Author: Opus

  • Highway to Hell

    7 lucky gentlemen showed up for a 70 degree sunny manndate beatdown. The COP went like this

    • Smurf Jacks
    • Tempo Merkins
    • Alternating Shoulder Taps
    • Something else I can’t remember
    • Travoltas

    AC/DC song
    — during the chorus, do renegade rows
    — verses do KB swings, deadlifts, and around the worlds

    THE BEAST

    1) bob and weave
    2) halos
    3) squat curl press
    4) standing kb crunches
    5) kb jump squats
    6) regular burpees

    NMS — Happy Anniversary to me! YHC and his M have been hitched for 20 years and dated for three years prior to the hitching part. How can two people stay together so long? We have gone through our share of great stuff and our share of hell as well. And yet, YHC feels like the rough patches have actually made us stronger as a couple. Instead of tearing us apart, the hard times have brought us closer together. True intimacy in any relationship comes through shared experiences, even the really difficult ones.
    Thank you to my F3 friends who have helped make YHC strong enough to get through this latest crazy time in our marriage. YHC could not have done it without your support and prayers.
    Blessings,
    Opus

  • Stairway to Heaven

    On this day in history in 1971, Led Zeppelin performed their iconic hit “Stairway to Heaven” live in England.
    In honor of this historic day, the COP was done with the song as accompaniment to YHC’s cadence. 12 cherubic men showed up to take on this celestial beatdown.

    • arm circles
    • don quizotes
    • copperhead squats
    • helicopters
    • imperial walkers
    • Alternating shoulder taps
    • american hammers

    Mosey round to the back of Cool Spring where the bus loop is. On the way do 5 merkins every other light post (or so).

    LOVE LOOP —
    One partner runs the full loop and then heads back towards the partner who is doing frog jump burpees, then lunges, then bear crawl. Finish up and do booyah merkins till the PAX is done. Hang out and do some Flutterkicks in Vinny’s honor.

    Fartlek back —
    Slow jog until one of the PAX members calls out a spot to run to — sprint to that spot. First one there gets to choose the exercise the PAX does until the 6 arrives. Repeato until we are back to the flag. Exercises included were WW2 situps, merkins, SSH, and one more YHC does not remember right now.

    NMS —
    Sometimes relationships feel like a stairway to heaven. Other times not so much. This morning celebrated the good times, the times when all is going right, nothing can upset the apple cart, so on and so forth. YHC and his M celebrate 20 years this Wednesday — some of our times together have been like heaven. Some not as much. That will be the theme tomorrow at Manndate!
    Other than that, sprinting was fun. And watching really fast people was also fun. Carpenter killed it on the last sprint. Nice work!
    BTW, If you want to hear a really good cover of Stairway, check out the band Heart playing it at Kennedy Center Honors. It really cooks.
    SYITG!

  • “Why are We Doing This??!!”

    7 rugged dudes (including one 2.0) came out to see what the first workout at the creek was going to be like.

    Hallelujah run around the church

    COP — arm circles
    hillbillies
    helicopters
    jack squats
    plank jack shoulder taps

    Curb Toe Taps —
    30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest
    40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest
    50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest
    1 minute on

    CMIYC —
    One person bear crawls the loop, the other does 5 burpees and runs to catch up.  Switcho until the loop is done.

    To the shelter for

    Triple Checks —
    1) derkins, bench situps, one person runs to touch a car
    2) donkey kicks off bench, dips and run the length of the driveway and back

    15 skull crushers (IC) each side.
    Then 10 skull crushers a little faster each side

    Back to the Flag for a little Mary

    Merkin round the world —
    1 merkin each, then 2, then 3 then 4 — all do 5 together

    Numbers, Names, Emoji took us out!

    YHC heard the above quote from Fife this morning — don’t think it was aimed directly at YHC, but just in general.  There are mornings that YHC asks the same question.  Why are we doing this?  Is it for the muscles that we are shaping?  For the endurance and stamina that is growing?  For the endorphin rush?  YHC thinks it is so much more than that — it’s about the camaraderie, the shared experiences, the struggle, and as my friend Miley so thoughtfully put it — “It’s the Climb!”
    YHC’s M is about to undergo a major surgery that will challenge our family’s fortitude and endurance.  F3 has given YHC the ability to push through things, to endure and to come out on the other side better for it.  Thanks for all the support and drive you have given YHC through the years.
    Why are we doing this?  You know why.  Keep doing it and invite your friends!

