WHETSTONE…Relaunches at THE FORT

2018-04-28Leave a comment

QIC: Maximus
When: 04/21/2018
Pax: Anchorman, Asphalt, Assassin, Backdraft, Barry Manilow, Bass-o-matic, Bonsai, Bubba Gump, Bubka, Cable Guy, Cake Boss, Cha Ching, Change Order, Cheddah, Chicken Hawk, Cornhole, Crab Cakes, CSPAN, Cyclops, Dark Helmet, Double D, Flat Tire, Fratboy, Funhouse, Geronimo, Gilmore, Gleek, Jiffy, Lug Nut, Mainframe, Maximus, Minute Man, Mr Clean, Nemo, Old Bay, Quack Attack, RBG, Rebel, Reborn, Repeat, Santini, Sasquatch, Sawdust, Senator Tressel, Shady, Shakespeare, Spark Plug, Spitz, Straight Up, Sugar Daddy, Tesh, Trucker, Weezer, Wegmans, Whiskers, Wild Thing, Wolverine, World Wide Leader
Posted In: Alcatraz, Convergence, Millllkshake, The Deep, The Fort

Several weeks ago, it was announced that our region, THE FORT, would be closing all Saturday AO’s and holding a convergence at FMHS to get the PAX together as we thank Rebel for his leadership of Whetstone and relaunch it under Repeat and World Wide Leader (WWL). I was excited to hear we’d be getting many of the region together but I wasn’t expecting what came next. It was a text asking if I’d Q the workout.

Q, like part of it, half of it or …? The response was, THE WHOLE THING. I love to Q every chance I get but to do so on a day like this, well, I better make sure it includes a little something for everyone. Or, almost everyone.

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And this is where I let life get the better of me. I try to follow the 48hr rule on posting a BACKBLAST, especially when they’re significant but I let life and travel get in the way. It is now Saturday, one week later, and I’m just finishing this BB. Life can get challenging, it can get stressful, it can get you riding the highs or down in the lows. And this past week, our family has experienced some of each. Maybe this was the week where I really came to realize how valuable having a Whetstone partner can be. Someone that I can share the highs with and someone to help get me out of the lows; or to keep me honest when it’s my own doing that has me on the outside looking in on the joys of life.

That said, I’ll take you back to last Saturday, April 21 where we had a a few pre-ruckers and a total of 58 PAX converge to re-kick off this critical program.

We got ourselves into an odd-shaped kidney-like shape for the disclaimer, the announcement of why we were there this beautiful morning and to acknowledge our 2 FNG’s in the PAX. We counted off in 4’s then took off toward the big parking lot for a warm up jog in 4 lines. This jog included some karaoke’s and 4 lines doing an indian run which was way harder than it appeared on paper.

In these last 2 years, Whetstone has brought together some extremely HIM. One of those men has gone through a tough 18mos and he was gracious enough to share some of his story to include the impact Whetstone had on his life as we circled up to hear his words. I know he wouldn’t endorse this comment but anytime Mr. Clean wants to share experience or wisdom, the PAX listens. And listen we did.

After backing the group back out to a circle-like shape, I was giddy to honor Santini in the only way I knew how…with a deck of cards. However, on this day we utilized 1/2 the deck and considered it our warm up:

Hearts = Side Straddle Hops

Diamonds = Carolina Dry Docks

Spades = Squats

Clubs = Merkins

Then a little action from the Burp-Merk: Standing, we then dropped to a plank, did 5 merkins then jumped up. That equals 1 and we did 5 total.

This was when we got to listen to our very own Nantaan, Cake Boss, as he shared the impact Whetstone has had on him. Yet again, another powerful testimony.

Then off to do 4 corners in the lot with:

Corner 1 = Dancing Crabs x 15ea and Dips x 20

Corner 2 = Dying Cockroach x 15ea and Flutters x 20ea

Corner 3 = Burpees x 10 and Jump Squats x 10

Corner 4 = American Hammers x 25 and Freddie Mercury x 20ea

Mosey over to the wall for B2W while doing 5 “push ups” followed by 15 calf raises. We did this 3 times.

