Category: The Deep

Diamond at the Deep

Leave a comment

I’m a little late posting this so I may be a little fuzzy on some of the descriptions, but here it goes…

We had 10 on a wet and somewhat rainy morning at The Deep.  It was good to see Cakeboss and Funhouse supporting Lake Wylie during their Ass Kickin’ April and we also had a couple of out-of-the-area guys Squirt and Ma Bell.  Ma Bell was 68 and was an inspiration to us all.

Speaking of inspiration, I took the family on vacation the week prior to this workout and needed a little last minute help to come up with some ideas.  Lucky for us all I stumbled across a Cha Ching backblast from the Abyss that looked pretty nasty so I’d like to give credit where it’s due.  I also don’t want to take full responsibility for all the suck we endured during this workout, there was a lot of it.

Warm-A-Rama

Even though its a PITA to load up a bunch of cinderblocks into your vehicle before the workout, it always makes it worth it when everyone sighs as soon as you open your trunk/tailgate.  So we all grabbed a cindy and carried it to our warm-up location.

No blocks required for the warm-up, but I went with random numbers of the below exercises (usually favoring more).  It keeps everyone guessing and is kinda like a guilty pleasure of mine because I usually do extra when people “think” I’m going to be done.

  • SSH
  • MNC
  • Windmill
  • Cotton/Cherry Picker
  • Low Slow Squat
  • Peter Parker
  • Parker Peter
  • Plank Jack

The Thang

We started with some Tabada’s.  Cha Ching recommended this great app called “Seconds” so I grabbed it and set it up the night prior.  I disappointingly couldn’t get the music to work, but I’ll fix that next time…

We had 1 minute to do the following x 5 sets with a small 12 second break between sets.  When all 5 sets were finished, there was a 20 second break and the next 5 sets started (12 seconds between sets)

1st Set

  • 50 Seal Jacks
  • 10 Merkins

2nd Set

  • 15 Merkins
  • 5 Burpees

I actually started thinking we would do 40 Seal Jacks and 10 Merkins, but the gang finished up with like 15 seconds to spare after the first set (and that was before the 12 second break between sets).  I couldn’t have that, so 50/10 for the next 4 sets…

So we ended up doing 240 Seal Jacks 25 Burpees, and 125 Merkins.  Ouch.

Now lets grabbed those blocks! We carried them a little further up the parking lot to the football field.  Sadly, the gate wasn’t opened.  I wasn’t about to have us all walk across the street to the other football field so I decided that we all needed to jump the fence.

1st exercise was “Bear and Block” which is exactly what it sounds like.  We all got in bear crawl position and kept the block between our feet.  We then pulled the block up to/past our head and bear crawled until the block was between our feet again.  Rinse and repeat until we covered the width of the football field.  I heard a lot of grumbles from the crowd so I was going to Omaha and have us throw the blocks back to the start point, but we were then worried about the damage to the field (rightfully so) so I Omaha’d the Omaha back to the original idea.  We were going to crawl back the way we came.  If there is a lesson learned here it’s that we shouldn’t complain.  I made everyone do 25 CDD’s when we got back to the start line.

2nd exercise, find a parter.  Partner A carries both cinderblocks the width (and back) of the football field while Partner B does squats, then vice-versa.

For the 3rd and what turned out to be final set of exercises, we played Catch Me If You Can with our partner.  We lined up so we were now traversing the length of the field instead of the width.

This is where my memory really starts to get fuzzy.  I started making this stuff up from here on out picking and doing whatever felt like it would be the worst at the time.  The numbers are lacking and I don’t remember all of the exercises, but hopefully I’ll pass enough along that you get the general idea.

I remember the 1st one.  Partner A did 20 LBC’s while Partner B NUR’d.  When Partner A finished he would chase down and tag his partner and then they would both do 50 more LBC’s together and then Broad Jump back to the finish line.  We then repeated this formula 5 more times (6 chase downs in all) mixing in ridiculous numbers of exercises and making our way back to the starting line in painful ways.

