Buddies and Bells

I’ve definitely had my fair share of Q’s at this point, but I still get a little nervous before each and every one, not out of fear, but desire to give everyone a good workout.  The PAX trust me with their time and I want to deliver, it’s as simple as that.  In any case, this morning was like most in LKW lately, hot and humid with a dozen+ PAX.  I showed up a little earlier than normal to setup and get ready.

At 5:15 sharp I gave the usual disclaimer and since O’Reilly was back-talking a bit I picked on him on the spot to give the F3 mission statement, he failed miserably, so I think we’ll start reviewing this before my Q’s.

O’Reilly, if you are reading this, here you go buddy.

The mission of F3 is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership.

We started out with a long mosey out and around the parking lot, sans kettlebells, that included some karaoke’s and shuffles along the way.  We then circled up for a quick Warm-A-Rama that consisted of only Windmills.

We grabbed our bells for the 1st routine.

We had 70 seconds to do 7 reps of the following:

  • kettlejacks
  • bent over rows
  • curls
  • triceps extensions
  • goblet squats
  • american hammers 2x count
  • bench press

We repeated this 7 times.  If anyone exceeded 70 seconds we would be penalized, however, fortunately everyone finished with 5-10 seconds to spare each round.  This was a great way to quickly get in just shy of 350 reps of kettlebell work in. Nice job!

The 2nd routine was a 4 corners/buddy workout.

Each corner/cone had an exercise to do with your partner, it was always 100reps (50 each) and then a way to move between the cones.  The long sides of the rectangle we would go half way down the line via bear & bell (bear crawl w/kettlebell), then apple turnover into crab walk position with the bell laying on our bellies the rest of the way.  The short side of the rectangles we would move via lateral goblet squats.  Pretty much just as it sounds.  And all the movement sucked.

At each corner we did:

1st cone: 100 kettlebells handoffs, partners back-to-back, twist, and hand of a single kettlebell.

2nd cone: 100 partner merkins (no kettlebell).  I failed at explaining this one correctly at first, most PAX assumed that when I told to have 1 partner in plank position with the other also in plank with their feet on the backs of their partner that they would be doing derkins.  Nope, I quickly corrected them and told them that the partner with feet on their backs would be doing the merkins.  Most didn’t like this and much grumbling and complaining ensued.  I must admit, it was brutal.  I know a lot of PAX substituted on this one and did it the “normal” way, Royale and I did the whole thing and I’m sure others did, but it was painful and a real winner.

3rd cone: 100 bench press + overhead partner handoff.  Partners would lay head-to-head. Slight adjustment to this one as well.  It was a bit scary to hand off the kettlebell after each rep, so I said it would be fine to pump out 5-10 presses and then hand off the bell.

4th cone: 100 partner sit-ups.  Partners sat feet-to-feet, did a full “big boy” situp and handed off the kettlebell to their partner, rinse and repeat.

Royale and Ricky Bobby had to cut out 5 minutes early for work so the rest of us finished up and circled up for a couple of ab exercises to finish out the final minute.

CoT

Prayers for safe travels for some of our travelling PAX, prayers for Tom who is having heart surgery, and also prayers for Olaf because his grandchild is due today!

It was a pleasure to lead and a ton of fun.  I definitely wouldn’t have the continued motivation to get up and get after it most mornings if it wasn’t for the company of you great men.

Until next time,

-FLUX-

 

 

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Bringing the Pain to Crows Nest

Having never been to Crows Nest before, YHC arrived at 0445 to get the lay of the land. It gave me some time to get a few things setup and wait for the Pax to arrive. Temp was around 73.

Folks started arriving by 5:10 and we circled up ready for the challenge. Most in the Lake Wylie/Fort region know that I have been mostly running this year so there a few surprised faces to see me out a boot camp. Nevertheless, with no FNG’s present, a short disclaimer was given and off we went for a mosey to circle up.

Warm-Up (All IC)

10 X SSH
10 X IW
10 X WM
10 X Low Slow Squat
10 X Moroccan Night Clubs

Mosey back to the starting circle. The theme for the month is Salvation and we discussed the eternal meaning of it as well as the “deliverance from sin and its consequences”. The Pax were asked to think of someone who we can share the hope of salvation this week as we worked out.

