CROSSROADS – Preparation for Easter – aka Lent

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As Spring approaches one of the most significant days that kicks off Spring and then Summer is EASTER.

Do we really grasp the importance of Easter and what it means, not only for Christianity but for all people??

Crossroads is going to take the 7 weeks leading up to Easter looking at the key events of what is called HOLY WEEK. The Sunday to Sunday movements of Jesus and his followers that led to his death and resurrection on Easter which we celebrate annually.

Here is our schedule of Qs and the Holy Week day they will cover:

  • 3/5 – Cake Boss – Sunday also known as Palm Sunday
  • 3/12 – Gecko – Monday clearing of Temple & others
  • 3/19 – Twister – Tuesday Fig tree & Temple controversies
  • 3/26 – Sugar Daddy – Wednesday Plans to kill Jesus
  • 4/2 – Double D – Thursday – Last Supper & Gethsemane
  • 4/9 – Pusher – Friday Trial, Death & Burial of Jesus
  • 4/12 – Flat Tire AT CHICKENNWIZDIM – Easter Sunday The Empty Tomb!

Don’t miss out on this chance to understand this event and how it applies to each one of us…..not just a story but something that directly includes each of us!!

Peace!

Cake Boss

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F3 Baton Relay Race

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9 men and 5 2.0’s rolled into the Deep on a mildly chilly Saturday morning for what turned out to be a fun workout.

We started with a short mosey around the parking lot and then…

COP-SSHx30/Annie’s(in lexicon)/Abe Vigoda’s/The non-insulting Produce Pickers.  All exercises were interlocked with Arms to the Sky-Touch Toes-Down Dog-Honeymooner.  We finished the COP with 5 4×4 Merkins.

The Thang

We moseyed on across the street to the school’s track where I had 2 12 pound dumbbells waiting for us.  The mission was for each Pax to run a lap holding both dumbbells in their arms while the rest of the Pax do an exercise of the runners choosing waiting for the “Baton” handoff.  The 2.0’s only had to carry one around the track and went 2 at a time to speed thing up a little.  The exercises picked were Lunges/”Happy Dance”(which I don’t know if that is in the Lexicon)/Merkins/SSH/Moroccan Night Clubs/Bent Over Shoulder Raises/Back Bridges(Hip Thrusters?)/LBC’s/Freddy Mercuries/Burpees.  There might have been others but they are lost to memory.

Plenty of shenanigans with the 2.0’s running around the track making for some light hearted, fun moments.  The second F was definitely in play while waiting for the handoff making this workout one of the funnest I’ve been to.  We then grabbed some wall so I could give the Pax a small taste of my previous Zero G workout but I soon realized that this time around it did not work out as smoothly as in my previous Q.  

From a Balls To The Walls position we did Peter Parkers x10 and Parker Peters x10 in cadence.  Half the Pax could not do it so I quickly decided not to do anymore Zero G for the day.  So we moseyed on over back to COT where I played out 3 cones in a triangle formation where we did a 7 of Diamonds.  We split up in 3 groups and started with 7 Burpees at each cone, then I had a different Pax pick an exercise but round 2 was 14 reps at each cone till we hit 28 reps.  I forgot the exercises picked, I think there was also squats and Mountain Climbers involved.  We then finished with Royale’s favorite exercise of 10 Big Boy Sit-ups.

The 2.0’s bring a different energy to the workout and it was a blast being their Q for the day.  Prayers for sick and injured Pax/Cancer victims/ and for our Soldiers and Sailors all over the world doing their thing and representing the Stars and Stripes.  Till next time, peace.

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Call a Kotter Today

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It was an honor for Walker and I to head across the River on this cool and cloudy gloom to lead 6 of The Fort’s Finest HIM who decided on this day they would not allow the Fartsack to overtake them. Thank you Smuggler for the opportunity. Thank you to the men of The Fort to allow us to visit you this weekend.

