Fitness, Fellowship, Faith

Month: September 2016 (Page 5 of 5)

Merkins, Nana, and a red shirt

We started the morning with a great discussion with Dr. Feelgood about Samuel and Saul (Old Testament). Great insight from a HIM who has a talent for breaking things down to basics then building back up for daily applications for all of us. OUTSTANDING DISCUSSION.

When I volunteered to Q this weekend, it was originally going to be a BRR prep in disguise. Little did I know my RED F3 shirt would arrive and be a youth XL and then my plans changed. I posted that I would be willing to part with this shirt if anyone would offer any money (highest bidder). Roscoe quickly called me out and suggested that this shirt might be too big….because of my BRR prep…..and lack of F3 workouts lately. My immediate response was the Sammy Hagar song, “I Can’t Drive 55” since Roscoe is a policeman. I googled the song and watched the video for inspiration-Sammy driving the race car, yelling at the judge, the band fighting with the cops in court, and Sammy eventually ending up in jail. I was truly inspired….I jumped into my car and next thing I knew I was flying down Franklin Blvd typing my Weinke as I weaved in and out of traffic with my windows down and the music blaring…..thankfully Roscoe does not work in GasHouse so I eventually made it home without a confrontation with the popo.

Here is what we did:

I knew the pax would be expecting a quick WU and I did not want to let them down, however I needed to make sure to emphasize the upper body so there was a quick disclaimer followed by a quick youth XL RED shirt reveal with some cat calls and whistles.

WU: 10 IC of SSH, Merkins, LBC, Merkins, Squats, Merkins, Flutter Kicks, Merkins. Somewhere in there Roscoe took over for a celebrity WU with PRESS PRESS FLING X 10 IC-yes, this IS an exercise and it is done by SEALs as part of their workouts. #unicornsighting

Next we moseyed to the flag for a STANDING pledge.

We moseyed up the hill to Grier Middle School parking lot with a nice wall and curb so we partnered up and P1 did hip slappers X 20 while P2 did Rocky Balboas AMRAP then flapjack and repeat at 10 reps of hip slappers. This was originally going to be wall sits but Rocky 3 was on last night and I had to find somewhere to put them in.

After short recovery we moseyed up the street to Parkwood Baptist Church dodging traffic for some leg work. We lunged across the parking lot and after 5 lunges for each leg we did 5 merkins. On the way back we lunged X 10 for each leg then did 5 merkins.

I didn’t want to leave my home church out so next we moseyed over to First Presbyterian Church to the stairs and did a 3 way partner split. P1 ran up the stairs, did 5 merkins, then ran back down. While P1 did that, P2 held P3’s legs up while P3 did hip slappers AMRAP. This was an attempt to build the Wall of Thermopylae and served as a definite crowd pleaser. We rotated through each spot for 3 cycles (I think).

We moseyed again towards the soccer field that has a baseball field on it (thanks JK2) for some Century Club-10 volunteers stepped up (thanks Messy-12 years old!!!) and took turns leading an exercise of choice X 10 reps (as fast as possible). Messy started us with SSH X 10, then Dolph called out 10 Burpees. I think I passed out after the last burpee and woke with Bandit leading dying cockroaches and DaVinci with Warrior Lunges that were as much more fun to watch than to do (nice work Feelgood). This was followed by a karaoke run around the parking lot (seemed like a long run for me) then headed over to the soccer field (I know, JK2, it has a baseball field on it) for some more partner work. This was called Merkinburpsquat (think Monkeypuppybaby). P1 ran across the soccer field while P2 did AMRAP of exercises which included Merkin, burp, squat. I think we did 1 cycle of this (my brain was pretty much gone at this point).

We were cutting close on time so we moseyed back to the flag for……ring/ring on my phone. Who could that be???? It was my mother (AKA Nana). Roscoe suggested I answer so I did and the pax were kind enough to wish Nana a good morning. I quickly explained I was busy and would call her back. In honor of my mom, we saluted her with 67 Merkins (she is 66 years old now, but will be 67 some day hopefully). As we started this, I heard someone say “Are we really doing this???” I am sure that will make Nana proud when I tell her later. My response was “Be glad it was not my grandmother…” We did a short wall sit waiting on the bells of freedom then jail-breaked to the start-thanks for the push Squirt and Dolph-not as fast as I used to be so all I saw was your backs. I guess I could have run faster if my shirt was not so tight-made it hard to breathe. That is my story anyway.

We finished with the namorama and announcements/prayer requests. BRR coming this week (thankfully) and some health issues in various pax families. Proud to see so many faces out there today-it’s been too long for me and loved getting back out there. Saturday mornings are a great time for me.

Days like today really motivate me starting with the 3rd F discussion and ending with a smelly shirt that I gave to a 12 year old kid who worked his butt off today and led some men through exercises like a champ-Madoff, give Messy an attaboy from me. We all know it takes some guts to get out there and exercise, let alone lead with a bunch of people you really don’t know.

Guys-thanks for making this F3 thing great. It takes all of us in one way or another.

