The Fort 2018.24

For the first couple minutes we just stood around and watched the Hogs and Coyotes enjoy a pain station.  Someone finally looked at a watch and realized we better get going.  First half of the Q was Deacon with some inspiration.

Mosey around the park SSH (20x), WM (10x), Squats (10x), Hill Billy Walkers (10x), Imperial Walkers (10x), Merkins (10x)
Run to the hill for Jacob’s Ladder: Burpees at the top, Squat at the bottom (7x)
Run to the playground for partner drills One partner does pull ups, the other runs a lap – 2x One partner does dips, the other runs a lap – 2x One partner does LBCs, the other runs a lap 2x

Next up was YHC with some strength and mobility.  Mosey to the Springs Global parking lot and mobilize the shoulders with and overhead clap x20 in a varied cadence.  Going slow and maintaining your hands as far back as you can will make it difficult and increase range of motion.  Next on the ground for Superman with more overhead claps.  Balls2wall till the last man falls.  Moroccan night clubs x20, superman Moroccan night clubsx10, balls2wall.

Next is mobilize the hips with lung walks simon says style, only stepping on my signal and hold as low as you can go. x20 lunges sprint to end of parking lot.  Calf raises x20, AlGore calf raises x10.  Rinse & Repeat.

Last was core and total body.  Warmup with Snap-Crackle-Pops (3 count exercise on your 6, go to LBC position, put your right leg over left, bring your right elbow up to knee, left elbow, and down is on 3, then vice versa) x10 each side, Amercican hammer x20, Dragon-walk 15 yards.  Rinse & repeat.

Mosey to COT.

Moleskin:   The theme of the month is IMPACT.  If I may try to relay the sentiment of the words from Deacon, don’t let your impact be influenced by fear.  There will be obstacle put in your way that look insurmountable, but that’s simply fear put there lead you to comfort and away from impact.   I also noted that I like to make mental models of impact, and gave two: asteroid craters and boat wakes.  The IMPACT will be measured LONG AFTER the asteroid has fallen or the boat has passed.  Your IMPACT has infinite consequences whereas your feelings are fleeting.  Till next time, brothers.  Always honored.

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Climb the Ladder

It was a glorious Friday in the gloom at FMHS parking lot.

Warm Up

Mtn Climbers IC X 25
Through the tunnel IC X 15
Down dog, Honeymooner
Imperial Walker IC X 15
KB Windmills
Get ups x 5 each side

The Thang

OYO
10 KB swings
1 KB Squat
1 Merkin
Repeat, adding 1 squat and 1 merkin each round but always 10 KB swings
5 rounds (50 swings, 15 squats, 15 merkins)

Flutter KB press, IC until the six is in.

Line up along the parking slot lines
KB pass through lunges to the next line of parking slots
10 curls each arm
Repeat for the rest of the parking lot (5 or 6 lines, not sure)

Switzer for pep talk on my KB journey in F3 and why I bring a 50 lb KB to workouts.

Retrieve more KBs from the darkness.

Starting with the 50 (max) arrange everyone’s KB in order until 15 (min). Min and max were both mine.

Pax lined up and starting with 15 lb performed 5 bent rows on each side.
13 KB in 5 lb increments from 15 to 50 (Tesh brought the 45, YES!).
As Pax completed the rows, return to the 15 lb to perform 10 goblet squats.
More math> 130 reps >Approximately 4120 lbs rowed by each.

As it often does, time interrupted before everyone could complete the full squat series.

NMM

The instructions on the KB ladder were to perform the exercise and move to the next weight until you encountered a weight sufficient to tap out. At that point, pull off to the side and work abs. After all of the pax were through the row series, there were exactly 0 pax that had tapped out. That’s right, guys that brought out the trusty 20 lb KB were lifting the 50. For all the reps! It wasn’t easy, I know, it’s not easy for me to lift the 50. I didn’t start with 50 almost 4 years ago. I started with a 20 and thought that would be the last KB I ever bought. I said the same thing each time I moved up in weight. Now here we are. I don’t think anyone is looking to get HUGE! out here, I’m not. When my neighbor needs a hand with the sleeper sofa going into the basement, I’ll be ready. When a widow from church needs some brush cleared, I’ll be ready. When a brother needs a shoulder, I’ll be ready. That’s what I push myself for.

