Author Archive Fuse Box

Wolfpack Headache Leads to Pax Headaches

(Thank you Posse for the BB title).  I woke up this morning with a headache likely caused by me silently yelling at the TV last night at 10:30 while the rest of the family slept.  My Wolfpack decided to lay another egg against the Cheats Tarholes baby blues.  To make matters worse, after setting out eqiupment (thanks again to Posse for the help) I arrive to the shovel flag to find Mayham proudly sporting those awful baby blues.  Touche Mayham.  If you win, you got bragging rights.  So with all that said, I had some built up frustrations that unfortunately got taken out of the pax.  Here’s how it went.

WARM UP

Mosey to front entrance.

Hamstring stretch waiting on the 6.

Toy Soldiers 1o each leg.

20 Dry Docks per light pole heading to mount Chiseled.  I’m assuming we did around 100.

 

THE THANG

Partner up.  10 stations

  • 27 lb Bar curl
  • 22 lb bar reverse curl
  • 35 lb or 25 lb keddle bells for tricep extensions
  • 10 lb dumbbell tricep kick backs.
  • 30 lb or 25 lb dumbbell military presses
  • 10 lb dumbbell reverse fly
  • 40 lb buckets for shoulder shrugs
  • 35 lb cinder block rows
  • Foot release jump squats using  cinder blocks on the curb as the bench
  • Hair burner and Wheelbarrow pulls (Timer)

In between each round I called out a different thing to do before rotating.  They were:

  • 20 merkins
  • Run backwards up mount Chiseled then bear crawl down back side and half lap back to start. (Not a Pax pleaser)
  • 15 Merkins
  • Full lap around mt chiseled
  • 10 Merkins
  • 10 In/Outs
  • 10 Merkins
  • 10 In/Outs
  • Lunge Walks to Curb and Reverse Lunge Walk back
  • Run A lap
  • 15 Dry Docks
  • 4 Sprints

We got 1.5 rounds before time got the better of us.  Put equipment in my car.  If no equipment in your hand, run a lap.  Heisman was holding one of the long bars so I graciously took it from him so he could run a lap.  Catfish called me out that it was just so I didn’t have to run a lap.  Yup.

All equipment up, meet the pax that started running laps and head back to the shovel flag.  The 6 arrived just as the clock hit 6:15.

MOLESKIN

Thanks to everyone coming out.  20 pax are strong numbers for Chiseled.  (I guess it was the weather).  I loved the mix we had today.  Some new guys.  Some respects.  Stronger guys.  Some Gazelles.  A great group.

Thanks again for Posse for arriving early to help with equipment.

FNG – Sledge-o-matic.  His name is Jim Galliger and I led with an opening Melon Smasher but Glidah came in with the perfect name at the end.  Another strong consideration was Sweet Caroline as he dabbles as a singer/song writer.   Great push today for your opening workout.

Thanks to Mayhem who partnered up with Sledge-O-Matic and helped decipher our exicon for him.

Strong push out of the regulars today.

I think we all learned it may be best to not allow me to Q after a Wolfpack rivalry loss.  Sorry boys.  We can beat Duke by 22, but then get swept by the worse Carolina team since the Dohrtey (there is an H in there somewhere) years.  Thanks to my Wolfpack bud Chicken Little who gave me his feathery shoulder to cry on listened to me lament about how bad we are and thanking God that we at least have a good baseball team to watch.

It was great having all three site Q’s out today.  Its been tough with my travel here at the beginning of the year and I appreciate Rudy and Glidah stepping up to fill in while I’m gone.

Good push by Flow.  Glad to see he is becoming a regular.  With our resident youngin’s (Halfback and Stub Hub) taking time off to raise youngin’s of their own (I assume), I’ve been in the predicament of being the youngest guy out there.   I’ve got Flow by a year so keep coming out so you can catch all the Millennial jokes instead of me.

Legalized pushed hard with me today.  We locked eyes a couple times while attempting to catch our breath.  I knew then I had a good workout going.  Sometimes whats in your head (or on paper) doesn’t always translate well to the actual workout.  Today was as rough as I had hoped it would be when planning it.

Brutus work trip prevented him from leading today, but have no fear pax….you can experience a Brutus beat down in April.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Father/Daughter Dance.  March 6.  Ballentyne Hotel  Www.Markthismoment.com to register.

Pray for Blades of Glory as he takes 33 HS kids on a mission trip to Guatemala

Keep praying that Posse’s time our of work will be brief and that he will land a dream job soon.

Christ Closet folding parting this Thursday at Akbar’s church

Mayhem (dang I’ve mentioned him a lot) is leading a mission trip to Nicaragua in September.  Akbar is a HC.  He is looking to get additional F3 guys to join.

 

The Dave Ramsey Workout – One on One

I figured with the snow and sleet yesterday it would be low numbers today.  I wasn’t even sure when I woke up that the roads would be passable.  I opened the garage to find the driveway almost dry…not even wet for ice.  Quickly loaded up the gear and headed out to Five Stones to find Brutus waiting in his car.  After getting gear set up, we had 20 minutes to chat waiting on other pax to arrive.  5 min until start….hmmm.  2 Min…still no one.  I warned Brutus that if no one showed up, I was going to give him an ass whooping of a workout as I knew he could take it.  Time and no other pax.  DiCCS given.  Lets go.

WARM UP

THE THANG

Broke the workout into muscle groups.

Biceps: Three stations.  27lb bar curl.  22 lb bar reverse curl.  25 lb dumbbell hammer curl.  Do 300 reps each.  Do 150 Reps Each.  Do 100 Reps each.  Go to exhaustion at each station and do that three times.

Shoulders: Three Stations, Three times.  Military Press with Dumbbells (25 and 3o lbs).  One hand Clean, snatch, and press with one dumbbell alternating hands.  27lb bar reverse grip press.

Triceps: Three Stations Three times.  25 or 30 lb dumbbell overhead extension.  10 lb dumbbell kickbacks.  Dips.

Shoulders Round 2: Four stations, three times. 10 lb dumbbell Lateral raise.  10 lb dumbbell reverse fly.  22 lb bar front raise.  10 lb plate wheelbarrow walkers??? (Not sure what to call these but you put your feet on two small plates, keep legs straight and use your hands to walk/pull your body.  Went three parking spaces out.

