Tag: Pointer

Negative Splits

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23 was the number to launch The Fort’s newest AO: Sweep The Leg.  The goal of any AO should be acceleration of overall fitness of the Pax, and I believe we delivered this morning.

The workout was simple.  3 miles, half mile segments with pain stations.  The goal was negative splits with 3 minute pain stations between segments.  Something like the following:

  • .5 miles at 8:15 pace, 3 min pain station
  • .5 miles at 8:00 pace, 3 min pain station
  • .5 miles at 7:45 pace, 3 min pain station
  • .5 miles at 7:30 pace, 3 min pain station
  • .5 miles at 7:15 pace, 3 min pain station
  • .5 miles at 7:00 pace, 3 min pain station

Pain stations included crowd favorites such as:

  • Burpees
  • Bombjacks
  • Squats
  • Hillybilly Squats
  • Flutter
  • Freddy Mercury’s
  • Merkins
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Peter Parker
  • Parker Peter
  • Monkey Humpers

The leaders of the pack did the full pain station, those bringing up the six may or may not get to do the exercises at the pain station, but it kept the pax mostly together and pushed guys to keep up since the overall pace continued to speed up.

Hit this link for the route and some deets.

The #Kings this week were Pointer, Maximus, and Shady, who will be added to the Q list for an upcoming workout.

Ready your newsletter and pray for our country and the unrest going on right now due to racial injustice.

Honor to Serve.

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23

Four #HIM at Laces In

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Four men showed for a fun morning before the winter storm hit. We looked around and collectively said: “Is this it??” Once we realized everybody else was hiding from the snow, the clock struck 0515. I disclaimed the disclaimer and then we moseyed.

COP
One Burpee
10 SSH
Two Burpees
10 SSH
Three Burpees
10 SSH
Four Burpees
10 SSH
Five Burpees
10 SSH
Tappy Taps x 9

Weinke

In honor of the date… 2/20/2020

Two Rounds of 20/20/20 (Multiple Exercises)
Hand Release Merkins/Squats/Donkey Kicks
Mosey to end of parking lot and back
Repeat for two total rounds

CDD’s/Bonnie Blairs/Plank Jacks
Mosey to end of parking lot and back
Repeat

Curb Dips/Monkey Humpers/Shoulder Taps
Mosey to end of parking lot and back
Repeat

Bear Crawl – Bomb Jack Webbs (Thanks Cha Ching)
Line up at one end of parking lot.
Bear Crawl on Spot
Three Bomb Jacks
Bear Crawl Two Spots
Six Bomb Jacks
Bear Crawl Three Spots
Nine Bomb Jacks
And so forth until we hit 10/30

At round seven I modified to lunge walks/squats because I couldn’t hang… how does the saying go? If you can’t do it don’t Q it? I tried. Slapshot is the man for following through with the bear crawls to the end.

Total Bomb Jacks/Squats – 165

Squerk Work
Mosey to adjacent side of parking lot, partner up by weight
Wheelbarrow to first row of parking spots, 10 Derkins/Squats while holding partner in wheelbarrow. Flapjack.

Out and back two rounds each.

At this point I felt a little merlot-y… so we headed back to COT for some Mary.

Mary
World War I Sit Ups x 20
Rosalitas x 20
Hello Dollies x 20
Have A Nice Day x 1 Minute

COT

Announcements
Rooster/Yeti/Doty/Manion
Two Shovel Flag hand offs next week. The Coop and Laces In.

Prayers/Praises
Pray for my M in her last trimester and through her discomfort.
Pray for those PAX with pregnant M’s.
Unspoken prayers/praises.

Thanks Cyclops for the tap to lead.

Punch List out.

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Round 2 at Laces In

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Lack of creativity? Potentially. Simple yet effective? Undoubtedly. That could be how I describe several stages of my life.

Yesterday at the JOC, we did round 1 of the Deck of Cards. Whenever you have a round 1, you have to have a round 2. Taking yesterday’s learnings on clock management, I modified the warm-up, flapped the gums a little less and up’d the tempo. That would ensure we get through the deck this time.

We had a total of 20 at Laces, with 2 of those being Road Runners. The other 17 joined me as we circled up.

