3 at the ‘G (RPG)

After our Broga/Yoga/Stretching session Q’d by Bodywash in which I was thoroughly humbled, I took the running portion for a small number of us.

We took off with a R/T down Regent Parkway, R/T Highgate, L/T Norwich, R/T onto the path to the base of the Ravenglass hill.
Sprint the hill up Albany
R/T Buttermere
R/T Ravenglass
2x
Merkins & Flutters I/C
Repeat

Make our way back to COT.

As you were.
Maximus

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Pain posting at BAOPS

Alcatraz eventually became a prison on an island in the cold waters off the Northern California coast. It was known to be difficult to escape for the inmates that called Alcatraz home. The waters surrounding it were cold and rough, much like its residents.

When Trucker took over Alcatraz, he had a vision for our own little AO on the island, well, it’s really a peninsula but just go with me here. He wanted those that posted at Alcatraz to experience their hardest (or close to their hardest) workout of the week. The idea of coasting into the weekend wasn’t exactly his cup of tea. That said, for those of us that Q Alcatraz now, we have the Trucker-created acronym, BAOPS, in our minds when planning our pain. BAOPS stands for the Best AO for Pain on Saturday. You get the idea now?

For Ruby Slippers and I on this brisk morning, we knew we had to answer the call. The planning began earlier in the week when Ruby said he was incorporating cinder blocks. That’s when I knew this would be top-shelf. Ya see, when a man named after fancy footwear says he’s bringing pain like that, it’s time for the rest of us to bring our big-boy shoes. He shared his plan with me on Friday night and I had to chuckle; it was all I could do to keep from splashing at the thought.

To kick off this adventure, Fish Sticks, Trucker, Geronimo and I decided we needed to get to the AO early for a few rounds of pull-ups which has become quite the nice addition. At 0630, we had 17 of us gathered in the parking lot to embark on this journey.  While not swimming cold, choppy waters, we did see all the cinder blocks lined up and knew we were in for something special.

Ruby took control, disclaimed us and warmed us up with Wind Mills, Tappy Taps, Burpees, SSH, Merkins, Burpees and a few other things. Who does burpees in a warm up? We then all grabbed a cinder block, made our way to the field and counted off in 4’s for the 4-corner beat down. He had set up 4 stations in the corners about 15yds apart from each other.
Station 1: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Overhead Presses
Walk to station 2 with the cinder block in the rifle carry position, overhead.
Station 2: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Bent Over Rows.
Lunge walk to station 3 while holding the cinder block.
Station 3: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Derkins w/ your feet up on the block.
Walk to station 4 with the cinder block in the rifle carry position, overhead.
Station 4: 10 Man Makers, 20 Cinder Block Swings, 30 Curls
Lunge walk back to station 1 while holding the cinder block.

We continued on this circuit until our never-ending 30mins had expired. It felt like 30 days and holy smokes, the collective groan from the PAX almost woke the neighbors. We were all on the struggle bus after this and guess what, we were only 1/2 way through this wonderful nonsense.

Gee, THANKS TRUCKER!!! Now we’ll hand off to Maximus for what was intended to be the tour de hills of our lovely AO. Once I told the PAX about the 3 hills we were to be visiting, you could hear it again. That collective groan, yeah, it voiced itself again. Anywho….

Mosey to Hill 1 at the front of the neighborhood by the Fire Station:
Run down without busting your tail for 5 burpees and 10 Flutters I/C
Run up the hill for 2 squat burpees and 10 Flutters I/C
Complete this 4 times

Mosey to the next hill, Hill 2 down by the circle:
Run down the hill for (5) 8ct burpees and 10 Freddy Mercury’s
Run up the hill for (2) 8ct burpees and 10 Freddy Mercury’s
Complete this 3 times

C’MON MAN!!!! REALLY???? Did our time really expire before we can complete Hill 3? Yes, yes indeed. Fortunately, we got back to the AO in time do complete a few rounds of Mary.

Aaaannnndddd, there you have it. BAOPS lives on!!!

Announcements: FM Study Hall volunteers needed. D2DB reminder. Do yourself and your concentrica a favor by engaging in everything F3 has to offer. Spiderman cemented this by a call to action for the PAX to GET IN A SHIELDLOCK. There were more announcements but I apologize, my stenographer failed to show.

