Ruck work

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Yes, grip strength comes in handy...even in flyfishing

Yes, grip strength comes in handy...even in flyfishing

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Experience is just mistakes you don’t make anymore.”
— Joe Garagiola

 

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:

700 flutter kicks

 

Workout: A.
Back Squat

5-3-1-1-1

Workout B.

1 Mile Ruck with 45 #, Selection candidates carry a coupon of choice

25 burpees with ruck

50 Army Situps

100 Squats with ruck

200 m walking lunge with ruck

For time

Workout C.

Yoga and Still Water 12 minutes


Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

1000 Pushups-SealFit Challenge

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KOKORO 30 - 080.jpg

“Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them. But do not let them master you.”
— Helen Keller”

 

SealFit offers monthly challenges that we like to schedule.  These are both physically and mentally challenging.

 

I have selected 12 challenges to be a part of our training for Selection.  Yesterday was the first one.

1000 pushups for time

This took Michael Miller 65 minutes to complete.  he was the first one of us to go.  The first one to try a workout or challenge has no goal in mind, rather just to complete.  The next few to go have a major advantage and can target a certain time.

I was able to finish 1000 pushups in 42:37 by doing sets of 20 for the entire 1000. 

Future challenges include:


• 1,000 sit-ups
• 1,000 pull-ups
 -All night ruck with PT throughout.  The worst things we can think of.
• 1 mile walking lunge wearing a 45 pound ruck
-1 mile burpee broad jump with ruck
-1 mile low crawl with ruck
-Run Burpee Run with ruck
-Quad Murph with ruck

Stay tuned for results

 

Give them a try and post results to comments

100 lb dumbbells

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You dont often find 100 lb dumbbells at a hotel gym.  I had to find something to do with them.

You dont often find 100 lb dumbbells at a hotel gym.  I had to find something to do with them.

“What you have, give. Because what you save, you lose forever.”
— Brant Ust”

 

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core: Lying Hip Swing x 30

Workout: A.
Beep Test

Workout B.

Death By Push-up
With a continuously running clock perform:
1 Push-up in the first 1 min, 2 Push-ups in the second 1 min 3 Push-ups in the third 1 min ... Continuing this for as long as you are able. Use as many sets each minute as needed.

Start at round 10

Workout C. Travel Workout

Warm up

65 situps for time

500 Flutter kicks

Single arm snatch

5-5-3-3-1-1-1 Each arm

Magic 50

5 swings/arm

5 Snatches/arm

10 burpees

x 5 rounds for time

Rx weight 45 lbs, but 50 is more fun

Farmers Carry

Increase weight for 4 sets of 30 yards

80,85, 95, 100 pounds in each hand

Gratitude 15 minutes




Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

On the road

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Are you "Old Man Strong"?

Are you "Old Man Strong"?

“Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period.”
— Lou Holtz”

 

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:

2 minute pushup test

2 minute situp test

500 flutter kicks

Workout: A.
21-15-9 reps, for time of:

Overhead Squat, 115/75 lbs

Toes To Bar

Workout B.

For time:

50 Burpees

 

Workout C. 

Jack

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 mins of:

10 Push Press, 115/85 lbs

10 Kettlebell Swings, 1.5/1 pood

10 Box Jumps, 24/20 in

On the road travel workout

For Time: Go through entire deck of cards

Aces= 11

Face cards= 10

Push-up - Clubs

Burpee - Spades

4 count mountain climber- Hearts

Air Squat- Diamonds

Joker= 200 m swim



Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Travel Workouts

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Turner on the Monkey Bars at the Battlefrog

Turner on the Monkey Bars at the Battlefrog

“If you sacrifice early, you’ll win late.”
— Charles Haley

 

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:500 Flutter Kicks

Workout: A.

5 rounds for time of: Overhead Walking Lunge, 45/35 lb barbell, 50 ft 21 Burpees Let trailing knee gently kiss the ground on each lunge.

 

Workout B.

Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5

Use the heaviest weight you can for each set. Rest as needed between sets.

 

Travel Workout

Standard Deck of Cards

For Time:

Go through entire deck of cards

Aces= 11

Face cards= 10

Push-up - Clubs

Burpee - Spades

Sit-up - Hearts

Air Squat- Diamonds

Joker= 200m swim

Post total time.


Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Twins

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One of the most fun workouts ever!  Jody freaks out in the ice water and makes one of the funniest noises I have ever heard

One of the most fun workouts ever!  Jody freaks out in the ice water and makes one of the funniest noises I have ever heard

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go
to war first and then seek to win."
-Sun Tzu

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:

500 flutter kicks

 

Workout: A.
Run 1 mile as fast as possible

Workout B.

