Tag: Sasquatch

Running the Lights with Classic Rock

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I haven’t Q’d at the Ranch in quite a while so I thought it would be fun to use the field and light poles in a circuit training of sorts.  It is always a decent change in pace when I can carry around a phone and speaker to add a little life to the party.

Started with a mosey to the back of the school and began with a warm-up of SSH, Moroccan Night Clubs, Imperial Walkers, Hillbilly Walkers and Windmills. We then mosey back to the front light poles along the field.  There are 8 poles so I planned on 2 exercises per pole 50 seconds on and 10 second rest with 10 seconds after them to travel to the next pole.  I hoped to make 2 circuits of the field.  It all hit the fan right off the bat when I actually started on a light pole from the parking lot not the field.  Thankfully in my incredibly observant nature I realized this 9 light poles later and since I’m easily adaptable I was able to handle this wrinkle of an extra pole like the champion I am… The action went like this

-Merkins

-Squats

MOVE

LBS’c

Donkey Kicks

MOVE

-Dips

-Mountain Climbers

MOVE

-Side Straddle Hops

-Nolan Ryan

MOVE

-Box Cutter

-Plank Jack

MOVE

-Lunges

-Peter Parker Merkins

MOVE

-Dry Docks

-Bobby Hurley

MOVE

-American Hammers

-High Knees

Confusion about how an extra pole appeared, Then just MOVE anyway

 

After 2 cycles we mosey to the lot for COT, announcements and prayer.  Always and excellent AO and appreciate the opportunity.

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Repeating Til We Get It Right- Groundhog Day Style

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It was an awesome day for an F3 workout! Temperature in the 40’s. Had rained, but wasn’t currently raining. AO was Nation Ford HS- great location. It was Groundhog Day (not sure if that matters or not). It was Friday and pretty importantly, I woke up this morning on the right side of the grass (The top, that would be the top side).

There had been a little hype on the tweets prior to this workout. That may have been initiated by me, but with Beyond on the other side of the Fort, I was hoping to forestall any of the PAX who might have been tempted to make it a Fartsack Friday. If I wasn’t Q, I might have been tempted to make it a Fartsack Friday. Instead, I promised some hard work, some fellowship and maybe even a message to boot.

I’ve been noticeably absent from posting at Varsity for several months. This may be especially puzzling considering Varsity is about 3/4 mile from the house. Not that I haven’t been posting on Fridays, quite to the contrary. I’ve posted nearly every Friday since September, but at the other HS in town for slinging KBs. Gotta plug here for the Hive. Come on over for a month of Fridays and see if you don’t get stronger. I know I did. Just putting it out there.

I wasn’t sure what to expect for numbers what with so many other good options. That said I filled up the war wagon with a stack of gear and planned for a few or lots of PAX. When I arrived at the AO the second thing I noticed (first, that it wasn’t raining) was that the pile of cinder blocks that have resided at this site for, quite literally years, went MIA in the last 3 days. Oh, the disappointment. So, hairburners and block drags are off the menu for this morning. I hope all the cindys find their way home…

The Thang

Mosey to the bus loop. Then repeat, to start off our theme for Groundhog day.
Circle up by the HS for a bit of the COP.
20 X GoofBalls IC
10 X Merkins IC
30 X Morrocan Nightclubs IC
Front-Back-Go drills until the Q called stop
Mosey to the back of the JROTC building where the main event would be.

In the fashion of the Bill Murray classic Groundhog Day, we did everything AMRAP style. Hopefully until we get it right. The important thing is that you keep pushing at each station.

Timer = Carry the 60 lb sandback to the bottom of the hill, around the first parking lot island and back, then everyone switches stations
1. Pull-ups -Big rubber bands available for some help.
2. Battle rope
3. 30 lb upright row
4. 2 x 30 lb dumbell thrusters
5. 40 or 50 lb KB swings
6. Jump rope
7. 2 bucket farmer carry
8. 30 lb slam ball

500 watt work light
USB speaker for the tunes

I think everyone made about 3 rounds and it was an Awesome Day!

NMM

During the beginning mosey I asked the question Phil Connors (Bill Murray) asked in the movie. “What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?” While, I don’t think that any of the PAX feel exactly that way, sometimes we can feel like we aren’t having the impact that we’d like to have. I challenge all the PAX to initiate that change that will get them out of that comfort zone and give them the opportunities to have that influence that they need to have as leaders.

Geronimo! Out

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#218in18 Kick-off Convergence BackBlast

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76 PAX (including 4 FNGs) met in the gloom at Harris Teeter this morning to kick the year off the right way.

