Disclaimer read and we soared from Matthews Elementary through the street repair obstacle course to Squirrel Lake Park.
COP
Side Straddle Hops x 20 (IC)
Imperial Walker x 10 (IC)
American push-ups (what do other country’s push-ups look like?) x 10 (IC)
The Drill
From the back of the lot compete a set of 3 exercises run up to the white post (approx. 200 yards) and return to adding 1, 2 and 3.
1 Jump squat, 2 American push-ups & 3 Heels-to-Heaven
2 Jump squats, 4 American push-ups & 6 Heels-to-Heaven
3 Jump squats, 6 American push-ups & 9 Heels-to-Heaven
to:
10 Jump squats, 20 American push-ups & 30 Heels-to-Heaven
Run back through the orange barrels to school for COT.
Moleskine:
Sparta is A51’s The Brave. 4+ miles of running, plus enough bootcamp to keep you guessing. I don’t post much in Matthews, so I wanted to keep the pain stations in a safe location. Squirrel lake was pretty dark, but it was away from the cars and school buses that came too close for comfort on Trade St. Kudos to Madison and Tebow for completing or nearly completing the ladder and racing back on the return.
Announcements
F3 volunteers will be EH throughout the Matthews Alive Festival. Grab a stack of cards from Madison. Encourage FNGs to post on Thursday at Matthews Elementary. Aye!
“There is magic in misery. Just ask any runner.” — Dean Karnazes
Extra Credit
The early birds kept the pace in check this morning.
The Required.
Disclaimer was delivered.
The Route
From the Vine, take Ballantyne Commons to Bright House Financial for dynamic drills. For the sake of simplicity and expediency, we did the basics – toes, heels, high knees and butt-kicks. No big whoop! We looped around Community House back to Ballantyne Commons and hung a right on Ballantyne Corporate.
At the bridge, I delivered the workout details. Run down Bagpipe Hill to Brixham Hill Dr, turn around and gather speed as you descend and sprint up Bagpipe Hill. Repeat until time is called.
Moleskine
Sprinting is vital to fitness. Sprinting and other high-intensity activities smoke calories, burns visceral fat and builds muscle mass. (Compare the legs of a sprinter vs a marathoner.)
I like this course because we stayed together, but gave the fast guys the room to vroom.
Welcome aboard E. Coli or whatever your new name is.
Race Isabella Santos!
Check Slack for #Sandbox service opportunities.
Thank you for the opportunity to lead! Always an honor. (If I missed your name, let me know and I’ll add it.)
Yesterday, I woke up at 4 AM got on a plane to Atlanta. There I presented on a brand new work project and took some difficult questions. It was stressful. I flew back and was back home are around 8 PM. I was exhausted. I glanced at my calendar and noticed I had the Q at Gumby. Ugh!
This is not because I don’t like the site or site Qs. In fact, when I was hurt earlier this year, Gumby was essential to my recovery. I was tired. I had just Q’d Monday. I don’t regularly do yoga and I’m nervous about leading it. Plus, I really hadn’t prepared anything. Not good.
Truth be told, I was being selfish. F3 is not about yourself. F3 is about others. I couldn’t let those who would set alarms and show up down. Gumby was there for me, I would be there for them.
I can’t remember the exact sequence of movements, but we did a segment of active movement, standing stretches of neck, spine, shoulders and hips and legs. We spent time on wrists, downward dog and plank. We covered pigeon, downward dog and cobra. We finished with a stretch that resembled a burpee. It was all pretty basic. That said, I believe all got a thorough stretch. Plus, I got to play the Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse, The Strokes and Arcade Fire.
Moleskine
We all have a responsibility to each other. F3 is built on accountability. We show up on time, we lead each others sites, we help the guys struggling in the back. It’s not always convenient, it’s not easy. It’s better that way.
