After 15 seasons in the league, most NBA players have settled into a bench role and embraced being a mentor to younger players. However, Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday just won his second NBA Championship and Olympic gold medal in the same summer. Despite having virtually no rest this offseason, Holiday is in a position to contribute to the Celtics' quest to repeat as a starter. Jrue Holiday is quietly building a Hall of Fame resume. The wily veteran has always had a reputation as one of the NBA’s best defenders, but in recent years, major accolades have started rolling in. He made his first All-Defense team in 2017-18, his ninth season in the league. Another one followed in 2018-19, which was also when he first averaged 20 points per game. From there, the hardware started to pile up. His first year with the Milwaukee Bucks, in 2020-21, ended with his first championship. A few summers later, as part of the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade, Holiday was sent to Boston. Just like he did with the Bucks, Holiday won another chip in his first year with the Celtics. Now in his 16th orbit around the NBA, Holiday has the two rings, six All-Defense teams, and last year logged a career-high percentage from the three-point line. There’s also the pair of gold medals-from the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Paris-that bolster his case as one of the most accomplished players of his era. Holiday credits part of that to his tireless dedication to maintaining his body. He’s a big believer in Thorne’s line of supplements, which keep him sharp on and off the court, as he’s also raising two young children with his wife, Lauren, herself a gold medal and Women’s World Cup winner.
At 34 years old, Jrue Holiday is not just surviving in the NBA; he's thriving. His sustained success is a testament to his dedication to fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being. This article delves into the specifics of Jrue Holiday's diet and workout regimen, exploring the key elements that contribute to his longevity and peak performance on the court.
The Evolution of Jrue Holiday's Fitness Philosophy
Holiday's approach to fitness and diet has evolved significantly throughout his career. Early in his career, Holiday recalls a less structured approach to nutrition and wellness. He remembers a time when the team would have chicken fingers in the training room. He used to have chicken fingers before games. When you’re young, you’re the first person to the arena. You’re there like four hours before the game. I’d grab something to eat, and it’d be like chicken fingers, fries, and ranch. I remember going into MSG and that was one of my pregames. MSG chicken fingers.
It’s completely different now. You couldn’t find chicken fingers anywhere. Bananas, fruit, PB&J-or some teams will have chefs that cook before the game. game, what are you eating that day?However, a turning point came after an injury in New Orleans in 2014 that required surgery. This experience prompted him and his trainer, Mike G, to explore ways to optimize his recovery and performance. He realized the version of me at 235lbs was trying to hang on to an identity that didn’t fit anymore. It was about control. This wasn’t about looking good in a jersey. It was survival. A career extension strategy. He recognized that what worked at 25 wouldn’t fly at 34, prompting him to adjust his approach.
Jrue Holiday's Plant-Forward, Dairy-Free Diet
Yes. Jrue switched to a plant-forward, dairy-free diet, prioritizing clean calories, reducing inflammation, and optimizing recovery routines. Not strictly vegan, but predominantly plant-forward, focusing on high-calorie, nutrient-dense meals with minimal animal products. Holiday's dietary shift is a cornerstone of his physical transformation. He made the conscious decision to move towards a predominantly plant-based diet, emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods.
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Key Components of Holiday's Diet:
- Plant-Forward Approach: Holiday focuses on incorporating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains into his meals. These foods are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health and reduce inflammation.
- Dairy-Free: Eliminating dairy from his diet is another key aspect of Holiday's nutritional strategy. Dairy products can be inflammatory for some individuals, and cutting them out can potentially improve digestion and reduce discomfort.
- Clean Calories: Holiday prioritizes consuming "clean calories" from nutrient-dense sources. This means avoiding processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive amounts of unhealthy fats.
- Hydration: Holiday emphasizes the importance of hydration for performance and recovery. He drinks plenty of water throughout the day to stay adequately hydrated.
