Author: NTB

  • Everyone’s Favorite Pyramid Scheme

    Seven swingers and one walker gathered on this fine morning for the latest edition of Huge Bells! The following is what allegedly happened.

    We started with a mosey down the hill to the tennis courts for disclaimers and warmarama, then ventured over to the finest turf on the southside for the main event.

    COP #1: Pyramid Schemes
    Every movement was 10 reps and every new yard marker leading up to the 50 added a movement. Then we worked the scheme in reverse to the opposite goal line.

    • GL: Swings
    • 10yd: Swings, Squats
    • 20yd: Swings, Squats, Merkins
    • 30yd: Swings, Squats, Merkins, RDLs
    • 40yd: Swings, Squats, Merkins, RDLs, High Pulls
    • 50yd: Swings, Squats, Merkins, RDLs, High Pulls, OH Press
    • 40yd-GL: Descend the pyramid
    • 110 swings, 90 Squats, 70 Merkins, 50 RDLs (Ea. Leg), 30 High Pulls, 10 OH Press

    COP #2: Ab Mary
    While we recovered from climbing the pyramid we each selected a 20 count exercise to perform before heading back towards the flag.

    COP #3: Partner Farmer Carry
    Two pairs and a group of 3 then made their way up the hill to the flag where partner 1 farmer carried both KBs while partner 2 ran ahead to the next light pole and back to switch roles. The PAX made it up the hill with a couple minutes to spare and a lone House Party charging up the hill returning from his track laps.

    Plank it up while HP returns to the flag, but what’s this?? House Party isn’t returning to the flag but continuing on his walk! The PAX was stunned with dispair as the planking continued but only for a moment as YHC called time.

    Announcements:
    – Sign up for GrowRuck 74 in September.
    – Plenty of OTB, 2nd F, and 3rd F opportunities will start to emerge with the arrival of warmer weather. Keep an eye on slack.

    Prayer Requests:
    – YHC took us out and lifted up church friend Toby as he is looking for a new job.

  • Make Einstein’s Great Again

    A magnificent seven stomped through the damp trails of Larus park and up into the northern neighborhoods for nearly a 3.5mile loop. Packs weighed in anywhere between 30-50lbs.

    YHC posed the following two questions to the PAX for our ruck and coffeerama:

    1. What trait from your family’s past are you determined to stop?
    2. What positive habit or trait are you determined to start and pass on to your kids?

    The PAX brought it with their answers. YHC has definitely noticed deeper levels of sharing and support with one another since the AO started, for which I am very grateful.

    YHC was also very pleased to see that Einstein Bagel has embraced the MEGA movement and is committed to once again opening on time. Next step, have bagels made on time.

    Announcements:

    1. March 7th – Service opportunity and OTB ruck. Contact L Woods or DTH for details.
    2. GROWRUCK Blue Ridge – September – Early bird pricing ends 2/28.
    3. YHC took us out, grateful that we have a community where men of all backgrounds can belong and be known.

  • What’s Up Dog?

    YHC ruined a great joke by Snuff this morning at coffeerama, but before that the following may have occurred…

    Warmarama started with a mosey to the large parking lot to start warming up on this frosty morning. Following a series of IC movements and stretches we searched behind the dumpster enclosure for our beloved coupons. The PAX were stunned and majorly disappointed to discover that the coupons were gone. Nonetheless, we press on.

    COP 1 – Quarter Pounder at the Soccer Field

    • 25 yds – 25 merkins – bernie back
    • 50 yds – 50 squats – bernie
    • 75yds – 75 plank jacks – bernie
    • 100yds – 100 SSH – bernie

    COP 2 – Inchworm March

    Partner A started traveling around the perimeter of the soccer field at an agonizingly slow pace as we because we traveled via inch-worm merkin. Partner B hit 5 burpees, 10 WWIIs, and 15 crunchy frogs in the middle of the field and then ran to tag out his partner. We made it 1/3 of the way around the field before YHC put an end to the inching madness. The PAX lunge-walked the rest of the field and then moseyed back to the flag for the final 10 minutes.

    COP 3: Bear Crawl Suicides

    Partner A held canoe on the basketball court baseline while Partner B bear-crawled to the free-throw line and back. Partners swapped back and forth until the full court was covered. Time called right at 6:15!

    Announcements:

    • Frozen Triangle 2/7 – run and ruck options
    • Breaking Bread the last weekend of every month. Sign up on the Q sheet.

    Prayer Requests:

    • Prayer for the friends and coworkers who have recently lost loved-ones.
    • YHC took us out.

  • Hey! This is kinda like Old Glory…

    Ten manly men met in the crisp morning air for an NTB kettlebell beatdown. Inspired by the recent string of AMRAPs, YHC wanted to find a way to keep our bodies (and bells) in constant motion. The following ensued.

