Recon our Region – Spitz’s Army

Disclaimer: YHC did not come up with this idea. Spitz has led the charge on this for the last 2 years and deserves full credit hence the name.

As many of you know, F3 the Fort has seen tremendous growth over the past 3.5 years. In 2016 alone, we have welcomed 180 FNGs, expanded our numbers to ~700 PAX and added several AOs.

What has been consistent and a hallmark of F3 the Fort has been several key characteristics:

  1. Living the mission and core principles of F3
  2. A commitment to accountability and brotherhood amongst the PAX
  3. A strong desire to give back to the community where we serve
  4. A constant helping hand to members of the PAX who are struggling or in need

With all of this growth, the one thing that has been stretched is who you post regularly with. Even if you post 5+ times a week (CSPAN, Dark Helmet, etc.) you just don’t get to see all of the guys. This is particularly true of those PAX who started and built F3 the Fort back in 2012. In addition, the Fort boasts a tremendous amount of #HIMs throughout the region. These PAX continue to inspire me and quite frankly have some really tough workouts too! This is an opportunity to connect with these men and I guarantee all 3 Fs across the region.

So I asked myself, “what’s the best way to fix this? How about a challenge to all members of F3 the Fort? The Fort loves challenges!” My good friend Spitz had the idea to post at all of the workouts in our region and away we went.

So here is the challenge:

Your goal, should you choose to accept it, is to post at all 45 over the summer. YHC will create a list of those who HC and document the process each week. Here is the link for tracking your attendance:  Spitz Army Tracking

Except thats not all! Any man can do that! A real Fort Pax would also post at all of the 3rd F sites this summer too. So add (5) more AOs to the list for an even 50!

One of the lessons learned at the Fort is there is strength in numbers. HC to join Spitz’s Army via Twitter or the F3 Nation website. I look forward to seeing you in the Gloom!

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Memorial Day Murph at The Fort

Step 1: Finish your regular Monday Post
Step 2: Show up at The Coop (Nation Ford High School, Ft. Mill) and do The Murph.
Step 3: Remember that Memorial Day isn’t just cookouts and pool time…

The Thang:
We began with a warm-up led by each of the Veterans who were in attendance (CSPAN, Blackhawk, Howitzer, and Apache – my apologies if I missed anyone, but that’s all I could remember). There were a number of Seal Jacks, SSHs, Imperial Walkers, and some Bro-ga…

We then brought it in to be reminded of why were really there. The workout is good, but Freedom isn’t free, and we were there to honor men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. So, after a lesson from CSPAN on how to count to 4, we moseyed to the track to begin.

47 Pax completed the following for time (some with 20lb weight vests, and some with our built in weight vests who competed in the “modified” category):
1 Mile Run
100 Pull Ups
200 Merkins
300 Squats
Another 1 Mile Run

And there you have it… Workout complete. Then we circled up and each man present read the name (either one that they brought or one that CSPAN provided) of a fallen serviceman/woman so we could memorialize them.

NMM:
It’s always humbling to do The Murph for me. Not just because it is very physically demanding and I get to see how many times guys like Mary Lou can lap me on a mile track, but also because I am reminded of the men and women that gave all so that regular folks like me can live free. It is a gift that is unmatchable, unrepayable, and undeserved, and for it, I am grateful.

I can’t speak for everyone’s faith tradition, but in my personal belief system, Jesus Christ gave His life willingly to pay for my sins, my stupidity, and my weakness that I may live again in the presence of my Heavenly Father with my wife and family for eternity. Through His sacrifice, He has made me free from the tyranny of the Devil, free from pain, from death, and from Hell. He did something for me (and all of us) that we could not do for ourselves. It is my feeling that in keeping with that pattern, anyone who performs a service for another that they could not perform for themselves is acting in a Christlike way. The fallen soldiers that we honored today (and the many, many more that went unnamed this morning) did much that same thing. They willingly gave their lives and sacrificed that I may live on Earth in this country with my wife and family. They have provided me freedom from the tyranny of evil men, and they have done for me things that I could not do for myself. Reading their names after a workout is small in comparison, but I like to think that they are looking down and that maybe they appreciate the fact that we are trying, in our feeble ways, to honor them. To acknowledge that we rise and sleep in a country that their sacrifice made possible…

Helmet, out…

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Early Morning Mosey to the Coop

We are all creatures of habit.  My typical Wednesday morning routine is to roll out of bed at 5:10 and zip down the street to Pantheon which is about mile away. This morning, I got up a little earlier and crossed over I-85 to the Coop.  Awesome location with many workout options.

