Just over two weeks ago on May 24th, nineteen children and two adults were tragically killed during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, located in Uvalde County, Texas. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the shooting was the 213th mass shooting in the US this year – and thirty-three mass shootings have taken place since.

Oscar-winning actor, Matthew McConaughey – who was born and raised in Uvalde County – gave a moving speech about the shooting just hours ago at The White House and spoke about the horrifying incident and how the victims were murdered in a truly brutal way.

“Maite [Rodriguez – one of the victims] wore green high top Converse with a heart she had hand-drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature… Wore these every day; green Converse with a heart on the right toe. These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting.”

Matthew McConaughey

McConaughey also spoke about how his hometown is where he was taught how to use and “revere” guns and talked about responsible gun ownership.

“Uvalde, Texas is where I was born. I swear my mum taught kindergarten less than a mile from Robb Elementary. Uvalde is where I learned to master a Daisy BB gun. I took that two years before I graduated to a 410 shotgun. Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and capability of the tool that we call a gun.”

But then McConaughey implored that America needs to introduce stricter gun control laws and it’s not okay for American citizens to use the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution – the right of the people to keep and bear arms – as an excuse for not wanting stricter gun control.

“We need responsible gun ownership. Responsible gun ownership. We need background checks, we need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21. We need a waiting period for those rifles, we need red flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them. These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations.”

Matthew McConaughey

“Responsible gun owners are fed up with the second amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals… people are hurting. Families are, parents are and look, as divided as our country is, this gun responsibility issue is one that we agree on more than we don’t.”

McConaughey also wisely argued that this particular issue is not a Republican or Democratic – the two major political parties in the US – issue and needs to be addressed regardless of “political affiliations” as people are constantly dying because of mass shootings and rather relaxed gun control laws.

“… People in power have failed to act so we’re asking you, and I’m asking you will you please ask yourselves, ‘can both sides rise above?’, ‘can both sides see beyond the political problem at hand and admit that we have a life preservation problem on our hands?’ So, we got a chance right now to reach for and to grasp a higher ground above our political affiliations.”

Matthew McConaughey

You can watch McConaughey’s entire twenty-minute speech here.

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The James Bond franchise is both successful and popular. So much so, that it spawned a parody franchise: Austin Powers. But I think the parody franchise is superior; here’s why…

There’s no denying that James Bond is iconic. Thanks to the wildly successful film franchise, anyone who can understand English has heard the phrases, “Bond. James Bond,” and “Shaken, not stirred”.

But I have to admit, I much prefer the parody franchise – Austin Powers. I’m well aware I’m going to get some pushback but hear me out!

Firstly, there have been six actors (and counting) who have portrayed James Bond over the years. Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, and George Lazenby. However, there is only one person on planet Earth who could play Austin Powers – Mr Mike Myers.

Myers created a character that is so unique and iconic that no one could ever replace him. Not only this, but the veteran actor also plays the bad guy, Dr Evil – and again, Dr Evil is such a one-of-a-kind character, only Myers could ever play him.

Then there’s the fact that the Austin Powers franchise is legitimately hilarious and wonderfully camp. The juvenile jokes as well as the witty ones are laugh-out-loud funny. And don’t get me started on all the clever visual gags. The James Bond films that attempted humour and campiness – Moore’s & Brosnan’s Bond films in particular – fall so flat in comparison.

Oh, and let’s not forget that Austin Powers, a character infamous for being a playboy, understands consent better than 007. In Thunderball, Connery’s Bond puts his arms around Patricia Fearing, a nurse inspecting his bruise, and forcibly kisses her which she struggles against. He then goes on to proposition her and basically threatens to get her fired unless she sleeps with him.

Similarly, in Goldfinger, Connery’s Bond pins down Pussy Galore in a barn and kisses her. She is clearly struggling against him and tries to avoid his kisses until she relents. However, in the first Austin Powers film, International Man of Mystery, Vanessa is intoxicated and says to Austin, “Kiss me”. To which he replies, “I can’t darling. You’re drunk; it’s not right.”

