Backblasts

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An Island in the Gloom

AO: The Patriot

QIC:  Lucius

The PAX:  Apollo; Bone; Fish Fry; JAG; Jenner; Lazlo; Maj. Payne; Murdock; Nano;  Sourdough; Two percent; Three mile

This morning’s weather was cool and crisp, foreshadowing the arrival of falling leaves, football games, and pumpkin spice.  But first, the PAX took time to reminisce about summer trips to the beach.  Here  is what YHC can remember:

WARM UP:  SSH; Cherry Pickers; Arm Circles; Wind Mills; Downward dog; Merkins

THA-THANG:

Pack up the car:

The PAX split into two teams, which took turns moving “luggage” to their “car” on opposite sidelines.  After “packing” luggage in the car, each PAX performed either five curls or a 4×4 (4 Merkins; 4 single-leg mtn climbers), then selected the heaviest available luggage and … moved it to the car on the opposite side of the field.  Luggage included 2 x 60-lb sandbags; 50-lb beach bag; 50-lb ruck; cinderblocks; pavers; and a half-full cooler.

Traffic Jam:

The PAX moseyed around the track on their way to the beach.  Travel was interrupted by standstill traffic (balls-to-the wall, with shoulder taps); crawling traffic (bear crawls); a tunnel (bear-crawl through tunnel of men); and a traffic ticket (10 x burpees).

Beach House Stairs:

Upon reaching the beach house, the PAX were ready to jump for joy.  They performed a stairway to seven exercise with jump squats at top and bottom of the beach house stairs.

Fun in the Sun:

The PAX bid the beach house goodbye and headed the beach for an AMRAP circuit:

  • Walking up the dunes (cross-field lunge walk)
  • Building sandcastles (10 x 8-count body builders)
  • Hot sand high-knees (cross-field)
  • Swimming in the sea (10 x flutter kicks, in cadence)

MARY: Round-Robin Abs (toy soldiers, flutter kicks, whatever these things are called, oh yeahs, WWIIs)

COT:  Part of today’s workout included packing items for a trip.  It is important to carefully choose what to take with you and what to leave behind.   As you move through your week, don’t pack any extra luggage.

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We Did Hightowers

AO: Olympus

QIC: Monk

PAX: Rogue, Shark Bait, Major Payne, Pop Fly, Glee, Hightower, Roddick, NAFTA, Mule, Paoli, Monk

Upon arrival, I heard an awful grinding noise coming from the far side of the parking lot. There was Hightower, ruck on his back, pulling a weighted sled across the asphalt. Happy those partnered with him in the upcoming GrowRuck.

Speaking of Hightower, F3 The Capital should just make it official that every exercise performed in the region should be called a Hightower. This, anyway, seemed to be the consensus of the PAX present today, after a brief conversation. No one objected, except Hightower, who was outvoted. I can’t imagine anyone else in the region objecting. It’s F3 anyway, and we can do what we want. Of course, we’ll have to keep subtitles to avoid confusion, e.g., Hightower-merkins, or merkins for short, but any Q should feel himself free to use the full form. 

Now with that bit of housekeeping out of the way, the Warm-Up: 

SSH, mosey around the school building, stopping along the way for Imperial Walkers, Forward and Reverse Arm Circles, Good Mornings, Toy soldiers 

The PAX moseyed to the bleachers to climb Mt. Everest (Lunge, Lunge, Squat up the stairs) X3. Since the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is approaching, we did Dora 1-2-3 (Merkins-LBCs-Squats) where the runner runs up and down the stairs. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if life were all fun and games, but 9/11 reminds us that there are difficulties to be faced. Gratitude prepares us to face them, so I asked the PAX to think of something they are grateful for while NAFTA gave us a 20 count.

Then the games began. With the Blue Falcon:

“Pax is divided into two teams teams have 30 sec to come up with a plan then each team has 3 min ( how ever log Q decided) to do their own workout at the end of the workout you trade workouts and the other team has 3 min to complete the other teams workout. This can be done single or multiple rounds at the end of each round loser has a punishment (20 burpees) or something like that if both teams complete the exercises it can be a tie. Or since this is America first one to complete others workout plan wins.”

I’d planned Bear v Crab Soccer after the Blue Falcon, but Major Payne came up with a different game: Start with two teams + ball around two large tractor tires on their sides (or another suitable, heavy, round target). Each team tries to throw the ball into the other team’s tractor tire. Miss and throwing team does 2 burpees; hit and receiving team does 10 burpees. Teams roll their tractor tires towards each other and throw again. 

7 min of Mary began with Flutter kicks. Then Mule’s 2.0 Paoli made us do some ridiculous number of LBCs and do them quickly. Major Payne honored his wife, Rogue, with a round of Bonnie’s Torture. There were others that I forget.

Announcements: Party at Hightower’s this afternoon; 9/11 stair climb; QSource during coffeeteria. 

COT: Gratitude for the ability to be there, be together, and be good for others as we part. 

Honored to be with such fine people this morning. 

Monk

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No Running Today!!

