Tag: Batteau

Forest Hill Park

  • Old Glory Debuts At Batteau

    Six local warriors and one southern ally slayed the FS and laid claim at Batteau.

    The Monday morning success habit went like this.

    Old Glory is a benchmark workout that consists of the following:  1 mile warm up run. Complete a half mile loop with four exercise sets.  Complete one exercise at one of four equidistant spots.

    The exercises are 20 merkins, 20 jump squats, 20 burpees, 20 WWII situps.

    With the group starting at precisely 5:30am, the exercises begin at the completion of the warm up mile.  This is an AMRAP workout, so as many loops are completed as possible until 6:00am.  Once that time is met, complete a cool down mile and back to start.

    5 Min of Mary – 50 IC LBC, 20 IC Freddy Mercury

    Ring of Fire

    Numberama, namerama, Swirly lead us out

    Moleskin – YHC has had Old Glory on the calendar since doing this at No Toll a few months ago. This is a solid workout to start the week and a great way to measure progress.  Sippy Cup slayed this workout.  He completed the most loops and stations today with 3.75. There will be another Old Glory in the coming months.

    Great to have Minecraft visiting from our friendly southern colleagues in Raleigh.

    CSAUP is this weekend 1/21. Please cancel any plans you have for Saturday afternoon.  You will likely be useless.

    Be super.

    Hardywood

  • Never drive to a workout or no one will show up.

    A single, hearty, midwesterner Pax arrived via car 10 minutes early to Batteau this am for a 45 minute beatdown involving touching trees, chucking a slab of granite around in the snow, snowy sprints, a variety of animal crawls, and isometric bar hangs.  Said details will be saved for his next Q.

    Moleskin:

    After consulting with the M and checking the forecast, YHC decided that it would be best to not run the 2.6 miles to and from the AO this morning.  YHC is comfortable  running on ice, but ice + dark + very cold + alone is not a safe combo.  So, YHC decided to drive to the workout and was looking forward to some frosty fellowship.  But none of the regulars (Hardywood, Swirly, Wheelbarrow, Wedding Singer, EF Hutton, Flipper) were brave enough to venture out.  It was cold for Virginia, but YHC has run at below zero conditions in Michigan, so this was relatively warm in comparison.    Clothing: 5 layers on top (one shed during the workout), LBTs with  shorts overtop, a thin hat, balaclava and face mask, thick wool socks, and trail shoes.  It actually wasn’t cold once I got moving.

  • Who Let the (Wild) Dogs Out?

    A PAX of four wild dogs (more on that later!) planted the shovel flag and ventured out into the pouring rain at Batteau on this sloppy and somewhat chilly morning. Here’s what I remember, with an assist from EF Hutton

    Mosey to COP on the tennis courts

    • SSH (x20 IC)
    • Don Quixote (x17 IC)
    • Arm Circles (x20 IC)
    • Merkins (x20 IC)
    • LBCs (x17 IC)

    THE VIRAL THANG:

    Mosey to bottom of the stone steps

    Perrito 1-2-3: One partner runs to up the three sets of steps (farmer’s market side) while partner performs exercise: Dips, Jump squats, Plank

    The Dog PAX (AKA The Peoples’ Blimp): Blimp down to the lake with individuals calling out exercises in a round-robin

    • Lunges
    • Three-legged Bear Crawl
    • Broad Jumps
    • Crab Walk
    • Duck Walk
    • Alligator Crawl
    • Backward Lunges

    Step ups at the picnic tables by the big rocks

    • 20 single step ups (OYO)
    • 17 “double” (top of table) step ups (OYO)

    THE EF HUTTON THANG: 

    Partner Carry back up THOIR

    • Partner Carry x2
    • Wheelbarrow x2
    • Broadjump Burpees

    Plankorama, then mosey to Stone House

    Partner Pee On a Tree x 5 Trees (3 Rounds)

    • Merkins
    • Monkey Humpers
    • Carolina Dry Docks

    Partner Dogleg Throws 2×25

    Mary (AKA The Doggy Bag)

    • Box Cutters (IC)
    • Alabama Prom Dates (IC)
    • Merkins (IC)

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

    MOLESKIN

    Wheelbarrow and EF Hutton were at the stone house and were rearing to go when Sippy Cup showed up right on time. Everyone was excited and ready to play in the rain, except of course for THE FERAL DOG LIVING IN THE WOODS  barking incessantly at the PAX.  EF Hutton said he saw a posted sign that said “rescue in progress.”

