Charter Band-aids for Little Warriors – PreBlast

As most of the PAX in the Fort and Rock regions knows my 5 year old daughter (Emma) is a leukemia survivor. We still make a trip every 4 weeks to get blood drawn to check her counts at Levine Children’s Hospital. We also stepped up and raised money last year (Christmas time) for a fellow brother bout-time out of Area 51 son Jennings who has leukemia also.

It has come to my attention that the budgets have been cut in some of the pediatric departments and the first thing to go is usually the character band aids. You say how important is to have these band-aids? Well as far as the cancer kids go every time the have their PORT’s (Port is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein) which for some kids is traumatic they get a band-aid over it. For others that are done with treatment such as my daughter Emma has to go back for the next 21 years to get checked (mainly blood counts). This not always easy for instance this past Wednesday she was poked 3 times. Well at the end the band aid can put a smile on a child’s face. This also goes for those kiddos that have to constantly get blood work done not just cancer kids.

So what I am challenging you to do is every week you go grocery shopping buy at least one box or more of character band-aids girls or boys. Also Spread the word in every COT. I will tweet out what AO’s I will be at and if anyone wants to step up and help me collect that would be awesome.

I also challenge others in different regions to pull together and do the same thing. My goal is to gather as much as possible and split it between Levine Children’s Hospital and Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital (St. Jude Affiliate Clinic) before Christmas.

Let a simple act of kindness put a smile on a little fighters face.

AYE. Lets do this.

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Fall Sunrise at Alcatraz

Six faithful PAX removed themselves from the fartsack to post for the Fall Premier of Alcatraz.

Conditions: Temperature mid-50’s, Dew – heavy, Gloom – minimal due to maintenance crew turning on the field lights.

Work: Change Order kicked it off with a disclaimer, mosey and a warm-up COP with some stretching and 10 counts of SSH’s, Merkins, Imperial Walkers, Freddie Mercurys, and maybe some more.

2 rounds of a 4-Armed Starfish with 10 Burpees in the center (round 1) and 10 Bomb-Jacks (round 2)

  • 25 SSH’s
  • 25 Merkins
  • 25 Freddy Mercurys
  • 25 Low Slow Squats

Paver work with two cycles of 20 Curls and 20 Overhead Tricep Extensions

Handoff to YHC for a mosey around the park, including a trip down and up the hill, with a few stops for a 20 yard bear crawl, 10 pull-ups and some squats, 10 dips, and 10 merkins more bear crawls, and ending with a short plank.

Behind the dugout for 20 step-ups each leg, and another 10 dips, then to the field for a 15 minute Wheel-of-Pain.

With 10 minutes to go, we hit the small field wall for a variety of PAX called exercises with field sprints.  Wall Sits, BTTW, Merkins, SSH’s, and a mini Yoga session.

Wrap-up: Having been an aspiring Ragnarian for the last few months, (I can run, I’m just not good at it), it was good to be back at Alcatraz.  It is worth noting that choosing to focus only on running for a few months, makes Boot Camps a LOT harder than they used to be.  Review the above and note the low rep counts.

YHC realized yesterday evening that there was not a Q lined up for Alcatraz this morning.  Thank you Change Order for agreeing to step up and join me.  As always, I am thankful for the opportunity to lead.

Praises for a mother’s successful surgery, for F3, and a safe and healthy morning.

-Smuggler

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A little movin’ & rollin’ with Florence

I’ve been chompin’ at the bit to Q this new official Ruck AO, the Fire Ant, and this morning was the perfect time. Over the last few years, it’s developed a standard consistent with harder AO’s and I was not about to drop the ball today.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to post up at my folk’s house in Wilmington, NC where they recently had Hurricane Florence followed by 1-2 tornadoes pass through. It’s always different seeing storm aftermath in person; the images, the smells, the sounds of cleanup and water pumps getting rid of standing water. I’m not quite sure how I was going to be impacted but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. After all, neighbors are still unable to get in their houses. Perspective teaches me I need to keep my mouth shut and stay hydrated as I chip in to do a small part. After tree #4 came down and got hauled off, I had a revelation. What if I cut this next tree into the perfect lengths that would compliment my upcoming Fire Ant Q? Couple that with a previously-prepared Weinke and there you have it, we were set.

