Tag: Double D

Summer in Oct.

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Since Oct at Block Party has been dedicated to Respect Qs, I decided I would push the envelope a little.  It didn’t help that the weather was consistent with a summer morning, 72 degrees and high humidity!!!

After a short disclaimer we started our mosey around the path stopping at each drill bit for 2 warm up exercises ( crossover leg stretch, WM, Hillbilly Walker, merkin, SSH,  squat). Mosey to the parking lot next to the soccer field above WEP.  Side note, we appreciated the Town leaving the lights on the soccer field lit for our workout.  At the bottom of the lot, partner up and we would have 3 exercises for 2 rounds.  Partner 1 runs the length of the lot and back and Partner 2 does the exercise and then flip flop.  Exercise count was 150,150,100.

Round 1 – Upper body (all need the work except our male model, BC)

  • Merkins
  • Dips
  • Wide Arm Merkins

Round 2 – Lower body

  • Squats
  • Calf Raises
  • Monkey Humpers

By now we were all dripping with sweat and a lot of complaining.  Circled up for 2 exercises (Moroccan night club IC 51x, O/H Clap IC 51x) since this is respect month, I decided to go with my age as the count.

Mosey down the hill a few minutes of Mary (Hello Dolly, Freddie Mercury, American Hammer)

With the word of the month being Control, my first thought of control is being in charge and leading in family, marriage, work or community.  I shared that with my adult(ish) kids it is more difficult to give up control as they are out of college or in college and allow them to accept the control and decisions of their life.  Giving up control is allowing others to make decisions, mentor and allow them to accept the consequences for their decisions.  As a parent we have a natural instinct to step in a be a solver and as our kids age we need to be able to allow them the ability to take some control of their decisions.

We ended with announcements and prayers.  Special prayers for Asphalt for  continued healing, Cake Boss’ sister, marriages, family and Pax looking for work.

Special thanks to Double D for providing the opportunity to Q and the hard work put in by the Pax.  Hope the Respect morning didn’t disappoint.

Rebel

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Whitespace wins the day!

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11 veteran Pax posted to #BlockParty for the start of October.  This month is #Respect month on the Q schedule at this AO.  Senator Tressel was on Q, but unfortunately he faced the daunting responsibility of picking up his sister early that morning and driving to OH for a family funeral.  Old Bay kindly agreed to step up in the late night hour to take the Q  YHC kicked off the warm up to check the #Respect box according to original plan.  With a brief disclaimer and a reference to the monthly theme of #Control, the morning was launched.

The Thang

Warm up run 1/2 around WEP

Stop at far corner for COP — SSH, Hillbilly walker, windmill, low slow squat, Peter Parker

Mosey to play ground with some karaoke along the way

Pull-ups x10 OYO (in honor of ST since he never passes them up at WEP)

Plank sequence

Hand-off to Old Bay

Mosey to parking lot on 160 in front of UC Synergetics & partner up

A mash up between Four Corners and a Modified Jack Web series ensued from this point until completion

In parking lot:
1 burpee to 4 run-stance switch
+ Repeat with 2 burpees, then 3 burpees
Bear crawl to brickwall courtyard area
1 box jump (or step up) to 4 dips
+ Repeat with 2, then 3 box jumps
Partner wheelbarrow to street
1 big boy sit up to 4 american hammers
+ Repeat with 2, then 3 big boy sit-ups
Mosey to corner at stop light on 160
Jack Webb – (1:4 ration) for 3 reps

Return to parking lot for sessions 4-5

At last stationg (Jack Webb), pax take it all the way to round 10

Mosey home

COT

NMM

Prayers for ST on his unfortunate journey.  We wish he were with us and we know he wishes they same instead of the duty he was called to.  We were together in spirit at WEP and in OH.

T-claps to Band Camp for posting at his second workout since his FNG day at the anniversary convergence.  Keep it up, brother!

T-claps to Old Bay for responding to the call in the wee hours to fill in for ST.  He shakes a weasel like nobody’s bidness!!!

Old Bay’s message for the day related to #Control.  He talked about the importance of #Downsizing in life (not just your house) and #Simplifying as a means to relinquish #Control.  These steps create #@Whitespace for reflection and discernment in order to move forward intentionally and/or respond to where you are needed.  He certainly demonstrated that in spades today!

Thanks to the pax for posting to hold me accountable!

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Week 1 of Q School at the Abyss

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This Wednesday started a month long opportunity for the PAX of Lake Wylie the hear more about the important responsibilities of a Q from veteran leaders around the Fort Region.  We’ll have Wednesdays in the month of October dedicated to teaching these valuable lessons.