What a feminist king.

Also, Austin Powers is responsible for the best James Bond film. How? Well, in a 2014 interview with The A.V. Club, the most recent Bond actor, Craig admitted that the Austin Powers franchise forced the James Bond franchise to abandon jokes of any kind and take a more grounded and grittier turn.

“… [the Austin Powers movies] fucked us. I am a huge Mike Myers fan, so don’t get me wrong, but he kind of fucked us; made it impossible to do the gags.”

Daniel Craig

While it seems that Craig was rather bothered by the fact that his Bond films were more serious than previous instalments, fans weren’t. Craig is arguably the best James Bond to ever grace our screens and Casino Royale is arguably the best Bond film of all time. So, thanks Austin Powers.

I know at the end of the day, I won’t sway any die-hard Bond fans into loving Austin Powers more than 007. And I’m sure my stance on this is heavily influenced by the fact that I prefer comedy films to any other genre. But hey, I’m entitled to my shagadelic opinion. Now, behave.

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We’re not even halfway through the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship and the driver market is already heating up, with many current drivers facing big question marks about their futures in the top tier of international motorsport.

The shine is wearing off Mick Schumacher at Haas; Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon are feeling left out by Red Bull; Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel are on the cusp of retirement; Daniel Ricciardo might lose his seat at McLaren…

Even Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time World Champion and unequivocal GOAT – is facing immense pressure. While his former Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas is kicking goals over at Alfa Romeo, his new teammate George Russell has pretty comprehensively out-driven Lewis so far this season.

There’s now speculation that Hamilton might move to another team for 2023… And if you had a look in Lewis’ garage, you might get a hint at where he might try and head: Scuderia Ferrari.

Hamilton’s favourite car, the one he’s most frequently spotted driving, is his $7 million custom Ferrari LaFerrari in Rosso Fuoco, which features his name and logo on the doorsills. In fact, he loves the LaFerrari so much he actually owns two: he also owns a LaFerrari Aperta in Satin White.

When Lewis ordered his LaFerraris back in 2016, he raised more than a few questions. What was a Mercedes driver doing buying cars from one of his team’s most fierce rivals? Lewis has always been open about the fact that as a kid, he was always a Ferrari fan, too…

Why are we bringing this all up now though? Well, according to WTF1, Lewis has reportedly put Mercedes on notice and given the team a performance deadline – “I hope by the time we get to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone we will have the car as we want it – to be able to fight with Ferrari and Red Bull. It would be nice if we can give them a run for their money at our home race,” the top driver has said.

It’s clear by the conciliatory tone of radio messages we’ve heard between Lewis and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff during races this season that Mercedes is nervous that if they don’t get their car up to speed, they might be at risk of losing their star driver.

At the same time, after years in the doldrums, Ferrari has emerged as a serious championship contender in 2022, with their car and engine appearing to be the most compelling package on the grid.

Even though he’s not driving particularly badly this season (in fact, quite the contrary), there’s an outside chance that Ferrari could ditch their #2 driver Carlos Sainz and snap up Hamilton to drive alongside wunderkind Charles Leclerc if the GOAT decided to jump ship to the Scuderia for 2023.

RELATED: Charles Leclerc Crashes Priceless Vintage Ferrari In Monaco

That said, Hamilton has poured water on any suggestion that he might move to another team, specifically Ferrari.

“Of course it would be nice to race for Ferrari during my career, but things happen because of a reason… Mercedes is my family. I will always be a Mercedes driver, just like Stirling Moss.” he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, after also pointing out he had been tattooed with the word “loyalty”.

