Monthly Archive September 2012

The Sounds of Silence

15 men gathered in the Area 51 gloom.

The Thang

Joker QIC

– SSH X17

– Imperial Walker X17

– Merkins X12

– Walking lunge / bear crawl combination

– Merkin / squat combination [100X each]

– Plank-o-rama-

– Run around soccer field

– Stations: 3 sets of squats [X20 each], dips [X20 each] and pull ups [X5 each]

-Field work: backpedal, karaoke, sprint, bear crawl

Slap Shot QIC

– People’s Chair [3 sets]

– Merkins – Decline / Decline / Incline [X20 each]

– Field work: karaoke, sprint, backpedal [with mountain climbers in between sets]

– Merkins X16

– Trail run

– 30 spartan burpees

Nakedman Moleskin

– New exercises introduced to the PAX on Saturday: 1) the “Sounds of Silence” which requires the PAX to form a straight line, with the QIC at the front selecting exercises and the men behind simply following the lead of the man in front of him… lunges, bear crawl, etc., and 2) a yet-to-be named exercise that entailed a series of pelvic thrusts [thankfully no spectators were within sight of the PAX during this particular movement].

– 200 total merkins were achieved  during the workout [don’t try to do the math based on the above backblast, as it includes a combo of military and civilian counts].

– YHC handled his QIC duties on autopilot, as I was completely smoked from the pre-dawn Spartan training beatdown lead by Tiger Rag at The Rock at 0530.

Baseball Burpee Beatdown with a Side of The Devil’s Workout!

14 Pax ventured into the gloomy, misty morning with the Q’s deciding to punish half the Pax who already posted for a 1.5 hour Tiger Rag led Spartan training beatdown. 

The Thang:

(Hops Lead)

Jog to the ditch next to the back baseball field to pick up your pet rock, and then continue out to center field for COP – Warmup.

All in Cadence:

SSH x 25

Imperial Walkers x 25

Merkins with right hand on rock x 15

Merkins with left hand on rock x 15

LBC with rock extended over head x 20

 

The Main Event:

Run with pet rock  in hand to Home Plate to begin the Baseball Burpee Beatdown. 

At home plate perform 2 Burpees with rock in hand including the pushup and the jump up with rock raised overhead.  Sprint to each base in position order and perform the number of burpees represented by each position number (ie run to pitchers mound – 1 burpee, run to 1st base – 3 burpees, run to second base – 4 burpees, etc. all the way to right field).

Plank it up in right field.  Upon completion 45 burpees were performed between all the sprints.

Right arm Turkish Getups with rock in right field x 10

Left arm Turkish Getups with rock x10

Run back to rock ditch to drop off pet rock then continue running over to picknick table benches under the trees next to kitty litter for:

Jump Ups x 15

Decline Merkins x 15

Rinse & Repeat both x 3

Mosey over to pavillion wall for Peoples Chair x 2 mins alternating arms overhead and straight out in front

(Mall Cop Lead)

Indian Run 1/3 mile around to front lawn of Church

LBC x 20

Main Event #2 – The Devil’s Workout

Sprint from starting point to cone #1 and perform exercise called x 6, sprint to cone #2 and perform exercise x6, sprint to cone #3 and exercise x 6, turn straight around and sprint back performing the exersice at all cones (total of 36 reps) then plank for rest of Pax to finish.

Exercises performed:

Round 1 – Merkins

Round 2 – Carolina Dry Docks

Round 3 – Diamond Merkins

Round 4 – Jump Squats

Round 5 – LBC

Round 6 – Burpees

 

6 Mins of Mary:

LBC x 25

One legged flutter right leg x 20

One legged flutter left leg x 20

Prarie Fire Mary – Leg throws with partner x 30

Moguls x 20

 

Run 1/3 mile back to the shovel flag for COT.

 

Naked Man Moleskin:

 

Strong work by all today, but major T-Claps to half the Pax who doubled down in the gloom this morning for a total of 2.5 hrs of #downPAINments on the day (Tiger Rag, Run Stopper, Bug Eater, Pretty Boy QB, McGee, PBo, and Donkey Kong).  Also Joker for posting for the 1.5 hr Spartan pre-beatdown to then high tail it over to McKee Rd to help Q #Area51.  You guys are either 1) crazy, 2) stupid, or 3) just extremely strong & dedicated F3 brothers who love #CSAUP things!  My vote is for #3.

