Author Archive Stage Coach

Millennial Day at Dollywood

–Posted on behalf of Dollywood–

19 Pax gathered for a warm Wednesday roller coaster ride @Dollywood- Charlotte Edition.

Mosey to the track, warm up lap.

  • Imperial Walker x 20
  • Side-Straddle X 20

Then the fun began:

The Climb:

  • Round 1 – 400
  • Lap 1 – 5 merkins at the 4 corners
  • Round 2 – 800
  • Lap 1 – 5 merkins at the 4 corners
  • Lap 2  – 5 Monkey humpers at the 4 corners
  • Round 3- 1200
  • Lap 1 – 5 merkins at the 4 corners
  • Lap 2  – 5 Monkey humpers at the 4 corners
  • Lap 3 – 5 burpees at the 4 corners

The Fall:

  • Round 2 – 800
  • Lap 1 – 5 merkins at the 4 corners
  • Lap 2  – 5 Monkey humpers at the 4 corners
  • Round 1 – 400
  • Lap 1 – 25 merkins at the 4 corners

Mosey to the parking lot:

Burpee short track-

  • 1 partner burpee broad jump while the other partner runs 100 yards tags out buddy.
  • REPEATO until 100 yards is covered in broad jumps.
  • Rinse and Repeat

Mary – PAX choice

  • Freddy Mercury
  • LBC’s
  • Heels to Heaven
  • Rosalita (in español, of course)

Moleskin:

  • Always grateful to help lead a group of men I have so much respect for, learned my lesson last time…. Smoke the talkers and they make fun of you less (hint, hint Libated Camel).
  • S/O to Honey for not splashing Merlot this time around
  • Body bag for bringing the ringers from Metro to show us all how to run the track
  • And as always to Skywalker for making sure I don’t sleep a wink worrying about messing up cadence.

Announcements:

  • F3’s 5 year anniversary celebration – March 5th.  See weekly email for more details.

Meat-n-Taters

I have to be honest, I was a little surprised to see more than just a couple cars in the parking lot when I arrived to SCMS today.  18 men rolled out of the fart sack to get in a mid-week workout.  I was hoping to pull off a Q like Semi-Gloss yesterday where he and 1 other pax skipped the workout and went for coffeteria.  By the way, did you post the BB for that yet, SG?

The disclaimer was stated, and I also explained that we would not be leaving the parking lot this morning.  Moaning and groaning began immediately, mostly from Gummy.

COP:

  • SSH x 20
  • IW x 20
  • Hillbillies x 20
  • Alternating Lunges x 20 OYO

She Hate Me:

  • Merkins x 10
  • Deep Squats x 10
  • Heels to Heaven x 10
  • Repeato for 10 minutes

10×10:

  • Simple, 10 burpees each minute for 10 minutes

Mary (pax led each exercise):

  • LBC
  • Dolly
  • Flutter
  • Rosalita
  • Chief’s Crunch (I still think Cheese Crunch sounds better, Freedom)

Block Work:

  • Partner up
  • P1 – Curls x 30, P2 – CDD, Flapjacks
  • P1 – Tricep Extension x 30, P2 – Wide Arm Merkins, Flapjacks

The Wall:

  • People’s Chair (better know as the Semi-Gloss) – mix in arms out front and air presses
  • Wall plank
  • Wall mountain climbers

Ye Ole Moleskin:

  • First of all, the 10 x 10 is just as awful as I remember.
  • Sort of an old-school, meat and potatoes kind of workout today.
  • Gummy and Semi Gloss were just as chatty as usual.  Had to split them up during 10 x 10.
  • For a moment, I thought EE was lost as he ventured across the Union Co. line today.  Great to see you EE.
  • Welcome to Scrubs (Jeff C.), brother of Freedom, who is in town for the holidays.  Look up the F3 group in Dallas, TX when you get back home.
  • There’s no doubt that Horsehead wanted to make a quick escape when I explained we would not be moving much today.
  • Thanks to Cottonmouth for taking us out.
  • As promised, no 12 days of Christmas theme to the workout.  I do want to wish all the pax of Death Valley and Area 51 a very Merry Christmas!

