The Best Exercises for Athletes

Adding these total body exercises to your strength training program will most definitely improve your athletic performance.

Every coach working to improve athletic performance is looking to find the program with the highest return on investment, and the lowest risk of injury. I’ve written numerous articles about different exercises fitting that mold, many of which you’ll find my athletes doing. There are three however that I haven’t covered yet, and I consider these the most important general movements for athletes seeking to improve performance. They are the Pull From Hang, Hip Thrust and Single Leg Squat. I’m also going to give you a 3b too, but it’s 3b for a reason, as I don’t use it with some of my athletes.

1. The Pull From Hang
The Pull from Hang is a power assistance exercise for the Clean and Jerk. It’s often referred to as the jump shrug, because that’s really what you’re trying to do. Grab the bar in your hands about a thumbs length in on the knurling, and lower the bar straight down by pushing your hips back while allowing your knees to travel forward. This is a little different than how some teach it, but I want you in a “jump position” and last I looked, you don’t jump bent over with your hips way behind your heels. From here, keep your chest up, posture tight and tall, drive from your ankles, knees and hips up on your toes while shrugging the bar. You want to move your entire body, and the barbell, vertically. So basically, get in a “jump position” and “jump and shrug.” If the weight is heavy enough, you should not get off the ground, but should extend all the way up. The video will help with all the details, but the key points are: back arched, get everything going vertical, jump and shrug.

2. The Hip Thrust
The Hip Thrust has been made famous by Brett Contreras, and this “different” looking movement lights your glutes up like nobody’s business. There’s a great way to progress this, which you’ll see in the video, but basically a bridge with your shoulders elevated. The first time I saw this I thought, “Man, this guy’s nuts. It’s going to be easier than a normal bridge.” I can sum that idea up in one word, F-A-I-L! By forcing your hips through a greater range of motion, it makes them to do more work than the post office on 4/15. Brett has also shown how involved the glutes are in running, so a stronger butt is a faster one. This is a great movement for the “power house”, so get your ass in gear.

3. The Single Leg Squat
The Single Leg Squat was made popular by Mike Boyle, and it’s great because you need to be as strong on one foot, as you are on two. I’ve already gone over the RFESS, and if you need a review check out the article, as that’s the one I use the most. The other two are the single leg box squat, and the single leg squat off box. The main difference is that in the single leg box squat, you are sitting on a box, while in the squat off box you are standing on it. You can use similar ways of loading these exercises: a weighted vest, chains, dumbbells, kettlebells or bands.

3b. Push Press
Now for the bonus, the Push Press. This is 3b because I don’t use overhead movements for shoulder dominant (think throwing) athletes (swimmers, baseball, volleyball…). Why? Their shoulders get enough stress already, and my number one rule is not to jeopardize an athlete in training. Now the push press is a similar movement to the pull, but the bar starts on your shoulders. With the bar on your shoulders, sink straight down keeping your feet flat on the ground. From here, extend your ankles, knees and toes as hard as possible while driving the bar over your head (like Superman when he dives through a window, only you have a barbell over your head that he’d chuck to China). At the top position, place your heels back down on the ground for balance, lower the bar down to your chest, and “receive the bar” by giving with your hips and knees, not your lower back. This is a great movement to work the all important, “triple extension,” that so many strength coaches preach, but if you’re in a shoulder dominant sport, I’d probably pass.

These three (well four if you want to get technical) are the “big 3” in general athletic development. When a weight lifting coach tells you, “the only thing that I’d say your athletes ‘have to do’ are pulls and presses,” well that’s all I need to hear. Add in the need for single leg strength and hip strength, and you got the whole shah-bang in 3 exercises right there.

Learn these, love them, practice them, and train them. If you want to run faster and improve your athletic performance this is the right place to start.

To maximize your muscle and strength gains with these exercises 1R would recommend the following supplements:

1. Cytosport L-Glutamine - Needed for immune system support, energy production, and the building and protection of the lean muscle mass when stress is increased on the body
2. Cytosport Creatine - By increasing your body's ATP production creatine will help you become more explosive, more powerful, and more athletic when taken before or after lifts
3. Optimum Nutrition BCAA 5000 Powder – Adding this product to your pre or post-workout routine will help build lean muscle mass, increase protein synthesis, and improve energy levels