To close out our testimonies, my man Chicken Hawk laid it down for us. He shared the impact Whetstone has had on him, his marriage, his family…his life. Life isn’t meant to be traveled alone. Well said brother.

6ct Burpee which I needed a little help from the Helmet of Darkness to remind me the steps. Remember the line, “If you can’t Q it, don’t do it?” Yeah, me too but I obviously didn’t follow that too closely here.

This is where the cat-herding became evident. The PAX exhibited patience with me as we attempted a modified DORA series consisting of:

50 Flying Squirrels, 50 Diamond Merkins and 50+ Flutters

We then took off for the main entrance to the football stadium and lined up in 4 lines facing down the hill. Once everyone readjusted, it was 15 American Hammers, 15 Flutters and 15 Hello Dollies. This was done several more times.

Well, that put a bow on the workout portion of this convergence and after the COT, FNG naming of RBG and Whiskers, we then handed it off to World Wide Leader and Repeat to lead the Whetstone discussion.

Announcements: The relaunch of Whetstone. Thanks to Rebel for getting this off the ground 2 years ago and to Repeat / World Wide Leader for taking the reigns.

Prayer Requests: Badger. Camp Care 5K. Jennings Palmer’s transplant. Olive’s 8K in memory of Sweet Tooth. Elmer.

Honored and appreciative of your patience.

Maximus

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Let’s Get Physical!

2018-01-14Leave a comment

QIC: Gecko & Cable Guy
When: 01/13/2018
Pax: Cable Guy, Change Order, CSPAN, Falcon Crest, Fish Sticks, Fusion, Gecko, Italian Job, Minute Man, Pusher, Senator Tressel
Posted In: Alcatraz

11 Strong for a Jane Fonda inspired warm-up with Gecko to start things off along with a short mosey up the road and back we did some leg movements that may or may not be PG13!! We even had some karaoke and music provided by the PAX.

After a nice warm-up Gecko took us to the “Hill” for some hill repeats

1st round was plank at the bottom while partner one runs to the top and back

Round 2 was Carolina drydocks while the other ran

Can’t remember if we made it to round 3 but I do remember being handed over the Q

So we mosied over to the wall to do some dips and derkins

1st round was 30 dips and 20 derkins

2nd round was 25 dips and 15 derkins

3rd round 20 dips and 10 derkins

10 count between rounds

mosied over to the field and kept our partners for a 4 corner burpee fest!

1st partner stays back and does LBC’s while partner one runs to the next corner and does 5 burpees (Flapjack) comeback and pick your partner up to go to the next corner

Partner staying back does SSH while the other partner runs to the next corner and does 10 burpees (Flapjack)

1st partner stays back and does LBC’s while partner one runs to the next corner and does 15 burpees (Flapjack) comeback and pick your partner up to go to the next corner

1st partner stays back and does Squats while partner one runs to the next corner and does 20 burpees (Flapjack) comeback and pick your partner up to go to the next corner

After the last round we mosied to the parking lot to do some flutters while the other partner runs across the parking lot and back (flapjack) Repeat 6 times

Finished up with a little AB Lab

Fun times!

Thanks Italian Job for coming across the river and enjoying Alcatraz for the first time! Glad to have you!

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F3 The Fort Thanksgiving Convergence 2017

2017-11-272019-10-22Leave a comment

QIC: Whoppner, Witch Hunt, Lil E, Ginsu, Santini, Pusher, Gears, Cake Boss
When: 11/23/2017
Pax: Atticus, Austin Powers, Backdraft, Beacon, Bounce House, Bulldog, Cake Boss, Cha Ching, Charbroil, Cobra Kai, Copyright, Cornerstone, Corruption, Crawdaddy, Culture Club, Dark Helmet, DaVinci, Deep Dish, Destiny, Dillweed, Flash, Gears, Gecko, Geronimo, Gilmore, Greenwave, Harry Carry, Homebrew, Hootie, IKEA, Javert, Jedi, Jiffy, Last Call, Lil E, Long Shanks, Lug Nut, Magnum, Mainframe, Matrix, Minute Man, Olaf, Pusher, Qbert, Quack Attack, Rebel, Rock Thrill, Rooney, Router, Royale, Santini, Schaefer, Shady, Short Sale, Sir Topham Hat, Smuggler, Spark Plug, Spiderman, Spitz, Spud, Stang, Sugar Daddy, Sweeper, Tater, Vuvuzela, Weezer, What Did, Whoppner, Wild Thing, Witch Hunt
Posted In: Convergence

