Back to basics…

Back to basics…

Kicked off 2022 at Anvil with a basic old-school beatdown. Nothing fancy. 2ish Miles with lots of bodywork.

Pulled into the lot @ 5:20am giving myself plenty of time. Passed a random car with their lights on, parked in the wrong area of the AO. Maybe a passport challenge PAX? 5:30 rolled around, 6 more PAX showed, but the random car never ejected its driver. Oh well, we’ll run a lap by just to make sure. Lap completed, driver shaken by the presence of 7 men running around his car, but alas, he decided against joining us. Oh well, off we went into the gloom.

The Thang

Mosey our way around to the turf semi-circle.

CoP upon arrival at the semi-circle:

  • SSH x 15
  • Hillbillies x 15
  • Mountain Climbers x 15
  • LSM x 15
  • LSS x 15

Karaoke and High Knees down the main straight to the grassy knoll for 11’s

WAVE 1: 11s on the Grassy Knoll

  • Starting at the top of the hill, run down, CDDs x 10
  • Backward run up the hill, Jump Squat x 1
  • Repeato down/up with decreasing CCDs and increasing Jump Squats until we get to CCD x1 and Jump Squats x 10.

Mosey to the “Avenue of Trees”

WAVE 2: BOMBS down the avenue

  • BOMBS down the avenue.
    • B – Burpees x 5
    • O – Outlaws (Right x10, Left x10)
    • M –Merkins x 15
    • B – Big Boy Sit-Ups x 20
    • S – Squats x 25

Mosey over to the gym wall, grab a seat

WAVE 3: Shoulder Work

  • Assume the ‘People’s Chair’ position. Overhead Claps (on my up) x 30
  • Plank Walk / BTW Wall Walk across the flat wall
    • PAX line up abreast, across from the wall, in plank position.
    • 1st PAX gets up, heads to the wall and BTW ‘wall walks’ across
    • Next PAX plank walks to the beginning, then BTW ‘wall walks’ across
    • When PAX reach the end of the wall, return to plank walk back to starting position
  • Back to ‘People’s Chair’, Overhead Claps (on my up) x 40
  • Repeato Plank Walk / BTW Wall Walk but in the opposite direction
  • One more round of ‘People’s Chair’ and Overhead claps x 30

Mosey back the Avenue of Trees and ran two more sets of B.O.M.B.S. back the other way.

Indian run back to launch.

Mary until time is called

Called time and COT. 

Moleskin

  • After last week’s Thighland workout by Abba, many PAX in attendance were feeling the backward runs up the hill. 7s may have been more appropriate but the 11s really made us feel the burn!
  • The BTW Walks helped each PAX show off their own distinct form. Some bad, none great (YHC included). Having that pole in the way ensured we had to get our feet high in the process.
  • Overall, a pretty quiet morning. Not a lot of mumblechatter to be had as we kept the pace up throughout the workout.

Announcements

  • A friend of Abba and Stalker has a little girl named Eden (7-8 months old) who is fighting cancer. Please pray for her and her family as they go through this trial

It’s Just a “Little Dot”

Upon arrival, a few raindrops were on our windshields.  Q and PAX were perplexed as rain was not in the forecast and Q’s weinke had very little plans for under canopy work.  That being said, Q checked the radar and advised the fellow PAX….”no worries, the radar shows just a little green dot of precipitation”.  Let’s go!

Warmup

Mosey around parking lot.  SSH) in cadence x 15, IW in cadence x 15, Merkins x 15, Moroccan Night Clubs x 15, Arm circles & Mountain Climbers in cadence x 15.  Stretching – up/down dogs, calves, runner’s pose.

Thang

7-count ladder with plank jacks and dry docks and run from curb line to center island.  Green dot spitting just enough to be annoying.

Mosey to middle school patio for step-ups (20), wall air presses in cadence (25), wall air jabs in cadence (25), dips (20) and derkins (10).  Rinse and repeat all.  Green dot let up while under cover.

Mosey to lower track and rock pile.  3 sets of 20 each of curls & overhead press.  Run/jog a lap around track after each set of 20.  At opposite corner of rock pile, 10 each squats and 10 each speed-skaters (2 is 1).  After 6th lap, super set of 20 curls and 20 overhead press.  Green dot sporadically let us know he was still there.

