The following events may or may not be true, false, exaggerated or a figment of my imagination.
The plan was a guys getaway to the beach, relaxing and fun…
Until Jabberwocky sent out the agenda, and in an extremely small font that was the same color as the background to purposely go unnoticed to the untrained eye was the bullet point “F3 workout – led by Hairband.” #Truthnugget
#Truthnugget: A smallish chunk of Truth baked into a breading of humor, exaggeration and/or innuendo to make it palatable, interesting and/or memorable.
It all went something like this…
YHC (Your Humble Correspondent) shared that I was the Q (Workout leader) and the disclaimer was given as we had 3 FNGs (Friendly New Guys) and off we went. (Spelling things out in the backblast for the FNGs)
COP (Circle of Pain)
So, due to our location at the beach and being around a bunch of houses and the early gloom of a Saturday this turned into a traveling COP…
Let’s mosey! Run, stopping at multiple intersections for an exercise or 2 on the way to a parking lot near the water. (it was safer than it sounds, at least that is what I told myself as I led these foolish, I mean, trusting men.) We may as well have some nice scenery as we are sucking wind.
The exercises included:
The Thang
Once at the determined waterside AO (Area of Operation) it was go time. Four corners is a typical parking lot beatdown but this parking lot was a triangle so 3 corners it is!
I found myself in a common situation where midway into a bear crawl you realize it’s further than you think it will be, but, don’t Q it if you can’t do it right?! So onward I went.
When done do squats while waiting or get yourself some extra credit and go pick up the 6 (The guys at the back)
Next up
Plank up and do various plankwork for some active recovery.
Partner up!
P1 run the parking lot
P2 does Merkins until P1 returns, flapjack and repeato for 2 rounds
In the midst of that a blood curdling scream could be heard throughout the land, or at least heard by those of us in earshot. It was Sir Mix-A-Lot holding his back, we made sure he wasn’t dying because we are full of mercy and once it was determined that he was alive and well-ish, we finished the round and no need to use the handy dandy cell phone we carried for such emergencies.
Next up calf raises 10 regular, 10 toes pointed in, 10 pointed out, repeato and then we had to get back for Mary (Ab-work)
Let’s mosey! #Hairband5k back to the place with some karaoke left and right along the way and one stop to keep the PAX together.
Once back in the driveway…
Mary
10 Pretzel Crunch (left and right) In cadence
20 Backscratchers
Done and recover!
Ye Olde Moleskin (this captures some of the workout and trip in general)
The #Mumblechatter was at a high level before the trip as the men were trying to figure out if this workout thing was real and how early in the morning it would be happening. Friendly little reminders in the group text about bringing workout clothes, sneakers (this isn’t tennis) were repeated to make sure they realized this was as real as the mystery pains that show up for no reason when getting out of bed if you are over 30. Don’t worry Juan Valdez your day will come, 20’s don’t last forever. #Hate
The night we got to the place we were like middle schoolers full of adrenaline so what do we do at about 10pm? Go to the grocery store for snacks of course!
YHC offered to make everyone breakfast after the beatdown the next morning to soften the pain and we also needed ingredients to make that happen. While at the store, Bojangles hard sweet tea filled the conversation as Tesla tried to win major prizes from The Claw. Still not tired after roaming the hallowed halls of the IGA food and beach product extravaganza we decided to do what anyone would, introduce our Kenyan friend (Sir Mix-A-Lot) to some 80’s American cinematography goodness… Princess Bride!
We stayed up too late and got up too early but everyone HC‘ed (Hard Committed) and was ready to go by 0700. There were some rumblings of “I was told you never ran?!” when I said we were going to travel to a parking lot that was out of site from our location and while mostly true, and most who know me would agree with that statement, we needed to get to an AO with some room to move.
Overall a good time (In my opinion) was had by all. There was definitely some grumbling like “What about the germaphobes?!” when I called bear crawls, I yelled out that we will wash our hands when done. See, I’m not just your friendly neighborhood Q, I’m a problem solver and care for the welfare of the PAX.
