Convergence: Love & a passing of the flag

Station 1 (Santini): Traditional Pain Platoon

Just your basic beat the hell out of your legs exercises of lunges, squats, and burpees intermixed with meditation and box breathing exercises. Sprint to the top of the hill, recover, and do more exercises including Moroccan night clubs and Carolina dry docks.

NMM: Anxiety and gratitude are not able to occupy the same space.

Station 2 (Shady / Maximus)

Warmup (Shady) – 21 SSH, 5 burpees, 18 SSH, 5 burpees, 12 SSH, someone whined about burpees so we did 10 diamonds merkins…then did 5 burpees
Group 1
  • partnered up and Dora style started out with 100 pull-ups.  Partner 1 on the pull-up bar, partner 2 did a lap around the playgroud
  • Stayed on playground, stayed with partner, Partner 1 AMRAP merkins while partner 2 ran the length of the playground and back to AMRAP merkins
  • Stayed on the AMRAP theme with flutters, then back to merkins, then back to flutters…then (I think) time was called

Group 2

  • Partnered up and Dora style, but this time 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground (Q modification given time and we aren’t cyborgs)
  • AMRAPs were just 1 round of merkins and flutters (again, I think…may need a lifeline here from Max)
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 American hammers..we did this twice
  • W/ time to spare we ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for 10 V-ups
  • In buzzer beater fashion, we ran to the top again for 10 ranger merkins and ran to the bottom for a partner 1 lay on the ground and grab partner 2s ankles where partner 2 would throw partner 1s feet down 10 times as you straight leg lifted them to his face

Group 3

  • Dora style 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 american hammers..we did this twice
  • Running low on time ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for the ankle grabbing / feet throwing core exercise 10 times
NMM: After each of the groups had done their pull-ups, Maximus and Shady shared their thoughts and experiences on LOVE.
  • Shady – areas of focus were loving your brother and being your brothers keeper.  Sending a text or reaching out to someone to just say “hey, thinking of you” could change their day.  Realizing that the ones you love are watching you, emulating you, picking up on good and bad habits.  Realizing we don’t know it all, especially to the ones we love, is a sign of humility and a factor of growth and development.  For those of us with children, we have never been parents before so we honestly have no idea what we’re doing.  Love starts with servant leadership and personally for YHC, this usually progresses when the mouth is shut and ears are open.
  • Maximus – For my discussion on love, it begins with being intentional as love is a decision. We must make the decision to be intentional with our actions. Whether it be in our faith, marriage, parenting of our kids, with friends and yes, even with work relationships, we must be intentional. Think about how easy it is to get distracted, whether at dinner with your wife or even on a Zoom call for work. We often allow our minds to wander or even start doing something else while the other person is talking, looking for our engagement. Stop. Be the person who is present in the moment. Put the shoe on the other foot. Love that person as your relationship to them allows.

Station 3 (Pusher & Cakeboss): Love Edition

COP
  • SSHs
  • Windmills
  • Squats
  • Mtn Climbers
  • Merkins
  • IWs
Cake Boss spells love “B-U-R-P-E-E”
The Thang
  • Jacobs Ladder with Derkins and Monkey Humpers
  • Plank/Dip sequence
  • Bear crawl to top with burpees
NMM:
  • Cord of 3 strands cannot be broken. Having God in your marriage is the 3rd string. Adding communication to the marriage strengthens it. – CB
  • Gifts vs Gaps. Focus on the gifts that your wife or significant other bring vs what she is missing. Seeing her this way builds love. – Pusher
  • Much love was on display with all of the mumblechatter and fellowship. The relationships formed through F3 has increased our love internally and is reflected outward to our Ms, 2.0s, PAX and community… #morethanaworkout

Shovel Flag hand off for two leadership positions in the Fort:

Shady handed off the Nantan role to Double D
Esso handed off the Weasel Shaker role to YHC

Awesome work by the PAX today. Hard to put into words how much improved my disposition on life is since moving back to Fort Mill because of F3. Grateful for an opportunity to serve the PAX of The Fort.

