Tag: Drop Thrill

Light pole Tour of Pain

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WARMUP: maybe one SSH
THE THANG:
Ran around the outside of CRHS campus. Every light pole directly on your path stop and do exercises with KB. First 10 poles do 5 reps of first set. Next 10, 10 reps of 2nd. Next 10, 15 of 3rd set.

5
Uhauls
Haybailers
Dips

10
Swings
Curls
OH

15
Squats
Tricep extensions
Calf raises

By the time we go to the front of the school and started the 3rd set BC ran back and pushed the 6 up to all finish for COT.

MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:

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Snake Pit – 3.23

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8 PAX split off with Bushwood. I’m 100% certain Tesh’s backblast will be more interesting to read than mine. (I’ll tag him on Twitter and Slack to confirm this fact.) That left 8 PAX with kettlebells for the Snake Pit

The Thang:

Warmup alla cart of the top of my head based on what I felt my body needed. YHC was on Q; so, YHC went with what YHC knew.
Windmill
SSH
Merkins (slow count)
Halo
Around the World (AKA: Kettlebell Sling Shot)
1 Burpee

Flow 1:
5 reps each
Swing
Goblet Squat
Halo
Side Lunge
Deck Squat (click the link…these suck)
then 4 reps
3 reps
2 reps
1 reps as a full flow

Small Lap and some yoga

Flow 2: 5 reps, then 4, 3, 2, 1
Over Head Press
Suitcase Row
Clean and Squat

Small lap and no yoga

Flow 3: 5 reps, 4, 3, 2, 1
Single Leg Deadlift
Swing
High Pull
Snatch

A little bit of yoga (Birdcage does not enjoy pigeon lunge

Workout felt deceptively challenging

Dark Helmet-esque Report:
@WagonWheel has the tough work of being @Slash’s pastor
@Slash believes Encanto is a “foreign” film
@3D_Alex Geyling thinks it’s hilarious when somebody’s “dad” is escorted out of a theater for spoiling the movie and possibly being a “hobo”
@B.O.B. Is appropriately fearful of celebratory gunfire.
This is better than: @Sugarbug and YHC. We are unnecessarily fearful of unsuspecting coming across quicksand in our daily lives. Thanks Atreyu
@birdcage_f3 believes crossbreeding with an octopus is possible
@Drop Thrill doesn’t understand They/Them, but crushed today’s workout

NMM:

I struggle with being a musician in a time of WAR (Ukraine/Russia at the moment). I was a sophomore music major during 9/11/2001 and viscerally remember feeling useless. Leonard Bernstein said: “We musicians, like everyone else, are numb with sorrow… Our music will never again be quite the same. This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” (he was speaking on JFK’s assassination.)

When I read an account from the last journalists in Mauripol, I again felt useless. My students and I spend so much practice and work exerting for something so ephemeral with no lasting product past last night’s performance. There’s a question of the validity of our efforts when so many suffer needlessly.

But this journalist’s account is a story. And many of the most lasting stories in our culture are turned to art (drama–> tv, stage, film). And much of what sticks in our minds and works in our hearts is through stories turned to lyrics and set to music. So, my individual labors may not single-handedly yield a song that awakens a generation, but my students may sing, write, teach, perform in a concert that does. Or at the very least, I’ll make d@mn sure that we work to make music more beautifully and devotedly than every before. And I’ll trust that the world will be a more beautiful place.

Men: stick with what gifts you’ve been given and the talents you worked to develop

—
Band Camp dismissed

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It dit-int rain

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We had a few at a damp parking lot, but no rain (U-haul.)

Started by stretching just enough to get Funhouse a little grumpy ’cause he could feel something coming.

A sampling of a few groups of exercises with a light jog in between:

KB Swings 15
Lawnmower Pulls 15 each arm
Tricept Extensions 15
Halo circles 20
Hillbilly Walker with Bell 10 each leg (20)

Squats 15
Deadlifts 20
KB Swings 20
Tricept Extensions 15
Around The World single count 20 

Lawnmower Pulls 15 each arm
Clean press 10 each arm (20)
Halo circles 20

Squats 15
Around The World single count 20
Shoulder Press 15

Lawnmower Pulls 15 each arm
Tricept Extensions 15
Deadlift 20
Clean press 10 each arm (20)

Unfortunately, at one point, we lost Funhouse. Something got pulled. Hope you are doing much better soon.