Prayers/Praises: Some serious things on the hearts of our PAX and if you want to know what they are, you should’ve posted. Praise for our boy, Skipper, now 1wk into this new chapter of his life with us in F3. Welcome.

Until we SYITG,
Ruby Slippers & Maximus

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Broke loose at Footloose

Footloose = Hill options. You don’t think so? I disagree.
28 degrees on this crisp Thursday morning in our once Mill town for 9 of us to converge at Footiest of all Looses…yeah, it doesn’t work well for this one. Anyways

Disclaimer and look we even have Crop Duster with us…yeah, he’s definitely lost.

Run to Minnow Pond AO
SSH / Butt Kickers

5 Burpees & 10 Merkins

Run up the hill to the parking lot on the right.
15 Squats & 20 Peter Parkers

Run down the hill and back up
25 Merkins & 30 LBCs

Run down the hill and over to the FM COG lot (the really nice lot)
25 Bobby Hurley’s / 20 Flutters I/C

Run up the adjacent hill and back down
15 Mountain Climbers I/C & 10 CDD I/C

Run up the adjacent hill and back down
5 Burpees

To the lot across the street, the other really nice one, for a ladder of sorts
1 Squat Jump on one end and 5 Burpees on the other with running in between
2 Squat Jumps & 4 Burpees
3 Squat Jumps & 3 Burpees
4 Squat Jumps & 2 Burpees
5 Squat Jumps & 1 Burpee

Back to COT

Thank You for entertaining me.
SYITG
Maximus

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Pyramid attempt at Fire Ant

On Christmas Eve, Divac introduced us to the way he was going to run The Fire Ant AO now that he is in charge. And guess what, it’s not for the faint of heart. That said, I had to live up to the billing.
In recent months, I’ve noticed a great way to challenge the PAX is to post the Weinke on the socials ahead of time. It also holds me accountable to planning the proper beatdown. So here goes:

Ruck 1 mile at a sub 14min/mi pace to TCES. Full disclosure, Punch List led us at a 13:37 pace…giraffe.

10 Man Makers
20 Lunges (ea leg)
30 Merkins (single ct)
40 Real Squats (you know what this means)
50 Mountain Climbers (left/right = 1)
60 LBC’s (single ct)
70 Curls
80 Peter Parkers (40 I/C) – I believe this is where the leaders ran out of time.
90 Bent Over Rows (45 I/C) – I was really looking forward to these!
100 Flutters w/ Press (50 I/C) – Surprise, Surprise. I was really, really looking forward to these.

Ruck 1 mile back to the Start Ex at a sub 14min/mi pace. We made it about .25mi and I abruptly stopped everyone for a Switzer. The new instructions were to Jail Break back to the Start Ex to complete as many Flutters/Press as you can until 0600. The leaders arrived at a 10:05 pace and a heart rate that neared, “explosive.”

COT practices with the Golden Corral bootcampers.

SYITG,
Maximus

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Log PT

Disclaimer was spoken and we opened up the truck to grab some logs. These logs are pretty sizable, and range from 100-200 pounds. Two PAX per log.

Move the logs to the grass lot/field behind the church. Set logs down on one end of field. While P1 does circuit below, P2 either shoulder carries log out and back to set point or does end over end log flips. Flap Jack until each partner completes entire circuit. Not a DORA – each PAX does 20 of each movement. 

Circuit 1

20 Ruck Thrusters

20 Push ups with side ruck pulls (Ruck at your right side…do a push up and then pull your ruck to the other side with your left arm, push up, then pull it back with your right arm)

20 Ruck Burpees

Breathing intensifies…

Circuit 2

20 OH Squats

20 Squats Ruck up front

20 Ruck Swings

 

LOG PT

Partner up by height to make the log carry more… fair.

5 Ground to Shoulder each side

10 OH press w/log (alternating shoulders)

10 big boy sit ups w/log

10 log press while on back

Carry/Ruck logs back to COT… toss them into the truck.

Last Minute Mary

25 4 ct flutters w/ruck press

11 4 ct Dollies w/ruck pressed

5 big boy sit ups w/ruck on front

 

COT. Nice work, men.

Announcements

Dam to Damn Bar is almost full!

F3 10 Year Convergence taking place

1/1/2021 where it all began.

Prayers/Praises

Prayers for marriages. This past year has been good and bad with regard to time spent with spouses. Pray we take advantage of those added moments with our wives.

Prayers for my mother in law who is down and out with arthritis and sciatica.

