“How Bad do you want to be Successful…”

Well I had originally had a Mad Mule article in mind for today but ended up having something else to jaw about.

As I mentioned I’ve been amazingly busy lately. Running the I/C Training Log, handling online clients, Teaching Kettlebell courses (had our 1st of 5 upcoming yesterday), Coaching at weekend competitions and even getting to compete in one myself.

What has “suffered” because of this?

Nothing really, well nothing that I really realize (foreshadowing). I always choose to put work first. I feel that hard work is a gift of mine.

Don’t need an intense social life. Don’t need fancy things. Don’t need much of anything that isn’t in line with my goals. And my goals are my own, no one else needs to understand them. I work 7 days a week and I choose to do so. I choose to because as I said I have goals. I also have other people depending on me to meet their goals.

I’m sure everyones has seen this video before.

Man do I think about that speech a lot. I think about how hard it is to achieve what you really want in life and the trails and tribulations that come with it.

Goals are set for reasons. Dreams are dreams for reasons. If shit was easy everyone would alway get exactly what they wanted. Everyone wants to get to the mountain top but no body wants to walk the journey to get there. Cause its hard and sometimes its very lonely.

“What has “suffered” because of this?”

Remember I said that earlier in this article. Well a lot has. A lot has suffered and been sacrificed for me to try and stay on my path. Maybe thats not a good thing.

I’m a worker. I’ll work. I’ll work before eating, before sleeping before taking care of myself.

Now I see something suffering. If I have a talent to work hard I shouldn’t abuse it. I shouldn’t expect to work from 5:45 in the morning til 1 oclock in the after noon NOT eat and have a successful training session an hour later. And what do I do after that training session? I start my evening work schedule that goes sometimes past 8pm without eating again. Getting by on coffee and muscle milk samples is just bad living when your not only trying to Coach athletes but lead by example.

I’m up late every night working on the week days and even later on the weekends. My sleep bank is at an all time low and thats saying a lot for even me (my family has a history of insomnia). If someone was receiving coaching advice from me and working like this I would have stepped in awhile ago. I would have told them they needed to get some shit sorted out.

But, am I on the path to achieve my goals.

Yes.

All of them.

No.

Are people Depending on me for ALL of them.

Yes.

It’s quite the double edge sword sometimes and it’s one I have choose to use. Trying to find the balancing act as of late has really started to weigh on me. Coaching couldn’t be going better, everyone one who I coach is right where I want them in their current period of training. My own personally training is turning out great results as well. But I’ve walked this line before and I’m flirting with wearing myself thin.

The biggest thing is I spotted it early. I usually don’t, I actually worked myself into pneumonia last year and then had to keep the ship on course during the whole thing. It was not a fun experience.

So how do you work like you want to breath but avoid a total burnout.

Discipline

I always tell myself I’m to busy for this or that. I dont have time for things. I like to make the exuse that I dont have enough minutes in the day to just get a hold of my own Chaos sometimes.

If you want to realize your goals you have to do the things that will make them happen. The video I have posted below sparked this whole post today. It’s about a day in the life of professional bodybuilder Kai Greene. I first saw this blazed with the word Discipline over on OPT’s site. It’s probably one of the best pieces I’ve watched in sometime. If you want to be a hater on bodybuilding then find a different blog to read. Kai’s approach to his training and discipline in his day to day life if pretty inspiring.

After having watched the series I took a lot in personally. I need to find the time in my life for more structure. Yes, I have a steel discipline when it come to work. I always have, I always will. I’m on a course I plan to follow.

But the discipline to take care of myself is something I need to address. Some day the other foot will drop if I continue to burn the candle at both ends. If I want to be both the Coach and Athlete I desire to be then I need to refine the discipline I have to march all day and apply it to other areas of my life.

Todays word is Discipline folks, there is time in the day if you make it.

Posted by: Z

“If it Bleeds, we can Kill it.”

If you’ve spent much time at all around the club you’ve no doubt heard that quote.  Or perhaps you’re more partial to an all time favorite of the pipe hitters crew.

This isn’t going to be a post about Predator the movie, all though that movie is one of the greatest movies ever made. This is going to be about a real American hero, a real life sexual tyrannosaurus, and a real life predator, Don “The Predator” Frye.

Don is an original American badass, a pioneer of MMA, and a pipe hitting, yard stomping, flag waving, booze drinking, kiss stealing, lady killing machine!  If that picture isn’t enough to convince you of his awesomeness maybe a shot from his collegiate days at Arizona State will change your mind.

