Tag: Bonsai

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11 braved the gloom and supported my VQ at the Tomahawk this morning.

Set up was in stations and with partners to facilitate the proper acceleration from each participant.  Songs set the beat and the timer with a periodic visit from our favorite Chainsaw wielding problem solver, Malcolm.

Playlist was as follows:

  • The Boys are Back in Town
  • Welcome to the Jungle
  • Wake Up Call
  • All Summer Long
  • Jump
  • Malcolm the Chainsaw Man
  • Golden Years
  • Crazy Little Thing Called Love
  • You Shook Me All Night Long
  • Malcolm the Chainsaw Man
  • Fat Bottomed Girls
  • Down Under
  • I Want You to Want Me
  • Malcolm the Chainsaw Man
  • Everybody Hurts – for 5 minutes of Mary
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Laces In with a twist

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It’s never to late for a backblast. Since Q’ing LAces In, YHC had other things – traveling to the Penn State White Out – that occupied his ability to focus on the backblast. First thing first, if you have never been to a Penn State football game, especially a White Out – fan or no fan of PSU – it has to be on your bucklist. The GREATEST environment in college football – as well as THE best football program.

The weinke was developed a few days before in anticipation to the white out. The thang…

COP prior to a mossy and it started with 40 SSH!!! a few other exercises then mossy to parking lot’s far end. Began with suicides to the first four parking rows. Then did a Diego 1, 2, 3 where there was no partnering up nor running instead each PAX did 50 burpees, 100 squats, 150 flutters.

Another round of suicides, then deck of cards was pulled out. Squats, merkins, LBCs and overhead claps.

5 burpees each, sprint to other end of parking lot, 5 more burpees, sprint to COT, 5 more burpees.

COT

Thanks for joining the fun and apologize for late backblast. For some reason my video was deleted so forget who posted…..

Trucker

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Postal Route

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With the opportunity to Q Minnow Pond I knew I  needed to bring the pain and increase the intensity.  With everyone gathered and watch at 5:14, I gave the disclosure and at 5:15 we were off.

Ran from Confederate Park to the FM Post Office, meet in the parking lot and do burpees until the six is in.  The plan is running the roads behind the post office with exercises each corner.  The roads make a square and 1 exercise 10 reps at each corner.

1st lap – Elliott Street – merkins

2nd lap – Leroy St – Wide arm merkins

3rd lap – Hill St – Monkey Humpers

4th lap – Oak St – CDD

5th lap – Elliott st and back to COT

Not a lot of talking with the official 4.36 miles.  Everyone was accelerating and the AO is the type of site that will push you but also offer a lot of encouragement.  We are all at different paces in our acceleration, but doing a little more than you did the day before is showing acceleration.

Don’t let the site and distance scare you away.  Push yourself to try something new and just like every site, there are always Pax to push, encourage and pick you up.  Just like in life, we are all in different places and phases, and we can encourage one another to be better in our house than we were the day before.

Thanks Shady for the opportunity to Q.

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Celebrating Shield’s 49th @ Footloose

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Warmup: 49 SSH
Party: 7×7’s = 7 rounds of 7 counts of: Monkey Humpers, Incline Merkins, Peter Pointers, Merkins, LBC’s, Squats, SSH
Happy 49th Shield! pRespect!

Next we mosey’d up and down Confederate St, Indian style. We finished on the far side of Southern Sugar. There we did a wall sit while the 2 ends broke off to do 2 burpees. Another mosey later we were at Fort Mill Church of God running up and down their stairs. I like to call that the Smithers Stair-climb because the first time I did it was when Smithers was on Q. It hurt me back then so I knew it made me better. I try to incorporate it into every Footloose Q now.
Around the corner we found another set of stairs that a few of us ran up and down twice. At the top we circled up for a round or 3 of Mary. Another slow mosey got us back to C.O.T. We prayed.

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The Prodigal GRT

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It was nice returning to Fire Ant after a loooong hiatus. By long I mean I haven’t been there since the week prior to the DSM. Thankfully, the commute to Huntersville is to blame – not the lack of desire to be at Fire Ant.

I showed up about fifteen minutes early and began to get my stretch on. River Rat showed and followed suit. Gotta be honest – I look up to that dude. He’s got a boatload of kids and he still finds time to make himself better in the gloom.

Bonsai and Router pulled up, and circled up with us. I whipped out my two 60 lb sandbags and disclaimed the disclaimer.

We picked up the sandbags and got to walking 2×2, each PAX holding one side of a bag.

COP

Ruck Around the loop to warm up w/60 lb sandbags
Walk onto soccer field, drop bags, circle up
Slick
SSH x 30
Tappy Taps x 10
Al Gore night club x 11
Low Squat pulses x 20
Yoga

Rucks on – time to put in the work.

