Author: backblasts

Date: 2026-03-23
AO: Tar Pit
Q: Big Mac ,
PAX: Big Mac, Oompa, T-bone, Tortuga, Da Vinci, Panhandle, Jolly, Chuck, SAGA FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
WOR: Follow the Leader style Warm-o-rama (Da Vinci’s Theme Song)
Body scan follow the Q: SSH, neck rolls, arm circles, tappy taps, goofballs, jerky stretching.

The Thang — Paired Rounds with Music
Each round has two exercises done during one song. Do the first until exhaustion, if you can’t keep up the second and need to switch back, run the wheel. After every two rounds, I’ll ask if you’ve cracked the code of the Da Vinci Connection? “What connects those two songs?” These are Da Vinci inspired connections, so you’re unlikely to get any without having them revealed.
Round 1 — “A Change Is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke) Derkins & American Hammers with coupon (Written at 32, he died at 33.) Round 2 — “Changes” (David Bowie) Dips & Scissors
Connection: Both artists died unexpectedly — Cooke at 33, Bowie announced his death through his final album released 2 days before he died of liver cancer. Round 3 — “Hallelujah” (Jeff Buckley version) Curls & LBCs
Round 4 — “Suzanne” (Leonard Cohen) Overhead Press & Flutters And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them But he himself was broken long before the sky would open
Forsaken almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
Connection: Cohen wrote Hallelujah which was Buckley’s most famous song. Also Jeff Buckley drowned in a river which Cohen’s song “Suzanne” imagines: water as both beauty and danger. Round 5 — “Hurt” (Johnny Cash version) Rows & Russian Twists Round 6 — “Everybody Hurts” (R.E.M.) Thrusters & Bicycles
Ran out of time. Basically, both are about hurt, but move in very different directions. Sort of a resignation vs a call to hold on. Speed Round – Desert Father Quotes
Do an exercise, run the wheel, read a quote
20 burpees + sprint the wheel
Abba Poemen said that blessed Abba Anthony used to say, “The Greatest thing a man can do is to throw his faults before the Lord and to expect temptation to his last breath.” 20 hand-release merkens + Sprint the wheel
Abba Poemen teaches: (111)
“As long as the pot is on the fire, no fly nor any other animal can get near it, but as soon as it is cold, these creatures get inside. So it is for the monk; as long as he lives in spiritual activities, the enemy cannot find a means of overthrowing him.” 20 thrusters + Spring the wheel
80 Abba Bessarion also said, “Do not give your heart that which does not satisfy your heart.” 20 BB and 20 coupon swings + Sprint the wheel
81 He also said, “If you take little account of yourself, you will have peace, wherever you live.” 20 OHP * 20 WWIII situps & Sprint the wheel
85 “It is said of Abba Pior that every day he started all over again.” — Poemen 85

Moleskin
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26) COT

Tags: Tar Pit, Big Mac, Oompa, T-bone, Tortuga, Da Vinci, Panhandle, Jolly, Chuck, SAGA

Date: 2026-03-24
AO: Dark Room
Q: Framed ,
PAX: Lakers, Flower Boy, Portage, Framed, Toto, Brainfog, Beaker, Manhole FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
WOR:
– Imperial Walker Texas Rangers
– SSHs
– Abe Vigodas
– Tappy Taps
– T-bone Burpees

The Thang:
Round 1 — Short loop 11s at the lights – Chuck Norris merkins (knuckle) + BBSUs

Round 2 — F3 equivalent exercises inspired by Total Gym
– Squats = Coupon Goblet Squat
– Back Rows = Bent Over Coupon Rows
– Pullovers = Coupon Pullovers on the ground
– Chest Press = Coupon Press on the ground
– Tricep Extensions = Skull Crushers

Round 3 — Mary circuit at the playground

Moleskine:
“There is no finish line. When you reach one goal, find a new one.” —Chuck Norris

COT:
IYKYK

Tags: Dark Room, Lakers, Flower Boy, Portage, Framed, Toto, Brainfog, Beaker, Manhole

Date: 2026-03-24
AO: Flat Earth
Q: T.B. ,
PAX: Krampus, Hypotenuse, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Cheese, Tortuga, Snatch (F3 Northwest HWY), T.B., Wagyu, Da Count, Starch FNGs: 1 Starch
COUNT: 10
WOR: the usual

The Thang: the usual

Moleskine: be careful of your words and attitudes when you are stressed.

