Author Archive Soft Pretzel

Getting Decked

26 men for Bagpipe this morning and another 5 for Swift makes 31.  Here’s how things went at Bagpipe:

Disclaimer is read and while we wait for some late arrivals, a few of the PAX chat about last night’s Cowboys/Redskins game, prompting Frehley’s to comment on the injury to Troy Aikman.  Wow.  He might never live this down. Congrats to the PAX who followed with questions about Don Meredith and Danny White… nice references both.  And with that…

The Thang: Mosey to BB&T lot for warm up (all IC): 25 SSH, 20 slow squats, 15 merkins, 20 mountain climbers.  Then over to the parking deck for the main event.

Parnter Up.  Take turns doing sets of 10 burpees while other partner does squats.  Finish with 60 burpees total (3 sets each) then AYG to the top of the deck.

Next, P1 runs to the bottom and back while P2 alternates 20 merkins and 20 LBCs.  Flapjack.  Then P1 runs while P2 does people’s chair with shoulder presses.  Flapjack again.  Finally, bear crawl to the end or the deck and back.

For Mary, lunge walks down each ramp.  At each platform, stop for two exercises until we reach the bottom.  20 dollies, 20 flutters, 15 heels to heaven, 10 ski jumps, plank-o-rama, 20 russian twists, 20 rosalitas.

Finish with 30 merkins and 5 burpees then mosey back.  Plan-o-rama to kill ~3 minutes.

Moleskin: Great effort by the group and always a pleasure to lead when everybody is pushing each other through.  The parking deck runs are nobody’s favorite but everybody gave it their all.  A big happy birthday to Blades of Glory who turned 50 today!  Thanks for taking us out as well – hope that Bagpipe was the start of a great day for you

Announcements: 1.) Bring your shoes for the shoe drive.  2.) Group of Area 51 PAX will be traveling to Greensboro to support a new workout launch.  Check web site for details and contact Skywalker if you are interested in a clown car.  3.) New workout “Dromedary” starts tomorrow at Marvin Ridge High.

Pull-Ups!!

6 men entered the foxhole this morning.  Here’s what we took on.

The Thang:

Mosey to the playground for warm up: 20 SSH IC, 15 Merkins IC, 20 Slow Squat IC.  Run 50% for ~50 yards, run back AYG.

For the rest of the workout, every time a set of pull-ups was called, each PAX did 1/2 of his one set max.

Round 1: pull-ups, 20 two hand swings, pull-ups, 20 clean and press, 20 mountain climbers IC, pull-ups, 20 high pulls, 12 KB merkins (2 hands on bell), 20 upright rows, pull-ups, 10 burpees, 15 KB squats, 20 KB merkins (one hand on bell), 15 tricep extensions, pull-ups.

Fellowship run around basketball courts.

Round 2: pull-ups, 20 two hand swings, pull-ups, 20 clean and press, 10 dolly presses, pull-ups, 20 high pulls, 12 KB merkins (2 hands on bell), 10 flutter presses, pull-ups, 10 burpees, 15 KB squats, 20 KB merkins (one hand on bell), 10 dying cockroach w/ KB, pull-ups.

Partner up and do a combined 100 LBCs while partner runs with KBs to sign and back (~50 yards total).

Finish with people’s chair and curls (max out), then upright rows (max out).

Moleskin: Have been told many times that pull-ups are a good exercise to prep for the mud run and believe that to be true based on my experience in spring.  The small group worked in our favor as we transitioned quickly in and out.  Nice effort by all today and nice to have some cooler temperatures!

No new announcements.

 

Bagpipe – a new record for PAX?

37 strong between Swift and Bagpipe this morning.  Will have to check with the chief (Haggis), but that is the most I ever remember.  T Claps for Madame for creating a great pre-Mud Run workout to continue the Swift tradition started by Bratwurst.

As for Bagpipe, The Thang:

Mosey across to parking lot for: 25 SSH IC, 20 IW IC, 10 burpees OYO, 15 slow squats IC, 5 burpees OYO, 25 dolly IC, 25 flutter IC, 10 burpees OYO.

Mosey to pond, grab some wall.  15 derkins, 20 dips, 10 jump ups.  Repeat.  Next wall: 20 split squats, 15 diamond incline merkins.

