Basketball players today have bulk muscles. However, did you know that basketball players are skinny before? Yep! They are! Basketball players are skinny back then, not because they never eat. There are deeper reasons why basketball players before were skinny, and let me tell you what it is.
Why Did Basketball Players Look So Skinny Back Then? Basketball players look skinny back then because basketball players were not encouraged to work out with weights before. Weight lifting is not that popular and required at that time. That is why basketball players back then are much skinnier than modern basketball players.
There is much more to learn about this topic! I am going to answer various questions that are related to our topic. We are going to discuss different reasons why basketball players before and basketball players today are skinny. We will also tell you if it is better to be skinny or bulky in basketball. So let us go!
Why Do NBA Players Look Skinny Before?
If you were born during the mid or late 20th century and a fan of basketball, then you have watched the NBA games before. What did you notice with the NBA players before? Try comparing the best NBA player back then and the best NBA player today. Do not compare their stats but their body physiques.
Yes, the NBA players before are much skinnier than today’s NBA players. Try comparing the body physique of Michael Jordan and Lebron James. You will notice that Lebron is much bulkier than Jordan. But what is the reason why NBA players before were much skinnier?
Why do NBA players look skinny before? NBA players look skinny back then because they were not required to hit the gym and get bulkier. The only requirements NBA players need before is to become fast, tall, and have high leaps. Because NBA players were required to be quicker and have high vertical back then, they need to have lighter weight.
NBA is a game for grown-ups, and playing in the NBA is very hard. Why? Because there will be lots of bumping of bodies that will happen every game. Basketball is a physical game that can cause injuries. You need to have a powerful body to compete.
However, competing in the NBA before is much easier than competing in the NBA today. Why? Because NBA players today have much bulkier bodies than the NBA back then. Back then, all you need to have is to be tall, fast, and have a high vertical jump. But today, you need to have a powerful physique body.
When Shaquille O’Neal arrived in the NBA, every NBA player could not stop him. This is when the hack a Shaq strategy comes into play. Also, because of Shaq, many NBA players hit the gym and grow some muscles. NBA players before need a powerful body that could stop Shaq, which is why most of them started to hit the gym.
If you check the NBA players today, most of them have bulky bodies. Hitting the gym is now a requirement for all basketball players, not just for the NBA. You need to have a powerful physique body to compete better.
However, not all basketball players follow this requirement, and they stay skinny. This is the reason why there are still some basketball players that have skinny body physique. These skinny basketball players prove to everyone that they can compete even though they are skinny.
Why Are Basketball Players So Skinny?
Like I have said above, basketball players are already required to hit the gym in today’s era. However, there are still some skinny basketball players. What do you think is the reason why there are still skinny basketball players? Let me answer that.
Why are basketball players so skinny? Basketball players stay skinny for so many reasons. However, the main reason basketball players stay skinny is to make it easier to run fast around the court. Basketball is a fast-paced game. That is why every player needs to have a lighter body weight to carry themselves easier.
Having a super skinny body is not for playing basketball because being super skinny is not healthy. Playing basketball requires every player to have a healthy body and diet. Also, if you are super skinny, other stronger players might bump you easily.
Many basketball players that look skinny are far from being healthy. In the NBA, the players follow a strict training program to keep their health, physique, and athletic performance at the highest level always. They also have proper diets to keep their bodies healthy.
Being skinny is not that good when you want to play basketball. Why? Because when you are too skinny, the offensive player may effortlessly pass away from you if you are playing defense. You will have a poor defense when you are too skinny.
However, if you are skinny, you can still have some advantages offensively. If you are skinny, you have a lighter weight, which means you can easily carry yourself when running. You can run fast during a fast break, and you can drive quickly inside the basket.
Even though being skinny can give you an advantage offensively, it can still give you disadvantages defensively. As most experts say, the defense is a great offense. When you are too skinny you will have a poor defense, and every score you put in is useless. You need to have a strong body to have a better defense. If you have a better defense, you will have a high chance of winning a basketball game.
Why Do Basketball Players Have Skinny Legs?
Basketball is a fast-paced game, which is why more and more players are starting to lose weight to have an advantage. The skinnier you are, the faster you will be. But some people are confused about why basketball players have skinny legs.
Why do basketball players have skinny legs? Some basketball players have skinny legs because their legs are freaking long. Taller basketball players have much skinnier legs. Genetics play a major role in how your body will look. However, that doesn’t mean that you should stop training to make your legs stronger because working out also plays a huge role.
Genetics plays a major role in determining how skinny your legs will be. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to stop working out or skipping your leg day. You still need to continue doing squats at the gym even though your genetics tells you that your legs will be skinny. Never forget the leg day folks!
How Do Basketball Players Achieve Lean Body?
I know you all want to have a lean and semi-muscular body like the NBA players. However, how do some basketball players achieve their lean body? Most basketball players, especially professionals, achieve their lean bodies because they have good eating habits and exercise consistently.
Those are the two things that you need to do. You need to have a healthy diet, and you should exercise a lot. However, genetics also plays a huge role here. If your ancestors are all fat, then you will have a slow metabolism.
However, it does not mean that you need to stop working out to achieve the lean body you want. Yes, genetics plays a huge role here, but you can still hack your genetics by putting in lots of work. Eat right, drink plenty of water, and exercise consistently.
What food should you eat? If you are a basketball player that wants a lean body, you need have to eat vegetables, fruits, and foods with high protein. But you should not neglect foods that give you energy, like bread because this is where you will get your energy.
Carbs should be in moderation. The percentage of carbs you burn must be higher than the carbs you intake. Eat fruits that have carbs like apples, oranges, and lemons. If you are hitting the gym, never forget protein because it helps you to grow your muscles.
Workout consistently! This is where most basketball players get lost. They will work out for one time and will stop for a very long time. Playing basketball every day is not enough to make you lean. You will just become skinny when you do this. You need to go to the gym or do some calisthenic workouts to build up your muscles.
In whatever thing you do, you have to make sure that you will be consistent and committed. Make sure that you put all your efforts into everything that you do.
Is Being Underweight Bad For Basketball?
Being underweight is not that bad for basketball as long as you are fast, have good ball-handling, and can play defense. But if you are a center and play in the post, you need to have a powerful muscular body.
However, even though it is not bad to be underweight in basketball, I still don’t suggest you stay at that weight. Try building some muscles but not too bulky. Because if you are so bulky, you will have a hard time running fast. Build lean muscles as most professional basketball players do.
Is It Better To Be Lean Or Bulky In Basketball?
The answer to this question is it depends. It depends on many factors such as position, types of play, and goal. If you are a point guard, you need to have a lean physique to run fast. But if you are a center or power forward, you need to have a bulk body to engage in physical plays.
Too much lean or skinny is not good, and too bulky is also not good. Too much of everything is bad. You need to have a healthy body that can compete in physical plays if you want to be a better player in basketball.
Final Verdict
Basketball players look so skinny back then because hitting the gym is not that important before. However, even though the basketball players look very skinny back then, they still play a very exciting basketball game, and they can still play at their highest level.
But because the game has changed, every basketball player must adapt to it. Every basketball player in the current era is required to hit the gym to have a better chance of competing in every basketball game. Being skinny is not good in today’s basketball era, so build some muscles!
Do you think that being skinny in basketball is an advantage or a disadvantage? Let us hear your opinions below!
