2020, a year for the history books in a lot of ways, has brought a new flavor of CSAUP to the greatest region(s) in all of F3dom. With larger gatherings of any meaningful size being complete verboten by the talking heads on Capitol Hill, the PAX have had to find other ways to wile out and act the fool. First we had March Madness, a staple of spring for the last few years. Then it was April VAO, urging PAX to be consistent despite lockdown and suspended in-person posting options. Finally we saw the Maycelleration challenge push the PAX to prepare to burst from quarantine with strength and fervor, while also earning bragging rights of 60+ straight days of exertion (90 if you include the perfect records from March Madness).
As YHC considered a fall CSAUP, it became clear that community leadership continues to dissuade large in0-person gatherings. If all of South CLT is unable to attend… well maybe we keep our CSAUP events virtual. To that end, I bring you… drum roll please… the first annual HOLIDAY KNOCKOUT CHALLENGE
This is the playoffs boys, a full summer of sweat and tears culminates in the ultimate knock down, drag out you vs. you vs. them challenge. The playing field is your garage, your living room, your favorite AO, and your nemesis’s front yard. Two and a half months (give or take) of daily effort will crown the King of Consistency, the Sultan of Sweat, the Poobah of Persistence. Accessible and approachable by all PAX, this challenge will tell us once and for all, who is winning 2020???
The Thang:
From 10/15/2020 through 10/31/2020 PAX will log daily reps for up to three distinct exercises. The exercise is up to you, the reps are up to you (mostly, more on that later), but whatever your daily average is on 11/01/2020 will be your target for 11/01/2020 through 12/31/2020. There will be several “consistency hacks” throughout the contest which will result in PAX missing the requirement to be “knocked out” and removed from the field. At the end of the year, the PAX who has survived all the cuts AND has the fewest number of days “missed” for ALL THREE exercises, will be awarded the title of 2020 Knockout Champion!!!
*Cuts:
-Any PAX who miss any 3 consecutive days OR 8+ days total from 11/1/2020-11/15/2020 will be “cut” on 11/16/2020
-Any PAX who miss any 2 consecutive days OR 6+ days total from 11/15/2020-11/30/2020 will be “cut” on 12/01/2020
-Any PAX who miss any 2 consecutive days OR 4+ days total from 12/01/2020-12/15/2020 will be “cut” on 12/16/2020
-Any PAX who miss ANY DAYS other than 12/25/2020 (free day) from 12/16/2020-12/31/2020 will be “cut”
*Final Scoring
-In the event of a Tie in the number of TOTAL MISSED DAYS for the remaining PAX on 01/01/2021 will be settled average of all three exercises actual average as a percentage of target. So if your average actual reps are 105%, 110% and 120% respectively, your tie break score would be 111.67%. So, during the entire contest, the number of reps by which you exceed your daily target will be a factor in your final scoring. I strongly suspect several PAX will go perfect 100% for days, so I strongly expect this metric will declare the winner. I know that this could be gamed by sandbagging the first 15 days of the contest to make your target easy… but we would never do that right?
*Other Rules
–There are going to be rep minimums as follows:
-Merkins/Dips/Other Arm or Chest focused exercises minimum of 50 daily reps
-Pull-Ups/ Heavy Rows/ High-Pulls or other Shoulder or Back focused exercises are a minimum of 20 daily reps
-LBCs/H2H/Freddy Mercury/American Hammer or other ab focused exercises are a minimum of 80 daily reps
-Air Squats/Lunges/ Other unweighted Leg Focused exercises minimum of 60 daily reps
-Plyometric versions of any of the above (IE explosive merkins, jump squats, sister Mary Katherines) would get a 50% moidfier (so 25 explosive merkins etc.) Additionally, if you want to add flavor to your life, you could sub out dynamic movement for static (ie jump squats for air squats) and use a 2X multiplier for that day. For example, if I did 50 exploding merkins instead of 100 standard merkins, I would record 100 merkins in the sheet effectively matching my target.
