Tim Grover is among the few people in pro sports to have worked with both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He explains us how they’re different.
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Bryant created his entire persona around his tendency to overtrain. The Mamba mentality may have been a commercial thing, but it was completely accurate when describing Bryant’s success mantra. Kobe needed to know that he was outworking everyone to feel secure in his shoes.
Michael Jordan, on the other hand, was working towards certain personal fitness goals. He also put in the work, but he had a more holistic approach to life. Unlike Kobe, who switched to a polyphasic sleep cycle, Jordan would work out at irregular hours. He’d often combine partying and training.
Either way, we know how both of them worked towards similar success on and off the court. Mike had 6 rings to his name, and Kobe ended up with 5 by 2010.
Tim Grover explains how Kobe Bryant trained differently from Michael Jordan
When Kobe suffered a knee injury in 2007, Michael Jordan suggested that he train with Grover – previously his own trainer. Kobe obviously hit it off with Tim, and he stayed elite for a number of years after passing the age of 30:
“Kobe needed to know everything. He wanted to know why we did this exercise? Why this many reps? Why this? Why that? Kobe, he was always, ‘Why, why, why?’ Because he was a student. He was learning.”
“Michael was just like, ‘I hired you to do a job. Just get me the end result. I don’t need to know why I’m doing this, what’s going on. But when I do ask, you better have the answer.’”
“Michael knew when enough was enough. Like, ‘OK, I got to shut my body down. I need to relax.’ With Kobe, it was the complete opposite. If he couldn’t sleep, Kobe was like, ‘My time is being wasted. I need to go to the gym and get some shots up.’”
