5 Year Anniversary Convergence BB

Saturday, September 30th 2017 was a special Convergence for the PAX of The Fort. On that day we celebrated 5 years of using these small workout groups to invigorate male leadership in Fort Mill. To honor the occasion, 88 PAX gathered at one of our favorite AOs (Nations Ford HS) to celebrate the day and the leaders that made it all happen.

We also celebrated 6 Friendly New Guys that joined us that morning. Welcome Tubs, Band Camp, Jughead, Atari, Hat Trick, and Saul.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Here’s how we got better:

Warmup (led by Ginsu)

  • Mosey to the football field
  • 30 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10, 4-count windmills
  • 30 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10, 4-count merkins
  • 10, 4-count Peter Parkers
  • 10, 4-count Parker Peters
  • 10, 4-count LBCs
  • 20 low slow squats

Split into groups (Run, Regular Bootcamp, Black Diamond, Ruck, Moderate Bootcamp)

Run (led by Birdcage)

  • 800 meter indian run
  • 1000 meter 10k pace with 1 minute rest x2
  • 200 meter 1 mile race pace 200 meter cool down x4
  • 400 meter sprint corners recover straights
  • 1600 meter cool down
  • 5 miles total

Bootcamp (led by Royale)

  • Mosey over to the concrete football field
  • 10 merkins
  • Lunge walk 10 yards then do 3 burpees
  • Next ten yards bear crawl then 3 more burpees
  • Rise and repeat until we hit the other goal line
  • 10 count – going over the Five Core Principals of an F3 workout
  • Next phase we broke into 4 groups
  • At each corner of the end zones there were 5 exercises written on a board.  We would complete in your group and then run to the next corner. Everyone would hit al 4 corners.
    • Corner 1
      • 20 Merkins
      • 30 Lunges
      • 30 Dying Cockroaches
      • 30 Ski Abs
      • 3 Kraken Burpees
    • Corner 2
      • 20 Ranger Merkins
      • 30 Squats
      • 40 Freddy Mercurys
      • 40 Shoulder Taps
      • 10 burpees
    • Corner 3
      • 20 Durkins
      • 20 Jump Squats
      • 50 American Hammers
      • 30 Monkey Humpers
      • 10 Mountain Climber Burpees
    • Corner 4
      • 20 Wide Arm Merkins
      • 20 Sumo Squats
      • 20 V-Up Twists
      • 20 Bombjacks
      • 10 Squat Burpees
We talked about the word of the month – Leadership.  I shared we all have an opportunity to lead through F3, just like we all have the responsibility to lead in our homes.  I know I struggle with the balance of work and family time.  As the leader of our households we need to support our Ms and be the examples to our children.
  • Mosey over to the round about
  • Each man would take a lap around 1st doing Lt Dans
  • Finally we would bear crawl.
  • Mosey to the football field for the last 30 seconds and some LBCs

Black Diamond (led by Backdraft)

  • Mosey from warm up top pull up bars
  • Pull ups/ Burpee challenge – 9 pull ups 1 burpee., 8-2 , 7-3 until finished.
  • Mosey to stadium run the bleachers
  • 10 derkins
  • 10 dips
  • Mosey to track run 1/4 mile as fast as you can. U vs. U
  • Mosey to end zone. Count off by 2s. split into groups first person flips tire 10 times than run end zone to end zone while next person flips tire everyone else continuously do 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 big boy sit ups. Keep going until all of group is finished.
  • 10 min 100 burpees. Do 10 burpees every minute on the minute. U vs. U
  • Mosey to 50 yard line 5 minute of Mary
  • Sideline sprints x 2 first set after you run 10 tuck jumps. 2nd set 5 hand release merkins

Ruck (led by Trucker)

2 20lb, 3 40lb, and 3 60lb sandbags were snagged from back of car as 8 PAX tucked down to the elementary school and dropped the sandbags next to the telephone poles. The 8 PAX carried the telephone pole around the parking lot. Left telephone pole where we found it and rucked backwards up the hill to the pull up bars. What’s a WO by Trucker without pull ups? YHC challenged the 8 PAX to do 2 sets of 5 pull ups with ruck on.

