Laces: Super 21 on Maundy Thursday

Laces In:

Slight Mosey to student parking lot

Warm Up – COP
SSH x20
Imperial Walker x10
Hillbilly Walker x10
Windmill x10
Cherry Picker x10

Mosey to Band Practice lot

Super 21s (variation) – Inspired by JWOWW’s VQ at the Hive which used a deck of cards and got me thinking about 21. Then I found Super 21s listed in the F3 Exercises………I wondered why I hadn’t done these before in a workout. Turns out doing Super 21s makes it difficult to raise your arms later…..like days later.

1 merkin to 1 low slow squat
repeat to 10 reps of each
Flutters x21
11-13 reps of merkin/LSS
Hello Dollys x21
14-15 reps of merkin/LSS
Freddie Mercuries x21
16-17 reps of merkin/LSS
Lap around the Painted Lot
18-19 reps of merkin/LSS
Box Cutters x21
20-21 reps of merkin/LSS
Rosalitas x21
(Total of 231 merkins and squats)

Slight mosey to side of Ceramics Studio

Found some curb – stretch calves
Calf raises x21
Wall Sits (slight discussion of the brass technique of multiple tonguing: generated a good deal of mumble chatter)

PAX mentioned (sarcastically?) that if we just did 19 more merkins, we would reach 250. With the challenge laid down, PAX completed 19 merkins and 19 low slow squats. (Total of 250 merkins and squats: except for Trucker who complete 280 and added that to the Name-o-rama so YHC wouldn’t forget.)

Plank up – Because Abiding (see note below) requires flexibility:
Honeymooner to Down dog variations
Stretch out the legs
Leg raises in down dog
One leg plank
Knee taps to elbow x5
Knee taps to opposite elbow x5
Repeat with opposite leg
Pigeon Lunges
Butterfly stretches
Seated forward bends (i.e., touch your toes sitting down)

Mosey back to COT
American Hammers x21

The word for the month is abide. Abiding in God is active alignment of our will to the Lord’s. This is opposed to “the dude” passively abiding in the Big Lebowski. I gave a brief message about how we can abide in what is happening around us or we can strive to abide in God. The word is not a passive acceptance our circumstances, at least not in a scriptural sense.

We also discussed, while sitting against a wall, how I approach my (music) studio teaching at Winthrop. There’s practice dedicated to maintenance/growth at technical elements and the physical skills required to play the instrument (this is how triple tonguing came up), and then there’s practice learning assigned repertoire. Practicing only repertoire means the physical skills needed for new piece/work must be learned from scratch…..every time. Having a set routine for maintenance and growth means the fundamentals on the instrument are already in place, i.e., you’re in shape. At this point, learning repertoire is simply a matter of applying skills you already possess.

My short (5 months) time with F3 reminds me of this model. A routine to develop ourselves (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) so that when we encounter challenges (repertoire) it is only a matter of applying skills we either already posses or are honing. One of the hardest parts of each workout for YHC is leaving the comfort of the bed for the gloom. Yet we are all on this planet (its own form of gloom) called to seek God’s purpose for us and abide in that. I’m grateful to have shared this morning with PAX doing just that . . . . even if that means YHC can barley raise his arms to type a backblast.

Not sure what happened at Laces Out. . . . I’m assuming they ran and can currently lift their arms.

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Glass Joe Finally Stops Talking

Four years ago yesterday I joined F3 while I still lived in Mint Hill.  Back then there was no F3 Mint Hill, so Area 51 was my poison of choice back then.  I posted twice a week in Union County and one or two times in Area 51 proper.

That same year my mother got sick and two weeks before Christmas she went on to be with our Lord and celebrate Christmas as she never had before.  Needless to say the Union County pax became very special to me and I was very thankful to have them in my life.

Then 2016 rolled around and I moved south of the border to Fort Mill.  I don’t see the UC boys nearly as often, but still try and get back to q every now and then.  Today was one of those days.

Overdrive being a gear workout, I can easily make it so there’s not too much running and that’s what we did.  It went a little something like this.

25 swings
25 goblet squats
20 merkins
Run a lap.

20 tricep extensions
25 LBC’s
30 curls
Run a lap.

20 skull crushers
20 American hammers
20 calf raises
Run a lap.

We repeated and added five(ish) to each exercise.  Added a little people’s chair, a little stretching and we were outta there!

Please remember in prayer Glass Joe’s M Paige’s dad who has an upcoming surgery.

Outland needs a q tomorrow.  Someone step up!

Thanks for the opportunity to lead and I always enjoy all the mumblechatter at the UC.

