Random Pain at Quagmire

YHC had a busy weekend and no time for winkie writing.  So, just show up and inflict random pain!  Noticed an f3 shirt-wearing HIM but unrecognized.  Eighty Eight is the name, from California. Said PAX lived in Lake Wylie/FM area for a while and moved to CA and mustard seed’ed an AO!  Leadership, AYE!

Quick yet proper disclaimer was given, and a mosey began. Wait, is that Duck Dynasty pulling in? Guess we’ll make a quick lap.  Duck joins, and wait, is that Olaf pulling in? Might as well grab him too!  Off we go for a decent run to an unnamed parking lot. COP had windmills, mountain climbers, produce pickers, werkins, imperial walkers, and a slow lbc with hands & feet touching the ground after each rep. Mosey to the wall between target and home depot.

Split up into two teams. Wall sit while PAX one at a time ran to the other wall, jumped and slapped the wall as high as they could, dropped for 5 merkins, and ran back.  YHC’s team was in an early slump but somehow caught back up FTW. Moseyed to target where we lined up the winners. Each winner chose a partner from the losing team for 2 sets of vacuum cleaners. If you don’t know what they are, you’re lucky. #exicon. Then, kept partner and grouped up about 40 yards apart facing each other. Method of transportation changed, but we met our partner in the middle and knocked out some exercises. Don’t remember exactly what they were but it was cool. Crab walks, bear crawls, crawl bears, burpee broad jumps. Yay.

Next mosey back to the walls for some wall work. Incline on the wall for 10x shoulder taps, followed by feet on the wall for 10x shoulder taps. Wall sit for an apache 10-count for our CA friend eighty eight. BTTW position for 10x double count peter parkers. #crowdpleaser

Mosey to random parking lot for some Captain Thor (thanks Tinsel). Mosey to mattress firm for Jack Webbs. Mosey to Best Buy parking lot for the finale which was 4  lines, bear crawl one at a time to the other end and sprint back for a relay race. Waiting PAX are to do SSH or squats or something to make them better. A little competition never hurt, right?

COT, read newsletter (duh), nessie, prayers for travel, kids, marriages, praise for eighty eight accelerating on vacation (it was like 1-2 am his time). 16 HIM got better on a Monday!

TClap |
2

The Hive is alive!

7 HIM showed up on this muggy morning for some solid acceleration and an acceptable amount of mumblechatter.

The warm-up:

20) side-straddle-hop

20) Merkins

20) Low slow squats

 

The Workout:

90’s rock playing while PAX circles up. In order to throw a curve ball their way, I told the PAX that we would be switching kettle bells after each routine. They complained for a second which always makes the QIC feel good!

20) Kettle bell swings

10) Burpees OYO

RUN across parking lot. Move one spot in circle to the next bell.

20) Big Boy sit-ups w/bell

20) Triceps extensions

RUN ”  ”

10) Lawnmower pull per arm

20) Skull Crushers

RUN ” ”

25) Merkins OYO

10) Halo each way

RUN ” ”

20) Curls

15) Squat press

RUN ” ”

25) 4 count superman flutter

20) Kettle bell high pull

RUN ” ”

20) bomb jacks OYO

30) Kettle bell bus driver. I realized how difficult this was so I decreased the reps to 10 and had I not I think Uhaul may have thrown his Kettle at me. This move basically is like turning a steering wheel.

RUN ” ”

10) side-to-side sumo squats

10) Kettle bell row per arm

RUN ” ”

 

We repeated this until our time was up and then moved back over to COT for announcements and prayers.

Huge thank to Band Camp for the opportunity to lead these men and I look forward to doing it again soon!

 

 

~Slash

TClap |
7

Mile High Special at Quagmire

This was a Q I was looking forward to.  It marked my 1 year anniversary with F3 and it was at the A/O that I started at.  Not only was it my 1 year anniversary but some #HIM by the name of Jedi offered me to be the site Q.  This is an offer I could not turn down as this is one of the hardest A/O’s in the region and is in the middle of The Fort and Lake Wylie.