Rucked into stadium and lined up in 2 columns for sandbag throws from one end of football field to other and back. Then rucked up and down the football stand stairs from one end back. Rinse and repeat with sandbag throws and stadium stairs. Threw sandbags again down to other side of endzone and then formed 2 lines abs flipped tires from one end to other. Sandbag threw back to other endzone and climbed stadium stairs one more time. Finished with a 20 count flutters. Great work by seasoned and rookie ruckers.

Moderate (led by Short Sale)

  • MOSEY to Elementary School
  • Grab some Wall. Wall Sits while Pax at each end jumps out of line for 5 squats
  • Repeat with 5 Bombjacks.
  • Count off by 5’s and mosey to back of the parking lot
    • Number 1’s go to station #1
    • 2’s start at Station3, etc.
  • Stations: 3 minutes/station. Q calls stop & go
    • 1: 10 Merkins, 20 Calf raises
    • 2: 20 LBCs, 20 Monkey Humpers
    • 3: 10 SSHs, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
    • 4: 10 Scorpion Dry Docks, 20 Squats
    • 5: 20 Imperial Walkers, 10 Apollo Ohnos
    • 6: 10 Broad Jumps, 20 Flutters
    • 7: 10 Bombjacks, 20 squat jabs
    • 8: 10 handclap merkins w/partner, 10 partner Derkins- Beloved by veteran Pax and FNGs alike
    • 9: 10 Jump Squats, 10 CDD’s
    • 10: 10 Dips, 5 jack Webbs
  • Mosey to Stop sign at bottom of hill for some Mary- Hello Dollies, Flutters, Protractor

MESSAGE ON LEADERSHIP- F3 gives us a great platform to grow our leadership skills and build confidence as a leader. The Pax will let you know if/when something has gone wrong but will also be there to lift you up. Also, the best leaders don’t focus on their ROLE, they focus on the GOAL. So, be the leader you were called to be.

Great group of men came to work. Veterans guided the FNGs and encouraged them at every step of the way. YHC kept reminding the group that it is UvsU out here. Some quality mumble chatter about what moderate means. Smiles all around when moved on from the stations.

Wrap Up

What we have at The Fort is special. It is a strong group of PAX led by men who live with intentionality. I am sure that each of us would agree that it has impacted our lives in ways that we will never be able to describe. At some point for each of us, we were gifted F3. We were headlocked by someone who recognized the impact that F3 had on them and how it could help us. With that in mind, let’s pay this gift forward. Be the leader you were called to be and use your influence to headlock the sad clowns around you, FNGs and Kotters, that are where you once were. Be a leader.

Ginsu

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Laces Out Runner, sleeps in, still gets to Q Laces In

YHC normally posts at #LacesOut on Thursdays and enjoys the banter with the #LacesIn crew, as they get to sleep-in for the 0515 start (LO launches 0500). Thanks to Lil E for the chance to Q with our FMHS AO-mates.

YHC didn’t want to venture too far from my Thursday roots, so we headed for FMHS football stadium and track for our morning DownPainment.

