San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker is living the high life. And there's no sign of things slowing down for the 32-year-old NBA champ. The man welcomed his newborn son, Josh, into the world back in late April, he took down the Miami Heat with his team in August, signed a new three-year contract extension, and successfully launched his fourth signature watch with Tissot on Tuesday afternoon. We stopped by the flagship store to ask what's up in 2015 and beyond. 

Men's Fitness: Man, you had an incredible season last year, what are you looking forward to this year?

Tony Parker: A repeat. That's the great challenge for us—we never did that before, so this is a great opportunity to try to make that challenge happen. And I'm with the national team so we have to defend our title, and we just heard yesterday that it’s gonna be in France, so it'll be at home, it'll be amazing.

MF: I’ve heard some of your other interviews, you said you try to at least fine-tune one thing. Was there anything in particular?

TP: This year I wanted to get stronger. I think if I want to prolong my career and if I want to be here a long time I need to take care of my body and pay attention more to what I eat, get sleep, and make sure I work out every day. Stuff like that, 'cause you know when you’re young you can eat whatever you want, you’ll be fine, but once you get older it changes...especially for me, being French...we love to eat so you have to be careful.

MF: That’s funny...it’s all about longevity, I get it. How do you stay healthy? You mentioned the diet. Anything in particular?

TP: No, nothing in particular. I just try to find a happy medium with all I eat and, obviously, don’t drink too much alcohol because I love drinking wine and stuff like that so a good balance on everything. I don’t do a specific diet, you know, I just try to be careful and not abuse anything.

MF: Right. Now how about any training stuff—working out?

TP: Yeah, training. I do a lot more lifting and I do try to get a little bit stronger and keep my weight down because you don’t want to add too much weight on the knees, Achilles, stuff like that.

MP:  And you’re a superbusy guy: a newlywed, just had a new son, Josh. How do you manage that, being a pro player, traveling?

TP: I feel very blessed, I feel very blessed and very lucky and don’t take it for granted. It’s obviously been an unbelievable year with the championship and having a kid. it’s the greatest thing in the world, and I just want to enjoy life. You know, you only live once and I want to take advantage of today. And it’s just been an unbelievable career coming from France, I would never in my wildest dreams, never dreamed about that. So I just enjoy it.

MF:  So what's it been like working with Tissot? What can you tell us about the watch?

TP: Yeah, it’s been a great relationship. As I told you, it’s my fourth one. The store’s been open since Aug. 8, and I’m doing a meet-and-greet today at noon with my fans, and enjoying the new store. It’s my first time here you know? I’ve been to the one in Paris a lot of times, and I'm very happy to be with a brand that's affordable for everybody. To me that’s important. And wanting to work with a watch company that's something I can stand for and believe in...And the owner is French...and we have a great relationship. They're a very respectable brand, and they make the best watches. The finest one at the forefront is a touch screen and solar powered and has 25 functions, so it's very wearable technology. I’m very proud of this one. This time we went with noble colors; the last one was more black with the orange stitching, if you remember, the basketball. This one you can wear every day. It's standard dark, and it'll work for a full year. And this is the new thing, you know, solar powered. Everybody wants to wear the technology, but this one you don’t have to charge so it’s pretty cool.

Get the tech. Get the look. Get the watch >>>

MF: Did you have any input on the design?

TP: Yeah, I had input on the design. Obviously I’m not into the technology, you know? All the functions, that’s their job. I’m more about colors and stitches and how it’s going to look. My number's right here, the solar here, that's all my input. But it’s been a good relationship with them.

MF:  Our guys look up to you. What kind of advice can you give other aspiring athletes who are trying to make big things happen?

TP: It sounds kind of cliché, but if you dream, just dream big. Don’t put limits on yourself. I’m a little guy who came from France, and back in the day, if you put it in perspective, there were no European guys in the NBA. I’m the first European point guard to make it in the NBA, and people thought I was crazy when I said I wanted to play in the NBA when I was 14. But just dream big and work hard. Obviously, it sounds cliché, but it’s the truth. If you want to be successful you have to be disciplined, you have to work at it. Nothing comes "like that."

Q: Why does my knee crack and pop during leg exercises?

A: Popping and cracking sounds are common with movements that involve bending or twisting. Concern is only when the popping and cracking sounds occur with pain. Your bones are covered with cartilage that allows them to move smoothly against each other. Training and being active over the years can create incongruencies in the cartilage leading to irregular gliding of your bones, creating this crepitus sound. 

