Every junky has his favorite fix, and gear heads are no different. You have your garage gym warriors, making mini cross fit boxes next to their minivans and storage shelves. Then there are your bell-heads, prizing swings and get-ups as men among boys. Then there are the chosen few, the non-conformists, the bag-men. Lugging hundreds of pounds of granulated silicate encased in canvas causes eyes to light, synapses to fire and muscles to burn with anticipation. These warrior elite are at home in parking lots, beaches, forests and streams. Akin to Ruckers, but with less attachment, they walk a different path and are the better for it, these are there stories…
The Thang:
Shoulder bag (or ruck) and run/shuffle around the exterior of the bus lot to get the muscles firing then circle up under the basketball goals.
3 movements x20: Alternating side merkins (1 hand on bag), 2 hand bag swing, Overhead Press
WOD 1: Once acclimated to these movements complete ladder 2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2 of all three movements in series.
Shoulder bags, lunge walk to the 2nd basketball goal, reverse lunge back
WOD 2: Hang Clean to Press X10, 30 lateral bag jump overs, Hang Squat Clean X10, 1 minute rest – 4 sets
Shoulder up the bags and walk to benches, Little Hazes, calf raises, step ups, calf raises
Walk to field behind basketball goals and reverse bear crawl across the field pulling bag, then forward pulling bag.
WOD 3: Strict Curl to Press X10, Lateral Jump Burpees X10 – 5 sets
PAX started to fall out (including YHC) during WOD 3 so we called it and went for a stroll down around the track and back.
Ye Skinny Moleskin:
T-Claps to Curd for leveraging his new found power… ahem… responsibility to bring back this much loved format. The re-birth of the art of the kettlebell in A51 is a good thing, but the fact Swole killed T&M was a real bummer. That said, as YHC shared several times during today’s workout, an hour is a bit much for constant bag work. I am championing a short format starting at 0530, mainly so I don’t have to set my alarm for 0415 on Wednesdays.
Proehl is a beast, yes he is 19, but thats just the facts.
There isn’t a rock song from the 70s or 80s which Geraldo doesn’t have a story about it seems as he provided quite the commentary on YHC’s impromptu playlist. Don’t play the music too loud though, there are people sleeping nearby it seems.
CheeseCurd was ‘curd squeaking’ quite a bit by the end of the 3rd WOD, must have done something right…Unless I don’t get invited back.
The newly minted A51 board was well represented this morning, with 3 of the 6 members attending T&M.
This F3 thing is the gift which keeps on giving, and I am supremely grateful for the ability to get out into the gloom with my brothers each and every day, and for being able to take a break from running to build some strength.
SYITG Men
-Flipper
FYI: Currently not able to tag anyone, but once I can I will update. Well unless I just move on with life by that point…
Twenty Pax showed up for light rain filled workout this morning. The plan was to keep it straight forward and keep everyone near by.
The Thang:
Mosey from COT over to the basketball court for a bit of warm ups/stretching. Plank, Mountain Climbers, Calf Stretches, and Merkins.
Move over to the Brookmeade neighborhood to wake up the unsuspecting neighbors run some 11’s. Stopped twice to make sure the 6 had caught up, LBC’s while we wait then over to the launch point. 11’s uphill both ways with Merkins and Bobby Hurleys on each end, sprinkle in a burpee at the top of the hill.
There was a lot of walking/talking so I thought it best to Deadwood audible. The intent was to spend the whole workout on that hill so we were all in one place but the complacency of some made it seem best to move on.
We continued around the neighborhood alternating between counted exercises and Mary for the sake of the 6. Turns out half of the group decided it was best to head back the other direction as apparently we had “already ran too far”. The two groups met up and headed back to the school, stopping along the way for some pain stations.
Finished at the front of the school w/ 5 Merkins at each street light and LBC’s at COT for the final minute
Moleskin:
I was going to get on the soap box and write a whole lot more than this but:
The disclaimer says “Modify as necessary”, not because “I don’t want to do that”. F3 is a peer led organization where we all take turns Q’ing, Some people run more than others, some people do more/less of anything when it’s their turn. Ultimately you know who is on Q that day and typically you have an idea of what they do and don’t do. You show up, that means you’ve signed up to follow that person. Sitting in the back complaining about what the Q decided isn’t beneficial for anyone. Be better, do better……this isn’t just about you.
5 men posted for week 0 of the Ironpax Challenge 2020. This was the warmup week. A practice run before the real thing.