Group 1 – Jedi

Start with 60 seconds of plank tutorial, then a fairly lame attempt to explain the exercise “routine” for the upper body station. The routine, to be done in increasing AMRAP style:
· Incline Merkins
· Low Country Crab Boil (One leg, one hand dips)
· 90° Turn clockwise
· Staggered/Uneven Break Dancer Merkins (Left hand on curb)
· Staggered/Uneven Carolina Dry Docks (Left hand on curb)
· 90° Turn clockwise
· Pseudo Planche Merkins
· Donkey Kicks
· 90° Turn clockwise
· Staggered/Uneven Break Dancer Merkins (Right hand on curb)
· Staggered/Uneven Carolina Dry Docks (Right hand on curb)
· 90° Turn to starting position

Start with 10 reps for each exercise, then add 2 reps each round after that (10, 12, 14, 16, …). Only the elite few made it past the round of 12.

Group 2 – Peabody

An absolute honor to lead a convergence and had so much fun working with all the guys. Here’s the fun of the cardio Q.

SPRINT Relays!!!  

3 team

60 Yard sprint

Team members are doing Seal Jacks, side straddle hops, or flutters while teammate runs.

Winning team selects penalty exercise for 2 losing teams. (Unknown is losing team has to do the penalty exercise too but only half the reps).

Rinse and repeat the sprint relay races once teams are mixed up.

Mary to follow:

  • 50 LBCs
  • 25 Flutters
  • 10 Freddie Mercury’s

Lists of fun to hear the encouragement of other Pax and see the competition bring out the most in guys.  Saw lots of guys really push hard to win for their team.

Group 3 – Jekyll

Motley Crue and 80’s hairband soundtrack

  • COP: SSH, IW, Squat
  • 5 Burpee OYO, 4 OYO, 3 OYO
  • Lt Dan: squat and jumping , 1:4 ration
    • 1 squat: 4 jumping lunge, 2 squat: 8 Jumping lunge…10 squat: 40 jumping lunge
  • 5 burpee OYO
  • Calf Raises 25 each: Straight, Toes Out, Toes In
  • Donkey Kicks

COT

Welcome FNGs Iron City, Humps, Hillary, and Juliet

Prayers by CakeBoss for leadership.

– Ginsu

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Good In-vest-ment of time at the Coop

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13 PAX with 2-3 pre-runners, 1 Ruck from Dark Helmet, and 1 bright green vest from YHC joined in this suddenly balmy 45F temps, after deep freeze past several days. Several PAX mentioned YHC’s vest (runner jokes), and was removed quickly for being too warm
Mosey in a big Loop around parking lot
COP in big parking lot
  • SSH
  • Windmill
  • Moroccan Night Club
  • 4-count Merkins
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Squats
  • Peter Parker
  • Parker Peter
  • 10 Count Honeymooner
Mosey to Concrete football field
Partner up
B.O.M.B (no S – that comes later)
Partner 1 – Exercise
Partner 2 – Run to 50 and Back
  • 50- Burpees
  • 100- Overhead Claps
  • 150- Merkins
  • 200- Big Boy Sit-ups
PAX griped and also encouraged each other through this. We made it through and got better
Mosey to Wall for the “S” (Wall “S”its)
  • PAX Wall-sit while 1 PAX down line in Wave:
    • Burpree
    • 2 Merkins
  • 30 Dips on Curb OYO
  • 30 Calf raises on Curb OYO
Mosey in a big Loop around parking lot
Mary
  • American Hammers
  • Flutter Kicks
  • Freddie Mercury
  • Dark Helmet’s Body Destroyer (aka just laid there for 10-count)
  • Protractor
  • LBCs
Birdcage needed .09miles on his Garmin, so we Mosey another lap back to COT
COT
  • Nomad – be thankful. We’re always thankful at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Lets be thankful for 2017, but also be thankful for 2018, and expectant for what is to come.
  • Praise / Prayer – Dark Helmet’s sister has come out, so hopeful for progress
  • Prayer – Squeaky’s daughter has mono and has to be home for 1month

Great AO, Great Pax. Great in-vest-ment of YNC’s time!

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There 5 HIM waiting to push some speed for need chairs but Dark Helmet went AWOL.

Gave the disclaimer and did a standard warmup.

The thang:

Start in the upper left corner of the parking lot do 10 Merkins then run to the middle of the parking lot and do 20 squats. After we ran to the far end of the parking lot and did 10 LBCs. Repeat the whole way down the parking lot, doing the same exercises on the same sides of the parking lot.

