Tag: Twister

Keeping Warm at The Yard

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It was a rather cold morning as the PAX gathered. I was a little worried the cold temps would keep the numbers down but 8 other PAX (plus 2 shorties that might or might not had a choice) showed up ready to work. So after a short disclaimer we moseyed around back. Since it was cold I decided we do a little extended mosey with some stops for exercises. Unfortunately they were doing HVAC work on the school and we had to dodge several work trucks. So quick change of plans to get out of the traffic had us move to the back of the middle school.

Deconstructed burpee ladder: Jump squats, merkins, and thrusters between 2 light posts.

  • Start with 0, run to other post for 15 of each, then back to 1st post.
  • 5 each, run to other post for 10 of each, run back.
  • 10 each, run to other post for 5 each, run back.
  • 15 each, then sprint to other post and back.

Since we just practiced the pieces, 5 burpees OYO to make sure the PAX could put them together again.

Mosey around to the front of the middle school for pick a card. I had 2 cones with the same 10 cards at each cone but mixed up order. Pretty simple each card had an exercise for the team to do together and then another exercise for the team to do while next guy ran to get new card. PAX broke into 2 teams and it wasn’t meant to be a competition but you know how things go. Cards included various things like running laps, merkins, dips, flutters, etc but the point was to complete as a team. Both teams worked hard and basically finished at the same time.

Over to the school benches: 20 step-ups, 20 dips, 10 derkins then 10 box-jumps or step-ups, 15 dips, 10 derkins. Move down past the benches to the nice long wall. Get in people’s chair and first PAX bear-crawls to the end. Keep going until all PAX have bear-crawled. Next up is walking BTTW with PAX encouraging each other to make it as far as they could. Great encouragement and work by everyone! Finish off with a quick 10 count wall-tar-jai and times up. Back to COT.

I had to keep it kind of brief in the COT b/c several of us needed to leave to support our 2.0s at the Let Me Run 5K. It’s always encouraging to see so many fellow PAX out there running or just cheering on their 2.0s.

At the end no one was cold, even had some PAX taking some layers off. Thanks to Hasselhoff for the opportunity!

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At Slow Burn-We Run in the Rain & We Feel No Pain!

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IMG_0192Borrowing a quote from our USPS & tweeking it a bit F3 style, , “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays the Pax from the swift completion of their appointed workout. ”

Nine Pax posted on a rainy Slow Burn morning.

Disclaimer

Mosey along in the drizzling rain accompanied by high knees, butt kickers, side shuffles to the Lowe’s awning to stay somewhat dry

WARM UP

12 SSH

15 Moroccan Night Clubs

12 Windmills

Plank Stretch

Downward Dog

10 Merkins

3 Burpees OYO

THE THANG

Partner Up / 2 Excercises / Alternate / Complete Reps / 3 Minutes

-Mtn Climbers / Squats 20x

-Bomb Jacks / Partner Plank Hand Taps 20x

-LBCs / Plank Jacks 20x

STOP

Continue to Run In The Rain & I Feel No Pain……………………..

Return back for some cover

-Merkins / Jump Rope 20x

-Lunges / American Hammer  20x

-Carolina Dry Docks / Low Slow Squat 20x

With the help of glitter ball bluetooth speaker and and the Seconds app, some legends joined us in ‘Da Gloom for the Theme of the Month, Encouragement:

Billy Joel -Pressure

Fleetwood Mac – Go Your own Way

Journey – Anyway You Want It

Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song

Led Zeppelin – Rock & Roll

Tom Petty – Runnin Down A Dream

Van Halen – Right Now

A “drizzling” Indian Run back to COT

Name-o-Rama

Announcements

Prayers & Praises

Welcome Back Bob the Builder

Shovel Flag handoff from Smithers to Hootie.

Props to Harry Carry for recommending the Seconds app & Cake Boss for the workout idea! Thanks Brothers!

Thank you Smithers for the honor of being the QIC!

