Whitespace wins the day!

11 veteran Pax posted to #BlockParty for the start of October.  This month is #Respect month on the Q schedule at this AO.  Senator Tressel was on Q, but unfortunately he faced the daunting responsibility of picking up his sister early that morning and driving to OH for a family funeral.  Old Bay kindly agreed to step up in the late night hour to take the Q  YHC kicked off the warm up to check the #Respect box according to original plan.  With a brief disclaimer and a reference to the monthly theme of #Control, the morning was launched.

The Thang

Warm up run 1/2 around WEP

Stop at far corner for COP — SSH, Hillbilly walker, windmill, low slow squat, Peter Parker

Mosey to play ground with some karaoke along the way

Pull-ups x10 OYO (in honor of ST since he never passes them up at WEP)

Plank sequence

Hand-off to Old Bay

Mosey to parking lot on 160 in front of UC Synergetics & partner up

A mash up between Four Corners and a Modified Jack Web series ensued from this point until completion

In parking lot:
1 burpee to 4 run-stance switch
+ Repeat with 2 burpees, then 3 burpees
Bear crawl to brickwall courtyard area
1 box jump (or step up) to 4 dips
+ Repeat with 2, then 3 box jumps
Partner wheelbarrow to street
1 big boy sit up to 4 american hammers
+ Repeat with 2, then 3 big boy sit-ups
Mosey to corner at stop light on 160
Jack Webb – (1:4 ration) for 3 reps

Return to parking lot for sessions 4-5

At last stationg (Jack Webb), pax take it all the way to round 10

Mosey home

COT

NMM

Prayers for ST on his unfortunate journey.  We wish he were with us and we know he wishes they same instead of the duty he was called to.  We were together in spirit at WEP and in OH.

T-claps to Band Camp for posting at his second workout since his FNG day at the anniversary convergence.  Keep it up, brother!

T-claps to Old Bay for responding to the call in the wee hours to fill in for ST.  He shakes a weasel like nobody’s bidness!!!

Old Bay’s message for the day related to #Control.  He talked about the importance of #Downsizing in life (not just your house) and #Simplifying as a means to relinquish #Control.  These steps create #@Whitespace for reflection and discernment in order to move forward intentionally and/or respond to where you are needed.  He certainly demonstrated that in spades today!

Thanks to the pax for posting to hold me accountable!

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3

A #MALTZ without Lightning

IMG_3308

Conditions clear and 55 degree

Disclaimer

Warmup-O-rama

Event Info:     A memorial workout event/salute to those who have been KIA

Because @F3TheFort our common belief is that all US KIA deserve our gratitude and tribute.

2016 Heroes:    MSGT Michael Meltz USAF – KIA 3/23/03 (Long Island, NY)

Cpl. Christopher Ebert USMC – KIA 9/17/07 (Mooresboro, NC)

Lance Cpl. Travis A. Fox – KIA 10/30/04 (Cowpens, SC)

 

Friday 10/6/2017 Friday 0515 Maltz Challenge

NAFO HS USMCJROTC

1400 A O Jones Blvd

Fort Mill, SC 29715

 

@F3theFort Maltz exercises are (self timed):

  1.        400 meter run (1 lap around track)
  2.        50 pull-ups (consecutive = don’t leave station until complete)
  3.        Partner carry football field
  4.        50 dips
  5.        100 push-ups
  6.        50 knees to elbows
  7.        100 Sit-ups
  8.        400 meter run (1 lap around track)

Encourage your brothers as they finish…

COT & BOM / Prayer or Praise

More info at www.maltzchallenge.com

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4

5 Year Anniversary Convergence BB

Saturday, September 30th 2017 was a special Convergence for the PAX of The Fort. On that day we celebrated 5 years of using these small workout groups to invigorate male leadership in Fort Mill. To honor the occasion, 88 PAX gathered at one of our favorite AOs (Nations Ford HS) to celebrate the day and the leaders that made it all happen.

