September 11 Memorial Stair Climb

Today I was honored to lead 39 men of the Fort in my version of a 9/11 Stair Climb…. I asked these gentlemen to bring rucks or sandbags and headlamps. This was to simulate the equipment worn by the first responder’s who entered the World Trade Center to do their jobs. We also had Charetta appear courtesy of Dirty Harry…she was our victim that needed to be  carried up and down the NaFo bleachers ….everyman carried their fare share of weight.

The workout was simple!!!!  There was no warmup….we didn’t need one….

The object was to climb the bleachers 27.5 times up and down carrying a ruck or sandbag….the goal 1980 steps or 110 stories….NaFo bleachers are 36 steps up and down…the men of the Fort  conquered this simple request but there was a catch…..when they came back down they had to do 9 inclined merkins and 11 squats… I think most did more than the required amount and for that I’m in awe…. I love being part of this great nation

Before the climb I shared a little about my experience that day 18 years ago as an NYPD officer and I asked each man to reflect between the hours of 8:46 am to 10:28 am these were the hours that changed my life and change the world as we knew it….I also wanted to remember my friends who gave their lives to save as many people as they could that morning :

NYPD PO MARK ELLIS TRANSIT DISTRICT 4

NYPD PO RAMON SUAREZ TRANSIT DISTRICT 4

PAPD PO ANTONIO RODRIGUES PORT AUTHORITY BUS DEPOT

I worked with these gentleman and they will never be forgotten…

Thank you Punchlist for letting me.lead these great men .

We had one FNG Lassie….welcome

TClap |
11

Iron Paradise

Since becoming the Site Q at The Coop YHC has been missing The Tomahawk. Luckily, 3D was gracious enough to swap AO’s for a day. Needless to say I was pretty excited.

10 PAX showed up 10 minutes early so we had some good mumble chatter in the darkness that is The Tomahawk parking lot. A few PAX snuck in as the clock struck 0515 and the disclaimer was disclaimed.

Mosey 400M without gear.

COP
SSH x 42 at different tempos
Tappy Taps x 10
Low slow squat x 15
Al gores hold 30 seconds

While holding Al Gore discussed isolation and how it is terrible for men like us. Explained the shield lock and how being surrounded by like minded men who want to accelerate will hold you to a higher standard.

Merkins x 15
Downward dog
Honey mooner
Side plank left arm/leg high
Flap jack
Low six inch hold

Discussed isolation further in depth and explained how when we are alone we are more prone to attacks from the enemy.

Mosey to back side of school to discover a beautiful piece of 1×12 with fresh weinke written all over it.

Weinke

Partner BOP w Light Pole Suicides

Partners will work toward the below exercises together. While one pumps the iron the other runs out and back to one of the five light poles down the backside of DBES. Partner one hits pole 1, swap, partner 2 hits pole 2, and so forth out to the farthest pole and back. Repeat until completing the BOP.

100 curls each arm
200 Swings
200 Tri Extensions
200 Goblet Squats
200 American Hammers
200 LBC’s

(This BOP may or may not have come from a prior workout at The Tomahawk).

We made it to the American Hammers as a group… then had to head back to COT. YHC had a BONUS on the backside of the board. That will have to happen another day. Maybe at The Armory on September 9… maybe…

In all, we got about 2.5 miles of running in. Not bad for a gear workout!

Got back to COT and had one minute to knock out some flutters with press x 16 (4 count).

Name a Rama

Announcements:

Shovel flag hand off at Footloose tomorrow.
Invergence is 9/6 at Rush Pavilion @ 1800. Sign up to bring some deliciousness.
Convergence is 9/7 at WEP @ 0630.
Bobber on VQ at WEP this Saturday @ 0630.

Prayers/Praises
PAX in isolation, either on IR or in a dark place. Reach out to them.
Cancer. It’s seemingly everywhere.
New ventures for Training Wheels.
Family members with mental illness, and those who care so much about them.

