Winter Olympic games

Mosey over behind the school to the hill with the light poles. Worked our way up the hill stopping at each light pole doing a different exercise at each.

 

SSH

Hill Billy Walker

Carolina Dry Docks

Low Slow Squats

LBCs

 

Move back down to the bottom of the hill for arm circles (forward/backward)

 

The Thang:

When I accepted the opportunity to Q I decided I would try to do something that would incorporate the upcoming winter olympics.  I also want to try and use some coupons (cinder blocks and 2 logs) that I had acquired over the past year.  With that I came up with the following “events”

 

1. Speed Skating – Apolo Ohnos

2. Cross Country Skiing – Carry logs down to cones (switch with partner) and back

3. Moguls – jump over cinder block and back

4. Bobsled – with resistance bands partner 1 would do high knees while partner 2 provides resistance
  – round 2 broad jump

5. Ski Jumping – 180 and 360 jumps

6. Biathlon –

7. Nordic Combined – Big Boy sit-up with partner passing cinder block

8. Curling – With cinder block – chest press and overhead press (rotate once team on the log gets to the cones)

 

 

All teams would continue with their exercise until team on event 2 completes their event (down and back)

After looking back on the Q I would have slightly changed the directions for the pax and everyone would perform the same exercise while one team took turns on the log carry working their way down the list.  I have found as I continue to gain more experience q’ing a workout I find myself trying different things.  Some of those things I feel go really well and others I use as a lesson learned.  I take this as a lesson learned to ensure I provide more directions to the pax for better organization.  As in life if you are comfortable with the status quo are you truly making yourself better?  Don’t be afraid to fail and if you do fail and you are able to learn from it is it really a failure?

 

 

 

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21’s , 25’s, Shuffles and Word of the Year

Thankful for the men that posted this morning, particularly those that faced challenges or just didn’t feel up to it as they went to bed last night. I wasn’t sure how many would show, with temps dropping into the 30’s after a somewhat “warm” week.  T-Claps to Spitz, who put in a couple of miles with a pre-run prior to #Footloose.

The Thang

With disclosures shared, we moseyed to the side (basketball) lot for warm-up, although some claim it was coldest spot at the AO due to wind.

SSH x 15

Imperial Walker x 15

Low Slow Squat x 15

Arm Circles Sequence (Tiny Circles Forward x 10 , Tiny Circles Backward x 10, Big Circles Forward x 10)

Monkey Humpers x 10

Plank Sequence

21’s – This  is a GREAT exercise. It gets everyone on the same page, focused on what we are doing and what we came out to do. Straight from http://f3nation.com/exercises/  : In unison PAX does 2-count side straddle hop and counts reps 1-5 out load. Reps 6-21 are all mental and everyone must stop together at 21. If anyone stops early or goes over Q has PAX perform penalty workout of Q’s choice.    

Since we are overachievers, we did these as 4-count.  First try, resulted in “penalty” of 5 Burpees OYO. The second set resulted in a flawless finish by the PAX, aided by Spitz’s “STOP” at the end of 21 reps.

Mosey to small lot, beside football field, to see if we could find a spot with a little more wind.

A moderate version of 35’s, 25’s was the same concept but with fewer reps. Complete the exercise at each corner with 25 reps, next round is 20, and so on, until final set is 5 reps.

Carolina Dry Dock

Lunge

LBC

Mountain Climber

This took a while longer than I expected and I was going to audible the last set (of 5), but the PAX was having none of it! I appreciate everyone wanting to complete the rotation and see the set through to the end.

Mosey to benches. Wall sit to wait on the six.
Six in and we hit the parking/lane dividers.

Run up 2 cones, shuffle, up 2 cones , shuffle to the end.

Turn around and side shuffle through each cone. (leg burner)

COT

Moleskin

Lots of good mumblechatter this morning, but we were able to stay focused on why we climbed out of bed and came to a workout in 30-something degree weather….to get better. Hopefully, Spitz finds a nice place to take the M to celebrate 22 years. Congrats!

T-claps to Caddy Shack and Magnum for posting after what sounded like really tough, tiring weeks. T-claps to Skate or Die for encouraging and bringing out BridgeGate. And to BridgeGate for posting again. It doesn’t get easier, you get better.

Several PAX shared their “one word” for 2018 and I hope you all have yours. Kindness, we each have an opportunity to display this, but  subconsciously choose another route, such as  apathy. We should challenge ourselves to display kindness at every appropriate opportunity. Sustain, this is the time of year where everyone decides to make big, sweeping changes. The challenge lies in our ability to sustain those changes. Sticking with small, DAILY, changes is how you get there. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It didn’t crumble in a day either. Just win each day and you’ll get to your goal. Action, stop getting ready to get ready. Step toward whatever it is that you want to do and take action. Goals without action are just dreams.

