Tag: Bloomer

Musical Bears: a 1950’s beatdown

by Sparrow

Ode to a decade when cars were fast, rock was king, and a slide ruler was a calculator. 

Musical Bears made its debut.

Shredtember Day 2

WOR:

50 Side Straddle Hops

Butterfly stretches. Arms Circles. Toe touches.

Rock Around the clock.

Clock merkins, 1 per hour, forward and back. (24 merkins)

Clock Burpees, 1 per hour, forward, and if you can make it, back.

Jailhouse rock

Any combination of Grave diggers, Kettle bell swings, and bent over rows

The Twist

Any combination of American hammers, Block weighted American hammers, and the twist dance move.

Musical Bears

(Workout, Crawl, Find a spot)

Setup: Arrange coupons in a tight circle, 1 per pax. Remove 1 coupon and pax from the circle and move them to the center of the circle. 

Action: Call out an exercise (i.e. big boy situps to 50) everyone in the circle begins the exercise. Whenever the first Pax gets to 50, he begins to bear crawl around the outside of the circle clockwise. The pax who was in the middle of the circle immediately jumps out to fill in the open spot vacated by the first PAX. This means that now there is one spot too few, like musical chairs. After the first PAX completes a full trip around the circle, he looks for an open spot to land (signified by an unoccupied coupon). 

Finish: As each PAX finishes the rep count, he begins to bear crawl clockwise around the circle. Everyone must go their original spot, or if it is occupied, past it until they find a new spot. The last PAX will not be able to find a spot. He ends up in the middle of the circle. It’s his job to call out the next exercise, with either 25 or 50 reps.


We did a lot of rounds of Musical Bears. Most Pax agreed that this workout was harder than expected.

Sparrow, Panhandle, Davinci, Aloha, Wet burrito, Bad Debt, Bloomer, 8-Track, BOGO, Panda Express, Big Mac, Beaker, Saga, Jolly, Crack, Banks, Cookies, Cheese, Tortuga, Y2K, Katniss, Gummi Bear

7.27.21 – HAMILTON: the beatdown. Glee Week Day 2

by Sparrow

A traditional beatdown, based on a 245 year old tradition called “America”.

Disclaimer: If you eat cinderblock today, that’s on you. I told you not to hold it above your mouth. 

WOR: National Aerobic championship theme. About 50 Side Straddle Hops, along with Mountain Man Poopers, Block Kicks, Side Lunges, Arm Circles.

Hamilton 1:The ten duel commandments

Repeat each exercise until they song names the next number.

  1. Squat Thrusters
  2. Grave Diggers 
  3. Goblet Squats
  4. Kettle Bell Swings
  5. Scull Crushers
  6. Rows
  7. Thrusters
  8. Curls
  9. Coupon Lunge

Hamilton 2 – M.O.N.K.E.Y- My SHot

Comparable to the basketball game HORSE, but on the Monkey Bars. Done to the tune of “My Shot” from Hamilton.

You and a partner spread out around the playground. Weaker PAX issues the first challenge, i.e. “traverse this section of monkey bars backwards without touching the ground.” 

If the challenger succeeds and the second pax fails, he gets the letter M, and so on until one pax spells MONK or MONKEY and the game is over. Loser does burpees until the other pax finish. 

(Note, we played this game for quite a while, since PAX were evenly matched and the challenges kept coming.)

Do-Re-Mi

Once one of each, anytime Julie Andrews says it. 

Do – Burpee

Re – Starjump

Mi – Squat

Fa – Bonnie Blaire 

Sol – D Bombers

La – Bird dog

Ti – Mtn Climbers

Do – Burpee

I think She sings these words at least 10 times. Near the end of the song, it got pretty absurd.

HAMILTON 3 – You’ll Be back

Divide into two groups. The “American Colonies” group runs while “The British Empire” group does burpees. It’s up to the revolutionaries to decide if or when they return and let the British stop burpeeing and run. The only required parameter is that the Americans be back before the 3.5 minute song is over.

