Welcome to… Aspen? New AO coming soon!
Coming to you from the Wild West borderlands, the intersection of F3UnionCo, Area51 and Waxhaw…
Thursday mornings’ newest F3UnionCo AO will be launching soon at Antioch Elementary School in Indian Trail:
Some place warm, a place where the beer flows like wine, where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano.
We’re talking about a little place called Aspen.
The Site Qs that will kick this AO into gear will be a combined effort of Swimmers, DoubleE and Smokey. (for emotional support)
Keep your eyes open for more details but aiming for a 7/15 launch!
The Floater is a basketball shot, right??
It’s not every day that you get to post or even Q at an AO named after feces. So when Zin invited me down South, how could I resist?
The Thang
- With DICCS given and toilet humor in mind, we moseyed towards the Waxhaw Park circles, completing 10 merkins at every stop sign
- Warmup: 15 ssh, 15 imperial walkers, 15 squats, 15 merkins, 15 mtn climbers
- Upper Body Circuit: Partner 1 runs circle while Partner 2 does called exercise. Declined merkins, dips and inclined merkins
- Mosey to South Providence school basketball court. 10 merkins at every stop sign and 5 bobby hurley’s at every other mailbox
- Killer B’s on the basketball court: Burpees on base line (10, 5, 5, 10) broad jump to free throw, half-court, free throw and full-court, bear crawling back each time. This sucked
- Mosey around school track, stopping for 25 monkey humpers and 30 plankjacks
- Mosey back to Waxhaw park, merkins at each stop sign and bobby hurley’s at every other mailbox
- Leg Circuit: Partner 1 runs circle while partner 2 does called exercise. Bonnie Blairs, Squats and Smurf Jacks
Index Card Weinke
It’s not about the size of the weinke, but how well you can use it. I’m about 40ish Q’s into my F3 journey and wanted to share my method for building simple, but effective beatdowns. This has been tremendously helpful for me to ensure I have the right amount of pain for the duration of a 45-minute workout and don’t leave anything on the table. When folded, it’s small enough to fit in a running shorts pocket and keep out of sight of those nosey pax trying to steal it away! Most of the time I don’t end up pulling it out mid-workout, but still helpful to have when I need to call an audible.
Step 1: Fold the index card into thirds. Front is for the bulk of the workout that I split into thirds. Back is for disclaimer, warmup exercises and any special instructions
Step 2: Use the front side to break up workout into thirds. I try to identify 1 circuit to burn out the upper body, 1 circuit to burn out the lower body and 1 circuit to burn out the lungs
Step 3: Allocate time for each third, keeping in mind exercises will take longer and adjust for time to mosey
Here are pictures for this morning’s card: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1teSRxrNSLyL5WaN7
Moleskine
- Thank the Lord for cooler temperatures this morning as I’m not sure I could have done this in the heat
- Hoping the PAX enjoyed a trip further South and off the beaten path
- The burpee train avoided us this morning by a solid 15 minutes. Sounds awful
- Had some trouble counting mailboxes and listening to directions during the Killer B’s on the basketball court. But the pax made up for it with their solid effort
- T claps to the pack of prerunners logging in the miles and coming back winded for launch
- Always a privilege and honor to lead the fine men of Waxhaw
Throwing Down the Guantlet
Quote from the Gloom:
As some dude named Eric Paskel once said, “Yoga is not about tightening your a** rear end. It’s about getting your head out of it.”
Great job to the men who showed up this morning with an open mind and endured whatever came out of Zin’s tailpipe (sorry Paper Jam; you apparently made a poor choice with mat placement). More specifically, this morning’s broga practice went something like this…
The Thang
- Warmup
- Prime the Pump (Fairly rapid calf raises while steadying self against a wall or piece of playground equipment.)
- Cat and Cow poses (alternating for about five breaths each)
- Inchworms (from standing walk hands out to plank, push up, walk hands back to standing, calf raise) x3
- Upward Dog (hold for about five breaths)
- Downward Dog (hold for about five breaths)
- Rag Doll pose (hold for about five breaths)
- Quad Stretch (hold for about five breaths each side)
- Dead Pigeon pose – optional leg extended skyward (hold for about five breaths each side)
- Boat pose (hold until the core really burns)
- Hallelujah Toy Soldiers (like Toy Soldiers, but with arms extended above the head the whole time)
- Vinyasa (Flow) Portion
- Sun Salutations x3
- Mountain Pose at Prayer
- Mountain Pose w/ Arms Raised
- Swan Dive to Forward Fold
- Flat Back
- Back down to Forward Fold
- Jump feet back to Plank pose
- Chaturanga (i.e., “yoga pushup”)
- Upward Dog
- Downward Dog
- Jump back to Forward Fold
- Mountain Pose w/ Arms Raised
- Mountain Pose at Prayer
- Crescent Lunge / Warrior Poses
- Crescent Lunge (both sides)
- Warrior 1 (both sides)
- Warrior 2 / Triangle Pose (both sides)
- Reverse Warrior / Twisted Side Angle Pose (both sides)
- Mix it up
- Tree pose (both sides)
- Pigeon pose (both sides)
- Side Plank pose (both sides)
- Two Knee Spinal Twist pose (both sides)
- Boat pose (final burn)
- Closing Sequence
- Shavasana (Corpse pose)
- Easy pose (cross-legged, hands on knees)
- Namaste
- Sun Salutations x3
Moleskine (i.e., Spreadsheets from the Gloom)
Note to self: Include in the pre-workout Disclaimer: Prickle & Goo comes the morning after Taco Tuesday; space your mats accordingly.
