Tag: Circus Maximus

Godwin

  • Complex Morning

    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

    9 Minute Complex, under weight the entire time except swing burpees (that instruction is for Rosie)

    One-Hand Swing x 10-15 ea. hand
    One Arm Clean x 10-12 ea. hand
    One Arm Snatch x 8-10 ea. hand
    One Arm Clean and Press  8-10 ea. hand

    Lunge x 10-12 ea. leg

    Single Leg Deadlift x 10-12 ea. leg

    Two Hand Swing x 15
    Goblet Squat x 10-12
    Push Press x 8-10 ea. hand

    Swing Burpee x 10

    2 minute rest while doing leg raises on the curb

    Repeat 9 Min. Complex with 1 minute rest doing pull overs on curb

    Circle up for “kb ring around the rosie” with two of the PAX completing 2 laps of farmers carry until everyone has completed the carries.  Flutter kicks to finish it off

    COT: The Carpenter took us out

    NMM: First and most importantly, prayers to Gumbo after the passing of his mom last night.  Having just been through this, the support of this group was huge for me, and I know everyone is there for Gumbo and his family.  Thoughts and prayers with them in the days ahead

    Random/much less important stuff:

    • Great to see The Carpenter and Mud Face come in from Daville.
    • Rosie thought he could do the swing burpee without putting down the weight, but he decided against it.
    • JVille was rockin a super sexy bowhunter look with his new RealTree hat.
    • Doner Kebab and family may be departing our shores after tomorrow.., but then I guess we would need to build a wall around the Atlantic as well?
    • and Honey Do got fixated on one word in the exercise list that became a recurring theme.  Since Saab is an expert at junior high humor, I’ll let him figure out the word for the day.

    Announcements:

    • CSAUP this Saturday
    • See Swirly if interested in Smokie Mtn Relay (4/21)
    • See Toga if interested in Rangar relay (4/28)

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • F3RVA Podcast Intro… listen carefully

    Vans
    Explicit
    With hours of hard work, miles of roads driven, mounds of paper destroyed, Hundreds of thousands of emails deleted (no wait that was something else), many words used incorrectly and a few dozen packets of sugar.

    The F3RVA podcast is now here:
    Hosted by TYA, Swirly, Bleeder and Saab, also, (with the occasional special guest)

    All the F3RVA Podcast

    First Podcast..one at a time

    Second Podcast..one at a time

    You get the idea…one at a time

    You get the idea…one at a time

    You get the idea…one at a time

    If you like what you hear, you are welcome…… if you don’t blame TYA (He will take comments in his office; his office hours are every other Thursday from 9:00-9:01 am)

    Enjoy!

  • Kettlebell Deck of Death at CircusMaximuis

    Ten towering redwoods posted to CircusMaxims this morning with kettlebells in hand, two of which are F3 veterans but newcomers to CircusMaximus. It was wet and warm out, but not raining. Johnsonville (YHC) took the Q, and this is how it went down, more or less.

    speedy warmup: ssh, scissor lunges, arm circles

    Deck of Death —

    Aces — 50 mountain climbers or 50 LBCs (amended after 2 rounds to 100 LBCs since 50 mountain climbers is 300% harder than Lame-O LBCs)
    Hearts (garden variety) — Merkin (kettlebell) Row
    Hearts (face cards) — 10 plank walks with jump
    Diamonds (garden variety) — Single Arm Swings (1 per arm per value on card)
    Diamonds (face cards) — 10 burpees
    Spades (garden variety) — Goblet Kettlebell Squat Press
    Spades (face cards) — 10 jump lunges
    Clubs (garden variety) — Sit up with Kettlebell Press
    clubs (face cards) — 10 crab cakes

    It is hard to get through a deck in 45 minutes. Thus, we had almost no downtime.

    For some reason, we only did 10 crab cakes. I know there were 52 cards, so we must of doubled or tripled up on some other things. Q’s brain don’t function too good sometimes.

