Lights, Camera, Action for F3

Lights, Camera, Action for F3

Awesome morning in the gloom for 58 pax (including 3 FNGs) from Area 51 and Metro CLT to get after it #F3TheRock style!  As the pax rolled in the shovel flag was firmly planted and Dredd & OBT where being interviewed by our local NBC news anchor M Mic Check (Colleen Odegaard) for an upcoming show featuring F3.  With the cameras rolling and filming the entire workout, all the pax heeded TR’s preaching and put forth their best form.

The Thang:

Run Stopper Lead:

Mosey to the far end of the soccer pitches for COP:

Merkins x 20, Mt Climbers x 20, SSH x 20

Jack Webb #1, 1 Merkin & 4 Arm Raises, 2 Merkins & 8 Arm Raises, continue up to 10 / 40.

Mosey to pavilion for:

3 sets of jump ups x 20, Dips x 20, Step Ups x 10 each leg

Peoples Chair x 3 mins – Arms high and hold leg up 6 inches, swap legs, Arms high and twinkle toes – lift heels and support toes, regular wall sit.

Planks led by Dredd

Jack Webb #2 – up to 10 merkins & skip the last arm raises to 40, go to 50 for extra credit.

Hit your six for the protractor.

Mall Cop Lead:

Mosey to side of the church for 6 MOM with Rosalita x 20 straight to hold for 6″, Flutter x 20, Cumberland County Viaduct x 13 left side, 13 right side, Freddie Mercury (bicycle) x 15.

Mosey to the set of 4 cones set 30 yards apart in front of the church for:

The Beast: sprint to first cone and do exercise called x 10, then so on continuing at each cone down to #4, then turn around and do exercise at each cone back to start.  Plank when done.

1) Merkins at each cone.

2) Squat Jumps each cone.

3) Carolina Dry Docks each cone.

4) Suicide Sprints back and forth to each cone.

5) LBCs each cone.

6) Bear Crawl to first cone, Crab Walk to Second Cone, Sprint to 3rd Cone, then Burpee Broad Jump back 90 yards.  (Crowd Pleaser)

Two Line Indian Run around the perimeter of the parking lot, then Jail Break last 150 yards to Shovel Flag.

COT

Moleskin:

Another awesome morning in the gloom at The Rock to make a downPAINment on the day.  The pax did a great job today with the distraction of the cameras rolling and kept good form throughout.  Thanks to Tiger Rag for preaching good form and having the pax in good shape to make F3 proud!  It was great having some of our Metro CLT brothers down for the morning.  Yes brothers, there is life and a sustainable society below Fairview Rd.

As soon as we know the show air date on NBC from the filming of this mornings workout and the interviews we will post it on the website and send out some tweets.  There may even be several F3ers in studio on set for the show, so be on the lookout to set your DVRs.

There were many Larry Birds today but by far the best performance was by Ricshaw, Stage Coach’s 2.0.  They both doubled down by posting at Stonehenge at 6:00 and coming straight over to The Rock afterwards.  Toward the end of the Beast YHC called for a suicide sprint to each cone and the whole pax got smoked by a quadruple Hate!  STRONG job little brother, STRONG!

OBT had a secret award ceremony as he had made some special Double Down GoRuck fire and snow patches made for the 4 pax, including Area 51’s The Shore, who participated in both GoRuck Challenges.  Another super strong showing and now they have some sweet patches to show for it.  Well done gents!

Great 3rd F prayer by Dredd with a ball of man at the end of the COT!  Please keep the following pax and families in your daily prayers as we lift each other up: Matlock and his daughter, Coal Miner’s Daughter and his daughter, and Cotton Mouth and his wife.

Announcements:

We are continuing to collect workout clothes for the Charlotte Rescue Mission workout and childrens books for Billingsville Elementary.  We are now in full signup mode for the next GoRuck Challenge on August 2nd and for the USMC Mud Run in October.

Until Next Time!

