Did someone say party @ Laces In…

Woke up this morning to a cool breeze which helped me forget the stiffness I felt from my first post the day before at Clydesdale’s.  13 PAX showed up for the party and ready to work.

Disclaimer and off we went

Warm-ups

Mosey to large parking where we lined up at the closest curb. Facing the field, we started with Side-shuffles. Proceeded down to the light post and returned facing the opposite way. Then it was time for some carioca down, toy soldiers back, followed by some knee to chest walks.

Mosey to center of parking lot and circle up:

Windmill x15

Low-slow squat- x15

Shoulder claps- x30

Moroccan night club- x40

Happy Jacks (Bonsai’s favorite FYI)- 5 rounds – 5 SSH/2 squat jumps for each

Mountain Climbers- x15

Honeymooner into Downward Dog- repeat x1

Mosey to the parking lot towards the back near the football practice fields for some Light post work. Not exactly 4 -corners so I had to audible.

The Thang:

Partner-up- size did not matter. Each of the 4 light posts had 3 rounds of exercises on it. Between each exercise, PAX were to either sprint or bear crawl to the next light post, depending on distance. The 2 LP with the further distance carried a sprint, and the smaller ones the bear crawl. 2nd round of short distances carried a walk lunge, with the third alternating between bear crawls and walking lunges respectively.

Light Post 1

Merkins- x20

Burpees- x10

Wide-arm Merkins- x15

Light Post 2

Jump squats x10

Low slow x10

Calf raises x40

Light Post 3

Mountain Climbers x15

Plank Jacks x20

Ski Jumps x15

Light Post 4

LBC x30

Reverse Crunches x20

American Hammers x25 (cadence)

Once completed, PAX met in the middle for a short talk on “Presence.” I find this word to be one of the most relevant in our time as parents. Take the time each day, even if it is just 5 min. to talk to your M’s and your 2.0’s.  Recommended “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters” again to the PAX as a great book for insight into your daughter’s development (Thanks again Pusher for the first Rec). PAX broke the circle and mosey to the next stop, small parking lot in the back.

Next up- a round of 7’s

PAX lined up on one of the lot and started with 1 dip. Bear crawl to the other side and complete 6 CDD. Run backwards to the starting spot and complete 2 dips. Continue this pattern until the PAX reach 6 dips and 1 CDD.

Unfortunately, I had to skip the pull-up work due to time. Next up was a mosey over to the wall at the school. Wall sits for a 10 second count for each of the 13 PAX. Recover for a ten count and then up for a little Ballz to the Walls. 20 count, recover for 10, and then up again. Recover.

Mosey back towards COT, stopping in the connection sidewalk between the two parking lots. Quick circle up for some SSH x 40. Mosey back towards COT to the curb where it all started at the far end of the lot. Line up and turn around facing the school. With 3 minutes to go, what better way to complete a strong finish then a round of suicides. Everyone pushed hard to the end. Mosey back to COT.

Quick round of Hello Dolly.

Announcements- read your newsletter

Prayers:

Teachers

M’s

Patience

Strength for our 2.0’s

 

Thanks Olaf for taking us out and Lil E for the opportunity!

 

Thanks PAX for the support and showing up for the party.

 

Frat Boy

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Moderate? Is that french for ‘burpee’?

With no inspiration hitting me at home, YHC decided to show up and see what the AO would speak to me today.  It was angry and made us do stupid things.

Mosey, warm up with burpee countdown between exercises.

Mosey down the hill to the playground at the elementary school where we counted off into groups and did round robins of swing crunches, LBC’s and mountain climbers twice.

Then over to the wall for some relaxing wall sits and a couple bttw.

Who doesn’t love running in circles?  Partnered up and while partner ran lap, 2nd Pax did LBC’s, WAM’s and CDD’s – flap jack at each lap.

Back over to the middle school hill for 10 bomb jacks, run up the long windy hill and 10 more at the top.

Fairly gassed at this point I heard the words ‘Jack Webb’ in the wind so we did that too.

Mosey for a close of Mary and COT.

As always, an honor to lead the men of F3.  Thanks for being there.

