On this cold and lonely morning with the temperature ranging from 26 – 29 degrees Fahrenheit, YHC and Private Benjamin, your faithful site Qs, found themselves ready to tour the Town o’ Pineville as a duo. No matter! Where two or more gather, an AO shall appear. Amen.
COP
I hate the cold. The only immediate cure is to run away from it. Up we went to Pineville Elementary, the long way ’round for about 0.6 before YHC started to warm up. Along Polk Street we found a row of park benches. Time to go to work.
The Thang
Derkins x10
Run to next bench
Incline Merks x10
Run to next bench
Dips x15
Run to next bench
Derks, Incline Merks, Dips x15 and so on for another 0.4 miles with some Mary and squattage mixed in for good measure.
Moseyed over to the Belle Johnston Community Center for a lap around the pond.
PB couldn’t help but notice several more benches for us to use. So be it! Elevated leg lifts for 45 seconds at 3 different benches.
Mosey over to pavillion for 20 step ups each leg!
Mosey back to AO…JUST in time for YHC to check the time in his car since no one wanted to wear a watch. Wouldn’t you know, just as I pick the phone up the clock strikes 6:15a. My horse sense is amazing.
All told we got in 2.6 miles, had smoked shoulders, chests, arms and legs, and got to have some solid 2nd F while the 1st F was commencing.
Thanks to YHC for the send-off.
Moleskin
Strong push by Private Benjamin all the way. It’s an honor to post w/the man and it’s always great mumblechatter. PB and I are both dads to two kids, devoted husbands/team players, professionals in our own right….we see our responsibilities as the same in many respects, and one thing is certain – YHC knows him and a host of people better as a result of The Big House being open for business.
Dumpster Fire Out.
18 PAX who stayed in town for the Labor Day holiday got an extended Special Edition of The Big House, with 60 minutes of solid effort and anywhere from 3.3 – 3.5 miles for a Tour of Pineville.
Many PAX were unfamiliar with The Big House as an AO, so YHC and Private Benjamin, the outstanding Site-Qs that we are, decided to give them a proper welcome with a tour of Jack Hughes Park as well as Pineville Lake Park. A very special welcome to all the men of Basecamp for joining us, and posting their shovel flag alongside ours.
PB gave a thorough and proper disclaimer before we did a quick loop around the rear baseball field for
COP:
SSHx15
Tempo Merks x10
Abe Vigodas x10 (slow windmills)
Cotton Pickers x10
CDDs x15
Then off we went for
THE THANG
First up? Circut Work. Check out the signage conspicuously placed in all sections, including the one in big bold letters saying “ASCENDING TESTICLES”…the kids will love that one when they show up for practice.
1. First Parking lot entrance – 20 Burpees oyo
2. First baseball dugout walls – Ascending testes for 7 derkins at 15 degrees, 7 derkins at 45 degrees, and then 7 derkins with BTTW
3. Pseudo Park Entrance – 40 Merkins
4. Park Walkway Intersection nr apartments – 25 lunges each leg
5. Bridge – 40 Plank Jacks
6. Jump ups & dips near the back concession stand
We were about 20 mins in at that point.
Okay, time for shovel flags to be picked up, hoisted, and get the PAX mobilized for a run back to Pineville Lake Park. Standing Rule: Everyone must carry one of the shovel flags, but you cannot pass it on to someone…they need to step up and take it. #LeadershipTraining #Initiative #Hashtag
Run ~1.0 miles back to Lake Park, everyone grab a curling rock.
10 bicep curls OYO, hold a squat for 30 seconds w/rock in hand
Drop the rock, hold 6 inches for 30 seconds
15 bicep curls OYO, hold a squat for 30 seconds w/rock in hand
Drop the rock, run up to top of Dumpster Hill (sort of like Bunker Hill, but no one dies)
Back down for 20 bicep curls OYO, do 15 squats w/rock in hand
Next up? Get on your six.
All 18 PAX call 10 reps of your favorite ab exercise. Learned what a sandy V is. Thanks, Kid Rock.
