Author: f3captcrunch

9.4.20 — Yoga Day (reprise)

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

Back by popular demand and bodily necessity, 10 sore PAX (DaVinci, Sparrow, Shiplap, Wet Burrito, SAGA, Compost (FNG!), HotBox, Banks, Bloomer, Captain Crunch) arrived for an EC recovery day. The day was slightly chilly and misty so they got warm and then got limber.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • Run a quick half-mile, including the hill. Get a lather going. Then head to the tennis court for some good traction and a non-lumpy surface.

Check-in

  • Straight leg forward fold (note how far you can stretch)
  • Seated forward fold (hips then round back)
  • Squat Butterfly

Beginning

  • Begin in Child’s Pose, extending arms in front of you
  • Plank to Down Dog to Forward Fold
  • Extra: Hands interlaced behind your back, stretch knuckles to sky and lean forward slightly

Table / Mountain (Cycle x 4)

  • Forward Fold (toe-touch)
  • Table Pose (straight back, bend knees if needed)
  • Forward Fold (toe-touch)
  • Mountain Pose (hands raised but open in a Y-shape)

Low Lunge

  • Plank (knees if needed) / Up Dog / Down Dog
  • R Leg Lift then forward to Low Lunge to
  • Crescent Pose (arms raised but open, tail-bone tucked in, abs engaged)
  • Split Prep (hands down, forward leg straight, rest on back knee)
  • Walk hands forward and lift back knee, then raise forward hand high Low-Lunge+T-Plank (hold)
  • Lower back knee, reach high hand back for a quad stretch (hold)
  • Both legs back into Cobra
  • (Switch legs and repeat)

Warrior

  • Down Dog
  • Move R foot forward to Low Lunge
  • Turn out back foot 90 degrees and move into Warrior 1 (hands raised) (hold)
  • Warrior 2 (hands forward and back)
  • Reverse Warrior (move forward hand high, back hand rests)

Camel Cycle

  • Table Top to Kneeling (toes curled is slightly easier)
  • Half-Camel pose (hands out straight in front, then rotate gaze and hands straight up)
  • While still looking/reaching up, reach behind with your R hand to touch your R heel (hold)
  • (repeat this motion with the other hand)
  • Full Camel – work both hands back to your heels and open your chest to the sky

Pigeon stretch

  • Lying down, place R foot on left knee, raise left knee and pull gently towards your body with both hands
  • Half-Happy Baby – place your R hand in the arch of your R foot, keeping the 90 degree bend at the knee, straighten the opposite leg to the floor, and pull R knee gently towards the ground.

————–

Advanced Circuits (if time allows; attempt with caution)

Deep Lunges

  • Low-Lunge position, but elbows down alongside your front leg (or just reach your hands down as far as you can)
  • Side Lunge – rotate your straight leg out on the heel, hands planted for support
  • (switch sides)

Bridge(+Wheel) and Plow

  • Bridge on your back, bring you feet right below your knees. Lift your hips (inhale, then squeeze your glutes and abs before you engage your back muscles) and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
  • Wheel (crazy): from bridge, place your palms flat on the ground (by your ears, fingers toward your toes, elbows close) with your core engaged, then push upward with your arms, stabilize and then hold
  • Shoulder Stand / Plow: From your back, lift your legs up and support your lower back with your hands (elbows on the ground). Work your weight onto your shoulders, pointing your legs as high as possible. For Plow, slowly move your legs over your head to touch your toes to the ground (if possible). Hold.

————–

Spinal Twist (closing)

  • Grab your R knee in your opposite hand and pull it across your body, straightening your right arm out away from your body. (hold)
  • (repeat this cycle with your other leg)
  • Pull both knees to your chest and rest in an egg shape, rolling slightly on your back
  • Corpse Pose (hold for a while, relax, breathe)

Check-in

  • Straight leg forward fold (note how far you can stretch)
  • Seated forward fold (hips then round back)
  • Squat Butterfly

COR/NOR/COT: Prayer for the recovery and health of the group as they hit it hard this month. — for JazzHands’ battles with insomnia and other PAX as they fight the fartsack and attempt to live out their best intentions.

9.3.20 — The Good Form Q

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

The PAX (Big Mac, Wet Burrito, SAGA, DaVinci, Archive, HotBox, Crack, Crash, Shiplap, Bloomer, Panhandle, Banks, C3PO, Tortuga, Gummi Bear, Captain Crunch) met in the Gloom on with a chill in the air. The Q had just finished re-watching our performance on IronPAX and felt it was time for a word of exhortation and a chance to practice on what he preached.

Warm-O-Rama

  • Imperial Walkers
  • Arm Circles / Seal Claps / Raise the Roof

(a long-winded speech on the evils of Bad Form and the virtues of a different path)

  • Jog to North baseball/soccer field

The PAX broke into two teams and were charged with calling out bad form in the other team as we did reps to failure. Subsequently, very good form was used by all and no penalties were awarded.

Form Fight! (Team Call Out x3 Penalty: Each member does 5 Burpees)

  • Slow Ranger Merkins – To Failure without breaking form
  • Slow Deep Squats – To Failure without breaking form (or most still standing after 2 min)
  • Plank – To Failure without breaking form

No Mercy Mile (as per usual we only had time for 400m)

  • Bear Crawl (100yd)
  • Jog (100yd, 25 Merkins at half-way) (Individual call-out penalty +5 reps)
  • Lunge (100yd) (Individual call-out penalty: go back three stones)
  • Jog (100yd, 25 Squats at half-way) (Individual call-out penalty +5 reps)

Not Enough Mary

  • T-Plank (on elbow) hip-dips
  • Flutters IC x 25 (Straight. Legs. Pointed. Toes.) no time for more… 😥

(jog back to flag)

COR / NOR / COT: For the integrity to watch our form in all aspects of life and choose to do things the right way no matter how hard — the courage to lovingly call a brother out and encourage good form.

8.29.20 — The First Yoga Day

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

Well, it finally happened. After some hard-hitting muscle-aching workouts, YHC had had enough. If he was going to make a 6-Pack this week and survive IronPAX, it needed some active recovery and a good stretch. Posting the EC preblast to the group, a few willing participants (Double Beef & Cheddar, Too Big to Fail, Shiplap, Banks, Big Mac, Crunch (QIC)) decided to give our Q the benefit of the doubt. On a nice warm, muggy Friday morning, we assembled in the Gloom.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • Run a quick half-mile, including the hill. Get a lather going. Then head to the tennis court for some good traction and a non-lumpy surface.

Check-in

  • Straight leg forward fold (note how far you can stretch)
  • Seated forward fold (hips then round back)
  • Squat Butterfly

Beginning

  • Begin in Child’s Pose, extending arms in front of you
  • Plank to Down Dog to Forward Fold
  • Extra: Hands interlaced behind your back, stretch knuckles to sky and lean forward slightly

Table / Mountain (Cycle x 4)

  • Forward Fold (toe-touch)
  • Table Pose (straight back, bend knees if needed)
  • Forward Fold (toe-touch)
  • Mountain Pose (hands raised but open in a Y-shape)

Low Lunge

  • Plank (knees if needed) / Up Dog / Down Dog
  • R Leg Lift then forward to Low Lunge to
  • Crescent Pose (arms raised but open, tail-bone tucked in, abs engaged)
  • Split Prep (hands down, forward leg straight, rest on back knee)
  • Walk hands forward and lift back knee, then raise forward hand high Low-Lunge+T-Plank (hold)
  • Lower back knee, reach high hand back for a quad stretch (hold)
  • Both legs back into Cobra
  • (Switch legs and repeat)

Warrior

  • Down Dog
  • Move R foot forward to Low Lunge
  • Turn out back foot 90 degrees and move into Warrior 1 (hands raised) (hold)
  • Warrior 2 (hands forward and back)
  • Reverse Warrior (move forward hand high, back hand rests)

Camel Cycle

  • Table Top to Kneeling (toes curled is slightly easier)
  • Half-Camel pose (hands out straight in front, then rotate gaze and hands straight up)
  • While still looking/reaching up, reach behind with your R hand to touch your R heel (hold)
  • (repeat this motion with the other hand)
  • Full Camel – work both hands back to your heels and open your chest to the sky

Pigeon stretch

  • Lying down, place R foot on left knee, raise left knee and pull gently towards your body with both hands
  • Half-Happy Baby – place your R hand in the arch of your R foot, keeping the 90 degree bend at the knee, straighten the opposite leg to the floor, and pull R knee gently towards the ground.

————–

Advanced Circuits (if time allows; attempt with caution)

Deep Lunges

  • Low-Lunge position, but elbows down alongside your front leg (or just reach your hands down as far as you can)
  • Side Lunge – rotate your straight leg out on the heel, hands planted for support
  • (switch sides)

Bridge(+Wheel) and Plow

  • Bridge on your back, bring you feet right below your knees. Lift your hips (inhale, then squeeze your glutes and abs before you engage your back muscles) and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
  • Wheel (crazy): from bridge, place your palms flat on the ground (by your ears, fingers toward your toes, elbows close) with your core engaged, then push upward with your arms, stabilize and then hold
  • Shoulder Stand / Plow: From your back, lift your legs up and support your lower back with your hands (elbows on the ground). Work your weight onto your shoulders, pointing your legs as high as possible. For Plow, slowly move your legs over your head to touch your toes to the ground (if possible). Hold.

————–

Spinal Twist (closing)

  • Grab your R knee in your opposite hand and pull it across your body, straightening your right arm out away from your body. (hold)
  • (repeat this cycle with your other leg)
  • Pull both knees to your chest and rest in an egg shape, rolling slightly on your back
  • Corpse Pose (hold for a while, relax, breathe)

Check-in

  • Straight leg forward fold (note how far you can stretch)
  • Seated forward fold (hips then round back)
  • Squat Butterfly

COR/NOR/COT: Prayer for Big Mac’s friend’s wife and their dealing with a bad cancer diagnosis – for the members of the group (present and elsewhere) for focus and clarity to be on mission today and through the week.

MOLESKIN: This was a surprisingly awesome workout. A little bit or muscle strengthening, a decent sweat, and some great recovery. I’m a yoga fan, despite having not done it in a long while, and I was surprised how amazing I felt heading home and having breakfast. Seemed like the rest of the group felt some good vibes as well. Probably going to be a regular feature, especially after IronPAX workouts.

8.17.20 — Killer Bags

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

7 PAX (Shiplap, Too Big Too Fail, Banks, DaVinci, Sparrow, Archive, Captain Crunch(QIC)) continued their August with the singular goal of being too sore to do IronPAX. Shiplap brought some heat this morning with an EC sandbag/coupon circuit for the four PAX who wanted to kick-start their Monday.

Shiplap with that wild animal look in his eyes on a heavy-hitting EC:

20200817_050808.jpg

Afterwards they kept the weight heavy as the sandbags left the AO for some time on the march and a small reminder of the pain in store next month.

Warm O Rama:

  • Motivators IC x 5
  • Mountain Man Poopers IC x 15
  • Standing leg and back stretches

Formation:

Ruck to the Falcon’s fields. PAX divided up into two teams, forming two side by side columns. Each team took one sandbag for the frontmost PAX, who set the pace, dropping the bag for the next PAX and falling in at the rear of their column (reverse scout-run style). Gung-ho PAX (Archive/Banks) initiated a ruck+sandbag shuffle, which set an accelerated pace for the remainder of the march.

Arriving at the closed football field, the PAX marched on for the baseball fields and a modified reprise of last years IronPAX “Killer Bs” workout:

Each team of PAX complete the following set on repeat.

  • Ruck Drag (10 yards)
  • 10 Burpees (Jumping over rucks)
  • 10 Bonnie Blairs (or standing lunges) while holding ruck
  • 10 Big-Boy Sit-ups

PAX take turns running the sandbag down to the third base line and back to the group, handing off to the next PAX. AMRAP until time to ruck back, using the same formation and a faster pace.

Brief Mary:

  • 40 ruck curls OYO
  • Copperhead Deep Ruck Squats IC x 20

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for the group to continue pressing in hard this week to the challenges and obstacles that we will face. — To remember our need to share our weight and to take on others burdens — for strength and wisdom to protect and support those who are weak and resist those who are strong but evil. — Blessings on the good line-up of VQs this week!

7.28.20 — Keep Tuesday “Extra” (Again?)

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

With mist off the lake and plenty of dew on the ground, the PAX rolled in (DaVinci, Big Mac, TBTF, Shiplap, Banks, HotBox, and Crunch(QIC)) ready to get after it. The Q had recently injured himself in a brief 2 seconds of woodworking stupidity, so his planned coupon-heavy beatdown was out the window. The challenge, to bring the heat with some classic bodyweight movements worthy of the name of beatdown and balance out the merkin mania that has seized the Qs of recent weeks.

The Standard

  • Motivators
  • Don Quixotes x15
  • Mountain Man Poopers ICx15
  • Dora 1,2,3 (but with Bernies (Bernices?) on the hill run) — It was fun to introduce this bread and butter workout to a few of the newer PAX. As Shiplap explained, “it’s like Greta, but without the coupon”. lol.

The Business End

Time to repeat those muscles but with some heavier hitting reps to dial things up. 

  • Archer Push-ups x10
  • Ol’ Ironsides (Boat/Canoe + American Hammer ICx20 (x2))
  • Dan Taylors (you know and love them, now do them up to 11!) — we worked in some wider side-to-side lunges to mix things up a little bit. TOTALLY different muscle groups…

“Abs for Days” (15 min of Mary)

The flip side of “if you can’t do it, don’t Q it.” is “Q to your strong suit”. Apparently, I’m known for core exercises, so we did some until it hurt, then we did some more.

  • Dr. W’s ICx15
  • 100s OYO
  • Crunchy Frogs (aka “Dutch Bazookas”) ICx10
  • Heel Touches ICx20
  • J-Lo #1 ICx15 each side
  • J-Lo #2 ICx20

COR/NOR/COT — It was a beautiful day that made you grateful to be out and awake for it. Prayers for the group, for God’s presence to be with each of us as we go about our day serving those around us. Lifting up the brothers here, in Naperville, and beyond that more would be added and that the PAX would grow in grace and wisdom in this season.

3.2.20 — Too Much of a Good Thing

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

7 PAX (Archive, TBTF, Ship Lap, Hoser, Noodles, Crunch, and Gummi Bear) posted in a bamly 34 degree Gloom for a Ruck day. YHC and TBTF were right on the heels of having done Day 1 of our STAR course training (7.5 miles without stopping), so naturally it was time to double down on some leg-conditioning.

  • Ruck Motivators IC x5
  • Abe Vigodas IC x15
  • Imperial Walkers IC x20

Ruck Mosey to the back stretch of the Archive Mile. Dropped rucks for something new and different:

Cossack Squats – wide stance, squat down on one leg while the other is kept straight, keeping both heels in contact with the ground. It is a one-legged squat, but mainly a flexibility exercise. After something new and different to limber us up, it was time for the tried and true.

Dan Taylors – 1 Squat, 4 Lunges; 2 Squats; 8 Lunges; … ; 8 Squats, 32 Lunges.

It’s always darkest before the Dan.

Rucking felt mighty different after that, not least because we found Gummi Bear coming the other way looking for us! We crossed the island and were spared any hill runs or coupons. Instead a dusty old WOD from last April’s ruck challenge was dragged out:

  • 10 American Hammers
  • 10 Ruck Push-ups
  • 10 Overhead Squats
  • Repeat the above for 10 sets

20200302_06010520200302_060107

With only about 15 minutes on the clock, most PAX got between 6-8 sets in before the mosey to the flag. YHC could not keep his arms straight on his squats. Room for improvement, I guess.

Short and sweet and a good follow up to a long ruck.

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for health for Noodles and family to get back up to 100% and stay there for a while — for Ship Lap and his goals to drop 30 in 3 months — for the growth and health of the group moving forward into the warmer half of the year — for personal health and growth among the brothers.

2.22.20 — Full Metal Coupons

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

5 PAX got stronger (Noodles, Hot Box, Katniss, Ship Lap, Captain Crunch).

It was a balmy 30 degrees and the sun had just punched over the trees. After a standard warm-up and a random recon mosey to stall for a possible 6th, we grabbed the coupons and headed for the hill. Hoffa was freshly de-iced and open for business.

After prepping the winkie for the day, the Q had scrawled in the empty corner:

This is my coupon. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My coupon is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

The theme of the day was partner work, coupons, and some good ol’ favorites to cover the bases and point out what we’d been lacking this whole week: leg work.

The Thang: FLORA 1, 2, 3s

Partner work with coupons:

  • 100 Merkins – both PAX keep their feet on the coupons. Do 10 merkins while your partner planks and swap until you’ve completed 100 total reps.
  • 200 LBCs – hold the coupon overhead while doing crunches, partner holds feed 6″ off ground with coupon overhead. Swap every 20.
  • 300 Goblet Squats – hold the coupon. Do 30 squats while your partner holds the bottom squat position. Flapjack.

The Other Thang: Sparta 1, 2, 3s

Another Dora (or in this case Flora) but the partner runs the hill with a coupon, does 10 Merkins on the block at the top and runs back (like the Spartan). Blocks were technically optional on the reps on this one, but no one woke up for easy today. (Katniss did break a block on the frozen ground half-way through, but he immediately went and got another)

The “Extra”: Burny Bernie Legs

The boys got done with plenty of time on the clock, so we rolled in the extra fun that had been planned.

  • (Bernie Sanders hill run + 20 Star Jumps + Lunging down the hill) x 3 = FUN. TIMES.

4MOM: Ol’ Ironsides

Since our pain was mainly located in only one major muscle group, we dusted this one off again for great effect. Ended with 15 seconds left on the clock.

  • ( Boat/Canoe + American Hammer ICx20 ) x 2

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for those unable to post from injuries and illness —  for Noodles’ 2.0 and his dedication tomorrow — for Mrs. Crunch and her new writing opportunity that the momentum of it would snowball into even more in the future

Moleskin: Really impressed at the determination and joyful good cheer of this group of crazy guys (YHC included) who would think a breezy February dawn working out in the park was the kind of thing to wake up early for, the kind of thing to go to bed early for! In big and small ways it has transformed my life, and it’s fun to watch others discover it and enjoy it with the same strange, sore enthusiasm.

That’s not to say you old regular dudes weren’t missed! Just 5 on a Saturday already feels weak! It’s warm! The sun has returned! The hill is clear! See you next time!

2.6.20 – Slowest Bank Heist Ever

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

As the new snow coated AO-Mastodon, 7 PAX (Archive, Gummi Bear, Hot Box, Noodles, Katniss, Banks, Crunch) arrived to enjoy a tour of the AO. It had been far too long under the grip of slippery ice and hard snow. They got warmed up, paired off, and they set out to check out the trails.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • Motivators IC x7
  • ATMs (Shoulder Touch ICx15, Tempo Merkins ICx10, Fast Merkins x10)

The Thang:

  • Tortoise and Hare B.O.M.B.S. (sandbag / ruck / teams) Pairs had one sandbag or two rucksacks. Partner #1 carries the bag/rucks and starts walking. Partner #2 does first exercise on the list and then chases down Partner #1. When he catches his partner, they swap: Partner #2 takes the rucksack while Partner #1 does the same exercise. Repeat until all exercises have been done 5 times BY EACH partner.
    • 5 Burpees (50 per pair)
    • 10 Outlaws (100 per pair)
    • 15 Merkins (150 per pair)
    • 20 Big Boy Sit-ups (200 per pair)
    • 25 Squats (250 per pair)

One pair completed the whole set (Go, Archive and Banks!). The rest of us wrapped up with them on their last set of 25 at the flag. Gummi Bear successfully scouted a few places where the ice was still present and slick.

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for focus and energy for the rest of the week — thanks for health and prayers for it’s continuance. Protection, health, and encouragement for the brothers who were out this week.

With the brightness of the snow, I was kind of expecting the camera work to go better.

And a quick EC sled session afterwards!

20200206_06251620200206_06254620200206_062540

2.3.19 – There and Back Again

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

Three PAX (Banks, Hot Box, Crunch) posted in the frosty Gloom to see what had become of their beloved AO. The recent thaw had only partially done it’s work, and despite the clear spots, the trails remained lumpy and slick. Instead of a full inventory of the park trails, they reconnoitered what they could on route to the Northern AO.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • Ruck-Motivators – IC 4
  • Ruck Merkins – 10
  • Abe Vigodas – IC 11

.66 Miles to the WNHS track

The WOD:

Repeat circuit for time (20 min):

  • 10 Ruck-Derkins, run the stairs, 10 Ruck Incline Diamond Merkins, run down the stairs
  • 15 Bent Rows w/ Ruck, carry the ruck up the stairs, 15 Ruck High-Pulls

.66 Miles back to the Flag

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for a good week, motivation and energy — prayers for rest and encouragement for those who did not post — health for all the PAX and their families

 

1.28.19 – The Death Sled is Dead. Long Live the Death Sled!

by f3captcrunch, posted in Uncategorized

The final EC Tuesday saw 3 PAX (Dovetail, Gummi Bear, Captain Crunch) brave the frozen icy wastes of AO-Mastodon for some random tests of strength, agility, will-power and structural integrity. Not everyone or everything passed the test.

  • Motivators IC x7
  • Abe Vigodas ICx10
  • Pavement Jog
  • Build the Wall, Move the Wall
    • (move the 5 new coupons from Crunch’s car to the coupon wall in three legs of wind-sprints, stacking all 5 at each relay point.)
  • Death Sledding / Coupon Dan Taylor / Man-Makers
    • The PAX found a small patch of traction near the ice-plain of the Hill. One PAX did Man-Makers, another did Dan Taylor’s with a coupon until the third PAX had dragged or pushed the sandbag up the hill and ridden in down in this. On the first “sled” one wall broke loose, on the second, another side gave way and a large crack developed on the floor. On the third and final sled, the short-lived, make-shift death-sled succumbed and splintered into small pieces on the hard, lumpy ice. Luckily each PAX enjoyed one ride, but only the briefest taste of glory was had.
  • Stress Positions (Pull-up hang vs. Wall-push-up hold vs. Plank) After obliterating the “sled”, the three PAX moseyed to the C.o.O.T.E.E. circle for 6 cycles of pain-holds for 1:30 each. Plank and Wall-Push-ups made a good showing, but the dead-hang from the pull-up bar saw plenty of breaks (at least from YHC).

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for health for those PAX unable to attend (esp. Ship Lap), prayers for peace at home (esp. Hot Box and the plumbing clean-up), prayers for a good week of getting after it, and a blessing on the group and its members new and old.