Where is Spring??

18 Men showed up on a very chilly April morning. The pre-ruck was very well attended, and the ruck portion was being Q’ed by Olaf and there seemed to be several implements of torcher that were assembled for the rucking PAX to carry around.  5:15 came and the disclaimer was given(in spirit if not actually) and the entire group was challenged to begin thinking of prayers that needed to be shared at COT. No prayers for your neighbors sick cat, what do YOU need your brothers to know and pray for in your life?  With that the Ruckers were dismissed and the rest of us circled up for some COP.  SSH, IW, Squats, on your side for some hip flexing and strengthening – Jane Fonda – Leg Circles forward and reverse, back kicks.  All on your side 5 count then flip sides. Strong loose hips are key to injury prevention.  Mosey to lay out the cones for a 5 corner workout tour around the Golden Corral. 1st cone at the bottom of the hill(10 Bomb Jacks) Cone #2 at the top of the hill(20 LBC) Cone 3 around Auto Parts and Oil change(10 CDD) 4th cone at COT(15 Squats) Cone 5 at Dominos(15 Merkins) You vs You workout, you choose how fast you want to push it, how hard you want to work.  The PAX did awesome, everyone finished at least 4 full laps and a few did 4 plus, Mileage count was over 3 miles, pretty strong for a 45 minute boot camp.  Final mosey to COT

Announcements – Strawberry Fields, Guidance & CAH, Bonsai has Beyond next Tuesday at GC

Prayers & Praises – Continued prayers for Badger – Prayers for patience and wisdom with young kids(especially boys), Prayers for healing for the young kids in our community growing up in dysfunctional or non-existent homes, prayers for patience and energy to continue dealing with the racial injustices that many of us don’t want to admit exist.  I appreciated the hearts of the men who shared this morning, and challenge the PAX to press into being vulnerable with our real struggles and needs so that we can properly car for each other.

 

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Final Prespect Q at the Ranch

 Name-O-Rama.  11127355-7E37-4F2A-9B9E-F19861396FC7

YHC thanks Jiffy for the opportunity of one last Q as a Prespect and for the PAX who attended.

Not many posts to the Ranch from my end, but I had been eyeing up the facilities for weeks during 2.0’s soccer practice. Made good use of the the soccer fields and all the trees and light poles.

Arrived early,  fortunately enough lighting in the gloom for the planned weinke, set up 3 cones in front of one soccer goal approx. 10, 15 and 20 yards away and placed the 43 lb sandbag near the opposite goal.

Arrivals, no FNG’s, and a really ‘succint’ disclaimer. I believe we may have had one late arrival.

Moseyed around the parking for 2 laps with high knees, butt kickers, toys soldiers and shuffling. Jogged to far end of the further soccer field for SSH, merkins, flutters, GoofBalls, MNC’s. The real fun began with stage 1:

Stage One. Making use of 27 crepe myrtles lined up, we did bear crawls for one tree with 5 merkins, lunge walk one tree with 5 squats and continuing with adding 1 more tree until the end. Wow, this was tougher on the thighs than expected.  The RETURN lap was jog 3 trees, bear crawl 1, sumo walk 1 until the end. The first lap started near the trees, but by the second lap we were spread out across the soccer field.

Stage Two, Act One. Soccer field. Partner up, one PAX ran the length of the field and kicked a soccer ball into the goal from the closer 1st cone, the other PAX carried the sand bag overhead until handing off to the kicker for the return run. A missed shot meant running a lot further to track it down and replace it at the first cone for the next kicker/group.  MEANWHILE, the other PAX cycled through 5 LBC’s, 5 Flutters, 5 American Hammers. This continued until all 5 partner duo’s had gone.

Act Two and Three had the kickers move back 5 yards, while PAX cycled through…Act Two: 5 bombjacks, 5 Jump Squats, 5 Calf Raises. Act Three, 5 yards further back cycling through 5 Donkey Kicks, 5 left side crunches, 5 right side crunches.

YHC along with about 5 other PAX missed shots on goal.

