No pain no gain

WARMUP: 1 mile mosey through the mean streets and rolling hills of downtown Fort Mill, followed by a 1 mile Indian run
THE THANG: 11’s at the Monroe White hill with burpees at the bottom and bomb jacks at the top
MARY: Hello dolly, American hammers, merkins, and flutters
ANNOUNCEMENTS: upcoming CSAUP, Blood drive at Forest Hills 7/14
COT: prayers for a friend of Kermit’s that just lost a young child
Prayers for fire marshal Bill as his business struggles through employee turnover during a period of high demand
Prayers for Gekko as he tackles a 100 mile run 💪

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Independence Day 1776 Challenge

Good morning America! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Soupy muggy morning. We had one FNG EH’d by Beaker, so the full disclaimer was disclaimed and off we went to the NaFo track.

WARMUP: None. Got right into it.

The Main Event: The 1776 Challenge
7 laps of 400m along with 1776 exercises as follows (everything single count unless otherwise noted):
* 50 burpees
* 100 calf raises (50 regular, 50 toes out)
* 100 ski abs (double count)
>> Run 400m
* 100 ‘merkins
* 100 LSS
* 100 LBC
>> Run 400m
* 100 CDD
* 100 jump squat
* 100 American hammer (DC)
>> Run 400m
* 100 OH clap
* 100 mountain climbers (DC)
* 100 hello dolly
>> Run 400m
* 100 wide-arm merkin
* 100 jump lunge (DC)
* 100 flutter kicks (DC)
>> Run 100m
* 100 plank shoulder taps (DC)
* 100 hillbilly walkers
** Badger Challenge (optional, level-up) – 100m crab walk
* 100 SSH
** Badger Challenge (optional, level-up) – 100m bear crawl
>> Run 400m
* 26 burpees
>> Run 400m
>>>ENDEX<<<

It was a total sweat fest this morning, but so worth it. Not much mumblechatter after a while, but A LOT of pain. The fellowship helped alot…..seeing your fellow PAX push through things makes you want to push as well. Thank you everyone for the push!

Capped it all off with a gorgeous sunrise and Pledge of Allegiance at COT, along with some announcements and P&Ps.

Special kudos for Clickbait for opening up his home for anyone who does not have anywhere or anyone to go celebrate the holiday with. #HIM

NMM:
7-4-1776 was a BIG day in the history of this world. Not only is it the birth of our great nation, but it was a loud exclamation to the world that freedom reigns and is worth fighting for. We exercise our freedoms every day whether we know it or not, from being able to wake up early and go work out with like-minded men, voice our opinions on whatever topic in however means, practice whatever religion or belief system we choose, or choose not to practice any type religion or belief system – all without fear of persecution. There are some people in this country who are challenging these various freedoms, not knowing that they themselves are exercising the constitutionally guaranteed right to challenge the status quo and advocate change. Many countries would severely persecute that type of vocality. Yet we as a nation allow and even foster it, for through adversity, change, and pain comes growth, wisdom, and strength.

During your various Independence Day celebrations please take time out to give thanks for the many things we have (i.e., blessings) as well as our many various freedoms, however you may define them, including – IMO most importantly – the freedom to speak up and make change happen, however large or small the magnitude, scope, and/or scale. That’s what happened on 7-4-1776, on a great scale and magnitude, and has continued since. The United States of America as a whole is never stagnant, it is always evolving. Hopefully for the better. It is by no means perfect either (what made of man is?), but it could most definitely be worse in many many ways. It is up to each one of us, exercising our various freedoms, to ensure we as a nation continue to move forward and get better in some way every day. Change happens through action, not just words. The mission behind F3 is to plant. serve, and grow small workout groups for the purpose of invigorating male community leadership. Keep at it, continue to BE the change you want to see in this world through not just your words but your actions. Give it away, for when you do YOU help facilitate positive change in others.

Have a happy and safe Independence Day. Happy Birthday America!

Thank you for the opportunity to lead. Blessed and thankful for every one of you F3 The Fort PAX that are in my life. SYITG.
– NASA

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Leading The Old Men in Circles

WARMUP: Everything in cadence to 10
Windmills, Cherry pickers, M Nightclubs, Imperial Walkers, HB Walkers
2 laps on the track around basketball courts, met around 4 square and did SSHs, calf stretching and groin stretching.
THE THANG:
10 Merkins
15 BBS
20 calf raises
25 Superman’s
30 CDD
35 LCB
Run lap around parking lot
Rinse, repeat

7:12
Baseball stretches
Leg across body
Knee to chest
Knee to ground
Groin stretch

7:15
Pain ends

MARY: Nada

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Convergence on Monday, July 4th at Honey Badger; GoRuck Star Course on Oct 8th in Charlotte.
COT: Prayers for kids turning 18 and living in the freest country in our realm!

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Dancing in the Street

WARMUP: Dynamic mosey around downtown stopping and doing some squats, Merkins and other stuff
THE THANG:
Monroe White street is the saddleback of the Fort. Making our way for Tom hall street to top of hill is .6mi, performing the following at each corner
10 Merkins -100
20 LBCs -200
30 Squats -300
10 stops and so we got some work in with 1.8mi
MARY: n/a
ANNOUNCEMENTS: read newsletter
COT: prayers and praises from all the PAX

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I don’t know much but I know Uhaul

WARMUP:
Windmills, monacan Nite clubs, squats, merkins, sumo squats toy soldiers, lunges
THE THANG:
3 sets of ten: 3 sets of 5 exercises 10 reps each take lap. Most got two full rounds in
MARY:
Did some Mary with Bushwood
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
10 yr anniversary coming up
CSAUP COMING UP
COT:
LOTS PRAYERS DOE health concerns. Praise for Battle Bots anniversary 👏🏻🥓

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Sandbag Games

WARMUP: Slick mosey around the parking lot followed by some SSH, Good Mornings and a few Merkings.
THE THANG: I borrowed, or stole, this workout from Steak Knives in Cape Fear while we did a version of this workout as extra credit prior to a running AO. Everyone hear had a sand bag between 40lbs-60lbs.
(50) Sand bag Getups (think a Turkish getup) without ruck on.
(50) Sand bag ground to shoulders (and toss it over your shoulder) while wearing ruck.
(50) Sand bag squats while wearing ruck
(50) Sand bag clean & throws (same as a sand bag toss) while wearing ruck.
We were on a 2min timer so every 2mins, you had to do 5 burpees. After 2 rounds, we changed the count to 3 burpees.
MARY:
Box Cutters with ruck overhead
LBCs with ruck overhead
Flutters with ruck overhead
American Hammers – slick
Standing side-bends with ruck in hand
Series of planking with rucks on
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Newsletter, Independence Day convergence at NAFO, give blood, Men’s Shelter
COT: You had to be there.

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Not Naked, Not Afraid, Just a VQ with a Crew

Slow Burn was smoldering this morning with 23 strong men choosing the gloom over the ‘sack & supporting YHC for my VQ! Some special guests were among the group: 2 PAX made the trek from Metro, and we welcomed our newest FNG (Cousin Eddie), EH’d by Rebel. Conditions were great – sky was clear & the rain last night cleaned the streets off for us, but also washed away my exercise notes from the curbs (lesson learned & more on that later)! It was the perfect setup for a VQ…

Started with the 5 Core Principles & Disclaimer, then got right to it.

WARMUP:
A short mosey around the parking lot
SSH x20
LSS x10
Alternating Lunges x10
Slooow Merkins (3-count down) x10
Imperial Walkers x10
Token Burpee x1

THE THANG:
Today was a somewhat of a hybrid of Pearls on a String / 11’s

Started at the 1st Street Light in front of Lowe’s Contractor Parking/Pickup
First “Pearls Set” was 10/ea: Merkins > LBC > Squats > Flutters > Big Boys > Plank Jacks
Then the “11’s Hybrid” component, which was 1x Flying Squirrel
Mosey up the road to the 3rd Street Light (back toward Empire Pizza)

Next was 9/ea of the Merks > LBC > Squats > Flutters > Big Boys > Plank Jacks
And 2x Flying Squirrels, then Mosey back to the 1st Street Light

Mosey & Repeat: 8/ea + 3, 7/ea + 4, etc. The exercises quickly moved from the main drive into the parking lot to get away from traffic. The last two rounds/sets were done in cadence – not just for my own accountability, but wanted everyone to finish together.

Short mosey back to the flag, where Mary joined us for the last 6’ish minutes. The unofficial total distance was just shy of 1.5mi (I haven’t yet joined the Strava cult).

I think the mumble chatter was good, though I was deaf to most of it as I was putting everything I had into calling exercises, trying to catch some breath in between, and pushing myself to just keep going!

Upon the clock striking 6am, the PAX graciously provided some feedback from the workout. I’ll remember to speak louder than what feels necessary (especially when in close proximity to a highway!), consult amazon to get my hands on some water-proof chalk (which sounds like it would be a parent’s nightmare… isn’t the fact that chalk doesn’t last is what makes it acceptable for the 2.0’s?!), and a Q should call an audible when needed & modify their own weinke to ensure the Q can complete it (I fumbled on completing the 9x Flying Squirrels, though I did pull it together & knocked out the last 10 when it was time)!

HUGE THANKS to Weezer – it was an incredible honor & privilege to have the opportunity to lead such an awesome group this morning. Huge shoutout & THANK YOU to Grizzly (my original EH’er) & WhatDid for making the early drive down from Metro (and THANKS to Shady for passing the note to them!). And another HUGE THANK YOU to all my PAX brothers who showed to know this morning. It was amazing having such a strong turnout! The support was more than humbling!

MARY: Yes

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Read your newsletter. 2nd F Lunch today (was today). F3 Dad’s this Saturday @ WEP.

COT: Praises & Prayers all around.

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Wannabe board of pain and a hill

WARMUP:
dynamic warm up in the Church of God lot
1/2 high knees, jog it out, 1/2 butt kickers back, jog it out
10x shoulder taps, imperial walker, flutter
karaoke 1/2 and turn the other way 1/2
back with a shuffle same deal
10x merkins, hillbilly walker, dying cockroach
toy soldier down, windmill walker back
10x Travolta, LS Squat, LBC
bear crawl down, burpee broad jumps back
10x donkey kick, monkey humper, weezy jefferson

THE THANG:
Accumulating exercises at the bottom of the big hill, 3 burpees at the top, accumulater similar to BOP, all 15x
calf raise, ski abs, merkins, squats, LBCs, Carolina DD, american Hammer, Mahktar N’Diayes, jump squats, mt climbers
MY TAKE:
FNG Breakfast Club passed me on the hill 4-5 times, he’s a beast
Couples crushed it
Good to see Chicken Hawk
5 PAX in that 18 years +/-1 present and are a bit faster than the respectables
Great AO, many option, show up next week for Cake Boss

Looks like we made it,
Barry Manilow

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