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Dropping the Hammer at Sheepdog

Sometimes you just have one of those weeks where your thinking, “If one more dude says something I’m gonna…” As I travel around to different AO’s and hear the short…but authentic stories of various PAX, I think a lot of us have had these weeks A LOT lately. So today at Sheepdog, the heavy bag made an appearance and since we don’t all have the proper gloves to really go to work on it, we dropped the elbows…hard and heavy! 4 PAX braved the rain and no promises of cover from YHC in the pre-blast. In the end, we did most of our routine under the awning, though no one stayed dry for long.

FNG’s: none
Warm Up: Good Mornings x 10, Seal Claps x 12, Imperial Walkers x 10, mosey lap, Windmills x 10, Overhead Claps x 12, Hillbillies x 10, mosey lap, Hand-Release Merkins x 20, Prisoner Squats x 20.
The Workout: 1 minute, 15 seconds work/15 seconds rest Tabata at stations in a circuit. Each PAX just about hit 3 rounds of each station. Stations were:

Step-Ups with the high knee

1-2’s with 5 lb. dumbells in hand

Plank pull throughs with 20 lb. kettlebell

Heavy bag elbow strikes, ground work

Kettlebell bear crawl stopping at cones for 2,4,and 6 rep count per arm snatches/clean, jerk, press. Had a 25 lb. and a 35 lb. kettlebell for use.

Next Thang was a 3 round series of 45/15 tabata completed together. It was a 3 round switch off between Zebra Kicks and Rocky Balboa’s.

Final Thang was a 2 round 45/15 tabata of fast feet/sprawl/merkin/squat jumps at the call of YHC to burn us out.
Mary: Built into the workout, but Shredder gave great insight into throwing the elbow effectively and powerfully when needed. Bottom line, if you end up on top in a situation, make sure your weight is up on the attacker, so the elbow can drive through. Even if not, everything in the body is relaxed, one hand up for protection, until the explosion of the elbow down and through. You had to be there, but fundamentally solid stuff.
Announcements: Q-School coming up on Sunday, Feb. 21st at 3:00 PM, Womble Park with 2nd F to follow. 3rdF TedTalk coming up with live talk from Greensboro PAX about the impact of crucial conversations and insight into “all men” and our role as HIM’s in it all.
T-Claps (Recognition): These PAX for playing the games I often provide.
Prayer: Lot’s of PAX stressed, overworked. Balance is needed these days. PAX who are sick or injured. Shredder and job stress and keeping those plates spinning…peace and strength for him…and all PAX…as we keep moving forward to lead and serve our “concentrica”.

Now for Something Completely Different (well almost)

FNGs: None 

7 HIMs posted to GP on a cold but dry morning.  YHC brought the music box & discs.  Sadly Gump wore his Tampa Bay jersey and beanie (that guy) to support “Tompa Bay.”

Warm Up: 10x3cts of: Good Mornings, Willie Maze Hays,  Daisy Pickers, Sir Fazio Arm Circles (both directions), Arm stretches, 20x3ct SSH.

The Workout

Circle of Rock (of course): Mosey to the Rock Pile pick a LARGE rock (if it can be curled by anyone with one arm – it ain’t big enough). Alternate rocks between exercises.

3 sets of 10x3ct of each exercise:  Curls for the Girls, Overhead Tricep Press, Wonder Bras, Rut Rows and Ground Pounders. 10x3ct:  Windshield Wipers, Rock Spanks, Single arm Merkins (both sides), Rock Press (3 sets), 10×3 ct Rockies, 10x3ct Box Cutters

Mosey to the disc golf putting green

Heavy Discs (Something different):

3 discs in play at all times. PAX take turns putting while rest exercise. Round 1: SSH – don’t stop till someone makes it (that took forever – THANK THE LORD FOR KITTI LITTR).  Round 2-38 were more of a free for all with PAX lining up on each side to keep the discs moving (minimum of 10x3ct of each exercise).

