For the Stars and Stripes

2015-08-11Leave a comment

QIC: Gears
When: 08/11/15
Pax: Gekko, Atticus, Pusher, Maximus, Wheels, Sir Topham Hat, Melo (FNG), Crab Cakes, Gears (YHC)
Posted In: The Colosseum

9 Men showed for my first Q at The Colosseum. We had 1 FNG (welcome Melo), so the disclaimer was thoroughly disclaimed and then we took off.

The Thang

Mosey to back lot behind school with some Karaoke on the way to a COP

Variety of SSH, MNC, Merkins, and Windmills to warm up.

Dirty MacDeuce: 12 Exercises, 12 Reps, 1 lap between each group of 3

Merkins, LBCs, Xs and Os
Diamonds, Dollies, Peter Parkers
6+6 Stagger Merkins, Rosalita, Parker Peters
Wide Arm Merkins, Dying Cockroach, Peter Pointers (thanks Assassin)

Mosey to wall by soccer field entrance.

Peoples chair x 5 ten counts

3x Donkey Kicks followed by BTTW x 2 ten counts

Peoples chair x 3 ten counts

Mosey to soccer field. 50% jog across field and back.

3 Rounds of Squat Jumps, Stair Climbs, Run Down Hill

Circled up around Old Glory

50 Squats for the Stars, 13 Burpees OYO for the Stripes

One Lap around the Soccer Field

Gather at the top for 6MOM

Slow Freddies
LBC
Protractors
Grave Diggers

Mosey back to Shovel Flag for COT

NMM

The Weinke wasn’t enough this morning, but fortunately Old Glory gave my some inspiration. The PAX seemed to enjoy it (or hate it), so I think it is a keeper for the future.

Thanks to Google Earth for letting me scope out the facilities on my way back to The Fort from vacation yesterday. Thanks to Maximus for the chance to Q. And thanks to one of the PAX for splashing merlot… hard (a first for my Q’s).

Announcements

September 19th @ 1800 – 3rd Anniversary of The Fort, Pot Luck at Greenway canopy.

December 19th – The Fort Christmas party. $40 per couple, tickets will be sold at Anniversary

October 10th – Run for Attention 5k, raises money for Palmetto School, which is associated with Children’s attention home. Helps to pay for books, etc.

Prayers

For Columbia Mission trip, praise to be fully funded after Fundraiser this past weekend

For Wheels family pending adoption with Jamaican 15 year old boy, named Aldane (sp?)

For Crabcake’s family, as they mourn the loss of his uncle to brain cancer a little over a week ago

For Atticus moving next door to Pusher and having more good neighbors in the community

For my father and mother, as my Dad goes in for tests at the urologist tomorrow

Honor to Serve,

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Blame it on the Rain

2015-08-11Leave a comment

QIC: Popeye
When: 8/11/2015
Pax: Catfish, Fusion, Riddler, Sgt. York, Mug Shot, Shingles, Gepetto, Transplant
Posted In: The Fort

Nine Faithful, High Impact Men (#HIM) woke up in the wet, drizzliing gloom for a spinach induced beat down at the hands of me, Popeye. This was my first full Q and the rain was not going to slow down the F3 brothers at the Eagles Nest.

The Thang –

WARM UP:

SSH X20

Windmills X15

Imperial Walkers X20

MNC X20

Mosey – To the Diggs Field, aka. The F3 playground

THE ROCKS WILL CRY OUT… and your muscles

First grab a rock from the creek bed – one preferably to your size and stature. There was a little mumble chatter about grabbing a small stone. Take the rock to the bottom of the steep hill behind the chiller plant.

Bottom of the hill

20 Squats with rock in hand – drop the rock then run up and back down the hill

20 Curls with rock – drop the rock, run up and down the hill

20 Over Head Press with the rock – drop the rock, run up and down the hill

Rinse and Repeat X2 (However, round three dropped the sets to 10 reps each)

(NOTE: The plan was to run up the hill with your rock, but due to the slick conditions from the rain there was a safety audible to drop the rock and run up the hill stoneless.)

Threw in a little bit of the WORD Luke 19: 39-40 about how Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem – “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you if these become silent the rocks will cry out!.”

Mosey to the amphitheater

THE BIG SHOW RETURNS

Start at the bottom of the amphitheater:

Merkins X5

run the length of the amphitheater to the other end and do

Squats X10

Rinse and Repeat all the way up the 20 rows. (You can do the math on the number of merkins and squats were involved. There was a little mumble chatter from Catfish about how he told his wife about how since Popeye was on the Q there wouldn’t be much running. He was wrong.)

