Author: F3 The Capital

AO: The Patriot

QIC: Maj Payne

The PAX: HorsePunch, Subprime, Poe, Dr. Dandelion, Lucius, Traveler, Lazlo, Jenner, Bone

10 PAX made their way out into the especially dark gloom this Monday morning. It was great to welcome Traveler back into the fold and to see a bunch of old faces otherwise. It’s never easy to post, but it’s always worth it. Here’s what we did…

WU: SSH x 20, IW x 10, LBAC Front and Rear x 10, Slow BWS x 10, Merkins IC x 10

The Thang(s):

T1: Mystery Goal Merkins. Partner up for one minute max Merkins. P1 places fist below chest of P2 and counts.  Merkins count only if P2 touches P1’s fist with their chest each Merkin.  Flapjack.  Goal was revealed as 44.  If you made it, great!  If not, you have something to work towards!

T2: Mosey to far goal line for the CinderBlock March with Bear Crawl. One pax takes 5 x lunge steps with CinderBlock. All other pax sprint bear crawl until marcher finishes his 5 steps and calls “Recover!” Marcher goes to end of line, next pax takes his place and repeato until we travel the full 100 yds.

T3: Mosey to cinderblock pile for the Merkin Mile. It’s not about speed (nor is it really a mile); it’s about Merkins! Partner back up. P1 moves with cinderblock overhead. P2 does 5 x Merkins, catches up to P1 and switcheroo. Goal is to get 100 x Merkins for the team in lap around track.

T4: Keep yer cinderblocks and mosey to the Arena for a version of Jacobs Ladder, box jumping up the arena levels. BWS at the top, Merkins at the bottom. (6/1, 5/2, 4/3,…)

T5: Mosey on with the cinderblocks to the Basketball court. Travelburpee-a-rama! 1 x traveling burpee, 1 x reverse lunge IC; 2 x traveling burpees, 2 x reverse lunges IC up to 4. Then repeato with traveling burpees and BWS. ‘

This brought us close to the end of our time together, so Mosey back to the turf field to return the cinderblocks to their pile and knock out some Mary.

Mary: 25 x Flutter Kick, 15 x J-Los (Gracias Poe), 15 x Toy Soldiers (Courtesy of Jenner), Boat/Canoes (Thx Subprime!) and Bonni’s Torture (a Dr. D fave).

COT: Daylight savings made the gloom darker just as it was starting to get light again.  Like life, we have moments of light and darkness, and it’s ok — that’s what we have each other for — to enjoy each other in lighter times and to lean on each other during the dark times. Be good and spread the light!

 

 

AO:  The Patriot

QIC: Lucius

THE PAX:  Bone, Dr. D, Horse Punch, Maj. Payne, Lazlo, Noodle, Poe, Prenup, Sauerkraut, Speedo, SubPrime

WARM UP:
SSH; Windmills; Cherry Pickers; Rockettes, Downward Dog; Merkins

THA-THANG:

The PAX played black jack, taking turns drawing cards to determine number of exercise reps.  If the PAX’s cards added up to less than 21, they did that number of reps, then a short run, followed by burpees to make up the difference to 21.

If the PAX drew cards that added up to more than 21, they did all the reps, plus 7 lucky bonus burpees.  This only came up once, eliminating the need for YHC to devise increasingly difficult  bonuses on the fly.

Exercises included:

• Derkins;
• Step-Ups;
• Dips;
• Cinder-block (CB) press;
• Lunge-jacks;
• CB shoulder-to-shoulder
• CB kettle-bell swings
• Derkins;
• Step-Ups;
• Dips; and
• CB press / squat thrust.

With our one draw of 25 reps (and 7 bonus burpees), the PAX completed 242 exercise repetitions this morning, plus warm ups, Mary, and a good bit of running.  Lucky PAX!

MARY: 100 LBCs. Quickly.

COT:
Some say the harder you work, the luckier you get.  Today, think about what aspects of your life require more hard work to bring the luck.

AO:  The Patriot

QIC: Lucius

THE PAX: Maj. Payne, Lazlo

While the rest of the PAX were snuggled in their beds for a long winter’s nap, three braved the cold and snow at the Patriot.  Here is the harrowing tale:

THE WARM UP:

SSH; Cherry Pickers; Quad stretches; LBACs

THE THING:

Conveyor Belt:  PAX begin standing at cinderblock “stations” positioned 10 yards apart, perform an exercise, bear-crawl forward 10 yards to next cinderblock, then repeated for 50 yards (and six stations).  Exercises included cinderblock squat thrusts, curls, and shoulder-to-shoulders.  Three round trips for 30x of each exercise and 150 yards of bear crawl total.

Reverse Conveyor Belt: Reverse the conveyor belt: PAX crawl-bear between stations (Merkins, lunges, and More Merkins).  Three round trips for 150 total yards of crawl-bear, 60 Merkins, and 30 4-count lunges.

Black Jack:  PAX performed exercises 12x on the goal line, then ran to the 20-yard line for 9 more, totaling … 21!  The PAX won!  21x mountain climbers, burpees, and Merkins!

After returning their cinderblocks to storage, the PAX circled up for …

THE MARY:

LBCs,  flutter kicks, toy soliders.

THE CIRCLE OF TRUST:

YHC did not start this morning’s workout with much of a plan. But it came together in the end.  Today, try to enjoy the snow day by not making too many plans.