We finished with 2 laps around the fields using the light poles. 3 burpees at every pole which ended up amounting to 45 burpees. For good measure, we finished 4 more burpees in COT to reach the magical “49” for the workout.

The brief message of the workout was to “Be Inspired, Become Inspiring.” Observe our PAX and follow their lead. We have PAX with different personalities and different involvements to inspire us to become better from the fitness side, to the community/philanthropy efforts, to the betterment of ourselves from the faith and spirituality side.

Prayers to sick or injured family members and friends. ChickenHawk noted to make use of the Easter holiday season to seek out, learn and improve yourself in your faith. Use the extra time to connect with family members.  G-Fit and CAH every Saturday needs PAX involvement, ESPECIALLY during Easter when regular PAX may not be able to post. HELP IF YOU CAN!

3 days to 50 for me, but my first RESPECT post will probably be with the Lehigh Valley PAX back in PA. Looking forward to first Respect post back in the Fort.

Aye! Bolt

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iFLIJfBSEK8BLAEPZWWh-VTD8sYuv0-H/view?usp=sharing

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Burpee Bonanza at the Swamp

Tuesday morning at Golden Corral, Cable Guy (in typical Cable Guy fashion) looks over at YHC (who is conveniently located across the parking lot, because, well, Cable Guy in the morning…) and says, “So, you’ll Q Friday at the Swamp.” It wasn’t really a question; it was more a statement of fact.

“I’ll what now?”

“Yeah, you’ll Q.”

Before I could raise any objections to protect my fellow PAX from what would become my fifth bootcamp Q in just over 2 weeks, word started to spread, and my fate was sealed.

No Twitter announcement was made to prepare the PAX for today, so when 0515 rolled over on my watch, I stepped into the circle to make the disclaimer. It was a C-Span-approved disclaimer, so I’m getting better there. Disclaimer disclaimed, the 7 ruckers walked off one way and the 8 bootcampers moseyed the other.

COP, Part 1

Short mosey to the parking lot behind Cold Stone for

20 SSH IC

10 hillbilly walkers IC

Moving on…

COP, Part 2

Following a mosey with a few side shuffles thrown in, we circled up outside Books A Million for

10 windmills IC

10 low slow squats IC

20 Moroccan night clubs IC

That’s it for the warm up; I wanted to leave plenty of time for the main event. So we moseyed over to the Sun Trust Bank parking lot for the fun to start.

The Thang

The bank is a good size to run around, and it conveniently has 11 parking spaces in a nice, flat, straight row, making it perfect for a lineup of stations. For today’s fun, we had ten burpee stations and a “rest” station of 100 LBCs. Exercises were all OYO, with a lap around the bank after each station, resulting in 11 laps. The burpee stations, in no particular order:

20 Burpees (plain old burpees)

10 Prison cell burpees

10 Kraken burpees

15 Walmart burpees (“Walmart” because you roll back; these were the focus of much mumblechatter)

15 Bodybuilder burpees

15 Inverted burpees

20 One-arm burpees (10 per arm)

20 One-leg burpees (10 per leg)

15 Tuck jump burpees (jump knees to chest)

20 Jump ½ turn burpees (ideally 10 per direction)

For those counting, that makes for 160 wonderfully fun burpees. I think we ended up running over two miles, too, but I’m not sure on that one.

T-claps to all the bootcampers, as everybody completed the entire circuit, and nobody really got far ahead of anybody else. LBCs were completed by some as we waited for the six. With five minutes to spare, we moseyed back to Chick-Fil-A for a couple minutes of stretching our now very tight shoulders and hips.

Announcements

  • GoRuck Light tomorrow. Good luck and have fun to those guys going. Make sure you’re prepared, as the list on the website is not suggestions.
  • Post somewhere tomorrow if you’re not rucking.
  • Yeti in two weeks.
  • Read your newsletter.