    ♫ Get back ruffy, get back scruffy. Get back you filthly flea-infested mongrel! ♫

    YHC didn’t see anyone actively attempting a rescue at 5:29AM on a rainy Monday in Forest Hill Park.  YHC didn’t get that close a look but the square-shaped head looked slightly boxer/pitbullish so YHC was only too happy to give the pooch a wide berth.

    While everyone did a great job, the MVP has to go to EF Hutton who partner-carried YHC’s sorry carcass up THOIR at an insane pace, zipping right by Sippy and Wheelbarrow.  As poet laureate Toby Keith once penned:

    EF Hutton might not be as good as he once was
    but EF Hutton is as good once as he ever was.

    While YHC is not exactly sure what is wrong with his foot, doctor’s say it is something called a “Morton’s Neuroma” and when acting up it feels like each step is stepping on a marble in your shoe.  Good times. After walking all over DC yesterday, YHC’s foot wasn’t feeling great and so YHC called EF Hutton while sitting in traffic on the way home last night to see if he could help split the Q. EF not planning to go but was obliging, though feeling rather salty as he was watching his Redskins implode before his eyes at that moment. Timing is everything.

    I also think the whole WILD DOG LIVING IN THE WOODS thing at Batteau has now officially joined it to Dogpile and WDog in the “Brotherhood of Canine-Themed Richmond AOs” if not in name, then in certainly in spirit.

    What a great job by this intrepid four! Special thanks to EF Hutton for helping share the load.  It was an honor to Q / 2!

    Woof woof woof-woof-woof!!

  • No Theme, Just Gloom

    3 Strong and brave kicked off the last week of 2016 with a Batteau bang.

    EF planted the flag, here’s how it went down.

    Mosey around to the front of the Stone House

    COP

    • SSH
    • Russian Soldiers
    • Reverse Russian Soldiers
    • Merkins
    • Dollys
    • Southpaw Shuffle

    Mosey down to Tennis Courts

    • Sprint 1 Leg, 3 Mosey
    • Sprint 2 Legs, 2 Mosey
    • Sprint 3 Legs, 1 Mosey
    • Sprint 4 Legs

    Mosey down stairs to Pond

    • Escalating Burpees at each light post 1,2…11

    Partner carry up THOIR

    Mosey to Circular Sitting Area

    • LBCs IC
    • Box Jumps x 30
    • Derkins x 40
    • Dips x 50
    • Plankorama

    Mosey to top of stairs

    • Coupon Curl and Press x 25

    Mosey back to Tennis Court

    Repeato Sprint/Mosey cycle

    Mosey to Stone House

    Repeato COP + Crossover Leg Raises

    MOLESKIN

    YHC will assume the small yet strong PAX was due to one of three causes.  Either the PAX spread too much cheer yesterday, the PAX posted out of town, or the PAX was up late celebrating YHC’s fantasy football championship.  Most likely it was the latter.  Splinter got his first taste of what Batteau has to offer.  He was impressed by the Buck we saw wondering through in the distance prior to take off, but not impressed with the 11th light post or THOIR aka Mount Saint WTF Am I Doing.  Flipper enjoyed the sites of Batteau land as well before joining the PAX mid workout.  YHC hopes Wheelbarrow is not out there still looking for the PAX.  Flipper confirmed his LIFOness was due to a heavy Q of bourbon eggnog and a Christmas beatdown that YHC would not like to post for anytime soon.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    CSAUP upcoming

    COT

    EF Hutton Has Spoken.

  • The Granite Games

    6 Veterans gathered for a brisk and windy Batteau beatdown.  Here’s how things went down, more or less.

    COP

    20x SSH, 10x Merkins, Arm circles one-legged, Burpees (5x).

    Mosey to the rock pile, where each Pax chose a slab of granite.

    Mosey to tennis courts for partner rock planks/suicides.  One partner planks with rock on back while other partner runs 25, 50, 75, 100 suicides on the courts.  Alternate. Elbow planks first and then regular planks.

