West Ham United head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has officially prohibited winger Adama Traoré from lifting weights at the club’s Rush Green training facility.
The 30-year-old Spaniard, who reunited with Nuno in a January move from Fulham, is renowned for his extraordinary physique—a build the manager attributes primarily to genetics rather than traditional bodybuilding.
Nuno explained that Traoré’s natural hypertrophy is so advanced that additional muscle mass would be counterproductive, potentially hindering his explosive speed and agility.
While the winger is banned from heavy lifting, he will continue to perform specialized injury-prevention and recovery exercises.
In contrast, Nuno noted that younger players, such as 18-year-old academy defender Airidas Golambeckis, are encouraged to spend hours in the gym to build the necessary strength for the Premier League.
Since joining the Hammers for a reported £2 million, Traoré has primarily served as an impact substitute.
He joined a busy January intake that included Pablo Felipe (Gil Vicente), Taty Castellanos (Lazio), and loan signings Axel Disasi (Chelsea) and Keiber Lamadrid (Deportivo La Guaira) as West Ham looks to secure its top-flight status.
