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Fingertip Pushups After Every Miss
Maker’s finisher after a recent practice was a shooting drill where, after every miss, he had to hit the deck for a fingertip push-up—not easy when you're as tall and slim as he is.
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Protein Shakes
Maker’s go-to shake: Spinach, mango, peach, pineapple, strawberries, and orange juice. He takes it along into the weight room with him, and when his sets are over, he hits the kitchen, where a Bucks chef prepares his dinner.
Banana Pumpkin Shake:
Related: 20 Healthy, Protein-Packed Smoothie Recipes
A New Eating Routine
Speaking of, Maker’s ditched the old empty-stomach workouts he preferred as a rookie. Now, he eats before and after every gym session. “I used to play better hungry,” he told USA Today. “But I’ve gotten used to eating before practice, so I’m going to train my mind and my body to do it.”
Holding Weight
Maker even meditates mid-workout. His favorite exercise—leg extensions—sees him hold weight for 45 seconds at a time. “You just let it burn. You’ve got to mediate through that, but it works. That’s why we do it.”
Related: Natural Leg Extensions to Build Quads
Maintaining the Gains
When NBA players begin the grind of the regular season, time in the gym becomes rarer, and more precious. You can’t go as hard in the workouts as you could in the offseason, or you’ll fry your cardio and your legs for the game. With Maker expected to see a minutes increase this year, he has to stay productive on the floor, but still keep his stronger physique against the veteran centers he’ll face on the court.
“I just feel big, moving people around with my weight in practice," Maker says. "I’ve actually gotten quicker because of the work we did. I feel good holding my ground.”
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NBA season tips off tonight in Cleveland and Golden State. Guys won’t be in mid-season basketball form, but they’ll be in prime physical form. Maker’s first game comes against the Boston Celtics, another likely Eastern Conference playoff team, on Wednesday night.