After we happened upon the pull up bars. We held a wall sit while one person did five pull-ups and we went down the line. Rinse and repeat.

Next we did the same thing but did 15 squats while holding the wall sit. Rinse and do one more set with pull-ups.

Next we lunge walked halfway down the hill towards the elementary school. Called upon Band Camp for an exercise which he called out the Wolverine. Lunge walked halfway up the hill and did two more sets of wall sits and pull ups.

Head back towards COT for some Mary.

Thanks to Sugar Bug for the opportunity to lead. After this leg workout, I’d wish my hamstrings would’ve snapped off my legs.

Wegmans

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2017 Clave Boss 5k/10k & Christmas Convergence

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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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Changing of The Guard- Ranch Style

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When checking in with the scheduled Q that was suppose to bring todays beat down, and he said he needed to call in a relief. YHC took it as an early Christmas present. Not only was I able to Q today I also got to hand off the shovel flag to a true HIM. It has an an honor to get to spend the last year leading on of my favorite AOs in all of The Fort, but also to be as excited to give it to Jiffy. He will only make this site even better.

We started off the morning with cars pulling in all the way up to the disclaimer. It was brief but to the point. All PAX knew to give what they could. Dig deep it will only hurt for 45 minutes. So they thought.

Start with easy mosey throwing in some high knees, butt kickers, karaoke.

Circle up SSHx20, IW x 15, windmills x 15, monkey humpers X15, Peter parkers x 10, 6 inches and hold x 2.

mosey to picnic benches dips in cadence x10 followed by derkins x10 for 3 sets.

change to legs 10 squat box jumps, 10 calf raises X3 sets

mosey to wall keep legs burning by doing 20 second wall sit.

Mosey to back of school. Partner up for DORA 1-2-3.

Partner 1 runs loop, Partner 2 merkins, squats, flutters.

Mosey to playground- 5 pulls ups 10 big boy sit-ups, 4 pull ups 8 big boy sit-ups down to 1.

Max set of pull ups.

Mosey to entrance 5 trees lunge walk to first, broad jump to second, bear crawl to third, squat walk to forth, and reverse lunge to fifth.

go back with lunge walk sprint, lunge walk sprint.

Mosey to COT. 1 min ab work.

Hand off Shovel Flag to Jiffy.

Announcements- Joe Davis Jan 6, Convergence this Saturday tega cay elementary 0600 5k/10k.

Prayers and praises for family’s coming and going out of town.

It has been a pleasure to serve the Ranch, the PAX and look forward to another leadership roll in F3.

Backdraft out…

 

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Crazy 8’s at the Coop

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Was a great cool morning at the coop.  19 showed up to take some punishment from YHC.  Hadnt been to The Coop in a while. Good to be back.

*there were more than the 9 guys tagged- my recording didn’t take.  Sorry men!

Disclaimer as we had an FNG- brought by Ginsu…soon to be named Caddy Shack.  He has two pet groundhogs or he likes golf.  not sure.

We ran around to circle up for COP.  Usual suspects were there and interspersed burpees to get the blood going.

The Thang

  • P1 does hanging crunches/leg twists while P2 does LBC.  Rinse Repeat x3

Down the hill to the flat parking lot

  • bearcrawl down, 10 merkins, backward bearcrawl 10 CDD
  • Lunge walk down, 10 squats, backward lunge walk, 10 squats
  • Bobby Hurley down and back

Its at this point someone suggested legs…

Go to the hill

  • Crazy 8s
    • Bottom Merkins, LBC 8 reps each
    • Top: Jump Knee Tucks, Dips 8 reps each
    • Rinse repeat 8x

Great morning and reminder to take inventory of your gifts and what you bring to the table.  Develop them and allow to flourish at home, community and work.

AYE!

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Round Robin

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IMG_1093

Sasquatch led us through his standard warm up. Then mosey to the parking lot right in front of the church for the main thing.

Complete an exercise from the Weinke and then run a lap around the parking lot. Exercises as follows:

25 Kettlebell Swings

20 Merkins

20 Squats

20 Hillbilly Press (10/ side) (press the kettle bell up and on the way down, lift leg on that side up like hillbilly walker)

20 LBCs

30 Curls (15/arm)

20 Skull Crushers

20 Calf Raises

20 American Hammers

After we wrapped up all these exercises we did 10 minutes of Pax-led Mary. This was a good workout and I was grateful for the opportunity.

