Category: Richmond, VA

  • 3 dudes, 0 plans

    YHC made it to BWES with no plan to find Bullseye and coming in hot was Singer. None of us had any real plan of where to run but Singer suggested we move in one direction and the road would open up to ideas.

    Terrington turn left at the first street out and back, right to the park hit the extra parking lot, out to JRHS to the end of the road and back to BWES.

    4 miles on the nose and as flat as we could make it

    Numbers / Names YHC took us out

    NMS: YHC thinks the three of us have found every way to run a minimum of 4 miles and find almost no hills in an area known for its hills.

  • The Monday before Thanksgiving

    Welcome to Hoedown.

    Seven eager gentlemen embraced the gloom with a 70 & Sunny disposition.

    We started at 0530 with a down hill trot to the bottom of Lindsay Ct. YHC whispered some basic instructions, introductions & disclaimers in the hopes of not waking up the neighborhood. We did a basic warmup. Welcome back to the west end Oyster!

    We did some Lt. Dans up the hill while stopping at every vehicle for (2) Merkins.

    Mosey to front of school benches and partner up. Partner one does dips while partner two runs the bus loop.

    Walk to wall. Partner one does balls to wall while partner two runs the bus loop.

    Mosey to walk way railing. Three sets of 5 Gerkin.

    Mosey across soccer field trying our best to avoid puddles and keeping our shoes dry. Partner up. Partner one Hangs until he drops while partner two does merkins.

    Mosey to walk way railing. Three sets of 5 Gerkins.

    Mosey to front asphalt basket ball courts for some four corners. 25 Deep Squats, 25 Merkins, 25 LBC, Corner four we practiced what we learned.

    Mosey back to flag for 7 minutes of core Mary.

    YHC took us out.

    Benefits of dead hanging

    Although a seemingly simple exercise, the dead hang offers many health benefits, especially for your musculoskeletal system. 

    1. Strengthens upper body and core

    Dead hanging doesn’t require movement, but that doesn’t mean your muscles aren’t working. As you hang from a bar in a static position, it engages the following upper-body muscles:

    • Forearms
    • Hand and wrist flexors
    • Shoulders, including your deltoids, rotator cuff, and rhomboids
    • Upper back, including your latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles
    • Core, especially your abdominals and obliques

    By recruiting your upper body and core to stay stable while dead hanging, the exercise can help strengthen these muscles over time. 

    2. Improves grip strength

    Recent studies have shown that grip strength is an important indicator of total-body strength, health, and longevity. A firm grip is also crucial for everyday tasks like opening, carrying, and lifting objects.

    A dead hang is one way to test your grip strength as you hold the bar to support your body weight. The longer you maintain a dead hang, the more you challenge your hand, wrist, and forearm muscles. This can help you build a stronger grip over time. 

    3. Builds muscular endurance

    Perfecting the dead hang is a great way to build muscular endurance, which allows your muscles to contract or hold a static position for an extended period. It’s essential for functional mobility and athletic performance.

    4. Corrects posture

    A common tip for good posture is to pull your shoulders back and down. This can help correct your posture temporarily. But strengthening core muscles, as dead hangs do, is critical for improving your posture over time. A strong core helps keep your spine aligned, which may prevent slouching during everyday activities. Plus, dead hanging also works back muscles, such as the lats and traps, which are essential for an upright posture.

    5. May decompress the spine

    Dead hangs may promote spinal decompression by restoring space between the vertebrae, joints, and discs. Spinal compression can be caused by conditions like osteoarthritis and scoliosis. It can also be caused by activities like heavy lifting or manual labor. 

    During a dead hang, gravity pulls your body downward, stretching your spine and possibly easing pressure and tension. But more research is needed to determine how much dead hanging can decompress the spine and if this decompression relieves pain. 

    6. Increases flexibility

    Dead hanging doesn’t just stretch your spine. Gravity also helps lengthen upper back and shoulder muscles. These muscles often stiffen due to poor posture, prolonged sitting, and inactivity. Stretching them during a dead hang may increase flexibility and range of motion in these areas. 

    7. Enhances shoulder mobility

    The deep stretch that dead hangs provide can work wonders for your shoulder mobility. A dead hang fully extends your shoulders, which can release muscle tension, enhance flexibility, and increase range of motion. It also pulls the shoulders back into proper alignment and strengthens muscles for easier, more fluid movement. 

