Mini-training day

(For the record since it’s been a while since I’ve posted a backblast, I actually wrote this the morning after the workout and sadly it took me another fully week and then a couple days to copy and paste it…at least I’m making some kind of backblast progress…)

Aren’t all days in a sense training days?

Today, 9 men gathered, 3 had miles on their minds so split off for laughs and miles but could have just been laughs and coffee as YHC wasn’t there to witness.  Regardless, 6 men set off for the unknown.  Before any setting off happened, we had ourselves a little warm-up.

Slick: 20 SSH, 10 man makers, 25 SSH, 5 man makers

With heart rates higher than 5 minutes ago, we rucked up, gathered our 3 sand bags, and headed towards the church parking lot.  Wait…we first had Mainframe and Maximus do a quick demo on how to transfer a sand bag the proper way since a majority of the crew is headed to GrowRuck Grandstrand next week.  Demo concluded and we trekked off.  At the arrival of the church, we did 2 group sand bag handoffs, somewhat successful, and started on the first pain station.

While 1 guy ran / shuffled, with ruck, around the church parking lot circle and acted as our timer, the remaining 5 did the following exercises:

  • Plank hold
  • Flutter
  • Merkins
  • Squats
  • Overhead ruck press
  • Upward row with ruck

Next, we got in a ball of man of sorts, but YHC asked the guys to close their eyes and “mix around” while all the time keeping our eyes closed.  The goal of this exercise was to play with our minds and remove our site so communication became key since vision was impaired.  During an event, it’s going to be dark and disorienting and a guy, or guys, will need to find their voice BUT, also be ready to listen.

  • Objective 1: organize ourselves by height from tallest to shortest in a single file line
  • Objective 2: organize ourselves by age (days matter) in a single file line

Objective 1 – fail by ¼-1/2 inch.  Tinsel is working out too much and has stunted his growth.  10 burpee penalty

Objective 2 – pass

In summary, communication is key, but details matter.  How much is too much communication?  Depends on the situation and if penalties are involved.

Loaded up and moved to the fire station with sand bag transfer happening and Ruck event war stories filling the early morning air!

Arrived at fire house and unloaded gear.  Next up was “jacob’s ladder” modified version.  1 end was burpees and other end was squat presses with ruck (so this was done slick).  Counting was starting at 7 for both exercises and working our way down to 1.  Finished this by 0555 with not a lot of time (underestimated distance to COT) to get back.  We did see the space shuttle walking back which filled more questions about alien invasions and why is that plane’s lights facing the wrong way, etc.

Made it back to COT where we did the normal….aside from ball of man which we may have done for those that were ok to participate.  I will tell you that it felt pretty awesome.

Thanks to Tinsel for the opportunity!

Shady

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Taste of Fort Mill

This past weekend Fort Mill hosted an annual event called The Taste of Fort Mill.  It is an awesome event where restaurants from all over Fort Mill bring tasting samples of some of their most popular dishes.  In honor of that event, we held the Taste of Fort Mill prepared the way F3 men prefer it.

Quick warm up with SSH, Merkins, Peter Parkers and Parker Peters.  Then a short Mosey to Armor Artis where my truck was parked and loaded down with the “hell pavers.”

7 stations for 7 places of greatness at or near Main St, Fort Mill:

  1. Armor Artis Brewery:  Curls “21’s” (7 halfway down, 7 all the way down and half way up, 7 full)
  2. The Improper Pig:  Overhead Press X21
  3. Hobos:  Bentover Row X21 (Run up Main Street to Pucker Butt.)
  4. Pucker Butt:  “Heartburn” Hand Release Merkins (5 wide, 5 regular, 5 diamond)  (Run down Main Street to Local Dish)
  5. Local Dish:  Jump Squats X10 & 15 Big Boy Situps  (Run to Z Bakery)
  6. Z Bakery: Burpees X10  (Run back towards Main St and through the back parking lot to the hill next to FM Animal Hospital)
  7. Towne Tavern:  Bear Crawl down the hill and Bear Crawl back up

Everyone pushed themselves with Maximus and Band Camp were WAY out front!

Prayers:

  • Prayers for the Page family
  • Prayers for a speedy recovery for Chris Weidman

Thank you very much Bobber for the opportunity to Q a great AO.  It was a lot of fun!