Rest up with a quick 10 count and we were off again to the Picnic tables in front of the West Center building.

EVERY DAY IS UPPER BODY DAY!

Dips X20

Dekins X20 (Note: Due to the tables being slick from the water falling from the sky another safety audible was given to be careful that no feet would slip off the seat causing face plants.)

Irkins X20

Merkins X20

Rinse and Repeat X3

Mosey back to the COT for a short 5 minute Ab Lab

LBC’s X20

Flutters X20

Hello Dolly X20

Plank Twists X20 (some modified to 10)

LBC’s X20

Finish off SSH X30

Fun and Mumble Chatter was had by all

COT:

Thanks to the PAX for allowing me to Q today, as said in the disclaimer I am far from a professional but thanks to all F3 brothers who push me I continue to get better & stronger day by day.

– 8/15 – The Fort Mill Care center Move is still on (for now) this Saturday. Fusion says they are still waiting on a certificate of occupancy and hope to have it this Saturday.

–10/3 – F3 Nation Turkey Punchers are getting together to punch the turkey out of cancer. Sign up to run in the Race for the Cure in Charlotte Oct 3rd. Here is the link to our team page http://charlotte.info-komen.org/goto/F3TurkeyPunchers or click here to sign up. If we get enough people to sign up we will make shirts. #TurkeyPunch

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Walter Elisha Park: “SNIPER”

2015-08-11Leave a comment

QIC: Santini
When: 8/11/15
Pax: Rocky Top, Birdcage, Macgyver, CSPAN, Repeat, Longshanks, Copay, Esso, Montalongo, Full Count, Spiderman, Socrates, Dark Helmet
Posted In: Block Party

14 made it out for the “sniper” series workout. Basically, the exercises would begin and at any random time in the workout, Q yell’s Sniper. All men hit the deck except for some of the Pax who apparently would be dead in a live ambush situation.

COP: SSH, Imperial Walkers, Mountain climbers, windmills, merkins. Mosey to “sweet baby Jesus” location for the stair climbs. Merkin series on steps with Peter Parker, followed by a 3 jump up box jump to next steps – repeat. Squat series with box jumps on steps – repeat.

Mosey to brick wall under the sprinklers. Commence the “Crab Nipple” Series of merkins: incline, decline, regular, followed by flys on the ground. Sprinkle in a few Carolina dry docks, and moraccan night clubs. Essentially anything that will make your chest hurt. time will tell if these were as painful as having a crab pinch you nipple like Funhouse likes to do on vacation.

Question to pax to close: Who have you locked shields with in your life that is yelling “Sniper” to those things that will ambush us and take us down. (Porn, affairs, financial decisions, you get the drill) Find men in your life that are willing and that you have invited to yell – “sniper”

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The Armory – Blast From the Past – Cake for Breakfast

2015-08-10Leave a comment

QIC: Cake Boss
When: 08/10/15
Pax: Deacon, Longshanks, Dark Helmet, Corruption, Boy Band, Uncle Si, Howitzer, Spitz, Lug Nut, Change Order, Bass O Matic, Chedda, Assassin, Chicken Hawk, Cake Boss
Posted In: The Armory

Its been a long time sing YHC has had the Q at The Armory. I remember the days of 4 or 5 of us out there picking things up and putting them down. I guy named Package was Site Q and a few other faces use to grace the AO with their presence, but then BRR and Palmetto became the “in” thing and they left The Armory behind.

Well I got news for you. The PAX at the Armory is one of pride, dedication and spirit. The site Q, Dark Helmet has a regular 20 + (except for today-15) attending each Monday for their daily red pill. The Armory is a staple in The Fort’s line up of AOs and it will live forever!!

The Thang:

Mosey to Shutterfly (.5 one way) COP of 20 Imperial Walkers Mosey back to FHC “Center Court”

Round 1

12 reps each: Curls, Lunges each leg, LBCs, Bent Row Run Lap 10 reps each: Curls, Lunges each leg, LBCs, Bent Row Run Lap 08 reps each: Curls, Lunges each leg, LBCs, Bent Row Run Lap

Round 2

12 reps each: Dips, Gobblet Squats, Russian Twists, Upright Row Run Lap 10 reps each: Dips, Gobblet Squats, Russian Twists, Upright Row Run Lap 08 reps each: Dips, Gobblet Squats, Russian Twists, Upright Row Run Lap

Round 3

12 reps each: Curl/Press, Figure 8, Skull Crusher off wall, Derkins Run Lap 10 reps each: Curl/Press, Figure 8, Skull Crusher off wall, Derkins Run Lap 08 reps each: Curl/Press, Figure 8, Skull Crusher off wall, Derkins Run Lap

Great PAX today. Lots of running and I know everyone is not a fan of running. I hate running, but it has made me better because of the challenge. To fight through pain and discomfort and accomplish something that every time I say I can’t….and I end up doing it. So when the marriage gets hard, and the kid gets rebellious and the neighbors are ah0$$….on and on, we build up the mental toughness to deal with it and be a man!!

