Swallow Cliff - 2010 season off to a great start!

Weather in the upper 30s is quite perfect to start the season of outdoor stair workouts. Nine of us made it out for the inaugural 2010 session. (OK, so you only count eight in the photo....well that's because one of us was late and was still climbing!)

We had at least three versions of a workout, each scaled for different needs, wants, and skills. These sessions always have some sort of adjustments for beginners and practiced abilities. Of the several workout options on Saturday, I picked:

• 30 minutes of:
• Climbing with....
• 20 inverted rows,
• 20 pushups, and
• 20 box jumps (18") at the top of each climb.

I anticipate a big 2010 at Swallow Cliff Woods. Participation and interest continues to grow. If you'd like to be added to the email list, please post a comment below with your address. Or email me.

REPORT: Tom G's Climb to 51

We did it. Tom and I started at 6:32am...in the dark. We were joined at sunrise by some friends who wanted to share in the birthday celebration. As a reminder, Tom decided he wanted to climb the staircase at Swallow Cliff Woods fifty-one times for his new age. Here's the results I've got so far:

• Birthday Boy = 51 in 2:12
• Lou = 51 in 2:23
• A.K. = 51 in "just over 3 hours"
• Dan = 40 in 2:27
• If you aren't included on this list, I don't have your stats. Reply to comments.

We're all dreading what tomorrow will feel like...aches and pains and tightness and who-knows-what-else.

Happy 51st Tom!

EVENT: Tom G's Birthday Workout

Tom G's birthday is this week! And to celebrate, he wants to climb Swallow Cliff Woods' famous staircase 51 times! So on Thursday 12-17-09, at about 7am, I'll be joining him in this insane workout. This is a change in elevation of 3,860 feet!! That's 2.7 times as tall as the Sears (Willis) Tower.

Tom says the Cook Co. Forest Preserve Police has not been opening the parking lot until about 7am...and THEY TICKET VIOLATORS who park outside the chained gate. We're still throwing around the idea of being dropped off earlier (like 6:30a).

Please join us even if only for a few climbs. This should take us over 2.5 hours, but probably closer to 3 hours or more. Tom and I would really appreciate even if you can only climb up 3 or 4 times with us!

Please check the blog's right column for any changes due to weather, snow, or ice. ---->>>>>>

Daily Southtown article

Check out the Daily Southtown newspaper's article about Swallow Cliff's staircase:

It's not about the destination, it's about the climb, by Carole Sharwarko.

I have to call BS on the height of the stairs. Our great friend Tom G had a survey crew measure the rise to be 75.69 feet. Far from the article's stated 185 feet. If you don't believe me, take this estimate: For it to be even 126 feet, each step would have to average 12 inches. We all know that to be FAR from reality. For it to 185 feet tall, the average step height would have to be over 17". Definitely not the case!!!

Regardless of the falsehood, this article is sure to gather more interest out there.

Stair Workout - Update

Since the group has really been growing in size, I realize we can't possibly all agree on times that work for all of us. Therefore, I'm posting some of the more recent workouts. So if you make it out there without us, pick one of these babies to kick your own butt.

Rainy Day Woman (Named after not only the rainy weather that day, but the song that came up on my iPod in shuffle mode just as it started to downpour. Be sure to click on the link for your listening pleasure.)

• Do the following with any strategy or partitioning:
  
• 9 climbs
  
• 90 35#KB snatches L arm
  
• 90 35#KB snatches R arm
  
• 90 inverted rows
  
• 90 ring pushups
  
• 90 55#KB SDLHPs

Diminshing Hell

• 3 Climbs
  
• 75 reps each of: Pushups, Inverted Rows, KB Figure 8 to Holds (75 total handoffs)
  
• 2 Climbs
  
• 50 of each
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 25 of each
  

Back Buster

• 1 Climb
  
• 45 each of: KB presses (ea side), Seated Knee Tucks, KB High Pulls, KB Straight-Leg DLs
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 30 of each
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 15 of each
  
• 1 Climb
  

Tom G's Stairway to Heaven 21-15-9

• 3 Climbs
  
• 21 each of: Ring Dips, KB snatches (ea side), Burpees
  
• 3 Climbs
  
• 15 of each movement
  
• 3 Climbs
  
• 9 of each movement
  

Tom G's Modified Filthy Fifty

• 50 Sledgehammer strikes
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 50 Walking Lunges
  
• 50 Jack Knives
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 50 Ring Dips
  
• 50 KB Swings
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 50 Inverted Rows
  
• 50 Double KB presses
  
• 1 Climb
  
• 50 20" Box Jumps

Group Workout Email List

I'm changing the way group email notices go out for our group outdoor workouts.

The best way for you to get onto the email list is to send me an email at louis.hayes@comcast.net

I have hopes that this new process will ensure only those who wish to receive the notices are the ones receiving them. The new system should alleviate some headaches from trying to keep everyone updated on the times and dates of sessions. Still the most accurate and timely way to check for these outdoor sessions is by checking this blog's righthand column under "Upcoming Events."

