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THE PAYOFF
An Athletic Physique
A combination of strength, stability, and flexibility is essential in order to excel in any sport, but most athletes fall short in at least one area. This plan improves all three, so you'll eliminate weaknesses in your game and your body.
Undeniable Power
The exercises in this workout, such as the woodchopper, jump squat, and barbell torque, mimic skills like swinging a racket and leaping for a rebound. The result: You'll develop power and strength that will transfer to your game.
Versatility
Because this plan mixes power training with core training, your body will be prepared for the demands of any athletic endeavor. Just as important, your workouts will stay exciting.
BENCHMARK OF SUCCESS
How Do You Measure Up?
Professional and college coaches consider the vertical jump to be the single best way to gauge how well an athlete will perform on the field. It measures two factors that are critical to performance: the explosive power of your lower body, and your ability to generate force quickly. You'll need a wall you can mark on with a piece of chalk.
Stand with the wall at your side and the chalk in the hand that's next to the wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or at whatever width feels comfortable. Dip down by bending your knees and hips, jump straight up as high as you can with your arm extended upward, and mark the wall at the top of your reach. Make three marks, resting a few seconds between jumps.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
Record your highest vertical jump below. Then follow the plan on the next page and retest yourself after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks. Go to MensHealth.com/poster to compare your improvement with that of other Men's Health readers.
START [HEIGHT IN INCHES]
WEEK 2 [HEIGHT IN INCHES]
FINISH [HEIGHT IN INCHES]
YOUR GOAL: ELEVATE YOUR GAME
Your Time: 30 Minutes
Just like a protein shake, an effective sports workout depends on the right blend of ingredients. That's why this workout emphasizes four different types of exercises: explosive, knee-dominant, hip-dominant, and functional. Explosive movements improve your ability to generate power; knee-dominant exercises train your front thigh muscles; hip-dominant exercises strengthen your hamstrings, gluteal muscles, and lower back; and functional moves allow you to twist, turn, and balance. Together, they give you an edge: "The athlete who can react explosively and move efficiently in all directions finishes first every time," says Robert dos Remedios, M.A., C.S.C.S., director of speed, strength, and conditioning at College of the Canyons, in Santa Clarita, California.
Follow dos Remedios's workout plan on the back of this poster, alternating between Workout A and Workout B. Do three workouts a week and rest at least a day between sessions -- so you might do Workout A on Monday, Workout B on Wednesday, and Workout A on Friday, then B, A, and B the following week. Perform each exercise for the specified number of sets and repetitions, and rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
WORKOUT A
1. Clean Pull (explosive exercise)
Load a barbell and roll it to your shins. Grab the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing you) and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back flat and arms straight, squeeze your glutes as you straighten your legs, rise onto your toes, and shrug your shoulders. Pause, then lower the bar to the floor.
The plan: Perform four sets of five repetitions in weeks 1 and 3. In weeks 2 and 4, do four sets, decreasing your repetitions and increasing the weight each set so that you do five reps in your first set, four in your second, three in your third, and two in your fourth.
2. Curtsy Lunge (knee-dominant exercise)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keeping your hips facing forward, step back with your right foot and place it to the left of your left leg as you bend your knees, lowering your body. Push up to the starting position and repeat with your left leg back. That's one repetition.
The plan: Do three sets of 10 repetitions in weeks 1 and 3. In weeks 2 and 4, do four sets of five reps.
3. Good Morning (hip-dominant exercise)
Stand with a light barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keep a slight bend in your knees and maintain a slight arch in your back throughout the move. Push your butt back and bend forward at the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor. Contract your glutes, push your hips forward, and raise your torso to return to the starting position.
The plan: Perform three sets of 10 repetitions in weeks 1 and 3. In weeks 2 and 4, do four sets of five reps.
4. Woodchopper (functional exercise)
Attach a rope handle to a high-pulley cable. Stand with your left side toward the weight stack and your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Grab the rope with both hands. Keeping your arms straight, bend your knees as you pull the handle down and across your body until your hands reach the outside of your right lower leg. Reverse the motion and finish your reps before switching sides and repeating the move.
