PAX: Cardinal, Wetworks, Ralph, Defrost, Carnie
AO: Eagle’s Nest – 4/19/25
By: Cardinal
The sun rose on a beautiful Holy Saturday morning as Saturday morning beatdowns at the Eagle’s Nest quickly become an established tradition. YHC has missed the familiar mix of dread and excitement the night before and morning of a beatdown. 4 PAX assembled, ready to carry whatever cross the Q had concocted. With the day prior being Good Friday, YHC decided to blend these two sacred days to feel a small drop of the suffering and waiting that Jesus went through.
After a standard fare Warmorama (SSH, IW, WM, AC, SL, and HK/BK by request), the PAX began their modified Stations of the Cross around Holy Cross Church to walk their own way of suffering. Each station involved 60 seconds of work, followed by 30 seconds of lunge walking, and finally by 30 seconds of rest. Stations were:
1. Station #1: Jesus condemned by Pilate. Apollo Ohno
2. Station #2: Jesus picks up his cross. Merkins
3. Station #3: Jesus Falls the first time. Burpees
4. Station #4: Jesus meets his mother, Mary. Big Boy situps
5. Station #5: Simon helps Jesus shoulder the cross. Slow Squats
6. Station #6: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. V-Ups
7. Station #7: Jesus falls the second time. Burpees
8. Station #8: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem. Hello Dolly
9. Station #9: Jesus falls the third time. Burpees
10. Station #10: Jesus is stripped of his garments. Jump Squats
11. Station #11: Jesus is nailed to the cross. T-Merkins
12. Station #12: Jesus dies on the cross. Genuflects
13. Station #13: Jesus is taken down from the cross. Nolan Ryans
14. Station #14: Jesus is laid in the tomb. Hold chillcut plank
After station 7, the merciful Q decided to sub lunge walks for a 30 second mosey. The PAX performed valiantly, and chatter was (mostly) kept to a minimum. To YHC’s surprise, so was Merlot….at least initially. But we met our weekly quota pretty quickly, and by the end of the beatdown had far surpassed it.
After the last station, we moseyed to our (for now) imaginary flag to move to the Holy Saturday portion of the beatdown. Holy Saturday is a day of waiting, a day in between the Passion and Resurrection. As many can agree, waiting is often hard and uncomfortable. It’s in that spirit that the PAX paired up for a Flora 1-2-3 (YHC figured it was time for the PAX to meet Dora’s lazy cousin). The set was:
1. 100 dips in sets of 10, while the partner held the “down” dip position
2. 200 air presses in sets of 20 in chair position, while partner also held chair position
3. 300 flutter kicks (1:1) in sets of 30, while partner held six inches
Once the PAX met and conquered Flora, we moved to a classic waiting song (at least initially YHC’s F3 experience) – “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller. The PAC held plank for the duration and 3 mountain climbers (2:1) every time he said “Waiting” (90 mountain climbers total).
We finished with 7 minutes of Mary before we closed out. COT (and a lot of Merlot) were shared, and Ralph (heh) prayed us out.
F3 was one of the greatest blessings before YHC moved to Thibodaux, and to have it back again is a huge gift. Thanks to these stellar PAX for sticking it out (maybe against their better judgment) and showing up again and again. Nothing builds up men like shared suffering. Keep at it! Maybe, one day, the Merlot fountain will dry up.
SYITG,
Cardinal