Launching the Snake Pit

YHC was honored to be asked by 3D to Q out East and, based on the calendar, an inaugural Q for the Fort’s newest kettle bell AO.  It required a separate trip to get familiar with the grounds, but a quick scan of the A/O left YHC with lots of options and, fortunately, a great group of HIMs gathered to launch the Snake Pit.  After disclaimers were put forth and JWOW came in hot, we moseyed off around the parking lot, without the bells.

COP – Corner #1 – low slow squats x15

Corner #2 – Side Straddle Hops x 20

Corner #3 – Imperial Walker x 15, People’s Chair hold with Moroccan night clubs x 15 and a                                     10-count hold

Stadium entrance – Merkins x 10, salutations right and left, 6-inch hold with a 10-count

PAX grabbed their bells and moseyed into the stadium, down to the field for a partner pyramid.

In any adversity or challenge we face in life, going through it with others helps ensure we come out stronger on the other side.  In the spirit of working through a challenge (and because partner work was notably present), we did, well, partner work.

While partner 1 began the exercises at the goal line, partner 2 ran to the 50 yard line and back and picked up the exercises where partner 1 left off.  Exercises built on one another a la pearls on a string, to the mid point anyway.

10 goblet squats

10 goblet squats, 20 hammer curls

10 goblet squats, 20 hammer curls, 30 tricep extensions

10 goblet squats, 20 hammer curls, 30 tricep extensions, 40 American hammers (w/bell)

10 goblet squats, 20 hammer curls, 30 tricep extensions, 40 American hammers (w/bell), 50 swings

50 swings, 40 American hammers (w/bell), 30 tricep extensions, 20 hammer curls, 10 goblet squats

40 American hammers (w/bell), 30 tricep extensions, 20 hammer curls, 10 goblet squats

30 tricep extensions, 20 hammer curls, 10 goblet squats

20 hammer curls, 10 goblet squats

10 goblet squats

Once all were finished (PAX planked or did LBC’s if they finished before the 6), we moseyed with bells to the flag for a pledge of allegiance and did 30 flutters with the KB press

Mosey out of the stadium back to the lot for the start of a partner DORA – 50 swings and 100 hammer curls.  Partner 1 started the exercises while partner 2 ran to specified landmarks and back, and vice versa.

With no time left to get to 150 and 200 on the DORA, we moseyed back to COT for:  20 flutters with the KB press and 15 LBC’s with the bell.  At that point, it was 0600 and work was complete.

Announcements were made, prayers and praises were offered and YHC led us out.

Special thoughts are with Alright Alright Alright as his ankle heals.

Thanks to 3D for the opportunity to lead the inaugural workout and launch of the Snake Pit and to have the privilege of getting better in the presence of many HIMs.

Honored,

Cyclops

 

 

 

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Minnow Pond Back Blast

BB- Perfect conditions if you like 90% humidity and August like conditions.  Straight Up was a beast on the up and down hills.  Funhouse had perfect burpee form and the rest of us did our best to keep up.  

From Launch:

Take off down White, Right on Massey, Right on Harris. At intersection of Harris and Yorktown, Plank it up and wait for #6.

The Thang:

  • Harris/Yorktown is center of tripod.  10 burpees at center
  • Head down Harris. At end: 20 squat #asstograss
  • Run to Center
  • Head down Yorktown.  At end: 20 LBC
  • Run to Center
  • Head down Harris (opp direction).  At Riverwood: 20 CDD
  • Run Center

Rinse/Repeat, #AMRAP until time called.  Be at Center at 0555 for run back to COT. 2 rounds will get you 4.5 +pain.

Get it? Got it? Good.

Bring your smokeboots and a zest for pain.

Jekyll

 

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Block Party Steps and Bits

8 PAX took the DRP and made their way to WEP for some fun!  During the course of the workout YHC dropped some F3 hacks. Ranged from having a towel and extra shirt in your car for after posting, to being prepared with a Wienke to make writing BackBlasts easier, to giving this thing called F3 away. Disclaimer and we were on our way.

The Thang

Mosey to side parking lot for COP

SSH X 30, Merkins X 10, Squats X 20, Windmills X 10, Mountain Climbers X 20, Peter Parker X 20, SSH X 30

Mosey to courtyard and get some ledge

Right leg step ups X 20, Decline Merkins X 10, Dips X 10.