Back: Cinderblock Rows.  Reverse Fly’s again.  As many as you could do in 2.5 minutes.  TIME’S UP.

 

MOLESKIN

I enjoy the camaraderie that Diesel brings.  The extra mumble chatter.  While two may sound like an awful workout number,  I actually enjoyed it today.  Brutus was great company (the dude wont shut up), and is a great yin to my yang (I won’t speak).

Its amazing how many reps you can do the first round when you say go to exhaustion, and then by round three you are barely doing half the reps you started round one with.  Lots of tired tight muscles today.

Lots of good idea’s shared around plans to pay houses off early.  I’ve got a one year plan (was five years in total and I’m in year 4), Brutus has a 2 year plan (no clue how long he has been working on it).  I like his thought process better so if your curious, pull him to the side and listen to his thoughts on saving mortgage interest.  There are lots of tricks/secrets to paying a house off early, but however you do it, it takes disciplined saving and extra money going towards that principal.  Akbar is also a good one I’ve heard speak on the subject if your looking for a resource.

Other topics of discussion included home life, bridge design, both of our shoulder injuries, ways to make our F3 region better, and how we can’t wait until spring weather so the rest of you jack clowns will get out of bed and come join us.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

www.MarkThisMoment.com for father/daughter dance registration.  March 6th at Ballentyne Hotel.  This will be my third year taking my daughter and she looks forward to it every year.  Yes the schools do one too, but I find this one to be much more impactful and time well spent with my daughter.

Christ Closet Giveaway this Saturday at Akbar’s church (corner of Newtown and Cuthbertson).  9:00 – 2:00 is the giveaway hours but they need pax earlier than that to help set up.  Trucks needed to haul furniture.

 

Flash Forward

12 guys pulled themselves out of bed after a late night of watching the Super Bowl.  Apparently two of them missed the start of ignition as they had no business hanging with us Clydesdales.

I got there early to enjoy some of the Super Bowl banter and Monday morning quarterbacking.  However, what I got was a lot of talk about the half time show, the amount of grinding, and the comment that I guess we all know now that J LO gets a Brazilian wax (Respects may have to look that one up) after seeing her crotch in the camera for 10 strait minutes.  Please keep in mind, none of these were complaints.

Alright, lets get this started.  DICCS.

 

WARM UP

Figure 8 mosey around the middle school and back to our starting point.  Circle up for:

  • Jimmy Duggans (no clap or count this time)
  • Calf Stretch (again no count)
  • Parker Peters in Cadence (just to show I do know how to count

 

THE THANG

Mosey to path behind schools stopping at each light for an increasing number of Pulse Merkins (that’s a merkin and a half).  If you finish early, wall sit.  Last light (by my count) was the 8th light.  I’ve got to be honest, I could barely crank out those last 8 and they looked more like hand release merkins than they did pulse Merkins.  By the sounds of the grunting it sounds as if that whipped almost everyone.

On the wall for a quick round of wall slaps in cadence.

Mosey towards traffic circle stopping at the bottom path to wait on 6.  Once 6 arrived we did 10 reverse lunge walks and then 10 crawl bears up the hill/path.  Keep going until I say recover.  (I recovered after the second round).  Mosey towards traffic circle and team up in groups of 3.

P1 Top of the hill: grab fence for low slow squat hops

P2 Bottom of hill: Atomic Merkins (in/out merkin)

P3: Runner in between.

Completed three sets.  Asked if anyone needed a 10 count.   Someone did.  Very quick 10 count and we mosey towards football parking lot stopping at the center pole for Star Fish.

Center pole increasing burpees starting with 1 and ending with 5.

Corner 1: 15 Berishnicoffs Right leg. (front lunge hop into a back lung.  Keep one leg planted while other leg is moving)

Corner 2: 15 Berishnicoffs Left Leg.

Corner 3: 30 Monkey Humpers

Corner 4: 15 Fire Hydrant squats??? (I’ve called them Mok Tar Jai’s for legs before but was corrected that Shop Dawg had done them before and called them Fire Hydrant somethings).  Find grass, lunge down to knee then other knee then stand up.  Switch legs.

Legs were burning after this so what do we do….Mosey!   Head back towards the traffic circle.

50 bear crawls down the hill then recover at the bottom.  Easy Button (or Glidah, I’m not sure who) led Mary with 20 AmHam’s (American Hammers) in cadence.

Mosey to shed.  10 dry docks at each light heading back to start.  Easy’s Button’s wife came strolling down the path just in time to see 12 sweaty dudes with their asses in the air.  Easy Button and the M disappeared into Rudy’s Poop Palace for 5 minutes (not really but why spoil a good joke on the truth) though many pax agree is was less than 2 minutes.

 

MOLE SKIN

  • Thanks to Rockwell for asking me to lead.  He gave me several options warning me that today was after the super bowl and he was having trouble getting someone willing to take it.  So of course I took it.
  • I wanted to keep us moving today keeping the heart rates high.  I have to admit, today got me.  I was out of breath much of the Q.  The Pulse Merkins had my chest the sorest I’ve been in awhile.  I definitely went to exhaustion on that one barely being able to knock rep 8 out at the end.  Just shy of 2.5 miles and a lot of calories burned.
  • Easy Button and Glidah stayed out front all day.  I guess that slept in from the super bowl and missed ignition.
  • Chainsaw pushed hard today.
  • I don’t know premature that well, but dude flew by me a few times.  Good work today.
  • I almost lost Xerox on the second bear crawl.  My bad.  Not an easy workout for guys with shoulder issues, I know.
  • Dough Boy was right there pushing me the entire workout.  Thanks for always being my accountability partner whether you know it or not.
  • High Hat walking on sunshine to the workout today.  Be on the lookout for lots of closet Chiefs fans today.  Since High Hat doesn’t do social media, here is a public call out (which I normally don’t like doing).  Its time for  you to step up and lead a workout.  Chiseled is waiting with open arms if you ever want to bust your cherry there.  Glad to hear you asking about Q school in COT.  Hoping your brother attends your VQ so you can wear him out and hang that over his head for awhile.  Love having you at workouts.  Your positive attitude is a breath of fresh air and can’t wait to see it in action as a Q.
  • Merlot and Slow Pitch getting stronger.  Both seemed interest in Q School.  Looking forward to seeing what your first workouts looks like as well.
  • Legalized even with all he has going on in his life is out consistently pushing.  Thanks for showing up today and pushing us all to get stronger.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Q School this Saturday.  6:30 at Cuthbertson Middle.  Get with Posse for sign up link (and I will ask that he post it in GroupMe)
  • March is a 1 Q month (Someone check on Deadwood).  Looking for your guys that have never Q’ed or don’t Q often to step up.  Don’t wait to be asked.  Be proactive.
  • Rockwell with the every indecisive Site Q speech.  He has been at Flash for a year.  Willing to roll off if someone wants to step in, but will also stay if no one will step up.  Goodfella in the same boat at Dromedary.  Reach out to them if you have interest.