Tha Thang:
Complete four rounds for time, in this order
50 squats
40 big-boi situps
30 merkins
20 Bonnie Blairs aka: sister mary catherines aka: jumping lunges (2 = 1)
10 burpees
run a 400
Here’s the total rep count for those of you still at a 2nd grade math level.
Moleskinny:
Solid work this AM by the pax in attendance.
The IPC is a definite CSAUP. There are no two ways about it. It’s a smoker on paper and watching the F3 Greenwood video on Monday at lunch, it dawned on YHC just how Completely Stupid this will be. Of course, that’s just my .02 and you’re reading my backblast. That said, YHC has stepped up to the challenge and looks forward to the change of pace from the usual running and resistance routines sprinkled in with a weekly bootcamp.
When YHC picked SCMS as the AO for the workout the assumption was, it would be quiet with no school in session. WRONG. This place was a party at 0530. YHC had two thoughts when pulling into the parking lot, either FIA showed up to show off, fresh off the FIA-Olympics, OR we had pax coming out of the woodwork for the Ironpax Challenge. Either way, YHC didn’t bring enough beer.
None of these things were true, as it was RFYL that was out in force on the roads and the track (and YHC didn’t bring any beer). Not to be intimidated by neon hi-viz shirts, the pax gathered and headed to the track. Posting up in the corner by the track entrance (and out of the way of the runners) YHC pulled up a custom Led Zeppelin playlist and started the clock. The pax put in the work and the RFYLers were in awe of our awesome abilities (or that sweet playlist).
Thanks to Orange Whip for the takeout.
Announcements:
Ironpax Challenge signup and score submission: https://f3greenwood.com/ironpax-form/
Helpful tips:
If I missed anything else, sound off in the comments below.
#SYITG
Pax: Baracus, Cage, Chicken Wing, Chin Music, Funky Cold, Header, Lex Luther, Lois, Schmedium, Smokey, Stone Cold, Tulip
We are nearing the end of the Funky Tulip era of Skunkworks Due to injury and recovery, I’ve missed many workouts at one of my favorite AOs over the last couple years…so I was glad to get the opportunity to lead one of the final workouts under this leadership before it turns back the clock to old guard Stone Cold and Horsehead.
I checked the weather the night before, as I usually do, and didn’t really like what I saw… good chance of thunderstorms in the morning. Looks like we’ll be heading to the tennis court gazebo as a precautionary measure. Turns out the weather was a positive note for the workout today with a light, cooling rain. Beats the hell out of the steamy humidity we’ve been dealing with for the last couple months. Anyhoo…. here’s the skinny of what we did…
Gave the disclaimer and we took a warmup lap around the track, only to be displaced from our first COP by the garbage truck that I haven’t seen in quite some time at Skunkworks. We moved over to the grass to finish, which was only received by a few grumblings about getting shoes wet. There we did some swings, SSH, more swings, squats, imperial walkers, and more swings. From there we farmer carried our bells and chased our way over the pavilion.
After sending the pax on a short jog to the cemetery and back, YHC was all set to deliver the main event. Each 4 minute round of Tabata consists of 8 sets of 20 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of rest. Although I had plenty more to give, we made it through 4 rounds:
Round 1 – 4 sets of squat thrusters, 4 sets of lawn mowers
Round 2 – 4 sets of dead lift / upright row combo, 4 sets of plank grab (move bell from left hand to right while staying in plank)
Round 3 – 4 sets of 1-legged dead lift, 4 sets of bicep curls
Round 4 – 8 sets of snatches
Rack your bell and head back to AO, stopping for some merkins, Louganis, and high pulls along the way, and finish in the grass then COT. Thanks Smokey for taking us out this morning.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead this morning guys… I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you Funky and Tulip for the opportunity to lead this AM, but more importantly thank you for your leadership at Skunkworks. This flagship Area 51 workout continues to turn out strong week in and week out.
The only announcement was for the Iron Pax Challenge that is being led by F3 Greenwood. You can follow and do on your own, or join a local workout that is participating (pay attention to pre-blasts).
For this installment of Asylum, DiCCS were given and we are staying on campus. There were a few cell phones, headlamps, and CPR certifications. As the clock struck 5:15 lets get moving, thats when it happened. I almost went down 2 steps in, the hammies were a little snug. Continued to the Dr office for the warm-up – 20 SSH, 20 Merkins, Calf Stretch, 20 Mountain Climbers, 19 Imperial Walkers.
