Tag: Mainframe

The Ruck Taper That Wasn’t…Here at the Fire Ant

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Oh, you didn’t tote a ruck and join us at the Fire Ant this morning? But, you know how to read. Lucky you; you’ll feel as if you joined us in this perfect gloom. Well, aside from smoked shoulders, jail-breaks, curls, squats, lunges, weird-shaped circles, flutters and joyful times of getting yelled at. That’s basically the entire Weinke right there.

But for you more literary types, I’ll humor you just this time. 17 of The Fort’s finest Ruckers converged on the now guaranteed-to-please Fire Ant and we even had a non-typical out there which is always welcome. If you’re not a Rucker yet you’re still reading this, I owe you one. In addition, I highly encourage you reach out to Spiderman or DaVinci (Ruck Q’s) and see if they can wrangle an extra ruck for you to join us out there one morning. It’s a great time of fellowship and you’ll even learn a little more about your limits. Here’s a hint, you can take more than you think.

So the disclaimer was disclaimed, we fell in 2×2 and took it over to circle up around the flags. This next part was a bit of a mind game. While routine is something we all enjoy and can keep ourselves in check with, when it comes to a workout, it doesn’t always have the same benefit. We had fit, strong PAX out there this morning so I tried something slightly different and broke our typical 5min routine. We started off with 31 squats (with ruck) then 32-4ct flutters with ruck press.

Fall back in line for a 20yd 2×2 to our next stop. Rucks overhead 2×2 to the end of the drop-off lane…yup, that sucked too. Make a hard right, rucks on and lunge walk 1/2 way to the back. About face and reverse lunge walk the rest of the way to the back lane. Rucks overhead and 2×2 about 40yds down the back lane. Drop the rucks for an all-out jail break to the end of the lane (nearly 60yds). Catch your breath and jail break back to your ruck. Guess what was next…rucks overhead 2×2 back to the start of the lane.

5 Man-Makers & 10 Hand-Release Merkins

2×2 over to the bottom of the tiered stadium hill

Bear crawls up the hill in between the levels.

Level 1: 20 full Mak Tar Jai’s (yup, suck-fest)

Level 2: 20 Peter Parkers

Level 3: 20 Parker Peters

What goes up, must come down. We’ll now reverse bear crawl in between the levels.

Level 3: 20 Upright rows

Level 2: 20 Curls

Level 1: 20 Bent over rows

Rucks on 2×2 back to the drop-off lane.

Squats around the world. In a circle, PAX hold the Al Gore and each man does 1 full squat  going around the circle. We did 7 total rounds.

Same idea but this time with a shoulder press. Hold ruck up overhead and do 1 full press when it’s your turn. We did 7 total rounds.

Same idea now with ruck curls. Guess how many rounds we did…7.

3-tier suicides with 5 ruck thrusters each time you come back to the start.

A high number of SEAL-team situps with awkwardly positioned rucks.

And that was it.

So much for the taper…

Announcements: Read the newsletter, keep collecting band-aids and support the Paradise Reading Center Monday/Wednesday 4pm.

Prayers: Double-Down in Louisville, PAX doing the GRT in Wilmington this weekend, PAX running Kiawah this weekend. Family relationships this Holiday season. It’s not always easy but help us to stay focused on opportunities to share grace and love. Sick kids, sick M’s, our teachers and education leaders, and several others I’m missing.

Until next time.

Maximus

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Constantly Moving Through The Swamp

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It is always a pleasure to get the “call” to the lead the PAX  and this opportunity didn’t disappoint.  The Swamp is my “home” Friday AO so I was well aware of all the nooks and crannies it had to offer.

After a separating ourselves from the droves of men with backpacks (12 of them) I gave the usual disclaimer explaining that these men were there at their own risk and that the only thing I could promise is that they would return “stronger” than they set out.  I also explained that we would be “moving” the entire time so ‘buckle up’ and enjoy the tour.

