Author Archive Joker

Raspberry Beret

9 men – and one adjacent ladies bootcamp – burned calories at Matthews Elementary School this morning.

The Thang

SSHX40

IWX40

SquatX40

MerkinX30

Partner Up for Track/Playground Work

-Partner one does 10 pull ups and 20 squats while partner two does a lap around the track…. flap jack

-Partner one does 8 pull ups and 20 squats while partner two does a lap… flap jack

-You get the idea… went down to 6 pull ups, then 4, then 2…

Lunge Walk / Merkin Combo, including regular merkins, little baby inclines, little baby declines, diamonds [and a set of Carolina dry docks]

Cross campus to parking lot… one suicide sprint up the parking lot hill, with merkins at each light post

Ab stuff… LBCs, Dolly, Flutter, Mason Twist

Finish with 25 merkins

Moleskin

  • Great group of guys out at Peak 51 today.  Everyone was pushing themselves hard.  Definitely got our money’s worth today.
  • So we had a bit of a run-in with the ladies bootcamp today.  We were minding our own business in the parking lot when one of the ladies yells out, “we are about to do a women’s bootcamp here.”  It wasn’t so much what she said, but how she said it.  The only response I could think of was, “OK”.  Anyway, we moved to another area to give them enough space to do their thing.  I’m sure we can all get along.
  • If you are wondering about the name of today’s workout… during our lunge walks today someone we got to talking about music and somehow this led to a discussion of Prince.  I was born in 1971, and would venture to say that any man about my age that claims he wasn’t Prince fan during the Purple Rain days probably isn’t telling the whole truth.  As for me, I loved the album and the movie.

Fried Calamari

Posted on behalf of Squid:

The Thang:

Circle Up

Side Straddle Hop (20)

Imperial Walker (20)

Fit to Fight (FTF) 15

Protractor (legs together 60 degrees to 10 degrees) (15)

Two Rounds Around the School (Run together, halt, then exercise)

Pull ups (10) Knee bends (10)

Run

Low slow squat (20)

Run

Low Slow Merkins (slow on the way down; three count, then up) (15)

Run

Ninja Squat (20)

Run

Low Slow Merkins (down, then three count on the way up (15)

Run

Circle Up for Abs:

Dolly (25)

Flat Crunch (15)

Freddy Mercury (changing pace) (25)

Right Side Bends (15)

Left Side Bends (15)

Decline plank walk around the curbs mixed with a merkin (first group)

Little Baby Crunches (second group)

Then switch

Wall Time:

People’s Chair (Passing the 20lb weight back and forth) 4 Rounds

Line up and planking it up (elbows to elbows; passing the soccer ball under the bridge) 5 Rounds

Lunge Walk out to the curb and back

20 Incline Merkins on the curb

Balls to the wall (20 seconds)

Donkey Kicks (20)

Sprint Time:

Two Groups

First Group (50 % half speed to the end of the black top, then 100% full sprint back)

Second Group (Merkins while first group sprints)

Switch back and forth for 3 Rounds

Finish with 5 Burpees all together

No Weinke Required

20 men… well, 19 men, and one little dude… hit it hard at Base Camp this morning.

The Thang

Mosey to football field

Standard warm up – SSH, IW, LBC, Squats… all X 40 [roughly]

Field warm up – butt kickers; high knees; karaoke right; karaoke left; back pedal… all 40 yards out and jog back

Mosey to track

2 lap warm up around track

20 merkins

Speed work:

– 200 meter fast / 200 meter jog

– 400 meter fast / 400 meter jog

– 200 meter fast / 200 meter jog

Mary time… LBC; Flutter; Dolly; Mason Twist; Back Scratcher… all X 30 [roughly]

Merkins.. 20.. short recovery.. 16.. short recovery.. 12.. short recovery.. 8.. short recovery.. 4.. done.

Lunge walk across field and back

Mosey back to parking lot

Moleskin

I got in the parking lot at approximately 5:30am… thankfully Simba had already pulled everyone together for the warm up.  Now Weinke needed for today’s workout… and Tiger Rag, in case you are monitoring things, please note that there was no station work done today… I’m breaking the mold!

Few noteworthy items from this morning:

– Interesting hearing Wolfman give a breakdown of the new cable show – “Ballers”, staring Dwayne Johnson [aka The Rock].  Sounds like an entertaining show, but probably not suitable for the 2.0s.

