THE
FOOTBALLER
PHYSIQUE
BECOME ELITE
THE FOOTBALLER PHYSIQUE
Created, written, and designed by
MATT SHELDON
COPYRIGHT Notice
No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever,
electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author. All copyrights are reserved.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only. I am not a
doctor and this is not meant to be taken as medical advice. The information provided
in this guide is based upon my experiences as well as my interpretations of the
current research available. The advice and tips given in this download are meant for
healthy adults only. You should consult your physician to ensure tips given in this
course are appropriate for your individual circumstances. If you have any health
issues or pre-existing conditions, please consult with your physician before implementing any of the information provided below. This product is for informational
purposes only and the author does not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities.
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Table of contents
Page
Content
1-2
3
4
5-8
Title Pages
Disclaimer Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
9-12
13-19
20-21
22-26
27-32
33-44
45-50
51-55
56-59
60-70
71-72
73-78
79-81
82-92
93-98
99-100
101
102-114
115-127
128-140
141-155
156-170
171-179
180-192
193-216
217-224
My Story
Common Misconceptions
Is This Program for Girls?
Diet Basics
Determining Your Needs
Calculating Your Needs
Creating a Meal Plan
Sample Meal Plans
Snacks and Cheat Meals
Supplement Review
Cardio Overview
Stretching Overview
Workout Philosophy
Training Style Overview
Training Customization
Program Overview
FAQs
General Focus Program
Functional Focus Program
Power Focus Program
Hypertrophy Focus Program
Shred Focus Program
Maintenance Focus Program
Bodyweight Focus Program
Gym Exercise Glossary
Fitness Exercise Glossary
Introduction
What is a football physique?
A “physique” is the form, size, and development of an individual’s body. A football
physique is the form, size, and development of an individual’s body with the specific
aim to perform at the highest possible level on the football pitch. The goal should be
to develop a strong, powerful, and athletic build in a lean and lightweight frame to
maintain agility and the ability to perform over 90+ minutes. The goal of this program
is to give you the information and tools needed to do so.
Who is this program intended for?
This program is intended for any player that believes they can improve their overall
game by either cutting down excess fat/weight, increasing lean muscle mass, developing fast-twitch muscle fibers, and/or improving muscular endurance. These workout programs, diet techniques, and exercises are the exact same procedures that I
have been doing my entire football career. I started performing bodyweight training
programs at age 10 and have progressed and experimented with hundreds of different styles of dieting, plyometric training, cardio training, and resistance programming on my journey to the professional level. I have learned every step of the way
and now I want to share my 15+ years of research and knowledge.
Why is it important to develop a football physique?
As you progress higher and higher in the world of football you will not only face more
skilled and tactically intelligent players, but you will also notice that the players‘
overall size, athleticism, speed, strength, and stamina will increase tremendously as
well. Just look at the physicality of the top leagues in the world and compare the
average player’s body and strength to the average youth player’s body and strength.
Developing a proper football physique combined with technical and tactical skills will
greatly help your chances of pushing up to the professional level. In addition, the
exercises and diet information in this booklet is not only important for performance,
but also critical for injury prevention.
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How to use this program
Informational overload
This program is structured slightly different than my other programs. This is because developing a
physique and understanding nutrition requires a more tailored approach. Each person has a unique
set of internal and external requirements, so one universal program would not suffice. For example,
the same 2,750 calorie diet plan could make one person gain weight, and another person lose
weight. This is why it is crucial to learn how to accurately calculate what your own body needs. This
booklet has about 100 pages of information before we even get into the actual programming. However, I don’t want you to get overwhelmed by the amount of material and have that discourage you from
starting. Despite all the technical jargon, calculations, and info, it really is quite simple. Simply, follow
these four steps below:
Step 1
Envision what your specific vision for your body is and determine clear-cut goals. (Pp. 28-32)
Step 2
Calculate your daily required calories and macros according to your goals, then develop a general
diet plan that fits those calories and macros. (Pp. 34-50)
Step 3
Understand that nutrition is the most important aspect of developing your goal physique (i.e. losing
weight, gaining weight, etc.) and that your training style is mainly used to achieve your performance
goals (i.e. getting stronger, fitter, etc.). Next, adopt the training style that fits your performance goals.
(Pp. 72 & 83-98)
Step 4
Realize that no diet plan or training regimen will work in less than 4 weeks. Stick with your diet and
workout plan for a minimum of 6-8 weeks, after that feel free to re-evaluate your situation and goals.
My goal
My goal for this program is to get you to understand the difference between constructing your
goal physique and training for your performance on the field and then utilize both aspects to create a
physique that will not only look good, but perform at the highest possible level.
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Brief Summary
There is no quick and easy route
This book explores complex topics that might confuse even a well versed athlete. Moreover, there are many
misconceptions in the nutrition and fitness world that are frequently exploited by large resources. For example,
how many times have you read the phrase, “The Top Fat Burning Foods” or “The Best Exercises to Burn Belly
Fat!” These titles are misleading. There are no such things as fat-burning foods; the only proven agent of fat loss
is a caloric deficit. And there are certainly no exercises to target “belly fat”. When fat is burned through a caloric
deficit it is burned equally throughout your entire body. Unfortunately, those titles grab attention, encourage
clicks, receive views, and as a result, generate money. These myths are then further pushed to the general public
by companies looking to make more money and we enter a vicious cycle of misinformation.
This book will breakdown myths and show you the facts and proven methods to build a physique. These methods
are not exciting, they take time, and they can appear very complicated on the surface; but to help you better
understand how the body works, I like to use the following analogy.
Imagine your body as a Ferrari
Imagine your body as a Ferrari. It is a machine. You want your body to not only look like a sleek race car, but also
perform like one. Contrary to popular belief, getting your body to perform at the highest level is a separate process
from getting your body to look it’s best. Now, they are similar and can be done simultaneously (and should be
done simultaneously), but you need to be aware that you are doing two separate processes.
The Body - If we only want to build a body that looks good, then the only thing we need to concentrate on is
general resistant training to tear muscle fibers and consuming our required macro-nutrients. Simply doing just
these two things we can sculpt a body that LOOKS like Cristiano Ronaldo’s. Interestingly enough, we can actually
sculpt this body regardless of the quality of food that we are consuming. Our body constructs itself on the general
premise that a carb is a carb, a protein is a protein, and a fat is a fat. Consuming candy, McDonald’s hamburgers, and Oreos in the right macro-nutrient levels of protein, carbs, and fats can result in a sculpted physique.
Theoretically you would look great on the outside, but it’s important to note that you would not be operating at the
optimal level on the inside. Essentially you would be building a ferrari with a terrible engine.
The Performance - If we are only concerned about our performance on the field, becoming healthy internally,
and rebuilding our muscles after games or trainings, then our focus would be on eating natural, raw, macro and
micro-nutrient dense foods as well as doing functional training in the gym. For example, the simple carbs from a
gummy worm won’t give us the long-lasting glycogen that fuels our body in tomorrow’s match like the complex
carbs from brown rice. The same way that a stability exercise on a Bosu Ball won’t be the best way to build
muscle in your legs, but it is an invaluable exercise for footballers to prevent injuries on the field. Solely aiming for
performance you would be constructing an engine of the Ferrari with less focus on the body.
Combining the processes of hitting our macro-nutrient goals, WHILE ALSO making sure the foods are healthy and
micronutrient dense, is the aim of the nutrition portion of this program. Combining the processes of doing soccer
specific training that helps us perform on the field, WHILE ALSO tearing the muscle fibers for growth, is the aim of
the training portion of this program.
We will create the complete Ferrari. We will create the Footballer Physique.
7
Priorities
In Order of importance
Most
Technical skills
Tactical IQ
Mindset
Least
Physique
Fitness
Training Hierarchy
I am a firm believer that developing a football physique is an incredibly important
aspect in becoming a high level player (hence this book). In fact, all of the aspects listed
above are of high importance, but there is a training hierarchy:
1. TECHNICAL SKILLS: The most important aspect to becoming a professional soccer
player. This includes skills such as dribbling, passing, first touch, shooting, etc.
2. TACTICAL IQ: Defined as your knowledge of the game such as positioning, movements,
combination play, decision making, etc.
3. MINDSET: Comprised of mental toughness, coach-ability, work ethic, dedication, etc.
4. PHYSIQUE: Your athleticism, body composition, strength, speed, etc.
4. FITNESS: Your stamina, endurance, or your ability to perform over a 90 minute game.
There is a reason why you find players like Neymar, Di Maria, or Mahrez tearing apart
defenses and competing at the highest level of professional football, while not having the
most impressive physiques, but you will never find a high level player who has an impressive
physique with poor technical or tactical skills. I have used top ranking professional players
on the pitch today to determine the hierarchy of training importance. Technical and fundamental skills will always come before building a physique like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth
Bale, etc. But when used strategically, a sculpted physique can definitely elevate your
performance on the field.
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MY story
My story
TOO SKINNY, TOO SMALL, TOO WEAK
Ages 0-9: Undersized
I was always an undersized kid. I remember getting check-ups with my doctor and
constantly hearing about how I was at the lower end of the spectrum for height and
weight for boys my age. My Mom and Dad actually held me back in pre-school an
additional year just because of my size. I remember being pushed around a lot
during this time and feeling frustrated with how weak and small I felt in comparison
to the other kids. I knew I wanted to get bigger, but I didn’t know how.
Ages 10-12: Bodyweight Training
As I progressed into higher level club teams, my size started to feel like a real
disadvantage on the field. I asked my Dad how to get stronger and build lean
muscle. He told me to start doing push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups every night. I
taped a piece of paper to my wall and most nights I would do a bodyweight circuit in
my room and record how many sets and reps of push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups I
could complete. I started to notice my strength slowly improve over time; I went from
struggling to complete 10-12 reps of push-ups to easily performing 30. I felt stronger, more confident, and I started mastering the basics of exercising, but most
importantly I realized that dedicated training and effort lead to physical improvement.
Age 13: education
I was about to enter high school the following year, which meant trying out for
varsity soccer against full grown 17-18 year old men. Despite gaining strength, I was
still very small. At age 13, I was 5’2” (157 cm) and 95 lbs (43 kgs) and I knew that
there was no way I was going to be able to perform at the next level at my current
size. I knew I had to join a gym and start weightlifting, but my gym didn’t allow kids in
the weightlifting section until age 14, so I started to research online about the
science behind getting bigger, stronger, and faster. I went into bookstores and
bought book after book about developing an athletic physique. It became my obsession to learn every single thing that I possibly could about the body.
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I continued to do bodyweight training in my room most nights and I continued to
focus on my technical soccer skills in training and on my own either in my living
room, garage, or yard. I was inspired by players like Ronaldo who started off their
career being told they were too skinny then went on to develop incredible physiques.
I thought that if I could combine my technical skills with a stronger and bigger physique, I could dominate at my current level.
Ages 14-16: Trial and error
When I finally turned 14, the first thing I did was upgrade my junior membership at
the gym to the full blown membership with access to the weights. I went in and
immediately started implementing what I had researched over the last year. I tried to
be a sponge and learn everything from any source that I could. I experimented with
power-lifting movements, Olympic lifts, hypertrophy training, circuit style workouts,
calisthenics, functional training, yoga, etc. I tried to train with and under the supervision of as many knowledgeable people that I could. I spent 3 years slowly developing and learning what to do and what not to do. I made a lot of mistakes, but each
week I felt bigger, stronger, and faster and it slowly started to translate to my
performance on the field.
Ages 17 - 20: Transformation
After 3 years of trial and error, I slowly started to develop an understanding for how
to build a strong, athletic, and powerful physique. By my late teens, it was clear
which methods delivered the best results.
I transformed from the skinny, undersized player to one of the bigger, stronger,
faster players on the team. I went from 5’6” (167 cm) and 115 lbs (52 kgs) at age 16
to 6’1” (185 cm) and 155 lbs (70 kgs) at age 18. As I continued to train my technical
and tactical skills and I found myself rapidly improving. I jumped from the B team of
my club and a bench warmer for my high school team to the captain, leading goal
scorer, and MVP of both teams. My performance there led to scholarship offers from
Oregon State, Gonzaga, and University of California, Davis.
I ended up attending UC Davis where I continued to learn and develop. With the
help of collegiate nutritionists and strength coaches, I was getting stronger, faster,
and bigger than ever before. I soon became one of the stronger and more athletic
players on my collegiate team.
Size, speed, strength, and athleticism went from being my weaknesses to my
strengths. Then at the age of 21, for the first time in my life I was told that I was
getting too big...
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Ages 21-23: Overboard
At age 21, I was 6’1” (185 cm) and 175 lbs (80 kgs) and for the first time in my life I
was told that I was getting too big. I just ignored it. My whole life was about developing technically on the field and getting bigger and stronger in the gym. Instead of
taking a step back and looking at my physique, I just blindly kept pushing for more,
more, more. I was past the point of developing an athletic physique, I was becoming
a bodybuilder. Interestingly enough, I actually felt the most athletic I had ever felt in
my life, but I just didn’t feel like a footballer. I was lifting hundreds of pounds in the
gym and pushing my lifting schedule to 6-7 days a week which ended up putting
excess stress on my muscles and joints. I started relying on my strength and speed
versus my skills, I spent most of my days tracking my macros to the dot, and I started picking up annoying injuries or pains from lifting too heavy too often.
I finally progressed to my all-time heaviest weight of 183 lbs (83 kgs) when I finally
stepped back and realized that I was big enough. I was athletic enough. I was
strong enough. I stopped and asked myself if my goal was to become a bodybuilder, Olympic sprinter, or American Football Player, or if my goal was to become a
professional soccer player.
For the first time in my life, I stopped the constant progression and focused on
cutting excess weight and muscle to drop down to my preferred football playing
weight of 165-170 lbs (75-77 kgs).
Ages 24 +: Balance
By age 24, I was entering my second professional soccer season in the USL and I
began to scale back the weightlifting. I continued to work out 4-5x a week and still lift
moderately heavy in bigger compound lifts, but I did not focus as much on progression of strength or size.
I feel that I currently sit at the perfect playing weight for my game. I feel strong,
athletic, and powerful without devoting hours and hours in the gym or force-feeding
myself protein. I am now in the stage of lengthening my career as my body starts to
age. I continue weightlifting to keep my body balanced, strong, and injury free. I
stretch and do yoga 4+ times a week, and I am in a caloric maintenance phase to
prevent weight loss or weight gain.
I have spent years of developing the optimal football physique. Now that I have
reached this point, I plan on staying here for years to come. I am at equilibrium.
12
Common misconceptions
Common Misconceptions
MYTH: Weightlifting stunts growth
This is the biggest misconception regarding weightlifting in your adolescent and teenage years, yet
there is not one study that shows weightlifting inhibits or stunts growth. In the past, people used to
believe the gravitational effects of lifting heavy weights would compress the epiphyseal plate (commonly referred to as the growth plate) of younger athletes halting the growth process. However, this
has been proven to be false.
The only way to truly damage the epiphyseal plate is through significant
trauma such as a fracture or break of the bone. Weightlifting is actually
much safer than contact sports as more broken/fractured bones are
reported from soccer, basketball, football, baseball, rugby, etc. than
weightlifting. Even if you were to get unlucky and break a bone across
the epiphyseal plate, 85% of fractures of the growth plate end up
healing perfectly fine with no inhibition of growth at all.
The American Association Of Pediatrics has stated that, “Appropriate
strength training programs have no apparent adverse effect on linear
growth, growth plates, or the cardiovascular system.”
Another study titled “Strength Training in Children and
Adolescents” reviewed relevant studies dating all the way
back from 1980 up to 2008 and concluded, “Strength training,
when performed in a controlled, supervised environment, can
help children and adolescents of all athletic abilities safely
improve their strength and overall health and well-being.”
epiphyseal plate
Yet another review in the Clinical Journal Of Sports Medicine, titled “Weight Training In Youth:
Growth, Maturation, And Safety”, looked at 22 reports dealing with resistance training programs in
young lifters and stated, “Experimental training protocols with weights and resistance machines and
with supervision and low instructor/participant ratios are relatively safe and do not negatively impact
growth and maturation of pre and early-pubertal youth.”
Having said this, weightlifting is not completely risk free. I suggest learning the basic movements of
exercise through bodyweight training for at least a year. Then, when you choose to start lifting weights
make sure to seek guidance from qualified individuals. Use light weights when learning the technique
and progressively increase the weight over time. Lastly, do not perform one rep max lifts for at least a
year until you have mastered the proper form, as any slight break down in form can lead to a serious
injury when performing at maximum exertion.
14
Common Misconceptions
MYTH: Low reps + Heavy Weight leads to Bulkiness
This is a huge misconception around weightlifting, especially in the soccer world where huge muscles
are typically frowned upon. The ideal physique is strong, yet lean to meet the demands of today’s 90
minute fast-paced game. For whatever reason, there is a myth that lifting heavier weight for lower reps
will get you “big and bulky like a bodybuilder”, while lifting lighter weight for higher reps will “tone your
muscles”. Because of this myth, soccer players commonly tend to focus on lightweight, high rep workouts.
In reality, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the huge bodybuilders you see today rarely perform exercises
for less than 8 reps in order to get the most volume they possibly can in their workouts. Bodybuilders
strive to be in the 8-12 range and often do sets of 15, 20, and even 30 reps. However, the huge powerlifters and strongmen that you see lifting 1,000 pounds for deadlifts are even bigger than bodybuilders,
but they rarely go above 8 reps. So which is it? Which rep range makes you big and bulky and which
rep range makes you lean and cut?
It turns out, none of the above... There has been little evidence to show that there is any difference at all
in terms of repetition range in relation to cross sectional area growth of the muscle. Basically, the actual
rep range you choose to lift whether it is 1-6, 6-12, 12-20 really doesn't have much of an effect on
muscle growth. What determines your muscle’s growth is the total volume or total number of sets, reps,
and exercises that you put your muscle through in an entire workout, and most importantly your diet. It is
incredibly hard to put on muscle mass. Strongmen, powerlifters, and bodybuilders have to not only train
incredibly hard, be blessed with wonderful mesomorph genetics, have a little extra help from PED’s
such as steroids and HGH, but also eat an incredible amount as well.
So what should we do as footballers?
Well, there are benefits to all rep ranges. Lower rep ranges help improve explosive power, speed, and
strength; higher rep ranges are terrific for muscle endurance and stamina; and mid rep ranges combine
aspects from both and are great for total training volume. We then add a lean footballer’s diet to stay
strong, yet cut to develop a footballer’s physique.
Gerald T Mangine,1 Jay R Hoffman,1 Adam M Gonzalez, etc. “The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular
strength and size in resistance-trained men” Physiological Reports
15
Common Misconceptions
MYTH: Weightlifting makes you slower and less agile
The next misconception that I want to talk about is the relation between weightlifting and speed/agility. Now to an extent, it is true that the more mass you accumulate the more weight you have to carry.
Once you cross the threshold of building a strong, athletic physique to building as much muscle mass
as possible, then the extra muscle mass will slow you down. It will start to act as unnecessary extra
weight. Imagine trying to sprint down a field while wearing a 20 lb weighted vest. It slows you down.
However, the extra weight you add, up to a certain point, isn’t necessarily useless. The muscle you
pack on up to a certain point can be used to push harder into the ground and can make you more
explosive.
Let’s take a look at the fastest people on the planet... Olympic 100m Sprinters. Look up Yohan Blake,
Justin Gatlin, Usain Bolt, and Tyson Gay on Google images. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see
that they have built incredibly muscular physiques. This is because sprint speed is a combination of
high speed foot turnover and force applied into the ground. In fact, these sprinters have been shown
to put as much as 5x their bodyweight of force in to the ground when running at top speed. Read that
sentence again... 5x their bodyweight of force into the ground. I weigh 170 lbs, that means to run at
the speeds they do I would need to be able to exert 850 lbs of force into the ground while running.
In fact, in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research researchers tested 1 rep max for squat
as a ratio to bodyweight and compared that ratio to sprint times in the 40, 20, and 10 yard dash. They
found that, “the strength of the lower-body musculature appears to play a role in maximal sprinting
velocity. The data from this investigation further supports the concept of maximizing lower-body
strength to improve sprinting ability in athletes.” Now, notice they chose squat to bodyweight ratio.
The stronger you become as a ratio to your bodyweight led to the fastest sprinters. They found that
the ideal ratio of 1 rep max squat to bodyweight was about 2 to 1. This implies that if you weigh 150
lbs you’d be your fastest if your 1 rep max for squat was 300 lbs.
Figure 1.1
Figure 1.2
Figure 1.3
Figure 1.1-1.3: McBride, Jeffrey M; Blow, Daniel; etc. “Relationship Between Maximal Squat Strength and Five, Ten, and Forty Yard Sprint
Times” British Journal of Sports Medicine. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research
16
Common Misconceptions
MYTH: Weightlifting makes you slower and less agile
(Continued)
Now, should we aim to accomplish this strength and physique as footballers?
Well, it’s a balance. There are huge benefits to being fast while playing football. Look at some of the
top players in the world: Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Bale, etc. They are incredibly fast over 40 yards.
However, soccer players need to also run for 90+ minutes opposed to just 10 seconds. Carrying an
extra 50 lbs of muscle over 90 minutes would be exhausting. The goal of players should be to get
strong and powerful while maintaining a lighter bodyweight.
In the British Journal of Sports
Medicine, they tested the
maximal strength in half squats
and sprinting ability (0–30 m
and 10 m shuttle run sprint) and
vertical jumping height of
seventeen international male
soccer players with a mean age
of 35 and found a, “strong
correlation between maximal
strength in half squats and
sprint performance and jumping
height” and that “Maximal
strength in half squats determined the sprint performance in
these elite soccer players.
Strong correlations are evident
in all aspects of 0–30 m sprints
as well as the 10 m shuttle run
Figure 2
test and jumping height. The
players with a high level of
strength in this team had used a training regimen with few repetitions, high loads, and emphasis on
maximal mobilization of force in the concentric part of the half squat.”
Over and over again, the research indicates that the stronger you are, the faster you will be and that
the emphasis of speed training should be on low rep, high weight, power workouts. The idea that
weightlifting will slow you down is only true once you pass the threshold of the 2 to 1 squat to bodyweight ratio. Under/over that ratio and you will not be at your fastest. Weightlifting doesn’t slow you
down... It speeds you up.
This book’s goal is to show you how to apply the right diet and training to build a lightweight, yet
powerful frame to reach your maximum potential as a footballer.
Figure 2: U Wisløff, C Castagna, J Helgerud, R Jones, J Hoff, “Strong correlation of maximal squat strength with sprint performance a
nd vertical jump height in elite soccer players” British Journal of Sports Medicine.
17
Common Misconceptions
MYTH: Fat burning vs muscle building foods
First off, there are some positives to this misconception. The “fat-burning” and “muscle building” foods
that usually make these lists are generally healthy and should be added to your diet. They are usually
lean sources of protein, have nice macro-nutrient numbers, generally have good micro-nutrients, and to
be honest are usually great foods to structure a fat loss or muscle building diet around. However, the
claims that certain foods will kick start your metabolism to burn fat or increase testosterone in order to
build muscle are false and the general idea that is being promoted that the quality of food determines
your weight is completely misleading.
The quality of food has nothing to do with whether or not you gain or lose weight... It is the quantity of
food. Now, I believe that whether you are trying to gain or lose weight you should structure your diet
around eating the right quantity of food AND making sure that majority of those calories are healthy and
from quality food sources, but you need to understand that calories-in versus calories-out is the main
determinant of whether you lose or gain weight.
Elizabeth Pivonka, PhD, president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation and Registered Dietitian
from WebMD states, “a calorie is a calorie, regardless of where it comes from. There are no foods
that increase your metabolic rate, or help you burn calories. Even if certain foods do increase your
metabolism, the amount is insignificant.”
Magee another RD from WebMD also states that, “[many people] often ignore the golden principle of
weight loss or weight gain: weight loss occurs in a caloric deficit and weight gain occurs in a
caloric surplus, regardless of the source of the calories. If you eat in a caloric surplus while eating
clean, you will gain weight and if you eat in a caloric deficit while eating unclean you will lose weight.”
In other words, your daily macro-nutrients are the main determinant in whether you lose fat or build
muscle. You could eat all of these healthy, fat-burning foods on that list, but if you eat too much of those
fat-burning foods and enter into a caloric maintenance or caloric surplus you won’t lose an ounce of
weight. You could also eat every single muscle building food on the list, but if you are not eating enough
to put your body into a caloric surplus you won’t have enough nutrients coming into your body to build
even an ounce of muscle.
If your goal is weight loss or weight gain, then calories-in versus calories-out should be your main focus
point.
As previously mentioned, my intention is not to completely discredit these healthy foods. My intention is
to make clear that the quality of calories is not the main determinant in cutting fat or gaining muscle, the
quantity of calories is.
18
Common Misconceptions
Lean muscle vs. Bulky muscle
Yes, there are individuals that look bulky and there are individuals that look lean, but there is
absolutely no difference between the make-up of their muscle fibers at a molecular level.
Muscle fibers all work and grow in the same way. When they undergo stress, they tear at a
microscopic level, then the protein that you’ve consumed is used to repair the muscle bigger
and stronger. The muscle fibers either grow larger, maintain at same size, or atrophy and
become smaller based upon your workouts and diet. There is no such thing as workouts that
create bulky muscle fibers, lean muscle fibers, or toned muscle fibers; what determines if
you look bulky or lean is the size of which you grow the muscle and the fat that covers the
muscle.
For example, Cristiano Ronaldo is incredibly lean, but his actual muscle fibers are the exact
same muscle fibers that Arnold Schwarzenegger had at his prime and the exact same
muscle fibers that you have right now. The only difference is the varying size.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a moderate to high amount of muscle on his body with incredibly low
body fat percentage. Arnold Schwarzenegger had an extremely high amount of muscle on
his body with a low body fat percentage. American Football Players or huge powerlifters that
look bulky or even fat tend to have extremely high amounts of muscle and moderate to high
amounts of fat. Players like Iniesta have low to moderate amounts of muscle with low to
moderate amounts of fat. Players like Neymar have low amounts of muscle and low amounts
of fat.
Low Muscle
Moderate Fat
Moderate Muscle
Low Fat
Moderate Muscle
Moderate Fat
Your “leanness” and “bulkiness” is determined based upon your underlying muscle size and
amount of body fat. To get that Cristiano Ronaldo lean, but strong look, you must grow the
muscle to a moderate to high level while also maintaining a very low body fat percentage,
but you don’t have to develop “lean” muscle fibers instead of “bulky” muscle fibers or alter
your workouts in any specific way.
19
Can a girl use this?
Can a girl use this?
Can a girl use this program?
First off, I completely understand that most girls don’t want to look like Cristiano Ronaldo. I understand
that most girls don’t want to end up looking bulky and have big muscles popping out, but that’s just
not how nutrition and our bodies work.
The intention for this program is to inform athletes about proper nutrition and how to increase muscle
mass and decrease body fat to a size and proportion that you think is ideal for football. The main idea
behind this program is that if you want to lose fat or a combo of fat and muscle you’ll enter into a
caloric deficit, if you want to gain muscle or weight in general you’ll enter into caloric surplus, and if
you want to maintain your current bodyweight, you’ll stay in a caloric maintenance. All of these
principles still apply whether you are a girl or a boy.
What is different about girls and guys in regards to sculpting a football physique is the natural testosterone level in the body and the amount of fat our bodies naturally carry. Girls have lower levels of
testosterone than guys, especially post-puberty. Testosterone is a key determinant in the amount of
muscle our body can put on (this is why bodybuilders usually inject additional testosterone into their
bodies). So from a biological standpoint, girls will have much more difficulty putting on the same
amount of muscle than her male counterpart from the exact same workout and diet program. Girls
also naturally carry a higher level of fat than guys, which makes it much more difficult for a girl to
develop a shredded physique like that of Cristiano Ronaldo.
So, what does this mean?
This means that as a girl you will utilize this program the exact same way that a guy utilizes this
program. You will find a female professional footballer who has a body that you want to emulate and
you will compare her body to yours.
You will gauge whether you need to cut fat, gain muscle, gain size in general, lose size in general or
do some combination of the four and you will develop a nutritional plan accordingly. Your meal plan
will still be based off the basics of a caloric deficit to cut weight, caloric surplus to gain weight, and a
caloric maintenance to maintain weight, but the calculations will just be slightly different for your
specific body.
In terms of the weightlifting and fitness programs, you should understand that women’s professional
teams usually do the exact same exercises and routines the men’s professional teams do. You just
have to realize that in terms of building muscle and gaining strength you are genetically at a disadvantage.
The idea that if a girl touches a dumbbell or does a similar workout program to a guy will mean she
turns into a female bodybuilder is completely wrong. Your goal should be to develop an ideal female
football physique using the exact same principles and tactics that are described in this booklet.
21
Diet basics
Diet Basics
General Diet
In this book, I want to assume that you know the basics of what makes up a healthy
diet. I don’t want to go in depth about why potato chips aren’t as good as an apple. I
don’t want to spend my time (or yours) talking about how athletes should eat food
rich in protein because it builds up muscle, because all that stuff can easily be found
online anywhere. I want this book to cover more advanced topics. I want you to feel
like you really gained knowledge from this book and have learned something you
didn’t already know. I will briefly go over the basics of a diet, but I will quickly be
moving on to the advanced topics such as calculating macros for your specific age,
goals, and body. If you do not know the very basics of nutrition, then I suggest you
spend some time researching on your own before progressing much further in this
book.
All general diet information about what’s healthy and what’s not can be summed up
in one sentence: focus on real, whole foods.
Focus on real, whole foods
Lean sources
of protein
Unsaturated
fats
Complex
carbs
Organic chicken,
turkey, beans,
tuna, eggs,
shrimp, tilapia,
tofu, salmon, lean
ground beef, etc.
Olive oil, mixed
nuts, fish oils such
as salmon, avocados, peanut butter,
sunflower oil,
seeds, etc.
Green vegetables,
whole-grain products, brown rice,
quinoa, sweet
potatoes, beans,
lentils, peas, etc.
FRUITS AND
VEGGIES
water
Pretty self-explan- NOT FRUIT JUICE
atory, but apples,
bananas, broccoli,
asparagus, pears,
zucchini, etc.
23
Diet Basics
FOOD = Calories
CALOries are a unit of energy. Food is energy for our bodies to
function.
Calories
Calories can be broken up into macro and micronutrients
Macronutrients
Micronutrients
required in relatively large amounts
required in trace amounts by organisms
WAter
Protein
Fats
Carbs
VItamins
Minerals
Water: Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues to help regulate its temperature
and maintain other bodily functions.
Protein: Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make
enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones,
muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
Fats: Your body uses fats for a multitude of purposes from providing energy to producing
hormones. You wouldn't be able to digest and absorb food properly without lipids (fats).
Carbs: Your body’s digestive system changes carbohydrates into glucose, also known as blood
sugar. Some glucose is used for energy and the rest is stored in the liver and muscles for later
use.
Vitamins + Minerals: Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients—because
acting in concert, they perform hundreds of roles in the body. They help shore up bones, heal
wounds, and bolster your immune system. They also convert food into energy, and repair cellular damage.
24
WAter
How much water should I drink?
Unfortunately, there is not a concrete answer that can be given and any resource that states exactly
how much water you should drink every day is giving you a general guideline based on everyone as a
whole in standard conditions. In reality, hydration needs are dependent on an incredible amount of
variables and even with set conditions, the amount of water required varies from person to person.
One general guideline from The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following
amounts for the maintenance of optimal hydration during exercise/competition:
Before Exercise: 16-20 ounces within the two-hour period prior to exercise.
During Exercise: 4-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes during exercise.
Post Exercise: Replace 24 ounces for every one pound of body weight lost
during exercise.
However, these numbers might be too low for you as an individual or for your environment... or
they could easily be too high. I have teammates who drink bottles and bottles of water before their
games and I have teammates who just have a single glass of water before a game. I have teammates
who are drenched in sweat after the warm-up and I have teammates who barely break a sweat even
in 90 degree heat. I usually fall in the latter of both categories and I have found that I don’t need to
consume as much water as other people. If I drink too much water I get bloated, full, and I feel
sluggish. I easily get to the point where you feel heavy as if water is sloshing around in your stomach.
My recommendation is to test out varying amounts of water before, during, and after matches and
find what side of the spectrum you tend to fall on. Then, alter your water intake slightly based on the
weather and other varying conditions.
Overhydration
Have you heard that you should drink water even when you’re not thirsty
and/or until pee is completely clear?
Well, drinking so much water that the pigment urochrome, which normally gives
pee its yellow color, isn't visible means that your electrolyte levels could be out
of sync. Hydration is a good thing, but over-hydration isn't — especially over
long periods of time. You could even end up with hyponatremia, or abnormally
low sodium levels, which comes with nasty symptoms like nausea, headaches,
muscle cramps, extreme fatigue, and eventually even seizures and coma. Your
urine can be a very pale, straw-like, yellow, a "baby" yellow, or a slightly darker
yellow.
25
Alcohol
In short, the consumption of alcohol is detrimental for athletic performance and recovery. Consumption of alcohol by athletes should generally be avoided.
Alcohol and its effect on athletic performance
First and foremost, I would hope that nobody would ever think of drinking alcohol
before or during exercise/training/competition, but it is good to know how alcohol
effects your body.
Alcohol is detrimental to athletic performance in two ways:
1. Alcohol is a diuretic and leads to dehydration once it is consumed because it
suppresses the release of arginine vasopressin or anti-diuretic hormone (ADH); this hormone allows
your kidneys to return water to your bloodstream. The effect is also additive, so drinking more alcohol
increases the level of dehydration. You need to be hydrated when you exercise to maintain the flow of
blood through your body, which is essential for circulating oxygen and nutrients to your muscles.
2. Secondly, alcohol interferes with the way your body makes energy. When you consume alcohol, the
liver has to work harder to break it down, which in turn means the liver cannot produce enough
glucose. The lower production of glucose leads to lower blood sugar levels. Exercise requires high
levels of sugar to give you energy. If your body is forced to run from your supplies of fat rather than
blood sugar, you will be slower and have less energy and won’t be able to exercise as intensely.
Alcohol and its effect on the body
Alcohol is extremely high in calories; there are seven calories in a single gram of alcohol; that is
almost as much as a gram of pure fat. If your goal is to maintain your current weight or lose weight,
then the consumption of empty, liquid calories from alcohol goes 100% against your goals. Alcohol
can also slow down the amount of calories you’re able to burn through exercise. It has this affect,
because your body isn’t designed to store alcohol, it tries to expel it as quickly as possible which can
take precedence over other processes such as absorbing nutrients in food and burning fat.
Even if you are trying to gain muscle, alcohol can slow down your progress. Alcohol can negatively
affect sleep patterns disrupting the release of important growth hormones (which are vital for muscle
growth). Drinking alcohol to excess can even poison muscle fibers which means they don’t adapt like
they should for up to three days after consumption.
Lastly, alcohol can increase recovery times from injuries. Alcohol causes the blood vessels in the
skin, arms and legs to open up increasing blood supply to your extremities. This makes an injury
bleed and swell even more than it normally would which can add on days or even weeks to the
recovery process.
26
Determining your needs
Compare to the pros
how Do I start?
