Tag: Shady

Wotan in disguise

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5 PAX gathered in the gloom for the 47th Block Party of 2018

Disclaimer

Mosey to the chained-off parking lot next to Springs Corporate for a warm up
Warm up:
30 SSH
10 IW
10 HW
10 Shoulder Taps
10 Mountain Climbers
10 Peter Parkers
Downdog–>Honeymooner

Mosey to Pike Engineering parking lot

2 rounds of Howling Monkeys (look it up)

Mosey to the Millstone playground parking lot

Numerous rounds of Happy Jacks (look it up)
– a pretty good exercises for staying in one place, encouraging dissent among the ranks, and allowing all PAX to modify as needed without getting left behind
Divided up on the little hills/mounds on the playground:
– Start at the top of the hill
– Standing forward bend (aka: touch your toes)
– Inch-worm down into merkin position
– 10 Derkins
– Inch-wormed back
– mosey to next hill until we hit all 4
– Rinse and Repeat, but changed to Bear Crawl between each hill
– (total of 80 derkins……this was a lot)

Back to Millstone parking lot for a few more rounds of Happy Jacks. YHC referenced Happy Jack by The Who, but no one else knew the tune.

Mosey back towards WEP playground

Called round of pull-ups. Like Six Minutes of Uncle (look it up), but the Q calls up and down:
– Pull ups
– Toe Touches
– Chin ups

Sat in progressively sinking Al Gore for a moment of message

Mosey back to COT

10 Merkins in cadence
37 Flutters (almost made it to 40, but if you can’t Q it, don’t do it!)
9 LBC (Q was trying to continue flutters until 6am, but see early comment about making it to 37…)

NMM

Being vulnerable is the theme for the month. I shared that I struggle with my tone of voice when talking to my 2.0s. I often resort to yelling as much as talking. It is something that I work on, but often not with the diligence I approach an F3 workout. Finding the line of discipline vs. direction is a challenge for me as a parent. I don’t want my boys to grow up in a house where their dad just yells and barks commands (or where they don’t feel heard unless they also yell…).

In planning, I considered planking up and holding plank until each PAX shared something vulnerable. But decided that while it is the Qs place to push the PAX, each PAX needs to decide for themselves on their own vulnerability. Forced vulnerability is very different than actually being vulnerable.

Welcome to FNG: “Wotan” (Vot-an) https://sfopera.com/ring/story/dasrheingold/wotan/

Announcements:
Christmas Party signups need to be done

Prayers:
– wisdom in parenting
– for those who have a difficult (or absent) home situation over a holiday like Thanksgiving
– safe travels during the holiday

Band Camp dismissed

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Rainy Day at the Ranch

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100% chance of rain and one of the first days of this winter with temps under 40 degrees.  The weinke was designed to accommodate 12-14 PAX, but YHC was expecting 4 tops.  Cars filed in and we had 7 hardened men ready to start their day off right despite less than favorable conditions.

Standing in the rain, we went over the disclaimer and took off running toward the covered drop off circle.

Warm-up:

  • Windmill X10
  • Merkins X20
  • SSH X30
  • Wide Arm Mountain Climbers X20
  • Power Planks X20

The Thang:

Partner up and work through the six stations with 4 minutes per station.

It was wet and cold, but the work was done.  Great work by the PAX that braved the cold November rain.

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Can we just get along?

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Life is not always how we thought nor visioned it would be. There are a lot of personal experiences YHC could pull from, but as I reflect back to our COT, who would have thought that we would have another mass shooting at a concert – less than 2 weeks after Pittsburgh’s??

*jump ahead to COT* As we circled up and voiced our praises and prayers (which I will list at the end), I mentioned the need to continue to pray for Pittsburgh and the need for all people – no matter what color, race, or religion – to just get along when one of the PAX mentioned that there was another mass shooting the night before. My heart sank. How? Why?

It doesn’t make sense. As I sat in my  aunt & uncle’s house in Pittsburgh 2 Saturday’s ago watching the local coverage of the synagogue mass shooting, seeing my aunt’s face of shock, crying, confusion, I began to realize that we may never have it the way we vision. Forgive me for harping on this, but as some know, my extended family in Pittsburgh are Jewish. It was the most surreal experience knowing that my cousin and her husband live in Squirrel Hill, 3 blocks from the synagogue (luckily that was not their synagogue) and seeing the devastation. Unfortunately, for my cousin’s husband, unfortunate news arrived late Saturday night as 2 of the deceased were extended family members of his. Sunday, they televised a local memorial service where they had clergy from all religions speak. The message: we are all one community. This, this is the vision our GOD has for us all, not what we thought we needed, bought, nor material stuff we have, but to be true good stewards of our neighbors – Love one another. Forget color, race or religion, we are all one in this community and the vision for us all should be to make peace with everyone, live in a world without hate, terror, wrongful deaths….etc….

