17 dudes ready to start the weekend out right posted at one of the finest AO’s in the nation, either due to excellent marketing or habit. Here’s what happened next:
Low Slow Squat x 10
mosey back around the launch point to pick up Kamamcho and a growing band of late-comers (Posse, Ranger, Kevorkian) #billylap
NOTE: If you kept your time separately, and the above is off, sound off below and I will adjust.
With not a ton of time remaining, begin 11s on the long gravel hill (~55ft in 2 tenths)).
– Burpees at the bottom.
– “Phelps Merkins” at the top.
After Doc and McGee were down to 4 Burpees, 7 merkins, we huddled up at the bottom, did some burpees and started back towards the launch.
– Mosey to the bridge.
– Broad jump across
– Plank for the six.
– Mosey to the high parking lot.
Exercise Name: We did something today that we called a Phelps Merkin, but several other names were suggested: Lochte Merkin, Prone Jack Webb, and Phelps Merkin. The exercise itself is meant as a surefire way to enforce full range of motion on regular merkins, and get a little extra shoulder burn. Starting in full plank, the cadence count goes like this:
1. Chest to the ground (i.e bottom of a merkin)
2. Hands off the ground and then extended all the way out in front of you.
3. Hands back to your side in “pre-pushup” position.
4. (PAX Count) Push up until arms are fully extended.If you have any bright ideas for what to call this, or know what it is called already comment below.
We got 3.5 to 4 miles in today. By all accounts, that was not pleasant. Doesn’t read like much was done in the hour, but starting with an all out 1-mile gasser added an element of extra fatigue that snowballed throughout the morning, at least for YHC. Good effort from all on said mile run. A couple sub-5 minute efforts (T-claps McGee and Doc) and I’m sure Dasher may have been in the 5-min club if he hadn’t run stadium stairs before the workout began. Also a shout-out to Dirty Bird who almost got in sub-10 minutes on the mile and ran a very aggressive last 200 meters.
A couple other observations from a sweaty morning:
– The ants were ubiquitous this morning, particularly whenever we hit the deck for merkins or mary, and particularly near Transporter.
– Tip of the hat to Redskin (a local fitness legend in the area) for unlocking the track for us after the mile, so we didn’t have to prison break out.
– Tranporter found some choice facilities (an great port-a-jon, in his words) just as we were starting the 11s. He ended up missing the whole thing, but did a set of 15 burpees in a show of camaraderie (nearly all the PAX joined in after 5 solo reps). A quality moment, way to join in Snowflake and force us to do the same.
– No rocks were touched today, although many looked longingly at them and made comments about their proximity.
Argonaut Out
YHC hit up the Ole Stonehenge this morning for a highly anticipated Alf Q. Definitely a scorcher with the Parking Decks and stairwells. YHC lost track of time and 40min burned by quickly. Figuring out that the launch point was over a mile away and I was on Q at 7AM led to a frantic dash back to the launch point and a 65mph drive down Rea Rd. YHC arrived at DaVinci to 4-5 cars dawning F3 stickers…However, none were there for DaVinci – rather it was the BRR group of Soft Pretzel, Gnard Dog, Overhead, and Beaker that had taken off at 6AM to maintain their soccer arms for 10+ miles.
YHC took off on a hot lap around the parking lot and caught up with Triple 7 zooming into the AO with Thin Mint just behind. All 3 of us weary legged and wearing on our second shirt for the day, it was GO TIME.
THE THANG
Moleskin
Over and Out – General
12 men, including 1 FNG started their Saturday way too early in the morning for my liking. 5:58 and PAX were given 2 disclaimers.
Disclaimer #1: I think leaving early to double down at another AO is blasphemous. So if anyone plans on it, the rest of the PAX is getting upgraded punishment. Oops – General is Qing DaVinci
Disclaimer #2: Standard, if you die you can’t sue anyone stuff.
6:00 and we were off.
Head to intersection of Johnston and B’tyne Commons. Low Slow Squats while we wait for the traffic light. Seriously? 6AM on a Saturday in the summer? Where are you people going?
Continue east down B’Tyne Commons. This is when Wild Turkey pipes in:
WT: You do know all the Premier Decks are off limits, right?
Me: Which ones are Premier?
WT: I think all of them.
Me: Well, too late now, the weinke is already done. Pretty sure its against policy to change it 5 minutes into a workout.
Cut into the office complex through some bushes, some of them roses. Clearly I don’t know where I am. Circle up in front of a couple of parking decks for IW, Merkins, Mountain Climbers and Plank-o-Rama.