Ok, so now you’ve got a very basic understanding of how you must construct a body
through the quantity of foods while fueling the body through the quality of foods, you
understand the basic misconceptions that most people have regarding diet and
training, you have done your own research to build a foundation of diet knowledge,
and you’re now ready for the next step. So, how do you start creating a diet plan and
workout program that‘s right for you?
The very first step that should be done before beginning to construct a diet plan or
workout program is to take a long hard look in the mirror. I know it might sound
funny, but one thing you should certainly do is compare your current body and
physique to that of a top player in a top league in the world. I highly suggest molding
your physique after players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos, Paul
Pogba, Alexis Sanchez, Toni Kroos, or countless others. Players such as Messi,
Iniesta, and Neymar are fantastic players, but they are fantastic players from their
technical ability and tactical knowledge of the game and while you should definitely
try to emulate those aspects of their game their physiques are definitely not something I would 100% strive for. My personal philosophy is to emulate the best points of
several players’ games. I want to develop Cristiano Ronaldo’s body and athleticism, I
want to develop Messi’s technical ability, I want to develop Pirlo’s passing and
vision, I want to develop Sergio Ramos’ defending and comfort on the ball under
pressure, and I want to develop Iniesta’s tactical IQ. Your strengths and weaknesses
will naturally develop over time, but never have the idea that just because Neymar
can get away with having an unimpressive physique that you should not try to develop yours.
Once you compare your body type to a goal physique you should ask yourself, “How
do I stack up? Are they stronger than me? Are they leaner than me? Do they have
more muscle mass than I have? Are their quads bigger than mine? Is their six-pack
more prominent than mine? Do I have more fat than they have?”
It sounds ridiculous, but you need to have a comparison to learn what is separating
your body from a pro’s body. I would always do this as a kid and would always find
that I had much less muscle mass and slightly more body fat than these top players.
By doing this analysis, I knew that my main physique goal was to increase muscle
mass by entering in some sort of muscle gain program. It helped set my goal.
28
Determining your goal
So you’ve taken this long hard look in the mirror and you’ll either fall into one of the
three categories.
I need to gain weight/muscle
You may or may not have some excess fat, but for the most part you are undersized.
You need to gain weight/muscle/strength in order to compete with the professional
footballers at the highest level. To accomplish your goal you will enter into what is
referred to as a caloric surplus. A caloric surplus just means that you will need to
consume more calories than you are burning every day. This surplus of calories will
force your body to start gaining weight. Now, we need to do this in a very specific
way or else you can easily put on the wrong kind of weight (fat). We want to gain
muscle while staying lean to get to the ideal soccer physique. We will go more in
depth on how to do this in the following pages.
I need to lose weight/fat
You may or may not need to gain some muscle, but for the most part you are oversized. You need to lose fat in order to compete with the professional footballers at
the highest level. To accomplish your goal you will enter into what is referred to as a
caloric deficit. A caloric deficit just means that you will need to consume less calories than you are burning every day. This deficit of calories will force your body to
start losing weight. Now again, we need to do this a very certain way or else you can
easily lose muscle without losing fat and enter a physique dubbed “Skinny Fat”. We
want to keep our muscle, while cutting fat to get to that ideal soccer physique. We
will go more in depth on how to do this in the following pages.
I need to do both
Now, I really urge you to pick a side. Even if you need to cut fat and gain muscle
determine what you need to do more of and focus on that. If you are a beginner you
can still build some muscle while cutting fat in a deficit and you can still cut some fat
when building muscle (this will get harder and harder as you progress and gain
experience). Choose a side, but if you really feel you are in the perfect weight range,
then enter into a maintenance phase by consuming similar calories to what you burn.
29
Muscle Gain
Dirty Bulking
Many of you have probably have heard of the term, “Bulking.” Bulking refers to
entering a caloric surplus in attempt to gain weight. However, what most of you
probably see is when people do what is called a “Dirty Bulk.” A dirty bulk is when
you consume anything and everything without any tracking of your macros and/or
regard to consuming healthier foods in the goal of putting on as much mass as
possible. You don’t care if what you are putting on is muscle or fat you just want to
put on weight. Once the person has put on sufficient amount of mass (which usually
is mostly is made up of fat) the person then tries to unhealthily cut (explained in the
next section), but they cut the wrong way resulting in a loss of both muscle and fat
and the person usually finds themselves back where they started, but with a year of
unhealthy eating habits under their belt. The Dirty Bulk and Improper Cut are lazy,
unhealthy, and unsafe and soccer players should never do either.
Lean Bulking
Our goal is to do what is called a lean bulk. A lean bulk is the term for focusing not
only on hitting your macro-nutrient goals to gain weight the right way (the most
muscle possible with the least amount of fat), but also ensuring those foods are
healthy and hitting your micro nutrient requirements to ensure that you are building a
healthy, well-oiled machine on the inside that performs at the highest level possible.
I have never dirty bulked in my entire life, nor do plan on doing so. Every time I have
tried to put on muscle mass I do it by just consuming more of the healthy foods that I
usually eat. The result is that I don’t put on any excess fat. My six pack actually
becomes more visible as the abdominal muscles grow larger. I continue to do cardio
and play soccer almost every day, I feel healthy, athletic, and I never have to go on a
crash diet afterwards.
Now, I do have an extremely fast metabolism and genetics that make it hard for me
to put on fat, but they also make it even harder for me to gain and maintain muscle
mass. Some of you might find that you can easily put on muscle mass, but have a
harder time cutting the fat. This just means I usually spend more time in caloric
surplus or maintenance periods and it might mean you will just have to spend more
time in caloric maintenance or deficit periods.
30
Fat Loss
We now know how to build muscle the right way with a lean bulk. We are aware of the proper
way to enter a caloric surplus and how to not only reach our physique goals, but also fuel
our body to perform at the highest level.
Like stated before, the ideal soccer physique has a moderate level of muscle mass with a
low level of body fat. If you’re evaluating your current physique and you notice that you need
to cut fat, then you need to enter a “cutting” phase. Now, it is incredibly easy to enter a cut
the wrong way and not only lose muscle mass in the process, but also cut unhealthily and
end up harming yourself.
Improper Cut vs. Proper cut
The improper cut is when you have almost no regard for you macronutrient requirements
and just focus on eating less in an attempt to starve yourself over a period of a few weeks to
cut excess weight. What people find is that it does work to help you drop weight, but the
weight you lose is a combination of fat and the precious muscle that you work so hard to
build. Not only this, but by cutting food intake across the board you will also have zero
energy, hinder your immune system, and just feel weak and unhealthy in general. Again, our
goal is to develop a physique with moderate levels of muscle mass and very low levels of fat
and this can only be achieved by properly cutting out the fat while maintaining the muscle.
This is done by increasing the protein consumption while also continuing to hit the carbohydrate, fat, and micronutrient requirements. We also need to make sure that the calories we
are consuming are nutrient dense to give our bodies enough energy to perform during
workouts and rebuild after workouts during this time of reduced food intake. With this technique we will be able to build a physique close to that of Cristiano Ronaldo where we have
tremendously low amounts of body fat with impressive muscle size and power.
Like mentioned before, it is not a necessity to have low amounts of body fat in order to play
soccer at a high level as many pros do carry moderate levels of fat, but the less unnecessary weight you can carry around while increasing the beneficial, explosive muscle mass the
faster and more athletic you will become. A study conducted at Penn State on 200+ NCAA
D1 football players completely shows the negative effects and correlation between extra
body fat and decreased performance. For a 170 lb. athlete, a fat gain of 3.4 lbs. (or just 2%
additional body fat) resulted in a vertical jump height loss of 2 inches (5 cms), and a 40 yard
sprint (37 meters) increase in time of 0.26 seconds. Cut down the fat and your performance
will increase.
A good body fat percentage for a soccer player is below 10-12% while some players like
Cristiano Ronaldo are probably around 5-8% body fat.
Miller TA1, White ED, Kinley KA, Congleton JJ, Clark MJ. “The effects of training history, player position, and body composition on
exercise performance in collegiate football players.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
31
Lose Fat and gain Muscle
Is it even possible?
The short answer... Yes, over time, but not at the same time. This is because physiologically speaking, it’s not possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same exact
moment in time because one process is catabolic (losing fat) and the other is anabolic (building muscle). An anabolic process requires you create a caloric surplus,
while losing fat is catabolic and requires that you create a caloric deficit. You can’t
be in a surplus and deficit at the same point in time, but you can alternate days or
weeks of a deficit and surplus diet to do both processes with mixed results.
what should I do?
Again, my recommendation is to focus on the process that you need to do more. For
example, if you are 20% body fat or over, but you also could benefit from some
muscle gain then focus first on cutting the fat by entering a caloric deficit. You might
still even gain some muscle during this phase, but once you’ve cut down to a better
body fat percentage (under 10%), then shift your focus to a lean bulk and gain a bit
of muscle.
Now, the reverse is true if you are mainly in need of gaining muscle, but you could
also benefit from losing a bit of fat that you have on your midsection. In this instance,
focus first on building muscle by entering a caloric surplus until you feel that you’ve
put on a good amount of muscle mass for a soccer player. Again, you still might
actually lose some fat during this process, but after this process shift to a slight
caloric deficit to trim the little fat that you do have.
what type of workouts should I do?
One last word I’d like to point out is that the workouts really differ very slightly
between these two goals of weight loss or weight gain. You can gain muscle or lose
fat in any type of workout program with or without cardio as long as you are consuming the correct amount of calories for your goal. Your training regimen should mainly
be tailored around your performance goals on the field, your number of calories and
macros is mainly tailored around your physique goals, and your quality of foods
consumed should mainly be tailored around fueling and recovering properly for and
from workouts, trainings, matches, etc.
32
c a lc u l at i n g yo u r n e e d s
The Truth of Macros
THIS is not an exact science
Do not be intimidated by the heavy calculations and numbers. This is just a semiaccurate approach to estimating the right number of calories, protein, fats, and
carbs that you should be consuming every day in order to reach your goal physique.
Every single person is different and burns calories differently based upon their body
type, age, height, weight, gender, frequency of activity, intensity of activity, genetics,
etc.
These calculating tools are only there to provide an educated guess. You will then
take this educated guess, implement it into your daily life, and adjust it until you find
the proper caloric number or macro nutrient breakdown for you.
My Experience adjusting macros/calories
At age 18, I did a calculator to see how many calories I should be consuming to gain
weight. I got my number, calculated my macros based off that number, stuck to a
diet plan that hit those macros and after 4 weeks dieting with those macros I hadn’t
gained any weight. I found that I either have an unusually high metabolic rate or my
intensity of exercise is higher than the average person. Whatever the reason, it
meant that I had to adjust my caloric intake accordingly. Once I made the adjustment, I started to see my weight slowly increase over the next four weeks.
At age 23, I created a new diet program for myself after I had dropped down to 150
lbs after 3 months of bouncing around from AirBnB to Couch to AirBnB to Hostel in
Germany with no access to any gym. I tested out a higher fat in relation to carbohydrate diet. I found out that my body doesn’t react well to high fat diets and that the
number of carbs that I was eating left me feeling more tired than usual. So, I lowered
the fat and increased carbs and found that my body reacted much better to the new
macro nutrient breakdown.
This is all trial and error and after a while you will become very familiar with what
works for your body and what doesn’t. You will start to get a grasp of how much food
you need to consume and what breakdowns are best for your body. You have to put
in the effort, dedicate yourself to a diet plan, and test it out.
34
Calculating your needs
The first step in calculating our caloric, protein, carbohydrate, and fat needs is to
calculate our Basal Metabolic Rate.
BASAL MEtabolic rate
Your Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR, is the rate at which you expend energy over
time while at rest. Basically, this is the minimum amount of calories that your body
would need to consume in order to keep yourself alive while not performing any
activity at all. As an athlete, it is very useful to be able to calculate your BMR so that
you can accurately create a diet plan for yourself and your goals.
Unfortunately, calculating our BMR accurately requires sophisticated equipment
used in a highly controlled testing environment. We can however use calculations to
determine a highly educated guess of what our BMR would be and base a diet plan
around that. We then can tweak and alter the plan as we see fit depending on how
our body reacts.
Calculating your Basal Metabolic rate
1. Measure your height in centimeters.
2. Measure your weight in kilograms.
3. Plug your numbers into the equation below:
For Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 6
For Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161
EX) My Calculation: BMR = (10 x 76.3 kg) + (6.25 x 184 cm) - (5 x 25 years) + 6
My BMR = 1794 calories per day
This means that if I stayed in bed all day every single day and did no activity at all, I would need
to consume 1794 calories per day to just keep myself alive and functioning.
35
Calculating your needs
Now, your Basal Metabolic Rate is the rate at which you expend energy over time
while AT REST. You do not go through your entire day without getting out of bed...
hopefully. So we now need to adjust your BMR for your energy expenditure from your
daily activities. This number is called your Daily Caloric Need.
Daily Caloric need
Your Daily Caloric Need is calculated based on the premise that you want to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight you will consume less than this
number and if you want to gain weight you will consume more than this number. The
exact way to do this will be described on the following page.
Calculating your Daily Caloric Need
1. Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate using the equation on the previous page.
2. Determine your average weekly activity level.
3. Plug your numbers into the equation below:
Little to No Activity: Daily Caloric Need = BMR x 1.2
Light Activity (1-3 days a week): Daily Caloric Need = BMR x 1.375
Moderate Activity (3-5 days a week): Daily Caloric Need = BMR x 1.55
Heavy Activity (6-7 days a week): Daily Caloric Need = BMR x 1.725
Extreme Activity (2x per day): Daily Caloric Need = BMR x 1.9
EX) My Calculation: Daily Caloric Need = 1794 x 1.725 = 3,095
My Daily Caloric Need = 3095 calories per day
36
Calculating your needs
Caloric Totals in relation to goals
Your Daily Caloric Need is the number of calories that you should consume every
day if you want to maintain your current weight. I am happy sitting around 165-170
lbs so I try to get around 3,000 calories a day. If you want to gain weight or lose
weight you’ll need to adjust your number based on your goals.
This step is CRUCIAL if you want to see results. I see so many athletes want to lose
weight and they spend so much time perfecting their workout program and replacing
foods with healthier options, but they are still consuming the same amount of calories. They are not in a deficit and therefore they never see any results.
The same exact thing happens with athletes that want to gain weight. I see them
researching and perfecting their gym routines, loading up on protein powder and
other supplements, but continue to eat as if they were in a caloric maintenance and
then wonder why they aren’t putting on any weight. YOUR DAILY CALORIC INTAKE
IS THE NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN WHETHER YOU GAIN OR
LOSE WEIGHT! The quality of the calories will determine your energy levels and
performance on the field.
Adjusting for your physique goal
If you want to gain weight then ADD 250-500 calories to your Daily Caloric Need.
If you want to maintain your current weight then do nothing to your Daily Caloric
Need.
If you want to lose weight then SUBTRACT 250-500 calories from your Daily Caloric
Need.
Ex. Let’s say I wanted to Gain Muscle:
Caloric Total = My Daily Caloric Need + (Any number between 250 & 500) = 3,095 + 300
Caloric Total = 3,395 calories per day
37
calories determine weight
Your daily caloric number
I cannot emphasize this enough... If your main goal is to gain, maintain, or lose
weight then the number one most important thing you should focus on is your
required daily caloric total. Everything else is secondary. You can gain weight on a
bodyweight workout program while running and playing soccer every single day IF
you are 250-500 calories above your Daily Caloric Need. You can lose weight on a
heavy powerlifting strength program without any cardio at all IF you are 250-500
calories below your Daily Caloric Need.
How much weight should I be losing/gaining?
The goal whether you are aiming to lose or gain weight is about 1 lb a week. Any
higher and you might be reaching your goal in an unhealthy way. Any lower and you
might not be reaching your full potential.
Let’s use the example from previous page about my goal to gain muscle. Let’s say I
stick to my diet program and I am consuming 3,395 calories a day and I am finding
that I am gaining 2 lbs a week over the course of a month. This would be too fast and
I would probably be adding too much fat during this process. I would then assume
that my calculation is probably slightly off and I would cut my diet down by 250
calories to a total of 3145 calories a day.
If I am not gaining 1 lb a week and my bodyweight remains stagnant, then I would
assume the calculation is slightly off for my specific body and add another 250
calories to try to reach this goal of gaining 1 lb/week and bump up my daily calories
to 3,645. As you can see this is really a trial and error process as these numbers are
just estimations. You must track everything if you want to see results!
The same process applies if you are attempting to lose weight. We would be shooting to lose about 1 lb per week. If we are losing more than a lb a week, this is not
only dangerous, but we are probably also losing too much muscle in relation to fat.
We would then add 250 calories to our Daily Caloric Number to attempt to hit this
goal of losing 1 lb per week. If we are not losing 1 lb a week, then we can cut more
calories out in order to reach this goal of 1 lb per week.
38
Macronutrients
macronutrient breakdown
We now have the number of calories we should be consuming each day in order to
reach our physique goal. We know that if we want to lose/gain weight our goal is to
lose/gain 1 lb per week in order to do so as healthy as possible. We know that if we
are not losing/gaining a pound per week, then we need to adjust our numbers slightly in a trial and error process as these numbers are scientific estimations rather than
a perfectly accurate calculation. We know that our daily caloric total is the number
one determinant in whether we lose or gain weight and now we want to ensure that
the weight we gain is muscle or the weight we lose is fat. This is determined based
on the macronutrients that make up the calories that we consume each day and our
workouts.
My story with calculating calories and macros
I used to be a firm believer that the type of food and the type of workouts solely
determined the body that you would create. I thought by focusing on the right foods
and right workouts to gain muscle that it would be enough, but it didn’t work. I ate
the healthiest I could, focusing on all the right foods, the right workouts, doing everything, but I never paid much attention to the amount of calories I was consuming
each day or the macro breakdown of those calories. As a result, I still saw progress,
but it wasn’t happening as fast as it could have. As soon as I started tracking calories and macros my body transformed.
I started gaining a pound a week consistently. I continued to run/play soccer every
single day and continued to do the exact same workouts that I was doing before, but
since I had entered into a caloric surplus with the right macronutrients to build
muscle my body was finally showing the results. In 6 months I went from 150 lbs to
175 lbs. In addition, I kept my six-pack and put on no fat during this process.
I actually continued that diet a little too long and reached up to 183 lbs as described
previously. I ended up using the same techniques to properly cut down to 170 lbs
(my preferred playing weight) without adding any extra cardio to my workout program and continuing to lift weights in the same exact program as before. I was
sculpting my body exactly how I wanted through counting calories and macros.
39
Macronutrients
It’s possible
Let me just share my experience:
I’ve gained muscle while running/playing soccer every day.
I’ve gained weight with a high rep, light weight, bodyweight program.
I’ve gained weight while keeping my six-pack and adding zero fat to my body.
I’ve lost weight while lifting heavy weights with low reps.
I’ve lost weight while never increasing the amount of cardio in my workouts.
I focus on the caloric totals and macronutrient breakdowns to reach my physique
goals and I focus on the quality of the food I consume in order to fuel my body for
peak performance, to stay healthy, and to recover properly from workouts, trainings,
and games. I then use the specific style of trainings and workouts to reach my performance goals such as improving stamina, developing explosive muscle fibers,
increasing stability of muscles and joints, and preventing injuries.
On the next few pages you will learn how to break up your daily required calories
into the three macronutrient categories of protein, fats, and carbs.
40
Calculating your Macros
Macronutrient Ratios
First, it’s good to understand the caloric breakdown from 1g of different macronutrients.
1g of Protein = 4 calories
1g of Carbohydrates = 4 calories
1g of Fats = 9 calories
Calculate protein requirement
Calculating your protein requirement is essential when determining your macro breakdown. Without
enough protein you won’t be able to rebuild the muscle that you have worked so hard to tear and
break down in your workouts. The numbers below are based upon high level athletes and not regular
individuals. You must realize that if you are training, working out, playing soccer, growing, etc. your
protein requirements are going to be much higher than the average sedentary person.
Caloric Surplus or Maintenance: 0.8-1g of Protein per pound of bodyweight
Caloric Deficit: 1-1.2g of Protein per pound of bodyweight
Notice anything weird? Yes, you actually need more protein when you are trying to cut weight than
when you are maintaining your current weight or attempting to put on more muscle mass. Why is this?
It’s because your body breaks down protein for energy at a higher rate when cutting. Unless you want
to lose that muscle mass you worked on so hard to build up, you need to increase your protein intake.
By doing this you will be able to attain a physique like Cristiano Ronaldo who has an amazingly
muscular physique with very little body fat. If you don’t consume enough protein when cutting then
you will end up creating a body type with too little muscle that will be light, but will not be strong and
powerful.
Ex. Right at this very moment I weigh 170 lbs. Here are my protein requirements for different
physique goals.
Gain/Maintain Weight: Grams of Protein per day = 170 lbs x (0.8 to 1 g) = 136 to 170 g/day
Cut Weight: Grams of Protein per day = 170 lbs x (1 to 1.2 g) = 170 to 204 g/day
To make it easy, let’s say my protein requirements are 170 g/day to gain/maintain weight and 200
g/day to lose weight.
41
Calculating your Macros
Calculate Fat and Carbs
After determining protein intake let’s move on to the energy nutrients – Carbohydrates and Fats. These numbers are going to have a wide range of possibilities, but
experiment with what works for you and your body. I definitely recommend consuming over 200g of carbs per day as an athlete.
Caloric Surplus/Maintenance/Deficit: .4-.6g of Fats per pound of bodyweight
For myself:
Ex. Right at this very moment I weigh 170 lbs. Here are my fat requirements
Gain/Maintain/Lose Weight: Grams of Fats per day = 170 lbs x (0.4 to 0.6 g) = 68 to 102 g/day
To make is easy, let’s say I would go with 90g of fats per day if I was maintaining or bulking and
75g per day if I was cutting to allow more calories for carbs.
Calculate Carbohydrate requirement
So now we have our caloric need per day in order to gain/maintain/lose weight. We have our protein
requirement in grams and we have our fat requirement in grams. We now need to convert our protein
and fat requirements from grams to calories and then subtract them from our total caloric daily need
in order to see how many calories we have available for our carbohydrates.
Remember that:
1g of protein = 4 calories
1g of fat = 9 calories
1g of carbs = 4 calories
To do this we just have to input our numbers into the following formula:
g of Carbs = [(Caloric Total) - [(g of protein x 4 calories) + (g of fat x 9 calories)]] / 4
This might be very confusing and intimidating, but it really is quite simple once you get the hang out it.
I have some examples on the following page to help you see how I would calculate my carb requirement based off different physique goals.
Turn the page to see the examples...
42
Calculating your Macros
Calculate Carbohydrate requirement Examples
1) Let’s say that Bulking Matt wants to consume 3395 calories in total. He also wants to get 170
g/protein a day and 90g of fat a day.
g of Carbs = [(3395) - [(170 x 4 calories) + (90 x 9 calories)]] / 4
g of Carbs = [(3395) - [(680) + (810)]] / 4
g of Carbs = [3395 - 1490] / 4
g of Carbs = 1905 / 4
g of Carbs = 476.25
2) Let’s say that Maintenance Matt wants to consume 3000 calories in total. He also wants to get 170
g/protein a day and 90g of fat a day.
g of Carbs = [(3000) - [(170 x 4 calories) + (90 x 9 calories)]] / 4
g of Carbs = [(3000) - [(680) + (810)]] / 4
g of Carbs = [3000 - 1490] / 4
g of Carbs = 1510 / 4
g of Carbs = 377.5
3) Let’s say that Cutting Matt wants to consume 2595 calories in total. He also wants to get 200
g/protein a day and we are now lowering our fat to just 75g of fat a day to make room for more daily
carbs.
g of Carbs = [(2595) - [(200 x 4 calories) + (75 x 9 calories)]] / 4
g of Carbs = [(2595) - [(800) + (675)]] / 4
g of Carbs = [2595 - 1475] / 4
g of Carbs = 1120 / 4
g of Carbs = 280
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Counting calories
Empty Calories vs. Nutrient Dense Calories
Empty calories are foods that take up large spaces in your stomach with little benefit
to macro or micronutrients. Think of popcorn, chips, iceberg lettuce, white bread,
crackers, etc. For the most part you want to avoid these, but they can be used effectively to make you feel full while trying to cut fat and when consumed immediately
before games as a quick digesting form of simple carbs.
Nutrient dense foods are foods that take up relatively small spaces in your stomach
with high levels of macro and micronutrients. Think of lean ground turkey, quinoa,
brown rice, vegetables, fruit, salmon, olive oil, eggs, etc. For the most part you want
to consume these as an athlete, but they can also easily be consumed in excess and
lead to weight gain.
When attempting to build muscle you will need to be in a caloric surplus. For many
athletes this is challenging as they constantly will feel full during the day. If you are
experiencing this problem, you have to focus on nutrient dense foods that will give
you the best macros and micronutrients in relation to the space they take up in your
stomach. Loading up on a huge iceberg salad and light dressing with popcorn and
chips on the side will fill you up, but will give you barely any good macro nutrients or
calories, but consuming a salmon fillet drizzled in olive oil, with brown rice, and a
sweet potato you’ll be less full with so many more beneficial macros and calories. By
focusing on nutrient dense foods you will be able to eat less food and feel less full
throughout the day while still hitting you high macronutrient and micronutrient goals.
When attempting to cut fat you will need to be in a caloric deficit. For many athletes
this is challenging as they will constantly be hungry during the day or won’t consume
the right foods to provide enough energy for their trainings or games. If you are
experiencing this problem, you should still consume nutrient dense foods, but you
can try to utilize healthy empty calorie foods to your advantage. Think of a huge
iceberg lettuce salad with cucumbers, broccoli, celery, carrots, peas, and a can of
tuna (not empty calorie food, but a healthy one with great macros) and light balsamic
vinegar dressing. It’s a HUGE bowl of salad and will make you feel full, but you won’t
actually be consuming that many calories. The calories in the salad would be equivalent to a small bag of fries from McDonald’s which wouldn’t fill you up at all. So
when cutting, focus on using these healthy, empty calories to your advantage.
44
C r e at i n g a M e a l P l a n
Meal Planning
Just hit the macros!
Ok, so now you’ve calculated out your Basal Metabolic Rate, your Caloric Needs,
adjusted for your Physique Goal, then have broken down the calories into your
Macro Nutrient Requirements! Awesome. Now, we have two options, but both are
based upon the same premise... hitting your macros:
Creating a meal plan
The first method is to sit down and do the dirty work. You have your macros and now
you need to sit down and look up foods that you want to incorporate into your daily
diet plan based on both the health aspect and taste aspect. You can create a daily
diet plan, create two diet plans that you alternate between every day, or go and
create a full blown weekly diet plan. I’ll show you exactly how I have done this in the
past and how effective it can be. The pros to this method are that it is a very effective
way to consistently know that you are reaching your goal of either a surplus, deficit,
or maintenance and unless you cheat, you won’t go over or under in any of the
categories. You know what you are eating every day and there is no guess work after
the initial creation of the diet plan. The cons are that most people don’t live lifestyles
where they are in control of every single meal they eat and it gets very boring to eat
the same foods every single day. I used this method very effectively in Germany
when I was living by myself and had to cook every meal for myself.
Count as you go
The second method is to use apps like MyFitnessPal to calculate your daily macros
as you go throughout your day. The pros are that it is much more flexible. You can
go out to eat, you can change up your diet on the fly, and with minor tweaks and
adjustments you can consistently hit your macronutrient requirements. The cons are
that you have to enter in your meals after every single meal which can get tedious
and you’ll often go under or over your goals unexpectedly. I have used this method
very effectively this last offseason as I came back from surgery to mainly stay in a
caloric maintenance and monitor my protein intake goal of 200 grams a day. Both
methods can work exceptionally well, but it’s about choosing which method is right
for your situation.
46
Count as you go
How it’s done effectively
I love this method and recommend this for 99% of the people out there, because
unless you are in an isolated situation where you can literally control every single one
of your meals and are not tempted to go out to eat with friends or family like I was in
my small village of Rödgen, Germany, then the actual meal planning method can be
very difficult to stick to consistently.
The best way to accurately go about the “Count as You Go” Technique is to download the app MyFitnessPal (I’m not sponsored by them, but I should be with how
much I promote them) and buy a food scale and/or measuring cup. The first few
days measure out and carefully track your meals. If for breakfast you have 4 eggs, 1
tbs butter, a banana, and a piece of avocado toast, look up each food in the app
and enter it in for breakfast along with the proper serving size.
Go throughout your day, tracking your meals shortly after you consume them so you
don’t forget about the little side dishes that you have and even be sure to look up the
restaurants themselves in the app as sometimes they can have the full Chipotle
Chicken burrito already calculated out for you.
As you get closer and closer to your macro goals, you’ll start to find that you might
be severely lacking in protein, a little under in carbs, and slightly over in fats. Start to
hone in on foods that can help fill in the lower groups without sending you way over
in the other groups such as protein shakes (high in protein, low in everything else),
fruit (high in carbs, low in everything else), or avocado (high in good fats, low in
everything else) and keep eating until you have reached your macro goals. If you’re
in a surplus, it’s better to be slightly over your goals than under. If you are in a deficit
then reverse is true and it’s better to be slightly under than over.
Again, try to make your food very nutrient dense and healthy. Like stated earlier in
this booklet not all calories and macros are treated equally. Although an In-N-Out
Cheeseburger with Fries might “fit” into your macros, it doesn’t mean you should be
eating it.
My number one piece of advice is to stick with it. As you progress you’ll become
better and better at tracking your foods and you’ll be able to do so almost intuitively.
47
Creating a Meal Plan
How it’s done effectively
This method is great for those who are able to control every single meal they consume and are in situations where they rarely will deviate from their plan. If you can
stick to the meal plan then it will be incredibly accurate. Again, for 99% of the people
out there, I recommend a “Count As You Go” Technique
The best way to create a meal plan for yourself is to start by adding in foods that are
healthy and you like to eat. Don’t load up a diet plan full of cottage cheese and tuna,
if you hate cottage cheese and tuna. There are so many healthy foods out there that
you should focus on creating a diet plan filled with foods that you won’t mind eating.
Start by picking a meal that you like and writing it down on a piece of paper. Head
online and look up the nutrition facts of the food and multiply it according to the
number of servings you want to consume. While you are picking foods that you like
try to aim for variety. Don’t have chicken for three meals a day, try to get a variety of
lean protein sources, unsaturated fats, and complex carbs. You also need to be
weary of the amount of fiber, sodium, and other micronutrients you are consuming.
For example, a diet plan where you get all your carbs from brown rice might appear
healthy from a macronutrient standpoint, but you could severely be lacking in fiber
and micronutrient needs that you need from fruits and veggies. Vary your food.
Just like with the count as you go technique... As you continue to work on your diet
plan and get closer and closer to your macro goals, you’ll start to find that you might
be severely lacking in protein, a little under in carbs, and slightly over in fats. Start to
hone in on foods that can help fill in the lower groups without sending you way over
in the other groups such as protein shakes (high in protein, low in everything else),
fruit (high in carbs, low in everything else), or avocado (high in good fats, low in
everything else) and keep adding foods until you have reached your macro goals. If
you’re in a surplus, it’s better to be slightly over your goals than under. If you are in a
deficit the reverse is true.
Again, try to make your food very nutrient dense and healthy. Although an In-N-Out
Cheeseburger with Fries might “fit” into your macros, it doesn’t mean you should be
eating it.
48
How I count as I go
Most people have the hardest time hitting their protein requirements. They can easily
go over in fats and carbs, but often will under consume protein. Therefore, most
nutritionists recommend to focus your meals around lean sources of protein.
Follow along with my “Count as I go” technique
First, I’ll have already entered in my goals of 2,800 calories, 150g protein, 350g
carbs, and 90g fats into the app.
Breakfast: I’ll make 4 eggs loaded with spinach and mushrooms and cooked in
butter, 2 bananas on the side, and maybe a scoop of protein powder in a big glass
of water.
I’ll then head into MyFitnessPal and enter in the food.
Lunch: I’ll have a can of tuna with some hot sauce, salt, pepper, I’ll have a few servings of berries and maybe some almonds
I’ll then head into MyFitnessPal and enter in the food, but check to make sure I am
on track to reach my goals by the end of the day.
Dinner: I’ll have a big dinner of chicken cooked in olive oil, brown rice, and lots of
steamed veggies with a big glass of chocolate milk.
I’ll head into MyFitnessPal and again enter in the food.
I’ll now check to see how I am stacking up with my macros. Since, I am in a maintenance, I’ll be okay going slightly over or slightly under in any of the categories.
I might find that I am slightly over in fats and lower in carbs and protein. So what I’ll
do is I’ll make a protein shake with 2 scoops of protein powder and a ton of spinach
and fruit to increase my protein and carb consumption for the day.
I’ll add everything into MyFitnessPal and now see that I am now slightly over in protein, just under in carbs, and slightly over in fats. I am now happy with my macros for
the day and can sleep soundly.
49
How I create my meal plan
Follow Along as I make my Meal plan
So let’s say I want to make a meal plan for my current maintenance goal of 2,800 calories,
150g protein, 350g carbs, and 89g fats.
First, I know I want to make a meal plan around an egg scramble in the morning because
I love eggs. I know I want a ton of fruit and veggies for majority of my carbs, but also want
more complex carbs such as brown rice/pasta. I love the simplicity of chicken breast,
veggies, and brown rice for dinner and I know for lunch I love to eat a pasta type meal.
So this will be the general structure that I go with.
Breakfast: I’ll start with 5 eggs, 1 tbs butter, 2 cups spinach, 1 cup white mushrooms, a
banana, 1 cup watermelon.
Macros so far: 643 cals, 38g protein, 53g carbs, and 31g fat.
Lunch: 2 servings shrimp, 1 serving whole wheat pasta, 1/2 cup alfredo sauce, apple,
and banana
Macros so far: 1474 cals, 94g protein, 162g carbs, and 50g fat.
Dinner: 1 1/2 chicken breast, 1 tbs olive oil, 1 cup brown rice, 2 cups veggies cooked in 1
tbs olive oil
Macros so far: 2213 cals, 139 protein, 223 carbs, and 85g fat
Now, I see that I still am pretty low in carbs and protein. So I now will add a snack
between breakfast and lunch.
After workout snack: I’ll go with a big protein shake with 1/2 scoop of protein powder, 3
cups of mixed berries, banana, and spinach as well as 4 rice cakes on the side.
Macros so far: 2848 cals, 161 protein, 353 carbs, and 88g fat
There we go. That’s a great meal plan full of variety that hits my macros and I’ll actually
enjoy eating. It’s not exactly perfect, but it’s close enough for my goal of maintenance.
50
SAmple Meal Plans
Sample Meal Plans
I Hate Sample Meal Plans
I absolutely hate it when people ask me for a sample meal plan to gain weight or a
sample meal plan to lose weight, because sample meal plans do not work.
If you have even just skimmed through this ebook, I hope that you still picked up that
losing weight, gaining weight, maintaining your current weight is all about your calories
consumed versus your calories expended and every single person has different Basal
Metabolic Rates, different energy expenditures, different macro nutrient needs, and
different food preferences.
For example, I have an extremely fast metabolism, I work out a ton at an extremely high
level, I require a lot of protein, I am only 170 lbs, and I have my own food preferences.
