Tag: Birdcage

a non running Q’s version of Laces Out

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7 #HIM showed up for my Q at #Laces out

Disclaimer and quick discussion on how I used to be a runner

Warm up one mile run

stretch for 2 minutes, discuss several of my favorite meals…and for a second week almost everyone took their shirts off…weird…

main course – 15 minutes of sprint the straightaways and recovery on the corners

main course – 10 minutes of your 5K pace

main course -10 more minutes of the first 15 minutes

stretch for the last 5 minutes

COT/BOM with Laces In

The fast guys got in 6 miles, the slow guys got 5 miles, everyone got better…

 

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I call this one the rope a dope…

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Ok so right off the gate I have to say tagging 30 people is a chore, but I love all of you so I did it anyway. I dont get the opportunity to Q Slow Burn a lot so I am always grateful when the chance arises. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the amount of folks that go to the Burn. I wanted to bring some things to those folks they may not have been exposed to before. We started as any other day with the disclaimer and identifying the FNG in the crowd EHed by Smithers. Off we went…

The thang

Slow mosey down to the parking lot in front of the old Baxter Fun house. We kicked butts and high knees along the way. Dark Helmet got a little handsy. Circle up for some windmills, merkins, and Moroccan night clubs. The counts ranges from 15-3 depending on my vibe in the air. Mainly I just get tired of the same old 10 or 20 counts. Q tip #1- DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY once in a while

Mosey over to the road leading back towards Armory. Next we were going to work on pacing. The object is to run the same distance over the same time repeatedly. First was a 1 minute run toward Forest Hill church at whatever pace you need to hold to get to 1 mile. So if you are a 5 minute mile guy, then run fast. If you are a 20 minute mile guy, then basically walk. This was a true UVU. We ran for 1 minute out then had a 1 minute rest. Then 1 minute back. Most ended right were we started. Next series was 2 minutes out, 1 minute rest, 2 minutes back. Again, other than Long Shanks, everyone ended close to where they started. This is a great training exercise for anyone trying to figure or work on pacing.

Next we went over to the Lowes sitting wall (or we sit on Lowes, idk). Count off by 1 and 2. Team 1 inch wormed out to a line in the parking lot then mosey back. 2s keep sitting on the wall. Once back switch. We did 2 rotations of this. We then did 2 seriees of bear crawls in this same manor. To cap it off was a series of slow merkins. 3 count down… to 10 I think.

Next we meandered over to another area where to everyone’s surprise we found a kettle bell coarse laid out. Everyone had their opportunity for rows, presses, swings, hay bailers, and curls. Whilst others waiting we did squats and merkins.

For my final trick we moseyed over to the gravelish lot next to Empire pizza. Here we partook in some HIIT style training. 1 minutes ARMAP burpees , rest, then 1 minute AMRAP merkins. COT

Prayers for Spitz to be the sounding board for a youth. Prayers for that boys family. Invergence on the 29th and convergence on the 30th where YHC has part of the call so I hope to see you all there.

Moleskin

So here is where things twisted everyone’s mind. I explained that we had actually performed workouts from 5 different style AO’s in a single Q. The warm ups with low counts and less impact-full exercises is something that can be found at a moderate style workout( Slow Burn/ Footloose). The running where we worked on pace setting is something you can find at Laces out or Clydesdales. The wall sits, inch worm, bear crawl combo was a stereotypical boot camp like Laces in, The Coop, or The Ranch (Constance motion with an elevated degree of difficulty). The KB portion was exactly what you can expect at Armory or Tomahawk. Last but not least the HIIT ARMAP is your Varsity style.

Moderate is a steeping stone on your fitness journey. Be careful not to get complacent and stop challenging yourself. We proved today that 30 men can do 5 styles of workout. Go at your own pace. Just because you “aren’t a runner” doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a running AO. Just because you dont own a kettle bell doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a KB AO (there are always extras). Just because you aren’t Pin Up doesn’t mean you should skip a HIIT workout. Push yourself men. The greatest growth comes from the most discomfort.

