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All Kinds of Merkin Madness

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Great night for an AO! Mid- 50’s, mostly dry ground, no fog. All unexpected pax for tonight’s study in the “Way of the Merkin”. YHC got this idea just hours earlier and some brave pax even helped me try out a few new Thangs that I’ll use at future Q’s. We learned first hand about the evolution and many forms of the Merkin tonight. Flag planted and feet moving at 1900.

FNG’s: No

Warm Up: Moseyed to the batting cage lot for 10 counts of: Good Mornings, Frankenstein’s, Fazio Arm Circles F/R, Standard Merkins (13 ct. my lucky number), Moroccan Night Clubs, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, 13 ct. Diamond Merkins, Daisy Pickers, and Windmills.
The Workout: Thang 1. 4 corners with 5,10,15,20 count exercises at each successive corner. Exercises were LSF (IC) and for 2nd round, Prisoner Squats. 3rd round was 3,6,9,12 of double merkin burpees with lunge walks on short ends. This challenged the pax and YHC. No mumblechatter by corner 3.

Thang 2.  Rocks. YHC called 13 counts of the following exercises: Curls for the Girls x 3, Tricep Press x2, Squats x2, Deadlifts, Rut Rows x 2, Shoulder Press x 3, Ground Pounders x2, Trunk Twists, Bus Drivers. Scattered among these sets were 13 count Hand Release Merkins, Staggered Grip Merkins (13 on each side), Dirkins, And Irkins. Rocks were rotated sporadically throughout. Got on our  six for some chest Press blowouts. Each set was 13 count then pass the rock. We did 5 sets of these and a final set of 26. YHC took “the big rock” for final set since I accidentally stick Shredder and The Natural with it for Bus Drivers and GP’s.

Thang 3. To the pavilion. 2 pax complete merkin crawl w/irkins on every table and bench surface around the loop. This was completed while other pax completed SSH in cadence. We switched so both groups could feel the unique aspects of the strengthening qualities of these very different exercises. Did a People’s Chair 10 count from each pax for recovery followed by 20 wide grip merkins.

And no merkin workout would be complete without some Jack Webb’s at the tennis court. We went to a 5 count on this as time expired.

Mary: None
Announcements: Lots of stuff and opportunities on Slack. Q sheet. Try to get out and support VQ’s…helps more HIM to jump in and want to Q.
T-Claps (Recognition): Shredder for getting in some miles before AND after this workout.
Prayer: Injured, sick pax.  Dusty’s brother dealing w/mental health and stroke issues, Kubota’s workplace, The Natural’s M for more recovery. Honored for the opportunity to lead gentlemen!

Beach body Ab work at Downtown Train

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Ten strong for an ab workout at Downtown Train even had a nice surprise and rare visit from several PAX we don’t see too often!

FNGs: Nope

Warm Up: 10 burpees OYO, SSHs, Windmills, Merkins, 10 squat jumps OYO

The Workout:

Mosey to library parking lot and partnered up for Dora. Exercises and count was 200 American hammers, 300 dying cockroaches, and 400 LBCs. Partner 1 did exercise while partner 2 ran lap around parking lot. Rotate and repeat. After total rep count for each exercise was finished, held plank hold for 10 second count by each PAX (3 rounds).

After Dora , moseyed to parking garage for  some suicide ladders of WWIIs (5, 10, 15) and once to the far end of parking deck 50 mountain climbers (two rounds).

Mary: Wen’t around the circle and each PAX called an exercise. 20 burpees OYO, Homer to Marge, good mornings, Freddie Mercury, can’t recall the rest but each PAX got a turn.

Announcements: Check Facebook and Slack

T-Claps (Recognition): Fed Ex, LED, Fonzi, and Warbucks for making the rare trip to Downtown Train.

Prayer: Spoken and unspoken, friend of Pumpkin Spice, YHCs brother-in-laws father, Wallaby, Forceps, Fed Ex’s co-worker.

