Tag: Cha Ching

DORA Got Lost at Quagmire

Leave a comment

While driving the clown car with 5 deep there is no better site then coming around the corner and seeing Jedi posting up the #Quagmire Shovel Flag. 13 PAX arrived to hit it hard with the worst merican ever dora.

Disclaimer was given and moseyed off to the Home Depot parking lot for a little warm up. Once warm up was complete off to the Target parking lot to get that blood flowing and a little more stretching. Then comes the pain.

With the help of Jedi (trying to utilize the whole area/not get lost) we made our way to the fountain. Partner up. Dora time. Start out with 100 worst mericans ever (wide push up, normal push up, diamond push up=1), 200 clapping crunches (thanks six pack abs in 30 days), 300 irkins, and 400 LBC’s. One partner would run around the fountain while the other pushed pavers or worked those abs. Then once around the fountain trade spots. We were all able to get the 1st 3 exercises done before having to mosey back to COT. Once back at COT with a little time to spare we crunched out 100 LBC’s together. We were able to get in 2.25 miles and about 600 different variations of pushups.

These guys took the pain and kept on going. Proud to be part of this Pax and this community. Thanks Jedi for making me a better man. Until next time.

TClap |
2

30 of Everything

Leave a comment

18 at the Abyss for some 30th birthday themed fun.

COP

30 Moroccan Night Clubs
30 Peter Parker’s
30 Imperial Walkers

The Thang

Counted off to form groups of 3, each got a CB

Each pax:
Pull ups x 30
Push Press x 30
Plank for 6

Circled up for 30 body builder burpees in cadence (crowd pleaser) followed by a couple 10 counts

Swings x 30
Step ups x 30
BBS for 6

Squats x 30
Wide armed Merkins x 30
Diamond Merkins x 30
Farmers Walk to end of track and back
Crab Cakes/flutters/lbcs for 6

No time for Jack Webs… oh well.

COT
Read your newsletter.

Welcomed FNG Mudslide (works in corrosion prevention)

TClap |
1

Kettlebells, Bear Crawls, Oh My

Leave a comment

Assumed the Cannonball AO was about as far from me as the Deep and left the house early, only to arrive at the AO a solid 12 minutes before kickoff.  Was surprised to see one of the Church doors open and kettlebells visible from the parking lot.  I guess that kind of red carpet service you get when the site Q is the Assistant to the Parking Lot Manager of New River Church and one of their pastors frequents this new AO.

Once the pax funneled in, I took them for a quick loop around the parking lot and knocked out the warm-up:  (in cadence) SSH x25, windmills x10, overhead press w/ KB x10, halos x10 (counter clockwise & clockwise), merkins x15, downward dog / honeymooners and an attempt at Supermans w/ KB in hand (went over real well lol).

Ran the guys w/ our KB’s down to the far end of the parking lot and we got started:

  • 4 cones set-up (1st at the far end of the lot), the next 3 about 7 parking spaces apart.  Quick and dirty – do an exercise at the first cone, immediately lunge walk (w/ twist) w/ KB to the next cone, drop the KB, run back to the first cone (every time) and bear crawl back to your KB.  Once there, you do the next exercise, lunge walk w twist to the next cone, drop weight, run to the very first cone, bear crawl back to weight (now 2x the original distance)….you get the point.
    1. Exercise #1 – plank rows w/ kettlebell (10 reps per side).  Key here being to maintain flat plank the whole time as you hold body w/ 1 arm and pull w/ the other.  Lunge walk, run, bear crawl, (wait for all Pax to finish bear crawl – those waiting did upright rows w/ KB), then
    2. Exercise #2 – wood choppers (crowd pleaser).  It’s a play on the KB swing, but a little harder.  Start w/ KB above your head to the left then swing it down to the right side of your legs, and then swing back up to the left side of your head.  Key here is to not blow out your knee, but to actually accelerate as much as you can on the way UP.  10 reps going left to right, 10 reps right to left.  Lunge walk, run, bearcrawl 2x the distance (wait for pax, those waiting did curls w/ KB), then
    3. Exercise #3 – single leg RDL’s (romanian dead lifts) w/ kettle bell in the hand of the leg that is going straight back.  10 reps per side.  Lunge walk, run, bear crawl 3x the distance (those waiting for pax to get back did thrusters w/ KB), then
    4. Exercise #4 – toe touches w/ KB (20 rep count).
    5. Turn around and rinse and repeat whole cycle, only double the rep count for all exercises above.  Good stuff.  Bear crawled out at this point.
  • Next up were some good old fashioned super sets – two exercises given, do them back to back, no complaining.
    1. Alternating merkins w/ one hand on the KB at all times (10 reps per side) / bent over KB tricep extensions (10 reps per arm)
    2. Get ups (hold KB in each hand 5x each) / KB jump squats (10 reps)
    3. Big boys w/ KB press (15 rep) / KB american hammers (20 reps per side)
  • Only had a few minutes, so we gave ourselves 10 parking spaces to get back to COT and everyone did bear crawls back to COT w/ KB in hand (use it as a hand, no dragging, switch hands half way through).

