Because of the faithfulness of one Das Boot, YHC was given the opportunity to Q the Body Shop this morning on a V post to the site. Arrived with all the usual nervousness: did I get the time right? (yes), am I in the right spot? (not exactly but close enough to see One Star’s car pull in and move), did I get captured by the security cameras last night driving slowly around Rea View Elementary as I was preparing a workout? (maybe, time will tell), etc.
But apparently my newness let the PAX see some different parts of the AO than usual and they weren’t totally sorry I was there. So without further ado…
Warmup: Mosey through the lot with some high knees, butt kicks, and karyokes. Circle up for 10 merkins IC and the customary stretches (customary more to Waxhaw than SOB – a good idea to model).
Mosey down to playground A and partner up. P1 does 1 pullup, 4 merkins, 2 pullups, 8 merkins, etc. while P2 runs ~25 yards out and back w/ 10 jump squats. Flapjack and repeat so that every PAX goes twice trying to see how high up the ladder he can get with pullups/merkins.
Mosey to the hill at the bottom of the soccer fields. Perform an exercise IC, sprint the hill and jog back. Exercises were 10 speed skaters, 10 eight count burpees, 10 mountain climbers, and 10 plank jacks. YHC was so gassed from these that we stopped for Mary halfway through and did 20 flutters, 20 dollies, and 10 LBCs IC.
Mosey to playground B and partner up. Same format as last time but substitute squats for merkins and donkey kicks for jump squats.
Head to the small track for “Catch Me If you Cans” with 5 jumps squats/run/bear crawl repeat all the way around the track. Finish with AYG pullups.
Back to the hill. P1 holds elbow plank while P2 sprints the hill twice. Flapjack and repeat. Repeat again with six inch plank. Mosey to the front of the school for H2H x 10 and pistol crunches 10 each leg. Then a hot lap that is about 300 meters. Then 20 BB sit ups, 10 LBCs IC and 10 Fred Mercuries IC. Mary complete.
Finish the workout with alternating peoples’ chair and 10 broad jumps. 2 rounds. Done.
Moleskin: Loved all elements of the workout this morning but by far my takeaway was the words offered by Long Haul during “the six” in COT. LH talked about his first post and shared how at the time he was commuting weekly to Charlotte and didn’t know anybody. He spoke about the men who came up to him after the workout and made him feel welcome. He says this more than anything kept him going with F3. That was seven years ago! Since then he has paid it forward, keeps paying it forward, and encourages others to pay it forward. Think about the impact!!
On a way too personal note, Long Haul’s words touched a nerve for YHC. Truth is, I was never very good at doing the very thing he spoke of: simply welcoming men to F3 and taking the five minutes post workout to be a friend. I very well may have been at Long Haul’s first Bagpipe seven years ago and I can’t say for sure if I was one of the guys he was talking about. That stings a little and it should! I will do better. Thank you Long Haul for getting to the heart of F3 and sharing a thought that should linger with all of us.
Announcements: New Workout Friday’s at Marvin Ridge High School 0600. Last Call is the name. Come out tomorrow and support.
Don’t worry that title is purely ironic. Please read on.
6 men gathered for the winding odyssey that is the Brave. Here is a brief summary with commentary.
With disclaimer given and Kirby’s gear in place, we head east on Ballantine Commons. Left on Meadows run and head toward the playground at the bottom of the Murderhorn. Stops along the way as follows (all IC): 5 merkins, 5 squats/10 merkins, 15 merkins, 10 merkins/10 squats.
At this point YHC gives the instructions for 5 rounds of pull ups and dips and points vaguely toward the playground. PAX begin to move when we see that… the pull up bars have been taken out!!! What sick, twisted maniac would do such a thing. Anyway, no pull ups.
Consumed by rage because I really wanted to do pull ups, YHC begins barking out whatever comes to mind on the picnic benches. 10 dips IC, 5 jump ups, 5 decline CDDs IC, 10 jump ups, 10 dips IC, 15 jump ups, 5 decline CDDs IC, 10 jump ups, 10 dips IC.
Run to the top of the Murderhorn, which is fun. Briefly circle for the Six with planks and 6 inch planks. Then continue to Stonecrest movie theater and the “mini-Murderhorn” grass hill. Line up facing the hill for three rounds of: 10 speed skaters IC, sprint the hill, 5 jump squats at the top.
