1st Quarter Check-in at Footloose – Are You Accelerating or Going Backwards?

When a glorious morning of 51 degrees dawned on The Fort, I figured that there may be a decent size crowd at Footloose. The Pax did not disappoint. Put out some hype in the Twitterverse along with my man, Beacon, and, lo & behold -19 pax showed up hungry for some action!

Disclaimer in full was recited (although I forgot to ask if there were any new guys) and off we went.

Dynamic warm-up-we Butt-kicked and High Kneed our way to the back of FM 1st Baptist.

COP (all IC):

  • Seal Jacks
  • SSH
  • HILLBILLY WALKER
  • Merkins
  • Plank Stretch – Right Arm High
  • Windmills
  • Crab Cakes – real Crowd Pleaser, drew lots of moans
  • MOROCCAN NIGHTCLUBS

MOSEY down the stairs & across to the Family Life Center. Time for:

1st QUARTER CHECK-UP- How is your word of the year going? Family Goals? Personal goals? I shared that my word for 2019 is Resiliency. And my resiliency has been tested many times in this 1st Quarter. Be it personal health struggles, family health struggles, career challenges and just staying healthy enough to do my first P200. Need to give credit to our man CSpan who is always good at reminding us to take stock of the Man In The Mirror and get on track.

Line up along one end of the parking lot- Bear Crawl to 5th parking space, run to the other side. Lunge walk to 5th spot, run to the other side. Next, 75% to 5th spot, 100 % rest of the way. Repeat

Partner up: 10 Partner Giddy-ups each arm, 10 partner derkins, 10 partner-assisted sit ups

Stay with Partner for B.O.M.B.S. – 50 Bobby Hurleys, 100 Overhead claps, 150 Mercuries (Freddy), 200 Bombjacks, 250 Squats – other partner runs over stairs & back. Now, with legs smoked, time for another 1st QUARTER CHECK-UP – We are all leaders in some way – Who has gone to a Q Source meeting? If we aren’t accelerating as leaders, we are going backwards. Left the Pax with one of my favorite sayings around F3 – “Day One OR One Day? It’s up to you. Are you committing to forming a positive habit or leaving that to another day?

Mosey back to the grassy circle in front of FM 1st Baptist for Jack Webb & American Hammers.

Time for COT. Prayers for Spark Plug’s neighbor, Charlie, reminders of Finding Kotters in 2019, FM Care Center Lawn Mowing, Prayers for health for my family.

What an awesome mixture of veteran and newer Pax. Shout out to Admiral who had his first Post just on Monday and he has posted every day since. And Happy Birthday to the master DJ, Flatty Flats. You can Q 10 times or 100 times, but it is always an honor and a humbling experience to lead such a fine group of men. Thanks Beacon for the opportunity.

Short Sale signing off.

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March Madness, with a hill

The PAX were blessed with a brisk, dry morning at The Fort.  Everyone was decked out in nice sweat shirts, hats and gloves and then Tesh showed up with his son’s short sleeve shirt on to show us all who was boss.  No one attempted to match his lack of clothing, so we were off.  YHC had the first half of the Q, Shady was soon to follow.

The Thang:

Lap around WEP into the COP:

SSH X I don’t know, the PAX sort of trailed off after 30 so we stopped regained composure…..

SSH attempt #2 X 25, Imperial Walkers X 20 (this was too meet with consternation as many PAX were grumbling that 20 was too many),  Mountain Climbers X 20, Windmill X 20 (finally the PAX stopped complaining understanding that it wasn’t helping their situation), Merkins X 10 (slow count, form matters), 6 count Burpees with overhead hand clap X 10 (crowd pleaser, reminder to do more of these in the future).

Jacob’s ladder at small hill – 1 burpee to 7 bomb jacks

Back to second COP: SSH X 25, and some other things that I can’t remember as my groove was thrown off by all the “mumblechatter” from the first COP.  (My planned weinke was 30 minutes but actually only 23…)

Hand it over to Shaddy – This turned out to be a bad idea….

