I started getting ready Thursday afternoon to Q at Varsity. I’d been thinking about this a lot this week (more about that at the end) and I had come up with some cool routines that would really bring it, that would push my limits, and be a serious challenge to the PAX that regularly post at Varsity on Friday. Not that I needed to (home field), but I made a drive through of the whole AO looking for some further inspiration. What I came home with ended up going a different direction entirely. Finally, 15 minutes before start time, I had several different plans that I could have used, the weather was a bit unclear and my plans kind of depended if it was going to be in pouring rain or not. Rain stopped, so I moved forward with the “no pouring rain” option. Of course some of these things might require some explanation to be clear in writing. In the gloom, it was more like “nevermind the explanation, just follow me!”.

Here goes.

The Thang

Typical Geronimo style disclaimer (sort of rambling, a bit weird, if you die, we’ll drop you off in front of the hospital, but only after the workout is over).

Mosey on over to the hill to Sugar Creek ES.

Played pinball off the curbs

Started at the bottom of the hill at one curb, side shuffle at an angle across the street to the other curb heading up hill. Ricochet off the curb and continue at an angle up the hill back across the street. Continue zig-zagging up the hill changing directions at each curb, progressively up the hill. Mosey to the stop sign, u-turn and back to the bottom of the hill.
Repeat with karoke. Then repeat again with side shuffle.

Mosey to the parking lot for a short COP.
Little arm circles to the front
Big arm circles to the front
Big arm circles to the back
Windmills
Merkins
-NO Goofballs, ‘cause this isn’t the Coop and Kielbasa is out of town anyway (polish dance club eets, eets, eets).
Where is Chicken Wing anyway?

Mosey to the pull up bars.

Each evolution consisted of a bar exercise followed by a ground exercise until the 6 was done (plus a few more, don’t want to leave the 6 guy out). Minimal time between sets.

5 x toes to the bar
Squats
Repeat 4 times

5 x burpee pull-ups (instead of jump at the end, jump and do a pull-up)
Alternating back lunges
Repeat 3 times (burpee pull-ups really suck!)

5 x Knee raises
Flutter kicks
Repeat 3 times

Mosey to the road in front of the JROTC building.

I decided to call this one, High Speed Masonry
Open the back of Geronimo’s Turbo-Stank-Wagon(TSW) to see the pile of mini bricks.
The street had many cones down the middle (too many, so a few intermediate ones had to be taken out)

Break into two teams. 7 PAX, so the executive decision was made to run 4 against 3, with YHC and Senator as team leaders. Senator’s team got four PAX, but YHC’s team got Skate-or-Die (he’s fast). This is a relay race with approximately 10-ish yards between legs. The team leader takes a brick from the TSW, runs as fast as possible to the next cone and PAX waiting there, hands it off and then returns for another brick. The second runs as fast as possible to the next cone/PAX, passing the brick down the line, until the last, who runs to the last cone and stacks the bricks up. YHC realized his team was in trouble when Senator started lapping him about halfway in. By the end of 6 minutes, team Senator was up by 2 bricks. Turns out YHC was the rate limiter on his team. Next time there will be Burpee pull-ups for the losing team, maybe that will make YHC dig a little deeper.

Mosey to the awning by NAFO

Run as fast as possible (maybe not so fast by this point) forward 2 posts, then do a lateral lunge to the side to the other side of the posts, alternating sides every 2 posts to the other end of the awning. Circle back to the start. Repeat 4-ish times.

Circle back up for 4 minutes of group led Mary.
Hello Dollies
X’s & O’s
American Hammers
LBC alternating ankle touches
V-ups

COT

Naked Man Moleskin

I’ve been posting for about 18 months now. In that time I’ve posted LOTS, participated in many CSAUPs, gone out to many 2nd F activities, and even some 3rd F’s. I’ve done MANY things that pushed me physically, but I think more importantly, socially. I’ve developed an appreciation for what the mission of F3 means and seen first-hand some of the differences it’s had in other men’s lives and in my own. This week I (finally) decided I’d go ahead and get a copy of Freed to Lead, which if you Kindle you can have it about 30 seconds after you decide to get it. I read it this week, and it brought to home many of the things we talk about every morning. I got Fern before, but now I really get Fern (it’s a plant).