It was great meeting a guest Metro Charlotte Pax who posted for the double down, PBo.  Great work and we would love to have you back any time!  For all other Charlotte Metro Pax we would love to have you come down for a quest appearance at The Rock any time as well!  We have an awesome campus with many amenities to provide you with your daily dose of PAIN.

Don’t look now but we have a silent star emerging within the Charlotte South Pax.  Bug Eater posted for the double down and didn’t let up at all during the second workout!  Strong brother, strong!  YHC is glad you are on my Mud Run team in a couple of weeks, it will be a great time!  It’s just too bad the other 2 #SadClowns in our neighborhood who are on our team won’t answer our EH calls and join us out here in the gloom.  Maybe when you and YHC have to drag them through the course they will finally get what F3 is!

For all Charlotte South Pax there are several of us who will be posting at Big Hair Monday at Freedom Park Monday morning.  Would love to have more of our brothers meet us at the gravel lot to put an extra #downPAINment on the week!

That is All.

Spartan Extra

Nine men posted early for an extended Spartan prep session at the Pink Palace.

 

THE THANG, Pt. 1 – Interval Hill Work

  • SSH until PBo posts (x30 or so)
  • half mile fellowship run to bottom of Rea hill
  • 30 Spartan burpees
  • 10 sec hill sprint / 10 sec Spartan burpees, repeat for 10 cycles total
  • 20 sec hill sprint / 20 sec Spartan burpees, repeat for 5 cycles total
  • 30 sec hill sprint / 30 sec Spartan burpees, repeat for 3 cycles total
  • Recovery mosey, 2 min
  • 20 sec hill sprint / 20 sec Spartan burpees, repeat for 5 cycles total
  • 30 sec hill sprint / 30 sec Spartan burpees, repeat for 3 cycles total
  • 60 sec hill sprint / 60 sec Spartan burpees, 1x
  • 1/4 mile run to bottom of hill
  • 30 Spartan burpees
  • 1/2 mile jog to bottom of entrance 4
  • Sprint hill to TR’s Toy Box

 

THE THANG, Pt. 2 – Weighted Hill Work (and Sprints)

Grab bag of goodies: 45 lb plates, 35 lb plates, 25 and 30 lb dumb bells, 45 lb kettlebell, 50+ lb concrete block, 40 lb canvas bag of weights, and the Body Bag (Pretty Boy QB’s Heavy Bag, at approx. 125 lbs).

After each carry, run to bottom and sprint back to top (no weights).

  • Weighted lunges uphill
  • Overhead press and hold walks/sprints (KB, plates, concrete block)
  • Overhead DB Arnold press
  • Steering wheels (weight in front, straight arm)
  • Plate Pancakes
  • Plate Inchworms
  • Body Bag carry
  • Body bag uphill roll
  • Uphill hairburners
  • Plank walks up/downhill
  • Dumb bell bear crawls
  • End with (weightless) hill sprint, backwards hill sprint, backwards lunge walk, and the increasingly popular backwards bear crawl to top of hill (crowd pleaser).

 

Mini Stretch Armstrong, then off to Rock for another hour (and 90 more bleeping burpees).

 

MOLESKIN

  • This one was supposed to hurt more than normal and it did.  And does.  And will.
  • Special Metro guest Pbo maintained his reputation by posting at about 0534.  Since his punctuality issues had been amply documented  (pick any random Metro back blast) the Pax warmed up in the parking lot before departing into the gloom.  Good to have you, Pbo and stee-rong effort with the double down.  We’d love to have you back (but we probably won’t wait next time).
  • Joker went out in the hill intervals like a scalded dog and never came back.   Gone.  A speck in the gloom.   McGee, who went out strong in his own right, had to yell ahead to Joker when the intervals changed.  Word is Joker didn’t have the usual spring in his step at the A51 Q….
  • Spartan burpee count estimate on the intervals:  about 250 – 300.  Add in another 90 or so at the Rock and we were pushing 400.  #FredGSanfordwalk.
  • A few unfortunate Pax got their introductions to Hair burners up hill.  Down hill (Donkey Kong style) may be even more difficult.
  • Apologies to the Pax for not getting to the obstacles (the playground).  Seemed like we were having too much fun on the hills to leave.
  • T-claps to all who posted, especially the double down Pax, who endured 2.5 hours:  Pretty Boy QB, Run Stopper, McGee, Pbo, Donkey Kong, Joker and YHC.  Jamboree and Bug Eater aren’t racing but wanted to get their daily dose before early soccer games.  Phenomenal work.

