The best athletes in the world are the best athletes in the world for a reason. Not only do they have the talent and work ethic needed to standout in their respective sports, they also can recover from major injuries better than anyone.
It might seem easier for these athletes to recover from major surgery because they don’t have to work nine to five office jobs, but they still put in a tremendous amount of work into the recovery process. After a major injury, the top-of-the-line athletes will focus on aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises as much as possible so they can get back on the court, field, track, or wherever else to showcase their remarkable talent.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 21.7% of American adults are getting the recommended amount of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise today. Professional athletes, however, get plenty of exercise, whether they are injured or not.
When the average six foot nine inch American breaks his or her leg, they might be out of commission for quite a while. That was the case with Los Angeles Lakers power forward Julius Randle, but his recovery was much more intense than what the average person could handle.
According to Men’s Fitness, the 23-year-old former Kentucky star went from 14% body fat to 6% body fat in just 12 weeks — something ordinary people could only dream of achieving.
“I broke Julius’s program down into three pillars,” said Amolia Cesar, Randle’s trainer. “The hypertrophy and strength phase, an agility phase, and a recovery [and] mobility phase. Our focus was to make Julius’s body more agile and athletic; improve Julius’s speed while rebounding and defending; and boost his explosive power to the rim while taking contact. I knew aesthetically he would look amazing as we progressed, but the most important part was making sure the athleticism and strength in his lower body improved every week.”
Randle visited sports chiropractors, underwent cryotherapy treatments, and got up every day at 6:30a.m. to begin his heavy lifting workouts — but he accomplished his goal and is ready to compete against the world’s best athletes once again.
“It was tough,” Randle said, “but my goal was getting into the best shape of my life.”
