Clear & Crisp P200 Tune Up

What a great morning to get out in The Fort for a little jog around Wally World. Attendance is strong lately with all of the P200 training and the handful of (almost) only running PAX. There’s a pace and a buddy for everyone when the crowd is this size for a running workout.

The Thang:

Wally World – A Flight Plan original wrapping around a shopping mecca and the back road for two of Fort Mills finest learning institutions. All kinds of opportunities to modify distance and incline. So if you were well rested, take that Dave Gibson Hill. If you had too much for St. Patty’s day, easy out and back to WW entrance. It was a glorious morning to be reminded how lucky we are to have our brotherhood and inhale that late winter frosty air.

COT/Announcements

Jekyll took the lead at COT. Reminding us to support our brother Olive and The Christina Latini Memorial 8K on March 30th. Sign ups right now are lower than last year. Let’s get the word out not just to the PAX but to everyone we know. Olive has taken the worst of situations and grown it into a lasting tribute. Something that he has made easy for us to be a part of. He’s done all the heavy lifting and we can claim a little bit of pride simply by doing something we already do, run a little bit. If you can’t make the actual run in Huntersville or the virtual one set up by Change Order at Alcatraz, then still donate. You will be smiling all day after you do (Christina Latini Memorial 8K) Thanks for the reminder Jekyll

Paryers:

Lift up Funhouse’s brother Scott . He’s going through major life changes today; new home for himself as he starts the painful process of a divorce. He will need the strength of Sky Q so be sure to add Scott to your prayers.

Help Hootie as he travels this week. He asks that we lift his M & kids in prayer as they work through the week while he’s gone. The life work balance is hard on everyone. Supporting each PAX with fellowship and prayer will get us through.

 

NMM:

A COT this large can be tough for me. I don’t hear well (Funhouse & Pusher excepted) and can’t wear my hearing aids while running. The sweat makes them shut down. I miss a lot of the jokes and camaraderie that goes on. But the energy that comes from the circle is real. Just like the workout, it doesn’t matter if you’re wide awake or struggled just to make it back, there’s something in there for everyone. Take these jokes, causes, praises and prayers to heart. Think about them as you go through your day. Give them the extra prayer they need or the smile/laugh to yourself they bring to your soul.  And know there’s more waiting for you tomorrow when you need it all over again.

Boeheim

Aye!

 

 

 

 

 

TClap |
4

Light Pole Circuits & POW POW @ The Ballroom

***Cobains now for the 2 PAX that I missed.   You weren’t in the video and my memory “ain’t what is used to be”.

Weather was near perfect for a “Pearls on a String”- inspired workout.  Dropped the disclaimer, checked for FNGs and we were off.

Circle Up for 10 of each :

SSH

Squats

Windmill

Stretches:

Downward Dog  to Honeymooner  x 3

Runner’s Pose

Warrior Pose

Grass Grabber/Cherry Picker (neither of which are in the F3 exercises, so I am sure this is officially called something else)

Imperial Walker

Mosey to side of the school.

Rotate 20 dips / Wall Sit  – Rinse & Repeat

Run out to end of bridge and back

Stretching with :

Cat Pose (which cracked Spitz up, Big Time! Nice of him and Lug Nut to join us ! )

Hip Stretches

Mosey to light pole closest to Pleasant Rd. , Start exercises there and run to next light. As a PAX, 20 reps each, various PAX leading the count

Merkins

Slow Squat (although I think it was led at a fast pace)

American Hammer

Shoulder Tap

Lunge

Grave Diggers

Wide Arm Merkins

Calf Raises (Kenyan nearly counted us to 50 on this one!)

Flutters

Monkey Humpers

Overhead Claps

Moroccan Night Clubs

Turn around and head back down the string of lights

OH Claps

Monkey Humpers

Flutters

Calf Raises (Seriously, we had to call off Kenyan on this one. I think he was going to 100!!!   Pretty cool that we had a semi-BOM group on this one)

Wide Arm Merkins

Grave Diggers

Several exercises for 5 minutes of Mary and we ended with Airborne’s brutal hip circuit, led and strongly advocated for by Change Order!

 

I asked the PAX to take a look at themselves and determine where they could GROW (theme of the month), relative to one of the three F’s.  Also cautioned them (& myself) against tending to one of the F’s too much, this neglecting the other 2.