Warm-up
Halos
Around the world
Figure 8s
Swinging around the school
Carry the ‘bell around the school stopping at each corner for 20 swing
C1 – 2-handed
C2 – 10R / 10L
C3 – Alternating
C4 – American
OCR training
Cross the monkey bars
10 Knee-ups
run to other jungle gym for 5 pull-ups
repeat five times
Inch Worm, ‘Merican + Squat ladder
Descend into inchworm do 10 ‘Mericans, reverse the ‘worm, grab your ‘bell for 10 goblet squats
Continue the ladder with 9 ‘Mericans and 9 squats until you reach 1 and 1
Squat Side Slide
Pick up your bell, goblet squat, laterally step to the right until you reach middle of the lane.
Turn and reverse
Bear crawl, Skull Crusher + Bridge ladder
10 skull crushers, 10 weighted bridges then bear crawl to the curb and run back
Continue with 9 skull crusher and 9 weighted bridges until you reach 1 and 1.
10 Snatches each side
Mary
10 weighted sit-ups, 10 Dolly w/KB
9 weighted sit-ups, 10 Freddy Mercury w/ KB
8 weighted sit-ups, 10 Rosalita w/KB
7 weighted sit-ups, 10 Flutter w/KB
Moleskine
We had a pretty “special” crew today
I didn’t get much sleep.
Cobbler was late, even though he was there 30 minutes early to pre-run
General was injured in a freak dog walking incident
Frehley can’t use one arm
Mighty was still feeling Saturday
Technically, One-Niner was healthy, but he forgot his bell. (General had an extra.)
That said, we all made it out and did the best we could. That’s the best anyone can do.
19 men shoved off for adventure! Mario and Thin Mint left for an adventure date.
Disclaimer!
Run from the Vine to Ballantyne Village parking lot
COP:
Side-straddle hops (IC) x 20
Imperial Walkers (IC) x 15
Low, not-so-slow squats (IC) x 10
‘Mericans (IC) x 10
Ramp BLIMPS
Up the Ballantyne Village Parking Garage stopping at each landing for:
5 Burpees
10 Lunges (each leg)
15 Imperial Walker (both sides)
20 ‘Mericans
25 Plank jacks
30 Squats
Down the garage steps to the basement, up the grass hill to the cones.
The Beast!
6 rounds, 6 stations & 6 repetitions
Rd1 – Carolina dry docks
Rd2 – bomb jacks
Rd3 – American hammer
Rd4 – ‘Mericans
Rd5 – Dolly
Rd6 – Burpees
Stairway/Heels to Heaven
Starting at the basement do 1 Heels-to-Heaven, climb a flight of steps do 2 Heels-to-Heaven repeat and complete all the way up and down.
Potpurri
50 calf raises
10 Rosalita
10 Box cutters
20 Side the Kid
Cone Party
Bear crawl / sprint run
Lunge walk / sprint
Ring around the BoA
Sprint the length of the bank and jog rest of the way around x 3
Back to launch – 10 ‘Mericans
Moleskine
First, off kudos to Cul-de-Sac for being a faithful pre-runner. It’s a great way to start your engines and we’ve had some great 2nd/3rd F conversations.
Today, the gloom was especially gloomy – dank and foggy. I decided staying on the blacktop was the best way to avoid injury and destroying Ballantyne’s beautiful landscaping. (I love how the sprinkler are on every morning even after a thunderstorm.) We also had two FNGS, a kid and a few RESPECTS. So, I decided staying mainly in on place for a true boot camp. We did manage 2.5 miles.
Other questions & observations
Who had the better head scarf: me or Goldberg? (I was accused of looking like the Blind Melon bee girl.)
Dash got bored at one point and asked to watch a movie in the car.
Both are FNGs put in a noble effort and faked the exercises as well as most vets.
Toolbag won a race against Dash, but he lost the math test.
