Category: The Ballroom

Leg Day at the Ballroom

Leave a comment

It was definitely a blessing to Q on one of the two clear days this February.  12 HIM were gathered in the gloom knowing only that they were destined for some leg pain. After a quick disclaimer and a cursory check for FNGs we started in on the fun.

Warm up

Stage one

Quickly circled up for some
SSH x20
Low Sloooow Squat x10
Tappy Taps x10

Stage two

A quick mosey over to the south parking lot and another circle
Single leg stretch x4 (one foot planted with knee bent and six near the earth, the other straight out to the side with toes up, hold and keep the six down when transferring to the opposite foot)
Windmill x10
Imperial Walker x20
Ray Finkles (straight leg kicks) x10 each leg

Stage three

Another mosey around the east side and stopping by the bridge for a third circle
Moroccan Night Clubs x20
Monkey Humpers x10 (4 count)
Little Baby Arm Circles x10 forward and reverse (4 counts)
Monkey Squats x10 (4 count)

The monkey squats produced some noises not often heard at a moderate workout, good thing it was just the one set.

The Thang

We moseyed over the bridge to the football field and, to my dismay, they had it chained up on the south end. We continued our mosey up the north end with the hope that my plans wouldn’t be foiled. When we got there, our mosey was fruitful and we lined up at the 0 yard line (end line? I don’t know, I don’t watch the fooseball!)

We counted off by threes for teams of 4 and I explained our new game to the PAX. We would be doing an “Indian run” style relay type workout that wasn’t really either. But without all the silly running slow. No, we don’t need all of that when we can be exercising in place!

How it works

1. At the end line, everyone would begin doing the chosen exercise for that circuit.
2. The first PAX would high tail it for the 10 yard line, stop, and engage in the exercise in place
3. The next PAX would run to the next available 10 yard mark, stop, and engage
4. Etc
5. The last PAX would then run past the PAX holding the 10 yard mark, giving him a little shoulder tap, and then proceed to the next open 10 yard mark and engage.
6. The first PAX, being on the 10, would then run past everyone, tapping the first PAX on the way, stopping at the next open 10 yard mark
7. Repeat
8. Everyone who ended up on the other end line would engage in the exercise while they wait for the remaining PAX to filter in.
9. Same thing, back to the other side.
10. 10 count and go back to #1!!!

We performed all five exercise below when my “0555” (get back to COT) alarm went off. Every stop was AMRAP
1. Al Gore (that’s right, just hold that nice, deep stance)
2. Lunges
3. Gorilla humpers (wide stance monkey humpers!)
4. Calf raises
5. Imperial Stormkickers (straight leg kicks across the body)

Back to COT

Mosey back to COT and Mary until the six was in with
Window Wipers x10

Six was in, but we had time left for about 15 seconds of leg lifts before the alarm went off

COT

We stood up and YHC shared a bit about what is on my heart when I think of the February word, “Live”. We constantly hear about the tragedy, specifically with children, when people put themselves front and center and children fall into neglect and mistreatment. Good people can, and must, pick up the slack (though “slack” is far too weak a word), but if we can demonstrate living 3rd to those around us, maybe (and I didn’t articulate this well this morning) it will begin to rub off on others.
Then shared Proverbs 11:25, which has been a focus of YHC since his formative teens, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (I replaced “water” with “refresh”, which is how I remembered it. In my mind this all ties in well enough to go on for another 8000 words, but for now, let’s live 3rd in a way that shows overt honor and virtue that is attainable.
Announcements about all the k’s people are going to be running (read your newsletter).
Asked for prayer requests and they were given. Closed with a prayer by YHC and fist bumps all around.

TClap |
3

FACT: The human body will not melt in the rain

Leave a comment

9 strong at The Ballroom, a place that typical brings crowds in the 20’s. I can’t explain the low numbers, I love my BCs.