I’m in training for life.

Thanks for the Pax that showed up today and put up with my shenanigans. Thanks Tesh for the opportunity to lead.

Geronimo!

 

 

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Shovelflag handoff @ The Coop

Thank you for the 24 guys that came out to The Coop this morning for the shovel flag handoff to YHC from Sugarbug. I decided to give the FBI PFT test as the workout.

We moseyed to the field and did a chicken wing approved warmup. We warmed up until he gave the clearance to proceed.

FBI PFT is as follows:

Max situps in 1 minute

300m sprint

Max pushups

1.5 mile run

Pull-ups (optional) we didn’t have enough time for these.

Out of the 25 PAX that posted only 7 passed unofficially.

Dark Helmet

Subprime

Sasquatch

Skate or Die

Harry Carry

Caddy Shack

Bonsai

Some guys were close, but the sprint and run is where most guys got caught . Welcome FNG Easy Button!

My first order of business as new Site Q is to move the congregation point to the good asphalt so when we do Mary, we don’t feel like we are laying on broken glass.

Thanks to sugarbug for the peaceful transition and thank you for all your leadership!

 

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D-Day Army Training

Warm up – Toy Soldiers, Windmill, Moroccan night clubs, SSH, Merkins

Modified APFT test
F3 Name
Merkins
Situps
1 Mile Run
Cornhole
40
45
Modified
Spartacus
18
10
Modified
Curious George
38
50
9:04
Fish Sticks
76
64
6:58
Fun House
45
63
6:42
Cable guy
65
60
8:05
Mr Clean
45
50
7:50
Brick
57
66
6:35
Tesh
80
80
7:50
BMT
54
45
7:24
Offspring
22
45
6:46
Gopher
45
46
8:22 ?
Sugar Daddy
48
53
7:20
Announcements – Hog & Coyote, Sweati, CSPAN B-Day Bash, Lawn Mowing FM Care Center
Prayers Praises – Work Meetings, Service Members, Vacation-Family, Daughter Cheer leading, Ron Brown Stroke, Health, Son away at camp, Son Summer School, Friends Brain Tumor, Family Relationships, Winchester had a Stroke
D-Day Notes
  • Deception Efforts
    • Operation Bodyguard
      • Fictitious First US Army Group – Commanded by George Patton
        • 20 made up units – Had patches made
        • False Radio Transmissions
  • Delayed 24 hours due to weather
    • a further postponement would have meant a delay of at least two weeks as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable
    • Full Moon – Aid Pilots – illuminate obstacles on the beach
    • High Tides – limit exposure on the beach
  • 156,000 Allied Troops
  • 12 medal of Honor Recipients
    • BARRETT, CARLTON W. – Private, U.S. Army, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division
    • *BUTTS, JOHN E. – Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Co. E, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division.
    • *DEGLOPPER, CHARLES N. – Private First Class, U.S. Army, Co. C, 325th Glider Infantry, 82d Airborne Division.
    • EHLERS, WALTER D. – Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.
    • *COLE, ROBERT G. – Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division.
    • *DEFRANZO, ARTHUR F. – Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 1st Infantry Division.
    • *KELLY, JOHN D. – Technical Sergeant (then Corporal), U.S. Army, Company E, 314th Infantry, 79th Infantry Division.
    • *MONTEITH, JIMMIE W., JR. – First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.
    • OGDEN, CARLOS C. – First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 314th Infantry, 79th Infantry Division.
    • *PEREGORY, FRANK D. – Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division.
    • *PINDER, JOHN J., JR. – Technician Fifth Grade, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.
    • *ROOSEVELT, THEODORE, JR. – Brigadier General, U.S. Army.
    • * Denotes a posthumous award
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Hive @5 (times 2) for some 90s Hip Hop old school

This party was getting started with some 90s Hip-Hop where disclaimer needed to include that YHC was not responsible for what Pandora decided to play.  After the full on disclaimer was made, we did a quick mosey around the parking lot and continued with some warm-up.

