alternate workout titles:
– Success is 20% inspiration and 80% perspiration
– Inspiration + Teamwork + Leverage + Effort = Rock 'n Roll
– Will work for coffee money
– Hide it under a bushel, NO!, I'm gonna let it shine
8 men (including 1 FNG and 1 2.0) appeared from the gloom, ready to take on new challenges. One of the more unique workouts didn't go anywhere near plan…or did it? Here's how it went down.
WarmUp (x = in cadence):
20x side straddle hops
10x imperial squat walkers
*** t-claps to Dandelion for pointing out good form tips, butt almost to ground, knees to eyeballs…haha
10x low country crab cakes
*** FNG's mention of a shoulder thing reminds YHC…
Disclaimer!
10x merkins (chest to ground)
Indian run to…my brother's house?
– So, my brother and his wife had a tree die last year. There was a huge rock in front of it, and instead of planting a new tree, they wanted to just move the rock into the former tree's location in the middle of a mulched bed. They asked me last summer if the F3 guys would be interested in moving it. I said heck yah…and then promptly forgot about it for 6 months.
– During my pre-run, I ran past his house and remembered, and concocted a plan that would take 5-minutes to mosey, 5-10 minutes to move, and then 5 minutes to mosey back. Perfect…except that it wasn't perfect. More on that later.
…indian run with 3 push ups before running up to the front.
T-claps to FNG Sequoia for being the only guy to run up both hills…seriously, we didn't plan that…
Arrive at the rock and assess the situation.
– Refresher of disclaimer and not putting any bodyparts between the rock and terra firma.
– The first grunt of trying to move the rock resulted in ZERO frickin' movement whatsoever. That was my first backpedal. OK, well if we can't move it, maybe we can figure out what we need and move it some other time. The hint of "we might not be able to do it" was like putting red in front of a bull. We were going to move this rock, come hell or high water. The suggestion of a lever, 2×4, anything was brought up. I was thinking bulldozer but this was a budget operation, so I headed up to the front door. For reference, the rock was roughly 18" x 18" x 42" tall, although it wasn't really regularly shaped.
– It probably would have been good to mention our visit to their front yard ahead of time. I knocked on the door, nothing. I opened the garage door, looked around inside and remembered my gun-toting brother and sister-in-law didn't know we were there. My Active Shooter training came to mind. I started whistling because what sort of a robber would whistle…some happy tune, can't remember what exactly. btw, this was not part of the Active Shooter training…Run, Hide, Engage…none of that was needed, fortunately.
– Eh, no available levers. Didn't want to risk sacrificing a shovel handle. I did see a 4×4 that was attached to my s-i-law's realtor sign (Jessika Tucker btw, she works hard for her clients if you are ever in need of a realtor). Decided against it for now…
– went back to the rock…saw guys doing more SSH's…nice! We regrouped for more muscling this rock into place. Initial movements/tipping over occurred, and we realized the massiveness of the rock. Later estimates were in the 1000 lb range. Wouldn't surprise me at all.
– plans regarding rolling vs rotating vs close enough and just leaving were discussed.
– Jessika comes out (without firearm…or at least it wasn't visible) to see what the heck is going on. She is happy to see us getting 'er done and is up for looking at the 4×4 option. I run back into the garage, we unscrew a sign from the post, and head back with a lever. I return to see the guys planking and doing 'touch through T-planks' or something that…the next level of plank, apparently.
– With new tools (and after a brief return again to get a shovel), we are inspired. Rocks are moving. Atlantis is manning the lever with skill…and we move/wiggle the rock into place. Our "5-10 minute little exercise" was surpassing all expectations…including time, and I was getting concerned because we had to figure out how to lift the durn thing up.
– Gillette and I mosey to the back yard and find a rock/fulcrum.
– much grunting and effort…I head back for a bigger fulcrum and hear manly shouts and grunting. Heading back to the front, I see high 5's, laughing, and a rock standing up. Victory!
We did some clean up, 4×4 return, and fulcrum returning.
As we are about to leave, Jessika brings out a thank you envelope. I tried a couple times to convince her that it was our pleasure to help, but when she said it's for the coffee fund, I relented. : )
Mosey back to the AO.
– t-claps to Atlantis for suggesting some variation.
– karaoke left
– karaoke right
– run down the hill
– longest quadraphelia ever…ugh
Mosey back to the back for a quick meat grinder:
– groups of two per exercise:
– 20 step ups are the timer
– parallel bar knee raises
– decline push ups
– pull ups
Back to the front for Twisty Freddie Mercury's
Reflection: Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. G
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[b] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
– recently, I was driving Gazelle (aged 9) to school, and I was trying to pull out a "Dad of the Year question"…Jackson, what inspires you?
– he didn't really hear me, I repeated, a couple times, and he finally said, "Inspire! Oh…I thought you said expire." We talked about the difference and had a laugh before I dropped him off.
– well, it got me thinking about inspire vs expire…inspiring others versus expiring…creating spirit versus removing spirit
– we all have a lot of opportunities every day to inspire others, to produce something, to shine a light for Christ
– unfortunately, we all have the same # of opportunities to expire, to shut down, to take away something from others
– I thought the reflection today was a good reflection of that thought.
– Hide it under a bushel, NO!, I'm gonna let it shine!
Moleskine:
– the # of what's up next, trim your bushes?, rake your yard?, wash your car?, paint your house?, etc. comments were warranted…and funny.
– we only used about half the coffee money, so join us next week
– Welcome aboard Irvin, a biologist/forestry guy originally from Cali and now working in DC. You had a great attitude and fit right in as one of the guys. We dub thee Sequoia. Look for that DC pax. As Gillette said, you just never know what the workouts will be…this was a weird one. Welcome aboard brother.
– I saw some muddy shoes out there today…here are some tips: 1) remove the inner liner and hose off both outside until the water is clear and the soles are clean, 2) remove the shoe laces and hand wash them, 3) put the shoes in the wash with your workout load, 4) never put them in the dryer; just let them sun dry.
– I don't know about you guys, but I had some weird aches and pains this morning.
– I promise a regular BEATdown next workout. No landscaping involved. : )
Real honor to lead you guys,
Cheetah