History Main / KingpinInHisGym

* Tao Ren is shown working out in the lead-up to his first official tournament fight with the protagonist, who doesn't exactly share his obsessive work ethic. Of course, since Ren is a walking ball of issues and ShamanKing the rare shonen series where UnstoppableRage ''does not help'', Yoh's mellower approach works in his favour.

[[AC:Videogames]]
* The trailer for ''DukeNukemForever'' had him lifting weights while smoking a cigar.

* The trailer for ''DukeNukemForever'' had him lifting weights while smoking a cigar. [[VaporWare Yeah, he showed those aliens.]]
** Yep, [[http://www.dukenukemforever.com/ he sure did.]]

* While [[ChaoticNeutral not exactly a villain]], the Raikage in {{Naruto}} is introduced lifting huge dumbbells in his gym. Oddly enough, he's the only leader of any group that's been seen training at all so far.
* [[ShamanKing Tao Ren]] is shown working out in the lead-up to his first official tournament fight with the protagonist, who doesn't exactly share his obsessive work ethic. Of course, since Ren is a walking ball of issues and this is the rare shonen series where UnstoppableRage ''does not help'', Yoh's mellower approach works in his favour.

* Venom's first appearance established him as a gym bunny, who channeled his rage against Spider-Man (prior to actually becoming Venom) via working out.
* Issue 350 of [[CaptainAmerica Captain America]] showed the recently-resurrected Red Skull practicing his hand-to-hand skills by slaughtering several of the Taskmaster's trained cronies... all of whom were dressed as Captain America.

* [[Shaman King Tao Ren]] is shown working out in the lead-up to his first official tournament fight with the protagonist, who doesn't exactly share his obsessive work ethic. Of course, since Ren is a walking ball of issues and this is the rare shonen series where UnstoppableRage ''does not help'', Yoh's mellower approach works in his favour.

* Subverted by Lex Luthor. Shortly after coming back as his own [[CloningGambit Evil Clone]] (don't ask), he is shown training in martial arts in his gym. After his trainer hands him his ass in front of witnesses, he later tracks her down and murders her in cold blood.

* Tombstone does this in TheSpectacularSpiderMan - fitting, since that adaptation promoted him to the Kingpin's usual role (they couldn't use the trope namer himself due to rights issues).

* Though not shown on-panel, dialogue states that TheOrderOfTheStick's villain, Xykon, spent the entire duration of Roy's absence researching new spells and crafting magic items, the [[strike:wizard's]] [[InsistentTerminology sorcerer's]] equivalent of working out.

* In KickAss, Frank D'Amico is shown training in the gym to show he's a step above his mooks, later on even using his skills against a hapless superhero cosplayer. His son is shown [[WhatTheFuAreYouDoing messing around with some weapons]], but is nowhere near as effective.

* ''[[RobinHood Robin and Marian]]'' establishes the Sheriff as a credible threat by having him practice swordsmanship against three men at once. When he and Robin do fight... well, they're Robert Shaw and SeanConnery. [[FromRussiaWithLove What do you expect?]]

* [[TheDragon Princess]] [[MagnificentBastard Azula]] spends one of her first appearances in ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' practicing her advanced firebending- and she ''completely'' freaks out (foreshadowing her ultimate VillainousBreakdown) when she performs her moves perfectly but puts ''one hair'' out of place.

* Played for laughs in 'DoctorWho'' when the Delgado Master, locked up in a sea fortress, exercises on a rowing machine. The Doctor remarks that the Master has put on weight!

* [[TheDragon Princess Azula]] spends one of her first appearances in AvatarTheLastAirbender practicing her advanced firebending- and she ''completely'' freaks out (foreshadowing her ultimate VillainousBreakdown) when she performs her moves perfectly but puts ''one hair'' out of place.

** A running joke with Kingpin is that he'll pay goons (more often than not, having martial arts training) to attack him for practice. If they lose badly to Kingpin, he'll fire them but if they put up an actual fight, then Kingpin murders them for making him look bad.

* In ''DeathNote'' Teru Mikami, Light's [[TheDragon right-hand man]] visits the gym religiously. Given that his method of killing just involves writing down names, this is purely for his own benefit, and has nothing to do with fighting.

** One of Kingpin's earlier appearances has him fighting at least a dozen of his own goons (all of which are pretty strong by non-superhuman standards. One of them has a Karate black belt) for practice, apparently promising to pay them if they put up a good fight. Kingpin kicks the crap out of all of them in short order and then proceeds to fire all of them for not "putting some muscle into it". Considering the fact that Kingpin's strong enough to fight ''Spider-man'', it seems rather unfair for him to label his mooks as "losers" for not being able to put up a fight against him.
*** In all fairness, Kingpin is the kind of person that will fire you don't put some muscle against him, but will put you ''on'' fire if you accidentally scratch him. Kingpin is the king of DisproportionateRetribution, so it's better to lose a job than losing your legs.
** He cements his claim to the name by beating six ninjas ({{NINJA}}S, people!) during a workout in ''{{Daredevil}}: Born Again''.
*** Of course he beat six; [[ConservationOfNinjitsu can he beat one?]]
** Also Venom from [[SpiderMan Spider-man]] is often seen working out.

One of the ways to show that a villain's AuthorityEqualsAsskicking. However, if the training sessions are shown to be [[CurbStompBattle a walk in the park]], [[FridgeLogic one wonders how they will make the villain any stronger]]. [[VillansOutShopping Shopping]] is another popular hobby of villains.

One of the ways to show that a villain's AuthorityEqualsAsskicking. However, if the training sessions are shown to be [[CurbStompBattle a walk in the park]], [[FridgeLogic one wonders how they will make the villain any stronger]].

* Issue 500 of [[CaptainAmerica Captain America]] showed the recently-resurrected Red Skull practicing his hand-to-hand skills by slaughtering several of the Taskmaster's trained cronies... all of whom were dressed as Captain America.