2014 Alcatraz Farewell Tour

  • QIC: Cornhole and Decibel
  • When: 12/27/2014
  • Pax: Geico, Trucker, Gears, Senator Tressel, Mr. Clean, Lug Nut, Minuteman, Spitz, Jekyl, Package, Aquaman, Honey Pot
  • Posted In: Alcatraz

Fourteen men came out for a farewell tour of 2014 at Alcatraz.  It was a pleasure to be your guide for the last workout at the  Alcatraz this year.  We could not hit all the favorite obstacles at this AO but hopefully we hit some of your favorites.

Run around park
COP – Multiples of 14 for 2014
COP
28 SSH
28 IW
28 Mtn Climbers
14 Windmills
14 Merkins
28 LBC’s

Suicides – Exercise start when get to line, counts start when six arrives
1st pass
Lunge walk, 14 merkins, Run back, 14 bomb jacks
Karaoke,  14  , Run back, 14 bomb jacks
Run to end, 14 Burpees, run back 14 bomb jacks

2nd pass
Lunge walk, 14 squats, jog back, 14 monkey humpers
Side shuffle, 14 jump lunges, jog back, 14 monkey humpers
Run to end, 14 , run back, 14 Monkey humpers

Mosey to wall
14 dips
14 step ups – ea leg
14 derkins
14 step ups – ea leg

Turned over to Decibel

To the hill

Run half way up backward and then rest of the way forward

14 Wide Arm Merkins and 14 Diamond Merkins

Rinse and repeat

Mosey to right field

Run to center field, 28 monkey humpers, run to left field line 10 walking merkins each way, back to center with alternating lunge x28, back to right field with 14 burpees, back to center with alternating lunges x28, back to left field and 10 walking merkins each way, finally back to center field 14 burpees.

Mosey to playground

partner up

partner 1-hanging knee lifts, partner 2-LBC, switch

Rinse and Repeat

Freddy Mercury

Alternating plank punch and kickx20

Alternating heel touches x14

Windshield wipers x14

X’s and O’sx14

COT

Strive to be better men in 2014

12/27

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Singing in the Rain

  • QIC: Jekyll, Cable Guy, Padre
  • When: 12/24/14
  • Pax: Cspan, Gears, White Lightning, One Niner, Ringer, Senator Tressel, DD, Twister, Old Bay, Decibel, Mcguyver, Pebbles, Pusher, Santini, Flipper, Minute Man, Tatanka, Cornhole, Mr. Clean, Beast, McGruff, Lil E, Red Eye, Trucker, Hasselhoff, Freebird, Anchor man, Boeheim, Chicken Hawk, Burgundy
  • Posted In: Convergence, Ring of Fire

Christmas Eve convergence 2014

33 amphibians manned up and got their Christmas Eve #downPAINment done at the pond, er…#theCoop Wednesday.  Surprisingly there was not one mention of being soaked, waterlogged, finding a dry spot(or #wetspot), – our group has really gone #mumblechatter free…back to reality…

After Cable Guy gives the disclaimer and “the reason for the season” – once more into the #Gloom, dear friends, once more:

COP

  • SSH, MC, IW

Partner in 3’s

  • hill run, pull ups, superman. Rinse/Repeat

Jekyll

  • Sumo Walk, MC, Dying Cockroaches

Padre

Terrific words of “obscure service”.  Serving for purpose, not recognition.  #humbleobscurity  The Christ Child born into humble surroundings.  Also- Sir Nicholas Winton saving of 669 children from Nazi fate. See video

Bottom of Hill

  • Partner Burpee, Squats, LBC.  100, 200, 300

COT

NMM

  • Been a few days since the beatdown.  Padre’s words still resonating.  Do what is right, when no one is looking.  Because it is right to do. AYE!
  • shout out to One Niner and Tatanka for the Pilot
  • 5kFlipper name change to #shutterfly.  All in favor?
  • Prayers and praises for health, fellowship and the ability to do this everyone morning
  • My feet are still wet…

Love and Respect each and everyone of my brothers.

 

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Partner Carry

25 prayer warriors met this morning to study Luke 5:17 – 37.

This chapter provides divine wisdom and examples of different approaches to bring people to God’s kingdom.

These topics were important thousands of years ago and are still relevant today.

The PAX identified the following takeaways from today’s readings.

—————————————————————————————————————–

Luke 5:17 – 25 Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man (See the summary provided below)

A few men brought a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat to Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.

