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Fewer names in sports history command more respect than LeBron James.
A generational talent, the high school phenom became arguably the greatest basketballer of all time, not to mention a global icon.
James lives up to the hype, transforming his mind and body over the course of his career. It’s given him unprecedented longevity in a game that became faster and more explosive in recent years.
But have you ever wondered exactly what LeBron does to keep him performing at such a high level for two decades?
Today, let’s discuss the Lebron James workout program and diet plan. We’ll begin with his training principles to help you achieve that lean, explosive physique to dominate on the court.
Let’s jump in.
LeBron James Current Bio and Stats
LeBron Raymone James was born December 30th, 1984 in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria Marie James.
In LeBron’s early life, his family struggled financially as his mother Gloria found it difficult to secure a stable income.
They moved frequently before Gloria decided that her son needed a more secure family upbringing.
It was then that LeBron moved in with local youth football coach Frank Walker, who would eventually introduce him to basketball.
LeBron played his first organized basketball in the fifth grade and it wasn’t long before many started to notice his talent. He landed a spot on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU team).
From there, he continued his fledgling career at St.Vincent-St.Mary High School, a private Catholic school with a largely white community. His success there officially put James’ name on the map.
LeBron maintained his dominance with strong performances, securing honors such as Ohio Mr. Basketball, USA Today All-USA First Team, and the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
In 2003, James entered the NBA draft where he was selected with the No.1 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He would have strong performance year-round and be awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year.
After many years of success and rise to stardom in Cleveland, the desire to win a championship weighed on LeBron.
This ultimately led to what he calls “The Decision.” He would take his talents to South Beach to play for the Miami Heat alongside long-time friend Dwayne Wade and All-Star center Chris Bosh.
Here, the Big 3 would go on to win back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
James would shortly return back to Cleveland to give the city its first NBA Championship in 2016, defeating the Golden State Warriors in a historic 3-1 comeback upset.
LeBron’s desire for success at the professional level would drive him to again leave the Cavs for the NBA giant, the LA Lakers.
With the Lakers, he would again win another NBA Championship. But he would also become the NBA’s all time leading scorer with his 38,388th point firmly cementing his name as one of the greatest basketballers of all time.
During the course of his career, James has also used his platform to support incredible causes, including founding the LeBron James Family Foundation.
That’s in addition to his partnership to create the I Promise School, a public elementary school created to help struggling children.
Finally, LeBron James has helped provide over 2,300 scholarships to the University of Akron and donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
- Age: 35 Years Old
- Height: 6’9” (206 cm)
- Weight: 250 lbs (113.4 kg)
- Birthday: 30th December, 1984
- Occupation: NBA Player, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Actor
- Retired/Active: Active
Accolades: 4x NBA Champion, 4x Finals MVP, 4x NBA MVP, 19x NBA All-Star, NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA All Time Scoring Leader, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist
LeBron James Workout Fundamentals
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LeBron James workout fundamentals are based on improving his performance on the floor.
James understands that his body is his biggest asset. He invests more than $1.5 million on his health annually, which covers his trainers, medical expenses, recovery, cryotherapy, massage therapists, and private chefs.
And it has paid off, with him still performing incredible athletic feats in year 20 of his career, recording career high averages of 28.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 55 games.
But laying all this money out on the table doesn’t automatically change you into the world’s greatest athlete.
James is incredibly dedicated to his health and wellness, training between five and seven days per week. This is while he is scheduled for 82 games per season, plus his pre-season preparation.
During this time, James needs to hit a variety of different bases to maintain muscle and explosivity, while keeping up with his conditioning.
James splits up his training with days in the weight room and three days conditioning.
He starts his conditioning days with 30-60 minutes of either the versa climber or spin class, followed by 30-60 minutes of yoga or Pilates.
This is all combined with a nutrient-dense, high-protein diet to help fuel his body for his long training sessions in the gym and on the court.
LeBron James Workout Routine
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LeBron James’ current and high school routines consist of a variety of different training styles to build muscle mass, increase endurance conditioning, and improve explosive power and flexibility.
These workouts will cover the exercises, sets, reps, rest times, and weekly schedule so you can train exactly like LeBron James, and build toward that elite, high performance physique.