Another source could be from your ligaments. Ligaments attach bone to bone and become tight with movements, such as twisting and bending. Performing any unnecessary twisting or “self cracking” is unwise and can lead to ligaments tearing or increasing the wear and tear on the cartilage. 

My formal diagnosis is Normal Knee Crepitus. If pain is occurring with this noise, than seek medical evaluation to rule out any ligament tear or osteophyte build-up in the knee joint. 

Q: What should I do to treat this issue?

• Utilize soft tissue work to release muscle tightness using foam rolling, or having a credentialed clinician work on your muscles using several techniques can be a great asset to improve joint mobility.
• Improve muscle flexibility with stretching  your quads and hamstrings.
• Warm up before you exercise. Exercising cold joints and muscles can lead to injuries. 
• Strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Recent studies have supported performing eccentric or muscle-lengthening exercises are important to help support the knee joint.

Do You Think CrossFit Will Hurt You? >>>

Russell Westbrook took his seat in the front row of another fashion show at another Fashion Week tour for an NBA star-turned-style trendsetter. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard sat next to television personality Rosci Diaz and whispered a few words in her ear. She burst out laughing.

Not even a minute later, Nastia Luikin, a former Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast, walked by to take a seat on his other side. She stopped, high-fived him, and engaged in her own light-hearted exchange with Westbrook, a former Olympic gold medalist himself.

As seamlessly as Westbrook transitioned from one conversation to another in that front row, he’s made the flawless transition from causing havoc on the basketball court to making noise in the fashion arena.

Men's Fitness Fall Style Guide>>>

“It’s an honor,” Westbrook said after watching a Nolcha runway show and serving on a celebrity panel judging Project Subway, which challenged student designers to construct vegetable-inspired fashions. “It’s an honor to be versatile enough to play basketball and move over to fashion and still know what I’m talking about.”

Westbrook stretched his legs between showings. He pointed to his surgically-repaired knee. At 26 years old, his knees can still stiffen. But this ball player is not accustomed to sitting on anybody’s bench. Westbrook, who wore a short-sleeve denim shirt over a forest green t-shirt that complemented the new green Jordan XX9 sneakers on his feet, said he snagged the denim top at a vintage shop. The outfit was simple, but illustrated Westbrook’s attention to details, a tip the All-Star guard said applies to every guy.

Necessary Denim Pieces for the Fall>>>

“Details are important,” Westbrook said. “Women, they kind of have it down already. But for men, the details need to be more important instead of (focusing on) all the accessories and watches and things like that.”

Westbrook’s has been making fashion statements around the NBA for years now and has gained a voice in the fashion industry. He recently collaborated with Barneys New York on a capsule collection called “Russell Westbrook XO New York,” collaborating with such notable designers as Marcelo Burlon.

It’s Westbrook’s first foray into designing and assures that his line isn’t limited to athletic wear. The animal prints and tapered fits show off his influence. They're actually the same things that NBA analysts like Charles Barkley have given Westbrook a hard time for.

“It’s because they don’t know fashion,” Westbrook said. “People in the fashion industry know what I’m talking about.”

So you’ve got strong hands. Manly hands. And maybe they’re tough hands, but that’s what happens to a guy like you. You’re lifting. You’re working around the house. You’re doing all those dudely-type things that turn a lady on.

But here’s the rough (pun intended) truth: She could care less if those hard-earned calluses help you bench-press twice your weight, because nothing kills the mood faster than a brillo pad to the small of the back… or even worse, the breast. Ouch.

So we talked to Christine Farrier from Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa about the most common problems—and how to fix them. Read on… and never watch a woman grimace to your touch again.

Problem #1: Dirty Nails

Hey, what you got going on under there? A little bit of yesterday’s lunch? A touch of dirt from last night’s yardwork? They say every fingernail tells a story… 

No, sorry. They don’t say that. And listen: There’s a lesser known reason the lady gets a mani, and it’s not just because she likes shelling out 20 bucks on the regular. It’s because it also serves to keep everything clean. And if you still need convincing, research actually shows that there can be some pretty nasty stuff just chillin’ beneath those nails—like germs that cause stomach bugs. Ew.

Fix it: Relax. You don’t need to trade in your manhood for a manicure. All it takes: Keep them short by clipping at least once a week, and follow that up with a quick one-minute soak in soapy hot water. Then finish the job with some gentle back-and-forth action using a revolutionary little tool called…a nailbrush. We like this one from Ace, which comes with a man-sized grip.

