Choo-Choo boys for what would be my 14th Q! Unfortunately my redneck bud Banjo has hurt his knee spending too much time kneeling on concrete at his “job”. I got the bat signal and accepted the opportunity to step up because why not. My theme as I started planning this last night was to start with things I got made fun of for I know that work and build as we go….
But do we even need gear to get freaking yoked? Probably not but we do need gear to make true progress on what I’m being told are vanity muscles (defined as: muscles that are generally harder to really build up with the soul purpose of being noticed and usually take to much work to keep up). Arms, legs and Abdominals.
We started by throwing a small amount of coal in the engine to get these cold locomotives warmed up. With time we would continue to shovel generous amounts of coal into the hopper to really crank up the intensity.
DCCS reviewed. Let’s get it!
THE THANG
Mosey and then lineup so PAX can use curb.
1. 20 x SSHs IC
2. 20 x Squats CC
3. 20 x Imperial Walkers IC
4. 20 x Inclined Merkins CC
5. 20 x Carolina Drydocks CC
6. 20 x Jump Lunges CC
7. 20 x Derkins IC
Grab Bricks, IC & lap inbetween:
* 20 x Glute Bridge w/ bench press
* 20 x Al Gore w/ fly
* 10 x Shadow Boxing w/ slow deep squats
* 10 x Man Makers (that’s what Dasher called them and he’s in much better shape than me)
Mosey towards Entrance
* Partner Up and grab a lifting rock
* Lunges to Next Light and switch rocks
* 30 x LBCs
* Lunges back, return rocks
Mosey towards cars. Time for Station work – Partner Up
1. Sledgehammer Swing on Tire
2. Squats w/ 27lb bar overhead
3. Overhead Press w/ Cinder Block
4. Kettle Bell Swing
5. Shoulder Shrugs w/ 2 concrete buckets
6. Slam Balls
7. Curls w/ Cinder Blocks
8. “Swing for the Fences” w/ 20lb bar
9. Tricep Curls w/ Cinder Blocks
10. ****Timer: Out & Back w/ Pace
Completed just short of two rounds. 30 seconds at each station with one quick hot lap in-between.
MOLESKIN
A great group of usual suspects posted today with a continued newby from the Lands of Briar! Always a pleasure to lead the group and it was great to be challenged with the Chiseled site’s abundance of gear. Thanks to Fuse and Chainsaw for helping to grab stuff from the shed and spreading to the stations.
After the warmup it was time to grab some bricks from my mean, lean, blacked out minivan for some Mosey. I think I heard something about my use of bricks but the PAX quickly quieted down some exercises and laps. Those bricks are heavier then they seem…
Unfortunately the lunge walk to longer than expected but they burn was just so freaking good. One of these days I’m going to get my thighs to stop touching with my continued attack on their size. Little known fact, when I wear corduroy and walk it sounds like I’m starting a weed wacker. And the chaffing….
I highly recommend buying some cheap cones and a wax pen to write the name of the stations for Chiseled. Saves valuable time at a site where losing a decent HR due to the length of explaining each station can be a problem.
I snagged some sledgehammers on clearance a few years ago that would be a great addition to the site. Banging those bad boys against the tire made for an interesting full body exercise.
Very little chatter except for a few one liners from the two angriest typical PAXs in all of WUC. May take some of that chloroform that Legalized is sourcing currently to start taking them down before each post. Nothing a little “tar and feathering and duct tapped to a tree” before a workout to knock few guys down a peg…. #zin-g
Sadly no burpees and bear crawl due to time with rocks. I had something terrible planned that I will make sure to bust out at my next Q!
Thanks for taking us out Legalized!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
March 30th Commitment will be an 8k (5mi) bootcamp. Sign up here to join the main group in Hunterville or join us at the virtual site, aka Nesbit Park!! Sign up for only $10 here: https://latinimemorial8k.racesonline.com/
Swaddling is the art of snugly wrapping a baby in a blanket for warmth and security. It can keep your baby from being disturbed by her own startle reflex, and it can help her stay warm and toasty for the first few days of life until her internal thermostat kicks in. It may even help to calm your baby
7 Men came for the McGee Remix and found no security in the confines of the stairwell. You can skip an exercise or flub a burpee, but you cannot cheat the stairs. McGee was MIA…….something about a baby girl
Run to the parking deck up the stairs to the top with a winded disclaimer and instructions as follows.
