The Thang

This was a four round/four station workout.  The first round was completed as a group.  At the end of the round one exercise, the statistics were shared at that station.  In between each station, PAX completed about a 50 yard run, did 2 burpees, and then moved on to the next station.   Starting with Round 2, PAX were OYO, and did both the round 1 and round 2 exercise at each station.  The number of burpees doubled each round as well.  Round 3 included the first three exercises at each station and 8 burpees between each (along with the run).  Round 4 included all exercises and 16 burpees.  We were not able to complete round 4, but went right up to 6:00.

 

Station 1 (Free)

 

Round 1 – Hand Release Merkins x10
Round 2 – Add T Merkins x10
Round 3 – Add Toe Touch Merkins x10
Round 4 – Add Mike Tysons x10

 

1. Although men are less likely than women to develop a significant mental illness during their lifetime, about 1 in 2 men will have a diagnosable disorder at some point.

 

2. Men are about 2x less likely than women to seek help if problems do occur.

 

Station 2 (All Men)

 

Round 1 – Shoulder Tap x15 (½ each touch)
Round 2 – Add Mountain Climbers x15 (½ each climb)
Round 3 – Add Parker Peter x15 (½ each side)
Round 4 – Add Donkey Kicks x15 (½ each kick)

 

3. Almost 50% of men feel that they are struggling more than they admit to people.

 

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 Depression looks significantly different in men than in women… Women tend to present as sad and withdrawn, while men tend to present as irritable and angry.

 

 

Station 3 (Held Outside)

 

Round 1 – Monkey Humpers x20
Round 2 – Add Bonny Blairs x20 (Single Count)
Round 3 – Add Side Lunges x20 (Single Count)
Round 4 – Add Jump Squats x20

 

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, at present, men are 4x more likely than women to die by suicide, & this risk increases with age.

Station 4 (Peer Led)

 

Round 1 – LBCs x25
Round 2 – Add Freddy Mercuries x25 (½ each side)
Round 3 – Add Heels to Heaven x25
Round 4 – Add Superman 25X

 

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. If you’re thinking about reaching out to a therapist, consider finding one that has specific expertise in working with men.