Work Capacity: “Twins”

Complete 2 rounds, of each couplet, for time of:

1) -750m row

-20x handstand push up

2) -20x thruster (115#/75#)

-20x L-pull ups

For time

Workout C.

Gratitude/Breathing 12 minutes

Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Books worth reading

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I just finished this one:

With Selection coming up fast, I have been searching out books on mental toughness, mental preparation and mental training.  This was a great one. 

I listened to this one while driving mostly but also on a long row.  It was full of stories from Olympic champions and other athletes that could help any athlete, regardless of level.  I fully intend on getting my kids to listen to this book as well.

With some books, the narrator can enhance or spoil, entirely, the experience for you.  The narrator in this audio did a great job and carried the story nicely.

I think that listening to one or 2 chapters at a time is probably the best way to fully digest the information rather than doing a marathon session.  Tons of great quotes are littered through this book and there are take away lessons for just about anyone; athlete or not.

I particularly liked the section on injuries and setbacks as I am going through one of my own currently.  So many amazing stories were recounted of athletes experiencing serious injury at their peak, but staying mentally strong and coming back 4 years later to win a gold medal.  These athletes used a disadvantage and made it an advantage, which has always been something that I encourage and have experienced in my own life.  Combined with extreme patience, they were able to make their dream a reality.

These stories provide motivation and inspiration to anyone experiencing any kind of obstacles in their lives or striving to reach a goal.

The one big takeaway for me in this book was something that the author went back to continually.  If you can see or admire greatness in someone else, you are only able to do that if you, too, have some of that same trait within yourself.  Interesting...

If you like these kind of books, check this one out.

Chip Lusk and the Birth of a garage gym

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The men and women of the RRLanta at a Goruck Challenge in Atlanta.  Chip Lusk, front row center

The men and women of the RRLanta at a Goruck Challenge in Atlanta.  Chip Lusk, front row center

“This group has made life richer for our family. The garage guys look out for each other’s kids and property, we help each other out with projects, we laugh and argue, we talk religion, sports, politics, family and work, and we hang out at our neighborhood park and pool with our families and each other. Some of us have spent vacations together and shared holiday meals together. I feel lucky to know these guys."

-Chip Lusk on the RRLanta

 

Chip Lusk and the birth of a garage gym

Recently we ran the Ragnar Trail race which is an event that goes on all night.  We have done these events before but on the roads and each team has vans and leap frogs through the 100+ mile course.  The trail event was much different as all teams simply camped in a central area and sent runners out from there.  This format allowed for way more camaraderie and fellowship. 

We were fortunate to camp next to Chip Lusk, RRL alumnus who moved away from Chattanooga for a job opportunity and quickly recreated our setting in Atlanta.  I was very impressed with Chip’s RRLanta group as they were just like ours.  While we all miss seeing Chip, I have to say that I am very impressed and proud that he has been able to build a strong community right out of his garage.  I caught up to Chip to ask him how he did it and learn more about his group.

TR: Hey Chip, great to see you at the Ragnar Trail event!  I loved seeing what you have created from your garage.  Tell us a little about your group.

CL: Hi Tom – RRLanta is similar to the original RRL. I learned from your leadership. I am confident that much of what I say will sound familiar to you.

Our group is mostly a bunch of dads. Their ages range from mid 30s to mid 50s, but I think most of us are in our mid to upper 40s and feeling younger each year. We have lawyers, bankers, business owners, sales brokers, a doctor, and (it is the ATL) some commercial real estate guys.


TR: How long have you been hosting workouts from your Garage?

CL: We moved into our Atlanta home in July 2011. I worked out on my own five days a week until approximately Thanksgiving. That’s when I was joined by a friend who wanted to get back into shape. Within a month, he had lost 25 to 30 pounds. From December to April, it was the two of us. Then, we were joined by two more friends, who also saw immediate results. Next, word of mouth took over. Neighbors saw guys losing weight and getting stronger and wanted to be involved.


TR: Why did you want to set up your own rather than just joining a gym?

CL: The main reason I wanted to set up a garage gym was to develop community. I missed the workout community you developed and I wanted to recreate it in Atlanta.

I welcome anyone. While we have only a few rules, one of them is no ‘a-holes’ allowed – this one has never needed to be enforced, but I’ve joked around about it a couple of times.


TR: Tell us about how it started?  How did you get the first few to start coming regularly?

CL: It started in a bar over a couple of beers in the Fall of 2011. The friend I mentioned before was between relationships and looking for some positive changes in his life. We agreed to meet at 5:30 am Monday through Friday. The results followed and spoke for themselves.