Just because he likes to drive a LaFerrari doesn’t mean he wants to drive a Ferrari on a F1 circuit…

Lewis’ car collection is rather diverse, actually. On top of his LaFerrari, he also owns a Mercedes-AMG One – indeed, he owns one of the first production models – as well as a Mercedes-Maybach S 600, Cadillac Escalade, McLaren P1, Pagani Zonda and a 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra.

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Todd Phillips, the director and co-writer of Joker, has taken to Instagram to confirm there’s a Joker sequel on the way and Joaquin Phoenix will reprise his role as the titular character…

The 2019 film Joker took the world by storm. Critically acclaimed and wildly popular, Joaquin Phoenix even won an Academy Award for Best Actor thanks to his role in Joker. And it looks like the actor will be returning as the beloved Batman villain in a sequel to Joker.

Todd Phillips, who directed and co-wrote Joker, has just posted on Instagram a photo of a screenplay titled Joker: Folie à Deux. The image shows that the screenplay was written by Phillips and Scott Silver – who Phillips co-wrote the first Joker film with.

Phillips also posted an image of Phoenix reading the screenplay, confirming that the actor will once again play Joker.

According to Variety, shortly after Joker was released in 2019, Phillips and Silver met with Toby Emmerich – who at the time was the film chief at Warner Bros. – to discuss the possibility of a Joker sequel but nothing was ever announced officially; until now, of course.

RELATED: Nicholas Cage Wants To Play A Terrifying Villain In The Next Batman Film

Phillips didn’t caption his Instagram post so there are really no other details about Joker 2 as of yet but the film’s title Folie à Deux is intriguing. The phrase literally means ‘madness for two’ or ‘shared madness’ but is also the informal name of the medical condition shared delusional disorder (SDD).

SDD is when two people suffer from the same delusional belief and experience similar hallucinations. Obviously, Arthur Fleck a.k.a. the Joker clearly suffers from delusion and experiences hallucinations in the first Joker film, so perhaps the sequel’s title is hinting that another will join Arthur in terms of mental health issues.

This wouldn’t be too surprising considering the first Joker film ended with Arthur standing upon and dancing on a police car and being applauded by rioters in clown masks that mirror Arthur’s makeup.

Hopefully more details about Joker: Folie à Deux are announced soon because honestly, we can’t wait!

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There’s something compelling about the life of an influencer. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, we’ve all daydreamed at least once about quitting our day jobs and trying our luck at being paid for posting funny TikToks and pretty Instagram pictures.

But how much do influencers really make? According to a new study commissioned by Vista, Australian social media content creators are earning on average $53,000 a year – a bit of a surprise as most influencers look as if they earn a lot more…

Of course, this figure is just an average. The study also revealed that forty-two per cent of influencers earned well over $70,000 in the last twelve months.

To no one’s surprise, influencers who primarily use and create content for TikTok earn the most – roughly $71,000 – with YouTube and Snapchat influencers coming in second and third – they earn about $67,000 and $65,000 respectively.

To put these figures into perspective, the average salary for Australians is just under $91,000; meaning Australian content creators make less than the average Australian. And despite what most people think, creating content is harder than it looks…

Vista’s study showed that more than eighty-three per cent of influencers paid someone to help with content creation and eighty-one per cent hired four or more people – which would have cut significantly into that less-than-Aussie-average salary…

Plus, just under half – forty-seven per cent – felt that they weren’t taken seriously by the business community and felt frustrated by the lack of recognition of the tremendous time and effort content creation takes.

Alyce Tran, Co-Founder of Roundhouse & Brand Strategist for rewardStyle, said,

“I think people underestimate what goes into making a piece of content, from brand collaboration, conceptualisation to production and publishing. It really upsets me to [see] sensationalised headlines about content creators.

There is a segment of society that doesn’t respect content creation as a career choice, however, the skills and talent that goes into creating content and cultivating a loyal following is impressive. And Vista’s research puts a worthy spotlight on this.”

