The Granite Games

6 Veterans gathered for a brisk and windy Batteau beatdown.  Here’s how things went down, more or less.

COP

20x SSH, 10x Merkins, Arm circles one-legged, Burpees (5x).

Mosey to the rock pile, where each Pax chose a slab of granite.

Mosey to tennis courts for partner rock planks/suicides.  One partner planks with rock on back while other partner runs 25, 50, 75, 100 suicides on the courts.  Alternate. Elbow planks first and then regular planks.

Mosey with rock to lighted grassy area next to tennis courts for some Highland games.  Exercises with the rocks included: Squat presses (10x), Overhead slams (20x), Underhand tosses (20x), Crossover merkins alternating hands on rock and ground(20x), Rock burpees (10x).

Mosey with rock to the stone pit.  One partner box jumps while other partner runs with rock up 2 sets of staircases. Switch roles.

Mosey with rock to the paved downhill.  Zobmbie walk with rock down hill.  Alligator crawl and crippled bear (one-leg up) back to starting spot (without rocks). Mosey back to bottom.  Crab walk back up with rock on stomach back followed by walking with rock overhead.

Mosey with rock back to stone pit for a Box Jump/Merkin ladder (without rocks).  1-7x.

Mosey with rock back to the tennis court grassy area.  For 10x overhead slams, 20x crossover merkins, 15x goblet squats in cadence, and 10x woodchoppers (5 each arm).

Mosey back to tennis court for one more round of partner elbow rock planks/suicides.

Return rock to its resting place and mosey back to flag.

COT

YHC took us out.

Moleskin.

Random thoughts:  One key to making this a good workout is the goldilocks principle—get a rock that is just right.  As we were selecting rocks, YHC’s initial rock was too heavy, and looking around for someone stronger, he traded with Swirly—a good decision as Swirly’s original rock was just right for him.  Swirly looked pretty smoked, so I think the trade was a good one for both of us.    YHC also gained a new appreciation for those with taller frames and correspondingly more weight to carry around.

Exercise notes:  As far as exercises go, we could have handled a larger # on the slams and tosses, but the burpees and crossover pushups were just right (for YHC at least). In the future we should bring some more rocks up to our makeshift pile to give folks more options.  Rock plank suicides are a good way to push each other towards good plank form and fast suicides!  The crippled bear was a crowd pleaser and will make an appearance on YHC’s next Q for sure.

Rocks vs. kettlebells, a comparison:  Rocks–free, sharp edges, awkward angles, and of unknown mass, unpredictable. Kettlebells–expensive, convenient handles, smooth curvy surfaces, of known mass.  I thinks it’s obvious which is the manly way to go.

Noted:  YHC at last found a Merkin version that smoked Swirly (and the rest of the pax).  The rock crossover merkins were really brutal as they lie somewhere between a one handed and regular merkin.  Flipper is a crab walk beast and motored up the hill even with the rock on his belly.  Wheelbarrow lived up to his namesake and motored up too.  EF Hutton tossed his rock high into the trees on more than one occasion with the underhanded tosses.  Wedding Singer was efficient this morning and was typically the first done with the tosses.  Flipper wandered around the AO looking for us and got a good run in before finding us by courts–wheelbarrow joined us soon afterwards. And where is Hardywood lately? All showed good form on the planks today too.   Great job, men.