    I have to say the effort level by everyone was awesome to see – not a single person was half a$$ing it – all were finishing each set strong and suffering through each of the long bear crawls.  I was especially proud of one of their newest pax, Mysterio, who did not give up on that last KB bear crawl stretch.  The dude had some serious fight – he’s going to be good one.

    Thanks Two Ferns for the chance to step up and lead at the new Lake Wylie KB AO.  Didn’t really know what to expect w/ a KB workout, but had a blast – hope the others did as well.

    ChaChing

TClap |
1

Challenged to “Bring It”

Leave a comment

A few months ago, Dark Helmet and I were challenged to “bring it” to The Deep. I’m not sure how I got roped into the conversation as I no longer provide the top-tier workouts I used to. You see, it’s not because I’ve gotten soft (well, maybe a little), it’s more due to the physical acceleration of the PAX, which is evident when I cross the water and see the brothers in Lake Wylie. My workouts aren’t as hard as they used to be for some.

That said, I’ve become known for 2 things: the deck of cards and cinder blocks. I couldn’t disappoint the fellas. Dark Helmet on the other hand, is known for many things (not including many leather-bound books, rich mahogany, a perfect quaff or starbuck-y hands). And, with these many things, he brought his level of creative, pain-inducing exercises to the first half of the morning’s Q.

Once DH signed a few autographs, gave a very clear disclaimer, he took off for the warm up mosey. Then did a few warm-up-type exercises which included all the regulars and plenty of chatter.

Grab a partner and since when does size not matter…in Wheelbarrow racing?

You and your partner will alternate wheelbarrow’ing around the circle which I swear, grew as we were encircling it.

Next, grab the cinder blocks from Maximus’ truck for a little DORA activity.

Partner 1 (P1) would run around the main lot while Partner 2 (P2) would do the exercise then flapjack for:

200 Bicep Curls

300 Overhead Press

400 Bent-Over Rows (modified the count for timing and inserted chest press)

Hand off to Maximus for more partner work

P1: Ski Abs

P2: Toe Taps on the block (25ea side)

Flapjack

P1: Burpee Broad Jump ~50yds & NUR back

P2: Mountain Climbers with your hands on the block

Flapjack

P1: Beep Beep I’m a Jeep for 25yds & Lunge Walk back

P2: Bomb Jacks

Flapjack

Now with both partners at one end and the block at the other:

P1: Sprint to the block, 10 Man Makers with the block, Sprint Back

P2: Flutters from the V-up position

Next up, partner big-boy sit-ups while passing the block back and forth

I can’t fully recall if we did a few 8ct burpees to finish it off but it’d be a lot cooler if we did…so let’s assume we did.

Hey PAX, wherever you call home, go somewhere different. Organize a clown car with a few other locals and go see a different AO on a Saturday and attend their Q-Source. You never know what you’ll learn. Dark Helmet and I appreciate the opportunity to put ourselves through misery in the spirit of Qing for a great group of F3’s finest PAX.

Until Next Time.

DH & MAX

TClap |
2

Crosswalk fun at Quagmire

Leave a comment

6 PAX arrived at Quagmire to work off all the post Mother’s Day calories. Disclaimer was given and off we moseyed. Circle up in lot across from sub shop for warm-up. Normal stuff: SSHs, Hillbilly Walkers, Slow Squats, Merkins, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, MCs, MNCs, Imperial Walkers. Now that everyone was loose we moseyed to Kohls.

