I guess the old saying holds true…
He who complains about the cooking becomes the cook. Well…at least the spirit of the saying did.
A few weeks back, YHC attended a boot camp AO in MECA called Piledriver Qed by Ribshack (hell-of-a guy to Q BTW if you get an opportunity to talk him into leading your AO). I hated (in a good way) the beatdown so much that I immediately reached out to the Sparta AO site Qs and told them how awful it was and it would be perfect for an AO that has Running as the primary F1 function. In typical Madison fashion, this turned into somehow YHC was now setup to Q what I just said was amazingly terrible. The WIB is called “Old Glory” and went something like this:
Disclaimer given (yup.. not a professional….I hate running….if you hurt yourself…sorry about your luck, but I have no money to be sued for.. following me on a run at 5:15 in the morning is your own fault and not F3’s or Socrates Academy so don’t go bugging them either if you get hurt.) and understood.
The Thang:
No time for warm up things like SSH, IWs, Hill Billie’s, etc … this is a Running AO.. we have running to do… (YHC did forget it was a moderate… sorry guys)
Although the wienke for the WIB was already crafted for me, I still needed to find the best way to accommodate both clydesdale and rabbits. The start and finish were easy enough, but the grind part of the beatdown was a challenge.
5:15 we launch on a 1 mile warm-up run leaving Socrates Academy parking lot toward Colonel Beatty park entrance sign and back to the Academy at a F2 pace to keep the PAX together. Instructions were given before we left that upon return is where the grind would start. The AO for Sparta happens to be just square enough and just long enough (1/3 mile) to accommodate any potential clydesdale and rabbits that would post.
The Grind:
OYO:
This is where I get into trouble as a Q.. this stuff looks great on paper.. but dang.. in reality I want to kick the guy that writes my Qs up, but my legs aren’t working so good today and butt kickers are nowhere near anything I want to do right now to myself.
6am. Finally finished…
But wait..what happened with the last 15 mins of post you ask?
There’s more!!
For the low low price of a Free F3 F1 post, you too get to run another mile because this WIB is called Old Glory and why not take Old Glory for a nice morning run too. Off we go again on a 1 mile run leaving Socrates Academy parking lot toward Colonel Beatty park entrance sign and back to the Academy at a F2 pace to keep the PAX together. We take turns handing off our Great nation’s flag between pax to take the lead as we follow Old Glory down Wedding road for all the early morning commuters to see.
I would like to say that YHC was able to perform 5 mins of Mary.. but if you have read this far, you know I was not going to be able to do that. Madison took the Q lead for this part and I vaguely recall some voices calling out stretching positions. I tried a few, then realized that was not in the cards for today…
Moleskin:
This is an excellent AO F3 Nation. If you have not been out to this site, put it on your bucket list to attend a post in the near future. The setup is to accommodate all our clydesdale and rabbits. FNG friendly and 2.0 approved. You push yourself as hard as you can but always have a pax nearby to lend a helpful word of encouragement to power through. In all today we clocked around 5 miles and completed roughly 175 merkins/dips.
Final note for all my F3 nation brothers out there… Don’t ever recommend to a Site Q a potential workout: unless you are willing to show up and Q it yourself. (the good Lord knows I have learned my lesson on this one).
Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you found him! #credo
Respectfully,
Gypsy
Announcements:
You may have seen the letters MFT floating around YHC’s Strava account. Well, you’re bouta learn today. MFT stands for Max Frequency Training, but has also be referred to as “Mutha Fuckin’ Tuckin”, or more understandably the “Mario Flatulence Theory”. The concept behind this is to focus on compound lifts that involve more than one muscle group (i.e. bench, squat, OHP, etc.), rather than isolated lifts. Could give you the science behind it, around protein synthesis and whatnot, but fuck it and just trust YHC on this one. Thus, welcome to BFT® (Brave Frequency Training). Duh.
Note 1: Gloves strongly recommended
Note 2: Time under Tension (TUT) is important. Ask a bro if you don’t know what this means. They are typically the ones not wearing sleeves.
