Hive Demented Uno

UNO was the game with 9 PAX.   Had to amp it up to meet Airborne’s expectations

Each color was an exercise.

Blue ManMaker

Red Louganis (Skullcrusher into Big Boy Situp but keep your arms extended)

Green Curls

Yellow Triceps

The number was the reps. 0 is 10 reps. Play like normal UNO.  Each PAX takes a turn playing a card.  Either match color or number.

SKIP = run a lap

Reverse = Repeat last card

+2 = Pick two of the exercise and do 2 Reps

+4 = 4 Reps of all 4 exercises, then pick a new color

WILD = pick a new color

If you can’t play a card, draw one.  Rule was to do a BombJack for each card you need to draw.

TClap |
2

It’s the 1st F for a reason

11 pax posted to WEP to celebrate north winds, fall temps, a Santini sighting, an Anchorman celebrity drop-in and 7 yrs + 1 week since the 9.29.12 launch of The Fort.  This, the 365th edition of Saturday at The Fort, was more than just another Saturday of brotherhood and pain.  It was also a reminder of why these gatherings matter.  After a thorough Disclaimer, Crab Cakes led the pax off into the gloom.

The Thang

Mosey up the hill out the parking lot with a right turn toward the Church of the Nazarene.  A few stops along the way for some warm-up moves.

Partner up for a series of exercises paired with running to the church steps, 3x up and down, and return to partner at the far end of the parking lot.  Exercises included, Merkins, Squats and Flutters.

Rugby sprints (it wouldn’t be a Crab Cakes Q without this signature session) with LBCs, Freddys, Flutters, Heel Touches.

Hand off to DD

Mosey back toward WEP

Stop at pecan tree grove near Springs building for some work — Planks, Merkins, CDDs, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, & Makhtar N’Dyaes (Santini request for the last one)

Mosey to Springs parking lot entrance (in the grass)

Knee-tar-jais

Mosey to brick wall at Springs

People’s chair & Balls to the wall (rinse and repeat)

Mosey to WEP playground (rotating partners) — Pull ups, burpees, monkee, humpers, dips, derkins, lap around playground

Bear crawl to path, crawl bear back

Series of sprints and backward sprints to path and back to playground

Jailbreak home

COT

Naked man moleskin

Crab Cakes and I had a great time at the helm today.  It’s always an honor to lead the pax, and especially at the launching grounds for The Fort.  Sorry to miss Slash.  Thanks for the opportunity to Q and thanks for keeping the mission going at WEP on Saturdays!

Anchorman with 2.0 in tow made a brief showing as we approached 0720. Apologies for the PG-13 language during the final prod to the pax to finish strong.  You can throw me in the creek with your M if you hear that one at the dinner table.

Santini, Rebel and Dark Helmet were rockin’ the perfect sweaty head coifs by the finish.  Checkout the video for proof.  If Funhouse had posted we might’ve been able to establish the pose for The Fort’s Mount Rushmore.

Good to have Sippy Cup among the pax and donning The Fort jersey no less.  Don’t be stranger!  Hope to see you again soon!

The theme for the morning was a focus on 1st F #Fitness.  Thanks to many pax, including my co-Q Crab Cakes, 2nd F is making huge strides.  Thanks to Gekko, Cake Boss, Chicken Hawk, Pusher and others, 3rd F also continues to blossom.  No debate on my part that these two elements are critical to our pax and speak to the core of who we are as men and leaders.  Yet, now that The Fort has entered it’s 8th year, I feel the need to highlight the importance of 1st F.  While it’s not the core of WHO we are as men, it is the core of WHAT we undertake each week as a group.   It’s the magnet that draws us out into the gloom.  And after 4, 5, 6, 7 years, it might begin to taste a little bland from familiarity. The temptation may be there to coast during workouts or even to scale back your weekly posts.  I’m imploring you — DO NOT GIVE UP!  Yes, F3 is about way more than the workout.  And at the same time, it is also rooted in the workout.

