We Ran to Love Circles (+Burpees) AGAIN!

AO: westeros
Q: Michelin Man
PAX: Crawlspace, Young and Restless, Tim the Toolman, Spinal Tap, Natural Ice – CBO, Pep, Michelin Man, bluemule, Puzzlah
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS:

NOT cold (after a minute). Pep had some brand of gloves on.

WARMUP:

Pre 5:30am warmup to “Lean On” by Major Lazer. I love :heart: that song.

THE THANG:

The Pax learned to run :runner: to love :heart: circles :large_green_circle: today. And we did burpees. Q also called for Constant Movement (TM) meaning if we stopped, we did “resting” exercises.

Music: Throwback Bangers to the early 2000s. Debate between Natural Ice – CBO and Puzzlah over whether these songs were recorded in the ’90s or ’00s.Vector feeling really old now…

Thangs 1: We ran an Indian Run with a medicine ball :large_green_circle: in a circle :large_green_circle: around the park 3x, performing a running burpee apocalypse along the way. Sprinkled in copious Side Straddle Hops along the way to wait for various 6s, though overall the PAX kept up well. Pax loved :heart: it.

Thang 2: We then ran to the school loop and did timed runs around the circle :large_green_circle:. Each time we had to beat our time to decrease the burpee counter. First run was 32(?) seconds/5 burpees around and we made it all the way down to 21(?) seconds/1 burpee before failure to beat time. Much better showing than last week. Pep efficiently completed the circle :large_green_circle: runs. 1 pax carried the medicine ball :large_green_circle: on each trip. Pax loved :heart: it.

Thang 3: We ran to the bottom of the parking lot hill and did sprints up the hill with 5 burpees descending to 1 burpee after each sprint. 1 pax carried the medicine ball :large_green_circle: on each trip. Pax loved :heart: it.

We returned to startex to do SSH plus toss the medicine ball :large_green_circle: in a counter-clockwise fashion. Pax loved :heart: it.

Then we let our heart rates come down. Constant Movement (TM) completed. We run :runner: to love :heart: circles :large_green_circle:.

Fin.

MOLESKINE:

I honestly was in a terrible mood on Sunday, feeling very de-energized and burned out. This post really inspired my day so thank you for that PAX.

A Day of Celebrations

AO: bomber
Q: Firefox , Pole Dancer
PAX: Vector, Black Lung, Tim the Toolman, CubCadet, DintyMoore, Puzzlah, Pep, Poppa Lock
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: Arctic

WARMUP: Pole Dancer led us in some active warm-ups:
– 50 SSH
– A skips
– B skips
– Zombie walks

THE THANG: Pole Dancer and YHC could not decide which Feb. 21 national day to celebrate; so, we celebrated all of them.

Thang 1: Sticky Buns Day
To celebrate National Sticky Buns Day, YHC had us do a bit of leg and bun work. PAX did the following circuit as many times as they could within our allotted celebration time. Everyone finished 2, some were about done with their 3rd when we called time.
– Iron Mikes (20x/side)
– Bulgarian Split Squats (20x/side)
– Jump Squats (20x)
– Raised Alabama Prom Dates (20x, with feet elevated on a bench)
– Bear crawl around the circle behind McCabe

Thang 2: Grain-Free Day
To celebrate National Grain-Free Day, Pole Dancer had us do a number of exercises that looked familiar but were ultimately worse. After each set, we ran a bernie around the circle
– Navy Seal Burpees (merkin, knee tuck, merkin, knee tuck, merkin) – 25x (but many shortened to 20 because, wtf)
– Deep Squat Star Jumps – 25x
– Something else, I forget

Thang 3: Caregiver’s Day
To celebrate National Caregiver’s Day, YHC had us partner up. First 1 PAX did sit-ups while the other held feet in a high plank position. We did this for 50s and then swapped. We did 2 rotations of this and then switched to Partner Decline Merkins. 1 PAX held the feet of the other who did merkins for 50s and then swapped. 50s is a long time, y’all.

Thang 4: Boiled Peanuts Day
Pole Dancer was unfamiliar with boiled peanuts and other things we eat here in the South (if we’re not allergic to peanuts). He led us in a number of Southern-themed exercises, with a short jog to the parking lot in-between.
– Carolina Dry Docks
– Alabama Prom Dates
– Hello Dolly’s
– Ragin’ Cajuns (elbow-to-opposite knee crunches)

MOLESKINE:
– Definitely was fun collaborating with Pole Dancer on this!
– Much discussion of the Tomb Raider-esque amalgamation of YHC and Pole Dancer. Vector called it pornography.
– So cold.
– If you want to do a Co-Q mash-up with another of our respected brethren, send me a DM! We’ve got a couple others lined up for the spring.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Saturday Breakfast Q at Focker’s
– Game night next Friday
– Other things that are on the calendar

COT:
– Much gratitude

Love is . . .

