Tag: The Stage

YHC figured it would be good to introduce the Thibodaux PAX to the tradition of a 12 Days of Fitmas beatdown including some high energy Christmas tunes (Mannheim, Trans Siberian, etc.), but it was difficult to remember exactly how long these have lasted in the past. Did the 12-exercise inverse ladder take the whole 45 minutes? Was there a mosey involved that ate up some time and provided for a break? A quick glance at some of last year’s backblasts led me to believe that there may be no additional elements needed, but my confidence was not high.

YHC was initially joined by Paradox and Enron, then Cardinal came in hot on two wheels just as SSH’s were beginning.

Warmup: SSH, Windmills, Arm Circles, Imperial Walkers, Self-Love

12 Days of Christmas (the first 12 days…); day number is the number of reps–start with Day 1, and then add the next day’s exercise along with the preceding days (back down to 1):
Day 1. 1 One legged pistol squat (2:1)
Day 2. 2 Bonnie Blair (2:1)
Day 3. 3 star jumps
Day 4. 4 Apollo Ono’s (2:1)
Day 5. 5 Diamond Merkins
Day 6. 6 HR Merkins
Day 7. 7 mountain climbers
Day 8. 8 LBC’s
Day 9. 9 leg raises
Day 10. 10 Freddy’s
Day 11. 11 BBS
Day 12. 12 8-count body builders

Ultimately, it was pretty challenging, and all felt good about what they had accomplished, but we still had 15 minutes (and a good bit of excellent Christmas tunage) to go. So, thankfully my recent search into last year’s backblasts was fresh, and I was immediately able to pull up what I think was Steve’s (Northshore) 12 Days of Fitmas from last year, and brutality ensued. (YHC’s memory of doing this one last year at home wasn’t too traumatic, but I hadn’t done a whole other set of 12 days before it.)

We started over with the new Day 1, and we made it up to Day 8 before time ran out. The modified burpees sucked the PAX’s will to live, but in true HIM fashion, we carried each other via a combination of comradery and competition to complete the following:
Day 1: 1x Burpee
Day 2: 2x Merkins
Day 3: 3x Triple Jump Squat Burpees
Day 4: 4x Monkey Humpers (IC)
Day 5: 5x Sister Mary Katherine’s (2 is 1)
Day 6: 6x Triple Merkin Burpees
Day 7: 7x Sit-Ups
Day 8: 8x T-Merkins

Gratitude for a solid beatdown took a little longer than usual to set in, but pain brings unity and a shared sense of purpose, so our COT and prayer were sweaty but powerful. Gratitude for these men for being willing to embrace the pain together!

SYITG (See You In the Gloom),
Goose

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YHC rolled up hot, about three minutes late, just before Enron could take over and lead the group in 45 minutes of straight jump squats. (He’s fired up to get everyone feeling his pain after posting solo on Saturday and completing 150 jump squats after a three mile run. I can only imagine what the last 30 or so looked like and what the ED White cross country team thought.) PAX consisted of Paradox, Enron, Cardinal, and YHC.

Warmup: SSH, Windmills, Arm Circles, Imperial Walkers, andSelf Love (a.k.a. Michael Phelps)

Thang:

Started with a run around the front loop (with the really big houses) completing one burpee at the first lamppost and adding one at each consecutive lamppost (got up to 13 for a total of 91 total burpees and plenty of concrete dust in my bellybutton).

Moved on to two Ring(s) of Fire(s):
-First Ring–PAX held plank in a circle while each took turns doing 10 reps of Merkins, then Plank Jacks, then Reverse Plank Mountain Climbers, then Mountain Climbers.
-Second Ring–PAX held Al Gore position in a circle while each took turns doing 10 reps of Jump Squats, then Apollo Ono’s (1 is 1), Twinkle Toes (heel raises in Al Gore position), and Lunges (1 is 1).

Then, PAX partnered up for some partner action:
1.) Partner 1 held a 6 inch hold while Partner 2 cariaocaed across the field and back (about 40 yards and back), switched, and then repeated with a backwards run there (a.k.a. “nur”) and sprint back.
2.) Then, Partner 1 held a Mission Impossible Plank while Partner 2 cariocaed and then nur/sprinted the field.

Had about five minutes left for Mary, and after some comments about gratitude for how much easier core workouts are, we proceeded to complete the following, all IC (“in cadence”) 4-count: 20 Heels to Heaven, 40 Flutter Kicks, and 30 Static Wife Pleasers.

COT, gratitude for answered prayers, and Enron prayed us out. Extremely grateful to be on the journey with you men!

+2

For the first time in history, a total of five men fought their way out of the fart sack to post at the Stage on a Tuesday morning. It’s amazing what a difference one more guy makes on the morale of a group of sweaty dudes pushing their limits on a cold morning. The sunrise was gorgeous as expected as Enron, Cardinal, Paradox, and Percolator joined YHC in the gloom for what would be a memorable experience.

Warmup–the usual plus some: SSH, windmills, arm circles, cherry pickers, Imperial Walkers, self love, high knees, butt kicks.

The Thang (Jose 10K-inspired):
Had three coupons (expected only four PAX to show) lined up on the concrete by the grass. Each coupon was assigned a different exercise, and we added one exercise space sans coupon at the end of the line to make room for the extra guy. While four PAX were pumping concrete (AMRAP: As Many Rounds as Possible), the fifth bear crawled, sprinted, and backpedaled a figure 8 around the field. Once he returned, all moved to the next station and repeated until all PAX completed all stations once. Three separate rounds.

Round 1:
-Coupon 1: Curls
-Coupon 2: Alternating Merkins
-Coupon 3: Manmakers
-Sans Coupon 4: LBC’s

Round 2: (field work changed to a rectangle instead of a figure-8 for time)
-Coupon 1: Windshield Wipers
-Coupon 2: Overhead presses
-Coupon 3: Kettle Bell Swings
-Sans Coupon 4: Flutter kicks

Round 3: (sprinted the full rectangle for time)
-Coupon 1: Bent over rows
-Coupon 2: Bench press
-Coupon 3: Squat Thrusters
-Sans Coupon 4: Big Boy Situps

With each member of the PAX evenly spaced out and doing a different exercise with a coupon in front of the stage, it looked like it could have been a promo video with a bunch of male models demonstrating the benefits of F3. We just needed some background music, a narrator, and some better looking men who wouldn’t take so many breaks. (Ha!)

Count off, name off, then Paradox prayed us out. It was a glorious morning!

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