Tomahawk-0 to 60 in 45 mins

12 PAX and YHC came in da Gloom of Doby’s Bridge Elementary to take our daily Red Pill. As I thought about what type of beat down I’d apply I realized simple is sometimes enough. We over complicate many things and our lives and we can’t do any one thing well. So I kept it simple and effective!

The Thang:

Warm Up around the parking lot with mini COP

Grab the bells and get after it. 20 exercises for 60 secs or 1 min each and after 4 we run a lap.  Fun times had by all!!

Flutter kick
Russian twist
V up
Hello dolly
Leg raises
Lunge
Squat
Right leg
Squat figure 8
Left leg
KB Swing
Shoulder press
Upright row
Bent row
Lat raises
R/L Curl
Concentration curl
Tri extension
Skull crushers
Calf Raises
YHC spoke about restoring old cars and how people can see the beauty in things that some of us don’t. I mentioned the research center in NC where body parts are being grown with people’s actual cells, so they can be interchanged if something goes bad….like car parts.
As much as we can exercise and change parts there is only one way to be restored…..through the Grace of Sky Q. He takes our old away and makes us New. He sees beauty in us that we don’t even see in ourselves. Find time to realize how Sky Q plans to make you restored and living a brand new life today!!
2/17-Breakfast at Philly UMC
2/20-1stF and 3rdF convergence at Forest Hill Parking lot
2/24-YETI…..just do it!
Thanks for Lead Polaroid!
Cake Boss
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Prepared for Rucking?

It was an honor to lead 6 High Impact Males this morning in the Ruck WO at Golden Corral. This is always a difficult Q for me because I never want to underestimate the abilities of the men I am leading.

WARMUP

We began the morning by circling up for a short COP to warm ourselves up and performed the following: Imperial Walkers, Low Slow Squats, Peter Parker Peters, & Merkins. We than Rucked 2×2 over to the Rite Aid where YHC had set up our workout.

THE THANG

The first time I ever attended a Ruck WO Zima was on Q and this is what he did. A Ruck Pyramid doing the following: 25 Burpees; 50 Merkins; 75 Ruck Swings; 100 OH Flutters; 75 Ruck Curls; 50 CDDs; & 25 Burpees. I know this sounds crazy, and trust me it was. Between each set of exercises the PAX were to run around the Rite Aid back to where we began. We then Rucked 2×2 back to the COT where I shared what is below.

NMM

Are you prepared for each day as you approach it?

I asked the PAX if they were spiritually prepared to face their maker. We better ourselves everyday physically but are we doing the same spiritually. Does what we do at F3 in the morning compare to the rest of our lives?

If we aren’t prepared, how do we lead our communities? How do we lead our M’s, our 2.0’s, our F3 brothers, our coworkers? We cannot lead unless we are prepared. We cannot lead unless we are being led. Are you being led by this world or your maker.

You have a choice to make. What will you do today to be prepared?

Luke 12:40 ‘You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sign up for Yeti-2/24/2018.

Read your Newsletter.

PRAYERS/PRAISES

Multiple prayers for sick family members.

Prayers for PAX who are suffering.

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Rain, pain and gain at the Fort

At 5 minutes to 6am with no PAX in sight, CableGuy and Bolt wondered if it was going to be a dual beatdown. With seconds to spare, 4 more PAX arrived in the high moisture content morning.

We welcomed back Comeback posting for only his second post, first last fall EH’d by VuVu. Disclaimer was given and we moseyed around the WEP trail.

Taken by CableGuy to the upper parking lot for warmups.  As per his style, cadence proceeded at a pace about 50% faster than most Q’s. We kept up the best we could with SSH’s, ParkerPeters, PeterParker’s, mountain climbers, merkins, squats, seal jacks, …

*** Q’s, always take note of who’s in attendance and that a demonstration/reminder of an exercise may be necessary. ***

Staying in the same lot, we were treated to a beatdown ladder of burpees countdown starting with 10 at one end (to 1), cross lot sprint, and the other end 10 squats each time.

Marylou nicely informed us  it was a total of 55 burpees.

The blood was pumping and the arms were hurting as the rain started to trickle about halfway through.

Before Bolt took the PAX to the field for 5 pain stations, he gave the PAX a few words about our responsibility as men to watch out for and protect the women and girls in our lives. We have been going through a steady stream of news on sexual abuse, assault and domestic abuse.