Thank you Dark Helmet for the opportunity. You Rock Brother!

Cake Boss –

Psalm 74, Acts 3, Eph 2, & John 3 – Read and let me know what you all think….would love to hear thoughts

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Got Core?

2015-08-09Leave a comment

QIC: Double D
When: 08/07/15
Pax: Cable Guy, Family Guy, Flipper, Copperfield, Tater, Royale, Willie, FNG/Lt. Dan
Posted In: The Swamp

9 pax posted to The Swamp for a session that was cut a little short on time but long on core intensity.

The Thang

Mosey from the bright lights to true gloom next to PetsMart

COP — SSH x20, IW x20, Merkins x15, CDD x15, Moroccan Night Clubs x30, Monkey Humpers x15

Mosey to more gloom at dead end corner near Home Depot (w/backwards runs, butt kicks and high knees along the route)

Extended Mary Session — Dollies x10, Flutter x10, Chopsticks x10, Sea Turtles x10, Rosalitas x10, Freddies x10, LBCs x20, Partner Merkins x10, Plank sequence

Mosey back toward home w/stop in grassy patch for Makhtar N’Dyae x15 and Knee Tar N’Dyae x15

Mosey back home and grab a cinder block

Line blocks up along curb with spacing to allow each pax to share two blocks for Merkins in between:
Round 1: Merkins x15, sprint to island, karaoke back, Derkins x15, sprint to island, karaoke back
Round 2: Squats w/block x15, sprint to island, karaoke back, Overhead press w/block x15, sprint to island, karaoke back
Rinse & repeat Round 1 + 2

Mosey home (at 0552)

COT

Naked Man Moleskin

3rd F Convergence at Eternal Shack set us up for a shortened effort to allow travel time for those attending. With a shorter window, YHC’s objective was to keep the intensity high and to concentrate on core moves.

Welcome to FNG Lt. Dan! Nice to have you aboard. And t-claps to LIFO Flipper for the EH. Reminder: workouts launch on time at 0515!

It was great to finally have the chance to Q at The Swamp. AO provides plenty of options. Thanks to Cake Boss for the substitute invite. T-claps to Cable Guy for leading the charge.

Always an honor to lead the the pax. Until next time…

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The Fruit of the Gloom

2015-08-09Leave a comment

QIC: Gekko and YHC Royale
When: 08/08/2015
Pax: Fish Stix Badger Decibal Howitzer Trucker Jiffy Aquaman Tater Lugnut Pick6 Senator Tressel Crash Minute Man Copperfield Double D
Posted In: Alcatraz

17 ambitious and strong men showed up in the gloom of a cloudy Saturday morning for Gekko’s bootcamp VQ at Alcatraz. He showed us no mercy in his 30 minutes while keeping us all going through his own BRR training.

But before we began he shared some words of wisdom with the PAX. He asked the during today’s workout you remember that the fruits of F3 go far beyond the simple workouts that we enjoy. You can go to any gym and get your body in shape, but with F3 the relationships you create with each other and the group are just as important as the strengthening of your body!

The Thang Part 1

Dynamic warmup in the parking lot for 50 yards each
Karaoke
Side shuffle
High Knee/Butt kickers
Power skip
Mosey to COP at baseball field
SSH x25
IWx20
LSS x15
Merkin x10
Plank
Peter Parker x10
6 inches
CDD x10
Mosey to “the hill”
Jacob ladder
Squats at the bottom Bombjacks at the top x8 backward run 1/4 way up(crowd favorite)

So as all 17 PAX lay on their backs gassed from that terrible hill of infamy in Tega Cay, YHC takes over on the Q for the second half of this morning of pain.

The Thang Part 2

Start at the ledge on the hill behind baseball field

20 Drips followed by 20 Durkins Rinse and Repeat

Quick 10 count and Mosey down to the Playground

Count off by 4s so we can complete these 4 stations (time for upper body work!)

