112 Cards o’ Pain

2015-02-14Leave a comment

QIC: Maximus
When: 02/14/15
Pax: Mile-High, Longshanks, CSPAN, WWL, Catfish, Seacrest, Tesla, Magnum, Sugar Daddy, Santini, Bubba Gump, DD, Red Banjo
Posted In: Block Party, The Fort

14 in the PAX this fine brisk Valentine’s Day morning to welcome Maximus back to the Q schedule. There was a lot of mumble chatter in the last 48hrs about who would have the best/worst Q this AM so, in line with the rule that you can give yourself a nickname, I’ll let the PAX decide. One of the hardest workouts I’ve been a part of was the 52 card pick-up style beatdown. It seems to lack creativity but it makes up for that with an overdose of pain. So why wouldn’t I bring that back?

The PAX took off for a 1/4mi jog to the parking lot which would be our AO for this nonsense. A quick explanation that went something like, each suit represents a different exercise and the number of the card represents the repetitions.

2=2 and Ace=14

Hearts = Butt Kickers (104 Total)
Spades = High Knees (104 Total)
Clubs = SSH single count (104 Total)
Diamonds = Jump Squats (104 Total)
2 Jokers & 2 other cards = 10 Freddie Mercury’s (40 Total)

3min rest to see if my frozen hands could shuffle. After a failed attempt, I simply rearranged about 20 cards and we moved on to round 2:

Hearts = Merkins (104 Total)
Spades = Burpees (104 Total)
Clubs = Carolina Dry Docks (104 Total)
Diamonds = 3-Way Jumping Lunges (104 Total)
2 Jokers & 2 other cards = 10 Toe Touches (40 Total)

After round 1, Santini questioned which was worse, Jump Squats or Burpees. With a sample size of 104 each, I’ll just reply with…BOTH. You don’t cover great distances with this workout but it is still one of the hardest I’ve attempted. It is humbling and embarrassing all at the same time. Nevertheless, it is still dwarfed by the honor felt when standing in the middle of the PAX. It’s hard to take a breather or slow down when 13 other guys are looking at you to push them. To that I’ll ask, “Who’s Pushing Who?”

Announcements: Obstacle Course Race next Saturday (2/21) at Indian Land AO, BRR teams are forming now, Mud Run 4/11.

Prayer Request: Baby on the way any day now, Boeheim now recovering at home and rehab is to start next week, take care of yourself and keep an eye on your brother. Know when to push yourself and when to say when.

AYE!!!

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New Children’s Attention Home AO Preblast – Starting Feb 28th

2015-02-14Leave a comment

QIC: McGruff, Senator Tressel, Decibel and Chicken Hawk
When: 02/28/2015 @ 2:00PM and every two weeks thereafter
Pax: All Invited
Posted In: Uncategorized

*SPARK – Operation Intercede and Invest

This is a call to the men of F3 to support the children of Children Attention Home in a new, ongoing and purposeful way. Beginning on February 28, 2015 @ 2:00 PM the men of F3 will begin to interact with the children on a bi-weekly basis across all three of our core principles.

These children come from dysfunction that they didn’t create including broken homes and abusive relationships. This is a call to break the cycle, this is a call to invest ourselves into this brokenness and to change their direction, and this is a call to intercede through fellowship and exercise with these children to rebuild these them and to restore confidence, a sense of self-worth and a sense of belonging.

Who: Children of the Children’s Attention Home that are 8 – 18 yrs old (approximately 8 – 15 kids) as well as 2.0s that are 8+ yrs old.

What: Build self-esteem through physical activity through 45 minutes of exercise including boot camp, running and other games and activities. Also, to teach leadership principles and life values to the children through the experience of the men.