Warm-up included: mountain climbers x20, Moroccan night club x30, windmill x10, imperial walker x10, hillbilly walker x10, cherry picker x10, SSH x20, downward dog and honeymooner.

The Thang….with 2-Pac singing his sweet songs in the background.

  • 30x KB swings
  • 30x KB squats
  • 30x KB shoulder presses
  • 30x KB rows
  • 30 total / 15 each leg KB lunges with a single arm shoulder press
  • 30 / 15 (single) clean and jerk – start at left foot, lift KB with right arm, press over right shoulder

Suicides as a quick cool down at 3 sections in the parking lot – then a quick 10 count break.

  • 30 / 15x one arm KB swings
  • 30x (double count) American hammers
  • 15x burpee – dead lift the KB, set it down next to you, burpee, pick it up on your way up
  • 30 / 15x lawnmower pulls
  • 30x KB presses
  • 30x triceps presses behind your head
  • 30x KB shoulder shrugs

Suicides as a quick cool down at 3 sections in the parking lot – then a quick 10 count break.

THEN – we got to choose between round 1 or 2….we poorly chose round 2 for another go.

Finished up with a round of Mary being called out around the circle by PAX for final 5 min.

Count off, name-o-rama, announcements, prayers and praises, BOM – and that’s all she wrote.  Enjoyed it and was in pain for the following day!

Aye – Shady

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Find accountability in your life

YHC was called out of the bullpen to assist the originally scheduled Q – Crab Cakes since he was bi-coastal. Leading up to the morning WO, YHC struggled to figure out what to include in the weinke. The only thing that was a requirement was rugby sprints in honor of Crab Cakes. As I was pulling out the garage,  it dawned on me that each of the student parking rows at FMHS had numbers at the beginning identifying the row number. I couldn’t recall a WO utilizing those row numbers, so grabbed some chalk on the way out. However, as I was sitting in the car at the AO formulating the weinke, I found a deck of cards in the console and thought of Maximus’s infamous WOs. But I realized I should stick to the plan and be accountable for what I planned for. As we were all gathering around for the start, someone mentioned the pull up bars on site and Deacon said “there’s pulll up bars here?” Of course this peaked my interest (Shocker) and so I had to show the newbies the location. Even though the weinke was modified, accountability had a theme for today since it is the last day of the month and the monthly word (read end of backblast for more on this theme)

Mossy to the band field for some warm ups. Mossy towards location of pull ups, halfway there, stop for 20 squats. At pull ups, max out on pull ups, then do 25 LBCs; rinse and repeat 3xs.

Mossy back to band field for 4x4s. 1 burpee with 4 merkins. 10 OYO.

Line up at goal line, conduct 4 rounds of Rugby Sprints.

Mossy to parking lot:

Row 1: 1 Burpee – run to other end of parking lot and back to next odd number row

Row 3: 3 CCD – rinse repeat run through 13 rows

Row 5: 5 Squats

Row 7: 7 merkins

Row 9: SSH

Row 11: LBCs

Row 13: Flutters

Mossy to COT for 3 minutes of Abs: Big Boy Sit Ups, Big Boy Sit Ups with one leg extended out 6 inches from ground – switch legs, flutters, american hammers, dying cockroach.