Back down the Murderhorn. 10 reps each leg of single leg romanian deadlifts, then run backwards to the first lanp post, which is kind of far. Repeato. Run up the Murderhorn to the top, which is fun. Circle for the Six then start the long trek home. Several stops to keep the PAX together included: flutters, planks, LBCs, and everyone’s favorite, the 8 count “Man-maker” burpee.
With about four minutes left, we tried a new approach to Mary. Line up a breast and do 5 inch worms forward then roll to your six and do a called exercise. Repeat until time called. Need more time for this next time.
Announcements: Blood drive. Collections for Escobar.
Moleskin: Pleasure to lead as always and great effort by all. Thanks!
With my enthusiasm for 2021 having worn off, but my desire for mental and physical health still in tact, YHC tried to think of ways to stay “on track” as a new week kicked off.
For me, one of the most important F3 concepts I have picked up in the last couple years is that of “guardrails.” If we make commitments to each other ahead of time, we won’t slide off the road later when we suddenly don’t feel like it anymore. With my commitment to Q Firestarter this morning, YHC hit a guardrail I’m very thankful for it.
This morning’s partner exercises were my way of bringing the accountability concept to the workout and I encourage everyone: sign up for Qs, take challenges with each other, either over time or even within a workout.
Accountability doesn’t mean 6 posts a week, 52 weeks a year. That is more like perfection, which YHC has never been very good at. But if you put guardrails in the right places in your life, hitting your long-term goals gets a lot easier when you stay on track and don’t end up in the ditch.
The Thang.
Warm up with a 3-4 minute Mosey and circle up for 20 SSH, 15 IW, 15 merkins, 10 low slow squats.
Run to the rock pile up the hill and partner up with a PAX who will push you, someone of equal to better speed and endurance. Run with your partner, comfortably down the hill, uncomfortably back up. It’s about a half mile round trip.
Round 1: group one runs while group two lifts. Exercises are 10 reps of curls, presses and tricep extensions, repeated until group 1 gets back.
Round 2: same thing but the exercises are 10 romanian deadlifts and 10 thrusters.
Mosey back down to the “half wall” in back of shopping center. Partner up with different partners. P1 does five wall clinmbs while P2 holds a 6 inch plank. Repeat four times.
From here, the arms and chestal region were feeling a little smoked so numerous rounds of merkins were in order. Typically civilian count to 10 or 20. I’m thinking we got 6 sets in on the way back and in between other stuff.
Mary: 20 flutters, 20 dollies, 20 LBCs, run the stairs and then 20 H2H.
Mosey back to the fountains and with time remaining: 10 dips IC, 10 jump ups OYO, 10 dips IC, 5 jumps OYO, 10 gas pumpers, IC. Done.
Moleskin: Great to see this Monday bootcamp take off and maintain good numbers. Thanks Teddy and Wingman for your leadership and great job to all the PAX who are consistently posting here.
Announcements: Big Tuna turns “respectable” aka 50 with a Q at Bushwood tomorrow. Congrats Big T!
14 men gathered in the gloom at MRHS, where the buses remain parked… but maybe not for long??? Sorry, YHC is obsessed with school opening as I write this from the command center of our house’s virtual school. On to the workout.
Warm up: Quick mosey and circle up for 20 SSH, 15 low slow squats, 20 mountain climbers, all IC. Hold plank for some bro-ga stretches. Then five “3 for 1 burpees” OYO.
First Stop the picnic tables. First exercise = derkins/hip slappers in a Jack Webb cadence. Up to 5 reps (derkins), and back down to one. Not a crowd pleaser. Recover with a lap around the track. Next, 10 split squats each leg and 15 dips IC. Lap. Repeat OYO (30 dips).
Second Stop the great wall. Peoples’ Chair to wait for the Six. 20 donkey kicks OYO. PC with 20 air presses IC. 10 donkey kicks OYO. PC with 20 punches IC. 5 donkey kicks OYO.
Third Stop is the big grass hill behind the practice fields. This is a spot that is not well traveled ground at Dromedary, mainly due to it being very dark with very wet grass and somewhat far from the rest of the AO. However, when Bratwurst and others were scouting the site many years ago, this hill was thought to be a nice feature. So YHC thought it would be good to re-intro. We’ll see if anyone else agreed (i.e. if we go back). In groups of five, take turn running the hill while the rest of the group does merkins. Round 2 is run it backwards while the group does squats. After that, disband the groups for individual sprints on YHC’s count. Three sprints, then 5 three for one burpees, then three more sprints.