15 PAX at the Trot – GOOD TIMES!

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FNGs:  Welcome Gary Cunha – 90120; a native of CA.  Learned about F3 after meeting Darby at the opening of Crooked Creek Park in FV.

EC:  LED,  Farva, Fonzie

Warm Up:  So excited to be back at the Trot.  Lots of fist bumps and smiling faces as we circled up in what Noah’s ark called “Perfect Exercise weather” – a balmy 55 degrees/overcast.  Flag was planted, no FNGs at the start and we began a mosey around the tennis courts to the snack shack.  Heard some “oh craps” as a vehicle entered Action Park. Wasn’t sure if it was a PAX, an FNG, or other.  16-bit had a similar experience at an AO when an unidentified car showed up and loitered for a bit before taking off.  I was alerted we indeed had an FNG and circled up for the warmup.  Welcomed Gary Cunha, gave the F3 disclosures and began the following exercises:  25 SSH, 10 good am, 10 Don Quixote, 10 Daisy Pickers, 10 Sir Fazio Arm Circles, 10 Overhead Claps, 10 Seal Claps.  A thought occurred to me to have a PAX keep an eye on the new PAX – Gump must have been on the same page and shadowed him making sure he was doing OK.  Just a suggestion going forward to have a PAX (perhaps the one who brought him out if able) stay with the FNG throughout the workout.

The Workout:  I had hinted at rocks, hills and a possible field trip during a pre-blast.  Wanted to give Gary a nice introduction to F3 and headed to the edge of the grass for Jack Webb’s 1 merkin to 3 air presses to 10 count.  FUN!  Recovered to the short wall for 10 step ups on each side (L/R) OYO.  Mosey to the snack shack for 15 ic People’s Chair followed by 15 BTTW ic.  Rinse and Repeat but increased count to 20 but had Gump and Farva call out the count respectively.  Mosey to the road for the following exercises:  Frankensteins, Gate Openers, Bear Crawl, and Karaoke (L/R) to the parking lot.  Mosey to the hill.  At base of hill, 10 Prisoner Squats.  Great mumble chatter continued.  Bear crawl up the hill on newly cut grass (NICE!).  At the top of the hill, PAX completed 10s of derkins, erkins and dips on the guardrail.  Hopped over the guardrail and jogged to the far corner of the tennis courts to pick up a medium sized rock.  And there’s always one guy who does not know what medium means.  More to follow.  John Cusack to the newly lit white lights.   5 burpees OYO.   Circled up for a bunch of rock exercises,  some single count, some exercises in cadence.  Had the PAX rotate, 1, 2 or 3 places after completing an exercise.  These are the exercises we executed (not in exact order):  curls for the girls, tricep extensions, overhead presses, rut rows, reverse bicep curl (please explain what this is to Gump), goblet squat, bus drivers, slap rocks from plank, toe tappers, ground pounders.  Somehow we got on our six; I called on the “Respect” PAX for exercises on our six.  Boat canoes, WWIIs, 6 inch, Chest press, tricep press….John Cusack back to the rock pile.  Jog to tennis courts for Mary.  That one “medium-sized rock” was a friggin’ challenging!  Way to push yourself PAX!

Mary:  Core exercises including box cutters, low-slo flutters, homer to marge, pickle pounders, Freddie Mercury, and yoga stretches including Runner’s, Pigeon, Child pose, DDog.  Focused on the word OPPORTUNITY (saw on Slack – thanks Mookie).  Reflected on M, Tues.  what can we do better today and rest of the week as husbands, fathers, workers, etc.  Have a Nice Day – Silence for 30 seconds.

Announcements:  New AO Prison Yard (great job Breach); New roadside F3 signage “Adopt a Highway” clean-up opportunity (Great job John Deere); See Slack/FB for other announcements.

Learned about Gary, a USMC vet, a VA social worker, originally from N. Hollywood.  Names of Smog, Hollywood were thrown out but 90210 stuck!  Welcome!

T-Claps (Recognition): EC PAX!

