The Seahawks’ Unbreakable Scoring Record from Super Bowl XLVIII

The Seahawks are the bookies favorites to win on February 8, and they certainly have a history of pulling it out of the bag on the big day. In 2014, the Seahawks blasted the Denver Broncos by scoring via safety, kickoff return and interception return, and a passing and rushing offense—all in the same game. This footballing feat had never been seen in a Super Bowl before and has not been accomplished since.

How the Patriots Built an NFL Dynasty

The New England Patriots don’t just have the most Super Bowl appearances—the team’s are also tied for the most wins alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots victories have so far occurred between 2002 and 2019, and those numbers were largely bulked up by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, a combo that are often regarded as the most formidable quarterback and head coach in the NFL’s hallowed history. But if Mike Verbal can get his version of the Patriots past the Seahawks on Saturday, his team will finally own bragging rights as the most dominant franchise in Super Bowl history.

Bill Belichick: The Most Successful Coach in Super Bowl History

It’s hard to think too long about Super Bowl history without conjuring up a memory of Bill Belichick, since he holds the record for most appearances by a head coach, leading the New England Patriots to 9 Super Bowls. That’s 3 clear of his nearest rival, Don Shula. During the Patriot coaches’ run between 2001 and 2018, Belichick helped his team to amass 6 stunning victories.

Tom Brady’s Super Bowl Legacy and Unmatched Records

Brady has beaten the greatest number of opposing Super Bowl teams, gaining 6 wins as quarterback for the New England Patriots between 2002 and 2019, and a lucky seventh in 2021 as part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And that’s not the only record this footballing icon holds, as Brady has also appeared in a total of 10 Super Bowls, the most in NFL history.

The Greatest Super Bowl Comeback of All Time

While the Seahawks may be favored to win on Feb. 8, the Patriots can take inspiration from Super Bowl LI, when the team made the largest comeback ever seen in the final. Back in 2017, they were trailing the Atlanta Falcons, 28-3, in the third quarter but scored 31 unanswered points to take the trophy in overtime with a final winning score of 34-28. This remains the largest comeback recorded in Super Bowl history to date.

With everything to play for, the battle between the Patriots and the Seahawks will come to a head at Super Bowl LX, hosted by Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. But will new records be made?

The singer and content creator describes his work simply as indie rock, but for fans his style ranges from the serious and cinematic—like his 2025 EP Coydog—to the seriously absurd, like his latest insect-infused social media drop, “Ants in My Room.”

And his followers love it, as evidenced by the more than 1.4 million who’ve jumped aboard the Vail Instagram bandwagon since his 2024 breakthrough “Dirt Man” went viral, which has pulled in over 20 million views and counting. With Coydog, the shredded songster has made it clear that making serious music is at least as rewarding as chasing social media likes. Yet pulling off both sides with equal success is a feat even he can’t fully explain.

“I think I’ve been making music and funny songs and all this bulls*** for pretty much my whole life,” he says. “I think it’s like a muscle—the more you force yourself to be creative, the more you kind of recognize ideas.”

Laying down catchy tracks you can’t help but tap along to has always been a gift for Vail. Finding a way to shut off the nonstop, wild thoughts racing through his mind has been the creative challenge. That relief has come from an unlikely outlet: Brazilian jiujitsu. Beyond its aesthetic and athletic benefits, the mats now serve as the artist’s primary psychological safe space. After all, it’s not easy to think about catchy lyrics while you’re scrambling to fight off a rear-naked choke.

“The big benefit that I’ve found with doing jiujitsu has been that when I’m doing jiujitsu, I can’t think about my music career,” he says. “I can’t think about, like, ‘OK, how am I going to make the next TikTok video?’ When I’m doing jiujitsu, there is no music happening in my head.”

Jiujitsu is the latest athletic evolution for the 6’4″ former high school tight end, who chose the music program at the University of Miami over continuing football at a smaller school. “I got offers from very bad D3 teams,” he says. “Then I got into a school for music, and I was like, ‘Why would I risk getting a bunch of concussions for a team that’s on one of the longest losing streaks? That’s when I knew it wasn’t for me.”

While football came to an end, the training that came with preparing for a season continues today—just with as many adjustments as his music demands. In addition to rolling on the mats, he hits the home gym, which not only keep his creative mind sharp but, along with a daily dose of calories from his “slop bowl” have kept his physique in pristine condition where it can be proudly displayed either on a fitness magazine cover or hidden underneath one of his wild content-creation costumes.

“I love incremental success, and just finding ways to really measure progress slowly has always fascinated me, especially in comparison to the rest of my life,” he says. “In the gym, you just keep showing up, and you go up. It feels amazing.”

How 10th Planet Helps Calm Carter Vail’s Far-Out Creative Brain

Behind Carter Vail’s bizarrely brilliant content—such as 2024’s “Dirt Man,” a song about keeping dirt under your pillow as a defense against getting kidnapped by the mythical “Dirt Man,” set to a bossa nova beat—is a classically trained audio engineer who initially had no intention of performing in front of the microphone when he moved to Nashville after graduation.

“I wanted to be a producer,” he says. “When I first got out of college, I was an engineer for a guitar pedal manufacturing company. So I was soldering guitar pedals all day. I hated that job, so I quit, and was just super broke for a while.”

The track’s unlikely success has led to a flood of short, quirky content—including Vail’s latest eusocial anthem, “Ants in My Room.” He recently told WHSN radio that he wrote the lyrics right after ants literally infiltrated his room. It’s also helped grow his catalog of serious tracks, starting with 2024’s country-themed 100 Cowboys.

His musical breakthrough now requires a much-needed mindset release—and that’s where martial arts have become a priority for both his mental and physical fitness. Vail admits admits that, with on-camera fame, his face has become his livelihood. That meant choosing the right combat sport as a side craft—especially in a world where bruising, bloodshed, and broken bones are the norm—had to be carefully considered. “I’m very hesitant and afraid of getting into striking at all,” he says. “I’m not trying to get punched in the head.”

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu—specifically Los Angeles’ 10th Planet—became Vail’s logical choice. After a morning of making music, Vail routinely hits the afternoon class for a few rounds of Nogi training. Vail says there was some logic behind choosing Nogi—jiujitsu without the traditional full-length gi, just shorts and a rashguard-style top. the guitar-playing artist calls it a preventive measure to keep his hands safe from getting inadvertently caught during guard-passing drills in the gi’s thick cotton-polyester fabric. “I don’t really like gi,” he admits. “I don’t like getting my fingers all torn up, especially for guitar playing.”

So far, the white belt heavyweight has earned two gold medals in tournament action. He’s also picked up his share of injuries—he’s been rehabbing a nagging knee issue over the past few months from a light roll. He admits that his obsession with the mats brought him back prematurely instead of giving it rest.

“I didn’t respect the injury,” he says. “I should’ve done a lot more long-term recovery, because I’ll still wake up and be like, ‘Oh f***, this is not feeling normal.’”

While the creative shutoff comes with learning heel hooks, triangles, and escaping closed guard, the community aspect of BJJ has become a bonus benefit—especially when his first class resulted in getting his “a** kicked.”

“This is one of the most caring communities I’ve ever been a part of,” he says. “They all want to beat the s*** out of me, and then they want to tell me how to stop them from beating the s*** out of me.”

A Weightroom that Doubles as a Writer’s Room

While jiujitsu is a momentary escape from creativity, Carter Vail admits that the weightroom is often where a lot of his musical magic happens. “Most songs, to some degree, are written from the gym,” he says. “A lot of melodies will suddenly pop into my head.”

Since COVID forced most gyms to shut down in 2020, Vail says he’s steadily built an impressive-size home weightroom. Although he still keeps a commercial gym membership as an option, his home setup is well stocked with essentials—which it needs to be for the 215‑pound former high school tight end who boasts a 315‑pound power clean and a 340‑pound bench press. (“I was stoked about that,” he says.)

Split between a small indoor room and a courtyard, Vail has a squat rack, flat bench, and preacher curl bench outside. Inside, he’s got a treadmill, lat pulldown system, barbells, and a set of adjustable dumbbells that go up to 85 pounds. “I could not believe how expensive those dumbbells were,” he says.

With his knee still causing discomfort at times, he’s had to adjust his routine. His split has become more upper‑body focused—chest and back days, followed by arms and shoulders. If the knee cooperates, he’ll work in some version of light squats.

These days he also relies on an app for convenience, letting him skip the mental energy of planning workouts. “I’ve been using RP Strength for over a year now, and I love it,” he says. “Anything that takes away me having to think about, ‘What do I need to do next?’ so I can just think about executing is what I need.”

Opting for an app-based program is just the latest training trend Vail has jumped on with success. Some trends stick in his routine, and some fade away when it’s time to move on. For example, he recalls being wooed by Wolverine into a rowing phase as a teenager. “I remember Hugh Jackman posted something like, ‘The best way to get in shape is, like, 12 minutes of intense rowing,’” he recalls. “I was 19, and like, OK, I’ll try that. So for like a year or two I was really into rowing. And I haven’t done it since then.”

These days, his off‑the‑mat conditioning comes from incline treadmill walks wearing a 60‑pound weight vest. It’s a multipurpose habit—with strength, cardio, and health benefits—but for Vail, it’s also reading time and a quiet place for ideas to surface. “I think the most useful part about just being on the treadmill is if I have a first verse done, I’ll play that instrumental of that verse in my headphones just over and over,” he says. “Slowly, new words will come to it—I’ll just start rewriting a verse to it.”

Fuel Over Flavor Has Been Carter Vail’s Creative Game Changer

There’s a formula to creating visual content such as giant ant costumes or full knight gear for “Glorious Fields of Barley.” According to Vail, what starts as an inside joke between he and his buddies quickly morphs into a roughly two-hour creation before it ever has a chance to go viral. “So much of it is just me trying to make myself laugh and me trying to make my friends laugh,” he says. “Then I’ll make the song in 30 minutes, and then I make the video in another 45.”

Compared with his EP‑level music, Vail treats each 30‑second social media clip as a low‑stakes experiment. “If it’s the 30‑second stuff, it’s way lower stakes,” he says. “If it doesn’t work, who cares?”

Artistically, Vail is willing to take risks. From a culinary standpoint,  Vail’s kitchen is one of the few areas in which experimentation is at a minimum—but that hasn’t always been the case. During COVID, had the chance to try a host of different diets, from carnivore (“I got super cut up, which was fun, but I was also s***ting my pants all the time”) to the aesthetically less-successful Gallon of Milk a Day (GOMAD) diet, in which he gained about 20 pounds. “I tried running a mile, and I was like, ‘Holy s***, I can’t do this at all,’” he says.

Today, the majority of Vail’s macros are packed into what his friends have labeled his daily “slop bowl,” consisting of nothing but ground turkey and brown rice. “The thing is, I don’t have much in the way of taste buds, and so flavor of food doesn’t actually matter that much to me,” he says. “That’s pretty much all my meals. It’s relatively healthy, but not exciting.”

Sometimes his minimalist foodie flair is extended with a dash of seasoning. “I’ll put salt on it and be like, ‘I’m creative,’” he says. But in Vail’s day to day, nutrition has become more of a utilitarian chore than a delicacy.

“Food’s never really been a huge joy for me,” he says. “I want to eat a lot, but it doesn’t really matter what it is.””

And at the end of the day, his diet plan—no matter how bland—has been the fuel that helps keep his abs popping. At the same time, Vail’s meal consistency mirrors the steady, incremental gains he chases in the weightroom, on the BJJ mats, and in the music studio. And just like his attitude toward his simplistic meal plan, whether it’s a black belt choking him out or a keyboard warrior bad‑mouthing his latest work, Carter Vail will be back at it the next day. Even stronger.

“Everyone gets some degree of criticism on it, but I don’t take it that seriously because it’s not how I take my value,” he says. “So when people are like, ‘This sucks,’ I’m like, ‘Maybe that one sucks, but I’ll make another one tomorrow.’”

Why Forearms Are One of the Hardest Muscle Groups to Grow

Genetics plays a part in our muscle size and ability to grow, but the forearms are particularly difficult areas to target because they are packed with dozens of small, overlapping muscles. These include the brachioradialis, the side muscle that lines up with the thumb, the flexors that run down the palm side, and the extensors that cover the top. Then there’s the pronators and supinators, controlling the rotation of the forearm, leading to more muscle towards the elbow. And, for good measure, there’s also the radial and ulnar deviators for side-to-side wrist movement.

Since each forearm muscle has a different purpose, hitting them all with one simple exercise is often a losing game, but Dorian Yates was able to take a bicep move, and build 19-inch forearms by extending his range of motion and concentrating on technique.

How Dorian Yates Built 19-Inch Forearms Without Direct Training

“I never trained forearms, which is interesting isn’t it?” reveals Yates, who says he never went into an exercise with the full purpose of pounding his lower arm muscles. And yet, he did so while working his biceps. That’s because as Yates repped his dumbbell bicep curls, the Olympia legend worked his forearms into the process. While it’s true that the biceps are the main muscles worked during curls, the shoulder and forearms are also engaged.

To fire up his forearms, Yates explains that he would work his lower arm muscles by concentrating on the bottom part of the descent and ascent of each curl, twisting the wrists and working his grip. This extended form and range of motion served to put greater load on his forearms and provided a deeper stretch. “Even, like, on pull-downs and rows, I’d use straps, but you’re still really gripping, and sometimes, like after bicep (curls), I couldn’t even move my fingers properly,” recalls the legendary bodybuilder. “So, obviously the forearms are really activated during those exercises.”

Be more like Dorian Yates: Next time you find yourself in any pulling exercise that requires a strong grip, don’t forget to work those forearms.

To follow Dorian Yates on Instagram, click here. 

Many American leaders will also tell you that while they may retire from the military someday, there is no expiration date on that oath. That means they find ways to continue honoring that oath. Retired Army Sergeant First Class Latoya Greene’s career ended in November 2024, but her commitment to doing her part in making America better is as strong on this day as it was the day she took her oath.

“For most of us, we spent more time in the military than out of it,” Greene shared. “We have the ability to make those around us better. That doesn’t stop.”

Greene was a native of Florida but relocated to Georgia during her childhood. She joined the Army on June 9, 2004. Like many Americans, Greene joined the military to change the course of her life, sharing that she was in a bad home situation prior to starting her career in service.

“I just joined to run away from that situation. That was it.”

Despite not having a sports background, Greene found that basic training wasn’t as challenging as she thought it would be. A highlight of her career that she is very proud of was becoming a drill sergeant because she could directly impact new recruits that were coming in for the same reasons she did.

