Tag: Half Shell

Board of Pain at the Fire Ant

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It was an honor to again be placed on the Q list of the long list of candidates for The Fire Ant. After Spiderman renewed the mission of this AO, I knew I needed to make it worthwhile for the 14 others who decided to remove themselves from the fartsack this gloom.

THE THANG

So we began with the following: We took a quick ruck march around the building to the front of the Harris Teeter where YHC had previously placed the BOP. At this point YHC gave the F3 Disclaimer. YHC requested that everyone partner up. I then explained the Board: Partner 1 was to perform the first exercise and partner 2 was to perform the movement timing mechanism/then flapjack. The the pair was to go to the second exercise and timing mechanism. The exercises and timing mechanisms are listed below:

Exercises: Merkins, Low Slow Squats, CDD’s, Lunges, Flutters w/Press, Ruck Thrusts, Curls, Tricep Extensions, Lateral Lunges, American Hammers, Overhead Presses, Ruck Swings, and Man Makers.

Timing Mechanisms: Shuffle, Karaoke, Butt Kickers, High Knees, Ruck Run.

After much mumblechatter was had and we made it through the list YCH led us into the following word. Once the message was given the group headed back to the COT and held our Rucks overhead until 0600.

NMM

This was a morning surrounded with many HIMs in whom YHC is intrigued by. Men who wake up at 0345-0445 to get to a workout at 0500 or 0515 almost every day of the week. Most of the PAX in attendance this gloom are planning on taking what they do with fellow F3 brothers each day and taking it into the world this coming weekend. These PAX will be participating in a Goruck event in Charlotte in remembrance of 9/11 and the men and women who sacrificed their lives on that horrific day. 9/11 is a day, if you were alive, that all will remember no matter what you were doing on that dreadful morning. However, our country came through the struggle united and closer than I had ever seen before.

This morning I challenged all PAX to remember who and what they represent when they leave the workout each morning. First they represent the one who they place their faith in. Second, they represent their families. Then they represent F3 Nation (an event is a great place to EH Sad Clowns into the brotherhood). Finally, they represent the communities they are a part of from where they live to where they work.

The challenge was to represent well no matter where or what they are doing. And trust me, I write this to remind myself of this challenge.

Announcements, Prayers, & Praises were given with the whole group.

Longshanks led the COT.

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Recovery Q

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Almost evenly split, 6 for the bootcamp and 5 for rucking.  After a busy week of tough workouts and Qs, I did not have much time to plan for this morning’s adventure so I borrowed routines from some HIMs.

Warm-ups:

Butt Kickers

High Knees

Soccer Circles

Next, we jogged over to Just Fresh for COT.

SSH x 20

Imperial Walker x 20

Windmill x 15

Plank

  • Elbows, left arm out for Moroccan Night Club x 10
  • Back to plank
  • Honeymooner
  • Downward Dog
  • Elbows, Right arm out for Moroccan Night Club x 10
  • Back to plank
  • Honeymooner
  • Downward Dog

Next, we lined up for 7 minutes of sprints.  Each segment was 1 minute, any extra time would be used to rest between sets.

We took a break from the running and performed part of this week’s Iron Pax Challenge:

25 walking lunges

25 squats

Rinse and repeat 4x

Next, we went back to the clock for ten minutes of merkins.  Each 1 minute segment, we did 20 merkins, any extra time would be used to rest.  This exercise was tough, not much rest 5 minutes in.

We headed back to COT at a slow jog pace, passing the ruckers twice along the way.  We had time for one set of LBCs before time elapsed.

 

Announcements:

Q School – Golden Corral starting next week

The Fort Invergence – Sept 21 @1730, Rush Pavilion

Prayers:

Injured Pax

Family stresses (kids, jobs, etc)

New F3 Pax – life changing, keep coming out

Families traveling over the holiday

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Fun and Games Friday @ The Swamp

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On a cool Friday morning, things got weird quick. After we ditched 5 ruckers led by Zima, the 17 bootcampers moseyed to a parking lot with some shuffles on the way. Warm-o-rama started with some windmills, peter parker peters, mountain climber merkins, super low super slow squats followed by smurf jacks. We went on to do some T-bombs and a superman hold which led to sun gods and Moroccan NC’s whilst in superman pose. This warm-o-rama made for much mumble chatter.

