Cards with the Romans

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  • QIC: Maximus
  • When: 11/22/16
  • Pax: Seacrest, Package, What Did, Spiderman, Backdraft, Tesh, Chicken Hawk, Fridge, Addison, Longshanks, Geronimo, Dark Helmet, Ginsu, Cash Flow, Sub Prime
  • Posted In: The Colosseum

It was a privilege to be invited back to the Colosseum on this brisk Tuesday morning to lead 15 other men in what has become a painful favorite of mine. The Twitter-teasing began a day early and you have to be extremely careful when you embark on this type of banter. You never want to set the expectation too high just to come up short. While it’s comical to begin the advertising, it is also a bit convicting. The Colosseum has become synonymous with pain and the opposite of a moderate workout.

One workout that is consistently awful is the deck of cards. And lest you forget where this originated, we have Package to thank for reminding us that it was my sister’s idea. Keep in mind, she smoked me through 2 rounds with 8 different exercises so going 1 round with 4 exercises almost seems JV. That is, until you see the 4 I chose.

If you haven’t had the blessing of being part of one of these workouts before, whether mine or a few of the other Q’s and you’re not familiar with how this works, let me give you the shakedown. Keeping a good pace throughout, each suit represents an exercise and the number on the card is the rep count. 2-10 is obvious and Jack=11, Queen=12, King=13 and yes, the ACE=14 (not 1). There were 2 Jokers and 2 other cards so these 4 represented a 20yd run.

In all, here’s how it went down:

After a disclaimer which included the statement that this would not be moderate, we mosey’d to the back parking lot and circled up.
SSH
Plank Jacks
Wide Arm Merkins
Mountain Climbers

Line up with the cones and sprint with ALL YOU GOT to the second basketball pole (about 50yds). Wait just long enough to think that you’re getting a 10ct then again, ALL YOU GOT back to the cones. Helluva warm up huh…you’re welcome.

Circle up to play cards fellas:

Clubs: Jumping Lunges
Spades: Burpees (oh yes I did)
Diamonds: Diamond Merkins (feeling these the next day)
Hearts: Mak Tar Jahs (This definitely looked better on paper…#bloodyelbows)

In all, you completed:
104 Jumping Lunges (who knew these would be the “breather?”)
104 Burpees (thought hard about an audible at about 60)
104 Diamond Merkins
104 Mak Tar Jahs (pure awful-ness)
(4) 20yd runs

It wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from Mary:
American Hammers (of course)
Freddy Mercury
Mountain Climbers
Super Man with a couple 10cts
Peter Parker

Bring it home to COT

Announcements: If you’re still reading this, please do sign up for the Christmas Party. My man Italian Job fronted the cash for this party and you know how you’d feel if someone left you hanging. It’s a great time with great food and great-er people. Get yo-selves a sitter and join us 12/17 at the Dairy Barn. Yeah, it’s Ft. Mill so we party at places called the Dairy Barn. Touch base with Longshanks regarding Operation Sweet Tooth that is Q’d by Olive. Curious what strength looks like…look no further. Bring toys to the Christmas Party. Reminder to bring your food donations tomorrow to the Thanksgiving convergence.

Prayer Requests: We really need prayers for marriages amongst our PAX; lots of struggles out there. Please have safe travels always but especially surrounding these next few days with all the traffic on the roads. Prayers for safe and healthy baby deliveries. Prayers for Bing and his family. Remember to pause this season to be silent and take time to be thankful.

TO THE PAX: HAVE A SAFE AND VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow 0600 for our annual Convergence, unless I see you before for the run at 0500.

As you were.

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Back and Forth

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  • QIC: Fishsticks
  • When: 11/18/16
  • Pax: Chicken Hawk, Mainframe, Witch Hunt, Deacon, Cornhole, Gears, Gecko, Royale, Boeheim, DaVinci, Vinnie, Mr T, NASA, Fishsticks
  • Posted In: The Swamp

Nice crowd out for various forms of exercise (Bootcamp, Ruck, Run).  8 men went on an adventurous route around Rivergate.  After a brief disclaimer, we jogged over to Gander Mountain.  Lots of mumble chatter about the amount of running, but I promised it would get better.