“When I came in, I had trauma and low self-esteem,” she admitted. “So, when new soldiers came in, I could see that in other young soldiers. They were homeless, running away from something, and I could boost them up.

She concluded, “Being a drill sergeant for three years was definitely the highlight of my career because I could impact so many people at one time. That was amazing to me.”

Greene’s unique experience as someone that both needed led as well as leading others is a testament that other young people that are trying to find their own ways out of adverse situations could look to the military not only as a way to change their own lives but

positively impact others as well. That is, as long as you’re willing to put into it what you hope to get out of it.

“I was looking for discipline and structure. Once I started holding myself accountable and understanding, I saw how it can work. If you look for the negative, you’ll find it. If you look for the positive, you’ll get that too. It’s up to you to decide how long you last.”

Changing Standards

Greene has impacted many soldiers that were under her leadership directly, but she also made a great difference for many servicemembers she didn’t cross paths with. This was thanks to her efforts in changing the required standards

Greene was always able to maintain the physical demands that came with the PT tests, but the powerlifter was both literally and figuratively built different. The Army had changed the standards of testing to include weights, which was one aspect where she thrived. During the trial phase, Greene was working with a 19-year-old soldier who failed the measurement or “tape” portion. She told Greene she was undergoing a juice fast for a week to pass.

“I had no problem doing what I needed to do with saunas and dieting to make tape, but this girl was not going to make it. There was no need for these toxic behaviors when there was nothing wrong with her body.”

Greene put in a petition to change the standards and made herself the face of it. She felt she could withstand any potential pressure or backlash that could have come from it. She faced plenty of it but ultimately came out on the winning side. In 2023, the policy was updated that those who could score high enough on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) wouldn’t be subject to tape or bodyfat testing because of how muscle mass can affect body mass index (BMI). She was much closer to the end of her career than the beginning, but Greene stood tall and impacted many that entered service going forward.

“To see them benefit from the change, that is why you do what you do as a leader. That was my legacy.”

Supporting Veterans

Greene’s career came to a close in November 2024, but she was honored earlier that year by being inducted into the U.S. Army Women’s Hall of Fame. For someone that entered service for the purpose of serving, she was proud that she was deemed worthy of being recognized for her contributions.

“I wasn’t looking for credit, but a woman I never met before reached out and said that she wrote in to support inducting me. For me to be inducted to do something just because it was the right thing to do, it was an amazing feeling.”

Greene is now living the life of a veteran, but she understands the importance of advocating service. She and many veterans like her indirectly serve as walking billboards for the branches they represented. Greene felt that her next contribution could be helping veterans either get back in shape or stay in shape so they can remain healthy, strong, and show future generations of Americans what the best of the best are supposed to be.

“I do free workouts for veterans, and I even bring the equipment,” Greene shared. “Many people in the military loved PT but hadn’t done it for years. If I can get them moving again, it can help them physically and mentally because of the camaraderie.”

The benefit is a two-way street because while the veterans are improving, Greene sees herself actively making a difference and still being a leader. She also serves as a motivational speaker, which includes going to prisons to talk to veterans and reminding them that while they may have made mistakes, they aren’t forgotten. Greene’s words weigh heavier than those of many others because of her experiences. Like the actual weights she lifts, she showed she’s strong enough to carry it. Greene vows to continue showing people what they are capable of as well while putting the pressure on to prove it to themselves.

“If one person can change something that hasn’t been changed in 30 years, you can definitely stand on what you believe in.”

Greene’s Workout Challenge For Veterans

Greene helps veterans get in better shape, including those that show up to her workout classes in person. She may not be able to reach every veteran individually but chose to share a workout for those that also want to honor themselves and America by taking on the same workout program she would provide if they were in front of her.

The workout starts with 100 total meters of jogging, lateral stepping, backwards, and toe touches. Greene has veterans do 50 meters down and back for each of these. She then has them perform the following circuit of exercises for 60 seconds each.

• Dumbbell Curls
• Step Ups or Box Jumps
• Icky Shuffle with a rope ladder (You can do lateral steps up and back if you don’t have a rope ladder.)
• Plank or Toe Touches (Touch your toe with the opposite hand.)

Greene said, “I will have them do that for two rounds, and that is the whole workout.”

To learn more about Greene, you can go to her website and follow her on Instagram 

M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this article.

“I feel blessed for what I was able to do this season and the records I hit,” says Chase, who recently partnered with Fabletics to launch an athletic line, which also includes GridTech pieces. “But I’m already thinking about next year. Each season is a chance to push harder, go bigger, do better, and that progress starts in the offseason.’

Chase and his Cincinnati Bengals finished the 2025-2026 season with a disappointing 6-11 record, resulting in a third-place finish in the AFC North. While quarterback Joe Burrow’s toe injury, which kept him for nine games, seemed to be a large contributor to the team missing this year’s playoffs, the four-time Pro Bowl receiver has already begun making changes in his training plan already to get even stronger ahead of next season.

The Workout Strategy Behind Chase’s Explosive Speed

“I rarely stick to one workout, as my role on the field requires explosive speed and agility,” says Chase. “There’s always weights involved. Always cardio. But by constantly changing it up, I’m training my body to be prepared for the unexpected. It’s always about getting better at everything I do. From old drills to new ones, just pushing harder, all while having fun.”

When it comes to getting motivated in the gym, the fifth-year veteran does have one teammate he favors to help push him to his max potential—and with good reason.

“Tee [Higgins], for sure,” Chase says of his fellow wide receiver. “We’re always pushing each other to work harder. We want to be the best receiving duo in the NFL.”

During the off-season, Chase focuses on maintaining what he’s already built on the field while also allowing his muscles to recover.

“I’m very focused on body work,” explains Chase. “I get massages and dry needling. Recovery work is an important part of how I keep my body performing week after week.”

“I do more conditioning in the off season,” Chase continues. “Things like high intensity cardio, heavier weights. During the season, I’m more focused on how to keep up my energy and performance week-to-week. The offseason is always a good time to give my body time off and let it heal. I’m grateful for that break, but disappointed that that break started a month earlier this year. But we’ll be back next year, ready to go and hungrier than ever.”

Ja’Marr Chase’s Game-Day Nutrition and Pre-Game Fuel

The 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year’s nutritional routine is all a part of the recipe to his overall success, too.

“Pre-game, I keep it pretty low-key, but make sure it’s enough to fuel me to be on the field for a few hours,” says Chase. “A peanut butter and jelly sandwich can do the trick. It’s always about consistency before the game. Post-game, I like to treat myself with something really satisfying. A good burger always hits the spot.”

Mental Preparation: The Music That Gets Chase Game-Ready

Chase gets his head right by following the same pre-game rituals consistently since his college days at LSU.

“I always listen to music,” says Chase. “There are songs I always have to listen to before playing that hype me up, like Future, Kodak [Black’s] “News Or Something” [and] “Wrap Up,” and then the main one, Lul Tys’ “Straight Bars.” I’ve been listening to these songs right before I go on the field since college.” Comment end 

Looking good is just as important to Chase as feeling good, his gamedays and gym sessions are looking more stylish and feeling more comfortable than ever.

“’I’m very into fashion and style, so what I wear is really important to me,” says Chase of his partnership. “What I like about Fabletics is that their clothes not only feel good, but they perform and look good too. It’s the perfect mix of fashion and fitness. I’m really proud of this collab and excited for people to get to try the new GridTech. I tested it a lot before launch, and it’s perfect for light training days because it locks in heat to keep muscles loose while still being lightweight.”

“I sent stuff to my teammates and friends. It was crazy to see people I know wearing something that I helped create. Everyone loved the collection, especially the graphic designs we did that were inspired by my life. That was very meaningful and special.

Hudson’s proclivity for getting his pump on made the headlines last year, when the man known around the world as “Winston Zeddemore” of Ghostbusting fame was seen working out with fitness guru, Tony Horton. Apparently, the inspiration for staying active was to live a pain free life, while keeping “Mr Jiggles” at bay. Now aged 80, Hudson can still haul a heavy proton pack, and in a recent conversation with the Today Show, explained his passion for pushups.

How Many Pushups Does Ernie Hudson Do Every Day?

Hudson told the Today Show that he likes to do a set of pushups after getting out of bed, “and throughout the day.”

“By the end of the day, I should (have completed) at least 100 pushups,” he says. This surprised the panel, prompting Hudson to confirm that he undertakes this routine on a daily basis. “Every day,” he noted, adding that he doesn’t visit a gym, but he does have a setup at home where he also adds squats to his routine. “I will do a set of squats, just to get the blood to the legs,” he explained. Hudson also puts planks into his regime.

What is Ernie Hudson’s Workout Routine?

As Hudson is shown on the B-Roll of the Today Show raising a barbell for the bench press, he’s asked “How much weight are you pressing there?” But Hudson fails to be spooked by such an ego driven question. “You know, actually, I don’t really go by that,” responded the star. “I just think at this age, it’s more important to just be flexible,” added the buff Ghostbuster. “To be able to present well, and to do the work that I do.” The actor also opened up and shared that a good friend of his now requires the assistance of a walker, so Hudson wants to avoid that situation for as long as he can.

Why is Resistance Training Important for Older Men?

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research actively promotes resistance training for those who are getting on in years, stating “…muscle disuse is a preventable and reversible factor. Muscle ‘use’ in the form of resistance exercise training has been consistently shown as a feasible and effective means of counteracting muscle weakness and physical frailty.”

No doubt then, Hudson has the right idea. “You know, aging is inevitable,” he said. “But, in the meantime, let me do what I can do. And you know, when you say 100 pushups, we aren’t talking about a matter of minutes. You do a set a day…. I think, the discipline that we put on ourselves, it reminds us that we’re capable. You know, when we set goals, and we don’t hit them, it kind of diminishes something in us. So, just being consistent is really important.”

To follow Ernie Hudson on Instagram, click here. 

The social media influencer and WWE Superstar claims that the break occurred during a ten-man tag team bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday Night SmackDown (Jan 30, 2026), just one night prior to the Royal Rumble. If true, this would make him a certified member of the broken jaw club alongside his brother Jake, who required titanium plates to fix his jaw, which was famously broken in two places back in December following his boxing match with Anthony Joshua.

What Happened to Logan Paul at the 2026 Royal Rumble?

In footage shared by Logan Paul, who recently told Pat McAfee about his “locked-in” attitude to training, the pro wrestler caught a swift superkick from Jey Uso, face first. Then, as the social media influencer crashed to the mat, he could be seen holding on to his jaw while wailing in pain. “Oh, he kicked the living f**k out outta me,” complained the controversial star after the match had finished.Apparently, Paul had gone from being “locked in” to suffering lock jaw.

new vlog
I Broke My Jaw At Royal Rumble
watch or break your jaw via super kickhttps://t.co/5xMIhaLVSR pic.twitter.com/XeJ6fbfQVD

— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) February 5, 2026

Did Logan Paul Actually Break His Jaw in Saudi Arabia?

While the passionate podcaster is yet to offer the same proof as Jake, by way of X-rays, those backstage felt that Paul’s jaw had certainly been misaligned by the USO twin. “That’s f****g gangster,” he said. “(I) took it like a champ. I felt like Jake Paul out there, honestly bro!”

As Friday evening went on, Paul explained that his face muscles were feeling loose in the aftermath of the action, but he still intended to compete in the dangerous Royal Rumble match the following day, pitting himself against 29 other men. At the Royal Rumble, Paul gave a tremendous account oh himself and made it to the final four with Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, and Gunther, but he would ultimately be dispatched by Reigns, who won the contest and earned himself a title shot at WrestleMania in Las Vegas. “I gotta win that next year, for real,” said the spotlight hungry star. “That should have been my pyro!” Even a ‘broken jaw’ can’t quieten the exciting sports entertainer, it seems!

Logan Paul can be seen on WWE Monday Night Raw, every week on Netflix. To follow him on Instagram, click here.

For nearly two decades, the roster at her Kansas City studio, Pilates by Kahley, has featured some of the biggest names on the Super Bowl–winning Chiefs. Quarterbacks and hulking linemen have entered seeking a few training tweaks, then left with an unexpected, almost delightful kind of agony.

Schiller is a classically trained instructor who for more than a decade has prioritized personalizing her craft over packing the room for profit. Her space contains only seven reformers in order for her to give each client as much hands-on attention and correction as possible.

She grew up a fan of the four-time Super Bowl champions, but on gameday Schiller watches as a coach, constantly looking for ways her defensive linemen can benefit from her work. She studies their stances, their leverage, even how individual muscles are firing, then comes up with a plan of attack—right down to working each specific head of the triceps if necessary.

“I watch to study what they need,” she says. “I primarily train the defensive line, and they have to hold those positions and have to come up with so much explosion. So I study them. I watch it for that purpose—to see just what they need, and if what I’m doing is helping them.”

While Schiller trains some of the league’s giants of the D-line—including former Chief Tershawn Wharton and current linemen George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, and Malik Herring—she believes her Pilates training was also the driving force that helped strengthen her much smaller frame battle an opponent far greater than any Super Bowl matchup: a liver transplant in 2019.

She survived not only the transplant itself and the excruciating post-op pain that followed. With a second chance at life has come a set of permanent adjustments that she can’t call any audibles on—including lifelong medication, food restrictions, and constant monitoring of her health. In the meantime, Schiller is using her second chance the best way she knows how. She continues teaching not only elite athletes, but also came up with a new tool—the Ab Belt—to help clients, especially women, who’ve faced their own surgeries, setbacks, and scares.

“My surgeon said the only reason that I’m alive is because my body was strong enough to get through that surgery,” she says. “Since there were so many complications, normally, most people aren’t able to get through something like that.”

Just Being ‘Tired’ Turned Into a Near-Death Moment for Kahley Schiller

Pilates may look subtle, but its small, precise movements—targeting neglected stabilizers like the rotator cuff, deep hip muscles, individual triceps heads, and deep core—are exactly what make it such a valuable complement to standard weight-room sessions. By applying these Pilates principles, her Chiefs linemen often see improvements on the field: moving more efficiently, staying better aligned, and feeling less beat up in the smaller muscles that usually take a pounding for 60 minutes each Sunday.

In a way, Pilates reflects how Schiller now approaches her own health, nearly seven years after her liver transplant—and it’s the part of her story she shares with as many people as possible. Today, even the smallest hint of an ailment can no longer be brushed off without a physician’s confirmation. It’s a mistake she refuses to make a second time. “If I feel off, I go get my labs done,” she says. “I just walk in and say, need my labs. I check up on myself very often.”