COT: those sharing the Gospel in sensitive places, safe travels for spring breakers

Tags: Flat Earth, Krampus, Hypotenuse, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Cheese, Tortuga, Snatch (F3 Northwest HWY), T.B., Wagyu, Da Count, Starch

Date: 2026-03-21
AO: Mastodon
Q: Stock boy ,
PAX: Jayhawk, Bloomer, Endo, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Crack, Falsetto, Stock boy, Jailbreak, Mr Roboto, Cheap Shot, Carmen San Diego (F3 Naperville) FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WOR:
To Vivaldi’s first movement of Spring from The Four Seasons, we did SSH, copperhead squats, copperhead merkins, monkey humpers, and Abe Vigodas

The Thang:
1. At each lamppost for 8 lampposts, we did reps incrementing from 1 to 8 of 6 SPRING exercises: Squats, Plank jacks, Ranger merkins, Imperial walkers, No surrenders, Groiners.
2. At each lamppost for 8 lampposts, we did reps incrementing from 1 to 8 of 5 TIME excercises: T-Bone burpees, Imperial walkers, Merkins, Elbows to knees (crunches).
3. Back at the flag, we did partner Doras running laps around the lot of 100 merkins, 200 BBSUs, and 300 squats to spring themed music. 4. Ended with Mary.

Moleskine:
Cherish time with both your kids, parents, and grandparents if you still have them. Too quickly your kids will become adults, your parents will get old, and your grandparents will pass away.

COT:
Sparrow in his travels, Falsetto on choir trip, Crack on trip to Spain with his M, Cookies M and her treatments, Short Circuit needs a job.

Tags: Mastodon, Jayhawk, Bloomer, Endo, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Crack, Falsetto, Stock boy, Jailbreak, Mr Roboto, Cheap Shot, Carmen San Diego (F3 Naperville)

Date: 2026-03-21
AO: Flat Earth
Q: Hypotenuse ,
PAX: Shiplap, Big Mac, Oompa, Has Been, Bloomer, White Noise, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Hypotenuse, T.B., Spielberg, Banks, Cheese, DaCount, Frogger FNGs: None
COUNT: 14
WOR:SSH & Down and Back

The Thang:7×7 Ultimate with questionable trades

Moleskine: Let go of your character defects to let something better in.

COT:

Tags: Flat Earth, Shiplap, Big Mac, Oompa, Has Been, Bloomer, White Noise, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Hypotenuse, T.B., Spielberg, Banks, Cheese, DaCount, Frogger

Date: 2026-03-20
AO: Ground Zero
Q: Cottontail ,
PAX: Beaker, T-bone, Cottontail, Mr. Bean, Endo, LeMond, Panhandle, Tortuga, Stock boy, Sparrow, Mr Roboto, Samsonite, Carmen San Diego (F3 Naperville) FNGs: None
COUNT: 13
WOR: SSH, SOYO

The Thang: we ran south, some rucked south, some ran somewhere

Moleskine: Spring Clean time! Take inventory of your activities, discard what is not going anywhere and just taking up time, focus on what is important.

COT: Mr Roboto’s friend marriage, Sparrow’s trip.

Tags: Ground Zero, Beaker, T-bone, Cottontail, Mr. Bean, Endo, LeMond, Panhandle, Tortuga, Stock boy, Sparrow, Mr Roboto, Samsonite, Carmen San Diego (F3 Naperville)

Date: 2026-03-20
AO: Flat Earth
Q: Wagyu ,
PAX: Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Cheese, DQ, Oompa, Wagyu, Manhole, Pine tar, Hypotenuse, Bloomer, Krampus, Shiplap, Gummi Bear, Jolly, Panda Express, Candyland, Earnhardt, Capy, Cutter FNGs: 2 Capy, Cutter
COUNT: 18
WOR: SSH & stretch down & back

The Thang: 9v8 ultimate

Moleskine:

A quote from the founder of Chick-fil-A, Truett Cathy

How do you know if someone needs encouragement? If they are breathing.

