Category: Backblasts

  • Angie’s List will check you for Ticks – from Sandbar

    YHC has been in a constructive state of mind as of late and bricks seemed to be just the thing. Bonus is having my 2.0s leave the the comfort of the AC for 10 minutes to load my truck the night before.

    Warmup – 10 grass grabbers IC. That’s it.

    Mosey to the truck to pickup bricks. Mosey with the bricks to the levee.

    Recent rain had kept the levee board from mowing, or the inspection guy has been on vacation. Grass was high and wet. Much grousing among the PAX re: snakes, rats and ticks. Angie’s List was particularly interested in the ticks and where they might end up.

    We did 7’s. Brickbys at the bottom and squat thrusters at the top. Each PAX had to blaze a trail through the tall grass to the top of the levee and back down and apparently stuck to their trail after it was made. When we finished, there were these neat lines up and down the levee like a crop circle bar code. Well done gentlemen!

    Mosey with the bricks back to the zoo. Pair up for Dora – 100 merkins, 200 floyd maywethers (with bricks), 300 LBCs (with bricks).

    After, we had a few minutes left for people’s chair wonderbras and dodo birds on the wall of the zoo, with the bricks.

    Mosey back to the flag for COT.

  • The Life of St. Vincent de Paul – from Paradox

    Bright morning sun, fresh cut grass and a few buried treasures met 10 PAX Saturday at the Peltch. The hype for the St. Vincent 500 is steadily building so YHC decided to give the PAX a history beatdown and honor the life of this great Saint.

    Standard issue warmup with some added flare. What/who is a Nancy Kerrigan? Still a mystery. During a recent beatdown intervention YHC was confronted by none other than Enron (Et tu, Brute?) about doing backwards arm circles during the time that is not clearly designated for either forward or backward arm circles. Strong opinions were laid on the table. An entire life’s work of beatdown warmups were questioned. Lines were drawn in the sand. In the end YHC acknowledged the error in his ways and gave into the authorities. Henceforth Q designates forward or backward AC. So let it be written.

    Enough Tom Foolery, to the beatdown..

    THANG 1 -The Early Life

    St. Vincent de Paul was born in a peasant village in rural France on 4/24/1581.
    PAX partnered up to get some monkey bar hang time while the partner knocked out 4 burpees, flap jack, followed by 24 LBCs, flap jack ,followed by 81 SSH. Flap jack. Tons of mumblechatter about the health attributes of a dead hang. Yankee Joe assured us his shoulder joints had actual cob webbs and Cardinal hung bravely from the short bar with worldclass form. We were all better for it. Coyote could still be hanging if he wanted to. The joint laxity is strong with 2.0s.

    A short mosey to the ball field where we continued to contemplate the hard work that St. Vincent learned while helping his family tend farm animals and plow fields. Staying in partner groups in wheelbarrow format we worked a small plot of land then had to flip the equipment for partner leg raises. Partners then swapped and one was the plow while the other provided the manpower. This was completed during the length of the classic from Jason Aldean “Amarillo Sky”. Team Goose with an impressive display of teamwork here as the 2.0s took a leg each to help Pops plow his field. Tclaps

    Mosey to the cornhole zone for a musical interlude. St. Vincent’s parents noticed his intelligence, and after many sacrifices were able to send him to study for the priesthood. After excelling in school, he was ordained as a priest at the age of 19. Due to the law at the time, he could not perform duties as a parish priest until 24 so he decided to pursue degrees in canon law and theology. Becoming a theology Rockstar was his goal but this was also a time of great spiritual turmoil for the young priest.

    PAX listened to “Party Rock” and performed Imperial walkers during the intro, seal claps on “claps” and then a cluster of
    Bonnie Blairs during the chorus. Earmuffs were applied as YHC could not find the nonexplicit version.