That same vigilance wasn’t there back in 2019, when Schiller considered herself in arguably the best shape of her life—at least appearance-wise—while juggling dual roles as a mother of two young kids and a business owner. Looking back, the physical drain was enough to wear down even the fit football stars she trains, but to her it felt like a normal part of the grind. “I was just tired, but I didn’t think anything of that,” she says. “We’re tired all the time, right?”

She remembers the date—August 1, 2019—when she realized what she was experiencing was well beyond normal fatigue. Bouts of nausea became more frequent. Within weeks, she says, her face and eyes took on a yellow hue. That was the signal that something was seriously wrong.

Schiller also can’t forget her first brush with the medical system—after it took nearly three weeks to even get in to see a doctor. Her symptoms were initially dismissed as a dietary issue, and she was sent home with nausea pills. Two days later, everything escalated. “We were driving to Lawrence [Kansas] for a dinner, and my eyes were bright yellow, which is the scariest thing I’ve ever seen,” she says. She went straight back to the doctor and demanded blood work. This time, the results were impossible to wave away. While a normal liver enzyme count might fall between 10 and 40 units per liter, Schiller’s were in the thousands. She was rushed to the ER, where specialists were waiting.

After a biopsy at the University of Kansas Health System, she was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, a disease that attacks the liver. Her prognosis was not promising.

“He told me I was in acute liver failure, and I had 90 days to live,” she says.

Kahley Schiller Took a Pilates Approach to Regaining Pre-Transplant Strength

If the liver transplant itself wasn’t excruciating enough, the aftermath, she says, was infinitely worse. A blood clot shot to her lung, then her heart, then her brain. She later learned she’d had four minor strokes, along with a previously undiagnosed heart flap that allowed the clot to pass through. Surgeons had to halt the operation, insert a filter, wait, then go back in and finish the transplant.

When she woke up, Schiller had a new liver—and a heart surgery already on the schedule. Meanwhile, the pain medication kept wearing off far faster than any signs of the indescribable pain ever faded.

“I can’t even explain the amount of pain that I was in,” she says. “I didn’t sleep for days, and kept counting down the seconds until I could hit [the morphine button].”

Eventually the immediate pain subsided, but the road to recovery ahead was overwhelming. The core she had developed through years of Pilates was completely shredded. “They cut through my abdominals, so up and down and then across. So I had no core.”

She leaned heavily on her faith. “I probably read my Bible more than I ever have in my entire life during that time,” she recalls. She also drew on what she’d learned from her Pilates mentor, Lolita San Miguel, 92, a first-generation Pilates elder and one of only two instructors personally certified by the practice’s founder, Joseph Pilates.

The surgical trauma made sleep difficult, and basic tasks like using the bathroom became a challenge. So, much like a Pilates program, Schiller had to approach her own recovery in gradual increments. A slow 2.0-mph treadmill walk increased over time. At first, even lifting a 2-pound weight felt impossible, but she added more as her strength returned. “Each day, if there was a little bit less pain, that would be a baby step,” she says.

About two months after her operation, Schiller finally lasted 45 minutes on the treadmill. A few months after that, she began seeing core results again. “My abs took eight months from the actual surgery to where I could feel the burn again.”

With a ‘New Normal’ Comes a New and Renewed Purpose

Life after a liver transplant means Schiller’s health now has to be managed with the same Pilates-like precision she instills in each of her clients. Permanently immunocompromised as a recipient with autoimmune hepatitis, she’ll almost certainly be on anti-rejection medication for the rest of her life. That life-changing reality now shapes nearly everything in her day-to-day routine. Her lab work is done regularly, and basic gym supplements she once took for granted—including everyday vitamin C tablets—are off the table unless specifically approved by her physician. Foods such as grapefruit, pomegranates, and even sushi can cause dangerous interactions with her medication and are no longer part of her diet.

Despite these permanent changes, Schiller can’t help but see the greater good that has come from her challenges. Since taking up Pilates as a UNLV student more than 20 years ago and later being introduced to the Chiefs after former quarterback Trent Green came in for sessions, her fitness practice has taken on a higher meaning, she says.

“My purpose in life is to help people,” she says. “This has given me a much better perspective of my clients who would come in and have all these different issues, because now I could finally relate to them. I never had been injured in my life, and now everything has happened.”

Out of her near-death ordeal also emerged a new way to ease the continuous lower back pain she experienced throughout her recovery. Foundational Pilates movements such as a C-curve—a position that helps flex and stretch the thoracic spine—became painfully difficult. She began wrapping a small Pilates ball with a knee brace to help keep herself propped up in that shape. That makeshift brace eventually led to the launch of her AB Belt in 2025. The redesigned device has already helped countless others—postpartum clients, people recovering from abdominal surgeries, those with lower-back pain, and even athletes. Her creation is just another extension of how she passes down the benefits of Pilates, the same practice she believes helped save her life.

“Everything that happens to us in life is for a great reason,” she says. “If you look at it that way, and you use it for something, then you’re helping others. If you look at it the other way and think that you’re the victim, then you’re going to stay over there.”

In this spoiler-free interview, M&F caught up with contestant and Olympic heptathlete, Chari Hawkins, to find out what she found most difficult, and why no matter the discipline, it’s perfectly ok to come last, just so long as you try your best.

Who Is Chari Hawkins? The Olympic Heptathlete Built for Endurance

Chari Hawkins didn’t just make an Olympic sport her chosen vocation, she pretty much chose to do the entire Olympics instead. Because, as a heptathlete, this insanely fit female from Idaho is required to smash seven different competitions over two days. For those keeping count, day one involves the hurdles, high jump, shot put, and a 200-meter run, then day two rounds out with a long jump, javelin throw, and an 800-meter run.  It’s a process that demands speed, strength, and stamina, and fortunately, Hawkins has all those qualities in abundance.

In 2011, while a freshman at Utah State, this tenacious track and fielder won the Western Conference Outdoor Championship. In 2018, she took gold in the England Athletics Combined Events Championships, and in 2022 won the Heptathlon Gold in the combined events in Spain. Still, nothing could have prepared her for the challenges that lay ahead in The Trainer Games, now streaming on Prime Video, where Hawkins would be required to navigate unfamiliar territory to reach checkpoints, abseil unstable cliff faces, and even wade through seaweed.

Olympian Chari Hawkins Shares Endurance Secrets from ‘The Trainer Games’

“The thing that’s crazy is, I don’t spend much time at sea,” shared Hawkins of being outside her comfort zone on the show. “They had us swim two miles, on a paddle board, out and back. I got caught in a rip current, and I was stuck for such a long time that somebody came up to me on a boat and it’s like, ‘By the way, you haven’t moved in an hour!” Hawkins became familiar with iFIT as a student in Utah. “I’ve been really aware of them for a long time,” she explained, noting that the chance to become a coach on the virtual fitness platform would be a perfect fit, since she already has her own online coaching business. What she wasn’t aware of prior to filming, however, was the chance to grab a hefty cash prize. “They told us that on day one in the intro,” explains the athlete of the $260K jackpot. “Say what!?”

During The Trainer Games, Hawkins would be forced to dig deep, enduring immense fatigue and physical stresses, at one point suffering severe skin abrasions and knee pain that left her unable to walk. Still, getting right back up after falling is tried and tested territory for this gutsy girl.

Mental Toughness Meets Extreme Fitness in The Trainer Games Finale

In 2024, during her Olympic debut in Paris, Hawkins’ dreams were crushed when she failed to clear her first high jump target of 1.71 meters in the second event of the Heptathlon, putting her out of contention for a podium place. While the devastated athlete was aware that she could bow out early, this inspiration instead completed the entire event. “There is that part of you that just wants to go home,” Hawkins tells M&F. “I was so sad, and I was so shocked and disappointed and embarrassed.”

Rather than cut and run, Hawkins created an incredible chapter in the story of her career thus far. “I kind of had to ask myself, ‘what do I need to do right now?’ and ‘who am I doing this for?’ And the answer that I came up with first was that I’m doing it for the 2016 and 2021 me, who worked just as hard as 2024 Chari, but didn’t make the team.”

With her friends and family in the crowd, Hawkins took a moment of immense disappointment and turned it into a celebration of both sad and happy tears in Paris, as she completed the heptathlon, and did herself proud. “Now I get to talk about this with so much happiness and joy, instead of so much embarrassment and shame,” she explains.

Whether it’s via her tricky Olympic test in 2024, or her most recent challenges in The Trainer Games, Hawkins has an important message for those who lack the confidence to crush their goals. “I think the coolest thing for me, that I’ve learned through my whole life, but something that the Trainer Games really taught me, was every single thing you try, you’ll always surprise yourself if you do it with your whole heart. I really love to push myself in things that bring me joy.”

The Trainer Games is available to stream on Prime Video, with the finale scheduled for February 5, 2026. For more information click here.

To follow Chari Hawkins on Instagram, click here. 

The most effective warmups work in layers. Your foundational warmup prepares your entire body for movement. From there, a short block of targeted prep aligns your body with the specific demands of the session, whether you’re training full body, focusing on lower-body strength, hammering upper-body lifts, or working on power and explosiveness.

This two-part approach doesn’t require extra time or complicated routines. It gives your warmup a purpose, and once your structure is dialed in, every minute before your workout helps you perform and train with confidence.

The Science Behind Effective Warmups for Strength and Muscle

Warmups matter because they directly influence how your body performs under load. When you prepare your body, your muscles produce force more efficiently, your joints move through stronger positions, and your nervous system responds faster to training demands. That combination sets the tone for the entire session.

Physiologically, warming up increases muscle temperature, improving muscle elasticity and contraction speed. Warmer muscles generate force more effectively and tolerate loading better, especially during heavy or explosive lifts. This improved readiness can enhance power output, bar speed, and overall training quality.

Your nervous system also benefits from a structured warmup. Gradually increasing movement complexity and intensity improves motor unit recruitment and coordination. That means your body communicates more efficiently during compound lifts, allowing you to express strength without feeling stiff or disconnected when you start working sets. Joint health and movement quality also play a role. Dynamic warmups improve range of motion while reinforcing stability, helping your body access usable mobility rather than passive flexibility. When your joints feel prepared and controlled, you move with more confidence and consistency across reps.

From years of coaching and reviewing the research on performance prep, one pattern stands out: intentional, progressive warmups consistently lead to better sessions. When your preparation meets the demands of training, you don’t just lift better that day. You create the conditions for long-term progress, resilience, and consistency in the gym.

Foundational Warmup: The Base Layer for Every Training Session

Your foundational warmup is the anchor of every training session. It prepares your entire body for movement and sets a consistent baseline before you transition into more specific prep work. This portion of your warmup stays essentially the same regardless of whether you’re training full body, lower body, upper body, or power.

The goal here is simple: Get your body ready to move well. That means increasing core temperature, opening up commonly restricted areas, activating key muscle groups, and reinforcing basic movement patterns you’ll use during the workout. When this foundation is in place, everything that follows feels smoother and more controlled.

This part of your warmup should feel energizing, not exhausting. You’re waking your system up, not trying to sweat or fatigue muscles. Five to eight minutes is usually plenty to raise readiness without draining the energy you need for your main lifts.

What Your Foundational Warmup Should Include

• Light cyclical movement to gradually elevate heart rate and body temperature
• Dynamic mobility for hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders
• Low-level activation for the core, glutes, and upper back
• Simple movement patterns such as squatting, hinging, pushing, and pulling

Because this layer is consistent, it builds familiarity and efficiency. Over time, your body recognizes the sequence and transitions more quickly into training mode. Instead of guessing what to do before each session, you establish a reliable rhythm that prepares you to train with confidence.

Once you establish a foundation, the final few minutes of your warmup become much more effective. That’s where targeted prep work takes over, allowing you to fine-tune readiness for the specific demands of the day’s workout.

Specific Prep: Tailoring Your Warmup to Today’s Workout

Once your foundational warmup is complete, your body’s ready to move. This is where specific warmup prep becomes valuable. These final minutes align your body with the exact demands of the training session ahead, helping you transition from general readiness to focused performance.

Specific prep works by rehearsing movement patterns, loading positions, and speeds, allowing your body to adapt before you challenge it under load. When your warmup reflects what you’re about to train, your joints feel more stable, your movements feel more coordinated, and your strength expresses itself more efficiently once working sets begin.

This portion of your warmup doesn’t need to be long. Three to five minutes is typically enough to reinforce key patterns without creating fatigue. The goal is precision, not volume. You’re narrowing your focus rather than adding more exercises.

The most effective way to approach specific prep is to match it to your training emphasis for the day. Full-body sessions benefit from coordination and flow. Lower-body days prioritize hip, knee, and ankle readiness. Upper-body sessions focus on shoulder control and upper-back activation. Power-based training requires quick, intentional movements that prepare your nervous system for speed.

When you use specific prep this way, your warmup becomes a bridge instead of a barrier. It connects preparation to performance, ensuring your body is ready to meet the demands of training from the very first set.

Best Warmup Routine for Full-Body Training Days

Full-body sessions challenge your ability to coordinate multiple movement patterns in a short period. Your warmup should reflect that by encouraging fluid transitions, balanced activation, and total-body connection. When everything feels synced before you start lifting, your workouts flow more smoothly from start to finish.

This portion of your warmup builds on your foundation by reinforcing how your upper and lower body work together through your core. The goal is to feel organized and responsive, not rushed or fatigued. And yes, this builds on your foundational warmup with slightly more specificity.

Time: 3–5 minutes

Full-Body Warmup Outline:

• Total-body dynamic movement (Alternating lower- and upper-body patterns)
• Upper-lower activation exercise
• Low-level rotational or anti-rotational core work

Sample Warmup:

• Air Squats with a reach (x10)
• Lunges with a reach (x5 each leg)
• Down Dog to Cobra Flow (x10)
• Side-lying T-Spine Rotation (x5 each side)
• Mini-band Walks (x10 each leg)
• Band Pull-aparts (x10)
• Plank with Shoulder Taps (x5 each side)

This approach prepares your body for compound lifts and mixed movement demands, helping you step into your first working set feeling balanced and ready to train.

Lower-Body Warmup for Stronger Squats and Deadlifts

Lower-body training places higher demands on your hips, knees, and ankles, especially when you’re squatting, hinging, or moving heavier loads. Your warmup should prioritize stability and range of motion in these joints while reinforcing strong lower-body positions.

This prep phase helps your lower body accept load more efficiently and improves force production during your main lifts. When your joints feel supported and your movement patterns feel solid, strength expresses itself with more confidence.

