4 corners, heavy mumblechatter

Following a brutal Hive workout courtesy of Easom last Friday, I thought we would slow things down, and weigh things down a bit. 4 corners in the FMHS parking lot and someone gets to carry their kettlebell AND the 60 pound “guest” bell. We really hit the grip strength today, and the mumblechatter was legendary.

 

Reps were 5-10-15-10-5 (5 reps on lap 1, 10 on lap 2, etc)

1st corner: Couldn’t see it because the site Q parked over my weinke

Goblet Squats and Tricep Extensions

 

2nd corner:

Deadlifts and chest presses

 

3rd corner:

Calf raises and overhead presses

 

4th corner:

Manmakers (a crowd favorite)

About the only time the group was quiet was during the manmakers… noted. Uhaul made the life decision to never do manmakers.

 

A little Mary at COT, then off to the weekend.

 

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Seabuiscuit Take off!!

Here is the newest exploratory Running AO in The Fort. It is located at the Blue Smoke House parking lot outside of Massey community.
I gave 2 option to the 7 PAX the showed up for this first event. They decided to go over to Holbrook Rd where is no sidewalks but good shoulders and very low traffic. Easy route, 2.25mi each way on the same rd, down hill one way, of course, a little uphill on the way back. All PAX completed the route and got back on time, some did extra bonus picking up the 6.
See you next week for a new exploratory route, all paces are welcome!!

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Laces Smorgasbord

Laces had 10 PAX with a
Smorgasbord on the menu

Warmup
Big 4 corners
SSH
Carioca
IW
Butt Kickers
HW
Shuffle
Mountain Climbers
High Knees
SSH
Toy Soldiers
IW

Moseying with some of the following at stops
BTTW
Aussie Mountain Climbers
Mike Tysons (quite a few of these)
Bear Crawls
Bulgarian Split Squats
Some yoga

When we made it to the pull-up bars, YHC had stashed some kettlebells and cinder blocks.

Split into groups for
10 manmakers
Or
10 burpee pull-ups
Switched out
5 manmakers
Or
5 burpee pull-ups
Switched to the last group with called up and down weighted squats or pull-ups

Moseyed back towards COT
Stopped along the way for:
Box jumps on the loading dock
SSH at the bottom of a hill
Bulgarian Split Squats
Mike Tysons at COT

NMM:
When you notice that something isn’t getting done (in this case it was me counting SSH in cadence at the bottom of that hill), it could be because it’s your job to do it. Go take care of business.

PAX at Laces today demonstrated they’re capable of some awesome work. It motivates me to post with guys accelerating like so many of y’all are in The Fort. I consistently look forward to seeing how our efforts in the gloom help spark impact outside of the gloom.


Band Camp dismissed

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Sometimes you got it

…and sometimes you don’t.

Two guys pulled into WEP’s lot.  I checked the “find a workout” tab on f3thefort.com and saw WEP’s address (but I did not check the “schedule” tab, which said Veteran’s Park).  My mistake.

We launched, did a warm up lap and then: SSH (12x IC); Windmills (10x IC); Imperial Walkers (10x IC)

Then into the main event:
Seven of Diamonds:  Four cones making a loop with a total length of about 1200 feet.  At each cone you do the exercise/count noted then run to next cone and do same exercise/count, repeat until back at the first cone, then transition to the next exercise.

7 burpees
14 Merkins  <<at this point, the crew from Veteran’s Park came running into WEP.  We converged for a total of eleven pax and continued.
21 SSH
28 squats
21 Bobby Hurleys
14 Carolina Dry Docks
Began to run out of time, so whole group ran to Veteran’s Park for COT.

Got in just over 2.5 miles.

NMM:
So got the location wrong, got a cadence count wrong, said the D2DB10K was on a Friday, and forgot myself in Name-o-rama.  What a comedy of errors.  Oh well, even Babe Ruth struck out 1300 times.

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Footloose: Band Camp Edition

Leading moderate workouts create a lot of planning challenges for me. I try to be mindful of the PAX present and push without overdoing. After all, guys are posting to a “moderate” AO. When the Q-drenaline starts flowing it’s harder to hold back the speed/intensity. This issue is something I try to be mindful of every Q. DT felt we ran too much and Slash felt the yoga wasn’t moderate, but nevertheless: we persisted.

Among the activities today:
– bear crawling with called steps
– lunge walking with called steps
– snaking through the stairs at the Church of God
– knees over toes squats on the stairs
– 7s at the Baptist church steps with bomb jacks and burpees
– deconstructed burpee motivators (thanks Airwolf for the idea here….this will return)
– run around downtown with stops of (15 merkins, 15 squats, 15 flutters)
– lifting up the spent grain tubs at Amor
– a little yoga at almost every stop along the way

NMM

One thing I think about every time I Q or post at a moderate AO is: what am I moderating? If I’m moderating the intensity of a workout, am I moderating my alcohol intake? What about my eating habits? How about my media consumption? What about my word choices?

