Convergence – Shop Vac

65 PAX gathered to remember Shop Vac. Probably had closer to 70 at different points during the hour. Fishsticks took the Milkshakers

Lutefish warmup:
Sean Kelley, 56, Shop Vac

There are a couple of young men I was hoping would hear this this morning. While I’m talking to them, I’m also talking to myself and all of you.

We all know that or God, SkyQ, has written our books. He went before us, He knows us by name, and He alone knows when our earthly lives begin and end. God knew our brother Sean was to come home. And it doesn’t make sense to us.

But let me ask you this. What would it be like to know that when it is our time that we would also know that we accomplished the tasks that the Lord created us to do? God knows the great plans He has for each of you. You are here for a reason.

Wouldn’t it feel comforting to know that you full executed your purpose here on earth? Today we celebrate Sean, who I believe did just that. Sean loved his sons. It’s all he talked about when we worked out together. That, and his dream to have a home in Beaufort. He lived out and executed his purpose. We now have 2 of his sons as our brothers, and how great it is that the world is better because of him. Recover on your feet.

I read a quote recently:

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”

Sean is rejoicing and would want us to do the same. And he would want us to do 56 side straddle hops in cadence.

Split out to:

  • Kettlebells
    • Uhaul
  • Bootcamp: split PAX into two groups for 20min sessions
    • Ruby Slippers
    • Band Camp

Uhaul’s KB workout:
56 Squats
56 Curls
56 Skull Crushers
56 Calf Raises
56 Uhauls
56 Flutters w/ press (4 count)
56 Dead lifts
56 Lawn Mower Pulls R
56 Lawn Mower Pulls L
56 American Hammers
56 LBCs (4 count)

Band Camp’s portion:
EMOM
minute 1 – 20 burpees
minute 2 – 30 jumping lunges
minute 3 – 40 Freddie Mercuries
minute 4 – 50 Carolina Dry Docks
minute 5 – 60 SSH

7s w/ Mike Tysons and Squats
Mode of transportation: bear crawl/crawl bear

Some in cadence jump squats, core work,

I found a backblast from Shop Vac…It reads with a lot more significance to me now. https://f3thefort.com/2021/04/14/403656/
I may have said something asinine while holding a squat and quoting his backblast.
Something like:
Have understanding when I say 5 more squat jumps
Show tolerance when I say 6 more squat jumps
Practice patience when I call 7 more squat jumps
Take direction as we’re now hitting 8 more squat jumps

Did a little sprinting as well with the second group. (Shop Vac would not have approved, and neither did most of the PAX)

NMM: Shop Vac’s love for and pride in his sons was palpable. He made me want to be a better dad. I’m glad to be around men that make me want to be better. Shop Vac was one of those dudes.

Ruby Slippers’s portion:
I had the pleasure of working out a lot with Shop Vac. His attitude, smile, and laughter infected you immediately every time you met him.

YHC remembers a time during COT after a workout where frustrations from my work life came bubbling to the surface. After I vented to the PAX about the situation ( usual selfish rant where everyone else has a problem but me ) and the Q finished prayer, Shop Vac pulled me to the side and gently explained that it was my attitude that needed to be adjusted, not everyone else’s. He did it in a manner where I gladly and thankfully accepted his advice.

The Thang:
At every Shop Vac Q you could count on stations, simple exercises and/or routines, and minimal running. The six was never left behind at a Shop Vac workout so we are using the buddy system to make sure that does not happen at this workout.

Set-up 4 stations in the shape of a square in the middle parking lot at The Armory. 4 stations represented each member of the Kelly family, there were 4 exercises at each station, partner work to complete a cumulative total of 56 reps of each exercise:

Sean’s station:
– Merkins, Diamond Merkins, Wide Arm Merkins, CDD’s
Stacey’s station:
– Crunches in cadence, Flutters in cadence, Big Boy Sit-ups, Straight Lower Leg Lifts
Jack’s station:
– Squats, Jump Squats, Lunges, Jumping Lunges
Brian’s station
– Side Straddle Hops in cadence, Seal Jacks in cadence, Mountain Climbers in cadence, Plank Jacks in cadence.

PAX partner up – complete all 4 exercises at a station and then mosey to the center. YHC stood in the center of the square to represent Francis, Shop Vac’s faithful four-legged companion, where PAX would come to complete 56 monkey humpers.

Continued around the stations until time was called.