About 4 months or so before my first post, Dark Helmet mentioned that he liked working out with this group (F3). He knew that I like dragging unknowing co-workers and associated family members along for mud runs or road races or what have you. He also knew that I liked to go out on Saturday mornings and throw down 10 miles or so because that was my thing. I wasn’t really out of shape. The US Army taught me pretty well how to take care of that part. I’m pretty active with my church. Guess what though, the only person that I could call a new friend since I left undergrad almost 15 years ago, was a guy that at first I mentored at work, then started having him over for holidays and stuff, then his family. Then he took a transfer and moved to Cali. We’re still friends, but proximity counts for a heck of a lot. I said, “Hey, this ain’t my first rodeo”, I’ve still got my wife (best friend) and family. I kept on trucking for a while then something made me ask DH if it would be OK if I came along with him some morning. That’s when I found out that just because you’re an old guy like me, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have (positive) male friends. It’s crazy, but yes I did make new friends that I can talk to about man stuff and not get eye-rolls in response, that understand and share many of the life things that I go through, and more importantly, have got my back when maybe things aren’t so good. That wasn’t really what I was expecting when I first posted to this “work-out group”.

Now to the part that really came home this week. I’m reading FTL and it dawns on me that I’ve been posting for these 18 months and I didn’t totally get it. I can roll out there and bring it every morning of the week (well, most mornings). I can pick up the six and do my best imitation of a 5 YO with Tourette’s and try to keep the guy next to me talking about his kids baseball game instead of thinking how much his thighs are burning. I can feel like I’m doing awesome as a site Q, because we consistently get 12-18 PAX at NAFO every Wednesday. What I didn’t realize is that it’s not turning into a Problematic Workout. I didn’t even think about this until this week. It didn’t occur to me that this is an aspect that I had missed. I enjoy the daily fellowship. I enjoy pushing myself. I like the fact that I’ve had to take my belt up a couple notches. However, in that 18 months I’ve EH’d maybe 1 or 2 guys (that I can take credit for). That said, I took to heart the idea that while this F3 thing really isn’t for everyone, if I don’t EH the SadClowns in my sphere, they won’t even know what they’re missing. If I’m not trying be a source of accountability, those guys that I did EH might turn into permanent Kotters. This week I figured out that I have a mission to grow and serve the groups I Q. In particular the Grow part by the serve part.

At this point you may be saying “Gee whiz Geronimo, it took you this long to realize this?”. If that’s you, then I ask you to hold me accountable, because a bonfire can’t burn all the time unless someone else throws more fuel on. I don’t think I can handle being a bonfire all the time, but it wouldn’t be bad if someone were to kick the embers and throw some pine logs on every now and then. Might just take the kicking part.

If that’s not you and you’ve read this far, then I’m going to ask you a couple things. Have you ever read Freed to Lead? It’s a super easy read. Dredd and OBT are laying things out there, all you have to do is pick them up and run. Who do you know that may be a SadClown? When was the last time you EH’d a guy? How about for a 2nd F get together? 3rd F? I think you see where I’m going. How are you making your group into a Problematic Workout? I know that the asking part is difficult for some people. Let Dark Helmet know and he’ll ask them. On second thought, maybe someone else would be a better choice. Maybe they post once and it’s not for them. Maybe they do and it makes a world of difference.

I’m not usually one to write a huge long thing like this, and it took me a couple extra days to make it happen. I don’t think I’ve conveyed anything that you probably haven’t already heard, but perhaps my strange way of putting things down in writing will inspire you to take action where you hesitated before. If so, then I think it was worth it.

Geronimo!

After a restless night of sleep thinking YHC would sleep through the Q, I kept telling myself to trust my alarm, but it did not work! 🙁 May be the wienke was born through the restlessness or the prior evening while on a ruck, it seemed to be a decent plan going in, but may have quickly become a fight with “Tyson” in the first round.

5 of the faithful gathered, stretched a bit, and we did a collective disclaimer. The clock struck 5:15 and bells where ringing somewhere.

Warm Up
Dynamic stretching and running in a snaking fashion through the parking lot. Circled up at a very nice street light and did some COP.

Squats x 15 IC
Seal Jacks (Charleston style) x 20 IC
Seak Jacks (Landlubber style) x 15 IC

Mosied to the pull up bars, PAX grabbed two blocks, YHC grabbed a phone and a speaker and we where ready for the HIIT.