Why: Without the men of F3 interceding and investing in these children’s lives we can expect the following:

Low self-esteem that leads to continued aggression or being withdrawn from society
Depression that leads to fatigue, lack of concentration and increased incidence of suicide
About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse
Children who experience child abuse & neglect are about 9 times more likely to become involved in criminal activity

When: Ongoing – Event Time: 2pm-3pm (2^nd and 4^th Sat) starting February 28^th If you would like to participate please get in touch with one of the QICs for more details

Where: contact @F3_Chicken_Hawk

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Rivergate Bakers Dozen

2015-02-13Leave a comment

QIC: Cable Guy
When: 2/13/15
Pax: McGruff, Crash, Old Bay, Solid State, Cake Boss, Aquaman, Gearz, Serano, Black Hawk, Double D, Geko, Cable Guy, FNG (Royale)
Posted In: The Swamp

Looking for a Name…

13 Strong a week after an initial recon to open up this new vast and spacious AO!

Mosie to COP on the grassy knoll

25SSH

25 MC

25 IW

25 Peter Parker

25 Cherry Picker

25 Plank Jacks

25 Carolina Dry Dock

25 SSH

Mosie to Target for “Call the Ball”

Bear Crawl to each Ball Pax call out an exercise

10 Merkins

10 LBC

10 Alphabet Leg Lifts

10 ?

10 more (I’m too old for this)

Karaoke back to start

Repeat; instead of Bear Crawl Lunge walk

Mosie back to the mountain for a little AB Blast

COT

Great time this morning with a workout a little harder than Slowburn or so the Pax said anyway!! I’m not so sure as I’ve only been to the Burn once before.

Thanks to the Pax for helping the expansion into the Steele Creek area!

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The Ranch: “Waiting for the other shoe to drop….” – Wait no more and get on with living!

2015-02-13Leave a comment

QIC: Cake Boss
When: 02/12/15
Pax: Mcgruff, Chicken hawk, Cake boss, Aquaman, Gears, Cornhole, Gears, Spitz, Lugnut, Senator tressel, Anchorman, Flat Tire, Spider-Man, Cerano, Dark Helmet, Old Bay, Gecko, Wheelz, Zima, Speedwalker, Rebel, Solid State, Crash, Minuteman, Blackhawk
Posted In: The Ranch

Our Brother Boeheim is down with cardiac issues and so after the PAX arrived; we took a knee and prayed for his swift and smooth recovery. God Speed Boeheim!

YHC posed a question to the PAX

“Waiting for the other shoe to drop” = To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one that is not desirable.

Question is “What are you waiting for?” If you know your time is limited and days are ticking away, what are you waiting for???
Health, Relationships, Parenting, Career and most importantly, God. What are you going to do when the time has run out and the other shoe has dropped??? Get moving and get it done….whatever it is!

Fixes:

Trusted friend – Confide in someone
Forgive – quit holding grudges
Gratitude – Hard to worry about bad news when you know your blessings

Dark Helmet took the lead for our Warm Up:

COP-SSHs, Mtn Climbers, Imperial Walkers, squats, Peter Parkers. Squat Jacks, Parker Peters,

Mosey to road – lunge walk to speed bump, sprint to next bump, lunge walk to light pole, sprint to playground

9-9-9 (9 reps of each, 9 rounds, for 9 minutes) Split up into 4 groups

1st set: Squats, Merkins, Dips, SSHs

2nd set: Lunges, Wide arm merkins, Pull ups/dips, Bomb jacks

Mosey back to road.

50% jog to speed bump, hard sprint to 2nd speed bump

COP: 20 LBCs, 24 Rosalitas, 20 Low Slow Flutters

COT:

27 took the Red Pill today. Strong PAX today at the Rodeo with no clowning around.

Announcements:

Tuesday 1st F expansion with 3rd F both meet at Gold Hill Hardees

Friday 1st F expansion with 3rd F meet at Gander Mountain Rivergate Center

40 day Challenge beginning 2/18

20 workouts in 40 days
Give something up/Take something up
Goods drive for Children’s Attention Home (CAH)
1. Small bottles of Gatorades
2. Individual wrapped snacks (Crackers, Little Debbie’s, etc.)