Now that I vented (my apologies), the morning started with a nice crisp cool morning. As PAX rolled in, all eyes turned to one of the last cars pulling in; a white Accord blasting hip-hop music, the driver head bobbing to the beat (thanks for the entertainment mixxmaster Flat Tire). This definitely got the PAX fired up. Plus 2 PAX were stupid or courageous (not sure which) to don rucks. After posting in Pittsburgh 2 weeks ago at the Point State Park AO, the Q that morning broke out a WO from one of our local AOs in Lake Norman – Sharknato. Ever since then, I thought, wow this would be a good one to lead next time I Q.

So after a mossy to the band field, we circled up and did COP. Yes YHC lead off with SSH’s, so I can now omit that from any future Qs. Each PAX would do 20 merkins & run a lap around the field, 20 squats & run the lap, 20 LBCs & run the lap, and 20 V ups & run the lap. Once that cycle was done, rinse and repeat until time for COT. Halfway through the AO, Pusher did a smart audible and relocated to the student parking lot since FMHS band members started to pull in to load up for their trip to Indy for the marching band nationals. We ended 5 mins early to do 5 minutes of mary.

COT prayers: Sir Topham Hat’s brother in-law who is a member of the Pittsburgh SWAT and was one of the first responder’s who had to witness the situation first hand, Frat Boy’s daughter in her upcoming cheer leading competition,  MOAB’s need for children’s clothing for their 2 foster kids, and all the rest that I seem to have forgotten – sorry.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead this awesome group of #HIM

Trucker

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Tour around the Ranch

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Warm up:
Moseyed over to the Middle School. During the run we did high knees, butt kickers and karaoke.

SSH
Windmill
merkins
Broga for a few minutes

Then we moved over to the side of the school where we did three rounds of the following exercises.
5 Flying Squirels
bear crawl up the hill
20 LBCs
30 sec Wall Sit

Repeat 2 more times and switched out the movement up the hill to backward bear crawl and then forward crab walk.

Continued to move around the side of the school over by the football field where we ran a series of sprints (50%, 50%, 75%, 75%, 95%)

Then moved over to the playground on the backside of the elementary school
Split the pax up into 3 groups for 5 rounds

Group 1 – Pull ups
Group 2 – Swerkin Crunch – merkin and crunch on a swing
Group 3 – Run loop

Groups would start at 1 worked up to 5 adding one for each round of exercises for stations 1 and 2 and then run loop. Pax were told to stay with your group to encourage each other and to help those who may have needed the extra encouragement.

Got back to COT in time for the Airborne Specials (hip exercises)

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1+1=Terrible Downpainment

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19 Pax descended on Block Party including 3 for Pathfinder for an old school beatdown by YHC and Mash. Little did YHC know when I suggested to Mash that he co-Q with me that it would be his 50th Birthday at Block Party #Respect.

Mash and I have been friends for many years and I already had tons of respect for him. He is a good Christian, Husband and Father coupled with being a military veteran. Our children are the same age so we have lots in common. More importantly, he has demonstrated being a true #HIM since joining the Fort several years ago.

The Thang

Full Disclaimer

Mash on Q – Mosey out

COP – lots of chatter here…I may have been contributing

SSH

Moroccan Night Clubs

Windmills

Merkins x 15 (YEAH!)

