Tag: Crab Cakes

Moving to keep warm on a windy day

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Cyclops and YHC(Bass-o-Matic)  were blessed with the opportunity to have the Q at the Fort.  As we discussed that we had nothing really planned, nobody would have believed it as it came together nicely.

A brief intro, disclaimer and welcome Slim Jim from the New Bern PAX we started right into the warmup as we waited for stragglers to roll in.  We did the typical SSH, Windmills, merkins, imperial walkers, peter parkers and plank jacks.  A brief challenge to the group on how do you plan for the unexpected and how do you respond to those situations?  Now that everyone was ready we split off with Milkshake and moseyed to one of my favorite walls across from the memorial park.

Since the PAX looked a little tired we started of with some wall sits.  This is where it started getting a little saucy.  Round 1 each PAX did a 10 count with an arm variation until we go to the end.  Short 20 second break.  Round 2 Each PAX did 10 bombjacks till we made it down the line.  Saw some great form from the pax.

Changed it up and went to the plan position.  Each PAX held the plan until we went down the line with plank jacks.  20 second recovery and then repeated with mtn. climbers.

Rinse and repeat.  Went back to wall sits with squats for round 1 and SSH for round two.  Funny how quick 30 minutes went and then it was time to hand it over to Cyclops.

We moseyed from the Springs lot to Footloose – a good sojourn.  Once all PAX came in, we circled up for a 10-20-30 pyramid:

10 burpees OYO, 20 squats in cadence (because Bass-o-Matic did no leg work in his half of the Q ; – ) and 15 double count merkins in cadence.  After merkin completion, PAX stretched out from the plank with salutations to the left and right then holding 6 inches off the ground while Tesh gave an efficient 10 count.

We moseyed from Footloose to the front of the Fort Mill Police Department, held a belated veterans day Pledge of Allegiance to honor all who serve, and then moseyed on to Main street for more “fun”.

On the main street benches, PAX did 20 dips and 20 derkins OYO and then we moseyed to the Founders Bank lot for the “main act”

7’s –  6 Kracken Burpees on the horizontal parking space line, lunge walk to the opposite side (because we needed more leg work), 1 Carolina Dry Dock, mosey back to the line, 5 kracken burpees, lunge walk, 2 CDD’s, mosey back……etc. etc. etc. all the way down too 1 KB and 6 CDD’s to finish. PAX finished at this lot before moseying by holding a squat position and did 10 Moroccan night clubs in cadence.  A quick recovery via a 10-count and we moseyed back to the East side of WEP.

At the .1 mile drill bit – Pax bunched up for some more work:  15 double count flutters in cadence, 10 burpees OYO (just because) and 10 double count diamond merkins.  A little mumble chatter came about…but just a little – likely due to the love of burpees and diamond merkins.

A quick mosey back to COT brought us to a few minutes of Mary – which included 15 box cutters in cadence and 45 (ish) seconds worth of protractor work – PAX seemed to enjoy holding legs 6 inches off the ground after completing box cutters making the transition to the protractor more “fun”.  For some reason, pre-mature a count off started at this point – I don’t know why.

We wrapped up at 0730 per custom and moved to name-o-rama, announcements. praises and prayers.

Praise for the health care providers who are caring for many sick friends and family, who are in our thoughts, including Tesla’s Mom and Cyclops’ Dad who are battling forms of cancer.  And for Assassin who is working through an infection and awaiting biopsy results. Slim Jims grandson who is recovering from illness. Kenyan’s loss of his M; prayers for comfort and peace.

Read your newsletter.

 

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Two Shared A Milkshake

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Today at Milkshake,  we only had to show up.

So I decided just to make it pretty simple and what we did was a tour of Fort Mill.

Crab Cakes and I  walked down toward the churches and the gun shop and stopped alongthe way to do a few exercises here and there.

We talked about where we grew up and talked about the crazy wind this morning.

We met up with The Fort main group at one point and hung out for a bit and then headed back to COT.

Thankfully the rain held off until we were almost finished.

Thanks  Shady  for the chance to lead.

Remember Kenyan in your prayers.

DT out.

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WOW!!! 26 for the Ballroom.  25 BCers and 1 IR’d walker.