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Puketoberfest Week 3

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Some have asked me what Puketoberfest is really about. Obviously I jokingly say that if you can’t tell by the name you should think about it again. However my desire for it really is to pick a list of Qs that would push the paxs a little harder than usual. With being able to pair them together it should make for a really good workout. Plus typically during the month of October you get to enjoy nice cool temps so it makes it a little easier for pax to push harder than it does when it is 80 degrees at 7 am with 95% humidity. In setting this up I didn’t actually expect anyone to puke, but wanted pax to push hard enough that they might think they could.

The Thang:

YHC gave the disclaimer for the 3rd week of Puketoberfest.

Moseyed over to the parking lot across from the memorial.

Sasquatch lead the group in a few minutes of broga

As promised Geronimo lead the group in the Goofball and Wegmans did the Pumpkin Spice (not doing that again)

After all of that we quickly went into our first round of exercises

Start at the parking lot – jump over the wall and go toward the building

Do 5 donkey kicks

Come back down to the parking lot and do 1 burpee.

Rinse and repeat until you reach 1 donkey kick and 5 burpees. +-1 for each.

 

Then we moved over to the grass hill where we bear crawled up the hill to find cinderblocks waiting for us. Pax partnered up and we did the following:

 

Pax 1 – Overhead carry block to next row of parking spaces and run back to Pax 2

While waiting on Pax 1 – Pax 2 is doing Mike Tyson Merkins

 

Pax 2 will then run to block and pick it up and overhead carry to the next row. Then run back. Keep doing this until team has moved the block all the way across the parking lot and back to the beginning.

 

Next exercise thanks to Sasquatch for bringing it up as a “good idea” next time someone does a cinderblock workout.

Partners get in plank position with both having one hand on the block. Work together to move the plank 15ft while doing a merkin after each time the block is moved.

 

Next set of exercises:

Squats with block – partner did LBCs until finished

Thrusters with block – partner did American Hammers until finished

 

Handed over to Trucker for the next 30 mins:

 

Quadzilla 5s: run down road, 1 squat, run up backwards, 5 merkins, rinse repeat just like 7s

Line up end parking lot, suicides to each light.

First round 1,2,3 merkins.

Round 2: 5,10,15 squats,

round 3: 5,10,15 merkins.

Round 4: 3,6,9 SSH.

In between rounds were flutters.

Round 4 we ran backwards.  

 

Ran to springs building 2 rounds of people chairs and 10 merkins. COT

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Nihil Gastrocnemius

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TL:DR version

Have to stay off my left calf. I may miss some things or get the order wrong, since I had to modify my plan heavily.  We destroyed some quadriceps…

We took a stroll to the empty side of the AO parking lot and circled up for some

  1. Low Slow Squats
  2. overhead claps
  3. merkins
  4. “under the fence” merkins x 7 (can’t find in the exercises, but I know it’s common, accidentally fired my left calf and almost ate pavement, I had to stop and had everyone get up)
    1. Start in down dog
    2. bend arms like a Carolina dry dock
    3. keep them bent and push up into Honeymooner
    4. Reverse to down dog
  5. Stretching from sumo position, drop the six and extend each leg with the toe up

Next we partnered up for some modified Dora.  Each mover would go one way and start the stationary exercise when they got to the end, while the partner did the moving exercise.  The length was from one center line to another (about 19.5m)

  1. Toy soldiers – Squats x100
  2. Leg Sweeps – LBC x200
    1. Recommended modification for the sweeps was to squat with the six just above ground, extend the left leg and shift with the six almost dragging, bring the feet together, turn 180, extend the right, and continue)
    2. Deacon has SOLID sweeps
  3. A bit of talking about encouragement, and how we as men, (especially YHC) can easily tear down someone without thinking about it
  4. Open Tee Stance  walk – high knees across the body x300
    1. Open Tee Stance – walking with toes at 45’s away from center, the back knee is just above the pavement, and the front foot lands directly in front, come up and step in front of the back knee.  This kills the quads
    2. High knees across the body not  unlike the imperial walker, but higher and combat oriented
  5. 10 count to breath
  6. 10 burpees
  7. 10 count again
  8. Squat walking, with ducking and double punch – flutter
    1. At this point we changed it up to just two lengths, no counting, just flutter

Circle up and get some more leg stretching like in the warmup.  But that was just the interlude.  Some more circle exercises were on their way

  1. Forward split circular fingertip pushups
    1. Legs out with toes up, on your fingertips, sway back going down, and forward over the hands going up
  2. Horse Stance (Al gore, if you want) and 100 2-count punches
  3. Horse Stance and 25 2-count upper cuts
  4. 15 Imperial Walkers
  5. 15 Hillbilly Walkers

Finished with some forearm stretching and back to COT where we did Name O Rama (and my phone decided not to continue recording after 2seconds), and welcomed FNG “Shazam” to F3!! Announcements and prayer and break for the day.

