Doing more of the things I (don’t) Love

Today I figured out a cool way to make cones really light up in the dark. Just thought I’d put that up front.

It’s been a little while since Qing at the Coop, so this was a good time. I was a little punchy after working a swing the night before, so I’m glad that all the PAX had patience with me this fine morning.

The Thang

Warm up Phase
Line up and the following for 20 or so yards
1. High knees/mosey back
2. High skips/mosey back
3. Butt kicks/mosey back
4. Toy soldiers/back mosey back
5. Power skips/back mosey back

COP
Goofballs 20xIC
Squat Imperial Walkers 10xIC
Merkin-crab dips-Merkin-crab cakes
Howling monkey ring of fire x10 each

Pull Yourself Phase
Partner up- Pull up/merkin- rotate- then Flutter kick for the six
4 Regulation Corps Pull ups/ 8 regulation merkins
4 Switch grip Pull ups/4 offset merkins 2 sets of each to get both sides
4 Close hands chin ups/8 close hands merkins (diamonds)
4 Regulation Corps Pull ups/ 8 regulation merkins

Pull Bricks Phase
Circle up at the Sugar Creek ES parking lot.
2 sets of cinderblocks attached to the big ropes
2 PAX hand over hand drag the bricks the length of the lot then backpedal pulling the bricks back to the start- hand off to the next 2 PAX
All other PAX are rotating through the following, changing whenever brick dragging PAX exchange change direction.
1. Tuck jumps-Modify to alternating lunges sometimes(SOOO many tuck jumps)
2. Tempo merkins IC
3. Hip slappers (on the curb if you are awesome, on the wall if you are crazy like Geronimo!)
4. Front- back -go Overlooked this on the Winke

NMM
I wanted to try out an idea I had this week. In my head I have a list of exercises that I like least. Today I tried to incorporate many of them (missed partner carries and backwards bearcrawl uphill, ugh!). It may or may not be surprising, I really don’t like doing pull-ups. 2 1/2 years ago, I could maybe strain out 5 in a row, followed by a good break. I don’t like slow cadence merkins. I REALLY don’t like flutter kicks. Tuck jumps and monkey humpers make my legs burn, as does the back pedal brick pull. I was introduced to the inclined hip slappers by the SOB boys, and quickly added that to my list.

All that said, I will be the first to goad the Q into calling any number of the aforementioned activities. “Why do you do this insanity?” Is probably flying through your head right now. I know if I do more pull-ups, I get better at pull ups. The same goes for all of those things things that are difficult for us. Extrapolate that a bit and apply the same idea to work. I don’t expect that I’ll ever enjoy performing ISO audits, but the more I do them, the less it sucks to do them.

Now, if we could just stop doing partner carries altogether…

Geronimo!

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Let’s do it…

10 PAX started out on a cooler, but humidity brewing, morning.  Shady took us on a nice mosey over to the playground area with some buttkickers, shuffles, high knees, karaoke and then some circle up time for warm up.

Warm up included:

SSH – 25 double count

Windmill (slow) – 10

Cherry pickers – 10

Moroccan night club – 30

Mountain climber – 20

Merkins – 10 double count

Honey mooner and downward dog stretches

Peter Parker – 15

Short Mosey to the playground where there was a nice piece of paper waiting for us.

Co-Q Dora (or Crazy Dora 1-2-3???):

Partnered up, size didn’t matter, and partner 1 did the exercise below while partner 2 ran around the playground area to pickup where partner 1 left off until the number was met.  Then moved on to the next exercise.

50 chin-ups

50 straight leg lifts

100 dips

100 knee to chest jumps (these were lots of fun)

150 derkins

150 lunges (both legs = 1)…this was modified to 100 and each leg counts

Stopped with 4 min left to do a couple 10 counts, and a short message on accountability.  Then turned it over to Cooter.

Cooter took us over to the “step” are of FM where we found a nice wall to do some wall sits.

Sit or go do some flying squirrels or all of the above:

Everyone sits on the wall, then starting down the line PAX 1 runs to other end of parking lot for 3 flying squirrels, runs back to spot in line and next PAX takes off….all the way through the line.

After this we took off towards the steps by the FM mill stone!