Announcements:

  • SG and I are lining up the Q schedule for the first part of 2016.  If you want to get on the schedule, let one of us know.
  • Aftermath – 3rd F workout at PG Starbucks after the Wednesday workouts.
  • New Year’s Day Convergence at AG Middle School.  Celebrating F3’s 5 year anniversary.
  • Or go to Kevlar on New Year’s Day.  Horsehead says to bring all of the junk your family has bought online.  I’m not sure exactly what that means.

Tomatoes thrown at the Q

No FNGs were present this morning, but I gave the disclosure to highlight my lack of expertise and professionalism.

With the 25 pax already assembled in a pseudo circle, there was no need to move right away.

COP:

  • Burpees x 10
  • SSH x 20
  • Burpees x 9
  • IW x 20
  • Burpees x 8
  • Hillbillies x 20
  • Burpees x 7
  • Mountain Climbers x 20
  • Burpees x 6
  • Monkey Humpers x 20  (crowd pleaser, especially TR)
  • Burpees x 5
  • LBC x 20
  • Burpees x 4
  • Diamond Merkins x 10
  • Burpees x 3
  • I don’t remember x 20
  • Burpees x 2
  • Squats x 20
  • Burpees x 1

Mosey down to the track for a warm-up lap.

Partner work:  P1 run 1 lap, P2 completes called exercise

  • Derkins with feet on fence
  • Heels to Heaven
  • Jump Squats
  • Bear Squats

Move over to grass area:

  • 1 legged burpees x 5 each leg
  • 1 Tunnel of Love

Mary:

  • Protractor
  • LBC x 20
  • Flutter x 20

AYG back to the lot.  Finish up with 10 burpees OYO.

Moleskine:

  • The fun started this morning when a tomato rolled up and joined the group with her yoga mat.  #Awkward  Header, being the diplomatic person he is, started off saying good morning.  It was clear his “beat around the awkward bush” tactic was not working, so YHC bluntly asked her which workout she was there for.  I’ve never been accused of being tactful nor eloquent.  Turns out she was looking for the ladies class at Davie.  Whew!  Crisis avoided.
  • Then two tomatoes ran by COP right as I was calling Hillbillies.  Quick audible to monkey jumpers was overruled.  The tomatoes immediately left the track when we arrived.  #WasItSomethingWeSaid
  • You know your workout is being audited when Tiger Rag and Joker are the first to arrive.
  • This was YHC’s first Q in 7 months.  It felt great to lead the group.  I got to be honest though, I was worried about smoking myself.  I was even heckled by @CheeseCurd about that, and he conveniently didn’t show up. #FIAwife
  • I don’t think the group was too fond of the burpee ladder out of the gate, but @PuddinPop was grateful they were all two legged.  Thanks for the idea Pop.
  • I know the TOL is never fun, but it seemed appropriate on a nice cool Fall morning.
  • @TurkeyLeg tracked down and ran at least half the pax off the track during the runs.  He was flying!
  • Great to see some new faces and #Kotters (at least at DV) to @SaltLick.

Announcements:

  • Mud-run (10/4) signups have been extended.  Contact @Mermaid if interested.
  • 3rd F workout Aftermath Wednesdays at Starbucks in Piper Glen

21 Tom Turkeys got roasted at Death Valley

— Posted on behalf of Wild Turkey —

Fun fact: A group of turkeys is called a rafter.

Once my trusty Casio F-91W read 5:30, the PAX circled the parked cars in the South Charlotte Middle School with high knees, butt-kickers and side shuffles. Then we wobbled down to the track.

Once we gathered, we lined-up for a one-mile Indian Run. The group kept a swift pace and managed to stay together until the last 200 yards, when mumbles of a jail break got loud enough to spark some sprinting and racing.

Caching our breath, we circled up for a little COP warm-up.

