by The Editors of Men's Health

Honestly, the term foreplay is somewhat of a misnomer because it implies that what comes nextthe actual playis somehow better. But thats not always the case. Most people with vulvas . They require clitoral stimulation in order to climax, which can happen with <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a30871220/how-to-finger-a-woman/" id="e8a2b948-e3a9-3d10-acc8-a84cfc91309e"> manual stimulation </a> , <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19518223/your-ultimate-guide-to-oral-sex/" id="36dc8026-c4f7-3752-ab02-df70aec048ec"> oral sex </a> , or <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/g28710167/best-sex-toys-for-couples/" id="672f5c31-36cc-3298-a9dd-0f37f9fd1bf3"> sex toy action </a> .

That said, sex isnt all about orgasming. The rubbing, touching, kissing, and talking you have before penetrative sex should be enjoyable in and of itself.

Now to get the best foreplay tips, we spoke to various sex experts, therapists, and psychiatrists. Try one, two, or all of the foreplay tips below the next time you start fooling around and just see what happens.

Foreplay doesnt simply start in the bedroom. It can start from the moment you wake up. Little texts like Cant wait to get naked with you tonight can get your partner excited before you even set foot in the same room. If sending nudes is something that turns your partner on, go ahead and swap some sexy photos with one another. Then you can text what you want and plan to do to her naked body. ( <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a23508435/how-to-sext/" id="44de8d91-6050-303f-a072-3b781fa6cd1d"> Head here for more explicit advice on how to sext! </a> )

Ice cubes and are a fun and easy way to turn up the heat on your foreplay, explains Sofiya Alexandra, co-host of the podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-parts-unknown-fka-reality-bytes/id1154304419" id="89e42eaa-d7cd-3d00-ae32-199eade1aebf"> Private Parts Unknown </a> .

Hold an ice cube between your teeth and draw it down your partners body," Alexandra says. "Or, if youre more into heat, like me, you can get candles involvedone of my college boyfriends and I used to use just regular soy candles to drip wax on each other for a little <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a28622546/bdsm-meaning/" id="7d363aab-28cc-3619-a6d9-2c77c18884ed"> BDSM fun </a> , Alexandra says.

That said, a massage candle is a safer way to dip your toe into wax play if its new to you. Drip high at first to cool the oil down before initial contact with skin, and take your time slowly massaging it in for maximum pleasure," Alexandra says. "You want your partners body to buzz like a hive of murder hornets.

<h1> 3) Take your time removing articles of clothing </h1>

Foreplay is a marathon, not a sprint. Youre in no rush to finish it. (Though if you are pressed for time, here are the .) Instead of quickly stripping down, start by taking off her shirt. Wait a few minutes before you take off her pants, then her bra, and so on. You can then focus on that newly revealed body part. So after taking off her pants, massage her legs. Once the bra is gone, you can .

If youve ever attempted to have or in a body of water, youll know that its nearly impossible to thrust when your body is submerged in liquid. Thats why Courtney Kocak, co-host of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-parts-unknown-fka-reality-bytes/id1154304419" id="89e42eaa-d7cd-3d00-ae32-199eade1aebf"> Private Parts Unknown </a> , suggests using the tub as a means of foreplay. I feel like sexy fantasies that involve candlelit bubble baths or steamy showers are ingrained in us, Kocak says. Enjoy stripping down with your partner before you get inmaybe set a playful tone by taking turns underdressing each other. Just make sure to keep the water hot so you can stay in for a while and really explore the intimacy of touch.

In a similar vein, go ahead and give her a little strip tease. (If you need inspiration, you can always check out the with Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze auditioning to be Chip n Dale dancers.) If you dance poorly, at least you come off as endearing and funny, but if you do in fact strip well, she will want to pounce on you. ( <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a29609400/striptease-magic-mike/" id="7ce155bd-ee79-323f-a70c-9e71abc762cd"> Here's how to striptease like a dancer in Magic Mike </a> ! )

Sexy undergarments arent just for women. If you find the right fit, you can really turn her on. (If you've never tried low-rise briefs, <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a28543009/low-rise-briefs-review/" id="ac48b103-3a39-3d95-a142-5dc1d668612d"> we highly recommend them! </a> )

<h1> 7) The precoital erotic massage </h1>

Before having penetrative sex, give your partner an erotic massage that both relaxes and teases them. Prior to even touching them, youll want to set the mood with lighting and music, and then go ahead and whip out the massage oil. From there you want to start massaging them, and at first, it shouldnt even seem like an erotic massage. But once they're really relaxed, thats when you start massaging those naughty bits. ( !)

When in doubt, just come right out and ask what she likes during sex. Most women appreciate men who want to make sure theyre satisfied, says Barbara Bartlik, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Cornell University. If she notices youre working hard to please her, shell be more likely to return the favor.

<h1> 9) Focus on quality, not quantity </h1>

Improve the quality of foreplay and shell never again bug you about the quantity. If you act as if youre just going through the motions to get to the sex, shes going to notice, and it will take longer for her to get excited, says Michael Perry, Ph.D., a sex therapist in Encino, California.

In other words, do what you want to do, and enjoy it while you're doing it. If you like how her calves feel, stroke them in appreciation. If you like her butt, kiss it. When a man is loving what hes doing, its going to show through and turn her on, too, says Perry.

Yes, the <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19544899/5-things-didnt-know-about-her-vagina/" id="6cd74bf7-4380-39d3-add4-3d23ab1708b1"> clitoris </a> is the obvious place to focus your attention. Still, many men do wrong by it. Direct stimulation of the clitoris can actually be painful, says Cathy Winks, author of The Good Vibrations Guide to the G-spot. Its much better to rub the clitoral hood [where the tops of the labia meet] or to rub along the side of the clitoris than it is to go straight for the head of it.

When playing with the clitoris during <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19518223/your-ultimate-guide-to-oral-sex/" id="36dc8026-c4f7-3752-ab02-df70aec048ec"> oral sex </a> , Birchs advice is to focus on the clitoris, then dont focus on the clitoris."

"The clitoris reacts best to being teased, so you want to lick it and suck on it a little, build a little tension, then back off on it a bit before going at it again," she adds.

There are plenty of ways to expand your <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19518223/your-ultimate-guide-to-oral-sex/" id="36dc8026-c4f7-3752-ab02-df70aec048ec"> oral sex </a> repertoire, and you should always be looking to add new moves and mix things up. For starters, trying lying perpendicular to her body and stroking her clitoris with your tongue in a horizontal motion, rather than up and down. Shell appreciate the change in stimulation, hopefully enough to return the favor.

<h1> 12) Drive her wild with the figure-8 technique </h1>

The figure-8 tongue technique is one of the most tried and true ways to get things going below the belt. When youre at her service down below, work the supersensitive area around her clitoris in a figure-8 pattern. Arouse her with gentle sucking until the little button swells, then carefully expose the area with your fingers.

Use the slippery underside of your tongue to circle it to the left and then to the right. With the rougher top side of the tongue, flick from right to left and then up and down. Finally, work up to figure 8s, alternating between your tongue's smooth underside and firmer tip. Constantly vary the degrees of pressure you use.

Oft overlooked as mere barriers to the vagina, the labia are packed with nerve endings and shouldn't be ignored. Hold each one between your thumb and forefinger and massage it, working your way up and down.

Or, using all of your fingers and your palm, smoosh the labia together, almost like youre (gently!) kneading dough.

Don't just zero in on her genitals. The body is filled with erogenous zones like her neck, thighs, and breasts.

Genitals are fascinating and fun, but try to spend some time focusing on your partners entire body instead of going straight for her crotch, says Cassie Fuller, cofounder of Baltimore sex-ed company Touch Of Flavor. Try caressing, licking, or nibbling other erogenous zones, such as her neck, back, ears, belly, or wrists.

A vibrator buzzing around her erogenous zones can be just as stimulating, if not more, than your hands alone. Bring one in for the assist during foreplay, touching her everywhere but her vagina with it. Try one of <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/g19545975/30-best-sex-toys/" id="1be5dc46-3ef3-3d0d-ad9c-a51a2a758c9d"> MH's Best Sex Toys of the Year </a> , The Le Wand Massager.

Be careful what you say when you're trying to set the mood and build arousal.

Weird, clichd phrases can cause the mood to die quickly, she April Masini of AskApril.com. As a general rule, keep dirty talk simple and personal: Pick a body part and tell her how sexy you think it is, or describe a fantasy you have involving her."

Then again, don't zip your lips altogether. Women want mental stimulation, says Ian Kerner, Ph.D., author of She Comes First. ( <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19516770/how-to-talk-dirty-to-her/" id="a0dc65fd-d354-372b-aace-f3102fd50306"> Here's a guide to talking dirty in bed </a> !)

<h1> 17) Pay attention to how she feels </h1>

Everybody is different, so make sure you're able to read how she responds to what you're doing. It shouldn't be hard to tell what's working, and to then use this information to keep a good thing going.

If she winces when you talk dirty, move onto your next play, says Masini. Or if shes really into making out on the sofa, dont try to move it to the bedroom.

<h1> 18) Pay attention to how you feel </h1>

If youre worried about getting off too early during intercourse, try becoming more aware of your pre-orgasmic sensations.

Most men only recognize that last, no-turning-back feeling, that occurs just before ejaculation, says David Copeland, author of How to Succeed with Women. By then its too late to do anything about it.

Try to become familiar with the two or three more subtle sensations that precede that one, so that you can slow down at the right time.

<h1> 19) Don't forget about kissing </h1>

Don't forget what got you here in the first place.

Women get their greatest erotic pleasure from frequent, passionate kissing, says Patti Britton, Ph.D., clinical sexologist, and author of The Art of Sex Coaching: Expanding Your Practice. If you get the sense that shes starting to lose interest, kissing is always the best way to bring her back into it.

Just remember that <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19533967/kissing-tips-and-techniques/" id="4c620838-e2a1-32cf-aefa-e8a3c66c991f"> passionate kissing </a> doesnt always mean frantically swabbing out her tonsils. Try to mix up your tongue play with the occasional closed-mouth kiss on her nose, eyes, and forehead.

When she initiates the action, make an extra effort to please her sexually and to let her know how much you approve. Tell her you loved how she got things going. Sometimes women wonder if youre going to perceive initiation as negative or if it might make you uncomfortable.

If you already have good sexual chemistry, it's perfectly all right to occasionally skip foreplay.

When youve been creating a larger sexual context in your relationship, youre basically operating in that [state of foreplay] all the time, says psychologist and relationship therapist Tracy Thomas, Ph.D. "If youve been together for a while, you should know her well enough to know when its okay to jump straight to the main event.

Foreplay isnt optional. Its not something that you can half-ass for two minutes before rushing into <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19547362/45-sex-positions-guys-should-know/" id="eddfb3d4-009c-3bdf-a5e5-16804443544a"> P-in-V </a> or <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a27720470/anal-sex-tips-for-beginners-and-pros/" id="31cb3368-5a11-3260-a8fa-a360ce184cfd"> P-in-B </a> sex. Foreplay is something you should take your time with to get both your partner and you in t...

21 Foreplay Tips to Please Her in Bed

Blend these four healthy, insanely delicious concoctions tonight.

Dump a can of drained chickpeas in a blender. Pulse; add hopped onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 handful parsley, 2 shakes cumin, a squeeze of lemon, salt, and pepper.

Pulse, working in a palmful of bread crumbs and a pinch of baking powder, till firm.

Make balls (golf ball size); add to a hot, oiled skillet, and smush. Fry till crisp, 3 minutes a side. Eat with pita.