Ultimate KanJam

14 guys decided to pull themselves out of bed to throw a frisbee in an empty parking lot.

 

I arrived early to the site to set up in a completely dark parking lot.  I knew the lights would turn on by the time we started, I just couldn’t remember which ones so I set up the two “goals” under what I thought were the two areas that would be lit the most (spoiler, I was wrong).  Grabbing frisbees from Posse the day before, all that I was missing was the KanJam can’s.  I had no worries, Swimmers is a dependable guy….but just in case I brought back up cones for us to throw at.   7 minutes to start, no swimmers.  I begin to worry.  Perhaps I better go set up my back up plan just in case.  2 minutes – DICCS…and still no swimmers.  5:15.  Time to go, no Swimmers.  Lets Mosey!

WARM UP

Mosey to round about then around the target parking lot.  Smokey up front turning back saying he wasn’t sure where to go.  I said I would give him a heads up when it was time to turn…..or better yet..take your gazelle butt to the back and pick up the six for some extra running.  He smiled instead of scowled (thank god) and took off to the back.

Circle up under a light (at which time I notice is not of the the lights I put a goal under).  I also turn around to find Blades of Glory on my heels as I yell to circle up.  I see that weight loss is helping you to gain to more speed.

20 Moroccan Night Clubs

20 Side Straddle Hops

Jimmy Duggan

Calf Stretch for the Site Q (Who wasn’t there).

 

THE THANG

Mosey to hill at entrance of neighborhood for triple nickle.  10 Atomic Merkins at bottom of hill.  Run up hill.  10 Jump Squats at top.  Repeat 5 times.  To no ones surprise, Smokey and Transporter killed this part.  Because they were so far ahead, I asked that they keep going.  Smokey’s smile turned into a scowl this time…uh oh.  Posse asked if we would recover at top or bottom of hill.  I told him top, but it was a lie (sorry Posse).  I wanted everyone to finish out and meet me at the bottom and if I said recover at bottom, some would skip that last hill sprint.  Marry at bottom of hill with In/Outs (no Merkin and I expected pax to be vocally happy about that considering we just did 50, but they weren’t).  Give it all you got to light pole – oh wait….there’s swimmers with KanJam!  Awesome.  Grab KamJam as we sprint to light to divide into teams.

 

ULTIMATE KANJAM

For those that don’t know what KanJam is….its a game played with a frisbee in which you score points with a partner through a variety of ways.  Being that this was ultimate kanjam with multiple players, we modified the rules to the following:

  • hit can = 1 point
  • put frisbee in top of can = 2 points.  (figured there would be no other way of scoring than this)
  • Each team had their own frisbee.
  • Goalies had a cinderblock in hand and performed 20 each of Curls, Presses, Dips, Rows, and Side Squat Hops.  Rotated Goalies once 100 reps were done.
  • Goalies couldn’t use hands to block goal and had to have cinderblock in hand and only use body to defend.
  • If you drop the frisbee or it gets knocked down – entire team does 10 Carolina dry docks and you start back over from where the frisbee is.  (This became contentious later).
  • If the team intercepts your frisbee – the entire team does 10 atomic merkins and goes back to their goal to start over.

As with any sport, rules are broken and modified.  Defending teams started chucking dropped frisbees back towards the other teams goal.  Transporter (and rightfully so after Swimmers threw their frisbee a mile) protested and we modified the rules to no more than 10 foot throw if dropped.  Teams quickly adapted and started covering the frisbee before performing dry docks to prevent the other teams 100 10 yard throw.

 

Teams:

Fuse Box, Nails, Bounce, Smokey, Loafer, Posse, & Swimmers

vs

Transporter, Akbar, Big Tuna, Chipolte, Blades of Glory, Rebuild, & Shop Dawg

 

MOLESKIN

As with anything you try, there are always lessons learned.  I attempted to balance the amount of rules against the time we had and the comprehension of pax.  I didn’t want so many rules that it was hard to remember or that it took 10 minutes to explain.  Thanks to the pax for modifying on the fly.

Nails is a stone cold defender.  Two interceptions by my count.

Bounce, myself, and Posse had quite the rally going downfield.  Quick moving passes had us in striking distance quick.

Shop Dawg can throw a pretty mean hip check.  I caught a couple.

The Big Tuna/Chipolte tag team was tough to defend back at our goal.

Akbar was also sneaky good near the goal moving stealthfully between defenders.

Posse almost decapitated Rebuild, followed by several “I’m Sorry’s, are you ok?!”

Apparently Smokey had some good battles near the goal as well.

Transporter is a stickler for rules and a hard nosed competitor.

Blades and Loafer were active on both ends.  I tried several times to split the D for a can hit but blades kept blocking the goal.  Loafer doing his own defending as goalie several times blocking shots with the cinderblocks in hand.

Teams started strategizing at the end and pulling defenders to go all offense when the other team’s frisbee was intercepted.  Teams also realized that a dropped frisbee by the other team left an opening to quickly advance the frisbee downfield.

Teams kept trying to figure out the magic number of offense to defense ratio.  It started out as 4 offense and 2 defense (plus goalie).  Then as one team got up, they dropped a defender back to protect the lead.  I would imagine another game would bring more strategy to the mix now that we have a game under our belts.

