Author: willhlaw

AO:  The Patriot, Sparta, LoCo, and Horizon

QIC: Jenner, Obadiah, Rikers, 3 Mile

PAX: 14 at The Patriot, 10 at Sparta, 10 at Horizon, 14 at LoCo

Once upon a time, I worked out with Obadiah at The Compound, just the two of us. I pitched him the idea of a Hero WOD, particularly Bert, performed at the same time at multiple AOs. He liked it and said he would lead it at Sparta. I promptly signed up on the Q Sign-Up sheet for Patriot and Sparta. I looked at the other AO Friday workouts. Uh-oh. Rikers had Friday at LoCo and Mayberry had Friday at Horizon. I then pitched to Rikers and site Q, Refueler, and got their buy-in. I also was lucky enough to have Mayberry switch his holiday themed workout to Wednesday and have Horizon site Q, 3 Mile, agree to lead. It was on!

The four of us started a side discussion to plan some details. 3 Mile through together an awesome playlist (F3 – AO Challenge – 20201211) that we would all play at our respective AOs. This was not only awesome to workout to, but was a great way to feel connected to the other AOs.

The first Capital region, multi-site, real-time competition to perform the Bert Hero WOD in the fastest time was happening nearly 15 years after Cpl. Albert Gettings, 2nd Marine Division, died fighting heroically in Fallujah, Iraq.

WARM UP: SSH, Hillbillies; Rockettes, Windmills; Cherry Pickers, and Arm Circles

THA-THANG: THE BERT HERO WOD FOR TIME

Here were the designated leaders (or speedsters) per exercise set.

Exercise	Patriot	Sparta	LoCo	Horizon
50 Burpees	McGuire	Nano	Empire	Traveller (The Mercenary)
100 Merkins	Maj. Payne (The Nantan)	Pop Fly	Bobcat/Shute	Brown Bag
150 Lunge Walks	Citrus	El Nino	Refueler/Brisket	Sunshine
200 Air Squats	Fish Fry	Jag	Pre/MicroChip	Mayberry
150 Lunge Walks	Lazlo	Obadiah	Gigawatt/Bolt	Attache
100 Merkins	Elvis	Hightower	TBD/Rikers/Beast	Stiycks
50 Burpees	Jenner	Petro (The Recruit)	Dialtone	3 Mile

Finishing Times and SUPERLATIVES:

LoCo – 23mins, FIRST PLACE GOES TO THE ROOKIE SPEEDSTERS

Patriot – 25 mins, UNSUNG HEROES

Horizon – 30 mins, MOST SPIRITED

Sparta – 36 mins, BEST IN SHOW – Hats off to Sparta with ALL PAX achieving Rx of 75% volume or greater and maintaining proper form throughout.

MARY: Core (time permitting!) such as Penguin Crunches, Gas Pumpers, Flutter Kicks, and Bonnie’s Torture (slow bicycles, 4 count each leg)

ANNOUNCEMENTS: CSAUP Veteran’s Day workout Nov 7 Lincoln Memorial at 0645. See the #CSAUP channel. Let’s remember Hightower of F3GrandStrand/Myrtle Beach and pray for his family.

COT: 

Almost 15 years ago this January, Marine Cpl. Albert Gettings from Pennsylvania, who the Bert WOD is named after, and 10 marines from North Carolina died fighting in Iraq. Let’s remember them.

There was a lot of time and energy put into this event from several people, especially YHC. After a long day of work that bled into prep for this event, I realized my M was eagerly awaiting my return to helping out with the family. I realized that new things, such as a multi-site AO challenge, can be exciting and you can easily put a lot of energy (and time) into it. Try to think of something new that can excite you where you focus on the ones you love. Maybe its starting a grateful journal with your M or starting a project with your 2.0s. Remember the passion and energy that exciting new things bring and target it towards your loved ones and things you care about.

COTs from the other AOs:

Connect to purpose of BERT. Shared the story of Marine Cpl. Albert Gettings – connected the PAX to our blessings by the great HIM to be able move our bodies and freedoms to gather in the gloom due to sacrifices and oath many have taken willing to pay to ultimate cost for our freedoms. We are blessed!!

