With a lot of the PAX spending time with their 2.0s at F3 Dads camp I wasn’t sure what type of turnout we’d have. Thankfully 8 other PAX missed the F3 Dads deadline like myself and decided to post.
Disclaimer was given and off we went on a warm up lap around the park. Onto field for normal exercises: 25-SSHs, 15-Windmills, 20-Merkins, 15-Peter Parkers in Plank, 20-Slow Squats, & 15 Smurf Jacks.
Mosey over to wall under concession stand and partner up.
P1 does peoples chair while P2 runs to fence and back. Swap and then repeat so each PAX runs twice.
Leg pushdowns – Try not to let your legs hit the ground after partner pushes them down. 15 then swap.
Wheelbarrow from foul line out to back of infield behind short-stop then swap going back.
Burpee jump overs – P1 is down in plank, P2 jumps over and does a burpee for a total of 8. Then swap so P2 does 8. Then keep swapping and reducing burpees by 2 (P1-8, P2-8, P1-6, P2-6, P1-4…)
Empty shopping cart – Kinda like a backwards wheelbarrow. Crab walk instead of bear crawl with partner holding legs up.
15 partner merkins with handslaps, run to fence and back then 15 more.
Come together into 2 5 man teams. 4 guys are in plank while the last guy weaves his way to the front then drops into plank and lets the last guy know to start. We made it about half way across the outfield before it was time for the main event.
Walker takes the Q and we mosey over to other field for 410 shotgun. 4 cones in a square, same exercise to be done at cone each time, 10 reps each cone, 10 times around the square.
1st cone was 10 burpees
2nd cone was 10 V-ups
3rd cone was 10 diamond merkins
4th cone was 10 body squats
The plan was to do 10 rounds of this but we audibled after the 7th round to circle up for the following pleasantries all in cadence:
60 – 4 count flutter kicks
40 Freddie Mercury’s
Heels 6″ off ground for 90 seconds
20 single count Merkins
20 staggered Merkins (10 left hand forward, 10 right hand forward)
Time’s up, PAX were smoked. COT.
I didn’t know Walker that well before this but I heard he was a machine. There was talk the night before about pre-running so I decided to join him and Fish Sticks. Of course Tega Cay is nice and flat and those 2 are slow….so I learned not to pre-run a hard workout anymore. But overall it was a lot of fun and appreciate the opportunity to lead!
Weather – upper 60s- with a chill in the air for this Floridian!
As the pax began to roll into the AO, including a number of them who chose to take a pre-run, YHC was giddy with excitement. It felt like good old times with so many familiar faces!
As the clock struck 6:30, the disclaimer was shared along with the 5 core principles and off we went for a mozi around the park. Mozi included butt kickers, high knees, Carioca x2 and a quick pace to finish the run. Without hesitation, it was time to hit the dewy fresh cut grass for COP.
COP was delivered in a speed round, where the Q calls out an exercise and is immediately followed by the first Pax member calling out SSH x10 IC. The COP went as follows:
Merkins x10IC
SSH x10IC
Windmills x10IC
SSH x10IC
Imperial Walkers x10IC
SSH x10IC
Mountain Climbers x10IC
SSH x10IC
Peter Parkers x10IC
SSH x10IC
It was time to get to business. The intent of the beatdown was to share some of the Pax favorites from my new region, F3 Suncoast. First up was, FUN WITH ANIMALS. Cones were set up roughly 15 feet from the starting point and the pax had to do the following mode of transportation x2:
Bear Crawl
Duck Walk
Crab Walk
Crawl Bear
Frog Hop
It was obvious that the pax was having such a great time, we rinsed and repeated, with only 1 time each the second round.
After we had enough fun with animals, a quick mozi was done and the pax ended up at the bottom of the hill on Tara Tea Drive for a round of Jacobs Ladder. Run up to the top of the hill for 1 Burpee, run back down and immediately return to the top for 2 burpess. Rinse and repeat until you have done 7 burpees. Plank at the top until the entire pax is complete. This was no easy feat for this Floridian flatlander, but clearly was a crowd favorite.
After the six was in, it was time for some Mike Tysons along the curb. Due to the size of the Pax, half of the group ran laps until the first group was done doing Mike Tysons x10. We did two rounds and it was back to the fields of Alcatraz for the grande finale…and grand it was.
