Tag: Culture Club

Calling

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What a great way to start a birthday! 16 #HIMs that I’m blessed to call my brothers in Christ showed up for a moderate birthday beat down. It was great to be in fellowship with all the Pax. Having my nephew, Shin Guard, there was icing on the cake.

The Thang:

Mosey to the parking lot at Saint John’s United Methodist for a warm-up.

Warm-Up: Stretches, SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (15x), CDDs (15x), Rosalettas (20x).

Mosey to the parking lot at First Baptist Church for a Buffet of Pain: Light Running, SSHs, Squats, LBCs, Merkins, Diamond Merkins, Dips, Wide Arm Merkins, Calf Raises, Monkey Humpers, Penguins, Plank Jacks, Hello Dollies, Guerrilla Squats, Bomb Jacks 

Mosey to the parking lot at Fort Mill Church of God

Partner up. Partner Big Boy Sit Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Ski Jumps (15x), Partners Push Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Leg Lifts (15x for 2 rounds).

Moleskin:

I’ve been reflecting on the life in which God has blessed me with for 39 years strong. I realized that I finally answered His calling for me a few years ago. My calling is to Glorify Him and to serve the underprivileged. It seems obvious to others now, but I made myself “too busy” to hear or answer His calling in the past.

This week, I thought the life of King David. God called David to be a Sheppard, then a fighter and then a king. David learned how take care of sheep and protect them from predators when he was a Sheppard. God called on David to protect the Israelites from Goliath. David answered God’s calling in that moment. He cleaned Goliath’s clock while others thought he was ill- prepared. What others did not know is that God fully prepared David for His calling.

What’s your calling that God has prepared for you? Can you hear His voice? If not, slow down, stop being “too busy” and just listen. You were designed for great works that extend beyond your family and day job. Answer your calling.

Peace,

Deacon

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5

Delusions Day

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You know you must be doing something right when PAX figure out your the Q and they moan. Was pleasantly surprised by the number of PAX that showed up considering competing against the Nantan tour.

Festival of Popular Delusions Day

On June 6, 1944, over 150,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, in France, beginning the push to retake Western Europe from the Nazis. A day before the invasion was the last day that Nazis could have had the delusion that their Reich would last 1,000 years, hence the day is celebrated on June 5th.

characterized by or holding idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder.

Dynamic Warm-up
Toy Soldiers
Butt Kickers
High Knees
Lunges
Everybody 2 bricks
20 – Moroccan Knight Clubs
20 – Plank punches front
20 – Overhead Presses
20 – LBC’s
10 – Lunges
20 – Curls
20 – Plank punches sides
20 – Squats w/ overhead press
10 – Lunges
20 – Hello Dollies
20 – Rosalitas
20 – lunges w/ overhead press
20 – Standing Tricep extensions
Jack Webs (1-2) 1,2,3,4,5, (15 Box Cutters, 10 Loungers) 4,3,2,1
20 – Roman chair – punches
Return Bricks to pile
Mosey back to COT stopping at Light Poles
20 – LBC’s
20 – Squats
5 – Merkins
20 – SSH
Total Mileage under 1 mile – does that equate to moderate.

Announcements
3rd F – Lunch Los Aztecas, Sweati, Hog Coyote, Care Center Lawn Care use Signup Genius 1hr, F3 Dads Saturday’s in June, Crossroads

Prayers
Winchester-Health issues
Dumpster Fire’s Brother Died 34
F3 brother in Lenior,NC Son with tumor waiting Diagnosis. Cornerstone working on clown car.

Always an honor to lead leaders. Thanks for the opportunity Short Sale.

Cornhole
Out

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Be IMPACTfull each and every day

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This month’s word on the month is IMPACT. what a better way to start the month than being Impact full as a Q. Smither’s also was Q at CnW and what a better way to emphasize the word of the month, then to have back to back messages. I normally don’t develop a weinke a few days in advance, but lately I am dealing with personal challenges that are Impacting me in various ways. So when I began to prepare for the Q I thought it would be interesting to develop a weinke around the word IMPACT. I thought it would be easy to find exercises starting with each of the letters in the word, but I was wrong. It sure was a challenge to for a few words, knowing that I couldn’t utilize coupons and wanted to keep it “moderate”. Below are the various exercises that were performed in order to spell IMPACT (a few were re-used due to the limited selection). We spelled IMPACT 5 times, if I did my math right.