Because of this, my meal plan to lose weight could be similar to someone else attempting
to gain weight. Listen to that carefully, we could both consume the same exact meal plan
and I would drop weight while someone else gains weight.
Sample meal plans don’t work. YOU NEED TO CREATE YOUR OWN MEAL PLAN BASED
UPON YOUR OWN CALORIC AND MACRO REQUIREMENTS. Let me repeat that for
those of you in the back.
YOU NEED TO CREATE YOUR OWN MEAL PLAN BASED UPON YOUR OWN CALORIC
AND MACRO REQUIREMENTS.
Now, what I will do is I will show you MY sample meals plans based upon MY macronutrients and MY caloric needs from MY body, MY activity level, MY gender, and MY age.
This way you can get a feel for what foods I typically like to eat, how I structure my meals,
how many meals I consume, the slight differences between a weight gain plan versus a
fat loss plan, etc. Hopefully, you’ll notice that the foods don’t change much between the
different styles and that the main difference is just the total amount of calories.
Feel free to copy meal ideas, complete meals in general, techniques, or aspects from it,
but unless you are my exact age, height, gender, weight, you have the same metabolism
as I do, you work out the same as I do, and you prefer the same foods as I do... don’t
copy these plans, because they probably won’t work for you as they do for me.
52
Lean Bulk
If you remember back to the calculation of our macronutrients, Bulking Matt needs to consume 3395
calories in total in order to start gaining weight. He also wants to get 170 g of protein, 90g of fat, and
476 g of carbs a day.
My Meal Plan
Breakfast: 4 egg scramble with mushrooms and spinach, two pieces of wheat toast with peanut
butter, banana, apple, protein shake (2 scoops protein), water
Macros So Far: Calories = 1256 kcal, Protein = 84g, Carbs = 122g, Fat = 48g
Snack 1: Three Rice Cakes, Orange, Carrots, and Blueberries
Macros So Far: Calories = 1621 kcal, Protein = 91g, Carbs = 204g, Fat = 49g
Lunch: Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Mixed Spinach Salad, Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Macros So Far: Calories = 2076 kcal, Protein = 133g, Carbs = 233g, Fat = 68g
Dinner: Chicken Breast, 2 servings Brown Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, 2 tbs
Butter
Macros so Far: Calories = 2766 kcal, Protein = 174 g, Carbs = 324g, Fat = 86g
Snack 2: Fruit Smoothie (Banana, strawberries, mangoes, 1/2 cup yogurt and ice), 4 rice cakes, and
an apple.
Macros so Far: Calories = 3406 kcal, Protein = 179g, Carbs = 470g, Fat = 90g
Total Calories: 3406 kcal
Total Macros: Protein = 179g, Carbs = 470g, Fat = 90g
Notice how these macros are not exactly what we were aiming for; like mentioned before we determined these macros based upon an educated estimation of what your body needs so it’s not necessary to create a meal plan that exactly reaches those numbers. The goal is to get close to the calorie
and macro goal each day. In general, if you are aiming to gain weight it’s better to overshoot your
target macros and if you are aiming to lose weight it’s better to undershoot your target macros.
Again, after 4 weeks if you are not seeing results (1 lb gained/lost per week), or you are gaining/losing
weight when you want to be maintaining, then it’s time to adjust your macros accordingly.
53
Maintenance
If you remember back to the calculation of our macronutrients, Maintenance Matt needs to consume
3000 calories in total in order to maintain his current weight. He also wants to get 170 g of protein,
90g of fat, and 377g of carbs a day.
My Meal Plan
Breakfast: 2 servings of smoked salmon on two slices of wheat toast, raspberries, cantaloupe,
honeydew, protein shake with 1 scoop plant-based protein
Macros so Far: Calories = 732 kcal, Protein = 57g, Carbs = 99g, Fat = 12g
Snack 1: 5 pieces of celery with almond butter, 1/2 bell pepper
Macros so Far: Calories = 1072 kcal, Protein = 75g, Carbs = 121g, Fat = 32g
Lunch: Greek Yogurt with Granola and Banana, apple, and carrots
Macros so Far: Calories = 1708 kcal, Protein = 102g, Carbs = 235g, Fat = 40g
Dinner: Ground Turkey cooked in 1 tbs Olive Oil, White Rice, Asparagus, Mixed Salad with Avocado
Macros So Far: Calories = 2422 kcal, Protein = 143g, Carbs = 287g, Fat = 78g
Snack 2: Protein Shake with 1 scoop Plant based Protein, 4 rice cakes, apple, and 2 Nectarines.
Macros So Far: Calories = 3020 kcal, Protein = 172g, Carbs = 385g, Fat = 88g
Total Calories: 3020 kcal
Total Macros: Protein = 172g, Carbs = 385g, Fat = 88g
Notice how these macros are not exactly what we were aiming for; like mentioned before we determined these macros based upon an educated estimation of what your body needs so it’s not necessary to create a meal plan that exactly reaches those numbers. The goal is to get close to the calorie
and macro goal each day. In general, if you are aiming to gain weight it’s better to overshoot your
target macros and if you are aiming to lose weight it’s better to undershoot your target macros.
Again, after 4 weeks if you are not seeing results (1 lb gained/lost per week), or you are gaining/losing
weight when you want to be maintaining, then it’s time to adjust your macros accordingly.
54
Proper Cut
If you remember back to the calculation of our macronutrients, Cutting Matt needs to consume 2595
calories in total in order to start losing weight. He also wants to get 200 g/protein a day and 75g of fat
a day, and 280g carbs a day.
My Meal Plan
Breakfast: Protein Shake with 2 scoops of protein, 1 piece wheat toast with almond butter and sliced
banana, and pineapple
Macros so Far: Calories = 830 kcal, Protein = 53g, Carbs = 87g, Fat = 30g
Snack 1: Apple, 2 rice cakes, carrots, 1/2 of a bell pepper
Macros so Far: Calories = 1110 kcal, Protein = 56g, Carbs = 154g, Fat = 30g
Lunch: Cottage cheese and mixed chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Macros so Far: Calories = 1513 kcal, Protein = 114g, Carbs = 172g, Fat = 41g
Dinner: Chicken Breast cooked in olive oil, brown rice, peas, and broccoli
Macros so Far: Calories = 2165 kcal, Protein = 157g, Carbs = 247g, Fat = 61g
Snack 2: Protein Shake with 2 scoops of protein and 1 rice cake
Macros so Far: Calories = 2575 kcal, Protein = 197g, Carbs = 278g, Fat = 75g
Total Calories: 2575 kcal
Total Macros: Protein = 197g, Carbs = 278g, Fat = 75g
Notice how these macros are not exactly what we were aiming for; like mentioned before we determined these macros based upon an educated estimation of what your body needs so it’s not necessary to create a meal plan that exactly reaches those numbers. The goal is to get close to the calorie
and macro goal each day. In general, if you are aiming to gain weight it’s better to overshoot your
target macros and if you are aiming to lose weight it’s better to undershoot your target macros.
Again, after 4 weeks if you are not seeing results (1 lb gained/lost per week), or you are gaining/losing
weight when you want to be maintaining, then it’s time to adjust your macros accordingly.
55
S n ac ks a n d C h e at M e a ls
Healthy Snacks
Healthy Ideas
When many people think of healthy meals they think of meals that require a lot of cooking or prep
work. This becomes discouraging when many of you are at school or work all day and don’t have the
time to be in the kitchen for hours preparing healthy meals. Here are a list of very easy healthy snacks
that can be prepared the night before or morning of, can be stored away for most of the day, and can
be eaten quickly during the day.
Healthy Meal Ideas
Avocado, Chicken Chop Salad: Can’t go wrong with chicken breast as a good source of protein,
healthy fats from the avocado, and tons of good carbs and micronutrients from the mixed greens.
Ground Turkey, Guacamole, Spinach Wrap: Great source of lean protein from the turkey, healthy
fats from the guacamole, some decent carbs from the wrap, and tons of vitamins and minerals from
the greens.
Smoked Salmon and Crackers: Salmon is a great source of protein and healthy fatty acids. Pair that
with some decent carbs from some crackers and you have a great meal.
Chicken, Guacamole, Spinach Sandwich on Wheat Bread: Just a simple sandwich with great
macronutrients.
Healthy Snack Ideas
Peanut/Almond Butter and Banana/Apple/Celery/Bread: High in healthy fats, carbs, and protein.
Hard Boiled Eggs: Super easy source of protein.
Rice Cakes: Good carbs straight from a bag.
Any Fruit: Can’t go wrong with any fruit as a source of carbs.
Cut-Up Bell Peppers: Very low calorie, but very good snack full of vitamins and minerals.
Hummus and Carrots/Celery: High in protein and healthy fats.
Cottage Cheese: One of the best sources of protein that you can get.
Pre-made Protein Shake: Quick, easy, reliable. Just don’t rely on them for all your protein!
Mixed Nuts: Healthy fats and high in protein!
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Unhealthy Snacks
Unhealthy foods disguised as healthy foods
First off, I hope that you realize that any food can be integrated into your diet in moderation. I personally love to reward myself with chocolate bars or chocolate ice cream a couple nights a week. I
believe the key to a healthy diet is realizing what foods are helping your body perform at the highest
level and focusing on those, then rewarding yourself with treats that don’t necessarily help your body
perform.
I don’t want this section to be focused around foods that are obviously unhealthy. Again, I’m going
with the premise that you understand the basics of nutrition. We should all know for the most part
what technically constitutes a healthy food like steamed broccoli and what constitutes an unhealthy
food like a Twix bar. If you don’t understand that, then do some more research on your own about
why those foods fall into those categories.
The problem arises when foods are disguised as healthy, are marketed as healthy, then people buy
and consume more of the food because they think it is helping their body perform at a higher level.
This section is focused around some of these “Fake Healthy Foods” and why they aren’t as they
seem.
1. Pre-made smoothies/Fruit Juice: Pre-made smoothies seem to be healthy because they have
words like “natural,” “no sugar added,” or “300% of vitamin C,” but they are lacking the key ingredient
that makes eating an apple so much better than drinking apple juice: FIBER. Fiber slows the digestion
of the sugars, fills your stomach to make you feel fuller, and helps reduce the spike in blood sugar
after consumption. If you remember from before, your body treats any carb like any other carb,
protein as any protein, and sugar as sugar, so since there’s no fiber in fruit juice, your body treats the
sugars from smoothies exactly as it would treat the sugars from a soda.
2. Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, etc: This actually falls into the same category as above. The
sugars from Gatorade, Powerade, and vitamin water are treated the exact same way as the sugars
from a soda. These drinks are terrific if you are in the middle of a soccer match and need water,
sodium, and those easily digestible sugars to replace your depleted glycogen storages, but if you are
just having this with your lunch, you might as well just be having a soda instead.
3. Sugar-Filled Granola/Granola Bars: This is a tricky one as granola itself is very healthy for your
body and great for athletes. However, be careful and look at the added sugar content. Some granola
bars are loaded with sugar to enhance the taste. I like to go for the no-sugar added granola and pour
that into some plain Greek yogurt while adding some actual fruit like a banana.
4. Iceberg lettuce salads with ranch dressing: Iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional content,
then if you load fatty ranch dressing on it, you really are getting a high saturated fat meal with very
little healthy micronutrients. Switch out the Iceberg lettuce for dark greens like spinach, kale, etc.
5. Fat Free or Reduced Fat Products: Many times reduced fat products simply take out the fat and
replace it with sugar or other sweeteners which can be just as unhealthy. Check the label!
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Cheat Meals
Cheat meals and mentality
Cheat meals can, and I believe should, be incorporated into a meal plan. Obviously, it is ideal to
never have a cheat meal, but I don’t believe that is sustainable for the long term. In fact, studies have
shown that people are more likely to stick to their meal plans and more likely to achieve their long
term goals if they are rewarded with a small cheat meal 1-2x a week.
Cheat meals and physique
I hope that I’ve ingrained into your head by now that whether you’ll gain, maintain, or lose weight is
determined by your calories in vs calories out and not the quality of the foods that your consuming. As
long as you are sticking to your caloric and macronutrient goals, then you can still reach your
physique goals with a cheat meal here and there. In fact, hitting your caloric and macronutrient goals
should really be viewed as a weekly average. There will be days where you under eat or over eat, but
as long as your weekly average macros and calories are within the range that you require for your
specific goal, then you’ll achieve your goal of losing, maintaining, or gaining weight over the long run.
Cheat meals and Energy/performance
The problem with cheat meals and tracking macros is that by adding in unhealthy foods that take up
a lot of calories you’ll either have to take out other healthy foods from your diet to compensate or keep
the healthy foods in and blow past your total caloric goal. As we know, our performance, energy
levels, and general health is determined for the most part based upon the quality of the calories that
we consume. Therefore, your performance on the field, internal health, and general energy levels will
drop slightly with the more healthy meals you replace with unhealthy ones.
My Cheat meal philosophy
So what’s the magic ratio or number for cheat meals? I really think that has to be determined based
upon your own specific goals and preferences. If you are a hard gainer (someone who has a lot of
difficulty packing on weight), you might be able to get away with consuming a few extra cheat meals
vs someone who really struggles to lose weight.
For the most part, I typically have 2-4 cheat snacks every week. A cheat snack is something small
that doesn’t replace a full meal. That could be a candy bar, a beer at dinner, small bowl of ice cream,
or small bag of chips. I then might have 1-2 cheat meals every month which comprise a full meal.
That might be McDonald’s for dinner, French Toast for breakfast, In-N-Out for lunch, etc. I rarely have
a cheat day where I have more than 1 bad meal or 1 bad snack a day, but I might splurge on a cheat
day 2-3 times per year.
This is just my personal philosophy with cheat meals and not a golden rule for everyone.
59
Supplements
Supplement overview
Are they Necessary?
There is never a NEED for supplements. You can get everything you possibly need through a proper
diet, but sometimes you might find that you have trouble consuming enough of a certain macro or
micronutrient. In those times, supplements can be great for exactly what the name implies… supplementing a healthy diet
Remember the car example from the beginning of this booklet? Well, imagine supplements as like a
NOS Turbo Booster for your car. By now you know that if you get your caloric needs and macronutrient requirements in check then you can build the beautiful exterior of a Ferrari. You also know that if
the calories you are consuming are coming from a diverse array of healthy, natural foods then your
engine will perform the way a Ferrari engine should perform.
Well, imagine supplements as a NOS Booster; that red button that you can hit to make the car accelerate just a little bit faster.
If you have a beat-up Honda Accord (you aren’t tracking your macros and are consuming unhealthy
foods) and add a NOS Booster to it, you’ll still get demolished by a Ferrari with proper gasoline and oil
even if the Ferrari doesn’t have a NOS Booster.
However, if you have two identical Ferraris with the same oil, gas, engine, upkeep, etc., but one has a
NOS Booster then the Ferrari with the NOS Booster will just slightly come out ahead.
Does that make sense? Adding supplements to an improper diet is like adding a NOS booster to a
Honda Accord. It’ll help, but you’re better off just with the Ferrari.
Now having said all that, I have definitely used my fair share of supplements and continue to use
supplements to this day. I have found some great benefits and effects from doing so, but I’ve also
wasted hundreds of dollars testing them out. In the next few pages, I have compiled a list of my
personal experiences as well as the current scientific data supporting/disproving some of the most
popular supplements out there.
As with everything, do your own research and talk to your own doctor before starting any new supplement or diet. Finally, if you truly believe that a certain supplement is helping you out despite what is
said by me or the science, then continue taking it.
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Protein Powder
Whey Protein Powder
My Rating: 9/10
My Experience: I try to get all my protein from real food sources, but if I find that I am short on protein
throughout the day, then I love using whey protein powder as a quick and easy source of high quality
protein. It mixes easy and generally tastes pretty good, but can be expensive.
What does the science say?: Whey protein classifies as a complete protein, meaning it contains all
nine of the amino acids necessary for human dietary needs. The two main proteins in dairy are casein
and whey. They are digested and absorbed at different rates, with whey appearing more quickly in
the bloodstream. Whey protein is of particular interest because it appears to have a stronger anabolic
effect on muscle growth, thanks to a higher content of a specific essential amino acid called leucine.
There is a downside to protein supplements as they can move the focus away from the undisputed
benefits of a varied training diet. People who are allergic to dairy products could react to whey protein
and so should avoid it.
Casein Protein Powder
My Rating: 7/10
My Experience: I sometimes like consuming casein protein as my late night snack before I go to bed
to get the slow release of amino acids over night, but to be honest didn’t find a huge difference when
I did that in comparison to the cheaper and more accessible whey protein powder. It’s a great
supplement, but just for convenience sake I stick with whey.
What does the science say?: Casein is the main protein found in milk. Similar to other animal
proteins, casein is a complete protein, providing generous amounts of essential amino acids. However, it is digested more slowly than most other animal proteins, resulting in a more prolonged release of
amino acids into the bloodstream. People who are allergic to dairy products could react to casein
protein and so should avoid it.
Soy Protein Powder
My Rating: 6/10
My Experience: I tested out soy protein when I tested out eliminating dairy products from my diet, but
just found soy to taste so much worse than whey. This, in addition to the amino acid profile has led
me to stick with whey over soy.
What does the science say?: To create soy protein, manufacturers grind soybeans into a meal
which contains no hulls or fat. This soybean meal is then processed into soy protein isolate. Both soy
and whey protein are “complete” proteins, meaning that they contain these nine essential amino
acids. However, they differ slightly in their relative concentrations of the essential amino acids. For
example, whey protein tends to be higher in leucine, isoleucine, methionine, and lysine. In contrast,
soy protein is higher than whey protein in arginine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. Because lysine
has been associated with muscle growth and methionine with accelerated fat loss, many people
choose whey protein for its superior profile of these amino acids.
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Mass Gainer
Mass Gainer
My Rating: 6/10
My Experience: Mass gainer shakes are really just a protein supplement with additional calories
coming from fats and carbs. They are simply just an easy way to get extra calories in, but for whatever
reason most mass gainer products just didn’t work with my stomach. I experienced stomach pains
immediately after consuming them. After doing some research and realizing that mass gainer shakes
were just protein supplements with additional calories from various fat and carb sources, I personally
felt that I could make better tasting and healthier mass gainer shakes by combining a whey protein
supplement with foods like bananas, oats, peanut butter, strawberries, spinach, almond milk, etc.
What does the science say?: A mass gainer is a supplement that provides protein, carbohydrates
and possibly fats with the intention of helping to add muscle mass. It is a high-calorie protein powder
aimed at increasing your daily calorie intake to promote weight gain. To put on mass you need to be
in a calorie surplus. This means you are consuming 300-500 calories more per day than you’re
burning through exercise and just going through your daily routine. If you have been trying to add
mass and you’ve seen no increase in weight then you’re not in a calorie surplus. Using a mass gainer
can be a great way to help you increase mass and size by easily allowing you to increase your daily
calorie intake. It is important to remember that to increase muscle growth when taking a hard gaining
supplement you must be training hard and regularly, otherwise, you will be consuming a high number
of calories which will lead to an increase in body fat.
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BCAAs
Branch Chain Amino acids
My Rating: 5/10
My Experience: Branch Chain Amino Acids are terrific in theory as they literally are the building
blocks of proteins, they have been proven to stimulate the muscle growth response, and they taste
fantastic, but they have been found to not be as effective at building muscle as regular whey protein.
If you check the amino acids found in the BCAAs and the amino acids found in your standard whey
protein, you’ll find the same names. I do believe there are unique circumstances where BCAAs could
be useful like when cutting down to extremely low body fat levels for a bodybuilding show, but for me
as a professional athlete I have found that they’re not worth buying over traditional whey protein.
What does the science say?: BCAA stands for “branched-chain amino acids.” These amino acids
make up 35% of your muscle mass and are usually used in hopes of reducing muscle soreness,
supporting muscle growth, and sustaining muscle mass. BCAAs are “essential,” which means that
they must be consumed through what you eat and drink, as opposed to “non-essential,” meaning that
your body can manufacture them for you with proper nutrition.
Amino Acids are the organic compounds that make up proteins. So you must have amino acids to
have protein. When you consume protein, your body breaks the protein down into the amino acids
that built it, and then uses those amino acids to grow and repair body tissues and accomplish many
other essential tasks.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids are an essential class of amino acids. They specialize in helping your
body produce insulin, which helps your body turn sugars into energy. BCAAs also carry nitrogen
throughout your body which helps you form the complex muscle tissues you need to survive.
However, Branch Chain Amino Acids are ineffective when taken in isolation. The study, involving the
universities of Exeter and Birmingham and published in Frontiers in Physiology, show that while BCAA
supplements do stimulate the muscle building response in individuals after they lift weights, other
muscle-building supplements are far more effective.
Other supplements that contain all necessary amino acids stimulate a greater muscle growth
response, which suggests that taking BCAA supplements alone is not the best way to optimize
muscle growth with weight training.
The BCAA supplement enhanced the muscle growth response slightly compared to a placebo,
however the muscle's response was more than double when a whey protein supplement containing
the equivalent amount of BCAA that included the other amino acids, was taken.
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Glutamine
Glutamine
My Rating: 4/10
My Experience: Glutamine has a lot of claims around it especially regarding the recovery aspect of
the supplement. In my own experience, I have not found a noticeable effect on muscle recovery,
strength, or post workout soreness. That combined with the lack of physical evidence surrounding
Glutamine led me to stop taking it and put my money elsewhere.
What does the science say?: Glutamine is one of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids in dietary
protein, specifically it is a conditionally essential amino acid (being elevated to essential during
periods of disease and muscle wasting typical of physical trauma). It is sold as an isolated amino
acid, found in high levels in dietary meats and eggs, and found in very high levels in both whey and
casein protein.
Glutamine is a very effective intestinal and immune system health compound, as these cells use
glutamine as the preferred fuel source rather than glucose.
It is generally touted as a muscle builder, but has not been proven to enhance muscle building in
healthy individuals; only those suffering from physical trauma such as burns or muscular wounds
(knife wounds) or in disease states in which muscle wasting occurs, such as AIDS. In these individuals, however, glutamine is effective at building muscle and alleviating a decrease in muscle mass
typical of the ailment.
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Pre Workouts
Pre workouts
My Rating for Effectiveness: 9/10
My Rating for Safety: 2/10
My Experience: I gave this supplement a mixed rating, because it really is unlike other supplements
out there. For starters, you can 100% feel the effect of the supplement. The beta-alanine literally
sends tingles across your extremities and the copious amounts of caffeine get you focused and
buzzing before a workout.
However, I wish I never started taking it, because before long I was no longer getting a boost from
pre-workouts... I was soon starting to rely on the supplement to give me enough energy to even work
out. My tolerance started to increase and I needed more and more to feel the same effect and before
long I couldn’t feel any effect at all. It felt like I was a drug junkie needing more and more of a drug to
get my fix.
That experience, in addition with the questionable “proprietary blends” and other sketchy stimulants
just didn’t seem healthy or safe to me. Unfortunately, the long term safety of using pre-workouts is
pretty uncertain as only short term studies have been conducted. I made the call on my own to quit
pre-workouts and switch to more natural forms of caffeine when needed as I felt that the benefit didn’t
outweigh the possible negative long term side effects of the supplement.
It might turn out that pre-workouts are perfectly fine to use over the long term, but I didn’t want to be
the guinea pig who found that out.
What does the Science say?: While different pre-workout supplements make different claims, their
main purpose is to supposedly help you get more out of your workout by increasing your energy and
blood flow to the extremities. When taken before a workout, they're designed to help you have better
focus, lift heavier and have more energy for a tough workout. A study published in a 2010 issue of the
"Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition" found that using a pre-workout before exercise
did increase cardiovascular activity and anaerobic running capacity in subjects.
The most prevalent ingredient in pre-workout supplements is caffeine. Typical supplements can
contain anywhere from 100 to 300 mg of caffeine, which is up to three times the amount in a cup of
coffee. Other ingredients include beta-alanine, which has been shown to enhance muscular endurance by balancing pH levels to avoid exercise-induced lactic acid production of arginine, which is
known to increase blood flow to your extremities, and a stimulant called dimethylamylamine, which
increases heart rate and which has been issued a warning from the FDA.
A study that tested the effects of 28 continuous days of chronic pre-workout supplement consumption
found the them to be safe in recreationally active male and female populations when taken within
recommended dosage guidelines. There have not been any long term studies to show the long-term
safety and side effects of pre-workout supplementation yet though.
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Fish Oils
Omega-3 Fatty acids
My Rating: 7/10
My Experience: There’s not much of an athletic effect from taking fish oil supplements. I sometimes
like to supplement my diet with omega-3 fatty acids, because I know my diet definitely favors omega-6 fatty acids from red meat, eggs, poultry, etc. and I use it as a way to balance the ratio between
omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in my body. Over the years however, I have increased my seafood
consumption and decreased my red meat consumption so the supplement is less needed for me.
What does the science say?: Fish oil is a common term used to refer to two kinds of omega-3 fatty
acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These omega-3 fats are
usually found in fish, animal products and phytoplankton. Fish oil is recommended as a source of
these omega-3 fats as they are the cheapest and most common source of them.
Fish oil provides a variety of benefits when supplemented, particularly when the ratio of omega-3 and
omega-6 fatty acids in the body is almost equal (1:1). The average diet (red meat, eggs, and so forth)
are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which is why fish oil is recommended (to balance the ratio).
A ratio of roughly 1:1 is associated with healthier blood vessels, a lower lipid count and a reduced risk
for plaque buildup. Fish oil can also decrease the risk of diabetes and several forms of cancer,
including breast cancer.
Fish oil works primarily through eicosanoids, which are signaling molecules. A proper ratio of omega
3:6 fatty acids will influence which eicosanoids are released in response to stress.
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Glucosamine
Glucosamine
My Rating: 5/10
My Experience: To be 100% honest, I took this supplement to stop the constant cracking and
popping of my joints. After about 8 weeks of taking the supplement, I didn’t notice an effect so I
stopped. After some research, it appears that Glucosamine especially paired with other joint health
supplements could have a beneficial effect for high impact athletes, but there just wasn’t enough
evidence to support purchasing Glucosamine on a consistent basis for me.
What does the science say?: Glucosamine is a supplement derived from shellfish.
Glucosamine is primarily sold as a joint health supplement. Studies show that supplementing glucosamine sulfate will reduce the rate of collagen (joint tissue) degradation and symptoms of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine supplementation cannot cure osteoarthritis, but it can slow the progression of the
disease. Though glucosamine is comparable to acetaminophen, the reference drug for osteoarthritis,
in potency, it is not as reliable.
Studies on athletes supplementing glucosamine are limited, but preliminary evidence suggests doses
as high as 3,000mg of glucosamine sulfate may be able to slow joint degradation. This effect is most
relevant for athletes participating in high impact sports, like running. However, further research is
needed on the benefits of glucosamine supplementation for athletes before the effects can truly be
stated.
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Creatine
Creatine Monohydrate
My Rating: 10/10
My Experience: I took creatine after copious amounts of research and hearing all the claims supporting it from other athletes. I was expecting creatine to have huge effects and be immediately noticeable. I didn’t gain much water weight (maybe 2 pounds), but I was able to notice that my strength
gains from week to week for heavy compound lifts were slightly accelerated compared to the rate
before taking the supplement. The strength gains are very slight and if you aren’t tracking your
workouts incredibly close you probably won’t even notice it. I found some people to gain more water
weight than others, but the weight is all intra-cellular. You won’t appear bloated or look pudgy. For
some reason there is a lot of misinformation and hysteria around creatine, but it’s really just a solid,
tried and tested, and safe supplement for athletes when taken in appropriate doses and in conjunction with your doctor’s approval.
What does the science say?: Creatine is a molecule produced in the body. It stores high-energy
phosphate groups in the form of phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine releases energy to aid cellular
function during stress. This effect causes strength increases after creatine supplementation, and can
also benefit the brain, bones, muscles, and liver. Most of the benefits of creatine are a result of this
mechanism.
Creatine can be found in some foods, mostly meat, eggs, and fish. Creatine supplementation confers
a variety of health benefits and has neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties. It is often used
by athletes to increase both power output and lean mass. Creatine is the reference compound for
power improvement, with numbers from one meta-analysis to assess potency being "Able to increase
a 12% improvement in strength to 20% and able to increase a 12% increase in power to 26% following a training regiment using creatine monohydrate"
Stomach cramping can occur when creatine is supplemented without sufficient water. Diarrhea and
nausea can occur when too much creatine is supplemented at once, in which case doses should be
spread out throughout the day and taken with meals.
When used orally at appropriate doses, creatine is likely safe to take for up to five years. However,
there is concern that creatine taken in high doses is possibly unsafe and could damage the liver,
kidneys or heart.
One very interesting 2014 study with Brazilian first division professional soccer players examined the
effects of taking creatine during preseason. They found that the group that took the creatine had little
to no loss in power output at the end of preseason, where as the placebo group had a very large
negative effect in power output. To sum up, the creatine prevented the inevitable fatigue faced over a
grueling preseason while the group that didn’t take the supplement suffered from fatigue.
Claudino JG1, Mezêncio B1, Amaral S2, etc. “Creatine monohydrate supplementation on lower-limb muscle power in Brazilian elite
soccer players.” Journal of International Sports Nutrition.
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Thermogenics
Thermogenics (Fat-burners)
My Rating: 1/10
My Experience: I’ve never liked the idea of fat-burners from the start and after researching them I
really don’t think anybody should use them.
What does the science say?: As fat burning supplements flood the market promising effortless
weight-loss, people may wonder if there is a downside to these miraculous pills. There are three main
ways in which "fat burning" supplements accomplish their mission. Anyone considering taking supplements should have a close look at what the pills actually do.
1. Fat blockers are one of the ways fat burning supplements claim to rid the body of fat. The supplements are usually made from a shellfish derivative called chitosan. Chitosan enters the body, binds to
the fat in the food a person has eaten, and keeps it from being absorbed by the body. There are two
downsides to this method. First, fat blockers can also prevent the body from absorbing nutrients it
needs. Second, that bound fat still needs to leave the body, which it often does in the form of stomach
pain, unpleasant anal leakage and diarrhea.
2. Another common aspect of fat burning supplements is appetite suppression. Appetite is
suppressed by manipulating the body's chemicals and hormones to trick the brain into feeling full.
Suppressants that take away general hunger are called noradrenergic drugs. These drugs are often
cousins of amphetamines, and work by triggering fight-or-flight hormones than interrupt the body's
hunger signals to the brain. The other class of suppressants, which are designed to make you feel
fuller quicker, work by manipulating serotonin re-uptake. The idea is to trigger a sense of well-being
that distracts you from the need to eat more. Negative side affects of these drugs vary from a nervous
feeling to heart attacks. They also tend to lose their effectiveness as more weight is lost.
3. Artificially increasing the human body's metabolism, or the speed in which it breaks down and uses
nutrients, is a long established method of weight loss. One of the most common drugs used to do this
is caffeine. When the body is stimulated by caffeine, it releases hormones into the bloodstream to cue
a quickening of metabolism. These hormones are not in infinite supply, and constant stimulation can
change the body's ability to regulate itself and its weight. Overuse of metabolism stimulants can also
have the opposite of the desired effect, causing the metabolism to slow down in self-preservation.
This is one of the reasons caffeine based fat burners do not maintain effectiveness over a long period
of time.
Fat burning supplements will usually, to an extent, do what they say they will. Some authorities claim
that these types of supplements can safely be used in small amounts, and they can be effective at
jump-starting weight loss. But the means the drugs employ to do so involve manipulating the body's
natural processes, sometimes to a severe degree. Side effects are to be expected, and the truth is
those side affects range from uncomfortable to fatal.
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C a r d i o + P ly o m e t r i c s
Cardio overview
Can you gain weight while still doing cardio?
Yes, gaining and losing weight is just a math equation. Imagine if my Daily Caloric Need to maintain
my current weight is 3,000 calories. If I want to gain weight, then I will need to consume 3,250-3,500
calories a day. If I start to add a cardio routine to my life I will then be burning more calories. Let’s say
that during my new daily cardio routine I burn 150 calories. I will now have a Daily Caloric Need of
3,150 calories in order to maintain at my current bodyweight. If I want to gain weight then I need to
consume 3,400-3,650 calories per day in order to gain weight.
Can you lose weight without any cardio?
Yes, gaining and losing weight is just a math equation. Imagine if my Daily Caloric Need to maintain
my current weight is 3,000 calories. If I want to lose weight, then I will need to consume 2,500-2,750
calories a day. You don’t need to do cardio if you don’t want to. Additional cardio will just mean you
will burn more calories and you can then afford to eat more calories and still lose weight. For example,
if you decide to start implementing a cardio routine and are now burning 150 calories a day, then now
you can consume 2,650-2,900 calories a day and still lose weight.
OR let’s say that you were doing cardio before, but now you want to stop doing cardio. Now, in this
case, you will be burning less calories than before and you now need to consume less calories as
well. Let’s say I used to have a daily cardio routine where I would burn 150 calories. To lose weight I
would need to consume 2,500-2,750 calories a day. If I stopped that cardio program, I will now need
to consume 150 calories less, so 2,350-2,600 calories a day in order to lose weight.
Steady State Cardio vs high intensity interval cardio
Steady state cardio refers to cardio that is done over long periods of time at a constant speed such
as going for a 5 mile walk, biking for 30 minutes at 20 mph, running 3 miles under 18 minutes. That is
all steady state because you are doing the entire workout at a steady speed.
High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT refers to cardio that is done at a high exertion for a short
duration, then a 30-90s rest period occurs, and then you repeat for multiple intervals.
In terms of a calories-in vs calories-out perspective there isn’t really much difference at the moment of
the workout (e.g. burning 200 calories walking is the exact same as burning 200 calories doing
sprints), but once your HIIT workout is over, your body will continue burning calories as it cools down.
This is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or the afterburn effect. HIIT also
tends to break down more lean muscle tissue, which then needs to be built back up. As a result, your
body will require more energy to help your muscle tissues recover and rebuild.
In terms of an athletic perspective, obviously sprint intervals will help you more athletically on the field
than going for a 3 mile walk, but steady state cardio definitely has it’s time and place.
72
Stretching + Mobility
Why Stretch?
My experience with stretching + mobility work
From the ages of 5-21, I had always done the bare minimum with stretching and mobility work. I was
young, elastic, and really didn’t see the need for it. I could go play in 4 games over a weekend
tournament and then feel ready to workout or train again on Monday. I rarely got tight or stiff aside
from the normal delayed onset muscle soreness after a tough workout.
It wasn’t until I was 22 when I realized that my glutes and quads were really starting to tighten up and
they were tightening so much that I was having terrible lower back pain because of it. I saw a few
physical therapists and after being put through some tests it was clear that my range of motion was
terrible. At age 22-23, I really started implementing a stretching/yoga routine consistently. I found that
within 2-3 months of making a consistent effort to stretch and become more flexible and mobile that
my lower back pain went away and I was feeling less stiff and tight before each training (who would
have thought...).
Now at age 25, I dynamically stretch before every single workout or training session, I do a light static
stretch and foam roll after every workout or training session, and I now have a full hour of yoga 1-2
times per week.
Importance of elasticity in muscles
Footballers, and athletes in general, partake in repetitive movements every single day. These repetitive motions can have a tightening effect on muscles and tendons. Over time this increasing tension
reduces your range of motion and can ultimately lead to injury and reduced quality of performance.