An easy walk down the hill to catch our breaths before the 5 pain stations which each had their own ‘lanes’ of varying length. 5 starting cones had workout instructions on them and a corresponding turn-around point cone.   A little improvisation with only 6 PAX (expecting 10 or more), we lined up at the cones. Top instruction for one PAX, bottom for other PAX staying at cone.

cone1: top instruction: Run up hill carrying 40# to cone and back/bottom for PAX staying: squats

cone 2: top: Broad jump to corresponding cone and back;  bottom: calf raises

cone3: Sprint to cone and back/ American Hammers w/ 20# or 30#

cone4: BearCrawl to cone and back/ bomb jacks using 2-10# bags

cone5: Lunges carrying 2 sand bags to cone and back/ merkins

We did a final run through of the stations as a group.

Back to COT lot for a few minutes of Mary.

A good push by all PAX.

*** Q’s: Remember to never leave the 6 behind. Remember that we are all at different fitness levels. Be encouraging and positive and supportive.

Bolt finished with his thoughts about it being our responsibility to look out for all the women in our lives: our wives, our daughters, our nieces, our friends, our neighbors. We are seeing bad men do bad things and a lot of men who downplay the problems or don’t speak out against the perpetrators. It is our responsibility to not only protect, but to speak out against the behavior when it occurs. Talk with your women, but especially your daughters. Let them know what good behavior of men should be.

Yeti in 2 weeks.   Reminder about our community involvement in Paradise with our workouts and mentoring/reading sessions.   P200 coming.   Prayers for PAX with sick children and relatives with health issues.

Thanks to Uncle Sam for volunteering to tutor in Paradise

2 for post workout breakfast at The Peach Stand.

*** Final Q tip: After using cones and/or coupons on a rainy day, be sure to not stack cones and leave in car for a few days and dry coupons asap. Stinky!

 

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Be Still

18 pax posted ’round the Shovel Flag at Slow Burn for some usual Fri 1st F and 2nd F engagement. Well, at launch, we actually had 17 pax and reports of an 18th enroute.   Disclaimer was proclaimed.  February theme of #Worry was noted and the pax were informed that YHC would not disrupt the the Slow Burn rhythm of #moderation and #mumblechatter, though this adventure would force them to talk out their worries.  With that, we launched.

The Thang

Warm up run around CFA through Drive Thru lane

Karaoke lap around CFA through Drive Thru lane

COP alongside CFA — SSHs, Hillbilly walkers, Imperial walkers, Mtn climbers, Windmills

Lugnut posted at this point, so we moseyed on down to the parking lot between the retail strip and Lowes

10 strong form burpees OYO (requested by Twister)

SSH

10 strong form burpees OYO

Partner up to complete all exercises together and talk out your anxieties/worries
Round 1: Merkins x5 + Squats x20, Merkins x10 + Squats x15, Merkins x15 + Squats x10, Merkins x20 + Squats x5
Round 2: CDDs x20 + Bombjacks x5CDDs x15 + Bombjacks x10CDDs x10 + Bombjacks x15CDDs x5 + Bombjacks x20
Round 3: Partner legthrows x20 + LBC x5, Partner legthrows x15 + LBC x10, Partner legthrows x10 + LBC x15, Partner legthrows x5 + LBC x20

Line up along curb

Bear crawl to center parking line, sprint to other side, jog back
(Rinse and repeat for 3 total cycles)

Run home

COT

NMM

Slow Burn has such a great vibe.  It’s always a treat to Q at that AO — it’s Fri, plenty of energy, plenty of mumblechatter, guys looking out for each other and challenging each other, great 1st and 2nd F warm-up for 3rd F experience at CnW afterward.  S/O to Hard Drive for launching it and to Barry Manilow for continuing to carry the torch.  Well done!

As the pax gathered, it appeared Spitz would be the last one in…until he made it to the circle and alerted the crowd that Lugnut was still inbound.  Glad we were able to get him onboard before departure.

I kept the Weinke in the moderate zone, and there were plenty of breaks to discuss Worry and Anxiety.  Somehow I awoke on Sat with a little soreness in spots, so clearly my fitness level needs some attention.

Thanks to pax for engaging fully in dialog and sharing re personal anxieties.  If you haven’t read Chicken Hawk’s February theme one pager, take a look here.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)   This has become one of my go-to verses in times of worry and anxiety.  I could go on forever about worry/anxiety…I’m closer friends with those two than I ever thought I was or wanted to be.  But when I leave it all in God’s hands and just allow myself to “BE,” I mostly come to realize that (a) my worry is worthless, (b) it’s mostly CREATED by me and (c) it’s too much ABOUT me.  There are many ways to turn this verse into a meditative prayer that cuts through anxiety.  Here’s one:

Be still and know that I am GOD
Be still and know that I AM God…
Be still and know that I am God…
Be still and know THAT I am God…
Be still and KNOW that I am God…
Be still AND know that I am God…
Be STILL and know that I am God…
BE still and know that I am God.

