“Pssst. Hey babe is it raining”?
“What? Leave me alone”
“No seriously is it raining”?
“It sounds like it”
“Whew Ok good. I love the sound of the rai….”
“Don’t even think about it”
“Damn it”
So up I was, ready to Q another glorious, moist, morning at Anvil.
Thang
Mosey to where most of the puddles were for a little LSS x 15, Mnt Climbers x 15 and IW x 15.
Mosey to one of the overhangs for Alabama Slamma – merkins OYO 20,19,18,17 and so forth.
Mosey to hot box – 10 derkins, 20 dips, 30 step ups – x 10 minutes
Mosey to rock pile – 10 tricep ext, 20 push press, 30 curls then run down to end of parking lot and back – x 2
Moleskine
Look, I’m like the retired 80 yr old widower who is set in his ways when it comes to F3. Wake up at 5, I drink my Colonix, go back and forth between my recliner and toilet from 5:30-8, read the sports page, smoke a cigar, pour a bloody, ok maybe two – all before noon. Every. Single. Day. And, most importantly, nobody tells me what to do. If I don’t feel like Q’ing bc it’s raining, then I won’t. That is why we have site Q’s – to make up for our irresponsibility. That said, I am a Gentleman who decided I had nothing better to do (thanks to the M) so I might as well sweat out some of the Catawba CLT from the night prior.
Wish everyone could have witnessed the fight that ensued between Clover (Dook) and Lorax (Tarhole) before the workout even started. It all erupted over who could brag more about their respective 5* basketball recruits. Next thing we knew the khaki’s came off, White Claws were thrown and both just started slapping each other with open hands. One would slap and chase, then the other would slap and chase etc. Reminded me of a scene out of Flashdance. Lambeau attempted to stop them but then Mantooth (Tarhole) came out of nowhere with a flying monkey humper knocking Lambeau to the ground. Jet Fuel had finally had enough. He got out of his Toyota minivan and put an All SEC pancake block on Mantooth while Way and I finally separated the cat fight by offering each a chardonnay just to calm the F down. There was no blood, just bruised egos and lots of tears. It was at this point, YHC decided to finally give a disclaimer. Remember guys, an effective disclaimer is of utmost importance especially for these kind of situations.
As for the workout – she’ll come a knockin later today. Tell a friend. I don’t F around with bear crawls, burpees, crab walking in sand pits etc. That’s just dumb. And yes, while hard, there are other things that can get one hard too. The Bama Slamma isn’t easy and is sure to get you hard. An oldie but goodie and sure to force you to flex your tiaats multiple times throughout the day. One of the pax, aka Lorax, tried to talk some sh*t at the beginning but soon quieted to a soft whimper. Flex them Lorax. See? You know you flexed.
Lot’s of good chatter in the hot box. Topics ranging from Bobby Petrino, motorcycles, prostitutes, tax deadlines, strangled cats and so forth. Not necessarily in that order. Ah, the fellowship is alive indeed!
Always enjoy “leading” as they say. Appreciate the opportunity Lorax. That’s it. White ball is a calling.
Announcements
Check another BB
14, no 18, PAX took to the friendly confines of Ballantyne Corporate Park this morning for extending their running Strength for the weekly running workout known as Swift.
Until next time,
Bratwurst
The first rule of Gladiator is…. you don’t talk about Gladiator!
You’ve heard the rumors. Maybe you’ve caught a story once? You might discreetly ask a fellow pax if they have ever been to a black diamond workout. What goes on at these crazy things? Does this really happen? How do I learn more?
Here is your chance to find out! Fresh off the energy high of the Iron Pax Challenge, YHC and the Waxhaw region want to continue the intensity by re-introducing the Black Diamond workout to our area.
Workouts to be held on Saturdays at 6:30. The first will be October 26th. There will be only one opportunity per month! The location changes every time! May be an F3 workout site, maybe not. Might be in Waxhaw, SOB land, Fort Mill… Location will not be revealed until 1 week prior. The current Q will choose his successor for the following month after each workout.
These workouts should be expected to be difficult. There might be high mileage, or gear, or team driven challenges, or anything else the Q can throw at you. Expect to be challenged. Expect to push yourself and improve your limits. If this sounds like fun to you… keep quiet and show up
The second rule of Gladiator is… You don’t talk about Gladiator
5 Iron men bashed ‘bells and crushed concrete. After a cursory warm-up, we hit a three exercise circuit – squats, deadlift/high-pull and swing. Reps began 1, 2, 3 respectively and increased in multiple for 10 rounds ending at 10, 20 and 30. The round could be done on your six – sit-up and press, Russian twist and flutter press.
