SlowBurn – Wegman’s Send off to Chimbote

Today at SlowBurn it was about Wegmans and his choice to say YES to a calling to serve. He heard this calling and it spoke to his heart and he accepted the opportunity to be vulnerable, uncomfortable and go into the world for his creator Sky Q. The cool thing about mission trips is we think its about serving others, but in reality its about Sky Q working on us.

38 PAX came to show Wegmans support. They were running, rucking, boot-camp and even Broga was represented. for 45 mins everyone got better in some fashion, but for YHC I felt led to honor Wegmans by pulling some of his work from previous workouts. I felt the best way to respect a man is to use his material. So away we went.

The Thang:

Warm Up mosey to lower lot

  • Typical COP stuff 5-7 exercise moves
  • Line up at end of lot for some others
    • High Knees
    • Butt Kickers
    • Karaoke
    • Shuffles
    • sprints

Mosey to far side of Indian Restaurant

DMB from Wegmans Ranch workout

  • Duckwalk – 20 yards
  • Merkins – 10
  • Bearcrawl back – 20 yards
  • 3 rounds

Mosey to Far side of Lowes

From the Wegninator’s Coop workout

  • Partner up
    • #1 = Wall Sit
    • #2 =
      • 10 Broadjump Burpees
      • 10 Powerskips
      • 10 Plankwalks (right and then left)
    • Flap jack
    • 3 rounds

Mosey to opposite side of Lowes

From Wegmans’ Slow Burn workout – The Triple Check

Groups of 3

  1. Al Gore
  2. Plank
  3. Run Lap around parking lot
  • 3 rounds, with each person rotating position

Mosey back to COT

Wegmans’s shared his WHY during the workout and serving others and his willingness to be vulnerable in a strange place and open to see what Sky Q will do.

Many in the group have been on mission trips before and I believe that we all have intentions of serving and helping others, however these trips are about what Sky Q teaches us about ourselves. Gives us perspective and understanding that everyone around the globe are all children of HIS and we should love each other.

Best to you Wegmans and look forward to hearing the lesson’s learned.

Cake Boss

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Fire Ant 2-5-19

15 Pax posted at Fire Ant for unseasonably warm January morning.  We had a large crowd this morning – looks like training may be picking up for the May Custom. Also, big welcome to Jiffy and River Rat as first timers to Fire Ant.  Hope to see you both next week.

The Thang

Brisk ruck around on the school.  Stopping along the side of the school for the following:

Rucks Off

Side Straddle Hops x 30, Windmills x 10, Imperial Walkers x 15

Rucks On

Merkins x 10, Slow Squats x 15, Peter Parkers x 10, Lunges x 10, Parker Peters x 10, Monkey Humpers x 10, Ruck Curls x 10, Overhead Press x 10

Ruck to front of school and line up along first pillar.  Will do a movement from first pillar down to crosswalk – roughly 25 yards* – stopping at every other pillar for an exercise.  Combinations are listed below.  There were 10 pillars, so each exercise was done 5 times.

Bear Crawl – 3 merkins

Lunge Walk – 5 squats

Overhead Carry – 10 presses (5 each side)

Duck Walk – 5 monkey humpers.

Crab Walk – 5 big boy situps

Ruck around school one more time.  Circle up for ab lab.  Flutters x 20, Big Boy Sit Ups x 15, American Hammers x 8.

*My judge of distance is terrible, so I could be way off on the 25 yard listing, but it sounds right.

Overall distance covered was 1.34 miles.

 

 

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The Ranch – Where you need to prepare for the unexpected!!

8 Ruckers were out marching around when 16 more PAX arrived at the cold Ranch. YHC was expecting low numbers since the temp was 20-22, but I was thrilled to see the men circling and getting ready for the unexpected.

The Thang:

Mosey to entrance
COP

SSHs-20
CCDs-18
Seal Jacks-20
Wind Mills-15
Imperial Walkers-20

Mosey to baseball field……it was creepy dark!!

