Opening thoughts:
It’s been 5 days since YHC last posted… Week 2 Iron PAX left me wrecked – arms stiff, hamstrings incapable of movement, shoulders afire… took me 5 days to feel ready to get back out there, and I’m still feeling remnants of it.
Reflecting on my first two weeks, I was a bit disapointed at my performance. Week 1 I got in my own head, panicking I wouldn’t be able to kick it after running the Pine. Week 2 I felt good until KB swings, where a pop in the low back freaked me out and left me skittish for the remainder of the workout.
This week I was coming in angry and rested. Frustrated at my performance, determined to push throughout and leave content with my numbers…
4:30 alarm – quick yoga flow to get the body moving, stretch out the hammies, eat some overnight oats, stretch out the hammies, one scoop of preworkout just for the IronPAX challenge, stretch the hammies, grab stuff, head to car, drop stuff, forget keys, back to house, grab keys, drop stuff, back to car, here we go!
YHC arrived PRECISELY at 5:30 and got the PAX right to work
Caloric expenditure begins
SSH x 20
Imperial Squat Walker x 20
Arm circles x 10
Iron (bars) sharpen Iron
PAX sent to grab iron bars/blocks, YHC brought a 35# cinderblock to comply with the IronPAX official rules – set up 10 yard away from speaker/timer.
Week 3 of the challenge was excessively complex, but F3 Churham is nothing if not brainy. Instructions:
AMRAP – 30 minutes – push yourselves, men.
15 Burpee Block Jump Overs (BJOs)
50 hand release merkins
10 yard out and back bunnyhop/broadjump
14 Burpee Block Jump Overs (BJOs)
50 goblet squats w/ coupon
10 yard out and back bunnyhop/broadjump
13 Burpee Block Jump Overs (BJOs)
50 leg raises while holding coupon
10 yard out and back bunnyhop/broadjump
12 Burpee Block Jump Overs (BJOs)
50 hand release merkins
10 yard out and back bunnyhop/broadjump
11 Burpee Block Jump Overs (BJOs)
50 goblet squats w/ coupon
10 yard out and back bunnyhop/broadjump
10 Burpee Block Jump Overs (BJOs)
50 leg raises while holding coupon
10 yard out and back bunnyhop/broadjump
This would continue theoretically down to 1 BBJOs, though 30 minutes does not provide that as a human possibility.
Final score is calculated by Burpee BJOs (15+14+13+12+11… etc) + total exercises (50 x rounds completed). 10 yards out and back is not included in total score.
YHC got through 9 rounds + 5 final Burpees for a total of 554 exercises, Loonie led the pack the whole day, and likely hit mid 600s or more, though the excessive instructions meant he may have improvised a bit on order of operations… far from takes away from his work though – I was glad to have him beside me for a push.
Iron returns to the hole from whence it came
No time for Mary – a gassed PAX name-o-rama’d and YHC took us out.
BOM: the Iron PAX challenge has been a fascinating departure from the usual F3 experience. A typical F3 exercise is filled much like a mixed-ability classroom: chunked activities that allow the stronger PAX to work ahead and get in extra practice by coming back and helping the 6. Those who struggle can feel comfortable that they’ll never be left behind. The challenge has been different in some ways. All 3 weeks have set up a single workout that will take around 30-40 minutes to do at your own pace. This total freedom of pace means it’s very simple to slack off, to let your brain take over and seek comfort instead of pushing outside of your comfort zone.
I feel like this is applicable for life as well. Many of us are born with innate privileges and blessings that leave us without fear of being left behind. We can be working hard and getting better, but we do so within the framework of support from those around us (family, friends, colleagues, etc). I’ve worked my ass off for much of my life, but I’ve done so without any real anxieties of my greater life. I know that if things go horribly wrong, I have a family that will support me, emotionally and likely even financially if need be. So many people don’t have this in their lives. Many go through life with the reality that a single mistake could ruin them, that a single event could derail their entire life. They don’t have the freedom of knowing that the PAX will help them, that if they just wait a bit something new and better will come along.
My challenge for the PAX was to recognize our own innate blessings that many others don’t have, and to be an ally/advocate for those that are not born as lucky as we are.
Much love,
SDR