As I drove to the Yard for what was looking to be a beautiful morning, I started to think about what my message for the day would be since I didn’t plan for that portion of the workout…which is very normal. I quickly became distracted, as I typically do as well, only to find I had showed up at the AO with no message plan…to be continued.
Standing and waiting for the PAX, up strolls Magnum – fearless leader of the AO. Soon to be followed by MASH and then Weezer (although YHC had noticed Twister’s car but no Twister). YHC commented that although the Yard is a moderate workout site, the plan was to step out of the comfort zone today and push yourself just a bit which the workout would accommodate of course. Quick disclaimer and off we mosey’d with some butt kickers and high knees. We circled up and did the following:
- SSH x25, 2 burpees
- Low slow squat x10, 2 burpees
- CDD x20, 2 burpees
- Plank jacks x10, 2 burpees
- Cherry pickers x9, 2 burpees
- Overhead claps x25, 2 burpees
- Extra shoulder stretching, downward dog and honeymooner to wrap up
The Thang!
Didn’t go far as YHC explained the progression workout getting ready to be unleashed. Here’s how that went down… After each of the below items, we were going to run down the hill that exits from the school from the main front doors, then backwards run up the hill (quadzilla style), then run the rest of the way back to where the exercises would be performed.
Once the original 4 finished the first 10 bombjacks, we were joined by Twister and Spartacus who had returned from their 3.2 mile pre-ruck – perfect timing!
- 10 bomb jacks, then run, then come back and wait for the 6 before the next exercise
- 20 step ups (10 each leg), then the 10 bomb jacks, then the running and waiting for 6
- 30 dips, then 20 above, then 10 above, run…you get the point
- 45 (because 40 didn’t make sense) calf raises – 15 out, regular, in; then 30, 20, 10…
- 50 SSH, then 45, 30….
Now that the PAX had a nice base sweat going, YHC decided it was time for a short “10 count” via the message portion of the program. As YHC was running up and down the hill, I noticed all the ant hills and how those little guys were working together to build their homes. Similar to how we as PAX and HIM structure our lives and communities – grain by grain, brick by brick. We have to start somewhere and if that’s a grain vs. a brick, it’s still momentum and growth. We need to rely on whetstones for growth (spoiler alert for soon to follow QSource) as well as shieldlocks. We can’t do this alone and shouldn’t have to do it alone – just like the little ants, they have their own PAX for support and foundational building. Last I checked, none of us have this figured out so who better to lean on than your fellow brothers! One step at a time, one grain at a time….sometimes one “close your eyes” leap!
Next station stop was over by the basketball hoops where we got to sharpen our merkin skills. After each set of merkins, we ran down to the last basketball hoop and back.
- 15 regular merkins
- 15 wide arm
- 15 diamond
- 15 decline
- 15 ranger
- 15 incline
That’s 90 total these PAX crushed in a matter of minutes. This left us about 4-5 minutes of MARY where we went around the horn for each PAX to call and count their own exercise. Off to COT after MARY where we counted off, name-o-rama, and announcements. Prayers for the PAX parents, friends and 2.0s. 5 of the 6 of us were able to make it over for QSource for further discussion on Whetstone! Great work and always a pleasure to lead and be part of the early morning gloom (even though it was nice and sunny!).
Shady