Kettlebells, Bear Crawls, Oh My

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Assumed the Cannonball AO was about as far from me as the Deep and left the house early, only to arrive at the AO a solid 12 minutes before kickoff.  Was surprised to see one of the Church doors open and kettlebells visible from the parking lot.  I guess that kind of red carpet service you get when the site Q is the Assistant to the Parking Lot Manager of New River Church and one of their pastors frequents this new AO.

Once the pax funneled in, I took them for a quick loop around the parking lot and knocked out the warm-up:  (in cadence) SSH x25, windmills x10, overhead press w/ KB x10, halos x10 (counter clockwise & clockwise), merkins x15, downward dog / honeymooners and an attempt at Supermans w/ KB in hand (went over real well lol).

Ran the guys w/ our KB’s down to the far end of the parking lot and we got started:

  • 4 cones set-up (1st at the far end of the lot), the next 3 about 7 parking spaces apart.  Quick and dirty – do an exercise at the first cone, immediately lunge walk (w/ twist) w/ KB to the next cone, drop the KB, run back to the first cone (every time) and bear crawl back to your KB.  Once there, you do the next exercise, lunge walk w twist to the next cone, drop weight, run to the very first cone, bear crawl back to weight (now 2x the original distance)….you get the point.
    1. Exercise #1 – plank rows w/ kettlebell (10 reps per side).  Key here being to maintain flat plank the whole time as you hold body w/ 1 arm and pull w/ the other.  Lunge walk, run, bear crawl, (wait for all Pax to finish bear crawl – those waiting did upright rows w/ KB), then
    2. Exercise #2 – wood choppers (crowd pleaser).  It’s a play on the KB swing, but a little harder.  Start w/ KB above your head to the left then swing it down to the right side of your legs, and then swing back up to the left side of your head.  Key here is to not blow out your knee, but to actually accelerate as much as you can on the way UP.  10 reps going left to right, 10 reps right to left.  Lunge walk, run, bearcrawl 2x the distance (wait for pax, those waiting did curls w/ KB), then
    3. Exercise #3 – single leg RDL’s (romanian dead lifts) w/ kettle bell in the hand of the leg that is going straight back.  10 reps per side.  Lunge walk, run, bear crawl 3x the distance (those waiting for pax to get back did thrusters w/ KB), then
    4. Exercise #4 – toe touches w/ KB (20 rep count).
    5. Turn around and rinse and repeat whole cycle, only double the rep count for all exercises above.  Good stuff.  Bear crawled out at this point.
  • Next up were some good old fashioned super sets – two exercises given, do them back to back, no complaining.
    1. Alternating merkins w/ one hand on the KB at all times (10 reps per side) / bent over KB tricep extensions (10 reps per arm)
    2. Get ups (hold KB in each hand 5x each) / KB jump squats (10 reps)
    3. Big boys w/ KB press (15 rep) / KB american hammers (20 reps per side)
  • Only had a few minutes, so we gave ourselves 10 parking spaces to get back to COT and everyone did bear crawls back to COT w/ KB in hand (use it as a hand, no dragging, switch hands half way through).

    I have to say the effort level by everyone was awesome to see – not a single person was half a$$ing it – all were finishing each set strong and suffering through each of the long bear crawls.  I was especially proud of one of their newest pax, Mysterio, who did not give up on that last KB bear crawl stretch.  The dude had some serious fight – he’s going to be good one.

    Thanks Two Ferns for the chance to step up and lead at the new Lake Wylie KB AO.  Didn’t really know what to expect w/ a KB workout, but had a blast – hope the others did as well.

    ChaChing

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4×4 Fun

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I haven’t been to Colosseum in a long time. I’ve been doing the ruck WOs on Tuesdays so it was good to shake up the routine. It was also great to see so many cars rolling in. I haven’t seen several guys in a while due to being under a ruck so it was great to be out in the gloom with them again.

Go time arrived and disclaimer was attempted. Mosey around loops in front of school with high knees, butt-kickers, karaokes both ways. Circle up for normal warm-ups: SSHs, windmills, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, and some Hillbilly Walkers.

Moseyed over to side lot. Today’s theme was simple, 4 exercises done 4 times. First off was Bear Crawl from top of parking line to curb, 4 Merkins, Crawl Bear back to top of parking line, 4 Donkey Kicks. Repeat 4 times.

Mosey over to lot behind school. 5-Worst Merkins (Wide, Normal, Diamond), 10-Big Boy Situps, 15-Plank Jacks, 20-Shoulder Taps then run to other side of lot. Repeat 4 times.

Mosey to loop in front of school. Starting at center of loop: 10-Burpees, 10-Mtn Climbers (4 ct), 10-Lunges (each leg), 10-Smurf Jacks, then run around loop to center spot of on other side. Repeat 4 times. Lots of good mumble-chatter during this segment, except for Tesh who almost lapped everyone.