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This Just In: Injured PAX deliver Epic Beatdown (at The Fort)

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It’s exciting!  Something about Qing The Fort is just exciting. It was YHC’s (Zima) first post almost 4 years ago. It was my first VQ warmup (w/ CSPAN and Audit..no pressure). And it’s the perfect location to bring guys from all sides of town together..to sweat…to sharpen…to get better.

Disclaimer: Sasquatch has been on the IR with an achilles injury. Zima has been on the IR with a rotator cuff injury. Chances are you might not get your money’s worth. If you wanted to get a good beatdown go to Alcatraz. If you wanted to play soccer go to the Deep.

However, Sasquatch and YHC don’t let something like this get in the way. We embrace it and work around it. We conspired to deliver a beatdown that ensured afternoon naps.

THANG

Sasquatch on Q

Mosey to Anchorman’s Cones (Thanks Anchorman)

Dynamic Warmup (from one side of cones to the other)

  • Knees to chest
  • Heel to Waist
  • Heels to Butt
  • Inch-worm
  • Side Shuffle (fwd and back)
  • Low side shuffle (fwd and back)

Circle Up for COP

  • SSH IC X15
  • Moroccan Night Club in static lunge IC X10 (each leg)
  • Plank Series
    • Peter Parkers IC X10
    • Upward Dog/Downward Dog
    • Parker Peters IC X10
    • Upward Dog/Downward Dog
    • Mtn Climbers IC X10
    • Upward Dog/Downward Dog
    • Ski Jumps IC X10
    • Upward Dog/Downward Dog
    • Plank, Left High, Right High

Mosey to Playground

  • Sasquatch THANG (Groups of 3) – Rotate when Position 1 completes – 4 Rounds
    • Position 1 – Toes to Bar (or knees to chest) X8
    • Position 2 – Freddy Mercury’s
    • Position 3 – Merkins

Zima on Q

Mosey to the base of the cones for some Dora 3-2-1 (Reverse Dora). Partner Up! One partner runs (50 yds out and back) while the other completes the exercise.

  • 300 Flutters (2-Count)
  • 200 Mtn Climbers (2-Count)
  • 100 Bombjacks (say what?)

Mosey to statue hill for Quadzilla (see: Quadraphilia in the #lexicon). YHC sets timer for 4 (actually 5) minutes and PAX run uphill backwards and downhill forwards until time called. It’s a quad killer.

Mosey back to the cones for…

Suicides; however you need to do the following exercise at the beginning and then every time you reach the “baseline”.

  • Series 1 – 5 Flying Squirrels
  • Series 2 – 5 Tuck Jumps
  • Series 3 – 10 Monkey Humpers

With just a few minutes left we finished with SSH IC X25 and then American Hammers IC X20 or 25 (Can’t remember). Clean up the cones and mosey to the parking lot for COT.

Moleskin

It’s frustrating having an injury. We should do well to lift up the many PAX dealing with injuries, because it can drive a #HIM crazy.  Fortunately for Sasquatch and YHC, we can modify and work around what ails us. For others it might not be as easy or the injury may be too severe. All this to say if you know a PAX in this predicament, shoot them an uplifting text, give them a call or meet them for lunch.

Tclaps to all the PAX who put in the work this AM. There was a lot of meat in today’s workout and we tried to keep things moving at all times (see: move with a purpose). It seemed we needed to push a little harder this AM to let the other (Paid) workout folks (about 20 of them) at WEP know this wasn’t your ordinary workout. These were guys getting after it and leaving it all out on the field. That and it’s always fun to chase Longshanks. One day man…one day.  Here are the rest of my notes.

  • Thanks to Anchorman for the cones
  • It’s amazing that Crabcakes can pull an Elvis without anyone knowing #promove
  • Tclaps to Spiderman for running 8 miles and then joining the workout
  • It’s always fun to workout with Longshanks and Dark Helmet. Uncomfortable, but fun!
  • Wegmans really needs to share his shaving technique with his brother (Sasquatch), nah we probably wouldn’t recognize him then.
  • Great to see so many familiar faces and some new ones. I need to get over here more often.
  • Quadzilla is still a favorite of mine and the PAX still hate it. Yay!
  • Thanks for putting up with us and allowing us to lead

Prayers and Praises

  • Lots of prayers for injured PAX
  • Prayers for families experiencing strife
  • Praise and prayers for several 2.0s on the way
  • Prayers and for teachers
  • Praise and Prayers for 2.0s and families back to school

Announcements

  • Lot of marketing for Qs next week
  • Nun Run – get it on the calendar (see newsletter) and run with SPEED FOR NEED
  • Read your newsletter

Always an Honor!

Zima & Sasquatch

 

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