Takeaway ~ Each of us had a person or a circumstance that carried us to Christ. Our purpose is to carry men to our Savior. We may need to adjust our schedules and budgets in order to seize the opportunity to help others’ journey. Be prepared to make these eternal investments of your time and talent for this meaningful partner carry that is required by each of us.

—————————————————————————————————————–

Luke 5:27, 28 ~ Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

Takeaway ~ This is an example of how Jesus works through many types of people to build God’s kingdom. Sometimes self-doubt prevents us from answering to our calling. The truth is that if you hear His calling, then you are already prepared to do what He asks of you. Once you take the initiative, the Holy Spirit will fulfill you with what’s needed to deliver. Continue to lead.

 —————————————————————————————————————–

Luke 5:33 – 35 ~  One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?” Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Takeaway ~ New approaches are sometimes needed in order to reach and bless God’s people. Rigidity prevents us from getting to know and grow with Christ. Be flexible and try new ways to bring others to Christ.

—————————————————————————————————————————–

For more details regarding Luke 5, please visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+5&version=NLT

Have a great weekend and prepare your minds/hearts to begin to study Luke 6 next Friday!

~ Deacon

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Low Speed Post-Holiday Slow Burn

  • QIC: Hard Drive
  • When: 12/26/14
  • Pax: Package, Tatonka, CSPAN, Senator Tressel, Lugnut, Destiny, Opie, Flat Tire, Chicken Hawk, Cornhole, Trucker, Gecko, Boeheim, Dark Helmet, Spitz, Decibel, Jekyll, One-Niner, Cake Boss, 'Stang, Old Bay, Gears, Hard Drive
  • Posted In: Slow Burn

23 Pax shook off the holiday hangover and ventured out for a low-running quasi-moderate Slow Burn.  YHC had some free time and took advantage of the new F3 exercise lexicon which can be found here

The Thang
Dynamic warm-up of windmills in the Chik-fil-a parking lot before moseying down to the Empire lot with some high-knees, butt-kickers, and walking Imperial Walkers along the way.

Circle up and straight into a Dirty MacDeuce (4 sets of 3 exercises, in cadence, with no rest between exercises)
Set 1:  Merkin/LBC/Squats
Set 2:  Diamond Merkins/Freddie Mercuries/Monkey Humpers
Set 3:  Wide Arm Merkins/Hello Dollies/Peter Parkers
Set 4:  Knerkins (alternate:  Merkins)/Rosalitas/Parker Peters

Mosey to the wall for Peoples’ Chair sequence

Jack Webb Ladder:  Run to the first crosswalk for 1 merkin & 4 airpresses.  Run to second and third crosswalk and back increasing the number of merkins by 1 and airpresses by 4 at each crosswalk.  Return to start for 6 merkins and 24 airpresses.

Dan Taylor (see lexicon):  leg version of the Jack Webb.  Start at 1 squat and 4 lunges.  Increase until 5 squats and 20 lunges.  Crowd pleaser so we repeated it back the other way.

Mary time, starting with Guantanamo (again, see lexicon).
LBCs
Russian Twists
Crunchy Frogs
Moroccan Night Club (because, why not?)
Protractor
Freddie Mercuries

Back to the shovelflag @ Chik-fil-a, AYG

1 minute left, so 1 minute of burpees OYO

Moleskin
With CSPAN’s tour of Rt 160 last week, and with Senator Tressel as Q next week, I figured a low-running workout was needed this week or Slow Burn might get a reputation as a running workout.  #NotOnMyWatch.  To plan the work out I spent some time on the Exercise Lexicon that @AP set-up.  There is a lot of great information on there and if you Q any F3 workout I encourage you to spend some time on it.

The Dirty MacDeuce was fun, although judging by the amount of #MumbleChatter I believe I will need to ramp-up the exercises in the sets.

The Dan Taylor was fun, although YHC apparently didn’t explain it correctly judging by the number of Pax that started to sprint on the start.  Either that or far too many folks follow CSPAN blindly.

Guantanamo was fun, especially with 23 pax.  It was more fun when I figured out it worked better trying to pull down the legs by running inside the circle instead of pushing the legs down from outside.  Thankfully no faces were stomped.

The Crunchy Frog looked easier in video.  Bad form on the Q’s part not being to execute it well.  I punched out after 5 reps b/c #DontQItIfYouCantDoIt.  Also don’t threaten to hold the protractor while the mumble chatter persists if @Trucker is posting… he can hold it.   And he can chatter.

