🏋️ lu xiaojun wants a fourth gold medal

At this point, on a Friday afternoon, you're probably waiting for the workday to end and a well-earned weekend to start. Start to kick back with what's new in strength. 

At the age of 37, with three Olympic gold medals, weightlifter Lu Xiaojun has earned the right to bask. But he's not satisfied. The Chinese athlete wants to capture Olympic medal No. 4 in Paris 2024. 

He's the reigning 212 Olympia Champion, but bodybuilder Derek Lunsford may not be able to defend his title in December. At least, that's a potential reality that President and Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon recently alluded to. 

We're all about helping you round out the posterior chain of your wildest ambitions around here. The kettlebell swing can help you reach that lofty destination. 

Time to kick things off!

Weightlifting 

Lu Xiaojun Wants to Put on a Show in Paris

Lu Xiaojun could retire from Olympic weightlifting tomorrow, and his legacy would be secure. Over the course of his legendary career, the Chinese weightlifter has won three Olympic gold medals (2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, 2020 Tokyo). That kind of resume would make many of his peers' ledgers pale by comparison. 

But he isn't done. 

Earlier this week, on July 11, 2022, the 37-year-old announced that he will attempt to compete in his fourth Summer Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. He didn't specify which weight class he'll feature in, but the caption of his Instagram post stated his current weight is “around 74 kilograms”, or 163.1 pounds. 

As he detailed in a short speech, the Paris pursuit is about much more than taking home a fourth gold medal. 

"This will be my fourth Olympics," Lu told the camera on Instagram. "It is my duty to persevere and show the strength of China. I hope you will support me."

Should Lu even reach the podium in Paris, let alone win gold, he could lead the conversation for the greatest weightlifter of all time. Only Greece's Pyrros Dimas has won more Olympic medals as a weightlifter (three gold, one bronze). 

Read more on the esteemed lifter's planned return to an Olympic weightlifting platform. 

Bodybuilding 

One of the most common hurdles for professional bodybuilders to clear is their body weight. They're constantly watching what they eat throughout their training seasons while trying to bulk up or cut weight off their stunning frames. It's a life that requires a lot of discipline.

According to President and Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon: reigning 212 Olympia Champion Derek Lunsford's weight could (double emphasis on could) take him out of the running for a successful title defense. Bodybuilders in the 212 division have a hard cap on their body weight of 212 pounds. 

During a YouTube episode of OlympiaTV on July 10, 2022, Solomon suggested to OlympiaTV Director Terrick El Guindy that Lunsford is "nowhere near 212 [pounds] at this point." As a result, Lunsford might have to compete in the Men's Open division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. 

Solomon did qualify his sentiments. He thinks Lunsford would be a legitimate contender in a field with current Mr. Olympia Champion Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay and Brandon Curry. For an elite competitor like Lunsford, it's not a foolish thought. 

More on Solomon detailing Lunsford's current competitive situation. 

Training 

Swing Away

Few exercises might be as efficient and beneficial as the kettlebell swing.

Are you pressed for time fitting a workout into a packed regular ol' Tuesday schedule? Even 10 minutes swinging a kettlebell will produce some superb results. Want something that can work your strength and cardio at the SAME time? Have no fear; the kettlebell swing is here!

Here are 12 benefits (!) you can see as soon as you start making kettlebell swings a regular part of your training routine. 

Everything Else

Tia-Clair Toomey's Garage Gym Tour

• In early August, Tia-Clair Toomey will go for her sixth consecutive CrossFit Games title. For now, the athlete gave supporters an inside look at one of the gyms where she makes her hay. 

• Elsewhere in Chinese weightlifting, Luo Shifang crushed a 150-kilogram (330.6-pound) split jerk off blocks. It's part of her prep for the 2022 World Championships.

• Strongman Rauno Heinla recently turned 40. He appropriately honored the milestone by deadlifting over 30 pounds more than the current World Record in the strongman Master's division.

• To get jacked for her role as a Norse god in Thor: Love and Thunder, actress Natalie Portman drank vegan protein shakes and ate copious amounts of asparagus. She's just like us!