I can only assume it was one of 3 things:
1. Hatred for the Copa Cabana
2. Rain
3. Blame it on Lola (she was a showgirl)

The thang:
mosey to the lot on the other side of the track, line up on the side of the lot
10x weed pullers, 10x SSH, 10x windmills
back and forth across the lot
high knees, butt kickers, soccer knees, squat walkers, windmill walkers, toy soldier, karaoke L, karaoke R, knees to chest, imperial walker walker, power skip x2
mosey to the track, 50% down the straight away, 75% around the corner, sprint down the straight away

mosey to the gym wall
wall sit, ends bear crawl to end of curb and LLS, all 2 at a time, then bear crawl back to the wall.
pop out burpees x2 from both ends
plank on curb, walk left, walk right, merkins and 10x plank jacks
wall sit w/ overhead claps
pop out burpees again

mosey across the bridge for some cover next to the field
Matt Foley, 1 animated squat, 4 dying cockroach, 2-8, 3-12, 4-16, 5-20
10x LBCs, 10x SSH, 10x hello dolly, 10x seal jack, 10x dips, 20x line hops, 10x freddie, 10x merkins

mosey across the bleachers, the wet, slippery bleachers, 10x dips along the way, and back to the front of the school
PAX blind picks 4 of 1-6
5. 10x hillbilly walker
2. 10x mahktar n’diayes
3. 10x donkey kicks
1. 10x shoulder taps
(jump squat and MNC not picked)
10x LSS, 10x CDD, 5x burpees, 10x monkey humpers, 10x donkey kicks, 10x burpees, 10x Travolta, 10x bombjacks … COT

looks like we made it,
Barry Manlow

TClap |
1

The Cornerstone – Challenge ( One Year Long )

1 Comment

To all the Pax of F3 Nation

Are you prepared to challenge your self for 2019? I am challenging all Pax’s to join me for 2019 we will take on one exercise for January (merkins single count) 100 reps every day. Then in February we will add another exercise which will be done every day on top of the 100 merkins and so on and so on. We will increase by adding one exercise each month.  These exercises will be above and beyond when you post. So by the end of the year there will be 12 exercises that need to be done everyday at the reps set.

Do you accept the challenge? Do you want to get better?

I will set the next month exercise and reps the week before to keep you on your toes

TClap |
20

The Ballroom: Picking up the 6…..all 6 of us!

Leave a comment

1 is the loneliest number…. but then there were 2 and eventually 6 of us came to the Ballroom for our daily red pill.

Was a cool morning but not crazy cold. The Ballroom is usually loaded with PAX but i guess the school delay and ice took their man cards……YES I said it. Haha!

The Thang: Everywhere we went, we carried our friend “The 6”

Line up at end of parking lot:
· Sprint 20 yd
· Shuffle 20 yd
· Karoke 20yd
· Sprint 20yd
3X

COP:
SSH x 15
CDD x15
Mtn Climber x15
IW x15

Jog to Corner of building:
Indian Run to each Corner of building
1st Corner – Seal Team Sit Ups x20
2nd Corner – Partner Derkins x 10 each

7’s on the driveway between schools

  • Bombjacks
  • Squats

3rd Corner – Partner Leg Raises x 10 each

4th Corner – Spiderman Pushup x 10

Jog to front of school:
Circle Up for Mary:
Member of PAX runs to far island and back
Rest of PAX performs Ab routine—-we did 2 rounds of abs

COT:

I spoke to the PAX about my childhood Christmas and how on Christmas eve we would hang stockings and put cookies out and go to bed. The Tree was not decorated and nothing else in the room looked like Christmas. When we woke up on Christmas morning the Tree in all its glory was decorated, Christmas town village with train set was running with lights in each house. Gifts spread across the room and stockings full.  I use to watch that train under the tree for hours and even today when I see toy trains or electric trains it takes me back to the magic of Christmas. Funny thing with trains is that wherever that engine goes, the cars follow. straight, turn right, turn left…. the cars are right behind it. I challenged the PAX on what is their “engine”? Is it the worldly success and a facade or something more substantial? Ask yourselves what are you following and what is your motivation in life……what is your purpose??? Are you following it closely and step by step?? Is it rewarding or fleeting?? My personal engine is my Lord and Savior  Jesus and my motivation to be better today and tomorrow than I was yesterday. This is the case at home, work and community. It gives me fullness of life today but I also know it will for eternity. My purpose is HIS purpose. What is your ENGINE???