Could I have told everyone to bring gloves? Absolutely, but considering we went to the beach and half the guys forgot a swimsuit, the chances of gloves finding their way into the travel bags was about as likely as Matt Rhule getting another NFL coaching gig.
Good job to all out there, Juan Valdez was killing in in his 20-something body yet somehow already complaining about the lunges before the workout was done, Sir Mix-A-Lot overcame his fear of dirty roads knowing he could wash his hands when done and thankfully the back issue was short lived… Or fake and a distraction technique used to take a break? Hmmm, the world may never know. Macushla who was the only #Respect (50 or older) pushed through but realized his marathon training has no benefits for Merkins and other upper body work, Tesla and Jabberwocky got sweaty and helped the FNGs modify where needed and not a man was lost that day.
After the beatdown, YHC started cooking a protein filled breakfast as promised as the guys started to hit the showers which turned out to be like standing in a swamp while its raining but with soap. #HadToBeThere Jabberwocky led us in a solid devotion time based on Rick Astley, it was more biblical than it sounds and then some beach time!
Next up a good Mexican lunch with Hamilton, not the play, the mumbling guy with John Lennon glasses. Once done we were off to play 9 holes at a 3 par golf course. I have never played and it showed, others may have never played either but they all seemed to do much better than YHC who looked more like I was attacking the poor defenseless ball at the tee. #FormMatters
Later on it was to Dockside Seafood where we all ordered water to drink but the waitress strong armed us into trying the sweet tea with her lawyer level power of persuasion. After the Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea conversation the night before we caved and got what was probably an award winning, voted “Best of the Grandstrand” glass of sweet tea. (not the hard kind) After the good meal we bid farewell to Juan Valdez as he needed to leave the men that acted like middle schoolers to lead the actual middle schoolers the next morning at Fivestones and for us it was back to the house for 80’s movie night part 2, Red Dawn (WOLVERINES!) followed by the end of Duke/Notredame game.
Sunday morning it was clean up time and watch church online before heading out to our last vacation meal, breakfast at Dino’s which hit the spot before the drive home. The drive included an eclectic playlist which covered everything from Pink Floyd to They Might Be Giants and by the end had us revisiting the late 90’s New Life 91.9 radio playlist and I still have Crucified With Christ stuck in my head.
As far as nicknames, when John hurt his back the #Mumblechatter somehow moved to Baby got back, therefore, Sir Mix-A-Lot
Johnny is a coffee connoisseur, hence Juan Valdez from the old coffee commercials
When we got to Chris I must have blacked out because I can’t remember how we started talking about boxers and Million Dollar Baby also known as Macushla.
Solid workout by all, great time away with some great guys that I am very thankful for (although we definitely missed a couple that unfortunately had to bail)
AYE!
Hair Band
Coming to you from the Wild West borderlands, the intersection of F3UnionCo, Area51 and Waxhaw…
Thursday mornings’ newest F3UnionCo AO will be launching soon at Antioch Elementary School in Indian Trail:
Some place warm, a place where the beer flows like wine, where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano.
We’re talking about a little place called Aspen.
The Site Qs that will kick this AO into gear will be a combined effort of Swimmers, DoubleE and Smokey. (for emotional support)
Keep your eyes open for more details but aiming for a 7/15 launch!
Tomorrow, Tuesday 6/8, is the return of the Thrive Challenge!
The Thrive Challenge is always a different F3 workout, no cadence, no COP, no Mary.
This is you vs you to set a baseline (If your first time) to compare back to at a future challenge or hopefully crush your last challenge if not your first.
It goes like this…
Perform exercise 1 using whatever time you need to still have the best form you can muster. Once complete you will run, walk or crawl a predefined lap around the perimeter of the parking lot which is about 1/3 of a mile.Get back and complete exercise 2, do lap, etc.
Get through as much as you can until time is called. If you cheat or cut corners you are only hurting yourself and your baseline.
I don’t care if it takes the whole time to get through one or two things, that will be the baseline you will work towards crushing the next time. For example, bend those elbows on a merkin, at the same time do the full rep, don’t race and “bounce” the merkins, etc.
I will start the instructions a little early so that we have most of the 45 minutes to put in the work.
SYITG
Aye!