  • SSH x 20
  • IW x 20
  • Peter Parker x 20
  • Mountain Climber x 15
  • Cliff Climber (plank, arm high, alternating knees to chest) x 10 each side

 

YHC called for another mile with 4 sets of 100

  • 100 Carolina Dry Docks, then a lap
  • 100 Curtsey Lunges (50 each leg), then a lap
  • 100 Donkey Kicks, then a lap
  • 100 Toe-tap Crunches, final lap

After calling the second mile plus exercises, many asked to vary the exercises before each lap and permission was granted. The gazelles circled up for Mary-O-Rama as the six, including YHC finished the final lap.

Head up the steps, grab some wall for the People’s Chair.

  • Right leg high
  • Left leg high
  • Air-presses x 30
  • Merkins x 20

Moleskin:

  • I always try to work in some lesser known exercises. The results vary. I saw lots of twisted trunks and puzzled looks during the Cliff Walker. As for the Curtsey Lunges, I heard some remarks about Zumba and Bodies in Motion. Overall, I had a great time at a site, I rarely post. It’s great to feel at home at any F3 AO.

Announcements:

  • F3 Dads and F3 Dads Camp

YHC took us out

Puddin Anyone?

—Posted on behalf of the one and only Puddin Pop—

14 of Area 51’s best showed up to see what was in store for this week’s DV, sans site Qs.  #iceupboys

Problem is, the weinke was quickly quashed when a short mosey down to the football field showed the entrance gate taped up with crime scene tape as if YHC showed up at Fast Twitch the day prior.  It allowed me to harken back to ad-libs of old…Seinfeld, the complete scene between Ty Webb and Carl Spackler (Cannonball!), and most of Rodney’s lines from Caddyshack as well (let me know when you’re due back at boys town).  So, a quick Omaha was called, and this was what was left.

Mosey to nearest baseball outfield for Warmup:
SSH x 30 IC
IW x 30 IC
Mountain Climber x 30 IC

Low Slow Squat x 20 IC

Downward Dog

Cobra (Upward Dog)

 

The Thang
Mosey to central bleacher area, partner up.

Partner 1 runs up stairs and around the outside of baseball field on dirt track
Partner 2 does called exercise until Partner 1 returns

Flapjack

Round 1 – Supine Pullups

Round 2 – CDDs

Round 3 – Dips

Round 4 – Step/Jump ups

Mosey to field behind lower right baseball field for Triple Nickel:

Diamond Merkins x 5

Run +/- 30 yards

Widearm Merkins x 5

Repeato x 5

 

Circle up for Mary:

Rosalita x 30 IC

Mason/Russian Twist x 20 IC

Flutta x 20 IC

Partner back up for Prairie Fire Mary x 10

Protractor (Pax call angles; anywhere from 6 – 180 degrees)

 

Mosey to bathroom area, grab some wall:

Wall sit, arms out, arms up, shoulder press x 50 IC

 

Done

 

COT

BOM

Moleskine

Yeah, it can be a bit difficult to get creative with a whole new plan at 5:31, literally.  The faithful Pax were obviously understanding, and even willing to throw out some ideas.  Heard Spackler call out Davie Park, but I quickly thought of the run back I always love…OMAHA.

 

We really had a mean cast of characters killin the runs out there today; Stone Cold mentioned at one point that the impromptu weinke provided good mud run training.

 

Wanted to pay a little homage to our fearless DV site Qs on the mend; Stage Coach, Trip Nicks was for you; Semi-Gloss, thought of you at the bathrooms where the “Gloss” got its name.  Get well boys.

 

Kotters to Mall Cop who has been on the shelf for six weeks, and site Kotters to Scratch-n-Win who posted at DMZ this week, but hasn’t made it back to DV in a hot minute.

 

Thanks also to Scratch-n-Win for taking us out in prayer, strong words brother.

 

Always a pleasure leading the DV Pax, thanks men.

Shortest Backblast Ever

—Posted on behalf of Sussudio—

17 men showed up at Death Valley today.

