A little movin’ & rollin’ with Florence

I’ve been chompin’ at the bit to Q this new official Ruck AO, the Fire Ant, and this morning was the perfect time. Over the last few years, it’s developed a standard consistent with harder AO’s and I was not about to drop the ball today.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to post up at my folk’s house in Wilmington, NC where they recently had Hurricane Florence followed by 1-2 tornadoes pass through. It’s always different seeing storm aftermath in person; the images, the smells, the sounds of cleanup and water pumps getting rid of standing water. I’m not quite sure how I was going to be impacted but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. After all, neighbors are still unable to get in their houses. Perspective teaches me I need to keep my mouth shut and stay hydrated as I chip in to do a small part. After tree #4 came down and got hauled off, I had a revelation. What if I cut this next tree into the perfect lengths that would compliment my upcoming Fire Ant Q? Couple that with a previously-prepared Weinke and there you have it, we were set.

With a truck bed holding (8) 40-50lb logs, 18 of us converged on the Golden Corral/Fire Ant parking lot at HT. After Change Order laid down the disclaimer, us 12 Ruckers moved over for our warm-up jog around the lot.

After that, we kept the rucks on the ground and did our warm up:

Wind Mills

Moroccan Night Clubs

10 Forward & Reverse Arm Circles

Slow Squats

SSH

Grab a partner and meet at the rucks.

Catch me if you can with your partner and 3 Hand-Release Merkins. We went around the big loop once then a smaller loop after that for 2 loops total.

Head over to grab the logs. A brief explanation on where they came from and how they’d be used. We had to move both the rucks and the log and we’d work as a team to do it, looking to relieve the men with the logs.

Line up 2×2 with logs in the front. If you had a log, carry it overhead at the front and the rest of us would look to relive you en route. We made our way to the start of the Harris Teeter wall.

Lunge walk with a log press the length of the wall.

Bear crawl while rolling the log back to the starting position.

2×2 in formation with logs overhead to the 9-round parking lot & circle up.

If you have a log, hold it at 90 degrees and if you don’t hold your Ruck at 90 degrees. Each PAX does 3 curls going around the circle. If you’re not curling, you’re holding at 90.

On your back with legs straight and feet at 6″. Doing a log or ruck press for quite a few reps.

Get in 1 line, shoulder to shoulder. Seal team sit-ups with the rucks on front and keeping your head off the ground.

Same formation, flutter kicks with heads off the ground.

Back in 2×2 formation with logs overhead and offering relief, we made our way back to the original starting position. But before we finished, we got back in the seal-team line, on our backs and did bicycles with the rucks on front, both forward and reverse.

And so…that was it.

Announcements: Fire Ant AO moving to TCES in 3wks. Follow Spiderman for further details. Sign up for Paradise Reading Center: check with Copay and Deacon.

Prayers/Praises: Safety for all the PAX doing races (Bourbon Chase, CLT Marathon, Ragnar, Rucks), wedding anniversaries, Prayers for Half-Shell’s buddy who lost his son recently in a very sad event. We do not understand but we need to have faith in our Creator that he’ll somehow have something positive come from this. Prayers for his family and for all the scouts injured, those who witnessed and for their families.

Enjoy your day & make an impact.

Maximus.

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“Tappy Taps? Did you make that up?”

‘Twas a glorious morning at NaFo, and 14 PAX rose to the occasion, including some from surrounding regions (Aye!). A lot of new PAX I’ve never met as well, perhaps a glimpse into how large this community really is. Had a moment to think how much of an impact this community has had on these men, and the impact it will have on many more. The clock struck 5:15 and we began.

Disclaimer to start it off, then we headed out for our warm up.