– Geraldo and that ruck sack of his are spending a lot of quality time together.  I told him he’s training to hard for the Goruck; it’s going to be miserable regardless, so why add to the misery with prolonged training?  He didn’t want to hear anything of it.  I think that ruck is making him lightheaded.

-Great work on the track this morning.  Guys pushing themselves hard.

Fast Twitch and 0.0

The Thang

Joker Q – Ran 2.25 miles, with 150 squats, 75 merkins, 35 SSH and 35 Imperial Walkers thrown in along the way.

Pop Tart Q – Did the “Super 21” as follows, 1 merkin followed by 1 sit up, followed by 1 “Popping Tart” on each leg; then 2 merkins / 2 sit-ups/ 2 PTs… you get the idea… all the way up to 21.  Sum of 231 merkins, 231 sit-ups, 231 Popping Tarts on each leg.

Mosey back to parking lot to finish the last 5 minutes with some alternating toe touches.  We had 1 minute remaining, and Pop Tart made the mistake of throwing the Q back to Joker, who finished off the workout with 15 burpees.

Moleskin

In an effort to deliver a balanced workout, YHC and Pop Tart took things to the extreme, with lots of running in the first 30 minutes and a 0.0 Meathead format for the second 30 minutes.

Pop Tart was determined to reach 21 this time around.  During his last Q the Pax only made it to 15 since there wasn’t enough recovery time built into the format.  This is what led to the introduction of the Popping Tart, which involves lying on the ground with one leg out straight, while the other foot is flat on the ground.  Lift your hips and extended leg up to work the thigh and hips of the leg that is bent.

Now, on to the hazing…

Great to see Stone Cold and The Shore back at Area 51.  In the early days when Area 51 was the only option on Saturdays I saw them every week. The Shore is still the toughest pediatrician this side of Jersey, and Stone Cold looks pretty tough himself rolling down the road in his rugged Jeep.

Donkey Kong was looking good the first half of the workout, then he vanished. No sightings of DK getting in his car, so it was a stealth departure.  DK continues to live up to his mysterious ways.

Slap Shot was looking especially strong during the running.  Must be something about the Hockey playoffs that brings out his A-game.

Great to see The Tickler back at Area 51… after moving down to Greenville a couple of years ago.  Wish I could remember why we nicknamed him The Tickler, but maybe some things are best not remembered.

Outland-ish

13 men [well, 12 men, and one 11 year old] mixed it up on the campus of Sun Valley Middle/High School.

The Thang

Mosey to the shovel flag for a standard warm up… you know the drill… SSH; Imperial Walkers; Squats; Merkins… all X30

Mosey to the football field

Warm up… skipping; karaoke; shuffle step; butt kickers; back pedal… all done 40 yards out and back… with some merkins mixed in

Plank-o-rama

Mosey to the track

1/4 mile all-out; 30 LBCs; 1/4 mile all-out; 30 LBCs; 1/4 mile all out; 30 LBCs; 1/4 mile all-out; 30 LBCs

Mosey to back line of end zone

120 yards all-out; 10 squats and 10 merkins X 3 sets

Long mosey to the playground [remember, this is Union County… getting from point A to point B can take a while]

Circuit work… 10 pull ups, 10 derkins, 10 squats… X 3 sets.  Finish with 30 dips.

Run back to school

AYG from bottom of hill to shovel flag

Finish workout with 10 burpees

Moleskine

  • This was my first time back to Outland in a way.  It’s a great site and a great group of men.
  • We covered a bit over 3 miles today.  I believe everyone got their money’s worth.
  • Hairband posted with his ruck, training for the upcoming GoRuck.  Not any easy task given the amount of running we did today… but he’s a stronger man for it.
  • Native son returns… Pop Tart grew up in Union County and attended Sun Valley High School, so this morning he had a chance to relive the glory days on the track [minus all of the cheering fans I’m sure he had in the stands as a youngster]
  • You may have noticed that the back blast included some “skipping.”  Yes, we skipped… but we skipped like men.
  • I know my circuit work elements are fairly predictable.  But hey, if you go see an old rock group you expect them to play the classics.  When Tiger Rag goes to see the Bangels on their reunion tour he’s expecting ‘Manic Monday’, am I right?

Track and Field – Part Deux

11 men gathered for a workout that may have lacked creativity but delivered a punch to the gut. 