Imagine reaching out to trap a ball in an awkward position, if your muscles are elastic, then this will be
no problem, but if they have tightened up over time then that movement could cause tearing in the
muscle fibers or tendons. Stretching regularly can prevent this problem by reversing this tightening
effect and keeping your body elastic.
Dynamic vs Static Stretching?
To sum up the difference in one sentence: Dynamic Stretching involves movement and static
stretching does not. Examples of dynamic stretches are leg swings, high knees, butt-kickers, and
walking lunges with a twist.
Dynamic stretches move your body into a position where you feel a stretch, but you are not
holding it for extended periods of time. The goal is to replicate a movement that you will do athletically
so that you can increase blood flow to the area and increase the range of motion before the workout,
training, or game.
Examples of static stretches are the hip flexor stretch, toe touch, quad stretch, etc. Any type of
position that you isolate a specific muscle to stretch and hold it there for a longer period of time. Both
types of stretching will reduce your risk for injury, improve flexibility, and are recommended for
footballers, but they should be utilized at different times.
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yoga plans
My Favorite Yoga plans
If you have a preferred yoga class, teacher, or YouTube channel go ahead and stick to it and keep
doing what you’re doing. If you don’t, then I recommend Millionaire Hoy’s videos. I’m a big fan of his
yoga and stretching programs on YouTube as they are catered towards athletes and he is just a
funny guy. I will link some of them here so that you can watch and follow along live:
15 minute Yoga Plan
15 Minute Quick and Easy Full Body Deep Stretch Yoga Workout for Beginners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWBr2C1Pu9o
30 minute yoga plan
30 Minute Total Body Deep Stretch Yoga for Runners and HIIT Athletes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVg3ilWabRU
35 minute Yoga plan
35 Min Total Body Deep Stretch Yoga Routine for Recovery & Flexibility:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2rZBK1dUq4
60 minute yoga plan
60 Min Full Body Deep Stretch Recovery Yoga for Athletes and Runners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVkPgQSrLAE
How often should I do these yoga routines?
There’s really no right or wrong answer to the frequency that you stretch and perform yoga. The
general rule of thumb is to listen to your body and stretch accordingly. Personally, I like to do a
shorter 10-15 minute dynamic stretching/warm-up session before every training and workout and a
10-15 minute static stretching session after every training and workout. I will then try to do a longer
30-45 minute yoga session 2-3x a week and if I’m really feeling tight and stiff from my workouts,
trainings, games, etc. I’ll get in an additional deeper 60 minute yoga session during the week.
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Pre Workout
Dynamic or static?
Dynamic stretching should be done before a workout, training, or match. This is because it helps
prepare your body for the specific movements, it elevates your heart rate, and it increases body
temperature which allows your muscles to move more efficiently. Studies have shown that static
stretching before an athletic event or vigorous activity can reduce your strength and power.
Pre-workout dynamic Stretching routine
Place two cones 20-30 yards apart from each other and have
players perform the following exercises/movements in a
looped run around the cones
1. Slow Jog There and Back - 2x
2. Light Skip with Arm Swings There and Back - 1x
3. Medium Jog There, Backwards Jog Back - 1x
4. Side Shuffle Right There, Side Shuffle Left Back - 1x
5. Carioca Right There, Carioca Left Back - 1x
6. High Knees There, Jog Back - 1x
7. Buttkickers There, Jog Back - 1x
8. Leg Swings with Toe Touches There, Leg Swings Across Body Back - 1x
9. Forward Lunges with Twist There, Side Lunges Back - 1x
10. Knee to Chest Stretch, Three steps, Repeat There, Jog Back - 1x
11. Quad Stretch, Three Steps, Repeat There, Jog Back -1x
12. Single Leg Hamstring Stretch There, Jog Back - 1x
13. Three Steps, Deep Squat, Jump, Repeat There, Jog Back - 1x
14. Three Steps, Fake Header, Repeat There, Jog Back - 1x
15. Three Quick Steps Forward, Three Quick Steps Backward, 75% Run There, Jog Back - 1x
16. Three Quick Steps Right, Three Quick Steps Left, 90% Run There, Jog Back - 1x
17. Three Big Knees to Chest Jumps, 90% Run There, Jog Back - 2x
18. Full Sprint There, Jog Back - 1x
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Post Workout stretch
Dynamic or Static?
It's best to perform static stretches after activity when your muscles are still warm. A post-activity
static stretch helps reduce muscle tension and increase flexibility by elongating the muscles and
increasing blood circulation. Another benefit of static stretching is it allows you to circulate lactic acid
and reduce slight inflammation post-workout, so that if you were to have another workout that day you
would have more room to push until you reached your lactate threshold (or tire out).
Post workout static stretching plan
Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds, release briefly, then repeat for a second set. I like to
hold every single stretch for 45-60s to really allow time for my muscles to relax and reap the benefits
from the position. If at any time you feel pain, stop and modify the stretch so that you no longer
experience pain. There should be a slight discomfort, but no pain.
I also want to state that the goal of any stretching routine for footballers should be to improve/maintain
flexibility up to the point of what is needed for the sport and not to become overly flexible and stretch
past what is needed for performance on the field. Interestingly enough, improving flexibility past the
point of what is needed can actually lead to injuries just like how not being flexible enough for soccer
can lead to injuries. This is further explained in the Injury Prevention Section of this eBook.
1. Seated Hamstring Stretch (Touch Your Toes)
2. Side Lying Single Leg Quad Stretch (Heel to Butt)
3. Seated Groin Stretch (Butterfly Stretch)
4. Figure 4 Glute Stretch (Ankle on opposite quad, reach through, grab knee and pull in)
5. Single Leg Calf Stretch (Hands on ground in push-up position, push one heel to ground)
6. Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch (One leg forward, the other back with knee on ground, lean forward)
7. Pigeon Pose (Seated Glute Stretch)
8. Leg Extended Out to Side, Groin Stretch (All fours, stretch one leg out straight to side, sink into it)
9. Runner’s Lunge with Quad Stretch (Normal lunge position, lean forward, grab back ankle with hand
and pull inwards)
10. Downward Dog
11. Seal Stretch
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foam rolling
post or pre workout?
There’s actually evidence to support foam rolling before and after a workout. Some studies suggest
that foam rolling prior to a workout can help decrease muscle density, increase blood flow, increase
range of motion, and promote a better warm-up.
There has also been research that states that foam rolling after a workout may help muscles recover
from strenuous exercise. The basic idea behind foam rolling is myofascial release which is a fancy
way of saying massage. There is some evidence that myofascial release can help get rid of adhesions in your muscles and connective tissues and also help promote recovery.
Post/pre workout foam rolling plan
The general rule of thumb is to spend 1-2 minutes on each major muscle group of the body. Now you
can spend as much time as you like in any areas that you feel are extra tight. If you are feeling a
“good” pain of tightness being massaged out and tension being released, then continue to foam roll
that area. Feel free to also use tennis balls, lacrosse balls, and other mobility tools to help get a
deeper myofascial release in those tight areas.
Footballer Foam Rolling Routine (10-20 minutes)
1. Thoracic Spine (Upper Back)
2. Glutes/Piriformis
3. Hip Flexors
4. Quads
5. Outside Quads (right next to IT Band)
6. Vastus Medialis (Inside Quads)
7. Hamstrings
8. Groins
9. Calves
10. Front Calves (tibialis anterior)
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workout philosophy
workout variety
Mix it up.... but not too often
Firstly, I really encourage you not to over think your specific training style too much… Even though
there are different styles and each style has a slightly different benefit, the general idea of working out
to overload the muscles, microscopically tearing the muscle to grow stronger, then progressing
through the program to continue to challenge and increase the difficulty of the regimen all remain
constant.
You can get stronger with higher rep, hypertrophy style training.
You can gain strength with bodyweight style training.
You can lose weight with heavy, strength training.
You can develop functional muscle with machines.
I do believe that you should never limit yourself to one style of training over long periods of time. As
you will see in this section every single different style of training has unique benefits to your physique
and to your performance on the field. For example, Olympic weightlifting is a fantastic training style to
develop raw strength and explosive power that is 100% necessary in soccer, but this style also
focuses on longer rest times and heavier weight and by solely focusing on this style you might not
develop that stamina or muscle endurance that is created from circuit style or bodyweight training.
Just the same that stability and balance training is fantastic for injury prevention and improving
functional movements that you’ll do on the field, but it provides very little benefits to building muscle
or explosive strength.
As you will soon find out... There are pros and cons to all styles and by varying your style of training
you will reap the benefits of all of them. I have always held the belief that the ideal footballer should
be well-rounded in every aspect on the field and as an athlete.
However, I also think it’s a mistake to jump from different style of training to different style of training
too frequently without allowing time for you to progress in one specific training regimen. This is why in
this program you will stick with one style of training for at least 8 weeks before you are recommended
to switch styles to really reap the rewards of that specific program. Once you make progression over
that period of time and start to feel as if you are getting bored of those workouts or are plateauing,
then it’s time to switch it up.
Mixing it up too much leads to no progression and progression is the key to developing a physique.
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workout Progression
progress... progress... progress
Whichever training style you choose... focus on progression.
Without progression you’ll get stuck in a rut. You will find yourself lifting the same amount of weight for
the same reps for the same amount of sets. Just as you try to improve every single day when you go
to the field to train you should also attempt to improve every single day in the gym.
If you did 4 sets of 25, 22, 20, and 18 push-ups last week, you better be aiming for 26, 23, 21, and 19
push-ups this week. If you squatted 135 lbs for 3 sets of 10 reps last week, you better add another set
this week to make it 4 sets of 10. If you did a circuit style workout and you had 45 seconds of rest
between the circuits, you better be attempting to decrease the rest time to 42 seconds. If you could
balance for 30 seconds on a Bosu Ball with your left leg last week, then you should aim to go for 35
seconds this week. Progression, progression, progression.
This is also why I recommend to not jump from training style to training style too fast. If one week you
focus on strength training and bench press 185 lbs for 5 sets of 5 reps how are you going to know if
you progressed or not if you switch to bodyweight training and hit 30 push-ups for 5 sets? Switching
too often can make it difficult to track progress and without steady progress you will find it very hard
to build the physique that you want.
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Training styles
Strength Training
Strength Training
As the name implies, the goal of strength training is to develop strength and power.
Progression: Progression is tracked through the amount of weight lifted. Usually the rep range will
remain below five and the only goal is to lift more weight than you did in the previous workout or
previous week.
Rest: Since the main goal is to lift heavier and heavier weights, very long rest times are used to allow
the body more time to recover for the next set. Since your only goal is to exert max force and not
about conditioning, 3-5 minutes between sets is not uncommon in this style of training.
Rep Range: The rep range is usually very low. They range anywhere between 1-6 reps and often are
done for a high number sets to increase the total volume of the training session.
Weight: Heavy weights are always used; sometimes the weight approaches the maximum weight
possible for 1 rep. (1 rep max).
General Exercise Focus: Compound exercises involving barbells and multiple muscle groups such
as Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, OH Press, Barbell Rows, etc.
Pros to this Style: It is the most efficient way to develop raw and athletic strength. The compound
exercises force the entire body to work as one and it greatly benefits athletic performance especially
in vertical leap and short distance sprints.
Cons to this Style: The longer rest times and slower lifting style is not very applicable to the
fast-paced, constant action of a soccer match, the use of a barbell doesn’t allow for unilateral training
(the training of one leg or arm at a time), and the heavy weights can be extremely taxing on muscles,
joints, and ligaments over time which can lead to many overuse injuries.
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Olympic style Training
Olympic style Training
Overview: Very similar to strength training in that heavy weights are used in compound exercises, but
the movements in this style are far more dynamic and explosive.
Progression: Just like strength training, progress is tracked through the amount of weight lifted week
after week.
Rest: Since the main goal is to lift heavier and heavier weights, longer rest times are used to allow the
body more time to recover strength for the next set. Again, rest periods between 3-5 minutes are not
uncommon in this style of training.
Rep Range: The rep range is usually very low. They range anywhere between 1-5 reps
Weight: Heavier weights are usually used; sometimes even approaching the maximum weight
possible for 1 rep. (1 rep max).
General Exercise Focus: Compound, explosive exercises such as the Power Clean, Hang Clean,
Clean and Jerk, Snatch, Hang Snatch, etc.
Pros to this Style: It is a very efficient method to develop explosive strength and fast-twitch muscle
fibers. The compound exercises force the entire body to work as one and the explosive nature of the
exercises forces the body to produce incredible amounts of force in a very short amount of time.
HUGELY beneficial when working to develop speed, acceleration, and increase vertical jump.
Cons to this Style: Much like strength training, the longer rest times is not very applicable to the
fast-paced, constant action of a soccer match and many of the movements require a high degree of
practice and knowledge to perform correctly. These are some of the most technical lifts done in the
gym which can require years to master and therefore can be dangerous when done by inexperienced
athletes without proper guidance or supervision. Again, heavier weights are often used and it can be
very taxing on muscles, joints, and ligaments over the long term and can lead to overuse injuries as
well.
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Hypertrophy Training
Hypertrophy
Overview: Hypertrophy style training is a training method designed specifically to cause muscle
growth.
Progression: The main progression is through training volume. Volume refers to the overall load or
work done on the muscle group. Heavier weights are generally tracked, but for the most part progression occurs through more sets and reps to increase the workload done on a certain muscle group
with the overall goal being to progress the size of your muscles.
Rest: Rest is much shorter than that of strength or Olympic lifting, but longer than that of circuit style
lifting. Rest times typically last between 30-90 seconds depending on the intensity of the exercise.
Rep Range: Medium to high rep range, usually between 8-20 reps.
Weight: A medium weight is typically used that can be lifted for a medium to high rep range while
also being controlled to allow more time under tension. Some isolation exercises use very light weight
while some compound movements use much heavier weight. The focus is on the work and fatigue
done on the specific muscle or muscle group instead of on the amount of weight lifted.
General Exercise Focus: A combination of compound and isolation style exercises. Many times
compound exercises used in strength training will be used, but then as the muscle groups weaken
and tire during the training session isolation exercises are implemented such as pec flys, bicep curls,
lateral raises, calf raises, etc. to provide further work to the muscles.
Pros to this Style: The inclusion of compound lifts can allow overall athletic performance to improve.
This style is also very effective at tearing and breaking down muscle fibers for growth which makes it
very effective for those looking to add muscle mass.
Cons to this Style: Many of the isolation exercises generally have little to no benefit for soccer
players and time could much be better spent with other more functional exercises.
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Circuit style Training
Circuit style training or crossfit
Overview: Circuit training is a form of endurance training combined with resistance training using
high-intensity intervals. It targets strength building and muscular endurance at the same time.
Progression: Progression is typically through an increase in sets/reps or decrease in time with the
general goal to make the workout a more physically demanding and/or cardio intensive workout than
before.
Rest: Very short rests are used and sometimes no rest at all is given between the exercises. A longer
rest might occur after completion of the entire circuit before restarting the circuit again, but for the
most part, it is meant to get you sweating and breathing hard.
Rep Range: Medium to high. Typically, you might perform an exercise for an allotted amount of time
and are expected to perform as many reps as possible in that time. Other times you might just need
to hit a rep goal which really ranges greatly depending on the intensity of the exercise. Rarely are
exercises performed for less than 10 reps while a typical interval of work can range anywhere from
20-60s.
Weight: Medium to light weight. Since you are expected to perform the exercise for a high rep range
sometimes for a minute without pause and usually coming off very little rest, a lighter weight is used to
increase the cardiovascular intensity and develop muscular endurance. The term “lighter weight” is a
relative term as the weight is definitely a challenging weight to lift under the circumstances.
General Exercise Focus: Usually a very large variety of exercises is used ranging between many
different styles. You can see circuit style sessions with Olympic, strength, bodyweight, stability,
functional exercises all implemented into the regimen.
Pros to this Style: The short rest time and higher rep range is fantastic for soccer players who want
to improve their stamina and muscular endurance. The use of weights also improves strength and
power more so than typical endurance workouts. The range of exercises is great to also hit a variety
of styles such as Olympic style explosion combined with functional movements such as a tire flip or
battle ropes.
Cons to this Style: Any time the focus shifts to a cardio intensive workout, then the focus must shift
away from strength building aspects as less rest and higher reps require lighter weight. Circuit style
workouts that contain Olympic lifts for higher reps can be extremely dangerous when the athlete does
not have a high level of experience or proper supervision. This is why Crossfit often gets a bad rep as
these movements done for higher reps and shorter rest time can lead to break down in form as
inexperienced athletes become fatigued.
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Functional Training
Functional Training
Overview: Functional training attempts to adapt or develop exercises which allow individuals to
perform the activities of daily life more easily and without injuries.
Progression: Progression varies completely based upon exercises and can be done through an
increase in sets/reps/weight/time or a decrease in rest.
Rest: Rests vary depending on the specific functional exercise. Many times elements of circuit style
training and strength training will crossover into this category as many circuits use functional exercises and many strength training exercises are functional movements.
Rep Range: Again, rep range varies depending on the specific functional exercise. Functional
training mainly refers to whether the movement of the exercise is applicable to every day life or your
sport instead referring to a specific style of working out.
Weight: Weight definitely varies based on the type of exercise. For example, a battle rope that is
meant to be moved for 60s will be very light, while a huge tire that is meant to only be flipped a few
times might be very heavy.
General Exercise Focus: Functional movements such as squats, deadlifts, tire flips, battle ropes,
sled pushes, rope climbs, TRX bands, ring muscle ups, burpees, pull-ups, etc.
Pros to this Style: The functional movements are incredible at replicating real, athletic movements
that are required in a soccer game. The dynamic movements directly translate to almost all aspects of
movement in the real world and can help prevent injury and improve performance.
Cons to this Style: Some exercises might require a higher degree of expertise and the equipment
might be hard to come by, but when done properly there are few downsides to this style of training.
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Bodyweight | calisthenics
bodyweight or calisthenics style training
Overview: Bodyweight exercises are strength training exercises that do not require free weights or
machines as the individual's own weight provides resistance against gravity. Calisthenics refer more
to the gymnastic style of training where the body is moved more gracefully through the movements.
Progression: Since weight cannot be added, progression is strictly through an increase in reps and
modifying the movements to make them more difficult. For example, one might progress from a
push-up to a clapping push-up or a pull-up to a muscle-up.
Rest Time: Medium rest times used unless when bodyweight movements are combined with circuit
style trainings, then shorter rest times are used. Rarely will you have longer rest times in the 2+ minute
range.
Rep Range: Rep range varies based on the difficulty of the exercise. Higher reps might be used for
easier exercises like the sit-up, but lower rep range might be necessary for more difficult exercises
like the pistol squat.
Weight: No weight. Your body provides all the resistance in this style of training.
General Exercise Focus: Any movement that requires only the movement of your body such as
push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, pistol squats, burpees, muscle-ups, box jumps, lunges, etc.
Pros to this style: No gym or equipment needed so it can be done almost anywhere. Generally safer
for beginners and a great place to start to learn the basics of exercising. You also learn to better
manipulate and control your own body through various movements.
Cons to this style: The ability to track progress isn’t as easy as with other styles where heavier
weights can be used as a form of progression. There is a limited availability of difficult lower body
exercises which isn’t ideal for footballers where the main goal of most exercise programs is to
strengthen the lower body. Finally, it is not as great for strength training as higher reps are usually the
only thing that can be done to make workouts more difficult.
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Stability training
stability or balance training
Overview: Stability training refers to performing exercises while on an unstable surface with the goal
of activating stabilizers and trunk muscles that may get neglected with other forms of training.
Progression: Progression through increased difficulty of balance exercises, increased instability of
the surface, or increased time spent balancing.
Rest Time: Medium to short rests as exercises usually aren’t that physically demanding.
Rep Range: High rep range or time is used as the difficulty doesn’t lie in a heavy weight being lifted,
but with the attempt to balance for longer periods of time on more and more unstable surfaces.
Weight: Little to no weight.
General Exercise Focus: Bosu ball exercises, balance board exercises, single leg exercises, core
exercises, sand pit exercises, or anything done on a surface that isn’t hard/stable.
Pros to this Style: Development of stabilizers in muscles can be beneficial for players looking to
improve smaller muscle groups and develop better stability. Extremely beneficial for players looking
to prevent ligament and joint injuries.
Cons to this Style: Very little strength progression and very difficult to gain muscle mass through this
style of training. This style is also usually not very physically demanding so you won’t get as good of a
workout from this as you would from another style of workout like a Crossfit style session.
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Machine training
Machines vs free weights
Machines are definitely not ideal for functional strength development of a footballer, but they can be a
great tool when used correctly.
Machines generally are not as effective for soccer players as they require zero stabilization of the
weight or body. When you are holding dumbbells while performing a chest press you are engaging all
the stabilizing muscles in your shoulders, arms, chest, and abs to balance that weight above your
body. When you are balancing a bar on your back while performing a squat, your entire core is
engaged to prevent you from falling forward, backwards or tilting sideways and losing balance. These
stabilizers are essential for the footballer as you are constantly engaging stabilizers as you plant on a
single foot or land awkwardly after a header. Machines do the stabilizing for you and lock the weight
in a pre-determined path so all you have to do is focus on pushing without worrying about the stability
aspect. Look at the Leg Press vs. the Squat. Your core is not engaged even close to the amount when
performing the leg press machine versus when performing a barbell back squat. Free weights are
generally better for an athlete than machines.
HOWEVER: Stabilizers are generally smaller muscle groups and tire out much quicker than larger
muscle groups such as the quads, glutes, or hamstrings. Machines can be a great tool to use once
your stabilizers have tired out after the first part of your workout with squats, lunges, single leg RDLs,
box jumps. etc. After the free weight, compound exercises are completed, then you can perform leg
press, machine ham curls, machine quad extensions to further develop the bigger muscle groups
after the stabilizers can no longer perform. If you watch my workouts I always start with the large
compound movements and stability exercises, then towards the end of the workout progress into
smaller isolation movements with machines.
Machines can also be a great tool when working around injuries. If you have a sprained ankle or groin
problem (like I had) you can use machines to take out the stabilization of the core or legs so that you
can work out other areas of your body without harming the injured area. I was recommended by my
physical therapist, doctor, and personal trainer to workout using only machines while I was coming
back from both of my surgeries.
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Injury Prevention
injury prevention training
An injury prevention program at its very core aims to cover four major aspects. 1) To strengthen the muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons in the body to be more resilient to extreme movements
in games/trainings as well as eradicate muscle imbalances so that the entire body works fluidly
without overly relying any specific body part. 2) To improve general motor control of the body through
balance abilities and strength of the stabilizing muscles used in sports. 3) To improve the cardiovascular endurance of the athlete to delay the onset of fatigue. 4) To improve or maintain flexibility/elasticity of the muscles in order to get rid of overly tight areas, but not to push the flexibility of the athlete
past the point of which is needed for their sport.
Strengthen Body + Fix Muscular imBalances
When a muscle/ligament/tendon is called into action suddenly during a match or in training
and that muscle/ligament/tendon cannot handle the sudden stress placed on it an injury occurs. A
balanced strength training program will eliminate these weak areas and balance the body for the
activities it is called upon to do.
Stronger muscles and tendons help hold the body in proper alignment and protect the bones
and joints when moving or under impact. The bones become stronger due to the overload placed on
them during training and the ligaments become more flexible and better at absorbing the shock
applied to them during dynamic movements. In fact, studies examining the effects of strength training
exercises to build muscle found a 68 percent drop in injuries which applied to both overuse injuries
and more acute sprains and tears.
Muscle imbalances are one of the most common causes of injuries in athletics. A very
common problem in soccer is the balance of the hamstring and the quadricep. Many people tend to
have weaker hamstrings and stronger quads. When one muscle, or muscle group, becomes stronger
than its opposing group, the weaker muscles become fatigued quicker and become more susceptible
to injury. A forceful contraction from the stronger muscle can also cause damage to the weaker
opposing muscle due to the inability to counter the force.
Motor control + balance
Balance control is a crucial factor in sports and an important component of common motor
skills. Disturbances in balance control can increase the risk of injuries during high intensity activities.
In fact, six studies that looked at the effects of balancing exercises meant to improve joint stability
found a 45 percent lower risk of injury among people in the exercise group which again seemed to
apply to both overuse injuries and more acute sprains and tears
It should be noted that the balance training tasks must be specific to the type of balance
strategies required by the athlete’s event. So footballers should often work to improve the balance
and stabilization of landing, jumping, planting, and pushing on/off one leg.
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Injury Prevention (cont.)
Cardiovascular endurance
Cardiovascular endurance is also a huge factor in injury prevention. The cardiovascular and
respiratory systems must be adequately conditioned to delay the onset of fatigue. A fatigued athlete
becomes vulnerable to injury when the nervous and muscular systems are unable to respond
adequately to an injury-producing situation. Think about how your running form starts to break down
once you get extremely tired after copious amounts of sprints or how your reaction time or ability to
avoid a tackle worsens at the end of a game. This is why more muscular or ligament injuries occur
when athletes become more fatigued. The better shape you are in, the less fatigued you will become
and the better your mind and body can react to these potentially injury inducing situations.
flexibility
This is a tricky one... so read this section very carefully. The ideal muscle contains a balance
of tightness for speed and strength and flexibility for the ability to handle different movements and
stress. Therefore, the goal of stretching is to prevent muscles from becoming overly tight so that they
can have the mobility to perform sport-specific movements. The goal of stretching should NOT be to
push the body’s flexibility further than what is needed for their sport.
When footballers workout, train, or play in matches they go through very repetitive movements
and their muscles can develop tightness over time. For a footballer to be efficient on the field this
requires a full range of motion. Normal muscular length-tension and adequate extensibility upon
stretching aid in protecting the body from injury because, overly tight muscles will impede your ability
to perform certain movements in athletic competition and can have a huge detriment to your movement, running, technique, etc. Tight muscles are also a major cause of lower back pain, foot problems, and injury in the joints.
However, the use of stretching to improve flexibility past what is needed for sport specific
movements to prevent injury, off-set muscle soreness, and improve performance has been widely
accepted and promoted in sports, but little to no scientific evidence supports the practice, and recent
research suggests that stretching, which increases flexibility beyond that needed for sport-specific
movements, may actually cause injury.
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Customize your training
Training Overview
How to pick the right style for you
I think that everybody knows deep down what their specific strengths and weaknesses are when it
comes to their game, body, or athleticism. I constantly challenge you to focus on improving the weak
points of your game with the ultimate goal of making them your strong points. I was always tiny and
weak as a teenager, so I focused mainly on strength, Olympic, and hypertrophy style training while
implementing the other training styles as well until size and strength became some of the best parts of
my game.
I also think that the time of the year (offseason, preseason, in-season) should play a role into your
style of training. You wouldn’t necessarily want to start an intense 6 day a week strength or Olympic
lifting regimen during the middle of the season nor would you want to focus on a cardio or fat loss
program at the start of your offseason. You should tailor your training style to your goals, season, age,
etc.
Mix it up... but not too often
Again, I suggest that you mix up your training style or training regimen every 8 weeks so that after you
experience a decent progression in one style of training you can move to another style that might
challenge you in a different way. This constant varying of training styles will help you become a very
balanced and well-rounded athlete. Even with the soccer specific training programs in this book,
which are more balanced than many other weightlifting workouts, I still think you should be switching
them up after 8 weeks of progression.
Progression
Like stated before, no matter what workout style you choose to go with progression is the main key
behind any program. Every single week you should aim to make your workout harder and more
intense either by increasing the reps, sets, weights, time under tension, etc. or by decreasing the rest
time. Progression week after week is what gets you to improve. Nobody ever improved by doing the
same workout every single week.
Combining different styles
The training regimens in this ebook all have specific focuses, but they are different from many weightlifting programs since our end goal is to perform on the field. They all have a specific focus, but they
all incorporate aspects from other training styles as well. For example, the Hypertrophy Focus
Program will also have some stability exercises in it to make sure that your stabilizers in your knees
and ankles don’t weaken over time. The same concept applies to the Functional Focus Program. It will
have a functional focus, but will still have some traditional barbell exercises to work on raw strength
and power. They are all balanced training programs with a shift towards a specific focus.
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Training for physique
Training based on physique goals
Although your weight loss or muscle gain is mainly determined by your diet, there are benefits to
altering you style of training to fit your goals.
Maintain: If you are looking to maintain your current weight, then I would recommend taking a step
back and looking at your performance goals. Are you looking to develop strength and explosive
power, would you rather work on stamina and muscle endurance, or do you think your balance and
stability could be improved? Find your performance weakness and improve in that area.
Bulk: If you are mainly concerned with developing muscle mass, I would recommend the Hypertrophy Focus or Strength Focus programs. You can of course gain weight with any style of training as
long as you are in a caloric surplus, but many studies have shown that a higher volume training
regimen leads to improved cross sectional area development of muscles (aka the growth of your
muscles). These styles are also very easy to track progress. Simply check if you are lifting heavier
weight than you were lifting last week.
Circuit style and Stability training are great for soccer players, but the focus is more on a high intensity cardiovascular workout, improving muscular endurance, and improving balance than on a high
workload training regimen needed to tear muscle fibers for growth. Can you get stronger and bigger
with Circuit Style and Stability training? Of course, but they might not be the BEST way if your primary
goal is gaining muscle.
Cut: If you are mainly concerned with cutting fat, then you might opt for circuit style or Crossfit style
training as they are high intensity interval workouts that develop muscle from the resistance aspect,
but also involve high calorie burning, interval style workouts for the best of both worlds. Again, just like
above, can you lose weight with a strength or even hypertrophy style training program? Of course, but
they might not be the BEST way if your primary goal is to burn calories and cut fat.
Lose Fat and Gain Muscle: You really can’t go wrong with any style if you just need to improve in
both areas. Every single style generally is working to develop muscle/strength and increase the
metabolism to shred fat. Just like discussed in the previous section, choose a style you might be
interested in, stick with it for 8 weeks, focus on progression, and then MIX IT UP. If your diet is where
it needs to be then you will slowly progress towards your physique goals.
95
Training based on season
Training based on season
In Season: Training in season is extremely difficult. You want to progress and make the workouts
more difficult, but you have to be extremely careful to not get too sore so that it inhibits your ability to
perform in a game or training. You also need to be cautious to workout when your body is still in the
recovery phase from a game. It feels like a constant, never-ending struggle of not being able to
workout because you are letting your body recover from the previous game OR not being able to
workout because you don’t want your body to be too sore for the next game.
My Solution: You want to benefit from the workout without getting so sore that it will affect your
training. The trick is to ramp up the intensity from the previous week’s workouts very, very slightly. If
you haven’t worked out last week or the week before.. or the week before, then you need to start
incredibly light so that you barely even break a sweat. This way you won’t get overly sore the next
day. Then the next session ramp up the intensity ever so slightly. I have been able to slowly ramp up
the intensity of my workouts over a long period of time without taking a break, so that I am able to lift
heavy weights or do incredibly difficult sessions with just minor soreness the next day.
You also have to realize that there are just going to be those weeks where the team trainings or
games are just so strenuous that it makes it incredibly hard to work out in the gym. During these
weeks, I prefer to just head into the gym and do some very light maintenance work such as push-ups,
pull-ups, planks, and maybe some stretching and/or yoga. Nothing that is going to get my body tired
for the next day. To sum up, listen to your body, but slowly ramp up the intensity of the workouts so
soreness is very minor. Do not jump head first into a training regimen in the middle of a season and
have sore legs for the next 4-5 days. You are in this for the long haul, not for immediate results.
Offseason: This is a great time to train and work on your physique/strength/goals as you have no
worry about training too hard and getting too sore for an upcoming game or team training. This time
period is where I mainly focus on increasing strength, explosion, power, and working to any physique
goals that I have.
Just as a general disclaimer: I always advise athletes to take at least 1-2 weeks completely off from
activity immediately after the end of the season to allow your body to recover and rejuvenate before
starting any offseason program. This week or two gives your body time to recover any areas that
might be weakening from a season’s worth of trainings, workouts, and games.
Preseason: This is a great time to cut some excess fat and improve your stamina/fitness to prepare
yourself for the rigorous upcoming season. I tend to shift my weightlifting focus from strength, explosion, power to more of circuit style training that gets me also working the cardiovascular aspect of my
game as well to better prepare for the upcoming demands of preseason. I like to start cutting down
rest times, dropping the weight slightly, and increasing the reps to the muscular endurance side of
training.
96
Training based on body
Training based on body type
Training should also vary based on your body type. It doesn’t take a medical evaluation to figure out
what type of body type you have, just look in the mirror. You will never be able to change your underlying body type, but you can go from a skinny 100 lb ectomorph to a muscular, lean 160 lb athlete.
You can also go from an overweight, husky 200 lb endomorph to a leaner, fitter 170 lb muscular, lean
athlete. There are professional footballers with all three body types (Cristiano Ronaldo is an Ectomorph, Roberto Carlos is a Mesomorph, Wayne Rooney is an Endomorph) and each athlete has to
vary their diet and training style based on their specific body type.
Ectomorph: Ectomorphs are also considered hard-gainers. They typically have skinnier and smaller
frames and are able to eat more food than the other body types without putting on muscle or fat. I am
100% an Ectomorph and struggled for years to put on any weight at all, however as many of you
probably have noticed, I no longer have the same amount of muscle that I used to have. I will always
be an Ectomorph, but I can become a muscular Ectomorph. If you are an Ectomorph then your main
concern is usually to put on and maintain muscle mass. It took me years of dedicated diet and
exercise to even get up to 150 lbs and even today I currently sit at 170 lbs, but with just a few weeks
of slacking off from weightlifting and little regard to my diet I will start dropping muscle mass at an
incredibly fast rate.
Ectomorphs generally need to focus on strength/hypertrophy style of training as these styles usually
produce the best method to gain and maintain muscle mass. Of course we can and should mix up
our training styles to reap the cardiovascular benefits from circuit or Crossfit training or the balance
benefits from stability training or the functional movements of calisthenics or functional training, but
generally, improving strength is going to help you reach your goals as an Ectomorph.
Endomorph: Endomorphs are usually bigger, huskier guys. They are generally deemed “Big Boned”
and have an easy time gaining muscle and fat, but have the opposite problem as an Ectomorph as
they require extra cardio and a disciplined diet in order to cut excess fat. I know multiple professional
players who have Endomorph body types and they constantly have to shift their diets to a caloric
deficit and alter their training from heavier weight strength/hypertrophy style training to more circuit
style/bodyweight/balance style training in order to increase cardio and burn more calories during their
workouts. Just like above, of course they also benefit from and do strength style exercises, but their
goal with those exercises is to improve power without putting on mass which they accomplish by
eating less/equal calories than what they burn each day.
Mesomorph: Mesomorphs honestly have the best of both worlds. They don’t really have that difficult
of a time putting on muscle and they really don’t have too much extra fat. Mesomorphs should not
assume that since their body looks strong and fit for football that they no longer need to work out. Just
as the Ferrari could have a terrible engine or have bad oil, these players can also have deceptively
weak muscles. Their training style can vary based on what they are leaning towards at the moment
whether slight fat loss or slight muscle/strength gain, but generally they don’t need to do much
hypertrophy style training which really just serves to grow the muscle larger. They can shift their focus
to more functional or injury prevention style training.