Mosey 1/8 Mile

COP
Moroccan Night Clubs x 25
Tap-py Taps x 10 (Look it up! It’s a thing on F3Nation.)
Plank Position
Peter Parkers x 15
Mountain Climbers x 15
Alternating Shoulder Taps x 15

Recover

Mosey to the Pull Up Bars for our Weinke Of The Day

Descending Rounds of 30 – 25 – 20 – 15 – 10 – 5

Burpees
Lunges
Squats
Derkins
Dips

Mixed in with 10 – 8 – 6 – 4 – 2

Pull Ups

Plank in wait for the 6 each round you finish and then we start the next round together. The best part about this weinke… it gets easier every round.

Ran back to our original spot for a little Mary
In & Outs (Boat/Canoe I was told) x 6… messed up my inflection there and someone caught me!
Six Inches x 1 Minute
Recover

COT

Announcements

Convergence at Walter Elisha Park Saturday – 7:00AM.
Pre Ruck – 6:15, Pre Run – 6:30. Both launching from Panera @ Kingsley.

Poverty Simulation is coming.

ABH (Always Be Headlocking!)

SpeedforNEED this weekend in Ballantyne – Isabella Santos 5K.

5K/10K Race and Fun Run

Prayers/Praise
Pray that Gods will be revealed to me and I accept it.
Praise for Drop Thrill having a job for a year!
Pray for Sugar Bugs parents on Pawley’s Island – The rivers are rising and the water is about 5’ from their house
Pray for those affected by Florence, those still dealing with flooding, and those who lost everything trying to recover.

Thank you Wegmans for the opportunity to lead 13 men in this gloom we love so much.

For fun… Notable MumbleChatter for the day:

As I laid out the Weinke: “Gee, Punch List… this is kind of Honey Badger-esque…”

“Kielbasa can you demonstrate a polish burpee for me?”
“I’m going to do 30 Polish Burpees… *waits two seconds* DONE!”

“I’m going to do my max number of pull ups over here… (20 yards away from the bars).”

IMG_7663

 

Punch List Out.

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011 Ruck PT at Fire Ant

Lucky me, after the weekend of the GoRuck Selection Facebook Live event I get to Q the Fire Ant.  I felt privileged to be the first.  If you don’t know what the GoRuck Selection is just check out Go Ruck on Facebook.  This event goes 48+ hours of some of the worse PT, ruck marches, and extra weight carries you can imagine.  If you’ve done a GoRuck Tough, it like that on steroids for 2 straight days!  And it’s led by 7-10 of GoRuck’s best cadres.  Completion % is > 2%.  And you get to watch this live on Facebook!  It’s crazy, if you want to check it out, video replays are on their FB page.

So we had 14 PAX ready to test their will on the ruck, including Sasquatch and Wegmans who borrowed rucks to join us, as well as Tinsel for his 1st ruck workout! I had asked all the regular ruckers to bring their sandbags and they did not disappoint.  It’s amazing how the numbers work out sometimes.  14 guys + me /  7 sandbags of extra weight = perfect fit!  (Spiderman later ragged me for clip boarding for like 4 minutes…he was right) After Dark Helmet’s Q school disclaimer we lined up 2×2 with a sandbag between each man and started the long march.

We moseyed over to the church parking lot north of the shopping center talking about the GoRuck Selection and Doug – the only man to finish the 48 hour Selection this year.  About half of the ruckers watched some of the Selection on Facebook Live at some point this weekend.  Many of them were yelling at their devices “DFQ 011!!!!!” at least a few times…

When we arrived I told them about our goal today.  In honor of 011s Selection completion we had 11 ruck exercises and we would complete 11 reps for each.  These were some of my favorite PT items the cadres had 011 go through countless times during Selection!

  1. 8 count Burpees with ruck on
  2. Ruck Curls
  3. Squat Thrusters
  4. Flutters with ruck press
  5. Overhead ruck press
  6. Ruck sandbag toss (in the grass)
  7. Ruck Swings
  8. Man Makers
  9. Tricep Extensions
  10. Overhead Ruck Hold with Lunges
  11. Ruck sandbag Bear-hug Carry for 110 yards

This PT was brutal and allowed for plenty of mubblechatter.  We completed the full rotation twice before we were almost out of time.