Honestly, the best sales (I use that term loosely) tactic is when our community swimming pool opens each summer. Suddenly, neighbors are noticing that the new ‘garage guys’ have lost their beer bellies and now have abs and upper body strength.


TR: How much does it cost?

CL: I don’t charge anything for the workouts. It is my gift to our community. With that said, good CrossFit equipment is expensive. To get started, I bought the first round of equipment (about $3k) for the garage which arrived on two wooden pallets from Rogue. Since then, the guys usually pass the ‘equipment replenishment fund’ hat every six months to collect money for new equipment. These donations are completely optional and capped at $200 per person.


TR: What time do you workout?

CL: Guys start arriving at the garage between 5:15 and 5:30 am to stretch and warm-up. During the school year, we are done by 6:30 am, so everyone can get home to help get kids ready for school. In the summer, we have been known to go until 7:00 am.


TR: You probably have lots of different athletic abilities at your garage.  How do you create workouts that all of your athletes can do?

CL: We have all different fitness levels. The beauty of CrossFit workouts is that they are easily scalable. I like it when we have eight or more guys because then usually everyone has someone at his level. If we have a new guy, then I always do a form demo, encourage him to scale and tell him what that looks like. It is smart to scale. I often scale workouts myself.


TR: Did you, or do you face any challenges with neighbors/your wife/children/police?

CL: My wife is a tolerant champ. She understands that this community is important to me. These guys hold each other accountable and help each other out. We have become great friends.

My kids think I have an obsessive addiction to CrossFit – they’re probably right, but I see it as a way to stay fit and build a kick-butt community of trustworthy men.

My immediate neighbors are intrigued and (fortunately) good sleepers. I reserve tire flipping, sledge hammer striking and heavy weight dropping workouts for special late workout days.

We live in an active neighborhood. There are bikers, swimmers, runners, speed walkers, and dog walkers. Many regulars pass by the garage to say hello. Overall, the neighborhood has been supportive of the garage/street workouts.


TR: How many people show up on a regular morning now?

CL: We typically have about eight to twelve guys.


TR: How do you determine your training?

CL: Training is determined by what we have on our event calendar. If Ragnar, then we do more running. Our typical week is a CrossFit WoD on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Cardio (run, swim or row) on Tuesday and Thursday. And, a small group long run on the weekend.

Lately, we have been focused on Hero WoDs, but my favorite format is a team WoD.


TR: What events has your group done together?

CL: We did the Atlanta GoRuck Challenge in 2012, the 2013 Tennessee Ragnar, the 2014 Atlanta Ragnar and the 2014 Atlanta Tough Mudder. We do the Peachtree Road Race together each year – it goes right by our neighborhood. We also do family workouts in our neighborhood park several times a year. And, we’ve had lots of parties together to celebrate events and life.


TR: What events are you currently preparing for?

CL: We have a small group planning to do Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in the Grand Canyon in Fall 2014, so I am adding long(er) runs on the weekends. We have two 12 man teams going to Miami for the 2015 Florida Keys Ragnar. But, our next fun team event is this coming weekend – the Best Butt in Brookwood Hills – it’s a BBQ cooking competition to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The garage has several four man teams who are each cooking butts, ribs and briskets on our Big Green Eggs. One team is doing an open pit whole hog. We plan to set up an outdoor movie theater and watch classics, like Fletch and Caddy Shack while the BBQ cooks.


TR: What does this group mean to you?

CL: This group has made life richer for our family. The garage guys look out for each other’s kids and property, we help each other out with projects, we laugh and argue, we talk religion, sports, politics, family and work, and we hang out at our neighborhood park and pool with our families and each other. Some of us have spent vacations together and shared holiday meals together. I feel lucky to know these guys.


TR: How big is your garage and what equipment do you have?

CL: I have a normal two car garage, which will still hold one car when no one is working out.

We have two pull up bars, two sets of rings, seven Olympic bars and lots of bumper plates, three pairs of kettlebells, two sets of dumbbells, two plyo boxes, three med balls, a squat rack and bench, two C-2 rowers, one GHD machine, and lots of jump ropes, logs, sand bags and AbMats. I’m sure that there are things that I’m forgetting.


TR: How did you collect equipment?

CL: I am always watching for a good deal on a piece of equipment we can use. Occasionally, I’ll find a good opportunity on Craigslist. Most of my equipment came from Rogue Fitness.


TR: Many people follow our facebook page and this blog that have expressed interest in starting their own RRL-style group.  What advice could you give someone who would like to get a group started?