Mosey to gravel lot and partner up

Dora 1,2,3

100 Merkins

200 Flutters

300 SSHs

Pusher on Q – Mosey to hill

Bear crawl up hill – #turrible

Dirty McDeuce powered by Halloween Candy

Side Note: Avg American eats 3.4 pounds of candy on Halloween; Candy has calories (duh!); 1 minute of Burpees equals approximately 10 calories;

All exercises IC x 12; Calories are based on “Fun Size” portions

Starburst (40 cals) – Squats

Skittles (63 cals) – LBCs

M&Ms (73 cals) – Wide Arm

Take a lap

Kit Kat (70 cals) – Jumping Lunge

Snickers (80 cals) – Flutters

Twix (80 cals) – Carolina Dry Docks

Take a lap

Reeses Cup (90 cals) – Bomb Jacks

Baby Ruth ( 85 cals) – Freddy Mercury

Butterfinger ( 85 cals) – Diamond Merkins

Take a lap

York Patty ( 50 cals) – Burpees

Crunch ( 60 cals) – Rosalita

Hershey ( 63 cals) – Burpees

Mosey Home

 

Moleskin:

  • Happy #Respect Birthday to Mash
  • Christmas Party on 12/1/18
  • Pre Christmas Drop In on 11/2/18 with Shady at Armor Artis
  • Be a HIM in your community…lots of examples were shared
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14 posted at The Armory today to honor the service of Assassin who turned the Site Q over to JWOW.   Best of luck to JWOW for the upcoming year although I am sure he won’t need any luck as long as the Brotherhood supports him, I will, how about you?

I am not the glowing writer that othe PAX are so best that I just get to the Thang.

We started with a very, very slow mosey past the tents to the far parking lot and circled up for a warmup.

Moroccan night clubs x20

Baby arm circles x 15

big arm circles x 12

LSS x 10

windmill with KB x10 each leg

We then partnered up because the gloom is always better with a friend. The PAX then head off to a parking spot where the find 8 spots with 3 exercises chalked out the object do the first exercise and the move to the next spot until all 24 exercises are completed. The exercises:

Front raise x 10 each arm
Side raise x 10 each arm
Merkin to row x 10 each arm
American hammer x 20
Sit-ups x 20
LBCs x 20
Skull crushers x 20
Triceps extensions x 10 each arm
Halos x 20
KB swing x 20
1 arm KB swing x 10 each arm
Snatch x 10 each arm
Goblet squat x 20
Calf raises 10 each in/out/regular
Lunge x 10 each leg
Turkish getup x 20
Chest loader swing x 20
Clean and press x 20
Shoulder press x 10 each arm
Upright rows x 20
Chest press x 10 each arm
Curls x 10 each arm
Lawn mowers x 10 each arm
Squat to press x 20

Always amazes at how some PAX can blow through these 24 exercises and start a 4th round kudos to them. I am not there yet…

After completing the rounds moseyed back to COT for flag ceremony, praises and prayers.

Dungaree out

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What rain???

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As 7 PAX entered The Hive on a rainy and cold Friday morning in the gloom, there was positive vibes in the air.  After the disclaimer, we took off for a quick mosey and as we were running, we noticed that Quack Attack was nice enough to leave his headlights on for us.  We circled up to continue the warm-up:

  • 20 SSH (mumble chatter and laughter ensued as Quack Attack did most of these by his car while he turned his headlights off!)
  • 10 Imperial Walkers, followed by 10 Hillbilly Walkers
  • 20 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10 Low slow squats
  • 10 windmills
  • (Maybe 1 more, but don’t recall right now)

Quick mosey to the school under some cover b/c it’s ’tis the season to get a cold and rainy / cold weather is not what the doctor ordered.

Music from 80s rock was our background noise as we prepared for the fun that was about to begin.  Wienkeless (not intentional) YHC asked the PAX to keep him honest as we all went through the lineup he had in store since this was going to turn into rinse and repeat with more reps each round.

Round 1:

  • 10 KB swings
  • 10 shoulder presses
  • 10 rows
  • 10 triceps press
  • 5 lunges each leg and passing the KB through your legs
  • 5 each arm lawnmower pull (in plank position)
  • 10 on your back bench press
  • 10 American hammers (not to be confused with russian twists)
  • 10 goblet squats
  • 10 shoulder shrugs
  • 5 each arm lawnmower pulls (not in plank position)
  • 5 each arm travolta’s / clean and jerks
  • 5 burpees with the upward jump swapped with pulling your KB above your head
  • 10 two arm curls

Quick “cool down” mosey in the rain and back at it for round 2.

Round 2 (more reps – and close to same order, but I’m going to copy and paste)

  • 20 KB swings
  • 20 shoulder presses
  • 20 rows
  • 20 triceps press
  • 10 lunges each leg and passing the KB through your legs
  • 10 each arm lawnmower pull (in plank position)
  • 20 on your back bench press
  • 20 American hammers
  • 20 goblet squats
  • 20 shoulder shrugs
  • 10 each arm lawnmower pulls (not in plank position)
  • 10 each arm travolta’s / clean and jerks (this was a burner I think given the full body beating)
  • 10 burpees with the upward jump swapped with pulling your KB above your head
  • 20 two arm curls

Another “cool down” mosey in the rain and ready for final round.