Mosey to the playground for words of encouragement for the word of the month, Growth.  To be intentional and support Operation Sweet Tooth.  Then Shady went beast mode for some March Madness “fun”:

Round #1:

4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

8 diamond merkins, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

16 knee jumps, 8 diamond merkins, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

32 dips, 16 knee jumps, 8 diamond merkins, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

64 squats, 32 dips, 16 knee jumps, 8 diamond merkins, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

Round #2:

4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

8 leg lifts hanging from bar, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

16 jump lunges, 8 leg lifts hanging from bar, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

32 derkins, 16 jump lunges, 8 leg lifts hanging from bar, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

64 calf raises, 32 derkins, 16 jump lunges, 8 leg lifts hanging from bar, 4 pull ups, run up big hill and back

Done – COT

Prayers lifted for P200 runners, for those PAX injured and cannot post, for those PAX that have not come out.

FH

 

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Slow Burn Therapy

After some therapy for Destiny a short Disclaimer for the FNG and off to mosey down the hill

High knees and butt kickers on the jog for good measure

warm up. SSH 15, Seal jacks 10, Plank jacks 10, mt climbers 10, Out/ ins (there was a technical term i do not remember)10, shoulder taps 20

mosey to the guard rail

incline merkins on rail 10,   dips on rail 10,  incline merkins on rail 10 ,  dips on rail 10

The thang

Mosey to the right side of lowe’s for 3 ten count wall sit followed by a crazy Indian wall sit w/ burpee’s

5 core principle of f3 for the new guy and the 3F’s for the new guy followed by circle burpes for about 10 times.

partner up for P 200,200,200/ Running (its starts today)

squats , LBC’s and Dry docks ea. to 200 with partner

mosey to the back of lowes for a kenyan special of calf raises 15,25,15.

Mosey to the parking lot by charanda’s for a short ab circle and mosey back to COT for the name o ramma and FNG naming. Help me welcome “Loading dock” to the mix.

Late appearance by long shanks to close things up for the Prayer

 

 

 

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Where are you cheating?

16 HIMs descended upon the Coop this AM for the DRP and a downpainment for the day. YHC volunteered to Q a few months ago when Punch List took over as  Site Q. IMHO the Site Q sets the tone and culture for the AO and is the most important building block of leadership in the 1st F. Punch List has continued the momentum from the past Q and has added his style. Honestly, I wanted to be a part of that momentum.

The topic was Choosing to Cheat written by Andy Stanley. This book has served as the Q point for previous workouts led by YHC and resonates with me after the most recent Q Source on M and the Jester. Despite all of my attempts to create relational rhythm across my #Concentrica, I simply can’t keep all of the plates spinning at once. When I choose to spin the M plate, my Mammon slows. When I choose to spin the Mammon plate, I notice my M plate, 2.0 plate and #shieldlock plate slow down. In every instance, I am choosing to cheat when I spin one plate vs. another plate. Something or someone is being cheated.

YHC asked the Pax this AM to choose not to cheat on the workout and away we went…

Mosey down the hill

SSHs x 30 (30 is the minimum)

Its x 15

Windmills x 10

CDDs x 15

10 Burpees

Mosey to next spot

10 Burpees

Peoples Chair x 3 ten counts

Squats x 20

Monkey Hummers x 10

10 Burpees

Mosey to pull up bars

10 Burpees

Group 1 – 10 pull ups

Group 2 -LBCs while we wait

Flapjack and then do it again

10 Burpees (We are up to 50)

Mosey behind the school

10 Burpees

Step Ups x 10

Dips x 10

Rinse and repeat

10 Burpees

Mosey to breezeway

10 Burpees

Big Boy situps x 15

Flutters x 15

Rinse and Repeat

10 Burpees

Mosey to parking lot

10 Burpees

Mosey to COT

IWs x 8

3 Burpees

Windmills x 8

2 Burpees

Total of 105 Burpees

 

Moleskin

  • Prayers and praise to Chicken Hawk and the impact of F3 at the Children’s Attention Home
  • Praise for Repeats Mom for her recent scan improvement with pancreatic cancer
  • Reminder about the Operation Sweet Tooth 8k on 3/30
  • Prayers for Esso who injured his back during the workout
  • Read the newletter

Thanks to Punch List for the opportunity.

