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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

A cozy group of 8 Pax posted to The Coop on a Spring-like morning and stretched their legs, their lungs and their understanding.

The Thang

Warm up run w/butt karaokes, backward running, butt kicks and high knees to the grass on the front side of NaFo.

COP – Mtn climbers, IWs, Merkins, Monkey humpers, Peter Parker, Windmills, SSH

Mosey to parking lot on far side of NaFo near lacrosse field

Suicides all the way to end of lot (rinse & repeat)

Mosey to lacrosse field and split into two groups of 4

Two pax in each group go to far side of field, two pax stay on near side.
Round 1: 1 pax on near side does Merkins, 2 pax on far side do CDDs, 4th pax sprints across field and switches to CDDs while 2 pax sprint back to near side to swap w/pax doing merkins. Continue for 6 sprints total per pax.
Round 2: same pattern with Bombjacks & squats
Round 3: same pattern with Makhtar N’dyae & plank jacks

Circle up in center of lacrosse field
OYO Burpees x10, bombjacks x10, monkey humpers x10
OYO Burpees x10, bombjacks x10
OYO Burpees x10

Run home

Plank sequence

COT

Naked man moleskin

Nice to have an intimate group — it worked great for the sprints and the message.  Plenty of push among all of the pax.  Nice job persevering through a high heart rate session!

Message on leadership was about the other half — the follower(s).  And, not the Facebook, Twitter variety.  For me, the simplest and truest definition of a leader has always been someone who has followers.  And that is not always the person at  the top.  Putting aside the books and philosophies as well as the bluster and grandstanding, a leader is someone who others actively choose to follow on a journey to take them somewhere.  Leadership success is dependent on a relationship of trust between leader and follower.  It is a two-way street.  So, who are you following?  Are you giving the leader the support, the respect and the effort that he/she deserves?  If you are leading, are you respecting and listening to the followers?

Thanks to Geronimo for the invite to Q — always an honor.  He promises a remodeled Shovel Flag next week — don’t miss it.