Category: Richmond, VA

  • Well at least he didn’t sleep in…he got Red Barchetta’d instead

    10 SOJ all-stars posted to Timberwolf all looking to impress the Field Day captain with their efforts and secure their spot on the tug-o-war line. One even middle-fingered our fine brothers from across the river and left them Q-less (and possibly clueless) for the gloom. He regretted that for many reasons. If only he did it intentionally! Regardless, here is what Timberwolf had in store this morning…

    Mosey down to the field for part two of Gumbo’s SOJ field comparison tour…better than SOT but Timberwolf still doesn’t hold a candle to NoToll…nonetheless, COP must go on. It included:

    • SSHs
    • DQs
    • Helicopters
    • Hillbillies
    • HRMs
    • LBCs
    • Flutter Kicks

    THE THANG:

    Red Barchetta

    Line up on the end line for the following:

    • Run 100 yards, do 100 SSHs, run back to the end line and plank for the six.
    • Run 75 yards, do 75 single-count mountain climbers, run back, plank.
    • Run 50 yards (or half-way as Lug pointed out), do 50 LBCs, run back, plank.
    • Run 25 yards, do 25 GOOD merkins, run back, plank.
    • Run 10 yards AYG (15 for YHC, its hard to stop once I get up to top speed), 10 burpees, run back, plank

    Palate Cleanser — Partner up for 25 PLTs x 3.

    Dora

    Partner 1 makes his way around the concrete square behind the endzone as follows – bearcrawl side 1, run side 2, bearcrawl side 3, run side 4. Partner 2 begins exercises. Switch and repeat until you complete as a team 100 squats, 200 single-count Freddie Mercuries and 300 (audibled to 200) single-count lunges.

    Palate Cleanser #2 – 25 APDs IC

    Burpee Battalion Run

    Akin to a Native American Run around the track. Keeping a slow pace, last man drops to do 3 burpees then runs to the front of the line. As he passes the last man in line that man drops to start his burpees. 1 lap around everyone got their turn at some burpees. Look out for Nancy Lopez on your left!

    Continue the mosey back up to the parking lot

    ROF x2

    • Round 1 – plank position – 10 Alternating Shoulder Taps when it is your turn.
    • Round 2 – still in plank – 10 plank jacks when it is your turn.

    3 MOM –

    • Hello Dollies x20 IC
    • Rosalitas x20 IC
    • American Hammers x20 IC – bell has rung!

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-Rama and Bullseye took us out!

    Announcements:

    • Field Day at Dogpile next weekend, May 11 – align with your nano region and get ready to battle.
    • Shakedown is shaving his head again for charity (St. Baldrics). Let’s support our brother for a great cause!
    • Apparently there is a Masters Class and a Remedial Class this Saturday at Dogpile. Rosie will be ramping up the pace in the Masters Division while Marmaduke will take his lumps and dish out some pain in the Remedial Division. No doubt both will bring the pain.

    NMS:

    YHC rolled in to Timberwolf right behind Nancy Lopez’s clown car at 0520 and we found LugNut’s ride empty. Way to get in some extra credit Lug – you’re looking strong brother! The rest of PAX was not far behind with Recall rolling in with the van — that thing could make one hell of a clown car. Just sayin! It was great to see Aisle 5 and Cerano this morning.

    Gumbo’s 2-day field comparison turn out as expected. NoToll fields are supreme. But, Timberwolf’s fields held strong today.

    Some good running and my abs are feeling it too. Great work this morning men. Way to push hard for 45 minutes.

    Fast forward to 0753 when YHC gets a text from Marmaduke who had received several texts confirming that he is still alive because as it turns out, he had the Q at 45MOM this morning…BRAIN FART! I see from BB that our brothers to the NORTH, you know on the other side of the RIVAH, put out a search party but when the big dog didn’t come running, they when to plan bit and passed a potato around a bit. Well done boys! Marmaduke – at least its one step above Wilson’s sleeping in and leaving me solo at OLD DARK SOT that one time….#nevergonnaletthatgo!

    Great fun men and great work!

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Marmaduke Didn’t Come When Called

    16, scratch that, 15 junk yard dogs posted at Mary for what was to be a Marmaduke lead kennel run, instead, we broke our leashes and a free for all ensued.