MolesSkinSoSoft
Conversations included:
-Lots of Panthers talk
-Halloween costume picks
-Whining about outrageous number of Russian twist reps
-There’s more to fitness than running.
PSA – Check out some gear workouts –
Strength training is vital to health, improves metabolism, and helps prevent injuries. If you don’t have a kettlebell or sandbag, there’s always plenty to go around.
E ala ‘oe!! e holo ana nā kānaka
3rd F: 32 HIMs (18 Fast Twitch and 14 Hawks Nest) joined in a ball of man where the cool temps allowed for the visible steam to be seen by all as Hopper took us out.
2nd F:
Sign up for the A51/SOB Holiday party at:
https://f3sclt.slack.com/archives/C0H46PKMY/p1570722333001300
1st F:
I find it tricky to lead a running workout when you know you are going to be one of the slowest in the PAX. But lucky for me I have gotten use to it over the past few years and have a few WIBs ready to go. Today was no different as I introduced the PAX of Fast Twitch to the 5 Beaches of Normandy. Its pretty easy to explain and goes something like this:
The THANG: (modified)
1 mile warm up jog to a half mile inclined hill
1 miles cool down jog back to AO.
Moleskin:
For those at the workout today, imagine doing that with 100lb of gear on and entrenched men shooting at you as you ran your heart out up a sandy beach to take cover. If you think that last hill we hit today was rough.. consider what those young men had to do ensure we have the freedom to even read this Backblast today. Next time you are sucking wind to do one more burpee, merkin, mile, etc… dig deep inside and thank a VET for giving you the opportunity to even freely suck that wind…aye!
Great push and work by all. I look forward to seeing you in Gloom soon… if you are looking for a LSD over the weekends between now and December, look in Slack under the Run channel. Lots of options and YHC has 20 milers almost every week now that will be listed.
Thank you for letting me lead this morning
V/R,
Gypsy
Swift will be leaving the new Ballantyne Corp launch point at 0515 on Tuesday for Round 3 of Marathon Pace-minus-10 (MP-10).
These intervals will be run at “MP-10”. This means at your goal marathon pace, minus 10 seconds per mile. If your goal marathon pace is 8:00/mile then your goal pace for this workout would be 7:50 per mile.
Don’t have a goal marathon pace? Well then use this Race Calculator (click for link). Enter a recent race effort (Distance, Finishing Time), click Calculate, go to the Equivalent tab and look at Pace/Mi on the row for Marathon.
If you’ve been a Swift regular and recall Threshold Pace (aka T-pace, aka Comfortably Hard, aka Lactate Threshold), MP-10 ends up being slower than Threshold and somewhere near half the difference to Marathon goal pace.
Here are some other thoughts about the target effort for this MP-10 Strength workout, “So, usually through a combination of running too fast and not maximizing the recovery jog [during a Strength Workout], they get to the 3rd or 4th one and realize they’ve dug a hole they can’t get out of. Remember, Speed Work [which we are not doing this week] usually brings acute discomfort. It’s usually an eye opener from the get go. Strength workouts [that we are doing this week] should sneak up on you. The same effort for the last few should feel fairly hard compared to the first one or two. That’s when you’ve done it right- think slow cooker. You are slowly building that lactic feeling. Never fully recovering from the repeat prior and letting the discomfort slowly add to each successive repeat.“
Rolling into the lot today I see ignition Pax ready hanging out waiting to launch but they were Qless.! 5:16 still no Q so The pax were off. About that time, Wolverine was “coming in hot” up the side road riding all over an unnamed pax! Hollywood circled back for him and they were off.
My goal today was to stick together and not turn Flash into Ignition although it was very hard to retrain. Here we go!
DiCCS given along with the promise to Big 10 that there would be no SSH’s. Later he may have thought just running was a breeze. Let’s see.
The Thang:
Partner up! I just broke my first rule.
P1 runs laps for 6mins. Partner 2 does excise
1st round. Speed skaters – squats – stepups
Rinse and repeat.
Its seems like the pax work much harder with a timer vs a certain number of reps. It did seem much harder.
Mosey to Back towards AO and stop on the sidewalk. This exercise was renamed by Banjo this morning as he was groaning in pain. Deadwoods abs from hell! Ha! Trust me Banjo, we were on on fire!
