Lots of Words of Wisdom

Six men showed up on this stormy morning.  The workout was in doubt with a number of lightning strikes in the distance, but as we approached the launch time, the storm dissipated.

We began with a short jog around the parking lot and returned to the front of Empire Pizza for the following warm-up exercises (SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, and Plank Stretches).

I decided to recycle one of my previous workouts, ironically it was raining the last time.

I came across this list of traits published by Investor’s Business Daily after studying leaders and successful people.  These  traits, when combined “can turn dreams into reality.”  Each trait was read then we completed 90 seconds of the exercises listed below.  We ran a lap around the parking lot and repeated process until all ten traits were covered.

  1.  HOW YOU THINK IS EVERYTHING: Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.  (Merkins)
  2. DECIDE UPON YOUR TRUE DREAMS AND GOALS: Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them. (Squats)
  3.  TAKE ACTION: Goals are nothing without action. Don’t be afraid to get started. Just do it. (Freddy Mercuries)
  4.  NEVER STOP LEARNING: Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills. (Flutters)
  5. BE PERSISTENT AND WORK HARD: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up. (Carolina Dry Docks)
  6.  LEARN TO ANALYZE DETAILS: Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes. (Plank Jacks)
  7. FOCUS YOUR TIME AND MONEY: Don’t let other people or things distract you. (Lunges)
  8. DON’T BE AFRAID TO INNOVATE; BE DIFFERENT: Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity. (Shoulder Taps)
  9. DEAL AND COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY: No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others. (Calf Raises)
  10. BE HONEST AND DEPENDABLE; TAKE RESPONSIBILITY: Otherwise, Nos. 1-9 won’t matter. (Burpees)

We had a great discussion around each of these traits.  Some of us had attended sales seminars with guests like Zig Ziglar or the self help tapes that we guaranteed to make you a better person. There is no secret sauce, but I try to keep this list above close to me especially when I run into a roadblock.

Great job everyone!

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9 Lovers of Triceps

Where are all of the BB’s for The Armory? C’mon boys!

Warm-up of a mosey and some SSHs.

The Thang was ascending reps along the parking spots of Forest Hill Church. Line 1 = 1 Rep; Line 2 = 2 Reps…14 lines = 105 reps of each exercise. We Bearcrawled to each line…yay!

1. Curls
2. Swings
3. Double Arm Overhead Tricep Extensions
4. Skull Crushers
5…Dealers Choice of anything left on the board as time was almost up
a. Goblet Squats
b. Upright Rows
c. Chest Presses
d. Lunge Pass Thrus
e. Halos
f. Manmakers

Apparently Skull Crushers should never follow Tricep Extensions…my bad.

It’s always an honor to Q. Thanks goes out to Shatner for the opportunity. We prayed for a successful surgery and a quick recovery for him. And many other things.

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shoeless fish still swim

10 PAX present today: Fishsticks showed up with no shoes, but still stayed to workout. Uhaul had an extra pair he borrowed. Perfect examples of durability and preparedness.

Warm up
Lap
SSH
1 man maker
Merkin
2 man makers
MC
Yoga
Monkey Humper
3 man makers
IW
HW
4 man makers
SSH
Merkin
MC
5 man makers

Thang 1 – Length of the parking lot
8 Goblet Squats
Sprint
8 Merkins
Walk Back (we bear crawled the first and last time)
5 Rounds? I lost count

Loaded Carry to courtyard
Thang 2
10 swings
10 cleans
10 push press
5 burpee snatches
10 front squat
Repeat on opposite side

Some additional Yoga

Thang 3
Row
Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Just 3 reps on each side

One muscle up on the wall Shady couldn’t quite reach but that’s why the word assist exists!

Waiter’s Carry back to COT
For some seated forward bends

NMM:
I’m considering fitness….Like what are we fit for? Am I a fit father because I have a child? Am I fit for the jobs I’m given at work? Do I let my physical fitness get in the way of my fitness as a husband?

Prayers for quiet hearts to hear God

Thanks BOB for the opportunity to lead.