Thanks Shepherd for taking us out.  You know, you should be a pastor or something.  Something like that.

DT out.

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The SWAMP – RUCK WOD

Well I’ve royally sucked @$$ at posting BB lately, so figured I better get this one up before I forget.  There are some workouts were  you just leave feeling motivated and this was one of them.  I saw everyone come together, great 2nd F, and a killer work out.  It’s days like this when you have a hard time remembering what life before F3 was like.  Anyways onto the workout….

Warm Up 

Rucks Overhead – 10 O/H presses

Rucks Overhead – Mosey 100 yards

10 O/H presses

Rucks Overhead – Walking Lunge 100 yards

10 O/H presses

Rucks carried by waste strap  – Mosey 100 Yards

10 O/H presses

Rucks Overhead – Mosey 150 Yards

RUCK HEAVY WOD 

We get to my truck to see the bed of fun, 6 sandbags, 2 cement pipes and a bunch of carabiners.

We quickly and efficiently build a snake out of the sandbags (each sandbag is connected by a 8″ clip, making a giant snake) and grab the cement pipes and make our way out.

RUCK UP and grab weight

We embrace the suck and ruck to the HD parking lot.  Here one group carries all rucks and runs the parking lot while the other performs some exercises:

10 Merkins

10 Squats

Cement pipe on chest – Team big boy sit ups with O/H press (I think Truckers hand slipped a time a or two and about crushed WWL)

Switch

RUCK UP and grab weight 

Carry for a good bit and embrace the suck once again.  We make our way to a grassy area.

Partner drags – 40yards and switch then repeat

RUCK UP and grab weight 

Make our way to the fountain (FOUNTAIN OF DOOM)

We do laps around the fountain, always staying as a group and completing it together

Gorilla Walks

Walking Lunges

Side Planks (Hands on Fountain)

Bear Crawls

RUCK UP and grab weight

Make our way back for COT and wait for BC to return.  Oh yah and while we wait, RUCKS O/H.

Met up with Bones and the BC for a great COT and ending prayer.

Great workout, Great MC, and Just amazing teamwork.  Everyone gave it all they had the entire time and really pushed through.

Thanks for coming out and supporting me and RUCKING!!!

 

 

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Never Board at the Abyss

Great morning!! Or was it? As I was setting up the BoP out back, I saw a couple of cars parked. Lights off, side by side. I was wondering if I was about to become a crime statistic. Then as I drove back towards the front of the school, I noticed an unusually large number of cars rolling in. Someone more self-effacing might have thought it was for them. I was hopeful. Turns out there was a school field trip gathering. Oh well.

Disclaimer was disclaimed. Moseyed around to the side of the school for the COP:

  • SSH x 15
  • WM x 15
  • IW x 15
  • MNC x 20

Didn’t want to take too much time away from the main event. No talking (believe it). Due to the full lot out back, moved the BoP to the front of the school for the main event .

The MINI Board Of Pain

The real Board of Pain has become somewhat of a legend in The Fort region. I figured we need to keep our eye on the prize and came up with the mini version to break out every now and then to keep us prepared for the real deal. Three groups of 5 exercises, 25 reps each OYO (unless otherwise noted), nonstop, with runs after every 5th exercise:

  1. Burpees
  2. Calf raises (50)
  3. Ski Abs
  4. Merkins
  5. Long, slow squats >>> Run a lap
  6. LBCs (50)
  7. CDDs
  8. American hammers
  9. Mac Tar Jai
  10. Jump squats >>> RUN FORREST, RUN!!
  11. Mountain climbers
  12. Shoulder raises (50)
  13. Mary Catherines
  14. Hello Dolly!
  15. Wide arm merkins >>> Run like the wind(ed)…
    >>> RINSE AND REPEAT
    (missing from the original BoP were squat jacks, nipplers – whatever the hell those are, and burpees)

Again, NO talking from the Q. I did provide some Pandora streaming music, and it was noted that my playlist stunk. Playlist? I don’t have time for that. That’s why I use Pandora. The PAX really got after it! Alot of great support and mumblechatter. Everyone completed 2 full circuits, a few started on their third. GREAT JOB BY ALL!!

We took it right up to ~ 5:57. Enough time for a slow Indian run back to the COT.