Mosey around practice field x1
COP in center of football field
  • SSH
  • Windmill
  • Merkins
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Squats
  • Peter Parker
  • Parker Peter
  • 10 Count Honeymooner
Mosey to stairs at field level of football stadium
Everest x2
  • (up stairs) – lunge L, squat, lunge R, squat
    • 5 burpees OYO, Plank until the Six
  • (Down stairs) – recovery down
    • Reverse PAX order, Rinse Repeat
Mosey to goal-line of football field
Paula Abdul with Mary —> think 2 steps forward, 1 step back! YHC had placed Blinky running lights to give the PAX visibility in the darkness of FMHS football. PAX commented on how they loved the field of ground rubber pellets between their fingers in the morning.
  • 20 yard forward Crabwalk, exercise
  • 10 yard back Bearcrawl, exercise
  • Going to we hit 50 yard line
  • wait for six to do exercise
  • Crabwalk 20yards (20)
    • 20 LBCs
  • Bearcrawl 10yards (10)
    • 20 Flutter
  • Crabwalk 20yards (30)
    • 20 American Hammers
  • Bearcrawl 10 yards (20)
    • 20 Box Cutters
  • Crabwalk 20 yards (40)
    • 20 Freddie Mercury
  • Bearcrawl 10 yards (30)
    • 10 Captain Thor’s —> thanks to Dark Helmet for the cadence count!
  • Crabwalk 20 yards (50)
Dark Helmet commented “what’s next? Sprints?” So we Omaha’d and did sprints
  • Run 50 to 10
  • Backwards run to 50 (repeat until 20-10)
    • 10 Burpees OYO
Ring of Fire – to check if the PAX abs were still working, we got in circle head-in, feet-out at 45-degree to see if PAX could manage getting lefts pushed down. Maybe this is called Duck Duck Goose
PAX collected all the Blinky lights and moseyed to the stairs again
Box jumps on wall x21
Mosey back to back stadium wall
  • Wall Sits for 1.5min with hand claps on 2-count
  • Balls to Wall for 1min
Back to COT
Boeheim lead the COT
Prays to World Wild Leader and pregnancy, Cake Boss sister, Country, Families

 

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Lead, follow or move that Kettle Bell out of the way

A beautiful morning gloom dawned on The Armory where the Pax came to pick up heavy things and put them back down again. Cars kept coming and the numbers kept growing as YHC barked out the 2 minute warning. Just as the fun was about to commence, what do our eyes spy, but an FNG! And he basically EH’ed himself after a buddy from the ATL told him about F3. Impresssive indeed. Thus, a full disclaimer (well as close as YHC could get) was offered. And away we go-mosey around the parking lot with some Butt Kickers, High Knees and Soccer Hips thrown in.

COP: (all IC): Windmills * 10, SSH*15, IW*15, MNC*20, Merkins *10, Plank-O-Rama

The Thang:

Mosey with KB to the seat wall in front of the church.

  • 20 Upright Rows & 20 Skull Crushers. Then Take a lap around the lot- Rinse & Repeat 3 times
  • 20 Figure 8’s & 20 Around The Worlds. Then Take a lap around the lot- Rinse & Repeat 2 times
  • 20 KB Swings & 20 Goblet Squats. Then Take a lap around the lot- Rinse & Repeat 2 times

Partner Up (size does NOT matter) for some modified DORA:

  • 100 step ups- P1 starts exercise while Partner 2 bear crawls to top of church stairs and runs back, flapjack
  • 100 dips- P1 starts exercise while Partner 2 bear crawls to top of church stairs and runs back, flapjack
  • Never got to 200 LBCs with this large group.
  • Had to leave time for the TESH favorite- PASS THE DUTCHIE, 1 round to the right, 1 to the left.  Note to self-if you are in the circle with Tesh, switch circles. That 40 lb KB will make you want to cry.

Mosey to COT. Prayers for marriages, our leaders and our community. BE THE LEADER YOU WERE CALLED TO BE. Event if that means you have to get out of your comfort zone. F3 can be a High Challenge proposition but will bring High Rewards.

Thanks Assassin for the opportunity. Great effort by all this morning and great “picking up” of the six. It was a pleasure.

Short Sale out.

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Webb-o-Rama and Snake Hops

The Golden Corral hosted 27 pax total (about a dozen ruckers, a dozen boot campers, and the rest runners) for fun and pain.  YHC can’t speak for the ruckers or runners, but here’s an account for the boot campers.

