Long time listener, first time caller
YHC pulled into the lot next to Seaboard a little after 0500 this morning. Slim Fast’s Expedition was there, but no other vehicles I knew. Gradually, more and more cars pulled in and we ended up with 10 pax ready to rumble. Fortunately, the two ladies who pulled in decided to do their own thing.
After a brief but thorough disclaimer, we launched into the Trade Street gloom toward Country Place Drive. As we approached our destination, Orange Whip looped back to pick up the six. Madison chose the savvy veteran move and “stopped to tie his shoes” instead.
Stop at the intersection of Country Place Drive and Drive and Matthews Estates Road for COP:
- SSH x 15 IC
- Merkins x 10 IC
- Mountain climbers x 15 IC
Head into Matthews Estates. Take every right turn and at the end of every cul de sac, do 10 HR merkins and 10 jump squats. When you get back to the intersection with Country Place Drive, plank it up for the six.
Regroup and run together out to Trade, turn left and run past the Methodist Church and take a left through the parking lot. Run through the parking lot back to Country Place Drive and go left.
Plank up at the intersection with Matthews Estates Drive for instructions:
Partner up by speed. Partner 1 does the church loop, stopping in the parking lot immediately off Trade Street for 20 LBCs, then run back to the intersection. Partner 2 runs back into Matthews Estates, takes the second right onto Timber Knoll, then runs to the entrance of Gilchrest Circle. Do 15 Heels to Heaven, then run back to the intersection. Flapjack.
Repeato with 10 diamonds in the church lot and 20 wide arms at Gilchrest. Flapjack.
Head back toward Seaboard with a quick stop at the cool chess set tables for 10 dips, 10 step ups per leg, 10 derkins.
As we were waiting for the light to change to cross John Street (in a squat hold), we were joined by the Peak 51 crew. There were a few punches thrown, but cooler heads prevailed and we headed back to the launch.
Circle up for some Mary:
- Plank up with feet on the low wall for shoulder taps IC x 15
- LBCs x 20 IC
- Box cutters x 10 IC (keep your feet up)
- Protractor: 60 degrees, 90 degrees, 30 degrees, 10″ (keep your feet up)
- Dolly x 15 IC
- Glute bridge for ~30 seconds when time runs out
COT with the Peak 51 pax. Thanks to Lois for taking us out.
Announcements:
- 3/19 – beer mile. 4 laps, 4 beers. Connect with Hoover for details.
- Join Flipper’s 2021 March Challenge if you feel like doing way too many merkins, pull-ups, etc. in March.
- Keep an eye out for a pre-blast for the Functional Strength Challenge in May. Max snatches, deadlifts, and pull-ups. Winner gets a free 1-year membership in F3.
- Check out the pre-blast to Flipper’s newest CSAUP creation: the Rut-Breaker! (Name still under development)
Moleskine:
- Thanks to Christmas and Madison for the invitation to Q this morning. Until last year, Meathead was on Thursdays, so I was always conflicted. Gypsy and I had planned a surprise Q swap between Sparta and Meathead a while back, but we never managed to make it happen. Now that Meathead is on Wednesday, Sparta fits better for me. I appreciate the nudge to get out of my comfort zone and it was great to see some pax I only know by name or don’t see as often as I’d like.
- Having never actually posted at Sparta, I took some time yesterday to peruse Google Maps and look for good workout territory. The Sportsplex was definitely tempting and there’s a great greenway down the road too, but when I saw the cul de sac octopus of Matthews Estates, I decided that was where we needed to go. Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of instructions required in the actual neighborhood, but we did get one dog barking. #neighborhoodpatrol
- The partner loops seemed to work pretty well except that I was partnered with Orange Whip, who is faster than me, even with 1 good leg. The pax managed to stay together and we got some planks and squat holds in while waiting for the six.
- Thanks to Orange Whip and Madison for looking out for the six. It’s tough to do that when you’re focused on leading the workout, so appreciate the help.
@%* BLAST
Posted in behalf of Smuggler
Arrived to Body Shop nice & early with Orchid. Got out of the car to do a quick warm up when I felt the cup of coffee I had start to rumble the six-pack.
Quickly grabbed my Q notes and bolted for the woods. Took care of business in a flash and found a trash can for the notes.
Moseyed back to the car and thankfully the wife loaded me up with hand sanitizer. Feeling 10 pounds lighter. I was ready to take on the Q and lead the PAX.
Warmup
Double lap Mosey through the parking lot waiting on Big Ben and poss FNG coming in HOT.
20 Side Straddle Hops
20 Imperial Walkers
20 Squat
20 Merkins
Downward Dog
Calf Stretch Right/Left
Runners Stretch Right/Left
20 Plank Jacks
10 Burpees
Thang: Mosey over the main road.