  • HB 4: Massacre on the Mountain

    It was exciting morning at Huge Bells………An enthusiastic PAX of 7 including an FNG! Here is a brief summary for your viewing pleasure:

    Mosey around the parking as we wait for stragglers to arrive. Warm Up: Jazzercise, Ukranian Soldiers, Helicopters, HR Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Flutter Kicks, Freddie Mercuries, Alabama Prom Dates.

    Grab your Kettle an mosey to the bottom of the hill for Exercise One: 11’s with KB Swings and WWII sit ups (with lift). Run up the hill and back in between sets.

    Mosey up to the next level for Exercise Two: Various movements across the Parking Lot and back: Lunge Walks, Lt. Dans, Walking Overhead Press, Dingleberry Curls, Around the Worlds, Curls. Might have missed a couple.

    Mosey toward the Mt. Chaplain Summit for Exercise Three:
    Hill repeats – Bernie up the hill with Kettle. At the top, 2 count Kettle Merkins. Mosey back. Go until time is called.

    Exercise 4: Assorted Ab Exercise with Kettle: Flutter Kicks, American Hammers, Alabama Prom Dates, LBC’s.

    BTTF and time is called!

    COT with YHC taking us out.

    Final thoughts: It was great to welcome Jennings (Switchfoot) to the group. He goes to church with NTB and is affiliated with the Good Feet Store. Great job! Enjoyed putting in some work with the rest of the PAX while listening to the Bell Mix. Snuff provided coffee afterwards, which was excellent.

  • TD Monday

    YHC rolled in to find two brothers on site for a beatdown and here is what happened:

    COP

    20 SSH, 10 Helicopters, 15 arm circles, 10 small and 5 big, reverso, 10 Imperial walkers, 10 american Hammers, 20 merkins.

    THANG

    We mosey to bus loop and partner 1 step ups, Partner 2 – LBC’s and Partner 3 runs lap as timer. We rotate for a complete set, 2 more sets for a triple check.

    Mosey to back parking lot for touch a tree. Partner 1 wall sit, partner 2 wall sit but touches feet, knee, then reaches back for wall overhead and repeats until timer returns, partner 3 touches 2 trees and returns. Rotate all stations for a set, 2 more sets to complete the triple check of touch a tree.

    Mosey to parking lot near flag, each takes a space and start 11’s until we run out of time. Start with 10 merkins, lung to opposite spot number 1 LBC. We get to 5 merkins and 6 LBC’s to we have to stop for COT.

    COT

    Numberama, Namerama, Trout took us out in prayer. We had great talks about football, coaches leaving great programs and family for this week. Great conversations gents. HAve a great holiday week and look forward to seeing you in the gloom.

    Cheers….CB!

  • 1000 Posts for CB

    YHC showed up to a rainy cold morning on Monday and here is what went down

    COP

    20 SSH, 10 DQ, 10 Imperial Walkers, 10 Helicopters, 20 LBC’s, 10 Irish Hammers, and 20 merkins

    THANG

    We set up 7 stations:

    Station 1 – Dips, Station 2- Step ups, Station 3- Flutter kicks, Station 4- merkins, Station 5 – Squats, Station 6 – Calf raises, Station 7 run lap around 3rd light pole island and back as the timer.

    We rotate through the stations to complete a full set, perform 2 more sets for a modified triple check.

    Mosey to parking spaces, each member takes a space and we do 11’s. start with 10 merkins lunge to opposite parking space number 1 LBC, Backwards lunge to opposite parking space number 9 merkins, forward lunge to opposite parking space number 2 LBC. We repeato until 1 merkin and 10 LBC’s

    Mosey to flag.

    COT

    Numberama, namerama, Yardsale took us out in prayer.

    Moleskin-

    Wow…1000 posts for YHC…this is a great group and all of you brothers are special to me and have crossed my life and made a positive impact in many ways. I appreciate all of you and thank you for your wisdom, kindness and botherly love. Sorry for the late post…just alot going on personally and look forward to seeing you in the gloom soon.

    Cheers…CB!

  • Going through a transition…?

