Pull-ups, chest-press, and vertical leap are all classic tests of integrated muscular strength—if you’re a runner, you might consider them the equivalent of a 5k time or a mile test. By focusing on one of these three ercises, and making steady progress toward improving your performance at it, you’ll provide some real structure and much-needed direction to your strength-training program.

The first thing to realize with each of these ercises is that you’re not going to reach your goal of more pull-ups, a stronger bench, or a higher leap simply by working the main muscle groups involved in each motion. You also need to work a bunch of muscles that sound like either lit-theory vocabulary words or business-school jargon: the antagonists (which relax as the main muscles contract), the synergists (which aid in the efficiency of the main muscles), and the fixators (which stabilize the point of origin of the main muscles’ movement). Working all of these groups means that you can build a fairly complex workout scheme around one single motion. The three programs listed below were designed by Ciaran Friel, Medical Director at Manhattan’s La Palestra Center for Preventative Medicine, with many of the ercises adapted from The Anatomy of Strength Training: 5 Essential Ercises by La Palestra founder Pat Manocchia. Friel recommends beginning each program with a strength assessment (listed at the beginning of each program) and paying special attention to your technique. Nailing the technique will greatly reduce your risk of injury as the weights get heavier and the repetitions get more numerous.

1. Goal: Increase Your Vertical Leap By Four Inches

Baseline test: Put some chalk on your fingers and stand next to a tall wall. Jump up, without a running start, and slap your hand against the wall. Do three jumps and then stand and, reaching up, tap the wall. Your vertical is the difference between your fingertips on that standing tap and the highest of your fingertips from the jumps.

Technique: Training to jump involves doing squats: Avoid squatting too deeply (your knees should never go past your toes) or holding at the bottom of a squat.

Weeks One-Four

Workout One (do once per week):

3 sets of eight straight-leg dumbbell deadlift (See above.)

3 sets of 8 horizontal body row (See above.)

3 sets of eight towel fly (See above.)

3 sets of eight reverse lunge with medicine ball overhead (Hold a medicine ball overhead as you step back into a lunge position.)

3 sets of eight hanging knee raise with med ball (Same knee raises as described above, but with a medicine ball between your knees.)

Workout Two (do once per week):

3 sets of eight barbell squats (See above.)

3 sets of eight dumbbell incline chest press (See above.)

3 sets of eight dumbbell bent over rows (See above.)

3 sets of eight dumbbell step-ups (With a dumbbell in each hand, step up onto a box or bench, one leg at a time. Height depends on ability, etc. Approx 10-20." Put all of your weight onto step-up leg and fully extend, then step down. Repeat 8 times, then switch legs.)

3 sets of eight plank on physioball (See above.)

Weeks Five-Eight

Workout One (do once per week):

4 sets of six single-leg deadlift with dumbbells (Complete deadlight as described above but with weight only on one leg. After completing six, switch legs)

4 sets of six clap push-ups

4 sets of six squat jumps (Squat, then spring from squat into jump. Repeat.)

4 sets of six medicine ball twists (From crunch position, hold a medicine ball in your hands. Twist your torso back and forth, touching the ball to the ground on either side of your body. Each left and right touch is one rep.)

Workout Two (do once per week):

4 sets of six single leg jump to bench (Standing on one leg, jump up 10-20" onto a box or bench, landing on the same foot and fully standing on that leg upon landing. Switch legs after six reps.

4 sets of six push-up on dumbbells (See above.)

4 sets of six chin ups (See above.)

4 sets of six standing lunge onto box (Same set up as for normal lunge, but place rear foot on a 4"-10" box.)

3-way isometric plank (Front, back, and each side. Hold each for :30 seconds first week.) : Repeat ercises from week one, with 8, 10, and 12 reps in successive weeks (:45/:60/:75 for planks).

2. Goal: Do 10 Pull-ups Without Rest

Baseline test: Start by seeing how many pull-ups you can do. If the answer is zero, use a supported-pull-up machine at your gym or have a friend provide a little boost as you see if you can get to ten with some help. Write down how much counterweight you used, or have your friend record how much effort he was erting to help you get up (a scale of 1-10 is useful).