-Running is an option, minimum daily mileage is 2 miles. That said you distance runners better pick something you’re NOT good at.
-You have until the end of each consistency hack to enter your reps, but when I open the spreadsheet on the first day of the next wave, if you haven’t recorded it doesn’t count.
-If you’re not sure how many reps your minimum should be, ask the group. Consensus wins.
-You don’t have to do all three exercises, but you should because then you’ll get stronger.
-If you miss your reps for one exercise, but you get your reps on the other two, it still counts as a missed day. YOU MUST HIT YOUR REPS ON ALL EXERCISES FOR A DAY TO COUNT
Remember boys, this is you vs. you vs. everyone else. First and foremost you should be focused on leveraging spirited competition as a way of helping you focus on an area where you want to improve. Can’t do 5 pull-ups in a row? This will fix that. Hate Burpees… well so does everyone else but you could be a sicko and set those as your target (you’ll still hate them, but you’ll be better at them while the hate boils). Everyone who participates wins, except for the guy who does best and he’ll win just a little bit more.
SYITG
-Flipper
The temperature in the Queen City is starting to drop and so are the Pax. 47 degrees….what are you going to do when its 4 degrees? Time to cowboy up gents. Anyway, 13 Pax joined Commitment for Mash, Rucking and the Kensington 300. Okay, that’s fake news. It’s really the Kensington 2100, but who’s counting.
The Thang:
DiCCS provided
Warmup
Mosey a while and stretch: SSHs, Up/Down Dawg, Calf Stretch, Merkins, Mountain Climbers
The Thang
Mosey to trails, trail run to High School parking lot for a Merkin ladder to 10. Rock pile for 3 burst rounds of triceps, biceps and squat thrusters. Mosey over to more trails. Trail run back to Middle School.
At Middle School Parking Lot (15 count of each below, 2 is 1) and after each set, we ran to opposite end of parking lot. Big boys until 6th was in and regroup for next set of exercises.
1 Hand release merkins/Bonny Blair (speed sktr)
2 Pistol LBC/Mike Tyson’s
3 Scorpion drydocks/Monkey humpers
4 Dorothy hurleys /Walking Lunge squat
5 Mary Katherine/Bomb jacks
6 Mtn climbers/Bobby Hurley’s
7 BB sit-ups /diamond merkins
Mosey to benches for several rounds of dips, derkins & step-ups.
Mosey to COT for 60 seconds of “Have a nice day”
Moleskin
We did it ALL! Trail runs, Long Pavement Runs, Lots of Exercises (16 different ones), Ladders, Sprints and more! Weddington is a great AO, I look forward to posting there more. PAX safely navigated the trails. We welcomed a FNG today, now named “Haka” (hospital name Lucas). Sumo wrestlers and Rugby players do this “Haka” ritual before competing. Lucas likes Rugby and is strong as a Sumo wrestler, so the name stuck. Welcome “Haka” (Lucas)!
Thanks for the pre-run Hollywood and reminding me of all the trails on that campus. Thank you Glidah for keeping me honest on the burpees, I’m pretty sure you get faster the more you do, they have an anti-gravity effect on you! Thank you Posse for your leadership sprinkled all thru the workout and helping us find the rock and brick piles, your first class brother! Dilbert – solid workout today man, great meeting you. Hope to see you in the gloom more often
Announcements
YHC took us out
The leaves are turning gold, morning temperatures are in the 40s and 50s, and marathoners are starting their workouts when the first number on the clock is a four… It must be fall in SOB land. During a year of unprecedented events, yet another cataclysmic shift rears its head, Bratwurst has trusted YHC with his baby and handed me the keys to Swift, I promised to be gentle.
Over the next four weeks I’ll be responsible for finding the routines which will provide continued acceleration for our merry band. This year we’ve worked on short line speed (mile time trial prep), mid distance speed (5k-10k prep), and finally speed for the distance (marathon prep). In the month of October, our focus will shift to a more situational capability… the “kick.”