Hair Band
Glass joe was out of town, I noticed the odd silence in the atmosphere.
So I messaged him asking who was on Q, it was offered to YHC and I gladly accepted also knowing my daughter’s boyfriend would be an FNG in the gloom.
Disclaimer given and while my CPR certification has expired I did state that because of our friendship and brotherhood I would kick you guys in the chest a few times if required.
Let’s mosey!
COP
Side Straddle Hops in cadence x 20
Imperial Walkers IC x 15
Low Slow Squats IC x 15
Mountain Climers IC x 20
The THANG
Let’s mosey! And off we went around the trail at the park, stopping along the way for various exercises which also helped keep the PAX together.
First stop, 10 burpees! And so begin the groans, except Shepherd who had a smile on his face.
other stops as follows…
Flutter kicks in cadence x 23
Hand release Merkins x 20
10 more burpees
23 more flutter kicks
When we got to the rock pile at the bridge I told everyone it was time to make a new best friend, a lifting rock , not a running rock and partner up.
Partner 1 does called exercise, Partner 2 runs to the parking lot (about 100 yards) and back, flapjack and repeato, so 2 rounds of each…
Round 1 curls
Round 2 overhead presses
Round 3 tricep extensions
Various plank work mixed in between rounds.
Deposit your rock and lets mosey to finish out the track!
Stop at parking lot for the 6 and 20 jump squats while waiting…
Ok 20 more jump squats! #Crowdpleaser
and mosey back to the start, pick up the 6 then off to the small parking lot for 7s,
Run to the opposite end for 6 Carolina Dry Docks (GJ Merkins) and back for 1 squat, then 5 CDD, and back for 2 squats, you get the idea.
Next up, head to the building and find some wall for Peoples Chair with 25 air presses, recover, back on the wall for 50 air presses… Hmm, air presses? I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!
Let me introduce everyone to my friend Jack Webb!
Circle up and lets do this!
1 merkin, 4 air presses, 2 merkins, 8 air presses all the way up to 10/40.
I don’t think anyone liked my friend Jack Webb, he doesn’t care though so we said good bye to him and headed around the corner to the benches.
20 step ups, 20, dips, then 15 of each, 10 of each and 5 of each.
Back to the small parking lot because we need to work our way back of course.
bear crawl and do 5 merkins at every other line because we may as well completely burn out our chest after Jack Webb.
6 Minutes of Mary (Change order threatened to call me a professional because it was exactly 6 minutes.)
Flutter IC x 20
Pretzel Crunch IC x 10 left, 10 right
Freddie Mercury IC x 10
Protractor for the last minute or 2
Recover! We are done!
Announcements
Bonhoeffer on Q at Thrive and Pinto on Q at Overdrive this week.
Ye Olde Moleskin
A few people asked about the 23 count for flutter kicks and I honestly almost forgot to tell them #O2Dep
About a month ago one of my daughter’s best friends from H.S. who was in the Coast Guard was killed in a training situation.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article246722846.html
She had a favorite workout that I took pieces of for today’s beatdown to honor her.
600 meter run
followed by 2 rounds of the following
10 burpees
23 v-ups, I had us do flutter kicks. She was 23 years old but actually had a birthday the day before she passed.
20 jump squats
20 hand release merkins.
Solid work by everyone this morning! Always an honor to lead, AYE!
Hair Band
Short and to the point but BB, fini.
Tomorrow, Tuesday 8/18, is the return of the Thrive Challenge!
The Thrive Challenge is always a different F3 workout, no cadence, no COP, no Mary.
This is you vs you to set a baseline (If your first time) to compare back to at a future challenge or hopefully crush your last challenge if not your first.
It goes like this…
Perform exercise 1 using whatever time you need to still have the best form you can muster. Once complete you will run, walk or crawl a predefined lap around the perimeter of the parking lot which is about 1/3 of a mile.Get back and complete exercise 2, do lap, etc.
Get through as much as you can until time is called. If you cheat or cut corners you are only hurting yourself and your baseline. No room for pride here, I don’t care if it takes the whole time to get through one or two exercises, that will be the baseline you will work towards crushing the next time. For example, bend those elbows on a merkin, at the same time do the full rep, don’t race and “bounce” the merkins, etc.