The Thang: Mosey up 84 to the gas station, hang an left and head to Target parking lot. Time to circle the lot. Starting with 10 Big Boys run around the lot. Return for 10 Big Boys, then 10 Merkins at the next corner, run the lot. Lap 3 was 10 Big Boys, 10 Merkins, 10 Squats. Next Lap was Big Boys, Merkins, Squats, Hammers. Lap 5 started the descend dropping the Merkins, then squats, finishing when Hammers were completed. We then proceeded to Pet Smart for partner work. 50 Donkey Kicks, 100 LBC while partner 2 ran to the end of the lot, Burpee and back. Next we Moseyed to the planter at Brooklyn for 150 Dips, and 100 Derkins, while partner 2 dodged the US Foods truck around Hickory Tavern.
Moleskin: It was great to have Big Tuna, Chipolte, and Slip Out back with us this AM in the gloom. Everyone pushed it this morning and kept moving, just what a Monday needed. Next time Pax there will be more pain and less running. Turn Buckle pushed it getting in 3 miles and completing pain stations along the way, well done.
Announcements:
IPC – Week 0 this week, more info to come on The Playhouse
Christ Closet – Moving bins after Commitment
Shirt Order- shirt order for the 1 year anniversary needs to be in by tomorrow afternoon, links on The Playhouse and News Channel.
1 year Anniversary- Labor Day 3 options 6:30am Boot Camp, 5K, or Mash follows up with Coffeteria, 3rd F for donations. This year we are supporting Rice and Beans.
Blood Drive 10/17 – trying to get to 100 for this one.
CPR Certification – we are working on holding our own certification, more to come.
YHC took us out.
7 men gathered (O’Tannebaum, Cage, Quill, Smokey, Lex Luthor, McGee, & Alf) at The Matrix this morning to get a little work done. 5:30 hit, my disclaimer was a bit limited but, I think everyone got the point. Mosey down the sidewalk to the Korean church and some nice smooth asphalt for COT.
Typical COT stuff. Merkins, planks, Mountain climbers, plank jacks, and lunges.
Mosey down to the next neighborhood with 2 traffic circles. Run down and around that circle with 5 burpees. Back down to this circle for 30 merkins. Repeat 6 times, dropping the merkins to 25, 20, …. Burpees stayed at 5.
A little Mary and then hit the fountain on the way out for step ups and dips.
Stop at the neighborhood next to the school run down the road and 10 sit-ups at ever street until the end. 10 Heels to heaven at every street on the way back.
Back to the school playground where everyman had their own space. 5 pull ups, 10 squats, 5 times through.
A little mary finisher.
Moleskine
Pop Tart slotted me in to Q this AM. First time in a while I have Q’ed The Matrix. He said he wasn’t going to be there because he was a bum. Or maybe he said bum knee. Either way.
AARP cards were flying up and down the streets this morning! Strong work by the 4 respects in the crew. Smokey tricked McGee into less merkins during the merkin/burpee set as a way to keep up with him. #Veteran.
I haven’t seen Quill in a some time. Glad he’s back out after some Achilles issues and then the ‘Rona. Made me think that I haven’t done enough on my end to pull guys back in who may be struggling with motivation post lock down. Who else is missing from the Gloom out there. Let’s track them down and get them back out!
Thanks to McGee for the takeout.
-Alf
Iron Pax starts this week. It’s a little warm up taster. Come out to WAMRAP on Wednesday and give it a go.
Started with a mosey and 10 pax to kick off ignition. I brought to the table two options, I really wanted to head to my house and do some hill work with kettlebells but far too often there are two many pax to do anything with coupons, especially since we strive not to share gear. Option one was a AMRAP with rocks around Culbertson and option two was my house. After the warm up we lost Carbload and Dancing Bear so option 2 became the go to.
The Thang: Mosey to my house, grab a kettle bell. 30 swings, 20 Goblet Squats, 10 each leg hamstring things. Between each run to the bottom of the hill and back. then 10,20,30. Mosey back stop for some mary at entrance, school and then back at warm up area. Catch the Flash crew and then mosey around till we landed around 5.8Miles and finish with some AH.
Molskin: This pax is like feeding wild animals. Can’t give it enough, they will take everything you can’t beat them with. Tool Time led the pax today. There was some complaint about sub- 7 Miles on the way to and fro, this is because ICE and Tool time pushed the pace. Gerber found his stride as he usually does and Hollywood always works hard. Bottlecap pushed through some back pain while Ice added to his. Easy and I found a strong pace and got the heart rates up. Good morning!
Announcdments:
IPC- Week 0 Starts today
Christs Closet- Moving bins this Saturday immediately after morning work out.