Problem #2: Jagged Nails

So you’ve been keeping up with your clipping. Congrats! But even if your nails are clean and short, it means jack if she’s getting cat-style scratches every time you caress her back. “Most guys clip, but don’t file,” says Farrier, “which gives you hang nails and those razor-sharp edges.”

Fix it: Once you clip, take two minutes (two minutes—that's all!) to file them with a good grit nail file—that will get rid of any rough corners or cancel out any uneven clipping, says Farrier. Then run a buffer along the edges for an extra smooth finish. (Pro tip: This little combo tool will do it all.)

Problem #3: Calluses and Dry Skin

Look, a callus here and there is okay. It’s to be expected. But after months of heavy lifting, some dudes have one rock-hard palm-and-finger surface—we’re talking not a square millimeter of squishy skin. And when every hands-on touch feels like sand paper? Chances are, she’s eventually going to opt for hands off.

Fix it:  Soak hands in warm water for one minute, then use a pumice stone to smooth out calluses and dry skin. After that, scrub with olive oil and sugar (1 cup olive oil plus ½ cup sugar can be mixed and stored in a sealed container for two weeks), rubbing hands together to scrape off even more dead skin. Finally, rinse, dry, and moisturize with a thick lotion that won’t leave you smelling like roses. This Gold Bond Foot Cream is also good for hands, or Eucerin makes a fragrance-free formula designed for intensive repair.

So what are you waiting for? Roll up your sleeves and start giving those suckers some tender loving care...and maybe (just maybe) you'll get some more in return.

Q: Why does my elbow hurt during workouts?

There are many conditions that can affect the elbow, but the most common is lateral epicondylitis, or “tennis elbow.” This condition is a process called tendinosis, or a degeneration of the tissue, not to be confused with tendinitis—an inflammation.

Cells called fibroblasts form collagen, but due to repetitive stress on the tendons, the collagen is formed irregularly and reduces the strength of the muscle, which leads to constant injury and eventually tearing. Each time the collagen is torn, scar tissue is formed in the tendon, further weakening it.

Performing the same routines in the gym, neglecting to train every muscle group, and lifting excessively heavy weights are the most common causes of elbow pain, all of which create muscular imbalances and increase the strain on the joint. 

Q: How do I prevent this condition? 

Train your body from a variety of angles with proper lifting technique and always warm up before workouts and stretch after. To ensure pain-free muscle growth, correct all muscle imbalances and train both your flexors and extensor muscles of your forearm equally (wrist curls and reverse wrist curls).

For peak muscular conditioning, change the rep range during your exercises. For example, train using an 8- to 10-rep range, then the next week perform exercises in the 12- to 15-rep range or higher. The purpose is to hit both type I and II muscle fiber types.

Q: My elbow has a nagging pain. How can I train around it?

First and foremost, avoid exercises that cause pain and extreme elbow extension when locking out during the concentric portion of the exercise. If possible, reduce the weight you're lifting and perform slower “negative” reps. You can also wear compression wraps for support—but make sure they're not too tight or blood flow will be restricted. 

For pain relief, use manual muscle tissue work and joint techniques (foam rolling). If your elbow pain won't go away, consult  an orthopedic doctor or physical therapist to discuss proper pain-relief remedies.

Trainer Q&A: Why Does My Knee Crack and Pop? >>>

Now that summer has (sadly) come to an end, it's time to redirect your attention from "T-shirt muscles" to broad shoulders. While ripped abs and biceps turn heads at the beach, they won't do you much good during sweater weather. That's where your shoulders come in, since they arguably do more than any other muscles to bolster your physical presence during the fall. This body-weight workout is not only safer for your shoulders than free weight-training, it can be done just about anywhere.

DIRECTIONS:
Use this program in place of your normal shoulder routine for four weeks. Perform the workouts with at least two full days between (avoid any other upper-body training in between). The exercise pair in Day I (A and B) is done as a superset. Continue until all sets are complete. The routine on Day II is done as a circuit. Do as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes.

DAY I:

1. Feet-Elevated Pike Pushup
Sets: 4   Reps: 12   Rest: 60-90 sec.

2A. Wide-Grip Inverted Row
Sets: 5   Reps: 10   Rest: 0 sec.