So often at the end of races, an athlete will get passed in the final stretch by another runner who is surging to the finish. The power to hold your place, dig deep and really charge into finish, is kick. This work will absolutely help you get faster overall, but when November comes we should have the tools to find that acceleration at the end of a race, to make that final pass or holding off a charging advisory for those last few meters.
If this sounds intimidating, I’ll share this, much of what we do this month will feel familiar, but with subtle twists. We’ll still head to our usual haunts, there will still be cone demarcated distances through which we shall gleefully charge, dynamic stretching will continue to be a post warm up staple. Bratwurst & Co have already given us such a great toolkit for working on our speed, I hope to add just a little bit of depth to the belt… a finishing hammer if you will.
The Thang:
Week 1 | Workout 1: Tuesday, 0515 – BCP.
-We’ll warm up to the Bull-Ring
-after dynamic stretching and then run a sequence of 2X200/ 2X400/ 2X600 / 2X800 at ~10k pace. The final 25% of each interval should be at mile race pace or faster (there will be cones marking where to start the “kick”).
-Recovery will continue all the way around the bull ring, back to the start near Sarah’s Y.
-Fast guys will start a second sequence or run additional 800s but all should be able to complete the first 8 sets of intervals.
Optional: Post Workout, at some point during the day, complete the following: 10 single leg hops L then R, 15 Sister Mary Katherines, 10 A-Skips (L then R = 1), 10 Pogo jumps.
Week 1 | Workout 2: OYO
-Run 1 mile warmup
-10 weighted Squats, sprint/stride 100m X 4
-10 weighted lunges (L&R = 1) then sprint/stride 100m X 4
-Run 1 mile w/ last quarter at better than 1 mile race pace
Week 2 | Workout 1: Tuesday 0515 – BCP
-Long Warm-up to the Bull-Ring
-After dynamic stretching we’ll run a series of 200/100/200 intervals. The first 200 will be 5k pace minus 10-20 seconds, hard but not all out. Direct transition into 100 meters of “bounding” which is an exaggerated stride, driving the front knee up while launching forward off the back leg (should feel like a slightly less goofy A skip). Final 200 will be an all out “kick” segment where your putting down as much power as you can. Recovery will be out of the ‘ring, left on Harney, back to the ring via Ballantyne Corporate. We’ll run this route on repeat until 6:05
Optional: Later during the day complete 20 skier hops (10 each leg), 15 low slow jump squats, 20 explosive lunge steps (10 each side)
Week 2 | Workout 2: OYO
-1 Mile Warmup
-20 Air squats followed by 100 meter sprint, repeat X4
-20 Sister Mary Katherines followed by 100 meter sprint, repeat X4
-Run 1 mile with the last .25 at better than mile race pace.
Week 3 | Workout 1: Tuesday 0515 – BCP
-Warm-up from Launch to Rushmore near Ballantyne Commons
-Dynamic Stretching along Rushmore
-Time Based Hill Intervals up Ben Nevis:
-2X1min at 1 mile race pace w/ 20 second KICK then two minutes recovery
-2X90 seconds at 1 mile race pace w/ 30 second KICK then three minutes recover
-2X2min at 5k pace w/ 40 seconds KICK and then 4 minutes recover
-Calisthenic Muscle Recruitment Intervals on Rushmore
-4X 20 JumpSquats and then 100 yd dash along Rushmore, recover around the lot back to the start
-If we have time we’ll do 1 or 2 final hill sprints 3minutes at 5k w/ 1 minute KICK
-Leave for launch point at 0605
Optional: Post work out, repeat week 1 dynamic set
Week 3| Workout 2: OYO
-Run 1 mile warmup
-10 weighted Squats, sprint/stride 100m X 4
-10 weighted lunges (L&R = 1) then sprint/stride 100m X 4
-Run 1 mile w/ last quarter at better than 1 mile race pace
Week 4 | The Whole Shabang!
This is what we’ve spent the last 3 weeks working towards boys, the test, can we “kick it” in the final stretch when it really matters?
-Extended warm up, first to the bull ring and then through a “course preview” of the impact local lap.
