In this test, Lauri Markkanen is superior in America – In the background, Finnish everyday life

Lauri Markkanen is in a class of his own in the Utah Jazz’s physical test, which measures the condition of players’ ankles.

It will work out Jani Parkkinen and Kari Räisänen from the novelty book The methods of the masters – Train like Lauri Markkanen and other greats (Johnny Book).

Ankles are tough in basketball, but luckily for Markkanen, he grew up in Finland, and not, for example, in the United States. According to a Jazz employee, Finnish everyday life has an effect on the condition of the ankles.

In Finland, you don’t wear shoes all day, unlike in the United States. For example, when coming home, a Finn takes off his shoes and moves around in his socks. In this case, the ankles become stronger as if by themselves.

– In Finland, when you are wearing shoes and socks and bare toes, the body gets different sensations from all the joints and muscles of the foot. Then you learn to use the ankle and foot area a little more versatile, Parkkinen explains to Iltalehte.

Jazz’s ankle tests are done on a device that gives the player a maximum of one hundred points. When Americans try the device for the first time, they score an average of 60 points. For Europeans, this number is around 80.

However, according to Parkkinen, players sometimes prioritize more than which shoe would be the best for the condition of their feet.

– Which weighs more in the horizontal cup: fashion or how the foot would work best? In America, this other culture influences so much.

Gym shoe

The book says that Markkanen’s body also differs from his American colleagues in other ways when the team goes to the gym.

Jazz’s head of physical training by Isaiah Wright think European players generally know more about physical training.

– Lauri does things in the gym that cannot be asked of American players. They do play five to six matches a week as juniors, but they don’t enjoy themselves in the gym, says Wright.

– Lauri showed the others a model, for example in the front squat with big weights. Many others could not do it at all.

In the fall of 2022, Markkanen’s estimated maximum for one repetition in the front squat was 135 kilograms. He did sets of five repetitions with 105 kg.