Time: 3–5 minutes

Lower-Body Warmup Outline:

• Hip-focused dynamic mobility
• Single-leg movement patterns
• Low-intensity squat or hinge variations
• Glute activation work

Sample Lower-Body Warmup:

• Leg Swings (x10 each leg)
• Quadruped Hip Circles (x5 each direction)
• Forward Lunge with Rotation (x5 each side)
• Air Squat (x10)
• Good Morning (x10)
• Mini-band Glute Bridge (x10)

This sequence prepares your lower body to handle heavier training while maintaining control and consistency across reps.

Upper-Body Warmup to Protect Shoulders and Improve Pressing Power

Upper-body sessions rely heavily on shoulder health and upper-back engagement. A targeted warmup helps prepare your shoulders to move freely while staying stable under load, especially during pressing and pulling movements.

This portion of your warmup emphasizes controlled shoulder movement, postural support, and balanced activation across the upper body. When this layer is in place, pressing feels stronger and pulling feels more connected.

Time: 3–5 minutes

Upper-Body Warmup Outline:

• Scapular movement patterns
• Shoulder mobility drills
• Light pushing and pulling movements
• Upper-back activation work

Sample Upper-Body Warmup:

• Scapula Push-Up (x10)
• Cat/Cow (x10)
• Down Dog (x10)
•  Light Band/Cable Lat Sweeps (x15)
• Light Band/Cable Face Pulls (x15)

By preparing your shoulders and upper back together, you create a stable platform for stronger, more efficient lifts.

Speed and Power Warmups for Explosive Athletic Performance

Power-based training places unique demands on your nervous system. Your warmup should gradually shift toward faster, more intentional movements that prepare your body to produce force quickly and efficiently.

This prep phase focuses on priming, readiness, and responsiveness rather than volume. Movements should feel crisp and controlled, building toward the speed and intent you’ll use during the workout.

Time: 3–5 minutes

Speed and Power Warmups Outline:

• Lower-body Pogos (x10)
• Med Ball Slams (x5)
• Med Ball Vertical Throws (x5)
• Snap-downs (x5)
• Box Jumps (x5)

Sample Speed Warmup:

• Forward-Backward Marching (x10, each leg)
• Straight Leg Skips (x10 each leg)
• A-Skip (x10 each leg)
• High Knees (x10 each leg)
• Butt-kicks (x10 each leg)
• Forward-Backward Pogo’s (x10 each leg)
• Short Acceleration Sprints (x2-3)

When your warmup prepares your nervous system for speed, power work feels sharper and more coordinated from the first rep.

How Long Should a Gym Warmup Be?

An adequate warmup doesn’t need to be long. When your preparation is structured, most lifters do best with a total warmup time of about ten to fifteen minutes. That window gives your body enough time to prepare without cutting into the energy you need for your main lifts.

Your foundational warmup typically takes five to eight minutes. During this portion, you raise body temperature, restore movement quality, and establish stability. From there, three to five minutes of targeted prep aligns your body with the specific demands of the day’s training. Together, these layers create a smooth transition from preparation to performance.

One of the easiest ways to gauge whether your warmup is effective is how your first working set feels. When your warmup is doing its job, your initial sets feel controlled and strong rather than stiff or sluggish. Your joints feel ready, your movements feel coordinated, and you’re able to settle into training quickly.

This approach also supports consistency over time. By using the same foundational structure and adjusting only the final layer, your warmup becomes efficient and repeatable. You spend less time guessing and more time training with intention.

When your warmup has a purpose, it stops feeling like a box to check. It becomes part of your training process, helping you move better, lift stronger, and build progress that lasts.

References

1. Enes, Alysson, et al. “Warming Up to Improved Performance? Effects of Different Specific Warmup Protocols on Neuromuscular Performance in Trained Individuals.” Sports Medicine and Health Science, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2025.08.002

2. Fradkin, Andrea J et al. “Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 24,1 (2010): 140-8. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0

3. Dynamic Warmups Play Pivotal Role in Athletic Performance and Injury Prevention. Sople, Derek et al. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, Volume 7, Issue 2, 101023

Tearing an Anterior Cruciate Ligament occurs when the tissue connecting the thigh bone (or femur) to the shin bone (or tibia) is ruptured, making the act of running, cutting, twisting, and jumping a seriously painful endeavour that can lead to serious pain and wreak devastation with an athlete’s mobility. Often requiring surgery, ACL tears require a detailed rehab process that involves gradually strengthening the stabilizing muscles, such as the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. But, if rehabbed correctly, athletes can be hopeful of return to action in around a year, depending on the severity of the problem. So, with that in mind, here are five NFL players that have felt this low point in their careers but have gone on to ace their comebacks.

Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, Joe Burrow was a No. 1 overall pick in 2020 when he tore an ACL and MCL. After around 9 months of rehab, he returned for the 2021 season, leading the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI (where they would eventually lose to the Rams).

Following his injury, Burrow continues to impress and was awarded the “Comeback Player of the Year” gong in 2023. More recently, he was selected for the 2026 Pro Bowl, in what will be his third Pro Bowl appearance. The quarterback is currently ranked top five in key passing stats. Now that’s what you call a comeback.

Saquon Barkley

Barkley described his 2020 ACL tear as “probably the weakest moment of my life,” admitting that the setback resulted in a lot of crying and frustration. The then-New York Giants running back required surgery after a non-contact injury that occurred during his cutting and running on field, and since it was a multi-ligament injury, he required around a year in rehab,

Fortunately, Barkley returned to action in 2021, and by 2022 had bounced back better, making more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage and ten touchdowns in 16 games.  Now with the Philadelphia Engles, the running back was ranked the number one NFL player in 2025.

Von Miller

Von Miller has torn his ACL twice during a highly physical career. The first (right knee) came in 2013 while playing with the Denver Broncos, forcing him to miss Super Bowl XLVIII (where

they lost to the Seattle Seahawks) and the second (his left this time) was discovered during exploratory surgery in 2022.

While both of those injuries required around 10 months rehab, Miller is finally finding his feet again after a challenging season with the Buffalo Bills, and experts believe that the 36-year-old can still be an effective situational pass rusher for some time to come.

Tom Brady

In 2008, Brady’s attempt to avoid a tackle from Chiefs linebacker Bernard Pollard resulted in the football icon’s knee being bent out of recognition when Pollard’s helmet hit the star’s left knee. The Patriot suffered a torn ACL and a partially torn MCL (Medical Collateral Ligament) as a result, less than eight minutes into the game.

Brady’s recovery time was approximately 10 months, and he made a return to training camp for the start of the 2009 season. As expected, the injury failed to mess with Brady’s winning touch, and he earned MVP Awards in 2010, 2017, and 2021… Not to mention a whopping four more Super Bowls.

Cooper Kupp

In 2018, Kupp was playing for the Los Angeles Rams as a wide receiver against the Denver Bronco’s when he was carried off the field with a knee injury. He only missed two games before a non-contact injury against the Seattle Seahawks forced him to the ground once again. An MRI later revealed that Kupp had torn his ACL, forcing him to miss out on an appearance at Super Bowl LIII, where they lost 13-3 against the Patriots.

Incredibly, Kupp returned to the Rams for the following season after a successful sting in rehab and could now come full circle on Sunday. With Kupp now playing for the Seahawks, he’s hoping to crush the Patriots at Super Bowl LX. We’re sure Zach Charbonnet will be watching, intently!

Super Bowl LX takes place on February 8, 2026. For more information click here!

“It’s different than football,” the CBS football analyst says of his current workout regimen while sitting down alongside his father, Ramiro, and raising awareness for prostate cancer with Bayer’s Highlight’s Real campaign. “Football is about strength, explosiveness. Now, it’s more about being flexible. I was trying that then, but it’s more about that now after the back surgery. It’s more about keeping myself aligned and in a position to be healthy.”

The four-time Pro Bowl Quarterback’s routine isn’t quite what it was during his playing days, but thanks to his kids, he’s remained pretty conditioned.

“There’s multiple gyms now,” Tony shares. “Not just going to the weight room, but also the actual gym, because my boys love basketball. And then the field, but I’m always doing something and being active. There’s no question about that. I think that literally is part of just what I hope to do the rest of my life because I’ve always enjoyed that.”

The Romo family learned first hand how important health is when they least expected it.

In Oct. 2007 after watching his son take on the Chicago Bears, Ramiro was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Alongside his siblings, Romo quickly slipped into taking care of his dad whenever he wasn’t on the field.

“I would say it was more wanting to be a caregiver [and] a resource to help Dad,” Romo says. “And just be there for him, because your father in some ways is like Superman, and you don’t think they’re ever gonna go through something like that. He’s immortal in some ways, and he just became mortal where it’s like, ‘Oh, you could lose your father possibly.’ That was obviously a tough phase, but it’s my job to be there for him and help support him in any way I could. My sisters, my mom, extended family, the doctors and the caregivers were just unbelievable in this process, and I think that’s one of the biggest things is those people are as important as anything that you could possibly say.”

The grueling experience was a wake-up call to the always active father-son duo who do their best to be proactive about their overall health.

“I think honestly, it’s just like anything we’ve learned throughout our lives,” Tony says. “My dad is incredibly active at his age and I’m so impressed. Any parent, what you do, sometimes you teach your child. You tell them, you do it over and over again, and other times they learn through osmosis by watching, and so just watching my dad and seeing how active he is and how committed he is to working out, being in shape, eating healthy, doing all the right things is just one of those things. It’s another learning lesson for all of us and my grandkids and everyone. And so I think that’s part of our daily routine. It’s just how we grew up and sometimes it’s just the environment you’re in.”

Romo’s father’s cancer journey is behind him, and he’s thankful for his good health, including his reduced stress levels now that his son has retired from the contact sport and is only seen on the field when he’s commentating.

“One hundred percent!” Ramiro says. “I’m not worried about him getting tackled in his back or something, or breaking another disc or again. It’s way better.”

Although the 2025-2026 NFL season is about to come to a close with this Sunday’s Super Bowl, fans of the Romos can still get their fix by joining them online and coming up with a game plan to stay on top of their own health.

“It helped me appreciate the small, meaningful moments that I get to share with him,” Tony says of the campaign which also has him commentating alongside his father. “It makes you think about life a little differently, maybe things you weren’t thinking about before.”

Eric Hillman, a pioneer and visionary in sports supplement distribution, will oversee this new program.  Hillman shares, “Working with Jake Wood and Dan Solomon to bring this program to the world’s most prestigious fitness event is a big win for all brands looking to grow, expand distribution, and connect at the highest level.”

The Olympia Expo returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center September 25-26, while its iconic championship stage production pivots to the Orleans Arena, clearing the way for a significant increase in attendees. The Palms will serve as the official host hotel.

More info about the new OB2B program and Buyer Registration details will be released soon. Send inquiries to contact@mrolympia.com

Related Story:  Olympia Main Stage Production Pivots to Arena in 2026

As injuries reshaped depth charts and tested continuity this past season for the San Francisco 49ers, they moved forward with an unsettling calm. Their standard never fluctuated, nor did their expectations soften. For wide receiver Skyy Moore, who stepped into a fluid role that demanded constant readiness, the experience reinforced a belief he’s been quietly building: durability as a competitive advantage.

“They have a way they do things,” Moore said. “They had a culture, and they knew their culture. It made it easy for me to fall in line.”

That clarity—organizational, physical, and mental—helped shape how Moore approached his preparation this season. He wasn’t on a quest to do more, but to do and be better. Not to chase moments, but to be ready when they arrived.

The Standard Is The Standard

From the outside, residence can come across as reactive. Inside the 49ers’ locker room, Moore says it’s premeditated. “It starts from the top down,” he explained. “From Kyle (Shanahan) and John (Lynch) setting the standard, and then having leaders like George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, and Christian McCaffrey—that makes everything easier.”

The 49ers led the league in adjusted games lost in 2025. Twenty players ended up on reserve lists by the season’s end. When injuries would surface, the preparation didn’t change. Roles shifted, but expectations remained fixed. Moore, who served as a flexible depth piece in a receiver room that demanded adaptability, prepared knowing he had to be ready for whatever the game called for.

“I was one of those flex guys,” he said. “If someone went down, I had to know all the positions. So I’m preparing every single week as if something might happen.”

That approach doubled the typical cognitive load. Different responsibilities, different alignments, and less margin for error. “I learned my mental capacity is up there,” Moore said. “Once you get into the thick of it, I feel like I handled that pretty well.”

As the 49ers leading return an, the two-time Super Bowl champion (with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and 2023) finished the season with a combined 1,198 return yards—including 907 on kickoffs and 291 on punts—in 17 games, exemplifying his adaptability. He also added 5 receptions for 87 yards as a wide receiver.

In a league where confidence is often mistaken for arrogance, Moore’s come from something quieter: competence. Knowing he’d already done the work.

It’s All About Control

Speed opens doors in the NFL. Balance keeps them from slamming shut. When Moore reflects on his development, the biggest shift wasn’t faster times or heavier lifts. It was body awareness.

“Body control and balance,” he says. “Those two things don’t get talked about enough.”

Wide receivers live in compromised positions—twisting midair, planting off unstable bases, decelerating under contact. Moore realized that traditional training doesn’t always prepare him for those realities. “You’re putting your body in difficult positions all the time,” he explains. “If your balance isn’t right, that’s where things go wrong.”

Earlier in his career, training was blunt-force preparation: Lift heavy, run fast, repeat. It was useful, but incomplete. Over time, Moore began asking himself just how well his body worked.

“What little muscles help me run fast?” he recalls. “How much sleep do I need to feel good the next day? How do I keep my body loose enough to perform week after week?”

This season marked a turning point. After dealing with injuries in prior years, Moore finished this season healthy. He attributed this to training in new ways to help his body be able to sustain the unconventional movements that come from being on the field.

Training For Longevity

Moore recently leaned into GOATA-inspired movement work. Greatest Of All Time Actions is a system centered on alignment, balance, and efficiency. The work was subtle, almost unimpressive to watch, but the results weren’t.

“It’s small movements,” Moore says. “But they’ve helped me a lot.”

Working with his trainer through All Is Well KCthat protect joints and distribute force more intelligently. The goal wasn’t intensity—it was sustainability.

“This was the first season I was through and through healthy,” he says. Recovery became a pillar of his performance, not an afterthought. Moore also incorporated electronic muscle stimulation into his routine—a modality also used by teammates like Kittle and McCaffrey.

“When you see guys like that using it and having the results they have,” Moore says, “You know you’re on the right track.”