Several conversations over the past week highlighted for me the importance of regular, passionate 1st F engagement.  I heard examples of veteran pax who are pushing hard and veteran pax who are dialing back.  Those posting regularly and pushing in 1st F are seeing growth in all 3 Fs.  Those who’ve scaled back are experiencing some regression in other areas.  It’s all connected, gentlemen.  “You get out of it what you put into it” a veteran pax shared with me this week.

F3 isn’t the only way to stay fit.  I’m the first to acknowledge this fact.  I’ve been fit in the past without F3 and I see many men who are fit today without F3.  But, 1st F isn’t just about Fitness.  It’s about relationships.  Friendships are built in the midst of struggle in the Gloom.  Removing that element will impact a relationship.  1st F is also about preparation.  When you post in the Gloom, you surrender to the elements and the Q.  You give up control — willingly.  You don’t know what you’re going to be put through, but you show up anyway.  And you push to the finish because you believe it will make you “better.” It’s preparation for life. Each day we wake up and we surrender to what the world and Sky Q have in store for us. We don’t have nearly the control we’d like. But we carry on to the finish of each day, seeking to get better (or at least get through it to the next day we won’t control).

So, if you’re feeling the tug of the Fartsack or the gym or the coffee pot, speak up.  We’re all susceptible to those temptations. And we all need a dose of #Accountability now and then to keep us on the #Right track.  The same is true for those out front.  If you’re in an acceleration mode, look around to see who’s missing.  Accelerating pax don’t let pax fall back. They pick up the Six. They don’t leave a man where they found him.

Thanks for listening.  Thanks for pushing.  SYITG!

TClap |
3

Let’s Make a Deal at The Armory

10 PAX decided to take the challenge and show up on a balmy morning. NO FNG’s, disclaimer disclosed and off we went. Mosey went probably further than some PAX would have wished but wanted to switch up a little bit. Heading off FH campus and down across the street. Let the PAX know that once Trucker stopped complaining, we would head back.

Circle up

  • SSH x30
  • LS Squats x10
  • Windmill x10
  • Cherry Picker x10
  • MNC x25
  • Arm Circles x10 forward/back
  • Peter Parker- x10
  • Parker Peter- x10
  • Down Dog
  • Honey Mooner

Grab your bell and head to the far right parking lot of the Church. I had set it up for a game of Let’s Make a Deal after experiencing it the previous week at a Knoxville workout at the Abyss with Cinderblocks.

Each corner of the parking lot (under light posts) had 3 cards. One has a number of reps on each side. One has an exercise on each side. One has a traveling exercise on each side.
Only one side of the card is visible… Content of the other side is unknown.
PAX take turns choosing for each card to take what’s face up, or make a deal and switch to the unknown side…

Station 1:
single arm Tricep Extensions/(Goblet squats), 30/(50), Crawl Bear/(over-head mosey)

Station 2:
KB flutters/(KB Merkins), 30/(50), Lunge walk/(KB-icide)

Station 3:
KB Swings/(one-hand OHP), 30/(20), backwards overhead/(KB Broad Jump)

Station 4:
Single arm curls/single arm rows, 30/(50), KB-icide/(Bunny Hop)

The PAX decided on Round 1 they liked everything facing up, except the MOT for some. The Bunny Hop with the KB was a crowd pleaser. I added in the KB-icide, having had the privilege of these in Knoxville.

We completed all stations twice and did all the counts/exercises listed. Great work!

 

Mosey to the next parking lot closer to COT and partner up. With about 10 min to go, a mini DORA was the perfect way to close it out.

 

50- snatches

75- LBC

100- two-handed triceps extensions

 

Partner 1 runs to the bottom of the parking lot and back, while Partner 2 does the exercise. Switch and repeat until completed.

 

Everyone got it done. Always pick up the 6. It was great to see PAX stepping up to make sure our fellow brothers finished strong and with support.