Workout – Blast from the Past.

 

As if last week’s focus on 70 TV themes wasn’t enough, YHC went in for a return to the early exercon with BLIMPS.

The workout –

Brief warm up of 20 SSH, 10 Windmills and a run around the school to the far side and the “wall.”   At said wall, the PAX executed a round of wall sits whilst the PAX from each end executed two burpess and we worked our way inward.  Followed by BTW.

Afterwards we ran to the field with one lap around the track and divided into four teams at the goal line.  For the remainder of our time here we did four rounds, maybe five, of BLIMPS.  Every 10 yards the pax moved themselves by running, bear crawling, broad jumping and duck walking after the BLIMP was finished the pax ran to the opposite end zone.  What are BLIMPS?

  • Burpees 5
  • Lunges 20
  • Imperial Walkers 15
  • Merkins 20
  • Plankjack 25
  • Squats 30

What was the moleskin?  There wasn’t one . . . YHC was so taken by the 26 pax at at AO he couldn’t think.  However, if there is one it should be this – men, savor every moment with you children if you have them.  Do not complain.  It is amazing and the time is so short when they are little that you cannot comprehend it until they are older.  SAVOR IT!!

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Celebrating Shield’s 49th @ Footloose

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Warmup: 49 SSH
Party: 7×7’s = 7 rounds of 7 counts of: Monkey Humpers, Incline Merkins, Peter Pointers, Merkins, LBC’s, Squats, SSH
Happy 49th Shield! pRespect!

Next we mosey’d up and down Confederate St, Indian style. We finished on the far side of Southern Sugar. There we did a wall sit while the 2 ends broke off to do 2 burpees. Another mosey later we were at Fort Mill Church of God running up and down their stairs. I like to call that the Smithers Stair-climb because the first time I did it was when Smithers was on Q. It hurt me back then so I knew it made me better. I try to incorporate it into every Footloose Q now.
Around the corner we found another set of stairs that a few of us ran up and down twice. At the top we circled up for a round or 3 of Mary. Another slow mosey got us back to C.O.T. We prayed.

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A Morning Walk Through Town

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Five men gathered at Veteran’s Park and spent an hour together.  Here is what they did:

After the Pax were disclaimed,  I took a few minutes to ask each person what their ailment was so I had an idea of what we could do today.   For the record:  Maximus (foot), Twister (detached retina healing), Flat Tire (bruised abdomen/ribs -thanks for showing us too), Crab Cakes (groin pull) and Senator Tressel (knee pain and torn calf muscle).    With that, we were ready to get started and since we were standing next to the Veteran’s Memorial, it seemed fitting to recite the pledge of allegiance.  Then the walk began:

Head west on North White Street.  Along the way, we passed the morning crowd at The Fort who were running circuits and doing something that looked kind of painful. ( Yeah, we weren’t going to do much to that today).

Stop at the small lot next to the Springs building and stretch from head to toe.   Continue on to the playground at WEP.

At the playground do 3 sets of pullups (10 reps/set)  Leave the playground and walk to the entrance in front of the Springs Building.

Plank hold/6″ hold for a bit.  Find the grass and do some abwork (pretzel crunch and something else)  Follow the path to the side parking lot of Springs.

On the low roofline of the building, do wall pull-ups (10 reps).  From there we bear crawled across the lot and held a dip position on the curb.  Bear crawl back to the building and do a wall sit (I think).

Walk back to Veteran’s Park.

COT

Naked Man Moleskin

That doesn’t look like much.    Was that all we did?  Oh no!  What isn’t shown is all the conversation that happened during the walk and in between the exercises.  I have known these fine gentlemen for several years and decided that today would be a great opportunity to get to know them better.  We shared a lot of things from when we were growing up, through college and our first jobs, how we met our wives and proposed to them, and how we all ended up in Fort Mill.  Here are just a few of the findings from our hour together:

  1.  Charlie comes from a family of engineers and his dad taught at Lousiana Tech
  2. Andrew has known his wife since middle school and lived in Portland for a couple of years.
  3. Dave turned down Notre Dame University for Villanova and Salomon Bros for Pepsi (or another company).
  4. Tyson was a semi-professional rugby player and proposed to his wife in Ireland (in less than ideal conditions).
  5.  Frank became a Naval officer after college, but left after only 18 months on active duty.

