It’s been awhile since I been on Q and ole Shake is fatter then usual. Well, I can’t cheat other people just because I can’t get less fat. So I make something up that I know will make me tired and push me. Well……here we go.
Warm-up
The Thang
Mosey to shelter:(two rounds of this, with count of ten on my down)
Mosey around block, now let’s see how this works. I yell out 180!!! (This means to immediately turn around and run the other way) This makes a good pace buster. After a few 180’s, I yell Shake n Bake! If you not familiar with that, it’s 5 Burpees on your own. All of this on just the first street. This continued on the next street with a slight hill. Now we head to THE HILL, I wait until everyone is cruising at a nice pace by listening(about midway). 180!!! Just as the sound of the feet going sounds steady, 180!!! As we are about to the bottom of the hill, I call 180 again. I hear the rumbling, so I let it fly………..Shake n Bake(five burpees on your own). This went on for awhile.
Finally we stop off at the parking lot at the apartment complex at the bottom of the hill. Line up on center line in parking lot.
Time to go back up the HILL from whence we came. More hi-jinks of 180 and Shake n Bake’s. Once at the top of the hill we circle up for:
Back to beginning:
Bear Crawl Ring of Fire, called exercises in between.
Side Step Ring of Fire, called exercises in between.
Split into groups give it all you got stop sign to stop sign. (4 rounds, two equal to one). Not gonna lie, I was done half way through all of this, the running at the end got me. After all the 180 calls and moving left to right, I feel like I should have been playing the Cha Cha Slide during the workout. Just a thought.
Thanks for following me and going after it today. Even if you didn’t agree with it. On to the next one.
Announcements:
Moleskine:
We’ve been joking about headlamps, but you have to admit that some of the things that have happened a headlamp may have helped. Do you want to find out? I don’t. I rather spend $30 bucks than spend 30 days in the hospital or worse. Please consider the Road ID’s guys. If I were to pass out while working out and taken to the hospital, no one would know how to contact my wife. What if it takes awhile for me to regain consciousness, all my wife knows is that I never came back home. Just think about it. Thanks for letting me lead and I promise a better showing next time.
Four decided to get some work in at Peak 51. Pretty simple …
Mosey out of the back of the alley, around and up by Pappy’s Cuts, over to the Mobility & More parking lot to circle up.
COP
Thang
Mosey down the Canyon of Heroes to the front of the Library/Town Hall circle. Time for one of YHC’s personal favorites, The Beast: 6 reps at 6 stations with 6 exercises.
Mosey back to launch. YHC recorded 2.2 miles.
Fin.
Moleskine
So, the theme of this workout was “Slim Fast and Smokey just stay way out in front and chitchat.” I have no idea what they actually discussed, so, I’m just going to take a few guesses.
I might be wrong. I don’t think I am, though.
YHC scheduled this work trip back to NC from WI with a purposeful hope to post, and thanks to SwineFlu & CircuitCity for allowing a rusty ol veteran to Q. Admittedly I was a little “rocky” and even rusty at times. It had been a month since my last trip & post, plus I was often happy to engage long-overdue mumblechatter!!
Pre-runners came in from all directions, and gathered next to the theater for Nightmare on Elm!! 20 victims heard a disclaimer (suggestions, modify, safety across, no partner/contact…)
The Thang:
(several stops with Mary & Plank throughout…)
Moleskin:
Really good to be out with everyone. Like I said when we finished, please don’t take F3 for granted. Having moved to a non-F3 area, I miss the accountability, camaraderie, and push. Really hard to replicate all the benefits of posting and being involved.
