If it was sunny and 70 it would be called JV

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Trying to keep some momentum on this Gloomy Friday, so I’ll knock out the backblast the same way 7 diligent men knocked out everything I threw at them this morning.

The Thang

The rain stopped long enough for the 15 minutes we took to mosey around NAFO HS.
1st stop
Merkins x10 IC
OH claps x15 IC
Repeat x 2

2nd Stop
Alternating step ups x 30 IC
Monkey Humpers x 15 IC
Repeat x2

3rd Stop
Suicides ~10m, 20m, 30m
Reverso Suicides ~30m, 20m, 10m

Final Stop-Main Event

Teams of 3 and 4
Station 1 = Wall ball
Station 2= Double leg dot drills
Station 3=Alternating pole dodging run drills (guess you had to be there) to the end of the awning
Runner was the timer and rotated to the wall ball
Run this rotation for 15 min

Change-o
Station 1 = Wall Ball OH Squats (Sumo squats for a challenge)
Station 2= Single leg dot drills
Station 3= Nur (backward run) to the end of the awning
Runner was the timer again and rotated to OH Squats.
Run this rotation for 10 min

Mary
Open body rockers x 20 OYO
Flutter kicks x 20 IC
Freddy mercury x 20 IC

Thanks for the opportunity. I haven’t been the most diligent on the weekdays lately and getting out this Friday was the kick in the pants that I’ve been needing. Thanks also to everyone who posted to Varsity. It wasn’t easy, but everyone gave it their best.

TAP
Harry Carey’s Grandmother in law leaving the homestead for assisted living.
Skate or Die’s friend who’s son’s cancer came out of remission.

Geronimo! out

 

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Interval Flows and Fake Moon Landings

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It was a balmy 52 and rainy when I woke up, and the temperatures were dropping. I grabbed my rain jacket and hit the road. Dark, rainy driving is somewhat peaceful in a way. Just focus on the road and you should be good.

When Bandcamp asked me to Q, I was excited. Gear workouts are different, and tend to be a little more stationary. I accepted and told myself I would plan it weeks ago. I put the finishing touches on the weinke at about 9:30 last night… I’m sure nobody else has waited that long! With the rain coming and the Yeti tomorrow, I held off from including much running. Which was appreciated by the PAX.

Side note – while I was driving to The Hive – a car literally pulled into my lane coming from the opposite direction. Luckily I wasn’t distracted, but had been looking at my phone prior. I pulled off into the grass and the car kept going another 50 or so yards in the wrong land before quickly swerving back into his lane. Be careful on the roads, PAX. In a split second everything can change.

I pulled up and was the first to show. At about 5:09 I got the “no body is going to show” thought and immediately desired to go back to sleep. Luckily, I was wrong! Four PAX pulled in as soon as the thought came through my mind. Of course… I thought. Time to get right. Time to get to work!

Band Camp was feeling the shovel flag, even with the rain. He posted it as the last of us walked up.

We circled up, gave the disclaimer, and immediately ran for cover. We headed to the awning above the gym. It was just right with five.

We looked back at the shovel flag and the wind was whipping it up good. It was flying in what seemed like a perfect rectangle. Sugar Bug interjected saying “that’s how they did it for the fake moon landing as well!” That gave us a good laugh.

We got situated and went to work.

COP

Windmills x 17
SSH x 20
Tappy Taps x 7 (My Favorite)
Mountain Climbers x 15
Deep Stretch/Yoga Flow

Flow 1 – 10 Rounds – 10 Minutes
Each side 30 seconds on, 25 seconds rest
Push up x 2
Bent Over Row x 2
Hang Clean x 2
Shoulder Press x 2
Goblet Squat x 2

On paper, this flow seems pretty easy… but it builds and quickly gets tiresome! Our goal was to get through two rounds in the 30 seconds before the timer beeped.