Left leg step ups X 20, Decline Merkins X 10, Dips X 10.

Rinse and Repeat but cut in half.

Rinse and repeat but cut that one in half (round up).

Mosey back to WEP for Drill Bits

At first drill bit: 1 Burpee, 2 Merkins, 3 Squat Jumps, 4 Plank Jacks, 5 Squats

At second drill bit: 2 Burpees, 4 Merkins, 6 Squat Jumps, 8 Plank Jacks, 10 Squats

At third drill bit: 3 Burpees, 6 Merkins, 9 Squat Jumps, 12 Plank Jacks, 15 Squats

At fourth drill bit: 4 Burpees, 8 Merkins, 12 Squat Jumps, 16 Plank Jacks, 20 Squats

At fifth drill bit: 54 Burpees, 10 Merkins, 15 Squat Jumps, 20 Plank Jacks, 25 Squats

Then a mosey to eat up about 3 minutes an try to get to 2 miles…. didn’t make it…

COT

FunHouse

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Open to All Men

8 PAX gathered in the gloom. Grateful to Q on 9/11.

Warm up:
– Lap
– SSH in cadence
– Shoulder Taps in cadence
– Mountain Climbers in cadence
– Peter Parkers in cadence
– Downdog –> Honeymooner
– Hip stretch (Lizard Pose)

Thang:
– I don’t usually lead much with music, but asked Uhaul to bring his speaker. We setup for an 8 min round of Tabata set to music that had been altered in tempo to fit evenly with the 20 seconds on and 10 seconds of rest.
– First 8 min
20 seconds Swings
20 seconds Squat with single arm overhead press

Mosey
– Al Gore, while we went around and mentioned where we were 9/11/2001
– Little John was in his mom’s womb. It’s important to remember that every student in public school right now has no memory of 9/11. And very few University students do.

Back the the Thang:
– 20 second Swings
– 20 second Snatch
– modified to 20 second curls in the last 4 min

COT
Remember that F3 is open to ALL men. No matter how you feel about everything that has happened after 9/11, we can be united in 5 core principles on a daily basis in the gloom.

Honored to lead
– Band Camp dismissed

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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.
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WEP- down and dirty with the VQ

Sometimes simple is the best course of action. Had a VQ that was ready to get his line wet and see if anybody might bite. Backdraft took what he said would be a warmup. It was for a few but others had a different perspective on what warmup really meant. Start off with simple disclaimer. Not sure what that is. If you get hurt don’t blame me.
Lap around the park with some dynamic stretching from time to time.
Circle up- 30 SSHs, 30 Mtn. Climbers, 15 slow merkins, 15 shoulder taps. Lets go.
Mosey to sidewalk that loops around field. Drill bits at each one add an exercise.
1. 5 burpees
2. 5 burpees, 10 merkins
3. 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 squats
4. 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 squats, 20 mtn. climbers
5. 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 squats, 20 mtn. climbers, 25 SSHs
sprint back to starting line hand off to Bobber.

pair up and pick up a coupon for the pair.(cinderblock)
Mosey across the park.
100squats, 200 overhead presses, 300 calf raises between the pair. while 1 guy exercising the other runs to the top of the hill and back.
once all completed we mosey back towards cot. stay with partner once back we have 4 exercises and 4 cones going up the side hill.
Partner 1 completes exercise while partner 2 carries block to complete suicides on the cones.
Once completed we circle up for around the world or something that sounded like that. 3, 2, 1 we done.
COT.
Prayers and praises. announcements.
Great job Bobber on your VQ. keep up the great work.

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Don’t poke the Q

Cars pulling in right up to the starting time.
Disclaimer and intro.
Mosey with dynamic stretching along the way.
Circle up for some warmup and a small sample of Broga.
Back to kettle bells
Did the following exercises 3 sets of each 10-15 reps each set followed by an ab exercise.
Every three exercises we would mosey and do 10 burpees ( this quieted down most poking of the Q.)
Goblet squats, figure 8s, KB Swings, single arm rows, shoulder presses, single arm curls, clean and jerk, and reverse lunges.
COT
announcements- invergence and convergence
Prayers- Airborne son leaving for US Army boot camp. God Love the USA.
Trucker- learning everyday lessons on raising kids and being a good father.
All the kids going back to school today.