97
Training based on age
Training based on age/experience
5-12 years old: Between the ages of 5 and 12 years old, I always preach that the emphasis should
be 99% on technical and tactical skill development. However, they can also start to learn the basics
of exercise through bodyweight movements such as push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats,
lunges, etc. Now, there have been studies that have shown that even heavier weightlifting is perfectly
safe for children as young as 9 years old, but I believe a solid 1-2 year foundation of bodyweight
movements should be mastered before progressing into other more advanced forms of weightlifting
or resistance training. Unless the child is obese, cutting excess fat should really not be that high of a
priority. Children need a caloric surplus especially of protein in order to grow bigger and develop.
Putting a child in a caloric deficit is never good as it might have harmful growth side effects. As
always talk to your doctor before making any drastic changes to their diet plan.
13-16 years old: Between the ages of 13 and 16 years old it really depends. If you have 1-2 years of
bodyweight training and feel you have a solid grasp of the movements associated with basic exercising then it might be the right time to start learning the basic movements of more advanced training
exercises such as bench press, back squat, deadlift, etc. If you or the player has no prior experience
with any sort of exercising, then again aim to learn the movements of bodyweight training for at least a
year before advancing into weightlifting. If you are starting your transition into weightlifting my advice
is to forget the progression of the weight and spend a few months learning the correct form of the
basic compound movements with a knowledgeable coach. Once you have developed proper knowledge and muscle memory of good form, then slowly start progressing up the weight into more challenging ranges. The aim should be to develop good lifting habits for the rest of your life while also
very slowly progressing the weight to build yourself stronger and more athletic. Teenagers vary
immensely with their growth patterns, body types, need for food, etc. but if you are still growing be
weary to enter into a caloric deficit unless like before you are overweight or obese as most of the time
a high caloric and protein diet is needed for a younger growing athlete.
17-24 years old: In terms of weightlifting, you should now have developed proper weightlifting habits
and can really start dealing with heavier weights and more advanced training regimens. If however
you still have not started weightlifting, then don’t panic and feel like you have to jump in and catch up.
Start with bodyweight training for at least a year, progress into weightlifting by dropping the ego and
the weight and learning the basic movements, then slowly progressing up when you feel you have
locked down proper form. Generally during this age most people have generally stopped growing. If
you are still growing then your caloric needs will be higher as your body will not only need food to
grow taller, but also to fuel and grow your muscles. If you have stopped growing you can start to ease
back your diet slightly, but again it really depends on your body and your physique goals.
25+: By the age of 25+ you should have a great grasp of your preferred style of training and what
your body needs in order to perform at the highest level. In my case, I am now at a strength, weight,
and physique that I love and can ease back slightly on the training style that I used to rely on. I am
now focusing on my weaknesses such as flexibility, stability, and working out for injury prevention and
to lengthen my career. Most likely your metabolism will also begin to slow and heavier lifting and
strength training might not be as necessary as it is/was at an earlier age. You should always be
reflecting on the type of player that you are and adjusting your workouts accordingly.
98
The programs
The programs
General Focus
Overview: A general program implementing techniques and aspects from all training styles for the
footballer not looking for a specific focus.
Format: 4 gym sessions per week + 2 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: All seasons
Functional focus
Overview: A more soccer-specific program utilizing functional movements for the footballer mainly
looking for practical workouts that directly translate to the field.
Format: 3 gym sessions per week + 3 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: All seasons
Power focus
Overview: A strength program mostly comprised of Olympic and powerlifting movements for the footballer mainly looking to improve overall strength, power, explosion.
Format: 4 gym sessions per week + 2 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: Offseason
Hypertrophy focus
Overview: A hypertrophy program comprised of large compound movements, a few isolation exercises,
and higher reps for the footballer mainly looking to gain muscle mass and size.
Format: 5 gym sessions per week + 2 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: Offseason
Shred focus
Overview: A circuit style program made up of a variation of movements with an emphasis on shorter rest
times and higher intensity workouts for the footballer looking to cut fat and improve fitness.
Format: 3 gym sessions per week + 4 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: Preseason
.
Maintenance focus
Overview: A lighter workload program implementing mostly stability type exercises to maintain strength
and prevent injuries during season.
Format: 3 gym sessions per week + 1 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: In Season
Bodyweight focus
Overview: A program implementing only bodyweight exercises for the footballer who may not have
access to a gym, but still looking to get stronger.
Format: 4 workout sessions per week + 2 fitness sessions per week
Recommended Season: All seasons
100
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What weight should I use?
I can’t tell you which weight to use. Everyone has different strength levels; what’s right for you might be
way too heavy or way too light for someone else. My advice is to start light and just give it a try. You
should be able to judge within the first rep or two if that feels too heavy, too light, or just about right. If it’s
the wrong weight, stop, and adjust the weight accordingly. If you are just learning the movements, then
the weight should be light enough for you to perform the reps without any trouble at all. If you feel that
you have the movements mastered, then the weight should be challenging enough so that you can just
barely finish the required reps with proper form.
What if my gym doesn’t have that piece of equipment?
Get creative! We’ve all been in gyms that have had almost no equipment. Your job is to modify movements or find alternatives so that you can make this program work with what you have. You can do
almost any exercise with a bench and rack of dumbbells. If you really can’t think of a way to modify an
exercise then Google it! Just type in, “Alternatives of (name of exercise here)”
What if I don’t know how to do that exercise?
For almost every exercise in this program, I have written out a short description in the glossary in the
back of this book. If you still don’t understand the exercise even after reading the description, then I have
copy and pasted a YouTube link of a video with an athlete performing that exercise. Simply copy and
paste that link into your web browser and watch a visual representation. If the exercise is more technical
like the Deadlift, Power Clean, Hang Clean, or even if you are still unsure about your form with any
exercise don’t be afraid to ask a trainer at your gym for help! In fact, that’s VERY encouraged.
How do I fit this into my schedule with school and team trainings?
I can’t help you with that. Everyone’s schedule is different and everyone has different time restraints. If
it’s important to you, then you will make time for it. If it’s not, then you’ll make an excuse. If you really think
you are taking on too much at once, then consider switching to the in-season maintenance program
while you are in this busier time. Then in offseason or when your schedule calms down, switch to the
more time constraining workout routines like the Hypertrophy or Power programs.
What if the workouts are too hard for me to complete?
Cut it short at the point where you think your body has had enough. Push yourself, but not to the point of
injury. You are in this for the long haul. Rushing into these programs is a great way to get injured. Like
stated before, just progress week after week. Aim to complete one more set or one more exercise in the
next workout or the next week. Also consider lowering the weight for certain exercises if you feel you are
over-exerting yourself. You know your body better than anyone, so listen to it! Over time you will soon be
able to complete the entire workout with ease and need to bump up the weights!
What if the time requirements for the fitness exercises are too fast for me?
Perform the workouts at your own pace and own time. Those time restraints are merely guidelines that I
would use for myself and I am a professional level soccer player. Track and record your own times and
work to decrease that time week after week and workout after workout. Soon, one day you’ll be able to
perform those workouts under those time restraints with ease.
101
General Focus
General focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, circuits/supersets, lots of stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at
hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell Back Squat
5
8-12
90s
Strength
Bulgarian Split Squat
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Strength
Glute Bridge
3
12
60s
Glute Activation
Kettle Bell Swings
3
20
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Single Leg RDL
3
10 each leg
60s
Stability
Pistol Squats
2
MAX
90s
Stability + Functional Strength
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Forward
3
10 each leg
20s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Single Leg Wall-Sits
2
45s
30s
Isometric Strength
Side Plank Hip Dips
2
30s
15s
Core Strength
Leg Extension Machine
2
12
15s
Strength + Hypertrophy
V-Ups w/ Weight Plate
2
15
15s
Core Strength
Leg Curl Machine
2
12
90s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
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general focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, bodyweight movements, circuits/supersets, some stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Clean and Press
Sets
4
Reps/time
4-6
rest
Main focus Element
90s
Power
10s
Strength + Stability
Superset
Single Arm DB Bench Press
3
Pull-Ups
3
10-15
60s
Functional Strength
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps
3
45s
10s
Stability + Core Activation
Bent Over Single Arm DB Row
3
10 each arm
60s
Stability + Strength
2
15 each side
10s
Functional Core Strength
2
20
10s
Functional Strength
2
12
10s
Strength + Stability
Jump Rope
2
60s
10s
Functional Endurance
Rest
2
N/A
90s
Strength + Stability
Close Grip Push-Ups
2
12-15
10s
Functional Strength
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
20 taps each side
10s
Core Strength
DB Bicep Curl
2
10
10s
Hypertrophy
Med Ball Overhead Sit-Up Throws
2
20
90s
Core Strength
10 each arm
Superset
Circuit Style
Cable High to Low Ax Chops
Supermans
DB Pullover on Swiss Ball
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
104
General focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, A few supersets, lots of stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at
hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Trap Bar Deadlift
5
5-8
90s
Strength
DB Step-Up
3
8 each leg
10s
Functional Strength
Band Monster Walks
3
15 steps each way
60s
Glute Activation
3
6 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Leg Press
3
15-20
60s
Strength
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball
2
15 each leg
30s
Stability
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Lateral
3
10 each leg
20s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Jumping Lunges
2
8 each leg
30s
Functional Strength + Power
Hanging Leg Raise
2
15-20
15s
Core Strength
Seated Calf Raise Machine
2
12
15s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Push-Up Position Hold
2
60s
15s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Single Leg Box Jumps
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
105
general focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 4
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, bodyweight movements, circuits/supersets, some stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bench Press
4
8-12
90s
Strength
Standing Single Arm DB Shoulder Press
3
10 each arm
10s
Strength + Stability
Lat-Pull Down
3
10
60s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Push-Up to Single Arm Row
3
10 each arm
10s
Stability + Core + Strength
Decline Sit-Ups
3
20
60s
Stability + Strength
Back Extensions
3
20
30s
Functional Strength
Cable Low to High Ax Chops
2
15 each side
20s
Functional Core Strength
Cable Row
3
12
30s
Strength
2
12-15
15s
Hypertrophy + Strength
Planks
2
60s
15s
Isometric Core Strength
Chin-Ups
2
10
15s
Sit-Up Twists
2
10 each side
90s
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
DB Overhead Tricep Extension
Functional Strength
Core Strength
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
106
general focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, circuits/supersets, lots of stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at
hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Front Squat
5
4-6
90s
Strength
Sled Push
3
20 yards (There and Back)
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Single Leg Glute Bridge
3
10
60s
Glute Activation
Kettle Bell/DB Snatch
3
5 each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls
2
12
30s
Isometric Strength
2
12 each leg
90s
Stability + Functional Power
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance
3
45s each leg
20s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Barbell RDLs
3
6-8
60s
Strength
Groin Raises
3
20 each side
60s
Functional Strength
2
15 each side
15s
Core Strength
Bodyweight Bulgarian Squat Jumps
2
12 each leg
15s
Functional Strength + Power
Plate Toe Touches
2
25
15s
Core Strength
2
12 each leg
90s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Superset
Circuit Style
Single Leg DB Jumps
Circuit Style
Hanging Knee Raise to Side
Single Leg Calf Raise Machine
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
107
general focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, bodyweight movements, circuits/supersets, some stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Hang Clean
4
Reps/time
6-8
rest
Main focus Element
90s
Power
Superset
Single Arm Cable Row
3
10 each arm
10s
Strength + Stability
Incline DB Bench Press
3
6-8
60s
Functional Strength
Plank to Push-Up Holds
3
60s
10s
Stability + Core Activation
Inverted Rows
3
12
10s
Functional Strength
Barbell Good Mornings
3
10
10s
Strength
3
12
10s
Functional Power
Clap Push-Ups
3
MAX
10s
Functional Power
Med Ball Slams
3
12
10s
Functional Power
Battle Ropes - Alternate
3
30s
10s
Muscular Endurance
DB Lateral Raise
3
10-12
90s
Hypertrophy
Pull-Ups
As Needed
50
As Needed
Circuit Style
Med Ball Wall Squat Throws
Strength + Muscular Endurance
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
108
general focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, circuits/supersets, lots of stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at
hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Deadlift
5
3-5
90s
Strength
3
6 each leg
10s
Functional Strength
3
Until Fatigue
60s
Glute Activation
Box, Floor, to Box Jumps
3
8
10s
Functional Power
Single Leg, Leg Press
3
12 each leg
60s
Strength + Hypertophy
Squat Jump onto Bosu Ball
2
8
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Barbell Single Leg RDLs
2
8 each leg
60s
Stability + Strength
Bodyweight Step-Up Jumps
2
12 each leg
10s
Functional Power
Standing Calf Raise Machine
2
12
60s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Decline Sit-Ups w/ Med Ball OH
2
15
10s
Core Strength
Decline Ab Plate Twists
2
10 each side
60s
Core Strength
Superset
Barbell Walking Lunges
Clamshells
Superset
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
109
general focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 4
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, bodyweight movements, circuits/supersets, some stability work, and even a few exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Overhead Press
4
6-8
90s
Strength
Push-Ups on Med Ball
3
10
10s
Strength + Stability
Row Cardio Machine
3
60s
60s
Muscular Endurance
3
30s
10s
Power + Muscular Endurance
lk
3
20 yards
60s
Stability + Core Strength
Cable Horizontal Ax Chops
3
10 each side
30s
Functional Core Strength
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
3
MAX
30s
Functional Strength
Seated Med Ball Chest Push
3
12
30s
Functional Power
Cable Tricep Push-Downs
2
12-15
30s
Hypertrophy
Barbell Front Raise
2
12
30s
Hypertrophy
Overhead Plate Crunches
2
20
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Battle Rope Slams
ingle rm
rmer’s
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
110
general focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid-long distance fast paced runs. The goal should be to
decrease the time it takes you to finish each exercise each week of the four weeks. Progression. (1 lap refers to one lap
around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Run 2 Laps
2
Aim for Under 3:00
3 mins
Fast Run
Run 1.5 Laps
1
Aim for Under 2:00
2 mins
Fast Run
Run 1 Lap
1
Aim for Under 1:30
2 mins
Fast Run
Run .5 Lap
2
Aim for Under 0:40
1 min
Full Sprint
Run .25 Lap
4
Aim for Under 0:15
1 min
Full Sprint
Run 1 Mile
1
Aim for Under 6:30
N/A
Decent Pace
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
111
general focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around short distance agility drills. The goal should be to do each set
with full power and speed. Check the Fitness Glossary for an explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Shuttle (5, 10) to Full Field Sprint
3
Under 22s
60s
Full Sprint
40 yard Sprint (3 Point Stance)
3
Under 6s
60s
Full Sprint
2
30s
30s
Full Sprint
Indiana Drill
2
30s
30s
Full Sprint
T-Cone Drill
2
30s
30s
Full Sprint
Circle Sprint Cut-Backs
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
112
general focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid-long distance fast paced runs. The goal should be
decrease the time it takes you to finish each exercise each week of the four weeks. Progression. (1 lap refers to one lap
around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Run 400m
1
Aim for Under 1:30
2 mins
Mid-Distance Pace
1
20s each leg
60s
Muscular Endurance
Run 400m
1
Aim for Under 1:30
2 mins
Mid-Distance Pace
Tight Zig Zag Weave to Sprint
4
1
60s
Functional Movement
Run 400m
1
Aim for Under 1:30
2 mins
Mid-Distance Pace
X-Drill
2
1
60s
Functional Movement
Run 400m
1
Aim for Under 1:30
2 mins
Mid-Distance Pace
Back Pedal to Sprint
2 each way
1
20s
Functional Movement
Single Leg Lateral Obstacle Hops
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
113
general focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to contain incline treadmill intervals, battle ropes, and long distance runs. The incline runs
are much more difficult than you think, so pick a slower speed than you usually would pick if running on a flat surface.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Treadmill Run at 10% Incline
5
30s
30s
8-10 mph
Battle Ropes - Alternate
1
30s
60s
Muscular Endurance
Battle Ropes - Slams
1
30s
60s
Muscular Endurance
Battle Ropes - Circles
1
30s
60s
Muscular Endurance
2 Mile Run
1
60s
Fast Jog
Aim for Under 15:00
Main focus Element
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
114
Functional Focus
functional focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a functional, lower body focused gym session. All of these exercises are aimed to help you perform on the field in
one way or another.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
4
15
10s
Strength + Stability
4
10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength
Bulgarian Split Squat
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Single Arm Kettle Bell Swings
3
10 each arm
60s
Functional Power
Pistol Squats
2
MAX each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg RDL
2
12 each leg
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Squat Jump onto Bosu Ball
2
10
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Single Leg Squats (Clockwork)
2
12 each leg
60s
Balance + Functional Strength
Med Ball Slams
2
15
15s
Functional Power
Skater Jumps
2
10 each leg
15s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Med Ball Twist Wall Throws
2
10 each side
15s
Functional Power
Knee Tuck Jumps
2
20
90s
Muscular Endurance
Superset
Goblet Squat
Single Leg Glute Bridge
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
116
Functional focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is a functional, upper body focused gym session. All of these exercises are aimed to help you perform on the field in
one way or another.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
DB Bench Press
4
10
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Bent Over DB Row
4
12
60s
Functional Strength + Power
Overhead Press
4
8-10
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
4
8-10
60s
Functional Strength + Power
Back Extensions
3
12
10s
Functional Strength
Decline Sit-Ups
3
15
60s
Functional Strength
10s
Balance + Functional Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Superset
10 each arm
Push-Ups One Hand on MB
2
Inverted Rows
2
10
60s
Functional Strength
Plank to Push-Up Holds
2
60s
15s
Isometric Strength
Landmine Press
2
12 each arm
15s
Stability + Functional Strength
Dips
2
15-20
15s
Functional Strength
Hammer Curl
2
10 each arm
90s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
117
Functional focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is a functional, lower body focused gym session. All of these exercises are aimed to help you perform on the field in
one way or another.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Trap Bar Deadlift
4
6-8
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Box Jumps
4
12
60s
Functional Power
Barbell Walking Lunges
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Strength
Single Leg Box Jumps
3
6 each leg
60s
Functional Power
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Lateral
2
10 each leg
10s
Stability + Injury Prevention
DB RDLs
2
10
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Machine Leg Extensions
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Machine Leg Curl
3
15
60s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Sled Push
2
40 yards
15s
Functional Power
Cat Jumps
2
12
15s
Functional Power
Overhead Med Ball Slams - Side
2
10 each side
15s
Functional Power
Overhead Plate Crunches
2
20
90s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
118
functional focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a functional, lower body focused gym session. All of these exercises are aimed to help you perform on the field in
one way or another.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell Back Squat
4
4-6
10s
Monster Walks
4
20 steps each way
60s
Functional Muscular Endurance
DB Step-Ups
4
6 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Good Mornings
4
12
60s
Functional Strength
Leg Press
2
20
10s
Strength + Power
Nordic Hamstring Falls
2
8-12
60s
Functional Strength
Single Leg Squats on Bosu
2
10 each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Jumping Lunges
2
10 each leg
60s
Functional Power
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
15 each side
15s
Core Strength
Wall Sits
2
60s
15s
Isometric Strength
Plate Toe Touches
2
20
15s
Core Strength
Lunge Hold
2
30s each side
90s
Isometric Strength
Superset
Strength + Power
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
119
Functional focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is a functional, upper body focused gym session. All of these exercises are aimed to help you perform on the field in
one way or another.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bench Press
4
6-8
10s
Strength + Power
Bent Over Barbell Row
4
6-8
60s
Strength + Power
4
8-10 each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
4
8-10
60s
Functional Strength
Hang Cleans
3
8-10
10s
Strength
Planks
3
60s
60s
Isometric Core Strength
Lat-Pull Downs
2
12
10s
Strength
Close Grip Push-Ups
2
12
60s
Strength
Side Planks
2
45s each side
15s
Isometric Strength
DB Lateral Raise
2
12
15s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Bench Dips
2
15-20
15s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Bent Over Reverse Flys
2
12
90s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Superset
Superset
Single Arm DB Shoulder Press
Chin-Ups
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
120
Functional focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a functional, lower body focused gym session. All of these exercises are aimed to help you perform on the field in
one way or another.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
4
6
10s
Power
4
8
60s
Functional Power
Backwards DB Lunges
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Strength
Box Jump - Single Leg Stick
3
5 each leg
60s
Functional Power + Stability
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Forwards
2
10 each leg
10s
Stability + Injury Prevention
Barbell RDLs
2
8
60s
Functional Strength
Abductor Leg Machine
3
15
10s
Strength
Adductor Leg Machine
3
15
60s
Strength
Sled Pull
2
20 yards
15s
Functional Power
Sit-Up Twists
2
10 each side
15s
Core Strength
Cat Jumps
2
12
15s
Functional Power
Hanging Knee Raise to Side
2
10 each side
90s
Core Strength
Superset
Clean and Press
Knee Jump to Box Jump
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
121
Functional focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is mainly going to be focused around short distance, agility drills. The goal should be to do each set
with full power and speed. Check the Fitness Glossary for an explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 15, 20)
3
1
60s
Full Sprint
L-Drill
4 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Zig Zag Weave
4
1
10s
Full Sprint
Zig Zag Weave - Forward/Backward
4
1
10s
Full Sprint
6
1
60s
Full Sprint
Full Field Sprint
Main focus Element
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
122
Functional focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 2
This fitness routine is mainly going to be focused around alternating longer distance runs with short distance, agility
drills. Check the Fitness Glossary for an explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
1 Mile Run
1
Aim for under 6:00
3 minutes
Figure 8 Sprint
6
1
20s
Functional Strength
1 Mile Run
1
Aim for Under 7:00
3 minutes
Fast Paced Run
5 each way
1
30s
Glute Activation
1
Aim for Under 8:00
3 minutes
Paced Run
Three Shuffles to Sprint
1 Mile Run
Main focus Element
Fast Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
123
Functional focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 3
This fitness routine is going to contain a very rigorous longer distance workout at the beginning, then will shift to short
distance, agility drills. The goal should be to do each set with full power and speed. Check the Fitness Glossary for an
explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Overtimes
3
1
2 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Jog - 18 to 18 - Jog
6
1
The rest is the jog
Fast Run
10
1
30s
Full Sprint
Knee Tuck Jump to 10 yd Sprint
Main focus Element
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
124
Functional focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is mainly going to be focused around short distance, agility drills. The goal should be to do each set
with full power and speed. Check the Fitness Glossary for an explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
5
1
20s
Full Sprint
5 each way
1
10s
Full Sprint
40 yd Varied Gated Sprint
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
Field Runs (Jog Ends, Sprint Sides)
1
4 Laps
2 minutes
Fast Paced Run
4
30s
30s
Full Effort
Shuttle Run (3, 5, 3, 10, 3, 5, 3)
Triangle Drill
Burpees
Main focus Element
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
125
Functional focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 2
This fitness routine is mainly going to be focused around alternating between longer and shorter distance agility drills.
Check the Fitness Glossary for an explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
2 Mile Run
1
Aim for under 15:00
5 minutes
Paced Run
Cross Box Drill
8
1
20s
Full Sprint
1 Mile Run
1
Aim for Under 7:30
3 minutes
Paced Run
5 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
1
Aim for Under 16:00
3 minutes
Fast Jog
Back Pedal to Sprint
2 Mile Run
Main focus Element
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
126
Functional focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 3
This fitness routine is going to contain a very rigorous longer distance workout at the beginning, then will shift to short
distance, agility drills. Check the Fitness Glossary for an explanation and video of the drills.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Horse Shoes
1
1
5 minutes
Paced Run
Indiana Drill
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
I-Drill
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Gym and Fitness Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
127
Power Focus
Power focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a full body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Clean and Press
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Weighted Dip
5
6-8
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Weighted Pull-Up
5
6-8
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Med Ball Slams
3
10
10s
Functional Power
Box Jump
3
7
2 minutes
Functional Power
Sled Push
3
40 yards
10s
Functional Power
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Lateral
3
12 each side
2 minutes
Balance + Injury Prevention
Plank
2
60s
30s
Isometric Core Strength
Side Plank
2
60s each side
30s
Isometric Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
129
Power focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is a lower body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force into the ground as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Trap Bar Deadlift
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Single Leg RDLs
5
6-8 each leg
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength + Stability
Hanging Leg Raise
5
6-8
2-3 minutes
Functional Core Strength
Battle Rope - Slams
3
30s
10s
Functional Power + Endurance
Monster Walks
3
20 steps each way
2 minutes
Muscular Endurance
Battle Ropes - Alternate
3
30s
10s
Functional Power + Endurance
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball
3
12 each side
2 minutes
Balance + Injury Prevention
Overhead Plate Crunches
2
20
30s
Core Strength
Side V-Ups
2
20 each side
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
130
Power focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is an upper body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bench Press
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Single Arm DB Row
5
6-8 each arm
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Single Arm DB Incline Press
5
6-8 each arm
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength + Stability
Med Ball Twist Wall Throws
3
12 each side
10s
Functional Power
Box Jump to Single Leg Stick
3
6 each leg
2 minutes
Functional Power + Stability
Sled Pull
3
40 yards
10s
Functional Power
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Forward
3
12 each leg
2 minutes
Balance + Injury Prevention
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps
2
45s
30s
Isometric Core Strength
Side Plank Hip Dips
2
25 each side
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
131
Power focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 4
This is a full body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell Back Squat
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Single Leg, Leg Press
5
6-8 each leg
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Standing Calf Raise Machine
5
15-20
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Machine Leg Curl
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Clap Push-Ups
3
MAX
2 minutes
Functional Power
Machine Leg Extension
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Inverted Rows
3
12
2 minutes
Functional Strength
Plate Toe Touches
2
25
30s
Core Strength
Supermans
2
20
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
132
Power focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a full body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Power Clean
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Weighted Bench Dip
5
10-12
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Weighted Neutral Grip Pull-Up
5
10-12
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Overhead Med Ball Slams - Side
3
10 each side
10s
Functional Power
Single Leg Box Jump
3
5 each leg
2 minutes
Functional Power
Broad Jump for Distance
3
5
10s
Functional Power
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance
3
45s each side
2 minutes
Balance + Injury Prevention
Decline Sit-Ups
2
20
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
133
Power focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is a lower body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell RDLs
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Leg Press
5
15-20
2-3 minutes
Strength
Hanging Leg Raise
5
15-20
2-3 minutes
Functional Core Strength
Kettle Bell/DB Snatch
3
8 each arm
10s
Functional Power
Monster Walks - For/Back
3
20 steps each direction
2 minutes
Muscular Endurance
Single Leg - Single Arm DB OH Press
3
8-10 each arm
10s
Stability + Strength
Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo
3
15
2 minutes
Balance + Injury Prevention
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
15 each side
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
134
Power focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
DB Bench Press
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Bent Over Barbell Row
5
6-8
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength + Power
Barbell Incline Press
5
12-15
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Cable High to Low Ax Chop
3
12 each side
10s
Functional Power
Broad Jump to Single Leg Stick
3
5 each leg
2 minutes
Functional Power + Stability
Sled Push
3
40 yards
10s
Functional Power
Squat Jumps onto Bosu Ball
3
10
2 minutes
Balance + Injury Prevention
Plank to Push Up Holds
2
45s
30s
Isometric Core Strength
Side Plank with Leg Raises
2
30s each side
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
135
Power focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 4
This is a lower body focused gym session. The main goal of this session is to increase strength and your ability to exert
force as quickly as possible.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Front Squat
5
5
2-3 minutes
Power
Bulgarian Split Squats
5
6-8 each leg
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Seated Calf Machine
5
15-20
2-3 minutes
Functional Strength
Abduction Leg Machine
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Push-Ups One Hand Med Ball
3
20 each hand
2 minutes
Functional Power + Strength
Adduction Leg Machine
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Knee Tuck Jumps
3
12
2 minutes
Functional Power
Single Leg Glute Bridges
2
15 each leg
30s
Functional Strength
Back Extensions
2
20
30s
Functional Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
136
Power focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid distance sprints and plyometric drills. You should be
exerting full power into each drill.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
L-Drill
4 each way
1
90s
Full Sprint
Full Field Sprint
2
Aim for under 15s
2 minutes
Full Sprint
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 15)
3
1
90s
Full Sprint
Half Field Sprint
3
Aim for under 7s
2 minutes
Full Sprint
Jumping Lunges
3
8 each leg
90s
Full Power
18 yard Box Sprint
4
1
60s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
137
Power focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid distance sprints and plyometric drills. You should be
exerting full power into each drill.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Back Pedal to Sprint
5 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Overtimes
1
1
3 minutes
Fast Run
Three Shuffles to Sprint
5 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
40 yd Sprint - 3 point stance
3
1
90s
Full Sprint
Broad Jumps - Continuous
3
10
30s
Full Power
Run 1 Mile
1
Aim for under 7:00
N/A
Fast Paced Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
138
Power focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid distance sprints and plyometric drills. You should be
exerting full power into each drill.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
T-Cone Drill
5
1
45s
Full Sprint
Stairs - Skip Step
3
1
60s
Full Power
X-Drill
5
1
45s
Full Sprint
Stairs - Skip Two Steps
3
1
60s
Full Power
Crossbar Taps
5
8
45s
Full Power
Stairs - Skip Step
3
1
60s
Full Power
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
139
Power focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to have a mix of long distance runs, short distance sprints, and plyometric drills. You should
be exerting full power into each drill.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Run 1 Mile
1
Aim for under 7:00
4 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Burpees
3
30s
60s
Full Power
Circle Sprint - Cutbacks
5
20 seconds
90s
Full Sprint
Skater Jumps
3
7 each leg
60s
Full Power
Zig Zag Weave
5
1
90s
Full Sprint
Broad Jump for Distance
8
1
30s
Full Power
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
140
Hypertrophy Focus
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell Back Squat
4
8-12
90s
Strength + Power
Bulgarian Split Squat
4
8 each leg
90s
Functional Strength + Stability
Leg Press
4
12-15
90s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Machine Leg Curl
3
15
10s
Hypertrophy
Machine Leg Extension
3
15
60s
Hypertrophy
Clamshells
3
20 each side
10s
Muscular Endurance
Single Leg RDLs
3
10 each side
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball
2
20 each leg
45s
Balance + Injury Prevention
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Lateral
2
10 each leg
45s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Planks
2
60s
30s
Isometric Core Strength
Side Planks
2
60s each side
30s
Isometric Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
142
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bench Press
4
8-12
90s
Strength + Power
Dips
4
MAX
90s
Functional Strength
Single Arm DB Shoulder Press
4
8-12 each arm
90s
Functional Strength + Stability
DB Lateral Raise
3
15
10s
Hypertrophy
Close Grip Push-Ups
3
MAX
60s
Functional Strength + Hyper
Barbell Front Raise
3
15
10s
Hypertrophy
Med Ball Slams
3
12
60s
Functional Power
Decline Ab Sit-Ups
2
20
45s
Core Strength
Plate Toe Touches
2
25
45s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
143
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. There are a variety of elements within this workout program, but this workout is
mainly aimed to improve cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Push-Ups on Med Ball
2
15
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg Box Jumps
2
5 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance
2
45s each leg
10s
Stability + Injury Prevention
Med Ball Slams
2
15
10s
Functional Power
Jumping Lunges
2
8 each leg
10s
Functional Power
Inverted Row
2
12
10s
Functional Strength
Med Ball Twist Wall Throws
2
10 each side
10s
Functional Power
Monster Walks
2
20 steps each way
3-5 minutes
Muscular Endurance
Pull-Ups
3
MAX
90s
Functional Strength
Dips
3
8-12
90s
Functional Strength
Supermans
3
15
10s
Functional Strength
Decline Ab Sit-Ups
3
MAX
60s
Functional Strength
Box Jump Single Leg Stick
3
8 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Hanging Leg Raise
3
12
60s
Functional Strength
Circuit Style
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
144
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 4
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Power Clean
4
8-12
90s
Strength + Power
Bent Over Barbell Row
4
8-12
90s
Functional Strength
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
4
8-12
90s
Functional Strength
lk
3
20 yards
10s
Functional Strength
DB Bicep Curl
3
10 each arm
60s
Hypertrophy
3
15
10s
Hypertrophy
One Arm Cable Rows
3
12 each arm
60s
Hypertrophy + Stability
Bent Over Reverse Flys
3
12
45s
Hypertrophy
Superset
rmer’s
Superset
k
tensions
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
145
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 5
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Trap Bar Deadlift
4
8-12
90s
Strength + Power
DB Step-Ups
4
8 each leg
90s
Functional Strength
Hack Squat Machine
4
8-12
90s
Hypertrophy
Abduction Leg Machine
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Adduction Leg Machine
3
15
60s
Strength + Hypertrophy
DB RDLs
3
12
10s
Hypertrophy
Side Plank with Leg Raises
3
30s each side
60s
Functional Strength
Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo
2
20
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
1,2 Sticks Bosu Ball - Forward
2
10 each leg
30s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Overhead Plate Crunches
2
20
45s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
146
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Front Squat
3
12-15
90s
Strength + Power
DB Walking Lunges
3
10 each leg
90s
Functional Strength + Stability
Hack Squat Machine
3
12-15
90s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Adduction Leg Machine
3
15
10s
Hypertrophy
Abduction Leg Machine
3
15
60s
Hypertrophy
Single Leg Wall-Sits
3
45s each leg
10s
Muscular Endurance
Single Leg RDLs
3
10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Squats on Bosu Ball
2
20
45s
Balance + Injury Prevention
1,2 Sticks Bosu Ball - Lateral
2
10 each leg
45s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps
2
45s
30s
Core Strength
Side Plank Twists
2
45s each side
30s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
147
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Incline DB Bench Press
3
12-15
90s
Strength + Power
Weighted Dips
3
10-12
90s
Functional Strength
Overhead Press
3
12-15
90s
Functional Strength + Stability
Diamond Push-Ups
3
15
10s
Hypertrophy + Strength
Battle Ropes - Circles
3
30s
60s
Strength + Endurance
DB Single Arm Front Raise
3
10 each arm
10s
Hypertrophy + Stability
Overhead Med Ball Slams - Side
3
8 each side
60s
Functional Power
Decline Sit-Ups with Twists
3
15
45s
Core Strength
Plate Opposite Toe Touches
3
15 each side
45s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
148
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. There are a variety of elements within this workout program, but this workout is
mainly aimed to improve cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Push-Ups One Hand on Med Ball
2
10 each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Box Jumps
2
8
10s
Functional Power
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance - Oppo
2
45s each leg
10s
Stability + Injury Prevention
Med Ball Wall Squat Throws
2
10
10s
Functional Power
Explosive Bulgarian Split Squats
2
10 each leg
10s
Functional Power
Close Grip Inverted Row
2
10
10s
Functional Strength
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
20 each side
10s
Core Strength
Monster Walks
2
20 steps each way
3-5 minutes
Muscular Endurance
Chin-Ups
3
MAX
90s
Functional Strength
Bench Dips
3
8-12
90s
Functional Strength
Back Extensions
3
15
10s
Functional Strength
Forearm Supported Leg Raise
3
15
60s
Functional Strength
Knee Jump to Box Jump
3
8
10s
Functional Power
Knee Tuck Jumps
3
20
60s
Functional Power
Circuit Style
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
149
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 4
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Hang Clean
3
8
90s
Strength + Power
Single Arm DB Row
3
12-15 each arm
90s
Functional Strength
Close Grip Lat-Pull Down
3
12-15
90s
Functional Strength
3
20 yards each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Core
3
12
60s
Hypertrophy
Goodmornings
3
12
10s
Hypertrophy
Cable Rows
3
12
60s
Hypertrophy
Reverse Fly Machine
3
15
45s
Hypertrophy
Superset
ingle rm
rmer’s
Barbell Bicep Curl
lk
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
150
Hypertrophy focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 5
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of strength building with large compound lifts, functional
exercises that mimic game-like movements, some stability work, and exercises aimed at hypertrophy.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Deadlift
3
6-8
90s
Strength + Power
Box Jumps
3
8
90s
Functional Strength
Hack Squat Machine
3
12-15
90s
Hypertrophy
Machine Leg Extension
3
20
10s
Hypertrophy
Machine Leg Curl
3
20
60s
Hypertrophy
Barbell RDLs
3
12
10s
Hypertrophy
Planks
3
90s
60s
Muscular Endurance
Bosu Ball Bounce Sticks
2
10 each leg
10s
Stability + Injury Prevention
1,2 Sticks Bosu Ball - Forward
2
10 each leg
30s
Balance + Injury Prevention
V-Ups
2
20
45s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
151
Hypertrophy focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to start off with some short sprints and plyometric movements, then shift into longer and
longer sprints until you get to some mid-distance runs. (1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or
.25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
T-Cone Drill
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
Zig Zag Weave
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
Circle Sprint - Cutbacks
3
20s
30s
Full Sprint
100m Sprint
4
Aim for under 16s
60s
Full Sprint
200m Sprint
3
Aim for under 35s
2 minutes
Fast Run
400m Run
2
Aim for under 1:20
3 minutes
Fast Run
800m Run
1
Aim for under 3:00
N/A
Fast Paced Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
152
Hypertrophy focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to start off with a long run, then progress into some short sprints and plyometric movements.