    Swirly Dog: SSHs / DQs / Helicopters / Imperial Walkers / Merkins / LBCs

    Wedding Singer Dog: Partner up. Split the track in half. Run to your partner for 10 Boo Yah Merkins. Run back from whence you came. Repeat 4 times.

    Big Tennessee Dog: Mosey to the tennis courts for some Tennessee Leg Hound. Mark your territory with line tracers out and back. Find a square between service line and net. Tennessee bar crawl – don’t touch the lava – around the lines x 2. Parting gift. BT peed on our carpets. 10 Burpees in cadence.

    ABBA Dog: Mosey to the center ring for the international division – Dora style. Treats were pulled. 100 Merkins. 200 LBCs. 300 Squats. Time for the judges to check all the kibbles and bits. Partner wheel barrows to the center of the ring and back x 2. Mosey to the dip pit for more partner fun. 30 dips while your partner holds your feet. Mosey to Sarah’s yard. ABBA peed on our carpets. 10 Burpees OYO.

    ABBA tog os ut. Bra sagt.

    Announcements: See Marmaduke

    Happy birthday Wedding Singer. Final lap of hate.

    NMS: Great day for a kennel run. We hope our fellow pooch Marmaduke is ok. You owe us some organic dog treats.

  • You Guys are Hard Core.

    Tres hombres posted, each with his own approach, to this edition of the Roller Coaster.  Temps were sunny and 70.  No humidity, no heat, no problem.

    Swirly did one long, one medium, one small.  Somewhere around 4.5 miles.

    UpChuck did one medium, one small.  Somewhere around 3+ miles.

    TYA walked a few laps in preparation for this weekend’s 100+ mile hike. 

    NMS:

    The ladies of Hillcrest apparently have never seen a runner, certainly not on a hot day.

  • You can feel Summer coming!

    The Circus Max was once again honored to have the CPA, the Engineer and the Lawyer present on this beautiful morning. You can tell Summer is near… the humidity, sweat and the bugs.

    COP

    25 SSH

    20 DQ

    25 Helicopters

    30 LBC

    20 Merkins

    10 1/2 Turkish get up each side – no weight

    Deadlift right Arm – followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Deadlift left Arm – followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Kettlebell press – right arm followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Kettlebell press left arm followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Clean right arm followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Clean left arm followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Snatch right arm followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Snatch right arm followed by bear crawl for two parking spaces

    Figure 8 curl right then bear crawl and Figure eight left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Squat press right then bear crawl and Squat press left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Single arm swing right then bear crawl and Single arm swing left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Single arm row right then bear crawl and single arm row left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Lunge pass right then bear crawl and Lunge pass left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Squat leg raise right then bear crawl and squat leg raise left followed with bear crawl two parking spaceng pass

    Halo clockwise then bear crawl and halo counter clockwise followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Chop right then bear crawl and Chop eight left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces

    Swing right arm then bear crawl and swing left arm followed with bear crawl two parking spaces Chop

    10 sit and presses with bear crawl four spaces rinse and repeat down and back the length of the parking lot.

    The not so fresh smell of Atilla was in the air this morning followed by his boyish smirk and giggles. A sound that could only be repeated by his young boys.

    Attila took us out

    Always great to work out with the three amigo’s


  • These fields aren’t like NoToll fields…

    5 SOJers started their hump day with some action. The flag was planted and off we went with a slowsy lap around the parking lot in case Mr. Roper or any other LIFOs were coming…none…so we headed down to the field for COP.

    COP included DQs, Helicpoters, SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Copperhead Squats, Alternating Shoulder Taps and LBCs – All IC.

    THE THANG

    Long Distance Lindsays

    Line up on the end-line and do 30 merkins and 10 Jump Squats, then run the length of the football field. At the other end do 25 and 15 and so on down to 10-30.

    Recovery Lap up the stairs across behind the bleachers and back down the other steps.

    Suck Relay with Stairs

    4 men exercising while one man runs up the stairs, across behind the bleachers and back down the other stairs – rotate when runner returns. Repeat x 2. Exercises were – plank (regular or elbow or back and forth, just hold it dammit), APDs, SSHs, Box Cutters.