Mosey back to COT and finish with 25 SSH in cadence and Fiji’s / UNC’s infamous fast feet-drop downs.  Green dot no where to be found.

Moleskin

8 Pax logged close to 3 miles and plenty of reps while getting (somewhat) wet from that damn green dot.  Schnitzel set the fast pace and stayed out in front with his headlamp providing a good beacon of just how far out in front he was….nice work!

Announcements / Closing

Centerfold reminded all to take a look at the “3rd F” component for new years resolutions.  Rice-and-beans being a perfect, weekly opportunity.  One star shared “API” – Assume Positive Intent.  Or in other words, as you talk to others at work and at home, forget about the negative and past mistakes.  Open your mind and give others the benefit of the doubt leading into the conversation.

Is it winter or summer?

Felt like a summer tropical storm down at Waxhaw Elementary Monday morning.  Strange weather to start off the new year.
5 of us at COT
DiCCS given and off we go
Warm Up and Stretch:
lap around front parking lot
15 SSH
10 Imperial Walkers
10 Merkins
Calf Stretch
Runners pose – right foot, right hand, left foot left hand
Jimmy Dugan
Mosey to bus lot in back
The Thang:
Bus Lot Web:
7 merkins one end, 1 low slow squat on the other
until 1, 7
Gravel Path Run to neighborhood next to school:
Run down street with burpees stops at each mailbox, increment 1 each stop
Run back up hill with split squats at each mailbox, increment 1 each stop
One more sprint down and up hill
Mosey back up gravel path
At this point the wind was strong enough it felt like we were doing springs with parachutes attached to us
End up a front lot again…
Partner Up at front lot:
As a Team:  50 Carolina Dry Docks, 50 Donkey Kicks, 50 Squats, 50 Peter Parker
One runs to end of lot, other exercises
Individually:  25 merkins, 25 toy soldier hallelujahs, 25 big boys
Run to end of lot and back between each set
STRETCH – just off holidays, need to take care of ourselves as we push hard to start the year – avoid injuries!
COT
Announcements:
Landfill VQ at Aspen this Thursday 5:30
Passport Challenge mentioned again
F3 Sanctuary Monday evenings – new study starting next week
Close out by YHC
Moleskin:
Small group of PAX who pushed hard through the 3.5+ miles, wind, wet conditions  Great work by all!
Enjoyed my first time at the Lycan.  Good change of scenery.  Encourage others to post there soon!

Swingin’ in the Rain

5 bros pulled up in the InVue parking lot (to get a little shelter from the rain) at about 0530, ready to kick off a new year of Swole with a hypertrophy program of High Tide’s design. For details of the program, see here.

After a thorough disclaimer for the pax, we got started with a little warm-up:

  • SSH x 20 IC
  • IW x 10 IC
  • Windmill x 10 IC
  • Low Slow Squat x 15 IC – this is when Hoover and Lex pulled in after going to McAlpine at first
  • Arm circles forward x 10 IC
  • Arm circles backward x 10 IC

With the pax sufficiently warmed up, we moved on to the main event, which consisted of 5 sets of 3 supersets of exercises performed every 2:00. Pax with smaller bells, work for 1:30 and rest for :30, pax with medium sized bells, work for 1:00 and rest for 1:00, pax with large bells or doubles, work for :30 and rest for 1:30. It worked out that most pax did 1 or 2 sets every 2:00, depending on bell size.

  • Superset 1: 8 cleans and 8 presses for 2:00 x 3
  • Superset 2: 8 squats and 8 merkins for 2:00 x 3
  • Superset 3: 8 heavy swings and 8 lawnmowers per side for 2:00 x 3

Carries – either farmer (if you have doubles) or waiter (alternating halfway for singles) – 90 seconds x 2 with 90 seconds rest between

Mary – 1:20 elbow plank until out of time

Announcements:

  • The 2022 Passport Challenge kicked off on Saturday. Visit as many F3 AOs in any region as possible in January and February to win a sweet pair of dog tags (and regional bragging rights). A more fulsome pre-blast can be found here and you can sign up here.
  • Q Source will kick off this Sunday at the Panera at the Arboretum from 0800 to 0830 (after Rum Runner/Rucker – see Slack for starting times for each). For those who are unfamiliar, Q Source is an F3 leadership development program with weekly discussion topics. If interested, join the discussion on the #qsource channel on Slack and/or come join us on Sundays. Please see Geraldo’s pre-blast here.