COT: rest

Tags: Flat Earth, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Cheese, DQ, Oompa, Wagyu, Manhole, Pine tar, Hypotenuse, Bloomer, Krampus, Shiplap, Gummi Bear, Jolly, Panda Express, Candyland, Earnhardt, Capy, Cutter

Date: 2026-03-06
AO: Ground Zero
Q: Mr. Bean ,
PAX: LeMond, Dumpster, Panhandle, Tortuga, Mr Roboto, T-bone, Endo, Beaker, Mr. Bean, Da Vinci FNGs:
COUNT: 10
WOR:SSH OYO

The Thang: RUN RUCK

Moleskine: Using AI daily. Continue to use critical thinking and test against what you know to be true – do not believe everything just because AI says it.

COT:

Tags: Ground Zero, LeMond, Dumpster, Panhandle, Tortuga, Mr Roboto, T-bone, Endo, Beaker, Mr. Bean, Da Vinci

Date: 2026-03-19
AO: Mastodon
Q: Mr Roboto ,
PAX: Stock boy, Tortuga, Samsonite, Mr Roboto, Big Mac, Sparrow, Dumpster, Homie FNGs:
COUNT: 8
WOR: ~5 min
Tortuga got us started since YHC was a minute late. (Yes, I did burpees.) Abe Vigodas x10
Mountain Climbers x10
Mountain Man Poopers x10
Arm Circles x10

The Thang:
O’Hare – 10 min
AMRAP at the Shop (30 sec work, 10 sec rest for 5 sets of 4 cycles): 1. Superman with weight (kind of a breast stroke motion)
2. Stretches with bands (palms up with elbows in at sides, grip band in each hand shoulder distance apart, pull hands outward) 3. Table presses

Sears Tower – 20-25 min
2149 overhead clap with weight Dora spittoon – 1 for each stair of the Sears Tower. (It will always be the Sears Tower.)
(Based on “Feedback February,” we did spittoons to 200—10 at a time—before running up Halffa, which is 50% of Hoffa.)

Lake Shore Drive – Till Time
Thrusters while partner bear crawls to the trash can, about 30 feet out. Switch.

Moleskine:
Tell people what you appreciate about them. YHC went around the COT to tell each PAX what he appreciates about them.

COT:
Big Mac 2.0, Sparrow trip, health, jobs, thanks for the beautiful day

YHC did his 10 penalty burpees as others began to enjoy the Big Shoulders coffee.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1aSAItlSqQb7MSiXl5ybYl?si=XqDH759-Tfi2VjqfahDo-A&pi=Ppy8-6eyRbGAs

Tags: Mastodon, Stock boy, Tortuga, Samsonite, Mr Roboto, Big Mac, Sparrow, Dumpster, Homie

Date: 2026-03-19
AO: Dark Room
Q: Jolly ,
PAX: Jolly, Panhandle, Beaker, Lakers, LeMond, Framed, Manhole, Endo, Banks FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
WOR:
SSH, Mountain Man Poopers, Arm Cricles
The Thang:
Separated into two teams. Each team carries their coupons and a couple sandbags to the start of the path. The team with 5 got a 60lb and an 80lb sandbag and a sand ball while the team of four got two 60lb bags and a kettlebell sandbag.

Round 1:
The teams had to make their way around the loop in opposite directions carrying all the items. One 60lb bag had to be thrown and each team had to complete the following exercises spittoon style: 100 Thrusters
200 merkins
300 Squats
400 Curls

The team of 5 won by a few seconds.

Round 2:
Carries everything form the path back to the flag completing the following: 50 Sandies
100 Skull Crushers
200 Bent over Rows
300 Big boy sit-ups

The team of 4 one by an unbelievably large margin.

Ended with a 1:30 plank hold.

Moleskine:
Do hard things AND have fun
COT:
Toto traveling, Injured PAX.

Tags: Dark Room, Jolly, Panhandle, Beaker, Lakers, LeMond, Framed, Manhole, Endo, Banks