Monthly Archive April 2021

Easter Egg Hunt

I thought it was appropriate to have an egg hunt since this is Easter weekend, so I put in a request to the Easter bunny, and he delivered!

We did our warm up behind the middle school (we needed it since it was 30 degrees out) with some seal jacks, skiier jacks, imperial walkers, plank jacks, calf stretch, runner’s stretch and merkins.

Then we started out on our Easter egg hunt, Paula Abdul style.  Luckily we found our first egg pretty quick.  We always passed up the egg and ran to the next one, did 5 merkins and then ran back to the egg we passed and opened it to find a surprise.  The eggs were filled with wonderful exercises with reps, much to everyone’s delight.  We followed the trail of eggs out to twelve mile creek and then in the elementary school entrance.

The last egg on that trail gave us instructions to head over the the middle school b-ball courts, where we found a pile of coupons waiting.  Most Easter bunny’s leave candy, this one wasn’t nearly that nice.  We did some murder bunny relay work (paybacks to the mean Easter bunny) with speed skaters on one end and crunches on the other.  Then we switched to bear crawls with squat jumps on one end and American hammers on the other.  Just when we wanted to do more murder bunny’s, we noticed another egg hiding there, how could that be?!  So we opened it and it told us to go to the flag pole.  Off we went, what an adventure!

There was another egg waiting at the flag pole that said we were at the wrong flag pole and we need to go to the other flag pole, but first do 20 step ups.  Then over to the other flag pole we ran, only to find yet another egg that told us to go to the swings, but to first do 20 derkins.  What could be waiting at the swings?  We were captivated with anticipation.  There we found another egg that told us to go to the rock pile, but to first do 15 swerkins.  At the rock pile we found another egg that told us to get a rock and do 20 curls, 20 overhead presses, and 20 tricep extensions, and then go to the front of the middle school.  Chastain started talking about doing donkey kicks that he did at the last workout he Q’d and how much he loves them.  The Easter bunny must have been listening because the next egg told us to go to the lunch tables but first do 20 donkey kicks.  At that moment we all knew the Easter bunny was real.  So over to the lunch tables we ran where we found a case of Body Armor and a box of granola bars.  Wow!  What a surprise the Easter bunny left for us.

But there was still some time left so we ran back over to the coupon pile and did some partner work.  One pax did curls while the other ran, then one did goblet squats while the other ran, then one did coupon crunches while the other ran, then one did coupon swings while the other ran.  Then we carried the coupons and the goodies back to COT.

We all agreed that the 30 degree temp felt pretty good by the end of our egg hunt.  We’re pretty sure we found all the eggs.  And we are definitely all believers in the Easter bunny now, but next year lets get a better Easter bunny that will leave some candy.

Nice work today, and happy Easter fellas!

 

If you can’t do it, don’t Q it

5 pax showed up at Calvary in various states of cold weather gear for what is hopefully the last cold morning for several months. Bells were unloaded and distributed, tunes were loaded up on Spotify, and a disclaimer was given.

Warm-up:

  • Racked carry L
  • Prying squat
  • Racked carry R
  • Prying squat
  • 1-handed swing L x 10
  • Windmill x 10 IC
  • 1-handed swing R x 10

Main event:

  • Neupert: 9 sets of 3 DCL/DMP EMOM
  • Easy Strength: 3 double deadlifts (heavy), 3 renegade rows (per side), 10 explosive merkins x 3 sets
  • Viking Warrior Snatch Complex: 5-7 snatches at the top of the minute (:15 to complete), :15 rest, 5-7 snatches at the bottom of the minute (:15 to complete), :15 rest – for 15 minutes. Lighter weights target higher reps and heavier weights target lower reps. The goal is to complete 150-210 snatches in 15:00.
  • Goshawk: 8 goblet/teabag squats, suitcase carry 20 meters. Repeato for 8 rounds.
  • Holds: :20 double overhead holds, :20 double racked holds, :20 rest. Repeato for 3 rounds.
  • Mary: elbow plank, hollow body hold, glute bridge for 1:00 each.

COT – thanks to Cottonmouth for the takeout.

