7 men un-fartsacked themselves, grabbed their heavy iron bells, and got to work

COP all IC

SSH x 1

The Murph

One mile run

100 Merkin Rows

200 Sit-up Press

300 Snatch

One Mile Run

Numberama

Namarama

Chewy took us out

NMS

The second showing of Murph at MANNDate did not disappoint. Everyone worked hard and gave it their all. Rounders came the closest to finishing. YHC thinks that he will have to Q the first Wednesday of the month for a while before this becomes a tradition, but he fears that there may be some mutiny being planned to stop this.

YHC learned a few things this morning:

Murph can shut a PAX right up

Wild Thing is a happy guy that will start singing at any moment

When No Idea is late he can slide right into the workout without anyone knowing that he just got there

While there is no good time for the 4th F. The worst time is at the beginning of a long set of sit-ups

Never argue form with Helix. He is right

Thanks for letting me lead

A half dozen men of iron showed up, including our normal 2.0, to hoist some KB and humor YHC.

COP

20 SSH          10/5 small/large arm circles          10 merkins          20 Imperial Walkers

20 Freddie Mercurys          another 10 merkins

Mosey over to the bus loop, partner up, and sloooooow dooooown…

One partner ran the loop while the other did the following exercises until they returned.  Each rep was done to a 10 count, and YHC urged the Pax to focus on technique.  The exercises were halos, Goblet squats, tricep press, lawnmowers, overhead press and upright rows (thanks to Helix for remembering what the last was called).

After completing this exercise WAY more quickly than YHC had thought, YHC adapted and we did all the exercises over again, in cadence.

Mosey over to the flag area for a few more:  20 renegade rows, 20 KB merkins, 10 crunches with KB, boat/canoe and ending with stretching.

Numberama, namerama, YHC took us out.

Nice job by the Pax today, as they had to continually humor YHC’s efforts to adapt a too hastily composed Q.  Nice work men!

4 Davillians and one lost boy showed on a rainy but warm Wednesday morning to enjoy their pre-Thanksgiving meal.

This is how it went down:

COP (ALL IC)

• SSH
• Merkins
• Slingshots
• Helicopters
• Sit up Press
• Arm Circles

THANG

The Feast (4 course meal)

1st Course (5 rounds with a short mosey to one side of the parking lot and back)

• 10 KB Rack Squats
• 10 KB Swings
• 5 KB Burpees

2nd Course (10 mins AMRAP)

• 10 KB Ground to Overhead
• 10 KB Lunges (Per Leg)
• 10 KB Snatches (5 Per Arm)

3rd Course (5 rounds with a short mosey to one side of the parking lot and back)

• 5 KB Squat Thrusters
• 10 KB Swings
• 10 KB Rows (5 per Arm)

4th Course (10 mins AMRAP)

• 10 KB Burpees
• 10 KB Alternating Swings
• 10 KB Sit Up Presses
• 10 SSH’s

Numberama, Namerama, Helix took us out. 

MOLESKIN

It felt great for YHC to get back out to MANNDate Qing. It had been 6 months since his last. YHC also had overslept his alarm but luckily since he only lives 2 minutes from the AO, he arrived with 4 minutes to spear.

Up Chuck showed up with a 10lb pink KB and ask if this would work. The PAX had a good laugh while he pulled out his real KB. Glad to have you join us this morning Up Chuck, congrats on only have one AO remaining on your quest to post at every AO.

Mumble Chatter was low at first, but with Emoji around that wouldn’t last for long. Chatter was centered around UpChuck leading the PAX in Adam Sandler’s Thanksgiving Song (which YHC was very impressed how well he sounded just like Adam Sandler) and 80’s rock music. Emoji had noted that his 2.0 daughters only listen to 80’s music now thanks to Stranger Things.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Special 60 minutes of 45 MOM TOMORROW (Thanksgiving) starting at 6 am. Coffeeteria in the parking lot afterwards

SPIT ON THAT!!

Some mann -data for your Wednesday…

6 to 7% of men do not wear underwear on a regular basis.  Say what?

14% of men are 6 feet or taller.

Guys brush their teeth an average of 4 times a week in the shower.

25 percent of men  begin to see the first signs of hair loss before age 21.

The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. This gender gap shows up in all age categories

More than 90 percent of American men believe in God, and five out of six call themselves Christians. But only one out of six attend church on a given Sunday.

The average man accepts the reality of Jesus Christ, but fails to see any value in going to church.

Males account for approximately 70 percent of all Ds and Fs in U.S. public schools.

Young men are about four times more likely to commit suicide as young women are.

5 chilly men showed up for Manndate this morning.

COP:

CAtch me if you Can:
1 partner KB side lunged around the bus loop, the other skipped to catch the lunger.  Modified to Waiter carry for times sake.

Odd and Even Ladder:
1 Burpee, 2 Tricep Presses, 3 burpees, 4 Tricep Presses, repeato up til 10 then come back down the ladder.