(1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
2 Mile Run
1
Aim for under 14:00
5 minutes
Paced Run
Half Field Sprint
4
1
60s
Full Sprint
18 yard Box Sprint
6
1
30s
Full Sprint
L-Drill
4 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Indiana Drill
4
1
45s
Full Sprint
X-Drill
5
1
45s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
153
Hypertrophy focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to start off with some short, quick exercises and plyometric movements, then shift into some
longer range sprints. (1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Figure 8 Sprint
5 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Three Shuffles to Sprint
5 each way
1
20s
Full Sprint
Back Pedal to Sprint
5 each way
20s
20s
Full Sprint
1 Mile Run
1
Aim for under 6:00
3 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Full Field Run (There and Back)
3
Aim for under 40s
2 minutes
Fast Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
154
Hypertrophy focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to start off with some longer runs, then shift into some shorter movements and sprints. (1 lap
refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Jog Ends, Sprint Sides
1
5 laps
5 minutes
Fast Run
Jog - 18 to 18 - Jog
4
6
Rest is the jog
Full Sprint
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 5, 15, 5)
5
1
60s
Full Sprint
Broad Jumps - Continuous
3
10 jumps
60s
Full Sprint
Up 2, Back 1 Sprints
2
4 (Back Pedals)
45s
Full Sprint
Up 2, Shuffle Back 1 Sprints
2
4 (2 Shuffles each way)
45s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
155
Shred Focus
Shred focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a full body focused gym session. There are large compound lifts to burn calories and many circuits/supersets with
short rest times aimed to get you sweating and improve stamina.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell Back Squat
4
10
90s
Strength + Power
Overhead Press
3
10
30s
Strength + Power
Pull-Ups
3
10
90s
Functional Strength
Bulgarian Split Squat
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg RDLs
3
10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Push-Ups
2
20
10s
Functional Strength
Planks
2
90s
10s
Isometric Core Strength
1,2 Sticks Bosu Ball - Lateral
2
10 each side
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Monster Walks
2
20 steps each way
10s
Muscular Endurance
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance
2
30s each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Med Ball Slams
2
10
10s
Functional Power
Side Planks
2
60s each side
90s
Isometric Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
157
Shred focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is a full body focused gym session. There are large compound lifts to burn calories and many circuits/supersets with
short rest times aimed to get you sweating and improve stamina.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bench Press
4
10
90s
Strength + Power
Power Clean
3
5
30s
Strength + Power
Clap-Push Ups
3
MAX
90s
Strength + Power
Single Arm DB Rows
3
10 each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Cable High to Low Ax Chops
3
12 each arm
60s
Core Strength + Stability
Box Jumps - Single Leg Stick
2
10 each side
10s
Power + Stability
V-Ups
2
20
10s
Core Strength
Skater Jumps
2
10 each side
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Clamshells
2
20 each side
10s
Strength
Machine Leg Curl
2
15
10s
Hypertrophy + Strength
Machine Leg Extensions
2
15
10s
Hypertrophy + Strength
Hanging Leg Raise
2
15
90s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
158
Shred focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. There are large compound lifts to burn calories and many circuits/supersets with
short rest times aimed to get you sweating and improve stamina.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Deadlift
4
5
90s
Strength + Power
Cable Rows
3
10
30s
Functional Strength
Incline DB Bench Press
3
10
90s
Functional Strength
Barbell RDLs
3
10
10s
Functional Strength
Box Jumps
3
10
60s
Functional Power
Single Arm DB Shoulder Press
2
12 each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Lunge Hold
2
60s each leg
10s
Isometric Strength
1,2 Sticks Bosu Ball - Forward
2
10 each side
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Monster Walks
2
20 steps each way
10s
Muscular Endurance
Single Leg Box Jumps
2
5 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Med Ball Twist Wall Throws
2
8 each side
10s
Functional Power
Med Ball Wall Squat Throws
2
8
90s
Functional Power
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
159
Shred focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a full body focused gym session. There are large compound lifts to burn calories and many circuits/supersets with
short rest times aimed to get you sweating and improve stamina.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Barbell Back Squat
4
5
90s
Strength + Power
Standing DB Shoulder Press
3
8
30s
Strength + Stability
Weighted Pull-Ups
3
8
90s
Functional Strength
DB Step-Ups
3
8 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg RDLs
3
12 each leg
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Diamond Push-Ups
2
15-20
10s
Functional Strength
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps
2
60s
10s
Isometric Core Strength
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball
2
4-6 each side
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Side Planks with Leg Raises
2
20 each side
10s
Muscular Endurance
Bosu Ball Bounce Sticks
2
10 each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Battle Rope - Slams
2
30s
10s
Functional Power
Cat Jumps
2
15
90s
Functional Power
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
160
Shred focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is a full body focused gym session. There are large compound lifts to burn calories and many circuits/supersets with
short rest times aimed to get you sweating and improve stamina.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bench Press
4
5
90s
Strength + Power
Clean and Press
3
5
30s
Strength + Power
Close Grip Push-Ups
3
15-20
90s
Strength
Bent Over Barbell Rows
3
8
10s
Strength
Cable Low to High Ax Chops
3
8 each side
60s
Core Strength + Stability
Single Leg Box Jumps
2
5 each leg
10s
Power + Stability
Side V-Ups
2
15 each side
10s
Core Strength
Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo
2
25
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
DB Walking Lunges
2
10 each leg
10s
Strength
Adduction Leg Machine
2
15
10s
Hypertrophy + Strength
Abduction Leg Machine
2
15
10s
Hypertrophy + Strength
Forearm Supported Leg Raise
2
20
90s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
161
Shred focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. There are large compound lifts to burn calories and many circuits/supersets with
short rest times aimed to get you sweating and improve stamina.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Trap Bar Deadlift
4
10
90s
Strength + Power
Lat-Pull Down
3
8
30s
Functional Strength
Barbell Incline Press
3
8
90s
Functional Strength
Machine Leg Curls
3
15
10s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Machine Leg Extensions
3
15
60s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Broad Jumps for Distance
2
5
10s
Functional Power
Explosive Bulgarian Split Squats
2
5 each leg
10s
Functional Power
1,2 Sticks Bosu Ball - Forward
2
12 each side
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Wall Sits
2
60s
10s
Functional Power
Monster Walks
2
20 steps each way
10s
Muscular Endurance
Overhead Med Ball Slams - Side
2
8 each side
10s
Functional Power
Kettle Bell Swings
2
15
90s
Functional Power
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
162
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid-long distance fast paced runs. The goal should be
decrease the time it takes you to finish each exercise each week of the four weeks. Progression. (1 lap refers to one lap
around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Run 1 Mile
1
Aim for under 7:00
4-5 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Run 800m
2
Aim for under 3:15
3 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Run 400m
3
Aim for under 1:30
2 minutes
Fast Run
Run 200m
4
Aim for under 35s
90s
Fast Run
Run 100m
5
Aim for under 15s
60s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
163
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around short distance movements, sprints, and plyometrics. The goal
should be to perform each exercise with full power and speed.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
L-Drill
4 each way
1
20s
Fast Paced Run
Jumping Lunges
2
7 each leg
60s
Fast Paced Run
Circle Sprint - Cutbacks
2
20s
45s
Fast Run
Broad Jumps - Continuous
3
10
45s
Fast Run
Indiana Drill
4
1
60s
Full Sprint
Burpees
3
30s
60s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
164
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 3
This fitness routine is just going to be a long distance run. The goal should be to perform the exercise in less time each
week. Progression.
Drill/Exercise
Run 3 Miles
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
1
Aim for under 24:00:
N/A
Paced Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
165
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 4
This fitness routine is going to start off with longer paced runs, then finish with some dynamic movements and shorter
distance sprints.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Overtimes
3
1
3 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Half Field Sprint
4
1
45s
Fast Paced Run
Three Shuffles to Sprint
3 each way
1
20s
Fast Run
Back Pedal to Sprint
3 each way
1
20s
Fast Run
40 yd Dash from 3 point Stance
5
1
45s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
166
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid-long distance sprints. The goal should be decrease the
time it takes you to finish each exercise each week of the four weeks. (1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track
which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
400m Run, 200m Jog
4
1
Rest is the jog
Fast Run
Rest
1
3-4 minutes
N/A
N/A
200m Sprints, 100m Jogs
4
1
Rest is the jog
Fast Run
Rest
1
3-4 minutes
N/A
N/A
100m Sprints, 100m Jogs
4
1
Rest is the jog
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
167
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around short distance movements, sprints, and plyometrics. The goal
should be to perform each exercise with full power and speed.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
T-Cone Drill
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
Skater Jumps
3
10 each leg
30s
Full Power
Figure 8 Sprints
4 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Broad Jumps for Distance
3
10
45s
Full Power
X-Drill
5
1
45s
Full Sprint
Knee Tuck Jumps
3
15
60s
Full Power
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
168
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 3
This fitness routine is just going to be series of long distance runs. The goal should be to perform the sets in less time
each week. Progression.
Drill/Exercise
Run 1 Mile
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
3
Aim for under 7:00:
5 minutes
Fast Paced Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
169
Shred focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 4
This fitness routine is going to start off with longer paced runs, then finish with some dynamic movements and shorter
distance sprints.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Full Field Sprint (There and Back)
3
1
60s
Fast Run
18 yard Shuttles (3x)
3
1
45s
Full Sprint
Knee Tuck Jump to 10 yd Sprint
5
1
20s
Full Sprint
Shuffle Run (5, 10, 5)
3
1
30s
Full Power
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 5, 10)
3
1
30s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
170
Maintenance Focus
Maintenance focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of functional compound exercises that mimic game-like
movements, circuits/supersets, and lots of stability work. The weight should be slightly lower to focus on maintaining
instead of strengthening.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Goblet Squat
3
12-15
90s
Functional Strength
Single Leg RDLs
3
8-10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Glute Bridge
3
10-12
45s
Functional Strength
DB Step-Ups
3
8-10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Box Jump - Single Leg Stick
3
5 each leg
60s
Functional Power + Stability
Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo
2
12-15
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Lateral
2
8 each leg
90s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance
2
30s each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Forward
2
8 each leg
90s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Standing Calf Raise Machine
3
15-20
30s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
172
Maintenance focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of functional compound exercises that mimic game-like
movements, circuits/supersets, and lots of stability work. The weight should be slightly lower to focus on maintaining
instead of strengthening.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Pull-Ups
3
10-15
90s
Functional Strength
Push-Ups
3
20-25
90s
Functional Strength
Standing DB Shoulder Press
3
10-12
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Arm DB Row
3
8-10 each arm
60s
Functional Strength
Planks
3
45s
60s
Isometric Core Strength
Decline Ab Sit-Ups
2
12-15
10s
Core Strength
Med Ball Slams
2
10
90s
Functional Power
Side Planks
2
45s each side
10s
Isometric Core Strength
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
15 each side
90s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
173
Maintenance focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. There are elements of functional compound exercises that mimic game-like
movements, circuits/supersets, and lots of stability work. The weight should be slightly lower to focus on maintaining
instead of strengthening.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Trap Bar Deadlift
3
6-8
90s
Functional Power
Kettle Bell/DB Snatch
3
5 each arm
90s
Functional Power + Stability
DB Bench Press
3
10-12
60s
Strength
Kettle Bell Swings
3
15
60s
Functional Power + Endurance
Cable Rows
3
10-12
60s
Strength
Machine Leg Extensions
2
20
10s
Strength
Machine Leg Curls
2
20
90s
Strength
Skater Jumps
2
10 each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Wall-Sits
2
60s
90s
Isometric Strength
Box Jumps
3
8
45s
Power
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
174
Maintenance focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a lower body focused gym session. There are elements of functional compound exercises that mimic game-like
movements, circuits/supersets, and lots of stability work. The weight should be slightly lower to focus on maintaining
instead of strengthening.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Bulgarian Split Squat
3
10 each leg
90s
Functional Strength
Barbell RDLs
3
10-12
60s
Functional Strength
Single Leg Glute Bridge
3
10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength
DB Walking Lunges
3
8-10 each leg
60s
Functional Strength
Single Leg Box Jump
3
5 each leg
60s
Functional Power + Stability
Monster Walks
2
20 steps each way
10s
Muscular Endurance
Bosu Ball Bounce Stick
2
10 each leg
90s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance
2
45s each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Cat Jumps
2
12
90s
Functional Power
Seated Calf Raise Machine
3
15-20
30s
Strength + Hypertrophy
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
175
Maintenance focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is an upper body focused gym session. There are elements of functional compound exercises that mimic game-like
movements, circuits/supersets, and lots of stability work. The weight should be slightly lower to focus on maintaining
instead of strengthening.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Weighted Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
3
8-10
90s
Functional Strength
Push-Ups on Med Ball
3
15-20
90s
Functional Strength + Stability
Standing Single Arm DB Shoulder Press
3
10-12 each arm
60s
Functional Strength + Stability
Bent Over Barbell Row
3
10
90s
Functional Strength
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps
3
45s
60s
Isometric Core Strength
Decline Sit-Ups with Twists
2
10
10s
Core Strength
Overhead Med Ball Slams - Side
2
8 each side
90s
Functional Power
Side Planks with Leg Raise
2
45s each side
10s
Isometric Core Strength
Med Ball Twist Wall Throws
2
15 each side
90s
Functional Power
Superset
Superset
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
176
Maintenance focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a full body focused gym session. There are elements of functional compound exercises that mimic game-like
movements, circuits/supersets, and lots of stability work. The weight should be slightly lower to focus on maintaining
instead of strengthening.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Deadlift
3
6-8
90s
Functional Power
Lateral Box Jumps
3
10 each side
90s
Functional Power
Bench Press
3
6-8
90s
Strength
Kettle Bell Swings
3
15
60s
Functional Power + Endurance
Hang Cleans
3
10-12
60s
Strength
Adduction Leg Machine
2
20
10s
Strength
Abduction Leg Machine
2
20
90s
Strength
2
10 each leg
10s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Single Leg Wall-Sits
2
45s each leg
90s
Isometric Strength
Jumping Lunges
3
8 each leg
60s
Functional Power
Superset
Superset
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
177
Maintenance focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to incorporate some mid distance running, short distance sprints, and a little dynamic
change of direction.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Run 1 Mile
1
Aim for under 6:00
3 minutes
Fast Paced Run
T-Cone Drill
3
1
30s
Full Sprint
Three Shuffles to Sprint
3 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Back Pedal to Sprint
3 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
178
Maintenance focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to incorporate some longer distance running as well as some dynamic shorter sprints/movements.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Run 2 Miles
1
Aim for under 15:00
5 minutes
Paced Run
Indiana Drill
3
1
30s
Full Sprint
Jumping Lunges
3
10 each leg
30s
Full Sprint
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 15)
3
1
30s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossary at the end of the eBook.
179
Bodyweight Focus
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 1
This is a bodyweight, lower body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Squat Knee Tuck Jumps
3
20
90s
Functional Power
Bulgarian Split Squats
3
8 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg RDLs
3
8 each leg
30s
Functional Strength + Stability
Jumping Lunges
3
8 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Power
Skater Jumps
3
10 each leg
30s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Glute Bridges
3
15
10s
Strength
Single Leg Calf Raises
3
15 each leg
30s
Strength
Box Jumps
2
10
10s
Functional Power
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps
2
60s
10s
Isometric Core Strength
Side to Side Obstacle Hops
2
30s
10s
Muscular Endurance
Side Planks with Leg Raise
2
20 each side
60s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
181
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 2
This is a bodyweight, upper body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Pull-Ups
3
MAX
90s
Functional Strength
Push-Ups w/ One Hand on Ball
3
12 each arm
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Inverted Table Rows
3
12-15
30s
Strength
Handstand Push-Ups or Hold
3
MAX
10s
Functional Strenth
Sit-Ups
3
20
30s
Core Strength
Diamond Push-Ups
3
10-12
10s
Strength
V-Ups
3
15
30s
Core Strength
Toe Touches
2
25
10s
Core Strength
Supermans
2
20
10s
Core Strength
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
20 each side
10s
Core Strength
Chin-Ups
2
10
60s
Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
182
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 3
This is a bodyweight, lower body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Jumping Toe Touches
3
15
90s
Functional Power
Step-Ups
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Goodmornings
3
20
30s
Functional Strength + Stability
Broad Jumps for Distance
3
8
10s
Functional Power
Skater Jumps
3
10 each leg
30s
Functional Power + Stability
Explosive Bulgarian Split Squats
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Calf Raises off Stair Step
3
25
30s
Strength
Box Jumps - Single Leg Stick
2
7 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Push-Up to 10s Hold
2
6 (60s)
10s
Strength + Endurance
Front to Back Obstacle Hops
2
30s
10s
Muscular Endurance
Side Plank Twists
2
25 each side
60s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
183
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 1-4, Day 4
This is a bodyweight, upper body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Clap Push-Ups
3
MAX
90s
Functional Power
Pull-Up to 10s Hold
3
5
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Divebomber Push-Ups
3
10
30s
Strength
Inverted Table Rows
3
12-15
10s
Strength
Side V-Ups
3
15 each side
30s
Core Strength
Bench Dips
3
15-20
10s
Strength
Chin-Ups
3
10
30s
Strength
Handstand Hold
2
30s
10s
Isometric Strength
Mountain Climbers
2
30s
10s
Core Strength
Supermans
2
25
10s
Core Strength
Ball Overhead Crunch
2
25
60s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
184
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 1
This is a bodyweight, lower body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Squat Jumps
3
20
90s
Functional Power
Bulgarian Split Squats
3
12 each leg
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Single Leg RDLs
3
12 each leg
30s
Functional Strength + Stability
Jumping Lunges
3
12 each leg
10s
Functional Power
Skater Jumps
3
12 each leg
30s
Balance + Injury Prevention
Single Leg Glute Bridges
3
10 each leg
10s
Strength
Single Leg Calf Raises
3
20 each leg
30s
Strength
Single Leg Box Jumps
2
6 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Plank
2
90s
10s
Isometric Core Strength
Stair Taps
2
30s
10s
Muscular Endurance
Side Plank
2
60s each side
60s
Isometric Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
185
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 2
This is a bodyweight, upper body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Pull-Ups
3
MAX
90s
Functional Strength
Push-Ups on Ball
3
15-20
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Inverted Table Rows
3
15-20
30s
Strength
Handstand Push-Ups or Hold
3
MAX
10s
Functional Strength
Hanging Knee Raise
3
20
30s
Core Strength
Close Grip Push-Ups
3
12-15
10s
Strength
V-Ups
3
20
30s
Core Strength
Opposite Toe Touches
2
15 each side
10s
Core Strength
Supermans
2
25
10s
Core Strength
Med Ball Russian Twists
2
25 each side
10s
Core Strength
Chin-Ups
2
12
60s
Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
186
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 3
This is a bodyweight, lower body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Ceiling Touch Jumps
3
10
90s
Functional Power
Explosive Step-Ups
3
10 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Goodmornings
3
20
30s
Functional Strength
Broad Jumps to Single Leg Stick
3
5 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Skater Jumps
3
12 each leg
30s
Functional Power + Stability
Bulgarian Split Squats
3
15 each leg
10s
Functional Power + Stability
Calf Raises off Stair Step
3
25
30s
Strength
Box Jumps
2
10
10s
Functional Power
Push-Up to 10s Hold
2
9 (90s)
10s
Strength + Endurance
Side to Side Obstacle Hops
2
30s
10s
Muscular Endurance
Side Plank Hip Dips
2
20 each side
60s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
187
Bodyweight focus | Gym
Week 5-8, Day 4
This is a bodyweight, upper body focused workout session. There are elements of power, functional strength, muscular
endurance, and lots of stability work.
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Main focus Element
Double Clap Push-Ups
3
MAX
90s
Functional Power
Pull-Up to 10s Hold
3
MAX
10s
Functional Strength + Stability
Pike Push-Ups
3
12-15
30s
Strength
Inverted Table Rows
3
15-20
10s
Strength
Side Crunches
3
20 each side
30s
Core Strength
Bench Dips
3
20
10s
Strength
Chin-Ups
3
12
30s
Strength
Handstand Hold
2
45s
10s
Isometric Strength
Hanging Knee Raise to Side
2
12 each side
10s
Core Strength
Supermans
2
25
10s
Core Strength
Ball Overhead Crunch
2
25
60s
Core Strength
Superset
Superset
Superset
Circuit Style
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
188
Bodyweight focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around mid-long distance fast paced runs with a shift towards shorter
distant sprints at the end of the workout. The goal should be decrease the time it takes you to finish each exercise each
week of the four weeks. (1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
100m Sprint
4
Aim for under 16s
60s
Full Sprint
200m Sprint
3
Aim for under 35s
2 minutes
Fast Run
400m Run
2
Aim for under 1:20
3 minutes
Fast Run
800m Run
1
Aim for under 3:00
N/A
Fast Paced Run
T-Cone Drill
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
Zig Zag Weave
5
1
30s
Full Sprint
Circle Sprint - Cutbacks
3
20s
30s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook.
189
Bodyweight focus | Fitness
Week 1-4, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to start off with a long distance run, then switch to shorter distant sprints for the rest of the
workout. The goal should be decrease the time it takes you to finish long distance run each week of the four weeks. (1
lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
2 Mile Run
1
Aim for under 14:00
5 minutes
Paced Run
L-Drill
4 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Indiana Drill
4
1
45s
Full Sprint
X-Drill
5
1
45s
Full Sprint
Half Field Sprint
4
1
60s
Full Sprint
18 yard Box Sprint
6
1
30s
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook
190
Bodyweight focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 1
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around shorter distant sprints with a shift towards mid-long distance
fast paced runs at the end of the workout. The goal should be decrease the time it takes you to finish the long distance
runs each week of the four weeks. (1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Figure 8 Sprint
5 each way
1
30s
Full Sprint
Three Shuffles to Sprint
5 each way
1
20s
Full Sprint
Back Pedal to Sprint
5 each way
20s
20s
Full Sprint
1 Mile Run
1
Aim for under 6:00
3 minutes
Fast Paced Run
Full Field Run (There and Back)
3
Aim for under 40s
2 minutes
Fast Run
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook
191
Bodyweight focus | Fitness
Week 5-8, Day 2
This fitness routine is going to mainly be focused around shorter distant sprints with a shift towards mid-long distance
fast paced runs at the end of the workout. The goal should be decrease the time it takes you to finish the long distance
runs each week of the four weeks. (1 lap refers to one lap around an Olympic track which is 400m or .25 mile)
Drill/Exercise
Sets
Reps/time
rest
Running Speed
Broad Jumps - Continuous
3
10 jumps
60s
Full Sprint
Up 2, Back 1 Sprints
2
4 (Back Pedals)
45s
Full Sprint
Up 2, Shuffle Back 1 Sprints
2
4 (2 Shuffles each way)
45s
Full Sprint
Jog Ends, Sprint Sides
1
5 laps
5 minutes
Fast Run
Jog - 18 to 18 - Jog
4
6
Rest is the jog
Full Sprint
All exercise and drill descriptions can be found in the Fitness and Gym Glossaries at the end of the eBook
192
gym glossary
Exercise Glossary
General Terms
Superset: A superset is when you alternate between two exercises in a given set. For example, in
this given superset:
Superset
Bench Dips 3 sets, 12 reps, 10s rest
Chin-Ups 3 sets, 10 reps, 60s rest
You would perform a set of 12 reps of Bench Dips. After completion of the 12 reps, you would rest for
10s, then immediately perform a set of 10 reps of Chin-Ups. You would rest for 60 seconds, then
perform another set of 12 reps of Bench Dips. You would continue this alternating pattern until you
have finished the required amount of sets for both exercises.
Circuit Style: A circuit is when you perform a set of every exercise in the set back to back until
you have completed the entire circuit. You then rest for a given amount of time, then start again from
the top and complete every exercise of the circuit again until you have completed the given amount of
sets. For example, in this given Circuit:
Superset
Bench Dips 3 sets, 12 reps, 10s rest
Chin-Ups 3 sets, 10 reps, 10s rest
Push-Ups 3 sets, 20 reps, 90s rest
You would perform a set of 12 reps of Bench Dips. After completion of the 12 reps, you would rest for
10s, then immediately perform a set of 10 reps of Chin-Ups. You would rest for 10 seconds, then
perform a set of 20 reps of Push-Ups. After completion of the 20 reps, you would rest for 90s, then
start the pattern again. You would continue this pattern until you have finished the required amount of
sets for all of the exercises.
Gym Terms
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Forward: Grab a Bosu Ball and place it on the ground about a yard in
front of you so that the ball is not touching the ground. You will then take two quick steps in place,
then jump off of one foot and land on the Bosu Ball with the other foot. The goal is to stick the landing
with your knee slightly bent and stabilize for a second or two. Then bound backwards to the starting
position, reset, and repeat. All focus should be on stability of the landing with little wobbling or instability. Example for forward and lateral: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFC9vikavdU
1,2 Bosu Ball Stick - Lateral: This is the same exact exercise as above except that you will
place the Bosu Ball a yard to your left or to your right. When the ball is on your left hand side you will
take the first step in place with your left foot, take a step in place with your right foot, bound off the
right foot to the left, then land and stick on the Bosu Ball with your left foot. Vice versa for the right.
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Abduction leg machine: Aims to strengthen the abductors.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b97cvyH9sE
Adduction Leg Machine: Aims to strengthen the adductors.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmRSV_n2E_0
Back Extensions: To do this exercise you’ll need the back extension piece of equipment, which
is the one where you lock in your heels and lean forward onto pads which come up to the hip. You will
then hinge forward all the way down so your head is almost at the floor and then raise up so your
whole body is straight using the lower back and hamstrings. You can hold onto a weight plate or
dumbbell for added resistance. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph3pddpKzzw
Backwards DB Lunges: You will be standing and holding a dumbbell in each hand at your
sides. When ready, step backwards with your left foot and lunge downwards. Your right leg should be
at a 90 degree angle with your knee not in front of your toes. Your left knee should come down just
barely above the ground (do not tap the ground). Control the movement! You will then step forward to
return to the starting position and repeat the exercise this time stepping back with the right foot.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9uAN6wo71U
Ball Overhead Crunch: Grab a soccer ball with both hands and lie flat on the ground on your
back. Raise the soccer ball above your head so your arms are extended straight and the ball is
touching the ground. When ready, simultaneously bring up your knees slightly past 90 degrees, raise
the ball back over your head and over your shins, and crunch forward using your abs. You will then
reset back to the starting position again and repeat.
Example at 0:54-0:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g4am4dX1xE
Band Monster Walks: Grab a resistance band or rubber tube and wrap it around your ankles.
Squat down slightly (about 45 degrees) and take a big step out laterally either to the left or to the
right, plant the foot, then step the same direction with the trailing leg. This is like doing a very slow
lateral shuffle. As you do this try to stay squatted down and aim to keep your head at the same height
with every step. The bigger the steps you take, the more resistance the band will provide.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEuq4GdGYWc
Barbell Back Squat: A staple exercise for any soccer player. Head to a squat rack, place a
barbell across the back of your shoulders on your upper back then just squat down and back up.
Keep the back straight, neck in a neutral position (don’t look up at the ceiling), heels planted on the
ground, feet just greater than shoulder width apart, toes slightly pointed out, knees straight forward
slightly pushing out (Knees not turning inwards), and squat down to at least 90 degrees. Make sure
you master the form before moving on to heavier weights! Get an experienced trainer to help critique
and perfect your form! Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW_C1A-rejs
Barbell Bicep Curl: Grab a straight barbell or a slightly curved EZ bar with your palms facing
outwards away from you and stand up straight. With minimal swinging and momentum, curl the
barbell up towards your chest, pause for a split second, then lower back to the starting position. Try
to keep your elbows in the same position the entire time to act as a hinge.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY1V6UbRHFM
Barbell Front Raise: Grab a straight barbell with your palms facing in towards you and stand
up straight. With minimal momentum and straight arms raise the barbell up towards the ceiling and
stop just above 90 degrees, pause for a split second, then lower back to the starting position. Try to
keep your shoulders in the same position the entire time to act as a hinge.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxeY7kMYhLc
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Barbell Good Mornings/Good Mornings: Place a barbell behind your neck and across
your shoulders as if you are going to perform a barbell back squat. If you are doing bodyweight
goodmornings, then just don’t use a barbell. You will keep your legs straight, push your butt backwards, and hinge at the hip forward until you form a 90 degree angle. Pause for a split second at 90
degrees and then hinge back up to the starting position. Keep your back straight, neck and head in a
neutral position in line with your spine, and legs planted on the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xj6XUa77qc
Barbell Incline Press: Find a incline bench press and perform a chest press with the barbell.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbFgADa2PL8
Barbell RDLs: RDLs stand for Romanian Deadlift. This exercise is also called a Stiff Legged
Deadlift. You will grab a barbell with your palms facing out away from you and stand up straight.
When ready, you will keep your legs straight, push your butt back, hinge at the hip, and lower the
barbell until you form a 90 degree angle. You will not tap the ground or rest/drop the barbell on the
ground. You will pause for a split second at 90 degrees, then pull back up to the starting position.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCXUYuzwNrM
Barbell Single Leg RDLs: This is just like the above exercise, but done on one leg. You will
balance on one leg at the top of the movement and as you lower the weight you will push the other
leg straight behind you.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfiAOQfFWQk
Barbell Upright Row: Grab a barbell with your palms facing down and about shoulder width
apart. You will be standing up straight as you perform this movement. When ready you bend your
arms, raise your elbows up to the ceiling and will lift the barbell up towards your chin. As always,
pause a second at the top of the movement, then lower the weight back to the starting position. Some
people experience some wrist pain while doing this movement. If you experience wrist pain you can
modify the movement by using dumbbells instead of a barbell.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amCU-ziHITM
Barbell Walking Lunges: Place a barbell behind your neck and across the back of your
shoulders just as if you are about to perform a squat. When ready, you will take a step forward with
your right foot and lunge down so that your left knee stops just before hitting the ground. The knee of
your forward leg shouldn’t push forward in front of your toes. You will then step forward up out of the
lunge, pause for a second, then take another step forward this time with the opposite leg.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OIbAmd10sk
Battle Ropes - Alternate: Hopefully your gym has ropes that can be used for these exercises, but if not you can replace this exercise by supersetting dumbbell single arm front raises and DB
pullovers. Grab the end of the ropes, place your feet about a foot wider than shoulder width, squat
down slightly, then raise one of your hands to head height, then explosively bring the raised hand
down and the hand that’s down up and repeat for the allotted amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKI7-veqxf0
Battle Ropes - Circles: Hopefully your gym has ropes that can be used for these exercises,
but if not you can replace this exercise by supersetting dumbbell lateral raises and dumbbell
pullovers. Grab the end of the ropes, place your feet about a foot wider than shoulder width, squat
down slightly, then draw large circles with the ends of the ropes to create a circular wave effect in the
ropes. Explosively repeat this over and over as fast as you can for the allotted amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rhHwJkUMws
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Battle Ropes - Slams: Hopefully your gym has ropes that can be used for these exercises, but
if not you can replace this exercise with Med Ball Slams. Grab the end of the ropes, place your feet
about a foot wider than shoulder width, squat down slightly, then raise both ends of the ropes simultaneously above your head. When ready, explosively whip the ropes down to create a wave effect in the
ropes. Explosively repeat this over and over as fast as you can for the allotted amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PE6FKlT54Q
Bench Dips: Find a bench, chair, platform, etc and sit on the edge of it with your hands on either
side of you with your palms on the bench and fingers hanging off the edge. Lift up your body and
slide your butt off the edge of the bench. For the beginner level, have your legs bent. For the intermediate level have your legs straight. For the advanced level, elevate your legs up on another bench.
Then raise and lower your body by bending and straightening your arms.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3ZGl4pAwZ4
Bench Press: A staple exercise in the gym. Find the bench press in your gym, grab a spotter, lie
down on your back, lift up the bar, and perform a chest press motion with the bar.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT7DgCr-3pg
Bent Over Barbell Row: Grab a barbell with your palms facing down and get into the
position by hinging at the waist with your knees slightly bent as if your are performing Barbell RDL,
however stay at the bottom of the movement. Again, you will not be tapping the barbell on the ground
or dropping the barbell to the ground. You will be holding up the weight. When ready, you will perform
a rowing motion, by pulling the barbell up towards your sternum/stomach. You will lower the weight
and repeat for the required amount of reps. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efgcAjQe7E
Bent Over DB Row: Same exact motion and exercise as above, but instead of holding onto a
barbell, you will be holding onto two dumbbells.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TSP1TRMUzs
Bent Over Reverse Flys: Grab a pair of dumbbells and get into the position by hinging at the
waist as if your are performing Barbell RDL, however stay at the bottom of the movement. The dumbbells should be touching each other and your palms should be facing each other. When ready you
will perform a reverse fly by keep your arms straight and raising the dumbbells out to either side of
you towards the ceiling. At the top of the movement you will form a T with your arms straight out to
both sides and your palms should be faced straight down to the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttvfGg9d76c
Bent Over Single Arm DB Row: Same exact movement as the Bent Over DB Row, but you
will only be doing the movement with one dumbbell. This movement engages the core more so make
sure you are tensing your abdominals.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PE6FKlT54Q
Bodyweight Bulgarian Squat Jumps: Set up the exact same way as you would set up for
a normal Bulgarian Split Squat with one leg behind you with your toes/laces on a bench, but don’t
hold any dumbbells in your hands. When ready, you will squat down just as you normally would in a
Bulgarian Split Squat with your front knee at 90 degrees, chest up, back straight, etc. but instead up
just standing back up you will explode and jump up as high as you can. You will try to keep your back
foot on the bench the whole time while you are in the air. When you land, immediately squat down into
another Bulgarian Split Squat and repeat the process. This movement should be explosive and
continuous!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRvpoMvX6mQ
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Bodyweight Step-Up Jumps: You will set up for this exercise the exact same as if you were
setting up for DB Step-Ups except that you will not have dumbbells. You will find a bench, stand to
the side of the bench, but facing it and place your left foot on top of the pad. When ready, you will
perform a step-up by stepping up onto the bench, but you will do so explosively so that you jump up
into the air. As you jump in the air bring your right knee up as well so that it is at least 90 degrees. As
you come back down, your left foot will land back on the bench and your right foot will land back on
the ground and then you will immediately start the next step-up jump with the left leg. Perform all the
reps with one leg, then switch leg positions and repeat all the reps with the right leg.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmlvmBUFck0
Bosu Ball Bounce Sticks: Grab a Bosu Ball and place it about a yard to your left. When ready
you will balance on your right leg and jump off of that leg to the left. You will land in the center of the
Bosu Ball on your left leg and immediately jump/bounce back to your starting position. As you come
back to the starting position you will land on the right leg with a slight bend in the knee. You will
steady yourself and repeat the exercise again for the required amount of reps. To do this exercise on
the right leg, simply move the Bosu Ball to your right side and start off balancing on your left leg.
