AO: The Colosseum
When: 03/23/2023
Number of Pax: 5
DR Names:
Number of FNGS: 0
FNG Names:
QIC: Gopher
Introduction
This year marks the fourth year for the Mental Battle WOD (workout of the day) and this year I’m happy to share that the boys in Winston-Salem North Carolina, @F3WinstonSalem on Twitter have designed a great starfish type workout.
Warm-O-Rama
Mosey around parking lot with butt kicks, high knees and shuffles both direction.
Motivators from 5
Abe Vigodas – 10 IC
Imperial Walkers – 10 IC
Arm Circles front and back – 8 IC
Michael Phelps – 8 IC
Captain Relaxos – 8 IC
The Thang
In parking lot, create a box with five markers where the center marker is fifty meters from each of the four markers used to make the corners. Each of the four corners will be a specific station.
Starting in the middle, run to Station 1, do the exercise, then run back to middle, do burpees, then run to Station 2, do that exercise, then run back to middle, burpees, and so on. Once you’ve gone to all 4 stations with burpees in between, that round is over and you’ll progress to the next round. Add an exercise at each station each round.
For example: during round 3, at Station 1, you’ll do ten hand release merkins, ten clap merkins, and ten toe tap merkins, then run to the middle, do eight burpees, go to Station 2 and do the three exercises there, etc.
1 round= 1 trip to all 4 stations, coming back to the middle in between
***For the First Round Only***
For the first round, keep the PAX together. The Q will read one of the statistics about mental health (below) each time you come to the middle after doing burpees. After first round its OYO.
Middle Station (COT)
Round 1 = 2 Burpees (for a total of 8)
Round 2 = 4 Burpees (for a total of 16)
Round 3 = 8 Burpees (for a total of 32)
Round 4 = 16 Burpees (for a total of 64)
(Double Burpee count each round, so Round 4 would be 16 burpees each time you come to the middle)
Station 1 (Free)
Round 1 – Merkins x10
Round 2 – Add Hand Release Merkins x10
Round 3 – Add Irkins Merkins x10
Round 4 – Add Derkins x10
Station 2 (All Men)
Round 1 – Shoulder Tap x15 (1 shoulder tap is 1/2)
Round 2 – Add Mountain Climbers x15 (1 leg is 1/2)
Round 3 – Add Peter Parkers x15 (1 leg is 1/2)
Round 4 – Add Donkey Kicks x15
Station 3 (Held Outside)
Round 1 – Monkey Humpers x20
Round 2 – Add Bonny Blairs x20 (1 leg is one)
Round 3 – Add Side Lunges x20 (1 leg is one)
Round 4 – Add Jump Squats x20
Station 4 (Peer Led)
Round 1 – LBCs x25
Round 2 – Add Freddy Mercuries x25 (1 leg is 1/2)
Round 3 – Add Heels to Heaven x25
Round 4 – Add Superman 25X
Modify as necessary. Need a longer workout? Repeat Round 4 until you’ve filled the time. Add a few minutes of Mary at the end..
__
Here are some statistics regarding mental health and its effects on our community, especially for men. During the First Round, the Q will read one statistic at the middle station each time the PAX comes back to and completes the burpees.
1. Although men are marginally less likely than women to develop a significant mental illness during their lifetimes, about 1 in 2 men will have a diagnosable disorder at some point in their lifetimes.
2. Men are about 2x less likely than women to seek help if problems do occur.
3. Almost 50% of men feel that they are struggling more than they admit to people in their life.
4. Depression looks significantly different in men than in women… Women tend to present as sad and withdrawn, while men tend to present as irritable and angry.
Circle of Trust
Finished with the last 4 Men’s Mental Health Facts below. Shared that I’ve struggled with anxiety for approximately 25 years and have seen therapists on several occasions. Although still a day to day, hour to hour struggle at times, by going to therapy it taught me tools that I can employee in certain situations to do my best to manage the current environment. No shame in getting help men!
5. Men are 2-3x more likely to abuse substances in an attempt to manage their mental health, which often leads to other health problems.
6. Suicide rates in men have been steadily increasing over the past 20 years, and at present, men are 4x more likely than women to die by suicide, and this risk increases with age.
7. Therapists that specialize in working with men often use different strategies to make therapy feel more approachable… therapy doesn’t have to look like sitting in an office and crying about your feelings!
8. Therapists have historically done a pretty crappy job of helping men, though things are slowly changing. Men often go to therapy at the urging of a loved one, but men tend to drop out of therapy sooner than women because they find it unhelpful. This is a legitimate problem, and you’re not crazy if you’ve tried therapy before and it wasn’t helpful for you! If you’re thinking about reaching out to a therapist, consider finding one that has specific expertise in working with men. (from Giles, who is a therapist and can offer this opinion form a place of experience).
Naked Man Moleskin
Love the smaller groups. Dear Abby, Pull-Up, Meta, and Olive Oyl were a pleasure to share that 45 minutes with!
Loved reading your BB Gopher!