The Captain and the 1st Mate

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11 Pax met at Runde Park to get their Saturday started right.    Leading the group today was one of the Fort’s youngest Q’s (Offspring) and one of the oldest (YHC).  Here is what we did:

The Thang:

Offspring on Q:

Take a lap around the park and circle up in the field by the front ot for COP:

All in Cadence:

SSHx30, IWx10, Morrocan nightclub x 20, merkin x 10/hold/shoulder tap x 10, Freddie Merc x 10, flutter x 10.

Take a short mosey to the front lot and rinse and repeat COP with more reps and LBC’s thrown in:  SSH x 50, Morrocan nightclub x 30, merkin x 20, shoulder tap x 20, Freddie Merc x 20, flutter x 20.  Complete 20 LBC’s in between each of the above exercises.

Mosey back to the field for Jack Webb.  The Pax completed 7:28 today.  The new Q was mindful of time and handed the Q off precisely at 7am.

Hand off to Senator Tressel

Pull up  the shovel flag, head up Windward Lane,  and replant it on the lake shore at Pitcairn Park.

Mosey to the lower lot at the base of the staircase and pair up.

Wheelbarrow up the first staircase, across the upper parking lot, and up the second staircase to the pavilion.  Flapjack,  rinse and repeat.

At the Pavillion, split into two groups.  Group 1 does 20 step ups while group 2 does people’s chair.  Flapjack.

Mosey back to the lower lot and down to the lake shore.  Remove your shoes and (if you like) your shirt.  Line up in the shallow water.  Start running in place and drop to the lake when the Q says down.  Rinse and repeat 4 or 5 times.

Swim out to the floating dock, find a spot on the edge and hang onto it:  20 pull-ups in cadence.

Keep holding onto the edge of the dock and then, on the Q’s command, pull yourself up and on the top of the dock.  Jump back into the lake.  Rinse and repeat 3 times and swim back to shore.

Take a minute to snap a few pictures, then pick up the flag and head back to Runde for COT.

Naked Man Moleskin:

Offspring and I were last-minute Q subs this Saturday.   Offspring is just 19.   I remember when  Funhouse brought him to his first F3 workout a few years ago,  and we gave him that classic name.  How cool it was to have him as my co-Q today,  and nice to see Funhouse and brother Brick there to support him.  Great job today, Offspring!

The decision to go to the lake was made late last night,  and my half of the workout was thrown together at about 5:45 this morning.   It’s not how I like to do it, but it’s been about a year since we’ve been to the lake,  and I couldn’t resist making the trek to Pitcairn.   Workouts at the lake are not always the best, but they sure are fun. Plus, being able to pull yourself out of water and onto a boat or dock is a life skill you’ll be happy to have when the need arises.  Technique is just as important as strength.

Some Alcatraz regulars from long ago joined us today. Aquaman was in town this week and it was fitting that he was in attendance on lake day.  Minuteman, absent for several months, also posted today.    Awesome to see you guys and we miss you!   I was also very happy to see Stallion again and hope he continues to post regularly.

As F3 The Fort closes in on our 6th year anniversary, the friendships and the fellowship among our local Fort Pax remain as strong as ever.  This past Thursday, a large group met at a local brewpub to support Cable Guy who recently lost his brother.  I was the last guy to get there and when I arrived, the Pax gave me a rousing welcome.  I felt like Norm at Cheers.   Cable Guy and YHC were the last ones there and we had a good talk.   This morning after the workout, Decibel (who was not at Alcatraz) called and asked where the coffeteria was at.   He, along with Minuteman, Aquaman,  and myself, drove out of our way to meet the WEP boys (Twister and Geronimo) at Panera for a solid 2nd F.    There are a lot of other examples of how our Pax have supported each other lately, and it’s  awesome to have that network of guys who care for one another.   More than a workout indeed!

Announcements/Prayers and Praises

1st F and 3rd F convergence this Friday, August 3 at Harris Teeter near Baxter.  3rd F discussion on IMPACT.

Children’s Attention Home meets every other Friday at 7pm in Rock Hill.  G-Fit meets at 7pm every Friday in the Fort Mill Paradise neighborhood.  If you have not attended these F3 outreach AO’s, come on out and check them out.

Prayers/praises for the Change Order’s co-worker’s son recovering from Leukemia and returning home. Prayers for F3 brother Elmer who is battling Leukemia.  Prayers for Cable Guy and his family after the death of his brother.  Praise for Minute Man whose mom is relocating to Fort Mill.

