09/18/2020 - Virtuosity - The Deck of Death
AO: Virtuosity
When: 09/18/2020
PAX:
Number of Pax: 13
Pax Names: Backstage, Bean Counter, Beetle Bailey, Buggs Bunny, Cowboy, Fender Bender, Flutie Flakes, Mr. Hankey, Rand McNally, Singlet, Sparkles, TPS Report,
DR Names:
Number of FNGS: 0
FNG Names:
QIC: Car Seat
Introduction
After the running-intensive week 3 IPC, the men of Virtuosity thought they would have it easy with a Q marooned in an apartment that could fit into their garages. They were wrong!
Warm-O-Rama
The post started off nice and gentle with seamlessly timed warmup:
Good Mornings
Abe Vigodas
Arm Circles (front and back, of course)
Side-Straddle Hops
Then we moved on to the Thang!
The Thang
Today, there was one basic Thang – the Deck of Death.
YHC had a deck set to go. For each suit there was designated exercise:
Hearts – Hand Release Superman Merkins (on the “down”, chests were laid on the floor and arms spread like the Man of Steel)
Diamonds – Thrusters
Clubs – CTRs (The traditional CPR (curls, presses, rows) to CTR (curls, triceps extension, rows as the press was sufficiently covered with the Thrusters.)
Spades – Straight-leg coupon Big Bois (arms starting raised above the head, parallel to the floor and finished the sit up with the arms outstretched over the legs)
Ace was high and for the two Jokers – 10 Navy Seal Burpees each.
This started off easy, but with a rapid pace card-flipping and no ten counts, the PAX were could barely keep up with the pace. With barely enough time to spare for “Masha”, the PAX shredded through 51 of the 54-card deck.
Here in Brighton Beach/Coney Island, Brooklyn, there are more Russians than Americans, so we don’t get on our 6 for Mary, but rather her Slavic cousin, Masha.
With little time to play on the floor, we kept it brief:
Russian Twist on a four count (рас, два, три, четыре)
LBCs to let the PAX finally start to catch their breath
Planks for the final 43 seconds or so
Circle of Trust
In the Circle of Trust, we lifted up @Mr. Hankey’s and YHC’s challenging life circumstances and asked for general guidance in each facet of the PAX’s lives. YHC, reflected on prior COTs, particularly recent ones led by @TPS Report, and how the accountability inherent in F3’s Solution has had a real positive impact on my life in coping with the demands and unpredictable exigencies I seem to face daily, of late. The PAX was exhorted to embrace the responsibility and accountability of joining each other for the morning posts.
Naked Man Moleskin
I had my VQ in July. I waited for my 40th post, because I like milestones, I guess. I had every intention of jumping on the Q sheet regularly. A day or two before my sophomore Q, I strained my Achilles. This in turn caused an inflammation in my hamstring, which I completely severed back in 2004 (four weeks prior to my wedding, to my then-betrothed’s chagrin).
So, what happened next? I was sidelined for about six weeks. And once you are down that long, it is hard to jump back in the mix, especially when you are deeply concerned about age, mortality, and an “is this it” injury.
One of the things that nag at me in the back of my head is what if Virtuosity goes away. You would think that would encourage me get as many in as possible. Alas, after missing so many weeks, I was disinclined to ramp it back up. Then, a few of the PAX DM’d me. This stirred up and to get back on Slack – at which pint I read about the Iron Pax Challenge.
That was it. Concerns about re-injury, I jumped back in. Week 1 and 2, were tough on me; but somehow, I felt strong and motivated by week 3. And that was it! The Q sheet was open and I grabbed the next shift. It seems to have gone well, and I already have the next one almost fine-tuned and ready to go. It promises to be another sweat fest – and we’ll try to give it some Brooklyn and руский (Russian) flavor.