Announcements:

  • Please check Slack and the F3 South Charlotte website for upcoming CSAUPs – there are a ton of them. We’ve got trail runs, mountain runs, road runs, strength challenges, rut breakers, GORUCK events. There really is something for everyone out there. Pick an event (or a few), set a goal, and challenge yourself. It’s a great way to get out there and meet people from different regions too.
  • Backblasts are back! If you Q, it’s your responsibility to post one, so do it! If the workout Q doesn’t post one, it’s up to the site Q to post one. Embellishments are allowed, even recommended.

Moleskine:

  • Thanks to the pax for getting out there on a cold morning and following my lead. I don’t know about the rest of the pax, but I woke up tired and not really feeling it. If I were working out alone, I would have rolled over and gone back to bed. Knowing I had other pax relying on me to show up and Q got me moving and once the workout started, I forgot all about how tired I was (until the snatches). I’ve never regretted posting, but I usually regret not posting. Keep that in mind the next time you think about snoozing through a workout.
  • High Tide had offered to Q this morning, but had to bail due to a severe back spasm on a run yesterday. He offered to share the weinke with me to save me the prep time, which I appreciate. What I didn’t appreciate was him programming the 2 worst complexes out there for a workout he wasn’t going to make. The Viking Warrior snatch program is supposed to be 40:00 of snatches, but we scaled it back to only 15:00. It gets your heart rate up and keeps it there with just enough rest to catch your breath before you’re going again. The Goshawk doesn’t seem that bad until you start doing it and you don’t get to put the bell down the whole time. It’s a lot of squats and a lot of tension for a long period of time. All in all, a tough workout that High Tide developed and then missed. Feel better soon!
  • I hadn’t seen Victoria in a while, so it was good to have him back out. He picked a tough first workout to attend and did a great job on it. I hope to see him back out there soon.
  • While we were warming up, Cottonmouth mentioned to Victoria how Stone Cold put together a solid beatdown at Skunkworks a couple of weeks ago with “more reps, since we do lower rep workouts at Swole/Meathead/Olympus.” I think he retracted that statement during the snatches.
  • Sound off in the comments with anything I missed. Have a happy Easter!

 

I might be Canceled for my Netflix reviews

5 obviously forgot to check the forecast and decided to show at Kevlar for their weekly Friday beatdown.  The weinke was simple — work on endurance, strength & agility for 45 minutes.  We accomplished our goal and everyone (hopefully) got their money’s worth.  Here’s how it went down.

 

Disclaimer given & a slow mosey throughout the parking lot of Christ Covenant Church stopping at the halfway point for COP

  • SSH X 20 IC
  • Windmill X 10 IC
  • IW X 20 IC
  • Calf Stretch / Mtn Climbers / Merkin combo
  • Finish the mosey to the soccer/lacross/football field for the 1st series of exercises

4 Corners (think of Paula Abduls on steroids)

  • Start at Corner 1, perform exercise.  Run 100+/- yds to Corner 2, perform exercise & run BACKWARDS back to Corner 1 (START), perform exercise.
  • Starting at C1, perform exercise & Run (forward) to C2 2, perform exercise; run (side shuffle) Corner 3 , perform exercise.  Side shuffle the other direction back to C2, perform exercise & run BACKWARDS back to C1.  Perform exercise.  Complete the cycle until all 4 corners are covered.
  • Exercises = 5 Burpees in Corner 1, 10 T-Merkins @ Corner 2, 20 Jump Squats in Corner 3, 30 LBC at Corner 4

Mosey to benches & fire escape stairs on back side of sanctuary

  • 10 Step Ups / 20 Dips / 20 RDL (10 each leg).  Run to top of stairs & return.  Perform 3X

Mosey back to launch for 5MOM

  • Flutter X 10 IC / Dolly X 10 IC / LBC X 10 IC
  • Pretzel Crunch X 10 IC each side

Moleskin

It was the last, last cold Friday for the next 8 months.  5 showed despite the 33 degree temps and heard way more than they expected about a show YHC was convinced to watch on Netflix.  Binge watching 3+ hours of chick flicks with the M each night is an acceptable excuse to miss the next day’s workout. Right?  Can I say “chick flick” without getting Canceled?   Anyway…… Here’s my official review:  It was nothing more than 2 seasons (20 episodes total) of one giant Hallmark movie.  Great for spending time with the M between NCAA Tournament weekends, but you gotta kill the time somehow.  #happywifehappylife

Despite the cold temps and boring Netflix reviews, BLC, Wormwood, Clover, & Orange Whip crushed it this AM, and are all better for it.  The only thing harder than this AM’s workout was trying to explain in writing the 4 Corners exercise.

