Author: Toga

  • #AAF

    Fudd and four others posted for a workout that was not as difficult as the beatings Fudd gives to himself.  Here’s how it went down:

    Mosey to South wall of school for warmup COP:  merkins, squats, ssh, hillbillies, some other stuff

    Brief mosey to the South wall for leg day:  Complete 20 (that’s 40 total) alt lunges, followed by 30 sec wall sit.  Repeat w/ 18 (that’s 36.., the counting gets important later) alt lunges and 30 sec wall sits.  Continue down to 2.  Then go back and repeat with the odds, 19 alt lunges and 30 sec wall sits…

    Mosey to field on West side for fast and furious calisthenics: merkins, full extensions, split jumps, squats, Freddy, scissors, clerkins, mtn climbers, werkins

    NMM:  For those of you following along at home for the past couple of years, F3 is largely about Fudd.., it’s like the silent F that everyone knows is there, but F4 doesn’t have as good of a ring to it.  For this reason, YHC would like to encourage the PAX to consider using #AAF (All About Fudd) where appropriate.  Today proved to be one of those days as we were all reminded that things are harder when Fudd does them to himself (comments welcome).  In this case, it was the leg workout that YHC and Fudd both came across in Men’s Health.  During the very first round of lunges Fudd explained to Splinter that he had recently done a workout with lots of lunges followed by wall sits. Apparently it was epic! YHC informed him that he was in luck because he was going to get to do it again.  The difference came in the fact that YHC made a mistake and had us going down by 4 reps each cycle vs. just 2.  Let me be clear about this: YHC was wrong, and Fudd apparently can count.  Has he been working the long con on us for years?  Anyhoo, once Fudd explained that his version was infinitely harder than what we were doing, the PAX had no choice but to go back and do all the odds.  The PAX was overjoyed, and many thanks were given to Fudd for noting this error.

    Strong work by all today, and good luck to the PAX in walking tomorrow.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Things that go bump in the night

    Six fleet footed striders posted for some Ragnar prep along the James.  It may have been close to 70, but it sure wasn’t sunny.

    Thang:  Meet at the usual trail run start, run the North Bank, take the new bridge, and head back along the Buttermilk Trail.  Maybe 7.5 if we split the difference in the various devices.

    BT took us out, and he just lost a friend to cancer.  Please keep the family in your prayers, and remember to make the most all that you have been given.

    NMM:  The Ragnar team needed some experience running in the dark, so we met at 0500 to end as close as possible to a typical F3 workout.  Apparently Old Man River and Sippy shared too many of their experiences running in the dark, so the PAX (very much YHC included) was expecting all kinds of mayhem.  There were discussions of wolf spiders, flocks of deer (TYA’s new term for a herd of deer), face rending owls and roots that explode out of the ground and bring runners down.  Some went out to purchase head mounted flood lights and the ever popular pelvic light (comment as you will).  Everyone’s fears were allayed as it ended up being a perfect morning for everyone except the stranger who seemed to have some Mad Dog 20/20 induced swerving in their morning stroll.

    The team is looking strong and ready to take on the trails of Pocahontas.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • One more time around NY

    Two posted once more in the bright lights of sin city.  Here’s how it went down:

    • Warmup COP in front of Statue of Liberty at NYNY: SSH, hillbillies, imperial walkers, merkins
    • Mosey to steps by bridge from NYNY to Excalibur for Dora 1,2, 3: inclined 100 merkins, 200 lbc, 300 squats while partner runs up and down bridge steps
    • Mosey to area in front of Excalibur for 11s: box jumps and dips
    • Mosey to turf area in front of Tropicana for triangle of pain: lunge to corner one for 20 WWII sit-ups, bear crawl to second corner for 10 merkins, side lunge to corner 3 for 15 Carolina dry docks, repeato x3 and increase each exercise by 5 on ea. rotation
    • Mosey back to NYNY for mary

    NMM: This was another great motivator not to stay out too late, and we were supposed to be accompanied by two F3 brothers YHC met on a run yesterday morning.  They failed to show at the appointed time, so Canuck and YHC took on the workout together.  Always good to run into Canuck at these things and keep the fart sack at bay.

    Keep all of those seeking employment or getting tough job news in your prayers.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Splitting Aces

    Two of the faithful rallied from the jet lag to post in the neon sunshine of Las Vegas.  After meeting at the foot of the Statue of Liberty we were off.