In a brilliant twist of genius, Benedict Arnold Saga reset the song, thereby giving 1.5 minutes of Burpees to the Americans. This is what games were made for.

Moleskin: Say no to dueling.

COT
NOR

Welcome 8 Track.

6.24.21 — The Usual Suspects

by f3captcrunch

As a beautiful sunrise lit up the clouds over MASTODON, 14 PAX (Archive, Aloha, Jolly, Sparrow, Whittler, BOGO, Jailbreak, Cookies, Bloomer, Banks, Beaker, Katniss, Captain Crunch) wandered their way into some pleasant weather and some odd muscle groups.

Warm-o-rama

Motivators IC x 7
Mountain Man Poopers IC x 15
Abe Vigoda IC x 7
Michael Phelps OYO

Squat Form (90 or bust!)

40 Certified Squats – no one goes up until everyone is at 90

MOM-E:

5 Bonnie Blairs (each side)
5 Derkins
5 Dips
Plank for remainder
(then 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then descend back to 5)

Work Like an Animal

Around the BASE of Hoffa – Bear Crawl 1st half / Crab Walk 2nd half
Dutch Skate while the fireman watches on
Broad Jump(Frog) / Duck Walk to the parking lot

6MOM

Curb Stomp your partner
Crunchy Frogs (aka Dutch Bazookas) IC x 40

COR/NOR/COT: prayers for traveling PAX — praise for DBC’s safe return — for Archive’s return to the Gloom — for our eyes to see and our ears to hear those who need us this week.

Sparrow’s Intro to Old Testament

by Sparrow

This workout was designed so that someday, somewhere, a man would make an intelligent comment about the Old Testament, and get some raised eyebrows from those around him. “How would you know anything about that?” they ask incredulously. “Well, you see, I one time did this workout…

“Motivators”, which were actually side straddle hops.
Tap-y-Taps.
Calf stretches.
Mountain man poopers
etc.

The Creation of the Universe


1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.


Hold Superman like you’re hovering over the face of the waters.
Progress to Al Gore
God makes man: Man Makers X 10

The Garden of Eden

Calf raises around the garden. Eye to eye with your fellow PAX, enjoying relationship and a non-stressful exercise. Pass an apple from PAX to PAX until somebody succumbs to temptation and bites the apple.

The Fall of Man

Saga bites the apple. All hell breaks loose. 10 burpees.

Noah’s Flood

Pax pair up and complete 100 merkins and 100 squats together, then choose an animal and do that crawl up the hill, two-by-two. Circle up at the top of the hill to form an ark, then do flutter kicks and leg raises. The ark lands on Mt. Ararat.

The Tower of Babel

“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, … And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower… and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” PAX TOWER/Human Pyramid.

Call of Abraham

God calls Abraham to leave his home. Abraham follows God. Abraham believes God’s promise even though in his own lifetime he didn’t see all of it fulfilled. The promise was true, and Abraham became a mighty nation. AMRAP Big boy situps 2 Minutes.


We give Isaac a miss.

Jacob and Esau

Jacob grasped the heal, we do one set of pull ups, your personal max. God renamed Jacob into “Israel” Jacob had 12 sons, who became the 12 tribes of israel. One of them was Joseph.

Joseph and the Coat of many Colors

Chest presses while we learned that Joseph was enslaved by his brothers. God had a plan for Joseph to be the leader of Egypt, a savior of his people, and the training ground for all of that was slavery and prison. Joseph saved his family by storing up grain before the entire world got hit by a famine.

Slavery in Egypt

Joseph’s family (Israel and his sons) were saved by traveling to Egypt and getting fed, but eventually things took a turn for the worse. Pharaoh enslaved the Jews. They spent their time making bricks. The PAX did 20 grave diggers, then a rifle carry up hoffa.