3 rounds of Crawl, Walk Run

Home to 1st-bear crawls
1st to 2nd-lunge walk
2nd to home-Run

Mosey to bridge

Two lines and Partner is next to you
Wheel barrow little baby Jesus up steps alternating when needed

Indian Run to Football field

Partner Carry to playground

With Partner: 1 does exercise/1 runs lap
Pull ups
Derkins
Swing Crunches
Dips

Burpee Indian Run back to COT

IT was a fun filled day at The Ranch and the PAX worked hard and pushed each other. Message was about being prepared and no matter if its preparing for breakfast or for retirement, as a leader we need to be ready for the expected. Today my Director resigned from our team and company. We don’t know who our leader will be or what our organization will look like, but as leader of my work and home I need to look in the mirror and say, Get After It! There is no waiting to see where the chips fall,  but to get out in front and lead. Reflect on all things in your life and address those things that you need to get prepared for……finances, stronger marriage, tough talks with the kids and death. Don’t leave these for someone else to take care of.

Thanks Jiffy for the lead…..humbled and honored!!

Cake Boss out!

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2019 Q1 PFT – The Coop

YHC decided that 2019 needed to have an old tradition re-instituted, the Quarterly Physical Fitness Test.  So, Wegmans has given me the last Wednesday of every 3rd month to test and track the progress of the Pax.  The Thang:

Pull Ups – 1 minute

Situps – 1 minute

Pushups – 1 minute

1 mile run on track

Done – here are the results, in no particular order.  Just how they showed up on the sheet.

DNP – Did not Participate (these guys did a pre-run!)

Name Pull Ups Sit Ups Push Ups 1 Mile Run
FunHouse 5 45 37 6:40
Sk8orDie 5 39 37 DNP
DarkHelmet 22 42 64 7:21
Kaiser 15 22 61 7:38
SugarBug 3 29 36 8:41
Esso 12 38 43 8:25
Sasquatch 24 54 64 DNP
ChickenHawk 25 43 60 7:37
Wegmans 1 26 24 8:54
Husky 13 45 52 7:34
PunchList 12 39 33 6:48
DirtyHarry 5 50 50 7:28
Youts 18 44 51 8:49
Slash 8 26 31 8:45
Xray 3 12 25 9:15
Chunck 2 32 20 8:32
Tinsel 22 38 36 8:43
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22 at The Swamp on this cool January morning

We got a break from rain to come out and enjoy a good end to the week

We had 3 groups, Runners, Ruckers and Bootcampers

Those who chose the bootcamp route got YHC as Q

Was nice to be back, haven’t been to the Swamp in a bit so thanks to Cha Ching for the call-up!

We took a nice mosey over to Just Fresh where we circled up to get a warm-up in

Did some SSH, Squats, MC, Peter Parker, Parker Peter, Moroccan night clubs, Plank o rama, Plank Jacks, Imperial Walkers

Moseyed over to the Red balls to partner up and do some suicides with a twist of course

Start at the stop sign with your partner and do 1 Burpee, run to the first ball together and do 10 Partner handslap merkins and run back to start together and do 1 Burpee.

Run to 2nd Ball together and do 10 partner handslap big boy sit-ups and return to stop sign together and do 1 Burpee.

Continue this alternating plan until everyone completes 9 rounds

Early finishers do squats until the 6 was in

Mosey over to a wall where we did some wall sits while each of us takes a turn and runs out and completes one Burpee

Short rest then repeat but increase to 2 Burpees

Change it up next round and do BTTW and 1 Burpee

Round 2 BTTW and 2 Burpees but go 2 PAX at a time this time so our shoulder s dont crumble!!!!

Mosey back to COT area to finish up with some AB Lab

Announcements, Yeti coming up and some PAX training for a GORUCK Heavy in a few months!!! Good luck with training and stay healthy everyone.

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Sally vs. Roxanne

Nine men braved the gloom to settle the question of which challenge is better: Sally or Roxanne.

Began with a warm up:
Short mosey run
Pull ups (5 oyo)
SSH (IC 12x)
Moroccan Nightclub (IC 12x)
Windmill (IC 12x)
Peter Parker (IC 12x)
Plank stretches
Pull ups (5 oyo)
Run to the high school for the below.