Ran out to Rea Rd (1/2 mile each way) stopping at each light pole on the right to perform the below.
1 Burpees – 2 Jump Squat – building reps at each light pole ( 2 Burpees – 4 Jump Squat , 3-6 etc. up to 8 Burpees and 16 Jump Squat )
McGee crushed it as we all tried to keep up. Some ran back to grab the 6th and Mosey over to the back parking lot.
Next the PAX lined up along the curb for some solid leg work ladder.
Big Ben lead us off with 10 reps of squats followed by lunge walk to the other side of the parking lot and run back.
Did this format adding 1 rep each man up to 20 reps. Shortly into it the PAX wanted to pick their own exercise after the squats including;
-Duck Walk, Bear Crawl, Crawl Bear, Crab Walk, Backwards Lunge-
This took much longer than anticipated but fun group exercise with lots of chatter amongst the PAX.
Fast Mosey around the parking lot with 20 big boys at the corner. This is where I shared my story of the Q notes and plumbing issues.
With the remaining time we Mosey to the Rock Pile and picked a lifting rock and a partner to complete the following.
1 partner did squats with the rock and the other ran to the 2nd light pole and did 10 heals to heaven —than the partners switched
1 partner did thrusters (squat to overhead) with the rock and the other ran to the 2nd light pole and did 10 dollys -than the partners switched
Mosey back to COT.
Moleskin: PAX seemed to all push it pretty hard and most were gassed by the end.
Announcements:
-Q School this Saturday
-Last Call tomorrow at Marvin Ridge High School with a 6 am start.
History of the world part 1. 4/43
If you were there you know what we did. The most important part of the backblast is recognizing the hard work of the men who showed up.
I hoped to impart some knowledge that I gained from Midriff the other week and I think it took. F3 is not just “about leading” it is about being able to share the daily load we call life with each other. Our struggles. Our triumphs. And every thing in between. Every one of us has the ability to lift up and help someone else. It is a privilege to do so.
Today teamwork and learning that we don’t just do it alone was the theme. All of the men worked hard and all of our pain stations had that theme built into them.
How fast did we run that last mosey? Who won the challenges?
Periscope crushed it today and showed how much of an impact he has become in F3.
Brexit as always pre runs the work outs and kills it. Except today he slept in and killed the workout.
Atlas showed us how to play Mario cart while running. Hard to keep up with him on pre runs.
Cooter2 and war eagle were thankful that we didn’t run the hills. Me too. Also the War Eagle will never unsee Cooters well Cooter. Where his pants were 🤷♂️ mystery.
Bounty Hunter and his new boy band haircut made him faster. He had plenty of old man noises today but powered through. We are taking up a collection to buy him a working zipper.
Soft Pretzel had the skills to pay the bills with his perfect form. And he did the exercises well too. 😉
Posee made me tear up at his last workout at the arsenal. I tried my best to return the favor. He is a competitive nut driving the teams to victory.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead
The Chicken prepping PAX for Rooster
DICC- given and covered
Warm up
Fast paced mosey down past laundry mat and apartments to Vet Lot
20- SSH
Jimmy Dungan Stretch into a plank for calve stretch
Can Opener both sides- return to Plank- recover
The Thang
Mosey Across Hwy 16 to Blyth Mill and up to stop sign of Blyth and North Providence for Oval of Speed
3 laps around oval track at 5 k pace and at each turn complete ( Blythe up North Providence, turn left on Mill and left back on Blyth.
3 burpees and 5 jump Squats- circle back for the 6
Gather Flock and head back across Hwy 16 for more work in Vet Lot ( ABORT ABORT ABORT) A few FIA members who somehow were allowed to workout with F3 today started complaining about rough pavement and they might break a nail — we moved to apartment lot
10 Mike Tysons, 10 Big Boys and 20 Pistol LBC- alternating leg at 10– 3 rounds
Sprint up Hill to laundry mat lot- dry heave cause I was trying to stick with Baio– not smart, damn he is fast. regroup and gather Flock and head down Price to 2nd road on left to church lot for lot to lot work.
Lot 1- 20 Bonnie Blairs
Lot 2- around corner on Jackson street – 5 merkins/10 shoulder taps, 4 merkins/ 8 shoulder tap ect….. to 1/2
between both lots complete 20 Bomb Jacks
head back to COT completing 20 Bomb Jacks- DONE!!