    You got me. But Attila says he was going through a transition so I didn’t ask…but it made for a good back blast. 🙂

    Eight of us posted for a pre-Thanksgiving Monday workout at The Deep. After some warm up and extra stretching we accomplished:

    11’s on The Hill: Mike Tysons and Squats

    Dips and Carolina Dry Docks: 30 Dips, 20 Carolinas, 20 Dips, 20 Carolinas, 15 Dips and 20 Carolinas

    The Hill for 5 sets of Bernies with incremental # of Burpees on the top of the hill.

    Monkey Bars for 10, 7 and 5 Pull Ups

    Ab Style Indian Run: Everybody doing Pole Smokers until the last guy runs to the front of the line. Rotated to Boxing CockRoaches and WWIIs, and WWIs on the pole

    Mosey down the block with increasing # of Merkins per door, up to 10.

    Back to stretching and COT

  • Merkin Run

    2 magic men emerged in the early gloom for some EC. While everyone else in New Kent seemed to be in the beautiful woods hunting for some Whitetail, we were out running 2.5 miles and logging 110 merkins in the process.

  • Saturday Shenanigans

    It was a wet, but warm morning for Rocknroll at Rockwood Park. There were four PAX on hand to take part in the morning’s shenanigans, and they would surely get their money’s worth.

    Warmarama

    Just a mosey lap around the park, which is about 1K, then to the basketball court for the more standard warmup exercises, which included SSH, Ukrainian Soldiers, Imperial Squat Walkers, and several sets of 10 merkins.

    COP 1 Total Body Workout Suicides

    Quarter, Half, 3 Quarter, and Full Court exercise: 25 LBCs

    Each time to the baseline: 25 merkins

    Traveling exercises: Walking Lunges, and Reverse Lunges

    Mosey to the monkey bars, with a stop halfway for 50 jump squats

    COP 2 Dora

    You know how this works. Partner runs to the gate and back, while avoiding the giant dog dookie

    Pull ups, Incline Merkins, and V Ups

    All PAX were able to avoid the giant dookie.

    Mosey back to main park area with a stop for 100 toe taps

    COP 3 Indigenous People’s Run

    PAX at the back does 5 merkins and runs to the front

    Stop at parking lot near the dog park

    COP 4 AB Ring of Fire

    LBCs, Flutter Kicks, Penguins, Box Cutters

    Mosey back to the flag

    COP 5 Ascending Cocaine Bear Crawl

    Start with one at each white line, until 10

    That’s time.

    Great to get out with the boys this morning. Small numbers, but we made it count. My guess is the weather, and the upcoming holiday, for the small group.

    It was a pleasure to lead. Lots to pray for.

    Get your annual physicals, or at least a wellness check. Catching something early can save your life.

  • Q Tater!

    4 Mystery Men emerged from the gloom for a 70 & Sunny good time at The Lumberyard! Nobody had the Q on the sheet so we tossed around the tater for the workout! Beaver sounds like he’s going through puberty with this strange cold.

    Beaver Section
    Warmarama!

    • Mosey around the football field trail to the E helipad.
    • 10 Michael Phelps IC
    • 10 Cherry Pickers IC
    • 10 Tie Fighters & Reverse IC
    • Toe Grabs
    • 5” I Hate You” IC
    • Quad Stretch
    • 10 Rope Climbers IC

    COP 1 – Leg Burner! 11’s – Monkey Humpers and Wojo Squats / MoT – Mario across the lot / Mosey back

    Hand the Q to Wildwood for another round of 11’s – WWIIs and Merkins / MoT Mosey

    Choo Choo takes the Q and moseys us over to the Snack Shack for a solid, sanctified 7 rounds of Walls of Jericho!

    Mosey back to the cars for CoT

    Announcements – Daddy Daughter Dance on the 6th at WEAG. Thanksgiving Day Convergence at 7 AM at 45MOM location. Wildwood is tying the knot on Dec 6! Congrats Wildwood!

    Prayer Requests- Everyone stays healthy this time of year.

    Commando closed us out with a good prayer!

  • What Do You Call This?

    YHC posted DR in Norman, Oklahoma. The PAX lined up in a line and did a bunch of exercises while the PAX in the back did a specified number of reps of another exercise, then traveled (Bear Crawl, Lunge, etc.) to the front. No name was given for the routine.

    NMS: YHC is grateful for the warm welcome from the locals on a first visit to Oklahoma. Two of the PAX reported on a recent 12-man 200-mile relay race through the Ozarks – how stupid! Tclaps!

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