Thanks Short Sale for the lead. Appreciate all the PAX!!

Cake Boss

 

TClap |
3

Inspirational Morning at the Ballroom

Leave a comment

It may have been damp at the Ballroom but that didn’t stop an inspired group of 15 Pax from enjoying the mild and moderate morning.  It went down like this.

Warm up:  Mosey to 20 SSH, 10 Windmills, Arm Circles, 10 Cherry pickers, 15 Mountain Climbers, 15 Peter Parkers, 15 Parker Peters, 20 Moroccan Nightclubs, and 20 LSS.

50 yards of each:  Toy solders, High Knees, Butt Kickers, Shuffle (each side), Backward run, Kareoke (each side), 2 Sprints.

Moseyed to back of school for 4 Wall Sits with Planks followed with 10 Merkins between Wall Sits.  Each set of Planks and Merkins were different: incline, left hand on curb, right hand on curb, and decline.

Mosey to track for 3/4 lap stopping 4 times to one of the following at each stop: 10 Donkey Kicks, 10 Lunges, 20 LSS, 10 Plank Jacks.

Mosey back to school stopping at each light pole for a Burpee (about 12) and finished with 10 Flutters, 10 Box Cutters, and 10 Reverse Box Cutters.

COT:  Lots of announcements that I can’t recall plus the Christmas party sign-up and bring kid’s band aids for the hospital.  Of course, everyone then left to vote.

Magnum

TClap |
1

Charter Band-aids for Little Warriors – PreBlast

Leave a comment

As most of the PAX in the Fort and Rock regions knows my 5 year old daughter (Emma) is a leukemia survivor. We still make a trip every 4 weeks to get blood drawn to check her counts at Levine Children’s Hospital. We also stepped up and raised money last year (Christmas time) for a fellow brother bout-time out of Area 51 son Jennings who has leukemia also.

It has come to my attention that the budgets have been cut in some of the pediatric departments and the first thing to go is usually the character band aids. You say how important is to have these band-aids? Well as far as the cancer kids go every time the have their PORT’s (Port is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein) which for some kids is traumatic they get a band-aid over it. For others that are done with treatment such as my daughter Emma has to go back for the next 21 years to get checked (mainly blood counts). This not always easy for instance this past Wednesday she was poked 3 times. Well at the end the band aid can put a smile on a child’s face. This also goes for those kiddos that have to constantly get blood work done not just cancer kids.

So what I am challenging you to do is every week you go grocery shopping buy at least one box or more of character band-aids girls or boys. Also Spread the word in every COT. I will tweet out what AO’s I will be at and if anyone wants to step up and help me collect that would be awesome.

I also challenge others in different regions to pull together and do the same thing. My goal is to gather as much as possible and split it between Levine Children’s Hospital and Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital (St. Jude Affiliate Clinic) before Christmas.

Let a simple act of kindness put a smile on a little fighters face.

AYE. Lets do this.

TClap |
77

No Fear = No EnCOURAGEment

2 Comments

22 boot campers (including 1 FNG) and 5 runners posted to THE Ballroom this week looking for some #Encouragement along the pothole-filled road of life.  YHC offered a full Disclaimer for the benefit of our FNG (T-claps to Barney Fife on the EH) tipped the cap to Sir Topham Hat, who passed the Q baton to YHC due to work travel.  The word of the month (Encouragement) served as the inspiration for today’s adventures in the gloom, so thanks also to Chicken Hawk for his continued wisdom with that program.