Video Evidence: https://twitter.com/jisenhour/status/1456967297453727750

Welcome FNGs: Bow Wow Wow, Bam!, Triple H, Dictator, Wax Off, and Pool Boy

Prayers for Sean’s family.

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Stealing from Metro

11 PAX on a crisp November morning

YHC got some influence one from one of the few backblasts written at F3-Metro’s Combine (Kettlebell and Sprinting) AO.

Warm-up
Run a big lap with unnecessary looping
Plank
– shoulder tap
– yoga
– mountain climber
– yoga
– peter parker
– yoga
– parker peter
Imperial Walker
Hillbilly Walker

Move with bells to parking lot
Line up from one island facing another

Ladder:

  • 5 manmakers
    -bear crawl to the next island and back
    KB Swings for the six
  • 5 manmakers
    5 goblet squats in cadence
    -bear crawl to the next island and back
    KB Swings for the six
  • 5 manmakers
    5 goblet squats in cadence
    10 upright rows in cadence
    -crawl bear to the next island and back
    KB Swings for the six
  • 5 manmakers
    5 goblet squats in cadence
    10 upright rows in cadence
    10 overhead presses in cadence

Move with bells to the farthest parking lot
Line up between one set of lights facing the other
We did an exercise with the bells and then sprinted to the other set of lights. At the other end, we did a descending count of merkins and sprinted back to our bells. So:

10 Merkins/Sprint/10 Alternating Lunges in cadence/Sprint back
9 Merkins / 5R & 5L Single Legged Dead-lifts
8 Merkins / 10 Sumo Squats
7 Merkins / 5 Manmakers, then 5 more
6 Merkins / 5R & 5L Snatches
5 Merkins / 5R & 5L Single arm overhead press
4 Merkins / 5 Lawnmower pulls each side, then 5 more, then 5 more
3 Merkins / 5 Goblet Squats in cadence
2 Merkins / 10 Swings
1 Merkin / 10 Overhead Presses

Move with bell back to COT

Flutters with press
Seated Yoga until 0600

Prayers:
Fathers that have passed recently
Those battling illness (COVID, Cancer)

NMM:
I sat on this backblast a bit and have lost my steam on a message. I remember an idea of checking in with your word of the year and how much of a struggle this year has been.

My word was Input. And I’ve been letting the world decide what my mental input is more often than deciding myself. There’s still days in the year left to get better…so let’s go work on it.


Band Camp dismissed

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Thrive at the Hive

We had 14 at the Hive for a fun filled workout with the KB this morning.  Did a short intro and disclaimer with a slight stall tactic to wait on PAX to catch up from coming in hot.

Off we went on a slow mosey around the lot and circled up for the warm-up

30– SSH’s (slight mumble chatter prompted YHC to stop)
10– Merkins
20 – Moroccan Nightclubs

The Thing

Grabbed the bells and a slight mosey over to the featured portion of the Pain.  Strategically taped to the back of the trashcan was our Paper o Pain with 15 Exercises on it.  The plan was to do 30 of each exercise with a run across the parking lot in between.

 

Curls
Goblet Squats
Overhead Claps

LBC’s

Triceps

Short Switzer to talk about Mentorship and impacting others.  Think about who you are mentoring ie Home, Work, F3, etc.

Chest Press

American Hammer

Deadlift

KB Swings

Calf Raises

Another short switzer to see if anyone had any stories to share about mentoring. YHC talked about the 3rd F event last week and the impact it had on me and how I’m using it to challenge others.

Last round:

Flutters

Lawnmower Pulls

Dips

Skull Crushers

Step Ups

Wrapped up with a nice lunge walk and bell pass through before circling up for COT.

Appreciate the invite BandCamp!

Bass-O-Matic

 

 

 

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Slow and Intentional now at Armory

WarmORama

Mosey around the full parking lot. Intermittently throwing in toy soldiers, high knees, and butt kickers.

Exercises not necessarily in this order:

Windmills, SSH, Merkins, Imperial Walkers and Mountain Climbers

The Thang-

Everything in cadence slow and intentional (except where noted SC).