Exodus: Let my people go

God gives Moses a special upbringing and leadership training, and then tells him to go talk to Pharaoh. Moses complains, but it turns out God was right. Moses tells Pharaoh that God says “let my people go.” During the 10 plagues, God told his people to paint their doorways with the blood of a lamb, so that the angel of death would pass over their house. That sounds strange, but Christians also believe that the blood of Jesus is also able to spare us from death. PAX do squat thrusters reminiscent of painting an overhead doorway.
After 10 plagues and the death of his son, Pharaoh lets them go.

10 commandments

God gives Moses the 10 commandments while they are in the desert. Pax do 10 block merkins (later in the workout).

Wandering in the wilderness

God’s people make it right up to the edge of the promised land, but they refused to obey God and go into it, so he told them they could wander for a while (40 years) while they thought about it. PAX go for a fast jog (a fog) with an emphasis on picking up the 6, which creates the sensation of wandering.

Promised Land

PAX enter the promised land and enjoy some much needed rest.

moleskin

The Old Testament is a beautifully written collection of history, poetry and prophecy. It tells the story of a God who desires relationship with us. If you find yourself asking “Why God?”, read the Old Testament and ask yourself “Why People?” People do some silly things, and God keeps moving towards us in relationship.

COT. Prayers.

KUBB with 28

by Tortuga

Backblast

AO Mastodon, 5/18/21, 5:30AM

Twenty-eight PAX posted for a friendly beatdown this beautiful morning.  After a quick WOR of 5 count motivators, OYO arm circles and Michael Phelps, and 10 copperhead merkins IC, we moseyed over to Dan Taylor alley for Thang One.

Thang One: KUBB 1

With way more men than I anticipated, I made some modifications to my plan as we moseyed to Dan Taylor. KUBB was set up between two soccer goals. Men partnered up. I sent seven pairs to one side of the pitch and seven to the other side. In each partnership, one HIM ran around a marked route while the other earned tosses and tossing.  A toss was earned with 30 merkins, 30 lunges, or 30 squats. When a team knocked a block down, the PAX present on that team ran a short lap around their soccer goal before continuing. When the runner of the pair returned, partners switched roles.

Instead of tossing a baton at the blocks, PAX could choose to take a frisbee and attempt to hit a set target. A successful hit resulted in a free block knock down. 

Once a team knocked down all the blocks they did ten burpees before attempting the king.

Team 1 was victorious in round one.

Thang Two: KUBB 2

Same as round one with shorter running route, 15 reps each: hand release merkins, Bonnie Blairs, jump squats.

Team 2 won this round.

Mary/ tie breaker

Back at the flags teams circled up for a plank-off to determine the winner. After a few minutes of planking, merkins were mixed in.  With six or seven PAX left we went to plank with arms bent to 90 degrees.  It came down to Waterboy and BigMac with Waterboy pulling off the win. Go team 2!

NOR: Gummi Bear, Wet Burrito, Doublemint, Panda Express, Ralphie, Achtung, BOGO, Captain Crunch, Shiplap, Saga, Binford, T-Bone (respect), Hot Box, Cookies, Cheese (respect), Bloomer, Panhandle, Jolly, Crack, Sparrow, Getaway, BigMac, DaVinci, Waterboy, Watson (respect, respect, FNG), Beaker, Heist (FNG), Tortuga Q

COT: Prayers for Crack’s M with a doctor’s appointment for a long term problem on Friday, Crack’s family as K-Pop graduates, his oldest comes back home from her internship, and all the changes coming their way, Tortuga and his M go to a new psychologist this Friday for some intensive therapy for her anxiety.

Praise for bodies that work and men to push us on.

3.20.21 — The Vanilla* Spartan

by f3captcrunch

In the early dawn 12 PAX (Banks, Jolly, Panhandle, DaVinci, HotBox, Katniss, Beaker, Bloomer, Saga, Gummi Bear, Tortuga, Capn Crunch(QIC)) found themselves at a frost covered TAR PIT where YHC was eager to start the clock. After a quick warm-up of usual exercises, and some mumbled comments about leg-work. They shouldered the available sandbags and ruck (120/65/65/30, respectively) and did a recon mosey of the south football field, ultimately deciding to make due with the IronPAX field despite its tarp cover.