Return your rock to the EXACT place you found it, grab a shovel flag if you see it, and let’s mosey back to the launch point.
With 60 seconds to spare, McGee insisted on burpees until you finish it out.
FIN
COT / Moleskin
GREAT WORK, men. To so many of you…welcome to the Big House. We hope you enjoyed your stay this Labor Day weekend.
Great to see so many faces from other AOs.
Costanza – good sport, sir. I never put it together, but thanks to McGee for the suggested plotline for “The Parent Trap, Pt 3”.
It was an honor to lead. PB and DF out.
Announcements
F3 Golf, 10/27. Check for updates but plan on being there.
Speed for Need races coming up:
– Isabella Santos 5k in Ballantyne, September 30th.
– Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k in Uptown CLT, October 7th.
6 PAX gathered in The Gloom with approximately four (4) no shows, yet No Show was in attendance. Armpit/Udder/Mountie/FNG
Nevertheless, a preview was given that Legs, abs and arms would be the focus of the day (I OD’d on burpee workouts last week), disclaimer was given and we moseyed off to a parking lot we had never been in before.
COP
SSHx20
MerkX15
MountainClimbX20
LSSx20
The Thang
Mosey to Grace Life Church Parking Lot, Partner up!
Partner 1 does Dolleys
Partner 2 bear crawls to mid-point of parking lot, does Dolleys while P1 bear crawls to catch up
Repeato
Mosey to Pineville Lake Park parking lot, where we were met by a ferocious four-legged dog (no, Lt. Dan was already with us). Thankfully Cujo (yipyip terrier) was safely behind a chain link fence. Anyway…on with the program.
Same partners
P1: Flutters
P2: bear crawls to mid-point, does Flutters while P1 bear crawls to catch up
(Yikes, FidoCujo’s really pissed, so we’d better just repeato back the way we came.
Okay, everybody grab a curling rock for arm curl suicides at Dumpster Hill (as No Show called it):
20 arm curls, run to first hill, 10 jump squats, run back down for 20 more arm curls, run to second hill (further away), 10 jump squats, run back down to rock
Repeato
Static arm curls X 60 seconds
(This was about the time where Lt. Dan attempted to take his excessively large rock back to customer service for an excessively small one. Since he had the receipt and it looked like a good rock to me, this was allowed.)
Okay, everyone back with their rocks? Great. NOW PASS THE ROCK TO THE PAX ON YOUR RIGHT! HA HA HA! Take that, LtD. (I was standing in line to receive the smaller rock.)
Circle up for OYO (on your own) reps:
10 LSS while holding the rock
Drop for 10 Merks
Pass the rock to the next PAX on the right
10 lunges (5 each leg)
Drop for 10 Merks
10 arm curls
Drop for 10 Merks
Repeato until everyone has their rock back
plank up for 60 seconds
Done? Let’s mosey back via Indian Run (Unsure if this should be Native American Run or truly from the country of India)
Get back to the Pineville PD parking lot, everything just like we left it. #SafestAOEver
We got our 2.0 miles in, so sayeth my Garmin. WELL DONE.
Time for LBCs x30 and a round robin protractor, everyone calls out a degree.
FIN/COT
Great work out there by everyone. A few observations:
– Pvt. Benjamin is a monster. Dude was in front the entire time and didn’t seem to be hurting one bit.
– No Show and Cheddar were all business this morning, knocking out reps and moving with a purpose.
– Toolbag posts at The Big House more consistently than the site Qs do, I think. Still looking strong and I continue to be amazed at your commitment given how quickly you and M had your bundle of joy. If you meet other PAX who have an M w/a bun in the oven, please take them under your wing and encourage them to keep posting even after 2.0’s arrival. It’s easy for new dads to get swallowed whole by the awesome responsibility of being a parent. You’re a great example of a HIM who supports his family and supports himself as well. Aye.