 

Spring in the Air, Summer around the Corner

12 Hearty Souls (including 2 FNGs) gathered around the Shovel Flag for their weekly downpainment at Area 51, with Countertop and Abacus on Q.  Starting to feel more like spring/summer here in the South as we kicked it off with Countertop taking the lead.

  • Hit the playground for 10 Pull-ups (Countertop is a non-traditionalist)
  • Mosey to the Soccer Fields  (all exercises in cadence)
  •      Run to the 1st post – SSH x 30
  •      Backward Run to the 2nd post – Imperial Walkers x 30
  •      Run to the 3rd post – LBC x 20
  •      Karaoke left to the 4th post – Mountain Climbers x 20
  •      Run to the 5th post – Sister Mary Catherine x 10 each leg
  •      Karaoke right to the 6th post – Perkins (Perfect Merkins) x 10
  • 100 yard duck and runs x 3 (Canadian brothers refer to these as Pepper Pods)
  • COP (all exercise in cadence)
  •      Man Maker Merkins x 10
  •      Imperial Squats x 20
  •      Scissor Crunches x 20
  •      Rinse & Repeat x 2

Countertop turns it over to YHC for 2nd half

  • Mosey to back of school for People’s Chair and Balls to the Wall
  •      People’s Chair x 60 secs, Merkins x 20
  •      BTW x 30 secs, CDD x 20
  •      People’s Chair x 60 secs, Merkins x 20
  •      BTW x 30 secs, Squats x 20
  • Mosey to the Nature Trail behind the school
  •      Run the trail
  •      Bear Crawl up the hill at entrance to nature trai
  •      10 Burpees & Plank it up until all PAX are done
  • Head over to the back Playground and divide in to 3 groups
  •      Pull-ups x 10
  •      Dips x 25
  •      Step-ups x 10 each leg
  •      Rinse & Repeat
  • Head up to the track for Jack Webb (up to 7 merkins/28 air presses)
  • On your back for 6 MOM (in cadence)
  •      Dolly x 15, Hold ’em 6 in
  •      Flutters x 15, Hold ’em 6 in
  •      Freddie Mercury (Slow Bicycle) x 15
  • Jog back to the launch point
  • COT

Moleskin:

– Nice effort by all the PAX and welcome to the two new FNG’s – George Collins (F3 name TBD) & Hal Queen (Coop)

– Any type of team running event, I want Ocho Cinco on my side #smokeboots

– Anyone notice that summer is quickly approaching.  Humidity could definitely be felt and won’t be long before we are looking forward to those nice cool mornings

– Dirty Bird able to enjoy a free work-out and then managed a little free medical consultation on sore knee from FNG George Collins (PA at OrthoCarolina)

– Announcements

“Rookie” work-out at Base Camp scheduled for 5/20.  Invite anyone that may have been considering joining a work-out, but not ready to jump in head first.

Sign up for the October Mud Run on the F3 website.  Deadline is 5/25 for sign-up/payment to guarantee a spot.

As always, an honor and a privilege to lead one of these workouts

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Aye! The bell tolled and 12 pax left the fartsack and headed into the gloom at Stonehenge this balmy morning.  Honey Bee was on for his first co-Q opportunity and did a great job, as did all the pax out in Yankeetyne this morning.  And so the story goes…

The Thang

Honey Bee led portion
COP
– SSH x 15
– Standing Lunges x 10
– Imperial Walker x 10
– Mountain Climber x 12
Little baby jog to adjacent parking lot

Bucket Brigade
– pax line up and pass a cinder block down the line
– nonstop merkins when not passing the cinderblock
Rinse and Repeat x 3
Mosey to Honey Bee’s truck and pick a “little friend” (rock)
Your little friend will be with you for the remainder of the workout

50 yard lunge walk with little friend overhead
Standing Arm Curls x 15
Little baby jog to Field of Bulls
Circle up

Rock-O-Rama – series of Honey Bee led exercises with the little friends
All in cadence count
– Big circles x 10
– Wood splitter x 10
– Squat with Overhead Press x 10
– Standing Mason Twist x 10
– Dying Cockroaches x 10
– Seated Mason Twist x 15
– Partner style sit-ups x 15 (exchange rock with partner every other “up”)

