Tag: Weezer

WHETSTONE…Relaunches at THE FORT

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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.

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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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6

Chilly Mid-April Morning at Colosseum

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9 men joined YHC for a cold beatdown.

Mosey around the parking lot.

WARMUP

  • 35 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10 4 count merkins
  • 20 4 count mountain climbers
  • 10 4 count windmills
  • 20 4 count heels to heaven
  • 20 4 count pickle pounders
  • Honeymooner to stretch out the abs

The THANG

Line up at the first line of a series of 19 arrows the run down the back road at Gold Hill Middle

  • 1 burpee per arrow (19 total)
  • run back to start and LBC for six
  • Xs and Os in cadence
  • 3 jump squats per arrow (57 total)
  • run back to start and LBC for six
  • Captain Thors to 5×20
  • 3 merkins per arrow (57 total)
  • run back to start and LBC for six
  • boats and canoes

Mosey to the benches under the awning

  • 10 burpee box jumps
  • protractor
  • rinse & repeat x 3

Mosey to COT

Xs and Os

COT

Announcements for Convergence, Sweettooth Run, Strawberry Festival

Praise for good cancer diagnosis, safety through weather, other health progress. Prayers for Badger, back injury, and safe travel.

– Ginsu

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2

Old School Beat Down at The Fort

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23 Pax joined YHC and Old Bay for Day 12 of 12 for Ass Kick’n April.  Lazy site Q saw The Fort on the calendar and volun-told YHC to Q.  Agreed and Old Bay made a plan to bring back the pain old school style.

The Thang:

Run around WEP, circle up for COP:

SSH X 50, Imperial Walker X 20, Hillbilly Walker X 20, Windmill X 10, Squat X 20, Plan Jacks X 20, Sumo Squat X 20, Merkins X 10, Lunges X 20, Mak tar Jai X 20

Mosey to the hill for a Jacob’s Ladder:  1-7 – Burpees up top, Squats at bottom

Quick Ab Lab with slow and fast Freddy Mercury X 20

Hand over to Old Bay

Run to parking lot and get a Coupon made of wood or a fire hose!

Drill bits with a deconstructed burpee – 10 Bomb Jacks, 10 Thrust Outs, 10 Merkins

Rinse and repeat for 6 drill bits – with the damn coupons

Head up the back hill to upper soccer fields – with the damn coupons

Wind sprints with partner – add an exercise to each sprint and with the damn coupon – 4 cones with a myriad of painful stuff to do with the damn coupon

Back to COT

Great to be back for a Saturday workout at WEP! What a spectacular place to have here in Fort Mill.

Funhouse

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9

Man in the Arena

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Perfect gloom conditions.  15 studs out for a beatdown.  Opened with Teddy Roosevelt’s Man in the Arena.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Warm up:

  • warm up 70%  sprints between each exercise
    • SSH, Squat, SSH, Merkin

The Thang:

  • 4 corners- run in between- (abt 30 yards) Rinse/Repeat x 5
    • 3 burpee
    • 4 bombjacks
    • 5 merkin
    • 6 squat
  • Ark Loader Series- 30 yards, Rinse/Repeat x 3
    • Bear Crawl down, 10 merkins
    • Lunge walk back, 10 squat
    • crab walk down, 10 LBC
    • Backward Bear Crawl back, 10 CDD
  • 6 minutes of Mary
    • flutter
    • rosalita
    • protractor
  • Sprint Series
    • 2 x 70%
    • 1 X 85%
    • 5  X 100%

COT

Naked Man Moleskin

Jedi and Straight Up were out front today, all morning.  No surpise here.  Lots of great mumblechatter as the men answered the call for a beatdown and were all in.

 

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Party of 13 at Alcatraz (way past due…)

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P200 training dictates pre-runs whenever you can get them.  Well that was a mistake.  Jedi and myself met Fish Sticks & Bolt for a “fellowship” pace behind Alcatraz which consisted of 3 miles of hills at 8 min pace.  We got back right at 7am, just in time to greet the other 9 pax.  Wonderful.

Bolt took us around the outside of the field for a half mile warm up sprint prior to the stretching / / official warm-up.  I took it from there for a some fun w/ cones:

Cones set up 20 yds apart, 5 sets in total, for a 100 yds down the field.  I give one exercise w/ rep count, and the pax runs to each cone and does it at each cone, all the way down the field x5 no break:

  1.  3 burpees (15 in total)
  2. 10 jump lunges (each leg) (50 jump lunges each leg)
  3. 5 burpees (25 burpees)
  4. 10 jump squats (50 jump squats)
  5. 3 burpees (15 burpees)
  6. 10 big boy sit-ups (50 sit-ups)

55 burpees, 100 lunges, 50 jump squats and 50 sit-ups in 12 minutes isn’t too shabby to get things started.

