Tag: Change Order

average age 50.9 yrs, Kevin Bacon would be proud

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The elder statesman ran around today at Footloose
The old guys were on hand for a Manilow mall walk

10 seasoned veterans took to the streets and parking lots at Footloose for a Barry Manilow beatdown!

No last minute modifications needed, all attendees perfectly capable of taking anything I could dish out.

The thang:
mosey to the back of the church and circle up, 10-15 reps of each, in this order:
imperial walker, LBC, LS squat, shoulder tap, hill billy walker, freddie mercury, windmill, dying cockroach, jump squat, travolta
walk over to the wall for the unveiling of “on the rail”, 10 reps in cadence

mosey the long way around the block to the lower church lot, partner up. one snake the stairs, one donkey kicks, switch, 2nd round, one snake the stairs, one plank jacks
line-up on on end of the lot, Jonah Hill going the other way

mosey toward the “big” hill, but since that is what everyone was expecting, took a left and circled the church once before stopping at the bottom of the hill. partner up, one run the hill, the others choose between LBCs and BB sit-ups, switch, 2nd round, one run the hill, at the bottom of the hill alternate between 5 LBCs and 5 hand release merkins.

walk across the street to the other lot, line up across the church side. karaoke L to the other side, 10 LBCs, back, 10 LBCs, karaoke R, 10 LBCs, the same back, 10 LBCs, powerskip across, 10 LBCs, and back, 10 LBCs, 50% across, 10 LBCs, 75% back, 10 LBCs, all you got across, 10 LBCs, all you got back, 10 LBCs.

5 minutes left, so we mosey in the exact opposite direction of COT, around a bigish block and back to the church sign by COT. On the grass for 11 makhtar n’ diayes, in cadence.

announcements, prayers around the horn, and Assassin took us out.

Thanks for the opportunity Boss Hogg.

Looks like we made it,
Barry Manilow

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Hangin with Stang: Expectations

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So, to set the Expectations upfront, this won’t be as good as my last post 😉

Stang asked for someone to Q Hangin w/ Stang who had not yet done it.  So, seeing as I’ve never even been, I volunteered.  I don’t know if that’s a function of how much I miss you guys and want to get back out there or how much of a glutton for punishment I am to throw myself into the center of something I’ve never been a part of.  Those in attendance can decide which it was.

Fittingly, expectations were the topic that came to mind when Stang confirmed my appointment.  I’ve had a lot of those to work through recently.  I feel like expectations can be a blessing and a curse.  We have to first understand what we’re asking of others and what others are asking of us.  But more importantly, how was it communicated?  Was it fair?  Could it even be met?

I think expectations break into 3 real parts:

Expectations we have for ourselves.

Expectations we have thrust upon us.

Expectations we have of others.

Each one of these can have a dramatic effect on our relationships.  What happens to that relationship when expectations are not met?  This is true of the expectations we have of ourselves and how it affects our attitude.  How does the view of an employee or a direct report change when they don’t meet expectations?  What are you willing to do to make amends if you don’t meet someone’s expectations?

Many of us are driven men.  You’d have to be to get up before 5 am to do the things we do.  But how do we let our expectations affect those around us, especially our M’s and 2.0’s?

We had some great conversations about family, our own, and work expectations.  It’s so good to know that we are not alone.  We all have a story that we can learn from.  Make sure to share that story so others can benefit and learn.

I hope I met the PAX expectations today.  It was so good to be back out.  I miss the group so much not being able to come out and participate.  I look forward to getting back out in the gloom soon, even just to walk and say hi.

— Splinter

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Ring of Fire honors fallen heros

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YHC got the call to Q the newly renamed AO Ring of Fire in honor of our fallen F3 brother Cash. NAFO has become the home where we honor a lot of our hero’s who have fallen to protect our families and nation. It is also where we host the annual MURPH WO to honor LT. Michael Murphy who was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation Red Wings, as well as a graduate of The Penn State University (We Are…Penn State). Ironically there is a MAFO parking stall with the PSU logo near our normal COT spot, which was highlighted as we mossy over the field. This year and last has been crazy with loss of life; from COVID, to cancer, to military operations. It also has been a troubling time for our country and not to get political (which I don’t like to do) but we are all sons of HIM, it shouldn’t matter what side we are on politically, we are a country that was founded on men being created equal – ALL people should be and have to be treated the same way. Right now, this has been lost.

