Whirlwind World Tour
An even dozen (+1 2.0) eventually showed up for a whirlwind tour of The Rock campus, simulating the world tour that YHC is all too familiar with but that was led by The Mouth on his virgin Q. What a tour it was, it went something like this (after the disclaimer of course):
Jog to open car parking area for a little COP:
IW x 20
Mtn Climber x 25
SSH x 30
Run over to the islands aka The Philippines
At each island do 10 LBC and 10 SSH sprinting to the next one, plank it up when finished
Indian Run (the long way round obviously, The Mouth just finished BRR so distance is not a problem) to the front of the campus.
Backwards run until whistle blows then sprint to the road in front of North Face (in case you can’t see where this is going…)
North Face Triple Nickel
Diamond Crunches x 5 at the top, 5 jump squats at the bottom (the hill wouldn’t have been hard enough without these) x 5 times up and down
Indian Run to Entrance 4
Lunge walk down, bear crawl back up, plank it up, rinse and repeat
Turn it over to Strange Brew for YHC’s 2nd Anniversary Q
Mosey to picnic benches
3 rounds (planking it up in between) of:
20 x Dips
10 x Elevated CDD’s (these work great to isolate the shoulders even more)
10 x Jump ups (or step ups since the benches were quite wet)
Partner up and mosey to the soccer fields
Military presses with partners ankles while they plank x 10, flapjack
Crabwalk to flag football center field and repeat Mil presses, bear crawl back
Partner fist pump sit ups x 10
Prairie Fire Mary x 10 each way, flapjack
Wheelbarrow to mid field, flapjacking as needed
Mosey to the hill (a very short mosey)
Partner 1 runs up hill, does 3 burpees and runs down the hill to partner 2 who was doing CDD’s, flapjack to a total of 200 CDD’s
Mosey back to car area, stopping short on the grass for some Mary:
Flutter x 20
Sid-The-Kid 10 each way oyo
Rosalita x 20
Heels to Heaven x 10
Back to the cars
Ye Olde Moleskine:
A great first Q by The Mouth today, a real honour to co-Q with him, he’s someone I have known over the last number of years, took forever to EH him and now he is killing it out there, a real pleasure to have you out in the gloom my friend. It was YHC’s second F3 anniversary so the obligatory pep talk was given to the pax at the end to EH folks, I needed it big time and it has really changed my life, kudos were handed out to Runstopper for bringing me out and kudos to everyone else for sticking with me all along the way, I’d post a list of names but when I tried to come up with said list it was too long and realized I’d miss too many awesome guys but needless to say I’ve been encouraged, inspired and pulled along by a great many of you.
A few words from The Mouth:
Thanks to KY and The Benefactor for making the trip south from Metro for my V Q. KY promised lots of mumblechatter but the Q must have been successful keeping it at bay because it was kept to a minimum (even during the counting which is not right, just not right, editorial by SB). However KY was constantly at the front even though the chatter was low so it was scored a tied by the decision of the judges.
Mall Cop must have heard early on we were headed to the islands…He showed up at the end of the workout in island wear and with extra shirts in tow…Islands was a running exercise sir.
Thanks for letting me lead (goes for YHC as well), it was an honor (The Mouth’s spelling obviously) to workout with such a great group of men.
Announcements:
Pretty light announcements this morning, as in the only one was to meet at coffeeteria which a good number of pax did.
A great send off to focus our day (YHC would give credit but can’t remember who did the takeout).