    Mosey with rock to lighted grassy area next to tennis courts for some Highland games.  Exercises with the rocks included: Squat presses (10x), Overhead slams (20x), Underhand tosses (20x), Crossover merkins alternating hands on rock and ground(20x), Rock burpees (10x).

    Mosey with rock to the stone pit.  One partner box jumps while other partner runs with rock up 2 sets of staircases. Switch roles.

    Mosey with rock to the paved downhill.  Zobmbie walk with rock down hill.  Alligator crawl and crippled bear (one-leg up) back to starting spot (without rocks). Mosey back to bottom.  Crab walk back up with rock on stomach back followed by walking with rock overhead.

    Mosey with rock back to stone pit for a Box Jump/Merkin ladder (without rocks).  1-7x.

    Mosey with rock back to the tennis court grassy area.  For 10x overhead slams, 20x crossover merkins, 15x goblet squats in cadence, and 10x woodchoppers (5 each arm).

    Mosey back to tennis court for one more round of partner elbow rock planks/suicides.

    Return rock to its resting place and mosey back to flag.

    COT

    YHC took us out.

    Moleskin.

    Random thoughts:  One key to making this a good workout is the goldilocks principle—get a rock that is just right.  As we were selecting rocks, YHC’s initial rock was too heavy, and looking around for someone stronger, he traded with Swirly—a good decision as Swirly’s original rock was just right for him.  Swirly looked pretty smoked, so I think the trade was a good one for both of us.    YHC also gained a new appreciation for those with taller frames and correspondingly more weight to carry around.

    Exercise notes:  As far as exercises go, we could have handled a larger # on the slams and tosses, but the burpees and crossover pushups were just right (for YHC at least). In the future we should bring some more rocks up to our makeshift pile to give folks more options.  Rock plank suicides are a good way to push each other towards good plank form and fast suicides!  The crippled bear was a crowd pleaser and will make an appearance on YHC’s next Q for sure.

    Rocks vs. kettlebells, a comparison:  Rocks–free, sharp edges, awkward angles, and of unknown mass, unpredictable. Kettlebells–expensive, convenient handles, smooth curvy surfaces, of known mass.  I thinks it’s obvious which is the manly way to go.

    Noted:  YHC at last found a Merkin version that smoked Swirly (and the rest of the pax).  The rock crossover merkins were really brutal as they lie somewhere between a one handed and regular merkin.  Flipper is a crab walk beast and motored up the hill even with the rock on his belly.  Wheelbarrow lived up to his namesake and motored up too.  EF Hutton tossed his rock high into the trees on more than one occasion with the underhanded tosses.  Wedding Singer was efficient this morning and was typically the first done with the tosses.  Flipper wandered around the AO looking for us and got a good run in before finding us by courts–wheelbarrow joined us soon afterwards. And where is Hardywood lately? All showed good form on the planks today too.   Great job, men.

  • Action Jackson

    Four men braved the Monday morning blues to enjoy a few exercises at Batteau.

    The thang:

    Mosey around loop and behind the house – 25 freddie mercury, 10 Merkins, 20 slow bending squats, 10 Don Q, 20 SSH.

    20/20 (“Action Jackson”) – round 1 – 20 running steps, 20 bear crawls, repeat to other end of field and back. Round 2 – 20 running steps and 20 lunges, repeat to end of field and back. Round 3 – 20 sprint steps and 20 mosey, repeat to end of field and back.

    Lindsays – dips and flutters

    Dora – 50 box jumps on picnic table, 100 WWII situps, run to tree across field.

    Mosey to double tennis court – clock merkin on hill (5 count)

    Increasing 4 corners – 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 heals to heaven, 20 squats. Round 2 double number of reps.

    Mosey to flag, around loop, circle up behind house -5 MOM – Xs and Ox, 6 inches, Hello Dolly, LBCs.

    Moleskin-

    Way to push it fellas. Some riveting stuff in that exiting prayer by everyone. Wheelbarrow has been making steady appearances since his one year MIA status, great job man. 20/20 or as renamed for this post ‘Action Jackson’ since Jackson is on the $20, is a new exercise YHC made up late last night. The field next to Forest Hill Ave seemed much bigger in the gloom but wasn’t as large as envisioned. Would also work well on a track or larger field area. TBD at a later Q.

    Congratulations and high appraise for the RVA PAX wrapping up the final Hampton Roads outing this weekend.