Today was all about the 2nd F, and it was one of those times when people together and there is a certain chemistry within the group.    From the start of the hour to the end,  everyone got into the spirit of sharing, and all the guys were more than willing to talk about their lives.  We learned a lot about each other, poked fun at the things we did when we were younger, and enjoyed a walk together on a beautiful autumn morning.  I have Q’d many, many times over the years and can honestly say that today’s Q was one of my favorites.  Thank you, Charlie, Andrew, Dave, and Tyson for making today’s F3 workout memorable, and one that I will remember for a long time.

Announcements/Prayers and Praises

  1.  Funhouse’s son (Offspring) in Alaska with an infection and low O2 level.  Funhouse traveled to Alaska.
  2. Injured Pax and friends with illnesses

 

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It’s the 1st F for a reason

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11 pax posted to WEP to celebrate north winds, fall temps, a Santini sighting, an Anchorman celebrity drop-in and 7 yrs + 1 week since the 9.29.12 launch of The Fort.  This, the 365th edition of Saturday at The Fort, was more than just another Saturday of brotherhood and pain.  It was also a reminder of why these gatherings matter.  After a thorough Disclaimer, Crab Cakes led the pax off into the gloom.

The Thang

Mosey up the hill out the parking lot with a right turn toward the Church of the Nazarene.  A few stops along the way for some warm-up moves.

Partner up for a series of exercises paired with running to the church steps, 3x up and down, and return to partner at the far end of the parking lot.  Exercises included, Merkins, Squats and Flutters.

Rugby sprints (it wouldn’t be a Crab Cakes Q without this signature session) with LBCs, Freddys, Flutters, Heel Touches.

Hand off to DD

Mosey back toward WEP

Stop at pecan tree grove near Springs building for some work — Planks, Merkins, CDDs, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, & Makhtar N’Dyaes (Santini request for the last one)

Mosey to Springs parking lot entrance (in the grass)

Knee-tar-jais

Mosey to brick wall at Springs

People’s chair & Balls to the wall (rinse and repeat)

Mosey to WEP playground (rotating partners) — Pull ups, burpees, monkee, humpers, dips, derkins, lap around playground

Bear crawl to path, crawl bear back

Series of sprints and backward sprints to path and back to playground

Jailbreak home

COT

Naked man moleskin

Crab Cakes and I had a great time at the helm today.  It’s always an honor to lead the pax, and especially at the launching grounds for The Fort.  Sorry to miss Slash.  Thanks for the opportunity to Q and thanks for keeping the mission going at WEP on Saturdays!

Anchorman with 2.0 in tow made a brief showing as we approached 0720. Apologies for the PG-13 language during the final prod to the pax to finish strong.  You can throw me in the creek with your M if you hear that one at the dinner table.

Santini, Rebel and Dark Helmet were rockin’ the perfect sweaty head coifs by the finish.  Checkout the video for proof.  If Funhouse had posted we might’ve been able to establish the pose for The Fort’s Mount Rushmore.

Good to have Sippy Cup among the pax and donning The Fort jersey no less.  Don’t be stranger!  Hope to see you again soon!

The theme for the morning was a focus on 1st F #Fitness.  Thanks to many pax, including my co-Q Crab Cakes, 2nd F is making huge strides.  Thanks to Gekko, Cake Boss, Chicken Hawk, Pusher and others, 3rd F also continues to blossom.  No debate on my part that these two elements are critical to our pax and speak to the core of who we are as men and leaders.  Yet, now that The Fort has entered it’s 8th year, I feel the need to highlight the importance of 1st F.  While it’s not the core of WHO we are as men, it is the core of WHAT we undertake each week as a group.   It’s the magnet that draws us out into the gloom.  And after 4, 5, 6, 7 years, it might begin to taste a little bland from familiarity. The temptation may be there to coast during workouts or even to scale back your weekly posts.  I’m imploring you — DO NOT GIVE UP!  Yes, F3 is about way more than the workout.  And at the same time, it is also rooted in the workout.

