Honor CMPD’s Fallen

Police Officer Clark and Police Officer Jeffrey Shelton were shot and killed after responding to a disturbance call.

At approximately 11:30 pm, the two officers responded to a disturbance call in an east Charlotte housing complex on Barrington Drive. They had resolved the disturbance and were walking away when they engaged in a conversation with a man who had nothing to do with the call. As they turned to walk away from the man, he produced a gun and shot both officers in the back.

Both officers were transported to the Carolinas Medical Center where they died from their injuries.

The shooter fled the scene, but was later arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The suspect has five prior convictions for resisting arrest and assaulting a government official. On September 30, 2010, he was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

 

Police Officer Sean Robert Clark

Officer Clark was a U.S Air Force veteran and had served with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for one year and was assigned to the North Tryon Division. He is survived by his expectant wife and 2-year-old son.

DOB:  11/22/1972 (run to the bottom of the hill after each exercise)

11 pull ups
22 burpees
19 hand release merkins
72 single count flutters


Badge #:  3769

37 pull ups
69 shoulder taps

Police Officer Jeff Shelton

Officer Shelton had served with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for six years and was assigned to the North Tryon Division. He is survived by his wife.

DOB:  9/9/1971 (football field)

Jacob’s Ladder:  9 wide arm merkins, run across field 1 Bobby Hurley
19 – Diamond Merkins
71 – Mountain Climbers

 

Badge #:  2884

28Big Boy Sit-ups
84 – Heel touches

 

4/1/2007

4 laps for 1 mile
20 reps – 7 exercises
o Bomb jacks
o CDD
o Donkey Kicks
o Mak Tar Jai
o Dying Cockroach
o Lunge
o 8ct Body Builder

Sean Clark – age = 34 Yard Bear Crawl

Jeff Shelton – age = 35 Yard Crawl Bear

 

Strong work by everyone that attended today. Thank you Dirty Harry for the opportunity.

Heavy encouragement to attend the Mike Doty run this Saturday!!

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Split Q / Shovel Flag Handoff at the Coop

Lots of fun at the Coop on Wednesday. After a quick warm up which included 56 side straddle hops (representing 56 weeks of Punchlist’s leadership at the Coop) Punchlist delivered the first blow to the PAX.

Each Partner Wheelbarrows every other 10 yards for the length of the football field. At each 10 yard marker PAX performed that number of reps for each workout.

Endzone – Burpee Broad Jumps x 7
10 – Donkey Kicks
20 – Hand release Merkins
30 – Jump lunges
40 – Air Squats
50 – LBCs
40 – Air Squats
30 – Jump lunges
20 – Hand Release Merkins
10 – Donkey Kicks
Endzone – Burpee Broad Jumps X 7
Reverse Direction – All Together Now
Bear Crawls every 25 yards
15 Bomb Jacks at every 25 yard interval

2nd Round of Pain delivered by Kaiser

At the endzone performed a combination of exercises in cadence with the PAX
20 – Mock Tar Jays
20 seconds – Wide Arm Merkin – 6″ Hold Plank
10 – Burpees in cadence
5 sets of 10 push ups each
Run to the 50 yard line each set
Backpedal to the goal line each set

Group mozy over to the pull up bars. The bars were calling us and we answered. The pull up challenge was then initiated.

Started out with a group wall sit. Then 2 PAX would come off the line and challenge each other by doing 5 pull ups. Lots of mumble chatter erupted as each individual would get critiqued on their form. At the end of the workout New Site Q called out Old Site Q for a healthy & fun QVQ pull up contest. Group then ran back to COT to finish with very strong dose of Mary as the mumble chatter intensified.

Punchlist was honored for his leadership during the 56 weeks leading the COOP. He has truly been a strong leader to many including myself and I am honored to take the shovel flag from such a HIM!

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Dora Beatdown

Seven years ago today I retired from the greatest police department in the world the NYCPD and  this morning I stand in the gloom with another great group of men that I had the privilege of leading in a Dora Beatdown and some added exercises that filled in our time at the end.

