Remembering Columbine

WARMUP:
Mosey down to lower parking lot. toy soldiers and high knees around parking lot then mosey back to ROTC building for CoP.

CoP (IC)
20 SSH, 12 IW, 12 Cherry Pickers, 12 MNCs

THE THANG:
This workout was developed as a remembrance of the Columbine High School shooting victims from 23 years ago (4/20/1999). I was a freshman in high school about 40 minutes from Columbine and had friends there that day that were thankfully not physically injured.

Everyone grabbed a cindy…

Buy-in: 21 merkins. One for each wounded victim that survived that day.

Main Event:
To honor the 13 victims that died that day (12 students and 1 teacher) we did 13s.

13s – bent over rows with the cindy at the ROTC building, 8 count body builders at lower stop sign (start with 1 row and 12 body builders, increment one row and decrease one body builder each round, end with 12 rows and 1 body builder)

Before each round the name and age of one of the killed victims was announced.

SSH were completed at the end of each round until the 6 was in.

this brought us to 05:56

Finished off the workout with 25 chest presses with cindy (IC) and then 10 OH press with cindy (IC)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Although tragedies continue to happen seemingly endlessly – raising kind, caring kids and being leaders in our community can make an impact on those around us. This impact can reduce or mitigate the impacts of the mental health issues that lead to some of these tradgedies. Keep up the great work and hopefully we never have to deal with anything close to what happened this day 23 years ago.

AKA continues tomorrow at Minnow Pond, Blood Drive May 12

COT: prayers for mental health, our kids, Ukraine

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Brisket Block Party

WARMUP: mosey to parking lot across from police station. In cadence of brisket, ribs, chicken did windmills, hillbilly walkers, imperial walkers and burpees(OYO)
THE THANG: Made our way to downtown for the light poles. There are 16 light poles are you travel up Main St on the left hand side. First trip up was lunge walk with 2 squats with calf raise at first light pole. Then 4,6,8 etc until we hit 32 squats with calf raises.

Short mosey around to get back to the bottom of the hill and this time duck walk to the light poles with 1 hand release merkin at each light, increasing the number by 1 until the 16th light.
MARY: flutter kicks, big boy sit-ups, leg lifts, American hammers (in no particular order)
ANNOUNCEMENTS: blood drive coming up and convergence/invergence on 4/30 at WEP
COT: stays in COT.

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3-1-22: 3 lessons, 3 stations

YHC took a call up on the schedule to kick off March.  20 decided to converge east of the peach stand.  Three lessons were shared from Seneca and a few exercises were called.

COP – After the pledge, a mosey to Kimbrell’s for COP – squats, people’s chairs, windmills, seal jacks, and burpees sprinkled in got everyone warmed up and on to station #1.

Lesson 1 – “Train your body rigorously so it is not disobedient to your mind”

Station 1 – 10 burpees upon arrival.  7’s to follow – kraken burpees at the top of the circle with squats at the entrance of the circle.  PAX returned to the top of the circle to confirm the lesson was learned.  It was. From there, we moseyed to…….

Lesson 2 – “He who is everywhere is nowhere”

Station 2 – PAX paired up completing a 4 corner, 2 round circuit 5-10-15-20 – burpees, merkins, squats and seal jacks.  Upon completion, 5 more burpees to ensure the lesson was learned.  It was.

Lesson 3 – “Happy is he who makes others better”

Station 3 – flutters in cadence, LBC’s in cadence and a mosey back to COT.  Early arrivers did a few burpees to finish out and a few abs – geometry class brought us to 0600 and COT.

Announcements were shared, prayers were offered and praises were given.

NMM – 3 takeaways to expand on the lessons learned:

1 – Rigorous training enables us to be durable as leaders in our homes and communities.  We are better equipped to handle life’s challenges and keep a calm and clear mind when our bodies are strong.  Our mind and spirit require the same training.

2 – The person who feels busy may find themselves living the life of a hamster on a wheel – in a sense, being everywhere, but nowhere.  Are we setting routines that allow for avoiding that trap? Our world is great at distracting us.  We are equipped to mitigate that through our disciplines, our training and how we apply it daily.

