Calling

What a great way to start a birthday! 16 #HIMs that I’m blessed to call my brothers in Christ showed up for a moderate birthday beat down. It was great to be in fellowship with all the Pax. Having my nephew, Shin Guard, there was icing on the cake.

The Thang:

Mosey to the parking lot at Saint John’s United Methodist for a warm-up.

Warm-Up: Stretches, SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (15x), CDDs (15x), Rosalettas (20x).

Mosey to the parking lot at First Baptist Church for a Buffet of Pain: Light Running, SSHs, Squats, LBCs, Merkins, Diamond Merkins, Dips, Wide Arm Merkins, Calf Raises, Monkey Humpers, Penguins, Plank Jacks, Hello Dollies, Guerrilla Squats, Bomb Jacks 

Mosey to the parking lot at Fort Mill Church of God

Partner up. Partner Big Boy Sit Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Ski Jumps (15x), Partners Push Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Leg Lifts (15x for 2 rounds).

Moleskin:

I’ve been reflecting on the life in which God has blessed me with for 39 years strong. I realized that I finally answered His calling for me a few years ago. My calling is to Glorify Him and to serve the underprivileged. It seems obvious to others now, but I made myself “too busy” to hear or answer His calling in the past.

This week, I thought the life of King David. God called David to be a Sheppard, then a fighter and then a king. David learned how take care of sheep and protect them from predators when he was a Sheppard. God called on David to protect the Israelites from Goliath. David answered God’s calling in that moment. He cleaned Goliath’s clock while others thought he was ill- prepared. What others did not know is that God fully prepared David for His calling.

What’s your calling that God has prepared for you? Can you hear His voice? If not, slow down, stop being “too busy” and just listen. You were designed for great works that extend beyond your family and day job. Answer your calling.

Peace,

Deacon

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Kicking Off ’18 Nantan Summer Tour at Block Party

On an unseasonably cool June morning, 41 #HIMs met to get an attitude adjustment and start the day out right.

Mosey to the big parking lot on 160.

WARMUP:

  • 20 4-count side straddle hops
  • Five Burpees OYO
  • 10 4-count Windmills
  • Five Burpees OYO
  • 20 Low slow squats
  • Five Burpees OYO
  • 15 4-count Merkens
  • Five Burpees OYO
  • 20 Mountain climbers
  • Five Burpees OYO
  • 20 Moroccan night clubs
  • Five Burpees OYO

The THANG

Four corners in the big parking lot. Count off into groups of 4s and rotate through the stations.

  • Corner 1: Mosey to the bottom of the hill (160) and sprint back to the top, rinse and repeat. LBCs when done.
  • Corner 2: 30 Hand release Merkens. LBCs when done.
  • Corner 3:  40 Monkey Humpers. LBCs when done.
  • Corner 4: 20 Burpees. LBCs when done.
  • Rinse & Repeat

Mosey to the wall for 20 4-count wall mountain climbers.

Mosey back to COT….NOT DONE YET!

Captain Thors in cadence to 8 x 32.

COT

1 Corinthians 9:24 reads “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” Give everything you do your best effort. Sometimes, however, this requires an attitude adjustment. Be grateful for how God has blessed you and honor HIM by giving it your all. After all, the only difference between a chAmp and a chUmp is YOU!

Announcements: Hog & Coyote, Nantan Summer Tour, #218in18, Read your newsletter

Thanks for the opportunity, Shady!

– Ginsu

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Broga and Pole work at the Ballroom

The PAX were in for a treat as we started out the warm up with some routine Broga.  This obviously started after I did the disclaimer since I’m no where close to a professional like Sasquatch.  There was a lot of mumble chatter during broga so I had to stymie that with a 25 count of Mtn. Climbers.  That fixed the chatter.  We did a few other moves and then moseyed out to our first pain station.

If you’ve never been to the Ballroom there are a lot of light poles there.  I’m sure you can ask any of the PAX and the would confirm that.  I think we did 15 for the first round.  Below are the exercises  15 counts for each:  Merkins, LBC, Squats, CDD, Calf Raises, Flutters, Side Straddle Hops, Shoulder Taps, American Hammers, Mt. Climbers, Hillbilly Walkers, Freddy Mercury, CDD’s

Then we moseyed over for a round of wall sits that got a little outta hand so we had to cut that short.

Rinse & Repeat for more pole work.  Right before we finished up we found Cindy and did a round of curls.  Jail break back to COT for a final round of Broga to work out the kinks.

Great time with the PAX.  Thanks for the Opportunity.