Quick 3/4 mile mosey around Home Depot to the Khol’s parking lot.  Along the way we did some active stretching including butt kickers and high knees.  Warm up included several exercises to warm the muscles up such as:

  • Windmill
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Potato Pickers
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Right/Left leg over opposite leg with body twist (on our 6)
  • Downward Dog
  • Honeymooner
  • Side Straddle Hops

Quick mosey 100 yards —- 50 Slow Low Squats

Bear Crawl 50 yards

25 yard mosey

Merkins:

  • 30 Regular
  • 20 Wide Arm
  • 15 Ranger
  • 10 Diamond

Crawl Bear 50 yards

Mosey to Verizon: 50 Moroccan Night Club (Jedi wasn’t amused)

Mosey to “alley” behind Home Depot:

Wall sits while one PAX goes out and does 10 Berpees

Lunge Walking (down alleyway)

  • Varying steps (3-10) then exercise:
  • Merkins
  • Squat Jumps
  • Burpees
  • 10 Squat Jumps (to cap it off)

Mosey toward COT

Halfway stop for 10 more Burpees

Almost there……but first one last Suicide to really gas ourselves.

We finished strong and as I promised every man came back to COT stronger than he had left.  We reconnected with our backpack brothers and lifted some prayers and praises up.  In total 19 men got better (12 Ruckers and 7 Bootcampers)

Bones

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Chest Day @ The Ranch – 11/29/18

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13 #HIM joined YHC at the Ranch for Chest Day. Welcome Greenspan (nomad from Winston Salem).

Mosey to the big concrete circle.

WARMUP

  • 30 side straddle hops
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • 8 4-count forward arm circles, 8 4-count backward arm circles
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • 20 seal jacks
  • 5 burpees OYO

THE THANG

Start at the top of the circle at the first of 5 speed bumps. Run around the circle, completing the indicated chest exercise at each speed bump. Do 10 incline merkins and 10 decline merkins on the benches at the top of the circle after each round. LBCs while we wait for the 6.

Exercises for each speed bump:

  • Round 1 – 10 hand release merkins (50 total)
    • 10 incline / 10 decline
  • Round 2 – 10 diamond merkins (50 total)
    • 10 incline / 10 decline
  • Round 3 – 5 burpees (25 total)
    • 10 incline / 10 decline
  • Round 4 – 10 wide arm merkins (50 total)
    • 10 incline / 10 decline
  • Round 5 – 15 dips (75 total)
    • 10 incline / 10 decline

= 350 total chest reps

Mosey back to COT for one last exercise

Captain Thors to 7 x 28

COT

  • Announcements
    • Christmas Party
    • Skate or Die to Q The Fort
    • Mainframe to Q Alcatraz
    • Help Badgers family on Saturday
  • Prayers
    • Badgers family
  • Words on Anxiety based on a sermon at Fort Mill – put trust in God

Thanks to Jiffy for the opportunity to lead

– Ginsu

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700 Club

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14 Strong Men showed up at The Fire Ant for some Ruck Training.

In Preparation for next week’s GoRuck event in Wilmington – we completed a mission simulation with a TL (Team Lead) and ATL (Assistant Team Lead)

Dirty Harry and Wegmans  voluntold the roles as they are training for their first GoRuck events.

The mission was simple, but tough. Get the group (and several coupons) to a starting point, complete the 700 club workout, and get back in time for COT.

The Thang (700 Club):

100 reps each of seven exercises:

Hand Release Merkins

Squats

Overhead Press

Curls

Ruck Swings

Big Boys Sit Ups

Flutters (with Ruck Press)

This would require a pace of approximately one rep every three seconds with no time for rest.

The group completed the mission. With a reward of carrying Bonsai and Husky back in addition to the coupons.

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Cold Blooded at the Swamp

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So it was the coldest day of November (so far) but at least there was no rain.  A balmy 33 degrees to start the workout.  My goal was to keep the energy level high to keep the blood flowing!  Only 3 of the 15 men planned on rucking this morning, so I gave the disclaimer and the other 12 of us were off.

