Tag: Circus Maximus

Godwin

  • We had a Festivus miracle!

    Eighteen volunteers for the Human Fund (money for people), met in the back of Godwin for a kettlebell workout. After setting up the the pole that requires no decoration (I find tinsel distracting) we did some warmups.

    After that we did the airing of grievances. We went around the circle to do 20 reps of whatever exercise each pax declared they did not appreciate. I got a lot of problems with this exercise and now you’re gonna hear about it! We did some terrible ones including waiter carry squats, teapots, WWIII’s that involved a sit and press and a regular press, some weird double squat thing, kettle bell swings where you stopped and then did it again, pull throughs, and death crawls. It was chaos. 16 exercises with 20 reps, one run around the loop and a waiter carry walk later, the grievances were complete.

    So far this new holiday was scratching me right where I itch!

    Partner up for some odds and evens. Explaining this was tough last year but I was prepared for the tinsel-like questions this go around. I did a quick tutorial, yelled my displeasure, and then ignored the mumble chatter. Some people learned how to count up to 4 for the first time, some were still confused, but most understood how to do it. Best 2 out of 3: losers ran the parking lot and did 5 burpees, winners did curls. Three rounds.

    Now it was time for the feats of strength. We split into two groups based on who was odds and who was evens from the prior exercise. Odds went first: duckwalk on the grass area with hands behind the back. Goal: knock over your opponent or push them out of bounds, you fall down or go out of bounds and you are out. Round one winner: Handshake. Evens were up and Pinto outlasted the rest of the pax. Handshake vs Pinto for the championship and before the rest of the pax could circle them, Handshake was down. Handshake ended up crying. Pinto is this year’s winner! I made a donation to the Human Fund in his name. He even got a certificate as proof!

    It was time for a little Mary, numbers and names. Then coffee with some chocolate Babka as our meal.

    The last and most important part of Festivus is observing a Festivus miracle and we had one this morning. We never had a moment where Attila’s gas caused the circle to break up! Festivus cured Attila’s stinky anus for one morning. It’s a Festivus miracle!!!

    Thanks for letting me lead. I hope you found my belief system fascinating.

  • Pre-Festivus

    Twas the week before Festivus, and you know what?

    There were 21 hombres, in the parking lot.

    Soon we would be, the coffee a drinking,

    And in anticipation, I had been thinking.

    We were short on grievances, so to Google I went.

    To find more Kettlebell exercises, was my intent.

    We began with the Issuance of the standard disclaimer:

    • I am not a professional.
    • Feel free to modify.
    • Push yourself but don’t hurt yourself.
    • You vs You
    • Don’t leave here with more injuries than you came with. 

    Warmup:

    • 20 SSHs
    • 20 IWs
    • 20 Ukrainian Soldiers
    • 10 Don Quixote
    • Stretch: Right foot, Right Hand
    • Stretch: Left foot, Left hand

    Mosey to the closest end of covered walkway: Divide up into 8 groups beside each of 7 printed out exercises laid down in a line parallel to the road plus one place in front of the first printed out exercise. Everyone advances to the next station when the timer returns to the beginning of the line.

    • Timer rifle carries or waiter carries KB to orange cone and returns to the beginning of the line of exercises
    • Thruster
    • Snatch
    • KB Clean, Squat and Press
    • Clean and Press
    • Skull Crushes
    • KB Goblet March
    • Goblet Clean

    Run around Circus Maximus:

    Turn over printed out exercises to reveal exercise on back. Repeat groups.

    • Timer rifle carries KB to end of covered walkway
    • KB Swing Changing Hands
    • KB Push Press
    • Overhead Squat
    • KB Single Arm Deadlift
    • KB Good Morning
    • KB Goblet Thruster
    • Clean

    Run around Circus Maximus:

    Ring of Fire: Your favorite KB exercise: I started with 15 Triceps.

    • Each person calls an exercise for the group.

