Author: f3nano

AO: Olympus

QIC: Lucius

THE PAX: Choo Choo; Dunder; Hightower; Maj. Payne; Monk; Obadiah; Slidah; Spit Valve (DR); Yard Sale

THE WARM UP: SSH; Wind Mills; Arm Circles; Sun Gods; Air Press; Downward dog; Cobra; Merkins

THE THANG:
The PAX rocked their way around a Christmas tree of cones, with exercise recommendations written on each. They performed 20 repetitions of each exercise, while listening carefully to a series of catchy Christmas songs. The PAX performed 1x burpee each time any of the songs mentioned “Christmas,” “bells,” or “snow.” Luckily, those themes do not often arise in the music of the season.

Exercises on the tree included: Calf Raises; Squat Jumps; Body Weigh Squats; Lunge Steps; Tempo Merkins; Carolina Dry Docks; Shoulder Taps; Dive Bomber Merkins; Merkins; Air Press; Overhead Claps; Mountain Climbers; High Knees; Plank Jacks; Atlas Shrugs; Magellans; and Curl-and-Presses.

The PAX teamed up, pulling sandbag “sleighs” in a relay around the tree to further celebrate the season. Burpee rule (and musical accompaniment) remained in place.

The PAX revisited the tree, performing 10x repetitions at each cone and more musically inspired burpees to finish the workout.

Playlist included: “Silver Bells;” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas;” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year;” “All I Want for Christmas is You;” “Carol of the Bells;” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (Springstein version, of course); “Here Comes Santa Claus;” “Sleigh Ride” (Ronettes version); “I’ll be Home for Christmas;” “White Christmas;” “Jingle Bells;” “Jingle Bell Rock;” “Welcome Christmas” (from the Grinch); “God Rest you Merry Gentlemen;” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Judy Garland version). “All I want for Christmas is You” is the worst Christmas song, at least from a burpee perspective. Perhaps from several other perspectives too.

THE MARY:
50x Flutter Kicks; 50x LBCs; 30x Hello Dollys; Bastogne (PAX form defensive circle, then perform 101 Merkins in succession, planking between Merkins).

THE COT:
The PAX’s playlist ended with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” sung by Judy Garland. This song is about separation from loved ones, and a yearning for better times in the future. It says that “faithful friends who were near to us will be dear to us once more” and that someday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow; until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.” These words resonate with YHC in what has been a strange holiday season, marked by unusual distances and absences. Know that things will improve. And, to borrow a phrase from Pop Fly, keep your friends and loved ones socially close, even if physically distant.

BONUS COT:
Today, the PAX reprised the Bastogne movement from the Battle of the Bulge workout, which we first performed on December 16 (the anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge). Today is the anniversary of the breakthrough at Bastogne, when US armor finally relieved the troops encircled in the town (including members of the 101st Airborne Division, among others). U.S. troops would not fully regain the lines held at the beginning of the battle until January 25, 1945–another month off. Persistence, patience, and a bit of stubbornness can pay off.

AO: The Farm

QIC: Infinity

The PAX: Running Man

WarmUp: 20 SSHs IC, 10 Mountain Climbers IC, 5 Merkins IC, 10 Don Quixote, 10 Cherry Pickers IC, 10 Willy Mays Hayes, and 10 Michael Phelps IC

The Thang:

400m Mosey to the close hill for Jacob’s Ladder!

6 Air Squats at bottom, 1 Burpee at the top

5 Air Squats at bottom, 2 Burpees at the top

…

2 Air Squats at bottom, 5 Burpees at the top

1 Air Squat at bottom, 6 Burpees at the top

Mosey to the field for Death by 10 Meters!

EMOM Sprints

Sprint from one end of the field to a cone and back in the following order:

100m (1st cone), 110m (2nd cone), 120m (3rd cone), … 190m, and 200m.

Short Circuit:

10 burpees, run 50 yards

20 merkins, bear crawl 30 yards

30 air squats, Crab Walk fwd 30 yards

40 LBCs, Walking Lunge 30 yards

Repeat Short Circuit in reverse order:

Walking lunge 30 yards, 40 LBCs,

Crab Walk reverse 30 yards, 30 air squats,

Crawl-bear 30 yards, 20 merkins, crawl-bear 30 yards

Backward Run 50 yards, 10 burpees

Mary: 10 Sweat Angels IC, 10 Cup Checks IC, 15 Penguins Crunches IC, 15 Dying Cockroach IC, 10 Side Crunches each side, and 10 Nolan Ryans each side IC

CoT:

As we start our day, try not to be optimistic, hoping for the best of our circumstance and of other people. Rather, prepare for there to be challenges and obstacles to overcome. Begin the morning by saying to yourself: “Today I will meet with a great challenge to my faith, my inner peace, and my sobriety. Today I will meet the busybody, the ungrateful, and the arrogant; with the deceitful, the envious, and the unsocial. I cannot be injured by any of them, because no one can involve me in anything ugly except myself.” That way, you will be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared for trials instead of disappointed by them. And, if the trial never manifests, thank the Sky Q.

Observations: It was very fitting that YHC was confronted with two challenges this morning in the spirit of the CoT: first, no one showed up for the warm-up. I overcame this by doing the workout anyway, and was rewarded when Running Man showed up late. Second, I locked my keys in my trunk after Running Man had taken off (he was running anyway). A quick call to the M revealed she was unavailable to assist. So, I hid my water bottle, took my iPad, and ran the 0.75 mile distance home. Lucky I did, as running helped me see the neighbors’ trash was on the curb, reminding me that our trash pickup day got moved to today. I put our trash out just in time to catch them (and it was a big trash day, due to Christmas). So, go prepare for the worst, and you will face your trials with courage. Aye!

