Monthly Archive June 2015

Fast Twitch and 0.0

The Thang

Joker Q – Ran 2.25 miles, with 150 squats, 75 merkins, 35 SSH and 35 Imperial Walkers thrown in along the way.

Pop Tart Q – Did the “Super 21” as follows, 1 merkin followed by 1 sit up, followed by 1 “Popping Tart” on each leg; then 2 merkins / 2 sit-ups/ 2 PTs… you get the idea… all the way up to 21.  Sum of 231 merkins, 231 sit-ups, 231 Popping Tarts on each leg.

Mosey back to parking lot to finish the last 5 minutes with some alternating toe touches.  We had 1 minute remaining, and Pop Tart made the mistake of throwing the Q back to Joker, who finished off the workout with 15 burpees.

Moleskin

In an effort to deliver a balanced workout, YHC and Pop Tart took things to the extreme, with lots of running in the first 30 minutes and a 0.0 Meathead format for the second 30 minutes.

Pop Tart was determined to reach 21 this time around.  During his last Q the Pax only made it to 15 since there wasn’t enough recovery time built into the format.  This is what led to the introduction of the Popping Tart, which involves lying on the ground with one leg out straight, while the other foot is flat on the ground.  Lift your hips and extended leg up to work the thigh and hips of the leg that is bent.

Now, on to the hazing…

Great to see Stone Cold and The Shore back at Area 51.  In the early days when Area 51 was the only option on Saturdays I saw them every week. The Shore is still the toughest pediatrician this side of Jersey, and Stone Cold looks pretty tough himself rolling down the road in his rugged Jeep.

Donkey Kong was looking good the first half of the workout, then he vanished. No sightings of DK getting in his car, so it was a stealth departure.  DK continues to live up to his mysterious ways.

Slap Shot was looking especially strong during the running.  Must be something about the Hockey playoffs that brings out his A-game.

Great to see The Tickler back at Area 51… after moving down to Greenville a couple of years ago.  Wish I could remember why we nicknamed him The Tickler, but maybe some things are best not remembered.

Pax Approved Moderate (but not easy) Workout

11 men (including 1 FNG) and a pair of 2.0s gathered at Ascent to kick off their weekend in the Carolina soup.

The Thang:

Warmup – run to track

  • SSH x10 (IC) => Butt Kickers for 20 yards
  • IW x10 (IC) => Butt Kickers back
  • Windmills x10 (IC) => High Knee for 20 yards
  • Toy Soldiers x10 (IC) => High Knee back
  • Dry Docks x10 (IC)
  • LBCs x10 (IC)

Dirty McDeuce

Set 1

  • Wide arm Merkins (IC) x12
  • Flutter Kicks (IC) x12
  • Low Slow Squats (IC) x12
  • Lap around track

Set 2

  • Dry Docks (IC) x12
  • LBC (IC) x12
  • Calf Raises (IC) x12
  • Lap around track

Set 3

  • Plank jacks (IC) x12
  • Weezy Jefferson (IC) x12
  • Step Lunges (IC) x12
  • Lap around track

Set 4

  • Merkins (IC) x12
  • Russian Twist (IC) x12
  • Pogo (IC) x12 (6/foot)
  • Run out to field

 

Field Work

  • Broad jumps across field => Stop every 2-3 jumps to do merkins (increasing count, starting at 1).
  • Shmosey back across field
  • Broad jumps continuously across field (no stopping for merkins), then 11 start jacks
  • Circle up for Jack Webb to 7 (1 merkins :: 4 overhead claps)
  • Sealteam sit-ups to 10

On The Wall

Pax in People’s Chair, while each person bearcrawls in front of pax.  Rinse and repeat with Lunges

Back to the Field

Jacob’s Ladder

  • backwards run one way
  • 1 Dry Dock => 7 Squats

Mary

  • Guantanamo
  • Flutter
  • Chopsticks
  • Dying cockroach
  • Freddie
  • Dolly

COT

NakeMan Moleskin

It is always fun for YHC to make a short hop up to Area51 from The Fort and post with South Charlotte’s finest.  The privilege of Q’ing at Ascent was a special treat, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity Pelé provided, and awesome support of the pax.