The Thang

Little Baby Jog to the track

Warm up lap

Mosey to 50 yard line

Warm up… IW; Squat; SSH; Merkin… all X 30

Continued warm up on the field with lunge walk; karoake; shuffle; and skipping [that’s right, skipping]

To the track

Quarter mile at full speed; finish with 20 merkins

20 LBCs on your own

Quarter mile at full speed; finish with 20 merkins

Mosey to the playground

Circuit work: 10 pull ups, 20 dips and 30 squats – full cycle for three sets

Mosey back down to the football field

Sprint from one goal line to the other goal line and back [i.e., 200 yards]

Plank stuff

Sprint 100 yards; 10 merkins; sprint back 100 yards

Plank stuff

Mosey to center of field for Mary… LBCs; Flutter; Dolly; Mason Twist; Back Scratcher

Finish with 10 burpees

Moleskine

-If you worked out at The Charge on Wednesday and Joust today you may have noticed that the workouts were eerily similar.  YHC Q’d both workouts, and since I wore the exact same shirt today [without being washed] I decided I’d rely on the same Weinke [for the most part].  Speaking of that shirt, I got a stern lecture from my wife when I returned home this morning.  Something to the effect of me being disrespectful to my fellow workout brothers by brining a bad odor to the workout.  I told her it’s all part of the F3 experience, and I that I usually deliver bad odors during the workout anway.   

-Good to see Skywalker out in the gloom again.  He looked handsome and healthy; well, at least healthy. 

-Triple claps to our brother Freedom.  The guy is a grinder… pushing himself to the limit wherever he goes.  This week was Skunk Works, Death Valley and Joust… he ain’t scared. 

-Mr. Brady showed up today wearing a jaunty little summer running cap, and I believe he wore it for the entire workout.  I generally keep my stylish workout gear for the colder months, but Mr. B’s spring apparel looks to have a bit of flair to it. 

-Stone Cold… I didn’t get a chance to mention it during the workout… but I’m going to have to throw a penalty flag on those shorts you wore today.  Just a wee bit short.  Good retro look though #NBA-1980s.  Speaking of wardrobe… Downtown busted out the sleeveless shirt today… I may have seen some mid-workout Kaepernicking at one point.  And now that I think of it… Lobster Roll had on a turtle neck [actually, a mock turtle]; not what I expected for our resident tough guy from South Boston, but it didn’t slow him down on the track.   

-That’s it for now gents.  Have a great weekend.

Accidental Q Jack

14 men gathered for a track and field slugfest. 

The Thang

Little baby jog around the little baby drop-off parking lot at PDS

Mosey to football field

Circle up on for standard warm up exercises, done out of normal sequence

-Merkins X 24

-LBC

-Merkins X 22

-Flutter

-Merkins X 21

-Dolly

-Squats

Mosey to track

Warm up lap

1/4 mile intervals done at full speed, with called exercises at the completion of each lap.  4 total laps.    

Mosey to the football field

Modified suicide run… goal line to goal line; 10 merkins; goal line to opposite 40 yard line; 10 merkins; goal line to near 40 yard line; 10 merkins

20 burpees on your own

More plank

6 minutes of Mary… with slow cadence

Mosey to parking lot

Finish with 20 Carolina Dry Docks and 20 Hillbilly/Squat combos

End.

So, I rolled in the parking lot at about 5:29AM and immediately announced, “we start in 30 seconds”.  Double D’s looked and me and said, “you leading today? i thought I was leading.”  Looks like Baracus didn’t get his Q memo out this week.  Anyway, Double D’s was gracious enough to let me Q.  Which I appreciated, since I did some intense pre working planning from about 5:27-5:29AM. 

Gotta love the PDS campus.  Fantastics facility.  And always enjoy seeing the crew at The Charge.  Lots of guys pushing hard this morning on the 1/4 mile intervals.  Not much mumble chatter, but a lot of heavy breathing. 

Some requests for my famous partner exercises this morning.  Alas we ran out of time…

 

Mock Turtle Neck

10 men did the following stuff:

Warm up with jog to field and 100 yard jog X 10

SSH x 25,merkins

IW x 25, merkins

Jog to playground 

Toes to bar 5, merkins 10, dips 15 lap around pkg lot X 4

Jog to lighthouse, starfish run to frisbee golf holes, squats x 20, monkey humpers x 20, Mary Katherine x20, with 10 stump jumps after each set, followed by naktar jai x 15

Wall sits with air press x 2

BTW x 2

Jog to track, 7’s with burpees and jump squats

Walk the wall, then incline plank ( a fan favorite).