Mosey back with stops for a backwards bear crawl up hill (sorry) and a circle up for Merkins and Mary: 10 slow dollies, 20 toe tap crunches, 10 diamond merkins, 20 LBCs, 10 wide arm merkins, all IC.
Finish with a run back to launch and 10 hand release merkins at the halfway.
Announcements:
Eight men gathered under the house that Haggis built for Stonehenge. For YHC, it was my first time back in quite a while having been a DaVinci man for some time now. But Stonehenge started it all for SOB and it is awesome to go back. We had a good go of it:
Warm Up: Mosey to Wells Fargo lot for 20 SSH IC, Arm Circles, 5 burpees OYO, minimal yoga, 20 mountain climbers IC.
Mosey to Lochness for Part 1 of the main event. 5 rounds of pull ups: max, max-1, max-2, max-3, max -4. In between, get enough “recovery” to be able to complete the reps. Round 1 = a lap with stops for 15 jump ups and 20 low slow squats, then 15 jump ups and 10 split squats. (It was here we encountered a a couple of party goers enjoying a pinch of the wacky tobacky. They wouldn’t give us any.) Round 2 = a lap with stops for 20 flutters and 10 slow dollies, then 20 American Hammers and 10 LBCs (the tokers had left.) Round 3 = a lap with stops for 10 derkins/10 dips IC, then 10 inclines merkins/10 dips IC. Round 4 = run a lap and meet up for Mary.
Mosey to Bagpipe Hill for Part 2. Partner up. Partner 1 backwards bear crawl up hill toward the BofA sign. P2 run backwards up the grass hill, then run to catch your partner and flapjack. Go until you reach the Bank of America sign. Next round – P1 forwards bear crawl up the hill, P2 10 jump squats, run to catch your partner and flapjack. Go until we reach the bridge.
Finish it up with a mosey home and three stops for 10 “low slow CDDs” IC and 20 big boi sit ups. 2 minutes of planking back at launch. We covered just over four miles total.
Announcements: Blood drive Friday October 23.
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.
With Monday mornings not exactly being anyone’s favorite, YHC thought it best to theme a workout on sucky exercises. Embrace the suck.
Warm-up: 20 squats, 20 merkins, 20 IWs, all OYO, run 2 minutes out, 2 minutes back.
1st exercise I hate: jump lunges, or Sister Mary Catherines. For ~6 minutes, alternate sets of these (10X) with sets of various merkins – regular, wide-arm, diamond, stagger right and left. I think we got five rounds total then run 2 minutes O/B.
2nd exercise I hate: donkey kicks. For ~6 minutes, alternate sets x10 with coupon exercises. Curls/tricep extensions, then rows and flutter presesses. Repeat each. Four rounds total, run 2 minutes O/B.
3rd exercise I don’t care for: bear crawls and crab walks. Each set is 10 paces out, 10 paces back, alternated with PAX choice Mary. 5 rounds total. 2 minutes O/B.
Finish it off with, predictably, burpees. To try and mix things up, YHC called sets where we do multiple merkins for every burpee. So for the first set, 3 merkins per burpee, x5. 2nd set was 4 merkins per burpee, x3. Think we got 4 sets total alternating with PAX choice exercises.
Announcements: DaVinci converging with Stonehenge this Saturday for July 4. Be on the lookout for info on the 5k/10k happening July 18 to support local causes.
Ok that title has been used before and probably like a thousand times. I couldn’t think of anything else. Please read on.
11 PAX this morning at The Maul.
Warm-up: Mosey lap around the lot with high knees and butt kicks thrown in. Circle up for: 10 MCs, 10 windmills, 10 merkins, 10 squats, all IC.
Rotate 90 degrees and face the hill. For 3 rounds, YHC calls cadence for burpees at the bottom and then everyone sprints to the top for 15 merkins OYO. Round 1 = regular burpees and regular merkins. Round 2 = one leg burpees (right leg) and diamond merkins, Round 3 = one leg burpees (left leg) and wide arm merkins.
Mosey over to the next hill located behind Jersey Mikes. Partner up, no touching please. P1 runs the hill while P2 does the exercise and flap jack. In total, do 50 CDDs, 100 squats, and 150 LBCs.
Mosey to the front of the shopping center. Karyoke one way to the first stop sign, 10 merkins, karaoke to the second stop sign, 10 merkins, run to the Target, 10 merkins, plank for the six.