I: Indian Run (we started and ended with this as we ran to/from the Clean Eats parking lot); Iron Hulk (Lexicon states this is Jack Webb with 1:4 ratio); Incline Merkins

M: Merkin; Moroccan Nightclubs; Maktar N’Dyies; Mountain Climbers

P: Peter Parker; Parker Peter; Protractor; People Chair; Partner Merkins

A: Abe Vigoda; American Hammers

C: Carolina Dry Docks; Chilcut; Catch me if you Can (crowd pleaser with merkins)

T: Tony Hawk Burpee; The Chinook; Temp Merkin; Toy Soldiers

Don’t let the day go by without being Impact full with your M, 2.0s, Community, and faith. LEt HIM speak to you in how you can do so. Your M and 2.0s look up to you and rely on you to be an Impact on their lives by leading by example. I have failed this countless of times, but I know and NEED to continue to remind my self that HE died for our sins. This was and still is the most Impact full thing anyone could do for us.

Trucker

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Choosing Not to Cheat – Ballroom Style

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Honestly, YHC was stoked to Q the Ballroom this week. First, I had not visited the new site since moving from PKES. Second, I had not seen a lot of the Pax at this site and third the weather was perfect with a mild 60 degrees at launch.

I have struggled with moderate workouts for many years because I don’t view these men as “moderate”. If you define men who get up around 4:45 to post in any weather conditions and workout for 45 minutes while sharing fellowship and faith throughout as moderate, then so be it.

I recently spent some time in fellowship with other Pax and was reminded of the book by Andy Stanley, Choosing to Cheat. The gist of the book is that we are all cheaters. We cheat on our work by spending time with our wife. We cheat on our wife by spending time with our kids and so on. This book hits home for me. While work/life balance is unattainable and a #Oprahbomb, I find that I get the validation that I so desire from work and gravitate to working harder for more validation. I asked the Pax who posted to choose not to cheat for the next 45 minutes on their workout and to hold each other accountable in doing so.

The Thang

Mosey to football field

COP

SSH x 30

Windmills x 15

IW x 15

CDD x 20

Plank Jacks x 20

Night Clubs x 25

Mosey to 50 yard line

Burpee Ladder Starfish

2 Burpees in middle

Sprint to corner

20 Mtn Climbers

4 Burpees in middle

Sprint to corner

10 merkins in cadence

6 Burpees in middle

Sprint to corner

20 Squats in cadence

8 Burpees

Sprint to corner

20 Bomb jacks

10 Burpees

Ladder back down

Partner up for Ab Ladder

5 Situps

Sprint

5 Situps plus 10 flutters

Sprint…you get the idea

Finished with 5 sit-ups, 10 flutters, 15 Freddy, 20 LBC, 25 American Hammer

Random ladder of burpees and abs to finish…lots of complaining here

 

Moleskin

  • Prayers for Badger and Bullwinkles Dad
  • Lots of upcoming events…read your newsletter
  • Praise for Barney Fife and Boogie Down

Thanks to Short Sale for the opportunity. Love what you have done at the Ballroom!

Pusher out!

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Footloose – Accountability

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Accountability – Are you pushing yourself when no one is looking?  What do you plan to gain by getting up at 4:30AM?  Be true to yourself!

Disclaimer – Not a professional, modify but hold yourself accountable, no lawsuits.

Slow Mosey around 2 churches and Town Hall.

Warm Up:

20 SSHs, 10 Windmills, 20 MNCs, 10 Mountain Climbers, 5 Merkins

The Thang:

Slow Mosey to the 4 Station Square

4 Stations are marked by cones with written exercises on them.  Divide into 4 groups and mosey to assigned cone.  Cone #1 sets the pace with 20 Seal Jacks in Cadence.  During the cadence the other three groups are as follows;  2) Merkins / Plank, 3) Air Chair, 4) 6 Inches.  Once cadence is complete Broad Jump to next cone.  Continue until cycle is complete.

Round 2:  Same set up but cone number 1 will start with 20 Mountain Climbers in Cadence, when this is complete mosey backwards to the next cone.

10 count

Mosey back to FBC and line up on right side of parking lot.

Lunge Walk 20 yards  –  7 point Hip exercise (Right Hip)  –  7 point Hip exercise (Left Hip)  –  Lunge Walk 20 Yards  (I think the hip exercises started some interesting mumble chatter)

Bear Crawl 15 yards – Crab Walk 15 yards – mosey to end of lot (repeat going back)

Toy Soldiers 20 yards  –  Downward Dog 20 count  –  Dying Cockroaches x20  –  LBCs x20  –  Freddie Mercury’s x20  –  Big Boy Sit Ups x10 OYO  –  (During this series is when I discovered the mumble chatter had a lot to do with something about every star is Uranus and it’s very gassy)  Honeymooner 20 count  –  Toy Soldiers 20 yards

Slow Mosey around parking lot

COT

Strawberry Fest sign up, Cannoli run, prayers for folks in the hospital, employment and various stresses of life and how we handle them – Bassomatic led us out.