Whoopee

core and corners

8 men, including an fng and two 2.0s posted to Folsom to get better.  Freight and Pizza Man ran to the workout, much respect to these guys.  0630 06:35 strikes, time to get to work.

warmup: ssh, cherry pickers and imperial walkers all x 15IC.

pledge

mosey down to the lower parking lot for a little core work. lbc, alphabet and rosalita.

mosey back to the tennis courts. partner up for Dora. 100 merkins, 200 squats and 300 lbc. p1 works, p2 runs the length of the courts. switch. repeat. you get it.

four corners.  bear crawl to one, 25 lbc. sprint to 2, 25 rosalita. crab walk to 3, 25 Freddy Mercury, sprint home, 25 ww1 sit-ups.

four corners again. lunge walk to one, 25 burpees.  sprint to 2, 25 something. lunge walk to 3, surprise (Allen Tate’s 2.0) called monkey humpers aka, the Allen Tate’s. zombie walk home.

10 merkin ring of fire.  mosey back to the launching point as time was up.

Annoucement: brr next weekend. prayer requests: floppy disk’s M, gumby’s brother-in-law.

name the new guys.

BOM: Q took us out.

way to push the rock.  big welcome to baconator, lil Papi and supplies.

AYE!

#Folsom BlockBuster

It was a slow start to the morning. YHC spotted a Mustang at #Folsom entrance and thougt we had a FNG, little did I know. There were only 3 of the #Folsom regulars discussing strecthing when YHC showed up. With about 2 minutes left and the #Ghostflag up for grabs, 4 cars came rolling in hot with 777 bringing up the 6. YHC knew it was gonna have to be a tough one. The plan was the Blockbuster, however we had no blocks yet. Introductions between the #SOB 5 and the Warm up began. The whole time YHC was trying to figure out what to do. Circle up, no FNG’s, short disclaimer.

Warm up; SSH x 15 IC, Don Quixote x 15 IC, wait what is that noise, Sparky had trouble getting the trailer with the blocks hooked up in the dark makes his arrival. CDD x 15 IC.

Thang;
– Run from Tennis courts down to lower parking lot, 2 laps around parking lot, back up hill to Tennis Courts; 1/2 mile
– All pax grab a block from the trailer and circle up; 6 exercises; curls x 10 IC, french curls x 10 IC, squats x 10 IC, front raise x 10 IC, squat press x 10 SC, good mornings x 10 IC.
– Repeat run.
– Repeat exercises.
– Repeat run.
– Repeat exercises.
– Repeat run.
Total reps; curls 60, french curls 60, squats 60, front raise 60, squat press 20/ 20 Allen Tate’s aka Monkey Humpers; Huckleberry made the request for the substitution. Good mornings 60. 2 miles. Nice work in 45 mins. #SOB 5 strong work. #Folsom men Strong as well. It was a pleasure leading you men today.

Moleskin; Wanna give a shout out to Sparky for saving the Q’s spinning mind. #SOB glad you guys made the drive and hope you felt the BlockBuster!!! YHC did and still does. It was a pleasure to meet you guys. Allen Tate coming in hot but pushed the rock, TClaps to you Huckleberry. #DRP. Medicine Woman hope you feel better sir. #Gaspains are no fun!!! Nice mumble chatter on set 2 and 3 men.

COT; Pledge, Thanks for the reminder Garfield; Namorama

BOM; Announcements; Prayer requests; Sparky took us out.
#Ghostflagstole, Nice job #SOB, It was an honor to lead you men.

Six String SCREAMER!

Over a year and a half into my F3 journey and ole DaVinci finally stepped up to his V-Q.  Thank the Sky-Q for Bandit on the Co-Q as I am usually winded at about the 2 minute mark.

Warmup — Bandit started us with some old favorites.  SSH IC x 20, Moroccan Night Club IC x 30 (maybe 50?), lots of others quick and hard.  Plenty of mumblechatter especially from FNG (Gilligan) who was flabbergasted by our Exicon. Counterama = 11 then we moseyed to the flag for pledge.  Wallsit, donkey kicks, hip slappers. Mosey to top of the hill and Bandit handed over the Q to me.  A brief interlude of Monkey Humpers ICx10 to entertain Garrison Blvd, then mosey down to the Grier MS track.

The Thang — SIX STRING SCREAMER;  Being a guitarist and knowing that is part of why I got my F3 name (creativity = multi-instrumentalist = renaissance man = DaVinci) I split up the track using the six strings of a guitar (actually duct tape lines) and handed out slips to each pax with an exercise.  Each exercise is either partner or group to emphasize teamwork, like in a rock band, an organization like F3 or many other aspects of life. After choosing partners, pax run AYG to next “string” and winner calls his exercise.  Can’t remember exact order, but the band rocked it out with:  Modern-Day-Warrior Lunges (lunges performed with arms out parallel to ground and alternate legs on each lunge so that your arms swing about as if slashing your enemies with swords), 100 combined w/ partner; Tunnel Of Love ; Partner Derkins 20 combined; Railroad Tracks; LBC 100 combined; Alabama Ass-Kickers, 40 combined; Squerkins, 10 each position; DuckWalk as a group to next string; American Hammer, 100 combined; Hello Dolly, 50 combined; Princess Tea Party, consisting of 10 (or so) Partner Merkins and 30 second Partner Wallsit (back to back).  At some point, Whoopie nearly gave us an Irish Goodbye, but did acknowledge he had to bolt.  After everyone had called their exercise, YHC gave a little pep talk about how I’m always the 6, but I’m never the last man in as there’s always 2-3 bros who circle back and encourage me. No man left behind. Iron sharpens iron. I am third.  Find the last, lost and least and get out of your comfort zone to be sure they are taken care of.  The greatest love you can show is sacrifice.  With that we moseyed back up the hill, pausing for Crab Humpers IC x 10, again to entertain the drivers on Garrison. We had about 6 minutes left so Bandit took over again for some Mary….

