Source : http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26123615/?pg=10#Health_OlympianPowerSecrets
Breaux Greer: Javelin
The hungry veteran
Get fit in 18 minutesTo condition his body, Greer runs stadium steps. He hits every step his first time up, every other step the next time, and then every third step. He repeats the cycle, always jogging down one step at a time. "By the time you hit 18 minutes, your legs are on fire and you can't breathe," he says. "It'll get you into shape real fast." It may be the ideal strategy for the business traveler: Try it in your hotel stairwell, using four flights as your stadium stand-in.
Kerri Walsh: Volleyball
The best on the beach
Own the courtIn volleyball, holding serve is key to victory. Ensure yours by mastering the float serve. It produces a knuckleball effect that can fool both pickup and pro volleyballers, says Phil Dalhausser, Walsh's counterpart on the U.S. men's team. Toss the ball straight up in front of you, about an arm's length away. Then make contact with the leather at the highest point of your arm swing. Strike the ball with your palm, but instead of swinging through it, stop your stroke at impact. The ball won't spin, making its movement unpredictable.
Tyson Gay: Sprinter
The fastest man on earth
Sculpt a sprinter's six-packCore strength is critical for peak performance. Master your midsection the way Gay does with this novel move: Lie on your back on a decline bench, holding a weight plate against your chest with both hands. Then lift your upper body off the bench about 6 inches. Holding this position, press the weight plate straight up from your chest, as if you're doing a bench press. Lower the weight (but not your torso) and repeat. As you push the weight, your abs have to contract even harder, says Gay. Do 12 presses, rest 1 minute, and repeat once or twice.
Carmelo Anthony: Basketball
The unlikely hero
Shoot your way into shapeTry Number 15's favorite drill, which will elevate both your fitness and your game. Grab a ball at midcourt and sprint to the basket while dribbling. When you reach the hoop, head back to the right wing, beyond the free-throw line. Then pivot, square up, and shoot. If you score, start over, but this time circle to the left side. If you miss, grab the rebound, dribble to the opposite wing, and fire again.
Natalie Coughlin: Swimmer
The pool shark
Smooth your stroke
To swim your fastest, think of your arms' role as extending your body rather than pulling it forward. This can help you glide through the water like a racing scull instead of a laboring rowboat. Simply reach as far forward as you can, even if it means temporarily reducing your stroke frequency. Stay focused by imagining there's a mail slot in front of each shoulder and slide your hand into it each time.
Jennie Finch: Softball
The flamethrower
Star in your summer league
Whether it's fast-pitch or slow-pitch ball, the best batters rarely strike out. To keep the K's out of your box score, take note of a 2008 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences. Researchers found that umpires are most likely to call a strike on a borderline pitch when a hitter has three balls. So whether the count is 3-0 or 3-2, swing away at any hittable lob. The suspected reason for this situational strike calling: Walks extend the inning, and rec-league umps like to keep games short. Down in the count? Prepare to take a pitch. Umpires most often call a ball when the hitter's in an 0-2 hole.
Steven Lopez: Tae kwon do
The reigning champ
Speed up your workout
While Lopez's brother coaches him in the ring, the champ relies on the Houston-based trainer Danny Arnold for conditioning his body. Arnold doesn't instruct his athletes to sprint a specific distance. Instead, he uses time. "Your body learns to pace its movements," says Arnold. "If I tell you to sprint 100 meters, your brain knows how fast you should run. But if I tell you to run at full speed for 8 seconds, you'll go faster than you normally would."
To put Arnold's advice to work, try sprinting on a stationary bike for 8 seconds and then pedaling slowly for 12. Repeat the sequence for 5 minutes, and work your way up to 20 minutes over a month. Australian scientists found that people using this strategy 3 days a week lost more fat than those who jogged 40 minutes.
Thomas Finchum: Diver
The prodigy
Knife through the water
While you may never jump off a three-story platform, you can still dive like those who do. The next time you launch yourself headfirst off a dock, deck, or diving board, use this technique: "Extend your arms straight above your head, and then try to squeeze your ears with your shoulders," says Finchum, who straightens his entire body, including his fingers and toes, as he enters the water. Brace your core, too: The more rigid your body is, the fewer waves you'll leave.
Natalie Coughlin: Swimmer
The pool shark
Smooth your strokeTo swim your fastest, think of your arms' role as extending your body rather than pulling it forward. This can help you glide through the water like a racing scull instead of a laboring rowboat. Simply reach as far forward as you can, even if it means temporarily reducing your stroke frequency. Stay focused by imagining there's a mail slot in front of each shoulder and slide your hand into it each time.
Jennie Finch: Softball
The flamethrower
Star in your summer leagueWhether it's fast-pitch or slow-pitch ball, the best batters rarely strike out. To keep the K's out of your box score, take note of a 2008 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences. Researchers found that umpires are most likely to call a strike on a borderline pitch when a hitter has three balls. So whether the count is 3-0 or 3-2, swing away at any hittable lob. The suspected reason for this situational strike calling: Walks extend the inning, and rec-league umps like to keep games short. Down in the count? Prepare to take a pitch. Umpires most often call a ball when the hitter's in an 0-2 hole.
Steven Lopez: Tae kwon do
The reigning champ
Speed up your workoutWhile Lopez's brother coaches him in the ring, the champ relies on the Houston-based trainer Danny Arnold for conditioning his body. Arnold doesn't instruct his athletes to sprint a specific distance. Instead, he uses time. "Your body learns to pace its movements," says Arnold. "If I tell you to sprint 100 meters, your brain knows how fast you should run. But if I tell you to run at full speed for 8 seconds, you'll go faster than you normally would."
To put Arnold's advice to work, try sprinting on a stationary bike for 8 seconds and then pedaling slowly for 12. Repeat the sequence for 5 minutes, and work your way up to 20 minutes over a month. Australian scientists found that people using this strategy 3 days a week lost more fat than those who jogged 40 minutes.
Thomas Finchum: Diver
The prodigy
Knife through the waterWhile you may never jump off a three-story platform, you can still dive like those who do. The next time you launch yourself headfirst off a dock, deck, or diving board, use this technique: "Extend your arms straight above your head, and then try to squeeze your ears with your shoulders," says Finchum, who straightens his entire body, including his fingers and toes, as he enters the water. Brace your core, too: The more rigid your body is, the fewer waves you'll leave.
Howard Bach: Badminton
The underdog
Burn fat, have funStriking shuttlecocks brings on a serious sweat, according to German researchers. In a recent study, they found that playing the sport competitively burns more than 450 calories in just 30 minutes. That's about the number you'd burn running for the same duration at an 8-minute-mile pace. The key is to play hard, not casually. Get in shape with a neighbor by setting up a net in your driveway or yard this summer. Or take your game to the beach, where a sand volleyball court will work nicely.
David Durante: Gymnast
The comeback kid
Build your chest and armsThe dip is as important to gymnastics as the jump shot is to basketball. So it's essential for Durante — and it helps explain his chiseled upper body. After all, the classic dip is one of the most effective exercises for building your triceps and chest. But if you find it's hard on your shoulders — as many guys do — a simple form tweak may offer relief.
In the "up" position of the exercise, raise your thighs in front of you until they're parallel to the floor, and bend your knees 90 degrees. Hold your legs that way for the entire movement — instead of crossing them behind you. This redistributes your weight so that your torso leans forward as you lower your body, placing more of the stress on your chest instead of your shoulders.
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