Joint Operation Command – The JOC – time for revival and invigoration of leadership!

34 Men at the JOC

Was so cool to see two regions come together as originally planned for The JOC. Kenyan has been working hard to attract the PAX from both regions to this awesome AO and today it happened.

I want to thank Kenyan for the opportunity to Q and I am humbled for the call. I want to thank Pusher and DOuble D for accepting the invite to Co-Q with me and making the 3 headed monster complete. The compliants about it being a moderate site were outstanding…..Thank you! I want to thank all the PAX for posting this morning and you all have choices and I don’t take it lightly that you chose to post at The JOC. T-clapps to Lake Wylie PAX for posting and making the trek….much appreciated. Way to go FNG Steve – aka Bluto for posting. That was no easy task for 1st Timer and you did awesome!!

The Thang:

Cake Boss intro and disclaimer and them off to Soccer field lot

  • COP
    • Plank
    • Merkins
    • SIde Straddle HOps
    • LBCs
    • Plank
    • Wide Arm Merkins
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Freddy Murcurys
    • Plank
    • Peter Parkers
    • Moracan Night CLubs
    • Squats
    • Hello Dollys
    • Plank
    • Parker Peters
  • Mosey to end of lot
    • High Knees half way then mosey to end
    • BUtt kickers half way then mosey to end

Hand off to Pusher

  • 5 Burpees
  • Mosey 100 yards or so
  • 4 Burpees
  • Mosey 100 yards or so
  • 3 burpees
  • Mosey 100 yards or so
  • 2 burpees
  • Mosey 100 yards or so
  • 1 burpees
  • I think we did exercises after running but who knows…..people we dying and I pulled my hip flexor, but it was all getting us better!!!

Hand off to Double D

  • 6 Burpees
  • Bearcrawl/backward bearcrawl at each light change
  • 7 Burpees
  • lunge/backward lunge at each light change
  • 8 burpees
  • Mosey
  • 9 burpees
  • Sprint
  • 10 burpees
  • Again  we did exercises after running but who knows…i was seeing the Saints in the clouds

COT

Great time was had by all. Kenyan has solid Q list of guys to pull into the JOC Q rotation. Read your newsletters!!

Steve FNG – Bluto owns or runs the Amor Artis brewery on main street n Ft Mill. Go hit him up but more importantly……get him to post and get better each day!

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Remember your #

Another saucy morning for the PAX at footloose.  Slight mumble chatter as YHC assessed the group.  I had a plan but could I pull it off was the question.  Gave a brief intro and disclaimer and we were off for our 5 second mosey which caught everyone off guard.  Mental preparedness is key.  We started out with…yep you guessed it Broga.  Thanks to Sasquatches excellent training I learned a few things over the last couple of years on Broga.  Threw in a few other warmup items like windmills, SSH, blah blah blah.

On to the meat and potatoes.  First order of business was to assign a number to each PAX and an exercise which went fairly well considering a bunch of dudes early in the gloom.  Kicker was if they forgot their number or exercise we’d do burpees.  I don’t think we did any surprisingly enough.

Off to our first location down by Ft. Mill COG.  Plan was to start at #1 and go through 13.  PAX with number would run up and down the stairs while rest of PAX did exercise.  Simple enough.

Imperial Walkers, Cherry Pickers, Merkins, LBC’s, Calf Raises, Carolina Dry Docks, Flutters, Squats,
Shoulder Taps, Mountain Climbers, American Hammers, Seal Jacks, Freddy Mercury.

Off to another set of stairs where we rinsed and repeated again.  Ran back to Shovel Flag for 1 more round to finish up with COT.

Thanks Beacon for the opportunity.

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BIG DAY at THE YARD!!

11 showed for THE   YARD this past Saturday.

4 elected a pre-run.  3 for a 10K:  White Lighting, Harry Carry and Cake Boss with one for a  5K: Twister

Disclaimer was provided with the admonition that part of the “moderate” is that THE YARD  is only :50 long.  So, off to the THANG:

Warm up – SSH, Plank Work, Lunges and very slow and low squats!!

The PAX were given the option of using a Cindy (cinder block) or a rock for the balance of the workout.  Five PAX elected a Cindy – excellent choice.

Mosey to hill (gentle slope) at entrance of  FMMS.  Here the PAX executed a Jacob’s Ladder of 10 (not 7) with Bomb Jacks and Jump Squats carrying their “coupon”up and down the gentle slope.

Next, mosey to parking lot to south of FMMS and execute a two rounds of:

  1. 20 curls
  2. 20 prone presses
  3. 20 skull crushers or rows

Mosey back to the gentle slope at entrance

2nd Jacob’s Ladder of 7 with Merkins and Squats with three rungs achieved before moseying back to COT for a bit of ab work.