Moleskin
We had s great group today ( 19 total) and an awesome mixture of Gazelles, Clydesdales , 3 Wildebeest, 1 pink Bunny, 2 form police, and a few FIA PAX. Overall everyone push hard and most seemed to hate the workout which is always a success for the Q. It appears we had mileage range from 3.15-3.5 miles which is a good target for a regular boot camp and safety seemed to be fairly in order and if Maddog posted with us he would have been someone happy
Few Call Outs
Twinkle Toes– you have officially graduated to the Gazelle group- Nice work brother!
Recalculating– You better step it up Chief of Form Policing before Deputy Zinfandel pushes you into retirement and takes you role. He was calling out many pees today ( myself included on Jump Squats)- bastard! but I love it makes us better.
Easy Button, Baio, Ice 9, Chastain, and Deadwood– ugh what the F? slowdown and smell the roses once in awhile boys- geez!!
LRC– always great to see the LRC back out as a group as it appears they must have finally figure out baby duty schedules at Smithers House and all is well in the group again ( Smithers , Foundation and Deflated).
Do not look now but Rockwell is looking at the Gazelle’s and thinking hummmm I can be one — He is getting faster and faster boys
Sugar Daddy and Premature– I appreciate our accountability group boys– WILDERBEEST- SADDLE UP FOR THE RIDE minus to Smart Sackers for rest days!
Announcements
Q- school this weekend 6:30-8am- Cuthbertson
Rooster next weekend- if you have to ask what this is your a DUMBASS– This is slowing becoming Blood Drive communication territory .
Baio- was our 6th man- got his name cause he runs a company and his hospital name is Charles ( Charles in Charge! Scott Baio) awesome name. He has 5 kids and comes to us all the way from Matthews a she posted over there some but found us via the BAT SIGNAL in the sky ( AKA- on line) and has been a regular since. Bratwurst brought him out initially a few years back.
Lucy ( aka Ricky her F3 name) the chickens dog had surgery yesterday and everything seemed to go well.
Peace out boys.
Footlong VQ
Started with a light jog up Millbridge Parkway to the first roundabout. Quickly gave instructions on how Indian Runs would work:
Stay in single file line.
Stay in the same order.
Every two minutes whoever is in the back of the line sprints up and passes the group. For those two minutes, that person in the front gets to control pace.
It was definitely challenging depending on who was up front (Bratwurst 😡) but with someone in front and behind you, it forced everyone to push the pace a little harder.
Announcements: Q school this Saturday; Rooster (which will be won by the Pursuit Team 🏆) next Saturday!
8 Pax for 8 Years
I put myself on the roster for the Q slot for 3/2/2021. Someone else updated it with pretty little icons. Thx
Weinke written the night before and we are ready.
Mosey to toward the usual lake (yes, that same one MicCheck)
SSH – 20 IC
IW – 20 IC
Potato Picker 10 – IC
Mountain Climber – 10 IC
Grab a quick stretch while you are in plank
Mosey To Lake – Everyone Grab a Rock
2 Teams
– Team one makes a lap with (TIMER):
— First Wall – 10 Dips
— Second Wall – 5 Step-Ups each leg
– Team two
— 10 Curls, 10 Presses, 10 Triceps, 10 Bent-Over Rows (Repeat until team one is back)
Two Rounds
Mosey To Lance-Lot (is it still?)
– Suicides from edge to Edge
— Round 1 – 5, 10, 15, 20 Merkins
— Round 2 – 20, 10, 15, 5 Meaty Squats (dont cheat yourself just to win, you know who you are)
Mosey to Bagpipe Hill Halfway mark
– All you got to the top
— Mic Check takes tag-a-longs pulse and they get after it. Something about tag-a-long not trying hard enough.
At the bridge we people’s chair it
– Air Presses to 50 x 2 Rounds
Chatter at the second round from Site-Q Cooter2 about 8 minutes left. Don’t you worry. I know this place.
Mosey back home down sneaky trail to the hotel.
Enough time for some Crunches and Heels while we wait for the light to turn.
Arrive back 3 seconds over time. Success.
Thanks to MarketTimer for bringing me out 8 years ago when Stonehenge was at 630. Took two months for MarketTimer to convince me to wake up that early. At the end of that workout, they announced the time was moving back to 6a. Didn’t matter, one time and I was hooked. Thanks to all that continue to push and keep us accountable to show up to another workout. It really does help to have some accountability out there.
Who’s afraid of Mother Nature?
8 PAX showed up at Dromedary for a hump day post. Weinke was prepared to utilize the multiple canopies at the Marvin campus and to stay somewhat dry. Upon arrival, very little rain falling and radar looked clear but decided to stick with the canopy-Weinke anyway.
Warmup
Mosey around parking lot. SSH, IW, Moroccan Night Clubs, Plank & Mountain Climbers. Stretching – up/down dogs, calves, runner’s pose.
