Mettle_Forger – Ruck and Sandbag w/Force Sets

T’was a wonderful day with temps in the low 70’s, a clear sky, and a light breeze.  Sweat was broken nonetheless.

Tour of Turner Park with 30lb ruck along with various sandbag weights in tow.  Each exercise was followed by a force set.  A ‘Force’ set is one that follows a normal set of reps, however, mirrors the reps with a ‘hold’ time at half the rep extension.  Ex.:  15 reps of bicep curls with 20lb sandbag followed by a 15-second hold of the sandbag at the half-point of the bicep curl movement.  Time under tension is the name of the game to build muscle by blowing it out to exhaustion.

Warmup: 

  • 1/3 Mile light run around Turner Park

The Thang:

  • Although only 1 Pax in attendance, I was able to complete this workout.  Original Weinke called for pax to exchange sandbags of different weights at each station strategically placed around Turner Park.  Upon completion of the flight, a core complex of 3 exercises was performed.  30lb ruck stays on for the duration.
  • Here is the grid:
Sandbag Weight 20lb 35lb 40lb 55lb
Force Set Time ( seconds ) 15 12 10 6
Reps 15 12 10 6
Exercices
BiCep Curl
Military Press
Good Morning
Tricep Extension
Upright Row
Core Complex Post Flight Plank AmHam Flutters

Cool Down

  • 7 Minute Total Body Stretch

Praises:  Beautiful Day, F3 Nation

Prayers:  Mental healing, Reduced COVID spread, Physical Health,

Aye!

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Foosball @ Varsity – It’s more than a workout

YHC was informed this was a HIIT AO, did some Googling night before, and drafted up a weinke that I believe would meet the requirement. Hard to avoid a football field or pull up bars, so decided to say yes to both.

Quick disclaimer and we’re off to the track.

Warmup
  • Run 200 meters & stop – following in so so cadence form:
    • Monkey Humpers – a Hardwood favorite BTW
    • Imperial Walkers –
    • Hill Billy Walkers
    • Cherry Pickers
    • Peter Parkers
    • Parker Peters – Shady was kind enough to call out I did Peter Parkers twice
    • Downward dog
    • Honey Mooner
    • Band Camp Stretches

Mosey 200 meters to end zone

The Thang(s)

Intent was to have sprints of varied distances followed by exercises as a “rest” period, followed by more sprints.

Quarter Pounder

Sprint to marker, do exercise, sprint back to end zone, then sprint to next marker. Increments of 25.

  • Sprint to 25 – 25 Vups & sprint back rinse and repeat…
  • 50 – Monkey Humpers
  • 75 – Mountain Climbers
  • 100 – Calf Raises

Red Barchetta

Very similar yet you start by sprinting 100 yards, conduct exercise, sprint back to end zone and plank for 6. Rinse and repeat down in 25s. Intent was to keep the group together.

  • 100 – SSHs
  • 75 – Should Taps
  • 50 – LBCs
  • 25 – Merkins
  • Bonus – sprint 10 yards, 10 burpees and sprint back

DMC

  • Duck walk to 10 yard line, 10 merkins, crawl bear back.
  • Duck walk to 20 yard line, 20 merkins, crawl bear back.
  • Duck walk to 30 yard line, 30 merkins, crawl bear back.

Human Hurdling

Read this in exicon and had to try. Break up into 2 teams, a race of sorts.

Starting in plank, 1 man sprints to 10 yard line and plank. Man #2 sprints to 20 yard line, hurdles man at 10 yard line and planks. Man #3 sprints to 30 yard line hurdling man #1 and man #2 along the way and planks. Rinse and repeat to the end zone followed by another rinse and repeat back to end zone.

About 15 minutes left and it was time for pull ups. Had a hill sprints w/ pullups at top and exercise on bottom for 5 rounds but decided to prioritize the burpee pull ups due to time constraints.

Burpee Pullups

Consulted w/ Johnny Utah night before and thought, this would be marvelous. After attempting to articulate and failing, turned it over to Johnny U to articulate much clearer.

