Which way does that trail go?
14 PAX made the questionable decision to head into the woods of Death Valley. The path was unclear and the gloom was thick, but the results were worth it. Well – at least we did some work and made it back with 100% of the PAX and on time.
The Thang:
Turn on lamps and head over to rocks by the steps. Grab a 1-handed rock and head off to the park through the woods.
At the Park COP:
LBC’s x 25 IC
Dolly x 20 IC
IW x 20 IC
Good Morning with Rock x 15 IC
Partner Up for the Alabama Slamma (Partner is for encouragement) Each man does 20 Merkins, 20 Squats, then 19 of both, 18 and so on down to 1.
Plank-o-rama
Head to the Playground:
P1 does pull-ups to failure while P2 does rock curls with rock in each hand. Flapjack and repeat to 300 curls combined (OK – 200 with audible)
Repeat but P1 does hanging knee raises while P2 does rock fly’s on your back to 150 combined flys
Head back to SCMS and drop rocks
Mary: Flutter x 25 IC with some Protractor.
Moleskine:
Where to start….
- Fantastic to have Salt Lick back with us and feeling a bit better. YHC was eager to support and limit the sprinting and burpees but plenty of pull-ups and push-ups to balance it out.
- Semi-Gloss – Takes on DV co-Site Q responsibility with Stage Coach. HC’s to YHC at Skunk yesterday. Calls out Spackler on Twitter to come to DV and not fartsack. Then…. Well if you were there you know what he did.
- But in lieu of Big, Hairy and Shirtless we had Donkey Kong – more of a medium, just as hairy, and today kept the shirt on, and thankfully he is one heck of a navigator in the woods. In an effort to take a the shortcut to the park, YHC ended going too far south and not enough west, YHC might need this course: https://www.goruck.com/navigator
- Lots of discussion on Merkin and Squat form during the Alabama Slamma. Donkey Kong offered to host a Merkin clinic at the end. Not sure anyone took him up on that.
- Splinter – posted and looked strong knowing full well his shoes were going to get dirty.
- Thanks to Salt Lick for the strong send off and Stage Coach for the opportunity to lead at Death Valley
- A great group of men as always and an honor to lead.
-Alf
Why does Raintree go uphill no matter what way you run?
10 PAX came out on a fantastically warm late November morning to work off some calories in an effort to make room for extra turkey. YHC was in the mood for some good ol’ fashion running and so the Weinke was terribly simple and simply terrible at the same time.
The Thang:
Mosey down 51 to Raintree Ln. Stop off in the field for:
- Disclaimer x 1
- SSH x 25 IC
- IW x 24 IC
- Slow Squats x 25 IC
The genius road engineers of the 1960’s made Raintree Ln almost an exact 2.5 kilometers. So let’s start with a straight out and back 5K run, nice and simple with no turns to get lost on, and only a few hills. When finished complete 50 flutters (per leg) and run back to pick up the six and finish with them.
Mosey down the road to the ABC lot where the PAX were hoping for a post 5K drink. No such luck at 6am. So partner up with the fastest PAX from the 5K paired with the slower PAX.
P1 Runs parking lot lap ~200M
P2 Runs hills from parking lot to sidewalk.
Flapjack and repeat until each team does 20 hill climbs.
Standard Fast Twitch Indian run back to school with a stop off for LBC’s x 35 IC.
Moleskine:
YHC threatened to reuse some bad ideas from previous workouts on Twitter last night. Then in the midst of planning I got a new one. Purple Haze said at the beginning he was hoping we didn’t do the Long Distance Starfish again, maybe he’s second guessing that now.
Turkey Leg, Brady, and Slim Fast had a good 100 yard lead on the PAX at the Providence Road turn. That seemed to widen considerably on the way back as they were lost in the darkness. Strong running. I believe About Time made his FNG post at Fast Twitch and killed it. Hanging with Purple Haze for the 5K. Keep coming back. This workout will keep you warm all winter.
Solid determination by Geraldo and Good Hands for grinding out what has to be a harder 5K route than you’ll find in any regular official 5K race.
The Indian Run back was one of the fastest paces we set out there in a while. Maybe the flat straight run lent itself to speed. Nice finish.
Total distance was right at about 6 miles according to the magic NSA satellites watching every move we made out there. #Solid
Thanks to Brady for the send off and for Hopper sending prayers to Ferguson, MO.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
-Alf
Announcements:
Football convergence on Thursday AM. Hard Commit today.