NMM: Double D was the site-Q at Block Party when I started posting. If it wasn’t for his steady presence with a commitment to the integrating 2nd F and 3rd F elements into each workout, I doubt I’d have kept posting. Double D is a genuine human, I’m a better dude for knowing him, and I’m excited for his leadership.


Band Camp dismissed

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Intervals at the Swamp

I have been on a motivated 1stF acceleration tear recently and this continued with some relentless pain. Some might even say it was terrible. Introduced multiple uncomfortable exercises that targeted those obliques and hips. Penguins were a crowd-pleaser. Cookout Squats were also a fan favorite. Nut crushers took the cake. See the Workout summary if you are like me and get geeked out on the data. Stay Frosty my Friends! OLAF
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Snowman suicide at Sweep The Leg

YHC was late to the party placing cones for the beatdown so my man Gears lead the charge from StartEx. YHC was rolling up as the PAX were rolling out so I quickly parked and jail broke it towards the elementary school parking lot untied shoes and all.

Disclaimer was quickly disclaimed, thank you Maximus for providing cues as YHC struggled to be able to talk and tie shoes at the same time.
The Snowman Suicide was on tap for the unsuspecting PAX and boy was it going to be a doozy.

During this trying time, everyone is dealing with something and I wanted to remind everyone that Life is a team sport. And developed a beatdown that allows every single guy an opportunity to jockey for the top spot. This allows for the man out front to be continually pushed so that no one gets to take a break, no matter their individual fitness level.

Just as with anything in life, we are going to have setbacks, and we must remember that during these setbacks we must focus on the path forward and learn from the experience. It is also during these times that we must share that experience with our fellow PAX and those close to us; To allow them to learn without having to make the same mistakes for themselves.
“CLEAR THE PATH”
“LIGHT THE WAY”
The details:
Ten cones are placed along the route from the Elementary school teacher parking lot through the carpool dropoff lane over to the bus lot all the way around to Dam road.
Each cone has an exercise written on it. Every exercise will be performed 10 times.
This is a suicide workout but not just any suicide. It’s a slinky suicide of life so you go up 3 cones then back 2. Meaning that everyone will start by performing the exercise listed at cone#1 then the PAX will sprint past three cones to cone#4 to perform the exercise before coming back two cones to cone#2 to complete the exercise.
Then run to cone#5 to do the exercise, then back to perform the exercise listed on cone#3 and so on and so forth all the way up to cone#10.
So each time the guy in the lead is making progress by one cone but it’s taking him a lot of effort and having to backtrack a ton.

Here comes the kicker:
The kicker is that when the man in first-place finishes the exercise after coming back to cone #2 he then yells “Charge or Onward” and starts to run towards cone#5. Every person that he passes that are still on their way back to cone#2 skips the exercise at cone#2 and joins the leaders heading to cone#5. The leader has already cleared the path and is now lighting the way towards the next cone/challenge of life. Everyone can learn from the leaders experience and head towards the next challenge together. COVID SIDE NOTE: When I say together let me clarify that the distance between cones was large enough that social distancing was easy to maintain along the route (a full-sized road with no traffic) and ample hills to naturally separate the PAX. It is an extremely difficult process that allows every PAX to pick each other up and challenge themself to get better.

Here is the list of exercises
#1: Mack Tar Jighs
#2: Suicide Squats
#3: SSH
#4: Bomb Jacks
#5: ChaCha Merkins
#6: Bobby Hurleys
#7: Hand Release Merkins
#8: Jump Squats
#9: CDD
#10: Burpees

I try to hit all of the 3S2T in all of my Q’s and I feel this one delivered. The speed, strength, and stamina were definitely worked on and the constant switchbacks and hills really focused on the mental and physical toughness aspects. The look on guy’s faces during the beatdown showed the struggle but the encouragement was strong.

I think we made it through the burpees then back down to the Cone # 4 before having to jail brake all the way back to COT.
Great work was put in by all and I think the leaders got in over 4.6 miles and who knows how many exercises.
Count-A-Rama, Name-A-Rama, Announcements and Prayers and Praises before a circle of man.