AO: bomber
Q: Vector
PAX: Pep, Firefox, DintyMoore, sooner, Sherlock, Right Said, Tim the Toolman, Puzzlah, Fish Food (DR)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
YHC was the Q-pid for today’s Valentine’s Day prep for the PAX. I even had a bow . . . seriously.

CONDITIONS: Chilly, 23 degrees with love in the air

PLAYLIST:
Theme of “Love is . . .”
Love is like Oxygen – Sweet
Love is a Battlefield – Pat Benatar
Love is an Open Door – Kristen Bell/Santino Fontana (from Frozen, not Moana sooner)
Love is the Drug – Roxy Music
Love is the Answer – Aloe Blacc
Love is a Stranger – Eurythmics
Love is in the Air – John Paul Young
Love is Blindness – Jack White
Love is the Answer – Dan Seals
Love is Dangerous – Fleetwood Mac
Love is Strange – Mickey & Sylvia
Love is a Long Road – Tom Petty

WARMUP:
Mosey in heart-shaped circles
LBAC x 20
Seal Claps x 20
Overhead Presses x 20
RLBAC x 20
WMH x 10 OHO
Good Mornin’s x 10 OHO
SSH x 20

THE THANG:
Q-pid started his work by having the PAX partner up and do several partner themed exercises:
Partner merkins x 20 (with clap between rep)
Partner WWI x 20 (with claps at top)
Partner chair squats x 30 sec x 3

Mosey to playground for some LOVES
Lunges x 100
Overhead presses x 100
V-shaped Pull-Ups x 100
Excellent form incline merkins x 100
Sexy squats x 100

[Aside: at some point sooner got caught up in the love and might have been twerking on the swing set pole . . . Q-pid supports all kinds of love, so go crazy HIM)

Mosey to flag for V-Day Mary of Alabama Prom Dates, J Los, Monkey Humpers, Jane Fondas to get those special parts trained for the day. So good, we rinsed and repeated.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– No Beer Ruck this weekend
– Game Night at Firefox abode Feb 28 at 7p
– Night Moves March 6 at 7:30pm

COT: Words of gratitude, prayers, and praises lifted up. Listened to the morning for a bit. Thankful for all of the HIM during what for me has been a very stressful time in both my personal (losing my mom) and professional (funding uncertainties, colleagues losing jobs abruptly) lives. Thankful to the PAX for pushing me each day.

SYITG, Q-pid (aka Vec)

An Excuse to Work Legs

AO: atlantis
Q: Hair Band
PAX: SalPal, Toothless, Pole Dancer, Puzzlah, Siri, Pothole
FNGs: 1 Pothole
COUNT: 7
CONDITIONS: chilly

WARMUP:
Mosey 1 laps around soccer fields
Good mornings
Cherry pickers
Willie mays hayes
Cowboy hip rotations (fwd & bck)
50 SSHs

THE THANG:
30 sec high knees + 10 perfect merkins
Repeat 10 times

15 Drop squats + sprint parking spaces
Repeat 8 times

Lunge walk around parking lot

4-5min of 10 burpees + 10 v ups alternating

MOLESKINE:
In a world of well rounded workouts, Hair Band seems obsessed with getting our legs solid as marble. Complaints from the pax about leg soreness will be seen as badges of honor from Hair Band and only seek to fuel his love of leg based workouts. If anything, Hair Band feels like a merciful Q in that he allowed us to do Merkins.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Night Moves hosted by SalPal March 6th, check his preblast for details
• AOQ Grow School coming back atcha Saturday March 22nd stonewall tel:0600-0800
• Spring Fling hosted by Natural Ice – CBO, check main channel for details
• May CSAUP coming your way

COT:
• prayers for work transitions and changes happening, prayers for men looking for work, prayers for babies on the way, over all health and well being

Thanks for letting me Q, this was a fun workout and due to my lack of bringing a speaker the mumblechatter was mumbling.

Welcome to Pothole!

Rock on,

Hair Band :sign_of_the_horns:

40 second soul crusher

AO: handsomizer
Q: Freakonomics
PAX: Spinal Tap, Puzzlah, Natural Ice – CBO, Old Maid, Steak Knives (F3 Cape Fear), Butter Knife – F3 Knoxville, @duece-and-a-half
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: misty and warm

WARMUP: the usual

THE THANG:

40 seconds max with 5 second transition of the following: merkins, squats, Carolina dry docks, lunges, burpees, shoulder taps. Sprint to next level in the garage and repeat 5 times.