Slow mosey over to front of middle school for some Wall Webbs. Start in People’s Chair, walk out on hands into Merkin, walk back up on hands into chair for overhead claps. Normal ratio of 1:4. I cut it short at 6:24 so we had time for some mary (and my legs were starting to burn). Back at cars to finish up with 10 tiny circles clockwise, 10 counter-clockwise, then 20 flutters. Time’s up. Hopefully the PAX got their money’s worth today.

Continued prayers for Stang’s family as they mourn the passing of his grandfather as well as all of the kids that Cornerstone is involved with in their treatment group.

Thanks to Jekyll for the opportunity!
-Mainframe

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Challenged to “Bring It”

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A few months ago, Dark Helmet and I were challenged to “bring it” to The Deep. I’m not sure how I got roped into the conversation as I no longer provide the top-tier workouts I used to. You see, it’s not because I’ve gotten soft (well, maybe a little), it’s more due to the physical acceleration of the PAX, which is evident when I cross the water and see the brothers in Lake Wylie. My workouts aren’t as hard as they used to be for some.

That said, I’ve become known for 2 things: the deck of cards and cinder blocks. I couldn’t disappoint the fellas. Dark Helmet on the other hand, is known for many things (not including many leather-bound books, rich mahogany, a perfect quaff or starbuck-y hands). And, with these many things, he brought his level of creative, pain-inducing exercises to the first half of the morning’s Q.

Once DH signed a few autographs, gave a very clear disclaimer, he took off for the warm up mosey. Then did a few warm-up-type exercises which included all the regulars and plenty of chatter.

Grab a partner and since when does size not matter…in Wheelbarrow racing?

You and your partner will alternate wheelbarrow’ing around the circle which I swear, grew as we were encircling it.

Next, grab the cinder blocks from Maximus’ truck for a little DORA activity.

Partner 1 (P1) would run around the main lot while Partner 2 (P2) would do the exercise then flapjack for:

200 Bicep Curls

300 Overhead Press

400 Bent-Over Rows (modified the count for timing and inserted chest press)

Hand off to Maximus for more partner work

P1: Ski Abs

P2: Toe Taps on the block (25ea side)

Flapjack

P1: Burpee Broad Jump ~50yds & NUR back

P2: Mountain Climbers with your hands on the block

Flapjack

P1: Beep Beep I’m a Jeep for 25yds & Lunge Walk back

P2: Bomb Jacks

Flapjack

Now with both partners at one end and the block at the other:

P1: Sprint to the block, 10 Man Makers with the block, Sprint Back

P2: Flutters from the V-up position

Next up, partner big-boy sit-ups while passing the block back and forth

I can’t fully recall if we did a few 8ct burpees to finish it off but it’d be a lot cooler if we did…so let’s assume we did.

Hey PAX, wherever you call home, go somewhere different. Organize a clown car with a few other locals and go see a different AO on a Saturday and attend their Q-Source. You never know what you’ll learn. Dark Helmet and I appreciate the opportunity to put ourselves through misery in the spirit of Qing for a great group of F3’s finest PAX.

Until Next Time.

DH & MAX

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Hangin’ with Boys from Guidance (CAH) at Whitewater Center

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Location: Whitewater Center Charlotte

Time: 10:00 – 4:00

Who is invite:  Pax, Ms, 2.0

F3 is hosting and chaperoning a day at the Whitewater Center with the 6-8 boys from CAH.  The plan is simply to have fun and enjoy all the activities that the Whitewater center has to offer.  It will be a day full of fellowship and fun as we engage in the zip line, climbing wall, rafting, paddle boarding, hiking or whatever the heart desires.

Pack a bag, a cooler, a lunch and head out to the center to help influence the next generation.

Aye!

Chicken Hawk

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Stairway to Heaven??

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I’ve been fart sacking a bit so it was good DirtyHarry called me out to lead the Badger.  There’s nothing like getting back in the groove than Qing the Badger.  I wanted to make it a special one so I did some reconnaissance work the day prior and found some good accessories for the workout.  We honored fallen soldier and Officer Timothy Brenton.

Warmup with Imperial Walkers, Side straddle hops, Tappy Taps, Windmills, Honeymooner, Downward dog

The thang

Took a short mosey to the band practice field at the top of the hill.  In honor of Timothy Brenton we started with a 100’ (or so) bear crawl and back across the field with standing broad jumps.

Station 1 = 39 squats, Station 2 = 39 dips on benches, Station 3 = 39 merkins, Station 4 (Stairway to Heaven) – some may argue whether it was a true stairway to heaven.  PAX lifted heavy concrete blocks to the top of the stairway for 10 overhead presses, with a nice view of downtown Charlotte to ease the pain. Rinse and repeat X4

PAX Carried the blocks a few hundred feet around the corner of the school and laid them to rest.  Found a nice long wall to continue to blast our quads with wall sits.  Moved down to the cafeteria, found some nice benches, and continued working the chest with decline and incline merkins in unison.