Having attempted a full Spartan at the Mastodon without success on multiple occasions, the Q had his eye set on the full 30 rounds today, with ample time available if they didn’t mess around. He had full faith in the PAX.

Warm-o-Rama:

  • Motivators x 7
  • Mountain Man Poopers IC x 10
  • Abe Vigodas IC x 10
  • Sandbag recon mosey

The Spartan:

Having attempted something like a Spartan a few times, always with heavy modification, this would be the first time the F3-Wheaton crowd had done it vanilla (i.e., flat ground, 100 yards, no coupons), and the routine was new to many of the PAX. Thankfully it was incredibly easy to explain. But that didn’t stop the Q from failing to fill in all the details, opting instead to start the PAX off with just the first third having been verbalized.

Rounds 1-10: The Time Hack

  • Run 100 yards, 10 Merkins, mosey back, EMOM — This was vanilla enough. However, our mosey was timed, and an aggressive benchmark of EMOM Spartans was thrown down by the Q, while still waiting for the return of the 6 before starting each round. We were close, but averaged about 1min 12 seconds overall, for a 12 minute finish time on this third. The Q decided a quicker pace was needed to ensure victory.

Rounds 11-20: The Millennial Mosey

  • Run 100 yards, 10 Merkins, 30 LBCs(Millennial style) — To shorten the cycle time without killing the 6, we dropped the mosey, and instead “rested” for the length of time it took for the first PAX to reach 30 LBCs. At that point all PAX jumped to the line for the next run.

Rounds 21-30: No Bag Left Behind

  • Run 100 yards, 10 Merkins, mosey back (+sandbags) —With the time gained by the Millennial cheat on the middle third, we had 20 minutes left in the Q to finish the final 10 rounds. We could afford an actual mosey. The group was fairly close together on pace, so the Q explained that the sandbags were there in case someone was too far ahead of the group and needed more resistance in their workout. The PAX took this as an invitation and for most of the remaining rounds all bags were shouldered for the first half of the run (dropping them at the 50 yard and finishing the sprint).

Finishing with a few minutes left on the clock, they rounded out with some Mary, and appreciated just how much hip-flexors are involved in our favorite “ab” exercises.

3MoM:

  • Ol’ Ironsides: (Boat/Canoe + American Hammer IC x 10) x 2
  • Oblique LBCs — Right IC x 10, Left IC x 10
  • LBCs IC x 10

MOLESKIN: Break your tasks into small chunks and keep chipping away. Achieve what you set out to do.

COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for Jazz Hands’ friends Bryan and Lauren — Wisdom for Hot Box and M as they seek to navigate family conversations — For Tortuga’s M and Saga’s M — for all the brothers, that they would lean into life / work / family as well as they do their workouts, and that we would both have and give support in those spheres.

Glad to hang with the TAR PIT boys after a long time away, seeing faces old and new and appreciating just how much is going on across F3 Wheaton in a given week. Not captured on film, but seared in my memory of this morning: The glory of Gummi Bear’s tireless flying across a field of frosted grass yards ahead of the pack. DaVinci’s dogged grip on his bag for the full 100 yards plus the merkins and the return. Bloomer cleaning 120 pounds just like everyone imagines themselves doing in the moment before their first attempt.

The TAR PIT HIMs and their weight
Post-Spartan Mood

SuperDora 02/23/2021 @ AO MASTODON

by backblasts

Knowing that it has been cold lately and there is a LOT of snow and ice on the ground that will be in various states of melting due to the warmer temperatures, the challenge was to create a workout that left the PAX warm and not too wet for coffeeteria. It turns out that the snow was not melty, but instead was packed down firmly with a nice crust on top.