Moleskine:

  • T-claps to High Tide for taking the lead in designing the new program for the M-W-Sa kettlebell workouts. Please take a look at the spreadsheet he put together (see link above) as he’s done a great job of laying out what we’ll be doing and how to perform the supersets. The only (slight) modification we made today is to allow for pax with lighter bells to do 2 sets every 2:00 instead of the prescribed 1. The program is designed to wave intensity throughout the week by adjusting the number of sets. For those days with fewer sets, the Q will have some time to fill with other exercises, complexes, etc.
  • Thanks to the pax for coming out this morning and following my lead. It was a wet (though not cold) morning, which makes it tough to get out and swing the bells (cough, Frehley’s, cough). It’s not often that I thank a member of the pax for cruising an elementary school parking lot picking up guys, but thanks Hoover for patrolling the McAlpine parking lot and bringing Lex over.
  • The playlist was Spotify’s “Rock School,” which looked good at first glance, but did include a few songs that were #verboten for various reasons (i.e., too slow, female lead singer that wasn’t Evanescence or Garbage, etc.). Thankfully, Frehley’s wasn’t there to complain and Hoover didn’t throw a bell at me because he only brought one. #nospares
  • I know Wild Turkey was getting after it this morning. He did at least 2 sets every 2:00 and he wasn’t using a small bell. I also saw Lex getting after it with multiple sets on at least the clean and press. Strong work for both of you. I’m sure others were working hard too, but it was tough to see with the way we were set up in a line instead of a circle/oval.
  • Someone had too much chili last night or something because they were smoking us out under the cover a couple of times this morning. Normally, I would blame Frehley’s or The Worm, but neither was in attendance.
  • With a new year comes all kinds of resolutions. While resolutions can be helpful for some people, most of us have experience with setting high goals in January only to have them fade by February (or maybe January 15th). Instead, set achievable/measurable goals and share them with your friends (or your Shieldlock in F3 jargon). Have them hold you accountable for achieving them. F3 is a great way of making progress because it’s designed to instill accountability. Regardless of your goal, there are pax training for the same thing or something very similar. Want to ruck a bajillion miles in 2022? Reach out to Wild Turkey, Geraldo, Cheese Curd, or some of the other SACS-heads. Want to run a marathon? Talk to Bunker, Frasier, Hairball, Garcia, Flipper, Grasshopper, or any number of the amazing runners we have in our midst. Want to dial in your snatch, learn to bent press, or just get better with kettlebells without hurting yourself or embarrassing yourself at the gym? Come on out to Swole, Meathead, or Olympus and stand next to me, Mighty Mite, High Tide, Unplugged, Wild Turkey (again), or any of the other regulars. Want to get in great all-around shape so you can chase your kids around the yard? Try keeping up with Alf, Orange Whip, Mic Check, or any of the other boot camp all-stars at any of the numerous boot camps in South Charlotte. If you have a different goal, talk it up and you’re likely to find someone crazy enough to do it with you. Alright, that’s enough talking – get out there and do something.

Area 51 Q Source-Launch

When: 1/9/2022 0830-0830

Where: Panera Bread Arboretum 3207 Pineville-Matthews Rd Charlotte

Who: All Pax

What: Join us weekly starting Sunday 1/9/2022 for Q Source. Q Source was  created “to help the men of F3 learn and master leadership we began to develop a body of practices that we drew from the timeless principles of leadership and their effective application in our workout community”. If you’re not familiar with Q Source, you can find more information at https://f3nation.com/q/. We’ll share the topic weekly and this weeks topic is Disruption.

There will be running and rucking options available for those looking for some 1st F before Q Source,  and the details will be posted on Slack each week.

See you then.

Geraldo

Three Q’s for one workout

Looking at the weather forecast last night, it was all apocalyptic for this morning. But our always great mood in Waxhaw seemed to work again and pushed the rain (almost) all away. Yeah! And we had a tripple delight with Rainman, Fuse Box and myself Q’ing each 20min.

Warmup

I gave the DICCS and off we went past Rudy’s (shit) shed to the big parking lot at the stadium. Everybody had to pick a lifting rock, but put it aside for the time being. Circle up and: 20x SSH, 15x Imperial Walker, 15x Mountain Climber, calf stretch, runners stretch…

The Thang

So I had the pleasure to kick off the first round of exercises. 4 corners across both parking lots. In the first round, start each corner with 1 Burpee, second round 2 Burpees and so on. 1. corner: 20x curls with the rocks. 2. corner: 20x Bobby Hurleys. 3. corner: 20x LBC’s. 4. corner: 20x speed skaters (2 is 1). Bottlecap rightfully said that it just feels so real, as being on ice, with the slippery wet surface… I guess everybody was able to get 3 burpees in at the first corner, before the time was up. I guess we left Chastain behind doing “his business”, because I said that we would do another round… well, time was up! 😉

Next, Rainman took the lead. Mosey (are we really moseying at Ignition? It always feels like running!) to the stairs at the bus parking lot. 7’s with running up the stairs and 5x high knees (then 10x high knees and so on). I guess everybody got a bit dizzy and mis-counted at some point. On we went to the benches in front of the Middle School to do some exercises in cadence. I believe it was: inlclined merkins, dips with one foot off the ground, floaters, derkins (all 20x except derkins where we did “only” 15x and then 10x). Hot lap around the full parking lot and repeat-o! After a short hot lap, time was up…

Next, Fuse Box took over. Mosey to the street and do 10x jumping lunges at each light. Technically, once you were done, you should circle back to the 6. But since we were somehow all on the same pace, Fuse changed it to: run to the end of the street and then circle back to the 6. Once we were all at the end of the street: run to the signal all you got and mosey back to the starting point. Once somebody moseys back past you, turn around as well. We really did this 3 times! Then, mosey back to the Middle School. This time: do 10x jump lunges at every light. After every third light, circle back to the six. This worked out pretty well. Once at the stop sign: hot lap around the parking lot. Then mosey back to COT!

Moleskin

It was supposed to be the starting point for Rainman and myself to take over Ignition as Site Q’s with some coaching help from Fuse Box. Since Glidah and Hollywood couldn’t make it out today: was the transitioning happening today? Or are we postponing the official transition to next week?

Well… it doesn’t really matter! It was great being out there, meeting everybody again in the new year and just getting pushed to be a better man.

Announcements

I’d like to refer to the Flash BB, if it is out there… 😉

  • Ghosted asked for donations of snacks for Rice and Beans
  • Fuse Box brought up the ramp building project this Saturday. Come on out there, guys! It’s the one time in the year where you can use your underutilized tools!
  • Zinfandel had two events in February. Honestly, I forgot what they were… sorry!

Mad Dog led us out – thank you!

Convergence @ Flash

38 Pax Converged at Flash for Partner up

DICCS- Provided

Warm up:

15- SSH

15 Moroccan night clubs

15- Imperial Walker

Plank to calf stretch

Runners pose

10 Merkins

The Thang:

Partner A holds handstand against wall while Partner B runs paved triangle near teacher’s MS parking lot then flip flop X2

Mosey to front of MS

25 merkins and 10 burpees at each of the 3 light poles to MS entrance

Mosey to benches at school

Partner A does 10 step ups where 2 is 1 while Partner B runs the island then flip flop X2

*Penalty round (some Pax were cutting through the island for their lap)

Partner A does 15 derkins while Partner B runs the island

Lunge length of overhang on way to back of school

Four Corners in basketball court

((25 big boys, 25 heels to heaven, 50 LBCs, 50 shoulder taps) 3 burpees in middle) X1

GAGA Pit work

On the edges of the two Gaga pit structures, Pax partners split up 75 derkins and 75 dips

Mosey back to COT as running out of time

Stop for 10 mike tysons at light post on the way

Done

Announcements were made

Welcome FNG – Shingles

12 Days of Skunk (feat. Leon Redbone)

10 Skunks with Bells in Their Trunks

Baracus, Swiss Miss, Stone Cold, Hot Corner, Orange Whip, Voodoo, Lois, Hoover, High Tide, Horsehead (

 

12 Days of Skunk:  

You know the drill.  Yes, it’s 144 burpees.  Merry Christmas.

