Slow Burn Core Workout

It was the last weekday of spring break, yet 14 PAX joined us in the gloom for a solid core workout.  Mumble chatter was significant and welcomed!

Getting right to it….Disclaimer then a mosey to warmup:

  • SSH’s – 25
  • Low Slow Squats – 10
  • Windmill – 10
  • Moroccan Nightclubs – 25
  • Cherry Pickers – 10

Mosey to the other side of the eatery strip to get out of the wind a bit.

We took a moment to discuss the word of the month, Worthy…and then got after our cores!

  • LBC’s in Cadence – 15
  • Flutter Kicks in Cadence – 25 (that is a LOT)
  • Hello Dolly in Cadence – 15
  • Run a lap of the parking lot and then Rinse and Repeat

Split the group into two lines and we did a relay sprint race just to get the heart pumping a bit and give our core a short break

  • Hello Dolly in Cadence – 25
  • Freddy Mercury in Cadence – 25
  • Big Boy Sit-Ups, together as single count – 10
  • American Hammer’s in Cadence – 15

To mix it up a bit, People’s chair with 3 popout burpees from each PAX

  • Merkins in Cadence – 10
  • Diamond Merkins in Cadence – 10

Run another lap around the parking lot for a breather

Rinse and Repeat the last round of core exercises

  • Hello Dolly in Cadence – 25
  • Freddy Mercury in Cadence – 25
  • Big Boy Sit-Ups, together as single count – 10
  • American Hammer’s in Cadence – 15

AMRAP style we did two rounds of exercises

  • Low Slow Squats
  • PAX individual choice, but had to be an exercise they really hate doing.  We had burpees to big boy situps, but the PAX all pushed themselves outside of their comfort zone!

Mosey back to COT

It was a fun group, and as usual, completely honored to lead my Brother’s in this workout!

Smithers…Out!

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Nothing but Left Turns

6 on the track this morning.

Mile warmup

Dynamic Stretching.

35 minute AMRAP of:

800 meters (fast)
400 Meters (recovery)

.5 mile recovery run followed by Some Broga.

COT and BOM with Laces In.

Thank you Haggis for posting in The Fort today and reminding us how much slower we are than the guys in SOB. Appreciate it.

Shanks Out

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Sparkplug’s 4 Corners + Coupons

The morning was actually pleasant.  Upper 60’s, a slight breeze, and no active rain…to start.   Sparkplug was on Q and had Twister bring a trunk load of coupons!  Started out with a partner carrying a coupon in a mosey down to the corner of the restaurant row, Then off to the parking lot for some warm-up.

Mosey around to the far side of Lowes for some wall sits, bear crawls, and a few other things.

Then Mosey back up to the restaurant row where there were 4 exercises listed for each corner.  We counted off in 4’s and each started at our own corner, going clockwise around the building.  It was a great full body workout!  Rain started somewhere during the first cycle, but it was pleasant, not a hindrance. Plus, we got wet on the parking lot when Sparkplug called for LBC’s and Freddy Mercury’s during the initial warm-up!

We even had one of Fort Mill’s finest from the police department stop to check us out.  Spitz did his best to EH him…he seemed interested, but Spitz said he would stalk him to make sure he came out ;-).

Finished up, and partnered up to carry the coupons back up to COT.

Great job to Sparkplug for the Q today!  I have to be honest…I really just wanted to hear him talk for the full 45 minutes ;-).

Smithers, out

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Laces: Super 21 on Maundy Thursday

Laces In:

Slight Mosey to student parking lot

Warm Up – COP
SSH x20
Imperial Walker x10
Hillbilly Walker x10
Windmill x10
Cherry Picker x10

Mosey to Band Practice lot

Super 21s (variation) – Inspired by JWOWW’s VQ at the Hive which used a deck of cards and got me thinking about 21. Then I found Super 21s listed in the F3 Exercises………I wondered why I hadn’t done these before in a workout. Turns out doing Super 21s makes it difficult to raise your arms later…..like days later.

