Monthly Archive June 2015

Varying Degrees of Merkinitis

Shovel flag planted by Young Love as YHC collected donations of canned meat from the pax for the Calvary Church Pantry Food Drive.  Mumblechatter revolved around canned meat and the scarcity of canned roast beef, which was requested specifically by the pantry.  Pax got schooled in canned beef options other than roast beef by Van Pelt.  Donations much appreciated.  YHC is partaking in 10KMerkin Challenge.  Champagne and many other pax are not.  Substitute exercises to be provided for all called merkins except for COP. Options allow pax to get between 30 and 334 merkin.  3 site FNG’s welcomed warmly and the group thoroughly disclaimed before we left the launch lot.

Mosey through the parking lots in the direction of Entrance 1.

COP

SSH x 15 IC

Merkin x 15 IC

Squat x 15 IC

MC x 15 IC

Mosey to lot adjacent to Entrance 1.

Merkin Beast with Sprints

Sprint to 1st island/6xcalled exercise/2nd island/6xcalled exercise/3rd island/6xcalled exercise/Return to 2nd island/6xcalled exercise/1st island/6xcalled exercise/launch point/6xcalled exercise (Total=36xcalled exercise with 6 stops).  Rounds 1-5 followed by 200 yard sprint.

1. Merkin (sub=jump squat).  200 yard sprint.

2. Werkin (sub=CDD).  200 yard sprint

3. Crucible Merkin (sub=LBC).  200 yard sprint

4. Merkin (sub=jump squat).  200 yard sprint

5. Werkin (sub=CDD).  200 yard sprint

6. Burpee (sub=Spartan Burpee).  Plank to wait for six.  10-count.

Mosey across campus to the base of North Face.

NF Sprint/Merkin/BBC/Merkin Repeats

Sprint up NF/20 Merkin (sub=20 Knee Taps)/Backwards Bear Crawl down/20 Merkin (sub=20 Knee Taps)  Repeat.

Mosey up NF cousin hill to parking lot off Entrance 3.

Mary

6 inches hold

YHC took this time to mention F3 vision and mission to the pax.  To invigorate male community leadership through planting, growing, and serving small workout groups.  Pax asked to think about ways to improve our community through male leadership.  YHC thanked pax for bringing donations for the Calvary Church Pantry Food Drive.

Flutter x 20 IC/hold

Dolly x 20 IC/hold

Heels to Heaven x 20 IC/hold/10 count/10 count

Mosey to the base of NF

Merkin count=306.  14 Merkin/Sprint up NF/14 merkin.  Merkin count=334

Mosey to launch lot.

1 minute of burpees (Merkin count now higher)

COT

Moleskin

Welcome to site FNG’s Wild Turkey, Pita, and Sanctions.  Great work today.  Come back out and join us again at Anvil.  Pita is one of Radar’s neighbors who YHC met on Saturday.  Keep on posting and getting stronger.

Purple Haze called today’s Beast the “short” beast or some other descriptor suggesting an inferior version of previous Anvil Beast’s during the 1st rep.  YHC then called the 200 yard sprint, which was completed between each rep from 1-5.  Perhaps this made up the difference.  Seemed pretty tough to YHC.  Soul Glo, Margo, Cane, Brushback, Boutique demonstrating fast twitch on sprints and reps. Haze showing why shorter is better for burpees.  All pax working hard to maintain cohesive unit.  Pax ranged from 0 to 216 merkin on the Merkin Beast Sprint set.

YHC certain that pax are irritated by the symptoms of merkinitis that have swept through A51 workouts due to the 10KMerkinChallenge.  Champagne messaged YHC to make sure Anvil pax would not do 45 minutes of merkins while circled up.  This message prompted the substitute exercises. Icky Shuffle mumbled about staying right behind YHC during mosey to NF to “take him down” if more merkins were called after the 216 of the Beast.  Karate Kid references ensued to include sweep the leg and questions arose regarding why Daniel was allowed to kick Johnny in the face but Johnny was penalized when he struck Danel-san with a right jab to the nose.  Anyone?  Well, more were called, but, yet again, pax had an option, and Icky didn’t take YHC down, thankfully.  Not sure when Deep Dish snuck in, but glad to have you with us today.  Also great to have Rehab back with pax as he has been tied up with his baby girl at home.

Big T-claps to the pax who donated food today, yesterday, and Monday.  Thanks to Frasier for bringing over the Maul’s haul of grape jelly today after workout and to Young Love who is helping YHC by picking up Matrix donations and will help to collect at Saturday coffeeteria at Starbuck’s Piper Glen and, subsequently, deliver to Calvary.  YHC’s garage is filling up fast.  Testament to F3 men being men of action.  Sincere thanks men.