 

Time Trials, Take Two

11 pax set out in the early morning gloom to set a ferocious pace and push for a new PR.

The Thang:

6, 4, 3 miles, or anywhere in between. We’ve still got pax working their way up the milage chart.

Moleskin:

Today were our time trials, so all were expected to push themselves to a new PR. This did not work out for everyone. For one, only Donkey Kong and YHC made it to all the hill training this month. For another, being inexperienced, many (Joker) set out much too fast, burned out and couldn’t keep pace in the end. Better to go hard early, than never to go at all!

It was nice to have pax stretched out all over the course (due to the different paces). I for one flet like slowing/quitting at the 0, 3, and 5 mile marks, but each time came across a F3 brother whose words of encouragement kept me pushing my limits. Suffering is best done with friends.

Don’t forget our Charlotte South F3 family gathering on October 6th at 4pm. At YHC’s abode, 7345 Kennington Ct. Be there on time with the 2.0’s and their nicknames.

Are you Spartaner than a 5th grader?

Nineteen:  the average age of the Vietnam soldier.  Also, the number of Pax that posted for another Spartan / Mud Run prep session.

 

Warmup (Not much of one)

  • SSH x 20
  • Squats x 20

 

The THANG

Partner up and rotate through 2 minute stations: 1 minute exercise / 1 minute Spartan burpees

  • 50 yard belly crawl / Spartan burpees
  • Tire run around track / Spartan burpees
  • Weighted sled pull / Spartan burpees
  • Pull up bar traverse / Spartan burpees
  • Hairburners / Spartan burpees
  • 45 lb. KB swings / Spartan burpees
  • Bulgarian Bag Swings / Spartan burpees
  • Glute bridge hamstring curls / Spartan burpees
  • Tractor tire pull (towel grip) / Spartan burpees
  • Seated tire pull +30lb DB / Spartan burpees

 

6MOM

  • One-legged merkins (10L, 10R)
  • Plank x 30 sec
  • One legged low flutter (left leg stationary, move right) x10 each leg.  Flap jack. – Crowd Pleaser
  • One-legged dolly (left leg stationary, move right) x 10 each leg.  Flap jack. – Crowd Pleaser
  • Little baby crunches
  • Glute bridge
  • One-legged glute bridge, R heel to heaven x 6 (CRAMP!).  L heel to heaven x 6 (CRAMP!)
  • Mason twist x 20

 

COT

MOLESKIN

  •  Spartan / Mud Run prep in full force.  We tried to hit several of the regular Spartan obstacles/challenges: belly crawls, weighted pulls, monkey bars, ropes, and of course the Spartan burpees.  Solid efforts by all.
  • TClaps to FNG Ichabod, also TR2.0’s history teacher, for making it out to the Skunk.
  • The two soccer buffs partnered up, Wanker and Renaldo.  These aren’t your regular European Futbol ninnies, either–neither one was seen to grab his shin and writhe in pain when within a 5 ft radius of other Pax.  Tough hombres, those two.
  • Probably won’t be many of the glute bridge hamstring curls in the Spartan Race (on back in glute bridge, heels on 10 lb plates: heels out to straight leg, heels in under butt), but another effort to work the posterior.  The cramps during glute bridge heel raises later during Mary only reinforced the need to work the hammies.  Dubbed the “Birthing Station” by Renaldo.
  • What Donkey Kong is to the bear crawl, Uncle Leo is to the Hairburner.  Knocked out five lengths when most Pax managed only two or three.
  • More Spartan/Mud Run prep prior to the Rock this Saturday at 0530.  Keep an eye out for the Preblast later this week.  It will be similar to last week’s session (LINK) but longer and harder.  We’ll wrap up at 0700 and join the Rock pax for normal workout.
  • F3 bulk kettlebell order is in the works.  Skunk Pax are encouraged to get one or more, as we’ll begin to incorporate KB work into future workouts.  More details to come.