I was surprised by the final mileage.  We didn’t move very far – basically staying around the target parking lot, yet I logged 2.2 miles.  Max heart rate of 174 with an average of 129 means we kept moving.  When time was up I was breathing hard;  which was the goal.  Competition brings out more in us.  I ran more than expected and had one of the higher heart rates I’ve had in awhile.

Final Score?  No clue.  It wasn’t so much about the score.  I can tell you my team had 5 points (I think).  No idea what the other team finished with, but last I heard we were up.  We all had fun (I think), and I’d say based on that it was a success.  Who can take this version and build off of it to make it better?

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Site Q school this Saturday: 6:30 at Cuthbertson Middle.  Sign up in advance (Posse to post a link).  Sign up now before Posse nicely taps you on the shoulder – or worse clotheslines you like Rebuild today.

Q School next Saturday (Feb 8th).  Same deal.  Sign up ahead of time.

Q Source Monday’s at Asylum.  Glad to see some new faces over there this year.  Blades and Nails adding some additional perspectives has been great.  Rebuild joined for the first time this morning as well.

3rd F opportunity with Christ Closet.  Twice a month folding party on Thursdays (I forget which Thursdays – maybe second and forth?).  See Shop or Dana for more info.

Sloppy Seconds

11 guys braved the elements to come join me in running around in the rain.  Being that we were the second group to take off from the same launch point today, and it was raining…seemed like an appropriate tittle (misspelled just for you Chelms aka Tatertot).

Site Q Recalc checked in with me the day before to make sure I was good.  I confirmed I had two wienke’s ready depending on weather – a dry and a wet one.  When I arrived this morning, the rain could be best described as between a mist and a sprinkle.  Just light enough for me to throw the dry wienke out….lets get wet boys.

DICCS.

 

WARM UP

Mosey around parking lot to Middle School portico for a dry warm up.

  • 20 Merkins
  • 10 Side Straddle Hops
  • 15 Merkins
  • Jimmy Duggans
  • 10 Merkins
  • Calf Stretch
  • 5 Merkins

 

THE THANG

Mosey to middle school benches and partner up.  P1 Run half lap.  P2 Up and over the benches.  Lots of moaning and groaning about it being wet but no refusniks.  Two times total.

Mosey to road that links the middle and high school.  Keep partners for Leap Frogs.  Partner 1 reverse lunge walk while partner 2 jail breaks to light pole.  When Partner 2 gets to the light pole they begin reverse lunge walking while Partner 1 sprints one light pole ahead of them.  Continue leap frogging each other until the stop sign.  Many pax seemed confused at the opening.  Being this was at least the 4th time I had done this at one of my Q’s, I realized some may have been skipping my Q’s on porpoise (fused intentionally), or perhaps they have the attention span and memory of Damascus.

Bust up the partners and reform groups of three (odd numbers meant two groups were 4’s).  Top of hill is low slow squats.  Bottom of hill is Dry docks.  Runner in between.  On the run down the hill, Posse suggested the run might be too long causing the exercisers too much time/resting heart rate.  I agreed.  Shortened from bottom of hill to light pole near speed bump. 3 rounds.

Groups of 3 (with one group of 5) for Spanish Galleons(???). I honestly forgot the name, but tip of the hat to Bonhoffer who did these at a Q in Outland (bugle playing taps in the background) this summer.  This exercise is basically a row with the center partner rowing while being held up by the two outside guys.  You need three people do to this exercise and if the numbers are off….you can adjust and do a group of 5 with two rowers and three “holders”.  Stop at each light pole on the way back to the middle school to do Spanish Galleons.  I was partnered up with the group of 5.  We were a little slow out of the gate trying to figure out how to make 5 people work, but we figured it out and recovered nicely.  After dogging way to many cars, we finally met up with all the groups and moseyed over to the middle school benches again.

5 minutes left.  Lets end on a high note.

  • 10 right legged 1 legged lunge (no Shake, lunge…not step up)
  • 10 left legged 1 legged lunge
  • 20 foot release squats.

Repeat until I say stop.

1 minute left, jailbreak to start.

 

MOLESKIN

Thanks to everyone that showed up today.  You never know what the numbers will look like in this kind of weather (39 and raining is about as miserable as it gets, 33 and raining is the worst by the way).

Shake – the ever consummate form police reminding me to keep my head up and back straight on the squats.  I believe Posse form policed me on the low slow squats as well.  My squat form has always been terrible, but thanks for reminding me today guys!

Merlot and Slow pitch continue to show up and get better.  Nice work today guys. (I’m assuming there buds?  Every time I’ve seen them they have been together so I can only assume much like Deadwood and Zin, Foundation and Deflated, or Banjo and his copper still, they roll over to wake each other up for the workout.

Ricky Bobby was killing it on the running today.  Apparently throwing up a big middle finger to that new respect title.

And speaking of Ricky Bobby and Shake n Bake….we had the tag team there today.  Its a rare occasion to get both together so its always special when we do.  (Did I see a Ricky Bobby/Shake N Bake fist bump at one point?)

Slipped in a Wolfpack sign just for Chicken Little during COT picture.  I’m not sure he has even noticed yet.

Ackbar’s attitude is infectious.  I love it.  I’m always glad to see him at a workout.  He made a soaking wet workout halfway pleasurable today.

Thanks to Recalc for checking in the day before and offering to help set up if needed.  Glad to see more site Q’s actively reaching out and checking in.  Keep it up boys.

 

ANNOUCEMENTS

Feb 1st is Site Q School @ Cuthebertson Middle at 6:30.  If you are a recent site Q (Ackbar and Glidah), an older site Q that has never attended (Transporter and Rubbermaid), or someone looking to get more involved and step into a leadership role (too many to name here) it would be a good idea to come out.

Feb 8th Q School @ Cuthbertson Middle at 6:30.   If you have never led a workout, cant keep count during Imperial Squakers, cross the street in front of cars during your Q, Call audibles consistently, fail to do a workout that keeps the gazelles pushing without leaving the clydesdales behind, or keep getting Q jacked….then Q school is for you.  I’ve done if a couple times and learn something new each time.

Wedding Singer Final Q tomorrow at Commitment.  I expect he will give us a tough workout to help work off the beer calories from his going away party.

Speaking of going away party…..Wedding Singer Going Away Party is this Saturday from 3:00 – 5:00 at Queens South.