Mosey with a dynamic warmup to the Home Depot parking lot.

COP with IWs – Windmills – SSHs – MNCs – Mountain Climbers – CDDs – Plank Jacks – Merkins?

These days whatever keeps me moving is what I call.  I like to take Pushers guidance and change the count for each…which always gets the PAX talking! It’s almost impossible to get Jedi and Witch Hunt to stop chattering nowadays… which always adds a fun playful air to the warmup.

Enough of that stuff… moving on!  I like to find new routines in the Lexicon that we might not have done before.  I found these:

“The Dab”  (I was immediately asked why it’s called that…not idea just from the workout)

10 burpees in 1 minute

Run a quarter mile lap around the parking lot

Do this 4 times

It went pretty well…and it kept us warm unfortunately Half Shell “popped” his calf muscle… that’s not good for running! No man will be left behind so I tried to modify a little.  I’m sorry if it was not enough Half Shell…

Slow walk towards Target, but a bear crawl for good measure to keep everyone together for about 50 yards.

“Triple Check”

Teams of 3

1st PAX wall sit

2nd PAX Plank

3rd PAX run 50 yards and back.

Rotate through your team and complete this 3 times.

This took longer than expected so item #3 of the evolutions was left off and we moseyed back to COT.  With 2 minutes to spare more burpees were completed.

Namorama

Announcements & Prayers

An Honor to Lead,

Royale

 

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Keeping Warm at The Yard

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It was a rather cold morning as the PAX gathered. I was a little worried the cold temps would keep the numbers down but 8 other PAX (plus 2 shorties that might or might not had a choice) showed up ready to work. So after a short disclaimer we moseyed around back. Since it was cold I decided we do a little extended mosey with some stops for exercises. Unfortunately they were doing HVAC work on the school and we had to dodge several work trucks. So quick change of plans to get out of the traffic had us move to the back of the middle school.

Deconstructed burpee ladder: Jump squats, merkins, and thrusters between 2 light posts.

  • Start with 0, run to other post for 15 of each, then back to 1st post.
  • 5 each, run to other post for 10 of each, run back.
  • 10 each, run to other post for 5 each, run back.
  • 15 each, then sprint to other post and back.

Since we just practiced the pieces, 5 burpees OYO to make sure the PAX could put them together again.

Mosey around to the front of the middle school for pick a card. I had 2 cones with the same 10 cards at each cone but mixed up order. Pretty simple each card had an exercise for the team to do together and then another exercise for the team to do while next guy ran to get new card. PAX broke into 2 teams and it wasn’t meant to be a competition but you know how things go. Cards included various things like running laps, merkins, dips, flutters, etc but the point was to complete as a team. Both teams worked hard and basically finished at the same time.

Over to the school benches: 20 step-ups, 20 dips, 10 derkins then 10 box-jumps or step-ups, 15 dips, 10 derkins. Move down past the benches to the nice long wall. Get in people’s chair and first PAX bear-crawls to the end. Keep going until all PAX have bear-crawled. Next up is walking BTTW with PAX encouraging each other to make it as far as they could. Great encouragement and work by everyone! Finish off with a quick 10 count wall-tar-jai and times up. Back to COT.

I had to keep it kind of brief in the COT b/c several of us needed to leave to support our 2.0s at the Let Me Run 5K. It’s always encouraging to see so many fellow PAX out there running or just cheering on their 2.0s.

At the end no one was cold, even had some PAX taking some layers off. Thanks to Hasselhoff for the opportunity!

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How heavy is a Bonsai tree?

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As I was preparing for the Q at Fire Ant I was excited and had everything planned out. However apparently the one thing I didn’t plan for was my inability to set the alarm for the correct time. I woke up at 4:55 and pretty much ran out of the house with all my gear in my hands. I was able to get to the AO with a few minutes to spare, but my head wasn’t in it. It didn’t take long for the Pax to notice as I completely forgot to count in cadence for the first exercise. After a couple exercises I was able to get my head right and lead. Apologize to the Pax for my mistake. Thanks for bearing with me as I proceeded to Q. In the end I believe it was a good workout, but definitely started out rocky.

