Kris Humphries became an overnight sensation not because he’s a basketball player on the New Jersey Nets, but because he recently became Mr. Kim Kardashian. At 6’9”, 235 lbs., Kris has quite the presence when he enters any room. His tone and taut physique has graced magazine spreads such as GQ and Men’s Health. Being married to Kim means he will always be in the public eye which also means he always has to look good. So besides basketball, what does Kris do to stay so fit and camera ready?

Kris the Cage Fighter?

Like most NBA players, Kris trains during the off season. Some players build strength through intense gym exercises, but Kris takes his workouts to the mats for some mixed martial arts also known as MMA. In an article in Men’s Health Magazine, Kris said:

“I do a lot of mixed martial arts in Miami, where I spend much of the summer. It’s good ’cause it’s very aggressive, but totally different from your typical basketball workout. We practice a lot of jujitsu stuff and boxing techniques from different forms of fighting. I really think MMA training is great for what I do.”

Basketball involves precision, speed, skill, and aggressiveness, the latter of which Kris’ MMA training comes in handy. After all, basketball is not a friendly sport; players often fight for the ball and push each other around.

If you are unfamiliar with MMA, it is a full contact combat sport involving striking, grappling, boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, kickboxing and karate. Many televised MMA fights take place in “cages” and while it can get bloody, a lot of skill and technique is involved that is appreciated by millions of people around the world. If you are considering giving MMA a shot, be sure to use padded mats and grappling gloves which will help with shock absorption while you or your opponent are wrestling on the ground and throwing punches. MMA training is an incredible workout that will get you sweating. For instance a 150lb male sparring for 30 minutes can burn over 300 calories.

Faster Than Michael Phelps?

Long before basketball, Kris was a competitive swimmer. When he was young, he was the top 10 year old swimmer in the nation, according to People.com. He was so good; he even beat out Olympic sensation, Michael Phelps in an event. Kris still holds the USS national record for the 50M freestyle for boys 10 and under. Kris’ success in swimming was short lived as he gave up the sport for basketball at the age of 12. The switch apparently worked out in the end.

Competitive swimmers tend to be tall, have v-shaped backs and have well-defined lean muscle. This is because swimming is an incredible, full-body workout that helps build muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. Additionally, the natural resistance of the water makes it an effective exercise. Despite being such an intense workout, swimming is thankfully easy on your joints. Water provides natural buoyancy for your body which makes gliding it easy and smooth.

The Bottom Line

Don’t call him Mr. Khardashian. Kris Humphries is his own man. He works hard on and off the court and became a tower of muscles that is always camera ready long before the paparazzi came.

In a Nut Shell

Pros: Kris works out all year round and mixes up his exercises to be an incredible basketball player. His swimming background and his MMA training prepare him well to be a strong force on the court.

Cons: MMA is a full-contact sport that is not for everyone. Punches, legs kicks, take downs, and the various submission moves involved in the sport can lead to many bruises and injuries. If you’re not ready to take the plunge into MMA, try focusing on one sport at a time within the discipline. For instance, consider boxing or grappling first. Supermodel, Bar Rafaeli, did. In fact, the beauty practices Krav Maga, the official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces which involves grappling and striking.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 protein shakes