Prayers and Praises

  • Wild Thing’s sister-in-law is being induced today to deliver their still-born child. Please pray for this entire family as they deal with this.
  • C-Span’s son (and the whole family really) eagerly anticipating the birth of their baby. (I think I understood that right.)
  • World Wide Leader had to return to work after six weeks of paternity leave, and now their son is starting into daycare, so tons of transitions for all of that family.
  • Rad’s daughter is still in the hospital after a high fever and numerous seizures. The fever is down, but other tests are being done, so pray for her and the whole family.
  • YHC is dealing with some difficult situations at work, including a family returning from overseas early, which may lead to marital issues. Pray for them, and for those who are caring for them.
  • DaVinci’s business has gained some new clients with potentially more on the way, which is great and also daunting.

Even with limited notice (which seems to be the only way I end up Qing), it’s an honor to get to lead and serve these men. Thanks to Cable Guy for the Q-portunity. Kotters to Photobomb.

Ask the ruckers what they did. I only ever saw them walking.

-Jedi

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Creative Misery at the Rock

When Smuggler organized this Q combo, he must’ve known a lot of PAX were looking for that Saturday morning push. After some banter back and forth between the WEP Q’s and us Alcatraz Q’s, we were pleasantly surprised to see car after car after car roll into Runde Park this Saturday morning. The weather was warm and the PAX were primed with the early mumble chatter. With the typical “don’t hurt yourself and don’t sue if you do hurt yourself” disclaimer, we took a very abbreviated (10yd) mosey to the right side of the parking lot (a slight teaser for what was coming).

Jog to the other end of the lot and back then repeat.

Walking lunges 1/2 way down then high knees to the end. Same thing on the way back to the start.

Windmills & deadlifts to warm up the legs a little more then mosey to the top of “THE HILL”

PAX squat for 20sec then jog to the base of the hill followed by an all-out sprint back to the top of the hill and squat for the six.

Repeat for a 40sec squat hold then the jog down/sprint up and squat for the six.

Repeat for a 60sec squat hold then the jog down/sprint up and squat for the six.

Find some curb and 50 calf raises each leg.

Mosey to the field for a circle up.

This was when I think they really lost my mind…Lt. Dan’s (1 squat and 4 jumping lunges (2ea side counts as 4)) and we went to 8:32 before handing it off Tesh!!

With Tesh on Q, you just had a feeling this was going to get bad.

With the PAX in a very long plank:

5 Merkins

10 Mountain Climbers

5 Merkins

10 Peter Parkers

5 Merkins

Various Tesh-approved CORE exercises

Mosey to the fence line:

Merkin-Turtle crawl (can’t explain…you had to be there)

10 Merkins

Bear Crawl 50yds

More Tesh-approved CORE exercises

10 Bombjacks x 3 rounds

Mosey to the playground and split into 4 groups

Rotate through 5 pull-ups & 10 dips. For those waiting, hold the Al Gore pose.

Yet more Tesh-approved CORE exercises

Repeat the above 2 lines

Closed it out with 6min of Mary which couldn’t end fast enough.

Announcements: Yeti (Newsletter), Reading in Paradise

Prayer Requests: Praise for Palmer family, Cornerstone’s family, continued prayers for the Family & Friends affected by the recent tragedy’s our community has experienced, our officers, job transitions, marriages.

I’m sure Smuggler will get a little verbal backlash on this but hey, it made us better and everyone crushed it.

Maximus & Tesh

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2017 Clave Boss 5k/10k & Christmas Convergence

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more——Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!!

The largest turn out by far for the Clave Boss 5k/10k was a success. We started on time and as far as I know nobody died. Thank you to all the PAX that ran and had a fun time and fellowship.

For the 5k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. MacGyver
  2. Harry Carry

For the 10k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Sir Topham Hat
  2. mix of PAX coming from all directions—no idea

For the Ruck, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Dark Helmet for 11min pace 5k ruck…..nice work!

Honorable Mention for Anchorman completing the 5k and Barry Manilow being his wingman!

The Convergence kicked off on time and we had Gecko open us up in prayer. We split the groups up and away we went with COT at 0750. Click on links to see the pain that was delivered…..Merry Christmas!

