Tag: NoToll

A much cooler rainy morning was dialed up for a little surprise for the PAX this July morning. 13, including a rehabbed Hardywood, answered the bell and decided to see what YHC had in store.

A mosey, cue the rain, and some clues with a warm up of 12 SSH, 12 DQ and 12 IW. During the IW YHC heard Bullseye question whether this was the 12 Days of Christmas. With that astute observation we set off to the pavilion for a rehash of the 12 days of Christmas workout.

• 1 Dozen LBCs
• 2 Sprints across the field
• 3 Diamond Merkins
• 4 Imperial Squat Walkers
• 5 Golden Burpees
• 6 Dips
• 7 2-ct lunges
• 8 decline merkins
• 9 American Hammers
• 10 Flutter Kicks
• 11 Crunchy Frogs
• 12 Broad Jump Burpees

Close out with a ring of fire, plenty of flair here and Freddie Mercurys.

NMM

Kotters to Hardywood, the man has been laid up with an ankle injury but has been given the go ahead to start pushing a little bit. Hopefully it went well and there aren’t any setbacks, the plush grass fields of NoToll should have helped. At coffeeteria after OTB this week YHC noticed that the Q at NoToll was open, that doesn’t happen often so I jumped on it. Wilson, knowing he was going to be out of town, suggested 12 days so Honeymoon and POG knew what was coming. Christmas in July was a great idea, I thought about mixing up the exercises from previous versions but not this time, maybe when it comes back in December. Greenbow was questioning whether all these gifts were things for the PAX or just things I wanted. It’s both things for me and others I thought you would want. With 12 PAX besides me it works out to something for each of you, don’t fight over which one you get.

I appreciate the opportunities I have been given, especially the privilege and ability to lead this fine group of men today.

• HDHH Wednesday, See Kubota
• Puppy Pile Saturday. 7:05 am
• Men’s retreat (non-F3) in September, See Greenbow

5 Strong arrived in the muggy gloom, mostly unaware of what we were celebrating. 5:30 am and we were off, with a 10 burpee delay near the gate on our initial mosey. More on that later.

Warm up, all IC: SSH x 40 (Flange to YHC: Can I tell them now? YHC: Nah, they will figure it out.), Helicopter x 10, DQ x 10, LBC x 40, HRM x 20.
10 burpees OYO

Mosey to the pavilion in the center of the soccer fields to mark the 19th anniversary of YHC’s 21st birthday with a Super 21:
1 x Merkin, 1 x WW2, 1 x squat. Repeat with 2 x Merkins, 2 x WW2s, 2 x squats… on up to 21. 1-5 rep sets OYO, recovery planks for the 6, 5 more burpees OYO. 6-10 sets, recovery planks, 11-13, more recovery, 14-15. 5 more burpees OYO. 16-17, 18, 19, 20, 21 with recovery in between. 5 more burpees OYO.

With a glance at the watch, we had about 10 minutes left. Feeling I owed the PAX at least a little running, we lined up for a Native American People’s run around the perimeter and back towards our cars. Note to self, these are… different… with a small PAX.

Circle up near the flag for 5 x an ab exercise of each PAX members choice, in their cadence. YHC lead off with WW2’s since we hadn’t done those in at least 6 minutes at that point. Oyster and Tobit brought us Rosalitas and Dollies, Flange gifted us with Freddie Mercuries, and Last Call dropped the hammer, the American kind. YHC gifted the PAX 5 more burpees OYO for an even 40. BOOM.

NMS: Thanks for helping me mark 40 years this morning, I couldn’t ask for a better group of men to share in such a suffer fest to kick things off than you guys. As I look at my posts on facebook from 10 years ago, whining about hitting 30, I appreciate the men in this group for helping me smash through 40 far healthier than I was when limping into 30.

As for the workout, apologies. Flange knew what was coming and showed up anyway. Tobit reconsidered whether a 20 min drive to HBR for frisbee would have been better. You two paced us all morning, as you often do. Oyster found another gear and would not let anyone catch him at the end of the NAP run, though some tried. Last Call, great to meet you this morning. Way to work out there, you crushed it.

