Tammy Faye and YHC arrived at 0500 (well, YHC at 0501).  So many vehicles in the parking lot, but the only pax was TF and TF.  Come to find out, Blackbeard, Peart Plus and Titan had already launched on a “mall walk” which as far as we could tell later was actually a run/mosey.  Nice work fellas.  So that’s 5 for The Standard.

Including the above, 20 total pax emerged from the windy, foggy, wet gloom to post at or around The Cauldron.  Titan, being the HIM of a father he is, had to exit just after we got the Thang going.

The pax gathered, the bells were out, there was a disclaimer, then the pax was shuffled to the area in front of the DPK entrance.  YHC jumped atop the raised area in the middle to announce the instructions (which were clear and simple for those pax listening), then we got right to it.  Later, YHC would realize we totally skipped the warm-o-rama.  Oops.

So basically we divided the 18 KB bearing pax (Titan was leaving, BlackBeard was moseying) into two even groups of 8.  Yeah.  Not many pax were listening.

Group 1 was on the benches.  2 per bench (there’s room, you just gotta get comfortable with your legs spread a little and with being close to the other pax sharing the bench…  KB presses til failure, then use what you’ve got left to do KB flies til failure.  Meanwhile, 

Group 2 is gathered in the middle with a “ball” with maybe 8 or a dozen sides to it, each side has an exercise printed on it.  I’m sure there’s a name for this shape – YHC has no idea what that might be. So one pax rolls “the shape” and the pax do the exercise – usually in cadence.  Repeato.  Three-peato.

Flapjack

Repeato it all.  So both groups get twice on the benches and twice with “the shape”.

Recover.  Grab your bells, let’s head to the garage.

Line up, 2 lines of 8 facing each other.  This… This is the PAIN TRAIN.

While the pax does a directed KB exercise, 2 pax do a traveling exercise up through the middle of the pax, around their side and back to their spot with their KB.  The pax continues with their exercise until all pax have done the traveling exercise and returned to their KB.  That was a longer time than any pax liked……

I lost my wienke so I’m not sure, but some of the traveling exercises were Power Skip (too funny), lunge walk, run, bear crawl, high knees with knee slap.  Some of the exercises were curls, burpees (seriously), skull crushers, skull crushers, Christian McCalf-raises.

Finish this up (laughing and winded and muscles burning if you were trying at all) and head up the ramp to where YHC’s big, long, thick, black…. rope awaited.

MWAR (y’all know what this is).

The PAINful moleskine:

The Shape would land on merkins for Group 2 TWICE.  15 in cadence which was brutal after the KB presses and flies.

The 45 lb KBs are a welcome addition to The Cauldron.  YHC thinks Over Budget has long been toting a 45 pounder to KB AOs, but Ultraman recently purchased one as well.  YHC has used it a time or two and ohhhhh the burn!  Well put 2 of those 45 pounders together for chest pressing and flies and oh my goodness.

Cool message from Omaha today.  He and Frontier had been to Nashville on business and found the F3Nashville pax.  They noted how so many were in their 20s, 30s while Omaha was alone in his #respect. This might bother many, but not Omaha.  He saw it as the future of F3 is strong, healthy.  Aye, brother.  Aye.

Unthinkable tragedy struck F3Knoxville this week as we all lost a brother – whether we knew him or not.  A Husband, a father, a senior pastor and I’m sure so much more.  And a Pax.  Rest In Peace, brother.  Thurs and Friday we witnessed so many pax in red in memory of Cardinal.

That’s it.  That’s the backblast.  Aye.