs
- Bench press
- Military press
- Incline press
- Iso Hold push-ups
- Bicep curls
Friday
- 2 hours on the track work out
- 2 hours doing basketball skills
- 1 hour of intense cardio
- 1-hour weight lifting of Olympic Lifts.
Followed By
- Romanian deadlifts
- Stiff-legged deadlifts
- Clean pulls
- Bar dips
- Lateral dumbbell raises
- Triceps press-downs
Saturday
- 2 hours on the track work out
- 2 hours doing basketball skills
- 1 hour of intense cardio
- 1-hour weight lifting of the lower body.
Followed By
- Leg curls
- Back or front squats
- Calf raises
- Leg extensions
- Ab crunches
Sunday
- Unwind
Training Tips From Kobe Bryant Conclusion
Kobe Bryant’s training tips and schedule are certainly not for the faint of heart. But if his schedule was easy to do then everybody would be a legend. Due to his commitment to this schedule, hee will go down in history as one of the most disciplined athletes both on and off the court.
You can use the Kobe Bryant routine as a guideline and start off slow, you certainly can’t go from one to 100 overnight. But with grit and perseverance, you too can become great at what you want to do. Follow what the gre4ats do and you will be great too.