Make sure you are there a few minutes early. I will start the instructions a little early so that we have most of the 45 minutes to put in the work.
SYITG
Aye!
Hair Band
Take the #DRP
10 Goodmornings, 10 Swings, 10 Overhead Presses
8 Goodmornings, 8 Swings, 8 OH Presses
you get the idea, down to 6, 4, 2
Pick a distance for a sprint then as follows:
Round 1
40 curls, sprint to determined spot, 10 Merkins & sprint back.
30 curls, sprint, 20 Merkins, back
20 curls, sprint, 30 Merkins, back
10 curls, sprint, 40 Merkins, back
R2
40 Goblet Squats, sprint out, 10 LBCs sprint back
30 G S, sprint, 20 LBCs, back
20 G S, sprint, 30 LBCs, back
10 G S, sprint, 40 LBCs, back
R3
40 Flutter Presses, sprint out, 10 Carolina Dry Docks, sprint back
30 F P, sprint, 20 CDD, back
20 F P, sprint, 30 CDD, back
10 F P, sprint, 40 CDD, back
The Thrive Challenge is always a different F3 workout, no cadence, no COP, no Mary.
This is you vs you to set a baseline (If your first time) to compare back to at a future challenge or hopefully crush your last challenge if not your first.
It goes like this…
Perform exercise 1 using whatever time you need to still have the best form you can muster. Once complete you will run, walk or crawl a predefined lap around the perimeter of the parking lot which is about 1/3 of a mile.
Get back and complete exercise 2, do lap, etc.
Get through as much as you can until time is called. If you cheat or cut corners you are only hurting yourself and your baseline. I don’t care if it takes the whole time to get through one or two things, that will be the baseline you will work towards crushing the next time. For example, bend those elbows on a merkin, and do the full rep, don’t race and “bounce” the merkins, etc.
The THANG:
Mountain Climbers – 100 (count each leg as one, i.e. civilian count, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. if you have posted you understand how for some this is the challenge. #SMH)
Lap
Calf Raises – 150 (50 regular, 50 toes pointed in, 50 toes pointed out)
Lap
Merkins – 100 (25 wide, 25 regular, 25 narrow (elbows close, also called “perfect/Ranger Merkin”), 25 diamond)
Lap
Burpees – 50
Lap
Carolina Dry Docks – 100
Lap
LBCs – 100
Lap
Jump Squats – 100
Lap
Dollies – 200
Lap
Squats – 100
Lap
Rock Hoppers – 100
Lap
Russian Twists (American Hammer) – 100
Lap
Burpees – 100
Lap
Burpees – 200
Results (current in bold, if you had prior results they are in italics):
Shepherd – 25 Squats – 21 Squats
Gypsy – 86 Rock Hoppers – 41 American Hammers
Hair Band – 56 Dollies – lap after dollies
Bernanke – lap after Dollies – 65 Dollies
Christmas – 1/2 lap after squats
Madison – 1/2 lap after squats
No Regerts – 1/2 lap after squats
Full House – 25 Rock Hoppers – 30 Dollies
Glass Joe- 106 Dollies – 4 Squats
Kilt – 1/4 lap after LBCs
Unplugged – 82 Dollies
Moleskine:
Solid work by all out there this morning!
Results always vary for many valid reasons… Lack of sleep, not hydrated well, but more importantly as you get stronger you will be able to have better form in many of these things and that could take a little longer.
There is nothing wrong with being a little slower while having better form.
For those also doing the 2020 March Madness challenge you also knocked out your 150 Merkins since there is a Merkin in a good form burpee. So sayeth everyone but Madison.
While there is not much actual leading at this type of beatdown it is still awesome to see everyone pushing themselves and an honor to be a part of a group of men trying to accelerate, AYE!
Hair Band
Tomorrow, Tuesday 3/10, is the return of the Thrive Challenge!
The Thrive Challenge is always a different F3 workout, no cadence, no COP, no Mary.
This is you vs you to set a baseline (If your first time) to compare back to at a future challenge or hopefully crush your last challenge if not your first.