Mosey down to the pull up bars to get a set of 10 in then made our way to COT.  Finished off with crunchy frogs, hello dollies, LBCs, and a stargazer pose.

Prayers for health amongst the PAX, family, and coworkers and praises for new promotions.

Announcements – Cannoli Run this weekend

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Burpees at the Ballroom?

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This was my 4th Q in 6 days so I am running short on ideas, and never knowing what a moderate workout is supposed to be I struggled to build the winke, but no worries I came up with something fun and it was good to see all the Pax show up and ready to work.

Warm up mosey around the parking lot and then back to circle up for some COP.  SSH, Hillbilly Walkers, Low Slow Squat, Windmill, Potato Pickers, Mountain Climbers, Peter Parker, CDD, mixed in some Downward Dog and Honeymooner.

Mosey a little to the bottom of a little hill for a round of 11s – 10 Burpees at the bottom of the hill with 1 set Jumping Lunge with a Bear Crawl up the hill.  Apparently this was a lot of Burpees for Ballroom.  Oh well live & learn.

Activity 2 was another round of 11s, no hill this time just on curb to another.  10 LBCs  Bear crawl, lunge walk, Crab walk, or what ever, 1 Mike Tyson  and so on and so on…. Let it be know that those Mike Tysons start to hurt around 6 or 7.  Finished up with a few minutes of Mary. Great work by all.

Announcements – Convergence on the 24th,  Badger work-out, next Tuesday, read your newsletter.  Prayers  for students and teachers, families.

 

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49 is not the new 32

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So a bunch of 30 something fit guys show up to a Barry Manilow workout … I’m sure there is a punch line somewhere …

10 at The Fort for my best effort, both physically and mentally.

The Thang:

Mosey to the wall across from Founders for some warm-up +
20 x OH Claps
20 x MN Clubs
20 x forward arm circles
20 x backward arm circles
20 x Imp walker
15 x Low Slow S
20 x LBC
20 x Travolta
15 x Dying Cockroach
15 x T-Plank

Wall sit, 2 pop-out burpees from each end to middle
BALLS TO THE WALLS (Accept, 1983)
Wall sit, 2 pop-out burpees from each end to middle
BALLS TO THE WALLS (Accept, 1983)

To the big(ish) hill up to the gun shop
1-7 at the bottom – Burpees
7-1 at the top – Squats

To the lot across the street (sorry, it was gravel)
bear crawl from light to light, at each light:
2 x burpees, 2 x Low SS, 2 x merkins, 444,666,888,10-10-10

Circle up in Founders lot
15 x OH Claps
15 x MN Clubs
15 x forward arm circles
15 x backward arm circles

Looks like we made it,

Barry Manilow

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Crosswalk fun at Quagmire

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6 PAX arrived at Quagmire to work off all the post Mother’s Day calories. Disclaimer was given and off we moseyed. Circle up in lot across from sub shop for warm-up. Normal stuff: SSHs, Hillbilly Walkers, Slow Squats, Merkins, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, MCs, MNCs, Imperial Walkers. Now that everyone was loose we moseyed to Kohls.

Starting at first cross-walk we did 2 Bomb-Jacks, 2 Seal-Jacks, and 2 Plank-Jacks. Jog to next cross-walk and increase count by 2. So 4-4-4, 6-6-6, etc. all the way around that strip of stores. There are several cross-walks in front and behind that section, PAX made it up to 18-18-18.

Back in front of Kohls we lined up for some fun I borrowed from our ruck event.

  • Burpee broad jump length of store, run around store back to start.
  • Lunge walk length of store, run around store back to start.
  • Burpee broad jump length of store (Cha-ching was so far ahead of everyone we modified to 2 broad jumps per burpee), run around store back to start.
  • Lunge walk about 2/3 of store before we needed to head back to COT.

Mosey back to COT with a quick stop about halfway for 25 LBCs. I didn’t track how far we ran but I’d estimate 2.5 miles. Lot of space to use at Rivergate. Great work by all the PAX this morning! And thanks to Jedi for the opportunity.

-Mainframe

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Honoring Badger, 365 days later

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  • QIC: Decibel
  • When: 05/21/2019
  • Posted In: Pre-Blast

May 21 marks the anniversary of the passing of one of our own PAX, Badger.  Our brother and HIM is gone from this earth but undoubtedly leading some stellar F3 workouts with Sky Q.  Set your alarms for a workout at the Golden Corral on Tuesday the 21st to honor his life on earth. Corner of hwy’s 460 and 160 in Tega Cay at the Harris Teeter.  SYITG.

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