This was YHC’s VQ and my final workout as a 49 year old. I started week 13 in F3 on Friday and have really enjoyed being a part of it. So this birthday Q had a bit of a theme with a song from an era of similarly aged individuals. “Say, we can go where we want to. A place where they will never find. And we can act like we come From out of this world, Leave the real one far behind. And we can dance. Or sing.”
Warm Up
10 side shuffle hops
10 willie Mayes hayes
12 little baby arm circles (make them big after 6)
12 reverse little baby arm circles (make them big after 6)
10 empirical walkers
10 slow merkin
“I say, we can dance, we can dance. Everything’s out of control. We can dance, we can dance. We’re doing it from pole to pole. We can dance, we can dance. Everybody look at your hands. We can dance, we can dance. Everybody’s taking the chance”
Main Event “The Thang”
A declining progression workout in two parts – part 1 is 5 exercises – round one 10 reps, round two 9 reps, round three 8 reps, etc stopping after round 4.
The five moves were:
- Burpee oyo – everybody’s favorite icebreaker
- Safety Dance 4 count IC – new to F3 Churham, but quickly a popular choice
- Merkin single count IC
- Peppermint Patties aka Jump Squats single count IC
- Foxhole IC
Peppermint Pattie led the Peppermint Pattie round each time through and special guest counters were called upon from the PAX for some of the rounds. Each time we through the round we came upon the Safety Dance a new a tidbit of info was dropped about the 1982 song and video by Men Without Hats – such as when new wave was replacing disco this song was written as a protest for getting thrown out of a club for “pogo dancing” (an individual dance which is done while jumping up and down), which was seen as a danger to tandem disco dancers safety. AND the lead singer is the only member of the band actually to perform in the video. He, and others in the video, can be seen repeatedly forming an “S” sign by jerking both arms into a stiff pose, one arm in an upward curve and the other in a downward curve, apparently referring to the first letter in “safety” while bouncing and alternating leg raises. AND The identity of the young blonde woman by the name of Jenny seen dancing in the video remained unknown until 2013, when she was identified as Louise Court, a journalist who was editor-in-chief at Cosmopolitan.
Several 10 counts were needed and sprinkled in as YHC’s first time at Q included a rather aggressive cadence count that was pointed out later in the morning. When round 4 was achieved we discussed why we stopped at 4. Inspired mathematician Bitcoin noted that our reps added up to the number 49. We them also discussed that AARP mails you an invitation to join about a week prior to your 50th birthday.
Next we moved via Ricky Bobby to the rock pile for Part 2 of the progression workout. PAX was asked to choose two rocks each of varying size. The original plan was for 6 exercises here but cut to 5 to conserve time and ensure the Bonus Round.
The five moves were:
- Curls single count IC
- Rows single count IC
- High Knee Step Ups – holding one rock, stepping up onto the other (or the curb) with a 4 count IC
- Tricep Extensions single count IC
- Chest Press single count IC
Rocks were swapped out several times by several PAX as they also were flummoxed by YHC’s “creative” counting”.
At the very welcome competition of Round 2 of the progression workout the PAX counted off and divided into two “teams”. A short mosey to the basketball court where each team was presented with a basketball and an unforgiving basketball rim on a tall pole. Layup lines ensued. The original goal was to see which team could make 49 baskets first. After throwing up enough bricks to build a basketball arena (and running short on time) team 2 was declared the winner. Scapula’s 2.0 Judge was the team MVP with 4 buckets.
A quick mosey back to the starting point followed.
Mary
Very short on time, very short Mary.
Flutter kicks, 4 count in cadence to 4
Flutter kicks, 4 count in cadence to 9
Freddie Mercury, 4 count in cadence to 4
Freddie Mercury, 4 count in cadence to 9
COT
Announcements/Prayer Requests include learning that Scrooge McDuck’s sister-in-law is about to give birth, coffeeteria would be at Panera, many PAX were staying for Romper Room, the EC team ran way too many miles, and that Parent Trap had a lot of fun.
YHC took us out in a quick prayer. Many thanks to the PAX for pushing through the counting errors, the quicker than normal cadence counts (thanks adrenaline), and the wrong name called for an assist – it made for a fun and memorable VQ. This group is first class, look another F.