Smoking sandbags at Chupacabra

We did a modified Manion type of workout:

15 squats with ruck and sandbag on

15 ruck curls

run one lap (1/4 mile)

partner up and toss sandbag for 100 yards

15 ruck curls

ruck one lap

partner up and toss sandbag for 100 yards

15 ruck curls

run one lap

partner up and toss sandbag for 100 yards

15 ruck curls

ruck one lap

partner up and toss sandbag for 100 yards

15 ruck curls

one of the sandbags couldn’t take it any longer and started smoking after the first 100 yards, filler bag was destroyed!

Crab cakes was voluntold upon arrival to lead us on a great 10 minute broga session and as the HIM he is he accepted with a big smile!!

It was a great combination of  ruck, run, broga plus all the mumblechatter.

Cicada and Badlands are morphing into ruckers.

Great to see Dinghy back in the gloom, we also had a visit from Snooze who drove 45 minutes to join us that morning.

Tinsel OUT

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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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April Fools Convergence

11 PAX chose to get better with YHC has YHC was trying to deflect rumors of not only pull-ups but a visit from Minnow Pond. We went on a mossy around FMHS stopping twice for some COP consisting of a high number of windmills, ball buster squats (thanks to Johnny Utah’s introduction at JOC), LSS, moracin nightclubs, and other things to kill time as we awaiting Minnow Pond PAX to meet at the pull0up bars.

PAX bear crawled the length of the covered awning at the pull up bars then counted off into teams of 3. Each team had to complete 50 pull-ups, 75 right leg scorpion merkins, 75 left leg scorpion merkins, 300 LBCs and 100 V-ups. PAX rotated between running and the exercises.

Once minnow pond took off to head back, mossy back towards COT and stopped at a retaining wall for 10 derkins/10 erkins for 2 rounds, stopped at Hive for some more COP, mossy back to COT for 3 minutes of elbow planks.

Thanks Oscar for opportunity to lead and prayers to Truckers co-worker and daughter (Morven and Mila) who are struggling with teenage suicidal issues, Grassy Knoll’s M job interview, and others that I now have forgotten (Sorry)

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Blessings

YHC was honored to be granted the Q Spot for Slow Burn on the mildest morning of the week.  The rising temperatures likely led to increased turnouts throughout the week so as YHC sidewalk chalked the finishing touches on the workout and pulled up to COT, it was great to see a big number of HIMs gathered to start of the morning.

All PAX were disclaimed and assured that YHC was absolutely not a professional.  Risk was assumed by all present and off we moseyed to the warm-up:

COP consisted of the following exercises in varying quantities:  Windmills (Trucker-approved), Imperial Walkers, Hillbilly Walkers, Side Straddle Hops, PAX remained in the plank position for the following: Merkins, Down dog, Up dog, Mountain Climbers, Peter Parkers, Shoulder taps, a 6-inch hold for a notably slow 10-count given by Trucker and the warm up was complete.  PAX moseyed to the Hampton Inn entrance were partner Dora was to commence:

50-100-150 – Merkins, LBC’s & Flutters

16 PAX made for even splits into groups of 4, which fit nicely with the 4 corner stations that were about to commence.  PAX counted off and miraculously all remembered their numbers as we moseyed to 4-corner land for 10-20-30’s.  Mode of transportation between stations varied and some PAX were displeased and modified.

PAX completed roughly 6 stations in total , did all exercises together in their assigned groups and rotated in clockwise fashion.

Station 1 – 10 bombjacks, 20 diamond merkins, 30 flutters and crawl bear to station 2

Station 2 – 10 burpees, 20 merkins, 30 Rosalitas and lunge walk to station 3

Station 3 – 10 bombjacks, 20 shoulder taps, 30 boxcutters and bear crawl to station 4

Station 4 – 10 burpees, 20 werkins, 30 Hello Dollys and NUR to station 1

YHC called time at 0556 and PAX moseyed to the Empire Pizza wall.  People’s Chair was held and each PAX spoke of a blessing for which they were thankful.  There were many.   After all sounded off we moseyed to COT for announcements, prayers and praises.

Announcements –

T-Claps to Curious George for taking the Q reins on Fort Mill Care Center and to Assassin for his leadership in this effort.  Sign up genius to post soon.