Technique pointers: Avoid swinging, jerking, or ’pecking’ your chin up and over the bar as you approach it. To also work on your cardiovascular training, do each of these ercises in a circuit format (cycling through one set of each ercise with minimal rest, then resting 1-2 minutes and repeating.)

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Weeks One-Four

For Week One—Workout One (one day per week):

3 sets of eight assisted pull-ups (Either with the help of a spotter or using a supported-pull-up machine.)

3 sets of eight push-ups

3 sets of eight overhead squat (As demonstrated here. If you’ve never done this ercise before, begin with just the barbell and only increase the weight if it feels way too easy.)

3 sets of eight bicep curls (Using a weight that will bring you to the point where you’re nearly exhausted at the end of the third set.)

3 sets of eight hanging-leg raises (Hanging from a pull-up bar, lift your legs until they’re perpendicular with your trunk, then lower and repeat.)

Workout Two (one day per week):

3 sets of eight pull-up negatives (Using a bench to reach, begin with your chin above the pull-up bar and then slowly lower yourself until your arms are extended. Use the bench to climb back up and repeat.)

3 sets of eight tricep dips

3 sets of eight barbell deadlifts (As demonstrated here. If you’ve never done this ercise before, begin with just the barbell and only increase the weight if it feels way too easy.)

3 sets of eight 45 degree body rows (With a barbell at approximately mid-chest height on a squat rack, hang from the barbell with you legs extended to the floor and your abdominal muscles tensed so that your body makes a 45-degree angle with the floor. Pull your chest up to the barbell, then relax and extend your arms. Repeat.)

3 sets of eight ab extensions using an abdominal roller like this one found at most gyms

Weeks Two-Four: Repeat ercises from week one, with 10, 12, and 15 reps in successive weeks.

Weeks Five-Eight

For Week Five—Workout One (do once per week):

4 sets of six lat pulldowns (Using a machine—select a weight that’s heavy enough that you’ll be near muscular exhaustion toward the end of the 4th set.)

4 sets of six push-ups with rotation (Place two 5lb dumbbells shoulder-width apart on the floor. Grasp the dumbbells and get into push-up position. After each push up, rotate torso and lift one arm off of the floor, twisting until your arms are forming a straight line. Each rep includes two push-ups and two rotations: one left, one right.)

4 sets of twelve walking lunges (Find a long, straight stretch of open area at the gym and do six lunges across it, switching legs between lunges. Turn around and do six on the way back.)

4 sets of six dumbbell pullovers (Lying flat on your back on a bench, take two dumbbells—one in each hand—and extend your arms, with slide elbow bend, backward above your head. Bring arms forward so that the barbells reach your stomach, then repeat.

4 sets of six crunches on a physioball

Workout Two (do once per week):

4 sets of six pull-ups (Do as many as you can on your own, then do the rest assisted if necessary.)

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4 sets of six cable fly (As demonstrated here)

4 sets of six Sumo squat with barbells (Like a normal squat, but with feet set slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.)

4 sets of six cable reverse fly (As demonstrated here)

4 sets of six plank to pike (With your feet on a large physio ball, your hands on the ground, and your back straight, roll the ball forward, lifting your hips up, until your legs are nearly vertical, then roll the ball back down until your body is horizontal again. Repeat.)

Weeks Six-Eight: Repeat ercises from week one, with 8, 10, and 12 reps in successive weeks (12, 16, 20, and 24 for lunges).

3. Goal: Bench-Press Your Own Weight

Baseline test: Take a best guess at the most you can do (if you’ve been working out, you should have a general sense—if not, start very low) and, with a spotter, try for one press. If it’s too easy, increase the weight 10-15lbs at a time until you find your limit.

Technique pointers: Avoid bouncing the barbell off of your chest at the lowest part of the motion; also, be sure that your back stays flat on the bench throughout the range of motion.