River Rat got to hear this twice but I shared what Billy Bob said on the Roundtable podcast recently about modifications. You can always modify as needed BUT do not use that as an excuse to not push yourself. It’s appropriate in so many areas of life and it was appropriate for the PAX & I this morning.

So, we jogged over to the start line for our abbreviated warm up consisting of (2) 50yd runs at 50% pace and 75% pace. We followed that up with windmills in cadence and butt kickers in place, also in cadence. And that was it for our warm up.

For the 1st-timers, the deck goes like this, your rep count is the number on the card, 2-10 are obvious, Jacks=11, Queens=12, Kings=13, Aces=14. Suits represent the following exercises:

Hearts: 8ct Burpee (It’s a burpee with a plank jack & the push up)
Diamonds: 4ct Mountain Climbers
Clubs: Jump Squats
Spades: Diamond Merkins
Jokers: (25) 4ct Flutters

In total, we did:
(104) 8ct Burpees
(104) 4ct Mountain Climbers
(104) Jump Squats
(104) Diamond Merkins
We had 3 Jokers in the deck so that is (75) Flutters, of the 4ct variety

We finished the deck at 0551 so we had 9mins left on the clock which was filled with:
(30) Flutters
(12) Hand-Release Merkins
(15) American Hammers

4 more 50yd runs at 50%, 75%, 100%, 75%

Moseyed back to COT for:
Heels to Heavens
Freddy Mercury

COT today was pretty powerful for me. We had men that brought some real stuff today that they are walking through life with. As we say, you are not meant to carry this on your own; that would crumble any man. You have been called and designed to lead but the best leaders have a group they work with. In F3, we call that group a Shield Lock.
Remember, sometimes you need to modify the game plan. However, DO NOT use that modification as an excuse to not give it your all.

It’s been my honor.
Maximus

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11

Bear Crawls, Burpees, Battlestar Galactica

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To get the blood flowing, began with what ended up being a soggy mosey around the practice field, there was a fair amount of mumblechatter as the mud sloshed around.

Warm up in cadence:

  • Wind mills
  • Cherry pickers
  • Imperial walkers
  • Peter Parker
  • Parker Peter
  • Low Country Crab
  • Honey mooners
  • Downward dog

Quick recovery and off to the track for the main event.

The Thang

Run 4 laps on the track with 2 sets of 20 reps of a particular exercise on the turn.

1st turn

  • 20 Merkins
  • 20 American Hammers

2nd turn

  • 20 Caroline dry docks
  • 20 Flutters

Rinse and repeat for 4 laps. Thanks Trucker for the vote in confidence around the creativity.

Lined up on goal line for field round.

Burpee Dans

Starting at goal line, lunge walk in 10 yard increments, followed by burpee increasing by 1 burpee to 50 yard line. Run backwards to goal line and plank when finished.

Welsh Dragons

Starting at goal line and remaining in plan position, bear crawl 10 yard increments.

  • 1 merkin
  • 1 plank jack
  • 1 set of should taps

Rinse and repeat to 50 yard line increasing rep count by 1 per 10 yards. Run backwards to goal line.

Originally planned above exercises through length of field, due to time constraints, cut down to 50.

With 10 minutes left, called additional adjustment.

  • Run to 50 yard line, 50 calf raises,
  • Run to end zone, 50 mountain climbers
  • Sprint back

Mosey back to COT with a few minutes to spare.

Wave of Merkins

  • PAX remaining in plank, start w/ 1 merkin around the circle, followed by 2, and so on until time ran out.

Announcements: Short talk on word of year.

Prayers/Praises: Health, travels.

Thanks to MacGuyver for the field access, Cyclops for the opportunity, and 3D for the shovel flag reminder.

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Overcome

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7 boot campers and 3 runners posted at Laces In/Out this morning.  The cool temperature was perfect for a hideous beat down. We did hill repeats because today’s message was focused on overcoming inertia.

The Thang:

COP: SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (20x), and LBCs (15x)

Mosey to the hill near the stadium to add inertia and do the following exercises. 

