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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Badger Sled Pull

Five men posted at Honey Badger for a beatdown and honor a fallen soldier.

Disclaimer given
Mosey run (approx. ½ mile)
Warmup
SSH (12x I/C)
Windmills (10x I/C)
Imperial Walkers (10x I/C)
Moroccan N/C (10x I/C)
Low Slow Squats (10x I/C)
Arm Circles (10x I/C)
Peter Parkers (10x I/C)
Plank Stretches (downward dogs/honeymooners)

Thang #1: Bar hang
4 minute bar hang (cumulative); alternate = low plank
When a pax drops:
Run to bottom of hill and run back
Do 10 burpees
Get back on the bar, resume the hang
When finished: flutters for the six
Mosey run to school entrance

Thang #2: Bench work
20 incline merkins
20 Dips
20 step ups, 10 ea leg
20 decline merkins
20 butt touch squats
20 calf raises
Mosey run back to the ROTC building. Read story of fallen soldier CPO Kevin Houston (copied below).

Thang #3: Stations with coupons/cinder blocks
Station 1: sled pull: four cinder blocks in the sled (4x35lbs=140lbs), pax pulls sled to stop sign and back (approx. 100’ out and back, 200’ total). Sled pull is the timer, other pax are stationed at the below and then rotate.
Station 2: curls
Station 3: KB swings
Station 4: goblet squats
Station 5: flutters w/ block overhead
Rinse and repeat, each pax got to pull the sled twice.

Run to COT area; do some Mary: Slow freddies, American hammers

Fini, COT

Takeaways: The dead hang challenge was different. Important to have a visible timer so pax can keep track of time. Can flex up, for example: increase hang time to six minutes or increase run distance.

sled

Home-made sled for cinder blocks

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston
Kevin Houston was born on September 20, 1975 in West Hyannis Port, Massachusetts and graduated from Barnstable High School in 1994.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 18, 1995. He went on to basic training at NTC Great Lakes, Illinois, in April 1995. He attended Aviation Electrician’s Mate training at NAS Lemoore, California, from May to June 1995. He finished his SEAL training in 1999 in California and returned to the east coast and settled in Chesapeake, Virginia.
On August 6, 2011 Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston was killed in action on his fourth tour of Afghanistan, when rebels shot down a Chinook transport helicopter (Extortion 17) carrying 30 American troops, including members of Navy SEAL Team Six during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Houston’s mother, Jan Brown, told the Cape Cod Times of Hyannis that her son was born to be a SEAL.
Houston leaves behind a wife and three children.
There is a memorial for Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston at the Hyannis Village Green in Mass.
His decorations include two Bronze Stars with ‘V’ devices for valor; Purple Heart; Joint Service Commendation Medal with ‘V’ device for valor; two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals; Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; Battle ‘E’ Ribbon; Navy ‘E’ Ribbon; three Good Conduct Medals; National Defense Service Medal; two Afghanistan Campaign Medals; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; Rifle Marksmanship Medal and Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

 

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Expect the Unexpected

As the first Q to kickoff the Block Party December to Remember, I knew I had a huge shoe to fill seeing the lineup Bobber scheduled. So I figured I had to take a page out of my Yinzer’s Q book and do something that I am not a fan of – burpees. If you have ever posted to one of my Q’s, you know there will be plenty of merkins and pull-ups, but not burpees nor running. Well, expect the unexpected.

I pulled in to the parking lot with some ideas, but no Weinke. When I mentioned this as we were standing around waiting for 05:15 start, you could imagine the mumble chatter!

So the Thang:

Was about to mossy when I called a Switzer and circled up for some stretching, then we mossy to Hobo parking lot for a little bit of COP. Low slooowww squats, merkins, and OH claps. Lines up at dumpster and for 5 rounds: 5 burpees, 10 squats, 15 merkins, run to Main Street Gazebo and back and rinse and repeat. Tesh was on round 5 when most PAX were on round 3…but his shirt was still on so maybe that slowed him down.

