Tag: Circus Maximus

Six of the faithful posted at CircusMaximus on this cold morning, kettlebells in hand. Johnsonville took Q, gave a stark disclaimer, and the took the pax through a workout along these lines:

THANG:

warmup with random numbers of ssh, don quiote, imperial walkers, mericans, lbcs

mosey to northwest corner of school
quick COP arm circles
elevens consisting of KB swings, run about 50m, pole smokers
plank sequence

mosey counterclockwise to faculty parking area southwest of school. waive to police officer
elevens consisting of lawn mower pulls (each arm counted separately) and WWII situp with KB press
WhiteDeer led plank sequence with mericans

mosey counterclockwise around school to southeast corner around back
elevens consisting of merican rows and balls to the wall

mosey back to VSF

COT; YHC took us out with a prayer

MOLESKIN:

There was not much leg action in this workout, but it was fairly hard on upper body and core. I had trouble driving home, longing for one those 1980s old-man Cryslers that you can steer with one finger. At least I don’t have a manual transmission.

I thought about doubling up the merican rows by having each arm counted separately. That would have been a bad idea. Combining those with balls to the wall was pretty aweful.

As usual, WhiteDeer did a ton of talking for about 5 minutes, but fell silent after the first challenging set of exercises. Well, to be fair, he made a lot of noise during the last 40 minutes, just not with his mouth.

Great job this morning, men! Jville

— See Wilson for info on his charity golf tournament. Thanks to all who have donated or signed up so far.
— You have until noon to sign up for the F3RVA Bracketology. Sign up before noon and get me the cash whenever. http://f3nation.com/2017/03/14/f3-rva-bracketology/

11 strong Circus veterans posted on this beautiful Thursday morning and even the Ghost Sponsor showed himself this morning to provide a promised beatdown.  It went something like this:

COP – SSHs, DQs, Arm Circles, Flutter Kicks, Merkins and Halos – all IC

Ask and you shall receive (Toga requested to not have to do any KB swings for the day after this beatdown was finished) — 25 KB Swings OYO followed by 5 Burpees OYO — Repeato x 4

Lindsay’s Revenge – As threatened/promised, YHC brought back the Lindsay’s with Merkin Rows and WWII sit and press.  Run around the Circus loop or 60 LBCs in between rounds – PAX Choice.  Add/subtract reps by 10 each round (30-10; 20-20; 10-30).

Curb Work – Find a part of the curb for 15 tricep pullovers IC followed by 15 Alabama Honeymoon Suites (bridge – raise – pullover) OYO.

Triple Check – Wall planks, KB Swings (extra credit for Toga and HoneyDo) and Waiter Carry to end of the sidewalk and back.

COT – number-rama- nama-a-rama and YHC took us out.

NMS:

Mumblechatter was high in COP with requests, jabs and other general commentary from the peanut gallery.  YHC was happy to oblige on the request for swings and to add in a few burpees for good measure.  Interestingly, Lindsay’s revenge quieted the crowd quickly.  All PAX members, young and old, got straight to work and pounded it out.  STRONG WORK MEN!!

YHC will admit that the wall planks are one of those things that looked better on paper than it felt in reality today.  Those things sucked and felt like they would never end.

Unfortunately, the week of Gumbo has to end early as a last minute work schedule change will prevent Gumbo from Qing at the Creek tomorrow.  BIG thanks to MudFace for stepping up and for EHing Wild Thing to help step in for the Q tomorrow.  Gumbo will Q at the Creek soon, I promise.

It was a great pleasure to lead another fine group this morning.  Each morning that YHC gets to join his F3 brothers for a beatdown is a great day and it is always that much more rewarding to step into the circle and execute a Q.  Thank you for the opportunity.

No more Gumbo for you!

 

Ten of the faithful and one FNG posted at Circus Maximus on a comfortable Thursday morning. Johnsonville (YHC), piloting a clown car hauling White Deer and FNG Hoops, pulled up with only 2 minutes to spare, but was able to kick things off on time. This is how it went down, more or less:

THANG: COP. Warmup without kettlebells, including SSH, Don Quiotes, Merkins, LBCs, Arm Circles.