We also celebrated 6 Friendly New Guys that joined us that morning. Welcome Tubs, Band Camp, Jughead, Atari, Hat Trick, and Saul.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Here’s how we got better:

Warmup (led by Ginsu)

  • Mosey to the football field
  • 30 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10, 4-count windmills
  • 30 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10, 4-count merkins
  • 10, 4-count Peter Parkers
  • 10, 4-count Parker Peters
  • 10, 4-count LBCs
  • 20 low slow squats

Split into groups (Run, Regular Bootcamp, Black Diamond, Ruck, Moderate Bootcamp)

Run (led by Birdcage)

  • 800 meter indian run
  • 1000 meter 10k pace with 1 minute rest x2
  • 200 meter 1 mile race pace 200 meter cool down x4
  • 400 meter sprint corners recover straights
  • 1600 meter cool down
  • 5 miles total

Bootcamp (led by Royale)

  • Mosey over to the concrete football field
  • 10 merkins
  • Lunge walk 10 yards then do 3 burpees
  • Next ten yards bear crawl then 3 more burpees
  • Rise and repeat until we hit the other goal line
  • 10 count – going over the Five Core Principals of an F3 workout
  • Next phase we broke into 4 groups
  • At each corner of the end zones there were 5 exercises written on a board.  We would complete in your group and then run to the next corner. Everyone would hit al 4 corners.
    • Corner 1
      • 20 Merkins
      • 30 Lunges
      • 30 Dying Cockroaches
      • 30 Ski Abs
      • 3 Kraken Burpees
    • Corner 2
      • 20 Ranger Merkins
      • 30 Squats
      • 40 Freddy Mercurys
      • 40 Shoulder Taps
      • 10 burpees
    • Corner 3
      • 20 Durkins
      • 20 Jump Squats
      • 50 American Hammers
      • 30 Monkey Humpers
      • 10 Mountain Climber Burpees
    • Corner 4
      • 20 Wide Arm Merkins
      • 20 Sumo Squats
      • 20 V-Up Twists
      • 20 Bombjacks
      • 10 Squat Burpees
We talked about the word of the month – Leadership.  I shared we all have an opportunity to lead through F3, just like we all have the responsibility to lead in our homes.  I know I struggle with the balance of work and family time.  As the leader of our households we need to support our Ms and be the examples to our children.
  • Mosey over to the round about
  • Each man would take a lap around 1st doing Lt Dans
  • Finally we would bear crawl.
  • Mosey to the football field for the last 30 seconds and some LBCs

Black Diamond (led by Backdraft)

  • Mosey from warm up top pull up bars
  • Pull ups/ Burpee challenge – 9 pull ups 1 burpee., 8-2 , 7-3 until finished.
  • Mosey to stadium run the bleachers
  • 10 derkins
  • 10 dips
  • Mosey to track run 1/4 mile as fast as you can. U vs. U
  • Mosey to end zone. Count off by 2s. split into groups first person flips tire 10 times than run end zone to end zone while next person flips tire everyone else continuously do 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 big boy sit ups. Keep going until all of group is finished.
  • 10 min 100 burpees. Do 10 burpees every minute on the minute. U vs. U
  • Mosey to 50 yard line 5 minute of Mary
  • Sideline sprints x 2 first set after you run 10 tuck jumps. 2nd set 5 hand release merkins

Ruck (led by Trucker)

2 20lb, 3 40lb, and 3 60lb sandbags were snagged from back of car as 8 PAX tucked down to the elementary school and dropped the sandbags next to the telephone poles. The 8 PAX carried the telephone pole around the parking lot. Left telephone pole where we found it and rucked backwards up the hill to the pull up bars. What’s a WO by Trucker without pull ups? YHC challenged the 8 PAX to do 2 sets of 5 pull ups with ruck on.

Rucked into stadium and lined up in 2 columns for sandbag throws from one end of football field to other and back. Then rucked up and down the football stand stairs from one end back. Rinse and repeat with sandbag throws and stadium stairs. Threw sandbags again down to other side of endzone and then formed 2 lines abs flipped tires from one end to other. Sandbag threw back to other endzone and climbed stadium stairs one more time. Finished with a 20 count flutters. Great work by seasoned and rookie ruckers.