Switch to Dolphin on Q
Split in to two teams

Bear Crawl Relay – pushing rocks down 20 yards and back
Various exercises while waiting (crunches, merkins, squats, etc.)
All exercises with rocks
Repeato with lunge walk down and backward lunge walk back
Same deal with exercises while you wait

Little baby jog to Lake Hill
Reacquaint with partner from sit-ups

Jacob’s Ladder – Partner Style
P1: Holds both rocks in sumo squat position
P2: Jacob’s Ladder with 1, 2 and 3 burpees
Flapjack
Plank while all pax complete

Bearkin Crawl (bear crawl with merkin every three steps) up hill
Jog back down
Bearkin Crawl while pushing rock to base of hill and back
Plank until all pax complete
Lap around lake
Hand Q back to Honey Bee

Parking Row Suicides
Sprint (without rock) to adjacent parking row (@ 20 yards) and back
Sprint (with rock) to adjacent parking row and back
Repeato x 3

Little baby jog half mile back to Honey Bee’s truck and deposit rocks
Little baby jog back to launch point

COT

Naked Moleskin:
– Great job today by Honey Bee in his first Q and all the pax did a fantastic job on a warm (finally) morning.
– The “little friends” were a great addition to the workout. All the pax loved carrying an extra 15 to 20 pounds around during the workout.
– Honey Bee’s Rock-O-Rama was a big #crowdpleaser as not a lot of chatter amongst the pax.
– Pax were also very quiet during the Jacob’s Ladder and Bearkin crawls. Silent Pax = Hardworking Pax. Great job guys.
– T-claps to Rickshaw who was near the front on all the running and really did a great job throughout the workout. It’s great to see the next generation of F3 at these workouts.

Announcements:
– Lots of new Charlotte South workouts – Bagpipe, Hydra, Strip Maul. Check weekly email for more details.
– Rookie Day May 20 at Base Camp so headlock any guys that are new to working out or just bootcamp style workouts. #F3growing
– Summer GORUCK on August 2. This will be a custom F3 event and will be a most definite #crowdpleaser. Imagine Jack Webb in a bikini this summer? #Scary
– Check out website for details on Memorial Day Convergence at The Patriot Charities event. Lets get a strong F3 showing there.
– Continue to pray for Matlock’s daughter who is having a very difficult time. Be in prayer for the entire family during this difficult time.

All I got brothers. Aye!

PreBlast – The Rock; Jack Webb just called on my cell and he is NOT HAPPY.

Jack Upset

PreBlast for the Rock at Calvery….The  PAX may have to endure at least two sessions in the first half the workout.  Just sayin’ be prepared for #anupperbodysmokefest….  MC has the second half and has his own kind of madness only a guy named Mall Cop can bring!

Flag will be planted at 0645. Music will be playing in the background, maybe a little Disturbed and our F3 anthom, Sail by Awolnation to help prepare the PAX for the 0700 launch. 

Aye, 

Run Stopper

Pax Meet Brick

The virtual shovel flag was posted and 16 PAX rolled in to Charlotte Catholic HS for their weekly dose of Centurion

Grab a brick from trunk of Chelms truck and jog to warm up lot for COP

SSH X20 – Brick in right hand
SSH X20 – Brick in left hand
Diamonds X15
Squats with brick out front (where else?) X25
Plank with right arm brick risers X10
Plank with left arm brick risers X10

Jog to corner of football field for “Extended four corners” (still no key for field and Q is not about to be first to climb the fence since I have 2 2.0’s heading their soon). Jog around outisde of “stadium” and stop at each corner to complete 10 count of called excercise
Round 1 – Merkins
Round 2 – Squats
Round 3 – Turkish get ups (ouch)
Round 4 – Jumping lunges
Round 5 – Burpees

Jog to front of school to picnic tables for step ups , dips, and merkins
Round 1 – x10
Round 2 – X15
Round 3 – X20

Jog to parking lot for 6 minutes of mary
Low dolly X15
High flutter X15
Low flutter X15
Protractor
Freddie Mercury (slow bicycle) X15
Boat / canoe

Jog around field back to start for COT

Moleskin
First time as Q at Centurion and had to show the young men how an old man gets after it. I have only been war daddy once in 2 years before Centurion and now twice in a row. #oldmanstrong is looking for some real war daddies (over 50).

