Tag: River Rat

Make it happen

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21 men tackled day five of the new year at Block Party. Here’s what we did.

Warm up

  • 10 Low Slow Squats (IC)
  • 10 Hillbilly Walkers (IC)
  • 10 Moroccan Night Clubs (IC)

The Thang

The route today was .5 miles (left on Main St., left of Clebourne St., left at Founders, left on White St.).

Round 1 – Take a Lap

  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 Merkins
  • 30 LBCs
  • 40 Squats
  • 50 Calf Raises
  • 1 Lap

Round 2

  • 10 Wide Arm Merkins
  • 20 Lunges
  • 30 Flutters
  • 40 Overhead Claps
  • 50 SSHs
  • 2 Laps

Round 3

  • 10 Diamond Merkins
  • 20 Jump Squats
  • 30 Crunchy Frogs
  • 40 Alternating Shoulder Taps
  • 50 MNCs
  • 3 Laps

Total distance: 3.5 miles.

NMM

I was encouraged this morning to see so many men shunning the fartsack for a chance to better themselves physically. We covered some ground, but kept close enough that no one ran alone. I enjoyed the heck out of this morning. Today’s mumblechatter reminded me of how important the 2nd F is. Fitness without fellowship is a workout group. Fellowship and friendship takes us to the next level and makes us better men. And men need other men to keep accelerating.

I recently read, “You can’t get wet reading about the ocean.” I found it appropriate for the first week of the year as people begin making resolutions. This is the time of year people make resolutions for a “new year and a new you.” They make promises to get in shape, to make more money, to read more, or basically become a better version of themselves. However, come mid-February, the gyms are empty, the books haven’t been cracked, and work status quo and malaise has settled in.

Resolutions fail because change requires effort. Change takes a dream, willpower, consistency, and guard rails. It’s gradual. It’s difficult. But it’s worth it!

You must take action if you want improvement. Take the first step even if it feels strange or others say its stupid. Growth can only happen if you move forward. So dream it, want it, do it, do it again, and have someone to keep you accountable. Positive habits require consistent effort. Make it happen and have friends to keep you in line. Then bask in the glory in accomplishing your goals.

Aye!

Italian Job

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5

Deck of Pain

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After a quick disclaimer and generic warmup, we moseyed over to firepit area and circled up for the Deck of Pain.

Twelve strong men got stronger on Monday with a whole lot of fun kettlebell reps. We all took turns drawing from the deck so that YHC couldn’t be blamed for every card…

Spades were Squat Thrusts

Diamonds were Dead Lift/Upright Row combos

Clubs were Curls/Shrugs combos

Hearts were Tricep Extensions/Shoulder Press combos

Reps were figured by the face value of the card drawn, with all face cards being 10.

Aces meant a quick lap around the parking lot, and the Jokers made us do 10 burpees/manmakers.

Everyone worked super hard, and the mumble chatter was kept to a minimum.

Prayers for our families, our teenagers, and for us to have strength to get through our trials and keep to our goals.

Thanks to everyone for the fun morning in the gloom!

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1

Minnow Pond 12.17.2020

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The promo:
https://twitter.com/jisenhour/status/1339217811231674368

The route:
https://www.strava.com/routes/2773907426356036818

10 stops along the way
5 burpees/10 merkins/15 squats each time

16 PAX. It was hard. Had to average 10min/mile with the exercises to finish at COT by 0600. We did.

Strava Stats: https://twitter.com/jisenhour/status/1339542289048285184

NMM:
Today was a workout where I tried harder because I was on Q. Being a leader isn’t just about exhorting acceleration in others or the group; it also forces you to accelerate individually. That was pretty evident to me this morning from my heart rate monitor. All the guys that came out today pushed me to be better. When you’re a follower, are you following in a way that is helping your leaders be better?

—
Band Camp dismissed

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2

Laced Up Tight

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31 degrees at Laces In? Sure, I’ll take it. I gave the PAX a heads-up, shown below…

At the risk of potential “over-hyping,” here are a number of things to consider for Laces In:

  1. Minow Pond will be converging with us.
  2. AKA will be converging with us.
  3. Looks to be the coldest morning of the week.
  4. Gloves highly recommended.
  5. If you want to stretch or warm up, show up early.
  6. Wheels up 0515 and it’ll be GO-TIME.
  7. You’ll be warm by 0525.
  8. If you’re prone to FOMO, then you should post.

The 12 of us arrived, commented about the cool temps and all the men in tights, were disclaimed and we took off for a lap around part of the gym lot.

Circle Up:
20 x Fast-Paced SSH
10 Burpees
Another lap but this time, just a bit shorter
Line up at one end of the parking lot and bear crawl to the other end of the lot.
Sprint 1/2 way back, 10 Burpees, Sprint the rest of the way

Mosey over to the circle by the stadium:
20 Bomb Jacks
30 Flutter Kicks I/C
Run up the hill to the stop sign and back down
40 Jump Squats
40 Merkins I/C
Run up the hill and back down
10 Burpees

Mosey back to the gym parking lot.