 

“Seldom does an individual exceed his own expectations.”

Unknown

A Baker’s Dozen

13 men gathered in the Area 51 gloom.

The Thang

Far Side – QIC

Jog down to lower field and circle up:

Side straddle hop x 20

Merkin x 10

LBC x 20

Flutter kicks x 15

Dolly x 12

Slow bicycle x 15

Merkin x 10

Squats x 20

Imperial walker x 15

Merkin x 10

Rock climber x 15

Side straddle Hop x 15

Line up at one end of the field:

Merkins x 10 – Sprint 40 yds – Burpees x 5 – sprint 40 yds – repeat

Lunge walk 40 yds – 10 Carolina dry docks – sprint 40 yds – repeat

Backwards run 40 yds – sprint 40 yds – bear crawl 40 yds – sprint 40 yds

Karaoke left 40 yds – karaoke right 40 yds – sprint 80 yds

Burpees x 5 – sprint 40 yds – repeat 4 times back to finish

Backwards run 80 yds – sprint 80

Joker – QIC

LBC X15

Dips X 20 / Squats X 20: 3 sets of each

Pull ups X 10 / Squats X 20: 3 sets of each

People’s Chair – 3 sets of 1 minute each [with merkins between sets]

50 yard sprint X 3

Plank

Nakedman Moleskin

Small group today at 13, but good workout.  Triple claps to Far Side for a job well done on his first QIC experience.

New idea this morning… COT name-o-rama while in plank position… could be a keeper.

Boss Tweed tweaked his hamstring today, so let’s hope he makes a speedy recovery.  At 58 years young, Boss Tweed sets a great example for all of us.

 

Go North in the South

21 Pax scaled The Rock – a record turnout; and the men were not disappointed.

The Thang:

Run to soccer fields

SSH’s x 20

Imperial Walkers x 20

Merkins x 20

LBCs x 25

Dollys x 20

Suicides x 5 on the soccer field; plank while partner does suicides

Fireman’s carry

Partner drag

Partner Merkins x 20; Plank & Repeat

Run to sand volleyball courts

Suicides, partner planks

Crab walks forward, partner planks

Bear crawl, partner planks

Crab walks backward, partner planks

Bear crawl backwards (thank you very little Tiger Rag), partner planks

Lunges, Bunny-hops, High Knees, Lunges, etc. — 1/4 mile to North Face

North Face runs x 3, SSH’s at the bottom, 5 burpees at top

Run to parking lot

COP – Parker Peter’s, Peter Parker’s, Rockhoppers while one guy runs around the circle

Mary Session:

Prairie Fire Mary w/partner x 30

Bicycle x 15

Rosalitas x 15

Cumberland County Viaducts x 20 (10 each side)

COT, Namearama, etc., etc.

Naked Man Moleskin:

Record-setting day at The Rock with 21 Pax posting. Aye!  3 FNG’s added to the Southland’s every growing army.  T-claps to Donkey Kong, Tiger Rag and Run Stopper for posting after a 1-hour Beast training beatdown session at 6am this morning.  Nice work fellas!

Mall Cop was scorching the Pax on the Suicides on the soccer fields — my man has come a long way since joining F3 Nation!  FNG Blitzen was treating NorthFace like he owned the thing – strong work!

All the guys did great work.  See you soon in the gloom sports fans.

 

Pre-Rock Spartan Training

Six men answered the call for a Big Boy workout to prep for the Beast.

 

Warm Up

  • Half mile warm up jog to bottom of Rea.

