Jacked-up Egyptian-Indian alligator walks?

Q, Nomad 1st 30 (Lower body) and Ginsu 2nd 30 (Upper Body)
Beautiful morning at The Fort. Conversations went from Dark Helmet’s Ruck to Dora’s backpack, to Diego’s survival pack, to WonderPets. At this point, YHC realized it was time to get started.
String of pearls Warmup around WEP
  • SSH 19
  • Windmill 11
  • LBC 15
  • Morracsan nightclub 25
  • Mountain climber 20
Stretch
  • leg/calf R/L, L/R, lean L/R, R/L, (Jiffy called hamstring stretches)

 

Airborne and Rebel mosey’d by on the path wearing lights and reflective gear
Jacked up 11’s
    (on the statue hill)
  • Bombjacks at the bottom
  • Plankjacks at the top
  • (LBCs til 6)
This was awful. Dark Helmet even had to take his Ruck off. But PAX were encouraging to each other.
Mosey to center of field
Walk-Like-An-Egyptian
  • (Single file line)  Lunge and hold 1 leg while PAX at back jailbrakes to front, then Switch legs (rotate core for extra credit). Walk distance from outer path to playground.
HappyJacks
  • (Circle up)  – 4x (5 SSH + 2 jump lunge)
— Switch to Ginsu —
(Ginsu claimed to have tweaked his back. Glad he didn’t have a healthy back – he brought the pain)
– 5 burpees OYO
– Egyption-Indian Alligator Walk (by with Alligator Crawl, switching L/R which each PAX jailbreak)
– 5 burpees OYO
– Egyption-Indian Alligator Walk
– 20 4-count Freddy Mercurys
– 5 burpees OYO
Mosey to playground
– 20 4-count dips on the wall
– Take a lap around playground
– 20 4-count dips on the wall
– Take a lap around playground
– 10 4-count derkins on the wall
– Take a lap around playground
– 10 4-count derkins on the wall
– Take a lap around playground
Partner up
– Partner 1 – 10 pull ups
– Partner 2 – 20 LBCs
– flip flop
– rinse and repeat x3
Mosey to COT for Mary
– 20 4-count heals to heaven
– 10 4-count hand release merkins
– 20 4-count LBCs
– 10 4-count hand release merkins
– Captain Thor 5×20
Ginsu choose for Mary to be on asphalt vs. grass, which reminded YHC not to get comfortable in my comfortable grassy life.
COT
Announcements
– Reading help at Bethlehem Church
– Yeti
– Pancake breakfast
– Convergence on Tuesday
Prayers & Praise
– FM High Band Leader, John Pruitt (recovering stroke)
– Dark Helmet’s 2.0 Baptism
– Corruption family member recovering from foot surgery
– Jiffy, wife recovering from surgery
– Our children and youth, and those that INFLUENCE them
Thanks Bonzai for the chance
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Leg Day at #Colosseum – 1/23/18

6 men joined me the AM for Leg Day at Colosseum.

Mosey around the parking lot for a while.

Warmup

  • 30 Side straddle hops
  • 10 slow 4-count windmills
  • 20 4-count mountain climbers
  • 20 4-count peter parkers
  • 20 low slow squats

The Thing

2 legs exercises followed by a lap around the parking lot, followed by an ab exercise

  • 20 Jump lunges (Mary Catherine Gallaghers), 50 squats, run lap, 20 4-count flutters
  • 30 yard broad jumps x2, 30 lunges, run lap, 25 LBCs
  • 60 step ups, 20 jump squats, run lap, 15 4-count heels to heaven
  • 30 yard lunge walk x2, 20 bombjacks, run lap, 25 diamond LBCs
  • 30 jump lunges, 25 jump squats, run lap, Captain Thors to 7×28
  • Lunge walk to COT

Announcements

  • Yeti
  • Mentoring opportunity at Bethlehem Church in Paradise

Prayer requests

  • Officer Doty + Family
  • Friend with fertility challenges

– Ginsu

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Keeping it Simple; Repeats at the Varsity – 1/19/18

8 PAX gathered in the NaFo Parking lot, fresh off a lazy snow day, to get it back on track with a pre-dawn beatdown.

Mosey around the lot

Warmup

  • 35 Side Straddle Hops
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • 15 Windmills
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • 30 Low Slow Squats
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • 10 4 count Merkins
  • 20 4 count Mountain Climbers
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
  • 5 burpees OYO