FNG “Suave” had the unique honor of being pretty much named long before we got to COT.  There was something very suave about his lung walk technique in front of the People’s Chair…or perhaps several of the Pax couldn’t get the 90’s Gerardo song “Rico Suave” out of their head once they heard Suave’s real first name is Ricoe.

I look forward to posting with the Pax of Area51 again soon!

AYE!

-old bay

Who put us in charge?

Last time EE and I shared a Q, we did the Bassackwards 5K. How do we top that? Well, let’s see what we can do and off we go.

Pre-Thang
EE and I for 5 miles and then we get joined by HH on bike. The same HH that emailed out that he was on the IR list yesterday. Not only is he sandbagging injuries on us but then he mocks EE and I with the bike. Some brief conversation about taking the bike from him and daring him to catch us with his bad leg but we decided to finish the run instead.

The Thang
Mosey to the virtual flag since HH planted it near the cars. O2 dep from his bike ride?

COP
SSH x 20
OYO Merkins x 10 (Just adding them to help me in the 10K merkin challenge)
IW x 20
Oh look, The Count and Squidward arrive which means:
OYO Burpees x 10
Burpee Climbers x 10 (Go down like a burpee but do 4 mountain climbers instead of a merkin before bouncing back up)

Mosey back to the hill
Espresso comes rolling in with a doorless jeep with a huge flag flying outside it. Therefore, we skip the late burpees because he’s got a huge flag outside a doorless jeep. #winning
Partner up
P1 runs down the hill and does 10 burpees at the bottom and then runs back up the hill
P2 does merkins
Flapjack until 100 combined merkins
Plank until all teams are done

Repeato with 200 lbcs
Repeato with 300 squats

My guess is we ended up doing more than 100 burpees each but I’m smoked so don’t trust that if you are doing your own 10K burpee challenge. Now, quick water break and hand it off to EE

Long Native American Run towards Elementary School Playground. Stop short of entrance gate for:
50 x SSH IC

Line up PAX and split into 2 teams
EE pulls 2 x 45# Plates #partyfavorite from behind gates for the 2nd Ever: “Half Mile Hair Burners” (#GameShowSpecial)

One member from each team pushes the plate as far as they can down the Road to Nowhere while the remaining PAX rotate 3 called exercises between each pusher.
Rotate to the next pusher in line and continue until we have reached the half mile finish line!

Called Exercises:
Hand Release Merkins x 15
Bombjacks x 10
Flolly (Flutter/Dolly combo) x 10

Pin Ball Run back to PSV for COT

Moleskine:

Glass Joe: Complete smoker out there. At one point during the EE half-mile hairburner, I’m trying to push my plate and HH is laid out on the road blocking me. Okay, who put the Horse(Head) with a bad leg down? And it broke my momentum with EE’s freaking epoxy covered plates. During the pre-run, EE tells me that the plates are getting worn down. This hope was quickly destroyed during the hairburners and I realized it was just EE being the eternal optimist. Those sucked! Especially after smoking the crowd, and myself, on the hill. My M was waiting on us at McDonald’s with my 2.0s for F3 Dads and she said we all looked rough walking in. Pretty sure that’s a compliment.

Welcome to FNGs Happy and Patch. Happy was the guy at the F3 Golf event with a modified AR-15 that can shoot golf balls. Thus, he got Happy after Happy Gilmore. Patch is a nurse and got named after Patch Adams. He was invited out by The Count. That’s who you get to blame for all this.