 

THANG, Pt. 1 – Hill Intervals

  • 10 sec sprint up hill toward 51, 10 sec merkins.  Repeat for 10 sets total.
  • 20 sec sprint, 20 sec merkins.  Repeat for 5 sets total.
  • 30 sec sprint, 30 sec merkins.  Repeast for 3 sets total.
  • 2 min recovery
  • 20 sec sprint, 20 sec merkins.  Repeat for 5 sets total.
  • 30 sec sprint, 30 sec squats/flutter/merkins.  Repeat for 3 sets total
  • 60 sec sprint.
  • Mosey to base of Entrance 4.  Sprint hill.

 

THANG, Pt. 2 – Weighted Hill Work

Grab bag of goodies from the back of the Toyo: 45 lb plates, 35 lb plates, 25 and 30 lb dumb bells, 45 lb kettlebell, and the Body Bag (Pretty Boy QB’s Heavy Bag, at approx. 125 lbs).

Grab one or more and mosey to bottom of hill, rotate through stations of:

  • Weighted lunges uphill
  • Overhead press and hold walks/sprints
  • Steering wheels (weight in front, straight arm)
  • Pancakes
  • Plate Inchworms
  • Body Bag carry
  • Uphill hairburners (of course)
  • Plank walks up/downhill
  • Dumb bell bear crawls
  • End with hill sprint, backwards hill sprint, backwards bear crawl, backwards lunge, overhead weighted hill sprint.

No COT…head straight to playground to join Pax for Rock workout.

MOLESKIN

  • The goal was to up intensity and duration with a nod toward  Beast prep.  An 0600 start and roll straight into normal Rock workout.
  • We’ll dial it back 30-60 min earlier next week.  Keep an eye out for Pre-blast info.

Headlight Train

9 pax posted to chugg through the pitch black of the McAlpine woods.

The Thang:

4 or 6 miles into the woods and up a hilly loop. The course definitely requires a headlamp so as not to end up in some ravine or stumbling over some form of wildlife. It does reward one with a good hill interval though with which to test the strength, stamina and mental fortitude required to “sprint” up the hill.

Moleskin:

With plenty of pax out on the course this morning the 5:30ers looked like a well-oiled pack of locomotives tunneling through the woods. Alas, distance and endurance soon spread the locomotives up.

Tiger Rag posted for his first run at the Devil’s Turn today, and ran strong up the hills, setting the pace and pushing the pack.

With the cold weather, the insects are gone and so too the spiders. A special treat for the 5:15ers as we no longer have to clear the trail of the webs spun overnight.

What we smelt last week, Mall Cop saw this morning. Skunk alert!

Bug eater seems to be getting faster by the week. And Pretty Boy QB is no slouch either. Both were working especially hard this morning.

And much thanks to Donkey Kong this morning for helping Q and lead the late group through their paces. If 49er wasn’t comotose in his fartsac, I’m sure he would have been much appreciative.

Bear Season

25 men gathered in the Death Valley gloom this morning for 45 minutes of pain and suffering. 

The Thang

– Jog to bleachers

– SSH X 20

– Merkins / Mary Combo [3 sets of Merkins X 10 and Dolly/Flutter/LBC  X 10]

– Dips / Squats / Carolina Dry Dock Combo [3 sets of each X 10]

– Plank

– Lunge walk to track

– Broad Jump Burpee Combo X 40 yards [repeat]

– Bear Crawl X 40 yards [repeat]

– Crab Crawl X 40 yards [repeat]

– 1/4 mile run

– High Dolly X 15

– 1/4 mile run

– Plank

– Lunge walk and bear crawl from football field to parking lot

– Merkins X 15 just for fun

Nakedman Moleskin

– Record high 25 PAX at Death Valley today… including some crusty vets and some new guys.  Let’s hit 30 PAX next week!

– YHC was riduculed mid-workout for requesting the PAX to “count off”, then ignorning it.  I just like to keep you guessing.

– Feats of strength… Far Side’s broad jumps left us in the dust, and Donkey Kong is ready for the Bear Crawl Olympics.  Speaking of bear crawls, our Charlotte South knuckle draggers all got their fair share this morning. 

– Maybe it’s just me, but anyone else notice a disturbing nickname trend in the recent Charlotte South PAX… Herd-On, Tickler, Wenker, The Nibbler, Ice Hole, etc.  Just sayin…