Merkins x2, SSH, Plank Hold, Squats, Chilcutt Planks, Lunges, Emperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Pickle Pounders, LBCs, Moroccan Night Clubs, Freddie Mercury, Monkey Humpers x2

4 minutes of Knee Wall of Pain:

20 Step Ups, 20 Dips, 10 Erkins, 10 Step Ups, 10 Dips, 5 Erkins

Announcements: Mama’s House moved (so much for the new driveway), HIMs running Uwharrie and some dozen donut race, Looking for businesses to support the HSPD fund raiser for 1st Aid Kits,  Wilmington Race moved to April.

Prayer Requests: For our country, injured PAX, Noah’s Arc & his M, YHC asked for prayer through the grief therapy process.

2nd F @ Panera

My Eyes are Closed…but I Can Still See It!

Always a lot of great 1-liners at Ground Pounder! Today, did not disappoint to that end. It was a cold and bright sunny morning at Jones Park, but even the flaming ball that is in the sky could not compare to the brightness (or tightness) of Pikachu’s pants! At one point, Shredder mentioned he had to close his eyes whilst running behind Pikachu due to the brightness, but could somehow still see (hence…the title of this BB). Other great 1-liners of the day:

“I think I’m lactating” – Shredder. “We all need to sign up on that Q Sheet so this jackass can’t Q here anymore” – Pikachu. “All my rocks are frozen to the ground” – Frenchie. “I’m just gonna pick up that slab of concrete” – Farva. “Small, medium, large. You must’ve missed something that day in elementary school” – Shredder.

FNG’s: – nope

Warm Up: SSH x 25, Daisy Pickers, Sir Fazio’s F/R, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies all x 10, and Good Mornings x 21 (much to the agreement of Shredder and Pikachu).
The Workout: Now for the disagreement to begin. YHC decided to try something new to me today to ensure that all PAX chose appropriate sizes of rocks. You see…there’s been just a bit of mumblechatter recently that PAX aren’t choosing large enough rocks and that Farva could sit there and juggle with all other men’s version of “large” rocks. So each PAX were instructed to get a large rock from the familiar pile, a not as large but let’s say medium rock from the not so shiny but newer rocks down on the end of the trench, and finally, two small rocks that could be held and controlled in each hand. Each time PAX got a rock from the trench, they paid an entrance tax of 5 burpees. With rocks ready to go and circled up, we performed the following routine (rocks sizes denoted by L, M, S):

Shoulder Press, L x30, Wonderbras, M x25, 1-2’s, S x 20

Curls for the Girls, L x 30, Curls for the Girls, M x 25, 1-2’s, S x 20

Chest Press, L x 50, Alternating Merkins on Rock, M x 25, 1-2’s, S x 20

Rut Rows, L x 40, DeadLifts, M x 20, Bent over Flys, S x 20 (think it was somewhere in here where the agreement was made not to let YHC Q anymore)

Ground Pounders, L x 30, Ground Pounders, M x 25, Front Raises, S x 20

Rock Spanks w/o Consent, L x 20, Rock Spanks w/ consent, M x 20, Diamond Merkins, S x 15

PAX returned each set of rocks with a return penalty of 5, 10, and 15 merkins, respectively.

Wall of Pain time. We did a 15 count per PAX People’s Chair, followed by Prisoner squats x 50 (didn’t get to legs in rock circle). Finished up with a 10 count per PAX Ball to the Wall.

Mary: All in Cadence. LBC’s x30, Homer to Marge x25, WW1 x20, Good Mornings x 15
Announcements: New Monthly challenge coming, starting Monday. It will be 15 mins. of AMRAP KettleBell Snatches or Jump Squats, with a focus on form and explosive movement. 1st F planning on Monday night via Zoom, 8-9 PM.
T-Claps (Recognition): Pumpkin Spice for accountability and drive with YHC to complete last monthly challenge set as EC.
Prayer: Pumpkin Spice and Shredder have neighbors and friends struggling significantly with COVID. Lipstick and family for travels and peace in time of losing his aunt. My M for more restoration and healing. Saddiq and his grieving over loss of brother. YHC took us out…and I will be back to Q this great AO!