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SlowBurn Send-off For Rooney

47 pax of TheFort posted this morning to show support for #HIM Rooney, who is moving to Seattle.  Rooney has not only impacted his brothers in F3, but many of our kids through his tremendous servant leadership as a principal in our school system.  There is no doubt he will be missed here, but that sadness is somewhat offset by the knowledge that he’ll be positively impacting families out west.

In anticipation (accurately) of a large crowd, it was decided the launch point and COT would be the Empire Pizza parking lot behind Chick-fil-a.  CakeBoss opened up with a few words about Rooney, then handed off to YHC.  We started with 25 side straddle hops, then moseyed up around Chick-fil-a (to pick up any twitterless pax that didn’t get the message).  We landed back at a parking lot near our launch point.

Warmup-O-Rama

  • Windmills (10)
  • Hillbilly Walkers (15)
  • CDDs (20)
  • Flutters (20)
  • Chopsticks (20)
  • Seal Jacks (20)

Mosey to parking lot in front of Lowe’s where a few cones had been set-up. Pax asked to partner up and told we’d be doing a Dora 1-2-3.  This was the same exercise Rooney had done during his VQ, which I had the privilege of posting to (was my 3rd post, I believe) at WEP back in November of 2014.  The turn-around point for the running was about 50 yards.

  • 100 Merkins
  • 200 LBCs
  • 300 Squats

After a 10 count, we moseyed to the parking lot on the west side of Lowe’s.  Cones were set up there for some “4 Corners” action.  Each cone had two exercises listed for each round.  Pax were instruction to alternate between the 2 exercises for the appropriate round (to 10 reps of each exercise).  They were told to move to the next cone when the group at the previous cone reached them.  No count-off by 4s done…pax could just pick a cone to be their starting point (lazy pax like YHC took the closest cone). Here were the exercises:

Cone 1
  • Round 1 – Flutters <-> Freddie Mercuries
  • Round 2 – LBCs <-> Heals to Heaven
  • Round 3 – Dying Cockroach <-> American Hammers
  • Round 4 – Chopsticks <-> Plank Jacks
Cone 2
  • Round 1 – Side-step lunges <-> Imperial Walkers
  • Round 2 – Bomb Jacks <-> Lunges
  • Round 3 – Monkey Humpers <-> Squats
  • Round 4 – High Jumps <-> SSH
Cone 3
  • Round 1 – Plank Punches <-> Dips
  • Round 2 – Merkins <-> 10 second Elbow Plank
  • Round 3 – CDD <-> Moroccan Nightclubs
  • Round 4 – Alternating shoulder taps <-> Parkers Peters
Cone 4
  • Round 1 – Box Cutters <-> 10 second Superman
  • Round 2 – Toy Soldiers <-> Speed Skaters
  • Round 3 – Donkey Kicks <-> Peter Parkers
  • Round 4 – Big Boy Sit-ups <-> Inchworm Merkins

We got through 3 rounds before time ran out and we headed back to COT

Naked Man Moleskin

After the workout, a couple dozen men gathered at Chick-fil-a to share with Rooney how he has impacted us (except for Dark Helmet, who served as a one-man roasting machine).  It was beyond evident that Rooney had a deep impact on many men, their kids, and their family, as a brother and a principal.  Rooney is an inspiring individual, and his courage to respond to God calling him across the country will undoubtedly also be an inspiration to those wondering if they should act on words from the Sky-Q.

Rooney, you have been an amazing example of “giving it away” everyday here in Fort Mill.  And now we have to let you give it away to another community (on the west coast, no less!).  But one thing is for sure: the world is a better place because of who you are and what you do.  No man, student, or family is left behind, nor are they left where you find them.  Strong work, brother.  Strong work.

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Whistles and Field Work

24 Strong #HIMs braved the humid Fort Mill air for a beat down at Thursday staple Laces IN/Laces OUT.

Funhouse was Q for Laces OUT and decided to take his marry band of yoggers (soft J) around the track and either whistle at them or tell them to take a break.  I don’t get it either – you have to ask him I guess.

