CHAD Training @ The Armory

The weather was delicious in The Gloom today. A cool temp with <50% humidity is hard to come by in September… so YHC was more than blessed to be leading a group of men this morning.

0515. Let’s get to work.

COP

22 SSH’s IC

11 Merkins IC

Yoga Flow to get loose.

11 Squats IC

 

Now that we were all breathing a little bit, YHC led the group to the concrete walls in front of the church.

 

I asked if anybody knew the significance of the number 22. Divac was dead on – 22 US Veterans commit suicide every day. Twenty-two. That’s a staggeringly large number. Today we spent some time remembering those who have taken their own lives – with a specific focus on the below Navy Seal.

WEINKE

22 Step Ups w/bell

Upper 

Halos (5 each way)

Negative bicep curls (20)

Bottoms Up Press (5 each side)

Tricep Extensions (20)

22 Step Ups w/bell

Lower

Overhead Squat (one arm – 5 each side)

Lunge Twists (KB Racked Position – 10 total)

Slick Box Jumps (10)

KB Swings (20)

22 Step Ups w/bell

Core

Z Press / Gas Pumpers (10 – 4 Count)

American Hammer (10 – 4 Count)

Flutter w/Press (10 – 4 Count)

Dollys w/45° Hold (10 – 4 Count)

22 Step Ups w/bell

Short Lap around parking lot, repeat entire circuit. 

Rinse and Repeat as Time Permits

 

In total, two rounds. 176 Step Ups plus 2x all of the above reps. Fun times.

 

We headed back to COT to knock out 5 Big Boy Sit-Ups as the clock struck 0600. Another morning, another DRP.

NMM

Let us not forget those who pay the ultimate sacrifice – either while serving or long after service. We can’t let those who sacrifice so much go isolated. Nor can we let our brothers to our left and our right go it alone. We are not made to do so. We need one another.

Announcements

Sweati

Nessy 

The CHAD WOD is coming. Keep an eye on Slack for our region’s date/time. In the meantime register.

Prayers/Praises

Marine had a heart attack last week, single dad with 8 year old – Paul Rabb

COVID – Divac Brother in law and his family

Praise for sickness passing through YHC’s house

Prayers for kids on quarantine

 

Thanks, Shatner, for inviting this wandering GRT to a KB workout.

 

Punch List out.

 

 

 

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Remember the 13

Today at the Armory, we spent 45 minutes in an attempt to remember and honor the 13 Service Members who paid the ultimate sacrifice last Thursday, August 26, 2021 in Kabul Afghanistan. While they are not the only ones lost or affected by this last 20 years of service, they are the most recent.
We had 25 PAX (1 FNG) in attendance and a number of shovel flags.

Operation Freedom’s Sentinel: This is the operation involving U.S. forces serving in Afghanistan in/around Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan in an effort to evacuate U.S. citizens and those that have supported U.S. forces over the last 20 years.

Around 6pm local time, on Thursday, August 26, 2021, a suicide bomber walked into a crowd and detonated the vest.

13: U.S. Service Members were killed in the blast

170: Estimated number of Afghan civilians killed in the blast

15: U.S. Service Members injured

200: Estimated number of Afghan civilians injured in the blast

Regardless of your opinion of the events leading up to and surrounding this attack, our U.S. Military is a volunteer force aware of the risks they face.

Today, we will honor and remember those 13 U.S. Service Members who paid the ultimate price last Thursday.

Marine Corps
Sgt Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, assigned to the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California, assigned to the Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, NC.
Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was 0369, an Infantry Unit Leader assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Corporal Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio California. He was a Rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Corporal Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska. He was an Infantry Rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Corporal Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana. He was a Rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Lance Corporal David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas. He was a Infantry Rifleman, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Lance Corporal Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri. He was a Rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Lance Corporal Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming. He was a Rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Lance Corporal Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California. He was a Rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.

Navy
Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio. He was a medic assigned to the 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.

Army
Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. He was assigned to the 9th Psychological Operations Battalion in Ft. Bragg, NC.

Source: Military Times & Taskandpurpose.com

The Thang:
Plank while we listened to the list of names, ranks, assignments of the fallen.