Take kettlebells in hand. Mosey behind the school near the dumpster.
COP: 10x KB swing in cadence / 5 burpees OYO
10x sit-up & press OYO

Lunge-walk with KBs
COP: 10x KB swing in cadence / 5 burpees OYO
10x donkey kicks against brick wall

10x deathcrawl strides (left hand) OYO
COP: 10x KB swing in cadence / 5 burpees OYO

Mosey toward end of alley behind school.
Mini Dora 1-2-3 with 150x KB squats, 100 KB figure 8s, and 50 KB Halos

Mosey around side of school
COP: 10x KB swing in cadence / 5 burpees OYO
10x deathcrawl strides (right hand) OYO

Mosey to front faculty parking lot.
COP: 10x KB presses OYO
10x KB swing in cadence / 5 burpees OYO
10x deathcrawl strides (left hand) OYO

Long Mosey back to VSF.

Announce-A-Rama —
— F3Richmond Kettlebell challenge is 3000 during the month of March. We are on, and did the requisite 100x today. See the preblast for a spreadsheet link to track yo-self.
— Sign up for the AshCreek 5K (under team name F3, bring your Marys and kids) May 20, 2017 www.ashcreek5k.com, Let’s see if we can be the largest registered team and make a visible splash in the community.

COT with Attila taking us out.

MOLESKIN: FNG Hoops is WhiteDeer’s 15 year old son. WhiteDeer and I have been trying to get Hoops out for the better part of a year without any success whatsoever. At Church last evening, WhiteDeer and his family ran into, and sat beside, Gumbo and his family. Gumbo, a towering (despite actual height) HIM, brought substantial powers of influence upon Hoops, convincing Hoops to roll out of bed well before 5AM to post at CM. Unfortunately, however, it appears that Gumbo then turned his powers of influence upon himself, convincing himself to remain swaddled in the old fartsack while Hoops paired up with his old man to tackle a Dora.

Gumbo, your heart was in the right place. Good job on getting Hoops out! Welcome Hoops.

I spent some time trying to figure out the F3 term for what Gumbo did to Hoops this morning. It eluded me. Earthworm suggested that I call it a Ghost Sponsor, which I like. Does anyone know the actual term?

DK swallowed a huge RedPill this morning. His alarm did not sound, and YHC was forced to drive the clown car away without DK. DK was awoken by YHC’s text, rolled out of bed, jumped in his car, and arrived at the AO at 0529. Strong…

Welcome back Kotter Attila. It’s awesome mixing with the Mechanicsville crew.

In searching for the official F3 lingo for a Ghost Sponsor, I was motivated by the description of a “Disrupter.” It is as follows:

DISRUPTER: A [High Impact Man] who is a powerful Influencer of Movement toward Organizational Advantage. Highly valued within a Lizard. Feared and loathed by Goo Nation. A menace to the status quo.
INFLUENCE: The ignition of a palpable desire for action in the heart of another.
MOVEMENT: Actions taken in furtherance of Purpose.
PURPOSE: An Outcome sought through the performance of a Task.
OUTCOME: What happens or fails to happen, whether good or bad.
TASK: Something done to achieve a Purpose.
ORGANIZATION: A Group of two or more people that voluntarily combine for the accomplishment of an Articulated Purpose.
ARTICULATED PURPOSE: An Organization’s disclosed and primary end-state.
ADVANTAGE: A superior condition achieved by Movement.
LIZARD: An Organization that is dedicated to the Effective achievement of its Mission.
EFFECTIVENESS: The degree to which a person or Group successfully performs their Mission.
GROUP: A voluntary combination of two or more people.
MISSION: A Task performed in order to accomplish a Purpose.
GOO NATION: Those for whom Goo is a legitimate Organizational Purpose.
GOO: The cultural philosophy of universal Happiness.
HAPPINESS: A transitory positive feeling governed by mere external circumstance.