3 – Helping others improve in their journey expecting nothing in return is the ultimate gift of impact.  As leaders, we are called to give away what we know in the pursuit of helping others seek advantage.  The feeling of knowing your effort inspired or encouraged someone to go further, work harder, apply themselves more, etc. brings about a joy knowing your work as a servant manifested itself positively in others.

My thanks to Kermit for the call out and the opportunity to lead a fantastic group of HIMs.  I am grateful to start the day (and in this case) month off on an advantageous foot.

Keep going!!!

Cyclops

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Convergence: Love & a passing of the flag

Station 1 (Santini): Traditional Pain Platoon

Just your basic beat the hell out of your legs exercises of lunges, squats, and burpees intermixed with meditation and box breathing exercises. Sprint to the top of the hill, recover, and do more exercises including Moroccan night clubs and Carolina dry docks.

NMM: Anxiety and gratitude are not able to occupy the same space.

Station 2 (Shady / Maximus)

Warmup (Shady) – 21 SSH, 5 burpees, 18 SSH, 5 burpees, 12 SSH, someone whined about burpees so we did 10 diamonds merkins…then did 5 burpees
Group 1
  • partnered up and Dora style started out with 100 pull-ups.  Partner 1 on the pull-up bar, partner 2 did a lap around the playgroud
  • Stayed on playground, stayed with partner, Partner 1 AMRAP merkins while partner 2 ran the length of the playground and back to AMRAP merkins
  • Stayed on the AMRAP theme with flutters, then back to merkins, then back to flutters…then (I think) time was called

Group 2

  • Partnered up and Dora style, but this time 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground (Q modification given time and we aren’t cyborgs)
  • AMRAPs were just 1 round of merkins and flutters (again, I think…may need a lifeline here from Max)
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 American hammers..we did this twice
  • W/ time to spare we ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for 10 V-ups
  • In buzzer beater fashion, we ran to the top again for 10 ranger merkins and ran to the bottom for a partner 1 lay on the ground and grab partner 2s ankles where partner 2 would throw partner 1s feet down 10 times as you straight leg lifted them to his face

Group 3

  • Dora style 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 american hammers..we did this twice
  • Running low on time ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for the ankle grabbing / feet throwing core exercise 10 times
NMM: After each of the groups had done their pull-ups, Maximus and Shady shared their thoughts and experiences on LOVE.
  • Shady – areas of focus were loving your brother and being your brothers keeper.  Sending a text or reaching out to someone to just say “hey, thinking of you” could change their day.  Realizing that the ones you love are watching you, emulating you, picking up on good and bad habits.  Realizing we don’t know it all, especially to the ones we love, is a sign of humility and a factor of growth and development.  For those of us with children, we have never been parents before so we honestly have no idea what we’re doing.  Love starts with servant leadership and personally for YHC, this usually progresses when the mouth is shut and ears are open.
  • Maximus – For my discussion on love, it begins with being intentional as love is a decision. We must make the decision to be intentional with our actions. Whether it be in our faith, marriage, parenting of our kids, with friends and yes, even with work relationships, we must be intentional. Think about how easy it is to get distracted, whether at dinner with your wife or even on a Zoom call for work. We often allow our minds to wander or even start doing something else while the other person is talking, looking for our engagement. Stop. Be the person who is present in the moment. Put the shoe on the other foot. Love that person as your relationship to them allows.

Station 3 (Pusher & Cakeboss): Love Edition

COP
  • SSHs
  • Windmills
  • Squats
  • Mtn Climbers
  • Merkins
  • IWs
Cake Boss spells love “B-U-R-P-E-E”
The Thang
  • Jacobs Ladder with Derkins and Monkey Humpers
  • Plank/Dip sequence
  • Bear crawl to top with burpees
NMM:
  • Cord of 3 strands cannot be broken. Having God in your marriage is the 3rd string. Adding communication to the marriage strengthens it. – CB
  • Gifts vs Gaps. Focus on the gifts that your wife or significant other bring vs what she is missing. Seeing her this way builds love. – Pusher
  • Much love was on display with all of the mumblechatter and fellowship. The relationships formed through F3 has increased our love internally and is reflected outward to our Ms, 2.0s, PAX and community… #morethanaworkout

Shovel Flag hand off for two leadership positions in the Fort:

Shady handed off the Nantan role to Double D
Esso handed off the Weasel Shaker role to YHC

Awesome work by the PAX today. Hard to put into words how much improved my disposition on life is since moving back to Fort Mill because of F3. Grateful for an opportunity to serve the PAX of The Fort.