Prayers to the Cyclops fam.

We talked about the Mental Battle podcast dropping Friday with DH, DThrill and C-Span (who is moving to Dallas?)  Also great fellowship with the young turks who are married and engaged in being strong dads. I am glad to see so many under 40’s taking advantage of F3 and what it brings in building the I am Third. I am more than happy to chat about the mistakes I made as a young dad trying hard to make my mark (before F3 existed.)

Thanks to 3-D for the opportunity.

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Coast to Coast Qs

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A mid-week substi-Q request left YHC a bit concerned on how to fill an hour of pain. Fortunately, the request was picked up by an old friend of The Fort that now resides on the other coast, 88.

88 and YHC met early to get a lay of the land. He volunteered to lead us off, but needed to know where a few things were. It was a dark and chilly morning, and the wind was cutting.

14 PAX gathered just before 0630hrs, and all got to meet the brother from the Gold Rush Territory. With one fresh face in the crowd, a strong disclaimer was given, along with the 5 core principles.

The Fort broke off from Milkshake for a little mosey to the back side of the Pike Engineering.

COP
10 Merkins IC
20 SSH IC
10 Squats IC

Then we moseyed to the entrance of Pike Engineering, and did a set of Minus 2 at the masonry knee walls. Starting with 20 incline merkins and rotating with dips, we did all the reps and eventually made it to 0. The high numbers and pain cause confusion for several PAX, but we won’t name names here, will we Italian Job?

88 led us on a mosey back to WEP, where cones were laid out in 4 corners.
• First lap included 10 merkins at each cone
• Second lap included 20 squats at each cone
• Third lap included 30 Mountain Climbers at each cone
• Fourth lap included all of the reps – 10 merkins, 20 squats and 30 mountain climbers at each cone

88 handed off to YHC and we started at the front of the amphitheater.

Typically, if I have prepared a message, it’s because I need to hear it. Several things have prevented me from posting consistently over the last month, and I can feel it when I do make it out. So, in a plank position, I went over Q3.10 Consistency – “The Consistent Leader is constant and regular in everything he does. His followers are drawn to him because his steadiness provides a safe harbor from the howling winds of Chaos and Flux that blow periodically through their own lives. He is their rock.”

Recover and run one lap around WEP, performing 5 burpees at each swing. Cyclops and Italian Job led the way, with Clickbait giving chase. “5 more” burpees were continued in front of the amphitheater while waiting for the 6, or Stang to return from the woods. Stang was incredibly uncomfortable in the open area of the park, constantly gazing towards the trees. I’m not sure if the sun rising early helped either.

“Strong Routines are the framework of Consistency.” We in F3 know what to do. Wake up and exercise, everyday, We shouldn’t have to think about it, just do it. Remove unnecessary decisions, and create routines.

Next up, Dan Taylors. All the way across the WEP field. A few PAX wanted to play on the playground, and I heard rumblings of other shenanigans, but feared turning around to see what they were doing. The field was longer than I thought, but we got 55 squats and 220 lunges in.

“The Virtuous Leader focuses on bandwidth not perfection.” Reminded the PAX that consistency will help minimize the flux in our life. This isn’t about perfection, but about limiting the lows in our life. The things that keep us away from a healthy lifestyle that enables us to lead.

We moseyed back to CoT, and with a minute to spare, got 5 Mike Tysons – Bear crawl and Crawl bear in to close it out.

We welcome FNG Spit Valve, had prayers and praises for those at D2D and to those in Ukraine and affected by the conflict in Ukraine. T-claps to Clickbait who is organizing some relief efforts to that part of the world.

Thanks again to 88 for answering the call to lead! We look forward to your return.

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Fantastic Four at Footloose

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4 came to Footloose for some moderate work.

Mumble chatter varied… Dads doing cheer hair….diaper changes….Michael Jackson buying trains from Carowinds…

1 min per exercise,  10 sec rest

LBC, Rev Crunch, BB Situps, Heels to Heaven, Flutters, Superman, Freddie Mercury, Hello Dolly, Hillbilly Walkers, Imperial Walkers, Squats, Lunges, Calf Raises, Side Lunges, Air Drama, Monkey Humpers, Al Gore, Step Ups, Back Lunges

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Convergence: Love & a passing of the flag

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Station 1 (Santini): Traditional Pain Platoon

Just your basic beat the hell out of your legs exercises of lunges, squats, and burpees intermixed with meditation and box breathing exercises. Sprint to the top of the hill, recover, and do more exercises including Moroccan night clubs and Carolina dry docks.