Prayers for Boeheim and Uncle Kracker as well as all relationships, kids and guidance from SkyQ.

Honored and humbled as always to lead this group. Thank you!

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Rolling Thunder

2015-02-11Leave a comment

QIC: Chaser
When: 02/11/15
Pax: Chicken Hawk, Cheddah, Serrano, Crash, Seacrest, Librarian, Dark Helmet, Stank, MacGyver, Destiny, Cold Cuts (Area 51), Change Order, Spiderman, Biscuit, Santini, CSPAN, Anchorman, Hamburgler, Spitz, FNG "Huckleberry", Lugnut
Posted In: Ring of Fire

Gorgeous crisp morning with 22 strong including 1 FNG and an Area 51 rover. Welcome FNG “Huckleberry” brought in by Anchorman and a much appreciated post by one of my best friends, Area 51 “Cold Cuts”. Absolutely love this AO – so many options and we took a nice tour.

Mosey to parking lot beside the grinder…

25 SSH

20 IW

15 WM

20 Moroccan Nightclubs

Mosey to incoming drive and grab a curb

“Rolling Thunder” – this is something I thought up while escaping my office chair at work yesterday…

Merkin on the curb, left hand high in plank position and then reach it all the way around to a dip position, perform a dip on the curb and then roll back over into Merkin – repeat x20

So much fun we did it back up the hill x20

Mosey to the Grinder

Sprint 50 yards, 50 LBCs

Sprint 50 yards, 50 Freddie Mercury

Sprint 50 yards, 20 CBLs

Sprint 50 yards, 10 Turkish get-ups

Count off in 3s and Mosey to ROTC building

Group #1 – Burpee Pull-ups

Group #2 – Run Hill with 20 squats at top and bottom

Group #3 – Jack Webb’s Hiney (1-2-3 with the 3 being high knees, 2-4-6, 3-6-9, etc…) this counts as higher math for most of the Pax.

2 min. rotations first time around

3 min. rotations second time around

Mosey to starting point

15 Hello Dolly

20 LBC

1 min. true plank on elbows – they really oughta smooth out that parking lot!

COT with announcements (Mud Run) and prayers (Pax co-worker going through some tough times). Taken out with praise for the ability to be able to workout with a great group of men on such a fine morning. Always an honor to lead such a group of men – praise for the opportunity.

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Off to the garage we go…

2015-02-10Leave a comment

QIC: Pusher
When: 2/9/15
Pax: Posh, DD, Boeheim, Tinker Toy, Schrute, CSPAN, Tatanka, Burgandy, Padre
Posted In: Uncategorized

YHC arrived right on time, jumped out of the car and away we went.

The Thang

AYG to Stop Light

5 Burpees

Windmills x 15

AYG to parking lot

5 Burpees

Imperial Walkers x 15

AYG to Parking Garage

LBCs x 20

Partner Up

Partner 1 up the steps to the top

Partner 2 up the garage

Meet at top for 20 partner handshake merkins

Back down the way you came

15 Partner handshake merkins

Rinse and Repeat to 0

Wall sits

Balls to the wall

Lunge Walk/Sprint/Bear Crawl sequence up the garage

Wall Sits/Balls to the Wall

SSH x 25

Stairs down/Run up/Stairs down sequence

Wall sits/Balls to the Wall

AYG to COT

Moleskin

Reminder to sign up for Mud Run on 4/11. Contact Jeff Smith (Tatanka) for details

Reminder for clown car to F3 Leap to Hartsville on 3/22. See CSPAN for details

We heard another family who is struggling with potential divorce on Monday. This seems to be rampant at the Fort right now. Cake Boss says it best, “lock the doors from the inside”. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those families.

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The 4 Corners of Persevering through F.A.T.P.A.N.T.S.