Next up – the hill outside of Alcatraz:

  1.  Run down hill, back pedal up the hill and do 20 merkins.  Repeat run down, back pedal up, 16 merkins.  Hill, 12, Hill, 8, Hill, 4, done.  60 merkins and plenty of hills.  Shibby.

Some fun w/ basketball.  Each pax gets a shot from the free throw line.  If he makes, I have an exercise.  If he misses, I have a different exercise (I wonder which one is worse…).  Well, needless to say the pax missed every shot.  In order of exercises after each missed shot:

  1.  Up and down every parking lot line (side shuffle, sprint, side shuffle, sprint…until you get to the end).
  2. 60 flutters (120 single)
  3. 5 kraken burpees
  4. 40 fast / slow freddie mercuries (80 single)
  5. 20 diamond merkins
  6. 20 American Hammers

Hand off to Bolt for the grand finale – partner obstacle course.  Partner 1 goes through the gauntlet while Partner 2 rips through merkins, squats and LBC’s (50 was the # I believe).  Bolt set up about 12 cones w/ rope weaving between and across each of them making the army crawl almost impossible to keep your butt that low to the ground (at least for a guy w/ a big ass like myself).  Obstacle course goes as follows:

  1.  Broad jump to cones
  2. Army crawl 10 yards under rope
  3. bear crawl to sand bags
  4. Curl sand bags
  5. Weave in and out of 6 more cones touching each as you pass
  6. Sprint back to finish

We closed it out w/ some good discussion around the recent events in Florida and engaging God on the little battles throughout a man’s day.  Thanks for the chance to lead Smuggler.  Always a pleasure w/ this group.

ChaChing

 

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3

A Return Home to the Colosseum

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This morning was the ideal morning to make a return to the Colosseum to fulfill my opportunity to Q. What made it ideal? I woke up, the temps were cold, I wrote a Weinkie, I had a message to deliver and a few Pax showed up to see where they should direct soreness-induced comments come Wednesday morning. That’s what made it ideal. See, we are blessed with this opportunity to join other men as we get broken down physically. And the byproduct of that beat-down is the chance to learn more about the man to our left and right and reach out a hand to see how you can go beyond yourself.

So 18 other men decided that the Colosseum was where they wanted to spend 45mins this Tuesday morning and for that, I’m humbled. 18 other men brought their gloves (most of them anyways) and wanted to see what I had in store. While only 1 man asked to see the deck of cards, it became evident that 18 men were ready to put in some work. But before we did that, I had to say a few words that were intended to be a disclaimer and brief run down of how what we were about to do was slightly different than the norm yet more of what is to come.

We jogged through the drop-off lanes of both schools and found our way to the line of cones in the back bus lot.  We lined up at the cones for a series of 3-tier suicides to the other end of the lot but only at 50%. Now that we’re a little warmed up, we circled up for some stretching:  Hammies, Hip Flexors, Back, SSH, High Knees and Wind Mills

Now we stepped it up a little:

Clock Merkins 1-12 and let the chatter begin

10 Burpees with an extra squat for good measure (I still have to pay up on my 69 Burpees…GO PACK)

Wave Merkins around the circle (5 rounds)

10 Donkey Kicks with 2 Carolina Dry Docks after each

Single Count Diamond Merkins x 10

10 Burpees with a Jump Tuck on each

Back on the line with your partner.

Partner 1: Bear Crawl the length of the parking lot to Shady’s car and sprint back

Partner 2: American Hammers until #1 returns.

Partner 1: Bear Crawl the length of the parking lot to Shady’s car and sprint back

Partner 2: Toe-Touch V-ups or some modification thereof

On The Playground which turned out to be way more complicated than imagined

Partner 1: 20 Swing Crunches or modify to a bench where necessary

Partner 2: 20 Grave Diggers on the left side

Partner 1: 20 Swing Crunches or modify to a bench where necessary

Partner 2: 20 Grave Diggers on the right side

Mosey to the back entrance road. With your same partner, run to the light post and do 2 merkins. Run to the next post and do 2 merkins. Continue this for 6 light posts and rest at the end.

Once we all completed this series, I took advantage of the captive audience to explain what my next venture is. Beginning in January, I’ll be launching a new Black Diamond-inspired AO named, BEYOND. While we typically think physically or geographically when we hear the word, Beyond, I challenge you to think differently. Think Beyond your normal conversations with your family, Beyond your sports-themed conversations with your friends, Beyond your show up and get your job done tasks with work, Beyond your bedtime prayers with kids-type of spiritual relationship and yes, Beyond your typical physical breaking point. Like muscles; our minds, faith, relationships, abilities and comfort zones only improve when stretched BEYOND what they’re used to doing. We grow as men when we’re beaten physically and I’ll use BEYOND as a platform to do just that. Many more details to come but would you consider joining me for a week or more to try it out? This is not to replace any existing AO, purely complimentary

So here’s the walking away assignment. Remember that partner you had? He is now your partner through Friday, December 1. I challenge you to send a text/tweet or call him daily to check in on him. Not simply to say hey or, “Man, I can’t wait to see the Tigers sport their own version of the Turnover Chain” but ask a real question and get ready for a real answer. Don’t ask how he’s doing and expect, “good, you?”.

