Tires, sledgehammers, dumbbells and ropes

I saw that Royale was on Q once again so I decided to step up and steal the Q from him, great opportunity to lead a group of 19 PAX that decided to get better. Jedi, Olaf and Cha-Ching went for a pre run unaware of the beat down that was planned staring at 5:15.

Quick disclaimer  and welcomed one FNG (Hawkeye)

We started the warm up with a 2 minute run around the parking lot and then circled up for the following:

20 Windmills

20 LBC’s

20 side straddle hops

10 worst merkin ever, non stop from werkin to merkin to derkin

We moseyed to the boat-trailer parking lot  for the real thing, quick explanation of the workout, we had 4 station/corner setup,  we split into groups 1 to 4 and one group went to each corner, from station  1 to 2 and 3 to 4 we run, from station 2 to 3 and 4 to 1 we bear crawled, exercises were listed as follow:

STATION 1

-> 15 big boy sit ups

-> 20 rosalitas

-> 30 Sledgehammer swings (15 each side)

-> 30 Heel Touches SC

-> 30 Dying Cockroach SC

STATION 2

-> 10 two hand triceps ext

-> 15 two hand biceps curls

-> 25 dumbbell swing

-> 30 Makhtar N’Diayes

-> 50 Carolina drydocks

STATION 3

-> 10  Tire flips

-> 15  Low slow squats IC

-> 20 lateral lunges  (10 each side)

-> 30 jump squats

-> 50 calf raises

STATION 4

-> 10 diamond merkins

-> 15 wide arm merkins

-> 20 regular merkins

-> 30 battle rope wave SC

-> 40 plank jacks

-> 50 Shoulder taps

Each group was able to complete 7 stations (one full round of all 4 station plus 3 stations depending on the order each group started), timing was of the essence, first full round was completed in about 17 minutes (26 minutes into the workout) but exhaustion sat in and second round took longer, everyone pushed themselves hard and that “extra 40%” effort was burned during the second round.

With 2 minutes to spare we sprint back to COT for announcements, prayers and praises.

Welcome back Brickhouse and FNG Hawkeye!!

Tinsel out…

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A Sunny Saturday Afternoon at CAH

20 posted for a Saturday afternoon game day at the Children’s attention home.  The boys were already playing basketball before we got started, but they still had some energy to burn.  So, we did a slow mosey/walk to the field up the street from CAH and got to it.  Here is what we did:

The Thang:

Mini- COP

SSH x 20, merkin x 10,   windmill x 10, squat x 10, mountain climber x 10

We split the group up and played a friendly, but competitive game of kickball.  There were some good plays, some not-so-good plays, but we all had a lot of fun on a beautiful, late afternoon spring day.  I think the score was 8-7, but it wasn’t important who won the game.  The time we spent together, getting to know each other better and learning from each other, was what it was about.

Welcome FNG/Trek Star who is a friend of  Man of Steel (my son), and also, who we found out today, a neighbor of NASA’s.  He said that he enjoyed himself today and wants to come again.  I was very happy to hear that and hope that he can join us any time we come to CAH.

I told the boys about a news story I saw this week about a high school boy named Gerald Hodges who swam for his high school swim team in Texas.   It’s an amazing story about a young athlete, who could have easily played for just about any sport team at his school.  But instead, chose to join the school swim team.  Gerald could barely swim, but decided to join the swim team because he wanted to learn how to handle failure if it happened (it didn’t).   Being able to handle failures and learn from them, Gerald thought, would make him successful.  This to me, was an incredibly mature thing for an 18 year old to do, and was a powerful message for anyone.  The link to this story is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0tjVEncJyg

My thanks to NASA for the invitation to Q.  I have been absent from the CAH for too long and plan on getting there more regularly this year.

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Where is Spring??

18 Men showed up on a very chilly April morning. The pre-ruck was very well attended, and the ruck portion was being Q’ed by Olaf and there seemed to be several implements of torcher that were assembled for the rucking PAX to carry around.  5:15 came and the disclaimer was given(in spirit if not actually) and the entire group was challenged to begin thinking of prayers that needed to be shared at COT. No prayers for your neighbors sick cat, what do YOU need your brothers to know and pray for in your life?  With that the Ruckers were dismissed and the rest of us circled up for some COP.  SSH, IW, Squats, on your side for some hip flexing and strengthening – Jane Fonda – Leg Circles forward and reverse, back kicks.  All on your side 5 count then flip sides. Strong loose hips are key to injury prevention.  Mosey to lay out the cones for a 5 corner workout tour around the Golden Corral. 1st cone at the bottom of the hill(10 Bomb Jacks) Cone #2 at the top of the hill(20 LBC) Cone 3 around Auto Parts and Oil change(10 CDD) 4th cone at COT(15 Squats) Cone 5 at Dominos(15 Merkins) You vs You workout, you choose how fast you want to push it, how hard you want to work.  The PAX did awesome, everyone finished at least 4 full laps and a few did 4 plus, Mileage count was over 3 miles, pretty strong for a 45 minute boot camp.  Final mosey to COT