 

 

 

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Focus

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It was great to post with the 10 #HIMs at the Yard this morning. I told the Pax that we were going to play basketball and there was no need for gloves. They looked apprehensive but said “ok?” Boogie Down brought his son Julian as our FNG. Nice work Boogie Down!

The Thang

Mosey to the back parking lot

COP: SSH (10x), IW (10x), HBW (20x), Sumo Squats (15x), Merkins (20x), Moroccan NIght Clubs and Overhead Claps (15x)

Mosey to the next parking lot near the station

Leg Warm-Up: Toy Soldiers, Shuffle Left, Shuffle Right, Back Pedals, Karaoke Left, Karaoke Right, Power Skips

Mosey to the basketball courts for a quick game of Knockout followed by a 5 on 5 basketball game for intense cardio.

COP: LBCs (15x), Rosalettas (15x), Hello Dollies (15x), Flutters (15x)

Moleskin:

During the first couple of days of a recent summer vacation, I was consumed in distractions from bring present from my family. I was wasting time on my cell phone that I could not get back. I finally decided to put my cell phone in another room so it was not easily accessible. With the phone distraction removed, I was more focused and present for my family. My next challenge is to more consistently remove distractions and to focus on my priorities, like my family and God’s calling on my life.

What are the distractions? Electronic devices are a huge distraction for many of us. Some people are distracted with the past because they obsess over what they could have, should have and could have done. Some people are distracted with worrying about the future. It’s likely that the worries for the future will not become reality.

All we have is right now. Tomorrow is not promised. Yesterday is gone. Be present. Be focused.

Peace,

Deacon

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Board of Pain Week 4

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12 came out for the final week of the Board of Pain.  T-claps to Jekyl for bringing this back!  It is a great test to see where you at and everyone pushed incredibly hard today.  It was good to have Aquaman back in the fold and no surprise that he and Topham were out in front today with River Rat just slightly behind.  Looking forward to it again next summer.

The Thang:
Finish each exercise before moving on to the next. After each exercise is complete run out to first light pole and back.

  • Burpees – 100
  • Calf Raises – 150 (50 regular, 50 toes pointed in, 50 toes pointed out)
  • Ski Abs – 100
  • Merkins – 100 – Soprano (60)
  • Deep Squats – 100
  • LBCs – 200 – Norm (90)
  • Carolina Dry Docks – 100 – Barry Manilow (C)
  • Russian Twists – 100 – Manifold (30), Band Camp (77), Anchorman (53), Lil E (12), Trucker (???), Taz (C)
  • Mac Tar Jai– 100
  • Jump Squats – 100 – Sir Topham Hat (C), Aquaman (C), River Rat (1)
  • Mountain Climbers – 100
  • Shoulder Raises – 200
  • Mary Catherines – 100
  • Hello Dolly – 200
  • Wide Arm Merkins – 100
  • Squat Jacks – 100
  • Nippler– 100
  • Burpees – 100
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The Sweati CSAUP

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50 Pax posted to the inaugural summer CSAUP we call the Sweati (the evil, yet misunderstood, brother to the Yeti). Some rucked. Some ran. It was a perfect morning to get in some #zimamiles. Got to say it was quite a beatdown. If your were there, you know what happened. If you weren’t…#cobains. You’ll get your chance next summer. Until then…

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We are one Brotherhood

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15 came out on this mild morning, not knowing what they would be doing.  The point is, they got out of bed and came anyway.  There were no FNG’s (although there was a Kotter – Dog Pound, welcome back!) so I gave the abbreviated disclaimer and off we went.

Mosey down to the lot in front of Empire Pizza and circled up for the following warmup:

  • SSH’s
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Moroccan Night Clubs
  • and Windmills

We moseyed a short distance to the lot in front of the Indian restaurant for the Thang…and what do you know, there was a white board with a bunch of things written on it.

I had called out on Twitter that this would be a moderate workout, and to some it was, yet to others it required a little more effort.  Either way, we were here, and this is what we were doing!

First thing we partnered up.  Each partner was to do the full amount of the exercises, but they were to hold each other accountable and drive to the end together.  If your group finished, you went to another group that was still going and joined in wherever they are.  Then when that group finished you joined up with another…and so on until we all finished together!  Here were the exercises done:

  • 50 Bombjacks (Single Count)
  • 50 Carolina Dry Docks (in cadence)
  • 50 LBC’s (in cadence)
  • 50 Monkey Humpers (in cadence)
  • 50 Squats (in cadence)
  • 50 Merkins (in cadence)
  • 50 Calf Raises (in cadence)
  • 50 SSH’s (in cadence)
  • 50 Reverse Crunches (in cadence)

So, as we wrapped up, everyone had completed a minimum of 850 reps of these various exercises, and those that finished earlier than others kept adding to those totals.

