Skip to content

Athlete Made Easy

Get more athletic: one 10-day cycle to jump, sprint, lift and stretch. Add reps, then weight. Your jump test keeps score.

Start this program — freeiPhone · takes a minute
Athlete Made Easy — the 10-day program for the all-around athlete.
Level
New to training through advanced
Session
It depends on the day. The app shows an estimate before you start.
Equipment
A full gym is ideal. The app fits the program to what you have.
Length
One 10-day cycle, repeated. No end date.
The days

All 10 days, then repeat

It's all here before you sign up. Open a day to see what's in it.

  • D1Jump

    Easy cardio and holds, a court warm-up, 10–15 build-up jumps, then 15–20 max jumps. Your first jump day is your jump test. You test again on the jump day after a deload, or when six weeks have gone by since your last test.

  • D2Lower body

    Power cleans, front squats, deadlifts and standing calf raises, then crunches and hanging leg raises.

    Connor Barth doing a power clean: the bar from the floor to his shoulders, and back down.
    Power clean
    Connor Barth doing a front squat, seen from the side, the bar across the front of his shoulders.
    Front squat
  • D3Push-ups + rows

    Push-ups and inverted rows, then curls and triceps, then two moves for your lower back.

  • D4Flexibility + endurance

    30–45 minutes of easy cardio, easy enough that you can still talk, then 2-minute stretches from your feet up to your hips.

  • D5Rest

    A shake out, just to get the blood flowing: 10 minutes of easy cardio and the court warm-up, then stop. You should do it, but it's optional.

  • D6Sprint

    A skip warm-up, 5–6 easy build-up sprints, then 6 all-out 20-meter sprints with full rest between them.

  • D7Single-leg

    Power cleans, Bulgarian split squats, Nordic curls and seated calf raises, then crunches and hanging leg raises.

    Connor Barth doing a power clean: the bar from the floor to his shoulders, and back down.
    Power clean
    Connor Barth doing a Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells, his back foot up on a bar behind him.
    Bulgarian split squat
  • D8Chin-ups + dips

    Chin-ups and dips, then curls and triceps, then two moves for your lower back.

  • D9Flexibility + endurance

    The same as day 4.

  • D10Rest

    The same as day 5.

Jump, sprint and lift days all start the same way: 10 minutes of easy cardio, then holds for your legs and calves.

A real day

A jump day, start to finish

  1. 0110 minutes of easy cardio. Jog, bike, walk or push a sled.
  2. 02Holds: a split squat and a calf hold, 3 sets of 30 seconds on each side, at about 60–70% effort. Hold still, never shaking.
  3. 03A court warm-up: jogs, skips, karaoke, zigzags, butt kicks and leg swings.
  4. 0410–15 build-up jumps, from about 20% effort up to about 90%.
  5. 0515–20 max jumps with a full run-up, one at a time, with full rest between them. Log how many you did.

The stop rule. Two or three low jumps in a row, or feeling weak and slow? You're done for today, even if you haven't hit the number. That's the program working, not you failing. If pain gets worse as you jump, stop.

A jump day in the app before it starts: Jump Day, today, Wednesday, October 14; a Read this first note (everything before the max jumps gets you ready: easy cardio, the holds, the dynamic warm-up, then the build-up jumps); 5 exercises and 10 sets with an estimated 55 minutes; then the warm-up cardio, two isometric holds and the court dynamic warm-up, with a Start warm-up button.
How it gets harder

Reps first, then weight.

Every lift has a rep range: 3–6 on the main lifts, 6–12 on accessories and 8–15 on core. Every working set counts on its own.

  1. 01Start light: a weight you can easily lift for the top of the range on every working set.
  2. 02Each session, aim for one more rep on every working set.
  3. 03When every working set hits the top of the range, add a little weight: 5 or 10 lb (2.5 or 5 kg) on the big lifts, less on the small ones. Your reps drop back toward the bottom, and you climb again.
  4. 04Can't add reps two sessions in a row? Go lighter by half of the weight you last added, and build the reps back up.
  • The power clean is the one exception: always 3 sets of 3. Add weight while all three sets stay clean.
  • Working sets stop about 2 reps short of failure. Warm-up sets come first and don't count as working sets.
  • The app does the math: from what you log, it gives you the next session's weight and the reps to aim for.
The rep chart, worked out with the Epley formula (one-rep max = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30)): for 1 to 15 reps, the share of your one-rep max you can lift at each effort, from RPE 10 (no reps left in reserve) down to RPE 5 (5 left). Six reps with 2 in reserve, for example, is about 79% of your max. 1 to 3 reps is max strength, 4 and 5 strength, 6 to 15 hypertrophy. Power is 1 to 5 reps at 30 to 60% of your max, as fast as you can, never to failure.
The rep chart. When you add weight, it checks you can still hit the bottom of the range. It's the ceiling, not the target: take the normal step even when it says you could add more.

Bodyweight lifts count your bodyweight.

Push-ups, rows, chin-ups and dips follow the same rule, with your bodyweight as part of the load. Need help to hit the reps with good form? Start assisted, climb the reps, then take away a little help at a time. At bodyweight, climb until you can add weight.