Moderate (led by Short Sale)

  • MOSEY to Elementary School
  • Grab some Wall. Wall Sits while Pax at each end jumps out of line for 5 squats
  • Repeat with 5 Bombjacks.
  • Count off by 5’s and mosey to back of the parking lot
    • Number 1’s go to station #1
    • 2’s start at Station3, etc.
  • Stations: 3 minutes/station. Q calls stop & go
    • 1: 10 Merkins, 20 Calf raises
    • 2: 20 LBCs, 20 Monkey Humpers
    • 3: 10 SSHs, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
    • 4: 10 Scorpion Dry Docks, 20 Squats
    • 5: 20 Imperial Walkers, 10 Apollo Ohnos
    • 6: 10 Broad Jumps, 20 Flutters
    • 7: 10 Bombjacks, 20 squat jabs
    • 8: 10 handclap merkins w/partner, 10 partner Derkins- Beloved by veteran Pax and FNGs alike
    • 9: 10 Jump Squats, 10 CDD’s
    • 10: 10 Dips, 5 jack Webbs
  • Mosey to Stop sign at bottom of hill for some Mary- Hello Dollies, Flutters, Protractor

MESSAGE ON LEADERSHIP- F3 gives us a great platform to grow our leadership skills and build confidence as a leader. The Pax will let you know if/when something has gone wrong but will also be there to lift you up. Also, the best leaders don’t focus on their ROLE, they focus on the GOAL. So, be the leader you were called to be.

Great group of men came to work. Veterans guided the FNGs and encouraged them at every step of the way. YHC kept reminding the group that it is UvsU out here. Some quality mumble chatter about what moderate means. Smiles all around when moved on from the stations.

Wrap Up

What we have at The Fort is special. It is a strong group of PAX led by men who live with intentionality. I am sure that each of us would agree that it has impacted our lives in ways that we will never be able to describe. At some point for each of us, we were gifted F3. We were headlocked by someone who recognized the impact that F3 had on them and how it could help us. With that in mind, let’s pay this gift forward. Be the leader you were called to be and use your influence to headlock the sad clowns around you, FNGs and Kotters, that are where you once were. Be a leader.

Ginsu

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16

Special Appearance by Thin Mint and Some SOB’s at The Coop!

Thank you to Thin Mint for pushing himself (and all of us) out of our comfort zones this morning at the Coop.  Great to see the SOB’s present and we need to get together again soon.  Below is the Backblast from Thin Mint. – SugarBug

12 indistinguishable blobs showed up in the 0515 darkness of Nation Ford HS for this SOB’s first Q in The Fort. The next 45 minutes went a little something like this.

The Warm-Up
-Disclaimer
-Imperial Walker x10 IC
-Low Slow Squat x15 IC
-Arm Circles IC (5 small fwd, 5 small back, 5 big back, 5 big fwd)
-Low Slow Merkin x10 IC
-Alternating Leg Lift (from 6 inches) x10 IC

The Thang
Mosey over to the band lot and line up at the goal line for:
-Bear Crawl Burpees – start your burpee (drop, do the pushup), at the top of the pushup bear crawl 5 yards to the next line, finish your burpee (stand up, jump), repeat for 50 yards, sprint to the end
-Return by Lunge Walk 10 yards, Broad Jump 5 yards, repeat to the end

Mosey down to the launch lot and grab a partner for partner suicides:
-5 partner derkins each
-Sprint opposite directions to end of lot, round 1 island, meet back near the middle 1 row from where we started
-10 handslap merkins
-Run back the way you came to the start
-Repeat but go up 2 islands to the 2 nd row, repeat to 3 rd row, 4 th row, 5 th row (for some)

Head to the JROTC building and form groups of 3 for grinders:
-P1 at pull-up bars –1 pull up, 4 hand position changes (if possible, just pull ups if not), repeat
-P2 at bottom of hill – double merkin burpees
-P3 runs from bottom of hill to the top, relieves P1 who runs down to relieve P2, etc.
-Continue until each person has done pull-ups 3 times

Couple minutes of Mary
Plank abreast facing up the hill
Low slow merkins x10 IC
On your belly, wait for GO
AYG uphill to Stop sign, mosey back to launch for COT