Ended in COT, with multiple praise & prayers. Thank you, Short Sale for the opportunity. Always humbled to lead such a group of strong leaders. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t forget, GIVE IT AWAY. Someone else needs it as much – or WORSE – than you did!

 

SYITG –

Beacon

 

TClap |
3

Footloose: Fancy Free and Moderate

23 PAX gathered in the foggy gloom (24 at COT with Polaroid joining in after he hit his miles)

Started out with a VERY clear and complete disclaimer. See the full version at: Disclaimer

Mosey towards the Church of God parking lot. Sugar Bug fell about 30 yards in…..good thing the disclaimer was so thorough. Also good thing he popped right up and continued on. Went serpentine on the COG stairs to get the PAX all back in one place after the mosey spread us out.

Warm up:
SSH x10
Merkin x10
Held Plank
forced Bomb Jacks (TWSS – Kielbasa)
Mountain Climber (slow count) x10
Held Plank
more forced Bomb Jacks (TWSS – Kielbasa)
SSH x10
IW x10
HW x10
Spiderman Merkins x10
Hip Flexer stretch (Lizard Pose)
Al Gore
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x10
Hooneymooner–>Downdog combination

Thang:
Partner up: Dora
100 merkins
200 squats
300 flutters

Mosey to giant wall
Wall Sit while PAX performed 5 burpees down the line

Message synopsis:
What is Moderate? What do you moderate?

Mosey back to FBC
Line up on a parking lot island:
Mike Tyson x10 –> bear crawl across to adjacent island
Rinse and Repeat

Lined up for called Lunges and Squats
Right Leg Lunge x5
Left Leg Lunge x5
Squats x5
Hold Squat w/ calf raise x5
Finished with Pigeon Lunge

NMM:

It’s an honor to lead. Lots of respectable PAX out there today. These men working on getting better in their 50s and beyond are an inspiration. They push YHC to want to be better.

Announcements:
Welcome FNG: Hardwood
Convergence: Baxter Harris Teeter 3/8
Joe Davis Run 3/9
Operation Sweet Tooth 3/30

Band Camp Dismissed

TClap |
3

Leg Day at the Ballroom

It was definitely a blessing to Q on one of the two clear days this February.  12 HIM were gathered in the gloom knowing only that they were destined for some leg pain. After a quick disclaimer and a cursory check for FNGs we started in on the fun.

Warm up

Stage one

Quickly circled up for some
SSH x20
Low Sloooow Squat x10
Tappy Taps x10

Stage two

A quick mosey over to the south parking lot and another circle
Single leg stretch x4 (one foot planted with knee bent and six near the earth, the other straight out to the side with toes up, hold and keep the six down when transferring to the opposite foot)
Windmill x10
Imperial Walker x20
Ray Finkles (straight leg kicks) x10 each leg

Stage three

Another mosey around the east side and stopping by the bridge for a third circle
Moroccan Night Clubs x20
Monkey Humpers x10 (4 count)
Little Baby Arm Circles x10 forward and reverse (4 counts)
Monkey Squats x10 (4 count)

The monkey squats produced some noises not often heard at a moderate workout, good thing it was just the one set.

The Thang

We moseyed over the bridge to the football field and, to my dismay, they had it chained up on the south end. We continued our mosey up the north end with the hope that my plans wouldn’t be foiled. When we got there, our mosey was fruitful and we lined up at the 0 yard line (end line? I don’t know, I don’t watch the fooseball!)

We counted off by threes for teams of 4 and I explained our new game to the PAX. We would be doing an “Indian run” style relay type workout that wasn’t really either. But without all the silly running slow. No, we don’t need all of that when we can be exercising in place!

How it works

1. At the end line, everyone would begin doing the chosen exercise for that circuit.
2. The first PAX would high tail it for the 10 yard line, stop, and engage in the exercise in place
3. The next PAX would run to the next available 10 yard mark, stop, and engage
4. Etc
5. The last PAX would then run past the PAX holding the 10 yard mark, giving him a little shoulder tap, and then proceed to the next open 10 yard mark and engage.
6. The first PAX, being on the 10, would then run past everyone, tapping the first PAX on the way, stopping at the next open 10 yard mark
7. Repeat
8. Everyone who ended up on the other end line would engage in the exercise while they wait for the remaining PAX to filter in.
9. Same thing, back to the other side.
10. 10 count and go back to #1!!!

