Are you Spartaner than a 5th grader?

Are you Spartaner than a 5th grader?

Nineteen:  the average age of the Vietnam soldier.  Also, the number of Pax that posted for another Spartan / Mud Run prep session.

 

Warmup (Not much of one)

  • SSH x 20
  • Squats x 20

 

The THANG

Partner up and rotate through 2 minute stations: 1 minute exercise / 1 minute Spartan burpees

  • 50 yard belly crawl / Spartan burpees
  • Tire run around track / Spartan burpees
  • Weighted sled pull / Spartan burpees
  • Pull up bar traverse / Spartan burpees
  • Hairburners / Spartan burpees
  • 45 lb. KB swings / Spartan burpees
  • Bulgarian Bag Swings / Spartan burpees
  • Glute bridge hamstring curls / Spartan burpees
  • Tractor tire pull (towel grip) / Spartan burpees
  • Seated tire pull +30lb DB / Spartan burpees

 

6MOM

  • One-legged merkins (10L, 10R)
  • Plank x 30 sec
  • One legged low flutter (left leg stationary, move right) x10 each leg.  Flap jack. – Crowd Pleaser
  • One-legged dolly (left leg stationary, move right) x 10 each leg.  Flap jack. – Crowd Pleaser
  • Little baby crunches
  • Glute bridge
  • One-legged glute bridge, R heel to heaven x 6 (CRAMP!).  L heel to heaven x 6 (CRAMP!)
  • Mason twist x 20

 

COT

MOLESKIN

  •  Spartan / Mud Run prep in full force.  We tried to hit several of the regular Spartan obstacles/challenges: belly crawls, weighted pulls, monkey bars, ropes, and of course the Spartan burpees.  Solid efforts by all.
  • TClaps to FNG Ichabod, also TR2.0’s history teacher, for making it out to the Skunk.
  • The two soccer buffs partnered up, Wanker and Renaldo.  These aren’t your regular European Futbol ninnies, either–neither one was seen to grab his shin and writhe in pain when within a 5 ft radius of other Pax.  Tough hombres, those two.
  • Probably won’t be many of the glute bridge hamstring curls in the Spartan Race (on back in glute bridge, heels on 10 lb plates: heels out to straight leg, heels in under butt), but another effort to work the posterior.  The cramps during glute bridge heel raises later during Mary only reinforced the need to work the hammies.  Dubbed the “Birthing Station” by Renaldo.
  • What Donkey Kong is to the bear crawl, Uncle Leo is to the Hairburner.  Knocked out five lengths when most Pax managed only two or three.
  • More Spartan/Mud Run prep prior to the Rock this Saturday at 0530.  Keep an eye out for the Preblast later this week.  It will be similar to last week’s session (LINK) but longer and harder.  We’ll wrap up at 0700 and join the Rock pax for normal workout.
  • F3 bulk kettlebell order is in the works.  Skunk Pax are encouraged to get one or more, as we’ll begin to incorporate KB work into future workouts.  More details to come.

 

“Seldom does an individual exceed his own expectations.”

Unknown

A Baker’s Dozen

13 men gathered in the Area 51 gloom.

The Thang

Far Side – QIC

Jog down to lower field and circle up:

Side straddle hop x 20

Merkin x 10

LBC x 20

Flutter kicks x 15

Dolly x 12

Slow bicycle x 15

Merkin x 10

Squats x 20

Imperial walker x 15

Merkin x 10

Rock climber x 15

Side straddle Hop x 15

Line up at one end of the field:

Merkins x 10 – Sprint 40 yds – Burpees x 5 – sprint 40 yds – repeat

Lunge walk 40 yds – 10 Carolina dry docks – sprint 40 yds – repeat

Backwards run 40 yds – sprint 40 yds – bear crawl 40 yds – sprint 40 yds

Karaoke left 40 yds – karaoke right 40 yds – sprint 80 yds

Burpees x 5 – sprint 40 yds – repeat 4 times back to finish

Backwards run 80 yds – sprint 80

Joker – QIC

LBC X15

Dips X 20 / Squats X 20: 3 sets of each

Pull ups X 10 / Squats X 20: 3 sets of each

People’s Chair – 3 sets of 1 minute each [with merkins between sets]

50 yard sprint X 3

Plank

Nakedman Moleskin

Small group today at 13, but good workout.  Triple claps to Far Side for a job well done on his first QIC experience.