Announcements

-Invergence on September 29 th . https://f3thefort.com/2017/08/30/pre-blast- f3-the- fort-5th- year-invergence/
-Convergence on September 30 th , 0700, Nation Ford HS. All other AOs will be closed on the 30 th . https://f3thefort.com/2017/08/29/5-year- convergence-fng- challenge-preblast/
-Following the convergence, help needed to install pull-up bars at Children’s Attention Home. A few more PAX needed to help dig holes and put up the posts and bars. Contact Chicken Wing for more info or to HC. https://f3thefort.com/2017/09/11/childrens-attention- home-workday/

Prayer Requests
-Forgot to do this — not a regular thing for us SOBs but maybe it should be.

Moleskin
YHC tried not to get lost or to faceplant as we moseyed up towards the band practice lot. Nation Ford HS is pretty dark first thing in the morning. I tried to take out Photo Bomb twice by making unannounced sharp turns, but he was too quick on his feet so we warmed up instead. Thankfully the lights came on in the parking lot for the partner suicides or things could have gotten ugly. Have only visited this AO twice (last week and this week), but I can confirm that everyone comes to work hard. Heard your typical mumblechatter this morning, especially on the call for double merkin burpees, but saw every man in attendance pushing hard and getting uncomfortable. Dark Helmet summed things up pretty nicely before the workout when he stated that he knows he CAN modify, but then he looks around at everyone else pushing through and would rather puke today than let up. Beauty of F3 right there. Don’t get me wrong – modify to avoid injury, but not to avoid discomfort. On the other side of uncomfortable things is where each and every one of us finds a better version of ourselves. It’s obvious when you say it (get outside your comfort zone, duh) — but it’s far too easy to forget in the moment. The more we can learn to embrace uncomfortable situations in the gloom with a push from our brothers the more we will find ourselves embracing (or even running headlong at) the everyday discomforts (making that call, having that talk with your M, punishing your 2.0 even when they make the puppy dog eyes) that threaten to force us all into complacency. Or, maybe Dark Helmet was just regretting his choice of a Gordita Supreme at Taco Bell last night. Really enjoyed working out with the men of The Fort this morning and getting pushed by some new faces (especially Backdraft who is one sneaky fast dude). Thanks to Haggis, Fahvra and Fallout for leaving their usual routines to come out to The Coop. Haggis is soon to be a Springfield resident so keep an eye out for him at an AO near you (if he can drag himself off the trails of Anne Springs that is). Very much appreciate the invite from Sugar Bug to lead. YHC definitely plans to visit more often.

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9

Block Party Mix bag of tricks

Mosey to parking lot across the street from bank
20 SSH
20 Morracain Night Club
10 small forward arm circles
10 small backward arm circles
10 big forward arm circles
10 big backward arm circles
20 Morracain Night Club
Feet together bend over with arms folded to stretch out the back and hamstrings
Honeymooner
Walk hands out to plank and do 10 peter parkers
Walk hands to feet and stretch again
Since it rained quite a bit last night YHC decided to modify the location of
what I had planned.
Originally I had planned to do this part of the workout on the hill right by COT
with the lights going up, but had to
modify and move it over by Hobo’s due to the mud on the hill.
At each light pole do the following exercises
Burpees – bear crawl to next pole (P1 – 2, P2 – 4, P3 – 6, P4 – 8, P5 – 10)
Total of 30
Pulse squat jumps – run backwards to next pole (P1 – 2, P2 – 4, P3 – 6, P4 – 8,
P5 – 10) Total of 30
LBCs – run to next pole (P1 – 4, P2 – 8, P3 – 12, P4 – 16, P5 – 20) Total of 60
Dips – lunge to next pole (P1 – 2, P2 – 4, P3 – 6, P4 – 8, P5 – 10) Total of 30
Next we moved across the street to enjoy a nice round of Pink Floyd the Wall. I
don’t know why it is, but I for some crazy
reason enjoy this exercise. I think it mainly has to do with how silly we look
to poeple driving by as we are in BTW position.
For those who are not familar with Pink Floyd the Wall here it is:
BTW for 30 secs
1 merkin in BTW position
2 merkins at 45 degrees
3 merkins at 15 degrees
Then move into the people’s chair for 30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times – however I decided to through in 5 flying squirels in between
rounds.
Then we moseyed back down the hill to the stairs and did merkin stair climb
working our way up the two flights of stairs
and did squats until the six was in.
Good work today gentlemen.
Double D thanks for allowing me to come out and lead the pax this am.
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0

Choose Discipline and BRR

It was a steamy morning at WEP, but that didn’t discourage Last Call during his VQ nor did it scare off any pax from supporting him.   A lively and energetic group of 23 pax posted to honor and encourage him.