2B. Dip.
Sets: 5   Reps: 10   Rest: 0 sec.

DAY II:

1. Feet-Elevated Pike Pushup
Sets: As many as possible   Reps: 6

2. Wide-Grip Pullup
Sets: As many as possible   Reps: 5

3. Crab Walk
Sets: As many as possible  Reps: Walk for 30 sec.
 

Ryan Heffernan with FOCUS NYC demonstrates a three-part workout to take your fat-burning efforts to the next level.

CIRCUIT ONE: 3 rounds

DEADLIFT x 5
DB CHEST PRESS x 8
CABLE FLY x 10
TRICEPS STRAIGHT BAR PRESSDOWN x 12

Rest 1:15 to 1:30 before sets two and three.

Tips:

- Select a weight for the deadlift that you can pick up 5 times with a few reps left in the tank (think 8 reps for 5). This is also the main exercise so make sure to take your time and focus on your form. 
- The chest press should be hard, but with enough energy left to get through the fly as well as the press down with good form, ideally one rep before complete failure.
- The ladder portion of the circuit is designed to stimulate growth in the chest and triceps, while keeping your heart rate elevated after the deadlift. 

CIRCUIT TWO: 3 rounds

FRONT SQUAT x 8
WIDE-GRIP PULL UP x 8-10
EZ BAR BENT OVER ROW x 10
BENCH REVERSE FLY x 12

Rest 1:15 to 1:30 before sets two and three.

Tips:

- Select a weight for the front squat that you can squat for 8, and have a few reps left (think 10 reps for 8). The front squat is the main exercise of the circuit, so take your time and focus on the quality and depth of each rep. 
- The pull up should be to failure each set, add weight if necessary. Then lighten the load if needed on the bent over row and the reverse fly to ensure that you hit the appropriate number or reps.
- The ladder portion of the circuit is designed to stimulate growth in the lats and mid/upper back, while keeping your heart rate elevated after the front squat. 

FINISHER: 5-8mins, complete as many rounds as possible

DB PUSH PRESS x 15
KETTLEBELL SWING x15
PUSH UPS x 15
DB CURL x 15
BENCH DIPS (feet elevated) x 15
LANDMINE ANTI-ROATATIONS x 8

- Select weights for all exercises that you can handle for a large number of repetitions, think speed over power. 
- The point of this circuit is to finish off the workout. Basically you should try to move as fast as possible for the entire 5-8mins. 
- Place barbell in corner of wall if no landmine available.

Motocross legend Travis Pastrana, still only 30 years old, plans to make his long-awaited return to two-wheel racing at this October’s inaugural Red Bull Straight Rhythm in California. It marks the first time in five years that Pastrana will have participated in a motocross racing event, as he’s shifted his main focus to rally car racing ever since.

Despite his generally successful ongoing rally racing career, Pastrana’s tremendous freestyle motocross skills remain his legacy, which date all the way back to his early teen years in the late 1990s. At age 15, Pastrana won the gold medal at the X Games motocross freestyle event. He never looked back, grabbing a total of 10 X Games golds throughout his career, while also amassing several other victories and completing insane stunts on the side (like in 2007, when he jumped out of a plane without a parachute, then linked up with another jumper’s harness to complete a crazed version of a tandem jump).

So, Pastrana is an extreme sports renaissance man—a pro adrenaline junkie/daredevil/speed demon—whatever you want to call him. That said, it’s not too surprising to see him break his motocross racing hiatus for the Red Bull Straight Rhythm course. It’s a straight, half-mile-long track of hilly, treacherous terrain that tests competitors’ ability to navigate it as quickly as possible. Competition will also be done in a head-to-head, bracket format, with 32 racers in total squaring off in one-on-one, best-of-three contests until a champion is decided. “Motocross was my first love and I ride almost every day of my life,” Pastrana says. “Every couple of years a cool event comes up…and well, Red Bull Straight Rhythm is one of these awesome events I just can't pass up and absolutely have to try.”

The aspect of the event that truly won over Pastrana, though, was the lack of requirements on how strong of a bike he could use. Most motocross racing competitions have two classes—250cc and 450cc—but Red Bull Straight Rhythm has an open class. Pastrana’s team responded by making a monstrous 500cc, two-stroke machine, packing all the power he’s always wanted in past races. He also mentions that his history of serious injuries, several of which were life-threatening, prevents him from feasibly preparing for a full-length motocross racing event like the ones he did when he was younger. RBSR is much more of a quick sprint and is a perfect fit at this stage in his career.