In Remeberance of 9/11
(Posted on behalf of Twister)
6 PAX gathered at McKee Road Elementary for this week’s edition of Area 51. SF was easily planted in the wet ground as the group loosened up for the 0700 launch. Originally 4 of us but O’Tannenbaum wheeled in at 0659 to join us and then Tool Time joined us a few minutes into the COP. Over the next 60 minutes here’s what we were able to accomplish:
Twister, making his VQ, led the group out for a short jog to the lower parking lot by the soccer fields and had PAX circle up for COP:
- SSH x 30 (IC)
- IW x 30 (IC)
- CDD x 20 (IC)
Enough of a warm up, let the real work begin. Twister announced that we would be completing the Murph in remembrance of 9/11:
- Run 1 mile down around the fire station and back through Cold Cuts neighborhood (no Cold Cut sighting. He may have been up in Blacksburg for ECU’s upset of Va Tech)
- Meet back at the playground in front of school and plank it up until Six arrives (RHH, RLH, LHH, LLH, etc)
- Complete 10 sets of 10 Pull-ups, 20 Merkins, 30 Squats
- Run 1 mile back down to the fire station and through Cold Cuts hood
- Early finishers plank it up to wait for the Six. PAX heads back out to complete mile run with Tool Time #nomanleftbehind
With 15 minutes still left on the clock Twister led the PAX over to the front of the school for some People’s Chair:
- PC x 60 secs (lower it 6 in (not just 3) about 40-45 secs in)
- Lunge walk to the sidewalk and back
- PC x 60 secs w/ 30 air presses IC
Mosey out to parking lot for 6 MOM to wrap it up:
- LBC x 40 (IC)
- Rosalita x 30 (IC)
- Protractor (90/45/30/15/30/45/90/45/30/15/hold’em)
- Back Scratcher x 40 (IC)
- Peter Parker x 15 (IC)
COT
Moleskin:
- Great VQ by Twister. Sounded like an old pro with cadence count and had nice plan pulled together for his first Q.
- The Murph is always a sold choice for a work-out. Guaranteed smoker and can be modified by all fitness levels. Of course, still can’t slow Lobster Roll down as he made quick work of it.
- Speaking of LR, kudos to him and a couple of co-workers who completed 2 trips up and down the Duke Energy building steps and then 343 burpees on 9/11 in honor of the 343 members of FDNY who were killed in the 9/11 attacks.
- Strong work by all the PAX in pushing through the pain and completing the Murph.
Announcements:
- Final deadline for signing up for 10/4 Mud Run is 9/15. Get it done if you are interested. F3 has 600+ strong signed up.
- F3 will be leading kids in pre-run warm-up on 9/20 at 7th Annual Isabella Santos Foundation 5K for Kids Cancer. Header and Honey Bee will be leading the effort.
- Far Side leading Trips for Kids at Francis Beatty Park on 9/20. 9 a.m. – 12 bike ride on the trails at Colonel Francis Beatty Park off of Weddington Rd. Meet at the park. Great event for 2.0’s and Trips for Kids organization leads the participants on trail ride and provides lunch.
- “Mud Run” training work-out to be held the next 3 Tuesdays at the site of Swift/Bagpipe in Ballantyne. Cover 4-5 miles with various obstacles/pain stations. Launch time is 0515 and will go for 60 minutes. Meet at the Vine restaurant parking lot at Johnston Rd/Ballantyne Commons Parkway.
Muggy at Stonehenge
14 brave men donned their Sons of Ballantyne colors this morning and took on the monster. We won.
The Thang:
Warm up: plankerama for disclaimer, 10 slow merkins, 25 side straddle hops
Jog to lake wall: 15 merkins, 15 dips, 15 durkins. Run around lake 2/3, sprint 1/3, plankerama to recover. Repeato – 15 merkins, 15 dips, 15 durkins. Run around lake 2/3, sprint 1/3, plankerama to recover.
Jog to next lake:
50 flutter kicks. 10 burpees in cadence, 15 merkins in cadence, 20 dolly in cadence. Run around lake with sprint on back side. Side straddle hops to recover.
Jog to putting green:
25 flutter kicks. 10 burpees in cadence, 15 merkins in cadence, 20 LBC in cadence. Run around green with sprint on back side. Side straddle hops to recover.
Jog to next lake:
20 flutter kicks. 10 burpees in cadence, 15 merkins in cadence, 20 bicycles in cadence. Run around lake with sprint on back side. Side straddle hops to recover.
Jog to parking lot:
Plankerama for a while, then 10 heels to the heavens.
Jog almost all the way back:
Merkin Mary ladder: 2 merkins, 20 mary, 4 merkins, 20 mary, 6 merkins, 20 mary, 8 merkins, 20 mary, then ran out of time.
