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The Greatest Training Montages in Movie History

The Greatest Training Montages in Movie History

We all need motivation sometimes. And one of the best ways to get fired up for training is by watching a montage from a classic movie. Nothing makes you want to squat like Stallone’s weird sweaty face, that’s a scientific fact.

We asked our trainers about their favourite training montages. This is what they said…

Haks

best personal trainer
Never Back Down – Classic movie. This came out in the mid-2000’s and rode the wave of functional/strongman training which was becoming mainstream at the time. You see guys chucking rocks around and swinging kettlebells probably for the first in a film.

 

 

Lee

best personal trainer
Rocky 4 – The best training montage of all time. Drago with all the high tech kit and performance enhancing drugs he can fit in his body Vs Rocky, training out in the elements alone, and his Mrs has got the hump with him. Until she turns up then the montage kicks into top gear!

It’s classic David vs Goliath, if Goliath had killed Davids best friend. Full of metaphor, iconic scenes, and exercises we all tried in the gym after.

Not to mention it’s accompanied by one of the best film scores ever by Vince Dicola (also of the original 1986 Transformers film fame) and ‘Hearts On Fire’ by John Cafferty, probably the most motivational training song ever. When that comes on my Spotify and I’m training, I’m tearing that sumbitch to the ground.

The whole Rocky anthology is superior above all when it comes to training montages, but for me Rocky 4 is number one.

Scarlet

best personal trainer
Uma Thurman in Kill Bill Vol 2 – When she learns and trains to become a total badass with Pai Mei.

I like it because it shows no matter age, sex or ability, if you want to achieve something, you can get there. With the correct mindset and the willingness to learn and to give 110%, you can do anything.

Sure, a mentor of sorts to teach/guide you and hold you accountable will be of great help, but ultimately its up to you. How much you put in is directly linked to how much you achieve in return. And Uma Thurman is a TOTAL BADASS. Not many people can 3 inch punch their way out of a coffin after being buried alive.

Fee


Wonder Woman – The training scene with her aunt in the woods and then when she’s on the Everglades fighting her friends.

Her aunt says to her when she’s a girl: “You keep doubting yourself Diana. You are stronger than you believe.”

She continues to train everyday and works hard on her sense of belonging. The next time her aunt and her practice fighting together, Diana unleashes the power she didn’t know existed and almost kills her Aunt.

As well as the physically impressive scenes I think it’s a really good message to young boys and girls (and anyone else who is trying to do well) that you have more potential than you know and hard work and the support of others helps you surpass expectation and doubt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpRPHp2jM0k

Max

best personal trainer
Batfleck in Batman vs Superman
Why? Because it’s a perfect example that hard work trumps god given talent.

There he is (Batman) grinding away in his epic cave gym; pulling sleds, squatting heavy, almost doing as heavy weighted chins as me. Building himself up to achieve his ultimate goal of besting Superman in one-on-one combat.

While all this is happening there’s Superman, swanning about resting on his laurels. When it comes to the action, Batman ultimately triumphs. The only issue is that Batman should have ended that boyscout pussy when he had the chance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GMDy6cFmn8

Tim

best personal trainer

Jean Claude Van Damme in Double Team

The absolute madness of this. This is how I like to train. Near naked, climbing about the house and making sex faces while lifting a bath tub. This scene speaks to me.

If you’ve never seen this film (you really should), Van Damme has been kidnapped and imprisoned on an island for ex-spies, and his training here is geared around preparing for his escape. Later in the movie you’ve got a showdown with Micky Rourke and some tigers in the Coliseum in Rome. A cinematic masterpiece.

Otaniyien

best personal trainer

Kung Fu Panda

This montage is built around tailoring the motivation to the individual, which is what we do at Evolve.

Zack

best personal trainer

Terminator 2

To be honest I wanted Rocky but when we suggested this blog Lee immediately laid claim to Stallone. So I’ve gone for Sarah Connor instead.

It’s not really a montage, just Linda Hamilton looking buff as shit banging out chins from an improvised bar in a mental asylum, but what a character intro. This is one of my favourite movies of all time, and surely the greatest sequel (Whatever, Godfather).

We are immediately struck by Sarah Connor’s transformation from the helpless, big-haired victim of the first film to an intense warrior, ready to protect her son, the saviour of humanity, and fend off cyborg killing machines.

 

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