On June 22, 2022, Heber Cannon and Marston Sawyers, also known as the Buttery Bros, took to their YouTube channel to share their experience training with mountaineer, Hollywood trainer, and founder of Gym Jones Mark Twight. Twight is known for chiseling the physiques of the cast and stunt crew in the blockbuster movie 300 based on the graphic novel of the same name, and training actors for the films based on DC Comics characters, including Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Justice League.
Twight’s training of the cast of 300 is what first inspired Canon to step into a CrossFit box, which not only overhauled his physique but the trajectory of his career. He landed a job at CrossFit HQ, where he met Sawyers, and the duo embarked on their journey as the Buttery Bros. Additionally, Twight introduced former CrossFit General Manager of Sport Dave Castro to CrossFit back in 2003. Check out their training session below:
[Related: 2022 CrossFit Adaptive Semifinal Results and Recap: Who is the Fittest and Who is Heading to Madison?]
Twight gave the Buttery Bros a choice of opening workout:
- Death by 20-meter Ski Erg
- Add 20 meters every minute to failure.
OR
- Death by 15-meter Farmer’s Carry
- Ad 15 meters every minute to failure.
Sawyers chose the ski erg, and Cannon opted for the farmer’s carry with a pair of 53-pound kettlebells. They both went into double-digit rounds before reaching failure. Without wasting much time, they hopped into the main workout Twight programmed:
Four rounds for time:
- 11 Ball-to-Shoulder
- Hit 1,000 watts on the Assault Bike
- 11 Dumbbell Push Press
- Hit 1,000 watts on the Assault Bike
- 11 D-ball Squats
- Hit 1,000 watts on the Assault Bike
- 11 Dumbbell Floor Press
- Hit 1,000 watts on the Assault Bike
Twight believes that training for sport and training for aesthetics are only different in the field of play, whether that’s climbing a mountain or action on a movie set. In the gym, the training should be the same.
Taking people through things that they didn’t believe they could do…for about a 20-to-30-minute window afterwards you have a direct pipeline into the brain — you can teach them whatever you want and it will stick.
Cannon and Sawyers were gassed by their max efforts on the bike, and it seemed that Twight’s assessment of teaching people after an intense workout had some truth. Cannon, in particular, commented how he felt the workout in his soul.
In 2017, Twight started Nonprophet with Michael Blevins, where they host a podcast, maintain a private training center and lead an educational symposium. Twight also recently authored the book Poison: Sermons on Suffering and offers programs for strength and endurance.
Featured image: @butterybros on Instagram