The Best Moves for Athletic Fitness

If you are looking to increase muscle size and strength, there are hundreds of gym exercises to choose from. But for people like me who enjoy staying active, improving athletic fitness is just as important as looking good in a swimsuit. Developing this type of fitness means incorporating moves that not only strengthen the body's largest muscles, but also help develop the power, speed, and endurance you need to stay at the top of your game. In other words, all the tools you need to look and perform like an athlete.

Here are some of the best moves for building athletic fitness. Keep your body guessing when it comes to number of repetitions and rest time between sets. Sports tend to be highly unpredictable, so why should you train any differently?

Burpees

Burpees are one of the best bodyweight exercises for increasing total body strength as well as muscular and cardiovascular endurance, all essential elements of any sport. To do a burpee, lower your body into a squat position and place your hands on the floor in front of you at the bottom. Kick your legs back into a pushup position, then quickly reverse back into the squat position. From here, jump into the air as high as possible, extending arms overhead. Repeat, maintaining a rapid pace.

Dumbell Push Press

The push press allows you to use more weight than a standard shoulder press by recruiting power from your lower body. Hold a pair of dumbbells next to your shoulders, palms facing either outward or toward your head. Bend your knees slightly, and simultaneously push up with your legs as you press the weight overhead. Add some variety by using a barbell to perform the push press.

Inverted Row

The inverted row delivers benefits that are crucial to athletic fitness, such as upper back and arm strength, shoulder and rotator cuff stability, and core power. To complete an inverted row, lie on the floor underneath a bar in a squat rack or Smith Machine. Grab the bar with an overhand grip so that your upper body is slightly elevated, but still forms a straight line with your ankles. Begin the movement by squeezing your shoulder blades back, and then pull your chest to the bar. Pause for a second or two before lowering yourself back to the starting position.

Diagonal Lift and Press

This exercise challenges almost every muscle in your body while pushing your aerobic capacity to the max, making it an ideal move for developing athletic fitness. To begin the diagonal lift and press, hold a mid-sized weight plate in front of your thighs, feet about shoulder width apart. Lower into a squat while rotating the weight and your core to the left. Stand while rotating your body to the right, bringing the plate up and across your body until your arms are locked overhead your right shoulder. Return to the starting position and perform the move to your opposite side.

Box Jump

Box jumps look easy enough, but will quickly light your leg muscles on fire and have your heart thumping. They are also one of the best moves for increasing your vertical leap, an invaluable skill in practically any sport. Stand in front of a box or elevated platform (start low if you have never tried this exercise). Bend your knees and explode upwards into a jump, landing both feet on the box. Reverse your jump to the ground, and repeat the box jump as quickly as possible.

Straight-Leg Deadlift to Row

This compound exercise promotes athletic fitness by combining two of the most effective back exercises into one move that's ideal for generating maximum power and strength. Start with a pair of dumbbells hanging in front of your thighs, palms inward. Keeping a slight bend in your knees and your back arched, bend forward at your hips until in a row position, upper body nearly parallel to the floor. Row the dumbbells to your sides, keeping your torso still. Use your legs and hips to reverse to the starting position.

Sources: Campbell, Adam. The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises. New York, 2009.