Down the stairs
10 Mountain Climbers – add 10 more for each round 10, 20, 30, 40, etc
Up the stairs
1 Burpee
Across the parking deck
20 Core exercises of your choosing
Run back to stairs
1 Burpee
Stop the madness at 6:00
Misc Mary (hammy stretching, burpees, merkins, jump squats, hills2heaven, a merkin with a high leg bounce thingy)
Back to the COT with a few rounds of planks
Squid took us out
Moleskinned Knee
I’ve been away for a minute, Taco Stand feels that we got gypped daylight savings, Alf had to remind us that those stumps were removed, and OT had to tell the story again, Rachel was quiet, Squid kept us honest, and Purell said the mountain climber idea was weak.
13 Men posted for Fast Twitch. It was 50 degrees. Joker wore tights and a woolly vest, but happy to have him either way.
5:15, disclaimer that you are not required to do what the Q says. It’s only a suggestion. Gummy took this very literally. Off we went and guys were dragging out of the parking lot at a 9:00 pace.
Down to Lakeside to the intersection of a hilly road and another hilly road. Partner up.
P1 Runs out and back up the big hill. P2 runs around the Alpine Circle loop with 2 medium hills. Upon return complete 4 Burpees per partnership. Flapjack and add 4 burpees. Keep going adding 4 Burpees each time. After about 30 minutes I was sensing mutiny. So down and back another road – with hills. Then one more trip up the big hill and around Alpine Circle.
Run Home. A bit late, sorry about that but you know, we were waiting on Purell and Rachel per usual.
Moleskine:
There is a few veterans, you know who you are, who have just plain given up on the burpee. It’s a shame. They are terrible and you should do them because they are good for you. Sort of like eating vegetables.
Gypsy decided he doesn’t like all the hills on Fast Twitch and wants to go back to the salt flats in Matthews.
It was dark out there but lots of guys just put their heads down and powered through it. A full 10K+ more than 600 feet of climb and some burpees. That’s a good morning.
Thanks to Haze for reminding me of my Q on Saturday otherwise it really could have gone sideways.
-Alf
The 5:29am PSA that YHC would be substit-q-ing for A51 Godfather, Hops, was met immediately with 20 forlorn looks of concern, confusion, and disappointment. Not sure what to make of all that (and rather than unpack everyone’s true feelings on the matter), we mosied.
1/2 way up to the COP, Scratch n Win casually mentioned that he plans to jump out of a plane on his 40th birthday (because clearly there’s nothing worth living for after that point). Being duly uplifted, we circled up…
[stature]
and Line up for partner plank-a-thon
Mary at center field (thanks to whoever led the effort here)
Moleskin:
Announcements:
18 men joined YHC on a substi-Q full of ups and downs. Vince Lombardi said, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” Also, Chumbawamba said, “I get knocked down, I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down.” The question of the day and the idea behind today’s weinke was this: Will you get back up? Today was more of a mental test than a physical one. Here’s how it went down:
Pax waited expectantly for Jingles to fly into the lot right at 5:30. But, as 5:30 came and went, it was clear things needed to commence with or without him. With the exception of the Site Q (yes Rubbermaid, DW is a Site Q at Watchtower) and a couple other accomplices, nobody knew YHC volunteered to take the Q so Deadwood wouldn’t. Off we go!
Warm up:
Jog to far corner of Target parking lot
20SSH
Dana Stretch
Jimmy Dugan
Plank/6”/Plank/6”/Plank/6” – all held a beat too long for Posse’s liking. “I could have done this in my bed.” When asked if he was laying down, his reply: “Yep”. Well played, Posse! Enough of that, let’s do this.
The Thang:
Head into the neighborhood behind Target (Wesley Oaks?) and run to first stop sign. Will you get back up?
25 stops on the 1 mile straightaway comprised of light poles and end points.