Several conversations over the past week highlighted for me the importance of regular, passionate 1st F engagement.  I heard examples of veteran pax who are pushing hard and veteran pax who are dialing back.  Those posting regularly and pushing in 1st F are seeing growth in all 3 Fs.  Those who’ve scaled back are experiencing some regression in other areas.  It’s all connected, gentlemen.  “You get out of it what you put into it” a veteran pax shared with me this week.

F3 isn’t the only way to stay fit.  I’m the first to acknowledge this fact.  I’ve been fit in the past without F3 and I see many men who are fit today without F3.  But, 1st F isn’t just about Fitness.  It’s about relationships.  Friendships are built in the midst of struggle in the Gloom.  Removing that element will impact a relationship.  1st F is also about preparation.  When you post in the Gloom, you surrender to the elements and the Q.  You give up control — willingly.  You don’t know what you’re going to be put through, but you show up anyway.  And you push to the finish because you believe it will make you “better.” It’s preparation for life. Each day we wake up and we surrender to what the world and Sky Q have in store for us. We don’t have nearly the control we’d like. But we carry on to the finish of each day, seeking to get better (or at least get through it to the next day we won’t control).

So, if you’re feeling the tug of the Fartsack or the gym or the coffee pot, speak up.  We’re all susceptible to those temptations. And we all need a dose of #Accountability now and then to keep us on the #Right track.  The same is true for those out front.  If you’re in an acceleration mode, look around to see who’s missing.  Accelerating pax don’t let pax fall back. They pick up the Six. They don’t leave a man where they found him.

Thanks for listening.  Thanks for pushing.  SYITG!

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Two Ferns in a Swamp

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YHC was asked to Q at the Swamp by a HIM named Cha Ching (whom was DR and on IR) and I jumped at the request.

We started with a basic Traveling COP with a few stops along the way some SSH, Diamond Merkins, Seal Jax, Ranger (Regular) Merkins, Smurf Jax and Werkin’s. Nobody liked the amount I decided to do but oh well. Those are the reps that I like and I was my Q. We eventually made our way to where I had a speaker and a BOP set up with some side walk chalk.

The Thang was basically 8 exercises each for 1 minute and write down your reps in your parking space. Pretty basic but I love this workout and 4-8 is murders row to the legs.

1. Scorpion Dry Docks
2. Big Boys
3. Ranger Merkins
4. Jump 180 Squats
5. Donkey Kicks
6. Jump Lunges
7. Plank knee tucks
8. Burpees

Then take a run (timed) to the far fire Hydrant by the Home Depot which was shown to the Pax during the COP.

Return winded and then rinse and repeat the 8 exercises but with more reps! Goal was we didn’t have to run the Last lap if 50% or more of the PAX beat their Burpee count. They were successful or lied to me. Most were glad not to run the last lap.

This is a basic bootcamp I know but it will test u and blow u up!

Got to meet a few new PAX and that is why I always like Qing and different AO’s.

Finished up with a COT (announcements, a few prayers and praises and all thankful for another day).

Thanks for the opportunity to lead Cha Ching

I am enjoying this ride I am on and am not sure where it is taking me but all we can do is prepare and train.

TWO FERNS!

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VQ-O-RAMA

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September is VQ month at Golden Corral.  Except last minute VQ decided he wasn’t ready.  Push a brother, but not too much.  It’s ok, Lutefisk can ad-lib!  Normal disclaimer plus let PAX know we all would be on Q today.  Something they did from their VQ.  Started off with a mosey around the Teeter, circle up for a COP:
-10 windmills IC
-10 DC merkins IC
-15 imperial walkers IC
-10 tempo merkins IC
-15 morrocan NC’s IC
-10 diamond merkins IC
-line up for a modified indian run; hold plank, rear PAX bear crawl to front

Lutefisk’s Thang: SSH during the song “Tubthumping” by Chumbawumba, every “I GET KNOCKED DOWN” = burpee

Mile High’s Thang: Wall sit and one at a time sprint about 50 yards and back, various arm work whilst wall sitting

Fish Stick’s Thang: tight circle arms on shoulders, one at a time 10 count heel raises (9 PAX = 90 heal raises!)