The Thang

4 rounds, 45s on, 15s rest, 7 stations. Sounds simple. You should try it.

Exercises –
1 – Pullups
2 – Burpees
3 – Block Overhead Press
4 – CDDs
5 – Block Swing
6 – Merkins
7 – People’s Chair

Time could not come soon enough. When the bell rung, STP was still playing and the blocks were tucked back into their resting spot and we mosied to COP.

Had 3 minutes for Xs & Os and In and Outs.

COT

Prayers to the PAX, Skate or Die for getting over the sniffles.

There were just two of us until 5:15 on the dot when 4 additional HIMs speedily pulled up for some HIITs before the weekend.

Disclaimer – Modify as needed

Mosey – knees to chest – ankles to waist – high knees – butt kicks – regular

Circle up – SSHs, windmills, MNCs, merkins, LSSs

Mosey to pull up bar, Partner Up

5 pull ups, 5 one leg jump taps – switch legs repeat – Partner 2 Wall sit – Switch when partner 1 is done

4 pull ups, 4 one leg jump taps – switch legs repeat – Wall sit

3 pull ups, 3 one leg jump taps – switch legs repeat – Wall sit

2 pull ups, 2 one leg jump taps – switch legs repeat – Wall sit

1 pull up, 1 one leg jump tap – switch legs repeat – Wall sit

Mosey to Basketball Court – Same partner

HIITs – 1 minute on, 30 second rest, 2 sets each exercise

Station 1 – Merkins / Plank (pace yourself)

Station 2 – Jump rope / Broad Jumps (Equipment malfunction – jump rope broke – modified both HIMs broad jump)

Station 3 – Arm Curls, 30 and 24 lbs

Station 4 – Suicides

Station 5 – Medicine ball Oblique Throws (this sounds a lot cooler than it is, had to modify to increase intensity)

Station 6 – 1 lap with 20lb Ruck or 20lb kettlebell then plank

Repeat

Mosey back to pull up bar, same partner, (Reverse Grip)

5 Pull ups, 5 jump taps – Partner 2 LBCs, Switch when partner 1 is done

4 pull ups, 4 jump taps – LBCs

3 pull ups, 3 jump taps – LBCs

2 pull ups, 2 jump taps – LBCs

1 pull up, 1 jump tap – LBCs

Mosey to COT

1 Minute of Freddie Mercury’s

Namarama

Announcements – Joe Davis, Baxter Trail Run, Prep for Yeti

Prayors for Chicken Wing’s buddy (Chris Farley) and the Father of Patton’s buddy in ATL

5 Men showed up on a brisk December morning looking to earn their letter and indulge in a little more pain before the holiday festivities begin. YHC was in the holiday mood, thus planned a themed workout for this morning to warm the fellas up. YHC having the penmanship of a hoofed animal, managed to scrawl out the 12 Days of Christmas workout on a white board while driving into the AO and off we were.

Warm-up

• Brisk mosey around the lot
• Circle up for:
  • SSH x 20
  • Moroccan Night Club x 15
  • Low Slow Squat x 10

The Thang

12 Days of Christmas 2016 Varsity Edition:

1. Burpees (1 Set, 12 reps = 12 TL reps)
2. Bombjacks (2 Sets, 11 reps = 22 TL reps)
3. Curb Dips (3 Sets, 10 reps = 30 TL reps)
4. Mountain Climbers – Double Ct (4 Sets, 9 reps = 36 TL reps)
5. Merkins – (5 Sets, 8 reps = 40 TL reps)
6. Peter Parker – (6 Sets, 7 reps = 42 TL reps)
7. CDD – (7 Sets, 6 reps = 42 TL reps)
8. Pull-Ups (8 Sets, 5 reps = 40 TL reps)
9. Diamond Merkins (9 Sets, 4 reps = 36 TL reps)
10. WWII Sit-up (10 Sets, 3 reps = 30 TL reps)
11. Toes to Bar (11 Sets, 2 reps = 22 TL reps)
12. Burpees (12 Sets, 1 rep = 12 TL reps)

At the half-way point, we gave the muscles a break for a mosey down to the bottom of the hill….In F3 Physics class I learned what goes down must come up and from there:

