Myles Jones has always been the biggest player on his team, whether it was football or lacrosse. At 6-foot-5, he towered over opponents in lacrosse during his time at Walt Whitman High School and entered his college career at Duke weighing 235 pounds — without ever spending much time in the gym.

Jones was too busy with lacrosse to take part in workouts with the football team. So when he had to transition to a Division I regimen, it wasn’t easy.

VITALS

Myles Jones
Team USA/Chesapeake Bayhawks

No. 15
College: Duke ’16
Position: Midfield
Height: 6-5
Weight: 240
Squat: 500
Bench: 340
Power Clean: 320

“When I got to college, it was kind of a shock for me,” he said. “There was a lot of terminology I had no idea about. I had no idea what a power clean was. I had no idea what a clean was. All I knew was the bench press, squat, curl and the dead lift. There were a lot of things that I had to learn when I got to college, but then it became fun, because it was something new to me.”

It didn’t take long for Jones to develop a passion for the weight room. He realized that the more work he put into his workouts, the more intimidating he could be on the field — and that made for a scary proposition for opponents.

After he finished his career at Duke with an NCAA title and as a two-time Tewaaraton finalist, Jones still weighed 235 pounds. Much of that weight, though, came from his muscle mass. He consulted with experts in the field of exercise science to help him maintain his shape and prevent injuries.

Jones’ professional career got off to a slow start, but he has flourished with Major League Lacrosse’s Chesapeake Bayhawks and was the MLL All-Star Game MVP. He has an endorsement deal with adidas and qualified for the 2018 U.S. training team.

And he’s still the tallest player on the field.

Power Snatch

Works on … Lower body and traps
Helps with … Explosiveness
Jones does … 5 sets of 5 reps with 225 pounds

1. Set up. Grip the bar wide with your hips low and your back flat.

2. For the first pull, deadlift the bar with speed until it reaches just above your knees.

3. For the second pull, explode and shrug the bar and let your elbows float high.

4. Reset.

For Gym Mice

Jump off a bench, land in a deep squat position and then jump as high as you can. Tutorial by Blue Streak Sports Training at uslaxmagazine.com/fuel.

Pull-Ups

Works on … Back, biceps and forearms
Helps with … Strength
Jones does … 4 sets of 6-10 reps

1. Dead hang from the bar with your arms fully extended​

2. Pull up fast, but smoothly, without using your legs or hips for momentum.

3. Hold for one second at the top.

4. Hold a three-second negative on the way down.

5. Hang for one second, then repeat.

For Gym Mice

Hand underneath the parallel bars at the playground and pull yourself up. Tutorial by Blue Streak Sports Training at uslaxmagazine.com/fuel.

Core Twists

Works on … Core and back muscles
Helps with … Full body force and sharpens movement on checks, shots and dodges
Jones does … 4 sets of 12 reps

1. Activate your core with your arms out straight.

2. Rotate your body using your core and hips.

3. Move slow, steadily and under control

For Gym Mice

Use your stick as a prop for a variation on side planks. Tutorial by Blue Streak Sports Training at uslaxmagazine.com/fuel.