Tag: Circus Maximus

Godwin

  • Polka’s Origination Story

    WeirdSnake and 17 others, including an FNG, conquered another Weird Al kettlebell setlist.

    It started with and “Eat It” Warmup where we were reminded no one from the group has ever taken dance lessons. The bad dancing included SSH, Jazzercises, IW, and more Jazzercises. “The Saga Begins” with some ab work and our first of two Star Wars inspired songs. We then grabbed the bell during “Canadian Idiot” and rotated through American Hammers with Bell and WW2s.

    Time to move so the circle shifted to the bus loop for a Taylor Swift inspired “TMZ (Parody of “You Belong to me“) where we did rotating sets of Curls and Hi-Pulls (20).

    Triple check time with squats, sit’ n press and timer lunging to the wall and returning any way they prefer. Song to kick it off is “Living With a Hernia” and moved to “Polka Party“, “I Love Rocky Road” and ended with “A Complicated Song”(Parody of “Complicated“)”

    (The Song’s Just) Six Words Long“, got us back to You vs You and a rotation of 6 burpees and 6 overhead presses (2 times). And the burpee warmup prepared us for “Yoda” and a burpee every time the word “Yoda” was repeated. Roughly 40 burpees in that song.

    We moseyed back to the flag and during “Foil” rotated through three sets of Swings and Triceps (15 each).

    The finale was “Ode to a Superhero (Parody of “Piano Man”)” as we warmed down with some abs work, stretching, deadman hangs and helicopters.

    We then learned more about Mr. Rogers 2.0, and he was properly named “Polka”. Polka is starting to learn the Accordian and became a Weird Al fan after Mr. Rogers brought home some Weird Al tunes after a Weird Snake workout in 2025.

    Weird Snake, helping grow the Weird Al fandom, one fan at a time. Who’s next??

  • Gomer Endorsed Workout

    15 KB warriors in tight quarters.  Early mumble-chatter, limited movement and a deceptive toll.  YHC was definitely the Q.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • Ukrainian soldiers
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • DMH
      • Merkins
      • LBC
      • Penguins
      • APD
    • AMRAP challenge – 5 exercises in 30 second increments, with 20 second of rest in 1st round, then reduced to 15, 10 and 5 in subsequent rounds
      • High pulls
      • Tricep press
      • Squats
      • Curls
      • KB swings
    • Run the bus loop
    • AMRAP challenge – Part Deux
      • Sit ‘n press
      • Overhead pulls
      • Skull crushers
      • Presses
      • Hammers
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    Ode to Toga for taking this Q from his playbook.  Great work by the PAX.  This workout was endorsed by Gomer.  Continued prayers for our brothers looking for, starting new or struggling in their jobs.

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • No Soccer Arms

    While we heard there is a lot of hype for the World Cup (and deservedly so), some of us (14) decided instead to go top heavy and focus on the triceps, shoulders, back and biceps. That way we can justify our macho tank tops for the neighborhood pool.

    COP: DQs, helicopters, cherry pickers, merkins, MCs and arm circles.

    Modified dora: Partner 1 runs or jogs to the end of the bus loop and back. For Bogey this means “run!”. Partner 2 handles part of 75 triceps, 100 bench presses and 125 curls.

    Lindsey Plus: Both exercises equal 50 between one count lawnmowers and one side of a halo. 40/10, 30/20, down to 10/40. 40 halos really su$k. Mosey to Pump Road side.

    Elevens with sit and press, lunge (the one leg workout) and 2 count flutters. Mosey to bus loop do 3 sets of 15 Overhead (tricep pulldowns is what I call them). Mosey to home base.

    Lil’ bit of Dead man hang. Counterama to 14.

    Prayers for Charlotte, Mary, their families and those going through a tough time, physically or mentally. Second Tuesday lunch is at Tazikis in Innsbrook on Tuesday June 9 at noon. Enjoy the weather before the heat comes in and makes me want to be in Maine.

    Thanks for letting me lead. Great job on coffeeteria as always!

    Fireman Ed

  • Only 14?

    Offshore will be missed as he heads out to Oklahoma in about a month or so. And his impact on Circus Maximus will be felt long after he becomes numb to tornado warnings. His impact at Circus (from making coffee weekly, which has led to a huge increase in weekly numbers) is so immense that having only 14 men at this AO felt like a small number. This was accentuated by a lack of mumble chatter, as Attila, Fudd, White Deer and White Snake, our typically chatty Cathys, were all absent.