“This event favors someone who is willing to take chances and be aggressive,” he says. “High-intensity bursts of excitement. All the fun of jumps and obstacles but never more than inches away from your competitor and no need to slow down.” Pastrana says he has no particular expectations going into the event, noting his lack of recent experience and the unfamiliarity every competitor will have when they arrive at the track early next month. Regardless, win or lose, Pastrana will have a blast at this new event. “I'm here to have fun and bring some energy,” he says. “If I can mix it up with these guys, I'll consider it a success.”

If you've been training for a few years, chances are you're no longer able to do all your favorite lifts, due to injury or age. But there's no excuse to bail on hard training entirely. Instead, with a few exercise substitutions,  you can continue to challenge yourself, build muscle, and burn off the fat to see your abs inside of a month. In this video: The leg workout.

DIRECTIONS:
Perform the following workout once per week in the order shown. Exercises are performed as straight sets, so you'll complete all prescribed sets for one move before going to the next.

1. High-box squat
Sets: 3   Reps: 8

2. Terminal knee extension
Sets: 3   Reps: 20

3. Cable pull-through
Sets: 4   Reps: 15
 

Of all the things that Kenneth Faried could have learned while playing alongside the best basketball players in the world at the FIBA World Cup this summer, the most impactful won’t help him grab another rebound or score more points. The Denver Nuggets forward learned that he too could be a leader.

He discovered that his voice matters, even in a locker room filled with superstars with their own briefcases full of accomplishments. And it’s not just that Faried may have found his voice while helping lead USA Basketball to a gold after the team’s 129-92 win over Serbia in the final, Faried also separated himself as the breakthrough player of the tournament, averaging 12.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. These might seem like modest numbers on the surface, but they are amplified when put in the context of Faried’s limited playing time on a truly loaded roster.

Faried’s performances on the world stage skyrocketed his value and has the basketball world talking about a giant payday, as the New Jersey-native is up for a contract extensio. His energy – the thing he’s most known for – has helped build the case that Faried is a bona fide superstar, worthy of his nickname, “The Manimal.”

Nuggets head trainer Steve Hess had this to say about The Manimal: “When he walks into the weight room, the energy level goes from high to ridiculous.”

We talked to Faried in New York City this week while he donned his gold medal as the NBA announced its new partnership with HARMAN International, making HARMAN the official headphone, speaker and audio partner of the NBA, WNBA, NBA D-League and USA Basketball.

Men’s Fitness: So, in your opinion, why do they call you The Manimal?

Kenneth Faried: My nickname the Manimal just came from the way I play, my energy, enthusiasm, how I attack everything. I’m just aggressive about my play and I’m so passionate about it.

What are some of the things you’re working on in the gym to keep that high energy and motor going?

My explosion for one. Getting my body in the right positions to go up strong enough. I’m working at that each and everyday. It’s just repetitions of certain things and certain exercises.

What kinds of things are you working to improve on that explosion?

I like working on abs. Everything starts from your core. It’s not so much from your legs or your arms or how big your upper body is, it’s from your core and so I like doing a lot of ab workouts to make sure my core is strong enough. So even when I do go up strong and explosive, if I get hit, I’m not going anywhere. I’m still going to be able to finish.

What exercises do you like or hate the most?

I hate lunges. I’ve just never seen the point in bending and hurting your knees like that.

That’s good for your core too, you know?

Yeah, I know. But I still hate it. My favorite exercise would be kneeling on a stability ball and keeping your core tight while catching a medicine ball in different directions, while your knees are still on the ball.

What was your experience with USA basketball, learning both on and off the court?

It was good. It really taught me how to be a leader and how to just open my mouth and when I do talk, to know that my words mean something. I’m not just a role player anymore. I have to stop thinking that. I have to step up to be that All-Star, superstar that my coach, management and even my teammates want me to be and need me to be.

How do you go from Spain and transfer that to your team in Denver?

It’s easy. Just be more vocal on the court. Lead by example. Don’t try to take a backseat anymore to people because, oh, you’ve been in the league this long. It’s your turn. You have to step up and that’s what the NBA has always been about. The next person has to step up and lead. Our team, we’ve been looking for a leader and I think I can step into that role now.