Prep time 15 minutes Feeds 1 Per serving 597 calories, 22g protein, 51g carbs (9g fiber), 36g fat

Related: <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/trending-news/g19544369/9-foods-nutritionists-swear-by/" id="d7108acf-ff1c-301a-a114-069aa33b152f"> 9 Foods Nutritionists Swear By </a>

Pour a cup of chicken stock and 2 big glugs of canned coconut milk into a blender.

Add a 12-ounce can of pumpkin, a small handful of brown sugar, 1 chipotle chile in adobo plus a dab of the sauce, and a few shakes of cinnamon.

Puree; transfer the mixture to a pot and heat on medium. Add salt and pepper. Top with pumpkin seeds, chives, cream, and olive oil.

Prep time 10 minutes Feeds 2 Per serving 248 calories, 6g protein, 31g carbs (6g fiber), 13g fat

Related: <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/trending-news/g19543606/pumpkin-beers/" id="68b734d2-efed-337d-a15b-09fbb4ab22ca"> The Best Damn Pumpkin Beers On the Planet </a>

Blend up 4 <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/g19545747/14-best-ways-eat-egg/" id="68609cfa-fb1a-302f-a1e4-720894ca920e"> eggs </a> , 2 big handfuls of baby spinach, a palmful of chopped chives, a big pinch of salt, and 2 big pinches of pepper.

In an oiled ovenproof skillet on medium, add the eggs and cook till the edges set, 2 minutes. Add 2 ounces of ham cubes.

Bake at 400F till puffy, 8 minutes or so. Remove, slice, and top with shaved Parm and sliced chiles.

Prep time 13 minutes Feeds 1 Per serving 514 calories, 42g protein, 10g carbs (3g fiber), 33g fat

Slice up a banana and freeze the slices until firm. Toss them into the blender and pulse several times; then drop in a gob of peanut butter and blend till creamy.

Now spoon the mixture into a bowl and stir in a small handful of dark-chocolate chips and a hit of chopped peanuts.

Top with whipped cream and a cherry if you want. Elvis would be jealous.

Related: <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/g19547408/4-treats-you-can-make-with-protein-powder/" id="883cf738-cf1a-3223-a7d1-0753df51d1b2"> 4 Desserts You Can Make With Protein Powder </a>

RECIPE REMIX 1 Nix the chocolate; add mini marshmallows. In a microwave-safe bowl, nuke a spoonful of grape jelly. Drizzle it on top.

RECIPE REMIX 2 Swap out the PB, chocolate, and peanuts for dulce de leche, toasted coconut flakes, and hulled pumpkin seeds.

Prep time 5 minutes Feeds 1 Per serving 443 calories, 11g protein, 51g carbs (7g fiber), 27g fat

Meals You Won’t Believe You Can Make In a Blender

Your blender isnt just there to whip up kick-ass <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a19545933/healthy-protein-smoothie-recipes/" id="3ab1cb8c-90dc-3ec8-ab09-5fbcca137031"> smoothies </a> you can also use the tool to cook actual gourmet meals.

4 Fast Gourmet Meals You Won’t Believe You Can Make In a Blender

49. Garo Makes a Mistake With less than two minutes to go in the season, the 1972 Miami Dolphins are looking to cap their perfect year with a Super Bowl win against the Washington Redskins. The Dolphins are up 14-zip, and placekicker Garo Yepremian is set to attempt a 42-yard field goal that should put the game well out of reach for the Redskins. The snap, hold, and kick look good. But the kick is blocked, and bounces toward the midfield line. The Dolphin kicker chases down the football. But instead of falling on the ball and conceding the play to the Skins defense, Yepremian tries to throw it downfield. The ball slips out of Yepremians hand on what looks like a pathetic attempt at a forward pass, bounces off the kickers own helmet, and lands in the hands of a Washington defender, who scampers 50 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Miami may have capped its perfect season in 1972 by beating the Redskins, 14-7, in the Super Bowl, but that victory is highlighted by this lowlight that provided Washington its lone touchdown in the fourth quarter, says Jim Gigglioti, football historian and author of The Official Treasures of the National Football League. Getty Images

48. Marshall's Wrong-Way Run Toward the end of a midseason game against the 49ers in 1964, Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall pulls off what some will ultimately call one of the most embarrassing plays in professional sports. In the fourth quarter, Marshall scoops up a Niners fumble and races toward the end zone nearly 70 yards awaythe wrong end zone. With both teams chasing him down the field, and his own teammates screaming to him from the sidelines, Marshall goes into the end zone untouched and tosses the ball out of bounds in celebration, resulting in a safety for San Franand heaps of scrutiny from the media. While the play doesnt affect the Vikes eventual victory, a new legacy is born. Jim Buckley, editor of NFL Magazine, says, Jim Marshall didnt deserve to be remembered this way. When he retired, he held the record for longest consecutive-games-played and was a fierce defender for the Vikings for almost two decades. Getty Images

47. Allen Shows His Instincts Things have gone from bad to worse for the Washington Redskins during Super Bowl XVIII as the Oakland Raiders offense takes the field near the end of the third quarter. The score stands at 28-9 in favor of the silver and black, and the Redskins know theyre in for a big dose of Oakland running back Marcus Allen as the Raiders hope to run out the clock. With just a few seconds left in the quarter, Oakland quarterback Jim Plunkett hands off to Allen near the Raiders own 25-yard line. Running left toward a phalanx of defenders, Allen reverses gears and spins back toward the right side of the field. Allens amazing football instincts took over on a play that began as a run around left end, remembers Jim Gigglioti, football historian and author of The Official Treasures of the National Football League. When that was bottled up, he spun all the way around, found a crease up the middle, and took off on what was then the longest run in Super Bowl history. Seventy-four yards later, Allen is in the books, while the Redskins championship hopes are finished. Getty Images

46. Buffalo Roars Back Following Houstons 27-3 romping of Buffalo in the final game of the 1992 regular season, the Billsled by Jim Kellys backup, Frank Reichfind themselves facing a similar fate in the first-round of the ensuing playoffs. Down 35-3 in the second half, Reich and the Bills score five unanswered touchdowns en route to a 41-38 victory, capped by a game-winning field goal in overtime. The largest comeback in NFL history, the Bills victory propels the team through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl, where they eventually lose to the Dallas Cowboys for the third of their four straight Super Bowl losses. Still, it was one of the greatest comebacks I have ever seen, says Jon Gruden, color commentator for ESPNs Monday Night Football and a Super Bowl-winning coach himself. Getty Images

45. A Monday to Remember In a classic 1978 slugfest, Houstons rookie running back sensation Earl Campbell outduels Miamis gunslinging quarterback Bob Griese in a prequel to the first-round playoff matchup that will occur five weeks later. While Griese posts impressive numbers of his own23-for-33 for 349 yards and two touchdownsCampbells 199 rushing yards and four touchdowns seal the win for the Oilers. The Houston tailbacks performance is highlighted by two scores in the final seven minutes, including an 81-yard touchdown run with just over a minute left in regulation. Campbell will go on to win Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors that season. I remember Earl Campbell running over Isaiah Robertson during the time of those tearaway jerseys and thinking, Oh, my!, says Jon Gruden. He was just a different kind of beast playing the tailback position. During his performance on Monday Night Football, he ran over people all night. Getty Images

44. O'Brien's Foot Delivers Time is running out on a mistake-riddled Super Bowl V. The Baltimore Colts have drawn even with the Dallas Cowboys, after trailing, 13-6, at the half. The two teams have combined for an embarrassing 11 turnovers and a slew of penalties, including 10 for the Cowboys alone. Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas is forced to leave the game with an injury during the first half, and now Dallas must drive down the field for the win. Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton throws toward his running back, Dan Reeves. But the ball sails through Reeves hands, and into the arms of Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis, who returns the interception to the Dallas 28-yard line. Two plays later, the Colts rest their championship hopes on the shoulders of rookie placekicker Jim OBrien. The rookie kicker was so nervous that he tried to pick up a blade of grass to gauge the wind, but the game was played on artificial turf! recalls Jim Gigglioti, football historian and author of The Official Treasures of the National Football League. OBrien overcomes his nerves, and nails the 32-yard field goal to seal the 16-13 win for the Colts. Getty Images

43. Pollard's Punishing Hit Following their perfect 16-0 regular-season campaign in 2007, the Patriots open the 2008 season in Kansas City as Super Bowl favorites with a healthy Tom Brady under center. Midway through the first quarter, however, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard fights through a block and dives at Brady from the turf, hitting his left knee square on and ending the quarterbacks season. Without Brady running the offense, the Pats miss the playoffs. While Pollards controversial hit is ruled legal initially, the rulebooks roughing-the-passer infraction is amended a year later to outlaw defenders from lunging at quarterbacks while on the ground. When Bernard Pollard went in low and hurt Tom Brady, protection of quarterbacks became paramount in this league, says Jon Gruden. Getty Images

42. Osmanski Bears It All Bears fans making the trip to Washington D.C.s Griffith Stadium for the 1940 NFL Championship are treated to the finest fireworks show theyll likely ever see, as the Monsters of the Midway trounce the Redskins, 73-0. But its Bears running back Bill Omanskis beastly run that epitomized the Chicago rout of Washington, says Ray Didinger, an award-winning sportswriter and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On the second play of the game, from his own 24, Bears quarterback Sid Luckman reverse pivots and hands the ball to Osmanski off tackle. The back dips inside and then swings wide left past one defender to see nothing but open field in front of him. As two Redskins begin to close around the 35-yard-line, Bears end George Wilson comes in to obliterate both, allowing Osmanski to set the tone for the rest of the game. For great health and fitness advice delivered right to your inbox, <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/daily-dose-newsletter" id="cded8592-94ab-336e-a468-18e7e88ca877"> sign up for the Daily Dose newsletter today! </a> Getty Images

41. Victory with a Side of Rice It's the second game of the 1987 NFL season, and the Bengals hold a 26-20 lead over the 49ers with just seconds to play. Cincinnati only sends four players to rush Joe Montana, leaving the rest of the defense in the end zone to bat down any pass the Niners QB might toss up. Inexplicably, however, the Bengals leave Jerry Ricethe games most freakishly talented and fearsome receiverwide open in the back-right corner of the end zone. As the ball zips out of Montanas hand, Rice leaps up and brings down the game-winning touchdown. And there isnt a defender within an arms length. In the old Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, says Jon Gruden, people found out you never, ever single-cover Jerry Rice in any situation. Getty Images

40. Doran Goes Deep The Cleveland Browns are battling the Detroit Lions in the 1953 Championship Game. Lions receiver Jim Doran has been telling his quarterback all day that he can beat his coverage for a deep bomb, but Detroits Bobby Layne is patient and continues to soften the Bears D with shorter passes. With just over two minutes to go in the game and the Lions down, 16-10, Layne finally decides to take his shot. Doran sprints past his man and is 10 yards beyond the nearest Brown when he hauls in the pass and skates into the end zone untouched. The extra points give the Lions the lead and the championship. The pass epitomized the clutch play of Layne, the quarterback of whom it was said, He never lost a game. Time just ran out on him, says Ray Didinger. Related: <a href="http://www.21daymetashred.com/?cid=BWO_mh.com_textlink_metashred&amp;keycode=256350" id="1adf6ff5-5bb8-3f21-a510-71a5f11eccdb"> THE 21-DAY METASHREDOne Guy Lost 25 Pounds In Just 6 Weeks By Following This Body-Shredding Plan! </a> Getty Images