COT: Today is the last day for May’s word of the month theme of accountability, with June’s word of the month being Impact. As Chickenhawk wrapped up discussing accountability with a Whetstone partner, I wanted to piggy back on that. Yesterday was a hard and sad day for my M. 1 year ago she lost her mom. As I come home from work she was sitting on the couch with teary eyes and a sad look. Before I could ask whats wrong she said “do you know what today is?” Of course I’m thinking “Crap, its not her birthday, its not our anniversary, what am I missing??” She then responds that her mom passed away 1 year ago that day. I of course being a selfish husband said “I’m sorry” and didnt even go over and give her a hug and kiss, nor comfort her. My response was “I need to get my 2.0 to baseball practice” When we got home, I failed again as we sat quietly on the couches watching meaningless TV. As we went to bed, all I did was give her a hug and said stay strong. As I write this, I sure look like a loser! So be accountable to your M each and every day. Show her love and be impactful to her. Support her without being asked to, love her, comfort her, don’t be ignorant and selfish, be accountable in her life by being her rock. We don’t have many days on this life, we need to make the best of every single day as a husband, father, leader…this has been a tough month, one that has shown the importance of being accountable to your family and friends, to be impactful to them as well. Let’s not forget this each and every day.

Trucker

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Honeybadger 2018.21

So the Honeybadger does not even have a Category from WordPress yet.  The Comz department gets a demerit…

So this week’s WOD was brought to you by Army Staff Sergeant Joshua Whitaker.

Joshie

Complete three rounds for time of:
40 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, right arm
21 L Pull-ups
40 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, left arm
21 L Pull-ups

This is a LOT of pulling.  These are both total body moves emphasizing the back and some shoulders…  I tried to break it up with some core/legs/pushes between rounds.  My instructions were to do this with a partner  and get assistance for pull-ups.

End with a quarter mile run then 6MOM.

I seem to get random questions every now and again about what I do or eat.  I look for the hardest thing I can do, and do that.  I don’t try to make it through it, while distracting myself from the discomfort.  I concentrate on it.  The human body is meant to be uncomfortable, because that is when growth happens.  Muscles tear and get bigger, your lungs burn and your cardio gets better, you hold your breath and your oxygen efficiencies increase, you stretch muscles and increase range of motion, you freeze yourself and your circulation increases, you get hungry and your HGH goes up (burning fat and protecting lean muscle)… and all of these produce adrenaline and endorphins, which helps you enjoy all aspects of life.  So don’t look for comfort.  Don’t covet comfort.  It is a thief, stealing life from you.  Get out and move.  Commit to each rep of each exercise.  Respect the next rep.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
AKA, lip service gets you no where.  AKA, I can tell what kind of tree you are by the fruit you bear.  Do the hard stuff.

Welcome Schwinn!  Please come back to another workout.

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Truck full of concrete at Colosseum

If you’ve posted at the Colosseum, you know Jekyll guarantees it’ll be worth your time. So for all the future Q’s of this AO, the nation looks forward to you keeping the streak alive. Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to post with our brothers in Huntersville/Lake Norman and got absolutely smoked on a Wednesday morning as we spent much of the 45mins pushing cinder blocks around while bear-crawling the parking lot. It was way too painful to keep to myself. After all, we’re supposed to give it away, right?

With a little pre-hype on the machine yesterday, 21 brave souls joined me at The Colosseum and after a donation from Bonsai, I was able to ensure we had enough coupons. Little did I know that you can’t give some of these guys nice things because their way out of doing the workout is to break my blocks.

Once all were accounted for, we moseyed to the bus parking lot for an abbreviated wind mill and stretch session. This was purely at Santini’s request but wasn’t frowned upon by anyone. After all, when you get a request from the guy that EH’d you into F3, do you really have a choice? After that 2mins, we took off for the back entrance road which just so happened to be the launch point of Jekyll’s horribles last week. Some assurance was necessary as people got a little anxious while we stood there. I guess the memory was still fresh from the previous week.

At each light post, 10 SSH and 10 Freddy Mercury’s. Once you hit every light post, bring it back to the start where you get your form called out by none other than CSPAN…hmmm, seems ironic!! We love him anyways.

Now that we got that out of the way, mosey back to my truck where we begin the next chapter. Like a jewelry dealer opening their trench coat to show his watches, I opened the tail gate to reveal 25 cinder blocks. Oh, it’s on now. Grab a block and line up in a straight line with the basketball hoop. I also learned that for those speedy folks out there (that’s you, Tesh), I need to be very specific with my instructions.