We started the workout off with a homemade litter/gurney/stretcher (whatever you want to call it). However thanks to Spider Man I decided to place 230 lbs (my weight) of sandbags on this litter because he mentioned he was able to hold all the weight of a Bonsai in one hand. 4 Pax jumped on the litter while the rest of the Pax grabbed the cinder blocks and moved around toward the back of the school.

Dropped gear and began the warmup

Warmup:
Windmill – helps when you count in cadence so the Pax know how fast to go
Merkins
LBCs – after getting poked by the Pax I figured I would make sure they rolled on the wet ground
Superman

The Thang:
Pax counted off in 4’s since we didn’t have enough blocks for everyone. Each group took an exercise and work through all 4.

Round 1:
5 man makers
10 merkins
Farmer Carry down stairs and back up
20 LBCs

Bear crawl 40 yds
Crawl bear 40 yds

Pick up litter and cinderblocks and move

Round 2:
5 man makers
10 V-ups
15 Curls
20 Shoulder pulls

Pick up gear and move (Rotate as needed)

Round 3:
5 man makers
10 – can’t remember, but it was not fun
15 Squat Thrusters
20 Ruck Swings

Arrived at COT with 1 minute remaining so we finished off with 5 more man makers

The intent of this workout was to get Pax to work on their grip strength by carrying heavy stuff with their hands. I have found that carrying items where I need to leverage grip strength is a weak point of mine. My grip tends to give out much quicker than other areas. The only way to get better at something is to continue to work on it.

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Tour around the Ranch

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Warm up:
Moseyed over to the Middle School. During the run we did high knees, butt kickers and karaoke.

SSH
Windmill
merkins
Broga for a few minutes

Then we moved over to the side of the school where we did three rounds of the following exercises.
5 Flying Squirels
bear crawl up the hill
20 LBCs
30 sec Wall Sit

Repeat 2 more times and switched out the movement up the hill to backward bear crawl and then forward crab walk.

Continued to move around the side of the school over by the football field where we ran a series of sprints (50%, 50%, 75%, 75%, 95%)

Then moved over to the playground on the backside of the elementary school
Split the pax up into 3 groups for 5 rounds

Group 1 – Pull ups
Group 2 – Swerkin Crunch – merkin and crunch on a swing
Group 3 – Run loop

Groups would start at 1 worked up to 5 adding one for each round of exercises for stations 1 and 2 and then run loop. Pax were told to stay with your group to encourage each other and to help those who may have needed the extra encouragement.

Got back to COT in time for the Airborne Specials (hip exercises)

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Lazy Dora

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12 Pax posted to Fire Ant tossed on their rucks and got a little stronger today.

With Fire Ant moving to a new location in two weeks I took the opportunity to move us 2 by 2 around the back of Harris Teeter to enjoy the wonderful aroma emitting from the dumpsters.

Rucks off for the usual warmup – SSH, Windmills, Imperial Walkers, Mountain Climbers.

The Thang

Partner Up for Lazy Dora.  Each team of two will do 100 merkins, 200 Flutters and 300 Squats.

For the merkins, partner 1 will do 10 merkins, while partner 2 planks.  Switch at 10 and Partner 2 will do 10 merkins while partner 1 planks.  Continue alternating until you reach 100.

For the flutters, partner 1 will 20 flutters (double count) while partner two will hold six inches.  Switch at 20 and partner 2 will do flutters while partner 1 holds six inches.  Continue alternating until you reach 200.

For the squats, partner 1 will do 25 squats while partner 2 does an Al Gore. Switch at 25 and partner 2 will do 25 squats while partner 1 does Al Gore.  Continue alternating until you reach 300.

