Tag: Cyclops

Snake Pit – Back and Open for Business

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A few weeks ago, YHC was asked to Q at the Snake Pit.  The timing of dates was ironic given that  YHC was lucky enough to have the Q spot at the launch last October.   So the re-opening was set and PAX showed to support an accelerating site.

YHC chalked out the weinke the day before but mother nature washed it out overnight.  Thankfully an early arrival allowed time to re-chalk the “fun” PAX would have early that morning.

16 #HIM arrived ready to go with copious amounts of mumble chatter – something YHC sorely missed.  It was great to be back out in the gloom and at familiar sites.   After disclaimers were given, confirmation took place that no FNG’s were present (there were not) and the 5 core principles of F3 workouts were announced, off we moseyed without the bells.  Here’s what followed:

Mosey down the hill to the bus loop.  Upon arrival PAX began to circle until a JWOW sighting took place.  Fashionably late, he picked up the pace to join us and was met half way back up the hill.  We circled (or ovaled) up for the following IC:

Imperial Walkers x 15, 6 burpees OYO, Hillbilly Walkers X 15, 5 burpees OYO, Low slow squats x 12 with a hold to the people’s chair on the 12th rep.  While in the people’s chair, PAX completed the following IC:  10 Moroccan Night clubs, 10  shoulder taps, 10 air presses.  Legs were good and warm for what was to follow.  We moseyed back up the hill to our kettle bells and saunterd off to the base of the parking lot hill for a Partner Pyramid.  The pyramid was launched on the football field at the launch of the Snake Pit.  It seemed appropriate to bring it back out for the re-launch.  So we did.

Main Event:  Everyone was able to partner up evenly and began working up the pyramid then back down.  Exercises were 10, 10-20, 10-20-30, 10-20-30-40, 10-20-30-40-50, 50-40-30-20-10, 40-30-20-10, 30-20-10, 20-10, 10.  10 – goblet squats, 20 – hammer curls, 30 – tricep extensions, 40 – American hammers with the bell, 50 – kettle bell swings.  Partners alternated between working the pyramid and doing a 100 (ish) yard shuttle run to the top of the hill into the fire lane where work awaited arriving PAX before returning down the hill.  Partner 1 ran to the fire lane at the top of hill and did 10 burpees on trip one before coming back down to pick up where partner 2 left off on the pyramid, trip 2 was run, 10 hand release merkins, return. Trip 3 was run, 10 squats, return. Trip 4 was run, 10 diamond merkins, return.  Back to run, 10 burpees, return for trip 5 and so on.

PAX finished up the pyramid by moving to Al Gore as the 6 came in.  From there, we moseyed with the bells at 0557 to COT.  Time for an ab exercise or two until 0600 was upon us.

Flutters with the press x 15 plus a 30 second body destroyer to soak in the humidity was all time would allow.

Announcements were made for the 7-11 convergence as well as the discussion on race relations being held this Saturday, 6-13 at the Amphitheatre in Kingsley.  Prayers and praises were offered up for Polaroid’s daughter, for Cash, for YHC’s Dad and for 3D’s M.

NMM – Proximity matters.  If there’s one thing YHC has missed (and I suspect others have as well) during this pandemic, it’s the ability to look another PAX in the eye and to push one another to improvements we would likely never attain on our own.  Get proximate.  Engage with a shield lock and the accountability drives you to a much better place than without it.  Thank you, brothers.  And to 3D for the opportunity to Q again and re-launch the Snake Pit.

It was a honor to post with all of you.

Until next time:

Cyclops

 

 

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Dropkicked at The Rock

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BAOPS. It’s an acronym  that Trucker has been pushing, almost devoting himself to, with regard to the AO, Alcatraz, he now oversees. If you’ve been living under a rock for the last several weeks, let me enlighten you on Tega Cay’s own “Rock.”