  • 1 burpee followed by 1 pull-up or chin up
  • 1 burpee followed by 2 pull-ups or chin ups
  • Rinse and repeat staying w/ 1 burpee to 6 pull-ups or chin ups

Then reverse

  • 1 pullup/chin up 6 burpees
  • 1 pullup/chin up 5 burpees
  • etc…

4 minutes left, headed to COT for some Mary.

Announcements

Most announcements at a COT ever!

  • Rooster
  • Grow Ruck
  • Bacon Run
  • Waxhaw Trail run
  • Metro CSAUP

And probably others

Prayers for guidance on life decisions and selflessness, mental health, and enduring a season of lots of change.

NMM

It’s admittedly been a really tough week for my family and I, after some very long weeks, the last thing I want to do is draft up a weinke and Q the next morning. That’s me being honest.

Normally, I’m excited and enjoy creatively bringing the pain , but there’s not much gas in the tank, and my mind is elsewhere.

But you have an obligation and owe it to the PAX who decide to do the harder thing; there are expectations to be met.

As I rolled into the parking lot and saw the cars, my worries sort of vanished and the excitement crept in. For 45 minutes, we’re going to work hard, bust balls, and set aside our worries or share them knowing you have a brother there to support. We’ll all get better together and you’re not alone.

I took a look around at the very respectable HIM that posted this morning and was grateful because, whether or not they know it, they’ve taught me something and they push me to be better.

Embracing the suck in the gloom builds the character and durability to endure the challenges we face daily. It’s more than a workout.

 

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EMOM

I always love a smaller group workout. 4 guys at this fitness level will always push me to be better. The fellowship in a small group is better too.

Ran a mile

Warm-Up
Imperial Walker
SSH – to 69 (it is the 69th day of the year…just saying)
Toy Solider
Broad Jump Back
Some Yoga

EMOM for 8 min (40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest)
High Knees
Mountain Climbers
Reverse Lunge Right
Reverse Lunge Left
Squats
Merkins
Al Gore
Plank

EMOM for 10 min
10 burpees each minute
(100 total burpees)

EMOM seems to encourage some good conversation….until minute 8 of the burpees… 😉
Ran a half mile
Some pullups
Ran a half mile, stopping to regroup and do some squats

a little pigeon lunging and we called it a day

NMM:
Lies are often a lot quicker and easier to believe than the truth. Take the time to search for truth


Band Camp dismissed

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Fountain of Pain

Chill morning, two days after the Yeti and eight men showed up for the workout.  Olaf and Tesla ran 2 miles before the workout.  After a quick disclaimer, we took a couple steps back and did the following warm up exercises:  SSH x 20, Imperial Walkers x 12, Windmills x 10.

Next, we moseyed 1/2 mile to the second traffic circle for a round of Dora.  The exercises:  100 Jump Squats, 200 Lunges, and 300 LBCs.  While Partner 1 did the exercises, Partner 2 ran to Old Navy and back, switched up  with partner when returned.

Once we finished with Dora, we moseyed over to the fountain. There were exercises (burpees, step ups, dips, hand release merkins)  written in chalk at each of the four entrances into the fountain area.  Two of the exercises were performed when passing through the fountain area.  There were also exercises written at each traffic circle (squats, bomb jacks), American Burger (Flutters), and Just Fresh (LBCs).  The goal was to complete as many exercises before 0600.

Back to COT.   I believe there was a call for burpees when I went to grab my phone.

 

Great job everyone!

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SeeSaw at the SnakePit

YHC led a kettlebell workout on what turned out to be a perfect morning in the gloom.

Warmup:

MNC x 15

Windmill x 15

Cherry Pickers x 15

Mountain Climbers x 15

5 burpees OYO

Thang:

The workout consisted of 4 sets of the same 5 exercises were the reps started at 20 and decreased by 5 each set. At the end of each set there would be a lap that increased in distance.  The total distance of completed would be just about 2 miles.

the exercises:

Man Makers

Thrusters

Tri extensions

Upright Rows

Big Boy Sit-ups

Thanks to 3D for the call!