The plan: Do three sets of 10 repetitions in week 1, four sets of 10 reps in weeks 2 and 4, and five sets of five in week 3.
WORKOUT B
1. Dumbbell Jump Squat (explosive exercise)
Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and hold a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then bend forward slightly at the hips so your shoulders move in front of your feet. Push off the floor explosively to jump straight up as high as possible. Land with your knees soft and immediately sink down into your next squat.
The plan: Do four sets of five repetitions in weeks 1 and 3, and four sets of eight reps in weeks 2 and 4.
2. Front Squat (knee-dominant exercise)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab a bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Bring your elbows forward so your palms face up, your upper arms are parallel to the floor, and the bar rests across the front of your shoulders. Keeping your elbows high, initiate the move by pushing your hips back. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause, then press yourself back up to a standing position.
The plan: In weeks 1 and 3, do four sets of five repetitions, and in weeks 2 and 4, do four sets of eight reps.
3. Single-Leg, Single-Arm Romanian Deadlift (hip-dominant exercise)
Stand holding a dumbbell in your right hand at arm's length in front of your right thigh. Lift your right foot off the floor. Keeping your knees slightly bent and your back flat, push your hips back to lower the weight toward the floor. Pause when your torso is as close to parallel to the floor as you can go without rounding your back, then push your hips forward to return to a standing position. Complete your repetitions on that leg, then switch sides and repeat.
The plan: Do four sets of five repetitions in weeks 1 and 3, and four sets of eight reps in weeks 2 and 4.
4. Barbell Torque (functional exercise)
Load a barbell lightly on one end. Wrap the other end in a towel and place it in the corner of a room, wedged under a bench, or between the heels of a workout partner. Stand facing the loaded end (with the bar pointing toward you) and hold the bar in front of your face. Keeping your arms straight, pivot your feet and torso as you bend at the knees to move the near end of the bar down and across your body toward the floor. Reverse the motion to lift the bar back up, then repeat to the opposite side. That's one repetition.
The plan: Perform four sets of 10 repetitions in weeks 1 and 3, and four sets of five reps in weeks 2 and 4
Workout by: Myatt Murphy
An Athletic Physique
A combination of strength, stability, and flexibility is essential in order to excel in any sport, but most athletes fall short in at least one area. This plan improves all three, so you'll eliminate weaknesses in your game and your body.
Undeniable Power
The exercises in this workout, such as the woodchopper, jump squat, and barbell torque, mimic skills like swinging a racket and leaping for a rebound. The result: You'll develop power and strength that will transfer to your game.
Versatility
Because this plan mixes power training with core training, your body will be prepared for the demands of any athletic endeavor. Just as important, your workouts will stay exciting.
BENCHMARK OF SUCCESS
How Do You Measure Up?
Professional and college coaches consider the vertical jump to be the single best way to gauge how well an athlete will perform on the field. It measures two factors that are critical to performance: the explosive power of your lower body, and your ability to generate force quickly. You'll need a wall you can mark on with a piece of chalk.
Stand with the wall at your side and the chalk in the hand that's next to the wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or at whatever width feels comfortable. Dip down by bending your knees and hips, jump straight up as high as you can with your arm extended upward, and mark the wall at the top of your reach. Make three marks, resting a few seconds between jumps.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
Record your highest vertical jump below. Then follow the plan on the next page and retest yourself after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks. Go to MensHealth.com/poster to compare your improvement with that of other Men's Health readers.
START [HEIGHT IN INCHES]
WEEK 2 [HEIGHT IN INCHES]
FINISH [HEIGHT IN INCHES]
YOUR GOAL: ELEVATE YOUR GAME
Your Time: 30 Minutes
Just like a protein shake, an effective sports workout depends on the right blend of ingredients. That's why this workout emphasizes four different types of exercises: explosive, knee-dominant, hip-dominant, and functional. Explosive movements improve your ability to generate power; knee-dominant exercises train your front thigh muscles; hip-dominant exercises strengthen your hamstrings, gluteal muscles, and lower back; and functional moves allow you to twist, turn, and balance. Together, they give you an edge: "The athlete who can react explosively and move efficiently in all directions finishes first every time," says Robert dos Remedios, M.A., C.S.C.S., director of speed, strength, and conditioning at College of the Canyons, in Santa Clarita, California.