We performed all five exercise below when my “0555” (get back to COT) alarm went off. Every stop was AMRAP
1. Al Gore (that’s right, just hold that nice, deep stance)
2. Lunges
3. Gorilla humpers (wide stance monkey humpers!)
4. Calf raises
5. Imperial Stormkickers (straight leg kicks across the body)

Back to COT

Mosey back to COT and Mary until the six was in with
Window Wipers x10

Six was in, but we had time left for about 15 seconds of leg lifts before the alarm went off

COT

We stood up and YHC shared a bit about what is on my heart when I think of the February word, “Live”. We constantly hear about the tragedy, specifically with children, when people put themselves front and center and children fall into neglect and mistreatment. Good people can, and must, pick up the slack (though “slack” is far too weak a word), but if we can demonstrate living 3rd to those around us, maybe (and I didn’t articulate this well this morning) it will begin to rub off on others.
Then shared Proverbs 11:25, which has been a focus of YHC since his formative teens, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (I replaced “water” with “refresh”, which is how I remembered it. In my mind this all ties in well enough to go on for another 8000 words, but for now, let’s live 3rd in a way that shows overt honor and virtue that is attainable.
Announcements about all the k’s people are going to be running (read your newsletter).
Asked for prayer requests and they were given. Closed with a prayer by YHC and fist bumps all around.

TClap |
3

We’ll Make It Breathable

I know Beacon had this idea in mind but as you’re reading, think about an area of your life where you can push yourself just a little bit more. Not in the sense of looking to DO more but rather, looking to BE more. This comes from pushing yourself. Push yourself to meet guys at another workout, push yourself to be present for others, push yourself to be more engaged. When you get comfortable with your routine, you coast rather than accelerate.

23 was the number at Footloose this morning and evidently, not everyone knew who was on Q. Once they learned, I was happy that nobody left. We started with 23 and we finished with 23. My ask of the PAX was this: I don’t know what you’re carrying on your mind as you roll in here at 0515 but as you’re here for the next 45mins, be HERE, be present, enjoy the guys to your left and right.

Once we were disclaimed, we took a long mosey over to and up Main Street to the Methodist Church to circle up in their parking lot.

Wind Mills

Imperial Walkers

Hillbilly Walkers

5 Burpees by special request

Squats

Moroccan Night Clubs

Carolina Dry Docks

5 more Burpees by special request

Mosey over to behind the Baptist Church

Switzer to explain the deal. Partner up while partners start on opposite ends of the large parking lot.

Each partner bear crawls to their respective 1st island then run to meet their partner in the “middle” of the lot. 20 Single count merkins, run back to that previously-mentioned island and crawl bear back to your starting point. Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

Rd 2 was crab walk to that island, then run to meet the partner, 20 Wide Arm Merkins, run back to the island and walk crab back to your starting point. Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

Mosey back to our starting parking lot for a little plank work.

20 Mountain Climbers

10 Peter Parkers

10 Donkey Kicks

10 Parker Peters

2min plank hold

2min Al Gore

1min Burpees

Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

1min Side Straddle Hops

7min of Mary

WWII Sit-Ups

Flutter Kicks

Freddy Mercury

Heels to Heaven

Protractor

Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

And that was it…well done.

Announcements:

  1. Mini-convergence at Slow Burn tomorrow to pray for and send Wegmans off on his F3 mission trip to Peru. (Broga will be at 0500 at Slow Burn AO)
  2. Engage in the running training plan that Anchorman and Barry Manilow are leading guys through
  3. Read your newsletter b/c I forgot the remainder.

Prayers:

PRAY

 

Until next time.

Maximus

TClap |
5

Always Play the Hits at Footloose

18 at Footloose on a cool morning.
Welcome, intro, disclaimer, lets go
Mosey down the hill to the lot across from FM Church of God

Dynamic warm up back and forth across the lot, exercise 1/2 way, jog it out to the other end; butt kickers, high knees, toy soldiers, squat walkers, windmill walkers, soccer knees out, backwards run, powerskip, bear crawl, crawl bear, 50%, 50%, 75%, 75%, 100%, 100%

Jonah Hill (3 broad jumps, 3 merkins, 7 times)

Suicides across the lot, LSSx10x3, CDDx10x2, BB situpsx10x1
Suicides across the lot, Imp Walkerx10x3, Merkinsx10x2, LBCsx20x1