New idea this morning… COT name-o-rama while in plank position… could be a keeper.

Boss Tweed tweaked his hamstring today, so let’s hope he makes a speedy recovery.  At 58 years young, Boss Tweed sets a great example for all of us.

 

Go North in the South

21 Pax scaled The Rock – a record turnout; and the men were not disappointed.

The Thang:

Run to soccer fields

SSH’s x 20

Imperial Walkers x 20

Merkins x 20

LBCs x 25

Dollys x 20

Suicides x 5 on the soccer field; plank while partner does suicides

Fireman’s carry

Partner drag

Partner Merkins x 20; Plank & Repeat

Run to sand volleyball courts

Suicides, partner planks

Crab walks forward, partner planks

Bear crawl, partner planks

Crab walks backward, partner planks

Bear crawl backwards (thank you very little Tiger Rag), partner planks

Lunges, Bunny-hops, High Knees, Lunges, etc. — 1/4 mile to North Face

North Face runs x 3, SSH’s at the bottom, 5 burpees at top

Run to parking lot

COP – Parker Peter’s, Peter Parker’s, Rockhoppers while one guy runs around the circle

Mary Session:

Prairie Fire Mary w/partner x 30

Bicycle x 15

Rosalitas x 15

Cumberland County Viaducts x 20 (10 each side)

COT, Namearama, etc., etc.

Naked Man Moleskin:

Record-setting day at The Rock with 21 Pax posting. Aye!  3 FNG’s added to the Southland’s every growing army.  T-claps to Donkey Kong, Tiger Rag and Run Stopper for posting after a 1-hour Beast training beatdown session at 6am this morning.  Nice work fellas!

Mall Cop was scorching the Pax on the Suicides on the soccer fields — my man has come a long way since joining F3 Nation!  FNG Blitzen was treating NorthFace like he owned the thing – strong work!

All the guys did great work.  See you soon in the gloom sports fans.

 

Pre-Rock Spartan Training

Six men answered the call for a Big Boy workout to prep for the Beast.

 

Warm Up

  • Half mile warm up jog to bottom of Rea.

 

THANG, Pt. 1 – Hill Intervals

  • 10 sec sprint up hill toward 51, 10 sec merkins.  Repeat for 10 sets total.
  • 20 sec sprint, 20 sec merkins.  Repeat for 5 sets total.
  • 30 sec sprint, 30 sec merkins.  Repeast for 3 sets total.
  • 2 min recovery
  • 20 sec sprint, 20 sec merkins.  Repeat for 5 sets total.
  • 30 sec sprint, 30 sec squats/flutter/merkins.  Repeat for 3 sets total
  • 60 sec sprint.
  • Mosey to base of Entrance 4.  Sprint hill.

 

THANG, Pt. 2 – Weighted Hill Work

Grab bag of goodies from the back of the Toyo: 45 lb plates, 35 lb plates, 25 and 30 lb dumb bells, 45 lb kettlebell, and the Body Bag (Pretty Boy QB’s Heavy Bag, at approx. 125 lbs).

Grab one or more and mosey to bottom of hill, rotate through stations of:

  • Weighted lunges uphill
  • Overhead press and hold walks/sprints
  • Steering wheels (weight in front, straight arm)
  • Pancakes
  • Plate Inchworms
  • Body Bag carry
  • Uphill hairburners (of course)
  • Plank walks up/downhill
  • Dumb bell bear crawls
  • End with hill sprint, backwards hill sprint, backwards bear crawl, backwards lunge, overhead weighted hill sprint.

No COT…head straight to playground to join Pax for Rock workout.

MOLESKIN

  • The goal was to up intensity and duration with a nod toward  Beast prep.  An 0600 start and roll straight into normal Rock workout.
  • We’ll dial it back 30-60 min earlier next week.  Keep an eye out for Pre-blast info.