Starting at first cross-walk we did 2 Bomb-Jacks, 2 Seal-Jacks, and 2 Plank-Jacks. Jog to next cross-walk and increase count by 2. So 4-4-4, 6-6-6, etc. all the way around that strip of stores. There are several cross-walks in front and behind that section, PAX made it up to 18-18-18.

Back in front of Kohls we lined up for some fun I borrowed from our ruck event.

  • Burpee broad jump length of store, run around store back to start.
  • Lunge walk length of store, run around store back to start.
  • Burpee broad jump length of store (Cha-ching was so far ahead of everyone we modified to 2 broad jumps per burpee), run around store back to start.
  • Lunge walk about 2/3 of store before we needed to head back to COT.

Mosey back to COT with a quick stop about halfway for 25 LBCs. I didn’t track how far we ran but I’d estimate 2.5 miles. Lot of space to use at Rivergate. Great work by all the PAX this morning! And thanks to Jedi for the opportunity.

-Mainframe

TClap |
0

That was a lot of sit-ups

Leave a comment

My 2nd of 3 Q’s in 3 days. Always a pleasure to Q The Swamp!  Now that I am Ruck free and with no big race on the schedule I’m free to just do regular old Bootcamps. My favorite workouts combine a good amount of running(big surprise) with a bunch of other stuff so that is what we did today and  was glad to have a bunch of guys to share it with.

Started off with s nice mosey warm-up with some dynamic warm-ups of butt kicks, high knees, shuffles and some karaoke.

Circle up in the HD parking lot for COP consisting of SSH, IW, Carolina Dry Dock, Peter Parker, Mountain Climbers, then a series of Downward dog to Honeymooner. Back on our feet for Windmills, Apollo Ono(look out for the car), and just for fun some Monkey Humpers.

Mosey to the bike racks at HD for the main thing. Partner up for a nice BOMBS routine. One partner does the exercise the other does a lap around Home Depot.  There  were some complaints that the lap was a little long even though I assured them it was only about 1/4 mile  I was accused of measuring Zima miles.

50 Burpees, 100 Overhead claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Big Boy Sit-ups(crowd favorite), 250 Supine Pull-Ups(only because I hate squats and I needed an S).  We did not make through all the pull-ups, headed back to COT for a few minutes of Mary, ending with a Body Destroyer.

Announcements – Convergence 5/24, Honor Badger at Golden Corral 5/21 wear Red, Read your newsletter

Praises for Lutifisk daughter, Dungaree’s 1 year anniversary, prayers for kids cancer relapse.

Challenged the PAX to take the role as the leader in their home.  We are called to lead, do not be a passive bystander or even worse do not take or accept the role as another child in the house.  Be the man/leader you are called to be.

Thanks as always for the opportunity to lead this great group!!

 

 

TClap |
4

EMOM to close out AKA at Golden Coral

Leave a comment

We had 19 at Golden Coral to close out AKA. I was honored that Lutefisk gave me the opportunity to close out AKA and I did not want to disappoint. So here it is:

We started with a 1 mile journey around Golden Coral stopping every 1/4 mile for 15 merkins. (Crowd pleaser).

We finished up at the fire station for a quick warm-up before we got to the thang. I dont remember completely but it was quick. I think it included some windmills and weed pullers.

Then we got to the THANG:

I planned a little EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute). Each Pax had 1 minute to complete 20 burpees, then 1 minute to complete 20 crunchy frogs then 1 to get down the hill and back before we started over. We did this rotation until 15 minutes were up. The goal was to finish as many of the reps as you could or push yourself to whatever number was achievable in the 1 minute.

With enough time remaining, we started another EMOM, switching the burpees and crunchy frogs for jump squats and CDDs.

With only 2 minutes to spare we ran back to COT.

Thanks to Lutefisk for the opportunity to lead and to all the Pax for putting up with my craziness.

Until next time, back to the hunt…

 

TClap |
0

Short Circuit at the Swamp

Leave a comment

Time seems to be something YHC lacks nowadays. Thank goodness Cha-Ching asked me to Q at the Swamp a month ago, because I probably would have declined had I known what my schedule would be like. Nevertheless, I made good on my commitment and kept the Q. Taking all of my recent Qs and smashing them together, I came up with today’s workout in about 5 minutes and hoped that it would go well.