CL:  Building a RRL-type garage is a good way to develop community and stay in shape. Here’s what worked for our group:
Find resources – find a few go-to websites for workout ideas.
Be consistent – set days and hours that are easy to remember and then rarely deviate.
Communicate – establish a google group email distribution list and then add the guys that have been to the garage. We use the list to organize events, long runs or even to ask who’s going to the pool on a Friday afternoon.
Communicate, more – establish a forum to communicate the daily workout. We use a Facebook page – RRLanta. Guys that miss the workout want to know what it was.
Encourage – it is okay to critique form, but do not criticize performance
Have fun – we bought a 40 cup coffee urn this past winter. Now, we usually have a cup of coffee at the end of the workout. I can’t think of a better way to start the day.

 

TR:  Thanks Chip and congratulations to you and your group for creating a rich community!

 

RJ

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Robert Mountjoy of the RRL gets his CrossFit L1 with friend and 3 time CrossFit Games Champ, Rich Froning

Robert Mountjoy of the RRL gets his CrossFit L1 with friend and 3 time CrossFit Games Champ, Rich Froning

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Show respect to all people, bow to none. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

— Tecumseh

 

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:

12 minute Amrap

Sandbag Get-ups with 60 # sandbag

Workout A.

RJ
Run 800 meters
15 ft Rope Climb, 5 ascents
50 Push-ups

x5 Rounds

CrossFit and SealFit both honor fallen heroes by naming workouts after them.  Usually, these workouts are longer in duration than most and often very difficult.  I am looking for longer duration workouts and the Hero workouts are often perfect for our training. 

While I enjoy a difficult workout, it is also important to take a moment to reflect on the the purpose of naming a workout after someone who has given their life for the rest of us.  It is important that we give these workouts our best effort and to not forget their meaning. 

Today's workout is called RJ and it is accompanied by the following description on the CrossFit website.  Hooyah! to RJ and his family.

Robert Cottle  | Age 45

Veteran LAPD officer and United States Marine Corps Reservist Sergeant Major Robert J Cottle, 45, was killed by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. RJ joined the Marines at age 18, and the LAPD in 1990. His various LAPD assignments included Hollywood Vice, Southeast Area, LAPD Dive Team and, most recently, SWAT. He is survived by his wife Emily and 9 month old daughter Kaila. The LAPD established a trust fund for them.

 

 


Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Grip

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Our Mascot and my image of a Courage Wolf. Gus.

Our Mascot and my image of a Courage Wolf. Gus.

“Man’s greatest moment of happiness is to be tested beyond what he thought might be his breaking point and not fail.”
— Joseph Murphy

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:

30 GHD Situps

30 Hip Extensions

Workout: A.
20 Air Squats

20 Pushups

20 Walking Lunge

x 3 rounds  not timed

Workout B.

Work to 1 RM Back Squat

no more than 15 minutes

Workout C.

Run 400 m or Row 500 m

20 Kettlebell Swing @ 53 lbs

15 Pullups

x 5 rounds for time

Workout D.

Still Water Runs Deep 10 minutes

PM Session:

Chipper:  15 Back Squat @ 90% 1 RM),

50 x weighted step-ups (65# bar bell),

150 x double unders

Not for time

Today's workout was fantastic.  Selection will require a ton of grip strength.  We will carry stuff, hold stuff pull, push, and everything else imaginable.  I have always been a believer in grip strength since being a wrestler.  I never use straps in lifting and do some accessory work occasionally like pinch grips holds to increase grip strength.  Your grip can never be strong enough.

This workout was grip intensive.  I rowed rather than run which made it even more intensive.  Good luck with this one if you try it.  If so, post times and comments.

Row, Row, Row

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Testing out grip strength in the Florida Keys on a Saltwater Experience shoot.

Testing out grip strength in the Florida Keys on a Saltwater Experience shoot.

“Adversity causes some men to break, and others to break records.”
— Unknown”

 

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core:

200 flutters

2 min plank

200 flutters

2 min plank

Workout: A.
Row 15,000 m

or

Run 7.12 miles (4 Bridges route)

As I am still nursing a healing calf muscle, I laid off the running again today.  While I am not running, it is crucial to get some LSD (long slow distance) to increase my overall volume in preparation for Selection.  I know that I should be running 10-12 miles today, but if I dont let this calf heal properly, it will be a nagging, frustrating injury that will prevent proper training and probably resurface in Selection.

Believe me, I would rather run 10 miles than do a 15,000 meter row.

At any rate, I gave the guys a choice today and Trevor, Clay and I chose the full 15,000 while Robert and Blythe also stayed back for a long row.   Keith, Jay, Will, Justin and Turner ran and the 7.12 mile, 4 bridges course was completed within 1-2 minutes of the 15,000 m row.  Interesting.