This Wednesday started with the 1st Nantan of the Fort region, Double D!  It was a real pleasure having him share the history and some knowledge about F3 and important aspects of the Q.

Here’s what we did.

Mosey around the parking lot with some High knees, butt kickers, side shuffles and toy soldiers until we circled up.

I started the warmup  with the reason we count in cadence.  Cadence helps validate your authority to lead.  If you do an exercise that would normally be done in cadence WITHOUT counting  you are giving that authority to lead the group.  We broke down the three parts of counting in cadence.

ANNOUNCE the next exercise

MOVE the men into position

START the movement in cadence

After this instruction we went around the circle and had the men pick and exercise and count it out for the PAX

I handed it over to Double D and he shared more great tidbits about counting in cadence.  He asked the men who has not yet been a Q or only one time.  We had just a few guys that have not done so.  Double D had them come out and lead for an exercise.

Next we moseyed to the hill.

We discussed preparing for your Q.  Idea #1: Keep it simple.  If it takes you too long to explain, you can lose the men. If it’s too complicated to remember, the PAX will do their own thing.

With that in mind, we did 11s

Top of Hill 10 Merkins

Run down do 1 Big Boy Sit-up

Up the hill, reduce merkins by 1

Down the Hill add 1 to sit-ups

Easy to write, hard to do.  After this we moseyed to the circle by the front of the school.

Last words of wisdom for the group.  If you are not going to be with the PAX (you split the group up) make sure you pick exercises everyone knows.  I shared my experience leading just the weekend before at the Convergence.  Of the 20 exercieses I had that day, I picked a few exercises that the men didn’t know. Some of my favorites, the V-Up Twist and Squat Burpees (Thanks Witch Hunt).  Be careful not to make my same mistake.

We then bear crawled around the large circle…painful!

ran back to COT

Announcements

Praises and Prayers

Double D led us out in prayer.  Great to be with all the men and to have him there!

An Honor to Lead,

Royale

 

 

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5 Year Anniversary Convergence BB

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Saturday, September 30th 2017 was a special Convergence for the PAX of The Fort. On that day we celebrated 5 years of using these small workout groups to invigorate male leadership in Fort Mill. To honor the occasion, 88 PAX gathered at one of our favorite AOs (Nations Ford HS) to celebrate the day and the leaders that made it all happen.

We also celebrated 6 Friendly New Guys that joined us that morning. Welcome Tubs, Band Camp, Jughead, Atari, Hat Trick, and Saul.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Here’s how we got better:

Warmup (led by Ginsu)

  • Mosey to the football field
  • 30 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10, 4-count windmills
  • 30 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10, 4-count merkins
  • 10, 4-count Peter Parkers
  • 10, 4-count Parker Peters
  • 10, 4-count LBCs
  • 20 low slow squats

Split into groups (Run, Regular Bootcamp, Black Diamond, Ruck, Moderate Bootcamp)

Run (led by Birdcage)

  • 800 meter indian run
  • 1000 meter 10k pace with 1 minute rest x2
  • 200 meter 1 mile race pace 200 meter cool down x4
  • 400 meter sprint corners recover straights
  • 1600 meter cool down
  • 5 miles total

Bootcamp (led by Royale)

  • Mosey over to the concrete football field
  • 10 merkins
  • Lunge walk 10 yards then do 3 burpees
  • Next ten yards bear crawl then 3 more burpees
  • Rise and repeat until we hit the other goal line
  • 10 count – going over the Five Core Principals of an F3 workout
  • Next phase we broke into 4 groups
  • At each corner of the end zones there were 5 exercises written on a board.  We would complete in your group and then run to the next corner. Everyone would hit al 4 corners.
    • Corner 1
      • 20 Merkins
      • 30 Lunges
      • 30 Dying Cockroaches
      • 30 Ski Abs
      • 3 Kraken Burpees
    • Corner 2
      • 20 Ranger Merkins
      • 30 Squats
      • 40 Freddy Mercurys
      • 40 Shoulder Taps
      • 10 burpees
    • Corner 3
      • 20 Durkins
      • 20 Jump Squats
      • 50 American Hammers
      • 30 Monkey Humpers
      • 10 Mountain Climber Burpees
    • Corner 4
      • 20 Wide Arm Merkins
      • 20 Sumo Squats
      • 20 V-Up Twists
      • 20 Bombjacks
      • 10 Squat Burpees
We talked about the word of the month – Leadership.  I shared we all have an opportunity to lead through F3, just like we all have the responsibility to lead in our homes.  I know I struggle with the balance of work and family time.  As the leader of our households we need to support our Ms and be the examples to our children.
  • Mosey over to the round about
  • Each man would take a lap around 1st doing Lt Dans
  • Finally we would bear crawl.
  • Mosey to the football field for the last 30 seconds and some LBCs