Mosey to the snow covered pull up bars

The WO

  • 10 pull ups
  • 10 jump squats
  • 10 pull ups
  • 10 jump squats
  • Run to bottom of the hill
  • 5 burpees
  • Run to top of the hill
  • 20 LBCs
  • Run to bottom of the hill
  • 5 burpees
  • Run to top of the hill
  • 20 LBCs
  • Rinse and repeat above 3x

Mosey to the parking lot

The Cool down

  • 10 4-count Mountain Merkins
  • Boats and Canoes
  • 10 4-count Mountain Merkins
  • Freddy Mercury
  • 10 4-count Mountain Merkins
  • Captain Thors to 5×20
  • 10 4-count Mary Catherine Gallaghers (jump lunges)
  • Flutter
  • 104-count Mary CGs
  • Protractor
  • 5 burpees OYO

COT

Announcements

  • Rooster
  • Yeti

Prayers

  • Listening, not just hearing
  • York County PD, especially Officer Doty & Family
  • Work Transitions
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Beyond #1…What’s at your CORE?

Beyond can be defined as “Outside the understanding, limits, or reach of.” That is what this thing is all about; recognizing that a push beyond, in all many aspects of life, can be a really good thing. If you’re a killer runner, come do a Merkin and a Pull Up with us. If you’re strength nut, come do a few sprints and bear crawls with us. The reasoning for this is well documented now, dating back a few months to when Jekyll let me share about this at a Colosseum Q I had.

And yes, I am 8 days late in getting this BB written which is rather ironic. I will work to get these posted both by the Q’s and YHC in a more timely manner.

We started last Tuesday with the 1st round of Beyond and the theme was CORE. Besides the obvious, physical reference to the word, Core can be defined as, “A central and often foundational part usually distinct from the enveloping part by a difference in nature.” In other words, when the world strips away your exterior, what are you left with to truly guide you. To take this a step further, I let the PAX know that Beyond will challenge them to push past the limits they’ve previously established for themselves. This is aided by listening to a Podcast, “Team Never Quit” in which you listen to stories of people who’ve endured unbelievable challenges and have pushed through to find the redemptive outcome on the other side. It seems impossible when you’re in the thick of “it”, whatever “it” might be in your life, but God has a plan. Bad and difficult things happen, yes, but we try to find a glimmer of hope and positivity on the other side.

Enough rambling…I need to figure out a better way to capture the names for Beyond but for now, we’ll have to rely on my fuzzy memory. I know we had 15  which I think included the following, Bob the Builder, Geronimo, Band Camp, Straight Up, Fire Marshall Bill, Frat Boy, Longshanks, Jedi, Cha Ching, Ginsu, Trucker, Lutefisk, Bonsai, MacGuyver, YHC. My sincere apologies if I got a few of these wrong.

Once we separated from the Block Party PAX, we jogged through the park and made our way to the playground, which still sounds strange every time I write that. We did a few warm up exercises like SSH, Arm Circles, Sumo Squats and more SSH which was then followed by a little stretching and lot more of my talking (rambling). What I was trying to get to was that you can’t quit and if you need a little motivation to keep from quitting, look to the man to your left and right and realize they won’t let you quit and you don’t want to let them down. If it were just you out there, we’d quit a lot sooner. Remember, YOU’RE NEVER ALONE OUT THERE…SO DON’T QUIT.

100 American Hammers (we all thought about quitting on that one unless you’re Jedi/Geronimo

25 LBC

100 Flutters

30 Peter Parkers

50 Mountain Climbers

Partner 1: 50 Carolina Dry Docks   Partner 2: Pull Ups until your partner is done and flapjack

Partner 1: 15 Burpees   Partner 2: Pull Ups until your partner is done

Mosey to the Big Hill where found some cones forming a 15yd x 20yd rectangle on the hill.

Backward run up the hill, 5 Burpees at the top then run down. Repeat this 5 times.

Next we bear-crawled around the rectangle for 3mins which was awesome…

Mosey to the wall at the Springs building

Nothing fancy, just a mere 3mins of muscle ups…yup, it was turrible.

We talked about not quitting and trying to answer the question of whether or not you can change what is at your CORE. What is left when the world takes what you see, away? So that was it. I learned a lot in these 45mins and I hope we continue to see a good contingent of guys willing to push themselves.