    With fresh batteries in my speaker, I pressed play on my new rockin’ playlist, featuring the greatest rock anthems from the last 50 years, gave an introduction and a disclaimer and then we got down to business.

    COP: SSHs, DQs, Deadman Hang, Reach for the Sky (w/ a calf raise), AHs, WWIIs, Merkins aaaaand recover.

    The thang: We worked our way down the body: OYO, 21 Overhead press, high pulls, curls (these got forgotten during round 1, thx for keeping me on track Pinto!), swings, sumo squats, AHs (single count) and Sit ‘n’ Press. Then we took a lap around the bus loop. Then a round of 18, followed by a lap. Then 15, 12, and 9. After doing 6 of each, we did 25 SSHs and after the final round of 3, we did 5 Burpees.

    Move to the curb for 10 Overhead pulls (it might be called that), 10 Bench presses and some Flutters. Repeat. 60 second leg hold -aaaaand that’s time. Well done men!

    BTTF. Names. Numbers.

    Announcements: 2nd Tuesday, 2nd F, June 9, @ 12pm. This time we’re hittin’ up Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe (in the same shopping center as Joey’s Hotdogs).

    Handshake has officially launched the Summer Tour. See slack for updates.

    Congrats to Joey Chestnut for graduating high school, for Lighthouse’s son graduating 8th grade, and mine for 5th grade.

    No prayer requests. Nevertheless, YHC took us out.

    Moleskin: Be kind to yourself. Watch your self talk. Speak to yourself as you would a close friend. Why? Because it will help you better achieve your goals. Research supports this. This all came from a great podcast that Lighthouse shared with our Shield Lock. It’s on Emotional Regulation. Here’s a link if you’re interested: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821?i=1000767805055

    I often end BBs reminding us to go do something for someone else. Maybe today, try to be a little extra kind to yourself. That guy counts too!

    SYITG!

  • Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

    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.
    And then the Warmup
    • 20 SSHs
    • 20 IWs
    • 20 Squats
    • 10 Don Quixote
    • Stretch: plank position, right hand, right foot, then Pfannkuchen.
    Mosey to covered walkway
    11s. We walked back and forth across the width of the covered walkway.
    • Renegade Rows (each arm), Rifle carry both directions, Calf Raise
    • Run around the island
    Triple Check:
    • The Timer waiter carries their KB to the Propane Tank, does 5 burpees and returns
    • Partner 2 Squats
    • Partner 3 Curls
    • Run around the island
    • Stretch
    Triple Check:
    • The Timer waiter carries their KB to the Propane Tank, does 5 burpees and returns
    • Partner 2 Swings
    • Partner 3 Triceps
    • Run around the island
    Back to the flag for one last exercise in cadence
    • 10 Goblet clean: bell on ground, raise to shoulder, both hands
    .
    • Each person calls an exercise for the group

    Announcements:
    May 25: Memorial Day: 7:00 AM at Dogpile
    COT
    “History repeats itself because we rarely pause long enough to understand what it’s trying to teach us.” Hegel
    Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was one of the most influential philosophers of the 19th century and a central figure in German Idealism. He believed that history, society, and human thought develop through a rational process of conflict and resolution, often described as a dialectic — where an idea (thesis) meets opposition (antithesis), producing a higher synthesis.
    Hegel argued that reality is not static but constantly evolving toward greater freedom and self-awareness. He saw history as the unfolding of “Spirit” (Geist), meaning humanity gradually coming to understand itself and achieve freedom through culture, politics, religion, and philosophy.
    Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel lived from 1770 to 1831.
    • Born: August 27, 1770 (Stuttgart, Duchy of Württemberg)
    • Died: November 14, 1831 (Berlin, Prussia)

  • Another Trip Around…Godwin

    Another trip around the sun merits a trip around merits a symbolic trip around Godwin.  18 strong came to celebrate 51.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • Ukrainian soldiers
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • DMH
      • Suzanne Somers
      • Merkins
      • LBC
      • Penguins
      • APD
    • KB march around the school with 17 reps of an exercise (up to 3 at each stop).  Finished with:
      • 51 lawnmower pulls each arm
      • 51 high pulls
      • 51 curls
      • 51 tricep presses
      • 51 sit ‘n presses
      • 51 KB FK
      • 51 overhead pulls
      • 51 presses
      • 51 sumo squats
      • 34 right leg lunges
      • 17 left leg lunges
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    A great way to start the day.  Thanks to all my PAX brothers for coming out. 