Mosey all the way to the infamous Bagpipe runnin’ hill.  P1 run to the top and back while P2 does merkins to failure, then squats until P1 gets back.  Flapjack.  Then repeat.

Bear crawl “catch me if you cans.”  5 merkins per partner per round, repeat 3X.

Run back.  Tried to do pull ups on the exercise trail but the Swift’ers chased us off.  Did 10 burpees instead.  Run back to base for improvised Mary until everyone else arrived.

Announcements: 1. Watch out for a silver Prius with one headlight out.  Car has circled by the Vine multiple times now acting suspicious.  2.This Saturday 1-mile fun run warm up. Meet at 8:15 for a 9:00 fun run start. Email jlevins9@hotmail.com if interested in joining for the fun run. 3. Well wishes and prayers for Beaker.  He and his wife are expecting any day now!

Moleskin: Great to lead Bagpipe today and amazing to see how many PAX are coming out between the two workouts.  And thanks to Mighty Mite for taking down the names – I would have struggled with pen and paper!

No running, but a lot of sweat

9 men jogged down to the soccer field this morning with their kettlebells and when Wingman made it down fashionably late, we had an even 10.  That was the last running we did but plenty of pain followed.

The Thang:

Warm Up: 20 SSH, 20 mountain climbers, 20 slow squats.

Line up across the width of the field.  Lunge walk with KB and do one squat for every two lunges.  Stop halfway for 10 burpees OYO, then lunge walk the second half, alternating one overhead press for every two lunges. 5 burpees OYO.

Bear crawl with kettlebell drag across the field.  Stop halfway and do 20 curls.  Do 20 more curls when finished.

Circle up.  Alternate 10 two-hand swings and 10 merkins until complete 50 of each.  Then: dolly press x 10, LBCs x 20, 8 eight count burpees w/ KB, Mason twists x 10, heels to heaven x 10, 8 more eight count burpees, 10 flutter presses, protractor.

Next, we lined up everybody’s bell in a straight line with each bell about 5 feet apart.

First: broad jump through the line and pick up each bell for an upright row.  Do 20 merkins at the end, then come back through the line.

Second: Bear crawl through the line and do a plank row with each bell.  Do 20 squats at the end, come back through on opposite side.

Head back.  Carry bell overhead for as much of the trip as possible.

Moleskin: With a lot of running workouts getting good attendance lately, Foxhole is a good alternate for a lot of the PAX.  We did zero running.  It is great to see what a beatdown you can get with just a kettlebell, your fellow PAX pushing you on, and some limited creativity as far as exercises.  Great job by all today and always a pleasure to lead.

Announcements: Nothing new this morning. Check web site.

Showing Off the Maul

 

A lucky 13 came out to The Maul this week, including one FNG – now “JR” – and one PAX new to The Maul – Stone Cold.  With that in mind, we made sure they both saw all the place has to offer.

The Thang:

Mosey to parking lot for warm-up: 30 SSH, 20 IW, and 20 mountain climbers (all IC).

Pyramid of burpees: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.  In between each set was an exercise: Merkins X10 IC, Squats X 10 IC, LBCs X 20 IC, Diamond Merkins X 15, One long lap around Target building (est. 600M), 10 jump squats, 20 mason twists (IC), 15 Carolina Dry Docks.

Mosey to fountains to see the sun rise and hear the Vegas-style soft rock music.  Beautiful.

15 dips, 20 step ups, 15 decline merkins, 20 flutters.  Rinse and repeat.

Mosey to everyone’s favorite hill, i.e. the big one.  Partner 1 bear crawl to the top and do 10 merkins.  Partner 2 = dollies.  Flapjack.

Mosey to smaller hill.  Run up backwards, 5 squats, jog down, 10 merkins, repeat.

Mary: Rosalita x 20, slow bicycle x 15, merkins x 10, hold plank, merkins x 5, protractor (lead by Mic Check, with 10 counts from various PAX). 

It was a grueling protractor and it has to be said that YHC let his feet touch the ground and Haggis called me out for it.  #embarrassment.  But that’s what it’s about sometimes… iron sharpens iron.  I’ll keep ’em up next time.