Eat Turkey Thursday.
Cinderblock Slosh
Posted on behalf of O’Tannenbaum
- Jog to cinderblock stack and transport to lower parking lot
- warm up with SSH, IW x 25
- Cumberland County x 10 on each side
- Windmill X 15
- Running across pkg lot with high knee, shuffles, butt kicks and lunges
50 reps of everything
Posted on behalf of Lobster Roll:
Run to lower parking lot circle the islands and return to launch point to pick up 2 late arrivals. Continue run and circle up in the upper parking lot by the school entrance.
- 50X – SSH
- OYO – 15 Merkins, 15 Wide Arm Merkins, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 CDDs
- 50X – IW
- OYO – 15 Merkins, 15 Wide Arm Merkins, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 CDDs
- 50X – Squats
- OYO – 15 Merkins, 15 Wide Arm Merkins, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 CDDs
- 50X – LBC
- OYO – 15 Merkins, 15 Wide Arm Merkins, 10 Diamond Merkins & 10 CDDs
- Lunge walk between islands
- 50x – Flutters (each right/left comb = 1 rep)
- Lunge walk back between islands
- 50x – dollys
- Run back to island in front of Play ground
Some plank
Playground circuit
5 sets of:
- 5 Burpess
- 10 Pull-ups
- 20 Dips
Some more plank
Head over to front of the school for some peoples chair and BTW (2 rounds)
Jog back to launch point
- 25X – Mason Twist
- 10X (each side) – CCBD
- 15 Burpees
That’s a wrap
Thanks to O’Tannenbaum for the send off.
-Lobster Roll
So much for raking the leaves
8 PAX chipped the ice off the kettle bells for a full hour smoke fest at Olympus this morning. What YHC lacked in gear and toys was more than made up with the KB work. Here’s how it went down.
Mosey out the first school entrance to Elizabeth Ln, up the street and back to main lot via 2nd school entrance. About a 300m lap around the trees and back.
COP (an uncomfortably close circle to start things off. Maybe the PAX was cold)
- SSH x 20 IC
- IW x 20 IC
- Low Slow Squats x 20 IC
- Lunges x 20 IC
- 20 2-handed swings – run to sidewalk and back
- 40 2-handed swings – run to sidewalk and back
- 60 2-handed swings – run to sidewalk and back
- 80 2-handed swings – run to sidewalk and back
Circuit Work:
Complete 4 sets of the following exercises: KB High Pulls, Merkins, and Good Mornings. Sets are 10, 20, 30 and 40 reps of each exercise.
Run lap around the trees.
Some Plank-o-rama
Complete 4 sets of the following exercises: KB Cleans, KB Overhead Press, and Tea Bags. Sets are 10, 20, 30 and 40 reps of each exercise.
Run lap around the trees.
More Planks
6MOM
LBC x 10 IC Center, x 10 IC knees to Left, x 10 IC knees to right
Dolly’s x 20 IC
Flutter x 20 IC
100 x 2-handed KB swings. Made a deal with the PAX. You get one free break during the 100 swing set. Any other breaks cost you a run to the curb and back.
A minute left for 15 Louganis with KB on your own.
Frozen Moleskin:
It started off a little rocky as YHC brought the speaker, had a playlist, then proceeded to leave my phone at home. This workout kept everyone pretty quiet and the music would have certainly helped. Next time.
Strong work by all the PAX. Kotter’s to Madison, glad you to have you back out. Turkey Leg really pushed through, fighting off a bit of a bug and this was a KB intensive routine for the Fast Twitch juggernaut.
Fletch called out the fact that he was going to have to tape down the trigger on his leaf blower because he couldn’t squeeze it. A forearm smoker is going to put a damper on the yard work, I know you are dissapointed. The dead fish hand shake today will lead to a vice grip hand shake tomorrow.
I am glad we stopped when we did, because BLC kept peeling off layers of clothes and I was getting concerned as to how far he was going to take this.
Thanks to Gullah and The Hoff for letting me lead a fine group of men this morning. And The Hoff will appreciate that we cleared well more than 1,000 total reps of work in the hour. Thanks to BLC for the send off.
Finally for those keeping track – this workout was just as Amazeballs as the last Q I had at Olympus.
Announcements:
Christmas Party RSVP’s – get them in.