As you were…

Maximus

 

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Pantheon Tribute to Mr. Clean and His Bride

Warmup:  Indian Run with High Knees, Lunges, Karaoke, Side Shuffle

The Thang:

Split Soccer Field – one side = plyometric exercises and other side weight exercises for 9 reps each side to celebrate 2018:

Station 1:  Side Straddle hops to summersault to Station 2:  Pullups on Fence,

Station 3:  Bombjacks to Lunge to Station 4:  30lb kettlebell swing,

Station 5:  Burpees to Crabwalk to Station 6:  50lb Ruck Press,

Station 7:  High Knees to Bear Crawl to Station 8:  20 lb Sandbag American Hammer,

Station 9:  Squat Jumps to 1/2 Suicide to Station 10:  40lb Sandbag Slam,

Station 11:  Goofballs to Bear Crawl to Station 12:  20lb Ruck Upright Rows,

Station 13:  Roll Merkin to Gorilla Walkers to Station 14:  10lb KettleBell Mace

Men rotated to parking lot run when done to circle of power for superman pumps to merkins in Jack Webb Fashion.

Rinse and repeat.

Prayers:  For Mr. Cleans Family and his Bride Cindy for strenght and wisdom as they celebrate her life.  For Lutefisks mother to be cured of cancer.

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#218in18 Kick-off Convergence BackBlast

76 PAX (including 4 FNGs) met in the gloom at Harris Teeter this morning to kick the year off the right way.

Group 1 – Jedi

Start with 60 seconds of plank tutorial, then a fairly lame attempt to explain the exercise “routine” for the upper body station. The routine, to be done in increasing AMRAP style:
· Incline Merkins
· Low Country Crab Boil (One leg, one hand dips)
· 90° Turn clockwise
· Staggered/Uneven Break Dancer Merkins (Left hand on curb)
· Staggered/Uneven Carolina Dry Docks (Left hand on curb)
· 90° Turn clockwise
· Pseudo Planche Merkins
· Donkey Kicks
· 90° Turn clockwise
· Staggered/Uneven Break Dancer Merkins (Right hand on curb)
· Staggered/Uneven Carolina Dry Docks (Right hand on curb)
· 90° Turn to starting position

Start with 10 reps for each exercise, then add 2 reps each round after that (10, 12, 14, 16, …). Only the elite few made it past the round of 12.

Group 2 – Peabody

An absolute honor to lead a convergence and had so much fun working with all the guys. Here’s the fun of the cardio Q.

SPRINT Relays!!!  

3 team

60 Yard sprint

Team members are doing Seal Jacks, side straddle hops, or flutters while teammate runs.

Winning team selects penalty exercise for 2 losing teams. (Unknown is losing team has to do the penalty exercise too but only half the reps).

Rinse and repeat the sprint relay races once teams are mixed up.

Mary to follow:

  • 50 LBCs
  • 25 Flutters
  • 10 Freddie Mercury’s

Lists of fun to hear the encouragement of other Pax and see the competition bring out the most in guys.  Saw lots of guys really push hard to win for their team.

Group 3 – Jekyll

Motley Crue and 80’s hairband soundtrack

  • COP: SSH, IW, Squat
  • 5 Burpee OYO, 4 OYO, 3 OYO
  • Lt Dan: squat and jumping , 1:4 ration
    • 1 squat: 4 jumping lunge, 2 squat: 8 Jumping lunge…10 squat: 40 jumping lunge
  • 5 burpee OYO
  • Calf Raises 25 each: Straight, Toes Out, Toes In
  • Donkey Kicks

COT

Welcome FNGs Iron City, Humps, Hillary, and Juliet

Prayers by CakeBoss for leadership.

– Ginsu

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More Running, Less Bootcamp

#HypeTrain rolled into the #LacesIn Station once again.  This time it was a family affair with #SPEEDFORNEED coming south to join forces as well as #LacesOut (#F3RunClub) (#Yogging (soft J)) converging with the Bootcampers for 45 minutes of …..well lots of running.  The irony was not lost on YHC (the artist formerly known as Mountain Buffalo) as he gave up the ‘running for an extended period of time’ thing years ago.  Vowing never to return.  Yet his own Q hijacked by nothing more than simple running.  At the very least YHC squeezed in a couple of merkins (only for #Rooney’s sake) and taught everyone what an “updown” was – seriously?  Who doesn’t know what an updown entails?!?  It’s even in the gawl-dang name.  YHC digresses.  Here is what happened:

Little Baby Jog to the football field (so cushy – so soft).

Dynamic Warmup

High Knees, Butt Kickers, Side Shuffles, Toy Soldiers, Toe Touches, Long Strides, Power Skips (Trademark: WWLs).