Announcements: F3 Dads in June, F3 Olympics and Pool Party 6/14.  Stone Cold also announced that F3 Charlotte North is holding what they call “The Bear” this weekend.  Basically a long run between their various workout sites with some exercises at each site.  A good thing to participate in and maybe something for AREA 51 to consider???

Foxhole

Great morning for some kettlebells!  Weather was terrific and we had a good turnout from some of Area 51’s finest to drive the pace and push the workout.

The Thang:

Mosey to lower lot for warm-up: 25 x SSH, 20 x IW, and 15 x merkins (all in cadence).

Mosey to field for three sets of KB circuits + sprints.  Sprints consist of starting at midfield, AYG to the end, 50% on the length of the field back, then AYG back to midfield. 

Set 1: Lunge and One Arm Press (5 each side), 20 Two hand swings, “Never Surrender” x 8, 20 two hand swings.  (The “Never Surrender” is new to F3 as far as I know.  We’ll see if it catches on.) Sprints.

Set 2: KB merkins (right arm) x 10 in cadnace, KB Squats x 15, KB merkins (left arm) x 10 in cadnace, KB Squats x 15.  Sprints.

Set 3: Right arm rows x 15, Deadlifts x 20, Left arm rows x 15, 5 burpees.

Mosey to the hill for: 1.) up the hill, 10 merkins, down, 20 curls.  2.) up, 10 merkins, down, 20 upright rows.  3.) up, 10 merkins, down, 15 tricep presses.

Finish with Mary: Ladder with pull-ups (2,4,6,8), then alternate with people’s chair at 30 sec with KB.  Mary = russian twists x 15, dolly press x 20, dying cockroach x 20, rosalita press x 20, LBCs x 25.

Moleskin: Nice job by all the PAX with special mentions going to Teddy on the sprints and Madame and Wingman on the pull-ups – animals. 

Announcements:  Not a ton.  Question on what we’re doing with Memorial Day at Foxhole… stay tuned.  80 days until Philmont’s Big Adventure… stay tuned as well!

In Pairs

We get so many PAX every week now at Bagpipe, Q thought it best to partner up and spread people out.  Otherwise, we don’t all fit on the wall at Lochness anymore!

The Thang:

Mosey to lower parking lot for warm-up:

SSH x 30, Mountain Climbers x 20, Backward lunges x 10, Merkins x 15 (all IC)

Head to Lochness for three sets of alternating exercises.

Set 1: P1 lap around lake, P2 alternate 15 decline merkins and 15 squats until P1 back.  Flapjack.  Set 2: P1 lap around lake, P2 alternate 15 dips and 10 jump ups until P2 back.  Flapjack.

Set 3: P1 lap around lake, P2 alternate 10 burpees and 20 LBCs until P2 back.  Flapjack.

Mosey around to another parking lot for more alternating sets.

Set 1: P1 bearcrawl across lot, P2 flutters until P1 crosses.  Flapjack.

Set 2: P1 lunge walk across lot, P2 dollies until P1 crosses.  Flapjack.

Set 3: P1 broad jump across lot, P2 mason twists until P1 crosses.  Flapjack.

Sprints!  Alternate with partner, who does merkins until partner gets back (3X).

More Mary: Heels to Heaven x 15, Rosalita x 20 IC, LBCs, x 20 IC, Mason Twists x 15 IC.  Planks.

Mosey back toward launch.  Enough time for more so: 10 jump squats, series of planks.

Announcements:

New workout coming on Tuesdays in the coming weeks.  Bratwurst will lead a running workout similar to SIB.  Will launch same time and place as Bagpipe so PAX will have the option each week.  Awesome idea!  

Two additional workouts coming as well.  One at Marvin Ridge Elementary to launch on Wednesdays, another to launch on Thursday’s and be more of a moderate intensity workout.  Site TBD.  Contact Skywalker with questions.

Enjoyed the hard work today fellas.  Thanks for pushing each other and making the most of it.  -SP

Head for the Mountains – The Maul

Seventeen strong posted at The Maul this morning.  We didn’t want a repeat of last week’s sacrifice to the Murderhorn, but with only a couple weeks left before the mud run, we are committed to cardio!  So we tackled some “mini-murderhorns” instead.

