The 12 Pains of Christmas at The Poop Deck – Redux

Thursday before Christmas in 2016, I Q’d this same workout up at The Poopdeck. We had a great time then, and I was asked to bring it back again to The Poopdeck this year. That’s quite a complement to redux a Q. Thanks Wild Thing for the request and opportunity to lead.

Ho ho ho! Santa Q was out and ready to receive the PAX of HIMs this morning when they rolled in to the Poodeck. It was a great day, balmy for December. What a treat in itself. Everyone was in a great mood. Alot of mumblechatter. It is always great to start your day with a group of HIMs like this,
No FNGs unfortunately. After the disclaimer was disclaimed, off we moseyed around the parking lot a to get the heart rate up. After the warmup run, we circled up for the COP, 20 or so of each:

 

  • Side-straddle hops
  • Imperial walkers
  • Windmills
  • Moroccan night clubs
  • Cherry/Strawberry/Weed Pickers

We were all nice and warmed up. A brief run over to the large parking lot at the boat ramp for NASA’s follies…..

The 12 Days of Christmas…. Pain:
NASA Claus came prepared with a red bag full of goodies for each and every PAX, whether naughty or nice they have been. In Santa Q’s sack was 12 ‘presents’, complete with bows even. With warmth from his heart Santa Q gave each PAX a present. The joy and excitement each PAX had of receiving these wonderful, yet unknown gifts was an incredible sight to see. I wish I had my camera at the ready! The PAX were excited to reach in NASA Claus’ sack to see what they got, but NASA Claus had to remind him to be gentle with it, for it is VERY old.
After a gift was opened, the group had to partake in the pain it presented. Not only that, the HIM who opened the gift got to lead the exercise it outlined. They were gifts that kept on giving. Each PAX took turns opening their gifts from NASA Claus to find the following pains:
Gift # / Pain:

 

  1. 15 Burpees OYO
  2. 25 Monkey Humpers, cadence (c)
  3. 40 Merkins (c)
  4. Run, run Rudolph! (Run a loop around the entire boat ramp parking lot, about 1/4 mile loop)
  5. 50 Plank Jacks (c)
  6. 50 LBCs (c)
  7. 40 CDD (c)
  8. Grin and Bear it!! (Bear Crawl loop the circle of HIMs –  had to open the circle a little for this one)
  9. 40 LSS (c)
  10. 30 Hello Dollys (c)
  11. 50 Calf raises (c)
  12. Don’t be Crabby (Crab walk loop the circle of HIMs)

 

I wanted cadence to slow the exercise down, focus on form rather than speed. Even with not much rest between ‘gifting’, that took a good chunk of the 45 minutes. We still had around 10 minutes or so left, so we started another round. Due to tough economic times, we had to regift and Santa Q redistributed the presents for round 2, letting each PAX reach into Santa Q’s sack AGAIN to grab a gift of goodness. Unfortunately due to time we cut short round 2 to only 4-5 presents. Even so, it was alot of pain combined with alot of fun. Each and every PAX had alot of laughs.
Run to the COT for Announcements, Prayers, and Praises.
Brief discussion on Gifts: My opinion the most precious Gifts we are blessed with is Christ and time. Without those, all other Gifts we have been blessed with we would never be able to be thankful for.  Do not take either for granted. Use every moment of time you have to utilize the Gifts you have been blessed with in a positive way. In doing so, maybe you will bestow a Gift upon someone else.
Thank you for the opportunity to lead.
Merry Christmas and God Bless,
-NASA
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Final Shopping Days at the Swamp

After setting up some fun cones I made it to the AO to see the large group of PAX ready for the day. We had a special guest return of Jerry Lewis back on leave from his military training. Great to have him out! We also got an FNG that several men EH’d from our monthly 2nd F beer social.  He received the name “Wingman”for the old barhopping days with your boys…

With an FNG I gave a long disclaimer and the ruckers started on their way out…the campers followed me.

Mosey down the streets with a run and dynamic warmup.

Made it to COP where we completed to following:

24 SSHs

24 MNCs

19 Squats

11 Windmills (by now the mumble chatter has  started on my sporadic stops)

12 Merkins

11 Ski Abs (I was just being lazy, no other  rhyme to my counts)

Mosey over to the Rivergate Fountain for some speed shopping!

I set up 8 cones in front of eight different stores around the area, or goal was to split into groups of four  and make our speedy stops at the shop and do the two exercises listed at that stop.  Once you completed the two exercises your group ran around the large circle and moved to the next store in front of your previous cone.