9 points until first break x 5 merkins = 45 merkins
16 points until end of street x 5 jump squats = 80 jump squats
16 points until stop sign x 5 merkins = 80 merkins
9 points until starting line x 5 jump squats = 45 jump squats
2 miles, 125 merkins, 125 jump squats. Gazelles got in another .5 mile doubling back and probably around another 25 or so of both exercises.
Re-group and head back to Brooklyn Pizza for Dock Webb.
1 Dry Dock and 4 Bear Crawls- all the way up to 10 Docks and 40 Crawls.
YHC knew this part would be the worst part. We were all tired (both physically and mentally). Who would push through it, dig deep and finish? Admittedly, YHC screwed this up. We should have done it in cadence in order to hold pax accountable. Sorry about that Zin and One Star. You both definitely got to 10 and 40. Great work!
20 American Hammers, 10 Pistol LBCs both leg, jog to circle. Done.
All told everybody got at least 2.5 miles in with the front of the pack pulling down anywhere from 3 to 3.25. Awesome work, fellas.
Announcements:
Dash for Down – See Rubbermaid for details
Lattini 5 miler- See Posse for details.
Moleskin:
Here’s the obligatory, “It’s a privilege to lead…” line. It really is. You guys make me better, so thank you. Here’s a little nugget for you…or maybe it’s a 6 pack of nuggets. Either way, here goes:
We all have more in us than we think. Whether in life or a workout, the “more” is in there. We just have to have the courage, resolve, and stubbornness to keep looking for it until we find it. Challenge for today (God knows I need it) is this: Get Back Up! When life lands a haymaker, choose today to Get Back Up! When you’re tired and weary and weak, Get Back Up! It’s in you and it’s worth seeking out. It all starts with a choice. So choose today to Get Back Up! And if you need a quick confidence boost remember this- From 5:30 until 6:15 you chose to get up at least 50 times. See!? It wasn’t that difficult and it was and is definitely worth it. Have a great day, guys.
A few men showed up were we have been meeting for the past few months since the gate has been closed, but a few long timers that haven’t been at The Matrix in months found the gate opened and tried to avoid us. Once we realized we had another group, we gathered and disclaimer was given. Off we went on a mosey around the school. Circle up for our warm up.
20 x SSH
20xIW
20xmerkins
The Thang:
Mosey down sidwalk and around pool that was just installed by Meck County and grab a lifting rock that you can run a quarter mile with. Mosey over to the cul de sac in the adjust neighborhood right past Cold Cuts house. Three rounds of each group of exercises while running the hill.
20 x curls at bottom, 20 squats at the top
20 tricep extensions at bottom, 20 lunges at top
20 shoulder press at bottom, 20 jump squats at top
Grab your rock and mosey back to the rock pile to return. Then head over to the playground to kill the last 5 minutes. 5 pullups, 20 monkey humpers, then run around the median. 3 times and done.
Moleskin:
Thank you Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec for adding new rocks to the rock pile, and adding the swimming pool along the sidewalk next to the soccer field. That will come in handy when the weather warms up. Of course Purell and Orangewhip were leading out front the whole time, but I tried to slow Purell down by adding girth to his chicken legs. O’Tennenbaum apparently smells good to dogs as we were constantly berated by a loud barking dog from inside one of the houses in the cul de sac. We had to move, but the dog kept barking at O’T. Strong work by the group and we got close to 3.4 miles total.
22 PAX got thrown a curveball with less running than normal for one of my workouts. With the Ignition crew off campus, we had the whole place to ourselves and as the famous Bruce Dickinson once told Gene from Blue Oyster Cult . . . “Explore the space, I mean really, EXPLORE the space.”
WARMUP
THANG
COWBELL:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Per the usual, I overscheduled myself and ended up with three Qs in one week. I didn’t even realize it until Bucky asked me about it on Tuesday. #liveinthepresent
Anyway, I decided to do something unique at each site. I would not repeat my typical routines or go to the same, well-worn spots. Spoiler alert – I did it! #patsselfonback
I’m going to provide an executive summary of the exercises and spotlight the uniqueness to each Q. (Everyone skims this part anyway.)