Pusher out…

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The Fort: Flat Tire & Band Camp

8 PAX gathered in the gloom among many more vehicles than the represented by the posting. Clearly some P200 Runners were  training in our midst.

Flat Tire on Q

Disclaimer

Clockwise Mosey full-loop around jogging path.
COP IC
SSH
Imperial walkers
Windmill
Wide arm merkins
Low slow squats with calf raise
Bomb jacks
Overhead claps

Mosey down jogging path to mile marker for group work
At each marker, start with 1 exercise, 5 count.
At each subsequent marker do that again and add next exercise plus 5 more IC.

We did:
5 burpees
10 Scorpion Dry Docks
15 Freddy mercury
20 jumping lunges
25 mountain climbers

Mosey to the dreaded hill

Pick a partner around the same size
Wheelbarrow up hill
Walk back down and switch Back up

Handoff to Band Camp

Monkey Humpers x10
Howling Monkeys

Mosey down the hill towards set cones

Lateral Slalom through cones

Bearpees (OYO 1 Burpee followed up by 4 count bearcrawl forward) from cones to bottom of the hill

10 squats, 10 leg thrusts, 10 Merkins, 10 leg thrusts, then up (Deconstructed Burpee)

Bearpees back to cones (2 burpees, 8-count bear crawl). YHC had more of this planned but was smoked after two rounds…..If you can’t Q it, don’t do it….so I modified.

Plank–>Honeymooner–>Downdog–>High Lunge–>rinse repeat
Message during sequence

Lateral Slalom through cones x4

Plank–>yoga quad stretch (Crescent Lunge: Anjaneyasana)

Bear Crawl Slalom through cones x2

Slow mosey towards the hill (called out for walking by the returning-from-a-9-mile-run Gecko)
Crawl Bear up the hill

Mosey towards Calhoun St. field.

Bear crawl back to COT (this was a long way to bear crawl)

Plank
Shoulder Tap x10
J-Lo x6

Saved just enough time for some Pigeon Lunges

NMM

In my professional life as a music professor, I’ve been thinking about language and the way we talk to ourselves. After attempting something for the first time or a skill that is still developing, I often hear students say, “I can’t ______.” As if saying “I can’t” excuses them from needing the skill/competency/etc.

My response is often a little pithy at first. “Well you know what Abraham Lincoln said. If at first you don’t succeed. . . . . . just quit. You’re done.” This usually gets a little laughter. Then we redirect to more constructive language. E.g., I’m still developing that; I’m not there yet; (or if “can’t” must be in their vocabulary) I can’t do that yet. The yet makes all the difference; it allows for progress to happen in the future.

We would never talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. If a friend attempted something for the first time and failed, no one would seriously respond, “Oh well, guess you can’t do it.” But we tell ourselves that or something similar all the time. And what’s even worse: we believe it! By believing it, we make it true! Living out the definition of self-fulfilling prophecy.

In our inner monologue can we treat ourselves like a fellow PAX? Strive to create an internal language that leads to encouragement and acceleration. A language that allows for disruption rather than just perpetuates the status quo.