Mosey to the church parking lot and grab a lifting rock. IC, 10 Romanian deadlifts, 10 squat thrusts, 10 curls. Run to the second speed bump for 10 seal merkins, and back. Repeat one time.
The mosey home was long so we broke it up with stops for Mary called by different PAX. YHC was smokes and Mic Check and Wingman pushed the pace home. With two minutes left, we did an abbreviated, a capella version of “Bring Sally Up, Bring Sally Down” and 5 burpees OYO.
Announcements: Be on the lookout for news of a pop-up 5k/10k June 18th to benefit local Foodbank. Kirby on Q.
After The Arsenal on Thursday, we shared a joke that if you tell the PAX how many reps you’re doing ahead of time, you’re married to that number. That lesson was completely lost on YHC a day later. Read on…
Seven very familiar faces gathered at 5:45 outside the Gibson. Limited disclaimer and we’re off.
Warm Up: Mosey ~half mile with stops for 10 low slow squats, 10 mountain climbers, 10 merkins all IC.
Arrive at the “slalom hill” on Ballentine Corporate. Slalom out then do 5 regular/5 diamond/ 5 wide arm/5 stagger right/5 stagger left merkins. Slalom back and repeat.
Mosey to the top of the bridge over 485. Grab some rail for Jack Webb style derkins and hip slappers. This is where YHC made a critical error. By committing to coming back down the count, I basically called waayyyy too many of these. But I couldn’t get out. Many PAX wisely rested and YHC was smoked for the rest of the workout.
Mosey down to the bottom of Bagpipe Hill. Run up and do 5 sit ups/10 heels to heaven/15 LBCs/20 flutters. Run down and do 20 plank jacks. Repeat.
Mosey to Lochness and find the first wall. 10 jump ups, 10 split squats each leg, 10 low squats. Then jump the wall and run backwards up the hill x2. Finish with 20 dips IC. Mosey to the next wall and repeat the whole thing.
Run home through the Ballentine Hotel with 5 merkins at every speedbump. The rest of the way was basically just running with stops for merkins and Mary. Finish in the parking lot with more merkins.
Moleskin: Other than my stupid call on the bridge, a great workout. Good weather for a change and great group.
Announcements: None
13 PAX gathered at the Pet Smart for DaVinci. 1st in-person time at DaVinci for YHC so wanted to make it a special one.
Warm-up: 2 burpees OYO, 10 IW IC, 4 burpees, 10 Moroccan Night Clubs, 6 burpees, 10 windmills, 8 burpees, 10 low slow squats, and 10 burpees.
Mosey to Best Buy for a bear crawl/merkin combo. After every set of merkins, Q counts out 5 bear crawls so we stay together. Start with one merkin, civilian count, go up to ten.
Mosey one lap around the entire lot to recover then line up again for Herschel Walkers (shout out to Lex Luther for this one). PAX line up and Q calls 10 civilian count sit-ups. On the 10th one, get to your feet and sprint across the lot. On the other end, line up again and do the same thing with 10 merkins, sprint back. Repeat three times.
Mosey over to Blakeney and the double stairwell. Groups of 2 and three for five stations: supine pull-ups (2x bottom of stairs), burpees (2x top of the stairs), and LBCs middle of the top walkway. YHC designated Frehleys Comet as our pace car and instructed him 15 supines, 5 burpees, and 25 LBCs. All other PAX rotate as the group behind you advances. This format worked in my head. In practice, C+.
Mosey to “the hill with the rock piles.” Every PAX selects his own lifting rock. Triple Lindy’s x 10, run to the playground for 20 derkins. We got three sets in in the time allowed.
Mosey toward launch and stop at the circle fountain for 20 x derkins, jump ups, dips, in and outs; then 15 x derkins, jump ups, dips, in and outs; then 10 x derkins, jump ups, dips, in and outs. Mosey back and plank until 7:30.
Announcements and Moleskin: Tclaps for Twister for posting 3x in his first week. Commish brought him out so T Claps for him as well. Keep working on FNGs everyone. And on that note…
Now is the time to EH guys who have been absent for a while. We have had a good first week back as SOB for in-person workouts but there are plenty of guys still on the sidelines. They just need a little push and will thank you for it.
Virtual work-outs are continuing as well on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. YHC is looking forward to Garage Band Monday morning. Keep checking Slack for these and other opportunities.