LeBron James is arguably the best all-around basketball player in the iconic history of the NBA, but he’s not simply successful because of his freakish athletic ability on the hardwood. James’ innate desire to bring a championship to Cleveland, one of the most title-stricken cities in American sports, isn’t a birthright; it’s a method of perseverance. James has undergone what he calls “Zero Dark Thirty — 23” during the 2016 NBA Playoffs, shielding himself from media hype and the distractions of social media. But his ultimate shield might be his workout plan, fit for a king.

Conquer the Superset

James’ intense workout regimen consists of four workouts, each of which incorporates execution of supersets, which are designed to minimize rest periods for the purpose of gaining strength and maximizing endurance. James’ devotion to high-intensity interval training is optimal for an athlete who frequently sprints in bursts of 94 feet on the hardwood. His workout plan allows him to maintain a high level of strength and endurance while outlasting the competition. James’ fast-paced workout style is encompassed in the scientific notion that less rest time yields greater results. Think you have what it takes to conquer the superset? Give it a try.

Day 1

If your goal is to become a star athlete, or if you’re motivated to get ripped, James’ insane workout plan is worthy of the challenge. Day 1 of James’ superset-infused workout regimen includes a five-minute warm-up jog on a treadmill, succeeded by six supersets of strength training exercises. The first three sets of James’ workout plan include execution of forearm planks each lasting for 60 seconds, followed by an additional three sets of side planks also lasting for 60 seconds each. Rest for one minute before performing three sets of 30 push-ups and three sets of 12 pull-ups. James’ final two strength training exercises include three sets of dumbbell snatches and one-arm cable row; each set is comprised of 10 repetitions. Day 1 is capped off by a 20-minute cardio session on a stationary bike.

Day 2

Day 2 begins with a five-minute warm-up jog on a treadmill to increase heart rate and prepare the body for another bout of high-intensity interval training. James’ Day 2 workout is comprised of a variety of abdominal and lower body exercises, starting with three sets of Swiss ball ab rollout consisting of 12 repetitions each. The following exercise requires 30 repetitions of Swiss ball crunch to be completed over three sets before then performing three planks on a Swiss ball, and holding the pose for 30 seconds. Rest for one minute before resuming. The second half of James’ Day 2 workout incorporates multiple exercises consisting of three sets and 10 repetitions, including dumbbell squats, Swiss ball hamstring curls, dumbbell step-up and single-leg dumbbell calf raise. Finish Day 2 with a 20-minute cardio session on a stationary bike.

Day 3

James’ Day 3 workout combines abdominal exercise with upper body strength training. Much like the previous two days of exercise, James begins his routine with a five-minute warm-up jog on a treadmill. His workout plan includes six sets of planks and side planks to be completed in succession at one minute each. He then performs three sets of ab plate twists and air bicycle with 20 repetitions each. This portion of the workout is followed by a one-minute rest period. The second half of James’ Day 3 workout regimen includes four upper body exercises consisting of three sets and 10 repetitions, including incline dumbbell bench press, wide-grip lat pulldown, one-arm dumbbell military press and one-arm dumbbell row. Complete Day 3 with a 20-minute cardio session on a stationary bike.

Day 4

If you have the guts to conquer Day 4 of James’ high-intensity workout regimen, you need to bring your ‘A’ game. Day 4 begins with a standard jog on a treadmill, but amps up in intensity thereafter. The first segment of Day 4 includes three sets of bench knee pull-in and cable crunch at 12 repetitions each before a one-minute rest period. The next segment of James’ Day 4 workout plan requires execution of three exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each, including single-leg squat, one-leg hamstring curl, and dumbbell side lunge. This portion of the workout is succeeded by a one-minute rest period.

The Finals

The final segment of James’ workout regimen consists of three minutes of jump rope distributed across six exercises. Each exercise is to be performed for 30 seconds without rest. These exercises include bunny hop jump rope, conventional jump rope, high knees jump rope, jump rope running, alternating knees jump rope and alternating leg jump rope. If you’re able to satisfy the physical demand of all of James’ workout routines, you might be fit enough to train like a king.

[Images via LATimes, UniversityHerald]