The Naked Banana featuring Ray Charles
Shovel flag planted firmly in the ground and 30 Pax rolled in for the Skunk beatdown. No one took TR up on his KB basics class at 0515. #formconfidence
The Thang:
Ray Charles Lead
SSH x 25
Arm rotations x 10 each arm
IW x 20
Hanging Arm rotation x 10 each
2 hand swing x 20
1 hand swing x 10 each
1 arm swing alternating x 10
Clean jerk x 10
Goblet squat x 10
Clean and press x 10
Goblet squa to press x 10
Around the Wrold x 10 each
Louganis x 10
Mason Twist x 10
Figure 8 curl x 10
1 arm swing and pull x 10 each
Bananas L
Partner up like sized bells
Man makers while partner runs 2 laps
Flapjack
Alternating kb curls while partner runs 2 lap, flapjack
2 kb military press while partner runs a lap, flapjack
1 kb squats while partner runs a lap, flapjack 2kb bench press while partner runs a lap, flapjack Dying cockroach while partner runs a lap, flapjack
Mary the bell
Flutter with bell x15
Rosalita with bell x15
Twists with bell x15
Lbcs no bell x10
COT
Moleskin (posted for Bananas):
Walking up to hear Bulldog in parking lot asking for hard commits to go ruck at 5:20am. He advises that it’s in the summer so it’s not even hard… Manmakers aka Bananamakers were not as well received as planned. If TR hasn’t already mastered an exercise then its actually not a good exercise. #belltoobig? Brown said I didn’t have the coconuts to name them Bananamakers.
Missed my cadence on first round of Mary, rookie o2 deprivation combo mistake.
I enjoyed leading the group and really appreciate the encouragement from Hops, Stone cold, and Bulldog in forcing me into duty. As my father advises in old school fashion any time i complain, “If it was easy women and children would do it.”
Prayer request: Keep Matlock and family in your prayers, Pray for Ray Charles and family as he leaves for AIA camp in CO for a few weeks.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
The Backblast Didn’t Show Up Either
5 waterproof Pax ventured into the gloom to start their week with a downPAINment. For their commitment, they were rewarded with a break in the rain at 5:29.
Jog to far end of parking lot and back for…
COP
- SSH 25
- Merkins 20
- Squats 25
- Merkins 20
- Imperial Walkers 25
- Merkins 20
Playground stations
- 10 Pull-ups
- 20 dips
- 30 squats
Rinse and repeat x3
Mosey to building
- People’s chair
- Balls to wall
- People’s chair
- Feet on wall declines 10
- Squats 20
Mosey to track
- Lap around track
- Burpees 10
Back to building
- LBCs 25
- Bicycle
- Dolly
- Heels to heaven 15
- Wide arm Merkins 15
- LBCs 25
- Low slow flutter
- Rosalita
- Russian twist 15
- Stagger arm Merkins 16
- LBCs 25
Suicides: 5 rounds
- Sprint
- Backwards out, forwards back
- Karaoke right
- Karaoke left
- Sprint
COT
Moleskin
Snowflake’s inaugural Q was interrupted by the inclement weather, although obviously the inclement weather didn’t interrupt the other 20 Matrix regulars’ fartsacking, thank Goodness.
Since most Matrix pax didn’t bother showing up, apparently neither did the Backblast. #cobains
“Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.” That should be the name of this post, since Snowflake did all three in spades — impressive for a first time Q to be flexible enough to modify a rain-workout on the fly like he did. #tclaps Don’t worry, brother, we’re going to get you back out on Q ASAP so you can lead the workout you planned to lead.
Pro Tip: don’t run through puddles next to Psycho T — there was so much splashed water that I though a Mac Truck had raced past me. #soaked #clydesdale
Roughing the Passer
30 men posted at The Matrix for Psycho T’s first QIC experience.
The Thang
SSH X 20
IW X 20
Combo platter – Merkins; Peter Parker; Parker Peter; Mountain Climbers
Prisoner Squats… with S-L-O-W count for maximum impact on the quads
10 burpees on your own
Find a spot on the all for Peoples Chair, with 30 shoulder presses
Back to the field for some cone drills
– Bear crawl
-Lunge walk
-Crab walk
-Broad jump [or Bunny Hop]
-Partner wheelbarrow
To the playground, for three cycles of:
-10 pull ups; 20 step ups; 20 dips
-Run to track and back
Back to the field for shuttle runds done on two man teams
-Sprint out and back [100 yards] while partner does merkins; flapjack
-Sprint out and back while partner does wide arm merkins; flapjack
-Sprint out and back while partner does stagered merkins; flapjack
-Spring out and back while partner does diamond merkins; flapjack
Close with 5 minutes of Mary, including lots of Superman and modified Superman stuff
Moleskin
-So, Psycho T starts us off with a verbal disclaimer. Something like, “If I break you, remember, I’m not a professional trainer.” Then a quick ball-of-man prayer… good way to get started… then we were off to the races.