You’ll notice the whisper of what was to become the most legendary mustache in all of sport.  Don Frye was my inspiration to always rock a “Battle Stache” when ever I entered a competition: grappling, mma fight, PipeHitters Classic.  The mustache can harness fighting spirit and when you wear it with pride a little piece of the Predator comes to bang with you.

Don Frye turned his success on the wrestling mat into a hall of fame career in the cage and the ring.  He was coached by Dan “The Beast” Severn, another man with a badass mustache, and followed him to the UFC.  He was a wrecking machine in the original days of the UFC: no weight class, no time limit, no rules, one night tournaments.  He won UFC 8, UCF Ultimate Ultimate 1996, and runner up at UFC 10 losing only to Mark Coleman.

After his run in the UFC Frye made his way to Japan to fight in Pride in front of a crowd that could fully appreciate his fighting spirit, winning and losing are mere formalities, the way in which you fight is more important.  Nobody fought like Don Frye, he was the first cross trained MMA fighter having a background in amateur wrestling, a black belt in Judo, and boxing.  So fearless was the Predator that he refused to tap out and accepted a kickboxing fight with the reigning world champion kickboxer.

No fight in Don Fry’s career summed up his attitude and fighting spirit more that his legendary battle with Yoshihiro Takayama, this clip might be the best 15 minutes of your day but if you just want some great fighting skip to 3:52:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf420h_don-frye-vs-yoshihiro-takayama_sport?search_algo=1

That fight may have been the height of Frye’s career and most certainly made him a legend in Japan.  You’ll note the mustache took most of the shots from Takayama and allowed the Predator to walk right through them.  Think about that next time you’ve got a big date, meeting, competition, child birth, wedding, the mustache will see you through.

Posted By: Johnny

“That’s not strange at all”

Monday April 30, 2012 is a special day for me. You see one year ago I was feeling a little bored and wanted to do something to keep myself busy. While figuring what to do with myself, I just so happened to watch a video on youtube about 100 movie quotes in 200 seconds.

And like that I got my inspiration, I love movies, I use movie quotes all the time when I talk to people, why not do a movie quote as my status update on facebook for 100 days. The goal was to have it like me and my brothers, where one person does a movie quote than someone does another quote from the movie. I set some ground rules for myself,: 1. If a person commented I would respond as soon as possible with another quote from the movie, 2. I couldn’t use a quote already used, 3. I couldn’t use the same movie twice in the 100 days, and 4. I couldn’t use any source but my own memory for the quotes (no IMDB). I thought it would be fun to try, I didn’t know it would take on a life of it’s own.

Well it got out of hand real quick, I mean it really kicked it up a notch. I hit 19 comments on my second day. I kept posting quotes and people kept commenting. By day 12 I hit 27 comments which is more responses to a facebook status of mine ever, this includes birth of my children. Some days I got no responses, some days over 30. I had friends I had spoken to you in a while become constant contributors. I had to create new rules, I couldn’t do really good movie quotes on weekends or universal days off as people didn’t check their facebook. I also started saving my all time great quotable movies for Fridays when people were just treading water at work (and also when I usually sitting around to get a case heard at court). Comedies and action films do the best.

When I hit the 100 day mark, I realized I still had a shit load of movies to post so I decided to soldier on. And on. And on. Finally one day someone at the gym asked me if I had ever not used a movie quote as my status update and it dawned on me, I was getting close to a year of quotes. I had to stay the course. Well that day has come. After Monday I am taking a break.  Before I sign off I am leaving you a list of most responded to movies. If you are a constant reader of this site, you have probably seen most of these movies, if you haven’t though please do yourself and those around you a favor and see them…immediately.