Mossy to “The Hill”. I figured most of the PAX won’t travel west of the Peach Stand on a Saturday to experience #BAOPS, so why not bring it to them! NUR up the hill and perform 1 burpee. Run down the hill, 10 LBCs. NUR up to 2 burpees, run down to 20 LBCs. NUR up to 3 burpees, run down to 30 LBCs. NUR up to 4 burpees, run down to 40 LBCs. NUR up to 5 burpees, run down to 50 LBCs.

Run to the park across from Main Street/160 intersection. 10 merkins, run up the stairs to the Xmas tree for 20 Freddie Mercury’s. Run back. Rinse and repeat by adding 5 additional reps at each end, with running the stairs in between. I realized I still had 8 minutes, so went back down the ladder to 15 merkins then 10 merkins with runnign the stairs in between each set with Freddies at the tree.

There is a snippet of what you  would experience at #BAOPS @ Alcatraz. Fill up your gas tank, get your M’s approval, and get your passport stamp some Saturday at #BAOPS – YOU WON’T REGRET IT

Thanks for the opportunity to lead!

Prayers go to Splinter’, Bobber, Trucker, and more recently Orange Crush son!

Trucker

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Know before you show…

Tuesday’s are a treat here in The Fort so why should Tuesday, November 24 be any different? In an effort to ensure the PAX got their money’s worth, I decided to post the Weinke on Slack ahead of time. This gave them the choice of whether or not they wanted to make a run at it. That said, 14 PAX joined me at the Colosseum to give it a run.

Warm-up run around the drop off lanes for both schools, taking us back to the basketball hoops.
50ea I/C: SSH, Merkins (harder to actually do this than write this), Flutters

Line it up for sprints down/back: 50%, 75%, AYG

Mosey to the 1/2 wall: 25 Muscle Ups, 25 Mike Tysons, 15 get over the wall

Mosey to the back bus road. Nur up the road to the top. Run down but stop at each light pole for 10 Hand-Release Merkins, 20 Jump Squats, 30 Freddy Mercury’s (count how you wish since I tend to change my mind)

More was on the Weinke so it’ll have to wait for another day.

Loads of prayer requests and praises to be grateful for. Safe travels and for those not traveling, see you at the Convergence, Thursday at the Ranch.

Maximus

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Douangdara

11 men posted at Honey Bader on a cool damp morning.
Disclaimer given and we were off with a mosey run (side shuffles, high knees, toy soldiers included)
Circle up for the WARMUP
SSH (12x I/C)
Windmills (12x I/C)
Imperial Walkers (12x I/C)
Morrocan N/C (12x I/C)
Low Slow Squats (12x I/C)
Arm Circles (12x I/C)
Peter Parkers (12x I/C)
Plank Stretches (12x I/C)

Run to school entrance
Plank
Read the account of the 31 US soldiers killed in the Extortion 17 Chinook helicopter shot down in Afghanistan (copied below).

Bench work
Derkins (17)
Step ups (20)
Dips (17)
Butt touch squats (17)
Incline Merkins (20)
Calf raises (17)
Leg lifts, grab post (17)

Run to pull up bars
Pull up routine:
Regular pull up (8)
Switch grip (6 and 6)
Toes to bar (11)

All pax grab a cinder block go to street
All pax Plank
Read hero story of 1st class Petty Officer John Douangdara, 26, and his Military Working Dog Bart (copied below)
Relay/block routine #1
Run to distance #1, run back to start
Blocks: do 13 curls, 13 squats (13+13=26)
Run to distance #2, run back to start
Blocks: do 13 curls, 13 squats
Run to distance #3, run back to start
Blocks: do 13 curls, 13 squats

Flutter for six, with block

Relay/block routine #2
Crawl Bear to distance #1, run back to start
Blocks: do 13 OH Press, 13 KB swings
Crawl Bear to distance #2, run back to start
Blocks: do 13 OH Press, 13 KB swings
Crawl Bear to distance #3, run back to start
Blocks: do 13 OH Press, 13 KB swings
Flutter w/ block for six,
Return blocks

Pull up routine again:
Regular pull up (8)
Switch grip (6 and 6)
Toes to bar (11)

To the street, a little mary to collect everyone:
Gas pumpers,
American Hammers

Run suicides to three cones.

