09/02/2020 - Black Panther - Iron Pax Challenge Week 1 – People Like New
AO: Black Panther
When: 09/02/2020
PAX:
Number of Pax: 23
Pax Names: Bobby Fischer, Boston Butt, Boxcutter, Brick, Captain Underpants, DJ Sump Pump, Early Bird, Enron, Fargo, Flo, Half Price, Impossible Burger, Judge Smails, Lewinsky, Milton, Party Boy, Pork Rinds, Rudy, Sosa, The Wedding Planner, Tonka, Urkel, Zima,
DR Names:
Number of FNGS: 0
FNG Names:
QIC: Parks and Rec
Introduction
I took a glance at the Q Sheet on Saturday afternoon and saw there was an opening at Black Panther on Wednesday. Couple of clicks and now all I needed to do was watch the Iron Pax Challenge Week 1 video. At some point on Sunday the beatdown was posted. I didn’t pay close attention to it. I noticed a couple of new exercises in there that I hadn’t done before. I’ll take a peak at those closer to Wednesday morning.
Tuesday afternoon rolls around and Pork Rinds messaged me offering some help with timing. Our local DJ, DJ Sump Pump said he would bring his light machine and music. A few hours pass and I’m off to my daughter’s softball game against the best team in the league. About an hour into the game my phone starts blowing up like a drug dealer. I take a looksie and DJ Sump Pump and Pork Rinds are messaging me about apps that will play a sound every minute on the minute for the burpee portion of the beatdown. Told them to run with it and tucked that thing away because I had a game to manage. Q’n this thing tomorrow just got easier, I just have to show up, call out a few warm up exercises and put together a Mary and CoT. On top of this, a few guys volunteered to proctor this thing. Nobody will be able to get away with “bro reps” tomorrow.
Got home, had a late dinner and joined a work meeting until 9:45. I decided to watch the exercise example video in the morning. I’ve been dealing with some lower back pain (hurt it washing the dishes Monday morning) for a few days and was hoping to wake up feeling better after a good night’s rest. Nope, that didn’t happen, the dog wanted to go out a few times overnight and my back was still sore. I’m thinking to myself this is really going to suck because I’m in pain and I didn’t have enough sleep. Pulled up the video to see the exercises, crap, this is really going to suck. Left my home at 4:50 and after driving a mile, I realized I had forgotten my gloves. Definitely going to need those, so I had to turn around and head back home. Pulled into the Black Panther lot about 5:00am and there were already a few pax stretching out. A few were running laps around the parking lot because they didn’t think the challenge would be enough work.
Did I mention it was starting to drizzle. The suck level just went up a bit. At about 5:05 am, Lewinsky put in his HC. The night before I prepared a sign with the list of exercises on it so that the pax could check it if they forgot. Pork Rinds set up the overall timer and one minute burpee interval timer. Enron was actually five minutes early, a personal best I think. It was time to circle up. A couple of guys game in hot. It was time to jump into it.
Warm-O-Rama
I read that disclaimer thing, anyone that has seen me Q a workout knows I’m not a professional. Oh yeah, COVID-19 too.
We knocked out 10 goof balls, some slow Abe Vigodas, and 25 SSH’s. Urkel commented when I called out, “next exercise is the side straddle hop.” I think he said something along the lines of why not side straddle hops? Maybe I’ll explain that another day. It was time to get to work. We moved over to the grassy area by the pavilion. That way guys could use the grass or pavement or both. The disco lights were flipped on and we went over the exercises. I demonstrated the NEW exercise. None of the pax in attendance at BP had done “Hand Release Release Merkins” or “Jungle Boi Squats” before. There were a few comments about not needing to exaggerate the second release and I’m not going to jump that high on the squats to which I replied, “you do you.”
The Thang
…and we are off!
IRON PAX CHALLENGE WEEK 1
3 Burpees at the top of every minute followed by:
50 -Hand Release Release Merks
100- Leg Raises
150-Jungle Boi Squats
200- Big Boy’s
250- Lunge Steps (forward, not backwards)
The buzzer sounded and the first three burpees were underway. The drizzle had let up a bit, but the ground was wet and it was pretty humid. The pax pushed through this NEW merkin routine and it required a bit of getting used to. The buzzer sounded and it was time for burpees again. I had forgotten all about my back injury for a bit. Some more merkins and more burpees and a few guys started to pull out front. Pork Rinds brought his clicker so he would remember his count. Most others kept count in their head. There wasn’t a whole lot of mumblechatter. On to leg lifts, yep that didn’t feel good. I don’t even know what everyone else was doing at this point, I was in the zone and was trying to stay out of pain. The buzzer kept beeping and the pax kept grinding. Cap move around a bit to make sure the pax were doing everything correctly. I do not recall any one being called out on form. It may have happened though. I asked Cap what the running time was an he said twenty something, right away I knew I needed to pick it up a bit. There was a little chatter between Urkel and Lewinsky as they were moving though this neck and neck. Oh yeah, those tunes that somebody brought, I really don’t remember them at all. It was much longer and this guy Monica had finished. Not that surprised, he is always hustling. That sitcom kid finished second. After that I really don’t know the order. I know that Brick and Boxcutter were moving too though. Sorry if I left anyone out. I was banging out the lunges, trying to do more each round and finally wrapped up about 37:55. I thought that was decent considering the pain I was in. Milton finished at about the same time. I went over and helped my buddy Rudy knock out his final lunges and a few burpees. We finished together and then I went and helped out Flo wrap up his lunges. In the moment, I thought that was the most difficult IPC I have done to date. No way was I going to try to beat my time on Friday. It was time to circle up for Mary, some guys needed to get moving. As we did Count-a-Rama and Name-a-Rama the remaining pax completed the challenge. I appreciate the fact that they put in the effort to finish the routine doing the exercises correctly.
Circle of Trust
We thanked God for giving this incredible opportunity to get stronger together. We thanked him for allowing these men around us to help is get through this challenge together. We asked for prayers for Mr. Miyagi, Cap’s counsin, Danny and Marissa. Bring healing to those that are dealing with health issues and healing to those that are dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Naked Man Moleskin
Honestly man, I didn’t prepare a whole lot for this one. I started reading Freed to Lead on Saturday and have finished about 90+ pages of it. The part that stuck in my mind this morning was that the exercises have to be hard. Today was hard. It was hard for most of us. I’m sure there are a few of you guys that classified this as WHOOP “light functional fitness,” but that was hard for me. Anyway, back on point, we wouldn’t keep coming back if this was easy. Who wants to get out of bed for something that doesn’t challenge them? Not me.
It was good to have a few New exercises thrown in today, people like New. As for the softball game, we lost 21-6, but I loved coaching my daughter’s team and any day I’m out there with her is a win for me. Peace! I’m outta here!