19 of us responded, “AYE” when I asked if they were willing to do that for their partner.

We then mosey’d back to COT to put a ribbon on this edition of THE COLOSSEUM.

Announcements: Bring the following to Friday’s Christmas Party: a toy, small umbrella, 36″ Duffel Bag and/or alarm clock for CAH and Operation Sweet Tooth. Longshanks can also accept gift cards for OST.

Prayer Requests: New positions at work, improved communication at home, Patience, Sandlot’s wife, making time for our M’s and ensuring they’re not the last one in the house to get the time they deserve. Look for ways to help your M’s this season, to include preparing things and taking care of some of the Christmas shopping.

GO BEYOND!!

Maximus

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13

F3 The Fort Thanksgiving Convergence 2017

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70 Men came today to burn calories so they can eat whatever they want the rest of the day. Ok, maybe that was my reasoning, but most came because the know in order to get better, even in being Gratful, it is best when being challenged by your brothers. We all came to get better and realize this great thing we have called F3 and give thanks!
Santini Opening with warm up both physically and mentally with some leadership principles
Split off into the various groups!
4 went for for a Run
F3-Wapner on the Moderate Q:
  • Drile (F3-Wapner)
    Mozy to the front of SFES, high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Mozy to front of SFMS, circled up…Side straddle hop, Merkins, Cherry Pickers, and Moroccan Nightclub
    Mozy to SFMS bus loop …high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Circled up.. Flutter Kicks and Low Slow Squats, America Hammer and Low Slow Squats, Merkins and Windmills, mountain climbers and windmills
    Mozy to back of SFES, circled up…Peter Parker’s and Side Straddle Hop, Plank and windmill, shoulder taps and Low Slow Squats, LBCs and Moroccan Nightclub
    Then rinse and repeated the above sequence…before joining the other groups at COT
    Lil E—Bootcamp Q
    Mosey to the parking lot in the rear of school and circle up. SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Squats
  • The thang
    • 10 cones set up in a line spaced about 10 paces apart. Each cone had an exercise and rep count on them. Do exercises on the first cone and run a lap of the parking lot. Once you complete the lap do the first cone and the second cone and then run a lap. Repeat this adding the next cone until all 10 are complete. Here were the exercises in order from first to last:
    • Burpees x 10
    • Bombjacks x 10
    • LBCs x 25
    • Merkins x 20
    • Jump Squats x 10
    • Flutter kicks x 40
    • CDDs x 20
    • Lunges x 20
    • Mtn Climbers x 20
    • Monkey Humpers x 20

Majority of the pax finished in the Lunges lap with a few speedsters out in front on the mtn climbers. Mosey back to the front of the school for some Freddy Mercury’s and Rosalitas.

After that met up with the Moderate and Black diamond groups for COT.

Everyone put out great effort today and really pushed themselves.

 

Witch Hunt—Black Diamond Q

Not even a trip to the hospital the night before with a pregnant wife could keep me away from this Thanksgiving workout. Shout out to Royale and Cha Ching for stepping up to help me out. Luckily I made it and we put in work.
We stared by counting off by 4 creating 4 teams.
Each team will compete to complete as many burpees as possible in 2-minutes with a catch. You can only do 10 at a time before you most complete 20 reps of ab exercise. 2 rounds:
1.) Burpees with LBCs (Somehow Bounce House was able to do 50 burpees. That dude is not human.)
2.) Burpees with Knee Tuck with crunchy frogs
Winners plank while losers perform 10 Kraken Burpees.
Blood was flowing so we moseyed to the hill by the middle school for some broken down burpees. Catch was that we had 20 minutes for everyone to complete. If everyone doesnt finish within the time then group does 25 Burpees.
Here was the setup:
Run Hill 10 times. (1 Hill Run = Up & Down)

5 Squat Jumps
5  Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
5 Merkins
5 Froggers
5 Squat Jumps

Run Hill 8 times.

10 Squat Jumps
10 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
10 Merkins
10 Froggers
10 Squat jumps

Run Hill 6 times.

15 Squat Jumps
15 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
15 Merkins
15 Froggers
15 Squat jumps

Run Hill 4 time.

20 Squat Jumps
20 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
20 Merkins
20 Froggers
20 Squat jumps

Run Hill 2 time

25 Squat Jumps
25 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
25 Merkins
25 Froggers
25 Squat jumps

With some great teamwork by the Pax everyone completed within the 20 minutes so no penalty was given.