#1 10 Pullups

#2 20 Dips

#3 15 CDDs

#4 20 Brick curls

Rinse and repeat all stations 3x

That was a real crowd-pleaser so after a few 10 counts we took a lap around the park to keep the heart rate up. Finished our mosey at the small baseball field for a little F3 Baseball game.

Staying in our groups of 4 (which we found out quickly that no one really recalled, including YHC) we went around the bases for 4 different exercises.

1st Base 10 Merkins

2nd Base 10 CDDs

3rd Base 10 Bombjacks

Home plate 10 Burpees

Lucky for the PAX that extra 15 minutes at Alcatraz gave us 5 minutes to hit the wall so we took a seat for 3 10 counts before flipping it to Balls to the Wall for another 3 10 counts from the PAX…many of whom fell at the end YHC included. Took on more seat on the wall for 3 10 counts and called it a day and headed to the COT.

Announcements

Today is Gladiator Games and the Worlds Largest Coffeeteria to support the Columbia Mission Trip (turn out at Applebee’s was GREAT, thanks for all the PAX support).

Prayers

For Tater’s father-in-law with his illness and Tater’s Wife, Senator Tressel prays for Beth Power’s family in her passing, Spitz’s son with a hip injury, For our School Leaders, teachers and Administrators, Copperfield’s wife travelling, and his son while Copperfield takes point, Decibel and his new business.

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Throwing things in the dark…

2015-08-08Leave a comment

QIC: Dark Helmet
When: 08/07/15
Pax: One-Niner, Geronimo, Jiffy, Skate or Die, Winnie, Bladder, Pickles, Hiroshima (FNG), Sweeper, Ringer, Dark Helmet (YHC)
Posted In: Varsity

As Santini would say… “Looked great in a spreadsheet”. Sometimes our best laid plans are thwarted by our not-best-laid planning. Let me explain… no, there is too much… let me sum up…

The Thang:
WARM UP:
Mosey to bottom of winding drive
High knees and butt kickers part way
Power skips part way
Jog to top
SSH x 40
Windmills x 15
Moroccan Night Clubs x 30
Squats x 30
Imperial Walkers x 20
Seal clap SSH x 30
Explosive punches x 30
Mosey over to far end of band practice field
Burpee sprint to far end (sprint, then 1 burpee every 20 yards)

Triple up, size doesn’t matter. One partner does an exercise with gear, the others do the other exercise as listed. When the “timer” (see Station 1 below) is done, partners switch exercises. When all of the partners at Station 1 have completed the exercise, then everyone rotates stations (if that made any sense…).

1ST PART (5 stations):
Station 1: Sprint with resistance to 50 and back (this is the timer)
Station 2: – Plyo pushups – Medicine ball chest press toss (20 lbs)
Station 3: – ~~Medicine ball chest pass (12 lbs) – Overhead Ball Pass (12 lbs)~~ This station turned out to be a TERRIBLE idea in the darkness of the gloom. Audible to more pushups, but using the medicine ball, like this.
Station 4: – Plyo pushups between bricks (like this) – Lateral brick jumps (over one cinderblock)
Station 5: – Man Makers – Medicine ball bounce/slam (12lbs)
~~3 rounds~~ 1 round… took a lot longer than I thought to get through this.
2ND PART:
Bounding (1/2 way then sprint back)
Backwards run (1/2 way then sprint back)
Repeat both.
Just enough time to do 180 degree Squat jumps x 30, then hussle back for COT

Moleskin:
Didn’t think through the fact that it would be very dark, so I nearly killed Ringer trying to demonstrate the medicine ball passes. Also, it took a lot longer to explain things than I thought it would, and when there were more PAX than normal that showed up, I got thrown off and didn’t pair people up well nor did I consider the number of newer guys (1 FNG, 3 second or third timers). I was thankful that everyone hung in there, though and mutiny didn’t take place… All that to say that I learned a few things about preparing better and thinking through more details and possibilities prior to the workout. All in all, not terrible. I give it a solid B.

Always grateful for the chance to lead and workout with the PAX. Candidly, I don’t have a lot of places where I can just focus on one thing and be around like-minded men. Thank you all for making me a better man.

Helmet out…

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Gladiator Games IV Back Blast

2015-08-08Leave a comment

QIC: Pebbles
When: 08/08/15
Pax: The willing and able
Posted In: Uncategorized

The fourth installment of the Gladiator Games was the best yet. Not only did YHC prolong his dynasty, but I got to meet some really great PAX who were brave enough to run though what they will probably say was the most satisfying 6 minutes they had experinced since prom night.