After a short disclaimer, we moseyed to the basketball court near the elementary school for the following warm-up exercises:

SSH (x25)

Imperial Walkers (x15)

Windmills (x15)

Merkins (x10 with 6″ Hold)

Mountain Climbers (x10)

Plank (with 6″ hold)

Next, we moseyed to the bottom of the hill for Murph practice.

Partner 1 – Run to top of the hill, 10 pull-ups,  and back down the hill

Partner 2 – Merkins until Partner 1 returns

Rinse and Repeat

 

Next, we moseyed to the front of the school for some cone work, the Accumulator (Thanks for the idea, White Lightning!)

Each cone had an exercise on it.  Complete the exercise, run a lap.  Rinse and Repeat, accumulating each exercise.

Cones in order:

20 Squats, 20 Merkins, 20 Flutter Kicks, 20 Plank Punches, 20 LBCs, 10 America Hammers, 20 Carolina Dry Docks, 10 Burpees, 20 Leg Lunges.

Great job by everyone, especially MacGyver who seem to be ten steps ahead of everyone.

Announcements:

5/29 – Tega Cay 5K

5/30 – Murph at the NAFO High School after normal  workouts

Prayer Requests:

Whittler –  Wife battling RH

So-Crates – Challenges with leadership

Safe travels over the holiday weekend

Graduates and their future

 

It is always an honor to Q.  I appreciate the opportunity.

 

Fishsticks

>O….>O…..II..II

 

 

 

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Pre-Blast for Memorial Day MURPH “FunHouse FunRun”

If you don’t know by now, The Fort will be conducting the Annual Memorial Day Murph at NAFO high school (The Coop and Varsity AO).  This is a great opportunity to work out with The PAX to honor our service men and women. Post to your regular AO, then head over to NAFO for the double-down.  In addition to the workout, there will be awards handed out to those who perform at the top of the group.

However, there is one award that perked my ears, the Funhouse Pull Up award.  I assumed this award was for the PAX who increased their pull up count exponentially from the last go around (go search the last Fitness Test).  This was not the case.  ‘Casa de diversion’ (modified pull-up version aka the FUNHOUSE award)…..  “Don’t fall short, if you cannot or do not have a vest at least strive to perform your pull-ups without variation or as we stated above – try not to perform a #Funhouse so start working on those pull-ups today – you have time!”  So yes, YHC likes to modify.  Especially a freaking pull up. So why not “modify” the MURPH with a typical “FunHouse FunRun”?  Call it a triple-down.

So if you’re not afraid of modifying (CSPAN I see your “burpees” so I KNOW you love to modify) join me for this THANG:

Memorial Day – Monday, May 30th 0430

Start (Leg #1): 0430 at Trailhead Park in Tega Cay for a run to Flight Plan (Baxter Startbucks) ~ 4.2 miles

Leg #2: Flight Plan 0515 (YHC the Q) – I will find a suitable 4.5 mile loop that will get everyone ready to go do the MURPH- Total so far ~ 8.7 miles

Leg #3: Run to NAFO 0600 – There will be little time for COT at Flight Plan for those on the #FunRun, so I may hand this off to someone staying behind.  We must get on our horses and head out to make the 5.5 miles to NAFO in 50 minutes before the MURPH starts. The route is down 160 and take a left on 21 and then a right on 460 to NAFO. – Total so far ~ 14.2 miles

Leg #4: The MURPH – 1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats and a final 1 mile run. Ugh. So final total mileage ~ 16.2 miles

So join YHC to “modify” your typical day.