YHC has always been a fan of the Dora, but the Exicon came up short while planning this workout so a new Dora was born, the SUPERDORA. Answering the new challenge were many of the stalwart HIMs: Big Mac, Bloomer, Cookies, Da Vinci, Hotbox, Jolly, Katniss, Panhandle, Saga, Shiplap, TBTF, T-bone (first RESPECT workout!), Tortuga.

Warmorama was a simple classic to get the blood pumping: motivators, goofballs, and a quick lap of high knees around the parking lot while the Q explained the beatdown.

Queue the SuperDora:

Instead of pairs, the entire PAX was challenged to complete exercise reps with interspersed bursts of cardio. (up to 4 exercises between cardio, the PAX chose various strategies)

Cardio options were: run up or down Hoffa, Run to the cooties/SHOP or back (convenient if targeting one of the exercises that are executed there), 15 Burpees, 25 Star Jumps, 30 Mountain climbers

Exercise rep targets were determined by number of PAX to show. The Q failed at math and targeted about 2000 reps per PAX to spread around. It should have been half of that. The board was prepared with 72 marks per exercise group, each mark originally representing 75 reps which the Q revised to 60 reps, it really should have been 30 reps per mark.

Categories and exercises available per type:

4320 – Chest/shoulders: Derkins, Chest press, Picnic table press

4320 – Back/shoulders: Bent over coupon rows, Inverted rows, Pull ups

4320 – Mary: Leg raises, American Hammers, jumping crunches or imperial walkers

4320 – Legs: Weighted squats, Calf raises (4 = 1), Pistol squats

4320 – More: Kettlebell swings, Coupon Curls, Rifle carry (4 paces = 1)

There was a bit of confusion at the beginning, but the PAX quickly figured out their strategies and started their exercises. After a few minutes YHC noticed it was rather quiet, the grunts of hard work and an odd picnic table being dropped were about all that broke the silence. Thankfully Shiplap had already taken matters into his own hands and came back from his rifle carry to the car with Jock Jams pulsing, this clearly invigorated the PAX and they picked up the pace.

Nonetheless, the absurd number of reps planned were not coming off of the board fast enough and ⅔ of the way through the beatdown the Q called “double credit” and each set of 60 reps took 2 marks from the board. Alas, it was too little, too late and we ran out of time with quite a few marks on the board. At least we didn’t run out of exercises before the end of our time.

1.16.2021 – Catch One, Catch All (C.O.C.A)

by backblasts

Welcome to F3

Our 3 Fs are: Fitness, Fellowship & Faith

5 Core Principles:

  • Free of Charge
  • Open to all men
  • Held outdoor, rain or shine, heat or cold
  • Led by men in a rotating fashion
  • End with a Circle of Trust

I am not a professional. I have no knowledge of any injuries. You are here at your own risk. Know your body, know your limits. Be safe and modify as needed.

On this beautiful Saturday morning. I decided to have 15 PAX relive their childhood by focusing on a game that most are familiar with, Catch One, Catch All. I couldn’t just have PAX running around the entire hour so I made sure that PAX got in plenty of Burpees.

WoR: Good mornings IC x25, Center/Right/Left stretch x 25 count, SSH x8

Thang 1: C.O.C.A.

My version of a Baton March. The PAX in front of the line sets steady pace. The PAX at the end of the line drops off and performs Burpees x10. That PAX then moseys back to catch up to the last PAX in line. Both PAX then drop off and perform burpees x10 IC. Rinse and repeat until PAX in front of line is caught. PAX that was last to get caught then drops to back of the line to begin again with Burpees. Rinse and repeat.

PAX completed 2 Rounds around AO Mastodon and surrounding neighborhood since I forgot to set some parameters. Even a seasoned Q has a brain fart. @Archive made sure to run with all this freedom!

Thang 2: Burpees and Sprints

PAX lined up one opposite ends at the bottom of Hoffa. PAX to sprint/mosey to opposite end and perform Burpees x10. AMRAP for time.