Then merkins (Rooney!!!)  and windmills to straighten everyone out.

Time to Bootcamp:

Partner up and size kinda matters for very confusing sequence.

UpDown – Partner Push – Run to Opposite Side of Field – UpDown – Partner Push

Repeat this every 20 yards as you move down the field to the endzone and then go back down to the other endzone.

(This was a rugby (shocker – I know) simulation – expend energy – sprint – get on the ground – get back up – expend more energy – sprint again – then repeat.  While it was unorthodox and confusing to some – it was a smoker.)

Rinse and Repeat with 2 updowns before each partner push.  Another smoker.

Give me a ten count.

Hey – let’s breakout the running chairs and do some sprints!!!  Tolkien was nice enough to give us all a quick tutorial about how they work.  We split into teams and relayed around the track with weights.  Then we got on the field and chased the chairs for 100 yards – over and over and over and over and over again.  Then some (small) pax jumped in the chairs and they got pushed and the rest of us chased for 100 meters over and over and over and over again.  Okay – enough running!!!  Back to the field.

YHC went back to one of his favorites – the extra long bear crawl.  This time – 100 yards.  Crowd pleaser!

We worked our way back with some rugby sprints (could not resist).

Ended with a little bit o mary then ran the chairs back to COT.

 

Great time out there among so major #HIMs and it’s always an honor to lead.  YHC saw a tweet asking for more “SERVICE” to our community from F3Nation.  No better example of pure SERVICE then Tolkien.  The amount of time/energy/passion/service this man brings to #SPEEDFORNEED is incredible.  Follow his lead in 2018 – get out there – get uncomfortable – and serve others!  Aye!

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Frozen: The Fort Version – Let It Go – 12/30/17

12 men met on the frozen tundra that was Walter Elisha this morning to get better. Freebird led the first half of the workout and Ginsu closed it out. Motivational words were given re: purpose & intentionality heading in to the new year.

Warmup

Mosey to the field

  • 21 side straddle hops
  • 10 slow windmills
  • 21 side straddle hops
  • 11 monkey humpers
  • 21 side straddle hops
  • 10 merkins

The Thing

Mosey to the playground & partner up

  • Partner 1 – run a lap around the playground
  • Partner 2 – toe taps on the playground barrier
  • Flip flop
  • Rinse & repeat 3x

Mosey to the tree line

  • Lunge to the first tree
  • crab walk to second
  • lunge to 3rd
  • crab walk to 4th
  • lunge to 5th
  • crab walk to 6th
  • mosey back to start

Hand off to Ginsu

  • 10 burpees OYO
  • 10 Merkins OYO

Mosey to the playground and get back to parters

  • Partner 1 – take a lap around the playground
  • Partner 2 – pullups AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 – dips AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 diamond merkins AMRAP
  • flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap around the playground
  • Partner 2 – pullups AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 – dips AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 diamond merkins AMRAP
  • flip flop

Mosey to the big hill for modified Jacob’s ladder

  • Run to top of hill, do 1 Merkin
  • Run to bottom, only 1 burpee
  • Run to top, 2 Merkins
  • Run to bottom, only 1 burpee
  • Continue until 10 merkins at top, 1 burpee at bottom

Mosey to the wall at Springs

  • Muscle ups – in cadence – 10x
  • Rinse & repeat x3
  • Captain Thors to 5×20
  • Boats & Canoes

Mosey to COT

Announcements

  • Joe Davis Run – last day to sign up
  • Convergence on the 12th
  • GoRuck Lite

Prayers & Praises

  • Prayers for Mr. Clean & Family
  • Praises for Freebird’s new job
  • Prayers for Gobbler’s sister
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2018 Kick-off 1st F Convergence – #218in18 Sad Clown EH-a-thon

A brand new year is upon us! As we all know, it is a time for new beginnings, new goals, new habits, and renewed interest to break vices. For us, it is a time to celebrate another year focused on becoming better men through this organization called F3. To do that, we are going to CONVERGE on Friday, January 12th @ 0515 @ the Harris Teeter (Baxter) parking lot (1750 Highway 160 W, West Town Market, Fort Mill, SC 29708).

With the new year and our #218in18 campaign, its a perfect time to headlock the sad clowns around us, many of whom are setting goals to become better men themselves. We know these sad clowns are excuse ninjas (here are the top 5), but we were once them and have all the tools we need to break them down over the next 2 weeks. So, let’s each focus on getting at least ONE FNG out there with us that morning. You know who they are, work to get them there.