 

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SkateOrDie Anniversary Celebration

  • QIC: SkateOrDie
  • When: 05/18/16
  • Pax: Geronimo, Dark Helmet, So-Crates, MacGyver, Subprime, Jiffy, Pin-up, SkateOrDie
  • Posted In: Ring of Fire

Warm-up: After confirming that no rocks would be used or harmed during the workout, the PAX began a mosey from COT near Nation Ford High School football stadium around the perimeter of the high school student/sports parking lot, completed high knees, knee/ankle to chest stretching , and then circled up for some inconsistent rep count warm-up exercises.  Just a few side straddle hops, seal jacks, a few more side straddle hops and other associated warm-ups.

Workout: After deliberately keeping the PAX on their toes with varying the rep count in warm-ups, we opted for the pedestrian access to the macadam football field over the seemingly more efficient use of the driveway we were standing adjacent to.  With the normal use of this field by the “tough” football players (and possibly the marching band), we felt it prudent that he PAX of F3 could do it justice with some 4-corners of pain.  The layout was simple: 1 cone (with 3 exercises labeled for each of the 3 rounds) placed in each of the 4 end zone corners and 1 central cone at mid-field on the 50 yard line to begin each of the exercises, as well as await the 6.  Cones 1&3 included a variety of upper body exercises (Merkins, shoulder-taps, and the like), while cones 2&4 contained a smattering of lower body exercises, along the lines of alternating lunges and bomb jacks.  Starting at the middle of he field, the PAX counted off into 4 groups of 2 and each group started with their respective corner.  Upon completing the prescribed medicine (err, exercises), the PAX would return to the center come and complete abdominal exercises until the 6 was in.  LBCs, Freddy Mercury’s, and American Hammers were on the menu.  Upon completion of 3 rotations through each station, the PAX began the return mosey to COT.  An audible was called (due to the availability of time) to hit the pull-up bars and complete a Jacobs ladder consisting of 1 pull-up, run to the bottom of the hill behind Sugar Creek Elementary School and complete 4 Merkins, then run back – rinse and repeat until the ladder is complete. The PAX were able to complete the full ladder before proceeding back to COT.

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This ones for Sweet Tooth and Olive

  • QIC: Longshanks
  • When: 05/11/2016
  • Pax: Stang, After Market, Geronimo, Witch Hunt, Peabody, Sasquatch, MP, Skate or Die, What Did, Howitzer, Backdraft, Jiffy, Matlock, Thumb Drive, Clifford, Socrates, FNG -CheezeWIz, Double D, Trail Blazer, Patton, FNG - Point Break, Cash, Scrappy, Black Hawk, Pin Up, Spitz (respect), Rebel (respect), Cornhole (respect), Chicken Hawk, Cake Boss, Walker (respect), Lil Bear, Torque Wrench, SubPrime, Longshanks
  • Posted In: Ring of Fire

As most of you know, Our Brother from F3 Isotope lost his precious 8 year old daughter (F3 2.0 Sweet Tooth) last week. Many of us wanted to get up to Man Maker Monday but couldn’t logistically (45 minute-1 hour drive each way) so we decided to do this workout in The Fort today and dedicate it Olive and his family.

35 descended upon the Coop to answer the call of support for a brother including 2 FNG’s. A disclaimer was given and also a brief message about how our F3 brothers are always there in good times, but even more importantly there for the hard times.

The Thang:

Warmup lap with butt kicks, high knees and karoake.

S – SSH x 35 (IC)
W – Windmills x 15 (IC)
E – Evander Holyfield (jab punch) x 15 (IC)
E – Empty Wheelbarrow with partner parking space line and back (switch half way)
T – Tempo Merkins x 10 (IC)

T – Touch your toes 10 count
O – One handed Pickle Pounders right (IC)
O – One Handed Pickle Pounders left (IC)
T – Turkish get Ups 10 each side OYO
H – Hillbilly Walkers x 15 (IC)

Mosey to the top of the hill by the ROTC building

O – One Legged Burpess x 10 OYO, then run to the bottom of the hill by SCES. Partner up
L – Lazy Mans Dora (look it up on Exicon) – 100 Merkins, 200 LBC’s, 300 Squats. No running.
I – Inch worm Merkins x 10 OYO
V – V-ups x 10 OYO
E – Elevens – Bombjacks at the bottom of the hill, diamond merkins at the top of hill (by pullup bars) – didn’t finish as out of time.