Partner Up

Movement 1
P1 Beep beep I’m a Jeep, clank clank I’m a tank to goal posts
P2 does ruck curls
Flap Jack once P1 reaches goal posts

Movement 2
P1 bear crawl to end of field while P2 overhead hold ruck
Once P1 reaches the end, P2 bear crawls to the end while P1 holds ruck overhead

Movement 3
P1 duck walk half way across field
P2 bent over rows
Flap Jack

Movement 4
Grab the sandbags
P1 bear crawl sandbag drag to mid field
P2 Curls
Flapjack

Formation – ruck off of the field to the shovel flag with sandbags – changing side that PAX held. Walking 2×2

Movement 5
Catch Me If You Can
Each PAX keeps ruck on, running PAX carries sixty pound sandbag
Once around parking decks with 7 low squats

Movement 6
Rinse and repeat around parking decks with 7 ruck merkins each time

Mary
Lay in a circle formation – heads pointed in
Holding rucks up, legs at six inches
Press one at a time, clockwise
10 reps each while calling out your reap
Switch directions – flutter kicks with 10 presses
Switch again – dollies with 10 presses
Switch again – Rosalitas with 10 presses

BBS position, rucks on lower legs.
Sit ups in rotating order x 20
Reverse protractor – torso makes the angles instead of the legs – 10 degree hike for last 10 seconds.

And that’s time. Very Fair.

COT
Announcements –
Guidance is back in action – Monday and Wednesday from 4-5. Reach out to Deacon or Crabcakes for more info.
Q v Q is coming
Something special coming in November between Fire Ant and Golden Corral.

Prayers/Praises
Pray for River Rat and his parenting. He’s a HIM with many 2.0’s and wants to lead them well.
Pray for Bonsai’s wife – started a new position with her company and is still making the adjustments. Pray she can find peace through Jesus in the midst of the anxieties in this transition.
Pray for Router – family friends have a daughter of the same age and their daughters aren’t getting along like they used to.
Pray for my me as a father/husband and for my M who is raising three kids alone on most week days while bearing another beautiful baby.

Had I been on Q ten months ago and only four PAX show up, my pride would have been hurt and I would have been mad, honestly. My perspective has taken a 180, though, and I really enjoy the small group – as it creates a better atmosphere for what F3 is all about. That’s why I came to F3 in the first place.

It was a solid morning with good chatter between the few of us. Happy to have had the opportunity to Q Fire Ant. Another notch in my belt!

Punch List out.

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Light on mileage, Heavy on the push

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While the research may vary, the average ant can lift/carry 10-50 times its own body weight. Luck for us at the Fire Ant AO today, we were only carrying ourselves and our Rucks, which varied from 30lb-45lb. So, to that I say, you’re welcome.

We had a small yet might group of Ruckers this morning as 4 others joined YHC. Once disclaimed, we Rucked to the playground for:

50 Pull-Ups (slick)

50 Push-Ups (with Ruck)

Ruck to the soccer fields for bit of a 4-corners covering half the entire field. Once we figured out the appropriate sides of the field for transportation between corners, it would be Bear Crawls (with Ruck) on two sides f the field and walk (with Rucks overhead) for the other two sides. In the corners:

Corner 1: 25 Ruck Curls

Corner 2: 25 Bent over Rows

Corner 3: 15 Hand-Release Merkins

Corner 4: 25 Upright Rows

We completed the circuit twice then made our way over to the flag pole:

15 Flutters w/o the press

15 Freddy Mercury’s with Rucks up

10 Flutters w/ the press

Ruck back to COT to hold the Al Gore position while each PAX recounted where they were when they learned of the events of 9/11.

Remember. Never Forget. Be Present

Maximus

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What Lacks in Creativity…

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Call it “coincidental”, impeccable luck, dumb luck, divine appointment, proper Site-Q planning or option “F”, None of the Above but I was fortunate to have the Q at the Swamp today; the morning of our region’s Invergence. If the PAX were grumpy this evening due to not having a decent workout to start their day, that would be on my shoulders. I was really hoping to not let that happen.

So when 19 other men rolled in for an even 20, I had to take note of who might need the extra push. Once the mental note was made (and it shall remain mental), I recognized we’d have to get some distance in before jumping right in and even try to gas people a little here and there.

Disclaimer was uttered and again, my request was made: “All of you are carrying something with you this morning. My request is that you be present for the next 45mins, engage, push and be present with us, here.”

We then…moseyed. Made our way the long way (as if there’s a short way) over to the Kohl’s parking lot mixing in Butt Kickers, High Knees, Toy Soldiers and a few rounds of Sprints (yes, on a warm up mosey).

Circle Up for 7 reps in cadence of each of the following:

Wide-Arm Merkins

Regular Merkins

Diamond Merkins

Mountain Climbers

Peter Parkers

Parker Peters

Then 5 Burpees

2 Lines for an Indian Run around the entire Kohl’s/Kirklands/Ulta, etc building coming back to the Ulta parking lot (can’t believe a beauty supply store just made its way into the BB…TWICE).

Then our typical warm up: Slow Wind Mills, Slow Squats

Catch Me If You Can with a partner and incorporating 10 Carolina Dry Docks and 10 Monkey Humpers when your partner catches you. Make the parking lot lap 3 times. Word to the wise, if you’re partnered with B.O.T., mandate that he jogs or shoot, walks…#speedy.

Circle Up for 7 more reps in cadence of each of the following:

Wide-Arm Merkins

Regular Merkins

Diamond Merkins

Mountain Climbers

Peter Parkers

Parker Peters

Then, mosey to the Old Navy parking lot and line up on a white line

Crab Walk 20 yards, 20 dips, crab walk back, 20 Dips

Repeat

Mosey to the Best Buy parking lot

3 reps each:

Wide-Arm Merkins

Regular Merkins

Diamond Merkins

Burpees

COT

See you at the Invergence tonight and the 1st Convergence tomorrow (Sat) followed by Q-Source.

Honored.

Maximus

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Playing Cards at The Colosseum

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A return to the arena we call The Colosseum; a homecoming if you will. That’s all that was at stake. With the increased Tuesday attendance and the added AO here in September for the Iron PAX Challenge presenting another posting opportunity, 11 other men decided to join me and a deck of cards at the Colosseum this beautiful morning. Fresh off a Labor Day beach trip, I was happy to ensure Jekyll & Hardwood wouldn’t be disappointed. We had a few rookies for the deck of cards but I hope they’ll incorporate this into their Q’s at a future date. While the first 15-20 cards can be manageable, don’t let that fool you. Depending on your choice of exercises, this gem will bite you. And today, I think most of us felt the effects of that bite.

With a request to focus on our time over the next 45mins and a disclaimer, we were off to the basketball hoops. Our warm-up consisted of:

Squats, Moroccan Night Clubs, Wide-Arm Merkins, Flutters, Freddy Mercuries

Run to the 6th light post up the back road followed by:

5 Burpees, 15 Diamond Merkins, 25 LBC’s

Run back to the hoops for the deck of cards.

If you’re one of the 3 people reading this and you’re unfamiliar with how this works, each card value represents a rep count. 2-10 is that number of reps while Jack =11, Queen=12, King=13 and Ace=14.

Diamonds = Burpees

Hearts = Jumping Lunges

Clubs = Merkins

Spades = Dips

I added 3 Jokers for good measure which meant each was worth 15 American Hammers

In total, we completed:

104 Burpees

104 Jumping Lunges

104 Merkins

104 Dips

45 American Hammers

We followed it up with some flutters in varying speed.

And that was it. See, not too bad.

Be present and I look forward to the next time.

Maximus

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Monotony is a Choice

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16 energetic pax posted to the 4th installment of Minnow Pond.  All veterans, all had been warned in advance of need to warm up. So Disclaimed was super short and then it was game on.

The Thang

Run to playground at WEP.  First to arrive start doing Burpees until Six shows up.

Extended plank sequence while YHC delivers instructions.

Pax run one .6 mile lap around WEP on path at crisp pace. When pax arrive back to playground:
Pull ups x10
Derkins x20
Gorilla squats x30

Rinse & repeat lap/exercise sequence AMRAP for remainer of workout.

Short stint of Mary at playground while Six finishes final lap.

Run back home

COT

NMM

Great effort by the pax, pushing themselves and pushing each other.  Total laps ranged from 3 to 5, depending on pace.  Total of 3.5-ish miles plus 50 pull-ups, 100 Derkins & 150 Squats for those who maxed out at 5 laps.  No one left without needing to wring out his shirt.

Shady’s mission at MP is to push the pax, both in terms of pain and pace.  Objective with today’s Weinke was to make sure pax of any running pace could participate without the Six falling behind or leaders catching too much of a break.  Seems like it worked.

Running laps and doing the same three exercises can become stale…kinda like many parts of daily life.  Sometimes it might be the work routine, other times it might be family life or exercise or church or anything.  I don’t deal well in maintenance situations or situations that become routine.  When I’m stuck in those places without much ability to change, I can be tempted to make poor choices to escape the mundane or to “spice” things up.  Jester can draw a bead on me quite easily at these times.  BUT, there’s ALWAYS a #choice.  And the first choice is how you see the situation.  Seeing it as “monotony” is a choice.  Someone else might see the work routine with envy, because they want a job.  Someone may see the family routine as a dream, because they live alone or can’t have children.  Someone may see exercise doldrums as a joy, because they’re injured or disabled.  So, when routine starts to weigh on your spirits, remember that you have a choice to see the routine in ways other than drudgery. And maybe a different choice will help keep the Jester at bay.

Thanks to Shady for opportunity to lead.  Looking forward to many more mornings at MP!

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19 That Didn’t Mail In Their Saturday

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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

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