Encouragement:  root word = Courage

Courage (noun): strength in the face of fear

With this backdrop, the workout unfolded with the objective of getting pax in touch with their own sense of #Fear to illustrate the experience of #Courage and the need/ability/practice of exercising it and #Encouragement of their brothers.

The Thang

warm up run to the football field

COP — SSH, IWs, Hillbilly walkers, Bombjacks, merkins, burpees

Line up along sideline, 3/4 pace sprints — to near hash/back, then far hash/back, lastly far sideline/back

Circle up for the Main Event (Fear or Favorite)

Pax were asked to identify the exercise they most #Fear when they hear the Q say “The next exercise is ___________.”  They were also asked to imagine their #Favorite exercise they like to call when they are Q.  Then we launched into 30 mins of Pax-suggested/Q-chosen exercises.

Plank jacks (Fogerty), Gravedigger (Culture Club), Partner Carry (Bass-o-Matic), V-up Roll-up (Polaroid), Sprints (FNG!), Moroccan Night Clubs (Assassin), Jack Webb (Magnum), Squats (Strawberry), Burpees (Pinup), Merkin (Rebel), Knee Tar N’Dyae (Rebel), Tunnel of Love (Twister)

Mosey home

Final ab work — American Hammer, Flutter

COT

Moleskin

T-claps to the pax for the enthusiastic participation, mumblechatter and #Encouragement throughout.  Apologies to those pax whose exercise I missed and those who I mismatched in the list above.  I know we started with Fogerty catching much flak for a stuttering proclamation of “Plank Jacks” to get us rolling.  Bass-o-matic challenged himself and all the pax in the early going with the Partner Carry call-out.  Yes, YHC quickly claimed FNG/Half Dome as partner (purely for teamwork purposes, I can assure you…it had nothing to do with his svelte frame).  Pinup threw down the gauntlet, claiming Burpees as both his Fear and his Favorite (1500 in September seems to prove the point — well done!).  Strawberry (on only his 2nd post!) showed he knows the proper rhythm of a workout by calling for Squats immediately after Jack Webb (get this man into Q school ASAP!).  And Twister had his mic drop moment with Tunnel of Love to cap it all off.  Fun times throughout!

Welcome to FNG/Half Dome, who posted at the behest of Barney Fife (kudos to both)!

Finally, just a recap on the theme to reinforce the message.  YHC, in my prideful youth and throughout a very long stretch of adulthood, deluded myself that I was purely self-motivated, and no outside influence, inspiration or good words could make a difference to my spirit or performance.  While my M openly claimed her need for affirmation and #Encouragement, I laughed those things off, as though those who needed them were weak, meek and timid.  I also claimed to have few worries or fears throughout these periods.  A-ha!!!   There it is — the smoking gun.  Since #Courage can only exist in the midst of #Fear, I must’ve needed nor displayed any #Courage throughout these years.   And in the absence of feeling #Fear and gathering up #Courage, I had no recognition of the need or value of #Encouragement.  And, so it follows sadly, that in the absence of my personal experience of these, I fumbled and floundered in expressing #Encouragement to those around me who longed for it.  This shortcoming became a significant blind spot and weakness in leading others, including my family.  Yes, sad.  Yes, true.

While I still have plenty of room for growth in the area of #Encouragement of others, my ship turned around when I became more sensitized to my own fears, and I felt the power of #Encouragement from others, and I demonstrated the #Courage that was somewhat dormant inside me.  So, the lesson here — soften your heart, look yourself in the mirror, get in touch with your #Fear.  From that point, you may find immense personal growth opportunity and the ability to better relate and #Impact those around you through #Encouragement.

Thank you to Short Sale for the Q opportunity and to all the pax for making the experience real!