With a truck bed holding (8) 40-50lb logs, 18 of us converged on the Golden Corral/Fire Ant parking lot at HT. After Change Order laid down the disclaimer, us 12 Ruckers moved over for our warm-up jog around the lot.

After that, we kept the rucks on the ground and did our warm up:

Wind Mills

Moroccan Night Clubs

10 Forward & Reverse Arm Circles

Slow Squats

SSH

Grab a partner and meet at the rucks.

Catch me if you can with your partner and 3 Hand-Release Merkins. We went around the big loop once then a smaller loop after that for 2 loops total.

Head over to grab the logs. A brief explanation on where they came from and how they’d be used. We had to move both the rucks and the log and we’d work as a team to do it, looking to relieve the men with the logs.

Line up 2×2 with logs in the front. If you had a log, carry it overhead at the front and the rest of us would look to relive you en route. We made our way to the start of the Harris Teeter wall.

Lunge walk with a log press the length of the wall.

Bear crawl while rolling the log back to the starting position.

2×2 in formation with logs overhead to the 9-round parking lot & circle up.

If you have a log, hold it at 90 degrees and if you don’t hold your Ruck at 90 degrees. Each PAX does 3 curls going around the circle. If you’re not curling, you’re holding at 90.

On your back with legs straight and feet at 6″. Doing a log or ruck press for quite a few reps.

Get in 1 line, shoulder to shoulder. Seal team sit-ups with the rucks on front and keeping your head off the ground.

Same formation, flutter kicks with heads off the ground.

Back in 2×2 formation with logs overhead and offering relief, we made our way back to the original starting position. But before we finished, we got back in the seal-team line, on our backs and did bicycles with the rucks on front, both forward and reverse.

And so…that was it.

Announcements: Fire Ant AO moving to TCES in 3wks. Follow Spiderman for further details. Sign up for Paradise Reading Center: check with Copay and Deacon.

Prayers/Praises: Safety for all the PAX doing races (Bourbon Chase, CLT Marathon, Ragnar, Rucks), wedding anniversaries, Prayers for Half-Shell’s buddy who lost his son recently in a very sad event. We do not understand but we need to have faith in our Creator that he’ll somehow have something positive come from this. Prayers for his family and for all the scouts injured, those who witnessed and for their families.

Enjoy your day & make an impact.

Maximus.

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A not So slow Burn

There was perfect weather for 29 PAX that came out for YHC third Q. I wasn’t feeling extremely confident because my first two attempts at Qing were less than stellar and this was a large turnout. After spending some quality time earlier this week coming up with what I thought would be a not-so-moderate workout I took a deep breath, said a little prayer and got busy.

The Thang

We started promptly at 5:15 with a welcome to my first FNG, the disclaimer and then we moseyed down the hill to the parking lot across from Lowe’s for some stretching.

COP:

Broga (toe touches, elbow lifts, leg stretches)

Hillbilly walkers x 25

Cherry pickers x 15

Windmills x 15

Moroccan night clubs x 25

Side straddle hops x 25

Burpees x 5

After the warmup was done we moseyed to the parking lot behind Lowe’s where the real fun began. We partnered up and started with a round of Dora 1-2-3s.

Parking lot runs and….

100 Merkins

200 LBCs

300 Overhead claps

We threw in an extra parking lot run for good luck and knocked out another 5 burpees before moseying to the parking lot in front of Empire Pizza.

COP:

Imperial walkers x 20

Low slow squats x 25

Hello dollies x 25

Burpees x 5

Moseyed back for CoT and had a little time to fit in 25 American hammers, 20 monkey humpers and more broga before calling it quits.

CoT:

Count-o-rama

Name-o-rama

FNG – My coworker and good friend, Gary Del Toro, was welcomed and almost immediately dubbed “Strawberry” because of the Mets t-shirt he was wearing. Later in the morning at work he said he really enjoyed meeting everyone and definitely planned on coming back.