Once complete, we lined back up in 2×2 formation.  Each man had a sandbag between them.  This time we would rotate the bags between partners on our route back to COT.  We took the long way and each man carried a bag twice.

Back to COT right on time – Dark Helmet and his 6 PAX not so much.  We did flutters while we waiting for their LATE return.

COT with Nameorama – announcements – prayers – BOM

An Honor to Lead

-Royale

 

 

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Always Ready

Maximus at a “Moderate?” I mean, c’mon, Slow Burn isn’t always moderate. That said, I appreciate the opportunity to Q no matter the AO so thank you Smithers for thinking of me. I tried to honor the AO by pushing the PAX and keeping everyone together.

So here it is:

Warm up jog to the lot next to Lowe’s for a warm-up circle of:

SSH (Only for Trucker), Imperial walkers, Wide-Arm Merkins, Donkey Kicks and 10 Burpees (more to come)

Line up shoulder to shoulder on the wall in the peoples’ chair position

Starting at one end, we’d lunge walk to the other end of the peoples’ chair wall.

Next series, PAX line up shoulder to shoulder in a plank position with their feet on the all. Starting at one end, the PAX would bear crawl to the other end.

Jog around the back of Lowe’s heading toward the ever-changing car repair shop. The interesting thing here is that while finishing the jog, I heard a conversation between Chicken Hawk and Wide-Right where the latter mentioned he hasn’t Q’d yet and was interested in getting on a Q schedule. So, I did an about face, confirmed what I thought I heard and gave him the opportunity as soon as we circled up in the repair lot. After a brief mention to the PAX regarding the Q change for the next several minutes, I think he led us in the following:

LBC’s, Mountain Climbers, 10 Burpees Dips, Derkins Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, SSH and 5 Burpees…he then handed it back to me.

Now, jog to the large lot on the other side and circle up:

Flutter kicks w/ a press

Box Cutters then reverse box cutters

A short 3-tier suicide series with jump squats as you return to the starting line.

So that was in; we keep the group together, encourage the chatter and give a man his opportunity to lead us. Just another day in THE FORT.

Leave no man behind but leave no man as you found him.

Maximus

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Not a Running Workout…Sorta

The Coop takes me an extra 5 minutes to get to. I should really set my alarm 5 minutes earlier but hey, I’ll just move quicker. I don’t go often to this AO but it’s where i took my first face-plant at an F3 workout (I was the only PAX wearing a headlamp), so it’s got a special place in my heart. Running a bit late I rushed to get there on time and brush the fog away from my head. Arrived with a minute to spare, almost take a couple PAX out as I roll in, fall out of my car and greet the PAX. Oh boy, there’s some fit dudes here. Better make it count.

Brief Disclaimer (butchered it) and a bunch of jokes about how many miles are we going to run this AM, we set out for a 0.50 mile mosey warmup. Which ended at the Band Practice Field.

COP (SSH, Windmills, Mtn Climbers, Merkins) all in Cadence at varying counts

Line Up on the Baseline Goal Line (Thanks Ginsu)

  • Bearcrawl Suicides: Bearcrawl Forward 5 yds forward, 5 yds back, 10 yds, 15 yds, 20 yds, 25 yds (That would be 150 yds Tclaps)
  • Burpee Broad-Jump to the 50 yd line (then walk to opposite Goal Line)
  • Suicides by 5 yd increments all the way to the 50 yd line (then walk to the opposite Goal Line)
  • 10 Hand Release Merkins + 50 yd sprint – 3X (crowd pleaser)

Mosey to the pull-up bars for some DORA (Partner 1 Exercise, Partner 2 Run down to Stop sign and back)

  • 100 Pullups
  • 200 Merkins
  • 300 Flutter Kicks (ran out of time)

Mosey to the parking lot for a few minutes of Mary and close with a Body Destroyer.