Rather than being on its own island, our version of Alcatraz is almost at the end of a peninsula. Rather than water with treacherous currents, our version has streets with treacherous hills.
Just as you have to plan some extra time to get to THAT Alcatraz, you also have to plan some extra drive time to get to our version of Alcatraz…it’s way down TC Drive.

When Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was in operation, it housed the hardest, most notorious criminals of its day. In Trucker’s verbiage, BAOPS stands for the “Baddest Area of Operations (AO) for Pain on Saturday.” Consistent with the last several weeks, some of the most hard-charging PAX from The Fort & Rock Hill (The Rock-how fitting) posted at Alcatraz this morning. Some even thought they rolled up on a convergence when they drove in with all the cars.

21 PAX (welcome Suplex) joined Router & YHC for a total of 23 to embark on a twist of a workout this morning. It’s been a minute since we’ve had Router post with us but consistent with our memory, he was prepared to bring it. After we were disclaimed and he shared with us his plan to put us through some conditioning (as part of the strength & conditioning workout), we took off for a warm-up mosey, ultimately leading us to the top of “the hill” on the back side of the park. This time however, we’d be going the other direction.
So here’s the deal, we’re running segments, of which there are 3. Segment 1, you’re running to your “pukey” limit. You know what that is; the place you get to where you’re about to splash. Yeah, get in that zone. Run it to the stop sign just past the Firehouse and do a recovery run back to the start. Then pukey-limit run to the stop sign and run to what amounts to the trail entrance just past the COT parking lot and recovery run the remaining trek back to the start. Now, pukey run that whole thing. Oh no, then….do a few more of those segments again but honestly, this is where the wheels started to come off as the PAX spread out and nobody was exactly sure what to do next . So, some ran more, some did some mary and some picked up the six. Yup, just as planned.
Then…oh dear Lord, this is where we take it to the next phase and you think your heart is going to pop out of your eye socket. Router takes us to the bottom of the hill, yes that hill. He explains his plan for 30/60/90. Fortunately, we never made it to 90 but nevertheless, when he says GO, we’re to take off up the hill, running for 30 seconds until he says stop. Yeah, that was tough but he made us go back down the hill to do the 60. Run up the hill and keep running for 60 seconds. Now that was B-RUTAL. Fortunately it was now 0701 and it was time to hand off to Maximus for the strength portion of the strength & conditioning.

With Max on Q, we would slow mosey (oh, thank you) back to the parking lot, pull a Switzer at one end and drop to a plank (ala Honey Badger). Next up, a nod to a USMC Serviceman named Cpl Albert (Bert) Gettings, 27, of New Castle, PA. Yup, we’re doing a modified BERT. If you’ve never done the real Bert, go give it a run and recap it to me afterward. Cpl. Albert Gettings was killed in action Jan 5, 2009 while conducting counter-sniper operations in Fallujah, Iraq. He was serving as a team leader with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, NC.

HERE WE GO!!!
25 Burpees
50m Bear Crawl to the other end of the parking lot
50 Hand-Release Merkins
50m Bear Crawl
80 Walking lunges
Bear Crawl back
50 Squats
50m Bear Crawl
80 Carolina Dry Docks
50m Bear Crawl
Mary til the six is in

In closing, please do yourself a favor, push yourself to do something more challenging than what you thought you were capable of. Not just in the 1st F although that is a great start, but in the 2nd & 3rd, too. This world needs it now and frankly, you’ve been built and called for this. Do not be a wallflower.

Announcements: Gears starting a new hard-hitting AO this Monday, 6/1. Classroom Ready partnership oppty coming soon from Bonsai, Q-Source is for everyone, AO’s opening back up week of 6/8, big ‘ol convergence 7/11 and several other announcements.

Prayer Request: PAX going through job/life transitions. Our country always but especially now with community tensions. Health of family/friends.

