Get Fit With Broadway Ensemblist Max Clayton | Playbill

Broadway Workout Get Fit With Broadway Ensemblist Max Clayton The performer, currently in the cast of Moulin Rouge!, musical shares the workout routine that keeps his body toned and ready.

Though he may be on hiatus, Max Clayton has been putting the pedal to the metal with Sonya Tayeh’s choreography for Moulin Rouge!. Prior to that, he appeared in Broadway’s Bandstand, which took home the 2017 Tony for Best Choreography and as dancer Max Clayton will tell you, director-choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler’s moves are no joke. “I do 35 overhead presses/lifts/throws with my incredible partner, Jaime Verazin, per show,” says Clayton of his time in Bandstand. (You can see a few of them in the video above.) “That number doesn’t include the multiple lifts we do at lift-call before the show.”

Clayton’s physical therapist, PhysioArts’ Jenni Green, wants Clayton to be “stronger than [his] show,” in order to prevent injury. While Clayton sticks to a training regimen no matter his current gig, for Bandstand, he stayed away from heavy weights so he doesn’t tire out his muscles. And so he doesn’t tire of his routine, he mixes classes at Barry’s Bootcamp with gym sessions at Equinox and always makes time to cool down by stretching post-show and taking an ice bath or Epsom Salt bath. “You only get one body, so it’s important to take great care of it.”

Follow his workout below (and on Instagram @maxmclayton).

1. Row Machine.

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Row Machine Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Start with knees bent, back straight, and arms reaching forward. Pushing with your legs, lean back and press away. Once you reach a 45-degree angle, pull the bar right below your chest, squeezing through your lats. Keep your core tight and extend your arms straight as you bend your knees and return to the starting position.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Lats, core

2. Foam Rolling

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Foam Rolling Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: The IT band runs along the outside of the thigh, from just above the hip to just below the knee and is commonly tight in most athletes and dancers. Using a foam roller, lay down on your side with the foam roller under you starting at the top of your hip. Slowly and with control, roll down the length of your IT band all the way to the outside of your knee. Don't focus on hammering into specific knots on your leg. Take about 20 seconds on each hot spot and keep rolling in large slow sweeping motions for a few minutes on each side.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: IT bands

3. Shoulder Press

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Shoulder Press Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Hold bar with palms facing forward. With power, exhale and press bar straight up and overhead in a controlled motion. Return to starting point and repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Shoulder girdle

4. Front Squat

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Front Squat Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Lift barbell off squat rack and rest barbell on deltoids while crossing arms in front of you. Legs should be shoulder width apart and toes slightly turned out. Looking forward and with back straight and core engaged, lower down into a low squat position. Once you are at the lowest point of your squat, press through your heels and engage your hamstrings and glutes to stand. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the motion. Repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings

5. Deadlift

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Deadlift Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: With feet about hip-width apart, bend down and grab the bar (alternating grip optional). Take a breath and hinge at the waist, pushing the weight back into your heels. Keep your chest up and squeeze your shoulder blades together to ensure you don't round your spine. Pull the weight up into a standing position and thrust your hips forward and squeeze your glutes. Repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings

6. Incline chest press

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Incline Chest Press Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Lie back on an incline bench with dumbbells sitting on top of your thighs. Use your thighs to lift the dumbbells to shoulder width. Rotate your wrists so your palms are facing away from you. Exhale as you press the weights over your chest, squeezing your pectoral muscles at the top. Lower down to shoulder height and repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Chest

Read More: HOW MICHAEL XAVIER TONES HIS CHISELED PHYSIQUE FOR BROADWAY’S SUNSET BOULEVARD

7. Seated Cable Row

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Seated Cable Row Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Start seated at a low pulley cable row machine. With arms extended, pull back until your body is at a 90-degree “L-shape” angle from your legs. Chest should be pushed forward and back should be slightly arched. Pull the handles close to your torso, feeling your elbows brush along your ribcage. Hold the contraction and release back to the starting point.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Trapezius, lats, deltoids, biceps, spine strength

8. Lat Pull Down

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Lat Pull Down Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Sit at a lat pulldown bar and hold the bar with an overhead grip just over shoulders width apart. Arms are straight and torso is upright. Pull your shoulder blades down and back and bring the bar down to your chest. Hold for a second and then return to the starting position.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Lats

9. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

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Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Sit on a military bench press or a bench with back support. With dumbbells in each hand, raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, palms facing out. Exhale and press the weights overhead, locking arms at the top. Slowly and with control, release back to the starting position and repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Should girdle, triceps, chest

10. Tricep push downs

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Tricep Push Downs Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Standing at a high pulley, grasp rope in both hands. Stand tall with a micro bend in the waist. Use your triceps to pull the rope down towards your waist. Squeeze triceps at the bottom of the motion and return to starting point. Repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Triceps

11. Dumbbell bicep curl

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Dumbbell Bicep Curl Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Start standing tall with a dumbbell in each hand. Palms should be facing away from you. Keeping your elbows close to your waist, use your biceps to curl the weights up towards your shoulders. Hold the contracted position and slowly and with control return the biceps to the starting position. Repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Biceps

12. Wood chop

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Wood chop Roberto Araujo

Do it at Home: Connect a handle to a cable system and set it to the highest pulley position. Standing with feet hips width apart, grasp the handle with both hands and step slightly away from the unit. In one motion, pull the handle down away from you and across your body in one quick movement. Keep your back straight and core tight while you pivot your back leg inward. Return to starting position and repeat.
Times per week: Twice a week
Sets and reps: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Targets: Abdominals

Flip through the full workout below:

Get Fit With Bandstand’s Max Clayton

 
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