His weekly rhythm also reflects that intentionality:

• Monday: Full-body lift to maintain strength
• Tuesday: Upper-body work paired with mobility and recovery
• Wednesday: High-intensity practice and vision training
• Friday: Massage, recovery, and nervous system reset
• Saturday: Nutrition, hydration and game-day prep

“Once I step on the field, I can’t think about anything else,” Moore says. “I can’t worry about my calf or back. Once it’s go time, nothing else matters.” That clarity, he says, only exists when preparation has already absorbed the stress.

Opportunity Is Conditional

The NFL doesn’t reward intention. It rewards readiness. Moore spoke on missing opportunities earlier in his career—moments that arrived before he was fully prepared to seize them.

“I’ve missed opportunities before,” he says. “And I didn’t get another one for a couple of years.”

This season helped sharpen his perspective. Opportunity isn’t something to chase. It’s something to be ready for. That mindset has extended beyond the field. He’s become more disciplined with nutrition—cutting back on sugar, improvising energy consistency, and prioritizing feeling the best he can day to day.

“I used to eat terrible,” he admits. “Now it’s about eating clean enough to feel good every day.” The payoff isn’t cosmetic, but more operational. More energy. Better recovery. Fewer distractions.

For Moore, strength isn’t measured by what he can produce on his best day. It’s measured by how reliably he shows up across a season. And in a league in which volatility can be a certainty, that might be the most valuable skill of all.

“If you want to make the most of your opportunities,” he says, “you’ve got to be healthy, and you’ve got to be prepared.”

GOATA-Inspired Workout: Build Balance, Control, and Availability

Purpose: Improve lower-body alignment, balance, and durability — the same qualities Moore credits for staying healthy.

Frequency: 2–3x per week

Focus: Control > load

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Barefoot ankle circles – 2 x 10 each direction
• Big toe lifts (standing) – 3 x 10
• Hip airplanes – 2 x 6 per side

Main Work

1. Split-Stance Hip Shift Holds: 3 x 30 seconds per side
2. Single-Leg Balance Reach: 3 x 8 per side Reach forward, diagonal, and lateral
3. Offset Goblet Squat: 4 x 6 Hold weight slightly to one side to challenge balance
4. Reverse Lunge to Knee Drive (Slow Tempo): 3 x 6 per side 3-second descent
5. Single-Leg RDL (Barefoot if possible): 3 x 8 per side Control the bottom position

Finish: Mobility Reset

• 90/90 hip switches – 2 x 10

• Calf stretch with toe extension – 60 seconds per side

Follow Moore on Instagram 

“It’s wild,” Knight says. “I’m really grateful to have been around the sport this long at this level. I’ve had some amazing teammates and I currently have some amazing teammates and to be in these high-performance rooms is just outstanding. And there’s really nothing like it. So, [I’m] grateful from that standpoint and then to be able to share the journey too with my friends and family.”

The current captain and forward for the Seattle Torrent began her Olympic journey winning silver medals in 2010 in Vancouver and Sochi in 2014. In 2018, she helped Team USA capture gold in PyeongChang and earned another silver medal in 2022 in Beijing.

Knight is currently the only U.S. women’s hockey player to compete in five consecutive Olympic Games. In May 2025, she announced that this would be her final time playing on the ice, and she’s in a good place about it all.

“If I have moments of reflection, I feel really at peace and calm about it all,” Knight explains.

“I can’t wait to get over there and just start competing and go through processing and do all the fun stuff and get going.”

Although she is a veteran to the sport, the Olympic jitters are just as present today as they were during her first games 16 years ago.

“No, not less nerve-wracking!” Knight says with a laugh. “If anything, you understand the sport so much that you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ You’re more alert to different things. But no, I’d say the excitement is still there just as it was the first time, and that hasn’t lessened ever. And so, I think that’s been sort of one of my personal things is, as long as I’m still hungry and I can still contribute to the game, I’m gonna keep playing and it’s been fun. It’s been such a wild ride in the best way.”

A Mindset Shift Ahead of Performing on the World’s Biggest Stage

While the emotions of competing on arguably the biggest athletic stage in the world are there, Knight does her best to stay present.

“I think the nerves will always be there,” Knight continues. “I do try and focus or shift that energy more towards excitement versus a nervousness. And for me, that’s an important distinction if I’m able to do that and really getting up and sort of being on the toes versus sort of wanting to dictate play out there and bring a presence. I think it can really consume you if you don’t control or try and figure out your energies in the right way.”

The PWHL is currently in-season, so while the league takes its break to let its star players shine overseas on behalf of Team USA, Knight’s routine will have some additional adjustments.

“I do little things on the phone,” Knight says. “Like logging out of different things and keeping them very separate. I’m very intentional about my time and not using it. I will say, the amount of attention that I wanna give each thing is insane, and so, I really have to be mindful of how I’m spending that energy.”

Knight previously served as an alternate team captain at the 2022 games, but this year, she will lead the team, but is ditching the word “alternate” from her title.

“When I think about these two teams, on one hand, I have the Torrent,” Knight shares. “It’s year one. We’re in a new market. It’s exciting. There’s all these things that are going on. There’s a lot of energy, but it has to be done there. And then Team USA, it’s an Olympic year. February is the biggest stage. We have a lot of young faces, new faces, so it’s a tall task, but I’m honored to do it.”

And while Knight has put in all the physical training on the ice, mentally, she’s dialing into her final Games a bit differently thanks to her previous experience.

“I think you still have to prepare so you’re still having an impact out there, says Knight, who teamed up with Hershey’s to celebrate its Happiness is the Real Gold campaign along with its limited-edition chocolate medals. “But I think we’ve been doing this so long that it would take a lot to detrain at this point. So now, you’re just really fine-tuning things, and I think given my training age, I have a better understanding of what I need. I just know my body more, which can be great and also annoying at times.”

As Knight gets ready to board her final flight as an Olympian, she’s taking her leadership role seriously and doing her best to help the team bring home gold.

“I just wanna make sure that everyone feels comfortable to perform up to their potential,” Knight says. “I think it’s just as simple as that. Our culture, it’s so strong in that room that it’s a great foundation for us. You trust everybody [that[ they’re doing what they need to do, so when we get together, we’re gonna be awesome. That’s always a reassuring thing that everyone at this level is an adult and a pro in their own way to take care of themselves. I’m always here for advice, storytelling, if anything’s crazy, and [a] support system.”

Anti-rotation strength.

Your lack of anti-rotation strength shows up when you leak force the moment the weight gets heavy. It is a shift, rotation, or tilt in your torso during presses, pulls, deadlifts, and squats. The half-kneeling Pallof press addresses this issue at the source. It trains your core and hips to lock your torso in place as the external load tries to twist you out of position.

Here, I’ll explain what it is, how to do it well, how to know you’re doing it well, and why it builds the strength you need for your big lifts.

What Is the Half-Kneeling Pallof Press?

The half-kneeling Pallof press is an anti-rotation core exercise performed with a cable machine or a resistance band while kneeling on one knee, pressing the handle out from your lower chest. The load pulls you to the side, and your only job is not to let it move you.

By narrowing your base of support, the half-kneeling position demands full-body stability from your core and hips. If you flare your ribs, lean, or rotate during the rep, you’re doing it wrong.

Next, I’ll walk you through how to perform it correctly.

How to Perform the Half-Kneeling Pallof Press (Step-by-Step)

If you’re not careful, you may turn an excellent core exercise into a glorified chest press. The setup and positioning matter just as much as the press itself.

Here is how to do it right.

The Setup:

1. Attach a cable or band at waist level.
2. Kneel with the knee closest to the anchor point down and the opposite foot forward, with the knee underneath the hip and the ankle underneath the knee.

Positioning:

1. Square up your hips and shoulders,
2. Stay tall
3. Squeeze your glutes
4. Pull your ribs down until they stack over your hips.

Brace:

1. Hold the handle close to your chest with both hands,
2. Inhale through the nose, brace your core, and relax your shoulders.

Press:

• Press the handle straight out from your chest and pause at lockout.
• Do not let your torso rotate, lean, or drift toward the anchor point, then slowly return the handle to your chest.

How to Tell If You’re Doing the Pallof Press Correctly

You know you’re doing it right when:

• Torso stays tall and square from start to finish.
• Hips and shoulders don’t twist toward or away from the cable.
• You feel steady tension through your glutes, anterior core, and obliques.
• You’re fighting to stay balanced.

While performing the half-kneeling Pallof press, you should feel:

• A deep tension surrounding your obliques and spine.
• Your glutes are staying engaged to keep your hips in optimal position.

If you do this exercise in front of a mirror, you should see:

• Your chest stays facing forward the entire time.
• Handle travelling in a straight line.
• Your ears over your shoulders.

Now that you know how to do it and feel like you’re getting the most out of it, here’s why it improves your bigger lifts.

Why the Pallof Press Improves Squats, Deadlifts, and Presses

It doesn’t look like much, and a few think this exercise is overrated. But when performed with intention, it improves exercise performance.

Eliminates Energy Leaks: When your torso twists under load, power bleeds out before anything starts. The Pallof Press teaches you to stay square, so the force you generate goes where it’s supposed to.

Reinforces Bracing Under Asymmetrical Load: Most heavy lifts aren’t perfectly symmetrical, even if the bar is. Grip differences, stance shifts, and bar path deviations all create rotational forces. This exercise prepares your core to minimize these minor issues before they become problems.

Improves Lift Efficiency: A stable torso leads to cleaner movement. When your core resists rotation, your squats stay centered, your deadlifts don’t drift, and your overhead presses stop turning into side bends.

When your core does its job, your exercise performance will skyrocket. Next, we’ll nip common mistakes in the bud.

Common Half-Kneeling Pallof Press Mistakes (and Fixes)

The half-kneeling Pallof press looks simple enough, which is why it’s so easy to butcher. Here are the most common mistakes with fixes.

You Turn It Into a Strength Exercise

If you load the cable stack too heavy or stretch the band to max capacity and it yanks you out of position, your core isn’t training—your ego is.

Fix: Lighten the load and drop the load until you can press out and hold without any twisting or leaning. Anti-rotation only works if you can resist rotation.

Keep It Straight

Pressing with anything but a straight line turns this into a shoulder exercise and reduces core demand.

Fix: Press straight out from your sternum. Think “punch the air in front of you,” and use a load you can control.

Losing the Stack

When your ribs are not over your hips, the tension transfers to your lower back and not your anterior core and love handles.

Fix: Light glute squeeze, ribs down, tall posture. If you feel your lower back taking over, reset and slow down.

Setup Issues

Hyperextending your lower back, leaning away from the anchor point to maintain your balance, or leaning your torso forward all defeat the purpose of this movement.

Fix: Own the half-kneeling position—ankle underneath knee, and knee underneath your hips. When your hips and shoulders stay square the entire time, good things happen.

Best Ways to Program the Pallof Press Into Your Training

The half-kneeling Pallof press works best when you treat it like strength skill work, not filler.

Warmup: Prime your core before squats, deadlifts, or presses to groove bracing.

Accessory: Pair it with big lifts in a superset to reinforce anti-rotation without draining your nervous system. For example:

1A. Barbell Overhead Press

1B. Half-Kneeling Pallof Press: 8 reps per side

Sets and Reps

Beginner: 2–3 sets of 8 reps per side.

Intermediate: 3 sets of 10 reps per side with a slower tempo.

Advanced: 3 sets of 12+ reps per side, with iso-holds at full extension.

Rest 45–60 seconds between sides and sets.

Train it a few times a week, and you’ll notice the payoff where it counts most—heavier lifts that feel smooth and controlled.

The hair-raising moment took place at The Ring VI, in Madison Square Garden in a heavyweight clash that ended in a split decision, but thousands of boxing fans had their sides split too.

It was in the second round that hilarity ensued, as Ibeh boxed the hair right off the man, they call the “Big Baby.” Close-up camera shots following the action revealed that Miller’s hair piece had been dislodged by the physicality between the two behemoths, as fans struggled to hold in their laughter. Indeed, Ibeh had hauled off so hard that Miller’s hairpiece became unglued and began to float right off of his head.

The moment Jarrell Miller had his hair punched off in the middle of his fight

The Ring VI | Buy now at https://t.co/AxmwuHu4GB pic.twitter.com/yTPqHVrVJg

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) February 1, 2026

Watch Kingsley Ibeh box Jarrell Miller’s Hair Off

For his part, cooler heads prevailed on the night, as Miller went into the third round after seeing the funny side of the joke. The heavyweight ripped off what was remaining of the wig and threw it out into the fans at MSG, laughing with his tongue out. The hair piece was even handed around the audience, with those in attendance taking turns to pose with it for selfies.

Despite his initial embarrassment, Miller went onto score a victory on points and has been praised by his ability to poke fun at himself. In his post-match interview, Miller tried to explain that he’d borrowed his mom’s shampoo but found that it was more like bleach. “I literally lost my hair, like two days ago,” he shared, adding that he called his manager about finding a hair piece. “It’s funny, man,” concluded the boxer, giving Ibeh credit for knocking “that s***,” off his head.

To follow Jarrell Miller on Instagram, click here.

Danilov has enjoyed a rapid rise in the world of competitive bodybuilding, winning the Super Heavyweight NPC Worldwide Regional Cup in 2024 and qualifying as an IFBB Pro the same year. Now working his way to the top of the pro ranks, the ripped Russian’s most recent victory came at the 2025 IFBB Tsunami Nutrition Showdown France Pro, where he commanded first place in the Open division and has earned a much-coveted spot in the 2026 Mr Olympia final.

At 6-feet-1-inches tall and weighing a massive 340 pounds in his off-season, the gentle giant was recently seen playfully wrestling an 890-pound bear. Of course, it’s all good practice for dominating those larger-than-life characters on the bodybuilding stage.

The Menace Podcast team are impressed by Sergey Danilov

“That dude is huge, man,” praised Cormier. “I saw him before, but he’s looking a lot more impressive now,” he added. This sentiment was echoed by Milos Sarcev. “Yeah, he’s going to be a problem,” observed The Mind.

Cormier also offered Danilov some constructive advice for perfecting his already impressive physique, noting that if the Russian can add some more mass to his back, and reveal some additional definition in his abs, this man mountain will be right in the Mr Olympia mix.

To watch the full episode, where the panel also discussed Ronnie Coleman, Hadi Choopan, Keone Pearson, and the latest bodybuilding news, see below.

Front squat setups will look different due to mobility issues, comfort, and grip preference, but the principles remain the same. Front squats require a secure rack position, upper-back tension, a solid brace, and a stance that allows you to go deep.

This pre-lift checklist walks you through the fundamentals of the front squat setup, step by step. When you dial it in, the bar stays racked, your torso is tall, and your quads will reach a new level of awesomeness.