 

Day:   Gift:

  1. Dozen Burpees (options to modify)
  2. Squat Thrust (formerly TGUs)
  3. Snatch
  4. Rows
  5. Lunges
  6. Shoulder Press
  7. Goblet Squat
  8. Louganis
  9. Russian Twist
  10. 1 Handed Swings
  11. Romanian Deadlift
  12. Clean & Press

 

Set List – The Elf Movie Soundtrack

  1. Pennies from Heaven – Louis Prima
  2. Sleigh Ride – Ella Fitzgerald
  3. Jingle bells – Jim Reeves
  4. The Nutcracker Suite – The Brian Setzer Orchestra
  5. Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt
  6. Winter Wonderland – Ella Fitzgerald
  7. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – Eddy Arnold
  8. Jingle Bell Rock – Wayne Newton
  9. What Christmas Means To Me – Stevie Wonder
  10. You Make Me Feel So Young – Frank Sinatra
  11. Nothing From Nothing – Billy Preston
  12. Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Zooey Deschanel, Leon Redbone

 

Nine years running now for this Skunk-Themed disaster of a workout.  It’s a good one, and will run the clock out if you give the burpees a go.

 

It was good to have the Meatheads out.  Nothing like a kettlebell workout to fill the gap in between kettlebell workouts when you are training for kettlebell workouts.

High Tide brought out a portable helicopter landing pad to do TGUs on.  He’s always had a penchant for this awkward exercise, but this really added some flair.  He said he got it from Walmart.  I think it was a yoga mat from the Lane Bryant catalog.  Anyways, he rolled around on that thing most of the morning and seemed to enjoy himself so we’ll just let it be.

Apparently, Hoover has been nursing from the leftover F3 Christmas Party kegs for the past week or so and was looking rather embalmed.  His eyes lit up when Santa Baby came on until I told him to google a picture of Eartha Kitt.  I think that spoiled his dreams a bit, so sorry about that.

Stone Cold really seemed to enjoy the Frank Sinatra lyrics about Punching the Moon like a Toy Balloon with Songs to be Sung and Flings to be Flung.  Those are actual lyrics.  Old Blue Eyes really had no idea what he was saying most of the time.

Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone’s rendition of Baby it’s Cold Outside is the best rendition of that song that exists.  It’s also a little bit creepy.  Ok, it’s a lot creepy.  Ok, it’s possibly the creepiest thing I’ve heard.  Definitely give that a listen if you haven’t heard it.

Haven’t seen Voodoo in a while, mostly because we both only go to the same workouts, which are different.  He still looks like the Prime Minister of Canada if you ask me, but nobody asked me.

I think Lois was there, in full on ninja mode with ¼” of exposed forehead skin.  It could have been Dwayne Johnson or John Cena too – hard to tell without seeing the face.

Last week at Kevlar, there was a homeless man sleeping under the tennis shelter.  It was around 32deg.  I started the wheels rolling to let Church Security know so we could get him out of there before the kids arrived for school.   That was my primary concern.  Smokey saw the same guy and came running up to me asking me if I had any blankets or coats in my vehicle.  That was his primary concern.  Given that my biggest hardship in December has been having to enter my email address and password with the arrow keys on my TV remote control to login to various streaming accounts, I have been reflecting on this a bit and I think it has done me some good.

TClaps to all the men of Skunkworks who came out to enjoy this annual tradition.  I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, even if you see me before then.

 

 

Yours Truly,

 

Horsehead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2022 Passport Challenge

Passport Challenge 2022

As you read this you are probably either a) eating holiday snacks and maybe having a holiday libation or b) thinking about holiday snacks and maybe a holiday libation.  Well PAX, enjoy the next two weeks because come January 1st Area 51/SOB/Waxhaw are here to help you flip that switch.  With the New Year comes a new Passport Challenge and for the months of January and February it’s time to step it up.