Bagpipe
This was probably the most difficult of the three Qs. It’s the oldest AO and there are 2 workouts that meet here. Is there anywhere where haven’t been? Yes. South on Johnston Rd. The likely reason no one has traveled further south than Panera is the lack of sidewalk. Alas, it’s those wide strips of green gully are the perfect half pipe for myriad exercises. We ran 7s and 11s up and down turf alley. There’s even a fence that’s perfect for derkins and supine pull-ups. One down, two to go! 2.6miles
Rebel Yell
Another long established AO, but most Q are kept within the strip mall or the monsterous Murderhorn. Good stuff, but variety is the spice of life. We traveled to Indigo Lane for 10, 20, 30 & 40 squats and ‘mericans on the corners. Then we trekked to Chanticleer Holdings. The front of the building has a wall and fountain perfect for step-ups and derkins. Plus, the wide car free parking lot hosted a sprint session. Two down! 2.4 miles
The Brave
The Brave bills itself as S. Charlotte’s toughest AO. (Truth is, I’ve never seen anyone not complete a workout, but I have seen someone puke his face off.) I needed something difficult, but after two Qs and a 7.5 mile Long John Donut Run (Wed), I didn’t want to stack miles. Eureka! The 1000 rep challenge! Now the 1000 rep challenge is not unique to F3 and I’ve seen other AOs take on this motherhumper, but no Q at The Brave has throw down the big 1-0-0-0. The plan 4 miles (site minimum) and 10 stops for 100 reps per stop (10 x 100 = 1000 math!). To keep everyone honest, I called all the exercises IC. We mostly did different stuff – a mixing of ‘merican variations, Mary, squats and lunges, though we did 100 air presses at Regal Theatre and 100 mountain climbers the final stop. Cheers to Mario, Cheddar, Mic Check and Gumbo for keeping me company and being good sports. 4.1 milies
Moleskine
After more than 4+ years of F3, I’ve been awed by the adventures we take every morning. I absolutely love not knowing exactly where we are going or what we are doing. Thank you to each Q for adding you flavor to each workout. That said, just like there are only 88 keys on a piano, yet infinite songs to be played, we have many more adventures to create. Moreover, I appreciate the friendship and chatter that makes each Q or post unique. Remember it’s not just about the first F and we grow by connecting, sharing and laughing with each other.
Prayers
There quite a few fellows battling injuries and serious health issues. I won’t name them here, but I do think and pray for wellness and recovery. Please do the same.
*If I missed someone who posted with me, send me a note and I’ll add you to the PAX list.
We’ve all been there when the weathers been bad or other circumstances have caused most us to fartsack instead of show up for a workout. Leaving the Q all alone or just 1 other pax . Well the last few times I’ve Q’ed Ascent it was just me and faithful Costanza, which by the way has led to some great F2 workouts. Just as I was expressing my developing inferiority complex due the lack of pax to boss around, here rolls into the parking lot Runstopper and shortly after Sprockets! Doubling my typical Ascent numbers. (Full disclosure they went to Rock Zero but that AO was closed today in order to support the Joe Davis Run. Fortunately for me these 2 didn’t get the memo and just had to work out even if it meant showing up to Ascent.)
So here’s the thang. Yes we did manage to start on time.
15 SSH, 15 IW, 15 Hillbillies, 20 Front/ Both Sides/ Back Lunges, Round of Jack Web. Mosey to front benches 10 Step-up Squats, 10 Dips, 10 Inclines. Run across front of school to repeato the bench work. Run through Old Providence Neighborhood stopping at each pole for merkins starting with 25 and decrease by 5 each pole. Stop at bottom of hill for ladder work; run to top, then Runstopper and Sprockets 10 BURPEES/ 2 LBC, Costanza and me 10 Jump Squats/ 2 LBC; each round decrease/ increase by 2. Run back out of neighborhood at each pole Monkey Humpers starting with 25 decreasing by 5 each pole. Back to bench work but 15 of each this time. (It was at this time Sprockets mistook me for one of those Floridians since it was so swampy around the benches.) To school house wall for People Chairs with Arm Raises while each pax would take turns doing 10 Mike Tysons for 2 rounds then Balls to the Wall doing 20 Hip Slaps. Run back to the starting point for Mary, Calf Raises and Sprints to run out the time.
TAPs for Runstopper and his wife, Jenea. She’s to have surgery this week. Thanks Sprockets for taking us out.