AO: BRMS

QIC:@MicroChip

The PAX: @Gigawatt @Bolt @Rikers @Hoff @Shute @Boone

WU: SSHs, Phelps, Chinooks, Leg Stretches, Shoulder Circles, Slow Squats, Calf Stretching

Thang 1

5:30 Minutes each circuit

Circuit 1

• Coupon raises x 10
• Axe swings w/ coupon x 10
• Dips on coupon x 10
• Curls with coupon x 10
• Toe taps x 20
• REPEAT UNTIL TIME

Circuit 2

• Right side coupon mercins x 10
• Left side coupon mercins x 10
• Chest press x 15
• Coupon Row x 20
• REPEAT UNTIL TIME

Thang 2

Gifts in the form of Resistance Bands! All done with resistance bands

• Mozy down the parking lot (75-100 yards)
• Side step planks x cadence of 10
• Ankle jumping jacks x cadence of 20
• Bernie Sanders back down the parking lot
• Butterfly squats x 15
• Flutter kicks x cadence of 20
• Right side shuffle down the parking lot
• Squat jacks x 15
• Mercins x 15
• Left side shuffle down the parking lot
• Side leg lifts x 10 each side
• Pickle Pointers
• Bear crawls back down the lot

Mary: PAX members provided their own favorite core exercise. Finish with 25 big boy situps and banded fair jacks.

COT: @rikers and the story of Hanukkah and how it came to be. Followed up with personal reflection on how one interaction can change someone’s entire day!

Merry Christmas and everyone stay safe.

AO: Horizon

QIC: Maj Payne

The PAX: Sunshine, Disco, Magoo, Kombucha, Derail, Mayberry, Lightspeed, Kodiak, Einstein, Sticks (with a “Y”)

The temps have plummeted, but the cold was no match for 11 brave souls who posted in the gloom this A.M.! Lotsa running, jumping and pushing – certainly not for the faint of heart. Here’s what happened…

WU

· 15 x SSH

· 10 x IW

· 10 x WMH

· 10 x Cherry Pickers

· 10 LBAC front and rear

Thang 1

Run, Jump, Push! OYO. As fast as you can. X 4

• Run the length of the field and back
• 20 x Jump squats
• 15 x Merkins
• 10 x No push burpees

Thang 2

The circuit – count off by 5s 1x through

Station 1: Single Gravel Bucket Carry (the timer) 30 yds down and back

Station 2: Pull-Ups

Station 3: Merkins

Station 4: Rope Rows

Station 5: Big Boy Sit-Ups

Thang 3

3 x Relays across the field – keep circuit teams

• Pax 1 Sprint, Pax 2 Al Gore, swap
• All PAX: 20 x Merkins
• Pax 1 Shuffle right, Pax 2 Plank, swap (special appearance by @Elvis for some Merkins)
• All PAX 10 x No push Burpees
• Pax 1 Shuffle left, Pax 2 Al Gore, swap
• All PAX 20 x Jump squats

Mary

· 15 x Flutter Kicks

· 15 x American Hammers

· 21 x LBCs

COT: Christmas is Friday – no organized workouts across F3TheCapital. Be sure to head to #Olympus Saturday for a M and 2.0 friendly post-Christmas beatdown though. It’s been a year like no other we’ve experienced before, but we have also been blessed in many ways. Take time to think about how you’ve been blessed today. For some, it may be about spending more time with family, for others it could be finding a new passion. Whatever it is, it is worth it. It always is. Be good, and make it better for others.

Aye!!

AO: The General

QIC: Traveler

The PAX: @Traveler, @Citrus, @Jag – This workout is an homage to the recently crowned AFC East 2020 Champion Buffalo Bills (YHC’s hometown team), who won their first division title since ‘95.

WarmUp: 95 Side Straddle Hops. Run the length of the football field, alternating every 25 yards between high knees, butt kickers, karaoke. Then sprint back the length of the field at 80% speed.

The Thang: We celebrated the Bills’ vanquishing their demons by vanquishing our own. The 3 big numbers for this workout are:

65: As in 1965, when the Bills won the AFL Championship

25: Number of years since the Bills last won the division

4: Four straight AFC Championships in the early 90s

The PAX performed repeats of the following, each to be completed in 4 minutes:

Travel 100 yards

65 of an exercise

25 of an exercise

Plank or Al Gore until the 4 minutes are up

Round 1: 100 yard sprint, 65 flutter kicks, 25 burpees

Round 2: 100 yard backwards sprint, 65 LBCs, 25 Bonnie Blairs (each leg)

3: 100 yard sprint, 65 drunken mountain climbers (each leg), 25 jump squats

4: Backwards sprint, dips, v-ups

5: Sprint, tuck jumps, hand release Merkins

One final leg: Move down the field in 25 yard bear crawl increments, stopping to do 10 of a “rest” exercise of the PAX choice in between 25 yard segments. Exercises included squats, big boy sit ups, and hand-release Merkins.

7s: Leg raises and squats (adding up to 7 each time), with a 10 yard lunge walk in between each round.

Sprint around the track. 1 mile for every year of life YHC had lived the last time the Bills won the division…zero.

Mary: Around the horn – Freddie Mercuries, Jack Knives, LBCs.

COT:

“It’s not what you’re facing, but where you’re looking.”

We will all encounter challenges. It’s how we orient ourselves towards these challenges that defines how we’ll come out on the other side.

If we are inward looking, we can get in a spiral of pride at our successes or self-pity at our failings. But if we are outward looking, giving thanks for our gifts and offering up the obstacles we face as sacrifices for other people and to God, we can adapt to any suffering.