Tag: Circus Maximus

Godwin

  • Calling Audibles

    It seems the men of the Circus have their expectations around the ways to park, the amount of running in a workout, and mumble chatter. YHC hopefully gave some disappointment and others satisfaction – but that is life.

    Circle up for COP. Lots of good stretching!

    Off to the bus loop for triple check 1. Partner 1 runs the bus loop. Partner 2 does an assortment of halos, tricep extensions behind the head, and swings. Lots of groaning.

    Stationary triple check 2. Partner 1 is the timer with an array of five sets each of workouts including lawnmowers, overhead presses, and goblet squats. Partner 2 performs ab exercises with the kb.

    Back to the circle for some Mary and other assorted exercises.

    Attila took us out.

    Thursday coffee afterwards was a nice treat as Pigskin shared the secret of his perpetual level of fitness.

  • Sharts Out

    In the vibrant town of Fitville, nestled amidst rolling hills, there lived a group of nine workout warriors. Every Thursday at the crack of dawn, precisely at 5:30 AM, they converged at the outdoor gym, a rugged yet picturesque spot overlooking the town, where the ghost of Mills E. Godwin, a legendary fitness enthusiast from Fitville’s past, was said to linger, watching over their workouts with a spectral eye.

    Whitesnake, with his lightning-fast reflexes and unwavering determination, assumed the lead role among the warriors, his presence electrifying the air with anticipation. As they began their warm-up routine, guided by Pigskins speeding, Chum Bucket’s booming encouragement, Garden Gnome’s precision and Johnsonville’s raw power set the tone for the challenging session ahead.

    Pigskin, known for his athletic prowess, matched Johnsonville’s strength with effortless ease, while Atilla, the embodiment of resilience, tackled the single-leg deadlifts with a focus that bordered on the supernatural. Offshore, his gaze fixed on the horizon, remained steadfast in his commitment to excellence, his every movement a testament to his indomitable spirit.

    As the workout progressed, Whitesnake dominated the kettlebell swings with a ferocity that left the group in awe, his rhythmic motion mirroring the beat of their collective heart. Lighthouse, with his unwavering dedication and impeccable form, flawlessly executed the rows and presses, his muscles rippling with every exertion.

    Meanwhile, White Deer, the epitome of grace and poise, led the warriors through the core circuit with a fluidity that seemed almost ethereal, his movements guided by an inner strength that transcended the physical realm. And amidst it all, a mystery lingered: a faint scent, a subtle sound. Who among them had sharted?

    As the workout continued, whispers circulated among the warriors, each casting suspicious glances at their comrades. Yet, no one owned up to the clandestine act, and the mystery remained unsolved, adding an unexpected twist to their routine.

    United by their love for kettlebell training and fueled by the spectral presence of Fitville’s legendary figure, the nine warriors pushed themselves to their limits, each repetition bringing them one step closer to greatness. And as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the town, they knew that they had honored the legacy of Mills E. Godwin and forged a bond that would endure for eternity in the “annals” of Fitville’s history, even if the mystery of the shart remained unresolved.

  • What month is it?

    Fireman Ed has done his fair share of fartsacking the last few months and so he said “If I Q I need to show up” and that he did. I couldn’t use the weather as an excuse since it was 63 at 5 a.m. With 8 in total we did the following fun activities:

    COP: DQs, helicopters, HRMs, MCs and LBCs (at half of Jville’s normal pace). Mosey to bus loop.

    Ascending exercises from 5 to 10 to 15 to 20. Went through sit and presses (Fudd and my least favorite), bench press, lawnmower pulls (which I call rows) and high pulls. We would traverse the bus loop while going through these with some lunges and rifle carrying throughout. Mosey to behind Mills G.

    Dora with 50 burpees, 100 curls for the ladies, 150 calf raises and 200 squats (work those legs for spring). Mosey to base. Bear crawls through some swampy grass, wall sits and donkey kicks.

    Finish with American hammers, freddie mercuries, and stretching.

    Prayers for those doing mission work in Honduras including Pigskin who is probably leading workouts, Gomer and Fudd’s parents. Praise for my older daughter getting into Longwood nursing early decision (may be old news now). See Slack for all events including the upcoming Grow Ruck in May. Do great things gentlemen.

