A beautiful, crisp, October morning. I love starting my week this way… Working out with my brothers in the gloom… I forgot to remind our Q for this AM (though it should have been on his calendar), so since it was a little my fault, I took an #ImpromptQ opportunity to lead. No sense in overtalking it, so here’s The Thang (more or less):

Warm Up with a lap around the parking lots, with a little dynamic warm up mixed in:
Some backwards running, toy solders, and knee-to-chest pulls as we jogged, then we circled up for some more:
25 SSH
25 Moroccan Night Clubs
20 Merkins
10 CDD
(I think there was something else in there, but so be it…)
Then we grabbed our bells and moseyed over to a different part of the lot where we would do some HIIT with the bells. With some variation (as I am documenting from my then oxygen deprived and already faulty memory) we worked for 1 minute on and 30 seconds off on the following:
– KB Swings
– Bicep curls (first one arm, then the other)
– Triceps extensions (two-handed)
– Clean and press (one arm, then the other)
– Goblet squats
– Upright rows
– Dead lifts
– Bent over rows (one arm, then the other)
– Chest presses (two-handed)
– We mixed in some sprints to the end of the lot and back
– We did some wall sitting and some BTTW
– Flutter kicks with the bell held above your chest
– LBCs with the bell
– Rosalita with the bell held above your chest
– Elbow plank
– other stuff I can’t remember

I know there was more, but I don’t recall it all… Sorry about that…

The main thinking I had this morning was that we often quit too early. We often push ourselves a little, but not ALL the way. We don’t leave everything we have out on the field of play/battle. If we are holding back, we cannot be fully useful to our purpose, our families, our careers, our friends, or our God. Though he is a terrible example of how to live your life, one of my favorite quotes is from Jordan Belfort, “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” The game is won and lost in our minds. I reminded the men out there, that they are the ones who showed up. A lot of men, for whatever reason, didn’t. It is our job, the job of the men who show up, to reach to those who didn’t. To reach to those that are believing their internal BS story and not being who they were put here to be. I’ll leave you with one more quote that I love: “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” ― Leonardo da Vinci

Pray for our brothers and sisters who are hurting, struggling, or otherwise not able to live fully to their purpose…

Helmet, out.

Despite the mention on the twitter machine of running and burpees, 11 of the Forts finest showed up for the class at the Armory.  Disclaimer mentioned and off we go.

The Thang

Mosey lap around the parking lot with high knees, butt kickers, and karoake.  Circle up for warmup. SSH x 20, 5 burpees OYO, Windmills x10, 4 burpees OYO, Imperial walkers x 15, 3 burpees OYO, Mountain climbers x 15, Good Mornings x 10.

We then got in groups of 3 (one group of 2, McGruff and YHC).  Person A would be doing a count of an exercise, Person B would be doing as many reps as possible of a different exercise, Person C would be running.  When Person C gets back from running a lap, they take over the count from A,  A moves to B, B moves to C and runs a lap. LBC’s or Flutter kicks once finished.

First round – 120 Kettlebell burpess, tricep extensions

Second round – 100 goblet squats, bicep curls

Third round – 200 kettlebell swings, shoulder press

Everyone then did 25 deadlifts, 25 upright rows, 25 chest presses and 20 plank rows (10 each arm)

Finished with AB Lab of Chopsticks, Rosalitas, Protractor, Hello Dollys, and LBC’s

COT and BOM

Announcements – Fastest 5K this Saturday, Joe Davis on January 9th

Prayers – Stangs wife Crystal having an MRI, PAX heading down to Columbia to help with flood recovery efforts

Moleskin – Always an honor to lead the Armory.  Thanks Dark Helmet!!  Little bit of grumbling during the 120 kettlebell burpees, but i serves as reminder that when you are going through hard times their are others with you to help you out an encourage.  We all go through hard times and tough stuff, but remember when you’re going through it, find your F3 brothers and ask for help.  You know they are more then willing but they have to know you need it.

“Well I woke up in the morning and my alarm gave out a warning and I thought I’d never make it on time.”

11 of Fort Mills finest braved high wind and for a run- heavy beatdown at the Armory.  Mumble chatter immediately picked up when we took it off campus.  Just as YHC was about to give the disclaimer we  realized we had an FNG with no bell!  Helmet being the HIM that he is,  gave the new guy his heavy bell and went to the car to get a much smaller bell for himself.

Warm-up

Off campus run to Shuttferfly parking lot, then circle up.

20 X Sealjacks

15 X windmills

15 X Merikins

20 Mountainclimbers

3 X Honeymooners/ Six-inches

Mosey back to Church

The Thang:

Each exercise to be followed by a circuit around the Church parking lot.

