The ‘Toughest’ Workout These Buff Dudes Have Ever Undergone Is This Classic UFC Style Workout

Watch as YouTube’s Buff Dudes get “demolished” by MMA icon Ken Shamrock’s “grueling fitness test.”

Brandon and Hudson White, bodybuilding brothers, have experimented with a variety of old-school routines on the Buff Dudes channel, including early 1900s boxing drills and traditional bodybuilding training. The Buff Dudes’ latest video features them taking on a workout inspired by UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, creator of the “Lion’s Den” MMA training camp. They describe it as the “hardest physical struggle” they’ve ever attempted.

The Lion’s Den was well-known for putting rookie athletes through a rigorous introduction procedure, a “grueling fitness test” that pushed them to their limits. “These challenges were not so much a show of martial arts ability, but more of a litmus test, a sign you were truly willing to push yourself to the absolute edge in order to apply for the job,” Hudson said.

They start with the workout’s greatest volume, 500 squats, and the shear hardship of what lies ahead becomes clear as early as the 100th rep, compelling both of them to rely on “mental fortitude.”

Shamrock’s initiation typically consisted of:

• 500 squats
• 500 leg lifts
• 200 pushups
• 200 situps
• a 1.5-mile run

“A big part of me right now is saying ‘stop,'” White said. “This is extremely taxing, and I couldn’t image submitting this application in front of a group of old-school badasses like Ken Shamrock and his brother Frank. Not only are you pushing to the limit… They’re ready to kick your ass as soon as you finish this initiation process.”

After “demolishing” their hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and lower back, Brandon and Hudson shift their focus to upper body workouts and begin the 200 pushups—but the accumulating exhaustion suggests that the brothers may be forsaking appropriate technique in favor of rep count.

“All that mental fortitude talk is a lot of bullshit,” said Brandon.

The following round is situps, which Hudson is most concerned about, and it is here that both Buff Dudes give up: with core cramps setting in, they both max out at 75 reps, less than half of the minimum number.

“When you do a challenge like this, you really get to see what your strengths and weaknesses are,” Hudson said. “I haven’t been emphasizing core, and it’s definitely catching up with me now. It’s a great approach to humble oneself while simultaneously identifying areas for improvement. I believe this is especially crucial for sportsmen like mixed martial artists, because if you don’t have a well-rounded skill set, someone who does will come at you and take you down utilizing your weakest spot.