The Thang:

Mosey to center parking lot for warm-up:

SSH X 25, Slow Squats X 25, Peter Parker Merkins X 20

Mosey past the Target w/ lunge walks on the way.  Arrive at first hill.

Ladder #1: 11 count ladder with squats at the top, merkins at the bottom.

Indian Run to next hill for Ladder #2: 7 count ladder with burpees at the top, backward lunges at the bottom.

Mosey back to the center for Mary.  PAX took turns choosing an exercise and calling cadence:

Slow bicycle X 20 (Haggis)

“Planks” (Frasier) – Honestly, the exercise Frasier put us through might have another name.  I can’t really do it justice here except to say it was a combo of six inches, one heel up, then raise your leg and… whatever it was really hard.  You had to be there.

Rosalita X 25 (Luggi), J-Los X 10 (Worm), LBCs X 25 (Gumbo)

Mosey to last hill for: bear crawl up, 5 jump squats, jog down, 10 sit-ups. Repeato

Finish with combo of planks an merkins – AYG merkins to finish.

Announcements: Sign up for F3 Golf Event, BRR, and of course Hagis’s mountain run taking place this Saturday!

Moleskin: Intentionally tough workout today to build on some of the more intense cardio we’ve been doing lately.  The extended ladders are tough given the steep hills at the Maul.  Good job and congrats to everyone for finishing and building your endurance for Mud Run and beyond.

Always a pleasure to lead a great group. 

Foxhole

4 PAX today took advantage of a balmy Monday morning to get some pain in with the kettlebells. 

The Thang:

Mosey to lower parking lot for: SSH x 25, IW x 20, Slow Squats x 20 and Merkins x 15.

Head to the field and “triangle up.”  New term for when there are only 3 PAX around the Q.

Monkey Humpers + Burpees on a “Jack Webb” count. 1 burpee, 4 monkey humpers, etc., up to 5 and back down.  You feel this one in the quads!

Alternate exercises w/ half field sprints carrying the bell: 2 hand swings x 20, KB merkins x 20, suitcase squates x 20, rows x 20, squat and press x 15, upright rows x 20, hammer curls x 20, tricep presses x 20.

Long mosey over to pull up bars.  Alternate Mary and pull-ups for 5 sets.  Mary = dolly presses, Freddie Mercury, flutter presses, russian twists, LBCs.

Grab wall and do 3 x 1 min each in people’s chair position: sack draggers, upright rows, curl and press.  Mosey back.

Moleskin: Migthy Mite rucked it to and from so special respect to him!  No new announcements other than Lone Survivor Premier this weekend.  Oh, and one announcement that FC turns 50 Feb 3.  Mark your calendars!

Thanks to the guys who came out.  We put in the work this morning and it felt good.

Foxhole

Great turnout today – 15 strong.  Apparently, nobody watches the weather anymore because I bet a few might have stayed home had they known what we were in for!!  I honestly can’t remember getting that drenched before – great job by all the PAX sticking with the workout and pushing through.

The Thang:

Warmup – SSH x 25, IW x 20, Merkins x 15, Slow Squats x 15.

1st Circuit: 10 KB squats, up the hill, 5 burpees, run to pull-up bars, 10 pull-ups, jog back.  Repeat as many times as you can for ~7 min.

2nd Circuit: 20 two-handed swings, sprint to other side of soccer field, 10 merkins, jog back.  Repeat as many times as you can for ~7 min.

Mary: Dolly presses x 15, Flutter Presses x 15, KB merkins x 20, KB LBCs x 15, KB Russian Twists x 10, KB presses x 15, “Plank & Drag” for 30 sec.

More KB work with sprints across length of soccer field: 10 lunges, 10 rows, 10 lunges 10 Rows.  Sprint, 20 deadlifts, sprint.  Sprint, 20 curls, sprint.  Sprint, 10 merkins, sprint.

Mosey home and kill time: 15 swings, 10 curls, lap around lot.

Moleskin: No new announcements but a couple of prayer requests we want all of F3 to know about.  1. Market Timer has a newborn that needs surgery on Wednesday.  We pray for a successful procedure and quick recovery (for mom and dad too!).  Rock Trill has a friend – he and his wife recently lost triplets due to complications.  We pray for peace for their family during an incredibly difficult time.