Christmas Convergence

WARMUP:
THE THANG:
Broke out into two groups. Half went with Soup to Nuts to the football field and half went with Sprocket to the grass field
Warmups were done at the workout sites
Soup2Nuts thang at the football field: Partner Dora
50 burpees
75 WWI Situps
75 Squats
75 Merkins
75 American Hammers
200 Clave Boss Clave Raises
75 Dips
Timer: bear crawl 20 yards; run 30 yards; run back 50 yards to workout area

Sprocket thang at the grass field: Wheel Spoke

Center Hub: 5 burpees

Spoke 1: Rd.1 25 merkins bear crawl to center hub; Rd.2 50 squats broad jump to center hub; Rd.3 40 lunges crawl bear to center hub

Spoke 2: Rd.1 25 Bomb jacks, bear crawl to the center hub; Rd.2 80 mountain climbers, broad jump to the center hub; Rd.3 50 shoulder taps, crawl bear to the center hub

Spoke 3: Rd.1 50 American hammers, bear crawl to the center hub; Rd.2 100 calf raises, broad jump to the center hub; Rd.3 100 Side straddle hops, crawl bear to the center hub

Spoke 4: Rd.1 100 Flutter Kicks, bear crawl to the center hub; Rd.2 80 mountain climbers, broad jump to the center hub; Rd.3 50 LBCs, crawl bear to the center hub

After 26 minutes Group 1 and Group2 swapped workout sites and did the workout.

MARY: None

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT: Cake Boss closed us out in prayer

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Fast 5 friendly, except…

Remember, the Fast 5 was kicking off 2 hours post-COT so we need to make this one leg friendly. I got the memo but apparently, Bonsai did not. While the complaining in the second half ramped up, we knew we’d all be better for it.
With Maximus up for the first 30mins, here’s what happened:

We moseyed around lap around the park with Toy Soldiers and Butt Kickers thrown in for good measure.
Back in the parking lot, we did some slow squatting, 3-way calf raises and wide-arm Merkins

At the playground:
Group 1: 15 Pull-Ups & 30 Merkins
Group 2: American Hammers until Group 1 is done
Due to some questionable form, we did that one again with 10 Pull Ups and 20 Merkins.

Group 1: 15 Pull-Ups & 30 Carolina Dry Docks
Group 2: Freddy Mercury’s until Group 1 is done

Back to the lot for 10 Burpees, Boats & Canoes, Grave Diggers and Super Mans

Hand off to Bonsai:

We moseyed to the area at Fire Dept wall:
Level 1 Drill – 10 each
Merkins / Mountain Climbers, Hip Thrusters (questionable call)
25 LBCs
30sec Wall Sit
Repeat then run to the basketball court and back

25 Dirty Myrtle
15 Mike Tysons
25 American Hammers
25 Squats
Repeat then run to the basketball court and back

30sec BTTW
20 Plank Jack
10 Lunges each leg
15 Leg raises
Repeat then run to the basketball court and back

Bear crawl some, mosey, 30sec 6″ Merkin hold, mosey

COT

Maximus & Bonsai

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In honor of Yoshi turning 13

I had the privilege of Qing for the first time in quite some time. Thank you for the opportunity, 38 Special!

In honor of my son turning 13 soon (an American teenager!), most rep counts today were 13 in nature, single count for most of them.

4:45 was a run to Palmetto West and back

5:00 was more running past Lakeshore Christian Church and through the stairs backway to the Pantheon

5:15 boot camp and runners split. Disclosures stated.

Small warm-up with SSHs, various leg stretches, and windmills.

Ran to backside of TC Elementary to gradually rotate around the school and did 3 exercises per random location to include:

Reverse Lunges, Bench Jumps, Incline Merkins

Turkish Get-ups, Air Mountain Climbers or Goofballs, Lunges

Merkins, Jump ups (super high), Bear Crawls

Pull ups, Broad jump, Cross jumps (creating a cross)

Mountain climbers, High knees, Spiderman crawls

More bear crawls, Jump down from benches focusing on solid landing, Dips

75% effort level sprints X 2, Bear Crawls

Thought about stealing the Broga-boyz shoes – (yes, this was an exercise)

 

Then on to Circuit Training: The timer was the jump rope to 100 and then we rotated.

