Tag: The FORGE

The PAX asked for shelter, but none was given. Here is a brief summary for your viewing pleasure.

Warm-up run around the 2 schools with 5 stops for “ab” exercises. Everyone got to pick one: Imperial Walkers, Pickle Pounders, Mountain Climbers, Squats/People’s Chair, one other that is slipping my mind. 25 count or so on each.

Exercise One: 7’s (same as 11’s, but shorter). Run up the hill, box jump up the amphitheater stairs. Exercises were burpees and WWII sit ups.

Exercise Two: Ring around the Toadie. Frog jumps around the perimeter of the big concrete square. Made it around 3 or 4 times. 50 count Monkey Humpers to wrap things up.

Exercise Three: Thrilla Gorillas – across the grass soccer field. Alternate between Bear Crawl and Murder Gorillas. Snuff appeared to crack the code on this one.

Exercise Four: Triple Check with Hand Release Merkins and Flutter Kicks. Runner does Bernie Sanders to the second light pole, runs back.

Mosey back towards the flag with 4 additional ab stops selected by the PAX: LBC’s, WW II sit ups, Rosalita Dips, Freddy Mercuries – 25 count.

Numbers/Names/Announcements

YHC took us out.

Final Thoughts:

Great effort by all on this rainy St. Patrick’s Day! Lots of male exotic dancer mumble chatter – what happens at the FORGE, stays at the FORGE. DTH, Bone Thugs, and Snuff will all be in our thoughts as they navigate work/life issues this week.

As always, it was honor to lead this fine group of gentleman.

An intimate foursome gathered in the forge gloom and each was asked “what do you need this morning?” Without a specific plan in mind, YHC gathered the PAX was interested in stretching, running DTH’s neighborhood hills, getting warm, and exercising the core. Service with a smile, here’s what we did:

The THANG:

WARMERAMA:

• Mosey loop
• Circle up for IC reps

COP #1:

• Cross Forrest Hill Ave for a  Neighborhood mosey, stopping periodically for variable IC reps, heavy focus on Core exercises, and some stretching as well

COP #2:

• Form up at the bottom of the Stratford Road “Love Hill” for a DORA
• x100 Merkins
• x200 Lunges (single-count)
• x300 Flutters (2-count)
• Moving partner runs to top of hill and back down to switch

Mosey BTTF:

• SNUFF led a few minutes of breathing exercises 

YHC apologizes – there was no formalized COT… but we had four Forge Vets who share life and love, and we ended our time with Namaste and Tailgate Coffeerama. 

NMS:  After leading some painful routines at Dogpile and NoToll, YHC was ready for something a little lighter today. The week has been extremely busy, and no plan was made, except to serve the PAX whatever they needed. We left no man behind, and we found each other stronger together at the end. God is good all the time, and giving Him  our burdens, relinquishing control of our lives to His perfect Love, is where we can find a peace that surpasses understanding. Love and Grace, DTH

Seven men rose from the fart sack this morn. Six dressed in their summer attire and one ready for the extended winter. A fun time was had by all until the clock struck 5.30 and off we jaunted to see what paraphernalia could be found lurking around Huguenot High School.

Mosey around the bus loop with some butt kickers, high knees, karaoke (both ways) and Bernie Sanders. Circle up for warmarama that included SSH’s, Helis, Dead Man Hang, Cherry Pickers, Merkins, Carolina X’s, Freddy Mecuries and LBC’s. Abs looking fit for bikini season, short mosey to the bottom of the hill for a…..

Triple Check: Timer runs the loop, Balls to the Wall and Heals to Heaven for the stragglers. Plank for the 6. Quick mosey to the amphitheater. Along the way stop on the hill for Clockwork Merkins: 1 merkin at 1:00, 2 merkins at 2:00, 3 merkins at 3:00, looking at you Chap. Burning in the shoulders, lets continue on to the amphitheater for…….

11’s: Box Jumps to the top, 1 derkin, mosey back to the bottom, 10 dips. Continue on until numbers are flipped. Bad idea. Still burns. Collect the 6 and lets mosey the rear drive for……

Lindsay: 30 Carolina Dry Docks (lot of shoulder work today)/10 World War II’s (rock hard abs boys). At every intersection reduce dry docks by 5, increase WWII by 5. Find that grass as soon as possible. Collect everyone at Forest Hill Avenue for….

Light Poles along the Avenue: Flip between 2 burpee and 2 Lt. Dans at every pole along Forest Hill all the way back to the flag.

Perfect Timing as time was called upon YHC’s arrival.