39. Young Thinks On His Feet Playing for the injured Joe Montana in a 1998 matchup with the Vikings, backup quarterback Steve Young and the 49ers trail Minnesota by a touchdown with less than two minutes to play. San Francisco calls for a pass play on third-and-short at midfield, but after dropping back, Youngs pocket collapses. Famously called by San Francisco broadcaster Lon Simmons, Young spins out of a sack, andunable to find an open receiverscrambles up the middle, twisting through the secondary and breaking six tackles as he stumbles into the end zone. The 49-yard touchdown run gives the Niners a lead they wouldnt relinquish. Few players in NFL history could improvise as well as Young, the Hall of Fame quarterback, and this play was his signature moment, says Jim Gigglioti. It was important, too, because it helped keep the eventual Super Bowl champs afloat while starting quarterback Joe Montana was injured. Getty Images

38. Concrete Charlie Knocks Out Gifford First place in the NFLs Eastern Conference is on the line as the Giants host the Eagles in 1960. New York jumps out to a 10-point lead, but Philadelphia battles back to tie it in the fourth quarter. The Eagles force a fumble that they return 38 yards for a TD to take their first lead of the game. After New York ties it up, things look good for the home team. Frank Gifford sneaks out of the backfield and catches a pass across the middle of the field, but in fighting for extra yards, the halfback is met by Chuck Concrete Charlie Bednarik in a collision that will be called the most famous tackle in NFL history. (And thanks to the hit, Gifford doesnt return to the gridiron until 62.) It forced a fumble that saved a critical win for the Eagles in their drive to the championship that season. One Hall-of-Famer on another Hall-of-Famer making a play that changed the directions of two teams, says Ray Didinger. Getty Images

37. Dorsett Breaks Free Trailing the Vikings by a couple of scores in the fourth quarter on Monday night in the final game of the 1983 season, the Cowboys are pinned inside their own 1-yard line. In an attempt to wrestle a semblance of breathing room, Dallas calls for a simple halfback dive through the one-hole. Former Heisman winner Tony Dorsett receives the handoff and bursts through the defensive line, breaking three arm tackles in the second layer of defense and stiff-arming a defensive back en route to a touchdown and the longest run from scrimmage in NFL history. Dorsetts 99-yard scamper is a record that can never be broken and has yet to be matched. And, a remarkable footnote: Dallas had only 10 men on the field for the play, says Jim Gigglioti. Getty Images

36. Taylor's Fantastic Finish Cincinnati has just kicked a go-ahead field goal to take a three-point lead with three minutes left in SuperBowl XXIII. In a contest mostly controlled by the defenses, only one offensive touchdown has been scored. With just 39 seconds remaining, all eyes are on San Francisco receiver Jerry Rice, who has already racked up a Super Bowl-record 215 yards. Fellow Niners receiver John Taylor, who has gone the entire game without a catch, lines up to the right, as Rice goes in motion to the same side. Taylor cuts to the inside and quarterback Joe Montana hits him in stride for the game-winning touchdown. Taylor, who is primarily used as a returner, only has 14 catches to his name that year, and none are as important as his first Super Bowl reception that gives San Francisco the victory. The Super Bowl had been a super dud for several seasons, with a series of lopsided blowouts, says Jim Gigglioti. But this was the first time the lead changed hands in the final minute of a Super Bowl. Getty Images

35. Longley's Long-Shot Comeback As millions of Americans prepare to eat their Thanksgiving Day dinners in 1964, the Dallas Cowboys are trailing the Washington Redskins, 16-3, in the third quarter of their holiday matchup. Legendary Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach is injured, and rookie QB Clint Longley is tasked with leading his team back from the dead. And thats exactly what he does: Longley proceeds to hit tight end Billy Joe Dupree for a 35-yard touchdown completion. Most fans assume the play is a flukejust beginners luck. But Longley then leads the Cowboys on another touchdown drive, this time for 70 yards. Despite the rookies heroics, Dallas still trails the Skins, 23-17, with 28 seconds left on the clock and no timeouts. Longley, to the surprise and delight of a stadium packed with hysterical fans, connects down the middle with Drew Pearson for a 50-yard touchdown. The Cowboys win, 24-23. It forced Americans to postpone their holiday meal until this miraculous comeback was over, remembers former NFL head coach and current color commentator for ESPN Monday Night Football, Jon Gruden. The NFL has become such an important part of the Thanksgiving holiday, and its because of dramatic games like this one. Getty Images

34. Ingram Fights for a First At the start of Super Bowl XXV, the Buffalo Bills are predicted by most to easily outgun the New York Giants defense. But as the third quarter gets underway, the game is a defensive battle, and the Bills hold a slight, 12-10 advantage. The Giants face a third-and-13 from the Buffalo 33-yard line, and as quarterback Jeff Hostetler surveys the field, he can find no one open past the first-down marker. He dumps the ball off to wide receiver Mark Ingram, his underneath target, who proceeds to make five Buffalo tacklers miss as he ducks and spins his way toward the first-down marker. As multiple Bills defenders converge, Ingram hops forward past the marker, securing the first down. The Giants soon score to make it 17-12, and eventually seal the game with a fourth-quarter field goal. But the Giants don't get into position to win without the second and third effort from that scrappy little receiver, says Jarrett Bell, football writer for USA Today. Getty Images

33. Chuck Secures the Championship Led by coach Vince Lombardi, the Green Bay Packers enter the 1960 NFL Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles feeling confident. Even though the game is being played in Philly, the Birds are massive underdogs, and soon find themselves trailing the Pack. Although Green Bay dominates the game statistically, the Eagles fight back, and take a slim, 17-13 lead with just a few minutes remaining. The Packers drive down the field, but are out of timeouts when running back Jim Taylor breaks into the open. With just half a minute to play, Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik is the only man between Taylor and the end zone. Bednarik, however, is up to the task, and wraps up the shifty running back at the 10-yard line. This day belonged to Bednarik, says Jim Gigglioti, football historian and author of The Official Treasures of the National Football League. He played the entire game on both offense and defense, a feat unheard of in the modern-day NFL. Yes, Green Bay goes on to win multiple titles during the 60s, but Bednariks tackle saves the Eagles their championship. Getty Images

32. The Hit Heard 'Round the World When the Bills Mike Stratton crushes Chargers halfback Keith Lincoln as he attempts to catch a pass in the left flat, it not only causes an easy incompletion, but also completely changes the momentum of the 1964 AFL Championship. Leading and on their second possession of the game, the defending AFL champion Chargers seem in control until Stratton perfectly times his hit on Lincoln, drives his right shoulder into his ribs, and sends his helpless opponent to the frozen turf beneath them. Lincoln, who is one of the top offensive threats for the Chargers, cracks three ribs, and the Bills hold on to the momentum and score 20 unanswered points. It was a definite game-changer that propelled the Bills to their first of two straight AFL titles, says Ken Crippen, executive director of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/best-nfl-stadiums" id="0f693bcc-e422-3c08-ad06-2717b56d0023"> The Best NFL Stadiums </a> Getty Images

31. The Catch and Lateral In the 1933 offseason, the NFL had separated into two divisions, and now the winners of each are facing off against each other in the leagues first championship game. At Chicagos Wrigley Field, the Bears and the Giants battle back and forth in a contest that sees several lead changes and more than its fair share of fireworks, but its the final trick play that decides the outcome. Thinking on his feet, Chicago fullback Bronko Nagurski fakes a run and tosses a jump pass to Bill Hewitt for 14 yards, who then laterals to Bill Karr, who then runs 19 yards for the winning touchdown in the Bears 23-21 triumph. Plays were improvised a lot more back then, says football historian Jim Gigglitoi. No kidding. Getty Images

30. Broadway Joe Airs One Out Joe Namath is still a week away from making his famous Super Bowl guarantee when he faces a tough Raiders team in the 1968 AFL Championship. The Jets control most of the game, but an errant Namath pass is intercepted and leads to an Oakland touchdown and lead in the fourth quarter. Down by four points, Namath and wide receiver Don Maynard decide that if Oaklands George Atkinson moves up to play bump-and-run, the Jets will take a chance deep. And thats exactly what the defensive back does. As Namaths pass sails through the air, Maynard hustles to get under it and makes an over-the-shoulder, Willie Mays-style catch down at the 6-yard-line. The tandem hooks up again seconds later and gives the Jets their only AFL title. ESPN anchor and host of Sunday NFL Countdown Chris Berman recalls, That play put the Jets in the Super Bowl.

29. Cromartie's Record Return With four seconds remaining in the first half of their 2007 regular-season matchup, the Chargers and Vikings are deadlocked at 7. With the ball resting at the San Diego 41, Vikings coach Brad Childress elects to send out kicker Ryan Longwell to attempt a 58-yard field goal. San Diego counters by positioning electrifying cornerback Antonio Cromartie in its end zone in hopes that Longwells kick will fall short. And guess what? The strategy pays off when the field-goal try dips below the uprights and into the hands of a leaping Cromartie, who has to brace himself to avoid falling out the back of the end zone. But rather than kneel down, Cromartie takes the ball out. He streaks down the sideline with a convoy of blockers, and high-steps into the end zone for the score. The Vikings went on to win this game, but Cromarties return at the end of the first half was the memorable moment, says Jim Gigglioti. At 109 yards, its the longest play of any kind in NFL history, and a mark guaranteed never to be broken.

28. Run, Riggins, Run With time running out on the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII, Washington faces a fourth-and-1 against a stout Miami defense. The Dolphins lead, 17-13, and the ball sits at Miamis 42-yard line as the Redskins prepare to go for the first down. After a nerve-wrenching timeout, quarterback Joe Theisman hands the ball to running back John Riggins, and the offensive and defensive lines converge. Riggins dashes toward the left side of the line and the first-down marker, breaks through the tackle of a Miami defender, and outruns the rest of the defense on his way to the end zone. It was a play that captured the essence of the great Joe Gibbs teams, says Ray Didinger, award-winning sportswriter and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, speaking about Washingtons coach. On fourth down, the Skins ran their Hall of Fame back off the left side behind the Hogstheir mighty o-line. Riggins broke one tackle and took it the distance. The Redskins go on to win the game, 27-17.

27. The Rookie Arrives Although Don Hutson will go on to catch an NFL-record 99 touchdown passes and will come to be known as the first modern NFL receiver, no one in Green Bay quite knows what to expect when the rookie from Alabama first takes the field in 1935. The Packers are facing the Chicago Bears as Hutson splits out wide, standing on his own 17-yard line. As the ball is snapped, Hutson streaks down the field, blowing past the Bears secondary. After hauling in a pass from QB Arnie Herber, Hutson blazes downfield for the only score of the game. Green Bay purposely kept its prized rookie under wraps in the first game of 1935, saving him for the rival Bears the next week, says Jim Gigglioti. On the first play against Chicago, Hutson announced his arrival as the NFLs premier offensive threat. With Hutsons catch, the dawn of the passing era begins, and pro football will never be the same.