My F3 journey so far has been one of the best journey’s of my life.  I dropped a ton of weight (I am below 200 LBS for the first time in 20 years), I am in MUCH better shape than I was a year ago and I can kinda sorta hang with all the beasts in our region.  My life is far from perfect nor will it ever be but F3 has introduced me to a plethora of men that I am happy to call brothers and friends.

THE THANG

I pulled up into the parking lot with Lutefisk only to notice there were 20 men there ready to go! If you have Q’d a workout before you know all about the Qdrenaline and that kicked in right away for me.  After saying the disclaimer we were off.

Mosey from Chick Fil A to behind Home depot (0.4 – 0.5 miles).  Circle up.

  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • 10 Merkins in cadence
  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • 10 Merkins in Cadence

Mosey to the alley

  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • Balls to the wall 60 seconds

Mosey over to the parking lot by the stairs.  There I instructed the PAX to partner up.

The next set was inspired from a Cha Ching BB.  We were going to do 11’s but the one we usually do is both exercises have to add up to 11’s, in this case we did one rep of each exercise and climbed up to 11.

The exercises were Burpees & Merkins.  Method of transportation was bear crawls there and crab walk back. 

Round 1

  • Start with 1 Burpee
  • Bear Crawl to the end of the parking lot
  • 1 Merkin
  • Crab Walk back to starting point

Round 2

  • 2 Burpees
  • Bear Crawl to the end of the parking lot
  • 2 Merkins
  • Crab Walk back to starting point

You get the gist…. all the way up to 11.  Rounds 8, 9, 10 & 11 is where the partners came into play and the method of transportation changes from bear crawls and crab walks to wheelbarrows.  By about round 6 or 7 I never imagined 23 men could be that quiet in a workout.  The plan was working.  A few groups finished early so we did a few laps around the parking lot and then some squats.  With about 3 minutes left and all groups finishing the thang we moseyed back to COT.  

Router lead us of with a 40 or 50 count of American Hammers and I finished it off with a 20 count of Flutters all in cadence.

We named our FNG – Mighty Mouse.

Jedi handed off the shovel flag and I thanked him for the opportunity and his leadership at Quagmire for the last 14 months.

Went through announcements, prayers, praises and I asked Jedi to take us out with a prayer.

Needless to say, everyone got their money’s worth and went home better men.

 

 

TClap |
4

Rugby Sprints and Ab Work Work Great Together

It was a beautiful morning in the middle of the Teeter parking lot.  10 solid upstanding young men decided to choose the harder thing and push ourselves and each other (quite literally).  With YHC on Q you knew there were going to be some sprinting involved (hey – stick with a winner).  Asked the pax to think of one person that needed help from them today.  With that – the disclaimer was stated and off we went.

The Thang:

Little baby mosey up to the Grace Presbyterian parking lot.

Active WarmUp (European Soccer Team Style) :  High Knees, Butt Kickers, Slide to the Right, Slide to the Right, Toy Soldiers, Dipping Birds, World Wide Leaders (Power Skips – Trademark), Open the Gate, Close the Gate, Long Strides.

Presto – you’re warm

Little COP for some Ab Lab – Fluttes, LBC’s with your feet on the ground, Hello Dolly’s, Fredrick Mercury’s, More Flutters, etc.

Rugby Sprints (so predictable!) x 5 with Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Peter Park’s, Parker Pete’s, LBC’s.

Walk it off to get the heart rate down.

Then run (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) it back again x 5 with more ground exercises that I don’t remember.

Ab Lab Exercises were done at this point.

Huddle up, gents!  Take a knee.

YHC asked to think of someone that needs something from us TODAY!  (Not tomorrow – Not after breakfast)  It could be anything:  Help, To Listen, Attention, Time Together, An Apology, Forgiveness.  Think of that one person who you can serve today.  Service doesn’t have to be a huge production or program – it can be a simple task for one person in your life.