The  exercises at each cone consisted of :

#1 25 Carolina Dry docks

#1 20 burpees

#2 40 LBCs

#2 40 Squats

#3 20 bombjacks

#3 30  moroccan night clubs

#4 20 merkins

#4 25  squat jumps

#5 30  Freddie mercury’s

#5 20  wide arm Merkins

#6 40  Side straddle hops

#6 30 Ski Abs

#7 20  dying cockroaches (my fav)

#7 20 diamond Merkins

#8 25  Imperial walkers

#8 40  calf raises

Most of these exercises were in double counts – and in cadence.  The laps were long and the reps were high!  Everyone broke a good sweat and we ran out of time for our last 4 extra shop stops of the day…  so we  trucked it back to COT two minutes late.  Each group completed all eight stops!

At COT I got to share the story of my recent experience with my nine-year-old son. Seems the kids at school have been telling him that Santa is not real so he came home and ask my wife the truth about Santa Claus. Luckily for me she was prepared and had a wonderful two page note that she shared with him about the spirit of Santa and giving and God during Christmas.  I shared that note with the PAX.

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The DaVinci Cones® Redux

Forecast called for a warmish start for December, but a high chance of rain, so I wasn’t sure if we’d have a crowd or just a few. Very glad to see a bunch of cars when I pulled up. We ended up with 14 including YHC.

The Thang

Ran around the parking lot to warm up the legs, with a little side shuffle then circled up for some COP:

SSH x 15
Low, slow squats x 15
Slow, old-man windmills (just 10, since I was reminded it’s just a 45 minute workout
Merkins x 10
A little downward dog and honeymooner to stretch out
Mountain Climbers x 15

Then a short mosey to the traffic circle in front of school. I spoke briefly about our theme of the month, which is “Gifts.” At other workouts, the Qs have spoken about Gifts, be they tangible, material things that we give and receive, or intangible, like the gifts of time and support and love.

My message was about the holiday phenomenon of the REGIFT.

Today, I decided to reuse a workout I led earlier this year at the Abyss. It worked pretty good then, and worked well today, too.

Here’s what we did:

Partner 1 acts as a timer, going halfway around circle drive to the Cone using the prescribed means of conveyance (bear crawl, crab walk, etc), then runs the second half while Partner 2 does the prescribed exercise (squat jumps, merkins, etc); then switch

1. Bear Crawl | Squat Jumps
2. Lunge Walk | Merkins
3. Crab Walk | LBCs
4. Lt. Dangers | Plank Punches

Then a mosey around to the side of the school for some Wall Sits.

Have a seat, won’t you? A PAX from either end of the row runs out to the center stripe in the driveway, does 3 burpees, then runs back to the wall.

Finally, a mosey around to the track behind the school.

This is one of the set-it-and-forget-it workouts I like to uses. It’s self-paced and allows for some cardio as well as a variety of body-weight exercises. Plus, if someone finishes and there’s still time on the clock, we can always rinse and repeat.

Start at Cone #1 at one end of the track, do the exercise and prescribed reps, run to the other end of the track, do #1 on Cone 2 at  that end, and so on.

Cone #1
1. Slow Squats (20)
2. Curb Dips (20)
3. Mtn. Climbers (20 d.c.)
4. Curb Derkins (20)
5. CDD’s (20)

Cone #2
1. Imperial Wlkrs (20 d.c.)
2. Jump Lunges (10/leg)
3. Freddy Mercurys (20 d.c.)
4. Flying Squirrels (10)
5. Peter Parkers (10 d.c.)

NMM

All jokes aside about gifts and regifts, at COT I shared my feelings about what a gift F3 is to me. I was able to thank DarkHelmet again for EH-ing me for weeks, finally convincing me to post at the Deep on a warm Saturday in April of 2016.

I was hooked from the very first workout.

Mind you: it nearly killed me (curse you, Jack Webb!), but the remarkable thing to me was how I felt welcomed from the moment I got out of my car. I was supported and encouraged during that first workout, and that encouragement and support has continued to this day.

I challenge each of us to continue offering support and encouragement to FNGs and long-time PAX alike.

The world may beat us down. This group can help build us back up.

So during this time of giving, I want to thank all of my brothers for their gift of friendship and support and encouragement.

I feel blessed to be a part of this group.

