17 gathered in the very chilly gloom and YHC attempted to show the 1st F virtues of togetherness. Here is how it went:
Mosey to the Burton’s parking lot and try to forget the fact that we lost half the PAX crossing the road. My bad.
Warm up: 30 SSH, 20 IW, 10 MNC, 15 LSS all IC and finish with five “up downs.”
Next part was a bit of an experiment. PAX were advised to keep up to the best of their ability as YHC ran… slow at first, increasing speeds steadily and going ~200-800 meters each time in random directions around the shopping center. We did four rounds and each time finished with Mary. 1) 20 big boi sit ups, 20 AH IC, 10 pistol crunches IC; 2) 20 Freddie Mercury, 10 side crunches each side, 10 LBCs all IC; 3) 10 dollies IC, hold 6 inches while *YHC gives a speech for like 2 minutes*, 30 flutters IC, 4) elbow plank until the six arrive.
*My speech was on the benefits of running together. I told the story of Makeshift Marathon, when Tiger Rag ran the half with me and pushed me to a pace that was about 20 sec/mile better than my last race. Sometimes I try to duplicate that pace on my own now and I fail miserably. It’s a miracle really… how much more we can do together than apart.
Special call outs for Mic Check and Rousey for pushing up front and big time respect for Big Ben – the guy gave it his all and kept pace much of the way!
Next legs. 20 squats IC, lunge walk 30-40 lunges, 10 single leg Romanian dead lifts per leg, about 75 speed skaters IC because nobody was counting during the cadence, 10 broad jumps, backward lunge walk 30-40 lunges.
Mosey to the neighborhood behind the shopping center and gather at the entrance. YHC completely misuses the word “permutation” in an effort to explain what we’re doing next, which is this: increasing number of merkins at each driveway until no PAX can do the prescribed number of reps. We made it to 14 with Rousey taking the title of last man to tap out. So that’s 105 merkins on the way up if you did them all. Can’t say where everybody came in but hopefully we all got as many as we could. Mic Check was of course hammering them and One Star as well. The way back down the ladder was a bit of an S Show as cars and barking dogs kind of chased us off course. We regrouped though and I would estimate another 50-60 merkins at least.
Run backwards up the hill to the rock pile and grab a rock. OH presses and tricep extensions until the six arrive. Then the PAX split up with half going up the hill for 3 sets of pull ups and squats, the other half staying and alternating curls and squats. Awesome job by T1000 banging out the pull ups! Then finish off with another three rounds of alternating OH Press and Tricep Ext.
Run back to COT with stops along the way to gather PAX. 20 peter parkers IC, then AYG dips at the fountains. One minute late for COT.
Announcements: Time to step up for Roof Above. Choose a site you post at and get with your site Q to coordinate your donation!
Back in the day there was a workout called, Day Zero. Much like the Stonehenge / Da Vinci weekly battles, The Rock and Day Zero would always go head to head to see who’s workout was harder. In the end, it was determined that they both were hard and we combined the 2 AO’s to make one bad a$$ Sat workout…or at least that’s how it was told to me. Either way, Day Zero has a few stupid ideas. The one day I attended DZ, a now infamous workout, Alf was the q and we had 4 guys to grab 3 things (rock, 45# plate and something else) and we walked to Charlotte Catholic and back. Since then and in the world of Covid, no coupons were shared, but we manage to pay tribute to that fine morning. If you did not see the prebalst, you missed it. It was sent on Thursday on the #SACS slack channel. Why… Because every Wednesday at 5:15 at South Charlotte Middle we Shut Up and Carry $hit, I just felt it was appropriate to only put it there. I mean if I preblasted it, would we have had more or less numbers this am?? Either way at 6:58 I stated to review the plan, 6:59 we had everyone (but Hoover) and like clockwork GPS stated 0700 we took off and Hoover rolled in after 6 miles (strong)
Warm Up
Easy jog to the rock pile. Instructed to get a lifting rock…ok, I said we were not running, but nobody asked about a fast mosey.