WARMUP

YHC led the warmup with the following in cadence: Side Straddle Hops, Imperial Walkers, Low Slow Squats, Merkins, Peter Parker Peters. We then took a quick mosey over to the wall in front of the Tennis Center for what was to commence below.

THE THANG

Once we arrived at the wall we went through 2 rounds of Irkins, Dips, Step-Ups, and Derkins all in cadence. We then headed back to Runde Park for some curls, Tricep Extensions, Squats w/block overhead, Bent Over Rows, & Lunges (All with the Paving Blocks in the parking lot). YHC then handed over the Q-Stick to Walker for the following:

We began with the infamous Starfish workout. 25 Body Squats at the center each time we returned, and 25 Merkins, 25 Diamond Merkins, 25 Wide Arm Merkins, & 26 Staggered Merkins.

Then Walker led us in some core work with a lot of Flutters and One Legged Flutters (each leg). Then we circled up for for some cardio doing the Original Burpee (no push up, no jump, and hands touch the ground before you thrust your feet). We were 20-seconds on and 10-seconds off for I think 20 times.

We then did a round of 7’s with Merkins at one end and Jump Squats at the other. Walker had about 3 minutes left and we finished with more flutters & Merkins (WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED).

Great work to all HIMs who showed up this morning. Thank you again.

NMM

This was not mentioned at the  COT, but I want to remind all PAX of the Fort to stick to the challenge given by Maximus at the Christmas Convergence. Take some time TODAY and call a former FNG whom you haven’t seen in a while and get them back out into the gloom. We all fail at this so let’s make it a point. One man a week is all you need to do. Aye!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Convergence & Invergence-March 8-Baxter HT and The Shack.

Joe Davis Run-March 9.

Operation Sweet Tooth Run-March 30 in Tega Cay beginning at Runde Park.

PRAYERS/PRAISES

Prayers and praises were mentioned and were lifted up by Walker.

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Footloose: Fancy Free and Moderate

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23 PAX gathered in the foggy gloom (24 at COT with Polaroid joining in after he hit his miles)

Started out with a VERY clear and complete disclaimer. See the full version at: Disclaimer

Mosey towards the Church of God parking lot. Sugar Bug fell about 30 yards in…..good thing the disclaimer was so thorough. Also good thing he popped right up and continued on. Went serpentine on the COG stairs to get the PAX all back in one place after the mosey spread us out.

Warm up:
SSH x10
Merkin x10
Held Plank
forced Bomb Jacks (TWSS – Kielbasa)
Mountain Climber (slow count) x10
Held Plank
more forced Bomb Jacks (TWSS – Kielbasa)
SSH x10
IW x10
HW x10
Spiderman Merkins x10
Hip Flexer stretch (Lizard Pose)
Al Gore
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x10
Hooneymooner–>Downdog combination

Thang:
Partner up: Dora
100 merkins
200 squats
300 flutters

Mosey to giant wall
Wall Sit while PAX performed 5 burpees down the line

Message synopsis:
What is Moderate? What do you moderate?

Mosey back to FBC
Line up on a parking lot island:
Mike Tyson x10 –> bear crawl across to adjacent island
Rinse and Repeat

Lined up for called Lunges and Squats
Right Leg Lunge x5
Left Leg Lunge x5
Squats x5
Hold Squat w/ calf raise x5
Finished with Pigeon Lunge

NMM:

It’s an honor to lead. Lots of respectable PAX out there today. These men working on getting better in their 50s and beyond are an inspiration. They push YHC to want to be better.

Announcements:
Welcome FNG: Hardwood
Convergence: Baxter Harris Teeter 3/8
Joe Davis Run 3/9
Operation Sweet Tooth 3/30

Band Camp Dismissed

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Preparedness and other life skills @ Quagmire

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7 was the number for life lessons on preparedness by YHC.
The disclaimer was disclaimed and we were off for a short mosey after a brief intro on what it means to be prepared.
Circle up for some COP:
Morocan Night Clubs, Burpees, Suicide squats, windmills, a circle of merkins, a circle of humpers.