Thanks 3D for the creative opportunity to lead at a different AO than my own site. Had a blast meeting some of the newer PAX.

Punch List out.

TClap |
2

Burpee Ranch Dressing

It was a not so humid, humid morning as 8 bootcampers and 2 ruckers decided to show up and accelerate their Thursday morning. I started off with a quick introduction and disclaimer, and then we were off. We did a Mosey around the side of the school followed by some warmups.

Warmup:

15 Side Straddle Hops
15 Squats
15 Windmills
10 Merkins
Down dog/Up dog

Not wasting any time, we ran over to the wall.

10 Peoples Chair with overhead claps
10 Wall Mountain Climbers
10 Peoples Chair with overhead claps
10 Wall Mountain Climbers

A quick discussion on our word of the year and where we are with our word.

Moseyed over to the soccer field for some cone work. I brought this workout out at The Colosseum a few months back. It was such a crowd please, I thought I would give the people more of that they want. Lots of burpees!

The Thang:

  • 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards. 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards back.
  • 10 Burpees. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 90 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards back.
  • 10 Burpees. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 70 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards back.
  • 10 Burpees. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Carolina Dry Docs. Run 50 yards. 10 Carolina Dry Docs. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards back.
  • 10 Burpees. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Carolina Dry Docs. Run 10 yards. 10 Plank Jacks. Run 30 yards. 10 Plank Jacks. Run 10 yards. 10 Carolina Dry Docs. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards back.
  • 10 Burpees. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Carolina Dry Docs. Run 10 yards. 10 Plank Jacks. Run 10 yards. 20 Big Boy situps.  Run 10 yards. 10 Plank Jacks. Run 10 yards. 10 Carolina Dry Docs. Run 10 yards. 10 Flutters. Run 10 yards. 10 Squats. Run 10 yards. 10 Burpees. Run 110 yards back.

We line up for suicides.
10 yards
20 yards
30 yards
40 yards
50 yards

Headed back to COT for some ab work, and some prayers and praises.

JWow

TClap |
1

Field of muggy dreams

12 boot campers in total for a humid, gloomy morning.

Warm Up
Mosey run
SSH (IC 13x)
Windmill (IC 13x)
Imperial Walker (IC 13x)
Low Slow Squats (IC13x)
Merkins (IC 13X)
Peter Parker (IC 13x)
Plank stretches
Downward dog
Honeymooner

Thang 1: Field of Dreams (modified)
Count off by fours. 1’s to first base, 2’s to second base, 3’s to third base, 4’s to home plate.
Home plate: do 15 burpees then run to first base.
First base: do AMRAP of: Monkey humpers until relieved by home plate group
Second base: do AMRAP of: Incline Merkins until relieved
Third base: do AMRAP: LBC until relieved.
Repeat, and on subsequent “runs”do these:
First base: Imp walkers, Squats,
Second base: dips, step ups
Third base: Flutters, Mtn climbers,
We got two complete runs in.

Thang 2:
Merkins (IC 13X)
Sally routine, doing Leg lifts (two ruckers joined in for this)

Fini, COT

This was my 45th birthday and the first time I got to do a true birthday Q.  Truly a blessing to have another year in the books.  Looking forward to another year to try raise my family as God would have us to do.  AMDG!

TClap |
2

The Honey Badger 1776 Challenge

There was alot of chitter chatter on Twitter…..and Slack……leading up to this workout on 7/1 regarding posting to Badger or some other location in the greater Fort area. I ponder if some thought my idea of a finishing this Badger workout with an earned patch was like luring kids with candy and less worthy. I guess others though 0430 wakeup was a little too early, disturbing their beauty sleep, and had to lament about that as well (even though preruns and prerucks some participate in do indeed launch around that time). I guess  some people still think Badger workouts ONLY come from a book.

Well, I like to think they were all wrong. If others chose to not post to Badger, that’s their choice. That’s part of what 7/4/1776 is all about.