Thang 1: 10 exercise routine: exercise for 32 seconds, rest/transition for 10 seconds
1. Imperial Walkers
2. Dips
3. LBCs
4. Jump Squats
5. windmills
6. American Hammers
7. Step ups
8. OH claps
9. Flutters
10. Calf raises

Thang 2: Sally Plank Routine (low plank-high plank) Song: Flower by Moby

Thang 3: Repeat above 10 exercise routine

Thang 4: Roxanne push up routine Song: Roxanne by the Police

Thang 5: Repeat 10 exercise routine

Short Mary round
Run to COT

Official poll results: Sally was preferred over Roxanne. it was close though.

Prayers/Praises: All went well for DirtyHarry’s daughter at the hospital. Kaiser for new role at work, while running own business.
Also: Prayers for all law enforcement, first responders and medical professionals.

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Intentional

Today’s brisk temperature did not stop the Pax from posting at The Coop. We had 3 pre-ruckers that joined us for a high impact workout. All 15 of us pushed each other to get better.  What an amazing morning with my F3 brothers!

The Thang:

Mosey to the parking lot in front of the school

COP: SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (15x), Moroccan Night Clubs (15x)

Mosey to the pull up bars: Jacobs Ladder with burpees at the bottom, pull ups at the top 9x

Mosey to FMES:Balls to the wall, People’s Chair 4x

Moleskin:  

High impact men, you must be intentional with your time. Our time on this planet is limited and life moves at very a fast pace. Respond to the Great Commission by intentionally investing time to build God’s kingdom. Do not let the ways of the world distract you from His calling. Be intentional with your family by studying and serving them. Identify and address the needs of your wife and children.

“Impact is never about knowing all the steps ahead, but about taking one intentional step after the other.” ― Bidemi Mark-Mordi

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CURRAHEE!

Today, we honored the 101st Airborne Infantry, 506th PIR. Better known as Easy Company, or the Band of Brothers. These men went through so much in the name of freedom, have 50% casualties in Normandy alone, the first 20 days of their long time spent in Europe. From Normandy, to Holland, to Bastogne, to Haguenau, they fought. It is because of men like these that we have the freedoms we have now. 

Our training was to simulate 101st Basic at Toccoa, GA, with an emphasis on a mountain called Currahee. Three miles up, three miles down. 

506th Notable Casualties (in Bastogne specifically)

John T Julian

Warren H Muck

Alex M Penkala

Carl C Sawosko

Harold D Webb

Kenneth J Webb

Donald B Hoobler

Richard J Hughes

Eugen E Jackson

A.P. Herron

John E Shindell

Francis J Mellett

Workout below. 

Warm Up

Disclaimer, ask for FNGs

Mosey to Pull Up Bars – 10 Pull Ups OYO

Mosey to Football Field Gates

Circle Up

SSH x 23

Merkins x 10

Plank Jacks x 10

Peter Parkers x 10

Honey Mooners/Downward Dog

Low Slow Squat x 17

Al Gores – Talk about 101st Airborne, 506th PIR, Currahee, Two Years of Training, Operation Overlord, Battle of Normandy

I tried to run and read off of my phone between circuits, but it proved to be impossible. So we ran and then I told a story after each circuit. 

 

Run 2 Laps in Formation

Speech 1

On June 5th, 1944, the American paratroopers were told to get on their gear, pack their chutes, and get ready to jump. Skepticism of if this jump would be scrubbed by weather too ran high, several jumps in the days prior had been announced and then cancelled as the men were loading into their aircraft. But this time the paratroopers knew it would probably be the real deal. As the sun began to set, paratroopers were packing all of their essential items including: ammunition, grenades, explosive blocks, gammom bombs, reserve chute, extra jump cord, identification clicker, jump knife, bayonet, machete, firearm, first aid kit, cigarettes, and rations.

