Author: Henry

Ben Shelton just revealed the exercise he still dreads after years of elite training: the Copenhagen plank. In a Sept. 30 Business Insider interview, the 23-year-old called the punishing side-plank variation a fixture he never learns to like.

“No matter how many times you do them, they still suck,” Shelton said. “You’ve got to be used to doing things that you don’t enjoy.”

The confession lands differently after his U.S. Open run. Shelton beat Carlos Alcaraz in a four-hour, 28-minute quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in tournament history, according to the USTA. He sealed it with a 146-mph ace.

Related: I’m a Trainer: 3 Things Your Workout Is Probably Missing if You Want to Get Faster

Why Shelton Keeps Doing the Exercise He Hates

A Copenhagen plank resembles a side plank with a nastier leverage problem. Place the top leg on a bench while holding your body off the floor, forcing the adductors, hips, and trunk to stabilize together.

For Shelton, that matters because tennis rarely provides a perfect position.

“Tennis is such a dynamic sport,” he told Business Insider. “You’re in a lot of awkward positions.”

His gym work reflects that demand: Bulgarian split squats, plyometrics, and box jumps are also in the mix. The interview accompanied Shelton’s partnership with supplement company Thorne and included discussion of his creatine and protein use.

After beating Alcaraz, Shelton described what carried him through the marathon: “Whether it’s my coaches, my team over there, my friends and family over here, or the city of New York tonight that showed up until 3 a.m. with ‘USA’ chants until the very end, that was what kept me going.”

Alcaraz’s assessment was simpler: “He is a beast. Shelton is an unbelievable player, powerful. He just managed to play really, really well in every situation.”

Related: Saquon Barkley’s Scary Injury Changed How He’s Training for Longevity

You Don’t Need to Train Like Shelton

The full Copenhagen plank is advanced. Start with your top knee—not your ankle—supported on a bench, shortening the lever. Easier still: keep the lower foot on the floor for assistance.

As strength improves, move the support farther down the top leg while keeping your hips elevated and torso controlled. Stop if you feel sharp groin or hip pain.

“Some of the best things for you,” Shelton said, “are the things that you don’t necessarily want to do.”

Related: I’m a Trainer: What You Do in the First 24 Hours After a Hard Workout Could Change Your Recovery

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to face off against a familiar foe: AFC North rival Cleveland.

Two of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the NFL today, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson square off in a battle of teams looking for their third win of the season.

Ahead of the 2026 season, which Rodgers revealed would be his last, the future Hall of Fame quarterback finally revealed details into his private life. The four-time NFL MVP married his wife, Brittani, two years ago, but didn’t offer much in the way of information about her – and she’s never been spotted publicly.

Aaron Rodgers Reveals When He First Met Brittani

In a conversation with teammate and longtime Steelers star Cameron Heyward before the 2026 season, Rodgers revealed he met his wife in 2017 when she was preparing to leave the United States for Europe.

“My biggest regret is not begging her to stay or proposing right there, because that sent me right there into a tailspin of what can I be accused of as a partner in a relationship,” Rodgers said on Not Just Football with Cam Heyward.

“She moved back over to Europe, we kept in touch, and there were a couple of times I thought things were going to work out, and then she got engaged, and I was like, well that’s done,” he explained.

He went on to suggest he was “emotionally unavailable” for the next seven or eight years – a period when he was in a longterm relationship with Danica Patrick and engaged to actress Shailene Woodley.

“I was emotionally unavailable, I think, for those seven or eight years because I met the person that had changed my life,” he said. “And after that, I just poured everything I had into football, and I think I got a lot out of that for sure, but I knew I was supposed to be with this one person, but we were separated by an ocean for a lot it.”

Rodgers also revealed his wife attended the University of Texas, but she still remains a mystery to the public.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video.

Related: Is the Viral Aaron Rodgers, Wife Photo Real? Truth About His Wife, New Look Revealed

Kirk Douglas is one of the greatest actors of all time, and from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s, he was in his prime and became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

He earned his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for his hit 1949 film Champion, where he portrayed a boxer. Then, in 1951, he starred in Ace in the Hole, directed by Billy Wilder.

Douglas played the lead role of Chuck Tatum, a corrupt journalist in Ace in the Hole, while the movie also starred Jan Sterling, Richard Benedict and Porter Hall.

The Rotten Tomatoes movie description reads, “With flaws that outweigh his talent, reporter Chuck Tatum (Douglas) has bounced across the country from job to job. Winding up in New Mexico, Tatum gets work from the local newspaper, but finds that there’s not much in the way of pressing news. However, when Tatum catches wind of a treasure hunter (Benedict) trapped in a mineshaft, he turns the story into a media sensation. Soon Tatum is using unscrupulous tactics to draw out the situation, an approach that comes back to haunt him.”

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Ace in the Hole Was Originally a Major Box Office Flop

When it was released in 1951, obviously times were completely different, and moviegoers didn’t necessarily like how dark the plot and tone of the film were, which made it the definition of a box office flop.

The production budget was roughly $1.8 million, which was a hefty amount for the era, and worldwide, the film only ended up grossing about $2.3 million. That led Paramount to garnish some of the profits from Wilder’s next film with the company to recoup some of its losses. That next movie came out in 1953 and was Stalag 17.

Ace in the Hole Later Went On to Become an All-Time Classic

While Ace in the Hole was ahead of its time, fans eventually caught up to it, and it turned into not only one of Douglas’ most memorable films but also one of the greatest movies ever made.

It holds an 88% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and ranks No. 100 on the BBC’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time, while Slant Magazine considers it even more iconic, placing it No. 4 on its list of 100 Essential Films.

