Michael Jordan’s trainer reveals that the success-obsessed basketballer was adamant that his trainer should do all of Jordan’s workouts.
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What kind of trainer can compete with Michael Jordan’s psychopathic competitiveness? Not many could, but Tim Grover stood firm.
Jordan’s trainer for fifteen years was Tim Grover. His first client was Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, with whom he worked until Jordan retired in Washington.
Michael Jordan’s physical transformation was arguably a watershed moment in the Hall of Famer’s illustrious career. MJ’s mid-career commitment to strength training made him stronger and more prepared to face physical teams in the postseason.
Jordan transformed from a lean scorer to a muscular machine on his way to six titles with the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan’s transformation can be attributed in part to the efforts of renowned trainer Tim Grover. Grover discussed his first meeting with Jordan and how, soon after, he realized he wasn’t just there to give the GOAT orders.
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Michael Jordan demanded that his trainer perform the same workouts that he was doing
Jordan was averaging well over 30 points per game by his third season with Chicago, en route to ten scoring titles. However, postseason success was lacking, particularly against the Detroit Pistons.
The “Bad Boy” Pistons were the NBA’s most physical, in-your-face team, and they took great pride in going after the young, lanky guard. Detroit eliminated Michael Jordan’s Bulls in 1988, 1989, and 1990, the last two times in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jordan needed to get bigger and stronger in order to beat the bigger, stronger Pistons. In 1989, Jordan’s desire to change his training regimen led to an interview with Grover at Jordan’s house.
“After about a week of [Jordan] working out, I came in for the next workout and he said, this isn’t the word he used, which I’m not going to use right now, but he said, ‘Hey, if I have to go through this, you have to go through this.'”
Jordan introduced Kobe Bryant to Grover in 2007. Grover worked with Jordan for 15 years after his second retirement from the NBA, and he worked with Bryant from 2007 to 2012. Commentators frequently compared Jordan and Bryant, and they were close friends.
Jordan and Kobe are well-known for their killer instincts and winning mentalities. They both worked with the same trainer and achieved peak fitness and conditioning. This allowed them to both endure long seasons and win championships.
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