SYITG
Router & Maximus

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A Whole Lot of Burpees

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With Laces In being temporarily relocated to Empire Pizza lot (the home of the slowest of all burns), I decided to take advantage of the nice, evenly spaced parking lot lines today for this week’s edition of the work out by pulling some deep cuts from The Exicon.  11 stallions answered the call.  Some were sorry during, but none were sorry after.

The Thang

Immediate mosey to lot in front of Lowe’s.

Warm up by “Bone the Fish”:

  • Side Shuffle up one parking lot line, run forward to next, Side Shuffle the other direction x 4
  • Karaoke back and forth x4
  • Repeat till the end of the lot and turn around to do it all the way back

Transition to Bearpees – Jack Webb style Burpee (1) x Bear Crawl (4).   Made it to 8 for 36 Burpees per Pax, Mosey back to start line

Transition to Escalator.  One exercise with prescribed count (IC), run the full lot and back

  • 10 Box Jumps
  • 20 Burpees
  • 30 Merkins
  • 40 Low Slow Squats
  • 50 Lunges

Switch to Apple Turnover – Bear Crawl from one line of parking spots to another, flip to Crab Walk from that line to the next.  Flip and repeat till the end of the lot.

Run back to the start with 3 Bomb Jacks at each line

Finish Lot work with Paula Abdul for the length of the lot (40 more Burpees):

  • Run forward 2 Parking Lines
  • Nur back 1 Parking Lot Line
  • 5 Burpees

Mosey to parking area beside Persis to close with 7’s

  • Mike Tyson
  • Bear Crawl forward
  • Squat
  • Crab Walk back

Mosey to Shovel Flag for some COP, but first… 5 Burpees OYO

Prayers for Anxiety in different fronts (Cancer screenings, Kids, Job status, etc).  Prayers for Badger’s family, 2 years since his death.

Announcements:

  • Read your newsletter
  • New AO opening by YHC at Earthfare June 1, read the pre-blast.

Honor to Serve.

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Snake Pit in Quarantine

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Warmup:
Short mosey
10 SSH
10 Mountain Climbers (slow count)
10 Parker Peters
10 Peter Parkers
Honeymooner–>DownDog
10 SSH
10 Imperial Walkers
10 Hillbilly Walkers
Short mosey

The Thang: alternating with Kettlebell Swings

20 Merkins
10 KB Swings
20 Merkins
15 KB Swings
20 Merkins
20 KB Swings
20 Merkins
25 KB Swings
Short mosey

20 Goblet Squats
10 KB Swings
20 Goblet Squats
15 KB Swings
20 Goblet Squats
20 KB Swings
20 Goblet Squats
25 KB Swings
Short mosey

20 Flutters w/ bell in the air held
10 KB Swings
20 Flutters w/ press
15 KB Swings
20 Flutters w/ bell in the air held
20 KB Swings
20 Flutters w/ press
25 KB Swings
Short mosey

20 Cossack Squats
10 KB Swings
20 Cossack Squats – with bell
15 KB Swings
20 Cossack Squats
20 KB Swings
20 Cossack Squats – with bell
25 KB Swings

Final round to get to 100 of each exercise and 300 swings
20 Merkins
20 Goblet Squats
20 Flutters – bells in the air
20 Cossack Squats – w/ bell
20 Kettle Bell Swings

Add 20 burpees for @Slash at the end…..Ain’t nothin’ to it, but to do it.

PAX all worked in isolation today and at different times of day. I’m glad I got this in before the sun came up. It brings on a sweat. Motivation in isolation will dip before the 3rd, 4th, or final round…but knowing other PAX in the Fort were getting after it, kept me focused.

Stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. And do your part to slow the spread.

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VQ For Bowser At Milkshake!

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Today the sun came up again.  The birds  were back and singing.  The world continued to turn.  And then Milkshake was back as well.

Despite the unrest this week due to the Corona Virus, F3 was on and Milkshake was no exception.  I received a text from Shady yesterday asking if I wanted to reopen Milkshake, and I said absolutely.

