Tag: Cornerstone

Burpees in the Gloom: Because Therapy is Expensive

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YHC Arrived 15 minutes early. Stretched in the stillness. As the PAX rolled in, we opened with this thought:

Opening Message:

““We showed up before the sun—when it’s quiet, still, and easy to stay hidden. But it’s in the dark where integrity is tested. In life, leadership, and faith, it’s not about how loud we are in the light, but how consistent we are in the dark.””
Warm-Up:
– 20 Imperial Walkers (IC)
– 10 Hillbilly Walkers (IC)
– Deep Stretch: Wide leg, center, right leg, left leg

The Thang:
Mosey to Harris Street Park
Along the path, we stopped at 4 points—each time completing:
– 2 Burpees OYO with a reflective question:

1. Who are you when the world’s not looking?
2. What habits are you building in the unseen hours?
3. Is your character the same at home, at work, and in the gloom?
4. What dark corners still need light in your life?
—
At Harris Street Park Basketball Court
Escalating Suicides:
– Run suicides. After each round, add reps

– 15 Carolina Dry Docks
– 20 Wide-Arm Merkins
– 25 Squats
– 30 LBCs
—
Mosey up Harris Street to the Church
– At each power pole: 3 Triad Burpees (Wide, Regular, Diamond)
– At each street sign: 15 Big Boy Sit-Ups
– Modified to 2 Triads, then 1 Burpee + 10 BBSUs due to time constraints
—
Mosey Back to COT
Slowed the pace for final thought:
““Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” – Luke 8:17 (ESV)”
Jailbreak to COT
Minute Man smoked it, proving 52 looks strong when you own the dark.

COT:

““As the sun rises today, ask yourself—what part of your life do I need to start owning better in the dark, so I’m stronger in the light?””
We closed with praises and prayer—each man shared one thing they’re bringing from the shadows into the light.

Honor to lead.
– Cornerstone

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Forecast: Pain with a 100% Chance of Perspective

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Conditions: It poured all night. But as I pulled up—miraculously dry skies and just enough gloom to get uncomfortable.

YHC rolled in not knowing if anyone would show after a night of monsoon-style weather. But there they were—cars parked, PAX ready. Let’s go.

⸻

? Warm-Up (Standard Flow):
• Imperial Walkers – Yes, right there on the damp pavement.
• LBCs – Because we like getting uncomfortable.
• Superman w/ Ripcord Pull – To wake up those neglected back muscles.

Then we moseyed to the front entrance for Global Warming – Al Gore hold while each PAX delivered 30 monkey humpers. Humbling. And hilarious.

⸻

? Testimony Drop – Part 1:
Shared some of my story—growing up in California, an early move to Connecticut, and the brokenness that began to shape me.

⸻

? Main Work: The Grinder Loop (4 Rounds):

Each Round:
• 20 Irkins
• 30 Bulgarian Split Squats (15/leg)
• 20 Dips
• 5 Burpees
Then: Lap around the front of the middle school.

Confessions flowed like sweat:
• Round 1: Life in a 1% MC environment. Drugs. Death. Uncertainty.
• Round 2: Homelessness. Fighting. Survival. Muscle-up stop on the hill.
• Round 3: Dropping out. Prison visits. Grief. Grace.

⸻

? COT:
Slow walk back. Talked about how I didn’t just get through the storm—I was cleansed by it. Not because I was strong… but because the Spirit wouldn’t let go.

⸻

? Announcements:
[Insert relevant AO or region updates]

? Prayers & Praises:
Spoken and unspoken. We’re in this together.

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The “Everyday AI” Workshop is Back!

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Did you miss the first one? Did you attend the first one but want to attend again to absorb more? This is for you. But this time, it will be over Zoom. Two Zoom sessions, in fact. This time, we are asking that pax register to attend.

Zoom Session 1 – July 10 @ 2000 (register here)

This will cover most of the material from the first in-person workshop:

  • Brief Intro to AI: Understanding what AI is (and isn’t)
  • Practical, Everyday Uses: How AI can streamline your daily tasks
  • Security Considerations: Keeping your data safe (work and personal)
  • Getting Started: Setting up your ChatGPT account
  • Effective Prompting: Strategies for clear communication with AI
  • Real-life Applications: Enhancing productivity at home and work
  • Time permitting, we’ll touch on using AI for image creation
  • Q&A

 

Zoom Session 2: – Date/time coming soon

This will be a deeper dive into using AI for creating images.