Life in 2020 and the BERT workout can beat you down but, together, we’ll get through it by challenging and supporting each other. Find creative ways to connect.

Q – Pop Fly
Co-Q – Jenner

PAX: Refueler, Rykers, Maj. Payne, Lucius, FNG (John), FNG (Silver), FNG (Empire), FNG (Microchip)

WARMUP: Side Straddle Hops (SSH), Arm Circles, Willie Mays Hayes, Cherry Pickers, Downward Dog calf stretches, Cobra stretch, Merkins

THANG 1: The 220. 

 20x Each: Merkins, Squats, Flutter Kicks, Lunges, Overhead Arm Claps, LBCs, Shoulder Taps, Plank Jacks, Hand Release Merkins, Big Boy Situps, Bonnie Blairs, American Hammers

THANG 2: Reverse Burpee Pyramid

a) Run to 10 yard line / 10 Burpees / Return to Goal Line
b) Run to 20 yd line / 9 Burpess / Return to Goal Line
c) Run to 30 yd line / 8 Burpess / Return to Start
—- all the way until the opposite goal line and 1 burpee
—- plan is to start each round together

Time Hack: Last 3 rounds were consolidated in order to hand over to Co-Q at the 30 mins mark. The Q often must modify their plan to fit into the time schedule and often, the PAX doesn’t even know. 

THANG 3: Move over Rover, in comes Jenner to take over. Pearls on a string is a common technique where you run to various locations and do a set of exercises. 

Track: Mosey over to the track and jog 2 laps, sprinting the curves

Sidewalk Merkins: One group performs 2 laps running up and down the backside stairs next to the covered basketball court while the second group lines up on the sidewalk along the school doing merkins with one arm up on sidewalk and other arm down on the parking lot. Switch sides once group finishes their first lap. Switch stations once group finishes their second lap.

Bear Crawl to Hill: Bear Crawl in a line down the road in-between the school and the soccer fields. After 50 yards (or forever), turn 90 degrees facing the school to Crawl Bear up the 30 ft. hill to the soccer fields. Then Bear Crawl back to the road.

Bench Merkins: Mosey over to the gated park and perform decline merkins (Derkins) and inclined merkins (Irkens).

Wooden Bench Step Ups: Mosey over to the perfectly situated wooden benches. Sit down on them while Refueler gives a 10 count to give everyone a rest. Perform backwards step ups. 

Window Ledge Toe Taps: Mosey over to the right of the school entrance and find a bench seat or a window ledge so you can see your sweet form. Perform toe taps.

Paint the Lines: Run down the painted lines between the school bus performing side shuffles left, side shuffles right, lunge walks, duck walks, and the stuntman low plank shuffle under the bus.

MARY: Little Baby Crunches (LBCs), Flutter Kicks, Sharon Stones, Penguin Crunches, Toy Soldiers

COT: It’s great to come out here and be able to work out with these men. Very proud of them for coming out and starting this new site. It’s hard getting started from scratch, but we have your back. Stay committed and persist.

AO:  The Patriot

QIC: Jenner

PAX: 3 Mile, Slapshot, Rebar, Surely, Roadkill, Coconut, McGuire, Citrus, Pong, Situation, Fish Fry, Cable Guy, Mayberry, Bone, Sunshine, Elvis, Brown Bag, Lazlo, Lucius

Last time I was at The Patriot it was for Major Payne’s Bday Q. He’s out at a Louisville Grow Ruck event today – good luck! But it’s long overdue that I get out in the gloom and lead a COVID safe workout.

WARM UP: SSH, Imperial Walkers; Windmills; Arm Circles, and Cherry Pickers

THA-THANG:

Extended Warm Up: Line up along the sideline and run across the field and back performing: High Knees, Butt Kickers, Carioca Right, Carioca Left, Sprint 75% speed x2, Sprint 75% speed then Burpees x5 and back, and then Sprint 100% speed then Burpees knees to chest x5 and back.

Preparation: Mosey over to the back wall and spread out along the curve. YHC demonstrated the proper form for Air Squats: shoulder back, chest out, butt back, and knees should not go in front of the toes.