Note 3: Rep breakdown: Strength (5-8), Mass (8-10), Endurance (10-12)
The Thang:
| Sets | Reps | |||
| Lap 1 | Legs | Coupon Squats | 1 | 8-12 |
| Jump Squats | 1 | 8-12 | ||
| Sumo Squats | 1 | 8-12 | ||
| Feet Together Squats | 1 | 8-12 | ||
| Shoulders | OHP – Coupon | 2 | 8-12 | |
| Balls to Wall w/ Press (Carolina Dry Docks) | 2 | 8-12 | ||
| Stairs – Every other step (aka 2 at a time) | ||||
| Lap 2 | Chest | Merkins | 1 | 8-12 |
| Wide Arm | 1 | 8-12 | ||
| Diamond | 1 | 8-12 | ||
| Burpees | 1 | 8-12 | ||
| Back | Coupon Rows | 4 | 8-12 | |
| Stairs – Every step | ||||
| Lap 3 | Shoulders/Back | Pull-ups (Ledges in deck) | 4 | 8-12 |
| Chest/Tris | Dips (You’re going to have to be creative here) | 4 | 8-12 | |
| Stairs – All You Got | ||||
| Lap 4 | Bis | Curls | 4 | 8-12 |
| Tris | Tricep Extensions (or Curls if you’re Goonie) | 4 | 8-12 | |
| Stairs – Coupon |
If you have questions before tomorrow, reach out. If you have a question during the workout, ask someone beside you.
Aye!
HIIT – High-Intensity Interval Training Accumulator
For each round, there are 5 exercises (see below). In an accumulator format, start with 1 exercise for 20 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds, adding another exercise until all 5 exercises are completed in succession. Then, work back down until only the last exercise is left. Each round takes 13 minutes. Take a 2-minute rest, then start the next round.
1 – Rest
1-2 Rest
1-2-3 Rest
1-2-3-4 Rest
1-2-3-4-5 Rest
5-4-3-2-1 Rest
5-4-3-2 Rest
5-4-3 Rest
5-4 Rest
5 Rest
Round I
Round II
Round III
With no time to spare, we actually couldn’t fully complete Round III, but we made it bit further than when I recently tried this workout at Foxhole. Well done!
Moleskine
As I mentioned, this was my second go-round with this Weinke. I made a few adjustments to the exercises and cut out the little baby jog (no running at Meathead). Another big difference from SOBland to A51 was much more focus on the exercises and a lot less mumblechatter. (That may be more of an issue with a few of the present pax – Fireman Ed, Frehley’s Comet & Madam Toussaud.)
Our playlist was 90% urban hits of yesteryear, 5% contemporary pop and 5% classic rock. Odd, but it fit the bill.
It’s hard to take note of everyone while staring at a 20 sec countdown, but you couldn’t not notice Hoover with his rucksack and double bells and Bull Dog ripping through sets. Well done!
I shall be back to Meathead.
10 PAX met at the Waxhaw Watertower ready to conqueor the Floater. Feel free to read below or watch video to see what transpired.
Preparing for battle:
First Push:
Intense Concentration:
Second Push:
Extreme Concentration:
Controlled Breathing:
Final Push:
Emerge victorious
Moleskin:
Announcements:
We had 10 PAX show up this morning at the Arsenal: 3 double pre-runners w/ boot camp, 6 single pre-runners w/ boot camp, and 1 single pre-run only. Each pre-run accounted for 3 miles of today’s total and the boot camp was also worth 3 miles. Here’s the workout.
Mosey around front parking lot
Warm-up
Happy Jacks – 5 cadence side straddle hops followed by 2 quick jump squats (they put a smile on my face anyway)
Mountain Climbers, Low slow squat, Windmill, Moroccan Night Club
Front Parking Lot – 2 Rounds
10 Muscle ups
1 Lap, exercise in 2 intersections
20 Squats
30 Freddy Mercury
Playground – 2 Rounds
2 Laps between each exercise
10 Pull-ups
20 Step ups
30 Peter Parkers
Front of Highschool
15 Merkins, run across parking lot
15 Carolina Dry Docks, run across parking lot
20 Leg Thrusts, run across parking lot
15 Merkins, run across parking lot
15 Carolina Dry Docks, run across parking lot
Head to COT.
Thanks for all the hard work this morning PAX. Hopefully, it was worth while.
18 (? I thought it was 17 but I had 18 names?….dementia) PAX showed for an emotional birthday tribute to YHC…..the gifts, the speeches…..touching. All my dear brothers posted – – those that did not are now dead to me.
The Thang:
A weak disclaimer given, we did the slow mosey around the front of the building and circled up in one of the crystal smooth parking lots of OP Elementary.
IW x 20 IC
Wide Arm Merkins x 10 IC
Low slow squats x 10 IC
That’s it – – we took a short trot to the basketball court for instructions.
Here’s the real Party:
16’s – sort of – technically we’ll do a Modified Soul Crusher:
16 Burpees
Run to gate opening
1 Merkin
Run to bars: 5 pullups
Run to far gate opening: 5 jump squats
Sprint (?) back to the start.
Then continuous repeat counting down from 16 burpees to 1, and up from 1 Merkin to 16, with the pullups and jump squats being the same.
This we did for a while.
A little Mary as the quitters started to gather on the basketball court.
Mosey back to the launch point…….Done.
Moleskin
Well, that was easy.