    Thang:

    • Mosey behind NYNY hotel fountain for warmup COP: Imperial walkers, merkins, squats, etc.
    • Mosey over bridge to walkway outside Excalibur:  Incline merkins, step-ups, other stuff
    • Mosey over bridge to faux grass area in front of Tropicana: LBC, Canuck’s buffet of pain inducing hip exercises
    • Mosey back over bridge to Excalibur: muscle-ups, decline merkins
    • Mosey over bridge back to NYNY: side shuffle around fountain and back, suicides forward and backwards back around fountain, Ted Strykers, flutter kicks

    NMM:  Always good to meet up with Canuck at work events, and Vegas offers a …. different venue for typical F3 hijinks.

    Keep Spanarkel and Canuck’s M in your prayers this week.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • There once was a man from Nantucket

    Seven brave souls with no sense of feeling or disabled weather apps posted for another edition of F3  at No Toll.  Here’s how it went down:

    Mosey to the parking lot by the fields promptly at the agreed upon time of departure.  Circle up for The Pyramid of Fun.  Complete exercise #1 for 30 secs. then run across the parking lot and back to complete exercises 1 and 2.  Continue adding exercises up to #6 then go back down the pyramid by removing exercise 1, then 2…  Exercises included SSH, merkins, jump squats, muscle ups, plank, dips, and it took us a bit over half an hr.

    Mosey to tennis courts:

    • Side shuffle around court
    • reverse and repeat
    • At least 5 suicides (more on that later)
    • sideways crab walk to foul line and back
    • switch direction and repeat
    • crawl bear to half court and back
    • bear crawl to half court and back
    • flutter kicks and sideways flutters

    Mosey back to flag and burpee it out till time expired.

    Gumbo took us out

    NMM:  It may be in vogue to write poems in backblasts, but Toga don’t roll that way.  The title was just an attention grabber, and Nantucket may not even be a real place.  Speaking of attention grabbers, YHC knows it goes against dogma, but it may not have been sunny and 70 today.  In an effort to save the fields and keep us in the parking lot, we may have saved ourselves from the trees that were falling all around us.  Several members of the PAX were convinced that one of the casualties nailed someone’s ride, but some of us couldn’t even hear the trees explode due to the wind.  This could explain why Wilson began communicating with the Q via hand gestures.  The pyramid scheme was supposed to include a 30 sec rest between each set, but it seemed logical to run instead.  The PAX crushed it.., until we moved to movie trivia.

    Once we got to the suicides portion of the workout, YHC really thought it would be one and done.  After the first suicide there was a simple question, “who do you play for?”  Most of the PAX yelled out “Hoosiers.”  YHC informed them that was the wrong answer and to do it again.  After suicide 2 the same question was asked, and the same answer was given.., OK do it again.  After #3 and the same question, several people were still yelling out “Hoosiers.”  Really!?  YHC informed the PAX they were thinking about the wrong movie and sport entirely, and run it again.  After 4, the PAX was informed that it was a Kurt Russell movie.  Someone actually went with Bird on a Wire, and someone still yelled Hoosiers.  Thankfully Gumbo remembered Miracle and the correct answer, “U.S.A.” after the 5th or 6th suicide.  Good times!

    Special thanks to Hardywood and Flatline for helping Johnsonville get the flat fixed on the sausage mobile.  There was no question or hesitation as they went right to it.  Aye!

    Announcements:

    • Splinter no longer wants you at his house for HDHH
    • See Wilson about sponsoring a team or playing in the Galactosemia charity golf outing

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Jane Fonda and Beach Muscles

    2 (that’s right 2!) souls braved the frozen fields of LHES to focus on hip flexors and beach muscles.  This is how it went down:

    Thang: Mosey to side of school for warmup COP.  Mosey to basketball court for the following:

    • Karaoke suicide
    • Side lunge to squat down the court, merkins and repeat back down the court
    • Mosey to curb for sideways bear crawl ascending merkin ladder, to 7
    • Back to basketball court for karaoke suicide
    • 5 minute AMRAP: 5 chin-ups, 15 dips, 10 Jane Fondas ea. side
    • Head to playground bench for single leg Freddy
    • Burpee with sideways jump to half court
    • Back to bench to get the other side of single leg Freddy
    • Back to court for sideways jump burpees back down the court
    • 3 rounds of chin-up holds, 15 dips, and 20 side-to-side partner leg tosses

