The Bricklayer’s Convention

AO: Olympus

QIC: Nano

The PAX: Yard Sale, Pop Fly, Hightower, Slyder, Wham-O, Zeus

WarmUp: SSH, Cherry Pickers, Hillbillies, Good Mornings, WMH, CB crossover merkins, CB mountain climbers.

The Thang: With the PAX warm and ready to go they lined up in the parking lot, cinder block in tow. An exercise was called out and the PAX would begin at the Same time. After 2-5 reps, the first man in line would do murder bunnies 5 yards out and continue with the exercise. As soon as he returned, the next man would follow, until everyone made it 5 yards. The process repeated 7x, for 7 different exercises, and for each, the next PAX in line was the first to move.

The exercises included (All with CBs):
1. Curls
2. Calf raises
3. Shoulder Presses
4. Kettle bell swings
5. Air squats
6. Cross over merkins
7. Reverse lunges

At this point it was time to start laying some brick. The PAX lined up down the parking lot with a CB on each side. The man at the end of the line swung his block man, and ran to the front of the line, where he would begin receiving blocks and passing them on. This continued for about 100 yards, until they ran into the fence.

The return trip began with a 20 yd bear-crawl cinder block drag. This was followed by 20 goblet squats IC.

Dying for more, the PAX performed crossover push-up CB drag (moving sides ways) for 10 yards, with 180 def rotation halfway through. This was followed by 25 CB calf raises IC.

The next 40 yards was forward lunge, followed by 20 CB curls.

The final push consisted of all PAX holding plank on their CB. The first man completed 2 merkins then murder bunny for 5 yards, followed by a sprint to the start (5 yd) and back (5yd), then the next PAX went. This was done again, but the sprint was 10yrds.

Mary: Short and simple: Cinderblock flutter kicks IC 25. And from the IPC, leg raises of the cinderblocks.

COT: A nice story from my daughter’s Stoic practices… From the manly book challenge BOTM (book of the month), the author emphasizes a common theme among the Stoics that:

“…If any external thing causing you distress, it’s not the thing itself that troubles you, but your own judgement about it.”

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been saying this to my kids as they become upset with school, or more often, their sibling.

Well it seems like this message was received by my daughter. She was asked in class to evaluate the following statement: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Most of her classmates said it’s wrong and names can cause someone to be hurt mentally. That’s when my daughter chimed in (via chat during her virtual schooling) and said it’s right because “the words can actually hurt you, it’s what you think about the words that makes you upset.” Many classmates still disagreed but she stood her ground and in the end a few of her friends started to agree with her.

The point of this is actually two fold. First, this is a great concept and can really help you stay relaxed especially when lots of things are coming at you. You don’t need to respond, you have the choice to judge things how you want and get upset if you want, you have the full control. Second, our kids (in this case a 9 year old) is able to learn concepts like this and turn around and apply them right away. Be the one to feed your kids minds with empowering ideas to help them grow and develop. If it isn’t you, then who will?

Goofballs at #FreeState Dec 10th

AO: FreeState
QIC: @Deagle
PAX: 4 @Deagle, Winston, CashOnly, @Horshack

Warm Up

· Side Straddle Hop (SSH) x 25 IC

· Imperial Walkers x 15 IC

· Goofball (like mountain climber but standing) x 15 IC

· Merkins (traditional pushups) x 15 IC

· Cherry Pickers x 15 IC

· willie mays hayes x 10 IC

· Arm pushups x 15 IC

· Michael Phelps x 20 IC

· Wind mills x 15 IC

· 2 loops of light jog around blacktop, karaoke on the sides

The Thang:

· Gorilla Complex (with coupons, 5-4-3-2-1 repeats each exercise, 4 cycles)
In between we’ll do mosey around the blacktop

o Curls

o High Pulls

o Overhead Presses

o Drop the coupons and do Merkins

o Wait in Al-Gore until last one finishes

· Mary:

o Flutters x 15 IC

o Heels to Heaven 5 repeats, count up to 10 each direction (starting at 90 degree)

o Regular crunches x 20 IC

o Dying Cockroach x 15 followed by 10 Freddie Mercury IC

o Outlaw x 12 IC rotating side to side

o American Hammer x15 IC

o Rosalita x15 IC finishing with flutters

12/10/2020: Al Carmichael at The Farm

AO: The Farm
QIC: Rocketman

The PAX: Chile, Running Man, Chile, Rocketman

Warmup CoP:
Side Straddle Hop x 16 IC
Mountain Climbers x 16 IC
Imperial Walkers x 16 IC
Michael Phelps x10 IC
Mosey around and out to the field

The Thang:
The Al Carmichael. Start at one end line of a soccer or football field. For Set 1, the pax sprint to the other endline, do 10 reps of the exercise, then sprint back to the starting point and do 10 more. Do six sets of this, changing the exercise each time.