  1. 100 Yard Dash
  2. Jumping Squats (2x) 
  3. Big Boy Sit Ups (3x)
  4. Pepper Grinders (4x)
  5. Burpees (5x)
  6. LBCs (6x)
  7. Sumo Squats (7x) 
  8. Heels to Heaven (8x)
  9. Dips (9x)
  10. Calf Raises (10x)
  11. Merkins (11x)
  12. Penguins (12x)

Moleskin:

Why do we sometimes struggle to answer God’s calling and purpose for our lives?  Does our own inertia stop us from making a breakthrough?

The bible shows us that Paul initially hesitated when he was called to God’s mission field.  In the Acts of the Apostles 22, Jesus needed to encourage Paul to overcome his inertia. He kept telling Paul “Go,” “Get up,” “What are you waiting for?”

Paul eventually pushed through his inertia and fulfilled his mission.  Paul’s story is a great illustration of how it’s sometimes tough to start your mission but you must finish strong.  

Peace,

Deacon

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9

McDonald’s for Breakfast

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Warm-O-Rama:
-20 Peter Parker Peters
-10 Low Slow Toe Squats (don’t fall over Trucker)
-20 Flutter Kicks With Arm Flutters
-20 Hello Dolly With Flutter Kicks
-15 Calf Raises While Holding Al Gore
Mosey to wall for:
-20 People’s Chair With Arm Flutters
-10 Alternating Shoulder Taps While Holding BTTW

The Thang:

4 corners with station in the middle.
In the middle we all did 5 body bag builders for stations 1-4 each time while burpee broad jumping to the station and back, then 15 flutter kick & arm stations 5-8 and did duck walk from the middle to the station and back.
Station: exercise (all in cadence and together as a group)
1: Air chair and overhead claps x 15
2: Low slow jump squats x 15
3: Superman position + Moroccan NC’s x 15
4: CDD + donkey kick x 15
5: Derkin + shoulder tap x 15
6: Dying cockroach + flutter kick x 15
7: Aussie snow angels x 15
8: American hammer + lbc x 15

Trucker for a 10 count and mosey to open parking lot. Pick a partner and stand 8 parking spaces apart. Meet partner in the middle and knock out 10 clap merkins. Method of transport for round 1 is bear crawl to partner, crawl bear back. Round 2 crab walk forward, 10 clap merkins, crab walk backward.  Repeato.  Cot.

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2

Merkin Mania

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It was a chili morning and I was over at Cross Town Rival FMHS to lead a WO at Laces In. I got there a little early to loosen my old bones and fortunately for me I ran into Pusher. This was a good thing because whether he knows it or not I like to soak up what he has to say. Good Dude. My grand-dad always told me two things (one I can’t say here, Snake knows what the other is) and the other is – Always listen when a wiser man is speaking. Alright enough of that, we circled up and I gave a disclaimer and I added also to please look to your left or right and get a visual of who is here because we will be moseying around in the dark and I want to make sure we all know who is all here.

I did my traditional Moseying COP:
30 SSH IC with 20 Wide arm Merkins IC (Werkins)
Mosey
20 Seal jax IC with 20 Ranger Merkins IC (which are regular Merkins if u ask Jedi) and I agree
Mosey
15 Smurf jax IC with 10 Diamond Merkins IC

Thang 1: We then found some curb and did one of my new favs – Wheel of Merkins

Grab a piece of curb, and did a 5 incline merkins. Staying in the plank position, rotate 90 degrees clockwise until your body is parallel to the curb with right hand on the curb and left hand off it. Repeat 5 merkins Rotate 90 degrees more and perform the same number of decline merkins. Rotate 90 degrees more. Repeat with left hand on the curb and right hand off it.

Did this from 5 down to 1.

Thang 2: Knocked out a string of pearls 5 squats, 10 Bomb jax, 15 Mt Climbers and 20 Big Boys then back down. I tried to keep everything in cadence. I like that so we all can stay on track and together.

I took a minute to discuss picking up the six and the fine line of when to do it and when not to. What I mean by that is when do you let the six give that extra push on his own. Hope this makes sense.

Thang 3: 11’s with Mike Tysons and Squats.

Thang 4: Wheel of Merkins Again. This time not stopping between reps 5 through 4, Rep 3 on its own then 2 and 1 without stopping.