Shoes for #SoleRedemption. One week left.
-Alf
Last Minute Decision
YHC is heading out of town this weekend with the outlaws. Assuming we’d leave early I didn’t think I had time to post, but the M said we weren’t leaving until about 10am. At the same time Abacus was looking for a last minute Q. I love it when a plan comes together.
Mosey to COP:
SSH x 25 IC
IW x 25 IC
Peter Parker x 10 IC
Parker Peter x 10 IC
Merkins x 15 IC
The Thang
1 Mile run (out around firehouse and back)
Tabata stations with 1:00 work and 0:20 rest:
Pull-ups
Hanging knee raises
Incline/Decline Merkins
KB Swings
Goblet Squats
Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls
One round each then break with some People’s Chair, air presses and lunge walk back.
Repeat Tabata circuit.
Tabata with Mary: LBC, Flutter, and Russian Twists for 1:00 each.
Repeat 1 mile run
Plank-o-rama to finish out the hour
Moleskine:
Strong work by all the men out there. KB’s were new to Beaver and Huggy Bear. Hope you enjoyed it. Amazon and Muscle Driver have some good deals. Pick yourself up a 25lb or 30lb and get started! OT doesn’t use them often but was doing some solid work out there as was Floor Slapper. DK killed both runs and paced the PAX.
Always a pleasure to lead the PAX. Thanks for the opportunity and apologize again if a bit of the music was not the Radio Edit version. I like high energy music to get me going and there is an occasional poor choice of words there. No 2.0’s this AM, so I guess we are OK.
Thanks for Floor Slapper for the send off.
-Alf
Announcements:
Christmas Party.
Return of the Wooly Vest
While I wish the F3 Nation site would let me crawl this back blast at an angle moving off into deep space just like Star Wars. It won’t. So you’ll have to just imagine it happening.
Joker has returned to his home planet of The Matrix in an attempt to rescue his fellow PAX from the clutches of the vile Q: Alf the Hutt. Little does Joker know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction on a new armored space station even more powerful than the first dreaded AO. When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of PAX struggling to remain warm in the galaxy…
Episode MMCXXVII:
Alf the Hutt takes the PAX on an extra long mosey around the perimeter of the planet Hoth to warm up the bodies. It’s a balmy 30 degrees.
COP:
SSH x 20 IC
IW x 20 IC
Low Slow Squat x 20 IC
Mountain Climbers x 10 IC
Merkins x 11 IC
Mountain Climbers x 10 IC
Merkins x 9 IC
Partner up.
Mosey to end of field, each pair searches through the Degobah System for a block and lines up on end line.
Round 1: P1 Runs to 2nd lamp post and back, P2 Overhead press with block, flapjack to 100 reps of presses.
Round 2: Repeat with block bench press x 100
Round 3: Repeat with goblet squats x 100
Round 4: Repeat with lunges x 100 (Runner runs to 2nd post, then backwards to first post, the turn and go forward to finish.
Round 5: Repeat with Flutters x 100 – Regular run
Round 6: Repeat with LBC’s x 100
Round 7: Repeat with curls x 100, Partner bear crawls to 1st post and back
Round 8: Repeat with triceps extensions x 100, Partner bear crawls
Round 9: P1 Run, P2 10-count rest, flap jack then repeat for 2 runs each. All you got.
Return the blocks to the Degobah swamp. First attempt to do so with Jedi mind trick fails, so we carry them.
Line up jail break to cars (with the first half as backward run)
Circle up for one minute of Dolly ~ 26 IC
Moleskine
Welcome to November and the first morning in a long time with sub-freezing temperatures. There was strength in this group. Lots of running. Little rest there was. Also little light causing the curb to jump up and hit ‘Curd even after it was announced it was there. He recovered in time for the disclaimer.
Welcome FNG Franks (Ben). Nice EH by Back Office who after 2 weeks gets a guy to show up on a 30 degree Monday.
Thanks to Young Love for the send off.
-Alf the Hurt
Announcements:
- Godspeed to Coal Miner’s Daughter. Will be out for a few weeks for a surgery. Can’t wait to get you back out there in Dec/Jan.
- Joker on Q for the 2 Year Matrix Anniversary. He promises it will be an epic explosion of awesomeness. Followed by 3 rounds of pull ups, merkins, and dips on the picnic table bench.