1 partner does Mountain Donkeys, the other runs across the loop and back — switch until time is up.

30 seconds of Merkins to finish.

The data about men is startling and disturbing.  I believe that most men are looking for more in life than their current lives are showing.  We crave adventure, challenge and freedom.  We loathe the ordinary, the mundane, the cookie cutter lives that some of us lead.  We tend to  gravitate towards the comfort of an easy chair when we should be on our knees lifting up another brother in prayer, in plank position doing merkins, or spending time with our family and friends.  At times, I am guilty of trying to live that comfortable life and not doing what I need to do to spread hope or make myself a better person or inspire others to be awesome.  Let’s challenge ourselves this week to not be one of the statistics, but to help change what is considered the norm!

Peace!
Opus

There were 5 PAX members at the Hot Pokettle this morning.  It was a hot workout in the almost bitter cold.

We started with Helix in the Circle of Pain
SSH, Helicopters, arm circles, around the world, halos, maybe some others?

Moved onto No Idea and 11’s
Kettle Bell Merkins
Lunge to the Other Side
KB Swings

Then it was Mudface’s turn to shine.
We did a Quintuple check.
Donkey Kicks on the KB
Sit Up Presses
Death Crawl across the lot
KB Pulls
Turkish Get ups

Finally it came to Opus
for a little Mary (4 minutes)
Ring of Fire Merkins (10)
Renegade Rows

Numbers, Names, Take it out

NMS
YHC never realized before that the last person that goes in the HOT POTATO Q has to write the backblast.  Thanks for clearing that up, Mudface!  That means I am the only one who gets credit in big data for Q’ing!    As always, glad I was there!

Peace!

7 men came out to greet the day and work off the Halloween candy they stole from their kids while they were asleep. We gathered up and did some things

COP

Nope, no time for this

Murph

Run a mile

100 clean and press

200 KB Merkins

300 Lawnmowers

Run a mile

Graduation Walk

Hallelujah carry around the parking lot

Mosey back to the flag

Numberama

Namearama

Announcements

• Merkin Challenge https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-L8e9W24ygnU0suaGyKxzi1PgPqY1CBd57hLrKTZI-g/edit#gid=1927000296
• Breathing challenge  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-L8e9W24ygnU0suaGyKxzi1PgPqY1CBd57hLrKTZI-g/edit#gid=758786051
• 11/11 – Hampton Roads 1-year convergence
• 11/12 – C-ville Men’s 4-miler

NMS

YHC hates to run. He would rather have a root canal done with a rusty fork by an angry badger with incontinence than run farther than it takes to get to the flag at the end of the workout. So the looks of shock and surprise when a run was called were interesting and got even better when the realization of what was about to be done. This was the quietest Q that I have ever been to.

The graduation walk was to celebrate No Idea finally getting a KB that doesn’t have PLAYSCHOOL stamped across it. This might become a tradition at the MANNDate.

A discussion broke out on what the German word for sadist was. The PAX was little help, apparently all the German words that we know are beer and food related. Helix the word you were looking for was schadenfreude

Thanks for letting me lead

Six regulars and one FNG charged into this brisk Autumn morning ready to swing some bells. Here is what happened:

The Thang

COP:

SSH IC X 20

Neck circles 10 each way

Helicopter IC X 10

Arm circles 10 little 5 big, reverso

Imperial walkers IC X 20

LBCs IC X 20

Follow-the-leader KB goblet squats

Lucky Horseshoe

Exercises were KB swings (20), goblet squats (20), clean & press (10 each arm), slingshot (10 each way) and snatch (10 each arm).

Start with first exercise, run around loop, then first plus second exercise, run around loop, continue until five sets completed for each exercise.

Stretch Medley

Numberama, Nameorama, Spit took us out

NMS

One could not have asked for a better morning to grind out some kettlebell. YHC was especially thrilled that Da Vinci put feet on the floor this morning to make it out. Mud Face and Chewie rolled in fashionably late. Chewie double-fisted kettlebells to the COP, handed one to Da Vinci, and the fun began.

Everyone gave strong effort through the Lucky Horseshoe. (Special thanks to Honey Do for introducing this workout to YHC.) Predictably, Spit crushed it, followed closely by Emoji. The Q declared the exercise would end when the first person finished, and one could almost hear muscles scream for joy as Spit announced his victory lap.

It was a joy, as usual, to be part of this group, for which YHC is extremely grateful. There is no better way to start the day!

Announcements

F3 Hampton Roads convergence November 11th, 0700, Mt. Trashmore.

Saturday at Dogwood Dell now hosts three workouts: back-to-back one-hour bootcamp-style workouts at 0600 and 0700, and a 2.0-friendly workout at 0700.