Announcements

Calvary Church Pantry Food Drive continues through Saturday.  Opportunities to donate: Meathead=canned meat; Rebel Yell=canned veggies (no corn/green beans); Centurion=canned ham; The Brave=100% fruit juice; The Rock=grape jelly (no glass); Ascent=granola bars/cereal bars; Day Zero=canned salmon; A51=canned veggies

10/24/2015 USMC Ultimate Mud Run Challenge.  Gaston, SC (outside Columbia).  Awesome race with more F3 pax than you will likely see anywhere else.  Do it.  Get a 4-man team together.  Let me know if you have questions.

F3 Dads Camp.  Still a few spots open.  Check website for preblast.

Ghostrunner.  Thursday night run option.  7:30 Arbo ABC.  Followed by rehydration at Vinter’s.  Alf on Q.

F3 Dad’s Saturday workouts.  0900 Col Francis Beatty Park.  Dads and kids (boys and girls) welcome to have a great time.

 

Invaders from the North

YHC brings a Clown Car of 4 down from the Anvil AO, which ends up being half the Pax at Dromedary. #invasion
The fun went something like this:
SSH x 25
Squats x 20
Merkins x 15

Suicides moving up the hill
Sprint 6 parking spaces up, come back 2. Sprint up 6 more, back 2 more. Repeat.
Mosey to track, Partner up.
Partner Carry across field, flapjack back.
Change partners; Wheelbarrow across field, flapjack back.
Change partners; Partner Derkins x 20, flapjack.
Change partners; Leg Throwdown x 25, flapjack.
Change partners; Marine Sit Ups x 25, flapjack

Run 2 laps around track. Circle up for Pusharama. Civilian count, no breaks.
Merkins x 10
Stagger Right x 10, Stagger Left x 10
Diamonds x 10, Wide Arms x 10

Run 2 laps around track. Circle up for Pax Squats.
Arms over your neighbors shoulders throughout.
Full Squat x 10 IC, Right Leg only x 10 IC, Left Leg only x 10 IC, Full Squat x 10.
Start mosey around school with Random Pain Stations, including but not limited to:
Bear Crawl, At 4 Square do 10 Burpees
Jump the Wall, then use wall for Derkins x 10
At Flagpole Plank Jacks x 10
Random AYG, Balls to Wall, 7’s between buildings Diamonds and Sumo Squat Jumps
People’s Chair

Mosey back to bottom of lot for Mary.
LBC x 25 IC
American Hammer x 15 IC
Heels To Heaven x 15 IC

Ye Olde Moleskin

Gotta hit the road, so this is the abbreviated version: Much mumble chatter from my Brother Ice9, always keeping it light and crushing it at the same time. #powerful
Dasher continues to dominate the Bear Crawl, and pretty much whatever he touches.
Thanks Dasher for bringing out FNG Captain Phillips (Jeff Cachine). It doesn’t get easier, but you do get stronger.
Many Thanks to my Area51 friends Hops, Voodoo and Iron Horse for joining the Clown Car. Discussion on the drive back included Iron Horse owning Mineral Rights to the Fountain of Youth (Land Lease owned by Checkpoint).

Announcements
Dasher starting new AO at Nesbit Park in WXW soon: July 13?
Races coming up at Whitewater Center; Brew Run Friday night, and Half Marathon the following weekend?
Keep Heather Meyers in your prayers as she counts down last 4 rounds of Chemo.
Praises for her progress and strength. #astoughasIce9

Feats of Strength

29 PAX bolted out of their #FartSacks and into the humidity for their #DRP.

The Thang:

COP

A quick lap around the parking lot to warm things up.

  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • SSH x 20
  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • IW x 25
  • 5 Burpess OYO
  • Squats x 25
  • 5 Burpees OYO
  • Merkins x 10

A Walk In The Park

Run over to Davie park and head over to the playground. Partner up, size & speed does not matter. Partner 1 runs a lap around the parking lot while Partner 2 does call exercise AMRAP and Flapjack.

  • Round 1- Diamond Merkins
  • Round 2- Step-ups
  • Round 3- LBCs
  • Round 4-Hand Release Merkins

Hill work

Audible due to fire and infestation

Jack Webb

Move over to the soccer field and call on our old friend Mr. Web up to and down 7.