Twisted 20s (20-29 quotes) 23 movies:

SW: ROTJ 28, Legends of the Fall 28, Inglourious Basterds 28, Batman Begins 28, The Matrix 27, Predator 27, Blood Diamond 27, Blade Trinity 26, The 13^th Warrior 25, Top Gun 24, Rocky IV 24, LOTR: TTT 24. Rambo First Blood 23, LOTR: ROTK 23, Friday 23, Tommy Boy 22, The Town 22, The Goonies 22, Office Space 22, Man on Fire 22, The Waterboy 21, Conan the Barbarian 20, Bad Boys 2 20

Dirty 30 (30-39 quotes) 12 movies:

Caddyshack 38, Blackhawk Down 37, Jerry Maguire 37, Dodgeball 36, Backdraft 36, Old School 36, Rocky III 35, Ricky Bobby 34, Back to the Future 34, SW: ANH 32, Tombstone32, Varsity Blues 30

The Top Films

5. The Departed 41 Quotes

4. Supertroopers 46 Quotes

3. Point Break 49 Quotes

2. A Christmas Story 50 Quotes

1. The champion with 70 Fucking 1 Quotes, Anchorman…

I think it be appropiate to post a movie quote as a comment here today. (Also I have save a classic for Monday if you want to comment).

Posted by: Nickay

“Chapter Four…”

From time to time I like to take a step back and look at things. I’m a Coach by trade you see and being able to exam the bigger picture is important.

I know it sounds glamourous and you know for some people it is. Big money, contracts, blah, blah, blah. You know some people get into Coaching with the goal of making money. Thats kinda funny to me. I’ve never really had the goal of “making money.”

Again some people would view this as stupid. A lot would even call it reckless. But there are the people that seek careers in life with the knowledge that they wont have nice things. They won’t go on vacations, be members of ritzy clubs and good forbid thinking of fancy clothes(I’m pretty happy with hoodys and shorts personally).

Now this isn’t some write up where I’m trying to spout off some working class hero stuff or anything like that. Because I wouldnt call my job blue collar and I’m not preaching. I’ve worked blue collar I know what that is. I don’t walk around like many people I know in other professions and claim that my job falls into a category it doesn’t. I work more hours then I can count and I’m proud of that. I’m proud of what I do and know it makes a difference in its own small way to people.

What this article is about is the Quest.
What does that even mean Zach?
Well I’ll tell ya.

Like I said at the start of this article some people do things for the money. Theres nothing wrong with that. That makes some people happy. I was lucky enough to have parents that provided for me growing up. Maybe my youth was enough for me where I don’t feel I need those things per say anymore.

I’m happy now making enough to keep a roof over my head even if my floor is the roof over someone else’s head. During winter I know that a space heater is gonna keep me and the dogs warm and the bills down and thats fine by me. I rarely buy new clothes and just keep recycling through the countless tshirts that adorn the one bookshelf that I use as a dresser.

A lot of people would not like to live the way I do. But it works for me, why? Because I do get to pursue my Quest. The Journey I somehow found myself on is to become a great Coach. I dont really care how great an athlete I am. I got over that awhile ago. My journey is to become the greatest Coach I can.

Honestly I had no intention of writing this article today. In fact as I write it I don’t even know if I’ll publish it. But I started OC as somewhere I had a voice. Somewhere along the line it became organic. The old Barbell Club became Old Country and that became the Iron Club and before I know it I have people reading this blog in the United Kingdom and Australia.

But my goal is still the same. I personally am on a Journey. I want to seek out the best and become the best. I’ve been blessed in my time to find some of the best. I have a Coach that taught me something years ago that he now trusts me to teach others. I never would have thought I’d be a teacher in this way. But thats what my job is, I teach others. Thats the path I’ve set myself on. I have even traveled to Russia to better myself, my parents thought I was FUCKING crazy when I did that. They thought I was crazy when I walked away from my original career path too, but my journey was ment for something else.

My Quest is to be a Coach, one of the best. Come this May and even this saturday many associated with the Club will get to meet goals that they have established for themselves. Maybe your journey is simple. Win this Meet, achieve this Rank, top ten in this, top three in that.

No ones goals or Quests are too small or stupid. Why? because they are important to them. And in the end thats all that really matters. Material things come and go, they don’t make who you are. The promises you make yourself are what matter.

I set myself down a road that I will follow. Hills and valleys aside its my road to travel. Where it will take me in life I can’t really say but I know the end goal. I just hope my next stop will be as unexpected as the others, and if I find myself in a place like this that it’s Steve making the Sushi.

If this article chapped your ass anyway, good. You should probably lighten up and go read something else. But if it helped at all then like they say in Eternia…
Good Journey

Posted by: Z

“I am all that is man!”

I think the only way to follow up on Z’s post from Wednesday is with a little reality check for the men of the Free World?