It was a pleasure to witness the longest shooting star I have ever seen with you gents.

Thank you to Gears for the opportunity to lead these great HIM.
Stay Frosty My Friends!
Olaf

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PreMurph weird exercises at Quagmire

Disclaimer was disclaimed to these seasoned veterans.

Brisk Mosey from StartEx to Kohls parking lot, lots of complaints already.

Circle up then instruct the PAX to assume the FLLP, forward-leaning-listening-position, some people call it a high plank but I don’t hang out with those kind of people.
Read first fun fact about Memorial day:

Sprint around the Kohls and Ultra back to circle up.

Introduction to the new “weird” exercises:
First exercise is the “Side Straddle Burpee”
“The what?” disgruntled PAX
you heard right ladies. Now start Side Straddling and when I say down you perform a burpee. Its not in cadence so get moving.
We did that for a few burpees past when everyone wanted to quit so everyone got better.

Time for another loop around the shops.

Circle up again for some “Cha Cha Merkins”. It’s a simpler form of the breakdance merkin because you don’t have to bring your leg all the way through but you do have to cha-cha your feet in order for the outside of your hip to be able to touch the ground. Its a merkin that instead of your chest touching the ground you’re letting your hip droop so the outside touches which also makes one shoulder work harder than the other. And that’s why we alternate hips. It’s all about finding that right balance.

Then we did some “Suicide Squats”. It’s three squats in one, the gift that keeps on giving like Russian stacking dolls, Start in the original starting position then lower into a little baby squat, then return to standing, then go down to a proper parallel squat, then return to standing, then finally go down to a deep ankle squat, then return to standing. Congratulations thats one rep.

Time for another lap around the shops.

Next up was some “Cookout Squats” Think about having to put your knees together to balance a full plate of food at your grandma’s backyard while you sit in a rickety lawn chair. Only you don’t get the lawn chair and there isn’t a plate of food on your lap. Start standing with your knees together and your toes slightly in. Then squat down as far as you can go. It only takes about 6-7 of these evil guys to get the IT band and your outer hips to feel the fire.

Then bear crawl for about 10 or so parking spots to do some derkins before bear crawling back.

Now its time for the “NutCrackers” a truly crowd-pleasing experience. Drop into a low slow squat and hold at the bottom. Now rotate your knees inward until you hear the nutscrack then rotate them outwards until you can feel it in your hips. I dare you to try and do more than 10. (Its a four-count exercise)

Time for one last lap before the final exercise.

Final exercise was the “Penguin”

Stand upright tall with hands by your sides. Then in cadence you are going to reach down and touch your right knee but you can’t bend forward at the waist, Its all obliques. Then rotate over to the other side, Now you understand the name right? If you don’t you are probably doing it all wrong. This also is one that will sneak up on you 24-36 hrs later.

Finally finished with new and exciting exercises so its time for a quick suicide in front of the shops before heading back to COT.

Count-A-Rama, Name-A-Rama, Announcements and last but not least Prayers and Praises.
Now whos coming over to my house for the Murph? Shoutout to @ChaChing for pushing me to do the Murph and for Larell Lake Ridge Hood for joining us.

Thanks for the opportunity Mile High to lead such a great group of guys.

Stay frosty my friends!

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F3 Combine

Short and sweet…. time change the day before, pleased that 9 hard chargers showed for Quagmire despite losing an hour of sleep.

The Thang

Mosey to HD Parking Lot

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

COP

Mosey to Homegoods Parking

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

 

F3 Combine Circuit

  • High Knees/Butt Kickers/AYG the length of two parking spots
  • Side shuffle 10 spots worth
  • Nur back two parking spots
  • Side shuffle 10 spots worth
  • Plank for Six

Repeat each of the following IC

  • Merkins
  • Mountain Climbers
  • CDD
  • Squats
  • Monkey Humpers
  • Apollo Onos
  • Flutter
  • Box Cutter
  • American Hammer
  • Burpees

Mosey to Fountain

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

3 Sets of increasing reps IC:

  • Russian Dips
  • Irkins
  • Step Ups

Mosey to COT

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

82 Reps of America’s Favorite Exercise

Read Your Newsletter

 

Honor to Serve

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Snowman suicide visits abyss

This morning was all about the struggles of life and the constant need to keep pushing forward. Even when life causes you setbacks and you must retreat for the moment to regroup so that tomorrow you may push forward and gain new ground.