1 merkin to 1 low slow squat
repeat to 10 reps of each
Flutters x21
11-13 reps of merkin/LSS
Hello Dollys x21
14-15 reps of merkin/LSS
Freddie Mercuries x21
16-17 reps of merkin/LSS
Lap around the Painted Lot
18-19 reps of merkin/LSS
Box Cutters x21
20-21 reps of merkin/LSS
Rosalitas x21
(Total of 231 merkins and squats)

Slight mosey to side of Ceramics Studio

Found some curb – stretch calves
Calf raises x21
Wall Sits (slight discussion of the brass technique of multiple tonguing: generated a good deal of mumble chatter)

PAX mentioned (sarcastically?) that if we just did 19 more merkins, we would reach 250. With the challenge laid down, PAX completed 19 merkins and 19 low slow squats. (Total of 250 merkins and squats: except for Trucker who complete 280 and added that to the Name-o-rama so YHC wouldn’t forget.)

Plank up – Because Abiding (see note below) requires flexibility:
Honeymooner to Down dog variations
Stretch out the legs
Leg raises in down dog
One leg plank
Knee taps to elbow x5
Knee taps to opposite elbow x5
Repeat with opposite leg
Pigeon Lunges
Butterfly stretches
Seated forward bends (i.e., touch your toes sitting down)

Mosey back to COT
American Hammers x21

The word for the month is abide. Abiding in God is active alignment of our will to the Lord’s. This is opposed to “the dude” passively abiding in the Big Lebowski. I gave a brief message about how we can abide in what is happening around us or we can strive to abide in God. The word is not a passive acceptance our circumstances, at least not in a scriptural sense.

We also discussed, while sitting against a wall, how I approach my (music) studio teaching at Winthrop. There’s practice dedicated to maintenance/growth at technical elements and the physical skills required to play the instrument (this is how triple tonguing came up), and then there’s practice learning assigned repertoire. Practicing only repertoire means the physical skills needed for new piece/work must be learned from scratch…..every time. Having a set routine for maintenance and growth means the fundamentals on the instrument are already in place, i.e., you’re in shape. At this point, learning repertoire is simply a matter of applying skills you already possess.

My short (5 months) time with F3 reminds me of this model. A routine to develop ourselves (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) so that when we encounter challenges (repertoire) it is only a matter of applying skills we either already posses or are honing. One of the hardest parts of each workout for YHC is leaving the comfort of the bed for the gloom. Yet we are all on this planet (its own form of gloom) called to seek God’s purpose for us and abide in that. I’m grateful to have shared this morning with PAX doing just that . . . . even if that means YHC can barley raise his arms to type a backblast.

Not sure what happened at Laces Out. . . . I’m assuming they ran and can currently lift their arms.

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Hootie’s first Q

I had plenty of time to prepare for my first Q. I had no idea how to gauge whether or not the workout would be considered moderate of more like a boot camp. I had hoped to push the edge. In the end, we all got a good sweat. But it probably wasn’t hard enough.

It had rained all night. It was cool and damp, but the rain had ended. We moseyed for a bit and then did 7 warm up exercises. Then we moseyed some more to the wall in the back of the building where we did wall squats while each of us took turns doing 2 burpees. We did another round of wall squats where everyone stepped out to do two bomb jacks.

Then we moseyed to the front parking lot where we did a 4 corners workout. Since we only had 8, we broke up into two groups of 4. We started at opposite corners. We did 5 rounds where we hit all body parts in each round of 4. After completing each set of 4 exercises, we would meet in the middle to do 5 bomb jacks.

We finished back at the Q with each of us leading an ab exercise.

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It’s All About Perspective

It was awesome being back at Panteon.  Wednesday is typically a DOR for YHC (day or rest, or day or run). But when it comes to exercise, the human body likes variance and change of routine.  Definitely need to work on that!