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Halfway there…… 10 Seconds….

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Beautiful day in the Gloom. Always look forward to Q. Great turnout at the sink for my madness with a timer.

Warmup:

SSH x 15
Seal Jack x 15
Plank Jack x15
Mountain Climber x 15

Pick up something heavy get to the field

All Pax line up facing a series of cones. All Pax have to do the following with their Block or Sandbag

50 Curls
75 Flutters with Press
100 Squats
25 Man makers

Every minute on the minute they will hear a beep. When you hear the beep you move to a cone.
Mode of Transportation between cone 1 and 2 is Overhead carry. Mode of Transportation of cones 2 and 3 are murder bunny or Bag toss.
Wash rinse repeat until all reps are done.
There was also a 20 minute timer on this. All pax finished just under the 20 minutes mark.

Next Phase
All pax line up in an Indian run format. The 6 will do 5 squats. We run for a minute then do a minute of an exercise. 8 rounds.

The exercises were
Bent over rows
Lunges
Big boy sit ups
Burpee jump overs.

Did this right up until 6:00am.

Theme today was motivation. Do you rush through to get the reps done…do you take your time and try to run out the clock. Or do you have a consistent approach that maximizes your effort and results. Only you know.

Thanks to Brawny for the opportunity to lead!

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Braden Sucks

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WARMUP: none
THE THANG: route from starbucks/market/nations common/front/160 to Braden. Some did hills and back. Anywhere from 3-5 miles enjoyed by all
MARY: none
ANNOUNCEMENTS: torture and haire

COT: prayers for all. God bless

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Two Qs Walk Into The Fort… One Brought Coupons, The Other Brought Regret

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Conditions: Humid, heavy, and perfect for the grind

Warm-Up (Cornerstone on Q):
– 10 Windmills
– 10 Cherry Pickers
The Thigh Fryer (3 Sets):
– 20 Squats
– 20 Merkins

EMOM Hill Burn (4 Rounds – 12 Minutes Total):
Every 2 minutes:
– Run ~200m to the top of the hill
– 10 Mike Tysons
– Kraken Burpees until the timer ends
– 1 min rest between rounds

Slowsy to the car for coupons and made our way to the amphitheater for some station-based brutality:

Coupon Circuit – 45 sec work / 15 sec rest (8 Stations):
– Alternating One-Arm KB Swings
– Wall Ball Squats
– KB Curls
– Slam Ball Smashes
– KB Goblet Squats
– Dumbbell Lateral Raise → Front Raise
– Sandbag Deadlifts
– Sandbag Sit-Ups

Half-Time Substitution: Cuomo on Q

Playground Pain – “5/31 Special” (6 Rounds):
Each round:
– 5 Pull-Ups
– 31 of the following (new one each round):
– LBCs
– American Hammers
– Big Boys
– Flutters
– Boats & Canoes
– Mountain Climbers
– Lap after each set
Finisher – Modified Elevens on the Hill (aka Sixes):
– Bottom: Carolina Dry Docks
– Top: Overhead Claps

Time Called: Right on schedule

Moleskine: Cornerstone brought the burn, Cuomo brought the creativity, and the PAX brought the grit. Solid mix of cardio, strength, and coordination. The coupons didn’t disappoint and neither did the effort. Strong push all around.

COT: Prayers and Praises

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Consistency Is a Heavy Lift – Grip It and Flip It

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:checkered_flag: Warm-Up (In Cadence):
– Windmills – 10
– Imperial Walkers – 15
– Low Slow Squats – 10

Slowsy to the tires and cinderblocks to get our minds right for what’s coming.

:steam_locomotive: THE PAIN TRAIN – Round 1
Each PAX picks up the biggest tire they can handle. We move in formation—when a man drops his tire, he drops for 1 burpee. The next PAX drops after a 10-count. We go counterclockwise until everyone completes the loop = The Pain Train.