I rowed 15,000 meters in 1:03:00 and Trevor came in at 1:00:17, Clay 1:06:00.  For me, I had a goal of keeping my splits under 2:10 for the entire row.  I saw 2:11 a couple of times as I lost concentration but was able to bring it back down.  Mostly I was around 2:02 but my overall average split was 2:05.6.  I am sure that I could improve on my technique alot.

Sweat index on this one was a 9.7 and I was completely soaked. 

 

Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Curtis P

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Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core: 20 sandbag getups at 120 #

Workout: A.
Baseline: Pre-SOP and box breathing, then ROM Drills.

Run 400m,

30x walking lunges with barbell in front rack position,

20x ring rows, 10x toes to bar

Workout B.

Work Capacity: Complete the following for time…

        100x Curtis P’s (75#/55#)
        75x Pull ups
        50x Ring dips
        25x Toes to bar

 

Workout C.

Bench Press 5@75%, 5@85%, 5@90%

Workout D.

Still Water


Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

SealFit from 7/3/14

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Kenneth Leverich at SealFit Kokoro 30.  Kenny just placed 1st in the S Cal region beating Dan Bailey and Josh Bridges.  We wish him all the best in his quest for the CrossFit Games title.  Kenny is a beast both mentally and physically

Kenneth Leverich at SealFit Kokoro 30.  Kenny just placed 1st in the S Cal region beating Dan Bailey and Josh Bridges.  We wish him all the best in his quest for the CrossFit Games title.  Kenny is a beast both mentally and physically

“You can’t ever work too much because there is no such thing as being in too good condition. You can’t ever lift too many weights because you can’t ever be too strong. You can’t ever wrestle too much, because you can always do better.”
— Dan Gable

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core: 2 minute situp test

Workout: A.
Baseline:

Pre-SOP and box breathing, then ROM drills.

Row 250m

20x 2-arm KB front squat

Row 250m

20x goblet squat

Workout B.

Strength:

Front squat – 10 rounds, every 60 seconds, perform 3x front squat. Start at a moderate weight and increase weight by feel. Reps should be fast and explosive.

Workout C.

Work Capacity:

In 10 minutes, perform:

-2,000m row

-Max rep GHD sit ups

Workout D.

Mental:

Gratitude 14 minutes

Workout E.

PM Session

Stamina:

Chipper, not timed: 100m front rack walking lunge (95#/65#),

50x handstand push up,

3 minute weighted plank (45#/25#).


Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Good workout today!

Great to see Caleb and Robert come back and some of the new guys starting a regular routine.

 

Jordan Does SealFit 20x

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Jordan Gallup has been coming to the RRL for over 2 years.  He stays in good shape...good enough to take on the SealFit 20x Challenge at the last minute.  I asked Jordan a few questions about his experience and he was nice enough to share some insight.  If you are considering taking your training and your life to the next level, 20x is a great step.

Jordan in the mud pit during the last few hours of SealFit 20x

Jordan in the mud pit during the last few hours of SealFit 20x

TR:  Hey Jordan.  I heard you recently did a SealFit 20x Challenge.  What is it?

JG: SealFit 20x Challenge is a 12-14 hour event taught by Former Navy SEALs and SealFit coaches. It's called 20x because it shows you that you can do 20 times more than you think you can.


TR: How did you prepare for it?

JG: I only found out about it a few days before the event and really didn't know what I was getting in to. But I have been doing CrossFit and SealFit workouts for a little over two years now. I also memorized the SEAL Code and Invictus, which saved my team from punishment later.


TR: Were you well prepared?

JG: I think it's impossible to be fully prepared, because when it's 42 degrees out at 6am and smoke grenades, flares, and sirens start going off and you have to fully submerge in an ice bath and go through a muddy trench, it's a lot different from any other CrossFit workout you've ever done.


TR: What did you learn?

JG: I really enjoyed hearing from Coach Brad McLeod during the short classroom session. He went over the SEAL Code and what it means to have a Code for your own life. We also learned the importance of having a "why." Having a "why" helps keep you mentally focused to get through SealFit, but also applies to everyday life to see the bigger picture. "Why" am I doing the 20x Challenge? "Why" am I working at my current job. "Why" am I volunteering at my church? etc.


TR: How did this experience effect you?

JG: It has really helped my normal workouts. I had never worked out for 13+ hours in a row before or anywhere close to that number, so it really puts things into perspective while getting through a tough 45 minute SealFit workout.

Pushing them out under pressure

Pushing them out under pressure


TR: Any special gear?