For those unfamiliar with the Passport Challenge the concept is simple.  Attend as many different AO’s, 2nd F events and 3rd F events within the Area 51, SOB and Waxhaw regions as possible.  You can only stamp your passport for hitting an individual site or event once so the goal is to get out there and visit as many different ones as you can over two months.  See this link for the wrap up of the 2020 Passport Challenge.  https://f3southcharlotte.com/2021/01/04/2020-passport-challenge-wrap-up/

A link will be posted regularly to Slack where you can add your name to the tracking spreadsheet.  Each time you post at a different AO or 2nd F or 3rd F event add the date that you hit that site.  At the end we will tally up who did the most damage and will be crowned the Passport Challenge 2022 Winner.  As the winner you will win custom dog tags stamped with your F3 name and join an illustrious list of winners:

2018 – Mighty Mite

2020 – Das Boot

Ask either of these guys but the title Passport Challenge Winner forever changed their lives.  They no longer wait in lines at restaurants and get seated immediately.  Grocery stores regularly give them the, “this order’s on us” when they check out.  Life changing stuff.

 

So enjoy the holiday season but go ahead and get your name on the Passport Challenge spreadsheet.  When 2022 kicks off it is time to kick your posting into another gear.

Aassspppeeennn BB: Stag Party!

Aassspppeeennn BB 12/16: Stag Party

It’s a little early for reindeer and elves but Stag and 6 High-Impact Men spread joy and cheer throughout the Aassspppeeennn AO on Thursday 12/16! Thanks for the extreme grace given to this 1st time Q (who has four hooves and doesn’t know how to count properly, and also forgot to take the family pic?? This guy!) as we tried out some crazy ideas inspired by Georges Hébert and Méthode Naturelle: be strong to be useful. We didn’t save any lives from volcanic eruptions today but we’re that much stronger should the need ever arise!

DICCS:

The usual spiel

Warm-Up:

Mosey around the parking lot

Circle up for side straddle hop

Lunges

Moroccan nightclub

Arm circles forwards and back

Merkins

Plank, leading into left leg forward, left hand up, flapjack

The Thang

Lap around parking lot followed by fast lap (80% of max) reverse direction

Bear crawl down yellow sidewalk curb

Supine pull-up “bar-crawl” up walkway rail

Crawl bear down path to sidewalk

Broad jump from colored square to colored square; 2 Tony Hawk burpees on each square

Short mosey to parking lot; lunge walk to arrows

Hit the deck for “Superman” horizontal “pull-downs”

Mosey to playground

Monkey-bars across the crazy turning circles followed by 3 hanging toe touches (or knees to chest modification), Repeato thrice

Then over to the basketball court for a holiday medley of heels to Heaven, Merkins, LBCs, Big Boys, Dolly’s, etc.

Over to the wall for The Peoples’ Chair followed by lunge walks to parking lot

Crab walk to the opposite curb

Mosey around parking lot

Mike Tyson’s

Finished with Have A Nice Day: you have been made for a purpose; are you living it out? Are you cherishing the critical relationships in your life? Are there things you are anxious about but have no control over? Give it to The LORD! Live out what you are called to today!

Back to COT

Call-Outs:

Swimmers: continues be fast (on the land at least, who knows if he’s actually fast in the water?)

Double E: as always extremely positive, cheerful, and gung-ho despite the early morning hour

HB: thanks for the support and info on Q school!

Landfill: pushing hard as always. On deck for upcoming VQ!

Bonhoeffer: making it look easy! Now I know what “skorts” are…

Bernanke: interest rates remain low but Bernanke’s effort and positive attitude remain through the roof

The Sidewalk is Made of Lava jumps & burpees: where’s Stag on the last two?? Whoops he winded himself with his own exercise plan 😂

40-ish degrees, partly cloudy skies but enough clear spots to see stars shining through and be inspired. General reminder the workout starts at 5:30am Pronto, we might need alarm clocks as Christmas gifts 😆 Thanks all and have a very Merry Christmas with family and friends as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and savior!

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