LeBron James NBA Workout Routine
Below is LeBron’s workout routine, which is to be performed six days per week. It’s made up of three weight training days and three conditioning days.
During the season, this will change to a seven-day training week with games played year round, meaning that James needs to fit these sessions in between practices and games.
We will also add our recommendations for James’ conditioning days, which consist of the versa climber or spin class. Follow this with yoga or Pilates and a core resistance training circuit.
These circuits and supersets will be present throughout LeBron James’ workouts and will be highlighted for reference.
Each movement is to be completed in a row with little to no rest inbetween, with a short 60 second break between sets.
LeBron James’ NBA Workout
Weekly Schedule
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Chest, Triceps, Shoulders | Plyometrics, Spin, Yoga | Back, Biceps, Traps | Plyometrics, Spin, Yoga | Legs | Plyometrics, Spin, Yoga | Rest |
Chest, Shoulders and Triceps (Duration 40 – 50 Minutes)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 12 | 45-60 secs |
| Snatch Grip Overhead Press | 4 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
| Split Stance One Arm Kettlebell Press | 4 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
| Clap Push-Ups | 3 | 20 | 30-45 secs |
| Triangle Push-Ups | 3 | 15 | 30-45 secs |
| Plank to Push-Ups | 3 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
Conditioning, Spin, and Yoga
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Versa Climber or Spin Class | 1 | 30-60 | – |
| Yoga or Pilates | 1 | 30-60 | |
| Push Up Position Plan | 4 | 20 | – |
| V-Ups | 4 | 10 | – |
| Fitball Figure 8 | 4 | 20 | – |
| Mountain Climbers | 4 | 30 | – |
| REST | – | – | 60 secs |
Back, Biceps and Traps (Duration 40 – 50 Minutes)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Deadlift | 4 | 12 | 45-60 secs |
| Chin-Ups | 3 | 15 | 30-45 secs |
| Wide Grip Pull-Ups | 3 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Barbell Bent Over Row | 4 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
| Wide Push Ups | 3 | 20 | 30-45 secs |
| Barbell Bicep Curls | 4 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 3 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
Conditioning, Spin, and Yoga
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Versa Climber or Spin Class | 1 | 30-60 | – |
| Yoga or Pilates | 1 | 30-60 | |
| Banded Deadbug | 4 | 10 | – |
| Landmine Rotational Press | 4 | 8-12 | – |
| Cable Lateral Chop | 4 | 10-12 | – |
| Spiderman Crawl | 4 | 10-12 | – |
| REST | – | – | 60 secs |
Legs (Duration 40 – 50 Minutes)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Back Squat | 4 | 12 | 45-60 secs |
| Leg Press | 4 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 12 | 30-45 secs |
| Jumping Lunges | 3 | 20 | 30-45 secs |
| Box Jumps | 3 | 15 | 30-45 secs |
| Weighted Jumps | 4 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| REST | – | – | 60 secs |
Conditioning, Spin and Yoga
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Versa Climber or Spin Class | 1 | 30-60 | – |
| Yoga or Pilates | 1 | 30-60 | |
| Fitball Figure 8 | 4 | 10 | – |
| Landmine Rotational Press | 4 | 8-12 | – |
| V Ups | 4 | 10-12 | – |
| Spiderman Crawl | 4 | 10-12 | – |
| REST | – | – | 60 secs |
LeBron James’ High School Workout Routine
Lebron James’ high school workout routine is based on similar workout principles.
Training three days per week, he would target the lower body to increase mass. He would add agility and explosive-based training to help him change directions.
Meanwhile, he’d be packing on muscle for the upper body to help with the physicality that comes with making contact and getting off shots.
To do this, he would use a range of squats, lunges and Olympic lifts, combined with a plyometrics program and agility drills.
These will again be highlighted to display supersets or circuits.