Next, mosey to the walls between target and home depot for some wall work, where PAX started with a derkin ladder from 10 to 1, running to the other wall in between. Next was ascending testicles, with feet starting at 10 degrees for a 10 count, then 45 degrees for a 10 count, followed by full BTTW 10 count. Mix in some leg work with a squat countdown. Start with 10 squats and hold Al Gore for a 10 count. Not too bad, until you do 9 squats and hold Al Gore for a 9 count. Repeato until 1:1.  Ouch…

Numbered off 1’s and 2’s to split into teams.  Regal forgot he was a 2.  Fridays are hard.  When we finally got the teams even, both teams hold BTTW and one at a time run to other wall and get up BTTW then call for next teammate. First team to have everyone BTTW on the other side wins.  Team 2 won both.  Probably because Regal was on team 2.

Mosey to parking lot where we lined everyone up at the end of the lot. It was game time. Good ole Rock Paper Scissors. Everyone against the Q. If you beat the Q, you had to bear crawl forward approx. 10 yards.  If you tie the Q, 1 burpee.  If you lost to the Q, 1 kraken burpee.  In perfect statistical form, about a third beat the Q.  Next, round two, where the winners bear crawled another 10 yards, the ties did 2 burpees, and the losers did 2 kraken burpees. This went on for a total of 6 rounds and I’m fairly certain I saw 1 or 2 PAX who lost them all.  More ouch…. Regal won

Mosey to grassy hill to finish off the arms with 2 rounds of clock merkins on the hill, mosey back to COT where we met up with the ruckers. With 2 minutes left, busted out the JBL for some linkin park workout. Let the Bodies Hit the Floor (LTBHTF).  On the lyrics “1, 2, 3, 4” we did a merkin. On a “LTBHTF” it was a donkey kick.  Hold plank in between.  Made it just under halfway though the song for a 6am COT.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead Cha Ching!

~Lutefisk

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The Millennial

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25 men showed up for the awesome Fire Ant ruck Q lead by NASA. If your wanted to hear about that, well you’re in the wrong place… YHC had the bootcamp Q.

So I gave the full group the official disclaimer to all Then we split off. 8 of the men came with me.

The Thang

dynamic warmup with high knees butt kickers and toy soldiers.

Circle up for some number of reps of Imperial Walkers, Abe  Vagota, Merkins,  moroccan night clubs, and mountains climbers.

Mosey over to the board I brought,  affectionately called the “millennial”

heres how it goes… 100 reps each exercise, then 100 yard lap around the Parking lot.

1. Side straddle Hops (SC)

2. Merkins

3.LBCs

4.Squats

5. Mountain Climbers (SC)

6. Lunges (SC)

7. Plank Punches (SC)

8. Carolina Dry Docks

9. Flutter Kicks (SC)

10. “Mystery Exercise”  Everyone guessed burpees but I let Manifold pick for us.  He chose poorly….Monkey Humpers…God I hate those things!

Why the “Millennial” you ask?  So you take 10 exercises at 100 reps plus 1000 yards of running

you get 2000 – about the time millennials came into this world.

Finished up with Ab Labs for about 3-4 exercises called out by the PAX.

COT Namorama prayers and announcements.

An Honor to lead

-Royale

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Fire Ants Conquer the Iron Ruck Challenge

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I love the Fire Ant concept! Always a challenge for sure, pushes you to do more. When Spiderman put me on Q I knew what I wanted to do. It was not an original – I took a page from the Iron Pax challenge that has been going around lately. Week 2’s challenge was a beast. I had to work it into a ruck Q.

Great morning! 15 ruckers ready to roll……

We did not roll far. Super tough long ruck about 100 yards to one side of the Teeter parking lot where I wanted us to leave our sweat marks. Circled up for COP:

  • SSH x 20
  • WM x 20
  • IW x 10
  • HW x 10
  • MNC x 20

Then on to the main event. The Iron Ruck Challenge!

  • 5 sets of exercises, each done for 7 minutes AMRAP
  • Each exercise was using your ruck – note they were ALL weighted at least 35lbs, some had more
  • After 20 reps of an exercise, run about 25 yards and back
  • Continue, rinse and repeat exercise/run until 7 minutes are up
  • That completes one set
  • Rest for 1 minute
  • Move on to next set

Exercise sets were:
1. Thrusters
2. Curls
3. Flutters w Press (count on the press up)
4. Swings
5. Man Makers

Everything single count. Used a Tabata timer ap and speaker to keep things moving, audible time changes.

Folks complained about lack of music or a playlist of songs on my phone. I did not bring my boom box either. Hey, I am old – 2 years from 50. Got no time for tinker toys. It’s Pandora, Sirius XM, the radio, or nothing right now. Besides, when you have such epic mumblechatter like we had this morning, who needs music! Also – Cadre ain’t gonna play music while he is whuppin up on us. I’m trying to get my mind ready for that.