-Band Camp dismissed

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Laces In 11:2019

14 PAX gathered in the Lenten gloom. 10 Laced up bootcampers stayed IN and 4 runners went OUT. With a disclaimer and a reminder that YHC makes no claims as to the efficacy of the following workout, we were off:

Mosey to spot outside the cafeteria
SSH x50 (almost all cadence counts began slowly and got faster. See the NMM.)
Plank
Acceleration talk
Mtn Climbers x20
Windmill x10
Plank
HoneyMooner→DownDog
Moroccan Night Club x20
BTTW
BTTW w/ shoulder tap x10

Mosey to band practice lot
Set up on the line
Run 100+yards
25% 50% 75% 95%, Bear Crawl the entire length, 100% (accelerating)

Mosey to spot between the main building and the band/ceramics wing
Hold People’s Chair while each PAX completes 5 burpees
10 count
Hold People’s Chair while each PAX says their 2019 word of the year
PAX echo the word of the year in affirmation

Mosey to the front entrance
Dips x20
Derkins x10

Mosey back to COT running up and down the tennis bleachers and around the back (there’s two barely visible benches back there, be careful if you take that route).

Broga:
Down Dog to Piegon Lunges
Standing and Seated Forward Bend

Flutters x20 (variable tempo on the count)
Dying Cockroach x20 (variable tempo on the count)

COT

NMM

In this Lenten season, I find myself contemplating the Christian discipline of self denial and examination that relate to accelerating man and issues that hinder acceleration (The Jester).

When PAX commit to accelerating towards advantage, then deceleration may (must?) take place in areas of a man’s life that hinder acceleration. Like deciding to run a race with a weight attached, we can remove the handicap by our choices, systems, and structures (my word for 2019). An accelerating man is continually refocusing on what is important and what is essential for each of the three Fs. Where in our life to we need to decelerate to maximize acceleration?

My challenge as a Q is to build 2nd and 3rd F elements into the 1st F workout. For this one, I  accelerated most cadence counts and occasionally decelerating the count (especially in Flutters) to help emphasize the additional physical gain from moving faster or slower.

Great to post with such a illustrious group of HIMs; an honor and a privilege to lead them.

-Band Camp dismissed

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Do you need a bell? VQ at Armory

So I was nervous about my first Kettlebell Q.  Sure, I’ve been to The Hive and The Armory a few times but never Q’d.  Honestly, YHC had to pour over backblasts to get some exercises to call.  Then Youtube to see how to do them.  But hey, the theme of the month is Growth so let’s do this!

To make my Q a bit easier, I got to the AO early to literally chalk out the Main Event.  I start seeing the cars roll in as I’m finishing up then I head over to the gathered circle of men, excited to see some familiar and newer faces.  Good crowd I’m thinking.  I set my Kettlebell down and proceed to great the PAX.  I get to Peabody as he’s rolling up and he and asks me if I need a Kettlebell.  Man, I guess it’s obvious I don’t know what I’m doing!  A quick disclaimer was given, we left the bells, and took off.

The Thang

After a mosey around the back of the church, we circled up in the front parking lot for some warm-up exercises.  All IC in no particular order:

  • SSH
  • Imperial walker
  • Windmill
  • Merkins
  • Dips
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Moroccan Night Club
  • Low slow squats

Mosey backs to the start spot and grab your bell.  In cadence for a round of squat curls.

Mosey back to the front parking lot with kettlebell.  Partner up for some Dora.  One partner ran a lap around the lot while the other lifted.  As a group, complete  100 squats, 150 curls, 200 lbc’s.   Special shout out to Fish Sticks who would not let me take it easy on the run and ran me down each lap.  Well done Sir!

Main Event

Mosey over to the far lot where 5 parking spots at the top and 5 spots at the bottom had exercises posted.  With your partner, pick a parking space.  Both would do 10 reps of the exercises listed.  When complete, rotate over one spot to the right, leaving your kettlebell behind for the next group.  When you get done with the 5th station, rotate to other end of the lot.