Upon arriving a little early to ensure nothing would be obstructing the weinke plans, I saw Fishsticks’ truck and shovel flag, but no Fishsticks.  By 5:15, 4 other pax had gathered, and we figured the SiteQ was out for a run (P200 training, in fact).

Disclaimer was issued and we moseyed around the parking lot to get warmed up before stopping back at the shovel flag for COP.

Warm-up COP

  • SSH x20, IC
  • 1 burpee
  • Windmill x10, IC
  • 2 burpees
  • Imperial Squat Walkers x 20, IC
  • 3 burpees
  • Cherry pickers x 20, IC
  • 4 burpees
  • Mountain Climbers x20, IC
  • 5 burpees

The Thang
Mosey to back of school for ascending curb crawls (1-10)

  • bear crawl to opposite side then do 1 merkin
  • crab walk back and do 2 dips
  • bear crawl back then do 3 merkin
  • crab walk back and do 4 dips
  • repeat going back and forth until you reach 10 dips

Mosey to the Amphitheater – Partner up for some Dora 1, 2, 3

* 100 Bombjacks (partner bear crawls to first sidewalk – then runs back following sidewalk around
* 200 American Hammers (L+R = 1) – Partner bunny hops up to 2nd sidewalk – then runs back following sidewalk around
* 300 Sumo Squats – Partner runs to 3rd sidewalk – then runs back following sidewalk around
* Concluded the amphitheater work with a charge up to the 4th sidewalk, 5 burpees, and return to the stage

6MOM

  • Flutters x20 IC
  • Chop sticks x20 IC
  • LBCs x20 IC
  • Alphabet soup OYO
  • Hello Dolly x20 IC
  • Plank and 6-inches (a few rounds)

During the ab work, Fishsticks circled us to reach 8 miles (t-claps!), and offer some encouragement as we rounded out the 45 minutes.

NMMS

A couple times during the workout, we talked about the importance of perspective.  For most of my life, I’ve been involved with soccer as a player, coach, or fan.  Having recently begun officiating, my eyes have been opened wide to the perspective of the referee.  Suddenly, my ears hear criticisms never heard before.  And now I often feel bad for the ref taking the abuse from fellow fans.

Perspective is important for a society to survive.  But ultimately, it’s a Heavenly perspective that is important for our souls.  I’m guilty of only seeing things from the perspective of man, and not from the view of eternal salvation.  The way to better see that perspective is to look through the lens of the Bible by knowing what it says and means!  My biblical lens is small and cloudy, but it’s never too late to get into the Word and improve your view!

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Chasing Blue Zones

Nine of the fine regulars of The Ballroom posted for YHC’s first time Q’ing at the AO’s new locale of PKMS.  The temp was mid-40s, but the breeze seemed to bring a chill that made a few spend just a half second wondering if they’d be better off hopping back in the car.  But the thought evaporated as the disclaimer was given, and then we were off…

We took a warm-up mosey around the parking lot, then to the very front of the school for warm-up COP.

  • Seal jacks x20 (IC)
  • Mountain Climbers x15 (IC)
  • Tunnel Touches x10 (IC)
  • Wind Mills x10 (IC)
  • Plank jacks x15 (IC)
  • Speed Skaters x10 (OYO)

The Thang

We then moseyed to the parking lot on the south side of the school where 4 cones were set up in a rectangle (about 15yards by 40 yards.  Pax were told to partner up, size not mattering.  We then engaged in 8 rounds “Catch Me If You Can”, which worked like this: Partner 1 did the stationary exercises, while partner 2 did the moving exercise on a path toward the next cone.  Once Partner 1 was done, he ran to catch Partner 2.  Once caught, they flapjacked.  The round was complete when both partners got all the way around all 4 cones.  In between each round, we talked about what Blue Zones are, and what people can learn from them.  See further down for more details.