 

Back to COT

 

Announcements: Read your newsletter

 

Prayers:

 

Cyclops Dad facing Pancreatic Cancer fight. Our prayers are with you and your family Brother.

 

Prayers for families, kids (teenagers), and Mental Health

 

I shared a quick topic from the sermon Sunday at Church on storytelling. Too often our kids are getting their information from social media, instead of the stories in the Bible. By no means am I an expert on this, but I challenged the PAX who are walking their Faith, or trying to get better, to share some of the great teachings in the Bible with their 2.0’s.

 

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Frat Boy

 

TClap |
1

Pastor of Pain

YHC was asked to Q at the Hive by a HIM named Band Camp and I jumped at the request. I am use to Kettlebells and love Qing them. Today I brought with me a WO that was recently Q’d at my home AO #Cannonball by Survey Says! and I named it the Pastor of Pain after him.

We started with a basic Traveling COP with some SSH, MNC’s, Low Slow Squats and some basic Arm stretches. We eventually made our way to where I had a few cones set up about 10 parking space’s apart from each other and began:

The Thang was basically a ladder:
Begin at Cone 1 with 10 Man Makers then Broad Jump with the Bell in hand to the second Cone and do 10 Snatches then Broad Jump to the third cone and do 10 Turkish Getups then overhead bell mosey all the way back to the first cone.
Start at Cone 1 again with 20 Wood Choppers Lunge to the second cone and do 20 overhead bell Presses Lunge to the third cone and do 20 Bell Swings then overhead bell mosey all the way back to the first cone.
Start at Cone 1 again with 30 Goblet Squats Bear Crawl to the second cone and do 30 Curls then Bear Crawl to the third cone and do 30 Bell Merkins then overhead bell carry mosey all the way back to the first cone.

Repeat the Thang again in Backwards order starting with the 30 reps segment.

Last thing to finish the time I Beta tested a part of our First Lake Wylie CSAUP “Nessie”. Basically a kettlebell high plank shoulder to shoulder bell pass/Indian run style if that makes sense then same thing kinda but head to toe bell pass. Beta test worked because everyone hated it.

Got to meet a few new PAX and that is why I always like Qing and different AO’s.

Finished up with a COT (announcements, a few prayers and praises and all thankful for another day).

Thanks for the opportunity to lead Band Camp

I am enjoying this ride I am on and am not sure where it is taking me but all we can do is prepare and train.

TWO FERNS!

TClap |
5

September 11 Memorial Stair Climb

Today I was honored to lead 39 men of the Fort in my version of a 9/11 Stair Climb…. I asked these gentlemen to bring rucks or sandbags and headlamps. This was to simulate the equipment worn by the first responder’s who entered the World Trade Center to do their jobs. We also had Charetta appear courtesy of Dirty Harry…she was our victim that needed to be  carried up and down the NaFo bleachers ….everyman carried their fare share of weight.

The workout was simple!!!!  There was no warmup….we didn’t need one….

The object was to climb the bleachers 27.5 times up and down carrying a ruck or sandbag….the goal 1980 steps or 110 stories….NaFo bleachers are 36 steps up and down…the men of the Fort  conquered this simple request but there was a catch…..when they came back down they had to do 9 inclined merkins and 11 squats… I think most did more than the required amount and for that I’m in awe…. I love being part of this great nation

Before the climb I shared a little about my experience that day 18 years ago as an NYPD officer and I asked each man to reflect between the hours of 8:46 am to 10:28 am these were the hours that changed my life and change the world as we knew it….I also wanted to remember my friends who gave their lives to save as many people as they could that morning :

NYPD PO MARK ELLIS TRANSIT DISTRICT 4

NYPD PO RAMON SUAREZ TRANSIT DISTRICT 4

PAPD PO ANTONIO RODRIGUES PORT AUTHORITY BUS DEPOT

I worked with these gentleman and they will never be forgotten…

Thank you Punchlist for letting me.lead these great men .