April 13 – Pancake breakfast celebrating 1-year anniversary of the Bubble.  T-Claps to Twister for spearheading this 2nd F event.

Prayers were offered for the schools beginning back full time Monday.  Praises to all the teachers, administrators and those who were part of this effort.

NMM – Blessings come in all forms.  As we slowly lift from the depths of this pandemic, YHC has found the simplicity of an ordinary day to be one of the greatest blessings there is.  Having the ability to get up, exercise and improve in all facets of our lives is something we all must embrace.  The effect that has on others around us is often greater than the effect on ourselves.

Thanks to Twister for the opportunity to lead.

With Gratitude,

Cyclops

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Handing Off The Shovel Flag for The BALLROOM – Part Deux!

Wow -what a great, steamy morning to be alive. Thanked the Good Lord for the beautiful moon rise on my way to the AO. Overcome with a sense of Deja Vu after handing the Shovel Flag off to Manziel last September, YHC also thanked my lucky stars that Smithers agreed to take it from me.  It wasn’t that easy to find a new Site Q as quite a few Pax turned down the opportunity.

But it was a perfect gloom for a beatdown and to pass the reins to one of the BEST AOs in The Fort, bar none. This place has wide open spaces and limitless potential. Cars kept rolling in and we waited an extra 30 seconds when Polaroid came in HOT. Disclaimer (has anyone actually read it?) was described and detailed. So, our journey began.

THE THANG:

WARM-UP: Mosey to other side of the school

COP:

  • Seal Jacks * 12
  • 5 Burpees
  • Moroccan Night Clubs
  • Mountain Climbers* 12
  • 4 Burpees
  • Squats * 15
  • 3 Burpees
  • Peter Parkers * 12 (almost lost my wind)
  • 2 Burpees
  • Low Slow Squats*10
  • 1 Burpee

MOSEY to ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DROP OFF LANE OR BACK LOT for Dirty McDeuce. Partner up- 3 exercises at each end, 5 reps at each end, then 10, then 15. LBCs, Merkins & Bombjacks

Thoughts on Complacency – How comfortable are you? Are you challenging yourself in any way? Are you stagnant and complacent? Nothing wrong with being comfortable and being able to relax. But a man MUST do things that make him Uncomfortable in order to grow. Without challenges and stepping outside of our comfort zone, our minds and our bodies begin to get soft. To truly thrive, you need to push your boundaries and lean into some discomfort. We live in a world of convenience and comfort. But the more you are wiling to challenge yourself, the more that you will thrive. HARD WORK AND SWEAT IS GONNA PAY OFF.  SO THINK OF WAYS TO PUSH YOURSELF OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. AYE?   

Mosey to WALL – Peoples chair, PAX JUMP out and do 5 SQUAT JUMPS, Bearcrawl to curb. Mosey to lightpoles. 10 Weezy’s. run to next pole, 10 Squats, back to first pole. 10 LBCs at 4th Poles, 10 Merkins at 5th Pole. Return to 1st Pole after each circuit (also called suicides)  

MOSEY TO Front of school for– JACK WEBB (only made it to 6 rounds). Back to COT

Announcements, Prayers (Otis’ Dad, Cash, Our Community). Lean Into the Discomfort and there you will find growth Gentlemen. Great group and great effort out there. These men help to sharpen me every time out. Eternally Grateful & Honored To Lead.

Don’t cut yourself Short.

Shortest Of All Sales, Out.

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Lead, Then Get Out of the Way