What is the Proper Front Squat Setup?

Having the barbell across your chest adds a new level of discomfort to the squat, so pay attention to your setup to avoid increasing it.

Step 1: Bar Height and Rack Setup

Before the grip, elbows, or stance, you need the bar set at the correct height. Get this wrong, and you’ll waste energy before you begin. A clean rack setup allows you to unrack tall, keeping your torso stacked and your elbows ready to rise.

• Set the bar around mid-chest to collarbone height.
• You should be able to step under the bar and stand it up without quarter-squatting.
• The bar should rest on the front delts, not jammed into your throat or sitting in your hands.

Internal cue: Feel the bar on the shoulders.

External cue: Set the bar at collarbone height.

Coach’s tip: Decide your grip style before you unrack—clean grip, cross-arm, or straps. The idea here is to minimize decisions once you are under the bar.

Step 2: Grip Style and Hand Position

There is one core front squat principle: your shoulders, not your hands, support the bar. Choose a grip that keeps your elbows high and your torso tall. With the options below, it

is essential to keep your wrist pain-free, keep your elbows up, and have the bar sitting across your shoulders.

• Clean Grip: Fingers under the bar with wrists extended.
• Cross-Arm Grip: Arms crossed with hands resting on top of the bar.
• Strap-Assisted Grip: Straps looped around the bar and held like reins.

Internal cue: Relax the hands, support the bar with the shoulders.

External cue: Elbows and chest up.

Coach’s tip: If the rack position doesn’t feel right, rerack and start again.

Step 3: Elbow Position and Upper-Back Tension

If the front squat has a make-or-break detail, this is it. High elbows and an engaged upper back create the shelf that keeps the bar stable. The proper elbow position and a tight upper back keep your torso upright, allowing you to squat rather than tilt forward. Let either one slip, and the bar travels forward, compromising the lift.

• Drive your elbows up and forward.
• Think tall through the upper back without rib flare.
• The bar should feel glued to your shoulders.

Internal cue: Upper back tall and tight.

External cue: Drive your elbows to the ceiling.

Coach’s Tip: Engage your upper back and keep your chest proud to keep your elbows up.

Step 4: Unrack and Walk-Back

You need to unrack in a way that preserves everything you set above. The goal is to move the bar from the rack to your stance without disrupting posture or tension.

• Take your breath and brace your core before you unrack.
• Stand straight up to lift the bar out of the hooks.
• Keep elbows high as you clear the rack.
• Take a 2–3-step walk-back, then stop and begin to set your feet in your preferred stance.

Internal cue: Tall spine, core engaged.

External cue: Pull your head to the ceiling.

Coach’s Tip: Taking more than 3 steps back wastes unnecessary energy.

Step 5: Foot Position and Stance

The front squat requires a foot position that allows you to sit between the knees rather than over them, and keeps your torso upright with the bar stacked over your center of mass.

• Set your feet roughly shoulder-width apart and turn your toes out
• Keep your weight balanced over the midfoot.

Internal cue: Feel the whole foot on the floor.

External cue: Push your big toe into the floor.

Coach’s Tip: The ideal stance varies from lifter to lifter, and it’s best to get a feel for it before you unrack. Perform three jump squats and notice where your feet land on the third because that will be your stance.

Step 6: Rooting and Lower-Body Tension

Rooting your feet into the ground gives your hips and knees a stable platform to squat from and helps keep the bar stacked over your mid-foot.

• Screw your feet into the floor to create a slight external rotation at the hips.
• Maintain pressure through the midfoot and heel.
• Lightly engage your quads and glutes.

Internal cue: Feel your feet grip the floor.

External cue: Spread the floor apart.

Coach’s Tip: After the rooting, reengage your big toe.

The Front Squat Pre-Lift Checklist for Consistent Performance

Take a second or two to review the checklist below before crushing your set.

1. Bar secure on the shoulders: not drifting into the hands.
2. Elbows high and forward: creating a solid shelf.
3. Upper back tight: chest tall and ribs down.
4. Feet rooted: pressure through the midfoot.
5. Brace set: torso tall.
6. Eyes forward: not up or down

If everything feels locked in, you’re clear to squat.

Most Common Front Squat Setup Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Avoid these common setup mistakes that cause the bar to dump forward or your torso to fold.

1. Unsettled rack position: If your wrists and forearms feel uncomfortable, your rack position is off. The bar should rest on the shoulders, with the hands along for the ride.
2. Letting the elbows drop: Low elbows mean the upper back isn’t tight. If your elbows drop, the bar will roll forward every time. Always keep your chest up and upper back engaged.
3. Rushing the setup: Moving too fast disrupts posture and tension. Slow down, stand tall, and settle before squatting.
4. Forgetting your feet: Rooting your feet, feeling your big toes pressed into the ground, gives you strength from the ground up. Do this as part of your setup and between each rep.

The front squat rewards lifters who pay attention to the details. A clean rack position, high elbows, a tight upper back, and a solid brace are non-negotiable if you want to squat heavy.

Master the setup—and the strength gains will be sure to follow.

This round-up highlights the training shoes that delivered the most in 2025, followed by the models that show real promise heading into 2026. Some of these shoes proved themselves through months of lifting, conditioning, and hybrid workouts. Others stand out because their design, materials, and intent point toward where training footwear is headed next. Together, they offer a clear snapshot of what worked, what mattered, and what athletes should focus on moving forward.

The Training Shoes We Loved in 2025

• Best Overall Training Shoe: R.A.D. One V2
• Best for CrossFit: Nike Metcon 10
• Best Running Shoe for Training Programs: Nike Pegasus 41
• Best Cushioned HYROX Ride: Reebok Floatzig 2
• Best for Longer Sessions: TYR CXT Elite Carbon Trainer
• Best Zero-Drop Training Shoe: Notace Yama T1

Best Overall Training Shoe of 2025: R.A.D. One V2

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The R.A.D. One V2 stood out in 2025 as one of the few training shoes that truly feel comfortable throughout an entire session, not just one segment. It provides a stable base for heavy lifts while remaining responsive enough for jumps, sled work, and conditioning circuits. That balance matters when your training doesn’t live in a single lane.

What really separates the One V2 is how natural it feels underfoot. There’s no exaggerated heel, no overly soft cushioning, and no stiffness that limits movement. Instead, the shoe stays grounded and predictable, which is exactly what you want when transitioning from barbell work to athletic movement without changing footwear.

Key Specs

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: Approx. 6 mm
• Weight: Approx. 12.8 oz (men’s size 10)

Performance Breakdown

• Stability: A wide, flat platform provides consistent floor contact during squats, deadlifts, and unilateral lifts. The shoe stays composed under load without forcing a rigid lifting-shoe feel.
• Comfort & Fit: Secure through the midfoot, with enough room in the toe box to allow the foot to spread naturally. Comfortable right out of the box, with minimal break-in required.
• Durability: The upper and outsole hold up well to high-wear gym movements like rope climbs, lunges, and lateral work. Built for repeated weekly use.
• Versatility: Handles strength work, athletic training, and conditioning better than most “do-everything” trainers.

Who It’s Best For: Lifters and hybrid athletes who want one shoe they can train in start to finish without sacrificing stability or movement quality.

Best Training Shoe for CrossFit: Nike Metcon 10

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The Metcon line has always been about stability first, and the Metcon 10 continues that tradition while feeling more refined than previous versions. It’s the kind of shoe you put on when you know the session is going to revolve around barbells, dumbbells, and controlled power rather than nonstop movement. Under load, it feels planted and predictable, which builds confidence when weights start climbing.

What stood out in 2025 was how dialed-in the platform felt without becoming overly stiff. The shoe doesn’t fight your foot, but it also doesn’t compress or shift when you need it most. For lifters who prioritize force transfer and consistency, the Metcon 10 remains one of the most reliable tools in the gym.

Key Specs

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: Approx. 6 mm
• Weight: Approx. 11 oz (men’s size 10)

Performance Breakdown

• Stability: Extremely solid under squats, deadlifts, presses, and split-stance lifts. One of the most dependable training platforms available.
• Comfort & Fit: Snug through the midfoot with a secure heel. Slightly firmer feel overall, which suits strength work well.
• Durability: Built to handle repeated heavy sessions, rope climbs, and high-stress gym movements.
• Versatility: Best when lifting is the priority. Functional enough for short conditioning blocks but not designed for longer runs.

Who It’s Best For: Strength-focused athletes who want maximum stability and a shoe that thrives under heavy loading.

Best Running Shoe for Training Programs: Nike Pegasus 41

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Best For: Conditioning, Road Running, and Cardio-Heavy Days

The Pegasus 41 continues to prove why it’s one of the most trusted daily trainers out there. While it isn’t a gym shoe in the traditional sense, it plays an important role for athletes whose training includes regular runs, longer conditioning efforts, or road work. The ride feels smooth, responsive, and forgiving enough to handle mileage without beating you up.

This is the shoe you reach for when the workout shifts toward aerobic work or when running quality matters more than barbell performance. In 2025, the Pegasus 41 remained a reliable option for athletes who separate their strength days from their conditioning days and want a shoe that feels effortless on the road.

Key Specs

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: Approx. 10 mm
• Weight: Approx. 10.4 oz (men’s size 10)

Performance Breakdown

• Stability: Neutral running platform that works well at steady and moderate paces.
• Comfort & Fit: Cushioned without feeling mushy. Comfortable for longer sessions and repeated runs.
• Durability: Holds up well over high mileage on roads and treadmills.
• Versatility: Excellent for conditioning and run days, but not intended for heavy lifting.

Who It’s Best For: Athletes who regularly run as part of their training and want a dependable, no-nonsense conditioning shoe.

Best Cushioned Training Shoe for HYROX & Conditioning: Reebok Floatzig 2

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Best For: Cushioned Runs and High-Volume Conditioning

The Floatzig 2 leans fully into comfort and energy return, making it a standout for longer conditioning efforts. The cushioning feels lively and protective, helping reduce fatigue during workouts that involve sustained running or repeated impact. It’s not trying to be a minimalist shoe, and that’s exactly why it works so well for what it’s built to do.

In 2025, this shoe found its place with athletes who prioritize cardiovascular work and want their legs to feel fresher at the end of a session. It encourages smooth movement and consistent pacing, making it a solid choice for conditioning-heavy training cycles.

Key Specs

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: Approx. 6 mm
• Weight: Approx. 10.3 oz (men’s size 10)

Performance Breakdown

• Stability: Stable for straight-line movement and steady pacing. Less ideal for heavy lateral loading.
• Comfort & Fit: Soft and accommodating with a noticeably cushioned ride.
• Durability: Built for repeated road contact and longer training sessions.
• Versatility: Best suited for running and conditioning rather than mixed lifting sessions.

Who It’s Best For: Athletes who log frequent miles or rely heavily on conditioning as part of their weekly training.

Best Training Shoe for Long, High-Output Workouts: TYR CXT Elite Carbon Trainer

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Best For: High-Output Training and Long Sessions

The TYR CXT Elite Carbon Trainer brought something genuinely different to the training floor in 2025. The carbon plate adds a noticeable sense of efficiency and pop, especially during longer workouts when fatigue often sets in. It helps maintain rhythm and output when sessions stretch beyond the typical strength block.

Despite the advanced build, the shoe doesn’t feel unstable or overly aggressive. It still provides a grounded base, making it a compelling option for athletes who want performance benefits without sacrificing control. This shoe feels purpose-built for demanding training days.

Key Specs

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: Approx. 4 mm
• Weight: Approx. 12.8 oz (men’s size 10)

Performance Breakdown

• Stability: Strong platform with added propulsion from the carbon plate.
• Comfort & Fit: Secure and supportive, especially during extended sessions.
• Durability: Built to withstand frequent, high-intensity training.
• Versatility: Excels in longer workouts where sustained output matters.

Who It’s Best For: Experienced athletes looking to maximize efficiency and performance during high-volume or high-intensity training.

Best Zero-Drop Training Shoe for Natural Movement: Notace Yama T1

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The Notace Yama T1 earns its spot on this list by doing something most training shoes don’t even attempt. It prioritizes natural foot movement, ground awareness, and simplicity over cushioning and structure. If your training includes movement work, agility, light conditioning, or outdoor sessions, this shoe immediately changes how connected you feel to the ground.

What stood out in 2025 was how intentional the design feels. The zero-drop platform and wide toe box encourage your foot to move the way it’s meant to, which can be refreshing if you spend most of your time in highly structured trainers. This isn’t a shoe built to mask movement issues. It’s one that asks you to own them, which is exactly why it appeals to athletes who care about foot strength and movement quality.

Key Specs

Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0 mm (zero drop)

Weight: Approximately 7.5 oz (men’s size 10)

Performance Breakdown

• Stability: Neutral and ground-driven, encouraging balanced foot contact rather than artificial support. Not intended for heavy barbell lifts.
• Comfort & Fit: Extremely lightweight with a foot-shaped toe box that allows natural toe splay and unrestricted movement.
• Durability: Tough enough for conditioning, agility work, and outdoor sessions, though intentionally minimalist in protection.
• Versatility: Best used for movement-focused training, conditioning, and light runs rather than traditional gym lifting.

Who It’s Best For: Athletes who value natural movement, proprioception, and foot strength, and who want a minimalist shoe that reinforces those qualities instead of dampening them.

What 2025 Got Right—and What Comes Next

The standout training shoes of 2025 clearly focused on solving real training problems. Brands shifted away from extremes and leaned into stability, foot shape, and better ground contact. Instead of forcing a single shoe to cover every category, designers embraced specialization while maintaining versatility.

That shift showed up across lifting, conditioning, and hybrid training. Platform geometry became more thoughtful, energy return improved for longer sessions, and shoe designs began to better reflect how the foot actually moves during training. From all-around trainers to minimalist options built around movement quality, 2025 signaled a smarter approach to performance footwear.

Looking ahead, 2026 appears ready to build on that momentum. Early releases and upcoming models point toward lighter constructions, refined midsole materials, and designs that continue to blend gym, competition, and outdoor training. These shoes are still proving themselves, but many show clear potential to shape how athletes train in the year ahead.