I’ve been reading the news, I’ve heard the conversation out at dinners and I’ve been watching the trash that TV and the internet throws at us (FX shows like Justified and Sons of Anarchy excluded). And you know what?
A terrible realization came upon me. Men as a species are becoming fucking soft. I don’t know how this happened and on behalf me and Z I like to apologize to our readers for letting it get this far. Enough is enough and its time for a change. But who’s gonna fix it? Your god damn right, We Are. We are gonna undo the damage, focus on getting back to the way things used to be, a time when men wore their mustaches ontop of a unlit cigar wedged in their side of there mouth while they shot whiskey. A Time when Men were Men…

Whoa whoa, I know what you are thinking another Filer rant? Fuckin’A right, Deal with it. We’ve talked about this before but the World didn’t listen. No one wants to hear the truth. Alright than so let’s rehash. What do I mean “When Men Were Men?” I’ve given up trying to nail down a particular era I am referring to. WHY? Because that would be a disgrace to the Men who were Men in their own era, and we don’t fuckin play like that here(Click Here). So lets break down important traits we should look at.

Fashion???
Well the cloths make the man don’t they? A man should not picks his jeans by brand or how they make them look. No he should pick his jeans on how well they allow him to deliver a Roundhouse Kick(Click Here).

You think your gonna be able to kick through the skull of a charging Rhino wearing those skinny jeans Emo boy? I didnt think so and dont tell me Chuck’s jean were too tight. See where I’m from we call that Shit Tactical. You every see him split his pants on Walker Texas Ranger? Fuck No you didn’t, I saw him single handily take down a clan of Rogue Ninjas and the Yakuza in ONE fucking hours time while escaping from a being suspended up side down in a shark tank.

Could Tom Brady’s side swept hair do that? Didnt think so. And I know for a fact that Chuck Norris wouldn’t throw a interception in the Super Bowl to a linebacker who wasn’t even in the NFL in November. Oh, too soon Giselle? Get over it because Chuck Norris can throw and catch the ball. And he’d do it in his boots and jeans probably while negotiating a hostage situation over the phone.

Diet???
It’s time to harken back to a time when men Did Not take the bun off their freaking chesseburger, but the time when men would have a loaf of bread with their steak. I’m talking about eating all you can eat fried chicken and chasing it with a biscuit dragged in gravy (chocalate pudding acceptable substitute). Cooking up a dozen eggs and washing it down with coffee and chocolate milk. Moo Sho Pork and Salt and Pepper shrimp with the heads still on to suck on. That is how men used to do it, some Epic Meal Time shit.

Weather? Oh no it’s raining, I need an umbrella. Fuck that shit, it’s called a jacket. You’re cold? Grow a beard. Health? Oh no I gashed my head/knee/arm, I need to go to hospital. The hell you say! Have a paramedic friends stitch you up, or use super glue, or nothing at fucking all. Ouch I think I have a concussion and my jaw hurts? Take a shot at the bar while watching the fights.  Communications? Want to say hello,  well there are handshakes, there are “Hey fuckers”, and than there is…

That’s just the start of the Revolution. Do you think you know some men who were men? Feel free to post your current choices to comment. And if you can’t think of any then you sound like part of the problem. And if that’s the case maybe you should quit worrying about your fantasy football team and actually train like you still played football.

Posted by: Nickay

“We are Game…”

Game…

In fighting dogs gameness is valued as it gives the dog the ability to always stay on the attack. I toss out the term all the time. Some people might confuse when I simple state Game as some kinda silly “game time” reference. No when I state Game, I’m referring to the Stand Fast never say Die Attitude that many GameBreed dogs have.

I look for that attitude in my athletes. It’s almost impossible to teach Game. You either have it or you don’t. Most people have it laying dormant inside them though and just need it nurtured. I know this cause it’s my job. I’ve been able to bring Game out of more middle aged house wives then X-college athletes then I can count.

Why?

Because people genetics can carry them far. To scholarships, money, fame. But you can see it in top athletes all the time. When their skills become compromised they fold. Then you see those that have Game. They don’t fold, they’ll break their back for the team or their Coach because thats everything they have to offer. They may not have the genetics, natural strength, speed or endurance of some people. But they’ll chew on the inside of their own cheek to grit through pain in training, why? Because they’re Game, and in my life I’ve found those that are Game are the ones you break your back for because they’ve broken theirs already for you.

This whole article came from the video below. I’m a fan of Rob’s and the video is worth watching.