    Warmarama
    – Light mosey to review the pre-planned course and the four working stations.
    – Merkins, dead-man hang, Fudd’s wife, Wilson’s wife, runner’s lunge… seemed like enough.

    Glory Bell
    – 35min AMRAP – Start at the Flag
    – Station 1: 25 KB Swings then ascend Mt. Chaplain
    – Station 2: 20 Goblet Squats then ascend Mt. Chaplain
    – Station 3: 10ea. Single-Arm OH Press then ascend Mt. Chaplain
    – Station 4: 300ft Farmer Carry back to the flag for 12 two-count American Hammers
    – Track the number of rounds completed.
    – The bell/coupon cannot touch the ground while completing the circuit, only in between rounds.

    NMS: Great work by the fellas today! I was challenged to not get lapped by L Woods, Snip, and Tin Man and narrowly escaped. Great to see Bru out for his first beatdown of 2026. Some of the PAX referred to today’s beatdown as “Glory Bell”, which will be submitted to the Committee for approval once all of the paperwork is compiled. Thanks as always to Snuff for providing the warm coffee.

    Announcements/Prayer Requests:
    – Daily Pull-Up Challenge is well underway, now in week 3.
    – Frozen Triangle 10miler – February 7th
    – YHC took us out.

  • Focus on Evolution

    A group of 10 HIMs gathered at Ruckhenge on this pleasantly cool morning to kickoff the New Year. With the New Year brings new territory on the map as we hustled our way over to Fisher Elementary to explore the grounds. At the soccer fields we “lost” Dealer and Snip to injury, giving the PAX a chance to practice our casualty carries. We then returned back to the flag for coffeerama at Einstein Bagel. Today’s discussion topic centered around how we have individually evolved from the time we were 26 years old, and some great stories were shared around the table.

    Always an honor to lead the group!

    Announcements:
    – Clean-up day at Rock-n-Roll in the works for 1/10 but may be postponed due to weather.
    – Frozen Triangle coming in early-February. Check Slack for details and sign-up!
    – Happy 50th birthday to our man Bone Thugz!

    YHC took us out in prayer, lifting up Thugz’ kids.

  • A Double Helping of Beatdown

    Knowing the next few days will bring double portions of Christmas ham and hot cocoa, YHC opted for a double-helping of beatdown with the Carpex PAX this morning.

    0500-0545 – AO: “005” – PAX: 7

    WARMUP: Mosey around the park to the kiosk taking the long way

    THE THANG: Group chases 1 pax around the 4 corners of the field (only one to get caught by the group was Ma Bell (Cumming)): 

    Corner 1: 20 count LBCs

    Corner 2: 10 jump squats

    Corner 3: 20 wide grip merkins

    Corner 4: 10 lunges each leg

    0545-0615 – AO: “Shakin-Not-Stirred” – PAX: 23

    WARMUP: #ao-wed-005

    THE THANG:

    Christmas Eve is the big deal in Poland. So YHC shared a set of Polish traditions starting off with watching for the first star of the evening (Star Jumps) and recognition that it’s the Angel, not Kris Kringle, who brings the gifts in Poland. 

    Thang 1: 12 course meal of 12x rock exercises / 12 squats / shuttle run

    We usually leave an extra spot at dinner so 12 rock burpees for that little bit extra. 

    Thang 2: after dinner we open presents. So my present to the pax is 12 burpees 

    Thang 3: midnight mass after dinner and gifts. Lots of time on knees so we did a set of Jack Webbs back at the flag. 

    MARY: nope 

    ANNOUNCEMENTS: convergence NYE

    COT: Prayers for travelers; spoken and unspoken; healing; Nature Boy 

    Merry Christmas Eve all! 

  • The Death of a Sandbag

    YHC joined his GrowRuck 59 compadre Shut-In for a downrange beatdown in the Carpex Region. The Wolverine AO welcomed an additional 8 for this morning’s festivities, and since Wolverine is a “heavy” AO, there were plenty of coupons to go around.

    Thang 1 – Partner 1 performed burpees with sandbag tosses over the shoulder while Partner 2 ran out for Australian mountain climbers then back to switch. Ran this circuit for about 10 minutes.

    Thang 2 – Partner 1 bear crawls across the basketball court dragging a sandbag, then crawl bearing back dragging the bag. Partner 2 performed 5 pull-ups from dead hang and then swapping out.

    Thang 3 – Partner 1 walks the biiig parking lot loop, throwing their sandbag out ahead of themselves as they walk. Partner 2 performed a set of 5 block thrusters, 10 block curls, and 15 block overhead presses and then switched with their partner. It was during this time a sandbag virtually exploded as it hit the pavement.

    COT and Coffeerama at Biscuitville to conclude the morning.