Ripken Suicides
As done at any Ripken Q at F3 Suncoast, it was time for Ripken Suicides (or as Longshanks called them initially – Cupcakes because Suicides isn’t sensitive enough). The pax had 1 minute to complete a full round of suicides, with the next round starting after the first minute. The faster you get done, the most rest. This is done for 10 rounds, as long as you are able to get the suicides done in 60 seconds. There wasn’t a lot of love shown for Ripken after this finale! Thanks Ripken!!
With 3 minutes remaining, it was time for a quick round of mary including LBCs, Protractor and one other.
Round of Mary
The MoleSkin:
YHC encouraged the pax to not hestitate to disrupt their status quo. To make sure they are not remaining in their comfort zone. Roughly 2 years ago today, the Kelly family entirely disrupted their status quo, having no idea why the chose to leave such a great community, pax and soccer family to head to a place where we knew NO ONE. Not long after arriving in Florida, the status quo was disrupted AGAIN with YHC taking an entirely new job and quitting the one he moved to Florida for initially. This opportunity has been a true blessing as YHC no longer travels for work and is home with the family and available to apply more time to launching a new region for F3. The Pax of F3 The Fort and surrounding areas have been instrumental in disrupting the lives of over 225 men in the Sarasota area, as it was because of them YHC had the confidence to move and then start a new region. I am honored and humbled to be a part of F3 The Fort and to give away all that I have gained to my new region in F3 Suncoast.
Prayers/Praises:
For Cable Guy and his family
James, friend of YHC battling cancer for the 3rd time at 9 years old
Many other prayer requests spoken
Announcements:
Coffeeteria at Panera Bread – Thanks for hanging out, I had a great time
CAH – Join us
Welcome to Skyline – You did a great job in a not so friendly FNG beatdown!
Wow, I am really bad at all of the announcements as I am not with this pax daily!
Thank you for this great opportunity and I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday at Honey Badger.
June 2 marked the official start to summer at The Fort, and 13 men met at WEP to get after it. The mumble chatter started early and continued through the workout (well most of it, anyway). Here is what happened:
The Thang:
Mosey from the parking lot, through the wooded trail, and out to the main road. Head to the Springs lot for COP:
All in Cadence:
SSH x40, Windmill x 15, CDD x 20, Squat x 20, Mountain Climber x20/hold/Peter Parker Peter x 15/hold/mountain climber x 20, Boat and canoe x 4, Monkey humper x 15
Mosey to the narrow parking lot by the Springs building and pair up.
Partner 1 does Freddie Merc’s while partner 2 runs the full length of the lot and back. Flapjack
Partner 2 does Sumo squats while partner 2 runs the full length of the lot and back. Flap jack
Take a short mosey to the awning over the sidewalk
3. Partner 1 does wall pull ups while partner 2 crabwalks the width of the parking lot and back. Flapjack.
Since this was the first week that The Fort started at the earlier time of 6:30, we moseyed back to the park thinking there might be some Pax who didn’t get the message. Sure enough, Weezer and Drop Thrill were in the parking lot waiting for the workout to start. We picked them up, did a short mosey to the field and I handed off to Walker
Line up for 11’s: 10 burpees at the start, run about 20 yards, do 1 LBC, run back. Continue decreasing the bupees by 1, while increasing the LBC’s by 1 until you complete 1 burpee and 10 LBC’s. Plank for the 6.
Walker then led the group through a series of upper body and ab exercises:
20 merkins (double count in cadence)
20 diamond merkins – oyo
10 plyometric merkins (hand clamp or full body jump) – oyo
10 prison cell merkins – oyo
50 flutters in cadence (crowd pleaser)
40 Freddie Mercs in cadence
20 regular merkins in cadence
10 merkins with left palm facing the sky, right regular, 10 opposite (impossible, except for the Q!)
Hold feet 6″ off the ground for 90 secs
30 flutter kicks in cadence (ugh!)
COT
Moleskin:
Walker and I had a Q planned for Alcatraz about a year ago, but a scheduling conflict prevented it from happening. So, I was pretty psyched when Bonsai told me I was paired with Walker for today. Walker is all business and always pushes the Pax. I like that.
There was plenty of mumble chatter from the get go. I called out the 60 sec warning before the start of the workout, but I don’t think anyone noticed as everyone continued to talk. I had to yell slightly to get everyone’s attention when we were starting the workout. The chatter continued on the trek through the woods and during COP. People just wouldn’t shut up this morning – it was great. It’s good to be the Q when that is happening.