AO: The Patriot

QIC: Maj Payne

The PAX: Jenner, Lucius, Fish Fry, Poe, Moonshine, Lazlo, Roddick, Deflator

This President’s Day afforded the PAX a couple hours of extra rest due to the Federal Holiday here in our Nation’s capital (and even across the country), except for a select few who chose to EC ruck in the morning gloom. Four gathered (MP, Lucius, Roddick and Deflator) for the 3.5 mile loop through Arlington and McLean, and all was good until the end when each of the PAX scattered to relieve themselves, except for Deflator, who thankfully volunteered to lead the WU!

WU: Something, 1 x burpee, Something else, 2 x burpee, Again, something else, 3 x burpee, Yet another exercise, 4 x burpee (then Noodle showed), 10 x Merkins followed by 5 x burpees.  H/T Deflator for stepping up in an emergency!  And for prepping the PAX for “Build a Burpee” day, which at first glance, had nothing to do with President’s Day, but no matter, it was great fun for all!

The Thang: Build a burpee.  Burpees consist of a a couple of basic maneuvers. Some may choose to break them down further, but for our purposes, YHC broke them down to a Merkin followed by a Jump Squat.  So, mosey to the end zone, for…

1 x Merkin, mosey to 10 yardline for…
2 x Jump Squats, mosey across the field for…
3 x Burpees, mosey to 20 yardline for…
4 x Merkins, mosey across the field for…
5 x Jump Squats, mosey to 30 yardline for…
6 x Burpees, and so on, moving in a serpentine fashion down the entire length of the field where the PAX culminated in 21 x Burpees (with one exception where YHC offered up 10 x burpees instead of 18 if the PAX could complete a successful pass with the pink football found on the field — they did, and great joy was expressed by all present!).

For those counting, this routine amounted to 70 x Merkins, 77 x Jump Squats and 76 x Burpees.

Mosey to opposite side of end zone, where the PAX began a 100 yard bear crawl, broken up with ab exercises throughout.  Crawl 20 yds, 20 x LBC, crawl 20 yds, 20 x Flutter Kick IC, crawl 20 yds, 20 x WWII, crawl as far as Poe could throw the ball (which amounted to 25 yds, not bad!), 20 x American Twists, crawl as far as Fish Fry could throw the ball, this time from his knees (so as to not gain too much advantage and possibly hit one of the several runners on the track — amounting to about 25 yds again). Finish the crawl and knock out 20 x LBC again.

Mosey around the track, stop halfway for some plank exercises, then mosey the rest of the way for some Mary, but not before the PAX completed 9 x burpees to bring them to 100 x burpees total!

Mary: 20 x Heels to Heaven, 20 x LBC, rapid ring of fire with 2 x rounds of 1 x Merkin each PAX.

Extra kudos to Noodle for making up the 10 x burpees me missed at the top, and to all those who joined in!

COT: Today was supposed to be a tribute to President’s Day, but YHC failed to study up and prepare a proper historically profound workout. As a result, the PAX enjoys Build a Burpee day!  In hindsight, now understanding that President’s Day is to honor one of our nation’s greatest leaders, George Washington, “Build a Burpee” day was perfect since the burpee was very possibly Washington’s favorite exercise!

Seriously though, Washington’s birthday helps us reflect on not just the first president but also the founding of our nation, the values, and what Washington called in his Farewell Address, the “beloved Constitution and union, as received from the Founders.”  We live in the greatest country in the world, and we should all take a moment to remember what that means to each of us and our families.  Thank God for all our blessings. Go out and make the world even better!

Aye!

AO: The Patriot

QIC: Maj Payne

The PAX: Noodle, Lazlo, Jenner and Bone

Not to be deterred by the frigid wetness, five strong gathered on this 33 and rainy morning in the gloom. Most would choose to fartsack, snuzzled warmly in their beds dreaming of hot soup, crackling fireplaces and chocolate cake.  But not these men of F3, bracing themselves against the howling wind, blinding snow and bone soaking frost. the following is mostly a true story…

WU: 20 x SSH, 15 x IW, 25 x BWS, 10 x Merkins IC

20 yd mosey, 180 then 20 yd sprint back x 3
20 yd toy soldier walk then 20 yd spring back
20 yd side shuffle right, then 20 yd sprint back x 2
20 yd side shuffle left, then 20 yd sprint back x 2
20 yd side high knees, then 20 yd sprint back x 2
20 yd side butt kickers, then 20 yd sprint back x 2

Mosey to the arena for the frozen circuit. YHC was ready for an army, and had grand plans, but adaptability is key in F3, and without said army, after some brief discussion, the PAX completed a slightly modified circuit that was no less challenging.

The Thang:

Station 1: Dips
Station 2: Wall Ball w/20# medicine ball
Station 3: 15 x Merkins; 15 x LBCs
Station 4: KB swing, Toe Tappers, Battle Rope, Goblet Squat
Station 5: Run around the arena

PAX rotate through stations 1-3. At station 4, rotate through each exercise for each successive round. Runner is the timer. PAX completed four times through the frozen circuit, which allowed them to complete each exercise in station 4.

COT: As always, it’s an honor to lead the PAX. We are leaders. We who make ourselves stronger in the gloom choose delayed gratification — pain now so that the satisfaction we experience later is greater. We relish the gloom, the uphills, and the hardship, embracing them because without them, life cannot be fully lived.  The great pleasures we love become bland without adversity.  Choose to be uncommon — choose to be better — choose to be a leader, in your family, your job and your life.

Aye!