For the six athletes who stripped down for the cover of ESPN The Magazine's seventh annual Body Issue, baring it all was about embracing vulnerabilities and highlighting strength.  The magazine's Body Issue is a yearly display of some of the best professional athletes posing in nude and semi-nude photographs. This year includes six different covers featuring individual athletes: Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., United States track and field athletes Chantae Mcmillan (heptathlete) and Amanda Bingson (hammer thrower), and U.S. swimmer Natalie Coughlin.  The magazine unveiled the six cover stars online Monday. The issue is set to hit newsstands Friday.  "We admire the potential of the human form and stand in awe of those who push their physiques to profound frontiers," ESPN said in a statement.  All six featured athletes have dominated their respective sports, and all have promising careers ahead. Here's a closer look at each cover star:  Though Harper is just 22, he's already emerged as one of the top hitters in the major leagues. His stat line this season includes a .347 batting average and 25 home runs.  His off-field training regimen is likely a leading factor in his improvement. Harper told ESPN that he squats 405 pounds and power cleans — a movement in which you take a barbell from the ground to your shoulders in one fluid motion, catching the bar in a squat — about 375 pounds. He also said that he wants to get as ripped as he can.  Nats OF @Bharper3407: "I can squat 405. I'm proud of that." http://t.co/LWd0PhhtGg #BodyIssue available online July 6 pic.twitter.com/QWQCc75Fmn  — ESPN (@espn) July 2, 2015  Love said that he was "doughy" in his younger years, thanks in part to healthy helpings of his mother's Fettuccine Alfredo. But a lifting regimen helped to melt away the pounds, as did joining an NBA team. Now, the 26-year-old said, "It's cool to see where my body has come from over the years."  "I want to play until I'm 40. And I'd like it to be my choice." @kevinlove in the #BodyIssue: http://t.co/LhbfOnaXpY pic.twitter.com/EA3u3cl3fF  — ESPN (@espn) July 6, 2015  U.S. Olympians Amanda Bingson, 25, and Chantae McMillan, 27, are two of the most athletic individuals in their respective sports. McMillan's 153-pound frame has only about 10% body fat. "I don't look in the mirror and think 'slim,'" "she told ESPN." "I look in the mirror and I'm like, 'Whoa, beast!'"  Bingson, the American record holder in the women's hammer throw, on the other hand, describes herself as "dense."  "Athletes come in all shapes and sizes," she said.  .@ESPNMag unveiled the 6 #BodyIssue covers this AM. #USATF Olympians @AmandaBingson & @chan_taemac are on 2 of them! pic.twitter.com/Jh8LdD7xfW  — USATF (@usatf) July 6, 2015  Coughlin, 32, the first and only female U.S. swimmer to medal in six events at one Olympics, is the oldest of the six to be featured on a cover. She found out she had scoliosis when she was 30 and talks to ESPN about how the condition has impacted her career.  "It's a 27-degree curve," Coughlin says. "So when I get into the racing portion of the season, I have to be very careful. All the muscles along my spine, they lock down if they're not healthy."  But, Coughlin hasn't left the pool. Her worst professional year happened to be an Olympic year in 2012. She didn't want to end her career on that note, and is now training for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.  Natalie Coughlin Appears Nude in ESPN The Magazine Body Issue @nataliecoughlin http://t.co/XwxCVKBXTE pic.twitter.com/AHZULTZeVU  — SwimmingWorld (@SwimmingWorld) July 6, 2015  After grabbing arguably the greatest reception in NFL history last season, Beckham's freakish athleticism continued to be put on display.  In his interview with ESPN, we find out just how much athleticism exists in Beckham's family. The 22-year-old's mom was a six-time All-American in track, his dad played football for LSU and his stepdad was an Olympic gold medalist.  "I've worked hard throughout my entire life, but I don't think all the hard work could have produced the same results without all the genetics I was given," Beckham said.  .@Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. reflects on his 1st NFL season while posing for the Body Issue. http://t.co/3wucrVOvVp pic.twitter.com/WrtrZ6N4d7  — NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 6, 2015  In total, 24 athletes are featured in this year's Body Issue, including U.S. Women's World Cup champion Ali Krieger and French Open champion Stan Wawrinka. The magazine highlights athletes of all sizes, from three members of the Indianapolis Colts' offensive line (Anthony Castonzo, Todd Herremans and Jack Mewhort) to skateboarder Leticia Bufoni.  The Body Issue, which debuted on October 9, 2009, continues to expand upon what the edition was seven years ago, according to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com editor in chief Chad Millman.  “Our goal is to continue to evolve the issue year after year,” Millman said in a statement. “The ability to capture both the strength and vulnerability of these extraordinary athletes through such powerful images and introspective interviews is incredibly moving.”  Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
'ESPN The Magazine' shows the "differences in body types" for each sport in its seventh annual Body Issue.