Jordan Reed vs. the Laws of Physics

This article appears in the Aug. 28 issue of Sports Illustrated. To subscribe, click here.

Jordan Reed bends over a metal garbage can, pauses ever so briefly and then unleashes a waterfall of vomit. He immediately grabs a 12-pound medicine ball, power walks over to a steel column and jumps up and down, over and over, repeatedly smacking the ball against the column with his arms fully extended. Then he walks back to the can and pukes again.

Dozens of pro athletes—mostly football and basketball players—drive along NE 24th Street, up Biscayne Bay from downtown Miami, until it dead-ends at the railroad tracks, bright graffiti splashed in the distance. They come to Legacy Fit gym looking for…