-Good first-time Q by Psycho T. Plenty of cardio and strength work today. Heart rate was high for 45 minutes.
-Random observations:
- Bulldog had a light weight hoodie this morning… good look for a young lad from across the pond.
- Runstopper left his sleeves at home, but hey, when you’ve guns like that why not?
- Tiger Rag… in a very un-Tiger Rag like fashion was wearing a watch that was five minutes off today… I had always assumed Rag synced up with an Atomic Clock every morning??
- Is it possible to “fall down” during a crab walk… yes it is, as I did this morning.
- Triple claps for Snake Bite [formerly know as Ice T]… he has been working out with a vengeance over the past few months, and it shows. Inspriration!
Lights, Camera, Action for F3
Awesome morning in the gloom for 58 pax (including 3 FNGs) from Area 51 and Metro CLT to get after it #F3TheRock style! As the pax rolled in the shovel flag was firmly planted and Dredd & OBT where being interviewed by our local NBC news anchor M Mic Check (Colleen Odegaard) for an upcoming show featuring F3. With the cameras rolling and filming the entire workout, all the pax heeded TR’s preaching and put forth their best form.
The Thang:
Run Stopper Lead:
Mosey to the far end of the soccer pitches for COP:
Merkins x 20, Mt Climbers x 20, SSH x 20
Jack Webb #1, 1 Merkin & 4 Arm Raises, 2 Merkins & 8 Arm Raises, continue up to 10 / 40.
Mosey to pavilion for:
3 sets of jump ups x 20, Dips x 20, Step Ups x 10 each leg
Peoples Chair x 3 mins – Arms high and hold leg up 6 inches, swap legs, Arms high and twinkle toes – lift heels and support toes, regular wall sit.
Planks led by Dredd
Jack Webb #2 – up to 10 merkins & skip the last arm raises to 40, go to 50 for extra credit.
Hit your six for the protractor.
Mall Cop Lead:
Mosey to side of the church for 6 MOM with Rosalita x 20 straight to hold for 6″, Flutter x 20, Cumberland County Viaduct x 13 left side, 13 right side, Freddie Mercury (bicycle) x 15.
Mosey to the set of 4 cones set 30 yards apart in front of the church for:
The Beast: sprint to first cone and do exercise called x 10, then so on continuing at each cone down to #4, then turn around and do exercise at each cone back to start. Plank when done.
1) Merkins at each cone.
2) Squat Jumps each cone.
3) Carolina Dry Docks each cone.
4) Suicide Sprints back and forth to each cone.
5) LBCs each cone.
6) Bear Crawl to first cone, Crab Walk to Second Cone, Sprint to 3rd Cone, then Burpee Broad Jump back 90 yards. (Crowd Pleaser)
Two Line Indian Run around the perimeter of the parking lot, then Jail Break last 150 yards to Shovel Flag.
COT
Moleskin:
Another awesome morning in the gloom at The Rock to make a downPAINment on the day. The pax did a great job today with the distraction of the cameras rolling and kept good form throughout. Thanks to Tiger Rag for preaching good form and having the pax in good shape to make F3 proud! It was great having some of our Metro CLT brothers down for the morning. Yes brothers, there is life and a sustainable society below Fairview Rd.
As soon as we know the show air date on NBC from the filming of this mornings workout and the interviews we will post it on the website and send out some tweets. There may even be several F3ers in studio on set for the show, so be on the lookout to set your DVRs.
There were many Larry Birds today but by far the best performance was by Ricshaw, Stage Coach’s 2.0. They both doubled down by posting at Stonehenge at 6:00 and coming straight over to The Rock afterwards. Toward the end of the Beast YHC called for a suicide sprint to each cone and the whole pax got smoked by a quadruple Hate! STRONG job little brother, STRONG!
OBT had a secret award ceremony as he had made some special Double Down GoRuck fire and snow patches made for the 4 pax, including Area 51’s The Shore, who participated in both GoRuck Challenges. Another super strong showing and now they have some sweet patches to show for it. Well done gents!
Great 3rd F prayer by Dredd with a ball of man at the end of the COT! Please keep the following pax and families in your daily prayers as we lift each other up: Matlock and his daughter, Coal Miner’s Daughter and his daughter, and Cotton Mouth and his wife.