    Thang 2 -Seven Seas and “The Mission”

    After completing his education St. Vincent was eager to serve as a priest and put his years of learning into practice. God had other plans. He was captured by pirates and eventually sold into slavery. Through a span of 2 years he was traded from ship to ship. Instead of despair, St. Vincent used this time to learn alchemy, navigations, and continue the discernment process to find what God truly had planned for him.

    JBL played “Around the World” by Daft Punk while PAX completed around the world lunges and Moroccan night clubs during the short breaks.

    Next we headed for the seven seas. A preset course of cones directed us into stations of “treasure” on the crest of each wave. PAX started with 4x4x4 (merkins, mountain climbers SSH) as a single pax was fed into the ocean at a time. Crest stations included kettlebell OHP x10, heavy bar OHP x10 and dumbbell flies x10 while trough stations involved 5 merkins. Run between cones.

    St. Vincent eventually converted his own slave master to Christianity and won his release returning to France where he began the Congregation of the Mission and Daughters of Charity. Above all else his mission was to “be Christ among the poor “and to “see Christ among the poor”. He spent the next 30 plus years serving the poor and “left behind” population of France and allocating resources to provide for organizations to continue this work.

    We used these same 7 stations for “St. Vincent Webb’s” which consisted of increasing merkins x1 and air presses x2 until 7 merkins and 14 air presses were achieved. On the way back we did LBC x2 and American Hammers x4 in increasing fashion until 14 lbcs and 28 American hammers were complete.
    A mosey back to flag to complete the last segment of St. Vincent’s life. While afflicted with painful sores on his lower extremities St. Vincent was bound to a chair or bed until his death. He did not let this hamper his mission. He completed thousands of letters to the aristocracy of France and utilized these resources to provide for the poor and needy.

    Special round of Mary where we completed no leg movement core exercises. Penguins, big boy situps, Nolan Ryans, scuba steves and Australian sweat angels.
    COT and Prayer

    **Post Beatdown extra curriculars: encore version of “Party Rock” was completed while picking up cones and YHC accessories. Some say Enrons dance moves changed the course of Thibodaux history. Others were less enthused.

    Thanks for letting me lead fellas. As always I had a ball creating and attempting to execute this one. Excited to serve this community and continue the mission of St. Vincent de Paul through our upcoming fundraiser.

    Sign up your team for the SV500 and lets get those sponsorships locked down.

    SYITG
    Paradox

  • What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – from Akbar

    3 strong at the Marsh this morning for another humid beatdown.

    Warm Up: SSH, Grass Grabbers, Mountain Climbers, Peter Parkers, Arm Circles, Self Love, Windmills, Plank stretches.

    Short mosey to the playground for 3 sets of 5 pull ups and 10 Supine Rows.

    Mosey to the lakefront for the Thang: Exercises at the wall, mosey to the light post, jog back and repeato

    Bulgarian Split Squats IC x12 , lunge walk , calf raises x14 IC

    Dirkins x 25 OYO, Bear Crawl, Bouncy Squats IC x20

    Freak Nasty x13 IC, Hallelugiah High Knees, Good Mornings x10IC

    Stone Mountain 25 OYO, Hallelugian Butt Kicks, Renegade Row x 20IC

    Irkins 25 OYO, Bear Crawl, Merkin Plank Jacks x5 OYO

    Mosey back to the Marsh stopping at each intersection for 5 Merkin Plank Jacks

    Mary:

    LBC x20 IC, Hello Dolly x 10 IC, Rosalita x10 IC, LMC x 20 IC, 5 Merkin Plank Jacks OYO

    Announcements:

    Gnarly Nutria this Wednesday, A1C 2 Yr Anniversary, Thibadeaux beatdown August 13th

    Count, Nameorama ,and YHC prayed us out with thoughts for Pik’s father in law; JV getting settled in the new house; my new job; recent post on Slack about a family losing their 17 year old son; and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

    Thanks for letting me lead, always great to spend a Monday morning with my brothers to start off the week right.