2015-02-10Leave a comment

QIC: Boeheim
When: 02/10/2015
Pax: Jerry Lewis, Pusher, Chowdah (Happy Birthday!), Minuteman, Jekyll, Cornhole, Aquaman, Package, Red Eye, Free Bird, White Lightning, Bubba Gump, Menthol, Gekko
Posted In: Golden Corral

15 pax gathered at Golden Corral for lessons in perseverance (White Lightning & Free Bird somehow unlatched the barn door & took off on a soggy 5 miler for some P200 training). The first lesson coming from the late great Dean Smith, (paraphrased) “It is the disciplined man who is the free man.” By getting ourselves up early and getting our bodies in shape, we have the rest of the day to concentrate on other choices with no regrets. Let’s Mosey!

Back of the Harris Teeter for COP
- SSH x 40
- MNC x 25
- WM x 20
- Plankorama – Regular 10 Count, Right Side High, Regular 10 Count, Left Side High, Six Inches, Mountain Climber x 15, Six Inches, Peter Parkers x 15 (nice work through the mumble chatter)….Let’s Mosey!
Back Corner of Harris Teeter
- Monkey Humpers x15
- Imperia Walkers x15
- Knerkins (Merkins on the Knuckles) x 10
- Empty Wheel Barrow (really, that’s the name on the F3 Website) Switch w/ partner halfway to front corner
- MIKE – Happy 36th Mike “Chowdah” Snyder; Now closer to 40 than to 30!

CSPAN brought us the #NOFATPANTS at the start of the year. If we keep up with our F3 workouts (along w/ some other healthy habits), we should be able to keep those now oversized trousers in the closet or send them to the Goodwill store. With the help of our F3 brothers, we can keep persevering through the gloom and other CSAUP events to keep those things where they belong. So…

At the front corner of Harris Teeter, break into 4 groups. Each group gets a Weinke for FATPANTS. Each exercise is done at one of the “4 Corners” in the HT parking lot. After each exercise, jog to the next corner. FATPANTS are as follows:

Flutter kicks – 10 reps (4 count)
Alabama ass kickers – 10 each leg (Thanks Red Eye)
Turkish get up – 5 each arm
Plank jacks – 10 reps (4 count)
Alternating shoulder taps – 10 reps (4 count)
Nine count (That’s right no “n” exercises)
Three merkin burpees – 10 (Thanks Cornhole)
Slow low squats – 10 reps (4 count)

YHC forgot to demo some of the less familiar exercises to the pax before setting them off to the 4 corners. A happy accident as it led to my second Dean Smith quote about persevering : “What to do with a mistake, Recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.” Re-circle the pax, go through the demos. Now that everyone fully understands; rinse & repeat the FATPANTS

Gather at the sidewalk in front of Harris Teeter for some OYO BLIMP (Burpees x5; Lunges x10; Imperial Walkers x15; Merkins x 20 and Plank Jacks x25). Jog to next parking island after each exercise.

Circle up for peoples’ choice ab-lab. First though, I need to find my sack. Since I usually jog the 1.25 miles to GC, I had to pack the Weinkes & my phone in a small sack, which I misplaced during the workout. After Package proclaimed “It’s in my hand”, I bombed jacked us with a “That’s what she said.” Not cool after he did me a solid, but I couldn’t resist.

Ab lab finally got going w/ Aquaman’s crowd pleasing knees to elbows. That is plank on your elbows and then bring each knee to the side in alternating fashion. Next Minuteman w/ LBC’s and finish with a gut wrenching (see what I did there) alternating tempo of flutter kicks by Pusher.

COT: (Welcome back White Lightning & Free Bird) Proverbs 3; 5&6 – Trust the lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

I believe this speaks to thanking the lord for giving us the strength to continue with F3. Trust in him and he will allow us to persevere first through the gloom, then through the other paths he lays before us (I’m no Cake Boss but that’s my take).

Announcements: Wednesdays 5:15 at Baxter Starbucks – running for P200 ramp up; Sign ups for BRR are now live; April 11 Mud Run – Sign Up through F3 website; Sundays 6:30 the BRC at Baxter Starbucks – more P200 ramp up!