    Normal workouts this week.Check the Q sheet for empty spaces (cough Batteau cough). Just kidding, the best fart sack prevention method is signing up to lead!

    -Singer

     

     

     

  • Better late than never

    Four strong attended Batteau for a Monday morning workout.

    The thang:

    Jog around parking lot awaiting any other PAX, circle up near road – 20 SSH, 5 burpees OYO, 15 sumo squats, 4 burpees OYO, 10 hand release merkins, 3 burpees OYO, 20 hillbillies, 2 burpees OYO, 20 heals to heaven, 1 burpee.

    Mosey down to the stone valley. Triple check – derkins, box cutters, run up to road.

    Mosey up back stone steps, triple check – dips, leg ups, run down steps to stone valley.

    Mosey to picnic table area – dora – 50 WWII situps, 100 irkins, 150 one leg squats on table, run to light pole.

    Mosey to back street – sprint to other end.

    Mosey around loop and circle up for mary – freddie -> 30/60/90 -> Rosalitas -> 90/60/30 Hello Dolly. LBCs.

    YHC thought he may have the elusive morning in the gloom, the one-man PAX, but through the fog and haze Sippy and his light came jogging up at 5:29 AM. The other members filtered in throughout the early part of the workout. Great job and thanks for making it out.

    Way to knock Bear Creek to all those who ran. Sounded difficult but some excellent F2 as well.

    Good words to live by, late is better than never, at least in F3.

     

    -Singer

  • In preparation for Bear Creek

    Six strong posted for the Bear Creek run prerequisite class workout  at Batteau.

    The thang:

    Mosey to stone valley, warm-up – 20 SSH, 10 slow Don Quixote, 12 box jumps onto stone wall OYO, 10 derkins on the wall, 20 Freddie Mercury

    Mosey up steps to paved pathway. Blimp – 5 burpee broad jumps, 10 lunges, 15 bear crawl, 20 bunny hops, go to the end of the line and repeat to the top of the road.

    Mosey to side street – 50% run down, 75% run back, 100% run down, 100% run back.

    Blimp  side street – repeat exercises above until everyone reaches the gate.

    Ring of Fire – 10 merkins, plank, then 10 heals to heaven, PAX holds feet 6 inches.

    Mosey to large filed near street.

    Polar bear up hill, 20 two-count flutters at tree, bear polar down hill, run to other hill, repeat. Next bear crawl up hill, 20 two-count flutters at tree, crawl bear down hill, run to other hill, repeat two more times.

    Hot potato Mary – 10 boo-ya merkins with partner, 20 second 6 inch hold, leg raises, superman, Thor 8 count, LBCs, plank dips, 10 merkins.

    Mosey to flag, around loop and back to flag.

    Great job PAX, today was a good morning to work off some of that turkey glow after the holiday. Good reports from the Thanksgiving workouts and Hampton Roads kickoff. The Hardywood coffee installment after Mary Mumford came with high appraise, perhaps something to be filtered in on later dates. Or Lab rat can bring beer, whichever suits your 6:30 AM fancy.

    YHC revised the polar bears to just bear crawls after one round, no one seemed to mind. However, there were plenty of bear crawling to go around either way, isn’t Bear Creek a bear crawl?

    BT led an inspiring prayer to close us out detailing the highs and lows one can feel in a given year, which most of us who’ve been working out with BT over the past few years know about. Very happy to hear it’s 70 and sunny in the BT household, F3RVA was praying for you and the family.

    -Singer

  • EF is angry today, my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli

    7 Crazies congregated at the Stone House to kickoff Thanksgiving week with a bang.

    EF planted the flag, here’s how it went down.