Santini had EH’d FNG/Wazowski (aka Ernie Bhend) so a full fledged disclaimer was pronounced and the baton was handed to Last Call to launch.

The Thang

Last Call took the pax on a warm up lap of WEP, then circled the pax up in the grass near the parking lot (YES, the grass!  What a bold move for a VQ!)

COP

SSH x25

Moroccan night clubs x20

Mash up of Hillbilly Walker + Imperial Walker x20

Merkins x10

Peter Parkers x20

Slow squat x20

LBCs x20

Hand off to DD

Mosey to playground & partner up
Partner 1: Run lap
Partner 2: Continuous pull ups (keeping cumulative count with partner)
Flap jack
Rinse & repeat
Tip of the cap to Senator Tressel for his emphasis on need for more pull ups

Plank sequence including Makhtar N’Dyae ( requeted by Santini)

Mosey to the grassy area near the statues at the bottom of the hill & plank it up for commentary about Blue Ridge Relay.  (Yes, it is a shame that The Fort has no teams competing this year in BRR.  Thus, the next 30 mins of the workout became BRR-lite)

Run to top of hill almost to gazebo + 5 Burpees + run back down
Rinse + repeat for 5 total rounds

Mosey to pathway heading out the back of the parking lot & regroup with partner
Partner 1: Run down hill, up other side to trail intersection and back
Partner 2: Continuous merkins (continuing cumulative count with partner from earlier point)
Flap jack
Rinse + repeat

Plank sequence, squats, bombjacks

Mosey to bottom of hill at COT & regroup with partner
Partner 1: Run up hill to 4th light post and run back down
Partner 2: Continuous donkey kicks (keeping cumulative count with partner from earlier point)
Flap jack
Rinse & repeat

Mosey back to grass where Last Call started and circle up

Flutter x10

Hello dolly x10

Freddy Mercury x10

Rosalita x10

Penguin x10

Superman x3

Run to tent in middle of park

Run home AYG

COT

Naked man moleskin

Solid VQ effort by Last Call today — well done, brother!  Welcome to the club and find a way back into the center of the circle somewhere ASAP so you can hone the skills and expand the experience.

Welcome to FNG/Wazowski (yes, he’s an eye doc)!  You had the privilege (and pain) of enduring a tough workout on a particularly swampy morning — great job making it through to the finish today!  A little merlot splash proves just how far you can push when challenged by other like-minded men.  You’ve found a home here in The Fort for sure.  Look forward to seeing you back in the gloom soon!

T-claps to all the pax for the support of Last Call and Wazowski today.  Special recognition to Santini for EH of Wazowski and Sir Topham Hat for EH of Last Call two months ago.  Also kudos to Peabody, Longshanks and others sweeping the six.

Welcome back home to Ginsu!  Great to have you back in the gloom with your brothers.  Look forward to hearing more about the China experience and your expanded family.

Did I mention the weather was warm and humid today?

That was a tough outing today – great work by everyone pushing through!

In the absence of any BRR activities in The Fort this year, I felt compelled to bring that experience home.  It is an incredible event, and I am disappointed we won’t have any teams to represent The Fort this year.  I know Rooney is running with Dredd & OBT on a 6-man team — way to represent us, brother!  The hills and the pain and the sweat today were all reflective of the reality of what it is to run the BRR – but only the smallest taste of the joy of that event was gained today.  Please consider BRR in 2018 – you won’t regret it.