13 Burpees
13 SSH

Mosey the estimated .1mi that we’d do before each of the 13 exercises
13 Upright Rows

Mosey
13 Lunges (ea leg)

Mosey
13 Staggered Merkins (13 with the right hand on the bell then flapjack)

Mosey
13 KB Swings

Mosey
13 Squats

Mosey
13 Leg Lifts

Mosey
13 Lawnmower Pulls

Mosey
13 Curls each arm or 26 two-handed curls

Mosey
13 Box Cutters

Mosey
13 Flutters w/ Press

Mosey
13 Overhead, single-arm press

Mosey
13 Side Lunges (ea leg)

Mosey
13 Merkins

We had a few minutes at the end:

Flutter Kicks w/ Press
American Hammers
We then reread the names.

SYITG
Maximus

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eating our way through the air

19 PAX Gathered and it was so humid we had to “eat our way through the air.” (-Slash)

We started with a quick warmup
SSH – 19 to the number of PAX

Mosey towards the old Church of God parking lot
IW
HW
Moroccan Night Clubs
Merkins – slow count (everybody’s favorite)

Brief mosey to the other Church of God parking lot
Burpee Square (thanks Naperville)
Start in one corner
10 Burpees – bear crawl to next corner
9 Burpees – lunge walk to next corner
8 Burpees – crawl bear to the next corner
7 Burpees – reverse lunge walk back to the first corner
6 Burpees – bear crawl to next corner
5 Burpees – lunge walk to next corner
4 Burpees – crawl bear to the next corner
3 Burpees – reverse lunge walk back to the first corner
2 Burpees – bear crawl to next corner
1 Burpee

View the retaining wall and consider how it works…not by specific acceleration, but by staying put at the ground falls around it revealing all the bricks supporting the top layer

Mosey to the old middle school (banks st. community gym)
Some Yoga for the 6
10 Squats
10 lunge steps
10 Jump Squats
10 lunge steps back
Repeat

Mosey Back – I got gassed on the mosey back. Once your belly is full, eating your way back through the air is really difficult.

Flutters to 0600

NMM:

Sometimes, as the flux hits us all, we lack the motivation to accelerate of our own accord. But if we can call on discipline to continue moving, we can see ourselves rising even though we feel like we’re staying put–just like the top level of that retaining wall. I’ve been feeling that flux for a little while leading up to the big 4-0. And honestly didn’t know how to convey that message until I looked up at the end of too many burpees and too many bear crawls and saw that wall.

Grateful for the opportunity to lead and the support of all the PAX. Y’all help hold me up whether you know it or not. Thank you.


Band Camp Dismissed

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Bells. Apparently at Abercrombie and Fitch…

I forgot how fun it is to Q gear workouts. I haven’t actually participated in a gear workout in (checks notes) a long time.  I was excited to have 3D’s invitation, but it took a few tries to get a date that would actually work.  I mean, it’s east of the Peach Stand. Foreign territory. Almost its own region.  I’ve never even seen the high school where this AO is located…

So when the date came, I found a sitter for Pantheon, loaded up the car, and started on the long journey to the Snake Pit.

the gloom

I needed time for setup so I arrived at 0500 with a list of bad ideas, my just under 100lb sandbag,  and sidewalk chalk my 2.0’s probably won’t know is missing.

U Haul was already in the parking lot. I could tell because when I got within ten yards of his car I suddenly felt a waive of acrimoniousness wash over me. (I kid, I kid… mostly). He was leaning on his trunk, or tailgate or whatever the heck you call the back of an SUV, listening to music that I imagine is generally best-suited for a night of Aldi wine, a can of nacho cheese, a bathtub, and 90’s teen drama on Netflix.

Really, though, it would do any PAX good to spend a few minutes in conversation with U Haul. He’ll help you understand what it’s like in a world without diplomacy, and you’ll be thankful for it. Especially if you don’t agree with him.

So anyways, I threw my sandbag on my back and hauled it over to the other part of the parking lot and started writing down all the bad ideas.

Upon my return to the flag area, U Haul was still busting out tunes that reminded me of all the times in high school all the kids I knew thought that Nickleback, The Verve Pipe and Green Day were writing music specifically for their sooouuuuul.