1st Deck: 20 Merkins at bottom, Up stairs, 20 Merkins at top, down stairs, 20 merkins at bottom, up ramps, 20 merkins at top, down ramps. Glute Bridge’s while we wait on the six.
Mosey down walking path (not a golf cart path). Stop for 30 dips on bench.
Hit another set of parking decks, wander until we find stairwell. Locked. Audible.
2nd Deck: 20 Romanian Dead Lifts (10 each leg), run up ramps, 20 RDL’s at top. Open unlocked stairwell at the top, run down and back up, 20 RDL’s, run down ramps, 20 RDL’s at bottom. Plank-o-rama while the six finishes.
3rd Deck: Whoa, General rolls out (without even a goodbye) audible out of plan and go with Burpees. 15 at bottom, run up ramps, 15 at top, down ramps, 15 at bottom. Lunge walk up the ramp while we wait on six. I didn’t feel like wandering around to find the stairs on this one.
Head back down walking trail and stop for 30 dips on bench. LBC’s to gather the PAX.
Head back to Deck 1. 2 quick trips up and down the stair case. Flutters at the end.
Back to B’Tyne Commons. AYG to Johnston, a third of a mile-ish. Wait forever on traffic light. Listen to Tiger Rag nag about how we are now 30 seconds over time. Bolt across Johnston and the marginally aggressive morning drivers.
Back to launch 2:30 late. Sorry, but I am sure you appreciated the extra stair climbs that put us over time. And traffic is unpredictable.
Moleskine:
Thin Mint is fast. And he smiles a lot while he runs past you. Very Fraiser-esque of him. Now he needs the swish-swish shorts. The General was all moving quickly as well, but I guess you can put in a little extra effort when you are only doing half the workout. Probably just broke out the yoga mat’s at DaVinci and talked about their feelings. Fault Line claimed I was giving him Plantar Fasciitis with all the stairs. Probably not good for your BRR teammate. Lot’s of guys gutting it out and giving it all they had this morning. I appreciate the effort.
After the last deck a white OJ Simpson style SUV passed by. Wild Turkey claimed it was Security. We acted cool. Nothing to see here. They moved on, as they should have.
Thanks to TR for the take out.
-Alf
Announcements: Golf, next April. Pool Party in 2 hours. Curd still needs a runner for BRR.
9 PAX woke up early to attend EE’s Motivational Metal Beatdown Seminar. What a great way to start your Friday morning. Let seminar begin!
Disclaimer Given – We are not professionals, This workout is all on you, GO BUY KETTLEBELLS, You are stronger than you think!
THAT THANG
Hairband Ultra Marathon over Hill and around bus lot back to SVMS Parking Lot mixing in Karaoke R/L, Shuffle R/L, Backwards Running, Backwards High Knees, Butt Kickers, High Knees
Circle Up For COP
25 x SSH IC
15 x IW IC
10 x Slow Windmills (Get a Good Stretch) IC
15 x Eiffel Tower Crunches IC
15 x 3 Count Slow/Hold Merkins IC
Mosey to Flag Pole where Kettle Bells / Dumbells Await!
Main Event – The Matt Foley
20 x Two Handed Swings
Run Hairband Mile Stopping Halfway for 15 x Merkins
Repeat for 19 Swings/Run, 18 Swings/Run, 17, 16.
Stop for some plank work
Form 2 Teams each with 25# KB
Line Up and alternate Over/Under (Just like Elementary School Gym time) with 25# KB
Man in the rear runs to front when they receive the bell and start again
We did this about 15 times through each team
Circle Up facing outside circle and Pass the Bells to the man to the right
Continue until Reverse is called and pass the bells around the circle the other way
Head to EE’s Famous Epoxy 44.5# Plates
In Teams, one man pushes plate #plateburner around Hair Band Mile parking lot while team members alternate between exercises, switching with the pusher after each exercise
Round 1:
20 x Crunches
20 x Merkins
7 x Burpees
Go back to Bells
15 x Ground to Overhead Thrusters
Run Hairband Mile Stopping Halfway for 15 x Merkins
More Plank-O-Rama
Back to Team PlateBurners
Round 2:
5 x BombJacks each time then switch pushers
4 MOM
15 x Flutter IC
HOLD LEGS UP
15 x Dolly IC
15 x Eiffel Tower Crunches IC
Protractor Holds
D-O-N-E
COT
– Continued Prayers for GJ’s M
– Continued Prayers for DT and his move South of the Border
– Continued Prayers for the Count’s Family
– Continued Prayers for Donut Hole’s Move
Big Thanks to Woody for taking us out! Great Words Brother!