Alyce Tran

Perhaps, we wouldn’t mock influencers with ‘sensationalised headlines’ if they didn’t make shameless ‘couscous for comment’ requests or took risque photos on sacred grounds…

No, but seriously, we know these types of influencers make up the minority of content creators – we respect the hustle, especially now we know how much (or little) influencers make.

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The infamous yet iconic volleyball scene from Top Gun almost got the film’s director, Tony Scott fired. Here’s why…

With Top Gun: Maverick currently in theatres, it’s been no surprise that everyone’s been reminiscing about the first Top Gun film. It is iconic, after all.

It’s the film that cemented Tom Cruise as a Hollywood star and features some of the best aerial footage ever captured for an action film. Top Gun is also well-remembered, thirty-six years after its release, for the infamous volleyball scene (which you can watch below).

But the volleyball scene almost got Scott fired. The scene only lasts for about two minutes and was a single paragraph in Top Gun’s script but Chris Lebenzon, who edited Top Gun, revealed on THR’s Behind the Screen podcast that Scott spent an entire day filming it – and that made Paramount Pictures mad.

“That scene was scripted as a real game, [so] they kept score and everything. And Tony [Scott] shot it like a commercial, and they were angry.”

Chris Lebenzon

Billy Weber, who also edited Top Gun with Lebenzon, chimed in at this point during the podcast and said,

“The studio was so pissed off. The head of production, Charlie McGuire, he said, ‘I’m gonna fire him’… because he spent a whole day shooting this scene.”

Billy Weber

Weber goes on to laugh at the irony that the scene that almost lost Scott his job, became the most iconic scene in Top Gun.

“And then, of course, it turns out it’s one of the most famous scenes in a movie.”

Billy Weber

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The post Most Iconic Top Gun Scene Almost Got Director Fired appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If you’re a man who suffers from erectile dysfunction, then there is a very good chance you would have looked into both Viagra as a potential drug to help alleviate your problems. But Viagra isn’t the only pill on the market you can pop to help your soldier stand proud, as Cialis is another drug that works in a very similar way.

But which is going to be the best one for you? Ultimately, it could come down to your own personal make-up, as both Cialis and Viagra work in similar ways, but have different characteristics, so the best solution could be to try both and see which one has the most positive effect.

Of course, in order to get your hands on either medication, you will need to consult with a doctor first to determine if your erecticle dysfunction issues are psychological or physiological.

We’re going to run you through the difference between both drugs, the ingredients they contain and the benefits and potential risks, to help you overcome erectile dysfunction.

What is erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction, commonly abbreviated to ED and otherwise known as impotence, refers to when the male penis is unable to become erect or stay erect during sexual activity. Erectile dysfunction can be caused by either psychological or physiological problems, and its the latter that both Cialis and Viagra aim to rectify.

Physiological causes of ED can include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological problems or due to the side effects of drugs, including alcohol (which has spawned the term, whiskey dick). Psychological problems are normally related to self-image, thoughts and feelings, and these are grouped under a term known as performance anxiety.

According to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), erectile dysfunction affects approximately 40% of Australian men.

Cialis vs Viagra

Cialis and Viagra are incredibly similar in the fact they are both PDE5 inhibitors. The medication name for Cialis is tadalafil and for Viagra, it is sildenafil. By being PDE5 inhibitors, both Cialis and Viagra work by relaxing the smooth muscle cells in the blood vessels that supply the penis. This allows blood to flow to the penis more easily and should create an erection.

Because the active ingredient is technically different for the two, however, there is a chance some men will react better to one than the other.

A common misconception for both drugs is that they will simply induce an erection, but this isn’t the case. For either drug to work, you do still need to be sexually stimulated in order to facilitate the blood flow to the penis in the first place. If you take either drug and find you’re still not able to get an erection, it could just be you’re not sexually stimulated enough during sexual activity.

How long do Cialis and Viagra last?

The main difference between Cialis and Viagra is how long their effects last in your body. Cialis can last up to 18-hours in the body whereas Viagra will last only 4 – 6 hours.

