There was some good mojo at the Fort yesterday. We saw a lot of HUGE dead lift PR's! Our buddy Pete pulled 500lbs, and his sister Stephanie pulled 297lbs. Like I've said before, I definitely want some of their Greek blood! In addition to two new gold medals, we also saw PR's from Garth, Tommy Mo, Strong Julie, Alicia, Earl, Mark M., Bender, Brian, Jack and Brianna. Congratulations you guys!
The metcon was the dreaded Angie. Angie is a workout that is so evil, it's name is deserving of italics. It's always funny to watch people's reaction to the workout as they wander in. There's the groan, the sigh, and of course, the eye roll.
Angie
100 pull-ups
100 push-ups
100 sit-ups
100 squats
Again, there was some good mojo hanging in the air, because we saw some lightning fast times on this workout. Congrats to everyone for PR'ing yesterday including Stacy for her blazing fast 17:26 finish! Atta girl!
By my calculations, there were approximately 3,975 pull-ups performed at the Fort yesterday. That's a LOT of pull-ups! I noticed that there was a cloud of chalk dust hanging in the air and there were also about 10 sets of chalky hand prints on the floor, which brings me to my point....
LET'S SETTLE THE HECK DOWN WITH THE CHALK USE
I understand that there is a need for chalk, especially when there are heavy weights and a lot of pull-ups. Believe me....I get it. What I don't get is taking the chalk block and scrubbing in for surgery up to your elbows until your hands are an inch thick with chalk and then CLAPPING above the chalk bucket. (clapping? really?)
The directions for using chalk are as follows:
Step 1: Approach the chalk bucket, and crouch down so you can stick your hands in it.
Step 2: Grab the block of chalk (not the powder) and swipe it two times on each hand.
Step 3: Gently rub your hands together inside the bucket to shake off the excess chalk.
Step 4: Repeat as necessary.
See? That's not so hard. After the bajillion pull-ups yesterday, Bill and I were left vacuuming chalk dust, brushing the chalk out of the bars, wiping off the pull-up bar, and even scrubbing chalky hand prints off the floor. If you bleed, sweat, vomit or leave chalky hand prints, let's be courteous to the next class and find the mop. Mkay? Bill is threatening to take away the chalk, and that makes me sad.
Guns 'n' Hoses crushes Angie!
March 10, 2010, 5:00 pm
I'm blaming the chalk showers for my torn hands.
No more chalk for me.
March 10, 2010, 6:15 pm
maybe we need to work on our chalking form as part of mobility drills cause I tore the piss out of my hands too!
March 10, 2010, 8:24 pm
And I quote Wild Bill:
"People use Chalk as a crutch. It's a reason to rest. You really don't need it."
Just sayin'......
March 10, 2010, 8:49 pm
I do the LeBron James chalk move all the time and never rip my hands. "Eva" so far has been the only handripper. It's your grip on the bar and how much you kip that's the culprit, not chalk.
That being said, I can hose out my garage from chalk use. Those mats look like a pain. Post WOD skill for chalk people, scrubbing stall mats for time.
Agree with Bill's chalk as a time waster quote, not it's use of chalk sentiment.
March 11, 2010, 8:04 am
I didn't use any chalk though on Tuesday- there was just so much left on the bar
March 11, 2010, 8:22 am
Which brings up another obvious question, Sparky:
When are we gonna' see your sexy bad self up at the Fort? It's about time you hightail it up, catch a few WOD's with us and hang.
And, as an added bonus, you can teach everyone (that uses it) how to chalk correctly.
Hope to see you soon m'man!
March 11, 2010, 10:58 am
Might stop in next week during the week! Third baby coming on the 26th of this month.
Super chalked up is the way to go.
Brit, if your hand rotates around the bar (chalk or no chalk) with a Kip you'll create friction. Gloves are the solution, take the ribbing not the ripping. I use tape around the bar and chalk, makes it so my hands do not rotate, hard on the grip though.