The message throughout today’s workout revolved around the monthly theme of Discipline.  When I saw Chicken Hawk’s message at the start of the month, I was immediately disturbed.  The word brings about uncomfortable feelings for me related to punishment, reprimands and admonishment from parents, teachers and bosses.  Discipline is something I experience as being imposed on me by someone else, which I never receive well.  I quietly thought maybe I would check out on the theme for August.

Then, on a business trip this week I made some poor choices around web surfing in the lonely isolation of a hotel room.  My re-entry back home included a volatile interaction with the M around my indulgence in a personal vice.  BOOM!  Discipline (or my lack of it) suddenly hit me between the eyes.  It became very real very quickly…clearly this is the right theme for me this month.

I have much to learn still around Discipline.  Santini mentioned during the workout and in a long conversation afterward that the root of the word Discipline relates to “learning.”  The learning I’ve gained in the past few days has come through dwelling on my word for 2017 — CHOOSE —  in the context of Discipline.  In this frame of mind, I am beginning to see Discipline as part of my pathway from where I am currently to the future I CHOOSE to pursue.  In this way, Discipline becomes part of the learning process of how I move toward the fuller, holier life I long for…because I CHOOSE to seek that future point, NOT because someone else is imposing anything on me.

Thanks to Bonsai for putting me on the calendar and for looping in Last Call for the VQ.  We missed you today.

Thanks to all who posted and endured today’s workout.  Your presence, effort, resilience, encouragement and support inspire me!

 

 

 

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12

A Res-Q for Birdcage, at the Coop.

Res-Q: When a Pax is down (IR, or emergency DR trip, or whatever) and another Pax meets the call for help and jumps in last minute to Q for him.

Birdcage thought it would be a great idea to play soccer (futból) on Saturday with his co-workers. Soccer is a smaller, more nimble man’s game as it turns out, and he jacked up his knee/ankle, so he reached out and I took the Q. It’s been a while, but it’s like riding a bike… a painful, burpee and pull-up filled bike… That’s a terrible bike. You shouldn’t buy it. It’s probably very expensive for one thing, and why would you want a bike that caused you that much pain? Plus, no WAY are you winning that sprint triathlon you signed up for with a bike like that… It’s basically useless… you’re an idiot.

0515, disclaimer, then off we go…
Warm it up Kris… I’m about to…
Circle around the main lot to the Band Practice Field
– Windmills x 10
– IW x 10
Cross the band practice field and weave around the drop off lane to the roundabout
– Richard Simmons x 15
– Moroccan Nightclubs x 15
Mosey to back parking lot
– Merkins x 20
– CDD x 20
Mosey to behind dumpsters
– Squats x 25
– SSH x 25
Mosey to pull-up bars, and now the fun begins… (that was a mile, btw)
Partner up, size always matters.
There will be an exercise at the top and at the bottom of the hill. There will be a different method of travel up the hill each time.

ROUND 1:
– Each partner does 15 pull-ups (if one is waiting, it’s people’s chair)
– Run down the hill
– 30 Flutters (partner cadence)
– Wheelbarrow back up the hill (switch as needed)
ROUND 2:
– Each partner does 15 idiot partner pull-ups*
– Run down the hill
– Rosalita x 20 (partner cadence)
– Wheelbarrow up (switch as needed)
ROUND 3:
– Each partner does 10 burpee pull-ups (if one is waiting, it’s people’s chair)
– Run down the hill
– LBCs x 20 (partner cadence)
– Bear crawl up the hill
ROUND 4:
– Each partner does 15 idiot partner pull-ups or 10 negative pull-ups
– Run down the hill
– Dying Cockroach x 15 (partner cadence)
– Backwards bear crawl up the hill (or just run if we are too smoked)

Then we did a little Mary by the pull-up bars until it was time for an all-out sprint back to COT.

NMM:
As always, it was a pleasure to lead. I’ve started ending all my Q’s with an AYG back to COT. Bones (Tunis Hunt from LKW) quoted someone as saying, “When your mind thinks you are done, you have 40% left (or you are only 40% done, or something like that). The point is, all of the times that you think that you just can’t hold on anymore, you can’t push any further, you can’t withstand any longer, the fact of the matter is, there is more in the tank. Make it happen out there, men…

Helmet, out.