Shoulder press with a Spartan bag

Sandbag pickups and over the shoulder throws

KB individual curls

Band curls

 

Ended with various ab exercises as a group to include, but not limited to: Starfish crunches, Side crunches, Cockroach, and everyone’s favorite, Russian V-twist get-ups.

COT to include announcements, LOTS OF PRAISES, and some prayers.

Blessings to all!

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Tempo Run at Tempo

We ran the Carowoods loop, 5.25 miles. Nice course for a tempo run – it is  mostly flat so you can open it up so to speak and maintain a good pace throughout. Spud and Decibel joined us for COT. After so much rucking it felt good to stretch the legs out with my running mates. Thanks Gekko for the opportunity to lead.

-NASA

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Running away from hills towards hills

Thursday morning we ran. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Tempo so I asked Gekko what’s been going on recently so I could do something a little different. This is what we did.

  • We ran away from the hills of Tega Cay Only to find more hills (Hubert Graham and Dave Gibson)
  • Exit Trailhead towards 160
  • Right at Hubert Graham
  • Go straight at the round about into Walmart Parking Lot
  • Run around the back of Walmart
  • Cross Dam Road and Run the back entrance to Gold Hill Middle School
  • Run out the front up Dave Gibson Hill 🙂
  • Left at 160
  • Left at Stonecrest Blvd
  • Right at Hubert Graham (another hill)
  • Left Gold Hill
  • Return to Trailhead Park

Total Miles: 4.7

Several Prayers for healing, comfort, families and marriages. Always an honor to lead. Thanks Gekko.

Zima Out

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Wally World and Baxter Neighborhood Run

I am missing one from this of PAX with us. Sorry about that. Tweet me the name if someone know it.

Yes. As usual. We ran. Some slower than others. Some further than others. Sticking to the Clydesdale tradition: multiple routes, speeds and experience levels.

Please keep the prayers mentioned on your mind. Families at Thanksgiving. Travels. The medical issues, and Sweeper’s upcoming exams at USC

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

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5 Year Anniversary Convergence BB

Saturday, September 30th 2017 was a special Convergence for the PAX of The Fort. On that day we celebrated 5 years of using these small workout groups to invigorate male leadership in Fort Mill. To honor the occasion, 88 PAX gathered at one of our favorite AOs (Nations Ford HS) to celebrate the day and the leaders that made it all happen.

We also celebrated 6 Friendly New Guys that joined us that morning. Welcome Tubs, Band Camp, Jughead, Atari, Hat Trick, and Saul.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Here’s how we got better:

Warmup (led by Ginsu)

  • Mosey to the football field
  • 30 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10, 4-count windmills
  • 30 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10, 4-count merkins
  • 10, 4-count Peter Parkers
  • 10, 4-count Parker Peters
  • 10, 4-count LBCs
  • 20 low slow squats

Split into groups (Run, Regular Bootcamp, Black Diamond, Ruck, Moderate Bootcamp)

Run (led by Birdcage)

  • 800 meter indian run
  • 1000 meter 10k pace with 1 minute rest x2
  • 200 meter 1 mile race pace 200 meter cool down x4
  • 400 meter sprint corners recover straights
  • 1600 meter cool down
  • 5 miles total

Bootcamp (led by Royale)