DaVinci

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BRR Comes Early to Laces In

It was a cold, windy December morning where 9 pax (7 BC and 2 Runners) showed up for their daily down payment.  The wind was fierce today, the kind that cuts right through you so I wanted to make sure we got nice and warm.  Laces Out went off campus for a tour of Fort Mill.  Here’s what went down (or as best I can remember) at Laces In:

Mosey to Band lot (it was further than I thought) for COP

Line up facing across the band lot for a series exercises

  1. Toy Soldiers to mid way – Sprint to other end of parking lot
  2. Butt Kickers back to midway – Sprint back
  3. Karaoke one way
  4. Karaoke back the other way

COP: SSH x 20, Windmills x 10, Mountain Climbers x 15, Squats x 15, Slow Merkins x 10

Main Course: Line up facing across the band lot for a series exercises again

  1.  Alligator Merkins for three parking spaces – sprint to other end.  LBC x 25
  2. Frog Jump Merkins for three parking spaces – sprint to other end of lot.  Flutters x 25
  3.  Bear Crawl half way – Sprint to other end of lot –  LBC x 25
  4. Bear Crawl half way – Sprint to other end of lot

Mosey to hill by stadium for partner work .  B.OM.B.S – 75 Burpees, 100 Overhead claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Big Boy Situps, 250 Squats in accumulation while your partner runs to (almost) the top of the hill.

Once finished – Partner 1 holds a plank while partner 2 runs hill and performs 10 Bombjacks at the (almost) top.  Rinse and repeat until COT

NMM: 2.3 miles was the count on my Garmin this morning.  I had no idea we were going to run that far but we did.  Thanks Longshanks for pointing that out!  Team Chafing the Dream is locked and loaded again for BRR 2018 so I was anxious to get out there and hit the inclines.   I love running hills and feel it really gets the blood flowing and makes you stronger.  The pax worked hard this morning and we were all better for it.  Thanks Lil E for the opportunity.  I’m usually at Laces Out so it was cool to explore the bootcamp option at FMHS.  Lastly, I had never formally met Sugar Daddy.  It was nice to meet you and I appreciate the mumble chatter.

Announcements: Joe Davis Run, Christmas Convergence, Focus on recruiting those FNGs

Prayers – Deacon’s upcoming Christmas present!

Until next time…

STH

 

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It’s a Burpee and Bear Crawl Tuesday!

15 PAX total with 4 Ruckers and 11 Bootcampers!

Disclaimer given……

Mosey to the back of Harris Teeter and circle up

Q called out 20 Seal jacks to start

Each PAX picks an exercise and calls out the cadence for 20 reps each

SSH

Merkins

Imperial Walker

Hillbilly Walker

Freddy Mercury

Squats

Wind Mills

A few more I can’t remember

Peter Parker

Parker Peter

Stay in the area and line up for some suicides!

Bear crawl to each line in parking lot run back to start and do 1 Burpee

13 lines total (Crowd Pleaser) Especially Anchorman!!!

Round 2 Run to each line and do 2 Burpees at the start line each time

Round 3 Run to the 6th line do 5 Burpees, back to start 5 Burpees, to the end 5 Burpees, back to start 5 Burpees

There were some 10 counts in between just for a little bit to catch our breath!

Mosey to the wall for some wall sits and some more Burpees!!!

Mosey to COT and do a little Ab Lab to finish out!

Great workout! Warm weather (No complaints)

 

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Long Route to COT

17 PAX on this 43 deg morning

Warmup: 1 Burpee, SSH, 2 Burpees, Moroccan Night Clubs, 3 Burpees, Imperial Walkers, 4 Burpess, Hillbilly Walkers, 5 Burpees

Wave Merkins to 10, Wave Grave Diggers to 10 followed by a few sprints at 50%, 75%, and AYG

Jacob’s Ladders

Set 1: Carolina Dry Docks 1 to 7 with bear crawl down; Jump Lunges 7 to 1 with sprint back

Set 2: Jump Squats 1 to 7 with long jumps down; Mtn Climbers 7 to 1 with sprint back

Set 3: LBCs 1 to 7 with sprints down; Bomb Jacks 7 to 1 with sprint back

Mosey other parking lot.  Here the “we’re going the wrong way” chatter begins.  Partner 1: Merkins while Partner 2: scales half wall, touches building and back x5

Finish with wall sits, last man to front through all PAX, then BTW for 2 ten-counts

COT… We prayed for families, marriages, and comfort in sickness.

Always honored to Q.

Rocks Out

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#14DaysTillChristmas Quagmire Style

12 Men showed up in sub-freezing temperatures at Quagmire just to prove that cold weather means absolutely nothing.  Especially when you get moving.  5:15 came and we took a nice mosey over to the Home Depot parking lot while doing some side steps, high knees, and butt kickers.