Corn Hole’s Thang: 12 count merkin (4 down, 4 hold 6″, 4 up) x 10

Uber’s Thang: wall work behind oil change place – 10 right leg step ups, 10 left leg step ups, 10 derkins, 20 dips

38 Special’s Thang: Some kung fu stuff that was awkward and used muscles I didn’t know existed.  noice

Deacon’s Thang: high knees in place, and whenever he felt like it, yelled “DOWN” for a burpee. over and over and over and over and over

Change Order’s Thang: 2 groups, one does pull-ups on the cart rack until the other gets back. flapjack

Crab Cake’s Thang: various ground work followed by a sprint up and back

Just enough time for 9 double count crunchy frogs to end it.  COT.

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Fountain Or Drain

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What a glorious morning! The weather was perfect. We were blessed with a few respectables and plenty of #HIMs. The fellowship was amazing and the mumble chatter was high-quality. 

The Thang:

Mosey to the next parking lot near 9 Rounds. 

COP: SSH (30x), Merkins (15x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), Box Cutters(15x), Dying Cockroaches(15x)

Mosey to the parking lot at Grace Presbyterian Church. 

Partner up for a round of Dora with Merkins (100x), Squats (200x) and LBCs (300x).

Mosey to the parking lot at O’Reilly’s

Two rounds of Irkins(15X), Dips (15X) and LBCs (15X)

Two rounds of Derkins(15X), Box Jumps (15X) and Heels To Heaven (15X)

Mosey to the next parking lot at Harris Teeter for suicides with burpees.

COP: LBCs (15x), Heels To Heaven (15x) and Dying Cockroaches (15x)

COT 

Moleskin: 

Given our country’s divisive climate, it is important that we remain positive. Too many people are talking and thinking negative. Negativity is a huge energy drain. Reject negativity. Be a fountain of positive energy, not a drain.

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Rugby Sprints and Ab Work Work Great Together

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It was a beautiful morning in the middle of the Teeter parking lot.  10 solid upstanding young men decided to choose the harder thing and push ourselves and each other (quite literally).  With YHC on Q you knew there were going to be some sprinting involved (hey – stick with a winner).  Asked the pax to think of one person that needed help from them today.  With that – the disclaimer was stated and off we went.

The Thang:

Little baby mosey up to the Grace Presbyterian parking lot.

Active WarmUp (European Soccer Team Style) :  High Knees, Butt Kickers, Slide to the Right, Slide to the Right, Toy Soldiers, Dipping Birds, World Wide Leaders (Power Skips – Trademark), Open the Gate, Close the Gate, Long Strides.

Presto – you’re warm

Little COP for some Ab Lab – Fluttes, LBC’s with your feet on the ground, Hello Dolly’s, Fredrick Mercury’s, More Flutters, etc.

Rugby Sprints (so predictable!) x 5 with Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Peter Park’s, Parker Pete’s, LBC’s.

Walk it off to get the heart rate down.

Then run (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) it back again x 5 with more ground exercises that I don’t remember.

Ab Lab Exercises were done at this point.

Huddle up, gents!  Take a knee.

YHC asked to think of someone that needs something from us TODAY!  (Not tomorrow – Not after breakfast)  It could be anything:  Help, To Listen, Attention, Time Together, An Apology, Forgiveness.  Think of that one person who you can serve today.  Service doesn’t have to be a huge production or program – it can be a simple task for one person in your life.

Back to the beat down.

Let’s go with the extra long bear crawls – haven’t done them in a while.  Then let’s do it again.  So cool!  Any fast bears got to do some burpees while waiting for the six.  Even cooler!

More Ab Lab Exercises were done at this point.

How about some Partner/Push/Sprint/Push with a Flap Jack and a Rinse and Repeat?  People were super psyched.

Hows about we head back to the COT general area for some more Ab Lab exercises to finish ‘er up?!?  Sounds fantastic.

COT

Asked the pax to follow through today.  Reach out to the one person in their life.  M, 2.0, family member, co-worker, neighbor, someone!  That is what service can look like.  That is what male community leadership can look like.  It can be simple tasks.  Just need to do it to get the ball rolling and help spread to others.  Aye!

Read your newsletter.  Endx.

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