At 0515, the five brave PAX for today’s bootcamp (seems many are “resting” for a heavy backpack thing) were debriefed and off we went on a mosey “the wrong way” out toward 49. We kept a moderate pace, but needed to get all the way to ULTA and still have a couple minutes to warm up, so it wasn’t slow.

Quick warm up of 10 windmills, 20 Moroccan night clubs, and 10 thigh masters (per leg…crowd pleaser). Then came the explanation.

Five minutes to complete the circuit of five exercises. One minute to run to the next place. One minute rest. Repeat for five full circuits.

Exercises:

  • 50 American Hammers (per side, so double count)
  • 40 merkins (just normal merkins)
  • 30 squats
  • 20 bomb jacks
  • 10 burpees

Runs were roughly 400 m each. We started in the parking lot in front of ULTA. Ran to the bank. Then back out to Walker Branch to wrap around the long way to Target. Then up and around the other side of Old Navy. Then back to Target and over to Just Fresh. Then finally out to the road, around to PetsMart, and back to COT.

Totals:

  • 2.15 miles run
  • 250 American hammers
  • 200 merkins
  • 150 squats
  • 100 bomb jacks
  • 50 burpees

Every circuit got done with 1-2 minutes to spare of the five minutes, so we usually grabbed 30-45 seconds before running, as the runs took more than a minute each time. Still got our minute rest between circuits, which was definitely appreciated in the end.

Met up with ruckers at COT. Announcements are in the newsletter (upcoming convergence on the 24th, so keep your eyes open for that). Prayer requests. Pray and go (some bounced out quickly).

NMM

Nothing substantive to say here. The theory behind this was, I know high-intensity intervals are effective, as are EMOM workouts. I didn’t want some people to get big breaks and some to get no breaks, so I smashed these ideas together. Five EMOMs became a five-minute cap for a circuit. Quick run. Then the rest (which is important, as it allows you to push hard during the circuit). Repeato. So often we leave out the rest to keep pushing, but the rest time is actually beneficial to pushing harder during the working portions and building cardiovascular capacity. I’m not big on “taking 10s” because we’re tired, but planning rest intervals into the workout: good idea.

Thanks for the opportunity, Cha-Ching, and great push everybody.

Jedi

TClap |
0

License to Ill at Quagmire

Leave a comment

I love the opportunity to Q at Quagmire. Starting off the week, you need to make sure you wake everyone up with a good shake of the weinke. I wanted this one to be different, and boy was it. It looked REALLY good on paper…..

Met up at COT. No FNGs. Disclaimer was made and off we went.

Short short mosey around the parking lot in front of Best Buy/Marshalls to get the heart rate up and muscles warmed up. Then it was right into the main event.

I am an 80s kid. I graduated high school in 1988. I feel to this day that the 80s had the BEST music ever. I was a music junkie – I loved metal, rap, country, R&P, hip-hop, and so on, and went to several concerts of those musical genres. Probably why I am tone deaf. In 1986 a cutting edge cassette came out that I loved, and still do. I thought I would incorporate it into the workout.

License to Ill (by the Beastie Boys)

Form a circle with the PAX about 20-25yds diameter. Then we got right into it. The idea was a tabata style workout. You pick an exercise and do it AMRAP for the prescribed time. In this case, we would be doing an exercise AMRAP for the duration of the song played. No rest between exercises other than the transition between two songs (a few seconds). PAX would get rewarded with breaks if they answered trivia correctly. So here it is

Number / Song Title / Duration / Exercise (Note if Applicable):

  1. Ryhmin & Stealin / 4:08 / Warmup = WM / SSH / Arm Circles
  2. The New Style / 4:36 / Merkins
  3. She’s Crafty / 3:35 / Lunges w Jump Lunges
  4. Posse In Effect / 2:27 / Hello Dolly w Reverse Crunch / BBS (1)
  5. Slow Ride / 2:56 / Bear Crawl circle w CDD every 5 strides
  6. Girls / 3:14 / LSS w Bomb Jack or Jump Squat
  7. Fight For Your Right / 3:28 / Peter Parker to Parker Peter
  8. No Sleep Till Brooklyn / 4:07 / Bent Knee Alt Leg Lower (2)
  9. Paul Revere / 3:41 / Bear Crawl circle w CDD every 5 strides >> PAX earned 1 min rest here
  10. Hold It Now, Hit It / 3:26 / IW-HW combo
  11. Brass Monkey / 2:37 / Monkey Humpers (expect anything else w this song??)
  12. Slow and Low / 3:38 / Elbow Plank w Knee Touches to Ground
  13. Time to Get Ill / 3:37 / Merkins