#LeanIn.  One thing for sure is that we will all face challenges. At work, at home, physical, mental, spiritual, financial, the list goes on and on. Be the man that leans into the challenge. Face it and take it on the same as you do a workout. Don’t shy away from it.

Prayers for all those that expressed them in COT and for those that were unspoken.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to Q. I am humbled and strengthened by the support of the PAX. For Iron to Sharpen Iron, it must be strong.

See you in the Gloom.

Beacon

 

 

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Just in Time

YHC peeled into the parking with 1 minute to spare before the 515 start to see 12 eager PAX waiting to warm up in the cold.  It would have been a bad look for the Site Q to be late to his own Q.

The Thang

Mosey to the Band Parking lot for COP

Usual suspects – SSH, Windmills, Imperial Walkers, Merkins, Squats.

Mosey over the parking lot loop at the front of the school for Dirty MacDuece.  4 sets of 3 exercises done to 12.  All in cadence.  Lap of the parking lot in between each set.

Set 1 – Merkins, Squats, LBCs

Set 2 – CDDs, Alternating Leg Lunges, Freddy Mercury

Set 3 – Diamond Merkins, Monkey Humpers, Rosalitas

Set 4 – Wide Arm Merkins, Sumo Squats, Hello Dollies

Mosey back to stadium parking lot for Mary.  Went around the circle with Pax calling out exercises – Freddy Mercury, LBCs, Toe Touches, American Hammers, Peter Parkers, Makhtar N’Diayes

COT – Announcements, Prayers and Praises.

Thanks to all that came out on a cold morning.  Your support is appreciated.

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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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Bags for Beds

The PAX of F3 the Fort are being called on to support a local effort to help the less fortunate. This particular campaign, however, requires no (real) time to contribute to and will cost you NOTHING. But the impact you will make is a powerful one.

The “Falcons Give Back” club at Nation Ford High School is collecting lots of supplies to help various organizations in need throughout the year. Right now, they are in desperate need of plastic grocery bags. These bags are “hand woven” together to create matting that is used for bedding by the homeless. That’s right. Bedding for the homeless. This is a simple act that can give less fortunate community members a little more comfort.

The Deal :   We will be collecting clean plastic bags (no spilled milk or hamburger juice, please) at each workout, beginning on Monday 11/13 and concluding at the Thanksgiving convergence. Site Q’s (or a designated PAX member) will collect at each workout. I will coordinate pick-up. We don’t need a few guys bringing a ton of bags.  We need a ton of guys bringing whatever they have. Clean out from under your kitchen sink! Aye!

11/13-11/23

Be “That Guy”!!

Beacon

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Speak Victory

 

What an amazing morning in the gloom on this Fall day. Spitz posted early for a pre-run. We had a couple of young Pax present to push us. Twister was wide open and fueled with enough caffeine the town of Fort Mill. #LoveIt

 

The Thang

 

Leg Warm-Up: Toy Soldiers, Shuffle Left, Shuffle Right, Back Pedals, Karaoke Left, Karaoke Right, Power Skips

 

COP: SSH (10x), IW (10x), HBW (20x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (20x), Peter Parkers (10x), Parker Peters (10x), Pepper Grinders (10x), LBCs (15x)

 

Stretch-o-rama

 

3 on 3 basketball games for intense cardio.

 

Moleskin:

Many people wake up groggy and dreading the day. Starting your day with a negative mind set is a self-defeating choice. You lose the battle before it starts.

 

Start and end your day on a positive note. What you think and say become reality. Speak victory into the atmosphere to win the battle before it starts. When you are troubled, call on God and His angels to help ensure your victory.

 

Deuteronomy 20:4 NIV – “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

 

Peace,

Deacon

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Trucker Strong

Its been awhile since I had an opportunity to Q the Ranch, so dug into my bucket of go-byes to find something that I haven’t done or other Q’s haven’t done in a while. Sometimes it is just as fun to bypass pull-ups and just focus on merkins. So as the PAX arrived, mumble chatter revolved around the assumption of doing 1,000 pull-ups….ha!

COP consisted of 15 to 20 reps of: good mornings, windmills, Russian twists, Moroccan nightclubs, squats, LBCs, and Hip-leg thrusters. Mossy to Middle School drop off circle for 4 corners.