Warm-ups:

SSH x25

Imperial Walker x20

Windmill x15

Various plank stretches

Next, we lined up for the following exercise combinations along the length of Gander Mountain store front:

Leg Lunges / Squats

Reverse Leg Lunges / Leg Lifts

Bear Crawl / Merkins

Crab Walk / LBCs

Reverse Bear Crawl / Carolina Dry Docks

After a couple moments to catch our breath, we jogged back to the Fountain and performed the following exercises:

Derkins x10

Dips x10

Flutter Kicks x10

Rinse and repeat 3 times

We then jogged back to the front of PetSmart.  I heard someone mention “Burpees” so I made a slight modification to the end of the workout.  At each crosswalk, we added 5 burpees to the sprint back to COT.

Announcements:

Read newsletter

Convergence Thanksgiving day at the Ranch

Christmas party, sign up and pay up

Prayers:

Gecko’s church friend’s newborn fighting an intestinal issue

Prayers for the men and their families who have not been out with the Pax

 

Always an honor!

Fishsticks

 

 

 

 

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Giving Thanks

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Steadily the crowd grew at the buffet line at Golden Coral.  Eventually 21 men made their way out if their beds and into the parking lot to enjoy the cool crisp temps this morning and to get a head start on burning Thanksgiving day calories.

 

The Thang:

 

15 rukcers took off with Cobra Kai, and the 6 men remaining followed me and moseyed to the Pre-School.  Call me crazy, but I think this ruck thing might have some legs.

Dynamic WarmUp:  Karaoke, Butt Kickers, High Knees, Side Shuffle

More Warming Up:  SSH x 30 – Squats x 30 – IW x 30 – Moroccan Night Club x 50

4 Corners – Corner 1, 50 SSH – Corner 2, LBC’s x 50, Corner 3 – CDD x 50 – Corner 4, Squats x 50 – Rinse and Repeat

Sprint Work – Spring the Parking Lot / Jog Back – Cool down with each PAX giving something that they are thankful for.  Rinse and Repeat x 10

Moseyed Back to Teeter and circled up for 5 minutes of Ab Work.

Finished with a Burpee Countoff

 

Moleskin

 

This was not a workout that left the PAX gasping for air, or not being able to lift your arms to your keyboard.  The purpose was to take some time to reflect on the things we have to be thankful for. To often, our hectic schedules keep us from seeing the blessings around us.  Instead, we are rushed and focused on the next task, the next deadline, the next errand, or the next event.

While there is a lot to be thankful for there is also a lot of  pain and hurt during this time. Take the time this Thanksgiving season to really connect with those that you encounter.  Try to reach them wherever they might be in their journey.

As always, thanks for the opportunity to lead and thank you PAX for continuing to push YHC physically, relationally, and spiritually.

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Eccentric ( slow ) Burpee Breakdown at the Pantheon

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  • QIC: Bear Grylls
  • When: 11/23/2016
  • Pax: Jekyll, Senator Tressel, Flat Tire, Atticus, Falcon Crest, Fish Stix, Shark Bait, Stang
  • Posted In: Pantheon, The Fort

8 Men and a 2.0 gathered for a slow and burning workout featuring the burpee…in deconstructed fashion.  We alternated the circle of power with the burpee deconstruction on the frozen soccer field.

The Thang:

We broke the burpee down into three exercises in stations followed by a fourth with the full movement. There were two rounds, 5 reps around, then 10 reps around at each station.  All stations were completed in a slow 5 count ( eccentric ) down motion.

The Thang 2:

After each burpee session, we gathered for a circle power super-setting high knees with 5 bombjacks supersetted around the circle, then box cutters with 5 peter parker merkins and finally honeymooners with 5 alternate mountain climbers.

For good measure, we added bear crawl suicides with side plank walk back.

Announcements – F3 Christmas Party, Thanksgiving posts, Baxter 5k.