The Thang
Once we secured the rock, we made the 1 mile journey to the original, Day Zero. I am not sure how often this site is used by the The Rock Zero guys, but today we got to see it in its full beauty! Head over to the basketball court were there was a white board sitting there with todays plan.
10 exercises, perform 10 reps total of each and take a full lap on the track. Repto 10 times or until time is called
Exercises:
After the 3rd lap and the 4th round of exercises and the watch @7:40, the Pax started getting nervous about the trip home, so we ended short and made the 1 mile, long, uphill grind home.
Once back, discard rock where you found it. Little bit of Mary while we wait for the 6 and then head back to launch. 3 more minutes of mary and
DONE
Announcements: Congratulations to Mighty Might who was able to convince Pax to donate over 40 pints of blood- T-claps! And there is another blood drive in spring
YHC with the take out this AM
Ye Old Mole Skinny
3 for the woods. Deadwood did between 4-5 miles. Paper jam did 8, I was stupid and did 11.
Reports were trail was flooded but it had cleared had a few wet areas
I planned out a 2 mile loop. I ram it the day before and knew we would have a few puddles to watch for. The 28 degree temps did cause some ice on the hills which made for a little bit of audibles during the workout.
DiCCS given:
THE THANG
Opening mosey to the traffic circle
16 x SSH
15 x Imperial walkers
10 x Merkins
Calf Stretch
Mosey out to the main Mill bridge Pkwy
Head up the hill to not return each intersection alternate between Bobby hurleys x 10 and Big Boy x 10
Continue to the second round about go left on Hudson Mill Dr last intersection I picked low slow Squat and Jwow picked V up’s x 10
Enter the walking path which as I said I had verified was clear but had some puddles to avoid.
either Bear crawl or lung walk all Bridges or tunnels. (2 tunnels and lots of bridges)
At various intersections had instructions to perform 3 x 5 workouts 3 trips up the hills with 5 workouts at tops and bottoms.
Some of the hills we could not go up as much as I had planned due to ice.
Workouts Monkey humpers, smurf jacks, bobby hurleys, LNC’s, Merkins, SSH, and some others.
On the way back we had less than 15 minutes left and Fuse started to ask where are we and do we have time to get back. We were closer than he thought.
We got back from the path. Headed for the circle where we started and took turns calling Mary for the next 7 minutes.
Head to COT and had the Rucker’s coming in so we waited for them to join before the count.
I did promise at least 2 miles we got about 3.7
Announcements
Roster coming up but need details of how to sign up. Not sure on the date either but rumor of a drinking team.
Q school on March 6th Although me and Animal can’t make it as we will be at the idiot
Close with Prayer I took us out
My 3rd Q and my 3rd bootcamp since torn meniscus surgery in December…great to be back…and ahead of schedule! Now if we could get the rain to go away…well, it did for the most part during the workout, but we did spend some time on the ground, so getting soaked was unavoidable.
PAX slowly exited their vehicles with just over a minute to spare…DICCS given and we’re off.
We start with a mosey to the shed and we begin to warm-up:
50 SSH (in cadence)
25 Merkens (on my down)
25 Bobby Hurleys (on my up)
50 Speed Skaters (on your own)
Let’s stretch a bit…
10 Potato Pickers (in cadence)
Calf Stretch (for a 10 count)
Upward Dog (for a 10 count)
Cat Stretch (for a 10 count)
Enough of the fun stuff, let’s get at it…
From the shed we work our way back to the parking lot completing the same 3 exercises at each lamplight, building from 5 reps each and adding an additional rep at each stop ending up completing 13 reps at the end. Exercises: LBCs, Carolina Dry Docks, and Bomb jacks.
I’m still the six, so most everyone else had a rough go of it waiting for the 6 to get in while doing Goofballs.
Now for an Indian Run to the Middle School overhang and we partner up. PAX 1 runs around the traffic island while PAX 2 does mountain climbers. This continues with squats, high-knees, and plank jacks. I’m the 6 again and the other PAX do some step-ups.