Prayer:  Yosef’s? son with broken femur, PAX with alcohol/substance abuse, Quiver’s wife, other SPOKEN and UNSPOKEN prayers.  YHC took us out.

Great to be back at PT; long overdue.  Honor to lead.  Double D has given 90210 three weeks before he steps up and takes over at Q.

 

2nd F at Stick Boy

Throwback 5 – Day 4 – Disney

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Throwback 5 appears to be working just as planned.  End the decade and start a new one with 5 convergences at the “Original 5” Southwake AOs.  Today was Disney’s turn.  YHC turned to Kid Cracker to co-Q with me as we were the Site’s initial Qs.  I always loved Q-ing with Kid Cracker as there would be diversity in the body parts worked and lots of good mumblechatter.

It was a cloudy, 37 degree Thursday morning as YHC approached a gathering crowd in the Middle Creek Park parking lot.  The glows of at least one (Redenbacher) Pax member finishing EC could be seen.  The original Southwake Shovel Flag was planted, fists were bumped and Kid Cracker got us going!

FNGs: None
Warm Up: Short fellowship jog (0.33 miles) around the dark soccer field – we continued this mosey to the small parking lot adjacent to the baseball field house – where we circled up

  • SSH x 20 I.C.
  • Good Morning x 20 I.C.
  • Downward Dog (left and right rocking)
  • Runners pose stretching (Left and Right)
  • Pigeon pose stretching (Left and Right)
  • on your feet to mosey to the High School student parking lot – Pax instructed to partner up on the run

The Workout:

Round 1:  Kid Cracker

  • Partner1 partner carry Partner2 the long distance up the hill in the parking lot.  Resting or alternating as needed
  • Disclaimer was issued by Kid Cracker “if you have back problems, knee problems or are on your (menstrual) cycle – you can lunge walk”  Classic 🙂
  • Alternative to partner carry was lunge walk half way then catch up on the run
  • At top of hill series of exercises were done (too gassed to remember)
  • Mosey back to bottom of the hill
  • Rince and repeat with alternating pax member
  • Fellowship run back to the park toward the Abyss (7 flights of stairs)

Round 2:  Deadbolt

  • Keep your partner – half the partners would go to bottom of the stair (but stay with your partners) and half stay up top
  • DORA with runners going up/down the stairs.  The DORA was
    • 100 Merkin
    • 200 LBC
    • 300 Squats
    • Ab exercises until the 6 gets up
  • Clockwise and Counterclockwise Indian runs (50-50 split) from the Abyss to the concrete area at the bottom on the half pipe
  • Jailbreak to Flag for Mary

Mary:  Alternating Abs by your Co-Qs

  • American Hammers x 20
  • Exaggerated Low Slow Flutter x 20
  • Freddy Merc x 20
  • Wide Grip Merkins x 20
  • Heels to Heaven x 20
  • Good Morning stretches
  • Michaels Phelps to close

Announcements:

  • Final Throwback 5 tomorrow- Cletus – it will be special
  • Carpex – Southwake Q Swap next 2 weeks
  • Dawgpound assisting Eagle Scout with fund raising opportunity and support – details on Slack

T-Claps (Recognition):

Prayer:

  • Wallaby, Crablegs, US Military Forces, some I may have forgot
  • DB Took us out in a ball of man

Nutcracker Rock,Rock,Rock

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FNGs: none
Warm Up: Mosey, high knees, butkickers, karaoke

tulip pickers x10 sir fascio arm circles 10 forward 10 back, overhead arm circles 5 forward 5 back, SSH x 20
The Workout: Grabbed Rocks and mossied to workout location

Tulip pickers w/rock x10   curls x10   tricep ext x10 3Sets–sprint to 3 light poles in ascending order and mosey back

Bridge press x20  halo x10 lion king x10  3Sets—sprint to 3 light poles in ascending order and mosey back

bridge press x10 curls x10     tricep ext x10    3Sets–sprint to first light pole and mosey back

Mary:  windshield wipers x10   homer to marge x15
Announcements:   Christmas party sign up, Shield lock challenge
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer:

Slow on the Rocks

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I was back on Q after a couple months of a strong rotation of others stepping up to lead the Downtown Train. Always a small but strong group showing up and ready to work.