Jrue Holiday's Thoughts on Food
I love breakfast. I don’t really need to eat the same thing. I’m not regimented in that way, where I have to eat the same breakfast or the same lunch. I love all types of breakfast foods. Oatmeal, chocolate chip pancakes, French toast, omelet, doesn’t matter. Could be bacon, egg, and cheese or sausage, egg, and cheese on a bagel. I love food. That’s probably another reason why I work out so much.
Jrue Holiday's Supplement Regimen with Thorne
The 34-year-old makes no secret about the importance of dietary supplements as part of his routine. Holiday is one of several professional athletes who have partnered with Thorne to help care for his body. Jrue Holiday has been a longtime partner of Thorne.
Why Thorne?
"Just being as healthy as possible. Thorne has the cleanest supplements, and I've seen the results from being partners with them for close to seven years. So, it's been great. After meeting with their teams, I knew I had chosen the right partner. It's very clean, it made my body feel great, and it's part of the reason I'm heading into my 16th year."
Key Supplements Holiday Uses:
- Multivitamins: Providing a foundation of essential vitamins and minerals to support overall health and well-being.
- Fish Oil: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and support cardiovascular health.
- Gut Health Supplements: Promoting a healthy gut microbiome, which is crucial for digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function.
- Sleep Aids: Improving sleep quality and duration, which is essential for recovery and performance.
- Amino Acids: Supporting hydration, muscle recovery, and performance.
- Protein Powder: Aiding in muscle repair and growth after workouts, and serving as a convenient meal replacement option.
- Calcium pills: Holiday had a crack in his shin. I have a rod in my leg. Kind of like with Paul George or Julius Randle, how their leg snapped, that could have happened to me. But I found [the crack] before my leg snapped. I needed calcium pills to promote bone healing, and that was one of the first things I took from Thorne.
He started after I got injured in New Orleans in 2014 and ended up having surgery. That was my first one. You can only do so much when you’re hurt. The recovery time until I could actually start doing stuff physically was about four or five months. My trainer and I were thinking about ways to optimize my recovery and my performance. That’s when we started talking to Thorne and taking their supplements. The multivitamins, the fish oil, something for gut health, they have things to help you sleep (go to sleep quicker or stay asleep longer), amino acids for hydration and performance, protein powder for after you workout, or as a meal replacement.
Jrue Holiday's Training Regimen: Building a Brick Wall
In order to reclaim his game, Brendan decides to emulate the training regimen of arguably the best defender in the NBA: Jrue Holiday. He reaches out to Holiday's trainer, performance coach Mike Guevara, who outlines a four-week program for him to follow. And while Brendan can't exactly recreate the sheer solid mass that helps make Holiday such a force to be reckoned with on the court, Guevara prescribes core-centric exercises which will make him "feel like a brick wall" and carry over into the game.
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"Any time you're doing a core exercise where you're standing or you're practicing a wide base, or a lower level, or stiffening up your core, that's what's going to translate to that moment where you cut the ball handler off," explains Guevara. The sets challenge Brendan's strength, balance, and motor control, and the early workouts take an immediate physical toll. "I thought I would do pretty well from the strength component of this goal, but these workouts hit different," he says. "The long body holds I'm doing, the stability drills, all of this just has me foam-rolling my legs into oblivion, and I need to add more to my training to work on my speed and lateral quickness… I'm having to face the fact that I'm not nearly as skilled as I used to be."
Core Strength and Stability
- Core-Centric Exercises: Holiday's training focuses on exercises that strengthen his core, which is essential for stability, balance, and power on the court.
- Wide Base Training: Practicing exercises with a wide base helps improve stability and the ability to withstand contact.
- Lower Level Drills: Training at a lower level enhances agility and the ability to change direction quickly.
- Core Stiffening: Learning to stiffen the core on command improves stability and power transfer during athletic movements.
Agility and Quickness
- Lateral Quickness Drills: Holiday credits improved lateral quickness to his change in diet and training.
- Stamina Training: Coaches and analysts have noticed improved stamina in late-game situations.
The Importance of Recovery
Recovery routines became sacred rituals. Recovery is the biggest part-mental recovery, physical recovery-to seamlessly go back into the season like I never even stopped. Holiday emphasizes the importance of both physical and mental recovery. He prioritizes sleep, hydration, and spending time with family and friends to recharge.
