One day remains in the first round of the first ever I/C Bigger Dance and voting has been swift and fierce. Nothing the Summer Olympics can stop you the people from voting (Don’t worry we will have a Summer Olympic post up soon). And without giving anything away, I can tell that there are some battles to the death going on with preliminary scores being tallied. But remember those numbers are not final, the polls are still open through tomorrow. Z has paper ballots in the gym, is accepting votes through email, and if you have the balls to post your picks online, they are all being counted.
A few things I noticed as going through early ballots I would like to share. Some people sucked up to the tournament organizers (thank you Beckman). Some extolled their strategy of picking by the person’s most recognizable character and seeing if that person should win (nice strategy JJ). Some others though had some comments about the tournament set up. Why are these guys going each other in the first round? Fuck you guys, this shit was hard. If you move out of a match up to make it easier, other match ups get messed up. This not screw around time, grow up Peter Pan. I have a brand new respect for the NCAA Selection Committee now.
Anyway, remember to get your vote in because I don’t hear your crying about how screwy the voters are for putting JCVD over Johnny Depp if you didn’t actually vote. So vote for your favorite…and also for this guy.
Posted in Articles on July 29, 2012 by oldcountrystrong
Well it’s announcement time…
You know whats funny about announcements? They take forever to get out. Because usually… And this is a theme with Old Country. People aren’t to inclined to hear them, announcements, Ideas that is.
Hell… We got three different facebooks, two different blogs and we’re a floating program.
That’s right we dont have a home, we’re like nomadic gypsies. (Click Here)
But…. Even nomadic gypsies gotta throwdown every now and then. I mean if your not fighting your not really alive right? Grit your teeth throw your fist, thats how the Club does things, am I correct?
Theres no “little gym that could” attitude with us. We are self sufficient. How does the Club travel?
We pay for it.
How does the Club Eat when it travels?
We pay for it.
How does the Club do anything?
We pay for it.
The Clubs takes care of itself.
We always have, we always will. The Great thing about the Club is that we all take care of each other. We’re in more places then even I Know (Click Here). And it just keeps getting bigger.
So… Off Season is over. It’s time to do what we do best. We brawl.. In any arena, at any time… The Club likes to fight and so we find places to fight.
And as a Coach I produce….
August 18th: Pipehitters Classic August 24th, 25th, 26th: Oregon Summer Games September 8th: Oregon Throwdown September 22nd: IKFF KB Meet September 29th: T-Town Throwdown October 6th: GG @ The Den October 20th: One Hour Long Long Cycle October 27th: Occupy Strength Utah November 3rd, 4th: Taranis Winter Challenge November 16th, 17th, 18th: IKFF Nationals
Look at that… So much competing…
Who Doesn’t get excited?
Personally my arm feels the need to bang a shield and cry to the heavens. But I must be what I am… A Coach. So there will be little marauding for me. Instead I decide to kindle the FIRE. I decide to keep the Fire burning.
And as this Fire Grows we need a flag… A Flag to march too…. Time for a face lift, and now we have a new banner to wave…
Posted in Articles on July 26, 2012 by oldcountrystrong
I Saw this yesterday, I’m sure everyone did for that fact it was posted EVERYWHERE (Got love the internet.). But for those who did see it heres a recap and some more to follow it up.
Oh thats Nasty (Click Here) but at least it didnt hit anyone….
It’s alright Chicks do it too…
Moral of the story, if your close enough to judge, Don’t get slimed….