  • Right arm curl 5x
  • Left arm curl 5x
  • Right overhead tricep extension 5x
  • Left overhead tricep extension 5x

20x SSH SC

  • Goblet Squat 10x
  • Right leg lunge 5x
  • Left leg lunge 5x
  • Calf raises 10x

5 Burpees SC

  • Merkin with bell in RH 5x
  • Merkin with bell in LH 5x
  • Bent over row RH 5x
  • Bent over row LH 5x

20 Mountain Climbers SC

  • Shoulder Press RH 5x
  • Shoulder Press LH 5x
  • Carolina Dry Docks w bell in RH 5x
  • Carolina Dry Docks w bell in LH 5x

A mosey around the parking lot

  • American Hammers 5x
  • LBCs 10x
  • Kettlebell lateral swings RH 5x
  • Kettlebell lateral swings LH 5x

Asked for a couple of favorites since we had time.  So we performed more LBCs and rows.

We all need to slow life down a bit.  Everything pulls at us from all directions.  Work with productivity/work efficiency, family, children events etc.  I asked for things that we do to slow it down a bit.  Moving appointment to avoid family time and putting down our phones was mentioned to help.

We finished with a Round of Mary

COT

Count off

NameORama

Praises and Prayers

Prayers for those on IR; Ruckers and their 24 hour event coming up, praise for healed collarbone.

 

Thanks for the opportunity to Q JWow

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Shovel flag hand off at LacesIn

15 Pax sounded the call and hit LacesIn on this brisk morning while 4 Pax hit the track for LacesOut.

The Thang

YHC ran through the disclaimer and then handed off Cyclops to get the party started.  I think Cyclops may have said Mosey, but it was basically a sprint from the stadium parking lot to the band parking lot.

COP – all in cadence.  Moroccan Night Clubs x 16, Baby Arm Circles foward and backwards x 16, SSH x 32, windmills x 16, Merkins x 8

Mosey back to The Hive’s parking lot and start at first light pole for 64 squats, mosey to light pole across parking lot for 32 walking lunges.  Mosey to next light pole for 16 calf raises regular, 16 calf raises with toes pointed in and 16 with toes pointed out.  Mosey back across parking lot to light pole for 8 box cutters, 4 bomb jacks and 2 burpees.  Do same exercises in reverse starting with the 2 burpees and working back up.

Hand off back to YHC.  I had planned on some NCAA march madness trivia and life got in the way, so just settled for one question.  Who has won the most titles and how many?  Bonsai and Offset combined for correct answer of UCLA with 11.  In honor of UCLA’s 11 titles we did 11’s with burpees and squat jumps.  Lined up on curb to start with 10 burpees ran to 2nd light pole for 1 squat jump, back to curb for 9 burpees then back to light pole for 2 squat jumps.  Continue until you are 1 burpee and 10 squat jumps.

Mosey back to stadium parking lot for 6 minutes of mary all exercises in cadence to 10.  LBCs with feet on the ground, lbcs with feet raised (normal), lbcs with right leg straight, lbcs with left leg extend, and dying cockroaches.

Announcements

Christina Latini Memorial 8k in Huntersville on 3/30.  If you cannot make that they are doing a virtual 8k at Alcatraz.

T-claps to Cyclops as he takes over as site Q of LacesIn.  Very excited to see what he will do as new site Q!  Also, much appreciated to everyone that has come out or Q’d at LacesIn the past couple of years.  You have made posting each Thursday enjoyable.

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The Fort: Flat Tire & Band Camp

8 PAX gathered in the gloom among many more vehicles than the represented by the posting. Clearly some P200 Runners were  training in our midst.

Flat Tire on Q

Disclaimer

Clockwise Mosey full-loop around jogging path.
COP IC
SSH
Imperial walkers
Windmill
Wide arm merkins
Low slow squats with calf raise
Bomb jacks
Overhead claps

Mosey down jogging path to mile marker for group work
At each marker, start with 1 exercise, 5 count.
At each subsequent marker do that again and add next exercise plus 5 more IC.

We did:
5 burpees
10 Scorpion Dry Docks
15 Freddy mercury
20 jumping lunges
25 mountain climbers

Mosey to the dreaded hill

Pick a partner around the same size
Wheelbarrow up hill
Walk back down and switch Back up

Handoff to Band Camp

Monkey Humpers x10
Howling Monkeys

Mosey down the hill towards set cones

Lateral Slalom through cones

Bearpees (OYO 1 Burpee followed up by 4 count bearcrawl forward) from cones to bottom of the hill

10 squats, 10 leg thrusts, 10 Merkins, 10 leg thrusts, then up (Deconstructed Burpee)

Bearpees back to cones (2 burpees, 8-count bear crawl). YHC had more of this planned but was smoked after two rounds…..If you can’t Q it, don’t do it….so I modified.