Discuss what being prepared during a workout means and asked PAX who had some form of emergency contact information on them in case of an emergency. 4 PAX had nothing so it was determined that the penalty was 10 merkins each, split into two sets cause YHC sadly can’t bang out 40 straight at the moment. A short plug for ROADID was given and then we were off for some more fun.
Mosey over behind smoothie store for some bearcrawl races. Half lap race each team finishing when the last member crosses the finish line. Those sucked plenty so we capped it at one full lap and mosey to find snowman’s truck full of goodies.
The truck was found and to nobody’s surprise there were heavy things inside that YHC asked the PAX to pick up and carry around. LIFE training on preparedness really kicked into full effect now.
Half of the PAXs planked up facing the other half while a ruck was placed in between each pair. Once YHC yelled out “go” the PAX on one side would jump up grab ruck and take off full sprint towards the end of Home Depot while the other PAX would perform 5 merkins then sprint to catch PAX carrying Rucks. This was a life lesson in kidnapping prevention. PAX had a lot of kids total so we did that a few times alternating the chaser and chase-E.
More lessons on preparedness with a discussion on who has emergency responder training? A scenario was created where three logs located in the back of the snowmobile represented fellow PAX that have suffered some life-threatening injury while participating in the beatdown. Challenged the PAX to respond as if real life situation and tested situational awareness of the group. PAX determined given the proximity of the injured logs it was probably best to carry each over to the emergency department on the other side of Rivergate shopping center since nobody except YHC had a phone and I refused to let anyone use mine as a penalty for being unprepared. Made it to the stoplight before stopping to reflect on what would have been the best plan for care in a real emergency. The consensus was that every situation is different and the more you can be prepared and think through the terrible situations beforehand the better prepared you can be to react. Dropped logs off at the snowmobile and humped it back to COT. Two minutes late but PAX was dragging after rucking those logs and kid snatching.

NMM: Thanks to the guys for accepting me for the idiot I am. Well at least giving me the respect to humor me while I am the Q and go along with my stupid absurd plans for a workout. They are always a little bit weird but never boring and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead.

Thanks for the opportunity JEDI.

Until the snow melts from all my warm hugs….
OLAF

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Zero G

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8 men rolled into the Abyss on a comfortable 50 degree morning for a different type of Q.  We started with a mosey to the back basketball courts.

COP-30xSSH/Touch Toes-Down Dog-Honeymooner/Nancy Kerrigan’s left leg out-fwd sun gods/TT-DD-Honey/Nancy’s Right Leg out-reverse sun gods/TT-DD-Honey/Abe Vigoda Windmill x10/TT-DD-Honey/5 Burpees

We then grabbed some wall.  In Balls To The Wall position we did in cadence-

Peter Parker x10/5 Burpees OYO(recovery)/Parker Peter x10/5 Burpees OYO/Shoulder Taps x10/3 Burpees OYO

We then moseyed over to the playground and did 11’s-10 zero G merkins(hands and feet leave the ground) and 1 pull up till we got to 1 zero G merkin and 10 pull ups

Round 2 was 10 zero G squats(jump squats) and 1 Hanging Leg Raise till we got to 1 zero G squat and 10 Hanging Leg Raises

We then grabbed more wall.  People’s Chair with left leg raised while each Pax on the ends did 5 Burpees, then we did the other leg same number of Burpees.

Then from the BTTW position we did Plank Jacks in cadence x10 and Mountain Climbers x10

The Pax then moseyed back to COT where we did a Wave of Zero G merkins starting at 1 and finishing at 10 and capped it off with 10 Big Boy Sit ups, Boat to Canoe and Oblique crunches.

Prayers and praises to sick and injured Pax, our families and to Children’s Attention Home.