Lots of other PAX showed up and we found that there was an FNG in our midst. After a quick review of the five core principals and a disclaimer, the Bootcampers ran off with Sugar Daddy and…

warmup

A quick mosey around the parking lot by CoT, which was cut short by Tesh arriving a few minutes late and driving responsibly and predictably through my intended path. We also spotted one of those Jeep things pull in, which ended up being Pudge who ran laps solo without showing up to CoT. You do you, Pudge.

the thang

Pick up the bells and head to the other side of the parking lot where I have 8 parking spaces with fun activities. But there are 11 of us, and so we wrote down two extras. Do I remember the order? No. I do not, but they were:

  1. Bag Carry
  2. Farmer Carry
  3. Swings
  4. Curls
  5. Upright Row
  6. Bent over row
  7. Chest Press
  8. Swings (yes, a second swings slot, because they’re awesome)
  9. Goblet Squat
  10. Tricep Extensions
  11. Wood choppers (some people called them hay bailers)

The carry slot had the sandbag, Henry**, in it. I’d known that not a lot of people would be all that keen on lifting this beast up on their back to carry it around the parking lot, so I figured whomever was next to the bag could assist in loading the carrier, or could simply do a shared carry (also a beast of task, considering how shifty the weight is in that bag).  We had more people than I was expecting, and it was odd, so I made the call to just have one PAX carry the bag, and the other farmer carry the bells. Or they can co-carry. So long as every PAX carried twice.

After the instructions were explained, I started playing some music that I knew full well only I really liked. But after years of hearing music I don’t like, I figure now we’re even.  For the record, I don’t even remember which playlist it was that I was on… but it was probably something called “Shuffle Syndrom” from Spotify.  Or similar.

After a full rotation we dropped the weight and lined up by the sidewalk for two sets of suicides.

Suicides were simple enough. Three stopping points. At the end of each run, drop for 5 merkins and run back to start (no merkins at the start). Here I changed up the music to Project 86 to fit the mood for running.  The second suicide traded pushups for squats.

We had about 5 minutes left, and I took the now somewhat winded PAX back over to the weights where we did 30s sessions with 10s breaks until time. (with the carry subbed out for deadlift of the bells or bag, whichever you prefer).

**The bag is named Henry because you’re supposed to name them, and I used to work for this dude who was an absolute slave driver, but without that job I’d never be where I am today.

COT

Took roll call and had our FNG hang out in the middle to talk about himself. Being from Albequreckey(?)… I’m sure you can spell it if you live there, people had a lot of fun finding things unique to the state and we settled on “Tumbleweed”… before the really bad stuff came out.

Lots of announcements and things to do coming up and some prayers offered up.

NMM

First off, I’m thankful to have been able to get out of bed (very early) in order to Q this morning so far away from home, so thanks 3D for making time for me to Q.

Today I learned that there are different rules east of the Peach Stand.  For instance, when a TWSS was dropped people were genuinely surprised at the 5 burpee penalty/reward. Also, you can’t use big words like “caprices”.

And, now, I’ve never spent any time in an Ambercroby and Finch before, but I have walked by it, so when one of the PAX commented on the music that he felt like he was shopping there, I thought, “yeah, I look like those models. I get why you said that” (cannot recall which PAX said this, but I’m certain that’s what they were thinking).

If you plan to make people farmer carry someone else’s bell, make sure you’re going to be carrying Tesh’s bell.  Which I did… by chance. But I don’t mind appearing magnanimous. I mean, “nice”.

SYITG

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Armory – Super Sets

11 PAX for 0.0 miles and what I felt was a hard workout…Tesh may argue differently.

Did a little warmup
SSH
Round the World
Good Mornings
Some Yoga

Super Sets done for a set time with some rest between.
Set 1:
KB Cleans (30 seconds)
Single Leg Dead Lift (30 seconds)
rest
Repeat 6 times (3 right, 3 left)

SSH

Set 2:
KB Swings (60 seconds)
Merkins (30 seconds)
rest (30 seconds)
Repeat 5 times

SSH

Set 3:
Snatch (30 seconds)
Goblet Squat (30 seconds)
rest (30 seconds)
Repeat 6 times

SSH

Set 4:
Manmakers (30 seconds)
Renegade Rows w/ pass through (30 seconds)
rest (30 seconds)
go till 6…I think we did 4ish?