Headlight Train

9 pax posted to chugg through the pitch black of the McAlpine woods.

The Thang:

4 or 6 miles into the woods and up a hilly loop. The course definitely requires a headlamp so as not to end up in some ravine or stumbling over some form of wildlife. It does reward one with a good hill interval though with which to test the strength, stamina and mental fortitude required to “sprint” up the hill.

Moleskin:

With plenty of pax out on the course this morning the 5:30ers looked like a well-oiled pack of locomotives tunneling through the woods. Alas, distance and endurance soon spread the locomotives up.

Tiger Rag posted for his first run at the Devil’s Turn today, and ran strong up the hills, setting the pace and pushing the pack.

With the cold weather, the insects are gone and so too the spiders. A special treat for the 5:15ers as we no longer have to clear the trail of the webs spun overnight.

What we smelt last week, Mall Cop saw this morning. Skunk alert!

Bug eater seems to be getting faster by the week. And Pretty Boy QB is no slouch either. Both were working especially hard this morning.

And much thanks to Donkey Kong this morning for helping Q and lead the late group through their paces. If 49er wasn’t comotose in his fartsac, I’m sure he would have been much appreciative.

Bear Season

25 men gathered in the Death Valley gloom this morning for 45 minutes of pain and suffering. 

The Thang

– Jog to bleachers

– SSH X 20

– Merkins / Mary Combo [3 sets of Merkins X 10 and Dolly/Flutter/LBC  X 10]

– Dips / Squats / Carolina Dry Dock Combo [3 sets of each X 10]

– Plank

– Lunge walk to track

– Broad Jump Burpee Combo X 40 yards [repeat]

– Bear Crawl X 40 yards [repeat]

– Crab Crawl X 40 yards [repeat]

– 1/4 mile run

– High Dolly X 15

– 1/4 mile run

– Plank

– Lunge walk and bear crawl from football field to parking lot

– Merkins X 15 just for fun

Nakedman Moleskin

– Record high 25 PAX at Death Valley today… including some crusty vets and some new guys.  Let’s hit 30 PAX next week!

– YHC was riduculed mid-workout for requesting the PAX to “count off”, then ignorning it.  I just like to keep you guessing.

– Feats of strength… Far Side’s broad jumps left us in the dust, and Donkey Kong is ready for the Bear Crawl Olympics.  Speaking of bear crawls, our Charlotte South knuckle draggers all got their fair share this morning. 

– Maybe it’s just me, but anyone else notice a disturbing nickname trend in the recent Charlotte South PAX… Herd-On, Tickler, Wenker, The Nibbler, Ice Hole, etc.  Just sayin…

The Blocks are Back!

20 faithful brothers posted on a cool windy morning to trek out in the gloom, timing was great as we launched here came the rain….then as quick as it started it stopped and held off until we were done!

The Thang:

Headlamps on, jog across Hwy 51, Indian lunge run, cross the soccer fields, to the run-down building and grab a block or paver

COP (Cinder Block workout)

Block swing (kettle bell swings) x 20

Squats w/ block overhead x 20

Merkins (alternating on block) x 15

Rinse, repeat

Knee-ups on block x 20

Block crunches x 20

Block sit-ups x 20

Overhead Block press x 20

Block rows x 20

Pan Cake block x 40sec

Rinse Repeat the last three

Side to side block jumps- 1 min

Jump/knee tuck over blocks- 1 min

Plank- with block on back- 30 sec to 1 min

Merkin with block on back x10

Block curls- close grip x 10

Block curls- wide grip x 10

Take block back to its home (overhead)

Jog back to parking lot (~1/2 mile)

COT

Moleskin:

The Lord held off the down pour of rain for us today, but did give us a little taste as we started and it seemed the PAX had accepted the fact that we were gonna be soaked.

Donkey Kong is getting really used to running on those hind legs versus bear crawlin’.  His regular Devil’s Turn workouts are showing.  Strong work, Brother.

T-claps to Strange Brew (FNG at Skunk Works) and only second time out at a F3 workout.  Keep coming out, Brother, it will get easier for you.