Prayers for Bubba Gump’s assistant JoAnn battling cancer. Prayers for Chowdah’s friend Chad who passed away over the weekend from a brain tumor in his early 40’s leaving a wife and child.

Praise for Aquaman’s wife crushing the test to get recertified to be a school counselor.

NAKEDMAN MOLESKIN:

In continuing with today’s theme, YHC kept saying “endurance” at the AO when I meant to say “perseverance.” I’ve learned that I may need my Weinke more than I would like to admit. I’m moving on from that now as this group continues to help me build not just my physical strength, but my mental strength and confidence. This was only my second Q (and first BB) but I’m looking forward to the next one being better. I’m looking forward to being w/ my brothers in the gloom and I’m looking forward to #NOFATPANTS ever again.

Aye!

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It’s Kettle bell time

2015-02-09Leave a comment

QIC: Decibel
When: 02/09/2015
Pax: Anchor Man, Flacco, Crash, Blackhawk, Green wave, Catfish, Lug nut, Dark Helmet, Cheddar, 8 mile, Destiny, Newman, WWL, Deacon, Silent State, Spitz, Car Bomb, The Librian, Longshanks, Gears, Stang, Boy Band, Trucker, McGruff and Change Order
Posted In: The Armory

25 men came to the Armory for a beat down, one showed for a cool down from a 50k! Respect to world wide leader for not only completing the 50k but posting two days later.

The Thang:

Warm up Lap

One Minute on 20 Seconds Off

90/45

Chest to Back Pullover

Two Handed Curl/Preacher Curl

Goblet Squat

5 burpees

Mosey to Station 1

KB Merkin

Figure 8

Back Lunge with pass through

Toe Taps

10 burpees

Mosey to Station 2

Halo

Upright Row

Dead Lift

20 Burpees

Mosey to Wall

Squat Curl

Shoulder Press

Stairway Wheel barrow

Dips

Mosey to Station 4

Chest Press

Peoples Chair

Skull Crushers

Balls to the wall

Mosey to Origination point

LBC with KB

X’s/O’s

Grave Diggers

Boat/Canoe

Moleskin:

Once again it was a pleasure to Q the Armory. I hope that we got enough use out of the KB to justify the cost. Welcome FNG 8 mile to the ranks.

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Living up to expectations

2015-02-07Leave a comment

QIC: Audit
When: 02/07/15
Pax: Gunny, Bounty Hunter, Beast, Ringer, Atlas, Heisman, Audit
Posted In: The Reservation

Knowing the reputation of Indian Land and after receiving praise from the tribesman for my last Indian Land Q, I had a lot of expectations to live up to.

The Thang:

After some quick words of wisdom we jumped right into 25 burpees followed by 25 hands release (HR) pushups. Mosey to the back side of the school where the basketball goals are.

50 SSH, 10 burpees, OYO, 20 IW, 10 pushups OYO, 10 Windmill, 5 burpees OYO, Dari-er chair to 30 in cadence. line up at end of bball court and frog jump all the way across. Burpees for how ever many jumps it took. Completed this 4 times with Dari-er chair inbetween them. 5th set of frog jumps consisted of frog jumps across the court, 5 burpees, sprint to the playground, 25 pull ups, and a lap around the playground followed by a 40 count in cadence of Dari-er chair. Mosey to the Dragons Back hill.

5 minutes of nonstop up and down the hill with 10 burpees every time you come down the hill. Mosey to the Football field.

50 yard frog jumps and LBC’s for whoever had the least amount of jumps. Bounty Hunter did it in 25 jumps so we did 25 LBC’s in cadence as a team. Next up was 50 yard wind sprints. 50%, 75%, and two 100%. 15 more HR pushups, another 40 count in cadence of Dari-er chair followed by brutal session of Dari-er chair with pulses. Mosey back to Dragons Back Hill

One more time up and down the hill and then mosey back to the grass area beside the school. As with all of my Indian Land Q’s we finished with 5 minutes of nonstop burpees before bringing it home to COT.