We had one FNG Lassie….welcome

TClap |
11

Never Forget

9/11 Tribute WOD – Focus on the Passenger

Imagine you’ve woken up on a seemingly normal day, getting ready for a work trip, and then heading to the airport. The traffic isn’t as heavy as you would think, in fact you think maybe today will be a good day based on that. You arrive at the airport, get your ticket, and go to the security line. Security wasn’t so bad, it only took 5 minutes. This could be a pretty nice business trip. You arrive at your gate and then the plane starts to board. You board, sit down in your seat and pull out a book you’ve just started and are excited to read it on this forced 5 hour break. The plane takes off and everything seems fine.

Then it isn’t.

A group of men some how gain control of the plane and it changes course. The next thing you know, you have no clue where you’re heading and there is an air of fear growing in the cabin. You look out of your window and you see a city that you should be very far from at that point in the flight and wonder what comes next.

That’s it. That’s how 246 passengers/crew on four planes lost their lives on 9/11/01. They weren’t warned, told, or able to make the last decisions about their lives. Some weren’t able to tell their loved ones that they loved them for the last time. Life ended for them on that fateful day.

Today we honored them.

Mosey around the entire church and then circled up for a warm up stretch.

COP

30 SSH

10 Tappy Taps

30 Moroccan Night Clubs

10 Little Baby Arm Circles – both directions

Al Gores w/4 count pulse

High Plank, Side Plank, Side Plank

Yoga Flow and Stretch

Mosey to the concrete bench area.

Four Flights – 246 Victims in the air.

Flight 11
87 Total
76 Passengers
11 Crew

Flight 77
59 Total
53 Passengers
6 Crew

Flight 93
40 Total
33 Passengers
7 Crew

Flight 175
60 Total
51 Passengers
9 Crew

Weinke

Flight 11 – North Tower
76 – Step Ups (Count Each Leg)
11 – Turkish Get Ups (11 Each Arm)
Run Lap

Flight 175 – South Tower
51 – KB Swings
9 – Curls (9 each arm)
Run Lap

Flight 77 – Pentagon
53 – Straight Leg Deadlifts (1 Leg at a time)
6 – Clean & Press (6 each arm)
Run Lap

Flight 93 – Field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania
33 – Goblet Squats
7 – Halo’s (7 each way)
Run Lap

Mary – Total Per Flight
87 – LBC’s (2 Count)
60 – Pickle Pointers @ Bench Area (KB on Hips)
59 – Flutters w/Press (2 Count)
40 – American Hammers w/KB (count each side)

We ran short and had three minutes to spare. We took time to pass the Dutchie left and right one revolution.

JWOWW made a great point while we were running our fourth lap – you don’t come to realize how many people actually lost their lives until you start counting them out one by one, rep by rep, and the pain grows with each rep. Just remember this when you’re thinking about giving up when honoring those who lost their lives.

We had 12 PAX, each of which struggled through this unique weinke.

We headed back to COT and I gave one last word with regard to those who lost their lives:

NMM

In total, 2,996 people lost their lives on that fateful day of 9/11/2001. At this time 18 years ago, none of them knew their time would come to leave this earth. They had plans, families, loved ones, futures, goals, dreams. Don’t take what you have for granted. Live the life you have with those you’re surrounded in the best way possible. Give all of yourself to God and let Him use you. Don’t hold back. You never know when something might happen and put an end to all of it.

Prayers/Praises

Flat Tire’s son is going to take his on the road drivers test – prayer and praise!

Pray for marriages – and don’t take for granted the fact that you have an amazing M.

Pray for Winnie – my 2.3 – who is the last of our family to catch our little illness going around.

Praise for our newest Region, Lake Wylie! And for our new leadership in The Fort.

Announcements 

Christmas party coming up! Get your sweaters!

Punch List out.