Check the Social channels for upcoming CSAUP & monthly challenges.

Have a great Easter weekend & Spring Break.

Madison

PS – Remember – without Easter, there would be no Christmas

It writes the backblast or it gets the hose

Ghost written by Voodoo on behalf of Frehley’s Comet, who is too old to figure out WordPress.

9 pax rolled into Calvary for our weekly dose of Wednesday metal. With Frehley’s on Q, a few things are guaranteed: (i) oldies on the boom box, (ii) inappropriate mumblechatter, and (iii) appropriate flatulence.

Warm-up:

  • SSH x 10 IC
  • IW x 10 IC
  • Prying squat x 1

Main Event:

  • Neupert: 10 sets of 6 double swings
  • Complex: Voodoo complex (1 swing, 1 high pull, 1 snatch, 1 clean, 1 squat, 1 press L, then R) for 5 rounds
  • Easy strength: 5 sets of declining reps 8/7/6/5/4 of lawnmowers L/R, single leg deadlifts L/R, upright rows, merkins, double deadlifts.
  • Mary: elbow plank x ~1:30 while we waited for Frehley’s to start his timer.

Time. COT

Announcements (stolen from Hoover’s excellent SACS backblast):

  • Stoned-chicken SOB CSAUP
  • If you didn’t get the newsletter on Thursday, use the FNG link to re-enter it.
  • WTF, it’s a CSAUP not just another acronym
  • Functional Strength Challenge, pick things up, put them down
  • Rutbreaker, get out there and break a rut or 3
  • 20 mile ruck with Purple Haze, beer and BBQ after

Moleskine:

  • Thanks to Frehley’s for taking the lead on Wednesday. He delivered a solid beatdown as usual. Great variety on the tunes as well, which is always a subject of conversation.
  • Welcome to site and kettlebell FNG Logjam! He moved up to the doubles during his first workout and has even ordered some bells of his own. It sounds like he’s hooked!
  • All of the bell workouts are looking for Qs, so raise your hand or we’ll just start putting people’s names on the list. When you Q, please write a backblast. If you don’t write a backblast, how will we know there was a workout???

Playing Blackjack with Paula Abdul

The Warmup

  • Started with Mosey to grab a beer at Dream Chasers but instead did some dynamic exercises starting with 21 SSH IC
  • 21 IW
  • 21 seconds Glidah stretch (10 seconds left and 11 right)

Theme was 21 and we created a game called Blackjack with Paula Abdul

The Thang

The Wienke incorporated using Premature’ s playing cards of pain. We decided to play Blackjack using Paula Abdul rules. Premature asked a PAX to call out an exercise prior to reaching second light pole and flipped two cards to determine the number of reps. PAX ran back to first pole and another PAX called out another exercise. It was shocking to believe running up two lights poles and back one on a .7 mile stretch road, equaled 26 exercises. PAX was happy when we reached the of the road until I told them to turnaround repeat Paula Abdul going back. During the stretch back a PAX called out diamond merkins and two Jokers were flipped. That sucked since each Joker was 15 reps. The PAX groaned and competed 30 diamond merkins after finishing a few rounds of burpees which was approx. 100.

Announcements

Chastain great safety moment – if someone yells calls car up or back, each PAX needs to yell this in case people in the front or back cannot hear

6th Man – Loafer

WTF – May 1st

Prayers request – Premature waiting to hospital to setup biopsy for potential prostate cancer. I want to thank everyone for kneeling around me praying to our lord. That was a great feeling which I shared with my wife, Kelli

Over the Cold

So I purposefully didn’t sign up for any Q’s in April so I could be a last minute fill in.  Well I didn’t think that would happen on day 2 of the month.  Should this count as an April Q slot if you have a last minute back out? 100 burpee

Due to the wind and temperature not many people were getting out of their cars early.  First guy out of the car was FNG Dustin (Dunkin) for South Waxhaw.  Explained the 60 and 45 minute options, he chose wisely.