Prayers for the Peck Family, Law Enforcement, holiday travelers, and Bullwinkle ( Shawn Harris ) and his hand surgery.

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Pass It Along

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  • QIC: Nuke and Senator Tressel
  • When: 11/22/16
  • Pax: DD, Kielbassa, Frat Boy, McGuyver, Deer Hunter, Training Wheels, Shady, Pusher, Born
  • Posted In: Block Party

Eleven men met this morning at Walter Elisha Park to get their morning pick-me-up before heading to work.  Block Party is meant to be a teaching AO where the Q gives pointers for leading effective workouts and where new guys get a chance to get Q experience.  Today, I shared Q duties with Nuke and this is what we did.

The Thang:

Dynamic warm up:  knee pulls/ankle pulls,  walking lunge with arm raise, arm and shoulder rotation, inch worm/downward dog, toy solders.  Hand off to Nuke for COP.

SSH x 25, Morrocan night club x 20, Merkin x 10/hold/Peter Parker x 20, Squat x 20, Hello Dolly x 20, Diamond merkin x 10/hold/Parker peter x 20, LBC x 20,

Senator Tressel on Q

Slow mosey to the play ground

Three rounds of high intensity training

5 pullups, sprint to tree line and back, 10 merkins, sprint, 20 LBC, sprint, 15 squats, sprint

5 pullups, sprint, 10 diamond merkins, sprint, 20 flutter, sprint, 15 monkey humpers, sprint

5 pullups, sprint, 10 wide arm merkins, sprint, 10L/10R pretzel crunch, sprint, 20L/20R lunge, sprint

Margin is the theme this morning so we took some time getting to know each other a little better.  YHC asked each person to tell the group something about themselves.  To make good use of the time, we did this in a plank position and also while we worked our abs   Time ran out before we got to everyone so we stopped and made our way to COT.

Moleskin

Really enjoyed co-Qing this morning with Nuke.  I’ve worked out with him at Alcatraz and Pantheon, and I was happy to be there for his VQ.  He did a fine job today, and his military background was obvious when we heard his command voice..  At Block Party, the Q is asked to share some of his ideas about Qing a workout and about F3 principals.  Here is what I shared today.

  1.  Always start with a warm up – decrease your chance of injury and makes hard stuff easier when your body is loose and warmed up.
  2. Slow down the count – fast counting leads to poor form and less effective exercise.
  3. Go to different AO’s to get new ideas and steal them.  My half of the workout today was stolen from Geronimo – thank you, sir!
  4. Explore all 3 F’s.  F3 workouts are fun and get your body in great shape.  If all you do is attend a few workouts during the week, you will improve your physical condition and feel fine.  But, don’t miss out on the rest that F3 has to offer.  If you are not sure you want to Q a workout, try it.  I guarantee you will grow to love it.  Take advantage of 2nd F opportunities when you can.  You’ll find a fantastic group of guys who you will want to know better.  They will become your brothers. Learn more about the 3rd F.  Everyone is welcome whether you are a person of faith or not. Get involved in service and give back to the community – you’ll be a better man for it.

Thank you DD for the invitation to Q Block Party.  I truly enjoyed leading the group with Nuke today and it was a privilege as always.

Xmas party on Dec 17.  Rumor of a $5 discount for tix purchased on Friday – check that out.  Joe Davis Run on Jan 7.  Annual Thanksgiving convergence at The Ranch. 6am start.  Fried turkey after workout!  All Thursday workouts closed.     Read the newsletter!

 

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mod·er·ate (aka Ballroom)

  • QIC: Zima
  • When: 11/22/16
  • Pax: Anchorman, Cotton Eye, Freebird, Handy Manny, Bait Shop, Gopher, Stang, Deep Dish, Cake Boss, Rain Bird, Change Order, Culture Club, Ditch Witch, Tico, MASH, Green Thumb, Gilmore, Barry Manilow, Fire Marshall Bill, Zima (YHC)
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

mod·er·ate

adjective
ˈmäd(ə)rət/
1. average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.
“we walked at a moderate pace”

verb
ˈmädəˌrāt/
1. make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent.
“we should moderate the burpees”

I had to look this up before my Q at The Ballroom. I wanted to make sure I delivered what was expected at the AO. Coming off my first Goruck Tough, this was sounding like the perfect Q for me. Ease back into things. One thing though, moderate did not mean easy. Pax started rolling in and it was a frosty 28 degrees.