    SYITG – Akbar

    NMM

    YHC was a little off in the beginning, but the Wiki helped get us back on track. Saw Garfield on his morning walk while doing Good Mornings. Mumblechatter was around the hard beatdowns lately, JV’s new house and improvements, and other weekend happenings.

  • Oh look, here is a new spot – from Hokie

    On Saturday night, YHC saw no one had signed up to Q Renaissance, so I signed up and designed a plan for or workout.

    Sunday I woke up with a sore back and went ah heck, I need to come up with a new plan to accommodate and pull this off…. or modify greatly if no one shows up 😉

    As 0630 arrived, there were 5 other Pax present so on with a new plan we went…

    Warm-o-rama

    Facing the bacon

    20 side straddle hops,
    20 imperial walkers,
    10 Slow Vigodas
    10 Concrete Grabbers

    THE THANG –
    Mosey with frisbee to Children’s Museum. each time frisbee hits ground, 5 Hindu Merkins.
    Arrival at Children’s museum and we moseyed up ramp to porch area for

    20 Incline Merkins on Adirondack chairs
    20 Air Drama (squat to calf raise)
    20 Flutter Kicks

    Next evolution, we ran backwards, the length of side of Children’s Museum along pond side
    20 Burpees
    20 Low slow Squats
    20 Freddy Mercuries
    we attempted to Hang on overhangs for 1 minute but the moisture/condensation did not accommodate our attempt

    We partnered up and wheel barreled the short distance along the back
    Switch and wheel barrel back
    20 decline merkins utilizing the railing
    20 low slow squats

    We lunged the long length back to the Adirondack chairs for
    20 Bulgarian Splits squats each leg
    20 Bohemian rhapsodies

    We took our frisbee and moseyed to The Foundry stopping for 5 burpees with each drop

    One at the Foundry we had six stations with one station being run backwards to the track and run forward back to the playground as the timer
    2. LBC’s
    3. Pull Ups
    4. Bobby Hurley’s
    5. Big Boi sit ups
    6. Merkins

    As the time approached 0705 we made our way back the the rear of NOMA where we found Tool out on a run who joined us for Sunday Mornings and COT.

    As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another – Proverbs 27:17

  • Core Strength builder – from PVC

    Warmorama

    Thang
    Run 50yard & 2 burpee run back (timer), step ups, BBSU, Kettle swing, flip tire…….rinse repeat

    Coolorama

    COT

  • The Cupid Shuffle – from Jose10k

    5 men showed up to the A1C this morning, ready to work out, but I don’t think they were ready for a little line dancing this morning.
    Warm-up: arm circles, grass grabbers, self love, torso twists all in cadence. About halway through, our own Covington Cowbell, aka, BBQ showed up at his regular cowbell time. Just in time for something different: the cupid shuffle. Bust out the speaker and song and it went like this. Shoulder taps the entire time until the word right was said then steps to the right, the word left said, then step to the left. The word kick, then right kick, then left kick up. Mountain climbers when you heard the word walk it out. Then back to shoulder taps. Nice 4 minute warm-up.
    The thang:
    Moseyed to the side of the A1C for some dora (Hammer style) 100 lunges (2 is 1), 200 squats, 300 merkins. One partner performs the exercise, while the other partner runs a loop around the parking lot. Once done, 2 calf raises up each stair back to the top, then 4 minutes of Mary. COT and Hammer prayed us out.
    Friendly reminder to my Mandivillians, 2 weeks from today is the 2 year anniversary of the A1C. Come on out and celebrate it with us. Thanks to my brothers for letting me lead today, even under the weather a bit.

  • Humility is a Moving Target – from Goose

    Storm clouds threatened as 6 PAX gathered in the muggly gloom for YHC’s third and somewhat wonky attempt at a beatdown. Nevertheless, the theme was true and the PAX was hungry. Said theme revolved around gratitude and humility.