Four hardy souls rushed into the storm, did not oversleep their alarms, and proceeded to perform something they would sternly advise their children to avoid – slinging a metal ball high in the air during a thunderstorm. Here is how they did it:

The Thang

COP

Neck circles x 10 each way IC

Arm circles x 10 front, back, sideways, IC

Hip circles x 10 each way IC

Copperhead squats x 20 IC

Shoulder stretch (Fudd’s wife) followed by Wilson’s Wife to straight-armed pickle-pounders (IC x 10), repeat with pickle-pounders x 6

Merkins with hands on kettlebell x 5 IC

Two hand kettlebell thrust x 5 IC

Put above two exercises together for KB burpees x 5 OYO

Ring of Fire

One man does three KB burpees while everyone else does KB swings; three times around the circle

Jacob’s Ladder

Pair off and each pair takes their KBs to opposite sides of the track. Perform one KB burped; partners go back-to-back (note carefully, No Idea) and shuffle to meet the other pair in the middle, then return for two KB burpees; repeato to seven KB burpees.

Stations Around the Track

Three men spread out along the track. One man does KB swing, one alternates halos/sling-shots, and one does goblet squats. Fourth man is runner, relieving the next man on the track who then proceeds to the next station. Continue for a complete loop.

Boat-Canoes (x 10?)

COP#2

American hammers with KB x 5 IC

Snatch x 10 each arm OYO

Stretch Medley

Numberama, Namorama, No Idea took us out

NMS

The crew this morning showed true grit. Not only was it pouring rain and lightening, but Spit I think was still not fully cleared from heatstroke after (during?) the Army 10-miler last weekend. While we learned of Spit’s NDE, The Carpenter rolled in, and it was officially time to begin exercising. What YHC intended to be a challenging workout of traditional KB and bootcamp exercises with some slight twists, the PAX crushed. During boat-canoes the plan was to continue until someone cried “Uncle” – and then do a few more reps (thus, the above-featured movie clip). After what felt like forever, without hearing so much as a grunt, YHC finally caved and asked if anyone was tired; one nameless PAX affirmed, so we completed another round and then moved on. Everyone looked strong. Congratulations to No Idea for completing his first workout in a hard rain; sounded like this might have been preferable for him. As always, it was a pleasure and privilege to lead this group.

Announcements

Hampton Roads F3 will host a convergence on November 11th at 7:00 AM.

Others? (YHC did not write these down.)

4 Davillians plus one crazy runner (who just popped in for the COP) came out this morning for something new.

COP — the longest COP in history

The Rest —
Triple Check with 4 people —
One runs loop, Second does Sit up Presses, Third Does Bob and Weave

Semi-lazy Doras
100 goblet squats between the two partners while partner hangs in peoples chair, switch as needed
150 overhead presses while partner holds plank or does merkins, switch as needed
100 (due to time) KB swings while partner does SSH, switch as needed

NMS —
Think about some of the best times in your life.  How many of them came because of a change that stretched you, that challenged you?  Coming to F3 was one of those things that set YHC on a course for health and wholeness.  Is F3 easy?  No, but that is the point.  The best things in life aren’t easy.  There are growing pains.  There are bumps in the road.  Is it worth it?  Can I get an Amen?
When Carpenter challenged YHC to come out to F3 a year and several months ago, YHC knew he needed it being several pounds overweight (ok more than several) and lacking energy and not having a whole lot of direction.  530?  Are you serious?  In the morning?  YHC went for it and has never looked back.
So, this morning was all about stretching the PAX, trying new things, new exercises — realizing that we aren’t there yet and we can be so much better.  Some of the exercises this morning were a challenge to the PAX and YHC as well.  Some we could only do about 5.  And that is just fine.  Baby steps lead to better things — greater growth and the ability to realize that there is so much further for us to progress.
Glad for the brothers in F3 and the bond we share through shared experience and growing together.
TClaps to Spit who showed up during the middle of the run and did COP with us!

Later,
Opus

Nine strong came out to Manndate to find out how could a Kettlebell workout handle the Lucky Horseshoe. After a quick COP and description of the KB alterations we got going:

Lap was from front of school to back by the bus and return. Start with 20 Merkins, then add 20 of following exercises: KB Copperhead Quats, KB Swings, American Hammers w/KB, Lawnmower Rows. After 5 laps drop merkins and down to last exercise, then victory lap.

Finish with Boat-Canoe, Figure 8s, and Halos.

NMS- YHC first trip out to Manndate and the Pax brought it. Most knew what was in store although it was everyone’s first time experiencing the glory of the Lucky Horseshoe. The PAX took right to the LH.

Alterations were made to the traditional 5 LH exercises. The KB squats, Swings, and especially American Hammers were tough.

Spit set the pace and finished with several minutes to spare. Rounders and Helix were not far behind. Wheelie and YHC finished up right at the called time. Some PAX were slowed down with their larger bell sizes while others tossed around their sub-30 lb bells.

COT and Spit took is out.

Announcements – Convergence this Saturday, and sign up for food afterwards on PreBlast. No sign up, no food for you. Prayers for EF Hutton and his family. HR HDHH tonight at 5:30, see preblast.