Numbers/Names/Prayers/Announcements

YHC took us out

Thoughts and Prayers for DTH and his M as family friends are battling recent health scares. Good luck and a reminder to all to get checked. Chaplain is leading clockwork merkins at Twin Team on Friday. Monthly Convergence at Dogpile on Saturday.

NMS: YHC was not sure what to do as the Q snuck up on him this morning. Great to have some warm temps to get the Forge regulars out of the fart sack. Doozy showed up in his winter attire expecting a blizzard or to protect his delicate skin from the rising sun. 3/4 through the workout he was shedding layers. Clockwork Merkins should not be followed by Derkins. Plenty of shoulder work today. Thank you boys for joining me. This is a great group and one I enjoy seeing on the regular.

Five high impact swingers left their morning wood in the fartsack and posted to the Forge to handle the good Doctor’s bells. Here’s how a good time was had by all:

The THANG:

WARMERAMA CIRCUIT:

• Warm up loop run to collect Dealer rolling in late
• Collect x3 KB’s (15lb, 30lb, 50lb) & YHC’s speaker rocking the tunes, and mosey long way around school to soccer field, stopping en route every 30-50yards for IC Reps, PAX switching KB carries between

COP #1:

• CIRCUIT #1 at the Soccer Field:
• PAX each take a Station and complete exercises while timer runs loop around soccer field
• Station 1 – 50lb KB Sumo Squats
• Station 2 – Timer Runs Field Perimeter
• Station 3 – 30lb KB Single Arm Rows (Alternated every 15 reps)
• Station 4 – Lt Dan’s
• Station 5 – 15lb KB American Hammers

COP #2:

• Mosey up to the Amphitheater 
• CIRCUIT #2: While the timer Tooth Fairies up the little steps and Crabwalks down the big steps, rest of PAX complete the following:
• Station 1 – 50lb Around the Body (Alternate directions)
• Station 2 – 30lb Bob & Weave
• Station 3 – Donkey Kicks
• Station 4 – 15lb KB Single Arm Lift and Overhead Press (Alternate Sides)
• Station 5 – Timer Tooth Fairies up, Crabwalk Down

Mosey BTTF for COT:

• Counterama #5
• Namerama
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• BONE THUGS took the PAX out in Prayer
• Coffeerama on the Tailgate

NMS:  YHC loves the Forge and loves the men willing to bond together doing the hard thing. YHC recently added the 50lb KB to the home gym, and today was the perfect opportunity to introduce Big Bertha to the boys. She may have been too much to handle easily, but they all appreciated the way she made them groan and sweat. Try hard or die tryin! Special thanks to Bone Thugs for his meaningful encouragement & prayer. SYITG, DTH

5 strong men Forged in fire made their way out of the Gloom for a beatdown at the Forge this A.M.

5:30 4 men strong made their way to the flag poles for COP

DQ’s, Helicopters, Imperial Walkers, Russian Soldiers Mosey over to see who rolled in half way through the COP

Collect Bone Thugs as our 5th wheel to finish out COP with SSH’s, Merkins, LBCs and Dead Man Hang

Mosey to the stairs for 11’s 1 Donkey Kick at the bottom, Tooth fairies up the stairs, 10 LBC’s at the top run back down

Mosey to the corner of the parking lot

4 corners (regular) 10 – Jump Squats, 20 – Ball Dipper (2 Count), 30 – Calf Raises, 40 – Squats

4 corners (regular) 10 – WWII’s, 20 – Scrunchy Frogs, 30 – American Hammers (2 count), 40 – LBC’s

Use the hill for a partner triple check – we had 5 total so two teams of two each team working as a partner while YHC was the 3rd partner. Partner team 1 does Jump Squats, partner team 2 does merkins, partner team 3 bernies up the hill does 1 burpee at the top and runs back down

Mosey to light pole alley – Bernie up the hill stopping for one burpee at each light pole to Forrest Hill Rd

BTTF with 1 minute left – sit in a peoples chair for 1 minute WOW a minute is a long time

Numbers / Names YHC took us out

NMS:

The tooth fairies proved to be one of those exercises that looked good on paper but in reality where a real smoker during the beatdown. Originally, YHC had called Merkins at the top but modified it to LBC’s mid way up the 15 steps worth of tooth fairies (X10). After the ball of man there was a conversation about tooth fairies and how DTH could make them suck worse, that’s when the thought of how we could partner carry while doing tooth fairies came up. It was a unanimous decision that anyway you slice it, Partner carry tooth fairies is just a bad idea.

