“If you want the Ultimate, you’ve Got to be Willing to pay the Ultimate Price….”

Does this song make you feel sexy, you might be a DirtBag lifter….

Have you tried to REALLY apply yourself to what you love? Did you get a less then stellar grade on the last test? Are you actually a DirtBag lifter?

Let’s find out….

DirtBag Lifter. Phase 2 Test

1. You shave…

A) Your Legs everyday
B) Your Armpits once a week
C) Your Beard Once every couple months

2. You never walk around the gym without…

A) Your Vibrums
B) Your Chuck T’s
C) You walk Barefoot into the BathRoom

3. If you only had 1200 in you Bank Account you’d spend 800 dollars on…

A) Louis Vuitton Shoes
B) A Down payment on a Pendalay bar
C) 200 Dollar weekend in Portland, 200 Dollar flight to Vegas, 100 Dollar Marriage in Vegas, 100 Dollar Bus ride home, 100 Dollar Bus trip back to Vegas, 99 Dollar Vegas divorce, 1 Dollar Mcdonalds Coffeee, Hitch Hike home…

4. If you arrive at the gym without your workout Clothes…

A) You go home to get more
B) You borrow some spandexs from a friend
C)You search the lost and found for clothes, you then find a shirt smell it, seems good. Then you find some underwear(“Supportive wear”) behind the lockers, don’t smell them, but use them because they are dry.

5. You Watch Jersey Shore….

A) Never
B) Whenever you see it on your TV
C) Whenever your at your friends house because you don’t own a TV

6. Your friends tell you…

A) How great you are
B) To stop talking about lifting
C) Your a dick because your ALWAYS right

7. When you go to a bar…

A) You order a martini
B) You order TouchDowns
C) You order 20 Rum and Cokes… Scratch that make it 18 Rum and Cokes and 2 Vodka Sodas

8. You go to work…

A) On time every day
B) After a long night
C) In the same clothes from the night before

9. You know the lines to…

A) That shitty Titanic Song
B) Point Break
C) Every Jean Claude Van Damn move… Ever made

10. Sundays are for…

A) Brunches
B) Walks with your dog on the beach
C) Getting drinks with your friends while working on posts….

If you answered mostly…

A’s – Your on the wrong site yet again
B’s – Your totally on the path to being a DirtBag lifter, just keep working at it
C’s – You’ve arrived, you should squat double bodyweight and bust light bulbs with your animal magnetism when you walk down the hall.

Get Some…

posted by: Z

“That’s because Every Time you go up in the Air, you’re Unsafe. I don’t like You because you’re Dangerous…”

Last Day to Register….
This Years PipeHitters Classic is set to ignite in 2 weeks.
Who’s gonna Run the Yard?
WOD 2 Announcement…

GET SOME…

Video by: Roo
Posted by: Z

“So a Priest walks Into a Bar…”

When local badass priest Kate Wesch came to me about learning Russian I gave her the same answer I give everyone else…

“Kate, I’m Russian, I don’t speak Russian. In fact when I was in Russia I was called an “American Cowboy”, sorry I can’t help.”

Then I asked the question that would change my whole day…

“Kate why do you need to learn Russian?”

Kate answered in classic matter of  fact Kate manner…

“Well I need to know how to speak Russian because I plan on becoming a Chaplain at a Russian prison and compete in Spartakiada Games.”

I didn’t register the words coming out of her mouth…

“Z, don’t tell me your not familair with the 3 month-long penitentiary tournament held between 9 different prisons in a high security prison in Arisyk just outside the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk?”

This sounds like something I should know so I play along.

“Oh yeah of course I know about the Arisyk prison tournament, who doesn’t really (I didn’t)? But wait you want to compete?”

I instantly thought about any movie with any kind of Russian prison tournament. The outcome wasn’t good.

“Kate you’re gonna fight!?!”

“Oh no Zach I gave up fighting when I stopped playing Rugby in College. You train us to Harden the Fuck Up Right?”

“Uh, yeah” (I’m still not use to hearing a priest quote that line to me.)

