MAN WOD 5 participants (from left to right) Collin, Jake, Theresa, Derek, Nathan, Willie, and Joe trying to understand what just went down after a particularly challenging day on Sylvan Island in April, 2011.
by Greg Hansen, Rock Island, and Founder, MAN WOD
Where has the adventure gone??
Greg Hansen, Rock Island, and Founder, MAN WOD
I pondered this question while reminiscing about all of the fun times I’ve had racing with my buddies over the years. Triathlon, adventure races, ultra-marathons, and the occasional mountain bike race. There was always a challenge in the near future that would test the body and mind, and on some level feed the soul. However, as marriage, kids, and work responsibilities grew, Dad’s me time dramatically decreased.
Call it the fire within or inner warrior that every man has, but it was calling for action. The human body is built to move. It can run, jump, and lift heavy things very efficiently. And when we perform tasks that require us to push ourselves to exhaustion, it no doubt satisfies the spirit. After every butt kicking race I’ve completed, discussing the highs and lows of the event during the post-race commiserating sessions with fellow competitors was almost as fun as the race itself.
What can we do that will get us outside, encompass running and lifting, and challenge that inner warrior? I discussed this with Brandon Bartz, former pro motocross racer and current co-owner of QC Crossfit. From this conversation MAN WOD was born. And since we’re both fathers it was decided that the whole challenge should take less than an hour.
So what is MAN WOD? (WOD stands for Workout Of the Day.) We meet in the woods (Sylvan Island) or in a field (Brandon or my parents house) that has many obstacles and plenty of area to design a run course. We come up with movements, such as lifting stumps overhead, flipping railroad ties, or climbing walls to name a few, then map the course to decide where the movements will take place and determine how many laps will be prescribed. Then we meet at the start/finish line and it’s 3, 2, 1, GO!!!
The competitors have included business owners, stay at home Dad’s, chefs, Dr.’s, students, computer programmers, and even a few brave women. Every one of them giving their all and kicking butt. There’s no race fee, and folks really have no idea what the movements are going to be beforehand. But every individual shows up ready to throw down, knowing that their inner fire will burn a bit brighter after they put in the required work.
Once the breathing normalizes and everyone has come across the finish line, we sit around assessing the scrapes and bruises that have been earned from the workout. The conversation bounces around the group with participants sharing the highs and lows of the day. As I watch each person reflect on their experiences, I notice one thing they all posses. When they speak there is always a huge smile on their face… I take that as their inner warrior’s sign of approval.
Come join us! We typically meet at least once a month. You can get some info, and see pictures and videos on www.manwod.blogspot.com . Or friend MAN WOD on Facebook, which is how we send out invites.. If you’d prefer an emailed invite, contact me via email greg@riemr.com . Otherwise you can stop by the gym, www.qccrossfit.com and see how we train for MAN WOD.