 

 

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Slow Burn Deck of Pain

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The morning started out cooler than yesterday…and everyone noticed that right away. That’s okay, because what I had in store would keep everyone warm enough without question.

Started out with the standard disclaimer, then moseyed down the hill for the warm-up.

  • Butt Kickers
  • High Knees
  • Circle up
  • SSH’s
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Windmills
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Hillbilly Walkers

Mosey over to the side lot for the Thang.  Now, when we got over there the PAX saw the deck of cards and immediately knew what was coming.  I set the ground rules:

Aces are 1, Face cards are 10, we will use the value of the card and do that many sets of 10 of a given exercise, and each suite for that card will determine what exercise would be done.

We did 4 rounds in total, with a lap around the building in between rounds.

Round 1 – CORE; Round 2 – UPPER BODY; Round 3 – LOWER BODY; Round 4 – CARDIO with the ultimate goal to provide a solid and challenging total body workout!

So, we started out with a face card that meant we had to get after it right out of the gate with 100 box cutters.  And the mumble chatter turned at that very first exercise of round 1 ;-).

Overall, we did hundreds of exercises, some more than others, but the exercises completed for each round were as follows:

  • LBC’s (Hearts) – We did about 60
  • Flutter Kicks (Clubs) – We did 100
  • Box Cutters (Spades) – We did 100
  • American Hammers (Diamonds) – We did 80

Run a lap around the building

  • Merkins (Hearts) – We did 80 or 90
  • Carolina Dry Docks (Clubs) – I think we did 70
  • Moroccan Night Clubs (Spades) – I think we did 40
  • Overhead Hand Claps (Diamonds) – I think we did 50

Run a lap around the building

  • Squats (Hearts) – I can’t remember how many we did
  • Monkey Humpers (Clubs) – We did 100
  • Apollo Ohno’s (Spades) – I think we did 40 or 50
  • Lunges (Diamonds) – We did 10 each leg

Run a lap around the parking lot to save time and get the last round in

  • Peter Parkers (Hearts) – I think we did 40 or 50
  • Mountain Climbers (Clubs) – I think we were in the 30 or 40 range
  • SSH’s (Spades) – We did 80
  • Parker Peters (Diamonds) – I think we did 20

Mosey back up to COT

There was a lot of complaining, but I was really proud of all the PAX as they pushed through the pain and discomfort and came out their comfort zone.  Moderate is a state of mind, and I will admit that a lot of times I tell myself I can’t do something, but then when pushed by the PAX I find out, hey, it hurt like crazy, but yes, I can do that!  Today it was my turn to lead the PAX and push them.  I’m feeling it for sure now, and I know they all are too…but I wouldn’t change it for the world!

Smithers…Out!

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4

Today + You = History

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10 Pax posted to #THEBallroom for another chapter in Redwood Originals month.  This was YHC’s first Q (or even post) to the not-so-new site now at Pleasant Knoll Middle School.  Prior experience the past 18 months as Site Q at #BlockParty prevented earlier posting.  Great AO# — @Ginsu should give this one consideration for future Convergences.

Site Q request was for me to cover a bit of “history” of The Fort as part of the workout and message.  It’s a story that truly reflects God blessing men who step into the unknown with faith, which is what every FNG does the first time he posts.  The history of The Fort is really the history of every member of the pax, from 2012 all the way to April 2018 and beyond.

The Thang

Mosey around to back of school

COP — usual IC warm up routine, particularly important on a 30 degree morning in mid-April!

Mosey across bridge to breezeway leading to athletic fields

It’s not too impressive in a BB to talk about the fact we did “a whole lot of sitting around” but that’s what transpired.  Of course it was in the People’s Chair while each pax recounted the story of his initial post, which AO, who EHd him, who Qd, etc.  Each rendition was interspersed with some form of merkins, CDDs, balls-to-the-wall, monkey humpers, squats, bombjacks and/or burpees.  We covered stories of 9 pax and then moseyed to the football field.

