In June 2022, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe turned heads by showing off his still-chiseled physique to celebrate his 54th birthday. Not to be outdone by the age-defying gridiron great, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently took to Instagram for an impressive gym selfie.
In the video, posted on September 17, 2022, Shaq doesn’t just boast broad shoulders and some mean-looking traps — the four-time NBA champ also has a mighty set of abs at 50 years old. Check it out:
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[Related: Actor Mark Wahlberg Shows Off His Shredded Six Pack at 51 Years Old]
In a December 2021 video interview with Men’s Health, Shaq says his goal is to “take my shirt off one time, show the ladies how fine I am, and then put it back on.”
Well, mission accomplished.
Another reason behind his recent lifestyle change came after a trip to a doctor, who advised the former Los Angeles Lakers star to take his health more seriously.
O’Neal mentions that he suffers from sleep apnea, which is a condition that causes breathing to stop and restart during sleep. To deal with the condition, he says he sleeps with the aid of a CPAP machine, a device that goes over a user’s nose and mouth at night to aid in airflow. But another common treatment for sleep apnea is weight loss. (1)
“I want to be around for a while, so I eat a lot better than I was,” Shaq says.
The new diet includes trading the club sandwiches, fries, and soda that he used to eat before games for more traditional bodybuilding fare like scrambled eggs, chicken, protein shakes, turkey sausage, and salmon.
“I just used to eat whatever and then just […] go dominate the game,” Shaq says. “Of course, when you get older, things change and you can’t do that anymore. So I try to eat 90 percent good most of the time, and then just try to have fun like 10 percent.”
In that same interview, O’Neal also drops two bodybuilding greats he would love to work out with: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chris Bumstead, who’s at the top of the Classic Physique division heap right now.
Build Your Own Set of Abs
If Shaq’s abs have motivated you to build up your core, here are a few places to start.
- The Best Ab Workouts for Strength, Beginners, Muscle Mass, and More
- The 15 Best Upper Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core
- The Best Bodybuilding Ab Workout for Your Experience Level
References
- Stephanie Watson, ‘Weight Loss, Breathing Devices Still Best for Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea,’ Harvard Health Blog, October 2, 2013.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/weight-loss-breathing-devices-still-best-for-treating-obstructive-sleep-apnea-201310026713
Featured Image: @shaq on Instagram