NMM: Anxiety and gratitude are not able to occupy the same space.

Station 2 (Shady / Maximus)

Warmup (Shady) – 21 SSH, 5 burpees, 18 SSH, 5 burpees, 12 SSH, someone whined about burpees so we did 10 diamonds merkins…then did 5 burpees
Group 1
  • partnered up and Dora style started out with 100 pull-ups.  Partner 1 on the pull-up bar, partner 2 did a lap around the playgroud
  • Stayed on playground, stayed with partner, Partner 1 AMRAP merkins while partner 2 ran the length of the playground and back to AMRAP merkins
  • Stayed on the AMRAP theme with flutters, then back to merkins, then back to flutters…then (I think) time was called

Group 2

  • Partnered up and Dora style, but this time 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground (Q modification given time and we aren’t cyborgs)
  • AMRAPs were just 1 round of merkins and flutters (again, I think…may need a lifeline here from Max)
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 American hammers..we did this twice
  • W/ time to spare we ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for 10 V-ups
  • In buzzer beater fashion, we ran to the top again for 10 ranger merkins and ran to the bottom for a partner 1 lay on the ground and grab partner 2s ankles where partner 2 would throw partner 1s feet down 10 times as you straight leg lifted them to his face

Group 3

  • Dora style 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 american hammers..we did this twice
  • Running low on time ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for the ankle grabbing / feet throwing core exercise 10 times
NMM: After each of the groups had done their pull-ups, Maximus and Shady shared their thoughts and experiences on LOVE.
  • Shady – areas of focus were loving your brother and being your brothers keeper.  Sending a text or reaching out to someone to just say “hey, thinking of you” could change their day.  Realizing that the ones you love are watching you, emulating you, picking up on good and bad habits.  Realizing we don’t know it all, especially to the ones we love, is a sign of humility and a factor of growth and development.  For those of us with children, we have never been parents before so we honestly have no idea what we’re doing.  Love starts with servant leadership and personally for YHC, this usually progresses when the mouth is shut and ears are open.
  • Maximus – For my discussion on love, it begins with being intentional as love is a decision. We must make the decision to be intentional with our actions. Whether it be in our faith, marriage, parenting of our kids, with friends and yes, even with work relationships, we must be intentional. Think about how easy it is to get distracted, whether at dinner with your wife or even on a Zoom call for work. We often allow our minds to wander or even start doing something else while the other person is talking, looking for our engagement. Stop. Be the person who is present in the moment. Put the shoe on the other foot. Love that person as your relationship to them allows.

Station 3 (Pusher & Cakeboss): Love Edition

COP
  • SSHs
  • Windmills
  • Squats
  • Mtn Climbers
  • Merkins
  • IWs
Cake Boss spells love “B-U-R-P-E-E”
The Thang
  • Jacobs Ladder with Derkins and Monkey Humpers
  • Plank/Dip sequence
  • Bear crawl to top with burpees
NMM:
  • Cord of 3 strands cannot be broken. Having God in your marriage is the 3rd string. Adding communication to the marriage strengthens it. – CB
  • Gifts vs Gaps. Focus on the gifts that your wife or significant other bring vs what she is missing. Seeing her this way builds love. – Pusher
  • Much love was on display with all of the mumblechatter and fellowship. The relationships formed through F3 has increased our love internally and is reflected outward to our Ms, 2.0s, PAX and community… #morethanaworkout

Shovel Flag hand off for two leadership positions in the Fort:

Shady handed off the Nantan role to Double D
Esso handed off the Weasel Shaker role to YHC

Awesome work by the PAX today. Hard to put into words how much improved my disposition on life is since moving back to Fort Mill because of F3. Grateful for an opportunity to serve the PAX of The Fort.

NMM: Double D was the site-Q at Block Party when I started posting. If it wasn’t for his steady presence with a commitment to the integrating 2nd F and 3rd F elements into each workout, I doubt I’d have kept posting. Double D is a genuine human, I’m a better dude for knowing him, and I’m excited for his leadership.