Throw a round of bear crawls in, two rounds of max dips, and a few downward dogs at the end.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Natural Ice – CBO is hosting a Superbowl party. Hit him for more details.
COT: traveling mercy for the great down range guys who came out. Remember to be present and reflect on the good things God has given us.

KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid

AO: atlantis
Q: Wolfpack
PAX: Puzzlah, Pole Dancer, SalPal, Son of Red Skull
FNGs: None
COUNT: 4
CONDITIONS: Perf

WARMUP: SSH, Shoulder Burns

THE THANG:

PAX worked through a circuit of:
– Incline Merkins
– Dips
– Decline Merkins
– Sandbag Carry

Sandbag carry was the “timer”. Once everyone completed two sandbag carries we took a run around the football fields.

Second circuit of:
– Dips
– Carolina Dry Docks
– Dips
– Sandbag Carry

Went until all PAX completed two sandbag carries and took another lap around the football fields.

MOLESKINE: It was a quick one with a good mix of strength and cardio.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT: Leading is encouraging and uplifting. Where in your daily life are you looking for opportunities to lead and take on responsibility?

STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE PAX

AO: middle-tooth
Q: Toothless
PAX: Firefox, Cowboy, sooner, Focker, Pole Dancer, Puzzlah, Betty Ford, Esposa, DrRupp
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: A balmy 30º, truly tropical compared to previous days. Puzzlah showed up in a t-shirt.

PLAYLIST: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Tck0cNTHNrevvoRZHrYZ1?si=265835e6546148f1

WARMUP:
– X-Wings aka SSH x 20
– Imperial Walkers x 20
– Dagobah Lifts aka Air Presses x 20
– Stormtrooper Lunges aka Prisoner Lunges x 20

THE THANG – Rebels vs Imperials :darth-vader:

Count off 1s & 2s. 3 rounds of competition to decide the fate of the galaxy.

Round 1 – Blockade Runners
Imperials line up across the parking lot while Rebels begin a lap. Each Imperial must complete 30 merkins and be holding a squat by the time the first Rebels return. Only 1 Imperial may be disabled each lap, and Rebels start each lap collected. Rebels have 8 rounds to break the entire blockade. Switch roles and repeato if time.

Round 2 – Hoth Escape
Rebels are behind the top speed bump, Imperials are behind the bottom speed bump. Rebels must complete a group total of 100 WWI’s per person before the Imperials make it past the speed bump.

Only crab walking is allowed between the speed bumps. Rebels can pay 5 burpees to venture beyond the speed bump and tag an Imperial, who then must then perform 10 burpees. Rebels must return and perform 5 more burpees to tag again. Switch roles and repeato if time.

Round 3 – Hero Battle
Rebels and Imperials face off from opposing parking spaces. Heroes from each side go into the middle and battles the other side’s hero. First to complete the assigned set of exercises wins that battle. Keep track of your wins, plank for the six, and Rebels rotate down the line to face a new opponent after each round.
– Merkins x 50
– Prisoner Squats x 30
– Tuck jumps x 30
– Mountain climbers (2ct) x 50
– Supermans x 50

Burpee Awards

MARY:
Obey the Droid Control Ship (aka Dealer’s Choice) to time

MOLESKINE:
Appreciate the enthusiasm for the theme and hitting the workout with gusto! Personally, I was pleased with the workout given its untested nature!

The blockade runner round was a fan fav, with Cowboy saying “I’m not sure which is worse” between the running and the merkins. Good thing we switched so he got to experience both! Notably, the two 25k Merkin challenge participants on the Imperials’ side were the last blockades standing (Focker & YHC). Defectors were key, as those blockaders who failed joined the blockade runners and were fresh on the laps.

Hoth Escape was equally un-delightful, crab-walking being a less emphasized skill. Strategy was key, but ultimately 100 WWI’s each was too high a goal and the defenders were outmatched both times, only getting about 2/3rds of the sit-ups in. Puzzlah had a sick crab-sprint that left our team scrambling to respond.

Hero Battle fittingly ended with the celebration track from Phantom Menace and Esposa winning his last battle triumphantly. The vibes were good.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– brewsday next Tuesday 2/4, “juiceday” alternative for leanpax taking place at the Turnip Truck in the Gulch
– leanpax has 2 weeks left! Stay strong!
– 25k Merkin challenge (see 1stf) also in full swing. 70 merkins/day for 2025! Ends Dec. 31st 😉

COT:
– Focker and family adjustments with new 3mo
– sooner with wife’s birthday yesterday but sickness and bad kiddo attitudes dampening the spirit
– Pole Dancer with his friends who had a baby successfully after pre-eclampsia and a very early delivery @ 3lbs, prayers for the next month in the NICU and getting home after that

Men, that was fun. Thanks for letting me bring a little gamification even in winter. Hope you all got a good workout through the competition element. As always, it was an honor to lead!