Round 1:

10 Burpees

20 Carolina Dry Docks

30 Squats holding the block

Bear Crawl pushing the cinder block to the line at the other basketball hoop.

Round 2:

10 Bomb Jacks

20 Flutter Kicks with a Press

30 Bicep Curls

Bear Crawl pushing the block back to the start

Round 3:

10 Diamond Merkins

20: Deadlifts

30: LBC’s (with or without the block but seriously, is there really an option?)

Bear Crawl pushing the block to the other hoop.

Round 4:

10 Toe Touches (with or without the block)

20 Lunges (20 each leg)

30 Shoulder Press

Bear Crawl pushing it the block back to the start

Circle Up:

Staggered Merkins (6ea side)

Flutter Kicks w/ the press again

Ended with more bicep curls

As a Q, it is great to hear all the chatter but to then have that followed by the moaning and then…silence as the PAX are trying to stay focused, that’s affirmation. Great job to the guys and special T-claps to the next level’ers (Dark Helmet, Trucker and Bonsai) for throwing the ruck on during this. The original workout had a ruck or weight vest involved so I respect you for going that rout. I will join you with the ruck next time. The bear crawls pushing that block while wearing a ruck…that’s memorable.

Prayers:

Upcoming graduations, appreciation to the PAX for checking in on us and holding us accountable, Badger.

Jekyll…I thank you.

Until next time.

Maximus

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Old School WEP.

As cars rolled in one after another I was greeted by faces of men I knew and a few of some I didn’t. It is always great to be back Qing at the home where The Fort took shape. It was even better sharing this Q with my friend Mainframe. We got started with Mainframe giving the tasteful disclaimer. We then took off and the rest went something like this.

normal warm up stuff, mosey over to short wall for 15 derkins, 15 dips, 20 step-ups, mosey down to small lot in front of springs, 15 donkey kicks then bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, crawl bear back, 10 DKs then bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, crawl bear back, and then 5 DKs then bear crawl to other side, 1 merkin, crawl bear back

Mosey up the hill to upper lot and divide up into 3 groups. 2 groups working, 1 group resting for 2 rounds (1&2, 2&3, 1&3, 1&2, 2&3, 1&3). First was 10 burpees per set so total of 40 burpees per PAX. Run down hill and back to top. Second was 16 jump lunges (64 total per PAX). Run down hill, then run backwards up hill. Third was 15 monkey humpers (60 total per PAX). Run down hill, then run backwards up hill. Times up and over to you.

Was glad that was over. Wasn’t sure my portion would hold up to what we just did.

Start with Merkins 10 normal, 10 diamond, 10 wide arm.

Move over to light pole.  20 shoulder presses, 20 flutter kicks, bear crawl to other light pole 15 CDDs 10 big boy sit ups. crab walk back to light pole 15 Moroccan night clubs 15 hello dolly’s in cadence, bear crawl back to light pole 15 shoulder pressed 10 grave diggers each side.

Circle up for Jack webs 1-5, 4-20

stay in circle for plank hold while we run around the clock hurdling the other PAX.

Mosey down hill to veteran memorial Pledge and moment of silence for Fallen Local Firefighter Richard Sheltra.

Mosey over to wall. take a seat while pax do broad jumps and both leg single jumps.

Mosey to short walls do 10 derkins, 10 box jumps and 10 dips on wall X2.

Mosey to yet another wall. BTW but while up in cadence 5 presses and 10 Peter Parkers.

Mosey back to COT.

announcements- Cannoli run, reading in Paradise, and Strawberry Festival.

Prayers- Sheltra family, Badger and Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WHETSTONE…Relaunches at THE FORT

Several weeks ago, it was announced that our region, THE FORT, would be closing all Saturday AO’s and holding a convergence at FMHS to get the PAX together as we thank Rebel for his leadership of Whetstone and relaunch it under Repeat and World Wide Leader (WWL). I was excited to hear we’d be getting many of the region together but I wasn’t expecting what came next. It was a text asking if I’d Q the workout.