70 Men came today to burn calories so they can eat whatever they want the rest of the day. Ok, maybe that was my reasoning, but most came because the know in order to get better, even in being Gratful, it is best when being challenged by your brothers. We all came to get better and realize this great thing we have called F3 and give thanks!

Santini Opening with warm up both physically and mentally with some leadership principles

Split off into the various groups!

4 went for for a Run

F3-Wapner on the Moderate Q:

Mozy to the front of SFES, high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.

Mozy to front of SFMS, circled up…Side straddle hop, Merkins, Cherry Pickers, and Moroccan Nightclub

Mozy to SFMS bus loop …high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.

Circled up.. Flutter Kicks and Low Slow Squats, America Hammer and Low Slow Squats, Merkins and Windmills, mountain climbers and windmills

Mozy to back of SFES, circled up…Peter Parker’s and Side Straddle Hop, Plank and windmill, shoulder taps and Low Slow Squats, LBCs and Moroccan Nightclub

Then rinse and repeated the above sequence…before joining the other groups at COT

Lil E—Bootcamp Q

Mosey to the parking lot in the rear of school and circle up. SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Squats
The thang
- 10 cones set up in a line spaced about 10 paces apart. Each cone had an exercise and rep count on them. Do exercises on the first cone and run a lap of the parking lot. Once you complete the lap do the first cone and the second cone and then run a lap. Repeat this adding the next cone until all 10 are complete. Here were the exercises in order from first to last:
- Burpees x 10
- Bombjacks x 10
- LBCs x 25
- Merkins x 20
- Jump Squats x 10
- Flutter kicks x 40
- CDDs x 20
- Lunges x 20
- Mtn Climbers x 20
- Monkey Humpers x 20

Majority of the pax finished in the Lunges lap with a few speedsters out in front on the mtn climbers. Mosey back to the front of the school for some Freddy Mercury’s and Rosalitas.

After that met up with the Moderate and Black diamond groups for COT.

Everyone put out great effort today and really pushed themselves.

Witch Hunt—Black Diamond Q

Not even a trip to the hospital the night before with a pregnant wife could keep me away from this Thanksgiving workout. Shout out to Royale and Cha Ching for stepping up to help me out. Luckily I made it and we put in work.

We stared by counting off by 4 creating 4 teams.

Each team will compete to complete as many burpees as possible in 2-minutes with a catch. You can only do 10 at a time before you most complete 20 reps of ab exercise. 2 rounds:

1.) Burpees with LBCs (Somehow Bounce House was able to do 50 burpees. That dude is not human.)

2.) Burpees with Knee Tuck with crunchy frogs

Winners plank while losers perform 10 Kraken Burpees.

Blood was flowing so we moseyed to the hill by the middle school for some broken down burpees. Catch was that we had 20 minutes for everyone to complete. If everyone doesnt finish within the time then group does 25 Burpees.

Here was the setup:

Run Hill 10 times. (1 Hill Run = Up & Down)

5 Squat Jumps
5 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
5 Merkins
5 Froggers
5 Squat Jumps

Run Hill 8 times.

10 Squat Jumps
10 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
10 Merkins
10 Froggers
10 Squat jumps

Run Hill 6 times.

15 Squat Jumps
15 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
15 Merkins
15 Froggers
15 Squat jumps

Run Hill 4 time.

20 Squat Jumps
20 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
20 Merkins
20 Froggers
20 Squat jumps

Run Hill 2 time

25 Squat Jumps
25 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
25 Merkins
25 Froggers
25 Squat jumps

With some great teamwork by the Pax everyone completed within the 20 minutes so no penalty was given.