Announcements

Praises and Prayer Requests

It was a great group of HIMs that definitely made me stronger mentally and physically, I hope I returned the favor. Thanks Smithers for the chance to lead!!

Barney Fife

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Always Ready

Maximus at a “Moderate?” I mean, c’mon, Slow Burn isn’t always moderate. That said, I appreciate the opportunity to Q no matter the AO so thank you Smithers for thinking of me. I tried to honor the AO by pushing the PAX and keeping everyone together.

So here it is:

Warm up jog to the lot next to Lowe’s for a warm-up circle of:

SSH (Only for Trucker), Imperial walkers, Wide-Arm Merkins, Donkey Kicks and 10 Burpees (more to come)

Line up shoulder to shoulder on the wall in the peoples’ chair position

Starting at one end, we’d lunge walk to the other end of the peoples’ chair wall.

Next series, PAX line up shoulder to shoulder in a plank position with their feet on the all. Starting at one end, the PAX would bear crawl to the other end.

Jog around the back of Lowe’s heading toward the ever-changing car repair shop. The interesting thing here is that while finishing the jog, I heard a conversation between Chicken Hawk and Wide-Right where the latter mentioned he hasn’t Q’d yet and was interested in getting on a Q schedule. So, I did an about face, confirmed what I thought I heard and gave him the opportunity as soon as we circled up in the repair lot. After a brief mention to the PAX regarding the Q change for the next several minutes, I think he led us in the following:

LBC’s, Mountain Climbers, 10 Burpees Dips, Derkins Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, SSH and 5 Burpees…he then handed it back to me.

Now, jog to the large lot on the other side and circle up:

Flutter kicks w/ a press

Box Cutters then reverse box cutters

A short 3-tier suicide series with jump squats as you return to the starting line.

So that was in; we keep the group together, encourage the chatter and give a man his opportunity to lead us. Just another day in THE FORT.

Leave no man behind but leave no man as you found him.

Maximus

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Partner UP!  Iron Sharpens Iron

Amazing weather morning for a F3 gathering …
Weather was perfect, humidity was bearable and the Pax showed up eager to get better.  No FNG’s disclaimer completed :
Mosey for warmup :

Circle up for the following IC:

Side straddle Hop 15x
Imperial Walkers 10x
Mtn Climbers 10x
LBC’s 10x
Hillbillie Walkers 10x
Moroccan Nightclub 15x
Merkins 10x
Plank Jack 10x
Windmills 10x
2 Burpees (OYO) closed us out

Mosey :

Explained Theme and Goals for the workout :
GET in the Game: “look for opportunities that are presented!
Specifically, the people you intersect within your life…..”
Partner up!  Accountability and Opportunity to GET Better.
Proverbs 27:17. As Iron sharpens Iron, so a Friend sharpens a Friend.

Explained to PAX I joined F3 in September 2015 : My fitness, spiritual and fellowship commitments are so much stronger over the past 3 years than in my previous 40 years on this earth, I am blessed !

The THANG: Partner up!
10x reps : 2 sets
Partner Derkins :
Partner 1 planks : Partner 2 Derkins
Partner Leg Raises ( Iron Crosses)
Partner 1 Assists / counts
Partner 2 : ( on six) raises legs to touch hands of partner one :
Jog to other side of parking lot :
10 partner merkins : hand slap Merkins
Jog back to start : Partner 2 completes reps and sets

Mosey for Round 2 and 3 :

Round 2 : Partner up! Combined total
100 Merkins :
Rotate every (20) : Partner 2 planks

200 Flutter Kicks :
Rotate every (25)  Partner: Al Gore

300 Squats:
Rotate every (30) Partner : Plank

Round 3 : line up on the curb (plenty of room located for all 21 pax…

Toe Taps : while each pax jumps out of line for 2 burps ( start at one end and move to other : modified for each end to start and meet in the middle)

Once completed : Circle up
Body destroyer : while 2 pax met in middle of circle for 2 burpees.
Finished with round of Mary :

COT : 21 Pax : Announcements/Prayers for Hurricane Florence recovery and First Responders along with all volunteers heading over the coast to assist with recovery.