Challenge was issued of try a new AO this week. Who’s up for a change? I believe in you guys. Ill meet anyone anywhere if they want to try a new AO. Open invitation…

Thanks Barry,

Cage out

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9/11 Memorial- We will never forget

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I never let on this workout would be fun. I never said come for a easy moderate start to your week. I did however make clear we would be honoring those fallen. The paxs arrived to pay tribute. We were going to attempt something I had doubts we would complete, but we were darn sure going to try.

The Thang

Opened with a different kind of disclaimer. Today we weren’t going to modify. Today we would just stop if you needed and your brothers would pick up were you left off. Today, we honored every person that lost a life on this day 16 years ago. We weren’t going to half ass anything, they deserve everything we have.

Quick lap around the parking lot then stop at the flag. Pledge of Allegiance was said. Mosey to middle of parking lot. We split into 2 groups (1 with 5 and one with 4). Some of the exercises would be completed as a team total and some were as an entire group.  We began…

With your team complete 125 burpees for all those who never said goodbye to their loved ones inside the Pentagon.

Next we ran a fast lap and back at it. Then 246 sit ups with the bell for all those who never made it to their destination on flights 93, 77, 175, and ll. Then a hot lap around parking lot.

Next was 2 buprees each for the paramedics lost while they tried to save others. Then 60 shoulder presses with your team for the police officers who lost their life. Hot lap around parking lot.

We then did 343 goblet squats with our team, one for every firefighter that never returned home that day. Hot lap around parking lot

Next was 614 KB Swings with your team. These were for the people in Tower 2. They never went home to their wife, their husband, their daughter, their son. Hot lap around lot

For those that didn’t escape the collapse of Tower 1, we did 1402 bent over rows as a group. Another hot lap

Time was running short. We had remembered all those individually, now we would remember and honor them as a whole. For those inside the towers we did 2606 LCB’s as a group. COT

Moleskin

What I didn’t put above is that most shared their story. After every hot lap someone shared how they remember the news this 16 years ago. As you can image, everyone remembered it perfectly. Everyone knows were they were, we know how we felt, we can still feel those feelings today. To be honest, its hard for me to even write this without tearing up. I remember the images of people jumping from buildings in a desperate act of hopelessness. I remember the images of first responders covered in ash dragging bloodied people away from the scene. I remember the almost instant feelings of hate I had for the cowards that carried out this act. I also remember the resolve it brought America. In the days that followed the were one Nation…under God. Every car had an American flag on it, every house, every everything. This act of terror brought us together and made our resolve even stronger.

Thank you for everyone that came out today. I know it was hard and I couldn’t be any prouder at how hard everyone worked. No one half assed anything and left it all there this morning. By my best guess each person did 27 burpees, 50 sit ups with the bell, 15 shoulder presses, 100 goblet squats, 150 KB swings, 160 rows, 300 LBC’s, and 1.75 miles at about a 7 minute mile pace.

Prayers for Geronimo starts his new job soon, Sauerkrauts sister starts cemo soon, and prayers for all those affected by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

There is few things I love more than this country. God Bless the USA

Birdcage

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Tubthumping at Slowburn

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I was very happy to see 28 PAX report to Slowburn for my VQ! As promised via Twitter the day before, I did my 28 Merkins during a count-o-rama. No FNG’s. Gave the disclosure and we formed 2 lines for an Indian Run to the warmup at Empire.

Warmup

Cherry Pickers x10
Slow Windmills x10
Low Slow Squat x10
SSH x10
Goofballs x10 – Dang, y’all looked goofy!

We counted off by 5’s and the 5 teams did an Indian Run to the far side of Lowes for…

The Thang – 5 Stations

  1. Core
    1. Forearm Plank 10 count IC
    2. Captain Morgans 5 each side IC
  2. Legs
    1. Monkey Humpers x10 IC
    2. Tree Huggers 10 count IC
  3. Pecks
    1. Werkins x10 IC
    2. Derkins x10 IC
  4. Arms – Dumbbells Provided
    1. Left Arm Curls x15 IC
    2. Right Arm Curls x15 IC
  5. Abs
    1. Flutter Kicks x10 IC
    2. Sweat Angels x5 IC

Rinse & Repeat

Teams then moseyed, again Indian Style, to Baxter’s Playhouse for some “Tubthumping”. I had the loudspeaker set up to play Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping.
Lady singing = MNC
Guy singing = SSH
“I get knocked down…” = BURPEES! Did you do all 28 burpees?