YHC took the rest of the Pax for a little Field Work.  Here’s the thang:

Dynamic Warm-Up:

High Knees, Butt Kickers, Slide L/Slide R, Toy Soldiers, Dipping Birds, WWL’s (power skips – trademark), Knee to Chest, Long Strides, Shoulder Rotations.

There.  You’re warm.

Mosey to midfield for Partner Yo-Yo’s.  Partner 1 runs 50 yard to goal line and back while Partner 2 does exercise.  Then Flap Jack.

Merkins x 3

Squats x 3

Flutters x 3

Mosey to the goal line for Tandem Bear Crawls.  New Partner 1 bear crawls 10 yards then Partner 2 bear crawls 10 yards and continue that to other goal line.  You read that right – 100 YARDS!!!

Let’s try something similar.  New Partner – same thing (kinda) – CRAWL BEARS this time.

Omaha after 50-yards.  That was a dumb idea.

Mosey to the corner for the confusing part of the workout.  Cross Field Up-Downs with an Accountability Partner.  Cross field every 20 yards then do 5 up-downs and stay with your partner.

Yeah – that was awful.  Another dumb idea.

Give me a 10-count on that one CSPAN!

Next we line up on the goal line for some Matriculating Rugby Sprints down the field.  Hank Stram would be proud.  Did you know that “Matriculate” doesn’t even mean “move” or “progress”?!?!  What the hell, Hank?!

And yes – YHC LIED when posting to the Twitter machine that they would not be featured.  Start a class action.

We finished with 8 MOM.  Yes EIGHT because I was all out of ideas and breath.

Mosey to COT.

Great time out there with everyone – it had been a while.  Always thankful for these men of F3 and the accountability they provide.

Going to be very sad to see CSPAN leave us for Philly but looking forward to the first time we post together in the City of Brotherly Love.  #F3PhillyRising  Godspeed young man and thank you for everything you’ve taught me over the years!  Greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for the opportunity to lead.  Aye!

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August 2018 – Impact Convergence

On the morning of Friday, August 3rd, 61 Men of High Impact joined Homebrew, Deacon, & Jiffy for some #Convergence work.

For this Round Robin of Pain, we separated the PAX into 3 groups and rotated to each station for 12 minutes.

Station 1 – Jiffy:

He had setup a row of 4 cones in the bank parking lot and ran the PAX through the following exercises.

  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • Straight suicides
  • Lunge walk, 10 squats at each cone
  • Bear crawl, 10 merkins at each cone
  • 15 American Hammers in cadence
  • Suicides with 3 Bomb Jacks at each cone
  • Broad jump to each cone, 5 lunges each leg
  • Crab walk, 5 diamond merkins at each cone
  • 15 LBC’s in cadence

Station 2 – Deacon:

Find a partner

One partner runs to Pizza Hut and back while the other does a series of exercises until the team does merkins (100x), Squats (200x), LBCs (300x).

  • Partner Drills (Round 1) – Partner Big Boy Sit Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partners Push Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Leg Lifts (15x for 2 rounds)
  • Partner Drills (Round 2 if time permits) – Partner Wheel Barrels to each side of the parking lot (2x for 2 rounds), Partner Ski Jumps (15x for 2 rounds)

Station 3 – Homebrew:

4 Corners and Burpee Roll

PAX were divided into four groups, with one group being sent to each corner. Complete all exercises listed at your corner then bear crawl to the center. At the center was a large foam die. One PAX would roll the die for the group to determine how may burpees everyone would do. Amazingly, only one 6 was rolled all morning – I’m lookin at you IceT. Once the burpees were completed, crab walk from the center to the next corner going clockwise. Rinse and repeat until all corners are done or time runs out.

  • Corner 1
    • 40 SSH
    • 40 Plank Jacks
    • 40 Mountain Climbers
    • 20 Crab Cakes
  • Corner 2
    • 15 Merkins
    • 30 CDD
    • 15 Wide Arm Merkins
    • 5 Kraken Burpees
  • Corner 3
    • 10 Donkey Kicks
    • 50 Calf Raises
    • 40 Monkey Humpers
    • 20 Lunges
  • Corner 4
    • 10 Big Boy Situps
    • 20 Hello Dollys
    • 30 Dying Cockroaches (double count)
    • 10 Boxcutters

There were prayer requests for family, school returning and those with health needs.