EE: Not only was it smoking hot and humid at the Outland, the PAX were completely smoked from an hour of non-stop Work. Fantastic job today by all PAX including 2 FNG’s and HH who pulled a Pee Wee Herman (bike reference only thank you) and rode his bike around during the pre-run and workout since his knee is on the mend! But he did manage the GJ Burpee-thon and took his turn on the Hairburners! #Strong Get well soon brother. GJ had the PAX smoked at Hello with his rendition of Dora right out of the gate, but all took the challenge and ran with it! Good to see Espresso holding his own (down at least) and Big Trade pushing his limits on the Quads #3rddayinarow. HB made sure to cut the sleeves out of his new F3 shirt and almost got arrested for bringing those Big Guns on School property! TLS and CT are machines on the hill and Shep and Count are stepping up their inner beast weekly! Great to have 2 FNG’s, Happy and Patch, with us at the Outland. This was a very tough workout, but you guys held your own and brought it strong. I hope to see you guys back out every week!

Thank you for taking us out TLS! Amazing Group to Grow with every week!

EE & Glass Joe

Solid Iron Cake

12 men gathered for another episode of the Day Zero.  As promised there was cake.

Run to back of field for COP

SSH, IW, Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Rock Stone Hoppers, & more Merkins.

Run to Carswell and Bevington.  Run up Carswell from Bevington to, well, Bevington.  At the top do 10 jump squats at stop sign 10 heels to heaven.  Head from Bevington back to Bevington.  Jump Squats then heels to heaven.  Repeat from Bevington to Bevington and back to Bevington.  Look at a map if this confuses you.

Run back behind school, grab stone, wall sit with overhead presses, then stone presses straight in front, the overhead press with stone press straight in front.  Then 20 thrusters with stone (squat with overhead press)

To the loading dock.  Groups of 3.

P1 – Run around front parking lot.  P2 – Jump ups (step ups) on loading dock.  P3 – stack the cake.  i.e. move all 4 plates (45 lb, 35 lb, 25 lb, and 5 lb) , one at a time like a shuttle run from one end of lot to other.  When done do 3 burpees and repeat the process returning the cake.

Repeato, but P1 – Declined dry docks on, you know, the dock.  P2 – run to playground for 10 pull ups. P3 – stack the cake.

Carry plates to front of school for 2 rounds of 15 split squats each leg an 20 derkins.  When done lunge walk to parking spaces and mosey back.  Carry plates back to cars.

Grab stone and head to field.  21 6-count burpees, LBC’s, 19 6-count burpees, flutter with press.

Return stone to pile and head to COT.

Moleskine

  • Always a pleasure leading a strong group at Day Zero and appreciate the fellowship on my 40th.
  • Radar was in an extra special mood today as he strolled into COP a bit late a whispered a little happy birthday in my ear.  A pleasant comment from him is so infrequent, I judge it to be genuine.  Its just verbal abuse from here on out.
  • TR appeared giddy when he saw the stacks of weight thinking we were going to be knocking down hair-burners with 100lb stacks.  We didn’t do it, but look for that little bundle of joy in the future.
  • Prohibition and Flipper apparently privately tweeted their intent to run 4 miles prior to Day Zero.  Not sure if I am more offended due to lack of invite or the disrespecting of my Q to the point they figured they need 4 miles extra ahead of time.  Hopefully your legs hate you in the morning.
  • It sucked cutting the burpees into 2 sets but:  a) I think it was quickly narrowing down to just me doing them, b) I am not 100% sure I could have cadence called it continuously without my voice cracking into a 12 year old soprano.  And anyway by the end of the 2nd set, keeping cadence became near impossible as my face and mouth were covered in sweat and spit and keeping up with the backwards count down TR suggested
  • Thanks to Flipper – CG, no NTT Data, colleague of mine on crossing the other to DZ on the other side of the tracks where he usually posts at “The R…” (not sure I am allowed to mention the full name in a DZ backblast).
  • Also thanks to my good buddy Quint for running out of mediocre excuses to post and showing up today.
  • Haze with a gracious send off as always.

Announcements

F3 Dads was at 9am, but you already missed it if you are reading this.  Try next week. Lex Luthor Q’ed a good one.

In Cadence

Six men hung around a parking lot early Saturday morning.  This is what they did.