COT:
* Read your newsletter. Get out there, get involved, make a positive impact somehow. Get better every day.
* Brewruck 002 Sat 3/31
* CAH Guidance 3/31
* Whetstone is starting back up. Get better!
* Prayers for families, children, parents, and health
* Prayers for MOAB’s Dad who recently survived a heart attack, and that he is given the strength, discipline, and courage to follow through with the changes needed in his life to get better.
* Prayers for Zoe Deen, the man who hit her on Tuesday AM, and their respective families/loved ones.
* Many more said – sorry I cannot remember them all

NMM:
I kept quiet today at this workout. Did not say much at all. No moleskin, deep thoughts, or talking about the word of the month. I kept thinking about what happened on Tuesday morning, around 6am. Right about the time many of us were in COT. It’s regarding the Olympic high school girl Zoe Deen who was killed on Tuesday AM as she was crossing Youngblood Rd not too far from the location of The Abyss……as those who posted that morning were in prayers and praising, she left this earth.

Life is very precious, and can be very fleeting. You never know when your time will come. I’m sure this young woman and her family thought that day would be like any other. Going about their normal morning routines. Setting off to begin another day. I’m sure the driver of the SUV thought the same thing…..just like any another day. They never suspected that morning their worlds would change forever. In an instant she was gone. In an instant his life was forever scarred. In an instant those kids who saw it happen were forever changed. In an instant the lives of the families all those involved were forever changed as well. That’s all it takes. An instant. And it’s not just one life affected……the wave of change spreads outward and touches many others. We are blessed with this precious thing we call life. What you do with it is up to you, but if you leave doubts in anyone’s minds – yours or others – about how precious it can be, then you failed regardless of how much else you may achieve, gain, or accomplish. Take nothing for granted. Value every moment. Leave no doubts in anyone’s minds about love and life.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead,
– NASA

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Final Prespect Q at the Ranch

 Name-O-Rama.  11127355-7E37-4F2A-9B9E-F19861396FC7

YHC thanks Jiffy for the opportunity of one last Q as a Prespect and for the PAX who attended.

Not many posts to the Ranch from my end, but I had been eyeing up the facilities for weeks during 2.0’s soccer practice. Made good use of the the soccer fields and all the trees and light poles.

Arrived early,  fortunately enough lighting in the gloom for the planned weinke, set up 3 cones in front of one soccer goal approx. 10, 15 and 20 yards away and placed the 43 lb sandbag near the opposite goal.

Arrivals, no FNG’s, and a really ‘succint’ disclaimer. I believe we may have had one late arrival.

Moseyed around the parking for 2 laps with high knees, butt kickers, toys soldiers and shuffling. Jogged to far end of the further soccer field for SSH, merkins, flutters, GoofBalls, MNC’s. The real fun began with stage 1:

Stage One. Making use of 27 crepe myrtles lined up, we did bear crawls for one tree with 5 merkins, lunge walk one tree with 5 squats and continuing with adding 1 more tree until the end. Wow, this was tougher on the thighs than expected.  The RETURN lap was jog 3 trees, bear crawl 1, sumo walk 1 until the end. The first lap started near the trees, but by the second lap we were spread out across the soccer field.

Stage Two, Act One. Soccer field. Partner up, one PAX ran the length of the field and kicked a soccer ball into the goal from the closer 1st cone, the other PAX carried the sand bag overhead until handing off to the kicker for the return run. A missed shot meant running a lot further to track it down and replace it at the first cone for the next kicker/group.  MEANWHILE, the other PAX cycled through 5 LBC’s, 5 Flutters, 5 American Hammers. This continued until all 5 partner duo’s had gone.

Act Two and Three had the kickers move back 5 yards, while PAX cycled through…Act Two: 5 bombjacks, 5 Jump Squats, 5 Calf Raises. Act Three, 5 yards further back cycling through 5 Donkey Kicks, 5 left side crunches, 5 right side crunches.

YHC along with about 5 other PAX missed shots on goal.

We finished with 2 laps around the fields using the light poles. 3 burpees at every pole which ended up amounting to 45 burpees. For good measure, we finished 4 more burpees in COT to reach the magical “49” for the workout.

The brief message of the workout was to “Be Inspired, Become Inspiring.” Observe our PAX and follow their lead. We have PAX with different personalities and different involvements to inspire us to become better from the fitness side, to the community/philanthropy efforts, to the betterment of ourselves from the faith and spirituality side.

Prayers to sick or injured family members and friends. ChickenHawk noted to make use of the Easter holiday season to seek out, learn and improve yourself in your faith. Use the extra time to connect with family members.  G-Fit and CAH every Saturday needs PAX involvement, ESPECIALLY during Easter when regular PAX may not be able to post. HELP IF YOU CAN!

3 days to 50 for me, but my first RESPECT post will probably be with the Lehigh Valley PAX back in PA. Looking forward to first Respect post back in the Fort.