OYO mosey back to Empire for some stretching and then a mosey back to Chick-fil-A for COT.

Announcements: 9/11 @ Tomahawk Birdcage is requesting PAX to show up for a special Remembrance Workout, Invergence/Convergence last Friday/Saturday in September, Donate underwear for victims of Hurricane Harvey, SpeedforNeed!

Prayers for our Brothers going to Columbia, M’s and 2.0’s, Weather, and all the unspoken requests.

I had a blast.  It’s an honor working out with you guys!  Big Thanks to Barry Manilow for allowing me this VQ opportunity. 

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5 Year Convergence + FNG Challenge PreBlast

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On September 26th, The Fort celebrates 5 years of invigorating male leadership in the Fort Mill community. To commemorate this occasion, we are pulling together the PAX of Fort Mill to a 1st F Convergence on Saturday, September 30th at 0700 at Nations Ford HS.

Join us on September 30th as we come together to celebrate this HUGE milestone. There will be 5 different workout options to accommodate PAX and every level. You have no excuses.

Also, with the time of year (weather + vacations are over), weekend date, late start time, workout options, and away Clemson & USC games, this is the PERFECT STORM for EH’ing FNGs. Add in the general excitement that a convergence generates and the conditions could not be more perfect. That said, we’re setting a goal of 20 FNGs. That’s roughly 1 FNG for every 20 PAX…we can do this…easily.

Here’s the Plan:

WHAT: Ruck

  • Q: Trucker
  • Time: 0700

WHAT: Bootcamp

  • Q: Royale
  • Time: 0700

WHAT: Run

  • Q: Birdcage
  • Time: 0700

WHAT: Black Diamond Bootcamp

  • Q: Backdraft
  • Time: 0700

WHAT: Moderate Bootcamp

  • Q: Short Sale
  • Time: 0700

Let’s celebrate the last 5 years of impacting this community and many more years to come!

Ginsu

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Nothing but light poles

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Back to Back Q’s are always my favorite. Especially when I had 8 hours to prepare. Kielbasa took the day off so I jumped on the chance to Q on what I still consider to be home turf. Vernon walked up confidently with what I came to find out was an FNG. I instantly Omaha’d from my original set LOL. Didn’t want to scare him off day one.

I gave the disclaimer (just showing off for the new guy) and off we went. Short mosey around the parking lot then on to the proverbial stretches. Moroccan night clubs, imperial walkers, and merkins. To end the merkins Airborne held 6″…..

Grab the bells and ran down to the mild of 9 light poles lining the entrance road to the school. Starting from the entrance going all 9 light poles toward the school the exercises were as follows.

10 Gunslingers, 20 flutters , 30 tri-extensions, 40 goblet squats, 40 American Hammers, 40 LBC, 30 Curls, 20 KB Swings, 10 plank flys

We started in the middle at the Hammers. We did those then went to the next pole to get the LBC’s. Then we went back 2 poles and hit the Hammers again and then squats. Next it was back toward the school for Hammers, LBC’s, then Curls. You may be catching on by now…..Next was back accross them all toward the entrance for LBC’s, Hammers, Squats, and Tri-extensions.

This went on and on until we reached the flutters on the entrance side and the flys on the school side. We almost made all of the poles but after what amounted to 1.5 miles of running with the bell and something to the order of 300 Hammers with the bell we were all toast. COT time

Prayers for our country, Texas folks affected by the storm, and our group.

Moleskin

I am not the preachy type. I’m more the “is that a Greek God” in human form type. But, with a new comer in the crowd I felt compelled to speak today. Somewhere around light pole 14 we paused for me to drop the truth. What started as a normal F3 speech quickly transformed and I found I was speaking to myself. I started to describe our group as follows.

We are just normal guys. What gets most of us is the freeness of the event. Most guys do anything thats free LOL. That’s at least what it starts as…..we are a band of brothers for a greater cause. When you wake up always know we are there in the gloom waiting on you. When someone Q’s understand they want you to not only be physically stronger, but mentally and spiritually as well. This group has brought me to heights I never thought achievable. Hell, I ran a fricking half marathon and the P200 at 250 pounds. Yea the physical conditioning helped, but the most valuable asset of all is every single member of this group. When I ran those events I thought of all my brothers running ahead of me, with me, and encouraging me from behind.