AMRAP WORKOUT – 10 Minutes
15 4-Count Flutters w/Press
15 KB Swings
15 Push Ups
15 Goblet Squats

Jacob’s Ladder
8/1 to 1/8
Overhead Tricep Extensions
Curls

Flow 2 – 10 Rounds – 8 Minutes
Each side 30 seconds on, 25 seconds rest
Push up x 2
Bent Over Row x 2
Hang Clean x 2
Shoulder Press x 2
Goblet Squat x 2

Mary
American Hammers w/KB – 15
Hello Dolly w/KB press – 16
World War I Sit Ups no weight – 11

 

Prayers and Praises

Assassin – pray for his wife, himself, and daughter going through a break up from a 2.5 year relationship.
Sugar Bug – pray for his daughter’s gymnastics meet this weekend. Pray that she stays focused and doesn’t get into her own mind causing roadblocks.
Band Camp – pray for close family friend who lost her husband a few weeks ago. Now’s the time people stop coming around so pray her loneliness doesn’t abound.
Punch List – stay focused while on the roads – whether driving, biking, running, or rucking – especially tomorrow during the Yeti.

 

Moleskine

Pay attention to today. Smokey, Sugar Bug, and I discussed on the way back to the cars the ages of our 2.0’s and how each stage is better than the last. As much as I am excited to see my daughters grow into who they become (and help to shape them), I know that these days are numbered when the M and I are the most important thing to our 2.0’s. Let us enjoy every moment and pour into them what we can in order to make the next stage that much better. Stay focused on these days, brothers, you only get one chance at this.

I was reminded just how special this time with my 2.0’s is when my oldest came downstairs as I began writing this back blast. I asked her to go back to bed and she responded with a question: “Can you read me a book, please?”

My heart thumped a few extra times and I said absolutely. She excitedly ran upstairs and grabbed I Love You The Purplest, which is a book about a mother loving the wonderfully different things about her two sons. I read the book with her and held her tight. I then headed off to my shower to get ready for the day. It was a very special moment this morning that I know won’t replicate as many times as I would like.

 

Hold on to these moments. Lead well. Love your families with everything you have. 

 

Punch List out.

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Black Diamond #3 at the Ranch – Get Some

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Expected rain all morning, but instead we got a comfortable 40 degrees with wetness all around us.  Perfect for what we were about to get into.

Reminded the Pax that this was a Black Diamond workout and immediately had a reaction that made it clear that some were unaware lol.  Since I dislike warm-ups, I got right to our “warm-up”.

1 – I’ve done this before  w/ my speaker & the Seconds app on my phone (get it if you don’t have it – it’s an awesome timer / tabata app w/ the ability to add music).

  • First 5 minutes of warm-up:  each minute on the minute, we’re all going to do 35 really fast side straddle hops and 8 burpees.  Every minute.  End result is 175 ssh’s and 40 burpees in 5 minutes.
  • Next 5 minutes of warm-up:  no break, right into merkin mode.  11 merkins, 10 diamonds, 9 merkins, 8 diamonds, 7 merkins…down to 1 merkin.  I think we were warm.

2 – 1/4 mile burpee fun:  we moseyed over to the circle in front of the Middle School, which is a perfect 1/4 mile loop w/ some hills in it, which I failed to recognize when throwing this together.  We partnered up and I gave the Pax the bad news.  I set up my phone w/ it’s bright light stop watch timer to help.

  • Sprint with your partner the 1/4 mile loop as fast you can.  Why you might ask?  Because when you finish and see your time for that loop, you both have that many burpees to split halfsies on.  Back in High School, low to mid 50 seconds was acceptable for the 400m dash.  That’s not what we’re capable of anymore – ranged from 70 seconds to 85+ seconds, which meant each partner had 35 to 45 burpees to do apiece.
  • Round 2 – do it again.  Only this time, the challenge was that if you beat your prior lap time, you can cut the burpees in half.  Well no one beat their time, haha, so we still cut it in half anyway.  Most laps were in the 80-90 seconds range this time, which meant, 40-45 burpees to split w/ your partner, or 20-25 a piece.

3 – Pretty sure after this the Pax hated my guts.  From there we hit the longest straightaway I could find.  Same partners as before.  This time Partner 1 lines up 10-20 yards away from Partner 2.  Partner 1 starts back pedaling as fast as they can while Partner 2 has to sprint to catch them.  Wherever they are caught, you stop right there and do an exercise, then a mode of transportation back to the starting line.  We did 4 of these (each partner chased 2x and back pedaled 2x):

  • First round (once caught) – 15 bear crawl merkins, followed by broad jumps back to starting line
  • Second round – 25 lunge jumps (do each leg and that’s 1), followed by bear crawl back to starting line
  • Third round – 35 american hammers, followed by lunge walk back to starting line
  • Fourth round – 45 wide arm merkins, followed by bunny hop back to starting line

4 – We had 5 minutes, so had to make the most of it.  Quick DORA against the Elementary wall by CoT.  Partner 1 does Jump Squats and the timer was Partner 2 running to wall and doing 15 Mike Tyson merkins (those are honestly some of my least favorite merkins:  feet flat on wall at base of wall, merkin position, bring you six to the wall with feet staying put and then all the way forward so that your hands are almost at your ribs as you go down for merkin).  Once Partner 2 finished their 15 rep count, the partners switched.  Think most teams got to 100 or so jump squats before our time was up.