 

Thanks to Divac for letting YHC pick up the Substi-Q from Spiderman at the last minute.

Punch List out.

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The 700 Club Returns

This morning we reminisced on an oldie but goodie brought to us by Cheddah two short years ago. The fabled 700 Club isn’t what you think it is, and golly it hurts.

The PAX showed up one by one and two by two as YHC greeted each. The question of the morning was: have you done a GORUCK event? If so, what events? For the two with the least experience, today they learned a few things. Two Ferns and Dinghy were chosen as the Team Leader (TL) and Assistant Team Leader (ATL).

We rucked/shuffled to our destination in the Home Depot lot, and the weinke was laid out. The TL and ATL were to lead the PAX in completing 7 exercises at 100 repetitions each, in any manner they pleased. If counts were mixed up or time ran out before finishing, a penalty was due.

The seven movements were:

Hand Release Ruck Merkins

Ruck Squats

Ruck Curls

Ruck Swings

4-Count Flutters w/Press

Big Boy Sit Ups

Overhead Ruck Press

Two Ferns and Dinghy got us to working, and somehow we had finished 100 squats before doing half of the other movements. The veterans jumped in to help the TL and ATL get better, and it was a solid showing of how a team can execute a goal during a GORUCK event. We finished all except for 25 Flutters and 40 Hand Release Merkins before time ran out.

As a result of the lack of completion, strap privileges for the rucks were taken away for the ruck back to COT. At about the halfway point the rucks were to be held overhead. That wasn’t pleasant.

 

In all, the PAX did work and everybody learned a thing or two about leading a team. Solid work, men.

 

Punch List out.

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OTB #1 with Rucks & Sand bags

Physically, we put in the work. Due to the suck we endured together, like hearing each other struggle through the sand bag evolutions, and other things you can read about below, there is a little bit tighter of a bond. Hard stuff builds the bond and on this Thursday morning, it was time to build.

After the planning committee did their work, we rolled into the AO with the following 60min throwdown:

Rucks consisting of the standard weight
60lb & 80lb sand bags

1mi run (slick)

To the field which was about 55yds, side to side:
MAN-MAKER BRUTALITY:
It didn’t take long but this is where we realized this would be no mailed-in workout.
With rucks on, grab a sand bag. Throw the sand bag several times until you get about 5-7yds out (about 2 throws) then do a man-maker with your sand bag (mind you, you’re ruck is still on your back). As you stopped to do your man-makers, you added 1 more every time.

25 Flutters w/ Ruck Press I/C

For the return trip, it’d be a sand bag toss (with your ruck on) then when you get overtop the bag, execute (1) 8ct Body Builder.

Run across the field and back (slick)

25 Flutters w/ Ruck Press I/C

Ruck on – bear crawl to the other end however this time, you’re dragging the sand bag, too.

25 Flutters w/ Ruck Press I/C

Ruck on – crawl bear back to the other end, however this time, you’re pulling the sand bag, too.

Run across the field and back (slick)

Finish with a 1mi run (slick)

It was challenging but it was necessary.

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Returning to the dance floor

Yeah buddy, it’s back on at the Ballroom as I had the opportunity to Q the 9 of us this morning. The weather was right and the campus was well lit; another perfect morning.

Hot Cakes rolled in with an FNG, welcome “Cubbie” to the brotherhood. The rest of us welcomed Destiny back  to the gloom and proceeded to listen to him complain, or at least talk about his skill to do as much. It’s all in love. We moved on to the disclaimer…check.

Mosey behind PKMS to the drop off loop and circle up:
SSH, Merkins, Squats, Windmills, Moroccan Night Clubs

Partner up for DORA while one partner would run to the bridge and back:
100 Merkins
200 Mountain Climbers (single count)
300 LBCs

Back in a circle:
60 second plank then Shoulder Taps I/C
60 second Al Gore with Overhead Claps then Squats I/C
60 second 6″ leg holds then Flutter Kicks I/C

Nur the drop off loop followed by a run of the same loop.

Mosey to the other side of the bridge.
Peter Parkers / Grave Diggers / Dips / Grave Diggers

Indian Run back to COT but we did Butt Kickers as we jogged.
A few PAX-led ab exercises upon arrival to COT.

Drop Thrill – Thanks bud.
Cubbie – Welcome.

