Thanks to everybody for coming out today!

• Warmups: 15 side straddle hops, 20 Moroccan night clubs, 15 Gravel pickers
• Workout: Ran to flag pole, did 13 burpees,  1/2 way to parking lot did 13 wide arm Merkins, then to bottom parking lot. 4 corners (13 reps at every corner), squats, burpees, LBC’s, Merkins, Plank Jacks, CDD’s, American Hammers, Hillbillies
• Wrap Up: Good word -Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

Just like Drake, I’m going Back to Back. I had my first Q at Sandlot/Neverland/Dark Balls/Ya Mamas House yesterday. The cold rain kept us in the shelter so today, I figured I’d do a complete 180 and we were gonna move!

I arrived early to scope out the lay of the land and make last minute weinke adjustments. Seuss had hung the shovel flag with care, before off heading to Folsom and the land of facial hair. HIMs rolled in and it is 5:30 so let’s do some work! I didnrecycle.uesterdays Christmas Playlist. Here Is The Link!

Warmup: SSH 10 IC, Toy Soldiers 10 IC, Don Quixotes 7 IC. The 7 means nothing, I was just getting impatient. Let’s mosey to the school entrance.

The Thizzy-thang:
In full disclosure, the first 30 minutes of this Q were stolen from a Sister Act Q so you know it was hard!

Zachary Tellier Workout – in honor of a Charlotte man who was killed serving our country. A real HIM, for sure!

10 Burpees, run a lap around the parking lot and round-about.
10 Burpees, 25 Merkins, run a lap around the parking lot and round-about. (I heard a train sometime during this set…noted)
10 Burpees, 25 Merkins, 50 Lunges, run a lap around the parking lot and round-about.
10 Burpees, 25 Merkins, 50 Lunges, 100 LBCs, run a lap around the parking lot and round-about.
10 Burpees, 25 Merkins, 50 Lunges, 100 LBCs, 150 Squats, run a lap around the parking lot and round-about.

A few of the faster men started an extra round as the 6 finished up. Good work! Short mosey to the side of the school.

5 burpees for the train earlier.

Elevens across half the parking lot featuring Big Boy Situps and Flutter Kicks

We have a few more minutes so circle up for Mary. It’s Christmas Eve and I Qd a 12 Days of Christmas theme yesterday so I went back to it here. We went around the circle calling core exercises. The only limit was we needed to do 12. We went just a bit over but 8 guys called exercises including American Hammers,Mountain Climbers, Windshield Wipers, Freddie Mercuries, 6 Shooters, some kinda roll-up crunch voodoo Top Hat cooked up, and others.

Time!

Announcements: convergence 12/28 at Gashouse, RSVP for the Christmas party 1/4 (and vote for superlatives), Midoriyama is closed today, Prison Break and Snoballs are open). Pray for Dry Rub and his M, Medicine Woman, Huck, Montross’s neighbor (lost his Dad), families at Christmas. YHC took us out in prayer.

I mentioned it during CoT but will point it out here too: keep those who are struggling at Christmas in your prayers. So many people in our communities struggle with strained family relationships, split homes, financial struggles, and memories of those who have passed. Be kind to them and pray for them. That being said, if anyone dosen’t have plans around Christmas, you are welcome to join me and my family tonight for dinner in Bessemer City. Just text me or DM me on Slack! I promise you won’t be the only non-family member there and you are welcome. There are always friends that don’t have other plans there. Merry Christmas!!!!