Back to the beat down.

Let’s go with the extra long bear crawls – haven’t done them in a while.  Then let’s do it again.  So cool!  Any fast bears got to do some burpees while waiting for the six.  Even cooler!

More Ab Lab Exercises were done at this point.

How about some Partner/Push/Sprint/Push with a Flap Jack and a Rinse and Repeat?  People were super psyched.

Hows about we head back to the COT general area for some more Ab Lab exercises to finish ‘er up?!?  Sounds fantastic.

COT

Asked the pax to follow through today.  Reach out to the one person in their life.  M, 2.0, family member, co-worker, neighbor, someone!  That is what service can look like.  That is what male community leadership can look like.  It can be simple tasks.  Just need to do it to get the ball rolling and help spread to others.  Aye!

Read your newsletter.  Endx.

TClap |
0

The Hive: Move to Gain

We had real men of genius show up at The Hive today. It was cooler temps and we took advantage of them. 12 of us decided to pick things up and put them down and get better this Friday morn.

FNG brought in by 3D kept up nicely and we had Lone-star, guest of U Haul’s from TX visiting The Hive. Very much appreciated!

The Thang:

Disclaimer and Welcome

Mosey to light poles for dynamic warm up

  1. SSHs
  2. Carolina Dry Docks
  3. Imperial Walkers
  4. Squats
  5. Moracan Night Clubs
  6. Butt Kickers
  7. High Knees
  8. Shuffle L/R

Grab our bells and mosey to far side of lot

3 Rows of exercises

1st Round = 15 Reps, 2nd = 10 reps 3rd round 5 reps for each row of movements

  • Kettle-bell swing
  • Single & 10 double
  • Two arm bent row
  • Figure eight
  • Goblet squats
  • Upright row
  • Dips

 

  • Lunge press
  • Sumo upright row
  • Curls L/R
  • American Hammer
  • Bench press L/R
  • Plank Rows L/R
  • Tri Extension

 

  • Flutters
  • Hello dolly’s
  • Freddy’s
  • Deadlift
  • Sidestep upright row
  • Kettlebell Merkins

Wrapped up with a thought about we have to move in order to gain. We need to get up and post if we want to get fit. We have to go to work and get a pay check…….the same is true for our relationships. We have to engage in order to grow and get closer to another……M’s 2.0s and Sky Q. Take the steps necessary to gain more in those relationships and don’t wait to the lows of life and the valleys to tell them you love them.

Thanks for the Q Band Camp……always honored to lead!

Cake Boss

 

TClap |
1

Sweating it out at Golden Corral

15 #HIM met on this muggy morning at the Golden Corral for a good old fashioned beatdown.  Lutefisk had to substiQ for me last Friday and by coincidence he didn’t have a Q lined up today so lucky me and lucky PAX I stepped up to bring the pain at one of my favorite A/O’s.

Started with the disclaimer and we were off.

 

Warm Up

  • Mosey to the back of Harris Teeter
    • I intentionally asked the PAX to circle up pretty close to the dumpsters.  If you are on #SLACK and you read the fabulous piece Crab Cakes wrote last week then you would know why
  • SSH X 20
  • Imperial Walker X 15
  • Merkins X 15
  • Mountain Climbers X 10
  • Recover and mosey to the tire shop

Activity 1

  • 30 Durkins
    • Lap around the tire shop
  • 30 Dips
    • Lap around the tire shop
  • 20 Box Jumps
    • Lap around the tire shop
  • Elbow plank and wait for the 6
  • Mosey from the tire shop to the parking lot in front of Baker’s Buzzin

Activity 2 (11’s)

  • I instructed the PAX to partner up and size did matter
  • This activity was 11’s and consisted of burpees and merkins (hopefully all of you know what 11’s are and if not it pretty much means the exercises have to sum to 11.  Example 10 burpees and 1 merkin, 9 burpees and 2 merkins, 8 burpees and 3 merkins etc….)
  • There are a total of 10 rounds.  The method of transportation was different for each round.
  • Round 1 was 10 burpees at the beginning then wheelbarrow to the end of the parking lot (it’s a long way away) and then complete the 1 merkin.  The partner that was holding partner #2’s legs had to carry that partner back to the start.
  • Round 2 9 burpees then the second partner had to wheel barrow to the end.
  • We did the wheel barrows and partner carries for rounds 1-4
  • Rounds 5 – 7 were bear crawls and run back
  • Rounds 8 – 10 were crab walks and run back

Surprisingly enough I looked at my watch and it was 5:59.  Time to mosey back to COT.  As you can imagine there was a ton of moaning and groaning, that translates to #WINNING.  The PAX got their money’s worth

At COT we had an #FNG Sam and his handle is Mach3.  Went through the announcements, prayers and praises and Funhouse took us out with a prayer.  Couldn’t have asked for a better start to the day!

 

Mile High Out

 

 

 

 

TClap |
2

Red Bird flies in from Morocco

15 PAX gathered for a VQ from Red Bird…it was also his second post (he was an FNG a year ago and lives/works/serves in Morocco). Red Bird took the warmup; YHC handled the thang.

Being Red Bird’s first Q and only his second post, the PAX did significantly more reps of some exercises than typical….Imperial Walkers past 25 get a little more taxing than expected.

Warm Up – Red Bird

SSH x 26
IW x 28
HW x 24
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x29
Windmill x 23 (yes…you read that right..these will get to ya)
Downdog –> Updog
Merkins x 10
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x27

Mosey slowly around parking lot – burpee at each light pole

The Thang – Band Camp

Circle up
PAX is shooting for 225 PAX through the course of the workout. The American-style school where Red Bird works has 225 students.

25 KB Swings
10 Single-arm squat % press, right
25 KB Swings
*At this point, Tesh corrected my form on the swings–my back was curving too much. Always grateful for correction offered up, whether it’s the form on an exercise or my behavior. We need to get our egos out of the way when correction takes place. Personally, YHC would much rather be corrected in front of 14 PAX than hurt my back and be on IR for 14 weeks.
10 Single-arm squat % press, left
25 KB Swings
10 Single-arm squat % press, right
25 KB Swings
10 Single-arm squat % press, left

5 Burpees
5 Manmakers
4 Burpees
4 Manmakers
Total of 9 each. Only .09% of the population in Morocco is Christian.

Mosey over to concrete pad outside of the gym area.

Downdog –> right leg high, bend knee/open hip
Repeat on left side

Wall Sit
3 Burpees down the line from each side
BTTW
10 Merkins (upside down against the wall)

25 KB Swings
10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings
10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings
10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings
Seated Forward Bend
25 KB Swings

There was some debate over the math, but YHC is pretty sure we got to 225…..possibly a little more….

NMM:

Band Camp:
Great to share the gloom with Red Bird, a HIM living out his faith. His life demonstrates so much of Q-Source quadrant 2 in tact: Impact, Influence, Missionality, Targeting…“If you want to learn how to run faster, just find a faster man. And chase him until you catch him.” If you want to learn how to accelerate your 3rd F, just find a man moving through his faith ahead of you. And chase him until you catch him.

Sidenote:
As you read Red Bird’s words remember, Red Bird has only posted twice. However, he has clearly dug into the F3 lexicon and ethos. Great to see the support that F3 can provide even removed from the proximity of other HIM. I also read this in light of how I saw him respond to his call. Leaving a comfortable job in a place he knew with his family (including his two small girls) to head to a much less welcoming environment…T-Claps to him on continuing to do what he and his M knew they should do.

Red Bird:
It’s difficult to do what you know you should do. Getting up at 4:45am to post, being patient with your wife even if she’s not patient with you, putting in the extra unpaid that is sometimes required at work to do your best. That’s why we revere the HIM – he does what is necessary to do what is good for Group Advantage. Especially in the USA, where it’s in our national collective DNA to honor the disruptors that came before us to create this great nation.

In Eastern cultures, though, the disruptor is not revered. He is a problem. He is going against what centuries of lived experience have proven to be ideal. For a man to disrupt the Status Quo, he could lose everything – the support of his family, the respect of his wife and kids, his job, everything. For a man in an Eastern culture to break out of Disadvantage, he must be 100% certain that the Advantage is worth it, because there is no going back. Most likely, will be alone in his pursuits.

Remember that the Group Advantage is worth the Course of Action. Be 100% certain. Be thankful for the support in F3N, and pray that your brothers will not leave you alone in your pursuits.


Band Camp dismissed

TClap |
7

TIREsome fun at Golden Corral

Gave disclaimer a few minutes early even though Dark Helmet tried to delay the start.

Moseyed over to O ‘Riley’s Auto Parts for the warm up:
SSH
Wind mill
Honeymooner / Downward Dog
Hand release merkins
More Honeymooner / Downward Dog
Mountain Climber
Even more Honeymooner / Downward Dog
LBCs

Then moved to the hill behind Quick Lube
Sprint to top of hill and jog back down
20 LBCs at bottom (repeat 4 times)

Next Pax ventured over to the field adjacent the Gold Hill YMCA.  Every time I drive by this area I am always intrigued by the tires that are sitting out there and no one seems to use them.  So I decided that we would put them to use.  Honestly I wasn’t expecting 15 guys to show up so I had to improvise on what to do until I could come up with something worse.

– had Pax split up in 4 groups (3 tires – 1 big tractor tire and 2 large truck tires)

– 3 Teams took turn rolling the tire down to the other end of the field and back will team 4 did merkins until the teams with the tires got to the end of the field and then squats until the teams returned.

– Team 4 took its turn with the tractor tire and other 3 teams did the merkins and squats

After that I came up with the bad idea that we would all line up in two lines shoulder to shoulder and lift the tractor tire overhead and pass it down the line.  Once it passed by you move to the end of the line.  We kept this going for about 30 + yards before someone almost dropped it on their head.

To finish out the workout we partnered up for a DORA
100 Burpees
200 merkins
300 squats

Needless to say doing a DORA like this at the end of the workout is a smoker.  Everyone was able to finish the merkins and then it was time to head back for COT where we arrived a few minutes early and knocked out about half the squats and a round of Mary.

It was an honor to lead and I appreciate the Pax patience as I adlibbed some of the workout trying to account for numbers.

TClap |
2

Climbing Ladders at the Golden Corral

Golden Corral – The AO that has been revived in recent months thanks to the leadership of Lutefisk.

13 men met at the Harris Teeter parking lot in the gloom on this cloudy morning.

Started with the disclaimer and we were off.

Warm Up

  • Mosey to HT doors
  • 50 YD Bear Crawl
  • Wind Mill X 10
  • Imperial Walker X 10
  • SSH X 15
  • Merkins X 10
  • Mountain Climber X 10
  • Recover and mosey behind red bowl

Once we got behind red bowl I instructed the PAX to partner up.  Size doesn’t matter but what matters is accountability and camaraderie.  Those two things have been a huge part of my success ever since I started F3.

Activity 1

  • Partner 1 50 YD Wheelbarrow
  • 10 Merkins
  • Partner 2 50 YD Wheelbarrow
  • Run back to the beginning (Elbow plank waiting on the 6)
  • Partner 1 50  YD Wheelbarrow
  • 20 Merkins
  • Partner 2 50 YD Wheelbarrow
  • Run back to the beginning (Elbow plank waiting on the 6)

Mosey from Red Bowl to Bakers Buzzin

 

Activity 2

CLIMBING LADDERS

7 stations.  Start at number 1 then move to number 2 and then start over.  Keep climbing the ladder.  You get the gist.

  • 1st cone 10 Burpees (run to 2nd cone)
  • 2nd cone 20 Hand Slap Merkins (Bear Crawl to 3rd cone)
  • 3rd cone 30 Carolina Dry Docks  (Crab Walk to 4th cone)
  • 4th cone 40 Squats (run to 5th cone)
  • 5th cone 50 Flutters SC (Bear Crawl to 6th cone)
  • 6th cone 60 LBCS (Crab Walk to the 7th cone)
  • 7th cone 70 Shoulder taps (Run backwards to the 1st cone)

All the Pax completed 5 out of 6 rounds and one group was halfway done with the final round before we had to mosey back to COT (Fishsticks was waiting for us).  We got in just under 3 miles and around 600 calories burnt.  Excellent push by the PAX.  There was very little mumble chatter towards the end coupled with some moaning and groaning.  Big win for the QIC.

FINAL NUMBERS (Including warm ups)

  • 50 Burpees
  • 140 Merkins
  • 120 CDDS
  • 120 Squats
  • 100 Flutters
  • 60 LBC’s
  • Several Miles
  • The last group can add 10 burpees, 20 Merkins and 30 CDDs to their total

Announcements were covered.

Prayers were said for Change Order’s mother, Pothole’s truck and safe travels for Fishsticks   and his family.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead Lutefisk!

Mile High out

 

TClap |
8

7-4-17-76

13 on hand plus and FNG as YHC took the Q at Golden Corral for the first time. Thanks Lutefisk for the opportunity to lead these Men.

Arrived early to survey the expected AO. The area chosen for the Thang I have only seen used once and coudn’t recall if there were lights or not.  There were thank goodness.  Unloaded the assortment of cindys, pavers, weight, rock, and Mama Ducks garden stone.

As the PAX began rolling in was advised we had an FNG on so I beefed up the disclaimer to ensure liability was understood.  Here comes Punchlist and Wegmans fresh of a 2 mile pre run.  Wegmans was kind enough to advise he was warm and ready to rock. Good on ya men.

Mosey around the back to the HT and found an  unsmelly location and circled the PAX up for COP.

MNC x 20 Staright into 20 Little Arm Circles x20

SSH x 20   Imperial Walkers x 20 Hillbilly Walkers X 20  WindMills x 20

Mosey over to the church parking lot for The Thang.

7-4-17-76

Carried over a bit of this #Beatdown from our friend Nasa’s  smoke show the day before with  little different twist.

Complete 4 exercises in rep sets making up the date of our Independence then run a lap of roughly 200m.

Looked something like this. Revolutionary War lasted 7 years- So 7 rounds.

RND 1

7- Merkins  4 Kracken Burpees- 17-LBCs- 76- Squats

Lap around Parking lot

RND 2

7- Werkins, 4- 4x4s modified to 4 squats+4merks — 17 BBS, 76- American Hammers 2ct

Lap around parking lot

RND 3

7- CDDs, 4-2CT Jump Lunges, 17-MTN Climbers 2ct, 76 Calf Raises

Lap around parking lot

RND 4

7- GTOs, 4-Burpees, 17- Peter Parkers 2ct, 76- Hello Dollies

Lap around parking lot

RND5

7- Diamond Merks, 4- 4x4s modified 4xsqts+ 4 Merks, 17-Parker Peters 2ct

Lap Around parking lot

RND 6

7- Dips, 4-2ct Jump Lunges, 17- 2 CT Ski Abs, 76-  Fast Step ups 2 ct

Lap Around Parking lot

RND 7

7- Bent over Rows 2x, 4- Kraken Burpees, 17- Box cutters, 76 1ct Crab Cakes

Lap Around Parking Lot.

Mosey back to  COT w/ jail Break through shopping Center parking lot.

1.5 minute Plank to close it out.

COT

F3 Dads- Through July.

Convergence 0515 7-4 Bring Snacks for CAH

Prayers Praises

Traveling PAX- Interviews up coming for FNG Realtree

Safety over July 4th Holiday

Great work was done by all.

Duck Out!

 

TClap |
0