Putin's perfect man date with Medvedev: Pumping iron, BBQ, tea

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Vladimir Putin's summer vacation is infinitely more badass than yours.

While on a getaway in the Russian resort town of Sochi, Russia's perennial president and government-approved definition of "manliness" took his prime minister on the perfect man date: an afternoon of lifting weights and grilling up BBQ finished off with an elegant (but still totally manly) tea session.

A workout with the President pic.twitter.com/IyQvFgXz0O

— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) August 30, 2015

The outing began, as so many of Putin's man dates do, with a purposeful stroll through lush greenery.

Putin, fresh off an underwater jaunt in a submarine for sport and/or PR, dressed to impress with sweats, a presidential plain white T-shirt, gloves (he has sensitive hands, ok?) and his patented Grumpy Cat scowl.

Medvedev imitated the look, but missed the memo about the gloves; instead he wore a bulky stopwatch. Bold choice, Medvedev.

IMAGE: KREMLIN.RU

Once inside the fitness facility, Putin offered his protege a master's class in how to workout like a Russian leader. Step 1: Strap yourself in to the manliest machine you can find. Step 2: Wait for photograph to be taken. Step 3: Repeat. Bonus points for never breaking a sweat.

IMAGE: KREMLIN.RU


IMAGE: KREMLIN.RU

After successfully finishing their sham workout, Uncle Medvedev smiled and tried to cook up some unidentified meats on a BBQ called "BBQ" while Putin tried to grill them with his eyes.

IMAGE: KREMLIN.RU

Having satisfied their daily manliness quota, the pair shed their scowls and smiled while clinking gold-rimmed tea cups to celebrate another perfect man date.

Perhaps Medvedev will take the many lessons he learned on this memorable day and use them to find some measure of Putin's success in hunting, hockey, horseback riding, deep sea submersions and race-car driving.

#Путин и #Медведев за завтраком в Сочи: что в чашках, неизвестно, но видимо что-то такое, чем положено чокнуться. pic.twitter.com/WJZKLINswl

— Дмитрий Смирнов (@dimsmirnov175) August 30, 2015

TOPICS: MEDVEDEV, WORLD
BY SETH FIEGERMAN 12 HOURS AGO
http://mashable.com/2015/08/30/putin-gym/

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Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev share a toast

Posted about 2 hours ago
Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev share a toast during breakfast at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence.
AFP: Ria Novosti/Yekaterina Shtukina
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015- ... are-a-toast/6737510

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Vladimir Putin: Russian president pumps iron, drinks tea at Black Sea retreat

Russian president Vladimir Putin and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev are seen working out at the gym and sharing cups of tea in images released by the Kremlin.

Vladimir Putin talks with Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev in the gym

The images are apparently aimed at shoring up Mr Putin's rugged, masculine image as his popularity dips.

Wearing a white T-shirt, track suit trousers and running shoes, Mr Putin is shown on muscle-building apparatus in a publicity stunt that recalled previous shots of him shirtless riding a horse, flying a supersonic jet and shooting a tiger with a tranquiliser dart.

Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvevdev hit the gym

Other photos show the pair clinking tea cups and grilling meat on a barbeque.

The photos were taken at Mr Putin's summer residence of Bocharov Ruchei, near Sochi on the Black Sea.

Mr Putin's approval rating has been dented by a sluggish economy and free-falling rouble which has halved in value since last year due to a decline in the oil price and sanctions over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis.

But his rating remains very high by Western standards.

A poll, published on Friday in business daily Vedomosti by the Public Opinion Foundation, showed 72 per cent of Russians would have voted for Mr Putin in August, down from 76 per cent in May.

According to polling organisation the Levada Centre, Mr Putin's approval rating was 61 per cent in November 2013, the lowest since 2000 when he was first elected president, but it surged above 80 per cent early last year as Russians rallied around his actions over Ukraine.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-31/putin-pumps-iron-to-show-russians-his-wholesome-side/6737422