Kentucky’s Calipari working to get body as fit as his swagger

John Calipari says it’s time to get in shape.

Not his team. Not his fans. The coach himself.

Kentucky Wildcats TV posted a video of Calipari in mid-workout Thursday, sweating up a storm on an elliptical machine, with a promise of weight training to come. He said he started the regimen a week ago.

“Mid-50s, I let it go a little bit. Had a heck of a year, but, going forward, gotta get in better shape, gotta get the body right.”

The UK coach, 57, had his left hip replaced in 2004 and his right hip replaced in 2014.

Calipari, who shared a fun moment in the video with a former player, was watching a video of Kentucky’s 2012 national championship game as he worked out, hinting that he’s getting in fighting trim for another such pursuit in 2016-17.

“I’m trying to get my mindset right, my body right, because it’s going to be war time,” the coach said.

Calipari, who boasts the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class heading into next season, also speculated about what might be possible further down the line.

“I’m thinking, if I can get my body right, can I coach till my mid-70s? Maybe, and what would that mean if I’m at Kentucky for another 20? What would that mean? Championships, draft picks, No. 1, lotteries. No doubt, I would have 12 guys in the NBA All-Star Game. ... What about wins?

“So let me see if I can get in that kind of shape.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Kentucky’s Calipari working to get body as fit as his swagger."