It's been great having so many people interested in the workouts. The group is quite diverse. You'll never know who you'll be training with on any given day: triathlete, housewife, SWAT operator, MMA fighter, marathoner, office worker, police officer, mom, former military, firefighter. As the participation level increases, so does my energy!! Keep coming out!

Get outside!

With memberships to huge mega gyms, everyone feels the guilt to go inside. Well on a beautiful day like today...get outside!!

This morning, Jim Q backed up his truck and unloaded plenty of equipment for an outdoor WO. The above photo has Jim doing thrusters, Kristen doing parallette dips, Joal doing KB swings, and Anna is probably in the background climbing the huge staircase. Due to some scheduling conflicts, we had a group out at 8am and another at 9am. Great to see so many new faces joining the ranks.

Use your creativity to design a workout in the fresh air. Being couped up inside a gym is not what fitness is about.

Swallow Cliff StairClimbing Workouts - Update

The 2009 group stair workouts have been phenomenal! Interest seems to be way up, which is a great sign that the concept of functional, practical fitness is on the rise (pardon the pun).

I always get asked the same question: What are the workouts like? Well, that's hard to explain. We've never really had the same workout twice. However, I can put it like this: Workouts last between 20 and 40 minutes. They include climbing up (and down) 90 feet of stairs, with stations at the top and bottom of ring dips, situps, burpees, kettlebelling, sprinting, pushups, and/or inverted rows. Kettlebell stations frequently include swings, snatches, figure 8s, and clean-and-presses. It's a blend of exercises for strongmen, gymnasts, and MMA fighters.

Today's newest implement of destruction was a partly-filled keg. The sloshing water proved to be a worthy adversary! Some of us did keg cleans and keg snatches. Way fun! Thanks to Dan E for bringing out his newest toy.

On another note: Tom G, Tom M, and Ann M will be helping organise the WOs on days I cannot be there. The biggest complaint of the WOs has been they haven't been frequent enough!! Our new volunteers bring their experiences and creativity to the group. Between the three of them are several certifications from CrossFit and kettlebell associations, not to mention years of functional fitness training.

I do my best to provide advance notice of the sessions. Still, the most efficient way to keep up to date is by checking the "Upcoming Events" tab in the right column of this blog.

Swallow Cliff Stair Group Workouts - Update

After about a month of endurance training for a half marathon and adventure race, it was time to resurrect the group workouts at Swallow Cliff Forest Preserve. My email invitation list continues to grow. If you'd like to join us, just drop me a message at louis.hayes@comcast.net so I can add you to the list. Here are some updates:

A few weeks ago, Tom G assembled a WO that included KB snatches, situps, stair climbing, box jumps, and inverted rows. We did as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes. Tom G lapped me, getting a full extra round in before time expired. He is in the midst of recovering from a half marathon, and training for a full 26.2 run in October.

Neil K has been a regular. He's getting serious about opening up a functional fitness gym in the West Burbs. He's amassing equipment, and gracious enough to bring it out to Swallow Cliff with him for all to use.

Today's crew included: Dan E, Joe R, Bobby K, Amy C, and Tom G (even though he stuck with his wife..haha). We did seven rounds of 10 KB clean and presses [each side], climb up, 15 inverted rows, 15 jack knives, and climb down. Some of the others substituted the KB presses with swings. Great WO...the sweat began to burn my eyes.

Another discipleship moment: Today I talked to guy who was rubbernecking at our group doing KBs. I constantly get asked about the purpose and use of the kettlebells by curious onlookers. What a great opportunity to spread the word about functional fitness and complete, integrated workout sessions. It never ceases to amaze me how much camaraderie is between fitness junkies! but breaking old traditional exercise habits is really hard. I take a lot of pride whenever I can be a part of someone's transition (or graduation) into a more practical system. We can all find interested people to spread the word. Maybe just by explaining a few things about your WOs to someone will be that straw that breaks the camel's back. We can all make a difference!

Stair climbing workouts - Update!

I've fallen down when it comes to adequate planning for the stair climbing workout sessions at Swallow Cliff Forest Preserve. Most of the notices are only one or two days in advance. I will try to be more considerate of your time and committed to planning dates/times in advance.

Today we had a good showing even though there were about 6 absentees (a few regulars I expected for sure *wink*wink). Newcomers Neil K, Rhonda A, and Amy will hopefully become regulars to our group. Rhonda A has made Swallow Cliff one of her staples, so I'm sure we'll see her out again, right?? Amy left with a smile, so that's positive. And Neil requested more days up at Blackwell FP in Warrenville. No problem...we'll get out there again soon!

I love making heads turn with our kettlebells and strange gymnastics. It hopefully gives some ideas of how to incorporate more exercises to get a more complete fitness. If you're by chance one whose head has been turned, shoot me an email or just check the blog for announcements. I learned this blog rates high in a Google search for Swallow Cliff, so maybe we'll get some new blood reading about our localized circuit sessions.

Click on the "Stairs" label link at the end of this post for past postings about these stair climbing sessions.

Historical picture pirated from ChicagoLand Outdoor Nature Knowledge (CLONK).