A few years ago I wrote my Athletic Body Workout.  You see, I know that most men want to look like a strong, lean athlete… NOT a bodybuilder.  And I figure the only reason these guys were still doing workouts based on bodybuilding was they didn’t know how to do an athletic workout.

I mean, who would knowingly do a workout that wasn’t designed to product the results they wanted?

Now, I am not claiming to be the cause… but I have noticed a switch to more athletic workouts over the past couple of years.  Trainers and exercisers alike have finally realized they need to train more like an athlete if they are to get the strong, lean, athletically muscular physique that performs as good as it looks. MaxWorkouts is such an athletic workout.

Here are some things I took from the site…

You Want To Look Like An Athlete?
Then You’d Better Start Training Like One.

This isn’t some run-of-the-mill training or body building program. Hardly.

What you will find here are short, intense, full-body workouts that get you a lean, defined, muscular, athletic physique. But it goes deeper than just looks. You’ll gain strength, power, and endurance — giving you the performance edge. So let’s talk about the main reasons why you should train like an athlete (even if you’re not one)…

1. Real Strength

Real strength isn’t just about being strong — it’s about the ability to perform at a higher level for any type of athletic event or even non-athletic activities. If you’re a weekend baller, wouldn’t it feel good to outrun or out rebound your competition instead of bolstering about how you just curled 135 lbs? How about being able to out sprint and outlast your competition for a game of touch football with the guys?

2. Increased Power & Performance

In the world of fitness and athletics, power and performance go hand in hand. When you combine the right elements in your workouts, you can produce a favorable neuroendocrine response — which has an eerily similar effect to that of taking growth hormones.

3. Build More Muscle & Burn More Fat

As I mentioned earlier, performing weight-bearing, full-body exercises in high intensity interval and circuit training formats is the single most effective way to skyrocket your power, lean muscle development, and fat-burning — getting you a lean, ripped, athletic body.

——————————————————————————–

So, if you’ve performed any of my workouts, like Athletic Body Workout or Gladiator Body Workout, then you know I love these kind of high-intensity, full body workouts that blur the lines between strength training and endurance conditioning.  And I not only believe this is the best way to train to increase performance and fitness… but also to achieve your athletic body goals as fast as possible. Let’s look at what some of Shin Ohtake’s customers had to say about the MaxWorkouts program…

If you are still struggling to reach your fitness, fat loss and athletic physique building goals I encourage you to start working out like an athlete. Be honest… is your workout program based on athletic workout, or are they some type of bodybuilding workout? Make the switch to a more athletic workout today, and you might just find this is the key to getting the RESULTS you want.

I just got an email from someone wanting to know how to train for an athletic body.  I see a lot of people struggling to understand how to get a more athletic looking and performing body, so I decided to answer the question here.

Here is an excerpt from the email…

i am trying to build a bit more muscle and tone what i have already got.

i am trying to get an athletic body.

should i do shoulders, back, chest, biceps, triceps and so on all in the same day.

or should i concentrate on each ones on different days. like biceps and triceps one day, back the next, chest the next, shoulders the next, and so on.

———————

Let me try to help you get an athletic body.

You want to get an athletic body, but it still looks like you are doing a bodybuilding style workout. When you split your body up into a lot of different (smaller) muscle groups and try to figure out how to design a workout to hit those muscles separately, you are training like a bodybuilder.

Bodybuilders DON”T have an athletic type body… so you don’t want to train like a bodybuilder if your goal is to look and perform like an athlete.

On the other hand… athletes train the whole body and focus on large muscle groups, or multiple muscle groups at the same time.  I would go so far as to say that an athletic workout should be a full body workout that blurs the lines between strength training and heart and lung conditioning.

I was just looking over a page called MaxWorkouts yesterday and doing a write up about it that I’m going to post here.  I think you should read it to get a feeling of what an athletic approach is.  Read about MaxWorkouts here!

I can give you an example from on of my own workout programs: Gladiator Body Workout.