Sheepdog 1/22/2021

PAX:  Farva, Shredder, Martini

FNGs:  None Today

Warm Up:  Lap around the lot and the ususals:  SSH, Arm Circles, Good Mornings, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Frankensteins, Daisy Pickers

The Workout:

PAX split into 2 groups.  PAX 1 or each group performed 5 burpees while the remaining PAX held People’s Chair against a column. Switch.

Round 2:  4 Burpees, Round 3:  3 Burpees, Round 4:  2 Burpees, Round 5:  1 Burpee

Headed to the knee walls – PAX 1 Performed 10 Erkins while the remaing PAX performed LBC’s.  Switch

Round 2:  8 Erkins, Round 3:  6 Erkins, Round 4:  4  Erkins, Round 5:  2 Erkins

Back to the columns – repeat starting with 4 Burpees, 3 Burpees, 2 Burpees, 1 Burpee

Knee Wall – repeat starting with 8 Erkins, 6 Erkins, 4 Erkins, 2 Erkins

Shredder handled the combatives – Kicks

Mary:  Sit-up variations

Announcements:  None

Prayer:  State of the Nation

Can’t Even Feel It – TWSS

FNGs: None 

14 HIMs posted to GP on a beautiful but bitter cold morning.  YHC brought the music box & a basketball.  Dauber was tardy but always appreciate his attendance. 

Warm Up: 10x3cts of: Good Mornings, Windmills, Willie Maze Hays,  Sir Fazio Arm Circles (both directions), Arm stretches

The Workout

Circle of Rock: Mosey to the Rock Pile pick a rock. Alternate rocks between exercises.

2 sets of 10x3ct of each exercise:  Curls for the Girls, Overhead Tricep Press, Wonder Bras, Bus Drivers, Rut Rows and of course Ground Pounders. 2 sets of 10x3ct Rock Spanks (with and without consent), 10x3ct Rock Press (3 sets), 10x3ct Windshield Wipers, 10×3 ct Rockies, 10x3ct Box Cutters

(Again – never any doubt on which rock is Farva’s – Good Lord Son!).

Heavy Hoops:

Due to crowd we only completed 1 round: Each PAX rotated between taking shots and exercises: shoot from 3 designated areas. 2 free throw attempts at each location followed by 1 attempt at a layup. Miss all 3 shots and add a 2 Burpee penalty.

Rest of PAX perform exercises till cycle completed (ie 1 shot is made from all the 3 areas).

SSH (2 rounds), Plank Hold, Supermans, Squats, Plank Jacks, Lunges, High Knees, American Hammers, Split Jacks, Emperial Walkers, Hillbillies, and Goofballs

Burpees OYO for all PAX

Wall of Pain:

20×3 ct Moroccan Style Peoples Chair, 2 sets of 10×3 ct Ascending Testicles, 10x3ct Burnie Style Peoples Chair (let it rain)

COT:  10 Merkins, 10 Shoulder Tap Planks, 10 Catalina Wine Mixers, 10 ct Chill Cut Plank, 10 x 3ct LBCs, 10x3ct Freddie Mercuries, 10×3 ct 6 Inches,

Announcements: Wilmington Race moved to April,  Ultimate Frisbee – Feb 1st at Ting,

Prayer Requests: Pumpkin Spice ask for prayer for  a friend Mike who is hospitalized with COVID;  Shredder asked for prayer for Kristen’s family (Kristen was a 16 yr old in his church youth group that passed away due recently).  YHC asked for prayer through the grief therapy process. Prayer for kids with mental issues dealing with our current state of isolation.

Sheepdog – 01.15.21

“You can get 6 more inches if you lay it flat.”  That may actually be the pre-blast for GP?  3 pax started at 5:20 with some EC.  Farva and Shredder with the monthly challenge and DJ Forceps with the playlist and light warm-ups.

ME started at 5:45.

