Nine men gathered in a church parking lot this morning. I was coming off my own version of the Griswold vacation, so I needed a tough workout. Check.
Yog over to the grassy field, mixing in a little carioca and backwards running. Apparently Calvary is trying to turn the soccer field into a swamp, so we relocated to the top of the little hill for an old school COP.
10 burpees, SSH
9 burpees, IW, etc. all the way down to 1 burpee and lunges. Good times.
Convene for People’s Chair on the wall of the hotbox. On my signal, run over and touch the church, then come back here for more PC (about .25 miles round trip). PC for a minute, then run to the church again but PC there. Then run back to the hotbox.
Gather in the hotbox. Oh look, a water fountain. Select a bench. Right leg step ups, left leg.
10x incline merkins, run and touch the first trash can on the ramp there.
10x decline merkins, run and touch the second trash can. Continue for all six trash cans.
Recover with more leg work – step ups, lunges, calf raises (that’s right, but no arm circles).
Slow mosey over to the rock pile. Select a rock you’d be proud to show off. 15x curls then run to that sign over there and back. 15x overhead press and touch the sign. Audible so we can move on to..
Partner up for Catch Me If You Can. Partner 1 takes off with the rock counter-clockwise around the church. Partner 2 does 10 merkins and then chases down Partner 1. Flapjack around the church and back to the rockpile. Ugh. Collapse in the shade for five minutes of mary. AYG (which wasn’t much) back to the cars. Done.
That seemed terrible. I was dripping sweat after the first round of burpees. Nemo (15) was killing it all morning, making ETrade work to try to stay in front. Great work by all the guys to grind out a tough workout on a tough morning.
Announcements:
Convergence on Monday, 7/4 at South Charlotte Middle School at 7:00 am.
After Pele secured the perimeter (pre-run), the PAX began to assemble for the hybrid workout that is Ascent/Olympus.
YHC offered some rambling intro/disclaimer and then we were off. Well, actually we just stood in a circle at first. Here’s what went down:
COP:
SSH – 20 IC
IW – 20 IC
LSS – 10 IC
Arm Circles – 10 forward, 10 reverse OYO
Slow Merkins (Slerkins) – 10 IC
Grab all KBs and mosey to near side of field for the MAIN THANG:
5x5s – 5 Rounds @ 5 minutes per round do as many rotations as possible per each 5 minute period:
Round 1: 10 Two-Handed KB Swings, run to other end of field, 1 Burpees, run back. Repeato +10 swings, +1 burpee
Round 2: 10 Push Presses, 5 high pulls per side, 10 bicep curls, continue w/same movements
Round 3:, 10 Goblet Squats, run to other end, 5 Merkins, run back. Repeato +5 squats, +2 Merkins
Round 4:, 10 Good Mornings, run to pullup bars, 5 pullups, run back. Repeato +2 GMs, +1 P
Round 5: Viking Press (5/side), run to half-field, 10 dead bugs (R+L=2), run back. Repeato
Grab all KBs and mosey to small track
Split into groups of 3 (speed/size do not matter) for a set of grinders with a called KB exercise at each end. P1 carries KB to the opposite end of the track (End B). P3 begins performing called exercise (End A). When reaching opposite end P1 performs called exercise. P2 runs around track back to P1. When P2 completes full lap, P2 takes over exercise and P1 runs to P3. Complete circuit until each pax completes exercises on both ends of track. Repeat with 2nd called exercise
TIME!
COT
Announcements:
Convergence for Independence Day @ South Charlotte Middle @ 7:00
Pool Party Aug 20. Details/signup: http://f3nation.com/2016/06/29/end-of-summer-pool-party/
Moleskin:
YHC had planned for a complete breakfast of kettlebells and running, with enough added nutrition to keep everyone full until Monday. I don’t think anyone left hungry.
Apologies for the confusing start of the grinders, but as someone predicted, after a lap or so, everyone figured out how it worked. Thankfully, we had a number of men that was evenly divisible by 3.