 

Waxhaw New Year’s Convergence

22 Men won the battle with the pillow didn’t drink as much last night and found a way to post this morning.  About a month ago I noticed that Christmas and New Years Day both fell on a Wednesday.  I reached out to the Dromedary crew to gauge their interest in converging.  The thought being that as we have added workouts, we have fragmented pax.  It would be nice to all be together for the first workout of the year.  Dromedary agreed, though at first both site Q’s said they would be traveling and not make the workout.  Ultimately they both made it this morning.

Glidah and I arrived early to set up gear.  Planned for as many as 38, but quickly found the number to be much lower.  Gear set up and only 8 minutes left so I rush over to the start so that I have time to weigh in and strategically relocate the Herpes sticker (as of this writing, the pax has not found it).  2 minutes left….blatter is kinda full.  Where the hell is foundation.  DICCS given by Goodfella and away we go.

WARM UP

Mosey down path and circle up at first light for 20 SSH.

Mosey behind the school to alcove for (15?) Low Slow Squats.

Mosey to basketball court for (15?) Imperial Walkers.

Mosey to Transporters Shed Rudy’s Poop Palace for 20 Merkins.

THE THANG

Grab Wall for 20 Mike Tysons and 20 Donkey Kicks.

Mosey to Traffic Circle and partner up in groups of three.

Round 1: 2 laps each

P1: Curls with Blocks.  P2: LBC.  P3: Runner in between.

Round 2: 2 laps

P1: Shoulder Press.  P2: Flutter.  P3: Runner

Round 3: 2 lamps

P1: Man Makers Burpee Press with block.  P2: Heels to Heaven.  P3: Runner.

CHISELED’s Turn

Mosey to football parking lot.  Staying in groups of three.  Gear stations on opposite ends of parking lot with runner in between:

  • 27 lb bar curl.  Runner.  25 lb Hammer Curl
  • 25 or 35lb Tricep Extension.  Runner.  10 lb tricep kick backs
  • 50 lb Military Press.  Runner.  Cinder block press.
  • 10 lb Front & Side Raise.  Runner.  10 lb Reverse Fly
  • Cinder Block Row.  Runner.  30 lb Lawnmower Pull (one arm Row).
  • Merkins on Block.  Runner.  Merkins  Removed due to number of pax.
  • Squats.  Hair Burner.  Reverse Lunge.  This was the timer.  After every pax had pushed plates twice, we rotated.

Five minutes left.  Mosey back to start around the front of the schools.

MOLESKIN

  • Thanks to those who fought to get out of bed for joining us this morning.  Lots of hung over pax based on numbers today.
  • A big thanks to Glidah for helping me plan and get equipment from Five Stones.  Thanks also to Chastain for helping us clean up afterwards.
  • Goodfella a little angry at me when I corrected his lexicon on the Man Makers (I’m not sure why).   A man maker is done with dumbells and includes a merkin, row, curl, press, and lunges.  Iron pax had their lexicon wrong and I’ve seen in incorrectly called in Waxhaw.  Splitting hairs, I know, but I still like for the correct exercise to be called so that if we go to other regions, we don’t spread misinformation.
  • Dana was extra mad at the hair burners.  (Do you see a pattern in the Dromedary Site Q’s?).  Though I have to agree, the hair burners were especially tough today.  Looks like some Pam will need to be applied before being used again (Friction sucks).
  • Dana still feeling the Dough Boy KY beat down yesterday.  I thought Va Tech (they apparently hate being called that by the way) had that one won, but a strong last drive from Kentucky sealed the deal with less than 15 seconds to go in the game.  Sounds like Dana is glad this was Bud Fosters last game.
  • Spike reminding us on groupme there is a culture difference.  I assumed they celebrated the new year in Asia.  Spike only realizing it after seeing now groupme workout photo on his way to work this morning.
  • Herpes magnet was first going on Tupperware’s new ride, but the carbon fiber wouldn’t hold the magnet.  In my desperate rush, I applied it to the nearest vehicle which was Mad Dog, but having woken up on the mosey’s, I realized he already had the honor of finding it while at the grocery store.  So after the workout was over I quickly and covertly relocated it.  And as I check Groupme one last time…..it has been found!  Thanks for being a good sport Gerber.  Now you can relive how that played out this morning.  You were literally a last second audible.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Lots of Third F opportunities in the coming year.  Ice 9 shared some things the Charlotte region is doing including three different workouts.  I don’t remember the details or locations, but I know one of them targets teenagers without father figures and another one targets men trying to get sober or off drugs.  There was talk of F3 Waxhaw chipping in to help Q occasionally.
  • Christ Closet is in desperate need of folders.  Folding party Jan 11th.  More clothes than they had after the F3 Waxhaw Launch.  Need help with locations to give away as well.
  • Goodfella spoke about keying in on one word this year to push for.  His was legacy and more about raising his three sons with a 4th on the way.  Mad dog suggested perhaps Vasectomy might be the better word.

Jitters Are Good

I still get excited when asked to Q.  The feeling that another man believes in me enough to ask me to step up is a good feeling.  I still get the night before and morning of jitters…did I plan enough, is it hard enough.  The what if’s roll through my head.  What if 30 people show up – how will I adjust.  What if only 4 show up.  What if its all Gazelles and I’m the 6.  I replay the workout out over and over in my head the night before often keeping me up much later than I would like.  I’m almost 2.5 years into F3 and I hope I never lose the excitement of being a Q.  The excitement of planning out something that is going to suck and hoping my fellow pax enjoy the suck as much as I do.  I hope you still get jitters before a Q.  Jitters are good.

14 men decided to join me on a beautiful, but foggy, Saturday morning.  I arrived early to get a head start on the mumble chatter.  Such topics as “Why is Wedding Singer still here?”, Chainsaw looks creepy walking up in the fog with car headlights from behind, and warning the FNG that he will get a name at the end and it could be as bad as Twinkle Toes.

6:29 Diccs were given.  FNG didn’t leave so we didn’t scare him off to bad whipping out the Diccs (will that joke ever get old?).  6:30, lets go.

WARM UP

Mosey to cul de sac.  I wasn’t short of breath yet and it looked like a pax coming in late, circle back to pick them up then back down to cul de sac.