It goes like this…
Perform exercise 1 using whatever time you need to still have the best form you can muster. Once complete you will run, walk or crawl a predefined lap around the perimeter of the parking lot which is about 1/3 of a mile.Get back and complete exercise 2, do lap, etc.
Get through as much as you can until time is called. If you cheat or cut corners you are only hurting yourself and your baseline. I don’t care if it takes the whole time to get through one or two things, that will be the baseline you will work towards crushing the next time. For example, bend those elbows on a merkin, at the same time do the full rep, don’t race and “bounce” the merkins, etc.
I will start the instructions a little early so that we have most of the 45 minutes to put in the work.
SYITG
Aye!
Hair Band
The question… How best to combine kettlebells and a March Madness Challenge
The answer goes something like this:
Disclaimer given and off we went for a #HairBank5k as I hear Gypsy say “I came here because I didn’t want to run much!”
Circle up for
COP
SSH x 20 in Cadence
Imperial Walkers x 15 IC
Hillbillies by unintentional request from UnPlugged x 10 IC
Low Slow Squat x 15 IC
Merkins x 10 IC (20 for our official #2020MarchMadness count)
Grab your bells!
The Thang
Set 1
10 Halos around your head
10 Halos around your waist
20 Supine Pullups… Not #2020MarchMadness approved per Gypsy. #WorthATry #IfYourNotCheatinNotTryin
HairBand Mile
Repeato!
Set 2
Merkins Right hand on bell x 10
Merkins Left hand on bell x 10
Flutter Press x 20
Step ups x 10
HairBand Mile
Repeato x 2
(lunges instead of lap 2nd time)
(Merkin count up to 80)
Set 3
Clean and press Right x 10
Clean and Press Left x 10
Diamond Merkins on the bell x 10
Mountain Climbers x 20
1/2 lap
Repeato!
(Challenge Merkins done!)
6(ish)MOM
Dolly x 20 IC
American Hammer x 25
1 minute plank
Done!
YE OLDE MOLSKINE
Great to see Gypsy out, been a while since he has been to Overdrive. Missing some regulars but when Glass Joe texted me saying he has the Corona Virus or Swine Flu it’s ok that he doesn’t show up. #AintNobodyGotTimeForThat
#Cobains for forgetting the tunes because listening to heavy breathing and Bernanke and Gypsy discussing work travel restrictions was not the best soundtrack to our morning.
Still great being out there and pushing each other to get stronger
Announcements
Tis the season for Speed For Need! A bunch of races coming up including this weekend to keep your eye on the various SFN media channels
Tuesday at #F3Thrive I am on Q and bringing back the Thrive Challenge! If you are new come out and set a baseline, if you have done it before try to beat your last results. Try to be there a little early so we I can explain what we are doing with little downtime.
Always an honor to lead!
AYE!
Hair Band
Posting on behalf of Happy…
9 Pax joined in to celebrate Kobe with 8’s and 24’s
SSH X 24
IW X 24
LS Squats X 24
Burpees X 8 (OYO)
HB mile
Mosey to the circle (24 hr clock)
Moving merkins 1 CW then 1 CCW
Peoples Chair with 24 arm raises
LSS 8
Rinse and repeat 3x
Mosey to the circle for “Hands of Time” 24 reps
PAX –heads towards the center feet out in a large COP
10,45,60,90,60,45,10
On your 6 for 24 LBC
Mosey to corner for Indian Run
run to end and around parking lot
Merkins shoulder touch 8
Lunge walk to the center of parking lot 8 spaces and back
Mosey to the benches
8 steps per leg rinse and repeat 3 sets
Mosey to the concrete ledges for 8 decline merkins
plank for 8 secs per side
8 decline diamond merkins
Mosey to the benches for 24 shoulder dips
Circle up for some Mary
Flutters IC 24 then 8
Rosalita IC 24 then 8
Freddy Mercury IC 24
Mosey to corner for Indian Run
run to end and around parking lot
Gather in parking lot for Mary:
led by Pax
Dying cockroaches 24
Rosalita en espanol 24
SSH X 24
IW X 24
LS Squats X 24
Burpees X 8 (OYO)