Here’s another:

Be still and know that I am God…
Be still and know that I am… 
Be still and know that I…
Be still and know that…
Be still and know…
Be still and…
Be still…
Be.

Try ’em and let me know what you discover.

Thanks to Barry Manilow for the chance to lead.  Always an honor.

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Read directions and go…

Short mosey over to band practice parking lot with some high knees, butt kickers, and high skipping.  Next we circled up for the following warm-up:

  • SSH, Imperial walkers, cherry picker, mountain climbers, Moroccan night club, hillbilly walker
  • Stretching – downward dog, honeymooner, sitting down with knee up pressing elbow on knee to stretch your back, and last we laid on our backs and pulled knees to chest

Then on to the fun.  Staying on the practice field parking lot, we had 2 sets of activities spaced out 40 yards.  One station had cinder blocks for us to play with.  We split into 2 groups where the goal was to perform the first exercise on the list (some OYO and some in cadence) then run the 40 yards to the other set of activities starting at the top of the list, performing that exercise, then back to station 1, etc.

Station 1 – w/ blocks

5 Block shoulder press (x2)

10 Lunges (10 each leg) with block

20 Curls

30 Dips on block

40 American hammer with block (single count)

50 LBC

60 Ski jumps

60 Calf raises

50 Plank jacks

40 Squats with block

30 Bench press

20 Row with block

10 Merkins using block alternating arm (10 / arm)

5 Plank alternating shoulder taps (5 each)

 

Station 2 – no blocks

5 Burpee

10 Diamond merkins

20 Knee to chest jumps

30 Mountain climbers

40 Monkey humpers

50 Seal jacks

60 SSH

60 Moroccan night club

50 Shoulder presses

40 Crab cakes

30 Flutters

20 Flying squirrel

10 Durkin (get partner to put feet on back)

5 Dive bombers

 

Wrapped up and mosey’d back to COT and met up with #lacesout group.  We all had the pleasure of having FNG – Gilligan join us from Florida.  Thanks Pusher for dragging him out!  Had a great time and glad we made it through all exercises with no PAX left behind!

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Superbowl Hangover

Pretty quiet morning at Quagmire due to the Superbowl.  I was prepared for some smack talk from the Eagles fans since I am a lifelong Patriot’s fan.  Bones and Homebrew showed up for some fun at Rivergate.  After the disclaimer, we headed to the front of Best Buy for some warm-up stretches (Butt kickers, Knees to chest).

Next, we moseyed to the back lot near Just Fresh and performed the following exercises:

SSHs

Imperial Walkers

Windmills

Plank (Downward Dog, Honeymooner)

Next, we moseyed to the Target red balls.  I was hoping for a larger crowd, but we made it work with the three of us.  Two of use lunged walked while the other person did five burpees.  We each got through three sets of burpees.

We took a short jog over to the parking lot near Michaels and performed some cadence strength training.

First round:  Bearcrawl/Merkin  10/10

Second round:  Crabwalk/LBC: 10/10

Third round:  Backward Bearcrawl/Carolina Dry Docks 10/5

Next, we ran back to the parking lot near Just Fresh.  We alternated running up and down the staircase while the other two did walk sits (two rounds).  We made are way to the fountain for two rounds of Dips, Derkins, and step-ups.

COT

Prayers for Homebrew and family with second child on the way.

 

 

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The BeachBall

Neighbors and police were alerted of a suspicious shadow dropping off cones and a dangerous-looking gray mass onto dark, empty parking lot and then driving off to meet with CEO-looking PAX at Walter Elysha. YHC started giving the disclaimer but Site-Q Bonsai felt insecure about Latino accent and wrong use of words so he took over and messed it all up.  FNG was very confused and the rest, embarrased.

Warm-up

Mosey on running track swinging some Buttkickers (Site-Q alerted YHC that A**kickers is a curse word), high-knees and uphill Karaoke.

Once in COP: SSH – Windmills – MNC – Squats – Doggie paddles – plank and 6-inch keeping mississippi count.

The Thang

PAX were asked to perform Bearpees along ten trees.

-Nine???  Someone complained.  -How do you expect us to bearpee eight trees? There’s no way I’m gonna bearcrawl seven trees.

But in the end pax overcame and did all six trees as originally requested.