  • Mosey over to the concrete football field
  • 10 merkins
  • Lunge walk 10 yards then do 3 burpees
  • Next ten yards bear crawl then 3 more burpees
  • Rise and repeat until we hit the other goal line
  • 10 count – going over the Five Core Principals of an F3 workout
  • Next phase we broke into 4 groups
  • At each corner of the end zones there were 5 exercises written on a board.  We would complete in your group and then run to the next corner. Everyone would hit al 4 corners.
    • Corner 1
      • 20 Merkins
      • 30 Lunges
      • 30 Dying Cockroaches
      • 30 Ski Abs
      • 3 Kraken Burpees
    • Corner 2
      • 20 Ranger Merkins
      • 30 Squats
      • 40 Freddy Mercurys
      • 40 Shoulder Taps
      • 10 burpees
    • Corner 3
      • 20 Durkins
      • 20 Jump Squats
      • 50 American Hammers
      • 30 Monkey Humpers
      • 10 Mountain Climber Burpees
    • Corner 4
      • 20 Wide Arm Merkins
      • 20 Sumo Squats
      • 20 V-Up Twists
      • 20 Bombjacks
      • 10 Squat Burpees
We talked about the word of the month – Leadership.  I shared we all have an opportunity to lead through F3, just like we all have the responsibility to lead in our homes.  I know I struggle with the balance of work and family time.  As the leader of our households we need to support our Ms and be the examples to our children.
  • Mosey over to the round about
  • Each man would take a lap around 1st doing Lt Dans
  • Finally we would bear crawl.
  • Mosey to the football field for the last 30 seconds and some LBCs

Black Diamond (led by Backdraft)

  • Mosey from warm up top pull up bars
  • Pull ups/ Burpee challenge – 9 pull ups 1 burpee., 8-2 , 7-3 until finished.
  • Mosey to stadium run the bleachers
  • 10 derkins
  • 10 dips
  • Mosey to track run 1/4 mile as fast as you can. U vs. U
  • Mosey to end zone. Count off by 2s. split into groups first person flips tire 10 times than run end zone to end zone while next person flips tire everyone else continuously do 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 big boy sit ups. Keep going until all of group is finished.
  • 10 min 100 burpees. Do 10 burpees every minute on the minute. U vs. U
  • Mosey to 50 yard line 5 minute of Mary
  • Sideline sprints x 2 first set after you run 10 tuck jumps. 2nd set 5 hand release merkins

Ruck (led by Trucker)

2 20lb, 3 40lb, and 3 60lb sandbags were snagged from back of car as 8 PAX tucked down to the elementary school and dropped the sandbags next to the telephone poles. The 8 PAX carried the telephone pole around the parking lot. Left telephone pole where we found it and rucked backwards up the hill to the pull up bars. What’s a WO by Trucker without pull ups? YHC challenged the 8 PAX to do 2 sets of 5 pull ups with ruck on.

Rucked into stadium and lined up in 2 columns for sandbag throws from one end of football field to other and back. Then rucked up and down the football stand stairs from one end back. Rinse and repeat with sandbag throws and stadium stairs. Threw sandbags again down to other side of endzone and then formed 2 lines abs flipped tires from one end to other. Sandbag threw back to other endzone and climbed stadium stairs one more time. Finished with a 20 count flutters. Great work by seasoned and rookie ruckers.

Moderate (led by Short Sale)

  • MOSEY to Elementary School
  • Grab some Wall. Wall Sits while Pax at each end jumps out of line for 5 squats
  • Repeat with 5 Bombjacks.
  • Count off by 5’s and mosey to back of the parking lot
    • Number 1’s go to station #1
    • 2’s start at Station3, etc.
  • Stations: 3 minutes/station. Q calls stop & go
    • 1: 10 Merkins, 20 Calf raises
    • 2: 20 LBCs, 20 Monkey Humpers
    • 3: 10 SSHs, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
    • 4: 10 Scorpion Dry Docks, 20 Squats
    • 5: 20 Imperial Walkers, 10 Apollo Ohnos
    • 6: 10 Broad Jumps, 20 Flutters
    • 7: 10 Bombjacks, 20 squat jabs
    • 8: 10 handclap merkins w/partner, 10 partner Derkins- Beloved by veteran Pax and FNGs alike
    • 9: 10 Jump Squats, 10 CDD’s
    • 10: 10 Dips, 5 jack Webbs
  • Mosey to Stop sign at bottom of hill for some Mary- Hello Dollies, Flutters, Protractor

MESSAGE ON LEADERSHIP- F3 gives us a great platform to grow our leadership skills and build confidence as a leader. The Pax will let you know if/when something has gone wrong but will also be there to lift you up. Also, the best leaders don’t focus on their ROLE, they focus on the GOAL. So, be the leader you were called to be.