What exactly about this video sparks this article you might ask? It’s Orlando’s Gameness and the fact that he shares a very similar problem to myself and a number of athletes I train. I’m referring to Orlando’s “mental block.” Yeah Rob doesn’t pull the lift. But did he quit trying. Fuck No. Did he try pulling again. Fuck Yes. Did he know going into that training session that he might not hit the lift, yeah probably.

But did it stop him. No it didn’t. He could have easily told the crew that he didn’t want to do the demo. How many of you have that same problem? You can pull some HEAVY volume but find that “mental block” on those big pulls. Is it a bad thing? No, I think it keeps you hungry. I think it’s part of being Game. If shit was easy for you it wouldnt matter. I know personal my deadlift pisses me right the fuck off. I can pull 405×10 but still only pull 475. I feel like I should have been at 500 a year ago. Do I give up? No. Do I hate lifting and think it stupid cause it’s hard? No. I do this shit cause it’s challenging and allows me to challenge myself.

I say it all the time. We lift Bars, Bells and our own Bodies to bring that challenge to ourselves. And maybe on a given day you don’t exceed the challenge that you or your Coach laid at your feet. But by god your gonna fucking try. It’s why we train.

We are Old Country and we are Game…

Posted by: Z

“I felt like destroying something beautiful…”

Times have been busy at the Old Country Iron Club as one can tell from the recent posts. In between Pipehitters, gearing up for the Caliber Cycle, hyping upcoming competitions the Iron Club would be participating in, the results of said competitions, there has been scant time for a post on a very important subject…how Hollywood has decided to destroy the Filer family’s childhoods.

You see the movie industry has this problem of not letting classics stay classics anymore. Am I being a little overly dramatic? Frack no! The following events/announcements all came out within 2 weeks of each other. When I heard about these things, it felt like I had been dosed with gamma radiation. Gauge your response.

George Lucas changes a classic scene…again

I love George Lucas, he gave us Star Wars (as well as a certain awesome archaelogist) but someone please tell him to stop fucking up the movies. He already hurt the films in the Special Edition of A New Hope when he changed from Han Solo from a scroundel to acting in self defense. Han shot first and I will show a bootlegged copy of the original to my son to prove that. But if that wasn’t enough, Lucas decided to destroy another pivotal moment he created in Return of the Jedi. WARNING! The mere sight of this clip may make you want to drive to the Skywalker Ranch and run over Lucas Stephen King style.

I don’t even know where to start with that. In the original you were able to read the emotion in Darth Vader’s face with no words through a helmet, now we have this horseshit! What’s next? Luke sporting a Justin Bieber haircut, Princess Leia wearing a bath robe over her slave outfit. Breath Nickay, this can’t get any worse.

Point Break Remake

I was wrong, it just did. I don’t even know where to start with this announcement. Point Break is not only a Filer family classic, but it is a god damn staple of the OCIC, there was even a post on just quotes from the movie. How many other movies do you know has it’s own live version of the show touring the United States? How about one, Point Break. But now Hollywood because they have run out of ideas has decided to remake this modern day masterpiece. There are two major problems with this decision.

1. The new Point Break will not revovle around surfing. WTF? The name of the movie is based off of surfing! The new movie will be set in the world of international extreme sports and also involve an FBI agent infiltrating a crime ring. So we are taking out surfing out of this classic and replacing it with what exactly. Skydiving? Drop Zone with Wesley Snipes. Motorcycles? Torque with Ice Cube. I can go on if I have to. I mean I can think of only one possible extreme sport where this movie would not be a complete failure which leads to my second point.

2. They already remade Point Break! Here is the plot of a movie for you, young and inspiring cop inflitrates a tight knit group of an underground scene to find out who has been committing robberies. During this time hebecomes best friends with the head of the group and he falls for the sister of his new best friend. Because of this closeness he fails to realize that the robbers he has been chasing are his new friends. That movie sound familar? It’s Point Break right? Wrong.

Yes, The Fast and the Furious is a remake of Point Break. Think I’m wrong? Its the same right down to our hero letting the bad guy get away at the end. Did it succeed, well actually it did. The Fast and the Furious worked because they were sneaky about it and didn’t broadcast to the world that they were screwing around with a classic. With our luck this new Point Break  will turn into another XXX, I am even willing to put $10 down that Vin Diesel is in the movie.

First Red Dawn, then Dirty Dancing, now Point Break, they keep this up and Patrick Swayze is going to rise from his grave and kick start the zombie apocaylpse to stop them screwing up his movies.