—
Band Camp dismissed

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Bday Q brought to you by 18 and 45

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Warmup 18 rep each

SSH

Imperial walkers

Hillbilly walkers

Windmills

Cherry pickers

Morracan Nightclubs

Baby arm circles


Exercises 4 corners 15 10 10 10  at each corner respectively  Run between corners  

Squats

Hello dollies

Merkins

Supermans

Fwd Lunges

LBCs

Calf raises

Flutters

Side Lunges

BBS

Monkey Humpers

Rosalitas

Carolina Dry docks

Freddie Mercuries

Mountain climbers

Box cutters

Makhtar N’Diayes

Back lunges

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Footloose: Band Camp Edition

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Leading moderate workouts create a lot of planning challenges for me. I try to be mindful of the PAX present and push without overdoing. After all, guys are posting to a “moderate” AO. When the Q-drenaline starts flowing it’s harder to hold back the speed/intensity. This issue is something I try to be mindful of every Q. DT felt we ran too much and Slash felt the yoga wasn’t moderate, but nevertheless: we persisted.

Among the activities today:
– bear crawling with called steps
– lunge walking with called steps
– snaking through the stairs at the Church of God
– knees over toes squats on the stairs
– 7s at the Baptist church steps with bomb jacks and burpees
– deconstructed burpee motivators (thanks Airwolf for the idea here….this will return)
– run around downtown with stops of (15 merkins, 15 squats, 15 flutters)
– lifting up the spent grain tubs at Amor
– a little yoga at almost every stop along the way

NMM

One thing I think about every time I Q or post at a moderate AO is: what am I moderating? If I’m moderating the intensity of a workout, am I moderating my alcohol intake? What about my eating habits? How about my media consumption? What about my word choices?

Thanks Small World for the opportunity to lead:

—
Band Camp dismissed

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ISI DORA 2.0

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5 showed for Snake Pit, 5 for Bushwood. Cohiba and YHC disclaimed and we went over the Five Core Principles of F3. The PAX got them right.

Grab your bell, mosey up the street to the band practice field lot.

Weinke

YHC asked the PAX to partner up with someone of similar athleticism/fitness.

Pax vs Pax BOP

DORA style except each PAX keeps his number of reps a secret. Both PAX do the exercise for one set while the other does the out + back. After both go through one set, the PAX reveal to each other how many reps were completed.

Loser between the two partners makes up the difference with an additional exercise while the winner does a less intense exercise. It causes you to push yourself because you know your partner is also gunning to win each round. #ISI.

After explaining, Peabody asked what the curve was since he had a 50lb bell (as Dirty Harry would say: “big ____ swinging!”

So YHC upped the ante and told Peabody I’d share his bell – that way he wouldn’t complain when I beat him.

Round 1 – Quadzilla Up Hill to Bypass while partner does movement with KB.

Movement/Penalty

Goblet Squat/American Hammers

Skull Crushers/American Hammers

Alternating Lunges/American Hammers

Round 2 – Straightaway Sprints Three Islands Out + Back

Movement/Penalty

KB Swings/Flutter with Press

Curls/Flutter with Press

Halos/Flutter with Press

Round 3 – Bear Crawl to First Island Out + Back

Movement/Penalty

KB Curl/Hello Dolly w/Press

OH Press (Spicy as 3D put it)/Hello Dolly w/Press

Tricep Extension/Hello Dolly w/Press

 

We finished the third round and Peabody/YHC were pretty gassed from trying to beat each other. Peabody threw it down this morning.

 

Back to COT, time for some Mary

Partner 1 does ab workout, partner two farmer carries both bells out and back.

American Hammers, Flutter Kicks.

Cohiba and the boys from Bushwood moseyed in and we finished off with some more flutters followed by box cutters.

 

NMM

All in all, a good workout today. No real message beside “how much harder are we willing to work when we know someone is trying to beat you?” We put the work in together and made the other pay for not doing as well. Iron sharpens iron. One man sharpens another.

 

Thanks for letting YHC jump in today, 3D.

Punch List out.

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51st Hive of 2021 – Cultural Credit

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15 PAX gathered in the gloom. We started with one or two less, but by 0505 we were at 15 and nobody fell out….so I’m calling it a win.