3 Rounds of:

5x Air Squats slow count with toes against the wall help enforce good form. There was some mumble chatter how the moss on the wall smelled grrreat.

5x Air Squats slow count with back to the wall a foot or two away to barely touch the wall to teach getting the butt back

1x Wall Sit – aka Humpty Dumptees are a hop/climb up the wall to sit and then hop/climb down, which are a very practical exercise when you need to scale walls or fences, especially if you’re a burglar. Plus, Elvis requested them.

Monkey Humper Jumpers and 4x4s: Mosey over and spread out along 2 lines on the goal line and the 10yd line. The objective is to go 50 yds and to not have the back line catch up to within 5 yds of the front line. If that happens, then you switch so the faster PAX gets out in front. This provides a little incentive for everyone in both lines!

4x Air Squats Four Count, 4x Monkey Humpers Four Count

Monkey Jump – aka Bunny Hop aka Broad Jump with a twist. If you land off balance, then you must take one reverse lunge step backward.

4x Merkins Four Count, 4x Mountain Climbers Four Count

Monkey Jump – On these jumps, try to explode and jump as far forward as possible, but pick your landing and stick it without fail! Otherwise, you’ll be set back a lunge step. Yes, Bone, if you land and fall on your chest but your feet didn’t move, then it’s still a fail! Move on back.

Repeat-o until you’ve moved 50 yards and then hold plank or pick up the 6!

Wall Work: With the legs burned out, time to work on the shoulders. Mosey over and spread along the track on the home stands side. Starting in lane 2 (to leave lane 1 open to runners), perform the following:

Reverse Inch Worm towards the wall, hold Wall Planks waiting for the 6, transition up to Balls to the Wall for a ten count, then back down to Wall Planks, and then Inch Worm back to lane 2.

Bear Crawl to the wall, jump/climb up and perform 10x Pull-Ups at the top of the wall or by holding on to the vertical railings. Modify by using your feet to push off the wall or jump up into the pull-up or just statically hang. Then Crawl Bear back to lane 2. Done!

MARY: Mosey to the mid-field circle.

110x LBCs to match Elvis’ count the other day according to what Lazlo told me on Tues. (which BTW, he one upped you, Elvis. You have now been notified).

51x Flutter Kicks led by Lucius (probably was missing Major Payne too – FKs are his go to)

ANNOUNCEMENTS: CSAUP Veteran’s Day workout Nov 7 Lincoln Memorial at 0645. See the #CSAUP channel. Let’s remember Hightower of F3GrandStrand/Myrtle Beach and pray for his family.

COT: When programming this workout, YHC put in the incentive to get to 50 yds ASAP without trailing PAX overtaking you with the caveat that you must not under or overshoot the landing else you’ll have to take one step back. This is similar to those areas in our life where we are pushing hard to obtain our goals, such as promotions, project deadlines, or growing a startup, but if we’re not accurate and overpromise or under-deliver then we could be set back. We can be seen as not predictable and not reliable. We should try to balance being aggressive and pushing hard with being consistent and accurate. It’s the best way to hit your goals in work and in life.

MOLESKIN:

The Monkey Humper Jumpers and 4x4s became rigorous and were hard for YHC to keep barking the movement commands and in cadence counts. Perhaps these should have been OYO and everyone could just sync up on each of the Monkey Jumps. Keeping in sync was important for this round of exercises so that the over-eager wouldn’t speed up, possibly cutting corners and breaking form as it potentially leads to injury and less than optimal gains.

Also, when YHC asked if anyone knew Hightower (our Hightower), 8 hands were raised. When asked if anyone has heard of Monkey Humpers from anyone other than Hightower, everyone lowered their hand. Thanks for introducing to us this exercise, Hightower!

Holy smokes. 20 PAX socially distant required us to make a much larger circle than the painted circle at the mid-field (it’s been a while). It’s great to see so many numbers and new faces!

Seeing Situation was awesome! I found out he’s been in a similar situation as YHC with having a newborn during this pandemic. I’m with you brother! Let’s help each other keep up that delicate balance act – it will pay off!