Announcements:
Several in the RVA PAX have family members fighting health issues, and YHC learned of an FNG from Saturday who had some heart problems after the workout Saturday. Surely others fight silent battles. Keep these men in your thoughts and reach out if you are so inclined. Sometimes just knowing someone is thinking of you is enough to give you a lift.

On a lighter note, come out to Ardent this Friday night 6-10 and share in a keg of IPA and some food in the back (you’ll find us in a private party among the big tanks) to mark 40 orbits around the sun with me.

An energetic bakers dozen arrived at No Toll this morning ready to take on what YHC had in store.  At the buzzer, we were off to the plush, green, very wet soccer fields. 

COP:  Windmills were called, but YHC starting performing Helicopters…so that’s what we went with.  DQ’s, Russian Soldiers, Hillbillies, SSH’s, Merkins, American Hammers, Freddie Mercury’s. 

Warm up: Stay in circle, YHC joins the circle to perform a fire drill.  PAX is chopping feet, while person to left of YHC calls out fire, all hit the ground, roll to the right to perform 1 Merkin, roll back to the left to perform 1 Merkin, then back to feet chopping.  Each PAX member calls out fire till we make it all the way around the circle.  Recover. 

Staying in the circle, the PAX together performs Happy Jacks.  5 rounds of 5 SSH’s (3 count) and 2 jump squats.  Recover. 

Again, staying in circle, Howling Monkey’s is called out.  PAX is in squat position, grabbing ankles.  PAX member to left of YHC starts 10 Monkey Humpers while the rest is holding squat.  When PAX members completes 10, it moves to the next one in circle, moving all the way around till all PAX members have completed their 10. 

Mosey to corner of field for a different version of four corners.  Sprint the length of the field to corner 2, perform 10 Smurf Jacks (an Opus favorite), carryovers the width of the field to corner 3, 10 more Smurf Jacks, sprint to corner 4 with 10 Jacks, carryovers back to start and should have been 10 more Jacks (YHC forgot to call those out).  Second round, sprint the length, Mosey the width and 10 burpees at each corner, which YHC didn’t forget about at the end. 

Mosey to parking lot to perform a Burpee, Indian Run around the perimeter of the parking lot and continue to the courts.  YHC started in front, peeled off to perform Burpees while the PAX continued to run and pass.  Once the end of the line reached YHC, YHC popped up and fell back in line while the now front member was peeling off to perform Burpees.  Each member did this twice on the way to the courts, worked out perfect.

On the courts, YHC calls out Partner 21’s.  With a partner, 1 Booyah Merkin and 1 WWII, 2 BM and 2 WWII, 3 and 3, and so on to 21!  Or, so it was meant to be 21.  YHC called an audible to 11.  YHC did not have a partner and McRib pointed out (and rightfully so) I was missing out by doing standard Merkins.  So, YHC went to shoulder tap Merkins to complete. 

To finish, gather at the corner baseline for a Triangle Bear Crawl.  Start Crawl from corner to half court line, pop up for 10 SSH’s, Crawl across half court line to base line, 10 SSH’s, Crawl diagonal back to original corner, 10 SSH’s. 

Back to flag!

Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

Announcements: Sonic provided some thoughts and encouragement for struggles we face day to day.  Thanks for sharing!

Once again, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to lead at an AO and be around such a great group of men.  Thanks for pushing so hard this morning.  I can honestly say I think we were all spent after this one, but you men crushed it!  The 21’s did look really good on paper, but as we know, it doesn’t always translate well at the end of a workout…maybe at the start next time. 

Have a great day, gents!

Staying in the c

COP: 

8 versus 8 for Southside Ultimate this morning, along with 1 FNG! Play was hard and fast, with the dark shirts really hustling to pull out the win. Ollie felt the need to do some merkins and burpees while we were setting up the field, so we gifted him with 10 merkins IC to finish it up back at the flag. There was some great defense played today, and lots of good hustle. I won’t try to break it down any further than that. Ultimate is such a great game, how can you not have fun?

Big welcome to FNG “Sonic” to the pax. He got a little deer in the headlights in the circle, being an unusual first workout nobody had talked to him up to that point to tell him what to expect. Wilson almost got his way with the name “Hooker”, but the Q saved him from what seemed like a mortal wound to his heart. Talking to him a bit after, he’s X-Navy, so you know he is awesome! Glad to have another sailor around.