  • 20 Merkins
  • Potato Pickers
  • 15 Merkins
  • Calf Stretch
  • 10 Merkins
  • 10 In/Outs
  • 5 Merkins

THE THANG

Two groups – Clydesdales and Gazelles for Indian Runs.  Gazelles for the long route on the trail, to the road, and back to club house parking lot.   Clydesdales with a shorter route up the shortcut to the play ground.  Clydesdales arrived first and completed 15 gas pumpers waiting on Gazelles.

Partner Up.  Partner 1 Run a lap around the large island.  Partner 2 in same direction do inch worm dry docks.  Complete each 3 times.

Active recovery towards other end of the parking lot with 50 over head t claps.  Thanks to Twinkles Toes for keeping me honest counting for me.  Mosey to Bridge.

Partner 1: 1 legged step up.  Partner 2: run to club house entrance and back.  Recover when each partner has done each leg once.  Due to height of the step up cars coming in, many of us changed from road side to sidewalk side.

Partner 1: 1 legged lunge.  partner 2: run the other direction towards the next road on the right.  Do two burpees and return.  Recover when each partner has done each leg once.

Active Recovery: 50 T Claps walking towards the road.

Leap Frog Sprints.  Partner 1: reverse walking lunge.  Partner 2: Run ahead to first tree on the left then start doing a reverse walking lunge.  Partner 1: Sprint past partner 2 to the second tree.  Keep leap frogging each other until the end.

Rock Work.  Partner 1: walk with rock in one direction doing an exercise.  100 curls, 100 presses, 100 tricep extensions.  Partner 2: runs opposite direction around the wide school parking lot.  When you meet your partner switch.  Go until the last group finishes their 100’s.

While we waited on runners to get in when last group finished with rock, we did rock squats.  Carb Load asked if he could modify to rows as his legs were dead.  I have to admit, this brought a smile to my face.

Partner 1: hold rock over your head and walk with Partner 2 while he does walking lunges.  When you can no longer hold rock over your head, switch.  We walked about half the parking lot before I saw we were running out of time.  Recover and Rocks up.

1 minute left.   Everyone foot on a curb.  Clydesdales get a 1 tree head start.  If the last gazelle beats the last Clydesdale, Clydesdales do 5 burpees.  If Clydesdales beat the last gazelle, then gazelles do five burpees.  To no one’s surprise, Wolverine passed every clydesdale, but I’m happy to report that the Gazelles were actually the ones that did burpees.  It came down to one lone Gazelle trying to catch a Clydesdale, but in the end he didn’t quite have enough.  Good effort by everyone here and a great way to close out the work out with our heat rates at their peak.

MOLESKIN:

Thanks to Rubbermaid for asking me to Q.  The pants have felt a little snug lately (too many holiday client dinners and Mom’s cooking for Christmas) so I wanted to get the heart rates up today and run a little more than usual.  We logged 3.25 miles.  I burned just shy of 1000 calories which is one of my higher calorie burns.  I’m not sure if that is due to the workout, or that I’m more out of shape so the heart rate was higher than it normally is.

Legalized brought out FNG Munchkin.  He works for Krispey Kreme and hated the idea of being named after a Dunkin Doughnut…..so of course we did.

Good meeting Deep Dish today (Kotters).  Dude pushed hard coming back out after some time off.

Hoping some good bets will materialize today between our lone Clemson guy Posse and the multitude of Oh State pax.  Looking forward to seeing some burpees on group me later today or in person at Monday’s workouts.

Now for the Zinfandel Soap Box portion of the back blast (I figure he won the effee so it should be named after him).  Every year for 20 years my new years resolution was to lose weight.  This will be by third New Years since joining F3 that I will not have weight loss as a resolution (yes I’m up now, but its temporary holiday weight that will come off).  Its a great feeling as a big guy to not have to have weight loss as a resolution having done it so long.  My guess is you have a friend or neighbor that will have that resolution in a couple days.  Be proactive in inviting them out.   They may not realize they need F3 – I didn’t.  After the new year we will have 15 workouts to fill up over a 6 day period – that’s a lot.  We all need to be proactive in getting FNG’s out, and some guys that have stopped coming out.  Be proactive in asking new guys and checking up on the guys that don’t show any longer.  Don’t take no for an answer but also don’t be annoying about it.  (Zin can confirm, but I think I talked to him for 6 months about F3 before he came out).

Thanks for the Jitters.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Watchtower closing this Tuesday to converge at Bushwood.  Holiday hours: 6:30 start.

New Years Day Convergence: Culbertson Middle School with extra special Holiday Hours –  7:00 Start.  This will be a mix of Dromedary and Chiseled workouts.

FIA getting started up again.  Workouts will be at Millbridge Clubhouse at 5:30 on Tuesday’s.

Twinkle Toes being extra ballsy and inviting pax over to his house for tonight’s football game before asking the wife.  I highly suggest showing up unannounced just to see how far into the dog house we can get him in.

Omaha! Omaha!

Call it what you want. Audible. Relocation. Finding Cover. At 5:10 I met the site Q’s at Five Stones. The rain was coming down hard. Not a gully washer hard, but hard enough that I knew it wouldn’t be safe to lift things over our heads. Add on the fact that it was just 2 degrees above freezing, the decision was made to find cover. Nearest option, Cuthbertson Middle. We grabbed some blocks and headed over.

After unloading gear at the closest spot possible to the car (you know, because when unloading 400 lbs of gear by yourself you don’t want to move it too far), some Diesel pax started arriving.

I will leave out the grumpy Impromptu Site Q exchange and allow him to continue hanging himself in Groupme. I will say I was disappointed in the general attitude we were given and the lack courteousness. I expected jokes and jabs, not hostile attitudes.

A quick car relocation to get them out of teacher spots and a suggested gear relocation to get out of the main walkway, pax grabbed gear and headed towards a second cover with said site Q still offering unsolicited opinions.

Christmas Playlist going, drowning out el gruñón uno.

WARM UP

Waiting on Turnbuckle to arrive from moving his car I decided a light, no gear warm up was appropriate. 20 Side Straddle Hops. I look over to see Big Ten staring a hole through me. My bad. Audible to 20 Jump Squats. TB Arrives….lets go.