Once there was a dream that was the I/C Bigger Dance. You could only whisper it, anything more than a whisper and it would vanish. What is the I/C Bigger Dance? Would you like to know more.? The I/C Bigger Dance started as an idea. Resilient, highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain, it’s almost impossible to eradicate. The seed of this idea took root in friendly banter between several I/C members at the gym over a copy brews. It was simple, who is the better actor between two combatants. It seemed a simple enough notion, what harm could come from it. Boy that escalated quickly, I mean it really got out of hand fast. And it did not end that one night, it continued on to the next meeting and so forth. Finally the esteemed Joseph Hazard claimed the only way to settle this once and for all was a tournament. But who would step and put the time into this endeveaor. You need people of intelligence on this sort of mission…quest…thing…
In the upcoming weeks, 32 highly trained actors will do combat to determine who is the best. Who was the selection committe? Top men. Who made the cut? Well what’s your fancy? Super heroes? Got those. Badasses? Got those. Oscar winners? Got those. For the female readers (at best guess there are about 13 of you currently) most of them aren’t hard on the eyes either. And don’t worry about the integrity of the tournament being in jeopardy. The selection committe raged back and forth, the initial matchups will brawls, there ain’t no easy outs here. We ain’t crowning no paper champs, you got to put in your own work around here.
But this isn’t just an argument between Filer brothers. You, the people, will decide with your votes the winners. And don’t be shy about casting your vote with the thought that your favorite doesn’t need it. What happens to the person with the lesser number of votes?
So make sure to tune in for first round action stating this Thursday. And oh what’s my prediction for the Tournament?
Posted in Articles on July 22, 2012 by oldcountrystrong
You ever get writers Block?
You know most people have, well back in school that is. School when you were forced to write papers for class. Something was expected so you had to produce.
And then you couldn’t.
Man was that fucking stressful.
And who needs stress? I read somewhere cant say I remember where exactly. But it was that stress is the silent killer. That’s kinda funny to me actually cause I feel like EVERYTHING in the world is the Silent Killer now adays. That title has been put on anything that has ever caused anyone any kind of discomfort in the world. Anyways that aside, YES News fucking flash, stress is shitty.
And who isn’t fucking stressed now adays. It is a stressful damn world, those blessed idiots who decided to keep there heads in the sand and lead a “Stress Free Life” shouldn’t breed. It’s part of life. Today I have writers block, and that shit is stressful.
Well why write then? Why not put it off?
Because I write to get the shit out. Thats what this blog use to be a simple place to write about shit only I cared about. It still kinda is I guess but thats not the point I’m making.
Today is the 315th post we’ve written for Old Country. We put up our first article on March 31st 2010, and for the most part we have stuck to our goal of 3 articles a week. Not always a simple task mind you. Countless texts between my brother and I…
“Hey whats goen on old country tomorrow?”
“I thought you had it?”
“What? I thought you did!?!”
Cue angry Filer brother texting about who’s fault it really is…
But you know what? I shouldn’t get to stressed I choose to do all this. I choose to not live a life with a face full of sand. I choose to weather storms and stand against tides and hold the line. It’s not easy sometimes but I do it. And my writing helps.
People come and go. Trends rise and fade but I dont think that will ever happen with all this, at least not to me. I deal with the stress, I believe in the Club.
Why?
Because it’s what I choose to believe.
When every I have writers block I go back to a certain article, It was called “For the love Of the Game…”
And while to some people it was just an article posted in January of 2011 probably forgotten by most, but it’s not forgotten by me. It ment something to me, like the Club did and still does.
Todays article was about stress originally. Stress because I couldn’t find the words to get out about something I was feeling.
But then I read that article and realize I’ve already written the words, and I smile. And sometimes I think maybe those words don’t carry weight to other people like they do for me. Which to the writer in me is very vexing.
But then I see things like this on our Training Log…
“That’s the nature of selling out I guess. But there are still plenty of legit people out there (Z and the rest of the Club being an obvious example) who will carry on doing sweet shit for real reasons that don’t involve selling more shoes or just making a buck.”
It’s the little things that make me smile I guess.
Posted in Articles on July 19, 2012 by oldcountrystrong
Dark Knight Hype, Yeah I’ll take some…
You know what also happens today? That one dreaded day of the Year that my Brother Nickay decides to Fuck my World up.
