Someone at Volkswagen needs a promotion for this concept. By the way, what's the better use of a giant keyboard -- this or the video after the jump?  Keep Reading »

I'm revisiting legs to emphasize some points:

• Training your lower body is just as important as training your upper body.
  
• Moving through different planes of motion will bolster your strength gains.
  
  I had the opportunity to interview the 2008 World National Bodybuilding Federation champion, Leroy Perry, who beats his legs to a pulp four times per week. "Squats are more muscle-building than just being a leg exercise," he told me. "The force has to start from your top, and that's when the core takes over."
  
  As Perry said, squats never work just your legs. The same applies to lunges and deadlifts. At the very least you're hitting your core, and your upper body musculature must be recruited to support a barbell when you rest it across your back or hoist it off the ground. You don't get this amount of muscle recruitment from a bench press, which is why lower body workouts are just as important. Below is a fantastic alternative to the squat which taxes each leg independently while building full-body strength.
  
  Barbell Step Up
  
  This exercise can be performed across the sagittal plane (figures 1-3) or across the frontal plane (figures 4-6). While most exercises run along the sagittal plane (up-down, forward-backward), stepping up across the frontal (side-to-side) plane will increase intensity and teach your body to move efficiently in these directions.  Keep Reading »

Call it the perfect marriage of mountain-bike towns: Durango, Colorado and Moab, Utah. You could simply drive between the two. Or, naturally, you could bike-along a 215-mile hut-to-hutbackcountry route through some of...  Keep Reading »

According to Mosnews.com a Russian woman has broken her own world record by lifting a 14-kg. glass ball with her vagina muscles. Here's the official report: "A Russian woman has set a new world record, lifting a...  Keep Reading »

On Monday, you did arms. Now it's time to add some "kick" into that kickboxing. Today's athletic body goes out to the little guys whose lack of height is no contest for fighting spirit. I present to you, Joe Soto (white shorts). This weekend Joe battles it out against Yahir Reyes to see who will be crowned the first Bellator Featherweight champion. Watch him go for the $100,000 prize this Saturday on ESPN Deportes. This workout might look short, but trust us, it won't feel that way once you get going...

Kick. Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart, left foot slightly forward, fists at eye level -- you always want to protect your face. Briskly bounce your weight onto your back, right foot and then back to your left foot. As your weight shifts forward kick your right leg straight out in front of you, toes flexed, so that you hit the punching bag with the ball of your right foot. Bring it back to neutral and repeat. Continue with your right leg for three minutes, then switch to your left and continue for three minutes.  Keep Reading »

So, Syracuse won. Get over it and focus on a much more important game... the Champion's League final. Today at 2:45 p.m. EST, Lionel Messi's Barcelona faces off against Premiership champions (again) Manchester United. It is in this spirit that I give your motivational man of the game to inspire your workout today.... Ryan Giggs. Never heard of him? Shame on you. Yes, Ronaldo may be ridiculously hot and Rooney is everyone's favorite crotch-stomping striker, but Ryan Giggs is the man. At 39, he's been playing professional soccer for 19 years... and only with United. He's revered throughout the world for his exceptional ball skill and overall knowledge on the field and if United win today (they will), he'll be canonized by the soccer gods with his third Champions League trophy. As you watch today (as you should) take a gander at #11 in the white and you'll see what one of the world's best athletes looks like. Then do this Giggs-worthy workout.

Abs/Push-up Superset
Each of the following exercises should be done continuously. There should be no rest between each set.

20 V-ups. Lying flat on your back, arms and legs extended, bring your hands and toes together to form a letter "V" with your body.

10 Regular push-ups. Legs should be extended straight back and arms should be shoulder-width apart.

20 Slow bikes. With your hands gently touching the back of your head (no pulling on your head to strain your neck) bring your upper body off of the floor and twist to the left while twisting your left knee to the right so that your left knee and right elbow touch. Switch and repeat on the other side. 10 on each side.

