Inaugural 2021 Kettlebell Program

Inaugural 2021 Kettlebell Program

In January 2020, we rolled out a series of structured kettlebell workouts in order to provide some direction to the pax’s strength training. We spent months performing a modified StrongFirst Level I SFG training program, a swing/merkin/snatch program, and a swing program. For 2021, we will likely re-run some of those programs as well as revisit the Total Tension program some pax followed in late 2019.

Starting at Swole on Monday, we will transition to a new program focused on heavier weights and lower reps. The focus of the program will be two programs devised by Geoff Neupert: Kettlebell Strong and Kettlebell One. The Strong program consists of double cleans and double presses while the One program consists of double swings. If you don’t have a pair of identical bells, both can be performed with either (i) a single kettlebell or (ii) mismatched double kettlebells (switch sides each set). You should start with a weight that you can press for 4-5 tough reps. The goal is to gradually increase the number of reps being performed each workout. By the end, that weight will be much more manageable than when you started.

Each workout will consist of 4 sections:

  1. Warm-up (SSH, IW, Sharon Towers, prying squats, etc.)
  2. Neupert (KB Strong or KB One, based on the schedule) – this is the only thing the Q has to make sure they get in there. The reps are generally low, but it should be challenging so there should be ample rest. Ideally, the pax will use doubles, but singles will do. Bell size should be a weight that can be pressed 4-5 times with effort.
  3. Complex – I’ve included a selection of complexes from a few authors. Some are time-based (i.e., AMRAP for 15:00) and some just need to be completed. If they don’t take enough time, the Q can do another complex or move on to the next section.
  4. Easy Strength – We might only have time for this on Saturdays, but the idea is to do 5 exercises with relatively low reps at a challenging weight. I’ve provided some examples of the types of exercises, but they should include: deadlift, upper body pull, upper body push, full body explosive, and abs.
  5. Mary – If there’s not enough time to get through Easy Strength, Mary should be performed (elbow planks, hollow body holds, glute bridges, etc.).

The specifics of sections 2-4 can be found on the different tabs of the Google Sheet saved here. The Q has discretion over the Warm-up, any Complex(es), the Easy Strength, and Mary portions. Suggestions are included in the spreadsheet. Each workout will have a prescribed Neupert workout based on the schedule in the spreadsheet.

As always, the focus of each workout should be performing good quality reps. If you have questions about any of the exercises, please ask questions of the Q or site Qs at the workout. I (Voodoo) am working on collecting some of the bells that I have lent out during the pandemic and will bring extra bells to the workouts to lend to pax in need of them once I have them.

If you’ve been posting for a while, we hope you will continue to come out and support the sites. If you’ve been curious about bells, please join us and give it a try. If you have questions, please ask.

See you in the gloom,

Voodoo, Mighty Mite, Unplugged, Ickey Shuffle, and High Tide

An Ode to My F3 Brothers

For those of you that know me know that I am not one who is apt to put pen to paper with a whole lot of introspection, but as 2020 becomes 2021 I felt the need to tell you all how thankful I am for you.  Apologies in advance for the length of this but I have a lot to say.  Much has obviously been made about the challenges of 2020 but I am grateful for the men of F3 who helped me to stay centered during all the challenges.  Whether it was a fist bump pushing me along while getting my butt kicked at a workout or laughing out loud at a post on Slack, it all helped to maintain some sanity.  Truth be told, for the majority of us 2020 was not as bad as it has been made out to be.  As my pastor noted, many of us were inconvenienced but did not suffer.  I am grateful to have had F3 through the year to help navigate the “inconveniences”.  That is not to say that some of our F3 brothers were not directly impacted during 2020.  And if you suffered a job loss, loss of a loved one or other hardship I truly hope that we were there to support you and be a sounding board or a source of normalcy for you.  And that is what I think the underlying strength of F3 is.  The fact that there is a large group of men that are there to support each other in whatever form is needed.  There are guys that we get to know well and develop close friendships with and there are others that we may have only worked out with one time or only know on Slack.  Regardless they all form a shield lock and have our backs no matter what and are willing to help.  As 2020 becomes 2021 things are obviously not going to swing a 180 and completely change overnight.  So, if the challenges are weighing you down please do not hesitate to reach out to your brothers.  WE HAVE YOUR BACK.

Now, there were bright spots in 2020.  We were able to get an awesome Beer Run in pre-Covid.  We pivoted during the stay at home and while it was not anyone’s preference, we were able to keep guys connected with each other and motivated with virtual workouts and happy hours.  The Hi Impact Local Race and Makeshift Marathons were fantastic events that provided brotherhood and impacts to local charities.  Since we were limited with social gatherings a fun trend has started with holiday workouts/post workout holiday parties with the Turkey Jam and Christmas Eve workouts.  The Passport Challenge has been excellent for encouraging Pax to venture to AO’s that they normally would not hit.  A wise man once said that F3 does not run itself so I would like to thank anyone who helped put on an event or participated in an event.  My sincerest thanks to the site Q’s who keep each site running smoothly and ensure that we all have a place to workout every day…well except Sunday.  I am extremely indebted to the SOB Board (Cooter, Kirby, Madame Tussauds, Mighty Mite, Soft Pretzel, Taco Stand, Thin Mint, Tuck and Wingman) who have provided guidance and thoughtfulness throughout this year and steered SOB through 2020.  And thanks to Voodoo and Bottlecap, the other region Nantans, as I appreciate the fact that we can bounce things off each other and look forward to more of the same in 2021.

Finally, I would like to leave each of you with a call to action.  If you have merely been “inconvenienced” during 2020 I challenge you to lean into F3.  Bring your positivity and optimism to others.  Be that strength and that source of centering to others who have been struggling.  If you have been struggling in 2020 I also challenge you to lean into F3.  Allow the 1st F to improve you physically, the 2nd F to uplift you emotionally and the 3rd F to brighten your soul.  Each and every one of you in the Pax brings something different to F3 and that is what makes it fun yet meaningful.  It is also the reason that I went from saying the only reason that I would run is if a big animal is chasing me to for the last 3 years running around in the early morning dark with a bunch of guys, and loving it!

Happy New Year’s guys…oh and Roll Tide!!

The Waffle (Mini CSAUP)

So shortly after the Five Stones trails were cut, Posse had this horrible idea that we should combine three workouts and two locations into a single workout.   I took off with that idea and came up with today’s “mini” CSAUP.   Mini because it was only 90 minutes (though I feel the guys that joined today may take issue with me calling it “only 90 minutes”).   The original idea from Posse also included a way to tie together all the Waffle talk from last year into a “lets come together” workout where Impromptu and Diesel join hands and workout together.  Unfortunately, that idea quickly fizzled with the Friday Site Q’s decided 90 minutes wasn’t welcoming to FNG’s and Kotters (and they were right).  But the name and idea lived on anyways.  So how exactly will we accomplish 3 workouts into two locations?   Here’s how:

Start with a 30 minute Boot camp (Impromptu).  Then Run 1 mile to Five Stones Church (Swarm) for a 30 minute gear workout (Diesel).  Once the Friday Site Q’s backed out, I decided to turn the Diesel portion into an Iron Pax Challenge.    And finally a 1 Mile run back to COT (second dose of Swarm).   So there was the plan.   Here is what we actually did.

 

WARM UP

Mosey to lower bus parking lot for Side Straddle Hops and various stretches.  Then Mosey to the round a bout for an AMRAP workout.

 

THE THANG

Hub and Spoke.   5 outer exercises and 1 inner exercise.  The inside exercise was 10 Fence Squat Jumps (Posse was pleased the Russian Get Up’s had been removed from the previous Q I had recycled this from).  The outer excercises were:

  • 2o Dry Docks
  • 20 Merkins
  • 20 Step Ups
  • 20 Dips
  • 20 Heels to Heaven

 

We made it through two full rounds.   This is where Hurry left us to go join the 8:00 am workout.   Indian Run towards the entrance stopping at the middle school drive for a quick calf stretch since Drive By has apparently barrowed Moneyball’s calves for the winter.   Reverse Lunge walk up the hill for 20 yards and the turn to mosey to the light.

Safely cross Cuthberson together then run to the four way stop stopping at lights on both sides for 5 jump squats.  Collect everyone at then head left towards the pool.   Quick right on the trail and gather folks at the concrete bridge.   This is the closest point that the Five Stones trail comes to the Champion Forest trail.  Its about 20-30 feet of walking through the woods.   Five Stones trail were slick so we carefully mosey’ed to pick up blocks and gather in the gravel lot for Iron Pax.

For the Iron Pax portion, I attempted to combine two Iron pax workouts from this past fall into one workout while sprinkling in my own suck as well.  It was designed to be an out and back workout with stacked exercises on one side and increase rep exercises on the other.  Here is what we did:

  • 1 Blockee and 10 Block Hops.  Murder Bunnies for 25 yards.   10 Block Merkins.   Riffle Carry back 25 yards to start.
  • 2 Blockees and 10 Block Hops.  Murder Bunnies for 25 yards.  10 Block Merkins and 20 Curls.  Riffle carry back.
  • 3 Blockees and 10 block hops.  Murder Bunnies.  10 Block Merkins, 20 Curls, and 30 overhead presses.  Riffle Carry back.
  • 4 Blockees and 10 block hops.  Murder Bunnies.  10 block merkins, 20 curls, 30 OH press, and 40 Rows.  Riffle back.
  • 5 Blockees and 10 block hops.  Murder Bunnies.  10 block merkins, 20 curls, 30 OH press, 40 Rows, and….just to be an ass hole two 50’s.  50 foot release squats on your block and 50 chest presses.   Riffle back to start.
  • Finish with 6 Blockees and 10 jumps.

This sucked on paper and I can assure you it was worse in real life.  My timing worked out well here as we had just enough suck to fill the 30 minutes I intended.   15 minutes to make it back to COT.

Gingerly navigate the mucky Five Stones trail and collect on Champion Forest concrete bridge.   Jailbreak back up the trail (fairly steep incline) to the road.   Slow mosey to 4 way stop.   Team up for leap frog sprints.  Team 1 sprints to first driveway, then team 2 leap frogs them to driveway 2 and so on.   We did this all the way up to Cuthberson Rd.   Crossed safely together then short mosey to the middle school road.  Another Indian Run to the bus lot entrance and the all you’ve got to the middle school entrance.   About 2 minutes left so I called for 10 burpees on your own and then we caught up with the group (that exceeded the governors mandate of 25) to finish their Jack Webb of 10 Merkins and 40 presses.   90 minutes, three workouts, two sites….Done.

 

MOLESKIN

  • Posse was right.  It was dumb, it sucked, but I’m glad I did it.   It felt great starting the year a little outside of my comfort zone.  As my Shield Lock knows, and those that attend Q Source with me.  I think CSAUPs are dumb.  The risk outweighs the reward for me.   But I may be on board with these mini CSAUPs.
  • Thanks to Honeycomb and Drive by for joining.   Honeycomb crushed the Iron Pax.  He was in the lead the entire time.   Drive by pushed through a calf issue to complete the workout (and talked my ear off the entire time – but in a good way that kept my mind off how bad iron pax was).
  • Posse was stuck coming regardless.  It was his brain child, I only took his idea and brought it to life.
  • Have a good New Years Day.  I can’t wait to see the groupme trash talking between our Clemson (Posse), Ohio State (Rubbermaid and Dasher), and Notre Dame (Rudy) fans.  I can’t think of any Bama guys.
  • Doughboy, I’m coming for you and your KY Jelly Wildcats tomorrow at the Gator Bowl.  (Nevermind that our D Tackle ((#1 in the country) is skipping the bowl against a team that prides itself on its running game).   Go Pack.

Closing out 2020 with One Word

18 men showed up at The Floater to say good bye riddance to 2020 with a 45 60 minute tour of Downtown Waxhaw’s 3 picturesque notorious hills.  The pleasant surprise of an extra 15 minutes was received warmly, especially by the NO-show Co-Site Q (I might trademark “NO-show” as it is very fitting for those who kNOw him).

  • Weather:  Gloomy with a high probability of headlamps
  • Pre-Run:  3 suckers brave PAX took a 30 minute preview of the 3 hills
  • DCCS:  This is the METROpolis of Waxhaw so special emphasis on Safety; sounds obvious but don’t trust the guy in front of you when crossing the street . . . Look for yourself

WARMUP/THANG:

  • 2 Exercise Themes:
    • Allow everybody to run at their max speed while keeping everybody together
      • Ran “Another Bad Idea”, “Bad Idea”, and “Keith Jong Hill
    • Doing exercises together and waiting for others to finish
      • 20 reps, 15 reps, 10 reps, 5 reps
      • Merkins, Supines, Hip Dips, Heel-touch Box Jumps
  • 1 Discussion Theme:
    • One Word that was your focus in 2020 or will be your focus in 2021

THE POWER OF ONE WORD:

  • We paused throughout the workout and had a few guys share their ONE WORD while the rest of us planked/Al Gored
  • EDITOR’S NOTE/QUESTIONS:  Listening to these MEN this morning, it is very encouraging to me and very clear that we have something special in this group.  Do you truly believe it?
    • If you don’t, are you not leaning in enough?
    • Do you need to be more vulnerable?
    • What areas are you holding back?
    • Have you done a project by yourself?  Have you done a project with a bunch of others?  Which one is more fun and more accomplishing?
  • Some of the Words and notes shared this morning:
    • REFINEMENT:  Keep filtering out the bad in my life (ie screen time, wasteful endeavors) and adding good (ie family time, educational reading/podcasts)
    • REVOLT:  Don’t give into the negativity and noise that is keeping me away from pursuing deeper relationships with family and faith
    • COMMIT:  Jump in see things through
    • SERVICE:  Look for ways I can serve others, especially those in need
    • FOCUS:  Less focus on me and more focus on family and others in my life
    • RESILIENCE:  Keep showing up and breaking down barriers
    • JESUS:  Listen and pursue Him more in all aspects of my life
    • FELLOWSHIP:  Stop just focusing on my fitness and begin being more intentional with 2nd F acts and events
    • GENEROSITY:  Being more giving my money and my time
    • THANKFULNESS:  With all that happened in 2020, I have a lot to be thankful for
    • PURGE:  Getting rid of the bad things in my life so I have more margin for good things
    • TRUST:  Stop modifying throughout my daily life and begin trusting and following the Lord’s plans
  • WHAT’S NEXT:

Take a look at those ONE WORDS and explanations.  Those were spoken about by MEN this morning.  MEN that need each other.  MEN that want to be better leaders . . . In their homes, their workplaces, and their communities.  I’m VERY thankful to have these MEN in my circle.  You make me better and more importantly, you make me WANT to be better and WORK HARD to be better.  Not just TALK about being better.  Please hold me accountable in 2021.  Help me REFINE every aspect of my life.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

  • NEW YEAR’S DAY:  Convergence to celebrate F3Nation’s 10 year anniversary
    • 0800-0900
    • Cuthbertson Middle
    • 2 workout options
      • Bootcamp
      • Gear (limited/no running)
    • Coffeeteria in parking lot directly after workout
    • Invite a neighbor, friend, or a Kotter (F3 guy you haven’t seen in awhile)

New Year’s Eve Eve At Anvil

YHC pulled into the parking lot with a few minutes to go and found Snowflake and Mr. Magoo waiting. Point Break, Cage, and Floorslapper rounded out the crew this morning. The PAX was properly disclaimed and we were off at 5:30.

COP

We moseyed over to the the large parking lot for COP

  • SSH x 20
  • Imperial Walkers x 20
  • Windmills x 20
  • Squats x 20
  • Merkins x 20

Partner and Rock Work

We yogged over to the rock pile and picked a suitable lifting rock. Partner up, Partner 1 performs called exercise with said rock while Partner 2 runs the loop to 51 and back, flapjack until the team completes the aggregate number of reps per exercise. 150 reps of Curls, Presses, Squats, and Flutter Kick presses.

Bench Circuits

Enough of the rocks so we moseyed over to the hotbox. Staying with your partner, Partner 1 performs called exercise while Partner 2 runs down the sidewalk to the garbage pail, then flapjack. We did a total of three rounds, Decline Merkins, Dips, and Step-ups.

With the bench circuits complete we grabbed some wall and two rounds of Air Presses x 50.

Mary

  • Flutter Kicks x 20
  • LBCs x 20
  • Hello Dollies x 20
  • Rosalita x 20

Moleskinny:

  • Lorax Dm’d me yesterday from the beach with a friendly reminder that I had the Q, thankful he did since I hadn’t checked the schedule. With all the “holiday hours” the past week, I wasn’t sure if the schedule was correct with the 0530 start, that too Lorax confirmed.
  • When putting together the Weinke I wanted to keep it simple, “Meat n’ Taters”, some lifting, and little running, 2.6 miles or so.
  • Floorslapper was almost two minutes early, well four minutes if you account for his usual 0532 arrival.
  • TCLAPS to Snowflake for the run in and run out.
  • Floorslapper was dropping some knowledge about the COVID vaccines.
  • Point Break kept knocking out the reps and doing the heavy lifting for YHC.
  • 2020  has been a year like no other and like everyone else, I’m looking forward to 2021, although that will prove to be challenging as well. One thing that has helped me this past year has been F3. Whether it was via Zoom (something was better than nothing) or when we returned to in-person workouts, F3 has been a constant. The accountability, committing to getting up to meet in the gloom for 45 minutes or an hour to try to keep accelerating provided some “normalcy” if there is a such a thing in 2020. F3 is more than a workout, the 2nd F is key, and provides us an opportunity to share our experiences and support one another in these uncertain times. Our faith will help us get through this and we’ll come out stronger. Thanks to the men that push me each morning, especially those times when I just don’t really feel like it. I know that for 45 minutes each day I’m out I feel that’s where I should be, with my brothers in the gloom. Happy New year and cheers to a much better 2021.
  • Thank you to Snowflake for the takeout.
  • Thanks to Lorax and Point Break for the opportunity to lead and please sound off with any mumble chatter.

Announcements:

  • Das Boot has the Anvil Q next week
  • Hydra with an 0600 start tomorrow; Da Vinci converges with Rock Zero this Saturday. Check Slack and the F3 South Charlotte calendar for updates to the AO schedule with many adopting holiday hours or convergences.
  • Keep a lookout for an Area 51 New Years Day Convergence
  • F3 Metro is hosting the F3 10th Anniversary workout at AG Middle 0700 New Years Day.

Over promise, under deliver

5 pax got their last 250 (plus an extra 50) swings in for 2020 at this week’s episode of Meathead.  It was a late start and an early finish, but always over promise and under-deliver.

The Thang & the moleskine

YHC, in an epic fit of brilliance/boredom at 1618 on a Tuesday, was deciding where to post on Wednesday.  With holiday hours in full swing for some AOs, YHC prodded Voodoo for an 0630 start.  Give the pax an opportunity to sleep in or double-down with an 0530 Anvil or 0515 SACS post and then pack on some muscle at Meathead.  The trade-off?  YHC had to Q it.  So, with that thought in mind and delivering an HC to a Meathead site Q / A51 nantan.  Bad decisions were made, a weinke was drafted, the alarm clock was set, and the rest is memorialized below for your bathroom reading.

YHC posted at SACS at 0515.  Hate to interrupt the Cheese Curd / Wild Turkey weekly lovefest but with Geraldo Q’ing at Anvil, it was YHC’s responsibility to make sure these two behaved themselves.  You can read Wild Turkey’s backblast for those gory details.  After SACS, YHC headed down 51 to Calvary passing two runners in the gloom, likely Voodoo and Flipper (speaking of a lovefest).  YHC pulled into the Calvary parking lot with 10 minutes to go, played the parking lot version of musical chairs and didn’t get out of the car until 0630.  YHC thinks we officially kicked off around 0632 where a weak disclaimer was delivered along with an explanation of the activities du-jour.

Warmup – simple stuff to limber up not trying to break a sweat here

15 rounds, 90 seconds each with a 5 second break between: 20 swings, 5 merkins, 5 squats, 5 OH presses, and 5 lawnmowers (per side).  This was quickly amended to alternating rounds of merkins/squats and OH presses/lawnmowers.  YHC had grand designs that just didn’t translate very well with timing.

60 seconds of carries with 15 seconds rest in between sets.  (Farmers carries, rack carries, and waiter’s carries both sides for all three)

60 second plank/hollow body hold/glute bridge for the finisher

Finished at 0712, where YHC suggested the pax do burpees for 3 minutes.  No one did a burpee so we put a bow on it and considered it a wrap.

The playlist today was a mix of 90’s and 2000’s grunge-ish rock.  YHC was snooping for the greatest hits of 2020 but after a long battle with Amazon Music there was just nothing there worth really listening too.  One notable exception is a new track from Bush.  If you’re into that genre of music, Flowers on a Grave is a pretty decent track I pulled from 2020.

Much like the year 2020, couldn’t find too much that was really worth re-hashing.

On that note, we all have bitched about 2020 and the suck-fest it’s been.  It’s easy to put on a brave face for a day or two, but as the days dragged to weeks, and weeks to months, and now looking down the barrel of a year of this “new normal” the cliched hashtag, #TheStruggleIsReal takes on a new meaning.

But looking back and taking stock YHC had the constant support of the pax across this region and other regions out there constantly pushing ourselves.  Trying to find new ways to better ourselves in the gloom.  YHC appreciates all the offline conversations, those few extra minutes in the parking lot after a workout where pax laugh off some of stress, the CSAUPs, and the encouragement through our community.  There are others who have faced far worse than YHC this year and for some 2021 won’t get much better, so YHC’s complaints pale in comparison.  At the end of the day, it’s mostly gratitude YHC feels because without F3 there’s no telling how much worse this year would have been for YHC.

Thank you, men, for all that you do and continue to do.

#SYITG

Holiday Hurlers

A trio a dumdums showed up for four rounds of frosty HIIT.

:45 on, :15 off Tabata / 1:00 break between rounds

  • Ruck Swings
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Ruck Push-Ups
  • Ruck Overhead Press
  • Inchworms
  • Short (Pulsing) Squats
  • Walking Lunges
  • Squat Jumps
  • Burpees

Dirty Buy Out:

  • 2:00 Walking Lunge / Ruck Overhead
  • 2:00 Burpee w/ Ruck Jump
  • 2:00 Ruck Bent Over Rows

Moleskine

Well, I checked the schedule and found out I was Q for today’s SACS (and yesterdays Fast Twitch). It was a good reason to create the following setlist. I’m grateful, Cheese Curd and Hoover came out and put up with my musical “taste”.  And double props to Hoover for his doubledown.

I borrowed this workout from the Spearhead training course. I have a few weeks left and for $25 it has kept my rucking and weight training on track. The PATHFINDER Ruck Training Program from Team SPEARHEAD

Happy New Year!

 

Setlist – song, album, artist, running time
Link to the tunes

1
T.V. Eye
Funhouse
The Stooges
04:17

2
It’ll Never Happen Again
Pissed On Another Planet
The Scientists
04:21

3
Territorial Pissings
Nevermind (Remastered)
Nirvana
02:22

4
Feel All Right
… Play 9 Songs With Mr. Quintron
Oblivians
03:26

5
My Love Is A Monster
Bluff City
Compulsive Gamblers
03:25

6
Modern Art
Arabia Mountain
Black Lips
02:04

7
Reptile Style
Time Bomb High School
Reigning Sound
03:22

8
Bring It On Home
Rock & Roll Is Dead
The Hellacopters
02:10

9
Middle
Scream Dracula Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
01:01

10
The Reproduction Of Death
Survival Sickness
The (International) Noise Conspiracy
03:47

11
Let’s Dress Up the Naked Truth
Destroy-Oh-Boy!
New Bomb Turks
02:00

12
Abra Cadaver
Tyrannosaurus Hives
The Hives
01:33

13
You Can’t Touch Her
All Men Are Liars
Neckbones
02:56

14
Love You So
The King Khan & Bbq Show
03:45

15
Man Made of co2
1000x
Man Or Astro-Man?
02:14

16
Bellbottoms
Orange
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
05:18

Low Temps and Lots of Legs

11 Pax braved the chilly temp on this holiday week to try to work off some of the weeks festivities. The changed holiday hours has some of the pax, Q included, finding they are still waking up at an earlier time. I guess that just means we are in a good habit.

Gave the DICCS then-

THE WARMUP:

Moseyed over to the bus parking lot on the other side of the school. We did 15 Side straddle hops, 15 imperial walkers, Jimmy Dougan’s – center left and right, calf stretches, downward dog, upward dog and Merkins.

The Thang:

Moseyed back from the parking lot towards the main entrance of the school. I had set up 10 cones around the parking lot and we did a set of 11’s. We ran all the way around the lot to cone number 10 where we did 10 Big Boys and 1 Merkins than ran back to cone number 9 and did 9 Big Boys and continued until we got back to cone 1. We went back to pick up the 6 but we didn’t have too far to run most of the pax stayed fairly close together.

Next we ran back to the over hang by the school bus lot. The we did:

20 Heels to Heaven than took a lap around the parking lot

20 Step up than took a lap

20 LBCs than took a lap

20 Dips then took a  lap

finished off with American Hammers until the 6 got in

Next we ran back to cone number 1 at the entrance of the other parking lot. My idea was to end with sometired and heavy legs at the end.

down the main entrance side of the parking lot we straight ran at the corner we did 10 drydocks

the on the backside of the school we did a side shuffle to the to the school (switching the way we were facing half way down) at the corner it was 10 squats

then on the school side of the parking lot we ran backwards the on the corner it was 10 drydocks

then on the last side of the parking lot we did lunge walks half way down that side and then ran the rest of the way.

This was pretty grueling and to make it more enjoyable we repeated it 3 times. The lunges seemed to be the toughest part. The highlight was when 2 of the pax, on one of the sets of Drydocks ended up butt to butt. Zinfandel being one of them made a joke about spreading covid this way. Lots of laughs at that comment. Made sure to extra social distance afterward.

Announcements were about blood drive in January and some kind of top secret activity for the new years day and we should support Catfish at porter Ridge next year.

 

MOLESKIN:

overall everything seemed to work out pretty well. The timing was almost perfect. The Pax all seemed pretty chatty afterward, I guess many of them had off this week and enjoyed the free time to bond with their brothers. Thank you to Schneider and Easy Button for their support and guidance.

Bear Crawls are Dumb

13 men came to have a good time.   been a couple of years since the Flash guys invited me to Q…..just sayin. Nobody cares.

Thang:
Run to HS parking lot
SSH x 15 ic, merkins x7 ic, mountain climbers x 7 ic, plank jacks x 7 ic, Peter Parkers x 7 ic, wide arm merkins x 7 ic, cdd x 7 ic

To roundabouts:
neverending bear crawl around top roundabout, then 20 merkins. Run to bottom on hill roundabout, forever bear crawl around it, then 20 bomb jacks.
Repeat 3 times.
Mary lbc, heels to heaven

To bus hill:
Suicides at each stop light 15 speed skaters, back to start and 5 burpees each time

To front of ms: makjar njiye x 10 ic, meekins

5 mile tysons, 10 merkins, 15 plank jacks, 20 donkey kicks- then run to far curb. Repeat but get rid of an exercise every time until time was called.

Moleskin:
As for the title, might as well throw in burpees while we’re here. I could probably go on and on with some of the crazy and weird exercises found in the 100 page exicon as well. I guess not everyone wants to get soft just running all the time.

But for whatever reason, I chose to incorporate a ridiculous amount of bear crawling into the prepped weinke (which involved getting to campus early and drawing 4 chalk lines on the pavement).
However, the cool thing was not only the fact that I was the only one verbally complaining about my own Q, but also might have been the only one that couldn’t make it around without stopping. Shout out to the Flash guys that just kept breathing heavy working hard nonstop. The entire crew was within reach the full 45. Maybe it was too easy of a workout. May have to come back soon to redeem myself. Solid stuff all around.

Dasher wanted to prove that although he’s been an OG Express member, boot camps are where he shines. Out front all day. Recalculating, Schneider and Chicken Little weren’t too far behind and were pushing the pace. Mr. Form police might have called me soft at some point, but at least our form was decent (for those that care about form anyway).

Always helps to have a bunch of solid F3 veteran leaders with no Damascusing to round out the group.  Makes the Q’s job easy

And I now know that the rest of these fools can start sprinkling some more Swarm, Ignition in their weekly workouts. Minus the bear crawls of course. 2021 F3 goals
And shout out to Popeye for bringing his nephew, a 10 year old future hedge fund manager who I think revealed that he already has 1000 shares of Tesla stock in his portfolio. Now known As Gecko.

Announcements:

New Years Day workout coming-details soon

See Mayhem Stu for mission opportunity 1/26-2/2. More details coming soon.

Core and More

3 PAX woke themselves out of a post Christmas coma to get their core warmed by the Blakeney Shopping Center fountains at F3 Firestarter.  After a quick disclaimer and mosey to the grassy knoll near the new brick stage, it was time for

COP:

SSH x 15

5 merkins OYO

IW x 15

5 wide arm merkins OYO

LSS x 15

5 diamond merkins OYO

LBC x 15

THE THANG:

Mosey to the fountain closest to Hazlenut Creperie for circle merkin Jack Webb. Incline merkin and dips. Start with 1 incline merkin and 3 dips then increase to 2 merkins, 6 dips, etc. moving around the fountain until you get to the other side. Ended with 8 incline merkins and 24 dips.

Down to our six for Mary: High flutter, Rosalita, box cutter: in cadence count, 20x each exercise.

Mosey to walls by the fountains in between Brixx and Shake Shack for leg work:

Split leg squats on cadence count 15x each leg.

Back on our six for more Mary: toe-tap crunch, dying cockroach, and pistol crunch (each leg ext.):in cadence count, 20x each exercise.

Mosey to walls behind Brixx for step ups: 15x on each leg, when completed, plank. High plank and elbow plank for about 1-2 minutes.

Mosey to seating section behind Greco Fresh. Grab a chair for curls, tricep ext and shoulder press: in cadence count, 20x each exercise. Finish it off with a round of Triple Lindy.

Back on our six for LBCs and Heels to Heaven:  in cadence count, 20x each exercise.

Rinse and repeat with lower reps: circle merkin/dips, up to 6x incline merkins, 18 dips. Then on our 6 for Mary: High flutter, Rosalita, box cutter: in cadence count, 15x each exercise.  Split leg Squats 15x in cadence count and more Mary. Step ups 15 x each leg and more Mary, chair curls, tricep ext and shoulder presses with a triple lindy and more mary.

Rinse and repeat but only with Mary: Return to the first fountain for high flutter, Rosalita, box cutter, then to the second set of fountains for dying cockroach, toe-tap crunch, and pistol crunches, mosey to the chairs for LBCs and return to launch for 1 minute of elbow plank.

MOLESKIN

It was eerie walking up to the site of two Monday morning workouts to see only a few cars. One of which was occupied by some random guy who just sat in his car. For a moment, I wondered if I had my days mixed up, but thankfully Wingman and OneStar were there to set me straight and we were able to start Monday off on the right foot.

In case you are wondering, yes, I have endorsement deals with certain area restaurants that require me to mention them in my backblasts.

The goal today was two-fold, first, to focus on abs, which I tend to neglect (if that was not obvious by my meatballish appearance). Second, to demonstrate that an effective bootcamp workout does not need to cover alot of ground and can be confined to a relatively small space.  I did not set my fancy watch to track this post, but I doubt we reached .5 miles.

Thank you for allowing me to lead.

 

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