Walker took some time to remind the Pax about good form on merkins (to prevent shoulder injuries) and LBC’s (for better results). Slow down the pace and do the exercises properly. It’s good advice for guys who workout several days a week. He called out some pretty tough merkins (plyometric) and some done on the back of your hand (try that sometime).
We had a lively group today and it was truly a pleasure and a privilege to lead them with my friend and co-respect, Walker.
Announcements: F3 Dads starts today and goes throughout the summer. Contact Change Order for more details or if you’d like to Q.
I was at The Fort a couple of months ago and mentioned to Bonsai that I would like to be put on the Q Schedule, as I had never had a Q at this great AO. Soon after, he contacted me to request that I give him a date. Well, that date has arrived.
I had originally had Ponytail as a CoQ, but do to his schedule change he couldn’t make it. I quickly asked Bonsai to find someone who could lead a short warmup as a VQ. Bonsai put it on Twitter about a week and advance and the HIM to step up was . . . well nobody. His only choice then was to tell everyone that Longshanks would be the CoQ if nobody stepped up. Well, again nobody stepped up, so YHC’s CoQ was Longshanks as determined by the PAX.
WARMUP
Well, this really wasn’t a warmup as it was Longshanks leading. It was more of a beginning to the madness that was about to continue. Longshanks led us in 15 SSH; 1 Burpee; 10 Windmills; 2 Burpees; 10 Imperial Walkers; 3 Burpees; 10 Hillbilly Walkers; 4 Burpees; 15 Low Slow Squats; 10 Burpees. We then took a mosey over to parking in front of US Synergetic for the following: High Knees; Butt Kickers; Toy Soldiers; & Soccer Moms.
We then moseyed over to Millstone Park for some Lucky 7’s. At the bottom of the stairs, 7 dips; at the top of the stairs, 7 squats; and at the short wall, 7 box jumps . . . X 7. As the PAX waited for the 6 they performed LBC’s. We then all performed 7 chin-ups on the bar, 7 pull ups on the bar, and 7 Bombjacks.
Then Longshanks passed it off to YHC.
THE THANG
Prior to moseying back to the following locations, we turned and faced the flag at Veteran’s Park for the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag led by Geronimo.
A few days earlier in the week, I had done an afternoon ReCon of the area to know exactly where I wanted to go to be prepared for this workout I have been long awaiting for. Well after we did the Warmup, we took a mosey over to the small parking lot in front of US Synergetic for the following: BOMBS-Burpees; Overhead Claps; Merkins; Big Boy SitUps; and Squats.
I’m not a big fan of exercises where the PAX have to do a lot of counting because I believe it takes away from the fellowship of our time in the gloom. So I did these BOMBS a little different. I asked the PAX to pair up with someone they know fairly well. Then we began the BOMBS. Partner 1 performed the exercise as the bottom of the hill (Massey St. Hill) while Partner 2 ran to the top and back. Then they flip flopped. We did this for 1 round of BOMBS at a pace that each PAX could maintain.
Before starting I had asked the PAX to get to know the other PAX while either running the hill or performing the exercises. The objective of this whole series of exercises was to allow for good fellowship in between breaths.
During the workout we stopped at a statue located just across from Veteran’s Park of three people assisting each other up a wall. I then discussed what is below in the NMM.
We then moseyed back to the COT where Zildjian led us in some MoM.
NMM
When I am unable to post due to work or other commitments, it seems as if my day just aren’t the same. Even if I have to do a #fern Workout or Run at the house or Y it is not the same. I can get fit by myself. I cannot keep a relationship with that #fern for a long period of time. I just get tired of talking and never getting anything back. It is a one way street.
F3 is just the opposite. It is a two way street with a purpose. The PAX of F3 push me to get better physically, emotionally, spiritually with a purpose to live a better life. F3 allows me to humble myself to authority and be led and it allows me to lead, all to make me a better man.
During our workout I stopped at a statue the three people helping each other up a wall. I mentioned the person at the top. This was someone who had already made it to the top: but one thing to notice is that this person was not still looking up or over the wall finding a way to get to the other side. They were looking down at the others with his hand held to assist them get over as well. Then there was the one in the middle being pushed and pulled. Almost to the top, but not quiet there. Needing assistance from both of the other two men. Then there was the person at the bottom. This person did not appear to be down in spirit because he hadn’t started. This person was pushing the other person up to make them better.