Circle up for some Mary — a rundown of the familiar but effective Hello Dollies, Freddie Mercurys, Flutters, Superman and Penguin (including reference to Burgess Meredith for the #Respectables among the pax)

Line up for suicides across the football field

Plank sequence

Pause to recount YHC’s EH story and honor OBT for that gift.

Another suicide sequence

Another plank sequence, topped off (for Longshanks) with Mahktar N’Dyae

Run home

COT

Thanks to Short Sale for the invitation to Q at The Ballroom.  It was a great morning with a lively and dedicated collection of the pax.  Truly an honor to lead on this day.

Short Sale posted to S2S last week when I had the privilege of leading the discussion that day, and he heard me talk about the launch of The Fort as being one of many instances where God showed up in amazing ways during a period of life transition to bless those who move forward in faith.   Too often I try to seize CONTROL when facing transition periods either out of PRIDE or in response to ANXIETY.  Reflecting in prep for S2S on my experience amid life’s transition points proved to me that God has repeatedly come through every time (!) in ways I could never have imagined and on a scale I would never have asked for.  And yet, I tremble each time I see a transition on the horizon.  Oh ye of little faith!

Upon reflection, the story about the launch of The Fort is a powerful one for me and the pax who experienced those lean early days, but for the rest among us, it is just names, places and dates.  Kind of like my history classes back in high school.  I had a hard time connecting to them because they were foreign to my experience…I had no immediate way to connect so history classes became all about pure memorization for me.

But, in the recounting of the history of The Fort at The Ballroom, we heard it from the mouths of those who lived it.  We heard about pax who’ve moved onto other pastures (Howitzer, Bing, Red Eye) who had EHd one of those present, leaving behind a legacy of their contribution to The Fort’s history.  We heard about workouts where present-day pax swore to God they’d never return if he let them survive that first day (Anchorman).  We heard about pax who did not return for YEARS, waiting until scores of pounds were shed and cigarettes were sworn off (Culture Club), only to be remembered upon later return by CSPAN who disallowed a name change.  We heard about AOs that don’t even exist anymore (the sandbag workout — can’t recall the name).  This was history that each man connected to, because it was HIS STORY.

And that is true for each day.  God willing, we are given a new day each morning to make a choice, to lay another piece of our history in place.  A piece of The Fort’s history.  A piece of the history of God’s people.  No, I don’t feel worthy to receive this daily gift.  But God sees that I am worthy of it.  And he sees you’re worthy of it, too.  So, go ahead, take the DRP and go make some history.

 

 

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16

Another Saturday at The Yard

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CSPAN and I needed therapy, so we pre-rucked a few miles before I showed to Q… Some might use the fact that we pre-rucked as proof of our need for therapy, but it IS the therapy… it’s complicated… just forget it…

Once PAX started to arrive, we got on with the Thang:
Mosey to small lot on left side of the Middle School (if you are facing it) for the Warmup:
Windmills
Cherry Pickers/Weed Pullers/Jimmy Carters/Whatever…
Merkins
Squats
Moroccan Nightclubs
Side Straddle Hops…
…all came to visit to the count of 10…

Then we ran from that end of the school (stop 1), past the front doors to the small lot on the back right corner (just above the football field) of the school (stop 2)…

We did a bunch of exercises and discussed the mission and 5 core principles of F3…

Then we alternated running back and forth between stop 1 and stop 2 doing exercises each time we arrived… Burpees, squats, CDD, Merkins, Flutters, etc.

Once we got sick of that we did a couple of rounds of 4 corners with accountability partners to make sure our form wasn’t lacking:
Merkins, Big Boy Situps, CDD, Seal Jacks for the 6…

Then we did a “ring around the Mary” and called it a morning…

The fun never ends and the party never stops at The Yard…

Helmet, out.

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3

Slow Burn Core Workout

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It was the last weekday of spring break, yet 14 PAX joined us in the gloom for a solid core workout.  Mumble chatter was significant and welcomed!

Getting right to it….Disclaimer then a mosey to warmup:

  • SSH’s – 25
  • Low Slow Squats – 10
  • Windmill – 10
  • Moroccan Nightclubs – 25
  • Cherry Pickers – 10

Mosey to the other side of the eatery strip to get out of the wind a bit.

We took a moment to discuss the word of the month, Worthy…and then got after our cores!