The Thang

YHC has always been partial to partner work since it has a parallel to success in life. We all have difficulty along the way and no one has to or should go it alone. Everyone grabbed a partner and stepped up to the Board of Pain (credit always given to Jekyl for this terrible idea, but I have always loved it). YHC did audible on the 100 Kraken burpees and went with 50 instead. If you can’t do it, don’t Q it. And I definitely can’t do 100 of those! Gotta listen to grunge music when working through the board and so we did. Seemed to be a crowd pleaser…the grunge music that is.

Partner 1 – Work on exercises
Partner 2 – Run two loops around the circle

Object: To get through as many exercises as possible before COT.

Great job by all the Pax getting through most of the board and special kudos to Royale and Flux for leading the way. You guys killed it. Everyone ended up running a little over 2 miles also.

After that, we circled up for COT. Announcements – read your newsletter; Q School coming up next month at Bermuda Triangle.

Praises – All who completed the Hog and Coyote and were out this morning to talk about it!

Prayer Requests

Mysterio – Brother needs to be lifted up
Axl – Daughter starts college next week
Royale – Niece and other kids going on mission trips this summer and need to be lifted up.

Finished up by talking about salvation. The focus on the present deliverance is something that everyone needs to know. God is willing to deliver now from the grief that sin can cause us while we remain on earth. The eternal is of ultimate importance but he also wants our time on earth to be lived to the fullest for His glory. Who do you know that needs to hear that this week?

Thanks Iced T for the opportunity to lead. Always an honor!

Until next time,

Hauschka

PS. I’m already sore in case anyone wants a laugh!

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Where’s The P?

On a rather comfortable June morning myself and 15 other PAX decided to get very uncomfortable at CannonBall. Last night as I was thinking up my weinke I was deciding between Kettle Dora’s or Escalating BLIMPS and I decided on the BLIMPS.  However, I noticed on the F3 Exercise page that the P in the BLIMPS are Mountain Climbers and one of the PAX rightly pointed out what was the P exercise so I changed the P to another M and we now have BLIMMS.

Started with a disclaimer and we did a mosey down the church driveway while holding our kettlebells overhead, then went into ketllebearcrawls then back to regular mosey up the other church driveway while also holding the kettlebell overhead till we circled up for some COP.

COP-KettleSSHx10/HALO’s clockwise/counter-clockwisex10/Hot Potatoesx10/Figure 8’sx10/Hold Kettlebell in front shoulder height and did 3 rounds of 10 counts

Main Event

BLIMMS-5 Burpees/10 Lunges/15 Imperial Walkers/20 Merkins/25 Mountain Climbers/30 Squats.  We started with 5 burpees then ran around parking lot with kettlebell then did 5 burpees/10 lunges in an escalating fashion till we finished with the squats.  The running with the kettlebell was the biggest challenge however as everyone was breathing heavy(even Flux!) You know the workout was good when Flux tells you that he hates you mid way through the workout.

With 8 minutes left on the clock I had us do 3 Turkish Get-Ups(each arm) then we grabbed some wall for some people’s chair. End Pax went out to do 3 burpees while the rest passed their kettlebells down towards the church shed where we store the bells. Our final exercise was putting the bells back in the shed.

Welcome FNG Dreadnought(real name Dave Redding-for real).  Hog and Coyote this weekend, Q school at Bermuda Triangle coming in July and other cool events happening around the region.  Prayers for Shakespeare and family moving to my hood and for those suffering with heart disease.  Thanks 2 Ferns for the opportunity to lead. Peace!