We finished up with a bit of Broga, and a slow mosey back up to COT where we shared a couple stories on what IMPACT we saw this past week.

Was this moderate?  You tell me.  Was it hard, absolutely (evident by all the complaining).  The point is that if we were doing this on our own, we most likely would have quit or cut corners at some point throughout the workout.  But we weren’t alone, we had our partner holding us accountable.  Take that same concept and apply it to Whetstone.  That is EXACTLY what we are doing when we commit to having a Whetstone partner (in my case, Destiny).  We hold each other accountable for day in and day out mundane tasks…we encourage each other when things go sideways…but…we do all this TOGETHER!

If you do not currently have a Whetstone partner, I seriously urge you to pray about it, and consider joining up for the program!

At a minimum, check in with a Brother throughout the week to see how they are doing, and be willing to be transparent and honest if someone reaches out to you!  Remember, WE are not worthy to judge others…but WE are called to lift each other up!

Smithers….Out

 

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Golden Corral Shovel Flag Hand Off

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We had 20 Combined for the Boot Camp  and Ruckers.

Boot Camp Work Out:

Mosey behind shopping center and circle up:

15 Imperial Walkers, 15 Mountain Climbers, 15 Wind Mills, 15 Peter Parkers, 15 Parker Peters, 10 Merkins and 15 CDD

Mosey to hill:

On Guard Rail do 14s: 13 Derkins and 1 Dip; 12 Derkins and 2 Dips…………..to 1 Derkin and 13 Dips

Mosey to Hill:  Backwards halfway  up hill then run forward- 20 Sumo Squats down the hill then alternating lunges until the 6 is in and then 10 in cadence as a gaggle.  Rinse and repeat x2.

Mosey to roundabout and lunge walk to entrance of the shopping center.

Mosey to parking lot: Backward run to first island then turn and forward run at end of parking lot do 25 CDD then run back….incline merkins until 6 is in then 10 as a gaggle in cadence.

Mosey to COT

It has been an honor to serve as the site Q.  Over the last couple of years I have seen a lot of faces come through and all are better for it.  I am excited to have my good friend Falcon Crest take over and you will see me there on a regular basis.

Remember that the next step is to get involved in volunteering in our area.  Children’s attention home and paradise both need volunteers.  Make the next step in leadership and you will not regret it.  Falcon Crest is a man doing that not just within F3 but also at CAH.  Thank you buddy!

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Bing- GQ in The Fort – Alcatraz AO

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Reposting with Link to Bing’s BB from F3 Suncoast.

Bing- GQ in The Fort – Alcatraz AO

The PAX

Weather – upper 60s- with a chill in the air for this Floridian!

As the pax began to roll into the AO, including a number of them who chose to take a pre-run, YHC was giddy with excitement.  It felt like good old times with so many familiar faces!

As the clock struck 6:30, the disclaimer was shared along with the 5 core principles  and off we went for a mozi around the park.  Mozi included butt kickers, high knees, Carioca x2 and a quick pace to finish the run.  Without hesitation, it was time to hit the dewy fresh cut grass for COP.

COP was delivered in a speed round, where the Q calls out an exercise and is immediately followed by the first Pax member calling out SSH x10 IC.  The COP went as follows:

  • Merkins x10IC
  • SSH x10IC
  • Windmills x10IC
  • SSH x10IC
  • Imperial Walkers x10IC
  • SSH x10IC
  • Mountain Climbers x10IC
  • SSH x10IC
  • Peter Parkers x10IC
  • SSH x10IC

It was time to get to business.  The intent of the beatdown was to share some of the Pax favorites from my new  region, F3 Suncoast. First up was, FUN WITH ANIMALS.  Cones were set up roughly 15 feet from the starting point and the pax had to do the following mode of transportation x2:

  • Bear Crawl
  • Duck Walk
  • Crab Walk
  • Crawl Bear
  • Frog Hop
  • It was obvious that the pax was having such a great time, we rinsed and repeated, with only 1 time each the second round.

After we had enough fun with animals, a quick mozi was done and the pax ended up at the bottom of the hill on Tara Tea Drive for a round of Jacobs Ladder.  Run up to the top of the hill for 1 Burpee, run back down and immediately return to the top for 2 burpess.  Rinse and repeat until you have done 7 burpees.  Plank at the top until the entire pax is complete.  This was no easy feat for this Floridian flatlander, but clearly was a crowd favorite.