JG: I brought all the things that SealFit recommends, such as camo/tactical pants, boots, two white shirts with last name stenciled on front and back, rucksack, etc. I'm on a gluten free diet and was thankful I brought my own snacks for lunch. Apple, orange, banana, and protein bar. I also put on sunscreen at 5:30am because you are not going to be able to do it later.


TR: What advice would you give someone who would like to try a 20x?

JG: "Attention to detail" If they say to stencil your last name in black on the front and back of a white t-shirt, do it. If you are the only one wearing a hat, take it off. Try not to stand out in a bad way.

"Nothing Lasts Forever" Try to make small goals for yourself throughout the day. It's hard not to think about the next 12-14 hours when you first get soaked with ice cold water. You start thinking, "I could get back to the wife and kids before they wake up, have a nice little Saturday, go to Home Depot, maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, if we have time." Instead, start thinking, "just get through this evolution, I can do this part." Stop thinking about yourself and look at the people around you going through the same workout you are.

"Never Quit" One evolution had us find a rock of our choice that we were going to hike with. You didn't want to pick a small rock because of the consequences that might come with it, but you didn't want to pick one up that would be impossible to hike with. We were only told, "do not let your rock ever touch the ground." We'd already been hiking the mountain, with our weapon and 35 lb rucksack for over 5 miles, and had no idea how long this part would be. As the rock became harder and harder to carry, I pictured myself carrying my 11 month old daughter, and how I would do anything to keep holding her. Just changing the uncomfortable heavy rock to something that gave me strength, helped me to push through the pain.

Jordan with Brad McLeod and Turner Rowland celebrating a successful finish

Jordan with Brad McLeod and Turner Rowland celebrating a successful finish

TR: How would you describe the overall experience?  Fun or not?

JG: The overall experience was great and I highly recommend it. Fun or not? It was a lot of fun, but it took a little while to figure that out. The more the group of individuals started to become a team, the more fun it became for everyone. You need to be able to have a positive attitude throughout and the more you can smile and encourage your teammates, the better experience you will have.

 

TR: What did you take from this experience and apply to your daily life?

JG: ”Do Today What Others Won't, Do Tomorrow What Others Can't"
The SEALs use this phrase to apply to going to war and other missions, but I've also applied it personally to my job and my professional future. Whether you are saving your money to buy your dream house or to take your family to DisneyWorld, whether you are spending money to go to a convention to make professional connections, or whether you are getting up at 4:45am to go workout and be a healthier person, the things you do today will affect the things you do in the future.

HOOYAH!

TR: Thanks Jordan...great job!

Matt Ate Chatt, then became Country Strong

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Matt Beach, aka “Country Strong”, is an RRL regular, a social media guru and a hometown, Soddy Daisy boy.  I liked Matt as soon as I met him and I have watched him transform mentally and physically since his first visit to the garage.  Every time he tells a story,  I think I like Matt more.

Matt’s road to fitness has not been all sunshine and rainbows, though.  He has had some of the same challenges that we all do; travel, work and family obligations, but he has also had a serious injury.  Matt recovered from a back injury through surgery and is back to completing really, really tough workouts.  

I sat down with Matt to ask him about his journey.

 


TR:  Tell us about your background and where you were before you started working out with us.
 
MB:  I’m married with two wonderful kids. Hometown is Soddy-Daisy TN. I’m an avid outdoorsman – I’m very passionate about fishing and hunting. Love sports but my favorite was soccer. I started playing when I was 6 and ended when I was 23. During that time I played in several rec leagues, select teams, high school, and college. I weighed 155lbs when I graduated high school and could run like a deer. Mid college I got into weight lifting and was also looking for a way to stop smoking. I quit smoking cold turkey, started eating more which went into lifting more weights and other regiments. When I was 24 I had weighed 225lbs and was in great shape. Was soon married – career took off – tons of travel in the many positions I held – then kids…you could say the stresses of life took its toll on my health and I found myself weighing 265lbs, out of shape, and not feeling good about myself. I had started a blog 2yrs ago that was titled “Matt Eats Chatt” – it was a food blog where I would post all my favorites dishes from restaurants that I had been to within the Chattanooga area – one day I was eating lunch with three of my closest friends. One of those guys I hadn’t seen in a while and he had heard about my food blog. The first words out of his mouth when we met was “Matt Eats Chatt huh…Looks more like Matt Ate Chatt – what happened to you?” I’ve heard that being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it’ll always get you the right ones. Literally after that lunch I went home and knew I had to make a change.
 
Side note – whenever I wore a red shirt of any kind my brother-n-law would yell out “Hey Kool-Aid!” if he saw me out.
 