    Rosie finished many sequences first even though he was swinging a big KB… show-off. Offshore had flashing lights on his shoes (psychedelic man) and a brand spanking new Christmas-gift-looking gray kettlebell. He and KevinBacon are the CircusMaximus newcomers. They rocked it, and it was great having them out (if for no other reason, so Offshore can optimize some processes and other shi** and so KevinBacon can keep you up to speed on the status of your past classmates and distant relatives).

    HoneyDo quietly took care of business, and had to roll immediately after. Gumbo seemed to want more mericans than was on order. WhiteDeer appeared quiet to YHC (who was fairly busy trying to flip cards and translate them into exercises); others say he was his normal chatty self. Stay gold, Ponyboy.

    FlipPhone arrived late, but that is ok since he came from ChurchHill. Earthworm was with us, but did an alternative exercise for nearly everything. That is better than an FS.

    YHC faced a verbal assault when be tried to describe what cards signified what exercises. Apparently, this PAX does not accept any level of complexity. YHC stopped to allow the assault to subside, and DK hilariously asked if YHC was having a “Wilson moment.” Those who have seen Wilson react to unexpected events during a Q know what that means… Anyhoo, it was quite funny and delivered with DK’s lightning-fast wit. We do love you, Wilson.

    It was hard to follow Toga’s Q from the prior week, where here brought out a mixture of jiu jitsu, acrobatics, and Michelangelo painting The Last Judgment. But, I did what I could. Thanks for permitting me to lead — it was a pleasure.

    Jville

  • Yes, it takes a weinke

    Nine, that’s right nine, posted for some kettlebell fun at the Circus.  Sunny and 70 with the regular clanking of kettlebells in the morning.

    Thang:  Circle up for warmup COP.  Consult weinke for first pair of many exercises.

    • Sumo squat and press + kb swings: alternating 3×10 ea.
    • Deadlift to jump squat + curb pullovers: alternating 3×10 ea.
    • Swing switch + curls: alternating 3×10 ea.
    • Plank pass + single arm row (5 ea. arm): alternating 3×10 ea.
    • Reverse lunge (5 ea. leg) + kb drivers: alternating 3×10 ea.
    • Single leg deadlift (5 ea. leg) + hip-up/sit-up: alternating 3×10 ea.

    Circle up for lots of conveyor belt kb passes, and Attila took us out in the COT.

    NMM: It was good to be back at the Circus, and it was great to see such a solid PAX.  Per the list above, we tackled several new exercises, and YHC often leveraged a weinke to make sure the pairings were correct.  In the middle of the first set Rosie observed, “you need a weinke for this?”  At my advanced age, yes, but it should be noted that the mumble chatter was pretty nonexistent.  The PAX may have decided to conserve their breath as we progressed through the list.  It’s also worth noting that Santa  delivered Rosie a nice new 35 lb kb for Xmas.  It’s all about the gains!  YHC was also truly impressed to look up from my swings to see perfect form from Gumbo.  YHC started to draw the PAX’s attention to Gumbo as a Maximus icon when it became apparent that Gumbo was using some kind of lightweight, FitnessLady brand kettlebell.  Maybe Gumbo was on the naughty list and didn’t get a nice new 35.

    Strong work today by all!

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • The Circus welcomes Dr. Evil

    3 regulars & 1 visitor braved a soaking rain to post to a Kettlebell beat down @ Godwin High School that went something like this:

    THANG

    Mosey to bus loop shelter

    COP: SSH, DQs, Tempo Merkins, Crunchy Frog, Crab Cakes, KB Press with PAX backs to one another

    Quadruple Check/KB Stations

    1) KB Wall sit (millennium falcon), KB Swing, KB Press/Bridge & Over, Forward lunge 3 columns & back

    2) KB Halo, KB Goblet Squat, KB clean-rack-press, Backward lunge 3 columns & back

    3) KB Standing Row, KB Merkin Row, KB Lawnmower, Bearcrawl 3 columns + Crawlbear back

    4) KB Around the World, KB tricep press, KB Bob & Weave, run to end of bus loop + 5 burpees + run back

    5) Wall Plank, KB Figure-8, KB Swing – pause with KB overhead, KB Death Crawl (Bear Crawl w/ KB) 2 columns & back

    6) Left hand KB swing, right hand KB swing, Alternating single hand KB Swing, Crab walk 2 columns & back

    Plank-o-rama into COP: plank dips, flutter kicks, LBCs (fast-slow-fast)

    COT – Atilla took us out

    NM:

    Nice to meet Dr. Evil after seeing his name in RVA backblasts in the past. Dr. Evil visited the Circus for the first time and arrived without a KB. No problem. This gave us the perfect opportunity mix in some none KB activities so that nobody maxed out throwing weight around.