26. The Miracle at the New Meadowlands Down 31-10 to the New York Giants in the fourth quarter of a crucial December 2010 division matchup, the Philadelphia Eagles look lifeless, as if their hopes of winning the gameand the NFC Easthave long vanished. But in a remarkable 8-minute stretch, beleaguered quarterback Michael Vick plays like a man possessed, leading his Birds all the way back by passing for two quick scores and running for another. The Giants are unable to answer the three touchdowns, and as a result, are prepared to take the game into overtime with 14 seconds left on the clock. All rookie punter Matt Dodge has to do is punt the ball out of bounds, and the game will end in regulation. Everybody knew that, says Ken Crippen, executive director of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Except for Dodge, who fails to heed the message. On a high snap, Dodge kicks a line-drive punt directly to electrifying Eagles return-man DeSean Jackson, who grabs the ball at his own 35, and immediately muffs the catch. But Jackson quickly snatches it up and proceeds to zip up the field thanks to a devastating block by receiver Jason Avant. As time expires on the clock, Jackson scurries into the end zone untouched. The only game-ending punt return in NFL history caps an astonishing comeback, shocks an entire New Meadowlands stadium, propels the Eagles to the unlikeliest of division titles, and sends Dodge to the unemployment line in the offseason. It just goes to show that you need to play a full 60 minutes of football, Crippen says.

25. The Ghost to the Post Its third-and-long for the Raiders on their 44-yard line, trailing the Colts by a field goal with two minutes to play in the 1977 AFC playoffs. Oakland offensive coordinator Tom Flores calls a pass play, but instructs his quarterback to take a peek at the Ghost to the post. Big tight end Dave The Ghost Casper lines up on the right side, set to run a post route downfield to the left upright. Seeing that Baltimores coverage scheme will prevent Casper from reaching the left post as intended, Oakland quarterback Ken Stabler lofts the ball toward the right side of the end zone. Casperwho has already notched two touchdown catches in the gamefinds the ball mid-air and adjusts his route and makes a twisting basket catch over his head while splitting two defenders. His impressive catch sets up Oaklands game-tying field goal, pushing the game into overtime. Stabler and Casper will again connect for the game-winning touchdown, advancing past Baltimore, 37-31. This was one of the most exciting NFL postseason games ever, says Jim Gigglioti.

24. The Clock Play The Dolphins, trailing the Jets, 24-6, with just a few minutes left in the third quarter of their 1994 regular-season meeting, are desperately trying to play catch-up. And with Dan Marino at the helm of the Miami offense, both teams know anything is possible. Already renowned for his fourth-quarter comebacks, Marino throws two touchdown passes to bring the Dolphins within three points of the reeling Jets. With just 30 seconds remaining in the game and the clock ticking, the ball rests on the Jets 8-yard line. Marino rushes to the line of scrimmage, and motions that hes going to spike the ball to stop the clock. Instead, he takes the snap and zips a pass toward a streaking Mark Ingram, who catches the ball in the front corner of the end zone ahead of a befuddled Jets defender. No one had ever attempted that, says Herm Edwards, ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL head coach, of Marinos fake spike. It caught the defense off-guard because it was totally unexpected.

23. A Sea of Hands The score between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders has seesawed back and forth throughout most of their 1974 AFC playoff game. And now, with just two minutes to play, Miami leads, 26-21. Oakland quarterback Ken Stabler knows his team has just one more shot to win the game and, after leading the Raiders down the field, the ball sits 8 yards from the end zone with just 35 seconds to play. On first and goal, Stabler rolls left, but is tripped up by a Dolphin defender. As he falls to the turf, the Raiders quarterback floats a prayer toward wide receiver Clarence Davis, who is surrounded by Miami defenders in the end zone. As Davis leaps for the ball, so do two Dolphins. All three players get their hands on the ball, but its Davis who manages to wrestle it away for the winning score. It was a miracle that Clarence Davis was able to make that catch surrounded by opposing players, says Ken Crippen, executive director of the Professional Football Researchers Association.

22. The Catch II On January 3, 1998, the 49ers trail, 27-23, to the Packers, a team that has beaten them three straight times in the playoffs. Winning is a tall task, especially since the Niners must go 76 yards with less than two minutes in the game. After driving to the Packers 25-yard line with only 8 seconds remaining, quarterback Steve Young croses up the Pack. Instead of throwing to all-time great Jerry Rice, he looks for his young receiver, Terrell Owens. Young stumbles out of the pocket, recovers, and somehow finds Owens between several Green Bay defenders for the winning score. It was a seemingly impossible catch-and-throw that threaded the needle between a trio of Packers defenders, says Jim Gigglioti. In San Francisco, they immediately began calling it The Catch II, he says.

21. Wide Right Scott Norwood is sometimes compared to baseballs Bill Buckner. Both are blamed for costing their teams a championship. And while Buckners was the more egregiousthe ball went through his legsNorwoods was never redeemed, as it marked the start of the Bills four-year run of Super Bowl defeats. With just eight seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXV and the Bills trailing the Giants, 20-19, Buffalo head coach Marv Levy sends Norwood out to kick a 47-yard field goal. Norwood had been 1-for-5 from 40-plus yards on natural grass that season. So while it shouldnt be a major shock that Norwood pushes the ball wide right, he goes into history as the goat. The Bills will never get closer to victory in any of their following three Super Bowls. One kick left a legacy for so many men, says ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. But if that kick had just been slightly more accurate, the Bills would be discussed as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/health/sports-fan-stress" id="1d2f30e7-3232-32a7-aca3-6ce3f3410091"> Why Your Favorite Sports Team Is Slowly Killing You </a>

20. Payton's Crazy Call As the second half of Super Bowl XLVI is about to get under way, the New Orleans Saints trail the Indianapolis Colts, 10-6. Most think Indianapolis is destined to win its second Super Bowl in four years, and Pro Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning is ready to lead his offense back onto the field. New Orleans lines up in a normal kickoff formation, but coach Sean Payton has trickery on his mind. The Saints successfully execute an onsides kick that catches the Colts completely off guard. The Saints go on to score on that drive, and eventually win the game, 31-17. Its the gutsiest call in Super Bowl history, says former NFL head coach and ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden. No one possibly expected them to do an onside kick to start the second half of the Super Bowl in a tight game. No way. The idea of doing that sounds good when youre joking around with your buddies, but you just dont do that.

19. Dempsey Goes the Distance With just two seconds left on the clock, the New Orleans Saints trail the Detroit Lions, 17-16, in front of a packed crowd at the Big Easys Tulane Stadium in 1970. The Saints call on their placekicker, Tom Dempsey, to win the game with what will be the longest completed field goal in NFL history63 yards. Dempsey is notorious for his clubbed kicking foota birth deformity that some say is an unfair advantage. But Dempsey has never attempted a field goal of this length. The current record for the longest kick is 56 yards, but the tension in the air is palpable, as both teams and their fans know Dempsey is capable of miraculous things. As he steps forward and strikes the pigskin, everyone can tell Dempseys kick has a shot. The ball spins end over end, and clears the goal post by mere inches. One referee jumps in the air as he signals that the record-smashing kick is good. Though Dempseys record distance will be matched in the future, the Saints kicker is the first to reach the mark, and hes the only one to do it with half a kicking foot, says Jim Buckley, editor of NFL Magazine.

18. The Drive and John Elway With just 5:02 left to play in the 1987 AFC Championship Game, the Denver Broncos trail the Cleveland Browns, 20-13. A young quarterback named John Elway is at the helm of the Denver offense, and is hoping to somehow drive his team 98 yards for the tying score. Mixing in short passes, runs, and mid-range throws, Elway methodically marches the Broncos down the field, overcoming an 8-yard sack as he battles the dwindling game clock. With just 39 seconds left to play, Elway hits Mark Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown pass, capping what is now referred to as The Drive. Its what everyone thinks of now when they think of Elway, says Ray Didinger, award-winning sportswriter and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Broncos kick a field goal to win in overtime, and Elway cements his reputation as one of the games all-time clutch performers.

17. Elway's Dive As legendary as he is for his otherworldly stats and clutch play in big games, Broncos quarterback John Elway has a chorus of doubters in 1997. Why? Because hes walked away from the three Super Bowls hes played in without a ring. With Denver facing dominant Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII, the 37-year-old Elway is on his last legsbut hes still got some fight left in him. Late in the third quarter of the game, with the score tied up at 17, Elway makes one of the gutsiest plays ever by a quarterback. On third-and-6, Elway drops back and scans the field for an open receiver. None in sight, he takes off for the first by himself. While 99 percent of NFL quarterbacksespecially ones in the twilight of their careermight slide in the situation, Elway knows that the only way hell get the first down is to dive. And he doesheadfirstwhile the three Green Bay defenders that hit him simultaneously spin him like a top. Denver goes on to score a touchdown and, later, win the game. John Elways spinning helicopter play in the Super Bowl exorcized all those demons of the past that he wasnt able to win it all, says Jon Gruden. The reckless, gotta-have-it desire to be a champion put an exclamation point on Elways Hall-of-Fame career. Related: <a href="http://www.theanarchyworkout.com/theanarchyworkout/index?cid=web_mh.com_text_047340&amp;keycode=251833" id="1e436a35-3acd-3872-a73d-ace888aff6a0"> The Anarchy WorkoutGet In the Best Shape of Your Life Starting TODAY! </a>

16. Leon's Big Bowl Blunder Far behind the Dallas Cowboys, 52-17, late in Super Bowl XXVII, the Buffalo Bills know their chances of victory are nill. But in an attempt to make the final score less onesided, the Bills elect to go for it on fourth-and-6 from the Cowboys 30-yard line. After avoiding a few defenders, Buffalo quarterback Frank Reich is stripped on the play, and Dallass Pro Bowl defensive tackle Leon Lett scoops up the ball and rumbles toward the Buffalo end zone. It appears that Lett will score easily, but just before he crosses the goal line, the Cowboy defenseman begins to dance and point toward the crowd. The showboating and poor sportsmanship allows Bills wide receiver Don Beebe enough time to catch Lett and knock the ball away. The football rolls out of bounds in the end zone, resulting in a touchback for Buffalo on the 20-yard line. For Beebe, its an amazing example of an athlete never giving up, no matter what the odds or the score, says Jim Buckley, editor of NFL Magazine. For Lett, its one of the most memorable blunders in Super Bowl history.

15. Harrison Runs Home With just 17 seconds left in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals are on the doorstep of the Pittsburgh Steelers end zone. The score is 10-7 in favor of the Steelers, and its first-and-goal from the 2-yard line as quarterback Kurt Warner takes the snap from a shotgun formation. He tries to hit wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald on a slant route in the end zone, but fearsome Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison steps in front of Fitzgerald and intercepts the pass. With a convoy of blockers, Harrison starts bounding down the sideline toward Arizonas end zone. Although Warner, Fitzgerald, and a handful of other Cardinals have a good shot at tackling the 242-pound Harrison, he manages to slip, bull, and juke his way past all of them and into the end zone as the half expires. It was the longest interception runback in Super Bowl historyand by a linebacker at that, recalls Jarrett Bell, football writer for USA Today. Sometimes, I think Harrison is still running.

14. Swann's Super Catch By the time the Steelers defeat the Cowboys in Super Bowl X, Lynn Swanns MVP trophy is all but inevitable. The receiver hauls in four balls for 161 yardsincluding one that will resonate more than four decades later. Late in the second quarter from Pittsburghs own 10, quarterback Terry Bradshaw hurls a 53-yard pass to Swann down the middle of the field. Swann dives, juggles, and hauls in the pass while falling down with Cowboys cornerback Mark Washington holding on to him. Even though the acrobatic grab ultimately has little to do with the outcome of Super Bowl X (the Steelers miss the ensuing field-goal try), it still shines as the best example of Swanns dazzling athleticism. Theres not another player from my childhood that was replayed and imitated more in backyard football games, says Adam Schefter, an ESPN reporter on the NFL. How many times was I or one of my childhood buddies diving for a football, juggling it and trying to pull it down the way Lynn Swann did?