Posted by Nickay

“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

“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

“It’s Pronounced Deer-tay…”

“I got a dirty mind I got filthy ways…”

It’s time to come clean. Who on here is a DirtBag? I know the in house Dirtbags. But I also know there are some of you that don’t realize you’re DirtBags. If you read this site, chances are you probably have DirtBag tendencies.

I’m a DirtBag and I don’t bitch about it when people tell me I am.

You confused yet?

Let’s clear things up with this definition of a DirtBag I found:

DirtBag
A person who is committed to a given (usually extreme) lifestyle to the point of abandoning employment and other societal norms in order to pursue said lifestyle. Dirtbags can be distinguished from hippies by the fact that dirtbags have a specific reason for their living communally and generally non-hygienically; dirtbags are seeking to spend all of their moments pursuing their lifestyle.

Shit that pretty much hit the nail right on the head with me. Am I a DirtBag lifter? Yup and I’m not planning on changing my Outlaw ways. We here at Old Country love to give eachother hell for who the DirtBag of the week is. So if you think just having a gym membership makes you a DirtBag, you’re wrong. Maybe you should ask yourself some of these questions.

Honestly, how often do you shower between workouts? This is a make or break question right out of the gate so let’s get it out in the open.
A) After every workout
B) Sometimes 2 days before I find the time
C) My roommate knows it must be Thursday when she sees me grab a towel

When it comes to drinking…
A) My body is a temple
B) I’m a pro at working out hungover
C) I’ve notched personal best lifts not only half in the bag but with a open beer by the platform

People can tell I’m coming by…
A) The sight of approaching designer jeans and trendy t-shirt
B) The fact that I make my presence known
C) The Smell of Tiger Balm and curse words on the wind

If someone was to look in your car they’d find…
A) Workout gear
B) Workout gear and beers
C) Workout gear, beers and Nunchucks, a BaseBall bat or some other kind of weapon “Just in Case”

When your out with your friends, you…
A) Ask each other your Fran times
B) Puff up your shoulders and flex your traps
C) Get in loud drunken arguments about squatting

When you take someone out on a date...
A) Happy hour and maybe dinner
B) Try not to talk to them about their occupation as a stripper
C) You don’t date, but you will talk to members of the opposite sex while out getting housed which usually ends in arguments about squats and then making out

Your favorite Bar (no not Barbell)…
A) The one with a wide beer selection and a nice view
B) A pub with loud music
C) The dimly lit locals bar that always has karaoke and welcomes you back every time they kick you out the weekend before.

You have…
A) Tried to figure out which Lululemon clothes to wear to the gym (and you’re a dude….)
B) Picked up a shirt, smelled it, then shook your head, smelled it again… then decided to wear it anyways.
C) Have picked up underwear, smelled them, done the same thing, then wore them to the gym anyways.

When you walk into your gym you hear…
A) How was your weekend buddy?
B) Do you remember what you did Saturday?
C) You’re a dick.

Let’s break this down.

If you answered mostly A – You need to check your man or women hood and get under a bar and start squatting. Because Squatting releases testosterone which makes you more badass and would eliminate you from picking those answers.

If you answered mostly B – You’re definitely walking the line my friend. You bounce back and forth between committing to being a total DirtBag and trying to lead some semblance of a normal life. You more than likely have a beard if you’re a guy. And you ladies most likely own booty shorts and or Roller Derby socks. You probably have a good job, wife, husband, serious life partner, and or maybe kids. All of which keep you from living the life totally. But on the weekends you lift the house, howl at the moon, and pull on your shit kicken boots to burn the town down.

If you answered mostly C – Welcome to the Club, you’re a DirtBag. Maybe you think these question don’t prove it. Well I’ll give you some more food for thought. Click on the link at the beginning of the post. Does it make you feel sexy? Would you play it during a max lift session and have a dance party between lifts? Do you bathe in chalk during said lift sessions? Do you then go to the bar still wearing that chalk?

Do you address all your friends when you see them with slurs like Hey Fucker, Assface, or how you doing hooker (for the ladies)? Do you and your friends “Rough House” every time you’re out? Do you tell them how you hate the shit out of them, then buy the next round of shots? Have you been carried back to your gym not your house by your friends after a late night?

Then guess what, you’re a DirtBag. Own it.

Posted by: Z