FNGs: None.
Warm Up: SSH, SFAC front and back, Overhead Claps, Seal Claps, HBs,  IWs, and Frankenstein.
The Workout: Pax mozied to the front of the school for three rounds or Step-ups, Merkins, and Dips.  Then three rounds of single-leg lunges, and pendulum Merkins (Pax kept feet in one spot and traveled back and forth in cadence.  1, 2, 3, to the left then down; 1, 2, 3 to the right then down and so on to ten).  We then mozied to the parking lot to work on kick and evasion drills followed by 2-strike and evasion drills.  Solid Mumblechatter!
Mary: Back to the flag for 10x LSF, 10x single leg Homer to Marg (both sides), 10x Box Cutters, 100 LBCs in cadence, 20x Crab Cakes in cadence, and Have a Nice Day.  Somewhere around 75 LBC Forceps started to pray to Jesus, Mary, AND Joseph.
Announcements: Wrightsville 1/2 and full.  Pikachu TEDtalk.
Prayer: Family/sanity, working through grief, our children, nation, etc.

Ground Pounder – moist feet, dry backs

FNGs: None 

8 HIMs posted to GP on a dreary wet morning.  YHC brought the music box & a basketball.  Macho showed up on time and gloveless – much respect 

Warm Up: 10x3cts of: Good Mornings, Willie Maze Hays,  Daisy Pickers, 20 Sir Fazio Arm Circles, 20x3ct SSH, Arm stretches

The Workout

Circle of Rock: Mosey to the Rock Pile pick your large rock. Alternate rocks between exercises.

3 sets of 10x3ct of each exercise:  Rut Rows, Curls for the Girls, Overhead Tricep Press, Wonder Bras, Ground Pounders and Bus Drivers.

(always easy to tell which rock is Farva’s)

Heavy Hoops:

2 Rounds: Each PAX rotated between taking shots and exercises: shoot from 3 designated areas. 2 free throw attempts at each location followed by 1 attempt at a layup. Miss all 3 shots and add a 2 Burpee penalty.

Rest of PAX perform exercises till cycle completed (ie 1 shot is made from each of the 3 areas).

2 rounds of SSH, Standard Plank Hold, Plank Jacks, Lunges, High Knees, Moroccan Squat Hold, Emperial Walkers and Hillbillies

Burpees OYO for all PAX

Mosey to the half wall

10×3 Step Ups, 20 Derkins, 20 Erkins, 20 Dips

Announcements: Wilmington Race still on as far as we know.

Prayer Requests: Pumkin ask for prayer for several men going through the Blue Light Academy. Forceps asked for prayer for Aunt’s family loss of her husband as well as his ex and son dealing with loss of son.

The 12 days of Suck

FNGs:none
Warm Up:started with a lap around the parking lot and circled up for side straddle hops, fozy arm circles forward and reverse, seal claps, overhead claps, Michael Phelps, good mornings, and daisy pickers

The Workout: mosey to the side of the school where the brick pillars and wall are(will need that later)

Got the holiday beatdown started with “here comes Merkin Claus.” Norm made the comment that it must be Santa’s 3rd cousin. Got down into plank and played Here comes “Merkin” Claus while doing nonstop mountain climbers/plank jacks alternating on “lane” and doing merkins on “Santa.” Ends up being 2 1/2 minutes of plank work and never being able to listen to that song the same way again!

mosey for a lap around the big parking lot

Next up on the holiday beatdown was the 12 days of Sheepdog. We alternated the verses but all of the “gifts” were predetermined.

On the (x) day of Sheepdog my Q said to me

Give me one man maker burpee

2 box cutters  (in cadence)

3 prisoner squats

4 T-Stand kicks (in cadence)

5 CRAAB CAAAAKES  (in cadence)

6 boats a rowing (in cadence)

7 Side hop moguls (in cadence)

Recovery lap

8 stars a jumping

9 Scorpion dry docks

10 10 count jump rope

11 wing chun combos (3 strike)

Recovery lap

12 Australian ass smacks (T claps for in cadence)

  • After this was over the Pax unanimously declared the backblast title should be the 12 days of suck!

Mary: introduced a new 12 count move that goes straight to your waist, appropriately named Krispy Kreme’s. We knocked out a dozen of them for Mary.