    We got all the way around the group and went back to the flag for the following in cadence

    • 20 KB Swings
    • 20 KB overhead presses
    • 20 KB pullovers
    • 60 count 4-inch leg lift

    Announcements

    • December 20: Pinto’s Party
    • December 25: Circus Maximus 5:30
    • December 27: Fireman Ed’s end of cancer treatment party
    • December 27:The Bridge: contact Kubota

    Prayer’s Request

    • Gypsy’s Stepfather: Chemo
    • Banjo: check on him, cheer him up
    • Mr. Ed in Denver, death of dad and stepmom, tough holiday season
    • Pax members looking for jobs

    COT

    The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. Epictetus

    You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20:17

  • Flatulent Flutters

    19 PAX said I am not fartsacking on this cold morning and pursued a more sculpted body for the holiday. While they did not fartsack, they sure did their best to create warmth for others.

    COP: DQs, Helicopters, jazzercise, arm circles, merkins, Freddy Mercuries. Mosey to bus loop.

    Triple check with run to end of bus loop and back (gotta do some cardio), coupon squats and curls for the ladies. Mosey to curb.

    20s which are lawnmowers and swings need to equal 20. Did a bunch of sets with a run around the loop in the middle. Mosey to courtyard which is 30 feet away.

    Triple check with rifle carry around the courtyard, coupon flutters and pole smokers. This generated a symphony of hot air; the temperature is certain spots was 5 degrees warmer. This group is pretty skilled at this “art” but today seemed more frequent and at times more potent.

    Lunge back to home base. 30 bench presses and some stretching, numberama.

    Prayers for a family member of Gypsy’s named Kelly who is starting treatment for prostate cancer. Speaking of treatment I finish mine in two weeks and will be in remission.

    Pinto is having an F3 party on 12/20 (as Pinto for more details. It is at his house, starts at 5 and goes into late in the PM). I am having a gathering at my house on 12/27 to celebrate remission. More details forthcoming. Kubota is heading up the Bridge on 12/27; let him know if you are interested. Breaking bread needs someone for Sunday 12/28. Lots happening my friends.

    Thanks for letting me lead!

    FIreman Ed

  • Trail of Divots

    Eighteen KB warrior assembled for a weighted journey today at Circus Maximus.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • Ukrainian soldiers
      • IW
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • DMH
      • Merkins
      • LBC
      • APD
    • KB carry to the band/practice fields for a KB beast:
      • Rifle carry & sit ‘n presses
      • RH waiters carry & high pulls
      • LH waiters carry & curls
      • Death crawls & overhead presses
      • Lunge walks & tricep presses
      • Back carries & lawnmower pulls (each arm)
    • Jog the field
    • KB carry back to the flag for COT with YHC taking us out

    Great to see some familiar faces back at Circus Maximus today and solid work all around.  Mumble-chatter was intense for COP, but it dissipated as the workout progressed.  The biggest challenge of the KB beast is being under weight for so long.  Plenty of divots were left on the turf as KBs were dropped in fatigue. 

    Convergence next week at Mary for Thanksgiving.  Workout starts at 0700. 

    Prayers up for those dealing with sickness/injuries, job searches and family member next week.  God is good all of the time!  Lots to be thankful for.

    Attila

  • Ding Dong

    I spent some time yesterday looking up kettlebell exercises. Some of these are new or are variations of what we’ve done before.

    Issuance of standard disclaimer: I am not a professional. Feel free to modify. Push yourself but don’t hurt yourself. Don’t leave here with more injuries than you came with. Pay no attention to White Deer and stay upwind from Attila.