— Toothless :tooth:

Total Body AMRAP

AO: pain-train
Q: Wolfpack
PAX: Puzzlah, Half Lyfe, Wolfpack, FLO, Pole Dancer, Lady Liberty, Siri, Stubs, G-string, Cheeks
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: Love when 27 feels warm.

WARMUP: Mosey to pick up coupons, mosey to the playground. 10 SlowSquats. 10 Slow Merkins.

THE THANG:

3 rounds of 10 minute AMRAP.
10 reps of 3 exercises.
Run around inner path at 5 minute mark.
5 reps of each exercise for remaining time.

Round 1:
Goblet Squats w/ coupon
Bavarian Deadlifts w/ coupon
Merkins

Round 2:
Iron Mikes
Big Boy Sit-ups w/ coupon
Blockees (Burpee w/ coupon press)

Round 3:
Monkey humpers
Alternating V-ups
Coupon curls

MOLESKINE: Solid mumble chatter throughout as usual here at PT! Unintentional Guitar Hero playlist slaps.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: leanpax, Spartan race, biscuit run, check the slack!

COT: Patience. I’m struggling with it with the kids at the moment. Constantly reminding myself to take a breathe, give some grace, and take a little longer to connect before responding. Encouragement to Pax to do the same. Where can you find patience with yourself and those around you through the day?

Gen Z’s Icy Tears

AO: greenmachine
Q: Michelin Man
PAX: moneyshot, Cowboy, Focker, Puzzlah, Shania, Betty Ford, Mermaid (F3 Knoxville), preacherman, Leather Boobie
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: quite warm… comparatively. preacherman didn’t even need gloves.

WARMUP: side straddle hops and imperial squat walkers while Cowboy put up the flag.

PLAYLIST: Gracie Abrams. :fire: Michelin Man asks Betty Ford and Puzzlah why Gen Z music is so sad?

THE THANG:

1. First Nations Run. Pass the present (a 20lb ruck plate. Welcome Shania to the world if nashville-rucking) back and the last man runs it back to the front. Drop the present and do a burpee. YHC and AOQ Cowboy seems to keep dropping the present… I think we ran 1 mile.

2. Mosey to end zone. Partner up. One partner runs to 20, does 3 Star jumps, and runs back. Other partner does 100 reps of a series of exercises. We did merkins, WW1s, squats, lunges, flutter kicks, Jane fondas, and then merkins for the 6. Focker noted that the playlist seemed repetitive. Perhaps Gracie Abrams music needs more plot twists like her dad’s TV shows?

3. Do #1 again.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: leanpax. Today is half way! YHC fell off my diet the last two days and his back on today.

COT: pray for Antioch. Several others mentioned.

Lord, thank you for the power and privilege we have and guide us to use those gifts not to build our own thrones but to build your kingdom.

Push/Pull Day

AO: the-knoll
Q: Half Lyfe
PAX: G-string, Puzzlah, Lady Liberty, Pebbles, Sooie, Stubs
FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
CONDITIONS: Calm, nice 30ish degrees.

WARMUP: SSH, WMH, BAC, BBAC, MDC, Overhead Press, Fast feet taps with down to push up and back up to fast feet taps (similar to football exercise). Mosey to get coupons. Did some karaokes and politicians during mosey.

THE THANG: 10 stations (5 push/pull). Rotated to each station and did 20 reps then once one round complete drop 5 and repeat. Once down to 5 continues with 5 reps until time was up.
1) Merkins
2) Swing row
3) Front Arm Lift with coupon
4) Bands for reverse down
5)Pull ups
6) Overhead press with dumbbells
7) Bicep Curls with coupon
8) Tricep Extension with coupon
9) Dips
10) Bent over rows with coupon

Mosey back to return coupons. Each PAX said something meaningful to them (inspirational, gratitude, motivational, health, etc)

Returned back to playground. Person that guessed number of rounds we would complete in workout got to skip 5 group burpees. Props to Puzzlah for guessing 7 rounds (correct number) and still doing burpees.

MOLESKINE: see above. Each pax can add if they want. Mine was gratitude for finding F3 and all those I have met and have pushed me to improve myself in Fitness/Fellowship/Faith.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT: count off, nameorama. Prayers offered up. Thank you Lady Liberty for the spoken prayer. Coffee!