9.3.20 — The Good Form Q

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.

8.17.20 — Killer Bags

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:

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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!

06.30.2020 – Restrictor Plate Racing

It was another humid day at the AO, but 6 PAX (Archive, Captain Crunch, TBTF, Banks, Katniss, Gummibear) showed up for the beatdown. YHC promised to try something more creative than usual and hopefully didn’t disappoint.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • 7x Motivators
  • 15x Tin Soldiers

The Thang:

The PAX broke up into 3 teams – Archive & Captain Crunch aka Caphive, Gummibear and Katniss aka Gumminiss, and Banks & TBTF aka Bantf. Each PAX was responsible for the following reps, but the team could split them up however they would like:

  • 5x Burpees
  • 10x BBS
  • 15x Coupon Curls
  • 20x Merkins
  • 25x Squats

After the reps were complete, the PAX needed to run to the top of Hoffa, first full team to the top won that round. After each round, one PAX on the winning team would progress to increasingly harder reps.

First set of restrictor plates:

  • 5x Blockees
  • 10x Coupon Sit Ups
  • 15x Double Coupon Curls
  • 20x Hand Release Merkins
  • 25x Coupon Squats

Second set of restrictor plates:

  • 5x Sandees (Burpee with a Sandbag)
  • 10x Sandbag Sit Ups
  • 15x Double Coupon Curls
  • 20x Hand Release Merkins
  • 25x Sandbag Squats

The results:

  • Round 1 went to Caphive, they added the first restrictor plates for 1 PAX
  • Round 2 went to Bantf, they added the first restrictor plates for 1 PAX
  • Round 3 went to Gumminiss, they added the first restrictor plates for 1 PAX
  • Round 4 went to Caphive, they added the first restrictor plates for both PAX
  • Round 5 went to Gumminiss, they added the first restrictor plates for both PAX
  • Round 6 went to Gumminiss, they added the second restrictor plates for 1 PAX
  • Round 7 went to Bantf, they added the first restrictor plates for both PAX
  • Round 8 went to Caphive to finish it off

Final Score: Gumminiss – 3, Caphive – 3, Bantf – 3

After all PAX were sufficiently gassed, we put everything back and circled up around the flag.

COR/NOR/COT

Prayers for safe travels for us all this summer as we venture off into the world and that we all keep things in perspective and don’t let the news in the world today get us down. Great job today men!

6.15.2020 – Ruck Day

It was another beautiful day at AO Mastodon, even if it was a bit chilly to start out with. 5 faithful PAX (Noodles, Captain Crunch, Shiplap, Archive, and Banks) showed up to see if YHC would continue the recent escalations in rep counts, or if we would return to more of a normal routine.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • 5x Motivators
  • 15x Tin Soldiers
  • 15x Mountain Man Poopers

The Thang:

  • We started off with a Merkin Mile: 25 Merkins 4x as we rucked around the perimeter of the AO
  • Next we did some Catch Me If You Can (5x Burpees and then run to catch the group) as we rucked around the interior loop
  • We finished at Hoffa and ran the hill twice and completed the following exercises:
    • 25x Ruck High Pull
    • 25x Ruck Squat Thruster
    • 25x Ruck Swing
    • 25x Ruck Overhead Press
  • We then headed back to the flag and completed 25x American Hammers

COR/NOR/COT:

Prayers for a good upcoming week and motivation in our daily lives as we work from home. Also prayers for those making decisions to look to the long term and not be short sited with all of the COVID noise going on.

05.23.2020 – Bridges are Hot Lava

It was a beautiful day at the AO, and finally the warm weather is arriving in Wheaton. 4 PAX showed up for this mornings beat down, including the triumphant return of TBTF! (Archive, Katniss, TBTF, Banks) After the workouts have been amped up recently, YHC felt it was necessary to keep the pain train coming.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • 7x Motivators
  • 15x Tin Soldiers

The Thang:

We took a tour of AO Mastodon, but added a wrinkle that all bridges had to be crossed without using your feet. Most PAX chose Balls to the Wall to cross, but Katniss did get creative on bridge #4 and try crossing on top of the railing. Due to this wrinkle, we deemed the bridges “Hot Lava”, and thus the workout had a name!