Why use your legs to climb steps when you have perfectly good arms:

Partner up and wheelbarrow up the 2 different sets of steps.  Run around and down the hill where you’ll switch.  Rinse and repeat 2x.

Took off to another short mosey up the monster hill (jailbreak mind you), then a brief cooldown through the parking lot.  Couple 10 counts, then over to the balls to the wall area.

Balls to the wall and then some:

Balls to the wall PLUS some mountain climbers for the dreaded Australian.  Followed by some 10 count wall sits, only to rinse and repeat.

Took off for some Mary prior to COT.  Mary consisted of a “choose your own adventure” of ab workouts.

Welcomed Nutmeg to the PAX party (friends with Hottie Tottie).  Had a great time as usual and co-Q’ing definitely takes a beating when you have Q strength!  Need to keep that in mind next time for sure!

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#Varsity

8 PAX show up to put in work this morning. The overcast morning kept it fairly dark the entire workout.

Disclaimer was Disclaimed.

The Thang:

We took advantage of the circle we were already in and started the warm-up.

Slow Windmill – 10

Low Slow Squat – 10

Mosey around the parking lot: Karaoke L/R –> Mosey –> Knees to Chest, Ankles to Hip –> Mosey –> Walking Lunges, Toy Soldiers –> Mosey

Circle Up

Hill Billy Walkers – 10

SSH – 25 double count

Merkins – 12 double count

Peter Parkers – 10 double count

Parker Peters – 10 double count

Honeymooner, Downward Dog, Honeymooner

Moroccan Night Club – 15 double count

Mosey to the pull-up bars and partner up:

Partner#1: 8 pull ups / Partner#2: 8 squats; 3 sets

Partner#1: 5 toes to bar / Partner#2: 5 jump squats; 3 sets

Partner#1: 5 Chin-ups / Partner#2: 5 jump squats; 3 sets

Mosey to the Wall:

People’s Chair; PAX#1 sprint to cone (approx. 30 yards out), complete 3 burpees, sprint back to wall, rotating until all PAX finish.

BTTW; 20 push-ups when finished

Mosey to Band Field:

Line up on Goal Line and follow the PAX in front of you in a single file line.

Every time we got to a side line the PAX: Low side shuffled on the side-lines for 10 yards

After 10 yards on the sideline, we ran the width of the field. Runs (distance: the width of the field) included: Karaoke Left, Karaoke, Right, Run Backwards, Run Forwards, Side Shuffle Left, Side Shuffle Right.

Line up on the 50 yard line:

Every 10 yards: 10 Bomb Jacks

25 Merkins (single count)

10 Burpees

25 Merkins

10 Squats

2 x 50 yard sprints

Body Destroyers (Crowd Pleaser!)

 

Mosey back to COT.

Name-O-Rama

Announcements

Prayers/Praises

NMM:

Kielbasa – There were at least 10 name changes throughout this workout for Kielbasa (mostly from Sauerkraut and Birdcage). Even though he was working through some injuries, he put in great effort.

Socrates – Today was Socrates first day back since my VQ. He put in great effort and got stronger and better. Great to see you in The Gloom again, Brother!

Wegmans– Wait for it…wait for it…There is a Then/Now situation happening with Wegmans.  It is great to see him working towards his fitness goals.

Geronimo – This man is a beast. His planking while waiting for the six turned into plank jacks (and then it turned into plank jacks for the other PAX!). Thanks Geronimo for keeping me company at the front as we moseyed from location to location within the AO.

PITTS – Can we get this HIM a VQ?! He’s more than ready (ask anyone who posted at The Coop this past Wednesday, when he lead an off the cuff warm-up like a seasoned pro). A regular at The Coop and Varsity…we’re lucky to have this HIM.

Sauerkraut – After the disclaimer, Sauerkraut request we do Body Destroyers, immediately. It wasn’t until the end of the workout (since I didn’t know, or want to know what a Body Destroyer was) that YHC finally took him up on his offer. Crowd pleaser, for sure (be sure to ask him for the details)! Awesome mumble chatter from this HIM.

Birdcage – It’s be great having Birdcage posting back at Varsity regularly. The mumble chatter is always good without this HIM.

 

It was an honor to Q for these PAX. Thank you, Kielbasa for the opportunity.

