Rust removal via building pyramids

22 HIM descended upon Golden Corral, 6 of whom opted for the Fire Ant.  Prior to arrival YHC wrote out the exercises with sidewalk chalk around the grounds and was quickly reminded how rough the parking lot surfaces were around the grounds.  While it made for a few challenges to write things out, all was sketched legibly enough for the attending PAX to enjoy.   The fun was about to begin.

The boot campers ventured off with YHC around the A/O grounds.  Cabana Boy and Slow Jams were also present but YHC could not find them in the tags.  Cobains.   YHC was coming off a week of vacation and looked forward to getting back out with the PAX.  It was time to roll

Here’s what we did.

Mosey to Grace Presby parking lot for the warm up (just before the signs went up for voters).

Imperial and Hillbilly Walkers x 10 (D/C and I/C – Olaf  decided to make the exercise literal

5 burpees after each

Low slow squat x 10 holding into people’s chair after the 10th rep to do the following (all D/C and in cadence)  Morroccan night clubs x10, air press x 10 and shoulder tap x 10

Recover to standing position for 5 more burpees before 15 SSH D/C I/C and off to the Harris Teeter wall for:

Wall Sits while each PAX did 3 burpees.  Cha Ching had the best burpee form.  YHC did not.

Mosey to the back lot, into the fresh country air with accompanying humidity and the main event: Partner Pyramid Work – DORA style.

PAX paired off – 16 made for 8 teams of 2.  While Partner 1 started the pyramid, partner 2 ran to the opposite end of the lot, through the clean smelling aforementioned air, did an assigned exercise for each trip and returned to switch off, picking up exercises where the partner left off on the pyramid.

Run #1 & 5 – 10 burpees

Run #2 & 6 – 10 squats

Run #3 & 7 – 10 diamond merkins

Run #4 & 8 – 10 wide arm merkins

The pyramid was 10 lines total – 5 lines down and 5 lines back up

10 burpees

10 burpees and 20 squats

10 burpees, 20 squats and 30 merkins

10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins and 40 flutters

10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins, 40 flutters & 50 jump squats

50 jump squats, 40 flutters, 30 merkins, 20 squats & 10 burpees

40 flutters, 30 merkins, 20 squats & 10 burpees

30 merkins, 20 squats & 10 burpees

20 squats & 10 burpees

10 burpees

Work was done around a little mumble chatter (but just a little), PAX got better and finished just in time to mosey briskly to COT for a 1-minute geometry class.  A protractor ab exercise was completed for 60 seconds at varying degrees.  For some reason, 0 degrees was the preferred choice but we never quite got there.  At 0600, we called time and circled up for name o rama, announcements, prayers and praises

Announcements:

Convergence at WEP on 7-11

Classroom ready notebook fundraiser is in full swing and runs through the end of June.    Questions – reach out to Bonsai.

Praises were offered up and prayers were offered up for those battling addictions and for families as well.

NMM – In a time of crisis, all of us benefit from routines, disciplines and accountability – staying true to the values and standards that make us the leaders we are called to be – at home with our families, at our places of work and in our community.  In any crisis, a person can only rise to the level of their training.  As we work our way through this pandemic it is YHC’s hope for all PAX that they look around and know that no matter what they are going through, we all can use the unforeseen events of the past months as opportunity to enhance our resolve, encourage one another and to help one another accelerate in our development of all dimensions – physical, mental, professional, spiritual, the list goes on.

My thanks to Lutefisk for the call out and opportunity to Q.  It was good to get out in the gloom and accelerate with a great group of #HIM.  I’m thankful for all of you.

Honored,

Cyclops

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Great Way to Start the Week

It was a privilege to Q the newest AO “Sweep the Leg” this week.  The term in one of my favorite movies, “Karate Kid”.  Lots of life lessons, bad 80s music, and my Hollywood crush, Elisabeth Shue. What a beauty!

Ok, back to the workout.  Pretty simple and repetitive.  Run a lap around the parking lot.  In the main lot, there were exercises (Carolina Dry Docks, LBCs, Merkins, Jump Squats – 20 of each) at each one of the four light poles.  Sprint between the light poles.  Run a lap around the parking lot..Rinse and Repeat.

Great job by everyone.  Lots of men getting better and encouraging each other.

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The Herd at Sweep The Leg

Week 3 of Sweep The Leg was not about to be a letdown. Apparently, 24 other PAX posted to hold me accountable in ensuring they got the return on their investment, too. Gears started this AO a few weeks ago to present the PAX with an opportunity to push themselves harder and faster than currently offered at another AO, at least on a Monday. It is so easy to come out of the gates hot but the hard work is in consistency. Hard work was what we did for 40 of the 45mins this morning which concluded with some up hills and a jail break to ensure we finished as strong as we started.