Disclaimer

Warm-up

Lets mosey down to Rudy’s shed to pick up some rock and carry them over to HS path.  Leave for later. Keep going to Rocks at the Jungle.  Set out lifting rock, then head up to back of HS for a few warm-up exercises.

SSH x 20 IC

MTC x 10 IC

Plank Jack x 15 IC

BB x 10

The Thang

20 step ups run to wooden benches 20 incline merkins run to rocks for 20 curls run back to wooden benches for 20 dips.  3 Rounds

Back to the rocks to put them back them moseyed over to the HS stairs.  In the process we crossed streams with Zin and the Impromptu crew.

10 Mike Tyson at HS then down the path to the rocks from earlier for  20 shoulder press back to stairs 20 squats.  Repeat 3 times.

Once we put the rocks back we headed up to the from on the MS for bench hop overs while partner runs to curb and back.  Repeat 3 times

Mosey over by COT to one of the alcoves 10 donkey kicks and 10 derkins run to parking lot and back.  Repeat 3 times.

We have just enough time for BB and American Hammer Webb.  Got a chance to learn about our FNG during this time.  Cream Filled would have been a much better name than Dunkin.

Hit COT right on time!

Moleskin

Great to have Dustin join us this morning.  He fit right in and was able to hang with 60 minute BC.  Look forward to seeing him out again next week.

Our Respect (Sugar Daddy & Blue Screen) fellas are always pushing the limits of age.  You can always get a good laugh from BS sense of humor.

Schnitzel has been hitting all of the hour long workout for the last couple months and steadily moving up to the front of the Pax.

Gerber being Gerber is always out front and helping push the pax’s limit.

One of the things I realized at the beginning of the year through looking at some data on Strava was that my fitness level has went down a great deal the second half of 2020.  It was clear that I had not been working very hard and making excuses for myself.  Surprisingly its easy to do that and blame outside factors that you have no control over.  The fact is, it was a mindset for me.   I knew I had to make a change so I started to approach the workouts and how show up everyday.  Without knowing it there have been a few people (Gerber & Hurry) that have been big inspirations for me during this.   By making a few small changes in the way I think about workouts, health, and life I’ve been able to make big gains.  This year I will be hitting the big 50 and I don’t want that to be anything more than a number.

 

 

We were not crucified

13 PAX (plus another 5 at Swarm) at Impromptu this morning…no site Q’s to be found…Recalc looked all morning.

Warmup
Easy mosey behind the school to Rudy’s shed/bus lot. Circle up for SSHs, Imperial Walkers, 6” planks, some stretching (against Recalc’s advice), Elbow plank/reverse Peter Parkers.

The Thang
Mosey to the traffic circle, to the wood benches. Partner up, exercise is 200 dips, partner runs down to and around the circle. Then to the steel benches/picnic tables for 200 shoulder taps with feet on bench (2 was 1).

Mosey to large parking lot by football field for 4 corners. Since it’s Good Friday…
20 Crucifix merkins
20 Toe touches
20 Bicep merkins
20 Crucifix crunches
Since it is the 2nd day of the month, 2 burpees in between each set in the middle
Repeat

Mosey to Rudy’s shed. 1 burpee at each light as we finished at COT J.I.T.

Moleskin

Anytime you want Golden Plates to attend a workout tell him I am the Q (Fusebox).

Announcements
Waxhaw Trail Fest (WTF) – May 1st starting at Walnut Creek Park, t-shirts available for purchase
Clean up downtown Waxhaw, April 17th…should be quick. Coffeeteria afterwards. Bring leaf blowers, rakes, gloves, etc.
Off the chain site is moving to Wednesdays, 6pm Walnut Creek
FNG (Dustin) who started his first workout with SWARM…aka Dunkin

If it doesn’t go into Marvin is it still Marvin Miles?

Three PAX ran a Marvin Miles loop that didn’t actually go to Marvin.  Worse than that naming convention conundrum, one PAX arrived 1-2 minutes late, saw the vehicles of Polly and Frasier in the parking lot and realized that it was a terrible day to arrive late. Even though the speedsters ran a restful 8:01 pace, YHC didn’t see them until COT.

 

Set your alarms, don’t hit snooze, don’t deliberate on what to wear even if the temps just went below freezing again.

The faster you run the sooner you’ll be warm

6 PAX at Last Call this morning. One of which I wasn’t sure was going to get out of the car. 34 degrees and wiiiiiindy. Only thing to do is run until you aren’t cold any more.

Warmup

Quick mosey around the parking lot to the opposite end. Circle up for SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Moroccan Night Clubs, Glidah Stretch, Mountain Climbers, and Plank Jacks

Mosey to the center row to start the Thang. Wait! Quick audible so Krusty (I think) can grab his gloves from his car. Remaining PAX do 12 Monkey Humpers IC around his car. OK, mosey back to the bottom of the hill

The Thang

Jailbreak to the top of the hill. 5 Merkins, 5 Big Bois, and 5 Bomb Jacks alternating at each tree (of which there are 9) on the way back down the hill. Al Gore with calf raises if you finish early

Repeato. This time American Hammers IC if you finish early

Mosey to the front of the HS for Deconstructed Burpees, 4 corners style. We stuck together for this one and all exercises done in cadence: 10 Squats, 10 In and Outs, 10 Merkins, and 10 Bobby Hurleys. Back at the start now, do 10 Burpees OYO.

Mosey to the first alcove to the left side of the school for some 7s. Donkey Kicks on one alcove and Speed Skaters (2=1) on the next alcove.

Finish up the alcoves with 50 Air Presses civvy count.

Back to the front of the school and partner up. P1 runs a lap around the lot and P2 does the exercises: 100 Derkins, 150 Step-Ups, and 200 Dips

Running low on time, head back to COT, but stop at the top of the hill. 5 Burpees OYO then all you got back to COT.

Moleskin

Pretty light on mumblechatter this morning. Or maybe I’m just tired. Thanks to One Star for putting me on the calendar. Glad I actually checked the calendar so I knew which day to show up. 😉

Announcements

April One Q Challenge – If you haven’t heard, the challenge for this month is to have unique Qs for each site for every day this month. That means nearly 100 different PAX need to Q to meet that goal. And THAT means if you aren’t signed up to Q something then we NEED you to do that. So if you’re reading this and you aren’t signed up to Q anything in April, reach out on GroupMe or wherever you’re posting next and let the Site Qs know you’re available.

WTF – Waxhaw Trail Fest – Saturday May 1st starting at Walnut Creek Park

The wind beneath my grundle 7/43

What can I say when there are those who beg for the parking deck because it is cold we go the opposite way.

The Thang:

Mosey about 1 mile to St. Matthew’s parking lot pick up heavy rocks. With one light one.

Warm up 15ish Canadian SSH eh?

15 low slow squats

20 Moroccan night clubs

 

Take the heavier rocks leave the rest and one of us overhead carries to next Speed bump while we alternate 10 merkins, lbc, or squats.  Share the load with the team. 2 laps.

Go to rock pile the long way while doing different exercises at each speed bump.

10 curls

10 skull crushers

10 rdls

10 Goblet squats

Gently put rocks back and moseyed back to launch. At each street on left we do 10 dollys.

Moleskin

At some point Taco stand informed us about how his sweaty balls got cold in the wind when he performed the al gore. This sparked one of the most elaborate conversations about “grundles” and the “sandbar” .  We had a lively rendition of Bette Middler’s The wind beneath my grundle sang by war eagle. Lets not forget the earlier conversations on the way to the rocks where informed of Mrs. Chead curds terrible accident which got turned up a notch when war eagle mentioned an MMA fighter lost a finger😟.  Lots of great mumble chatter and hard work put in today. Midriff killed it with Cheese Curd today even after doing a similar workout the day before

YHC had some other things planned and I intentionally leave them here vague because I will be doing them again.

As always an honor to lead these fine men.

Midriff will be lonely on south mountain.

CSAUP s every where sign up for one.

Prayers for premature.