Mosey around the north side of HT and circle up in the back parking lot for COP Warm-up:

  • SSH x25
  • Mountain Climbers x20
  • IW x20
  • Windmills x10
  • Low Slow Squats x10
  • Run Stance Switch x10

Mosey between the buildings and circle around to the south side of HT to find a cone.  Partner up:

WEBB-O-RAMA
At each cone pax are to do (in cadence) 2 exercises in the spirit of Jack Webbs (1:4 ratio)

  • Cone 1
    • 1 burpee to 4 run-stance switch
      • Repeat with 2 burpees, then 3 burpees
      • >> Bear crawl to 2nd cone about 20 yards away
  • Cone 2
    • 1 big boy sit up to 4 american hammers
      • Repeat with 2, then 3 big boy sit-ups
      • partner wheelbarrow to third position
  • Cone 3
    • 1 box jump (or step up) to 4 dips
      • Repeat with 2, then 3 box jumps
      • partner wheelbarrow to fourth position
      • During the box jumps, YHC noticed Wheezer had an extra spring in his jumps for a few of the reps and then he fled his wall position for a new spot.  Seems there was a snake on the ground near where he was exercising.  Whether it was actually alive is not known.
  • Cone 4
    • Jack Webb – (1:4 ration) for 3 reps
      • Run around to cone 1

For round 2 of the cones, we did reps 4-6 at each station.

Mosey to the wall on the south side of HT parking lot for to Dora with your partner

  • Merkins – 100
  • LBCs – 200
  • Squats – 300

Back to COT

Great work by the pax.  Special welcome to FNG “Panda”, who looked like a regular out there, despite it being his first time.  It was also great seeing Cobra Kai at a boot camp!  Hopefully the ruckers won’t revoke his membership for taking a step out of the dark side.  Thanks to Decibel for scheduling me to Q.  Look forward to next time!

-old bay

 

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I call this one the rope a dope…

Ok so right off the gate I have to say tagging 30 people is a chore, but I love all of you so I did it anyway. I dont get the opportunity to Q Slow Burn a lot so I am always grateful when the chance arises. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the amount of folks that go to the Burn. I wanted to bring some things to those folks they may not have been exposed to before. We started as any other day with the disclaimer and identifying the FNG in the crowd EHed by Smithers. Off we went…

The thang

Slow mosey down to the parking lot in front of the old Baxter Fun house. We kicked butts and high knees along the way. Dark Helmet got a little handsy. Circle up for some windmills, merkins, and Moroccan night clubs. The counts ranges from 15-3 depending on my vibe in the air. Mainly I just get tired of the same old 10 or 20 counts. Q tip #1- DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY once in a while

Mosey over to the road leading back towards Armory. Next we were going to work on pacing. The object is to run the same distance over the same time repeatedly. First was a 1 minute run toward Forest Hill church at whatever pace you need to hold to get to 1 mile. So if you are a 5 minute mile guy, then run fast. If you are a 20 minute mile guy, then basically walk. This was a true UVU. We ran for 1 minute out then had a 1 minute rest. Then 1 minute back. Most ended right were we started. Next series was 2 minutes out, 1 minute rest, 2 minutes back. Again, other than Long Shanks, everyone ended close to where they started. This is a great training exercise for anyone trying to figure or work on pacing.

Next we went over to the Lowes sitting wall (or we sit on Lowes, idk). Count off by 1 and 2. Team 1 inch wormed out to a line in the parking lot then mosey back. 2s keep sitting on the wall. Once back switch. We did 2 rotations of this. We then did 2 seriees of bear crawls in this same manor. To cap it off was a series of slow merkins. 3 count down… to 10 I think.

Next we meandered over to another area where to everyone’s surprise we found a kettle bell coarse laid out. Everyone had their opportunity for rows, presses, swings, hay bailers, and curls. Whilst others waiting we did squats and merkins.

For my final trick we moseyed over to the gravelish lot next to Empire pizza. Here we partook in some HIIT style training. 1 minutes ARMAP burpees , rest, then 1 minute AMRAP merkins. COT

Prayers for Spitz to be the sounding board for a youth. Prayers for that boys family. Invergence on the 29th and convergence on the 30th where YHC has part of the call so I hope to see you all there.