TClap |
17

Don’t poke the Q

Cars pulling in right up to the starting time.
Disclaimer and intro.
Mosey with dynamic stretching along the way.
Circle up for some warmup and a small sample of Broga.
Back to kettle bells
Did the following exercises 3 sets of each 10-15 reps each set followed by an ab exercise.
Every three exercises we would mosey and do 10 burpees ( this quieted down most poking of the Q.)
Goblet squats, figure 8s, KB Swings, single arm rows, shoulder presses, single arm curls, clean and jerk, and reverse lunges.
COT
announcements- invergence and convergence
Prayers- Airborne son leaving for US Army boot camp. God Love the USA.
Trucker- learning everyday lessons on raising kids and being a good father.
All the kids going back to school today.

Also had a good reminder and to just love your kids and not worry about always if their the top or best at something. Just show them you love them.

Backdraft out.

TClap |
3

19 That Didn’t Mail In Their Saturday

So there was this Saturday in Ft. Mill, SC that 17 men joined 2 Q’s to have a little fun in the city park, talk about the impact F3 & others have had on us and the community, and do some crazy exercises that would make others shake their head. That Saturday was yesterday and I must say that Router and I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity granted us by Slash.

3 years ago, Router began his journey with F3 and as he said, the life change has been great and there’s no looking back. As we all know, it’s much more about the 2nd & 3rd F’s but the magnet of the 1st F is what attracts us and propels us to that life change F3 is know for.

That said, Router lit the torch with a disclaimer and a brisk mosey around the WEP path stopping along the way for 20 SSH, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs, 10 Merkins and 10 Peter Parkers; a great opportunity to stretch the PAX out and bring them back together.

Router brought us to the middle of the grass field for the start of the Worlds Longest Lasting, Most Disputed, Loudly Criticized, Not At All Controversial, exercise in The Fort. Sorry, the Pullman got the best of me (which has nothing to do with what we did). This is where he introduced us to a modified Catch Me If You Can. However, there were no rucks, no running, no monkey humpers, just a lot of Tesh-chasing which, for me as Tesh’s partner, made for a quick rendition of this terrible idea. Partner 1 is doing inch-worm merkins while Partner 2 does 20 Flutters, 10 Merkins, 20 American Hammers and 10 Carolina Dry Docks then bear crawls to his inch-worming partner. We did this for what seemed like the entire Saturday morning but in all reality, it was about 100yds (go ahead and try it…I dare you).

Oh, that wasn’t bad enough? How about Router bringing us back to the starting point for a round of Jack friggin’ Webbs. Yup, you just read that. And yes, we went to the 10:40 mark with merkins & overhead claps.. Say hello to your Jell-O arms. Good thing none of our resident hair models were in attendance because hair-washing would’ve been a challenge later that morning.

Then Router topped it off with an explanation of his growth over the last 3yrs since joining F3. Thanks to the fellas like DD (in attendance), Santini, Senator Tressel, Assassin and others, there are hundreds of men who share a similar story to Router, each one unique and powerful in their own right.

Hand off to Maximus.

Mosey to “The Hill” and line up at the base. Identify the tree at the top, about face and reverse lunge walk all the way up the hill to the tree. At the top, drop to your six and crab walk back down.

Mosey back to the field and in true Jack friggin’ Webb fashion, take that to the legs for Lieutenant Dan’s. Just like before, we went to the 10:40 mark with squats & jumping lunges.

Lined up the cones about 30yds apart, PAX line up at one end then the explanation. WWII situps into a burpee broad jump. Repeat until you get to the other cone.

2 lines facing each other for Knee Tar Jah’s or Prisoner Lunges or whatever we’ve decided to call these things.

SSH x 21

Back to the cones. Run from cone 1 to cone 2, 20 Plank Jacks, NUR back to cone 1, 15 WWII situps, back to cone 2, 10 Plank Jacks, then NUR back to cone 1, 5 WWII situps.