- Keep brining the shoes out for #SoleRedemption
- Christmas Party on 12/6. Watch for Pre-Blast
- Probably other stuff but its late in the day and this has to get out.
- Oh – I googled most of the Star Wars stuff in case you were concerned I knew some of that detail. But thanks to Joker for the inspiration.
The Kevlar Jackpot
18 PAX arrived at Kevlar to put a coin in the slots to see what turned up. A spin of the wheel and 7-7-7’s hit. Jackpot!
0530: If you have long sleeves – 10 burpees. If you have short sleeves 15 burpees because you need to warm up.
Long mosey around the campus to warm up with butt kickers, high knees, shuffle looking that way, shuffle looking this way, and lunge walks.
COP
SSH x 20
Merkins x 20 (grumbling already for having to do a whole 40 merkins in a row.)
Parker Peters x 20
Low Slow Squat x 20
The Thang:
Grab a rock your not embarrassed of and head over to the base of the triple hill by the church doors. Partner up. Size does not matter.
P1 – 7 Rock curls, 7 Rock Overhead Presses, 7 Rock triceps extensions repeat until P2 returns
P2 – Sprint to street but stop at the base of each of the 3 hills for 7 incline merkins on the way up. 3 sets of 7 decline merkins on the way back down.
Flapjack
Round 2:
P1 – 7 Goblet Squats, 7 Monkey Humpers, & 7 Bear Squats repeating
P2 – 3×7 jump tucks on the way up. 3×7 squat jumps on the way down
Round 3:
P1 – Repeat of Round 1
P2 – 3×7 Staggered arm merkins Right on the way up. 3×7 staggered arm merkins Left on the way down. (And take your rock with you for the staggered arms)
Round 4:
P1 – Repeat of Round 2
P2 – 3×7 Goblet Squats on the way up. 3×7 Thrusters on the way down (carry your rock with you)
Round 5:
P1 – 7 Flutter Press, 7 Dolly Press, & 7 Louganis repeating
P2 – 3×7 LBC’s on the way up. 3×7 LBC’s on the way down (Sorry, couldn’t think of another good one for the way down)
Plank-o-rama between rounds.
Return rocks
Back to cars for:
Flutters x (inaudible grunts) in cadence
Burpees x 15 OYO
Moleskine:
Some early chatter about Header’s poor gambling skills by betting TR’s burpee’s to his short sleeves all winter. Remember, frost bite only hurts at first, then the flesh dies and you don’t feel anything. 18 degrees is only 3 short months away.
Shoe-Shoe-Dio (TR’s trademark) was killing it out there per usual. Not that it stopped him from winning but, he was a bit quick out of the gates each time. #WileyVeteran
YHC provided the last ever demonstration of the Bear Squat. Certainly after that no one will ever request another demo.
15 pairs of shoes were donated to #SoleRedemption. 10 by Tiger Rag. I believe his debts were paid and based on Joust’s numbers there will be no debt incurred for this week.
I am not sure if it was an officially sanctioned F3 swap meet this morning, but Susidio was fencing a bunch of Under Armor gear at low prices. I think it still had some hard plastic security tags on it so if you bought it, I wouldn’t recommend wearing into a store with the door alarms. Cash only if your interested. Small, unmarked, non-sequential bills. All transactions in a dark parking lot in the early morning hours.
Thanks to Simba for the great send off and the reminder to keep the focus on family and children. Time is precious and you don’t know when it will run out on you.
-Alf
Announcements:
New Union County workouts next week including Wednesday at Marvin Ridge Middle School. Bananas and Bratwurst are site Q’s. Not sure what chef combined those two on a plate but I would guess they pair nicely with a 2013 bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 from 7-11 (Electric Melon flavor.)
Keep bringing the shoes to a site near you for #SoleRedemption.
The Never Ending Ladder of Pain
18 PAX gathered for another Tuesday rendition of the Skunk. Based on the weekly email some were expecting Harley to Q. Stone Cold had a bit of a stunned look when YHC called out the 1 minute warning and Harley was not there. I’m not sure if the look was a compliment or not, either way time to start the show. See Harley for your money back if you didn’t get enough work today.
Partner up for CMIYC Farmer’s carry to Church building entrance. P1 10 Merkins and chase. Flap Jack.