“We’ll we do all this damn Kettlebell conditioning, and you’re always telling us to protect this house and do the program proud. Well I’m gonna go to Russia and enter the Spartakiada Games kettlebell Division.”

1. 
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   “Your gonna do what?”

   
   

   “Protect the house means protect the house Zach…”

   
   

   
   

   “Well I mean Kate you have a daughter! You can’t just up and relocate to Russia!”

   Kate gave me that defiant Kate look, “Yes I can, Joel (her husband) already said it was fine.”

   
   

   “Your shitting me, Joel ok’d this shit?”

   
   

   “YES.”

   I walk over to my computer and look it up, “Kate look at these fucking Guys!!!”

   

   “Zach… I’m going. End of story.”

   
   

   “Kate, I don’t want to Argue you with you again…”

   
   

   “We’re not Arguing cause I’m going.”

   
   

   “Shit… Oh look Kate, men only, sorry. Looks like you can’t become a Chaplain at a Russian prison and compete in Spartakiada Games.”

   Kate gives me a Kate look, “I knew Russians were sexist.”

   
   

   How did I know this would end up being my fault…

   
   

   The End

   
   

   Disclaimer: No my good friend Kate wasnt really gonna run off to Russia. But she did bring me all the info and pictures on the Spartakiada Games which are sick. True to the story Kate is a hard case, and I really believe she would try and pull a stunt like this. She did do PipeHitters Classic pregnant last year cause shes a badass.

   
   

   Also after further investigation, Spartakiada Games has a tug a war competition! Who’s coming with me?

   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Brought to you by: Kate

   Post by: Z

“Are you Not Entertained!!!”

Last week to register for the Second Annual PipeHitters Classic. So far athletes from 8 different gyms, including gyms outside the state and over the US/Canada border, have signed up. Who’s gonna Run the Yard at this year’s Classic.

Get Some, Register Here…

Video by: Roo
Posted by: Z

“BAMF…”

During our Iron 101 in Canada last weekend, we held a couple of demos during the break. Marissa (you all know her as Roo) was set to demo the long cycle for everyone. Roo will be participating in a IKFF kettlebell competition in September. We originally planned on having her enter the 35# KB division.

But after reviewing the numbers, a thought popped in my head. I started knocking around the idea of having Roo enter the 44# division and try and obtain her CMS(Canidate of Master of Sport) Rank. I told Roo the night before when we were at the bar that she would be doing the demo with the 44. This was Roos first attempt with this weight with the goal of 30 aside. She will need 45 aside in September to achieve rank. Dave from Pure Athletics post this video of the attempt. It was pretty awesome.

Get Some…

Posted by: Z

“I’m getting too old for this shit”

The calendar flips and yet again we fall upon July 20. A couple things happened on July 20, man first walked on the moon (USA!), my grandfather’s B-17 was shot down and he was taken prisoner in WWII, and one Zachary Thomas Filer was born. And with Z’s birthday we come to a treasured tradition in the gym, the birthday workout.

If you think the birthday workout is a fun workout, well you would be right in bizarro world. The birthday workout has only one thing on it’s mind, pain. Sure the birthday workout usually caters to the strengths or likes of the particular birthday boy or girl, but that is about it. We say that it is to honor the recently aged person, but really this is an opportunity to punish them. How many workouts for fun or performance include drinking beer in it? Answer, not many. And it is time for Z’s yearly punishment.

But should I have all the fun in creating this workout? No, that would be rude.

I have always considered myself a man of the people. So as a man of the people, I implore you, the people, to submit your suggestions for the components of Z’s birthday workout. Please limit your response to 3 exercises. All suggestions will be reviewed and from the madness a glorious workout will be born. If you want to see the throwdown, be at the gym at 6:30PM. Hopefully we will get some video this year.