Announcements:
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: Prayer for Pax’s M’s about to go through surgery, toys for tots and the impact it has on those families in need, families of those  effected by the pandemic

Ground’n and Pound’n

FNGs: None 

10 HIMs posted to GP on a perfect morning.  YHC brought the music box & a basketball.  Mumblechatter was per the usual – the best in Southwake.

Warm Up: 10x3cts of: Good Mornings, Willie Maze Hays,  Daisy Pickers, 20 Sir Fazio Arm Circles, 20x3ct SSH, Arm stretches, Pigeon Pose

The Workout

Circle of Rock: Mosey to the Rock Pile pick your rock and don’t share it

2 sets of 10x3ct of each exercise:  Rut Rows, Curls for the Girls, Overhead Tricep Press, Ground Pounders, Bus Drivers,

4 sets of Standard Press, 10x3ct: Windshield Wipers, Box Cutters, 30 ct 6 inches, Plank Rock Spanks, Single Arm Merkins, 10×3 ct Rock Homer to Marge

Heavy Hoops:

Each PAX rotated between taking shots and exercises: shoot from 3 designated areas. 2 free throw attempts at each location followed by 1 attempt at a layup. Miss all 3 shots and add a 2 Burpee penalty.

Rest of PAX perform exercises till cycle completed (ie 1 shot is made from each of the 3 areas).

SSH, Standard Plank Hold,  Supermans, Plank Jacks, Lunges, High Knees, American Hammers, Squats, Squat Hold, Shoulder Tap Merkins, Boat Canoes, LBCs, Split Jacks, WWIIs, Hillbillies

Burpees OYO for all PAX

Mosey to the Wall of Pain

10x3ct Aussie Ass Smackers, 15 ct Ascending Testicles; 20x3ct Moroccan style Peoples Chair, 30 ct BTW, 20x3ct Al Gore style People’s Chair.

Announcements: Ted Talk w/ Bacon on 12/15,  F3 Christmas Party

Prayer Requests: Military and 1st responders,  Breach’s sister and mom w/ COVID, Fanny Pack’s M, Courtney, is having surgery Dec 21, COVID victims

2020 South Wake Frosty CSAUP 12/5

On a crisp December morning. Well not so crisp but it was December 20 HIM congregated at Possum Trot for the 2020 South Wake CSAUP..Ruck Style. That’s right all of us were carrying rucksacks with the appropriate weight inside. Trust me I checked. Cadre Breach was joined by Cadre Blue Hen and Cadre M4L. We kicked off the first workout at the Trot with Fonzie at the helm.

@Farva, @Dawgpound, @POTS, @Blue Hen, @M4L, @Finkle, @Bondo, @Alpine, @Flannigan,

@Fanny Pack, @Dauber, @Bingo, @Pikachu, @Latiner, @16-Bit, @Sprinkler, @LED, @Fonzie, @H1N1 and

@Breach on the Q

Possum Trot Q #1 BB (Fonzie)

25 days of Christmas

Chestnuts Roasting (Chest press with the ruck)

Hanukkah Billes ( Hillbillies)

Reindeer Rows (Rut Rohs)

Imperial Nutcrackers

Santa Squats

Taint Tinsel (Swings with the Ruck)

Merry Merkins

Abominable Snowman (LBC’s with the Ruck)

S-Hat Burpees (10)

 

After the Trot workout, we hit the pavement for our trek to Mutiny. There were 5 coupons in play 2 Firehoses, 2 Pain Sticks, and a sandbag. The load had to be shared by all so everyone took turns embracing the suck. Sprinkler decided to take a dive in the ditch and almost took himself out before we got to his Q. The pax only racked up 2 violations along the way.

Mutiny Q (Sprinkler)

Arrived to have 2 penalties. With pack 20 merkins, took the pack off for overhead press for the second penalty. Off to the parking lot. Lined up to do Irkins, Derkins and dips on the curb with crab walk and lunge walks from one side to the other for a total of 4 rounds.