Circle up for the GREATEST HITS
Mahktar N’Diayes x 10
Matt Foley (1 x animated squat, 4 x Dying Cockroach, 2-8, 3-12)
Travoltas x 10
Monkey Humpers x 10
Shoulder Taps x 10
OH Claps x 49

Split the group, 1/2 snake the church stairs, 1/2 do the exercise, flip flop x 3
inchworm merkin squat jumps (that’s one thing)
merkin clock
bombjacks

Mosey back to First Baptist lot, Dynamic cool down, squat walkers, soccer knees out
Final exercise: SSH x 10

Thank you Beacon for the opportunity to lead

Looks like we made it,

Barry Manilow

TClap |
4

Slow Burn – Wingin It – November 30, 2018

My man Dark Helmet came down with a cold Thursday afternoon. I took the Q and rolled with it. I came into the morning with only a small idea of what I was going to do. I decided to piece together work outs that I had enjoyed from other Qs. It turned out to be more than moderate and we all (9) ended up having a great workout.

We started with a mosey down to the parking lot near En Chiladas for a warm up.
Moroccan Nightclub
LBCs
The Wind Mill
Side Straddle Hop
Merkins
Emperial Walker

We stayed where we were and paired up. While one man did LBCs, the other bear crawled to the other end of the parking space where he did 5 bomb jacks. Then he broad jumped back to the beginning. Then the partner did the same thing while he did the LBCs. We did 2 rounds of that. Then we switched the routine to one man doing merkins while the other lunged to the other end of the parking space, did 5 bomb jacks, and lunged back. We did two rounds of this.

Then we did a short mosey over to the side parking lot where we paired up and ran a 40 yard dash. I challenged everyone to try to outrun their partner. We did this 4 times. At the end of this, everyone was pretty winded. We stayed in the area and circled back up to work on our abs. We did the following exercises.
American Hammer
The Flutter
Hello Dolly
Rosalita
Box Cutters

From there we walked over to the wall where we did 25 calve raises (double count). This was inspired by Kenyan (Pow Pow Pow).

We moseyed to the parking lot in from of Empire Pizza where we did a special type of suicides.

We ran to the first parking spot and did 10 merkins single count and then ran back
We ran back to the first space and repeated the 10 merkins, then to the next spot where we did 5 burpees. Then we ran back.
Then we repeated the first two exercises on our way to the 3rd spot to do 5 bomb jacks, then back.
The final round had us stop to do each exercise on our way to the last spot where we did 10 low slow squats and ran back to the beginning.

The final round of exercises had us run 4 times all the way to the last spot where we did each of the 4 previous exercises and ran back (one exercise, run back, and on to the next one, etc.)

Afterwards, we all moseyed back to the COT.

TClap |
0

Santa’s Trip Around The World

It was a cold one at the Abyss on Wednesday.  Sub-freezing temps at COT as everyone slowly made it out of their warm vehicles before starting.

Nice-long mosey to get the blood flowing and the body warm… again… sub-freezing temps.

Warm-O-Rama:

SSH, Windmill, Hillbilly Walker, Peter Parker, Mountain Climbers, Honeymooner/Downward Dog

The Thang:

Take the 4 corners concept and make it into 7 to represent the different continents of Earth.  In the center is the North Pole. Partner up.

One partner runs to one of the locations while the other stays in the center (North Pole) and chooses an exercise (AMRAP) until the partner returns.  When the partner returns, they switch places.  Repeat this until all places have been visited twice (2 different exercises at each place).

What made this fun for me was choosing exercises that were loosely connected/related to each continent/location.

EUROPE- Visit 1- Freddie Mercury x 30 and Visit 2- Ski Jumps x 30

ASIA- Visit 1- Sumo Squat x 30 and Visit 2- Bear Crawl (to cone)/Crawl Bear (back)

AFRICA- Visit 1- Diamond Merkin x 25 and Visit 2- Moroccan Night Club x 30

ANTARTICA- Visit 1- Seal Jack x 30 and Visit 2- Imperial Walker x 20

AUSTRALIA-Visit 1- Peter Parker x 25 and Visit 2- Spiderman Crawl(Cone & Back)