Make sure you place the Bosu Ball against a wall so that it doesn’t slide out from under you as you
jump.
In the following example they add a single leg jump at the end. You can do it with or without the jump:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3ZGl4pAwZ4
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance: Grab a Bosu Ball and place it on the ground. You will step
up onto the Bosu Ball with a single leg and just work on balancing in place for the given amount of
time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lct7HtfBkQo
Bosu Ball Single Leg Balance - oppo: Same exact exercise as above, but you will be
balancing on a Bosu ball that is flipped upside down so that the soft part is against the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JltzzLkBs4k
Box, Floor, to Box jumps: In this exercise you will need two boxes, or platforms, benches,
etc. You will start on top of one of the boxes facing the other box. When ready, you will step off the
first box and drop to the floor. You will land on both feet and immediately explode up and jump onto
the second box.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ3fBRc_bMc
Box Jumps: Grab a box, platform, set of stairs, bench, etc. that will be a challenging height for you
to jump on top of. You will start a foot or two away from your box or platform, squat down slightly, then
explode up off of both feet into a jump and land on top of the box or platform. Stabilize and stand on
top of the box, safely lower yourself down and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxldG9FX4j4
Box jump - single leg stick: Same exact exercise as above, but instead of landing on top of
the box on two feet you will land on just one foot. You will still jump off of two feet, but land, stick, and
stabilize on one foot, then you will stand up fully and then safely lower yourself down.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_mxuGKp5qc
Broad jump for distance: You will start in an athletic stance with your feet wider than
shoulder width apart, squat down slightly, then explode off of both feet into a forward jump. The goal
should be to jump as far as you possibly can. You will land on both feet, stick, stabilize for a second,
then repeat the jump. If you are short on space, just turn around and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICyOpzOyYKE
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Broad Jump to Single Leg Stick: Same exact exercise as the Broad Jump for Distance, but
instead of landing on two feet you will land on just one foot. You will still jump off of two feet, but land,
stick, and stabilize on one foot. This is not a continuous drill so regain your balance, set yourself in a
normal, two-footed broad jump position again after you land and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qudKHA9AH5E
Bulgarian Split Squat: For this exercise you will need a bench and a pair of dumbbells.
Stand off about a yard to the side of the bench facing away from the bench with a pair of dumbbells
in your hands. You will pull up the heel of one of your legs and place the toes or the laces on top of
the bench. You will place your other leg a foot or two in front of your body so your legs are in a split
position with one forward on the ground and one behind you on the bench. When ready you will squat
down with majority of the weight on your front leg. Keep your chest up, back straight, and try to not let
your front knee go forward past your toes. Dip down so that your front leg is bent 90 degrees, then
squat back up and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dDOWcEvKA8
Cable High to Low Ax Chops: To do this exercise you’ll need a cable machine with a high
pivot point. Either use a rope or a single handle attachment and grab on with both hands. Take a step
or two back so there is tension from the beginning of the movement. Keep your arms straight and
twist downwards bringing your hands from above head height to below waist height on the opposite
side of your body.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKFHw415Vdw
Cable Horizontal ax chops: Same exact exercise as above, but you will adjust the pivot
point of the cable machine to a mid position and twist horizontally keeping your arms straight and
chest level the entire time as you twist.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAplQXk3dkU&t=16s
Cable low to high ax chops: Same exact exercise as above, but you will adjust the pivot
point of the cable machine to a low position and twist upwards bringing your hands from below waist
level to above head height on the opposite side of your body.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHfjG2Oflz0
Cable Row: Most gyms have a cable row machine, if your gym does not have one then you can
either do another row machine, bent over barbell rows, single arm DB rows, bent over DB rows, etc.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZbfZ033f74
Cable Tricep Push-downs: Find the cable machine in your gym and attach either the triangle
handles, straight bar, ropes, or whatever you prefer. You will simply grab onto the attachment with
your palms facing down and elbows bent, stand up straight, flex your abs, and push down and
straighten your arms using your elbows as the pivot point.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-LAMcpzODU
Calf Raises off Stair Step: Simply stand on the edge of a stair step so your heels are
hanging off the edge, slowly lower yourself as deep as you can, then perform a calf raise and stand
up on your toes. Hold and squeeze at the top, don’t just power through the movement as fast as
possible.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDW25DuwvFk
Cat Jumps: These are simply continuous, squat jumps while holding onto a pair of dumbbells.
Feet wider than shoulder width apart, squat down to parallel, jump up, then land straight into the next
squat, repeat. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOTO2qWRy9U
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Ceiling Touch jumps: These are simply continuous, squat jumps where you touch (or attempt
to touch) the ceiling with each jump. Feet wider than shoulder width apart, squat down to parallel,
jump straight up, reach up as high as possible, land straight into the next squat, repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L9inXLfDfU
Chin-Ups: Find a pull-up bar and grab onto the bar with a close grip and your palms facing
towards you. Then perform the chin-ups with full extension at the bottom of the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_71FpEaq-fQ
Clamshells: Lie on your side with your legs slightly bent. Place a resistance band around your
lower thighs. Then when ready you will rotate your hip so that your top knee swings out and up to the
ceiling. You should feel the burn in the glute. Slowly raise and lower the knee.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiqvDV8pzRk
CLap Push-Ups: Simply perform a push-up, but with enough force to push your hands off of the
ground. While you are mid-air clap your hands together quickly and then catch yourself back in the
push-up position and repeat. This is a continuous and explosive exercise!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYwWCgM198U
Clean and Press: This is a very technical movement! This involves a power clean to an overhead press. If you have not done these exercises before, then find an experienced trainer who can
teach you these movements and critique your form. It takes years of practice to perfect the form
before you can really progress into heavier weights.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pajZn-M-r4Q
Close Grip Inverted Row: This is the same exercise as the Inverted Row, but your hands will
just be slightly narrower than shoulder width apart. Either position a barbell into a low, locked position
or adjust a smith machine so the barbell is in a low-locked position and lie on your back underneath
the bar. Reach up and grab the bar with either your palms facing down towards your toes or up
towards your head, just as long as your hands are close together. Dig your heels into the ground and
when ready, pull yourself up as if you are doing a row. The bar should hit just below your sternum.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rggKB_ZAC8U
Close Grip Lat-Pull Down: Find the lat-pull down machine in your gym. If you do not have a
lat-pull down machine then you can either do neutral grip pull-ups instead of this exercise. You will
perform the exercise like normal, but your hands will be about shoulder width apart.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecRF8ERf2q4
Close Grip Push-Ups: Perform a push-up like normal, but bring your hands in closer so that
they are about 6-8 inches apart from each other. Make sure that your elbows are tucked into your
sides while you are doing this exercise!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcWPQo1i0k4
DB Bench Press: Grab a flat bench and an appropriate weighted set of dumbbells and lie flat on
your back on the bench with the dumbbells raised straight above your chest. Your palms should be
pointed towards your toes. Lower the dumbbells down with your elbows tucked in slightly until they
are bent 90 degrees. You will then push the dumbbells back up to the top of the movement, but do
not clang the dumbbells together at the top of the movement. Stabilize the dumbbells yourself.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_7aHqXeCfQ
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DB Bicep Curl: For this exercise simply grab a pair of dumbbells and start in a standing position.
The dumbbells should be at rest at your sides. When ready, curl up a single dumbbell by hinging at
the elbow and using as little momentum or swinging as possible. As you curl the DB, rotate your hand
so that your palm is facing in towards you at the top of the movement. Keep your upper body straight
and just try to use the bicep to perform the movement. Control the weight up, squeeze at the top, and
control the weight back down. Then you will perform a curl with the opposite hand and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzBgFa7cZ_g
DB Lateral Raise: For this exercise simply grab a pair of dumbbells and start in a standing
position. The dumbbells should be at rest at your sides. When ready, lift the dumbbells up laterally on
both sides by keeping your arms straight and hinging at the shoulder. Control the movement the
entire way.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VcKaXpzqRo
DB Overhead Tricep Extension: For this exercise simply grab a single dumbbell and start
in a standing position. When ready, grab the dumbbell with both hands so that your gripping one side
of the dumbbell and the handle is positioned in between your thumbs. It’s complicated to explain, but
watch the example video for a visual representation. When ready, maneuver the dumbbell overhead
and straighten your arms. Lower the weight behind your head slowly by hinging at the elbows until
just below 90 degrees, then press back up to the starting position and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vyt2QdsR7E
DB Pullover on Swiss Ball: For this exercise grab a Swiss ball and a single dumbbell. When
ready you will lie on your back on the Swiss ball so that your feet are planted on the ground and the
ball is underneath your back. You will then perform a pullover by lowering the dumbbell over your
head and keeping your arms straight. You will be hinging at the shoulders for this movement. Once
your arms are parallel to the floor, pause for a split second and pull the dumbbell back to the starting
position directly over your chest.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdAp-lG2OPg
DB RDLs: This is the exact same movement as the Barbell RDL (Romanian Deadlift), except that
instead of holding onto a barbell, you will be holding onto a pair of dumbbells.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQKfr1YDhEk
DB Single Arm Front Raise: For this exercise grab a pair of dumbbells, stand up, and hold
the dumbbells so they are at rest on the front of your thighs with your palms facing in towards you.
When ready, you will lift up a single dumbbell straight up in front of you by hinging at the shoulder and
keeping your arm completely straight until your arm is parallel with the floor. You will then lower back
down the weight. As soon as the weight returns to the starting position repeat the movement with the
opposite hand.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1BEYlZVp6A
DB Step-Up: Grab a pair of dumbbells and a bench for this exercise. Position yourself off to the
side of the bench, but facing towards it. Place one foot up onto the bench so that your hip and your
knee are at 90 degree angles. When ready you will step up onto the bench and bring your other knee
up to a 90 degree angle. Stabilize and balance on the plant foot. Lower yourself back to the ground
and to the starting position. Repeat this movement until you have completed all the reps with one leg,
switch the positioning of your legs and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B89RWxJ1XI
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DB Walking Lunges: These are performed exactly like normal walking lunges, but you will be
holding onto a pair of dumbbells during the movement. Take a large step forward with your left foot,
lunge down so that your right knee almost touches the ground, make sure that your left knee is bent at
a 90 degree angle and your knee isn’t pushing past your toes, step up and forward, then repeat the
process again with the right foot. You should be taking large steps forward each time. If you run out of
space, just turn around and perform the lunges until you have completed the required reps for each
leg.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYWhkctnP2o
Deadlift: This is a very simple, yet very technical movement. Be sure to ask an experienced
trainer to show you the proper form and critique your own form before progressing up the weight.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCDzSR6bW10
Decline ab plate twists: For this exercise you’ll need a weight plate (or you can use bodyweight if you are just beginning!) and a decline ab bench. Lock in your legs into the decline ab bench
and grab your weight plate. When ready, lean back halfway so that your abs are tensing to hold your
body up, but not so far back that your back hits the bench. You will then lift up your plate with
semi-straight arms so that it is over your chest and twist over to the left side. Make sure that you are
controlling the movement with your abs and not just swinging through it. Pull back to the center,
pause briefly, then twist over to the right side, twist back to the center, and then repeat the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yHm0Y8Pn6U
Decline Sit-Ups: For this exercise you’ll just need a decline ab bench. Lock your legs into the
piece of equipment and when ready you will lean back in a controlled fashion until your back hits the
bench, then you will sit-up back to the starting position using your abs and not momentum. Make sure
that you are slightly hunching forward and tensing your abs, not arching backwards and putting
pressure on your lower back and hips.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSQ6w0YynpI
Decline Sit-Ups with Med Ball OH: This is the exact same movement as the decline sit-up
as described above, but you will hold a medicine ball above your chest/head with straight arms the
entire time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEM4_0yL3Fk
Decline Sit-Ups with Twists: This is the exact same movement as the decline sit-up as
described above, but you will perform a quarter twist to the side at the top of the movement. You will
then twist back to the front, drop down to the bench, then repeat this time twisting to the other direction.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nmw4SHpdgk
Diamond Push-Ups: This is performed just like a normal push-up, but you will bring your hands
close together and form a diamond. When you perform this exercise make sure that you are dropping
your sternum to your hands, not your head to your hands!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0DnG1_S92I
Dips: Find a dip bar apparatus in your gym, grab both handles, and hoist yourself up so your arms
are straight and your legs are bent beneath/behind you. When ready, you will slightly lean forward
and lower yourself until your shoulder dips slightly below your elbow, then you will push yourself back
up. If you are having trouble performing this exercise with your bodyweight, then use the assisted dip
machine!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuaUTOMQQrc
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Divebomber Push-Ups: These are a more advanced push-up variation. You will start in a
push-up position, but bring your butt up towards the ceiling so that you are positioned in a triangle.
When ready, you will lower your head down towards your hands, then just as it’s about to hit the floor,
swoop up through and into a seal position. This motion should appear like your head is divebombing
the ground like a plane, then at the last second turning upwards and flying away.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvNcSF-nXg4
Double clap push-ups: This is performed much like the clap-push-up, but you will be doing
two claps with the first clap behind your back and the second clap in front of you all in the same
movement. So you will do an explosive push-up to come up into the air, bring your hands behind your
back and clap, then bring them in front of you, clap again, and finally catch yourself in the push-up
position. If you cannot perform this exercise, then just do clap-push-ups. If you can’t do clap
push-ups, then just perform push-ups where you try to get as much air time as possible.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPaF7iWpP78
Explosive Bulgarian Split squats: See “Bodyweight Bulgarian Squat Jumps”.
Explosive step-ups: See “Bodyweight Step-Up Jumps”.
Farmer’s Walk: Grab onto two dumbbells and hold them at your side. You will simply just walk
the required distance while maintaining your grip on the dumbbells.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkzk_RqlYig
Forearm Supported Leg Raise: Find the forearm supported leg raise piece of equipment in
your gym. It will have a vertical back pad, forearm pads, and two handles for you to grab on to. You
will support yourself up using the forearm pads and perform straight leg raises by bringing your legs
up to 90 degrees and hinging at the hip.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU2-V80_JsA
Front Squat: Head to the squat rack and set the barbell up like you would to perform a back
squat. Instead of placing the bar behind your neck and across the back of your shoulders you will
rest the bar in front of your neck and across the front of your shoulders. You can place your arms in a
variety of places depending on what’s most comfortable for you (I like to cross my ams and touch the
opposite shoulders with my hands). When ready you will pick up the barbell, step back, place your
feet in the normal squatting position of slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and you will squat
down to at least parallel. The difference is that you will have to remain much more upright in this
movement to maintain control of the bar than with the back squat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfBOBhwXbro
Front to Back obstacle hops: This is a repeated jumping exercise where you will be
jumping over an object as fast as you can forwards and backwards. The height of the object is going
to vary based upon how high you can jump, but since this is more of an endurance exercise I like to
pick something below knee height. You will place this object in front of you and when ready you will
jump off two feet over the object and land on two feet. As soon as you land, jump off two feet backwards over the object and land on two feet again, then repeat the exercise for the required amount of
time. I could only find a good example of lateral hops, but just do this motion forwards and backwards
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJ0b1XgsGc
Glute Bridge: Simply lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. When
ready you will dig your heels into the ground and lift up your butt so that your thighs and torso are on
an even plane. Pause for a second at the top and squeeze your glutes, then lower yourself back to
the ground and repeat. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bbE64NuDTU
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Goblet Squat: Standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the head of a dumbbell
with both hands and hold it vertically in front of your chest. When ready, you will squat down until your
thighs are parallel with the ground then squat back up. Make sure you are keeping your spine neutral
and straight throughout the movement!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeIiIdhvXT4
Goodmornings: Place a barbell behind your neck and across your shoulders as if you are going
to perform a barbell back squat. If you are doing bodyweight goodmornings, then just don’t use a
barbell. You will keep your legs straight, push your butt backwards, and hinge at the hip forward until
you form a 90 degree angle. Pause for a split second at 90 degrees and then hinge back up to the
starting position. Keep your back straight, neck and head in a neutral position in line with your spine,
and legs planted on the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xj6XUa77qc
Groin Raises: For this exercise lie on your side with your bottom leg extended straight and your
top leg bent in front of you in a 90 degree angle. When ready you will raise your bottom leg up as high
as you can while keeping your leg straight. You should feel the inside of your leg (groin/adductor)
activating as you do this movement. Pause at the top, then slowly lower back down to the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw_CA7_hEhA
Hack Squat Machine: For this exercise find the hack squat machine in your gym. If you do not
have a hack squat machine, then just do the leg press machine.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tn5K9NlCfo
Hammer Curl: Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand up straight holding the weights at your sides
with your palms facing in towards you. You can do this exercise alternating hands or perform curls
with both hands at the same time depending on your preference. When ready, you will curl the
weights as you normally would, but keeping you hand in the same position as it was at your side so
that at the top of the curl your palm is still facing out to the side and not in towards you.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC3nLlEvin4
Handstand Hold: Simply find a wall to lean against and get into a handstand position. You will
hold this handstand for the required amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfBOBhwXbro
Handstand push-ups or Hold: Find a wall to lean against and get into the handstand
position. If you can, try to perform some handstand push-ups by lowering yourself so that your head
barely touches the ground and then pushing back up into the normal handstand. If you cannot
perform a handstand push-up yet, then just hold the handstand position.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJ0b1XgsGc
Hang clean: Again this is a very technical move with a very high degree of difficulty. Make sure
that you are getting an experienced trainer to help you learn the form! A hang clean is simply a power
clean, but instead of the barbell starting at rest on the ground you will be holding it up in the air as if
you were at the top of the deadlift, so that the bar is “hanging.” When ready you will drop the weight
slightly, just above knee height, lean over slightly, then perform a clean up to your chest.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCdhjfg7fv4
Hanging knee raise to side: Grab onto a pull-up bar so that you are hanging freely from it,
when ready you will raise up your knees to one side and slightly crunch to activate more of your
obliques during the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQkDkFQPpbQ
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Hanging Leg Raise: Grab onto a pull-up bar so that you are hanging freely from it, when ready
you will raise up your legs straight out in front of you until they are at least parallel with the floor. You
can bend your knees and perform a knee raise if the straight legs are too difficult, but just make sure
that you aren’t swinging or using momentum while performing this exercise.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arWjJtMsqvA
Incline DB Bench Press: Grab a bench press and put it at a slight incline of about 20-30
degrees. Grab a pair of dumbbells, lie back on the bench, and perform a chest press with the dumbbells. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iPEnn-ltC8
Inverted Rows: Either position a barbell into a low, locked position or adjust a smith machine so
the barbell is in a low-locked position and lie on your back underneath the bar. Reach up and grab
the bar with either your palms facing down towards your toes. Dig your heels into the ground and
when ready, pull yourself up as if you are doing a row so that the bar should hit just below your
sternum. If this movement is too difficult for you, then you can bend your legs.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZV9IwluPjw
Inverted Table Rows: This is the same exact movement as the Inverted Rows, but modified
so you can do it at home. Instead of setting up a barbell or smith machine into position, simply
perform the rows underneath a sturdy table or chair.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYUxXMGVuuU
Jump Rope: Just jump rope! You can do single foot hops, alternating hops, just normal two footed
hops, double hops, whatever. Just try to jump rope for the entire duration!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFoektJK9dU
Jumping Lunges: Start standing tall with your feet staggered, your left foot in front of you and
your right behind you. When ready you will lower yourself into a lunge so that your right knee almost
touches the ground. Make sure that your left leg is bent at 90 degrees and the knee isn’t pushing
forward past the toes. As soon as you get into the deep position push off the bottom of both feet into a
jump, switching the position of your feet in mid-air, landing in a basic lunge with your right leg in front.
Without rest, repeat this movement alternating which leg is in front.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ExU8445rbU
Jumping Toe Touches: Simply perform a vertical jump off of both feet straight up in the air as
high as you can go, but mid-air bring your toes out and up just slightly in front of you, reach down,
and touch your toes with your hands, return to the normal position, then land back down on the
ground. This is a fast and dynamic movement that is all done fluidly and repeatedly.
Example (the first jumping exercise they do): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CePXRK36n-k
Kettle Bell Swings: This is a staple exercise. Grab a kettle bell with both hands and stand up
straight with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width. When ready, swing the kettle bell upwards
using your hips, lower back, and shoulders. Keep your legs slightly bent the entire time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSxHifyI6s8
Kettle Bell/DB Snatch: This is another staple exercise. Grab a kettle bell or dumbbell with
one hand and hang it below your body in between your legs. Your legs should be slightly wider than
shoulder-width and slightly bent. When ready, swing the kettle bell upwards above your head, but
bend your arm slightly as you do, as the kettle bell is on it’s way up give it a slight punch through to
reposition the kettle bell on the back side of your forearm. Finally extend up fully so that the kettle bell
is directly up above your head. Drop the weight back down to the starting position and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l2Iu26oWW8
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Knee Jump to Box Jump: For this exercise grab a box just as you would for a regular box
jump. Start about 3-4 feet away from the box, but start on your knees. When ready, explode up to your
feet in one dynamic and fluid movement, then as soon as you land on your feet, explode up again to a
box jump landing again on both feet. Two fast, dynamic and explosive movements in one exercise.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsGXhJmf4Pc
Knee Tuck Jumps: This is just like continuous bodyweight squat jumps, but at the top of each
jump you will tuck your knees up and into your chest.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PthbBczX7VY
Landmine Press: This is a single arm shoulder press movement, but using just one end of the
barbell. Most gyms have special equipment to place other end of the barbell into so you can do this
exercise. You will hold onto one end of the barbell with one hand and explosively push it up into a
shoulder press movement. Lean in towards the barbell and use a little bit of momentum to engage the
core, legs, and chest.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i64SnEJv6A
Lat-Pull Down: Simply use the cable or plate loaded lat pull-down machine in your gym. Your
palms should be facing away from you and should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAwf7n6Luuc
Lateral Box JUmps: This is just like a regular box jump, but you will be jumping laterally onto
the box. So start with the box directly to your left or to your right.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdhT-HOA868
leg Curl Machine: Also called Hamstring Curls. There are many variations of this machine
(seated, lying, standing) so just find your preferred hamstring/leg curl machine.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tq3QdYUuHs
Leg Extension Machine: Also called Quad Extensions. Most machines will have you seated
and have you straighten your legs against resistance using your knee as a hinge. Some people
experience knee pain with this exercise, if you do, then stop immediately.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyvSfVjQeL0
Leg PRess: Another staple machine/exercise in the gym. I prefer the plate loaded machines, but
feel free to use your favorite piece of leg press equipment.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvRgijoJ2xY
Lunge hold: Simply drop down into a lunge so that your back knee is just barely above the
ground and hold. As always, your front knee should be 90 degrees so that the knee isn’t pushing past
the toes. This is an isometric exercise meaning you will be holding this position for the required
amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xvk7K1s7_o
Machine Leg Curl: Also called Hamstring Curls. There are many variations of this machine
(seated, lying, standing) so just find your preferred hamstring/leg curl machine.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tq3QdYUuHs
Machine Leg Extensions: Also called Quad Extensions. Most machines will have you seated
and have you straighten your legs against resistance using your knee as a hinge. Some people
experience knee pain with this exercise, if you do, then stop immediately.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyvSfVjQeL0
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Med Ball Overhead Sit-Up Throws: For this exercise grab a med ball and head over to a
sturdy wall which you are allowed to throw a ball against. Position yourself into a starting position of a
sit-up with your knees bent, but be facing the wall. When ready, grab the medicine ball over your
head and perform a sit-up. Halfway up the sit-up movement throw the medicine ball like a throw-in
against the wall and continue the rest of the sit-up movement. The ball should bounce back into your
hands, you will catch it, drop back to your back and move the ball back over your head, then repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Yoa0_cfkk
Med Ball Russian Twists: Grab a medicine ball and sit on the floor with your feet out in front
of you. Bend your knees and raise your legs off of the floor and lean back slightly so that you are
balanced and only your butt is touching the ground. When ready, grab the medicine ball and twist it
side to side tapping it, but not bouncing it on the ground every time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GefmYOxdY9c
Med Ball Slams: Grab a medicine ball that you can throw on the ground and get into an athletic
stance with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. When ready, pick up the medicine ball and
raise it overhead with both hands, then explosively slam the ball down to the ground as hard as you
can (don’t grab the bouncy medicine balls, grab the soft ones). Continue your movement downwards,
pick up the ball on the bounce, lift it up to the starting position and repeat continuously.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx_UHMnQljU
Med Ball Twist Wall Throws: Grab a medicine ball and find a sturdy wall that you can
throw a ball against. Position yourself so you are a yard or two away from the wall depending on how
bouncy the ball is and that the wall is off to your left or right side. Your line of sight should be parallel
to the wall. When ready, grab the medicine ball with both hands and twist it over to the side that is
further from the wall, squat down slightly, then explosively twist, squat up, and throw it against the wall
so that it rebounds back to you. Catch the ball off the rebound, twist back to the starting position and
repeat continuously.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0H-L2glg68
Med Ball Wall Squat Throws: Grab a medicine ball and find a sturdy wall that you can
throw a ball up against. Position yourself so you are a yard or two away from the wall depending on
how bouncy the ball is and face the wall. Grab the medicine ball with both hands so that it is up
against your chest. When ready, squat down to parallel, then explode up into a jump. As you are
jumping up, push/throw the ball as high as you can up the wall. As the ball bounces off the wall and
comes back down, catch it back into a deep squat and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T27uwCvzwJg
Monster Walks: Grab a resistance band and place it around your ankles. Squat down in an
athletic stance with your feet shoulder width apart and take a large step out to the side. Follow up with
your trailing foot, but as you do make sure your head stays on the same plane. Don’t stand up and
squat down. Constantly be low and in that athletic stance. Take the required amount of steps in one
direction, pause, then reverse the direction to work on the other leg. Make sure that you keep tension
in the band at all times! Your glutes should be on fire after this.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEuq4GdGYWc
Monster Walks - For/Back: Grab a resistance band and place it around your ankles. Squat
down in an athletic stance with your feet shoulder width apart and take a large step out in front of you.
Follow up with your trailing foot, but as you do make sure your head stays on the same plane. Don’t
stand up and squat down. Constantly be low and in that athletic stance. Take the required amount of
steps in forward, pause, then repeat the exercise, but walking backwards. Make sure that you keep
tension in the band at all times! Your glutes should be on fire after this.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2GD2jYd5CM
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Mountain Climbers: A classic bodyweight abdominal exercise. Drop down into a push-up
position. When ready, dynamically bring one knee up to your chest as if you are doing a knee tuck
movement. Immediately after you do that, push your leg back down to the starting position, but as you
do bring up the other knee up and repeat that movement with the other leg. Repeat this continuously
for the required amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmwgirgXLYM
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups: These are simply pull-ups with your hands in a neutral grip so that
they are about shoulder width apart and your palms are facing in towards each other. You will need a
special pull-up bar attachment, but most gym should have it. If not, then just do pull-ups instead.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABdqXtQ3IMQ
Nordic Hamstring Falls: For this exercise, you’ll either need a partner to hold your legs
down, a weighted barbell placed behind your ankles, or somewhere where you can lock in your
ankles. Start on your knees and use one of the methods to lock in your ankles so that it can support
your bodyweight falling forward. When ready, slowly lower yourself to the ground using your hamstrings to control the descent. Once you get to the point where you can no longer control your
descent, drop to your hands and catch yourself in a push-up position. Push yourself up slightly, then
use your hamstrings to pull yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat for the required amount
of reps.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32qZR13Ibh0
One Arm Cable Rows: Head to the cable row machine, place a single handle on the cable, and
perform rows using just a single arm. You will be twisting slightly as you perform this movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwyhyKyFgf4
Opposite Toe Touches: This is just like the Toe Touches exercise where you lie on your back
with your legs straight up in the air and when you’re ready you will raise your arms up, crunch
upwards towards the ceiling, and aim to touch your toes with your hands. However in this exercise
you will aim to touch the outside of your left foot with your right hand, lower back down, then touch the
outside of your right foot with your left hand.
Example of the regular toe touch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obEce1AgDWU
Overhead Med Ball Slams - Side: This is the exact same exercise as the Med Ball Slams,
but your feet will be shoulder width apart and you will slam the ball down just outside of your legs on
both sides. So you will pick the ball up over your head, twist slightly to the left, slam it down just to the
left of your feet. Pick up the ball on the bounce, raise it over your head, twist slightly to the right, then
slam it down just to the right of your feet and repeat
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy3oZTitHz8
Overhead Plate Crunches: Grab a weight plate and lie flat on your back. You will hold the
weight plate with both hands and hold it over the top of your head so it’s resting on the ground. When
ready you will bring the weight plate up above you, crunch up, and bring your knees up to your chest
simultaneously. Squeeze the abs for a split second, then return back to the starting position.
Below is a good example, but the girl is using a water bottle instead of a weight plate.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Ot6C3jfJw
Overhead Press: This is just a barbell overhead shoulder press. You will load up a barbell with
the appropriate weight, start with it across the front of your shoulders, hands shoulder width apart,
then when ready, push directly upwards until your arms are fully extended above your head. Keep
your feet, hips, shoulders, and head all in line during this movement (Keep your joints stacked).
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yjwXTZQDDI
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Pike Push-Ups: This is essentially a modified handstand push-up. You will get into a pike position
by first getting into the push-up position then raising your butt up to the ceiling and walking your feet
in until you can’t raise your butt any higher. Then when ready, you will lower your head by bending
your arms at the elbows until your head barely touches the ground and push yourself back up to the
starting position.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sposDXWEB0A
Pistol Squats: This exercise is a bodyweight single-leg squat as deep as you can go while
balancing on one leg and keeping the other leg straightened out in front of you.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NvOuty_Fnc
Planks: A classic abdominal exercise. Get into the plank position by getting down on your
forearms and toes, keeping your body straight as a plank, and tensing your abs.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSHjTRCQxIw
Plank to Push-Up Holds: Assume the same position that is described above in the Plank
exercise and start the hold. Throughout the entire duration of the exercise you will alternate between a
plank from your forearms and a plank from your hands (push-up position). Watch the example below
to see how to alternate between the two positions (the push-up in between is optional).
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHC_KoaCu6U
Plate Opposite Toe Touches: This is a combination between the Plate Toe Touches and
Opposite Two Touches. You will perform Toe Touches with a weight plate just like in the Plate Toe
Touches exercise described below, but you will alternate between touching the plate to the outside of
each foot just to add a little oblique work into this exercise. I couldn’t find a video that did exactly what
I was looking for, but just touch the plate more at a diagonal that the video shown below.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMcVWdjsguc
Plate Toe Touches: Grab a weight plate with both hands and lie on your back with your legs
straight up in the air. When you’re ready you will raise your arms up holding the weight plate, crunch
upwards towards the ceiling, and touch your toes with the plate.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMcVWdjsguc
Power clean: A VERY technical exercise that requires a lot of training to perfect. If you do not
know how to do this exercise find an experienced training that can teach you this movement and
critique your form as you progress.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2GD2jYd5CM
Pull-Ups: A staple exercise in any workout program. Grab the pull-up bar with your hands slightly
wider than shoulder width apart with your palms facing away from you. When ready, pull yourself up
so that your chest comes close to the bar, then lower yourself slowly back to the starting position.
Make sure that you have full extension at the bottom.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGo4IYlbE5g
Pull-Up to 10s Hold: Same exact exercise as the one above except that you will pause for a
10s hold at the top of the pull-up. If you can’t hold for 10s, then just hold for a few seconds and slowly
work up your strength until you can hold for the required time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uys_BDOcKs8
Push-Ups: Get into the push-up position, lower yourself with your elbows slightly tucked in, drop
until your arms are at least 90 degrees bent, then push back up and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IODxDxX7oi4
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Push-Ups on Ball: This is essentially a push-up with both hands on a soccer ball. This will
engage much more of the stabilizing muscle groups and activate the core much more.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN9R4wGK47E
Push-Ups on Med Ball: This is essentially a push-up with both hands on either a soccer ball,
med ball, or some type of solid ball. This will engage much more of the stabilizing muscle groups and
activate the core much more. .
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN9R4wGK47E
Push-Ups One Hand on MB: This is essentially a push-up with one hand on either a soccer
ball, med ball, or some type of solid ball and the other hand on the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfu8lwPHisU
Push-Up Plank Shoulder Taps: Assume a push-up position where you are on your hands
and toes with your arms full extended. You will hold this position and do alternating shoulder taps for
the entire duration required. To do the shoulder taps, shift your weight on to one hand, lift the other
hand up and tap the opposite shoulder in a slow controlled fashion. Return the hand back to the
ground, shift over the weight to that hand and repeat this motion with the opposite hand.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcKyqAMqueQ
Push-Up Position Hold: This is a very simply exercise. Assume a push-up position where you
are on your hands and toes with your arms full extended. You will hold this position for the entire
duration required.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMcVWdjsguc
Push-Up to 10s Hold: Assume a push-up position where you are on your hands and toes with
your arms full extended. When ready, perform a push-up and return to the fully extended position.
You will then hold this push-up position for 10s, then repeat the process again with another push-up
and another 10s hold. Keep repeating for the entire time duration or rep requirement.
Push-Up to Single Arm Row: Grab two dumbbells that you can easily one arm row. Assume
a push-up position using the two dumbbells as handles for the push-up. Perform a push-up on the
two dumbbells and return to the top of the movement. At the top of the movement, shift your weight
slightly over to one side, and perform a one arm DB row with the other arm. Return the weight back to
the ground, perform another push-up, shift the weight to the opposite side and perform a one arm row
with the other hand this time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHMe2yw_OEg
Reverse Fly Machine: Find the reverse fly machine at your gym; many times it is the same
machine as the chest fly machine. If you do not have this machine at your gym, then grab a pair of
dumbbells and perform a Bent Over DB Reverse Fly.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_dkYUgQLCY
Row Machine: Find the row cardio machine in your gym and perform rows for the given amount
of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2hGNM4l5so
Seated Calf Raise Machine: Find the seated calf raise machine in your gym and perform the
exercise with full flexion at the bottom of the movement and squeezing at the top of the movement.
