Fitness, Fellowship, Faith

Category: Backblast (Page 584 of 904)

Building a Strong Foundation

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.

“The Chase” at Crossroads

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

 

 

We Made It Up

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.

Four

5 PAX posted for the end of the 40/50 challenge and swept the streets of Belmont clean for the CSAUP! We challenged ourselves to see who could find the weirdest thing. There were a lot of weird items we made up and lied about but it was decided the diaper was at least the worst thing.  Despite being grossed out we got it of the streets.

 

13 was the number for the boot camp. I’ll let you do the math here but by my count a lot more trash could have been cleaned up. Just sayin/not sorry!

Warmup:

Mosey to a nearby parking lot for some SSH and Don q’s. I didn’t have anything planned here so let’s get on with it.

Mosey to the bottom center area of the park.

The Thang:

Run the path all the way up to the middle school field and do 10 each of merkins, lunges, and WWI’s. Run back down and repeat. That’s one round….do 4 rounds.

Super quite this morning.

Mosey up to the field. Run a lap while the Q sets up some cones.

Bear crawl to each cone and at the cone do the exercise. Exercises at the cones were in this order 20 squats, 20 merkins, 20-4 count flutters, 20-4 count mtn climbers.  Run to the other end of the field and run the lap back to the start. Rinse and repeat. Do 4 rounds.

Still really quite. I guess these guys are just here to work. Tiger recognizes how weird it is when I don’t mummblechatter.

Mosey to the wall at the school.

Wall sits, then donkey kick ic and hold feet on the wall at the end(thank Pacman for this), rinse and repeat a few times. We threw some derkins in upon Boudin’s request. I introduced the dirty hookup to the crowd as well. That’s about time so lets mosey back to The Yank.

Finally a little trash talk began.

Pledge

COT:

Announcements-Christmas party 1/4 get signed up to bring something, convergence 12/28 at Gashouse(Schielle) all other AO’s closed.

Prayer Request-Several family members battling sickness

 

Pre-Christmas Calorie Buster

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

 

Not-So CSAUP CSAUP

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.”

40/50 day challenge close-out

YHC was coming in hot this morning having just finished the “Not-So-CSAUP CSAUP” (see backblast for it) I was rucking in at 7:01 to find the pax were ready and waiting.  Thanks to Gastone for keeping them occupied with some SSH.  Very brief thank you was given for all those participating in the CASUP – we collected over 12 bags of trash in just 90 mins.

 

Warm-up

LBCx20

That’s enough – we split into pain lab (Watts Up Q)  and bootcampers following me to the Grier track with a quick stop at the wall for 10 or so Hip slappers.

 

Thang:

10 exercises AMRAP for 1 min with 100yard run in between all exercises. Before each exercise was announced the pax were given the opportunity to earn immunity by answering Christmas movie trivia questions.  We found out that Stroganoff in addition to being an outstanding Nantan and CEO of GSM, also knows his Christmas movies earning 3 of the 10 immunities (yet he still performed most of the exercises anyway- what a HIM!)

Exercises included:

Plank Jacks

SSH

Flutter Kicks

Bobby Hurley

Diamond Merkins

Mountain Climbers

American Hammers

Peter Parkers

Monkey Humpers

LBCs

With just 20 min left we then divided up into two teams and played some ultimate football – good guys won by a narrow margin

 

Mosey back to Gashouse for one last surprise exercise – We all gathered around and did up/downs to Tubthumping – basically do one up/ down every time the words “I get knocked down” are sung.  This took us to time

COT – What a positive impact the 40/50 day challenge has been.  I noted that although we not have stuck to the diets as well as we liked, we all learned a lot about ourselves what it takes to lead a disciplined life to get our bodies in better shape.  When we get knocked down we need to get back up again!  I then emphasized that we take what we learned from this challenge and apply it to other aspects of our lives – namely growth in mental, emotional and spiritual health.

 

Prayers

Dry Rub’s M

Gastone’s Father-In Law

Praise for Sly’s deployment will not include Syria or Iraq.  He will only be going to Poland for 3 months

Bandits’ M’s aunt

Watts Up’s niece is in labor

People battling holiday related depression

 

As always It has been my honor to serve

Defib out!

QSource Review at Crossroads

Please review the questions below for QSource on Sunday December 22nd at Crossroads

  • What is one Big Idea, or concept, that you took away from the study as a whole?

 

  • What is one application you made (are making) in the way you lead, or relate to another pax or family member, as a result of the study?

 

  • Is there one of the studies, in particular, that stood out to you? In what way?

 

  • What do you feel is your toughest area, one in which you need to continue to accelerate?
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