13. Vinatieri's Clutch Kick In the final game at New Englands Foxboro Stadium, in a crucial AFC playoff matchup, all hope seems lost for the home team. It appears that Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson has forced a Tom Brady fumble to seal an Oakland victory. But after much deliberation, officials cite the obscure Tuck Rule and determine that Brady didnt fumble after all, but instead threw an incomplete pass. The Pats subsequently drive into field-goal range with new life, and with less than a minute remaining in regulation, kicker Adam Vinatieri knocks home a 45-yard field goal on the snow- and ice-covered ground to tie the game, 13-13. The Patriots win in overtime, and ultimately win the Super Bowl. Nobody has ever kicked a longer field goal in such miserable conditions, says Adam Schefter. Adds his colleague Chris Berman: Its the single greatest kick in the history of football. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/tom-bradys-crazy-diet" id="21f6b925-985a-3556-aa2d-ba1127e60ef8"> Why Tom Bradys Diet Is Absurd </a>

12. The Ice Bowl Sneak Its just a 1-yard touchdown. Nothing special. A wedge run to the right with a quarterback keeper. An absolutely ordinary play. But on this day, on this field, it becomes a play that defines an entire organization. Its the 1967 NFL Championship Game at Lambeau Field to determine who will face the AFL champ in Super Bowl II. In a game that will come to be called the Ice Bowl, the Packers and Cowboys battle each other and the elements to decide a winner. The thermometer reads 15 degrees below zero and the field is a frozen, slippery mess, but neither team backs down. In a truly epic struggle, both teams battle back and forth until the game comes down to the Packers final drive. Green Bay successfully moves the ball all the way down to the Dallas 1-yard line and is promptly stuffed on two consecutive runs. Facing third-and-goal, Packers quarterback Bart Starr calls his own number and follows his center and right guard into the end zoneand the record books. Starrs run in the Ice Bowl ended an era, says Chris Berman, ESPN anchor and host of Sunday NFL Countdown. Yes, the Packers won the Super Bowl two weeks later, but it was the end of the Lombardi era. It punctuated everything they had done and stood for, and it was their fifth championship in seven years. That one-yard run was just so momentous because the next year Lombardi wasnt there and the old guys were gone, and that was their last gasp. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/nfl-coach-quotes" id="29c90a68-d9d0-327a-a2a4-f473fa214739"> The 20 Best Nuggets of Wisdom from NFL Coaches </a>

11. The Holy Roller Since 1968, the Oakland Raiders havent lost to their divisional foe, the San Diego Chargers. But after finally breaking the streak in their second meeting of the 1977 season, the Chargers seem ready to start their own win streak as they lead the Raiders, 20-14, with just 10 seconds left on the clock during their first meeting of the 78 season. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler appears to have no options as several Charger defenders swarm him. But Stabler fumbles the football forward and out of immediate danger. Another Raider manages to reach the ball first, and as the Chargers wrap him up, he too fumbles the football farther up the field . . . where a third Raider, Dave Casper, falls onto it in the end zone. Oakland wins the game following its successful extra-point attempt. That play changed the way the game was officiated because you were no longer allowed to advance the ball to your own teammate on a fumble, says former NFL head coach Jon Gruden.

10. Big Ben's Last-Ditch Dagger It seems like the Cardinals night has finally arrived. One of only a handful of NFL franchises without a Super Bowl title, the 9-7 squad rides the Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald wave all the way to a 23-20 lead with barely more than two minutes left in Super Bowl XLIII. But Ben Roethlisberger is not to be denied. The Steelers quarterback moves his team 72 yards down the field with relative ease before connecting with the evenings hottest receiver, Santonio Holmes. Holmes makes the touchdown grab on his tiptoes in the very back corner of Pittsburghs end zone, somehow landing both feet in bounds. After a booth review, the call standsand one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever comes to a dramatic conclusion. That was Ben Roethlisberger at his best. He made two or three insane scramble plays to put the Steelers in range. Then he stuck the dagger in em, says Jon Gruden.

9. The Tuck Rule On a snowy winter night in Foxborough, Massachusetts, referee Walt Coleman issues perhaps the most famous (or infamous) declaration of an incomplete pass in NFL history. With less than two minutes remaining in the 2002 AFC Divisional Championship Game, Oakland holds a 13-10 lead over New England. The Raiders seemingly seal their victory after hard-hitting cornerback Charles Woodson sacks Pats quarterback Tom Brady, causing a fumble that Oakland recovers. But Coleman reviews the play and determines that Bradys arm was moving forward into a tuck, which technically constitutes an incomplete pass. The reversed call propels New Englands dynasty, whicha decade, four conference championships, and three Super Bowl championships latercontinues today. Without it, the Raiders very well might have another Super Bowl title and the Patriots might not have launched the run that resulted in three Super Bowls, says Adam Schefter, the NFL Insider for ESPN.

8. The Hail Mary Trailing with next-to-no time left, Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach must save the Cowboys 1975 season in a divisional round playoff game against the Vikings. So he turns to a higher power: Staubach throws the ball up in desperation toward his go-to receiver, Drew Pearson. Knocked to the ground, the quarterback cant see Pearson haul in the catch for a miraculous, game-winning touchdown. But his postgame reaction says it all: I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary, he tells reporters. With his holy admission, he coins a term that's now synonymous with big-time plays. Staubach introduced Hail Mary pass to the American lexicon, says Ray Didinger, an award-winning sportswriter and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

7. One Yard Short With six seconds left on the clock in Super Bowl XXXIV, the Tennessee Titans have called their final timeout. The ball rests at the St. Louis Rams 10-yard line. The Rams lead, 23-16, and Titans coach Jeff Fisher knows his team likely has only one shot at tying the game. A couple of yards separated the Rams and Titans from a world title, recounts Adam Schefter. Hoping to lure the St. Louis defenders away from wide receiver Kevin Dyson, Tennessee sends tight end Frank Wycheck sprinting toward the back of the end zone. The ploy seems to work, and Titans quarterback Steve McNair hits a wide-open Dyson at the 5-yard line. But, as Dyson makes the catch, Rams linebacker Mike Jones dashes up to hit Dyson near the 2-yard line. Dyson and Jones fall together while the wide receiver extends his right armand the footballtoward the goal line. The ball is less than a yard short as Dysons body hits the turf, and the clockand the Titans title hopesrun out. Its the single-most exciting last play of any Super Bowl, Schefter says.

6. The Miracle at the Meadowlands Two-thirds of the way into the 1978 season, the Eagles head to Giants Stadium at New Jerseys Meadowlands Sports Complex to face their archrivals in an important division matchup. The Giants take control of the game early on the strength of two touchdown passes by quarterback Joe Pisarcik. One of those passes burns Eagles cornerback Herm Edwards. The Eagles rally, but trail, 17-12, with less than a minute to go in the game. With Philly out of timeouts, the Giants need simply to run out the clock. As the TV audience at home watches the credits roll over the screen, Pisarcik takes the snap and botches a handoff to fullback Larry Csonka. The ball hits the turf and Edwards picks it up on one hop at the Giant 27 and hustles all the way into the end zone with the game-winning score. Says Edwards, now an ESPN NFL analyst: That was nothing that you could ever draw up. When opportunity knocks, you better be ready. That time it just happened to be me, so I scooped up the ball and ran with it.

5. The Horse Rides Home The Baltimore Colts and New York Giants are in an epic struggle for the NFL Championship at Yankee Stadium in 1958. After trailing for most of the game, the Giants go up by three points early in the fourth quarter. New York is able to keep Baltimore from scoring on its next two drives, and with just over two minutes to go, the G-Men need just one more first down to secure a victory. But Frank Giffords run is short and the Colts get the ball back, setting up a miraculous game-tying drive by Johnny Unitas. What follows is the first sudden-death overtime game in pro football playoff history. The Giants win the toss and get the ball, but the Colts hold them. Unitas and company pick up where they left off in regulation, picking apart New Yorks defense. Facing a third-and-goal from the 1, Colts running back Alan The Horse Ameche gallops into the end zone for the win. The thrilling finish earns the match the title of The Greatest Game Ever Played, and for good reason: Ameches run put pro football on the map, says ESPNs Chris Berman. The game was never the same after that. It was on its way to becoming Americas most popular sport.

4. The Music City Miracle The first game of the 1999 playoffs sends the fifth-seeded Bills to Nashville to face the No. 4 Titans. Buffalo is completely outplayed in the first half, netting a paltry 20 yards of offense. But Buffalo rights itself in the second half and, thanks to a Steve Christie 41-yard field goal with 16 seconds to play, appears poised to sneak out of Music City with a 16-15 victory. Good downfield coverage on Christies ensuing kickoff will practically guarantee a winbut there are no guarantees in sports. The kick is caught at the 25-yard line by Titans fullback Lorenzo Neal, who passes it off to tight end Frank Wychek. Wychek scampers to his right for a few steps before surprising everyone by planting his front foot and turning to throw the ball back across the field to wide receiver Kevin Dyson. The throw is low, but Dyson scoops it up and rumbles down the sideline for the improbable game-winning touchdown. Many thought the throw from Wychek was an illegal forward pass, but referee Phil Luckett decides there isnt enough evidence in the replay to overturn the ruling on the field. The rest is history. Ive seen that play attempted 1,000 times since, and it always ends up in futility. It may be one of the greatest executions of a desperation return in NFL history, says Jon Gruden.

3. The Flee to Tyree The 2007-2008 New England Patriots are perfect. After playing 18 games in 150 days, they have won them all. All thats left between them and the undisputed title as greatest team in NFL history is quarterback Eli Manning and the New York Giants, in Super Bowl XLII. Unfortunately for New England, David Tyrees helmet isnt ready to anoint the team just yet. Down 14-10 with 1:15 left in the game, the Giants have a crucial third-and-5 from their 44-yard line. Manning takes the snap, and the Patriots pass rush is on him immediately. But Manning spins through and shirks off the tacklers, finding just enough time to chuck it up for Tyree, who is waiting 32 yards down the field. A career special teamer, Tyree has caught just four passes all season. That doesnt matter now, though, when he leaps for Mannings ball alongside Patriots defender Rodney Harrison. Tyree comes down with the ball, pinned improbably against his helmet, to keep the drive alive. The rest is history: The Giants comeback culminates with a touchdown, and the Pats finish the season an imperfect 18-1all thanks to Tyrees classic catch. It was a remarkable example of determined resilience, says Jarrett Bell, football writer for USA Today. ESPNs Adam Schefter calls it the greatest catch Ive ever seen. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/eli-manning-vs-the-haters" id="55138a47-26fe-3705-a011-6b6475256fff"> Eli Manning vs. The Haters </a>

2. The Immaculate Reception Trailing the Oakland Raiders, 7-6, with 22 seconds left in the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff game, the hometown Pittsburgh Steelers face fourth-and-10. Flushed from the pocket, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw heaves a pass downfield toward John Fuqua. But intimidating Raiders safety Jack Tatum meets Fuqua as the ball arrives, popping the pigskin out of his hands. While Oakland celebrates, Steelers rookie running back Franco Harris trails the play. At the Raiders 42-yard-line, he grasps the ball off his shoesto some eyes, off the groundand rumbles down the left sideline untouched for a score. The Immaculate Reception, as the play will soon be called, will go on to be viewed more than the Zapruder film, thanks to pressing doubts about whether or not Harris actually catches the ball cleanly. But make no mistake: The stunning grab kick-starts a Steelers dynasty. Harris catch is probably the greatest play in the history of pro football, says ESPN's Chris Berman. The Steelers didnt win the Super Bowl that year, but that was their first playoff win. This game put them on the map for four Super Bowls in six years. It was the start of something great in Pittsburgh for a franchise that had been horrible.