Very Blessed for the Opportunity to Q

Thank you to Beacon!!!

Fogerty

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Today was the 13th and since so many are superstitious on the 13th , I was thinking why not make their apprehension for a certain day of the month a reality!  All were also concerned with the approaching storm perhaps they overlooked the storm that was coming this morning in the Gloom.

We began with a little Broga sun salutation action to get us in the mood for a longerish mosey….Love running down the middle of Fort Mill in the early morning. 

We turned and ran past the police starting their shift , a lot of hello’s to the officers…then a right turn down the hill and to the church from there it was game on. 

The Thang

10 burpees  and a run up the stairs and around the church x5…yes 50 burpees

next 4 rounds of 10 dive bomb merkins and up the stairs and around the building

next 3 rounds of 10 hands out front merkins and up the stairs.  (note to self: stairs are painful after 12 times) Doesn’t matter what was coming after that as time ran out so we moseyed up the hill to the COT for the closing and oxygen. 

Thank you to all again for helping me catch back up on the September burpee challenge. 

 

Dungaree

 

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Partner UP! Iron Sharpens Iron.

Partner UP!

Amazing weather morning for a F3 gathering …
Weather was perfect, humidity was bearable and the Pax showed up eager to get better.   NoFNG’s Disclaimer  : Mosey for warmup

Circle up for the following IC:

Side straddle Hop 15x
Imperial Walkers 10x
Mtn Climbers 10x
LBC’s 10x
Hillbillie Walkers 10x
Moroccan Nightclub 15x
Merkins 10x
Plank Jack 10x
Windmills 10x
2 Burpees (OYO) closed us out

Mosey :

Explained Theme and Goals for the workout : GET in the Game: “Look for opportunities that are presented!  Specifically, the people you intersect within your life…..”
Partner up!  Accountability and Opportunity to GET Better.
Proverbs 27:17. As Iron sharpens Iron, so a Friend sharpens a Friend.

Partner UP for accountability.

Explained to PAX , I joined F3 in September 2015 : My fitness, spiritual and fellowship commitments are so much stronger over the past 3 years than in my previous 40 years on this earth, I am blessed !

The THANG: Partner up!
10x reps : 2 sets
Partner Derkins :
Partner 1 planks : Partner 2 Derkins
Partner Leg Raises ( Iron Crosses)
Partner 1 Assists / counts
Partner 2 : (on six) raises legs to touch hands of partner one :
Jog to other side of parking lot :
Partner Merkins : hand slap Merkins
Jog back to start : Partner 2 completes reps and sets

Mosey for Round 2 and 3 :

Round 2 : Partner up! Combined total
100 Merkins :
Rotate every (20) : Partner 2 planks

200 Flutter Kicks :
Rotate every (25)  Partner: Al Gore

300 Squats:
Rotate every (30) Partner : Plank

Round 3 : Line up on the curb (plenty of room located for all 21 pax…)

Toe Taps : while each pax jumps out of line for 2 burps ( start at one end and move to other : modified for each end to start and meet in the middle)

Once completed : Circle up
 Body destroyer : while 2 pax met in middle of circle for 2 burpees.
Finished with round of Mary :

COT : 21 Pax : Announcements/Prayers for Hurricane Florence recovery and First Responders along with all volunteers heading over the coast to assist with recovery.

Very Blessed for the Opportunity to Q
Thank you to Beacon!!!

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Pre-Florence Burn at Slow Burn

12 Pax braved the “windy” conditions for a great workout before Hurricane Florence made it’s way into Fort Mill. We started with a slow mosey down to the Lowe’s parking lot. On the way we did butt kickers and high knee.

We covered a lot of bases during the warm-up.

The Windmill

Potato Pickers

Moroccan Nightclub

Merkins

Low Slow Squats

5 Burpees

Side Straddle Hop

LBCs

4 Burpees

Afterwards we mosey over to the side of the building and did wall squats while each pax stepped out and did a couple of bomb jacks.