NMM: Double D was the site-Q at Block Party when I started posting. If it wasn’t for his steady presence with a commitment to the integrating 2nd F and 3rd F elements into each workout, I doubt I’d have kept posting. Double D is a genuine human, I’m a better dude for knowing him, and I’m excited for his leadership.


Band Camp dismissed

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Hide and seek

YHC was looking forward to my return “East of the Peach Stand”. Had my board, gloves, keys, and phone and, as usual, about to go out the door when the 2.0 needs attention. Never fails. Knowing that letting the M deal with the situation would NOT go well for me, I got the boy back in bed and left for my Q late.

the gloom

I knew I was hella late (3 whole minutes, really) and arrived to a parking lot with three vehicles and zero PAX. So I got out and strained my ears trying to echolocate the PAX I was reasonably certain were around somewhere. That failed miserably, so it was time to take a self guided tour of the area. Grabbed my headlamp outta the car and traveled down to FMCoG. No PAX there, the game of hide and seek begins. Up the stairs and through the back lot for FBCFM, nope, through the north entrance up to Tom Hall St. Still no luck. West to Main, south and down the stairs with a left at Emmets Social Table (if they were open, I’d probably have stopped there). Dang, nothing!

Down Academy and, what’s that? 3 figures in the dark? Yes, I think I found them crossing the road, headed to FMCoG! Picked up the pace and met up with the PAX to some light hearted ribbing. Did I mention i was carrying the exercise board the whole way? No??

the thang

The board displayed a number of exercises and rep counts, after each set, run around the 221 building and move down the board. Easy

20x Squat
20x Merkins
20x Lunges (single count)
20x One Leg Deadlift
20x Alternating Superman
20x Apollo Ohno*
20x 4-count SSH
20x calf raises
20x BBSU

We made it through to the SSH + a lap with about 5 minutes left on the clock, so we ran up to the FBCFM parking lot, did our calf raises, up/down the stairs and ended with some leg stretches.

*YHC mislabeled these as Bobby Hurley’s, but if you know anything about me, you know sports are not of interest, and I’m okay confusing the two. The board said “Bobby Hurley (skaters?)”, so you know what I was going for.

Cot

A lot going on in COT today with a lot of heavy prayers needed. YHC took us out imploring to Sky Q to give us wisdom to deal with these things

nmm

Every time I get to hang out at Footloose there is a lot of mumblechatter, and today was no exception. I’ve never really gotten to hear a lot from Kielbasa, so today was his day to shine, and boy did he have some great stories to tell. At one point I found myself asking him to lead the count for SSH just so we could get some work done.

There was also a VERY generous helping of ribbing from Small World and Sticks. Just the right amount, I think, for a Q that is late.  Every time I named an exercise they seemed to have already done it! However, I saw through their game and, as I said before, if the M is unhappy, things will not go well.

And, hey, that’s what F3 is about. Getting fit physically, mentally, and spiritually requires a lot of reps, mumblechatter, and bearing ones soul. If it’s not a “black diamond” Q, then mumblechatter away my fellow PAX.

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Footloose: Band Camp Edition

Leading moderate workouts create a lot of planning challenges for me. I try to be mindful of the PAX present and push without overdoing. After all, guys are posting to a “moderate” AO. When the Q-drenaline starts flowing it’s harder to hold back the speed/intensity. This issue is something I try to be mindful of every Q. DT felt we ran too much and Slash felt the yoga wasn’t moderate, but nevertheless: we persisted.