NMM:

What is paired up as difficult in your life and what are you putting in between to mitigate?


Band Camp dismissed

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F3 Dads #2 @ The Fort

I must admit, major fail on the part of the Q. I missed getting the FNGs names on video so I missed tagging them here. My apologies.

With Watch This & 5th Set by my side (missing Cheetah), we welcomed the 54 PAX to F3 Dads and provided the disclaimer. We even had some Kotter PAX (Dads) and a whole bunch of 2.0 FNGs. The total was 57 for today!

We then took off down the hill and circled up for the brief warm up:
SSH & Low Slow Squats

Then, line the kids up on one side of our square and the dads on the other side for the classic, Sharks (dads) & Minnows (kids).
After a few rounds, we flipped it around so the roles were reversed and the kids seem to really enjoy this one.

Next, line up in a long line for a family cone drill. As a family,
Run to the first cone. 1 Merkin & 1 Jump Squat per family member in attendance.
Run to the second cone. 2 Merkins & 2 Jump Squats per family member in attendance.
Run to the third cone. 3 Merkins & 3 Jump Squats per family member in attendance.
Run to the fourth cone. 4 Merkins & 4 Jump Squats per family member in attendance.
NUR back to the start.

Move over to our (2) 4-cone squares for a friendly kids vs dads relay competition.
Due to the number of kids, the dads would have to complete the following twice while the kids only once:
Cone 1 to Cone 2: Crabwalk
Cone 2 to Cone 3: Lunge Walk
Cone 3 to Cone 4: Bear Crawl
Cone 4 back to Cone 1: NUR

Shocking, the kids won so the dads got to do 5 Burpees per kid they had in attendance while the kids laughed at us.

Lastly, go run as fast as you can to the top of the hill for COT.

And then…POPSICLES!!!!

Great job leading this Band Camp.

Watch This, 5th Set, Maximus appreciate the opportunity to Q today.

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Escalation at The Hive

It was Kettle Bell time at the HIve but that doesn’t hold a candle to the 2 FNGs we had this morning. That’s right. 2 FNGs!!! However, at the start, we only had 1. How’s that, you ask?

One of them, now known in the gloom as Father Time showed up 12mins late. When you see him in the gloom, you should ask him how he got his name. Regardless, here’s what we did:

Warm Up lap that would become our lap after each set of exercises. Followed that up with some basic warmup exercises before heading into the following:

10 Lunges (ea leg) – lap
20 Man Makers – lap
30 Merkins – lap
2min Plank done together

40 “Real” Squats and the quotes are a reminder that we’re not doing half squats – lap
50 Mountain Climbers  – lap
60 Curls – lap
2min Plank done together

70 LBC’s – lap
80 Bent Over Rows – Lap
2min Plank done together

Flutters the way I now like to do them
Boats & Canoes

Maximus

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F3 Dads 2021 Session 1

45 PAX gathered up at the Calhoun St parking lot

BIG circle up on the green space for some warmups. All in cadence,
– SHH
– Imperial Walker
– Hillbilly Walker
– Squat
– Merkin (Skeeter wanted to call this in cadence, but got nervous in the center of the circle. We’ve gotta give our kids a chance to fail.)
– Played: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Burpee
– Just like Rock, Paper, Scissors
except the loser has to do a burpee for every person in their family group that beats them. i.e., if you’ve got 3 kids they all throw paper and you throw rock, then you do 3 burpees.

Line up behind one side of the cones
– Dad vs. Kids race: stipulation Dads have to bear crawl.
Loser did 10 burpees counted by the kids
Lots of form critiquing
– Dad vs. Kids race part 2: stipulation Dads have to run backwards (Nur)
Loser does 5 burpees
– Dads vs. Kids race part 3: stipulation Kids bear crawl, Dads lunge walk
Loser does 5 burpees
– Dads vs. Kids race part 4: stipulation Kids run backwards, Dads run forwards….Finally!
– Dads load up your kids and carry them across the finish line

Sprint over to the hill (there were two guys doing a weight workout…did somebody EH them? Also, there was a dad up at the top of the hill with his daughter. Did somebody EH them?)