The PAX followed YHC for a short mosey where we placed cones and performed each exercise. The exercises alternate between upper body and lower body to balance out the body.
Exercises were as follows:
Burpees
pull ups on playground equipment
SSH
suicide squats
ChaCha merkins
monkey humpers
kryptonite night clubs
bear crawl then crawl bear back up the steps by 49

After the exercises were explained we started the suicide but instead of going all the way back to the beginning we would only go back to the previous cone before proceeding to the next cone. Think of it as two steps forward then one step back. It makes for a lot of running and keeps the PAX together bc if the leader passes you on his way back from the previous cone you turn and run with him to the next cone.

Lots of hard work was put in and I am grateful to @Copyright for the opportunity to lead.

Stay frosty my friends!
OLAF

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8 Cinderblocks of Christmas

Always glad to take on a Q at the Abyss! Great AO.  6 Beasts + YHC came out for the Iron Pax inspired “8 Blocks of Christmas” Having Q’d 3 beat downs recently with no Cindys I felt it was time to call that number. Thank Goodness Copyright keeps an emergency Cindy in the van at all times. Otherwise someone would have been carrying a 25lb weight or a 45lb paver.

0515- All veteran Pax so quick disclaimer and a short mosey around the front parking lot.. Circle up for COP

Windmills x 10 Imperial Walkers x 20, Hillbilly Walkers x 20, MNCs x 15, Front and back Arm Circles x 15 each.

End COP with 21s- 21 SSH IC only counting the first 5 out loud, with all Pax stopping at 21 together. Burpee penalty if we get it wrong.  IT was real early cause there was still some audible counting after 5.  Needless to say we missed on the 1st go round. 3 Burpee penalty. Got it right on the 2nd round. Mosey to the truck and everyone grab a Cindy.

I have been nursing a hamstring the last couple weeks and decided to forego alot of running in this workout. So instead of running we did an OH Cinderblock Carry(OHCC) from front parking lot to rear track area. Mumble chatter started quickly on how long a walk that was.

The Thang -8 Blocks of Christmas                                                                                                                                 8 total exercises, 4 per side  with the mode of transport being the OHCC of ~80- 85 meters.               Exercises

  1. 50 x OH Presses  OHCC to other side 1a. 50 x Curls for the Girls OHCC back to other side ( you should get the picture)
  2.  50 x Block Squats OHCC —>2a. 50 x Block Big Boy Sit ups- No it was holding the block not setting it our your feet.
  3.  50 x Ground to OH –> 3a. 50 x Squat Thrusts
  4.  50 x  Block Swings —> 4a. 50 X Switch Arm Block Merkins- 1 hand on the the block 1 a hand on the ground and do a merkin- Switch and repeat. Thanks for that great Idea Survey Says.

We completed then Whole Thang and OHCC back to COT.

All in all the Pax did in the ballpark of 1100 meters of OHCCs and 400 cinder block reps across 8 exercises this morning. Key takeaways- Cinderblocks get really cold when sitting the the back of the truck all night. Get thicker gloves.  The feeling comes back in your fingers around GTOs and Squat Thrusts. Copyright can always be counted on to have at least 1 “emergency” Cinderblock in the van at all times.

Prayers for CAH and Decibel’s mentoree.  Pax/ family of Pax dealing with Cancer/ family loss, marriages.

PreHype for Jan 3rd Shovel Flag hand off at he Swamp.  Beatdown will be kicking off at 0500. Co-Q event with a fast and burpeeish 30 mins and a hard and heavy 30 mins. Spread the word. Plan accordingly.

Thanks Copyright for the Opportunity to Lead these #HIMs this morning.

Duck Out.

 

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