Among the activities today:
– bear crawling with called steps
– lunge walking with called steps
– snaking through the stairs at the Church of God
– knees over toes squats on the stairs
– 7s at the Baptist church steps with bomb jacks and burpees
– deconstructed burpee motivators (thanks Airwolf for the idea here….this will return)
– run around downtown with stops of (15 merkins, 15 squats, 15 flutters)
– lifting up the spent grain tubs at Amor
– a little yoga at almost every stop along the way

NMM

One thing I think about every time I Q or post at a moderate AO is: what am I moderating? If I’m moderating the intensity of a workout, am I moderating my alcohol intake? What about my eating habits? How about my media consumption? What about my word choices?

Thanks Small World for the opportunity to lead:


Band Camp dismissed

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Nas on a Nasty morning at Varsity?

11 met on this misty/chilly morning at The Varsity. Band Camp led off with disclaimer that covered both he and I (fortunately). Then 3 PAX went on their own for a long run. The rest of us followed Band Camp the get started.

From Band Camp:
This morning I kept the yoga simple under the awning as rain was approaching:
We built up in segments to flow through Surya Namaskar A. Then had time for one sequence of Surya Namaskar B.
YHC passed the reins over to Kermit at exactly 0530. Always an honor to lead any workout, but leading Broga is an enjoyble chance to maintain focus through some excellent mumblechatter and groaning from the PAX.

From Kermit:
I thought we should wrap up the work week with some fun. And with the dry conditions and good lighting under the awning, I gave my “message” to the PAX: “Everything will eventually come to an end, So try to savor the moment, cuz time flies don’t it. The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better, cuz nothing lasts forever.” – Nas

Let’s get to work.

We left the dry comfort of the awning and moseyed through the rain to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill.

The Thang
ELEVENS – burpees at bottom of the hill and pull ups at the top of the hill.
We may have referenced the lyric “savor the moment” a couple of times.
Band Camp and Poppins led the way, and finished with a few minutes left in the gloom. A DORA of merkins, squats and more hill running was waiting for them.

Back to CoT, and joined back up with the runners.

NMM, Announcements, Prayers & Praises.

Thanks to Bodywash for the opportunity to lead.

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Rain and Malachi

The heavens burst forth this morning.

5 PAX gathered in truly gloom 41 degree weather. At about 0520, the rain really poured for about 10 minutes and then let off to only a solid shower.

YHC modified my plan with the rain. I really just tried to warm us up (literally and figuratively) under some cover. Then we braved out into the rain. We stopped occasionally for exercises. I was flying a bit of the cuff among the exercises I called in cadence in various locations:

  • SSH
  • Merkins
  • Bulgarian Split Squats
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Imperial Walkers and Hillbilly Walkers
  • Squats
  • Inverted Merkins (from BTTW position)
  • Derkins
  • More Derkins in a different spot
  • More Bulgarian Split Squats
  • Pull-ups – called up and down
  • Toes to bar – called up and down
  • Burpee Pull-ups (8 count)
    • that was “fun”
  • Pistol Squat with a poll for support
    • we only did 3 each leg, relax
  • A few wall sits in different places
  • Tibialis Raises (thanks River Rat)
    • these don’t look hard, but DANG

OYO we did deconstructed burpees towards the end. I think we hit about 15-20 before 0600

Kaiser asks for the Q to bring a scripture. Since I’ve been working on a Bible-In-One-Year plan, I recently read the beginning of Malachi. Chapter 2, Verse 3 really hit me. “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.”

How do we setup our children for failure with God?
How were we set up by our forefathers for failure?

How is the $!.^ from our celebrations rubbed back into our faces? Or are the very things we try to offer up to God as a showcase of our faithfulness sent back to us as markers of our inadequacies?

I was also really glad for the rain this morning. To think that even though we may have dung smeared on our face, God send a rain like we had this morning to wash it away. We just have to be brave enough to go outside and tolerate it.

An honor to lead. And an honor to have 4 other PAX there in the inclement gloom to share the morning with. I know for a FACT, I would not have done very much without the other men around me this morning. Instead my heart rate monitor said we torched about 700 calories.

Also wanted to share that on the pull-up bars my phone randomly began playing Juliet’s Death from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. It’s a trombone choir arrangement. Here it is for your listening pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkDK2L9mpBY Listen especially to the chord circa 30 seconds in and then the resolution around 57 seconds in. Try hanging from a pull-up bar at that moment and contemplating Malachi…..maybe it wasn’t random that my phone started playing that.