Mosey to parking lot next to lady who doesn’t like PAX screaming.  Backwards uphill climb.  At this point attempting to do the pain stations seemed pointless since most PAX were out of breath, so YHC simply introduced the BeachBall (see pic), which PAX bounced around like infants.  LBCs ensued while rotating BeachBall and then the ArmWrestlingRollingCarousel (patent pending) was introduced:  PAX lay flat on their bellies facing each other in two rows, and arm wrestle in manly tension while one reads theme verse (Isaiah 41:10). Then one row rolls over and faces next contendor while new PAX reads verse.  Rinse & repeat until all have read verse (arm switch when first row is done rolling).  Of course, Long Shanks arm-wrestled two at a time in an audacious display of arrogance.

Co-Q Cornhole took over at this point with what was left of PAX, but mercilessly had all bearcrawl downhill on reenactment of Civil War battle but with pinecones.  People’s Chair for all while two PAX graciously jumpjacked  with the sunrise behind, silhoueting the too much barBQ from the night before.  Deconstructed Burpees took everyone by surprise and there was a lotta groaning and destructive chatter.

Derkins, step-ups and dips brought joy back to brave PAX.

Then alternating pull-ups, step-ups and laps around kiddie park.

ABS

Ab-lap where Atticus over-underperformed, making Pusher blush, but he claimed him as Q-school disciple all the same.

FNG was interviewed an named Oz, but YHC missed out on all the cultural references.

PAX were encouraged to not be anxious and prayers were lifted up.

2nd F at Peach Stand in support of community business.  A joyful moment.

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666 Plus

Thanks Kielbasa for the opportunity to Q, especially the reminder a few days before. You have been doing an amazing job as site Q and it is greatly appreciated by the PAX. The crazy gifs you find in the eastern European dark web are always a classic!

The PAX gathered, we saw the Site Q coming in hot, planted the flag, and we were off.

As YHC set up, Kielbasa led coordinated warmups, especially the SSHs. May be its me, but seems like the count does not match the actions…hey its early and its like the lips are not matching up on the actors.

So after that, the main course was served.

6 minute stations, 3 exercises per station, 15 reps per exercise, 6 stations, 20 seconds rests….that’s like 2 minutes of rest!!

R1 – Merkins, Jump Squats, Freddie Mercuries
R2 – CDD, Bomjack, Dying Cockroach
R3 – Block Curl, 50# KB Swing, Box Cutters
R4 – Pull Ups, Bar Hang, Smurf Jack
R5 – Bear crawl to curb and back, KB shoulder press, V-Up
R6 – Burpees, run down hill, burpees, run backwards up hill, burpees

By that time there was encouragement to finish, discussion of naps, and a great start to Friday.

COT.

Close out prayers.

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Burpee Bonanza at the Swamp

Tuesday morning at Golden Corral, Cable Guy (in typical Cable Guy fashion) looks over at YHC (who is conveniently located across the parking lot, because, well, Cable Guy in the morning…) and says, “So, you’ll Q Friday at the Swamp.” It wasn’t really a question; it was more a statement of fact.

“I’ll what now?”

“Yeah, you’ll Q.”

Before I could raise any objections to protect my fellow PAX from what would become my fifth bootcamp Q in just over 2 weeks, word started to spread, and my fate was sealed.

No Twitter announcement was made to prepare the PAX for today, so when 0515 rolled over on my watch, I stepped into the circle to make the disclaimer. It was a C-Span-approved disclaimer, so I’m getting better there. Disclaimer disclaimed, the 7 ruckers walked off one way and the 8 bootcampers moseyed the other.

COP, Part 1

Short mosey to the parking lot behind Cold Stone for

20 SSH IC

10 hillbilly walkers IC

Moving on…

COP, Part 2

Following a mosey with a few side shuffles thrown in, we circled up outside Books A Million for

10 windmills IC

10 low slow squats IC

20 Moroccan night clubs IC

That’s it for the warm up; I wanted to leave plenty of time for the main event. So we moseyed over to the Sun Trust Bank parking lot for the fun to start.

The Thang

The bank is a good size to run around, and it conveniently has 11 parking spaces in a nice, flat, straight row, making it perfect for a lineup of stations. For today’s fun, we had ten burpee stations and a “rest” station of 100 LBCs. Exercises were all OYO, with a lap around the bank after each station, resulting in 11 laps. The burpee stations, in no particular order:

20 Burpees (plain old burpees)

10 Prison cell burpees

10 Kraken burpees

15 Walmart burpees (“Walmart” because you roll back; these were the focus of much mumblechatter)

15 Bodybuilder burpees

15 Inverted burpees

20 One-arm burpees (10 per arm)

20 One-leg burpees (10 per leg)

15 Tuck jump burpees (jump knees to chest)

20 Jump ½ turn burpees (ideally 10 per direction)

For those counting, that makes for 160 wonderfully fun burpees. I think we ended up running over two miles, too, but I’m not sure on that one.