2 Ruckers, 1 Runner and 16 Black Diamond Boot Campers was the count.  Thanks to Jiffy for the chance to do whatever I want without having to worry about how terrible it sounds.  Appreciate everyone kicking a$$ and finishing it all.

Prayers:

  • Dark Helmet’s M is traveling this weekend – travel mercies
  • Dirty Harry’s M has last day of work / transitionary time for new opportunities / jobs
  • Olaf’s continued progress on limiting ADHDs adverse impact on his life
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Bear of a Time

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The weather report was absolutely miserable, mid-30’s and pouring down raining, so we were all pleasantly surprised that it was rain free for the duration of the 45-minute workout and the morning felt great because of it.

We had a newer guy there I had never met before, Duck Dynasty, so I gave a disclaimer and told everyone to glove up and off we went.

Fast mosey with some Toy Soldiers along the way and some shuffles followed by a quick lap around the track before circling up for a quick CoP.

  • Windmills x8
  • SSH  x25
  • Peter Parker x15
  • Downward Dog/Honeymooner stretch
  • Tempo Merkins x10
  • MNC x20

I did this workout last time I Q’d the Abyss and we didn’t quite get through it, I was hopeful that with the colder weather and a faster CoP we would have just enough time and I was right.

1st Routine – Paula’s up & down the hill/road at the back of the school

6 cones placed about 30 paces apart going up the hill each with an “up” exercise and “down” exercise on them.  We would move 2 cones forward and 1 cone back until reaching the top.  Our method of movement was always via Bear Crawls 2 cones forward and Crawl Bears 1 cone back.  Once we reached the top/cone 6 we started over and performed the “down” exercise on the cone, which were the same exercises in reverse order.

  • Cone 1 – True Americans/Absolution x 10
  • Cone 2 – Donkey Kicks/Diamond Merkins x10
  • Cone 3 – Squats x30 /Groiners x10
  • Cone 4 – Groiners/Squats x30
  • Cone 5 – Diamond Merkins/Donkey Kicks x10
  • Cone 6 – Absolution/True Americans

A few of us finished this up, Jedi out in front followed by YHC, Cha Ching, and Wolverine.  Most of the rest of the PAX were about to finish up or maybe a cone or 2 back when I told everyone to finish up their exercise and bear crawl back to cone 1 and finish up to keep things moving along.

Last time we did the next routine on the grassy hill, but due to the weather, we kept it on the road for better traction.

2nd Routine – Burpback Mountain

Partner up and split 120 total burpees.  1 PAX NUR’s up the hill all the way to the top and mosey’s back down while his partner is doing as many Burpees as possible then switching etc, until 120 Burpees are accumulated.

Once we finished this we mosey’d back to CoT and had a couple minutes to spare.  I called out 20 Flutters IC and Cha Ching followed with 15 Crunchy Frogs.  That’s it, circle up.

CoT

Yeti is almost here and read your newsletter!  Continued prayers for this group of men and the ability to come out every morning together.  We also lifted up Prayers for some friends of Jedi’s family whose father committed suicide and Emma, Cornerstones daughter, who hasn’t been feeling well and pray her cancer stays away.

Thanks for the Q Copyright, I can’t wait to come back, I love this AO.

Until next time,

-FLUX-

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13 HIM showed up on a blustery Tuesday to make the choice to get better.

Warm Up

  • SSH
  • Cherry Picker
  • Windmill
  • Hamstring stretch
  • Peter Parker
  • Parker Peter
  • Moroccan Night Clubs
  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • Mosey to the playground

The Thang

“500”

100 reps of each exercise in sets of 20 with a run up the hill and back after each set.