Background on the modification

I’ve got a massive backlog of exercises that don’t involve running, carrying people, and the normal, exhausting, certain-death at other AOs.  Most of these revolve around my shaolin background, and I had built a fun tour of the DT Fort Mill around them…  But fate or my body had other plans…

Early AM yesterday YHC was leaving my son’s school conferences and hopped off the curb onto my left foot and the same muscle pull I experienced at the Hive two weeks ago reared its ugly head. I once again got the chance to hobble around town like someone had given my calf the Tonya Harding treatment.  I thought my number was  up.  I sent messages looking for a backup Q and began praying that when I woke up in the morning I’d be healed.

That didn’t happen.  But the spasm or whatever it is calmed down enough that at 0400 this morning I could put weight on the left without too much pain.  So I geared up and drove down to Footloose in the delightful weather we’re having, and selected exercises that didn’t require anyone to fire their calves.

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No Fear = No EnCOURAGEment

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22 boot campers (including 1 FNG) and 5 runners posted to THE Ballroom this week looking for some #Encouragement along the pothole-filled road of life.  YHC offered a full Disclaimer for the benefit of our FNG (T-claps to Barney Fife on the EH) tipped the cap to Sir Topham Hat, who passed the Q baton to YHC due to work travel.  The word of the month (Encouragement) served as the inspiration for today’s adventures in the gloom, so thanks also to Chicken Hawk for his continued wisdom with that program.

Encouragement:  root word = Courage

Courage (noun): strength in the face of fear

With this backdrop, the workout unfolded with the objective of getting pax in touch with their own sense of #Fear to illustrate the experience of #Courage and the need/ability/practice of exercising it and #Encouragement of their brothers.

The Thang

warm up run to the football field

COP — SSH, IWs, Hillbilly walkers, Bombjacks, merkins, burpees

Line up along sideline, 3/4 pace sprints — to near hash/back, then far hash/back, lastly far sideline/back

Circle up for the Main Event (Fear or Favorite)

Pax were asked to identify the exercise they most #Fear when they hear the Q say “The next exercise is ___________.”  They were also asked to imagine their #Favorite exercise they like to call when they are Q.  Then we launched into 30 mins of Pax-suggested/Q-chosen exercises.

Plank jacks (Fogerty), Gravedigger (Culture Club), Partner Carry (Bass-o-Matic), V-up Roll-up (Polaroid), Sprints (FNG!), Moroccan Night Clubs (Assassin), Jack Webb (Magnum), Squats (Strawberry), Burpees (Pinup), Merkin (Rebel), Knee Tar N’Dyae (Rebel), Tunnel of Love (Twister)

Mosey home

Final ab work — American Hammer, Flutter

COT

Moleskin

T-claps to the pax for the enthusiastic participation, mumblechatter and #Encouragement throughout.  Apologies to those pax whose exercise I missed and those who I mismatched in the list above.  I know we started with Fogerty catching much flak for a stuttering proclamation of “Plank Jacks” to get us rolling.  Bass-o-matic challenged himself and all the pax in the early going with the Partner Carry call-out.  Yes, YHC quickly claimed FNG/Half Dome as partner (purely for teamwork purposes, I can assure you…it had nothing to do with his svelte frame).  Pinup threw down the gauntlet, claiming Burpees as both his Fear and his Favorite (1500 in September seems to prove the point — well done!).  Strawberry (on only his 2nd post!) showed he knows the proper rhythm of a workout by calling for Squats immediately after Jack Webb (get this man into Q school ASAP!).  And Twister had his mic drop moment with Tunnel of Love to cap it all off.  Fun times throughout!