2026 Training Shoes to Watch for Strength, Conditioning, and Recovery

• Best For Next-Level All-Around Training: Reebok Nano X5 Edge
• Best For Treadmill & Conditioning Runs: Reebok FloatZig Tread
• Best For Cushioned Conditioning & Intense Runs: Nike Vomero Premium ·
• Best For Stability-Focused Runs & Conditioning Integration: Nike Structure Plus ·
• Best For Hybrid Training and Race-Style Conditioning: PUMA Deviate NITRO 4 HYROX Edition ·
• Best For Recovery, Pre-Training Prep, and Cooldowns: Nike Mind 001 ·
• Best For Road and Court Specialist Use (Emerging): Michi 1 and Koto 1

Reebok Nano X5 Edge

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Best For: Next-Level All-Around Training

Why It’s on Our Radar

Reebok’s popular Nano platform receives a refined evolution with the Nano X5 Edge, balancing stability for lifting with enough responsiveness for agility and cardio. Early impressions suggest this version tightens up both materials and performance feel, making it a true all-purpose trainer that could blur lines between classic gym sessions and dynamic workouts.

Key Specs

• Price: $150
• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 7 mm
• Weight: Approx. 12.0 oz (men’s size 10)

Reebok FloatZig Tread

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Best For: Treadmill & Conditioning Runs

Why It’s on Our Radar

The Floatzig Tread reflects a growing focus on indoor running and conditioning-heavy programs. Instead of functioning as a traditional road shoe, this model appears to be designed specifically for treadmill mechanics, cadence work, and repeat intervals. That makes it an interesting option for athletes whose cardio lives inside the gym.

It also hints at a future where running shoes are tailored more precisely to how and where people actually train.

Available 1/21/26 at 10 am EST

Key Specs

• Price: $110
• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 6 mm
• Weight: 9.1 oz (men’s)

Nike Vomero Premium

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Best For: Cushioned Conditioning & Intense Runs

Why It’s on Our Radar

The Vomero Premium leans hard into comfort, which is not a bad thing for athletes managing high weekly volume. This shoe looks built for longer conditioning sessions, intense runs, and days when minimizing impact matters more than speed. It fits well into training plans that separate hard lift days from aerobic work.

If the cushioning holds up over time, this could become a staple for athletes who prioritize longevity alongside performance.

Key Specs

• Price: $230
• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 10 mm
• Weight: 12.4 oz (men’s US 10)
• Restocking in February

Nike Structure Plus

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Best For: Stability-Focused Runs & Conditioning Integration

Why It’s on Our Radar

The Structure Plus brings a more supportive running platform into Nike’s current lineup. For athletes who want guidance and stability during runs without sacrificing smooth transitions, this shoe could fill an important gap. It appears especially relevant for conditioning days involving longer intervals or steady pacing.

This model suggests Nike is continuing to refine stability without making shoes feel overly corrective.

Available on 2/5/26 at 10 am EST

Key Specs

Price: $170

Heel-to-Toe Drop: 10mm

Weight: 10.8 oz (men’s US 10)

PUMA Deviate NITRO 4 HYROX Edition

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Best For: Hybrid Training and Race-Style Conditioning

Why It’s on Our Radar

Puma’s continued investment in hybrid performance footwear is evident in the Deviate NITRO 4. This shoe appears designed for athletes who move between running, functional training, and competition-style efforts. The platform emphasizes responsiveness and efficiency, which matters when workouts demand sustained output.

If durability matches performance, this could be a strong option for hybrid athletes in 2026.

Available on 1/23/26 at 12 am EST

Key Specs

• Price: $180
• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 10 mm
• Weight: 8.8 oz

Nike Mind

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Best For: Recovery, Pre-Training Prep, and Cooldowns

Why It’s on Our Radar

The Nike Mind 001 stands apart from traditional training shoes, but that is exactly why it belongs in the conversation. As recovery and preparation become bigger priorities, footwear designed specifically for downtime and mobility work makes sense. This model prioritizes comfort and sensory feedback over performance metrics.

It reflects a broader shift toward treating recovery as part of the training process.

Restocking on 4/1/26

Key Specs

• Price: $150

Notace: Michi 1 and Koto 1

Coming Soon

Best For: Road and Court Specialist Use (Emerging)

Why They’re on Our Radar

Notace’s expansion into sport-specific footwear makes the Michi 1 (road running) and Koto 1 (court/pickleball) intriguing additions to the 2026 landscape. Both are designed with purpose-built performance in mind, suggesting Notace is branching out from its minimalist heritage into structured neutral trainers and lateral-support court shoes. While final specs and pricing haven’t been published yet, Notace’s early design cues point to thoughtful engineering and unique foot-shape-friendly platforms—exactly the type of under-the-radar contenders that could surprise on performance and comfort.

Available 3/16/26

Key Specs

• Price: $165

Why Trust Us

This list is built from real training, not marketing claims. The shoes featured here were worn through heavy lifting sessions, conditioning blocks, hybrid workouts, and everyday gym use. As a strength and performance coach with more than a decade of experience working with athletes at every level, I evaluate footwear based on its performance under load, during movement, and over time. For 2026 models that are already available, testing followed the same hands-on standards. For unreleased shoes, selections were made through detailed research into design intent, materials, platform geometry, and brand performance history. Every shoe included earned its place through either proven training use or a clear, evidence-backed reason to watch it closely.

So, which is it?

If you’ve ever finished a set and thought, “I probably had two more reps left in the tank,” That’s RIR in a nutshell. The concept is solid: instead of treating every set like all-out war, you stop a rep or two short and use those reps left in the tank to manage fatigue, volume, and long-term gains.

But the trouble arises when it’s left open to interpretation.

Some lifters use RIR as an autoregulation tool, while others treat it as a comfort blanket, convincing themselves they’re training hard when they’re nowhere near it.

Here, we try to break down what RIR is, why some and others defend it, why critics are slamming it, and, most importantly, whether RIR is helping or hurting your gains.

RIR Origins

Reps in Reserve (RIR) emerged from exercise science research in the early 2000s, particularly studies on Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). Popularized in endurance sports, RPE was adapted to strength training to gauge how hard a set felt by the number of reps you had left in the tank.

RIR, a strength-specific spin-off of RPE, was refined and popularized by evidence-based training leaders such as Dr. Mike Tuchscherer and, later, Dr. Mike Israetel. Israetel’s take went viral because it blended periodization, hypertrophy science, and autoregulation—the idea that you can adjust training intensity based on how your body feels and performs, rather than chasing numbers.

But what began as a self-regulation tool for intermediate to advanced lifters somehow became social media shorthand for “don’t train too hard,” especially when it came to more inexperienced lifters. Many influencers began preaching RIR like gospel without explaining how to gauge it or when to use it. As expected, the backlash followed.

In short, the concept was solid. The execution? It hasn’t always gone as planned.

What Is Reps in Reserve (RIR) in Strength Training?

Reps in reserve is a self-assessment tool that estimates how many more quality reps you can do in a set before technical failure. Technical failure is when you cannot perform another full-range-of-motion rep with good form. So, if you bench 225 for 8 reps and feel like you have 2 more reps in the tank, that’s RIR 2. It’s a way to auto-regulate effort based on how you feel that day—instrumental when you’re juggling stress, sleep, and recovery. RIR helps manage fatigue while ensuring you’re still training with sufficient intensity.

Here is what RIR shouldn’t be used for

• RIR doesn’t mean stopping just because it’s hard.
• It’s not a license to never grind.
• And it’s definitely not a substitute for effort.

If you’re saying a set was RIR 2, but you could’ve cranked out 5 more reps… you’re misjudging your effort and not using RIR. It works best when you’re honest with yourself and have put in enough time under the bar to feel the difference between hard and near-failure.

How to Use RIR Correctly Without Killing Your Gains

Reps in Reserve, when used correctly, balance your gains and recovery from training. It lets you flirt with failure without smashing into it, which helps with progress, recovery, and longevity. But using RIR requires self-awareness, effort, and honesty. Yes, it will take time if you’re new to it and you need to know what lifting to failure feels like before deciding if you have a rep or two in the tank.

Experience is your greatest teacher here. To make this practical, here’s a visual guide:

How to Apply RIR

What the Science Actually Says About RIR and Gains

RIR Is a Reliable Tool for Recommending Load

A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that RIR is a reliable method for recommending load for exercises such as the deadlift and bench press. When trained lifters use RIR consistently, it aligns with actual intensity, making it useful for autoregulating training.

RIR Reflects How Close You Are to Failure

Research on RPE scales tied to RIR shows that lifters’ subjective estimates of how many reps they have left do correspond to meaningful differences in training intensity, especially as lifters gain experience with the system.

RIR Accuracy Improves With Experience

One criticism of RIR is that lifters can’t judge how many reps they have left. The evidence is mixed but promising: experienced lifters tend to be reasonably accurate at estimating RIR, especially near failure, whereas beginners tend to be conservative.

Proximity to Failure and Gains

Several studies have examined how close to failure you train, the core premise of RIR, and how it affects muscle and strength: An intervention comparing sets taken to failure with sets stopped a few reps shy found that muscle size and strength gains were similar when training near failure. This study suggests that going all-out every set isn’t required for gains. Research manipulating RIR zones (e.g., 1–3 RIR vs. 4–6 RIR) found comparable strength gains between zones and similar gains when training to actual failure. This study supports the idea that stopping shy of failure can maintain growth while reducing extreme fatigue. A dose–response review points toward more growth when sets get closer to failure, but researchers still haven’t nailed down the exact RIR–hypertrophy relationship

So, why is RIR being taken to task?

Why Some Lifters Say RIR Is ‘Lazy Training’

Reps in Reserve isn’t under fire because it doesn’t work—it’s under fire because it’s sometimes misinterpreted and treated as a free pass to ease up. Here’s what the naysayers have to say.

RIR Turns Into ‘Lazy Training’

Some coaches argue that RIR encourages undertraining. The logic? If you always leave 3–4 reps in the tank, you might never reach the effort threshold needed for gains, especially if you’re not honest with yourself. Critics like Jeff Nippard have warned that too much RIR can turn into sandbagging. This line of thinking has led to the other extreme of “Just go to failure every time and forget the numbers.” But that creates its own problems: burnout, poor recovery, and plateauing.

Where the Confusion Exists

Recently, Dr. Mike Israetel, a long-time advocate of RIR-based training, helped popularize this system by giving lifters a framework to regulate intensity across training blocks. But now, even some experts and followers and content creators have questioned how rigid or over-intellectualized the RIR method has become when applied by less-experienced lifters.

His approach has been successful for many RP Strength users and RIR proponents. The other side of the argument appears when it comes to less experienced lifters.

• Don’t know what failure actually feels like
• Overestimate how hard you’re pushing
• Stay in a high RIR zone forever and call it “smart training.

Some coaches now argue that lifters should learn RIR only after they develop a solid kinesthetic sense of actual failure, not before. This argument makes a lot of sense.

N1 vs. RP

Kassem Hanson from N1 Training, who’s challenged Israetel and RP’s hypertrophy approach in recent months. The feud has stirred controversy across YouTube, Instagram, and podcasts.

Kassem argues that:

• RIR and volume targets are overrated without proper exercise selection
• Lifting form, joint angles, and biomechanics matter more than chasing reps and proximity to failure
• Many lifters following RIR templates don’t know how to contract muscles or control tempo—so the effort metric becomes meaningless

This clash has reignited a bigger discussion in the lifting world:

What’s more important: data or context? Science or execution? Templates or tailored coaching? Neither side is wrong, but this debate is a reminder: frameworks aren’t infallible, and coaching nuance trumps spreadsheets.

Bottom Line for Men Focused on Strength, Recovery, and Longevity

Reps in reserve is a legit, science-backed method for gauging effort and managing fatigue without grinding yourself into dust. It’s not perfect, and it’s not for everyone, but it’s far from

useless. What kills gains isn’t RIR; it’s not training hard enough while pretending that you are.

RIR’s biggest critics often haven’t tried it, misinterpret it, or have misused it. If your idea of “leaving 3 reps in the tank” means stopping when your biceps tingle, you’re missing the point. Before you slam RIR, give it a shot first.

Train hard. Recover smart and don’t be afraid to try it before tossing it aside.

The interview got off to a bizarre start when Logan Paul appeared unready for the camera to be thrown to him. The social media influencer and WWE star was still fiddling with his laptop when it dawned on him that he was already live on ESPN and YouTube.

“Did you say we’re on?” asked Paul, who was logging in from a hotel room. “We’re on,” confirmed McAffee. “Oh man, Pat, I wasn’t ready for this”, confirmed Paul, who is in Saudi Arabia ahead of the Royal Rumble.

As it dawned on Logan Paul that the interview had started, he then surprised McAfee by taking off his shirt. “I’m locked in, brother,” exclaimed the ‘Impaulsive’ star. Having thought about joining his guest and taking his own shirt off, McAfee decided against the idea. “I was thinking about doing it, but then I’m looking at what you got going on here,” explained the host. “I think I’m gonna keep my s**t on here,” he confirmed.

Logan Paul Reveals ‘Locked In’ Physique on the ‘Pat McAfee Show’

As Logan Paul bared his torso, it became clear that the pro wrestler was proud of his current physical progress. “What are we doing,” asked McAfee of Paul’s prep. “Are you eating the weights? You look unbelievable.”

Of course, Paul used the complement as a not-so-subtle segway to promote his latest product. “It’s Prime Protein, that’s my secret,” he explained. “32 grams of protein, ultra filtered milk,” added Paul, proudly.

And judging by his appearance, Paul has obviously been pounding the weights, as well. “Dude, the truth is, and this is me being humble with you. I’m so locked in right now, in my life,” he told The Pat McAfee Show. “I got a wife, I got a beautiful daughter, I’m sober, I’m crushing it and I’m just so good at what I do. And I want to keep being humble, but it’s just so hard!”

Paul explained that for him, “life is about the art of the pivot,” noting how excited he is to be a successful athlete with WWE, a reality that he dreamed of as a child. Throughout the surreal the interview, the former WWE United States Champion continued to flex his biceps. “You look good, dude,” laughed McAfee as he tried to keep the conversation going. Paul told The Pat McAfee Show that he is currently training every day, despite back-to-back meetings. “I’m absolutely optimizing, and maximizing my life,” he explained. “Everywhere we go, I’m stacking in the opportunities.”

Logan Paul’s next big opportunity takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble on January 31. (Broadcast live via ESPN in the United States, and Netflix internationally.) There, the plucky pro wrestler will have an opportunity to outlast 29 other men, including icons like Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, and Cody Rhodes in order to earn a shot at WWE world title.

To watch the fun interview in full, see below:

To follow Logan Paul on Instagram, click here.

Bench Press

The day began with DeMarcus setting Hacker up on the bench press, beginning with a warmup set consisting of 45-pound plates on each side of the barbell, for 5 reps. Now suitably warmed up, the linebacker added more weight to replicate the 225 pounds that players are expected to rep with during the NFL Combine. It was there that DeMarcus had lifted 225 pounds for 20 reps, setting a high benchmark for Hacker to attempt for himself.