1. The Catch The drive that will lead to arguably the most memorable NFL play ever begins on San Franciscos own 11-yard line. Down 27-21 at home in the 1981 NFC Championship Game, the 49ers, led by coach Bill Walsh and a young quarterback named Joe Montana, hope to turn the page on more than a decade of futility. Wedged in between the Niners and sweet victory, however, are 89 yards of grassand the vaunted Dallas Cowboys, a.k.a. Americas Team. The 49ers march methodically down the field, and stand huddling while the ball rests on the Dallas 6. Its third down and 3 yards for a first down. The play call? Sprint right option, remembers former NFL head coach and ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden. Freddie Solomons covered and Dwight Clarks working the end line. Joe Montana rolls right and makes one of the most clutch plays in NFL history. As Ed Too Tall Jones, the Cowboys 6-foot-9 defensive end, closes in on Montana, the quarterback pump-fakes, then sends the football sailing toward the back of the end zone. The ball seems destined to end up in the bleachers, until the fingertips of Clark miraculously rise from a mass of defenders, securing the ball and a stunning San Fran victory. The Niners squad rolls on to win that years Super Bowl and three more championships in the decade. The Catch was the turning point that created a dynasty, says Jarrett Bell, football writer for USA Today.

The Best NFL Moments Ever

Cable Face Pull The bench press is one of our favorite exercises. Doing too many, however, can cause a strength imbalance, favoring your front over your back. Over time, you start to look more like a caveman than a strongman. But there are more ways to work your back than just rows. The face pull defines the muscles in your upper back, helping improve your posture and strength, says Gene Rychlak, a record-setting powerlifter. DO IT: Attach a rope to the high pulley of a cable station and grab an end with each hand. Back a few steps away until your arms are extended in front of you. Pull the middle of the rope toward your face. Pause, and reverse the movement back to the starting position. Beth Bischoff

Kettlebell Single-Arm Press Why use a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell for this movement? The shape and weight distribution of the bell pulls your shoulder into a position that increases mobility and muscle recruitment, says Pavel Tsatsouline, chairman of StrongFirst.com and the author of Kettlebell Simple &amp; Sinister. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/ultimate-kettlebell-workout" id="aa47f790-15bf-3493-a409-082291e7e69c"> The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout </a> DO IT: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a kettlebell in front of your shoulder with your palm in, elbow tucked, and the weight resting on the top of your forearm. Press it straight up, rotating your arm so your palm faces forward. Do equal reps on both arms. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/10-secrets-perfect-kettlebell-swing" id="0d59e23f-86d1-306a-a3f9-1b04bcaa5018"> 10 Secrets to the Perfect Kettlebell Swing </a> Mitch Mandel

Dumbbell Push Press We love this exercise. The reason: You can load it up with a low risk of injury. Whats more, its explosive. That means you target your fast twitch muscle fibers, which are the ones with the most potential for growth. DO IT: Stand holding a pair of dumbbells just outside of your shoulders with your arms bent and palms facing each other. Set your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent. Dip your knees, then explosively push up with your legs as you press the weights straight over your shoulders. Lower the dumbbells back to the start and repeat. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/how-get-early" id="408bf2c1-9217-3b67-a5e4-897f947e08f0"> 5 Guys Who Wake Up at 4 a.m. to Work Out Tell You How They Do It </a> Beth Bischoff

Scaption and Shrug While the "scaption" portion of the exercise targets your front deltoids, rotator cuff, and serratus anterior, the shrug attacks your upper traps. This provides a complete exercise for making your shoulders strong and healthy. (For your next workout, throw on the moisture-wicking <a href="http://shop.menshealth.com/men%27s-health-logo-tee/E004786.html?utm_source=Mhsite&amp;utm_medium=iafl&amp;utm_content=text" id="255f7602-95ed-3fb2-a7f6-bf398f43a859"> Mens Health logo t-shirt </a> . Its guaranteed to be as soft as your favorite washed-a-million-times teeright out of the package.) DO IT: Stand holding a pair of dumbbells with your feet shoulder-width apart. Let the dumbbells hang at arm's length next to your sides, your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Without changing the bend in your elbows, raise your arms at a 30-degree angle to your body until theyre at shoulder level. At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulders up toward your ears. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Beth Bischoff

Cable Pulley Reverse Fly This exercise shores up the commonly weak areas of your shoulderslike your rear deltoids and rotator cuffso you'll dodge shoulder pain and boost gains in every upper-body lift. DO IT: Stand in a cable station with the pulley on its lowest setting. Cross your arms in front of you, and grab a handle from each low pulley. Bend forward at the waist until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your arms beneath your shoulders. Pull your shoulder blades back, and then raise your arms out to your sides until theyre parallel to the floor. Lower and repeat. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/3-fat-burning-tips" id="979cc40d-bd7a-38d9-afcc-43993abb61f5"> 3 Tips That Will Help You Burn More Fat during Your Workout </a> Beth Bischoff

TRX I, Y, T This exercise leaves no shoulder muscle untouched. The three different motions hit the shoulder from the front, middle, and rear, says Todd Durkin, owner of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, California. That strengthens the muscles and makes the entire joint more resilient to injury. DO IT: Anchor a TRX so that the handles hang about waist height. Facing the TRX, place your feet under the anchor point and grab a handle in each hand with your palms facing away from you. Keeping your body straight, slowly lean back until the straps are taut. Your arms should be straight and your hands should be at shoulder level. Maintaining an even tension on the TRX at all times, raise the handles overhead so that your body forms an I from hands to feet. Draw your shoulder blades down so you dont shrug your shoulders. The angle of your body to the floor should decrease. (If this is too difficult, take a step back with one foot to boost your base of support.) Pause, and then lower. Repeat, but raise your arms so theyre at a 30-degree angle to your body (forming a Y) this time. Pause, and then lower. Repeat again, but raise your arms so theyre at a 90-degree angle to your body (forming a T). Pause, and then lower. Nicholas Grieves

Handstand Hold The handstand hold builds and extreme amount of upper-body strength and stamina. (Plus, it makes you look like a complete badass once you master it.) The hold places a significant load on your shoulders and forces your muscles to stabilize for long lengths of time, says BJ Gaddour, Mens Health Fitness Director and creator of <a href="http://www.21daymetashred.com/21daymetashred/index?keycode=256350&amp;utm_source=MH&amp;utm_medium=Textlink?utm_source=MH&amp;utm_medium=Textlink" id="a9a53128-dc85-3af4-ae5d-fd083277df67"> THE 21-DAY METASHREDan At-Home Body-Shredding Program From Mens Health That Strips Away Fat and Reveals Hard Muscle. </a> DO IT: Place your hands on the floor about a foot away from a wall. Keeping your arms straight, kick your feet overhead until they touch the wall. Allow your heels to lightly rest against the wall so you can stay in the handstand position. Lock out your arms. Hold this position as long as possible. Beth Bischoff

Half-Kneeling Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press "Pressing the kettlebell bottoms up makes the movement less stable, increasing the difficulty," says Gaddour. Thats because the weight wants to tip from one side to the other. Keeping it steady enough to press it overhead takes immense grip strength and shoulder stability, he explains. DO IT: Kneel with your left knee forward and bent 90 degrees. Hold a kettlebell just outside your shoulder in the bottoms-up rack position at your shoulder. (The handle should point toward the floor and the bell should point toward the ceiling.) Squeeze the handle, and then press the bell overhead until your arm is straight. Keep your biceps next to your ear and your shoulder pulled down. Pause, and then reverse the movement. Nicholas Grieves

Seated Dumbbell External Rotation If you love to bench, you need this exercise. It strengthens your rotator cuff muscles, the small stabilizing muscles that play big roles during presses and pushups. DO IT: Grab a dumbbell in your left hand and sit on a bench. Place your left foot on the bench with your knee bent. Flex your left elbow 90 degrees and place it on top of your left knee. Dont bend your wrist. Now rotate the dumbbell down so your forearm is parallel to the floor. Pause, then return to the starting position. Beth Bischoff

Inverted Shoulder Press This move is actually a pushup variationwhich means you perform it anywhere, anytime. But instead of your pecs doing most of the pushing, this position shifts the workload onto your shoulders. Related: <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/24-pushups-you-need-try" id="eb482949-20ad-3877-a780-651892d7d758"> 24 Pushups You Need to Try </a> DO IT: Begin in a traditional pushup position, but move your feet forward and raise your hips so your body forms an inverted V. Keeping your hips elevated, bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor. Pause, and then reverse the movement. Bring your feet closer to your hands if you want to increase the difficulty for your shoulders. Beth Bischoff

Barbell Overhead Shrug Holding the weight above your head as you shrug works your upper traps. This position also reduces the emphasis on your levator scapulae, which are often overworked. For many guys, this can lead to better posture, since these muscles are often imbalanced. DO IT: Hold a barbell above your head with an underhand grip thats about twice shoulder width. Your arms should be completely straight. Shrug your shoulders as high as you can. Pause, then reverse the movement back to the starting position. Beth Bischoff

Incline Bench Press When you do a conventional bench press, the brunt of the work falls on your pecs. But when your torso is tilted upward on an angle, the work is redistributed to the muscles in the front of your shoulders, says David Jack, a Mens Health fitness advisor. DO IT: Set an adjustable bench to a 25-to-30 degree incline. Lie faceup on the bench and hold the dumbbells above your shoulders with your arms straight. Lower the dumbbells to your chest. Pause, then press the weights back up to the starting position. Beth Bischoff

15 Exercises To Build Boulder Shoulders

The biceps take up a ton of prime real estate on the front of your arm, and they're probably the easiest part of your body to show off no matter the situation or <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19535894/8-muscles-women-love/" id="04dafe6c-a3cf-32fe-a8ba-fc315be8659f"> who you're trying to impress </a> . Whether you rock a dress shirt or a tank top, a strong set of guns are sure to make waves.

To help you hone those arms, we created this list of 30 go-to moves to work your biceps. Some of these are classics; some are new. Some are a grind; some are fun. Some hit the long head of the muscle; some focus on the short head.

Pick the ones you like (and maybe some that you dont), and use them to pump up your arms - and fill out your sleeves.

Build Your Biceps With This Badass Arm Plan

This is as basic as it gets. You've probably heard serious lifters carrying on about oblivious meatheads taking up space in squat racks to do bicep curls, so be mindful when and where you load up a barbell - but that shouldn't be an excuse to skip out on the move entirely. Barbells allow you to work both arms simultaneously and evenly, and the position of your grip can allow you to home in on different parts of the muscle.

How to do it: Grab the barbell with an underhand grip, with your your hands positioned about as wide as your hips. To emphasize the inner portion of the bicep, take a wider grip; to target the outer part of the muscle, bring your hands closer together. Start holding the bar at hip height, then squeeze your core and contract your biceps to curl the bar up to shoulder height. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position, controlling the weight through the eccentric movement. Make sure to keep your feet solidly planted throughout the exercise, and don't use your hips to lift the weight.

Curling a weight with one arm helps you zero in on weak spots. And performing the biceps exercise in a kneeling position will diminish the chance that you use body English to heave the weight up to the top position. How to do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells. Hold one dumbbell by your side in your left hand, palm facing your thigh. In your right hand, hold the dumbbell with your palm facing outward. Without moving your upper arm, bend your elbow and curl the dumbbell as close to your shoulder as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arm. Perform all reps on your right arm before switching to your left.