Moleskin

So here is where things twisted everyone’s mind. I explained that we had actually performed workouts from 5 different style AO’s in a single Q. The warm ups with low counts and less impact-full exercises is something that can be found at a moderate style workout( Slow Burn/ Footloose). The running where we worked on pace setting is something you can find at Laces out or Clydesdales. The wall sits, inch worm, bear crawl combo was a stereotypical boot camp like Laces in, The Coop, or The Ranch (Constance motion with an elevated degree of difficulty). The KB portion was exactly what you can expect at Armory or Tomahawk. Last but not least the HIIT ARMAP is your Varsity style.

Moderate is a steeping stone on your fitness journey. Be careful not to get complacent and stop challenging yourself. We proved today that 30 men can do 5 styles of workout. Go at your own pace. Just because you “aren’t a runner” doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a running AO. Just because you dont own a kettle bell doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a KB AO (there are always extras). Just because you aren’t Pin Up doesn’t mean you should skip a HIIT workout. Push yourself men. The greatest growth comes from the most discomfort.

Challenge was issued of try a new AO this week. Who’s up for a change? I believe in you guys. Ill meet anyone anywhere if they want to try a new AO. Open invitation…

Thanks Barry,

Cage out

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“Make him curl up in the fetal position”

Twitter is a great way to nudge PAX to post, or in my view call out PAX who haven’t posted to the Armory in ages. The second best thing about Twitter is that other PAX reply with announcements that an FNG is posting and they want to Q to punish them FNG….even though he was headlocked as he was serving on a church mission trip. Prior to knowing an FNG was posting, YHC already created a wicked weinke. After a somewhat lackadaisical disclaimer…

COP consisted of: windmills, IM, Hillbillies, SSH (lots of them), squats, and a quick mossy around the church parking lot. PAX grabbed their KB and mossy over to the edge of the parking lot for some sidewalk chalk instructions.

Partner up and split the groups into 2. Half the group follows the LT parking stall sidewalk instructions while the other half follows the RT parking stall sidewalk instructions.

LT parking stall consisted of Partner 1 runs backwards to the other end of the parking lot and runs back while Partner 2 does the exercise. Swap with partner, then rinse and repeat with the next exercise. Exercises consist of: KB swings, upright rows, skull crushers, chest presses, merkins, flutters.

RT parking stall consisted of Partner 1 runs  to the other end of the parking lot  and back while Partner 2 does the exercise. Swap with partner, then rinse and repeat with the next exercise. Exercises consist of: Curls, shoulder presses, squats, LBCs, bent over rows, good mornings, burpees.

Once each group completed their side, flapjack.

Mossy to church benches for OYO of 20 or so reps of the following:

Overhead lat swings, Dips, Derkins, Irkins, Squat Sits. Then round of Mary consisting of American Hammers, Hello Dolly, Big Boy, and LBC with toe taps.

Mossy to COT

Thanks to the PAX for coming out and for the mumble chatter. Great morning for a KB workout.

Asked Crawdaddy to provide a quick hihglight of their mission trip that diverted them from Columbia (the Country) to FL in the wake of Irma. Great message of leadership. Prayers to Change Orders mother, Hot Pockets (FNG) on seeking a new job, and all other spoken and unspoken prayers.

Read your newsletter and sign up for the 5yr invergence!!

Trucker out

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Children’s Attention Home Workday

PAX of Rock Hill, York, Gastonia, The Fort Regions and beyond,

The overwhelming success of the CAH Burpee Challenge that we worked our tails off in June is coming to fruition on 9/30 at 10:30AM at CAH. We will be getting rental gear for post hole diggers, concrete mixers, supplies are being worked on for lumber and hardware (hoping to get confirmation this week from Home Depot) and our very own Iron Horse is making the bars himself!! We have collected in cash, check, and through the website $2,508.24!!! That speaks to the HIMs that you all are.