Q, like part of it, half of it or …? The response was, THE WHOLE THING. I love to Q every chance I get but to do so on a day like this, well, I better make sure it includes a little something for everyone. Or, almost everyone.

————————————————————————————————————–

And this is where I let life get the better of me. I try to follow the 48hr rule on posting a BACKBLAST, especially when they’re significant but I let life and travel get in the way. It is now Saturday, one week later, and I’m just finishing this BB. Life can get challenging, it can get stressful, it can get you riding the highs or down in the lows. And this past week, our family has experienced some of each. Maybe this was the week where I really came to realize how valuable having a Whetstone partner can be. Someone that I can share the highs with and someone to help get me out of the lows; or to keep me honest when it’s my own doing that has me on the outside looking in on the joys of life.

That said, I’ll take you back to last Saturday, April 21 where we had a a few pre-ruckers and a total of 58 PAX converge to re-kick off this critical program.

We got ourselves into an odd-shaped kidney-like shape for the disclaimer, the announcement of why we were there this beautiful morning and to acknowledge our 2 FNG’s in the PAX. We counted off in 4’s then took off toward the big parking lot for a warm up jog in 4 lines. This jog included some karaoke’s and 4 lines doing an indian run which was way harder than it appeared on paper.

In these last 2 years, Whetstone has brought together some extremely HIM. One of those men has gone through a tough 18mos and he was gracious enough to share some of his story to include the impact Whetstone had on his life as we circled up to hear his words. I know he wouldn’t endorse this comment but anytime Mr. Clean wants to share experience or wisdom, the PAX listens. And listen we did.

After backing the group back out to a circle-like shape, I was giddy to honor Santini in the only way I knew how…with a deck of cards. However, on this day we utilized 1/2 the deck and considered it our warm up:

Hearts = Side Straddle Hops

Diamonds = Carolina Dry Docks

Spades = Squats

Clubs = Merkins

Then a little action from the Burp-Merk: Standing, we then dropped to a plank, did 5 merkins then jumped up. That equals 1 and we did 5 total.

This was when we got to listen to our very own Nantaan, Cake Boss, as he shared the impact Whetstone has had on him. Yet again, another powerful testimony.

Then off to do 4 corners in the lot with:

Corner 1 = Dancing Crabs x 15ea and Dips x 20

Corner 2 = Dying Cockroach x 15ea and Flutters x 20ea

Corner 3 = Burpees x 10 and Jump Squats x 10

Corner 4 = American Hammers x 25 and Freddie Mercury x 20ea

Mosey over to the wall for B2W while doing 5 “push ups” followed by 15 calf raises. We did this 3 times.

To close out our testimonies, my man Chicken Hawk laid it down for us. He shared the impact Whetstone has had on him, his marriage, his family…his life. Life isn’t meant to be traveled alone. Well said brother.

6ct Burpee which I needed a little help from the Helmet of Darkness to remind me the steps. Remember the line, “If you can’t Q it, don’t do it?” Yeah, me too but I obviously didn’t follow that too closely here.

This is where the cat-herding became evident. The PAX exhibited patience with me as we attempted a modified DORA series consisting of:

50 Flying Squirrels, 50 Diamond Merkins and 50+ Flutters

We then took off for the main entrance to the football stadium and lined up in 4 lines facing down the hill. Once everyone readjusted, it was 15 American Hammers, 15 Flutters and 15 Hello Dollies. This was done several more times.

Well, that put a bow on the workout portion of this convergence and after the COT, FNG naming of RBG and Whiskers, we then handed it off to World Wide Leader and Repeat to lead the Whetstone discussion.

Announcements: The relaunch of Whetstone. Thanks to Rebel for getting this off the ground 2 years ago and to Repeat / World Wide Leader for taking the reigns.

Prayer Requests: Badger. Camp Care 5K. Jennings Palmer’s transplant. Olive’s 8K in memory of Sweet Tooth. Elmer.

Honored and appreciative of your patience.

Maximus

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