NBA superstar Luka Dončić is set to enter the 2025-26 season with a noticeably leaner physique, a testament to a rigorous offseason regimen focused on longevity, performance, and health. The 26-year-old Los Angeles Lakers guard has committed to a comprehensive body transformation, incorporating intense 90-minute workouts and a disciplined intermittent fasting diet. This drastic change follows a disappointing end to his 2024-25 season and widespread criticism regarding his conditioning.
The Catalyst for Change: A Newfound Commitment
Dončić’s physical overhaul was sparked by a desire to “be even better” after the Lakers’ first-round playoff exit in 2025. He wasted no time, initiating a full-body assessment in Madrid immediately after the season, which included blood work, movement analysis, and force plate testing. This data-driven approach guided the structure of his summer workouts. For years, Dončić faced scrutiny over his conditioning, with rumors even suggesting his weight management played a role in his trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers. However, this offseason marks a pivotal shift, with Dončić fully embracing a new level of professionalism and dedication to his body.
Inside Dončić’s Intense Training Regimen
The core of Dončić’s transformation lies in his twice-daily 90-minute workout sessions, primarily conducted in Croatia with long-time trainer Anze Macek and physiotherapist Javier Barrio. These sessions are far from ordinary, blending weight training, agility work, and shooting drills into circuits with minimal rest.
Strength and Agility Focus
Dončić’s training emphasizes strength, agility, and eccentric force, which is crucial for his signature ability to decelerate on drives. Exercises like trap-bar deadlifts and landmine overhead presses are incorporated to build total-body strength. His workouts also include sprints, jumps on an outdoor track, hip stretches, and renegade rows. A thick resistance band is often strapped to his waist during on-court challenges, increasing the difficulty of movements like resistance band lay-ups.
Off-Court Activities for Recovery and Movement
A significant departure from previous offseasons was a full month in May where Dončić abstained from basketball to allow his body to recover completely. During this period, he focused on total-body strength and conditioning through activities like pickleball and padel, which Men’s Health describes as “pickleball meets squash.” These sports helped reduce wear on his joints while engaging lateral movement, improving balance and lower-body strength.
The Dietary Shift: Intermittent Fasting and Clean Eating
Beyond the grueling workouts, a major component of Dončić’s transformation is his overhauled diet, guided by nutritionist Lucia Almendros. He has adopted a gluten-free, low-sugar diet and practices intermittent fasting.
The Intermittent Fasting Protocol
Six days a week, Dončić adheres to a fasting window from 8:30 PM until 12 noon the following day, totaling 16 hours without caloric intake. Crucially, his first meal of the day is consumed only after he completes his 90-minute morning workout. This intermittent fasting approach is designed to limit inflammation and aid in better body recovery. While weight loss is a visible outcome, Dončić’s team emphasizes that the primary goal of fasting is to reduce inflammation, which can be heightened by intense, frequent workouts.
High-Protein, Low-Sugar Nutrition
Dončić’s diet is characterized by a high protein intake, consuming around 250 grams of protein per day. This substantial protein intake, equivalent to about five extra-large chicken breasts, is consumed within his eight-hour eating window between noon and 8 PM. His meals consist of two high-protein options and one almond milk-based protein shake daily. This disciplined nutritional strategy ensures his muscles have the necessary building blocks for repair and growth, especially given his demanding two-a-day workouts.
The “Luka 2.0” Era
The results of Dončić’s dedication are clear, with a visibly leaner and more defined physique. He himself notes, “Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better.” While raw speed has never been his primary asset, his focus on footwork, deceleration, and body control aims to enhance his already exceptional athleticism in other areas. Dončić’s newfound commitment has many anticipating a career-defining season, with “Luka 2.0” poised to elevate his game and the Lakers to new levels. As Dončić himself states, “If I stop now, it was all for nothing,” signaling his long-term dedication to maintaining this peak physical condition.