    YHC had nothing planned and thought a hot-potato workout was in order. However, Johnsonville was operating on very little sleep and didn’t appear capable of calling a cadence. So, he & Atilla helped YHC incorporate many KB exercises we use at Circus Maximus. It was a good intro to anyone new to KBs. Thanks for everyone’s help!

    The bus loop shelter provided sufficient cover from a constant rain, though some exercises were still performed in the rain.

    We’re all thinking of Earthworm and hope that he gets better soon!

  • Winter is coming…errr…has arrived!

    4 regulars posted for a Kettlebell beatdown after the longest night of the year. It went something like this:

    COP: SSH, Mountain Climbers, DQ, LBC, Merkin

    KB Waiter’s Carry around the bus loop

    Long Tabattas for the longest night: 8 rounds of 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off then 10 count then KB Waiter’s Carry

    4 Long Tabattas achieved: Standing KB Row, KB Goblet Squat, Rosie’s KB Bridge Press & Over, KB Clean + Rack + Press

    Some Mary: Flutter Kicks & Hello Dolly

    COT – Gumbo took us out

    NMS

    Lots of Redskins & FF mumbling this morning. Chum & YHC took Monday night’s loss the hardest. Why do we even care?

    Discussion around Flashdance & Flipper’s Man-o-rama calendar…or is it a car wash? Either way anonymity ensued as fellow RVA PAX members were named as potential owners of banana-hammocks for the car wash. Lab Rat & Abacus were mentioned. Any questions, see Flashdance.

    Gumbo is preparing to embark on 3 days of birthday xmas polooza. Enjoy the merriment!

    Johnsonville is Qing a 2.0 friendly workout at GridIron on Christmas Eve. See you there.

    Happy Holidays to all!

  • Light

    Three of the Faithful rolled into the Godwin parking lot early and eager for the Drum Beat of the CM. The Gloom was a forced imagination; the sky was brilliantly illuminated with the Luna Plena and the air comfortably crisp.

    After a jaunt around the school via the Appian Way the Pax engaged in a quick warmup of DQs, IWs, and SSHs followed by a Kettle Bell version of:

    COT: Windmills, Squat and High Pulls, Goblet Squats, Goblet Alternating Leg Lunges, 2-hand Swings, R Rack and Presses, L Rack and Presses, Goblet alternating side Presses, R Snatches, L Snatches, Halos, Pull-overs and Presses, Alternating Single Leg V Ups, and APDs, all IC with a few exceptions. Rinse and repeat in reverse order. Four Minutes of Atlas consisting of Tricep Presses Tibata style.

    Counterama and Namerama

    Announcements: 2.0 Friendly GridIron on December 24 – J’Ville has the Q; Attila has the Q for this Saturday’s edition of GridIron.

    Take out prayer by YHC – the Great Gift.

    Moleskin: Blocking and Tackling day at CM this morning – most moves performed at a deliberate pace to strengthen form. Surprising amount of fatigue, especially following the Atlas.

    And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

    John 1:5 (NKJV)

  • Triple Triple Check with Ample Shoulder Burn

    Five Redwoods posted to CircusMaximus with kettlebells in hand on a comfortable late-autumn morning. Johnsonville (YHC) planted a VSF, gave a disclaimer (even though each of the Redwoods had posted to countless F3 gloom-fests), and organized the pain-fest. This is how it went down, more or less:

    the THANG —

    Warmup with ssh, don quiote, reverse PLTs, arm circles (small front, small back, big front, big back), scap merkins, perhaps more (I forget….).

    Short mosey to the large brick wall constituting the north side of the school.

