So it's about that time. We have about 13 days left until Bill leaves for Glynco, GA for ATF training. He'll come back for weekend visits, but he'll still be gone for the better part of 6 months. It'll be a sad "see you later" for most of us, so let's have a party to make ourselves feel better! 

My sister has graciously offered....well kind of offered....I'm VERY persuasive....to have Bill's going away party at her house. We would like to invite all of our members and their families to help us send Bill off in style! Details will be posted on the whiteboard at the Fort. The party will be Saturday, January 24th at 6:30 PM. I'll spare my sister, and won't post her home address on my website. 

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There's nothing like getting your weekend started with a great workout done with great friends! Thanks to everyone who came Saturday morning and endured another one of our workouts! The workout was: 8 rounds of tabata squats followed by 4:00 of muscle ups - rest 8:00 then do it all over again. Your final score for each round was your lowest squat score multiplied by the number of muscle ups you got in 4:00.  

Man oh man do I love tabata squats. There's something magic that happens after squatting for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. Your legs take on a jello like quality, and the muscles stop doing what you want them to do!  

Some of us were total sandbaggers the first round, but did a nice job stepping things up the second round. You know who you are!

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Our Team Friday event was "the Filthy Fifty with a Friend".  If you brought more than one friend, you were asked to do the "Sweaty Seventy with 2 Friends".  If you ever wanted a workout where you got to do EVERY SINGLE MOVEMENT we do, the Filthy Fifty would just about cover it.  I think the only thing left out of the workout are deadlifts.  Here's what we did for time:

50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings
50 Walking Lunges
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Which part of the Filthy Fifty do you like the least?  I know for me, it's always the knees to elbows.  Believe it or not, I dislike those even more than the 50 burpees in this workout!  

Clark and Amber were our champs! Nice job you two!

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Remember how I asked who likes rowing better?  Well now I'm going to ask who likes burpees better?!  Most everyone said rowing was better than burpees, but after yesterday's workout do you really still feel that way?  The workout yesterday was 30-25-20-15-10-5 of pull-ups and burpees.  Yeah burpees!  They're not so bad, are they?

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Wow Dad!  You're lookin' mighty spiffy deadlifting in your tall socks!  I guess tall socks aren't just for girls anymore! Some girls swear that tall socks and lip gloss give them magic abilities to pull huge numbers...I hope it works out for you.  

We worked our  sets of 5 on deadlifts  yesterday.  5 x 5, and work your way up to a five rep max.  I wasn't at class yesterday, but Bill told me about some of the numbers you guys put on the board.  You guys impress the heck out of me EVERY time!  Stacy did sets of 5 with what used to be her single rep max, and Kelly set a new PR by doing sets of 5 with weight that is 130% of her bodyweight! Great, great job!

Don't forget that tonight is firefighter Fran night!  Clark, what time will you be at the Fort?  We don't want to miss it!

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Remember how the other day I asked which you thought was worse; burpees or rowing?  Almost everyone I talked to thought burpees were the absolute worst exercise around.  You guys whole heartedly and passionately expressed your dislike of burpees. (or pain filled soul suckers as they are sometimes called) Fast forward to yesterday and Bill throws this little number up on the board:

Row 2000 meters
21 push press (body weight)
Row 1000 meters
15 push press (body weight)
Row 500 meters
9 push press (body weight)

I want everyone who was NOT at the Fort to visualize the layout of the gym for a minute.  Consider this to be your mental field trip.  First picture where the rowers are.   Now, visualize yourself strapping into the rower, and rowing for 2000 meters. Ok...very good.  What's that you say? Your legs aren't working?  No problem. Just head downstairs to where we keep the bumper plates...Bill will be waiting there with a stop watch to cheer you through your push presses. 

GOODLORDTHATWORKOUTMADEMYLEGSFEELLIKEJELLO is the official name for yesterday's workout.  Everyone did absolutely great despite half of your body not working propely. 

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Ok, Bill....nice try.  You can't trick me into doing Fran just by calling it something else!  Back on January 7th I told Fran "F-you, I'm done with you".  If I went back on my word now, I'd look silly.  The workout yesterday was as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of 12 thrusters and 10 pull ups.  THRUSTERS AND PULL UPS.  It's like Fran, but for longer.  There's no finishing in 9 minutes; there's just 20 minutes of suck.  To everyone who completed it yesterday, you guys are amazing!  I looked at the board and was shocked at how many rounds everyone got!  Brittany, nice work girlfriend!  And Zach R....you are just unreal.  Not only did you go 10kg above the prescribed weight, you wore that 20lb weight vest again!  

There have been some adjustments to the class schedules - I think we went 5 days in a row with nobody at our 7AM or 8AM classes, so they are getting canned.  See the class schedule page for all the info.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Has anyone ever wanted to watch Firefighter Fran in person?  WELL I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! Clark has asked if he can come in this Thursday night and do Firefighter Fran!  If anyone would like to stop by and watch, please feel free.  We might even be able to convince Zach R to do weight-vest-fran-wearing-a-snorkel at the same time.  This is definitely an event not to be missed.  Times have yet to be determined, but it will likely be at either the 6PM or 7PM class.

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