By admin 
In an era defined by load management, players are often criticized for sitting out games for no clear reason. Fortunately, rare exceptions still exist, one being Mikal Bridges, who carries the modern-day tag of “Iron Man” in the NBA. The New York Knicks wing currently holds the longest active streak of consecutive games at 638. He has not missed a single game since being drafted in 2018.
Read more Wobbled after rocky win, No. 6 Oregon dives into Oklahoma State
Mikal Bridges played in his 638th consecutive game and checked out 23 seconds in 😂
That’s the longest active streak in the NBA 🤯 pic.twitter.com/3hdIw8DUea
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 12, 2026
Indeed, an impressive feat for Bridges, who recently won his first NBA championship with the Knicks. The Villanova product played a pivotal role in ending the New York franchise’s 53-year drought, chipping in whenever possible, whether in defense, scoring, or logging heavy minutes. Not to mention shooting an impressive 42.1 percent from the 3-point line.
Bridges’ durability comes from hard work and the right training methods. In a recent interview with Men’s Health, the Knicks star highlighted the importance of hitting the weight room.
“I just think nobody wants to be injured. Nobody wants to be hurt. And it’s not that if you lift that you never get hurt. But it just helps prevent anything, and I just feel I’m more confident of running and stopping. I do ISOs, and I know that my quads is strong here because I do ISOs every single day or every other day,” Mikal explained.
“I just feel like when I lift, it just gives me the confidence to go out there knowing I’m doing whatever it takes on that side to help prevent it. Flowing and just going out,” said Bridges, who had credited his brutal college workout habits for his “Iron Man” status as well.
Redshirting his freshman year at Villanova
Upon enrolling at Villanova University, there was some apprehension about Mikal’s lack of physicality to withstand the wear and tear of the college basketball season. So he redshirted his freshman season, using it as a window to add size and muscle. As a result, Bridges spent a lot of his time in the weight room with his strength coach, John Shackleton, who taught him the science of weightlifting.
“I’m in there for two hours. And then, throughout the year, all the days I’m out there with him, it’s just me and him a lot.And then I’m starting to understand; I’m starting to learn about all these different lifts I’m doing, just naturally… I started in the summer, and by the time I was ending that freshman year, it’s easy now,” said Bridges about Shackleton.
Read more Mike McDaniel embracing life as the screen-averse sneakerhead guiding Justin Herbert
The 30-year-old also highlighted how lower-body workouts came in handy for him as a hooper, helping with running and cutting, as they require a strong base. While training was one aspect, Bridges also focused heavily on nutrition and the importance of eating right.
Related: Sophie Cunningham reveals her surprising 67-year-old dream guy: “If he was younger and not married”
A well-balanced diet assists in fast-paced recovery
Given the demanding 82-game NBA schedule, players must consume the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats to support quick recovery and reduce inflammation. Mikal had also availed the services of Chef Dlice of Simply Fit Nutrition to ensure all the necessary parameters were met.
According to Men’s Journal, Bridges kept breakfast rather simple, eating three hard-boiled eggs with a light dash of Old Bay. This was followed by brunch, which consisted of soft scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach, breakfast potatoes and protein waffles. His pre-game meal consisted of lean meat, such as chicken, along with white jasmine rice and Brussels sprouts. The 6’6″ forward also has a daily smoothie to get his macros right.
One could argue that Bridges is an anomaly in terms of durability. That said, the Knicks star has put in the effort to maintain his all-around availability on the court since his college days. Currently, ranking 8th on the all-time list of most consecutive regular-season games played, Mikal still has a long way to go when it comes to dethroning A.C. Green’s 1,192-game record.
Related: “He was not impressive” – Jay Wright recalls why Villanova nearly passed on Mikal Bridges
Read more This bait and tackle shop hopes to fill a gap for anglers along the San Diego coast
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published September 9, 2026 at 2:29 AM.