Follow dos Remedios's workout plan on the back of this poster, alternating between Workout A and Workout B. Do three workouts a week and rest at least a day between sessions -- so you might do Workout A on Monday, Workout B on Wednesday, and Workout A on Friday, then B, A, and B the following week. Perform each exercise for the specified number of sets and repetitions, and rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
WORKOUT A
1. Clean Pull (explosive exercise)
Load a barbell and roll it to your shins. Grab the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing you) and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back flat and arms straight, squeeze your glutes as you straighten your legs, rise onto your toes, and shrug your shoulders. Pause, then lower the bar to the floor.
The plan: Perform four sets of five repetitions in weeks 1 and 3. In weeks 2 and 4, do four sets, decreasing your repetitions and increasing the weight each set so that you do five reps in your first set, four in your second, three in your third, and two in your fourth.
2. Curtsy Lunge (knee-dominant exercise)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keeping your hips facing forward, step back with your right foot and place it to the left of your left leg as you bend your knees, lowering your body. Push up to the starting position and repeat with your left leg back. That's one repetition.
The plan: Do three sets of 10 repetitions in weeks 1 and 3. In weeks 2 and 4, do four sets of five reps.
3. Good Morning (hip-dominant exercise)
Stand with a light barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keep a slight bend in your knees and maintain a slight arch in your back throughout the move. Push your butt back and bend forward at the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor. Contract your glutes, push your hips forward, and raise your torso to return to the starting position.
The plan: Perform three sets of 10 repetitions in weeks 1 and 3. In weeks 2 and 4, do four sets of five reps.
4. Woodchopper (functional exercise)
Attach a rope handle to a high-pulley cable. Stand with your left side toward the weight stack and your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Grab the rope with both hands. Keeping your arms straight, bend your knees as you pull the handle down and across your body until your hands reach the outside of your right lower leg. Reverse the motion and finish your reps before switching sides and repeating the move.
The plan: Do three sets of 10 repetitions in week 1, four sets of 10 reps in weeks 2 and 4, and five sets of five in week 3.
WORKOUT B
1. Dumbbell Jump Squat (explosive exercise)
Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and hold a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then bend forward slightly at the hips so your shoulders move in front of your feet. Push off the floor explosively to jump straight up as high as possible. Land with your knees soft and immediately sink down into your next squat.
The plan: Do four sets of five repetitions in weeks 1 and 3, and four sets of eight reps in weeks 2 and 4.
2. Front Squat (knee-dominant exercise)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab a bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Bring your elbows forward so your palms face up, your upper arms are parallel to the floor, and the bar rests across the front of your shoulders. Keeping your elbows high, initiate the move by pushing your hips back. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause, then press yourself back up to a standing position.
The plan: In weeks 1 and 3, do four sets of five repetitions, and in weeks 2 and 4, do four sets of eight reps.
3. Single-Leg, Single-Arm Romanian Deadlift (hip-dominant exercise)
Stand holding a dumbbell in your right hand at arm's length in front of your right thigh. Lift your right foot off the floor. Keeping your knees slightly bent and your back flat, push your hips back to lower the weight toward the floor. Pause when your torso is as close to parallel to the floor as you can go without rounding your back, then push your hips forward to return to a standing position. Complete your repetitions on that leg, then switch sides and repeat.
The plan: Do four sets of five repetitions in weeks 1 and 3, and four sets of eight reps in weeks 2 and 4.
4. Barbell Torque (functional exercise)
Load a barbell lightly on one end. Wrap the other end in a towel and place it in the corner of a room, wedged under a bench, or between the heels of a workout partner. Stand facing the loaded end (with the bar pointing toward you) and hold the bar in front of your face. Keeping your arms straight, pivot your feet and torso as you bend at the knees to move the near end of the bar down and across your body toward the floor. Reverse the motion to lift the bar back up, then repeat to the opposite side. That's one repetition.
The plan: Perform four sets of 10 repetitions in weeks 1 and 3, and four sets of five reps in weeks 2 and 4
Workout by: Myatt Murphy