    Mosey to parking lot for Mary:  pizza cutters (think circular box cutters), American Hammers, alternating WWI sit-ups, side-to-side flutter kicks

    NMM:  Having recently received some feedback that we don’t focus enough on specific things in our workouts, YHC got the bright idea to focus on lateral movement/hips and arms today.  It turns out that we do a lot of straight line stuff because the repeated hip flexor stuff left a mark.  Thankfully Ronnie drug himself out of the rack to post on an almost 70 degree morning, or it would have been a lonely morning at The Punisher.  Where was the rest of the PAX?  The Bel Monte crew gets a huge pass, and maybe there will be a huge roll call when Batteau and River Run get posted.

    Announcements:

    • Weds. HDHH at Splinter’s.  Be sure to RSVP so he can get enough steaks.
    • Ragnar still needs a camper who wants to hang with the team and perform a tiny amount of race support.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Change is not always good

    An unsuspecting crew of 6 posted for some slightly different exercises at The Punisher.  Here’s how it went down:

    Mosey to basketball court for standard issue warmup COP.

    First evolution = 10 yd escalator run.  PAX completes an EMOM of escalating 10 yd shuttle runs.  Min 1 = 1 10 yd run, min 2 = 2 10 yd runs, …. up to 17 before we couldn’t finish within the minute

    2nd Evolution= ground and pound for time: 4, 30 sec sets of merkins (30 sec rest between sets), repeato for bench hops and squats

    20 sec sets of core exercises with no breaks: incline bear crawl reach, decline mtn climbers, plyo bench merkin (more on that later), decline bear crawl reach

    Mosey back to flag for hip-up sit-ups and flutter kicks

    COT

    NMM:  It’s no mystery that YHC will try some variations on exercises just to mix things up a bit.  The EMOM 10 yd shuttle run was advertised as a mental hurdle as much as physical.  YHC is not sure that really happened, but the progressions were interesting.  The PAX went from such great lines as “I got up for this?” (Fudd) and “should we plank?” (Wedding Singer) during the first few minutes, no chatter after we got past 12 minutes, and “I’m dizzy” (Pucker) after the last couple of passes.  Minutes 16 and 17 were pretty much a constant shuttle run, and we could probably get to 18 or 19 if we ever do it again.

    Then there was the bench core work series…  The value of the bear crawl reaches is debatable, but the plyo bench merkin was a disaster.  Following the sets of merkins, nobody (especially YHC) could launch themselves from the ground to the bench without risk of eating the bench.  It turns out that doing merkins AYG for time vs counting reps adds a different dimension and will need to be repeated.

    Thanks to the PAX for indulging me and testing a totally non-P90x based workout.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Sneaking in a run

    Lucky number 13 posted for some kettle bell slinging action and still managed to get in their 1 mile challenge committment.

    Thang: Warmup COP= SSH, merkins, Bridge and Reach, Spiderman Twists, unweighted goblet squats

    Round 1: Sumo Squat and press x10, Deadlift and drop squat x10, Switch Swing x10: Repeato x2 (some random KB swings and ab work thrown in)

    Round 2: Execute 40 push press and 10 goblet squats then run the circle.  Repeato while decreasing  presses by 10 and increasing squats by ten each round (30-20, 20-30, 10-40).  Heal touches over bell to collect the six

    Round 3: Head to the columns, partner up and partner 1 bear crawls with kb while partner 2 executes 10 swings.  Run to partner and switch then repeato with 10x cleans and 10x snatch until each partner has completed each set.  Finished with varied speed Freddy Mercuries

    Round 4: Mosey to curb for pull overs and heal touches over bell

    Mosey back to parking lot for assembly line bell passes

    COT

    NMM:  Ye old back was still feeling it from the Anemone of Doom that Sippy Cup doled out yesterday.  That said, the PAX was ready to go and there seemed to be some expectation that YHC would be in rare form after it was insinuated that JVille was the grumpier.  YHC was in too good of a mood to reset the bar today, but there will be opportunities in the future.  The leading theory is that JVille is only the Mayor of Grumpville when leading.  YHC would encourage the PAX to test the theory.  White Deer stepped it up to sit in the heckler’s chair today, but most conversation was ended in round 2.