Many knew this might be the last time they ever see the sun, and for many it would be. All together their gear weighed over one hundred pounds, so the vast majority of the paratroopers had to be pushed and pulled into their aircraft. They said a final prayer, took their air sickness pills, and then took off for Fortress Europe. 

Circuit 1 – Bleachers

Partner Workout(s)

DORA 

Run Up and Down bleachers Twice/Swap

100 – 150 – 200

Merkins – Squats – Dips

Flutters while waiting for the six

 

Speech 2 

Over the Channel, many were awe-struck as they passed over the invasion fleet that, like themselves, was heading for Normandy. As the approached the Cotentin Peninsula, the red light came on. The Airborne were told to be standing when they came over France so they could “take the Flak like men.” As they stood up, they heard what sounded like thunder. Then, all of the sudden, all hell broke loose. The C-47s had flown into the the jaws of hell itself, and there was a fogbank covering the penisula making formation flying and finding your dropzone nearly impossible. The flak and tracers lit up the sky “like the 4th of July”, and when it hit your aircraft it sounded like “pebbles being shaken in a can.” As the aircraft veered and sped up, attempting to dodge the Flak, men were falling over one another and sliding around on the vomit that covered the floor. Several aircraft were hit and exploded mid-air, while others dove towards the ground. Usually, nobody could get out of these doomed C-47s. Some transports went too low, and the poor paratroopers inside had no time to deploy their parachutes. A member of the 101st Airborne once said the sound that was made when they hit the ground was like “pumpkins smashing into the ground.

 

Run 2 Laps

Circuit 2 – Endzone

Partner 1 Bear Crawl – Partner 2 (10) Plank Jacks – P2 Catches P1/Switch – Length of Field ON Track or Field

Endzones – 10 Donkey Kicks

Out & Back

Low Plank in waiting for group when completed

 

Speech 3 

With aircraft going down everywhere, flak tearing into their aircraft, and limited visibility, many pilots dropped their passengers wherever they could. Many landed over large areas of swamp, others landed in the channel. Weighed down by over 120 pounds of gear and a harness that took over a minute to get off, the vast majority of those who landed in the Channel or the swamps drowned; sometimes in less than 3 feet of water. Those who landed over land obviously had a somewhat better chance at survival. As they gently made their way towards the ground, they could see all the chaos that was happening above and below them. Many paratroopers recall barely being missed by German 20mm and machine gun fire. Others were not as lucky, being hit and killed in their harnesses. Some rounds even hit their explosives, imploding them in mid-air. Those who made it to the ground were typically alone, surrounded by the enemy, and had little sense of their bearings other than that they were in Normandy. The force at which so many had exited their aircraft tore off most of their gear. Major Winters only had his jump knife when he hit the ground. These paratroopers were completely surrounded, most without adequate weaponry, most far away from their DZs, and most alone. Despite this, they still set out towards their objective or at least the nearest one. Having studied massive sandtables of the entire Normandy coast and every unit’s objectives, many paratroopers were able to get an idea of their bearings and start heading towards their objectives. During their march to them, they would find buddies or fellow paratroopers along the way. This is how the whole night went, small make-shift units of paratroopers from different units, working together and fighting together to whichever objective they were heading.

 

Run 2 Laps

Circuit 3 – Endzone

Wheelbarrow 25 yds/Swap 

Length of Field

Endzone 1  – 5 Burpee Broad Jumps

Back Across

Endzone 2 – 5 Burpee Broad Jumps

Six Inches in Waiting for the Six

 

It was during this circuit that I realized something – wheelbarrows suck. Also, my apologies to Dirty Harry for encircling him in the worst gas bomb to ever be dropped on that football field. Kaiser and Wegmans were also affected.