Announcements:
We are continuing to collect workout clothes for the Charlotte Rescue Mission workout and childrens books for Billingsville Elementary. We are now in full signup mode for the next GoRuck Challenge on August 2nd and for the USMC Mud Run in October.
Until Next Time!
Spring in the Air, Summer around the Corner
12 Hearty Souls (including 2 FNGs) gathered around the Shovel Flag for their weekly downpainment at Area 51, with Countertop and Abacus on Q. Starting to feel more like spring/summer here in the South as we kicked it off with Countertop taking the lead.
- Hit the playground for 10 Pull-ups (Countertop is a non-traditionalist)
- Mosey to the Soccer Fields (all exercises in cadence)
- Run to the 1st post – SSH x 30
- Backward Run to the 2nd post – Imperial Walkers x 30
- Run to the 3rd post – LBC x 20
- Karaoke left to the 4th post – Mountain Climbers x 20
- Run to the 5th post – Sister Mary Catherine x 10 each leg
- Karaoke right to the 6th post – Perkins (Perfect Merkins) x 10
- 100 yard duck and runs x 3 (Canadian brothers refer to these as Pepper Pods)
- COP (all exercise in cadence)
- Man Maker Merkins x 10
- Imperial Squats x 20
- Scissor Crunches x 20
- Rinse & Repeat x 2
Countertop turns it over to YHC for 2nd half
- Mosey to back of school for People’s Chair and Balls to the Wall
- People’s Chair x 60 secs, Merkins x 20
- BTW x 30 secs, CDD x 20
- People’s Chair x 60 secs, Merkins x 20
- BTW x 30 secs, Squats x 20
- Mosey to the Nature Trail behind the school
- Run the trail
- Bear Crawl up the hill at entrance to nature trai
- 10 Burpees & Plank it up until all PAX are done
- Head over to the back Playground and divide in to 3 groups
- Pull-ups x 10
- Dips x 25
- Step-ups x 10 each leg
- Rinse & Repeat
- Head up to the track for Jack Webb (up to 7 merkins/28 air presses)
- On your back for 6 MOM (in cadence)
- Dolly x 15, Hold ’em 6 in
- Flutters x 15, Hold ’em 6 in
- Freddie Mercury (Slow Bicycle) x 15
- Jog back to the launch point
- COT
Moleskin:
– Nice effort by all the PAX and welcome to the two new FNG’s – George Collins (F3 name TBD) & Hal Queen (Coop)
– Any type of team running event, I want Ocho Cinco on my side #smokeboots
– Anyone notice that summer is quickly approaching. Humidity could definitely be felt and won’t be long before we are looking forward to those nice cool mornings
– Dirty Bird able to enjoy a free work-out and then managed a little free medical consultation on sore knee from FNG George Collins (PA at OrthoCarolina)
– Announcements
“Rookie” work-out at Base Camp scheduled for 5/20. Invite anyone that may have been considering joining a work-out, but not ready to jump in head first.
Sign up for the October Mud Run on the F3 website. Deadline is 5/25 for sign-up/payment to guarantee a spot.
As always, an honor and a privilege to lead one of these workouts
Say Hello to My Little Friend
Aye! The bell tolled and 12 pax left the fartsack and headed into the gloom at Stonehenge this balmy morning. Honey Bee was on for his first co-Q opportunity and did a great job, as did all the pax out in Yankeetyne this morning. And so the story goes…
The Thang
Honey Bee led portion
COP
– SSH x 15
– Standing Lunges x 10
– Imperial Walker x 10
– Mountain Climber x 12
Little baby jog to adjacent parking lot
Bucket Brigade
– pax line up and pass a cinder block down the line
– nonstop merkins when not passing the cinderblock
Rinse and Repeat x 3
Mosey to Honey Bee’s truck and pick a “little friend” (rock)
Your little friend will be with you for the remainder of the workout
50 yard lunge walk with little friend overhead
Standing Arm Curls x 15
Little baby jog to Field of Bulls
Circle up
Rock-O-Rama – series of Honey Bee led exercises with the little friends
All in cadence count
– Big circles x 10
– Wood splitter x 10
– Squat with Overhead Press x 10
– Standing Mason Twist x 10
– Dying Cockroaches x 10
– Seated Mason Twist x 15
– Partner style sit-ups x 15 (exchange rock with partner every other “up”)
Switch to Dolphin on Q
Split in to two teams
Bear Crawl Relay – pushing rocks down 20 yards and back
Various exercises while waiting (crunches, merkins, squats, etc.)
