During his 18-year Hall of Fame career, Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash became obsessed with studying how to gain an advantage over his competitors. he watched the tape. He gave up post-game pizza. And he’s brought that same detail-oriented approach to coaching in hopes of bringing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, and the rest of the Nets back to the playoffs. Nash found that eating well, training consistently, and playing soccer and tennis helped him withstand the grind.
GQ spoke to Nash about his new training app Block, the fitness routines that help him get through an 82-game season, and the joy of being able to move freely after battling back pain.
GQ: Can I take a break from basketball during the offseason?
Steve Nash: I don’t think that was the case this year. Obviously, there were so many injuries and interruptions, whatever it was. This summer we just started working with nothing but preparation and planning and we were happy to do so. It can give you energy. Work-life balance is very important to our quality of life and mental health. For me, going and sweating, moving my body, and being happy with what I’m doing is what really helps me as a coach. It helps you to carry out the elements.
Back problems towards the end of his career were well documented. When did you feel good again after you retired?
It was a good year before the end of my career I felt okay. I didn’t play much, and when I did I struggled. All the exercises and all the methodology that I put into my new app, Blocks, has helped me get back to where I am now. Good, I feel like I can play every day if I want. It’s just a gift to me, but with this app I want to share the methodology and hopefully tweak people’s habits. We provide templates so you can do it at a more enjoyable speed.
How different is your diet now from when you were working?
From a baseline level, they’re pretty much the same. I probably drink a few more glasses of wine a week. I try to eat all natural foods and no processed foods. My diet fluctuates from there, more or less carbs, protein, or fat. .
I remember the NBA postgame spread consisted of chicken wings and pizza. Now the chef is preparing the post-game dinner. Do you ever wish you had that while you were playing?