Welcome to FNG/Half Dome, who posted at the behest of Barney Fife (kudos to both)!

Finally, just a recap on the theme to reinforce the message.  YHC, in my prideful youth and throughout a very long stretch of adulthood, deluded myself that I was purely self-motivated, and no outside influence, inspiration or good words could make a difference to my spirit or performance.  While my M openly claimed her need for affirmation and #Encouragement, I laughed those things off, as though those who needed them were weak, meek and timid.  I also claimed to have few worries or fears throughout these periods.  A-ha!!!   There it is — the smoking gun.  Since #Courage can only exist in the midst of #Fear, I must’ve needed nor displayed any #Courage throughout these years.   And in the absence of feeling #Fear and gathering up #Courage, I had no recognition of the need or value of #Encouragement.  And, so it follows sadly, that in the absence of my personal experience of these, I fumbled and floundered in expressing #Encouragement to those around me who longed for it.  This shortcoming became a significant blind spot and weakness in leading others, including my family.  Yes, sad.  Yes, true.

While I still have plenty of room for growth in the area of #Encouragement of others, my ship turned around when I became more sensitized to my own fears, and I felt the power of #Encouragement from others, and I demonstrated the #Courage that was somewhat dormant inside me.  So, the lesson here — soften your heart, look yourself in the mirror, get in touch with your #Fear.  From that point, you may find immense personal growth opportunity and the ability to better relate and #Impact those around you through #Encouragement.

Thank you to Short Sale for the Q opportunity and to all the pax for making the experience real!

 

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The Fort 6 year Anniversary – Making Getting Better a Priority!

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September 29, 2012 the landscape of Fort Mill changed dramatically. Some men from north of the border grabbed the attention of a few men south of the boarder and said we may have something for you. Double D, Santini, Senator Tressel, World Wide Leader, Red Banjo, Assassin, Peach and maybe others made the commitment to come to a “workout” on that Saturday morning. It was very skeptical, but I am sure each of them will say it changed their lives.

Here we are 6 years later, meeting in the same park with more than 200 regular participants (800+ over the years) at 37 workouts across The Fort/Lake Wylie area. Thank you to those that gave it away and thank you to those that said yes!! I think it is safe to say, IT’S MORE THAN A WORKOUT!!!

Today we recognize the 6 years with 6 Qs leading a beat down in 1st F style. On September 21st, Jekyll led us in our Invergence, which reminds us of the 3rdF and that there is something bigger than ourselves. Serving, Praying and Worshiping together happened then. On this day, we are getting better physically and having some fellowship with 70 of our PAX,

Format was a rapid fire approach where each Q has 10mins to lay it on the PAX. Old Bay would keep time and blow the air horn (maybe tweet the horn??), and then the next Q jumps in.

YHC asked for FNGS, (none) and explained the plan of attack, and then the Horn Sounded

The Thang:

  • Wegmans for COP
    • Mosey down path out to grass
    • Circle up and some traditional and not so traditional exercise moves.
    • We did notice another “Boot camp” group in the gloom. T-clapps to them, however also saw 2 holding clip boards…..not F3!!
    • Horm Blows
  • Funhouse on Q
    • Mosey to the hill for Jacobs ladder
      • Burpees
      • Squats
      • Some mary to fill time
      • Horn Blows
  • Jwow on Q
    • Mosey to top of hill for partner work
    • step ups/lunge walk up and down hill
    • squat jumps/lunge walk up and down hill
    • Plank hand slap with partner
    • Horn Blow
  • Twister on Q
    • Mosey to tree line
    • Army Crawl to tree /SSHs
    • Sprint to tree/Merkins
    • Army Crawl to Tree/SSHs
    • Sprint to tree/merkins
    • 2 rounds
    • Run Path until Horm
    • Horn Blows
  • FLUX on Q
    • Mosey back to hill
    • 6s – do following 6 times
      • bear crawl up hill
      • diamond merkins
      • bear crawl back down hill
      • Some filler in there of something aweful
      • Horn Blows
  • Assassin On Q
    • Mosey to play grownd
      • Dips
      • Derkins
      • Burpees
      • multiple rounds with running around the playground until…..
      • Horn Blows

The PAX was dripping wet from rolling in grass but also from the humid beat down that just occurred. Thanks to all the Qs for bringing it and having fun out there.