Round 3 (MORE REPS….)

  • 30 KB swings (this was a lot for future note to self…)
  • 30 shoulder presses (also a lot for future self and I gave myself the internal “careful here if you can’t do it, don’t Q it”)
  • 30 rows (this was borderline too many which caused YHC to tell the PAX to modify as needed and we’re going to drop the reps as called out)
  • 25 (not 30) triceps press
  • 15 lunges each leg and passing the KB through your legs
  • 15 each arm lawnmower pull (in plank position)
  • 30 on your back bench press
  • 25 (not 30) American hammers
  • 25 goblet squats
  • 25 shoulder shrugs
  • 15 each arm lawnmower pulls (not in plank position)
  • 10 each arm travolta’s / clean and jerks (had to drop to 10 again b/c I think my arms were going to fall off)
  • 15 burpees with the upward jump swapped with pulling your KB above your head (yes, 15 was a lot)
  • 30 two arm curls

Wrapped up at 6am on the button!   Did COT under our dry covering which was great!

Thanks to Band Camp for the opportunity and great work by all the PAX on the push they gave each other!  And for what it’s worth – we covered everything in the wienke that I had waiting for me when I got home!

-Shady

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Block Party – Smoothing the Stones

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Today at the Block Party I was ready to have a namesake beatdown with Cinder Blocks and all the fun of them. So the wienke was made and the plan was to utilize the blocks at Honey Badger Central or Den or the Coop or whatever they are calling NAFO these days. At 0430 I left to go get the blocks and find there are no blocks to be found. It seems the FMSD has taken our blocks away……again!!

After quick conversation with the Darkest of Helmets I had to call….Omaha…..Omaha!!! Was not too bad to change some of the exercise moves and YHC was ready to roll.

15 PAX arrived and I was excited for the turnout at WEP. Its an original AO and one of our best and so love to see the PAX still coming. We had 13 bootcamp and 3 runners for Pathfinder and at 0515 away we all went.

Mosey up the Stairway to Heaven

  • Al Gore
  • Merkins (Stealth)

Mosey along path

  • Al Gore
  • Merkins (Stealth)
  • Low Slow Squat

Mosey along path

  • Al Gore
  • Merkins (Stealth)
  • Low Slow Squat
  • Windmills

Mosey along path

  • Al Gore
  • Merkins (Stealth)
  • Low Slow Squat
  • Imperial Walkers

The Main event

List of 10 exercises, 100 reps cumulative with Partner

Partner  1 runs around Playground, Partner 2 exercise move…..working the list

  • Squats
  • Merkins
  • Lunge (50 each leg)
  • Swing Crunches
  • Pullups
  • Step ups (100 each leg)
  • Dips
  • Toe Taps
  • Derkins
  • Leg Raises

Nice work by all the PAX. FNG, Liquidate, did great and fun was had by all!!

I talked to the men about David and Goliath and when David chose 5 smooth stones there was a reason. Smooth stones would fly straight and accurate versus those with edges and odd shape. The stones were smooth from being in the water and rubbing against each other over years and smoothing each other out. We as men need each other to help us shoot straight and face our Goliath. By surrounding ourselves with PAX that want to get better and live for something bigger than ourselves, we will all get smoothed out and be able to fly straight and stay on path. Get those trusted advisers in your life and GET BETTER!

Cake Boss

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Double Booked? Nope, Double Beatdown.

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Through no fault of anyone that I’m aware, the original Q for the Hive was double booked. Since I know that guy, the PAX probably got off easy with me filling in. Or maybe not.

Disclaimer was disclaimed (didn’t notice that Punch List had brought an FNG, so I guess my extra extended disclaimers are good for something. Also gave the disclaimer that since this is a gear workout, there would not be much running.