You don’t have to train for long before you realize what your favorite exercises are. Maybe you relish the ego boost of a heavy bench press, or love what deadlifts do for your overall power. And pullups? You’ve been the king of those since high school. But now ask yourself: What if you couldn’t do those lifts anymore—would you quit working out altogether?

If you’ve been training for a few years, chances are you’re no longer able to do all your favorite lifts, due to injury or age. But that’s no excuse to bail on hard training entirely. Instead, with a few exercise substitutions, you can continue to challenge yourself, build muscle, and burn off the fat to see your abs inside of a month. Our routines work the whole body with joint-friendly movements that help you burn more calories and see your six-pack. This won’t hurt a bit.

HOW IT WORKS
When your joints are beat up or you lack flexibility, continuing to perform conventional strength exercises like the squat, bench press, or deadlift can make matters worse, as they’re relatively unforgiving. But there are variations that allow for safer lifting without sacrificing gains.

For instance, you can squat onto a box, which will take pressure off your lower back and knees but still work your quads and hamstrings. To go easier on your shoulders, you can perform chest presses using a neutral grip or while lying on the floor (to cut down the range of motion). And deadlifting with a trap bar instead of a straight one puts you in a stronger pulling position, biomechanically, lessening your risk of back pain while increasing the amount of weight you can lift. Of course, you can make these substitutions to prevent injuries, too. Chances are you’re about to discover a few new favorite exercises either way.

DIRECTIONS
Perform each workout once per week in the order shown. Exercises are performed as straight sets, so you’ll complete all the prescribed sets for one move before going on to the next.

Ask Men's Fitness: When Should I Use Supersets Versus Straight Sets? >>>

LEG WORKOUT
1. HIGH-BOX SQUAT
Sets: 3 Reps: 8
Set a box behind you so that when you squat down on it, the creases of your hips are a little above your knees. Grasp the bar with hands as far apart as is comfortable, and step under it. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and nudge the bar out of the rack. Step back and stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly outward. Take a deep breath and bend your hips back, then bend your knees, lowering your butt onto the box. Pause for a moment but don’t relax, then come up.

2. TERMINAL KNEE EXTENSION
Sets: 3 Reps: 20
Attach a band to a sturdy object and loop the other end around the back of your knee. Stand back from the anchor point so you feel tension on the band and allow it to pull your knee into a bent position with your heel raised, toes still on the floor. Extend your knee and plant your heel on the floor.

3. CABLE PULL-THROUGH
Sets: 4 Reps: 15
Attach a rope handle to the bottom pulley of a cable station and straddle it, facing away from the weight stack. Grasp an end of the rope in each hand and stand far enough in front of the machine to put tension on the cable. Bend your hips back, allowing your knees to bend slightly, until you feel a stretch in your glutes (keep your lower back in its natural arch). Squeeze your glutes and extend your hips to come up to standing.

VIDEO: No Pain Six-Pack: Leg Workout >>>

CHEST, SHOULDER, ARM WORKOUT
1. FLOOR PRESS
Sets: 3 Reps: 8
Set the J hooks of a power rack low to the floor, then lie on the floor on your back beneath it. Grasp the bar just outside shoulder width and pull it out of the rack. Lower the bar until your triceps touch the floor, tucking your elbows 45 degrees to your sides. Pause for a moment, then press up.

2. BAND FLYE
Sets: As many as needed Reps: 75 total
Wrap a band around a sturdy object or around your back and hold an end in each hand. Open your arms so you feel a stretch in your pecs. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, bring your hands together in front of your chest as if you were giving someone a bear hug.

3. NEUTRAL-GRIP OVERHEAD PRESS
Sets: 2 Reps: 15
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with palms facing each other and elbows pointing forward. Brace your core and press the weights straight overhead.

4. HAMMER CURL
Sets: 2 Reps: 15
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other. Keep your upper arms at your sides and curl the weights up.

5. BAND PUSHDOWN
Sets: As many as needed Reps: 75 total
Attach a band to a sturdy overhead object and grasp the free end with both hands. Tuck your elbows into your sides and extend them to lockout.

The 3-Circuit Fat Loss Workout >>>

BACK WORKOUT
1. TRAP-BAR DEADLIFT
Sets: 5 Reps: 5
Use a trap (hex) bar. Stand with feet hip-width apart and bend your hips back. Grasp the handles. Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, drive through your heels and extend your hips and knees to stand up.