T-claps to Dora for helping encourage and educate.
T-claps to High Tide, too, for bringing enough extras for all the non-KB-owning PAX to have one. (We won’t mention his post-COT arrival.)
This has got to be the most humid morning of the year, but we didn’t lose anyone, which speaks volumes to the men who came and pushed their limits this morning. Outstanding work by everyone.
Have a great holiday weekend.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!
20 fine gents showed up on time for a smorgasbord of exercises that would push them to the limits.
THE THANG
Jog to lower lot
SSH x 15
Merkins x 15
IW x 10
Squats x 10
Dry docks x 15
10 burpees OYO
Partner up with like fitness level and run back to soccer field
Exercise 1 – partners run a lap of field and act as timer
Exercise 2 – partners pull weighted sled
Exercise 3 – clean and press on bar bells
Exercise 4 – box jumps
Exercise 5 – medicine ball sit ups
Exercise 6 – decline merkins on bench
Exercise 7 – suicides
Exercise 8 – tractor tire flip
Exercise 9 – jump rope
Exercise 10 – tri dips on bench
Exercise 11 – staggered tire merkins
Repeato
Jack Webb with 4 squats for every merkin
World War 2 sit ups x 30 OYO
COT
YE OLDE NAKED MOLESKINE
Good crew out there today. The mood was festive mainly due in part to the Zach Brown music wafting through the parking lot as the fellas arrived. Still no match for Freedoms jeep (in sound or sexy voice) but the new Big Blue Party speaker did a fine job.
To set up a workout like today can take months of planning and logistics and my trusted site Q said he would meet me at 5am to help set up. Still no site at 5:10 and even 5:20 so I resigned myself to the fact that Horsehead just didn’t fancy it. With 20 pax the numbers were perfect for this workout and what had been set up but then suddenly a truck comes careering around the corner at 5:47am. The third wheel entered the fray and due to a forerarm injury (whoa?) could not do most of the exercises anyway…We made it work but it just wasn’t the same. Much like a little brother on a first date!
Lots of highlights to point out otherwise. Samarai looked like a trained boxer on the jump ropes, Simba was loving the Will Smith Summertime tunes, Geraldo speeding around the track, and Side Car posted for his 4th workout of the week!
Hope you all have a great July 4th weekend. Enjoy the freedom that us Brits offered up back in the day!
BD
18 men accepted the challenge levied the night before. Could 3 laps of the #LC aka The Hillz be completed in one running of #F3DevilsTurn? Would anyone collapse from exertion? Would Strange Brew keep his shirt on? Read more of this very very late backblast to find out.
The route of the day was to go north on Rea Rd navigating the jagged although partially repaired sidewalks to where 51 intersects. We then proceeded further north before turning left into Five Knolls subdivision which also has a road of the same name. Five Knolls Dr. is a one mile out and back which ends in a cul-de-sac. It is a perfect hill route to see and be seen while experiencing appreciable pain.
On Wednesday night, the challenge was levied that 3 laps could clearly not be completed (with Strava record evidence) in the 1 hour workout. This would mean 8+ miles at 7:24 min/mile pace. This may sound manageable to some. However, factor in the 0 warmup and significant hills on the route, and it becomes a challenge.
Everyone meant business this morning and after the disclaimer and the “you may die” speech was complete, we took to the streets at respectable pace.
There were 4 in the lead pack making a run for glory. There was Frazier, Hairball, Beaker, and Bunker all vying for the legend status. Haggis was nipping at their heels while simultaneously trying not to blow out a calf or leg tendon.
Frazier and Hairball completed the 8 miles in the allotted time. Beaker and Bunker were very close and Haggis completed it but arrived at COT late and was disqualified.
Everyone else not crazy enough to try for a full 3 laps still experienced the pain of the steep incline going out and the gradual grind coming back on Five Knolls. BRR training is in full swing and the #LC is a great place to lay down some hilly miles.
Welcome Muppet to Devils Turn. Word is that Haggis used his Scottish sales tactics to lure Muppet into posting. We are glad you did brother! A long run on those kind of hills is quite a way to start at DT and you did it with a smile. Strong!
Thanks for running guys! It makes the pain much more bearable.
Announcements:
– No F3 Dads this week due to 4th festivities
– Sign up for F3 Golf, it will be fun
12 PAX pulled up to SVMS to see a #garagesale of what turned out to be part of EE’s Metal Toybox. Various KB’s and Dumbell’s and of course epoxy 45# plates in a pile just waiting to get slung around some! So what’s missing? “EE did you bring the tunes?” Apparently, #F3Overdrive is (un)famous for the best music in all of F3??? #selfproclaimed. Sorry, No music Fellas. I just want to hear Grunts from Pain!
Hair Band Half Marathon around Sidewalk including Karaoke R/L, Shuffle R/L, Backwards, Butt Kickers
Lunge Walk Parking Lot – Circle UP
COP
15 x IW IC
15 x LSS IC
25 x SSH IC
Jabberwocky pulls up tardy so all PAX Circle around his car and do 10 x Burpees OYO
THE THANG:
Grab a Toy (KB/DB) and perform the following exercises starting with 1 rep of each exercise and increase reps by 1 until we reach 10 reps of each.
10 LBC’s before each Rep increase
Round 1:
2-Hand KB Swing
Bicep Curls
Tricep Extensions
Ground to Overhead Thrusters
SSH x 25 IC
Head over to 45# Plates and form 2 Teams
Team Members take turns Hairburning around parking lot while waiting Pax perform 4 x Burpees at each member transition
Repeat Hair Band Half Marathon around Sidewalk including Karaoke R/L, Shuffle R/L, Backwards, Butt Kickers
Lunge Walk Parking Lot – Circle UP
Grab Your Toys again!
Round 2:
2-Hand KB Swing
Upright Rows
KB Merkins (alternating L/R Hands on Bell)
7 Mins to spare – BACK TO THE PLATE-Burners / BURPEES around the parking lot
1.5 MOM – DON’T DROP YOUR FEET
15 x Flutter
15 x Dolly
15 x Rosalita
10 x Heals to Heaven OYO
DONE!!
Mule-Skin:
Great Job by all today for sure! If you did not get smoked by the rounds of KB exercises, it is probably time to upgrade your KB +5 or +10lbs. Yes You can do it and yes you will be better for it. Or switch with your #partner like Bernanke did (which was kind of an awesome moment in that I never really saw HB approve of stealing his KB!!) I did see a few tootsie pops out there and thought it was a tasty snack until they were being thrown around. The Plates never fail as a crowd pleaser. You all know you can’t get enough metal grinding plate burning action! Good to see Donut Hole’s 2.0’s getting their work in early in the morning as well! We sure will miss you guys and let us know if you need any help with the move!! Hey Strong work, lots of Sweat, Great Tunes #sweetsoundofgnashingofteeth and good times at Overdrive. Thanks for the invite to Q HB!
Announcements:
– SIGN UP TO Q THRIVE, OVERDRIVE & OUTLAND…. TODAY! OR HB WILL SNEAK MIRALAX IN YOUR WHEATIES
– Prayers for GJ and his M (Paige) for upcoming Dr. Appts / Results / Healing
– Prayers for DH and his family as he moves closer to his work (Concord Area) – He Will be coming to Overdrive/Outland anyway every Saturday no matter how far he has to drive!!
Always Enjoy the Gloom, no matter how stinky we make it!!
Double E
Welcome July. I was expecting much worse conditions for the opening July workout. YHC had been out to Centurion only twice prior to this Q opportunity. Just last week, I was with the M and another couple and we had just finished eating at the Rusty Onion. Following dinner, I told the group “hey, there is a hill behind this restaurant that I need to check out.” Baffled looks from the group didn’t stop me. We walked behind the building all the way down to the hill. At this point, everyone seemed pretty annoyed with our scenic walk in the dark. I found said hill, and knew it was exactly what I needed as the core for my Centurion Q. I counted an even 14 before the workout began, which I was stoked about because partner drills were in the cards.
Warm-up
THE THANG
At this point the legs had received a nice shock treatment so I decided to take the elevation out of the equation and add in some speed.
MOLESKIN
We arrived back to COT, Chelms looked ripped as we arrived holding 2 bricks. Solid work by the PAX this morning fighting through a heavy leg day that included plenty of elevation mixed with speed and time under tension. It was pointed out that we did get in just shy; 3/10ths exactly; of 2 miles…it felt like much more. Thanks to Margo for the opportunity to lead a great group at an awesome AO. Have a great 4th of July and God Bless America.
Over and out – General
Another fun Friday @ joust where i trust you got your money’s worth.
Quick disclaimer and off to grandma mnt we went!
Grandma Mnt for 7’s. jump squat at bottom and Merkin at top
On the track for a taste of the Beast – Merkins, flutter, lbcs, jump squats – 6 reps each. 6 sets.
Mosey to touch line – lunge 1/2 way across field and sprint the rest. Broad jump 1/2 way back and sprint the rest. Bear crawl 1/2 across and sprint the rest. Lunge walk 1/2 back and sprint the rest. Broad jump across and sprint the rest.
Line up on the goal line. 40 yard sprints. Repeat 4 times.
Mosey to playground. 30 dips. 20 Merkins 10 pull-ups. Repeat 3 times.
Mosey back to field line up on goal line. 100 yard gassers. Repeat 2xs
Go to track. 1 lap w 20 Merkins at each corner.
Mosey back to lot for Mary. Lbcs, Freddie Mercury, heels to heaven, Mason twists, dolly, chief sit ups(thanks freedom) all 20xs
Great work guys! I came up w this yesterday and tried it out on my 7th/8th grade soccer team. One had to stop said his back hurt, one stopped for his athsma, one said he felt like he was going to throw up and one said he had to go take a pee and came back 15 min later… I might not have much of a team by Aug if i don’t tone it down a bit!!
Some observations this am… Square root is fast. Should have taken up swimming at the MAC when I was a youngster – apparently that’s where all the strong dudes hang out. Uncle Leo and Water foot are chiseled like Michael Phelps.
Chin Music runs like a gazelle. Most of us need 3 steps for each stride he takes. He, yeti and square root owned the gassers today.
Duct work running in from his crib is pretty impressive – running home is insane. Offered him a ride but he didn’t budge.
Freedom is complete respect! 51 and treating it like its no big deal. Stay out of his way on those gassers. You are the bug – he is the windshield.
And then finally semi gloss… He came in hot @ 5:15am saying he was going for a pre- run. Waited till 5:31 to begin and still no return of Semi. Seemed to me it was all too familiar with his pre-Death Valley ritual of taking care of last nights dinner. He did eventually come back sweaty so no questions were asked. Quite a journey he embarked on!
Thanks for the send off Yeti!
Sign up for F3 golf!
13 strong men showed up for The Brave this morning. YHC was on board for his 2nd Q at the The Brave and had everything planned out perfectly. Recon a good area…check. Plan out a good AMRAP…check. Chalk out the route…check. Account for Robocop showing up during the workout……dang…missed that one. Apparently F3 has a habit of turning security guards into Dirty Harry and this morning was my first experience with that…more to come in a bit.
The Thang
So what did we do this morning….since YHC is still somewhat new to Q’ing I went with the tried and true AMRAP formula. Always a good workout, and easy on the Q.
We took off promptly at 0515 towards Bagpipe Hill…the workout started and ended at the CIA BOA/TIAA buildings.
Here’s the pain stations:
The Moleskine
Today did not go as planned. I was so happy with myself for my 2nd Q. Did a little recon before Happy Hour this week, and I got up extra early to chalk off the route this morning. I did not anticipate running into Robocop this morning. No sooner had we got through pain station 1, when we were ambushed by security. Apparently they hate an active and healthy lifestyle. I distinctly heard the security guard say, “you get out of here. This is private property. Only cookies and doughnuts on this loading dock. Muscular dudes and guys that are in shape are not allowed near this building….only Tolkien is allowed over here.” That’s the truth…can’t believe he disparaged Tolkien like that…so uncool. I will not stand for that.
The crew looked at YHC for direction (some of the stares said “way to go dumba**”), and I said let’s just keep going to the next dock. The rest of lap 1 was uneventful….Mario, Squid, Ringer, and Thin Mint setting a strong pace with Mario stripping his shirt off early screaming “Tolkien, oh Tolkien, where art thou Tolkien.”
Lap 2 – now it gets interesting…Robocop is waiting for us. He’s no dummy….he knows we are coming back. He rockets out of the door screaming, “Howard Testerman….you get off this property. You left BOA and you can go work out your fat cankle at Citi you loser.” Whoa…this guy is intense this morning.
I was a little concerned, but One-Niner was running with Fire Hazard and I so I felt safe just being near him. We tried to woo Robocop with kindness first…Thin Mint offered him some delicious cookies…didn’t work. Then we tried to gas him out by sending Frehley’s Comet his way….no such luck. Frasier just kept running around him in circles saying “ha, ha, you can’t catch me”. Squid was bench pressing a Toyota Camry trying to scare the guy….that didn’t work either. We offered him Goonie’s autograph….but the guy was too young to have seen the movie and he hates Baby Ruth bars. NOTHING WAS WORKING. We didn’t know what to do…Ringer was just rocking back and forth in place mumbling “where’s Pebbles”. New guy Burnout was like “I didn’t join F3 to get beat up by a mall cop”. Market Timer was absolutely no help….he tried to invest the guy’s money for him and lost it before the markets even opened. Nard Dog just stared at all of us…. (this sounds like an awful lot of stuff happening on lap 2 doesn’t it?)
Needless to say we solved the problem…as long as we worked out on the SIDEWALK we were ok. Apparently the parking lot is paved with the bank account and social security numbers of all their clients so as long as we stayed off the lot, there was no fear of a security breach. In the end, I think it’s all because Howard left to go to competitor….thanks a lot Howard.
So what’s the moral of the story today? SPX has less security at 0515, work out at the TIAA building instead of BOA, and always make fun of Tolkien.
Strong work out there today guys…thanks for the opportunity to lead.
Warm-up with jump rope and kettle bell swings
The Thang
P1 pad
P2 gloves
p3 heavy bags
2 min rounds
rinse and repeat x 3
P1 & P2 sparring in the pit
P3 heavy bags
rinse and repeat x 3
6MOM
Crunch x 15
LBC x 15
Knees R/L x 15
Pretzel crunch R/L x 15
Moleskine
It was another great day in the gloom. Thanks to Chipotle for his leadership leading each week’s workout. He brings the gear and manages each week’s drills. He also brings two fist bombs. Marlin’s shoulder is healing nicely and he definitely had more pop to his punches this week. As for me, I just try to survive my rounds with those big fellas.
Announcements
F3golf.com
Send prayers and good vibes to Marlin as he packs up for a mission trip to Kenya to help with an orphanage. ~ Matthew 28:19
AYE. 15 PAX awaited in the Gloom at 5:29.55 as YHC came screeching into the lot. But hey, rolling out of bed in Providence Country Club at 5:19 and making it to the AO in time is no small achievement. TClaps to myself. Anyway. Enough of that. Here’s more or less what happened:
THE THANG
Mosey down to the bottom of the hill on Elmstone for the Leg Breaker
40 Jump Squats at the bottom
Run to first light pole and do 20 Monkey Humpers
Run back and do 40 Jump Squats
Repeat for second and third light pole
People’s Chair for a while afterwards
COP for Baryshnikov, Huddle Jump, more Jump Squats, more leg exercises.
YHC was in some serious pain at this point
Head back towards the AO and do a whole bunch of short sprints and leg exercises
10 minutes of Mary to close it out
#horseneck OUT