Posted by Nickay

“I’ll take a Side of Bacon and Gravy…”

Old Country spent this last weekend over the border. Part of the crew went up to Vancouver, Canada to Pure Athletics for one of our Iron 101 seminars. We spent Saturday showing 20 plus people the Iron Club style of Kettlebelling. Teaching people new styles of lifting is always fun. But honestly the best part of Iron Club road trips are the shenagins that always ensue.

So, lets dicuss what you may not know but I learned in Canada, About Canada…

In Canada referring to “How we do it down in North America” is the best way to describe the States.

Sending Blake to the bar is alway entertaining.
“I’ll have 4 Jack Daniels.”
“We’re all out of Jack Daniels.”
“Uh so what do you have?”
“Canadian Rum.”
“What? Is that made from Maple Syrup or Somethen?”
No Bullshit….

They serve EVERYTHING with bacon and gravy in Canada. Including something called poutine. The Canadanians will laugh and tell you to order it. Poutine is pretty much a bowl of fries filled with cheese and Gravy. On further discussion we decided it’s really just something they use to bait traps for drunk Americans.

In Canada the local “hardcore shot” is a Grenade. Two shot glasses are stacked in the rim of a glass. One glass is the “pin,” you pull the pin the other glass drops you shoot the pin then slam the other glass. It was pretty sweet. It was so sweet we had 2 and decide to introduce our Canadian friends to our local hardcore shot; Norweign Sailors, those went over huge.

A “Road Soda’ in Canada is actually called a “Road Pop” and ridding a motor cycle is “Motor biking.”

If you think I’m exaggerating these guys are Canadian…

Oh and I don’t know if you know this but Lululemon is huge in Canada…

Thanks for having us guys it was a lot of fun can’t wait to do it again.

Posted by: Z

“I cannot Lift this… Grow Stronger.”

This is the theme of all Old Country Iron 101 seminars I hold, were I detail how to incorporate Iron Club techniques into training. This weekend I will be holding my first Iron 101 over the border dealing with Iron Club style Kettlebelling.

Our friends at Pure Athletics in Vancouver will be our hosts. Below is a little write up that can be found on their site. Keep posted to Old Country Strong for future Iron 101’s including an upcoming seminar dealing with the Iron Club Style of Squatting August 6th.

Zach has years of both Kettlebell and Barbell knowledge as well expericnce on the Crossfit Kettlebell certification staff with Jeff Martone. Zach traveled to St.Petersburg Russia to attend the 5 day Elite training camp and Kettlebell Sport Coaching certification under living legends Sergey Rudnev, Sergey Rachinskiy, and Sergey Mishin. Zach blends the Russian traditional GS style of kettlebelling with the style found in the States. The result is a style which he applies in his program and offers in his Iron 101 seminars.

Posted by: Z

“Donny Shankle counted to infinity… Twice.”

Donny Shankle threw a knife into heaven…

Post your favorite Donny Shankle Fact to Comment.

Posted by: Z

“It’s not 2004 anymore”

Time for the Monday post, want to write about? Wonder what is on the ole tv, World Cup? USA v. Brazil? Hope Solo? The universe provides.

Hope Solo if you didn’t know is not only the best goalkeeper in the world but a Washington girl. She grew up in Richland, WA and kicked ass at the UW. She’s a scoundrel, she’s hot, she’s a badass, and she ain’t afraid to speak her mind;  all of which have caused her problems in the past. In 2007 she was pulled as the goalkeeper for the semi final matchup with Brazil in the World Cup for the more experienced Brianna Scurry, a match the US ended losing 4-0. Well Hope went out and called out poor Brianna with today’s post title. Well she got suspended for the rest of the Cup but was she wrong? Hope in 2008 blanked Brazil in the Gold Medal Match of the Olympics, hmm but that is not the World Cup. Haters are going to hate.

Today Hope and the US got their World Cup rematch with  Brazil. We had horrible officiating, Hope Solo getting a yellow card for jawing at the ref, and one of the greatest finishs in recent sports history. I could try to explain it better but just watch.

After watching this again I have only two more things to say…

1. I believe in Hope Solo and

2. AMERICA FUCK YEAH!

Posted by: Nickay