So YHC thought it would be good to honor our fallen brothers to show unity and the power in brotherhood.

We bolted over to the field, YHC gave a quick disclaimer and then explained the WO. There was no COP because we would not have enough time to complete the “modified MURPH”.  If you have never done the real MURPH, come out Memorial Day weekend and experience it. It is THE best WO and personal accomplishment you will ever do. What is it you ask rookies? 1 mile run followed with 100 pull-ups, 200 merkins, 300 squats, run a mile. Officially with a 20lb body armor (ruck or weight vest).

The thang:

Run a lap – 10 Pull-ups, 20 Merkins, 30 Squats

Run 2 laps – 20 Pull-ups, 40 Merkins, 60 Squats

Run 3 laps – 30 Pull-ups, 60 Merkins, 90 Squats

Run 4 laps – 40 Pull-ups, 60 Merkins, 120 Squats (only a few completed 4 laps and started on the reps)

For those PAX who posted, great accomplishment to the MURPH twist.

Don’t forget about our brothers who have fallen!!

Peace Out

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Golden Corral…GOTTA GO

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It was raining and the temps were dropping throughout the morning but as discussed with several PAX, it’s mornings like this when memories are made and durability is built.

In the end, 22 PAX posted this morning with 13 for this final Golden Corral of edition in January. It started a little something like this…

Disclaimer
50 Fast SSH
10 Jump Squats
10 Merkins
10 Burpees

Run to TCES: ~1.2mi
Jack Webb: 1 Merkin : 4 Overhead Claps (Total of 10:40)
10 Burpees

Run to TC Baptist Church: ~.8mi
Wide Arm Merkins
1 V-Up : 4 Flutters I/C (Total of 5:20)

Run back to Teeter:
Al Gore’s followed by baby squats
15 Mike Tysons
5 Burpees

Run to the end of the center
More Mike Tysons & SSH

Move to another storefront
Dips

COT

Until next time…Maximus

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Pain posting at BAOPS

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Alcatraz eventually became a prison on an island in the cold waters off the Northern California coast. It was known to be difficult to escape for the inmates that called Alcatraz home. The waters surrounding it were cold and rough, much like its residents.

When Trucker took over Alcatraz, he had a vision for our own little AO on the island, well, it’s really a peninsula but just go with me here. He wanted those that posted at Alcatraz to experience their hardest (or close to their hardest) workout of the week. The idea of coasting into the weekend wasn’t exactly his cup of tea. That said, for those of us that Q Alcatraz now, we have the Trucker-created acronym, BAOPS, in our minds when planning our pain. BAOPS stands for the Best AO for Pain on Saturday. You get the idea now?

For Ruby Slippers and I on this brisk morning, we knew we had to answer the call. The planning began earlier in the week when Ruby said he was incorporating cinder blocks. That’s when I knew this would be top-shelf. Ya see, when a man named after fancy footwear says he’s bringing pain like that, it’s time for the rest of us to bring our big-boy shoes. He shared his plan with me on Friday night and I had to chuckle; it was all I could do to keep from splashing at the thought.

To kick off this adventure, Fish Sticks, Trucker, Geronimo and I decided we needed to get to the AO early for a few rounds of pull-ups which has become quite the nice addition. At 0630, we had 17 of us gathered in the parking lot to embark on this journey.  While not swimming cold, choppy waters, we did see all the cinder blocks lined up and knew we were in for something special.

Ruby took control, disclaimed us and warmed us up with Wind Mills, Tappy Taps, Burpees, SSH, Merkins, Burpees and a few other things. Who does burpees in a warm up? We then all grabbed a cinder block, made our way to the field and counted off in 4’s for the 4-corner beat down. He had set up 4 stations in the corners about 15yds apart from each other.
Station 1: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Overhead Presses
Walk to station 2 with the cinder block in the rifle carry position, overhead.
Station 2: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Bent Over Rows.
Lunge walk to station 3 while holding the cinder block.
Station 3: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Derkins w/ your feet up on the block.
Walk to station 4 with the cinder block in the rifle carry position, overhead.
Station 4: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Curls
Lunge walk back to station 1 while holding the cinder block.