AO: The General

QIC: Maj Payne

The PAX: Lucius, Traveler, Firewalk (DRPAX from F3 Omaha), Rogue (M)

The weather was muggy, but the PAX posted in the gloom undeterred. Today would prove to be a doozie. H/T F3Churham My Little Pony for the beatdown idea. Here’s what we did:

WU:
5 Burpees OYO
WMH x 10
10 Burpees OYO
Cherry Pickers x 10
IW x 15
15 Burpees OYO
LBAC x 15
Reverse x 10
BWS x 20
20 Burpees OYO

The Thang: Line up on the goal line to tackle a series of travel suicides with escalating multiples of 5’s mixed in:

Start with 5 reps, travel 3 10 yards, do 10 reps, reverse travel back to start, travel 20 yards, do 15 reps, reverse travel back to start, travel 30 yards, do 20 reps, reverse travel back to start.

Round 1 – Merkins, Bear Crawl, Crawl

Round 2 – Jump Squats, Lunge Walk, Walk Lunge

Round 3 – Hello Dolly, Crab Walk, Walk Crab

Round 4 – Carolina Dry Docks, Bunny Hop, Reverse Bunny Hop

Round 5 – shorten the travel to 5 yards, 10 yards, 15 yards for Peter Parkers, Traveling Merkin – right hand lead out / left hand lead back.

Mary: Around the horn for some American Twists, LBCs and other assorted exercises

COT: Always an honor to lead the PAX. Go out in the world and make it a better place, remembering that everyone has their own battles. Respect that fact as you work to influence them to a position of advantage.

Aye!

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Uno

August 15, 2019

AO: The Highlands

Q: JAG

PAX: Maj. Payne, Trolley, Toobox, Hogan, Slide Rule, and DRPAX Pivot

THE WARMUP: SSH, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, and Arm Circles

THE THANG:  The PAX convened at the JAGmobile to pick up their coupons, which they took to midfield for a rousing game of Uno.  The rules were simple: one PAX drew a card and did Coupon Wood Choppers while the rest of the PAX did an exercise based on the number and color of the drawn card.  Red cards meant Kraken Burpees (burpees with two hands release Merkins), yellow meant Coupon Curls, green were Coupon WWIs and blue called for Coupon Squat Thrusts.  The card’s number gave the number of reps.  Blank and null cards meant a rest until the next card was drawn.  Plus-2 and reversal cards played like they do in the real game.  Wild cards were truly wild.  They called for a Bear Crawl around the midfield circle, or if a Wild Card +4, a 4×4.  After each Wild Card, the PAX did a Fellowship Lap.

MARY:  Flutterkicks and Penguin Crunches.

COT: The Highlands PAX continued its review of Adm. McRaven’s “Make Your Bed.” In chapter 4, McRaven counsels us that “sometimes no matter how hard you try, no matter how good you are, you still end up a sugar cookie.”  He encourages us not to complaint, but to push through.  May these words help us be better husbands, fathers, bosses or whatever role we have today and every day.  Aye!

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A Short Sandbag Jaunt

AO: The Patriot

QIC: Maj Payne

The PAX: Sunshine, Jenner, Apollo, Kodachrome, 2 Percent, Noodle, Rousey, Laforge

With a new sandbag still needing attention, this morning in the gloom was dedicated to showing it around the local AO. The benefit went to the PAX, who hauled it around, and all who carried it made themselves just a little bit better. The following is mostly a true story about what happened.

WU: Varying reps of the following: SSH, IW, LBAC front and back, Slow BWS, Merkins.

The Thang:  Mosey to YHC’s people mover, where the sandbag was being stored and begin travels to corner of 27th Rd. N. and Florida St. for 5 x burpees. Next man pick up sandbag and mosey to corner of 27th Rd. N. and Edison St. for 5 x burpees, 10 x Merkins. Pick up the sandbag and mosey on to 27th St. N. and George Mason. Knock out 5 x burpee, 10 x Merkin and 15 x BWS. Next man grab that sandbag and move PAX to Yorktown Blvd and George Mason. 5 x burpees, 10 x Merkins, 15 x BWS, 20 x mountain climbers. Mosey down the trail with, you guessed it, the sandbag, to the 30th St. N. intersection. 5 x burpees, 10 x Merkins, 15 x BWS, 20 x mountain climber and 25 x SSH. Top of the pyramid; now time to go back down. First though, next PAX pick up the sandbag and run up the hill (thanks Jenner). Get the sandbag and mosey to Yorktown High School front yard. 5 x burpees, 10 x Merkins, 15 x BWS, 20 x mountain climber. Continue onward (with sandbag) through parking lot. 5 x burpees, 10 x Merkins, 15 x BWS. Mosey further into parking lot. 5 x burpees, 10 x Merkins. Almost home! Head back to the start point with sandbag and pump out 5 x burpees!

Mary: 25 x flutter kick IC

COT: You’ve got to be prepared for unexpected curves in life.  They are what makes us better and should be considered a blessing!  Make the most of what life throws at you! Aye!