Warm-up
SSH
Merkins
Burpees
Some other things that have slipped my mind…

The Thang
Slow mosey to the bleachers by the tennis courts with KBs in hand. Everything today was in groups of 3 exercises repeated 3 times normally increasing each round separated by 10 KB swings and 10 Prone presses

10 KB swings, 10 Prone presses
Single-Leg DL each side 8-12-16
Curls each side 6-8-10 IC
Back extensions (heels on the bleachers, justifier to the sky) 8-12-16 IC
10 KB swings, 10 Prone presses
Tri-extensions 8-10-9-ish IC
Plank row each side 8-12-16
Squats 8-12-16
10 KB swings, 10 Prone presses
Derkins x 10 IC
American Hammers x 10 IC
Derkins x 10 IC
Flutter Press x 20 IC
10 KB swings, 10 Prone presses

Extra slow mosey 70 feet back.

COT

NMM
I may have gotten some of the listed exercises or a few of the counts wrong when I was writing this down finally, but it’s basically all correct. I’m pretty sure if you were to go through this routine, it would be a pretty good beat down even if I missed a few things.

So here’s my thoughts lately about doing gear workouts. If it’s a gear workout, I’m pretty much going to stick with that and not too much running around. I’m pretty simple like that. Find a thing that works and stick with it. My basic KB workouts will be variants of what we did in this one. I figured out this little routine and it works for me. It seems to be a pretty good workout for everyone else too, usually.

F3 is like that for me. When I found out what this thing was all about and started posting, it was something that really just worked for me. I’m not trying to make it into something complicated, I’m just looking for that physical and mental push before the sun even comes up. Every day that I’m out there in the gloom with a bunch of like minded guys focused on accomplishing a single thing at a time, I get energized. If I’m the guy leading, good, but if not, that’s good too.

I see that carried out into our community, getting a bunch of like minded guys focused on accomplishing a single thing at a time. Sometimes that’s reading to kids after school. Sometimes it’s handing out turkeys. Sometimes it’s just running all day and night with a bunch of smelly guys. Sometimes it’s surrounding someone who is suffering physically or emotionally. For me that all starts in the gloom, many days of the week, surrounded by my Brothers…

Geronimo!

 

 

 

 

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Block Party Beast Beatdown

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YHC was excited to get the reminder of my pending Q at Block Party. You see, it’s been a bit since I’ve Q’d and I haven’t been as committed to my First F as I should. Would I be dying trying to call cadence? What exercises should we do? Would anybody even show up? After a restless night of sleep, I got up, picked up my boy Atticus, and cruised to the spot where it all started in The Fort…WEP! One of my questions was answered right away as cars started rolling in the parking lot. And they kept coming. Seeing all the PAX (18 in total!) definitely humbled me and got my Qdrenaline flowing. After a quick disclaimer, we took off.

THE THANG

Mosey to the first mile marker with some high knees and butt kickers thrown in. Plank series at the marker, flip to crab for some dips (crab dip?), and back for more planks. Merkins and then back to moseying.

We stopped at each marker and did more stuff including but not limited to squats, LBC’s, wide arm merkins, mountain climbers, Peter Parkers, etc.

After completing the circle, we headed over to the brick wall at the UC Synergetic visitor parking lot on 160. Everybody grabbed a seat on the wall and watched while the guy on the end burpee broad jumped his way to the other end of the group and took a seat. Everybody got a turn and great fun was had critiquing form and jumping ability.
Next up was a bear crawl race up the big grassy hill to the main parking lot. While catching our breath, YHC talked about the word of the month, Encouragement. I shared that Barnabus was one of my favorite men of the Bible. Acts 4:36 tells us his name means “son of encouragement”. That’s exactly what he was during his missionary journeys with Paul. I want to be an encourager and our kids certainly need that from us. Some of the best words you can say to your kids: You got what it takes! I believe in you! The challenge to encourage someone that day was issued.
Next up was the meat of the workout, THE BEAST.
The Beast = 6 stations, 6 exercises at each station, 6 rounds. After each round, plank up and wait for the 6.
1st round – jumping lunges
2 – Freddy Mercury
3 – Low Country Crabs
4 – American Hammers
5 – Flutter Kicks? I can’t really remember?
6 – Burpees (crowd pleaser)
A quick look at the watch indicated 3 minutes till 6 so jailbreak to COT

Announcements
We had a lot. Christmas Party, upcoming workout, CAH volunteer opportunities, etc. As they say, read your newsletter
Prayers and praises were shared and Chicken Hawk closed up out.
Thanks Shady for giving me the opportunity to Q! I needed the kick in the pants to get back out there and I loved every minute of it.
AYE!
Flat Tire

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