    Fireman Ed

  • Say No to the Fart-Sack, Just Fart

    A chilly morning awaited a six-pack of iron warriors.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • DQ
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • Jazzercize
      • HRM
      • LBC
      • ADP
    • Lucky bus loop – 4 stops around the loop, add an exercise at each stop, 15 reps for each exercise
      • 120 lawnmower pulls – each arm
      • 105 curls
      • 90 overhead pulls
      • 75 sumo squats
      • 60 sit ‘n presses
      • 45 high pulls
      • 30 swings
      • 15 2x hammers
    • Mosey back to the parking lot for some Mary
      • H2H
      • Side crunches – each side
      • FM
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    Fun day with the PAX.  Grateful for all of these men and their friendships.  Grateful that they fought off the fart sack!  Just the usual serenade of bodily functions. Announcements include upcoming events with River City Grow Ruck, 10K training on Saturday and other races are posted on Slack.  Get involved where you can.

    See you in the gloom!  God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Pork Rind Appreciation Day

    https://www.convenience.org/Media/Daily/2023/September/5/6-A-Pork-Rind-Appreciation-Day_Marketing

    Whitesnake informed me that February 11, 2024 is the 15th Annual Pork Rind Appreciation Day! Truly, a day to celebrate! In honor of that day, I Q’d today (a month early). And we even had a visitor from Roanoke, Centrum Silver, to celebrate with us!

    Of course, we began with the standard Disclaimer: “If you hurt yourself, it ain’t my fault.” (Alternative Disclaimer “If you hurt yourself, you shouldn’t play kickball.”)

    Warm-up: All in cadence

    • 20 SSHs
    • 20 IWs
    • 20 Ukrainian Soldiers
    • 10 Don Quixotes

    Walk to the covered walkway for the ‘Atilla Escalator’. It works like this:

    1st Curls
    2nd Swings
    3rd Triceps
    4th Squats
    5th Overhead Press

     

    • 1st round: 5 reps of the 1st exercise (Curls)
    • 2nd round: 5 reps of the 2nd exercise, 10 reps of the 1st exercise
    • 3rd round: 5 reps of the 3rd exercise, 10 reps of the 2nd exercise, 15 reps of the 3rd exercise
    • 4th round: 5 reps of the 4th exercise, etc.
    • 5th round: 5 reps of the 5th exercise, etc.
    • 6th round: 10 reps of the 5th exercise, 15 reps of the 4th exercise, 20 reps of the 3rd exercise, 25 reps of the 2nd exercise (drop off the 1st exercise)
    • 7th round: 15 reps of the 5th exercise, etc.
    • 8th round: 20 reps of the 5th exercise, etc.
    • 9th round: 25 reps of the 5th exercise.

    Run around the ‘Island’

    Stretching exercise.

    Repeat ‘Atilla’s Escalator’ with the following set of exercises

    1 Lawnmower (each arm)
    2 Lunge (each leg)
    3 Overhead Pull
    4 Halo
    5 Upright Row

     

    Run around the ‘Island’

    Stretching exercise.

    We still had a little time left so:

    • 20 Flutters in cadence
    • 10 Ukrainian Hammers in cadence
    • 15 Bench press in cadence
    • 60 count 6 inch leg lift

    Numberama,

    Namearama

    No Announcements:

    Take out by YHC. “Life is so ironic, it takes sadness to know what happiness is, noise to appreciate silence and absence to value presence.”

  • I’m a Man, My KB is 40

    A glorious gloom awaited a fantastic four.  Armed with KBs, here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • DQ
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • Jazzercize
      • HRM
      • LBC
      • APD
    • KB 12 days of Christmas, just a little late since Festivus took precedent
      • 12 – 144 lawnmower pulls each arm
      • 11 – 121 overhead pulls
      • 10 – 100 sit ‘n presses
      • 9 – 81 sumo squats
      • 8 – 64 KB curls
      • 7 – 49 swings
      • 6 – 64 KB lunges
      • 5 – 25 golden burpees
      • 4 – 16 high pulls
      • 3 – 9 tricep presses
      • 2 – 4 overhead presses
      • 1 – 1 lap
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    YHC did not get a chance to do the 12 days of Christmas KB edition, so since we are still in the 12-day window, here you go.  Also, YHC felt like this was an ideal workout to move up to his 40 lb KB.  “I’m a man.  My KB is 40!”  It was a Mike Gundy special!