Start with the 5 core principles of F3
F3 workouts …
1. Are free of charge
2. Are open to all men
3. Are held outdoors, rain or shine, heat or cold
4. Are led by men who participate in the workout in a rotating fashion, with no training or certification necessary
5. End with a Circle of Trust

Disclaimer (longer than my normal “don’t die” disclaimer)

THANG
Mosey to the bottom of the street for COP

COP (All exercises in cadence)
• SSH X25
• Windmills X10
• Low Slow Squat X20
• Merkins X10
• Mountain Climbers X20
• SSH X25

Walk over to parking lot…

Rounder: Do an exercise then run a lap always facing in the same direction (Forward, Side Shuffle Left, Backwards, Side Shuffle Right, Repeat

• CDD X10, run
• Monkey Humpers X15, run
• LBCs X40, run
• MNCs X30, run
• Squats X20, run
• Hello Dollys X15, run

Mosey to parking lot across from Ballroom

Escalator: Do an exercise at cone, then proceed to next cone with varying modes of transportation

Cone 1: 10 Burpees, Bear Crawl to next cone
Cone 2: 20 Merkins, Lunge Walk to next cone
Cone 3: 30 Squats, Reverse Lunge Walk to next cone
Cone 4: 40 LBCs, Reverse Bear Crawl to next cone
Cone 5: 50 SSH

Little time left over? Use the cones for Merkin Suicides!

Basically a suicide run with 5 points (cones) but you have to do the number of merkins at each cone (Cone 1 = 1 merkin, Cone 2 = 2 merkins, and so on.

Mosey back to the AO via climbing the lower parking lot wall and finish with a few minutes of Mary.

COT and BOM led by Anchorman

NMM
Had a great time this morning and it was great to see everyone push themselves. Moderate was definitely not easy this morning. Everyone worked up a sweat and my legs were actually a bit sore walking up the stairs this morning. Tclaps to Freebird for staying out front the entire time. Additionally, Tclaps to Green Thumb for making it to his second workout. Great mumblechatter this morning. Thanks to Change Order for the opportunity to Q and I hope to come back again soon guys. I really enjoyed it.

Announcements (which are in the Newsletter)
• Sign Up for Joe Davis Run
• Sign Up for the F3 Christmas Party
• Something else I’m forgetting

Praise and Prayers
• Pray for a friend of Pax who lost his wife
• Pray for families
• Prayers for the families in Chattanooga who lost their children in the bus accident

Humbled to Lead
Zima

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Chilly Moderate meeting of the minds at The Yard

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  • QIC: Assassin
  • When: 11/19/16
  • Pax: Barry Manilow, Ditch Witch, Magnum, Tico (Welcome Back), Donald Duck, Patton, Socrates, Quickbooks, Assassin
  • Posted In: Millllkshake

9 posted for a chilly moderate beatdown this past Saturday at The Yard.

We spent a few minutes stretching, which I thought would be crowd pleasing, for much running was to come.

We moseyed to the driveway in the back where we partnered up. Partner runs a lap while partner performs LBC’s, SSH’s and repeat.

We mall-walked to the back entrance and found a small wall, where we did our share of dips and durkins and step-ups. Then mall-walked and found a wall and sat for a while.

By the way, mall-walking is the term for a speed walk. Some took to it, others ….

Mosey to the end of the driveway at the school where we found coupons in a ditch near the road. We passed out a few. Partner 1 carries the coupon to the top of the hill and dropped it. Partner 2 sprinted to the top of the hill to retrieve it and return. We did this a few times to the pleasure of the PAX and then retreated back to COT.

Prayers for Quickbooks on his job search/career decisions and for Darlene and Cindy (Magnum’s family.) So much to be Thankful for, and another successful run at the Yard.