We continued on this circuit until our never-ending 30mins had expired. It felt like 30 days and holy smokes, the collective groan from the PAX almost woke the neighbors. We were all on the struggle bus after this and guess what, we were only 1/2 way through this wonderful nonsense.

Gee, THANKS TRUCKER!!! Now we’ll hand off to Maximus for what was intended to be the tour de hills of our lovely AO. Once I told the PAX about the 3 hills we were to be visiting, you could hear it again. That collective groan, yeah, it voiced itself again. Anywho….

Mosey to Hill 1 at the front of the neighborhood by the Fire Station:
Run down without busting your tail for 5 burpees and 10 Flutters I/C
Run up the hill for 2 squat burpees and 10 Flutters I/C
Complete this 4 times

Mosey to the next hill, Hill 2 down by the circle:
Run down the hill for (5) 8ct burpees and 10 Freddy Mercury’s
Run up the hill for (2) 8ct burpees and 10 Freddy Mercury’s
Complete this 3 times

C’MON MAN!!!! REALLY???? Did our time really expire before we can complete Hill 3? Yes, yes indeed. Fortunately, we got back to the AO in time do complete a few rounds of Mary.

Aaaannnndddd, there you have it. BAOPS lives on!!!

Announcements: FM Study Hall volunteers needed. D2DB reminder. Do yourself and your concentrica a favor by engaging in everything F3 has to offer. Spiderman cemented this by a call to action for the PAX to GET IN A SHIELDLOCK. There were more announcements but I apologize, my stenographer failed to show.

Prayers/Praises: Some serious things on the hearts of our PAX and if you want to know what they are, you should’ve posted. Praise for our boy, Skipper, now 1wk into this new chapter of his life with us in F3. Welcome.

Until we SYITG,
Ruby Slippers & Maximus

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Looked Better on Paper

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I arrived a bit earlier this morning to scope out some areas of the campus that I have yet to explore.  Eight men showed up on this brisk morning.  We began with a slow mosey around the elementary school parking lot and stopped at the playground for the typical warm-up exercises (SSHs, Windmills, Imperial Walkers, Plank Stretches, Mountain Climbers, Peter Parkers, and Parker Peters.

Next, we moseyed back to the parking lot.  The first series of exercises was a combination bear crawl/squat across the length of the parking lot.  At every other parking space line, we did 10 squats.  Once finished, we did the same routine except we rolled to each line and did 5 merkins.  Lots of complains about dizziness after the first couple spins but we made it through the craziness.

Once the world stopped spinning, we ventured over to the pull up bars (Trucker approved).  We did 10 reps of jump and grab the bar, pull chin over the bar, and hold position for five seconds.  We took a lap around the bus loop to shake out are arms.  Next round was a jump and grab the bar, raise legs up 90 degrees, and hold for five seconds.  Again, another lap.  Last round was a jump up, rotate grip back and forth, and pull chin up over bar.  One last lap around the bus loop and back to COT for a few minutes of Mary.

Great job everyone!  Thanks for trying something new.

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Christmas Trivia and Choices

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Eight men showed up at Alcatraz this morning.  Two carried their heavy backpacks around the Cay for the hour.  Geronimo was still putting together his painful Q at 0630 so I began the workout with some warm-up exercises (SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Plank Stretches).

I decided to borrow this idea from a workout Double D and Old Bay Q’d back in 2017. Christmas Trivia with exercises sprinkled in between each question.  Penalty for missing a question was 5 burpees.  Oh, by the way, the burpee penalty was cumulative until the next correct answer.

Exercises:

10 Bomb Jacks

20 LBCs

15 Plank Jacks

10 Donkey Kicks

20 Monkey Humpers

15 Moroccan Night Clubs

20 Calf Raises

10 Plank Jacks

15 Mountain Climbers

15 Merkins

10 Lunges

15 Carolina Dry Docks

20 Squats

Luckily Skate or Die knows his Christmas Movie Trivia or we would have done alot more burpees.

Next, hand off to Geronimo.  He quickly told us to partner up and headed to the “Hill”.  As we ran down the hill, there were several signs with exercises lined up along the side of the street.  At the bottom of the hill, he instructed us to run up the hill and choose an exercise at each sign.  Sounds simple enough..what was the catch?