Here are the ways we made it back to the starting line:

  1. Wheelbarrow Walk
  2. Crawl Bear
  3. Crab Walk
  4. Lt. Dan
  5. Sprint
  6. Broad Jump

Some of the exercises that we did, either wile your Partner was NUR’ing or together included:

  • Squat Jumps
  • Lunges
  • Merkins
  • Diamond Merkins
  • CDD
  • American Hammers
  • Flutters
  • LBC’s
  • Burpees
  • Plank Jacks
  • and more…

Luckily time was running low and we couldn’t get to the next exercise.  Now we’ll never know how amazing Block Webbs would have felt after most of us could already not lift our arms past our shoulders.  We still had to get overcome the fence and make it back to CoT.  This time we decided to (poorly) build some steps with the cinderblocks to make it easier to get across.  It was pretty comical but we did it.

CoT

Consisted of the usually announcement, praises, and prayers.  I wish I could remember more, but as always, we continue to pray for others and put ourselves 3rd. F3 is an amazing thing, I am humbled to be a part of it and continue to pray that others will be led to it.

I apologize for less than stellar recollection of the workout and CoT.  I’ll do a better job of jotting it down somewhere post workout.  Some said it was the toughest workout they had in years, some couldn’t post on Monday because of how badly they still hurt, but there is no arguing we all got stronger and better on this day.

Until next time…

Flux

 

 

 

TClap |
0

Learn your Exicon at the Deep

Leave a comment

The Deep is starting to see some sunshine when we get started so it’s nice to see everyone’s faces during the pre-mumblechatter. We stretched it out and moseyed over to the track at the other school.

Warm-ups were
SSH IC x20
Mountain Climbers IC x15
Moroccan Nightclub IC x20
Cotton Picker IC x20
Imperial Walker IC x20

found a white line on the football field and started some of my crazy Exicon treasures.

First DMC,
duck-walk roughly 10 yards, 10 merkins, crawl bear back to start
D roughly 15 yards, 15 M, C back
DMC 20, make sense now?

On the same white line, using a bench on the sideline for the finish line did some Jacob’s Ladder of Merkins and LBCs, the count was 11 and the mode of transportation was Crab Walk!! OUCH

Found some other barely painted lines…. isn’t this supposed to be a football field??
Double Quarter Pounder looks like a great long exercise, but it feels even better!!
25 yard Sprint, 25 Merkins, Lunge Walk back
50 yard Sprint, 50 Squats, Lunge Walk Back
75 yard Sprint, 75 Mountain Climbers, Lunge Walk Back
100 yard Sprint, 100 SSH
then I added some cheese to our burger with one Kraken Burpee

Went over to the playground and split into groups of 3. While partner 1 ran a lap around the playground, partner 2 and 3 did an exercise. Each partner would run before switching stations. Each group started at a different station to give us room to spread out.
Station 1 – Pull ups / Chin ups
Station 2 – Dips on the parallel bars
Station 3 – Derkins on the swings

Mosey all the way back to CoT for some quick Flutter/Dolly/Superman and, as always, 5 burpees to finish off

CoT
Announcements
– Get ready to overnight ruck at the Mastodon in York May 25!!!
– Lake Wylie mini-region is looking to get our own CSAUP started, more info soon
Prayers/Praises

P.S.
Ask Whopper about the puma!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TClap |
3

Tires and props at the deep

Leave a comment

Thankful for the opportunity to lead a one hour Q at the Deep, 16 PAX decided to get better in a perfect weather saturday morning. Some PAX pre run not knowing what was coming.

Quick disclaimer  and welcomed one FNG (Cosmo)

We started the warm up with a 2 minute run around the parking lot, circled up and started with the following in cadence:

20 Windmills

20 Low slow squats

20 Moroccan Night Clubs

10 diamond merkins

10 wide arm merkins

20 regular merkins (lots of mumble chatter here, not sure if PAX were complaining about the merkins)

THE THANG:

Quick explanation of the workout, we had 4 station/corner setup,  we split into groups 1 to 4 and one group went to each corner, a lap around the parking lot was the “resting” time between stations.