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Speed & Stamina Tested at Crow’s Nest

Fourteen joined YHC in the damp and steamy gloom at Crow’s Nest.   Happy to see and FNG among the usual Pax, YHC gave the disclaimer (push yourself but modify as necessary, etc.)  Here is how it went down:

Warm – o – rama

Indian run passing a 10lb medicine ball from front to back, about 3/4 of a mile toward the back of the school.  From there we circled up for some warm up work:

  • 10 windmills IC
  • 15 Imperial walkers IC
  • 12 Hillbilly walkers IC
  • 20 Mountain climbers IC
  • Downward dog and honeymooner for a moment or two
  • 10 diamond merkins IC

The Thang Part I

Pax proceed to a series of 8 cones set up 10 yards apart, with intermediate cones running parallel in between about 5 yards away:

  • diagonal shuffle in a line, 100 yards
  • diagonal run, in a line 100 yards
  • alternating lunge walk & bear crawl, with 5 jump squats or 5 merkins a each cone, 80 yards
  • Gassers (formerly called suicides) at the tall cones, with all you got on the last 80 yards up the slight incline

By this time, everyone seemed to be warmed up so on to:

The Thang Part II

Pax partnered up to knock off the list below; partner one began the exercises while partner two ran a loop around the parking lot, about 75 yards.  Most of us made it through the merkins before Omaha with 7 minutes left, (Awesome Wolverine Fist art work courtesy of the M).

The Thang Part III

  • Wall sit passing the 10lb medicine ball while pax alternated doing 3 super duper all you got reach for the stars jump squats.  I think we did this twice?
  • Mosey back to COT for a set of American Hammers

Moleskin

We welcomed Chop Block’s big brother, the FNG forever to be know as Mogul for his Real Estate and the ventures.   Hog and Coyote – Olaf (R) looking for a partner to run & bike with.  Prayers for Qbert this week as he counsels kids at church youth camp; prayers for a local family that lost dad too soon to and unexpected heart attack.  Praise for our FNG and for the great initial response to possible Lake Wylie FIA!.  Absolutely an honor to be part of the Pax & to lead a workout.

Aye, Wolverine

 

 

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Time to Get Some at Bermuda Triangle

It was only a matter of time until I was called to the deep uncharted territories of Lake Wylie, somewhere they call the Bermuda Triangle.

Olaf was nice enough to keep me company and take the 25 min ride from Lake Ridge this am, so wheels up at 4:20a got us to the AO by 4:45 w/ 15 min to set up some cones before the early 5a start time.  Was glad to see two Olaf’s participating at the same AO and a couple newbies I hadn’t met.

Warm-ups you know are optional for me – so we moseyed 15 feet and did some sun gods, windmills and then started the real warm-up:

  1. Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) we do 30 SSH + 8 burpees for 5 minutes.  After knocking out a quick 5 minute 150 SSH and 40 burpees to the sweet sweet sounds of Dropkick Murphy’s, Buck Cherry and Motley Crue, we took it over to the field for some reverse Dora’s.
  2. Partner up and do the following Dora:
    • 200 jump squats – partner not doing jump squats was doing a 3 cone suicide (Duck Dynasty’s evil idea…I didn’t make them do burpees at each turn)
    • 100 mak tar jais – partner not doing MTJ’s was side shuffling down to the last cone and back
    • 50 burpees – partner not doing burps bear crawled to middle cone and back
  3. I had two more things on deck, but judging by the lack of bear crawling enthusiasm, I decided to start w/ the last thing we were supposed to do and hope there was time for the third.  Told the pax we’d start running the dirt track around the field (a little over a 1/4 mile) and stop 4 times per lap and do ascending reps:
    • 1st lap:  10 diamond merkins / 15 wide arm / 20 rangers / 25 merkins
    • 2nd lap:  10 jump lunges (10 per side) / 15 low low squats (hands need to touch ground) / 20 knee tucks / 25 high knees (25 per knee)
    • 3rd lap:  10 x-crunches (thank you ab workout app) / 15 big boys / 20 american hammers (20 per side) / 25 fast-slow freddie mercuries in cadence (equates to 50 per side)
      [I’ll save the 3rd thing I was supposed to do for next time I Q at BT]

From there, we only had 1 minute, so we hit COT and quickly knocked out 10 merkins / 8 diamonds / 6 merkins / 4 diamonds / 2 merkins no break before it being 5:45a on the dot.

Always a pleasure to lead these pax.  They don’t complain a whole lot (except White Snake and O’Reilly lol) and always bust their a$$ on every exercise.  Prayers for graduating seniors, kids on summer breaks (and the moms) and Flux’s M.  Had a great time guys – can’t wait to get back out there w/ you!