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Made the cut at Varsity

It was a good morning for a pyramid scheme at Varsity

Disclaimer was done
Warm up jog down around the loop at the elementary school and back to the pull-up bar area.
Warm up exercises: Wind Mills, Moroccan Night Clubs, Turkish Get Ups

Grab a pull-up bar station for the following:
10 Merkins, 5 Pull-Ups
20 Merkins, 10 Pull-Ups
30 Merkins, 15 Pull-Ups
30 Merkins, 15 Pull-Ups
20 Merkins, 10 Pull-Ups
10 Merkins, 5 Pull-Ups

Run 1/4mi on the track then pyramid #2:
10 American Hammers I/C
5 V-Ups
20 American Hammers I/C
10 V-Ups
20 American Hammers I/C
10 V-Ups
10 American Hammers I/C
5 V-Ups

Run 1/4mi on the track then report to the goal line
Bear crawl to the 50, run to the opposite goal line then back to the 50
Crawl bear to the end zone then run to the other end zone

Run 1/4mi on the track then back to the goal line
Sprint to the 25 then back to the goal line for 10 Jump Squats
Sprint to the 50 then back to the goal line for 10 Jump Squats
Sprint to the 75 then back to the goal line for 10 Jump Squats
Sprint to the opposite goal line then back to the goal line for 10 Jump Squats

Some additional ab work prior to COT.

Maximus

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Sandbags and a few tests at Currahee

Currahee (April 13, 2021)

The term Currahee, as suggested by Site Q, Divac, references a Cherokee word meaning “Stand alone together.” This is the motto of the 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division made known to most of us civilians through the HBO series, Band of Brothers. Over the last few months, Currahee has become synonymous with more difficult and become an AO where you come to be tested. With that understanding, it was now my responsibility as the Q for this morning to bring it.

Earlier in the week, I put the call out for this rendition to be a “heavy” version meaning, if you had a sandbag, bring it. Whether it was a 40lb, 120lb or a log, bring it. The PAX didn’t disappoint. This picture is before Site Q Divac dropped his 2 onto the pile.

Disclaimer for the 13 PAX: Check

Move ourselves and the coupons over to the turn in the drop-off lane.

Slick: SSH, Mountain Climbers, Windmills, 8ct Burpees, ½ the PAX sprint one way and back while the other ½ sprint the other way and back.

Explanation that during events, the Cadre’s will be yelling at you, testing you and giving you difficult time hacks to test the team. Utilizing a common test, the PAX had 10 seconds to empty their ruck of its contents. Penalty, 5 burpees. PAX then had 20 seconds to fill it back up…pass.
Do it again. 10 seconds to empty = fail, penalty. 15 seconds to fill = fail, penalty.

Ruck up and move all sandbags to the back of the school, drop in the center of the group.

10 Merkins / 20 Peter Parkers / 30 Slow Squats

Sandbags to the front of the school

10 Merkins / 20 Curls / 30 Flutters w/ Press

10 seconds to empty the ruck / 15 seconds to fill the ruck…penalty

Sandbags to the back of the school

10 Merkins / 20 OH Press / 30 High Pulls

Sandbags to the front of the school

Heels to Heaven

Man Makers

American Hammers

Groups of 3 run 30yds, slick while rest of the PAX plank. Complete till everyone goes through.

COT

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Currahee 3.30.2021

Catch Up Backblast 2/5

 

Buy In 

5 Count Sandbag GTSS

5 Count Sandbag Clusters (Clean & Thrust)

5 Count BAD w/Sandbag

5 Count Sandbag Get Up

 

Coupon Ruck w/heavy sand bags and water jugs around the school.

 

2 TIMES

25-yard Duck Walk (5 Spaces), Walk Duck back

20 Ruck Squats

25-yard Duck Walk, Walk Duck back

20 push-ups

25-yard Duck Walk, Walk Duck back

20 Ruck High Pulls

25-yard Duck Walk, Walk Duck back

20 4-count flutter kicks, Walk Duck back

25-yard Duck Walk

20 4-count mountain climber, Walk Duck back

25-yard Duck Walk

 

Cash Out

5 Count Sandbag GTSS

5 Count Sandbag Clusters

5 Count BAD w/Sandbag

5 Count Sandbag Get Up

 

It sucked. We spent time under the 120, and everywhere else. Olaf said something profound (he usually always does), which I was planning to make the title of the backblast… but YHC slacked and didn’t write it down quick enough.

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Q & Co-Q (VQ) with Skipper

The guy has been on a strong trajectory, we call it acceleration, since coming onto the F3 scene a few months ago. After some advertising and excitement, 13 additional PAX joined SKIPPER and YHC, 15 total, for a Block Party throw down.

Announcement of the Qs…check
Disclaimer…check
I surely hope they got their money’s worth. If not, don’t do the following.
Skipper took the PAX on the warmup run to FMCOG for
SSH
Low Slow Squats
Moroccan Night Clubs

Maximus on Q for the DECK OF CARDS!
Diamonds = Diamond Merkins
Hearts = Carolina Dry Docks
Clubs = V-Ups
Spades = Merkins
Jokers, of which there were 4 = 20 Sumo Squats

We didn’t make it all the way through the deck but here’s what we completed:
90 Diamond Merkins
104 Carolina Dry Docks
96 V-Ups
93 Merkins

Hand off to Skipper!!
From the corner of Withers and Academy, run hill repeats up Withers to Watson Street, yes, that hill. It was a ladder with squats at the top and burpees at the top. He’s a sick, sick man.