Self-Progress: It has now been 75 days since I started with F3 here in Waxhaw. I love it. I started out doing one workout a week (as my body adapted) and have upped it quite a bit lately. Today was my 47th Post and my second Q. I have really enjoyed both the progress in my fitness and meeting so many great guys around the area. I even got to reunite with a former colleague this morning with Hot Yoga joining us in the gloom after being absent for a while.
I will be out of town for the next month or two visiting family out West, mostly in the Salt Lake City, UT area. It looks like they have a much smaller F3 group out there, so I’ll see what I can do to help them out. I’ll try to keep y’all posted.
Reflections: I had a couple of goals today: (1) Not bomb my first Q at Prickle & Goo and (2) prove that yoga can be a killer workout. The jury is still out on the first goal, but I think that there was plenty of sweating beyond just what the humidity brought.
One thing that I love about yoga is that it brings together flexibility, strength, and balance—all things that we need more of in our lives, both physically and metaphorically. And, it can be a killer workout. I remember EH’ing a coworker to come to a yoga class a few years ago. The dude was very fit with muscles to spare. After one yoga class he told me that he wasn’t going to be coming back because it was “just too hard”. To those doubters out there…the gauntlet has been thrown. We’ll see if you pick it up and challenge yourself with some broga.
Goodfella is on Q next week and he loves to channel his inner Tony Horton.
Announcements
- This Saturday, 06/19 – Blood Drive! 9:00A-1:30P. Location: Five Stones Church.
- Sign up here if you haven’t, yet: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=f3
- Grow Ruck 24 – Date: Friday, 08/06/21. Location: Charlotte Metro!
- Register, etc.: https://growruck.com/growruck/growruck-24-metro/
- F3 Dad’s Camp – Date: Friday 08/20/21–Sunday 08/22/21. Location: YMCA Camp Thunderbird (on Lake Wylie).
- Sign up here: https://form.jotform.com/211487203045145
- For more details and/or to help with the Dad’s Camp, DM Radar.
More coupons
So Cowbell is suppose to be a Kettlebell work out but I was not aware of any rules that limited it to Kettlebells
So, the plan was to add some smash balls and some wall balls to bring a little diversity to the game
Back and fourth we went
Moleskin: Work done by all, Chastain continues to be a ninja, Ice, Glida, Hollywood, Dasher and Gerber were the typical front runners butt…. Sugar stepped up on a couple rounds to show his speed. Easy made his Cowbell debut and it was good to see him as always. Blue and Radar pushed themselves and were not going to be short changed on the wall balls.
Stairway to Heaven (well not really)
Issues getting the flag into the ground…near the dumpster.
DiCCS reviewed and Schneider had to bring his phone. We started our warm-up run to front of school then back to the loading dock area while picking up Popeye on the way…imperial walkers, side straddle hop, moroccan nc, runners stretch, calves, plank 6″, merkins.
Thang
Partner up at back of school, bottom 5 benches, team of 200 dips & 200 step ups while timer is running back behind the school, up the loading dock steps and back
Mosey to front of school (stopped for an audible exercise for the six to catch up, thanks Zin), mosey to observation deck. Partners again, team of 200 American hammers & 200 shoulder taps while timer runs up to the top of the observation deck, touch all corners.
Mosey to the road in the back to run exercises at the lights, only had ~ 5 minutes so burpees at the first 3 lights then mosey (or fast mosey if you are big tuna) back to COT…
Moleskin
Good chatter today…it was humid and even though we only got in 2.54 miles it seemed longer. I know I was tired.
After Schneider’s extended weekend at Lake George he forgot how old he was
Announcements
Blood Drive on June 19th 9:00-1:00 at Five Stones Church…need 13 more to sign up
Dad’s camp…sign up
June 26th Christ’s Closet needs our help at the barn/house with furniture
Thanks for taking us out 069
Ricky Bobby forgot he was site Q
Track is Wack
Warm-up Run
Original plan was to run Champion Forest today but we happen to run by the stadium and the gate was wide open so we did an audible. Cobbler belts out “you can’t lose me on the track”. Gerber gets excited to run on a soft surface.