Captain Therkin
1/4 – 10/40 an routine
Big boys each time with 2 merkins and:
Mosey back around to the front of the school the long way. As we approached the bus parking lot we see ignition doing their version of Captain Therkin…Did you in guys hit the merkins In between sets? Wolverine is good but my money is that he left that one out.
Pass them and pull back up to the island parking lot. Let’s do that run partner thing again!
this time only a hot half lap. Even better!
I would call a new exercise more often and we really got some work in. I didn’t time anyone running but it probably takes about 25-30secs.
We did: burpees, merkins, bear crawl, And something else.
I love webs and ladders so let’s try a new on. We’ve done the MT/DD web and its tough. Today we did merkin/dry dock web and I thought it was harder! Audible around 4/16. Form was going out the window. If I can’t do it, I yell recover and move on.
We finished that as ignition was jogging back to COT. We ran to the corner of the building g and stopped. AUG back to COT. We roll up and the ignition guys are doing abs again!!! SMH
Great job by both groups! #flashworkedharderthanignition
Announcements:
Gladiator will launch 10/26. Kid Rock will have more details.
Hero Run 5k 7:00? Saturday morning. – see the PH or reach out tan Mad Dog
Christ Closet folding party! Shooting for Thursday but more pax are interested in Saturday…make a poll!!!
Social for Pax photo.
17 Pax decided to get their #DownPAINment before their soccer matches and yard work at #F3RockZero. YHC noticed that the the past couple of weeks were gear related so I decided to keep simple to boot camp style beat down.
The Thang:
We Moseyed over to the larger parking lot before the Cricket matches started for some COP.
COP:
We headed over to the parking lot with the islands, which Gummy commented that “Nothing good happens” there. We aptly lined up abreast, perform called exercise at each island, wait for the six, then the next exercise, you get the hint/pattern.
We then made our way to the rock pile, technically not gear BTW, choosing a lifting rock and head back to the parking lot. Lining up abreast again, four rounds of Overhead Presses, Curls, Tricep Extensions, and Squats. Starting the first round 20 reps, then 15 reps, then 10 reps, then 5 reps. After each round, run across the parking and back for good measure.
When we were finished with that, YHC introduced the Pax to Brickyard Manmakers courtesy of Cadre Cleve.
We returned our rocks and then moseyed over tot hot box. Upon approaching, it appeared that soccer was starting early, due to picture day. We proceeded with the workout regardless. Partner up, size and speed did not matter. Partner 1 performs called exercise (Incline Merkins and Dips) while partner 2 runs to the lamp post (we all know which one) and back.
Enough of that and time for some people’s chair with 2 rounds of air presses x 50. We went back to grab some more wall when a soccer mom commented that we could get lower, indeed #TWSS.
We headed back to the start point, when Spackler requested some AYG sprints, who am I not to oblige.
We had some time for Mary, LBCs x 20, Heels to Heaven x 15, and Merkins x 15 IC. We tried for some Flutter Kicks, but called it due to traffic.
Moleskin:
Announcements:
Even though most folks were recognizing a work break for Columbus Day, 8 men showed up and got better at The Matrix.
YHC had not been to this AO in a long time but still managed to find my way
there and Q a professional showing of Area51. Here’s what went down:
Mosey from the launch down McKee towards the Korean Church. Pit stop there for COP:
IW x 20 IC
Squats x 20 IC
Mountain Climber x 20 IC
Mosey further away to the
neighborhood on the right (do not recall the name) but they have a nice fountain in front of the clubhouse. Partner up. P1 runs around the hood and
back, P2 does called exercise:
LBC
Lunges
Derkins
Dips
Incline Merkins
Wait for the departing car and mosey back towards the launch. A quick stop on Fred Gutt Drive for a little more interval work. Start at the beginning of the street and run towards the end. 15 merkins at each intersection; return trip had 15 squats at each intersection. 25 LBCs OYO to finish off Fred Gutt.
Mosey back to the school and grab some wall for People’s Chair:
50 Air Presses and Recover
People’s Chair round 2, while the PAX showed off perfect form with 5 burpees each #crowdpleaser
Mosey to the Rock Pile and find a snake-free rock:
25 Shoulder Presses
25 Curls
25 Squats
Continue the pattern with 15, 10 and 5
Mosey back to the launch for 20 Flutters IC.
Done.