Warm Up-

Windmill x 10

Imperial Walker x 10

Hillbilly Walker x 10

SSH x 20

Seal Jack x 20

Plank/Honeymooner/Downward Dog

 

The Thang-

A Dirty McDeuce (or as DaVinci said, McFourteens?) of sorts.  3 excercises, constant movement, supersets, in all its glory to keep us warm.

Home Depot- Squats x 14, Merkins x 14, LBCs x 14… x 2

Run to Target parking lot through back delivery entrance

Target – Jump Lunges x 14, Carolina Dry Docks x 14, Freddie Mercury x 14…. x 2

Run to around Target parking lot to BAM

BAM- Jump Squats x 14, Wide Arm Merkins x 14, American Hammers x 14…. x 2

Run to Just Fresh parking lot

Just Fresh- People’s Chair (hold for… a long time?), into Donkey Kicks x 14, into BTTW (hold for… a long time… again?)…. x 2.  On last BTTW, PAX held through all 12 taking turns at 5 Merkins.

Mosey around the corner to the Fountain

Fountain- Find a bench… Box Jumps/Step Ups x 14, Tricep Dips x 14, Derkins x 14… x 3 (added an extra set for fun)

Indian Run Back to COT for many (10 minutes) of Mary (Q altered schedule thinking that time would run short… too much overthinking).  Completed 3 Mary exercises, into Diamond Merkins, 3 more Mary exercises, into Diver Bombers, and 3 more Mary exercises with time running out.

Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Prayers

Significance of 14….

All exercises were completed with 14 reps.  Monday, December 11.  14 Days until Christmas.  14 Days until the greatest gift the world has received.  With the focus on Gifts this month, I used the exercise to countdown to my favorite day of the year.  Christmas has meant a lot to me, not just through the greatest gift of all time, but through the significance to my family.  I am excited to continue my family’s Christmas traditions with my children as they start to understand the significance of this time of year.

 

Until next time,

Shakespeare. Out.

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The Fort pledge to help another Pax out

Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

 

 

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Bombs and Blimps at the Swamp

It was an especially gloomy morning but it didn’t stop several PAX from posting to the Swamp. Disclaimer was given and we split up into bootcampers, ruckers, and runners. BCs moseyed over to the Home Depot overhang with some high-knees, butt-kickers, and karaoke along the way.

  • 1st stop – 5 burpees, wind-mills, hillbilly walkers, 5 burpees
  • Mosey to failed restaurant overhang – 5 burpees, 25 SSHs, 10 merkins, 5 burpees
  • Mosey to lot in front of Books-a-Million – 5 burpees, something else, squats, 5 burpess
  • Line up across parking spaces. Bear-crawl across 1 merkin, backward bear-crawl to start 1 merkin – Repeat for a total of 5 trips
  • Mosey to bank drive-thru and partner up for Bombs. Partner 1 does the exercise while partner 2 runs a lap around bank, then flip flop. No set amount, just keep doing exercise and hope partner runs fast. B=Burpee, O=O’s (tiny circles), M=Monkey Humpers, B=Bombjacks, S=Squats
  • Mosey back to BAM overhang. Blimps with same partners. P1 does the exercise while P2 runs to building across lot and back, then flip-flop. B=Burpees, L=Lunges, I=Imperial Squat Walkers, M=Merkins, P=Plank Jacks, S=Seal Jacks. The slight uphill run on the way back each time added to the suck.
  • Mosey back to failed restaurant overhang for some Mary. 15 LBCs, 15 Flutters, 15 Freddie Mercs.
  • Mosey back to overhangs at mattress store. Not so great imitation of Lt Dan. 1 squat, 4 jumps touching overhang. Went from 1/4 up to 6/24 before time was up.
  • Mosey back to COT to meet up with rest of PAX.

I tried to use several of the overhangs to keep the PAX somewhat dry and keep us moving. But I don’t think it would’ve mattered, These guys would’ve been just as great out in the rain pushing each other. Thanks for all those that showed up and encouraged each other on this cold rainy morning. Always an honor to lead this group.

 

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Quagmire –

20 At the Quagmire for a fill in Q

  • Welcomed everyone and introduced Will our FNG
  • We did a disclaimer
  • We mentioned Victory and what it looks like in all areas of our lives
  • Mosey to COP
  • Mosey to alley between Home Depot and Target
  • Beatdown doing 8 exercises and sliding crates on the ground (burners)
  • Mosey to fountain for derkins, dips and step ups
  • Mosey to COT
  • Had some announcements
  • Few prayers and couple of praises
  • Ball of Man

Thank you for the lead DaVinci!

CB

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