The MOLESKIN: why the burden – besides enhancing the workout, the extra weight represents the burdens that we all carry around with us – let’s loosen those by giving them up to our Lord!!

 

 

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100/300 Blind Spots

9 PAX gathered in the humid pre-rain gloom at the southern end of The Fort for this iteration of The Tomahawk

Warmup:

Short mosey
10 SSH
10 Mountain Climbers (slow count)
10 Parker Peters
10 Peter Parkers
Honeymooner–>DownDog
10 SSH
10 Imperial Walkers
10 Hillbilly Walkers
Short mosey back to bells

The Thang: alternating with Kettlebell Swings

20 Merkins
10 KB Swings
20 Merkins
15 KB Swings
20 Merkins
20 KB Swings
20 Merkins
25 KB Swings
Short mosey

20 Goblet Squats
10 KB Swings
20 Goblet Squats
15 KB Swings
20 Goblet Squats
20 KB Swings
20 Goblet Squats
25 KB Swings
Short mosey – to check on a shovel flag in need of repair

20 Crunchy Frogs
10 KB Swings
20 Crunchy Frogs
15 KB Swings
20 Crunchy Frogs – hands up
20 KB Swings
20 Crunchy Frogs – bells in the air
25 KB Swings
Short mosey

20 Cossack Squats
10 KB Swings
20 Cossack Squats
15 KB Swings
20 Cossack Squats
20 KB Swings
20 Cossack Squats – with bell
25 KB Swings

Short message on blind spots
Plank up
’round the circle on what PAX think their blind spots are

Final round to get to 100 of each exercise and 300 swings
20 Merkins
20 Goblet Squats
20 Crunchy Frogs – bells in the air
20 Cossack Squats – w/ bell
20 Kettle Bell Swings

COT

NMM:

Blind Spots:
As we went around the circle every PAX mentioned that their blind spots are either related to their M or their 2.0(s)….Interesting to note these are at the center of the concentrica. My mind too often wanders back to a Donald Rumsfeld speech (circa 2002) where he lists categories of concerns about the war in Iraq. Known Knowns

  • Things we know
  • Things we know we don’t know
  • Things we don’t know that we don’t know

Phil Kline wrote an Art Song using the text.

At first, I felt Rumsfeld was just rambling, more than a little incoherent, and simply trying to justify the cause for going to war. But the more I hear Phil Kline’s little tune……

We all have blind spots, and often put these “blind spots” into the second category. Things we “know” are our blind spots. But more dangerous is the third category: blind spots we have, but don’t even know exist.

This is why it is important to have other PAX cover your blind spots, and be emboldened to speak with candor when they see your blind spot. If you could see it yourself, you would have already.

We post to get better, and the 1st F is the easiest  to push ourselves. “It’s simple really. If you want to learn how to run faster, just find a faster man. And chase him until you catch him.” Let’s make sure we commit to get better in the 2nd and 3rd Fs as well. And just as the Q and PAX will push you during a workout, let’s push each other to be better beyond just physically.

-Band Camp dismissed

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I’m your huckleberry…

A little background for any historian looking for minutia about May of 2019…  A couple weeks ago, our very own Nasa sent out a call to all the PAX in the Twittersphere to participate with him in the “30 day ab challenge”. Something about wanting to look good for summer.  YHC decided that having having abs (yes, just the word in its plural form) would be a nice change.  Each day HURTS.  They hurt a lot more whenever the Q pulls a favorite bit of pain out of the app to share in the mornings.

When YHC noticed on the Twitty thing that there was a call to Q footloose, I very quickly volunteered (“I’m your huckleberry”), knowing that I could stack the deck in my favor for one day, and one day only… No overlap. But that doesn’t mean easy.

Warmup
Mosey up the road over to the SE lot of 1st Baptist for
15x SSH

During the set an angry and loud dog appeared. To be good neighbors we moseyed down to the other end of the lot to finish the warm up.

15x Moroccan Night Club
15x Low Slow Squat
15x Calf Raises

Mosey down to the stairs and into the little lot next to Fort Mill Church of God. There’s a very nice retaining wall there that’s great for some moderate step ups.