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8

Doing more of the things I (don’t) Love

Today I figured out a cool way to make cones really light up in the dark. Just thought I’d put that up front.

It’s been a little while since Qing at the Coop, so this was a good time. I was a little punchy after working a swing the night before, so I’m glad that all the PAX had patience with me this fine morning.

The Thang

Warm up Phase
Line up and the following for 20 or so yards
1. High knees/mosey back
2. High skips/mosey back
3. Butt kicks/mosey back
4. Toy soldiers/back mosey back
5. Power skips/back mosey back

COP
Goofballs 20xIC
Squat Imperial Walkers 10xIC
Merkin-crab dips-Merkin-crab cakes
Howling monkey ring of fire x10 each

Pull Yourself Phase
Partner up- Pull up/merkin- rotate- then Flutter kick for the six
4 Regulation Corps Pull ups/ 8 regulation merkins
4 Switch grip Pull ups/4 offset merkins 2 sets of each to get both sides
4 Close hands chin ups/8 close hands merkins (diamonds)
4 Regulation Corps Pull ups/ 8 regulation merkins

Pull Bricks Phase
Circle up at the Sugar Creek ES parking lot.
2 sets of cinderblocks attached to the big ropes
2 PAX hand over hand drag the bricks the length of the lot then backpedal pulling the bricks back to the start- hand off to the next 2 PAX
All other PAX are rotating through the following, changing whenever brick dragging PAX exchange change direction.
1. Tuck jumps-Modify to alternating lunges sometimes(SOOO many tuck jumps)
2. Tempo merkins IC
3. Hip slappers (on the curb if you are awesome, on the wall if you are crazy like Geronimo!)
4. Front- back -go Overlooked this on the Winke

NMM
I wanted to try out an idea I had this week. In my head I have a list of exercises that I like least. Today I tried to incorporate many of them (missed partner carries and backwards bearcrawl uphill, ugh!). It may or may not be surprising, I really don’t like doing pull-ups. 2 1/2 years ago, I could maybe strain out 5 in a row, followed by a good break. I don’t like slow cadence merkins. I REALLY don’t like flutter kicks. Tuck jumps and monkey humpers make my legs burn, as does the back pedal brick pull. I was introduced to the inclined hip slappers by the SOB boys, and quickly added that to my list.

All that said, I will be the first to goad the Q into calling any number of the aforementioned activities. “Why do you do this insanity?” Is probably flying through your head right now. I know if I do more pull-ups, I get better at pull ups. The same goes for all of those things things that are difficult for us. Extrapolate that a bit and apply the same idea to work. I don’t expect that I’ll ever enjoy performing ISO audits, but the more I do them, the less it sucks to do them.

Now, if we could just stop doing partner carries altogether…

Geronimo!

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1

Summer Q School – Shooting Stars and Counting to 3

Senator Tressel and YHC headed up the final installation of the summer Q school.  8 PAX joined in for some instruction, antidotes, and how to count to 3.  Brief introduction in lot, totally forgot to make the disclaimer, and we were off.  YHC at the helm.

The Thang

1/2 lap around WEP and circle up for the COP

Each exercise had some instruction of counts, cadence, form, etc.  It was awesome, I guess you had to be there.

SSH X 25 (Hey I saw a shooting star!)

Imperial Walkers X 25

Merkins X 10

Windmill X 15

Mountain Climbers X 25

Disclaimer X 1

Mak Tar Jai X 15

Burpees X10 OYO

Hand Over to Senator who then took us to the hill.

Jacob’s Ladder to 7 with Burpees at top. Senator explained more about what the main workout is about and how to prepare, audible, and listen for mumble chatter.  Kielbasa helped out with the suggestion to do burpees for this ladder.  No one was pleased, except for Seantor.

After ladder we moseyed over to the playground for some pull ups and ab lab.  Senator made it a point to tell the Q School that we do not do enough pull ups/chin ups and that he ALWAYS adds these in at an AO with bars.  I think Senator’s agenda was accepted under duress and the PAX pushed through with 2 sets of 10 pull ups/chin ups and then slow count LBC’s followed by a slower count of Freddy Mercury.

