24 men kissed their families goodbye, laced up their shoes, and rendezvoused at the shovel flag for a Fast Twitch throw down.
The Warmup:
Mosey from the parking lot to the Davie Park entrance. Plank up. A proper disclaimer was given here.
The Thang:
Sprint to first street light, jog to second, sprint to third, etc. all the way down the side street. 6 lights total. Down and back twice with merkins in between sets.
Mosey down to the corner of Rea Rd. Squats x 25
Mosey to second entrance to Calvary.
7’s on entrance hill. Squats at bottom. Merkins at top. Backward run up the hill, run forward down.
Plank when finished.
Mosey to baseball field. Partner up.
P1 does 1 leg lunges on benches. P2 run to light pole and back. Flapjack. Rinse and Repeat with other leg.
Mosey to corner of Rea Rd. Merkins IC
Mosey to Davie Park entrance.
LBCs (Thanks Hopper)
H2H x 20 IC
Flutter x 15 IC
Mosey back to parking lot.
Done.
5.2 miles
Moleskin:
Prophet Purple Haze stepped out on Twitter yesterday and called for a Fast Twitch throat chop in the morning. He named it, claimed it, and the PAX were rewarded accordingly.
T-claps to Yogurt for pushing through injury as long as he could and almost making it back to the AO. YHC led his 2.1 last week into a broken wrist, so I’ll keep my distance from the rest of your family. Heal up soon, brother!
T-claps to The Big Hairy for making an ambulance run to pick up Yogurt. As the story goes, Yogurt refused to get in any car driven by The Big Hairy until Haze convinced him otherwise. When the Prophet speaks, you listen.
Great effort by everyone out there today. YHC smoked himself so hopefully everyone else got their money’s worth too. Always a pleasure to lead!
The “what and why” for starting this workout are at the bottom, if you want to take the time, otherwise here is the plan for tomorrow:
The Thang:
Partner up – size matters
Take a right out of OP onto Rea and run to HT, loop around the first pillar, and back to OP (+/- 1 mile). Run behind the school, past the play ground and concession stand, to the football field.
Partner 1 – runs back past the concession area to the playground for 10 pull-ups and then runs back to the concession area for 20 dips and 20 derkins. P1 runs back to the football field. Sumo squats while waiting for your partner.
Partner 2 – runs out the trail to Foxworth and up the hill. At the top (intersection with Bedfordshire), P2 does 40 LBCs, runs down the hill for 40 Freddy Mercury (single count, i.e. 20 each side), and runs back on the trail to the football field. Sumo squats while waiting for your partner.
When partners meet at the football field, partner carry to midfield and back (switch as needed). Partners flapjack – P1 heads to Foxworth, P2 heads to the playground – and that’s one set.
Stop at 0606 and run the HT mile again with a left into OP for COT.
Should be +/- 3.2 miles depending on number of sets including stops that target upper body, lower body, and core.
Workout named for the newest featherweight member of F3 Columbia that I carried up McDowell Street a few times at Muthaship Monday. (Choose your partner wisely)
SOFA WIB (which needs a new name): What is it and Why start it?
We’ve all got a story about our involvement with F3, and since mine plays a part in wanting to start this workout, I’ll share it. I started with F3 a little over two years ago. I’m one of those former high school athletes that came “straight off the couch” because someone EH’ed me. I knew I needed to get in shape. I showed up at Core on a Saturday morning, and some Respects were running circles around me (at a non-running workout). I almost passed out. Literally.
A few weeks later, a friend heard I’d started F3 and invited me out to WIB (Workout In a Bag) on Tuesdays at Freedom Park. After a few excuses (“5:30 is too early”, “I hate running”, etc.), he eventually cajoled me into coming out. The first workout was “The Escalator” – basically a partner version of The Murph broken down into smaller parts (spoiler alert: that’s coming next week). I was fortunately in a paincave for most of that experience with only three remaining memories: 1) hating him for convincing me to go, 2) laughing at the incessant mumblechatter, and 3) walking part of the mile back as the six. The leaders that day finished it in +/- 37 minutes, something I couldn’t imagine. I was dead last.