Commish, glad Michael is at ASU, but good luck with season. Twister took a tumble right away at a speed bump, but rolled and popped up like a stunt man! Chopper used boulders for running, and thankfully corrected my “choppy” counting at times! Great to see Teddy back going hard, with back in good shape. Mary Kay and Heartbreaker both eliminated at least 5 lbs each in the past few weeks…from shaving and hair cuts alone. Thanks One Star for my official “Weinke”…needed that today! Billy Goat good luck with the new gig. Kirby awesome drawing up your service mission & plan. Strawberry congrats on the move- glad you are still close. Swine Flu-sorry I frightened you when walking from my hotel :). WarEagle- one of the only with a light-up band…need to ramp that up with bright clothes & lights! Olaf glad the shops are doing well-stay blessed! Beetlejuice enthusiastically bantered while going hard. CircuitCity good luck with school, and enjoy the days off. Cable Guy has become a regular again after a couple years away – rarely says much, but goes hard. Thunder Road & Floor Slapper stuck together & pushed each other through mumblechatter. MightyMite always shows up, does his thing, and looks out for Pax…#leader!
Annoucements:
This morning was YHC’s first time back at the Arsenal in quite a while. We had all regulars, Atlas pre-ran by himself, and Cobbler pooped 10 minutes in. So for just a brief moment, all was right with the world.
Warm Up: Mosey down to the miniature basketball court for 20 SSH, 10 merkins + 20 MCs, and 10 low slow squats all IC.
Workout Part 1: One lap around the school with stops. Running was done at a recovery pace to encourage us to elevate heart rate on the exercises. Which were: 10 eight count burpees IC, 10 donkey kicks IC, 20 jump squats OYO, 20 man maker merkins OYO, up/downs on Q cadence.
Workout Part 2: Head to the playground. Start with a set of pull-ups with every PAX doing his one set max. For every set following, the goal is to do one less rep than your first. In between sets, we partnered up with P1 running a lap and P2 doing a called exercise. Round 1 = 100 sit ups combined, Round 2 = catch me if you can lunge walks around the track, Round 3 = 150 merkins combined, Round 4 = 3 sets Mary (no running on this one).
Mossey home and plank for a minute.
Moleskin: The pull up routine came from something Voodoo posted back at the start of lockdown. Its a way to increase your max pull ups by resting as much as you need between sets to achieve max, max-1, max-2, max-3, max-4 over five sets. It was very effective for me so tried to mimic in a boot camp.
Announcements: Plugs were given for Reservation and DaVinci. Be on the lookout for Mighty Mite’s blood drive. YHC may attempt to donate my bad ass plasma to the cause.
Centerfold was looking for a sucker after Dromedary yesterday and apparently I was the guy. Put me on the spot, “Chastain, you wanna Q Body Shop tomorrow?” Little did he know I was looking to Q some new sites (more on that in the Moleskin).
8 PAX for Body Shop and another 8 for MASH. I heard Recalc put on quite the beatdown while Sweatin’ to the Oldies. Here’s a little summary courtesy of the MASH channel:
Tabata- 40 seconds work/20 rest-
Step up cinder block
Russian tap cinder block
Clean and Press cinder block
Curls cinder block
Punch out bricks
Slide, slide, slide, mountain climber
Squat,walkout,merkin (2)
Catalina Wine Mixer
Crab Toe Touches
Lunge,Lunge,Squat
If you haven’t been to MASH before, you need to know that it isn’t for slackers. You’re going to get a workout. You’re going to sweat. But you’re also going to get the 1st and 2nd F you need to keep up your drive and motivation. Thanks Recalc for leading today and thanks Mayhem and Centerfold for keeping it going throughout the week.
On to Body Shop!
Warmup
Mosey around the back lot then circle up for some SSH, Imperial Walkers, Jimmy Dugans, and some calf stretches.
The Thang:
Moleskin:
Coming up on September and it’s my 2 year anniversary with F3. I don’t know the exact date so I decided to just focus on the month. Glidah had an inspirational backblast about a week ago you should give a read. Mine is much the same. 2 years in and F3 has pushed me to grow in many ways. I talked a bit in the COT about getting out of your comfort zone. Maybe joining F3 and posting your first time was a step outside your comfort zone. What have you done since then to continue accelerating? My starting goal coming into year two is to Q some new AOs I’ve never Qd before. I posted at Dromedary for the first time last week and now I’m signed up to Q on September 9th. Today was my first time Qing Body Shop. I’ll be doing Clyent Dinner, Blackhawk, and Impromptu in the month of September as a part of my goal to “be new”.