Legs- 20 Goblet squats/  Lunge Press 10 each side/ 30 weighted calf raises

Back- 20 deadlifts/ bent-over row 10 each side/  15 Good mornings

Chest- 20 Derkins/ floor press 10 each side/  10 diamond merkins

Shoulders- 20 Russian Swings/ Single Arm military press 10 each arm/ Clean and Press 10 Each arm

Arms- 20 overhead tricep extensions/ 20 curb dips/ iso curls 10 each arm

Abs- 20 weighted LBCs/  20 Russian Twists/ 20 flutter kicks

Circle up in a plank-o-rama(Thanks Apache)  Going around the plank with each man sharing a prayer or a praise.

Finish with 40 flutter kicks.

Moleskin-  I want to thank Dark Helmet for the opportunity to Q.  Full disclaimer, anytime I Q there will be running involved.  Kudos to Deacon for being a HIM and paying it forward by bringing out FNG Bellhop.  Kudos to all of the guys that brought supplies and to Dark Helmet for collecting them.  Thoughts and prayers for our Columbia brothers.

16 manly men came to swing some iron around.

I was training for the CC5 and have not been out to sling the iron in a while.  I sure miss the mumble chatter.  Nothing like the chatter that ensues while slinging a few pounds around.

The thang:

10 burpees

One Minute on 20 Seconds Off

90/45

Chest to Back Pullover

Two Handed Curl/Preacher Curl

Goblet Squat

Mosey to Station 1

KB Merkin

Figure 8

Back Lunge with pass through

Toe Taps

15 burpees

Mosey to Station 2

Halo

Upright Row

Dead Lift

10 KB Burpees

Mosey to Wall

Squat Curl

Shoulder Press

Stairway Wheel barrow/up and down

Dip

15 burpees

Mosey to Station 4

Chest Press

Peoples Chair

Skull Crushers

Balls to the wall

Mosey to Origination point

Russian Twist

LBC with KB

Rocking Plank

Corkscrew Plank

X-O

As always it is great to lead quality HIM.  Keep making an impact.

Don’t forget to get out to the Childrens Attention Home this sat at 6:30.  Bring 2.0s and make an impact.

11 PAX descended upon the Armory to enjoy the cooler weather and get their #dailydownpainment from YHC.  Flag planted, disclaimer noted, and off we went.

The Thang

Mosey around the Parking lot then circle up for the warmup:

SSH X 25 (IC), IW X 20 (IC), Mountain Climbers x 20 (IC), Slow Merkins x10 (IC), Peter Parkers x 10 (IC), Parker Peters x 10 (IC), Maktars x 10 (IC), Windmills x10 (IC), 10 KB Burpees OYO, 10 Good Mornings (IC)

Explained that we would be doing the Aaron Rodgers MVP workout in honor of them beating the Bears.  Here is how it works: 2 reps on right side, 2 reps on the left side, 4 reps on right, 4 reps on left, 6 on right, 6 on left, 8 on right, 8 on left, 10 on right, 10 on left, 12 on right, 12 on left, then run a small lap to help muscles recover.  Here are the exercises that were done:

Plank Rows

Chest Press

1 arm KB swings

Bicep curls

Triceps Extension/Upright row (alternated between the 2 since both arms were used

Shoulder Press

Obliques Extension

After this we moseyed to the wall for some People Chair and Balls to the Wall

Finished with 1.5 minutes of LBC’s

COT and BOM

Announcements – Invergence this Friday, Fastest 5k, Mud Run Signups extended,

Prayers – Assassin’s Grandma in Hospital, Friends and families battling illness, for our brothers returning from Columbia

Moleskin – Always impressed with the guys that get up and post and fight through a workout no matter how hard it is.  Lots of grunting this morning and a little complaining but never any quit.  Great job men.  Thanks Dark Helmet for the opportunity to lead.

It was a great morning to be alive in the parking lot where people come to morn and celebrate the lives of the dead.  Other than some minor hiccups with getting the Imperial Walker cadence in check it was an otherwise peaceful morning with the pleasant sounds of mumble chatter and fellowship.

Warm up

–  SSH

–  squat

– Imperial Walker

– mountain climbers

– plank

The thang

Each exercise was done in 40/30/20/10 increment with an Ab exercise between each set.

– 100 curls / 20 Lbc

– 100 plank rows / 20 high low flutter

– 100 squats / 20 Freddie Mercury

– 100 kbs / 20 hello dolly

– 100 shoulder press / 20 CBL

– 100 tricep extension / 20 rosalita

Message:  Don’t let the world dictate what your kids learn and accept as truth.

– be a presence in your child’s life (school, field trips, sporting events)

– be a model for Jesus in their lives (love their mothers, get your family out to serve)

– be the disciplinarian (find teaching moments, introduce your child to biblical principles)

– find ways to love them that involve your time