 

-Crawdaddy

#CoopStrong

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Mid-term Exam @ the Coop

23 Men arrived with lots of chatter and welcome to FNG “Horse Shoe” and the EH by Couter inviting the intern out.  It was a beautiful day at the Coop for a Mid-Term Exam to remind ourselves of the word that we chose at the beginning of the year and to challenge our selves to finish strong.  

For those that chose a word at the beginning of the year… how is it going?  What have you learned? How are you approaching life differently?

For me… My word is Wisdom and I struggle for perspective and often lose my way and need to be anchor and guided.  The verse that has been shown to me to help is below:

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. – Ephesians 5:21

The Thang:

 –  Warm up… Thank you Pitts for stepping up and leading us through a series of warm up exercises!!  Nice leadership and excellent cadence! 

(mosey to band parking lot)

Power skip to 50 yard line and back

10 min Amrap

  •    5 burpees
  •    10 donkey kicks
  •    15 bomb jacks
  •    Sprint to 50 yard line and back after each round

  – bear crawl / Merkin ladder (1+ merkin every 10 yards) to 50 yard line and back

  – lunge walk/jump squat ladder (1+ jump squat every 10 yards)

Mosey to the NaFo wall for some wall sits and a bit of balls to the wall

3 minute Amrap

  –  5 – Flying squirrels

   – 5 – mountain climbers

   – 5 – Carolina dry docks

It was an honor and privilege to lead and thank you to Sugarbug for the opportunity.

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The Fort – Choosing to Get Better

This Q started out marvelously with Nomad welcoming Bubba Gump to his first workout.  Apparently this must have been his first in a while, because he wasn’t in the database to tag him in the PAX…  Nomad wrote up the workout and then emailed it to me because he is now on a retreat for church trying to corral high school boys.  Prayers for Nomad.

Here is what he wrote:

Another hot and sticky morning at The Fort. Many had the freedom to choose, and 18 PAX chose to post and get better

Q: Nomad

Still the Novice Q, YNC referenced the weinke often was checked multiple times. Mumblechatter of more stretching needed, attempts at messing up the count were heard. Pain was endured.

Warm-up: String of Pearls
Jog – 0.6mi around WEP
SSH x20
Windmill x15
Squats x 15

Moroccan Night Club x25
World War 1 Sit-ups – 15 OYO
Railroad Tracks – 2 lines of 9 x2 rounds

Fishstick’s Ladder up the hill by COT
UP – Exercise 1 x10, Exercise 2 x 5
Down – Recover jog
Bearcrawl/Merkin
Lunge/Squat
Backwards Crabwalk/LBC (10)
Bearcrawl/Carolina Dry Dock
Partner wheelbarrow Up once for each partner

Q: Tesh

Tesh took over, and jealous comments of shoulders and abs were spoken of Tesh. Pain was dispensed.

Wall shoulder dips
Mosey
Partner up
Oblique box jumps x25 each side
LBC x25
Shoulder tap x15 – balls, merkin, plank
Line up – lunge hold – jailbreak
Merkin typewriter x10
Al gore (tree hug)
Arm lifts
Calf lifts
Mosey
Partner
Oblique box jumps x25 each side
LBC x25
Crunches 4-points (both knees) x15
Shoulder tap x10- balls, merkin, plank

Prayers and Praises
Flat tire’s Mom
Nomad Gauntlet youth group with church
Red eye – New York mission field
Pusher – marriages

Mumblechatter
Bubba Gump returns from injury (actually was scheduled to Q)
Tesh’s shoulders and abs in a tanktop
Pusher talking USC attendance vs Clemson expectations

I enjoyed all the flack I got, keep up the chatter.  I hope everyone else enjoyed the typewriter merkins, oblique box jumps, and wall dips.  Cause I know I did.

T-claps to Nomad for under-promising and over-delivering!

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Three of us for a nice 4:40 pre run      (birdcage,pinup &a sauerkraut)

Its Monday so I tried to do somewhat of a moderate workout but for darkhelmets 35lb bell it didn’t seem too moderate.

We started with a nice mosey around the parking lot with the bells in hand, than we circles up for some  side straddle hops, imperial walkers, merkins and some lbcs. I would be lying if I said my counting was on point this morning lol. After lots of laughing at myself! The warm up is over

workout followed…  6 cones in the parking lot each with a workout, in between each workout we ran one lap around the cones and so on.