ChaChing

 

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Getting G-Fit in Paradise

What a fun evening in Paradise!  If you have not gotten the opportunity to come see what G-Fit on Friday night is like, I highly recommend it.  Our brothers Deacon and Bolt and others have taken ownership of this AO and really are making it into something special.  This was my first time back to Steele Street Park since our Easter Egg Hunt outreach and it is a great little park.  Full court basketball, a field for football, a pavilion, swing set, spray park?  Awesome.  And like it says in the bible, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  We need more Q’s to step up and lead.  DO IT!  You will be blessed and encouraged, I guarantee it.  Here’s what we did on my VQ:

YHC gathered his 2.0, Captain Snooze, and his FNG friend from the neighboorhood and we arrived a the park around 18:40.  Kids and teens were on the court shouting around so we joined them.  I quizzed the crowd about F3 and who had attended a workout.  About half had.  We quickly head locked the other half and it was announced we’d start at the top of the hour.  As 19:00 approached, more and more of The Fort PAX started showing up.  It was great seeing so many familiar faces!  Longer shout-out to you all below but back to the blast.  We circled up at half court for disclaimer and a few words about what to expect for the next 45 minutes and we were off.

THE THANG

Mosey around the park, past the pavilion, around the bathrooms, loop around the spray park then high knees and butt kickers as we head to the parking lot.  Once on the lot, karaoke right for half, then left until the end.  Up the grass hill to the field area for COP

Reps were kept to around 10 for the following exercises, all in cadence:

SSH, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Squats, Merkins, LBC, Flutters

Water break while we talked about the word of the month, discipline.  What is discipline?  We discussed that discipline is doing what is necessary even when it’s not what you want to do.  We need discipline in our lives to reach our athletic goals.  Kevin Durant did not develop his jump shot by shear luck or talent.  It has taken years of hard work and discipline to get his game to where it’s at.  We need discipline in our lives to reach our academic goals.  Good grades and success don’t just happen, they take discipline.  AYE!

The group was then split between younger kids and teens / adult and each group headed to a basketball hoop.  We lined up from tallest to shortest on the free throw line for a game of knock-out.  Classic game that is always fun.  Bolt quickly emerged as the man to beat but nobody actually could!  Fortunately he sat out after one victory and let some others win.  I think a total of 3 games were played.  Maybe 4?  Anyway, we grabbed a quick sip of water and then headed to the field for some flag football.

Deacon picked 2 younger lads as team captains and all the younger PAX were picked for teams.  Deacon and YHC served as coach / referee while the adult PAX resumed their battle on the basketball court.  The football game was a blast to watch and it was great to see the younger PAX work together as teams.  A bunch of touchdown were scored and a bunch of smiling faces greeted us as we call time and headed for COT.

At COT we named to 4 FNG’s and it was sweet to see how pumped the kids were at their names.  I think we did pretty good with 88 (Cowboys fan), Clutch (the star of the football and basketball games), Man of Steel (Steelers fan who was wearing a team jersey), and Philmont (Boy Scout working towards Eagle).

Announcement was made about a special Labor Day workout on 9/1.  Did somebody say PIZZA?  Expect record breaking numbers for that one.  No prayer requests but YHC took us our with a prayer asking God for help in developing margin and discipline in our lives.

Moleskin

As this was my VQ, I really appreciated seeing some familiar faces.  Thanks to Barry Manilow, Bolt, Deacon, Polaroid, Fish Sticks, and Wapner for posting.  Most brought a 2.0 with them and that is a great part of this AO.  Sharing the vision of F3 and the mission of this particular workout with your kid and having them join you is truly a blessing.  I have to say my heart was warmed when I saw a young kid from the neighborhood jump on my 2.0’s back.  Everybody got along great together, supported each other, and had a blast on a beautiful Friday night.  The sunset was unreal BTW.  Deacon said it’s like that after every workout.  Thanks to you, Deacon, for the opportunity to Q.  After all the unrest and hate on display in our country, it was a breath of fresh air to laugh and play and pray with men and young men of different nationalities.  It’s really not that hard when you just love one another.  Everybody loves love.

Flat Tire

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