Mosey back to COT for the final round(s) of Mary.

Great morning to have these guys supporting Skipper’s VQ. Careful, his official, full 45min VQ is on March 30 at Golden Corral!

This COT stuck out to me due to the vulnerability by the guys. This was a true representation of what we have here and man, was it good. So blessed we are.

SYITG
Skipper & Maximus

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Foosball @ Varsity – It’s more than a workout

YHC was informed this was a HIIT AO, did some Googling night before, and drafted up a weinke that I believe would meet the requirement. Hard to avoid a football field or pull up bars, so decided to say yes to both.

Quick disclaimer and we’re off to the track.

Warmup
  • Run 200 meters & stop – following in so so cadence form:
    • Monkey Humpers – a Hardwood favorite BTW
    • Imperial Walkers –
    • Hill Billy Walkers
    • Cherry Pickers
    • Peter Parkers
    • Parker Peters – Shady was kind enough to call out I did Peter Parkers twice
    • Downward dog
    • Honey Mooner
    • Band Camp Stretches

Mosey 200 meters to end zone

The Thang(s)

Intent was to have sprints of varied distances followed by exercises as a “rest” period, followed by more sprints.

Quarter Pounder

Sprint to marker, do exercise, sprint back to end zone, then sprint to next marker. Increments of 25.

  • Sprint to 25 – 25 Vups & sprint back rinse and repeat…
  • 50 – Monkey Humpers
  • 75 – Mountain Climbers
  • 100 – Calf Raises

Red Barchetta

Very similar yet you start by sprinting 100 yards, conduct exercise, sprint back to end zone and plank for 6. Rinse and repeat down in 25s. Intent was to keep the group together.

  • 100 – SSHs
  • 75 – Should Taps
  • 50 – LBCs
  • 25 – Merkins
  • Bonus – sprint 10 yards, 10 burpees and sprint back

DMC

  • Duck walk to 10 yard line, 10 merkins, crawl bear back.
  • Duck walk to 20 yard line, 20 merkins, crawl bear back.
  • Duck walk to 30 yard line, 30 merkins, crawl bear back.

Human Hurdling

Read this in exicon and had to try. Break up into 2 teams, a race of sorts.

Starting in plank, 1 man sprints to 10 yard line and plank. Man #2 sprints to 20 yard line, hurdles man at 10 yard line and planks. Man #3 sprints to 30 yard line hurdling man #1 and man #2 along the way and planks. Rinse and repeat to the end zone followed by another rinse and repeat back to end zone.

About 15 minutes left and it was time for pull ups. Had a hill sprints w/ pullups at top and exercise on bottom for 5 rounds but decided to prioritize the burpee pull ups due to time constraints.

Burpee Pullups

Consulted w/ Johnny Utah night before and thought, this would be marvelous. After attempting to articulate and failing, turned it over to Johnny U to articulate much clearer.

  • 1 burpee followed by 1 pull-up or chin up
  • 1 burpee followed by 2 pull-ups or chin ups
  • Rinse and repeat staying w/ 1 burpee to 6 pull-ups or chin ups

Then reverse

  • 1 pullup/chin up 6 burpees
  • 1 pullup/chin up 5 burpees
  • etc…

4 minutes left, headed to COT for some Mary.

Announcements

Most announcements at a COT ever!

  • Rooster
  • Grow Ruck
  • Bacon Run
  • Waxhaw Trail run
  • Metro CSAUP

And probably others

Prayers for guidance on life decisions and selflessness, mental health, and enduring a season of lots of change.

NMM

It’s admittedly been a really tough week for my family and I, after some very long weeks, the last thing I want to do is draft up a weinke and Q the next morning. That’s me being honest.

Normally, I’m excited and enjoy creatively bringing the pain , but there’s not much gas in the tank, and my mind is elsewhere.

But you have an obligation and owe it to the PAX who decide to do the harder thing; there are expectations to be met.

As I rolled into the parking lot and saw the cars, my worries sort of vanished and the excitement crept in. For 45 minutes, we’re going to work hard, bust balls, and set aside our worries or share them knowing you have a brother there to support. We’ll all get better together and you’re not alone.

I took a look around at the very respectable HIM that posted this morning and was grateful because, whether or not they know it, they’ve taught me something and they push me to be better.

Embracing the suck in the gloom builds the character and durability to endure the challenges we face daily. It’s more than a workout.