A cone was placed at each end of the circle and in the middle. Start at first cone and do 15 right leg scorpion merkins, run to second cone for 15 regular merkins, run to third cone for 15 left leg scorpion merkins, run to fourth cone for 15 wide arm merkins, run back to first cone. Rinse and repeat two more times.

Plank and LBCs until 6 is in.

Bear crawl up hill and do 10 squats, run down: rinse and repeat by dropping 2 squats each time

Mossy to benchs for:

15 dips/15 step ups per leg; 15/dips/15 squat sits; 15 merkins/15 LBCs; 15 derkins/15 Russian twists; 15 merkins/ 15 step ups; 15 irkins

Mossy to COT

Great work by all, 240 merkins during an AO is Trucker Strong!!

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I call this one the rope a dope…

Ok so right off the gate I have to say tagging 30 people is a chore, but I love all of you so I did it anyway. I dont get the opportunity to Q Slow Burn a lot so I am always grateful when the chance arises. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the amount of folks that go to the Burn. I wanted to bring some things to those folks they may not have been exposed to before. We started as any other day with the disclaimer and identifying the FNG in the crowd EHed by Smithers. Off we went…

The thang

Slow mosey down to the parking lot in front of the old Baxter Fun house. We kicked butts and high knees along the way. Dark Helmet got a little handsy. Circle up for some windmills, merkins, and Moroccan night clubs. The counts ranges from 15-3 depending on my vibe in the air. Mainly I just get tired of the same old 10 or 20 counts. Q tip #1- DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY once in a while

Mosey over to the road leading back towards Armory. Next we were going to work on pacing. The object is to run the same distance over the same time repeatedly. First was a 1 minute run toward Forest Hill church at whatever pace you need to hold to get to 1 mile. So if you are a 5 minute mile guy, then run fast. If you are a 20 minute mile guy, then basically walk. This was a true UVU. We ran for 1 minute out then had a 1 minute rest. Then 1 minute back. Most ended right were we started. Next series was 2 minutes out, 1 minute rest, 2 minutes back. Again, other than Long Shanks, everyone ended close to where they started. This is a great training exercise for anyone trying to figure or work on pacing.

Next we went over to the Lowes sitting wall (or we sit on Lowes, idk). Count off by 1 and 2. Team 1 inch wormed out to a line in the parking lot then mosey back. 2s keep sitting on the wall. Once back switch. We did 2 rotations of this. We then did 2 seriees of bear crawls in this same manor. To cap it off was a series of slow merkins. 3 count down… to 10 I think.

Next we meandered over to another area where to everyone’s surprise we found a kettle bell coarse laid out. Everyone had their opportunity for rows, presses, swings, hay bailers, and curls. Whilst others waiting we did squats and merkins.

For my final trick we moseyed over to the gravelish lot next to Empire pizza. Here we partook in some HIIT style training. 1 minutes ARMAP burpees , rest, then 1 minute AMRAP merkins. COT

Prayers for Spitz to be the sounding board for a youth. Prayers for that boys family. Invergence on the 29th and convergence on the 30th where YHC has part of the call so I hope to see you all there.

Moleskin

So here is where things twisted everyone’s mind. I explained that we had actually performed workouts from 5 different style AO’s in a single Q. The warm ups with low counts and less impact-full exercises is something that can be found at a moderate style workout( Slow Burn/ Footloose). The running where we worked on pace setting is something you can find at Laces out or Clydesdales. The wall sits, inch worm, bear crawl combo was a stereotypical boot camp like Laces in, The Coop, or The Ranch (Constance motion with an elevated degree of difficulty). The KB portion was exactly what you can expect at Armory or Tomahawk. Last but not least the HIIT ARMAP is your Varsity style.

Moderate is a steeping stone on your fitness journey. Be careful not to get complacent and stop challenging yourself. We proved today that 30 men can do 5 styles of workout. Go at your own pace. Just because you “aren’t a runner” doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a running AO. Just because you dont own a kettle bell doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a KB AO (there are always extras). Just because you aren’t Pin Up doesn’t mean you should skip a HIIT workout. Push yourself men. The greatest growth comes from the most discomfort.

Challenge was issued of try a new AO this week. Who’s up for a change? I believe in you guys. Ill meet anyone anywhere if they want to try a new AO. Open invitation…

Thanks Barry,

Cage out

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BackBlast for The Coop 9-13-17

The weather just does not get any better than on September mornings in the South. 13 men took advantage of the conditions to get better.

