Author: L WOODS

  • The Mexican Fisherman

    On YHC’s 38th birthday, there was a return of winter to RVA as temperatures hovered around 30. Despite this, we had a strong crew to start the day. We rucked to Bon Iron and got to work. rucks held overhead doing laps around the playground while cycling 38 squats, 38 single-count lunges, and 38 step-ups. From there, we cut over to Logan and Burrough and kept it moving, with DTH making his appearance fashionably late as we ended back at Einstein’s. Discussion of the Mexican Fisherman parable was woven throughout the workout and carried into Coffeerama, a reminder to be intentional about what we’re building and not just grind endlessly without purpose. Grateful for another year and this crew.

    Announcements:

    Richmond Kickers this Saturday at 6,

    Off the Books Ruck on March 29,

    GrowRuck on September 25.

  • Hoop Dreams

    YHC arrived this morning at NoToll with two slightly deflated basketballs, in honor of March Madness. It became very evident within minutes that none of us were bound for basketball glory, or for those who played in high school, our skills had long since expired. While YHC’s initial thoughts were that a pax of 11 doing freethrows would result in a variety of called out exercises, it instead turned into a brutal session of suicides. While the pax saved some face after shooting from much closer, it’s clear we could all use some more practice. We ended with good old fashioned 11s and a session (to some chagrin) of catch me if you can.

    Warm-o-Rama:

    • Side Straddle Hops
    • Cherry Pickers
    • Don Quixotes
    • Ukrainian Soldiers
    • Copperhead Squats
    • Merkins
    • LBCs
    • Freddy Mercuries
    • Alabama Prom Dates

    The Thang:

    COP 1: Free throw line shots: PAX took turns shooting while the rest planked. Miss = group suicides (quarter, half, three-quarter, full court).

    COP 2: Split into two teams. Three-shot attempts: first close-up while others did squats. Miss all three-10 burpees. We repeated from the free throw line, this time with side straddle hops.

    COP 3: 11s: Merkins and flutter kicks, traveling cross-court.

    COP 4: Catch Me If You Can: One partner bear crawled while the other ran the perimeter.

      Announcements:

      Breaking Bread- last weekend of this month

      Glow for Galactosemia April 11

      GrowRuck September 25

    1. E Pluribus Unum

      As Richmond thawed from its recent Ice Age, ten HIMs emerged from the thaw to do something hard. YHC aimed for Cedar Grove Cemetery, though time kept us shy at 3.6 miles at a fairly brisk pace.

      Post-ruck at Coffeerama, we leaned into an article entitled “Love your Enemies; How to Get Past America’s Divided Culture of Contempt”. The theme carried into our chatter: how we show unity in the face of disagreement, one step at a time.

      Announcements:

      • Frozen Triangle rescheduled: February 21st.
      • Latinos en Virginia Food Distribution: March 7th, 10–1 (Setup at 9 am)
      • Off-the-books ruck with DTH: March 7th afternoon.
      • GrowRuck: September 25–27.

      Out of many, one.

    2. Super Block Shuffle

      After sliding down Mt. Chaplain twice in the past two weeks and narrowly avoiding becoming an orthopedic case study, YHC decided to keep everyone safely grounded—by strapping PAX to cinder blocks instead. Thus was born a Super Bowl themed beatdown, powered by past halftime show artists and fueled by irresponsible amounts of concrete. Inspiration was pulled from the conveyor belt / gauntlet suffering perfected by Crabgrass and the brothers of SOS.

      The Thang:

      Warmerama: Mosey around bus loop,

      Side Straddle Hops

      Don Quixotes

      Imperial Squat Walkers

      Ukrainian Soldiers

      Alabama Prom Dates

      LBCs

      COP 1: Indigenous people’s conveyor belt – Pax seated on six, 3 cinder blocks circulating down line passing it to the next man. when not holding a block- american hammers.

      COP 2: Cinder Block Gauntlet Relay

      4 cinder blocks lined up in two rows. twenty total flags were used.

      Pax divided into two teams. One pax enters gauntlet at a time, with 5 burpee entry fee. at each block, 10 curls, 10 rows, 10 merkins and 10 skull crushers, run to parking lot and back. when they return, place flag in the bucket and tag next man. First team to place all flags in the bucket wins. Winning team calls 30 count of exercise to losing team.

      COP 3: 11s

      11s using block squat thrusters and block presses

      Announcements: Frozen Triangle Saturday February 7, 6 am at Dogpile. Growruck September 25-27

    3. Professionals stick to the schedule; amateurs let life get in the way.

      In 20° cold and with illness thinning the ranks, four HIMs still showed up for the work. Early in the ruck, YHC shared the Atomic Habits Quote of the Day, “Professionals stick to the schedule; amateurs let life get in the way” , a fitting theme given the conditions and the men who answered the call.

      We covered 2.8 miles from Einstein Bagels through Bon Air, passing Bon Air Elementary, before looping back via Buford and the shopping plaza. Side streets delivered mailbox lunges and squats, and as we left Bon Air Elementary, rucks went overhead for about half a block.

      Near the end of the ruck, YHC took an unplanned spill on the median while juggling maps and traffic. Luckily, nothing was injured except his pride.

      The miles passed with plenty of laughs and solid conversation about Dealer’s childhood dog’s high-protein diet, and leadership talk that carried over to Coffeerama afterward.


      Announcements: Frozen Triangle February 7, Machine Head’s first VQ this Saturday at Bon Iron. He will be bringing the storm.

    4. Off To The Races

      In the dead of winter, when the cold seems endless and it feels like we’ve been stuck in a long stretch without a little competition, YHC decided to bring some playoff spirit to No Toll. With college football and NFL playoffs in full swing, it was the perfect time to get some competitive blood flowing among the PAX.