– Lt. Dan – glad to see you as a regular poster at The Big House again. Also, you get MAJOR #Tclaps for HC’ing to Q at The Big House once in November and once in December! I’m already looking forward to it. Thanks for stepping up #LarryBird
Announcements
– Isabella Santos 5-k September 30th. Sign up today!
– Everyone Post at the Maul this Wednesday for Outback’s final Q in the SOB / A51 Region. He is moving to California and will be sorely missed.
It was an honor to lead this morning.
6 disciplined PAX arrived with YHC coming in hot with 45 seconds to spare. YHC has observed many-a-Big House workout being confined to the safe harbor of Jack Hughes Park. But as John A. Shedd rightly pointed out, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
Disclaimer was given as the shovel flag was planted, and we set sail for Pineville Lake Park.
COP
Run to Town Hall
Slow merkins x15
Sshx20
THE THANG
Run to Gracelife Church Youth parking lot
Plankwalks w/Merkins x5
Run to Pineville Lake Park, picnic table pavilion
20 Step ups each leg
15 Derks
15 Dips
Grab a lifting rock
Bicep curls x15
NOW THE EXCITING PART. After half a year in existence, our AO finally has a respectable hill for some hillwork.
Time for 7s, 1 burp at the base, 6 jump ups at the top, 2 and 5, etc etc.
There were actually two hills to climb..making this edition of 7s a little more run intensive than others experienced.
Return to the picnic table pavilion
15 Step ups each leg
10 Derks
10 Dips
Bicep curls x30
10 Step ups each leg
5 Derks
5 Dips
Bicep curls x30
Indian Run back to the harbor
Grab some curb
Flutters x30
Dolleys x25
LBCs x30
Boxcutters OYO x20
FIN
2.4 miles logged. Good work men.
MOLESKIN
OUTSTANDING EFFORT by all. #LarryBird goes to Arsenal, who pushed as hard as YHC had seen since first meeting him at the FNG Convergence over a month ago. Strong work brother.
Tagalong had observed that YHC appeared to be moving quicker on runs these days. Tis true…been taking some sad clown runs through the neighborhood in a slow-build-up to the Blue Ridge Relay. I won’t be the fastest SOB out there, but I will be out there. One thing that I like about a 2-mile minimum requirement out at The Big House is that it puts a 5k comfortably in-reach of everyone who posts. After getting your ass kicked for a month or two, the difference between 2 and 3 miles is not that big a deal.
Private Benjamin showing off with the arm curls. His rock was twice the size of mine. #CurlsfortheGirls
Great to see Carmen San Diego on a consistent basis out here. Tclaps brother. Keep it up.
No-Show probably needs to be renamed. He’s more consistent at posting out here than the site Qs. A’hem, Cheddar. And no it doesn’t matter that you were out of town today. (YHC is a big fan of throwing stones from glass houses.)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
– American 4-miler – July 4 – the 1st of 12 F3-sponsored Speed for Need runs. There will be an F3 workout beforehand near the starting area. See link to sign-up. Bring a shovel flag if you have one: http://runforyourlife.com/american4miler/
– Private Benjamin’s VQ – July 10 at The Big House. Get ready for it!
15 men joined YHC at this morning’s Stonehenge convergence in purpose with many other PAX and AOs this morning.
COP:
– SSHx25
– MtnClimbersx15
Off we ran to the rear of the Ballantyne Corporate Park.
THANG:
YHC connected with the Fort’s Convergence Qs and learned that the plan to honor F3 Lexington’s Cheech was to ensure that the PAX did at least 1,000 of each called exercise to recognize Cheech’s accomplishment of running 1,000 miles last year. The Fort’s convergence had 1,000 burps, 1,000 bomb jacks, and 1,000 big boy situps on tap. Since Stonehenge remains open for business as is tradition, we couldn’t converge with the other regions. But we were with them every step of the way. Each man had 25 of the called exercise to complete at each of the four quadrants (100 total PP). Teddy ate his wheaties this am and blazed through the burps…probably to get them over with.
When you finished your loop, you head back for the six, who was mostly YHC.