Moseyed to Rockpile and claimed a partner. Partner 1 curls, bus driver, rut rows while partner 2 ran to 2nd light poles. Rinsed and repeated. Ended with 5 burpees OYO.

The Pax was given 5 mins to rehydrate, refuel and repack before getting back to the action. The pax were allowed to leave 1 coupon behind and they voted to get rid of a pain stick so we left that behind in the support vehicle. We pressed on to the next AO..The Nest. Upon arrival at the nest we grounded the coupons and the packs for the Nest Q via Finkle, there were no violations on this part of the trip.

Nest Q (Finkle)

Pax was taken down to the walls and the fence line for some Balls to the wall and people’s chair sets. On the first set we counted to 25 for Balls and seal claps to 25 till we got all the way around and then set 2 we did shoulder tap Ball and overhead claps. This continues till we got down to decreasing by a 5 count each round.

Second activity was bears and dans.  Bear crawl two parking spaces than did Lt Dan Taylors building each time up to 10 squats and 40 lunges.

 

Pax was given another 5 minutes to rehydrate and refuel, we lost H1N1, Fonzie and LED after this AO. The decision was made to leave the sandbag and a pain-stick behind for good behavior. Onward to Casino Royale. Along the way Cadre Blue Hen decided to have the pax do some Indian Runs. The back 2 guys run to the front and tuck in behind the flag bearers. During the journey he had them try to beat his timer, Flannigan with wings of glory ran ahead of the colors which resulted in a violation for the pax.  Which was assessed by him when we arrived at Casino Royale. 22 Diamond Merkins with the packs on.

Casino Royale (Fanny Pack)

BOMBS at the Casino. With a lot of the wall working and bear crawling already taken, YHC had to go to a hybrid plan C. @Dauber knowingly chose a number of reps to start with (15) and @Farva unknowingly chose B1 -Burpees rather than B2- bench presses with the ruck. 2 groups Indian run with no rucks in opposite directions. When groups meet, we did BOMBS. 15 burpees OYO, 25 Overhead Press with a ruck, 35 merkins, 25 big boy sit-ups, and about 3 minutes of squats.  Both groups got around the large track twice. YHC did call an audible and chose mercy over punishment and ended the squats about 20 seconds early. Honored to be a Holly Springs Pax and allowed to lead today with my brothers in the Quay!

Pax was given the last 5 min break of the day for hydration and fuel before stepping off for the final leg back to Possum Trot. Once we got to the railroad tracks Blue Hen decided to take the pax down the iron highway. The trek was slow going as the town of Fuquay did not place railroad ties very symmetrical to each other. We got a bit spread out due to the uneven terrain, but we got back in line for the final push up the hill and back down to the trot. We dumped our packs and coupons for the final time and headed to tennis courts to get smoked one more time by 16-Bit.

Possum Trot #2 (16 Bit)

PAX lined up on one sideline of the first tennis court to perform what I’ve named a Crab Boil. PAX crab-walked to the corresponding sideline of the next court where we performed 15 crab cakes in cadence. Resumed crab walk to the next court and did 15 crab bumpers (inverted pickle pounders). We were supposed to crab walk to the same sideline on the next court but a silver sneakers tennis tournament was starting to show up and that last court was getting occupied so our last crab walk was only to the sideline on the other side of the court we were on. When we got there we did 15 crab jacks in cadence.

The aforementioned tennis tournament stopped us from being able to rinse and repeat so we audibled to batwings which consisted of 10 of the following, forward arm circles, reverse arm circles, seal claps, and overhead claps.

We headed down the hill towards the baseball fields and circled up for Mary. We started with 20 American hammers in cadence and then went to Dr. W’s. These are one of my favorites but always cause a lot of confusion. It’s an 8 count exercise that we lost count during so I stopped after 7 or 8 of them. We finished up with an LBC circuit of regular, reverse, and side LBCs.

 

We ended in a very large COT with some great messages passed about our involvement in the community and our impact on others. We closed in prayer and got back to the front of the park for some very much needed coffee and biscuits courtesy of Forceps.