My Birthday…
I’m not sure what he’s got in store for me as far as a “Birthday Workout” goes this year. But if it’s anything like the last two it’ll involve Shotgunning Beers mid workout and me violently puking in a bucket.
I’ll try and keep you all posted as to what I’m doing when I hear about it myself…
Posted in Competition on July 17, 2012 by oldcountrystrong
Between Stage 5 planning for PipeHitters and everything else thats involved in the inner workings of the Club we’ve been pretty busy. But don’t worry Rootubehasn’t shut down. After the long wait Day 1 of the Crossfit NorthWest Regionals makes it’s debut.
SuperBowl? Not quiet, but who doesnt like a Sunday Funday?
My birthday? Which does happen this week mind you…
Sorry… None of the above. My favorite time of year is the hype as we creep up towards PipeHitters.
Oh PipeHitters Classic….
This year the I/C we will yet again be holding it’s traditional Donny Brook. For those of you not in the “Know,” PipeHitters Classic is the time of year we try and rally up all the local Yard Stompers (Click Here) and let them go at it for a day. We do little to no bodyweight movements, cause queit the public scene and raise money for charity (Click Here). This is the Biggest Club event of the year, and it just keeps getting Bigger.
You still dont get it? Whats the nature of PipeHitters?
Now that we got that cleared up lets get on to the actual event.
“Will the workouts be announce before hand?”
Nope.
“Will there be hints to what we’re doing?”
Maybe.
“How is this all gonna work?”
Let me explain…
This years PipeHitters is unique. This years competition will be a “Blind Tournament.”
“Blind you say?”
That right folk you wont know what your doing til game day(Click Here).
“Wait what?”
Thats right…. NO workouts will be released this year. No time to train any weird movements this go round. No “Run throughs” of the workouts. Nope. Just good old fashion brawlin, god I love this time of year.
BUT… There is a way to get a one up on the competition this year.
“How is that?”
Seeding workouts boys and girls.
You see last year I sent out a email before the Competition asking for a Total for certain lifts. This Total helped me set up the Heats for last years first workout, well that and some extensive research and facebook stalking of those competing. Once I figured out who should go where we ready to roll. But anyone who knows me knows I love Chaos. And if you were at last years PHC you know there was a fair share of Chaos. So why not shake things up. Lets have a little competition before the competition.
This years first workout seeding will be based on the following THREE CHALLENGES. How you place in the three different events will determine where you are seeded in the opening workout.
“Whats the benefit of getting a high seed?”
It’s pretty simple my friends, you get to see the workout done before you actually do it. Then you’ll have time(Not a Lot) to practice the movements in the warmup area and get yourself mentally ready for the hell your gonna unleash on your subconscious, now we’re talkin(Click Here).
“So what are the workouts?”
I thought you’d never ask….
SEEDING WORKOUT #1
3 Rep Max OverHead Squat
*This is quiet simple, do 3 OverHead Squats in a row at the Heaviest Weight Possible.
You have 10 minutes to complete as many Kettlebell Snatches as possible. You are allowed to switch hands as many times as you like during the Test. Unlike many of the Test we conduct you are allowed to set the Bell on the ground as many times as you like during your 10 minutes. The Bell may not be dropped to the ground, the Bell MUST be retuned to the ground in a controlled manner. Dropping the Bell will terminate your set. The score of this workout is the total number of Snatches complete in your 10 minutes. KettleBell weight 53/35.
All 3 workouts do not have to be completed on the same day. You dont even have to do the workout actually, but if you don’t you will be Seeded last and be in the opening Heats of workout #1. Again, You Don’t Have to Do These. But when you do (I know you all will) please submit all the workouts together in one email to oldcountrystrong@gmail.com.
Funny thing happened to me today at the Sports Medicine Clinic. The effectiveness of Z’s IC training was on full display and I was the product of his mad genius. Because of IC training I was asked oh damn it, there I go again, jumping all around the story without a care for for chronological order. I swear I watch too much Tarantino. So once upon a time in West Seattle.