Warm-up (in Cadence Work)

  • Imperial Walkers x50
  • SSH x100
  • Mountain Climbers x100
  • Low Flutters x100
  • Squats x50

Interlude #1 (More in Cadence Work)

  • Spartan burpees x30
  • A set of 11s, while holding plank, with merkins and peter parkers.  (a/k/a the organized mind eraser).  All exercises were four count, so you could call it a set of 22s.
  • Heels to heaven x30

Interlude #2 (Partner in Cadence Work)

  • Partner carry walking squats x20
  • Werkins (wheel barrow moving merkins) x20

Interlude #3 (Partners without Cadence)

  • Sonar x12.
  • (Partners each run in opposite directions around parking lot.  When they meet, they bounce back and run the direction from whence they came.  The faster you run, the less your partner runs.)

Finale (Back to Cadence)

  • SSH x50
  • 3 sets of dips x20, dry docks x10, and jumping lunges x20
  • Six minutes of Mary with:
    • knee-ups
    • real sit ups
    • russian twists
    • low slow flutters
    • the bicycle
    • obliques (both of ’em)
    • heels to heaven
    • j-los

COT.  Very strong take out by Witness.

Moleskin

  • It is good once in a while to take apart every muscle group without leaving the parking lot.  Hope y’all got your money’s worth.  All of the above is approximate, of course, and I probably missed some exercises.  Sound off below with additions or corrections.
  • Bratwurst gets t-claps for putting in 4-12 miles before the workout. No one joined him for the run, despite a polite invitation.  He has a funny way of doing jumping jacks.  Namely, his feet move vertically rather than horizontally, as though he were in a narrow hallway or trying to sidle between the walls of a NY state prison.
  • Dasher was on his 4th post of the week, and feeling it. YHC was actually surprised — did not think it was possible to put that man into failure.  Fewer smiles from him today too.  Huh.
  • Witness was back for the second week in a row after enduring several weeks in the death-seat as his son learned to drive.  YHC is hoping we will have driverless cars by the time the little gingers are old enough to drive.  Not sure I am up to that task.  Witness showed some power and endurance today:  by adding a couple more workouts per week, he will be sailing soon.  But he wasn’t thrilled with the werkins.
  • Captain Phillips was back for his second post of the week after debuting Wednesday at Dromedary.  Strong work.  I tried to take his boat today (metaphorically, of course), but he would not give it up.  No sir.
  • Transporter was the lone Lawson man today, and his name was rendered rather futile.  Can you really be a transporter if you have no human cargo?  Don’t really think so.  Yet despite his inability to perform the function for which he was named, Transporter is quietly getting stronger every week, as he adds workouts, and beasts through.  Indeed, there were a few intervals this morning when YHC could have sworn that Transporter was the only other person conscious — with the other guys seemingly taking very short naps while lying prone.
  • Great work today, all.

If you like this F3 thing, and want the workouts to get easier, there is only one remedy.  Do more of them.  That’s it.  All you have to do is show up 2-3 times per week for a couple months, and you will barely recognize your own self.

Here are the weekday workouts close to home for our Union County brothers (all are 45 minutes and start at 5:30, unless a running workout, which starts at 5:15 and may go an hour):

Mondays:   Nesbit Park in Waxhaw, starting July 13th.  (Workout to be named).  Until then, consider the kettle bell workout at Foxhole at Elon Park Elementary

Tuesdays:   The Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne, running and bootcamp options (Bagpipe and Swift).  5:30 start for bootcamp, 5:15 start for running

Wednesdays:  Marvin Ridge High School, 5:30-6:15 (Dromedary, bootcamp)

Thursdays:    Stonecrest bootcamp (Rebel Yell), and Running at Rea and Bevington (Devil’s Turn)

Fridays:   Sun Valley Middle School (Overdrive).

Finally, check out “Steps for New Guy”:  http://f3nation.com/10-steps-for-a-new-guy-in-f3/

Hope you all have a great weekend.  Blessed to spend time with you this morning.

 

Scavenger Adventure

Great showing out there today with a total of 88 making it through the full adventure at Colonel Francis Beatty Park. There were at least 4 to 5, maybe more, that didn’t stay for the count off so we may have been even closer to the century mark.

