Ten #HIM Pax went out to learn a new dance, Evil8, along with some standard dances. However, this morning was the pay-off for USC’s (McGruff) loss to UGA (Co-Pay). Originally it was supposed to be burpees for each combined point scored but modified to Merkins due to the Crime Dog’s hurt back paw.

The disclaimer was given and no FNGs.

The Thang:

Mosey to side cul-de-sac

SSH 20 IC
IW 20 IC
Slow Windmills 15 IC
Monkey Humpers 15 IC

Merkin Clock with 1 merkin for each position on the clock up to 12 merkins. 1, 4, 7, 10 o’clock (regular), 2,5,8,11 (wide arm), 3,6,9,12 (diamond)

Series of Jack Webb (1 Merkin/4 air presses) up to 10/40.

Moroccan Night Clubs 10 IC

Balls to the wall

20 Bomb jacks (Twister request)

Bear Crawl to middle of Street

Moroccan Night Clubs 10 IC

Balls to the Wall

Wall Sits with each Pax giving a 5 count.

With the Warm Done it was time for the EVIL8. This was first introduced at THE Pantheon by YHC (thanks F3Lexington). I asked if anyone had done the EVIL8 as none of the HIM there this morning were at THE Pantheon.

The 5 exercises are done in figure 8 rotation with the pax equally divided at different starting corners. The top corners we did 10 Bomb jacks and 10 squats when you go through the intersection the Pax does 5 burpies. At the bottom of the 8, we did 5 mac tai jais and 5 knee tai jai’s. We would also do 5 burpies when through the interception. So the burpie intersection is after every 2 exercises. We would do 5 complete figure(evil)8. So in total 50 bombjacks, 50 squats, 25 mac tai jai’s, 25 knee tai jai’s and 50 burpies. The interception was marked by the cone, which was in this case McGruff. He would do his 72 merkins (UGA 52 USC 20).

Run AYG across parking lot, then AYG to COT.

Lots of Mumble Chatter from Pax early, especially Twister. But that went away with the Evil8 until I mentioned my Jack Webb variation at kettle bell work-outs (Harry Morgan) which started the Twister trivia.

Great workout by the Pax this morning. Humbled and honored to lead. Thanks Change Order for the invite.
Announcements:

Fastest 5K, 10/17
Christmas Party 12/19
CAH, look at getting involved if you have not previously.

Thanks for the Senator inviting me to run up to the AO.

Nut Cracked.

A few nut jobs got up early for a sample of the mud run shenanigans that many of us will be fooling around with come October…

We commenced in the usual fashion and then did The Thang:
WARM UP: Active warm up on the way to the cul-de-sac
– Knee pull to chest
– Windmill walkers
– Frankensteins
– SSH x 25
– IW x 25
– Leg raise Merkins x 10
– CDD x 10
– Mosey up the street for a low crawl under the strings then around the big island and then back under the strings again
Jog to bottom of walls
– 10 burpees then up the walls, 1 squat at the top and around the Hardee’s (1/4 mi loop)
– 9 burpees then up the walls, 2 squats at the top and around the Hardee’s
– 8 burpees then up the walls, 3 squats at the top and around the Hardee’s
We were on our way down to one burpee, but only made it to 5 burpees at the bottom because of time.

So… how does every good mud run end? With a Partner Carry of course!
We moseyed over to the long lot and carried partners back and forth. Because, you know… It’s what you do at 5 something in the morning…

Mosey back to the grassy spot by the VSF and then spend a little time giving a few guys who have never led before a chance to count an exercise. Good stuff… t-claps to all those guys.

NMM:
First, ballroom needs a shovel flag. Like for real. Second… gentlemen, the Fall is upon us… it was evidenced in the weather that morning. The air is cooler, crisper… less humid… EH season is NOW. This isn’t a workout group. It is a group that works out as a means to foster male community leadership. Like it or not, we are in a war, friends. That war is against everything that we hold dear. It may sound extreme or dramatic or something, but it’s the truth. A couple weeks ago, one of our brothers shared about his personal struggle with the demons of addiction. A few weeks before that, someone shared about how he finally confronted his Dad on how terrible their relationship has been in the past and how he wanted to try and go forward making it better. Another brother shared with me a little while ago about how he feels tired… like the kind of tired sleep can’t fix… tired from burning the candle at both ends and in the middle.
We can help. We can make a difference. We can lift each other. Iron doesn’t sharpen iron from simply being in the same room together. It requires heat, pressure, and a LOT of impact. Let’s get after it…

Helmet out…

12 Men showed for a fun filled and adventurous taper.  As men are tapering for the ever important event I decided to work on some upper body.  Of course the Camp Care 5k is the event and there is something happening in the Blue Ridge too.