9 non Goose type beings made their way to the Forge on a warm and welcoming day. According to the birds that live in the trees this is what happened.

Mosey to the bottom of the hill COP

DQ’s, Helicopters, SSH, Imperial Squat Walkers (with some Cadence issues), Russian Soldiers, Dead Man Hangs

Mosey to the light poles 10 Merkins at each light to the top (X15)

Mosey to the hill half way down the parking lots

Elevens, start at the bottom with 1 squat, Bernie to the top 10 Ball dippers per leg run back down

Various AB exercises at the bottom of the hill, some explanation for Flatty on the difference between Hello Dollies and Rosallita’s but it is a you vs you workout, we also did some Sugar Sticks (AKA Flutter Kicks)

Mosey to the light poles again (we still have 50 more Merkins to do today) 10 per light pole to the first from the last pole which is 5

Mosey to the last pole 5 Burpees OYO

Mosey BTTF

On your 6

Not So Lazy, Lazy Boys, American Hammers and Scrunchy Frogs

Numbers / Names DTH took us out

Prayers for Flatty’s friend dealing with a tumor

NMS:

There was once a large Goose population (Problem) at this AO but it has been noticed that they are not as prevalent as they once where. YHC has to assume that the county finally hired a company to run the Geese off or the Geese just got tired of the fact that the school nor F3 where actually willing to make them their Mascot. There is also a theory that DTH may or may not be secretly walking over to the AO at night with crossbow in hand. If DTH invites you to his house for smoked chicken, well at least it taste like chicken, consider yourself forewarned.

SYITG

7 strong assembled at Huguenot High School for another round of fitness and revelry that we call The FORGE. YHC had the privilege of stoking the fire on this drizzly day.
Here is a brief summary for you viewing pleasure:

Warm Up: Indigenous peoples run. Man in the back does arm circles, helicopters, and jazzercise (5 count), then runs to the front of the line. We worked our way down Forest Hill Avenue, then to the back of the elementary school.

25 count LBC’s and Heels to Heaven.

Exercise One: Indigenous People’s Bear Crawl: Man in the back does 3 burpees then runs to the front. We covered the length of the grass soccer field.

Tooth Fairy up the set up stairs, then mosey to the next station

Exercise Two: Ball Handlers – PAX line up wall in People’s Chair position. We passed the medicine ball down the line and back a bunch of times. 2nd round – 3 overhead presses with the coupon, then pass it down the line.

Mosey to Brokeback Railing for Exercise Three: One PAX runs around the circle with the medicine ball. All others alternate between 10 jerkins, 20 WWII sit-ups, 15 squats. Rotated until everyone had run once.

To the side of the school for 20 count dips, and 20 count Hitchhiker Incline Merkins (think I got that name right).

Exercise Four: Man Harmers. These are the FORGE’s alternate version of Man Killers. 10 SSH’s, Forward Straddle Hops across the parking lot. 20 SSH’s. Repeat until we hit 80 SSH’s. According to Snuff’s calculations, we were at 500 plus total.

Mosey back to the flag: Dead Man Hang and Apple Bottom Poppers to wrap things up.

Numbers/Names/Announcements

Fresh Prince lead us out with some powerful words.

Final Thoughts: Strong work by all! Not completely intentional, but it definitely ended up being leg day. Great to see Dealer becoming a regular – keep it up. Last Call will be leading another incredible workout at Twin Team tomorrow – let’s represent. As always, we appreciated Flatline’s salute.

Seven soldiers of the Gloom joined up in beautiful balmy conditions to march into glory. Only a few frostbitten fingers were sacrificed to the noble cause, and there were plenty of painful moments somewhere between up and down. 

Oh, the grand old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

When they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only halfway up,
They were neither up nor down.

The THANG:

WARMERAMA:

• Moseycise down the lots
• Bearpee a ways and circle up
• Full body IC routine, top to bottom, more than 10 different sets

COP #1:

• Mosey up to the Wall
• Donkey Kick-offs x5 up to x20
• People’s Chair for Hoedowns
• BTTW for Aussi Mtn Climbers and Hip Slappers
• Plank for Dirty Hook-ups

COP #2:

• Mosey down to the bottom and collect the 3 Cabers
• LOVE HILL QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE (CABERS)
• Partner up 2-3 PAX per 12’ Caber
• x4 Rounds carrying the cabers up the hill, returning to bottom after each set
• 1st Light Pole:  x25 Overhead Press
• 2nd Pole:  x50 Caber Squats
• 3rd Pole: x75 LBC’s w Caber across chests
• (At bottom, take a break for SSH & Burpees to get circulation back to finger tips)
• 4th Pole: x100 Caber Curls

Mosey BTTF for COT:

• Counterama # 7
• Namerama
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took the PAX out in Prayer
• Coffeerama

NMS:  Great company this morning to throw some cabers around. Proud of you guys denying the fartsack and kicking tail this morning. Big shoutout to Dealer making it out 3 weeks in a row. Keep it up bro! YHC is humbled and grateful to name you as close brothers. Thank you. ~DTH

A prime 7 showed up to the Forge this morning to enjoy the dry 40’s before a supposed inclement weather event.