RunStopper- sorry YHC forgot about the size of the block vs the length of your legs.  makes the blocks swings interesting for you….

Gloves….it pays to read the weekly Pre-blast from Joker on Sunday (please keep that in mind).  Tiger Rag had a few extra pair of gloves that I believe he borrowed from the Matthews Women’s Floral Society.  Uncle Leo didn’t mind sporting them.

Anybody see signs of the Cinder block rash on their arms?   

 

 

 

Mud Run / Spartan Training – #FeedingTheBirds

10 Pax gathered around the shovel flag with gallon water jugs in hand to do a little Mud Run / Spartan Race Training.

Prior to the Warm Up YHC called out the 5 of us who are participating in one of the obstacle course races in October to pour water over our heads and soak our shoes to simulate race conditions for the entire hour.

 

The Thang:

(Mall Cop Lead)

Warmup:

Gladiator Run from shovel flag to soccer pitch with a 1 gallon water jug raised over head, swap arms half way to the fields.

Mini COP in Cadence:

SSH x 25

Imperial Walkers x 20

Flutter Kick x 20

The Dolly x 20

The Thang:

Gladiator Run with 1 gallon water jug overhead (swap arms half way) from soccer pitch accross the parking lot to the back baseball field left field fence picking up Sparky along the way.

Partner up for obstacle runs:

1)  Partner 1 sprints from left field to the backstop behind home plate and either climb up and over the backstop and then return back up and over backstop, or perform 20 Spartan Burpees, sprint back to the left field fence. 

Partner 2 uses his and partners 1 gallon water jugs for bent over rows (back work) until partner returns.

Flapjack

Plank – regular, right arm up, left arm up.

2)  Partner 1 sprints from left field  fowl line to right field fowl line to perform Carolina Dry Dock Scorpions right leg up x 15, left leg up x 15.

Partner 2 uses his and partners 1 gallon jugs to perform tricept extensions until partner returns.

Flapjack

Plank – regular, right arm up, left arm up.

3) Tactical Run accross the outfield, I’m up, he sees me, I’m down.  Run, hit the deck on call, pop up on call all the way down.

Backwards run half way back, then sprint to the fowl line. 

4)Mosey over to the outfield fence with water jugs:

 Peoples Chair with right arm curls x 90 seconds

Peoples Chair with left arm curls x 90 seconds

Peoples Chair with military presses x 90 seconds

 

(Run Stopper Lead)

Indian run to shovel flag to drop off water jugs.

Volley Ball Court (Kitty Litter) Session:

Suicides – accross first court and back, then accross both courts and back.

Backwards run suicides – accross first court and back, then both courts and back.

Bear Crawl accross first court, Crab Walk accross second Court.

Repeato

Partner Drag accross first court, swap partners and Partner Drag accross second Court.

Repeato

Run 1/4 mile accross parking lot for visitor parking sign slalom through the 15 parking signs, then run it out to the base of North Face.

North Face Work:

Run up North Face and back down x 5 with merkins x10 at top, Carolina Dry Docks at bottom x 10

Run it out back to shovel flag for mini COP

LBC x 20

Merkins x 20

COT

 

Naked Moleskin:

1) Geat work today by all (especially the FNGs) as this was not an easy workout.  Strange Brew and Purple People Eater, you have taken the hardest step which is posting to your first F3 workout.  It does get easier and we hope to see you again soon in the gloom.  Strange Brew, we hope you aren’t too sore and left some gas in the tank for your hockey game tonight!

2) #FeedingTheBirds – YHC and Run Stopper have finally arrived on our second official Q at The Rock as Purple People Eater spilled some merlot as he stumbled from the kitty litter.  No shame in that as this was your first F3 workout and it was a smokefest, yet now we are official!

3) During the backstop obstacle climb several of us with wide feet, YHC included, couldn’t fit our toes into the diamond holes of the fence, but the other half were able to scamper up quickly.  The problem for Bug Eater was as he was going over the top, his foot sliped and the family jewels were racked on the top pole.  Great recovery brother, and way to finish out the second half of the workout strong!