Thinking the Weinke was 5 or so minutes behind schedule at this point, I cut short the next phase of the workout by having the PAX sprint the length of the traffic island and return by backpedaling – – the Weinke as envisioned called for 4 rounds of this…turns out we could have done it…oh, well, next time.
We mosey back to COT with about 5 minutes to go and it’s time for PAX Choice. I don’t remember who called each exercise, but we went from Moroccan Night Clubs to LBCs to one-legged squats to off-set merkens on the curb and, finally, to a mosey around the COT lot…great work brothers!
My Two Cents…
I’ve missed the bootcamps so much and I’m glad I’m well enough to rejoin and get back to my weight loss journey in earnest. While it is imperative that you, the individual, must want to routinely wake up for 5:30 am workouts, rain or shine, having the F3 Brotherhood to inspire you and hold you accountable strengthens the resolve. I have to also spotlight the importance of the MASH unit for those that are injured, for those that think a bootcamp might be too much, and for those that just need a running break. MASH workouts are legit tough, pretty much Diesel everyday and always growing with new challenges. Centerfold, Mayhem, Penalty Box, and Bunyan have this operation running right. Lastly, there seem to be more Respects these days than youngsters like my 47 y/o self…that’s an awesome inspiration! See you next week for my Diesel Q!
And for my 64th Q I pulled into the Waverly shopping center and pulled in by the parking deck to count number of floors. See 15 guys running around in there already. I’m completely baffled by this since it’s only 523am. Oh snap, does this site take off at 515am?? Please no…
Confirm on the site it’s a 530 start and then I see our very own Urologist in his car sipping on a nice glass of urine….and that’s when I knew I was in the right place. Great to see you this morning Swimmers and I left my sample in your coffee cup before you lefts. Per your request. I digress.
We have a handful of cars show up, it’s sprinkling but i see a wide open parking deck with out names all over. 6ft DiCCS was shared/explained so that the boys of SOB could pass it on. I mean it’s funny but also it actually is very memorable
6ft DiCCS:
• 6ft – reminder to keep yo distance!
• Di – the usual F3 disclaimer
• C – Cellphone on a pax in case of an emergency
• C – CPR, who knows it?
• S – Safety, are we crossing any roads? Anything to be aware of?
Well it’s 530am and we were off…
THE THANG
Mosey around building and into the backdoor of the parking deck. Circle up for….
1. 20 x SSH IC
2. 20 x Moroccan Night Clubs IC
3. 15 x Imperial Walker
4. 15 x LS Squats IC
5. Calf Stretch
6. Can Opener & Runners Pose
7. Jimmy Dugan
Mosey up the deck a floor for a reverse Tyson Press Webb. Start at 10 and 40. Work your way down to 1 and 4. 5 x big boy Situps between rounds.
Mosey down a floor and pair up. Partner 1 does a hot lap, while partner 2 completes exercise:
• 200 x Speedskaters
• 150 x Big Boy
• 100 x Bobby Hurleys
Lineup across deck. Suicides with exercises inbetween. 10 x Merkins, 20 x V-Ups and 30 x American Knockout. 3 rounds of suicides and 2 rounds of exercises.
Some mosey over to deck covered COT. Time for some Lt Dans with a few minutes left. 1 deep squat & 4 jump lunges. Completed 5 rounds.
MOLESKIN
It was raining out but we didn’t have to worry about it due to the concrete shelter. Other than my ability to count, give instruction, etc overall the workout went as planned. Kept the heart rate up, got 3 miles and I didn’t hear any complaints.
Sadly didn’t hear Ice9 dry heaving either but his counting shenanigans were present. I channeled my inner Recalc a few times focusing on the pesky bending of the knees during a squat, or the mysterious Speedskaters which is not a tap dance. Overall a semi quiet group but also chatting in a parking deck is awful because of the echo.