This exercise targets the three major muscles that make up the biceps-the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis-by rotating from an underhand to an overhand grip halfway through the move. How to do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at arms length next to your sides. Turn your arms so your palms face forward. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then rotate the dumbbells so your palms face forward again. Slowly lower the weights down in that position. Rotate the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat. Photographs by Beth Bischoff

Just like the dumbbell hammer curl, this biceps exercise will hit your brachialis to build thickness in your arms. But unlike the dumbbell version, the cable machine keeps a more steady and constant load on the biceps for longer, which may elicit more growth, according to Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D. How to do it: Hold both ends of a rope attached to the low pulley of a cable machine. Press your elbows into your sides with your palms facing each other. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, your torso upright, and your knees slightly bent. Keeping your arms stable throughout the move, curl, the rope toward your shoulders, Pause, and reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

<h1> 14. CABLE ALTERNATING FLEX CURL </h1>

Instead of holding your arms by your sides for this variation of the biceps curl, youll keep them extended outwards, parallel to the floor. Just holding your arms in this position will put them to work. Adding a curl helps zero in directly on your biceps. How to do it: Stand between the weight stacks of a cable crossover station and grab a high-pulley handle in each hand. Hold your arms out to the sides so theyre parallel to the floor. Without moving your right arm, curl your left hand toward your head. Slowly allow your left arm to straight and then repeat the move with your right arm. Photographs by Beth Bischoff

Resting your arms on a sloping pad of a preacher bench helps isolate your biceps by taking your other upper-body muscles out of the equation-meaning, they wont come into play to assist where your biceps are weakest. If you dont have the appropriate workstation, you can use a Swiss ball or a bench angled to 45 degrees. How to do it: Grab an EZ-bar with your hands six inches apart. Rest your upper arms on the sloping pad of a preacher bench and hold the bar in front of you with your elbows slightly bent. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the bar toward your shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BdujhMhnfw-/" id="730e9100-bb87-313d-aca1-968e1a8bfe37"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BdujhMhnfw-/" id="3408e33e-ba19-3cc1-a13a-cc30870e4fff"> A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) </a> on Jan 9, 2018 at 4:40am PST

The beauty of the preacher curl is that it increases the angle of your bicep relative to your torso, limiting your ability to cheat on the curl with your shoulders. You're all biceps for this move - which means you're gains will only increase. This particular version of the preacher curl has two benefits. First, instead of losing resistance (which happens at the top of a standard preacher curl, like above), you still face it at peak contraction thanks to the cables. Second, the bench/floor offers feedback for your back positioning, helping you to keep them back rather than slouching forward.

How to do it: You'll need a bench and a cable pull-down station for this move. Position the bench beneath the cable, so that your head is in-line with the bar when you lay down. Reach up to grab the bar with your arms straight up. Bend your elbows and squeeze your biceps to curl the bar down toward your head. Keep your shoulders still, and really emphasize the bicep squeeze at the bottom of the movement before controlling the bar on the way back up.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcUyUmADhMU/" id="e9d67ef7-b556-3a7e-a87d-e2609f91f819"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcUyUmADhMU/" id="a5967be6-6d6b-3df5-a2ba-4d34d2500740"> A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) </a> on Dec 5, 2017 at 7:04am PST

This move is all about grip. All it takes is a subtle tweak on machine preacher curls to help you focus on your biceps more: maintain an open palm. Do this and you almost completely eliminate forearm flexor assistance, leaving your bicep to shoulder a greater load on the curl. Bonus: if you're dealing with elbow tendonitis, you can still pull this curl off. Don't do this all the time though; you want your muscles working well together. Mix it into your arm workouts maybe once a month.

How to do it: Sit down as if you were going to perform normal reps. Instead of grasping the handle with your fingers, keep your hands open and press against the machine with your palms up with the handle at your wrist. Curl the weight up with the open palm. Perform with either one hand alone or both simultaneously, depending on the machine available to you.

While the chinup doesnt isolate your biceps, it certainly trains them hard. Along with other muscles in your arms, shoulders, and back, youll use your biceps to pull your entire bodyweight from a dead hang, building serious upper-body strength, according to Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts. How to do it: Grab a chinup bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip and hang at arms length. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and back, bend your elbows, and pull the top of your chest to the bar. Pause, and slowly lower your body back to the starting position. Photographs by Mitch Mandel

When you sit and row instead of stand and row, your biceps are in the direct line of the pull so they work extra hard during each rep, according to Gentilcore. The seated cable row will also help you build a massive back to compliment your guns. How to do it: Sit at a seated cable row station with your feet on the platform and your knees slightly bent. Grasp a V-bar with your palms facing each other. Keep your back flat and pull your shoulders back as you pull the bar toward your torso. Photographs by Thomas MacDonald

The muscles in your upper body have two functions: push and pull. Your biceps are most active when you pull, according to Alwyn Cosgrove, a Mens Health Fitness Advisor. Since youre using other muscles to perform the row, youll likely use a weight thats much heavier than one you would curl. How to do it: Grab a barbell with your hands just beyond shoulder-width apart and hold it at arms length. Bend at your hips and knees, bracing your abs as if youre about to be punched in the gut. Pull the bar to your ribcage, pause, and then lower back to the starting position. Photographs by Mitch Mandel

The farmers carry is a great way to work your body from head to toe as you walk, but holding the weights in a racked position can help you zero in on your biceps. Its like an isometric hold for your guns, jostling the weight with every step. And since you typically use extra-heavy weight for farmers carries, youll overload your biceps in a completely contracted position. How to do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them in the racked position so one head of each dumbbell rests by your shoulders. Walk forward for 10 yards, turn around and walk back. Photograph by Mitch Mandel

Muscles grow through a combination of load and time under tension. By starting each rep with the weights at your sides and then lifting them to your shoulders, you effectively double the amount of time your biceps spend working. How to do it: Hold a pair of dumbbells at arms length, your palms facing each other. Bend your hips and knees so that the dumbbells hang at knee level. In one move, explosively pull the dumbbells upward as you thrust your hips forward; then catch the dumbbells at shoulder height. Stand tall, and then return to the starting position. Make sure to use a manageable weight: 35- to 50-pound dumbbells are about right for most guys. Photographs by Beth Bischoff

<h1> 29. UNDERHAND-GRIP INVERTED ROW </h1>

The inverted row is primarily an upper-back exercise. However, using an underhand grip instead of a standard grip forces your biceps to work harder. How to do it: Grab a bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip. You palms should be facing you. Hang with your arms completely straight. Your body should form a straight line from your ankles to your head. Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blades back, then continue the pull with your arms to lift your chest to the bar. Pause, then slowly lower your body back to the starting position. Photographs by Beth Bischoff

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjOVCnYlrrI/" id="aa563b47-3e42-3e53-a759-b78b36fe3742"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjOVCnYlrrI/" id="d6b54923-0fb1-367f-a25f-ca3005b3d01f"> A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) </a> on May 25, 2018 at 7:39pm PDT

This is more of a workout than an individual move, but it's worth including in this list nonetheless. One of the most popular bicep-heavy routines is the 21, which consists of 21 reps of three different positions of a curl. You'll emphasize all of the different ranges of motion of the exercise here, helping you to carve out an impressive set of biceps. For this particular version of the exercise, you'll want to use light weight. You won't last if you go too heavy.

How to do it: Grab light dumbbells to curl. For the first 7 reps, curl the weight halfway up and pause at the parallel-to-the-ground position. Also, dont quite come all the way down. For the second 7 reps, lift directly from the parallel position, squeezing the biceps to curl the weight to the top. For the final 7 reps, perform a complete curl, lifting the weight from the bottom position and squeezing your biceps for a moment at the top before controlling the weight back to the start.

If you're just as focused on your appearance as building strength and mass-and there's nothing wrong with that-there's no better place to start than your biceps. The muscles are composed of a long and short head, which team up to handle movements like flexing, and curling, that make your arms pop.

The 20 Best Moves for Your Biceps

The social media platform is the go-to space for everyone when they want to post about their health and fitness. Pro trainers and amateur jocks alike can share pics and videos of their workouts, training plans, fails, and triumphs. Gym buddies aren't just for spotting anymore-since everyone wants their best shot for the 'Gram, your training partners might double as photographers and videographers, too.

On those tough days when the demands of life make it impossible to get a workout in, or the difficult times when you struggle to fire up the willpower to work out, it helps to get some extra motivation from the pros. With that in mind, weve lined up the best fitness accounts you should be following on Instagram.

Youll find a healthy mix of bodyweight exercises, cardio, mobility moves, strength training, and a whole lot of abs and sweat. These men and women dont just show off their jaw-dropping muscle definition for their own gratification-theyll inspire you to get moving, too.

Simply put, The Rock is one of our fitness heroes. His workouts are brutal (and <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19731073/the-rock-dwayne-johnson-workout-chain-rampage/" id="fc4fa469-fa4d-35af-a90f-0889d5758c01"> sometimes they include chains </a> ), he <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19911094/the-rock-dwayne-johnson-travel-workout-motivation/" id="5e888c48-6a71-3436-a3b2-fa1774709072"> motivates his fans to work as hard as they can </a> , and sometimes, he even shares his <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a21267891/the-rock-leg-day-workout/" id="e2b93fae-7df2-3aa1-ae04-66affc89d55e"> bonkers workout routines </a> for those brave enough to give them a try. Look no further than his Instagram account if you need a kick in the ass today.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw95ppeHi2D/" id="7d789e6c-ab7b-3790-ae54-b6fa56027ead"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw95ppeHi2D/" id="971ab076-7687-324d-a9f9-a274f76c4770"> A post shared by therock (@therock) </a> on May 2, 2019 at 9:40am PDT

Ok, ok, shameless plug, but the whole point of our jobs is to inspire you to be healthier. Weve got you covered on all things fitness, health, weight loss, and nutrition.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzROk4lh_TH/" id="bfaf4790-7e3b-3847-a3f8-64cc905572ba"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzROk4lh_TH/" id="aa124461-d2f4-390b-a92b-0c9808ae7dbb"> A post shared by Men's Health (@menshealthmag) </a> on Jun 28, 2019 at 2:51pm PDT

Bjrnsson is famous for his role as The Mountain in Game of Thrones-but hes also the <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a20212985/the-mountain-worlds-strongest-man-2018-workout/" id="353e903d-25fb-3477-a841-6ff2e8fbd10e"> reigning World's Strongest Man </a> . He can <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a17154415/the-mountain-hafthor-bjornsson-instagram-deadlift/" id="68cfc756-bce9-31ce-a31c-2268f78783b8"> deadlift over 1,000 pounds </a> and takes his fitness so seriously that hes been known to down <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a19529952/what-the-mountain-drinks-to-get-huge/" id="ff72ffed-d2c3-3c22-ab02-c812348deb84"> liquid chicken shakes </a> . You dont need to go that hard, but were pretty sure nothing will make you want to work out more than seeing The Mountain pump some iron.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByX3DdEgYQ1/" id="1c30daf5-8b63-39a3-a5e1-036e200b1d6d"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByX3DdEgYQ1/" id="0bc357f6-ba2b-3875-a51d-17fcd6fb9341"> A post shared by Hafr Jlus Bjrnsson (@thorbjornsson) </a> on Jun 6, 2019 at 8:10am PDT

The ex-Mets trainer brings a scientific approach to training and continually shares new workout moves with followers. Hes almost always shirtless, too, highlighting how his exercises focus heavily on your core.

