WARMUP:
THE THANG:
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:
15 hard chargers embraced the recipe of pain at Block Party this AM and started the day 1-0.
Run to WEP Amphitheater
Warmup
SSH x 30
Windmills x 10
Hillbilly x 10
Mtn climber x 20
CDD x 10
Pearls on a string at each swing in WEP
10 Big Boys
20 Hello Dollies
Lazy Dora – Partner up
100 Merkins/Hold Plank
200 LBCs/6 inches
300 Squats/Al Gore
Partner 1 does 25 reps while Partner 2 does other exercise. Flip flop to reach the desired count
2 Minutes of Broga
Run back to COT
2 Minutes of Mary
WARMUP: slight mosey. SSH, wind mills, produce pickers, mtn climbers, imperial walkers, hillbilly walkers, moroccan nightclubs
THE THANG: a little stretching with toy soldiers, knees to chest. Lined up to do 7s. Round 1 squats and merkins. Walk to top of hill then most to football field. 10 yard line exercises. Increment based on yardline up to 50(5 reps) then run back. Merkins, plank jacks, squats, SSH, shoulder taps. Last round did whole field with CDDs. Mosey to wall wait for six. Mosey to COT
MARY: PAX choice. Flutterjax, box cutters, hello dolly and Freddy Mercury.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: him camp, convergence, stuff the bus, journey discussion Wed at hangin with Stang.
COT: prayers for health issues lost friends and family.
I’m pleased to share the news that on August 4th, Esso will take the Shovel Flag as Nantan of The Fort! I hope you’ll join me at The Ballroom (Pleasant Knoll Middle School) at 0515 that morning for a convergence workout when we’ll honor this HIM as he steps forward to lead us on the next 43 Feet.
At this stage of The Fort’s history, as we approach our 11th anniversary, we’re one of the “mature” regions in F3 Nation. We reached the point several years ago where we “checked all the boxes” so to speak – numerous daily 1st F activities, regular 2nd F and 3rd F activities, local CSAUPs, a prevalence of Shield Lock and Whetstone groups, an active commitment to community service, stable SLT structure, vibrant Comz platforms, etc. This is a sign of riches, ones we might even take for granted at times. In fact, this is a point where complacency could set in if we’re not careful.
Yet, even as a mature region, I’d suggest we’re just now entering the phase where we can really begin to bear fruit in a significant way.
Like a tree, The Fort experienced a period of vigorous growth in the early years. Some of those early shoots withered amid hard freezes or arid periods. Over the following years, we saw many branches grow stronger and sturdier. We’re able to sustainably withstand the impact of life’s storms on our pax, shifting participation and engagement patterns based on the seasons, and even a global pandemic. Through all this, our region has continued to grow, often in ways we don’t easily recognize – deeper roots, broader canopy, thicker trunk.
As we often say, our mission is aimed at “invigorating Male Community Leadership.” Male leaders impacting our community, that’s our fruit. I’ve seen vivid examples of this fruit in the past few weeks from photos on Slack – a kitchen at Bethel Men’s Shelter overflowing with pax, Ms and 2.0s, a similar crowd at trash pick-up, and another group of pax and community leaders supporting Defend the Fatherless at a Pints & Padres cookout. This certainly isn’t the first fruit from The Fort, nor or these the only avenues for bearing fruit. But I believe these reflect a small sample of the abundant fruit that lies ahead for us.
As I think about our community and leadership, I’m thrilled by the prospect of Esso leading us at this moment. We have huge potential to expand our profile in the local community and to elevate our development of leaders to impact the community. Esso is a Fort Mill native, with long and deep community ties. His story includes personal growth that’s been turbo-charged by his F3 journey. Plus, he’s a sales and marketing leader with the expertise to amplify The Fort’s presence and to inspire the pax.
So, get your six over to The Ballroom on August 4th and prepare to fuel up on inspiration!
WARMUP: Mosey to springs building lot for various exercises with 2 burpees in between each. Mosey to the pike energy lot for act 1
THE THANG: Cost #1 – You will have to make hard decisions that negatively affect people you care about.
Partner up for Dora
100 – Boxcutters
200 – Squats
300’- Flutters
Mosey to Act 2 at Subway
Cost #2 – You will be disliked despite your attempts to do the best for the most
Dora – Same partner, new count
50 – Burpees
100 – Merkins
150 – Squats
Mosey to bank lot for a plank and act 3:
Cost #3 – You will be misunderstood and will not always have the opportunity to defend yourself.
Mosey to the WEP running path – with 12 minutes to go YHC called 5 burpees, 10 squats and 15 SSH’s at each swing. It was a bit aggressive. Modified to 5 hand release merkins from the 4th swing on.
JWOW found his landholdings at WEP to be in good working order, so we proceeded and
all finished in time for COT at 0730.
YHC is also pleased to report that the perceived minimum burpee requirement of Slapahot’s was also reached – all of them.
MARY: No time – had work to finish
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Go pick up trash afterward. So many PAX did.
COT: 5th core principle
Thanks to Grinder for the call. Always a privilege to lead where it all started.
Scheduled Q is rumored to be on IR, so YHC grabbed the stick. Welcome, no FNG’s, disclaimer was made. PAX were not content with the mediocre disclaimer, so it was redone & core principles were also reviewed. No more grumblings were heard, so we began!