If you come here to work out then basically you’ve missed everything. You can do that on your own time for free at your community gym. Get plugged in, hit the 3rd Fs, volunteer, go to convergences, get in Whetstone. Basically in Birdcage language…sh*t or get off the pot.

Well now that its out I can get preachy I expect a flood of messages about me speaking at events. I offer an F3 discount, just be sure to mention the special promo code CSPANISOLD

Thanks Sauerkraut – even though you weren’t there

Welcome FNG Neo- Vernon must not like you to bring you to one of my Q’s

Respectfully, Birdcage

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The Bird has landed

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Well well well….Your boy Birdcage gets injured and everyone thinks hes gotten soft when he returns. Sorry boys, aint gonna happen. I’m not back to full running form however everything else works fine.

The Thang

Hi my name is, dont sue anyone, lets go.

What a better way to start than a little 1 mile ish run around NAFO at a faster than some desired pace (Kielbasa). Warm up consisted of a plank nightmare. The ten of us circled and entered the plank position. We went around counting off ten counts. About every three ten counts I barked out a different plank variation. We rotated from regular, then left, then right and after 2 minutes of planking we hurt.Next variation was not as fun. We did the same scenario with mountain climbers, peter parkers, and parker peters. Yea……2 minutes of that sucked also.

We then ran back across the AO for some wall sits down at the elementary school. We did wall sits while the line bear crawled past us….twice. Then we all did a ten count each whilst in the wall sit position. I like others to get involved….

Most had noticed we past the pull up bars as we journeyed across the AO. Well, I’m no good at pull ups but everyone seemed to want to do them so off we went. Series included 10 knees to chest and 5 negative 3 counts from the pull up position. We did 3 rounds of this.

So we seemed to be missing something, running. We ran back across the AO to the practice fields. There we did 2 rounds of partner wheelbarrows across the field width wise.

Then back to COT for a well deserved Body Destroyer. If you dont know what those are show up to my next q, if your man enough.

Thank you Kielbasa for the invite. I love qing that AO. I also like that you drank a Coors light in COT. Only a Polish guy could get away with that, or a rucker.

Birdcage out

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#Varsity

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8 PAX show up to put in work this morning. The overcast morning kept it fairly dark the entire workout.

Disclaimer was Disclaimed.

The Thang:

We took advantage of the circle we were already in and started the warm-up.

Slow Windmill – 10

Low Slow Squat – 10

Mosey around the parking lot: Karaoke L/R –> Mosey –> Knees to Chest, Ankles to Hip –> Mosey –> Walking Lunges, Toy Soldiers –> Mosey

Circle Up

Hill Billy Walkers – 10

SSH – 25 double count

Merkins – 12 double count

Peter Parkers – 10 double count

Parker Peters – 10 double count

Honeymooner, Downward Dog, Honeymooner

Moroccan Night Club – 15 double count

Mosey to the pull-up bars and partner up:

Partner#1: 8 pull ups / Partner#2: 8 squats; 3 sets

Partner#1: 5 toes to bar / Partner#2: 5 jump squats; 3 sets

Partner#1: 5 Chin-ups / Partner#2: 5 jump squats; 3 sets

Mosey to the Wall:

People’s Chair; PAX#1 sprint to cone (approx. 30 yards out), complete 3 burpees, sprint back to wall, rotating until all PAX finish.

BTTW; 20 push-ups when finished

Mosey to Band Field:

Line up on Goal Line and follow the PAX in front of you in a single file line.

Every time we got to a side line the PAX: Low side shuffled on the side-lines for 10 yards

After 10 yards on the sideline, we ran the width of the field. Runs (distance: the width of the field) included: Karaoke Left, Karaoke, Right, Run Backwards, Run Forwards, Side Shuffle Left, Side Shuffle Right.

Line up on the 50 yard line:

Every 10 yards: 10 Bomb Jacks

25 Merkins (single count)

10 Burpees

25 Merkins

10 Squats

2 x 50 yard sprints

Body Destroyers (Crowd Pleaser!)

 

Mosey back to COT.