Everyone paired up for some fun

Partner one does the exercise, person two does the motion for about 20m up and down the lot. Switch and wait for the six before moving on. Everyone kept together very well.
Stationary, motion

  1. Step ups, Bear crawls
  2. Merkins, Toy Soldiers
  3. Lunges, High knees
  4. Pistols R, Butt kickers
  5. Pistols L, butt kickers
  6. Supermans, Bear Crawls
  7. One leg deadlift R (toe touch), Toy Soldiers
  8. One leg deadlift L (toe touch), Toy Soldiers
  9. L elbow, left knee, and right hand on the ground, right leg straight and high, hold until the other PAX gets back from -> high knees
  10. Squats, Butt kickers

We took a rest lap after the supermans and when the circuit was complete.  There looked to be enough time to try for another full circuit, but around # 8, on of the PAX noticed my nice watch, causing YHC to LOOK at said watch, realize how bright it was getting, and we ran back to COT for announcements, prayers, and praises.

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Demented UNO

UNO was the game with 20 PAX.  Polariod led warmup. He was first to go out in UNO also.

Each color was an exercise.  The number was the 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 burpee for each card you need to draw.  It changed to everyone did a burpee if you drew a card and it wouldn’t play.  If it could play, then we just did the exercise.  Seems like going easy on the player.

 

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Stairway to Heaven.

Drove the site to make sure I located all the stair that I saw on google earth. We are fortunate to have several churches near the AO. There are 5 set of steps.

Showed up to find at least 7 Pax waiting in the parking lot. Soon as 5:15 hit gave disclaimer and we started to mosey to high Knees, to regular, to butt kickers, to regular. Circle up to warm up with
Imperial Walkers, Moroccan nightclubs, slow Moroccan Nightclubs, Windmills slow and fast.

Mosey near First Baptist to utilize that beautiful stair case leading to there

All exercise are done in cadence
Squats
Run to steps bear crawl up steps and crawl bear down
Over head claps
Run to steps bear crawl up steps and crawl bear down
LBC’s
Run to steps bear crawl up steps and crawl bear down

Mosey to another set of steps

Lunges
Run up one side of the steps and back down
Plank step up on curb
Run up one side of the steps and back down
Big boy sit ups
Run up one side of the steps and back down

Took a min to rest and talk about Growth. We are constantly growing in our spiritual life, home life, work life

Run to Fort Mill church of GOD

Calf raises
Cross the street to lunge walk the steps up and reverse lunge walk down
Plank shoulder taps
Cross the street to lunge walk the steps up and reverse lunge walk down
Freddy mercury’s
Cross the street to lunge walk the steps up and reverse lunge walk down

We had to watch the last rail it was not attached well

Same parking lot

Foot taps on the curb
Run up another set of steps and back down.
Carolina dry docks
Run up another set of steps and back down.
American Hammers
Run up another set of steps and back down.

Took a min to rest and ask about Growth in the lives, where they need growth.

As we ran up and down the steps I noticed some nice new picnic tables that where perfect for dips so we did a round of dips

With time still looking good and thanks to a Barry Manilow- Anchor man Q that I attend at this AO in the past, we did a snake run up and down steps on Fort Mill church of GOD.  10 times.

Time to mosey back to COT up another set of steps with a pit stop at First Baptist as asked              Barry Manilow to lead us in makhtar n’diayes.

Circled up for announcement and prayers.
What a great way to start your morning with 20 other Pax. Always grateful to be able to lead.

 

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1st Quarter Check-in at Footloose – Are You Accelerating or Going Backwards?

When a glorious morning of 51 degrees dawned on The Fort, I figured that there may be a decent size crowd at Footloose. The Pax did not disappoint. Put out some hype in the Twitterverse along with my man, Beacon, and, lo & behold -19 pax showed up hungry for some action!

Disclaimer in full was recited (although I forgot to ask if there were any new guys) and off we went.

Dynamic warm-up-we Butt-kicked and High Kneed our way to the back of FM 1st Baptist.

COP (all IC):

  • Seal Jacks
  • SSH
  • HILLBILLY WALKER
  • Merkins
  • Plank Stretch – Right Arm High
  • Windmills
  • Crab Cakes – real Crowd Pleaser, drew lots of moans
  • MOROCCAN NIGHTCLUBS

MOSEY down the stairs & across to the Family Life Center. Time for:

1st QUARTER CHECK-UP- How is your word of the year going? Family Goals? Personal goals? I shared that my word for 2019 is Resiliency. And my resiliency has been tested many times in this 1st Quarter. Be it personal health struggles, family health struggles, career challenges and just staying healthy enough to do my first P200. Need to give credit to our man CSpan who is always good at reminding us to take stock of the Man In The Mirror and get on track.