The brisk morning started with a mousey around the NAFO parking lot. We warmed up with some SSH, Tappy Taps, Windmills and Imperial Walkers.

The Dora consisted of:

100 Merkins

200 BBsitups

300 Squats

after that to fill in the time we did 25 knee ups, 25 flutters, 25 burpees, 25 LBC, 10 gaspumper and we held six inch plank several times to finish our beatdown.

COT followed…..we had 6 Bootcampers and 6 runners that split off after Broga

 

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20% More

Today was a day a long time coming, but more in the NMM.

10 Men showed for a soggy beat down at the Coop.  Here’s what we did:

The Thang:

Mosey, with some shuffle, to the practice field.

COP

  • SSH
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Windmills

Gassers, repeating 5 times with exercises below between

  • 20 yards
  • 50 yards
  • 100 yards

Squats till 6, then MNC till 6

  • 12 Merkins IC
  • 12 Burpees
  • 12 Monkey Squats IC
  • 12 Bombjacks
  • 12 CDD IC

Mosey to Rock Pile

  • Pick a rock, 12 Man Makers
  • Run a lap to sign and back
  • Repeat x3, upgrading rock after each

Mosey to covered area for some Boat and Canoe and American Hammer.

Mosey to Pull Up Bars

  • 6 Pack

Run to Bottom of Hill, Backwards Run Up the Hill then to COT

 

NMM

As we gathered for #BTP, I commented that my FNG workout was at the Coop 5 years ago and it was a VQ for One Niner (BB here) and how it would be neat for him to be there 5 years later.  As we finished the COP and were about to run the Gassers, a lone figure came trotting up in the gloom… none other than One Niner.

I charged the PAX with looking to push themselves 20% more throughout the workout today.  The idea was that we get complacent or comfortable in our routines, but imagine what impact you could make with just 20% more effort to break out of your plateau, regardless of the arena of life.  I saw lots of good effort today with guys really pushing it both on the gassers and the man makers.  This is how we get stronger… by pushing beyond where we’d normally stop.

 

Announcements:

Yeti, Doty Run, Q School – Check your newsletter.

 

Prayers up for Marriages, Punch List’s M with baby pending, and being willing to share with others when life is hard.

 

Honor to Serve.

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Giddy Up at the Ranch

Always good to Q especially a location that I was former site Q at. Start with a nice disclaimer and let everyone know they showed up to the best and hardest workout of the day in The Fort.
Mosey around school grounds at a brisk pace. Warmup 20 SSH, 20 merkins, 20 flutters repeat.
Mosey to pullup bars
5 pullups-20 big boys
4 pullups- 16 big boy
3 pullups- 12 big boy
2 pullups- 8 big boy
1 pullup- 4 big oy
work back up the ladder.
Mosey to bus parking partner up Wheel barrow around parking lot when you switch 5 bomb jacks each.
Mosey to wall Balls to wall/ chair sit with shoulder presses x’s 3 sets each
Mosey to benches 15 derkins, 15 box jumps, 15 dips
set 2 10 of each
set 3 5 of each
Mosey to COT
Announcements, Prayers, Praises
Keep everyone safe and injury free.
Keep praying for Cash.
Backdraft out…

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AR-7 at Varsity

Well YHC watched Aquaman the night before and as customary, I looked up the workout Jason Momoa did to get in shape for this role. Low and behold, it could work with body weight exercises.

All familiar faces were present so the disclaimer was brief. A brief mosey followed by some warmup exercises. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The Thang:

AR-7. Accelerated Results. First was dips. Followed by jump squats and finally Merkins.
Format was as follows:

7 sets of 7 reps with 7 seconds of rest between sets. We did all 7 sets and did a short mosey as our rest.