Line up on the line for 2-Tier Grounded Suicides:
Bear crawl out 20 yards, crawl bear back. Bear crawl out 40yds, crawl bear back
10 Wide-Arm Merkins
Crab walk out 20yds, walk crab back. Crab walk out 40yds, walk crab back.
10 Wide-Arm Merkins
10 Burpees

30 American Hammers I/C
20 Flutter Kicks I/C

COT: There are very heavy prayers on the hearts & minds of our PAX. Remember, do not walk alone.

Thank You, Slapshot

Maximus

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11

Demerits

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5 PAX at 0515, no rain

Moseyed up past the stadium
Found the new handicapped parking lot

COP:
Yoga
Shoulder Taps
Yoga
Monkey Humpers

Mosey towards the admin parking lot
Mike Tysons on the islands bear crawl between

Mosey to the Annex building
Dips in cadence on benches
Burpees on the ground OYO
Alternating 11/1, 10/2, 9/3, 8/4, 7/5

Mosey to pull-up bars
Now it started to rain

2 groups: one on the ground, one on the bars

I called up and down at random intervals to keep PAX from using momentum.

Round 1: pullups and merkins (flip groups and repeat)
Round 2: squats and toe touches (flip)
Round 3: pullups and merkins (flip)
Round 4: squats and toe touches (flip)
Round 5: pullups and merkins (flip)

We did roughly 5 pull-ups or toe touches to the bar each time

Mosey back to the benches
Dips in cadence on benches
Burpees on the ground
Alternating: 6/6, 5/7, 4/8, 3/9
Rain let up

Mosey back to COT

Flutters till 0600

NMM:
Reading the book How Ike Led written by his granddaughter.

Mentions the Q-source idea of taking the blame and passing the praise with a speech President Eisenhower never had to give. Also talks about he was in the lower half of his class at West Point on demerits, because he was NOT a follower in a leader’s clothes.

Something to think about…

COT:
Prayers for marriage, our country, Bodywash’s upcoming trip, and my brother-in-law currently in the hospital with COVID

—
Band Camp dismissed

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5

Cold Bells

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9 men showed up for a cold kettlebell workout this morning at The Armory.  Good news, I planned to divide the group into teams of 3 so it worked out perfectly.  Since 9 / 3 = 3.  🙂

In order to get warm, we took a lap around the parking lot.  Next, we did a few exercises to get ready for the main event (SSHs, Windmills,  Imperial Walkers, Arm Circles, and Plank Stretches).

Next, we moseyed to the main parking lot where we formed teams of three.  Dora theme, exercises were written in chalk 25 yards apart (I didn’t measure it, but it looked close).  Two of the partners began the exercises while the third partner “traveled” to one of the partners.  Once he reached the other partner, they switched out and partner two headed back  to partner one. The mode of transportation was either a lunge walk, overhead bell carry, or the dreaded crab walk.  The exercises at each stop were as follows:

Stop 1

150 KB Swings

225 Curls

300 LBCs

300 Calf Raises

 

Stop 2

225 Squat Thrusters

300 Uptight Rows

300 Flutters

300 Chest Presses

 

The reps were high, but everyone was able to get through most of it.

Great job Everyone!

 

 

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0

Shovel Flag Handoff and Legacy Beatdown

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It was my honor to receive the Shovel Flag from Uhaul this morning. I’m looking forward to joining with all the great HIMs that frequent this AO to continue the legacy that was celebrated today.

But enough about YHC, we enjoyed a true legacy beatdown this morning that included the following; (forgive me if I missed something)

0515 came early this morning for some of us… very early for a few that came rolling into the parking lot hot just in time for the fun!

  1. Uhaul started the custom playlist for the morning and then led us in some warmup exercises at the shovel flag to get the blood moving. We did a metric ton of SSH’s, was anybody still counting when they finally ended? All I know is Uhaul was having too much fun with them! These were followed by Moroccan Nightclubs, Tappy-taps… And we were moving!
  2. Mosey with our bells over to the far end of the parking lot for JWOW’s Q; There we did 30 counts of a bunch of exercises including curls, goblet squats, flutters… Probably some more that I forget at the moment. Between each set we ran a “suicide” with cones previously laid out by JWOW.  – Side note- B.O.B. recommended an official name change for suicides in light of our focus on mental health. I believe I heard either Gears or Cake Boss say “Gassers” while in COT, and I would second that. I don’t see that name used in the Exicon, how do we get an official name change for mental health awareness?
  3. After JWOW, Assassin had us on our sixes playing hot potato in a circle, passing our bells around the circle from left to right, then back right to left. We also did a bunch of LBCs while partners ran a kettle bell relay around the parking lot.
  4. Dark Helmet on Q had us lifting our bells, a lot! Shoulders were definitely burning! We also ran again around the parking lot. Music choice was… interesting, I’m going to assume that not many guys have ever worked out to the peaceful and spiritual sounds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Maybe in SLC? We all thanked Uhaul for that!
  5. My turn. 50 Shoulder presses/tricep extensions, farmer carry across the lot. 50 Front shrugs/upright rows, overhead carry back across the lot. 50 halos and 50 around the worlds, farmer carry across the lot. 50 chest presses/skull crushers, overhead carry across the lot. And finally, 50 bent over reverse flys.