    Peace

    Opus

  • Three Wise Men — Yo!

    Kick that beat.

    Three wise men  for an epic beatdown.
    They came for a workout and they were not let down.
    At first there were two,  we ran around the church
    Could not make a circle so we just kind a perched
    Then came Yardsale which made it three
    Triangled up for the COP

    IJR, Tempo Merkins and Situps
    american hammers, crunchy frogs then get up
    arm circles and some helicopters
    finished up with a few butt kickers

    Then we commenced 10 minutes of burpees
    The concept is simple now cant you see
    You just pick a number, do that number for 1 minute
    if you finish early you get a respite
    do that thang 10 times then its done
    You feel better than when you had begun.

    Head to the shelter for something different
    Two ran the church while the other did reps.
    5 reps of each exercise was the way
    5 exercises here they were today
    squats, jump squats and split jacks
    2 count side jumps and then some  smurf jacks
    Repeato this mess until your partners returned
    Think of all the calories you burned.
    Switch it up and the other partner runs
    do the whole thing twice and then we were done

    The second iteration caused some pain
    Here was the shizzle, I will make it plain
    Alternating Shoulder Taps and merkins too
    Plank jacks, table tops and mountain climbers, ooh
    Repeato as before until all were done.
    Two minutes left, heck no we aren’t done.

    Did some skull crushers on the fabulous benches
    Can someone please enlighten me on what that stench is?
    Finished with some dips for the last twenty
    After all the arm work, that was plenty.

    Numbers and names were thrown about
    YHC took us all out.

    Word,
    Opus

  • Closer to the Smurph

    5 dudes posted this morning to haul around some kettlebells.  Here is what transpired…

    COP —
    Smurphkins
    Smurph Jacks
    Smurphkins
    Smurph Jacks
    Smurphkins
    Smurph Jacks
    Smurphkins
    Smurph Jacks
    1 minute of smurphkins OYO
    Arm circles 🙂
    1 minute of smurphjacks

    The Thang this morning was the SMURPH, the younger cousin of the MURPH
    1 lap around the bus loop with kettlebell high and erect in the air
    OYO whatever pace needed
    50 sit up presses
    100 goblet squats plus curls
    150 KB swings

    Once finished, run two laps around the bus loop

    5, 10, 15, 20
    5 DK’s, BC to bench, 5 dips
    10 of each
    15 of each
    20 DK’s, 20 derkins

    Mary
    One round of boat canoes  Chewy called out three — all else only got to 2
    One round of slingshots

    NMS —
    YHC decided to revive the SMURPH this week mainly because he wasn’t feeling like coming up with something totally new.  Honesty.
    YHC had noticed while doing the regular MURPH how incredibly quiet it is.  No mumblechatter, everyone is too busy counting and working hard.  Decided to break up the monotony this morning with a little RUSH!  Geddy Lee has a very smurf like quality to his voice, so it was a natural fit!  Great to hang out with you all this morning!

    Peace
    Opus

     

  • Plan B

    6 Brave souls dared the elements this morning to hopefully come out stronger for it.  YHC had a plan.  And then he didn’t.  This is about the Plan B’s in life.

    Circuitous run around the parking lot.  Come back and circle up.
    COP — IJR, Plank Jacks, Butt Kickers, American Hammers, Crunchy Frogs, Dying Cockroach

    Get out the Phone and the bluetooth speaker for some fun, but wait what is that annoying popping sound?  Waited only a few seconds for it to correct itself, and then decided to scrap the songs and go with Plan B.

    The Beast in the Lot
    Exercises —
    V-ups
    Merkins
    WW2 situps
    one legged merkins
    freddy mercuries
    burpees

    Run to the poles behind Atlee
    On the way do two sets of ten merkins
    Hold poles, one dude does leg lifts, everyone else at 6 inches
    Reverso — gas pumps and everyone else at 6 inches

    Back to lot for doracides
    100 — Smurf Jacks
    200 — jump squats
    300 — oops — look at the time!  Back to the Flag.