Announcements – Strawberry Fields, Guidance & CAH, Bonsai has Beyond next Tuesday at GC

Prayers & Praises – Continued prayers for Badger – Prayers for patience and wisdom with young kids(especially boys), Prayers for healing for the young kids in our community growing up in dysfunctional or non-existent homes, prayers for patience and energy to continue dealing with the racial injustices that many of us don’t want to admit exist.  I appreciated the hearts of the men who shared this morning, and challenge the PAX to press into being vulnerable with our real struggles and needs so that we can properly car for each other.

 

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Too much work at Golden Corral

Here’s what the bootcampers did after the ruckers took off with Wild Thing.

Dynamic Warmup around parking lot

Then COP

20 SSHs – 20 MNCs – 10 Slow Cotton Pickers –

10 WA Merkins – 20 Moun Climbers – Yoga – 15 Plank Jacks

 Partner Up

 Dora 1-2-3

100 Burpees

200 Sumo Squats

300 SSHs

While other partner ran around the parking lot triangle

 To Fort Mill BBQ Lot

11s with Bear crawls

11 WA Merkins

1 Bomb jack

Run backwards to start

I had 2 other evolutions on the Weinke, but I miscalculated on how much 11s would suck with the distance and number of bear crawls.  Most of the PAX got to 11, but it hurt!

During our 10 counts I shared some quotes and insight that I’ve been gathering from my most recent reading, Jordan Peterson’s “12 Rules for Life.”  The rule I reviewed was Rule #8 : Tell the Truth – or at least Don’t Lie!

Attached are the quotes:

Tell the Truth or at least Don’t Lie

An honor to lead…

-Royale

 

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No Saggy Middles @ The Ranch

PAX: Wegmans, Cable Guy, Senator Tressel, Decibel, Jiffy, Geronimo, Funhouse, Cake Boss

16 PAX showed up to The Ranch on a relatively chilly morning. 7 joined Dark Helmet for a BEYOND workout… the remaining fools joined me (Sasquatch) for a lesson on core… and it was hard. -Hardcore- It is in my nature to look around and see how people move, and oftentimes, it’s sloppy- too many SAGGY MIDDLES or rears to the sky. Focus was to perform several of the exercises we do day-to-day at bootcamps (i.e. peter parker, plank jacks, etc *see below) and to do them with GOOD FORM. Maintain a flat lower back that is aligned with your upper spine and buttocks. Think about pulling your navel up in towards your spine. Any plank-type exercises (including Merkins) should be performed with your hands aligned directly below your shoulders for optimal stability… any other position will compromise the shoulder joints and take away from CORE strengthening. No SAGGY MIDDLES!

The Thang

Front Plank during long disclaimer

Dynamic Warm-up on the Field
Knees to chest / High knees
Heel to butt / Butt kickers
side shuffle / side shuffle other way
Inch worm / bear crawl

Mosey to Playground Parking Lot

Circle-up
Imperial Squats
Static Lunge with Moroccan Night Club
upward dog/downward dog
Mountain climbers
Peter Parker
Parker Peter
Elbow Plank Jacks

Mosey to Playground and Partner-up
Sit-ups holding feet x20 and switch
Toes to bar x10 (Partner 1) and supermans x10 (Partner 2) then switch
REPEAT x3

Mosey to front of school
Bench Jumps x10 (Partner 1) and Curb Burpees x5 (Partner 2) switch
Wheelbarrow ~30 yards and then switch
REPEAT x3

Mosey to COT and MARY

Announcement/Prayers
Honey Badger officially opens Monday at 5AM NAFO.
RPG on Fridays at 5AM Food Lion Parking Lot for some Broga and Run is a thing.
Prayers for family and friends suffering with cancer.
Attend CAH workouts, especially since new kids are showing up.
Still need volunteers for Strawberry festival booth.
Witbeck Golf Classic begins tomorrow but you have until April 22nd to sign up to join the league and play round 1. Message Wegmans on the Twitter machine for more information.

Thank you, Jiffy, for the opportunity to Q at the Ranch. Thank you, Dark Helmet, for not stealing my thunder and having everyone go BEYOND. Good lesson from him. Check out his Backblast when you get a chance.