25 slow count merkins to finish off, then return to COT.
Moleskin:
– Strong workout today from all – thank you for the chance to lead.
– There was a fair bit of chatter but everyone stayed extremely focussed throughout. Frehleys Comet lost it at one point when he apparently had a hallucination that some attractive ladies ran by.
– YHC was totally smoked and was shaking so bad at the end that tea was spilled at coffeeteria. That was a first.
Beastmode
(Posted on behalf of Boomer Sooner & Hairball)
6 (+ one 2.0) of South Charlotte’s finest beat the fartsack and ventured out into the soup this morning. Boomers Sooner took the reigns on his VQ. Here’s what went down.
The Thang:
Boomer Sooner Q:
1/2 lap around track
High knee/Butt kick/Carioca
SSH x20 (IC)
Bear crawl
Sprint
Lunge soccer field
Mosey to playground
Pull-ups x 10
Merkins x 15
Squats x 20
Repeato
Run to Yellow Rose parking lot
Merkin walks along parking stripe to left
Pain stations:
Jump ups x10, Run to median
Burpees x5, Run to median
Squats x15
Repeato
Merkin walks along parking stripe to right, per Radar’s request
Mary
LBC x20 (IC)
Russian twists 30 OYO
Mosey back to school for Hairball Q
Mosey to the track for the Beast.
-Molotov Merkins (quick steal from Metro Gaunlet BB – crowd pleaser)
-CDD
-Diamond merkins
-Squats
-Jump lunges
-Burpees
Mary-laps
Pax work the Mary circuit whilst one runs a lap. Upon completion of the lap, choose an exercise
Dolly (YHC), Fred merc’s (Radar), J-Lo (Frasier), Parker Peter (YHC), LBC (Prohibition), Flutter a.k.a. “Scissors” (Teddy)
Wall-o-Rama for some peoples’ chair
COT
NMM:
It was a soggy morning in the gloom. Potentially some residual BRR hangovers (or real ones) left the numbers scarce. Boomer Sooner on his VQ led the pax like a vet and wasn’t rattled by mumblechatter from the usual suspects. Molotov merkins were a hit and will likely rear their ugly head again soon.
It was a pleasure leading the pax this morning. T-claps to Radar for the send-off.
Announcements:
Tutoring opportunity at Matthews Elementary 3:15-4:15 every other week. Contact Frasier or Champagne for details.
Overload
Warmup
40-50 SSH and Sealjacks
25 IW’s
15 Merkins in cadence
Thang:
TR-
Split into 2 groups.
Each team has 1 man complete barbell curls with 65 lbs to failure while the split pax do cleans until and after their turn.
Round 2 each man holds 35 lb plate straight out from body to failure while pax do one armed kb press.
Can’t remember last exercise of TR’s reign.
To the track with Bananas.
Run 1 lap
10 swings 10 goblet squats
10 swings 9 goblet squats
10/8
10/7
10/6
10/5
10/4
10/3
10/2
10/1
Run 1 lap
2 thrusters each arm
1 Thruster = racked bell, squat low, back up military press
4 each side
6 each side
8 each side
10 each side
8 each side
6 each side
4 each side
2 each side
Run 1 lap
To lot, circle up
10 overhead extensions laying down
30 chest press
10 extensions
50 2 handed swings
Moleskin:
Great work fellas. Thanks to TR for splitting the workout with me and bringing pain. a51 is getting stronger…let’s keep it going.
On the move at Kevlar
On a sticky morning the Kevlar crew came out for a non-stop leg and lung busting workout that was a little unfair for the lads who endured the BRR last weekend.
THE THANG
Jog to church entrance
Merkins
Sprint to next entrance
Parker Peters
Sprint to next entrance
Merkins
Sprint to next entrance
Plank work
Sprint to bottom of hills
Partner up
Combine for 50 merkin groiner combos
Plank when done
Combine for 30 split jump jump squat combos
Plank when done
Combine for 50 sit up mason twist combo
Plank when done
Combine for 30 sumo squat 180 jump combo
Mosey to soccer field
Shuttle run and tire work
COT
YE OLDE MOLESKINE
It was great to have the BRR boys back in the mix today. There were certainly some sore legs out there and this workout should have helped rid the legs of an lingering lactic acid.