What I didn’t know is that this morning would be a special one.  Overnight Uhaul told me he had been coaching his 2.0 Bowser to call cadence on his own.   So I planned to let Bowser lead his first exercise, in cadence.

First time I offered, no dice.  Second, the same. Third time was the charm and after some prodding all the Pax counted cadence with Bowser until he got his footing.

Well done Bowser!  You did something that many grown men refuse to do!  I’m expecting great things from you in the future!  Keep EHing your friends and keep posting buddy.

So besides the VQ of sorts, we roamed around the peach fields (on the sidewalk) and did a few exercises and some walking and some more exercises.  We didn’t touch each other (probably always wise) or benches or whatever, just in case but we still got a decent workout in at low impact/intensity.

Thanks for coming out for an impromptu Q as Milkshake was closed until the Mike Doty race was postponed.

Keep calm and carry on.

The Thrill is gone!

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“Backblasting” sans Trucker with a few Zimamiles

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10 gathered on a chilly morning.  YHC and JWOW were the first to arrive.  After JWOW got his passport stamped and was granted entry into Tega Cay, a pre-emptive stroll took place around the grounds before PAX began to trickle in.  At 1 minute before launch, a Zima sighting took place.  Once it was confirmed that no FNGs were present (there weren’t).  Disclaimers were given and off we moseyed around the ballfield to circle up.

COP – SSH x 10, Windmills x 10, Cherry Pickers x 10, Merkins x 10, Mountain Climbers x 10, Down Dog, Up Dog and a quick recovery followed by a short mosey to the First base line.

JWOW decided it would be a good idea to partner for a DORA 1-2-3 where partner #1 runs up a hill (aka Mt. Mulch) while partner #2 exercises.  The 100 was burpees (this was met with little to no approval), 200 squats (YHC’s form was subtly corrected by Geronimo – thank you, guardrail) and 300 flutters.  The climb was steep and the mulch made for fun later.

Following the DORA, PAX went to the base of Mt. Mulch where JWOW called for partner pushes – one pushing the other up the hill while the other leaned downhill against the other.  YHC was displeased when Gears decided to be especially difficult on this, but we persisted and reached the top along with all other PAX.  A lunge walk back down (carefully) Mt. Mulch and we switched positions.  After a successful round 2 of partner pushes and lunge walks, JWOW decided to call time and hand off to YHC for the second half.

We moseyed on the running path around Runde Park stopping at 4 spots along the way.

Stop #1 – Circle up for 5 burpees (because we had not done enough already), followed by a people’s chair with arms out.  While holding the people’s chair, we did 10 double count Moroccan night clubs and 10 shoulder taps in cadence. Mosey to:

Stop #2 – 4 burpees OYO

Stop #3 – 3 burpees OYO

Stops #4 & #5 – 2 burpees OYO and 1 burpee OYO

A quick 10 count was called and a mosey back to the ballfield to go “around the horn” for the main event of the second half.

YHC called for a change in partners so PAX switched up and we began a 4 corner beatdown that earned many not so subtle comments from PAX.

At each cone, PAX were to partner up and do the following:

Round 1 – 10 burpees, 20 hand slap merkins, 30 sumo squats (hands touch the ground) – rinse and repeat at cones 2, 3 & 4 for a sum total for 40 burpees, 80 hand slap merkins and 120 sumo squats.  PAX were pleased…..sort of.

Round 2 – 10 hand release hand slap merkins, 20 jumping lunges, 30 big boy sit ups – rinse and repeat at each of the 4 cones for a sum total of 40 hand release hand slap merkins, 80 jumping lunges and 120 big boy sit ups.

YHC and Cornhole strategically moved to a different cone from other PAX as “backblasting” had commenced prior to the workout ending.  Before round 2 was completed,  Zima eloquently observed that the exercises addressed opportunities for improvement: #truestory

Unfortunately, round 3 would have to be saved for another time as PAX completed round 2 at 0726.  We moseyed to the parking lot for 5 more burpess OYO and 2 minutes of Abs:

15 boxcutters in cadence

Protractor at different degrees (0 degrees was the crowd favorite)

In honor of Zima, a 30 second body destroyer was called.  0730 and COT was upon us.