  • We started with Route 121. Starting at a lamppost, do 1 burpee and then mosey to the next lamppost. Continue this and increase burpees up to 11, and then work your way back down to 1.
  • We then moseyed to the Dan Taylor stretch and completed Dan Taylors up to 8: 1 Squat:4 Lunges, 2 Squats:8 Lunges,…., 8 Squats:32 Lunges
  • Next we moseyed back to the trail and completed a set of 11’s. 1 Merkin: 10 Star Jumps (For Katniss), 2 Merkins:9 Star Jumps,…, 10 Merkins: 1 Star Jump
  • Then we moseyed back to the start and completed 4 rounds of Monkey Humpers

6 MOM:

For Mary, we went around the circle and had each PAX call an exercise of their choosing:

  • 15x Gas Pumps IC
  • 25x LBC’s
  • 25x American Hammer IC
  • 25x Oblique LBC’s IC, 2x one for each side

COR/NOR/COT:

Prayers for all of those who could not be there with us. Continued prayers as things begin to open to make the right decisions for our families and help us ease back into work, etc. and help us to find our new routines. Prayers and praise for E-learning coming to an end.

Moleskin:

Today’s workout was hard, and not something that I would ever complete on my own without the other PAX there to push me. We have all gotten a little soft, both physically and mentally. It is good to get out there and push past our comfort zones and prove to ourselves we can do it. Putting the time in and pushing through the pain makes everything else we have to tackle in our everyday lives seem that much more doable. Keep your heads up men and keep moving forward. If you aren’t able to join us at the AO, keep pushing yourselves on your own until the world returns to a little more normality. Thankful for this group and the structure and change of pace it provides in our otherwise crazy lives.

3.2.20 — Too Much of a Good Thing

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

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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.

2.29.2020 – Leap Day Festivities

It was another sunny, but cold start at AO Mastodon. With Noodles having to man the home front, YHC had to step up and come up with a Q to do both Noodles and Leap Day Proud. Six faithful PAX (Archive, Captain Crunch, Katniss, Shiplap, TBTF, Banks) showed up for a morning that was no longer gloomy!

Warm-O-Rama:

With it being leap day and all, YHC wanted to make sure all PAX were properly loosened up for what was for sure to be a jumping adventure!

  • 7x Motivators
  • 15x Tin Soldiers IC
  • 15x Mountain Man Poopers IC
  • 25x Calf Raises IC
  • 25x Squats
  • 15x Merkins IC

Thang #1:

We started off jogging the Archive mile and made multiple stops along the way.

  • Stop 1 – 10x Pull ups
  • Stop 2 – 25x Frog Jumps
  • Stop 3 – 10x Bropees (Burpee, but give a high five at the top!)
  • Stop 4 – 25x Squat Jacks
  • Stop 5 – 10x Power Hand Release Merkin (Merkin pushing your upper body off the ground as high as possible)
  • Stop 6 – Chilly Broad Jumps (PAX Plank while other PAX broad jump over them Indian Run style)
  • Stop 7 – 10x Pull ups
  • Stop 8 – Broad Jump Burpees (Went from 1 light post to the next)
  • Stop 9 – 15x Star Jumps
  • Stop 10 – 10x Pop up Merkins (Power Merkin pushing up to get hands and feet off the ground at the same time)
  • Stop 11 – Coupons
    • 25x overhead press jacks (Jumping Jack lifting coupon overhead each time)
    • Bolt 45’s

Thang #2: The Race

The PAX broke up into 2 teams, one of 3, one of 2 and performed leap frog’s across the tennis courts, completed a total of 25 Crunchy Frog and 25 Merkins Per PAX, and then leap frogged back to the start. The intention was to race multiple times, but the first one was so exhausting YHC called an audible and started a round robin Q

Thang #3: Round Robin Q

I know I am going to forget something here, but this is what I recall:

  • 7x Welsh Dragons
  • 25x Pickle Pointers
  • 15x W Situps
  • 25x Bicycles IC
  • 15x BBS
  • 15x LBC
  • 1 Round Guantanamo
  • 100 100’s
  • 7,000 J Lo’s (Captain Crunch is a beast on these, I vote we change the name… I honestly blacked out somewhere in here)
  • 25x Superman Raises
  • 100 Mountain Climbers in low plank

COR/NOR/COT:

It was a great Leap Day, and the group agreed that Noodles would approve. Prayers for Noodles and his family, Praise for Archive’s good news, and prayers for all of those who could not be with us.