This is known as the Modified Soul Crusher – the real Soul Crusher working up to and down from 20….takes about an hour and at about 25 minutes you are wondering what in the world you have begun…..ensuing despair…..Soul Crusher.
But it is a fine workout, don’t you think? Full body.
Good work out there – – a few pity postings, which I appreciate. Hate to show up to an empty parking lot (done that).
No announcements.
Still praying for ‘Bout Time, his son Jennings, and family. God WILL heal, strengthen, comfort.
Post on behalf of Shepherd
The Thang:
Mosey around the Parking Lot.
COP
Mosey to the Tables at the front of the school. 10 Dips, 10 Step-ups (each leg), then Run to the 2nd light pole near the entrance; Repeato, except 10 Derkins in place of Step-ups, then Run to the Stop sign.
Mosey back to the Bus Lot, and partner up. Partner 1 runs around the track one lap, while Partner 2 does called exercise, then flapjack, until all exercises completed. Merkins X 100, LBC’s X 200, LSS X 300, and 50 Burpees (just to make it fun!).
Mosey back to Front Parking Lot for a little Hill work! 7’s on the hill, LBC’s at the top, and Bombjacks at the bottom. (Watch out for the soggy ground at the bottom!) Here comes a little bit of rain!
Time for exactly 6 minutes of Mary:
Moleskine:
Was this supposed to be a “Moderate” workout? Guess I’m not crazy about Moderate; so, we’ll have to settle for “MADerate” instead! The PAX were forgiving, nevertheless! All were glad that the rain held off, but may have preferred a modified Thang due to rain, rather than the Maderate Thang! eHarmony was happy to have a little rain for the cool down stage!
TClaps to Sticky Note for taking us out!
Shepherd.
Anvil is a great AO and group of guys. It’s also on Wednesday which is my usual off day. Hard to get the body out of routine sometimes to do it. After sign up geniusing my way to a Q in 2 week, Chelms pings me looking for a trade for this week. Done.
Forecast last night had rain starting right around launch time so needed to be prepared with a wet weinke and a dry weinke. (I’ll let you come up with your own 8th grade sense of humor joke on that)
5:30 launch and it was dry. Brief disclaimer to a light crowd of 9 men who gambled on the weather and won (sort of).
Mosey off to front parking lot with about 75 yards of backwards run thrown in.
Head over to Life Center entrance for COP:
Low Slow Squats, Imperial Walkers, Merkins, elbowing planks and plank jacks. Warm.
The Thang:
Head over to rock pile. Pick a lifting rock you are willing to carry, a little way.
Head around front of church and back to picnic tables by cars.
Round 1: 20 overhead press, 20 curls, 20 step ups with rock. Repeat 3x
Run to end of cars, 10 burpees, run back.
Plank-o-rama
Round 2: 20 Flutter Press, 20 lying down lat pulls, 20 Romanian Dead Lifts. Repeat 3x
Run to end of cars, 10 burpees, run back.
Plank-o-rama
Bring rocks to street and leave them. Head to base of North Face. 10x jump squats, up North Face 10x Sister Mary Catherine (each side), back to benches for 10x split squat each leg and 10 jerkins. Hairburner rock 15 yards and back, lunch walk with rock 15 yards and back. Repeat circuit 2x on your own.
Staggered Arm Merkins while the 6 comes in.
Carry rocks back, some wall sits on the return home, then AYG from Life Center to launch point with last 60 seconds.
Done.
Moleskine:
So other than a few minutes in the last 3rd of the workout, the rain held off. But it came in time to pull back from an extra round of North Face. I heard no complaints.
I have never tried use rocks as hairburners so I figured why not today. All the guys lined up with me to start. Next thing I know they are all standing around looking at me and looking at the 15 yard scratch I left in the pavement. Glad you guys are with me! Not wanting to cause any significant marking of the AO parking lot, we audibled to the lunges. If the rain doesn’t wash things away we have a solid start/finish line for the next few weeks.
Purell and Rachel continued the race out front that they started on Monday at The Matrix. Hard to slow those guys down. Mermaid, Lorax, and Brilleaux were close behind as well. Hammer and Uncle Phil kept a strong steady pace, and The Wall kept it close. A very strong effort considering he was coming back from extended absence. Very glad to have you medically cleared and ready to post again brother. Next time drag Haze out with you.
Appreciate the takeout from Mermaid.
Announcements:
-Alf
6 studs rolled up on Old Providence Elementary at 0700 on Saturday for another edition of Ascent. YHC pulled in to find High Tide’s bright blue Jeep had delivered a litter of kettlebells ranging from 30# to 80# all over the parking lot. High Tide rolled in from his jog (#overachiever), the rest of the pax mosied up, and we got started.
Warm-up:
Slow mosey around the parking lot.
