The Atlas Workout inspired by Tony Atlas

The Atlas Workout
Inspired by Wrestler Tony Atlas
Format: 20-Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

Tony Atlas, a renowned professional wrestler, was celebrated for his immense upper-body strength, broad shoulders, and powerful build—attributes vital for grappling with opponents, lifting them, and enduring the strenuous demands of the squared circle. This workout captures some of the key strength and hypertrophy elements that a wrestler like Tony Atlas would have prioritized, focusing on compound and accessory movements that build total-body power.

1. Barbell Curls (10 reps)

Description

  • Setup: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the barbell with an underhand (supinated) grip, hands slightly wider than hip-width apart.

  • Execution: Keeping your elbows close to your torso, curl the barbell upward by contracting your biceps. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the barbell in a controlled manner back to the starting position.

Muscles Worked

  • Primary: Biceps brachii

  • Secondary: Forearms (brachioradialis), stabilizer muscles in the shoulders

Ties to Wrestling

A wrestler like Tony Atlas needed formidable arm strength to secure holds, lock in submission maneuvers, and lift opponents. Strong biceps also help with pulling in and pinning an opponent’s limbs while grappling.

2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise to Forward Raise (15 reps total)

Description

  • Setup: Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides.

  • Execution:

    1. Perform a lateral raise by lifting the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.

    2. Return them to your sides in a controlled movement.

    3. Next, raise the dumbbells in front of your body to shoulder height for a forward raise.

    4. Lower them back down.

This sequence (lateral raise + forward raise) counts as one rep. Alternate between lateral and forward raises until you’ve completed 15 total raises.

Muscles Worked

  • Primary: Lateral (middle) and anterior (front) deltoids

  • Secondary: Trapezius and core stabilizers

Ties to Wrestling

Shoulder strength and stability are critical in wrestling for executing overhead lifts, maintaining a strong clinch, and absorbing impacts. Tony Atlas was known for his imposing shoulder development, which gave him superior control over opponents.

3. Barbell Bench Press (20 reps)

Description

  • Setup: Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Grasp the barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.

  • Execution: Unrack the bar, position it above your chest, and lower it under control to your sternum. Powerfully press the barbell back up until your elbows are almost locked out.

Muscles Worked

  • Primary: Pectoralis major

  • Secondary: Triceps brachii, anterior deltoids

Ties to Wrestling

A strong chest and triceps are essential for delivering explosive pushes, managing an opponent’s attempts to pin, and controlling upper-body collisions. Tony Atlas showcased incredible pressing power, allowing him to throw opponents off balance and dominate in clinches.

4. Barbell Rows (25 reps)

Description

  • Setup: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the barbell with an overhand or underhand grip (whichever is more comfortable), hinge forward at the hips with a slight bend in your knees, keeping your back neutral.

  • Execution: Pull the barbell toward your abdomen, driving your elbows behind you. At the top, squeeze the shoulder blades together. Lower the bar in a controlled motion, maintaining a tight core throughout.

Muscles Worked

  • Primary: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle trapezius

  • Secondary: Biceps, posterior deltoids, core stabilizers

Ties to Wrestling

Upper-back strength is crucial for controlling opponents in clinches, performing lifts, and countering takedowns. Tony Atlas’s broad, thick back was part of his powerful physique, helping him exert force whether he was on offense or defense in the ring.

5. Barbell Deadlifts (30 reps)

Description

  • Setup: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, barbell over the midfoot. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the bar with hands just outside your knees.

  • Execution: Engage your core and drive your feet into the floor, extending your hips and knees until standing upright with the bar. Keep your back neutral and the bar close to your body. Lower the bar back down by hinging at the hips and bending the knees.

Muscles Worked

  • Primary: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back (erector spinae)

  • Secondary: Quadriceps, upper back, core

Ties to Wrestling

Deadlifts build the raw lower-body and posterior-chain strength needed for lifting and slamming opponents, shooting in for powerful takedowns, and maintaining a stable base to resist being thrown. Tony Atlas, as a powerful wrestler, relied on strong legs and back to out-muscle competitors in many of his matches.

Putting It All Together

In a 20-Minute AMRAP, you’ll cycle through these exercises in the following sequence without resting more than necessary:

  1. 10 Barbell Curls

  2. 15 Dumbbell Lateral Raise to Forward Raises

  3. 20 Barbell Bench Press

  4. 25 Barbell Rows

  5. 30 Barbell Deadlifts

Keep track of how many rounds you can complete before the 20 minutes are up. The goal is to maintain proper form under fatigue—this blend of movements develops upper-body hypertrophy, shoulder stability, and total-body strength. These qualities mirror the requirements of a wrestler like Tony Atlas, who leveraged every muscle group to excel in the ring, performing feats of strength against formidable opponents.

By the end of this workout, you will have challenged most major muscle groups, improved your muscular endurance, and built the kind of robust power for which Tony Atlas was famous.

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