That did not sit well with me. Walking during the last mile was the worst. I was pretty much determined to keep coming out to get better, so I did. One week I showed up, and my buddy didn’t. I got partnered up with Sauerkraut, who I’d never met. By the end, I couldn’t even plank for partner derkins, and he’s not only “not complaining” but encouraging me to keep going and do what I could. I didn’t realize it while just trying to survive, but that was iron sharpening iron. WIB became my regular post – the one I wouldn’t miss.
Months later, I had gotten a little stronger and a little faster, completed my first mud run, etc. Guys from my mud run team used WIB as our team training, where we would race and challenge each other. During a standard boot camp, everyone follows the Q, but with a set circuit , it was a giant competition.
That’s the plan for this workout: there will be a pre-blast announcing the workout, which will often involve partners. It will be non-stop, typically a continuous circuit, that will accomodate FNGs struggling to finish (like I was) and challenge F3 badasses – because you set your own pace. Need a push? Find someone faster and try to keep up.
When I moved south of Fairview, I immediately saw that A51 lacked this type of workout. Not long after that, Team Southbeach won the Busted Paw, somehow (inexplicably) giving Cindy the creative license to write this:
Diary of the Busted Paw – entry 2
Despite all the ballwashing BS, there is a valuable truthnugget in there: Competition will drive you to work harder than you will on your own.
That’s the what and why, and what I hope this workout will become. There will be running – at least two miles, but it’s not a “running workout”. It may even, eventually, incorporate kettle bells or plates. There will be partner work. It will never be easy, but I expect there will be encouragement amongst the trash talk, as the goal is to push each other to get better.
I’ll see you in the gloom.
Kirk
Sorry for the delay in this back blast. 37 men showed up at Bagpipe for my 37th Birthday. Couldn’t have planned it any better than that. YHC had a group of friends post (2 of which were FNG’s) which was pretty cool.
THE THANG
COP
SSH x 37
IW x 25
Merkin x 37
Mountain Climber x 37
Split group into 2 teams. Half went with Mic Check and the other half followed YHC.
Mic Check’s Group
3 sets of the following:
Pull ups / Merkins / Supine pull up or dips
Hill Ladders
5 – 6 count burpees (1 Hill)
10 – 6 count burpees (2 Hills)
5 – 6 count burpees (3 Hills)
10 – 6 count burpees (4Hills)
5 – 6 count burpees (5 Hlls)
Team sprints with merkins and mary while you wait.
10 more 6 count burpees on the mosey back. AYG home.
Margo’s Group
Partner up and circuits around Loch Ness. Partner 1 runs a lap and partner performs an exercise
Round 1 – 20 jump ups / 20 Dips / 20 Decline Merkins
Round 2 – Squats until your partner finishes
Round 3 – 20 jump ups / 20 Dips / 20 Decline Merkins
Round 4 – 17 Burpees
Mosey to parking lot for some 30 yard sprints from the belly position.
5 Merkins – Sprint
10 Merkins – Sprint
5 Merkins – Sprint
5 Merkins – Sprint
Elbow Plank – Sprint
5 Merkins – Sprint
Mosey back to cars for Mary
LBC x 37
6 count burpees x 10
Flutter x 20
6 count burpees x 10
Moleskin
Strong showing today including 4 FNG’s. Thanks for coming out (Canadian Bacon, Estrogen, Left Out & Piranah) and looking forward to see you guys again soon. This was my first time on Q at Bagpipe and I was a little nervous about getting lost out there so I decided to keep it simple and stay close. It’s fun to Q on your birthday and thanks for the opportunity to lead.
2 dozen (or so) PAX gathered for a hearty down payment. Here’s what ensued:
The Thang:
Mosey to the EFCA. Warmup (SSH, Merkins, Over/Unders, Mtn Climbers). Partner up (speed matters). Hustle out of the gate to Tottenham/Kingswood, stopping at every street (on the right @Kirk, #badlistener) for 15 diamonds and 15 over unders (4 count).