The Thang
400, 400, 500, 600, 800, 400, 400, Bleacher run, 400
Moleskin
We were all a fan of the flat surface. The Pax was not a fan of the bleacher run. BC jumped the fence to get a head start and I had flash backs from the last time I lead bleachers. Wolverine talks about all the records Kyle has on the big board. Proud Papa! Crouton was looking to do some 100’s, maybe next time. Sprinters are typically not fans of running and 800. Smither’s was flying around the track today. Heard him talking about his football day playing WR Center. Glory Days! Of course KY was sliding all over the place today. He even did some Yoga before heading home.
Thanks BC for taking us out
Peace out!
Dasher
Oh, The Wheel(barrow) In The Lot Keeps On Turning
18 Pax (including one FNG) made the tee time at Union County’s finest golf destination this morning. After YHC’s Q at Dromedary last week that involved a bit more running than anticipated, the greenskeeper set today’s course up for upper body punishment today.
DiCCS reviewed.
WARMUP
MASHers head to their chosen spot of pre-dawn fun, the rest of the gang moseys for a short loop in front of the school to circle up in the big parking lot. Warmup consisted of SSH, Moroccan Night Clubs, Imperial Walkers, Potato Pickers, & Calf Stretches, Childs Pose Yoga Stretech (to loosen the shoulders for what ensues), and some Merkins. We take a short mosey back to the small parking lot to behind the school for a lap around the track then directly back to where we started the mosey at the Warmup circle. Unfortunately the Warmup is over though and we dive directly into the upper-body shredding.
THANG 1
Everyone grabs a partner. Time for some human wheelbarrows over a ~20 meter stretch with exercises for each partner at the end of each wheelbarrow stretch. We do four down and backs (aka laps) with the person on the team acting as the “wheel” switching each segment. The exercises for each lap were:
- Lap 1: Wheel for the segment performs 18 Merkins / Carrier LBCs until partner completed Merkins. Carrier becomes the wheel and return to starting point. Same exercises performed. Lap complete.
- Lap 2: Wheel for the segment performs 18 Mike Tysons /Carrier LBCs.
- Lap 3: Wheel for the segment performs 18 Carolina Dry Docks / Carrier LBCs.
- Lap 4: Wheel for the segment performs 18 Merkins / Carrier LBCs.
Mary at the end until the six finishes. Standing ten count. We’ve made the turn and we’re off to the back nine.
Thang 2
Same partners as Thang 1 are kept and each team grabs a lifting rock. While one partner is performing as many reps of the set exercise with the rock for that round, the other partner runs a lap around the big parking lot, completing three burpees at the half way point, then then returns to their partner to relieve them of the rock. Six rounds in total with each partner performing the run + burpees and the exercise with rock in each round. Exercises for the laps follow:
- Curls
- Tri Extensions
- Overhead Presses
- Bent Over Rows
- Squats
- American Hammers
Rocks returned and mosey back to CoT. Four minutes are left on the clock for some Mary (Heels to Heaven, Freddie Mercuries, Shoulder Taps, & Fiji Fast feet w/Merkins). 6:15 couldn’t arrive soon enough. Workout complete – everyone crushed this one!
CoT
Count-O-Rama and Name-O-Rama completed – time for our FNG to take center stage. He’s so excited, he runs to the middle of CoT. Our FNG was Matt Rose, a work colleague of YHC. Matt tells us a bit about himself – originally from the Charlotte area, college baseball player (catcher), regular at Cross Fit, in the insurance business, etc. The initial name thrown out by the group was Jamie – the super friendly guy that accompanies Flo from the Progressive commercials. This name was an immediate hit but was troublesome to adopt as it is an F3 hospital name. The group stays on the same general path though and decides to name him The Catcher since he was the Bullpen catcher for the Charlotte Knights at one point. Welcome to F3, The Catcher!
Announcements:
- Blood Drive on June 19th 9:00-1:00 at Five Stones Church.
- Last Call is at 6:02AM Fridays at Marvin High School.
Are You Going to the Beach Later Today?
YHC took the reigns for this week’s Firestarter and with 12 other motivated fellas kicked off the week. Initially there was a only handful of us but just like the mad rush as the church doors are closing for the start of a service, guys flooded in at 5:30. A full disclaimer was given and we slow moseyed from launch to provide time for the aforementioned last minute arrivers to fall in.
The Thing:
Moseyed to the 131 Main parking lot for a warmup of Steve Earles, SSH, Peter Parkers, 6 inches, Parker Peters, right hand by right foot with the right elbow dropped trying to touch the ground (a new favorite of YHC’s taught to him by C3PO that really stretches the hammy’s), left hand by left foot and big ol arm circles.