A month ago Lutefisk reached out for me to Q today and I said yes.  Thinking to myself, that will give me plenty of time to get my sorry butt somewhat back in shape.  Well, that didn’t happen so had to figure out how to lead, without leading.   Thus U vs U was my only option.
Disclaimer
FNG Alex (Soft Tail)
Mosey to Domino’s
    Mtn Climbers (10), Carolina Dry Docks (10), Hello Dollies (10), Lunges (10)
Mosey to Dogtopia
    Side Straddle Hops (54 of course), Merkins (10), LBC’s (10), Squats (10)
Mosey to back of Dollar Tree
    Peter Parkers (10), Plank Punches (10), Freddie Mercuries (10), Monkey Humpers (10)
Mosey to Express Lube wall
    Parker Peters (10), Dips (10), Box Cutters (10), Step-Ups (10-each leg)
Mosey to Walgreen’s Drive Through – Now the U vs U part
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Merkins
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Merkins, 10- Carolina Dry Docks
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Merkins, 10- Carolina Dry Docks, 10 Wide Arm Merkins
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Merkins, 10- Carolina Dry Docks, 10 Wide Arm Merkins, 10 Diamond Merkins
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Merkins, 10- Carolina Dry Docks, 10 Wide Arm Merkins, 10 Diamond Merkins, 10 Hand Release Merkins
    Some folks did an extra lap (because they can)
Round Two
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Bomb Jacks
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Bomb Jacks, 10- Side Straddle Hops
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Bomb Jacks, 10- Side Straddle Hops, 10 Burpees
    Run Lap around Building(s) –  10 Bomb Jacks, 10- Side Straddle Hops, 10 Burpees, 10 Mountain Climbers ( I think this is as far as anyone got)
    Was an option to substitute Ab exercises but in true F3 fashion peer pressure prevented any of that non-sense.
Always honored and humbled to Q.  Was great to see a lot of faces, haven’t seen in while.  Appreciate the Lake Wylie boys getting up soooo early to make the trek across the pond, but stop your moaning already (Witch Hunt).
Pax: Bones, Witch Hunt, O’Reilly, Royal, Wild Thing, Slap shot, Oscar the grouch, Tesla, Long Duck, Olaf, Shop Vac, Nature boy, Cha Ching, Change Order, Fish Sticks, Duck Dynasty, Stang, Grass Knoll, Lutefisk, White Lightening, Half Shell, Cyclopes, Trucker, Zoo-lander, FNG (Soft Tail), Cake Boss
Cornhole Out
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All about Stang

It’s always a pleasure to Q Laces In especially when Slapshot (fellow Yinzer) markets that YHC will bring pull-up pains. 11 PAX got better this morning. Shout out to Greenwave for finally posting after months of hibernating.

COP started in the parking lot with 13 windmills (surprised??), 5 burpees since Cornhole was late, then 13 very slow squats. Mossy to main school parking lot, 26 IW, 13 mountain climbers, 26 SSH, and 5 burpees. PAX line up in a line facing baseball field, toy soldiers half way down then NUR to end of lot. Mumble chatter started up and was wondering when PAX would be mossy to pull-up bars. Not yet…..

PAX broke up into 3 groups. Each group lined up within the parking lot lanes near the football practice field. Run from the curb line to the first parking stall. Each stall has a assigned parking number for the students. The first number = burpees, second number = squats, third number = merkins. For example: parking stall number is 287 = 2 burpees, 8 squats, 7 merkins. Run back to curb and back up the lane to the next parking stall. Rinse and repeat until we got about half way down the parking lot.

Mossy towards pull-up bars….whoops….hard right turn and mossy to the hill next to the football stadium. PAX were soooo concerned about heading to the pull-up bars…the intention was to run more this morning. PAX were surprised and glad we mossy away from the bars.

At hill we did 22’s (11’s on steroids). 2 merkins at bottom of hill, run up hill to last light pole – 22 squats. Run back down hill. Increase/decrease by 2 reps. Mumble chatter mostly by Stang….shocking! 5 burpees to complete the WO.

Thanks for opportunity to lead, everyone was gassed and sweaty!

 

Prayers to Cash, Bonsai, FMSD (teachers, leaders, admin, students, and parents) during this time.

Trucker

 

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Accelerating via pyramids

7 #HIM braved the rain (which subsided nicely around 0515) and joined YHC at Laces In for a little of this and a little of that – partner work was done and many burpees were a part of the weinke.  Here’s what we did:

COT – Mosey to the top of the Hill at the 21 entrance to the High School.  From there, we circled up to do Low slow squats, holding to a people’s chair and doing Moroccan Night Clubs and Air Presses in cadence while in the people’s chair.  A few burpees were done in between some of the exercises which included Imperial walkers, hillbilly walkers and merkins – all in cadence and double count.  After getting warmed up, we moseyed back to the band lot for the main event – partner pyramid work.  During our trip, we passed Stang, Da Vinci and Cornerstone in the midst of their ruck.