Apology of the week was going to go out to the New Market gang for busting balls on their epic screw up yesterday. But since they were given such a gift by Chumbucket as being able to count that debacle as part of the Tour, you will get nothing and like it!

Lab Rat apologizes…

34 men posted, 33 men stepped up to the plate for the Fourth Annual F3RVA Home Run Derby and the results were much the same as the previous 3 years…LOTS of Burpees and a few bombs.

With McRib unable to go for the 3-peat, Rosie stepped up his game to keep the trophy with SOJ for the 3rd year in a row with 2 bombs. Marv, Kryptonite and Fudd each had 1. That’s right, 33 batters, 99 swings and just 5 home runs. But, on the bright side, we did get 87 Burpees in!

For those checking the record books, here are the F3RVA HR Derby Champions:

• 2016 (Inaugural) – Wedding Singer
• 2017 – McRib
• 2018 – McRib
• 2019 – Rosie

The PAX continues to grow and grow from 7 in 2016, to 22 in 2017, 23 in 2018 and a whopping 33 this year.

With the rise in numbers, YHC made the decision to reduce the pre-game calisthenics and lighten the burpee penalty to ensure that we could get through the lineup. All in all, it went something like this:

Make sure to sign-in for your spot in the Lineup and then form up around the Flag in right field. 2 Poles (run from foul pole to foul pole twice) to loosen up the legs, then circle up for a quick COP, including DQs, SSHs, and Arm Circles.

Instructions were – 3 swings (for the record, YHC did advise the PAX that you may be selective and wait for a good pitch…just sayin). A fair ball over the fence is a Home Run, everything else is CRAP…I mean an OUT. If a Batter makes 3 outs – PAX does 3 Burpees. If a Batter hits 1 Home Run – PAX does 10 WWII situps. If a Batter hits 2 Home Runs – PAX does 10 good form Jump Squats. If a Batter hits 3 Home Runs…ha, like that is going to happen — BUT, if it ever happens, the Batter gets a victory lap around the bases while the PAX does an exercise of his choice.

It took until Batter #14 (Kryptonite) before a ball left the yard. YEP – 13 batters and 39 Burpees in a row…OUCH!

Marv stepped in a few batters later and almost jacked one FOUL before launching one out to Right Center that almost cleared the second fence on the field behind ours. Just when it looked like Tuckahoe might take the HR Derby crown on Huguenot soil, Rosie stepped up and BOMBED 2 out to left and left center for the crown. Fudd launched one out a few batters later but couldn’t get a second to push into a swing-off with Rosie.

We got through the lineup with a few minutes to spare, so we ran the bases, sprinted out to the Flag and Planked for the last minute.

COT, Number-Rama, Name-A-Rama and YHC took us out.

Announcements:

• Puppy Pile this Saturday (0705) at Dogpile. Marv has the Q
• Happy Hour this Thursday at Tavern 19 (Independence Golf Course) – bring the M and the 2.0s for some food and music and family fun.
• F3RVA Retreat – September 21. See Vinny for details. Also, there is a sign-up sheet for teams for the Cornhole tournament — you MUST partner with a guy from another Region. Vinny and Gumbo will bring the STACH BROS to life. Everyone else is playing for second place!

NMS –

I love this day gentlemen. It is not our toughest workout and I know there is a lot of standing around…unless you are Fudd and Bodos and freaking eating up every ball in your vicinity. But, it is great fun and something that YHC and my 2.0 (Redbird) very much look forward to every year. I can’t thank you guys enough for playing along and for getting jazzed up about it. 33 guys out there was awesome.

Thanks to Shakedown for posting in his sling (and in pain) to take some photos for us and to be with us.

Great coffeeteria afterwards with Two-Pop, Bullseye, Flatline, Shakedown, Rosie and Redbird.

Offshore has requested the YHC update the bucket of balls for next year, so I will be in search of some juiced up balls and maybe some corked bats. One thing is for sure, I will look very much forward to the Fifth Annual HR Derby and to enjoying it with you guys.

Until then, and until August…No More Gumbo For You!

Mid-seventies and muggy – perfect ingredients for another DTH sweatfest. No cards, no cabers, just pure ground & pound perfection. Fourteen veteran fartsack escapees woke up with a fever, and since DTH forgot his cowbell, the only prescription was more pain! 