I brought up to the PAX “WHY”? Why F3 versus the many other options we have even outside of fitness and self help books. Why do we get up early and why do we do CSAUPS and why do we attend 3rdF and give away our time at various community organizations???

Pockets, Spud and Assassin all shared their Why. Thank you! I’m sure there were many more that would undoubtedly impactful.

I mentioned my why was straightforward for me. I want to continue to challenge myself physically, surround myself with like minded guys heading in the same direction and reach more guys for Sky Q and HIS purpose. I feel F3 has positively impacted my life in all 3 Fs and why would I not give it away??

See you in the GLOOM!

Cake Boss

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5

A not So slow Burn

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There was perfect weather for 29 PAX that came out for YHC third Q. I wasn’t feeling extremely confident because my first two attempts at Qing were less than stellar and this was a large turnout. After spending some quality time earlier this week coming up with what I thought would be a not-so-moderate workout I took a deep breath, said a little prayer and got busy.

The Thang

We started promptly at 5:15 with a welcome to my first FNG, the disclaimer and then we moseyed down the hill to the parking lot across from Lowe’s for some stretching.

COP:

Broga (toe touches, elbow lifts, leg stretches)

Hillbilly walkers x 25

Cherry pickers x 15

Windmills x 15

Moroccan night clubs x 25

Side straddle hops x 25

Burpees x 5

After the warmup was done we moseyed to the parking lot behind Lowe’s where the real fun began. We partnered up and started with a round of Dora 1-2-3s.

Parking lot runs and….

100 Merkins

200 LBCs

300 Overhead claps

We threw in an extra parking lot run for good luck and knocked out another 5 burpees before moseying to the parking lot in front of Empire Pizza.

COP:

Imperial walkers x 20

Low slow squats x 25

Hello dollies x 25

Burpees x 5

Moseyed back for CoT and had a little time to fit in 25 American hammers, 20 monkey humpers and more broga before calling it quits.

CoT:

Count-o-rama

Name-o-rama

FNG – My coworker and good friend, Gary Del Toro, was welcomed and almost immediately dubbed “Strawberry” because of the Mets t-shirt he was wearing. Later in the morning at work he said he really enjoyed meeting everyone and definitely planned on coming back.

Announcements

Praises and Prayer Requests

It was a great group of HIMs that definitely made me stronger mentally and physically, I hope I returned the favor. Thanks Smithers for the chance to lead!!

Barney Fife

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Partner UP!  Iron Sharpens Iron

Amazing weather morning for a F3 gathering …
Weather was perfect, humidity was bearable and the Pax showed up eager to get better.  No FNG’s disclaimer completed :
Mosey for warmup :

Circle up for the following IC:

Side straddle Hop 15x
Imperial Walkers 10x
Mtn Climbers 10x
LBC’s 10x
Hillbillie Walkers 10x
Moroccan Nightclub 15x
Merkins 10x
Plank Jack 10x
Windmills 10x
2 Burpees (OYO) closed us out

Mosey :

Explained Theme and Goals for the workout :
GET in the Game: “look for opportunities that are presented!
Specifically, the people you intersect within your life…..”
Partner up!  Accountability and Opportunity to GET Better.
Proverbs 27:17. As Iron sharpens Iron, so a Friend sharpens a Friend.

Explained to PAX I joined F3 in September 2015 : My fitness, spiritual and fellowship commitments are so much stronger over the past 3 years than in my previous 40 years on this earth, I am blessed !

