YHC received a call from Bubba Gump Wednesday evening asking if he could co-lead the Q at the Patriot this coming Saturday. Having never posted there yet, I jumped at the chance. I really wanted to check out what all the hubbub was about in Rock Hill. Place has been growing like crazy and adding AOs left and right. A few of us arrived early for some BRR extra credit and some long-winded story telling from Bubba Gump (you got to get their early). As the last few gentlemen rolled in, BG started us off as we moseyed towards the fields…

The Thang:
Mosey to one of the soccer fields…
COP for 10 Merkin (IC) / 20 SSH (IC) / 10 Merkin (IC) / 20 SSH (IC) / Can’t recall the full count but this is close.

Recover while Coach BG rattles off some #Clemson statistics and how it’s only 54 days until football season. He’s set up some cones (actually cereal bowls from Walmart because they were on sale and a steal) and begins to outline our first exercise.

Football Conditioning
2 lines formed for 4 rounds of football drills / Alternating Cones Back and Forth
1. Bear Crawls – Speed Chop Down Line
2. Back Pedal – Speed Chop Down Line
3. Side Shuffle – Speed Chop Down Line
4. Zig Zag – Speed Chop Down Line
Each round ended with 10/10/10 OYO of Merkin, LBCs and Squats

Mosey to another Soccer Field for some BLIMPS
Burpees (5)
Lunge Walk (10)
IW (15)
Merkins (20)
Plank Jacks (25)
Squats (30)

Finish up the first half with some assorted ABLAB and a few minutes of Bubba Gump reminding us to be #beintentional, #beproactive and #beready. Think about someone this week that you can lift up. F3 is about being Third. Hand off to YHC.

SSH while the cones are being collected. We never leave the 6 behind, especially when they’re serving the PAX by cleaning up our mess. Mosey back to the parking lot and to the track. YHC lays down the #endurance work about to be had.

Chain Sprints
2 Stations on opposite sides of the track. 2 Groups always running while the other 2 groups are doing the work at opposing stations on the track. Runners relieve the workers and the workers begin to run (think run half lap, exercise, half lap, exercise, etc.)
Station 1: Burpees / Bomb Jacks / Tuck Jumps
Station 2: LBCs / Flutters / Freddies
Looks easy on paper but is far from the truth. Everyone’s heart rates were jacked. #cardio

Once completed, mosey to the center of the fields for some Jack Webb 1:4 count to 10. Always the crowd pleaser. Good to see Santini get in 400+ Merkins with my 2 Qs this week. I know there were others but was loving his #mubblechatter.

With only a few minutes to spare I had the Pax line up at the end of the field, complete a 20 yard burpee broad jump series and then sprint to the other end. Turn around and sprint/jog back. Mosey to COT.

NMM
Great work by the PAX Saturday morning. The Patriot is a great AO of which I only saw a glimpse. I will definitely be back soon. Great words and storytelling from Bubba Gump. Be intentional and reach out to those who may need to be lifted up. That’s why we’re here. Also loved the #mumblechatter going on between Apache and Italian Job. Whatever you guys are doing, keep it up (high energy). F3 is such a great force. My first post ever I was unsure and nervous about these workouts in the AM. But I took that step. And kept making leaps to post more, get to know the guys, get out and serve with some of them, start leading workouts, etc. You probably know a few #sadclowns out there that need this. Get out there and EH them. All it takes is that first step. Be intentional, be proactive and be ready. Welcome FNGs Bob Vila and Scout!