Mary:

Return to SCMS for Mary

  • Flutters x 20
  • LBCs x 15
  • Rosalita x 15
  • 5 Burpees OYO

Moleskine:

  • It’s always a good sign rolling into a workout and TR has music pumping from the #Truckster, “Age of Aquarius” was an interesting choice however.
  • The #FastTwitch crowd was pleased we made the left on Strawberry rather than heading down Woodshed, not two days in a row I promise…this time.
  • Lots of #LarryBirds out there, the PAX was getting it done out there and loved the competition on the short track over in Davie Park.
  • It’s fire ant season, thus the audible on the hill, they’re not fun so we better keep a look out.
  • Kotters to Sussidio, smoking the rest of us as always, looking forward to when LEAP takes on Orlando.
  • Strong work from the PAX, #FeatsOfStrength were advertised on Twitter, nevermind the spelling, but hope you got your monies worth.
  • Bearcat was renamed Furball, or as our British contingent says “Fail-Ball”. Remember a rename could always be worse.
  • Thank you  to Sussudio for taking us out, hope to see you again soon.
  • Thanks for the opportunity to lead, and please sound off with any mumble chatter.

Announcements:

Swift Progression of Pain

We ran, ran, and ran some more.

The Thang:

Run to the bull ring for a dynamic warm up.  Honey Bee demonstrated excellent form on the skipping.  He must have been practicing.

By the end of the warm-up, we found ourselves at the bottom of the hill sometimes known as Dunreggan Brae.

Then it began: 2 minutes hard run, 1 minute rest.  1 minute hard run, 30 second rest.  30 second hard run, 30 second rest.  We continued this for what seemed like a long time.  Managed to stay true to the break periods – no mercy was shown.  Also made sure that every run period included as much of the Brae as possible.

Ye Olde Moleskin:

Strong performances from all.  The breaks were short and it took a lot to power through them.

Honey Bee led the pax pretty consistently, except when Mr. Bean, and occasionally Abacus were nipping on his heels.

We missed Bratwurst’s scientific approach and his hi-tech watch.

Thanks for letting me lead.  Bring it again next week!

Are you Army strong?

A robust 35 men showed up at the Vine parking lot, so we counted off, one and two, split up, and headed out into the soup.

Tha thang

Dear Abby Q:

Mosey across the street by the gas station for a COP:
SSH x 25
IW x 15
Windmill x 10
Low, slow squat x 20

Down to the lake for a version of the U.S. Army Physical Fitness Test.
2 minutes max pushups
2 minutes max full situps
2 mile timed run

Mary while we wait for everyone to finish the run

Find some wall for in-cadence exercises:
Dips x 10
Derkins x 10

Head back to base

Soft Pretzel Q:

Mosey to the Pei Wei lot for warm up: 15 IWs, 15 merkins, 20 SSHs, 10 diamond merkins, 15 squats, 10 wide arm merkins (all IC).
Mosey toward parking deck and stop at the low wall outside Moe’s: P1 plank walk on the low wall while P2 does peoples’ chair. Flapjack and repeat 3x.
Continue to parking deck. For each ramp, perform the called exercise at the bottom before running to the top.
Ramp 1: 10 burpees IC, sprint up.
Ramp 2: 10 jumps squats, backwards run up
Ramp 3: 10 burpees IC, sprint up.
On the way down, use the pillars as markers.
Ramp 3: lunge walk three pillars, jog down.
Ramp 2: backwards bear crawl three pillars, jog down
Ramp 1: lunge walk 3 pillars, jog down.
Partner up. Run to the top, stopping at each level to do partner decline merkins, same thing on the way down. Alternate at each level.
Back at the bottom, circle up for merkins and Mary. Merkins x 5, 10, 15, 10, 5 in between each called Mary exercise. Went around the circle for PAX choice and did:
Flutter x 20, Mason Twist x 20, Freddie Mercury x 20, Heels to Heaven x 20, knee ups x 10 (all IC).
Mosey back, stopping to wait for the 6 with burpees, planks, etc.

COT

Moleskine

The workout write-up is short but I think the pax came out of it feeling spent. I know I did. The APFT is simple but brutally effective and a good gauge of your physical and mental stamina. Here are the standards, which are on a scale according to age.

Basic (minimum) standards:
2 min Pushups: 34 (hate) / 30 / 25 (respect)
2 min Situps: 45 (hate) / 38 / 30 (respect)
2-mile run: 17:00 (hate) / 18:18 / 19:30 (respect)

Standards to earn the APFT Badge (worn only on PT uniform)
Pushups: 67
Situps: 72
2-mile run: 14:12

Maximum credit (perfect score)
Pushups: 75
Situps: 76
2-mile run: 13:18

Now y’all have something to shoot for. Plug your numbers in here to see how you did. You can read a 434-page manual on APFT here.