Thanks Small World for the opportunity to lead:


Band Camp dismissed

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51st Hive of 2021 – Cultural Credit

15 PAX gathered in the gloom. We started with one or two less, but by 0505 we were at 15 and nobody fell out….so I’m calling it a win.

Warm-up/Tuning

Mosey further than PAX were expecting
Some Yoga
SSH
IW
1 Burpee
HW
Mosey

1st movement

Head to the courtyard
15 Swings
5 Single Leg Deadlift
Bear Crawl w/ Bell (stop when Q calls for the next set)
15 Swings
4 SLD
Bear Crawl w/ Bell
15 Swings
3 SLD
Bear Crawl w/ Bell
etc.

2nd movement

Head to the outside of the gym
Try to keep the bell in your hands the whole time
8 goblet squats, suitcase carry w/ the left hand for about 40 feet
7 goblet squats, carry back w/ the kettlebell in the right hand
6 goblet squats, left hand suitcase walk
5 goblet squats, right hand walk
4 goblet squats, left hand walk
3 goblet squats, right hand walk
2 goblet squats, left hand walk
1 goblet squat, finished
Time under tension about 3 minutes

3rd movement

Back to the main parking lot. Line up facing the length of the lot and the practice field
5 Lawnmower Pulls each side
5 Racked Lunges each side
5 Snatches each side
Sprint to the other side and back (about 100yds)
10 Lawnmower Pulls each side
5 Racked Lunges each side
5 More Racked Lunges each side
3 Snatches each side
7 Snatches each side
Spring to the other side and back

Brief music history lesson. See NMM

4th movement

10 minutes of work
timer set for every minute
15 swings, 10 push-ups, rest the remainder of the minute
15 swings, 9 push-ups, rest
We made our way down to 15 swings, 1 push-up

0600

NMM

(Naked Man Moleskine)
YHC likes to incorporate some kind of message to encourage 2nd or 3rd F acceleration (in myself as much as the PAX). There wasn’t a whole lot on my heart beside focusing on work (teaching music) lately; so, I went with a short music history lesson.

A Concerto is a piece for soloist and orchestra. It comes from a Latin word meaning to contend or to strive. These showcase pieces are written for a soloist to contend with their instrument or strive to demonstrate greatness. Concertos are presented in 3 movements…fast-slow-fast (Think of “movements” like sections or large chapters in a book)

A Symphony on the other hand is a piece for an orchestra. It comes from a Latin word meaning “to sound together” or “in harmony.” Symphonies are typically presented in 4 movements (although some symphonic composers famously break that mold with 5 or 6 movement works). The movements were initially grouped fast-slow-dance (European courtly dance)-fast. Later (early 1800s) that structure became fast-slow-joke (called a Scherzo)-fast. PAX can decide for themselves if the 3rd movement of the workout was a joke or not! 🙂 Composers eventually began changing the tempo within each movement and even linking different movements together with no pause (like binge watching something on Netflix).

Here’s a Concerto to check out: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto no. 1 https://vimeo.com/371584269
(the opening piano block chords in the first movement are a GREAT moment. Turn the speakers up!!)

Here’s a Symphony to check out: Brahms Symphony no. 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QLuYj2jxoc
(The height of sublimely invigorating music, German seriousness, attention to detail, and connection with tradition.* Try to follow the melodies as the move and evolve. Again…listen LOUD!)

BTW: audiences traditionally no longer clap between movements as a sign of unbroken contemplation, attention and general respect for the integrity of the larger work. However, most performances pre-1900 would have had a fairly raucous amount of applause between movements. Some audiences even demanded a movement be performed again before the orchestra could go on. So if you clap between movements, just know you’re following an older tradition than the one now common in our concert halls. And feel free to bring that up during intermission when someone looks at your side-eyed for clapping between movements. #Candor

Here endeth your cultural credit for the day

*As I wrote these notes about Brahms 4, I noticed they’re also things Uhaul gripes about working for a German company. No commentary; just thought that was an interesting connection worth thinking about.

An honor to lead as always. Thanks Airborne for the opportunity

Announcements:
12/24 Santa Boss 5k/10k – 0600 launch from Pantheon (Tega Cay Elementary)
12/24 Convergence – 0700 at Pantheon (still Tega Cay Elementary)

Video evidence in tweet form

Prayers for:
Praise from Straight-Up for a wonderful day yesterday
Praise from Drop Thrill on Xmas performances happening again with his vocal ensemble
Peabody’s co-worker that had a seizure
Pausing to actually enjoy this season with your kids, despite all the business of things that need to happen. (Thanks for this one Slash!)

Band Camp dismissed

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Back and Forth and Back…

I had 13 PAX join me for a total of 14 at Veteran’s Memorial for the launch of Block Party. We had some regulars and even a few Welcome Back’ers. With a number of headlamps and a rendition of the disclaimer, we took off for the parking lot in front of W.E.P.

Brief warm up with SSH, Mountain Climbers, Jump Squats and a few hamstring stretches…touch your toes.