It’s hard living in a foreign land not speaking the local language and trying to Q a workout
Start off two laps around parking lot
Picking up fartsackers on the way
Circle up SSH, IW, LBC, low slow squat with 20 Merkins in between each one
Not understanding everything the pax is saying just hoping they are meaning well by their comments
Partner up, get a block and head down to (English football) (American soccer) field
partner 1 exercise with block
partner 2 dribbles football (soccer ball) to half way line and back, flap
Then break into 4 groups for star fish with 5 different exercises
Then head back for some Mary

Announcements:

F3 Golf – Sign up

HDHH today is at Mellow Muchroom in Ballantyne.  10% of sales go to Nicaragua bridge repair mission

I’ll Be Right Back

Twenty two of A51’s finest ignored the cool temperatures and posted for their mid-week burn.  As 5 pax wrapped up the pre-KB exercises, Fireman Ed kept the others far away so they didn’t get coerced into joining the KB work.

Here’s how the story goes:

Little baby jog around the parking lot to pick up the straglers.  Continue jog down to the football/futball (whichever you prefer) field for a little follow the leader.

Surpentine the length of the field with jogs (fwd and bkwd), karaoke, bunny hops, side steps, butt kickers, high knees mixed in.

COP:

  • HR Burpees x 10 OYO
  • SSH x 25
  • IW x 20
  • Hillbillies x 20
  • 8 count body builders x 10

Get into groups of 3 (Q fail #1 as I wanted many small groups of 3, not 3 large groups) and line up for gassers across the width of the field.  Alternate running 1 pax at a time.  Recover from sprint until it’s your turn again.  We did this long enough that I think we got about a dozen sprints in per person.  Felt like 100!

Mosey over to the rock pile.

Rock time (IC):

  • Curls x 25
  • Tricep extension x 25
  • Flutter with press x 25
  • Rotate 1 position to your right
  • Rinse and repeat (minus the the second round of flutters)

Animal Planet at the baseball field:

  • P1 performs supine pull-ups while P2 performs animal work.  Flapjacks.
  • Dragon walk to 1st base
  • Bear crawl to 2nd
  • Crab walk to 3rd
  • Bunny hops to Home

Jog over to the field behind the far baseball field.  Q forgets where gate it so we have to jump the fence (Q fail #2).  Plank-o-rama.

Triple Nickel:

  • Run to other fence
  • 5 1 legged merkins (R foot high)
  • Run back
  • 5 1 legged merkins (L foot high)
  • Repeat 5 times

Circle up for 3-4 MOM:

  • HTH x 20
  • Protractor with pax calling angles
  • Deck Squats x 10

Ye Ole Moleskin:

  • As I write this backblast, the Anvil and Charge leadership is huffing and puffing in Twitter-land about their workouts being the best.  Blah-blah-blah
  • As promised, there were no 1 legged burpees today.  I didn’t say anything about 1 legged merkins.  Tiger Rag is still calling it a ruse.
  • At the end of the pre-KB session, Hairball announces that he’ll be right back.  Apparently he went home to do a quick load of laundry.  Suprisingly, he made it back in time for COP.
  • The hillbillies in COP were a crowd pleaser, but would be better with music.  Thank DD for that one.
  • It’s been a couple months since I last Q’ed and I think I’m getting rusty.  I self recognized two obvious Q fails, but I’m sure there were more.  Feel free to bust my chops about it.
  • Brushback was absolutely crushing the gassers.
  • Not sure what Hairball was doing with his rocks, but it didn’t look like curls.
  • Welcome to DV FNG’s Wild Turkey and Brushback.  Great to have you join us this morning.
  • Bugeater took a moment to teach the pax a new exercise…maybe we should call it the drop-n-roll.  YHC didn’t see it but apparently there was some heated competition brewing between Bug and TR.  Good thing Bug had about 10 layers of clothing on for padding.  #charmin #tripgate
  • I love it when the back blast practicly writes itself.  There was enough comedy this morning to keep us entertained.  Sound off below with additional comments.