0600 we moseyed back to COT for Nameorama, Shovel Flag Hand-Off, and prayers and praises.

Prayers for our concentricas, prayers for F3 Hightower who was killed in the line of duty this weekend in Myrtle Beach. Especially for those who are left here without him.

Thank you Uhaul for the opportunity, thank you everyone for your support!

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10

Dealing cards at the Block Party

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Just a heads up that this BB will be low on words (atypical for me) but hopefully, motivating for you to go try this.

Here’s the deal, simple yet effective was my intent today. For those that did the Bert at Honey Badger yesterday, this was a good round 2. The deck of cards entered my arsenal roughly 5 years ago and it’s been several months since they’ve made their way out to the gloom. That ended today.

14 men showed up today with the “threat” of rain (we had 2 ruckers join us at the end for COT).
Seeing a few new faces, check.
Disclaimer, check.
Mosey some distance making our way to a parking lot for a few warm-up activities.
Mosey to another parking lot in an effort to keep our voices from carrying over to “the house.”

For those not aware how this goes, each suit represents an exercise. Each number represents the number of reps 2-10. Jacks=11, Queens=12, Kings=13, Aces=14.

4 Jokers = 25 4ct Flutters
Diamonds = Mountain Climbers
Clubs = Jump Squats
Spades = Diamond Merkins
Hearts = 8ct Burpees

That totals (100) 4ct flutters and 104 each of the other exercises.

Until next time
SYITG
Maximus

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3

Kenyan’s request

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7 PAX at the JOC. Having not Qed at this AO nor much experience with the PAX that posted here, YHC had a few different ideas to push the PAX present without leaving anyone behind. Thanks to JWOWW for crossing the bridge with me. Here’s what we did:

Short Mosey to the soccer field parking lot

Warm Up
Windmill
1 burpee
SSH
2 burpees
Some Yoga
3 burpees
Mountain Climber
4 burpees
Moroccan Night Club
5 burpees

Mosey towards the BMX track

PAX hold plank while each individual takes a turn running up the stairs and back down

Mosey towards the RV parking lot at the far edge there are 8 lights
Lunge walk to the end adding 1 merkin at each light (36 total merkins)
Bear crawl back adding 1 CDD at each light (36 total CDD)
Did some arm circles to loosen back up
(side note: this would be Shady-level “fun” one row in….where there are significantly more lights)

Mosey back towards the BMX track and found some wall

Peoples Chair while PAX went down the line with 5 burpees each
– Kenyan said “finally some leg work”
Balls to the wall
– 5 merkins in cadence
– 5 shoulder taps in cadence

To honor Kenyan’s request for leg work we moseyed to the parking lot entrance and did a set of 11s
1 lunge (each leg) at the bottom
run to the top
10 jump squats
continued until
10 lunges at the bottom
1 jump squat at the top

Got to COT with a min remaining. Because F3 is a group of leaders not a group with a leader, YHC nominated Cliffhanger to call an exercise. He called big boy situps till 0600

An honor to lead.

-Band Camp dismissed

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1

Thrillmania – Uno Style At JOC

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So our fearless Site Q apparently wasn’t feeling well, so he left Kenyan and I to lead the way at JOC and this is the nonsense I came up with.

Take one deck of Uno cards and use your numbers 0-9 as follows.  1-9 equals your rep and 0 = 10 reps.  Strange how we never found a 0 today.

Color determines exercise:

Blue – Merkins
Green – LBC
Yellow – Squats
Red – Lunges
Skip – Run a lap
+2 – Pick 2 exercises, 2 reps of each
+4 – All 4 exercises, 4 reps of each
Reverse – Repeat last rep, but keep going around the circle (rule change from real Uno)
Wild – Change color/exercise

It was a fun morning, got a little warm out there in the fog.  Speaking of the fog, I wonder if some Pax got lost in the fog.  Anyway, thanks Big Papi for inviting me to Q.

I’m Site Q now for The Fort’s 0630 IR Friendly/Low Intensity workout at WEP in Fort Mill Saturday’s .  Would love to have any of you Q or join us.  0630 each Saturday.

The Thrill is gone!

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