  • First  Corner: (sledgehammers and tire)

10 rosalitas

15 big boy sit ups

20 Sledgehammer swings (10 each side)

25 American hammer (one side count)

  • Second Corner: (dumbbells)

10 two arm triceps extension

15 two arm biceps curls

25 triceps dips

30 Carolina drydocks

  • Third Corner: (large tractor tire)

5  Tire flips

10  Deep squats

20 lunges (10 each side)

30 calf raises

  • Fourth Corner: (battle rope)

10 diamond merkins

15 wide arm merkins

20 regular merkins

30 battle rope wave

With about 32 minutes into the workout we moseyed to the hill behind the baseball field, we bare crawled to the top and crawl bear to the bottom with 5 burpees at the top, rinse and repeat 2 times, our FNG Cosmo was feeling the merlot coming out but luckily he recovered. We run one more time to the top of the hill and grabbed a curb for some triceps dips and a needed 10 count recovery time. We moseyed down the hill and a wall crossed our pat so we people chaired while each PAX did 5 monkey humpers starting from the ends working our way to the middle of the crowd, we did a quick recover followed by balls to the wall while each PAX did 3 burpees starting from each end towards the middle, not sure why Flux’s face was so red (he was in the middle of the pack)  with about 10 minutes left we moseyed back to COT and circled up for some ABS work, clockwise each PAX  chose their favorite exercise for 10 reps each,  great way to finish the workout.

We did a headcount and namearama, we welcomed FNG Cosmo and a 4 year F3 veteran Olaf who moved from Lake Norman to our area.

We prayed for our families, our kids, our jobs and were thankful for our F3 community and the support and strength that brings to our lives.

TClap |
4

Deck of Death and the Deconstructed Burpee at the Deep

Leave a comment

It was early, it was cold.  I had told the guys throughout the week to bring their kids and we could enjoy an easier workout.  But even I bailed with my two boys when I heard it was going to be 20 degrees.  Seems like that’s pushing the child abuse line… Luckily  the other 8 guys that showed up felt the same and decided the kids needed to stay at home.  Good for the children, bad for the PAX…now we got to do the harder things I had planned!

We had an FNG show up a little early and asked if this was F3?  I said yes, and asked him if he had gloves? He seemed confused and then asked, “is this outside?”  I knew he was going to have some fun today…lucky for him the PAX that EH’d him told him about the gloves.  By the end, Chris, an art teacher at a local school, was christened with “Picasso”.

I gave the long disclaimer, and we were off.

Dynamic warmup lap around the parking lot with:

High Knees – Butt Kickers – Toy Soldiers – Karaoke – Knee to Chest – Ankle pull

We circled up on the soccer field for COP:

SSHs – Imperial Walkers – Windmills – Squats with Calf Raises – CDDs – Plank Jacks – Merkins – Peter Parkers

No one really likes when I keep them in plank for 4 exercises…kinda my thang!

Now that we were warmed up, we moseyed over to the GA-GA ball pit.   Each of the 8 men find a post, and jump over the wall 30 times. If they didn’t want to do that…burpees were the alternative. No one took the alternative.

We headed over to our favorite hill for an evolution I stole from Bing down in Lakewood Ranch  who had posted it the day before on his BB.  Seemed like a tough thing to do so I added it to the Weinke.

Partner Up for the “Deconstructed Burpee”

Partner 1 run down and up the hill while partner 2 does the exercise.  Add reps together to these numbers:

100 Hip Thrusters

100 Merkins

100 Jump Squats

Several 10 counts after this one. Picasso didn’t seem to like the deconstructed burpee.  Later Bing told me he got this from our boy Longshanks…no wonder it sucked!

Mosey on to the next evolution behind the school.