Appreciate the heckling from Spiderman and DH. It’s how they love on you. Great mix of PAX this morning and got to meet a few new guys. Appreciate the opportunity Wegs and looking forward to hosting PAINtheon Games 3.5 this December at The Coop. I’m sure there was a bunch of other shenanigans that occurred during this workout but YHC was a little light-headed and focused on not spilling his merlot. Feel free to add on the twitter train. Aye!

COT

Announcements

  • Invergence this Friday
  • Convergence next Saturday
  • Fast Five October 27 (details soon)

Prayers/Praise

  • DH and Job Interview
  • Pray for Marriages

Thanks again Wegmans!

Zima Out!

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16 got Brenton’d at the Honey Badger

16 brave little badgers got their man card punched this morning at the best AO in The Fort Region – The Honey Badger.

This AO is always a little bit harder, and a little bit longer than the rest. If you fight badger on Monday, and start your week like a hero – the rest of the week is a little bit easier.

This week we honored Officer Timothy Brenton.  Brenton, husband and father of two, was killed in the line of duty on October 31, 2009

The Brenton workout calls for five rounds of bear crawls (100 ft) standing broad jumps (100 ft) with 3 burpees after every five jumps. We modified this slightly to bear crawls of 100 yards, and broad jumps of 100 yards with 3 burpees every 10 yards. We also added a 400 meter run in between sets.

This is the second time the Brenton has made it to the Honey Badger – both times it was modified to 100 yards. So we are adopting this as the new standard.

Prayers to all effected by Hurricane Florence

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Lack of control

This thing got started with a quick gathering to listen in to the disclaimer before we began the 45 min of activities planned.  Short mosey from COT over to the band practice practice field for a warm up.

Warm up included:

  • 40 SSH, 2 burpees
  • 30 shoulder press, 2 burpees
  • 25 Moroccan night club, 2 burpees
  • 8 windmill, 2 burpees
  • 15 squats, 2 burpees
  • 10 hillbilly walkers, 2 burpees
  • quick leg stretches, honeymooners, and downward dog – then we took off to the next spot

Mosey’d over to the smaller parking lot in front of the school with the loop in front of the main entrance where YHC scooped up a parking cone and dropped it off about 80-100 yards from the front of the school.  Next piece of fun ensued was as follows:

  • 50% run from main entrance to cone, followed up by 5 burpees
  • 50% run back to main entrance, followed by 10 bench step up’s each leg, and then 20 dips
  • Then repeat the above for round 2
  • 75% run from main entrance to cone, followed up by 5 burpees
  • 75% run back to main entrance, followed by 15 bench step up’s each leg, and then 25 dips
  • Repeat the above @ 75%
  • 100% / all you got run from main entrance to cone, followed up by 5 burpees
  • 100% / all you got run back to main entrance, followed by 20 bench step up’s each leg, and then 30 dips
  • Repeat the above @ 100%

In-between the 50-75% round and 75-100% round, YHC provided some words on “control”.  While some of us are more controlling than others, we all have our control issues somewhere in our lives.  Whether that be at home with the M and 2.0s, at work with co-workers or just the company in general, or trying to control and plan for a hurricane.  In the end, we can only control ourselves, how we act, what words we use and choices we make, if we want to push ourselves during a workout, etc.  When something like a hurricane comes along and we have no control, we can comfort our M’s and our 2.0s, but it’s really in God’s hands and we need to put our trust in Him.

Quick mosey back to COT (with the Laces Out PAX “stretching”) for some Mary, name-o-rama, announcements, prayers / praises, and ball of man.  Also knocked out 42 burpees in total for #1000September !

Good stuff – looking forward to next time!

-Shady

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Stop the Sprints already. The Coop

Disclaimer-
Mosey to football field 400 meters around track dynamic movements.
Mosey 400 meters around track at your pace (U vs. U)
Line up on the side lines count off by 2s
While P1 does exercise P2 sprints sideline to sideline.
E1- squats, merkins, American hammers
E2- bomb jacks, CDDs, flutter kicks
E3- jumping lunges, overhead presses, rosalitta
E4- squat to calf raise, hand release merkins, box cutters
Move to goal line- Lunge walk to five yard line do 1 burpee keep going to other end zone 1 burpee every 5 yards.
At other end 13 burpees OYO.
Bear crawl to the 50 yard line.
Mosey to benches 15 dips while partner planks, 10 dips, 5 dips.
Run 400 meters.
Mosey to pull up bars 5,4,3,2,1 while partner does Balls to wall.
COT.

Remember People willing to give all for you. Give you family and friends the best of you.

Prayers- Jobs, families, those in hurricanes path

Announcements- Invergence, reading in Paradise community

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Q School 101- Part II

School was back in session at Golden Corral for the 2nd week of “September Q School”.  Bones and Senator Tressel were the originally scheduled professors.  However, due to Senator being on the IR, YHC was called in as a substi-Q teacher.

14 pax posted for 2nd of two workouts covering 101 material.  An additional 8 pax went their own way with their black backpacks (likely not filled with textbooks).  NASA and TwoFerns brought out FNG, later to be named “Ruxpin”.

Bones kicked us off with a mosey around the parking lot with some high knees, butt kickers, Karaoke, and lunges.  Circling up for COP, he shared advice and wisdom on exercises that are simple and keep pax together. We did a few minutes of COP warm-up, with some exercises called out (and lead by) by pax that hadn’t Q’ed before (or only Q’ed once):

  • Windmills
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Moroccan Night Clubs
  • Seal Jacks
  • Slow Low Squats
  • Peter Parkers
  • Side Straddle Hops
  • Carolina Dry Docks

Mosey over to a different part of the parking lot where Bones emphasized that “simple” doesn’t mean “easy”, and that partnering up helps hold men accountable during the exercises.  We each partnered up for the next exercise event. All of the following were done with your partner, not switching off, like some lazy pax (or maybe just YHC) were hoping for.

  • 10 Merkins
  • Lunge across small lot
  • 10 Burpees
  • Bearcrawl back
  • 10 LBCs

Rinse and repeat 4 times.

Hand off to YHC.  We took a couple 10 counts and moseyed to the parking lot behind the shopping center.  I discussed a bit about how pax will follow and trust the Q until they have reason not to.  Trust can be broken by putting pax in dangerous situations.  Trust can be built by showing effort in planning.

Next up, Rugby Sprints.  Two sets of cones were set up about 30 yards apart.  Pax were instructed to perform exercises (together) until Q called out “GO!”.  At that point, pax were to sprint to the other cones, sprint back, then recovery walk back to the other cones.  Rinse and repeat as time allowed.  Stationary exercises we did where:

  • Merkins (in cadence)
  • Overhead Claps (in cadence)
  • Crab Cakes (in cadence)

Mosey back to COT.  Along the way we discussed the importance of promoting your Q via Twitter and documenting it afterwards via BackBlast.

T-claps to FNG Ruxpin for not only posting, but making his first post a Q school! With a Q school now under his belt, he should be ready to lead workout in no time.  Also, great work by NASA and TwoFerns for brining him out.

 

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It’s the Badger after all…

Over the weekend, many of us had the opportunity to participate in the 9/11 GORUCK events. It was a powerful reminder that our days are numbered and we don’t have any idea what that number is… One of our Cadre, Mike S., told us stories of men that he knew that had joined the Armed Services in some form or fashion (just as he had) as a direct result of the events of 9/11. One of those was a man that later would give his life in service to his country, Severin Summers III. Cadre Mike knew Severin, and told us some of his story at the event. We thought it only fitting to perform the workout that bears his name at the Badger yesterday. And it was hard…

50 Pull-ups
100 Hand-release Merkins
Run 5K

You could do it straight or break it up as you saw fit. For me, I did them in sets of 10, 20, and 800M runs until complete. I think that everyone chose to break it up in some way… There was a lot of sweat. And pain… those are the things I remember…

We started our week on the right trajectory, with a reminder to live THIRD… like a hero…

Helmet, out…

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