THE THANG

Since one of the Diesel Site Q’s apparently knows no other way to count than 1/4, 2/8….I decided to get started with a Jack Webb of sorts. Coupon jump squats and coupon presses. It was around the 20 presses that I thought we may not get to 40. It was at 24 that it was confirmed. On what should have been 28, we went back to 20 and stayed at 20 through the end. Lots of sarcastic chatter about Diesel being no cardio at this point. Lots of heavy breathing going on. Turnbuckle apparently thought his coupon was a bit to heavy dropped the peoples elbow on it to lighten the load.

20 Merkins while I set up the next round. Thanks to Posse for leading that (I think, that was a blurr).

Round robin of curls. By my count there were 8 curl stations and 2 row stations. 30’s with the 27lb barbell was the timer (10 bottom half curls, 10 top half, and 10 full curls). I accidentally put 5 curl stations all together which made for burning arms. Whoops – my bad!

Once everyone completed every station (and after the lactic acid subsided from our biceps), we partnered up. Partner 1 did foot release squats. Partner 2 did exercise. Exercises were 150 tricep extention and 200 rows in groups reps of 20.

Same partners for dips and then presses with weights (35, 30, or 25 lbs). 3 rounds each.

Same partners for Coupon Row and Lawn Mower Pulls (10 each side). 3 rounds each.

4 minutes left….what to do….Ask the pax. I heard calf raises (no), Presses (No, we already did an ungodly amount), and Abs (in my best little jon impression – Okay!).

25 heels to heaven. 50 LBC’s. 20 Windshield Wipers. Time.

MOLESKIN

I have to be honest; I expected only me and the site Q’s to show up today. The fact that Diesel had 10 people on a cold wet day is amazing. Thanks to all those that showed up.

Special shout out to Turnbuckle who is very close to finishing the Octuple. On top of the 7 workouts (and 1 second F event) for this week, he also plans to run his first 5k on Saturday. I’m really proud of the effort and commitment Turnbuckle is putting in to changing. Keep it up. And a shout out to all the pax that are pushing him and helping him through his journey.

Posse and Carb Load got in a slight argument tiff over who has completed more octuples. It was such a silly argument, that I allowed it to go on a bit before calling us in for prayer. If you care – which you don’t, Posse is completing his 3rd this week while Carb load is completing his second….yet carb plans to complete his third next week…which led to the….Oh who cares.

Big Ten becoming as automatic at Diesel as Scott Wood was at NC State from the Free Throw Line (87% career, over 90% his senior year). Perhaps I should have referenced Bobby Hurley here as an olive branch.

Spike walking into Diesel today with his chest puffed out coming off of that spectacular Chiseled Q and back blast. Great job.

Posse – the ever consummate professional psychiatrist. That being said, he did yell at me for asking twice what his rep count was. I perhaps touched a nerve there while not even meaning to.

Shout out to the Site Q’s for adapting to the weather and sticking up for your decision in the face of criticism. Thank you for allowing me to lead today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lots going on this Saturday:

Gladiator @ Rea Farms near Improper Pig Greenway.

Commitment & Homecoming both on regular schedule.

Look for updates from Carb Load about Waxhaw clean up currently scheduled for 7:45.

Cuthbertson Track 5K. Turnbuckle looking for help in pushing him motivating him over the finish line.

Zin’s beer exchange Saturday night.

War Games

Some Q’s just stick with you. Some because they are hard, others because they are impactful. One in particular led by Jingles over a year ago has stuck with me. While at Weddington for Watchtower, Jingles took us near the track and pulled out a deck of cards. One at at time he turned over a card that corresponded with a certain exercise. I don’t remember the all the exercises, but it was something like Hearts are Pushups, Spades are Squats…and so on. The one thing I do remember is Aces were a lap around the track and I hated them. We also got delt a Jack, 9, and Queen back to back to back that resulted in 29 straight push ups. After the workout was over, I was spent…..and we didn’t move from a single spot with the exception of the aces lap around the track.

I found it to be a great Q. Simple, yet effective. And its been nagging at me ever since, how could I take that great idea, and build upon it. Make it better. Make it competitive. What if the Q didn’t deal, but the pax did. What if the pax were competing against each other…..and then it struck me while playing the card game War with my daughter…..we need to play WAR!

So with that in mind, I split the pax into two teams. Ability, size, strength; none of that mattered. Each person on the team was given a role. One was the dealer, one was the winning card collector, and the rest of the pax were given “running pax” titles. It was their job to determine if their team won, where the group was running to next.

Here are the rules and what each card exercises were:

HeartsExerciseDiamondsExerciseClubsExerciseSpadesExercise
2Merkins2Jump Squats2Dry Docks2Burpees
3Merkins3Jump Squats3Dry Docks3Burpees
4Merkins4Jump Squats4Dry Docks4Burpees
5Merkins5Jump Squats5Dry Docks5Burpees
6Merkins6Jump Squats6Dry Docks6Burpees
7Merkins7Jump Squats7Dry Docks7Burpees
8Merkins8Jump Squats8Dry Docks8Burpees
9Merkins9Jump Squats9Dry Docks9Burpees
10Merkins10Jump Squats10Dry Docks10Burpees
J30 Gas Pumpers + 30 LBC’sJ30 Gas Pumpers + 30 LBC’sJ30 Gas Pumpers + 30 LBC’sJ30 Gas Pumpers + 30 LBC’s
QFour 50 Yard SprintsQFour 50 Yard SprintsQFour 50 Yard SprintsQFour 50 Yard Sprints
K20 In/OutsK20 In/OutsK20 In/OutsK20 In/Outs
ARun 1/4 MileARun 1/4 MileARun 1/4 MileARun 1/4 Mile
JokerPartner Push & PullsJokerPartner Push & PullsJokerPartner Push & PullsJokerPartner Push & Pulls
RULES: 
Same card number, you do both excercises as a triple nickel.
Same card suit, you double the reps of the higher card.
Same color card, you do both excercises.
1/8 mile run in between cards.
Team with most cards at end decides fate of losing team.  Exercise count not to exceed 20 reps.