4) While barking out the instructions for the sand suicides, Run Stopper became tongue tied several times in a row trying to spit out the same thing.  First it was “What goes out, comes back, you know!”  After several other attempts and not being able to say what goes up must come down, Run Stopper says “You know, just go both ways!”  Brother, we never want to hear those words come out of your mouth again!

5) We missed our Rock brothers Hops, Ray Charles, Pretty Boy Quarterback, and Jamboree as they took the Ms to the beach for a little sun and fun.  However, it was nice to see you boys put down the fruity drinks with the umbrellas for an hour this morning to put in a downPAINment on the day.  Nice backblast boys, looks STRONG, very STRONG!  Check out The Balding Nub backblast.

Dumb and Dumber

27 men gathered in the Area 51 gloom for an ole fashioned beatdown.

The Thang

Joker [QIC]

  • Warm up lap
  • Merkins X 100 [with periodic short rest/recovery mid-set]
  • Squats X 100
  • Lunge walk X 40 yards
  • Plank-o-rama
  • Lunge walk X 40 yards
  • Pull ups – 3 sets X 10 each
  • Dips – 3 sets X 20 each
  • 800 meters [+ or -] at max speed
  • Mini-Mary

Slap Shot [QIC]

  • Merkins with partner x20
  • Starfish with 5 burpees  at each return [excercises at each station = Mountain climbers x20; Carolina Drydocks x20; Squats x20; Scissor crunch x20; Jump lunges x20; Squat jumps x20; Knee ups x20; Plank-0-rama at finish]
  • Run to lower field Peter parker x10 Parker peter x10
  • Frog jump half field Bear crawl second half
  • Run to trail 5 burpees, then run the trail,  Jump-up x20 and plank-o-rama at end
  • Jog to parking lot and/or sprint to finish

Nakedman Moleskin

  • Dumb #1 = century set merkins to start the workout… bad idea, especially for a warm up.  YHC isn’t too proud to admit when a great plan has gone awry, but we finished those darn merkins, albeit a bit ugly at the end.
  • Dumb #2 = starfish drill to start the second 30 minutes.  Many of the PAX were stumbling at the end, but once again… we perservered.
  • Random observations:
  •  Girardi and Ocho Cinco blazed the trail on the 800 Meter run… strong work.
  • Tiger Rag destroyed the starfish, leaving everyone in his wake.
  • Great to see Biscuit back in the gloom.
  • Triple claps to Boss Tweed… 58 years young, and getting after it!
  • Cottontail showing some major strides during recent weeks.

The Balding Nub

4 brave souls launched a beachhead assault on a not-so-gloomy Bald Head Island.

The Thang:

Run 1/4 mile

SSH’s x 25

Imperial Walkers x 25

Squats x 25

Run 1/4 mile

Merkin’s x 30

LBCs x 25

Standing Lunges x 15

Run 1/2 mile

Decline Merkins/Jump Ups – “11’s” (10 decline Merkin’s, 1 jump up; 9 decline Merkin’s, 2 jump ups; etc)

Jog to tower

Run stairs

20 dips at bottom

Run stairs

15 dips

Run stairs

10 dips

Run stairs

5 dips

Rosalita x 15

Bicycle x 15

Mason Twist x 15

Scorpion Stretch x 5

People’s Chair

1/4 mile Indian Run to hill

Partner carry up hill, switch half way

Run 1/4 mile

Mountain climbers x 20

Run 1/4 mile

Carolina dry docks x 10

Run 1/4 mile

COT

Naked Man MOLESKIN:

Pretty Boy QB…after liberally applying a petroleum jelly salve to his badly chafed under carriage – brought it strong and led the tower/dips session.  And shout-out to him as well for a 7 mile runyesterday…which produced the aforementioned chafe.

Jamboree was bold in suggesting the jump up/decline merkin session.

A good effort by the Pax as we ran by a crew setting up for a philanthropic 5K…had to talk Ray Charles out of stealing some raceday t-shirts.

We’ll see the rest of our F3 brothers early next  week in the Queen City gloom.  We’re out!