The Thang:

COP:

  • SSH
  • Merkins
  • Merkins on Dad’s back
  • LBC
  • LBC on Dad’s stomach (ouch)

Water Break

Shark’s and Minow’s

Relay Race with PAX breaking into 5 teams

  • Bear Crawl
  • Run

Water Break

Scavenger Hunt

Same five teams grouped together to hit 5 different checkpoints (home plate, shovel flag, slide in the park, volleyball court and lake) all while carrying an egg and water balloon. Along the way team members were carried and items were scavenged (picked up), including: maple leaf, oak leaf, pine needle, sand, water from the lake and miscellaneous litter.

Moleskine:

Awesome job by all of the Dad’s and 2.0’s out there today. There was a lot of great demonstrations of the various exercises early in the workout along with enthusiastic cheering for the different team members during the relay race. Everyone had an opportunity to participate in the scavenger hunt with some of the largest contributions coming from the smallest members of the PAX.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead the F3 Dads workout today. Had a blast and look forward to seeing everyone come on out during the remainder of the month of June.

My apologies for not getting all the names down.  Instead of just a partial listing I left us all off.  “All for one and one for all”

I’ll have a Bloody Mary and a steak sandwich and… a steak sandwich

5 men gathered this morning, charged everything to the Underhill’s account, and got things done like this. This was Hammer’s VQ – having not coordinated at all beforehand, we drew for who went first. I won. Good thing – we would’ve quit at 7:30 if he had started.

Gummy Q
Yog around the parking lot, mixing in various moves that apparently get us warmed up (high knees, butt kickers, etc.). Gather on the soccer fields for the warmup (IW, Slow Squat, SSH).

4 stations across the length of the field. 1 guy at each station, 5th guy runs from last station to first, first moves to second and so on. Stations were LBCs, merkins, jump squats, CDDs.

Mosey up to the islands. Work in a little Mary (Flutter, slow Freddie Mercury).
Then line up abreast at the first island for suicides. 10 merkins at the first island, then back. 10 merkins at first island, 10 jump squats at second, then back. So on with third island (CDDs), fourth island (squats), fifth island (nothing).

Mosey to the hot box for 10 derkins, 20 step ups, 30 dips, but mostly so I could drink from the water fountain. Hand off to Hammer.

Hammer Q
Four pain stations. First is 20 dips in the hot box. Second is 20 burpees at the fence with the yellow thing on top (150 yards away?). Third is 20 air squats at the backstop (150 yards). Fourth is 20 “sprints” up and down the hill. That’s 20 times up. Really. Repeat the whole thing.

Finished with some People’s Chair, Jack Webb up to 5, and a little Mary. Done.

Moleskine
Great VQ from Hammer. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t know it was his VQ until 2 minutes before the workout started. Bad site Q. He brought something new and tough to The Rock repertoire though. That is a big field. And hot. Didn’t bother Hops though. He earned himself a free coffee from Hammer by beating him (and the rest of us) around the circuit.

Announcements
F3 Dads was this morning. So was the last chance to collect grape jelly for Calvary’s food pantry.