We are going to install 6 pull up bars with step assists, 2 parallel bars, and 6 dip stations.

Iron Horse’s handy work. All bars are being sent off for powder coating as well!!

Date: 9/30/17 at 10:30AM

Who: All PAX, please sound off in comments if you are able to come. If we get 12 guys, I see this as a few hour project at most.

Location: CAH in Rock Hill

Duration: Until we are done

What to bring: Gloves, water, work boots, and dress is old work clothes.

If you have: Post hole diggers, cordless drill, large drill bits, bring them, I have some, but more is better. Let me know if comments what you plan to bring.

What is provided: Plans, materials, lunch (pizza will be delivered)

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Brickhouse VQ @Poopdeck

Less rainy than what they called for.

Disclaimer

Off for a mosey

warmups

4 corners:

Corner 1: Brick webbs

Corner 2: Crab humpers

Corner 3: Cinder block burpee

Corner 4: Monkey humpers

Mosey to the wall

Balls to the wall w/2 burpees each

COT: Marriage maint, prayer etc

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Colombia Mission Trip Sendoff @ The Ranch 9-7-17

On a cool morning in early September, the men of The Fort gathered together to support the group of 12 men that answered the call to serve those in need in Colombia.

Mosey to the soccer field

The Warm-up (VQ led by Skinny Jeans)

  • 20 4-count side straddle hops 
  • 15 4-count windmills
  • 10 4-count Merkens
  • 15 4-count mountain climbers
  • 20 low slow squats
  • 8 burpees OYO

Mosey to the football field

The Thang

Markers set up every 25 yards on the football field from endzone to endzone. PAX will start from one endzone and run from marker to marker and do the following exercises (below) at each. They will then run on the track back to the starting point.

  • 10 merkins, 2 burpees
  • back to start – LBCs for six
  • 10 Carolina DD, 2 burpees
  • back to start – flutter for six
  • 10 squats, 2 burpees
  • back to start – American Hammer for six
  • 10 bomb jacks, 2 burpees
  • back to start – freddy mercury for six
  • 10 dips, 2 burpees
  • back to start – heels to heaven for six
  • 10 lunges (5 per leg), 2 burpees
  • back to start -diamond LBCs for six
  • 2 burpees per marker

Mosey to COT

Today we focused on the 12 men that are leaving tomorrow to serve in Colombia. We had the privilege of hearing the reasons why each of them have been called to serve during todays workout and then pray over them at the close. We are all lucky to have these men as our brothers and will continue to pray for them as they make their way abroad.

As mentioned in COT, each of us were blessed with passion for certain causes and influence to impact them. Find your passion and your calling and answer that call, whatever it may be.

Ginsu

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80’s/90’s Themed High School Sports

SSH 15
Mtn Climbers 15
Squats 15
windmill 15
Moroccan night club 25
The Thang:  (football style)
Monkey rolls for 30 secs
butt rolls 30 secs
chop and drop 30 secs
squat thrust 10
Discussed discipline and what that means to the Pax
Turned over to Bonsai for basketball style workout
Moseyed over to First Baptist Church back parking lot
Ran suicide with a twist up the hill
(Start running backward to first line)
– first line 10 merkins
– second line 20 squats
– third line 30 LBCs
– fourth line 40 toe taps
(After completing each exercise return back to start running forward)
10 merkins in cadence
Single leg hop to next row of parking spaces and back
Switch and repeat
Next split up in two groups
Group 1 – work their way through the cones setup with the defensive slide
Group 2 – merkins until the 6 completes the defensive slide
Rinse and Repeat
Group 2 – Bobby Hurley’s until 6 gets back
Move over to the wall for 20 jump wall taps
Mosey back to COT
Anchorman I appreciate the opportunity to lead and it was a great idea to
incorporate High School sports.
In case you can’t figure it out Destiny was the one in high school in the 80’s.  Just saying – All most respectable.
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