NORTH AMERICA-Visit 1- Carolina Dry Docks x 40 and Visit 2- Crabcakes x 20

SOUTH AMERICA-Visit 1- Mountain Climbers x 30 and Visit 2- Monkey Humpers x 30

North Pole-: Rotate between Sleigh Stuffers (with weight, start to the side of one foot and raise above head to opposite side of body, wash/rinse/repeat), Boxcutters, SSH’s, and American Hammers

Some of us made it through the full rotation.  Some others got relatively close.  Due to it being cold, I didn’t fully go over my master plan.  PAX had a choice on how they and their partner would complete the 7 corners.  Some chose to complete an exercise, swap with partner, then return to the same location to complete the second exercise.  This was the way it was intended.  Others chose to run to a location and complete both exercises before returning.  This was also acceptable, however it did lessen the amount of running.  As long as PAX are completing exercises, does it really matter?

Circle up for COT… annoucements, prayers… and peace out!

I really enjoyed getting my first chance to Q at the Abyss.  I look forward to Q’ing again in the future… thanks Bones for the opportunity!

TClap |
2

Inspirational Morning at the Ballroom

It may have been damp at the Ballroom but that didn’t stop an inspired group of 15 Pax from enjoying the mild and moderate morning.  It went down like this.

Warm up:  Mosey to 20 SSH, 10 Windmills, Arm Circles, 10 Cherry pickers, 15 Mountain Climbers, 15 Peter Parkers, 15 Parker Peters, 20 Moroccan Nightclubs, and 20 LSS.

50 yards of each:  Toy solders, High Knees, Butt Kickers, Shuffle (each side), Backward run, Kareoke (each side), 2 Sprints.

Moseyed to back of school for 4 Wall Sits with Planks followed with 10 Merkins between Wall Sits.  Each set of Planks and Merkins were different: incline, left hand on curb, right hand on curb, and decline.

Mosey to track for 3/4 lap stopping 4 times to one of the following at each stop: 10 Donkey Kicks, 10 Lunges, 20 LSS, 10 Plank Jacks.

Mosey back to school stopping at each light pole for a Burpee (about 12) and finished with 10 Flutters, 10 Box Cutters, and 10 Reverse Box Cutters.

COT:  Lots of announcements that I can’t recall plus the Christmas party sign-up and bring kid’s band aids for the hospital.  Of course, everyone then left to vote.

Magnum

TClap |
1

Getting the Led Out

Start with a short Mosey to COP

Warm up:
SSH (IC 12x)
Windmill (IC 12x)
Imperial Walker (IC 12x)
Moroccan Nightclub (IC 12x)
Low Slow Squats (IC12x)
Merkin (IC 12x)
Peter Parker (IC 12x)
Plank stretches
Downward dog
honeymooner

Then Egyptian walk:
All PAX Line up single file
Lunge walk in cadence to the callout (left/right)
Last man in line runs to the front
Like an indian run; Rinse/repeat

Thang 1: Partner run / deck routine
Partner up
Run forward down hill
Run backkwd up the hill
First PAX gets a card from the F3 workout deck (which will be the exercise)
Second PAX gets a card (which will be the count for the above exercise)
Rinse/repeat

Then another short Mosey run:
ziggy zag
Back to a curb

Thang 2: Plank Dominoes
Plank up on the curb, PAX spaced apart
All start with left arm high
PAX #1 does 3 merkins, ends in regular plank
Continue down the line until finished
Then all right arm high and last PAX begins the 3 merkins, end in reg plank
Recover for a ten 10 count
Rinse/Repeat

Recovery walk to a wall

Thang 3: World’s Worst Lottery
All PAX wall sit
One PAX at a time picks a card (F3 workout deck) and does that exercise
All other PAX are still doing wall sits, waiting and critiquing
(Joker would mean all PAX do 10 burpees)
Recover for a ten count
Rise/repeat

Mosey run
To COT area

Six mins of Mary
Circle, each PAX calls out the ab exercise

COT
Announcements: Fast 5 coming up
Prayers:
God’s guidance for doctors and the healing of people in their care.
First responders and all law enforcement personnel.

Great PAX, lots of encouragement, glad to be part of that morning.

Fini

Led Zeppelin songs during the workout:
Rock and Roll
Good times/bad times
Dancing days
Misty mountain hop
Immigrant song
The ocean
whole lotta love
whole lotta love (by Dread Zeppelin)
Ramble on

TClap |
1