Contrast that to the definition of a Jackass.

JACKASS: A man who lives for himself, rather than Living Third.
LIVING THIRD: The consistent and deliberate placement of oneself third, behind Creator and Community.
CREATOR: The Sky-Q.
SKY-Q: The Q of the Big Ball and the Super Unknown. AKA: the Creator.
Q: A Leader who takes responsibility for the Outcome. (Q1.1).
OUTCOME: See above.
BIG BALL: The Earth. More generally, that which can be seen rather than that which comprises the Super Unknown.
SUPER UNKNOWN: A realm not clearly visible on the Big Ball that, nonetheless, is still believed through Faith to exist.
COMMUNITY: Two or more people who voluntarily live in close Proximity.

See also the 3rd verse of James.

These things, along with the strength and character of many in the F3 community, make me strive to be better, both by acts and by words.

Great job, all, Jville

4 cars, 8 able bodies assembled on a beautiful February morning to embark upon a KB beatdown that went something like this:

Slaughter Start: 10 burpees OYO

COP: SSH, DQ, Freddie Mercury’s, Imperial Walkers

KB Waiter Carry around the Circus Bus Loop

Lindsays: KB Merkin Rows + KB Curb Lift Overs

Some Dead Cockroaches

Mosey to Bus Loop

KB Standing Row Zig Zag Death Crawl: start with 4 PAX on each side of bus loop, 10 KB Standing Rows, KB Death Crawl across, drop off KB, Crab Crawl to the KB left behind by the guy in front of you, guy at front runs to the back.

Repeato w/ KB Lawnmower rather than KB Standing Row

KB Waiter Carry around the Cirus Bus Loop back to VSF

COT – Johnsonville took us out.

Naked Moleskin

Kudos to the DaVille boys who showed up late, spilled out of MuddFace’s truck and still almost beat Johnsonville to the start of the COP.

The Merkin Rows crushed the PAX today and took way longer than YHC thought they would. They definitely crushed White Deer’s mumblechatter, anyway. Head’s up to check the Q signup because Gumbo liked the idea of repeating the Lindsay with KB Merkin Rows & WW II KB Presses.

The Zig Zag Death Crawl made sense in YHCs mind on the way to the AO this moring, but the explanation wasn’t working when all 8 PAX were lined up on the SAME side of the bus loop. The Merkin Row affect was strong…and it took YHC some time to remember we needed dudes on BOTH sides of the loop. Duh. The zigging and zagging made for a fun twist, but it seemed to sink in more with the PAX closer to the Q than the poor lost souls further away who bungled their way through the first round. (Bungle…good F3 name for later…and popular English children’s TV character)

Impressive Carbon Footprint today: 4 cars for 8 bodies

Good work today, gents. YHC is still feeling it.

Announcements:
Splinter is leading March’s HDHH

YHC got used to pulling into the parking lot at Circus Maximus to a crowd of cars and men carrying around chunks of iron so imagine my surprise when I pulled into an empty lot at 0525.  After briefly contemplating whether the AO would turn into a mix of running and bells an unfamiliar vehicle rolled up next to YHC.  Welcome to Circus Maximus Bunny Slope.  A couple others rolled in before the warm up and then 2 LIFOs from DaVille to make a total of 6.

THANG

SSHx25, DQx10, Helicopter x15, ArmCircles x15 each

1 Burpee:4 KB Swings, increasing by 1 and 4 each round OYO for 5 minutes

Super Six

• ½ Get Up (Turkish Getup with only situp portion)
• Goblet Squat
• High Pull
• Reverse Lunge w/ under the leg pass
• Clean
• 1 arm alternating swing

Do 30 reps of each, run an easy lap around the curb islands, 20 reps, run a lap, 10 reps, run a lap

Captain Thor (Hulk Style) – 1 WWII:4 American Hammers w/ KB, increasing by 1 and 4 each round OYO about 4 minutes

A little time remaining so – 10 Snatch each arm, 10 Alabama Honeymoons, 25 Flutter Kicks w/ KB held high