Happy birthday, Goldberg
Announcements
Crane Relay
Paintball War SOB v A51
Isabelle Santos
Great Wolf Lodge
Pre-Run
Opening Act
Loop around the right side of the school mixing in some dynamic warm-ups: lunge walks, low-side-shuffles, high-knees and butt-kickers
COP
Side straddle hops (IC) x 20
Imperial Walker (IC) x 20
Ski abs (IC) x 10
Low, slow squats (IC) x 10
Rock hoppers (IC( x 10
Merkins (IC) x 10
OCR training
Monkey bars x 2
Hanging from monkey bars, knees-to-elbows x 10
10 ‘Mericans
Rinse & repeat
Box drill
Cones set in a square, 10 yards apart
Run forward, side shuffle, backwards & side shuffle x 10
Figure 8 Burpees
Find a spot between to columns do 1 burpee then figure 8 around the colums
Add 1 burpee for each subsequent round until you reach 8 burpees for a total of 36 burpees
Sprint BLIMPS
Cones set up for a short forward, long backward and long forward sprint.
Sprint 1, then 5 burpees
Sprint 2, then 10 lunges (each leg)
Sprint 3, then 15 Imperial Walkers (IC)
Sprint 4, then 20 ‘Mericans
Sprint 5, then 25 plank jacks
Sprint 6, then 20 squats
Wacky Wall
7 donkey kicks, 7 muscle-ups
14 donkey kicks, 14 muscle ups
21 donkey kicks, 21 muscle ups
Final Act
Sprint (20 yard) & 10 partner slap ‘Mericans
10 partner slap sit-ups
10 ‘Mericans
Time’s up.
Moleskine
1.) Most did the grueling 3 mi+ pre-run. I met the group for just 1 mile and that was plenty. Arsenal has the toughest pre-run of any AO bar none.
2.) With all the rain, I wanted to keep on the asphalt. Cone drills provide a chance for agility and sprint work that we typically don’t get.
3.) We did a real bootcamp today. Less than 2 miles for the main event. We hit all the major muscle groups, worked on grip strength and kept our heart rates up the whole time.
3.) It’s always fun to work with a vet group that can joke around, but push 100% through the drills.
Announcements
Isabelle Santos 5k
Crane Relay
Great Wolf Lodge
A51 vs SOB Paintball
A dozen assembled for Track Day at the The Brave for a simple, but not easy workout.
Disclaimer then disembark! Head west 1.5 miles on Community House Road to Community House Middle School with brief stops to collect the six and do ‘mericans.
At the track –
800m – go fast
400m – go fast again
200m – time for fastness
100 – fast-er-est you cant!!
At the basketball hoops, do five Bobby Hurleys (jump shot/squat). Run back with brief stops for ‘mericans.
‘Merc/Mary ladder
10 of each
9 of each
8 of each
7 of each
6 of each
5 of each
We ran five miles and did a lot of push-ups. (Sounds like F3.)
Field notes & observations:
Canadians invented basketball
Muggsey Bouges lives in S.CLT, someone EH him
Wingman may or may not have been accessory to murder.
One Niner shows up 30 minutes early to set up a yoga/roller station for himself
Mary Kay needs to overanalyzing the Brave and show up
Madam T needs to get to The Brave more often
Strange Brew was at The Brave launch. It was good to have him back. #F3OG
Hollywood placed sixth in the mile at the first (really second) BROlympics #glorydays
We set up the Elon Park Elementary school parking lot with kettlebell stations on one side of the lot and boxing gear (gloves/pads and jump rope) on the other. Get in a station and repeat exercise until time is called. Runner is the timer.
KB stations
10 high pulls ea. side / 10 rows ea. side
10 snatch ea side / 10 American swings
10 skull crushers / 10 sit-up and press
20 alternating swings / 10 dead lift
10 thrusters / 10 cleans ea side
10 goblet squats / 10 ‘mericans
5 pull-ups / 5 chin-ups / 5 burpees
Boxing stations
Jump rope
Gloves and pads
Sparring
Moleskine
OneNiner broke my jump rope.
Chopper fixed it.
VanDamme gave Erector some boxing lessons
Cobbler punched a 9 year old. (His son, so it’s cool.)
Frehley’s Comet battled a head cold and mostly kept quiet.
YHC and Chipolte managed to not our teeth out.
Regal lap around the cinema. As we started the lap Chunder asked to do any hill work at the beginning of the workout. Request denied.
