“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with” – Jim Rohn

Humans beings have been around human beings since the dawn of, well, human beings. We are social in nature. Even the loneliest of wolves are seen gazing romantically at two dudes having a beer by a campfire, it’s human nature. Social interactions are key throughout life. We are better people because of those around us. That’s a fact. It is because of that fact that we came up with the concept for Barbell and Beers. An opportunity to get away for a night, get strong, drink beer and, of course, meet like-minded fathers.

LGN Performance

“Quality over quantity” – Chris Marella

This session brings us to a warehouse of strength production: LGN Performance . In small letters written on the dry erase board is the clue which describes the ethos of LGN Performance: “Quality over quantity”. The focus here is on proper force production, moving the the most efficient of ways to increase your overall output and decrease the potential for injury. So, if you planned on breaking yourself off by doing 200 thrusters in horrible form, you came to the wrong place. The approach here can only be described as calculated, well-thought-out programming which casts aside your meathead desire to crush your body with foolish movements.

Chris Marella, LGN coach and owner of 4th Shift Fitness (a fitness company helping First Responders get in shape), is on the deck explaining the plan for our training session. It seems simple enough; however, be weary of assuming any program here is easy. Although well thought-out and calculated, these training sessions can crush your soul. The plan is scalable, each participant can choose their desired weight. Ego has a battle with reason as you pick your poison wisely or foolishly. There is a common theme here, most men pick weights far exceeding their muscular ability, at LGN you’ll find out rather quickly if that piece of iron is right for you.

Our workout consists of three complexes. The complexes range from goblet squats with pull-ups to deadlifts and power shrugs. We finish with a side shuffle push-up ladder and 2 minute dumbbell carry. The focus of today’s session was grip strength, Chris’ attempt at forcing a dropped beer glass due to fatigued arms during the “Beers” portion of our outing. Little did he know, I packed straws!!

I am often surprised with the volume of work I put in at LGN without the traditional body crushed feeling from other gyms. The approach here truly is “Quality over quantity”.

Plank Road Tap Room

“Relax, you’re here now.” – Plank Road Tap Room

A place where everyone knows your name; well, maybe after they write your name on a flight tag describing your selected beers. “Relax you’re here now” is the saying which sticks in my mind here. The Plank Road Tap Room takes the small local watering hole to a new level. The place is filled with stained woods, flannel, freshly oiled beards, and people partaking in deliciously brewed libations from national breweries (with a few locals mixed in). But don’t fear! “Beer snobs” are nowhere to be seen, just good people from all walks of life relaxing like it’s their job. The ambiance makes the iconic “Cheers” bar seem more like a Chili’s on margarita Tuesday.

The brews hit the spot as we work our way through the flight of four different beers. The mix of physical exhaustion and alcohol lead to some great conversations. These conversations are always my favorite part of the event. We cover topics ranging from fitness to fatherhood to self-defense and protecting your home. Glasses are often clinked against each other in various salutes. I honestly don’t remember what we toasted to, but those seem to be the best ones.

Social interaction is something often ignored in our fast paced social media society. It’s something that is missed in the day to day duties of adult life. The goal of Barbells and Beers has always been to induce a bit of struggle, learn something new about our capabilities, and forge relationships between like-minded people. The antidote to what drives us mad is somewhere in those elements.

We are planning more Barbell and Beers events in the near future. Come out, bring a friend, and if you don’t have a friend, you’re guaranteed to make one here. Stay tuned.