If you’re not tuned in to who Antron Brown is, listen up. Antron is the first African-American National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) champion, winning the Top Fuel National Hot Rod Association championship in 2012. Years later, he still manages to dominate the sport and be an all-around fan favorite.
I recently got the chance to see him in action on the track and ask him about his fitness regime. Don’t be fooled. While the sport requires little physical movement beyond the foot, staying in shape is key to being a top driver and preventing any behind-the-wheel injuries.
Matthew Serd, Brown’s trainer, designs training programs that feature high-repetition, medium-repetition and low-repetition moves. The high and medium repetitions use less weight, but more volume. As the weight increases, the reps decrease. This format is great for endurance training, which benefits Brown. He wants to maintain his small stature, but needs endurance to keep him strong throughout a race weekend.
Take a peek at this champion’s workout schedule, and see how you can incorporate some of his exercise moves into your fitness routine.
Day 1: Intense leg workout/chest workout:
LEGS
• HIGH: Laying leg curls, three sets of 12 with 70-pound weights.
• MID: Leg extensions, three sets of 10 with 80-pound weights.
• LOW: Squats, three sets of eight with 125-pound weights.
CHEST
• HIGH: Bench press, three sets of 12 with 95-pound weights.
• MID: Cable chest fly, three sets of 10 with 15.5-pound weights.
• LOW: Inclined dumbbell chest-press, three sets of 8 with 25-pound weights.
CORE:
• Three sets of 30-second hold planks.
• Three sets of 12 v-ups.
• Three sets of 15 back extensions.
Day 2: Chest/Arms:
BICEPS
• HIGH: Barbell, three sets of 12 with 40-pound weights.
• MID: Dumbbell hammer curls, three sets of 10 with 17.5-pound weights.
• LOW: EZ-bar preacher curls, three sets of eight with 45-pound weights.
TRICEPS
• HIGH: V-bar pushdowns, three sets of 12 with 45-pound weights.
• MID: Dumbbell skull crushers, three sets of 10 with 15-pound weights.
• LOW: Overhead rope extensions, three sets of eight with 30 pound-weights.
CORE:
• Three sets of 30-second hold planks.
• Three sets of 12 v-ups.
• Three sets of 15 back extensions.
Day 3: High Intensity, Back
LEGS:
• HIGH: One set of 15 walking lunges with 20-pound dumbbells.
• MID: Three sets of 10 plyometric box jumps with walking lunges and box jumps between reps.
•LOW: Smith Machine squat, three sets of eight with 85 pounds.
CORE:
• Three sets of 30-second hold planks.
• Three sets of 12 v-ups.
• Three sets of 15 back extensions.
About Dara Adeeyo
Dara is a freelance writer, nail art addict, and uncertified Beyoncé expert. She loves a good workout, but also loves eating Nutella out of the jar. Follow her daily adventures on Facebook or Twitter @dadeeyo.