Key Recovery Strategies:
- Sleep: Getting adequate sleep is crucial for muscle repair, hormone regulation, and overall recovery.
- Hydration: Replenishing fluids lost during exercise is essential for preventing dehydration and supporting optimal bodily function.
- Mental Recovery: Taking time to relax, de-stress, and engage in enjoyable activities is important for mental well-being and preventing burnout.
Jrue Holiday's Sneaker Preference
Coming out of UCLA, you started with adidas, why did you switch to Nike?"For me personally, Nike felt great on my feet. Nike fit my foot very well, and haven't had any complaints since I switched to them. Also, growing up, Nike set the standard by having some of the coolest and best shoes. On the court, made my feel feel really good. Off the court, you can never go wrong with some of the classics they have."Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday wears the Nike Sabrina 1. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesYou have worn a lot of the Nike GT Cut and Sabrina lately. What do you like about those shoes?"Yeah, I think mostly it's fit and comfortability. I really like playing in the G.T. Cut with how bouncy and light it is. And the Sabrina's are great shoes. Really excited just to wear those shoes because they had a lot of Kobe/old Kyrie design to them. To wear a women's shoe and support her in that way is something I wanted to do. Having a wife that played professionally, and the women in my life who played sports, having a daughter, being able to show her that women can do it just as good as men."Who has the best active sneaker line in the NBA?"At the moment, I can only really say Sabrina. I haven't tried Stewie's shoes because I'm with Nike. But one shoe that I'm excited for is A'ja Wilson's shoe to see what they are doing - see the fit, see the look, see the design. I'm excited for that. But even in the Olympics, I played in the Sabrina 2s, and you might see me in those this year as well."Has a Chinese brand ever approached you for a signature sneaker deal?"I think a while ago. Before I signed with Nike, we had talks with Chinese and Asian brands, but since then, I haven't had those types of discussions. I've been locked in with Nike. Any chance I've had to re-up with them, I've re-upped with them. For the most part, it was about longevity and trying to stay on the court and perform, and that's how you get my contracts, rings, and gold medals."Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday wears the Nike GT Cut. / Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesWhat is a regrettable sneaker trend?"When I was with adidas, I had those that had the wings on them. You remember that? I forget the name. Being with adidas, I would get them and try to wear them to places. Looking back on it, that really wasn't a good look for me (laughs)."I've never gone wrong with a Nike shoe. Any type of Air Max - 1s, 95s, 98s. We can go from basketball shoes like Kobes and all that to Air Forces - I don't wear all-black Air Forces, but any type of Air Force I can put on. I haven't had an issue with Nike at all. Oh, and Dunks. I grew up trying to skateboard, so I liked the SB Dunks."What shoes would you wear in a Space Jam game to defend the planet?"That's a great question. I do love Jordans… The 11s are just classic; that's the Space Jam shoe. But I also love the 4s, 10s, and 12s. But I would probably have to go with Kobe. Maybe like a Kobe 5 or something.
Adapting to the Demands of the NBA
Holiday's journey highlights the importance of adapting to the changing demands of the NBA. As players age, they must adjust their training and nutrition strategies to maintain their performance and prevent injuries.
Key Adaptations:
- Weight Management: Holiday recognized that carrying excess weight hindered his recovery and reaction time. He made a conscious effort to lose weight, which improved his mobility and stamina.
- Prioritizing Recovery: As he has gotten older, Holiday has placed a greater emphasis on recovery strategies such as sleep, hydration, and supplementation.
- Embracing Change: Holiday's willingness to embrace change and adapt his approach to fitness and nutrition has been instrumental in his sustained success.
Lessons from a Veteran
Jrue Holiday's diet and workout regimen offer valuable insights for athletes of all levels. His emphasis on plant-based nutrition, strategic supplementation, core strength, and recovery highlights the importance of a holistic approach to fitness. By prioritizing these key elements, athletes can optimize their performance, prevent injuries, and extend their careers.
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