Catch me if you can  rounds:

  1. 20 SSH and toy soldiers
  2. 20 LBCs and lunges
  3. 10 squats and power skips
  4. 10 merkins and butt kickers
  5. 10 crab cakes and high knees
  6. 3 burpees and karaoke (alternate left/right)
  7. 10 Imperial Walkers and bear crawls
  8. 10 Monkey Hummers and backwards jogs

To the wall for People’s Chair – one round of Jack Reachers, and a follow-up round of arms up, arms out.

Moseyed back near the shovel flag for some Mary

  • Flutters x15 (IC)
  • Hello Dollys x10 (IC)
  • Russian Twists x15 (IC)
  • LBCs x10 (IC)

6am – Time’s up.  Take a few steps to gather at COT.

Blue Zones
During the main part of the workout, I shared some information I had originally heard about a few years ago.  The cover of National Geographic, November 2005, highlighted their feature article on Blue Zones.  These Zones are 5 areas in the world where people statistically live the longest.  Researchers identified 9 lifestyle “principles” in these areas that, they claim, contributes to their long lifespans.  Small spoiler alert: all 3 F’s of F3 are in the list.

Before covering the principles, it’s important to remember that from the Christian perspective, God is in control of everything.  If we pursue any fountains of youth for the sake of trying to be in control and god-like, I believe that would be a case of doing good things for the wrong reasons.  My personal perspective is that God has blessed us with these bodies (healthy or not), and we should be good stewards of them, treating them like temples.  Most PAX probably already feel this way, but I deemed it worth mentioning, given how this topic has a very “self-help” feel to it.  Now, for the 9 principles (my comments follow the [ob] tag).  These items were taken from a QCTimes article.

  1. Move naturally – Get more physically active by walking in the community, do manual labor around the house and yard, and grow gardens. [ob] This is our 1st F in F3.  Many might say there is nothing natural about burpees. But I’d argue the calisthenic-style bootcamp workouts actually mimic natural movements, at least more-so than you’d see in a weight room.
  2. Know your purpose – People who know why they get up in the morning live up to seven years longer than those who don’t. [ob] For those of use that follow Jesus, our purpose should be a little easier to identify.  But not always. If you don’t know your purpose, it’s important you start looking!
  3. Down shift – To reverse inflammation related to every major age-related disease, find time each day to meditate, nap, pray or enjoy a happy hour. [ob] This even includes making efforts to reduce worry!
  4. 80 percent rule – It takes the stomach 20 minutes to tell the brain it is full, causing most people to accidentally overeat. Stop eating when 80 percent full. [ob] Not much more to say here, except that I can think of other areas of my life where 80% is all I really need.
  5. Plant Foods – Eat a mostly plant-based diet heavy on beans, nuts and green plants. This is consistent with U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendations. [ob] This one sounds really good to me, as long as BBQ is consider a plant food.  Seriously though, this is exactly what my doctor recommend to me after my last blood test results.
  6. Wine at 5 – For those who have a healthy relationship with alcohol, 1-2 glasses of wine daily can add years to a life, especially when combined with a healthy diet.
  7. Family first – Living in a thriving family is worth six extra years of life expectancy. [ob] Early morning F3 workouts can sometimes result in taking time away from family the evening before.  Workouts are important, but quality family time is critical.
  8. Belong – Recommit, reconnect or explore a faith-based community. No matter which faith, studies show that people who show up to their faith community four times a month live an extra four to 14 years. [ob] This is our 3rd F in F3.
  9. Right tribe – Friends have a long-term impact on well-being. Expand a social circle to include healthy-minded, supportive people. This could be the most powerful way to add years to a life. [ob] This is our 2nd F in F3. And I’m not at all surprised at their claim that this could be the most powerful way to extend life.  Just remember, you get out of it what you put into it.

 

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Accumulator Around Rite-Aid

7 boot campers and 5 ruckers launched after YHC gave an “official” disclaimer (as per suggestion from Chaser on the weekly F3 round table conference call).  Boot campers were led by Hootie for a mosey around the parking lot, then circled up for COP warm-up.