 

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Ripple Effect

15 PAX gathered to defeat the fartsack on a chilly but hospitable Thursday AM in the gloom.

Here’s what we did:

PAX were disclaimed and moseying commenced to the top of the hill at the high school entrance.  We did the following exercises in varying quantities in cadence:

Low slow squats, Moroccan night clubs in the people’s chair, 5 burpees OYO, imperial walkers, hillbilly walkers, windmills (Trucker approved), merkins, a few down dog and up dog stretches and we commenced/moseyed  to the Main Event – part one

1 – Jacob’s Ladder – 7’s were called – Kracken Burpees at the bottom and a run to the top for squats.  PAX finished at the top of the hill, planked and, when the 6 arrived, recovered and moseyed to Main Event – Part 2

2 – East or West – PAX were divided in teams of 2 and Bobber was given the choice to take his team (1) to the east field or the west field.  Choosing West, team 1 moseyed to the end zone and team 2 to the East end zone.

PAX performed the following exercises at each yard line in a head to head competition.  PAX ran to the specified yard line, did the exercise and nur’d back to the goal line each time

Team East – 10 diamond merkins, 20 burpees, 30 lunges, 40 squats, 50 SSH’s, 40 shoulder taps, 30 flutters, 20 burpees, 10 werkins.  Team leaders reached the red zone, but not the end zone

Team West – 10 kracken burpees, 20 bombjacks, 30 SSH’s, 40 Hello Dolly’s, 50 flutters, 40 Rosalitas, 30 burpees, 20 boxcutters, 10 kracken burpees.  Team leaders reached the red zone here too.

Time was called at 0556 to allow for mosey time to COT at 0600.

Announcements were made about this thing called the Yeti and a blood drive on 3-10.

Prayers were offered up and praises as well.

NMM – Ripple Effect – In our lives we encounter opportunities to make an impact numerous times a day.  Yet an “ordinary” moment to us could be an opportunity to make a moment extraordinary for someone else.  Holding a door for someone else, paying for a cup of coffee for the person behind you in a drive thru.  If you’ve ever been an a position to do for someone else, the feeling of doing so can bring about a joy to us and a lift the other person could be desperately needing.  Or, better yet, it may inspire the person you helped to do the same for another, and another, and another.  Our ripple effect can be an inspiring light to others if we allow it to be.  So let it.  YHC thanks Slap Shot for the call to the bullpen.  It’s always an honor to lead and a privilege to serve.

Cascade your influence well, men.  It makes a difference.  And greater than we’ll likely ever realize.

With Gratitude,

Cyclops

 

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MettleForger – Mixed Martial Arts Plyometric with DB’s

Warmup:

    • 10 each alternating:
      • Side Straddle hops/Merkins/Squats,
      • Front Straddle Seal Jacks/Close Grip Merkins/Close Ankle Squats,
      • Side Straddle Hops Press Jacks/Wide Grip Merkins/Sumo Squats

The Thang:

    • 5 Progressive Rep sets of the flight below – 5/10/15/10/5 reps:
Front Lunge Jab
Plyo Side Straddle UpperCuts
Frog Pummlers
Plyo Dynamic Lunge Elbow Strike
Squat UpperCut
Plyo One Leg Squat Side Kick Jab
Back Lunge Angel Fly
Plyo Table Front Straddle Kicks
Calf Raise Grapplers
Plyo Front Straddle Military Press
Chair Squat Incline Jab
Core
Mac Tar Jai Slow Spider Man L/R
Side Plank Crunch L/R
Plank Alt Foot Strike L/R

Cooldown:

    • 8 Min total body stretch

Praises:

    • Beautiful Weather,
    • Health and Peace

Prayers:

    • Healing for all those who are physically or emotionally sick,
    • To fight hindrances and temptations of the Jester,
    • New housing for our Brother Orange Crush
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Non Yeti miles

When Pothole was reaching out for a substi-Q, YHC couldn’t resist. I really like the Swamp as an AO.  It’s flat-ish, there’s a lot of scenery, and any security guards watching CCTV get some entertainment.