    Mosey up the stairs past the Sysco truck (who was late today…Wilson!) and over to the Tennis courts

    Compounding Four Corners

    Corner 1 = 10 merkins, then sprint AYG to the corner 2

    Corner 2 = 10 merkins, 20 jump squats, then lunge to corner 3

    Corner 3 = 10 merkins, 20 jump squats, 30 single-count mountain climbers, then sprint AYG to corner 4

    Corner 4 = 10 merkins, 20 jump squats, 30 single-count mountain climbers, 40 LBCs, then lunge to corner 1

    Court Work

    Bearcrawl across court 1, stop and do 10 Alternating Shoulder Taps

    Lunge across court 2, stop and do 10 Ball Dippers

    Crabwalk across court 3, stop and do 20 monky humpers

    Repeato back to the start.

    Slowsy back to the Flag for 2 rounds of ROF:

    • Round 1 = hold six inches and perform 10 Hello Dollies when it is your turn.
    • Round 2 = hold plank and perform 10 plank jacks when it is your turn.

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-Rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Field Day – May 11 at Dogpile – claim your nano region and show up to compete. SOJers – let me know if you will be there. Uniform is t-shirt (preferably white or a Hooters shirt) with cutoff sleeves and cutoff jean shorts.

    NMS:

    No partner work today….the dreaded 5-some called for some individual you vs you work and of course a version of YHC’s favorite, The Suck.

    It was warm this morning and the planking and running certainly got the sweat rolling. During the Lindsays, other than sucking wind and watching Doozy and Tobit fly, YHC noticed the stark difference between the field conditions at old Midlo Middle versus the plush fields of NoToll. Heads up Timberwolf PAX – we may need to test the Timberwolf field tomorrow.

    Way to work fellas. It was great effort by all. And, of course, a great way to start the day.

    No More Gumbo For You…until Timberwolf!

  • Date your mate month!

    Welcome to May!
    6 righteous dudes started May off on the right foot.

    Over the head carry around the loop into COP

    • arm circles
    • SSH
    • DQ
    • mountain climbers
    • LBC’s
    • shoulder tap merkins
    • KB swings
    • bob and weaves
    • wonderbra
    • kb windmills

    Date your mate — Alternating wheelbarrows for half a loop. 25 PLT’s and 25 jumpovers

    Finish the second half of loop with lunges, then do 5 renegade rows and pass your bell to your partner, who was planking. Switch back and forth 2x an arm.

    LAZY DORA —
    100 2ct kb american hammers whilst partner is holding 6 inches
    150 overhead presses whilst partner is holding helix squat
    200 round the worlds whilst partner is planking

    Mary time —
    halos, figure 8’s, squat curls, imperial kb walkers, straight arm sits

    Numbers, names, Announcements

    NMS — I love May! It is National Dental Health Month (so everyone was supposed to be smiling during the workout this morning. That didn’t happen. Emoji would have done it, just saying.) It’s also Correct your Posture Month so what better way to spend it than working on your core! Finally it is Date your Mate month! That is what we focused on this morning. Spending quality time with your mate doing Partner leg tosses and Jump overs and KB handoffs. Try that with your M. She would love that. Peace, Opus!

    Announcements — Good luck to Mudface, Chewie and No Idea on their Rugged Maniac this weekend. I think Wheelie is also running this but not with the other three. Good luck to him as well!

    Field Day at Dogpile on May 11th — be there or be square — sounds like it should be a blast!

    Possible new AO at Mechanicsville Elementary School! Details to come!

  • The Floor is Lava

    16 pax decided to follow Lab Rat and jump up on the sofa to protect their precious feet from the burning lava below. With no mothers to yell at them to get off the furniture, they proceeded as follows:

    • Warmup COT to keep from pulling anything.
    • Balance lap around the loop staying on the curb. Everything not curb is lava.
    • Run along the curb when available to the rusty cage.
    • Get to Higher Ground:
      • Partner assisted muscle ups X5: Pullup, then keep going until you are above the bar with arms straight.
      • Partner assisted bar swings X2?: Pullup, then swing your feet above the bar so you are inverted. With stomach on the bar, swing up to the top of the bar. This was hard.
      • Over to the parallel bars, hang underneath by hands and feet, traverse the length of the bar. Ground is lava, obviously. X2.
    • Leap of Faith: At amphitheater, starting at the bottom, leap from one level to the next alternating legs. The grass is lava. Go back down bunny hopping. The rocks are lava back down.
    • Human Steeplechase: Run out 10 feet and plank. Next guy runs out and jumps plankers +10 feet then planks. Continue until the end of the lawn. On the way back, crawl underneath plankers.

