Category: Uncategorized

Backblast: 8/4/21, 5:30 AM, AO Tar Pit

Great day for a beatdown.

WOR: motivators, tappy taps, arm circles, Michael Phelps, copperhead merkins, copperhead squats

Thang: modified millenium

We didn’t have time to get in the full 1000 reps. 750 was all that we had time for.

After the WOR we lugged our coupons to the front of the school. Counted off into two teams of five. First man to complete the 100 reps of the given exercise called out their team number. Everyone stops and runs down the driveway and then back up one of the staircases.

Winners must complete five burpees before starting subsequent exercises. Five burpee penalty is cumulative: two wins = 10 burpees before starting on the next set of 100 reps.

Exercises: derkins, thrusters, seal claps, box jumps, Nolan Ryans, dips, bbsu, burpees (50).

NOR: Bloomer, DaVinci, Shiplap, Katniss, 8-track, Aloha, Milk Duds (respect), Drum Line, Minnie, Tortuga (Q)

COT: Prayers for new HIM – Wheaton soccer coach going through hard time, healing for various injured PAX, Noodles and his M, DaVinci’s book.

Moleskin: Where do you find your value? A song we sang in church this Sunday gave me this question. The lyrics are copied below. It was a good reminder that my worth does not come from me. My value should not be based on things of this world: my job my success, my relationships, or even good things, like my family, my fatherhood, my friendships, or my speed. All these things can and will fail. If my value is in Christ, it will be unshakable. “Neither height nor depth, neither angels nor demons, or anything else in all creation will be able to seperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our lord.” Where do you find your value?

My Worth is not in What I Own

My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone

As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame, youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us
At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom’s fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ
At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone

Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed, my ransom paid
At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone

We finished out Glee Week with three Tony Awards to @Da Vinci @Jolly @SAGA

AO TAR PIT – 5:30AM

Beatdown set to the following playlist: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhzkvNUIsfkTV7guqBQWxzpfcEWcqaYsj&feature=share

WOR: “The Greatest Show” (5m3s)

A fast paced warm-up where we played show not tell. The coat-wearing and cane-toting Q silently led all the warm-up exercises as we entered into the greatest show. This summer block-buster variety show included: squats, tappy taps, the one where your hands are on your head and you touch your elbows to your knees, arm circles, arm circles while squatting, running in a circle while pumping fists into the air, merkins, mtn. man poopers, mtn. climbers, under-leg clapping and other such showmanship…

THANG 1: “A Million Dreams” (4m30s)

Followed the Q through plank / merkins / LBCs as we thought about how “every night we lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head, a million dreams are keeping me awake, I think of what the world could be…”

THANG 2: “The Other Side” (3m35s)

Gathered up our coupons and headed over the field on the outside of the track.

THANG 3: “Never Enough” (3m28s)

In an attempt to model the lyrics of this song we did a bunch of curls and then burpeed until the end of the song.

THANG 4: “From Now On” (5m50s)

Q led through a repeat beatdown of rows, overhead press, curls, & big boy sit-ups.

THANG 5: “Who Am I” (2m38s)

Hugh Jackman was still singing at us and intimidating us with his last name as we moved into a Les Mis song which was the inspiration for Glee Week. Trying to figure out who we were, we did coupon work OYO in the reps of your age.

THANG 6: “Honey, Honey” + “Money, Money, Money” + “Mamma Mia” (9m+)

Crying ABBA we moseyed to the track were the PAX did an OYO run through the songs.

THANG 7: “Dancing Queen” (4m4s)

After the previous leg warm-up, we dove into a repeat of Bonny Blairs + blockees + mucho legos per the Q’s request.

THANG 8: “Take A Chance” (4m1s)

Murder Bunny 20 yards out to the fence, bear crawl back, sprint to the coupon and repeat taking a chance.

THANG 9: “Bat Out Of Hell” (9m50s)

Headed back to the flags where we finished out the song and felt the burn with skull crushers, burpees over blocks, curls, and squats on repeat.

THANG 10: “Proud Mary” (5m28s)

Tina Turner took us home as we closed out in a circle of Mary as the PAX called out American Hammers, LBCs, side-straddle hops, big boy sit-ups, & a plank to finish.

COT: 7 PAX @Cheese (respect) @Cookies (no wait, he was sleeping) @Da Vinci @Jolly @Katniss @SAGA (Q) @T-Bone (respect) @Tortuga (respect)

Praise for @Da Vinci’s completed book

Moleskin: A reminder again that F3 is for all men and a charge for us to welcome all.

AO MASTODON – 7AM

Beatdown set to the following play list: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhzkvNUIsfkRI8Zohs3c3V2DTCaCJUxc5&feature=share

WOR: repeated The Greatest Show from Tar Pit, although at Mastodon we had intrigued onlookers wondering at the wonder that is us!