 

Speech 4 

The fighting was incredibly chaotic in a terrain that favored the defensive. Despite the high amount of casualties that the US Airborne took, by sunrise most of the causeways and cities they had been tasked to take had been captured and secured. The Douvre and La Fiere bridges were still highly contested and wouldn’t be captured for another 9 or so days. On the morning of June 6th, many paratroopers took photographs and got some rest while they could. They knew the fight was not over, they had several other objectives as soon as the whole landing force was safely ashore. For the next 2-3 weeks, the American paratroopers would be fighting non-stop in the hedgrows and at places like Carentan. Many paratroopers were still trying to find their units even by June 16th, 1944. By June 20th, the American Airborne forces were being sent back to England to rest and prepare for their next jump. Out of the 17,000 American airborne forces who jumped or glided into Normandy, 1,003 would be killed, 2,657 would be wounded, and 4,490 would go missing; most of whom were captured during the early morning fighting. This jump proved the 101st Airborne’s worth and skill, cementing them as one of the most elite and effective airborne units in the world. During their brief time in Normandy, the American paratroopers earned the respect and admiration of the German forces who affectionately called them “Those devils in baggy pants!

 

Run 2 Laps

 

Back to COT for some Mary

Flutters

Heels to the Heavens

Low Plank hip dips

Hello Dolly

Announcements

Yeti 2/23 – Preblast is up.

Joe Davis Run 3/9 @ WEP – Preblast is up.

Prayers/Praises

Dirty Harry’s daughter is getting tubes put in her ears Thursday. Pray for her safety/comfort, and for DH to be a rock for his family. Also for the surgeons, anesthesiologist, and every person involved.

Wegman’s is going to Chimbote, Peru in February. Pray for his journey and the impact of F3 on the people they interact with. 

Praise – my 7 week old has slept three nights straight at 8+ hours. 

Other unspoken prayers. 

The men who show up to Honey Badger have become like brothers to me, as they show up every week and push themselves beyond what is a normal workout. They have an impact on me that is mostly unspoken. They lead in their families and communities, humbly. I am among heroes every Monday when I post. 

Thanks for the opportunity to lead among these men. 

Punch List Out. 

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Unexpected

AO covered (Circles = COP)
green mark is shovel flag, COT, and mary location

QIC: Band Camp

After thinking for a while about preparedness, expectations, disappointment, last minute changes and our reactions, YHC tried to devise a workout that would be in the mold of an F3 bootcamp format but would also disrupt expectations in uncomfortable ways to give PAX as change to work on their response. What follows is my attempt to put this (again unconventionally) into a BackBlast. The exercises are listed out of order and with no set number of reps. My general plan was to create unexpected changes and I chose exercises and reps based on what I felt would be unexpected in the moment.

11 PAX gathered in the cold December gloom for my lengthy version of the disclaimer and set off. The strategy (unbeknownst to the PAX) was for a faster than standard “mosey” and short (ADD-esque?) unpredictable COPs (see map above). Occasionally we’d just plank up and then wait for half a second before running off again. Chicken Hawk, a wise PAX, sniffed out my plan after the first “plank and mosey.” When we arrived at the second circle and YHC planked up, Chicken Hawk planked up with one hand on my ankle to prevent my quick mosey. YHC was forced to call for some plank jacks and mountain climbers and we were off again!

Among the exercises we did mostly in cadence (but in no particular order) were:

Merkins
Mtn Cimbers
Plank Jacks
Burpees
Burpees + bomb jacks
Windmill
Downdog-->Honeymooner
Mike Tysons-->Bear Crawl
Dips
Step ups
Dan Taylor (1:4 squat/lunges) sequence (YHC may or may not have demonstrated a weakness of multiplication around the numbers 24-28)
Alternating Shoulder Taps
Non-alternating shoulder taps
People's Chair (cold slick surface, one PAX walked their 6 down the wall...)
BTTW
BTTW merkin
Peter Parker
Pigeon Lunges
Cossack stretch (can easily be mispronounced...)
Flutters
LBCs straight up to 0600

NMM:

The Advent season (advent is Latin for “coming”) is about preparing and anticipating the coming of Christ. How do the expectations of a F3 workout or any situations affect our responses when what happens does not align with what we anticipated?

Jesus, the Messiah, came as a tiny baby in a dirty stable born in a poor town to an unassuming carpenter who had contemplated leaving his finacé quietly due to the unexpected pregnancy. Certainly not the expected “savior” the Jewish people were waiting for to liberate them from Roman occupation. See also CakeBoss’ tweet How did their expectations of a savior change their response to the Messiah’s message….?