With 15 PAX on, hand, the math was easy:
1,500 Burpees
1,500 bomb jacks
1,500 big boy situps – partner up and plank while P1 sits up. Flapjack. Tclaps to Haggis and Frehley’s for joining me. I won’t be calling either of you for a 2nd date.
With time to spare, we stacked up shoulder to shoulder for Planker’s Delight. That sucked.
We moseyed back to the launchpad, planking for the six. Once the six pulled in, one by one we did a merk, also stating how we were going to make today Matter: spend quality time with our kids, meet someone we haven’t met before, pray for Cheech’s family, call our parents, check in on our loved ones. As the PAX finished, we held plank for 60 seconds. FIN
MOLESKIN:
Strong work by all. Glad to see lots of familiar faces like Morning After, Bucky, Frehley’s, Turkey, my new friend Fredo, Toolbag…hell, everyone. Great work men.
I’ve gotta be honest, Cheech’s story hit YHC hard this week. Like so many tragedies, his day started out like everyone else’s – not an expectation in the least that he would be Called Home. Depending on your beliefs, you may share a sense of relief at where his story goes from here….but that doesn’t take away from the loss and unexpected emptiness that is left in this corporeal existence among those needing to pick up and keep moving forward – his M, his children, his friends & family.
Years ago, Chris Rice came out with a song called “Life Means So Much”…one of the verses came back to YHC this week:
“Every day is a bank account
And time is our currency
So nobody’s rich, nobody’s poor
We get 24 hours each
So how are you gonna spend
Will you invest, or squander
Try to get ahead
Or help someone who’s under
Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much….”
Count the days. Make the Days Count. Aye.
It was an honor to share this morning with you all. Thank you for kneeling w/YHC this am.
Announcements:
– F3 Dads
Details:
Dates: 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24
Area 51 – Colonel Francis Beatty Park 9:00-9:45
SOB – Bull Ring in Ballantyne 9:00-9:45 (Corner of Brixham Hill Ave/Ballantyne Corporate Place)
2.0’s have a blast at these workouts. Dads do too. Be sure to bring hydration. Spread the word and post with your kids.
– Da Vinci and Stonehenge are looking for Qs – If you can do it, you can Q it. Get on the Q calendar for da Vinci by talking to Fredo. Contact Wild Turkey and Nard Dog for the Stonehenge Q calendar.
7 PAX, including one FNG from Pineville, posted to Ascent on Saturday morning of May 13, 2017, for a good old timey beatdown. YHC had prepared for several contingencies with respect to PAX demographics, and was ready to go with a workout scaled to everyone’s fitness levels.
With a mumbly stumbly disclaimer that got the point across (do what you can, what you want, and at your own risk, no professionals present, etc.), we were off for some mobile-unit COP that began at Station One with some SSH * 20, run to Station Two with some low slow Merkin * 10, run to Station Three with some low slow squats * 20, continue to run to Stations Four and Five for further instructions, before heading back to Station One.
Station One – Parking Lot: Catch me if you can Hairburners, out and back.
P1 – Hairburn, P2 – 2 burpees, flapjack out,
P1 – Hairburn, P2 – 4 Merks, flapjack back
Station Two – Church Parking Lot, Grab a Rock:
P1 – Triple Lindys (Curl, to shoulder press, to tricep extension)
P2 – Run around the Church
Flapjack, Repeato
Station Three – Baseball Bleachers:
P1 – Hold a plank
P2 – Step ups x 10 each leg
Station Four – Concession Stands:
Back to Back People’s chair x 100 seconds
Station Five – School Wall:
10 hand-slap Merks between partners
YHC expected more distance between fastest team and slowest, so was going to have the group catch up to the 6 and finish out…however, everyone brought their #LarryBird game on Saturday in lieu of savaging anything that morning.
Since all were accounted for, let’s change it up and show the FNG how indian runs work.
Head over to the track, Indian Run * 2 laps.
THEN….Indian plank around the track * 1 lap. That one hurt.