Thanks for having me Transporter. I hate the distance but I love the vicinity to Starbucks.
Happy Friday fellas and enjoy the weekend! I know I will be drinking a few nice beers thinking about the pain in my thighs.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nada…
The Warmup
The Warmup started with Popeye recommending an audible moving Diesel to Cuthbertson. I said to Chicken, we can do that? He said you are the Q and you make the rule! Enough said and I jumped back into my car and drove off. PAX arrived 5 minutes late therefore no time for a warmup.
The Thang
I told Chicken I was setting up the racetrack, like we did at Body Shop, and he just rolled his eyes. The racetrack was shaped like Daytona 500 with (3) exercises on the straight portions with pit stops at the turn areas. Well it was not an actual pit stop to take a break but was the start of the pace car. One PAX would start in plank, Spiderman walk 3 times, and then a Merkin. This continued until the pace car reached the other pit stop and back to the starting pit stop . The rest of the PAX were spread out along the tracks straightaways doing an exercise. Once pace car finished, PAX rotated to next station. Draper and Popeye really enjoyed going from pit stop to pit stop.
Racetrack design: coupon was required at each station:
PAX completed 5 rounds around the track and cars were slowing down after second lap. PAX crushed it and big shout out to 0-69! You did it brother!
0-69 said today was epic!!!
Announcements
Premature on Q tomorrow at Blackhawk
Cold rain. Again. Even so, 9 dudes joined YHC. Brief disclaimer offered and quickly cut off by Lorax. He was ready to get moving. Nothing fun about standing around in cold rain.
Thang
Mosey across 51 and through some of the parking deck. Circle up on level 1.
COP: 8 or so exercises. Pax called exercise, YHC called cadence to 10.
Double Ascension
Level 1. Launch between stairwell 1 and 2. Run up a level using stairwell 2. 10 Merkin. Proceed to stairwell 1 and down to launch. 10 Heels to Heaven. Up to level 2. 20 Merkin. Down stairwell 1. 10 H2H. Up to 3 and back down. Plank-o-Mary. Round 2 called by Gravedancer. Launch was 10 burpees. 10-20-30 Parker Peters. Plank-o-Mary.
AYG to level 4 and back down stairwell 1. Wall sits with alternating foot raises.
Mosey back to launch lot at Amelies. Some more Plank-o-Mary with some Merkins for good measure.
COT
Motorboat had to cancel his Q this morning. Was hoping that would not happen, as he was supposed to bring me the Lonesome Dove DVDs. Great book. Pulitzer Prize winner. Recommendation and book provided to YHC by Clover, who was noticeably absent.
Margo was getting after it this morning. P200 training was on display.
Lorax quickly dropped his rain coat. He don’t need no stinkin’ jacket.
This crew put in the work this morning. No complaining about the weather, or the burpees called by Gravedancer, for that matter. Well done, men. Big win is getting out of bed and posting.
On to the title. 7 +/- 2 is sometimes referred to as Miller’s Law. George A Miller was a Harvard psychologist who studied short-term memory capabilities in humans. His 1956 study is somewhat famous (i.e., one of the most cited papers in psychology). In it, Miller argues that the average human short-term memory can hold 7 plus or minus 2 items. I got 10 pax names today. 14 last week. While my case of OLD thrives relentlessly through my body, my mind appears to be morphing into a steel trap. Or something like that. Anyway, you have to take a win where you can.
Thanks to the 9 men who posted this morning. Gotta admit, the weather has been beating me down some. This is a tough time of year for many people. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a disorder with symptoms similar to (or including) depression. Fatigue, depression, social withdrawal are major symptoms. Given the current state of affairs with COVID, most people are experiencing forced social withdrawal already. The last 11 months have been hard on many folks. Check in on your friends and neighbors that you haven’t touched base with lately. Say hello to a stranger in your travels.
Thanks to Thunder Road for the takeout prayer.
Continue to pray for Jennings Palmer. For zero cancer cells in his body. For the chance to have another successful bone marrow transplant. For his parents and siblings.
Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. OK, so it mostly listened. It rained on the drive to Cutty and started raining again immediately following COT, but amazingly we didn’t get rained on during the workout. That doesn’t mean we didn’t get wet…
Less than a minute to go, Dasher says “Can our first exercise NOT be Big Bois or something on our six?” My response: “I can promise it won’t be the FIRST exercise”
DiCCS given “Don’t be a dumbass” – Too late, you’re here.
Warmup
Mosey around the front of the middle school loop. Stop and do SSHs and other stretchy things
The Thang
Yesterday at The Arsenal I did Killer B’s Caught in a Webb. Today at the Swarm, how could I NOT do more Killer B’s? Especially after Sugar Daddy mentioned them possibly making an appearance.
Mosey to the Pathway to the Palace. Exercises performed at each light pole. Increase the number of reps AND the number of exercises by one at each light pole. It looked like this:
That’s a lot of B’s!! Terrible B’s! Awful B’s! KILLER B’s!
OK, time to mosey. Over to the big high school lot for the Starfish.
Start with 5 Burpees and do 5 more Burpees every time you finish a corner. Corners = 20 Dry Docks, 20 LBCs, 20 Squats, and 20 Plank Jacks. Dasher basically Qed this one cause after I told everyone the exercises I immediately forgot what they were. Apparently I reserved all my memory capacity for the above Killer B’s.
Over in the northwest corner is the lowest point of the high school lot. Up the road to the speed bump is (almost) the highest point.
5 Mike Tysons at the bottom
5 Jump Squats at the top
5 rounds
That’s the Triple Nickel.
Mosey to the first alcove on the high school. Time for some Donkey Kicks. 10 DKs followed by a 10 count with your feet on the wall. Repeato with decreasing reps and count until you get to 1. Try not to black out.
Mosey to the next alcove. People’s Chair. 50 Air Presses civvy count. 20 Big Bois. 50 More Air Presses.
Mosey to the front of the middle school to encroach on the Impromptu crowd. Partner up.
P1 runs the half lap
P2 does the exercises
200 Dips
150 Speed Skaters (2=1)
100 Derkins
Mosey back to COT with a few minutes to spare. Sprint a couple of times to get your remaining energy out.
El fin.
Moleskin
Small numbers doesn’t mean you can’t have a good workout. In fact, sometimes it’s nice to only have a few guys. You can talk more (when you can breathe) and you can stick together better when you do the exercises. Dasher and Gerber are two guys I can always look to to push hard and set the pace. I know that if I’m keeping up with them then I’m doing alright because they’re not going to half-ass it. Sugar Daddy isn’t your average respect. He’s not someone I aspire to be when I’m a respect. He’s someone I aspire to be right now. If you’re looking for motivation. If you’re looking for a fitness goal. If you’re looking for someone to drag you around Cutty and look good doing it. Look no further than these three. Thanks guys for joining me in the gloom.
Announcements
Q School – March 6th, 6:30 to 8:00 at Cuthbertson. All are welcome. If you’ve never been you should definitely sign up. If you’re looking for a refresher then please sign up. https://forms.gle/iqsQ1jp3BVsuziCt9
YHC took us out
Rain or Shine Dinner was served.
Warm Up
The Thang
Now that we were all warmed up on a cold night. Dinner was made for a full body workout – arms, abs, and legs. The plan was to stay out of the weather if needed, turned out the rain stay away and allowed the 11 PAX and 2.0 to enjoy the night and eat a great dinner.
At the front of the middle school we worked on our arms with a Pyramid of:
Then a quick mosey to the school bus cover to work on our abs.
With no rain, we mosey around the circle of buses to ensure our legs were ready to be Sumo’s
A mosey to the Shed for some dead air lefts. Now onto the final 9 minutes we mosey from light pole to light pole, with some merkins, running backwards, skipping our way back to COT
The Moleskine
The forecast was 100 percent right, a great workout for everyone
Announcements