The course this year was undeniably brutal. Have a look at F3 legend and calf model Cake Boss from Ft. Mill conquering the first run.

If you are watching thinking you can do better, you should post next time. There always room for one more in the gloom

Here are a final standings (min:sec)

Pebbles 5:20

Bounty Hunter 5:56

Lemur 6:17

Voodoo 6:20

Beast 6:23

Chanel 6:39

General 6:40

WWL 6:46

Brown 6:47

Nephew 6:50

Dredd 6:54*

CSPAN 7:01

1-9er 7:09

Dark Helmet 7:06

Cake Boss 7:17

Co-Pay 7:53

Ringer 8:13

Zima 8:40

(If I missed your time, I apologize, please let me know and I will make the required edit)

*Dredd decided to time himself and ended up with a 4:48 due to a equipment malfunction. The listed time reflects his time on Strava while covering the distance of the course. He probably did slightly better.

Major props to the men who completed a Jekyl beatdown for 60 mins before tacking the course (ringer, 1-9er, Zima, CSPAN. It looked pretty terrible from behind my clip board. Uber Major Props to Lemur who, according to Dredd, when from D1 baseball, to couch potato, to jekyl beatdown, to bronze in the GG IV. Hope to see you out again soon.

Looking forward to the next one!

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Gonna do what with the blocks?

2015-08-07Leave a comment

QIC: Jekyll
When: 8/8/2015
Pax: WWL, CSPAN, One- Niner, Ringer, Dredd, FNG- Lemur, X- Bo (WD), Atlas, Zima, missing one- sorry sound off below.
Posted In: The Reservation

Pleasantries and #howdoyoudos abound. Surprise cameo and acknowledgment of the Nantan. Something muttered about South Carolina and lack of sleeves. Disclaimer: (cinderblock concussion discussion) and off we went.

Quick warmup by WWL.

A circle of 8 cones each with an exercise set 20 yards from the center. All exercises double count (4 count) unless noted: 25 CDD, 25 Peter Parker, 25 Freddys, 30 Mountain Climbers, 30 Lunges, 30 SSH, 25 squats (single count), 15 Merkin.

Complete cone, bear crawl to center, 10 cinderblock burpees, run out to next cone. Rinse/Repeat around the circle until 7:30.

Round 1: Cinderblock Burpees

Round 2: Cinderblock curls

Round 3: Cinderblock Triceps

Round 4: Cinderblock Burpees

80 burpees, 80 curls, 80 tricep extensions, countless bearcrawls and exercises. Some real pain here today. Been a lot of emPHASis on running with the upcoming BRR. Good to get back to some good ol fashion strength work. We had some grunting and primal screams to show for it.

Good take out by X-Bo: an early F3 member that took a 5 year hibernation but has awoken and will be held accountable to post in the I.L. Check the schedule. We’ll be there.

Oh yeah, something something about pick it up, put it down, sprint, medicine ball, tire.

F3 is alive and well in the red clay hills of the Reservation.

Aye!

Jekyll

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Just Run!

2015-08-06Leave a comment

QIC: Gridlock
When: 8/5/2015
Pax: Anchorman, McGruff, Barry Manilow, Tater, Twister, Bass-o-Matic
Posted In: Clydesdales

The Thing:

As promised on Twitter by YHC, this week at the #Clydesdale promised no burpees, no merkins, and no whining. Just moderate paced running! The goal here is to build up the cardio.

Here’s how it went. After some quick stretching, the PAX started down 160 away from Sbux towards the Town Tavern. Right at a mile in we broke into a few different groups based on pace. Twister specifically led a team toward the dreaded hills on the far side of BAX. The groups got between 2.5 and 3.8 miles in before a 6:02 COT back at Sbux.

COT:

Message – Before the run we had a quick discussion about being positive and “filling the buckets of others”; a simple but powerful concept from the book “How full is Your Bucket”.

It goes like this. We all have a bucket within us that needs to be filled with positive experiences, such as recognition or praise. When we’re negative toward others, we use a dipper to remove from their buckets and diminish their positive outlook. When we treat others in a positive manner, we fill not only their buckets but ours as well. Even the briefest interactions affect your relationships, productivity, health, and longevity.

We finished up with a ball of man. Our prayers are with Tater’s father in law and his family.

It was a pleasure running with these guys!

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