10 Close-hand push-ups. Bring your hands together at chest level so that your pointer-fingers and thumbs create a diamond shape on the floor. With your legs extended straight out behind you, lower yourself to the floor.

20 Suitcase crunches. Start with your legs extended straight out and together and your hands crossed on your chest. Lift both your legs and back off of the floor and bend your knees so that your chest and knees come together in the middle of your body. Lower yourself back down, but do not touch the floor. Repeat.  Keep Reading »

Be honest, you just spent the last three days stuffing your face with various BBQ-ed meats and a shit-ton of booze (and maybe one or two s'mores). Time for some quick detox. Plan on today's workout being painful and extremely difficult. This isn't because it's out of your range of ability, it's more because you're body is full of various meats and a shit-ton of booze. In any case, it's going to make you sweat... a lot. Because of that, you'll find this to be very ass-centric -- lots of sprinting and hill running -- and so I've chosen an athlete with one of the best asses in the biz... Jason Varitek. I know bros don't generally check out other bros' asses, but I mean, come on, he's the catcher for the Red Sox. His job is to do squats all day. Take just one look, memorize, and aspire.

Suicides. Mark a track or a field with something (like a shirt) about every ten yards for 100 yards. If you're on a track or a playing field, this should be done for you. Starting at your end-line, sprint forward 10 yards, then backward, keeping your knees high, 10 yards. Once your hit the endline, sprint forward 20 yards, then backward 20 yards. Continue this pattern, increasing your yardage by 10 yards each time until you reach the full 100 yards. If you don't have access to a track or field, do intervals on a treadmill: Sprint for 10 seconds, jog for 10 seconds, sprint for 20 seconds, jog for 10 seconds, etc. until you get to 1 minute. Rest for 45 seconds and repeat. Between each set do 20 sit-ups and 20 push-ups.

Big stairs. On a flight of at least 40 steps, sprint up as quickly as you can skipping a stair with each step you take so that you're hitting every other step. If you're working on a hill, make sure you're taking very wide steps. Once you hit the top, walk down to the bottom and repeat immediately. Do five sets but between each set do 20 sit-ups and 20 push-ups.  Keep Reading »

I trust that the desire to look like Dwayne Wade sufficiently motivated you to complete Tuesday's workout (it should have, his body is ridiculous.) Since all of you bros seem to be obsessed with lacrosse, I suggest you read John McPhee's article "Spin Right and Shoot Left" in the March 23, 2009 issue of the New Yorker. I also suggest that you take a look at professional lax player Paul Rabil... specifically his arms (and his badass eye makeup). This, my bros, is what you should aspire to. 'Nuff said.

The following should be done holding 10 to 15 lb. dumbbells. Your level of strength will determine the amount of weight you use.

Arm circuit

12 Upright rows. Beginning with your arms extended downwards in front of you, wrists in, pull your arms up so that your hands reach your chest. Lower the weight back down and repeat for 20 reps.

10 second rest.

15 Military press. Begin with your hands above your head, elbows bent. Extend your arms above your head. Lower the weight back down to the sides of your head and repeat for 15 reps.

10 second rest

15 Hammer curls. Begin with your arms at your side, wrists in. Curl both arms up so that the end of the dumbbell reaches your shoulder. Lower the weight back down and repeat for 15 reps.  Keep Reading »

Memorial Day is nigh. Naturally, you'll be wanting to show off that hard-earned beach bod. By now, if you've been diligently following our Summer workout guide, you should have a well-rounded base of abs, arms, shoulders, legs, and glutes. Well done. Now it's time to maintain. For the final three weeks of our 10-week overhaul, you'll be getting a combination of lifting, stretching, and resistance workouts that are all geared toward toughening up your cardio strength. Since professional athletes hands down have the best bodies around, I'm giving you some look-a-like motivation... a.k.a. you should be motivated to look like them. No excuses. Today: Dwayne Wade. Please note the lower abs he rocks in the first picture. These are known in the man-loving female world as "the lines" and are one of the sexier things a guy can have. Another stellar facet of Wade? Those cut arms of course. If any of you manage to get close to looking like Dwayne, please email a picture of yourself and your number to my contact via BroBible.... It's all in the name of journalistic integrity, I assure you.