Black Diamond – Longshanks Q – https://t.co/odVJHWCBPS

Bootcamp – Cha Ching Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/christmas-convergence-boot-camp-mixed-w-some-bd/

Noderate – Barry Manilow Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/your-moderate-option-at-the-convergence/

COT came together and we had 83 men attend this year.

Welcome FNG – Lake Effect, who is 41 not the 50 that he just shouted out. Classic!

Many announcements:

  • Thank you Site Qs for all your work, dedication and leadership!
  • Serve Saturdays ….reach out to Deacon, Bolt, NASA for info…..HIMs!!
  • Joe Davis Run Jan 6
  • Friday Convergence with 3rdF post beat down Jan 12
  • Rooster CSAUP Jan 20
  • Yeti – February
  • P200 – March

More than a workout!!

Prayers/Praises

  • Dark Helmet shared his sister is in need of prayer. Please remember DH and his family each day in prayer
  • Family visiting is fun and sometimes no so fun. BE HIMs!!
  • Prayers for all the PAX traveling and for peace this week!

Challenge:

I spoke to the PAX about how 2000 years ago Sky Q sent his son into the world in the form of a baby. When looking for a place to come in from the cold there WAS NO ROOM AT THE INN. I believe we all fall into this trap and put so much busy into our lives that we don’t have ROOM AT THE INN for Sky Q in our lives. We fill our hearts and minds with so much and when it come to his word and being in relationship, we DON”T HAVE ROOM AT THE INN (in our hearts).

I challenge myself and the PAX to make room for SKY Q and see how it changes your life in 2018 and beyond.

Honored to lead this PAX. I am blessed and grateful for each of you!

Cake Boss

 

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Final Shopping Days at the Swamp

After setting up some fun cones I made it to the AO to see the large group of PAX ready for the day. We had a special guest return of Jerry Lewis back on leave from his military training. Great to have him out! We also got an FNG that several men EH’d from our monthly 2nd F beer social.  He received the name “Wingman”for the old barhopping days with your boys…

With an FNG I gave a long disclaimer and the ruckers started on their way out…the campers followed me.

Mosey down the streets with a run and dynamic warmup.

Made it to COP where we completed to following:

24 SSHs

24 MNCs

19 Squats

11 Windmills (by now the mumble chatter has  started on my sporadic stops)

12 Merkins

11 Ski Abs (I was just being lazy, no other  rhyme to my counts)

Mosey over to the Rivergate Fountain for some speed shopping!

I set up 8 cones in front of eight different stores around the area, or goal was to split into groups of four  and make our speedy stops at the shop and do the two exercises listed at that stop.  Once you completed the two exercises your group ran around the large circle and moved to the next store in front of your previous cone.

The  exercises at each cone consisted of :

#1 25 Carolina Dry docks

#1 20 burpees

#2 40 LBCs

#2 40 Squats

#3 20 bombjacks

#3 30  moroccan night clubs

#4 20 merkins

#4 25  squat jumps

#5 30  Freddie mercury’s

#5 20  wide arm Merkins

#6 40  Side straddle hops

#6 30 Ski Abs

#7 20  dying cockroaches (my fav)

#7 20 diamond Merkins

#8 25  Imperial walkers

#8 40  calf raises

Most of these exercises were in double counts – and in cadence.  The laps were long and the reps were high!  Everyone broke a good sweat and we ran out of time for our last 4 extra shop stops of the day…  so we  trucked it back to COT two minutes late.  Each group completed all eight stops!

At COT I got to share the story of my recent experience with my nine-year-old son. Seems the kids at school have been telling him that Santa is not real so he came home and ask my wife the truth about Santa Claus. Luckily for me she was prepared and had a wonderful two page note that she shared with him about the spirit of Santa and giving and God during Christmas.  I shared that note with the PAX.