Announcements – Read your newsletter – lots happening including the Yeti next weekend.

Prayers were offered for Fishstick’s Dad battling cancer, JWOW’s friend Anthony battling addictions and keeping his jesters at bay, for safe travels for Bonsai and his M this week and for families and our patience.

NMM – YHC (Q #2) was to lead a Q Source discussion following the workout and it reinforced the very thing that we must keep top of mind as to why we post.  We are, as PAX, one another’s guardrails.  We keep one another on the right path toward living 3rd and being better for those around us.  Regardless of where you are in your journey – 1st, 2nd or 3rd F’s.  Get out, post often, and plug into this great group of #HIMs.  Acceleration can not be achieved in isolation.  We go through nothing alone when we choose.

Thanks to JWOW for splitting this morning’s Q and to Smuggler for the opportunity.  YHC’s first post ever was at Alcatraz.  It was great to get back out with a fantastic group of #HIMs.

Honored,

Cyclops & JWOW

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Late Night Q Takeover

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A quick Friday night Slack-scrolling showed me who was Qing at Milkshake & The Fort but I didn’t see any name or listing for Alcatraz. So, this led me to ask the region the question of, “Yo, who’s at Alcatraz?” After some cricket banter and off-channel comz with last week’s co-Q, Bonsai, we decided it’ll be us to Q at the sometimes forgotten AO.

With Bonsai on the front half of the 60mins, we were welcomed and disclaimed. Next, we moseyed around the path at the park and did a little warming up with 50xSSH (angry fella), Stretching, Cherry Pickers (even a little left to right action) and Hillbilly Walkers.

As plagiarism is the most sincere form of flattery, Bonsai took a page out of Pusher’s playbook for a series of 1min AMRAP with a mosey to each station. Remember, 1min of each:

Merkins then run to the Fire Station boat for LBC’s then run to Fire Station parking lot for Carolina Dry Docks then run back just past the Fire Station boat for Monkey Humpers then to the basketball court for Flutters. We then repeated it for a second round but added at least 1 rep to each of your previous numbers at each station.

Then the hand off to Maximus.

Mosey off campus to the bottom of the hill at the front end of the neighborhood. Run up the hill, wait for the 6, jog down and get ~5-10sec to catch your breath. Repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 trips up the hill. Once the heart rates were peaked, we went back on campus to the parking lot which we wouldn’t leave again.

Round 1: Captain Thor (evidently this was popular yesterday) with 1 Big Boy situp & 4 American Hammers. Continue in that sequence to 10:40.

Round 2: Jack Webb (also popular) with 1 Push Up & 4 Overhead Claps. Continue in that sequence to 10:40.

Round 3: Lt. Dans (definitely not a crowd pleaser) with 1 Squat (which was the breather) and 4 Jumping Lunges. Continue in that sequence to 10:40.

That was it. For the 8 of us that posted at Alcatraz yesterday, we’re better for it. Sore yes…but better.

Make it count.

Bonsai & Maximus

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Webbs FEAST and Hill Repeats

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The day started with a 15 minute EC ruck around the parking lot at 0500, then I went back to meet the rest of PAX so we can get started with the jack webb FEAST, full body workout was guaranteed starting with upper body, then core and finally legs.

Quick mosey to the roundabout for a warm up ceremony:

Windmill
Weed picker
Moroccan night club
Low slow squat
Low slow merkin

Run uphill, do 10 jump squats and run down for the following:

A variation of the Jack webb (not named yet but for now I’ll call it Iron Man Webb)
1 merkin, 4 shoulder taps
2 merkins, 8 shoulder taps
3 merkins, 12 shoulder taps
Progressive to 10 merkins and and 40

Shoulders really felt this web, I had forgotten how much shoulders burn during this circuit so we had to take a break twice to relax the shoulders and arms so we can finish our jack web.