Sadly, the TikToker appeared to bounce the bar off his chest during his reps, so these would not have counted per combine rules, but charitably, Hacker heaved the bar up 3 times, or 3 and one quarter to be precise.

Result: Mission Failed

Reflex Sticks

Swapping the gym for the training field, DeMarcus explained that the aim was to catch 3 sticks. “If you fail to catch 3 sticks, you will get a pie to the face,” he explained, upping the ante. “I’m not gonna fail catching three sticks though,” responded Hacker.

The sticks were then dropped from a platform, almost as high as the training field roof, adding major velocity as the sticks descended, but Hacker successfully grabbed the first stick and managed to stay on his feet. He also collected a second and third stick, despite the fact that DeMarcus was now throwing additional sticks at the social media star.

Result: Mission Completed

Reflex Sticks (Round 2)

DeMarcus made the second round of reflex sticks even more difficult, by asking Hacker to wear “dizzy” goggles to obstruct his vision. Apparently, this was a way of replicating the environment that players face when rough weather means you can’t see the properly. This made catching the sticks almost impossible, however, and the TikToker received a bashing blow to the head, as the last stick dropped on his noggin. “You wanna do one?” asked Hacker. “No,” confirmed DeMarcus, who made good on his promise and hit Hacker right in the face with a pie.

Result: Mission Failed

40-Yard Coffee Dash

The Seahawk wanted to check out Hackers’ speed, next, adding that for each attempt, he would be allowed to receive an additional boost by chugging on some caffeine. DeMarcus’ 40 yard time at the combine was 4.80 seconds, so any advantage was appreciated. “If you fail, 40 pushups,” demanded the football star.

As Hacker made his first run, DeMarcus was impressed. “Kid is moving,” he muttered. Still, his time was 6.21 seconds. But after his second swig of coffee, Hacker improved his score to 4.88, almost leveling with DeMarcus. “This is the guy we’ve been looking for, this whole time”, said the defender. “He’s been behind video games his whole life, and now he’s here.”

Having been further encouraged by DeMarcus to beat 4.80 seconds, Hacker sipped and sprinted once more. “I wanna be a Seahawk,” exclaimed the TikToker, but now tired, he could only muster up 4.90 seconds, so the baller insisted he complete the 40 pushups as punishment.

Result: Mission Failed (Close Call!)

Hail Mary Throwdown

For this challenge, Hacker had to stand at a distance of 49 yards and throw the ball into a net around the size of a basketball hoop. “But, if you don’t, just call it quits, it’s over for you,” said DeMarcus, adding that he would also be required to complete 100 burpees. Understandably, Hacker was desperate to make the Hail Mary, but he was unable to do so. To even things up, DeMarcus agreed that they would both make attempts, and the first person to score would win. “I’m a defensive end,” noted the player. “I’m not a quarterback.” But with neither man making the pass at 40 yards, they headed closer at 35 yards, and eventually 25 yards, where Hacker scored his point. For his efforts, DeMarcus deemed this mission a success.

Result: Mission Completed

Hawk Dash Relay

After a short gaming interlude, the boys were back at the End Zone where Hacker was asked to run through a set of cones in zig-zag fashion, then shuffle over some bags, and throw a ball through the net. This would be followed by a tire flip, a sprint, after which he would need to catch a ball from DeMarcus.

After receiving the ball, the dash didn’t stop there. The TikToker then had to complete a set of hurdles before finishing back at the End Zone. “Let’s do it,” encouraged the Seahawk. For his part, Hacker attacked the course with serious spirit. “Breathe,” offered DeMarcus, as the young upstart upended the heavy tire and raced to the End Zone in exactly one minute. “That’s what you call a winner,” said DeMarcus. “Good job!”

Result: Mission Completed

To earn his spot as an honorary Seahawk, Hacker put up a valiant effort, completing 3 of the 6 highly physical missions that the TikToker has been tasked with, but to round out the day, he was invited to complete a traditional Seahawk initiation, by jumping into a lake and make a Seahawk’s call while in mid-air. The trainee finished strong, and as a reward, received a jersey from DeMarcus for his passionate bird call.

Of course, the video was made in good fun, but it does highlight the physical and mental toughness required to be an elite NFL player!

Top 10 products we can’t stop raving about

1. ALLSWIFIT Active5K Running Sneakers

Most training shoe brands talk a big game. ALLSWIFIT actually backs it up—without the inflated price tag. Built for runners and gym regulars who put in real work, ALLSWIFIT’s Active5K delivers the same kind of cushioning and stability you expect from premium trainers, but minus the hit to your wallet.

The standout is the Supercritical SupFoam midsole paired with Propelix technology. It’s the tech you’d normally pay more than $150 for, but is packed it into this $79 sneaker, delivering feather-light, high-rebound cushioning that absorbs impact and fires energy back with every step. Whether you’re logging road miles, knocking out treadmill intervals, or adding cardio to a heavy lifting split, the ride stays light, smooth, and controlled. The rocker-style geometry helps keep transitions efficient, especially during longer sessions when form starts to break down.

For athletes who train hard but spend smart, the ALLSWIFIT Active5K is proof that high-performance footwear doesn’t have to come with a luxury price tag—it just has to work.

Men’s Style: https://www.allswifit.com/products/amumrs2503

Women’s Style: https://www.allswifit.com/products/awumrs2503

2. OMORPHO G-Vest Icon 

The G-Vest is an ideal performance tool for athletes focused on efficient, at-home training and smarter ways to increase intensity. This vest offers added resistance, seamlessly elevating calorie burn, strength output, and overall conditioning without the need for bulky equipment. It turns everyday movement into more demanding work, whether worn during treadmill runs or bodyweight circuits in the living room.

Its comfort-driven design is equally impressive. Featuring an adjustable, secure fit that remains steady through high-intensity efforts, the G-Vest also incorporates a ventilated construction to manage heat as training demands rise. Ultimately, this makes it a practical addition for athletes aiming to train harder, longer, and more efficiently by enhancing workouts without distracting from them.

Shop Men: https://www.omorpho.com/shop-all?gender=men&collections=icon+collection

Shop Women: https://www.omorpho.com/shop-all?gender=women&collections=icon+collection

3. MOMENTOUS Creatine Chews

Momentous Creatine Chews redefined how athletes and wellness-minded consumers use one of the most researched supplements on the planet. Forget the messy powdered countertops and countless shaker bottles, Momentous delivers pure, clinically backed creatine in chewable, grand-and-go packaging.

Every Chew contains 1 gram of Creapure® creatine monohydrate, which just so happens to be the gold standard trusted by elite athletes and supported by decades of research for improving strength, power output, recovery and even cognitive performance.

In a crowded category, Momentous stands apart by turning a proven staple into a modern, lifestyle-friendly solution. Proving that smart supplementation can be effortlessly convenient.

Shop now: livemomentous.com

4. POLAR DIVE USA V5 Water Chiller

Cold-water immersion has officially moved from elite locker rooms into everyday recovery routines. Ice baths are now recognized as a powerful tool for longevity, helping reduce inflammation, support circulation, improve recovery between workouts, and even enhance mental resilience. The Polar Dive USA Water Chiller makes this once-cumbersome practice easy to maintain at home, eliminating the need for constant ice runs while delivering consistent, performance-ready temperatures.

Compact and roughly 40 pounds, this chiller works seamlessly indoors or outdoors. A quiet, energy-efficient 1/3-HP motor keeps water cold and ready without unnecessary power drain.

Learn more: polardiveusa.com

5. RHO Nutrition Liposomal NAD+

As the conversation around longevity continues to evolve, few compounds have gained as much attention as NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Found naturally in every cell of the body, NAD+ plays a critical role in cellular energy production, metabolic health, and DNA repair. It’s essential for fueling mitochondria, the “power plants” of our cells, which means it directly impacts how we generate energy, recover from training, and adapt as we age. The challenge? NAD+ levels naturally decline over time, making it harder for the body to maintain peak cellular performance.

Rho Nutrition’s Liposomal NAD+ earns its place in this Editor’s Choice roundup by addressing that decline with a modern, absorption-focused approach. Unlike traditional capsules, this formula uses a liposomal delivery system—fat-based microcarriers designed to help protect NAD+ through digestion and improve bioavailability. The result is a supplement that’s easier for the body to absorb and utilize, making it especially relevant for readers prioritizing sustained energy, recovery, and long-term vitality.

Learn more: https://rhonutrition.com/pages/what-are-liposomes

6. ‘LEVEL UP: TURNING YOUR OBSTACLES INTO SUPERPOWERS,’ by Alvaro Núñez Alfaro

This isn’t your normal cookie-cutter motivational book—it’s a call to action for anyone seeing to maximize their given potential. Núñez, a world traveler, helicopter pilot, Ironman athlete, and social media influencer, shares the mindset and practices that have allowed him to transform challenges into stepping stones for success. As he writes: “What if you could turn obstacles into superpowers? What if you committed to becoming the hero of your own journey?”

The book resonates particularly well in today’s fitness landscape, where performance, longevity, and mental resilience are as important as lifting heavier or running faster. Núñez blends personal anecdotes with actionable advice on goal-setting, discipline, and optimizing one’s environment. For an inside look at the inspiration behind Level Up, check out Núñez’s conversation on the Habits & Hustle podcast. He dives into grit, discipline, and resilience, showing how these principles translate to both fitness and life beyond the gym.

In a year where self-improvement and holistic health are front of mind, Level Up earns its place as a Muscle & Fitness Editor’s Choice. It’s a guide for turning setbacks into strengths and setting the stage for success, both in and out of the gym.

Shop now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/195150397X/ref=cm_sw_r_api_i_GT97B00GNP3GEGZRG7XJ_2

7. MERACH CV30 Pro Curved Whole Body Vibration Plate

Even on your busiest days, the Merach CV30 Pro Curved Whole Body Vibration Plate makes movement doable. Designed for real life, this sleek, at-home platform helps you activate muscles, improve circulation, and support recovery in as little as 10 minutes a day, no gym membership required.

Beyond strength and recovery, vibration plates are increasingly recognized for their role in supporting digestion and gut health. The gentle oscillations help stimulate core and abdominal muscles, promote circulation and encourage movement in the digestive system.

Shop now: Merachfit.com

8. Oura Ring Accessories

There’s no reason to compromise aesthetics and wellness. Logan Hollowell, whose namesake jewelry brand blends the best of both worlds. The Aura Collection is the elevated look every fashion-forward fitness lover deserves.

Learn more: https://loganhollowell.com/products/aura-sleeve?variant=52061848633649

9. CRISP POWER Cinnamon Crunch Protein Pretzels

Delivered at a whopping 26 grams of protein for only 5 grams of net carbs, Crisp Power has redefined snacking. The sweet nostalgic taste of Cinnamon Crunch doesn’t feel like “protein food.” It’s a snacking hack.

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While the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris achieved full gender equality,the next Winter Games has fallen short under its new president, Kirsty Coventry. Even though this will be most gender-balanced Winter Games in history, with 47% of athletes expected to be female, the Nordic Combined event will not offer females a chance to compete. In fact, the Nordic Combined is the only sport at the Winter Olympic Games that is yet to offer females a chance to compete.

“Honestly, I am fighting for the younger female generation, so they don’t have to pave their way, and participation should be automatically accepted,” Annika tells M&F, explaining that she has been raising awareness of this apparent unfairness by talking to the media and sharing her views on social media.

What is Nordic Combined?

• Athletes begin by descending a hill and then jumping the length of a football field at speeds of up to 60 mph.
• The jump is scored for style, technique, and distance.
• Based on the jump results, skiers are assigned starting positions for a cross-country race.
• The first athlete across the finish line is the overall winner.

Why Nordic Combined Has No Women’s Event at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Nordic Combined was included in the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924 and has been an enduring part of the program ever since, but it is the only sport without a women’s event in 2026. Organisers have said that this discrepancy is due to fears around there being fewer female athletes, less training and development, and a smaller audience appeal. And yet, Nordic Combined’s international governing body, the FIS, has established both a Women’s World Cup circuit and the World Championships, with female Nordic Combined enjoying competitions all around the globe.

It’s easy to understand then, why the siblings are so disappointed that they can’t both compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Annika won the U.S. National Championship in 2023 and is a consistent contender in the aforementioned World Cup. She entered the sport at 15, while her brother was just 7, but the fit female says her background in gymnastics gave her a head start to becoming an elite Nordic Combined athlete.

Annika Malacinski Speaks Out on Olympic Gender Disparity

To strengthen their legs, both competitors train in Steamboat Springs, CO, and squat heavy to build their quads. They also tell M&F that deadlifts are on the menu. “Any hamstring exercises,” explains Niklas. “Because I think that’s heavily overlooked. A lot of athletes have weak hamstrings, even at elite levels, so I think that’s a nice one to focus on.” While both athletes train the same way and feel the same aches and pains following an event, there won’t even be a mixed relay at the 2026 Winter Games. “It’s just not really justifiable, in my opinion,” says Annika. “It would be amazing to have a mixed relay because me and my brother would be on the same team, one of the coolest things that you can say.”

In terms of the metrics concerning the audience for Nordic Combined, Annika has an Instagram fan base of almost 30,000 followers. That’s more than Niklas, who has less than 3,000 IG followers. But, while sporting excellence is more important than social media clout to the siblings, fact that people are joining Annika’s plight means that her growing platform is becoming a positive force for change.

The Bigger Picture: Strength, Family, and Equality in Olympic Sport

For his part, Niklas has no desire to command the spotlight, despite the honor of getting to represent Team USA at the Winter Games this year. Niklas, who is teaming up with his sister on this campaign for change, has been part of three World Championship teams and is a gold medalist in the U.S. National Championships. And it’s because of their rock-solid relationship that Annika will be heading to Italy, to fully support her brother.

“I think he’s very deserving of this… He’s one of the hardest-working people that I know,” Annika tells M&F, proudly. For Niklas, having his sister around is always a welcome part of his prep. “I’d say Annika definitely brings more of the fun side of things to training,” he shares.

While Annika is currently still left out in the cold by the Winter Olympic Games, she hopes that raising awareness about the gender imbalance of Nordic Combined will move things in the right direction. “Hopefully we can get that to change,” says the strong athlete. “And then, Niklas and I will both be able to start in 2030 together!”

The 2026 Olympic Winter Games will run from Feb 6th to the 22nd. 

To follow Annika Malacinski on Instagram, click here. 

To follow Niklas Malacinski on Instagram, click here.