Lots and lots of headlights kept rolling into the lot and as we were about to start the disclaimer, 4 more cars rolled in. So…
Sweeper identified…check (Thank you Cake Boss)
Overview  of Sweep The Leg for the rookies…check
Count off…25, are you serious?
Disclaimer…check

Warm up mosey out of the lot, L/T Len Patterson, L/T 160, L/T Dave Gibson Blvd and circle up at intersection with Ben Casey Dr.

Warm Up
Wind Mills
Imperial Walkers
Moroccan Night Clubs
5 Burpees

Overview of the pace. When I say “Get It”, it’s your fast pace or All You Got to get to the next stop. If you’re in the first wave of runners to get to the destination, we’ll be starting the exercises and doing them until the 6 got in.

Get It: To parking lot in front of GHES
Box Cutters
Dying Cockroaches
10 Burpees

Get It: End of straight way in front of the schools to the lot for Colosseum
5 Merkins

Get it: Run the GHMS drop-off loop then 1/2 the GHES loop taking us to the benches near the basketball hoops
20 Derkins
20 Dips
10 Carolina Dry Docks

Get it: Run to the end of the bus parking lot, run back, run to the end of the lot again and stop

Get it: Run up the long, never-ending bus entrance hill to just before Dam Rd and back to the start.
Mountain Climbers (keep the merlot down)
Peter Parker
Parker Peter

Get it: Run the remaining loop in front of GHES to the bottom of the hill on Dave Gibson Blvd.
5 Burpees

Get it: Run to 160, back to Patricia Ln (almost all the way back to the bottom of the hill), then back up to Ben Casey and thanks to Vuvuzela, circle up in the bank parking lot.
Merkins
Diamonds
Wide-Arm
American Hammer

Now really get it: Run down the straightaway back to COT.

Gears, I appreciate what you’re doing here. Thank You.
If anyone is still reading this, please wear black on Wednesday but something reflective if you’re running.

SYITG,
Maximus

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Webbs on Webbs on Webbs

It felt so good to see my brothers on the west side. It has literally been too long. YHC was all smiles as the cars rolled up this morning.

Lately YHC has been reading a book titled The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, so I wanted to incorporate a little bit of that book into this workout. Would definitely recommend the book for a perspective shift on our pace of life. One way that I’ve seen a slower and more methodical application in work outs is the Jack Webb. So YHC had some fun creating terrible combinations of workouts based on experience and what other HIM have inflicted upon yours truly.

0500 hit and the disclaimer was disclaimed. The Ruckers went one way, and the boot campers went another.

Short mosey to COP location at an unhurried pace.

COP
Burpee SSH Webb
1:5, 2:10, 3:15, 4:20, 5:0
Short Yoga Flow

Mosey to new spot at an unhurried pace

Bear Jack Webbs
1:2 ratio
Bear Crawl 1 Spot, 2 Bomb Jacks
Bear Crawl 2 Spots, 4 Bomb Jacks
To 10:20

Mosey to new spot at an unhurried pace

OG Jack Webbs
Merkins:OH Claps 1:4 – 10:40

Mosey to shovel flag at an unhurried pace

Ass Webbs
Squats:Al Gore Pulses 1:4 – 10:40

Ab Ripper X
25 of Each
In & Outs
Bicycles (Forward)
Bicycles (Backward)
Crunchy Frog
Fifer Scissors
Heels to the Heavens
10 x 4-Count American Hammers

YHC was happy to lead. The men brought it this morning.

COT

Announcements
Conversation at the Kingsley Amphitheater at 0700 tomorrow on racial injustice.
Olaf on Q at The Fort tomorrow
Royale on Q at Camp Thunderbird tomorrow
July 11 Convergence – JOC (May change to WEP)
Hog and Coyote Next Weekend
Bear/Dory – Beary 6K Thursday July 9 at 1900 – contact Cake Boss for more details

Prayers/Praises
Pray for Cash and his battle. Reach out to Cake Boss, Chicken Hawk, or Spud to know more specifics.
Prayers for Olaf’s mother and step father – struggling through separation due to addiction.
Prayers for YHC and M/2.3 – recently had a tongue tie cut and still working through latch

Via COT a conversation came up about the impact of pornography on each of us as men – and the detriment that it can bring to our lives. Check out The Freedom Fight if you’re having any sort of temptation or addiction to porn.

Link here.

YHC just started the 30 day challenge and would be happy to be your accountability partner. Reach out to me on Slack.

Punch List out.

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APFT at Golden Corral, version 1 of 6

2nd Tuesdays of the month at GC will be the APFT and we’ll track progress.

Mosey to Lake Wylie Brewing for 10 windmills, 20 imperial walkers, 10 low slow squats.  2 mins AMRAP merkins for count, 2 mins AMRAP big boy sit ups for count, and timed 2 mile run.

Points are awarded for count/time bracketed by age group.

PAX, # of reps/time (scores), then total points/ave points
Maximus, 71 merkins (98), 66 bbsu (89), 13:04 (100) = 287/95.7
Gears, 59 merkins (92), 61 bbsu (89), 14:15 (99) = 280/93.3
Dark Helmet, 74 merkins (100), 62 bbsu (90), 15:17 (90) = 280/93.3
Long Duck, 75 merkins (100), 37 bbsu (69), 15:59 (91) = 260/86.7
Change Order, 61 merkins (94), 54 bbsu (86), 16:48 (77) = 257/85.7
BOT, 73 merkins (98), 54 bbsu (74), 15:17 (83) = 255/85
Olaf, 62 merkins (87), 50 bbsu (69), 14:17 (92) = 248/82.7
Body Wash, 67 merkins (94), 32 bbsu (54), 15:31 (84) = 232/77.3
Grout, 44 merkins (76), 38 bbsu (66), 16:41 (78) = 220/73.3
Lutefisk, 52 merkins (76), 50 bbsu (69), 17:29 (63) = 208/69.3

It’ll be interesting to see the progress, we’ll be doing this 5 more times so don’t be afraid to start in July!

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Scavenger Hunt

Arrive in parking lot (Lake Ridge clubhouse) to find your name in a socially distant parking space. 20 SSH IC to warm up.  Also in the parking space is a tri-folded piece of paper.  Each HIM has the same information, just in a different order. YHC explains to the PAX that in order, they need to complete the scavenger hunt. Side 1 of the trifold is a clue, the answer is a street in the hood. At the end of each said street is a pain station. Complete all 5 in order and end in your parking space.  If you can’t figure it out from page 1, flip to page 2 for additional clue. If you can ‘t get it or don’t know where the street is, flip to page 3 for the name of the street and directions. If you use page 2, that’s a 10 burpee penalty for each time you use it. Flip to page 3 another 10 burpee penalty. Don’t look ahead and be honest. Should get about 3.2 miles in.

1.1-Also known as Wild Celery (1.2-Synonyms include heavenly, divine, holy… she may also hava a halo  1.3-Angelica Lane, clubhouse road all the way at the end of the estates)

2.1-The last color of the rainbow (1.2 Think of ROY G BIV  2.3 Violet Ct, left at the clubhouse, 1st right turn)

3.1-A plant that is pink or magenta (3.2 Starts with F  3.3 Fuchsia Ct, take coralbell to betony [where half shell/router live] then left on fuchsia)

4.1-An herb commonly found in Italian dishes (4.2 Cancer from sunburn is AKA ______ cell carcinoma 4.3 Basil Ct, back from Fuchsia, off of Coralabell, right on Hazel then turn right)

5.1-An herb AKA coriander (5.2 Mexican restaurants often use ________ lime rice 5.3 Cilantro Ct, after Basil, hang a right on Hazel then right on Cilantro)

 

Mile High wins the fastest time back. Olaf cheats by cutting through yards and power line openings, but thought hint 4 was Rosemary, so he ran about an extra mile. #deservedit. Pothole hung in there and knocked out his penalty burpees. Poor Cha Ching… He thought Fresia was Fuchsia… unfortunately, that was literally the opposite side of our hood.  He earned an extra 2 miles of running. Since that was his second stop, he swore it wouldn’t happen again, so he had to make sure he got it right… it’s only burpees right?  50 penalty burpees for Cha Ching.

Total workout time was almost spot on at 45 minutes.  Thanks HIM for coming out for this one. We were OYO but not OYO this morning.  AYE!

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F3 Combine

Short and sweet…. time change the day before, pleased that 9 hard chargers showed for Quagmire despite losing an hour of sleep.

The Thang

Mosey to HD Parking Lot

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

COP

Mosey to Homegoods Parking

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

 

F3 Combine Circuit

  • High Knees/Butt Kickers/AYG the length of two parking spots
  • Side shuffle 10 spots worth
  • Nur back two parking spots
  • Side shuffle 10 spots worth
  • Plank for Six

Repeat each of the following IC

  • Merkins
  • Mountain Climbers
  • CDD
  • Squats
  • Monkey Humpers
  • Apollo Onos
  • Flutter
  • Box Cutter
  • American Hammer
  • Burpees

Mosey to Fountain

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

3 Sets of increasing reps IC:

  • Russian Dips
  • Irkins
  • Step Ups

Mosey to COT

  • 3 Burpees per Crosswalk

82 Reps of America’s Favorite Exercise

Read Your Newsletter

 

Honor to Serve

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Bright Colors for #F3forFaye

Yesterday Spiderman & YHC had the realization that we were Qing at the same site today…I had the Golden Corral bootcamp which means he had the Fire Ant Ruck beat down. It’s always good to shake things up so we decided to do just that for this mornings edition.