Mosey to the black top football field

The Warm-up 

  • 30 4-count side straddle hops 
  • 10 4-count windmills
  • 10 4-count Merkens
  • 20 4-count mountain climbers
  • 20 4-count Moroccan night club

The Thang

Mosey to the goal line to start a workout focused on arms

  • Run 20 yards
  • 15 Carolina dry docks
  • Rinse & repeat 4x until the other goal line

Mosey to the benches at the front entrance

  • Partner up
  • Partner 1 does 30 dips
  • Partner 2 does lateral pulls (under the bench)Note: plan was to flip flop a few times, but the lat pulls under the bench (as well intentioned as they were) did not work. AUDIBLE!

Mosey to back to the black top football field

  • Run 20 yards
  • 15 Carolina dry docks
  • Rinse & repeat 4x until the other goal line

Mosey to the bottom of the hill past the pull up bars

  • Back to partners
  • Partner 1 runs to pull up bars, does 5 toes to bar & 5 pull ups
  • Partner 2 does curb dips
  • Flip Flop
  • Rinse & repeat substitute diamond merkins for Partner 2
  • Rinse & repeat substitute dips for Partner 2

Mosey to the top of the hill by the pull up bars

  • Back to partners
  • Partner 1 does 10 pull ups
  • Partner 2 does 5 burpees and planks until P1 done
  • Flip flop
  • Rinse & repeat substitute 10 chin ups for P1
  • Rinse & repeat substitute 8 pull ups for P1
  • Rinse & repeat substitute 8 chin up for P1

To sidewalk and on your six for Mary

  • 20 LBCs
  • 20 Flutter
  • Protractor
  • 10 Boats & Canoes
  • Captain Thors to 3×12

Mosey to COT

Announcements

  • Colombia Mission Trip Audible & New Mission to Florida
  • Invergence on Sept 29th
  • Convergence on Sept 30th

Prayer Requests

  • Trucker friend dealing with home issues
  • Snap Hook’s wife dealing with health issues
  • Mission Trip to Florida
  • Dark Helmet’s friend with health issues

Namarama: COT 9-13-17

Moleskin

They say “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. Some of our PAX saw that first hand over the last week. As we all now know, the 12 Fort Pax set to serve in Colombia had their plans changed by Hurricane Irma. However, you won’t find them complaining and feeling sorry for themselves about the time and money they poured into this trip over the last 18 months. Rather, you’ll see a confident and faithful group of men that know that no matter what plans they make, God is in control and will put them right where he wants them to be. We all deal with disappointments and setbacks every day because of things that are out of our control. Let’s work to make sure that our attitudes are similar to what we’ve seen this week from these men. Remember Who is in charge. Keep the faith & keep moving. 

Ginsu

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Tubthumping at Slowburn

I was very happy to see 28 PAX report to Slowburn for my VQ! As promised via Twitter the day before, I did my 28 Merkins during a count-o-rama. No FNG’s. Gave the disclosure and we formed 2 lines for an Indian Run to the warmup at Empire.

Warmup

Cherry Pickers x10
Slow Windmills x10
Low Slow Squat x10
SSH x10
Goofballs x10 – Dang, y’all looked goofy!

We counted off by 5’s and the 5 teams did an Indian Run to the far side of Lowes for…

The Thang – 5 Stations

  1. Core
    1. Forearm Plank 10 count IC
    2. Captain Morgans 5 each side IC
  2. Legs
    1. Monkey Humpers x10 IC
    2. Tree Huggers 10 count IC
  3. Pecks
    1. Werkins x10 IC
    2. Derkins x10 IC
  4. Arms – Dumbbells Provided
    1. Left Arm Curls x15 IC
    2. Right Arm Curls x15 IC
  5. Abs
    1. Flutter Kicks x10 IC
    2. Sweat Angels x5 IC

Rinse & Repeat

Teams then moseyed, again Indian Style, to Baxter’s Playhouse for some “Tubthumping”. I had the loudspeaker set up to play Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping.
Lady singing = MNC
Guy singing = SSH
“I get knocked down…” = BURPEES! Did you do all 28 burpees?

OYO mosey back to Empire for some stretching and then a mosey back to Chick-fil-A for COT.

Announcements: 9/11 @ Tomahawk Birdcage is requesting PAX to show up for a special Remembrance Workout, Invergence/Convergence last Friday/Saturday in September, Donate underwear for victims of Hurricane Harvey, SpeedforNeed!

Prayers for our Brothers going to Columbia, M’s and 2.0’s, Weather, and all the unspoken requests.

I had a blast.  It’s an honor working out with you guys!  Big Thanks to Barry Manilow for allowing me this VQ opportunity. 

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