–Welcome FNGs Leia and Data. Fantastic to have you out, and hope you’ll be back.
–Great take-out by Hops. Also pretty good #mumblechatter from him earlier as he reminisced on his days in gym class during the windmills.

Announcements:

–Next week our Metro friends from SIB will converge with Swift. Should be a good time.
–Don’t forget the Calvary Church food drive. Details.
–We’ll be running the Murph on June 28. Details.

Thanks as always, gentlemen.

Humid out there today…..

12 pax entered into a very muggy morning as left with no water.

COP

20 IW in CAD
20 low slow squats- CAD
10 figure 8’s – CAD

The thang

50 goblet squats
Run
10 merkins
45 upright rows
Run
10 merkins
40 kettlebell swings
Run
10 merkins
35 triceps extensions
Run
10 merkins.
30 snatches
Run
10 merkins
20 lawnmowers
Run
10 merkins
20 leg lifts
Run
10 merkins

Mosey to the hill for partner work
150 total swings
One person runs the hill while the other swings. Flap jack. To 150

Mosey to launch.
Mary
20 – Lugayness – CAD
15 – LBC’s – CAD
15 – Russian twist – CAD
20 – Freddy mercury- CAD

TR – snatches rotating arms for 5 minutes total.

COT

Moleskin
Been a while since I have been or Q’d at Skunkworks. Enjoyed being out there and leading today. The group was a little light and I am assuming that is because of the 10000% humidity that attacked us out there. We had Sussudio back with us today and it was great seeing him. Stone Cold Tweeted last night about the run but apparently thought S was kidding. #letdown.
Workout was starting well, the COP was alright up until the figure 8 in cadence that didn’t seem to work but I stuck with it anyways #stubborn. There wasn’t too much refuseniking (if that’s a word), some complaining but nothing too angry. Sussudio also gave me a link for the mileage today but I can’t seem to attach it. Looks to be about 1.5-2 or so.
Great catching up with the Skunkwork pax.

Announcements

F3 dad – every saturday – check twitter for it. Bring out all of the 2.0’s sons and daughters. Its a really great time!
Calvary Church food pantry – check twitter on this as well. Bring food to sites you post at later this week. They help us out a ton and we need to repay the favor.

To Haze, with love

21 men struck out for their Tuesday run around Raintree.  70 degrees and 100% humidity – fantastic conditions.  Runstopper was the only one that realized wearing a shirt was basically pointless, so why do it?  Just holds onto all that sweat.

With a busy week at work and little time to right this backblast, it was time to keep the weinke simple.

The Thang:

Head out of school and run to 4-mile creek with a stop on the way for some Imperial Walker’s for a warm up.

For the next ~32 minutes or so, run down 4-mile creek from Raintree Ln.  At Whitethorn Ln do 20 flutters each leg.  Run back to Raintree Ln and do 20 dollies.  Repeat until 6:02.  PAX got between 2 and 4 cycles in.

Mosey to bottom of Raintree.  2 line Indian Run up Raintree.  All you got up the hill on Rounding Run and all you got the length of Woodfox to Strawberry Ln.

Somewhere between 5 and 7 miles for the PAX with most likely in the low 6’s.

Done.

Moleskine:

I hate that hill on 4-mile creek, but I know Haze hates it more.  Only way to get better at it is to keep doing it.  It sucks.

Tried to drive a workout where everyone could get out of it more than they wanted.  I hope it worked for most, but I don’t think it’s possible to tire Fraiser out in just one hour.  The dude spent most of the run up and down the solid double yellow lines, because not even the cars could catch him.

Solid effort by everyone out there, guys were really pushing up and down those hills.  Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Thanks to Header for the send off.

-Alf

Announcements

– Collect food for Calvary pantry

– See Turkey Leg Pre-Blast to help Blue Hen move this weekend

– Semi-convergence with Swift next week in Ballantyne to run 800m laps or something fun like that.  Header will still Q Fast Twitch if you choose that pill.

– Ghostrunner Thursday’s 7:30

– F3 Dad’s Saturday at 9am Beatty Park

 

We are our brother’s keeper…

The road is long, With many a winding turns
That leads us to who knows where, Who knows where

But I’m strong, Strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

So on we go, His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear, We’ll get there

For I know, He would not encumber me
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

A near-record 26 PAX came together on a beautiful Monday morning to simply begin the week with a simple challenge… strive to be a little bit better. Mission Accomplished…

And off we set to endure. Following a Q (YHC) that left his Weinke on the nightstand! So much for creativity!!

