This morning brought heavy humidity and pouring sweat to 14 PAX at BlockParty. Conditions were soupy and the park was dark, but the PAX trudged through for 2.17 miles of fun in the gloom. Here’s what we did:

Warm UP (all done in cadence)

• 25 SSHs
• 20 IWs
• 20 MNCs
• 20 Rock Hillbilly Walkers

The Thang

Mosey to the Playground

Partner up for:

• 50 Pullups
• 100 Merkins
• 150 Squats
• 200 LBCs

Exercises were done while partner ran a lap around the playground. Once the lap was complete, partner’s flapjacked.

Once exercises were complete, the PAX did 15 Dips (IC) for good measure.

Mosey downtown

Stop at the Veteran’s Memorial for the Pledge of Allegiance

Mosey to The Wall

• People’s Chair (15 IC)
• Hold People’s Chair while PAX take turns doing 10 Merkins each
• 10 Count Austrailian Mtn Climbers (crowd pleaser)

Mosey to Subway

• Karaoke
• Nur
• Shuffle
• Run

Mosey back to COT

• A little Broga
• 25 Shoulder Taps
• 60 Calf Raises

NMM

Thank you Double D for the opportunity to cross the river and lead. Today I shared with the PAX something that I think many of us struggle with: Pride. Like Kielbasa said, as we get stronger through our workouts, we often start thinking we are invincible. We as men struggle mightily with pride. Is it because we live in a nation that says we can be anything we want to be? Is it because we drink too much of the “me” Kool-Aid? Perhaps we believe all the times folks have exalted us for our achievements. Heck, now we get trophies for participating! Pride leads to distruction. It is the root of all sin. It is what led Satan to say, “I will make myself like the Most High.” It is what led Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. It is what let a 10-year-old me to second and third place finishes for two years in taekwondo. It’s what led to 22-year-old me into the bosses office to be told no one is irreplaceable. It is what led 29-year-old me to nearly splashing Merlot at WEP at my first workout. Pride is our way of saying we know better than God. When things go well, we praise ourselves. When things go poorly, we blame God. Humility is knowing there is a God and you are not Him. John tells us “He must increase and I must decrease.” We are called to put others first – to live third. Humility comes before honor. A proud man is always looking down on others. While looking down, you cannot see anything above you. Let’s stop looking down and looking in and start looking up. It is better to be humble than to be humbled.

Aye!

Italian Job

14 men not afraid of a little water showed up to try and get better this morning at Walter Elisha. Let’s get it on…

Mosey to the small parking lot off of 160 for warmup.

WARMUP:

• 30 Side straddle hops
• 10 4-count merkins HOLD POSITION
• 20 double count mountain climbers HOLD POSITION
• 20 peter parkers RECOVER
• 30 Moroccan night clubs
• 10 4-count windmills
• 30 low slow squats

The THANG:

Mosey to upper parking lot

• Burpee broad jump to first line, bear crawl to second line, burpee broad jump to 3rd line, plank for the 6, mosey back to start
• Run to first line, 20 merkins, run to second line, 20 squats, run to curb, 20 dips

Mosey to awning next door…dry ground for a few minutes of Mary

• Wall sits + overhead extension x 20 + 4 10-counts
• On your six:
  • Boats & Canoes in cadence x 20
  • dying cockroach in cadence x 20 (legs all the way down – parallel to ground for each count)
  • protractor in cadence x alot
  • Captain Thors in cadence 5×20

Mosey to the wall

• Muscle ups, 4 count x 10

Quick word re: accountability – be a leader to those around you during your workouts. You quit, they quit. You do work, they do work. Keep this in mind.

Mosey to playground (YAAAAAAY!)

• Partner up, P1 does pullups, P2 runs around p-ground. Rinse & repeat.
• WORST PART OF THE WORKOUT – Squat burpees (1 burpee + 5 squats after each burpee jump) x 10.
• 20 dips

Mosey to COT.

Announcements: CAH June Burpee Challenge, Colombia Mission trip fundraisers (wristbands, car wash cards, Gutters & Gringos)

Prayers requests: Sen Tressel brother in law (health), Dark Helmut friend (health), Double D parents (travel), Manchester bombing victims. Praise for the day ahead.

APOLOGIES TO HEEHAW FOR GETTING THIS UP SO LATE…I’VE GOT A POCKETFUL OF EXCUES BUT NONE THAT ARE SUFFICIENT.  NICE JOB BROTHER!!!

17 pax, including 1 FNG and several from The Rock, posted to Block Party to welcome HeeHaw to the Q Club for his virgin rodeo.  With a solid welcome and a proper disclaimer in front of the assembled barristers, HeeHaw took the pax off on his adventure.

The Thang

Despite the advertisement to his  2.0 FestiFun and the advance coordination with DD that indicated little running, Q was off to the races when the gun sounded, leading the pax down 160 to the lot in front of UC Synergetic.