Band Camp dismissed
 

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Even an IR Guy can Q Part 2

Answering the call of my Shieldlock brother needing a Q for The Ballroom, I figured I could dish out some pain.  PAX could modify up or down as needed.  Its YOUR acceleration. OWN it!

Warmup

Imperial Walkers, Hillbilly Walkers, Windmills, Cherry Pickers, Big Arm Circles, Baby Arm Circles, Moroccan nightclubs, Arm Stretch, Down dog, Calves, Honeymooner, Down dog, Calves, Honeymooner, Down dog, Walk leg and hands together and stand slowly

The Deal – 3 Rounds, 9 exercises each focusing on Upper body, Core and Legs

Round 1 – 10 each exercise

Merkins, LBCs, Calf Raises, Diamond Merkins, Flutter Kicks, Squats, Wide Arm Merkins, Hello Dolly, Lunges

Take a lap or Bear Crawl until crew gets back

Round 2 – 10 each exercise, find a curb

Incline Merkins, Bridges, Step Ups, Switchboards on and off the curb, Rosalitas, Side Lunges, Dip, Freddie Mercuries, Back Lunges

Take a lap or Crawl Bear until crew returns

Round 3 – 10 each exercise, find a curb

Decline Merkins, Heel taps, Al Gore, Left Incline Merkins (left foot and hand on curb), BB Situp, Right Incline Merkins (Rt foot and hand on curb), WWI situp

Take a lap (fast guys were to take 2 laps)

Airborne Hip Flexors

Round of Mary

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Even an IR Guy can Q

While on recovery I have found ways to still participate and push my brothers.  I brought a Deck of Pain to The Hive.

Each Suit was a part of the body (Shoulders, Arms, Legs, Core).  Odds was one exercise for that part, Even was another.  8 total  exercise.  Suit, Odd/Even and Face value determined the Exercise and Reps.

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We’ll Drive Home Backwards

9 Men showed up at The Pit for a Kettlebell Workout from a Runner (not a professional).  YHC made a commitment to less than a mile of total distance.  Fortunately Odometer Fraud (look it up) works for the workout as well.

Here’s what we did:

COP – SSH, Windmills, IW, MNC

Paula Abdul

Carry the bell 2 lines forward, 1 line back, set of KB exercises, Repeat till end of lot

  • 20 Swings (160)
  • 15 Goblet Squats (90)
  • Interlude – KB Bear Crawl the Line
  • 10 Curls 5 Ea. Arm (60)
  • 10 Overhead Press (60)
  • 2 Man Makers alternating arms on the Merkin (12)

Mosey back for COT

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Acceleration Through Consistency

COP/Warm Up

Lap around lot to warm up. YHC played Christmas tunes today.

SSH

Moroccan Night Clubs

Low Slow Squats

Slow Windmills

Round 1

20 KB Swings

20 Shoulder Press

20 Around the World

Method of Travel: Bear Crawl/KB Drag to next line of spaces, rinse/repeat out and back

Round 2

10 Merkins w/Hand on Bell

10 Halos

10 Skull Crushers (The halo/tricep combo got real hard real quick)

Method of Travel: Lunge Walk w/Bell to next line of spaces, rinse/repeat out and back 

Round 3 

5 Burpee Snatches

5 One Arm Curls (Both sides)

5 One Legged RDL’s (Both Sides)

Method of Travel: Crab Walk w/Bell to next line of spaces, rinse/repeat out and back

Finisher/Mary

High Plank/Drag Bell Left/Right 10 times.

Mosey back to COT, 18 flutter kicks w/press as the boot campers rolled back in.

Complete

 

NMM

YHC gave a quick message to the PAX about how this weinke was mostly copied by a Fishsticks burner in October. The idea was that we as a group constantly focus on the next big thing or the hardest movement combo to spice things up. While that makes us better in a way, getting stronger at things we’ve done in the past is another way to accelerate. Focus on what you’re good at and master it. We won’t always benefit from doing the next big thing.

YHC played a song this morning during the warmup by Straight No Chaser (which as Wegmans put it is like “Music ADHD”). This song is a fantastic medley, but it shows what putting too much into something can do to the flow of things and the overall effectiveness.