As can be the case with our own lives, we sometimes over-complicate a workout and stray from the simple but effective model. I’ll go ahead and cut to the chase, I think this was certainly effective but it overshot simple pretty quickly. But hey, we were just looking to give the other 17 PAX that joined us an opportunity to chatter at our expense.

Enough rambling, here it is. We combined Ruckers & Boot Campers (wait, you can’t do that…oh yes we can) and split the combined group in half. We had 4 corners established covering most of the parking lot (corner of Harris Teeter to Red Bowl to the insurance office to the dog wash place). It was a large square-ish figure. Half went with Spider Man and half came with me.

Each corner had a sheet with exercises written on it but here’s the kicker, don’t just jog from one corner to another. Get on it. The ground is wet but “well lit” so you do you but GET IT.
For those present, you can remember all the fond times you had of poking the Q’s about how “things look better on paper” or “I bet these seemed easier in your head” or any number of other completely appropriate jabs that were thrown while trying to figure out the Ruck logistics but none of that matters ’cause you loved it and this is peer led (remember…we’re not professionals).

Corner 1 (with Rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Squats
(15) Bent over rows

When your group is done, sprint

Corner 2 (w/o rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Box Cutters
(15) Diamond Merkins
(20) Butt Kickers

When your group is done, sprint

Corner 3 (with Rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Squats
(15) Bent over rows

When your group is done, sprint

Corner 4 (with Rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Heels to Heavan
(15) Hand-Release Merkins
(20) Butt Kickers

Sprint back to Corner 1.

We did this full evolution about 3 times then brought the group back together for something we unknowingly stole from Tinsel (plagiarism is the finest form  of flattery, right?).
1 Merkin : 4 Shoulder Taps and we made it to 8:32 before having to cut it short for COT.

Important to remember today why we wore the bright colors. Remembering a little girl, Faye, whose life was too short but her impact will be far-reaching; to families and communities her or her family never knew.

Announcements: In the words of the eloquent Mainframe, “Read your da*n NEWSLETTER.” Hey, he’s right.

Prayers: Family members in battles for their lives. Communication in marriages. Cash’s recovery. Kids healing from broken bones.

Until Next Time.
Spiderman & Maximus

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Minnow Pond-Triangle of Pain

21 men cane to minnow pond from all directions and walks of life

the plan was simple

run, exercise, run, exercise, run, exercise

starting at memorial park across from launch point

💥10 Donkey Kicks

run up Massey

💥10 Merkins

run down Spratt

💥 10 leg raises

run back to memorial park

5-7 Rounds

60-75 reps of exercises as each round we increased by 1 rep

3.5-4.0 miles🙌🏻🔥💪🏻🥓

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Hills and More Hills

Nine men showed up this chilly morning to get better.  It was nice to see Walker venture up from Rock Hill to show us how things are done.  After the disclaimer, Senator Tressell kicked us off.

Mosey out of the parking lot, take the path to the back of the park, down the big hill, hang a left and go up to the cul-de-sac on Mariner’s Court for COP. All in cadence:

SSH x 30, Merkin x 10, Squat x 20, IW x 20, Freddie Mercury x 20, Carolina Dry Dock x 20, Mountain Climber x 25, Jumping lunge x 15, Moroccan Night Club x 40 and begin walking toward the bottom of the hill.

Mosey back up the hill to the pull-up bars along the path park. Split into 4 groups:

Group 1: 5 burpee pull-ups
Group 2: Big Boy Sit-ups
Group 3: Merkins
Group 4: Step-ups

Rinse/repeat until time runs out

Hand off to Fish Sticks

Mosey to the bottom of short hill, backwards run up the hill to the top.  Back down to the bottom, lunge walk up to the top and back down to the bottom.

Ran down the side street and up the hill to the corner.  One set of dips (15) on the landscape timbers.

Mosey back to the park for some boulder exercises:  Overhead press (15) and curls (15).

Ran to the baseball field, split up into two groups.  The first group ran to the outfield fence, jumped over the fence, and did 5 bomb jacks (no jump over the fence, 15 bomb jacks). The second group planked until the first group returned.

Round two:  5 burpees at the top of the hill (no jump over the fence, 20 burpees).  Olaf chose to take the 20 burpees option (great example of choosing to do difficult things to make you better).

Round three:  bomb jack option.

Mosey back to the basketball court for six minutes of Mary.

COT

Prays for all who are battling cancer along with their families supporting them.

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