COP — SSHs, IWs, windmills, squats, CDDs

Partner up

Partner 1: bear crawl across lot, merkins x10, run back
Partner 2: Preacher’s chair
(flapjack)
(rinse & repeat 2x for total of 3 cycles)

Partner leg throws x25 (flapjack)

Mosey to Massey Street Hill

Partner 1: run to top of hill, hello dolly x10, run down/
Partner 2: continuous CDDs
(flapjack)
(rinse & repeat)

Run back to WEP with pause in park at corner of 160

Plank series

20 Burpees OYO (FestiFun favorite!)

Mosey down trail toward parking lot w/stop along way

20 Bombjacks OYO

10 Bombjacks OYO (practice makes perfect)

Mosey to parking lot

Mary session — Russian hammer, LBCs, dying cockroach

COT

Naked man moleskin

T-claps to HeeHaw on a solid first outing as Q!  Don’t be confused by that handle…he’s not a knee-slappin’ bumpkin’ from 1970s TV.  He is a classic OG living an “It’s a Wonderful Life” script.  Nice to have you in the center of the pax!

Not only did he work a nice Weinke, with more running than anyone anticipated (keep ’em guessing!), HeeHaw came with a solid message.  Great challenge to the pax to make the #Maturity theme for the month count for more than just personal growth but also growth in your marriage.

Welcome to our brothers from across the river, especially FestiFun who posted despite recovering from flu and recent injuries in order to support his old man on his VQ voyage.  Great to have all of you!

Welcome to FNG/Gutterball, who posted for the first 3 mins of pain, before jetting off to get to work.  T-claps to Sauerkraut for the EH.  Keep on coming, Gutterball…we’ll get that roll straightened out over time.

12 posted for a sampling of some GORUCK Good Livin!  The Ruck-Truck rolled in overflowing with Rucksacks and Sandbags much to the concern of the PAX.  One FNG posted this am to see what all this was about, so full Disclaimer given and the it was time to Ruck Up.

The Thang

Mosey up the path a bit for our warm-up session of SSH,IW,WM & Mtn Climbers

Partner up for first series, which included Partner 1 doing 5 burpees while Partner 2 starts around the Path with 2-rucks or 1-sandbag.   P2 then sprints to Partner 1 and hands-off the rucks/sandbag and does the exercise.  Rinse & Repeat around full path for .6-mi.  This staple of our wokouts is known as Catch Me If You Can. #winded

After a short discussion on F3-Mission Statement and how F3 brothership bonds and Leadership come into play during GORUCK Events, Pax lined up in 2-columns for a little Sandbag toss relay race.  Front team member cleaned the #40 sandbag and exploding up, throws it out front of him. Man behind him steps up and does the same, Indian Run Style all the way down to the #60 sandbag.  Return w/the #60; That was fun….Lets do it one more time!

Circle Up. Lay Bag or Ruck down in front of you.  15 burpees oyo on your Ruck, replacing the jump up with a hop over to the other side after each rep.

Finished off the am with same Partners doing 100’s of Merkins & Squat Thrusters with Rucks.  P1 doing the work, P2 sprinting across field and back taking over for P1. Flapjack to 100 is achieve as a team.

Return back in Two Columns for COT.

Thank you to Double D for the invite out to come show how the Rucksack can be incorporated in a normal Bootcamp and to the Block Party Faithful for going along.  Shout out to FNG Bunyan for posting his first time out at the place it all started and for for offering such a solid prayer to take us out.

Always a pleasure to Lead

8 of us showed up for some running and bootcamping!!

Lap around WEP and COP

20 SSH
10 Diamond Merkins
20 Low Slow Squats
10 Peter Parker
10 Parker Peter
6″ Plank
20 IW
10 Merkins
20 Seal Jacks
20 Mountain Climbers

Partner up (size does not matter) Speed might!

Partner one stays home and does continuous
10 merkins, 20 dips, 30 LBC until partner 2 returns home (Flapjack)

2 laps each and quite a few merkins, dips and LBC’s!

Finish up with 5 minutes of Ab Lab and off to COT

Finished up at 2 miles and no mumble chatter! Just the way I like it (quiet)!!!

Asked the PAX to tell us what we are all thankful for. I for one gave my thanks for F# and the positive impact it has made on my life including body, mind and spirit! Thanks Dredd and OBT!!! You might not know it but you are saving people and building better men everyday! What a fantastic legacy!!

7 true Block Party faithful posted for pain with a mystery Q.  The tweets went out Mon eve seeking insights and previews, and the pax were repaid with silence.  Two reasons — YHC has dropped Twitter off the phone for Lent AND YHC had failed to score a Q for this rodeo.  So, it was YHC on tap with a little help from the pax on the message for the day.  One FNG along for the ride, so full Disclaimer was announced and then the puck was dropped.

The Thang

Extended warm-up session using Drill Bit format with a mosey to each post around WEP and 3-5 exercises at each stop.

Mosey to the playground at whatever pace you want and plank up.

Partner up for next series, which included Partner 1 doing exercise while Partner 2 runs lap around playground.  #Flapjack.  Rest break after each sequence was filled with one of the pax sharing his personal views on who/where/how he seeks WISDOM.

Finish off w/Fellini leading final two exercises as test run for his VQ at Patriot 3/25/17.

