Thanksgiving Convergence 2021

68 PAX in attendance for a pre-thanksgiving beatdown and some fellowship on a brisk morning Thursday 11/25/2021.

 

With the anticipation of fried turkey, oreos and coffee brought by @Change Order, @Smuggler and @RubySlippers, mumble-chatter abounded,  until @Hardwood took the center and called attention at 0600 hours. Disclaimer was disclaimed and the call for new FNG’s was made, no new FNG’s was the lone blemish on the otherwise fantastic morning in my humble opinion.

Run options led by @Gekko and a Moderate group led by @TripleLindy set off as the rest of the PAX moseyed towards back of Springfield Elementary. First Destination was in parking lot way back by the Middle School.

Circled up and @Hardwood called out the following exercises:

SSH- 40

Windmills

Downward Dogs and Honeymooners

Low & Slow Squats

Cyclops: Stay in Squat Position and complete Moroccan Nightclubs

 

The Thing

Series of Webs

Starting with Merkins and Overhead Claps

1×4 for 10 rounds of excruciating shoulder pain, mumble-chatter becoming more focused on the task at hand

more SSH 🤮

Next we completed ANOTHER WEB, worse than the last,

Shoulder Taps and Moroccan Nightclubs

1×4 for 10 more rounds that was never ever going to end

Lots of requests for Burpees strangely or anything other then arm workouts!

 

YHC began the 2nd half of the workout with more SSH

Mosey around to front of Middle School with 3 stops for 5 Burpees OYO, at the request of the PAX

Line up at bottom of small hill in front of school and explain the workout, AMRAP LEG CIRCUIT

Teams of 4 ish men cycle through three exercises at bottom of hill individually:

2 Squats

2 Split Lunges

2 Bomb Jacks

Next Broad Jump up Hill to top and complete the following:

2 V-ups

Bear Crawl to bench

2 Step Ups

Run around and down to bottom of hill stopping at cones for 2 burpees (two stops per lap)

Meet back at bottom of hill and repeat, only this time DOUBLE ALL REPS TO 4X

Goal is to complete 5 rounds or AMRAP, almost completed but just short of time before we had to get back to COT

YHC shared a article on Gratitude, and then @Shady shared the heart of the Fort, the success of @Seamstress initiative with the help of the PAX, @Seamstress shared his excitement and appreciation for the success of the event! Great job by all T-claps!

Finally we had a shovel hand-off YHC taking the Ranch from a long line of great site Q’s which I hope to make proud.

Then we were finally able to enjoy the fried delicacies and coffee! Cheers!

 

 

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4 Corner Dora @ Bushwood

Started with the PAX from Snake Pit on a cool and beautiful morning. Disclaimed the group no FNGs but a 2nd timer @dictator, welcome!

Mosey over towards the band field. About halfway we warmed up with the following:

10-25

SSH

IMPERIAL WALKERS

HILLBILLY WALKERS

MONKEY HUMPERS

MOROCCAN NIGHTCLUBS

WINDMILLS

PLANK POSITION

HONEY MOONERS

DOWNWARD DOGS

PARKER PETER’S

PETER PARKERS

OVERHEAD CLAPS -START AT 4 X 4 ROUNDS, DOUBLE EACH ROUND WITH 3 SECOND PAUSE ( CAN BE DONE STANDING OR KNEELING)

Mumble chatter was a blast, new shoes were creased and sore pecs were worked out again by some.

 

Mosey closer to band field, begin series of sprints to every other curb, all the way down to the school building,  switch to kareoke heading back down the parking lot. Finally last trip down back towards school running backwards and then over towards area of parking lot where cones have been set up for 4 corner work

AMRAP (10 MIN)

3 burpees each corner,  then bear crawl to first cone, 3 burpees, crab walk to 2nd cone, 3 burpees, lunge walk to 3rd cone, 3 burpees, recovery jog to 4th cone, 3 burpees

Mosey back towards COT for DORA work

Top of hill we stopped and PAX were each  given a choice:

100 MERKINS or BIG BOY SIT-UPS, Hardwood chose MERKINS

200 SQUATS or DIPS, Cohiba chose SQUATS

300 SHOULDER TAPS or JABS, Ltrain chose JABS

Quickly finish up and mosey back to COT, we hopped in for 1 minute of Mary and time was called 0600 hours.

YHC shared some post birthday thoughts on leading lives worth living and the ultimate importance of relationships, echoed by Esso.