Name-O-Rama

Announcements

Prayers/Praises

NMM:

Kielbasa – There were at least 10 name changes throughout this workout for Kielbasa (mostly from Sauerkraut and Birdcage). Even though he was working through some injuries, he put in great effort.

Socrates – Today was Socrates first day back since my VQ. He put in great effort and got stronger and better. Great to see you in The Gloom again, Brother!

Wegmans– Wait for it…wait for it…There is a Then/Now situation happening with Wegmans.  It is great to see him working towards his fitness goals.

Geronimo – This man is a beast. His planking while waiting for the six turned into plank jacks (and then it turned into plank jacks for the other PAX!). Thanks Geronimo for keeping me company at the front as we moseyed from location to location within the AO.

PITTS – Can we get this HIM a VQ?! He’s more than ready (ask anyone who posted at The Coop this past Wednesday, when he lead an off the cuff warm-up like a seasoned pro). A regular at The Coop and Varsity…we’re lucky to have this HIM.

Sauerkraut – After the disclaimer, Sauerkraut request we do Body Destroyers, immediately. It wasn’t until the end of the workout (since I didn’t know, or want to know what a Body Destroyer was) that YHC finally took him up on his offer. Crowd pleaser, for sure (be sure to ask him for the details)! Awesome mumble chatter from this HIM.

Birdcage – It’s be great having Birdcage posting back at Varsity regularly. The mumble chatter is always good without this HIM.

 

It was an honor to Q for these PAX. Thank you, Kielbasa for the opportunity.

 

-Crawdaddy

#CoopStrong

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Three of us for a nice 4:40 pre run      (birdcage,pinup &a sauerkraut)

Its Monday so I tried to do somewhat of a moderate workout but for darkhelmets 35lb bell it didn’t seem too moderate.

We started with a nice mosey around the parking lot with the bells in hand, than we circles up for some  side straddle hops, imperial walkers, merkins and some lbcs. I would be lying if I said my counting was on point this morning lol. After lots of laughing at myself! The warm up is over

workout followed…  6 cones in the parking lot each with a workout, in between each workout we ran one lap around the cones and so on.

1st cone: 10 left hand on the bell merkins /10 right hand on the bell merkins

run a lap

2nd cone: 25 lbcs with the bell

run a lap

3rd cone: 20 kb swings

run a lap

4th cone: 20 squats with the kb

run a lap

5th cone: 20 skull crushers

run a lap

6th cone: 10 left arm curls/10right arm curls

run a lap

repeat 3xs

two minutes til cot group lead abs workout

darkhelmet took us out in prayer.

Great job everyone…

 

 

 

 

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The Coop 2017.29

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I was greeted this wonderful morning by over 20 gentlemen that all came to get stronger.  This is not an AO on my routine schedule, but I love it and sneak over here for the pull-up bars on occasion.  It’s the first time I’ve gotten to Q here so guess what?  We’re all going to be sick of the bars before we leave.

Warmup: SSH, Merkins, Freddys

Break up into groups of 3.  Groups of 3 will provide adequate rest between exercises.  This workout is to build strength, not endurance.  Just don’t check twitter while occupying the bench and we’re cool…

Upper body superset: (this is drop set, each exercise is a similar muscle group but an easier movement, so you do more reps)
4 pull-ups, 6 negatives, 8 assisted (one partner gives you a foothold)
Once done Al Gore till the 6 comes in, 10 jump squats, al-gore 30 seconds, 10 jump squats
Core superset:
8 knees to chest, 12 hanging tuck toe pointers, 16 bicycles
Al Gores and jump squats

Repeat the whole thing!

At some point I tried to be a good Q and have a discussion about the topic of the month, and then someone farted…

Stay in groups and head to the bottom of the hill for a 3man Dora.  100 merkins, 100 squats, 100 LBCs.  This is more or less a warmup for your legs, and cool down for your upper and core.ki

Stay in groups for a 3man relay race up the hill and back.  If you don’t almost lose control of some bodily function on this one, you have something left in the tank…  Back to COT.

Moleskin

At COT I gave an explanation of why I train, but to sum it up: I like having solutions to problems.  Some solutions come as physical abilities.  Read the newsletter.

 

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