The THANG: Partner up!
10x reps : 2 sets
Partner Derkins :
Partner 1 planks : Partner 2 Derkins
Partner Leg Raises ( Iron Crosses)
Partner 1 Assists / counts
Partner 2 : ( on six) raises legs to touch hands of partner one :
Jog to other side of parking lot :
10 partner merkins : hand slap Merkins
Jog back to start : Partner 2 completes reps and sets

Mosey for Round 2 and 3 :

Round 2 : Partner up! Combined total
100 Merkins :
Rotate every (20) : Partner 2 planks

200 Flutter Kicks :
Rotate every (25)  Partner: Al Gore

300 Squats:
Rotate every (30) Partner : Plank

Round 3 : line up on the curb (plenty of room located for all 21 pax…

Toe Taps : while each pax jumps out of line for 2 burps ( start at one end and move to other : modified for each end to start and meet in the middle)

Once completed : Circle up
Body destroyer : while 2 pax met in middle of circle for 2 burpees.
Finished with round of Mary :

COT : 21 Pax : Announcements/Prayers for Hurricane Florence recovery and First Responders along with all volunteers heading over the coast to assist with recovery.

Very Blessed for the Opportunity to Q

Thank you to Beacon!!!

Fogerty

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Today was the 13th and since so many are superstitious on the 13th , I was thinking why not make their apprehension for a certain day of the month a reality!  All were also concerned with the approaching storm perhaps they overlooked the storm that was coming this morning in the Gloom.

We began with a little Broga sun salutation action to get us in the mood for a longerish mosey….Love running down the middle of Fort Mill in the early morning. 

We turned and ran past the police starting their shift , a lot of hello’s to the officers…then a right turn down the hill and to the church from there it was game on. 

The Thang

10 burpees  and a run up the stairs and around the church x5…yes 50 burpees

next 4 rounds of 10 dive bomb merkins and up the stairs and around the building

next 3 rounds of 10 hands out front merkins and up the stairs.  (note to self: stairs are painful after 12 times) Doesn’t matter what was coming after that as time ran out so we moseyed up the hill to the COT for the closing and oxygen. 

Thank you to all again for helping me catch back up on the September burpee challenge. 

 

Dungaree

 

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Partner UP! Iron Sharpens Iron.

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Partner UP!

Amazing weather morning for a F3 gathering …
Weather was perfect, humidity was bearable and the Pax showed up eager to get better.   NoFNG’s Disclaimer  : Mosey for warmup

Circle up for the following IC:

Side straddle Hop 15x
Imperial Walkers 10x
Mtn Climbers 10x
LBC’s 10x
Hillbillie Walkers 10x
Moroccan Nightclub 15x
Merkins 10x
Plank Jack 10x
Windmills 10x
2 Burpees (OYO) closed us out

Mosey :

Explained Theme and Goals for the workout : GET in the Game: “Look for opportunities that are presented!  Specifically, the people you intersect within your life…..”
Partner up!  Accountability and Opportunity to GET Better.
Proverbs 27:17. As Iron sharpens Iron, so a Friend sharpens a Friend.

Partner UP for accountability.

Explained to PAX , I joined F3 in September 2015 : My fitness, spiritual and fellowship commitments are so much stronger over the past 3 years than in my previous 40 years on this earth, I am blessed !

The THANG: Partner up!
10x reps : 2 sets
Partner Derkins :
Partner 1 planks : Partner 2 Derkins
Partner Leg Raises ( Iron Crosses)
Partner 1 Assists / counts
Partner 2 : (on six) raises legs to touch hands of partner one :
Jog to other side of parking lot :
Partner Merkins : hand slap Merkins
Jog back to start : Partner 2 completes reps and sets

Mosey for Round 2 and 3 :

Round 2 : Partner up! Combined total
100 Merkins :
Rotate every (20) : Partner 2 planks

200 Flutter Kicks :
Rotate every (25)  Partner: Al Gore

300 Squats:
Rotate every (30) Partner : Plank

Round 3 : Line up on the curb (plenty of room located for all 21 pax…)

Toe Taps : while each pax jumps out of line for 2 burps ( start at one end and move to other : modified for each end to start and meet in the middle)

Once completed : Circle up
 Body destroyer : while 2 pax met in middle of circle for 2 burpees.
Finished with round of Mary :

COT : 21 Pax : Announcements/Prayers for Hurricane Florence recovery and First Responders along with all volunteers heading over the coast to assist with recovery.

Very Blessed for the Opportunity to Q
Thank you to Beacon!!!

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