The 10K swing crew were out in force again with a vast array of new bells at their disposal some of which were incorporated into the workout. There were also some faces that we thought had given up on the wee hour workouts namely Dolphin and Good Hands – kotters you both!
Geraldo was on fire this morning. This boy is getting fitter and faster with ever week that goes by. Brown gave him a run for his money on the suicides but there was no stopping the lad today!
Thank you to Tackling Dummy for stepping up to lead next week!
Have a great weekend.
Bulldog
Zero Original Thought Went Into This
With the BRR behind us, its Mud Run prep time and instead of coming up with something new, YHC just stood on the shoulders of those who came before him. And pretty much smoked himself in the process.
21 of Area 51s finest decided that the weekend would start off better running around the Centurion AO.
First had to move our cars out of the faculty parking spots – don’t want to upset the school.
Disclaimer given and we are off.
The Thang:
2nd F jog down to the greenway for a mini murph:
5 pull-ups
10 merkins
15 squats
Rinse and repeat 5 times.
Mosey/Run to Pallantine Hill
Triple Nickel:
Run up hill
5 double merkin burpees (YHC favorite weapon of choice these days)
Run down hill
5 jump squats
Rinse and repeat 5 times. – crowd pleaser
Mosey to Panera parking lot.
Run up stairs across top and down the other stair
Run to middle – 10 hand release merkins
Rinse and repeat 2
Mosey to the picnic area at Catholic
10 jump-ups
15 decline merkins
20 dips
Rinse and Repeat 3 times – another crowd pleaser
Mosey to School entrance
Bear Crawl up ramp
Frog Hop back to stairs
Rinse and Repeat x 2
Jog back to cars
Enough time for some Mary
Flutter x 50 in cadence (yes that is 100)
NMM
Lots of issues hearing today but I think most figured it out as we went.
Great work by everyone today – will see more of these types of workouts as Mud Run closes in.
This one was smoker or at least it was for YHC. Legs are slowing getting back to normal after the BRR.
Didn’t hear a ton of chatter this morning – but pretty sure I missed lots – shout out in the comments below.
Solid work on a very humid day. And welcome FNG Puff. Tell Trucker and Spread Eagle they need to come with you if they are going to EH. Glad to have you out. Keep coming – as Hops said it will get easier. It won’t get easy but it will get easier.
As always it’s a privilege and honor to get the opportunity to lead this great group of men into the gloom in the am.
Announcements:
Mud Run sign-ups do actually close this time Sept 15th.
Tutoring needs at Billingsville and AG – contact Chelms aka tator-tot
Frasier and Champagne Qing tutoring at Matthews Elementary – more to come look for a preblast
Think that is all – if something was missed – shout out in the comments
Champagne Out
Manning Passing Academy
Five men gathered for exercise QB training.
IW X 30
SSH X 30
Slow Squat X 30
Merkin X 30
Lap around the track
Field Work [end line to end line]
- Karaoke
- Backpedal
- Butt kickers
- Sprint
Indian Run around the track
Station Work – 3 sets of dips [20 each] and squats [20 each]
Passing challenge… round one
1/2 mile around track at 100%
Playground Work – 3 sets of pull ups [10/8/6] and squats [20 each]
Plank time… few merkins thrown in… People’s Chair [with arm raises]
Passing challenge… round two
LBC / Flutter / Dolly
8 Step Bodybuilder [I think that is what it is called… anyway, it’s what the Hoff was doing at the 9/11 convergence]
2 sets of perfect form merkins
Jail break to COT
Moleskin
- So, the passing challenge was very straightforward. Throw the ball 20 yards to hit a sign [roughly 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide]. Sounds easy enought, but the only football I had on my person was a kid’s Franklin brand soft cushion style football. It didn’t hold it’s velocity very well, so out of ten throws total amongst the five of us… only one throw [by Les Miz I believe] hit the target.