Special thanks to Copyright for the opportunity to lead.  Peace.  

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Leg Day at the Ballroom

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It was definitely a blessing to Q on one of the two clear days this February.  12 HIM were gathered in the gloom knowing only that they were destined for some leg pain. After a quick disclaimer and a cursory check for FNGs we started in on the fun.

Warm up

Stage one

Quickly circled up for some
SSH x20
Low Sloooow Squat x10
Tappy Taps x10

Stage two

A quick mosey over to the south parking lot and another circle
Single leg stretch x4 (one foot planted with knee bent and six near the earth, the other straight out to the side with toes up, hold and keep the six down when transferring to the opposite foot)
Windmill x10
Imperial Walker x20
Ray Finkles (straight leg kicks) x10 each leg

Stage three

Another mosey around the east side and stopping by the bridge for a third circle
Moroccan Night Clubs x20
Monkey Humpers x10 (4 count)
Little Baby Arm Circles x10 forward and reverse (4 counts)
Monkey Squats x10 (4 count)

The monkey squats produced some noises not often heard at a moderate workout, good thing it was just the one set.

The Thang

We moseyed over the bridge to the football field and, to my dismay, they had it chained up on the south end. We continued our mosey up the north end with the hope that my plans wouldn’t be foiled. When we got there, our mosey was fruitful and we lined up at the 0 yard line (end line? I don’t know, I don’t watch the fooseball!)

We counted off by threes for teams of 4 and I explained our new game to the PAX. We would be doing an “Indian run” style relay type workout that wasn’t really either. But without all the silly running slow. No, we don’t need all of that when we can be exercising in place!

How it works

1. At the end line, everyone would begin doing the chosen exercise for that circuit.
2. The first PAX would high tail it for the 10 yard line, stop, and engage in the exercise in place
3. The next PAX would run to the next available 10 yard mark, stop, and engage
4. Etc
5. The last PAX would then run past the PAX holding the 10 yard mark, giving him a little shoulder tap, and then proceed to the next open 10 yard mark and engage.
6. The first PAX, being on the 10, would then run past everyone, tapping the first PAX on the way, stopping at the next open 10 yard mark
7. Repeat
8. Everyone who ended up on the other end line would engage in the exercise while they wait for the remaining PAX to filter in.
9. Same thing, back to the other side.
10. 10 count and go back to #1!!!

We performed all five exercise below when my “0555” (get back to COT) alarm went off. Every stop was AMRAP
1. Al Gore (that’s right, just hold that nice, deep stance)
2. Lunges
3. Gorilla humpers (wide stance monkey humpers!)
4. Calf raises
5. Imperial Stormkickers (straight leg kicks across the body)

Back to COT

Mosey back to COT and Mary until the six was in with
Window Wipers x10

Six was in, but we had time left for about 15 seconds of leg lifts before the alarm went off

COT

We stood up and YHC shared a bit about what is on my heart when I think of the February word, “Live”. We constantly hear about the tragedy, specifically with children, when people put themselves front and center and children fall into neglect and mistreatment. Good people can, and must, pick up the slack (though “slack” is far too weak a word), but if we can demonstrate living 3rd to those around us, maybe (and I didn’t articulate this well this morning) it will begin to rub off on others.
Then shared Proverbs 11:25, which has been a focus of YHC since his formative teens, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (I replaced “water” with “refresh”, which is how I remembered it. In my mind this all ties in well enough to go on for another 8000 words, but for now, let’s live 3rd in a way that shows overt honor and virtue that is attainable.
Announcements about all the k’s people are going to be running (read your newsletter).
Asked for prayer requests and they were given. Closed with a prayer by YHC and fist bumps all around.

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Getting Funky

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Waking up this morning I was trolling YouTube for an original workout I could “borrow” for Cannonball and came across an MMA trainer who actually specializes in training people over 40 who goes by the name of Funk Roberts.  I had done one of his kettlebell workouts before and remember being smoked afterwards so I figured I would share his knowledge of  torture to the Pax of F3.  