MOLESKIN
– Solid Work today by all that showed up. Good to see Spielberg back out from the #Fartsack to come swing and push some metal around for 45 mins! Keep on coming out brother.
– Madison was in beast mode this morning and lead the Swings/Run most of the time. But I guess he felt guilty swinging the #Lollipop that was available and pressured by the Q’s disclaimer, so he went and bought a couple #Mansized bells to bring to the workouts! Great Job and everyone needs to go out and Buy a KB – recommend 35#+. Again, you are stronger than you think and we have plenty of smaller bells to start out with!
– Good to see Hoodie back out and Bernanke and Shepard both were smoking the plateburners. Shep muscles them around like they are #dimes!
– Woody’s northern accent is awesome. He even grunts and breaths in a northern accent. Don’t lose it or let it become southernized!
– PLATES – They are awesome and always bring out the best in the group! The best Grunts, Moans, Complaints, whininig etc. These are never easy but the PAX stepped up when it was their turn and gave it all they had!
– GJ misses HorseHead and needs his buddy to heal up and get back out in the gloom. They both have tweaked their backs and need each other for a helpful deep tissue massage. This also helps us to realize that although injuries will happen, stretching is mega important and make sure we practice good form during warmup and COP. Windmills can be a great back stretch warmup and as with most exercises we do, FORM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN JUST SPEED. Drink Milk, brush your teeth and Practice good form daily!
– SIGN UP TO Q OVERDRIVE AND OUTLAND – WE NEED Q’S TO STEP UP. YES YOU READING THIS ARE QUALIFIED AND NEED TO SIGN UP:
OUTLAND (Saturday 7:00 – 8:00)
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4cae2-f3outland
OVERDRIVE (Friday 5:30 – 6:15)
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f49aaaf2baafa7-qsignup
Thanks for allowing me to shift into Overdrive!
Double E
20 of South Charlotte’s finest gathered in what used to be a very dark parking lot. The new light additions are overwhelmingly bright. YHC tweeted earlier in the week that the PAX will be running the #CenturionMile. Chelms requested the mile run at the beginning so he could be at his “peak”. YHC announced the course directions followed by the disclaimer and the PAX got into the plank position. Off we go (no false starts either)
THANG:
Centurion Mile – Ending at top of the parking deck.
Ab work while waiting for the six
Flutter x 25 IC
Heels to Heaven x 25 IC
Mosey over to the old library to grab a lifting rock. Circle up for 3 rounds of lifting (Curls, Overhead Press, Tricep Extension)
Round 1 – 25 reps each
Round 2 – 20 reps each
Round 3 – 15 reps each
Mosey down slippery hill to practice football field. YHC decided to be creative and brought a glow stick but there was a Q fail when the glow stick did not light up when cracked. (Embarrassing) Should have known that the kids glow stick that sat in a camper for 18 months may not work.
The Plan:
1. YHC throws glow stick
2. PAX runs to glow stick
3. PAX performs exercise called
4. Assign someone in the PAX to throw glow stick and repeat.
Round 1 – Jump Squats x 10
Round 2 – Burpees x 10
Round 3 – Burpees x 15 (grumblings)
Round 4 – Bear crawl up hill and reverse crawl down x 5 (At this time the Glow Stick was lost. Thanks Mermaid! The kids cried all day when YHC got home and told them)
Round 5 – Merkins x 15
Round 6 – Squats x 30
Mosey to Parking deck and partner up.
Round 1 – Partner 1 broad jumps to 2nd column and runs to end of long ramp and back. Partner 2 performs CDD.
Round 2 – Partner 1 bear crawls to 2nd column and runs to end of long ramp and back. Partner 2 performs squats.
Round 3 – Partner 1 runs to end of long ramp and back. Partner 2 Planks.
Wall chair at bottom of parking deck while waiting on the six. One final sprint up short ramps to top of parking deck and down stairs back to launch site.
MOLESKIN
Strong work today by all. The #CenterionMile at the beginning worked was a great warm up. Cane thought for sure that the mile would be called again to end the workout. Next time for sure! Nice to see some new faces from Metro (Carrier, Bust Boy, U-Boat & Driver). YHC will bring the glow stick back and will plan better next time. Less than 3 weeks until BRR which leaves 2 weeks left for intense training.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pool Party – Right now!