  • 20 Merkins (x5)
  • 20 Pull-ups (x5)
  • 20 Big Boy sit-ups (x5)
  • 20 Dips (x5)
  • 20 Squats (x5)
  • Run up the hill (x5)

That took most of the time. We mosey-ed around the park as a cool down and it was time for the COT. Pull-ups suck. Must do more.

https://youtu.be/7w02YaC0j1k

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The Quagmire Coin Flip

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FNG in the huddle so YHC disclaimed a proper disclaimer.  As the clock struck 0515, it appeared two vehicles were coming in hot.  We took a Capri Lap.  Pickup another FNG and Cable Guy.  The rain decided to make an appearance so YHC #ModifiedAsNeeded and moseyed the warmup under the Home Depot pickup spot.  Covered and dry!

Warm Up:
Since we picked up an undisclosed FNG, plank for another disclosure. Informed FNG’s that we often respond “AYE” in affirmation.  On each “aye,” do a merkin.  YHC felt the urge to discuss choices.  Some we make, some are made for us (insert a couple of aye’s).  Next, OYO 5 “aye’s.”  Recover.
Bring out the coin toss.  For today, the coin will determine the workout, which includes warmups, how we travel from one location to the next, and the thang’s. In the air, guess heads or tails.  Correct = 18 reps of said warm up (Feb 18th).  Incorrect = 28 reps (# days in Feb).  I have two columns with an exercise on each side (heads/tails). I also have the Q here on Friday.  So whichever side doesn’t get picked, we do the opposite on Friday.  Guaranteed 100% different workout!
1 – Tails. 18 windmills
2 – Heads. 18 shoulder taps
3 – Heads. 18 toe squats
4 – Heads. 28 groiners
5 – Heads (see a trend yet?). 28 peter parker
6 – Heads. 28 monkey humpers
7 – Heads. 10 burpees with tuck jump at the top
8 – Heads (seriously). 18 LBC’s

Mosey to the wall behind Home Depot – it pretty much quit raining now – for the thang:
On the back of the paper I filled in for Heads or Tails, a corresponding thang item was determined.
1 – wall work – 10 derkins (wall was slippery.  oops)
2 – wall work – 10 BTTW mountain climbers
3 – travel time – AYG to the fountain
4 – bat wings (18x forward arm circles, 18x reverse arm circles, 18x seal jacks, 18x overhead claps, 18x Moroccan nigh clubs)
5 – travel time – crab walk to parking lot across the way
6 – lut. dan’s – 1:4 work way up to 10:40 (squats and lunges)
7 – travel time – duck walk back to fountain
8 – partner up for black jack (always adds to 21, partner a = 1 merkin then plank while partner b = 20 lbc’s. flapjack. then partner a = 2 merkins then plank while partner b = 19 lbc’s.  Continue until smoked.  Time for COT anyway.

See you Friday for the other side of the coin.

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WEP for some 45’s and an almost Merlot

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11 PAX showed up with no fear of what was supposed to be a wet morning. Lucky for us, after a quick sprinkle during the disclaimer, mother nature held out for us.

The DOHA and I were teaming up for this one and I knew ahead of time that he was very eager to include cinder blocks into the rotation.

Mosey up the hill to the end of the parking lot away from the” house.”

45 was my target rep number (Presidents) and the PAX were so excited to participate:

45 SSH- fluctuating cadence to fast

45 Imperial Walkers

45 Moroccan night clubs

45 Seal Jacks

At the great request by DH, over the to the curb for some calf raises (15 reg, 15 out, 15 in)

Mosey to bank drive through area. Partner up

A little round of Dora. Started out as 100, 200, 300 but had to modify because of time.

Partner One-

100 knee jump slaps

150 merkins

200 flutter kicks

LBC’s waiting on the Six

Partner Two- runs around the Bank

Mosey back to last parking lot to the wall for some wall sits. PAX were to remain in sit position, while each PAX steps out to sidewalk for 3 burpees.

Once completed, we headed back to COT area to pick up the cinder blocks.

Hand off to DH

Mosey with CB up the hill and to guess where, the same parking lot we were just at!

DH had us all line up right where the wall sit area was for COP with the CB’s. Before starting, DH shared a message about PAX asking for help when they need it, and emphasized there would be no judgement. Many PAX are out there struggling (maybe on IR) and continue to face their challenges alone.

The Thang

One PAX would bear crawl the entire hallway to the end where the entrance to the building was (est 100 yds).

Other PAX would complete instructed exercise until the PAX returned.

