Behind the Body: Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer hits the weights

http://www.si.com/edge/2015/09/23/behind-the-body-washington-nationals-max-scherzer-mlb-training

Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer wears number 31 on his uniform. This year that also happens to be his age. For Scherzer, though, the number isn't what matters, thanks to an extreme dedication to strength and conditioning.

Scherzer, a 6' 3", 215-lb righthander, crushes the weight room during the offseason and keeps up the lifting while juggling a physically demanding in-season schedule. His complex strength-training program combines a solid, evenly spread combination of upper- and lower-body training, mixed with cardiovascular work. It is clearly a recipe for success.

The St. Louis-born Scherzer made his big-league debut with the Diamondbacks in 2008, after being drafted in the first round by Arizona. Traded to the Tigers in 2010, he went on to win the 2013 AL Cy Young before coming to the Nationals this season.

A three-time All-Star and two-time AL wins leader, Scherzer recently provided SI.com with a look inside his health and fitness regimen, and its contribution to his achievements on the mound.

Workout location during the off-season: “I train on my own starting December 1, and then at Fischer Sports [in Phoenix] starting January 1.”

Details of typical off-season workout: “I'm lifting four times a week, separating upper and lower [body].”

Monday—heavy lower body: Squats, RDLs, box jumps, and various leg lifts. “Main thing is to push the squats to the heaviest weight possible. I start at two sets of eight and try to get to four sets of 10 before spring training. I set the goal of getting to 365 lbs. on the fourth set in the middle of spring training.”

Tuesday—heavy upper body: Dumbbell bench, dumbbell rows, lat pull downs, scapula work, shoulder circuit, biceps, triceps, forearms and abdominals.

Thursday—lower body: Lunge circuit, step-ups, hamstring curls and explosive movements.

Friday—upper body: Pushups, double arm row machine, one to two additional back exercises, shoulder circuit, biceps, triceps, forearms and abdominals.

Details of typical in-season workout: Day 1—heavy legs: Squats and power lifts; 30-plus-minute run.

Day 2—bullpen/upper body: Chest, back, lats, shoulders, biceps, triceps and forearms.

Day 3—light lower body: Lunges, step-ups, explosive movements, abdominal and core circuit; distance running mixed with sprints.

Day 4: Rest.

Day 5: Pitch.

Favorite workout/body part: Squats. “They’re tough, but they’re so worth it. If I can squat heavy and not get sore the next day, I know my legs are strong.”

Strongest muscle group: Back. “My back is probably the strongest part of my body. I also put the most work into it because all those muscles support my shoulder in so many ways.”

Most flexible muscle group: Right shoulder. “You have to have great external and internal rotation to keep your arm healthy.”

Recreational activities and active rest: “I play a lot of golf in the offseason. I also love to take vacations where I can scuba dive.”

Favorite workout tunes: Hip-hop. “New and old.” 

On nutritional intake: “I wouldn't call myself the healthiest person when I eat but I really try hard not to eat badly—avoid fast food, soda, desserts, etc. And when I try and eat healthy, I go to Chipotle.”

Favorite pregame meal: Big roast beef and Swiss cheese sandwich. “I have it every time before a start.”

Guilty pleasure: Chicken wings

For decathlon king Ashton Eaton, training means always going for more

http://www.si.com/edge/2015/09/17/ashton-eaton-decathlon-olympics-training-workouts

To become a champion in any sporting event takes guts, determination, skill and perseverance. To become a master of 10 different disciplines takes, well, a mountain of well-orchestrated ability.

There’s no better example of mental and physical skill transformation than U.S. decathlete Ashton Eaton, who on Aug. 29 set a new world record for the event at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, surpassing the mark he’d set in the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials.

“Defending my [2013 world title] was awesome,” Eaton tells SI.com. “On some level, I knew that if I was healthy it would be possible to get the record. But somehow when I was at the start of the last race I was still in disbelief that I was going for it. I'm glad I did‎. … I think it's important that if you've achieved a goal in a field to not stop there but try to take it further, or go into a different field and try to achieve another goal.”

But Eaton relies on a holistic approach to his strength and conditioning training, in order to perform at an optimal level and surpass the competition.

“I think the simple aspect of thought drives my training—how good can I be,” explains Eaton, a Portland, Ore., native, who finished with 9,045 points. “And every attempt, every day—it’s just part of the pursuit toward that.

“As far as weightlifting or strength training is concerned, I do Olympic lifting but it’s not like I sit there and just pump iron all day. [It’s] very much circuit-based, and I do a lot of auxiliary lifts; a lot of jumping around and just staying dynamic—run, cut, jump and lift.”

Eaton’s program includes a warmup, consisting of two jogging laps, sprint drills, agility drills, speed accelerations and a medicine ball program. Then, he usually focuses on two decathlon skills per workout (example: shot-put/pole vault) and follows that up with a running workout. Eaton’s sessions are concluded with a warm-down and hot/cold contrast rehabilitation therapy.

The decathlon champ, who completed the world championship’s grueling two-day crucible of the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1,500-meter run, also utilized Nike’s prototype cooling hood—which Eaton helped develop—between events. The hood “allows athletes to regulate head temperature and recover like never before,” according to Nike Sport Research Lab.

“I’m not afraid to try different things,” Eaton continues. “I see something, a technique, and [I ask] why is it that way … and if it’s been that way for 100 years, why has it been that way for 100 years? Has anyone thought of trying anything different; can I try something different?”

Amid his decathlon successes, in what’s one of the most demanding events in sports, Eaton stays humble and offers welcoming training advice for potential competition.

“If you use the training I’m doing to motivate yourself to go beyond what I’ve done, then I’ll be happy,” he states. “Maybe it sounds selfless but I think, in a way, it’s selfish because it makes me feel like I’ve contributed and that makes my efforts worthwhile—somebody else has gone past me.”

And as for the Rio Olympics in 2016? Well, it’s simply just the remaining slices of Eaton’s personally homemade humble pie.

“Going into Rio, my mindset has changed,” Eaton says. “Going into London, I was thinking of obtaining something. [But] it’s not for me anymore—it’s for all the people who say they get inspired by me. It’s for the fans.”