Try It: Need a new way to do face pulls for shoulder health? Lie on your back below a cable machine and grasp the rope handles that way. Pull down while lying on your back.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzKEBIRlFvh/" id="909d90e3-03dd-3a1a-a00f-315dd8fee2e9"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzKEBIRlFvh/" id="f11de8ae-3764-39f9-a45c-f134619e1cf4"> A post shared by ATHLEAN-X | Jeff Cavaliere (@athleanx) </a> on Jun 25, 2019 at 8:12pm PDT

Eb is worth a follow beyond the fact that he's our Fitness Director-although that certainly doesn't hurt his case. He's also a top-tier trainer who posts multiple new workouts per week (which you can find in our <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/eb-and-swole/" id="0d83f257-cfca-3f3a-ac47-b59b6589e7cf"> Eb &amp; Swole </a> series) and a Men's Health program, <a href="https://order.hearstproducts.com/subscribe/hstproducts/247461" id="3d767d48-77c2-3e6b-abce-6d600b327d21"> New Rules of Muscle </a> , under his belt. His specialty: moves that hit your core while you train other muscles.

Try It: Next time you do dumbbell curls, instead of standing, kneel so your hips are perpendicular to the ground. Youll naturally contract your glutes and abs with every curl, and you wont be able to rock to cheat the curling motion, either.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BslzJgwB_DF/" id="96922a1d-4a51-3f62-a69e-e03aa5c8b5b6"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BslzJgwB_DF/" id="effa09db-4538-30cf-a2d2-13e7bad32498"> Quick shoulder workout. Note on shoulder training: your shoulders are delicate joints at the mercy of other muscle groups and its easy to blow shoulder movements. They also get a ton of work on chest days and back days, depending how you train those larger groups. So pick your spots to train shoulders....and always always emphasize and own the torso and rib cage positioning ahead of weight. (Also, use a light weight on the last move here.) Moves for this one below, details and cues in audio. *************************** 1) half kneeling halos: 2 reps one way, 2 reps the other, 3-4 clusters per set. 4 sets (switch front leg every set. 2) half kneeling mixed style overhead press: 2 reps left, 2 reps right, 2 reps both, 3-4 clusters like that. 4 sets. (Switch front leg every set). 3) Incline bench double L to lateral raise: 2 L raises one way, 2 other way, 2 lateral raises, 3-4 clusters per set. 3-4 sets. **************************** Dig my training style but not sure where to start with it, or need a time-friendly version? Check out my new workout video program, The New Rules of Muscle. Its 5 30-minute workouts that you can do at home with an adjustable bench and dumbbells. Time is tight in there, but the routines are super-dense and pack plenty of challenge for both beginners and vets. Its available at the link in my bio, and its the perfect entry point into the workouts I deliver on IG. ************************** #fitness #training #newrulesofmuscle #shoulderworkout #fullworkout </a> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ebenezersamuel23/" id="2e403107-5518-30f7-a937-aaf22002beef"> Eb Samuel </a> (@ebenezersamuel23) on Jan 13, 2019 at 1:56pm PST

The ex-CrossFitter has reworked his fitness regimen to incorporate what he calls functional bodybuilding, a marriage of CrossFit ideas, bodybuilding principles, and all-around badass fitness. He posts workouts thatll make you stronger and build your conditioning too.

Try It: Hows your cardio? Youll find out with this burner: Do 15 calories on the rowing machine, then 15 on the SkiErg, then 15 on the assault bike. Rest 90 seconds, and repeat 5 times.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByWQAl-FBtm/" id="92d50631-d63e-365a-ac01-24d8442fc1c9"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByWQAl-FBtm/" id="685f6288-f1b2-395f-a2de-c9673f5b9dbc"> A post shared by MARCUS FILLY (@marcusfilly) </a> on Jun 5, 2019 at 5:19pm PDT

Known as The Quad Guy, the bodybuilding-focused Smith has massive legs, of course, and an upper body to match. His workouts and exercises reinvent mainstay movements to help you build more muscle and focus on weak points.

Try It: Youve done dumbbell curls, but youve never done them like this: Curl both dumbbells up to your chest, then take 10 seconds to lower them on each rep. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/By4FVYEAEPm/" id="3b0718ea-a87d-30ab-a1c7-3d557676e782"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/By4FVYEAEPm/" id="7a8df8bb-4ac6-35dc-a5b8-b8d1cd802ea5"> A post shared by JULIAN MICHAEL SMITH (@smith.julian) </a> on Jun 18, 2019 at 8:30pm PDT

Ever wonder who helps to push celebrities into the ridiculously good shape needed to play a superhero at the movies? Don Saladino, an NYC-based fitness master, is one of the trainers behind the transformations of <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a20723702/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-2-workout/" id="1c9965a7-237e-32b5-a886-afe0be02aee0"> Ryan Reynolds </a> , Blake Lively, <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a20060769/avengers-infinity-war-sebastian-stan-workout/" id="b40972b0-99ac-36e1-a4d1-4d9a52532d61"> Sebastian Stan </a> , David Harbour, and others. He shares workout moves to his account daily to give his followers a chance to suit up for their own superhero bodies, too. Saladino also has a new workout video, <a href="https://www.shopetc.com/superhero-shred.html" id="30f401b9-d94e-356a-ab48-ebaeb38770f2"> Superhero Shred </a> , which is designed to whip you into superhero shape, too.

Try It: Perfect your plank by placing your smartphone on your lower back. Dont let the phone fall. Youll need to keep your lower back perfectly balanced. Hold for 30 seconds.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsilkqulBsz/" id="900b4cfa-6fc3-333d-af65-4609ceab565a"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsilkqulBsz/" id="73835a79-74b0-36fd-a2a2-a12641f1b892"> Here is your ab workout for today. Tag a friend and forward this to anyone you think might like it. A1) hanging knee raises 4x10 B1) stir the pots 4x10 each direction C1) hollow holds 1x30 seconds immediately into 30 hollow rocks. Do 3 sets. Make sure that you stretch your hips as well as mobility in your mid back after doing ab work. Too much abdominal work can cause tightness in these areas. Always be aware of any decrease in range of motion. Playbook Subscribers: NEW SuitUp &amp; ToneUp Programs have launched. Its never to late to sign up! If you are not a Playbook Subscriber yet, click the link in my bio {MY PLAYBOOK APP} to Download my #PlaybookApp! Free 7 Day Trial. At any given time, I have a 6-week SuitUp Program, a 6-week ToneUp Program, and 10 individual workouts. www.donsaladinoapp.com </a> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/donsaladino/" id="63708f61-6128-3121-a309-61b8c1d4b81b"> Don Saladino </a> (@donsaladino) on Jan 12, 2019 at 8:02am PST

Come for the laughs, stay for the fitness. Kevin Hart has quickly become one of our favorite online motivators. The comedian has no time for your excuses-so check out one of his <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19534598/kevin-harts-instagram-workout/" id="0cd8fdcd-7e97-3e20-a0fd-119d27cbfbb5"> killer Instagram workouts </a> if you want to work up a sweat.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjuonPEgNii/" id="968d2738-4fef-3114-aa82-288d4379e957"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjuonPEgNii/" id="3436c84e-469d-3236-aac0-da2a330edcfc"> A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) </a> on Jun 7, 2018 at 9:27am PDT

Meet Emily Skye-Australian trainer, fitness model, mom, and one of our favorite women in fitness. Her determination, positive attitude, and killer circuits go a long way when all you want to do is veg out on the couch. Dont believe us? Try one of her <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19523842/emily-skye-bodyweight-workout/" id="af9c14e1-4f59-32c8-ae97-ffa889bd6c61"> bodyweight workouts </a> for yourself.

Try It: The weighted 2-phase squat is the perfect move to do with a child. Hold your youngster (or a dumbbell) at your chest, then lower into a deep squat. Push back up until your thighs are just above parallel to the ground, then lower down again, and stand all the way up. Thats 1 rep; do reps for 30 seconds.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPS6fPJjKe-/" id="ae2f16fd-dc7f-39d9-a284-543a15061a6b"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPS6fPJjKe-/" id="6771c4d3-2b39-31e0-aa94-9228e8f87110"> SHOULDER WORKOUT! . Ensure your form is correct! . . My Meal &amp; Exercise ProgramsLINK IN BIO! . . @emilyskyefitness @emilyskyebeauty . Fitness gear: @reebok / @reebokwomen ________________________________________ . </a> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyskyefit/" id="b65832bd-3950-3242-adcd-d3354c6a556e"> EMILY SKYE | Fitness + Health </a> (@emilyskyefit) on Jan 15, 2017 at 10:44am PST

Interested in untraditional workouts with dumbbells, clubs, and more? Eric Leija, aka primal.swoledier, is well worth a follow <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a25256292/kettlebell-workout-flows/" id="97519b79-7184-3110-aa8e-31bdd5f6aef6"> for routines </a> that will get you moving in whole new ways.

Try It: Keep your shoulders healthy with the kneeling kettlebell halo. Kneel with your thighs perpendicular to the ground and a single kettlebell held at your chest. Tighten your core, then rotate the kettlebell around your head clockwise. Repeat twice, then rotate it around your head counterclockwise twice. Do reps for 30 seconds.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsl7JZvH1VG/" id="a33927e1-8886-394a-a66c-bc06062bb5ef"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsl7JZvH1VG/" id="a329878a-c7ac-3973-adde-3dcbab86fe7f"> My go to full body single kettlebell flow! Try it out this week -3 to 5 reps each side -6 sets -plenty of rest for quality reps #kettlebell #primalmethods #onnit #workout . Get my online Primal Kettlebell Course at EricLeija.com! Link in my bio! . EricLeija.com </a> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/primal.swoledier/" id="eb59f339-d16d-3806-a861-135889ae0129"> Eric Leija </a> (@primal.swoledier) on Jan 13, 2019 at 3:08pm PST

One of our go-to trainers and author of the Men's Health book <a href="https://order.hearstproducts.com/subscribe/hstproducts/245259" id="3db3bb1f-0a5c-3220-a67b-04ad7e665218"> The Maximus Body </a> , Maximus is a former policeman and UFC fighter who brings a no-excuses attitude to his fitness routine (and his Instagram presence). Follow him for those days you don't think you'll be able to make your goals work-because he'll remind you he's doing it every damn day.

by The Editors of Men's Health

Articles written by the author

21 Foreplay Tips to Please Her in Bed

4 Fast Gourmet Meals You Won’t Believe You Can Make In a Blender

The Best NFL Moments Ever

15 Exercises To Build Boulder Shoulders

The 20 Best Moves for Your Biceps

55 Fitness Instagram Accounts That Will Motivate the Hell Out Of You

This Is Your Ultimate Fat-Loss Primer Smoothie

12 Ways to Give Your Partner Multiple Orgasms

12 amazing sex positions for when your partner's on top

by The Editors of Men's Health

Articles written by the author

21 Foreplay Tips to Please Her in Bed

4 Fast Gourmet Meals You Won’t Believe You Can Make In a Blender

The Best NFL Moments Ever

15 Exercises To Build Boulder Shoulders

The 20 Best Moves for Your Biceps

55 Fitness Instagram Accounts That Will Motivate the Hell Out Of You

​This Is Your Ultimate Fat-Loss Primer Smoothie

12 Ways to Give Your Partner Multiple Orgasms

12 amazing sex positions for when your partner's on top

This Is Your Ultimate Fat-Loss Primer Smoothie