Week One

Workout One (do once per week):

3 sets of eight push-ups using dumbbells (Place two dumbbells shoulder width apart, grip them with your hands and complete a push-up.)

3 sets of eight dumbbell deadlifts (From a standing position, dumbbell in each hand and held slightly away from your body, knees bend, bend forward from the hips keeping your back perfectly straight. When your back is parallel to the floor, stand again. Repeat.)

3 sets of eight dumbbell rows (As demonstrated here)

3 sets of 8 Skullcrushers (As demonstrated here. Begin with a light weight if you’ve never tried this ercise before.)

3 sets of 8 plow on physioball (With your feet on a large physio ball, your hands on the ground, and your back straight, roll the ball forward by bringing your knees to your chest, keeping your back straight. Once your knees have come to your chest, roll the ball backward by extending your legs. Repeat.)

Workout Two (do once per week):

3 sets of 8 towel flys (Find a smooth section of floor and assume a push-up position, placing a small gym towel between each hand and the floor. Slide hands outward across the floor to lower yourself, then bring hands back together and repeat.)

3 sets of 8 towel lateral slides (Standing on a smooth floor, feet shoulder-width apart, place a small gym towel under your right foot. Slide right foot laterally along the floor, bending your left knee until you’re feeling a stretch in your right groin muscle. Pushing up with your left leg, stand up and bring your right foot back in. After 8 reps, switch and slide left foot out.)

3 sets of 8 push-ups from prone (Beginning with your chest flat on the floor, do a push up, lowering yourself slowly back to the floor until all of your weight is on the floor. Repeat.)

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3 sets of 8 chin-ups (With your hands together, palms facing your face, grip a pull-up bar and pull your chin up over the bar. If necessary, use a supported-pull-up machine or have a spotter provide lift by supporting your weight.)

Hanging knee raises (Hanging from a pull-up bar, lift your legs until they’re perpendicular with your trunk, then lower and repeat.)

Weeks Two-Four: Repeat ercises from week one, with 10, 12, and 15 reps in successive weeks.

Weeks Five-Eight

Workout One (do once per week):

4 sets of 12 barbell bench presses (Using a weight that will bring you to exhaustion after the 4th set.)

4 sets of 12 barbell deadlift (As demonstrated here. If you’ve never done this ercise before, begin with just the barbell and only increase the weight if it feels way too easy.)

4 sets of 12 barbell rows (Grip a barbell in both hands. From a standing position, bend knees slightly and bend at the waist, keeping your back straight, so that your back is parallel to the floor and your arms hand down with the barbell. Lift the barbell to your chest and then relax and extend your arms. Repeat.)

4 sets of 12 tricep cable extensions (Using a cable machine in the gym with the tricep rope attachment.)

Plank on phsyioball (Place your feet on a medium sized physioball and your elbow on the ground such that your hands come together. Hold for 30 seconds.)

Workout Two (do once per week):

4 sets of 12 dumbbell incline chest press (Using an bench inclined to 40-45 degrees.)

4 sets of 12 reverse-grip barbell curl and press (Grip a barbell in each hand so that your palms are facing downward—the opposite of how you’d normally hold one. Curl your arms up as if doing biceps curls, then, at the top of the motion, press the weights over your head. Bring the weights down in two stages and then repeat.)

4 sets of 12 barbell split squat (Same as a barbell squat, but with your legs in the lunge position. Do twelve with one leg forward first, thing switch legs and do twelve more.)

4 sets of 12 tricep dips

4 sets of 12 layout on rings (Using a set of gym rings attached to a pull-up bar, grip rings and lean forward at a 45-degree angle with your core straight. Begin with arms at your side, then push arms up and forward so that the rings meet in front of your head, keeping your body straight throughout the motion. Relax arms to sides slowly and repeat.)

Weeks Six-Eight: Reduce reps to 10, 8, and 6 in each successive week, increasing the weight used in the ercises by 10% each week. For the physioball planks, increase time by 15 seconds each week.

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