All you got back to the flags for COT

Annoucements -CAH clenup and snack donations. Card to sign and donations for Olive.

Prayers – Olive and his family, James who was in a motorcycle accident, Nafo student who committed suicide and their family, Point Breaks dad with Colon Cancer.

Paypal Link for Olive – send to bryanrieves@bellsouth.net via Paypal (friends and family option) note that its for Olive

Moleskin
1. Welcome FNG’s CheezeWiz and Point Break. Thank you Geronimo and Cornhole for going to the wake with me yesterday.
2. Thank you Geronimo for the opportunity to lead this workout and for everyones support of our brother Olive. I know it means a lot to him personally that guys from F3 that he has never even met have come out to support him and his family.
3. As I said before we started the workout today, this is more than just a workout a group. It’s a family of men, who are there for you through the ups and downs of life. Where else will 216 guys show up for a workout in Huntersville to support a brother losing his daughter? Where else will guys show up for a memorial service for a person they never met. It’s why F3 works. It’s why I show up day in and day out to be with my brothers.
4. I’m sure everyone knows someone that needs F3 in their life. Keep asking and EH’ing until you get them out. Don’t take no for an answer. Get them out here. Someone probably pushed you to get out now it’s time to do the same for someone you knows needs it.
5. Honored and humbled to have gotten to lead this workout for our brother. Thankful for the generous donations from the PAX.

Longshanks out.

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VQ @ The Coop

  • QIC: MP
  • When: 04/13/2016
  • Pax: 18 = Skate or Die, Cotton Eye, Matlock, Geronimo, Mission Impossible, So-crates, Patton, Smokey, Pea Body, Chicken Hawk, Shelby, McGiver, Sasquatch, Elmer, Cash, Ginsu, Photo Bomb, MP
  • Posted In: Ring of Fire

18 PAX showed up for my debut at The Coop: Nations Ford

Disclaimer: Not a pro, in fact this is my VQ!

Mosey to basketball court

Circle Up: Side Straddle Hops x25, Windmills x10, Merkins x10, Low Slow Squats x10

Mosey to Pullarama

Partner Up

Group 1: Pull-up x5, jump taps x10, reverse grip x5 (substitute with Burpies)

Group 2: Wall sits until partner is done

Repeat so that each exercise is done three times.  Plank when done

Mosey to basketball court

Dora 1-2-3

Group 1 will do the exercise while group 2 runs a lap around outside of fence

100 Merkins single count

200 Bobby Hurley’s

300 Freddie Mercury’s

Plank

Mosey to pull up bar

Group 1: hanging from bar leg lifts (straight leg as many as possible) x20

Group 2: low slow squats x20

Switch/rotate

Repeat x3

Plank

Mosey to curb

20 dips in cadence, 5 diamond push ups in cadence, 20 Russian Twists (American Hammers) in cadence

COT

Count

Names

Prayers / Praises

Prayer

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The Coop- Pain Achieved

  • QIC: Backdraft
  • When: 04/27/2016
  • Pax: Thumbdrive, Digger, Peabody, Cash, Decibel, Skate or Die, Duke Nuckler, Shelby, Smoky, Package, McGuiver, Geronimo
  • Posted In: Ring of Fire

13 total decided to show up at the Coop.  Disclaimer given no FNGs so off we went.

Mosey around the parking lot with dynamic stretching thrown in.

Circle up for the warm up. 20 of each of the following movements- SSH, Peter Parkers, Moroccan night clubs, flutter kicks, Mtn. Climbers, low slow squats.

Mosey to pull up bars 3 sets of 10 pull-ups: 20 squats, plank for the 6 after each round.

Mosey down drive to very steep hill. At bottom of hill 1 burpee run to top 7 squat jumps back down 2 burpees run to top 6 squat jumps until 7 burpees and 1 squat jump.

Mosey to side of building. BTTW, chair sits, Inverted peter parkers.

Bottom of hill 10 grave diggers on each side, run backwards up hill at top do max set of pull ups.

Mosey to band practice field. Start at goal line bear crawl to 10 yard line 10 merkins run to other end zone. repeat to the 20 yard line 9 merkins so on until we ran out of time made it to the 50 yard line. Mosey to COT for announcements.