    Names, Numbers, Announcements

    NMS — YHC had a really cool themed beatdown that included some fun music.  Last night when YHC tried his bluetooth speaker out it was making a weird clicking/popping noise.  So YHC knew there was a chance that a Plan B would have to happen.  Tried the sucker out in the car this morning and it was fine — until YHC got it out to use it at the beginning of the beatdown.  Click, click, click, pop, pop, pop.  I was ready with a Plan B though so the PAX went through the rest of the beatdown without a hitch.  Nice work, gentlemen!  Helix rocked the beastly burpees this morning!  Alas, YHC did not.
    Sometimes, life throws us a curve ball.  One of those moments in time that we just didn’t see coming.  Do we have a plan B at the ready?  Are we willing to go with the flow and turn things that could be seen as awful into something good — a plan B that might have actually been better than the plan A we had for our own lives?
    A quick story from YHC’s own life — When YHC graduated from college the first time around, he was ready to go out and start molding young children’s minds.  Unfortunately, that first year of teaching was miserable for YHC (for numerous reasons).  A total disaster.  YHC quit after the year was over and went back to school to get his music degree.  YHC loves his job now and is in a great school — YHC needed to remember what his passion has always been and seek it out.
    Feel free to share your plan B stories below!

    Opus

  • A Q that Yardsale would approve of

    5 Confident Warriors showed up Washington Henry for some Kb action.  Everyone was super excited that Yardsale had the Q this morning.  Around 5:31, someone noticed there was no Yardsale.  Oh well, hot potato Q then!

    COP (Helix Style) —
    Arm circles, merkins, DQ’s,

    11’s (No Idea style) —
    10 demon crushers, lunge across loop, 1 halo
    Continue till done

    Don’t Drop the soap (Alternative Mudface version) —
    Start with around the worlds until droppage happens then run the lot and do 5 snatches each side.  Sometime after doing about 100 round the worlds, Mudface decided things were too easy so we reversed things and did snatches till we dropped the soap and then came back and did 5, then 10 round the worlds until we had had enough and just stopped abruptly. 🙂

    Little Beast (Opus style) —
    run to each stop and do 6 merkins, come back yadayada
    next go round — kb swings, farmer carry in between

    Oh look at the time!
    finished up with 10 KB Thrusters IC

    Passed to Chewie for one boat canoe.

    NMS — What a great morning for a workout!  Helix started it off right with a nice COP and handed it off to No Idea.  No Idea comes in with the 11’s and Mudface starts complaining that it’s the first Wednesday of the month so we usually do the Murph the first Wednesday.  The overall consensus was that if you want to do the Murph the first Wednesday, then you gotta sign up for the first Wednesday to Q.
    YHC will not hound Yardsale for missing his Q this morning.  YHC knows what that feels like.  🙁  Hope you are feeling okay.  See ya Friday.

    Peace
    Opus

  • You Might as Well Jump!

     

    3, … wait,      now 4, wait…       now ….  8 steadfast and brave warriors filed in this morning for a VH beatdown.

    Rock and Roll Slaughter Starter — 15 burpees

    COP —
    arm circles, DQ, angled knee jumps, one legged merkins, jump squats

    Love Lot —
    One partner runs the length of the lot and back, other does board jump burpees, exchange places, keep going till the end is reached.

    BoxJumpaLooza
    Pick a bench — 2 box jumps, run to the road 4 box jumps, run , repeato until 10 box jumps have been done

    VH Trivia contest — right answers are 5 burpees, wrong answers are bear crawl down and up the hill plus 5 burpees (answers in the NMS)
    1) In which country were the Van Halen’s born?
    2) Name the two other singers VH has had besides David Lee Roth?
    3) On what Michael Jackson song does Eddie Van Halen have a guitar solo?
    4) What color M and M’s did the band insist be removed at every gig? (true story)
    5) Who played clarinet for the band on one of their songs?
    6) What famous rocker signed Van Halen to their first contract?

    Pull out the speaker and the spotify for the classic “Jump”!