The Gladiator Body Workout uses both dumbbells and bodyweight exercises.  There is nothing more athletic that using a combination of bodyweight and weighted exercise to challenge your entire body. So, first off… we are doing a full body workout with different types of resistance.

I have a full workout program there called The Above & Beyond Package.  (This should only be done after you build your athletic body with the Optimum Fitness & Physique Workouts).

What you’ll notice about these workouts is they combine dumbbell exercise, bodyweight exercise AND endurance training. For example: Dumbbell Snatches for 30 seconds, Push Ups for 30 second and then sprint 50 yards.  Rest briefly and repeat.  This is the type of exercise that builds a strong, lean, athletic body ready for anything.

As you’ll notice… there is no mention of muscle groups, split routines or any of the other stuff bodybuilders talk about.

I know this might be hard for you to wrap your brain around.  Everyone has been “conditioned” to think of the body as a bunch of parts. But if you want to train, look and perform more like an athlete, you are going to have to take a broader view and stop using bodybuilding routines. Spend some time thinking about this.

Again, I recommend reading over the Gladiator Body Workout page.  There is a lot of good info there.  Plus, read over the MaxWorkouts page.  I see a lot of trainers moving into this ATHLETIC style of training and I believe it is the way to get the fitness, performance and body most exercisers are looking for!

Hope this helps.

Eddie

But what we found out on day 1 of wrestling season was that the weight training we were doing did NOT prepare us for the rigors of wrestling. If anything, the inflated muscles were a hindrance to our performance!  And after cutting weight to get to my weight class, those puffed up muscles were a thing of the past.

It made me wonder if those off season workouts were worth it!

But the problem was, at the time there was no one teaching any other forms of weight training besides bodybuilding type training.  So, year after year we would gather in my basement and commit the same mistakes.

One of the things that snapped me out of the bodybuilding mindset is the simple dumbbell swing. Here is a video I found if you don’t have any idea what I am talking about it…

dumb bell swings

And those are even done with a weighted vest.

Anyway, you probably won’t find this in any bodybuilding routine because it is not immediately relevant what muscles are trained.  And since muscle growth is the only concern of bodybuilders, not knowing the muscles makes doing the exercise pointless. But that is not the case if you want to use dumbbells to build an athletic body.

I’m of a different mindset now (one I wish I had know about in my bodybuilding days).  I believe the training of movements is more important than the training of muscles. Train to move better, and the muscles will take care of themselves.

Now, the dumbbell swing is pretty simple to understand. But once you start using it in your dumbbell workouts it just might wake up something you’ve been missing.  You might just start wondering what other dumbbell MOVEMENT exercises there are and how they can help you build your best body.

And that is the start of something great!

I think 99% of the dumbbell workouts people are doing are crap. Sorry, but that is what I think.  In my opinion, dumbbells are one of the best training tools out there, but most people don’t use them correctly.

I’m not talking about the specific mechanics of a specific exercise… I’m talking about exercise selection itself!

If you want to get the best use of your dumbbells, then I suggest you check out: Superior Dumbbell Workout

Dumbbell swings are only one of many dumbbell exercises you should be doing. And the sooner you get away from using dumbbells like bodybuilders are using, the better.  I think when you see the way I use dumbbell you’ll realize you’ve been missing out!

Superior Dumbbell Workout

5 year old girl does pull ups

Can she do more pull ups than you?

All kidding aside, how are your pull up numbers?  Can you do 10 pull ups?  Can you 5?  How about 1 pull up with perfect form?

If this little girl put you to shame, it is time to incorporate pull ups into your workout routine on a regular basis.  And NO, Lat Pull Downs are not pull ups. The only way to get better at pull ups is to do pull ups!

I bet there are a lot of other bodyweight exercises you need work on.  How are your push up numbers?  How many bodyweight squats can you do in a row?

If you are not training bodyweight exercises you are missing out big time. Just think about how many challenges of work, sport and life are overcome with the ability to move your bodyweight around.  Yes, weight lifting has its place, but don’t forget to train all the movements that happen without weighted resistance.

Bodyweight training can make all the difference!

Get started today with Ultimate Gymless Workout