2. NEUTRAL-GRIP PULLUP
Sets: As many as needed Reps: 25 total
Use a pullup bar that has handles so you can grip it with palms facing each other. Or hook a V-grip handle over a straight bar. Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar. If that’s too hard, loop a band around the bar and stand on the loop on the other end for assistance.

3. INVERTED ROW
Sets: As many as needed Reps: 50 total
Set a barbell in a power rack (or use a Smith machine) at about hip height. Lie underneath the bar and grasp it with hands just outside shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar so your body forms a straight line. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull yourself up until your back is fully contracted.

VIDEO: Sculpt Broad Should Using Bodyweight >>>

“What’s your max?” You know the answer, but do you how to achieve the optimal 1-repetition maximum (1RM) and why it's important in strength training? 

Heavy strength training for singles, doubles, and triples can help the central nervous system boost muscle growth due to the hormone release from the spinal cord. Hormones like testosterone and HGH are released usually as a result of very heavy lifting in compound movements.

The compound movements to lift to a 1-rep max (or low-rep, heavy strength) are the deadlift, bench press, standing overhead press, back squat, and front squat. 1RM testing shouldn’t be done with assistance exercises because injury can result from the stress put on the muscles around one joint.

FINDING YOUR MAX

For more experienced lifters, work up to 1RM in a given exercise, attempting the 1 rep by around your third work set. Work sets would decrease in reps drastically as the max effort approaches. This preserves energy for the all-out effort and also keeps the nervous system “used” to lifting heavy weight. 

Sample 1RM test for a front squat
Empty bar: 2x4-6 reps
135 lbs – 6 reps (warmup)
185 lbs – 4 reps
225 lbs  - 3 reps
275 lbs – 2 reps
295 lbs – 2 reps 
315 lbs – 1 rep (approximate 6-rep max)
335 lbs – 1 rep
355 lbs – 1 rep
365 lbs – 1 rep
375 lbs – 1 rep
385 lbs – max effort

To figure out your 1RM without actually attempting it, estimate it by doing a set of 5–10 reps with lower weight. Then, find this weight and locate your 1RM estimation on a 1RM chart that lists the amount of weight you can lift 10 times as about 75% of your 1RM. Another way to estimate 1RM is to use websites and mobile applications that use equations to predict your maximum strength.

PREPARING FOR THE 1RM >>> [PAGE 2]

3 Training Tips for Tall Guys >>>

PREPARING FOR THE 1RM
When attempting to hit a new PR, it’s important to get muscles ready for action the right way. We’re trying to stimulate your central nervous system (CNS) to work as efficiently as possible. You’ll need a great warmup routine.

A proper 1RM warmup includes explosive movements in an unloaded fashion to stimulate the CNS, getting the fast-twitch (type II) muscle fibers lit up and ready to rock. During your warmup, complete well below the amount of reps you can do. For a front squat 1RM warmup, try plyometric body-weight squat jumps for 2–3 sets of 4-8 reps then proceed to the protocol on page 1.

REST MATTERS
In typical weight training sets, resting between 90 and 120 seconds is common practice. While working up to your max effort, rest intervals need to be longer to give your CNS adequate recovery time. Even though your muscles may not feel fatigued, your brain and motor units will be. Once you get to the sets of 2, rest between 3 and 4 minutes between sets. It goes beyond just “catching your breath.”

GO FOR IT
These tricks of the trade will be the ticket to a new PR in the weight room. Keep in mind, that depending on what exercise you’re training, you may need to increase the load by smaller increments than in the example above. A 25-pound increase in the squat from one set to the next will feel very different from a 25-pound increase in a standing overhead press.  

4 Training Tips for Short Guys >>>

If you've been training for a few years, chances are you're no longer able to do all your favorite lifts, due to injury or age. But there's no excuse to bail on hard training entirely. Instead, with a few exercise substitutions, you can continue to challenge yourself, build muscle, and burn off the fat to see your abs inside of a month. Last time, we took you through a leg workout. In this video: The chest, shoulder, and arm workout of this full-body regimen.

DIRECTIONS:
Perform the following workout once per week in the order shown. Exercises are performed as straight sets, so you'll complete all prescribed sets for one move before going to the next.

1. Floor Press
Sets: 3   Reps: 8

2. Band Flye
Sets: As many as needed   Reps: 75 total

3. Neutral-Grip Overhead Press
Sets: 2   Reps: 15

4. Hammer Curl
Sets: 2   Reps: 15

5. Band Pushdown
Sets: As many as needed   Reps: 75 total