Announcements
07/24-25 24 Hours of Booty (Bike Race for Cancer : Check with Cerrano, Spider-Man, Sir Topham)
08/07 Speaker Series with School Leaders (at Eternal Church 6:00 AM)
08/08 Gladiator Games at IL
08/08 World’s Largest Coffeeteria at Applebee’s (Rock Hill)
08/08 F3 Golf (Check with Jekyll)
08/08 Help with the Fort Mill Care Center Move
08/15 Crime Stoppers Pancake Breakfast at Fatz in Rock Hill
10/24 Mud Run (Teams are forming)

Prayers/Praise
Lifting up all the prayers and praise of the Pax
Prayer that you can share F3 with one person this week
Prayers to be intentional, proactive and ready

Zima & Bubba Gump

15 of Rock Hill’s finest, including FNG Mugshot, came out to enjoy a glorious gloom beating at Eagle’s Nest. The weather was perfect – 75 degrees with limited humidity and cool wet grass. We started with a short jaunt down Alumni Drive to the fountain in front of Tillman Hall.

The Thang

• 2 minute elbow plank (plenty of mumble chatter)
• 25 SSH
• 25 MNC
• 25 IW
• 15 Windmill
• 15 Merkins

Mosey to amphitheater

Partner up. Wheel barrow up, bear crawl across, wheel barrow down, bear crawl across.

Flapjack

Mosey to greenspace

Clock Merkins (1 at 1:00, 2 at 2:00…all the way to 12 at 12:00)

Dealer’s choice ab lab

• Russian Twists
• Hello Dolly
• Wipers
• Freddies
• Flutters
• Boats and Canoes (great job Mugshot leading on your first time out)
• LBCs

Mosey to columns outside of DeGiorgio Center

• People’s Chair with punches (helps take your mind off the squats)
• 10 Kickboxing Burpees (Burpee, punch, punch, knee, knee)
• Walking lunges with front kick
• 20 Dips
• 20 Derkins

Mosey to green space for Seal Team Situps (on Sen. Tressel’s count)

YHC took a few minutes to explain why we do what we do. As F3 brothers, we get up early to do this in order to strengthen each other and become better men for our communities. This AO (Eagle’s Nest) is named as such because Winthrop competes in Division I athletics as the Eagles. Eagles are a symbol of strength, leadership, and vision. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

We fly high above our peers because we get up early and work. We work in the rain, in the cold, and in the heat. I encourage each of you to continue posting. Know that you will never post alone. We are here for each other. Keep pushing each other. The only way to get better and to keep pushing – keep trying – just do it.

Thanks Catfish for letting me Q with you guys. I will definitely be back.

Announcements

08/08 Gladiator Games at IL
08/08 World’s Largest Coffeeteria at Applebee’s (Rock Hill)
07/17 CAH at 7:00 PM (Contact Decibel or Chicken Hawk)

Prayers/Praise
Sen. Tressel’s neighbor Beth in the hospital for autoimmune disease

Wheels and his marriage

Lucky Charm’s son John

Lots of extra-credit this AM! A number of PAX ran from Chic-Fil-A to WEP at 6 AM. Many of the PAX from our region attended either Q school 101 or 201. Funhouse ran from Tega Cay to WEP in preparation for his #BRR 30 miles assigned to him this week!

40 Pax (including 2 FNGs) met for a 7 AM workout with WWL and myself! After the disclaimer and prayer we hit the big ball!

-Indian Run warm-up around the park on walking path (half one way and half the other)
-Plank when we get back to the starting point (Wait for the six)
-Mosey out to the field

Warm up:
-20 SSH
-20 LSS
-10 Peter Paker’s
-10 Parker Peter’s
-20 Windmills
-20 SSH

I messed up the cadence on multiple occasions … was appropriately ribbed by the PAX which continued throughout!

The Thang:

Jack Webs on tree line (1 Merkin to 4 shoulder claps) – Bear Crawl to next tree – (Got up to 5 merkins and 20 shoulder claps)

Mosey to Playground and partner up
-Partner one – run around playground while partner two does dips (swap)
-Partner one – run around playground while partner two does derkins (swap)
-rinse and repeat
-Final set – Partner one – run around playground while partner two does dips (swap)

Hand off to WWL

Mosey to statue hill

Wheel Barrel carries:
-Four lines – lines 1 and 2 partner, lines 3 & 4 partner
-Wheel barrel 15 yards
-Mosey to back of line
-Reverse roles
-3x of each role (3 carries and 3 crawls)

Jump Squat Suicides:
-1st half the Pax ran suicides up hill marked by 3 trees – 5 jump squats at each tree
-2nd half of the Pax did Abs with WWL

Lesson on detail
WWL took the time to emphasis the importance and attention to detail in our lives, marriages, work, etc. It is the little things that make a big difference. Powerful and timely!

-1st half of the Pax did Abs with Funhouse
-2nd half of the Pax ran suicides up the hill marked by 3 trees – 5 jump squats at each tree

-SSH
-Low Slow Squats
-Merkins

Partner Sprints (3 sets each)
-Partner one Sprint to the top of the hill while partner two does 10 merkins (rotate)
-Partner one Sprint to the top of the hill while partner two does 10 squats (rotate)
-Partner one Sprint to the top of the hill while partner two does 10 burpees (rotate)

Mosey to soccer field

Line up shoulder to should on the sideline:
-Karaoke across and back
-low slide across and back
-Sprint across and back

COT

It is a pleasure and honor to serve the PAX and Co-Q with WWL!

In the spirit of “if there is no backblast, then there was no workout” it was time for YHC to put together the review of our July 4th workout. It was a pleasure leading the Pax with my friend CSPAN (#Nantan) and another great reminder of the type of men that we have at the Fort. If you are looking for #HIM in Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Indian Land or Tega Cay simply put “just post” at an AO and look around. They are everywhere! Since this was a very special occasion, the backblast is going to be a little different. So here goes…

“Sure, lets do that!?!”

In the last year,  I have really enjoyed getting to know more about CSPAN. As mentioned above, our region has a plethora of leaders and CSPAN stands out as one of the best. We regularly chat on opportunities and strategies for the Fort. Typically, this is about 5 minutes of the call and then the next 30-45 are general tomfoolery, life lessons about raising girls and picking on WWL (#easy target). This week our regular chat was going along well when he announced that he was Q at the Fort for the 4th. The discussion turned to BRR and then the light bulb went off. Lets run from Slow Burn to WEP, Q the Workout and then run back. Both of us knew that sounded horrible….so of course, we should do it!

The Trap

So a few days go by and there was no more chatter about the Q or the extra credit. YHC was kinda hoping that CSPAN would forget (#old) or maybe we both were just joking. Well, he was not. And not only that, he sent a group Tweet that tagged 10 people to join us. Little did they know, it was a trap!

The Thang

18 Men arrived at Slow Burn for the extra credit (Wow!). Proceeded to run 1.8 miles to WEP to meet with our other 14 brothers for the workout.

CSPAN on Q

COP

Various exercises X 10

Pledge of Allegiance

Run to Playground – Partner Up

Pull Ups, Dips, Squats (10 times!)

Handoff to Pusher – Determined to do something different…

Seal Team Sit Ups x 21

Drill Bits – Maybe a little agressive…

COT/BOM – Review the weekly email for announcements

Run 1.8 miles home

Coffeeteria at Dunkin

What we learned

• The men of the Fort are humble and accountable and demonstrate the definition of #HIM. If you missed Dark Helmet EHing a guy at WEP during the workout, then you missed one of the best parts of F3. Great job Dark Helmet!
• We live in the greatest country in the world and the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom are the true heroes. We recognized your continued effort on our behalf by keeping the flag moving throughout the park during the workout.
• YHC is constantly reminded of how important F3 has become in my life.  There is no question that without F3, I would have fartsacked on the 4th and missed a great workout but more importantly, some great fellowship. Really enjoyed the conversation with Flat Tire on the way back to Slow Burn. He is a great man and continues to coach me in my running efforts. Stay with me!
• Really proud of whats happening with the kids of the PAX. From the F3 Dads to seeing Sweeper  with his VQ or Jeter with his upcoming Q or the ongoing efforts at CAH, there is some great demonstration of leadership out there. Keep up the great work!
• Lastly, CSPAN is a great Nantan for the Fort. Proud to be your friend!