    YHC remains humbled that the PAX gets it done no matter what you throw at them.  Having never done the circuit we did in round 2, it was hard to gauge how long it would take.  Rosie and Gumbo rolled right through it with everyone else not far behind.  Honey Do then put his kettle bell dragging knuckles to work and was part of the only team to make it down and back during round 3.  Well done by all!

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

     

  • You never know who might be listening

    Eight redwoods posted for super coupon Monday.  Here’s how it went down:

    Thang:  Mosey to field by school for warmup COP: SSH, Imperial Walkers, Strict “Sippy Cup” Merkins, Goblet Squats

    Mosey to basketball court for suicides: 1. Suicides with coupons and flutter kicks finisher, 2. Suicides with coupons and burpee finisher, 3. Unweighted suicide

    Mosey to wall and partner up:

    1. One person executes Wonderbras while partner does 10 burpees, repeato x3
    2. One person holds BTTW while partner executes 20 kettlebell swings, repeato x3
    3. Unweighted suicide
    4. Mosey to playground where one partner completes 10 weighted step ups while partner does froggers, repeato x3
    5. Complete max pull-ups (unassisted and then continuing with spot)

    Mosey to flag for Mary fun:

    1. Face your partner and execute sit-ups with coupon pass for 2 min
    2. Partner one does 10 coupon presses while partner executes flutter kicks, repeato x3

    COT

    NMM:  Someone who shall remain nameless (Hint: name rhymes with blob) recently stated in some rather blasphemous words that they would never lift a kettle bell.  Challenge accepted!  The PAX was greeted with an array of coupons befitting an F3 coupon Monday: 45# kb, 35# kb, 2 25# db, cinder block, and one 25# kb kindly lent by Mr Bucket.  Hilarity ensued as it quickly became evident to the PAX that nobody was getting out without carrying some weight through the exercises.  At least two of the PAX noted that they didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t what they got today.  YHC believes that boredom is the enemy of fitness, so it’s always good to mix things up.  Other items of note:

    • Double Bag was back and crushed it.
    • Ronnie suffered an injury while falling out of a tree.., but not on the F3 clock.
    • Saab did indeed abide through the whole thing.
    • Beware of alternative facts spread by Lab Rat on proper burpee form.
    • Kettlebell swing lessons are given on Thursdays at Circus Maximus.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Complex Morning

    14 (no, that’s not a typo) posted for what was written up as the “Nine Minute Complex from Hell.”  The hard working PAX made it look easy.., for the most part.

    Thang:

    Warmup COP with failing bluetooth speaker: SSH, Good Mornings, Scapula Merkins, Scorpions, Don Quixote, Mtn Climbers, unweighted goblet squats

    9 Minute Complex, under weight the entire time except swing burpees (that instruction is for Rosie)

    One-Hand Swing x 10-15 ea. hand
    One Arm Clean x 10-12 ea. hand
    One Arm Snatch x 8-10 ea. hand
    One Arm Clean and Press  8-10 ea. hand

    Lunge x 10-12 ea. leg

    Single Leg Deadlift x 10-12 ea. leg

    Two Hand Swing x 15
    Goblet Squat x 10-12
    Push Press x 8-10 ea. hand

    Swing Burpee x 10

    2 minute rest while doing leg raises on the curb

    Repeat 9 Min. Complex with 1 minute rest doing pull overs on curb

    Circle up for “kb ring around the rosie” with two of the PAX completing 2 laps of farmers carry until everyone has completed the carries.  Flutter kicks to finish it off

    COT: The Carpenter took us out

    NMM: First and most importantly, prayers to Gumbo after the passing of his mom last night.  Having just been through this, the support of this group was huge for me, and I know everyone is there for Gumbo and his family.  Thoughts and prayers with them in the days ahead

    Random/much less important stuff:

    • Great to see The Carpenter and Mud Face come in from Daville.
    • Rosie thought he could do the swing burpee without putting down the weight, but he decided against it.
    • JVille was rockin a super sexy bowhunter look with his new RealTree hat.
    • Doner Kebab and family may be departing our shores after tomorrow.., but then I guess we would need to build a wall around the Atlantic as well?
    • and Honey Do got fixated on one word in the exercise list that became a recurring theme.  Since Saab is an expert at junior high humor, I’ll let him figure out the word for the day.

    Announcements:

    • CSAUP this Saturday
    • See Swirly if interested in Smokie Mtn Relay (4/21)
    • See Toga if interested in Rangar relay (4/28)

    Stay Classy,

    Toga