Extended four corners was rough but just wait till/if we get on the football field for burpee/squat suicide ladder.

Did Farside show up late on purpose thinking he could slip through without a brick unnoticed? Q was watching like a hawk and made sure he got his money’s worth – #noshortcuts

A lot of new faces for me so bare with me until I learn names and faces. It was a privilege to take the lead at Centurion.

Consider contributing some time to Billingsville now or AG Middle School in the fall to help guide/tutor some young men that often lack a strong male figure in their life. Contact me at pchepul@gmail.com if interested in helping (1 or 2 per month from 4:30 to 6:00 one day a week – Wed at Billingsville and TBD at AG Middle School).

In a Pinch for a Q

bulldog

With Bulldog on the DL, the Kevlar pax had to settle for YHC as Q on this beautiful Friday morning.  Nevertheless, 30 non-fartsackers launched an assault at 0530 (or 0531.24798 as TR asserted).

Thang:

Jog from parking lot to center of church campus for COP

SSH x 25

IW x 24

Squats x 25 – mumble chatter already….come on guys

Slow Perfect Merkins x 13

Jog to terraced parking lots and split into 2 lines of 15 men for the following:

1st Run:

Lunge walk to first terrace, bear crawl to 2nd terrace, lunge walk to bottom of hill, Run up hill, 10 burpees at top, run all the way back to start point, plank until all pax finishes

2nd Run:

High knees to first terrace, backwards run to 2nd terrace, lunge walk to bottom of hill, run up hill, 20 LBCs at top, run back to start point, plank until all pax finishes

Jog to parking lot near ball fields

Burpee broad jumps the length of the parking lot.  Much mumblechatter.

Mosey to field near benches.

1 group does flutter kicks while 2nd group does 20 Nipplers (decline merkins, touching right hand to left pec, then left hand to right pec, etc., etc. 10 reps each arm)

Time for some 11’s:

1 group starts with Dips at benches

1 group starts with Wide Arm Merkins at other end of field

Run to opposite end of field in between exercises.

Run back to high school complex

People’s Chair

Partner Up: 1 man in People’s Chair while other man does 20 WLBCs.  Flapjack.

Repeato.

6ish MoM & Plankish work

Dolly x 13

Freddy Mercury x 13

CCVs x 13 (YHC’s favorite….unless Providentially hindered – this is a staple of any workout YHC leads #losethelovehandles

Makthar Ndjiaye’s x 13

Overhead Presses x 50 (1/2 of a Jack Webb)

COT

Moleskine:

TR gave grief before the launch and asked YHC to check the Timex – so we launched at 0531.something or other.

Surprised by some mumblechatter during COP….it’s not the weekend yet men!

Great turnout at Kevlar but where were Bugeater, 49’er and Donkey Kong who launched Hydra yesterday?

Strong work by all the men and T-Claps to our FNG Jemima for pushing through the pain.  Good to have you brother and look forward to having you back among the pax soon.

Most exciting point of the morning was when Busch or Spackler (can’t remember) spotted another snake along the wall during People’s Chair session.  YHC is still trying to confirm that Snakebite timed his fastest 40 time ever in sprinting away from the wall and then jumping on Geraldo’s shoulders.

Announcements:

Launch of 3rd F Workout: Compass at Arbo Chic-Fil-A was a great success.  20 pax posting. T-claps to Stone Cold and Bulldog for co-Q’ing this.