-Dynamic stretching
-The main event, 3 laps of the impact local segment, with about another 400 meters or so after lap 3 to complete a 5k. Our goal will be to PR our 5ks, with the final 400 meters being in the “kick” range (from the end of lap 3 until the cones). Segment link: https://www.strava.com/segments/24933542
-after finishing we’ll pick up the 6 and then take the long way back to launch.
It’s been a pleasure being the Q for a smaller, more intimate, Swift during the month of October. Thanks to Brat for trusting me with his progeny and I hope you boys will have me back.
SYITG Boys
-Flipper
Crisp air, late rising sun, growing numbers in the gloom… it must be fall in the the greatest region of all F3. YHC loves the fall, primarily because of the cooler temps for running for obscenely long distances. Speaking of running, I’ve not done much else this year as I continue to my ridiculous crusade to conquer Boston Qualifier… so much so that my arms appear to be nought but strings dangling from my sleeves. Today, thanks to Margo’s pursuit many weeks ago, I had a chance to course correct a bit during my Q at the legendary, but not often visited, AO of Centurion. Here is what happened:
The Thang:
After a thorough and Mermaid-Approved disclaimer, mosey east to the parking lot at 5th 3rd bank and circle up for COP
Imperial Walker X 15 in cadence
Low Slow Squat X 15 in cadence
Mountain Climbers X15 in Cadence
Low Slow Merkins X15 in cadence
Mosey to lot just up the hill to describe the primary activity. Split into teams of three PAX each. Two stations, one on the walkway upstairs, another in the lot. PAX 1 does merkins in the parking lot, PAX 2 runs to the close stairs and runs up them, and around to where PAX 3 is doing jump squats. PAX 3 runs to the lot and commences merkins while PAX 1 runs up stairs to relieve PAX 2 and do jump squats… repeato 3 times.
Mosey to the wall for alternating peoples chair and balls to wall. During chair sets we did air presses 1st set, alternating leg lifts 2nd set, leg holds 3rd set.
Head back to the lot for a second set of the grinder using a mary rotation of LBCs, H2H and Box Cutters X10 in the lot, then upstairs we did “step down burpees” which needs a better name. Basically step back with one leg in a deep low lunge, match feet, push up, reverse to standing then flapjack repeato.
After a brief foot race (more on that below the fold) PAX moseyed back to launch point for COT.
-end-
Ye Olde Moleskinny:
As promised, detail on the foot race… apparently Benny in his infinite wisdom was jaw jockeying with Mermaid and somehow it became a challenge to a 40 yd out and back speed challenge. Benny has been doing the hard work at PT trying to get his strength and alignment back and feels sprightly… so off they went. It was a close thing, but everyone knows don’t bet against a mermaid in his own back yard, I mean… that IS a thing… isn’t it?
YHC greatly enjoyed an opportunity to to work with a group of PAX not well known to me, I need to get out into parts unknown more frequently. Some very strong PAX hiding out in western a51. Not the least of these is Snuka… I hope I can be half as badass as he is at 59… heck I would settle for being just as badass as he is now, but we cant have all our dreams.
Mermaid’s 10 year old 2.0 joined us for the fun, and kept up gamely for the most part. First time I can recall at Camel-Back being used at a 45 minute bootcamp tho. I desperately wanted to make a hydration joke out of his re-naming at the end of the workout but he was being picky about names so we settled on a fishing related name. Welcome “Chum,” great work today!’
After the workout I had a great conversation with Pre-School, Sable and Huddle House about running workouts, strongly encouraging them to join us south of the border on Tuesday for Swift. Only place I know of where posting will absolutely guarantee you’ll get faster on your feet. Yes, I know its in SOBland, but they’re people too!
Mermaid had a relatively abrupt departure from post COT conversations, but we learned it must have been to get chow for Chum, as they only made it as far as Mickey D’s drive through before we saw them again.
There was an honest to god shovel flag sighting. Centurion keeping the old ways strong, t-claps Margo.