It’s also claimed that you may feel the effects of Cialis in your body up to 36-hours after you take it.

The other main difference between Cialis and Viagra is the dosages they are available in. Cialis is available in a low-dosage form of 2.5mg, which means it can be taken daily if necessary, so that some of the drug is always in your body. Viagra is only available in three dosages, with the lowest being 25mg. It shouldn’t be taken daily.

How long do Cialis and Viagra take to work?

Both Cialis and Viagra can be taken as little as 30-minutes before sexual activity, but you can take Cialis up to 2 hours before you plan to have sex and Viagra, up to an hour. Both Cialis and Viagra may cause you to maintain an erection after ejaculation and both can also help to minimise the time it takes to get an erection again, if you want to go for round 2.

How to take Cialis and Viagra?

Another key difference between Cialis and Viagra is in their dosages. It is possible to take Cialis as a daily medication, as it is available in both 2.5mg and 5mg dosages, which for many will be safe enough to take on a daily basis so that some of the drug is always in your body. This can be useful if your sexual activity is spontaneous enough to the point where you wouldn’t be able to take a higher dose pill 30 minutes to one hour beforehand.

Viagra is only available in 25mg, 50mg and 100mg dosages. These dosages are too high to be taken safely on a daily basis, and so Viagra should only be taken as and when required. You shouldn’t take more than one Viagra tablet on a daily basis, regardless of dosage amount. A normal dosage of Viagra is 50mg, but the strength prescribed by your GP can be influenced by age and state of health. It’s normal for men over 65 to be prescribed a lower dosage, as it can minimise side effects.

Side Effects of Cialis and Viagra

Both Cialis and Viagra do come with their own potential side effects, so it is important to speak with your GP about both options before one is prescribed. This is also why neither Cialis nor Viagra are available as over-the-counter medications.

Cialis Side Effects

Side effects of Cialis can include muscle pain and aches, which can last up to 2 days after you’ve taken the drug. However, most muscle pain and aches (if you experience any at all) should alleviate once the drug is out of your system. There is also the potential of experiencing dizziness or in more serious cases, priapism, an incredibly painful erection that can last a few hours.

Viagra Side Effects

Potential side effects of Viagra are deemed as mild, and can include headache, dizziness, nasal congestion, heartburn and back or muscle pain. If you do experience any side effects, they are likely to go away within a few days or at most, a couple of weeks. If any side effects persist, you should consult with your GP.

Viagra can cause more serious side effects, but the chances are incredibly unlikely. They include, like Cialis, priapism, loss of vision and/or hearing, allergic reactions, heart problems and low blood pressure.

How to get Cialis and Viagra in Australia

Both Cialis and Viagra are only available on a prescription basis in Australia. This means you will need be assessed by a doctor, who will then give you a prescription for one of the medications and with a specified dosage. Once you have a prescription, you are then able to buy Cialis and Viagra online, but you will need to have your prescription assessed before you’re able to make the purchase.

The main reason for Cialis and Viagra only being available with a prescription is because there is the potential you could end up buying fake pills online without one. Only pharmacies and authorised online stores in Australia are able to sell genuine Cialis and Viagra pills.

How much are Cialis and Viagra in Australia?

If you are prescribed Cialis or Viagra by your doctor, you will then need to pay for the pills. Viagra is the more affordable option of the two, especially when you consider Cialis can be taken on a daily basis, meaning you will need to buy more of them.