Then it was off up Bryant Farms to the rock pile by the Montessori School. Instructions were given to grab a lifting rock and follow YHC for curls in civilian count. The first set was 20 reps then quickly followed up by 19 reps then quickly followed up by 18 reps. It was at this point that the Pax realized the trend and Hops provided the title of this BB and asked YHC if he was going to the beach later today. Not today but hundreds of curls are always good for beach season in general. It was also at this point that One Star along with a couple of others regretted their rock choice. In order to allow for a dispersion of rock weight YHC instructed the Pax to shift one spot to their left. Unfortunately YHC was beside One Star and had to lift his boulder for 17, 16 and 15 reps…which sucked and YHC’s form was getting sloppy. We shifted again and made it to 10 reps.
At this point it was time to momentarily break up the curlfest and head to the playground up Bryant Farms. YHC split the group in half for:
Group 1 did 20 merkins while Group 2 did 10 step ups on the wall then flapjack and do for 2 rounds.
Then, Group 1 did 10 pull ups while Group 2 did 20 out & ins on the wall, then flapjack and do for 2 rounds.
Headed back to the rocks and instructions made to find your original rock. We finished our curlfest countdown starting at 10 and rotating over to our left a couple of times until done. Moseyed back towards Blakeney stopping at the wall as you enter the shopping center off of Bryant Farms. Big Tuna complimented the wall structure that we used at the playground so YHC figured that he would be equally impressed with this wall. Instructions were given to partner up with P1 doing 5 wall climbs while P2 does burpees until P1 finished the 5 wall climbs. Then flapjack and do for 4 rounds. YHC was out o’ breath after this and called some Mary and asked for friends to call some as well. OK, some breath has been recovered so we jogged back to launch for enough time for 1 minute of Al Gore and 1 minute of plank.
Moleskin:
Fun crowd and good to catch up with some guys that I don’t get to see and talk with as much as I would like. Good mumblechatter throughout and some good moans and groans at times which is always a good sign too. YHC likes to have workouts where there is a little time to mumblechatter and make it fun but also I hope to shut it down with some butt kicking at times too. Hopefully both were accomplished this morning.
Announcements:
- Crane Relay 8/13. If you can do a bootcamp you can run this relay. I realize that was stated by Frasier so consider the source, but the man ain’t wrong. It’s a great way to push yourself but in a great environment to do so.
- If you are in town July 4th keep an eye out for a special event Monday July 5th that will be 2.0 friendly but not require a 2.0, as long as you are a big kid at heart.
Thanks Wingman and Teddy for tapping me to lead this morning and thank you for leading yourselves with Firestarter.
How About Some Murderhorn Half Pipe Suicides?
4 Pax stepped out into the humid morning air ready to see what this week’s edition of The Brave had in store. Spoiler alert, it had over 4 miles with lots of various things thrown in the mix.
The Thing:
Half hearted disclaimer since all 4 were seasoned vets and we were off down Ballantyne Commons. Bang a left into Thornhill and continue into the tennis/playground area for a standard warmup. Mosey down to the rockpile to grab a lifting rock. The Murderhorn half pipe suicides worked like this:
20 each of curls, overhead presses and tricep extensions with your rock
Run to the furthest light pole at the top of the Murderhorn for 15 merkins
Back down to the rock pile for 25 squats with your rock
Run the other direction of the Murderhorn, towards the playground for 25 LBC’s
Repeat going to the next to last light post up the Murderhorn, etc. etc. etc. for 4 total circuits
What goes down must go up so we headed back up the Murderhorn stopping at every light for 15 jump squats then moseyed down Elm to Ballantyne Commons. At this point we were at about 3.5 miles with 1 mile to get back to launch and about 8 minutes to do so. YHC called 10 lunges (R=1 L=1) at every turn cut in. Wingman didn’t think we would make it in time. Happy Meal stated that the Q has to do 10 burpees for every minute over 6:30. Oh ye of little faith. Turns out they were right and we made it back at 6:32.
Moleskine:
Great group making an absolute suckfest of a workout bearable. I had a feeling that it would be rough, at least for YHC, but the hustle run back after the half pipe suicides was unexpected and a gasser. I told the group that I stole the idea from a workout that Teddy did at Nightmare on Elm with something similar. That following Saturday Mic Check told Teddy that his workout was the first to make him take a nap when he got home, so I figured that it must be good enough for The Brave. Also, it was suggested to rename that exercise the Mic Check Sleeper Hold. I owe the crew 20 burpees for being 2 minutes over. I didn’t have it in me at the time.
Announcements:
- Crane Relay 8/13. Sign up on Slack. It is going to be a great relay experience and without the fuss of a bunch of sweaty dudes crammed in a van.
Thanks Taco Stand and Sweetwater for the opportunity to lead and for overseeing the beaut that is The Brave.