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6 or So Pain Stations Around Fort Mill

Oh, it’s starting to get steamy.  So long cool mornings.  See you in 6 months.  The thick, non-cool air didn’t keep 8 pax from showing up to the party.  Here’s how we had fun:

Mosey to unused parking lot next between WEP and Springs building for warmup:

  • SSH x30
  • Mountain Climbers x20
  • Flip over for Peter Pointers x10
  • Flip over for merkins x10
  • Imperial Squat Walkers x10
  • Windmills x10
The Thang
Mosey to Oasis Park wall exercises OYO
  • Box Jumps (x15)
  • Dips (x15)
  • Derkins (x15)
  • Al Gore’s until the 6.

Repeat three exercises, but x10
Repeat three exercises, but x5

Mosey to wall near visitor’s parking lot
  • grab a seat on the wall
  • starting at one end, single coupon (log) curled 5 times, then overhead pressed 5x
  • pass to next guy and repeat

Once all 8 pax have a turn, quick recovery, then back on the wall to repeat.

Mosey to steps across from Main Street (behind grist mill stone).  Partner up, size matters.
  • Everyone bear crawl up steps, run down grass and back to bottom of steps.
  • Partner Wheelbarrow up steps (then run down grass) – flap jack
  • Everyone grab a stair for 10 calf raises in cadence
  • Take a step and repeat, toes in.
  • Take a step and repeat, toes out.
Run to lot behind Hobos
  • Broad Jumps across parking lot, everyone keeping count.  Flash made it in 12 jumps, so we all did 12 burpees.
  • Repeat going back.  This time Flash made it in 11 jumps.  11 burpees
Mosey to Veteran’s Park for LBCs until the 6.
Continue mosey to COT.  American Hammers and (something else I can’t remember) until the 6.
Great work by all pax!
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Footloose with Cake in the Cockpit

20 PAX including YHC hit the dance floor at Footloose. The idea is to workout so as Q I tried to be sure we got a good one in that the PAX could feel but also modify as needed

Flying is the safest form of travel and it may have to do with pilots that are accountable for the many lives on board their planes and so they take it  serious. The do pre flight safety-checks before every flight and if they skip it or get lazy, it could be the difference between arriving or crashing.

So man marriages in rough places and they don’t get there overnight….it takes time and it can be a long flight. I challenged the PAX on their “safety-checks and if they are performing them. 1 mile run with 6 Pain Stations in play with each representing a safety-checks, Away we went!

We did a mini dynamic warm up on our way to first pain station. Here is the wienke. Below is the moleskin.

NMS:

If we perform safety-checks with our M we will have better odds of landing the plane safely and at your scheduled destination.

  • Family – not logistics but emotional well being, likes, dislikes and direction of family members
  • Finances – top reason for divorce and can be solved with communcation and plan
  • Friends – Take interest in each others friends as its part of who they are
  • Fun – Be intentional with fun adventures like when you were “courting” each other…..lol
  • Fears – These guide decisions and if we don’t discuss them with M, we are makeing bad choices
  • Feelings – If you or the M is not feeling happy or feeling discontent, this does not just go away….need to discuss it and resolve it

Discuss these topics and do it often and your marriage will be safe!!

Thanks for Q Beacon

Peace!

Cake Boss

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Footloose – Accountability

Accountability – Are you pushing yourself when no one is looking?  What do you plan to gain by getting up at 4:30AM?  Be true to yourself!

Disclaimer – Not a professional, modify but hold yourself accountable, no lawsuits.

Slow Mosey around 2 churches and Town Hall.

Warm Up:

20 SSHs, 10 Windmills, 20 MNCs, 10 Mountain Climbers, 5 Merkins

The Thang:

Slow Mosey to the 4 Station Square

4 Stations are marked by cones with written exercises on them.  Divide into 4 groups and mosey to assigned cone.  Cone #1 sets the pace with 20 Seal Jacks in Cadence.  During the cadence the other three groups are as follows;  2) Merkins / Plank, 3) Air Chair, 4) 6 Inches.  Once cadence is complete Broad Jump to next cone.  Continue until cycle is complete.

Round 2:  Same set up but cone number 1 will start with 20 Mountain Climbers in Cadence, when this is complete mosey backwards to the next cone.

10 count

Mosey back to FBC and line up on right side of parking lot.

Lunge Walk 20 yards  –  7 point Hip exercise (Right Hip)  –  7 point Hip exercise (Left Hip)  –  Lunge Walk 20 Yards  (I think the hip exercises started some interesting mumble chatter)

Bear Crawl 15 yards – Crab Walk 15 yards – mosey to end of lot (repeat going back)

Toy Soldiers 20 yards  –  Downward Dog 20 count  –  Dying Cockroaches x20  –  LBCs x20  –  Freddie Mercury’s x20  –  Big Boy Sit Ups x10 OYO  –  (During this series is when I discovered the mumble chatter had a lot to do with something about every star is Uranus and it’s very gassy)  Honeymooner 20 count  –  Toy Soldiers 20 yards

Slow Mosey around parking lot

COT

Strawberry Fest sign up, Cannoli run, prayers for folks in the hospital, employment and various stresses of life and how we handle them – Bassomatic led us out.

 

 

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Old School WEP.

As cars rolled in one after another I was greeted by faces of men I knew and a few of some I didn’t. It is always great to be back Qing at the home where The Fort took shape. It was even better sharing this Q with my friend Mainframe. We got started with Mainframe giving the tasteful disclaimer. We then took off and the rest went something like this.

normal warm up stuff, mosey over to short wall for 15 derkins, 15 dips, 20 step-ups, mosey down to small lot in front of springs, 15 donkey kicks then bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, crawl bear back, 10 DKs then bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, crawl bear back, and then 5 DKs then bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, crawl bear back

Mosey up the hill to upper lot and divide up into 3 groups. 2 groups working, 1 group resting for 2 rounds (1&2, 2&3, 1&3, 1&2, 2&3, 1&3). First was 10 burpees per set so total of 40 burpees per PAX. Run down hill and back to top. Second was 16 jump lunges (64 total per PAX). Run down hill, then run backwards up hill. Third was 15 monkey humpers (60 total per PAX). Run down hill, then run backwards up hill. Times up and over to you.

Was glad that was over. Wasn’t sure my portion would hold up to what we just did.

Start with Merkins 10 normal, 10 diamond, 10 wide arm.

Move over to light pole.  20 shoulder presses, 20 flutter kicks, bear crawl to other light pole 15 CDDs 10 big boy sit ups. crab walk back to light pole 15 Moroccan night clubs 15 hello dolly’s in cadence, bear crawl back to light pole 15 shoulder pressed 10 grave diggers each side.

Circle up for Jack webs 1-5, 4-20

stay in circle for plank hold while we run around the clock hurdling the other PAX.

Mosey down hill to veteran memorial Pledge and moment of silence for Fallen Local Firefighter Richard Sheltra.

Mosey over to wall. take a seat while pax do broad jumps and both leg single jumps.

Mosey to short walls do 10 derkins, 10 box jumps and 10 dips on wall X2.

Mosey to yet another wall. BTW but while up in cadence 5 presses and 10 Peter Parkers.

Mosey back to COT.

announcements- Cannoli run, reading in Paradise, and Strawberry Festival.

Prayers- Sheltra family, Badger and Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WHETSTONE…Relaunches at THE FORT

Several weeks ago, it was announced that our region, THE FORT, would be closing all Saturday AO’s and holding a convergence at FMHS to get the PAX together as we thank Rebel for his leadership of Whetstone and relaunch it under Repeat and World Wide Leader (WWL). I was excited to hear we’d be getting many of the region together but I wasn’t expecting what came next. It was a text asking if I’d Q the workout.

Q, like part of it, half of it or …? The response was, THE WHOLE THING. I love to Q every chance I get but to do so on a day like this, well, I better make sure it includes a little something for everyone. Or, almost everyone.

————————————————————————————————————–

And this is where I let life get the better of me. I try to follow the 48hr rule on posting a BACKBLAST, especially when they’re significant but I let life and travel get in the way. It is now Saturday, one week later, and I’m just finishing this BB. Life can get challenging, it can get stressful, it can get you riding the highs or down in the lows. And this past week, our family has experienced some of each. Maybe this was the week where I really came to realize how valuable having a Whetstone partner can be. Someone that I can share the highs with and someone to help get me out of the lows; or to keep me honest when it’s my own doing that has me on the outside looking in on the joys of life.

That said, I’ll take you back to last Saturday, April 21 where we had a a few pre-ruckers and a total of 58 PAX converge to re-kick off this critical program.

We got ourselves into an odd-shaped kidney-like shape for the disclaimer, the announcement of why we were there this beautiful morning and to acknowledge our 2 FNG’s in the PAX. We counted off in 4’s then took off toward the big parking lot for a warm up jog in 4 lines. This jog included some karaoke’s and 4 lines doing an indian run which was way harder than it appeared on paper.

In these last 2 years, Whetstone has brought together some extremely HIM. One of those men has gone through a tough 18mos and he was gracious enough to share some of his story to include the impact Whetstone had on his life as we circled up to hear his words. I know he wouldn’t endorse this comment but anytime Mr. Clean wants to share experience or wisdom, the PAX listens. And listen we did.

After backing the group back out to a circle-like shape, I was giddy to honor Santini in the only way I knew how…with a deck of cards. However, on this day we utilized 1/2 the deck and considered it our warm up:

Hearts = Side Straddle Hops

Diamonds = Carolina Dry Docks

Spades = Squats

Clubs = Merkins

Then a little action from the Burp-Merk: Standing, we then dropped to a plank, did 5 merkins then jumped up. That equals 1 and we did 5 total.

This was when we got to listen to our very own Nantaan, Cake Boss, as he shared the impact Whetstone has had on him. Yet again, another powerful testimony.