COP-5 Burpees/30xSSH/10x Sungods fwd and reverse/Down Dog into honeymooner for 3 rounds with left and right arm high/ 5 Burpees/ 5 Turkish Getups each arm(there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth for this one)

Round 1

Alternating merkens with one hand on the kettlebell x5

Kettlebell Halo’s fwd and reverse x5

Crossbody Cleans x5 each arm

Single Arm Squats x5 each arm

Single Arm Rows x5 each arm

Rinse and Repeat for 10 minutes

Round 2

Overhead Press x5 each arm

Lunges x5 each leg

Single Arm Curls x5 each arm

Single Arm Tricep x5 extension each arm

Kettlebell Thrusters x5 each arm(squat to overhead press)

Rinse and repeat for 10 minutes

Round 3

Kettlebell Swings-Burpee ladder starting at 7 Burpees to 1 Swing 

Rinse and Repeat for 10 minutes

I finished the workout with an exercise I call All Around The World-While holding a Sumo Squat Position you move the kettlebell over your head in a windshield wiper pattern left-right/right to left and finish with a hop from the sumo squat position-2 minutes rinse and repeat.

Prayers for the sick and injured Pax out there and for an injured 2.0 of one of our Pax.  Stay Funky everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mercy

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It was a blessing to post with 7 #HIMs this morning. We finally got a break from seven straight days of rain. JWOWW shared his frigid and wet Yeti experience with us which drastically reduced our FOMO. Polaroid ran a 5K during our workout and finished up the boot camp with us, like a boss. Today’s workout was a slow burn. Intentionally reps that forced us to use our core instead of momentum.

The Thang:

SSHs (20x), IWs (20x), HBWs (20x) Slow Sumo Squats (15x), WMs (15x), MCs (15x)

Mosey w/ your kettlebell to the first corner.

Circuit 1:

  • Upright Rows (7x)
  • Floor Presses (7x/side)
  • American Hammers(7x)
  • Kettlebell Swings (15x OYO)
  • Crushing Halos (10x/side OYO)

Mosey w/ your kettlebell to the next corner.

Circuit 2:

  • Overhead Squats (7x)
  • Bent Rows (7x/side)
  • Curls (7x/side)
  • Around The World (10x/side OYO)
  • Get Ups (5x/side OYO)

Mosey w/ your kettlebell to the next corner.

Circuit 3:

  • Goblet Squats (7x)
  • Kettlebell Holds (2x, 5 counts)
  • Travolta’s (15x)
  • Skull Crushers (20 OYO)
  • Figure 8’s (8x/side OYO)

Mosey w/ your kettlebell to the next corner.

Circuit 4:

  • Tricept Extensions (7x)
  • Saxxon Press (7x)
  • Oblique Press (7x/side)
  • Kettlebell Swings (10x OYO)
  • Ribbons (10x/side OYO)

Partner Drills – Line up at the stop sign and face the end of the parking lot.

  • Partner Drill 1: 100 floor presses total and alternate runners to the end of the parking lot.
  • Partner Drill 2: 100 curls total and alternate runners to the end of the parking lot.
  • Partner Drill 3: 100 goblet squats total and alternate runners to the end of the parking lot.

Moleskin:

What’s the difference between grace and mercy? Mercy is God not punishing us as we deserve.Grace is our undeserved favor from God. An illustration of their difference In today’s terms is as follows:

  • The mercy of God is like God forgiving your financial debt.
  • The grace of God is like filling up an empty bank account with new money.

Know that we deserve God’s wrath but we’re still here because He is merciful. # Proverbs 28:13. Share His mercy by forgiving and praying for others who have trespassed against you. The act of forgiveness is counter to today’s culture but can lead to more abundant life under His mercy.

Peace,

Deacon

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