Announcements:
-Blood drive in two weeks, see slack for details or DM mighty-might. I am told spots are filling up but they need “power reds.” Ask Lorax what that means, apparently his accounting knowledge includes blood type vernacular, who knew?
-The new A51 board wants to hear from all PAX regarding their hopes, dreams, and visions of the future… or at least the future of the region. The board is as follows: Nantan-Voodoo, 1st F – Orange Whip, 2nd F – Hoover (obviously), 3rd F – Geraldo, Weasel Shaker – Cheese Curd, CSAUP Q – YHC, COMZ Q Emeritus- Udder
This is a double-decker BB. Deal with it.
WEDNESDAY
The nameless sandbag/ruck workout at SCMS featuring YHC, Geraldo and Proehl.
6 Cones or Markers or whatever spaced down…you are going to do suicides on these.
Cone 6
Cone 5
Cone 4
Cone 3
Cone 2
Cone 1
Start
ALL Suits and Cards 2 – 6 = Suicide Cone touches.
Example: draw a number 2 card (Two Cone touches): Run to Cone 1, back to Start, run to Cone 2 and back to start. Done.
Example: draw a number 5 card (Five Cone touches): Start and Run to Cone 1, back to Start, run to Cone 2, back to Start, run to Cone 3, back to Start, run to Cone 4, back to start, run to Cone 5, back to Start. Done.
Rest of the cards:
Hearts: Jumping Jacks
Spades: Burpees
Clubs: Push Ups
Diamonds: Squats
Face Cards = 15 reps
Aces = 20 reps
Jokers = Run a lap
The verdict: If you want to feel old and out of shape. Workout with Proehl. He’s 19/20 in the army and crushes every workout he attends. Also, he’s super nice. Geraldo gave us the back round on this workout and let us know you could face it twice at a GORUCK event.
FRIDAY – The Brave
Eight hombres moseyed to Big Rock and did an AMRAP around the boulders descending and ascending a nice hill filled with roots and rocks.
The Verdict: Be sure to check Slack, keep an extra headlamp in your car and make sure those batteries are charged.
Moleskine
As I introduced the crew to Big Rock I mentioned that these boulders were a gathering place for Native Americans. To survive in those time you needed to be fit. Hunting, hiking, tracking and foraging took strong bodies. You needed fellowship. Men worked in teams to find food and build shelter. Lastly, those men, all men, need faith. We need to know that there is a power and purpose beyond ourselves. We need all three Fs.
The title could be referring to my Diesel co-Site-Q. MIA for weeks/months with a new baby in the home. It could be referring to Centerfold who, though sworn to be at Diesel, finally decided to arrive 28 minutes late.
What does it refer to? Read on
DiCCS provided
Warmup
SSHs
Imperial Walkers
Moroccan Night Clubs
Calf Stretch
Right hand, right foot, left hand high stretch thing that’s pretty popular these days – flapjack
The Thang
Moleskin
Announcements
YHC took us out
This was my first Pursuit VQ after attending many pursuit workouts where the guys have made me much faster! In honor of my first pursuit workout 4 months ago or so I decided to do the same workout that Wolverine and Gerber ran at the time, which long story short killed me trying to keep up with them. So now was time to bring the heat and make them (Wolverine keep up!)
To start off we did a mosey to our loop which was just under a mile (approx.)
Once we reached our start point we stretched and got ready for the run.
While many of us were running we had 4 Ruckers rucking there way around our loop.
The Thang:
5 min on at T-Pace
2 min resting jog (Once the 6 were gathered)
X5 Reps of each in which we did over 6+ miles
Everyone did a great job pushing themselves! Including Ruck! Come join Pursuit next week for more fun! Don’t just settle for Floater 😉
Announcements:
Blooddrive still time to sign up!
Christ Closet: Tonight 6pm-8pm handing out clothing
Christ Closet: Sat moving furniture out of shed 8am Start
Open Door – Sat and Sun options in person or zoom Reach out to Wolverine or Bottlecap for details
Nov 14 F3 Marathon – sign up! Tuck or Wolverine have details.