  • SSH x20
  • Moroccan Nightclubs x10
  • Imperial Walkers x10
  • Merkins x10
  • Low Slow Squats x10
  • Windmills x10

The Thang

Handoff to YHC for a mosey over to the Rite-Aid for the main event.  We stumbled on 6 cones (each with an exercise) that would be the instructions for this part of the workout.  Each “round” would consist of running around the building, performing the appropriate exercise(s) at each corner, then planking up for the 6 so we all start the next round together.

Round 1- 1 burpee at each corner (running between corners)
Round 2 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks at each corner
Round 3 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch
Round 4 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins
Round 5 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks
Round 6 – 1 burpee, 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6 box cutters
Round 7 – 2 crab jacks, 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6  box cutters
Round 8 – 3 run stance switch, 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6 box cutters
Round 9 – 4 merkins, 5 plank jacks, 6  box cutters
Round 10 – 5 plank jacks, 6  box cutters
Round 11 – 6  box cutters

We managed to get all 11 rounds in before heading to COT. For those curious about the numbers:
24 burpees
48 crab cakes
72 run stance switch
96 merkins
120 plank jacks
144 box cutters
Total Distance run: 1.8 miles

Excellent work by all pax.  Great VQ warm-up by Hootie! Thanks to Decibel for the opportunity to lead.

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I hate you, I love you, I hate that I love you

Weather – 35 degrees and not sunny with a slight wind coming in from the northeast.

13/14 PAX (not sure the total number but 21 was the total between Laces In and Laces out) showed YHC some love by posting on this beautiful Thursday morning. No joke I thought most would post the Celebrity Q CSPAN on the Track considering it is P200 training season. Though he PAX showed some love, YHC didn’t show it back. Here’s how the beatdown went:

The Thang

Mosey around the parking lot with some Butt Kicks, High Knees, Karoake and Toy Soldiers. Circle up for COP

SSH x 25
IW x 15
Windmills x 10
Mountain Climbers x 15
Peter Parkers x 10
Parker Peters x 10
Low Slow Squats x 15

Mosey over to the hill.
1 partner runs to the first speed bump while partner exercises. Plank after each round of exercise.
100 Hip Thrusters (plenty of jokes about thrusting and humping)
100 Merkins (jokes stopped after they realize whats happening)
100 Squat Jumps
At this point the PAX realize its a deconstructed burpee.
100 Burpees (aka 100 I Hate You’s)

Mosey over to the Large Gym Parking lot where cones were setup
Exercises done Cupcake style (formerly known as a suicide)
40 SSH, run to first cone, 20 Carolina Dry docks, run back to start, 40 SSH, run to 2nd cone 25 LBC’s, Run Back to start 40 SSH, run to third cone 25 Squats, run to start 40 SSH, run to last cone 5 Burpees, run back to the start.
Mosey 3/4 a big lap until over at the 5 Burpee cone.
Rinse and repeat but the start line is at the Burpees.
5 Burpees, run, 25 squats, run, 5 burpees, run, 25 LBC’s, run, 5 burpees, run, 20 CDD, run, 5 burpees, run, 40 SSH. Finish at SSH. Mosey back for 2 minutes of Mary – LBC’s and Flutter Kicks

COT and BOM with Laces Out

Announcements – Yeti 2-24, Reading with kids on Mon/Wed (contact Deacon/Copay), Saturday coffeteria at Peach Stand following workouts, read your newsletter.