Mosey to Pkg lot for karaoke, high knees, sucides, shuffles, sprints

To playground for partner workout, 50 pull ups and 400 LBCs

Great group at McKee Elementary on Saturday!  There was a lot of chatter (mostly from Joker) until we ran 10 100’s (or 20 50’s) to get the party started. Really can’t complain anytime you get to do 140 merkins and monkey humpers, along with some frisbee golf all before 8 am! 

—-

Editorial Comments by Joker [see O’T… this is what happen when you let someone else post your backblast].  So, O’T shows up in not just a turtle neck, but a fashionable mock turtel neck.  Let’s face it, the guy has made some questionable fashion statements in the past two years.  Thankfully, the velcro shoes have been retired.

Thick as Pea Soup

11 men gathered in the fog of Death Valley to run and jump and move rocks… your basic manly stuff. 

The Thang

Little baby warm up lap in the parking lot

Warm up exercises

-Squats… that’s right, we broke pattern and decided not to open up with side straddle hops

-Imperial Walker

-Side Straddle Hop

Little baby merkins on the curb 

Mosey down to the track

-1/4 mile

 -Slow squats

-Double D’s Hillbillys

-1/4 mile

-Station work on the bleachers [dips and squats]

-1/4 mile

-Merkin ladder

-People’s Chair with little baby arm presses

-1/4 mile

Mosey to the rock pile

-20 curls – 20 tricep extensions – 20 shoulder presses X 3 sets

-20 LBCs

Mosey to parking lot

-20 burpees on your own

Jog around parking lot

Done.

Moleskin

  • Last night, right before bed I said to myself, “I think I’m going to sleep in tomorrow.”  Then I glanced at my calendar quickly – in hopes that my first meeting of the day was no earlier than 9AM – when wouldn’t you know I say “BASECAMP Q” posted as a reminder on my calendar,  So… change of plans were in order… assembled my finest workout clothes and was ready to roll for the morning workout.
  • Rumor has it that Fireman Ed lives a lifestyle “off the grid”.  No twitter account or access to other modern technolgies, etc.  Said his phone at the house still has a cord on it.  Just bustin your chops Ed.  We know you are a modern man.    
  • Great group of guys at BaseCamp today.   

 

Power Walkers

24 SOBs posted at The Maul this morning for some serious power-walking. 

The Thang

Warm Up

-30 SSH

-30Squats

-30IW

-30 Merkins

Hill work

-Cross the Road [what road is that anyway?] on the other side of the big hill by the movie theater, then enter neighborhood across the street

-From entrance to neighborhood, run down hill all the way to stop sign, drop and do 15 merkins, then run back up hill, do 15 more merkins, and finish with LBCs until everyone is done

-Rinse and repeat

-Rinse and repeat for a third and final time [#crowd pleaser]

Head back to the parking lot for a little plank-o-rama… you know the drill… including a special edition of “3 inches” for the men of SOB.  And thanks to Frehley’s Comet for a good laugh during this segment of the workout. 

Head over to the ledge by the waterfountain for some ladder dips and squats:

-5 dips and 5 squats

-10 dips and 10 squats

-15 dips and 15 squats

-20 dips and 20 squats

-Then back down the ladder… 15s; 10s and 5s

Mosey to the parking lot some some NASCAR speeed work done in pairs:

-Partner one runs quarter mile loop while partner two does merkins; then flap jack… team is done once reach 150 aggregate merkins

-Rinse and repeat, except with 100 combined squats replacing the merkins

Mosey back to our cars… rep out 30 merkins on your own…

Workout over

Moleskin[e]

Really enjoyed my time with the boys of ballantyne this morning.  Great group of men.  We kept things moving at a pretty fast clip, so not too much banter this morning.  I’m sitting on a heating pad as I write this, so I for one got my money’s worth.  Just a few random observations:

-I’m into the “aka” nicknames lately… inspired by Chelms aka Tater Tot, and others.  So, for your reading pleasure I’ve taken the liberty of adding aka’s to many of the PAX from today; for those that didn’t get aka’d… I just need a couple more workouts to get to know you a bit better! 

-Seeing Loogie this morning brought back more bad memories from the Thanksgiving football game.  I learned that day when you play against Loogies that flag football is actually a contact sport. 

-Speaking of the Thanksgiving day event, reminds me of Mic Check and his fast feet.  Rumor has it that he’s a bit of a boxer… or at least a bit of a trash talker with a quick jab. 

-Run Stopper brought the wearing of tights to a whole new level today.  Neon yellow in fact.  Better tell the M you’ve raided her wardrobe.  What’s next…. Flash Dance leggings?

OK gents… I’ve got to get back to work… wife and kids to feed..