But 11 HIMs did show up early. They heard my disclaimer. We had a VERY brief warmup run then the  COP right at the start

15-20 or so of the following to loosen up a little:
* SSH
* Windmill
* IW
* MNC
* and a few other things

Then off we went to the track/football field for the main event.

The Honey Badger 1776 Challenge

Laps of 400m runs, plus 1,776 Exercises
Not many words of inspiration. Get right into it. OYO, You vs you. Similar to the Fort’s infamous Board of Pain, but I tweaked it a little because wanted everyone to complete it in around 90 minutes, not get 1/2 way only to come back a week later to get 1/2 way again. Q Special was  – if running out of time – allow folks to team up to accumulate/add reps together. Goal is for everyone to complete it in 1.5 hrs or so. We did not need it.
  1. 50 Burpees
  2. 100 Calf Raises (50 Reg / 50 Toe out)
  3. 100 Ski Abs (DC)
  1. RUN 400m
  1. 100 Merkins
  2. 100 LSS
  3. 100 LBC
  1. RUN 400m
  1. 100 CDD
  2. 100 Jump Squat
  3. 100 AMERICAN Hammer (DC)
  1. Run 400m
  1. 100 Overhead Clap
  2. 100 Mountain Climbers (DC)
  3. 100 Hello Dolly
  1. Run 400m
  2. Q Special – Teaming can start after this run pending time remaining
  1. 100 Wide Arm Merkin
  2. 100 Jump Lunge (SC)
  3. 100 Flutter (DC)
  1. Run 400m
  1. 100 Plank Shoulder Tap (SC)
  2. 100 Hillbilly Walker AND – Badger Challenge of 100m Crab Walk
  3. 100 SSH AND – Badger Challenge of 100m Bear Crawl
  1. Run 400m
  1. 26 Burpees
  2. CROSS THE FINISH WITH 400m RUN!!

Music was provided. Not the death metal Dirty wanted to satisfy his unicorn rainbow spirit animal urges, but what I provided was good enough. MAN WAS IT HOT!! We all were completely coated in those little rubber pellets in the artificial turf field. Longshanks was King for sure, but we all pushed each other through it and everyone completed it. That was the goal, and we met it.

As we were around #12 or so the sun started coming up…..an amazing red glow that got brighter and more vibrant as daybreak drew closer. We all took a moment now and then to admire God’s creative artistry on display. It was absolutely stunning. and seeing it as your rounded the curve halfway through a lap was quite motivating. It gave you that little boost only He can do.

Back to the COT for a little discussion on Freedom, getting patched, and A/P/P.

Those who were there earned a “Freedom Isn’t Free” patch. Yes, a patch. For one, in honor of 7/4/1779. For two, the BoP is pretty much a mini CSAUP. Completing a slightly watered down version (half the running. a few different exercises, but more exercises) IMO warranted something to remember that.

Freedoom Isn’t Free

As well drew close to Independence Day on that Monday, I wanted everyone to remember what went into achieving our independence. It is not just about the soldiers who fought and died in the Revolutionary War. They are a huge part of why we have our independence, but so are the people who essentially started the war. In the years leading up to it, the men and women behind the rebellion from British rule were forging the foundation of a new, independent country knowing that their actions could lead to their own death, or to harm of their loved ones. That took alot of courage to stand behind their convictions. They wanted this country to stand and prosper on its own ruling power, but in order to do that they collectively had to stand and fight on their own willpower. They knew that once they declared freedom from the Kingdom of Great Britain, there was no turning back. Either they would become a free country, or they would all die trying. When those 56 men of the Second Continental Congress from the Thirteen Colonies that made up the fledgling nation signed the Declaration of Independence, they knew the gravity of the situation but were more than willing to do so. Their act of signing and ratifying the Declaration of Independence was an act of treason, punishable by death. Those men were hunted down. Their properties, belongings seized. Their families were taken prisoner or sometimes executed as well. But that did not matter to them. While other men were dying on the battlefield, they were dying behind the lines. MANY made the ultimate sacrifice to forge our freedoms. To this day MANY have made the ultimate sacrifice since to ensure they remain in place. Never forget that. Never take anything you are blessed with in this country for granted, for there are MANY with MUCH less. Pay what you have forward to others less fortunate, even if it means taking risks – however they may affect you –  to do so. That’s how this country, and world, will get better. That’s how our country was born.

Happy Independence Day!! Happy Birthday USA!!

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.
-NASA

TClap |
6

Making Bad Things Better

Most of my Q’s in recent months have been ruck focused.  As I started thinking about what we would do on Wednesday, I realized that one of my last bootcamp Q was likely when Wegman’s held the QvQ event at The Coop in October 2018.  That was a fun Q but there were elements of it that I wish I had done a little different.  So why not take this opportunity to implement a few tweaks.

Warm-Up:

  • SSH x30
  • Merkins x10
  • Wind Mill x10
  • Mountain Climber x10
  • Imperial Walker x10

Mosey to the bottom of the hill by the pull up bars.

Activity 1:  Spider-Man merkins & pull-ups. 5 sets of trees

  • Run to first tree. Complete 2 Spider-Man merkins. Then run to the pull up bars and complete 2 pull ups. Run back down the hill.
  • Run to the first tree. Complete 2 Spider-Man merkins. Run to the second tree. Complete 4 Spider-Man merkins. Run to the pull up bars and complete 4 pull ups. Run back down the hill.
  • Continue the series through the fifth set of trees (10 Spider-Man merkins and 10 pull ups)

Mosey to the football field

Activity 2:  Cross the football field width wise down the yard lines. 5 burpees at each sideline

We did a version of this during the QvQ but I felt that version was ackward.  This one worked much better.

  • Partner carry 10 & 20
  • Bear crawl 30
  • Sprint 40
  • Crab walk 50
  • Reverse Sprint 40
  • Crawl bear 30
  • Wheel barrow 20 & 10

Everyone pushed themselves, the heat and humidity made sure of that!  Great starting the day with such a strong group!

Prayers for safety to all those traveling this week and rememberance of patience and what really matters as we spend time with family and friends.

Thank you Punch List for the opportunity!!

 

TClap |
4

Hero Workout – “Jay”

11 at the Honey Bader to honor Spc. Javion “Jay” Sullivan for his service to our country and giving the ultimate sacrifice.  He was a hero before he went overseas and solidified that truth with his sacrifice  Jay is the last soldier from from Fort Mill to give his life for this country.  He was a man with dreams and aspirations and he is a great reminder that we need to give our all every step of the way.  Thank you Jay for serving our country and thank you for inspiring me to live with purpose!

Who                                        Spc.Javion(Jay)SavonteSullivan

From                                       FortMill,SC

Deceased                 January8th2018 inOperationInherentResolveinAlAnbarProvince

Age                            24yearsold

Survived by                       Wife–RavenSullivan;Daughter3 year-oldMahogany

PartI:

Specialist JavionSullivan diedJan. 8, 2018 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, inanon-combat-related accident, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Sullivan was assigned to the Fort Hood,T Texas based 16th Signal Company, 11th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade ,which provides communications support to III Corps operations. Serving from 2015 until 2018.

Jay was a star wrestler at FortMill HighSchool. He even had some skills on the basketball court, too. But his parents are most proud of the love he showed his wife, Raven, and3-year-old daughter, Mahogany, as well as his unwavering passion to serve his country.

PartII

Raven andJay met each other while in junior high school. Raven was a student at a private school in Greer and Javion, of FortMill, had cousins at her school. In 2005, they met at Cleveland Park whiles he was playing volley ball and he playing basketball.

His cousins told her he wanted to see her again. After several attempts to ask her out,she finally said yes. They met and continued to date until marrying in 2015. They had one child together, Mahogany.