Great group of men came to work. Veterans guided the FNGs and encouraged them at every step of the way. YHC kept reminding the group that it is UvsU out here. Some quality mumble chatter about what moderate means. Smiles all around when moved on from the stations.

Wrap Up

What we have at The Fort is special. It is a strong group of PAX led by men who live with intentionality. I am sure that each of us would agree that it has impacted our lives in ways that we will never be able to describe. At some point for each of us, we were gifted F3. We were headlocked by someone who recognized the impact that F3 had on them and how it could help us. With that in mind, let’s pay this gift forward. Be the leader you were called to be and use your influence to headlock the sad clowns around you, FNGs and Kotters, that are where you once were. Be a leader.

Ginsu

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The Painful Ideas of Virgin Q’s

Fourteen strong came out for the final week of VQ month, and our Q’s proved once again that the new Q’s have no trouble pushing the Pax to their limits.  Here is what they did.

Photobomb on Q

10 Yard mosey and right to COP

SSH x 30,, Imperial Walker x 20, Wind Mill x 20, M. Nightclub x 20,  Mtn Climbers x 20, Merkin x 10 PeterParker  x 15, Parker Peter x 15

Mosey to ball field for 50 yard reps
High knees
Butt kickers
Karaoke x2
Single leg hops x2
Pogo x2
Burpee broad jumps x2
Bear crawl x2
Partner up and Wheel barrel x 2
Backward sprints x 3
Lunge walks w Monkee Humpers x 4

Hand off to Copperfield

Six Cones spaced about 15 yards apart. Three exercises on each cone:  upper body, core, legs.  Bear crawl between cones.

Cone 1:
Wide Merkins x 10
Ski Abs x 30
Jump squats x 50

Cone 2:
Merkins x 10
Flutter kicks x 30
Air chair x 100 seconds

Cone 3:
Arm circles x 30
Shoulder taps x 30
Jump lung x 20

Cone 4:
Arm circles x 160
In and out abs x 25
Bomb jacks x 30

Cone 5:
Side to side Merkins x 20
Pretzel x 20
Apollo ono x 50

Cone 6:
Derkin x 15
Plank x 60
Goblet squat x 50

Once complete go in reverse and only do the core workout on each cone.

COT

This is posted on behalf of our Q’s:  Photobomb and Copperfield.  After what you put us through today, you can post your own damn backblast next time!  Aye, it was a long morning for the Pax between the 50 yard wheel barrows, single leg hops, 160 arm circles (really?), and backwards bear crawling at the tail end of the workout.    I was completed gassed,  and admittedly,  called you both some unflattering names under my breath as we walked to COT.    After coffeteria, a nice shower, and some reflection, though, I realized that you did what I expect you to do and we are all better for it.

Our friend, Aquaman, was in town this weekend and YHC put a shout out on Twitter for the some of the Alcatraz ‘original line up’ to post today.  Some were able to make it  (Zima, Minuteman, Mr. Clean, Spark Plug) and we were glad to have you with us.   Don’t be strangers, men.  Welcome back Kotter, Cyclops, who I hope will continue to post regularly at Alcatraz.

VQ month was a success at Alcatraz.  All of our new  guys brought something different each week to challenge us.   My thanks to all of our VQ’s and ‘new to Alcatraz’  Q’s this month:  Which Hunt, Jedi, Chicken Wing,  Olaf, Lutefisk, Photobomb, and Copperfield.  Well done, men and you know you are always welcome to Q again at Alcatraz.

Announcements, Prayers,and Praises!

Read your newsletter!  The Fort 5th Year Invergence this Friday, Sep 29.  Be there.

We prayed for healthy families, and those with cancer.   We praised God for his healing hand on a mom with pancreatic cancer.

 

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