Also had a good reminder and to just love your kids and not worry about always if their the top or best at something. Just show them you love them.

Backdraft out.

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19 That Didn’t Mail In Their Saturday

So there was this Saturday in Ft. Mill, SC that 17 men joined 2 Q’s to have a little fun in the city park, talk about the impact F3 & others have had on us and the community, and do some crazy exercises that would make others shake their head. That Saturday was yesterday and I must say that Router and I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity granted us by Slash.

3 years ago, Router began his journey with F3 and as he said, the life change has been great and there’s no looking back. As we all know, it’s much more about the 2nd & 3rd F’s but the magnet of the 1st F is what attracts us and propels us to that life change F3 is know for.

That said, Router lit the torch with a disclaimer and a brisk mosey around the WEP path stopping along the way for 20 SSH, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs, 10 Merkins and 10 Peter Parkers; a great opportunity to stretch the PAX out and bring them back together.

Router brought us to the middle of the grass field for the start of the Worlds Longest Lasting, Most Disputed, Loudly Criticized, Not At All Controversial, exercise in The Fort. Sorry, the Pullman got the best of me (which has nothing to do with what we did). This is where he introduced us to a modified Catch Me If You Can. However, there were no rucks, no running, no monkey humpers, just a lot of Tesh-chasing which, for me as Tesh’s partner, made for a quick rendition of this terrible idea. Partner 1 is doing inch-worm merkins while Partner 2 does 20 Flutters, 10 Merkins, 20 American Hammers and 10 Carolina Dry Docks then bear crawls to his inch-worming partner. We did this for what seemed like the entire Saturday morning but in all reality, it was about 100yds (go ahead and try it…I dare you).

Oh, that wasn’t bad enough? How about Router bringing us back to the starting point for a round of Jack friggin’ Webbs. Yup, you just read that. And yes, we went to the 10:40 mark with merkins & overhead claps.. Say hello to your Jell-O arms. Good thing none of our resident hair models were in attendance because hair-washing would’ve been a challenge later that morning.

Then Router topped it off with an explanation of his growth over the last 3yrs since joining F3. Thanks to the fellas like DD (in attendance), Santini, Senator Tressel, Assassin and others, there are hundreds of men who share a similar story to Router, each one unique and powerful in their own right.

Hand off to Maximus.

Mosey to “The Hill” and line up at the base. Identify the tree at the top, about face and reverse lunge walk all the way up the hill to the tree. At the top, drop to your six and crab walk back down.

Mosey back to the field and in true Jack friggin’ Webb fashion, take that to the legs for Lieutenant Dan’s. Just like before, we went to the 10:40 mark with squats & jumping lunges.

Lined up the cones about 30yds apart, PAX line up at one end then the explanation. WWII situps into a burpee broad jump. Repeat until you get to the other cone.

2 lines facing each other for Knee Tar Jah’s or Prisoner Lunges or whatever we’ve decided to call these things.

SSH x 21

Back to the cones. Run from cone 1 to cone 2, 20 Plank Jacks, NUR back to cone 1, 15 WWII situps, back to cone 2, 10 Plank Jacks, then NUR back to cone 1, 5 WWII situps.

PAX back together for:

SLOW Peter Parkers x 21

Flutters x 21

Squats x 21

Jail break to COT for a short set of LBCs.

So that was it. Great time I hope for all. Didn’t get a lot of miles but my body 24hrs later tells me that wasn’t needed. Remember what’s been done for you as you have the opportunity to do something positive and impactful for others.

**ONE REMINDER**: September 6 is our Annual Invergence followed by our regional Convergence September 7 back at WEP.

Until Next Time,

Router & Maximus

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Red Bird flies in from Morocco

15 PAX gathered for a VQ from Red Bird…it was also his second post (he was an FNG a year ago and lives/works/serves in Morocco). Red Bird took the warmup; YHC handled the thang.

Being Red Bird’s first Q and only his second post, the PAX did significantly more reps of some exercises than typical….Imperial Walkers past 25 get a little more taxing than expected.

Warm Up – Red Bird

SSH x 26
IW x 28
HW x 24
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x29
Windmill x 23 (yes…you read that right..these will get to ya)
Downdog –> Updog
Merkins x 10
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x27

Mosey slowly around parking lot – burpee at each light pole

The Thang – Band Camp

Circle up
PAX is shooting for 225 PAX through the course of the workout. The American-style school where Red Bird works has 225 students.