Assassin –

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Small world at the Hive

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  • QIC: Assassin
  • When: 11/18/16
  • Pax: Drop Thrill, Tesh and Assassin
  • Posted In: The Hive

3 in the gloom for a small intimate bell party, including the site Q and Drop Thrill.

We made it work with a few stretches including legs, planks, dry docks, tunnel touches, SSH’s and a quick lap, then headed to the baseball bleachers.

We used the bleachers for a round of lawnmowers, triceps, overhead presses, kettle bell swings and repeated.

Headed to the school courtyard for some running while partners did rounds of:
LBC’s, skullcrushers, more LBC’s.

Finished the courtyard out with some Figure 8’s, Lunge presses, kettle presses, slingshots and deadlifts.

Back to COT for some…. as always, Peter pointers…

I appreciate the opportunity to lead.

The Hive is looking for a few good men!

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It Takes Only 2 To Brothership

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  • QIC: Old Bay
  • When: 11/18/16
  • Pax: Repeat, Old Bay
  • Posted In: Brothership

When Repeat hit YHC up the day before asking if I could substi-Q Brothership, I jumped at the chance. Parking deck access or no, it’s an epic AO that will continue to get better with time. Much thanks to Repeat for calling me up.

For this week, it was only the site Q and workout Q that posted. But 2 is all it takes to be brothers at Brothership.

Traditional run from FMHS to Kingsley, and all the way to the Lash Group parking lot. Warm-Up consisted of a few standard warm-up exercises that slip my mind.

The Thang – Part 1
In the back of the Lash Group parking lot, there is a retaining wall that is waist-height at the ends, with a nicely sloped hill ascending beyond for 10-15 yards. Pax started about 15 yards on the parking lot away from the wall, ran to the wall, climbed it, and then did various moving exercises up the hill. Pax then ran back down the hill, down the wall, and back to the starting point in the parking lot. Here are the moving exercises done on the hill:

  • sprint
  • left shuffle up
  • right shuffle up
  • backwards
  • skip

The Thank – Part 2
Run to the lowest part of the back entrance to Kingsley, which happens to be 7 street light poles from a traffic circle. Pax were to run up to the circle, perform 20 dips, then during the descent, stop at each street light and perform an ascending number of a particular exercise.

  • Round 1 – Burpees – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 – total of 28
  • Round 2 – Bombjacks – 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 – total of 56
  • Round 3 – Merkins – 3, 6, 9,12, 15, 18, 21 – total of 84
  • Round 4 – LBCs – 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 – total of 112

Run back to FMHS. Total of 4.5 miles.

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There is a wall up there?

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Being my VQ I was humbled by the number of people that showed up to see what CSUP I had planned.  At 5:15 I gave my best attempt at the disclaimer and then we took off for a little mosey.

20 SSH

10 windmill

20 Hillbilly walkers

10 Merkins

 

Next while standing in the parking lot across from the military memorial with the flags I proceeded to tell the Pax we would be jumping the wall and running up to the next wall (which no one could see due to the gloom and lights).

ladder of 5 donkey kicks at the top down to 1

ladder of 1 burpee up to 5

ladder of 6 inches 10 count and Heels to the sky 10 count

Moved over to the hill where we

Ran backwards, bear crawl, Right side shuffle, Left side shuffle with 10 merkins at the top each time.

Next and might be one of my favorites was Pink Floyd (balls to the wall 30 sec and people’s chair 30 seconds) repeat 3 times.

Once we finished this we went for a long mosey to pick up or stuff paxs dropped at the top of the hill and went back to COT.  I had more planned, but the time ran out and I am glad it did because the last part was not going to be fun.

Next I tried to perform my best interpretation of the message CSAPN provided on Monday.  The jest is when you are interacting with wife, kids, family, friends or others Ask Questions, Listen and Recall what they said so that you can retain the information which will let them understand you do care.

Prayer Request – Fire fighters and those affected by the fires in NC Mountains, people traveling for Thanskgiving, Java to be blessed with the word when he speaks at the main campus for the first time.

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