• Hill Sprint 20 yds (recover down)
• Hill Sprint 40 yds (recover down)
• Hill Sprint back to the summit and back to Christmas themed workout

*So-Crates so accurately described this portion as the realization that not only are there presents to open, but we also have stockings….filled with turd nuggets

YHC was blessed with strong PAX today and we finished up with time to spare, which was dedicated to the core:

• 15 LBC
• 10 Reverse LBC
• 5 6inch LBC
• Pistol Crunches (10x each side)
• 1 minute forearm plank

Moleskin

• Big Thank You to Skate or Die for having me out to Q Varsity this week. NAFO is at the top of my list of AO’s to Q, sooo much to do. Skate or Die was the War Daddy today but had the best wheels on the uphill sprint
• Always great to have Ringer at a workout to push you. I’m glad he owed me money and thus had to show up, pay the debt and pad the numbers for this 43 degree felt like 33 degree morning. Ringer also spotted multiple creatures lurking in the night which we determined were too small to be deer and too large to be house cats.
• Patton, this kid MAN is unbelievable and I truly mean it. At his age to wake up early, take on the elements and crush all of us on pull-ups is truly commendable. Keep up the great work brother via F3 and CrossFit.
• So-Crates was the only one brave enough to show off the vocals this morning getting us into the Christmas spirit. So-Crates also thought he saw something hiding in the shed behind the ROTC barracks…not sure if he was just trying to distract YHC for a breather or if him and Ringer took the same drugs this morning that made them see things in the dark.

Thanks again for posting and everyone have a Safe and Merry Christmas!

Over and Out – General

I rolled into Varsity extra early this morning to make sure I setup my HIIT workout and that my digital weinke was ready to go. As the hour turns past 0500, finally one car rolled in. It was longshanks. Then, as I finish setting up, a second car rolls in, Chicken Wing. Will there be more? Is it only us 3? I was a little concerned because these two HIM are two of the most consistent PAX among us and both of them push themselves to another level. Longshanks is prepping for an Ultra Beast (30 Miles up a ski mountain) and Chicken Wing has a bum hip and still sprints faster than most. I’m really going to have to be on point. …..as it was us three.

After a brief disclaimer for these vets, we started our workout.

We moseyed around the parking lot with some butt kickers, high knees and found ourselves down by the road to pick up some coupons. We each picked up two rocks and moseyed up to JROTC building with coupons above our heads. Once there we went down and picked up the cindy coupons. Two each and brought them back to our workout location. Now that the workout was setup we….

-25 SSH IC
– 12 Windmills IC
-20 Moroccans Night Climbs

With the warm up over, the fun began. I had my music list setup and the digital weinkie via my car, we did 3 sets of:

1 Min: High Knees with Rocks held above our head
20 Seconds off
1 Min: 20 Yard Sprints to 5 Merkins, then back 20 yard sprint into 5 merkins
20 Seconds off
1 Min: Squat Curls with the rocks
20 Seconds off
1 Min: Suicides
20 Seconds off
1 Min: Merkin Walk across the cindy’s
20 Seconds off
1 Min: Left Knee Down right knee down, up then jump squat
20 Seconds off
1 Min: Plank Shifts
20 Seconds off
1 Min: Mountain Climbers
20 Seconds off

After three rounds we were pretty spent. We put the coupons back and headed over to the COT.

Namearoma was quick. After an extended session of announcements/fellowship, we gave praise and rolled out.

As we head out with family and friends this weekend, enjoy and be safe.

Always an honor to lead. WhatDid out.

Weather was perfect for a Varsity tryout.

Warm up lap, down the hill to Sugar Creek ES and around the bus loop. Stop for a COP with some of the standards and some not so much (goof-balls). Mosey back to the top of the hill to really get busy.

The Thang
5 Pull ups
40 ish yard sprint out and back
5 Brick Plyo Merkins (Hop down and back up for 1 rep)
40 yard sprint
10 each direction Apollo Ohno (speed skaters)
40 yard sprint
Repeato
Next round add 20 double count flutter kicks
Repeato until time

NMM
Definitely was pushing the redline on the tach today and I was somewhere between the middle and back of the pack. Was looking for a way to mix a lot of sprints in without being too long to keep some of the more speed challenged (me) with the rest of the group. It was a fun day to end a pretty taxing week of working the night shift. By my count everyone completed the circuit 4 1/2 times.