Where can you be new? A lot of PAX are strong in the 1st F but have yet to dip their toes in the water for 2nd or 3rd Fs. Is that you? Are you quiet or introverted and the idea of big crowds makes you uncomfortable? Take some baby steps and show up to a Saturday morning Coffeeteria. Looking for a way to make an impact in your community but don’t know how? Our region is killing it with charitable contributions, clean-up days, and other service opportunities that reach beyond the individual. Just ask and we can point you to an area you can help. Involve your kids. Involve your wife. Be a leader in your own household.
Stop coasting. It’s too easy to get comfortable with where you are and say that’s good enough. Have the courage to try something new and you’ll be better for it.
Annoucements
YHC was working on his workout plan the night before Q’ing Bagpipe when Cooter gave me an idea. On Slack the night before Cooter promised YHC would provide a tour of the Bagpipe AO. While the Bagpipe site is quite expansive with several directions to go YHC decided to focus on an area with some of the “named” landmarks. 5:30 hit and 14 Pax had gathered ready to go. A disclaimer was given and we were off.
The Thang:
Mosey to the parking lot of a nondescript office building across from the Bull Ring (1st named spot). Fun fact, YHC used to work at said nondescript office building 10 years ago before beginning the uptown commute. Here we warmed up with SSH x 15, IW x 15, Potato Pickers x 12, Peter Parkers x 10 and Parker Peters x 10. Some Pax were struggling with balance on the Parker Peters so it was time to move on.
Moseyed over to the pond affectionately known as Loch Ness (2nd named spot). As we all know there are three workout areas as you run around Loch Ness. At the first do 10 derkins and 20 American Hammers, at the second do 10 box jumps and 20 American Hammers and at the third do 20 dips and 20 American Hammers. Repeat for a 2nd round and plank for the 6.
Saunter over to the rock pile and grab a lifting rock. Overhead carry your rock through the parking lot to the base of Bagpipe Hill (3rd named spot). Put your rock out of the way where you will know where it is but yet out of the way of cars. Run up Bagpipe Hill with 10 low and slow squats and back down Bagpipe Hill. At the bottom find your rock for 15 right hand offset merkins with right hand on the rock. Repeat up and down the hill with squats at the top and then 15 left hand on the rock offset merkins at the bottom and repeat a 3rd time with squats at the top and diamond merkins on the rock at the bottom. As guys finished (mainly Sweetwater, Cable Guy and Midriff) there was time for some good ab work with the rocks. YHC called flutter with rock presses, Tagalong called chippy cross with the rocks (which was sneaky tough) and I think YHC called American Hammer with the rocks. Carry your rocks overhead back to the rock pile and return them.
Start back towards launch stopping at the Wells Fargo parking lot for some various Mary called by various Pax. Then AYG sprint back to launch with a minute plank to hit 6:15.
Moleskin:
While running up Bagpipe Hill someone mentioned Ben Nevis being one of the other Bagpipe landmarks (the long hill up Ballantyne Commons heading towards Lancaster Hwy). Midriff asked how it got its name. YHC was not sure but asked Tagalong since he is a grizzled F3 vet of many years. Tagalong did not know but got home, did some research, and forwarded a description to YHC that Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Since it is located in Scotland common sense would dictate that it was named by Haggis. So there is your Bagpipe trivia for the day.
Strong work by all. Loch Ness is a scenic spot and Bagpipe Hill is no joke and provides for an extra challenge rather than just running. It has made more than one Pax spill merlot in its history. All pushed through and finished the circuits admirably.
Announcements:
What you are about to read is called a Backblast. It is something that used to be written and posted to the world wide web that would summarize a workout, possibly make the reader laugh, and sometimes impart nuggets of wisdom. Currently, backblasts are as rare as finding flour, toilet paper, and ground beef on a single Harris Teeter run. Unless they come out somewhere called “Waxhaw”, which I’m not even sure is a real place that exists. “Waxhaw” sounds like a karate instructor from Mississippi trying to teach a pupil to block punches by rubbing turtle wax in a circular motion on and off a fleet of classic cars.