Line up along one end of the parking lot- Bear Crawl to 5th parking space, run to the other side. Lunge walk to 5th spot, run to the other side. Next, 75% to 5th spot, 100 % rest of the way. Repeat

Partner up: 10 Partner Giddy-ups each arm, 10 partner derkins, 10 partner-assisted sit ups

Stay with Partner for B.O.M.B.S. – 50 Bobby Hurleys, 100 Overhead claps, 150 Mercuries (Freddy), 200 Bombjacks, 250 Squats – other partner runs over stairs & back. Now, with legs smoked, time for another 1st QUARTER CHECK-UP – We are all leaders in some way – Who has gone to a Q Source meeting? If we aren’t accelerating as leaders, we are going backwards. Left the Pax with one of my favorite sayings around F3 – “Day One OR One Day? It’s up to you. Are you committing to forming a positive habit or leaving that to another day?

Mosey back to the grassy circle in front of FM 1st Baptist for Jack Webb & American Hammers.

Time for COT. Prayers for Spark Plug’s neighbor, Charlie, reminders of Finding Kotters in 2019, FM Care Center Lawn Mowing, Prayers for health for my family.

What an awesome mixture of veteran and newer Pax. Shout out to Admiral who had his first Post just on Monday and he has posted every day since. And Happy Birthday to the master DJ, Flatty Flats. You can Q 10 times or 100 times, but it is always an honor and a humbling experience to lead such a fine group of men. Thanks Beacon for the opportunity.

Short Sale signing off.

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What Again?! Celebrating 5 Years In F3

3/29/2014 was the first time I posted at F3 back at Ascent in Area 51.  I wanted to celebrate my 5th year anniversary by Qing in NC and SC to honor all those who have led me throughout my journey.

Thursday we decided to cut loose, foot loose and this was what happened.

We did a little warmup thang and then headed over to the Methodist church drive way.

12 Days of  Christmas in March? Yep.

So this workout is simple and easy to Q, but not easy to participate in.  Just like the song, you repeat every number every time you go up the chain.  Here’s our 12 days:

1- Run (1 lap if you’re a clydesdale, 2 if you’re speedy)
2- Turkish getups
3- Jump squats
4- LBC’s
5- Diamond Merkins
6- Imperial Walkers
7- Rosalita’s
8- Slow flutters
9- Low slow squats
10- Lunges (each leg)
11- Merkins
12- Bupees

We made it to twelve and I could sense that mutiny might be brewing so I took it down a notch and we eased into COT.

We did a little stretching and a little Mary and we were out of there.

Thanks for the chance to lead.  The chilly temperatures must’ve scared away half the pax.

Please lift up Rick from Mint Hill in your prayers who has cancer.

Shout out anything I missed.

DT out.

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Light Pole Circuits & POW POW @ The Ballroom

***Cobains now for the 2 PAX that I missed.   You weren’t in the video and my memory “ain’t what is used to be”.

Weather was near perfect for a “Pearls on a String”- inspired workout.  Dropped the disclaimer, checked for FNGs and we were off.

Circle Up for 10 of each :

SSH

Squats

Windmill

Stretches:

Downward Dog  to Honeymooner  x 3

Runner’s Pose

Warrior Pose

Grass Grabber/Cherry Picker (neither of which are in the F3 exercises, so I am sure this is officially called something else)

Imperial Walker

Mosey to side of the school.

Rotate 20 dips / Wall Sit  – Rinse & Repeat

Run out to end of bridge and back

Stretching with :

Cat Pose (which cracked Spitz up, Big Time! Nice of him and Lug Nut to join us ! )

Hip Stretches

Mosey to light pole closest to Pleasant Rd. , Start exercises there and run to next light. As a PAX, 20 reps each, various PAX leading the count

Merkins

Slow Squat (although I think it was led at a fast pace)

American Hammer

Shoulder Tap

Lunge

Grave Diggers

Wide Arm Merkins

Calf Raises (Kenyan nearly counted us to 50 on this one!)

Flutters

Monkey Humpers

Overhead Claps

Moroccan Night Clubs

Turn around and head back down the string of lights

OH Claps

Monkey Humpers

Flutters

Calf Raises (Seriously, we had to call off Kenyan on this one. I think he was going to 100!!!   Pretty cool that we had a semi-BOM group on this one)

Wide Arm Merkins

Grave Diggers

Several exercises for 5 minutes of Mary and we ended with Airborne’s brutal hip circuit, led and strongly advocated for by Change Order!

 

I asked the PAX to take a look at themselves and determine where they could GROW (theme of the month), relative to one of the three F’s.  Also cautioned them (& myself) against tending to one of the F’s too much, this neglecting the other 2.

Ended in COT, with multiple praise & prayers. Thank you, Short Sale for the opportunity. Always humbled to lead such a group of strong leaders. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t forget, GIVE IT AWAY. Someone else needs it as much – or WORSE – than you did!

 

SYITG –

Beacon

 

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