Weekly Schedule
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Train | Train | Rest | Train | Rest | Rest | Rest |
Monday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Power Plate Quarter Squat Low | 1 | 30 secs | – |
| Power Plate Quarter Squat High | 1 | 30 secs | |
| Power Plate Toe Touches | 4 | 30 secs | – |
| Power Plate Full Squats + 30 Sec Hold | 4 | 30 secs | – |
| Bear Crawls with Sled | 2 | 20 Yards | 30-45 secs |
| Deadlifts | 1 | 3 | 10 secs |
| Hang Shrugs | 1 | 3 | 10 secs |
| Hang Cleans | 1 | 3 | 10 secs |
| Split Jerks | 1 | 3 | 10 secs |
| Hang Cleans | 4 | 5,5,5,3 | 60 secs |
| Hang Shrugs | 4 | 3,3,3,3 | 60 secs |
| Bench Press | 4 | 10,10,8,8 | 60 secs |
| Reverse Grip Pulldowns | 3 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 3 | 8 | 30-45 secs |
| Cable Rows | 3 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Weighted Crunches (10 lbs) | 3 | 10 | 30 secs |
| Decline Bench Leg Lifts | 3 | 15 | 30 secs |
| Power Plate Quarter Squat Low | 1 | 30 secs | – |
| Power Plate Quarter Squat High | 1 | 30 secs | |
| Power Plate Toe Touches | 4 | 30 secs | – |
| Power Plate Full Squats + 30 Sec Hold | 4 | 30 secs | – |
| Skill Work and Drills | – | – | – |
Tuesday
| Shooting Drills | – | – | – |
| Backboard Smacks (no step) | 2 | 4 | – |
| Backboard Smacks (1 step) | 2 | 4 | – |
| Backboard Smacks (3 steps) | 2 | 4 | – |
| Overhead Squat | 2 | 8 | 30-45 secs |
| Back Squat | 3 | 8,8,6 | 30-45 secs |
| Box Step-Ups | 3 | 6,6,6 | 30-45 secs |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 6,6,6 | 30 secs |
| Fitball Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 | 30 secs |
| Plate Front Raises | 2 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 2 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Reverse Hypers On Box | 3 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Speed Ladder with Dribble | |||
| Forward 1 Foot in Each Ladder Hole | 2 | – | 30 secs |
| Forward 2 Feet in Each Ladder Hole | 2 | – | 30 secs |
| Lateral 2 Feet in Each Ladder Hole | 2 | – | 30 secs |
| Forward Ickey Shuffle | 2 | – | |
| Backward Ickey Shuffle | 2 | ||
| Power Band Sprints Toward Rim + Finish | 10 | 30 secs | |
| 45 Degree Angle Left Toward Rim + Finish | 3 | 5 | 30 secs |
| 45 Degree Angle Right Toward Rim + Finish | 3 | 5 | 30 sec |
Thursday
| Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 10 | 30-45 secs |
| Straight Bar Curls Drop Set | 3 | 10,10,10 | 30-45 secs |
| Close Grip Bench Press Drop Set | 3 | 10,10,10 | 30-45 secs |
| Straight Leg Crunches | 2 | 25 | – |
| Bent Knee Crunches | 2 | 25 | – |
| Toe Touches | 2 | 25 | – |
| Rockies | 2 | 15 | – |
| Bicycle Crunches | 2 | 25 | – |
| REST | – | – | Rest |
LeBron James Dieting and Food Preferences
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To train and perform like the King, you will need to eat like the King.
LeBron eats six meals per day, with meals consisting of lean protein, greens, vegetables, and fruit.
His meals are eaten every 2.5-3 hours, which allows him to break up his calorie and macronutrient intake up into smaller groups throughout the day.
Here is a list of LeBron James’ dieting and food preferences to help you understand what it takes to fuel his 6′ 9″ frame for the long NBA season.
| Meal | Food |
| Meal 1 | Egg Sandwich, Whole Grain Muffin, Avocado, Salsa, Smoothie (Frozen Fruit, Low-Fat Greek Yogurt) |
| Meal 2 | Protein Shake |
| Meal 3 | Grilled Chicken, Green Salad (Baby Spinach, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil), Berries, Apple, Mandarin, Oranges |
| Meal 4 | Fruit or Vitamins |
| Meal 5 | Grilled Fish With Crushed Pistachio Topping, Steamed Vegetables, Quinoa, Lime Juice, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar |
| Meal 6 | Vegetable Omelet, Turkey Bacon |
LeBron James Diet Plan
LeBron’s ability on the court and the gym are no joke. For you to achieve similar results, we have created a LeBron James diet plan to help you transform your body and build that powerful, athletic physique.