Everyone got through one complete rotation, some made a few more before time was up.  Here’s what we did at each station:

  • goblin squat / calf raises
  • tricep extention / curl
  • shoulder press / single arm swing with pass through
  • figure 8’s / halos
  • LBC / merkins
  • lawn mower pulls, each arm
  • squats / lunge with pass through
  • skull crushers / big boy sit-ups
  • American hammers / merkins
  • swings / curls

Mosey to COT

Announcements – Sign up for Operation Sweet Tooth 8K, Huntersville, NC on 3/20.  Virtual Option available

Prayers – David Chadwick resigned as Sr. Pastor at Forest Hill Church after 39 years.  Prayers for church body and Elder leadership in this time of transition.  Peabody is on the Council of Elders so we prayed for him, our families, children, & injured PAX.

Thanks JWOW for the chance to Q!  Thanks also for the encouraging word from the PAX.  I encourage anyone out there to attend kettlebell workouts and Q!  If you need a bell, just ask Peabody.

Flat Tire

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CROSSROADS – Preparation for Easter – aka Lent

As Spring approaches one of the most significant days that kicks off Spring and then Summer is EASTER.

Do we really grasp the importance of Easter and what it means, not only for Christianity but for all people??

Crossroads is going to take the 7 weeks leading up to Easter looking at the key events of what is called HOLY WEEK. The Sunday to Sunday movements of Jesus and his followers that led to his death and resurrection on Easter which we celebrate annually.

Here is our schedule of Qs and the Holy Week day they will cover:

  • 3/5 – Cake Boss – Sunday also known as Palm Sunday
  • 3/12 – Gecko – Monday clearing of Temple & others
  • 3/19 – Twister – Tuesday Fig tree & Temple controversies
  • 3/26 – Sugar Daddy – Wednesday Plans to kill Jesus
  • 4/2 – Double D – Thursday – Last Supper & Gethsemane
  • 4/9 – Pusher – Friday Trial, Death & Burial of Jesus
  • 4/12 – Flat Tire AT CHICKENNWIZDIM – Easter Sunday The Empty Tomb!

Don’t miss out on this chance to understand this event and how it applies to each one of us…..not just a story but something that directly includes each of us!!

Peace!

Cake Boss

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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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The Fort – We are on a “Journey” and looking for “Hook Ups”.

18 men came to The Fort for an extremely hyped beat down by YHC on the twitter machine. Ginsu is off of the machine so I had to hype it up even more. I think everyone got their money’s worth and here is what happened.

Standing right in the parking lot:

SSHs
CCDs
Seal Jacks
Wind Mills
Imperial Walkers

3 lines at stairway to heaven
Run/lunges every other pole

Mosey to Hill
7s-Derkins/Bombjacks

Back to stairway to heaven
Partners
1-suicide 4 poles
2-sumo squats
-calf raises
-Backward lunges

As we were working out, I asked the men about getting extremely good hook ups. No we were not talking dates or “women”, but events and special treatment. I heard things like Masters Tickets and Playing Augusta and Meet and Greet with front row tickets at concerts. YHC was able to be on the track at the Daytona 500 right next to the drivers…..was totally wild. Point is we felt special and privileged.  I told the men that the best hook up available to every single one of us is when JESUS escorts us through to heaven. All of us will have our day in front of the big guy and the invite to all of us from Jesus today is, are you with me or against me?? Does he know you? I’d be happy to discuss with anyone about this hookup because it happens on this side of eternity…..not at the ticket window!

Hand off to Ginsu

Ginsu focused on the Journey and taking in everything along the way. The good and bad builds us into the men we are. The choices we make and lessons learn can make all the difference.

Mosey to Springs building and find wall
Alternating
-People’s chair
-Muscle Ups-10counts with hold

Mosey to parking lot
-Broad jump Burpees 3 islands (50yards), Run back

-bear crawl 4 step then Merkin, 3 islands (50yards), Run back

Mosey to playground
Partners
1-pull-ups
2-run lap
3 rounds

COT

Thanks Bonsai for the Q

We carried a piece of wood the whole workout called The 6 as a reminder of servant leadership and that by picking up the 6 we are developing future leaders.

Qsource LDP led by Old Bay after COT

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