Run to shovel flag.
Mary: Freddie Mercuries, Mountain Climbers, LBCs

Fini, COT
TWO FNG’s!  first is “Poppins” (a chimney sweep) EH’d by Refugee, and “Yeti” (2.0 of Sasquatch).

Take Aways: Need lights for the cones to see better in the dark.

Extortion 17
On August 6, 2011, a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter approached a landing zone in Afghanistan 40 miles southwest of Kabul. The helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was on a mission to support the 75th Ranger regiment that had secured an insurgent compound and were tracking down fleeing enemy militants.

As the chinook approached the landing zone, two enemy fighters ran out of a building and launched rocket propelled grenades. The first round missed the helicopter, but the second struck its rear roto blade. The resulting explosion caused a disastrous imbalance and tore the chinook apart. The helicopter spun out of control and crashed. There were no survivors.
The loss of 31 us military service members was devastating singular loss. Those killed were some of the U.S.’s most highly trained and battle-honed commandos.

In past Honey Badger workouts, I have chosen other Extortion 17 members to honor: Snr CPO Kraig Vickers; CPO Stephen M Mills; Specialist Spencer Duncan; Senior Chief Petty Officer Heath Robinson

Today we honor:
Petty Officer 1st Class John Douangdara, and military working dog Bart
John (nick named “Jet Li”) Douangdara was born on December 29, 1984, in Sioux City, Iowa. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on February 15, 2002, and served at posts in the US, Europe and Iraq. In 2008 John became an Assault dog handler and deployed multiple times to Afghanistan to support SEAL team operations; and was the lead dog handler for SEAL team six. John and One of his dogs, toby, saved the lives of six Canadian service members, where unfortunately his dog died of injuries received in the actions. Later, both john and his dog received honors from the Canadian military for their actions.
On Aug 6 2011 1st class PO Douangdara (aged 26)  and his military working dog Bart were killed in the extortion 17 chinook crash from being shot down by enemy fire.
John is survived by his parents and four brothers and sisters.
Today There is a dog park named after John in Sioux City Iowa. John is laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, and the Purple Heart.

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Venice or Vienna

7 PAX on a perfect South Carolina morning in November.

Disclaimer was given

Mosey to Band Practice lot
Warmup in cadence
Side-straddle Hops
Imperial Walkers
Hillbilly Walkers
Shoulder Taps
Some Yoga
Squats
Split Squats (L, then R)
Some more Yoga

100 yard runs
1x @ 50% & some exercises for the six to rejoin
2x @ 75% & some exercises for the six to rejoin
1x @ 90% & some yoga for the six to rejoin
4x @ 100% & a walk back

Mosey to the Pull-up Bars for the HIIT portion:

20 seconds on, then 20 seconds rest

Pull ups
Mountain Climbers
Chin ups
Merkins
Burpees
3 rounds

Squats
Knee Ups
Split Squat Left
Split Squat Right
Monkey Humpers
2.25 rounds

Mosey to COT

NMM:
How hard would you push if it weren’t for the guys around you?
How important is it for you to show up so other guys are encouraged to push themselves merely by your presence?


Band Camp dismissed

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Pavement Of Pain

Was asked by Shield to Q Honey Badger so i said why not. This was my first Q here and i know a beatdown is required so i found a great ass kicker in the famed “book”.

The workout I choose was in honor of a local young soldier Specialist Javian “JAY” Sullivan. He was from the Fort Mill area and is survived by his wife and his 3 year old daughter at that time. He  died in a non-combat accident on 01/8/2018 at 24 years of age. Jay was a communications support specialist.

Heres the appetizer before the main course was served

18 Minute AMRAP

24 reps represents his age and 3 burpees represents his daughters age

24 pullups/3 burpees

24 inchworm merkins/3 burpees

24 squats/3 burpees

Main Course- Pavement of Pain

Life expectancy of men is 76 years of age. Jay passed away at 24 so he lost 52 years of his life. So 52 reps is the count for each exercise below.