– Burpees, OYO
– High plank, 30 count
– Forward Lunges, IC
– Big Boi Situps, Ups
– Nolan Ryans, IC
– Jump Back Push Up, IC
– Burpees, OYO
– Elbow Plank, 30 count
– Big Boi Situps, Ups
– Nolan Ryans, IC
– Squats, Downs
– Al Gores, 15/30 count

Because the PAX were so good, we had to do 12 rounds instead of the initial 6 planned! Everyone was very warm afterwards.

Mary
Australian Snow Angels x 8 IC
Dying Cockroach x 8 IC
Superman x 14 IC
Hello Dolly x14
Flutter Kick x20
American Hammers x8

Announcements
New #virtual channel on Slack! Stay in and feel the burn MWF.

Circle of Trust
1 Corinthians 9: Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Why do we practice discipline? What’s the goal? Paul here has a clear one: that he would gain that imperishable crown, that life everlasting at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What about you? Why did you come out this morning? Where are you trying to get to in your work? Your relationships? Find that goal, that target, that crown. Run with certainty. Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And don’t let yourself become disqualified, particularly when it comes to that imperishable crown.

12/09/2020 Horizon Back Blast: “HO-HO-HORIZON for the Holidays”

AO: Horizon

QIC: Mayberry

The PAX: 3Mile, Mayberry, Sunshine, Sticks-with-a-Y, Magoo, Grease Monkey, Kombucha, Kodiak, Obadiah, Attaché, Disco, Brown Bag, Derail, FNGs Lightspeed and Roswell, and special cameo Jenner braved the sub-30 temps to help Santaberry spread some holiday cheer.

WarmUp: SSHs, IBACs, CPs, WMHs, DDs, CKs

The Thang: With YHC decked in his best Santa hat and candy cane socks, the PAX served admirably as elves, reindeer, or non-denominational holiday helpers, as all moseyed around the world delivering toys out of Santa’s sack. Said sack contained several different toys representing all your favorite exercises, which each PAX helped deliver as we made our way around North Arlington the world. As a stunning sunrise dawned over the horizon, the group made it back just in time for a quick Mary and COT.

Mary: LBCs

COT: Many folks (my family included) started decorating for and celebrating the holidays early this year, likely to try to find some joy and seasonal spirit during a challenging year. That’s cool. But it’s also become quasi-cliché to declare 2020 the “worst year ever.” That’s fine too, especially with all the hardships many have faced and are facing. Despite the down year, however, I ask you why can’t we spread some seasonal cheer? Why can’t we share joy with our families and friends? Why can’t we give more of ourselves, whether to charity or with gifts to family and friends? We can. I certainly plan to, and hope you do too.

□ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ □ –

Discombobulation Nation

AO: Horizon

QIC: Lazlo

The PAX: Attache, @Sticks, @Maj. Payne, @Magoo, @Mayberry, FNG Einstein, @Fuzz, @3 mile

Some days the cobwebs don’t really clear out of your head until you’ve gotten through warmup. Other days are like this one. All cobwebs.

WarmUp: SSH, imperial walkers, LBACs, Moroccan night clubs, cherry pickers, downward dog, high knees, butt kickers cariocas, moseys

The Thang: PAX lined up along the end of the field, which was divided into 10 sections by cones roughly every 10 yards.
Round 1:
-Bear crawl to cone 1, do 1 Merkin and 4 overhead claps
-Bear crawl to cone 2, do 2 Merkins and 8 overhead claps
….
-Bear crawl to cone 10, do 10 Merkins and 40 OH claps

Round 2:
-Broad jump to cone 1, do 1 lunge and 4 squats
-Broad jump to cone 2, do 2 lunges and 2 squats. What? We were supposed to do 8 squats you say? I say discombobulation. Oddly, none of the PAX mentioned to the QIC that they were being short changed on the BWS.

Broad jump to cone 10, do 10 lunges and 10 BWS.

Round 3:
-Crab walk, 1 Hello Dolly, 4 LBCs
-Repeated appropriately this time to 10 / 40. At one point I believe the QIC to do "funteen" LBCs. More discombobulation.

Round 4:
-High knees, 1 burpee, 4 mountain climbers, every leg counts.
Except… struck by more discombobulation, the QIC couldn’t wrap his head around counting mountain climbers in a reasonable way. We worked it out. But gratefully we ran out of time at mid-field.

Mary: Flutter kicks

COT: Brazenly copied from Choo Choo’s Thanksgiving prayer. Gratitude is important, but not enough. Give thanks for your food, but remember the hungry. Give thanks for your health but remember the sick. Give thanks for your friends and family, but remember those who are alone. Aye!