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Here’s what we have for you today:

• World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper tears his hamstring.

• Nine epic movie workout montages to start your week.

• The best kettlebell exercises you need for the explosive power you crave.

Strongman

World’s Strongest Hamstring Tear

Strongman competitors are a different breed, and there’s no better example of this than Mitchel Hooper. The Canadian powerhouse tore his hamstring on the first day of competition at the 2023 Shaw Classic but still managed to come back on the second day to finish runner-up to the legendary Brian Shaw.

The tear comes on the back end of a grueling stretch of elite competitions for Hooper. While he is keeping the severity of the injury quiet (maybe he played hockey in Canada?), we all wish him a speedy return to this great sport.

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Motivation

The Hero With a Thousand Faces

Just because the work week is starting doesn’t mean you need to be down in the dumps. What you need to get your engine revving can be summed up in two words: training montage.

Often belittled in popular media for being cheesy, dated, or just silly, the training montages from movies like Rocky IV and Pumping Iron have inspired more people to lift weights than a thousand beach bullies kicking sand into a thousand nerds’ faces. And it just so happens that we collected nine of the best.

Be careful not to play these in the office before you leave for the gym — you wouldn’t necessarily want to get too hyped up before filing those TPS reports. (That’s what business folks do, right?)

Exercise

Put on the Kettle(bell)

Full-body training doesn’t need to involve a 4,000-square-foot warehouse full of Nautilus equipment and squat racks. The elegantly simple design of the kettlebell allows you to work your entire body through multiple ranges of motion without even needing to change weights.

With a kettlebell, you can train both unilaterally and bilaterally with explosive movements. Or, you can stick to slight variations of traditional bodybuilding moves, if that’s what you prefer.

If you are looking to shake up your training, bring up weak points, increase your conditioning, or give your body a needed break from heavy barbell movement, check out the grueling kettlebell exercises we’ve compiled below.

Everything Else

Please, Call It a Comeback

• The 2019 World’s Strongest Man winner Martins Licis seems primed for a return to the top of the strongman podium after posting a video of himself deadlifting weight most humans can’t even fathom.

• Since the Vuelta a España has officially kicked off for the year, it’s only natural that you would turn your gaze to the noble bicycle. But if you want to ride without leaving the house, consider these indoor exercise bike options instead.

• Let’s get unilaterally functional with the dumbbell split squat! Though this single-leg exercise will probably make you want to stop weight training forever, the results are definitely worth it.