    Intro — plank
    drums kick in — mountain climbers
    verse — merkins
    pre chorus — angled knee jumps
    chorus — big jump on “JUMP”s little jumps in between
    solos — sideways bear crawls around the circle, both ways, forward and back
    interlude — back to plank

    Mary —
    flutters, scissors, freddies, heels to heaven, am hams

    Numbers, Names, announcements

    NMS —
    1) the Netherlands (got it right)
    2) Sammy Hagar, Gary Cherone (from Extreme — the More Than Words band) (missed)
    3) Beat It (missed)
    4) Brown (missed)
    5) Jan Van Halen, their father (got it — kind of)
    6) Gene Simmons (got it w/help)

    This whole workout was based on the routine I came up with for the song “Jump”.  The lads did a pretty good job on the trivia, but they could have done better. Mudface said that he would do much better on a genre called Black Metal.  No Idea what that is.   No one came dressed in spandex with a hole cut out of their butt, but Emoji did show up this morning with some wacky looking beard and hair.  It looked like an ancient medieval wizard get-up.  It did make us laugh though when he tried to do the burpees at the beginning with it on.

    See you all in the gloom
    Opus

     

  • Thank you sir, may I have another (round of wally world)?

    Fantasy Football
    YHC is overjoyed
    Thank you Jimmy Graham!

    6 Legends of the Fall showed up this morning and they didn’t know we were taking a field trip to Wally World.

    Here is the gist of what happened…

    Circuitous Mosey to the front of Atlee
    COP
    Smurf Jacks
    IJR
    Arm Circles (25 small)
    tempo merkins
    Alternating Shoulder Taps
    Plank Jacks
    tempo ww2 situps
    reach throughs
    crunchy frogs
    combo flutter/scissor kicks

    Triple check
    Mountain Donkeys, Box Cutters, Run across the parking lot and back

    Off to Wally World
    5 donkey kicks, climb to BTTW, 5 second hold, 5 stump merkins
    10 donkey kicks, climb to BTTW, 10 second hold, 10 stump merkins

    bball courts for a reg suicide and a reverse suicide

    Back to Wally World
    15 donkey kicks, climb to BBTW, 15 second hold, 15 stump merkins

    bball courts for another suicide

    Back to Wally World
    down the ladder doing
    10 of previous
    then 5 to finish off our field trip

    to the bus loop for CMIYC
    One partner bear crawls, the other does 5 burpees and then runs to catch up with the bear crawling partner
    Rinse and repeat until half the bus loop is done.

    Back to the Flag for a little Mary
    Carpenter chose 10 heels to heaven
    Bulkhead chose 10 merkins
    Spit chose American Hammers and we did them Red Bull style

    Numbers, Names, Announcements

    NMS —
    Not much to say about this morning — the weather was perfect, the PAX was amazing.
    Wally World will definitely make a comeback — the PAX seemed to enjoy it and the Suicides were a nice break in between sets.
    See you in the gloom.

    OPUS

  • this one is good for your spleen!

    5 brave souls came out once again in the mist to throw some kettlebells around.

    Here is what transpired…
    Pump kettlebell while walking the bus loop to COP spot

    COP —
    Hillbillies (a helix favorite)
    SSH
    KB Windmills each side
    Overhead Rotational Squats (known from now on as corkscrews) — each side
    renegade rows each side
    figure 8’s
    figure 8’s with a hold in the middle
    sidestepping kb swings

    KB Tabatas
    Bob and Weave, Goblet Squats
    Demon Crushers, Sit up Presses
    Halos, Standing presses

    Don’t Drop the Soap
    Hold KB as long as possible, when dropped get down and do 14 merkins, then run lap.
    Rinse and repeat for a total of three times

    A little Mary
    combo exercise — squat, squat and press, squat press and tricep press repeato until tiredo
    boat canoes — a total of 10 (2 each PAX member)

    Numbers, Names, Announcements

    NMS —
    What a great group of guys today.  Mumblechatter came mostly from Emoji (big surprise), but Helix and No Idea also had some stuff to say today as well.  Yardsale was rather quiet today.  YHC was too busy trying to not die to talk.
    Thank Emoji for the backblast title.  While doing the corkscrews, he shouted out “These are great for the spleen!”  YHC immediately thought that he knew nothing about the spleen and subsequently found the very informative video in the backblast.  Now YHC wants to be a splenologist upon retiring from teaching.  Watch the video if you can.

    Peace out
    Opus