    Warmup:
    The norm with an added deep hip flexor pulses (thing yoga crescent lunch with a hint of wife pleasers)

    Thang 1: Psalm 30:6-7
    We all too often, during the good times, can become complacent and thus tempted to push Him aside and “take over the reins.” Even in the tougher times, we are eager to “do it ourselves.” This is self-will run riot. To remind us of this awesome show of humility on the part of King David…
    PAX completed a set of worst worst merkins (6 ct each in slow cadence) with an additional 6 ct of full extended push-ups to fire up the core. (30 total); Lunged 15 yards; Round of mucho leg-o, 5 ct each of narrow squats, normal squats, wide squats, jump squats, and bonnie blair’s (30 total); Bear crawl 15 yards back to starting marker (15 + 15 = 30)

    Thang 2: Highway to Hell
    YHC spoke of a time when he took matters into his own hands, ignored all of the signs (literal and otherwise), and…well…destroyed a minivan and his pride. It was a powerful moment in humility (and certainly gratitude). With free will, we certainly must “drive,” but we also must pay attention to the signs and guideposts.

    PAX was treated to BOSÉ and an effortless demonstration of musical elysium to the tune of “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC. PAX did J-Lo’s throughout, dropping down for scuba steve’s during the chorus.

    Thang 3: Matthew the Egyptian (Matt 18:20)
    Part of YHC’s immense gratitude for the Thibodaux PAX could not be better summarized than Matt 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

    PAX lined up and completed a long series of “walk like an egyptian,” in which the entire PAX low lunged and held, while twisting core to the side of the front knee. The last PAX completed 5 LBC’s, bolted to the front of the line; the entire PAX then lunged to the opposite leg with opposite core twist. PAX completed 18 held lunges for a duration of 5 1/2 minutes. (In retrospect, the thang would work better with a larger PAX and clearer instructions from YHC)

    Thang 4: Illusion of Control
    To really break through our need for control in this life, we have to push through to a place where it (control) ceases to exist. In this case, muscle failure.
    PAX did merkins (OYO) until failure. Enron, Goose, and Paradox scorched YHC’s failure point of 32

    Next, PAX did squats until failure. Cardinal and Montana showed off some impressive stamina and eventually YHC had to call it for sake of time (next time, it will be bonnie blairs!).

    Next, freddie mercury’s and finally back to regular merkins under cadence; when YHC failed, Goose picked up the count with Goose and Paradox putting on a showcase of Dad strength.

    PAX finished with a strong session of Mary, big boy sit-ups, zombie crunches, supermans, scuba steve’s, etc. – all 30 ct. For the final exercise, yet to be named (our research team is madly combing through the Exicon literature), PAX got into superman position, but with hands behind head and toes grounded. Then lifted entire torso up to the left; returned to start position, still hovering, then lifted the torso up to right; returned to hover. PAX completed 10 count with a low country chorus of Gollum-like mumble(grunting).

    COT and Montana prayed us out. Grateful for the opportunity to serve. Will sharpen up transitions for next time.

    The storm never materialized.

    SYITG,

    Yankee Joe

  • Usual suspects and Amnesia – from Waterpik

    It was a normal Thursday around these parts until Ammesia showed up coming in hot on his bicycle. He joined us for the run, which was
    4 miles , 8:20 pace. Always tough to take the little red pill and get out of bed, but always proud and glad to have done so. With you guys holding me accountable it always seems easier. Have a good day men!

  • It’s only a minute – from Hokie

    1 Pax gathered at The Lakefront at 78° to the sounds of waves and seagulls at 0530 to very little Mumblechatter during Warm-o-rama

    Enjoying the peace & quiet YHC step up to lead the Q-less AO.

    Staying on the Lakefront we moseyed and periodically stopped at benches and light poles and planter boxes and did cool stuff for one minute.

    Sometimes we would stay at the same spot for two exercises like LEFT leg step ups AND also RIGHT leg step ups. Sometimes we would only do one exercise like merkins.