Meal 1
- 2x Egg & Turkey Bacon Muffin With Low Fat Cheese, Avocado, Salsa
- Protein Yogurt with Frozen Mixed Berries
Meal 2
- 1x Scoop Whey Protein Shake
- Nuts
- Banana
Meal 3
- Portuguese Baked Chicken
- Green Salad (Tomato, Red Onion, Baby Spinach)
- Jasmine Rice
- Fresh Fruit Salad
Meal 4
- 1x Scoop Protein Smoothie (Banana, Berries, Low-Fat Greek Yogurt, Dark Chocolate Chips)
Meal 5
- Grilled Salmon With Lemon, Paprika, Rosemary
- Brown Rice With Quinoa
- Mixed Vegetables
Meal 6
- Roast Chicken Omelet With Vegetables and Low-Fat Cheese
LeBron James understands that correct nutrition, including the right calorie and macronutrient distributions, is what keeps his body performing at its peak year-round.
To achieve incredible results like King James, we recommend you use our advanced calorie and macronutrient calculator.
This will ensure that you are getting enough carbs for energy, protein for muscle development and recovery, and fats to absorb essential nutrients.
Simply add your age, gender, height, weight and activity level and get an accurate calorie and macronutrient recommendation.
LeBron James Supplement Preferences
LeBron James workout routine is nothing short of intense, combining strength, agility, and conditioning.
While James does an excellent job fueling his body with his six nutrient-packed, high-protein meals per day, he also takes a range of supplements to keep him performing at the top of his game.
Below is a range of LeBron James’ supplement preferences.
| Supplement | Purpose |
| Ladder Plant-Based Protein Powder | Build Muscle and Improve Recovery |
| Ladder Premium Pre-Workout | Improve Performance |
| Ladder Premium Hydration | Improves Hydration and Restores Electrolytes |
| Ladder Superfood Greens | FIll gaps in nutrition |
Final Thoughts
What LeBron James has been able to achieve during his career on and off the court is truly remarkable.
Being tapped as the next G.O.A.T. at a young age, living up to the hype, and taking on philanthropic endeavors are all incredible feats that stretch his legacy well beyond the game of basketball.
The fact that 2023 is showcasing his best numbers to date speaks volumes about his approach to his health and dedication to training.
If you are considering trying the LeBron James workout routine and diet plan, be sure to follow the training plan. Focus on building functional muscle and endurance, and you will achieve that explosive physique.
So, are you thinking about trying the LeBron James workout routine and diet plan?
Which of the abovementioned programs best suits your goals?
Let us know in the comments.
What is LeBron James’ workout routine?
LeBron’ workout routine is based on a resistance training and conditioning hybrid workout plan that he completes six days per week.
He trains weight three days and performs a mixture of versa climbers, spin, yoga, and Pilates on alternating days to maintain core control and endurance.
How many times a day does LeBron workout?
LeBron James workouts between two and three times per day which includes his resistance and conditioning program as well as his basketball training.
How many hours does LeBron James train a day?
LeBron James trains between three and five hours per day. This consists of his resistance and conditioning routine and his basketball training, which is performed one to two times per day.
What is LeBron James’ daily diet?
LeBron James eats six meals per day, consisting of eggs, fish, chicken, fruits, and vegetables. He eats meals smaller in size, which allows him to fuel his body without feeling heavy during his daily training schedule.
How does LeBron keep fit?
LeBron keeps fit by performing a resistance training routine and conditioning routine that consists of spin, yoga, Pilates, and the versa climber.
Does LeBron James go to the gym?
Yes, LeBron trains three days per week in the gym lifting weights and three days performing cardio such as spin, versa climbers, yoga, and Pilates.
What does LeBron James eat?
LeBron James eats a balanced diet filled with nutrient-dense, high-protein foods including chicken, fish, eggs, whole wheat muffins, fruit, and vegetables.
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