    NMS:

    Credit or blame of this workout goes to Hardywood for lending me the book, “Natural Born Heroes” by Christopher McDougall. It’s a mixed up story about parkour, alternative dieting, Greek mythology and a badass group of Cretan rebels and British archaeologists turned war heroes during World War 2. Hard to get going because he jumps around characters a bit much, but the message is a good one. What are we built to do as humans? Hunt, gather, escape danger, protect the tribe, and share information. This morning was an attempt to share information about escaping danger. What better way to test our capabilities then the game everybody probably played as a kid, “the floor is lava”? I seriously thought it would be an easier workout overall with 0 merkins (not a single merkin) or situps, but by the end, there was lots of red mud and sweat, mixed in with a bit of blood for good measure. IF you DID NOT feel like you got your money’s worth out of the workout this morning, the good news is that you can attend several boot camps tomorrow to get your fill of the usual exercises. I had fun…I especially liked the assisted muscle ups. That might be a personal challenge going forward, to be able to do 1 unassisted. We’ll see.

    Apology of the week goes out to Bodos for ripping off his callous (ouch!!!) Let me know if I can buy you a pair of gloves.

  • How to lead the Ice Skater IC?

    What a great morning for the Elite Eight to post at Atlee High School. The beatdown went something like this.

    Mosey to the back of the high school

    COP

    • 30 SSH IC
    • 10 Imperial Walkers IC
    • 10 Russian Soldiers IC
    • 15 Arm Circles (10 small, 5 big) IC Reverso
    • 10 Lunges (do not move front leg) IC – Then switch legs for 15 IC
    • 10 Ice Skaters IC
    • 10 Balls-to-the-Wall IC
    • 10 Merkins IC
    • 10 Angled Knee leg jumps IC
    • 10 Foot to Hand Mountain Climbers IC
    • 20 LBCs IC
    • 15 Heels to Heaven IC
    • 20 APDs IC
    • 10 Burpees IC

    THE THANG

    Billiards Burpees

    • Start at corner of field – 5 burpees
    • Run to center of field, 5 burpees
    • Run to end of field – 5 burpees
    • Run to opposite corner of field – 5 burpees
    • Run to center of field – 5 burpees
    • Run to end of field – 5 burpees
    • Run back to starting position

    Partner Suicides – Partners alternate running suicides while the other partner does an exercise. The number of exercises increases as the distance of suicide increases. This was done on a soccer field.

    • Round 1 – Merkins – 5, 10, 15, 20
    • Round 2 – Freddie Mercuries – 5, 10, 15, 20
    • Round 3 – Burpees – 3, 6, 9, 12

    Plank-O-Rama

    Plank-O-Rama   – From plank position

    • Alternate between Carolina Dry Docks and Merkins – 10 IC
    • Rotate to Side Plank – Drop Hip and Raise – 10 IC
    • Rotate to Back Plank – Inverted APD – 10 IC
    • Rotate to Side Plank – Drop Hip and Raise – 10 IC
    • Rotate back to front plank – Alternate between Carolina Dry Docks and Merkins – 10 IC
    • Mountain Climbers – 10 IC
    • Rotating Elbow Planks – 10 IC
    • 6 inches – Hold for 30 count
    • Mountain Climbers – 20 IC

    Mosey back to Flag

    COT – Numberama, Name-o-rama, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    This is YHC’s anniversary week. This Friday at the Creek, YHC will celebrate 3 years of F3. Quite a few in the DaVille Nano-Region will also be celebrating their 3rd anniversary Qs in May. YHC is thankful for the founders of F3RVA for its growth in the area and especially to Circle K, Abacus, and Lab Rat for bringing it to Mechanicsville.

    The weather was perfect this morning for a beatdown that included a good deal of running. When YHC got out of the car, he said to Spike that it felt chilly (which is just fine.) Spike and Bulkhead had just run from their homes to the AO and did not agree with YHC’s opinion.