I attempted to have Backdraft give us a 10-count however he responded “There are no 10 counts during the Black Diamond.” So no 10 count and a quick mosey back to the parking lot for the 10 Minute 100 Burpee Challenge:

Complete 10 1-minute rounds of burpees in the following set scheme. Any time left over in the round is yours for rest. (typically PAX finish the set between 25 and 40 seconds)

Rd1- 8

Rd2- 9

Rd3- 10

Rd4- 11

Rd5-12

Rd6-12

Rd7-11

Rd8-10

Rd9- 9

Rd10- 8

Total – 100

Amazing work by all the Pax. I didn’t pull any punches with this setup for the Black Diamond and the Pax took it on without hesitation. We all survived and are better for it.

Thanks to Ginsu and Cake Boss for the opportunity to lead.

Pusher with closing remarks and finding #Victory

Prayers & Praises

Thank you F3 The Fort

Cake Boss

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The Painful Ideas of Virgin Q’s

2017-09-29Leave a comment

QIC: Photobomb and Copperfield
When: 09/23/2017
Pax: Aquaman, Bolt, Copperfield, Cyclops, Fish Sticks, Lutefisk, Minute Man, Mr Clean, Photobomb, Senator Tressel, Spark Plug, Spitz, Straight Up, Zima
Posted In: Alcatraz

Fourteen strong came out for the final week of VQ month, and our Q’s proved once again that the new Q’s have no trouble pushing the Pax to their limits. Here is what they did.

Photobomb on Q

10 Yard mosey and right to COP

SSH x 30,, Imperial Walker x 20, Wind Mill x 20, M. Nightclub x 20, Mtn Climbers x 20, Merkin x 10 PeterParker x 15, Parker Peter x 15

Mosey to ball field for 50 yard reps
High knees
Butt kickers
Karaoke x2
Single leg hops x2
Pogo x2
Burpee broad jumps x2
Bear crawl x2
Partner up and Wheel barrel x 2
Backward sprints x 3
Lunge walks w Monkee Humpers x 4

Hand off to Copperfield

Six Cones spaced about 15 yards apart. Three exercises on each cone: upper body, core, legs. Bear crawl between cones.

Cone 1:
Wide Merkins x 10
Ski Abs x 30
Jump squats x 50

Cone 2:
Merkins x 10
Flutter kicks x 30
Air chair x 100 seconds

Cone 3:
Arm circles x 30
Shoulder taps x 30
Jump lung x 20

Cone 4:
Arm circles x 160
In and out abs x 25
Bomb jacks x 30

Cone 5:
Side to side Merkins x 20
Pretzel x 20
Apollo ono x 50

Cone 6:
Derkin x 15
Plank x 60
Goblet squat x 50

Once complete go in reverse and only do the core workout on each cone.

COT

This is posted on behalf of our Q’s: Photobomb and Copperfield. After what you put us through today, you can post your own damn backblast next time! Aye, it was a long morning for the Pax between the 50 yard wheel barrows, single leg hops, 160 arm circles (really?), and backwards bear crawling at the tail end of the workout. I was completed gassed, and admittedly, called you both some unflattering names under my breath as we walked to COT. After coffeteria, a nice shower, and some reflection, though, I realized that you did what I expect you to do and we are all better for it.

Our friend, Aquaman, was in town this weekend and YHC put a shout out on Twitter for the some of the Alcatraz ‘original line up’ to post today. Some were able to make it (Zima, Minuteman, Mr. Clean, Spark Plug) and we were glad to have you with us. Don’t be strangers, men. Welcome back Kotter, Cyclops, who I hope will continue to post regularly at Alcatraz.

VQ month was a success at Alcatraz. All of our new guys brought something different each week to challenge us. My thanks to all of our VQ’s and ‘new to Alcatraz’ Q’s this month: Which Hunt, Jedi, Chicken Wing, Olaf, Lutefisk, Photobomb, and Copperfield. Well done, men and you know you are always welcome to Q again at Alcatraz.

Announcements, Prayers,and Praises!

Read your newsletter! The Fort 5th Year Invergence this Friday, Sep 29. Be there.

We prayed for healthy families, and those with cancer. We praised God for his healing hand on a mom with pancreatic cancer.

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