Cakeboss took us out in prayer.

Great job, Homebrew, Deacon, & Jiffy!

– Ginsu

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Barney Fife’s Ballroom VQ

The Message:

Since this was my VQ I was not overly confident and could feel the butterflies doing side straddle hops in my stomach. I had made a homemade deck of workout cards that I was looking forward to trying out. However, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and my plan quickly fell apart. I am ashamed to admit that I underestimated my fellow PAX. My plan was based on a group of what I assumed would be 5 – 10 that would eventually draw 5 cards each by the end of the workout at which time we would compare hands for a modified game of poker.

As I stood in the gloom waiting to give my first disclaimer I was pleasantly surprised to watch the steady stream of vehicles arrive, one after the other. By the time 5:15 rolled around there was a total of 26 of us and I was less nervous and could feel the support in the air. I quickly realized that I would have to modify my plan but I was happy to do it because no matter what happened I knew I was among good friends that would be quick to help if necessary.

After stumbling over a barely adequate disclaimer we started with a CoP warmup:

  • Windmills
  • Side straddle hops
  • Hillbilly walkers
  • Carolina dry docks

After the warm up it was time for a short mosey to the football field.

The THANG:

The PAX lined up on the goal line and planked while one person at a time sprinted to the 40 yard line, drew a card and brought it back and called their exercise out in cadence. After each PAX brought one card back for a random beat down that worked the legs, arms and abs we split up into 5 groups on the field. Each group used the 5 workout cards that they had drawn from the pile and moved to the next group of cards when they were done. After each group worked through all 5 sets of cards we lined up on the 40 yard line for more sprints:

  • 10 yard sprint, imperial walkers back
  • 20 yard sprint, power skip back
  • 30 yard sprint, hillbilly walkers back

We moseyed back to the parking lot for CoT where I explained to the group what an enormous impact my F3 brothers have had on my life since I began coming in April and we all welcomed FNG Flyby to the family.

Thanks to Short Sale for giving me the opportunity to Q, I thoroughly enjoyed it and promise to make it SUCK more next time. Thanks to all the PAX who came out and showed their support.

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Opening Presence at the Coop

It was a special morning the Coop this morning because the rain moved out and left a nice humid sometimes breezy morning in the gloom.  15 men joined us this morning and Shinguard started out with the mosey, warm up and Jacobs Ladder

The Message:

Moving from Impact to Presence really isn’t that different because the two ideas are only a couple degrees of separation from one another. This morning we talked about being present with God, with yourself and with your family.  Understanding that we can only experience God in the present, we have to be aware of where our mind is and be present with ourselves and finally be present with our families and understand their needs and serve them where they are not where we want them to be.

The THANG!

Shinguard moseyed us out of the disclaimer toward the band parking lot with some butt kickers, high knees and karaoke along the way.

Circle up in the parking lot for some COP with the following:

  • SSH x 30, Merkins x20, Squats x20, Moroccan Night Clubs x30, Peter Parkers x10, Parker Peters x 12

Mosey to the lower parking lot for Jacobs Ladder between the two light posts.

  • 7 Burpees at the bottom and 1 squat at the top (working down to one and up to 7 with each lap)

Then Chicken Hawk took the reins and took us back to the band parking lot for some sprints.

  • 10, 20, 30 yard suicides
  • 30, 20, 10 yard suicides
  • 100 yard 50%; 100 yard 100%
  • Bear Crawl 5 – 1 CCD, 5 more 2CCD, etc up to 50 yards and 10 CCD

Mosey to Bermuda Triangle in front of the school

  • Round 1: 20 Merkin, 20 Squat, 20 LBC with Bear Crawls in between
  • Round 2: 20 Wide Arm Merkins, 20 Jump Squats, 20 High Low Flutter
  • Round 3: 20 diamond merkins, 20 Jumping Lunges, 20 Ski Jumps

Short Mosey to the wall

  • Wall Sit while 2×2 plate push down parking lot and back
  • Balls to the wall
  • Finish with Ab Lab.