5 cones were set up along the back street

Bear crawl to cone then 10 merkins

Lunge walk to next cone then 10 squats

keep repeating until the end 5 cones – about 200 yards.

I shared some thoughts around temptation, personal struggles and accountability. These men of F3 help make me a better man!

Next we stayed by the benches for:

20 Dips

20 Durkins

20 Step-Ups (each leg)

Mosey around to the front of the school

Last evolution today was the Deck of DEATH for 15 minutes.

Hearts = Jump Lunges

Spades = Merkins

Diamonds = Bombjacks

Clubs = Carolina Dry Docks

Aces high were 14 reps

We seemed to pull 13 clubs out of 15 tries… this always gets fun and rowdy by the end.  I pulled two of the Aces myself!

Mosey back to the cars for the normal COT items and naming of our FNG to Picasso.

prayers for Tater’s grandbaby still in NICU but doing OK. Qbert’s wife starting her new job soon, Shakespear’s friends’s parents heath, safe travels for all traveling.

Always and honor to lead,

Royale

 

TClap |
3

Size Matters at The Deep

1 Comment

I was definitely excited to lead the PAX this morning after getting FiA’d out of the Beyond workout at Poopdeck this week. Had a pre-run at 6:15 with long laps around both schools so Wild Thing could hang out and get in some exercise before work. 6 HIMs put in 4 miles.

Kicked off at 7 with a mosey behind the middle school and did some muble chatter heavy warm ups, which let me sneak in some extra counts since no one was really paying full attention. Lots of stretching worked in to the warm up. I usually enjoy when other Qs work that in, so I try to as well.

Then we started the push to be better! There are some brick columns to use for suicide runs. So I led the group through a Bear Crawl -icide with NURs to return to start.

Mosey’d around to one of the wooden octagons at the AO (we are still trying to figure out how the school uses them) 30 vaults over the wooden fence is a great quick exercise and keeps the heart rate up

Since Tater was doing his normal run, we actually had 9 for boot camp, split into groups of 3 and cycled through a few exercises. While one partner was doing the exercise the other 2 were pushing out a rough forearm plank. Each team did 2 rounds of 5 seal jacks, 10 monkey humpers, 15 Carolina Dry Docks.

Circled back to the cars and everyone grabbed a landscaping Cindy from my car and we went to the soccer field for a York favorite the Filthy Fifty!!!

Each PAX worked through 50 of each exercise

SSH
Squat Jump
Cindy Bent Rows
Cindy Swings
Lunge Step
Cindy Floor Wiper
Cindy Overhead Press
Cindy Thrusters
Burpees

After this we took a “break” to talk about Beginning and what everyone was starting this year so we could hold others accountable. Each HIM took time to express places in their lives where they wanted to specfically be pushed for growth while we rotated through

plank, one arm up, reverse plank, one arm up

and kept rotating around every 10-15 seconds.

We ended with some great mumble chatter while taking a lap around the school carrying the Cindy overhead which definitely filled time and started to really hurt since we were just walking.

The mumble chatter at The Deep is some of the most amazing ridiculous conversations ever heard at F3. And today ‘Size Matters’ was the theme, make sure you Post this week and ask about it…… or be smart.. and don’t.

TClap |
7

Poking the Q leads to sprinting at The Deep

Leave a comment

7 showed up, including one Rock Region PAX for my VQ at the Deep

Proper full disclaimer was given – and a note that while you can modify if you feel like it… I am trying to push you to new limits.