All exercises with rocks
Repeato with lunge walk down and backward lunge walk back
Same deal with exercises while you wait
Little baby jog to Lake Hill
Reacquaint with partner from sit-ups
Jacob’s Ladder – Partner Style
P1: Holds both rocks in sumo squat position
P2: Jacob’s Ladder with 1, 2 and 3 burpees
Flapjack
Plank while all pax complete
Bearkin Crawl (bear crawl with merkin every three steps) up hill
Jog back down
Bearkin Crawl while pushing rock to base of hill and back
Plank until all pax complete
Lap around lake
Hand Q back to Honey Bee
Parking Row Suicides
Sprint (without rock) to adjacent parking row (@ 20 yards) and back
Sprint (with rock) to adjacent parking row and back
Repeato x 3
Little baby jog half mile back to Honey Bee’s truck and deposit rocks
Little baby jog back to launch point
COT
Naked Moleskin:
– Great job today by Honey Bee in his first Q and all the pax did a fantastic job on a warm (finally) morning.
– The “little friends” were a great addition to the workout. All the pax loved carrying an extra 15 to 20 pounds around during the workout.
– Honey Bee’s Rock-O-Rama was a big #crowdpleaser as not a lot of chatter amongst the pax.
– Pax were also very quiet during the Jacob’s Ladder and Bearkin crawls. Silent Pax = Hardworking Pax. Great job guys.
– T-claps to Rickshaw who was near the front on all the running and really did a great job throughout the workout. It’s great to see the next generation of F3 at these workouts.
Announcements:
– Lots of new Charlotte South workouts – Bagpipe, Hydra, Strip Maul. Check weekly email for more details.
– Rookie Day May 20 at Base Camp so headlock any guys that are new to working out or just bootcamp style workouts. #F3growing
– Summer GORUCK on August 2. This will be a custom F3 event and will be a most definite #crowdpleaser. Imagine Jack Webb in a bikini this summer? #Scary
– Check out website for details on Memorial Day Convergence at The Patriot Charities event. Lets get a strong F3 showing there.
– Continue to pray for Matlock’s daughter who is having a very difficult time. Be in prayer for the entire family during this difficult time.
All I got brothers. Aye!
PreBlast – The Rock; Jack Webb just called on my cell and he is NOT HAPPY.
PreBlast for the Rock at Calvery….The PAX may have to endure at least two sessions in the first half the workout. Just sayin’ be prepared for #anupperbodysmokefest…. MC has the second half and has his own kind of madness only a guy named Mall Cop can bring!
Flag will be planted at 0645. Music will be playing in the background, maybe a little Disturbed and our F3 anthom, Sail by Awolnation to help prepare the PAX for the 0700 launch.
Aye,
Run Stopper
Pax Meet Brick
The virtual shovel flag was posted and 16 PAX rolled in to Charlotte Catholic HS for their weekly dose of Centurion
Grab a brick from trunk of Chelms truck and jog to warm up lot for COP
SSH X20 – Brick in right hand
SSH X20 – Brick in left hand
Diamonds X15
Squats with brick out front (where else?) X25
Plank with right arm brick risers X10
Plank with left arm brick risers X10
Jog to corner of football field for “Extended four corners” (still no key for field and Q is not about to be first to climb the fence since I have 2 2.0’s heading their soon). Jog around outisde of “stadium” and stop at each corner to complete 10 count of called excercise
Round 1 – Merkins
Round 2 – Squats
Round 3 – Turkish get ups (ouch)
Round 4 – Jumping lunges
Round 5 – Burpees
Jog to front of school to picnic tables for step ups , dips, and merkins
Round 1 – x10
Round 2 – X15
Round 3 – X20
Jog to parking lot for 6 minutes of mary
Low dolly X15
High flutter X15
Low flutter X15
Protractor
Freddie Mercury (slow bicycle) X15
Boat / canoe
Jog around field back to start for COT
Moleskin
First time as Q at Centurion and had to show the young men how an old man gets after it. I have only been war daddy once in 2 years before Centurion and now twice in a row. #oldmanstrong is looking for some real war daddies (over 50).
Extended four corners was rough but just wait till/if we get on the football field for burpee/squat suicide ladder.
Did Farside show up late on purpose thinking he could slip through without a brick unnoticed? Q was watching like a hawk and made sure he got his money’s worth – #noshortcuts
A lot of new faces for me so bare with me until I learn names and faces. It was a privilege to take the lead at Centurion.