Warm-Up
10 Side-straddle hops
10 ‘Mericans
10 Imperial Walkers
10 ‘Mericans
10 Low, Slow squats
10 ‘Mericans
10 Bulgarian ball-busters
10 ‘Mericans
The Thingamajig
My plan today was to keep the miles low, keep the intensity up and keep everyone (relatively) together. Also, No Show specifically requested no BLIMPS, so I made it the theme of the workout. For those who don’t know BLIMPS = 5 Burpees, 10 Lunges (each leg), 15 Imperial Walkers (IC), 20 ‘Mericans, 25 Plank jacks & 30 Squats. You can do it all at once or, as we did today, do an exercise then move to the next station.
BLIMPS #1
We started down the Murderhorn stopping at the top, each street light and the top of the opposite side of the hill/enterance to the park.
PLAYGROUND CIRCUIT
5 pullups, 10 heels-to-Heaven & 20 dips
x 3
BLIMPS #2
Starting with burpees at the playground, and staying together, we completed another set of BLIMPS
We met on the backside of the theatre for 50 wall presses. Squid takes his People’s chair form seriously (so should you).
BLIMPS #3
The next BLIMPS set was done with climbs up the grass hill behind the theatre. (I fell once.) Fast guys got to extra run up the hill. Transporter took advantage.
We ran back around the theatre – the long way.
6MOM
20 flutters
20 Sid the kid
20 Box cutters
10 Low-country crabs
20 Chippy cross
Muskrat
Great crew today – ages from 20s to 50s + an FNG. We stuck together and aside from a few concerns about the Bulgarian ball busters and low-country crabs the mumble-chatter was kept to a minimum.
Kudos to Lex Luther for bringing out “Cheese Steak”. He’s on the road a bunch, but it you see him give him a hello.
Announcements
F3 Dads on Saturday Brixham Green Tent 9 AM
American 4-Miler/S4N 1 yr Anni
The Pineville Police lot filled up quickly forcing many to search for auxiliary space far afield. A quick disclaimer was delivered and we commenced a slow little baby jog to pick up the scattered Pax. Once united, we circled up for COP.
Warm-Up
Side-straddle hops x 20
Imperial walkers x 15
Low, slow squats x 10
Mountain climber x 10
Merkins x 5
Peter Parker x 10
Merkins x 5
Parker Peter x 10
Merkins x 5
The Thang
We shuttled over to the far lot for a trio or partner laps
10 partner slap merkins, run to end of lot, 10 partner slap merkins
10 partner sit-ups, run to end of lot, 10 partner sit-ups
10 partner slap burpees, run to end of lot, 10 partner burpees “slap on the clap” (trademarked)
Scoot to the picnic shelter
Partner up (someone new)
P1 20 dips, P2 Derkins until P1 is done
x 3
B.L.I.M.P
Stopping at each parking peninsula
5 burpees
10 Lunges (each leg)
15 Imperial walkers
20 Merkins
25 Plank jacks
Rinse & repeat
Back of the legs breakdown
50 Calf raises
20 baby makers (glute march on the curb)
Rinse and repeat
Grinders
(groups of 3)
P1 Maktar N’Daye, bomb jacks
P2 Heels to Heaven, American hammer
Mary
On your six, draw out in big capital letters the alphabet. (Some started singing the alphabet song, others just laid there.)
Time’s still on the clock, so…
4×4
Shoulder taps + Merkin x 10
In tribute
Low miles, but a full-body workout was complete, but that’s not why we were here today. F3 is more than a workout. It’s an outlet for men to come together to get stronger. When we start our F3 journey strength is about push-ups and race times. But strength is more mental than physical, it’s more communal than individual. Strength is pushing through pain. Strength is discipline. Strength is the ability to ability ask for help. Strength is service. Thank you to all those who came out to support Dumpster Fire and a tribute to his amazing brother.
Thomas Maxim
– Marine
– Graduate
– Lawyer
– Public defender, guardian of children
– Brother
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fitchburg/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-clifton-maxim&pid=189174248
Please consider giving to the Memorial Fund.
https://gacfmi.org/donation-form/ (search for “Maxim, Tom Memorial Fund” in the list of options)