I attempted to have Backdraft give us a 10-count however  he responded “There are no 10 counts during the Black Diamond.” So no 10 count and a quick mosey back to the parking lot for the 10 Minute 100 Burpee Challenge:

Complete 10 1-minute rounds of burpees in the following set scheme. Any time left over in the round is yours for rest. (typically PAX finish the set between 25 and 40 seconds)

Rd1- 8

Rd2- 9

Rd3- 10

Rd4- 11

Rd5-12

Rd6-12

Rd7-11

Rd8-10

Rd9- 9

Rd10- 8

Total – 100

Amazing work by all the Pax. I didn’t pull any punches with this setup for the Black Diamond and the Pax took it on without hesitation. We all survived and are better for it.

Thanks to Ginsu and Cake Boss for the opportunity to lead.

Pusher with closing remarks and finding #Victory 

Prayers & Praises

Thank you F3 The Fort

Cake Boss

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4

Backblast: 17 for 17 at The Colosseum

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16 men joined YHC for some fun on the concrete at The Colosseum.

After the disclaimer was said we moseyed around the parking lots until we found the perfect spot for a warmup.

WARMUP:

  • side straddle hops x20
  • windmill x10
  • squats x30
  • merkins x15
  • mountain climbers x15
  • LBCs x15

Mosey about 10 feet to the first set of painted road arrows. There are 17 of these over about 1/10th of a mile stretch. We did the follow exercise at each set of arrows and then hauled it back to the start:

  • 1 burpee
  • 1 burpee + 3 merkins
  • 3 jump squats
  • quick break for some Captain Thor – up to 6 x 24
  • 5 carolina dry docks
  • 2 big boy sit ups
  • finish up with boats and canoes x a lot

Mosey to COT

Announcements included T-giving day convergence, Christmas party.

Praise for Ginsu’s daughter (successful surgery), prayers for marriages, family.

Ginsu took us out in prayer.

Thanks for the opportunity, Jekyl. See you next time.

 

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Inertia

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4 boot campers and 6 runners posted at Laces In/Out this morning. The cool temperature was perfect for a hideous beat down. We did hill work because was today’s message was focused on overcoming inertia.

The Thang:

COP: SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (20x), Peter Parkers (15x) and Freddie Mercuries(15x)

Mosey to the hill near the stadium to add inertia and do the following exercises.

  1. 100 Yard Dash
  2. Jumping Squats (2x)
  3. Big Boy Sit Ups (3x)
  4. Pepper Grinders (4x)
  5. Burpees (5x)
  6. LBCs (6x)
  7. Sumo Squats (7x)
  8. Heels to Heaven (8x)
  9. Dips (9x)
  10. Calf raises (10x)
  11. Merkins (11x)
  12. Penguins (12x)

Ruby runs with the following exercises: Flutters (15x), Rosalettas (15x), Swimmers (15x), Calf Raises (30x).

Moleskin:

Why do we sometimes struggle to answer God’s calling and purpose for our lives? Does our own inertia stop us?

Paul initially was filled with hesitation when he was called to God’s mission field. In the Acts of the Apostles 22, Jesus needed to encourage Paul to overcome his inertia. He kept telling Paul “Go,” “Get up,” “What are you waiting for?”

Paul eventually pushed through his inertia and fulfilled his mission. Paul’s story is a great illustration of how it’s sometimes tough to start your mission but you must finish strong. Answer when God calls on you to fulfill His mission.

Peace,

Deacon

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6

Coliseum- Mumble Chatter- Not on my watch

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After seeing twitter post about possible mumble chatter at my Q from some legendary yackers YHC decided to bring one of his old school simple but effective workouts to these guys. a nice 46 degrees to start the day had a few arriving in there sweatshirts, a few were mumbling about not knowing where their cold weather gear was. Little did they know the ones that showed up with it on would be wishing they hadn’t in a few.

Quick disclaimer and were off.

Mosey to basketball court, dynamic stretching toy soldiers, knees to chest.

Circle up SSHs, mtn. climbers, flutter kicks, Windmills, peter parkers, chopsticks.

Mosey to light poles. at each light pole perform 15 Carolina dry docks, 10 alternating jumping lunges, 5 burpees. 10 light poles. Flutter kicks until 6 arrives.

Return down the line except 15Air Squats, 10 merkins, 5 burpees. LBCs until 6 arrives.

Mosey to parking lot and pair up for DORA. 50 merkins, 100 squats, 150 LBCs while partner runs to wall and does 1 muscle up.

Back to COT with 25 yard bear crawl on the way.

COT.

Announcements- Fast 5, Family Ruck, Community Café 5k, The Fort Christmas Party.

Prayers- Passing of Cake Boss sister. PAX looking for work.

Praises.

 

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