  • LBC’s in Cadence – 15
  • Flutter Kicks in Cadence – 25 (that is a LOT)
  • Hello Dolly in Cadence – 15
  • Run a lap of the parking lot and then Rinse and Repeat

Split the group into two lines and we did a relay sprint race just to get the heart pumping a bit and give our core a short break

  • Hello Dolly in Cadence – 25
  • Freddy Mercury in Cadence – 25
  • Big Boy Sit-Ups, together as single count – 10
  • American Hammer’s in Cadence – 15

To mix it up a bit, People’s chair with 3 popout burpees from each PAX

  • Merkins in Cadence – 10
  • Diamond Merkins in Cadence – 10

Run another lap around the parking lot for a breather

Rinse and Repeat the last round of core exercises

  • Hello Dolly in Cadence – 25
  • Freddy Mercury in Cadence – 25
  • Big Boy Sit-Ups, together as single count – 10
  • American Hammer’s in Cadence – 15

AMRAP style we did two rounds of exercises

  • Low Slow Squats
  • PAX individual choice, but had to be an exercise they really hate doing.  We had burpees to big boy situps, but the PAX all pushed themselves outside of their comfort zone!

Mosey back to COT

It was a fun group, and as usual, completely honored to lead my Brother’s in this workout!

Smithers…Out!

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0

Redwood Original Tour Kickoff

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9 men posted on a beautiful SC morning for a moderate start to their day, and also took a look back to the origins of F3 The Fort.  Here is what they did:

The Thang:

Mosey out of the parking lot and circle up on the cement pad in front of the center building along Pleasant Road.

COP (all in cadence)

SSH x 20, Windmill x 15, Mountain Climber x 20, Rosalita x 15.  Pause for back/shoulder stretch L and R, Squat/Merkin/Dip seqence (5-10 reps, repeat 3 or 4 times).  Peter/Parker/Peter x 15, Freddie Mercury x 15.

Mosey around the building to the hill near the steel bridge

Jacob’s Ladder.  5 trips up the hill starting  with 1 burpee and finishing with 5.  Plank at the bottom when finished.  YHC took time to mention that Jacob’s Ladder was a staple of most F3 workouts in the early days, but seems to be absent from workouts these days.  Too bad – this is one of the best cardio/strength exercises and one of YHC’s favorites.  Take notice Q’s and bring it back.

After completing JL, mosey to the edge of the steel bridge and pair up.  With your partner, make your way across the bridge by lunge walking.  At each light, stop and do 10 partner merkins (with handclap).

When all the Pax have crossed the bridge, turn around the lunge walk back to the start.  At each light, stop and do 10 partner big boy sit ups with a hand clap.

Mosey to the building, find a bench, and do 10 steps up each leg.    Find a spot on the wall and do peoples chair with arms up/out.  Stand up, walk/shake em up and come back for balls to the wall.  Hold while each Pax does a 5 count.

Mosey back to the front of the school for some Mary.  Pax choice today with Grave Diggers (10R/10L), Hello Dolly x 15, and LBC x 15.

Finish up with the Body Destroyer for 60s in silence (another YHC favorite).

COT

I have been on IR for several months and was very happy to get the invite to Q from Short Sale a few weeks back.  This was the perfect way to ‘get back on the Q horse’ after a long lay off.  The PKMS location is awesome – expansive, a great turf field, and plenty of variety to work with. It was a blast to Q a workout again and I appreciate the effort put forth by the Pax today.

YHC talked a little about how F3 The Fort got started with the first group of Pax (me, Assassin, DD, Santini, Red Banjo, and Peach).  Nice to have Assassin in the Pax today too!  Back in the day,  Fort Mill was one of the first areas outside of Charlotte to launch F3 , and F3 Nation leaders, Dredd and OBT,  were part of the Fort Mill launch team.   What I recall from the first workout was that it was very hard, and I was plenty sore the next day.  But, I was hooked right away, and could not wait for the following Saturday when we posted again.  For us, back then, it was just a workout ( a really good one), and we didn’t know what would happen with the group, or where the group; was headed.  We just enjoyed the workouts and being together.    During the 1st year, the group started to grow and we started having 2nd F events and a regular Friday morning bible study.   The Pax kept coming and we kept expanding.  More workouts were added in new locations, regular 2nd F events appeared on the calendar, and a thriving 3rd F community was established.  The leadership we had in the beginning and the high caliber guys that have joined us since have built the Fort into what it is today.  I am a proud F3 member and plan to be one for many years to come.

Announcements/Prayers/Praises

Prayers for Badger who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Praises for an M with a recent good report from her doctor.  Cornerstone’s 2.0 is cancer free!  Vuvuzela’s 2.0’s seizures are not as frequent.

 

 

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