 

Announcments

Dam to Damn Bar 10K Jan 30th. Sign up!

Slash will be buying rounds at Amor Artis after Stangs Fort Mill Golf Tournament this weekend.

 

Prayers/Praises

Mills’ family via Drop Thrill

Splinter is donating a kidney to a friend in need

3D’s surgery

Praises for health 

Praises for our kids and their joy that is so visible

 

Thanks for the opportunity to lead, 3D. YHC is always ready.

Punch List out.

 

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Cold fun at the Ridge

Seven HIM earned the ‘frosty’ badge this morning. Seven Snake Pit HIM were disclaimed and sent off with Wegmans.  YHC took the boot campers on a small mosey and a little warm-o-rama. Coming out of the W-O-R, YHC had some cones set up, staggered, where we bunny hopped on the outside of the cones. Moseyed over to the fire loop behind the school for some wall work which included a Derkin/Irkin ladder of 11’s between 2 walls.  Next circle up for 10 squats followed by 10 count Al Gore, then 9 of each, then 8 of each down to 1. Each HIM had the opportunity to make the counts. Mosey over to the bus loop for the posts. Lined up and did some paper rock scissors. Each HIM vs Q. 5 rounds, if you lost, 1 krakken burpee. Tie 1 burpee. Win bear crawl about 10 yards forward.  Round 2 at the second post: same rules but this time 2 krakken or burpee. Round 3 at the third post would be 3 krakken or burpee.  I think Hardwood won.  Head to the ramp. At the bottom were the exercises. After each set, sprint to top of the ramp and mosey back down.  12 days of xmas: we did 12 count of 12 exercises and that’s a wrap.

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12ish Days of Christmas at Snake Pit

Been a while since I was Q at the ol’ Snake Pit and as I’m not scheduled for next month, I figured it was time to pull th5e 12 Days of Christmas workout out of the bag.

After a short warm up, we got after it.  Despite what U Haul said, we got to day 9.

Just like the song, you repeat each set every time you add another exercise.

1 – Run/Walk
2- Turkish getups
3- Goblet squats
4- LBCs
5- Shoulder press
6- Chest press
7- American hammers
8- Calf raises
9- Sumo squats
10- Lunges
11- Lawnmowers
12- Dead lifts

 

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Are You Committed?

YHC had the honor to share the Q with Dark Helmet in celebration of his six years in F3. The disclaimer was disclaimed and the group split between The Fort and Milkshake. Here’s what we did:

  • 10 Imperial Walkers (IC)
  • 10 Low Slow Squats (IC)
  • 10 MNCs, Overhead Claps, Raise the Roofs, Little Baby Arm Circles (IC)

Mosey to the back parking lot

  • 20 Burpees
  • Lap
  • 40 Merkins
  • Lap
  • 60 Squats
  • Lap
  • 80 Little Baby Arm Circles
  • Lap
  • 100 Calf Raises
  • Lap
  • 80 LBCs
  • Lap
  • 60 American Hammers
  • Lap
  • 20 Burpees

Transition to Dark Helmet

For DOAH’s half, we ran around downtown to various parking lots for mumblechatter, Burpees, Bear Crawls, Flutters, and a myriad of other “fun” things. At each stop, he spoke to the 5 Core Principles, the Credo, and various other lessons on becoming a better man through F3. He’s an example of how a man can change if he commits.

So, are you committed? Without commitment, nothing happens. Commitment is required for any gains; gains in your fitness, faith, marriage, work, and life. Commitment is not a feeling. It’s a requirement to get through the hard times. We post in the heat, cold, rain, or shine. Why? Because doing the hard thing at the hard times prepares you for the the future. Commitment isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary to get you prepared for the next hard thing. You can’t get out of something that you don’t put into.

Six years ago, DOAH made the first commitment to daily investment into his fitness. Because of his efforts, he’s down over 50 pounds and up hundreds of new friends. He’s a better husband, father, and leader. What’s his secret? Commitment to betterment – the daily red pill. You have to commit if you want to see gains. Get after it, fellas. Today’s your day. Take it!

Aye!

Italian Job

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