Once we’re done there, it’s time for a lap around the Olde Providence neighborhoods. I’d wager we got in a good 2 miles by the time we were wrapped up.
FIN
COT
Welcome to the fold, Gepetto, who woodworks as a hobby. With a name like Markanthony, he was dangerously close to being a “Cleopatra” or “You sang to me”…
Thanks for the send-off, Daisy.
Announcements:
It was a dark and stormy morning…and YHC had not Q’d a workout since February – or posted consistently since early March(!). Holy mother what a suckfest today was. I had been up since 4am basically listening to the rain, wishing for it to stop…it didn’t, so here we all are.
YHC pulls up to drop off some coupons around 5:25am…no one at the PD station…will YHC be the only one in attendance? The wheels begin to turn…
Drop off the coupons to the rear of Jack Hughes Park, come back and there are TWO cars where previously there were none…it’s 5:29a…okay, let’s get this over with. Disclaimer begrudgingly given, we set sail:
COP
1.25 mile warm up to The Hut and back to the rear of Jack Hughes Park – get them juices flowing. On approach, grab one of 4 plates (45 lbs and 35 lbs) and head to the picnic pavilion…let the record reflect that Prvt Benjamin was the only one who grabbed a 45. #LarryBird
Slow Merkins X 15
Mtn Climbers X 15
THANG
Triple Lindy’s X 15
Driving Miss Daisy’s – Biceps – static lifts X 30 seconds (arms @ 90 degree angle)
Drop ’em
15 slow dips
25 Step ups each leg
Triple Lindy’s X 15
Driving Miss Daisy’s – Biceps – static lifts X 30 seconds (arms @ 90 degree angle)
Mosey over to Parks & Rec Office, grab some wall
People’s Chair Merkin assembly line X 15 (while in ppl’s chair, one by one drops for a merkin, gets back into people’s chair, next man goes, and so on…once everyone has done one merkin = 1 rep….this sucked)
Mosey back to picnic pavilion
Triple Lindy’s X 15
Biceps – statics X 30 seconds
15 slow dips
Return the plates
Mosey back to launch point
Fin.
COT
Name-o-rama and last call for the Sheltra Run…Tclaps to Pvt Benny for a STRONG EH on Snowflake. Think we got one more on the list!
Private Benjamin / Snowflake – Thank you for being there this morning. I needed to be up and out today, and I need to put the wheels back on the bus. Thanks for being part of the first step. DF out.
11 PAX decended upon The Big House for a Birthday Beatdown of Biblical proportions. More on that in a minute.
YHC had self-booked today’s Q reservation months ago as he was booking half of the F3 Nation to Q The Big House over the next 5 years…unbeknownst to me, but knownst to some, it was Cheddar’s 33rd Birthday. Of course, that could only mean one thing: that the macho madness and the power of the Warrior would have to join forces in a Tag Team royale.
With Cheddar’s to-the-point disclaimer and FNG Ric properly introduced, we were off for some COP right in front of the Mayor’s Office.
COP / Warm-up
17 SSH IC
16 Merkins
17 Mountain Climbers
16 Imperial Walker
The Thang
Mosey to Grace Life Church parking lot on the way we did:
Did 10 burpees, 10 quality merkins and 20 LBC
Grace Life Church parking lot – Partner up
Round 1 One partner does broad jump burpees to light post and walking lunges back ,Other partner does Hershel Walker (Traditional situps)
Flapjack
Round 2: Same but with 30 Carolina Dry Dock and 30 Flutter
Then hold elbow plank all together each pax counts 5 sec – Total 55 sec
Start the mosey back over to Jack Hughes park, but not before some People’s Chair with arms out in front for what would ultimately be 90 seconds (but YHC told the PAX 60). Recover and Indian run back to the shovel flag, plank up for the 6. Everybody in? Okay, mosey to rear of Jack Hughes Park. Tclaps to Snowflake for leading the men in a combo of Merk & Mary. Wait for the 6 to roll in.