    Great work by the PAX.  Good to be with my brothers!

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Animals, Tight Shorts and Bunny Farts

    Once upon a time, in the heart of the enchanted woods, there lived a majestic White Deer named Ivory. Ivory was no ordinary deer; he possessed a magical aura that attracted creatures from all corners of the forest. One day, as Ivory gracefully roamed through the emerald foliage, he stumbled upon a peculiar clearing where six unique animals awaited him. These newfound friends were Whitesnake, a wise and elegant snake; Lighthouse, a luminescent firefly with a beacon-like glow; Pigskin, a playful and skinny boar; Johnsonville, a swift and spirited squirrel; Atilla, an adventurous rabbit, and Mr. Rogers, a gentle and wise owl.

    Intrigued by the diversity of his newfound companions, Ivory, sporting super tight shorts that showcased his athleticism, decided to add a touch of humor to their workout routine. With a twinkle in his eye, Ivory rolled a special weighted die to determine not only the exercises but also the comedic sound effects that would accompany them.

    As the workout commenced, Atilla couldn’t help but unleash a series of endearing bunny farts that resonated through the clearing, adding an unexpected element of amusement. Whitesnake, despite his lack of limbs, gracefully slithered through the air, mimicking the kettlebell swings, while Lighthouse’s glow intensified with each repetition, casting a radiant light that highlighted Ivory’s super tight shorts.

    While the forest echoed with laughter, Johnsonville, the spirited squirrel, couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy. The tight shorts that accentuated Ivory’s every move had become a center of attention, drawing eyes away from Johnsonville’s acrobatic prowess. Determined to reclaim the spotlight, Johnsonville leaped and flipped through the branches with even more gusto, unleashing a symphony of playful squirrel squeaks that demanded notice.

    Pigskin, reveling in the boisterous atmosphere, joined the fun by rolling and tumbling with infectious laughter. Mr. Rogers, the wise owl, hooted with amusement, and Ivory, with his tight shorts, led the group with a combination of grace and humor.

    As the morning passed, Ivory and his magical friends navigated through the humor, occasional jealousy, and camaraderie. The clearing became a haven of laughter, positive energy, and newfound wildness, and the magical exercises, complete with their charming sound effects, brought out the best in each creature.

    As the animals departed for coffee, the enchanted woods fell silent, and a ghostly figure materialized. It was the spectral presence of Mills E. Godwin, a former governor from another time and place. With a mysterious smile, he gazed upon the woodland scene, and in a whisper, he wondered aloud, “Did any of this truly happen, or was it all just a dream?”

    As the ghostly figure of Mills E. Godwin pondered the reality of the magical adventures, the enchanted woods shimmered, leaving the answer to this whimsical tale hanging in the balance. The dreamlike quality of the story lingered, leaving the characters and their laughter suspended in the mystical realm between reality and the imagination. And with that, the story of Ivory and his magical friends, the tight shorts, the bunny farts, and the playful squirrel squeaks faded away, leaving the ghost of Mills E. Godwin to contemplate the mysteries of the enchanted woods.

  • A Festivus for the rest of us

    Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my daughter. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way. What happened to the doll? It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born. A Festivus for the rest of us.

    Nine great men joined together a couple days early to celebrate. Before I went over the 5 key parts to F3, I mean Festivus, we did some warmups in honor of my favorite Seinfeld episode that featured opposite George. Because if every instinct I have is wrong, the opposite would have to be right. We did some reverse arm circles (10 big then 5 small), then some forward, then some Mercury Freddies followed by reverse scorpion kicks. We flipped over on our belly and did some reverse flutters and finished with the bell and some reverse merkins (presses).

    We reviewed as a group the 5 principles of Festivus. 1) There is an aluminum pole with no decorations (I find tinsel distracting). The pole was proudly displayed on the sidewalk 2) It begins with the airing of grievances 3) Their is a meal 4) It ends with the Feats of Strength and 5) Be on the lookout for a Festivus miracle(s).