Warmup: mosey around the loop with side shuffle, high knees, butt kickers and then circle up near the Forest Hill entrance for: 15x SSH, 10x Cherry Pickers, 10x DQ, 10x manmakers, 10x LBC, 10x rosalita.

We started off with a 5 oak suicide run along Forest Hill using the five large oak trees and performing a cumulative: 10x superman, 20x LBC, 30x calf raises, 40x MHs, 50x SSH.

Cross the center driveway and line up for a bridges and boulders YMCA throwback along Forest Hill frontage all the way to the illuminated sign, then partner up for 30x PLT and 20x boo yah merkins.

Drop down to the bus loop for a native american curb crawl circuit + 2 x 10 squats followed by a triple check 1) run the bus loop 2)crab cakes & 3)burpees (the “A” version, this crew was in far to good of shape to bring the backup “B” version YHC had considered for the triple check)

Mosey to the corner guardrail at the front of the school to partner up for 2 x 30 dips (one round hands facing front, one round hands facing back) then hit the road back to Mt. Chaplin for the finale.

Up and over: starting on the Forest Hill side, three rounds of crawl bear up, 30x exercise (WWII, HRM, Copperhead Squats), run down the hill and Bernie Sanders back up to the start.

Time was up and back to the flag we went for numberama, namerama, announcements (hump day happy hour Wednesday 2/2 and this Sunday 3p ruck from Mary Mumford – see Wilson for the Slack info) and YHC took us out.

Moleskine: Solid work today gents & thanks for humoring another Garbage Plate Q adventure, dodging the downed oak branches and scuffing up the knees a bit like a fifth grade field day. There was some really interesting odd number partnering action on the dips & I was impressed with the 5 way creativity. Nice job Dealer – hanging in there for a demanding second post! Until next time, GP

A half dozen American redwoods denied victory to the warmth of the fartsack, choosing instead to bask in the always sunny and 70 radiant glow of The Forge. With an enthusiastic PAX trying to impress our FNG and Fresh Prince rounding out a perfect sextet, the HIM’s went to work:

The THANG:

COP #1:

• Slow serpentine mosey down the parking lots with variable movements exercises
• Circle up for Welcome & Disclaimer
• Warmerama with usual IC reps

COP #2:

• Mosey around to the Ramp
• Partner up to wheelbarrow to the top, switching as needed
• ELEVENS with Jerkins 10–>1 and Groiners 1–>10, crossing the lot between with dealers choice of Lunge, Crab, Bear, or Broad jump
• Flutters for the Six

COP #3:

• Mosey over to ascend the steps via Tooth Fairies
• PAX voted for running routine instead of Wall routine —> Mosey around the school to the Soccer field
• QUARTER POUNDER:
• x25 Merkins, x50 Squats, x75 LBC’s, x100 SSH
• Sprint out, Bernie back
• ABC’s for the Six

Mosey BTTF:

• AYG sprint for the final straightaway 
• 2 Min of Mary

COT:

• Counterama # 6
• Namerama
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

NMS:  As a Pediatrician, YHC has the pleasure of meeting new people all the time, and occasionally YHC meets a patient’s father who immediately registers as someone to befriend and invite to F3. From our very first meeting with his newborn daughter in arms, I was impressed with Bryan’s character and maturity. Needless to say, YHC has applied the F3 headlock on occasion, and this week he accepted the invite! Bryan is a New York native, graduate of Longwood and UofR, enjoys building things, taking on physical challenges, spending time with his family, going to bed early and waking up early, and works with McKesson as a medical supplier, so welcome “Dealer”! Already a HIM in his own right, YHC is excited to see how Dealer will join with F3RVA as we all grow stronger together to serve our communities. 

Thank you for permitting me the pleasure to lead ya’ll this morning – after the wheelbarrows and jerkins, it was probably wise to go with the Quarter Pounder instead of the Wall Triple Check of BTTW, Donkey Kicks, and Dirty Hookups…but maybe next time. 🙂  SYITG gents, YHC, DTH