  • Push-upsAbout 64% of your bodyweight, 49% on your knees
    Push-ups: on your knees moves about 49% of your bodyweight, a regular push-up about 64%, and a weighted one 64% plus the weight. Knees to regular is a 31% jump, too big for one step, so each set mixes them: as many regular push-ups as you can, then finish on your knees. In a set of 6: 2 regular and 4 on your knees, then 3 and 3, 4 and 2, 5 and 1, then 6 regular, then add weight (the standard 5 lb jump). With only your bodyweight, feet up on a couch is a third version, about 70 to 74%.
  • Inverted rowsAbout 73% of your bodyweight, 76% with your feet raised
    Inverted rows: about 73% of your bodyweight with your feet on the ground (the bar set so your back is just off the ground at full arm's length), about 76% with your feet raised, and 73% plus weight once every set is at the top of the range (the standard 5 lb jump). With only your bodyweight, the row gets harder instead: regular, then a 2-second pause at the top, then feet raised.
  • Chin-upsAll of your bodyweight
    Chin-ups move all of your bodyweight: the load is your bodyweight, minus any assistance, plus any added weight. A table from 50% assisted to 30% added shows the most one step can be at each level, with a 180 lb person as the example. Climb reps at a level until every set hits 6, then take the standard jump, 5 lb less assistance or 5 lb more weight, and drop back toward 3.
  • DipsAll of your bodyweight
    Dips move all of your bodyweight: the load is your bodyweight, minus any assistance, plus any added weight. A table from 50% assisted to 30% added shows the most one step can be at each level, with a 180 lb person as the example. Climb reps at a level until every set hits 6, then take the standard jump, 5 lb less assistance or 5 lb more weight, and drop back toward 3.
Your equipment

Full gym, or less.

It's written for a full gym. Tell the app what you have, and it gives you the version of each lift you can do there. The charts show the versions setup by setup, and which lifts have none. Read each chart left to right as the equipment runs out.

Lower body, days 2 and 7, in four setups: all equipment, dumbbells and barbells, dumbbells, and bodyweight. The power clean becomes dumbbell squat jumps, then standing countermovement jumps. The front squat becomes a goblet squat, then air squats (no rack: goblet squats). The deadlift becomes a Romanian deadlift, then glute bridges. Bulgarian split squats hold dumbbells, or use your bodyweight. Nordic curls are anchored by a loaded barbell, a partner, or a couch or bed. Calf raises and crunches have a version for each setup, and hanging leg raises work wherever you can hang. Can't anchor a Nordic: sliding leg curls. Nowhere to hang: leg drops, leg lifts, L-sits or V-leg raises.
Lower body: days 2 and 7.
Upper body, days 3 and 8, in four setups: all equipment, dumbbells and barbells, dumbbells, and bodyweight. Inverted rows, chin-ups and dips work in every setup, with chair dips as the bodyweight option. Dumbbell curls and overhead triceps extensions have no bodyweight version. QL extensions become dumbbell side bends, then side-lying hip raises or side planks. Back extensions become barbell or dumbbell good mornings, then floor back extensions (supermans). No bar: rows and chin-ups become dumbbell rows (no dumbbells: barbell rows; neither: skip them), and dips become chair dips.
Upper body: days 3 and 8.

Not on the charts? The warm-ups, jumps, sprints, push-ups, stretches and cardio work in every setup. No yoga block for the shin stretch? Use a book.

In the app

You do the work. The app keeps track.

  • Every set, logged

    Put in your weight and reps as you go. On jump days, log how many max jumps you did.

  • Your next session, worked out

    From what you log, the app sets your next session: the weight and the reps to aim for. It also tracks your strength for your size, bounce, speed and body composition.

  • A report card every month

    On the 1st, you get a report card for the month before.

  • An AME coach, if you want one

    Message your coach and send videos, as many as you like. Coaching is $50 a month or $500 a year. The first 14 days are free, once per person. The weekly group call is free.

Changing a set in the app: a sheet over the power clean, set 1 of 3, with the load at 175 lb (in 5 lb steps), 3 reps picked against a target of 3, last time's 3 reps at 170 lb on October 10 right under it, an optional pain question, and a Done · 175 × 3 button.
Logging a set: what you did, with last time right under it.
Questions

Before you start

Do I need a gym?

No. A full gym is ideal, but the app fits the program to what you have: a full gym, dumbbells and a barbell, dumbbells only, a barbell with no dumbbells, or nothing at all. You get the version of each lift you can do there. If a lift has no version for your setup, the workout tells you and leaves it out. The charts on this page show the versions, setup by setup.

How long does a session take?

It depends on the day. Rest days are a short shake out, and even that's optional. The app shows an estimate for the day before you start it, and that estimate sharpens as you log your sessions.

When does it end?

It has no end date. You repeat the same 10 days, adding reps and then weight, for as long as it's working for you.

How do I know it's working?

Your lifts show it as you go, in the weights and reps you log. Your first jump day is your starting jump test. You test again on the jump day after each deload, or when six weeks have gone by since your last test. Test it one of three ways: film it and mark the frames, measure your reach and touch, or use a Vertec or jump mat. Only tests done the same way are compared.

I'm new to training. Is this too much?

No. Start light, with a weight you can easily lift for the top of the range on every set. New to lifting? Start very light and just learn the movement. And a jump day ends early once your jumps start dropping.

Is this only for jumpers?

No. It's for anyone who wants to be more athletic, whatever you play. Each cycle has a jump day, a sprint day, four lift days and two flexibility days. Your jump is tested on day one, after each deload, and any time six weeks go by without a test, because how high you jump is the clearest sign you're getting more athletic.

What if I miss a day?

It moves to your next training day, so you pick up where you left off. Keep both rest days. If one lands on a day you don't train anyway, that day is your rest.

I'm under 18. Can I use it?

Yes, if you're 13 or older. You sign up and train like anyone else. We can't make an account for anyone under 13.

Does it cost anything?

The app, the programs and everything for teams are free, for good. Coaching is $50 a month or $500 a year, if you want it. The first 14 days are free, once per person. We email account holders before a price changes or anything new costs money.

Start

Day 1 sets your starting numbers.

Start the program and log your first session.

Start this program — freeiPhone · takes a minute