    The tradition of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances. I got a lot of problems with some exercises and now you’re gonna hear about it. We went around the circle and announced what exercise we had a problem with and then we all did 20 of such exercise. I started. I have a problem with sit and presses on pavement as it gives me a tramp stamp. So we did 20. While likely not 100% accurate, I think we then went with Fireman Ed having a problem with Halos, Byproduct having a big dislike for Overhead Pulls, Offshore had a problem with American Hammers, Pigskin with Bearcrawling with the bell, Fudd has a problem with Merkins using the bell with one hand and alternating each hand with each merkin, Attila and his back have a problem with swinging (that’s what she said), White Deer dislikes plank rows and Johnsonville has a problem with overhead presses. 180 counts later, we were done. We bonded as a family telling these 9 exercises how they disappointed us over the past year.

    We then had an AMRAP meal. One member of the pax ran to the pole, did 3 burpees and ran back while the group did an exercise. We did 3 rounds of curls, lawnmower pulls, WWII, bear crawl/crawl bear, rifle carry, squats, OH press and flutters with bell. Between rounds we ran around the bus loop.

    All right, everyone. It’s time for the Festivus feats of strength. I used cones to create a small square field for the competition. Each member would duck walk with hands behind our back and try to knock over each pax. Using your hands is illegal and you must stay inbounds. Last man “standing” wins. Let’s rumble!! Nine went down to four as Attila, Offshore, Fireman Ed, Fudd and Pigskin all were eliminated. The final four of Byproduct, White Deer, Johnsonville and YHC faced off. Johnsonville eliminated Byproduct while YHC found White Deer distracted by the lights and knocked him down in an upset. Johnsonville and YHC then faced off.

    Fireman Ed: I think you can take him, Whitesnake
    Whitesnake: Hey, come on. Be sensible.
    Johnsonville: Stop crying and fight!
    Whitesnake: Oh, oh I give. I give! (Johnsonville charged and forced me to go out of bounds)
    Johnsonville: This is the best Festivus ever!

    There were a few Festivus miracles identified. Johnsonville at Circus was definitely one. Attila not making any jokes about the “pole” was another. I think the biggest was having nine pax. There were nine seasons of Seinfeld! And we did 180 reps during our grievances and there were 180 episodes!

    Following the COT, many of us went to Starbucks to celebrate Johnsonville’s victory. I awarded him a certificate showing a donation made in his name to the Human Fund! Congrats!!

    I hope Festivus scratched you right where it itches. I put the pole back in the crawl space and it will be back next year.

  • Explore the Space

    5 warriors decided to embark on some muscle building/retention over at the friendly confines off Pump Road. 4 of us were ready for COP, one acted as if “COP is for wusses.” Maybe my COP is for wusses. Note for next time.

    COP: DQs, helicopters, merkins, LBCs, ACs.

    Theme was to mosey around the whole AO and if something caught my fancy we would do sets of an exercise by such landmark. Exercises included burpees, Lawnmower pulls, bear crawls/crawl bears, sit and presses, 2 count flutter kicks, dips, donkey kicks, halos, bicep curls, bench presses, derkins and a couple that I forgot. We made it to the football stadium and back. Not too shabby.

    Some mumble chatter ensued especially when some ripe flattulence was dispersed during derkins. at that point, a little jogging did us good. Ended with some stretching since it was pretty darn cold out.

    Be on the lookout for information about “Griddleiron” which is the full service breakfast fellowship following one of the Saturday Gridiron workouts. Prayers for a neighbor of mine who just started bone marrow treatments for cancer today (I just found this out yesterday asking him why he shaved his head, now I know). Have a great and hopefully limited stress holiday season.

    Thanks for letting me lead.

    Fireman Ed

  • Magic 8-Ball

    Eight noble warriors assembled in the chilling gloom of a Thursday to break away from the normal boot camp regimen.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • DQ
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • Jazzercize
      • Merkins
      • LBC
      • APD
    • KB 4 corners – weighted lunge walks with 5, 10, 15, 20 reps at each corner
      • 50 sit ‘n presses
      • 50 curls
      • 50 high pulls
    • 4x check
      • Run
      • Overhead pulls
      • Presses
      • Halos
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    Good to see some old and new faces again today.  Welcome Anthrax!  Hope you return. 

    Lunch at Firehouse Subs on Tuesday.  See Slack for details.

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila