Accountability Monday
With my enthusiasm for 2021 having worn off, but my desire for mental and physical health still in tact, YHC tried to think of ways to stay “on track” as a new week kicked off.
For me, one of the most important F3 concepts I have picked up in the last couple years is that of “guardrails.” If we make commitments to each other ahead of time, we won’t slide off the road later when we suddenly don’t feel like it anymore. With my commitment to Q Firestarter this morning, YHC hit a guardrail I’m very thankful for it.
This morning’s partner exercises were my way of bringing the accountability concept to the workout and I encourage everyone: sign up for Qs, take challenges with each other, either over time or even within a workout.
Accountability doesn’t mean 6 posts a week, 52 weeks a year. That is more like perfection, which YHC has never been very good at. But if you put guardrails in the right places in your life, hitting your long-term goals gets a lot easier when you stay on track and don’t end up in the ditch.
The Thang.
Warm up with a 3-4 minute Mosey and circle up for 20 SSH, 15 IW, 15 merkins, 10 low slow squats.
Run to the rock pile up the hill and partner up with a PAX who will push you, someone of equal to better speed and endurance. Run with your partner, comfortably down the hill, uncomfortably back up. It’s about a half mile round trip.
Round 1: group one runs while group two lifts. Exercises are 10 reps of curls, presses and tricep extensions, repeated until group 1 gets back.
Round 2: same thing but the exercises are 10 romanian deadlifts and 10 thrusters.
Mosey back down to the “half wall” in back of shopping center. Partner up with different partners. P1 does five wall clinmbs while P2 holds a 6 inch plank. Repeat four times.
From here, the arms and chestal region were feeling a little smoked so numerous rounds of merkins were in order. Typically civilian count to 10 or 20. I’m thinking we got 6 sets in on the way back and in between other stuff.
Mary: 20 flutters, 20 dollies, 20 LBCs, run the stairs and then 20 H2H.
Mosey back to the fountains and with time remaining: 10 dips IC, 10 jump ups OYO, 10 dips IC, 5 jumps OYO, 10 gas pumpers, IC. Done.
Moleskin: Great to see this Monday bootcamp take off and maintain good numbers. Thanks Teddy and Wingman for your leadership and great job to all the PAX who are consistently posting here.
Announcements: Big Tuna turns “respectable” aka 50 with a Q at Bushwood tomorrow. Congrats Big T!
If you said goodbye to me tonight there would still be music left to write
Made it to the AO with 2 minutes to spare. Two cars in the parking lot.
The Thang:
Warm Up 10 Windmills, 10 arm circle forward, 10 arm circle back.
10 rounds of 6 double swings
KB Complex 15 mins of 5 cleans, 5 front squats, 5 presses. Doubles if you can.
EZ Strength
2X10 of double RDLs
2X10 KB Pushups
2X10 Lawn Mowers
4X10 High Pulls(doubles if you can)
Abwork
1 min elbow plank
1min hollow body hold
1min glute bridge
COT
Moleskin:
We had over 10 pax for the first Swole of 2021, hopefully today’s dip in numbers is more related to coincidence than fading New Year’s resolutions.
YHC had a Q Fail by forgetting my speaker and leaving the pax musicless. I suggested we sing some a capella to fill the silence and started the beginning of For the Longest Time by Billy Joel but when it was time for the chorus to join in, WT and IS neglected to sing. That was the inspiration for this backblast’s title.
Announcements
Next blood drive coming Friday Feb 19. Check for backblast later this week.
Let MM know if you’d like to Q Swole in the coming weeks. WT and IS on deck the next two weeks.
Redemption Q
After a little goof up last Monday, that left many Clydesdale Pax to suffer at the hand of Dasher, I had to get back out and redeem myself for failing to show for my Q. That is now behind us, so lets move on.
The Thang:
- DICCS handled
- Mosey to Rudy’s poop palace for a little warm-up. Light stretching and the usual suspect exercises.
- Mosey to the traffic circle behind the High School
- Out and Back’s – So look, when you’re a Clydesdale Q’ing a Gazelle oriented workout, you have to get creative. Last week as I was pondering the Q I would ultimately miss, I came up with this idea. Everyone launches from and returns to the traffic circle. You run 4 minutes out and then turn around and run back. This allows the Gazelles to stretch their legs and naturally pick up the six on the return trip. We did this 4x with a few minutes of Mary and Planking between each leg.
- Mosey back to Rudy’s poop palace.
- Lieutenant Dan up the back drive to COT. Each light stop and do 1 squat and 4 backward lunges. Increasing per the usual at each light. We ended on the 9th light, with 9 squats and 36 backward lunges.
- COT
- Announcements – Thursday night load a truck at Christ’s Closet, bound for distribution in Wilmington. Sign up for the 1/30 blood drive. CSAUP coming up on 2/6.
- Prayer
- Family Photo
Peace. Redemption attained.
There’s a reason they call them that
First time Qing Flash (I know, right?) and I pulled into the parking lot to see it nearly of cars. Looks like everyone was eager to see what TWO weeks of prep for Mad Dog would bring for Ignition. Can’t blame them; if I wasn’t the Q then I’d have been at Ignition just to see if Mad Dog would stand us up twice in a row.
Warmup
Mosey to the front lot, circle and do Side Straddle Hops, Imperial Walkers, Moroccan Night Clubs, Calf Stretches, and Mountain Climbers
The Thang
Mosey to the front door benches and find yourself a partner on the way. One partner does a half lap around the center island and shares 100 Dips and 100 Step-Ups with the other partner.
Mosey to the covered walkway. The PAX do Low Slow Squats in cadence while 2 PAX at a time Bear Crawl from one end of the walkway to the other. Those 2 PAX continue LSS and the next 2 PAX go. All PAX do a burpee each time a PAX finishes the Bear Crawl.
Mosey to Rudy’s Poopy Palace and find a new partner on the way. One partner runs to the buses and back while sharing 100 Merkin Shredders, 150 Donkey Kicks, and 200 Air Presses (while on the wall)
OK, we didn’t quite do 100 Merkin Shredders. I got a few “whoa’s” and “reallys?” when I called the Shredders. After 1 round each, I called an audible and switched to regular Merkins (still 100 total rep). Those things are no joke. If you aren’t familiar. It’s a Merkin with a hands off the ground T-pose at the bottom, then 2 shoulder taps at the top. There’s a reason they call them Shredders.
Another mosey up to the covered stairs at the high school. A modified Webb with 1 Big Boi Sit-Up at the bottom of the stairs, 4 walking lunges (1=1) at the top then the long lap down the sidewalk. 2 Big Bois/8 Lunges, etc. After a few rounds, in the 4 to 6 range, we did a set of 10 American Hammers and 10 Box Cutters then made a long mosey back to the shed.
A handful of minutes remaining, head up the path back to COT and do 3 Burpees at each light post. After a few of those and less than 2 minutes remaining, jailbreak back to COT.
Moleskin
Not a lot of chatter today except the complaints about the Merkin Shredders.
Penalty Box turned 72 yesterday. The dude is amazing and if I make it to 72 and can still do half of what he does I’ll be doing alright
O-69 had his one year F3 Anniversary today. In the past year he’s dropped over 60 pounds. Every day he’s out walking and running and getting better. Great job buddy!
Announcements
F3 Blood Drive – January 30th, 9:00 to 1:30 at Five Stones. Sign up at https://www.redcross.org/ and search for F3
CSAUP – February 6th – Ruckers depart at 7:00am and everyone else at 7:30 from The Floater. Plan on it last until 11:00 or so. 2nd F at Waxhaw Tap House
Sanctuary – We are starting a new study Monday on listening to God. We study, learn, and fellowship over the Word, 🍕 & 🍺. Mondays, 7:30pm, Fellowship Hall at 6315 New Town Road. Open to all men.
Christ’s Closet – Giveaway in Wilmington this weekend in lieu of F3 10 Year Anniversary. Loading the truck on Thursday night.
Mad Dog took us out
“Uh oh. The site’s Blue Screened”
Station 1 – Mosey around the school to the teachers parking lot
- 20 sides straddle hops
- 10 Potato pickers
- Runners stretch
- Calf stretch
- Front leg swingups
Station 2 – flag near football field
- Pick rock in middle
- 10 overhead rock presses run to flagpole one and do five step-ups or jumps
- Back to middle 10 overhead rock presses
- Run to the flagpole to and do five Durkins
- Four sets total
Station 3 – building entrance
(Pair up)
- partner 1: 100 donkey kicks, 88 Merkins (repeat as needed)
- “88” comes from 1988 where Zinfandel bizarrely reference BlueScreen having a 1988 Seoul Korea sweatshirt in pre-workout post. I did have that shirt, but got rid of it a few years ago (before F3)!! How the heck did he ever come up with that?? BIZARRE!!
- Partner 2: run the loop
- Five sets total
Station 4- bottom of the hill
(Done as a team)
- 15 speed skaters (2=1), then 15 Standing side lunges
- Run the hill loop
Station 5
- Run across to bus parking lot
- 20 steps, 15 dips on picnic tables followed by one parking lot lap X 3 sets
COT
- Circle up. Everybody rolls the magic all-knowing F3 exercise ball one time
- Did all the ball said except the “15 Zinfandel titty-twisters!”
Before prayer, Bluescreen took up Zins’s “older than 1988 shirt challenge” and lifted up the outer shirt to reveal an ancient 1983 Chesapeake Light Race shirt! Zin was curious about how Blue cleans his clothes and preserves them. BS says he does not wash his clothes – the secret to long life!
NW: Providence Downs
12 Pax & 2 Pax-sniffers break attendance records in record-breaking cold!
I thought sure the cold would keep most everyone away but the Turnbuckliest or Chickeniest among us. Instead, I was astounded with returning champ Pennywise, and site FNG’s Von Trapp, Midriff, Dyn-O-Mite, & Boitano!
2nd week in NW, & Pennywise gets it – rotate around and talk to guys; figure out what you have in common.
People say not to give Posse your phone number or you will be mercilessly EH’ed. I think today proved that letting Das Boot know where you live is even worse. He pointed out where One Star lived. That’s when several told the story of him setting his pool furniture on fire (accidentally?).
But when we got around the corner to Boitano’s house, Das implied that he got more of a commitment for Boitano to join last night. But he wasn’t with us. Following Das’ lead, as the video clearly shows, he & I did monkey humpers at his front door. #NewKnock
Before we made it to the corner, Boitano was outside in his Off My Lawn jammers. He asked how much longer we had, & he went back inside to get more clothes & his 2.0, Emory, as we finished off the last 20 minutes together.
Turnbuckle stayed in the lead today as he didn’t want his fitness tracker to time out on him & potentially not get (digital) credit for this walk. On consecutive day 41, I think?
The Chicken has been quiet this past week, so I was relieved to see him this morning. I didn’t know how this NW thing was going to go, but I was hoping beginning new friendships like I have with CL would be one of the results. We’re at the point where he can answer someone else’s questions about my background before I can. A caring man who shows that he’s listening to everything you say.
Von Trapp started off a little quiet today, as expected when starting something new. But he quickly figured out what was going on and got to chattin’. Want to see you again soon in the gloom!
Midriff – always happy when we get to meet at the same AO. He brought 2/3 of his 2.0’s: Esther was doing great on her bike, while Avery was Midriff’s human ruck. Esther is lucky she got her bike back from me; if those heart-shaped pedals were the next size up, she was going home with a trunk full of nothin’.
Pennywise & I definitely had a pinch of nostalgia as Midriff’s 2.0’s were talking & running with us. The tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap & the stories quickly took us back to when our kids were that age. We didn’t preach to him, “Remember these times – you’ll miss them!” We don’t have to. Today showed that Midriff was fully present for these two. When you do that, there is no regret for the past. You can hold those memories with as much gratitude as you do for the present moment.
So glad to see Dyn-O-Mite out! A current rarity who promised today to be more present at F3. Boosted by our gratitude for him sharing this video, he shared this one in The Playhouse. Yes, those are onions in your coffee.
Next week at Marvin Creek.
Blackhawk 1/9/2021
Mosey to Peking lot for tennis courts for Warmorama. 10 X IW, 10 X Merkins IC, 10 X Moroccan Nightclubs IC, Downward Dog, Calf Stretch.
THANG:
Mosey to the rock pile on service rd for softball fields and grab a lifting rock.
15 of each called exercise and run to parking lot and back X 3 sets.
curls, chest press, tricep ext. LBC w/rock IC + 10 staggered merkins on rock, Goblet Squats, Shoulder press, back to curls.
Mosey back to COT for 30 seconds of Mary
Gettin’ Yuge at Olympus
3 pax showed up at Calvary this morning at 0700 not to chase Benny around Bevington, but to swing bells. Doubles, to be precise. After a disclaimer whose thoroughness was inversely correlated to the experience level of the pax, we got right to it.
Warm-up:
- SSH x 20 IC
- Windmills x 10 IC
- Prying squats x 2
Main Course:
Neupert: 5 sets of 2 double clean and double press
Complex (Flynncinerator):
- 10 x double swings
- 10 x double front squats
- 10 x see-saw presses (5 per side)
- 10 x lawnmowers per side
- 10 x merkins on the bells
Do this for 15:00 (3 rounds). I think each set was intended to be completed without putting the bells down, but we all took a break after the squats each round so our hearts didn’t explode.