Once all are complete move 2 by 2 to the parking lot in front of Bubbles and Bows and line up on the island for 7s.  Complete 6 ruck swings and bear crawl across the parking lot to other island.  Do 1 man-maker.  Lunge walk back to other island for 5 ruck swings.  Bear crawl back for 2 man-makers.  Continue this until you have gotten to 1 ruck swing and 6 man-makers.

Ended just in time for COT with Golden Corral.

Announcements

Fast 5k and F3 soccer – 10/27

Christmas Party – 12/1

Check WWL’s pre-blast for the custom ruck event coming to The Fort 5/4/2019.  Options for a Heavy, Tough, and Light.  Get signed up.

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The Fort 6 year Anniversary – Making Getting Better a Priority!

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September 29, 2012 the landscape of Fort Mill changed dramatically. Some men from north of the border grabbed the attention of a few men south of the boarder and said we may have something for you. Double D, Santini, Senator Tressel, World Wide Leader, Red Banjo, Assassin, Peach and maybe others made the commitment to come to a “workout” on that Saturday morning. It was very skeptical, but I am sure each of them will say it changed their lives.

Here we are 6 years later, meeting in the same park with more than 200 regular participants (800+ over the years) at 37 workouts across The Fort/Lake Wylie area. Thank you to those that gave it away and thank you to those that said yes!! I think it is safe to say, IT’S MORE THAN A WORKOUT!!!

Today we recognize the 6 years with 6 Qs leading a beat down in 1st F style. On September 21st, Jekyll led us in our Invergence, which reminds us of the 3rdF and that there is something bigger than ourselves. Serving, Praying and Worshiping together happened then. On this day, we are getting better physically and having some fellowship with 70 of our PAX,

Format was a rapid fire approach where each Q has 10mins to lay it on the PAX. Old Bay would keep time and blow the air horn (maybe tweet the horn??), and then the next Q jumps in.

YHC asked for FNGS, (none) and explained the plan of attack, and then the Horn Sounded

The Thang:

  • Wegmans for COP
    • Mosey down path out to grass
    • Circle up and some traditional and not so traditional exercise moves.
    • We did notice another “Boot camp” group in the gloom. T-clapps to them, however also saw 2 holding clip boards…..not F3!!
    • Horm Blows
  • Funhouse on Q
    • Mosey to the hill for Jacobs ladder
      • Burpees
      • Squats
      • Some mary to fill time
      • Horn Blows
  • Jwow on Q
    • Mosey to top of hill for partner work
    • step ups/lunge walk up and down hill
    • squat jumps/lunge walk up and down hill
    • Plank hand slap with partner
    • Horn Blow
  • Twister on Q
    • Mosey to tree line
    • Army Crawl to tree /SSHs
    • Sprint to tree/Merkins
    • Army Crawl to Tree/SSHs
    • Sprint to tree/merkins
    • 2 rounds
    • Run Path until Horm
    • Horn Blows
  • FLUX on Q
    • Mosey back to hill
    • 6s – do following 6 times
      • bear crawl up hill
      • diamond merkins
      • bear crawl back down hill
      • Some filler in there of something aweful
      • Horn Blows
  • Assassin On Q
    • Mosey to play grownd
      • Dips
      • Derkins
      • Burpees
      • multiple rounds with running around the playground until…..
      • Horn Blows

The PAX was dripping wet from rolling in grass but also from the humid beat down that just occurred. Thanks to all the Qs for bringing it and having fun out there.

I brought up to the PAX “WHY”? Why F3 versus the many other options we have even outside of fitness and self help books. Why do we get up early and why do we do CSAUPS and why do we attend 3rdF and give away our time at various community organizations???

Pockets, Spud and Assassin all shared their Why. Thank you! I’m sure there were many more that would undoubtedly impactful.

I mentioned my why was straightforward for me. I want to continue to challenge myself physically, surround myself with like minded guys heading in the same direction and reach more guys for Sky Q and HIS purpose. I feel F3 has positively impacted my life in all 3 Fs and why would I not give it away??

See you in the GLOOM!

Cake Boss

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