Aye! Bolt

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iFLIJfBSEK8BLAEPZWWh-VTD8sYuv0-H/view?usp=sharing

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Ruck W/O: Playing with Large Sacks at Golden Corral

After focusing on running and boot camps for so long for the P200, my ruck was getting dusty. I knew I had a ruck Q coming up. When Rad reached out to me to see if I still wanted it, I was not sure. We have some heavy duty seasoned ruckers in The Fort and I did not want to Q below their level. Plus, I wanted to keep the weinke simple enough for those who put alot into their running training for the sake of the ruck. Hopefully I found a middle ground.

8 Ruckers were ready. The boot campers tore off with Sir Topham Hat at the Q….wasn’t going to be any easier for them. We rucked up a little heavy with 4 qty 60lb sandbags, one per every 2 PAX. Rucked over to the Grace Presbyterian church parking lot for a quick COP:

Rucks off, 20 ea, in cadence
* SSH
* WM
* IW
* MNC
* PJ

Then we started

The “play area” was between two parking lot lights, approx 25-30 yards or so apart. Starting at one end we would each complete a series of ruck exercises, then with a partner take turns getting a 60lb sandbag from the start to the other end of the area. Once we get to the other end, complete the series of ruck exercises again. Then partner work again getting the sandbags back to the start. Out and back with the sandbags is one round. We did 3 rounds. No stopping, just keep getting after it until time is up.

Ruck Exercises, 10 ea:
* Squat
* Curl
* Swing
* Upright row
* OH Press

Sandbag Rounds:
1. Forward/upward press toss
2. Reverse scoop overhead toss / deadlift overhead toss: back is facing direction of bag travel. Bend down, grab sandbag, swing/deadlift up and toss overhead.
3. Sideways toss or shovel toss – right to left at first, then left to right on the return trip

Gleek joined us halfway through round 2. He wanted to try rucking, so Rad let him use his ruck while he went off with the bootcampers who were exercising in the same lot. Great job Gleek! Welcome to rucking!

The PAX did GREAT! ALOT of mumblechatter…..epic stuff with this ruck group! What is said during the ruck WO stays with the ruck WO. Made the workout fly by. Great stuff. We almost went for a for a fourth round, but opted to do 20ea of the ruck exercises then rucked back to the COT.

COT: In short, read your newsletter. Get out there, get involved. Alot of prayers said, and I am sure there were many more not said.

Pray for Zoe Deen, her family, and the driver of the car that hit her right around the time of COT.

I did not talk much during my Q. That is happening more and more. Less talking, more working. I briefly spoke while we were in listening position (rucks overhead) about how we all have some aspect in our lives that we need to get better. That we are out here trying to get better, to help others get better. We should be trying to get better in some way every day. I know I have alot of room for improvement in alot of ways. Today was one step towards that.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.
-NASA

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We Have Something Good Here

The faithful grew to 10 this week, some new, some old, but the buffet of pain has been a common stay. Starting off at 0500 is a Q’s dream as it provides ample time to deliver the Pax some pain.

A call was put out the night before for the PAX to bring some 65lbs or their weapon of choice, and all kinds of coupons showed up.

We did a warmup COP style and went off to the track. I promised out P200 PAX that the running would not be excessive, but I would not have been present based on past experiences, so I am sure it seemed like a mountain to them. Great courage on coming out and working through the post P200 pain.

First up was The Looney.
We ran a warm up lap to clear the track of debris and moved benches, lonely cones, and general trash off the track where our dreams came true.

7 400 yard sprints round the oval at AYG pace. After each lap, 20 yards weighted lunge. The book called for 65 lbs, but all shapes and sizes were had.

After we hit 4 rounds, it was all down hill, although I am not sure the breathing was any easier. We then proceeded to the Brenton with our remaining time.

The Brenton was 5 rounds of 30 yards bear crawls, then broad jumps back with 3 burps after each set of 5 jumps. In succession, this ended up as a killer. Great way to spend 10 minutes of your life right there.

At that point, we were on our way back to COT. We finished with peer led ab work. Did we care about the 6 quitting time? NOPE, The Honey Badger said to have all PAX lead, so we ended at 6:03.

Thanks men for the opportunity to lead. Wegmans is on Q next week.

COT.

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Yahtzee Culture Club Style

So, Culture Club came out completely prepared as usual.  Always love attending one of his workouts!  This Friday morning we played Yahtzee in a way I personally never have before.