Squats to wait at Tottenham. Looked like human whackamole off Tottenham.
Bottom-ish of the halfpipe. Partner A runs one way and B the other for 7s (burpees aka #flyingsquirrels and diamond merkins), with plank-shakes and merkins (10) at the bottom of each hill.
Mary to wait.
Mosey back to a neighborhood (mosey for some, AYG for others). Mary to wait.
AYG back to COT. Mary to wait.
Moleskin:
@Kirk hates running though can run very fast. Weird.
Good to see @Skywalker back in the gloom. Looked like a @Mudgear advertisement out there with his #BackInBlack gear.
Strong work by all. @Bushwood was on YHC’s heels but youth prevailed, at least for another day.
TClaps @Orlando AKA @Froggie for running into the workout. YHC thought it was a 5 mile entry. Turns out it’s .21 miles, #sigh.
TClaps to all for taking the #TonyHawkHalfpipe head on. She’s mean and demands respect.
Announcements:
F3 Dads, Sat. 0900 Beattie Park
F3 Area 51 WIB – Old Providence Elementary, 0530, Every Tuesday until eternity. WIBSOB (WIB South of the Border) is unapologetically the hardest workout in A51. Or is it even in A51? Bordertown confusion…Don’t miss it.
Thanks @Skywalker and @Hops for letting a #hatehate Q.
4 PAX made it out to McKee Rd Elementary to post at Area 51 AO. YHC was first one on site and planted the SF in the soil as the others started to pull into the parking lot. Large pile of limbs in the parking lot as school recently cleaned up the landscaping along the front entrance to the school. Fortunately for the PAX, no logs and other coupons that we could utilize. No worries as YHC had plans to introduce everyone to a friendly game of Pinball, as recently unveiled at the Commitment AO by Ice 9 and/or Stump Hugger. BB always provide fertile ground for work-out ideas.
With everyone on site that was to post for a humid June morning, YHC inquired of the other PAX as to the time as my Timex is currently out of operation. With confirmation that 0700 start time was upon us, YHC led the PAX on short jog over to the track and we made one loop with some high knees, backwards run, and butt kickers mixed in.
Circled up in the track infield for COP:
Time for everyone to try their hand at the aforementioned Pinball. Idea is that Q will indicate the next destination for a set of exercises. PAX will head off for the called destination at pace each feels comfortable with. Early arrivals will then circle back to the 6 and take off again for the destination. Idea is to keep the group together while also providing stronger runners a little extra mileage if they so desire.
First destination was the NC Landmark play area at the back of the school. PAX set out and we met up at the logs for the 1st round of exercises, as follows:
Next destination was the playground at the other end of the school around back. PAX took off once again and we met up at the called destination for the following:
Getting warmed up now, so we headed out once again for the front of the school and met up at the front wall near the bus parking lot. Time for a round of People’s Chair and Balls to the Wall:
One more playground on the premises that we had not visited, so we headed over to the front of the school. Once there, we completed the following:
With everyone having so much fun, YHC decided we had time to visit one more destination. PAX were instructed to head over to the rock pile by the soccer fields. With all the PAX gathered around we each grabbed a lifting rock and circled up for a little heavy lifting:
Deposit your rocks back on the rock pile and mosey down to the end line of the soccer field. Line up along the goal line. Karaoke to midfield with left shoulder leading and then flapjack with right shoulder leading for 2nd half to the other goal line.
5-6 minutes left, so we headed back to launch point for 6 MOM, PAX choice and led:
COT
NMM:
Announcements:
Swift will launch from the Vine Restaurant (which is not closing this month – that’s the D’Vine Wine Cafe in the Ballantyne Village) at 0515 on Tuesday morning.
Come for an early treat at 0500 for a little more than a 1 mile mosey.
The Thang:
8 bros met at the VSF at Elon Park Elementary School in South North Carolina for their weekly dose of iron + pain at Foxhole.