    Warmup:

    • 20 SSHs
    • 20 IWs
    • 20 Ukrainian Soldiers
    • 10 Don Quixote
    • Stretch: Right foot, Right Hand
    • Stretch: Left foot, Left hand

    Mosey to the covered walkway: In cadence (counts given are as best I remember)

    • Goblet clean: bell on round, raise to shoulder, both hands
    • 12 Goblet march: hold bell at Shoulder and lift each knee waist high: don’t squat, keep back straight
    • 10 Back press: one arm press
    • 10 Back press: other press
    • 10 Half kneeling halo: both knees on ground and do a halo: start with bell at chin, handles up and go around head:
    • 5 KB single arm press
    • 5 KB thrusters: other hand
    • 20 Single hand deadlift: raise to waist
    • 20 Single hand deadlift: other hand

    Mosey around Circus Maximus bus loop

    • 10 Single hand squat with bell in rack position (at shoulder), butt is lowered below knees
    • 10 Single hand squat: other hand
    • 12 Single hand swings
    • 12 Single hand swings: other hand
    • 10 Snatch: KB goes from between legs, straight out and ends up with arm extended straight above head
    • 10 Snatch: Other hand

    Mosey around Circus Maximus bus loop

    • 5 Jerk: KB in rack position, partial squat and press overhead
    • 5 Jerk: Other hand

    Ring of Fire: Your favorite KB exercise: I started with 15 Triceps.

    • Each person calls an exercise for the group. We got around 15 people calling exercises
    • Stretch

    Back to the flag

    Announcements:

    November 15L The Bridge and Richmond Marathon/Half Marathon

    Gomer is raising money for Friends of Barnabas

    November 27: Thanksgiving Convergence: 7:00 AM Mary Mumford Elementary School

    Let’s find the AED at Godwin

    COT

    Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, born nearly two millennia ago (121 – 180). He was the last of the 5 Good Roman Emperors and author of Meditations.

    “When you need encouragement, think of the qualities the people around you have: this one’s energy, that one’s modesty, another’s generosity, and so on. Nothing is as encouraging as when virtues are visibly embodied in the people around us, when we’re practically showered with them. It’s good to keep this in mind.”

    Learning and modeling good qualities from the rest of the F3 Pax is a big benefit of F3.

  • Sewer Life

    As Q, I arrived a little early and early enough to carry the creamer and sweeteners to the famous Circus Maximus post-workout coffee spot. My hands were full, and as I stepped out of the car, I dropped my keys. No big deal, except the short noise you’d expect from dropped keys on pavement turned into a a long jingle. “That’s a not good” said Offshore and he walked past and stopped at the nearby gutter. Phone light showed it dropped to the first level and thankfully not into the water. Byproduct saw the holes on the manhole cover and after it was moved, I was able to drop into the sewer a grab my keys. A great way to start the day and a good reason to come early (for the show)!

    After that nonsense, twenty two strong circled up for warmups of SSH, Ukrainian Soldiers, Hillbillies, Copperhead Squats, LBCs, APDs & American Hammers. Done with the warm-ups, we did a twenty minute EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute). Five different exercises with the bell & 4 rounds of each. Start at the top of the minute, do the # of reps announced, and take a break when done until the next minute starts, and move to the next exercise. Exercises were Swings, Goblet Squats, Squat Thrusters, Cleans (each arm), American Hammers (two count). Started with reps of 15, 15, 15, 10 (Cleans, each arm), 10 Hammers. Seemed easy the first couple of rounds. Sometimes we went down in reps except when Offshore asked for 20 squats and I ended with a minute of Hammers (about 40 two count at my pace).

    20 minutes later, the heart rate was moving. And I kept it moving with a group lap where everyone realized the EMOM featured a lot of leg work.

    We then finished up with a rotation of burpees (10,8,6,4,2), groans, and an exercise: helicopters, DQs, Arm Circles (front, then back), air press in between each round of burpees. Then one last lap to finish.

    It is rare that my heartrate at Circus registers higher than WTH and that was the point of the EMOM and Burpees today. It was a success!

    The Bridge on 11/15 (ask Hutton for more info) and a Bridge Q is needed in December.

    Safety: Where is an AED at Godwin? No one knows and that’s homework for everyone. I can confirm it is not in the sewer.

    Thanks for letting me lead!