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GC Bootcamp

4 Pax came out for BC and 4 for Rucking.
Mossied round HT after disclaimer.
COP
SSH
Moroccan Night Clubs
Squats
Windmills
Mountain Climbers
Merkins

11s with dips and derkins

The Thang
Stations:
Seal Jacks x 15
Plank Jacks x 15
Squats x 25
Burpees x 10
OHP x 15 w/CB
One Armed Rows x 15
Imperial walkers x 15
Mountain Climbers x 15
Merkins x 20
Freddie Mercuries x 15
Big boy situps x 10
Pax went clockwise around stations with a lap around the parking lot between each station with some good conversation in between.
COT
Announcements /prayers
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So you did the Yeti, but we conquered Alcatraz!!!

So you did the Yeti and you missed an awesome Alcatraz 60 degree morning! I am very proud of the men! We had an FNG! My youngest brother from Ballantyne joined us for the beatdown. Goes by the name Tapper now. We’ll see if that sticks in S.O.B.

Theme: WORRY:

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Warm-up:

Dynamic Stretching:

Jog – 1 min

High Knees – 70

Butt Kickers – 70

SSH – 14

Toy Soldiers – 35

Lateral Shuffles – 10

Squats – 12

Alternating Forward Lunges – 10 (5 each side)

Single Leg Diamond Merkins – 8-9 each side, single count merkins

Single Leg Toe touches with other leg going back – 5 each side

Piper Peters – 10

Rolling Crucifix – 5 each side

Table Twists – 5 each side

Worrying will not stop the bad stuff from happening. It just stops you from enjoying the good.

Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it does not get you anywhere.

Breathe Today’s Challenge: Drive yourself to get better today.

Field Work: Cross Circuit Super Super Set: 50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest and transition to next exercise. Two rotations:

Jump rope

Single leg burpees- aim for 10 minimum

Frog Long jump

Jax merkins-aim for 20 minimum

Fingertip dips-aim for 20 minimum

Bear crawl

Dips to failure

Max Pullups with sprint back to starting place on field

Sprint b/w cones

Starfish crunch

We were tired at this point, but . . .

Decibel takes over!

3 sets of 20 pull-ups 

3 sets of 30 abs (Rosalina, X and O’s, Big Boy sit ups)

3 sets of 40 squats

3 Times running down an ugly hill and back

COT: Naming the FNG: Tapper. Having fun with that one. Announcements, praises, prayers, reminders that we don’t need to worry (see quotes above).

Thanks for the opportunity, Smuggler!

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GC BC

Another beautiful, slightly cool morning as the PAX assembled at the buffet. 5:15 hit and we broke up into bootcampers and ruckers. Disclaimer was given and off we moseyed to behind Teeter. Circle up for normal warmups: SSH (20), HW (20), Low slow squats (15), Windmill (10), Peter Parker (10), Parker Peter (10), MNC (20).

Mosey over to water fountain behind apartments. Spread out around it and then bear crawl around entire fountain circle. Take a couple of steps over to bottom of hill. Time for deconstructed burpee ladder: squat thrusters (I’m sure they have some F3 name I’m missing), jump squats, & merkins. Do same number of these at bottom of hill, run to top of hill, do remainder of ladder, then run back to bottom and plank for the 6 before next round.

  • R1 -> Bottom = 20/20/20, Top = 0/0/0
  • R2 -> Bottom = 15/15/15, Top = 5/5/5
  • R3 -> Bottom = 10/10/10, Top = 10/10/10
  • R4 -> Bottom = 5/5/5, Top = 15/15/15
  • R5 -> Bottom = 0/0/0, Top = 20/20/20

Mosey back to small traffic circle in front of apartments. Circle up, all PAX doing lunges. One by one each PAX did 4 burpees. After we made it around the circle, 20 CDDs & 20 Flutters.

Mosey to side lot and break into 2 lines for sprints. Line 1 sprint to end of building, line 2 take off once line 1 gets 3/4 down. 4 sets of sprints. Time for some ab work. 10 small circles clockwise, 10 small circles counter-clockwise, 10 box-cutters. 4 more sets of sprints and some more abs: 10 toe-touch LBCs, 10 hello-dollies, & 10 rosalitas.  Times almost up, one final sprint, all you got back to COT.

Great work by all the PAX today. It’s always encouraging to see some new faces, several old faces, and some guys coming back from IR. Always an honor lead this group! Thanks Decibel for the opportunity.

-Mainframe

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Accumulator Around Rite-Aid

7 boot campers and 5 ruckers launched after YHC gave an “official” disclaimer (as per suggestion from Chaser on the weekly F3 round table conference call).  Boot campers were led by Hootie for a mosey around the parking lot, then circled up for COP warm-up.