The Thang:
Grab your bells and mosey to the plush astro-turf field. Circle up for a brief disclaimer.
COP:
25x SSH IC
15x IW IC
Turkish Get Ups (4x L, 4x R)
Partner up. P1 does merkins while P2 does farmer carry to the end line. Flapjack. Repeato with squats.
Tabata: :30 on/:30 off
Repeato
Mosey back to the launch lot for the Finisher:
YHC with the takeout
NMM:
Leo planted the flag, OT was quietly meditating on the curb – ready to destroy another Monday workout. The silence was broken with a disclaimer and 15 PAX were off for a jog around MRE.
Run to back of school, plank to gather – 40 merkins.
Continue around school, plank to gather – 30 merkins.
Run to the parking lot to circle up for a warm-up and Burpee ladder IC:
SSH (30); 10 burpees
Imperial Walker (30); 9 Burpees
Da Fluttah’ (30); 8 Burpees
Low Slow Squat (30); 7 Burpees
Mountain Climber (30); 6 Burpees
LBC (30); 5 Burpees
Single Leg Flutter (R) (15); 4 Burpees
Single Leg Flutter (L) (15); 3 Burpees
Mosey on over to the wall, some planks to gather up, Right foot high, Left foot high; 20 Merkins.
Split into 2 groups. Group 1 Peoples Chair with 60 air-presses; Group 2 run to the other side of the school for 20 Derkins. – Flapjack until 5 sets are complete.
Split into 3 groups for interval sprints: 7 rounds and time expires…
Mosey back to the parking lot and circle up with 30 seconds to spare for 30 Mason Twists.
Announcement: F3 Dads this Saturday 9:00am, Colonel Francis Beatty Park – bring the 2.0’s -it’s a blast.
We welcomed FNG ‘Drive-by’: a school teacher who drove past the Matrix every day, and had to stop in to see what it is all about. Hope to see you again, Drive-by.
So what do you get? Probably a bunch of long hair rockers walking out of a spaceship for a music video but in this case just a lot of sweat…
7am rolled around and Spielberg was up with with his Virgin Q!
The Thang
COP
Imperial Walkers x 15
SSH x 15
Merkins X 12
Mosey to practice field
50 yd butt kickers, karaoke, high knees, back pedal
Partner up and grab a rock!
P1 150 yd run
P2 called rock exercise then flapjack
Exercises: overhead rock press, rock squats, LBCs w/ rock and Mountain climbers
Some stretches & countdowns due to heat and an audible somewhere in there to take the run down to about 75 yds?
Hand off to Hairband!
Mosey to the tires and instead of pulling plates out of thin air for hair burners like last week, I had water waiting for everyone. #whosyourfavoriteq
Minute and a half water break.
Count off into 2s so we have 2 teams. Not sure if Q fail somehow or O2 dep/heat that made a simple 1, 2, count off difficult for the PAX
Each team grab a big tractor tire and line up at the posts. Similar plan as the 1/2 mile hairburners last week, one member from each team flips the tire as far as they can toward the gate at the Road to Nowhere while the remaining PAX rotate 3 called exercises between each flipper.
Exercises:
30 Carolina Dry Docks, 20 Merkins, 20 jump squats rotate through until you get to the gate.
On the way back 30 LBCs, 20 Mountain Climbers and (as requested by Horse Head) 10 burpees rotated through until back to starting point.
First team back do some active recovery plank work until all together.
Pinball out to obstacle course, go through 1 time then mosey to bottom of the hill, because it’s not Outland without JAILBREAK AYG to virtual shovel flag since the real thing was sitting in CT’s garage.
MOM
Flutters x 20
Freddie Mercury x 10
Times up!
Moleskin
Great VQ by Spielberg!
It was odd when CT mentioned that I was 2nd longest vet, it doesn’t feel like it with so many strong PAX that have joined us. It is awesome to look at the growth over the past (almost) 2 years though and having new (and not so new) PAX step up to Q.