THANG 1: “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (5m16s) + “Today” (3m22s)

Wondering together what the “that” was, we felt compelled to mini-murph as we repeated 5 pull-ups / 10 merkins / 15 squats as it bled into Smashing Pumpkins reminding us “today is the greatest day” and closed out the song with a mosey to Hoffa.

THANG 2: “Sixteen Going On Seventeen” (3m9s)

Letting the music lead us: 16 curls into 17 skull crushers on repeat.

THANG 3: “My Favorite Things” + “The Lonely Goatherd” + “A Spoonful of SAGA” + “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (11m+)

Taking the lead from the first song and adding some of the SAGA that makes the medicine go down, we completed a couple redrums! Enjoyed the whimsy of the last song as we moseyed over to the ball diamond.

THANG 4: “Step In Time” (8m43s)

Running the bases we took some time to make our mark on repeat: 1^st = 10 merkins / 2^nd = 20 squats / 3^rd = 30 flutters (the hard way) / Home = 40 LBCs.

THANG 5: “Let’s Go Fly A Kite” (1m54s)

A joyful run back to and up Hoffa where we let our kites fly in the form of some burpees.

THANG 6: “What’s The Buzz” (2m36s)

What’s the buzz? COUPONS! Back down Hoffa to great our coupons and murder bunny out 20 yards, bear crawl back, sprint to the coupons – repeat.

THANG 7: “Look Down” (3m17s)

Returning to the Les Mis inspiration that drew us into Glee Week we played the part of prisoners under SAGA’s guard: 6 grave diggers + 5 blockees + plank for an OYO recovery & repeat through the song.

THANG 8: “One Day More” (3m42s)

If you only had one day more what would you do? Easy, 1 more redrum!

THANG 9: “Glory Days” (4m20s)

Recalling a previous week of song we took this as a call back to the flags where SAGA we paused for a late-beatdown moleskin at the flag to talk about how the symbol has become more complicated in recent years. As I posted it this week in front of my house during the 2^nd-F event I thought about how it might be viewed by some. I am more of a pacifist myself but have a son preparing to sacrifice his life for our country. Let us be mindful of the symbol of freedom that the flag represents (even the kind of freedom that allows someone to dismiss it as a good symbol) and let us be mindful of those who have sacrificed that we might live in this country as we do.

Ran with the flag one lap around the parking lot of the AO to conclude the song,

THANG 10: “Born To Hand JIVE” (4m40s)

Brought back by popular demand because it makes the PAX feel good—closed out with some hand jive Mary: American hammers, crunchy frog, flutters, planks low and high.

COT: 12 PAX @Archive @Bloomer @Crack @Crash (hate) @Da Vinci @8-Track @Jäzz Händz @Jolly @K-Pop (hate) @Minnie (FNG) @SAGA @TBTF

Prayers for @Crack’s friend Chuck in the hospital, @Jäzz Händz friends Brian in the hospital and wife Lauren, @TBTF’s uncle and the loss of an aunt

Glee Week: Footloose Friday Run Club
“He’s a big-city kid in a small town. They said he’d never win. He knew he had to.”

The Footloose Soundtrack carried us through the gloom…

WOR: Mtn. Man Poopers + Mtn. Man Climbers  + Tappy Taps + Quad Stretch

THANG 1: Partner relay sprint up over the bridge and back. 1st PAX sprinted 25 yards while partner counted for 3sec and took off to catch the other and then switched…

THANG 2: Run to the near parking garage and did another partner sprint to the top of the deck and moseyed back down…

THANG 3: Solo sprint up to each of the parking deck landings with a ten-second pause before sprinting to the next level. Moseyed back down…

THANG 4: Ran to the 1st Trust parking garage and did another solo sprint to the top.

THANG 5: Ran back to Ground Zero for a final sprint up to the bridge to conclude.

COT: 11 PAX cut loose through the gloom @Beaker @Cheese (respect) @Crack @Da Vinci @8-Track @Jolly @Panhandle @SAGA (Q) @Shiplap @T-bone (respect) @Toto

Prayers for @Crack‘s friend Chuck in intensive care after surgery, @T-bone‘s M has hit the respect club, @pockets

Moleskin: A reminder that F3 is for all men regardless their background or religion. A call to welcome all.

November Rain Warmorama (Abe Vagodas, Tappy Taps, calfs & quads, arm circles, Michael Phelps)

Alternate exercise at your own discretion during each song. Mandatory AYG up hill when you choose once during each song

If you hear a bad word: 5 Blockees

Push yourself: “The Goldilocks Rule state that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities.” Atomic Habits, 237.s

Song: Welcome to the Jungle

Dollys & Derkins

Song: Nightrain

BBSU & Burpees

Song: Out Ta Get Me

Curls & LBCs

Song: Mr. Brownstone

Overhead Press & Outlaws

Song: Paradise City

Skullcrushers & Scissor kicks

Song: Think About You

Merkens & Mary of your choice

Song: Sweet Child O’ Mine

Burpees & Bonnie Blairs

Moleskin (timed to coincide with end of Welcome to the Jungle)

“Despite his severe misgivings about the faith in which he was raised, crosses dominate not only the UYI-era videos, but his image since then as well. These days he seldom appears on stage without an enormous cross necklace, an accessory which could be dismissed as a fashion statement, were it not accompanied by his outspoken affection for and collection of antique crucifixes. One can only presume that something about the central symbol of Christianity must have stuck with him. Fortune and shame may have eaten Axl alive, judgment and criticism may have dogged him inside and out, but apparently Calvary never lost its attraction. Not even the most toxic of religious upbringings, decadent of worldly indulgences, or protracted of psychological quagmires could strip it of its power.” -David Zahl (The Secret History of William Axl Rose)

Pax present: Jolly, Bloomer, Saga, Beaker, Tortuga, BOGO, Drumline, Ranger Rick, 8 Track, Capn Crunch, Panda Express, Panhandle, T-Bone, Katniss, Da Vincei (Q)

The PAX all gathered in the gloom at a stormy Tar Pit and the Q made the call right after a close lightnin’ strike to drag race over to Mastodon and fight for love in the safety of the SHOP. We completed 45 minutes of a beatdown in 30 minutes while following this musical play list: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF0QWJkDmjU&list=PLHC0tUF-urwa1OjF774nJnV17GSPx1zZS&index=1

WOR: “Grease” slide (3m26s)

Consisted of moving some picnic tables and then circling up in the SHOP and completing Arm Circles, Squats, Merkins, & Mtn. Climbers while doing a slide over to the left every time the word “grease” was sung.

THANG 1: “Summer Nights” (3m37s)

Pressing into the duet: squats when the men sang & merkins when the women sang & burpees when they sang together.

THANG 2: “You’re The One That I Want” (2m58s)

Followed the Q in chest presses, overhead presses and rows. During the chorus we enacted the title of the song by pressing into blockbees.

THANG 3: “Sandy” aka SAGA’s newly named coupon (2m36s) into “Beauty School Dropout” (4m)

With a partner: PAX at bottom of Hoffa did curls while partner ran the hill and did 20 LBCs at the top and ran back to switch – repeated until music was done.

THANG 4: Greased Lightnin’ (3m14s)

Got those engines up on the blocks and ready for the drag race. Partner farmer carried the coupons away from Hoffa to the path and back while the other PAX did burpees. Drag raced on repeat until the song finished.

THANG 5: “Rock N’ Roll Is Here To Stay” (2m3s)

Some say rock n’ roll is of the devil. Some say redrum is of the devil. Some say SAGA is the devil. 1 redrum was completed up Hoffa and back.

THANG 6: “Hound Dog” (1m25s)

Hungry for the coupon, we pressed into this song and a tribute to the things we love: MABA & the Arms Race. PAX were encourage to give it all they had for this burst of a beatdown: 2 Blockbees + 5 Curls on repeat until the song was done.

THANG 7: “Born To Hand Jive” (4m+) aka Mary

Adding some flair with jiving hands we followed the Q through American Hammers, Crunchy Frogs, Flutter Kicks with hands raised and jiving, Plank, Merkins, Shoulder Taps with a hand jive, Plank in a down merkin position

CoR/NoR/Cot: 12 PAX in attendance: @Big Mac @Bloomer @Cookies @Crack @Da Vinci @8-track @Jolly @Katniss @Panhandle @Milkduds (respect) @SAGA (Q) @T-Bone (no wait he didn’t make it – losing some respect) @Tortuga (respect)

Prayers for @Jolly’s M and her mentoring opportunity beginning tomorrow, @Da Vinci’s book, @Milkduds’ 2.0

MOLESKIN: Don’t forget to have fun in the storms of life. There is always the possibility of heading to another space and still engaging in a beatdown!

It was a humid but not too hot July morning. 7 PAX gathered for a morning run. Most ran about 4.5 miles around the big loop from Ground Zero to Mastodon and Back to ground zero.

PAX: Shiplap, Banks, DaVinci, Pockets, Beaker, Panhandle, Saga

As YHC planned the beatdown last night I felt anxious and lost: I had pre-blasted “No coupons needed”, but had never led a workout without coupons. I frantically brainstormed other heavy objects to fill the void. After a few minutes, the Watermelon Olympics was born. And a trip to the grocery store followed.

NOR: 14 PAX rolled into AO Mastodon at 5:30 AM for the sweet, seedless taste of olympic glory. Shiplap, Beaker, T-Bone (respect), SAGA, Big Mac, BOGO, Panda Express, Bloomer, Yankee, F-N-G (later ‘Boilermaker’), Webelos, Sparrow, Jailbreak, Katniss (Q).

WOR: 15 merkins IC, 10 Abe Vigotas IC, and a special musical exercise routine set to Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar”. Anytime he sings a fruit (Strawberry, Watermelon) = merkin; Anytime he sings “high” = starjump. All other spots in the song = side straddle hop.

The Watermelon Olympics:
• PAX split up into two groups
• Each group received a large seeded watermelon to complete events with
• The Olympics would be composed of 4-5 events (depending on time)
• If any team breaks open their watermelon, they must swap it for a coupon for rest of workout
• The team with the most points from events at workout-end can feast on a SEEDLESS watermelon Q had stashed in the car.

Event 1: The watermelon mile
Each team runs a mile for time. The top three members of each team get their times recorded. But, one of those times must be a runner finishing with the watermelon. The watermelon can be handed off however team wants, but one runner must finish with it. The team whose three times added together is LESS = winner.

Event 2: The watermelon inch worm
Each team lines up single file line at base of Hoffa. The front man does 10 watermelon thrusters while men behind him plank. When front man completes thrusters, he does three “murder melons” (murder bunnies with water melon) and then runs to the back of the line while the men behind advance to his new higher position via bear crawl and a new man assumes front/thrusters. First team to the top = winner.

It was at this point that Team 1’s Sparrow BROKE THEIR WATERMELON WIDE OPEN. They substituted for a coupon for duration of the workout. Shame shame.

Event 3: Watermelon crawl
Each team bear crawls around Hoffa. Before all members finish they must complete 100 total burpees as a team. The watermelon must finish too. Whoever has the melon should “murder melon”. First team to the end wins. (We modified this to first man with watermelon wins and cut the distance by 25% to end at monkey bars)

Event 4: Melon Mary
Each team forms a circle. All men sit on their six and perform a mary exercise of their choice except the man holding the melon, who must do 20 Watermelon American Hammers and then pass to the next PAX. The team with the most cycles around their circle wins when time is called.

Event 5: Watermelon Curls (did not do due to time)
Each team forms a single file line. All PAX do burpees except a single PAX who must complete 20 watermelon curls and then pass to the next PAX. First team to pass the watermelon all the way down their line is winner.

COT: We named our new F-N-G “Boilermaker” due to his love for the University of Illinois (Purdue = arch nemesis). Welcome Boilermaker! We prayed for serenity, patience and direction for SAGA as he shoulders many burdens, Big Mac and M as they wrestle with the sheer parenthood challenge of being outnumbered by 2.0s, Webelos neighbor who had a recent debilitating injury and gave praise to all our PAX for health and motivation.

It was a beautiful summer day at AO Mastodon and 20 fateful PAX( Babysitter, Banks, Beaker, Big Mac, BOGO, DaVinci, Drumline, FNG- Fireballs, Jolly, Katniss, Panda Express, Panhandle, Saga, Shiplap, Sparrow, T-Bone, TBTF, Tortuga, Whittler, Yankee) showed up for what was promised to be a hard workout. YHC decided it was time to put the PAX through the ringer and put a few teams together to push all of us forward and get stronger together.

Warm-O-Rama: The Usual

• 7x Motivators
• 15x Windmills IC
• 15x Mountain Man Poopers IC
• 15x Merkins IC

Thang 1: Route 121

The PAX counted off into teams of 3 and lined up to complete a route 121 stopping at each light pole counting up from 1 burpee to 11 burpees and back down. The first team complete each earned a much coveted point to add to their totals. A wrinkle that was thrown into this evolution was that each team had a sandbag and they not only had to complete the reps at each light pole for each PAX, but also complete the reps for the sandbag. No team could move forward to the next light pole until all reps were completed for each PAX plus the sandbag. Team 1 won

Thang 2: Sprint to Hoffa

The PAX lined up and sprinted to Hoffa carrying their sandbag. The last place team received a 20 second head start over all teams, then the 2nd to last place team received a 10 second head start to sprint to Hoffa. Once all PAX were on top of Hoffa, they were required to complete 10 Mucho-Leggos for each PAX. Team 2 won and won a much coveted point.

Thang 3: Partner Races

At this point, we broke up into teams of 2 and completed races up Hoffa. Each team completed 20 Merkins, 20 BBS, and 20 Star Jumps and then sprinted to the top of Hoffa (All reps could be shared). The top 3 teams each received a point, and then added 4 reps to each of the exercises for the next round. This continued for 3 rounds since time ran out.

At the end of the day 3 brave PAX tied for the lead with 3 points each – Jolly, Shiplap, and Big Mac. All of the other PAX were very envious of these accomplishments, but all were glad to be done with the days’ beatdown

COR/NOR/COT:

Thankful for the group of PAX, and YHC is always amazed at how we all push each other to be better and do more than we ever thought imaginable.