  • Staying Dry, But Not an Off-Day

    The rain did not stop 17 KB warriors from descending upon Circus Maximus on a Thursday morning.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • Ukrainian soldiers
      • IW
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • DMH
      • HRM
      • LBC
    • KB one-man Dora – 5 sets of each exercise with a run between sets for a total of:
      • 100 high pulls
      • 150 curls
      • 200 lawnmower pulls
    • 3x check
      • Run
      • Squats
      • Tricep press
    • Stretch and COT with YHC taking us out

    Today was much like a night in White Deer’s bedroom, dry (thanks to the bus stop overhang) but not so fun.  The reps added up, especially for those men with higher weights.  All in all, a great chance to be together and get stronger.  YHC even added in some running.

    Prayers up for Kubota’s family, Chicarrone’s friend’s family, and those dealing with cancer, finding a job, and family stress. 

    AO to be named in Wellsley to continue soft launch tomorrow.  5:30 boot camp.

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Only 17 PAX?

    Fireman Ed arrived to the Circus and only saw about 10 PAX and was wondering if there was a boycott going on. More PAX arrived, a couple late including Fudd (no surprise there) leading to a lowish count of 17. We mosey past the coffee station for COP causing some confusion to our late arrivals.

    COP: DQs, helicopters, merkins, MCs, LBCs. White Deer sounded his back horn and said let’s go.

    Rifle carries while moseying to the front of the school. Take a break now lunges. Then halos right and halos left.

    Four corners: 10 burpees (I had this idea that we should do burpees with a press. A Pax asked how do you do that? I said “hmm I don’t know. so let’s do plain burpees”. 20 sit and press, 30 bench press, 40 2 count flutters with coupon. Mosey to curb.

    Triple check with run around parking lot, tricep pull downs and curls (for the cougars). Mosey to pump road side.

    Elevens with 2 count lawnmowers and swings. With no cardio in between, the reps started to pile up. Mosey to bus loop.

    3 sets of calf raises. 20, 25 and 30. Mosey to home base.

    Finished with ab exercises and stretching and the prayer led by Attila.

    This Saturday, the great Bootleg is leading the caravan/workout for the Bridge. He is having folks meet at Mary Mumford around 5:45. Reach out to him if you are interested in joining him and his group. Well worth it! Prayers for Fudd’s sister, Fudd’s uncle, Handshake’s niece, those who are looking for work and suffering from health issues. I had a good lab report on Tuesday; hopefully I will be done with treatment by mid-December. Thanks for letting me lead!

    Fireman Ed

  • We Care a Lot

    We Care a Lot

    Another Heavy Metal Kettle in the books with a record 20 attendees. This annual rock festival keeps getting bigger! Here is this year’s setlist and exercises:

    Shake Me: Cinderella. Warmups of something like IW, USoldiers, Copperhead Squats & Arm Circles. Also did some floor stuff.

    We Care a Lot: Faith No More. Side Straddle Hops and a burpee every time they say the song title: 21 total burpees

    Cherry Pie: Warrant. Curls during Chorus, Swings during the verse–“Swingin’ in the livin’ room, swingin’ in the kitchen, most folks don’t cause they’re too busy bitchin’”

    Smokin’ in the Boys Room: Motley Crue. On our six to do skull crushers during verses and smokers (anchored on your bell) during the verse.

    Seventeen: Winger. Sets of 17 overhead presses and 17 lawnmowers

    18 and Life: everyone but Joey Chesnutt and Mariner has to go to jail after singing Seventeen. On our backs to do sets of 18 presses and 18 hammers (2 count)

    Here I Go Again/Is this Love: Whitesnake. Triple check with the timer doing rifle carry to the curb and back and the other two in front of a car doing dolly’s and rosalitas holding the bell. No one got on a car hood but everyone looked sexy.

    Balls to the Wall: Accept. High Pulls and Balls to the Wall (toe taps).

