On the day of the first vice-presidential debate, Time magazine has released photos of Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan pumping iron.

The photoshoot, in which Ryan grimaces while curling 40-pound free weights, was from last year, when Ryan was runner up for Time Person of the Year.

Though at least one gym in New York offers a workout to achieve Ryan’s famed six-pack abs, his abs are not featured in the photoshoot.

While vice-presidential debates don’t usually weigh too heavily in the outcome of an election, Thursday’s debate is getting more hype than usual after President Barack Obama’s flat debate performance on Oct. 3, John Parisella writes in Maclean’s.

While Democratic Vice-President Joe Biden has the advantage when it comes to debating experience, these new photos show that Ryan is guaranteed a win if it comes down to an arm wrestle.