Run around the WEP path with 5 Burpees and 10 Jump Squats at each swinging bench

Run back to Veterans for 10 SSH

Run to intersection of Monroe White, Academy, Williamson.

Run up Monroe White to 160, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 Flutter Kicks then run back to starting intersection for 5 Burpees.
Run out Academy to Forrest, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 Flutter Kicks then run back to starting intersection for 5 Burpees.
NUR up Williamson to Watson, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 Flutter Kicks then run back to starting intersection for 5 Burpees.

Run to base of Massey hill. NUR up to the gun shop then back to COT.

2MOM.

Good to be with you.
Maximus

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Nas on a Nasty morning at Varsity?

11 met on this misty/chilly morning at The Varsity. Band Camp led off with disclaimer that covered both he and I (fortunately). Then 3 PAX went on their own for a long run. The rest of us followed Band Camp the get started.

From Band Camp:
This morning I kept the yoga simple under the awning as rain was approaching:
We built up in segments to flow through Surya Namaskar A. Then had time for one sequence of Surya Namaskar B.
YHC passed the reins over to Kermit at exactly 0530. Always an honor to lead any workout, but leading Broga is an enjoyble chance to maintain focus through some excellent mumblechatter and groaning from the PAX.

From Kermit:
I thought we should wrap up the work week with some fun. And with the dry conditions and good lighting under the awning, I gave my “message” to the PAX: “Everything will eventually come to an end, So try to savor the moment, cuz time flies don’t it. The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better, cuz nothing lasts forever.” – Nas

Let’s get to work.

We left the dry comfort of the awning and moseyed through the rain to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill.

The Thang
ELEVENS – burpees at bottom of the hill and pull ups at the top of the hill.
We may have referenced the lyric “savor the moment” a couple of times.
Band Camp and Poppins led the way, and finished with a few minutes left in the gloom. A DORA of merkins, squats and more hill running was waiting for them.

Back to CoT, and joined back up with the runners.

NMM, Announcements, Prayers & Praises.

Thanks to Bodywash for the opportunity to lead.

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Changing of the Guard

28 PAX joined in the gloom for a brisk morning at Block Party. Though the temps were in the high-40s, the wind cut and made it feel much colder. Most were ready to get started and warmed up.

Bobber led off with the disclaimer, then we moseyed to the bank parking lot and circled up for 25 SSH IC. Moseyed to the Hobo’s parking lot for:
15 IW IC
10 Windmills IC
10 Cherry Pickers IC
10 Merkins IC
10 LSS IC
Held low squat for 10 MNC IC

Bobber, fighting back tears, then let go of his beloved BlockParty and passed the shovel flag to YHC. It was quiet as a mouse, absolutely no chatter was mumbled. So we did 5 burpees OYO to get back into it. 

The Thang
I explained to the PAX that I started F3 on a Monday at STL, where Pusher (in attendance) led a great workout, and I was encouraged enough to return the next day. The next day happened to be BlockParty, with CakeBoss on Q. It was a brutal morning, full of pain, so I thought we would do it again. 

3 lanes of bear crawls
5 burpees to exit the low side of the parking lot onto Main Street
Run up Main Street, back to the parking lot entrance on Clebourne Street.
5 burpees to enter the parking lot.
Plank for the 6.
This circuit continued, but the lanes changed to:
3 lanes Burpee Broad Jumps (a whole lot of mumblechatter and requests for a suggestion box)
3 lanes Duck Walk
3 lanes Toy Soldiers

Jogged back to Cot for 3 minutes of Mary.

Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Prayers & Praises. 

Thanks to Bobber for his leadership while Site Q, and providing the opportunity for YHC to continue the tradition at BlockParty. 

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4 Corners…In All 4 Lots

For my 3rd and final Q of the week, 12 of us tied ’em up tight at Laces In Thursday for a bit of a twist on things. The weather was nice and the guys were ready for some work.

Warm Up mosey up the entrance hill then circle up back at the bottom for a few warm up exercises, your typical fare.

Now, here’s the deal. In each of our 4 parking lots, we’re executing 1 exercise at each of the lot’s 4 corners with 5  burpees in the center.
So, start in 1 corner, 15 Wide-Arm Merkins, run to the center, do 5 Burpees, run to the next corner, 15 Jump Squats and run to the center. Do 5 Burpees, then run to the next corner, 15 Carolina Dry Docks and run to the center for 5 more Burpees. Then, run to the last corner for 15 Dying Cockroaches and run to the center for one last time for 5 Burpees.

We ran to the next lot, did the same routine, then the next lot for the same routine again. We than ran to the final lot for a repeat performance. Once we completed that 4th lot, our totals were:
60 Wide-Arm Merkins
60 Jump Squats
60 Dying Cockroaches
60 Carolina Dry Docks
80 Burpees

We then moseyed to the area near the pull-up bars for the following:
20 Pull-Ups
20 Merkins
20 Flutters I/C

We made our way back to COT while stopping for a few SSH in 2 lots.

SYITG
Maximus

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