Long mosey around the baseball field to the front entrance for …

The Warm-Up in cadence

  • Abe Vigoda x20
  • Mumble Chatter included poking the Q about my HATE age so further warm ups were doubled
  • SSH x40
  • Moroccan Nightclub x25
  • Sumo Squat x30
  • Hillbilly Walker x30
  • Got some good stretching in Right over Left for a 10 count and switch Left over Right for 10
  • On the 6
  • LBC x20
  • Flutter x20
  • Chopsticks x20
  • Stretching 10 counts, right leg flat left knee to chest, switch left leg flat right knee to chest

Mosey across the street to the football field and partnered up to have someone push us through the next exercises

The Thang

Cones were preset about 20 paces to the first cone then 10 to each cone to total 5 cones

Suicides along the cones ending at the final cone with an exercise incrementing 5 each time, so the final step would be a 25 single count

  • Round 1: Overhead claps
  • Round 2: Calf Raises
  • Round 3: SSH
  • Round 4: Plank Jacks – tested how cold the grass was in case I had to Omaha the upcoming bear crawl

Gifts

Al Gore circle

Tangible gifts certainly give people a sense of belonging and friendship throughout this holiday season, but what intangible gifts do we have as HIMs that we can share with others, PAX or not, at any time in the year?

I love to pack trucks, maybe even thrive on the experience. To date I have packed 96 homes into trucks for families moving or student camp for hundreds of kids and have enjoyed every minute of it. Primarily because it seems to be such a stressful time and a dread for families and friends, that my experience with it becomes a huge relief for them.

We switched between honeymooner and downward dog while the other PAX shared their intangible, practical gifts that they gift to others.

More Thangs

Stayed partnered up for Doras, bear crawl to first cone, cumulative partner single count exercises

  • 50 merkins
  • 100 LBCs
  • 150 squats
  • 200 seal jacks

A few 10 counts were needed to save the poor calf muscles of those involved

Then we took a mosey back towards CoT and took the long route down the main road. Stopped for some hills by the baseball field.

3 sets of 5 hills with an exercise each time you get back to the top

  • Set 1: 20 dips
  • Set 2: 20 calf raises/dips on the curb
  • Set 3: 10 merkins

Long sprint around the parking lot for some people’s choice AbLab

Name-o-rama

Announcements READ YOUR NEWSLETTER!!!!

Prayers/Praises

Coffeteria at Bagel Boat (better than Dunkin Donuts, you guys are crazy)

TClap |
4

JOE DAVIS + SPEED FOR NEED = IMPACT

Leave a comment

In just under a month, we will have an opportunity to run one of the best races of the year which has become our Signature Fort Race, The Joe Davis Run for Recovery.

This year is going to be particularly special in that we will also be adding the opportunity to push race chariots for SPEED FOR NEED.

Here’s how you get involved, if you know of someone who has a child with a disability, someone who has a child whose home has been affected by addiction, or a child in some other kind of need, then DM Dark Helmet on Twitter and let him know. If you would like to help push, let him know.

We have a chance to have as many as 6 chairs there (several are already spoken for, but some are empty). That’s the most of any race yet…

So man up! Register, find a “Track Commander” to push, and let’s get after it!

TClap |
3

THE PAX OF FORT PLEDGES TO HELP ANOTHER BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY OUT

Leave a comment

Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone, we want to wrap it up by 12/22/17

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

TClap |
18

The Fort pledge to help another Pax out

Leave a comment

Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

 

 

TClap |
4

PRE-BLAST – 2.0 Halloween Workout at The Deep

Leave a comment

What is your 2.0’s favorite part about Halloween? Candy Corn? Trick-Or-Treating? Scary Movies? The Costumes?

Well, it’s time to add an F3 workout to that list.

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it was a perfect time to get the 2.0’s out for a Halloween inspired workout.  This will be perfect prep for all the miles that our 2.0’s will put in trick-or-treating.  So wrangle up the kiddos and head out to The Deep this Saturday. More details below:

When: Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 8:00 a.m.

Where : The Deep (Oakridge Middle School)
5657 Oakridge Rd, Clover, SC 29710

Wear: Costumes are not recommended due to this being before Halloween, however your 2.0 can wear whatever they like.

Who: All 2.0’s are welcome. I would recommend being at least 3 yrs of age but we will try to make it fun for all ages.

PS – THERE WILL BE CANDY…

 

TClap |
9