Run home

COT

Naked man moleskin

Thank you to the Block Party regulars for posting despite the unannounced Q.  We now know who the diehards are.  Appreciate your loyalty!

Welcome to FNG/Nemo!  With pressure from WWL to post at WWL’s Thursday Q at The Ranch, Nemo decided he need a preview…perhaps he could get the Merlot Splash out of the way without his Duke Energy colleague as a witness.  Wise beyond his years!  He had no problem digesting this workout.  He even shared from the heart during the Wisdom session at the playground.  Great to have you on board for the ride at Block Party!

Shout out to Fellini who is tackling (by now he has tackled given the late posting of this BB) his VQ at Patriot.  He always offers great words in COT…thrilled to see him stepping into the center of the circle to share his brand of leadership.

Workout today was P200 friendly.  YHC turned out to be only pax running P200, so it ended up being a bit self-serving.

Quote of the day:
YHC to Nemo: What do you do for fitness?  Do you run?
Nemo: No, I am not a runner.
YHC: So I guess you are not doing P200 then.
Nemo: I did Hood to Coast

Message today was focused on the monthly theme of WISDOM.  For me, wisdom never comes unless I stop talking, shut out the ceaseless chatter in my head and truly LISTEN.  So the pax listened to each other share their perspective on the topic.  To sum it up, what I heard was that to gain wisdom you have to humble yourself to listen to other people, especially people different than yourself, and including people of all stripes from 6-year olds to criminals.  Glad I shut up for this one.

Thanks for joining, gents.  Always an honor.  Until next time…

23 pax saw the marketing campaign put on by YHC.  They were either a victim of pressing the flesh at a recent COT, checked out the media notifications on Twitter, or got text shamed.  And all of them showed up anyway!!!  Most probably thought – ‘Hey, Crab Cakes is always at the six.  How bad can it be?’.  Others thought – ‘Hey, it’s #BlockParty we never touch the grass anymore.’  All left rethinking what’s possible at #Block Party.

YHC wanted the pax to understand what we have here.  #BlockParty has been around a while.  We’ve been there a million times.  Every possible workout.  Every field.  Every parking lot in the 3 mile radius.  Every hill.  Every sidewalk.  Can seem a little stale.  But remember!  If it was all taken away – bet you would want it back.  It’s time to APPRECIATE what we have here at #TheFort.  Appreciate your pax to the left and to the right of you.  Appreciate your M, your 2.0s, your job, your health, your home, this community!  Ask our brother Solid State who had to move away and is trying to get it going in the Great White North.  Bet he’d love to run, and sweat, and get better around Walter Elisa Park and Downtown Fort Mill.  We must APPRECIATE, men.  It will add to your joy.

With that we set forth together for a #Six led workout.

The Thang:

Little baby job to the 160 lot for dynamic warmup.

High Knees

Butt Kickers

Shuffle right/Shuffle left

World Wide Leaders (trademark)

Toy Soldiers

Dying Soldiers (apparently too “dynamic” for some)

Long Strides/75% Sprint

There – you’re warmed up.  Little baby job to the Veterans Lot.

Socrates has a good memory (“Last time we were here he made us do burpee broad jump across the field.” Sounds like a great idea!)

Burpee Broad Jump across the field (Crowd Pleaser!)

Get into four groups, spread out and face the road for OVER/UNDERS

(Official Record: Package touched grass and cheated)

Partner up (Size kinda matters) for Partner Push/Sprint/Push

Flap Jack

Stick with your Partner for Perfect Push-Up/Partner Run

Flap Jack

Do it again

Do the same thing a third time (Crowd Pleaser!)

Little Baby Jog to the 160 lot for Mary – Flutters, LBCs, Flutters, Rosalita’s, Dollys, LBCs, Flutters

Jail Break to COT

Well done, gentlemen!  That was a good one.  Thanks to DD for inviting me to Q.  Truly an honor to lead such a great group of men.  Thanks to everyone for showing up and pushing through.  Great mumble chatter.  I appreciate each and every one of you and F3 Nation for what it’s done for me and my family.

Aye!

12 Pax took the DRP and posted in chilly conditions at Block Party this Valentines Day!

Karaoke
Toy Soldiers
Side Shuffle

-Low Slow Squat (15)
-Windmill (15)
-Imperial Walker (15)
-Merkin (15)
-Cherry Picker (15)
-Hillbilly Walker (15)
-Merkin (10)
-Drop Hips – Stretch
-Monkey Humpers (15)

Aggregate Combined Partner Work*:
-100 Merkins
-200 Squats
-300 LBCs

*One partner ran while the other partner did aggregate work (swap out)

Sequence of Three:
-LBC (15)
-Low Flutter (15)
-Shoulder Clap (20)

-Dolly (15)
-Low Flutter (15)
-Shoulder Clap (20)

-Russian Twist (15)
-Low Flutter (15)
-Shoulder Clap (20)

Jack Web (1 to 4): Merkin to Over Shoulder Claps – up to 6 Merkins

Jack Web (1 to 4): Big boy sit-ups to Russian Twist – up to 4 BBS

COT