That is how this grows, by continually giving the reigns to more people, this isn’t some club where we protect the leadership, it’s a group and process to create leadership and expand. If you have not taken a Q yet step up! We have more AO’s we want to launch but we need you to help us do that!
Announcements
Expansion news:
7/13 New Monday Workout, Union Co.
New workout coming to Nesbit Park in SW Union County/Waxhaw on Mondays at 5:30 beginning July 13th. Dasher is site Q
New AO in discussion: Looking like a gear (kettle bell) workout for a Tuesday or Wednesday around Indian Trail. We need leaders to step up for this. Probably 2 Site Q’s 1 vet that has worked with KBs and a newer leader that has an interest.
July 3rd Overdrive will be at 7am – 7:45 due to holiday
July 4th holiday convergence at The Rock
July 4th also has a 5k/10k at Lake Park, talk to Glass Joe for details.
For the last two years, I’ve marked the middle of the week by posting at the same place with more or less the same men and it is amazing how much better I am for it. I’m not sure if I’m faster or stronger than I was (although I think so, on both counts). I’m not sure I’m a better leader or a better follower, a better father or a better worker (although I probably am, on all counts). What has resonated with me, though, is the necessity of consistency. I think I speak for most men in F3 when I say the following: I am in the middle 1/3 of my life and it is hard. I am needed and necessary everywhere I go, to each place I’m called, and I’m oftentimes worn out. I’m involved in a lot of good things, cutting back isn’t an option, how do I keep at it and how can I excel? Actually, forget cutting back or coasting, I want to accelerate…
Depending on who you talk to, you’re going to get a variety of similar answers, many of which are helpful: depend on God, invest in your wife and children, choose wisely who you associate with, do something you enjoy and/or are suited for, serve others instead of focusing on being served. F3 also helps, and we who founded Anvil wanted it to be part of (note: not “the only”) solution: run a hard workout, welcome the FNG, look out for the 6, encourage everyone. Oh yeah, and if we can have a little fun along that way, that might be kinda cool too…
Sentimentality aside, Anvil year 3 began just like we started year 1: we ran around the parking lot (yep, still really big and still uphill both ways). A 1/4 or 1/2 mile later we circled up for the standard COP: SSH (not 200), IW, squats, merkins, mtn climbers, then ran around and over to North Face for an extended triple-nickel (hand-release merkins and jump squats). Sucking wind, we than ran back up (uphill, again) the parking lot to the volleyball pit for our anniversary favorite: animal parade through the sand (partner up, P1: burpees, P2: bear crawl there and back, flapjack; repeato with gorilla jump and dragon walk. Finish with wheelbarrows). Finally, with 7 minutes left, we sprinted to the pavilion/sauna/covered area thing for 11s (dips/derkins). 1 minute left so AYG back to the cars. Circle up for COT. Nameorama. Pat everyone on the back. Find your towel, drink your water, adios.
———-
Moleskine:
– Seriously – I owe everyone a big cobains for posting this so late. Y’all killed it out there and I gave your war story no respect. That’s on me. Not being the kind of Q I want to be.
– Morning started ominously with the sighting of that shooting star as we ran toward COP. I’m glad to say that nothing happened (that I know of) that can be attributed to that celestial event. It was cool to see though.
– Your welcome for the tour of the AO, as well as the backside, flanking manuver attack of North Face. I had no desire to run up that thing either (although we did it 5 times). Thought it might be easier if we attacked from that angle. I was wrong – it still sucked.
– 80 degree starting temp so wanted everyone to have an opportunity to grab a swig of water with our run through the cars at halftime. Not sure that worked quite right, though. Might have lost some folks who were “looking in their car for their water” for a very long time.
– Great to see BOG out again. Well done, man!
– Mermaid: Tclaps, man. Well done on the Calvary food drive and equally well done on the co-SiteQ. It’s been an honor and privilege to lead beside you.
Announcements:
– Can’t remember. If it was important, it’s on the email. If it was urgent, it’s already passed.