Easy Strength:
- 2 sets of 5 sumo deadlifts
- 2 sets of double floor (ground) press
- 2 sets of 5 upright rows
- 4 sets of single snatches (5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8)
Carries:
- Cook drill – waiter carry until you need to lower to the rack. Racked carry until you need to lower to the suitcase. Start with left hand, then rest before returning with the right hand.
Mary:
- 1:00 plank on the bell handles: 0:15 high, 0:15 middle, 0:15 low, 0:15 middle
- American Hammer x 10 per side
- Box cutters x 20 OYO
- Plank until time’s up
COT with the RockZero pax where Hoover took us out.
Announcements:
- Blood drive at Brace Y on 2/19.
- Keep Bout Time’s 2.0, Jennings, in your prayers as he battles leukemia. Let Mermaid know if you’re looking for a way to help the family out.
Moleskine:
- YHC left plenty of time to get to Calvary by 0700 this morning. Unfortunately, I pulled on to 51 behind a couple of cars, including Geraldo, who was Sunday driving (5 below the speed limit!). I guess upstate NY drivers don’t all speed like their Manhattan brethren. I had bells to unload before the workout, so I passed him when the opportunity presented itself (only to get stuck at the light at Rea). I made it there at about 6:58, so crisis averted.
- Unplugged was the first one there this morning. He’s back at Olympus now that it’s too cold for pickleball with his M. The man loves deadlifts and squats, so I think he enjoyed it. He was throwing around some big bells.
- This was Frehley’s first kettlebell post in 2021 after posting at 5 boot camps this week and Qing 2 of them! The last time YHC saw him was for the 12 days of Christmas workout on the 27th. That one left a mark!
911, What is Your Emergency?
Last night I posted on GroupMe something silly about getting in 5 miles. (Don’t drink and write your weinke and definitely don’t publicize it the night before). I came in HOT, good thing for back up alarm at 5:50am, otherwise I would have fartsacked, I was in the mist of a dream about missing my alarm and missing my Q, funny how that works.
Warm Up Run down to and around traffic circle back to COT. Circle Up – Imperial Walkers, Jimmy Dugans, Merkins. Mosey to school entrance. Calf Stretch, Can Opener, Moroccan Night Clubs. Mosey down street to Millbridge Parkway, stop at street light. Downward Dog. Mosey to Millbridge bridge, Mountain Climbers. Mosey to Millbridge Club House.
The Thang I explained to the Pax we would be running uphill on Millbridge Parkway, stopping at every intersection. At each intersection we would do the following: 1 Burpee / 9 Mike Tyson’s / 21 Bobby Hurley’s. We would stop when someone spills Merlot or we run out of road. Most important thing for the day is NO MARY, EVERYONE circles back for the Six. If you circle back to the six and run to the next intersection and the 6 is still not in, CIRCLE BACK. We would all be starting the exercises together as a group. Gazelle’s would get more mileage in that way and it gave more motivation to the 6 to push harder. Lots of intersections, we got up to Hudson Mill Dr.
Time to head back, this time at every intersection: 1 Burpee / 9 SSH’s/ 21 Squats.
Just as we head back down, my cell phone somehow dials 911 (how does that happen when it’s in a cell holder strapped to my arm?). Alarm Sound Blaring and a Voice saying “911, What is Your Emergency”. I stop, take off my gloves, get my phone out and tell the operator I’m fine, somehow my phone accidentally dialed 911 while I was out running. I was very out of breath. Cue the large barking dog, Cue a woman screaming the words “Get Back Here”! Operator then asks for my address. I state I’m running in Millbridge, reiterate it was an accident and I’m fine, false alarm and I hang up. 911 Calls Back, same screaming woman in the background, same barking dog, same fat out of breath (yhc) guy states he’s fine, it was a mistake, I hang up and carry on.
I call an audible and in lieu of 21 squats we do 21 merkins on my count. We run down to entrance of trail, just before Millbridge clubhouse. After the 6 is in, with about 10 minutes left, someone asks are we Moseying back to COT? I said, yes we are. However, I know how much you all love this Hill and we therefore Mosey back up the hill to the first intersection, run through the 1/9/21 reps and head back to the trail head. Circle back for 6, now it was time to head back to COT. Stop at Bridge. Derkins on the bridge, on my down, we got to around 15 when my feet lost their grip and I fall on my face.
Less than a minute left, OYG to COT.
If you are wondering, Pax mileage ranged from 3 miles to 4 miles, depending upon how much you circled back for the six. Too much time stopping for exercises impeded distance, though running uphill for a good portion was a treat.
Announcements
Moving Service Opp, Blood drive on the 30th, Rice and Beans. YHC took us out.