    Well done by all PAX members today! When it comes to any combination of running and Burpees, Helix is unstoppable. Great job by Spike and Bulkhead who have continued to run to the AO on Tuesdays. Thank you as well to all PAX members for your patience with YHC during the COP. Next time (maybe), YHC will practice cadence counts with new exercises like the Ice Skater before actually leading them. He should have learned his lesson while observing Dr. Tryhard try do the same thing last week at The Forge.

    Lastly, DaVille is an awesome AO. If you have not visited it before, come try it out. The fields where we spent the entire time today is probably my favorite spot to lead. The summer tour is quickly approaching which is an excellent opportunity to see it for yourselves.

    Announcements:


    F3RVA Field Day – May 11 – Vinny would like at least 10 PAX members from each Nano-Region. It’s time to bring the Ghost Flag home to DaVille.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Sunrise at NoToll

    16 Gloom Warriors exited the fartsack this morning expecting a DK Q at NoToll – no such luck. DK called YHC and asked to switch being that it was his sons 10th birthday so we switched and the Pax was stuck with Shakedown.

    COT

    SSH, DQs, Windmills, Arm Circles, Merkins, and some plank/yoga fun

    The Thang

    Mosey the long way to the far side of the first field via the other fields (did you know there was a shorter way to get here – duh… of course I did) for a Beast. Merkins, Monkey Humpers, Jump Squats, Divebombers, something forgotten (LBCs?) and then – “Roper, what’s number six?” too slow – Burpees!

    Mosey to the pavilion – Triple Check – Plerkins and running. Good clean fun. The view of the sunrise with the crescent moon was spectacular.

    Someone said we were doing too much arm work and I was in a good mood so Mosey back to the Bball courts for some hot potato Mary – Wilson cheated, 10 each Wilson not 10 each leg…

    YHC took us out

    The date I switched with DK will be my 2 years with F3 and I am grateful every day that I found you guys. Thanks to Viral for the headlock and DK for the first workout in the rain.

    Announcements

    Shakedown is shaving his head again to raise money for children’s cancer research (St. Baldricks) on June 17th. Taking donations and/or team members to join me. Website to be posted tomorrow.

    Lab Rat and Shakedown will be going caveman starting tomorrow. Let LR know if you want to join us.

  • I feel like I worked out with my 2.0

    Image result for workout meme funny

    Wait… I did!

    At least 6 stellar dad’s woke their kids up early for the first Puppy Pile of ’19. It went something like this:

    Mosey to the far circle for COP. The Q left behind his 2.0 for a while. Survival of the fittest!

    COP
    COP stuff. Stretching and warming up the muscles and heart

    The Thang
    Skip-to-my-lou over to the field for multiple iterations of partner carries. Twice the length of the field.

    Slow saunter over to the west side of the Carillon for touch a tree. Burpees, Merkins, SSH, LBCs. Many exercises were had. Wait, was it 1 tree, 1 exercise or 2 trees 1 exercise? Q can help explain. There were some monkey squats in there somewhere too.

    Long shuffle circumnavigating the Carillon and head over the the amphitheater for partner exercises, dips + running, step-ups + running. Maybe some more stuff? I think we squatted over some more monkeys.

    Cartwheel over to the nearest circle for Animal Instincts. Crowd favorites were seals, crabs, worms (audible to elephants). Maybe a few other exercises that the Q can fill in.

    Push and shove our way over to the field for some Sharks & Minnows. Why not? Only (2) 2.0s were injured during this less than desirable exercise.

    A tired stroll back to the VSF for some more squatting with monkeys.

    Did YHC forget anything? Only the Q would know.

    Moleskin
    24 hours is well past. YHC collected as many thoughts as he recollects and captured them here. Marv has officially lost his authoring privileges on the site.

    My favorite quote of the day was when my 2.0 Tidwell (as in Rod Tidwell, call my agent) walked in the door at home and what was the first thing he exclaimed to his family?

    “Guys – that was the most fun I have ever had. I had a grown up knock me over in sharks and minnows!”

    Sorry Sippy, he threw you under the bus.

    Till next time covering for Marv’s backblast…

    Big Data is watching.