    Foolin’: Def Leppard. Some Mary of LBCs, WW2, Heals to Heaven, Freddie Mercuries in cadence (onta gleeben glouten)

    Nothin’ But a Good Time: Poison. Attila complained about no Poison so I went to this classic and we did ten burpees to finish. Burpees are always a good time.

    Had 18 with wigs-on to start (2 wigs short of the 20 attendees), some got tired of hair in their mouth and face during the workout but most fought through it. Mr. Rogers and EF Hutton brought their own wigs and we had a handful of concert t-shirts (Black Sabbath, Slayer, Motley Crue, Rush, Whitesnake) which was a nice touch.

    Prayers for Pinto’s marriage and safety for their trip to Italy, Blue Moon’s trip to Germany and Pigskins return trip from Egypt. The Bridge coming 10/25 and 11/15. See Slack for details.

    Rock on everybody!

  • Beatlemania, sort of

    23 strong at Circus Maximus today. That’s just another Thursday for this AO, at least as of late. Great to see pax from 8 years old to whatever Whitedeer is.

    Today was a celebration of John Lennon, as he would have turned 85 today if he wasn’t needlessly gunned down many years ago in NYC.  But he was, so he was honored today with trivia, a listening session of his best songs and general Beatlemania with Kettlebells. However, the battery-powered speaker had other plans. We got through a few songs before the speaker finally ran out of juice and then we had to switch to the phone – a poor substitute indeed.

    Circle up for COP and Beatles trivia with the penalty of Burpees for wrong answers: Introduction, Disclaimer, SSHs. Trivia question 1 for those playing along at home: What city are the Beatles from? Liverpool. Well done Pax. No penalty burpee. Deadman Hang. What year did the Beatles form or what year did they break in America starting off the phenom known as Beatlemania – either year was considered correct. No one knew either. 1960 and 1964 , respectively. The pax Burpeed. DQs. Which member infamously said the band was more famous than Jesus?  Here is where Bootleg took over and showed off his Beatles knowledge. John Lennon said it. And the quote remains controversial to this day. But what many misunderstand is that he was lamenting social decay, not boasting about his band’s success. Next up: Mt Climbers. Next Trivia question: What year did they disband? Bootleg again. 1970. No burpee. WWIIs. What year was Lennon shot? Bootleg again. 1980. No burpee. Merkins. By who? You guessed it: Bootleg again with the answer: Mark David Chapman. No burpee. Recover. Bootleg later confessed to being a self-described geek and Beatles fan. Well done sir!

    Triple check. Beatle Crawl to the end of the parking lot and run back while P2 did Press and P3 did High Pulls. Plank work for the 6.

    More Fun Facts: Light mumble chatter about the “5th Beatle” emerged. It was Pete Best. Drummer from 1960-62. He was dismissed for his drumming, or lack there of, and the band just preferred Ringo’s personality and skills. Pete Best still lives in Liverpool, created the Pete Best Band in 1988 and he collects royalties from the 1995 Beatles Anthology project.

    Back to business: Next round.  Timer runs.  1 burpee at the edge of lot.  P2 did Lawn Mower Pulls and P3 did Curls. Flutters for the 6.

    Next round.  Timer runs and again did 1 burpee at the edge of lot. P2 did Sumo Squats and P3 did Sit & Press. Al Gore for the 6. Recover.

    Line up on the Curb:
    Overhead Pulls.
    American Hammers.
    Swings. 3 rounds.  

    Circle up for Mary: Flutters with press, Box cutters, WWIIs, 60 second leg hold. Aaaaaaaaand time! Recover.

    Numbers. Names.  Announcements: Joey’s Hotdogs on 10/14 at 12pm for 2nd F lunch. Heavy Metal Kettle next week at Circus (10/16). Bring a KB and your grandma’s wig. Bootleg is leading a group to The Bridge on 10/25. Come on out. You won’t regret it.
    Prayer Requests: None. YHC took us out.
    Moleskin: Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of your self less. Go do something good for someone else today. And listen to some Beatles. They really did revolutionize popular music. SYITG!