-Montross

I’ve not Q’ed in quite a while, since the end of September according to my records. With the week off, I had circled this morning as my chance to finally post at Mt Hollywood. Nothing against this AO but it doesn’t fit logistically on my daily commute to downtown Charlotte. As I made this plan, I saw the Q was available and Broke was kind enough to grant me the opportunity – I should have checked the weather forecast. This time the weathernerds got it right but it’s hard to miss 90% chance of rain. I did a reconnaissance mission to scout where I might take my PAX, the only question was – how many would there be? I set multiple alarms to ensure I would not be late (thanks Montross) and arrived early (new concept for me). Broke was waiting in his truck and a few headlights followed with Red Ribbon running from his nearby home to give us a total of 5. A quick disclaimer stated the smart ones fartsacked this wonderful opportunity (if I had not committed to the Q – I’d have been there with you – well not literally, but in my own bed – you know what I mean). As a Kotter Q, I stumbled through a cadence that was this:

• Seal Jacks x 10
• Imperial Walkers x 10
• Butt Kicks x 10
• Toy Soldiers x 10
• Jingle Balls x 10 (Merry Christmas)

We did that under the front shelter of Mt. Holly Middle and I asked the PAX to make a run for the bigger and lighted cover of Ida Rankin across the street – the only difficulty was working our way through the puddled parking lot but we arrived and to find the nice bricks Santa had left earlier. I went with what I know best – a timed Tabata workout with a brick in each hand. We performed each exercise x 30 seconds, with 30 second rest after each set and did each set 3x

• Set 1:
  • Straight Arm Jacks
  • V-Ups
  • American Hammer
• Set 2
  • Flutter kicks w/ arms holding bricks over chest
  • Backbreakers (new exercise named by Sargento – too difficult to explain but a core pleaser)
  • Squat with arm raise
• Set 3
  • Merkins
  • Single Line Suicide
  • Moroccan Night Clubs (bricks in hand)

Then we moved to a new set with 2 minutes of exercise followed by 1 minute of rest

• Jump Squats x 20, SSH’s x 30 then Burpees the remainder of the time AMRAP
• WWI x 15, Freddie Mercury x 20 then LBC’s the remainder of the time AMRAP
• (grab your bricks) Hammer Knee R x 20, Hammer Knee L x 20, Scissor Runs
• Leg Raise x 15 (hold bricks with arms extended overhead), Jack Knifes x 20, X Crunch AMRAP

That was a good ending point to head back early and call time. Prayer requests were shared for EZ Rider’s family, Freight’s Grandmother, Tiger’s Dad, then the M’s for Sargento, Broke, and me. Remember the Convergence at GasHouse on 12/28 and the after Christmas Party on 1/4 (check your email).

Moleskin:

Luke 6:48 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

⁴⁸ That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.

As 2019 winds down the final steps for the year, maybe you’re like me and take some inventory of the year. I often think of moments and experiences as bricks that build my foundation to provide both mental and physical strength to weather through the storms ahead. Leading into the passage in Luke 6:48, Jesus shares that his words are used to build the foundation, so if we apply that 3rd F and live 3rd, those principles can help us battle through the flux. As for the First F, as untrained amateurs leading through a variety of odd exercises, I believe a strong core is essential. I went with that as a theme, adding the bricks as some resistance and strength building. Having the chance to Q at Mt Hollywood, in addition to earlier Q’s of 2019 at Folsom were a few missing bricks in my foundation that I now have in place. With all the work that has been done by the PAX this year, if we think of our Gastonia Region as a almost 5 year old neighborhood, look at all the great houses we’ve built, but like any house, we can always make updates or improvements, and in the neighborhood, there are vacant lots for FNGs.  As always it was an honor to lead.

11 Pax for a Pre-Christmas Crossroads:

1 came in hot; 1 departed in silence (We missed ya, Goldigger)

1 Rucked (You were missed, Mayor and Freight)

10 Ran (2 of us chasing Broke)

10 for Q Source Review

Thanks for the participation, the push, the encouragement!

Seuss

YHC forgot he had no one covering this week until in the middle of the 40/50 CSAUP. So with no weinke, this was made up on the fly with a lot of help from the PAX.

We “warmed-up” with Gashouse. Once we split up, the PAX gathered around bringing whatever equipment they had.

We started with a little tabata. 90 seconds of work, followed by 30 seconds of rest. We went around with each member calling an exercise.