Load up and carry the kids up the hill
kids do 5 merkins at the top
Mosey Down

3-leg bear crawl up
mosey down
3-leg bear crawl (other leg) up
mosey down

Mosey over to the tumbling mat. Kids can make their dad run up the hill by doing a trick on the mat.

COT and popsicles

I got the red/white/blue ones thinking they’d be more popular. But the kids love the little freezer pops. Duly noted!

FNGs:
Donahue
Flipper
Laces
Strider
Monarch
Mongoose
Chase
Bolt (the younger)

Prayers:
– of gratitude at the opportunity to be a father
– to be worth of the responsibilities laid in front of us
– for our children to grow up wise and strong with hearts to know the will of the Lord

COT:
Part 1 – https://twitter.com/jisenhour/status/1401204326165581831
Part 2 – https://twitter.com/jisenhour/status/1401203462696849409


Band Camp dismissed

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Respectable Beatdown

We had 10 men, including an FNG show up on Saturday for the workout at WEP.  After the disclaimer, we jogged around the park to the parking lot on the corner of Ardrey Street.  We did the following warm-up exercises:  SSH, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, and Plank Stretches.

Next, we ran down Ardrey Street and took the path down behind the park.  I explained to the Pax that Fort Mill has some of the best cross country runners in the state.  They train at WEP each summer by running laps around the park and running hill repeats on the hill in front of us.  I added 10 merkins at the bottom of the hill and 10 squats at the top to break up the running.  Our FNG was in front of the PAX each lap, he also wore a cross country t-shirt.  We thought Hot Wheels was fitting based on his efforts.

We headed back to the playground for the hand-off to Rebel.  Rebel quickly transitioned the workout to a partner Murph.  Partner 1 ran to the statue on the hill and back to the playground while Partner 2 started the exercises (100 Pull-ups, 200 merkins, 300 Squats).  Lots of encouragement and hand slaps as we knocked out the exercises.  Once complete, we ran around the park as a group, caboose  to the front.  We had enough time to do a few ab exercises before time expired.

Great job everyone!

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Carrying the Distance

13 PAX today in the sweet spot of the year when the gloom feels about perfect

Warmup:
SSH
1 burpee
MC
Peter Parker
Parker Peter
2 burpees
Little yoga
Monkey Humpers

We were pretty mobile today with a farmers carry between stops
5 stations

Station 1:
Swings 20
Merkins 20
2x

Station 2:
Snatch 10
Split Squat 10
2x

Station 3:
Rows 10
Overhead Squat 10
2x

Station 4:
Single Leg Deadlift 10
Manmaker 10

Station 5-rotation with 13 guys
Overhead press
Merkin
Goblet Squat
Pullup (option to be weighted 20lb)
YHC called up an down.

Then we returned hitting each station again. (modified reps for time to reach COT at 0600)
Grip was pretty shot at the end.

NMM:
Proverbs 12:24
Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.

We’re not being physically lazy out in the gloom, but I KNOW there are aspects of my life where I am lazy. That laziness forces me into positions I have to work to get out of. For example, not keeping regular track of my finances, or being a lazy parent by allowing something my boys are doing to get out-of-hand. In either of these situations, I’m forced to act because my laziness pressed the situation until I had to respond. And too often, my response is poor. Better to be prepared and diligent in handling the situation.

COT
Prayer for today: Lord, I know I don’t need to constantly work hard in every aspect of my life, but embolden me to be diligent. And make me wise enough to see the difference between “working hard” and being “diligent.”
Praise for one soon-to-be less occupied (in-laws…) house
Prayers for a father-in-law’s impending passing; anxiety over legal situations

Announcements:
F3 Dads every Saturday in June. 9-9:30 WEP

An honor to lead, great to see such a crowd of high impact guys. Every single former site-q from The Hive was present today. Thanks B.O.B. for the opportunity.

Site-Qs:
BOB
Uhaul
Band Camp
Tesh
Longshanke


Band Camp dismissed

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