Great effort by the Pax and I had a blast on Q.

Look for the Q1 2015 Slow Burn Q schedule to be posted in the next couple of days. I’ll plan on rotating in anyone who’s Q’ed Slow Burn so far.  Let me know if you want in through email, in the comments below, or on twitter (@jeff_gray)

Announcements
:

1/1/15 – Ranch is open.  0630 launch
1/3/15 – Clown car down to N. Augusta.  See CSPAN
Joe Davis Run 1/10/15, see preblast

 

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PRE Blast Christmas Eve Convergence 12/24/14

 

With respect given to the secular:

O come all ye faithful(#PAX),

joyful and triumphant….(#mumblechatter)

O Come ye, O come ye to Nation’s Ford…

Come and behold him (#Trucker)

do one hundred Pull Ups

O come let us do merkins

O come let us do merkins

O come let us do merkins

in the gloom

Tomorrow’s convergence across all of our respective AOs: The Fort, Rock Hill, Indian Land will begin 0515 and go for 1 HOUR ending at 6:15.  Place is THE COOP (NAFO HS).  It will be wet, but not cold.  Good chance for an FNG or brother in law to post.  EH some of our #kotters and get them back.  The more the merrier… 

Don’t miss it!

Aye!

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Leg Day at #TheArmoryF3

  • QIC: CSPAN
  • When: 12/22/14
  • Pax: Car Bomb, Gears, Jeckle, McGruff, & Spitz
  • Posted In: The Armory

YHC got a last minute call to Q the #TheArmory

High quality disclaimer…read the website…not a professional…read it in Hebrew or Greek…

Conditions were cold, rainy, and miserable.

6 men took the #RedPill as this is the type of morning the #fartsack feels oh so good.

Thang:

Lively mumblechatter, and YHC got quickly into warmups and plankorama…and a parking lot lap.

Spitz and Gears were flying…

COP and started tossing iron for 25 minutes…focusing on curls, Cake Boss calves, and squats.

More mumble chatter with McGruff and Jekyll leading the discussions….Car Bomb and I were trying to keep up…

Mosey to overhang for ABLAB to 250 reps.

Mosey to wall to play pass the iron while sitting in people’s chair (crowd pleaser), fun group that seemed to enjoy the nonsense.

BOM.

Moleskin:

12/23/14 Fitness Test at WEP

12/24/14 Convergence at Coop (normal time = about an hour)

1/1/15 Baxter Trail Race

1/3/15 N. Augusta Road Show

1/10/15 Joe Davis Run

Merry Christmas

 

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Is this #SlowBurnF3 or #FlightPlanF3?

  • QIC: CSPAN
  • When: 12/19/14
  • Pax: Car Bomb, Change Order, Deacon, Flat Tire, Gears, Grid Lock, Longshanks, Old Bay, Pusher, Senator, & Waldo.
  • Posted In: Slow Burn

YHC got a last minute call to Q the now infamous #SlowBurnF3…

High quality disclaimer…read the website…not a professional…read it in Hebrew or Greek…

Quick prayer for Tatanka’s meeting

In your best Forest Gump voice “and we were running” down to Harris Teeter…

COP and Plankorama…could have been too much or not nearly enough…perspective…

In your best Forest Gump voice “and we were running” down to Auto Zone…

ABLAB to 100 reps…potentially different perspective…

In your best Forest Gump voice “and we were running” back down to Harris Teeter…

COP in reverse age order, started with Senator and finished with Waldo.

Circle-o-Rama, Name-o-Rama, Prayer or Praise, & BOM.

Mosey at your own pace back to Chicken-&-Wisdom

Cobains to all that did not enjoy the tour, I keep talking about needing more cardio, got about 2 easy miles in today…

Merry Christmas

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Pain Free Mosey around the School Yard

  • QIC: Chicken Hawk
  • When: 12/18/2014
  • Pax: 17 - Backdraft, Trucker, Spiderman, Cornhole, Gecco, Sorano, Lil - e, Gears, Cheddar, McGruff, Change Order, Lug Nut, Beacon, Sheldon, Striker, Decible, Cake Boss, Senator,
  • Posted In: The Ranch

Eighteen men saddled up and joined the party at The RANCH to enjoy a brisk stroll around the school yard.  Although there was some mumble chatter and near mutiny a couple of times we circumnavigated the Springfield multiplex of schools.