  • SSH x20
  • Moroccan Nightclubs x10
  • Imperial Walkers x10
  • Merkins x10
  • Low Slow Squats x10
  • Windmills x10

The Thang

Handoff to YHC for a mosey over to the Rite-Aid for the main event.  We stumbled on 6 cones (each with an exercise) that would be the instructions for this part of the workout.  Each “round” would consist of running around the building, performing the appropriate exercise(s) at each corner, then planking up for the 6 so we all start the next round together.

Round 1- 1 burpee at each corner (running between corners)
Round 2 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks at each corner
Round 3 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch
Round 4 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins
Round 5 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks
Round 6 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6 box cutters
Round 7 – 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6  box cutters
Round 8 – 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6 box cutters
Round 9 – 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6  box cutters
Round 10 – 5 plank jacks, 6  box cutters
Round 11 – 6  box cutters

We managed to get all 11 rounds in before heading to COT. For those curious about the numbers:
24 burpees
48 crab cakes
72 run stance switch
96 merkins
120 plank jacks
144 box cutters
Total Distance run: 1.8 miles

Excellent work by all pax.  Great VQ warm-up by Hootie! Thanks to Decibel for the opportunity to lead.

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Taking it easy at the Golden Corral

After two Qs last week, YHC’s creativity was all but spent. Nevertheless, when Old Bay asked if I could fill in for Boeheim, I agreed to help. I still have that Twister spinner I made for a previous Q, so I already had something “prepared” in case I didn’t have time to come up with something new.

Not being satisfied with repeating something, I decided to at least update the board a bit (and tried cutting off a finger in the process, so ignore the blood stain if you see it). This will come in handy later, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

14 cold-ish PAX (well, 13, as Cake Boss came rolling in late) posted to Golden Corral before dividing up – six to ruck with Mainframe, Old Bay to run by himself, and seven for the bootcamp. Disclaimer was given (probably my best yet), and off we went. The first couple minutes of the mosey around to the back parking lot were spent explaining what we were not doing: no somersaults, no inverted burpees, no flips, etc. Apparently people get concerned when they find out it’s a Jedi Q. Incorporating knees to chest, butt kickers, and karaoke, we wove around until we found a good spot in the corner of the back parking lot to warm up a bit.

COP/Warm-up

My warmups are getting a bit repetitive, but it seems I feel the need to stretch the hamstrings and open the hips with:

10 windmills IC

10 low slow squats IC

10 hillbilly walkers IC

10 merkins IC

Downward dog with cross body ankle grabs (probably the weirdest move of the day)

Not feeling quite warm enough, we moved over to the curb for some dips and crab cakes, Jack Webb style: one dip and four crab cakes (single count, with hands on curb), all the way up to ten and forty. Our shoulders got nice and toasty, though there were many modifications including a fully-seated version of the crab cake, but since Cake Boss has 60 pound weights at the end of both legs, grace was extended.

Shake it off, then mosey around to the front of Harris Teeter for the remainder of our fun.

The Thang

As mentioned, the Twister spinner made a reappearance for today. Basically, spin the spinner, do the exercise as prescribed, then run across the parking lot to the stop sign and back. Rinse and repeat. The exercises:

Two Arms

Donkey Kick (x20)

Merkins (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Dips (x20)

One Arm

Donkey Kick (x20)

Merkins (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Dips (x20)

Two Legs

Donkey Kick (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Squat Jumps (x20)

Bear Crawl

One Leg

Donkey Kick (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Squat Jumps (x20)

Bear crawl

The first spin resulted in one-arm merkins, which was a real crowd pleaser following the Jack Webb dip/crab cake combo. That, and they’re one-arm merkins. Other exercises completed include burpees (normal, one arm, and one leg), donkey kicks (normal and one leg), dips (normal and one arm), bear crawl (just normal), squat jumps (normal), and merkins (normal). I can’t remember the order, but it was pretty balanced, and there was a lot of running involved, ending with a quick run to COT to meet the ruckers and runner.

Announcements

  • Read your newsletter
  • Yeti is coming up. Sign up and do it.
  • February second Tuesday lunch will be at Pasquel’s (with either a hard or soft q sound, depending on who you ask) rather than Fort Mill BBQ.
  • Maybe some others, but Decibel was in a hurry.

Praises and Prayers

  • ChaChing’s grandpa passed away over the weekend, so prayers for the family and ChaChing and his wife as they travel north today.
  • Cake Boss’s thirty-something plumber Jason had a stroke (and answered the phone in the hospital)
  • Decibel’s son’s classmate Violet has meningitis
  • Prayers for the community in light of recent events

As always, it was an honor to lead these men, and you can ask any of the bootcamp guys – it wasn’t bad. You need not be afraid of a Jedi Q. We don’t always do weird inverted stuff. Sometimes I need an easy day.

-Jedi

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