One truly awesome thing about the southeast United States is the prevalence of shorts weather at the end of December. Many PAX who have spent some time in the more northerly climes can probably agree that, while not always white, the end of December is for pants (maybe 2 pair) and you might be OK, if the wind isn’t blowing, and it isn’t a hunting trip, or Lambeau Field, or whatever. While I miss the hunting trips with my dad, I don’t miss all that snow, and I definitely don’t miss the bone crackin’ cold of NW Montana.

That said, 9 men with a desire to be stronger, came to the Coop outfitted in their short shorts and t-shirts on this, the eve of Christmas Eve. The lot lights clicked on, right on time, the disclaimer, and then the mosey.

Warm Up (didn’t include Hot Chocolate):

Mosey around the lot with some high knees, butt kicks, high skips, and backward running. Circle up for more fun.

ALL IC

SSH x 25

IW X 15

Carolina dry docks x 15

Moroccan night clubs x 17

Freddie Mercuries x 20

The Thang:

Part 1- Pyramid of Pain at the Pull-up Bars (like that alliteration)

Pull-ups then equal reps of Jump Squats following this pyramid:

2-4-6-8-6-4-2 (FYI that’s ‘only’ 32 pull-ups)

Mosey back to the lot for Part 2 – Four Corners of the Apocalypse

Corner 1: Partner calf raises x 10 each partner

Corner 2: Derkins x 20

Corner 3: Sumo-squats x 20

Corner 4: Perfect Push-ups x 10

Center: Burpees x 5

1 lap = Center, Corner 1, Center, Corner 2, Center, Corner 3, Center, Corner 4

3 laps with Max effort and Min rest.

Cool down with 5 minutes of Mary. All PAX lead their favorite core activity.

COT and BOM.

Moleskin:

I was honored with the passing of the site Q flag from Chicken Hawk to me today. I have come a long way from 4 months ago, when I could barely keep up with the guys that I considered the leaders. I looked to them for inspiration and for that push to get out there, even on the cold and rainy days. Why? Because I knew they would already be there. Maybe with a smile, maybe just a fist bump, maybe a full on bro-hug. They were there to help me be a stronger person, a better leader and friend, really, a better man. Now that I get to turn it around, I hope I can be that leader that inspires someone else to roll out and get a little better with me each day.

Prayers for everyone to stay focused on the reason for Christmas.

Geronimo! OUT!

Seven of Fort Mill’s finest decided to make it to the Coop today.  Why were the numbers so small?  Was it because of the rainy, misty, foggy weather?  Or does the name Corruption, strike fear into the hearts of the PAX?  Geronimo was vying for HIM status as he ran six miles before we even began.  Sasquatch made the mistake of informing us that it was his 28th birthday.  So we served up a nice Burpee suprise.  Despite the conditions we all worked hard, and we all got better.

The Thang:

Mosey to the Front parking Lot – 20 Seal jacks, 20 Morrocan night clubs, 15 windmills, 20 Mountain climbers.  1 round of the Murican Clock.

Line up on the First Line:  Buttkickers to the 50.  High knees to the end.  Karoke to the 50 facing the school reverse face street to the end.  Lunge walk to the 50 Sprint to the end.  Bearcrawl to the 50 sprint to the end.  Crabwalk to the 50 sprint to the end.  Burpee broad jump to 20 sprint to the end.

Mosey to the pullup bars.  Partner up.  Partner one does wall sits while partner 2 does pullups to failure.  50 total pullups.

Mosey to the top of the hill.  Partner one Runs to the stop sign and back/ Partner 2 does LBCS.  Run/ Squats, Run/ Drydocks, Run/ Jumping Lunges.

10 Burpees OYO

Squat Webb to 5

Indian Run full loop around student parking lot.

10 Burpees OYO

20 Flutter Kicks/  20 Rosilitas

8 Burpees OYO

20 XOs OYO

10 American hammers

Prayers for Legoland’s sister as she continues her battle with Cancer.

It was a gorgeous Wednesday morning and so that meant it was time to hit The Coop! The Coop is one of the best AOs in The Fort and probably offers more terrain than we could ever cover. Thanks Chicken Hawk for the opportunity to lead.

As the PAX arrived and we stood in the parking lot of NAFO, the lights began to flicker on. It brings to mind our calling to be the salt and light of the world, and especially the light that the SON provides us in all of the darkness of our lives. As France is under attack and we all may be in trials and storms personally, it can get very dark, but Jesus shines light on the darkness and we are to reflect that light in our lives and in all areas of our lives.