After the six was in, it was time for some Mike Tysons along the curb.  Due to the size of the Pax, half of the group ran laps until the first group was done doing Mike Tysons x10.  We did two rounds and it was back to the fields of Alcatraz for the grande finale…and grand it was.

Ripken Suicides

As done at any Ripken Q at F3 Suncoast, it was time for Ripken Suicides (or as Longshanks called them initially – Cupcakes because Suicides isn’t sensitive enough).  The pax had 1 minute to complete a full round of suicides, with the next round starting after the first minute.  The faster you get done, the most rest.  This is done for 10 rounds, as long as you are able to get the suicides done in 60 seconds.  There wasn’t a lot of love shown for Ripken after this finale!  Thanks Ripken!!

With 3 minutes remaining, it was time for a quick round of mary including LBCs, Protractor and one other.

Round of Mary

 

The MoleSkin:

YHC encouraged the pax to not hestitate to disrupt their status quo.  To make sure they are not remaining in their comfort zone.  Roughly 2 years ago today, the Kelly family entirely disrupted their status quo, having no idea why the chose to leave such a great community, pax and soccer family to head to a place where we knew NO ONE.  Not long after arriving in Florida, the status quo was disrupted AGAIN with YHC taking an entirely new job and quitting the one he moved to Florida for initially.  This opportunity has been a true blessing as YHC no longer travels for work and is home with the family and available to apply more time to launching a new region for F3.  The Pax of F3 The Fort and surrounding areas have been instrumental in disrupting the lives of over 225 men in the Sarasota area, as it was because of them YHC had the confidence to move and then start a new region.  I am honored and humbled to be a part of F3 The Fort and to give away all that I have gained to my new region in F3 Suncoast.

Prayers/Praises:

  • For Cable Guy and his family
  • James, friend of YHC battling cancer for the 3rd time at 9 years old
  • Many other prayer requests spoken

Announcements:

  • Coffeeteria at Panera Bread – Thanks for hanging out, I had a great time
  • CAH – Join us
  • Welcome to Skyline – You did a great job in a not so friendly FNG beatdown!
  • Wow, I am really bad at all of the announcements as I am not with this pax daily!

Thank you for this great opportunity and I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday at Honey Badger.

Aye – Bing

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Not So Ultimate Frisbee

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On a comfortable morning at the Crow’s Nest, 4 brave Pax joined YHC for what I planned on being a fun but grueling workout.  Lately, the Q’s have been incorporating sports in the workout’s and being that in the book “Freed To Lead” it suggests that you borrow ideas and try to make them your own, I would follow this time tested formula.

I started the workout with a quick 5 Donkey Kick’s to get the Pax’s attention and then we mosey’ed on over to the COP area that is in one of the many parking lot’s in the Crow’s Nest.

I had ascending Donkey Kick’s to accompany the 10 warm up exercises starting with 1 Donkey Kick to 10 Donkey Kick’s after the final exercise.

10xSSH

10xSunGods-fwd and reverse

10xWindmill

10xCherryPickers

10xImperial Walkers

10xLSS

10xPlankJacks

10xHook/Hook, Uppercut

10xMountain Climbers

Plank Hold-10 second each Pax around the circle

The Thang

We then mosey’ed on over to the main event.  Unfortunately, since we only had 5 Pax on hand, my plan on playing a match of F3 Ultimate Frisbee landed with a dud so I had to Omaha.  I started us out just tossing the disc around while I tried to figure out what I was going to do and then when I saw one of the Pax drop the frisbee I figured there should be a punishment for dropping said frisbee.  We then just kept tossing around the disc and every time a Pax member dropped it(or there was a mis-throw) we had to do an exercise.

1st Drop-10 Burpees

2nd Drop-15 ‘Mericans

3rd Drop-20 Single Leg Squats (10 each leg)

4th Drop-25 LBC’s 

5th Drop-30 Plank Jack’s

6th Drop-35 Single Leg Flutter Kicks

7th Drop-40  Thrusters

8th Drop-45 Bomb Jacks

Final Drop-50 Curb Dips

With 15 minutes on the clock we mosey’ed on over to the pull up station and did Jack Webb’s with an ascending pull-up/squat combo.  Nemo was not pleased, and at the end we were all doing cheat pull ups.  We then mosey’ed on back to COT where we has 3 minutes of Mary(or Ab Lab as some call it).