The Thang
So a little mosey around the parking lot… Front for a lap, throw in some buttkicks and high knees for a little variety.

COP: SSH x50, Low-slow-squat x 15, IW x 35, Merkins x15, SSH x35

And, yes, the mumble chatter initiated only seconds after we surpassed 25 SSH’s on the 1st frame. Shame on YHC.

Mosey down the path to track for some fun:
– Partner up, partners in like-weight and size, for 50 meters of Sled then anchor…plakorama then repeato

Mosey to the center of the field for the 1st guest of honor for the morning, Mr Jack Webb, Jr.
– 1 merkin:4 raises ratio, climbing from 1 merkin to 5, then back down to 1

Mosey down to the track again, this time for an Indian run… 400 meters later…

Back to parking lot.

Guest #2 on comes forward, as Whiplash prepares to spend a few minutes discussing preventive methods to avoid exercise based injuries, including “The Stick” and foam rollers. Critical info was shared to highlight what to consider and “do” to help avoid being on IR…

Special thanks to Whiplash for imparting the wisdom, and for taking extra time after the post to answer questions…

Moleskin: My heart was truly touched to have Blades of Glory return; Kotters, my brother… true evidence of the miracle of faith. Always great to have Philmont’s energy and determination, exhibiting just the qualities we all should at post. Thumbs up to Geraldo with ruck! Back-slap to Robin Hood for the continuous effort and for inciting the rumble of the mumble. Welcome to “BusBoy”… Excellent prayer lifted by Big Tuna.

AMEN!

Broken Burpee Mile

19 Men put two feet on the floor in the gloom and started off their week with F3 The Matrix.

The Thang:

Small jog traversing the field with butt kickers, high knees and shuffles mixed in

COP:
SSH x20IC
IW x20IC
Low slow squat x20IC
Mtn Climbers x20IC

Mosey to the track and partner up for burpees and running part 1

Partner 1: circumnavigate the track (~200 yards)
Partner 2: 10 burpees and wait for your partner
Rinse and repeat until both partners have done 5 laps on the track

Mosey to the wall for some People’s Chair and Incline Merkins

Back to the track for burpees and running part 2 (the sequel is never better)

Partner 1: circumnavigate the track (~200 yards)
Partner 2: 10 burpees and wait for your partner
Rinse and repeat until both partners have done 3 laps on the track

Circle up in infield for Mary:
LBC x20IC
Dolly x20IC
LBC knees right x10IC
LBC knees left x10IC
Freddie Mercury x20IC
Heals to Heaven x20IC

Mosey to the playground for some gym work
5 pull ups
10 dips
15 decline merkins
repeat

Line up on sidewalk for lunge walk to school
Jog back
Bear crawl to school
Jog back
Lunge walk to school
Jog back

COT

Moleskin:
1) Burpees and running are never (always?) a good combination. The original plan was for 10×10 but I didn’t have it in me today. Maybe something for the future…
2) TR wanted the burpee mile badly and got just what he wanted. Think of it as Christmas in June.
3) Alf came out on the short end of a couple of jokes today. All puns intended.
4) Always an honor to lead – thanks for following

Announcements:
1) Food drive all week check the weekly email and bring your canned goods
2) Check out the pre-blast for helping Blue Hen move this Friday/Saturday on the site
3) F3 Dads this Saturday at Colonel Beatty Park

Moving help needed this weekend

Calling on all Area 51 PAX.  Need some help for one of our brothers, Blue Hen (Casey Celli), who will be moving this weekend.  Some of you may not be familiar with Blue Hen or his personal situation, but he has been going through some personal challenges lately with his family and could really use our help.

He will be getting a truck and needs some help loading and unloading.

Friday 6/12: Loading.  Moving from:  3121 Indian Rock Rd, 28270  (in Providence Plantation), evening 5-9pm

Saturday 6/13: Unloading.  Moving to:  10333 Scott Gate Ct, 28277 (in Berkeley), morning, immediately after workouts;

Breakfast and beverages will be provided.

Even if you could come for just an hour or two, that would be appreciated.  So we can get a count, please let Turkey Leg know ASAP (by Wednesday at the latest), whether you can help load, unload, or both.  smastbrook@metlife.com

 

Thanks,
TL