Southern Discomfort – 10/22
Up and Over – Needs another runner (9 man team). Get with Cheese Curd if interested
A lucky thirteen showed up for some bro gym action at Kevlar on this fine morn…
THE THANG
Jog the loop
SSH x 10
IW x 15
Merkin x 15
Jog the loop sprint the straight x 3
Bro Gym
1) Lap runner (timer)
2) Deadlifts on bar
3) Jump rope
4) Tractor tire flips
5) Clean and press bar
6) Step up box
7) Straight arm plate raise
8) Bench press/flys with KB’s
9) Wind bike
10) Bear crawl merkins
11) Bicep curls
12) Tricep dips
13) Decline merkins
5 burpees OYO
Repeat
Mary to music
COT
YE OLDE NAKED MOLESKINE
After nearly severing the old fingertips in the garage door for the CDS shed all was ready to go for the return of the bro gym by 0525. A light crew but helped out in numbers by a couple of new Springboks in Safelight and Voodoolvorse (sp?). We dusted off a few old chestnuts today with the bro gym featuring the wind bike, jump rope, a few bars, and the bench press. Squid was busting out the Irish Jig on the jump rope looking like Rocky Balboa in his prime. Stone Cold was enjoying the cool breeze when on the wind bike which was about the only air moving this morning. Thanks for allowing me to lead and have a great weekend fellas!
BD
Big thanks to Shampoodle for taking the Q for warm-ups . . . Oh wait, he isn’t here? Ok, I guess I’ll take the warm-up too. I started the music, got scolded by Transporter for starting 1 second late (according to his watch), and then proceeded to get scolded by the rest of the PAX for my music selection.
Quick Mosy, grab the late sleeper Doc, and then circle up for COP for some IC exercises
SSH x 12
Merkins x 12
MC x 12
IW x 12
SSH x 12
Birthday Burpees x 12 OYO (for Toast)
THE THANG
Start to Mosy to field behind school, however, we didn’t take the normal transportation:
Frog Jumps x 12
Lunges x 12
1-Legged alternating jumps x 12
Repeato until you reach 3rd light. Some plank work waiting for PAX along with some J-Lo’s “in rhythm.”
Mosy to bottom of hill at the upper field. Explain the new “12s” routine (a twist on “11s” where exercises at top and bottom of hill add up to 12 with running across field for 12 jump squats each lap)
Bottom of hill: WW2 sit-ups
Top of hill: Burpees
A couple reps in, I’m thinking PAX are really starting to dig my music since they are quiet but then LOTS of complaints and whiny questions about “are we really going to 12?”
Stopped at 6 and 6 AS PLANNED. Mosy to stairs at CHS for some partner work. Mary while we wait for PAX. YHC had counting issues as Dasher thought Toast was having his Sweet Sixteen.
P1: Merkins AMRAP
P2: Run up the stairs x 2
Flapjack . . . Repeato x 3 for total of 12 stairs
Mosey back to front wall of CMS for long WAVE of People’s Chair w/Air Presses IC and 1 merkin for each. Lots of looking down the wall waiting for Dirty Bird to bring it home with final Merkin. Nice work.
Mosy to main entrance. Curb suicides x 5. Jail Break to start for Mary.
Flutters x 12
Dolly x 12
Heals to Heaven x 12
Rosalita x Doce
Finished . . . 23 seconds early according to Transporter and his magic watch.
MOLESKINE
An #Impromptu RECORD 24 PAX. Outside of that, the next biggest highlight had to be the hugely successful musical score. Almost unanimous decision with 4 out of 24 PAX liking the music.
Lots of complaining today; must either be the end of Summer “kids need to go back to school” blues or the very real possibility that the Weinke/Music really irritated the PAX (insert rye smile). Either way, a great way to solve both of those issues is to sign up for a Q yourself. Plenty of openings for #Flash (Mondays) and #Impromptu (Fridays). Step it up and payback some of the beat downs you have received.
Lots of announcements and idle chatter after COT. See below for more details. Apparently Popeye is looking for a roommate (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Thanks for celebrating Toast’s birthday. Apologies for short-changing you 24 seconds . . . Was going to end with 12 more birthday Burpees too.
Thanks to Transporter for taking us out . . . In 24 seconds exactly if I had to guess.
Announcements
New Thursday OFFICIAL workout: Starts next Thursday 8/25. 5:30-6:15am at Weddington Elementary. Site Qs will be Frak and Turtle. Cute name TBD.