Every morning I like to think of an F3 post as a chance to be more prepared for the unexpected. Then Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, has a nonsensical quote about Iraq. But after further inspection it doesn’t sound as nonsensical.

as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.

Donald Rumsfeld 2/12/2002

It is my hope that F3 helps PAX train and prepare for the known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. If you’re interested, composer Phil Kline set this Rumsfeld quote in an art song. Enjoy and SYITG!

Prayers for Unity Presbyterian as they recover from the recent fire.

Announcements: convergence on 12/24 at Palisades

–Band Camp dismissed

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The Ruck Taper That Wasn’t…Here at the Fire Ant

Oh, you didn’t tote a ruck and join us at the Fire Ant this morning? But, you know how to read. Lucky you; you’ll feel as if you joined us in this perfect gloom. Well, aside from smoked shoulders, jail-breaks, curls, squats, lunges, weird-shaped circles, flutters and joyful times of getting yelled at. That’s basically the entire Weinke right there.

But for you more literary types, I’ll humor you just this time. 17 of The Fort’s finest Ruckers converged on the now guaranteed-to-please Fire Ant and we even had a non-typical out there which is always welcome. If you’re not a Rucker yet you’re still reading this, I owe you one. In addition, I highly encourage you reach out to Spiderman or DaVinci (Ruck Q’s) and see if they can wrangle an extra ruck for you to join us out there one morning. It’s a great time of fellowship and you’ll even learn a little more about your limits. Here’s a hint, you can take more than you think.

So the disclaimer was disclaimed, we fell in 2×2 and took it over to circle up around the flags. This next part was a bit of a mind game. While routine is something we all enjoy and can keep ourselves in check with, when it comes to a workout, it doesn’t always have the same benefit. We had fit, strong PAX out there this morning so I tried something slightly different and broke our typical 5min routine. We started off with 31 squats (with ruck) then 32-4ct flutters with ruck press.

Fall back in line for a 20yd 2×2 to our next stop. Rucks overhead 2×2 to the end of the drop-off lane…yup, that sucked too. Make a hard right, rucks on and lunge walk 1/2 way to the back. About face and reverse lunge walk the rest of the way to the back lane. Rucks overhead and 2×2 about 40yds down the back lane. Drop the rucks for an all-out jail break to the end of the lane (nearly 60yds). Catch your breath and jail break back to your ruck. Guess what was next…rucks overhead 2×2 back to the start of the lane.

5 Man-Makers & 10 Hand-Release Merkins

2×2 over to the bottom of the tiered stadium hill

Bear crawls up the hill in between the levels.

Level 1: 20 full Mak Tar Jai’s (yup, suck-fest)

Level 2: 20 Peter Parkers

Level 3: 20 Parker Peters

What goes up, must come down. We’ll now reverse bear crawl in between the levels.

Level 3: 20 Upright rows

Level 2: 20 Curls

Level 1: 20 Bent over rows

Rucks on 2×2 back to the drop-off lane.

Squats around the world. In a circle, PAX hold the Al Gore and each man does 1 full squat  going around the circle. We did 7 total rounds.

Same idea but this time with a shoulder press. Hold ruck up overhead and do 1 full press when it’s your turn. We did 7 total rounds.

Same idea now with ruck curls. Guess how many rounds we did…7.

3-tier suicides with 5 ruck thrusters each time you come back to the start.

A high number of SEAL-team situps with awkwardly positioned rucks.

And that was it.

So much for the taper…

Announcements: Read the newsletter, keep collecting band-aids and support the Paradise Reading Center Monday/Wednesday 4pm.

Prayers: Double-Down in Louisville, PAX doing the GRT in Wilmington this weekend, PAX running Kiawah this weekend. Family relationships this Holiday season. It’s not always easy but help us to stay focused on opportunities to share grace and love. Sick kids, sick M’s, our teachers and education leaders, and several others I’m missing.

Until next time.

Maximus

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