Band Camp dismissed

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Changing of the Guard

28 PAX joined in the gloom for a brisk morning at Block Party. Though the temps were in the high-40s, the wind cut and made it feel much colder. Most were ready to get started and warmed up.

Bobber led off with the disclaimer, then we moseyed to the bank parking lot and circled up for 25 SSH IC. Moseyed to the Hobo’s parking lot for:
15 IW IC
10 Windmills IC
10 Cherry Pickers IC
10 Merkins IC
10 LSS IC
Held low squat for 10 MNC IC

Bobber, fighting back tears, then let go of his beloved BlockParty and passed the shovel flag to YHC. It was quiet as a mouse, absolutely no chatter was mumbled. So we did 5 burpees OYO to get back into it. 

The Thang
I explained to the PAX that I started F3 on a Monday at STL, where Pusher (in attendance) led a great workout, and I was encouraged enough to return the next day. The next day happened to be BlockParty, with CakeBoss on Q. It was a brutal morning, full of pain, so I thought we would do it again. 

3 lanes of bear crawls
5 burpees to exit the low side of the parking lot onto Main Street
Run up Main Street, back to the parking lot entrance on Clebourne Street.
5 burpees to enter the parking lot.
Plank for the 6.
This circuit continued, but the lanes changed to:
3 lanes Burpee Broad Jumps (a whole lot of mumblechatter and requests for a suggestion box)
3 lanes Duck Walk
3 lanes Toy Soldiers

Jogged back to Cot for 3 minutes of Mary.

Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Prayers & Praises. 

Thanks to Bobber for his leadership while Site Q, and providing the opportunity for YHC to continue the tradition at BlockParty. 

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21-Gun Salute for The Veterans

Great morning!! A little chill and NO rain!!
No FNGs. A solid group of 5 Caballeros!! Disclaimer was disclaimed.  Off we went.

Rain around the parking lot for warmup. Approx 500m. Circled up for warmups. 15-25 each of the following:
* SSH
* Windmill
* MNCs
* Produce/cherry/weed/strawberry pickers
* IWs

Then started the main event. A 21-gun salute:
* Run a loop (approx 500m) – the dang track out back was locked so we improvised, then when back at the start do….
* 21 Merkins
* 21 Hillbilly Squats – go down to a LSS, then on the way up transition to a hillybilly walker.
* 21 LBCs
* 21 MCs (2 ct)
* 21 American hammers (2 ct)
* Rinse and repeat

There were a few injured PAX present so most walked the lap, myself and Kielbasa ran it all and got in at least 5 rounds. The others got in 3 rounds plus extra exercises. Wonderful mumblechatter with this group! It’s been a while since I’ve seen my homie Kielbasa so it was great catching up and hearing about how his life has been.

Back to the COT.

Announcements: A LOT of opportunities to get involved. Read the newsletter and be intentional!

Prayers for health and healing for many; for Drop’s friend Kevin who is a veteran dealing with demons and struggles; for Keilbasa’s wife (praise) for all her work and help while they move into the next chapter of his business life; for all our veterans; for JD’s 2.0’s dealing with teen angst; for NASA’s wife and her health.

Special thanks to our veterans for everything. It takes a special person to sign on the dotted line and commit to the military life, not knowing what you are going to get, where you are going to go, what are you going to do, and whether or not you are going to come out of it alive – all to help liberate the oppressed, provide for those who cannot provide for themselves, defeat evil and tyranny, and help foster freedom in its many forms. They are doing these things all while not really knowing who they are doing it for, other than it is someone in need. It is the ultimate action or display of putting others ahead of yourself, living 3rd, and not expecting anything in return. Many cannot do this to the magnitude done by military members, as well as first responders. I have a 13 year old son who, if he has his way, will become a USMC soldier one day (it’s about 5-9 years away, pending if he goes to college). As a father this makes me as scared as it makes me proud, but when someone is so strongly driven by those deep beliefs, you are doing the world a disfavor by being selfish and trying to hold them back. When you see that in people, it is God in them shining through. God bless them all.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead. God bless.
– NASA

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