Raptors in top form thanks to off-season conditioning

VICTORIA Norm Powell has always been a big fan of three-a-days. But three workouts in six hours?

The Toronto Raptors combo guard arrived at training camp in the “best shape of my life” after a gruelling off-season training regimen of back-to-back-to-back workouts, at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., and 9 a.m. His rest between sessions was the time it took to drive to the next gym.

“I’d work out three times a day every summer, but I used to do one in the morning, one in the afternoon and then night, spaced out,” Powell said. “But I wanted to really train my body in a different way, push myself through fatigue. It definitely trained my body in a different way.”

The team’s sports science guru Alex McKechnie said the Raptors took a “very disciplined approach” heading into this past offseason, with closer monitoring of players’ summer conditioning programs than ever before. The results are evident in a lean Kyle Lowry, among others.

“(Lowry’s) in great shape, Jonas (Valanciunas), all of our guys,” said coach Dwane Casey. “I don’t know of anyone who’s not in great basketball condition.”