A version of this article originally appeared on BroScience.

As lifting bros, we all want to be as jacked as possible. It’s in our nature. We were born for this, and I’m here to help you get better. In addition to looking good, many of us are interested in learning how to train like an athlete, and build a dangerously powerful body.

If you’ve read the countless articles on websites and in magazines, detailing your favorite bodybuilder’s workout routine, you’ve probably seen a whole lot of high-rep, pump-inducing training. 3 sets of 10-15 on all exercises, or you’ll never make gains. Get the pump.

While this high volume training has it’s place, there are other ways to train, and incorporating a mix of varying training styles can help you reach your goals faster. It’s best to use a mix of heavy weights, medium weights, and light weights, with varying amounts of time under tension, if you want to take advantage of all the ways you can induce muscle growth.

Why Mix Reps In Your Training?

A combination of low-rep, heavy strength training, and moderate to high rep, medium weight training is the best route if you want to maximize size AND strength.…

Ah, yes. Leg day. The worst (or best, if your the sadistic type), of all training days. The day where the men are separated from the boys; where it’s you vs. the iron in a test of brute strength. Everyone knows the ultimate test of leg strength is the barbell squat, and most of us always want to get a stronger squat. Tell me if this scene sounds familiar…

You walk into the gym, all ready for the day from hell.. Out comes the foam roller, then you knock out a few minutes on the elliptical or treadmill, stretch your legs a bit, and head to the squat rack. After grinding out a few reps, something weird happens. The weight seems to be crushing you — you just don’t feel in charge.

Fast forward twenty minutes. Squats are done, and it’s time to hammer away on the leg extension machine. Suddenly, you’re fired up. You are pumping up those quads like there is no tomorrow, and loving it. Muscles that seemed sluggish and slow before are now fired up and ready to go.

What happened?

Well, often it takes a little bit for your central nervous system to get fired up.…

Do you ever watch elite athletes and wonder what you can learn from the way they train? Maybe you’re tired of the bodybuilding grind; the long walks on the treadmill or stepmill, following the same split routine for weeks on end. Or maybe you used to play sports in high school or college, and you wonder why you don’t feel as fast and agile as you did then. At times like this, you simply wish you could train like an athlete – you want the powerful, explosive, functional body.

How to Train Like an Athlete

Don’t worry, I’m not about to throw a bunch of random workouts full of Olympic lifts at you. I’m not even going to tell you to go play more sports. I’m simply going to help you take the work you’re doing now and make it more athletic. I believe that you can train for physique goals while also developing athletic qualities like speed, power, agility, and balance. These goals should complement each other perfectly, and when they do, it usually takes your body to the next level.

Don’t be content with being big or cut. Follow these four rules and build an athletic physique!

1. TRAIN EXPLOSIVE

Train explosive—what does that mean?…