Not much talking from the Q. Too busy grunting, groaning, and being winded to talk between sets. Help make your kid’s minds as sharp as they can be is the only words I gave advice on. The kick-arse group of mean mother ruckers there this morning really ground through this. No mods. Good form. A lot of team encouragement and support. Grinded it out to the very end. Everyone ended up doing at least 80-100 of each exercise. Good livin!

Thanks Spiderman for the opportunity to lead. Excellent job by all the PAX there.

-NASA

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Inappropriateness got heavy at the swamp

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8 Men must have not read the Twitter insult by ChaChing and posted to The Swamp for the inappropriatness that is YHC.
Pulled into launch at 5:15 and started immediately into a detailed disclaimer before challenging the PAX to get uncomfortable. The goal was simple: get uncomfortable in order to get better. Ask the PAX to move random heavy things from starting location to other side of AO. Sounded simple enough on paper, mumble chatter confirmed it was much harder than originally planned. Had to make a pitstop half way to get in a quick “Circle of Hump” and two rounds of “Circle of Merkins”. Once in front of Michaels PAX dropped coupons and attention for focused on wonderful list of exercises written in parking spots:
One person per spot with 6in plank hold member being the timer. Exercises were:
– 45 degree lunges
– dot drill
– curls with a coupon of choice
– overhead shoulder press
– spider merkins
– jump squats
– shuttle run
– 6 in plank hold
– burpees
– Mike Tysons

Made it through one round of exercises before calling a coupon less jailbreak back to COT for some cha-cha merkins to keep the serratus shredded.
Count-A-Rama
Name-A-Rama
Announcements and prayers

NMM: Not gonna lie coupons got heavy quicker than expected and at one point was questioning if all PAX were going to make it, YHC included. Greatfull for the motivation and harassment from the PAX to push it and encourage each other to embrace the shared suffering. I’m always trying different things in an effort to challenge everyone to get outside their physical and mental comfort zone BC I feel that’s where true growth occurs. It would be much easier for YHC and probably the PAX to roll through a typical bootcamp beatdown but I enjoy switching things up and hope the PAX doesn’t mind. Thanks again ChaChing for the opportunity.

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Iron PAX Challenge – Week 1

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First week of the Iron PAX Challenge.  Bolt and I arrived early to carefully measure out the 400 meter run and scope out the best place to perform the other exercises.    As the others arrived, we reviewed the menu of events for the morning.  Lots of mumble chatter about Dark Helmet making an appearance, maybe he was busy styling his hair.

Straight Up led the warm-up session with some much needed stretching.  Bolt read the description for each exercise, emphasizing the need for proper form over speed.  Once complete, we were on to the challenge:

  • 50 Air Squats
  • 40 Big Boy Sit Ups
  • 30 Merkins
  • 20 Bonnie Blairs (each leg)
  • 10 Burpees
  • 400 M run
  • Repeat 4 times

Great effort and encouragement by all.

Here are the times for the HIMs:

Straight-up  29:45

CSPAN  33:45

Trucker  33:35

Bolt  33:14

Dirty Harry  35:50  (Impressive, second workout this week!)

Gypsy  31:03 (First time visitor to Pantheon)

Half Shell  35:00

Fishsticks  27:46

 

Prayers:

2.0s, Parents, and Teachers preparing to go back to school

New employment opportunities

2.0s dealing with disappointments

 

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Golden Corral Shovel Flag Hand Off

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We had 20 Combined for the Boot Camp  and Ruckers.

Boot Camp Work Out:

Mosey behind shopping center and circle up:

15 Imperial Walkers, 15 Mountain Climbers, 15 Wind Mills, 15 Peter Parkers, 15 Parker Peters, 10 Merkins and 15 CDD

Mosey to hill:

On Guard Rail do 14s: 13 Derkins and 1 Dip; 12 Derkins and 2 Dips…………..to 1 Derkin and 13 Dips

Mosey to Hill:  Backwards halfway  up hill then run forward- 20 Sumo Squats down the hill then alternating lunges until the 6 is in and then 10 in cadence as a gaggle.  Rinse and repeat x2.

Mosey to roundabout and lunge walk to entrance of the shopping center.

Mosey to parking lot: Backward run to first island then turn and forward run at end of parking lot do 25 CDD then run back….incline merkins until 6 is in then 10 as a gaggle in cadence.

Mosey to COT

It has been an honor to serve as the site Q.  Over the last couple of years I have seen a lot of faces come through and all are better for it.  I am excited to have my good friend Falcon Crest take over and you will see me there on a regular basis.

Remember that the next step is to get involved in volunteering in our area.  Children’s attention home and paradise both need volunteers.  Make the next step in leadership and you will not regret it.  Falcon Crest is a man doing that not just within F3 but also at CAH.  Thank you buddy!