6MOM —  Posting this too long afterwards so can’t recall all, but included some burpees, Dying Cockroaches and some form of Merkins.

COT — announcements: BRR coming up, remember our bros participating; need Q for third F next 3 weeks.  Prayer requests: friend of Stroganoff’s, Bill, who had a tragic death in the fam; friend of DaVinci’s, Shawn, also had a tragic death in the fam;  TSquare and his fam

BOM — DaVinci led the prayer

Coffeeteria — Stronganoff, Bandit, Yo Adrian and DaVinci

Just a few quick comments on my V-Q.  I was afraid I had designed too much and the pax would say “we’re not gonna take it” and I thought personally I would feel shot through the heart, but once we got started we all felt like we were runnin with the devil on our tails and I could sense the general feeling was “I want action”.  Round and round the track, these guys weren’t F-F-F-Foolin, although in that second turn, the overgrown bushes were nearly a welcome to the jungle and we had to jump out of the way. Once the final countdown was over, my water bottle made me open up and say …ahhh and we all agreed it was nothin but a good time!

Peace! — DaVinci

10-96 @ Midoriyama

10-96 is the police code for a crazy person (mental patient / detain suspect). The backstory is that I told Freight I would see him at Midoriyama AND pickup the shovel flag (to get the AO name carved like our other SFs). I meant I would be there at the START for the workout. However, I was not able to get out of work soon enough and battled traffic (while the regulars battled Def Leppard – regulars came out stronger for sure). When I showed up to get the SF, the PAX was just finishing up their last COP and encouraged me to get in line (in full business casual office attire) which I gladly did.

But that’s not the crazy part… When Freight asked for Qs for upcoming workouts, I volunteered. Later I thought.. “What? Am I crazy? This is one serious group of regular STUDS! Last time I worked out here I got smoked! What makes me think I can lead this group (and still walk away on my own)? I must be crazy!” So as part of my disclaimer today, YHC ensured that I stated for the record that in addition to not being professional, I was a little crazy too!

Anyway, with a storm brewing, we quickly optioned to start today’s beatdown under the picnic shelter. Here is what we did…

The Disclaimer
Plus clarification the Q (and many Midoriyama regulars) are indeed a bit crazy. Not to mention, as the PAX began to post, Mother Nature sent us a fairly significant thunder storm. Against my best advice, we all stuck around for the beatdown.

Warm Up

  • SSH x 20
  • Squat x 20
  • Toy Solider x 15
  • LBC x 15
  • Don Quixote x 10
  • Mericans x 10
  • Moraccan Nightclubs (t-claps to ToolTime for the inspiration>
  • Repeat Reverse Order (throwing in additional sets of MNC to get to 100 reps for ToolTime)

The original plan was to hit the fields for some four corners and other fun but while the rain and thunder were still pretty strong, we stayed under cover for some step ups and dips. 3 sets starting at 30 step ups/20 dips, then 25/15 and finish with 20/10.

At this point the lightening and thunder had sort of passed, but with the rain still coming down, we set out on foot for some mosey work. After a short 1/4 mile Slaw mentioned we lost one PAX. Apparantly Lil’ Sweet had his 2.0 in the car back at the shelter. Standing on the soccer field, as we looked over the hill, he was catching up, hammer down, wipers on full speed! Uh, definitely a first. Will make sure to mention that in my disclaimers going forward.

Four Corners

  • Dying Cockroaches x20
  • LBC x20
  • American Hammer x20
  • Mountain Climbers x20

Rinse and repeat 3 rounds.

Based on frequent updates from ToolTime on the clock, we began to mosey back to start. But upon Lil’ Sweet’s suggestion we immediately switched gears and decided to push his car back to the start.

With just a few minutes remaining, the last exercise was burpees until 6:15.

Wrap Up

  • COT
  • Namorama
  • BOM

There are powerful forces at work among us, in our daily lives, some trying to derail us and others working to keep us on the right track. We all have the ability to choose how we react to what life gives us. Lots of appreciation from PAX today for the bonds that are being forged here at Midoriyama, throughout the Gastonia region and across the Nation as we motivate and hold each other accountable. #ISI Glad to be here brothers!

Prayers for Blart who is recovering from prior workout. Also for Floppy’s M as they are hoping for good news on some tests. Phillipian’s 4:13

Happy Birthday Freight!

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