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The under appreciated ruck & boot camp combo pack

Conditions clear and very cold…around 33 degrees at kickoff

Disclaimer

Quick discussion on the combo workout and modify as needed

and walk off…about half had rucks…make large pile of rucks…near Office depot

Warmup-O-Rama

Partner up

Partner 1 run .33 mile, partner 2 does exercises…and then flapjack

Round one ruck curls, ruck upright rows, ruck curls, ruck upright rows…each partner got 4 turns at running…mumblechatter stalled…it started to suck…so as a good Q, I made bad into worse…

Partner 1 run .33 with ruck (crowd pleaser) while other partner exercises…and then flapjack

Round two squats, LBC, squats, LBC

Mumblechatter quickly turned into “bitching”…

Same partner, smaller lap, flying squirrels for each

Mosey to COT area

60 seconds of flying squirrels

COT/ Prayer or praise/ BOM

14 #HIM went inside for Romans 13

AYE!

CSPAN

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You Still Have 40%

17 brave men gave it their all this morning in the gloom of Quagmire.  After a disclaimer and a quick reminder of the theme of the month (VICTORY) it was off to better ourselves.

Quick Mosey complete with:

  • High knees
  • Butt Kickers
  • Karaoke
  • Toy Soldiers
  • Knees to Chest

Standard circle with warm up exercises

Series of exercises that “simply” came to mind:

Using the parking lot in front of Old Navy (slight incline) and Mosey up and down several times between exercises:

  • Lunge walks (up)
  • 10 Squat Jumps
  • Bear Crawl (down)
  • Reverse Lunge Walk (up)
  • 50 Squats
  • High Knees (up)
  • Butt Kickers (down)
  • 50 Merkins
  • 50 LBC’s in cadence
  • Plank challenge for 170 sec
  • 50 Burpee’s (10/min)
  • 3 Wind Sprints

It was repeated several times about pushing to the limits of what you are capable of.  As I have “famously” said once (and will obviously never live down), “When you think that you can’t go any further you have about 40% left in the tank.”  Many times we quit too early when pushing ourselves and it is not because we can’t “physically” do it but because our mind tells us to quit.  It is only when we push through those barriers on a consistent bases can be experience growth and grit to make us stronger men.  Super proud of every man who posted this morning and proved to themselves that they are willing to leave it all at COT.

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Bullwinkle’s Wallsitting and Lunge fest

23 Pax joined at the Ball Room in Fort Mill for sweat filled gloom and fun on 10/03

The thang

Warm-up Mosey – with Butt Kickers, High Knees, Power Skips, Slow Walking Lunges and Toy Soldiers to get the legs good and ready for the what was to come

Warm-up Circle, exercises in cadence

  • Merkins (10, four count)
  • Arm Circles (lots)
  • Moroccan Night Clubs (20, four count)
  • Low Slow Squat (15, slow four count)
  • Imperial Walker (15, four count)
  • Windmill (10, slow four count)

Mosey to the hill for Jacob’s ladder: 6+1

  • Merkins on bottom
  • Bear crawl up hill
  • Squat jumps on top
  • Mosey down hill

Two Ten Count recovery

Mosey behind the school to the wall

Part 1 of Bullwinkle’s Sitting and Lunging around, as follows

  • 30 second wall sit followed by 20 lunges forward, turn around, 20 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 19 lunges forward, turn around, 19 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 18 lunges forward, turn around, 18 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 17 lunges forward, turn around, 17 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 16 lunges forward, turn around, 16 lunges back

Ten count recovery

Mosey to bridge to work calves

  • 30 seconds of calf raises follow by 15 seconds of rest.  Rinse & repeat X 6

Mosey back to wall

Part Il of Bullwinkle’s Sitting and Lunging around, as follows

  • 30 second wall sit followed by 15 lunges forward, turn around, 15 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 14 lunges forward, turn around, 14 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 13 lunges forward, turn around, 13 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 12 lunges forward, turn around, 12 lunges back
  • 30 second wall sit followed by 11 lunges forward, turn around, 11 lunges back

Ten count recovery

OYO Max Merkins

+5 Merkins

Mosey back to front of school for COT

Bullwinkle out.

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The Painful Ideas of Virgin Q’s

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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