The Thang:

20 Mtn Climbers, 20 SSHs, 15 windmills

Mosey up to Front of Parking lot by traffic light

Plank on Curb, 10 Peter Parkers, bear crawl across median to other curb, 10 parker peters, bear crawl back, 10 Carolina Dry Docks, bear crawl back, 5 diamond merkins

Mosey to XCross/band field and count off in 1’s and 2’s; from center of field

1’s – 10 merkins run across field up steps 10 donkey kicks and back

2’s – run to endzone 10 merkins, run to other endzone 10 donkey kicks, back to center

Flap Jack

1’s run one way and 2’s run the other way for 4 corners (each corner do exercise)

15 merkins, 15 CDDs, 15 diamond merkins, 15 wide arm merkins

1’s – Run across field, bunny hop up steps 10 donkey kicks and back

2’s – LBC’s till 1’s get back

Flap jack

Mosey to Circle and plank

20 low slow squats, Indian run around circle, 20 low slow squats again, Indian run other direction

Mosey to parking lot where Band Truck is:

1’s suicide sprints, 2’s burpees till 1’s are back…..flap jack

Mosey to ROTC building

3 fast rounds of 1 Pullup, 2 Merkins, 3 LBC while alternating LBC’s, Flutter kicks, Rosalitas between rounds.

COT:

Great PAX today! Chatter was low but still going on out there. The typical announcements for Christmas Party, Thanksgiving convergence, Middle/High Scholl workout, Gladiator games and check the email for all the stuff.

Prayers for hurting families, sick and injured and for France and innocent lives being taken.

Thanks and be the light in times of darkness. Don’t fall prey to this world and the bandwagons of darkness, rather be positive and Shine the Light!!

CB

15 Pax posted on Veteran’s Day to #TheCoop for a painful reflection on the often overlooked #Abundance that surrounds us all 24/7.  A quick word from YHC on the theme as the stragglers gathered.  A cliff note version of the Disclaimer since there were no FNGs.  Intro to Mission Impossible for his 1st rodeo as warm-up Q.  And we launched…

The Thang

Mission Impossible at the helm

Mosey to elementary school back lot.

COP — SSH x20, Windmill x10, IWs x25, Moroccan Nightclubs x25, Merkins x10, Mtn climbers x20

Hand off to YHC

10 Burpees OYO

Guest Q by Vets of the Pax

Bombjacks x10 in cadence (brought to you by Heisman)

Low slow squat x10 (courtesy of Vanilla Ice)

Back to YHC

Mosey to front elementary school parking lot

Core sequence – misc planks and plank jacks

Line up along curb at side of parking lot

Sprint to center stripe & back 4x with Merkins x5 on return (increasing to 10x, 15x, 20x)

Sprint to center stripe & back 4x with squats x5 on return (increasing to 10x, 15x, 20x)

Sprint to center stripe & back 3x with Derkins x5 on return (increasing to 10x, 15x)

Sprint to center stripe & back 3 with Monkey humpers x5 on return (increasing to 10x, 15x)

Sprint to center stripe & back 2x with Wide arm merkins x5 on return (increasing to 10x)

Sprint to center stripe & back 2x with Jumping lunge x5 on return (increasing to 10x)

Sprint to opposite side of lot and back

Repeat core sequence

Mosey to pull up bars (backwards up the hill)

Split group for Pull-ups x10 / People’s chair (flap jack)
Rinse & repeat

Mosey to high school building & line up along wall

Donkey kicks on wall x10

People’s chair

Donkey kicks on wall x10

Run home

COT

NMM

T-claps to all of the veterans with us this morning (Heisman, Vanilla Ice & Seventh Heaven).  Thanks to each of you for your service.  AND (as highlighted by Heisman at COT) thank you to your families who sacrificed and endured through your period of service/deployment.  Same for all the vets and their families among The Fort pax and beyond.

T-claps to Mission Impossible for breaking the ice as warm-up Q today.  Nice job, brother!  Best way to lock down the lessons is to jump back in again soon.  Reach out to any regular Qs or site Qs to get yourself in the queue.

Not quite Kotter, but welcome back to boot camp for WWL.  Nice to see you back in COP after weeks and weeks of running.  Running & boot camp work well together – one balances out the other.  Hope to see you out again before #Kiawah.  Good luck to you and others in final weeks of training!