The Thang
DiCCS given, let’s roll …
Warmup run over beside tennis courts, SSH, Imperial Squawkers, Mtn Climbers, Peter Parkers, Calf stretch …
Exercise at top & bottom of hill, approx. 200 yds apart, Every exercise was 15 reps (2 is 1)
1 Hand release merkins/Bonny Blair(speed sktr)
2 LBC/Mike Tyson’s
3 Scorpion drydocks/Monkey humpers
4 Dorothy hurleys /Walking Lunge squat
5 Run back to Rudy’s shed (3/4 mile)
6 Wall sit air presses, Variety of Merkins
7 Back to COT for BB sit-ups, flutters and end with 30 seconds of Have a nice day!
Moleskin
Always honored to lead you guys. Big group, no way I can call everyone out, but a few notables include:
Announcements
YHC took us out!
YHC has Q’d many a bootcamp workouts but this was his first gear Q. Mighty Mite and Voodoo have been dedicated gear Q’s and have handled a majority of the gear workouts so it was only fair that some of us freeloaders step up to Q and give them a break. Anyways all it is is swings with a couple of other exercises thrown in…how hard can it be right? That is partly true but there are still lessons to be learned (more on that later). So after some pre-workout jump roping by Wild Turkey and stretching by Uncle Leo the clock hit 5:30 and it was time to get started. A brief disclaimer was followed by a brief warmup of SSH and small/big arm circles and then to the main event.
The Thing:
The overarching plan of the workout is to get 250 swings in generally broken out over 5 rounds with other exercises tossed in.
1st set = 20 swings + 10 plank rows each side + 8 goblet squats over a 2:20 minute span
2nd set = 20 swings + 5 presses each side + 8 KB lunges each side over a 2:20 minute span
3rd set = 10 swings + 10 offset merkins per arm + 6 KB chippy crosses over a 2:20 minute span
Repeat for 5 rounds
The thought was that the main event would take 35 minutes leaving about 7-8 minutes for carries and core work. What actually happened was YHC paused the workout from time to time to allow for more recovery time. My official statement is that some of the guys that were using heavier bells and taking the time to use proper form were finishing with just a few seconds until the next set. More rest/recovery time is needed for that so YHC audibled for additional recovery time. The truth is YHC didn’t want to be that guy passing out at his own Q so the unofficial statement is that YHC needed some additional recovery time. Anyone that says gear workouts are not cardio workouts…pfffffftttttt whatever. Once the main workout was done there was a little over a minute left so 1 minute of elbow plank took us to 6:15.
Moleskin:
The lesson learned here by YHC was to back down the additional exercises. Since the swings were broken out over 3 sets, adding 2 exercises to each set eventually took almost the entire time allotted per set. When I went through a set in my garage it worked out but what I didn’t take into account was how on sets 3-5 the timing slows down. Regardless, it kicked YHC’s butt and hopefully everyone else’s too. When we finished the tabata timer lady who lives in my iPhone stated that we completed our workout in 39 minutes and 45 seconds which Beetlejuice quickly added there’s the name of the backblast.
I am a child of 90’s and early 2000’s alternative rock so the playlist was from this genre. Some hits that people knew along with some deeper cuts that are my favorites. The playlist:
Beastie Boys – Sabotage
Diffuser – Karma
Foo Fighters – Best of You
Incubus – Pardon Me
The Killers – When We Were Young
Kings of Leon – Black Thumbnail
Rage Against the Machine – Bulls on Parade
Silvertide – Ain’t Comin Home
Tantric – Down and Out
Live – Iris
12 Pax including Mermaid’s 2.0 Samuel, ignored the #FartSack for some of O’Tannebaum’s old man strong Q this week.
Warm up jog down gravel road around flag circle and back to parking lot for warm up and meet Joker! SSH, Merkins, Peter Parker, Parker Peter, Planks, LBCs, IW
4 X 4 x 4: 4 light poles 4 exercises reps = Increasing multiples of 4
4 burpees, 8 Merkins, 12 jupsquats, 16 heels to heaven
Trees: Mosey our and Side lunge alternate legs with bear crawl in between (Proehl exhibited serious quality) all the way to front of church. Run back down line of trees and over to ‘grassy knoll”. where we had to detour to front circle due to “high risk” patrons loitering in the artificial turf common area.
6 minutes of Mary with guest Q McGee–Great fun and good for you.
We then moseyed over to the parking lot with the islands for The Beast: HAND RELAEASE MERKINS, JUMP SQUATS, LBCs, MTC, DRYDOCKS, BURPEES
The Pax then gathered up and headed back to the launch point, THE END.
Moleskinny
Announcements: