BLOOD ON THE PAX: THE BOB DYLAN BEATDOWN

Warmorama: Follow the leader body scan to Meet me in the Morning

The Thang: With partner, keep doing single exercise while your partner summits Hoffa, runs to the path and back. Try to match your reps the next round.

Music is a combination of Blood on the Tracks (1974) with Slow Train Comin’ (1979)

When you Gonna Wake Up: Merkens

Shelter from the Storm: Culrs

Precious Angel: Curls

I Believe in Your: Rows

Buckets of Rain: Overhead Press

Slow Train Comin’: Dips

Change My Way of Thinkin’: Lunges

Tangled Up in Blue: LBCs

Moleskin: The last minute of When He Returns:

Surrender your crown on this blood stained ground, take off your mask
He sees your deeds, he knows your needs even before you ask
How long can you falsify and deny what is real
How long can you hate yourself for the weakness you conceal
Of every earthly plan that be known to man, he is unconcerned
He’s got plans of his own to set up his throne
When he returns

PAX present: @panhandle, @hotbox, @pandaexpress, @ralphy, @tortuga, @bloomer, @8track, @yankee, @bigmac, @saga, @aloha, @gummibear, @jolly, @banks, @crack, @katniss, @cookies, @davinci (Q)

9/13/21 – AO Mastodon: Ruck + IPC

18 PAX showed up for a modified version of the “You do You” Monday workout. 13 chose to post early (0515 startex) in order to have plenty of time to complete this week’s IronPAX Challenge, and 5 chose to strap some weight on and ruck around the AO.


After a brief Warm-o-Rama (SSH IC – 20, Abe Vigodas IC 10, Arm Circles IC – 10F, 10R, Michael Phelps OYO), the IPC group headed to the base of Hoffa where YHC had measured out the required 160ft distance.

Thang 1: IronPAX Challenge – Week 2: 4 Rounds for time
Round 1: 8 burpees, sprint to other end, 8 burpees, sprint back, repeat for total of 11 sets of burpees. Total of 88 burpees.
Round 2: 8 Squrls (squat curl combo), block carry to other end, 8 Squrls, block carry back, repeat for a total of 11 sets. Total of 88 Squrls.
Round 3: 88 Overhead presses, Rifle Carry block to other end, 88 Overhead presses, Rifle Carry back. Total of 176 OHPs.
Round 4: 88 X-Factors, Bear Crawl to other end, 88 X-Factors, Crawl Bear back. Total of 176 X-Factors. (most PAX chose to Crawl Bear first, then Bear Crawl back)

Thang 2:
Since we finished so “quickly,” @Tortuga helped YHC decide that we should run up Hoffa. So we did. Twice. The second time up we circled up for some You-Call-It Mary. We went around the circle with each PAX calling out an exercise to perform for 5 reps. Time was called, and we collected our coupons and moseyed back to the flag.

The Ruckers arrived at the flag at about the same time. They finished with about 2.5mi total distance.

COT: @Cookies (ruck), @Minnie (ruck), @Bloomer (IPC), @Big Mac (IPC), @8-Track (ruck), @Hotbox (IPC), @Jolly (IPC), @Zoro (IPC), @SAGA (IPC), @Panda Express (IPC), @Sparrow (IPC), @Panhandle (IPC), @T-bone (IPC), @Jailbreak (Ruck), @Tortuga (IPC), @Shiplap (IPC), @Banks (IPC), @Crack (IPC, Q)

9/11 REmembrance BeatDown

7am 9/11/21 – A.O. Mastodon In honor of 9/11 we worked hard and spent time honoring those who lost their lives and talked about where we were when we heard the news 20 years ago.

WOR:

Side Straddle Hops x 15 IC
Goof Balls x 20 IC
Abe Vigodas x 20 IC
Step ups on coupon x 20 IC
Air Squats x 20 IC

The Thang

The World Trade center was 110 stories or 2226 steps. Roughly 1.1 miles. We grabbed our coupons and walked/jogged around the 1.1 mile loop past Dan Taylor alley. Along the way we stopped and did the following work for each number represented. We did the shorter loop around the lack passing the pool on the 2nd time around.

AA Flight 11 (Murder Bunnies) – crashed into North Tower @ 8:46am. 92 people died (sit ups)
US Flight 175 (Side Straddle Hops with partner) – South Tower @ 9:03am. 65 people died (Air squats)
AA Flight 77 (Coupon Rows) hit Pentagon at 9:37am. 64 people died (push ups)
UA Flight 94 (Coupon Step ups) Passengers retook the plane & it crashed. 44 people died (KB swings)

2977 people lost their lives that day. We did two burpees or blockies at the base of Hoffa and then ran up and did 9 and then ran down and did 7 and then ran back up and did 7 more.

COT: Prayed for 9/11 victims and families. Captain’s extended family who has COVID, Haiti, Afghanistan, Hurricane recovery and families displaced

Moleskin: John 15:12-13 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Pax: TBTF, Crack, Noodles, Cookies, Bad Debt, Jail Break, Dirty Laundry, Aloha, Bloomer, Captain Crunch

BaCKBLAST 9/11/21 – “THE RISING”

It was warmer this morning than it’s been recently. Great conditions at AO Tar Pit to get a sweat going. We did not disappoint!

WOR: Done in silence to honor the fallen on 9/11. We did some reps, but no talking, no count.

NOR: Beaker, Jolly, Shiplap, Cookies, DaVinci, Tortuga( Respect) Rainman, 8 Track, Katniss (Q)

*at this point our ironpax makeup group (Beaker and DaVinci) disappeared into the gloom to complete their mission. The rest of us moseyed to the top of the hill in front of the school, in front of the half mast American flag.*

Thang 1: The Rising

In 2002 Bruce Springsteen released an album about 9/11. We used the title track “The Rising” about the firefighters’ POV that morning – mixing side straddle hop, merkins, people’s chair during the verse and blockbees during the chorus.

The rest of the workout is inspired by lyrics from this song and the efforts of the 343 fireman we lost that day. “Lost track of how far I’ve gone. How far I’ve gone, how high I’ve climbed. On my back’s a sixty pound stone. On my shoulder a half mile of line.”

Thang 2: 343

The firefighters on September 11 climbed countless flights (110 in total) to reach victims in the Twin Towers. Their gear can weigh in excess of 75 lbs. Coincidentally, about the weight of two coupons.

…………..

Partner up.

Both partners must summit a staircase, but one partner must farmer carry two coupons to represent the 75lbs of firefighter gear.

Perform 343 cumulative reps together. Do this for 4 brutal exercises:

-Burpees

-Overhead press

-Thrusters

-Block merkins

Reps may only be done at the summit of a staircase

Only a max of 50 reps per partner before you must descend and pick another staircase

Do not repeat the same staircase until you’ve done at least one other staircase.

……………..

We did not complete the 343×4, but it was grueling all the same. Some groups made it through about half the total rep count. I heard mumble chatter like “I bet this was so much worse inside of a burning building.” Aye. Let’s give those men thanks.

Also let it be known, Shiplap broke a coupon on his march back to the flags. He may or may not have been trying to wheel his coupon back on his rolling speaker and said “Why haven’t I tried this before?” right before it cracked into pieces.

Moleskin: A recent WSJ article memorialized Todd Beamer, hero from AA Flight 93 on 9/11 (the guy who said “Let’s roll!”). The Airfone operator Todd spent 14 minutes relaying information to on the ground remarked that at certain points, she questioned the urgency and authenticity of Todd’s call because his voice was calm and steady the entire time. What gives you calm in the storm? Family? Reading scripture? Working out? Whatever it is – do more of it.

COT: We praised SAGA’s recent success with his exam, prayed for a healthy and safe delivery of Shiplap’s 4th son, and thanked God for the beauty and peace we live in each day since the chaos of September 11, 2001. And prayed for a return of the unity we all felt on September 12.

Run Club

Backblast, 9/10/21. 5:30am, Ground Zero

Nothing exciting. We ran.

NOR: Crack, Jolly, T-Bone (respect) Panhandle (respect), Panda Express, Banks, Bloomer, Cookies (ruck), Giggles, Knight Rider, Gummi Bear, Cheese (respect), Tortuga (respect) Q

COT: Prayers for Saga’s exam, Noodles’ new job adjustment, Crack’s 2.0 internship and horse selection, travel, praise for bodies that work, recovery from nagging injuries.

IPC Week 1

The morning of an Iron Pax workout has a different feel to it. We had an unofficial record number of attendance at Tar Pit and also a record for IPC participants.

WOR: SSH x 25, Picking Daiseys, Arm Circles, Michael Phelps

NOR: Banks, Cookies, Zoro, Milk Duds, Archive, Tortuga (Respect), Jolly, 8 Track, Wet Burrito, Baby Sitter, Sparrow, Saga, Big Mac, T-Bone, Giggles, Panda Express, Ralphy, Crack, Panhandle, Shiplap (Q)

September 9th Backblast

Had a great showing this morning for a good beatdown to work out that lactic acid buildup from yesterday’s IRON PAX.

WARMORAMA:

Abe Vigodas
Arm Circles
Mountain Man Poopers
Motivators
Squats

THE COUPON CODE!

Coupon codes were generated by finding a partner and calculating half of their age. The coupon codes were then used as individual rep counts for the remainder of the beatdown.

Thang One: Pearls on a String. Using your generated coupon code as the rep count, one partner caries both coupons to the next light pole while the other partner runs ahead and starts on his reps. Reps swapped between merkins and squats, and the coupon-carrying partner helped the other on their reps if they got to the next light pole early.

Thang Two: Hoffa Estates

We had a beautiful time at Hoffa Estates! One partner runs up Hoffa and the other partner completes their coupon code reps of each round. After the 6 rounds, we repeated the rounds with a lunge walk to the path and back approximately 50 yards away.

Round 1 Reps: Thrusters
Round 2 Reps: Skull Crushers
Round 3 Reps: One Arm Rows
Round 4 Reps: Curls
Round 5 Reps: Rows
Round 6 Reps: Kettle Swings

We ended with a COT. Colossians 1 was referenced as the moleskin for the morning, but more specifically verses 15-23 are an awesome short synopsis of the gospel. Verse 22 has become a life verse for me, and a great pick me up when I’m feeling discouraged or accused.

Backblast, Sep 7, Vaccine against Ironpax variant-W1 edition

In attendance, Panhandle, BOGO, Da Vinci, Sparrow, 8-Track, SAGA, FNG (Giggles), T-Bone, Panda Express, Ralphie, Aloha, Cookies, Tortuga, Shiplap, Gummi Bear, Jolly, Big Mac

F3 is open to all men, led in a rotating fashion, happens rain or shine, outdoors, you’re responsible to know your body and modify as necessary.

Warmorama

Motivators

Picking Daisies

Butt kickers around the parking lot

High knees

Good Mornings

Bat wings.

Vaccine’s train our immune system to create proteins that fight disease which we call “antibodies.” Today’s antibody is targeted to combat the disease known as Ironpax-W1 variant. Symptoms of this particular variant include, muscle aches, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, vomiting and physical agony. It only afflicts males, and the primary risk factors appears to be those with a penchant for waking up at the wee hours of the morning.

The vaccination process is multi-step. For full effect, patients are advised to pursue good form and full range of motion.

Step 1. Mosey to Hoffa

Step 2. 5 forward murder bunnies.

Step 3. 5 double shoulder tapping pushups.

Step 4. 5 reverse murder bunnies.

Step 5. 3 blockees with thruster. Demonstrate form.

Step 6. 3 blockees with lateral jump

Step 7. 3 blockees with perpendicular jump.

Step 8. 3 blockees with lateral jump and vertical block

Step 9. 3 blockees with perpendicular jump and vertical block.