Announcements:

  • HDHH tonight at the Lodge
  • Aftermath 3rd F workout is on Wed. mornings; Threshhold 3rd F workouts are Wed. at noon.
  • Mud run sign-ups
  • BRR sign-ups
  • If you haven’t already, read the A51 2014 year in review.  You can find in this week’s A51 email.
  • For newer guys that haven’t Q’d a workout, do it!  Sure, you’ll be nervous at first, but it’s a really awesome privilege to lead the pax of A51.  Workout Q school sessions are available.  See any site Q for additional details.

Dry Rub

The VSF was planted and 24 men gathered on this cold morning.  The day started with stories of yesterday’s EPIC A51 Turkey Bowl and discussion of how sore everyone is following that game.

10 Hand Release Burpees OYO (Audible – eveyone does HR burpees until Spackler does 10…#refusenick)

Jog to other end of parking lot

10 Double Burpees OYO

Jog to top of stadium stairs

10 Diamond Burpees OYO

Jog to mid-field

COP:

  • 10 1 legged burpees (R)
  • SSH x 31
  • 10 1 legged burpees (L)
  • IW x 29

Form two lines facing each other

Line of Pain (LOP):

  • Mountain Climbers x 20
  • Plank Walk x 20 yards
  • Nipplers x 20
  • Plank Walk other way x 20 yards
  • Mountain Climbers x 20

Break into 6 groups of 4 and mosey to base of stadium steps.  Each group takes one aisle. 1 pax completes stair exercise while other 3 pax perform called exercise.  Rotate until all pax have done stairs.

  • Rd. 1 – Stair sprints x 3; LBC’s
  • Rd. 2 – Hop on 1 foot x 2; Derkins
  • Rd. 3 – Side Steps (Karaoke) x 4; Heels to Heaven
  • Rd. 4 – Stair Sprints x 3 (all at once)

Hand off to Bulldog.

Partner up on goal line. Partner 1 sprint to 10 yard line/1 burpee and sprint back to partner. Partner 2 sprints to 20 yard line/ 2 burpees and sprint back to partner. Increase up to 100 yards and 10 burpees.
Active recovery: wheel barrow partner and merkin every 5 yards til failure. Flap jack and partner comes back.
Mosey to track and partner up according to speed. Race 200 yards opposite ways around track. Loser 10 diamond merkins winner 5. Repeato back opposite direction.

Peoples chair with air presses x 20.

Derkins on wall x 5 in cadence.

Peoples chair with air presses x 15.

Nipplers x 15 in cadence.

Mosey to playground.

Partner 1 touch blue door Partner 2 pull-ups. Flapjack.

Repeat with dips.

Three mins of Mary.

Fast mosey back to cars for COT.

Ye Ole Moleskin:

  • Some early grumbling about the excessive burpees before COP.  Calls for SSH were heard.
  • Great work by all on the stairs today.  Hopping on 1 leg is tougher than it sounds.
  • Stagecoach and Susudio got a little too close on the wheelbarrows. Almost looked like cojoined twins.  YHC knew the pax would not overlook that.
  • Some mumblechatter about the burpee suicides. YHC forgot gridiron numbers didn’t go up to 100. Pax trying to go back down after 50 yd line.
  • 200 yard sprints were lung busters – helped if you cheated a little especially against flyers like Splinter.
  • Hats off to Dry Rub for a strong FNG showing.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Based on Twitter chatter yesterday, you didn’t stand a chance on your nickname. It was aleady predetermined for the next FNG.

Announcements:

  • Area 51 Christmas party next Saturday 12/6.  Registration is closed but contact Prohibition if still interested…might be available space.
  • Metro Christmas party is Friday, 12/5.  See website for details.

 

 

 

 

Death Valley Combine

—Posted on behalf of Hopper—

20 pax joined up for a post-election workout.  We did not have ballot boxes.  We did not have dangling chads.  We did not have “I Voted” stickers……but we did have running!  Kudos to the half dozen or so pax who showed up early for KB’s….I am forgetting some, but recall at least Spackler, Stagecoach and Dolphin.  When I pulled up Fireman Ed was there, too, but he was just drinking coffee watching the other guys workout…kind of creepy!