Then off to do 4 corners in the lot with:

Corner 1 = Dancing Crabs x 15ea and Dips x 20

Corner 2 = Dying Cockroach x 15ea and Flutters x 20ea

Corner 3 = Burpees x 10 and Jump Squats x 10

Corner 4 = American Hammers x 25 and Freddie Mercury x 20ea

Mosey over to the wall for B2W while doing 5 “push ups” followed by 15 calf raises. We did this 3 times.

To close out our testimonies, my man Chicken Hawk laid it down for us. He shared the impact Whetstone has had on him, his marriage, his family…his life. Life isn’t meant to be traveled alone. Well said brother.

6ct Burpee which I needed a little help from the Helmet of Darkness to remind me the steps. Remember the line, “If you can’t Q it, don’t do it?” Yeah, me too but I obviously didn’t follow that too closely here.

This is where the cat-herding became evident. The PAX exhibited patience with me as we attempted a modified DORA series consisting of:

50 Flying Squirrels, 50 Diamond Merkins and 50+ Flutters

We then took off for the main entrance to the football stadium and lined up in 4 lines facing down the hill. Once everyone readjusted, it was 15 American Hammers, 15 Flutters and 15 Hello Dollies. This was done several more times.

Well, that put a bow on the workout portion of this convergence and after the COT, FNG naming of RBG and Whiskers, we then handed it off to World Wide Leader and Repeat to lead the Whetstone discussion.

Announcements: The relaunch of Whetstone. Thanks to Rebel for getting this off the ground 2 years ago and to Repeat / World Wide Leader for taking the reigns.

Prayer Requests: Badger. Camp Care 5K. Jennings Palmer’s transplant. Olive’s 8K in memory of Sweet Tooth. Elmer.

Honored and appreciative of your patience.

Maximus

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Moderately Crabby

Thanks to Smithers for allowing me to lead this morning.  23 HIMs started with the disclaimer and then took a little twist on the mosey down the hill to the back side of Lowes for the warm-up and beat down. Two lines formed up at the shovel flag and proceeded to Blacksnake all the way to the warm-up.  It was noted that surprisingly no one was injured bobbing and weaving while running in a line.

The Warm-Up was short and sweet to get the muscles ready and not tired.

  • Brisk 25 SSH
  • 25 Moroccan Night Club
  • 20 Imperial Walkers

The familiar Burpees that are often limited or lost at Slow Burn were tweaked slightly to provide a little 4×4 action!

Immediately following the 4x4s, we jumped right into a round Batwings.  All to a 4-count cadence:

  • 20 Forward Arm Circles
  • 20 Reverse Arm Circles
  • 20 Seal Claps
  • 20 Overhead Claps

After the shoulders were smoked, we met up along the wall of Lowes facing the side parking lot.  Everyone partnered up for some 123’s with a rotating exercise for the traveling partner. The partners completed their 100 Merkins, 200 LBC’s and 300 Squats while crossing the parking lot performing either Bear Crawls, Crab Walks, Lunge Walks, or Toe-Walks.  The parking lot had 3 distinct rows of spaces along each PAX to determine the length of their crawls or walks.

Following the 123’s we circled up for a bit of core work; Abs and Back.  I thought it was important to incorporate the most often forgotten part of the core.  This is where the real “crabbing” started among the PAX.  All exercises done in cadence:

  • 20 Crab Cake
  • 20 Crunchy Frog
  • 20 Crab Humpers
  • 20 American Hammers
  • 20 Crab Jacks
  • 20 Big Boy Sit Ups
  • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • 15 Merkins done with several pauses at 6″

The PAX moseyed its way back up to the top at their own pace in preparation for COT

At COT, the origin stories for  a couple of PAX were shared so that we can all get to know one another a little better.

Great work from all the HIMs who pushed through some serious shoulder exercises and goofy crab work.

 

MOAB…out

 

 

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The Hive_Friday Leg Day for A$$kickin April

A$$kickin April rolled into The Hive this Friday and it was a gorgeous day indeed.

Tesh was nowhere to be found and YHC got the call to the bullpen to Q, so I jumped at the opportunity.

  • Warm up
  • We did a bunch of Leg exercises with Kettle-bells and ended with 100 calf raises
  • Kettle-bell suicides between stations

During the workout it was like the two old Muppets in the balcony, listening to Spitz and Lugnut discuss the dark side of the moon. Not the Pink Floyd album but the actual moon and if its visible…..no idea where that was going or coming from.

  • Prayers for many dealing with health concerns
  • Prayers for kids going to prom this weekend
  • Prayers for Badger and all PAX going through tough times of life

Our worthiness is not what we should focus on when in need or struggling but rather the Love of God and his son. The fact that even in our mess, he gave it all for us….which proves we are WORTHY!

CB out!

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