    Memorial Day convergence at Dogpile at 7 am. 

    Continued prayers for our brothers looking for, starting new or struggling in their jobs.

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Lindsay All Day Long

    There was drizzle fo’ shizzle, but these 16 men came to work out fo’ rizzle.

    Lindsay-themed kettle bell workout focusing on arms and abs.

    -Warmarama

    -Lindsay #1: curls & WWII situps

    -Mosey

    -Lindsay #2: lawnmowers & heels to heaven

    -Mosey x2

    -Lindsay #3: KB swings & two-count American hammers

    -Mosey x3

    -Lindsay #4: deadlift pulls (I think?) & WWI situps

    -Mosey

    -Sit & press in cadence, then Merkins OYO, x3

    Circle of Trust

    -Mother’s Day is Sunday. If you’re lucky enough to have your mother or the mother of your children in your life, honor and celebrate her this weekend. Create the plan, spend the money, make the time.

    -Memorial Day convergence is at Dogpile this year (the Carillon near Byrd Park)

    -Pigskin offered a lunch meetup at Tres Machos on Tuesday

  • There’s no stopping us right now

    Claude designed workout managed to minimize Fudd and White Deer banter making Claude a likely candidate for Nobel peace prize in 2026. 

    Tecno tunes from Blue Moon’s 90s playlist- Icona Pop, Eric Pride, Riahanna, MIA

    Workout: 

    Warm up: SSH, DMHang, DQX, Helicopters, Merkins, APD, LBC

    Circuit 1: 

    4 sets: 40 work/20 rest Goblet squat, Bench Press, Lawnmower, KB Deadlift. 90s break between sets

    Circuit 2: 

    3 sets: 35s work 20 s rest  KB swing, R and L clean and press, Renegade row R and L 90s break between sets

    Circuit 3 

    2 sets 30s work/15 rest

    KB Thrusters, Alternating Swing, Goblet swuat jump, Rifle Holds

    Circle of trust 

  • One person really hates burpees

    17 studs of Westhoe came to get ready for pool and beach season. Although there were a few regulars missing, a couple newbies and semi-regulars took their spot.

    COP: Helicopter, invisible jump rope, DQs (I always do these), HRMs, MCs and Freddies. Mosey to benches.

    Elevens with 2 count steps and shoulder presses. It seemed like a lot of freakin step ups (Gypsy was vocal about that; Gypsy is never shy). Mosey to different part of bus loop.

    Catch me if you can: Partner 1 carries both KBs around the bus loop. Partner 2 does 3 burpees and then runs to Partner 1 and voila the switch happens. Upchuck however did his best to minimize burpees by running with both KBs (unbelievably faster than he runs without weights). I did not know that Upchuck hated burpees so much.

    Catch me if you can 2: Partner 1 curls with one bell, Partner 2 3 burpees and catch up to Partner 1. Mosey to curb in bus loop.

    20s with 3 sets each of bench press, coupon flutters and overhead pulls (which I called tricep pulldowns). Run bus loop

    20s with 3 sets each of coupon squats, high pulls and calf raises.

    Mosey back with rifle carry; numberama. Only announcement is that Upchuck is looking for a replacement for site Q of the Bridge. It does not mean you need to Q it; just need to make sure someone Qs each month and a couple other things. Reach out to Upchuck if you are considering.

    Thanks for letting me lead.

    Fireman Ed (Prediction: Jets take Arvell Reese with the second pick in the 2026 NFL draft).

  • Somewhere Different

    No one had the Q at 11 pm on Wednesday, so 19 KB warriors were stuck with YHC.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • Ukrainian soldiers
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • DMH
      • Suzanne Somers
      • Merkins
      • LBC
      • Penguins
      • APD
    • Mosey to the band field, stopping to do 20 lawnmower pulls each arm
    • 4 corners with 10, 15, 20, & 25 reps
      • Lung walks and high pulls
      • Around the world walks and curls
      • Rifle carry and tricep presses
    • 3x check
      • KB step-ups
      • Sit ‘n press
      • Run
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    Solid work from the PAX.  Lots of mumble-chatter about White Deer never really doing anything, Fudd showing up 5 minutes later per the usual, Offshore moving, etc.  Welcome to Pork Chop, an invite of Apple Sauce.  Continued prayers for Charlotte and others dealing with serious health problems.

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila