Thin Blue Line:Retired St Louis PD Capt. David Dorn

Good Morning men of The Fort

Today was my first day as Honey Badger site Q and I wanted to get the week started like a Hero. We had 9 Pax show up for a Heroes Beatdown and I hope I didnt disappoint them.

We started with a quick mosey around the NaFo parking lot followed by SSH, Morrocan Nightclub, Windmills and Imperial Walkers.

Then we headed over the the football field for 2 rounds of :

38 Burpees  ,  Run 100 yards

77 Flutters   , Run 100 yards

38 Merkins. ,  Run 100 yards

77 Squats.    , Run 100 yards

38 American Hammers , Run 100 yards

77 LBC’s  , Run 100 yards

And Bevause we did it so fast I added a DORA

100 CD ,   200 Boxcutters and 300 Lunges

I wanted to Honor Retired St Louis Capt David Dorn who served 38 years for the St Louis PD and at 77 years old was helping a friend work security at his Pawn shop when riots broke out and he was shot and killed by rioters.

Ended with COT

 

 

TClap |
2

20 at The Snake Pit

OMG Becky, am I at the correct AO? That was my thought when I pulled up at 5:11am and saw 15+ dudes waiting in the parking lot. The power of location! The Snake Pit doesn’t get much love way out at CRHS. I was honored to lead 19 others in a kettlebell workout. Here’s what we did:
1 Curl (each side)
1 Tricep Extension
1 Chest Press
1 Big Boy w/ Press
1 Goblet Squat
1 KB Side Bend
1 Bentover Row (each side)
1 KB Swing

Longshanks came running through with a super bright headlamp.

Round 2 was the same set with an added rep, so 2 of each. 3 of each in Round 3. 4 of each in Round 4. 5 of each in Round 5….we did 12 Rounds and got swole! It wasn’t too shabby the first few rounds but after round 5 the groaning and complaining started. Music to a Q’s ears! After 12 Rounds we circled up for 20 Flutters in cadence and 10 Box Cutters in cadence. 6 o’clock happened.

We heard about Park and School AO’s opening soon.
We heard about an upcoming Convergence.
We prayed for Tinsel’s son.
We prayed for the end of the school year.
We praised Sky Q for life and the ability to workout in His presence.

Site Q’s…please schedule me.

The Thang

TClap |
4

Back 9- Fore

13 was the count for minnow pond.
0514 Pledge and disclaimer
0515 take off to the FM Golf Club. Circle up for instructions.
Back 9 @ tee boxes 10 merkins, 10 squats run cart path to green 10 burpees.
Make way around the back 9. (Dark Helmet complained a lot. reminded him of his and Essos race just a few weeks earlier)
( I love making Dark Helmet complain along with the rest of the PAX) about the 4th hole we made a small adjustment to the burpees 5 at the green. keep merkins and squats the same. once finished give good push to make it back to Veterans Park by 6.
It was a lot of fun. We got better.
Announcements- Fort convergence planned for 11 July location pending. look for coms on opening all sites early June.
prayers- Bandcamps family friends and the loss of a child, JWOWW and the loss of high school friend to Covid. Tinsels son on surgery for elbow injury.
Praise for being able to get out and workout.
Backdraft out.

TClap |
7

Kettle Bells & Stuff at the Snake Pit (sort of)

I know it has been  said by many but man, it feels good to be in the gloom with the guys again. Once I got my logistics figured out and blew the dust off the ol’ rusty kettle bell, Fire Marshal Bill & I made our way to the relocated Snake Pit AO. Hopefully, all these temporary relocations will be behind us soon.
17 others joined us for a total of 19 socially-distant PAX in the gloom this morning. We had one of the original Redwoods (Santini), one of the youngest guys in the PAX (Lil’ John), our resident story teller (Spitz) and a whole bunch of other faces I like seeing in the gloom.
Once 3D finished his struggle-fest with planting the Shovel-Flag into the ground and I did an oh-so-brief disclaimer, we took off for our warm-up mosey. A few minutes later, we returned to our Kettle Bell and began the instructional portion of the workout, more of the modified high-intensity variety.

2min of Burpees
5min Kettle Bell with 20ea: Curls, Low Rows, Upright Rows (repeat until 5mins is over)
5min Run at a “go get-it” pace: 1/2mi route is out to light at Banks St and back. So interesting why my first 200 yards of this run was brisk yet the rest wasn’t so.
5min Kettle Bell with 20ea: Overhead Press, Chest Press, Tricep Extensions (repeat until 5mins is over)
2min of Burpees
5min Run at a “go get it” pace to Banks St and back.
5min Kettle Bell with 10ea: 4ct Flutters with the press or the KB in the air, V-Ups, Big Boy Sit Ups (repeat until 5mins is over)
2min of Burpees
4min Kettle Bell with 2 forward lunges, 2 reverse lunges, 1 left lunge, 1 right lunge, 1 deep squat (repeat until 4mins is over)

And just like that, we were already standing at COT, how convenient.
Announcements: Guys are clearly looking to slowly start posting again so please pay attention to Slack (and possibly Twitter) or text/call another PAX to find out where the AO’s are now if they used to be at a school or park. Those grounds are still off limits but hopefully not for much longer.

Prayers/Praises: Mental health right now (and always), health for a spouse. PAX on the road to recovery and joining us back in the gloom, for a friend battling illness and getting the care he needs, MARRIAGES, physical health of other PAX, , upcoming moves, kids taking big tests, small businesses during this time and many more.

Until next time,
Maximus

TClap |
6

Armory 5.11.2020

YHC was excited to lead on a cool, crisp morning. Was given the pass by the M to post after an 0200 feeding, so needless to say sleep was not an abundant resource leading up to this. 

Many familiar faces were seen prior to start – notables being Wegmans, Repeat, and Sugar Daddy (who brought an FNG!). Though chilly, the gloom was warm and fuzzy at the start of this beat down.

0515 struck. Disclaimer. Go time. 

Mosey out to far end of lot, drop bells on one end of the lot
Grab every other parking spot

COP
5 Burpees OYO
11xSSH
Mosey to next row of spots
11xLow Slow Squat
Mosey to next row
11xTappy Taps
Mosey to next row 
11xMerkins
Mosey to next row 
11xMoroccan Night Clubs
Mosey back to Bells
5 Burpees OYO

WEINKE
Five Rows of Spots
11 Reps Each Stop

Method of Travel
Lunge walk to each row

Row 1
Halos
Kid Launch

Row 2
One Legged RDL both sides

Row 3
Tricep Extensions
Curls

Row 4
Goblet Squats
Cossack Squats

Row 5
Burpee Snatch

OH carry back to start, Rinse & Repeat

We completed two rounds and headed back to COT for some Mary

Mary
Kettlebell Core Work
American Hammers x 20
In & Outs x 10
Flutters w/press x 20
Hello Dolly w/extended hold x 10
Six Inch Hold w/Bell x 1 min
Low Plank Hold x 1 min
WWI Sit Ups x 10

Rounded out with 8 burpees per PAX to reach 40/ea. 

NMM

While holding our low plank YHC talked about anxiety and hurry and how we as men aren’t made to have larger to do lists than we can handle. We aren’t made to be busier than life itself – even though it is touted as a sign of success in today’s hustle world. YHC mentioned Gods peace and how we should each take a moment today to let ourselves feel Gods presence and shut everything else off. A few verses were discussed. The second was spoken to the group but the first is also tantamount to the message.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

Prayers/Praises

Baby Wegmans is 2 months! Pray Wegs & M can keep him alive further.

YHC’s 2.3 is putting on weight and feeding better this week due to lactation strategy and bottle feedings.

UHAUL is going to satisfy all of his M’s desires via Honey Do List (#HIM) this week. 

Announcements

Alcatraz is BACK! Follow up on Slack for more details.

 

Thanks JWOWW for the tap to lead. Excited to get back into the swing of things and see more of my brothers in the gloom. Welcome FNG Scalp!

Punch List out. 

TClap |
4

Boss Hogg Issued a Challenge at the Ballroom and the PAX did not Disappoint!!!

Boss Hogg threw out a challenge to see how many PAX would show up at the Ballroom.  As usual, the PAX did not disappoint.  39 was the count.

Boss Hogg arrived in his all white Q outfit.  Disclaimer was given.  A quick message was given about the power of being an influencer.  PAX were reminded to always pick up the 6 and to encourage the guys around them.

The Thang:

Mosey to the center of the football field for a quick warmup:

  • 15 SSHs
  • 10 Windmills
  • 15 Imperial Walkers
  • 15 Cherry Pickers
  • 15 Hillbilly Walkers
  • 15 Gas Pumpers (THE Twisters favorite exercise)

Next was a Guillermo 1-2-3 (Dora’s little brother).  Similar to a Dora but PAX break up into two groups instead of pairing off in partners.  All exercises are done in cadence with a focus on form, not speed.

Exercises were:

  • 100 Overhead Claps
  • 200 LBCs
  • 300 Low Slow Squats

The other group started at the goal line, bear crawled to the 20, ran to the 50, did 1 burpee, and returned to the goal line.  Teams switched back and forth until all exercises were complete.

With the remaining time, the PAX moved to the track for some large dice fun.  One die contained the name of an exercise on each side.  The other 4 were used to determine the count.  Dice were rolled, exercises were done, and the PAX moved 1/4 of the way around the track.  This was repeated until the group had moved all the way around the track.

Time was up and the group headed back to COT.  Announcements were made.  Prayer requests focused on physical healing and marriages.  Due to the overwhelming support from the PAX in attendance, $1,000 was donated to Classroom Ready.

A great reminder to all PAX, don’t just be influenced but go out and be influencers!

 

 

TClap |
6

Two Ferns in a Swamp

YHC was asked to Q at the Swamp by a HIM named Cha Ching (whom was DR and on IR) and I jumped at the request.

We started with a basic Traveling COP with a few stops along the way some SSH, Diamond Merkins, Seal Jax, Ranger (Regular) Merkins, Smurf Jax and Werkin’s. Nobody liked the amount I decided to do but oh well. Those are the reps that I like and I was my Q. We eventually made our way to where I had a speaker and a BOP set up with some side walk chalk.

The Thang was basically 8 exercises each for 1 minute and write down your reps in your parking space. Pretty basic but I love this workout and 4-8 is murders row to the legs.

1. Scorpion Dry Docks
2. Big Boys
3. Ranger Merkins
4. Jump 180 Squats
5. Donkey Kicks
6. Jump Lunges
7. Plank knee tucks
8. Burpees

Then take a run (timed) to the far fire Hydrant by the Home Depot which was shown to the Pax during the COP.

Return winded and then rinse and repeat the 8 exercises but with more reps! Goal was we didn’t have to run the Last lap if 50% or more of the PAX beat their Burpee count. They were successful or lied to me. Most were glad not to run the last lap.

This is a basic bootcamp I know but it will test u and blow u up!

Got to meet a few new PAX and that is why I always like Qing and different AO’s.

Finished up with a COT (announcements, a few prayers and praises and all thankful for another day).

Thanks for the opportunity to lead Cha Ching

I am enjoying this ride I am on and am not sure where it is taking me but all we can do is prepare and train.

TWO FERNS!

TClap |
1

Acceleration Thursday

It was a swampy morning in the Fort as 8 HIM showed up ready to accelerate their Thursday morning. A quick disclaimer and we were off.
Moseyed over to The Hive parking lot.
  • 10 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10 Windmills
  • 10 Tappy Tap Taps (Cherry Pickers)
  • 10 Low Slow Squats
Moseyed over to the band parking lot.
  • 10 Merkins
  • 10 LBC’s
  • 10 Hello Dollies
  • 10 Rosalitas
Moseyed over to the front of the school.
The Thang:
Partner up for Jacobs Latter. One loop around the parking lot and met your partner in the middle for hand slap merkins. Loop back and met for big boy situps.
Jacobs Latter:
  • 10 Hand Slap Merkins -1 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 9 Hand Slap Merkins – 2 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 8 Hand Slap Merkins – 3 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 7 Hand Slap Merkins – 4 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 6 Hand Slap Merkins – 5 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 5 Hand Slap Merkins – 6 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 4 Hand Slap Merkins – 7 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 3 Hand Slap Merkins – 8 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 2 Hand Slap Merkins – 9 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
  • 1 Hand Slap Merkins – 10 Hand Slap Big Boy Situp
Moseyed over to the band parking lot for Jack Web. This next set was hot off the press from the Waxhaw convergence.
Jack Web:
  • 1 Carolina Dry Doc – 4 Count Bear Crawl
  • 2 Carolina Dry Doc – 8 Count Bear Crawl
  • 3 Carolina Dry Doc – 12 Count Bear Crawl
  • 4 Carolina Dry Doc – 16 Count Bear Crawl
  • 5 Carolina Dry Doc – 20 Count Bear Crawl
  • 6 Carolina Dry Doc – 24 Count Bear Crawl
  • 7 Carolina Dry Doc – 28 Count Bear Crawl
  • 8 Carolina Dry Doc – 32 Count Bear Crawl
  • 9 Carolina Dry Doc – 36 Count Bear Crawl
  • 10 Carolina Dry Doc – 40 Count Bear Crawl
Moseyed over to the back of the school wall for wall sit/overhead claps. The timer was 5 burpees as each of the PAX took turns.
Moseyed towards COT for 6 minutes of Mary.
Announcements/prayers/praises.
J-WOW
TClap |
3

The Switch

9 Pax plus YHC came out to the Pantheon this morning to Honor those lost in the tragic events of the 9/11/2001. I was Honored to have the opportunity to lead in the the gloom this morning.

Arrived a few minutes early to unload the blocks and setup the lights. Change of venue as the sprinklers where running on the field and the it looked quite soggy.  Moved the The Thang over to the road just outside the field.

As 0515 rolled up Gears and I noticed that Crab Cakes was not on hand. After a light bit of #Slack bullying he HC’d the evening prior.  AS it turns out there is #Slack evidence to show our Friend Crabbie had DeC’d around 2210 that same night. Something about getting Fia’d by the M and 2.0 was under the weather.  Well noted and understood. I’m sure that time was well spent working on the NXT Addition of the The Corner!

All seasoned Pax on hand so a quick disclaimer and off we went.

The Buy In Started out with a 400 meter mosey around the parking lot and down the hill to the bottom concrete pad.   Roughly 400 Fire Fighters, Police officers and Port Authority officers lost their lives running INTO the Twin Towers.

COP-09 MNC/ 11 SSH/ 20 Imperial Walkers/ 01 Burpee

Bear Crawl from Bottom landing to 3rd concrete landing. Roughly 110 Feet. 9 Peter Parker IC- Crawl Bear back down to the Bottom. 11 Parker Peter IC. Both the N and S Tower had 110 stories.

Mosey back up to the parking lot lane by the soccer field for The Thang.  Lead Pax into the middle of what would be our runway. Instruted them to hold an Al Gore or Plank for a the time line of events. All chose the Al Gore.

0846 AA Flight 11 Strikes the North Tower–0903 United Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower– 0937 AA Flight 77 Strikes the SW corner of the Pentagon in DC. With in mins of this the FAA orders a full ground stop of all domestic Air Traffic. Only time I have ever known this to happen. 0959 the South Tower collapses–1003 United Flight 93 crashes in a field outside of Shanksville PA after the passengers aboard attempted to overtake the hijackers–1028 the North Tower Collapses. Not including the 19 Hijackers 2977 people where killed in these deadly attacks. Took this opportunity to remind the PAX ( Still holding Al Gore) That tomorrow is never guaranteed and to ensure they are staying present and involved in the now with those closest to them. Recover!

The Switch

Team up in Teams of 3- In our case 2 teams of 3 and 1 team of 4.

P1 and P2  start at one end of the runway. P3 starts at the far end.

P1 does a coupon Exercise, P3 does body weight exercise at far end. On go P2 runs/sprints the distance between P1 and P3. Upon arrival they Switch. P2 does Body weight exercise and P3 Runs/Sprints back to P1 where upon they switch ect. The idea was to do MAX REPs of the respective exercises until the runners arrived and we switched. Running Distance was roughly 100-110 yrds. To move to the next round we needed to complete 2 cycles the current exercises.

Rnd 1 Block Curls and MErkins—-Rnd 2 OH Press and Squats—Rnd 3 Blocked BBS and LBCs

Rnd 4 Block Swings and Lunges—-Rnd 5 Block Squats and Flutter kicks

After dodging a few cars arriving to the parking lot we completed through the 1st cycle of RND 5.

Gather up the Coupons and head for COT.

 

 

TClap |
1

7th Year Convergence for The Fort

The 7th Year Convergence for The Fort followed an exhilarating Invergence from the night before.  Hoping to continue that acceleration, the 4 Q’s had a plan to talk about the 4 Skills needed for Virtuous Leadership: Vision, Articulation, Persuasion, Exhortation.

CakeBoss to start us out with Vision: Recognizing advantage and the movement required to achieve it.

Disclaimer and welcome
“Go Hard or Go Home!”

Take off for 100 yard mosey up path, Get in 3 lines – Indian Run across WEP

Break into 4 lines, 2 groups of seal teams -20 seal team sit ups in cadence

Back into 2 lines , Everyone plank – Tunnel of Love (25 guys per line) – Plank series while guys army crawling under

Crowd pleaser for sure!

7 Burpees for 7 Years!

Vision is what I spoke about and the men that saw the advantage of F3 and planted it (moved towards it) in Charlotte, the The Fort and we continued to give it away in Rock Hill & Lake Wylie.

Hand off to Maximus

Articulation: Describing vision to others in a clear manner. Being able to tell others where we’re going and being able to describe that vision to others.

So, with that said, we’re going over to the top of the big hill to start with drill bits:

½ the group goes one direction while the other goes the opposite way

At each white post (drill bit), 10 Jumping Lunges (10 each leg)

10 Jump Squats

Mosey to the base of the other hill, the one with the statue on it:

NUR (backwards run) up the hill

3 Burpees at the top

Bear Crawl down

5 Burpees at the bottom

Hand off to Fun House for the “P”.

Persuasion – The initiation of first Movement.  Convincing people to move in the direction of advantage, abandoning their Status Quo,

YHC gave an awesome yet forgettable speech about Persuasion.  Then the Thang:

Circle Up – Duck, Duck, Goose – One guy runs around the circle the rest of us plank, the next guy goes when the running guy finishes.  Planking excercises were called out: High Plank, Low plank, Mountain Climbers….. Audible called to get the next guy running after 1/2 a lap around the circle of Pax….. Peter Parker, Parker Peters….. Audible called to get the next guy running after 1/3 lap around….. Mak-Tar-Jai, Left Hand High, Right hand high…..Done.  That took 10 minutes!  60 guys is a lot of guys to be running around in circles.

Stay in circle, 5 minutes left, Jack Webb: 1 Merkin to 4 Overhead hand claps.  We got to 8!

Hand off to Pusher for Exhortation!

Exhortation – Incentivizing The Breach Of Obstacles.

Burpees x 10 OYO
Flutters IC x 10
Mosey to a corner of WEP
Burpees x 9 OYO
Flutters IC x 10
LBCs IC x 10
Mosey to another corner
Burpees x 8 OYO
Flutters IC x 10
LBCs IC x 10
Rosalita IC x 10
Mosey to another corner
Burpees x 7 OYO
Flutters IC x 10
LBCs IC x 10
Rosalitas IC x 10
Hello Dollies IC x 10
Mosey to another corner
Burpees x 6 OYO
LBCs IC x 10
Flutters IC x 10
COT
Naked Moleskin – The name-o-rama took forever.  That is a good thing. When 60+ PAX post to celebrate something that has obviously changed their lives, then change is happening!  Thanks to Maximus who put this awesome weekend celebration together!  His leadership is not only Effective (Using VAPE) but he is a Virtuous Leader! (Check out the Q Source for the 5 C’s Virtues of Virtuous Leadership) Can’t wait to see what year 8 brings to The Fort!  More importantly, who it brings!  Time to go EH someone.  See you in the gloom.
TClap |
1