Related: 1957 Kirk Douglas Western Nearly Starred Another Hollywood Legend

Robert De Niro starred in The Deer Hunter, Michael Cimino’s 1978 drama. The plot revolves around three steelworkers whose lives are altered by the Vietnam War.

Christopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep and John Cazale rounded out the cast.

The American Film Institute ranks the film No. 53 on its list of the 100 greatest American movies ever made. 

Rotten Tomatoes also gave it an 86% score and explained what makes it stand out in its critics’ consensus:

“Its greatness is blunted by its length and one-sided point of view, but the film’s weaknesses are overpowered by Michael Cimino’s sympathetic direction and a series of heartbreaking performances from Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken.”

For Cazale, the film became far more than just another role.

How Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro Helped Keep a Dying Actor in The Deer Hunter

Cazale was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer shortly before filming began in 1977.

The studio reportedly considered replacing him due to his declining health. Streep, who was dating Cazale at the time, took her role partly to remain by his side. She reportedly threatened to quit if they removed him from production.

Per TV Insider, De Niro personally paid for Cazale’s insurance so the production could keep him in the film.

The production filmed all of Cazale’s scenes first, prioritizing his limited time. Al Pacino, a close friend of Cazale’s, later reflected on what he witnessed.

“I’ve hardly ever seen a person so devoted to someone who is falling away like John was. To see her in the act of love for this man was overwhelming,” Pacino said.

Cazale died on March 13, 1978, at age 42. He never saw the completed film.

Across his short career, Cazale appeared in just five feature films. All five were nominated for Best Picture.

Related: 1957 Burt Lancaster Classic, With a Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score, Named One of the ‘Best Movies of All Time’

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Osprey backpacks are a favorite of outdoor explorers and city slickers alike, beloved for their versatility, durability, and thoughtful designs. The beloved brand makes packs in every shape and size, but the backpack that’s currently heavily discounted at REI is one of the more cleverly designed bags on the market.

The Osprey Aoede Syncpack is on sale for $104 at REI, 45% off its normal $190 price tag. It comes in a single colorway, magma brown, which is really more of a mauve-taupe hybrid, and a single 20-liter size.

Osprey Aoede Syncpack, $104 (was $190) at REI

Everywhere you look on this backpack, you find unexpected, useful design touches. The main compartment is accessible via the top of the bag, a pretty standard design, but it has a magnetic closure that’s nearly automatic. There’s a laptop sleeve that fits computers up to 16 inches, a pretty standard design, but it’s removable so you can carry your device sheathed. And instead of being structured enough to stand up on its own, a pretty standard design, this pack comes with a kickstand that keeps it upright when loading and unloading. Dual water bottle pockets and external zippered pockets, as well as the 100% recycled 840-denier ballistic polyester treated with PFAS-free durable water repellent, are all tried-and-tested inclusions, the foundation of a solid bag that’s a delight to use.

Related: Osprey’s Roam-Ready Travel Backpack Is Nearly 60% Off in 3 Colors at REI

“I love it,” wrote one enthusiastic shopper. “The back support is great, and the removable laptop case is more useful than I thought it would be.” They’re also a big fan of the color, which is a particularly rich shade without looking too dark.

Deals We’re Loving

• Herschel Supply Co. Classic XL Pack, $47 (was $95) at REI
• The North Face Glen Canyon Rucksack Pack, $82 (was $119) at REI
• Osprey Transporter Panel Loader Pack, $90 (was $165) at REI

If you’re ready for a backpack that goes beyond what’s standard, the Osprey Aoede Syncpack is a great option. It’s a premium, well-designed pack at a bargain price, just $104, right now. REI deals tend to sell out, so if you’re ready to add this bag to your routine, make sure you grab one before it’s too late.

For many legendary rock bands, 1976 was a significant year that helped them reach that next level of music stardom.

That year, several bands released what would become their defining songs. This included “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones, “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas, “The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy and “More Than a Feeling” by Boston.

They weren’t as well-known at the time, but Blue Öyster Cult would soon become a household name in rock and roll after releasing their fourth studio album, Agents of Fortune, in May 1976.

Agents of Fortune was headlined by “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”, the song that put the group on the map. Easily recognized from its iconic opening guitar riff, the track was written by Blue Öyster Cult guitarist and vocalist Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser.

In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Roeser explained how the song came together. Though many interpret the lyrics as dark and gloomy, Roeser stressed that the track is supposed to be about eternal love.

“I never dreamed it would become such a famous song, or that the riff would be played by every kid trying out a guitar in a shop…'(Don’t Fear) the Reaper’ is basically a love song that imagines there is something after death and that, once in a while, you can bridge that gap to the other side,” Roeser said.

“I imagined a couple: one of them dies but is able to come back for her lover, and they go to this other place no one knows about. I sang about Romeo and Juliet as an example of a couple who have successfully gone to the other dimension.”

In its February 2024 list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time“, Rolling Stone ranked “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” at No. 449.

“Being the subject of Saturday Night Live’s infamous ‘More cowbell!’ sketch made the song a punch line in the 2000s, but to hear it on the radio late at night is to be freaked out anew by singer-guitarist ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser crooning about Romeo, Juliet, and the “40,000 men and women every day” headed to the great beyond,” Rolling Stone wrote.

‘(Don’t Fear) the Reaper’ Peaked at No. 12 on the ‘Billboard’ Hot 100

“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” first appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 31, 1976. The song eventually peaked at No. 12 on Nov. 6, and it holds up as Blue Öyster Cult’s biggest hit on the Billboard chart.

The song also spent five weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 17 for the week of July 8-14, 1978.

Related: 1976 Rock Hit Voted One of the ‘Greatest Songs of All Time’ by Rolling Stone — And It Still Rocks