    Mosey to the seating area just down the hill from Stone House

    COP

    • Merkins x 15
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Helicopters
    • Arm Circles
    • Copperhead Squats
    • LBCs
    • Box Cutters
    • Merkins x 15

    Mosey down the hill to the pond area

    Dora – Partner 1 Runs Uphill to the Bridge/ Partner 2 Exercises

    • Body Builders x 50
    • Lt. Dans x 100
    • Flutter Kicks x 200 2ct

    Plankorama

    Lap Around Pond w 2 Burpees at every 2nd Lamppost

    Continue Burpees at last light until PAX completion

    Mosey to top of stairs

    Gunslingers – coupon curl into an overhead press and triceps press IC x 15

    Mosey to Tennis Courts

    Suicide

    Back Pedal Suicide

    Ring of Fire

    Plankorama

    Mosey back to shovel flag

    For those counting, YHC had roughly 120 merkins in the workout

    MOLESKIN

    After a pleasant weekend, the gloom returned on Monday full blast.  As of the planting of the flag the temp was yet to reach 30, though at least half of the PAX rolled out in their finest summertime apparel.  As the PAX received its first assignment of the day, Hardywood wondered aloud if an upcoming visit from the in-laws had YHC angry.  To answer the question, no EF loves all creatures, even the in-laws in short duration and as long as they live in a different city.  In fact YHC was not angry at all as the title suggests, YHC was elated after Saturday’s victory in South Bend and Sunday night’s smackdown in DC.  Perhaps a little jacked up on adrenaline despite a lack of sleep.  Flipper shared in YHC’s excitement.  Welcome back Wheelbarrow, glad to see a new face and hope to see you back soon.  Swirly regaled the PAX with tales from the road on Saturday including TYA’s old man bladder, Bleeder beating down the door of his own establishment, and Saab looking on in horror.  Swirly was pleased to report that he kept the peace and avoided confrontation as another group on the mountain passed out shiny new t-shirts claiming “We Own Mt. Trashmore.”  F3 doesn’t need to make such a claim, only to have a place to plant the flag and make men better.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    Special 60MOM on Turkey Day at 5:30 followed by 7am Circus for those desiring a double dip.  Hardywood plans to bring coffee for post Mary 2nd F.

    Keep EHing your Tidewater connections – Hardywood is leading the Clown Car down on Saturday

    Dreamliner is starting a mid-week workout down in the Chesapeake area, spread the word

    See recent BBs for others

    EF Hutton Has Spoken.

  • Rare is the man who beats Swirly to an AO

    6 strong gathered in the darkness at Batteau to welcome the start of another glorious day in RVA.

    COP:

    SSH x 30

    Helicopters x 10

    Don Quixote x 15

    Arm Circles x 15 forward and 15 backward

    Mericans x 15

    Touch a tree x 5

    Touch a tree x 10

    Mosey to the valley between  the hills in front of Forest Hill Ave. for 11’s to the trees.

    Round 1:  Run forward up one side of the valley to one of the trees at the top of the hill and do 1 merican and 10 Captain Thors (1 WW2 situp followed by 4 american hammers).  Run back down the hill, do a 180 at the bottom, and run backwards up the hill on the opposite side of the valley to the tree at the top of that hill……do 2 mericans and 9 Captain Thors. Repeat until last set of 10 Mericans and 1 Captain Thor.

    Round 2:  Same concept except with burpees and LBC’s.

    Mosey to the curb in front of the stone house for curb crawls ascending from 1 to 5 incline mericans and then back down to one with bear crawl forward and crawl bear back.

    Mosey to the stone landing at the bottom of the steps for 8 minutes of Mary:

    Single leg lifts (15 reps each leg)

    Rosalitas x 20

    Freddie Mercury x 30

    Ring of Fire:  PAX planks while each man takes a turn doing 10 mericans.

    Mosey back to the flag for Numberama, Namerama, and COT.

     

    Moleskin:

    YHC arrived to the stone house at Forest Hill Park to find the AO deserted.  I was elated at the prospect of finally beat Swirly to an AO, having been aspiring to this feat since Sept. of 2014.  However, after I retrieved the shovel flag from my trunk, I turned to see none other than Swirly standing in front of the stone house, breathing clouds of vapor from the exertion of the run from his house, with a look on his face that said…..”Sorry Fudd……not this time.”

    YHC was happy to see a friend from the VCU EMBA program who’s only previous F3 workout experience had been the first ever F3 workout held in Athens, Greece in April 2015 that YHC also Q’d. Welcome back Kenny G!

    Announcements:  HDHH at TYA’s this Wednesday, 10K Turkey Trot at U of R….8am start on Thanksgiving day (the start line is where we meet for Spider Run)

    Great work out there today men.  YHC is proud to be a part of this group and misses it during my weeks in Baltimore.  Hope to see you all out there again soon.

    Fudd out