Maintain Expectations

It’s been a while since I’ve posted at Martha’s House on a Monday. I’m excluding The Murph since that was a holiday. My M typically attends her boot camp classes on Monday’s and Wednesday’s leaving me to fill the gaps on my own or at other AO’s. As the Region’s Weasel Shaker, I’ve been monitoring the good things going on each week. When Gastone offered the spot to Q, the temptation was too hard to resist. I humbly asked my M for permission for the early morning am spot on our shared calendar and she gratuitously stepped aside. Maybe something to do with Father’s Day, or quite possibly the speech Whoopee gave at the belated After Christmas (but still before the next Christmas) Party. Whatever it was, I was free and clear.

As I went to work on my Weinke, I knew I needed to bring a steady diet of challenge that would make our Site Q proud and willing to extend another invitation to Q, hopefully not five months between (that was on me). This famous hill I’ve read so much about was incorporated along with another promise to Whoopee to carve at least one song from my playlist of 80’s hair trash/metal for a little George Strait. I had a few other ideas brewing that I needed an ideal PAX divisible by 3. As fate would have it, 9 men stumbled into the gloom. No FNG’s though I was happy to see Dr. Feelgood off IR and in the circle. With that, the disclaimer was “modify as needed, don’t get hurt.” The warm-up didn’t waste any time to get the heart rate up; 50’s seconds to complete the following:

• 5 Burpees
• 10 High Knees (5 each leg)
• 10 Butt Kickers
• 10 Mountain Climbers
• 10 SSH
• Repeat 4 more times for total of 5

Pledge

Mosey to Gastone’s hill a little more than a half mile. Partner into three-somes for a mé·nage à trois of pain. Partner 1 remains at the bottom of the hill to perform flutter kicks; Partner 2 travels to the to top of the hill to perform merkins; Partner 3 sprints up the hill. After each run, the partners exchange positions (and if you want your dirty mind to drift into that realm of perverseness, well, that’s on you). As I was describing…everyone goes AMRAP on the exercises with each PAX completing three laps. The only mumble chatter was Whoopee belaying Geddy Lee’s high pitched falsetto in ‘Anthem.’  Sorry, only one George Strait song on my phone. There was heavy breathing as we gathered for a recovery at the bottom of the hill and I didn’t have any words of wisdom to share to bide the time. So we took inventory around the circle of each man’s highlight from Father’s Day. For 8 of us, it was a lunch or dinner with our family. Gastone watched Tombstone with his M and 2.0; he was declared the winner.  Time to move.

Up Riverwood Parkway toward Union and hanging a left into the Dollar General parking lot for a light version of Insanity. Three exercises to be completed over 30 seconds with a half minute breather in between.

Set 1

• Lt. Dans
• Step-out Merkin (begin in high plank; right arm/leg move out for Werkin; return to plank, then move left arm/leg out for another Werkin; return to plank)
• American Hammer
• Repeat

Set 2

• Lunge jump – 15 seconds right/15 seconds left
• Cross-fit Merkins
• Crunchy Frogs
• Omaha’ed second round

Mosey to the old Harris Teeter for some wall work. The timer was out for another few sets; as many reps as possible in 30 seconds with a 30 second rest between.

Set 1

• Mike Tysons
• Wall taps
• Wall sit
• Turtle crunch (feet on the wall, crunch forward to touch wall, this is a burner)
• Repeat

Set 2

• Donkey kicks
• Plank taps
• Wall sit – marching
• Hip slappers
• Repeat

Mosey back to the Snow-ball parking lot with 6 minutes left. One final push to maintain the heart-rate. I had a few sets of 11’s remaining on the Weinke. With all the merkins completed thus far, I omaha’ed the merkin/dip set to SSH/Mtn. Climbers (10 SSH, 1 Mtn Climber, then 9 SSH, 2 Mtn Climbers, and so on). Three minutes left, time for Mary. Began with a new one that I don’t have a name for it other than to call it what we did: Knee claps. On your six, right leg extended, lift your left knee and clap underneath, then lower left, raise right and clap under the right knee. We went 40 reps. Need to stretch the abs and called out Michael Phelps, always a crowd pleaser. The in-cadence count went to 10. In the final minute I called for Freddie Mercury which I promptly began doing American Hammers – Q Fail! Defib quickly pointed out the positive sign for a Q to perform the wrong exercise called due to delirium. I’ll go with that but always room for improvement as a QIC. TIME!

COT

This workout was designed to be intense, to push the heart rate without much rest. The PAX were up to the challenge pushing along and staying together on the runs. The 30 second sets allowed for the “you vs. you” part to be earned. Judging by the sweat and little mumble chatter, that was accomplished as well. I know Dr. Feelgood has been working to get back into the gloom, so it was great to have him among the PAX. There were no announcements, a prayer request from Easy Rider for his brother James that may need neck surgery. Dr. Feelgood’s parents and his health were offered as well. It was great to be back at Martha’s. Hopefully the next post will be sooner rather than later.

For those scoring at home the playlist went as follows: Amarillo By Morning (G. Strait), Awake (Godsmack), Sweet Home Alabama (LS), Wild Side (Motley), Anthem (Rush), Hot For Teacher (VH), Running On Empty (Jackson Browne), Land of Confusion (Genesis), If You Want Blood (ACDC), Feel Invincible (Skillet). Until the next time, thanks for allowing me to lead.

Short Sale