News Flash– There is a New Site Q

Almost 2 years ago, Spackler (Who has never been seen since he relinguished his duties) and YHC started Rebel Yell. We started at one AO, moved it, and now it has flourished. Feeling that it was time to release myself and pass the duties on to another, Heartbreaker decided to take on those duties. But, before the Pax were to hear the news, there was a workout and yes, I was not going to leave without dishing out some pain. Here is how it went down:
Disclaimer was given before leaving.
Jog around the movie theater parking lot with butt kickers, high knees, side shuffles and backwards run. That was your warmup.
At each stop do set exercise OYO and plank when done.
5 Burpees; Jog to next stop
50 SSH, 5 Burpees. Jog to next stop
50 LBC, 50 SSH, 5 burpees. Jog to next stop
25 merkins, 50 LBC, 50 SSH, 5 burpees. Jog to next stop
End on side of Target, circle up: 25 squats, 25 merkins, 50 LBC, 50 SSH, 5 Burpees
Plank with 6” with a couple 10 counts
Mosey behind Target for Speed Bump Suicides(Crowd Pleaser)
Starting at the 1st speed bump, run to 2nd 20 merkins, back to 1st 25 LBC
Run to 3rd 20 CDD, back to 1st 25 Freddy Mercury
Run to 4th 20 merkins, back to 1st 25 LBC
Run to 5th 40 merkins, run back and collect the 6
Jog over to Strawberry’s truck grab 2 bricks get into teams of 3. Back to front of movie theater for Grinders. 1 person w/bricks, 1 person on opposite end and 1 person running between. This is timed for 3 min AYG and 30 sec rest between sets
1st set: Brick Presses and Flutters
2nd set: Lateral raises and LBC
No more time, back to AO and return bricks to the confines of Strawberry’s truck.
A great crowd showed up this morning and hopefully I did not disappoint. It was good to see some faces that haven’t been out in a while, Vinyard is out of school and dad (JR Ewing). Good to see Salt Lick. Hope your back allows you to keep coming out. Welcome Steven, Martyr(FNG). What I do know, Rebel Yell is in great hands with Strawberry and Heartbreaker. Maybe even Spackler will show up some time.
Thanks for allowing me to lead you through the gloom.

Announcement:

New Site July 13th Nesbit Park. Watch for something from Dasher

Loop Physics, Mad Dog 20/20 & The Chili Cheese A Plenty

12 men showed up on Thursday in the Arbo ABC store parking lot. But, this time, it had nothing to do with purchasing some Mad Dog 20/20 for the upcoming weekend escapades. It was about Ghost Runner…and its 4 to 6 brutal miles in the nighttime heat and humidity.

Alf has set up two nasty runs. And he’s somehow defied loop physics such that the routes are uphill the entire time. Or maybe it just seems that way when your legs are barking and you can’t see from the sweat dripping in your eyes.

Some observations…

  • Mr. Brady came in late (on time for him), caught the group, then took over the lead and stretched it out. Those 70s style houses of Raintree just inspire him. Solid work brother.
  • Van Pelt had a solid run (or the runs)…fueled by his lunch at the famous Beacon in Spartanburg, SC. Lots of chili-cheese-a-plenty thurps during his strong run near the front. #Respect
  • Runstopper takes any and every opportunity to go shirtless.
  • Dolphin learned that the route he’s been running is not the route at all. But he’s gotten 1-2 bonus miles each time, earning himself extra post run recovery beverages.
  • TigerRag laced up his running shoes then stayed in the parking lot and did 750 KB swings (each hand) while everyone else ran. #Meathead
  • Soul Glow and Buttermaker ran together the entire time. Think they even shared SG’s water bottle. #Bonding. Also, SG was late to Vintner’s…pretty sure he made an ABC pit stop for a bottle of the aforementioned Mad Dog 20/20.
  • Turkey Leg kept saying how tired he was. I believed him until I lost sight of him.
  • Iron Horse wears very short running shorts. He was hit with the girls night out contingent at Vintner’s.
  • Ickey Shuffle showed up late from his kid’s K-4 graduation. Then he just wandered aimlessly back and forth on Raintree Lane until it was time for beverages. Afterwards, we found out he has a lot of pent up anger from his days supporting Cincinnati sports teams and has a deep disdain for God’s chosen football team, Notre Dame.
  • Hops showed up at Vintner’s for post run recovery. But not for the run. Ghost Runner protocol requires him to buy the first round. It didn’t happen.

Haze out.

 

Calvary Church Pantry Food Drive Drop Off Saturday 6/13

Several Area 51 AO’s have collected food for the Calvary Church Pantry Food Drive.  Thank you men of Area 51 for your help with this effort.

Young Love and YHC will be at Starbucks Piper Glen coffeeteria to collect donations that YHC has not already secured.  Please bring collected donations to Starbucks Saturday 06/13/2015.

We will gather the donations and run them over to Calvary by 8:45 to meet our contact for drop off. We should be able to manage with 2 SUV’s, but may ask a few pax for help.  If you would like to join us for the drop off you are certainly welcome to do so.