Next was 6 sets of 6 reps with 6 seconds of rest. Short mosey.
Last up was 5 sets of 5 reps

After we finished up the dips, we moseyed to a grassy area to preserve the old joints. Same format just Jump Squats this time. Since the legs were jello-like, no mosey, just recovery.

Finally we moseyed near the pull up bars for the Merkins portion. Same format.

And then… we headed back for some Mary and COT.

thanks to Harry Carry for the opportunity!

 

Wegmans

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Long Duck at The Coop

It was a brisk morning at The Coop. As Site Q I feel led to write a quick Backblast for LD.

COP
30 SSH
20 Wind Mills
20 Tappy Taps
Mosey to Pull Up Bars

Partner up. Partner 1 runs down and up hill once while other partner chips away at the board of pain.

100 Pull Ups
100 toes/knees to bar
200 Merkins
200 Big Boy Sit Ups

Mosey to parking lot – 2×50 yard sprints

Back for COT.

Great lead by Long Duck!

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Best of the 2010s

Four men came out th NaFo for a beatdown.  Weather was cool at 39 degrees.

Warm up
Mosey run, then a short nur back to the ROTC building.
Exercises:
SSH (IC 12x)
Windmill (IC 12x)
Imperial Walker (IC 12x)
Moroccan Nightclub (IC 12x)
Low Slow Squats (IC12x)
Peter Parker (IC 12x)
Plank stretches
Downward dog
Honeymooner
8 pull ups OYO

Thang 1: Bermuda Triangle (Best alt/rock songs of 2010 to 2019 played during the thangs, playlist at end)
1st loop: Burpees (do 1 at cone 1, do 2 at cone 2, do 3 at cone 3)
2nd loop: squats (5, 10, 15)
3rd loop: American Hammers (15, 20, 25)
Repeated the burpees loop
Transit: Bear crawl or crab walk between cones, pax choice

Thang 2: Intervals
Each exercise is 32 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest to transition
1. Imperial Walkers
2. Dips
3. Big boy sit ups
4. Jump Squats
5. Derkins
6. Mountian Climbers
7. Step ups
8. OH Claps
9. Bobby hurleys
10. SSH
11. incline Merkins
12. calf raises
and there were more.

Fini, COT

Word of the year: the attending pax had thiers figured out 2020 (nice work).  I’m still thinking my word over.

Prayers: those in medical care, Polaroid with his recent losses, safe travels to all other pax this season.

Playlist
Adele “Rolling in the deep” 2010
Fitz and The Tantrums “The Walker” 2013
The Black Keys “Go” 2019
Mumford and Sons “I will Wait” 2012
The Killers “The Man” 2017
Lorde “Royals” 2013
Cage the Elephant “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” 2017
Honorable mentions:
Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still” 2017
Fitz and The Tantrums “Moneygrabber” 2010

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2019 Q4 PFT at The Coop

Here are the results of the 2019 Q4 PFT

1 Minute of pull ups, sit ups, push ups and a 1 mile run

Results from Today.  No order.  Bold are the top numbers for a sections.

 

Results from this year.  Order is how many PFT’s posted.  Bold are leaders.

 

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It’s the 1st F for a reason

11 pax posted to WEP to celebrate north winds, fall temps, a Santini sighting, an Anchorman celebrity drop-in and 7 yrs + 1 week since the 9.29.12 launch of The Fort.  This, the 365th edition of Saturday at The Fort, was more than just another Saturday of brotherhood and pain.  It was also a reminder of why these gatherings matter.  After a thorough Disclaimer, Crab Cakes led the pax off into the gloom.

The Thang

Mosey up the hill out the parking lot with a right turn toward the Church of the Nazarene.  A few stops along the way for some warm-up moves.

Partner up for a series of exercises paired with running to the church steps, 3x up and down, and return to partner at the far end of the parking lot.  Exercises included, Merkins, Squats and Flutters.

Rugby sprints (it wouldn’t be a Crab Cakes Q without this signature session) with LBCs, Freddys, Flutters, Heel Touches.