Consider contributing some time to Billingsville now or AG Middle School in the fall to help guide/tutor some young men that often lack a strong male figure in their life. Contact me at pchepul@gmail.com if interested in helping (1 or 2 per month from 4:30 to 6:00 one day a week – Wed at Billingsville and TBD at AG Middle School).
In a Pinch for a Q
With Bulldog on the DL, the Kevlar pax had to settle for YHC as Q on this beautiful Friday morning. Nevertheless, 30 non-fartsackers launched an assault at 0530 (or 0531.24798 as TR asserted).
Thang:
Jog from parking lot to center of church campus for COP
SSH x 25
IW x 24
Squats x 25 – mumble chatter already….come on guys
Slow Perfect Merkins x 13
Jog to terraced parking lots and split into 2 lines of 15 men for the following:
1st Run:
Lunge walk to first terrace, bear crawl to 2nd terrace, lunge walk to bottom of hill, Run up hill, 10 burpees at top, run all the way back to start point, plank until all pax finishes
2nd Run:
High knees to first terrace, backwards run to 2nd terrace, lunge walk to bottom of hill, run up hill, 20 LBCs at top, run back to start point, plank until all pax finishes
Jog to parking lot near ball fields
Burpee broad jumps the length of the parking lot. Much mumblechatter.
Mosey to field near benches.
1 group does flutter kicks while 2nd group does 20 Nipplers (decline merkins, touching right hand to left pec, then left hand to right pec, etc., etc. 10 reps each arm)
Time for some 11’s:
1 group starts with Dips at benches
1 group starts with Wide Arm Merkins at other end of field
Run to opposite end of field in between exercises.
Run back to high school complex
People’s Chair
Partner Up: 1 man in People’s Chair while other man does 20 WLBCs. Flapjack.
Repeato.
6ish MoM & Plankish work
Dolly x 13
Freddy Mercury x 13
CCVs x 13 (YHC’s favorite….unless Providentially hindered – this is a staple of any workout YHC leads #losethelovehandles
Makthar Ndjiaye’s x 13
Overhead Presses x 50 (1/2 of a Jack Webb)
COT
Moleskine:
TR gave grief before the launch and asked YHC to check the Timex – so we launched at 0531.something or other.
Surprised by some mumblechatter during COP….it’s not the weekend yet men!
Great turnout at Kevlar but where were Bugeater, 49’er and Donkey Kong who launched Hydra yesterday?
Strong work by all the men and T-Claps to our FNG Jemima for pushing through the pain. Good to have you brother and look forward to having you back among the pax soon.
Most exciting point of the morning was when Busch or Spackler (can’t remember) spotted another snake along the wall during People’s Chair session. YHC is still trying to confirm that Snakebite timed his fastest 40 time ever in sprinting away from the wall and then jumping on Geraldo’s shoulders.
Announcements:
Launch of 3rd F Workout: Compass at Arbo Chic-Fil-A was a great success. 20 pax posting. T-claps to Stone Cold and Bulldog for co-Q’ing this.
Bring K-5 children’s books to The Rock tomorrow for Billingsville students. WCNC will be filming at The Rock as well tomorrow, so pax posting be duly warned (persuaded? or dissuaded?). Expect to see Brown wearing the Mushmouth lid, Chuck E. Cheese donning the famous shoes, and Iron Horse to sport the Red Grange football helmet…is that too much to ask?
Continue to pray for our brothers who are rehabbing/hurting: Bulldog, Ray Charles, The Shore, and others. Also – please remember Coal Miner’s Daughter family in prayers with the passing of his father. And also Matlock and his daughter. He is a mighty God and capable of all things.
Invasion from Metro
6 Pax took on #F3devilsturn this morning from the Old Bell entrance of McAlpine Greenway.
The Thang:
- 5 Pax took on the 6 mile challenge. 1 Pax took on the 4 mile challenge.
- With no Q in sight, there was a total total disregard for any interval preblast. Just run it.
Moleskin:
- 4 FNGs to DevilsTurn posted from Governor’s Square. If not for them, there would have been a very lonely morning for both groups. As it was, Swiss Miss was all alone on the 4 mile trip.
- Great conversation on the route (no intervals).
- Faster finish over the second half. Last 1/2 mile was an attempt to catch Swiss Miss…YHC missed by 5 yards.
- At some point, the plan is to move to 4 mile Creek / McMullen Creek greenway near Trader Joes at Rea rd due to coming construction at McAlpine. We will miss the soft gravel, but gladly still have zero traffic and a mix of boardwalk and asphalt (still no concrete).