It was a special morning and I can’t express enough gratitude with being able to post with by 2.0 and lead side by side with him.  Thank you of the Pax that are accepting and encouraging to Shinguard.  This summer is having an impact in my and his life.  Aye!

CH

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Board of Pain Week 4

12 came out for the final week of the Board of Pain.  T-claps to Jekyl for bringing this back!  It is a great test to see where you at and everyone pushed incredibly hard today.  It was good to have Aquaman back in the fold and no surprise that he and Topham were out in front today with River Rat just slightly behind.  Looking forward to it again next summer.

The Thang:
Finish each exercise before moving on to the next. After each exercise is complete run out to first light pole and back.

  • Burpees – 100
  • Calf Raises – 150 (50 regular, 50 toes pointed in, 50 toes pointed out)
  • Ski Abs – 100
  • Merkins – 100 – Soprano (60)
  • Deep Squats – 100
  • LBCs – 200 – Norm (90)
  • Carolina Dry Docks – 100 – Barry Manilow (C)
  • Russian Twists – 100 – Manifold (30), Band Camp (77), Anchorman (53), Lil E (12), Trucker (???), Taz (C)
  • Mac Tar Jai– 100
  • Jump Squats – 100 – Sir Topham Hat (C), Aquaman (C), River Rat (1)
  • Mountain Climbers – 100
  • Shoulder Raises – 200
  • Mary Catherines – 100
  • Hello Dolly – 200
  • Wide Arm Merkins – 100
  • Squat Jacks – 100
  • Nippler– 100
  • Burpees – 100
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We are one Brotherhood

15 came out on this mild morning, not knowing what they would be doing.  The point is, they got out of bed and came anyway.  There were no FNG’s (although there was a Kotter – Dog Pound, welcome back!) so I gave the abbreviated disclaimer and off we went.

Mosey down to the lot in front of Empire Pizza and circled up for the following warmup:

  • SSH’s
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Moroccan Night Clubs
  • and Windmills

We moseyed a short distance to the lot in front of the Indian restaurant for the Thang…and what do you know, there was a white board with a bunch of things written on it.

I had called out on Twitter that this would be a moderate workout, and to some it was, yet to others it required a little more effort.  Either way, we were here, and this is what we were doing!

First thing we partnered up.  Each partner was to do the full amount of the exercises, but they were to hold each other accountable and drive to the end together.  If your group finished, you went to another group that was still going and joined in wherever they are.  Then when that group finished you joined up with another…and so on until we all finished together!  Here were the exercises done:

  • 50 Bombjacks (Single Count)
  • 50 Carolina Dry Docks (in cadence)
  • 50 LBC’s (in cadence)
  • 50 Monkey Humpers (in cadence)
  • 50 Squats (in cadence)
  • 50 Merkins (in cadence)
  • 50 Calf Raises (in cadence)
  • 50 SSH’s (in cadence)
  • 50 Reverse Crunches (in cadence)

So, as we wrapped up, everyone had completed a minimum of 850 reps of these various exercises, and those that finished earlier than others kept adding to those totals.

We finished up with a bit of Broga, and a slow mosey back up to COT where we shared a couple stories on what IMPACT we saw this past week.

Was this moderate?  You tell me.  Was it hard, absolutely (evident by all the complaining).  The point is that if we were doing this on our own, we most likely would have quit or cut corners at some point throughout the workout.  But we weren’t alone, we had our partner holding us accountable.  Take that same concept and apply it to Whetstone.  That is EXACTLY what we are doing when we commit to having a Whetstone partner (in my case, Destiny).  We hold each other accountable for day in and day out mundane tasks…we encourage each other when things go sideways…but…we do all this TOGETHER!

If you do not currently have a Whetstone partner, I seriously urge you to pray about it, and consider joining up for the program!

At a minimum, check in with a Brother throughout the week to see how they are doing, and be willing to be transparent and honest if someone reaches out to you!  Remember, WE are not worthy to judge others…but WE are called to lift each other up!

Smithers….Out

 

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