So twelve days ago after the end of a power clean/deadlift workout, a bunch of us at the gym decided to do some Aux. tricep work, specifically skull crushers and tiger pushups. First superset went fine but on my second set as I was lowering my first skull crusher well…
That is a slight overdramtization but my right elbow went click click click resulting in me throwing the weight away and run off holding my arm. Sky ran after me did some quick field work and seeing my tricep was not curled into arm told me to take it easy. Pop quiz, what do you think I did next? A). Went to the hospital, B). Went home and iced the injury, C). Went home but tried to hide the injury and ignore it happened, or D). Cowboyed up and not only ignored taking it easy but helped my brother move his stuff out of storage into his new lair. The correct answer is D (Side note: When I told this decision to my boss his exact words were “That seems like a very Filer thing to do”, not sure what he eaxctly meant but I took it as a compliment). Well the swelling around my elbow got bad and became bruised like it had “fallen down the stairs” in a trailer park. So I went and saw gym doc Sky again to work his magic but after a few sessions he thought it best if I went to a surgeon for a consult.
So we are caught up for today’s hilarity. So the nurse starts getting some basic info from me and asks me where the pain is and I show her my elbow which lead to her immediate “Yeah lets get an x-ray of that”. Hmm, not a good start but ok. We get the x-ray real quick and sit down wating for the doctor but first they send me a first year resident to deal with. Nice kid, he was trying hard but he made a fatal mistake. While asking me what type of physical activities I did he went. “Lifitng? Running? Swimming? Tennis?”
Tennis, TENNIS! When was the last time you saw any self respecting ogre play tennis. This resident obviously didn’t pick up on my disgust because he said “Tennis?” again and made a tennis swing. I was about to put to test out how much I could shake the shit out of someone with my arm but I said an internal “Woosah” and said I did not play tennis but did stuff like BJJ before he asked me if I played badmitton. So with my irk levels hovering around Hulk mad levels, the resident looked at my arm and looked at the x ray and went to get the doc.
So the Doctor comes in and for your information Pretty Sports Medicine Doctors (PSM PhDs) do not only exist in sports movies. Anyway the following conversation ensues in the time frame set below.
PSM PhD “Hi, I’m PSM PhD”
Me “Hi”
3
PSM PhD “Let’s take a look at that arm”
Me “Ok”
2
Looks at arm, than at me, than starts feeling arm for injury
1
PSM PhD “So I gotta ask, do you take any steroids?”
Not going to lie, I was kinda taken aback by the question. I told her never and PSM PhD looked at me first with a quick puzzled look but than responded with with an approving nod and a “That’s good” and went back to trying to diagnose my injury. As she went back to prodding my arm, I began to ponder to myself of the odd nature of the question and PSM PhD’s reaction. Why would she ask that? And than it dawned on me, if I looked like fucking Edward from Twilight PSM PhD would not have asked that question. No, she asked the question simply because in her opinion my upper body (due to recent Iron Club red nose training) is what the kids like to call “jacked”.
Yes I know it is hard to accept and because I am humble guy I would never try to make such an assetion without supporting evidence but PSM PhD, an uninterested 3rd party who just met me, has confirmed it. People I have pythons, I got pipes, I am the gun show, I am sexy and now you know it. Oh, this one statement not enough proof you. Well, PSM PhD during her examination confirmed I had a tricep tendon tear (fucking suckage) and the resident who was trying to push his Tennisite beliefs on me asked where she felt the tear because he didn’t feel it during his examination. PSM PhD response? “Yeah it is real hard to pin point because of all his muscle.” Check and mate.
So what can we take from this story: If you follow Z’s training and hit it hard especially the Red Nose options you will get so jacked up people who see atheletes all day will think you are so huge that you are using PEDs. You will get better results on your lifts and the reap the benefits of “Suns out, Guns Out”. Just make sure you remember to warm up properly with all your new muscle or you will joining me on the DL.
Old Country Strong: Life and Lifting 