The important thing in all of this is they were all working to make each other better. This is what F3 is about. We are all in this as a team, and if we see another struggling we need not look the other way. We as F3 brothers, as men, should help in whatever way possible to help or assist.
This is a call out to all of our brothers. Keep you ears open and your eyes wide. There is always another brother struggling and you, yes YOU might be the HIM God has called to help.
Eccl. 4:9-12 ‘Tow are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Read Your Newsletter.
Start Time Change at The Fort starting June 2: 6:30-
When Smuggler organized this Q combo, he must’ve known a lot of PAX were looking for that Saturday morning push. After some banter back and forth between the WEP Q’s and us Alcatraz Q’s, we were pleasantly surprised to see car after car after car roll into Runde Park this Saturday morning. The weather was warm and the PAX were primed with the early mumble chatter. With the typical “don’t hurt yourself and don’t sue if you do hurt yourself” disclaimer, we took a very abbreviated (10yd) mosey to the right side of the parking lot (a slight teaser for what was coming).
Jog to the other end of the lot and back then repeat.
Walking lunges 1/2 way down then high knees to the end. Same thing on the way back to the start.
Windmills & deadlifts to warm up the legs a little more then mosey to the top of “THE HILL”
PAX squat for 20sec then jog to the base of the hill followed by an all-out sprint back to the top of the hill and squat for the six.
Repeat for a 40sec squat hold then the jog down/sprint up and squat for the six.
Repeat for a 60sec squat hold then the jog down/sprint up and squat for the six.
Find some curb and 50 calf raises each leg.
Mosey to the field for a circle up.
This was when I think they really lost my mind…Lt. Dan’s (1 squat and 4 jumping lunges (2ea side counts as 4)) and we went to 8:32 before handing it off Tesh!!
With Tesh on Q, you just had a feeling this was going to get bad.
With the PAX in a very long plank:
5 Merkins
10 Mountain Climbers
5 Merkins
10 Peter Parkers
5 Merkins
Various Tesh-approved CORE exercises
Mosey to the fence line:
Merkin-Turtle crawl (can’t explain…you had to be there)
10 Merkins
Bear Crawl 50yds
More Tesh-approved CORE exercises
10 Bombjacks x 3 rounds
Mosey to the playground and split into 4 groups
Rotate through 5 pull-ups & 10 dips. For those waiting, hold the Al Gore pose.
Yet more Tesh-approved CORE exercises
Repeat the above 2 lines
Closed it out with 6min of Mary which couldn’t end fast enough.
Announcements: Yeti (Newsletter), Reading in Paradise
Prayer Requests: Praise for Palmer family, Cornerstone’s family, continued prayers for the Family & Friends affected by the recent tragedy’s our community has experienced, our officers, job transitions, marriages.
I’m sure Smuggler will get a little verbal backlash on this but hey, it made us better and everyone crushed it.
Saturday, September 30th 2017 was a special Convergence for the PAX of The Fort. On that day we celebrated 5 years of using these small workout groups to invigorate male leadership in Fort Mill. To honor the occasion, 88 PAX gathered at one of our favorite AOs (Nations Ford HS) to celebrate the day and the leaders that made it all happen.
We also celebrated 6 Friendly New Guys that joined us that morning. Welcome Tubs, Band Camp, Jughead, Atari, Hat Trick, and Saul.
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Here’s how we got better:
Warmup (led by Ginsu)
Mosey to the football field
30 Side Straddle Hops
10, 4-count windmills
30 Moroccan night clubs
10, 4-count merkins
10, 4-count Peter Parkers
10, 4-count Parker Peters
10, 4-count LBCs
20 low slow squats
Split into groups (Run, Regular Bootcamp, Black Diamond, Ruck, Moderate Bootcamp)
Run (led by Birdcage)
800 meter indian run
1000 meter 10k pace with 1 minute rest x2
200 meter 1 mile race pace 200 meter cool down x4
400 meter sprint corners recover straights
1600 meter cool down
5 miles total
Bootcamp (led by Royale)
Mosey over to the concrete football field
10 merkins
Lunge walk 10 yards then do 3 burpees
Next ten yards bear crawl then 3 more burpees
Rise and repeat until we hit the other goal line
10 count – going over the Five Core Principals of an F3 workout
Next phase we broke into 4 groups
At each corner of the end zones there were 5 exercises written on a board. We would complete in your group and then run to the next corner. Everyone would hit al 4 corners.