The Thang:
The 12 days of Christmas Groundhog Day: Perform day 1, then day 2 + day 1, then day 3 + day 2 + day 1, etc.
COT
Announcements:
Moleskine:
Twas five thirty in the morning
at Carolina Courts’ Thrive,
the Pax were still waiting
For the Q to arrive.
Alas, now it was clear Madison had fart-sacked.
So co-site Qs took charge of the Pax,
On Hoffa, on Gypsy and Hairband, and even Glass Joe
Time to get to work, including some bomb jacks.
While the Q was all snuggled, warm in his bed
and visions of sugar plums danced in his head,
The Pax did suicides, flutters and many burpees,
plus Merkins, 7s, bicycles, even LBCs.
The moral of the story
Everyone should now know,
Don’t brag on your Weinke
If you’re going to no-show.
Background:
Monday evening Madison tweeted and posted on Union County F3 FB page dire warnings of how devastating Thrive would be the following morning with him as Q. His Weinke supposedly would make grown men cry and blow away any ‘moderate’ limitations of Thrive. Or something like that. Good thing Madison is a stand-up guy and can ‘take it’ because as you now know by the awesome poetry above, he fartsacked. Several “explanations” (excuses) followed concerning the alarm on his iPhone being set to the wrong day or something. But he summed it up well when he said “I’m never going to hear the end of this”. He’s right.
The Thang:
So at 0530 Bernanke (co-site Q) said “let’s mosey!” As we mosied around the parking lot, Bernanke asked Nomad (other co-site Q) how do you want handle this? I suggested he lead the COP, meanwhile I would plan and lead the next evolution. We would flap-jack evolutions until time expired. Sometimes you have the luxury of time and can develop detailed, intricate plans that actually work like General Schwartzkopf and the ‘Left Hook’ and the ‘Shock and Awe’ air campaign in Desert Storm. And sometimes you have to ad-lib on the fly and adhere to KISS.
COP
Hillbillies X 21
Windmills X 14
5 Burpees (OYO)
Arm circles (10 each direction)
Hand release Merkins X 10
Mosey to the road for Island Suicides: run to each island/archipelago/isthmus/geological feature and back. At each island, stop for in order, 20 each LBCs, dollys, flutters and bicycles.
Over to the frost-covered hill for a round of 7s: bomb-jacks and squats. But regular running would be too easy – uphill portion was run backwards.
Mosey down to the soccer field to cross it length-wise. 1/3 via bear-crawl, 1/3 via lunges and the final 1/3 via crab walk.
Mosey up to the road. At each succeeding Hairband (short) light pole do the following number of merkins: 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5.
Extended mosey around the building back to the shelter area of the park interspersed with karaoke left and right, butt kickers and running backwards. At the picnic tables do 20 step ups (10 leading each leg) and 15 dips. I meant to say dips but inadvertently said merkins. Given the earlier merkin-fest, there was loud #mumblechatter and groaning by the PAX. I corrected myself but the thought did cross my mind to let the merkins order stand. But I succumbed to a rare moment of charity. I felt kinda dirty about it. The over to the wall to relax in the people’s chair. While there, two rounds of air presses, 50 and 100.
The Pax seemed relieved when I turned the Q back to Bernanke assuming we were done with the (evil) wall. But Bernanke had other plans: 2 rounds of balls to the wall (including a non-sequential 10-count by Shake N Bake while we were inverted), 20 donkey kicks and 5 burpees just for giggles.
Mosey back to the parking lot for Mary:
backscratchers
dying cockroach
rosalita
America hammer
Moleskin:
I know 15 PAX were present. But I am remembering only 14 of the 15. So apologies to ever’s name is escaping me at the moment. Actually, for a #Respect, I am kinda proud I got 14. The 3 sure signs of getting older: 1. memory loss, and what were the other two again? (Edit: #15 has been added!)
TClaps to Hairband for taking us out. Comments began to fly immediately about the grief that was to be dished out to Madison. And then a lone voice of wisdom reminded us we should first ensure that Madison is OK before we assume he just fartsacked. Gypsy had his phone out and established contact with Madison. Madison responded which was a mistake. He was OK. Open season.
TClaps also to Shake N Bake and Glass Joe for joining me on a pleasant 3.6 mile pre-run before the frivolity ensued.
Thrive is a great group of men and it’s an honor to be a part of them/us. But we are men – the jokes/comments are often (almost always?) sophomoric. There is much #mumblechatter directed at everyone. You better have thick skin because everyone gets their share of incoming fire. You gotta take it as well as dish it out. Good thing Madison can take it.
Madison has requested to Q Thrive next week. That’s great. But Bernanke and I will have a back-up Weinke prepared this time. Just in case. Ya know, those iPhone alarms can be tricky.