NMM

A lighter crowd today than the past few weeks at CM.  Between the HDHH and MANNdate starting up yesterday in DaVille the fartsack ruled the morning.  Those that escaped the fartsack got to enjoy a simple yet effective beatdown.  Good to see another new face at CM, Bunny Slope was a first timer but seemed to know his way around a workout and KB.  That’s at least 3 days this week for him and after the sandbags yesterday, that’s impressive commitment early on, I’m  sure Corporate will take note of this.  As always it’s a you against you workout and after the Captain Thors Emoji said he thought he lost.  I disagree, I say he won, the only way to get better and stronger is to push and challenge yourself.  YHC was glad to help Mudface delay a decision to go up in weight, apparently today was enough to put that off for a few weeks.  Shockwave made it back out and was a little shocked to have a day below 30 and only 4 to start after his first CM post of 60 degrees and double digit PAX.

Note to other Qs if you are going to try a new exercise, try it out first with the full weight.  The ½ get ups were tried at home with the Ms 10 lb KB for form but the 35 did not work out so well for YHC.

Great job today, lots of swings, lots of time under weight and lots of arm fatigue as I type this with my toes.

Announcements:

See EF Hutton’s backblast from NoToll earlier this week, he summed it up well.

Lucky number 13 posted for some kettle bell slinging action and still managed to get in their 1 mile challenge committment.

Thang: Warmup COP= SSH, merkins, Bridge and Reach, Spiderman Twists, unweighted goblet squats

Round 1: Sumo Squat and press x10, Deadlift and drop squat x10, Switch Swing x10: Repeato x2 (some random KB swings and ab work thrown in)

Round 2: Execute 40 push press and 10 goblet squats then run the circle.  Repeato while decreasing  presses by 10 and increasing squats by ten each round (30-20, 20-30, 10-40).  Heal touches over bell to collect the six

Round 3: Head to the columns, partner up and partner 1 bear crawls with kb while partner 2 executes 10 swings.  Run to partner and switch then repeato with 10x cleans and 10x snatch until each partner has completed each set.  Finished with varied speed Freddy Mercuries

Round 4: Mosey to curb for pull overs and heal touches over bell

Mosey back to parking lot for assembly line bell passes

COT

NMM:  Ye old back was still feeling it from the Anemone of Doom that Sippy Cup doled out yesterday.  That said, the PAX was ready to go and there seemed to be some expectation that YHC would be in rare form after it was insinuated that JVille was the grumpier.  YHC was in too good of a mood to reset the bar today, but there will be opportunities in the future.  The leading theory is that JVille is only the Mayor of Grumpville when leading.  YHC would encourage the PAX to test the theory.  White Deer stepped it up to sit in the heckler’s chair today, but most conversation was ended in round 2.

YHC remains humbled that the PAX gets it done no matter what you throw at them.  Having never done the circuit we did in round 2, it was hard to gauge how long it would take.  Rosie and Gumbo rolled right through it with everyone else not far behind.  Honey Do then put his kettle bell dragging knuckles to work and was part of the only team to make it down and back during round 3.  Well done by all!

Stay Classy,

Toga

 

Eleven eager souls, including 2 Mumford defectors, broke free from the endless cycle of baser humanity to post at the Circus on a beautiful Thursday morning.

COP – SSH, Boat-Canoe w/KB, Scorpions, DQs.

Mosey to back of school for Groundhog Loop- 15 Donkey Kicks against the wall, Lunge across road then exercise at the grass. 4 rounds of exercise- 15 Halos each way, 30 double hand swings, 10 Situp Presses, 15 Groundhog overhead press. Boat-Canoe while waiting for the 6.

Plank up after round 1, wake up to Sonny & Cher then repeato.

Mosey to main lot for Musical Kettlebells- PAX bear crawl around circle and stop on the Q then do called exercise. If you are in open spot – 10 Burpees.  Exercises were Clean & Press, Curls, Swings.