Privilege to lead such an awesome group of men.

Geronimo!

Cake Boss the title is thanks to Kielbasa. Not sure what he was thinking (jk I know exactly what he was thinking). Either way as a group we decided it took the title spot. 6 decided to take the Varsity Plunge. What goes better after a long week than a good HITS workout. I digress….

The Thang

Disclaimer by YHC, mostly accurate….we were off. Indian run lap touring NAFO. Brief circle for

10 Moroccan Night Clubs and 10 Windmills….. Yea we are warm

Mosey to parking lot for the real action. Timer set to 1 minute increments with 10 second rest. We arrived to find 10 index cards laying before us. Each card was a different level of twisted. Exercises  as follows…..Heels to Heaven, Grave Digger Right Side, Left arm high, LBC, Peter Parker, Penguin (as Kielbasa to pronounce this), Right arm high, Superman, X’s and O’s, Grave digger left side.

This completed the first round of 10 minutes. I never thought a timer count down would sounds so good until 1 minute of any of these. Decided we better take a fast lap around parking lot to stretch the core out. Stopped only for some bear crawls and inch worms. Ended hot lap with the plank from hell. Hands out 2″ farther…then farther….then farther still. 10 counts by Skate or Die and Kielbasa.

Back to the fun. Flip the cards over to find nothing good. Next series of 1 minute increments included….Mountain climbers, Mac tar Ji (I guess this is how you spell it), 6″ LBC, Freddy Mercury, V-Ups, Flutter kicks, Elbow plank, Regular plank, Parker peter, Military sit ups.

Yea YHC is an idiot. No one could move. So of coarse we sprinted to the lower lot for wall sits, bear crawls, bomb jacks. Out of time sprint back to COT.

Announcements- Check your newsletter, The forging Camping trip, Soccer Arms sign up, Christmas Party sign up

Prayers- Our nation and city

Moleskin

There wasn’t a general theme today but I wanted to relay some struggles I am having. Guard your heart men, don’t be envious of others. Your house, job, salary, or friends don’t make who you are. You (and I) are children of the most high. Find your identity in him. How much more are we than birds that God must provide for. Let us all remember what we have. Don’t fall into the trap, the easy route, and focus on the things we don’t have. Thanks for the invite Skate or Die and thank you brothers for your support.

Birdcage

What a glorious morning for some of the finest Fort PAX to come together and make each other better. Perfect conditions, 8 strong, and all was quiet leading up to the gun. Shasquatch came in early, at least a full minute, no squealing tires, no close encounters with a pedestrian, so you know it was all business.

We had a range of young and old, new and veteran PAX, all with the intent on getting better together.

With the disclaimer, we were off to a mosey.

Butt Kickers, High Knees, Butt Kickers, High Knees, Karoke Right, Karoke Left.

COP WarmUp all IC, 20 count.

SSH, Windmill, Mountain Climbers, Low Slow Squat.

Indian Run with a Burpee Twist. After a full line went through, we did 10 burpees OYO. 3 rounds and we were at the block pile. Partner up with blocks. Time for catch me if you can. P#1 went running, if you can call it that with a block, P#2 did 10 Merkins. Switch once P#2 caught #1. Ran around SCES and wound up back at the LAX field. Backdraft and Shasquatch ran a little extra and Skate or Die had to go shag em like a bad hook shot as they were up the hill trying to call “T” a little to early. Not quite yet fellas.

On the field, the wienke was over zealous and we only had time for 3 out of 8. Good thing as we would have been there for another 20 minutes and it would NOT have been all that enjoyable.

R#1 – 10 Junk Yard Dogs, 20 Merkins, 30 Jumping Lunges, 40 Mountain Climbers.
R#2 – Repeato
R#3 – 10 Partner Derkins, 20 Bombjacks, 30 Monkey Humpers, 40 Flutter Kicks. Those were all IC and could make a grown man cry.

Approaching time so we grabbed blocks, racked and stacked, and headed to COT. With 1 minute remaining, did 30 LBCs. What Did can even spell that.

COT.

Mercy is the word and went into how we are leaders in the community and with our families. We need to have mercy for those around us as we are becoming the light for those around us.

Prayers to F3, for the group, Eastern NC.

Collected a few cases of water, What Did ran down to CNW.

Close out prayer.