Caitlin Clark spent some time over her Olympic break in the weight room putting on some muscle to better prepare for the back half of the WNBA calendar.
With the second phase of the season underway, Clark and the Indiana Fever are sitting in a playoff spot with thirteen games remaining.
Clark took it upon herself to not just rest up, but bulk up as she put on a bit of muscle after some strength and conditioning sessions during the Olympics.
Speaking to reporters after a 98-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury, Clark talked about her process over the break and how she views her strength as a part of her game.
‘Yeah I’m small but I try to hold my own the best I can. It’s actually funny we were playing live the other day and I was backing down [guard Erica Wheeler] and [Wheeler] was like “Man I thought I was gonna push you out of the way but you’re a little stronger than I thought.”
Caitlin Clark has been putting on some muscle over the Olympic break in the WNBA season
She came out firing on all cylinders against the Mercury in a 29 point performance for a win
‘I was like “yeah, you don’t mess with me.” I don’t know, I think I’m discreetly strong. I’m never gonna be the strongest person. I know that.
‘I try to put on some weight and I’ve been working hard in the weight room. Obviously there’s some limits to that and what I can do, obviously being in the season, but over the course of the last three weeks or so we’ve all been going pretty hard in the weight room.’
‘I haven’t been very happy with our strength coach,’ she added, sarcastically. ‘I’ve been very sore and it’s been hard to shoot some days.
‘But I think it’s definitely gonna help me down the stretch to have that extra little muscle… whether I actually have it or not, we don’t really know.
‘But it’s definitely something I’ll continue to focus on, but more than anything I never want to lose my speed I like being fast and sprinting.’
Back in May, Clark spoke about how physical she was finding the game at the WNBA level, saying, ‘I think everybody’s physical with me. They get away with things that, probably, other people don’t get away with. It’s tough.’
But on Friday night, Clark didn’t let the tough nature of the WNBA slow her down as she went off for a double-double of 29 points and ten assists on an 8-for-16 shooting line.