We then partnered up and moved on to a little dora.
100 curls
200 overhead presses
300 chest presses

The PAX knocked this out and there was still a little time.

YHC broke out the Deck-o-Death. We went a few cards in before Gashouse rolled in. We joined them for their Tubthumping ending and all that followed.

Good work men and thanks to all for Co-Q’ing.

See Defib’s backblast for incorporating the 40/50 challenge into all aspects of life.

Watts Up powering down.

17 Pax rolled in for my VQ at Folsom. Great teamwork, camaraderie, mumblechatter!

Pledge

Warm Up: 

Don Q x10

Morrocan Nightclubs x10

THANG:

Mosey to flag for:

Growing Pains: 

30 LBCs– 4-count, I.C.

30 Big Boys I.C. 

Superman-4 count 30 seconds . 

Mosey across lot for: 

W.A.S.H.

Grab a partner: One partner runs a lap while other performs:

Werkins (50). 

American Hammers (100). 

Squats (150).

Hillbillies (200).

Mosey to far building for:

Partner Forties:

I.C. with Partner:

30 Dips/10 Pattycake Merkins

25/15

20/20

15/25

10/30

Mosey to tennis court for:

Red Barchetta:

100 Yard Dash then 100 SSHs, run back to start point to plank/wait for six; 

75 yard dash then 75 mountain climbers, run back to start point to plank/wait for six;

50 yard dash then 50 LBCs, run back to start point to plank/wait for six; 

25 yard dash then 25 CDD’s, run back to start point to plank/wait for six;

10 yard dash then 10 burpees, run back to start point and plank/wait for six.

Triple Nickel:

Plank Jacks/Hand Release Merkins

Announcements:

Convergence, next Saturday, December 28, 7am, Gashouse; All other AO’s closed

Christmas Party, January 4

Word: 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 ESV

This only in God’s power and minute by minute with future grace.

Consider the fact at Christmas, and each day throughout the year, that at salvation, “Jesus takes our sin, and we take His righteousness”. Jesus’ sacrifice and righteousness are the ultimate gifts, and these gifts are free; we don’t have to do anything to earn them.

This is the gospel — the good news that our sins are laid on Christ and his righteousness is laid on us, and that this great exchange becomes ours not by works but by faith alone. “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). (John Piper, “The Great Exchange”)

Prayer Requests:

Volt’s Father- in- law

Solomon flu

Huck illness

People battling addiction

EZ Rider request

Medicine Woman as he is on the mend

Montross’ neighbor’s dad

Name-o-rama

Sparky took us out!

I’m thankful for you guys daily! Thanks for coming out!

Seuss

I almost forgot to write this backblast! I was still sore from Qing The Yank days earlier so we focused on cardio. We covered about 2 miles. Show to know. Welcome Dry Dock!

20 HIM were not afraid of a pre-bootcamp CSAUP and accepted my challenge to make their communities a little cleaner.  As a regular of F3 posting in the gloom we often run / ruck right past all the litter on the streets often not even really seeing it.  During the 40/50 day challenge I challenged the pax to do something weekly that was for someone else.  So I thought why not wrap up the challenge with a CSAUP that will leave the areas that we use every week just a little better than the way we found it.  Just like picking up the six – “leave no man behind but leave no man where you find them” is a metaphor for lending a hand to those that need it – Likewise lets try to make the community we live in a little better.

Folks gathered at Folsom, Gashouse and the Yank to do just that.  Many wore rucksacks and rucked a few miles carrying garbage bags and picking up trash in the area.  Over 16 bags of trash were removed from the streets we use everyday.  The end result – our eyes were open to the trash we take for granted and the community was left just a little bit better.  I suspect there may also have been one or two motorists who recognized what we were doing and perhaps they will pay some form of service forward.  In any event I know that the pax who participated feel just a little better knowing that they did not just come to an AO and “leave it where we found it.”