Best Bodies in the World 2015: Volleyball Players Rachael Adams and Christa Harmotto Dietzen.
The difference between a great volleyball player and a phenomenal one? It’s mostly in the arms. Extending them above the net to block an opponent’s attack requires strength and endurance; spiking demands force and agility; serving takes precision plus power to clock speeds that can top 60 mph. “Our arms are a big focus of training,” says U.S. national team member Adams, 25, who, along with her teammate Dietzen, 28, spends double-digit hours in the gym each week. On the docket: upper-body lifting, plus stretching and yoga to improve rotator cuff flexibility and fend off injury. If the pair wins gold in Rio in 2016, they’ll credit not only their arms but also their squad’s team-first attitude. “In pro sports, it’s easy to just look out for yourself,” Dietzen says. “But for us, it’s about the women to our left and right.”