Epoxy, Pergo, Pigpen, Mr. Rogers and YHC warmed up with the #12DaysOfChristmasWorkOut.

Then the day began.

From late antiquity into early modern times, the breaking wheel or simply the wheel  (#CircleOfPain) was an instrument of torture used to turn mere mumble-chatters into true believers.  The condemned were typically lashed to a large wooden wagon wheel and their limbs beaten with a club or iron cudgel as the wheel was spun.Breaking-wheel-picture

After a brief warm-up of 10xMerkins and 10xGood Mornings, YHC abandoned the morning’s first challenge of having 26 PAX count to 7.  The PAX broke in groups of 3 or 4 and each went to work at the seven stations of the wheel doing AMRAP:

  • Run around the ball field
  • Swerkins (or Atomic Merkin: merkin/knee crunch combo with feet suspended on swing)
  • Switches (jumping alternating lunge)
  • Sandbag manmakers (merkin on sandbag, renegade row, merkin, row, clean and press)
  • Heals to Heaven
  • Hindu Merkins
  • Pull Ups
  • Rotate when the runners return

As YHC watched the 26 PAX laboring before the dawn, Dylan Thomas’ ballad came to mind, “Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break; . . . And death shall have no dominion.”

The PAX gave meaning to the morning’s pain by showing the beauty behind it, the beauty of human courage and dignity. In this pain, the innocence of Eden is restored. It is here that men become the stuff of legends. Here a man becomes part of a constellation, part of a grand design bigger than himself.

After 2 full turns of the Wheel, the PAX cooled down and stretched weary muscles with some light yoga

The PAX were reminded to register for the Xmas Party. Prayers went out for Chili Dog and Low Pair, and for a quick recovery for Howard’s wife

Thank you for the honor.