2.8.20 – 5 Alive Returns!

It was another beautiful day at AO Mastodon, and 9 faithful PAX (Archive, Captain Crunch, Noodles, Hotbox, TBTF, Shiplap, Katniss, Jazz Hands, Banks) came out for what promised to be a beatdown not soon to be forgotten! It had been a while since 5 Alive resurrected itself, so YHC thought there was no better time than to feel alive than on a snow covered February morning!

Warm-O-Rama:

  • 7x Motivators
  • 15x Tin Soldiers
  • 15x Mountain Man Poopers
  • 10x Merkins IC

Thang 1: 5 Alive!

  • Run the short mile stopping at each lamp post until the Thang is complete
  • 1st Lamp – 1 Burpee
  • 2nd Lamp – 2 Burpees – this progresses up to the 5th lamp post and doing 5 Burpees
  • 6th Lamp – 5 Burpees, 1 Merkin – The Merkins increase by 1 until the 10th lamp post
  • 11th Lamp – 5 Burpees, 5 Merkins, 1 Star Jump – The Star Jumps Increase until the 15th lamp post
  • 16th Lamp – 5 Burpees, 5 Merkins, 5 Star Jump, 1 Dive Bomber – The Dive Bombers increase until the 20th lamp post
  • 21st Lamp – 5 Burpees, 5 Merkins, 5 Star Jumps, 5 Dive Bombers, 1 Squat – The Squats increase until the 25th lamp post
  • 25th Lamp – The routine culminates with 5 Burpees, 5 Merkins, 5 Star Jumps, 5 Dive Bombers, and 5 Squats
  • From there, run the rest of the mile to the C.O.O.T.I.E.S.

For those of you counting at home, that adds up to the following:

  • 115 Burpees
  • 90 Merkins
  • 65 Star Jumps
  • 40 Dive Bombers
  • 15 Squats

Thang 2: A Little Competition

The PAX split into 2 teams at 4 stations and completed the following, each PAX would complete 5 of the exercise at their station and then sprint to tag their team mate at the next station. We completed 2 rounds of each PAX completing all stations. The stations were:

  • 5x Pullups
  • 5x Dips
  • 5x Merkins
  • Sprint up the hill and down the slide to the finish!

4 MOM:

  • 50x Flutter Kicks IC
  • 25x each side oblique crunches IC
  • Boat/Canoe

COR/NOR/COT:

The lesson behind today’s workout is when you put your mind to something and focus you can do it. This was exhibited today through “I can do 5 of anything”, but this can be applied to everyday life when you keep moving forward and don’t quit! Prayers for health for Hotbox and Archive and for Jazz Hands to restore a little bit of normalcy to their lives. Great job today HIMs!

2.6.20 – Slowest Bank Heist Ever

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!

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1.20.20 — Rucking and More Rucking

A balmy (positive single digits) MLK Day saw 6 PAX (Archive, Banks, Ship Lap, TBTF, Gummi Bear, Capn Crunch) looking for a good scenic hike. A nice 3 mile loop through Lincoln Marsh and back to the AO was selected and they were off.

The weekend snow had frozen hard so ankles we’re looked after, opting to keep the heavy shuffle portions to the first and last miles where pavement was plentiful. The scenic middle mile had lots of crunchy, lumpy snow (our fate for the foreseeable future). Solid mile times meant getting 3 miles in 40 minutes, arriving back at the AO just in time after a slightly delayed start. Good conversation and good exercise in the same heavy breath.

Prayers for a good start to the week, good time at home, health and intentionality as we get into the groove for the year.

But wait, there’s more!

Archive, TBTF and Crunch saw everyone off and then set off on an EC ruck on loop #2, heading on a wide perimeter around the outside of the park to Main St., Cole, Morse, and then back in. The way was treacherous and lumpy most of the time so we made slow progress and cancelled the planned mini ruck PT session in favor of a prompt return to breakfast with family.