MoM: Plank for time. @Archive, @Captain Crunch and @Wet Burrito were the three to survive until time was called. LBCs x25 IC, Alternating Cockroaches x25 – Dying cockroach position, knees slightly tucked inward, arms in front of chest. IC count, one arm reach back towards head, back to start position, alternate to opposite arm.

NoR: @Hotbox, @Sparrow, @Captain Crunch, @K-pop, @Crash, @Crack, @Archive, @Jazz Hands, @Cookies, @Wet Burrito, @SAGA, @TBTF, @Big Mac, @Bloomer, @Noodles

CoT: Thanking good for a beautiful day. Thanking good for the regions starting to reopen during COVID. Health and recovery for Wet Burrito’s shoulder so that he may be back with group.

Improv Comedy workout

by Sparrow

Warmups
Motivator
Bat wings by ,
Mountain Man Poopers to 20
Abe Vigoda

The Thing

Circle of Block Exercises: “Go With It”

16 exercises, 16 reps each
Overhead Press
Curls
Block Burpees
Hodors
Leg over block
Jump over Block
Goblet squats
Superman on the Block
Nipple Scrapers on the Block
Kettle Bell Swings
(If you remember the other 6 block exercises, please put them in the comments below.)

Broken promises don't upset me.
I just think “Why did they believe me?”.

Merkins to the count of 10.

One person, and only one, says the number after each merkin. Count goes back to “1” if two people talk at the same time.

Heroes and Villains on Hoffa Hill

(This was ok, but not as strenuous as expected. I probably won’t do it again.)

Nipple Scrapers to 15

First Nations runs with two flags, two columns.

Circle of Trust

Bonus excercises:
10   Merkins.
“End on a Nipple Scraper” – 

10.3.20 — The Menagerie Mile

by f3captcrunch

17 PAX made it out for a standard 7:00 start at MASTODON (Fruit Loops, Sparrow, DaVinci, Archive, Noodles, Wet Burrito, CATS (the Musical), Jazz Hands, Cookies, Panhandle, Bloomer, Tortuga, Smokey, Double Beef n’ Cheddar, Loafers, Big Mac, Captain Crunch). The goal was to have a good memorable time and work out like animals.

Warm O Rama:

  • Motivators IC x 7
  • Goofballs x 15
  • Goofballs #2 IC x 15
  • Bat Wings (IC x 20 on each of the following: Forward Arm Circles, Backwards Arm Circles, Seal Claps, Overhand Claps)

Duck walk to the Tennis Courts

Thang #1: Animal Travel

  • Bird Dog IC x 20
  • Bear Crawl one tennis court
  • Orangutan one tennis court
  • Inchworm one tennis court
  • Lizard crawl one tennis court
  • Crunchy Frogs x 20
  • Crab walk one tennis court
  • Orangutan one tennis court
  • Alligator Merkin one tennis court
  • Lizard Crawl one tennis court

Duck walk to the other tennis courts

Thang #2: the primate house

  • Howling Monkeys, circles of 8-9 PAX each.
Captain Crunch demonstrates the Bird Dog, photo by Fruit Loops

Repeat Thang #1 and Thang #2 (but three times around the Monkey circle with one round of Gorilla Humpers)

10 Minutes of Mary:

  • J-Lo #1 IC x 15 each leg
  • J-Lo #2 IC x 20
  • Flutters IC x 50
  • Flutters IC x 50

Lest one think there was no method to the madness, these exercises were all core and back focused, giving a good work out to the stabilizers that we depend on to not hurt ourselves. With any luck we all escaped injury this time around and helped work those muscles that will keep us from injury in the future.

COR / NOR / COT: Prayers for strength, courage, and endurance, for the week ahead — for unity for our nation and our people and healing for our president — that we may be examples of brotherly love and faithful witness amidst trying times — for TAR PIT, it’s growth, and our finding of the people who most need this in their lives.