The WORD:

What has F3 meant for me the last 14 months…

Throughout the New Testament we are reminded that Gods plan is for us to be in community.  For me F3 is a catalyst to engage me in community!  F3  has reconnected me with men for the first time in almost two decades.

God calls us to be disciples… F3 has helped me step out of my comfort zone and many ways from leading work outs to teaching bible study for the first time in my life

God calls us to serve those in our communities… F3 has prompted me to take a leadership role to rally men around a community cause called CAH.

The challenge to the men of F3 is to step up and step out of the comfort zone.  Like most things in life you will get out of the experience what you put into it.  AYE!

THE THANG:

Mosey to the Front parking lot –

COP

– 30 SSH, 25 Imperial Walkers, 15 WIndmills, 15 low slow squats, 15 lunges, 15 Carolina Dry Docks, Plank, 6 inches, 15 mountain climbers, reverse plank, 15 dips, plank, 6 inches

Pain Station 1:  The Hill

– Prolonged Wall sit, Balls to the wall, prolonged sit

Pain Station 2: The Race Track – Burpicide Ladder

– Sprint the parking lot width and back, 3 burpees, Sprint the parking lot width 2x, 6 burpees, Sprint tothe parking lot width 3x, 9 burpees…. near mutiny audible…

Pain Station 3: The play ground

– 25 swing crunches, 15 pullups, 25 Derkins from the fence…. rinse and repeat

Pain Station 4:  Picnic Tables

– 25 dips, 25 derkins

COT

 

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12 Days of Christmas — #HIM Style

  • QIC: Double D
  • When: 12/17/14
  • Pax: CSPAN, Red Eye, Package, Pusher, Assassin, Santini, Padre, POSH, Burgundy, FNG/Tinker Toy, FNG/Aqualung, Old Bay, Repeat, Boeheim, Fusion, Green Wave, Twister, Tatanka
  • Posted In: Uncategorized

19 pain-hungry Pax posted to Padre’s House of Pain for a 12 Days of Christmas revival.  Yes, last year’s workout at WEP generated a bit of buzz that CSPAN chose to reignite as we turn toward the final week of Advent.  A big thank you to CSPAN and Padre for inviting YHC out for the pleasure of leading once again.

The Thang

Warm up run around the church with some karaoke and backward running thrown in

COP — SSH, Mountain climbers, Seal jacks, Burpees OYO

Mosey to the back of church and let the carol begin (in words of Buddy the Elf, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing out loud for all to hear”)

1 bomb jack and a burpee
2 wide arm merkins
3 diamond merkins
4 regular merkins
5 sumo squats
6 hello dollies
7 rosalitas
8 morrocan night clubs
9 monkey humpers
10 frogs a leaping
11 mountain climbers
12 parker peters

Between each round, the pax bear crawled across the lawn up the hill, ran back across and lunge walked back to the middle for the following round

6MoM – Freddie Mercurys, Gravediggers, LBCs, Russian Twists, plank sequence with a CSPAN “Silent Night” rendition

Mosey to parking lot for suicides  and a final plank sequence with Burgundy’s “Holly Jolly Christmas” rendition

COT

Naked man moleskin

No awards to be handed out for singing this year.  A tip of the hat to CSPAN for his caroling effort and a recommendation for singing lessons for our bashful man, Burgundy (aka Athlete of the Week).  Plus, t-claps to Twister whose zeal for the affair may have been fueled by an early dose of egg nog.

A hearty welcome to 2 FNGs who were brave to venture out into this unforeseen madness – Tinker Toy and Aqualung.  Look forward to seeing you in the gloom again soon!

Another recap of YHC’s seasonal message around Santini’s theme on #HIM from Saturday at WEP.  As you celebrate the #HIM at the center of Christmas, take note of the other #HIM playing supporting roles, namely numerous prophets over hundreds of years, Joseph, shepherds and wise men.  They show up in the story as #HIM because they did two things: first, they listened for guidance and direction and second, they mustered the courage to overcome their fear and act in the way they were called.  Brothers, let’s all commit this season and in the new year to follow those #HIM examples of careful listening and courage.

Merry Christmas!