Announcements: Golf tournament, Turkey donations, bourbon tasting…

Prayers: Shady’s Aunt and family dealing with loss of uncle, a friend of a Smoky dealing with finding out daughter has cancer, Sorry if I missed anything else

 

Band camp added some great pointers throughout the whole COT, Being somewhat new at QING the pointers were much appreciated! Awesome opportunity and morning!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Trifecta of Q’s

So, I got asked to Q last minute for Wednesday at Ring of Fire (8/18) and was already scheduled to Q at Footloose for Thursday (8/19) and then NASA had to try and find a sub for Varsity on Friday (8/20), so I just said I’d do it all. I mean @HarryCarey just did it, so why couldn’t I? I’ve been chasing him for years and still have a long way to go to try and keep up/catch that HIM.

So, I planned it out. Arms Day at Ring of Fire, Legs Day at Footloose, and IronPax prep at Varsity. Here we go!

Arms day was an AMRAP with the pull-up bars, Cindy, and some core to break it up. 1 minute on 30 seconds off.
Pull-Ups
Squats with Block
Curls
Overhead Press
LBC’s
Merkins
Flutters
Burpees
Low plank
Side Straddle Hops
Repeat.

Music kept us going with mostly hard rock from the ’90s and 2000s. @Sheild thinks I’m the next Tony Robbins as I was trying to motivate and keep everyone going on our rest periods.

Thursday at Footloose we did 7’s. Launching from the AO, we went over to Minnow Pond to see if we can pick a fight, to which they just ignored us. So, we ran the hill. Monkey Humpers at the bottom near the main road, because you know, Monkey Humpers ;). Up the hill and then squats.

We then ran over to Fort Mill Chruch of God for a round of 7’s using the stairs and the parking lot. I didn’t exactly think this one all the way through before giving instructions. Run up and down the stairs, then do 6 calf raises, run back over the stairs and run a lap around the parking lot and back up over the stairs to do 1 Bobby Hurley. Complete the circuit until 7’s is completed. That ended up being 14 laps around the parking lot. We ended up with 3 miles on this day. Lots of good mumble chatter and fellowship on those laps.

Finally, @ Varsity, we did IronPax prep with the Week 0 2018 workout. 50 squats, 40 big boys, 30 merkins, 20 lunges (modified down from Bonnie Blairs as we’re old and our knees can’t take it), 10 burpees run a lap. Do this 4x for time.

@Slapshot killed it and completed the circuit in 24:39, while @HarryCarey finished in 28:10 and YHC in 30:30. The rest modified and got their own solid workout/ruck in.

Q-ing the trifecta was a great test as it made me get creative and stay engaged with the group. We’re called to be leaders and this was a good test of my abilities over a longer period, not just every once in a while. Thanks to all for the opportunity to lead. I enjoyed it!

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eating our way through the air

19 PAX Gathered and it was so humid we had to “eat our way through the air.” (-Slash)

We started with a quick warmup
SSH – 19 to the number of PAX

Mosey towards the old Church of God parking lot
IW
HW
Moroccan Night Clubs
Merkins – slow count (everybody’s favorite)

Brief mosey to the other Church of God parking lot
Burpee Square (thanks Naperville)
Start in one corner
10 Burpees – bear crawl to next corner
9 Burpees – lunge walk to next corner
8 Burpees – crawl bear to the next corner
7 Burpees – reverse lunge walk back to the first corner
6 Burpees – bear crawl to next corner
5 Burpees – lunge walk to next corner
4 Burpees – crawl bear to the next corner
3 Burpees – reverse lunge walk back to the first corner
2 Burpees – bear crawl to next corner
1 Burpee

View the retaining wall and consider how it works…not by specific acceleration, but by staying put at the ground falls around it revealing all the bricks supporting the top layer

Mosey to the old middle school (banks st. community gym)
Some Yoga for the 6
10 Squats
10 lunge steps
10 Jump Squats
10 lunge steps back
Repeat

Mosey Back – I got gassed on the mosey back. Once your belly is full, eating your way back through the air is really difficult.

Flutters to 0600

NMM:

Sometimes, as the flux hits us all, we lack the motivation to accelerate of our own accord. But if we can call on discipline to continue moving, we can see ourselves rising even though we feel like we’re staying put–just like the top level of that retaining wall. I’ve been feeling that flux for a little while leading up to the big 4-0. And honestly didn’t know how to convey that message until I looked up at the end of too many burpees and too many bear crawls and saw that wall.

Grateful for the opportunity to lead and the support of all the PAX. Y’all help hold me up whether you know it or not. Thank you.


Band Camp Dismissed

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F3 Dads #2 @ The Fort

I must admit, major fail on the part of the Q. I missed getting the FNGs names on video so I missed tagging them here. My apologies.

With Watch This & 5th Set by my side (missing Cheetah), we welcomed the 54 PAX to F3 Dads and provided the disclaimer. We even had some Kotter PAX (Dads) and a whole bunch of 2.0 FNGs. The total was 57 for today!

We then took off down the hill and circled up for the brief warm up:
SSH & Low Slow Squats

Then, line the kids up on one side of our square and the dads on the other side for the classic, Sharks (dads) & Minnows (kids).
After a few rounds, we flipped it around so the roles were reversed and the kids seem to really enjoy this one.

Next, line up in a long line for a family cone drill. As a family,
Run to the first cone. 1 Merkin & 1 Jump Squat per family member in attendance.
Run to the second cone. 2 Merkins & 2 Jump Squats per family member in attendance.
Run to the third cone. 3 Merkins & 3 Jump Squats per family member in attendance.
Run to the fourth cone. 4 Merkins & 4 Jump Squats per family member in attendance.
NUR back to the start.

Move over to our (2) 4-cone squares for a friendly kids vs dads relay competition.
Due to the number of kids, the dads would have to complete the following twice while the kids only once:
Cone 1 to Cone 2: Crabwalk
Cone 2 to Cone 3: Lunge Walk
Cone 3 to Cone 4: Bear Crawl
Cone 4 back to Cone 1: NUR

Shocking, the kids won so the dads got to do 5 Burpees per kid they had in attendance while the kids laughed at us.

Lastly, go run as fast as you can to the top of the hill for COT.

And then…POPSICLES!!!!

Great job leading this Band Camp.

Watch This, 5th Set, Maximus appreciate the opportunity to Q today.

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Taming the Tongue (and the PAX)

YHC led off with a quick Bible verse.

James 3:3-5

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

He do we talk to those around us? Our peers? Colleagues? M’s? 2.0’s? Do we treat those closest to us differently than say a total stranger?

Warm Up

Mosey/High Knees/Butt Kickers/Karaoke/Toy Soldiers

Al Gore hold while performing:

Moroccan Night Clubs

Lil Baby Arm Circles both directions

Squat Pulses to finish with a burn

 

The Thang

7 minutes of Chelsea to start

EMOM 5-10-15 Pull Ups – Merkins – Squats

 

Mosey to the track

Our thoughts ultimately come out via our tongue. If we think bitterly and assume the worst out of everybody in our lives, our tongue will be a strong

Burpee Chase – 

Sprint the straights, jog the curves. At each corner perform five burpees

Bear Crawl 100 yards in between each lap

Completed two laps

Back to the pull up bars

6 minutes of Chelsea

Jail Break to COT

Mary in Cadence

20 LBCs

15 American Hammers

10 Gas Pumpers

NMM

The tongue is something we cannot control – no matter how hard we try. The only true way to tame the tongue is by living in the Spirit. I have trouble with this myself. It is something that I just need to realize isn’t within my power to control. Once I relinquish said control to the Spirit, my speech ultimately improves.

How do we relinquish our tongues to the Holy Spirit? Well… there is no formula. But finding yourself in proximity to God more often tends to help. The more we approach the Lord via the Word, prayer, fellowship, and witnessing, the higher the odds are that our speech will be Spirit led.

Prayers/Praises

Kaiser’s 10 year anniversary

Splinter/Point Break Home Schooling

YHC – the Holy Spirit helped me to let go of bitterness I was keeping toward my M – big praise!

 

Thanks for the tap, Kaiser. Always happy to serve.

 

Punch List out.

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Respectable Beatdown

We had 10 men, including an FNG show up on Saturday for the workout at WEP.  After the disclaimer, we jogged around the park to the parking lot on the corner of Ardrey Street.  We did the following warm-up exercises:  SSH, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, and Plank Stretches.

Next, we ran down Ardrey Street and took the path down behind the park.  I explained to the Pax that Fort Mill has some of the best cross country runners in the state.  They train at WEP each summer by running laps around the park and running hill repeats on the hill in front of us.  I added 10 merkins at the bottom of the hill and 10 squats at the top to break up the running.  Our FNG was in front of the PAX each lap, he also wore a cross country t-shirt.  We thought Hot Wheels was fitting based on his efforts.