1st cone: 10 left hand on the bell merkins /10 right hand on the bell merkins

run a lap

2nd cone: 25 lbcs with the bell

run a lap

3rd cone: 20 kb swings

run a lap

4th cone: 20 squats with the kb

run a lap

5th cone: 20 skull crushers

run a lap

6th cone: 10 left arm curls/10right arm curls

run a lap

repeat 3xs

two minutes til cot group lead abs workout

darkhelmet took us out in prayer.

Great job everyone…

 

 

 

 

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The Coop 2017.29

I was greeted this wonderful morning by over 20 gentlemen that all came to get stronger.  This is not an AO on my routine schedule, but I love it and sneak over here for the pull-up bars on occasion.  It’s the first time I’ve gotten to Q here so guess what?  We’re all going to be sick of the bars before we leave.

Warmup: SSH, Merkins, Freddys

Break up into groups of 3.  Groups of 3 will provide adequate rest between exercises.  This workout is to build strength, not endurance.  Just don’t check twitter while occupying the bench and we’re cool…

Upper body superset: (this is drop set, each exercise is a similar muscle group but an easier movement, so you do more reps)
4 pull-ups, 6 negatives, 8 assisted (one partner gives you a foothold)
Once done Al Gore till the 6 comes in, 10 jump squats, al-gore 30 seconds, 10 jump squats
Core superset:
8 knees to chest, 12 hanging tuck toe pointers, 16 bicycles
Al Gores and jump squats

Repeat the whole thing!

At some point I tried to be a good Q and have a discussion about the topic of the month, and then someone farted…

Stay in groups and head to the bottom of the hill for a 3man Dora.  100 merkins, 100 squats, 100 LBCs.  This is more or less a warmup for your legs, and cool down for your upper and core.ki

Stay in groups for a 3man relay race up the hill and back.  If you don’t almost lose control of some bodily function on this one, you have something left in the tank…  Back to COT.

Moleskin

At COT I gave an explanation of why I train, but to sum it up: I like having solutions to problems.  Some solutions come as physical abilities.  Read the newsletter.

 

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The Fort F3 Dads…week 2

As my F3 Dads VQ, I had to solicit some help. This time, it was FishSticks himself and he brought his super-human 2.0, Sharkbait to make us all feel bad. We had 47 total post up at WEP for this week’s version of F3 Dads, The Fort style.

After a necessary disclaimer focusing on uneven ground, listening to your body and to please modify as the heat will sneak up on you, I dropped the bomb all the kids were waiting on…WE HAVE ICE POPS at the end. Boom, they’re all ours now.

Mosey to the center of the field for a warmup including:

SSH, Merkins, Squats, Mountain Climbers and more Squats.

FishSticks took the older kids and their dads off to do the following:

Lined up for some additional warm-ups: toy soldiers, inch worms, lunges, shuffle left, shuffle right. Break for water Dora 1-2-3. 100 Merkin, 200 squats, 300 sit-ups. One partner ran up the hill while the other performed the exercise. Break for water Back to the shady hill for abs lab. Flutters, American hammers, six inch plank hold, plank jacks, and super man. FNG 2.0 Rocky showed off his one armed merkin abilities. Back for some more water. Finish off with a Native American run around the field.

For the younger kids, we started with a bear crawl tunnel with dads in the plank followed by a over under drill with dads STILL IN THE PLANK.

We then took it to the hill without all the ant hills and as individual families, introduced a little Jacob’s Ladder. We went to 7 with Merkins at the top and Bomb Jacks at the bottom. So I could catch my breath and slow the head spin, we talked about why the dads find themselves doing this F3 thing and what we get out of it and why that’s important.

Then it got a little more interesting with 2.0 Carry races. The dads had to carry their kids from one cone to another (about 15yds) then bear crawl-carry them back. Those of us with multiple kids thoroughly enjoyed that last part.

Then the games were played: The wolf lunch time game for a very long time, sharks and minnows then the fence game.

We closed it out with COT and a great message from Bear Grylls and family about the importance of good decisions in life.

Great job 2.0’s and thanks to the dads for involving their kids in something that is so important to us.

As you were.

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