 

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Q vs Q Week 1 – The JOC

Backblast! Q vs Q Week 1
Date: 3/3/2021
AO: #3-w-the-joc
PAX: @River Rat @Fresh Prince @Bill Nye @Italian Job @JAG @Schrute Hardwood, Maximus, Esso, Ruby Slippers, Punch List, Tinsel, Harry Carry, Trucker, Fish Sticks
FNGs: 0
Q: @Bill Nye and Maximus
Count: 15
Name-O-Rama: https://youtu.be/KoBt9YnWNHc
Week 1 Update: https://youtu.be/jSu4BbrrMeMRound 1- Bill Nye:
The parking lot beside the AO is divided into 6 parts. The PAX ran to the bottom of the parking lot and did 10 burpees before bearcrawling up to the next level.
Each level repeated all previous excerices and then added a new exercise to the ladder.
10 burpees- 50 total
20 v ups- 60 total
30 merkins- 90 total
40 squats- 80 total
50 LBCs- 50 totalRound 1- Maximus:
Shoulder Smoker: Carolina Dry Docks, Bear Crawl, Wide Arm Merkins, Crawl Bear, Peter Parker, Bear Crawl, Diamond Merkins, Ski AbsRound 3- Bill Nye
I assumed that oxygen deprivation would be kicking in at this point so I made this part simple. 11s. Run up the hill for prison cell burpees, run back down the hill for Ripstick squats.
Prison cell burpee- Merikin, lift your left leg towards your chest, merkin, lift your right leg towards your chest, merkin, jump up, overhead clap. That’s one.
Ripstick squats- Assume the AL Gore position. Perform a calf raise, pausing at the top. That’s one.Round 2- Maximus:
Starting at point on the Criterium Track closest to the parking lot:
Sprint 1/4mi: Rabbits (first to finish the sprint) do Burpees until the six completes 5 Burpees
Sprint 1/4mi: Rabbits do Merkins until the six completes 10 Merkins
Sprint 1/4mi: Once we finished this sprint, we were running out of time so we made our way to C.O.T.NMM:
This morning I(Bill Nye) got to meet several new brothers and I also led half of a pretty good beat down. It was a pleasure to push and sweat with my brothers from both sides of the river. Also, Maximus is a beast and I am looking forward to working out with him again soon. Get After It men! (edited) 
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Embrace the low point…now get up.

It’s Minnow Pond. It’s a 3mi minimum with a few push-ups as we now like to say.
Jekyll asked the question. I answered in the affirmative.
The day before, marketing for competing regional AO’s began and man, it was hot.
The weather was great and I’m hoping these other 15 PAX would’ve still posted in the 35deg rain. But…time will tell. Remember, durability and stories are best formed in adverse conditions.

There you have it, the setup is complete.
0500…A few pre-runners. Remember when guys did that at Minnow Pond? Isn’t the intent to push yourself?
0514 Pledge of Allegiance
0515 Disclaimer for the 16 of us

As a group, run to the FMCOG parking lot at the corner of Withers &  Academy.
Warmup consisting of windmills, SSH & Burpees

The plan…Run each leg then 10 Merkins, 10ea leg Jumping Lunges, 20 American Hammers in the parking lot upon the return.
Leg 1: Run up to Tom Hall & back.
Leg 2: Run up to Banks & back.
Leg 3: Run up to Meacham & back.
Leg 4: Run to Main St & back.

All were able to complete this at least 1 time and some completed it twice for a total distance of 3-4mi.
Run it back to COT for some final closing exercises.

Announcements:
Great Harlan’s Heroes fundraising update from Jekyll. Stay tuned for the next opportunity.
Yeti is coming next weekend. Partner up or do the full thing.

Hey Jekyll. Thanks for the nod.

Maximus

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Movement

14 Men, 45 Minutes, Goals Met.

The Thang:

COP Warmup:

  • SSH
  • IW
  • MNC

Mosey to Parking Round-a-bout, bear crawl the circle

Pearls on a String – 3 sets of each group after some distance.

Mosey

  • Merkins – 10
  • Monkey Humpers – 15
  • Dying Cockroach – 20

Mosey

  • MC – 10
  • Squats – 15
  • Flutter – 20

Mosey

  • CDD – 10
  • HB Squats – 15 (Crowd Pleaser)
  • Box Cutter – 20

Mosey to Pull-Up Bars,  Partner up

Partner 1 – 2 Pull-up Burpees
Partner 2 – Run the hill
Repeat 5 times

NMM:

Ring Of Fire Site Q request a verse that speaks to the Q.  Today mine was Ephesians 4:14-16, specifically focusing on how we are all fitted together for building up the body.  Seek to “know your role” and contribute where Sky Q has you.  You’ll make a bigger impact if you are working for his glory and not your own.

Finished with COT, Praise-o-rama.

Read your newsletter.

Honor to Serve.

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