Moleskin:

Lots of lessons learned today. I thought adding a competitive flair would spice things up. But there was really no competition. As Chipolte pointed out several times.

Speaking of Chipolte, he seemed extra ornery today. Several times asking if it mattered that we turned over cards – lets just do some exercises and run. Perhaps not the best person to ask to deal for our team.

Another lesson learned – maybe best to have waited to do this Q when it was warmer. The gloves slowed the dealing down.

I expected more exercises, but it ended up being run heavy. Jingles Q left me sore. This Q just left me tired. Perhaps the next pax can take off from this and improve upon it some more.

The triple nickel sounded good on paper, but the only two times we had “war” (Same card dealt), it was running cards (Aces and Jokers). I had to modify to add some body weight moves in.

Posse showed up 15 minutes late (as usual for Asylum). I’m beginning to think his alarm clock doesn’t have the ability to set an alarm before 5:15.

Thanks to the pax that showed up today and stuck with me. I wanted to try something new and often times new means lots of explanation (not my strong suit) and bugs to be worked out.

Also, thanks to Jingles for that first Q over a year ago that got my wheels spinning.

I’ve got another workout in my head I’ve been wanting to try that combines can jam and ultimate frisbee with cinderblocks (goalee). Anyone with a can jam set want to co-Q with me?

Flu SubstiQ

Apparently a certain pax missed the post that Target will pay you (yes, PAY YOU) $5 to come get a flu shot. I received a text from Carb Load yesterday afternoon saying he had come down with Flu like symptoms and needed to bow out of today’s Q (Hope you feel better Carb). With Rudy recently Substi Q’ing for triple B (bad back banjo), and the likelyhood of Banjo getting out of bed in below freezing temps unlikely, I figured it was my time to step up and take the helm.

I arrive early having planned nothing. I sat in my car by myself in a daze contemplating if anyone will show….thinking of how depressing the COT pic would be with just one person in it…..then, all of a sudden a car. Wait, its just Rudy dropping off the site flag before he bolts to Dromedary. Maybe no one will show……Wait, another car. Dough boy to save the day! Oh no….I’ve sat in my warm car contemplating if anyone will show instead of planning the wienke….ok quick….what can I do….Another car, and another, and another. 5 brave souls in all showed in this 26 degree weather. I had to make it worth there time for fighting and winning against the fart sack monster (I heard today was an especially tough battle). I also wanted to keep us warm…so with that…disclaimer and we are off.

WARM UP

Hot lap around the parking lot stopping along the way for exercises that I knew would get the blood flowing. 15 Jump Squats. 20 Toe Taps. Keep running to the cinder block pile. Grab a block and hold it over your head while you lunge walk towards my car. Seemed closer when we were running there but when you are lunge walking, all of a sudden it seemed really far. Modify half way to cars with curls.

THE THANG

Press and hold 11’s. 10 presses and 1 hold. 9 and 2. Down to 1 press and 10 hold. This burnt the shoulders up quite well.

Cinderblocks on the curb for foot release squats. The 2 inches of curb along with the 6″ of cinderblock makes for just the right height for this. you legs go slightly below parallel so you get a good burn on the up.

It was at this time that I realized the sweat we built up was starting to ice over. Time to get moving. Hot lap around the parking lot.

Back to Cinderblocks for AMRAP. 10 Curls. 10 Presses. 10 Sumo Squats. 10 Bent Over Rows. Hot lap. As may as you could do in 10 minutes. Surprisingly (to me anyways) Doughboy led the pack with Ricky Bobby quickly on his heels. Draper still recovering from Plantar Faciatis cussed me silently from the rear having to run on the still tender foot. But little did he know, I can read minds so I heard everything (Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?).

Grabbed some weights out of the car for some circuits.

Circuit 1: Curls w 27lb bar. Cinderblock squat jump. Curls with 25 lb dumbbells. Cinderblock foot release squat. Hammer Curl with 30 lb dumbbell. Double Cinderblock lunge walk for the timer (also secretly knew this was going to be a forearm burner)

Circuit 2: 27lb bar press. Cinderblock Row. 25 lb Dumbell press. Cinderblock row. 30 lb dumbell press (yikes). I think we all felt the 30 lb press. Timer was when both rowers hit 20 reps.

Getting cold. Hot lap. Cars coming in for bible study…modify to shorter lap to stay away from cars but do it twice to get same distance. (Ok ok ok, I get it Draper).

Circuit 3: Upright row with 27 lb bar. Cinderblock swings. Upright row with 25 lb dumbell. Cinderblock swings. Upright row with 35 lb keddle bell.

10 minutes left. My mind went blank. What do we do. What do I do….hmmm, I will do what any good Q does…. “Hey pax, do you have a body part you really want to work out?” Ricky Bobby “Abs” Really? Abs. Q overide. Hell no. Its 26 degrees and I don’t want to lay on the cold ground…not to mention Foundation tried his best to reenact the Alien movie on me yesterday at his Q (You know where the alien comes out of the guys stomach – at least that’s what my abs felt like during the final 3 minutes). Dough Boy “Calves”. Calves? I mean, ok…better than laying on the ground. Jack Webb ladder….presses for the 1 and curb calf raise for the 4. Finished with about 2 minutes to go.

Head towards transformer with your blocks and do your favorite exercise. Apparently the pax really love curls. I did a mix of curls and tried doing some overhead tricep presses but learned that’s not easy to do with cinderblocks. Jog back to car just in time for 6:15.

MOLESKIN

Thanks to those that braved the elements and came out today. If you layer up, its really not that bad. I suggest two layers for legs, feet, and arms. A good pair of thick gloves and a toboggan. I really never got cold today….which is saying something considering we were stationary lifting cold metal weights and cinderblocks for most of the Q. Don’t be a pansy. Dress appropriately and get out to the workouts.

Thanks for Dough Boy for being the first to arrive and jog me out of my day dreaming state to actually start planning.

Chainsaw rolling in with style. We were all impressed until we heard it was his wifes car and he only had it as he was told she needed gas and it was too cold for her to get out to get it.

Cinderblocks were frozen together….that’s a first. Thanks to Dough Boy for stepping in and quickly prying them apart. I was just standing there staring at them thinking my heat vision would magically warm them up.

Until next time….Fuse Box out.