The Thang
To the MRMS rear patio. Whiteboard with exercise routine on display. Sets/reps consisted of:
- Dips x 10
- Step-Ups x 20 (10 each leg)
- Dry Docks x 10
- Squats x 10
- Merkins x 10
- Speed Skaters x 20 (10 each leg)
- Shoulder Taps x 10
- Mountain Climbers x 20 (10 each leg)
Mosey to MRMS front entrance courtyard / canopy:
- Air Press (in cadence) x 20
- Air Jabs (in cadence) x 20
- LBC’s x 10
- Heels to Heaven x 10
- Flutters x 10
- Big Boys x 10
Mosey back to rear patio. Run lap around track. At half way point, 5 Burpees.
Repeat above two more times. PAX called out ab exercise of their choice highlighted by Das Boot’s “J-Lo Pickle Pounders” and Honeycombs “Snowangels”. Final courtyard ab-round included 10 donkey kicks.
Mosey back to MRHS parking lot. 5 squats, 5 merkins at each tree. 5 squats, 5 dry docks at each tree on the return. Mosey (lap) back to COT.
Moleskin
PAX remained dry (other than sweat) as the rain held off. Canopies never came into play other than use for a good post.
Announcements / Closing
Q-School this Saturday at Cuthbertson 6:30. Smuggler on Q tomorrow at The Body Shop.
Express Fartleks and Sprints!
Gerber sent a text last night warning that Express could be very well attended with those looking to get ready for Rooster in a couple weeks. Having not Q’d a lot before I was admittedly a little nervous if I could keep everyone engaged for the full hour. Turns out that was ridiculous. These guys showed up to work.
Warmup: We did a split mosey with the faster crew headed down the access road and back and the rest of the Pax taking the normal route behind the school with the group reconvening at the stoplight to Champion Forest. Some lite stretching on our own and we were off.
Workout – 1 mile sprint to the end of the Waynewood.
Fartleks – sprint for 2 mailboxes and jog for 1 on Dobson back to Waynewood. Those were so much fun we continued to do them back down to the end of Waynewood. This stretch turned out to be much more difficult than the first due to the terrible spacing of the mailboxes on the sprints vs. Jogging.
1 Mile Run at your own pace back up to the light.
Followed the entrance road down to the bottom of the hill where we did a series of 3 of 45 second sprints up the hill. The point here is to give it everything you have and really try to open up the lungs to expand the capacity. As I told the Pax, if you aren’t praying to hear me yell “time” then you’re doing it wrong.
Mosey back towards and sprint up the Yellow Brick Road to COT.
Great work by every man that came out this morning. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep everyone together, but the Pax took care of that for me. No man left behind was never more evident than this morning.
Shoutout to 069 (R). We all know him as one of the most consistent guys in F3 Waxhaw but the improvement he has shown just since I’ve been around (Halloween) has been nothing short of amazing. Had to do a double take when I saw him RUNNING this morning. Great work my man. Keep it up!
– Hurry
Down range at the Grand Strand
I figure if we can get credit for virtual workouts or the LRC then surely I can get credit for visiting our brothers down on the Grand Strand. And it doesn’t look like they’re gonna write a backblast so you’re gonna get my version instead.
I decided to visit the Bomb Squad on Monday and did a little pre-run with Sade. I know it’s short for something but I can’t remember. Regardless, a couple laps around the community center and it was time to begin.
Warmup
After finding out the origins of my F3 name all our warmups were soccer related, including a few rolling on the ground looking to draw a foul.
The Thang
Lots of four corners exercises with dry docks, LBCs, Big Bois, and the usual. Nothing too strenous and the group did everything together even though it was technically OYO. Suddenly round three threw in these nasty burpees with a diamond merkin at the bottom and a bomb jack at the top. Didn’t see that coming. Still recovering from that when the next exercise is a burpee with a double merkin at the bottom? WTF? Where’d these come from? Round 4 and we’re back to standard exercises.
After 4 rounds of 4 corners we had just a bit of time left and did some 11s on the bleachers with dips and step-ups before a final mosey back to COT.
Moleskin
Visiting other regions is fun. I try to learn something new if I can as well as share something our region does that maybe they don’t know about. For my contribution I gave’em the DICCS. We were fortunate to be working out in a closed campus with lots of lights, but as EVERYONE but me was wearing black and no one BUT me had a headlamp I was sure to emphasize Safety. I was also the only one carrying a cell phone and the only one that knew CPR, so I impressed upon them the importance of looking out for your brothers. It was well received so hopefully they’ll be upgrading their DICCS soon.
One final note: it was good to do the Name-O-Rama and hear the Grand Strand boys do it the right way. That is, Hospital Name, Age, F3 Name.