    Triple Check #1:
    Part A — waiter carry across parking lot and back.
    Part B — rolling wall plank
    Part C — merkin row
    Rinse and repeat x3

    Plank sequence. Mosey to lighted load/unload area inside pillars.

    Triple Check #2:
    Part A — death crawl (bear with kettlebell), bear crawl, and/or crab walk part-way down pillers and back)
    Part B — reverse PLT
    Part C — WWII sit-up with kettlebell press at top
    Rinse and repeat x3

    Plank sequence. Mosey down sidewalk to opposite end of pillars.

    Triple Check #3:
    Part A — 10 burpees
    Part B — single arm kettlebell swing
    Part C — squat with kettlebell press at top
    Rinse and repeat x3

    COT with Attila taking us out

    the MOLESKIN:

    Today was a shoulder burn (as any self-respecting kettlebell workout should be). It was nice to see Toga back in town. Continued prayers for him, his mother, and his family. Earthworm cut out a bit early to serve as our delegation at the northside/Mechanicsville breakfast meeting concerning increasing 3rd F. I am grateful for the efforts and leadership coming out of that group, and I look forward to hearing about the meeting and ideas discussed.

    WhiteDeer upgraded to the next size kettlebell. It seemed to take its toll on him by the end of the workout, but he pressed through. YHC is overdue for an upgrade as well (gift hint). That is a good problem to have. Attila had to rush out to make an early morning meeting downtown, but he stayed long anough to take us out with a solid prayer.

    Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead this morning. Respectfully, Johnsonville

  • Flipphone saves the day

    A PAX of 1 initially posted to Circus Maximus on an unusually warm December morning. 10 minutes in another pax arrived later to push YHC.

    Solo pax- 200 burpees, 150 pull ups on a tree branch, 500 Donkey kicks. Elbow plank to rest, Flipphone arrives.

    Farmers Carry around loop. Cop- ssh, Don Qs, Flutterkicks, Merkins ,  Helicopters.

    Parking space escalator – Start at 1 spot, 10 reps, lunge to next spot, increase by 10, up to 30. Exercises were : Swings, Halos, Squats, Cleans.

    Mosey to grass. Boat/Canoes w/ KB for 2 mim.Elbow plank for 1 min. Run lap around loop. 30 Swings, 20 Tricep Press, 20 Rows each Arm. another set of Boat/Canoe. Alabama Honeymoons. American Hammers, 20 Situp presses,  10 Burpees to finish.

    NMS- YHC estimates the solo part, not sure as he descended into madness quickly. YHC chose to forgo KB exercises, instead leaving it to rest as an inanimate PAX, ala Wilson from Castaway. Just as YHC was thinking of ways to draw a face on the KB Flipphone arrived, with his own (albeit borrowed) kettlebell.

    From there we got down to business. YHC enjoyed getting to know Flipphone better. The boat/Canoe with the kettlebell was tough. that gets a burn going fast. Definitely need to add that to the CM rotation.

    At 5:35 YHC was tempted to hop over to 45MoM but glad I stayed so Flipphone would have not been alone.

     

  • CircusMaximus with a Thanksgiving Skeleton Crew

    Three Redwoods posted for a special 1-hour kettlebell extravaganza on Thanksgiving. Johnsonville planted a VSF and took the Q. This is what went down:

    warmup with ssh, don quiote, scap merkins, arm circles, etc.

    waiter carry around cm

    deck of death with the following assignments —
    spades = goblet squat with a press at the top
    diamonds = merkin rows
    hearts = sit and press
    clubs = pax picks (rotating)

    during the deck of death, there were 2 intermissions where the PAX did various KB carries.

    4 minutes of mary

    Is there a better way to prepare oneself for visits by extended family members and uncomfortable discussions about politics than this?

    The temperature was fairly comfortable. Rain threatened early but never arrived (other than a very slight drizzle at times)

    In the middle of the deck of death, YHC had to duck out for a few on account of getting slightly “glutened” the evening before. White deer and Earthworm claimed that all of the high cards came out when YHC was gone. But, there were at least 14 face cards that appeared after I returned. You do the math….

    Great job, men. I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving! Jville