March 11, 2010, 11:20 am
I have used tape around the bar. That's how the bar was when I went to a couple other affiliates. At the one, it tore the hell out of my hands but that could have been because my hands continued to rotate due to the fact that the structure was freestanding and moving while I was doing my pull ups. I can tell the difference though.
And yesterday, I put on gloves as soon as my hands started to tear but they still continued to tear up even with those on. I don't know. I think I need more fish oil or some new skin...
March 11, 2010, 11:23 am
If I start wearing gloves does that mean I have to carry around a purse when I workout?
March 11, 2010, 12:58 pm
That sucks about your hands. It takes soooo long to feel like they're healed. I would scale back the numbers to avoid a tear any day of the week.
80 lb sandbag "purse" would be a bad ass glove acessory.
March 11, 2010, 1:15 pm
Gotta say, this was my first experience with Angie. Holy Crap! Kinda feel like I have to quote Job from the Bible after God showed up on the scene, he said, and I quote from Job chapter 42 verse 4-6
"My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
What a beast. I was in wave two so I started with sit ups and progressed through squats, then pull ups and push ups. I used the green band but that was still a killer. Got to where I could only do 5 pull ups at a time, by the time I made it to the pushups I only had time to do 28 before Bill mercifully called time on me at 26:00
In fact, my sister in law is named Angie and I immediately texted her after the WOD to let her know that I hate her.
The next morning, my lats hurt so bad my wife had to turn my collar down over my tie and help me into my coat. That didn't help me make much progress in my attempt to get her to join the Fort I gotta tell ya!
March 11, 2010, 1:51 pm
Yesterday, post "Angie" Matty Lo asked who else has really sore lats and said I was feeling it a bit. Today? Even more....
Great effort from you Heath, nice work! I'm curious, who helped you with your coat once you got to work?
Brit - I'm with ya about the tape on the bar. You and I, at sectionals in MO, grabbed their bar and that was rough. I almost tore myself up without even doing 1 single pull-up.
As far as the purse, yeah well, be prepared for an onslaught from me. You know I won't be able to resist the wisecracks....
March 11, 2010, 2:06 pm
Tommy
Wasn't brave enough to wear an overcoat over the suit coat so the suit coat stayed on all day long until late in the day when the 5 ibuprofen I took had kicked in enough to be able to do it myself. Thought it would be too embarassing to have my 6 foot 8 coworker helping me into my coat.
March 11, 2010, 2:23 pm
Aw come on Heath, that would have been cute. It could have been a scene right out of "My Giant" starring the great Gheorghe Muresan and Billy Crystal. Cinematic GOLD, I tell you!
March 11, 2010, 2:31 pm
THAT'S funny, I'll have to share this conversation with him tomorrow when I'm back in that office.
March 11, 2010, 3:31 pm
My Giant - I will NEVER forget that movie!
That's awesome Brian. You know I am laughing on my end now. Nicely done.
March 12, 2010, 11:21 am
Only on this site will we find references to the old testament a la Job and the movie 'My Giant' when discussing the same subject, oddly enough that subject being a workout...I'm lovin it!
March 12, 2010, 12:47 pm
Bill, need some input here, I seriously hurt myself dude. I was gonna be there last night hoping another WOD would workout some of the soreness but had a small emergency come up and had to run to Gurnee. I can't sleep at night my lats and biceps hurt so bad. Is it possible I overdid it or am I just being a wuss? Can't make it in tonight or tomorrow b/c of work but plan to get in a run tonight and work on my double unders at home.
March 12, 2010, 2:36 pm
You know it's a good wod on Monday when you still feel it on Friday
March 15, 2010, 10:43 pm
Heath, you most definitely over did it. Hope you are feeling better by now. Let me know if you are still experiencing soreness.
March 16, 2010, 8:40 am
Defginitely better now. Havent been in cause wife out of town and picking kids up from babysitters pushes me late. Hopefully second half of the week.
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500 W. Wegner Rd., Unit EMcHenry, IL 60051
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