Back to the matter at hand. Nine of us gathered this morning to pursue strength and knowledge while not running a single step. The current program’s core element is 250 swings per workout supplemented with other kettlebell and bodyweight exercises, and now that we’ve been at it several weeks, the pressure to come up with new combinations was weighing on me. Also weighing on me was the pressure to come up with a playlist that would motivate, entertain, spark conversation, and elicit appreciation for the artists. My last playlist was curated around my first love, Sunset Strip Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, and was pure auditory bliss. Not everyone has the proper reverence for this era however (I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed), so I went in a different direction for today. Play button pressed, we jumped right in to the first of five rounds of the swing sandwich, which is 20 swings (the bread), 20 weighted crunches (the cheese), 10 clean & press (the meat), and 20 swings (the other bread). In between rounds we mixed in merkins, chest presses, flutters, and deadlifts. With 200 of the 250 swings now complete, we topped it off with a final set of 50 swings so we could move onto some personal favorite exercises. Next we did three rounds of overhead squats and three rounds of the Sots Press, which is a wonderful exercise that is as awkward to perform as it is difficult. I noticed a lot of “modify as necessary” on this part. I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed. A handful of core exercises capped off the morning as dawn was breaking and the geese were defecating. A threatened/promised fly by monkey humping from Spackler and the Anvil crew never happened, so they must’ve been having too good a time over on Five Knolls.
Today’s playlist focused on alternative rock hidden gems from the mid-nineties and seemed to be well received, I even had some requests to share it so I’m calling it a win. We didn’t get to the selections from Letters to Cleo, Buckcherry, and Goldfinger though, so I enjoyed those on the drive home. The next playlist may involve professional wrestling entrance themes, but the idea is still percolating. Only a handful of announcements including the upcoming blood drive being spearheaded by Mighty Mite and Beetlejuice. At least I think that’s what Mighty Mite was saying, it’s hard to make him out from 45 feet away. There’s a happy hour tomorrow at the cougar bar in Ballantyne, I can’t remember the name, but you know the one. There’s an Iron Pax challenge going on, and undoubtedly every rep of every exercise will be done with perfect, Chelms-esque form. In closing, let’s recommit to writing quality backblasts (insert jokes about starting that right after this particular backblast) so we can read about places other than Waxhaw, or Narnia or whatever it’s called.
Off from a short hiatus, Tweet and Meat is back! What is different? Well 4 guys came out into the gloom to find out. Gathering in the parking of SCLT Middle at 05:15, a little latter for Cotton Mouth, but eventually he joined us.
Warm Up- 1 trip around the lot…that should do it!
The Thang
Good Mornings x15
Merkins on the sandbag and offset (left and right) hand x10
Squats x15
Head to the Pavilion to grab a running rock
3 sets of the following with one full lap of the track in between
High pull x15
Sand bag burpees x10
Alt lunges x15 / x15/ x10 per leg
1st lap with sandbag / 2 lap with rock / 3rd lap with sandbag
Head to the field (freshly mowed field)- start at the back of the end zone
LBC with sandbag press x10
Bear crawl drag / Side drag left arm / Side drag right arm then backwards drag to mid-field – 10-15 yards per movement
LBC with sandbag press x15
Bear crawl drag / Side drag left arm / Side drag right arm then backwards drag to end zone – 10-15 yards per movement
LBC with a sandbag press x15
Mosey to the stairs from the track
Triple Nickle
Power cleans at the bottom / Thrusters at the top
Russian twists to run the clock out….DONE
Ye Olde Moleskin
– Thanks to the Pax who came out, looking to do something different
– Trying to make this a weekly thing, so if you missed it or have some interest. We each had an extra bag, plus a ruck available, just reach out
– This is still in trial phase, hoping to make it a regular thing, so right now it sits on Wed 0515 at SCLT. Depending on the group or interest we could look at moving it. Still shopping for a permanent location as well. SCLT has been quite since the “Death at Death Valley”. However, still a good campus
– I forget how dark this location is, which is one of the reason I love it. Just the gloom! I also forgot that it was a CMS maintained school property. Apparently they have not cut the grass on the field since the beginning of Covid and we gathered a lot of the clippings on the field work today- yuck!
– Geraldo is an old pro moving heavy things. Today he brought out a #40 lb sandbag and was killing it, leading most of the AM
– Cotton Mouth rocked #50ish lbs and was hating the pavilion work with the extra 10lbs. Good work
– Lex Luthor had #40lb in a ruck which seemed to work well. He actually bought the sand when he could have just brought it from the beach. Either way proved that this workout works for both rucks and sandbags
-YHC was also rocking #40lb sandbag today
– Flipper HC’d but bailed this AM…however he agreed to Q next week, so we are good. He always brings it come out!
– This BB is dedicated to the boys in Waxhaw that seem to be dominating the BB page on the interwebs. Nice job men!
Belated BB from Tuesday. After the VQ Saturday at Commitment, had to re-fire the ovens for the Bushwood halfway house diners. Whether cold or hot, leftover deep dish is a tastier experience so the weinke had to bring something special.
Warmup
Mosey around the bus lot, along Marvin School Rd to the upper parking lot. SSH, IW, Merkins & Mountain Climbers all x 18. Stretching – calf followed by up/down dogs.
The Thang
Grab a rock, pick a lane and line up at back line of parking lot. Sets/reps consisted of:
Curls x 20, run to opposite end of lot for squats x 10. Repeat twice for 60 total reps. Alternate squats & Bobby Hurley’s at opposite end.
Tricep Extensions x 20, run to opposite end of lot for squats x 10. Repeat twice for 60 total reps. Alternate squats & Bobby Hurley’s at opposite end.
Shoulder Press x 20, run to opposite end of lot for squats x 10. Repeat twice for 60 total reps. Alternate squats & Bobby Hurley’s at opposite end.
Rows x 20, run to opposite end of lot for squats x 10. Repeat twice for 60 total reps. Alternate squats & Bobby Hurley’s at opposite end.
“11’s” – Run length of parking lot in same lane as rock-fest above. Alternate between dry docks and plank jacks at each end.
Return rock to pile and mosey to bus lot and wall.
Grab a partner – 100 air presses, 100 donkey kicks while partner does lap around bus lot.
PAX in a circle, on your six. Counter clock-wise around the circle with PAX calling out ab exercise of choice, 10 reps each. Figi audibled with a set of cross-handed diamond merkins claiming that was ab related. “Conveniently” ended right on time prior to Jwoww calling the 2nd audible for plank, forearm push-ups.
Moleskin
Bushwood members were cooked and thoroughly enjoyed the leftovers as validated by One Star stating “not a lot of chatter this morning”. Bellies aching and full, on to COT.
Announcements / Closing
Waxhaw F3 2nd blood drive on 10/17/20 at Waxhaw American Legion. TB has details.
Deep Dish shared story of life and heroics from Monday afternoon. Co-worker suffered a heart attack while walking to a client interview / presentation on Trade Street uptown. Fellow co-worker jumped in to administer CPR and was able to “bring him back”. EMT’s and ER doctors confirmed that the CPR saved his life. Thanks to his actions, we still have a co-worker, friend, husband and father of two with us today. Good reminders for how precious life is, how it can change in a second and the immeasurable value of CPR training / certification.
Late Post from last week, August 11, 2020
The Waxhaw Express took off today with an attendance record, 12 in attendance.
Today was also a field trip proctored by Tool Time who wanted to re-create that nostalgic experience from back in May.
The workout that day was (200m/200m recovery, 200m/200m recovery, 400m/400m recovery) x 4
Today the goal was to repeat that May workout but try to get in 5 sets.
Some did, some didn’t, but all worked hard.
Great job to all who came out. Waxhaw Express is a great opportunity to push yourself and get faster. It’s open to all and it was great to see the larger than normal numbers.