3rd F (Sanctuary): Thursday nights at 7:30pm at Brooklyn Pizza in Wesley Chapel. For more details, contact Transporter
Family workout opportunity: Sat Sept 17th at Camp Thunderbird (Lake Wylie). 1 mile loop (ages 5-14) & 5k loop (ages 11+). Food truck and fun afterwards. Jonesracingcompany.com/c2-survival-race
Spartan Sprint: Sept 10th. Contact Popeye for details and hotel room.
“The Beast”: Oct 29th. Signup ASAP with Code “Beast50”. Contact Kevorkian or Dasher. Use “F3 Waxhaw” as group (Shop Dawg started)
College Football season: Starts in 13 days. Contact Moneyball if you live in a cave.
Never good to be called Sally… It usually happens when you are short on a putt. On this humid morning the whole PAX at Joust donned the name….
A quick mosey from the parking lot to the center of the Charlotte Christian football field seemed like a good place to make a disclaimer. Followed by:
20 x side straddle hop,
20 x emperor walker,
10 x (double count) merkins,
20 x (TN modified) good mornings
Another mosey led to the railing and a speaker. The song – Moby Flower’s Bring Sally Up. Supline pull-ups ensued as each PAX pulled themselves up and let themselves down to the lyrics of the song. Killer workout for lats, forearms and biceps.
Next, was a 12:1 ladder at the bleachers with hand release burpees and step ups.
In true Olympic spirit the PAX partnered up.
While partner 1 ran a lap around the track, partner 2 began LBCs that ended in a cumulative of 150. Unfortunately, an FNG tossed his cookies!
The PAX completed 10 (double count) merkins and ran a lap that ended back at the parking lot.
Announcements: Family F3 swim and BBQ
New FNG appropriately named COOKIES!
If you haven’t already binge watched the Netflix series Stranger Things, do it. Without giving too much away, it’s about a boy who goes missing while cutting through the woods. Things do get strange as we learn he may or may not have fallen into a different dimension via a wormhole created by the Department of Energy and its experiments on psychic children. Plus, it’s got a drunken cop, a monster and Wynona Ryder (everyone loves a comeback). Where am I going with this?
Thirteen men, all old enough to know better, are staring at each other, under the 485 overpass. To even get to this point, we had stumbled in the dark, through a highly vegetated hobo-trail, past the Kid Pond on the backside of the Bull Ring. After 10 merkins, the call is move forward. However, we would go no further. The overpass crosses a swift moving, peter-deep creek. The right call was to turn back before we fell into a worm-hole.
I have to admit I was crushed our trailblazing ended a mere 15 minutes into the journey, plus I had no plan B. Here’s what I managed to come-up with.
7s on the hill behind the Kid Pond (very steep)
Merkins on bottom, burpees on top
3 laps of Kid Pond
10 merkins / 10 CCDs with each lap
Bull Ring lap and half
10 burpees at each half lap
From the front of the Bull Ring, run back to the center building and then to the Vine with 5 merkins at each cross street.
With 5 minutes left, we finished with a final lap of Conlan Circle and time bomb burpees. We managed just over the minimum 4 miles.
Moleskine
Thanks to the PAX who were pretty daring to even enter the woods and those who showed a lot of patience when it didn’t go as planned. Thank you.
Announcements
Pool Party Sat.
Ghost Flag team leaves for Shelby, NC 6 AM at Vine
Just 5 PAX showed up for the weekly Anvil beatdown. #Lobstah wanted to know if YHC tweeted beforehand and that scared folks away, but I’ll chalk it up to BRR. Here’s what we did:
THE THANG
Mosey over to some part of the huge parking lot
SSH x 10, Merkins x 10, Mtn Climber x 10, Slow Squat x 10
1 burpee at each parking lot line
There were 50 of them
So that’s Burpee x 50
Suicides to the parking lot lights
Jump Squats x 100
More suicides
Heels to Heaven x 150
Even more suicides
Jump Squats x 200
Lots of sprints back and forth
A bunch of Mary interspersed in there
YE MOLESKINE
1. Old Tenenbaum showed up right as we finished up the burpees. Perfect timing. He said he was lost…right.
2. It’s the first time that YHC and #Lobstah have been at the same Anvil workout in a very long time and I’ll say that for me, I did not enjoy it. He is too fast and his form is too good.
3. But he’s not as fast as Ye Olde Ickee Shuffle. That brother can fly.