    Making “our” way back to the flag for COT “we” stopped for a little leap frog 😜

    After COR we stayed at the Lakefront to knock out this backblast to allow the moment to resonate before heading to coffeeteria and Q Source

  • Happy LiveAid Day! – from Rudy

    37 years ago today. Live Aid. July 13th, 1985. For those of us of a certain age, it might be hard to overstate how big of an event this was. This was early MTV days (music videos!). Concerts were still treats (because I had no real source of income). But I remember watching and listening to the whole thing – the mystery of Phil Collins hitting BOTH stages. IN THE SAME DAY. So today, as I earn my name on the bat alongside Hokie, I put together a Live Aid playlist.

    The Workout:
    Filled up the MINI with a whole bunch of toys from around the house. Battle rope. Bricks. Cinder Blocks (oh, I’ve missed you aNDy!). Logs. Weights. Cones. A lonely Medicine Ball. Thanks to the early arrivers (War Eagle, Charmin, Bogey) who helped me haul all of this from the car out to the field. Get them arranged in a circle and then ponder the eternal Q question “Uh, how many PAX today?” Would I need 6 stations? 16 stations? One never knows.

    Warm Up: somewhere around 10 PAX in the circle at 530. So a mosey around the football field border. Vagabond coming in hot. Then Hokie. BooBoo with the usual Orange Waterbottle (is he EVER without that?).

    Circle up next to the flag (yup, I even brought one of those). SSH, IW, Windmills.

    Meanwhile, the playlist is pushing out Bryan Adams “Summer of 69”

    Next up: trying to herd cats. we’ve got 13 people. so make do with 12 stations. The timer is run a half-a-lap holding the Wood-let/Toothpick overhead.
    * Burpees
    * Medicine Ball PushUps (Diamond or Stagger, your choice)
    * Big wooden Stump Crunch (or Hammer)
    * Butter Fly w/ Weights
    * Battle Rope (in Squat)
    * Dips (yup, we hauled a bench out to the middle)
    * Bear Crawl/Crawl Bear (about 20 yds out & back)
    * Rifle Carry a Cindy Block (again, about 20 yds0
    * Calf Raises on the other Cindy (WHOA Pillsbury! You ok there??? Hold onto the Flag!)
    * Brick Shoulder Taps
    * Curls w/ Weights
    * The big old log – Overhead or Bench Press

    12 stations. I do appreciate Frac BARKING instructions when it was his turn to run with the bat. We need more PAX who are less disruptive! (nah, that’s no fun…)

    Oh by the way, any PAX could buy a “skip” for the cost of 6 burpees for themselves PLUS 2 burpees for Charmin. (One time Charmin attempted to tell YHC that the Q couldn’t just tell 1 PAX to do something. I believe he has been corrected of that misconception.)

    So as we skipped through Sting’s Message in a Bottle (too slow), We Are the World (too cheesy) Madonna’s Get Into the Groove (Madonna?!?) and a few others – Charmin got plenty of burpees in (so did War Eagle for that matter).

    2 songs were Q-declared NO SKIP ALLOWED: Roll with the Changes (REO!) and Radio GaGa (Queen)

    13 loops through got us to 605. Partner up with one pair bricks each. PAX1: Floyd Mayweather. PAX2: Crab Walk/Walk Crab 20 yds out & back. Rinse and Repeat. Finish with a final 3 burpees for Charmin as we hit 615.

    COT: Count Off. Announcements. My word for the day – Intentionality. Asked all the PAX to frame a thought of something they are thankful for, and then commit to INTENTIONALLY showing their thanks to that person today. Not accidental (i.e., we all try to be nice to our family). But intentionally. Above and Beyond the norm. Something done specifically AND explicitly to show appreciation and thanks.

    War Eagle took us home. And THANK YOU to the PAX for helping me haul all this stuff back to the car (where Hand Gernada discovered, apparently for the first time, that YHC has ND stuff plastered all over his car….)