NOTES:
(1) Reverse crunch / BBS = Start big boy situp position but instead of lifting upper body and lower back up and off the ground, you bring feet off the ground, knees almost to chest (goal is knees 90deg bend at least), then return feet to ground for 1 rep
(2) Bent knee alt leg lower = Start on 6, both legs off the ground, knees at 90deg bend with lower leg/calf parallel to ground, then extend one leg outwards to where it is min 6″ off the ground while holding the other leg up at start position. Return extended leg back to start, then repeat with other leg. That is one rep. Harder version is starting w both legs 6″ off the ground.

I brought an OLD boom box and the original CD I bought back in the day and we cranked it out (not too loud). It was a real burner, and it was definitely different. Brought back some fond memories listening to that CD…..complete with a few skips here and there for old times sake.

There was no time for talking. Just doing the work while jamming to some old school hip.-hop/rap. All the PAX did great cranking out the reps, with very little rest, and although there was not much mublechatter it was still a good time. Next time I’ll incorporate some hair band metal/hard rock.

Back to the COT for Announcements, P&P….a little late.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

-NASA

TClap |
1

Diplomacy at Quagmire

Leave a comment

It was a long drive from BFE to Lake Wylie, but I’ve wanted to make it to this AO for a while… so I answered Jedi’s call. By the way, I received my request to Q back in January! That is some hardcore planning by this HIM. I’m lucky if I get a month in advance at The Coop.

Also, due to the friendly banter back and forth between Jedi and the Badger… I had to bring the pain today to satisfy these Lake Wylie boys. The last thing I wanted to be was a terrible Ambassador of the Honey Badger Nation.

Here’s what we did.

400m run

COP

Tempo Merkins – 11
Mountain Climbers – 13
SSH – 17
LSS – 19
Al Gore Night Clubs – 11
Yoga Flow

400m run

Wheelbarrow/Squerkins

Wheelbarrow 25 yards.
Out, swap w/partner, back.
Squerkins – 1 Derkin in wheelbarrow position alternating while partner holds and does 1 Squat – Ascending to 5 (so 15 in total).

At this point Jedi told me to tighten my core, which I realized made wheelbarrows much easier. #ProTip

400m run

Wheelbarrow 25 yards.
Out, swap w/partner, back.
Squerkins – to 6 this time (so 21 in total).

400m run

Squatzilla
Lunge 10 yards, do 10 squats, mosey back.
Add 10 yards each time until you get to 50 (so 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 – in total 150 squats and 150 yards of lunge walks)

400m run

Punch Webbs 1:4 – 10:40
Dive bomber Pushups + Burps/Ski Abs/Thrusts (whatever you want to call them!)
1-5
400m run
6-7
200m run
8-9
200m run
10

As we left and returned to our circle for the Webbs, the sweat puddles kept growing. It looked like an aftermath post from Jocko. We were all pleased. The run breaks were much needed, as my shoulders were pretty smoked. Cable Guy said his triceps were smoked. His form was better than mine!

Last Minute Mary
10xWWI Sit Ups

Side note – we also ran 2+ miles in the midst of all of that fun.

Announcements
GORUCK DSM Custom event this weekend! Pray for us!
Monday’s at Sabor there is a bible study. I missed the full details so follow up with Cornhole for more information.

COT
Pray for Duck Dynasty – had some shady business going on in his neighborhood and it was unsettling. Pray for the authorities to handle it the right way and DD to remain composed for both he and his family’s sake.
Pray for Jedi – big decisions to be made here and it could change what he currently calls his life.
Pray for me – I constantly lack patience with my daughters and I need to realize the impact this could be having on them and their understanding on love and leadership.

In all, it was a great morning to join up with my brothers that I don’t often see. Jedi, thank you for your leadership, your friendly banter on twitter, and for making us all want to accelerate. Finally, thanks for asking me to lead.

Punch List out.

TClap |
4