The basics were one PAX called out an exercise from the bottom list seen above, and the remaining PAX did that exercise while the first PAX took his three rolls for Yahtzee.  Once the points were written on the tape, then the blue tape was removed to reveal which exercise would be performed, and the reps would be the amount of the score written in.  If the exercise under the blue tape was highlighted in green it meant that for the next round, instead of choosing an exercise from the bottom list, the PAX would run a lap around the parking lot.

If you have not been out to participate in a Culture Club workout, I highly suggest you plan for it.  He has certainly set a high bar of excellence, at least in my book 😉.

Smithers – Out

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It was getting a little windy (super windy) so we quickly started moving. As a special treatment for the 2 P200 runners showing up so soon after the big day, they got to control our 10 counts and replace any exercise set with 5 burpees (we had no 10 counts and I don’t think anything was replaced with Burpees)

Mosey around the bus lane? for some warmups
SSH IC x20
Calf Raises IC x10
MoroccanNC IC x20
Cotton Pickers IC x10

I kept the warmups relatively easy and repetitive to encourage mumblechatter and get some storeis out of our P200 PAX. I was glad we had a crew who was able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Partner’d up and went down to the bottom of the smaller hill (Not the Green Giant unfortunately)
One partern ran up the hill and back while the other partner did an exercise then switch
I picked some spelling partner routines from the Exicon

B.O.P.O
Burpees
One-Leg Burpee
Plank Jack
Other-Leg Burpee

B.O.M.B.S.
Burpees
Overhead Claps
Merkins
Big Boys
Squats

Everyone handled this really well so we ran back up the hill and continued to mosey around the backside of the school. I tried the single file run again (I think Indian run is the wrong name, is it Spartan Run?) Front PAX drops for 5 merkins, catches up to the line and yells DROP. We went through the full rotation twice, everyone took it upon themself to run in any random direction or shape when they were the lead which kept it interesting.

We lined up next to the loading dock and looked maybe 20-25 yards away to the curb and grass and I prepped everyone for some sprints immediately followed by 10 merkins. We did this 5 times and I took the time on the walk back to unload some form of wisdom

The English word abide means to follow instructions, be obedient, endure and follow through on a task. Jesus entered this world to expand our definitions of very basic words. He took everything in the Law and added a layer of humility and selflessness. Inspired us to look inward and realize our depravity instead of focusing on whatever we could do outwardly. How does this apply to abiding? These questions lay in front of us: How are we abiding? Who are we abiding in? Why are we abiding? It should be our goal to walk with Jesus, to do as he did, read his Word and live life in a manner as similar as possible to the way Jesus lived and taught. I mentioned the the apostle John really likes our current word of the month but more on that later.

It was super fun to talk for about 30 seconds then just yell SPRINT and watch them scramble before getting back to my word of the month chat. Again we did this 5 times with 10 merkins each time.

Mosey all the way back near CoT and found some good low brick wall around the playground for step ups. I led a modified W.A.S.H. I’ll call the ‘Partner WASHing machine’
While one partner was doing step ups (left leg first) the other partner would do 10 reps of an exercise then switch. Both PAX did left legs, then right leg, which meant everyone did 20 of each of these—-

Merkins
American Hammers
Hillbilly Walkers
hand-release Werkins

We then found a nice patch of grass for some 1:4 ratio Jack Webb (plank jacks, not merkins) incrementing all the way to 10 plank jacks, 40 overhead claps

This was a super great push for all PAX as we made sure no one dropped arms during the last 40 and finished all together

I am starting a thing where I end all workouts with 5 burpees so watch out!

CoT
count-a-rama
name-a-rama
1 John 2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked
1 John 3:6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him………
1 John 4:16 God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him
(while technically out of context, please read around it, they hold meaning in context)
announcements/prayers/praises
QBert out

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Dragon’s Den

This week is a special week as Thursday makes four years since I joined F3 up in Area 51 (south Charlotte) so I was happy to chip in and q again at Tomahawk which is at Doby’s Bridge Elementary, with a school mascot of a dragon.  Small world as my elementary school also had a dragon for a mascot.  Anyway, enough of this on to what we did.

After a pretty standard COP we got the bells a swinging.

25 swings
25 goblet squats
20 merkins
20 tricep extensions
25 LBC’s
30 curls
20 skull crushers
20 calf raises
20 American hammers

After every third exercise, run/walk a lap.  We got through two rounds and I added some core work in there as well just for fun.

I got at least one “I hate you!” from Polaroid or someone sounding like him so I feel like I did my job.

Welcome to Data Breach!  Looks like you guys are busy EHing your friends and neighbors.  Keep it up.  Great work out there DB!

Thanks for the HIMs you guys are and how you encourage me every day.

Peace out.  DT

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