When I arrived at the Swamp, there was a lone vehicle in the CFA lot. I didn’t know if it was one of the PAX or not, as they’d been parking in the BB lot since CFA redid their lot with all those pesky concrete signs and whatnot.

I knew Pothole was DR, so I jumped out of my car and planted the Pantheon flag in the island to see if its magnetism could attract any PAX (Sky Q knows my sexual magnetism would not have done the job). Almost as soon as the shovel hit what I assume is bedrock under the grass of that island, Juan Valdez got out of his car and Uber arrived. Later Uber would explain that he’d been driving all over Rivergate to see where the AO was.

I couldn’t believe it. I took a substi-Q and got to give the nickle tour to two PAX who had never hit that AO before (or Quagmire, for that matter, sorry Olaf)

Warmup

I’ve mostly stopped doing these. They get in the way.  The disclaimer is my warmup.

The thang

Immediately mosey SE around the Home Despot to the back side of Target. Burpeecides. Run to a ball, run back and do a burpee for each ball. 9 balls = 46 burpees.

My original plan was to run these awful suicides, adding to the pain as we went, but with the AO newbies, I knew they wanted to take a more scenic route, so we moseyed on over to the fountain, where I introduced them to The Stairs.  It was just an introduction, though. My knee is still having a pretty bad time with elevations, and so 11s were called.

It took a moment, but we decided to call the “Just Fresh” side of the fountain the “south” side and the other side the “West” side. Uber is a scout leader and didn’t object, so I’m pretty sure everything is legit.

South side: Leg lifts (start at 1)
Run around the entire island past the Wine Shop

West side: Dips (start at 10)
Run around the entire island… i dunno, by that soap store that always has a line.

We all stuck together and finished 5 rounds before it was time to head back to CoT

cot

We talked about how nobody there was hitting the Yeti. Juan Valdez had an amazing praise about his son that had a tear in my eye. Very thankful.

nmm

I really wanted to beat the living snot outta myself and anyone else who showed up this morning, and while I had more in the tank at the end, I think everyone walked away satisfied.

When numbers are low you stick together. This will generally lead to good mumblechatter, and this morning was no exception. I learned a lot about Juan Valdez and Uber this morning.  And Uber told us an amusing little tale about his friend who got robbed three times in one day.

SYITG

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shoeless fish still swim

10 PAX present today: Fishsticks showed up with no shoes, but still stayed to workout. Uhaul had an extra pair he borrowed. Perfect examples of durability and preparedness.

Warm up
Lap
SSH
1 man maker
Merkin
2 man makers
MC
Yoga
Monkey Humper
3 man makers
IW
HW
4 man makers
SSH
Merkin
MC
5 man makers

Thang 1 – Length of the parking lot
8 Goblet Squats
Sprint
8 Merkins
Walk Back (we bear crawled the first and last time)
5 Rounds? I lost count

Loaded Carry to courtyard
Thang 2
10 swings
10 cleans
10 push press
5 burpee snatches
10 front squat
Repeat on opposite side

Some additional Yoga

Thang 3
Row
Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Just 3 reps on each side

One muscle up on the wall Shady couldn’t quite reach but that’s why the word assist exists!

Waiter’s Carry back to COT
For some seated forward bends

NMM:
I’m considering fitness….Like what are we fit for? Am I a fit father because I have a child? Am I fit for the jobs I’m given at work? Do I let my physical fitness get in the way of my fitness as a husband?

Prayers for quiet hearts to hear God

Thanks BOB for the opportunity to lead.


Band Camp dismissed
 

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Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

11 guys got after it this morning. We promptly headed to Hardee’s for some straightforward instructions, burpees, run, merkins after the pledge.  Block suicides were the name of the game. 5 burpees at Hardee’s (each time) run to the next block for 5 merkins. Merkins increased by 5 each block. However simple, this was not easy by any means. YHC didn’t all finish the route; most ended up with around 4 miles, 45 burpees, and 180 merkins. This was my first Q at the minnow pond. Thanks to Jekyll for the opportunity.

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