 
TR:  How did you find out about us?
 
MB:  My across the street neighbor and fellow RRL member…Kevin DiStasio (The Colonel) mentioned the group to me. Prior to deciding a change needed to be made, KD nicknamed me “Country Strong” – I told Kev that I was making a big change in my eating habits and wanted to have a great fitness routine and accountability. He said the RRL was the perfect place.
 
 
TR:  Do you remember the first workout you did with us?   The first week?  First month?
 
MB:  Little over 2yrs ago – on a Saturday afternoon – It was me, Kevin, Dougy Fresh, and Wyatt. I don’t remember the exact count or name of workout but I do know it was the first time I had ever done a burpee, thruster, and a wall ball. That first visit was all I needed. I showed back up that following Monday morning and was addicted. I’ll never forget meeting Clay Watson for the first time – after Mondays workout Clay came up to me and said “The hardest part of doing this is getting up in the mornings and showing up.” He was right! Showing up was the hard part – getting thru the workout is easy when you have a group of guys pushing you along the way.


TR:  What results did you see?
 
MB:  The pounds started falling off. I was tracking my calorie intake using an app called MyFitnessPal and not missing one morning (when I wasn’t traveling for work) at the RRL. Even when I traveled I would do one of the many travel workouts that are posted on the Fitness Truth website. By working outside at the RRL – my hotel workouts went outside also. In less than a year I went from being 265lbs to being 215lbs.
 
 
TR:  Why do you think you stuck with coming to the RRL?
 
MB:  The camaraderie  among the men. Everyone always pushing each other to be better…whether it be at the garage our outside of the garage.
 
 
 
TR:  How is what we do different than other stuff you may have tried and not stuck with?
 
MB:  I was trying to do it by myself. Running, lifting weights, Running, and lifting weights in the same route, doing the same range of motions over and over was boring. With the group that we have, the many different styles of workouts, the surprise and anticipation of the Whiteboard (not knowing what the workout is until you show up) makes the RRL great and completely different than anything I have ever done.
 
 
 
TR:  You also had a previous back issue that became a problem.  Tell us about that.
 
MB:  I’ve had several past back problems. I did heavy construction for most of my teen years and into my twenties. Back problems were common. One morning at the RRL I was doing a back squat. It was more weight than I had ever tried and when I went down I broke proper form. When that happen I ended up with a bulging disk in my lower back. Instead of proper rest I kept pushing myself over the next few months….ruck workouts, GORUCK Challenge, a Tough Mudder, and other scheduled workouts and work travel. It came to a point when I couldn’t even sit down for a short period of time without pain.
 
 
 
TR:  What did you do about it?
 
MB:  After several chiropractor visits, yoga, stretching/mobility workouts I finally went and saw a local neurosurgeon. Immediately after seeing the MRI results he requested that I have surgery as soon as possible. A few weeks later I went under the knife and came out with immediate relief.

 

 
TR:  The other day, you told me that it was exactly 1 year ago that you had surgery.   How did the recovery go?  How do you feel about your strength level/ flexibility and overall health now?
 
 
MB:  Recovery was great, but 5 weeks of doing nothing was hard. The majority of the first two weeks was my laying on my back and only getting up to eat and restroom breaks. The remaining 3 weeks I set a goal of being able to walk 3 to 5 miles every other day. The last week I did a total of 14 miles. The last doctor visit I was giving the green light to get back into my normal workout routine, but he wanted me to be a bit cautious and more alert to what I did. I haven’t had any problems. If anything I feel 10x better. But I am cautious. My work travel has picked up a ton and doing hotel workouts seem to be the norm. Since being back I’ve completed a Triple Murph (with ruck), Run-Burpee-Run, and a Tough Mudder with a 30lb ruck (loaded with beer).
 
 
 
 
TR:  How did you overcome this adversity?
 
 
MB:  My family. My wife and even my children are huge supporters and my biggest motivation. Everything I do I do for them. Living a better life mentally, physically, and spiritually so that I can be a better husband and father for them.
 
Also – if you’ve ever had a “Dicky Do”…then you know that you never want to go back to having that.
 


 
 
TR:  How did you return to regular workouts?
 
MB:  Slow and light weight. That and Jody Bankston with his watchful eye. Jody was there for the first few weeks when I returned and made sure that I wasn’t over doing it. I also did a 100 day mobility challenge using YouTube videos from Kelly Starrett Mobility WOD Channel.
 
 
 
 
TR:  What did your Dr say about returning to full activity?
 