COP:
SSH x 25 IC
IW x 20 IC
Disclaimer x 1
Merkins x 20 IC
2-Handed Swings x 15 IC (at least the intent was cadence)
Good Mornings x 15 IC
The Thang:
Iron Sharpen’s Iron: Individually find a member of the PAX who is generally little faster and a little stronger than you. For the rest of the workout do everything you can to maintain pace with them. Use them to push yourself one step better.
2 rounds of:
8 x Snatches (4 each arm)
8 x Overhead press
8 x Sumo Deadlift High Pull
8 x 2-Handed Swings
Run lap around church building
Repeat the above adding 4 reps to each exercise. Stay with 2 rounds each time.
Continue up the ladder 12x, 16x, 20x, 24x
At the 20x set switch the Snatch to Clean. All else remains the same.
CMIYC Farmer’s Carry back to cars with 3 Burpee’s then chase.
LBC’s x 30
Time
Moleskin:
Mumble chatter started early with Brown and Bulldog side by side slowing things down with too many questions. Once we got to the meat of the workout the only thing I heard from Brown was that he made a bad choice on the KB this morning. For Stone Cold, Brown and anyone else swinging a 45/50lb+ bell this was terrible. Good work out there.
Sussido, Sanka, and Header were smoking it this morning. Sanka might want to get independent confirmation of KB weight as there were calls that he was swinging styrofoam. Maybe it was the calf sleeves giving him that extra compression and energy for the KB work?
I think everyone made it a least through the round of 16 and the leaders were working their way through the round of 24 when time was thankfully called. Hairband said he wasn’t sure which part of the workout was the recovery – the lifts or the runs. The answer: There wasn’t any recovery. I think everyone got as much as they could handle.
#Kotter’s to Hairband at Skunkworks. You’ve been busy promoting U-Co but there is still no Skunk comparison down there. Also good to see Night Court back out and in the mix and with a KB #LeaveTheDumbBellAtHome.
Thanks to Header for the send off.
-Alf
Announcements:
Send in names for potential Union Count PAX. 2nd workout at Sun Valley on Friday’s and 2 more coming in the next month-ish to Marvin and Weddington.
3rd F Wednesday’s: In the morning at Starbucks on Rea and Bojangles South Park at lunch.
Does the disclaimer still count after 25 minutes of exercise?
7 Pax showed up this morning to dust off the rust from the weekend. Here’s how it went down.
Jog a little bit to warm up in the coolest morning we have seen in a while.
COP:
- SSH x 25
- Squats x 20
- IW x 20
- Merkins x 15
- Mountain Climbers x 20
- LBC’s x 20
Head to track, and line up along track facing street.
Triple Nickel: 5 Carolina Dry Docks, run to far side for 5 Man Maker Merkins then run back. Repeat 5x
Triple Nickel Part 2: 5 Squats, run, 5 Derkins with feet on top rail of fence. Run back, Repeat 5x
Peoples Chair 3 sets with 20 Inclined Merkins after each set.
(State disclaimer)
Mosey to playground:
Set of Pull ups, hanging knees to chest, full sit ups. Start with 6 reps of each exercise, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Plank
Repeat in reverse order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 reps of each exercise
Plank
Head to stumps:
Right leg step up and down to backward lunge x 10 OYO
Repeat with left leg.
Continue for sets of 8, 6, 4, & 2 each leg and OYO
Back to cars
Burpees x 10 OYO
Flutters x 20 IC
Glute bridges
Dolly’s x 20 OYO and double time because we were out of time.
Moleskine:
A great cool and dry morning for a workout. YHC wasn’t planning on Q’ing today, but was late in confirming the originally scheduled Q. So away we went, ad-hoc, well at least a bit ad-hoc. I had a feeling there was a miscommunication and had at least the first part of a workout planned and would improvise from there. Turned out to be some good variety and I think everyone got more than they paid for.
While many were at the Mud Run on Saturday, Lobster Roll and O’Tannenbaum had a little one-one time at #F3Area51. I am sure it was lovely. No such privacy today but the practice made for another strong outing from both of these guys. Coal Miner’s Daughter has been steady at #F3TheMatrix and is maintaining the pace with the rest of the PAX.
Sorry for the late disclaimer. As I was hanging upside down and trying to get my shoelace unstuck from the fence I thought, “hey, I forgot the ole’ disclaimer, maybe I should do that prior to busting my skull open”
Thanks to Young Love for the strong send off.
-Alf