The exercises:

  1.  50 SSHs or 50 Merkins
  2. 50 Merkins or 50 Hello Dollies
  3. 20 Air Lunges or 50 Mountain Climbers
  4. 20 Squat Jumps or 20 Diamond Merkins
  5. Bear Crawl or Nur to Next sign
  6. 50 Squats or 100 LBCs
  7. 50 Flutters or 20 Flying Squirrels
  8. Crawl Bear or Broad Jump
  9. 20 Tuck Jumps or 50 Overhead Claps
  10. Run down the hill and back or run to the fire station
  11. 30 Big Boys or 60 Calf Raises
  12. 20 Burpees or 40 Burpees

When the teams got to the top of the hill, Geronimo instructed us to go down the hill and repeat the process, but do the exercise that you did not choose the first time.

Great work this morning..mind, body, and holiday trivia 🙂

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From the ground to the hills of Alcatraz

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BAOPS: Best AO For Pain on Saturday

That’s what has been established in recent months at Alcatraz as Trucker has pushed the Q’s to bring it just a little bit harder when their number is called. So, for Lil E and I, we worked to ensure consistency this beautiful Fall morning. Between, the story of hitting a deer on the way to the AO and the lingering hamstring soreness and name-calling, we had the makings of a good time in store.

With Lil E up first, he disclaimed and proceeded to Q us through an extended warm up consisting of:
Warm up lap around Runde Park
SSH x 30
Imperial Walkers x 20
Windmills x 10
Merkins x 10
Squats x 15
Mountain Climbers x 10
Monkey Humpers x 10
Morrocan Night Clubs x 20
Overhead Claps x 20
Peter Parkers x 10
Parker Peters x 10

And this is where our tough-guy computer hands got some focus:
Bear crawl the length of the parking lot on the most hand-friendly blacktop this side of a gravel road. Fortunately for our hands, we got a break at four stops along the way to encourage the mitts even more with 10 merkins at each stop.

Oh, you want more attention paid to your baby soft skin? Great. Line it back up at the start but now, you’ll crab walk the length of the parking lot with 15 LBCs at each of the four stops.

But wait, there’s more. Next, we got to (get to, not have to) lunge walk the length of the parking lot with 15 squats at each of the four stops.

Lastly, a reminder of how lonely our hands got during the lunge/squat round, we then did the ol’ Burpee Broad Jump down the parking lot…no stops, just straight on through. Oh, joy!!

Hand off to Maximus who had a bit of an axe to grind.

You see, I take the Q responsibilities as a unique obligation/opportunity to ensure the PAX feel the workout was worth their time. After all, if we’re waking up early to be with our brothers, it needs to be worth it. I never want to give the PAX the feeling of leaving a post and not getting a good workout in. If you feel that you weren’t completely challenged, at least physically, then I didn’t fulfill my role that morning. I know we can all modify as needed, to achieve more, but it helps when the Q brings it.

So what does that have to do with today. I feel I failed the PAX at my most recent Q, earlier this week. It looked like a challenge on paper but at the conclusion, I had a feeling like the PAX didn’t get their “money’s worth.” So today, I was committed to right the ship and the 7 of us at Alcatraz  enjoyed it after Lil E’s first half shenanigans.

Take to the hill on the backside of the park and do 1 lap down then back up to get familiar with our track.

Run down to the bottom of the hill, 20 V-Ups & 10 Burpees (while dodging Bambi(s).
Run back to the top of the hill, 20 Box Cutters & 10 Hand-Release Merkins into a Jump Squat. This is like a Burpee broken into 2 parts.
Repeat this 3 more times for a total of 4 rounds.

Mosey over to the pull-up bar and each PAX completed 5 pull-ups. While you were waiting, you rested by doing Merkins.

Hopefully I made up for my past transgressions. Thanks for sharing your morning with Lil E and I.

Major Announcements:

  1. Thanksgiving convergence with the details in the Newsletter or right here: 0630 at the Ranch on Thanksgiving morning. That’s it!!
  2. Bonsai is coordinating an Advent Calendar Food Drive and the collections will be taken at our Christmas Eve Convergence!!
  3. Christmas Party

SYITG,
Lil E & Maximus

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Bricks Are Our Pain Stations

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7 for BAOPS at Alcatraz this week.  Apparently some Pax on this side of town were afraid of a little rain, forgetting Core Principle #3.  Either way, Pothole and YHC decided not to disappoint those who chose the harder thing today.  I didn’t really intend to play with the BAOPS acronym, but it works.