Hand off to DD

Mosey back toward WEP

Stop at pecan tree grove near Springs building for some work — Planks, Merkins, CDDs, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, & Makhtar N’Dyaes (Santini request for the last one)

Mosey to Springs parking lot entrance (in the grass)

Knee-tar-jais

Mosey to brick wall at Springs

People’s chair & Balls to the wall (rinse and repeat)

Mosey to WEP playground (rotating partners) — Pull ups, burpees, monkee, humpers, dips, derkins, lap around playground

Bear crawl to path, crawl bear back

Series of sprints and backward sprints to path and back to playground

Jailbreak home

COT

Naked man moleskin

Crab Cakes and I had a great time at the helm today.  It’s always an honor to lead the pax, and especially at the launching grounds for The Fort.  Sorry to miss Slash.  Thanks for the opportunity to Q and thanks for keeping the mission going at WEP on Saturdays!

Anchorman with 2.0 in tow made a brief showing as we approached 0720. Apologies for the PG-13 language during the final prod to the pax to finish strong.  You can throw me in the creek with your M if you hear that one at the dinner table.

Santini, Rebel and Dark Helmet were rockin’ the perfect sweaty head coifs by the finish.  Checkout the video for proof.  If Funhouse had posted we might’ve been able to establish the pose for The Fort’s Mount Rushmore.

Good to have Sippy Cup among the pax and donning The Fort jersey no less.  Don’t be stranger!  Hope to see you again soon!

The theme for the morning was a focus on 1st F #Fitness.  Thanks to many pax, including my co-Q Crab Cakes, 2nd F is making huge strides.  Thanks to Gekko, Cake Boss, Chicken Hawk, Pusher and others, 3rd F also continues to blossom.  No debate on my part that these two elements are critical to our pax and speak to the core of who we are as men and leaders.  Yet, now that The Fort has entered it’s 8th year, I feel the need to highlight the importance of 1st F.  While it’s not the core of WHO we are as men, it is the core of WHAT we undertake each week as a group.   It’s the magnet that draws us out into the gloom.  And after 4, 5, 6, 7 years, it might begin to taste a little bland from familiarity. The temptation may be there to coast during workouts or even to scale back your weekly posts.  I’m imploring you — DO NOT GIVE UP!  Yes, F3 is about way more than the workout.  And at the same time, it is also rooted in the workout.

Several conversations over the past week highlighted for me the importance of regular, passionate 1st F engagement.  I heard examples of veteran pax who are pushing hard and veteran pax who are dialing back.  Those posting regularly and pushing in 1st F are seeing growth in all 3 Fs.  Those who’ve scaled back are experiencing some regression in other areas.  It’s all connected, gentlemen.  “You get out of it what you put into it” a veteran pax shared with me this week.

F3 isn’t the only way to stay fit.  I’m the first to acknowledge this fact.  I’ve been fit in the past without F3 and I see many men who are fit today without F3.  But, 1st F isn’t just about Fitness.  It’s about relationships.  Friendships are built in the midst of struggle in the Gloom.  Removing that element will impact a relationship.  1st F is also about preparation.  When you post in the Gloom, you surrender to the elements and the Q.  You give up control — willingly.  You don’t know what you’re going to be put through, but you show up anyway.  And you push to the finish because you believe it will make you “better.” It’s preparation for life. Each day we wake up and we surrender to what the world and Sky Q have in store for us. We don’t have nearly the control we’d like. But we carry on to the finish of each day, seeking to get better (or at least get through it to the next day we won’t control).

So, if you’re feeling the tug of the Fartsack or the gym or the coffee pot, speak up.  We’re all susceptible to those temptations. And we all need a dose of #Accountability now and then to keep us on the #Right track.  The same is true for those out front.  If you’re in an acceleration mode, look around to see who’s missing.  Accelerating pax don’t let pax fall back. They pick up the Six. They don’t leave a man where they found him.

Thanks for listening.  Thanks for pushing.  SYITG!

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