MB:  Be cautious for the first couple of months, listen to your body, and if there was the slightest pinch then he wanted me to back off. Other than that he definitely wanted me to get back to where I was before the surgery. I think he even came to the RRL a week later.
 
 


 
TR:  You have done a lot of events with our group but also outside of it.  Which are your favorite?
 
 
MB:  Hands down the GORUCK Challenge. Team building is huge with this event and doing it with 26 of your friends made it even better. Training for the GORUCK was also a blast. Many early mornings starting at 3am or 4am and creating ruck obstacles within down town Chattanooga was very fun and very tough. I’ve done three Tough Mudder events. The first one was with my wife in Kentucky. It was a great experience but even more so doing the event with her. The other two were in Atlanta and my last one was in Charlotte NC. The Charlotte one was a bit tougher as I did it with a ruck sack filled with 28 cans of beer. I was probably the most popular person on the course (due to the beer) but there wasn’t any other rucks that I saw. The only reason I did it with a ruck was due to the GRC and looking at ways to challenge myself even more during the TM event.
 
I’m looking at doing a Spartan Beast either this year or next. Ultimate goal is to do a Death Race.
 


 
TR:  What does your wife think about your workouts?
 
MB:  She loves it! Its something we have in common and it’s an area that’s helped improved our relationship. When I say improved I mean sex. I’ve increased my stamina by at least 30 seconds. She sees me being more active with the kids and having more energy to do with them which is what it’s all about for me. Being a better family man….and better in the bedroom.
 
 
TR:  Are you preparing for an event now?   Is there something you would like to do in the future?
 
 
MB:  Another GORUCK Challenge. I’ve done Chattanooga but I want to do a different city. I’ve been looking at Charlotte, Jersey, NY City, or Philly. The GRC will be done with a few of my coworkers. They’ve heard me talk about it and now they are wanting to do one. It will be the same coworkers that I talked into doing the Tough Mudder. The Spartan Beast is definitely in my sights. There’s one in October in SC but I’m not sure I can with my current travel schedule. We shall see.


 
 
TR:  Anything else you want to tell us about the group, overcoming adversity, losing weight or events that you have done?
 
MB:  If you’re ever in Chattanooga and want to experience a life changing atmosphere then visit the RRL! The mental toughness that we as a group have achieved together trumps anything I’ve ever been part of and I’m looking forward to the future of living a better life.

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Happy 4th of July

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Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core: 65 situps

Workout: A.
 

45 lb Ruck

Start with a circle and everyone call out exercises.  Burpees, situps, planks, turkish getups, etc...

Walk to river, get in, burpees, pushups, smoke session.  Walk across bridge to water stairs.  Pushup every stair.  Various PT making our way back to Ren park.  Bear Crawls rolling downhill, pushups, wheelbarrows. 

2 hours total.

 

Then breakfast at Blue Plate.  Good fun.

 

Happy 4th

 

Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

Jackie x 3

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RRL Goruck class 404

RRL Goruck class 404

Warmup:

Box Breathing 5 minutes

30 overhead squats with PVC

10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees

Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes

Core: 70 situps for time with 2.5 lb weight behind head

Workout: A.
Jackie x 3

Row 1000m

50 Thrusters at 45 lbs

30 pull-ups

x 3 rounds for time

Workout B.

Still Water Runs Deep/Fish Bowl/Quiet Time

Post times, reps and/or loads to comments

In preparation for Selection, we are moving towards more volume.  Jackie x 3 was a good one for us today.  My total time was 25:30.  This workout accomplished a couple of things.  First and foremost, it was a challenging workout that I could do and not do any harm to my healing calf.  Second, it was light and long in duration, but there were times when you were close to failure.  Third and maybe most important in preparation for an event like Selection, is the mental aspect.  Staring down 3 rounds of 1000 m row, 50 thrusters and 30 pullups is a daunting task.  Its boring, long, intimidating and painful.  Getting through that one is a mental victory.

I found myself getting through this workout by staying right in the moment.  I mean, I focused on small things right in front of me like a set of 5 thrusters rather than looking at 150 thrusters and the rest of the workload. 

If you break anything down into smaller bits, it becomes a possibility.  Looking at the whole often results in failure, submission to groupthink or simply quitting.  This can be applied to any area of your life.

Physical training like this is so important to my life because it constantly reminds me of lessons like this, thereby "sharpening the sword' daily.  When an intimidating or daunting task is set before me in business, personal life or in a workout like this, I am practiced and comfortable in the uncomfortable. 

Lately, we have been spending more time on focused quiet time together.  This time has helped me far more than the workouts for the body.  I find myself more focused, less fatigued and operating in a clear manner throughout my life.  We will certainly continue.