In honor of Cheddar being born, and in full appreciation for why we probably call all sit-up exercises “Mary”, as in the Virgin Mother, and knowing Cheddar’s own high opinion of himself, I felt it best to honor him with some gold, frankincense, & myrrh endless rounds of Mary:
Running back to base, PAX, with their partner, will stop at each lightpost and do 100 (combined) called Mary exercises. If Partner 1 reaches 50, check in with Partner 2 and help him finish out. The Goal is not for both partners to do 50….the Goal is for both partners to give all they’ve got. The more conditioned were expected to do more, because they CAN. Stay with it, brothers…we will all get there if we keep at it.
Order went something like this:
– Rosalitas
– Flutters
– Boxcutters
(Cue PAX mumblechatter about REALLY wanting to thank Cheddar for all this Mary they were doing……sorry gents, I’m just the messenger.)
– Dolleys
– Freddie Mercuries
– LBCs
Plank up / Circle up – time for a Merkin Wave X 10 reps.
Mosey back to Shovel Flag…together.
Fin.
Thanks for taking us out, Snowflake.
Moleskin
Observations:
Tool Bag – Looking mega-strong. By the time you Q your first workout, we’ll have to change your name to Tool kit. Keep at it, brother.
Snowflake – Big kudos for supporting us and showing the spirit of F3 by example.
Patient Zero – A regular at the Big House giving us a great effort – dude looks like he’s ready to Q tomorrow.
Private Benjamin – Deep Respect for you brother, you have supported this group of men in so many ways. We are made stronger through your example.
Tag-Along – He said he hadn’t come after the launch. He was strong today and you should come more often!
Lieutenant Dan,Red Rocks and Hooker looked strong this morning
Welcome FNG Sideways (aka Ric from YHC/Pvt Benji/Lt Dan/Pt Zero/Hooker’s neighborhood) – who got his name because he’s a wine distributor in the Southeast…conjured up thoughts of Paul Giamatti getting fired up about drinking merlot. Welcome brother, I saw no complaining and just full effort. Thanks for coming out in the gloom. Ice up!
Tclaps to Cheddar for leading Volume 1 of today’s beatdown. Happy Birthday Brother. Next time I’ll just bring a cake.
Great Job Guys!
Announcements
Evidently 13 Patriots charged through South Charlotte with Old Glory held high at RockZero, one of the best AOs in the region. Here’s what I mean by that….
With two shovel flags present – RockZero’s trusty steed and a The Big House’s shovel flag making a guest appearance – A through disclaimer and Clif’s Notes summary of today’s menu commenced, which included the following twist:
The Flags were coming with us. By the end of the hour, each PAX shall have carried it at least once. The only rule was: you cannot pass the Flag to someone else; someone else must step up to take it from you. #Leadership
COP
SSH X 30 (or 10 more than Gummy was comfortable with)
Mountain Climbers X 20
Low slow Merkin X 15
IWs X 20
The Thang
Mosey to the library for something I called “The Man-o-Pede”..or…after looking at it….another sequel to those human centipede movies. The idea was to have an “indian run” but with planks and sprints all the way back to the flags.
With that, the PAX set off on a 3.2 mile run in the Rea Road/Raintree/Piper Glen neighborhoods, with men stepping up to take the flag from each other at various points along the way. The PAX were to hold for the six at each turn in the neighborhood with varying forms of Mary and planks.
Upon return to campus, continue running up to rock pile, grab a lifting rock. Plant shovel flags. (evidently the PAX in charge of planting the flags thought that the blades of grass would keep the shovel flags upright?)
20 triple-lindy’s with the rock (bicep curl, transition to shoulder press, transition to tricep extension = 1)….Cue Gummy who informed the PAX that a true triple lindy involves a dive as well….so be it! (bicep curl, transition to shoulder press, transition to tricep extension, put the rock down, do a burpee = 1) Gummy made friends today.
Mosey back to parking lot for 2 minutes of Mary. Fin.
TClaps to Gummy for the send-off.
Moleskin
Announcements