Plank–>Honeymooner–>Downdog–>High Lunge–>rinse repeat
Message during sequence

Lateral Slalom through cones x4

Plank–>yoga quad stretch (Crescent Lunge: Anjaneyasana)

Bear Crawl Slalom through cones x2

Slow mosey towards the hill (called out for walking by the returning-from-a-9-mile-run Gecko)
Crawl Bear up the hill

Mosey towards Calhoun St. field.

Bear crawl back to COT (this was a long way to bear crawl)

Plank
Shoulder Tap x10
J-Lo x6

Saved just enough time for some Pigeon Lunges

NMM

In my professional life as a music professor, I’ve been thinking about language and the way we talk to ourselves. After attempting something for the first time or a skill that is still developing, I often hear students say, “I can’t ______.” As if saying “I can’t” excuses them from needing the skill/competency/etc.

My response is often a little pithy at first. “Well you know what Abraham Lincoln said. If at first you don’t succeed. . . . . . just quit. You’re done.” This usually gets a little laughter. Then we redirect to more constructive language. E.g., I’m still developing that; I’m not there yet; (or if “can’t” must be in their vocabulary) I can’t do that yet. The yet makes all the difference; it allows for progress to happen in the future.

We would never talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. If a friend attempted something for the first time and failed, no one would seriously respond, “Oh well, guess you can’t do it.” But we tell ourselves that or something similar all the time. And what’s even worse: we believe it! By believing it, we make it true! Living out the definition of self-fulfilling prophecy.

In our inner monologue can we treat ourselves like a fellow PAX? Strive to create an internal language that leads to encouragement and acceleration. A language that allows for disruption rather than just perpetuates the status quo.

-Band Camp dismissed

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Purpose

What an amazing day to be a part of The Fort Region! The weather was glorious. We kept the workout at a high level of intensity for 45 minutes. All of us pushed each other beyond our limits. Each HIM shared what was on their hearts in COT. I got emotional when Band Camp and 38 Special shared their fatherhood blessings and struggles. In fact, I’m still impacted by their testimonies. #RealTalk

The Thang:

SSHs (20x), IWs (20x), Parker Peters (15x), Slow Sumo Squats (15x), WMs (15x), Box Cutters (15x)

The Kettlebell Board of Pain:

  1. 100 Yard Dash
  2. Lunges (Double Count)
  3. Big Boy Sit Ups
  4. Goblet Squats
  5. Man Makers
  6. Merkins (Split Count)
  7. American Hammers (Double Count)
  8. Kettlebell  Swings
  9. Flutter Kicks (Double Count)
  10. Curls (Double Count)
  11. Tricep Extensions
  12. Upright Rows

COP: Leg lifts (15x), Skull Crushers (15x), Captain Thors (7x)  

Moleskin:

God has invested power in each of us. An example of God’s investment of power in man is when Peter healed the lame beggar in Acts 3. To make this miracle happen, Peter had to build a relationship with God, hear God’s calling and practice an act of obedience.

Do you know what power or spiritual gift God gave you? If so, what are you doing with your power?

We may not all be miracle makers. However, sometimes your obedience can help God’s victory.

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Presidential Day Massacre at the Armory

The weather mostly held out with a few spitting showers but good  mumble chatter by the 11 pax on this cold and wet morning.  It was a morning filled with maybe a little too many facts our presidents but it was a good lesson that no man is perfect and all even through our flaws we can still achieve great success.  May we all be encourage to NOT be defined by our mistakes and to overcome them.

Warm Up:  In honor of our 45 presidents and 4 assassinated presidents (Four sitting Presidents have been assassinated while in office: Abraham Lincoln, James Abram Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1897-1901), and John F. Kennedy (1961-63)

  • 45 – SSH
    • 4 – Burpees
  • 45 – Mountain climbers
    • 4 – Burpees
  • 45 – Squats (single count)
    • 4 – Burpees
  • 45 – Merkins (single count)
    • 4 – Burpees

THE THANG…

Mosey to the Knee Wall

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were close friends and correspondents — but they also had a bit of a rivalry. Adams’ dying words were, “Thomas Jefferson survives,” unaware that he had died hours earlier. Both died on July 4, 1826.

4 rounds  –

  • 7 – Wall Jumps
  • 18- Skull Crushers
  • 26 – Dips with Bell

10 – Count:

  • Monrovia, the capital of the Liberia, is named after James Monroe. He supported the American Colonization Society in its work to create a home for freed slaves in Liberia.
  • During his presidency, John Quincy Adams enjoyed skinny-dipping in the Potomac River in the early mornings.
  • Zachary Taylor was a tough guy — a major general in the U.S. Army and hero of the Mexican-American War. But oddly enough, what brought him down in the end was a glass of milk and some cherries that he enjoyed on July 4, 1850. The cherries were likely contaminated with bacteria that caused his death by cholera five days later.

Mosey to Open Parking Lot – Partner Up:

Andrew Jackson was involved in as many as 100 duels, most of which were fought to defend the honor of his wife, Rachel. He was shot in the chest in a duel in 1806 and took a bullet in the arm in a bar fight with Missouri Sen. Thomas Hart Benton in 1813.

John Tyler had 15 children, more than any other president. Two of his grandsonsare still alive today. One of Tyler’s children, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, born in 1853, fathered Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. in 1924 and Harrison Ruffin Tyler in 1928.

Combined

  • 100 – Pass Through Lunges/ Halos/ Curls
  • 15 – Bomb Jacks after each 100 (each person)

10 – Count:

  • Millard Fillmore lived the dream of many a teenage schoolboy. Fillmore’s first wife, Abigail Powers, was his teacher while he was a 19-year-old student at the New Hope Academy in New York.
  • Pierce had a tough time guiding the nation and perhaps an even tougher time guiding his horse. During his presidency, Pierce was arrested for running over a woman with his horse. Charges were later dropped due to a lack of evidence.
  • James Buchanan regularly bought slaves in Washington, D.C. and quietly freed them in Pennsylvania.

Mosey back to COT

Get ready to rumble: Abraham Lincoln could throw down in the wrestling ring. As a young man, he was only defeated once out of approximately300 matches. He made it to the Wrestling Hall of Fame with the honor of “Outstanding American.”

  • 300 Cumulative Reps (KB Swing, Plank Row or Shoulder Press

Ulysses S. Grant smoked a ton of cigars — at least 20 a day. After a great military victory at the Battle of Shiloh, citizens sent him more than 10,000 boxes of cigars as gratitude. He died of throat cancer in 1885.

  • End with continuous rotation of exercises of 20 count until we get to 10,000 total reps.

Other Facts:

  • William McKinley almost always wore a red carnation on his lapel as a good luck charm. While greeting a line of people in 1901, he gave the flower to a little girl. Seconds later, he was shot by an assassin, and died eight days later.
  • Teddy Roosevelt was shot in an assassination attempt while delivering a speech in Milwaukee. “I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot,” he told the stunned audience. “I give you my word, I do not care a rap about being shot; not a rap.” He completed the 90-minute speech with the bullet still lodged in his chest.
  • Herbert Hoover’s son had two pet alligators, which were occasionally permitted to run loose throughout the White House.
  • Eisenhower played a big role in popularizing golf. He installed a putting green at the White House and played more than 800 rounds while in office — exceeding the record of any other president. He holds a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement Category.
  • LBJ wasn’t scared to show off his, err, Johnson — he nicknamed his penis “Jumbo.” According to biographer Robert Dallek, Johnson met with a reporter who asked him multiple times why American troops were in Vietnam. In response, Johnson unzipped his pants, pulled out “Jumbo,” and yelled, “This is why!”
  • “Dubya” garnered the media attention with his frat boy past, but he also has a more wholesome side (aside from painting, that is). During his senior year of high school at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., Bush was captain of the cheerleading team.
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5 at the Hive

Five at the hive for a rainy day with just enough space to stay dry.  It was a great morning of fellowship exploring our words from last year and looking ahead to next year.  Thank you for the opportunity to lead!
Warm up: (High Intensity) – High Pace Mosey between exercises
– SSH 101
– Seal Jacks 50
– Cherry Pickers 30
– Imperial Walkers 20
– Merkins 10
Interval AMRAP: (Partner Up) 1-min per station (6 stations) switch partners after each round
  – curls
  – squats
  – triceps extensions
  – pass through lunges
  – Clean & snatch
  – calf raises
15 Min AMRAP – Pick your poison – count total reps
  – KB Swing
  – Shoulder Press
  – plank row
  – vertical chest press
Ended with some Mary!
Great morning!
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Climb the Ladder

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

Warm Up

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

The Thang

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

Flutter KB press, IC until the six is in.

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

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

Retrieve more KBs from the darkness.

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

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

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

NMM

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

I’m in training for life.

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

Geronimo!

 

 

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