Moleskinny:
Great group of vets this morning and the mumblechatter courtesy of McGee started early as we compared emissions discrepancies between big trucks, SUVs and itty-bitty hybrids. The first (and perhaps only) Q fail was referencing Squid’s birthname during the disclaimer; but this group is
well versed, so we took off into the gloom. The mosey out was a challenge as YHC had a little too much Q juice and we looked to ID the sidewalk dip that took out McGee and Taco Stand a few weeks back. Searching hard and talking about the potential spill zone when BAM, we were there. Thankfully no casualties of falls but that is a dangerous spot.
Into the Korean Church property for COP and most of the chatter revolved around the nice, new parking lot. Squid compared it to a clean-shaven face. There may have been some other thoughts there too… and we all agreed that it would be a good spot for future Matrix groups (think bear crawls)
The partner work at the fountain started when out of the gloom, OT appeared and remained with us for the workout. Not sure how he found us but glad to have him with the PAX.
Fred Gutt Drive was an interesting experience and we hoped to avoid being shushed by the neighbors, a la Fast Twitch last week. We successfully completed the challenge and crept up on a weird exchange of some sort of the end of the road. Pretty early to see idling cars and what appeared to be a Mom picking up a kid from said car and walking into the house. She did pose a question to the PAX but YHC was unable to hear.
Back to the school for lively chatter during People’s Chair. Not a soul was counting on the air presses, but the burpees were a hit as we attempted to determine the best and worst of the forms on display. Not sure anyone won that competition.
Rock work was quiet yet effective, and Squid may have the best curl form in all of Area51.
Closed out with a quick flutter to end things as Gummy pointed out we started late so no extra time for YHC (maybe the second Q fail).
Good group of men this morning. Much respect to OT, Cage and Hot Yoga. Gummy, Way and Squid were killing it. McGee was out front most of the day and YHC was only trying to keep up.
Appreciate the opportunity to lead and pray with these men.
Announcements: Don’t forget the Area51 coat drive. Bring those unused coats to an AO near you.
8 pax mustered in the Monday morning gloom…though the darkest gloom in Area 51 was less pronounced as apparently CMS invested in some exterior illumination.
Kotters to Torpedo who had been away from the pax for 18 months. Good to have you back, brother!
When Hammer showed up, he said “You must be on Q.” Aye. YHC rarely posts on Monday’s…no reason really.
Anyway, off we went – below is the brief Thang & Moleskinny.
Run down to the track for a warmup lap, and then some lunge walks, BK’s & High Knees coming back up the hill to the launch lot. That track is still poorly lit and poorly designed as it was full of large puddles from yesterday’s rain.
COP consisted of h-r merkins, flutters, IW’s & slow squats. At this point, Hammer was already modifying. His choice of modification for every exercise was lunges…except when YHC called lunges. But don’t knock 45 minutes of lunges until you do 45 minutes of lunges. Hammer will be leading a clinic soon.
We then moseyed over to the school benches for some benchwork consisting of jump up’s x15 (3 sets); LBC’s, People’s Chair with overhead press x20 IC, Incline merkins x 15, Dips x 15, American Hammer….and some other stuff?
Floorslapper, who was his customary 3 minutes late, and Torpedo disappeared around the corner of the building during this segment; but YHC assumes they put in the hard work. Floorslapper later said he wasn’t worried if the pax had gone off campus as he lives in Raintree and would have had a short drive back home to the fartsack. Daily Pink Pill?
We then moseyed to an adjacent lot for some broad jump burpees and backwards and forwards lunge walks. Hammer did lunge walks the whole time.
Jello was making some sort of moaning noise throughout the downpainment. Methinks he does this often. Any thoughts/comments?
The pax then moseyed over to Gloss’ office which, thank the good Lord, was open for business before the workout. If not, YHC might have had some serious trouble Q’ing.
Did some Walthar N’Djaiyes and more people’s chair at the office.
One more lap around the track and back to the launch lot to finish with some Mary including: slow flutters, 6-count burpees, CDD’s. Strangely enough, Hammer did standing lunges during the Mary session.
Finito. Gotta finish the backblast up and go do some work.
Announcements: keep bringing coats (men’s, women’s, kids’) to an A51 AO near you. Due by November 1st for November 2nd delivery.
Holiday Party: Friday, Nov. 22nd – SOB/Area 51 combined Karaoke Holiday Extravaganza.
Always a privilege and pleasure to Q. Thanks to Thunder Road and Jello for the invite.
Go encourage someone today.