NMS- YHC is a huge fan of the movie Groundhog Day. YHC remembers learning about Plato’s Tripartite Soul in Ethics class 20 years ago from this movie. So the movie was our theme for the day.

The plan was to do at least 3-4 Groundhog loops, but it took much longer than anticipated to do 2 times through.And the I Got You Babe was only player once, not as planned. Still the PAX persisted. Ronnie took to the theme by thinking of other movies from our youth to base a theme – Spies like us, Three Amigos, etc. Ronnie shared some other facts that YHC is choosing to post in the BB…

The Daville takeover of CM continues as there were 4 “northerners” posting today, including Spare. All put in solid work.

The Musical Kettlebells is fun as there is a large range of weights in the circle- 20-40 Ibs. This turns out to be a great way to sample bigger bells- ISI!

Seriously YHC sees a lot of Plato’s Tripartite Soul in the I am Third concept in Free to Lead. It ties in perfectly and the idea of Sad Clowns reliving the same day endlessly and how F3 can help them. YHC was planning on doing some more philosophy during the beatdown but was afraid Earthworm would be there and start quoting the original text in Greek.

Announcements – HDHH is Lockjaw’s this Feb, sounds like Ardent on 15th is in the works.

 

A sold out show at the Circus, as 16 brave men embraced the spring-like morning and jumped at the opportunity for fitness, fellowship and faith while swinging some weighted bells around.  It went a little something like this:

COP –

• SSHs x25 IC
• LBCs x25 IC
• Helicopters x10 IC
• LBCs x25 IC
• Halos x10 clockwise then x10 counter-clockwise IC
• LBCs x25 IC
• Slow Goblet Squats x20 IC
• LBCs x25 IC

Mosey to the circle for Catch your Partner – Partner 1 takes both bells and lunges around the circle, Partner 2 performs 3 burpees and catches Partner 1 for the flapjack.  Lunges audibled to waiter carry for second half of the loop.

Mosey to covered columns for the main even, the Suck Relays.  Form two lines of 8 and spread out 2 men at each column down the line.  While one duo ran the loop, the PAX stationed at the columns performed various exercises, then bear-crawled to the next station when the rabbits completed their lap.  During the second relay, the rabbits performed 50 LBCs instead of running the loop and the transition between stations was lunges.  Exercises at the columns included: two-handed swings, clean and press, squat and press, snatch, WWII situps and press and something else that completely escapes YHC at the moment and wasn’t on the weinke because frankly YHC didn’t expect so many patrons at the Circus today.

Once the Suck Relays were completed, the PAX moseyed back to the parking lot for a ROF – PAX held six inches with bells held high and each PAX took turns completing 10 WWII situps and presses.

LBCs x 25 IC

2 minutes of swings to take us out.

COT – number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

Announcements:

• Listen to the podcasts and for Godsake, someone get Saab a kettlebell!
• Ragnar – trail run and camping – see Toga
• Mountain Relays (Smoky and BRR) – see TYA
• The Shining every Thursday in DAVILLE – show up for some great 3rd F and Food (the other, more pleasant 4th F; not the one often produced by Wilson)

Moleskin:

What a morning at the Circus.  First, the gloom was hardly gloomy.  Second, the cars just kept rolling in.  Great turn out this morning fellas. And, thanks for indulging the Suck Relays.  Heavy on the swings and upper-body today, but all PAX members pushed through.  Kudos to Mud Face for sucking up the heavier bells at each station to keep Emoji from blowing out the other shoulder.  I thought it was odd that all the 30 and 35 lb KBs ended up on the same side of the columns — MEN TO THE RIGHT!

Strong work men.  A pleasure as always to step out front.

Make the most of Today.  No more Gumbo for you!

14 (no, that’s not a typo) posted for what was written up as the “Nine Minute Complex from Hell.”  The hard working PAX made it look easy.., for the most part.

Thang:

Warmup COP with failing bluetooth speaker: SSH, Good Mornings, Scapula Merkins, Scorpions, Don Quixote, Mtn Climbers, unweighted goblet squats