Vaccination is complete, unfortunately, early evidence suggests vaccination is about 1-3% effective at fighting all symptoms apart from confusion.

Thang 2 – Mono a mono.

20 minutes EMOM

BBSU, Curls, overhead press (Start at 6 of each, if you are successful, increase by one, if you are unsuccessful decrease by one.)

Moleskin: Vaccine’s work by preparing your body in advance for a future attack. If you wait until the attack and then want to get vaccinated, it’s too late.

We do something similar with F3, by practicing in somewhat low-stakes environments, we’re ready when our kids ask for an airplane ride or Da Vinci/Sparrow need help with a house project. If you throw out your back first and then want to get in shape, it’s too late.

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.

Putting on the armor of God, (Shield of Faith, Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Helmet of Salvation, Sword of Spirit which is the Word of God, Shoes of gospel peace) has to happen in advance SO THAT, in the day of evil, you will be able to stand your ground. Not when the day of evil comes, start putting on the armor now. It’s a vaccine. When the enemy approaches, if you don’t have your armor on, it’s too late.

A warm welcome to FNG Giggles!

Praise for brains and brawns provided by both Tortuga and Heist assisting with Sparrow’s demo, prayer for Big Mac’s 2.0.

ao mastodon, 9/4/21

Since our Weasel Shaker kindly reminded me Friday afternoon that I was on Q for this workout, the creativity was not flowing. Regardless, I think we managed to find a solid workout in the midst of our wandering. 15 PAX showed up to explore the AO with me.

Warm-o-Rama:
Side-straddle Hops IC – 25
Tappy Taps IC – 10
Arm Circles IC – 10 small forward, 10 small reverse, 10 large reverse, 10 large forward
Merkins IC – 10
Michael Phelps OYO while Q explained Thang 1

Thang 1 – Bataan Death March
PAX started to mosey clockwise around the AO. Last PAX in line dropped and performed 5 burpees then sprinted to the front. Repeat. We worked our way to Dan Taylor Alley in this fashion.

Thang 2 – Dan Taylors
PAX spread out across the width of the field, and then headed east performing Dan Taylors (1 squat, 4 walking lunges, 2 squats, 8 lunges, 3 squats, 12 lunges, etc.) until we reached the east end of the field.

Back to Bataan Death March – we continued our trek around the AO, stopping at the COOTIES station

Thang 3 – Station work
The PAX split into 3 groups. Each group started at one of the three stations, then rotated. The group at station 1 dictated when to rotate.
Round 1: Pullups (20 ea, 100 total), Atomic Merkins (AMRAP), Picnic Table Presses (AMRAP)
Round 2: Merkins (50 ea, 200 total), Dips (AMRAP), Super Mario (picnic table step-ups, AMRAP)

Thang 4 – Mary Hoffa
(At this point YHC was making things up on the fly, so the following may not be 100% accurate…)
PAX moved to the base of Hoffa and spread out.
Round 1: 50 Big Boi Sit-ups, run to top of hill, 50 Little Baby Crunches
Round 2: 50 American Hammers (2=1), run to top of hill, 25 WWI sit-ups
Round 3: YHC does not recall what reps were done, but all PAX were required to Bernie up the hill.

Time was called, PAX headed to the flag.

COT: Archive, Bad Debt, Captain Crunch, Cookies, Crash, Da Vinci, Dirty Laundry (FNG), Heist, Jailbreak, Jazz Hands, Minnie, SAGA, TBTF, Wet Burrito, Crack (Q)

Doughnuts kindly provided by Captain Crunch (penance for arriving late?) and Tortuga

Back-Blast for Wednesday, Sep 1 @ AO Tar-Pit (Iron Pax Week 0)

17 men ventured out into the gloom to try their hands (and shoulders and legs) on the Week 0 IronPax workout. Shout-outs especially to [tag Hotbox] and [tag Katniss] for breaking the 30-minute mark.

Workout:
100 Merkins
800 meter run
75 Merkins
1,200 meter run
50 Merkins
1,600 meter run
25 Merkins
2,000 meter run

Who showed up: