Author Archive Baracus

The Legend of Grandmother Mountain

The shovel flag was planted and 9 men emerged in the cool, morning gloom to start their Friday the right way.  The Charlotte Christian venue offers a great variety of pain delivery methods, and we took advantage of some of the best as this brand new F3 workout enters it’s 3rd week.  Grandmother Mountain is quickly emerging as a legend among all F3 venues.

The Thang:

Jog to football field.

COP:

  • SSH x 25
  • IW x 25
  • Slow Squat x25

Track work:

  • Sprint 200m /  Jog 200m
  • walking lunges 100m (1/4 of track)
  • Sprint 100m / Jog 200m
  • 25 squats, 10 burpees, 25 merkins
  • Jog 200m / Sprint 200m
  • 30 alternating lunges, 25 pushups, 25 squats
  • Jog 200m / Sprint 200m
  • Jog 200m / Sprint 200m

Bleacher work:

  • Run steps – one time up and down.
  • 20 triceps dips on bleachers
  • Run steps – two times up and down
  • 20 triceps dips on bleachers
  • Run steps – three times up and down
  • 20 triceps dips on bleachers

Grandmother Mtn:

  • Sevens (merkins at top / squats at the bottom)

Track work:

  • Jog 200m
  • walking lunges 100m
  • Sprint 200m
  • 25 pushups
  • Jog 400m
  • 25 squats, 10 burpees

Mosey then jail-break back to parking lot

Moleskin:

  • The O2 deprivation was high today, which kept the mumblechatter at a minimum today.  YHC brought a workout that was heavily laden with track work.  Not counting running up bleachers or Grandmother Mtn, we ran 1.75 miles on the track.
  • Some of South Charlotte’s strongest runners showed up at Joust this morning, so YHC was relegated to the back through most of the running.  Seems like some don’t know the difference between a jog and a sprint.
  • 100m lunge-walks never end.  A few groans when this was called on the track for the second time.
  • There was definitely some chatter as YHC called for sevens on the hill.  Grandmother Mountain again lived up to expectations, evoking memories of the BRR.  She is quickly turning into legend.
  • Great job by the pax all around today, and thanks to Stone Cold for giving me the opportunity to lead the pax today!

  Announcments:

  • F3 Compass at Arbo Chick-fil-A immediately following workout
  • Expect a date change for the Holiday Party.  Will either be 12/6, 12/7, 12/20, or 12/21.

Fashionably Early!

The F3 Anvil shovel flag (One of the best looking shovel flags in all of F3 I must say) was planted in the a crisp gloom where 17 men including 1 FNG gathered for some Fall festivities. YHC overheard some of the PAX say they should had brought a jacket when they stepped out of their cars – not to worry, it won’t be needed!

The Thang:

Warmup

  • Jog around the parking lot with a little backwards run & karaoke mixed in.                                                                                 

COP

  • SSH x 20
  • Merkin x 20
  • LBC x 20
  • IW x 20

Mosey to the “sweat box” (aka the field house for a little bench work)

Round 1:

  • Jump ups x 25
  • Dips x 25
  • Decline Merkins x 25
  • Move it to the grass for 10 Burpees OYO

Round 2:

  • Jump ups x 25
  • Dips x 25
  • Incline Merkins x 25
  • Move it to the grass for 5 Burpees OYO

Plank till everyone is fininshed – Left arm, Left leg high. Right arm, Right leg high.

Next up was a little Indian Run around the campus of Calvary. Over the parking lot, down 51 and around through the grass in front. We ended at the lower field of dreams for a little more pain:

Round 1:

  • Bear crawl to 1st base, 10 merkins
  • Crab walk to 2nd base, 10 wide arm merkins
  • Crab walk to 3rd base , 10 diamond merkins
  • Bear crawl to home plate, 10 CDD’s
  • Plank work

Round 2:

  • Lunge walk around bases, 10 merkins at each stop.
  • Plank work

Mosey over to hill at the Rea Rd entrance:

  • Bear Crawl down
  • Sprint up
  • Plank
  • Backwards lunge walk down
  • Bear Crawl up then sprint to second parking lot and circle up for some Mary

Mary was skillfully executed by Baracus:

  • Flutters x 20
  • Right leg flutters x 15
  • Left leg flutters x 15
  • Dollie x 20
  • Freddie Mercury x 20
  • CCV x 13 each side

Jog back to COT with a little backwards run and karaoke mixed in for good measure!

Moleskin:

  • Upon arrival, there was a CMPD cruiser stationed at the entrance – must have been there to escort us in style.
  • Indian Runs around Calvary are always  a crowd pleaser…
  • We learned a new use for gloves during Mary. CCV’s will make quick work of an elbow without them.
  • It was a pleasure to post with you this morning gentleman!

Announcements:

  • 3rd F 2nd meeting this morning at the Starbucks near Trader Joes, Rea Rd.
  • Young Life Mud Run on September 28th at USNWC.
  • HDHH – Vintners in the Arboretum and the Lodge at Rea/Colony – 6pm

-Boutique

Mission Impossible – License to Burpee

10 men showed up in the gloom on a muggy Saturday morning aspiring to complete multiple missions of pain.  Before they could be sent into the field, the pax had to complete their special operations training led by Champagne on his virgin Q.

The Thang

COP

  • SSH x25
  • IW x21
  • Burpees x10
  • Merkins x20
  • CCD x15
  • One-legged burpees x 5
  • Diamond merkins x10
  • One-legged burpees x 5 (other leg)

Count off into teams of 3, and each head off to their pain stations for field training.  When complete, rotate to next station.

Pain station 1 – 30 burpees, 30 dips, 30 decline merkins

Pain station 2 – 30 burpees, 30 peter parkers, 30 dive-bomber merkins

Pain station 3 – 30 burpees, 30 pull-ups, 30 hand release merkins

Mosey to “Mission Control” for field deployment – Baracus on Q.  There are 5 missions marked by orange cones.  Run to the cone, read the mission in the envelope left at each cone, complete the mission. Each team must complete all 5 missions.

  1. 25 slow, goblet squats (with KB), bear crawl back to mission control.
  2. 50 hindu squats, walk-lunge to mission control.
  3. 90 calf raises (30 toe-in, 30 regular, 30 toe-out) KB over head, broad jump burpees back to mission control.
  4. 50 knee-tucks, partner wheelbarrow to mission control / flapjack halfway.
  5. 40 alternating jump lunges, gorilla walk back to mission control.

After a short recovery, redeploy teams to the field for the next round of missions (side b of the mission cards at each station).

  1. 25 Russian twists w/KB (in cadence), bear crawl to mission control.
  2. 50 flutters (in cadence), walk-lunge to mission control.
  3. 25 Louganis w/KB, broad jump burpees to mission control.
  4. 50 dollys (in cadence), partner wheelbarrow to mission control / flapjack halfway.
  5. 50 LBC (in cadence), gorilla walk to mission control.

Moleskin:

Champagne did not disappoint in his maiden Q.  When YHC first saw his workout plan, I fell out of my chair when I saw the number of burpees he had planned for the “special ops training” portion of the workout.  He was determined to deliver some serious pain.  He did dial it back a bit, only for time purposes though, because there was still plenty of punishment delivered.  Fine work Champagne – even if you still haven’t worked out the art of breathing and counting at the same time!

YHC lead the operations side of the workout – deploying the teams on their “missions”.  He brought  the tunes with him this time as well…all James Bond theme music, which apparently some problem have a problem with (ahem…Radar).  Since we primarily worked out in teams, I don’t have much intel on what transpired among our other teams, but feel free to sound off in the comments if you have stories to share.

YHC was teamed up with Radar, Haze, and Unitas (Haze’s 2.0).  With 3 teams formed from 10 pax, someone had to be the odd man out, and I guess it was me.  When I headed to join them, Radar was quick to point me toward the other groups.  “No Baracus, you’re with those guys.”  I guess Radar and Haze wanted some “alone time”.  After explaining to Radar that 10 divided by 3 leaves a remainder of 1, I was finally allowed to join.

I must say, Radar was in rare form today…but instead of the angry Q we got the bellyacher.  “I shouldn’t have posted this morning…I already started my vacation last night….I’m still tired from GoRuck.”.  He did demonstrate some interesting form on a few of the exercises though.  Instead of the Hindu Squat, we saw him demonstrate the Vacation Squat.  Oh, and PH was the poor recipient of some close range flatulence.  I was able to impart some revenge though during the partner wheelbarrows.  Speaking of partner wheelbarrows…great job by our 3 man teams figuring out how to do partner wheelbarrows.

Strong work by Unitas (Haze’s 2.0) on the bear crawls and gorilla walks…he put us all to shame.  Despite the humidity, a great job by all the pax today – even Radar.

 

The Agony of Defeat

It wasn’t The Murph that defeated one pax this morning, but a rogue speedbump that jumped up out of nowhere (more on this in the moleskin).  The shovel flag was planted and the pax jogged into the gloom for another edition of The Murph – named In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y. – killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.  The workout, which Murphy had called “Body Armor”, was one of his favorites.

The Thang

  • Run 1 mile to McAlpine Elementary School
  • 10 sets x (10 pull-ups, 20 merkins, 30 squats)
  • Run 1 mile back to the shovel flag at Calvary
  • Various exercises as pax return (LBC, flutter, IWs, superman, 1 legged flutters, Freddie Mercury, CCV, among others)
  • Sprint relay – losing team does 15 burpees, winning team planks

Moleskin

YHC was doomed to make the backblast today.  I must have been speeding, because the very first speedbump we crossed proved to be too steep for me and I careened into the asphalt.  It was a picture not unlike the old videos from ABC’s wide world of sports – or at least that’s how I’ll remember it.  While largely unscathed, a devestating injury to the pinky finger caused YHC to lose alot of blood through the workout – but I carried on!  During the COT, Bananas informed YHC that for the low price of about $10 he could own a headlamp.  Thanks for the advice Bananas!

Not long after the pax arrived at McAlpine and dove into the pull-ups, merkins, and squats, a CMPD patrol car pulled into the parking lot.  He parked it just above the playground and sat for a good 5 or 10 minutes.  Perhaps he was thinking about jumping in?  More likely he was wondering why anyone would want to subject themselves to such punishment.  Aye!

Not too much chatter from the pax today, except for maybe a few comments to YHC to “watch your step” or “don’t trip over this wall” (thanks Champagne for looking out).  Strong work by all of the pax, particularly Joker, PBQB, and a few others that were first to finish!  Well done!

Announcements

  • F3 Dads Camp @ Camp Thunderbird – Aug 16-18 (see info on website)
  • HDHH @ Vintners – 6pm, continue HDHH at “the Lodge” 7pm (speak up in comments if you have more info on this)

Tabata – That is all…mostly.

It was a small group that showed up for a Wednesday workout at Anvil, but there was nothing small about the downPAINment they received.  After a brutal Fast Twitch beatdown from Purple Haze on Tuesday, YHC decided to stay away from the running and deliver an upper body beatdown via Tabata. 

The Thang

Little baby jog over to the grassy area beyond the baseball field and pick a rock you wouldn’t be ashamed of (some people apparently have no shame). 

COP

•SSH x 20 (cadence)
•Imperial Walkers x 20 (cadence)
•Merkins x 20 (cadence)
•Squats x 20 (cadence)

Tabata

4 minutes per exercise = (20 seconds of fun + 10 seconds of rest) x 8 rounds per exercise
•Burpees / mountain climbers
•Bicep Curls / tricep curls
•Goblet squats / Mary Catherines (both with rock)
•Shoulder press / CDD
•Merkins / Diamond merkins
•Heels to heaven / CCVs (left right)
•Staggered push-ups (right/left)

Mosey to the baseball field.  Can’t leave without at least a little bit of running.

Baseball diamond
•Bear crawl to first base – 10 merkins
•High knees to second base – 10 jump ups
•Job backwards to 3rd base – 10 Mtn climbers
•Sprint home
•Sprint to right field foul pole
•Run to left field foul pole
•Sprint to home plate

Naked Moleskin

It was a small group today, but that always allows for some good chatter to be heard by all #2ndF.  It has been a while since YHC has done a Tabata workout, so it was brought back as an effective tool to delivery some upper body pain.  T-claps to Young Love and Crabcake for choosing boulders…I could see the pain on your faces during the shoulder press exercise.  Everyone was soon feeling similar pain as the Tabata entered into the Merkin phase.  A deadly combination of merkins and diamond merkins prompted an “unsavory” call and had the group on their knees, literally.  There was plenty more upper body work to follow that, so by the end of the workout some of the pax were wondering how they would do any of their daily activities that require arm movement.  To cap off the workout we squeezed in some running, not to mention some bear crawl at Purple Haze’s request.   Nice work briscuit for a strong finish on the sprints!

 Announcements:

  • July 4th Convergence at South Charlotte Middle (aka Death Valley) – starts at 7am.
  • RSVP for Pig Pickin’ on July 13th
  • New KB workout Foxhole launches July 8th at Elon Park Elementary 0530 – Honey Bee and Market Timer are site Qs
  • New workout in Indian Trail (Outland) starts July 13th on fields between Sun Valley High School and Middle School.  Countertop is site Q.

It’s like a sauna in here!

The Thang

The virtual shovel flag was planted (YHC hasn’t embarked on the task of shovel-flag-making yet) and 17 brave men jogged into the steamy gloom to kick-off our new Wednesday workout at Calvary Church – ANVIL!

COP
• SSH x 50
• Merkins x 25
• Squats x 25
• Wide arm Merkins x 20
• Lunges x 20
• Diamond Merkins x 15
• Air squats x 15

Mosey to Sandbox & Partner up
Cycle 1
• Partner 1 burpees
• Partner 2 bear crawl across sandbox and back
• Flapjack
Cycle 2
• Partner 1 burpees
• Partner 2 gorilla walk across sand and back
• Flapjack
Cycle 3
• Partner 1 burpees
• Partner 2 dragon walk across sandbox 1 way
• Call for partner when done, Partner 2 does burpees until Partner 1 finishes
Final Cycle
• Wheelbarrow across sand one way
• Flapjack and return

Mosey to Shelter for “She-hate-me”
• Exercise 1 – dips x 20
• Exercise 2 – decline merkins x 20
• Exercise 3 – jump ups x 20

Mosey to small hill for intervals (~100 yds)
• sprint to top of hill
• 10 merkins at the top
• jog back to starting line
• repeato x 4

Mosey back to parking lot for Mary (time allowing)
• LBC x 15
• Flutters x 15
• Dolly x 15

Naked Moleskin
Great support today for our new workout at Calvary. A big thanks to all pax who came out to support. Wednesdays are a popular workout day, so its important that we mix it up and support all of our workout groups to keep the size manageable.
We started out with a nice variety of merkins today, then moved on to the sandbox to torture our upper bodies further. YHC pulled out some crowd favorites with some bear crawls and gorilla walks, no flying wolverine, no gorilla walk. Then brought back a crowd favorite with the dragon walk! Plenty of heavy breathing after that.
After brushing the sand off we headed over to the shelter for a good dose of she-hate-me. Lots of mumbling about the temperature in the shelter. Even though its open on three sides, it felt at least 15 degrees warmer under there. #turnontheAC.
The pax was very glad to leave the sauna and head out to the soccer field for some interval sprints. OK…they were just glad to leave the sauna. I hadn’t planned on including the merkins during this part of the workout, but all seemed very pleased that I called the audible on the spot. #ohmyarms
Welcome to our FNG Jim Ausmen (aka Blue Rhino)! Thanks for coming to be a part of launching our new workout, and I hope you’ll join us for many more.
Great work today men!

Announcements:
* Come support M. Runstopper and the Charlotte Roller Girls this Sunday for a double-header at the Grady Cole Center. Great family fun!
* 2nd F event – Pig Pickin’ on Saturday, July 13th. Bugeater is your contact.
* F3Dads this Saturday at Frances Beatty Park – 9:00am

Three Ring Circus

The shovel flag was planted on a beautiful Saturday morning at Colonel Francis Beatty Park and 13 F3 Dads took to the field with many 2.0s in tow. All to enjoy a few fun-filled activities to help everyone break a sweat. It may not have been the greatest show on Earth, but there were rings, animals, and acrobatics in this one.

COP
Seal Jacks x 20
Imperial walker x 20
Squats x 20
Burpees x 5

Animal Version of Red Light, Green Light
Bear crawl
Crab walk
Flying wolverine
Gorilla walk

Amoeba/Chain Tag – Like freeze tag – person(s) that are “it” tag others, who then join in chains until all are captured. Kids “it” first, then Dads.

Hula Hoop Pass – circle up and join hands. Pass hoop around circles without breaking the circle.

Obstacle Course (4 obstacles made up of dads, kids run the course)
Obstacles 1&2 – dads in plank position, Obstacle 3 – dads standing spaced apart, Obstacle 4 – dads in crouch position
Sprint to Obstacle 1 – army crawl under dads in plank position
Sprint to Obstacle 2 – jump over dads in plank position
Sprint to Obstacle 3 – run between dads
Sprint to Obstacle 4 – leap frog over dads
Sprint to finish

Circle Chase – break into 4 groups
Group selects one person to be “it”
Group gets in a tight circle, holding hands
Put a towel over one persons shoulder
Person who is “it” tries to get the towel, while the group moves together to keep it away.
Rinse and repeat so all have a chance to be “it” – or when you’re ready to stop.

Naked Moleskinpollock-ring-master
Some games are just better suited for the kids. In an animal themed version of Red light, Green light several 2.0s were appointed to be traffic cop. Several dads were fooled multiple times, called out by the 2.0s, and sent back to start again. For the hula hoop pass, all 34 pax circled up and did a fantastic job, although it did be l just a little awkward for Bulldog and YHC holding hands for the entire game. The obstacle course was a hit, but it is still unclear who got the harder workout, it did begin to feel just a little awkward for of mumblechatter from the planks while the 2.0s had a grand ole time. Overall it was a great day with all having a great time, while most even broke a sweat. Mission accomplished!

Grab your Partner Dosey Doe

40 men braved the gloom on a fine spring morning for a nice variety of downpainments!  Salt lick led the group through the woods to the park and playground for the start of the workout:

Warm-up run around the parking lot

  • Merkinsx20
  • IWx25
  • SSHx25
  • High Kneesx15

Next the group moved to the playground  for a few pain stations (3 stations with pax split into 3 groups)

  • 30 Decline Merkins
  • 20 Carolina Dry Docks
  • 10 Wide Grip Pull-ups
  • Rinse and Repeat with Incline Merkins, Narrow CDDs, Narrow or Underhand Grip PU Rinse and Repeat with Regular Ea Exercise

Salt Lick closed out the front end of the work-out with some “get to know your partner” exercises.

  • Partner Dipsx15-flapjack (partner 1 in table position, partner 2 faces away doing dips)
  • Partner Elbow Curlsx20-flapjack
  • Rinse and repeat

Baracus led the pax over to the hill, and then to another hill for some ladders

  • Sprint up hill
  • 1 burpee at the top
  • Run down
  • 6 squats at the bottom
  • Repeat (2 burpees/5 squats, 3 burpees/4 squats….etc.)

Mosey to the football field for some interval work

  • Sprint length of field 
  • 20x air squats
  • jog back
  • repeat 2x more with (10x alternating jump lunges, 20x LBC)

Moleskin

A record turnout today since the launch of “The Maul” at Stonecrest – 40 strong!  Each week we are gaining a little sunlight during the workout, but clearly the headlamps were still needed today as we wandered through the woods.  Those in front had no trouble finding the trail, but in the darkness it takes a long time to move 40 men in the same direction…and apparently not to be forgotten in the light too as YHC found out later when looking for a good ladder hill.  Salt lick got us started with some great upper body pain stations (my shoulders are burning), but the crowd really enjoyed the partner exercises.  The partner dip exercises had the pax talking.  Some were wondering if they should have taken their partner to dinner first, while others felt the need for a cold shower.  We certainly know each other better now!

YHC took over and led the pax over to the hill, where they could enjoy cat-calls from the ladies working out on the other side of the fence.  After all were in position on the hill, Salt lick graciously pointed out that this was the wrong hill…..so there goes a couple of minutes that would save the pax from one extra sprint at the end of the workout.  We finished with some intervals on the football field while after the sun came up, and despite my best effort to get one more sprint in we called it a day.  Great work guys!

Announcements             

  • Complete the survey if you haven’t already!  150 responses = TR in a kilt at Bagpipe
  • Devil’s Turn will be changing locations from the McAlpine Greenway entrance on Sardis Rd to the Greenway at Piper Glen (near Trader Joes)…more to come on this from the Shore
  • Starting May 10, the latest 3rd F event will begin, Compass, with Bulldog & Stone Cold. 6:30-7:15 Fridays at the Arboretum Chick-Fil-A. We will be discussing a great book, entitled, The True Measure of a Man
  • Continue to keep Coal Miner’s Daughter and his family in your prayers.

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