Run uphill
10 jump squats
Run downhill

Captain Thor
1 big boy situp,  4 american hammers
2 big boy situps,  8 american hammers
3 big boy situps,  12 american hammers
Progressive to 10 big boy situp,  40 american hammers

3 rounds of Superman to stretch the abs.

Run uphill
10 jump squats
Run down hill

Lt Dan
1 squat,  4 single count lunges
2 squats,  8 single count lunges
3 squats,  12 single count lunges
Progressive to 10 squats,  40 single count lunges

Run uphill
10 jump squats
Run down hill

Went back to COT for namearama, announcements, praises and prayers.

Welcome FNG OSCAR the Grouch, I’m hoping to see him back at the gloom after the pain feast on his first day out. Thank you Cyclops for the opportunity to lead.

TINSEL OUT!

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Four Corner Beatdown

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Today at The Colosseum we had nine PAX for a four corner beatdown. We did my customary short mosey and warmed up with some Tappy Taps, Imperial Walkers, Windmills and Morrocan NC.

The Beatdown consisted of Three rounds of three exercises 25x , 20x, 15x at each designated corner with 5 burpees in the center on your return from a corner.

Corner 1: Merkins, Flutters, Squats

Corner 2:Wide Arm Merkins, LBC, Mountain Climbers

Corner 3: Diamond Merkins, BBS, Calf Raises

Corner 4: CDD, American Hammers, Box Cutters

Another quick mosey to COT and the beatdown was over

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Round 2 at Laces In

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Lack of creativity? Potentially. Simple yet effective? Undoubtedly. That could be how I describe several stages of my life.

Yesterday at the JOC, we did round 1 of the Deck of Cards. Whenever you have a round 1, you have to have a round 2. Taking yesterday’s learnings on clock management, I modified the warm-up, flapped the gums a little less and up’d the tempo. That would ensure we get through the deck this time.

We had a total of 20 at Laces, with 2 of those being Road Runners. The other 17 joined me as we circled up.

River Rat got to hear this twice but I shared what Billy Bob said on the Roundtable podcast recently about modifications. You can always modify as needed BUT do not use that as an excuse to not push yourself. It’s appropriate in so many areas of life and it was appropriate for the PAX & I this morning.

So, we jogged over to the start line for our abbreviated warm up consisting of (2) 50yd runs at 50% pace and 75% pace. We followed that up with windmills in cadence and butt kickers in place, also in cadence. And that was it for our warm up.

For the 1st-timers, the deck goes like this, your rep count is the number on the card, 2-10 are obvious, Jacks=11, Queens=12, Kings=13, Aces=14. Suits represent the following exercises:

Hearts: 8ct Burpee (It’s a burpee with a plank jack & the push up)
Diamonds: 4ct Mountain Climbers
Clubs: Jump Squats
Spades: Diamond Merkins
Jokers: (25) 4ct Flutters

In total, we did:
(104) 8ct Burpees
(104) 4ct Mountain Climbers
(104) Jump Squats
(104) Diamond Merkins
We had 3 Jokers in the deck so that is (75) Flutters, of the 4ct variety

We finished the deck at 0551 so we had 9mins left on the clock which was filled with:
(30) Flutters
(12) Hand-Release Merkins
(15) American Hammers

4 more 50yd runs at 50%, 75%, 100%, 75%

Moseyed back to COT for:
Heels to Heavens
Freddy Mercury

COT today was pretty powerful for me. We had men that brought some real stuff today that they are walking through life with. As we say, you are not meant to carry this on your own; that would crumble any man. You have been called and designed to lead but the best leaders have a group they work with. In F3, we call that group a Shield Lock.
Remember, sometimes you need to modify the game plan. However, DO NOT use that modification as an excuse to not give it your all.

It’s been my honor.
Maximus

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