Warm-up/Tuning

Mosey further than PAX were expecting
Some Yoga
SSH
IW
1 Burpee
HW
Mosey

1st movement

Head to the courtyard
15 Swings
5 Single Leg Deadlift
Bear Crawl w/ Bell (stop when Q calls for the next set)
15 Swings
4 SLD
Bear Crawl w/ Bell
15 Swings
3 SLD
Bear Crawl w/ Bell
etc.

2nd movement

Head to the outside of the gym
Try to keep the bell in your hands the whole time
8 goblet squats, suitcase carry w/ the left hand for about 40 feet
7 goblet squats, carry back w/ the kettlebell in the right hand
6 goblet squats, left hand suitcase walk
5 goblet squats, right hand walk
4 goblet squats, left hand walk
3 goblet squats, right hand walk
2 goblet squats, left hand walk
1 goblet squat, finished
Time under tension about 3 minutes

3rd movement

Back to the main parking lot. Line up facing the length of the lot and the practice field
5 Lawnmower Pulls each side
5 Racked Lunges each side
5 Snatches each side
Sprint to the other side and back (about 100yds)
10 Lawnmower Pulls each side
5 Racked Lunges each side
5 More Racked Lunges each side
3 Snatches each side
7 Snatches each side
Spring to the other side and back

Brief music history lesson. See NMM

4th movement

10 minutes of work
timer set for every minute
15 swings, 10 push-ups, rest the remainder of the minute
15 swings, 9 push-ups, rest
We made our way down to 15 swings, 1 push-up

0600

NMM

(Naked Man Moleskine)
YHC likes to incorporate some kind of message to encourage 2nd or 3rd F acceleration (in myself as much as the PAX). There wasn’t a whole lot on my heart beside focusing on work (teaching music) lately; so, I went with a short music history lesson.

A Concerto is a piece for soloist and orchestra. It comes from a Latin word meaning to contend or to strive. These showcase pieces are written for a soloist to contend with their instrument or strive to demonstrate greatness. Concertos are presented in 3 movements…fast-slow-fast (Think of “movements” like sections or large chapters in a book)

A Symphony on the other hand is a piece for an orchestra. It comes from a Latin word meaning “to sound together” or “in harmony.” Symphonies are typically presented in 4 movements (although some symphonic composers famously break that mold with 5 or 6 movement works). The movements were initially grouped fast-slow-dance (European courtly dance)-fast. Later (early 1800s) that structure became fast-slow-joke (called a Scherzo)-fast. PAX can decide for themselves if the 3rd movement of the workout was a joke or not! 🙂 Composers eventually began changing the tempo within each movement and even linking different movements together with no pause (like binge watching something on Netflix).

Here’s a Concerto to check out: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto no. 1 https://vimeo.com/371584269
(the opening piano block chords in the first movement are a GREAT moment. Turn the speakers up!!)

Here’s a Symphony to check out: Brahms Symphony no. 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QLuYj2jxoc
(The height of sublimely invigorating music, German seriousness, attention to detail, and connection with tradition.* Try to follow the melodies as the move and evolve. Again…listen LOUD!)

BTW: audiences traditionally no longer clap between movements as a sign of unbroken contemplation, attention and general respect for the integrity of the larger work. However, most performances pre-1900 would have had a fairly raucous amount of applause between movements. Some audiences even demanded a movement be performed again before the orchestra could go on. So if you clap between movements, just know you’re following an older tradition than the one now common in our concert halls. And feel free to bring that up during intermission when someone looks at your side-eyed for clapping between movements. #Candor

Here endeth your cultural credit for the day

*As I wrote these notes about Brahms 4, I noticed they’re also things Uhaul gripes about working for a German company. No commentary; just thought that was an interesting connection worth thinking about.

An honor to lead as always. Thanks Airborne for the opportunity

Announcements:
12/24 Santa Boss 5k/10k – 0600 launch from Pantheon (Tega Cay Elementary)
12/24 Convergence – 0700 at Pantheon (still Tega Cay Elementary)

Video evidence in tweet form

Prayers for:
Praise from Straight-Up for a wonderful day yesterday
Praise from Drop Thrill on Xmas performances happening again with his vocal ensemble
Peabody’s co-worker that had a seizure
Pausing to actually enjoy this season with your kids, despite all the business of things that need to happen. (Thanks for this one Slash!)

—

Band Camp dismissed

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