25 KB Swings
10 Single-arm squat % press, right
25 KB Swings
*At this point, Tesh corrected my form on the swings–my back was curving too much. Always grateful for correction offered up, whether it’s the form on an exercise or my behavior. We need to get our egos out of the way when correction takes place. Personally, YHC would much rather be corrected in front of 14 PAX than hurt my back and be on IR for 14 weeks.
10 Single-arm squat % press, left
25 KB Swings
10 Single-arm squat % press, right
25 KB Swings
10 Single-arm squat % press, left

5 Burpees
5 Manmakers
4 Burpees
4 Manmakers
Total of 9 each. Only .09% of the population in Morocco is Christian.

Mosey over to concrete pad outside of the gym area.

Downdog –> right leg high, bend knee/open hip
Repeat on left side

Wall Sit
3 Burpees down the line from each side
BTTW
10 Merkins (upside down against the wall)

25 KB Swings
10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings
10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings
10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings
Seated Forward Bend
25 KB Swings

There was some debate over the math, but YHC is pretty sure we got to 225…..possibly a little more….

NMM:

Band Camp:
Great to share the gloom with Red Bird, a HIM living out his faith. His life demonstrates so much of Q-Source quadrant 2 in tact: Impact, Influence, Missionality, Targeting…“If you want to learn how to run faster, just find a faster man. And chase him until you catch him.” If you want to learn how to accelerate your 3rd F, just find a man moving through his faith ahead of you. And chase him until you catch him.

Sidenote:
As you read Red Bird’s words remember, Red Bird has only posted twice. However, he has clearly dug into the F3 lexicon and ethos. Great to see the support that F3 can provide even removed from the proximity of other HIM. I also read this in light of how I saw him respond to his call. Leaving a comfortable job in a place he knew with his family (including his two small girls) to head to a much less welcoming environment…T-Claps to him on continuing to do what he and his M knew they should do.

Red Bird:
It’s difficult to do what you know you should do. Getting up at 4:45am to post, being patient with your wife even if she’s not patient with you, putting in the extra unpaid that is sometimes required at work to do your best. That’s why we revere the HIM – he does what is necessary to do what is good for Group Advantage. Especially in the USA, where it’s in our national collective DNA to honor the disruptors that came before us to create this great nation.

In Eastern cultures, though, the disruptor is not revered. He is a problem. He is going against what centuries of lived experience have proven to be ideal. For a man to disrupt the Status Quo, he could lose everything – the support of his family, the respect of his wife and kids, his job, everything. For a man in an Eastern culture to break out of Disadvantage, he must be 100% certain that the Advantage is worth it, because there is no going back. Most likely, will be alone in his pursuits.

Remember that the Group Advantage is worth the Course of Action. Be 100% certain. Be thankful for the support in F3N, and pray that your brothers will not leave you alone in your pursuits.


Band Camp dismissed

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Mountain trip to Dupont State Forest on August 3rd with Trail Running, Rucking and Biking options – there will be a 2nd F afterwords

3rd F

Alright we are 2 years ago we did a mountain trip to Roan Mtn. it was one of the best trips I have made with my fellow F3 brothers. After 10-16 miles we went to Daniel Boone Inn to refuel.

With this in mind I wanted to continue to do this hopefully every year. So on August 3rd we are going to do another mountain trip. This time it will be Trail Running, Biking and Rucking options.

Our destination will be DuPont State Forest. We will leave from the Newport Walmart at 6 am it is a 2 1/2 hr trip. we will either go to the Hooker Falls Access or the Lake Imaging Access. For runners we will try and get 12-18 miles in for Mountain bikers Vuvuzela has about 20-30 mile rout lined up.

 

2nd F

Afterwords will will go to Daddy D’s and refuel.

 

Make sure you bring water and something for energy do not come unprepared you will regret it. I did exactly that last time. This will be an unforgettable trip that we will try and do every year. we need to clown car to get there since there are no rental vans available.

Reach out to me if you have any questions.  I have attached links below.

Dupont State Forest Trail Map-1

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g49206-d2069003-Reviews-Daddy_D_s_Suber_Soulfood-Hendersonville_North_Carolina.html

www.Dupontforest.com

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