T-claps to all the bootcampers, as everybody completed the entire circuit, and nobody really got far ahead of anybody else. LBCs were completed by some as we waited for the six. With five minutes to spare, we moseyed back to Chick-Fil-A for a couple minutes of stretching our now very tight shoulders and hips.

Announcements

  • GoRuck Light tomorrow. Good luck and have fun to those guys going. Make sure you’re prepared, as the list on the website is not suggestions.
  • Post somewhere tomorrow if you’re not rucking.
  • Yeti in two weeks.
  • Read your newsletter.

Prayers and Praises

  • Wild Thing’s sister-in-law is being induced today to deliver their still-born child. Please pray for this entire family as they deal with this.
  • C-Span’s son (and the whole family really) eagerly anticipating the birth of their baby. (I think I understood that right.)
  • World Wide Leader had to return to work after six weeks of paternity leave, and now their son is starting into daycare, so tons of transitions for all of that family.
  • Rad’s daughter is still in the hospital after a high fever and numerous seizures. The fever is down, but other tests are being done, so pray for her and the whole family.
  • YHC is dealing with some difficult situations at work, including a family returning from overseas early, which may lead to marital issues. Pray for them, and for those who are caring for them.
  • DaVinci’s business has gained some new clients with potentially more on the way, which is great and also daunting.

Even with limited notice (which seems to be the only way I end up Qing), it’s an honor to get to lead and serve these men. Thanks to Cable Guy for the Q-portunity. Kotters to Photobomb.

Ask the ruckers what they did. I only ever saw them walking.

-Jedi

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First taste of The Tomahawk

Got my first taste of the many options that Tomahawk has to offer. Perhaps agreeing to Q the day after the Super Bowl wasn’t the smartest thing YHC has ever done, but no one wants to disappoint the Pax. After taking a recon drive past the school on Saturday, a plan was formed. Being nervous as to how long it would take to get to this AO that is nowhere near my home base, I, of course, arrived way early. But, as i was searching for the perfect spot for my cones, the lights miraculously came on at 5 sharp. That lifted my spirits tremendously.

Pax rolled in starting with He who loves the Thrill of the Drops. Tried to introduce myself to the arriving pax to introduce myself to those I had not met and to set a tone that we were in this together.

Disclaimer offered at 5:15 sharp and off we went. Mosey around the drop off circle with some high knees, buttkickers and karaoke. Circle up.

COP:

  • SSH * 20
  • Windmill * 15
  • Merkins * 10
  • Squats * 15
  • Wide Arm Merkins * 10
  • MOROCCAN NIGHTCLUBS * 20

MOSEY behind the School to an array of cones

THE THANG: LADDER

  • 10 KB SWINGS-RUN TO 3 RD LIGHTPOST AND BACK
  • 10 KB SWINGS, 15 SKULL CRUSHERS-RUN
  • 10 KB SWINGS, 15 SKULL CRUSHERS, 20 SQUATS-RUN
  • 10 KB SWINGS, 15 SKULL CRUSHERS, 20 SQUATSS, 30 Upright ROWS-RUN
  • RINSE AND REPEAT (SORT OF)
  • 10 KB SWINGS-RUN TO 3 RD LIGHTPOST AND BACK
  • 10 KB SWINGS, 20 FIGURE 8S-RUN
  • 10 KB SWINGS, 20 FIGURE 8’S-RUN, 20 BENT OVER ROWS-RUN

THOUGHT ON ANXIETY/WORRY: EACH OF US SPENDS SO MUCH TIME&ENERGY WORRYING ABOUT MATTERS OUT OF OUR CONTROL. DO YOU SEE JESUS WALKING WITH YOU WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE WORRIES? (SHARED A PASSAGE FROM THE BOOK “THE SHACK”)

To the Wall- Peoples Chair with KB held out front while each Pax jumps out of line and does 5 Bombjacks. Repeato, but this time with 5 merkins

MOSEY TO COT

Prayers for Polaroids’s daughter having trouble sleeping, prayers for my family after my brother’s recent death, other unspoken prayers.

Really enjoyed my morning with the Pax of the southern reaches of The Fort. I’ll be back sometime, but not so early next time. Thanks Polaroid for the opportunity to serve this growing region.

Short Sale Out.

 

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