SYITG
Maximus

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Know before you show…

Tuesday’s are a treat here in The Fort so why should Tuesday, November 24 be any different? In an effort to ensure the PAX got their money’s worth, I decided to post the Weinke on Slack ahead of time. This gave them the choice of whether or not they wanted to make a run at it. That said, 14 PAX joined me at the Colosseum to give it a run.

Warm-up run around the drop off lanes for both schools, taking us back to the basketball hoops.
50ea I/C: SSH, Merkins (harder to actually do this than write this), Flutters

Line it up for sprints down/back: 50%, 75%, AYG

Mosey to the 1/2 wall: 25 Muscle Ups, 25 Mike Tysons, 15 get over the wall

Mosey to the back bus road. Nur up the road to the top. Run down but stop at each light pole for 10 Hand-Release Merkins, 20 Jump Squats, 30 Freddy Mercury’s (count how you wish since I tend to change my mind)

More was on the Weinke so it’ll have to wait for another day.

Loads of prayer requests and praises to be grateful for. Safe travels and for those not traveling, see you at the Convergence, Thursday at the Ranch.

Maximus

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From the ground to the hills of Alcatraz

BAOPS: Best AO For Pain on Saturday

That’s what has been established in recent months at Alcatraz as Trucker has pushed the Q’s to bring it just a little bit harder when their number is called. So, for Lil E and I, we worked to ensure consistency this beautiful Fall morning. Between, the story of hitting a deer on the way to the AO and the lingering hamstring soreness and name-calling, we had the makings of a good time in store.

With Lil E up first, he disclaimed and proceeded to Q us through an extended warm up consisting of:
Warm up lap around Runde Park
SSH x 30
Imperial Walkers x 20
Windmills x 10
Merkins x 10
Squats x 15
Mountain Climbers x 10
Monkey Humpers x 10
Morrocan Night Clubs x 20
Overhead Claps x 20
Peter Parkers x 10
Parker Peters x 10

And this is where our tough-guy computer hands got some focus:
Bear crawl the length of the parking lot on the most hand-friendly blacktop this side of a gravel road. Fortunately for our hands, we got a break at four stops along the way to encourage the mitts even more with 10 merkins at each stop.

Oh, you want more attention paid to your baby soft skin? Great. Line it back up at the start but now, you’ll crab walk the length of the parking lot with 15 LBCs at each of the four stops.

But wait, there’s more. Next, we got to (get to, not have to) lunge walk the length of the parking lot with 15 squats at each of the four stops.

Lastly, a reminder of how lonely our hands got during the lunge/squat round, we then did the ol’ Burpee Broad Jump down the parking lot…no stops, just straight on through. Oh, joy!!

Hand off to Maximus who had a bit of an axe to grind.

You see, I take the Q responsibilities as a unique obligation/opportunity to ensure the PAX feel the workout was worth their time. After all, if we’re waking up early to be with our brothers, it needs to be worth it. I never want to give the PAX the feeling of leaving a post and not getting a good workout in. If you feel that you weren’t completely challenged, at least physically, then I didn’t fulfill my role that morning. I know we can all modify as needed, to achieve more, but it helps when the Q brings it.

So what does that have to do with today. I feel I failed the PAX at my most recent Q, earlier this week. It looked like a challenge on paper but at the conclusion, I had a feeling like the PAX didn’t get their “money’s worth.” So today, I was committed to right the ship and the 7 of us at Alcatraz  enjoyed it after Lil E’s first half shenanigans.

Take to the hill on the backside of the park and do 1 lap down then back up to get familiar with our track.

Run down to the bottom of the hill, 20 V-Ups & 10 Burpees (while dodging Bambi(s).
Run back to the top of the hill, 20 Box Cutters & 10 Hand-Release Merkins into a Jump Squat. This is like a Burpee broken into 2 parts.
Repeat this 3 more times for a total of 4 rounds.

Mosey over to the pull-up bar and each PAX completed 5 pull-ups. While you were waiting, you rested by doing Merkins.

Hopefully I made up for my past transgressions. Thanks for sharing your morning with Lil E and I.

Major Announcements:

  1. Thanksgiving convergence with the details in the Newsletter or right here: 0630 at the Ranch on Thanksgiving morning. That’s it!!
  2. Bonsai is coordinating an Advent Calendar Food Drive and the collections will be taken at our Christmas Eve Convergence!!
  3. Christmas Party

SYITG,
Lil E & Maximus

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