The THANG:

Partner Up – Partner Carry (alternate as needed) to COP #1 in the Parking Lot:

• SSH, Imp Walkers, Russian Soldiers, DQ’s, Ball Dippers, Cherry Pickers
• x15 reps for each exercise, all IC

Mosey around Field 1 and end up at bleachers for COP #2:

• Partner up for 11’s 
• Counting up with Box Jumps
• Counting down with Bropees
• Wheelbarrow between sides (much modification was implemented here)
• ABC’s for the SIX

Mosey to end of Field 1 for COP #3:

• Quarter Pounder – Sprint out to complete exercises, then run backwards to beginning
• 25 yard line – x25 Crowd Pleasers (Merkin + Groiner) 
• 50 yard line – x50 Heels to Heaven
• 75 yard line – x75 Crab Cakes
• End Line – x100 LBC’s (rabbits help the SIX complete LBC’s)

Mosey Back to Flag for COT:

• Counterama #14
• Namerama
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took us out in Prayer

NMS:

• You know it’s gonna be a good day when your first mosey is Partner Carries. Granted, there were a few heels dragging… “wait no warm up exercises first?!” YHC was impressed with the light mood and cheerful mumble chatter  despite the steady grind of mind over matter…but that’s F3 for you – we thrive under pressure.  Keep posting fellas, and keep EH’ing those Sad Clown neighbors and coworkers who you KNOW are wasting away without quality fitness/fellowship/faith. 

YHC woke up this morning with a need for some big ground-n-pound and so joined up with 7 other warriors for a No Toll beatdown. According to legend, it went down like this (more or less):

COP: Don Quixote x 10 IC, Imperial Walker x 10 IC, Russian Soliders x 10 IC, 10 Burpees OYO.

Thang 1: Mosey to the field for a Dora: 100 Merkins, 200 Squats, 300 LBC’s. Plank when done.

Thang 2: Mosey to the other field for another Dora. 100 Dips, 200 Monkey Humpers, 300 Flutter Kicks (single count). Plank when done.

Thang 3: Mosey to another field for…wait for it…a Dora. 100 Plank Jacks, 200 Alabama Prom Dates, 300 SSH. Plank when done.

We wrapped up with a shakeout jog through the trail in Huguenot woods, ending with some Mary (Freddie Mercury x 30 IC, WWII’s x 25 OYO)

Number-rama. Name-a-rama. Mouse Trap took us out. Thanks to everyone for giving my day of Dora a shot and grinding through some big numbers. Honored to lead you men today!

Ollivander

A dozen dove in to the dewy NoToll fields to search for a frisbee that was never to be found. Instead we did:

COP: SSH, Russian Soldiers, Arm Circle, Merkins, Flutterkicks, Scorpion Kicks

THE THANG: Start with 3 sets of 25 Boxing Cockroaches to get the Abs going. Then over to corner of field for: Zs. Run diagonal across field, 5 Buprees, Bear Crawl width, 10 HRMs, run diagonal again, 15 WWIIs, bear crawl across width, 20 Jump Squats. Initial call was 4 sets but audible was called to 2 laps.

Head over to other field: Backwards run half way, jog then spring back. Repeato. Partner up again for PLTs: 3 sets of 25. Then some Pickle pounders for practice.

Back to Basketball court: side run court, 15 HRMs then back and 15 more. Skip court then 20 Ball Dippers. Finish with Mary of Flutterkicks and American Hammers.

NMS: Good to be back at NoToll, it really has been a while. Ollie kept YHC sharp by asking what the Q had called: # of reps, exercise, or reps and exercise the entire beatdown. Apparently the field is wider at NoToll than at Gridiron since the bear crawls wore the PAX out. Getting to 4 laps would have taken too long.

Nice work from FNG Handy Man. Strong showing, especially from someone in the Respect range. Not a lot of SOJ mumblechatter this AM, a lot of NoToll regulars fartsacked or were touring this AM.

Sorry to repeat myself on my 4 year anniversary of earning the moniker Honeydo in the COT but YHC cannot thank F3RVA enough for the positive impact it has had on my life these last 4 years. Remember to embrace the soreness as that means we are truly living!

YHC and 13 (so appropriate) other Warriors of the Gloom posted to NoToll for some post-Memorial Day pain and sweat. Bullseye even got in some EC – well done, sir.

Mosey to the back parking lot for COP, all IC x13, including:

• SSHs
• DQs
• Helicopters
• Imperial Walkers
• Merkins
• Freddie Mercuries
• Flutter Kicks

THE THANG:

Mosey to the pavilion for 13 trips around the Sun in honor of YHC’s son’s 13th birthday yesterday. This was much like 11s but adding up to 13 and with a lap around the field in between sets and 1 extra lap at the end for a total of 13 laps. Exercises were incline merkins and box jumps (or step ups). Start with a lap, then 12 incline merkins and 1 box jump, then a lap and 11-2, 10-3…and so on. The rabbits did Al Gore and LBCs waiting for the six, then the entire PAX ran the last lap with the Six.

Mosey back to the basketball courts for 5 MOM, including:

• APDs
• Hello Dollies
• Rosalitas
• Superman

COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and YHC took us out

Announcements:

• Summer Tour is off and running.
• Puppy Pile is this Saturday at 0700 (right after Dogpile)

NMS:

Thanks for coming out this morning and following YHC’s plan to honor my oldest with a run-heavy workout. By my FitBit, we covered a little over 3 miles!

It is still hard to believe my son is 13 – where did the time go? I’m very proud of the young man that he is and the big dreams he has for himself.

My middle daughter turns 11 in two weeks. I’m just saying…

Tobit absolutely crushed the workout, with Doozy hot on his tail. Many thanks to Ollie for being my pacecar – strong work man. Also, great to have TuPop back out.

Great effort by all and sorry…no audibles today!

No More Gumbo For You!

18 SOJ regulars, 1 Kotter & 1 FNG embraced the moonlight and early sunrise and assembled at NoToll for a Döner Kebab beatdown that went something like this….

THANG

Mosey to inner parking lot. Can’t see the moon, so mosey to Field for COP: 30 SSHs, DQs, Imperial Walkers, Russian Soldiers, Tempo Merkins, Crab Cakes, SSHs

Take a Lap as a PAX

Line up on End Line for The Golden State Warrior: Like a Beast, but perform 5 exercises at each of 6 stations for a total of 30 in honor of Steph Curry and GSW’s sweep in the 2019 Western Conference Finals. Exercises were SSHs, Monkey Humpers, Plank Shoulder Taps, Capital Letters, Merkins. Loads of planking inbetween.

Stay on the end line for Normalizing Greatness: 36.5 SSHs in honor of Steph Curry’s League History Best 36.5 points per game in a 4 game playoff sweep.

Split into 2 teams, lights and light darks VS darks and dark lights, and play Ultimate Frisbee for 15-20 min. 10 vs 10. If you score, do 3 burpees while the other team runs back to the line. In a turnover heavy barn burner, the darks & dark lights won 4-2.

Mosey back to basketball courts for Bear Crawl for 2 Minutes, followed by 30 seconds of Forward Lunge in Place.

Mosey back to VSF for COT: Dr. Tryhard took us out.

Naked Moleskin:

Welcome back to Last Call! Way to Kotter and get back after it!!

Welcome to FNG Tupop or Two-Pop or 2Pop (think Toucan, 2Can, Tucan) who showed the PAX what a double respect looks like, including a few scores in ultimate. As Vinny said, Tupop makes sense because he gets 2 pops of RESPECT!

It was great to be able to play ultimate with the PAX. We picked up where we left off last year, highlighted by Aisle 5s epic, slipping fails…thrice. Hope there were no scars, Aisle 5…you did great, including your diving catch well out of bounds. Other highlights included too many long throws that resulted in turnovers, heavy dewed fields that led to feet slips and finger slips. The light dark and dark light shirts were confusing, but everyone shared in the confusion so all was well. Radar & JC get YHC’s honorable mentions for solid play down the center of the field. Additional honorable mention to Doozy for an awesome catch that went through his hands but collected with his legs!

Announcements:

Convergence on Memorial Day at Tredegar at 7am.

Puppy Pile June 1 at 7am at DogPile.

Summer Tour signups somewhere on this site.