The Thang

Gears up first.  Mosey off campus by the Golf Course down Tega Cay drive on the paved path.

Three stops on the way, mostly to keep the 6 with us:

  • SSH
  • Low Slow Squats
  • Mountain Climbers
  • CDDs
  • Dips
  • Derkins

Gathered at the bottom of the bottom of the Golf Cart path just past the Glennon Center for the main event for this half: Man Maker Circuits

PAX choose a rock that will challenge them.

10 Man Makers with the Rock, then hoist the Rock and jog it to the top of the hill at the light pole.  Each time a different exercise with 10 reps and back down to repeat:

  • Overhead Press
  • Flutter Press
  • Curls
  • Up and Overs

Ditch the Rocks and Mosey back with two stops, 5 Reps each:

  • Bombjacks
  • Burpees

Hand off to Pothole.

Short COP, since Gears doesn’t do them to start.  Move to side of lot with 6×6’s for calf action.

50 calf raises, 40 American hammers, 30 calf raises, 20 American hammers, 10 calf raises.  Run 2 laps around parking lot after finishing each exercise.

Next set. Sprint finisher. Sprint from first parking spot to last. Walk to end of pavement. Rinse and repeat 8-10 times.

6MOM to Finish

NMM

A few of the guys laid it out there today.  The key takeaway is to find men you can open up to and don’t be afraid.  You’ll find guys are struggling and together we can rise above the flux.  Don’t keep your walls up and pretend everything is ok.

Also, Uber shouldn’t cut corners on the run.

Announcements:

Ass Kicking Autumn starts Monday.  Bring your boys out and see what the region has to offer.

Plans underway for Christmas Party, Dec 4th.  Limited capacity, so plan ahead.

Call up/Text/DM three friends you haven’t seen in a while and invite them out.  They will thank you.

 

Honor to Serve.

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Doing Time at Laces In

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Nine men turned themselves in to the Federal prison of Fort Mill (at Laces In).

Mosey Run (Toy soldiers, Butt Kickers, High Knees)
Warm up:
SSH (IC 12x)
Windmill (IC 12x)
Imperial Walker (IC 12x)
Moroccan Nightclub (IC 12x)
Low Slow Squats (IC12x)
Peter Parker (IC 12x)
Plank stretches
Downward dogs
Honeymooners

Thang 1 Prison Yard Burpees
Playlist (below) begins.  Four cones in a square pattern, each about 45 feet apart (this is your prison yard). The convicts do: Ten burpees at cone 1, then bear crawl to cone 2. Nine burpees at cone 2, bear crawl to cone 3. Eight burpees at cone 3, bear crawl to cone 4. Seven burpees at cone 4, bear crawl to cone 1. Keep bearcrawling around and continue in similar manner 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, ending with 1 burpee. Sum is 55 burpees this round.
When done: flutter kicks for the six

Short mosey run

Thang 2 Bench work
Convicts get a parole hearing and approach the bench(es) at the school entrance.
20 incline merkins
20 Dips
20 step ups, 10 ea leg
20 decline merkins
20 butt touch squats
20 calf raises

Parole was denied, all pax go to back to prison
Short mosey run

Thang 3 More Prison Yard Burpees
Start at the first cone again but begin with 6 burpees and transportation is lunge walk between the cones. Thus doing 6,5,4,3,2,1 burpees. Sum of 21 this round, and 76 burpees total.

Short mosey run

Thang 3 Global Warming (A.K.A. “Chain Gang”)
Did: bobby hurleys,, LBC, Freddie mercuries, gas pumpers, amer hammers, merkins

Thang 4 Sally routine 
Moby’s “Flower”, we did leg lifts: bring Sally up= legs up; bring Sally down= 6 inch leg hold.
Song is about 3:30, I think about 23 ups/downs.  No prison reference here, unless you don’t care for the song.

Fini
COT

Playlist
Hendrix “All Along the Watchtower”
Johnny Cash, “Folsom Prison Blues”
The Clash “I fought the Law”
Inner Circle “Bad Boys”
Thin Lizzy, “Jailbreak”
Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock”
Green Day “Longview” (prison/jail themed songs kinda ran out)
Jane’s Addiction “Mountain Song”
Foo Fighters “Everlong”

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