Prayers – Corruptions Mom having Surgery today, FMHS teacher that had open heart surgery this week, marriages, families, kids, our community

Moleskin
1. Thanks Lil E for the opportunity to lead this morning.
2. Great Push this morning by All PAX. Moderate amount of complaining. I can handle that. And yes, I have love/hate relationship with burpees.
3. 1 month into 2018 and how are we all with our 1 word. As some of you may know my word is Patience. It has already taken on many forms throughout the first month. The biggest takeaway thus far is to remember to take a deep breath every now and then and just let it all go out instead of keeping everything inside.
4. Just Breathe

Shanks out

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Taking it easy at the Golden Corral

After two Qs last week, YHC’s creativity was all but spent. Nevertheless, when Old Bay asked if I could fill in for Boeheim, I agreed to help. I still have that Twister spinner I made for a previous Q, so I already had something “prepared” in case I didn’t have time to come up with something new.

Not being satisfied with repeating something, I decided to at least update the board a bit (and tried cutting off a finger in the process, so ignore the blood stain if you see it). This will come in handy later, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

14 cold-ish PAX (well, 13, as Cake Boss came rolling in late) posted to Golden Corral before dividing up – six to ruck with Mainframe, Old Bay to run by himself, and seven for the bootcamp. Disclaimer was given (probably my best yet), and off we went. The first couple minutes of the mosey around to the back parking lot were spent explaining what we were not doing: no somersaults, no inverted burpees, no flips, etc. Apparently people get concerned when they find out it’s a Jedi Q. Incorporating knees to chest, butt kickers, and karaoke, we wove around until we found a good spot in the corner of the back parking lot to warm up a bit.

COP/Warm-up

My warmups are getting a bit repetitive, but it seems I feel the need to stretch the hamstrings and open the hips with:

10 windmills IC

10 low slow squats IC

10 hillbilly walkers IC

10 merkins IC

Downward dog with cross body ankle grabs (probably the weirdest move of the day)

Not feeling quite warm enough, we moved over to the curb for some dips and crab cakes, Jack Webb style: one dip and four crab cakes (single count, with hands on curb), all the way up to ten and forty. Our shoulders got nice and toasty, though there were many modifications including a fully-seated version of the crab cake, but since Cake Boss has 60 pound weights at the end of both legs, grace was extended.

Shake it off, then mosey around to the front of Harris Teeter for the remainder of our fun.

The Thang

As mentioned, the Twister spinner made a reappearance for today. Basically, spin the spinner, do the exercise as prescribed, then run across the parking lot to the stop sign and back. Rinse and repeat. The exercises:

Two Arms

Donkey Kick (x20)

Merkins (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Dips (x20)

One Arm

Donkey Kick (x20)

Merkins (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Dips (x20)

Two Legs

Donkey Kick (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Squat Jumps (x20)

Bear Crawl

One Leg

Donkey Kick (x20)

Burpees (x10)

Squat Jumps (x20)

Bear crawl

The first spin resulted in one-arm merkins, which was a real crowd pleaser following the Jack Webb dip/crab cake combo. That, and they’re one-arm merkins. Other exercises completed include burpees (normal, one arm, and one leg), donkey kicks (normal and one leg), dips (normal and one arm), bear crawl (just normal), squat jumps (normal), and merkins (normal). I can’t remember the order, but it was pretty balanced, and there was a lot of running involved, ending with a quick run to COT to meet the ruckers and runner.

Announcements

  • Read your newsletter
  • Yeti is coming up. Sign up and do it.
  • February second Tuesday lunch will be at Pasquel’s (with either a hard or soft q sound, depending on who you ask) rather than Fort Mill BBQ.
  • Maybe some others, but Decibel was in a hurry.

Praises and Prayers

  • ChaChing’s grandpa passed away over the weekend, so prayers for the family and ChaChing and his wife as they travel north today.
  • Cake Boss’s thirty-something plumber Jason had a stroke (and answered the phone in the hospital)
  • Decibel’s son’s classmate Violet has meningitis
  • Prayers for the community in light of recent events

As always, it was an honor to lead these men, and you can ask any of the bootcamp guys – it wasn’t bad. You need not be afraid of a Jedi Q. We don’t always do weird inverted stuff. Sometimes I need an easy day.

-Jedi

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