We headed back to the playground for the hand-off to Rebel.  Rebel quickly transitioned the workout to a partner Murph.  Partner 1 ran to the statue on the hill and back to the playground while Partner 2 started the exercises (100 Pull-ups, 200 merkins, 300 Squats).  Lots of encouragement and hand slaps as we knocked out the exercises.  Once complete, we ran around the park as a group, caboose  to the front.  We had enough time to do a few ab exercises before time expired.

Great job everyone!

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RPG – Road to Perdition 1

9 PAX for 15 min of Broga

Sequence starting with some yoga core work on the ground and finishing with a vinyasa flow
–Cake Boss felt YHC was tricking everyone into doing burpees (maybe….?)

5 split off for work in preparation for Ville to Ville
4 ran a 5k along the Road to Perdition
https://www.strava.com/activities/5135550667
The old golf cart paths are fun…if a little treacherous in the dark

Thanks to Bodywash for the opportunity to lead.

NMM:
Saw this picture yesterday:

Meyer is one of my fellow trombone professor’s son. He’s hugging his sister here. Meyer will go through THREE chemo and radiation treatments that will last 3-4 weeks EACH. He won’t be able to hug his sister again for a long time because his immune system will be so compromised during the treatments. Love your family today and be grateful for the time we’ve been given. We aren’t guaranteed anything, and we’re lucky to have this moment.

Nota Bene: I’m speaking to myself as much as I am to anyone else. That’s why writing the backblasts are important. We need to work the words out to ourselves.

Prayers for Meyer

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Bulgarian 7-10 Split

11 PAX gathered in the crisp gloom.

Disclaimer was given.

Hard charge out of the gate.
With the ageless Straight-Up and Harry Carey moving quickly behind YHC, we hit the first mile at 6:56/min pace.

As the PAX regrouped into a circle at the Teacher Parking lot area of the elementary school, Poppins rolled his ankle. Splinter ran back to get his truck and transported Poppins to his vehicle. Unfortunately, he was done for the day.

Warm-Up:
Yoga
Merkins
Shoulder Tap
SSH
Burpees 10 in cadence
IW
HW
Yoga

Thang:
Mosey toward the “black-top” area between the schools and find a bench

Bulgarian Split Squats
-10 each leg
-10 more each leg
-10 more each leg (this was a crowd favorite)
Step Ups
-10 each leg
-10 more each leg
Bulgarian Split Squats
-10 in cadence each leg (this confirmed their crowd favorite status)
-10 more in cadence each leg
Box Jumps – 10

Moved to the track-ish area
Lined up on the front line
Bear Crawl across the track
Crawl Bear back
15 burpees in cadence
Lunge Walk to the other side
Burpee-Broad Jump back
Some Yoga

11s w/
1 Merkins – 10 Shoulder Taps
got to 5 merkins and 6 shoulder taps

Moved back to benches
more Bulgarian Split Squats
– 10 in cadence each leg
– 10 more in cadence each leg
– (crowd favorite status confirmed)

Mosey to COT
Finished the 11s
Freddie Mercuries
Some Yoga to close us out

Prayers for:
– Poppins’s ankle
– blessing of science and medicine
– strength for those facing COVID
– the Spirit to remind us this isn’t our permanent home

NMM:

Make someone, just one person, feel special today

Thanks Long Duck for the opportunity to lead.

Band Camp Dismissed

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Looked Better on Paper

I arrived a bit earlier this morning to scope out some areas of the campus that I have yet to explore.  Eight men showed up on this brisk morning.  We began with a slow mosey around the elementary school parking lot and stopped at the playground for the typical warm-up exercises (SSHs, Windmills, Imperial Walkers, Plank Stretches, Mountain Climbers, Peter Parkers, and Parker Peters.

Next, we moseyed back to the parking lot.  The first series of exercises was a combination bear crawl/squat across the length of the parking lot.  At every other parking space line, we did 10 squats.  Once finished, we did the same routine except we rolled to each line and did 5 merkins.  Lots of complains about dizziness after the first couple spins but we made it through the craziness.

Once the world stopped spinning, we ventured over to the pull up bars (Trucker approved).  We did 10 reps of jump and grab the bar, pull chin over the bar, and hold position for five seconds.  We took a lap around the bus loop to shake out are arms.  Next round was a jump and grab the bar, raise legs up 90 degrees, and hold for five seconds.  Again, another lap.  Last round was a jump up, rotate grip back and forth, and pull chin up over bar.  One last lap around the bus loop and back to COT for a few minutes of Mary.

Great job everyone!  Thanks for trying something new.

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