🏋️ powerlifter deadlifts 4x her body weight

Twenty-five million viewers flocked to Middle-earth to stream The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon this past week. If you want power without flaunting gaudy elven jewelry, we’ve got the strength sports stories and workout tips to get you going.

Powerlifter Heather Connor is a world record waiting to happen. And in her latest incredible feat, she joined a rare club of people who have deadlifted four times their body weight.

Does the mere sight of treadmills and stationary bikes make you cringe? These 12 rowing machine workouts will give your boring cardio routine a much-needed boost.

The Rogue Invitational Strongman is still more than a month away, and there have already been major shake-ups on the roster. See who’s in, who’s out, and who's primed to take this year’s crown.

Powerlifting

Heather Connor's Training-Day Prowess

What else can you say about powerlifter Heather Connor? Turns out, a lot. In a recent training video on Instagram, Connor deadlifted 200.5-kilograms (442-pounds) in a sumo stance. That pull was unofficially around 7.5 kilograms heavier than the current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world record that Connor set in 2021 in the 47-kilogram class.

At the time of the training session, Connor mentioned that she weighed around 48 kilograms (106 pounds), meaning the lift was more than four times (!!) her body weight. This feat could give us a glimpse at what Connor is capable of when she next competes at this October's Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power meet in France.

Strongman

The Rogue Invitational Strongman Roster Is Set

In just its second year, the Rogue Strongman Invitational is becoming one of the most important competitions on the strength sports calendar. But the roster for this year’s event has seen some big surprises over the past few weeks.

Two-time reigning World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Tom Stoltman and his brother Luke declined their show invites, as did four-time WSM Brian Shaw. But that doesn’t mean reigning Rogue Invitational champ Martins Licis will have an easy time defending his crown.

Licis still has to face off against nine other human bulldozers, including Pavlo Nakonechnyy, winner of the Giants Live World Open; Oleksii Novikov, who just set a new world record in the Hummer Tire Deadlift; and perennial threat Rob Kearney, pictured above.

Workouts

12 Rowing Machine Workouts for Every Experience Level

If you're tired of boring treadmill jogs and lengthy stationary bike sessions, consider switching to the rowing machine for a full-body cardio workout that builds strength and blasts calories into oblivion. Plus, it's far easier on the joints than running, so your knees and ankles will thank you come wintertime.

Don’t know where to start? Not a problem — we’re breaking down 12 rowing machine workouts that you can tackle at any level. From beginners looking to learn basic pacing to advanced rowers who want to throw some burpees into the mix, we’ve got you covered.

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Pick Your Poison: Cardio Edition

Everything Else

Better Abs Through Dumbbells

• Grab a pair of dumbbells and go through some of these ab workouts for a stronger, better-looking core.

• If you want the V-taper of your dreams, you’ve got to row to grow. We put the T-bar row and barbell row head to head to decide which one is right for you.

• World champion weightlifter Lu Xiaojun is revving up his training for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. And you can watch his inspiring journey to get back in peak condition.