We did opt for a short warm up lap.  YHC decided to take the newly poured road and then cut across the field to the Postal Route just for a new adventure.  As we got to the field and I sunk in about a foot I realized we should turn back.  On the way back I hit a nice hole and went down with my phone in hand.  Now the screen is shattered.

Onto the Thang:

Mosey to the Postal Route.

Circle Up: IW x25, Corkscrew Merkin x10, one legged Mountain Climber x10 each leg, Wind mill x20 and Cotton Pickers x20.

Mosey back to the Anytime Fitness for some Sally.

All were relieved that the phone was still able to play the song.  It was enjoyed by all!

Mosey down the hill and split into groups of three for continuous sprints.

Area 1 does burpees and area 2 does CDD while someone in the group is sprinting in between.  Repeat until all three men has done to complete sets

Rotate to Squats at Area 2 and burpees at 1.  Repeat until each man does 2 sets.

Mosey to curb and do walking plank indian run down and reverse walking plank indian run back.  Do a third set with walking plank half way then switching to reverse walking plank the second half.

Mosey to parking lot for Mary:

LBC x20, Protractor, X-O’s x10

COT-

Great work by all the men today!

Prayers for all doing runs this weekend and for the men on the Colombia Mission Trip

11 Men arrived at the Ballroom with instructions to wear their comfortable shoes.  After a short disclaimer and the PAX learned what today would entail.  The first part of the workout was a run and gun with a tour of the near-bye businesses.

2 mile Run and Gun

• Run from parking lot to bottom of the Ballroom Mile
  • Imperial Walkers (15)
• Run to the back of the QT
  • Side Straddle Hop (25)
• Run between the QT and the entrance to the Ford dealership
  • Diamond Merkins (15)
• Run to the Hyundai dealership and back to the entrance of the Ford dealership
  • Merkins (15)
• Run to the entrance to the ballroom around the parking lot and into the parking lot with the wall

Once we all gathered in the parking lot it was time for YHC’s favorite new exercise, the Jack Jack Webb.  This is the normal Jack Webb with a Plank Jack following the merkin before coming up for the 4 count hand claps. The entire PAX fought through and completed the full set to 10!!

From there we took a little breather in the People’s Chair before splitting into 2 man teams.

It was time to take on the wall.  Partner 1 would climb both walls, which is awful after having your shoulders abused in by the Jack Jack Webb and Partner 2 held an plank on their elbows until Partner 1 got back.  We did that final shoulder work twice.

The PAX then ran back to the cars for People’s Choice of Mary:

10 Exercises:

• Protractor
• Boats and Canoes
• LBC
• Freddy Mercury
• 1 Armed Planks
• Some other stuff

As always, wonderful to lead this group of men and thank you to Change Order for the opportunity!!

The gloom at the Ballroom brought slight rain and a pleasant breeze that was not uncomfortably warm…for what seems like the first time in months.  But the pleasantness was abruptly forgotten shortly after then disclaimer was issued and pax headed to the corner of Gold Hill and Pleasant Road (literally, one of the grassy corners of this intersection).

The pax did an excellent keeping the pace brisk, as we had a fair amount of ground to cover on both sides of Gold Hill (more figuratively than literally).

The Thang:

Mosey to grassy area between QT road for COP warmup:

• SSH (IC)  x30
• 5 BOYO
• IW (IC) x20
• 4 BOYO
• Windmills (IC) x10
• 3 BOYO
• Low slow squats (IC) x20
• 2 BOYO
• Carolina Dry Docks (IC) x20
• 1 BOYO

Cross Gold Hill and mosey to pile of coupons/rocks for reps of 1) exercise (listed below), 2) sprint across parking lot, 3) plank until 6 arrives, 4) hold 6 inches for 10 count, and 5) sprint back to rock for next exercise.

• 10 curls
• 10 curls, 10 overhead
• 10 curls, 10 overhead, 10 squats
• 10 curls, 10 overhead, 10 squats, 10 triceps
• 10 overhead, 10 squats, 10 triceps
• 10 squats, 10 triceps
• 10 triceps

Run back across Gold Hill to lot just below wall for for circuit training

• Station 1 (top of wall): burpees x2
• Station 2 (out to side): bomb jakes x2
• Station 3 (bottom of wall): merkins x2

Repeat circuit with 4 reps at each station, then 6 reps

Mosey to Jack Webbs

• 1:4 ratio of pushups to overhead claps
• Ascending reps to 10

COT

Moleskin

As mentioned above, the pax did an excellent job, and they kindly tolerated a weinke that seemed to be similar to what ChickenHawk used a couple weeks ago.  Thanks to Change Order and the Ballroom regulars for allowing me the opportunity to Q!