Final comment here on the #Abundance theme for the day.  As many know, this is my word for 2015.  This year has undeniably been a year of #Abundance for YHC and family…way too much #Abundance to begin to list.  And yet, my mindset more often than not this year has NOT been defined by my recognition of this #Abundance.  Furthermore, my perspective on #Abundance has often taken the form of “more”…more fun, more pleasure, more money, more stuff, more accomplishment.  In short, more about me or mine in visible and/or tangible terms.  And even within those realms I have certainly overlooked a crazy number of blessings.  But what I’ve completely overlooked this year has been a different flavor of ever present #Abundance…countless intangible blessings I’ve received such as mercy, forgiveness, patience, love from God and others.  And with this realization, what do I need now?  Even more…more mercy, more forgiveness, more patience, more love. How humbling that I have so much and yet I need so much more.  Where is #Abundance in your life?  What are you overlooking?

Always an honor to lead.  Thanks for following.

12 men met in the gloom at the Coop for some “significant” pain!  Although a brisk morning that was quickly forgotten before warm up was over.  My goal was 10,000 steps and we got to about 4,200 so slightly short.  Meeting this goal was of no consequence to the Special call out to Rebel for his 50th Birthday! #Respect

The Word

Success is about yourself and personal achievements.  The reality is he more we chase success and the more we have of it the more we want.  Success is fleeting and dies when we do.  Instead pursue significance which is about helping others achieve.  Those that are significant leave a legacy and help encourage, enable and elevate others beyond what they would have achieved ileithout someone helping them.  Significance does not die with the person rather it persists ongoing.

The thang:

Mosey to the play ground for a warm up on true basketball court.  While exercising two pax ran a circle around the circle in opposite directions.

• exercises included SSH, merlons, mountain climbers, CCD, mountain climbers, sumo squats

Mosey to the wall of the building for a long Colombian suede squat walk around the wall with a burpee at each post.

Split into 3s and spread out around the circle.  One person sprinting got the other then continuing with a lunge walk until the pax come around.  Repeat for three laps.

Indian run to the top of the hill to the pull up bars.  Run starts with a bear crawl, crab walk followed by a plank walk.

FIinish with groups of 3 again with partner 1 doing 15 pull-ups , 2 doing backwards run up the hill and 3 doing squats.

28 Pax showed up this cool morning for YHC led workout.  With one week left in the forties there was a lot of work around the number forty.  Early comments were thrown that several showed today, expecially the over 45 crowd since they knew they would not be the oldest posting today at the Coop.

No FNGs and all Pax are experienced so off we went for a mosey to the elementary school.  Around the side parking lot with high knees, butt kickers and side shuffle, then mosey to the end of school to circle up.  Warm up

•  20 SSH IC
• 15 Imperial Walkers IC
• 15 Mountain Climbers IC
• 10 Merkins with hold to 6″ IC
• 20 Morrocan Nightclubs IC

The Thang:

Mosey to the hill leading up to ROTC building.  10 merkins at bottom, backwards run up the hill, 5 pull-ups.  Repeat 4x.

Mosey to AO Jones entrance to NAFO and pick up a coupon.  Bring coupon to the large parking lot.  YHC talked about moving out of our “comfort zones” and into action.  Putting our faith in action can create fear within us and as Peter stepped out of the boat to go to Jesus, fear entered his mind as he felt the wind and began to sink.  Jesus was there to reach out a hand.  So many times we can feel the calling to act out our faith in our home, community or world and yet don’t act because of fear / excuses.  Remember that if God is calling you to it, He will see you through it!!  Next exercise with coupon……4 light poles across parking lot.

• 1st pole – 10 burpees – carry rock to 2nd pole
• 2nd pole – 20 curls – drop rock run back to 1st pole for 10 burpees
• 3rd pole – pick up rock at 2nd pole carry to 3rd and 30 tricep ext.  drop rock and run back for 10 burpees.
• 4th pole – pick up rock at 3rd & carry to 4th for 40 squats.  Run with rock back to 1st pole 10 burpees.

Partner Up – with partner run to light pole 10 plank hops each partner(crowd fav) 10 merkin slaps.  Rinse & Repeat.  With time still remaining 1 more round – change to bear crawl half way, lunge walk half, sprint back.

Circle up for some Mary:

• 40 LBCs
• 20 Freddie Mercury
• 10 Hello Dolly
• 15 Russian Twist

Mosey back to COT:

Announcements – read the newsletter for upcoming events.  Sign up for Christmas Party!!!

Several Prayers and praises were lifted up for healing, medical issues for family and PAX.  Continued prayers for those impacted by the floods and the rebuilding process they will be in for months to come.

Thanks Chick Hawk for the opportunity to Q.  Always a pleasure to push each other and be a part of a great group of men!!!

In His Grip,

Rebel