“Heal ways wanted challenge that was strong, physically and emotionally,”she said.

He had planned on becoming a personal trainer, owning his own gym and developing a line of protein supplements.

“He (also) wanted to build cars from the ground up, and build a house from the ground up—with all the bells and whistles,” Raven said.

Hero Workout – Jay

18 Min. AMRAP – with 24 reps representing Jay’s age and 3 burpees between reps to honor Jay’s daughter Mahogany

  • 24 Pull- ups (8 regular, 8 wide-arm, 8 shrugs)
    • 3 Burpees
  • 24 Inchworm Merkins
    • 3 Burpees
  • 24 squats w/ weight (tire, cinder block)
    • 3 Burpees

Pavement of Pain – To honor’s Jay’s desire for a challenge that was strong both physically and emotionally.  With a life expectancy of 76 years old for men, Jay lost an estimated 52 years of his life.  Each of these exercises are a reminder of making the best of the time we have left regardless how m

  • 52 – Hand release Merkins
    • Run down the hill forward and up the hill backwards
  • 52 – Squat Jumps
    • Run down the hill forward and up the hill backwards
  • 52 – Knees to chest on Pull-up Bar (x2 Big Boy Situps)
    • Run down the hill forward and up the hill backwards
  • 52 – Burpees
    • Run down the hill forward and up the hill backwards
  • 52 – Jumping Lunges (right/left = 1)
    • Run down the hill forward and up the hill backwards
  • 52 – Leg Lifts (tap heals to pavement to 90 degrees)
    • Run down the hill forward and up the hill backwards

Thank you for the opportunity to lead!

TClap |
5

Block Party: Stroll around the playground with Cake

BlockParty 6/18

Warmup around WEP
Run
Imperial Walkers
Butt kickers
Squats
High knee
Windmills
Shuffle
Moroccan NightClubs
Run
Monkey Humpers

The thang
Partner up
#1 does exercise #2 starts around playground

1 Kracken Burpee/bear crawl -5each
2 Peter Parker’s/ lunge walk-10each
3 dips/power skips-15each
4 derkins/backwards bear crawl-20each
5 Burpees/backwards lunge-25each

TClap |
0

The Armory: 20190617 Circling the Wagons

14 PAX for a humid day at The Armory. Working hard and starting the week off strong!!

We did a quick warm up and got loose

I showed the PAX my drawings on the ground of my Inner Stick Man and Outter Stick Man, talking about who we are on the inside versus the outside…….and making them one in the same!

Than Thang – do these exercises….most were 20 reps but too lazy to change below…..roll the dice of pain in between each move

10 Kettle bell swing
10  bent row
10 Goblet squats
10 Upright row
10 Lunge press
10 Sumo upright row
10 Curls L/R
10 American Hammer
10 Bench press
10 Plank Rows L/R
10 Tri Extension

10 Flutters
10 Hello dolly’s
10 Freddy’s
10 Deadlift
10 Sidestep upright row
10 Kettlebell Merkins

Line up for suicide runs and then back to COT

Thanks for the Q Jwow!! Awesome time as always!

TClap |
0

Dora and Climbing Jacob’s Ladder

Today we had 12 brave souls that came out for my sophomore Q….hopefully I didn’t disappoint.  No FNG’s and the Disclaimer was given.

We started with a slow mosey around the parking lot and warmed up with :

Cherry Pickers, Imperial Walkers, Overhead claps and Windmills…with help from the group my Cadence will improve

DORA made an appearance and made us do:                                                                                                            100 Merkins                                                                                                                                                                           200 Squats                                                                                                                                                                             300 Flutters

When that was completed we were entertained with Jacob’s Ladder                                                            10 Pull-ups down the hill for 1 Burpee and back up the hill for more pullups and so on and so on until we finished.

Back to COT for announcements and prayers and we were joined by two ruckers.

Thanks Punch List for the opportunity to lead these men

TClap |
3