 

TClap |
6

PRE BLAST F3 The Fort 6th Annual Invergence

Leave a comment

Men of  The Fort,

On Friday, September 21st, we will celebrate 6 years of Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith in the Fort Mill area with our annual F3 Invergence party.   Bring a beverage, some food to share, and enjoy a relaxing evening with your brothers.   We’ll have presentations from your local leadership, take a look back at the previous year, and look ahead to what’s in store for 2019  F3 The Fort and F3 Nation.     This is the premier 2nd F event of the year so mark your calendars now,  and plan on being at Rush Pavilion on Friday night, September 21st.

This is a great FNG opportunity!

This is a Pax only event.  Make it up to your M and 2.0’s next weekend.
What:  Fort Mill Invergence (6th anniversary party)
When:  Friday, September 21, 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Where:  Bruce T. Rush Pavillion at the Anne Springs Greenway
Bring:  Food, drink, chair, cash (to cover the pavillion rental/donations to the F3 Foundation)
Please use the link below to RSVP and list what food you will bring:
6th year F3 The Fort Invergence Food Sign Up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CAFAE2FA7FD0-f3thefort

 

 

TClap |
9

Moderate? Is that french for ‘burpee’?

Leave a comment

With no inspiration hitting me at home, YHC decided to show up and see what the AO would speak to me today.  It was angry and made us do stupid things.

Mosey, warm up with burpee countdown between exercises.

Mosey down the hill to the playground at the elementary school where we counted off into groups and did round robins of swing crunches, LBC’s and mountain climbers twice.

Then over to the wall for some relaxing wall sits and a couple bttw.

Who doesn’t love running in circles?  Partnered up and while partner ran lap, 2nd Pax did LBC’s, WAM’s and CDD’s – flap jack at each lap.

Back over to the middle school hill for 10 bomb jacks, run up the long windy hill and 10 more at the top.

Fairly gassed at this point I heard the words ‘Jack Webb’ in the wind so we did that too.

Mosey for a close of Mary and COT.

As always, an honor to lead the men of F3.  Thanks for being there.

TClap |
5

Barney Fife’s Ballroom VQ

Leave a comment

The Message:

Since this was my VQ I was not overly confident and could feel the butterflies doing side straddle hops in my stomach. I had made a homemade deck of workout cards that I was looking forward to trying out. However, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and my plan quickly fell apart. I am ashamed to admit that I underestimated my fellow PAX. My plan was based on a group of what I assumed would be 5 – 10 that would eventually draw 5 cards each by the end of the workout at which time we would compare hands for a modified game of poker.

As I stood in the gloom waiting to give my first disclaimer I was pleasantly surprised to watch the steady stream of vehicles arrive, one after the other. By the time 5:15 rolled around there was a total of 26 of us and I was less nervous and could feel the support in the air. I quickly realized that I would have to modify my plan but I was happy to do it because no matter what happened I knew I was among good friends that would be quick to help if necessary.

After stumbling over a barely adequate disclaimer we started with a CoP warmup:

  • Windmills
  • Side straddle hops
  • Hillbilly walkers
  • Carolina dry docks

After the warm up it was time for a short mosey to the football field.

The THANG:

The PAX lined up on the goal line and planked while one person at a time sprinted to the 40 yard line, drew a card and brought it back and called their exercise out in cadence. After each PAX brought one card back for a random beat down that worked the legs, arms and abs we split up into 5 groups on the field. Each group used the 5 workout cards that they had drawn from the pile and moved to the next group of cards when they were done. After each group worked through all 5 sets of cards we lined up on the 40 yard line for more sprints:

  • 10 yard sprint, imperial walkers back
  • 20 yard sprint, power skip back
  • 30 yard sprint, hillbilly walkers back

We moseyed back to the parking lot for CoT where I explained to the group what an enormous impact my F3 brothers have had on my life since I began coming in April and we all welcomed FNG Flyby to the family.

Thanks to Short Sale for giving me the opportunity to Q, I thoroughly enjoyed it and promise to make it SUCK more next time. Thanks to all the PAX who came out and showed their support.

TClap |
3