Then we began the main part of our workout. I set up 4 corners where  each corner had 4 rounds of exercises. Most were 15 reps each and each corner covered a different body part. Chest & Triceps, Legs, Abs, and Core. We divided into groups. On the first round, I messed up the count which resulted in some confusion. Thanks to Old Bay, we got it right for round two and the rest of the workout. Each group would do the listed exercise for each corner and then run to the next corner. After every group had completed the round, we met in the middle to do 6 burpees as a group. This allowed us to complete a total of 33 burpees (we did 9 during warm-ups). We had enough time to do one bonus round. At the end of the bonus round, we met in the middle and did 5 bomb jacks.

We moseyed back to the COT where we had enough time to do 10 plank jacks. Thanks to everyone that showed up for my 2nd time running Q.2018-09-14 06.00.36

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The mid-40’s Dynamic Duo Q

Thanks to Smuggler for letting two crazy mid-40’s team up like never before into the Dynamic Duo. Lots of fun and wetness out there in the gloom. We focused today on encouraging one another and pushing through (the pain). Over 50% of this workout was aimed at strengthening your core with some endurance training to finish things off.  Speaking for Old Bay and myself – we had a blast (and this was no easy workout)! We hung around for some “coffeeteria” as well afterwards. I counted the total number of burpees and it was between 65-72 depending on what you went for. Special thanks to Wild Thing for making the trip to Tega Cay and demonstrating superb burpee form.

Warm-up:

DYNAMIC STRETCHING:

Jog – 1 Min

High Knees – 30 Seconds

Butt Kickers – 30 Seconds

Toy Soldiers – 30 Seconds

Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Lateral Lunges – 10 (5 each side)

Low semi-slow Squats – 12

Alternating Forward Lunges  – 10 (5 each side)- We rotated our torsos towards the side of the leg that is in front for each movement.

Low diamond Merkins – 15 single set

Single Leg Toe touches with other leg going back – 10 (5 each side)

Peter Pointers – 10

Rolling Crucifix – 5X each side

Table Twists – 5X each side

 

THE THANG:

I talked about the Nasty 7s that I had done with Sasquatch before and at an impromptu Q at The Ranch, but decided not to do them because of wetness from the night before so I gave the option. Most decided to do a jog to each corner in the basketball court and 4 burpees at each corner. Total was 20 here. I will have to formally teach the Nasty 7 at another time.

Stacked Feet/Staggered Hands Merkin (switch every 4) – 60 secs

Banana Rolls – 120 secs – Did with coupon for 60 of those secs

Leaning Crescent Lunges with coupon – 1 min with and 1 min without

Sphinx Merkin – 60 secs max reps

Bow to Boat – 120 secs – I was nice and we did not do with a coupon 

Side Lunge and raise coupon to put on the imaginary “shelf” – 45 secs each direction

Prison Cell Burpee (boy these were fun!)- 60 secs

Side Hip Raise – 30 secs each side

High Plank to 6 inches Run (this one really stunk)- 60 secs

Superman Banana – 60 secs

Yellow rope hoppers – 60 secs

Hillbilly Walkers – 30 secs

Imperial Walkers – 30 secs

300 Secs of Abs:

Upper Circle LBCs – 30 secs each direction; 5 sec rest between each

Twisting Pistons – 30 secs

Alligator Walks  (on forearms) 60 secs;

Canoe Crunch – 30 secs

Slow LBC and Twist (Crunch and Twist) – 60 secs

Regular Plank to the end – 60 secs

Immediate transition into my partner in crime’s Q, the infamous Old Bay:

1) Bent ladder with Morning Wood on the field and Burpees at the entrance to the parking lot. Run between a burpee and the field was backwards and a side shuffle left/right to a distant cone where Morning Wood (Turkish getup) occurred and repeat. This was taxing!

2) Catch-me-if-you-can on path around fields. Exercise was Merkins/Butt-kickers.

3) 7 extra burpees

4) SSH – 15

COT: Key items: Prayers for the Ms and praise for Delta’s great news.

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