The following should be done holding 10- to 15-lb. dumbbells in each hand. Your strength level will determine the weight you should use. I know it's tempting but don't over-extend yourself.

14 Upright rows. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your wrists turned in. Keeping your arms in front of you, bend your elbows and bring your hands up to your shoulders. Return to neutral and repeat for 14 reps.

10 Squat jumps. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle so that you're in a full squat. Jump up from your squatting position. On landing, bend into a squat again and repeat for 10 reps.

Rest for 20 seconds.

15 Snatches. Bend down so that your back is straight, your knees are bent completely, and you're holding the weights in front of you near the floor, but so that they're not resting on the floor. Keeping your abs tight, stand up straight, and simultaneously bring your weights up above your head. This is one rep. Repeat for 15 reps.  Keep Reading »

Keeping in the theme of Tuesday's workout on getting those runningback- (or Rocky-) quality stems, today's is all about resistance... against Mother Nature. If you don't have a high school or college stadium near you that you can use, any set of 40 or so stairs will do. If you live in an M.C. Escher painting and stairs are an abstract non-reality, find a hill -- a steep hill. If your ambitions are to actually obtain a college-football fitness level, you're likely too old and/or drink way too much beer, but feel free to kick your own ass and do the following on both stairs and a hill. (If the latter is your M.O...godspeed.)

Big stairs. On a flight of at least 40 steps, sprint up as quickly as you can skipping a stair with each step you take so that you're hitting every other step. If you're working on a hill, make sure you're taking very wide steps. Once you hit the top, walk down to the bottom and repeat immediately. Do five sets.  Keep Reading »

You know those steel extensions that let Adrian Peterson push through 9,000 lbs of defensive linesmen every Sunday? Yeah, he may call them "legs" but we both know they're super-human weapons of sprinting destruction. While I can't guarantee that the following workout-elements of which resemble those done by college running backs-will get you to the same level (it won't), it will help your jam-bones look a little more appealing in those board shorts. Last week's lunges and squat work should have you nice and warmed up for this week's more intense tonage-centric stuff.

15 hip flexor crossovers. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hook a resistance band to your right ankle. Balancing on your left foot bend your right knee to a 90-degree angle and bring it up and across your body so that the upper part of your right leg is parallel with the floor and the bottom half is perpendicular with the floor. Return your right leg to neutral and repeat for 15 reps. Switch legs and repeat with your left leg for 15 reps.  Keep Reading »

So your legs should be nice and toned from Monday's workout. Time to add some size. The best part about the following slew of exercises is that they'll not only work your legs, your ass will feel the benefits too. Bonus!

20 Squats. Holding 10- to 20-lb. dumbbells in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight, bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, keeping your weight on your heels. Stand up straight again and repeat for 20 reps.

Rest 20 seconds and repeat for five sets.

20 Side squats. Holding 10- to 20-lb. dumbbells in each hand, begin with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step out to your right side into a one-legged squat on your right leg. Be sure to keep your back straight and your weight on your heels. Return to center and repeat for 20 reps. Switch legs and repeat on your left side.

Rest 20 seconds and repeat for five sets.  Keep Reading »

Hopefully the mere title of "Bro" makes it a given that none of you will ever think about, let alone enact, wearing a speedo on the beach this year. That said, even in long board shorts (or Bonobos), your legs get their share of attention and so should be treated with care (a.k.a. worked hard enough to warrant some serious definition.) Yes, you could run six miles a day and get some fairly toned stems, but be honest, who really wants to do that? For the next two weeks, these leg-centered workouts will achieve the same, if not better, results (the weighted exercises will help add a bit of bulk, unlike weight-stripping running). Keep in mind not to limit your daily regime to legs alone -- switch it up with the arms and shoulders routines and continue to work on your core. While I still recommend doing at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardio, you might want to opt for a less intense workout, like light jogging or biking on flat surfaces so as not to tire your legs before you work them. Plus, a few of these exercises provide enough cardio to get your heart pumping, you won't need to run those extra hills. Of course if you're truly hardcore, who am I to stop you....

