Final Update! 12/4/22
The watch shows Morgan’s time, not mine — she crushed it!
Well it’s official — this old man is finally over the hill. I beat the challenge (my final time on Tues of last week was 18:47), but I was next-to-last on the list of times. It’s not a competition — true enough — but I had hoped to keep up with the kids for a few more years. Anyway, the good news is, my youngest daughter Morgan crushed the challenge with a time of 15:21! The final times were Arman (13:11), James (13:28), Morgan (15:21), Mitch (18:47), and Jack (21:28). If Jack hadn’t gotten sick, he certainly would’ve put up a top time, I’m sure of it. Oh well — there’s always next year Jack!
UPDATE! 11/27/22
Last week I put up my best time yet (18:48) and Heritage Arts patron James put up a superlative time of 13:28 — just 17 seconds behind Arman! Can you believe these guys? What are they made out of anyway? A big round of applause for these guys, how about it!?!
UPDATE! 11/13/22
Last Thursday the club here in Richmond, VA put up a time of 21:28, while distance learning graduate Arman put up a mind-boggling time of 13:11. Looks like we all have some training to do if we’re going to catch Arman! Who’s going to get it done? Will it be you?
UPDATE! 10/25/22
This year’s challenge is to finish Constitutional #86 in 20- minutes or less with good form. Exercises have been announced!
Wrestler’s Bridge (25)
Bear Walks (100 yards)
10-Count Bodybuilders (25)
Shots (25)
Clocks (25)
Get-ups (25)
Duck-unders (25)
See video below (goes live at midnight 10/24)
10/17/22
"Die before you Die. There is no chance after." (C. S. Lewis)
Soon it will be November and time for our Fifth Annual Mettlecraft Month at Heritage Self-Defense! Want to play along with us? You can participate at home or at your club. Share your times in the comments here, email them to me at mitch@heritageartsinc.com or share them via social media!
This year’s challenge is a delightful little constitutional called “#86.” What’s a constitutional, you ask? It’s 7 calisthenics exercises done consecutively. And why is this one called #86? Well, the number 86 has several relevant meanings.
“86” is slang for something that’s been given up on or trashed, as in, “The mission has been 86’d.” You’ll want to give up about 2/3 of the way through this one and, by the end, you should be feeling pretty much trashed.
Once a upon a time, “86!” was shop code for “Shut up everybody, the boss is coming!” or “Stop cussin’, there’s a lady on the floor!” If this constitutional doesn’t make you shut your pie hole, we’ll eat your hat, and our hat too, for dessert.
What are the exercises? Please! Did you think we were going to give them to you early so that you can ease your way in? Fuhgettaboutit!
Check back regularly for updates. In the meantime, here are some links to previous Mettlecraft Months so you can reminisce and/or get a feel for what the future holds…
4th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2021
3rd Annual Mettlecraft Month 2020
What is mettlecraft? Mettlecraft is the cultivation of fighting aspect, physical endurance, unflagging determination, and resolute strength of body, mind and spirit. In short, it is the relentless pursuit of indomitability, the fourth virtue of Heritage Self-Defense. It’s a mash-up of two words used in the old-time way:
\Met"tle\, n. [E. metal, used in a tropical sense in allusion to the temper of the metal of a sword blade. See {Metal}.] Substance or quality of temperament; spirit, esp. as regards honor, courage, fortitude, ardor, etc.
\Craft\ (kr[.a]ft), n. [AS. cr[ae]ft strength, skill, art, cunning; akin to OS., G., Sw., & Dan. kraft strength, D. kracht, Icel. kraptr; perh. originally, a drawing together, stretching, from the root of E. cramp.] 1. Strength; might; secret power. [Obs.]