None of the PAX present posted at golden corral for YHC’s Tuesday Q – therefore, the pyramid was new to all present.  We combined DORA, pearls on a string and pyramid work.  Partner 1 started at the 10 yard line doing 10 burpees while partner 2 ran to the opposite goal line and back.   When Partner 2 returned, partners switched off and partner 2 picked up where partner 1 left off.  Here was that pyramid:

10 yard line – 10 burpees

20 yard line – 10 burpees, 20 squats

30 yard line – 10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins

40 yard line – 10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins, 40 flutters

50 yard line – 10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins, 40 flutters, 50 jump squats

40 yard line – 40 flutters, 30 merkins, 20 squats, 10 burpees

30 yard line – 30 merkins, 20 squats, 10 burpees

20 yard line – 20 squats, 10 burpees

10 yard line – all PAX did 10 burpees OYO but together to finish out the set

a 10 count was called and we moseyed to the benches near the gym entrance for:

10 dips double count in cadence

10 flutters double count in candence

Mosey to the base of the hill near the stadium for interval work.

PAX did 2 rounds for 90 seconds per round – A round consisted of 45 seconds of burpees and 45 seconds of lunge walks up the slope.

Mosey back to COT – for geometry class – ab work via the protractor – PAX held at varying degrees for 15-20 seconds.  2.3 miles  and 45 minutes later, 0600 was upon us.

Announcements:

Classroom Ready fundraiser – try to get to 750 notebooks by 6-30.  Message Bonsai for details.

Alcatraz and The Fort are converging at WEP on July 4 and The Fort Convergence will be at WEP on July 11 as well.  Alcatraz will be closed that day.

Read your newsletter.

Prayers were offered up for all suffering from sickness and for families.

NMM:  Remain steadfast in your beliefs and be the example your concentrica needs.  Leadership matters – and we are all called to fulfill that mission.

Thanks to Slap Shot for the opportunity to Q.

Honored to lead,

Cyclops

 

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Naturally Modifying Weinke at Slow Burn

11 PAX endured the experimentation of a naturally modifying workout.  My name.  Nothing official.  Goal was to allow those PAX that wanted to push themselves without holding them back or making the 6 feel like they had to overdo it to keep up.  More to come.

Warmup

Short Mosey

SSH, Moroccan Nightclubs, Cherry Pickers, Arm stretches, Windmills, Leg stretches, Plank, Downdog and stretch calves, Honeymooner

The work – Q picked a target.  All PAX would run for it.  First on there turns around and pickups all other PAX as he runs back to the 6. Once the groups reaches the 6, Q calls out an exercise.  Rinse and Repeat until COT.

Merkin

LBC

Derkin

Flutter

Inerkin

Freddie Mercury

Low Slow Squat

Rosalitas

Maq Tarsa

Hello Dolly

Dips

Burpees

3 min of Mary at the flag

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God

What an amazing day in the gloom! The temperature was perfect and the rainy forecast held off. Long Shanks posted this morning after a solid season of coaching basketball. YHC posted with Hasselhoff two days in a row.  Each #HIM stretched themselves to the next level (literally, given our two broga sessions during the workout).    

The Thang

Mosey to the parking lot with basketball courts:

Warm-Up: Broga, SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (15x)

Mosey to the driveway behind the building.

Dora – One partner runs to the top of the hill. The other does exercises then alternate until the team of two has done: Merkins (100x), Squats (200x), LBCS (300x) 

Mosey to the back of the building for Balls to the Wall, People’s Chair/Wall Merkins (3x)

Mosey to the starting parking lot 

Ab lab and more broga

Moleskin:

Freedom is a privilege and responsibility. You have the freedom to choose how you react to situations. Sometimes, we are chosen to be tested by troubling situations.Our response to those tests helps define us. 

Unfortunately, we often think of the “what ifs” when the future is uncertain or bleek.  Those what ifs tend to take us down a downward spiral of negativity. 

We can also respond to troubling situations with an optimistic approach of “God Is.” Yes, you are being tested with big challenges. But, hasn’t He provided for you in the past when you were stuck between a rock and a hard place? The answer is undoubtedly yes. You could not have made it out of the situations without his help.

Do not worry. God provides and protects. You will be challenged but you will also be saved. Cancel your subscriptions to the “What Ifs” and commit to understanding that “God Is” bigger and stronger than your challenges. Be encouraged in knowing that God Is. 

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