Bring K-5 children’s books to The Rock tomorrow for Billingsville students.  WCNC will be filming at The Rock as well tomorrow, so pax posting be duly warned (persuaded? or dissuaded?).  Expect to see Brown wearing the Mushmouth lid, Chuck E. Cheese donning the famous shoes, and Iron Horse to sport the Red Grange football helmet…is that too much to ask?

Continue to pray for our brothers who are rehabbing/hurting: Bulldog, Ray Charles, The Shore, and others.  Also – please remember Coal Miner’s Daughter family in prayers with the passing of his father.  And also Matlock and his daughter.  He is a mighty God and capable of all things.

Invasion from Metro

6 Pax took on #F3devilsturn this morning from  the Old Bell entrance of McAlpine Greenway.

The Thang:

  • 5 Pax took on the 6 mile challenge. 1 Pax took on the 4 mile challenge.
  • With no Q in sight, there was a total total disregard for any interval preblast. Just run it.

Moleskin:

  • 4 FNGs to DevilsTurn posted from Governor’s Square. If not for them, there would have been a very lonely morning for both groups. As it was, Swiss Miss was all alone on the 4 mile trip.
  • Great conversation on the route (no intervals).
  • Faster finish over the second half.  Last 1/2 mile was an attempt to catch Swiss Miss…YHC missed by 5 yards.
  • At some point, the plan is to move to 4 mile Creek / McMullen Creek greenway near Trader Joes at Rea rd due to coming construction at McAlpine. We will miss the soft gravel, but gladly still have zero traffic and a mix of boardwalk and asphalt (still no concrete).

29 At Hydra Launch

Strong official launch of South Charlotte’s new Thursday workout Hydra. 29 men posted and YHC counted at least 8 pax who accepted the “no motorized means of transportation” challenge.  Nice!

The Thang:

Donkey Kong Q:

-Run 4 laps around track and complete 10 burpees each lap. What!… no warm up of SSH’s or Imp walkers??

-Partner up. Man A bear crawls around track while Man B completes 10 merkins then runs to Man A and switch continue until 1/8th mile lap is completed.

-Follow the leader running tour of new workout facility.

-Circle up for 1×4 Jack Webbs up to 7.  Ahhh…GoRuck memories.

-Run to open field.

49er Q:

-Partner up and each man completes 20 old school sit ups (partner holds feet of man doing sit up).

-Both partners sprint 50ish yards and complete 15 partner plank/diamond merkins each then both sprint back to other end of field.

-Complete 20 more OS sit ups each then sprint to other end of field and complete 20 partner plank/bunny hops over planking partner’s feet.

-Sprint back to opposite end of field… yep.. 20 more OS sit ups each then sprint to opposite end of field.

-Complete 15 partner plank/wide arm merkins each then sprint back.  Plank

-Next exercise with same partners: Man A runs to track and completes 2 laps and one up and over 4 legged mini monkey bars (gotta be careful with the family goods on this one!) then runs back to transition area

-Man B runs to playground and completes 10 pull ups then runs to concession stand and completes 20 dips then runs back to play ground and completes 10 chin ups and runs back to transition area.

-Each team completes 20 CDD’s at transition then Man A&B switch.  Repeato until time runs out (which wasn’t long..)

-COT

Moleskin:

-YHC was surprised to see that at least 8 men accepted the run/bike to workout challenge.  This will be a standard Hydra challenge during the warmer months. What OPE lacks in hills and terrain it makes up for in convenience as several pax live within 2 miles of the site. Those living more than 1 mile away can meet at the Food Lion in Candlewyck and run 1 mile to OPE.  A few guys did this today and it is a great 2nd F as well. Thanks for organizing Dora!

-The Iron Man Award goes to Stone Cold for logging a 5 mile run/commute in addition to the workout this morning. If anyone completed a longer physical commute let it be known and Stone Cold will be disqualified.

-The Pitiful Excuse Award goes to Mall Cop, who drove this morning.  He was going to ride his bike but it had a flat tire…how convienient!  Walmart!  Don’t you live like a 1/2 mile away??