Had good talk about integrity and doing what is right even when you don’t think you are being watched.

 

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LAKE WYLIE LAUNCHES “THE DEEP”: A Pre-blast…

Highly anticipated… and I anticipate your attendance to make it a launch of epic proportions… SO HC NOW. We will be looking for your support over the coming weeks as we launch this newest Region of F3. That support will come in the form of your willingness to Q, in your attendance at workouts, in your talking it up in COTs, and in EHing those guys that you KNOW desperately need the multitude of goodness that comes from F3. Someone gave it to you… Now it’s your turn… Call that buddy that lives in Lake Wylie or in Steele Creek area that you haven’t talked to in a while. Tell him your story. Then drag his a$$ to the AO for a glorious beatdown…

Where: Oak Ridge Middle School in Lake Wylie (5657 Oakridge Rd, Clover, SC 29710)
When: 0700 – 0800 on April 9th, and every Saturday thereafter until we either die or the Earth passes away…
Who: All Pax of F3 Nation that are up for it… (But particularly those in Lake Wylie and Steele Creek and surrounding areas)
What: Horribles. Lots of them.
Why: Oh… You know why…

Weinke sneek peak…
Let’s see… what should I tell you??? Let’s just say that there will be lots of speed work… Bear crawls… Oh, and a new exercise, called THE KRAKEN. You won’t want to miss that…

BE THERE.
Helmet, out.

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No Plan…No Problem.

  • QIC: Geronimo
  • When: 3/23/16
  • Pax: Cross Check, Car Bomb, Sasquatch, Cash, MacGyver, Shelby, Ginsu, Opie, Bloody Knuckles, Skate or Die
  • Posted In: Ring of Fire

Temps are rising and so are the numbers posting at The Coop. Finished the Pre-Coop warm-up run with a few minutes to spare and PAX were already circling up.
No FNGs, so short disclaimer which included the warning that I didn’t really come equipped with a plan which usually mean that it’s about to turn into bad news for the PAX.

Warm-up with a short mosey around the lot, then some dynamic streching.
Follow that up with WM, SSH, IW, MC, CCD, Merkins.

After trying to plan a good routine the night before, nothing creative was really materializing. I had thought to work in some new “toys” I had recently acquired, but that wasn’t coming together either. Finally, I left it up to work out during the pre-run. That didn’t really happen either as friendly pace with Sasquatch means between 7:30 and 8:00 min/miles (that guy is a machine). Finally after warming up it really came to me.

The Thang
Split into 2 groups.
Round 1
Group 1 to the bottom of the SCES hill. Group 2 to the top
Group 2 does Squats while Group 1 does 20 merkins and runs up to switch with 2
Round 2
1 back to the bottom for 20 Plank Jacks
2 Monkey Humpers until switch
Round 3
1 Bottom for 20 Diamonds
2 Jump Squats until switch
Round 4
1 Bottom for 20 Wide-arms
2 Apollo Onos

Already by the Pull-up bars- how convenient…

Stay in groups 1 and 2

Pull up pyramid and alternating BttW and Peoples Chair
Pyramid 2-4-6-8-6-4-2 Reps
Round 1
Group 1: 2 x PU
Group 2: BttW
Switch
Round 2 
Group 1: 4 x PU
Group 2: People chair
Continue alternating until both groups complete the pyramid.

Finish up with 3 sets of Toes to the bar x 5 with alternate group LBCs

NMM

For having no plan, it turned into a decent days workout. What an awesome group of guys. I love to Q at the Coop! Mostly because of the close proximity to the casa, but also for the options and the PAX that are regulars here, in particular Skate or Die, MacGyver, Sasquatch, and now Shelby. Opie’s hours must have changed, so now he’s returned to the fold and it’s great to hear him as we go along. Not too many 10 counts with these guys, and usually it’s for my benefit. As much as I love to pick myself to Q I also love to pass the staff to others and see their ideas and give them the opportunity to lead from the front.

Announcements

P200 is complete, but now the MudRun is coming up, get a team or get on a team- it’s awesome!
CAH
Fastest 5K coming up

Keep Belgium in your prayers.

Geronimo! Out.

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