Corner 1
20 Merkins
30 Lunges
30 Dying Cockroaches
30 Ski Abs
3 Kraken Burpees
Corner 2
20 Ranger Merkins
30 Squats
40 Freddy Mercurys
40 Shoulder Taps
10 burpees
Corner 3
20 Durkins
20 Jump Squats
50 American Hammers
30 Monkey Humpers
10 Mountain Climber Burpees
Corner 4
20 Wide Arm Merkins
20 Sumo Squats
20 V-Up Twists
20 Bombjacks
10 Squat Burpees
We talked about the word of the month – Leadership. I shared we all have an opportunity to lead through F3, just like we all have the responsibility to lead in our homes. I know I struggle with the balance of work and family time. As the leader of our households we need to support our Ms and be the examples to our children.
Mosey over to the round about
Each man would take a lap around 1st doing Lt Dans
Finally we would bear crawl.
Mosey to the football field for the last 30 seconds and some LBCs
Mosey to track run 1/4 mile as fast as you can. U vs. U
Mosey to end zone. Count off by 2s. split into groups first person flips tire 10 times than run end zone to end zone while next person flips tire everyone else continuously do 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 big boy sit ups. Keep going until all of group is finished.
10 min 100 burpees. Do 10 burpees every minute on the minute. U vs. U
Mosey to 50 yard line 5 minute of Mary
Sideline sprints x 2 first set after you run 10 tuck jumps. 2nd set 5 hand release merkins
Ruck (led by Trucker)
2 20lb, 3 40lb, and 3 60lb sandbags were snagged from back of car as 8 PAX tucked down to the elementary school and dropped the sandbags next to the telephone poles. The 8 PAX carried the telephone pole around the parking lot. Left telephone pole where we found it and rucked backwards up the hill to the pull up bars. What’s a WO by Trucker without pull ups? YHC challenged the 8 PAX to do 2 sets of 5 pull ups with ruck on.
Rucked into stadium and lined up in 2 columns for sandbag throws from one end of football field to other and back. Then rucked up and down the football stand stairs from one end back. Rinse and repeat with sandbag throws and stadium stairs. Threw sandbags again down to other side of endzone and then formed 2 lines abs flipped tires from one end to other. Sandbag threw back to other endzone and climbed stadium stairs one more time. Finished with a 20 count flutters. Great work by seasoned and rookie ruckers.
Moderate (led by Short Sale)
MOSEY to Elementary School
Grab some Wall. Wall Sits while Pax at each end jumps out of line for 5 squats
Repeat with 5 Bombjacks.
Count off by 5’s and mosey to back of the parking lot
Number 1’s go to station #1
2’s start at Station3, etc.
Stations: 3 minutes/station. Q calls stop & go
1: 10 Merkins, 20 Calf raises
2: 20 LBCs, 20 Monkey Humpers
3: 10 SSHs, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
4: 10 Scorpion Dry Docks, 20 Squats
5: 20 Imperial Walkers, 10 Apollo Ohnos
6: 10 Broad Jumps, 20 Flutters
7: 10 Bombjacks, 20 squat jabs
8: 10 handclap merkins w/partner, 10 partner Derkins- Beloved by veteran Pax and FNGs alike
9: 10 Jump Squats, 10 CDD’s
10: 10 Dips, 5 jack Webbs
Mosey to Stop sign at bottom of hill for some Mary- Hello Dollies, Flutters, Protractor
MESSAGE ON LEADERSHIP- F3 gives us a great platform to grow our leadership skills and build confidence as a leader. The Pax will let you know if/when something has gone wrong but will also be there to lift you up. Also, the best leaders don’t focus on their ROLE, they focus on the GOAL. So, be the leader you were called to be.
Great group of men came to work. Veterans guided the FNGs and encouraged them at every step of the way. YHC kept reminding the group that it is UvsU out here. Some quality mumble chatter about what moderate means. Smiles all around when moved on from the stations.
Wrap Up
What we have at The Fort is special. It is a strong group of PAX led by men who live with intentionality. I am sure that each of us would agree that it has impacted our lives in ways that we will never be able to describe. At some point for each of us, we were gifted F3. We were headlocked by someone who recognized the impact that F3 had on them and how it could help us. With that in mind, let’s pay this gift forward. Be the leader you were called to be and use your influence to headlock the sad clowns around you, FNGs and Kotters, that are where you once were. Be a leader.