 

 

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“I am not a professional” A VQ guide

  • QIC: Flipper
  • When: 12/17/2014
  • Pax: 13 - Decibel, Puppy Chow, McGruff, Change Order, MacGyver, Cake Boss, Trucker, Chicken Hawk, Lug Nut, Spitz, Uncle Cracker (FNG), Nacho (FNG and my 2.0).
  • Posted In: Uncategorized

12 brave souls shared the experienced of my VQ!

The THANG

COP
Mosey to the end of the parking lot for COP. Warm-ups included Windmill x15, Squat Kicks x15, bob and weave drills (or sway dance as some appeared to be doing) x15

Curb Drills

– Wheel Of Merkin (OYO) – The Pax remain in plank position as you transition to the next merkin exercise (Encouraged people to do at least five, more if they need the challenge)

Incline merkin x5
Uneven merkin (R) x5
Decline merkin x5
Uneven merkin (L) x5

At the end of each merkin set, the PAX planked until everyone is finished. Then performed one of the exercises below, in cadence.

Seated Row Crunches (crunchy frog) x10
Single leg toe raises x10 each
Dying cockroach x10
Squat hops onto the curb x10

Rinse and repeat 4x

Grass Drills

Mosey to the grass field

– Quad Hoppers x5 (I called an audible after the first set, and moved on to the next exercise)

Broke off into groups of three/four

Over/Under at 10 yard intervals (sprint/high-knees/arm-crawl)
– Explanation: First person sprints to the 10 yard line and assumes the plank position. Second person sprints to the first person and hops over him, then high-knees to the 20 yard line and assumes the plank position. Third person sprints, hops, high knees, then crawl under the second person and continues to crawl to the 30 yd line, then assumes the plank position. Rinse and repeat to the other end of the field and back.

TIME CHECK: 5:36 or 5:46 (I can’t remember which.  See below why this is important)

Parking lot drills

Mosey to the football field parking lot
– Stayed in our groups. First person sprints to the 50 yard line and back while the rest does SSH. Rinse and repeat with squats, merkins

Mosey to the other parking lot and did sprints to each painted lines at 50%, 75%, 100%, 110% speed.

Ab workouts and some burpees
Russian twist, protractor, hello Dolly, boat/canoe, burpee for good measure.

Announcements:
Baxter Trail Club New Year’s Day Trail Run. Jan 1st, 2015
Joe Davis Memorial Run – Jan 10th, 2015

Parting thought:
– Be aware of destination addiction – the preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next job, next next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.

Prayers:
Lord God, thank you for giving us the opportunity to gather on this beautiful day. We are here because we desire to be better men; physically, mentally, and spiritually. Help us grow to be more compassionate, for we know what it is like to be in need. More forgiving, because we have betrayed others. And to be more loving, for we know what it is like to hurt. We also lift up those that are hurting during the holiday season due to the passing of a loved one. This can be a very difficult time and we ask that you give them peace and strength.

Moleskin:
What went wrong? Well, let me see….where do I start?

Bob and weave
– The Issue: This is the first inkling that things are not going as I had envisioned. Note to self: not everyone is a fighter. Some are….dancers?!?

– The Take Away: What appears to be simple can be foreign to some. Exercises that requires coordination and proper form takes time to learn.

Over/Unders
– The Issue: It started off good, but quickly turned ugly. Some confusion as the exercise continued. With a 3 man group and 3 exercises between each interval, each person ended up repeating the same exercise rather than moving to the next one

– The Take Away: Just because it looks good on paper or in your head, it may not translate well when applied. Think through the process and make sure new exercises are explained well in the beginning.

Quad hoppers:
– The Issue: Another great exercise that takes coordination and proper form. Easy to do when you are well rested. Not so much after the Wheel Of Merkin.

– The Take Away: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Run through the exercise plan until you get a feel for things.

Time Check:
– The Issue: At this point (see above), I have ran through my list of exercises. I thought what I had would completely fill up 45 minutes. It wasn’t!

– The Take Away: Create your plan with more exercises than what is scheduled for. It is much easier to leave out exercises than to think of one on the fly!  (Thank you to the veteran PAX for lending a helping hand and providing a few suggestions in my time of need. Thank you, Cakeboss!)

What went right? I got there early as planned. Gave me a chance to run (or drive) through the area to confirm my route plan.

Final Thoughts:  Don’t be hard on yourself.  Don’t shy away from a challenge.  Don’t be afraid to step out your comfort zone.  Learn to follow and learn to lead.  Have fun!

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