Black Diamond (led by Backdraft)

  • Mosey from warm up top pull up bars
  • Pull ups/ Burpee challenge – 9 pull ups 1 burpee., 8-2 , 7-3 until finished.
  • Mosey to stadium run the bleachers
  • 10 derkins
  • 10 dips
  • Mosey to track run 1/4 mile as fast as you can. U vs. U
  • Mosey to end zone. Count off by 2s. split into groups first person flips tire 10 times than run end zone to end zone while next person flips tire everyone else continuously do 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 big boy sit ups. Keep going until all of group is finished.
  • 10 min 100 burpees. Do 10 burpees every minute on the minute. U vs. U
  • Mosey to 50 yard line 5 minute of Mary
  • Sideline sprints x 2 first set after you run 10 tuck jumps. 2nd set 5 hand release merkins

Ruck (led by Trucker)

2 20lb, 3 40lb, and 3 60lb sandbags were snagged from back of car as 8 PAX tucked down to the elementary school and dropped the sandbags next to the telephone poles. The 8 PAX carried the telephone pole around the parking lot. Left telephone pole where we found it and rucked backwards up the hill to the pull up bars. What’s a WO by Trucker without pull ups? YHC challenged the 8 PAX to do 2 sets of 5 pull ups with ruck on.

Rucked into stadium and lined up in 2 columns for sandbag throws from one end of football field to other and back. Then rucked up and down the football stand stairs from one end back. Rinse and repeat with sandbag throws and stadium stairs. Threw sandbags again down to other side of endzone and then formed 2 lines abs flipped tires from one end to other. Sandbag threw back to other endzone and climbed stadium stairs one more time. Finished with a 20 count flutters. Great work by seasoned and rookie ruckers.

Moderate (led by Short Sale)

  • MOSEY to Elementary School
  • Grab some Wall. Wall Sits while Pax at each end jumps out of line for 5 squats
  • Repeat with 5 Bombjacks.
  • Count off by 5’s and mosey to back of the parking lot
    • Number 1’s go to station #1
    • 2’s start at Station3, etc.
  • Stations: 3 minutes/station. Q calls stop & go
    • 1: 10 Merkins, 20 Calf raises
    • 2: 20 LBCs, 20 Monkey Humpers
    • 3: 10 SSHs, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
    • 4: 10 Scorpion Dry Docks, 20 Squats
    • 5: 20 Imperial Walkers, 10 Apollo Ohnos
    • 6: 10 Broad Jumps, 20 Flutters
    • 7: 10 Bombjacks, 20 squat jabs
    • 8: 10 handclap merkins w/partner, 10 partner Derkins- Beloved by veteran Pax and FNGs alike
    • 9: 10 Jump Squats, 10 CDD’s
    • 10: 10 Dips, 5 jack Webbs
  • Mosey to Stop sign at bottom of hill for some Mary- Hello Dollies, Flutters, Protractor

MESSAGE ON LEADERSHIP- F3 gives us a great platform to grow our leadership skills and build confidence as a leader. The Pax will let you know if/when something has gone wrong but will also be there to lift you up. Also, the best leaders don’t focus on their ROLE, they focus on the GOAL. So, be the leader you were called to be.

Great group of men came to work. Veterans guided the FNGs and encouraged them at every step of the way. YHC kept reminding the group that it is UvsU out here. Some quality mumble chatter about what moderate means. Smiles all around when moved on from the stations.

Wrap Up

What we have at The Fort is special. It is a strong group of PAX led by men who live with intentionality. I am sure that each of us would agree that it has impacted our lives in ways that we will never be able to describe. At some point for each of us, we were gifted F3. We were headlocked by someone who recognized the impact that F3 had on them and how it could help us. With that in mind, let’s pay this gift forward. Be the leader you were called to be and use your influence to headlock the sad clowns around you, FNGs and Kotters, that are where you once were. Be a leader.

Ginsu

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PreBlast – Lake Dub (aka Lake Wylie) Q School

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Men,

The Mission of F3 is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership. In order to invigorate male leadership, we must strive to invigorate and encourage new males to step up and become leaders. One of the best ways we have to accomplish this is to help new PAX learn what it takes to Q.

To support this mission and the continued growth of the Lake Wylie area, we’ll be launching Q School at the Abyss during the first 3 weeks of October (4th, 11th, 18th). Q School will be led by a few of our veterans (who are also trying to get better at these opportunities to lead). Q School will feature both Q101 (perfect for new guys or those that want to get a handle on the basics) and Q201 (a more advanced session focused on some of the more detailed aspects of Q’ing).

Here is the schedule:

  • October 4th – Q101 – Double D + Royale
  • October 11th – Q101 – Senator Tressel + Ginsu
  • October 18th – Q101 & Q201 – Cake Boss + Dark Helmut

This is a great opportunity to work together to continue to develop leaders in the Lake Wylie area. Contact Royale, Bones, or Ginsu with any questions.

Ginsu

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Block Party – Leading through adversity

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9 At Block Party for a Cake Boss word on leadership and some hill work…..I think this is the one time the PAX wished I talked more……we took the DRP today!

Mosey to Founders Bank

COP:

·         10 Plank Series

·         10 Plank Punches

·         10 SSHs

·         10 Squats

·         10 Imperial Walkers

·         10 Merkins

·         10 LBCs

·         10 Peter Parker

·         10 Hill Billy Walkers

·         10 Mountain Climbers

Mosey to Massey Street

·         Jacobs Ladder – Run up Massey Street

o   Bottom = Squats

o   Top = bombjacks

Slight Mosey along sidewalk

·         Jacobs Ladder – Bear crawl up grass hill

o   Bottom = Dips

o   Top = Carolina Dry Docks

Mosey to Small Springs Lot

·         People’s chair on Wall

o   Each man bear crawls across parking lot & Sprints back

Mosey to path at Springs Building

·         20 dips

·         10 derkins

·         20 dips

·         10 derkins

Mosey to COT

Be at the Invergence and hear from some HIM and have some fellowship.

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Wheezer’s VQ

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F3 9/16 @ WEP (Wheezer & CSPAN)

Disclaimer & no FNGS

Warm up Mosey to lower visitor parking lot on 160

15 IWalkers

10 WMills

15 LSSquats

20 MNClubs

15 MTn Climbers

10 single Ct merkins Mosey- Reverse power walk up the side hill:

Upper PLot: Partner up size doesn’t matter

Dora 100/200/300

100: monkey humpers

200: LBC

300: MNC

Mid: Toy Solider 2nd light pole, 50% Duck Walk 1/2, 75% Bear crawl 1st light pole, 100% Upper P lot: Partner up

Reverse Dora 300/200/100

300: LBC

200: Squats

100: CDD

Handoff to CSPAN

I Q’d some stuff…most ignored me…Wheezer “smoked” them…

COT/BOM

Read your newsletter

Get this Wheezer in the Q rotation…

File_000

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Colombia Mission Trip Sendoff @ The Ranch 9-7-17

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On a cool morning in early September, the men of The Fort gathered together to support the group of 12 men that answered the call to serve those in need in Colombia.

Mosey to the soccer field

The Warm-up (VQ led by Skinny Jeans)

  • 20 4-count side straddle hops 
  • 15 4-count windmills
  • 10 4-count Merkens
  • 15 4-count mountain climbers
  • 20 low slow squats
  • 8 burpees OYO

Mosey to the football field

The Thang

Markers set up every 25 yards on the football field from endzone to endzone. PAX will start from one endzone and run from marker to marker and do the following exercises (below) at each. They will then run on the track back to the starting point.

  • 10 merkins, 2 burpees
  • back to start – LBCs for six
  • 10 Carolina DD, 2 burpees
  • back to start – flutter for six
  • 10 squats, 2 burpees
  • back to start – American Hammer for six
  • 10 bomb jacks, 2 burpees
  • back to start – freddy mercury for six
  • 10 dips, 2 burpees
  • back to start – heels to heaven for six
  • 10 lunges (5 per leg), 2 burpees
  • back to start -diamond LBCs for six
  • 2 burpees per marker

Mosey to COT

Today we focused on the 12 men that are leaving tomorrow to serve in Colombia. We had the privilege of hearing the reasons why each of them have been called to serve during todays workout and then pray over them at the close. We are all lucky to have these men as our brothers and will continue to pray for them as they make their way abroad.

As mentioned in COT, each of us were blessed with passion for certain causes and influence to impact them. Find your passion and your calling and answer that call, whatever it may be.

Ginsu

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Misty morning fun at Block Party

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I don’t get to WEP as much as I should so I jumped on the opportunity when Double D asked me to Q. I managed to hit every red light in Ft Mill so I came in with about 1 minute before go time. I gave something that resembled a disclaimer and off we went into the mist.
Mosey over to open lot near 160. 25 SSHs, 10 WMs, 15 IWs.
Mosey over to lot in front of Springs building. 15 Mtn Climbers, 10 Peter Parkers, 10 Parker Peters, 10 reverse plank flutters. Line up at end of parking lines on one side of lot, bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, backward bear crawl back, 1 merkin. Repeat 5 times.
Head over to low wall in front of building. 15 dips, 10 derkins, 10 step-ups. Repeat.
Mosey down to 160 over to big hill. Run up big hill backwards. Gather in large Springs parking lot.

Split into 2 groups. 2 PAX are doing exercise and 1 is resting. Keeping rotating so each PAX does the exercise 4 times and rests 2 times.
1st round – 10 burpees (Why not start with burpees?)
Suicide run using the 3 parking lines.
2nd round – 15 merkins
3 line suicide run.
3rd round – 20 squats
3 line suicide run.
4th round – 25 flutters.

Everyone was super excited to run another suicide but since time was getting short we started back to COT. Indian run on the way back where first guy in line drops and does 5 merkins, then sprints back to the line and yells for the first guy to drop. Made it back to COT with enough time for some Freddie Mercury’s.

Great work by all the PAX today. I felt guilty looking back on this because Kielbasa’s back was acting up and I should have jumped over to the other group. He tried to do as much as his back allowed. McGuyver was his typical android self. I think he could have done this whole circuit without the rests. Always an honor to lead the PAX. Thanks for the opportunity Double D.

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Game Set Match

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13 posted to Laces In/Laces Out on a morning when Sky Q provided the natural version of the NFL’s Cool Zone to keep the pax going through the sweat and pain of another gloomy Thurs morning at FMHS.

5 runners launched at 0500 for Laces Out

9 pax posted at 0515 for boot camp (well, 8 posted for Laces In and Trojan posted for Laces Out…fearing the Spartan wrath that was coming, Trojan peeled off during warm up to get his miles in).

The Thang

Warm up run w/karaoke around parking lot between gym and tennis courts

COP

Mtn climbers x10

Merkins x10

Mtn climbers x10

10x Burpees OYO

Mosey to tennis courts

Line up at corner of base line: Bear crawl to net, sideways crawl across to other sideline, backward bear crawl to baseline, sideways crawl along baseline to starting point

Mosey to baseline on other side of the court: Lunge walk to the net, sideways lunge to other baseline, backward lunge walk to baseline, sideways lunge along baseline to starting point

Mosey to other court and repeat same two cycles from court 1

Mosey to third set of courts closest to football stadium

Line up along near sideline for suicides across two courts

Recovery walk to far sideline

Repeat suicides across both courts

Recovery walk back to original sideline

Mosey to other side of court

Repeat two sets of suicides with recovery walks in between

Mosey to Center Court (middle set of two courts)

Each pax positioned at a baseline corner of one of the courts for Four Corners series
Baseline Corner 1: Merkins x10, run to next corner
Baseline Corner 2: Merkins x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 3: Sumo squats x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 4: Sumo squats x10

Shift clockwise to the next corner
Baseline Corner 1: CDDs x10, run to next corner
Baseline Corner 2: CDDs x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 3: Monkey humpers x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 4: Monkey humpers x10

Shift clockwise to the next corner
Baseline Corner 1: Burpees x10, run to next corner
Baseline Corner 2: Burpees x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 3: Bombjacks x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 4: Bombjacks x10

Shift clockwise to the next corner and repeat prior series
Baseline Corner 1: CDDs x10, run to next corner
Baseline Corner 2: CDDs x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 3: Monkey humpers x10, run to next corner
Net Corner 4: Monkey humpers x10

Victory lap around center court

Run home

Few Mins O Mary — Rosalita x10, Dollies x10, Flutter x10, Freddie Mercury x10

COT

NMM

US Open tennis is underway, so it seemed like an appropriate time to capitalize on the tennis courts.  Proved to be a good appetizer for Shady, who left today to head to NYC to take in a couple days of the Open.

Great to meet Ham and Rebar, recently EH’d by Nomad.  Solid young pax…expecting them to be stepping up for VQ soon.

Good to have Kooter back out.  Pretty certain we worked off some of those calories from the recent road trips.

Chicken Hawk broke out the mumble chatter early in the warm up — Santini would have been impressed!

Hope Li’l E was pleased not to miss out on 10 Merkins during the warm up.  Mind reading the Q can be dangerous…those Merkins ended up being squeezed into the middle of 10 Burpees.

Life has been coming fast and furious to me throughout this spring and summer.  Sometimes it has felt like life has been getting the better of me.  It was great to post in the drizzle and dish out pain to some willing and energetic pax.  Thanks to Li’l E for the invite.

 

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