The Thang

Post disclaimer, we jogged to the front of the campus for:

25 SSH

20 MC’s

15 Peter Parkers

With the whistle quickly wrapped around YHC’s neck, the instruction was to follow down Strawberry Lane at 75% to 80% of mile pace and at the sound of the whistle drop and churn our 10 merkins.  And so the pax followed, until we got to Rosecliff where we turned around and dropped for some quick planks.  The run back to SCMS was the same whistle blowing drill, but with 7 diamond merkins this time.  Once back at SCMS, circle up for some elbow planks…..dang, that gravel/asphalt hurts.  YHC will need to rethink that next time.

Mosey to the baseball fields.  Partner up!  Partner 1 runs the perimeter of the entire baseball field along the fence line (amazing how much instruction that required!!) while partner 2 does dips until the return of partner 1.  Flapjack.  Round two was the same drill, but with derkins instead of dips. Flapjack.

Mosey to football field for some Mary:

35 LBC’s

20 Flutters

Mosey to the track for some combine action. We formed three lines of 6-7 guys per line.  Last man in line gets a football and runs to the front Indian Run style.  After front man gets the ball, he passes the ball back 1 by 1 until the then last man gets the ball and repeats.  YHC mentioned any fumble by any team would result in ten merkins, but there was no fumblitis out there today!  Our pax looked better than the Panthers backfield!…although Spackler would look funny with those pink dread hair extensions, wouldn’t he??….anyway…..

More Mary including:

20 Rosalita

20  Freddy Mercury (15 fast, 5 slow)

Protractor with angle “call-outs” from the pax

Last thing…..AYG 100 yard dash down the football field.  Fletch SMOKED all of us and was at least 15 yards ahead by the end….nice work, man!

Moleskin:

It was an honor boys.  Tough, fit  pax show up to DV so I wanted to throw in a lot of running to not let you all down.  I had a lot of fun doing it and thanks for the opportunity to lead, Stagecoach.  Great work men!

Announcements:

  • Do not forget Sole Redemption and bring your used men’s athletic shoes (washed preferably).  Stagecoach inspired YHC to offer the shoes he was wearing on the spot!  Goal is 300 pair with a stretch of 500!
  • F3 Aftermath meets at the Starbucks in Piper Glen immediately following.
  • F3 Holiday Party is scheduled for 12/6 at Sugar Creek Brewery

Dolphin, thanks for a great take-out!

Variety is the Spice of Life

Disclaimer x1

Lap around the school x 1

COP:
Diamond Burpees x 10
SSH x 51
1 legged Burpees x 10 (R)
IW x 30
Double Burpees x 10
Slow Squat x 15
1 legged Burpees x 10 (L)
LBC x 30
Regular Burpees x 10
Lap around the school x 1

LOP (Line of Pain):

Mountain Climbers x 20
Plank walk left
Shoulder taps x 20
Plank walk right
Mountain climbers x 20
Lap around the school x 1

Upper body circuit on bleachers:
Round 1:  derkins/dips/incline merkins x 20 each
Round 2:  derkins/dips/incline merkins x 15 each
Round 3:  derkins/dips/incline merkins x 10 each
Round 4:  derkins/dips/incline merkins x 5 each

Lap around the school x 1

Playground:
Pull-ups x 10
Heels to Heaven x 15
Jump Squats x 20
3 rounds

1 minute of plank-o-rama

COT

Moleskin:

– Perfect weather for a workout…40 degrees at the start, but by everyone was warm by the second round of burpees

– Great work by all.  Hope you enjoyed the variety today.

– What is it with Hydra?  Is everyone afraid to show up before 5:28?

– YHC enjoyed some of the mumble chatter this morning.  Cheese Curd was especially chatty.  He even called for more 1 legged burpees.

– Couple of moments where YHC had the pax off-balance with my head fakes.  A couple claimed I was making up the weinke as we went along.  Come on, man!

– The LOP is no fun.  I think my shoulders are still numb.

Announcements:

– Welcome to our FNG Switzer (OSU alum) who is visiting Backdraft from Atlanta this week

– Keep collecting used athletic shoes for donation to Charlotte Rescue Mission.