As always, it was a pleasure and want to give major props to Gunny. He is in his 50’s and was at the front all day long.

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The Inmates Invade The Fort

2015-02-07Leave a comment

QIC: Gears and Maximus
When: 02/07/15
Pax: Lil E, Wrigley, Santini, Seacrest, Wide Right, Sugar Daddy, Green Wave, Rooney, Solid State, Old Bay, Aquaman, Taz, Mile High, MacGuyver, Private Ryan, Crab Cakes, Flat Tire, Red Banjo, Magnum, Gears, Maximus, FNG (Fonda), FNG (Ziplock)
Posted In: The Fort

Two of the regular inmates of Alcatraz were given parole to Q Swap with The Fort and show 23 men how we get stronger in the Prison Yard.

Gears on Deck, Disclaimer disclaimed.

The Thang:

Mosey to soccer field at top of hill

#SpokenWord to the PAX

COP
– SSH x 20
– IW x 15
– Windmill x 10
– MNC x 15
– Mountain Climbers x 20

Clock Merkins (12 x 5)

Protractor BTTW on the fence
– 12 count at 30 degrees
– 12 count at 60 degrees
– 12 count at 90 degrees
– 12 count at 60 degrees
– 12 count at 30 degrees
– Recover for 12 count

Repeat (Crowd Pleaser)

Mosey around park to area in front of playground.

Dirty Mac Deuce (12 of each with 12 count between sets):
– Merkins
– Hello Dolly
– Mountain Climbers

– Wide Arm Merkins
– Slow Freddy Mercury
– Peter Parker

– Diamond Merkins (Crowd Pleaser)
– Dying Cockroach
– Parker Peter

– CDD
– XOs (12 x 4 count)
– 6 inches

Split into 1s and 2s
One does small lap around playground while other does:
– Pull Ups
– Toe Touches on Pull Up Bar

Hand off to Maximus

Ab Lab:
– Hand Walkers x 12
– Seated Knee Tucks x 15
– Sky Touches x 12

Line up:
Burpee Broad Jump for 20yds
Sprint distance b/w two trees then 5 Burpees, repeat, then repeat again
20sec low squats x 3
Single leg squat x 10sec each leg, repeat

Jog back to the starting point
Peter Parker’s on your elbows x 20
Heels to Heaven x 15
V-Ups x 12 each side
Russian Twist while varying speed x 15

Run in Place (4ct) x 60
Knee Tar Jai’s x 16?

Mosey to the hill
Sprint to the top and jog down, repeat then repeat again

COT

Naked Man Moleskin:

YHC’s VQ at the AO that gives our Region its name, and the PAX there do not disappoint.

#SpokenWord today was about being Present. YHC chose Present as the word for this year after Santini’s challenge, and this is not just being physically present, but actually pushing off selfishness in whatever way that manifests itself and pouring yourself into what you are doing. Examples from YHC include being mentally engaged with my family, especially the M, as well as being engaged in my job to care about what I do and make a difference.

YHC then challenged the PAX to be present for the workout today and they did not disappoint. There was much mumblechatter about getting out of the workout what you put into it, so I think the #SpokenWord was truly heard.

Announcements:

Spearhead ruck starting at Dunkin Donuts Sunday

BRC running group starting 0630 tomorrow from Starbucks

Ziplock and Fonda starting Silver Bullet workout in parallel to WEP workout Saturday at 7am, need to EH “seasoned” men

Great words from Red Banjo regarding our need to be running in order to “WIN” …don’t be in it for just the t-shirt, pour yourself into your goals.

S/O to Santini for bringing his “A” game this morning.

Prayer Requests:

Crab Cakes dad, Hugh going in for surgery Monday.

Honor to Serve.

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