52 Hand Release Merkins/run down hill then nur back up

52 Jump Squats/run down nur back

52 Knees To Elbows On Pullup Bar/run down nur back

52 Alternate Lunges/run down nur back

52 Burpees/run down nur back

52 Leg Lifts/run down nur back

Thanks Shield for the opportunity to Q,

Stang Does More Than Run Trails

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Get Your Mind Right

8 came out for a foggy morning beatdown at the Collosseum

Warm Up
Merkin Suicides – 150 total
Group wall sit – partner lap
DORA 100 dips, 200 dollys, 300 step ups – partner lap
Flutters, American Hammers, LBCs
Indian Run Back to COT

Think about what your thinking about. Proverbs 4:23 says “Be careful how you think, your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Try and feed your mind with truth, things that are joyful and positive.

Thanks Duck!

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6 of My Heroes w/ Me @ Honey Badger

Site Q got my verbal confirmation to Q @ The Badger Den even though I’m deathly afraid of what goes on at the AO on Mondays. Wednesday’s and Friday’s…cakewalks. Monday’s…find me at The Armory. I know I need to run with the big boys to become a big boy though. I appreciate the reminder from Shield and Splinter.

Warmup: 20 SSH + 10 Imperial Walkers

The Thang: Each Pax gave me an exercise to add to my “U R My Hero WOD” board of pain.
I started with Kettlebell Swings.
Stang suggested Hand Release Merkins.
Splinter goes all Splinter on us and suggests Burpees.
Harry Carry added Big Boy Sit Ups.
Cheddah wanted Squats.
Refugee suggested Upright Rows (nice!).
Shield added Side Straddle Hops.

We had our weinke. No joke, these guys are my heroes. The chase after getting better and it’s inspirational.

Round 1: Do 50 Reps, then run a lap (400 meters). Swings x50, lap. HRM x50, lap. Etc.
Round 2: Do 25 Reps, run a lap. Swings x25, lap. HRM x25, lap. Etc.
It looked like Harry Carry and Splinter was going to finish Round 2 so I shared that Round 3 would have been 10 reps and a lap.

5:58 finally came so we closed up shop on the track and headed to COT.

NMM: If you choose to do the hard thing, you have a better chance at becoming better. Find somebody a bit stronger than you or a bit faster than you and then do what they do. Push yourself to keep up with that person. You’ll get better, for sure.

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Hero Workout for PFC Jacob Hancher “Hightower”

Monday we sadly added a new Hero to our workout.  PFC Jacob Hancher was known to F3 Grand Strand as “Hightower”

Jacob William Hancher, 23, passed away October 03, 2020 in Myrtle Beach, SC while serving in the line of duty with the Myrtle Beach Police Department.  He was born July 24, 1997 in Silver Spring, MD.

Jacob graduated from Thomas Stone High School in Waldorf, MD in 2015 and attended Horry Georgetown Technical College in Conway, SC.  He began his career with the Myrtle Beach Police Department in 2015 as a Community Service Officer and became a Myrtle Beach Police Officer in January 2020.  Prior to moving to Myrtle Beach, he was a member of the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department, Fire Station 3 from 2014 to 2015.  After moving to Myrtle Beach, he became a member of the Horry County Fire Rescue, Station 45.  He was also an Eagle Scout, Troop 417 in Waldorf, MD

Shield and I created this workout in honor of Hightower.  We wanted to incorporate his age, End of Watch date, and his badge number (374).

We did 9 rounds of 10/3/20 run 400 meters. 10 merkins, 3 burpees, 20 big boys.  Checkout with 77 squats and 100-meter sprint.  This gets you 2.3 miles, 10/3/20 EOW, and 374 reps.

Most of us got to the last round and then the heavens let go and we got POURED on.  After 1/2 of us had finished, we ran for shelter up to the front of NaFo to get out of the rain.  From here, those who didn’t finish completed it under the awning and the rest of us took turns calling out exercises for the rest of the hour.

My phone and speaker were out in the rain too long and malfunctioned during Name-O-Rama.  So no video evidence exists.  RIP Hightower.  Thank you for your service!

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