The format of the workout will be SIMPLE. One option (regular bootcamp) split amongst 3 Qs. Look for an announcement soon with the Qs.

Last, but not least, we will be having a 3rd F Convergence right after at Eternal Church (right behind Zaxby’s) from 6:15 – 7:00 led by Gekko. We’ll be reflecting on our #OneWord for 2017 and sharing our #OneWord for 2018. Look for the PreBlast soon!

Let’s get on this guys. NOW is the time to start EH’ing! Get ‘er done!

– Ginsu

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’Tis the Season to be D.E.L.I.G.H.T.ed!!!

Song from Caedmon’s Call:

“We delight in the law of Your Word.

We DELIGHT in the son who was perfect from birth!”

Yes, I truly did serenade my fellow PAX. Fortunately, no major side comments were heard although one PAX leader stated that it may be the first recorded serenade at an F3 workout.

It was an honor to share a Q at this time of year (in 29 degree weather) with such a remarkable set of F3 men! Merry Christmas!

Today’s Q was in honor of Jesus. I definitely DELIGHT in the son who was perfect from birth!

For today between each exercise, each person throughout the workout gave at least one thing over the past month they are thankful/grateful for OR something they have learned about regarding giving.

WARM-UP:

DYNAMIC STRETCHING emphasis:

Jog – 1 Min

High Knees – 30 Seconds

Butt Kickers – 30 Seconds

Toy Soldiers – 30 Seconds

Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Lateral Lunges – 10 (5 each side)

Squats – 12

Alternating Forward Lunges  – 10 (5 each side)

Merkins – 15 single set

Single Leg Toe touches with other leg going back – 10 (5 each side)

Glute Bridges – 10

Rolling Crucifix – 5X each side

Table Twists – 5X each side

 

The Thang:

For each exercise, PAX randomly chose their D.E.L.I.G.H.T.(ful) A, B or C exercise option! Below are the ones chosen. For the ones that were not chosen, you will just how to show up for a future workout of mine! (Maybe next 12/26: “The Return of D.E.L.I.G.H.T.(fulness)?)

(Note: I had a lot of positive feedback about this workout and some requests for descriptions so I have put them in below in case you want to use them for any of your next Qs.)

D:

Daft Punk: 1 rep is 4 way lunges each side of your body for a total of 8 aggregate reps

E:

Empty Wheelbarrow: crab walk with a fellow PAX holding your feet about 25-30 yards – 1 round each

L:

Low Country Crab: crab walk position, left arm touching right toe and do other side: 10X minimum or go to failure or whenever it gets boring for you

I:

Indian Bear Crawl: line up head to toe in plank; first person from back bear crawls to front, while everyone else does OYO 1 rep very slow merkin with a pause and continuing until it is your turn to bear crawl

G:

Good morning Abbey: lay flat, move feet in and sit upright, then get up without touching the ground (if possible), then lower self back without using arms again (12 X)

H:

Hurpees: hand release burpees with a twist for my version: 5X: 1 hand release merkin, then 1 merkin, then 5X: 5 hand releases, then 5 slow merkins

T:

(just when you thought you were done . . .)

Tempo Merkin: 13 Merkins in cadence with 3 count down and 1 count up

 

Extra Credit for these 10 hardworking PAX:

Daniel-Son: Karate Kid position; alternate legs in quick succession

rotating with Dying Cockroach (10 reps, then 8, then 7)

3 rounds accomplished with different speeds

Abs:

Seated Ab Circles – 30 secs each direction; 5 sec rest between each

Cross Knee Planks with a leg raise (similar to a Parker Peter with a leg raise) – 60 secs

Recliner Elbow to Knee Tucks – 30 secs – (seriously this one hurt if you are really reclining)

Planks on elbows with right arm/left arm high rotation – 60 secs

Plank – 1 minute

Flat back stretch, rotate arms on top

Downward Dog with A+ form

Honeymooner with knees not touching ground

COT:

Highlighted Announcements: Joe Davis Run, New Black Diamond AO beginning 1/9/18, Laces In this week highlighted

Highlighted Prayer Requests: for babies to be born this year and babies just born

Closing Prayer of Thanksgiving

Final shout out: These 10 PAX did an excellent job today of sharing and being open with each other as well as pushing themselves physically. Again, it was an honor. Thank you, Jekyl for the opportunity!

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