Peg called out 12 Big Boy Sit Ups OYO

Nemo had us do 10xBox Cutters

Respectable Olaf has us do 20xFreddy Mercury’s

Wolverine had us Do 10xAmerican Hammer

I ended the workout with a Honeymooner/Down Dog combo

Observation/Prayers/Praises

Prayed for injured Pax members and discussed Bolt’s idea for a Sunday morning trail running AO at 7 Oaks.  Till next time…

 

 

 

 

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Moseying through life searching for your Rock

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Eighteen men posted on a beautiful morning to make each other stronger in body and spirit.  I won’t try to capture all of the words of wisdom shared but get out there and post to engage…

The Message…  The bottom line of the messages given intermittently throughout the pain was around impact and finding your God given purpose and engaging in the Journey that will take you from where you are today to where God wants to to be, having an impact in the areas of the world he has called you.  Don’t just mosey through life smelling the flowers and then moving on to the next thing.

The Thang…

Mosey to the corporate parking lot where Shinguard started the morning with COP.

  • SSH x20
  • Squats x20
  • LBC x20
  • High Low Flutter x20
  • Worlds Worst Merkin x10 (Wide arm, Regular, diamond = 1 rep)  that was terrible

Mosey to the wall for some muscle up and donkey action.  2 sets (10 x 10 then 5 x 20)

Mosey to the top of the Hill for some hill repeats. x2  Run down hill and run backwards back up with 10 burps at the top.

Mosey to the grass hill with a forward bear crawl down the hill to the sidewalk

Mosey to the lower wall for some wall sits and baby dips while in sitting position

Mosey to the courtyard for wall jumps, derkins, irking, and dips with a few rounds.

Santina took over and rotated through a series of SSH, Carolina Dry Docks, Lunges, Moroccan Night Clubs, Seal Jacks and a repeated, slow, methodical rip your muscles out shoulder type of experience.

Moseyed back to COT for a couple of ab exercises then done.

It was an honor and privilege to Q and to Q with Santini.

CH

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Party on the Block

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Ain’t no party like a Block Party and I didn’t want to disappoint. Shady has lined up some strong Q’s here and the last thing I was going to do was break the positive cycle. On a Tuesday in The Fort you have a wide variety of options. I appreciate the 12 other men that rolled in for a slight variation of the norm.

After spending a few hours in the car recently, I’ve done my F3 duty of getting caught up on the 43′ Podcast by Dredd & Dark Helmet. Sure, it’s a Podcast on “leadership” but let’s be honest, I tune in to listen to the gut punches and banter as much as I do for the leadership discussion. Several learnings were incorporated into this workout which you’ll read shortly. Some may be obvious to you but they weren’t something I gave much thought to previously.

In addition to the 10 Ft Mill locals, we had Drone from F3 metro and he brought an FNG, welcome Radio Flyer!!

Disclaimer: A little more lengthy than normal. And…we’re off

Run around the left side of WEP back down 160 to the parking lot with the chain attempting to obstruct our entrance. Knowledge nugget from 43’…the joys and effectiveness of the 8ct Burpee. Another knowledge nugget was that we too often get caught in the trap of assuming things will be the same this time because it’s the way we’ve always done it. Like Side Straddle Hops to start a warm up or doing exercises in counts of 10. Both of those…out the window.

All of the following in cadence:

20 x 8ct Burpees

18 x Calf Raises

16 x Diamond Merkins

14 x Mountain Climbers

12 x Dying Cockroaches

10 x Grave Diggers (10 each side)

8 x 8ct Burpees

6 x Diamond Merkins

4 x Mountain Climbers

2 x Dying Cockroaches

Mosey to the playground & partner up:

Partner 1: 15 Pull-Ups

Partner 2: Hold the squat while doing overhead claps until your partner is done w/ the pull ups

Flapjack

Partner 1: 15 Pull-Ups

Partner 2: Wide-Arm Merkins until…

Flapjack

Partner 1: 15 Pull-Ups

Partner 2: 180deg Jump Twists until…

Flapjack

Partner 1: 15 Pull-Ups

Partner 2: Monkey Humpers until…

Flapjack

Mosey to the white tenth-of-a-mile post by the parking lot:

Sprint to the next post then do 5 Jumping Lunges. Sprint to the next post and do the same thing. We did this 2 more times for 4 total posts which included some nice up/down hill sprinting.

Closed it out with 10 more 8ct Burpees and some Chopsticks & American Hammers.

 

Shady, thanks for the nod to Q.

Until next time…

Maximus

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