Hip Mobility Circuit
The following should be done continuously with no rest between exercises.

15 Fire Hydrants. On a mat, get onto your hands and knees (yes, in doggy-style position). Suck in your stomach to stabilize your mid-section and left your right leg, knee bent, up to your side as if, well, as if you were a dog at a fire hydrant. Bring your leg back to neutral and repeat for 15 reps. Switch and repeat for 15 reps on the other side.

15 Hip circles (out). Get into the same position as the fire hydrants. Tighten your abs to stabilize and bring your right knee to your chest. Circle your right knee out and around and behind you. As you circle your hip backward, extend your leg up and back behind you. Bring your knee back into your chest and repeat the motion for 15 reps. Switch sides and repeat for 15 reps with your left leg.

15 Hip circles (in). Starting in the same fire hydrant position, tighten your abs and bring your knee into your chest. Instead of circling your leg out and behind, start the motion by extending your leg behind you first and then bending your knee and circling your hip out to your side and finally back in to your chest so that you're circling your leg inward. Repeat for 15 reps. Switch sides and repeat for 15 reps with your left leg.  Keep Reading »

While pumping iron last night at my local New York Sports Club -- between the bouts of gawking at cute little vixens, thinking about things I'd rather be doing (coitus with said vixens) and actually working out -- something dawned on me. Every single gym I have ever been too is exactly the same. Sure the facilities and machinery may differ, but the patrons are all eerily similar.

Even though I am a personal trainer (non-practicing), I still only go to the gym because I am programmed too, not because I love doing it. While I'm there, all I want is solitude, a freshly Windex'd mirror, my music and whatever malice-filled thoughts I need to get through it. Unfortunately for me, other people exist, so this heavenly scenario is impossible. Below is a list of some of the people that I sadly keep finding at every gym I have ever gone too.

(Side Note: This does not apply to anyone who works out in a home gym, unless of course, you suffer from severe schizophrenia.)

1. The Playa: This guy usually is in pretty good shape, although you rarely see him doing any actual exercises. Instead he spends the majority of his time trying to hit on females by way of correcting their form or asking if he can "work in." If it were socially acceptable, this guy would walk around sporting an all-out boner with a 25 lb. plate hanging from it.  Keep Reading »

Recover from Monday yet? Good, you shouldn't have. Don't worry, today's workout, the last in our two-week upper body sequence, focuses more on using your own body weight and stretching. Now, bros, don't think I don't know that doing yoga-like poses at Gold's Gym makes you look like, well, a girl. It does. But keep in mind, if you really want to get attention -- good attention -- with your shirt off, sometimes you have to suck it up and face the symphony of chiding comments from the meatheads. True strength only comes with flexibility. Besides, it's harder than it looks.

20 Big arms circles. With your arms straight above your head, swoop them in front of you, around and back to neutral for one. Repeat forward motion for 10 reps. Switch to backward motion and repeat for 10 reps.

Y-T-H-L. Lying face down on a bench (or the floor, if that's all you have), extend your arms out straight in front of you and open them so that your body creates a "Y" shape. Hold your arms there for 30 seconds. Without dropping them, move your arms out to you sides and extend them straight so that your body makes a "T" shape. Hold for 30 seconds. Next, bend your arms so that they are at a 90-degree angle and your body is in an "H" shape. Hold for 30 seconds. Finally, in that position, flip your hands up toward the ceiling as far as they can go so that your arms form an "L" shape (note: how high you can bring them will depend on how flexible you are so don't over-push yourself). Hold for 30 seconds.

20 second rest and repeat.  Keep Reading »