      The Thang:

      Mosey to the pavilion and pay the toll with 10 step-ups and 15 incline merkins.

      Warmerama: Side straddle hops, Ukranian soldiers, cherry pickers, imperial squat walkers, merkins, lbcs, alabama prom dates

      Count off into twos for teams.

      • Relay Races (losing team has 15 burpee penalty) :
        • First Relay: One man runs to the end of the soccer field and back while the team does flutters.
        • Second Relay: Runner bear crawls to a cone, then sprints the rest of the way down soccer field while the team does World War IIs.
        • Third Relay: Team does American hammers, runner crab walks to the cone and back.
        • Fourth Relay: Team does big-boy sit-ups, runner lunge-twists to the cone and runs back.
        • Final Relay: Team does LBCs, runner does broad jump burpees to the cone, sprints to the end of the field and back.

      Mosey back to the flag, stop for 20 decline merkins and a ring of fire merkins.

      Announcements: Frozen Triangle on February 7th, The Bridge January 24

    5. Welcome Freezerburn!

      12 HIMS showed up on perhaps the coldest morning of the year and pushed through the gloom, welcoming NOS’s newest FNG, Freezerburn, whose name was well earned thanks to the brutal temps and bare hands. After a short mosey and warmerama, YHC fired up the box timer and a ’90s/early-2000s rap playlist that drew mixed reactions but kept things moving.

      The beatdown featured a long kettlebell grind followed by a hill Dora up Mountain Chaplain. The frosty morning concluded with waiter carries across the parking lot.

      The Thang:

      Mosey around parking lot

      Warmerama:

      SSHs, cherry pickers, jazzercise, copperhead squats, merkins, world war 2s

      Boxtimer one minute work/ 30 second rest, alternating arms

      Curls, american hammers, side arm extension, front arm extension top tricep extension

      Hill Doras, one partner suitcase carries kettlebell up hill, alternate 100 x swings, 200 x rows, 300 x squats

      End with parking lot waiter carry

      Announcements: Rosie’s 12 days of Christmas, Christmas Q at the Forge brought to you by DTH

    6. The Cinderblock Schlong

      Three HIMs joined YHC for Day 2 of his mini-takeover of NOS, as he makes his way through Qs at The Forge, Bon Iron, and Huge Bells, because, as they say, good things come in threes. The morning kicked off with a continuation of the cinderblock beatdown from The Forge. After some solid work with coupons, YHC finally showed mercy and put them aside… at least until Monday.

      It’s unclear whether the PAX appreciated the coupon-centric workout, though DTH’s mid-workout creation (which resembled either a stone phallus or a middle finger) may have offered some insight. The morning wrapped with a solid coffeeteria shared between Rosie and YHC.

      The Thang:

      Warmerama:Side straddle hops, ukranian soldiers, don quixotes, arm circles, copper head squats, merkins, Freddie mercuies, flutter kicks

      COP 1: Quadruple check: Timer rifle carries and walks around median. Rest of pax do  cinder block squats, curls, and plank pull throughs

      COP 2: Mosey to church parking lot, 11s with big boy sit ups and flutter kicks

      COP 3: Mosey back to bus parking lot, four corners

      Ring of fire with each pax member picking a merkin.

      Announcements: Rosie’s 12 days of Christmas (December 23); Also, DTH will be delivering some Christmas Day pain as he Qs the Forge on the 25th.

    7. Court adjourned, suffering commenced.

      YHC spent the last few weeks prepping for trial as plaintiff’s counsel: long hours, late nights, the usual grind. Got to court ready to roll, and the whole thing got continued. No witnesses, no opening, nothing. Just a quiet little gut punch from the system.

      So instead of wasting that energy on frustration, YHC decided to dump it all into a block beatdown. The pax didn’t deserve it. But they got it anyway.

      Warmarama:

      • Side Straddle Hops
      • Don Quixotes
      • Ukrainian Soldiers
      • LBCs
      • Merkins
      • Alabama Prom Dates
        Standard fare. Quick, uncomfortable, and not the worst part of the morning.

      Mosey to the amphitheater

      Block Ascent (2-Minute Timer):
      One pax runs amphitheater loops. After each loop, stop and do 5 merkins. Switch with Pax doing block work after 2 minute timer sounds.

      Partner does ascending block movements on each level of the amphitheater, moving up one level after both pax members finish the round:

      1. Block Thrusters
      2. Block Swings
      3. Block Halos
      4. Block Squats
      5. Bent Rows
      6. Block Lunges
      7. Floor Press

      Mosey back to the flag.

      Announcements:

      Rosie’s 12 Days of Christmas Dec 23. Secret Santa – don’t forget to grab something for your guy

    8. You don’t have to do rucksack burpees with L Woods, you get to.

      For a long time, YHC hesitated to Q Ruckhenge out of a lingering fear of getting lost. But after being inspired by Bru’s VQ last week, YHC finally took the plunge and stepped up to lead the night before. The route wound its way through the woods, broken up by several stops for squats and overhead presses.

      As the pax emerged from the trees, the path continued behind the shopping center. Right behind Granite Hill Restaurant, just when everyone thought we were wrapping up, YHC called for 11s: donkey kicks on the wall paired with burpees, much to DK’s dismay.

      Strong work by all the pax, and in the end, the only thing that truly got lost was one of YHC’s gloves.

      Announcements: Chili Cook off November 23 @ The Alamo, Ultimate Frisbee Thanksgiving Day @ Timberwolf (530); Thanksgiving Day Convergence at 7.