:repeat: 5 Work Stations (rotate when Sledgehammer station hits 20 swings):
1. Sledgehammer Slams (Timer): 20 swings on the large tire
2. Cinderblock Deadlifts
3. Cinderblock Curls + Overhead Hold
4. Tire Flips
5. Cinderblock Overhead Presses

:runner: Mosey – One lap around the parking lot to reset

:steam_locomotive: THE PAIN TRAIN – Round 2
Same tire drill, but this time 2 burpees on each drop. Stations remain the same.
1. Sledgehammer Slams (Timer): 20 swings on the large tire
2. Cinderblock Deadlifts
3. Cinderblock Curls + Overhead Hold
4. Tire Flips
5. Cinderblock Overhead Presses
6.
:runner: Mosey – Another lap around the lot
Steady. Silent. Suffering.

:steam_locomotive: THE PAIN TRAIN – Round 3 (Bonus Round)
Burpees increase to 3 per drop. Then:
– 1 PAX flips the tire once
– 2 PAX flip the tire twice
– 3 PAX flip the tire three times
– 4 PAX flip the tire four times

Once all reps are in—haul the tires back to the starting line.

:brain: 3rd F: Consistency – The Unseen Power of Steady Leadership
““Today we’re going to dive into one of the most underrated leadership traits—Consistency. In our homes, workplaces, and in the gloom, it’s not always the loudest man who leads—it’s the most steady.””
Key Highlights:
– Consistency builds trust over time.
– Complexity is the enemy—simplify to stay steady.
– The consistent man becomes a safe harbor for those around him.

Challenge to PAX:
Where in your life are you slipping? What system or habit needs to be rebuilt? Steady beats flashy. Every time.

:pray: COT / Announcements / Closing Prayer
We circled up, locked shields, and prayed it out—grateful for the men who show up again and again and again.

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ChatGPT Wrote It, Your Quads Regret It

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WARMUP:
– Windmills – 10 IC
– Imperial Walkers – 15 IC
– Arm Circles – 10 IC
– Overhead Claps – 25 IC
– Mosey to the larger parking lot

THE THANG:
Part 1: Dora 1-2-3 – Partner up
– 100 Merkins
– 200 LBCs
– 300 Air Squats
– While one partner worked, the other ran a 50-yard shuttle.

Part 2: Four Corners – AMRAP
PAX took on each corner with intensity:
– 10 Burpees
– 20 Bonnie Blairs
– 30 Plank Jacks
– 40 Flutter Kicks (4-count)

Part 3: Jack Webb
1 Merkin to 4 Air Presses, all the way up to 5:20.

Mosey back to COT

MARY:
Worst Worst LBC – 10 IC
Fire Hydrants – 10 IC Right Leg
Fire Hydrants – 10 IC Left Leg

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Blood Drive
– Cannoli Run
– Read your news letter

COT:
Prayers and praises, This was done C-Span Style everyone shared.

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2025 PGA Championship – Quail Hollow

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WARMUP: Pledge of Allegiance
THE THANG:
Inspired by the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow this will be a loop with 18 stops. The distance between the stops are based on the length of the holes (slightly modified down to get us 3 miles instead of the actual length of 4.3). The stops were marked with cones.
•Red = Par 4 = 4 Burpees
•Yellow = Par 3 = 20 Big Boys
•Green = Par 5 = 20 American Hammers
•Green Mile = Written on cardboard signs

We stuck together for the first 8 holes (1.25 miles) and then I turned the fast guys loose to run the remainder of the course (1.75 miles).

I didn’t hear it all, but I did hear some great mumble chatter:
– “Where’s the cart girl?” – Cyclopes
– “What’s the distance from the senior tees?” – Barry Manilow
– “There’s no such thing as a par 6, right?” – Dark Helmet

Thank you Nasa for the call.

COT:
Thank you Slapshot for your dedication and efforts as the 1st F Q!

Congratulations Bonsai and Time Machine on taking on the 1st F Q roles and to Cyclopes on assuming the LDP role. Really looking forward to seeing what you bring!

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Hills and Thrills

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WARMUP: Jog a lap with some butt kickers. SSH, MC, merkins, Willie mays Hayes, Moroccan night clubs.
THE THANG: mosey to the pull-up bars. 3 pull-ups each. Everyone else doing squats while waiting.
2 rounds of 10 incline merkins/derkins, 10 step ups each side, 20 dips.
Hill work with big boys and flutters.
Loop back to the main lot for Standard Dora – 100 merkins, 200 squats, 300 LBC’s.
More hill work with bear crawls, lunge walk, and burpees.

MARY: 7 minutes or Mary to finish.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: read your newsletter.
COT: welcomed FNG Teen Spirit.

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