CURLS

SQUATS

CHEST PRESS

TRICEP EXENSIONs

AMERICAN HAMMERS

SWINGS

(I Probably forgot one or two here)

Rinse and repeat

It is worth noting that after DH returned from his bear crawl, the PAX noticed him standing in the corner as if in “timeout.”  In fact, he was taking his own timeout to avoid a potential Merlot splash. Nice recovery DH.

Back to COT for some Mary

Heels to heaven

LBC’s

Hello Dolly

COT

Announcements

Joe Davis

Yeti

Prayers and Praises

Family

Marriages

PAX on IR- reach out them

Thanks for the opportunity!

Frat Boy (and DH)

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10 Accelerating Together

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Saturday Feb 16: 40’s

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Warm UP:

10 reps each of Hilly Billy Walker and Imperial Walker.  15 SSH

Workout:

40’s:  40 reps of Merkins, LBC’s, Flutters, Carolina Dry Docks, and Squats then run (under awning cover is necessary) to FMES doors and back then do 35 of each exercise then run then drop 5 reps and so on.  Called an audible at about 10 reps and finished togetherish.  Mosey to benches for dips, calf raises and wall sits X2.  Bear Crawl down the sidewalk then complete a Jack Mary Webb (A Jack Web with a 10 count ab exercise between Jack and Webb)…1 b or 2bb’s?

COT:  Announcements of Joe Davis, In Flight February, Journey Bible Study, and Yeti.  Do an event per month and get involved.  Prayers for family and family relationships and softening of PAX hearts towards family, Vivian (Twister coworker), Murray (best friends father) for cancer, and Gwen a coworker.  Gwen, a BTMS custodian, lost her grandson.  A gofundme has been established to pay for the services.

 

 

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Jammin’ at The Hive

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You know how I roll…there will always be music! 17 guys came to The Hive to jam with me. 90’s Alternative all the way! I pulled up at 5:10 and saw 3 cars in the parking lot, told my co-pilot Dangerfield that we had at least 6 guys working out this morning and was excited about that number. By the time I finished setting up my circuit, 6 more cars had driven in to the Fort Mill High Schools parking lot. At 5:15, I was talking to 16 HIM about how important it is to modify if something I suggest/do sounds crazy. We moseyed with our bells over to my setup where we immediately got into some…

Warmup
25 SSH
15 Hillbilly Walkers
15 Merkins
1 Round of Name Shoutouts while we Planked (I always like to know who I’m working out with in the dark!)
1 Lap around the the parking lot ending back at the bells for…

The Thang
I had 10 parking spaces setup with cards calling out an exercise. We doubled up in most of these spaces and did AMRAP for 1 minute in each space. The exercises were:
Big Boy Swings (regular swings with a 40-50lb bell)
Plank Pull Thrus
Slam Ball (this seemed to be liked and most said they had never used a slam ball. Holler if you Q a gear workout and would like to borrow it.)
Half Kneeling Cleans
Half Kneeling Shoulder Presses
Man Makers
Lunge Pass Thrus
Tall Kneeling Curls
Big Boy Situps – Partner Bell Pass

After we each hit every space we took another lap around the lot. When we arrived back at the bells we flipped over the notecards to find a few new exercises on the backside and completed Round 2. Those exercises were:
Big Boy Swings
Slam Ball
Jump Rope
Turkish Getups
Calf Raises w/ Bell
Half Kneeling Halos
Box Cutters with Press
American Hammers
Goblet Squats
Big Boy Situps – Partner Bell Pass

After Round 2 we took another lap around the lot. Total running was about .75 miles. We finished with a set of SSH, 1 for each Pax, and then moseyed back to cars for COT.

Announcements:
Yeti
Joe Davis Run
Sweet Tooth Run

Prayers & Praises:
YHC is officially down 30lbs since joining F3 – Thank you Brothers!
An F3 brother helped his son enter rehab – praise for his son’s open heart and ears, prayers for strength to finish
Drug epidemic in York County
Health – Flu is still spreading like crazy
I always ask our Lord to open our eyes and hearts to help us see what he puts in front of us. We are given opportunities everyday to be HIS hands and feet. Do we see those opportunities?

Thank you to Band Camp for the opportunity to Q at The Hive. It will forever be my pleasure.

IF YOU Q A WORKOUT…GET YOUR BACKBLAST UP!

~Polaroid

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