PAX back together for:

SLOW Peter Parkers x 21

Flutters x 21

Squats x 21

Jail break to COT for a short set of LBCs.

So that was it. Great time I hope for all. Didn’t get a lot of miles but my body 24hrs later tells me that wasn’t needed. Remember what’s been done for you as you have the opportunity to do something positive and impactful for others.

**ONE REMINDER**: September 6 is our Annual Invergence followed by our regional Convergence September 7 back at WEP.

Until Next Time,

Router & Maximus

TClap |
3

The Hive: Move to Gain

We had real men of genius show up at The Hive today. It was cooler temps and we took advantage of them. 12 of us decided to pick things up and put them down and get better this Friday morn.

FNG brought in by 3D kept up nicely and we had Lone-star, guest of U Haul’s from TX visiting The Hive. Very much appreciated!

The Thang:

Disclaimer and Welcome

Mosey to light poles for dynamic warm up

  1. SSHs
  2. Carolina Dry Docks
  3. Imperial Walkers
  4. Squats
  5. Moracan Night Clubs
  6. Butt Kickers
  7. High Knees
  8. Shuffle L/R

Grab our bells and mosey to far side of lot

3 Rows of exercises

1st Round = 15 Reps, 2nd = 10 reps 3rd round 5 reps for each row of movements

  • Kettle-bell swing
  • Single & 10 double
  • Two arm bent row
  • Figure eight
  • Goblet squats
  • Upright row
  • Dips

 

  • Lunge press
  • Sumo upright row
  • Curls L/R
  • American Hammer
  • Bench press L/R
  • Plank Rows L/R
  • Tri Extension

 

  • Flutters
  • Hello dolly’s
  • Freddy’s
  • Deadlift
  • Sidestep upright row
  • Kettlebell Merkins

Wrapped up with a thought about we have to move in order to gain. We need to get up and post if we want to get fit. We have to go to work and get a pay check…….the same is true for our relationships. We have to engage in order to grow and get closer to another……M’s 2.0s and Sky Q. Take the steps necessary to gain more in those relationships and don’t wait to the lows of life and the valleys to tell them you love them.

Thanks for the Q Band Camp……always honored to lead!

Cake Boss

 

TClap |
1

The Hive Freshly Paved

I showed up for my VQ KB workout at The Hive to find a freshly paved parking lot.  Apparently Bandcamp has a lot of pull!  It’s nice going home without road rash and stones in the front seat.

The workout consisted of the following warm ups exercises.

  • SSH
  • Windmills
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Moroccan Night Clubs
  • Little and big arm circles
  • Imperial walkers
  • Peter parkers
  • Parker peters

A slow mosey with butt kickers and high knees.

Exercise Round 1

Phase 1 consisted of 6 exercises.  Each exercise was was done in in 20 counts.  Once completed we repeated with the count being 15, then 10 then 5.  The exercises were:

  • Two handed squat and overhead press
  • Plank rows
  • Curl
  • Merkins
  • Two handed swing
  • Tricep press

Exercise Round 2

We ran to the bottom of the hill near the stadium.  At the bottom we did:

  • 10 Single arm clean and press (10 each arm)
  • 10 Overhead lunges (10 each leg)
  • 20 Goblet squats
  • 20 One handed swings (10 each arm)

Once we were done with this we ran about half way up the hill, did 10 Burpees and 10 BB Sit-ups, run down the hill; rinse and repeat X3.  After the first set an audible was called to go to 15 each and then 10 each on the next two sets.  (Time was running out and we wanted to get them all accomplished).  We ended up getting through the second set when it was time to return for COT.

COT

  • Bandcamp has a friend coming in next week, his second F3 workout, and will be leading the warm up.  Please come to The Hive next week to support these guys.
  • UHAUL has his VQ, I believe Wednesday.
  • Prayers for safe travels this week.

I appreciate the opportunity to lead, it was a lot of fun and a  great group!

Thank you Bandcamp!

 

TClap |
0