Cialis cost in Australia

According to Simple Online Doctor, Cialis in the following dosages and pill amounts in Australia:

• 5mg x 28 tablets – $67.95
• 10mg x 4 tablets – $49.95
• 20mg x 4 tablets – $49.95
• 20mg x 8 tablets – $67.95

Viagra cost in Australia

According to Simple Online Doctor, Viagra in the following dosages and pill amounts in Australia:

• 25mg x 4 tablets – $27.95
• 50mg x 4 tablets – $28.95
• 100mg x 4 tablets – $29.95
• 100mg x 12 tablets – $61.95

Alternatives to Cialis and Viagra

Cialis and Viagra are probably the two most well-known drugs to treat erectile dysfunction. However, there are some other drugs, including Levitra and Stendra that also work in similar ways. Levitra takes longer to work than Viagra, although with a one-hour recommended timeframe before sexual activity, it’s hardly long.

Levitra also has fewer side effects than Viagra and can also be taken in smaller dosages. In fact, it could well be one of the best treatments for ED. As with the other drugs, however, you do still need a prescription in order to get your hands on it.

Stendra, which is known in Australia as Spedra, meanwhile, is considered a second-generation medication and is said to be able to work in as little as 15-minutes after taking it. Stendra/Spedra pills are available in a higher dosage compared to its competitors, and it’s also claimed it will still work even if the user has consumed alcohol or eaten a lot of food.

There are also herbal medicines that claim to work in similar ways to Cialis, Viagra and other alternatives. One of the most well-known of these is Horny Goat Weed. However, actual clinical trials looking into its effectiveness at treating ED remain scarce.

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The following article was produced in partnership with MINI.

At a time when fuel prices are soaring, climate change is speeding up and our cities are increasingly crowded, many cars seem to be getting bigger and thirstier.

Our roads desperately need smaller and more sustainable cars – and that’s why your next car should be a MINI. Eco-friendly, cleverly designed and above all, really quite fun, MINI’s always been ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainable motoring – and now in 2022, MINI continues to lead the pack.

MINI boasts one of the most fuel-efficient and least CO2-emitting model ranges out of any car marque in Australia. Every single one of its cars, from the stylish MINI Hatch to the practical MINI Countryman and everything in between, offer sustainable rides.

That’s perhaps not that surprising – the MINI brand has always been about maximum fun on minimum fuel. The original Mini was designed as a response to the British fuel crisis of the 1950s and its overwhelming success proved that you can be practical and sustainable whilst also being a pleasure to drive. Modern MINIs continue that grand tradition.

Decades later, MINI’s urban mobility revolution continues. MINI”s on track to be the first BMW Group brand – as well as one of the first car manufacturers globally – to go fully electric by 2030. MINI’s product range already includes two killer electrified models: the versatile MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid and the petrol-free MINI Electric, both of which are some of the best electrified vehicles on the market.

DMARGE spoke to Oliver Heilmer, MINI’s head of design, about how important sustainability is to MINI’s ongoing development, and the challenges (and opportunities) the eco-friendly car design offers.

“For MINI, the question of sustainability has always been important for the brand,” he explains. “The classic Mini has shown what sustainability can look like: reduced, practical, maximum space on a minimum footprint. You could say we have learnt from the past how to use space. Elements that have made the classic Mini so iconic have been developed into the future and this will always play a role for MINI.”

Of course, that ‘maximum space on minimum footprint’ concept (and maximum efficiency, performance and so on) is particularly salient when it comes to electric vehicles, Oliver elaborates.

“A purpose-built [electric] architecture offers more space and the centre of gravity shifts downwards due to the battery. It underlines the famous MINI go-kart feeling.”

Oliver Heilmer

Indeed, the fundamental characteristics of MINI cars seem particularly well-suited to electrification – and there are other opportunities EVs open up for automotive design that further improve the MINI design brief. Take sound design.

“The silent battery builds a blank canvas when it comes to sound design – our customers will be offered an immersive sound experience in every MINI model,” Oliver gives as an example.

Where many car brands seem resistant to change; scared of an electric future, Oliver sees it as one big opportunity – to keep evolving MINI’s famous aesthetic and make cars that are ever more relevant to drivers.

“The MINI Design stands for a modern and pure aesthetic combined with an immersive user experience… The MINI design team will keep on challenging the status quo to improve ourselves and our brand – and sustainability will continue to be a core element included in the development of every future model.”

