Sad Clowns: Prisoners of our own Device

YHC arrived at AO in the gloom ready to check-in to the Goodlands Correctional Facility with 11 of his closest friends to do the time necessary to keep Sad Clown Syndrome away. There would be no phone call, no visitors, no soap on a rope and definitely no crying! This makeshift prison cell was discovered while on a leisurely walk with YHC and the M. Yes some of our “dates” consist of planning Qs together. On said weeknight, YHC discovered an area of the park that is not normally visible in the gloom under cover of darkness. What was such an unexplored area? It was the batting cages of Davis Park conveniently hidden away and oddly reminiscent of a prison cell. The best part…the batting cages have lights set to a timer. Today the 12 PAX who posted decided to take their daily red pill of discipline. YHC gave the disclaimer. No FNGs and a short warmup before YHC prepared to show the PAX to their cells. 

The Warmorama (COP)

• SSHs IC
• Michael Phelps IC
• Prisoner Squats IC

The Sadclown, you could say, is trapped in their own prison. It may be a cage with velvet bars here in Ponte Vedra. Many men have gradually surrendered to a life of being swept downstream by circumstance. Having lost the ability to make headway, they become fully focused on mere survival.

The symptoms are subtle, so the ailment can be difficult to spot. The Sad Clown may not be chronically obese—but he is not physical fit, lacking in strength, speed, stamina and toughness. He may not be alone—but he is lonely, living without meaningful male friendships. He may not be unemployed—but he lacks true purpose, having no clear vision, belief system or direction governing the things he does or fails to do. The Sad Clown may seem happy on the outside—but that is only what he seems to be, not what he is.

Having no sense of purpose, governed by his perception of what is expected of him from the world, the Sad Clown squanders his days and energy trying to seem like a man rather than be one, aspiring for little more than the clearance of his last check in the final fearful moments before greeting what awaits him in the Super Unknown.

• Lap around the parking lot then mosey to batting cages
• 12 PAX willfully lock themselves in two prison cells to hopefully break the death grip Sad Clown syndrome can have on a man. No better way to do that than to start with fitness. 

The THANG

No man can disengage the death grip he holds on his own status quo. Absent a Disrupter, a man willing and able to create a disturbance in his life, he will remain just as he is…stuck in the prison he has created for himself. Today, we disrupt and break out of that prison. We are strong enough.

• SSHs + Q called Burpee and/or Q called prisoner squat (2 mins)

• Rocky Balboa Jump Ropes + Seal Jacks + Iron Mikes + crab toe touches (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Peter Parker + Parker Peters +  Hillbillies + Superman pull ups (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• High Knees + Squats + Merkins + Burpee (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Sit stands + pop jacks thrust + squat jumps + monkey humpers (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• SSHs + squat touches  + plank jacks + groiners (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Diamond merkins + Barry Shinkovs (R + L) + 30 sec plank + Toe reaches (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Smurf Jacks + russian twists + Burpee + Air Jordan (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Goof Balls + Prisoner Squats + Alt Shoulder Taps + Squat Pulses (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Lunges + crawl bears + bear crawls + duck walks (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

• Freddie mercuries + hello dolly + box cutters + T-bones 🥩 (x2 rounds; 2 mins)
• High Knees + Merkins + Mountain Climbers + stump huggers (x2 rounds; 2 mins)

Partner Up – Partner 1 must high five partner 2 each round down and back:

• Partner 1 sprints down and back while P2 holds squat (x5 sprints each partner)

• Partner 1 sprints down and back while P2 merkins (x5 sprints each partner)

• Partner 1 sprints down and back while P2 plank jack (x5 sprints each partner)

• Partner 1 sprints down and back while P2 flutter kicks (x5 sprints each partner)

• Partner 1 crab walks, then walk crab down and back while P2 Freddy Mercury (x3 crab walks each partner)

 

COT/BOM

The verdict is in. 12 PAX did the time and overcame their own prison. 

Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Chose a path, a goal and stay the course. If you feel trapped in your own prison, talk to your brothers about it. Don’t put on a smile and fake it. Don’t be the Sad Clown stuck in your own prison.