Mosey toward ABI and circle up Kidding, mid-DiCCS….BURPEE TRAIN (perfect today is build-a-burpee day)
Well that was absolutely awful fun. Now let’s hit all 3 hills and build back to some burpees while we’re at it
First hill – Mosey to ABI
Run to the top 20 in and outs. Back to the bottom 20 merkins. Rinse and repeat.
Second hill – Mosey to Bad Idea.
Give it all you got to the top. 20 BH. Mosey to the bottom. Am Hammers while we wait.
Third hill – Mosey over the bridge and continue to top of KJH.
First half of ab-web. 1 BB + 4 Am. Hammers
Run to the bottom 20 squats. Back to the top 20 merkins. Rinse and Repeat.
More Burpees… At the top of KJH 5 burpees and hang that right and do 5 burpees at corners back to COT (20 total)
At COT Let’s finish the web and end exactly on time.
2nd Q this week – thank you Carb Load for asking me to lead and right after I accepted, he mentioned that we haven’t hit all 3 hills in a workout in a while so I took his advice. Burpee train only made it suck more sweeter! The only complaints I heard were me whispering the directions a bit low (still working on the difference between my inside and outside voice) but I admit I expected way more complaining on the extra running (especially combining the hills with burpees) but awesome attitude from everyone! After hearing Schneider even up to the last minute pushing people to finish strong had to earn chain of pain, nice work! Haven’t seen Fuse and Recalc in a bit great job pushing. Nice seeing Shake out there. I think he said he joined the Zin curl workout plan. Waxhaw Express guys pushing the front of the pack while I tried to keep up. All in all Great job boys see you next time!
10/17 – Blood drive SIGNUP
11/14 – MArathon Wolverine has details
Most importantly, TELL YOUR FAMILY YOU LOVE THEM. Please keep the Bardo family in your prayers.
13 pax joined the QIC for this week’s NOE workout. YHC had to take the long way around to get to the launch lot. Thanks to Voodoo for verification that you cannot get to AMC entrance via Elm from 51. Disclaimer given and off we went.
Mosey past AMC into lot by Jersey Mike’s. Circle up for COT. We did a bunch of exercises to get loosened up then took off down Elm and took a left prior to the construction zone and down the Murderhorn. Stopped at the Clubhouse rock pile and got a lifting rock.
Rock Set: 15 Thrusters/15 Curls/15 Tri Extensions. Run up to the stop sign. 15 Merkins. Run back. Chair plank with rock overhead. 3 total reps with Mary and plank exercises between reps.
Civilian count Rock Set. All to 10. We did curls, tri extensions, goblet squats, overhead presses, each repeatedly, no breaks. Put the rock back.
Indian Run up the Murderhorn. Cross Elm and back to launch lot.
Mary/Plank exercises followed by AYG up the hill. 15 Merkin/15 Jump Squat. 3 total reps. A little more Plank-o-rama. Done.
COT
Moleskin
YHC invited Circuit City to Q Centurion a while back. With the invite, like a good site-Q, he invited YHC to Q NOE. Happy to do so today and appreciate the invite. Got to see several guys that I have not seen in a while. That is always nice. Welcome to FNG Lafawnduh. Love that name. Taken from the cult classic Napoleon Dynamite, one of YHC’s all-time favorites. Turns out, our FNG met his wife online. Check out this link or just google “Kip Dynamite wedding song.” My computer has safe search, so the better youtube vids were blocked: KIP’s Wedding Song
Funny story, my twin brother met his wife on Match.com. I included part of Kip’s song in my best man speech. The older folks did not get it, but the younger folks cracked up.
I did not record the pax names on my phone after workout. My bad. Memory gives me the following: Mighty Might, Taco Stand, Circuit City, Frehley’s Comet, Blackbeard, Cable Guy, Lafawnduh (FNG), Long Haul, YHC, Pop Tart, Drano II, Midriff…missing 2. Apologies.
YHC took us out in prayer. Thanks again for the invite Circuit City. Enjoyed getting back over to this AO.