- On the half mile run, I don’t have a firm grasp of running science and the related technical terms like Bratwurst, so I just stuck with what I know best… “gents, run as fast as you can for two laps.”
- Two-year anniversary for Strange Brew at The Rock tomorrow. He said something about Candadian beer for anyone that shows up… at least that’s what I think I heard.
Area 51 9/11 Convergence – Never Forget
F3 brothers from Charlotte, Winston Salem and Raleigh were all represented among the 89 who joined in today’s workout that went something like this.
Mosey to COP (variety of stretching runs)
Announcement: No chit chat – the pax will remain silent today in honor of those lost on 9/11 and the only ones talking will be Q’s running the stations.
COP: SSH, MC, Merkins
Count off and rotate 4 stations for 8 minutes each.
Station 1: Meathead Kettlebell rotation
Station 2: Rebel Yell Triple Nickel rotation
Station 3: Spearhead partner work rotation
Station 4: Peak 51 9’s and 11’s rotation
COT for Mary (Dolleys, Mason Twists)
Count-o-rama 1…89
Skipped the name-o-rama
Lord’s Prayer
Moleskine: Great execution by station leads for this special 9/11 workout. It was great to meet Manram from F3 Raleigh and see Starfish from F3 Winston Salem in addition to the many solid Area 51 pax coming together in this convergence. Great work by all and let’s spend today recognizing and remembering that fateful September 11, 2001 day in which we lost 2,977 men and women, 414 of which were first responders called to action to serve, protect, and save lives doing their jobs. We learned as a country, as a community, and as families – that we will endure, that we will get up when we have been knocked down. We are a strong band of F3 brothers who can lean on each other in times of need. We workout in the gloom, run in mud and over obstacles, run over mountains, and march go ruck style – together as brothers. Iron sharpens Iron.
Announcements:
Brew Ruck – bring cans to upcoming Saturday workout for Brew Ruck – reach out to Hoff for details
Columbia Mudrun sign ups final-final deadline is 9/15. F3 nation web site or reach out to Gummy for questions.
5k Kids Run For Cancer on September 20 in Ballantyne. Email Header or Honey Bee for details and let them know you are participating. Will be working out/warming up the kids for their 1-mile run and will actually run the mile with them. Great cause. Wear your F3 shirts and show what F3 is about!
Maul plus KB Challenge Day 1
Loogie and YHC arrived before 5 for the KB workout and found a larger than normal circle of fellas ready to swing. TR and crew were beginning Day 1 of the KB challenge. 10 million swings in 3 days or something along those lines. It was rough.
The rest of the smart men showed up at the regular time for the regular Maul thrashing. Here’s what went down.
30 SSH
25 IWS
10 Burpees
30 hand release merkins. TR renamed them to Voodoo Checkpoint merkins. Picture it and you’ll get the joke. Might be too soon, but both guys were there and got a good laugh out of it.
10 Burpees
Mosey to parking lot by the Chick
YHC called out an exercise, upon completion you are to sprint to the other end of the lot, plank, then do next exercise and sprint back.
Burpees
Merkins
Jump tucks
Diamonds
wide arm
More Burpees
CDD
mix in planks, 6 inches
mosey to lot beside target
Run to top of hill, 15 decline merkins
return for flutter
back up hill, 20 declines
Return for dolly
protractor
6 inches
mosey to speed bumps, for carioca, back pedal and sprint
mosey back home, finish with plank and elbow plank
The Ole Moleskineeey
Big group of boys showed for today’s work. Lots of guys pushing themselves hard today. Iron sharpening iron.
Welcome back to Voodoo, Checkpoint and Long Haul. Nice seeing them at The Maul today. Welcome to FNG Over-rated. He’s a Cowboys fan, enough said.
Holy Hit Man is becoming a regular SOB. Keep posting brother.
Thanks for letting me lead today, I always try my best to make it worth it.
I know we’ll have comments, so please sound off below since this recap is pretty weak.