Rounded out the last few minutes with some ab work. I did 10 flutters in cadence and Stang said that is weak.

Announcements:

Diaper Drive, Coat Drive, Nessie

Prayers for Duck Dynasty’s pregnant sister, Rebel’s daughter getting married this weekend and our Children.

Thanks again for the opportunity to lead Cyclopes!

Two Ferns!

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2

Canon X-50 count

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10 PAX gathered on a cool(ish) morning when the entire town of Fort Mill had no running water. 8 for Laces In, 2 started 15min earlier for Laces Out

Disclaimer delivered haltingly as Sugarbug exited his vehicle at 5:14 & 58 seconds to join the group.

Mosey to Band Practice Lot:

50 SSH
Downdog –> Honeymooner –> ect.
50 Moroccan Nightclubs
25 Imperial Walkers
25 Hillbilly Walkers
A bit of mumble chatter about the high count

Mosey to the lot in front of the R-Wing
50 shoulder taps
Downdog –> Honeymooner –> etc.
30 Mountain Climbers (was planning on hitting 50 but looked up after 20 and the PAX were slowing down, at 30 most were just watching me count . . . )
0 Peter Parkers (had planned 50, but wanted to avoid the tacit mutiny)

Mosey to the pullup bars

Partner up
on partner holds position while the other partner does 10 reps. Then switch until both PAX had completed 50 reps each (i.e., 100 total).
– Merkins
– Squats
– Rosalita

Revealed the two kettlebells (30lb and 35lb) I hid prior to the workout

4 Pax on the pull-up bars
4 Pax on the ground

Pax on the ground split 2 with bells and 2 holding squat

Pax with bells did 10 KB swings and switched to hold a squat.
– Pax holding squat then switched to 10 KB swings
Pax on bars free hang until during the first 10 KB Swings
– then during the next 10 KB Swings PAX attempted to hold their chin above the bar
– after other PAX complete 20 total KB Swings back to free hang
– after other PAX complete 30 total KB Swings back to chin above the bar

2 rounds of this and then flip-flopped for 2 more rounds

Plank up in a line
Hold plank while 1 PAX jumps out and does 10 KB Swings (for an individual total of 50 KB Swings). PAX waiting in plank alternated between high plank and six inches everytime someone switched to the Kettlebell.

Mosey back to COT for some Mary (Joined by 2 runners)

– Called a yoga variation and added a crunch alternating to each side of the raised leg

(e.g., 4-count: 1 to the center, 2 back down hands above head, 3 to the outside of the raised leg, 4 back down. Notice the extended heel stays six inches above the ground…I may call this again and if enough PAX hate it…consider giving it a name.
– Rolled over for some Pigeon Lunges
– back over for Flutters until time

NMM:

As men, how much are we challenging ourselves with things we don’t like or don’t understand? Physically we do this in the 5am hour with demanding workouts, but do we try this in all facets of our lives? Consider taking in some art (play, movie, music, museum, etc.) you just don’t understand or trying to interact with something (someone?) you really don’t like.

The piece below by Conlon Nancarrow predates “electronic music.” He used a player piano reel to realize music that was so rhythmically complex, no human players at the time could accomplish it. In Canon X, there are two lines. One starts at a slow tempo and speeds up. The other starts fast and slows down. (So a graph of the tempos looks like an X.) This is a tempo canon rather than a traditional melodic canon. (Row, Row, Row Your Boat is a melodic canon.)

Canon X

This kind of composition may or not may be “enjoyable” to listen to. Or you might not “like” it. But it is fascinating. We don’t have to like something for it to be interesting or valuable.

40+ years after these pieces were written, a small ensemble began stretching what we once thought human musicians were capable of performing. They arranged some of Nancarrow’s player piano reels in an acoustic setting. See the original and the arrangement:

Nancarrow – Player Piano Study No. 2A
Alarm Will Sound – Nancarrow Player Piano Study No. 2A

I don’t know what this means for you in specific. But in general, I hope it encourages you to stretch your boundaries and grow. Because that’s part of what the Arts should help us do!

COT
Praise for the fact that most days we can turn on the taps and clean water comes out.

An honor to lead,
—
Band Camp dismissed

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