Never bounce or use momentum, always be in control.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz7sqxaJ-Ck
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Seated Med Ball Push: Grab a medicine ball that you can throw and a sturdy wall that it can
be thrown against. Sit on your butt about 2-3 yards away from the wall. Grab the medicine ball with
both hands and perform a chest pass at the wall. The ball should hit the wall and bounce back
towards you. Pick up the ball, bring it up to your chest and repeat the exercise.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCf3trYdKJs
Side Crunches: Lie on the ground on your side. Bend your top leg at a 90 degree angle so the
inside part of your knee is almost touching the ground. Bend your top arm and place your hand on
the back of your head. When ready, crunch up towards the ceiling using the obliques and abdominals, (don’t just crank your neck).
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yd6B35KPgY
Side Plank: A classic abdominal exercise. Get into the side plank position by getting down on
one forearm and the same side foot. You can put your other hand straight up in the air or you can rest
it on your hip. You should be in a straight line from your head down to your toes. Hold for the required
time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXr4Fw8q60o
Side Plank Hip Dips: Assume the same position that is described above in the Side Plank
exercise and start the hold. Throughout the entire duration of the exercise you will dip your hips down
towards the floor, then raise them up towards the ceiling in a slow and controlled manner.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1KUIT5DQyg
Side Plank Twists: Assume the same position that is described above in the Side Plank
exercise and start the hold. Throughout the entire duration of the exercise you will perform twists in a
slow and controlled manner. To perform the twist, raise your free arm straight above you in the air.
Then when ready, swoop your arm down to the floor and tap the floor behind your elbow so that you
are twisting, then turn back to the starting position and return your arm back up into the air. Repeat for
the time duration or the required reps.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taytZSd8JxA
Side Plank with Leg Raises: Assume the same position that is described above in the Side
Plank exercise and start the hold. Throughout the entire duration of the exercise you will perform a
single leg, glute side raise by keeping your top leg straight and swinging your foot up towards the
ceiling in a slow, controlled manner.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JupYk_YSPJs
Side to Side Obstacle Hops: Find an obstacle that is of a good height for you to repeatedly
jump over and place it on the ground. Start off to the side of the object so the object is directly to your
left or right. When ready, you will hop off of both feet and jump over the object. You will land on the
other side on both feet, then immediately hop over back to the starting position. Repeat this process
over and over again for the required time or reps.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wARvsn-0yPs
Side V-Ups: Lie on your side on the floor so that your legs are straight and extended. You can
bend at the hip slightly. Reach your top hand over your head and your bottom hand out to the side to
steady yourself. When ready, you will perform a side crunch, but you will also raise both legs up in the
air as well. At the top of the movement you should be touching your calf or foot with your top hand,
then control the movement back to the starting position.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_Huxrt89g
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Single Arm Cable Row: Head to the Cable Row Machine or Plate Loaded Row Machine in your
gym and position yourself accordingly. When ready you will perform the row movement, but using
only one arm. As with all single arm movements you will flex your abdominals to stabilize your body
during the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwyhyKyFgf4
Single Arm DB Bench Press: Grab a single dumbbell and lie on your back on a flat bench.
When ready bring the single dumbbell up above your chest and perform a single arm chest press by
lowering the weight down to your chest and pushing the weight back up to the starting position. As
with all single arm movements you will flex your abdominals to stabilize your body during the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td-4lC0tXKA
Single Arm DB Incline Press: You will perform the same exact exercise as the Single Arm
DB Bench Press, except that your bench will be at a slight incline between 20-45 degrees.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLeaf1RikV0
Single Arm DB Row: Grab a single dumbbell and a flat bench and position yourself so that your
left hand and left knee are on the bench while your right leg is on the ground and right hand is holding the dumbbell. When ready, you will row the dumbbell up towards your hip; do not row it straight
up to your ribs or chest. To target the back more, we want to do sweep the weight up to your hip.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEFHHOCfHgw
Single Arm DB Shoulder Press: Grab a dumbbell and perform a standing shoulder press
movement, but with only one arm. As with all single arm movements you will flex your abdominals to
stabilize your body during the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvanude6fqs
Single Arm Farmer’s Walk: Grab a single, heavier dumbbell and perform a farmer’s walk. A
farmer’s walk is when you just walk straight for a given distance while holding onto heavy weight.
Performing the walk with a single arm will force you to flex your abdominals the entire time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6npFKmvhmas
Single Arm Kettle Bell Swings: This exercise is performed exactly like the normal Kettle
Bell Swings, but you will only use one arm to hold onto the kettle bell.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A9bE6tUcOU
Single Leg Box Jumps: This is just like the normal Box Jumps except that you will jump off of
one leg and land on top of the box with the same leg. So if doing right leg single leg box jumps, you
will start by balancing on the right leg, jump off of the right leg onto the box, and land on the right leg
on top of the box. You will hop down, then repeat the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbZIilGUy7M
Single Leg Calf Raises: Simply find a stair, platform, or some step to hang your heel off of and
perform a single leg calf raise by dropping all the way as low as you can go then pushing up onto
your toes and flexing the calf. Slowly drop back down and repeat the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tla2ScHQgu0
Single Leg Calf Raise Machine: Simply find a calf raise machine of your choice and perform
the movement using just one leg at a time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MirWib0uUYE
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Single Leg DB Jumps: Grab a pair of light dumbbells and head to a place where you have a bit
of space. If you have a weight vest then that would work even better! When ready, you will balance on
one leg, squat down slightly, jump up straight into the air, land on the same foot, regain your balance,
and repeat. After you have done the required reps with one foot, switch legs and repeat the process
again with the opposite leg.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhZwO_ZcjB8
Single Leg Glute Bridge: Lie on your back with your legs bent so that your heels are about 6
inches from your butt. You will then lift up one foot into the air and straighten it so both of your thighs
are still even with each other. When ready, you will use the foot that still remains on the ground to
push up your butt into the air. Raise your butt up until your torso and thighs are on the same plane,
squeeze your glute, then slowly lower it back down.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NXv0Nany-Q
Single Leg, Leg Press: You will perform the same exact exercise as the Leg Press, except that
you will only be pressing with a single leg. Feel free to use any variation of leg press machine!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT5-HS6e9O4
Single Leg RDLs: Grab a single dumbbell and hold it in front of your left thigh with your right hand
(this can also be down with just your bodyweight). When ready you will balance on your left leg, and
slowly hinge at the hip and lower the dumbbell down to your left foot. As you do, keep your right leg
straight and raise it up behind you so it forms a straight line with your torso. Keep bending over until
you form a capital “T” and your torso and right leg are parallel with the floor, then pull back up into the
standing position. Switch the dumbbell into the other hand when doing RDLs with the other leg.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nenu2LI9_dw
Single Leg - Single Arm DB OH Press: Grab a single dumbbell in one hand and raise it up
as if you would be doing a shoulder press. When ready you will balance on one leg, tense your
abdominals, and perform a one arm shoulder press all while standing on the opposite leg. So if you
are performing the movement with your right arm you will be balancing on your left leg.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPelGbg_qIA
Single Leg Squats (Clockwork): For this exercise you will perform single leg squats on one
leg while the other leg stays straight and reaches out in front of you and taps the ground (12 o’clock),
you will then stand back up, then squat back down and reach out in front of your and slightly to the
right (1 o’clock), then is repeated around in a circle at all numbers of the clock.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCboEwf4gnY
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball: For this exercise perform single leg squats on the blue
ball part of the Bosu Ball.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzpxAzTh34E
Single Leg Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo: For this exercise perform single leg squats on
the bottom part of the Bosu Ball so the blue ball part is on the ground.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8dIjDWfJPM
Single Leg Wall-Sits: This exercise is performed just like a wall sit where you simply find a
wall, press your back flat up against it, bring your legs out about 2-3 feet, squat down until your knees
and hips form 90 degree angles and hold the position, but only done on one leg. To do this you will
need to straighten and hold the other leg in the air for the entire duration of the wall-sit.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtfnZJwl4Es
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Sit-Ups: One of the most basic, yet most effective exercises out there. A simple sit-up done from
lying on the back with your knees bent and sitting up using your abdominals. Make sure that you are
controlling the movement, go for quality not quantity with these exercises. Be sure to watch the
example video to see some common mistakes!
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDwoBqPH0jk
Sit-Up Twists: Same exact movement as above, but you will twist to one side at the top of the
movement, twist back to neutral, then lower yourself back down. During the next sit-up you will this
time twist to the opposite side.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOew7kuMFAI
Skater Jumps: To perform a skater jump start by balancing on your right leg. When ready, you
will squat down slightly and explode into a jump to your left side. You will land on your left foot and
stabilize for a split second before repeating the jump back to the right. Challenge yourself and jump
as far out as you can and stick the landing every single time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GASFfpVpEu0
Sled Pull: Grab a sled and throw on the appropriate weight for you. Attach a TRX band or some
sort of rope to be able to pull the sled. When ready you will grab onto the rope or TRX band or whatever attachment you have and walk/jog backwards while pulling the sled along with you. This should
be done as fast and powerful as you possibly can go.
Example from 0:50-1:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95c8Lr5cHqY&t=178s
Sled Push: Grab a sled and throw on the appropriate weight for you. When ready you will grab on
to the handles of the sled and push the sled with as much power and speed that you possibly can for
the required distance.
Example from 3:25-3:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95c8Lr5cHqY&t=178s
Squat Jump on to Bosu Ball: Grab a Bosu Ball, place the flat side down on the ground, and
stand a yard or two away from it. When ready you will start in an athletic stance with your feet shoulder width apart, squat down, and explode up into a jump. You will land on the Bosu ball with both feet
evenly spaced out and stick the landing. Balance for a second and then jump off forward into another
squat jump and stick the landing in front of the Bosu Ball with both feet. Turn and repeat going the
other way.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzbA5xWo48I
Squat Jumps: Simply place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, squat down to just
above parallel, then explode upwards into a jump. As you come back to the ground, land in the same
position and immediately squat back to the ground and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUl1Ttx8b98
Squat Knee Tuck Jumps: This exercise is performed exactly the same way as Knee Tuck
Jumps, but between each jump you will perform a full squat down to parallel depth.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5W0vzT4oE
Squats on Bosu Ball - Oppo: Grab a Bosu Ball and place the soft side down onto the
ground. Stand with both feet about shoulder width apart on the flat, hard side of the Bosu ball. Gain
your balance and then perform squats while maintaining stability throughout the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbu032GT4xM
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Stair Taps: Find a stair step or some low platform about a foot off the ground. You will repeatedly
tap the stair with the sole of your right foot, then switch as quickly as you can to tap the stair with the
sole of your left foot, then keep going as fast as you can getting in as many taps in the allotted time as
possible.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9efC5T4yzA
Standing Calf Raise Machine: Find the standing calf raise machine in your gym and
perform the movement as shown on the diagram. If you do not have this machine, then do calf raises
of a stair step.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMmgqO8Jo-k
Standing DB Shoulder Press: For this exercise, you’ll grab a pair of dumbbells and lift them
up above your shoulders. When ready, you will perform a shoulder press motion and push the dumbbells up over your head until your arms are straight. When you lower the weight, just dropping the
dumbbells until your elbows are 90 degrees, pause for a second, then push back upwards. Your
whole body should be in a straight line from your hands, to your head, to your hips, and feet.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkEueFMQphU
Standing Single Arm DB Shoulder Press: Same exact movement as the one described
above, but you will only be pressing one dumbbell above your head. As with any single arm movement, this will engage more of the abdominals, so make sure that you are tensing up your abs while
you perform this movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvanude6fqs
Step-Ups: This is the exact same movement as DB step-ups except done without holding dumbbells. Position yourself off to the side of the bench, but facing towards it. Place one foot up onto the
bench so that your hip and your knee are at 90 degree angles. When ready you will step up onto the
bench and bring your other knee up to a 90 degree angle. Stabilize and balance on the plant foot.
Lower yourself back to the ground and to the starting position. Repeat this movement until you have
completed all the reps with one leg, switch the positioning of your legs and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLgNjXucUs0
Supermans: Lie on the ground face-down with your arms straight up over your head. When
ready, you will lift up your chest, arms, and head from the ground as well as your knees, and feet so
that you resemble superman flying through the air. Only your stomach should be touching the ground.
You should feel this in your lower back as you squeeze upwards. Hold for a second at the top of the
movement, then slowly lower yourself back down.
Example at 1:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc6UVRS7PW4
Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls Grab a Swiss ball and lie on your back with the ball underneath your ankles. This will be your starting position. Raise your hips off of the ground, keeping your
weight on the shoulder blades and your feet. You should be in a straight line from your toes to your
torso. When ready, contract the hamstrings and pull the ball as close to you as you can, pause for a
second, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. At the top of the movement, the Swiss
ball should transition beneath the soles of your feet.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAYtwM95-ug
Toe Touches: Lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air. When you’re ready you will
raise your arms up towards your toes, crunch upwards towards the ceiling, and try to touch your toes
with your hands. Tense and squeeze your abdominals while you are reaching up, pause for a second
at the top of the movement, then slowly lower yourself back down to the bottom.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazQpjRjy2U
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Trap Bar Deadlift: For this exercise grab a trap-bar and rest it on the ground. Load the bar
with the appropriate weight and perform a deadlift motion by grabbing onto the handles and standing
straight up. Make sure to lift with your legs and keep your entire spine straight during the duration of
this movement. If you do not have a trap-bar, then just use a regular barbell to perform the movement.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNgxEhOoOjo
V-Ups: For this exercise lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended over your
head. When ready you will raise your straight legs up while simultaneously lifting up your torso and
arms to form a “V” where the bottom of the V is your butt. However, don’t stop at the V position, keep
coming together until you touch your shins/toes, squeeze your abdominals, then lower yourself back
down.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRCgPeligF4
Wall-Sits: Simply find a wall, press your back flat up against it, bring your feet out about 2-3 feet
away from the wall, squat down until your knees and hips form 90 degree angles and hold the
position for the required amount of time. Do not put your hands on your legs, keep them at rest at your
sides or straight out in front of you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-wV4Venusw
Weighted Bench Dip: See the exercise description for Bench Dip. You will do the exact same
exercise as that, but you will place your feet up on another bench and a weight plate on your lap to
add extra resistance.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZlnqG4CqLc
Weighted Dip : See the exercise description for Dips. You will do the exact same exercise as that,
but you will use a belt and chain to hang weight from your hips.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i3o0bFZT_s
Weighted Neutral Grip Pull-Up: See the exercise description for Neutral Grip Pull-Ups.
You will do the exact same exercise as that, but you will use a belt and chain to hang weight from
your hips.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INZjQfdQLXs
Weighted Pull-Up: See the exercise description for Pull-Ups. You will do the exact same
exercise as that, but you will use a belt and chain to hang weight from your hips.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuuyDNGrCI8
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Fitness glossary
Exercise glossary
General Terms
Superset: A superset is when you alternate between two exercises in a given set. For example, in
this given superset:
Superset
18 yard Box Sprint 3 sets, 1 rep, 10s rest
Burpees
3 sets, 30s, 60s rest
You would perform an 18 yard Box Sprint. After completion of the sprint, you would rest for 10s, then
immediately perform burpees for 30s. You would rest for 60 seconds, then perform another 18 yard
Box Sprint. You would continue this alternating pattern until you have finished the required amount of
sets for both exercises.
Circuit Style: A circuit is when you perform a set of every exercise in the set back to back until
you have completed the entire circuit. You then rest for a given amount of time, then start again from
the top and complete every exercise of the circuit again until you have completed the given amount of
sets. For example, in this given Circuit:
Superset
18 yard Box Sprint 3 sets, 1 rep, 10s rest
Burpees
3 sets, 30s, 10s rest
L-Drill
3 sets, 1 rep, 90s rest
You would perform an 18 yard Box Sprint. After completion of the sprint, you would rest for 10s, then
immediately perform burpees for 30s. Once again, you would rest for 10 seconds, then this time
perform a set of the L-Drill. Finally, you would rest for 90s and start the pattern again from the top of
the list. You would continue this circuit until you have finished the required amount of sets for all of the
exercises.
fitness Terms
18 yard Box Sprint: For this exercise simply start on the end line of the field. When ready you
will sprint out as fast as you can to the top of the 18 yard box. It is a very short sprint so the focus is
on power and acceleration.
18 yard Shuttles (3x): For this exercise start on the end line of the field. When ready you will
sprint out as fast as you can to the top of the 18 yard box, touch the line with your foot, and sprint
back towards the end line and again touch the line with your foot. You will repeat that pattern two
more times. This is a slightly longer sprint, but still the focus is on quick accelerations and change of
direction.
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40 yard Sprint (3 Point Stance): Mark out 40 yards on the field. If you are on a field with
American Football lines then simply start on the end line and sprint out until the 40 yard line. You will
start this sprint in a three point stance so that you have two feet and a single arm on the ground.
When ready you will sprint out the 40 yards as fast as you possibly can.
40 yard Varied Gated Sprint: Create a “gate” by placing two cones, one yard apart from
each other. Walk about 5-10 yards and place another “gate” on the ground. You will be creating a
running lane to sprint through. Continue to place a gate every 5 or so yards until you have a 40 yard
running lane, but vary up the placement of the gates so you aren’t just running in a straight line. When
ready start at one end of the lane and sprint through all the gates until you get to the very end. Challenge yourself so you have to make a variation of turns in both directions.
100m Sprints, 100m Jogs: For this exercise you should be on an Olympic running track, but it
can be done in any large area if you just measure out the required distances. When ready you will
slowly jog 100m around the track (1/4 of a lap), as soon as you complete the 100m you will sprint
100m as fast as you can. After sprinting 100m you will slowly jog another 100m. Finally, after jogging
100m you will sprint 100m one more time. At the completion of the second sprint you should now
have done full lap around the track. Repeat this exercise for the required time, laps, distance, or reps.
200m Sprints, 100m Jogs: For this exercise you should be on an Olympic running track, but it
can be done in any large area if you just measure out the required distances. When ready you will
slowly jog 100m around the track (1/4 of a lap), as soon as you complete the 100m you will sprint
200m (1/2 a lap) as fast as you can. After sprinting 200m you will slowly jog another 100m. At the
completion of the second jog you should now have done full lap around the track. Repeat this exercise for the required time, laps, distance, or reps
400m Run, 200m Jog: For this exercise you should be on an Olympic running track, but it can be
done in any large area if you just measure out the required distances. When ready you will slowly jog
200m around the track (1/2 of a lap), as soon as you complete the 200m you will sprint 400m (full lap)
as fast as you can. After sprinting 400m you will slowly jog another 200m, then again sprint 400m. At
the completion of the second sprint you should now have done three full laps around the track.
Repeat this exercise for the required time, laps, distance, or reps
Back Pedal to Sprint: For this exercise start by back pedaling about 5-10 yards as fast as you
can. After 5-10 yards of back pedaling, turn 180 degrees mid run and continue sprinting in the same
direction that you were back pedaling. Try to make this turn as fast and as fluid as possible!
Battle Ropes - Alternate: Hopefully you have access to some sort of rope that can be used
for these exercises, but if not you can replace this exercise with Burpees. Grab the end of the ropes,
place your feet about a foot wider than shoulder width, squat down slightly, then raise one of your
hands to head height, then at explosively switch your hands (bring one hand down and the other
hand up) and repeat for the allotted amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKI7-veqxf0
Battle Ropes - Circles: Hopefully you have access to some sort of ropes that can be used for
these exercises, but if not you can replace this exercise with Divebomber Push-Ups (see Gym Glossary for definition and example). Grab the end of the ropes, place your feet about a foot wider than
shoulder width, squat down slightly, then draw large circles with the ends of the ropes to create a
circular wave effect in the ropes. Explosively repeat this over and over as fast as you can for the
allotted amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rhHwJkUMws
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Battle Ropes - Slams: Hopefully you have access to some sort of ropes that can be used for
these exercises, but if not you can replace this exercise with Med Ball Slams. Grab the end of the
ropes, place your feet about a foot wider than shoulder width, squat down slightly, then raise both
ends of the ropes simultaneously above your head, then explosively whip the ropes down to create a
wave effect in the ropes. Explosively repeat this over and over as fast as you can for the allotted
amount of time.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PE6FKlT54Q
Broad jumps for distance: You will start in an athletic stance with your feet wider than
shoulder width apart, squat down slightly, then explode off of both feet into a forward jump. The goal
should be to jump as far as you possibly can. You will land on both feet, stick, stabilize for a second,
then repeat the jump. If you are short of space, just turn around and repeat.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICyOpzOyYKE
Broad Jumps - Continuous: This exercise is done exactly like Broad Jumps for Distance,
except with out the stabilization between each jump. These should be done back to back as fast as
possible.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejBOz245IeM
Burpees: This is a staple exercise for soccer players. When ready start in the standing position
then drop to your stomach as fast as possible. As soon as you are completely down on the ground,
push yourself back up to the standing position, then jump up as high as you can with your hands
above your head. As you come back down, land on two feet, then repeat without any rest in between.
The goal should be to do as many Burpees with good form as possible in the allotted time.
Circle Sprints - CutBacks: Either head to the center circle of a field or place down 8-10
cones to replicate a 10 yd radius center circle. You will start anywhere on the circle, but remember
where you started. When ready you will sprint around the circle as fast as you can until you come
back to your starting position. As soon as you complete a full revolution around the circle, you will cut,
turn and sprint around the circle back the other way. Once again, as soon as you complete a full
revolution and return to your starting position, cut, turn and run back around the circle. Your goal
should be to do as many revolutions in the allotted amount of time.
Cross Box Drill: Create a 10x10 yard box by placing 4 cones on the ground. Start at the back
left corner of the box. When ready you will sprint up to the top left corner of the box. As soon as you
reach that corner, you will get low and shuffle over to the top right corner of the box as fast as your
can. Once you reach the top right corner of the box you will back pedal to the back right cone. Once
you reach that cone you will then get low and shuffle as fast as you can to the cone that you started at
and finish there.
Crossbar Taps: Head into the center of the goal so that the cross bar is directly overhead
(maybe a step in front of you). When ready you will squat down slightly, then explode up and touch
the crossbar with your hands. If it is too easy then aim to touch your elbows or get your head up to the
crossbar height. If you can’t reach it, then just jump as high as you can and try to touch it. You’ll touch
it one day! As soon as you land, squat immediately back down then explode back up and repeat!
Field Runs (Jog Ends, Sprint Sides): You will basically be doing laps around a full sized
soccer field, however you will sprint the full sides of the pitch and slowly jog across the ends. Make
sure your jogs are slow so you can recover and fully sprint the sides!
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Figure 8 Sprint: Create two 10 yard diameter circles adjacent to each other so that it looks like a
giant number “8”. Start at the very bottom of the “8”. When ready you will sprint around the bottom
circle of the figure 8 in the clockwise direction. As soon as you get to the meeting point of the two
circles you will then sprint in the counter clockwise direction around the top circle. After a complete
revolution of the top circle you will be back at the meeting point of the two circles so finish the bottom
circle by sprinting again in the clockwise direction until you get to your original starting point.
Full Field Run (There and Back): This is simply just a full field run from one end of the field
to the other end then back again finishing at your original starting point.
Full Field Sprint: This is simply just a full field run from one end of the field to the other.
Half Field Sprint: This is simply just a half field run from one end of the field to the half field
line or from the half field line to one end of the field.
Horse Shoes: These suck haha. You basically will be running around the outside of the field and
sprinting varying parts. You will start at one corner of the field. Let’s call it corner A. When ready, you
will sprint from corner A to the half field line. You will then jog the rest of the way around the field until
you get back to corner A. As soon as you get back to corner A you will sprint the full length of the
field. Once again you will jog the rest of the way around the field until you get back to corner A. As
soon as you get back to corner A you will sprint the full length of the field, turn the corner, and sprint
the full end length of the field (Sprint around the field to the opposite corner). As soon as you reach
that opposite corner you will jog the rest of the field back to corner A. Are you seeing a pattern now
haha? As soon as you get back to corner A, you will sprint the full length of the field, turn the corner,
sprint the full end length of the field, turn the corner, then sprint to the half field line. You will again
slowly jog the rest of the way around the field until you get back to corner A. Once you get back to
corner A you will sprint the full length of the field, turn the corner, sprint the full end length of the field,
turn the corner then again sprint the other full length of the field (That’s the horseshoe right there).
This time slowly jog the end length back to corner A. This is where I’m being nice. Once you get to
corner A, instead of starting your final sprint do one full revolution of the field in a slow jog to catch
your breath for the last run. Once you jog back to corner A for the second time you will perform a full
revolution of the field as fast as you can. After that final full lap you are finished.... have fun..
I-Drill: Create a large capital letter “I” by placing three cones in a straight line each 5 yards apart
from each other to form the bottom part of the “I”. Stand on the middle cone of line so that you have a
cone directly to your left and to your right and walk 20 yards and place a cone. You are now in the
middle of the top part of the “I”. Place a cone 5 yards to your right and 5 yards to your left to complete the “I”. You will start on the middle of the bottom part of the “I”. When ready you will shuffle out
5 yards to your left as fast as you can, touch the cone with your hand, then shuffle 10 yards all the
way over to the right cone as fast as you can, touch the cone with your hand, then shuffle 5 yards to
the left back to the original starting position in the middle. As soon as you get to the middle, you will
stop your shuffle and sprint forward 20 yards as fast as you can. Once you reach the top part of the
“I” you will shuffle 5 yards to the right and touch the cone with your hand, shuffle 10 yards to your left
and touch the far cone with your hand, then shuffle back 5 yards to the middle of the top part of the
“I” to finish the exercise.
Indiana Drill : This drill is very hard to explain so just watch the example video below. Yes, I
realize while writing this guide that I got my states mixed up.. just ignore the difference of the name
haha.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIhCRhFOnCM
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Jog - 18 to 18 - Jog: You will start on the end line of the field. When ready, you will jog slowly
towards the 18 yard line. As soon as you hit the 18 yard line you will sprint all the way over to the
opposite 18 yard box. Once your reach the 18 yard box, you will immediately transition into a jog and
jog rest of the way to the end line. That is one repetition. As soon as you touch the end line, turn and
jog back to the 18 yard box. You will repeat the pattern continuously until you have completed the
number of reps with no rest between each rep.
Jog Ends, Sprint Sides: You will basically be doing laps around a full sized soccer field,
however you will sprint the full sides of the pitch and slowly jog across the ends. Make sure your jogs
are slow so you can recover and fully sprint the sides!
Jumping Lunges: Start standing tall with your feet staggered, your left foot in front of you and
your right behind you. When ready you will lower yourself into a lunge so that your right knee almost
touches the ground. Make sure that your left leg is bent at 90 degrees and the knee isn’t pushing
forward past the toes. As soon as you get into the deep position push off the bottom of both feet into a
jump, switching the position of your feet in mid-air, landing in a basic lunge with your right leg in front.
Without rest, repeat this movement alternating which leg is in front.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ExU8445rbU
L-Drill: Create a large, capital “L” by placing two cones 10 yards apart to create the lower part of
the “L” and the top cone 20 yards from the bottom left cone. Start at the bottom left cone of the “L”
(The corner), then when ready, shuffle 10 yards out to the right and touch the bottom right cone with
your hand, shuffle back 10 yards to the left and as soon as you reach the corner, sprint out 20 yards
to the top of the “L”. You will finish the exercise once you reach the top cone.
Overtimes: These suck haha. This is essentially a full field shuttle run. You will start on the end
line of a pitch. When ready you will accelerate out to the 6 yard box, touch the line with your foot, and
accelerate back to the end line. You will then cut, turn, and sprint out to the 18 yard box, once again
touch the line with your foot, turn and sprint back to the end line. You will repeat the shuttle at the half
line, opposite 18 yard box, opposite 6 yard box, and finally at the opposite end line finishing the
exercise at your original starting point.
Shuttle (5, 10) to Full Field Sprint: For this exercise you will perform a shuttle run from
the end line, to a 5 yard line, back to the end line, to a ten yard line, back to the end line, and then
finish with a full field sprint. You will not return back to the starting point, you will finish at the opposite
end of the field.
Shuttle Run (3, 5, 3, 10, 3, 5, 3): Place cones at a zero yard mark, 3 yard mark, 5 yard mark,
and 10 yard mark. You will perform a shuttle run by starting at the 0, accelerating out to the 3, back to
the 0, out to the 5, back to the 0, out to the 3, back to the 0, out to the 10, back to the 0, out to the 3,
back to the 0, out to the 5, back to the 0, out to the 3, then back once again to the zero.
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 5, 10): Place cones at a zero yard mark, 5 yard mark, and 10 yard mark.
You will perform a shuttle run by starting at the 0, accelerating out to the 5, back to the 0, out to the
10, back to the 0, out to the 5, back to the 0, out to the 10, and back to the 0.
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 5, 15, 5): Place cones at a zero yard mark, 5 yard mark, 10 yard mark, and
15 yard mark. You will perform a shuttle run by starting at the 0, accelerating out to the 5, back to the
0, out to the 10, back to the 0, out to the 5, back to the 0, out to the 15, back to the 0, out to the 5,
then finally back to the zero.
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Shuttle Run (5, 10, 15): Place cones at a zero yard mark, 5 yard mark, 10 yard mark, and 15
yard mark. You will perform a shuttle run by starting at the 0, accelerating out to the 5, back to the 0,
out to the 10, back to the 0, out to the 15, and finally back to the 0.
Shuttle Run (5, 10, 15, 20): Place cones at a zero yard mark, 5 yard mark, 10 yard mark, 15
yard mark, and the 20 yard mark. You will perform a shuttle run by starting at the 0, accelerating out
to the 5, back to the 0, out to the 10, back to the 0, out to the 15, back to the 0, out to the 20, and
finally back to the 0.
Single Leg Lateral Obstacle Hops: Place a cone or small object on the ground for you to
jump over. You will stand off to the side of the object so that it is directly to your left or right. When
ready you will balance on one leg and jump laterally over the object back and forth as fast as you
can. You will jump and land on the same foot the entire time. Then once you complete the set you will
switch legs and repeat the drill.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5qJzPa361M
Stairs - Skip Step: Start at the bottom of a stair case or set of bleachers. When ready you will
sprint up the stairs skipping a stair with each step that you take until you reach the top. Try to find a
staircase with a minimum of 20 steps. Focus on power and explosion as you burst up the stairs.
Stairs - Skip Two Steps: Start at the bottom of a stair case or set of bleachers. When ready
you will sprint up the stairs skipping two stairs with each step that you take until you reach the top. Try
to find a staircase with a minimum of 20 steps. Focus on power and explosion as you burst up the
stairs.
T-Cone Drill: For this exercise create a large letter “T” by placing four cones on the ground at
the base, center, and the two ends. Place the cones so that there is about 5 yards between each
cone. Start at the base of the “T” and when ready, sprint out to the center, round the cone 90 degrees
to the left, and sprint out to the left cone, round the cone 180 degrees and sprint all the way to the far
right cone, round the cone 180 degrees, sprint back to the center cone, round that cone 90 degrees
to the left and sprint back to the starting position.
Three Shuffles to Sprint: Simply squat down in a athletic position and take three explosive
shuffles out to the right. As soon as you finish the third shuffle, turn to your right and sprint out 10
yards as fast as you can. The focus should be on a fast transition from shuffling to sprint. Make sure
you repeat this drill by shuffling and sprinting to the left!
Tight Zig Zag Weave to Sprint: Place 6 cones on the ground in a zig zag formation so that
there is only one yard between each cone. When ready you will sprint and weave through the cones
taking quick sharp steps to round the cones. As soon as you exit the last cone you will sprint out 20
yards as fast as possible.
Triangle Drill: Create a large, equilateral triangle (all three sides the same length) so that each
side is 10 yards. When ready, you will start at the bottom left corner of the triangle. When ready you
will sprint out to the top corner of the triangle, as soon as you reach the top corner you will back pedal
back to the bottom right corner of the triangle, as soon as you reach the bottom right corner, you will
turn to the left and sprint back to the starting position at the bottom left cone. You will repeat this
exercise the opposite direction around the cones, but start at the bottom right cone this time.
Up 2, Back 1 Sprints: When ready you will sprint out 10 yards, then back pedal 5 yards, then
sprint out 10 yards again, back pedal 5 yards, and repeat two more times for a total of 4 up and
backs.
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Up 2, Shuffle Back 1 Sprints: When ready you will sprint out 10 yards, then perform a left
side shuffle back 5 yards, then sprint out 10 yards again in the original direction, then perform a right
side shuffle back 5 yards and repeat two more times for a total of 4 up and backs.
X-Drill: Place 5 cones to create more of a + sign than an X with a cone at each end of each line
and a single cone in the center. Create the + so that each cone is about 5 yards away from the center
cone. When ready start at the center cone and sprint out to the top cone. Once you reach the top
cone, back pedal back to the center cone, then immediately side shuffle out to the right cone. Once
you reach the right cone, side shuffle back to the center cone, then immediately back pedal to the
back cone. Once you reach the back cone, sprint forward back to the center, then immediately side
shuffle out to the left cone, and side shuffle back to the center.
Zig Zag Weave: Create a large scale zig zag cone weave by placing 8 cones each about 10
yards from the cone before and after them in the weave. When ready start at either end and sprint
through the entire weave, cutting sharply around each cone, and accelerating out to the next.
Zig Zag Weave - Forward/Backward: Create a large scale zig zag cone weave by
placing 8 cones each about 10 yards from the cone before and after them in the weave. When ready
start at either end and sprint forward to the first cone. Once you reach the first cone, back pedal to
the second cone, then repeat this pattern of sprinting forward to the cones on one side and back
pedaling to the cones on the other until you finish the exercise.
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Become Elite
One final word
No one ever reached their goals from reading a book
First off, I want to praise you for even getting this far in this book. Good work, but
it’s only part of the battle. I’m willing to bet that more than half of the people who buy
this program won’t even read it and most will never even complete a single workout.
They’ll purchase it, receive the program, and then they’ll continue to live their life the
exact same way as before. Before long, they’ll be researching a new workout plan or
diet program and they might even complain about how they can never achieve the
body that they want. They will never put in the work and because of this, they’ll never
reach their goals. As they get older, they might regret never starting in the first place
and some might get frustrated and start criticizing the people out there actually
putting in effort to achieve something in life. They’ll become critics.
There are far too many of those people out there in the world.
All talk. No effort. All intention. No production. All critique. No action. All excuses. No work.
Unless your aim is to read more... No one ever reached their goals from reading
a book. Reading will give you quality information which you may need to improve,
but you must put in the effort to actually see the results. You can read every
self-help, diet, nutrition, workout, or training book in the world, but if you don’t get up
off the couch and start working out, then nothing will happen. You need to decide on
a plan, put in 100% effort, and commit to it.
If you do, you’ll see the results. I guarantee it.
This doesn’t just apply to your physique, but to everything in life. You can talk
about business plans all you want, you can read all the personal finance books in the
world, you watch all the video editing tutorials on YouTube, you can have coffee with
as many mentors as possible, you can share all your goals and ambitions to anyone
who will listen, but if you don’t actually act upon these ideas, then you’ll never
achieve anything.
Stop talking. Stop planning. Stop intending. Stop researching.
And start acting.