  • Huge Bells #2 – Conquering Mt. Chaplain

    Six men of Gondor brought their finest forged steel from the mines of Moria to do battle on this gloomy Monday morn.

    Warmarama – Mosey around the parking lot, observing all traffic cones, then circle up in the parking lot for various stretches. YHC kept the calisthenics light today given our pump-focused workout. It honestly felt a little weird given all of the running that takes place at Huguenot High on a later day of the week.

    COP #1 – Kettle Bell Bear Crawl
    To launch into our workout the PAX bear crawled down the parking lot from L Woods’ bumper to Chaplain’s and then back, advancing our kettlebells underneath us as we went.

    COP #2 – Mt. Chaplain Circuit
    Six stations – 2min. max effort each station with a 20sec. rest in between
    1) Lateral Deadlift Passes – With feet wider than shoulders, place the KB/weight on the outside of one foot and then transfer it across the body using the opposite hand.
    2) Rows – Hinged at the waist, single arm. AKA lawn mower pulls.
    3) Squats – You know this one
    4) Swings – Russian style
    5) Shoulder to Overhead – Alternating single arm. Depending on the weight in use this could be ground-to-overhead, strict, or assisted with a kip.
    6) 50lb KB carry up and down Mt. Chaplain as many times as allowable in the time limit.

    COP #3 – Swing/Squat/Press Complex
    Cadence: Always perform a KB swing, front squat, and OH press in quick succession. Each round one of the movements goes up in reps.
    – Round 1: 1-5 Swings, 1 Squat, 1 Press
    – Round 2: 1 Swing, 1-5 Squats, 1 Press
    – Round 3: 1 Swing, 1 Squat, 1-5 Press
    – Total Reps: 75

    COP #4 – Ab Circuit
    – 2 Rounds of 20 Deadbugs, 20 Front Plank Pass-Throughs, and 20 American Hammers
    – 2 minutes of Turkish Get-Ups OYO until time called.

    Numbers/Names/Announcements/Prayer Requests
    – The Bridge – Saturday 11/15
    – SOJ Chili-Cookoff
    – Daddy/Daughter Dance
    – Prayers for NTB travelling with family out of the country this weekend.

    Awesome morning with the PAX! Looking forward to seeing this AO grow.

  • Fart Symphony at the Pavilion

    SIXTEEN HIMs were not deterred by the cold and rainy forecast, choosing instead to jump aboard the NTB beatdown bus. The following is based on real events:

    Hot Start – 1 burpee in honor of baby Zoe’s first birthday today. Then off for a mosey to the soccer fields. Stopped at the bridge to pay the toll despite Snuff’s protest.

    Warmarama

    • One lap around the right field skipping and frolicking for a dynamic warm up. Then we circled up in the middle for a disclaimer and a variety of IC movements.

    COP #1 – Kilo-Dora

    • 100 Merkins/200 Squats/300 LBCs/400 SSHs
    • Bernie to sideline and jog back/squat walk to right end of pavilion and back/squat walk to left end of pavilion and back/jog to sideline and Bernie back to the center.

    COP #2 – Jack Webb (Ab Edition)

    • Movement A: Box Cutters (1-10 reps)
    • Movement B: Flutter Kicks (4-40 reps)
    • Try to keep feet off the ground the whole time. YHC could not keep his feet off the ground…
    • With 16 PAX huddled under the pavilion a symphony of farts erupted through the early morning air.

    IP run back to the flag where we spent the few remaining minutes with half a round of license plate roulette. Kudos to snip for the surprise 17 burpees at the end.

    COT

    • New AOs Bon Iron and Huge Bells are being added to the Q Sheet and Map.
    • Ramp Build project happening this week. See slack for details.
    • Welcome Cotton Tail to RVA, moving here from Greensboro.
    • Reminder to give F3 away! It’s not a club it’s a mission, and sometimes a cult. Invite someone new this week.

  • Non-Respectable Ruckers

    Nine (the best of the single digit odd numbers) PAX took an extra lap around the Stony Point Shopping Center while the tardy Q got his act together and then set off for a 3.5mi journey around the north end of Larus Park! Dr. Try Hard’s pesky 60lb friend once again joined us for our trek. Too tired to walk itself, Mr. Sandbag was shouldered by many a strong fellow.

    It was a great morning to be with these HIMs once again. At the end of our ruck we shared several announcements about the SOJ chili cookoff and father-daughter dance planned before diving into prayer for Broadway’s recovery from a heart attack, L Woods’ dad recovering post-op, and for Bru’s family finding a nearby home for his mother. It was at this time that the not-yet-respect members of our band were encouraged to get their hearts screened. Their ages may or may not have been inflated, YHC’s memory is fuzzy.

    After COT we continued the discussion in Einstein’s Bagels where we reviewed habit stacking from chapter 5 of Atomic Habits and something about only drinking water for an extended period of time.