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Quagmire: Expected cooler temps but was still Hot Mess!

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7 PAX came to the muddy shoreline called Quagmire for a Monday morning kickoff of their week.

Friday YHC Q’ed at Varsity and had 4 sets of exercises to get through and only got through 2, so today we will complete the circuit….almost.

The Thang:

Mosey through Rivergate, past McDonald’s and the smell of something briefly appetizing and then quickly gross. Continued on to RISE for quick COP

  • Low Slow Squats
  • Merkings
  • LBCs
  • Hill Billy walkers
  • Moracan Night Clubs
  • wide arm merkins
  • Freddy Murcurys

Mosey to the Fountain

  • Derkins-30seconds
  • Box Jumps-60 seconds
  • Dips/Irkins-90 seconds
  • 1 min rest
  • 3 times

Mosey to other parking lot

  • Mtn Climbers-30seconds
  • Leg raises-60 seconds
  • Jump Rope-90 seconds
  • 1 min rest
  • 3 times

Mosey to Home Depot

  • Pullups – 30 seconds
  • SSHs – 60 Seconds
  • Burpees – 90 Seconds

Mosey to Marshals

  • Sprint up Hill and Back
  • 10 Box jumps

COT:

Spoke to the men about “Witnessing” and that it is referenced often in spiritual sense but also in a court of law. Speaking to what you saw, facts of things that have happened. Question and challenge to all us PAX is what are people witnessing about you. Not the Facebook you but the REAL you and who you really are. Can they state the facts of what kind of man you are or is everyone covered in the Facebook facade of you. Facades fade and crumble. Make and impact with the real you and let that be your witness!

Cake Boss out!

 

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Broga, Tater Special, and Quagmire Handoff

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The plan for several months has been for YHC to receive the shovel flag for Quagmire sometime in May. Eventually, the 14th came out as the best option, so it only made sense when the call for a substi-Q went out on Friday that I should rise up to the occasion. Given the recent arrival of two new Monday bootcamps in the region, you never really know how many to expect come 0515. We had a respectable size (with 4 respectable PAX), with 11 posting to what turned out to be a beast of a workout.

(Mostly) full disclaimer given, with promise of no crawling (especially low crawls) and no balls-to-the-walls. Promise was given to start slow, but no promises for the time after the warmup.

Warm-o-rama

Long-ish mosey around Home Depot, behind Target, and out to Books-a-Million.

Rather than the standard exercises, today’s warmup was a couple sun salutations, replacing with the manly F3 names for poses because, well, Broga.

Once warm and limber-ish, we did a short mosey to the fountain for

The Thang

Twelve cones were spaced somewhat evenly around the fountain parking lot, including one cone on each traffic circle. On each cone was an exercise with a rep count. I referred to the workout as the “Tater Special,” as I got the idea from one of Tater’s Qs several months back. Basically, PAX run to the first cone, do the exercise, and return to the start. They then run to the second cone, do the exercise, then the first cone, do the exercise, then back to the start. And so on. Pretty simple. Not super original. But it’s great for PAX who want to push themselves, those who are recovering, and those who are new. Everything was modifiable, and everybody got a good workout. The exercises that were reached (I’m leaving out the ones that weren’t in case I bring this back…):

  • Burpees x 5
  • Jump Squats x 10
  • Merkins x 20
  • Freddie Mercuries x 30 double count
  • Prison Cell Burpees x 5
  • Jumping lunges x 10 double count
  • Diamond Merkins x 20
  • Flutters x 20 double count
  • Breakdancer Burpees x 5

That’s as far as the fastest men got. For those doing the math, that works out to 45 burpees, 80 jump squats, 140 merkins, 180 Freddies, 25 PCBs, 40 jumping lunges, 60 diamond merkins, 40 flutters, and 5 breakdancer merkins, plus over 2.5 miles of running. It doesn’t actually look like that much, but we felt every rep.

Grab the cones and quick, er, modified quick mosey back to COT.

Announcements, etc.

  • Cannoli Run on Saturday, Patriot Run on Memorial Day, if not doing Patriot Run, do the Murph pseudo-convergence.
  • Prayers for MOAB and ChaChing’s Ms, both of whom are fast approaching due dates for baby #3.
  • Prayers for wisdom and discernment, as well as trust and confidence, for, well, all of us.

We handed off the shovel flag after that. DaVinci had some great words; YHC didn’t. No surprises there.

Honestly, though I’m excited to take over as site Q, DaVinci’s are some big shoes to fill. Great leader, quiet and would prefer to sneak by under the radar, he is not one to be underestimated. Loyal, reliable, and solid, all would do well to learn from this HIM. It is an honor to get to follow after him.

 

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