That’s why your next eco-friendly car should be a MINI: it’s an investment in an exciting new future for mobility.

Discover MINI’s eco-friendly and incredibly fun range of cars at their online showroom here.

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LeBron James is nothing short of an incredible athlete. At 37-years-old, he continues to play at the very top of his game and proves age is just a number when it comes to fitness. We’d argue that Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimović are the only other sportsmen who come close to LeBron’s calibre of fitness.

Just how does LeBron stay in such incredible shape? Well, a recent workout he posted on his Instagram account gives us a pretty good idea. Posting three clips showing different exercises (and a whole lot more considering he’s only wearing a pair of compression pants) LeBron reveals how he maintains serious upper body strength.

Swiss ball oblique crunch

The first clip shows him performing a Swiss ball oblique crunch, which helps to build a strong core. For this exercise, you need a Swiss ball (otherwise known as an exercise ball or yoga ball), which you then lay on with your hips. You can anchor your feet by pushing them against a wall if you wish, but if you’re able to perform this exercise without the aid of an anchor, then you will be recruiting your core muscles a great deal more to maintain stability.

Raise your arms out to the sides or, as in LeBron’s case, raise your hands to your ears, slowly raise and lower your torso, ensuring your keep your back straight. You will need to extend your torso so that your elbow gets close to the ground, but don’t allow your back to arch backwards or forwards or allow your hips to rotate.

Repeat this motion for 12-15 reps on both sides of the body.

RELATED: Best Ab Workouts

Behind-the-neck press

The behind-the-neck press is often on the receiving end of its fair share of controversy in the fitness industry, because it has a much greater chance of causing injury if not performed correctly, compared to a standard overhead press. So, while LeBron may be able to perform it, it’s not one that’s recommended for everyone, especially beginner lifters.

If you wish to attempt it but you’re new to the exercise, it’s best to begin by performing it in a seated position, before moving to a standing position. Also make sure you use a relatively light weight as not only will your shoulders become fatigued quickly, but it also lessens the chance of injury.

The behind-the-neck press, like the overhead press, primarily targets the shoulder muscles and upper back muscles. If performing in a standing position, start with the barbell at around chest height on a squat rack so that you enough stabilisation in the body to lift the bar above your head.

RELATED: Best Shoulder Exercises

LeBron chooses to perform using a very wide grip, but a grip just wider than shoulder-width will suffice. With the grip sorted, lift the bar above your head and make sure your feet are around shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, lock your shoulder blades down and exhale before slowly lowering the bar just behind your head. Make sure to not lower the back all the way down the back of your head to the base of your neck, as this will place too much strain on your rotator cuff.

Pause for a moment in this position before inhaling to press the bar back up to the starting position. Start with just one set of the behind-the-neck press with 12-15 reps for the set.

Standing cable chest press

The cable machine is an incredibly popular piece of gym equipment, since the cables provide resistance to the muscles throughout the duration of any movement you perform and that you can target a variety of muscle groups simply by adjusting the height of the cable or the attachment grip.

LeBron shows us how he performs a standing cable chest press, although we must say, his stance appears to be a little unorthodox. For a conventional cable chest press, you would want to stand either in a split stance, with one leg in front of the other to provide stability, or in a regular standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.

RELATED: Best Chest Workouts

In LeBron’s case, he elects to lean forward, with his feet behind him. In doing so, we suspect he is having to engage his core muscle a lot more than you would in the other standing positions, although it doesn’t look like the most comfortable of positions.

LeBron has his cables set high and shoulder-width apart. With his hands placed through some regular grip attachments, he then presses both cables forward, before returning to the starting position. This exercise will be working his chest muscles and, to an extent, his shoulder muscles too.

We’d certainly suggest performing a conventional cable chest press first, especially if you’re new to the movement, before attempting LeBron’s variation.

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