-Welcome FNG…Mr. Drummond; glad you could join us.  Note to FNG’s.. don’t be so honest when asked “what was your favorite 80’s tv show?”

-Great launch today and with 29 posting it demonstrates what we all already know… F3 is growing like gangbusters!

49er

 Announcements:

-3rd F..The Compass starts tomorrow at 0630-0715 at Chick-Fila at the Arboretum. Stone Cold and Bulldog leading. See Preblast for futher details.

-Continue to pray for Matlock’s family.

 

 

3rd F Preblast The Compass

Come on out, enjoy a chicken biscuit and some good converstaion to the launch of The Compass tomorrow morning (May 10th) at 0630-0715 at the Chick-Fila in the Arboretum.  We’ll be discussion the first chapter of The True Measure of a Man, by R.E. Simmons.  Here is the link to the first chapter: http://www.amazon.com/The-True-Measure-Man-Perceptions/dp/1581693591#reader_1581693591

Bulldog and I are looking forward to it.

 

 

Grab your Partner Dosey Doe

40 men braved the gloom on a fine spring morning for a nice variety of downpainments!  Salt lick led the group through the woods to the park and playground for the start of the workout:

Warm-up run around the parking lot

  • Merkinsx20
  • IWx25
  • SSHx25
  • High Kneesx15

Next the group moved to the playground  for a few pain stations (3 stations with pax split into 3 groups)

  • 30 Decline Merkins
  • 20 Carolina Dry Docks
  • 10 Wide Grip Pull-ups
  • Rinse and Repeat with Incline Merkins, Narrow CDDs, Narrow or Underhand Grip PU Rinse and Repeat with Regular Ea Exercise

Salt Lick closed out the front end of the work-out with some “get to know your partner” exercises.

  • Partner Dipsx15-flapjack (partner 1 in table position, partner 2 faces away doing dips)
  • Partner Elbow Curlsx20-flapjack
  • Rinse and repeat

Baracus led the pax over to the hill, and then to another hill for some ladders

  • Sprint up hill
  • 1 burpee at the top
  • Run down
  • 6 squats at the bottom
  • Repeat (2 burpees/5 squats, 3 burpees/4 squats….etc.)

Mosey to the football field for some interval work

  • Sprint length of field 
  • 20x air squats
  • jog back
  • repeat 2x more with (10x alternating jump lunges, 20x LBC)

Moleskin

A record turnout today since the launch of “The Maul” at Stonecrest – 40 strong!  Each week we are gaining a little sunlight during the workout, but clearly the headlamps were still needed today as we wandered through the woods.  Those in front had no trouble finding the trail, but in the darkness it takes a long time to move 40 men in the same direction…and apparently not to be forgotten in the light too as YHC found out later when looking for a good ladder hill.  Salt lick got us started with some great upper body pain stations (my shoulders are burning), but the crowd really enjoyed the partner exercises.  The partner dip exercises had the pax talking.  Some were wondering if they should have taken their partner to dinner first, while others felt the need for a cold shower.  We certainly know each other better now!

YHC took over and led the pax over to the hill, where they could enjoy cat-calls from the ladies working out on the other side of the fence.  After all were in position on the hill, Salt lick graciously pointed out that this was the wrong hill…..so there goes a couple of minutes that would save the pax from one extra sprint at the end of the workout.  We finished with some intervals on the football field while after the sun came up, and despite my best effort to get one more sprint in we called it a day.  Great work guys!

Announcements             

  • Complete the survey if you haven’t already!  150 responses = TR in a kilt at Bagpipe
  • Devil’s Turn will be changing locations from the McAlpine Greenway entrance on Sardis Rd to the Greenway at Piper Glen (near Trader Joes)…more to come on this from the Shore
  • Starting May 10, the latest 3rd F event will begin, Compass, with Bulldog & Stone Cold. 6:30-7:15 Fridays at the Arboretum Chick-Fil-A. We will be discussing a great book, entitled, The True Measure of a Man
  • Continue to keep Coal Miner’s Daughter and his family in your prayers.