WARMUP:
– 20x SSH
– 10x Imp Walkers
– 10x Hillbilly Walkers
– 10x Large Arm Circles (5/Fwd & 5/Rev)
– Farmer carry KBs to fire pit area
THE THANG:
– Find a partner – we had 8 PAX, so 4 groups. First group called an exercise. Partner #1 did reps while Partner #2 ran a lap around the parking lot following the curb around where we were gathered. Reps continued until the 6 was in, then switched. After 2nd partners completed their lap, next group called the next exercise.
– Completed 3 rounds. Audible was called between round 1 & 2 to shorten the loop. Due to time, the lap was shortened even more between rounds 2 & 3. Exercises included Man Makers, Swings, Curls, 2-for-1 combos (such as clean & press), OH Presses, Sgl Leg Deadlifts, 6″ Leg-Raised Holds w/Presses, American Hammers, and more.
– Back to COT for Mary.
MARY: Various – Rotating PAX Choice
– LBCs
– Flutters w/press
– More American Hammers
– Big Boy Sit-Ups
– Merkins (debatable as MARY but done nonetheless)
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Bethel Men’s Shelter Dinner signup, Stuff the Bus coming up (volunteers needed & 2.0 friendly), HIM Camp spots still needing to be filled (weekend of 8/12),
COT: Praises to QT bathrooms & for Rebound making it back for COT… Prayers for all in need, both spoken & unspoken.
Warmup: None
The Thang:
BLIMP inspired workout
Burpees x 10
Lunges x 10
IWs x 10
Merkins x 10
Plank Jacks x 10
Route looked a lot like the state outline of Oklahoma. Tesla was the King with 4.25 miles. All others had 3+ including a minimum of 5 laps.
WARMUP: lap around “freshly painted” band parking lot. circle up: Windmills, Slow Low Squats, Moroccan night clubs, Peter parkers, Merkins, Downward dog/Honeymooner, Knees to chest, Seal Jacks. Run around parking lot
THE THANG: Merkin ladder down the “field”. Start with 1 merkin and bear crawl 5 yards. 2 Merkins…bear crawl. Continue until the count is 10 Merkins (accerlated quickly). Run around parking lot. Start at one end of parking lot and Lunge walk 10 yards. 1 squat. Lunge walk 10 yards. 2 squats. Continue until end of field with 10 squats. Run around parking lot. Return to end of parking lot. NUR….with burpee. NUR 10 yards and do Burpee…continue until end. Side Shuffle with Burpee. (switch direction every 10 yards w/burpee). High knees & Butt Kickers with burpee. Every 10 yards switch and do Burpee. Mosey to other end to the grass. Jack Web’s. Finish at COT with stretching.
MARY: Sprinkled in.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Litter Clean Up. F3 men camp. F3 Dad’s camp. Bethel Men’s.
COT: healing. marriages.
WARMUP: produce pickers, Abe vigodas, imp walkers, Peter Parker’s and merkins
THE THANG: started with Motivator starting at 10. Then 1x burpee, 2x Carolina dry docks, 3x jump squats, 4x LBCs and 5x shoulder taps
Next round repeat with all rep counts doubled
Third round with all rep counts tripled
Then 4x, then 5x, then 6x, then we headed back down the mountain
In between each set, we either ran a lap around the church or did dips and flutters (your choice)
While all this was going on, 4 of our posters ran many miles very fast
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:
WARMUP:
Mosey to fire station, then:
10 Windmills IC – the mumblechatter began.
10 HIllBilly Walkers IC – the PAX thought this might bother me.
10 LSS IC – Block Party is way worse.
10 MNC IC
10 Shoulder Taps IC
10 Merkins IC
Broga – mumblechatter significant here.
THE THANG:
Moseyed to the pullup bars. All planked while we two waterfalls of 5 pull ups each. The weather had been nice, but all of the hot air spilling out of the PAX had changed the local conditions. Shirts became optional.
Moseyed around the ball fields and down Tara Tea Drive. Partnered up and did a DORA, with NUR up the hill for the first half and then running the second half. Exercises were:
100 Merkins
200 Overhead Claps
300 LBCs
One last run up the hill. Toy Soldiers and slow Lunges down Windward Drive. Mosey to ball fields.
Halftime
A series of Webbs, starting with Core.
Captain Thor, 1 big boy sit-up – 4 American hammers, progress up to 10 BBSU and 40 Am Hams.
Total: 55 BBSU and 220 AH
Legs
1 squat – 4 calf raises, progress up to 10 squats – 40 calf raises.
Total: 55 squats – 220 calf raises
Upper Body
1 merkin – 4 shoulder taps; progress up to 10 merkins – 40 shoulder taps.
Total: 62 merkins – 248 shoulder taps
The mumblechatter was off the charts through the 2nd Half. I can’t recall all of it, but the laughter hurt as much as the 220 American Hammers…. and the ant bites.
MARY:
Flutters, Hello Dollys, Box Cutters, Xs & Os… just for Decibel!
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Highway Clean Up, Convergence, Sweetwaters Coffee on 7/30
COT: Stays in CoT.
6 of us made it to Dunkin Donuts for some Coffeeteria. It was a great morning for 1st-F and 2nd-F, thoroughly enjoyed it fellas!