Between the World Series and Opening Day, Alex Rodriguez stays fit for battle with four punishing hours of big-league conditioning every day. Beginning at 7:30 A.M. with 30 minutes of stationary biking, 300 crunches, and lower-body weightlifting, A-Rod keeps a staggered routine to avoid any exercise slumps.
On Mondays, it's a series of 440-, 220-, and 110-yard sprints, never more than a mile at a time ("When you run long distances, you start getting slower," he says).
Tuesdays: sandpit workout and stair sprints.
Wednesdays: 18 straight 110-yard dashes.
Thursdays: uphill runs.
Fridays: high-speed plyometric movements to build muscle.
On weekends, it's a spinning class or, come January, back to the batting cage. All this exertion in the Miami heat burns off quite a few calories, so Rodriguez averages six meals a day, alternating protein shakes with carbohydrate-rich platters of brown rice and sweet potatoes and plenty of water. Throw in eight solid hours of sleep and hold the alcohol and the sugar, and he's already halfway to next year's All-Star game.
