Norman Powell is one of the NBA’s beasts when it comes to his workouts. From stretching and mobility, to strength and conditioning, through to recovery, the LA Clipper star covers every detail with his famously respected level of commitment. In a recent chat with M&F, Powell explained some of the blocks of training that he likes to complete to keep his body in check. And, after catching up with him during this 2024-2025 season, the baller has now explained some of the moves that keep him on form during the on-season.
Whether you are an active or aspiring basketball player, or just fancy dipping your toe into the type of workout that Powell might execute, here’s a session you can try based on some of the key-moves that perfects Powell’s performance. It’s important to note that this elite athlete’s training intensity will depend on the time of year.
So, between basketball seasons, he will go all-out as he previously explained to M&F, in a bid to lose weight and gain muscle. But now that the season is underway, he lifts with less of a load to prevent strains and other training related injuries. “You don’t want to fatigue your body before the games,” he explains. “So, a lot of it’s like maintaining, toning-up and stuff like that, not really heavy lifting.” As you will see below, the emphasis is very much placed on functional training during the season.
Norman Powell’s In-Season Workout
Performing the following exercises for 3 sets of 8-12 reps:
- Bulgarian Split Squats
- Single Arm Shoulder Press
- Single Arm Dumbbell Bench Press
- Medicine ball ab crunches
- Glute Bridges
- Sprint / Acceleration Work
Norman Powell’s Workout Breakdown
First of all, if you want to workout like Powell, you’ll need the proper playlist. The LA Clippers star tells us that he has a lot of “Drake, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, and Lil Baby,” in his ear pods. Now that the tunes are on track, be sure to stretch before you get to work. For recovery you can take a hot sauna or even a cold plunge, or in Powell’s case both so that you get the benefits of increased circulation and reduced inflammation in your downtime.
The workout itself will tax the whole body, and this is essential for an elite basketball player. Powell needs to be strong yet flexible, fast but controlled. So, the single limb work is a great way to keep him mentally coordinated while fixing any imbalances. “It’s cutting back and forth just to build those reps and make sure the muscles and joints are good,” he says. “Especially when you’re going on the court because there’s a lot of cuts and moves and getting screened and you got to move around in all these different ways.” This is where the acceleration work comes in. Powell explains that he has access to a 1080 Sprint 2 machine that provides resistance not just for acceleration, but for deceleration too. This is one of the ways the
athlete trains himself in order that he doesn’t collide with some of those colossal opponents. If you don’t have access to one of these machines, you can improve your acceleration by executing sprints on an inclined treadmill. For deceleration, you can practice running and making sudden stops, or jumping off a box and landing in a controlled, manner. Try this workout for yourself, and you’ll certainly understand the grind.
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