Do you feel a bit self-conscious about your body? Do you sometimes feel motivated to work out but most of the time can't be asked? Well this show probably isn't going to make you feel any better about your flabby ass because these people are absolute mutants and many of them even make the host, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson look small.
It first aired in January of 2019 and like most things that are on network television, I had no idea of its existence until it got ported to Netflix. Similar to those Ninja Warrior shows that were all the rage right up until the point where everyone abruptly lost interest, this show took a different approach where strength is more of an issue than overall agility is.
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The events involved one on one competitions eliminating one person at a time and the individual competitions are a little insane. They involve smashing cement with sledgehammers, swinging giant cement balls around to knock over towers, pulling massive metal poles through a wall and even using a 350 lb. battering ram to knock a wooden door open.
The contestants themselves seem to have some sort of hard luck story behind them, which is fine and kind of expected. It seems as though almost everyone in the show had a difficult childhood, experienced career-ending injuries, and one of the top women in the entire first season was homeless at one point. This makes for more interesting character introductions but for me anyway it became a contest to see who had the most tragic backstory.
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The ultimate objective in each of the 9 episodes (the first one is longer) is to make it to the last event which is called "Mount Olympus" and here the two people in the final have to do easy things such as push over a 700 lb. wall, push 450 lbs. up a hill, crank a 600 lb. tower into position, slide down to the bottom for the truly easy bit which is pulling a 250 lb. stone across the floor.
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Jimmy Fallon had a go at pulling the stone because some of the competitors make it look really easy
I felt exhausted just watching the Mount Olympus segments from my sofa. These people are super dedicated to fitness on a level that us mere mortals can't really even relate to and when I looked at myself in the mirror before going to be (after my traditional 6th beer) I didn't like me very much.
from the official channel of The Rock
The funny thing about how I encountered this show was that I stumbled upon it on the very first day that I decided to get back in the gym. I had a pretty good session that day and was really tired. I thought I worked really hard and then I saw these people - they are just on an entirely different level than me but they also kind of inspired me to work a bit harder. Will I ever be a Titan like these folks? Almost certainly not. I enjoy drinking beer WAY too much to ever have this sort of dedication, but it still was a great time. Each of the episodes are only 41 minutes long as well so there is not too much of a commitment.
This also made me think that since it was only 41 minutes, does that mean there are 19 minutes of commercials on network TV? No wonder nobody watches that humpity bumpity anymore.
I have had a difficult time really getting into many series on Netflix lately and this show was the kind of thing that really doesn't require your undivided attention to enjoy it, I had it on the background while I was cleaning my apartment and I didn't miss a great deal.
If you don't work out, this may inspire you to start. If you do work out, I think it has an excellent opportunity to motivate you to do more. I know that after watching it for the first time last night I returned to the gym today for a second run - and worked even harder than yesterday.
Maybe it will have a similar affect on you.
My overall rating! 7 / 10
Have you seen this show? Did you like it? Do you agree with me?
Thanks a lot for your suggestion. Believe it or not, I've only started using Netflix yesterday.
But I'm more into comedies myself... I'm watching Never Have I Ever, it seems fun. 😁
Yeah, i didn't have it until about a year ago and now it seems like i wouldn't know what to do without it. You liking that Never Have I ever show?
Yeah, I binge watched every episode. There aren't many of them. 😄
I also noticed that the show has been added to Netflix here and there. I watched it in part on NBC as it aired in the United States, and I enjoyed it. It reminds a bit of Ninja Warrior, but this is more about endurance and pure strength, and not so much about the ninja ability. It also is a big difference that two persons compete against one another directly.
I must say, this show (and also ninja warrior) has given me the desire to to some more training, so that is a positive no matter what! :)
i bet it inspired a bunch of people. The Ninja Warrior people would get destroyed here and vice versa, totally different skill sets. Well, perhaps some of the women would do ok in both but the men, too big methinks.
I haven't watched this show, but I used to watch Ninja Warrior quite a bit. This one hearkens back to the days of American Gladiator! I am still nursing a wounded leg so I can't work out the way I would like, but my wife and I are still getting out about six times a week and we walk close to two or three miles each time we do. I agree with you that it seems everyone has a hard luck story. My wife and I have a running "joke" that everyone has lupus. I don't even know that much about the disease, it is just our go-to for whatever is wrong with someone. We use it a lot on the singing shows that we watch.
lol on the lupus joke. If you are ever watching a competition show you can be assured that every contestant is going to have a moment in their bio section where the piano starts to play and the heartbreak story occurs. I would love it if they would mix a "Chad" in there who had a life of tremendous privilege, the best trainers, most expensive gyms and dietitians, so there could be an Ivan Draco element to the whole thing.
Haha, that would be pretty funny!
You got back to the gym? I need to hire my own personal drill sergeant or something. Shoot. Not sure I need the humiliation of watching Jimmy Fallon do a better job than I could. Lol.
I did get more than half way through The Last Dance. Thanks for the suggestion it's really good. Rodman is as crazy as I remember him. I guess Jordan is fishing an offshore tournament out of his home state right now. Kinda cool. 😁
The Last Dance is pretty fantastic, i wish there were more episodes of it TBH. Getting back in the gym was tough but now i even ordered supplements so it is go time!
watches a few of the episodes. I think this is a good one to watch with your remote in hand because a lot of the introduction to various games is very repetitive and once you have seen it once, you don't need to see it again but they show it again, and again, and again. I liked this show and am looking forward to season 2
hahaha before I even read a single sentence, my first thought was - Oh that looks like a cool show. Then I thought - do I want to feel like shit about my body?
Then I read the first paragraph
Touche.. I suppose watching stuff like this does inspire me somewhat though. Perhaps I'll give it a watch!
i stand up and use resistance bands while it is on :)
My wife and I watched a few episodes of it. We must of thought it was okay since we left it on. But we were also watching that mini golf show and laughing at that (sort of a silly dumb show) so I have no idea what our taste is anymore. I have mad respect for some of those people. They have some killer stamina. Some of those women are pretty built but cute, so I give it a thumbs up. Sorry for being such a dude. Lol. I like the beer too much too. My light work outs will have to be enough haha.
Oh it's entertaining for sure and I like how they didn't turn the competition into some sort of rivalry between the various contestants and make it into a bitchy reality show of sorts. I was immediately reminded a bit of American Gladiator, but that show was a long time ago.