Final thoughts from Seantor about safety, serving the PAX when Q and how he doesn’t ever need a Wienke (memorizes before he gets there) but FunHouse always does (can’t even remember his kids’ names). And do the damn BackBlast!

COT – Always end with Circle of Trust – Prayers for kids to college, parents transitioning to new home and Seantor’s brother in law. 5 years of The Fort in September!

It was an honor to work with Senator to get the new Q’s on track to lead the PAX.  I am looking forward to see what this group of men will bring to the Gloom.  Double D is the man to hit up if you haven’t Q’d and want to get on the list for Block Party!

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#Varsity

8 PAX show up to put in work this morning. The overcast morning kept it fairly dark the entire workout.

Disclaimer was Disclaimed.

The Thang:

We took advantage of the circle we were already in and started the warm-up.

Slow Windmill – 10

Low Slow Squat – 10

Mosey around the parking lot: Karaoke L/R –> Mosey –> Knees to Chest, Ankles to Hip –> Mosey –> Walking Lunges, Toy Soldiers –> Mosey

Circle Up

Hill Billy Walkers – 10

SSH – 25 double count

Merkins – 12 double count

Peter Parkers – 10 double count

Parker Peters – 10 double count

Honeymooner, Downward Dog, Honeymooner

Moroccan Night Club – 15 double count

Mosey to the pull-up bars and partner up:

Partner#1: 8 pull ups / Partner#2: 8 squats; 3 sets

Partner#1: 5 toes to bar / Partner#2: 5 jump squats; 3 sets

Partner#1: 5 Chin-ups / Partner#2: 5 jump squats; 3 sets

Mosey to the Wall:

People’s Chair; PAX#1 sprint to cone (approx. 30 yards out), complete 3 burpees, sprint back to wall, rotating until all PAX finish.

BTTW; 20 push-ups when finished

Mosey to Band Field:

Line up on Goal Line and follow the PAX in front of you in a single file line.

Every time we got to a side line the PAX: Low side shuffled on the side-lines for 10 yards

After 10 yards on the sideline, we ran the width of the field. Runs (distance: the width of the field) included: Karaoke Left, Karaoke, Right, Run Backwards, Run Forwards, Side Shuffle Left, Side Shuffle Right.

Line up on the 50 yard line:

Every 10 yards: 10 Bomb Jacks

25 Merkins (single count)

10 Burpees

25 Merkins

10 Squats

2 x 50 yard sprints

Body Destroyers (Crowd Pleaser!)

 

Mosey back to COT.

Name-O-Rama

Announcements

Prayers/Praises

NMM:

Kielbasa – There were at least 10 name changes throughout this workout for Kielbasa (mostly from Sauerkraut and Birdcage). Even though he was working through some injuries, he put in great effort.

Socrates – Today was Socrates first day back since my VQ. He put in great effort and got stronger and better. Great to see you in The Gloom again, Brother!

Wegmans– Wait for it…wait for it…There is a Then/Now situation happening with Wegmans.  It is great to see him working towards his fitness goals.

Geronimo – This man is a beast. His planking while waiting for the six turned into plank jacks (and then it turned into plank jacks for the other PAX!). Thanks Geronimo for keeping me company at the front as we moseyed from location to location within the AO.

PITTS – Can we get this HIM a VQ?! He’s more than ready (ask anyone who posted at The Coop this past Wednesday, when he lead an off the cuff warm-up like a seasoned pro). A regular at The Coop and Varsity…we’re lucky to have this HIM.

Sauerkraut – After the disclaimer, Sauerkraut request we do Body Destroyers, immediately. It wasn’t until the end of the workout (since I didn’t know, or want to know what a Body Destroyer was) that YHC finally took him up on his offer. Crowd pleaser, for sure (be sure to ask him for the details)! Awesome mumble chatter from this HIM.

Birdcage – It’s be great having Birdcage posting back at Varsity regularly. The mumble chatter is always good without this HIM.

 

It was an honor to Q for these PAX. Thank you, Kielbasa for the opportunity.

 

-Crawdaddy

#CoopStrong

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