EC was The Natural, Full House and Nemo for a 2+ mile loop down and around Womble and back.

FNGs: None
Warm Up: We warmed up, usual lap, usual exercises.
The Workout: We worked out.  Got rocks, lifted them, did exercises and runs between sets. Hit the biceps pretty hard with some decent mumble chatter along the way.  Broke things up with a “recover” on the sets of SSH and LBC.  Nemo always like to work in some good SSH sets. We did most of the rock work IC so the rep count was high and slow with a focus on form.
Mary: We did some ab exercises. A couple quick sets Homer to Marge, Six Hold, Low Slow Flutters, Six Hold again and finish with LBC.
Announcements: see slack
T-Claps (Recognition): Was great to have Full House take par in his first Downtown Train and to run with him for EC, and Flanigan for showing up and working hard despite a stub toe incident in the early hours of the morning. Also, to Sprinkler for stepping up at Mutiny this morning – his first ever F3 post was at Downtown Train a couple months ago and great to hear he has been such a positive force.
Prayer: All unspoken so we took a silent 10 count then YHC took us out.

21

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The day prior to Cletus, YHC announced the theme would be the number 21. Warbucks and Coal Ash chimed in on Slack, but didnt show this morning. So I posed the question once more before warmup…crickets. The reason for the 21 is in recognition of, my alma mater, Appalachian State University’s #21 national ranking in the AP poll. highest ever in school and Sunbelt Conference history.

FNGs: None
Warm Up: SSH x 21, Hillbillies X 21, Cottonpickers X 21
The Workout: Took off from the normal warmup area on an Indian run counter clockwise on the track. YHC instructed all PAX to head to the pit behind the Hunt center. Unfortunately the asphalt monster was up this morning too and got him some SlideRule. PAX made sure he was good to get where he needed to be under his own power and we were resumed.

We commenced ta exercis’n, each one with a hill sprint sandwiched in the middle.
Merkins x 21
Prison Squats x21
LBC x 21
Updowns x 21
Imperial Walkers x 21; On the way down from the hill on this one, Yogurt voiced his opinion that he thinks App should be ranked 7th. Can I get down with that? Damn right.
Additional Exercise that I cant remember x 21 and back up the hill to stay thanks to Yogurt

YHC instructed PAX to grab some fence for 21 Durkins

From there, quasi Indian Run to the pavilion adjacent to the playground. (quasi because I called Indian Run and no one Indian Ran :))

Claimed our picnic tables for merkins, durkins and dips. 21 of each with the exception of the durkins. Growing up the son of an Army Officer, I was always told to never ask your reports to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. At this particular point in the Q, that was the durkin.

Another Indian run around the track counterclockwise and then stopping at the playground
Merkins x 21
PicklePounders x 21
WWII x 21

One More Indian around the track counterclockwise and then stopping at the playground. Cha Ching posited that Indian Run heavy Qs are a mumblechatter killer. Damn right.

One last round:
Mountain Climbers x 21
Freddie Mercuries x 21

Mosey Back to the tennis courts for Mary

Mary: Dealers choice: Snap started us off with Shoulder Taps then we went around the world with various exercises (mostly core), everyone doing a 21 count. Almost made is all the way back around when Yogurt called time.
Announcements: CSAUP coming up in December, Christmas Party coming up as well
T-Claps (Recognition): All PAX hanging in there and humoring me for my first boot camp Q.
Prayer: YHC took us out. Crab Legs as he continues on his journey, SlideRule to mend up quick and get back out there.

POTS Virgin Q

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13 for a veteran beatdown from the virgin POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service, for some history).  Very little mumblechatter at this one…..

FNGs: None in sight, unless you count Dauber making his TBD debut.

Warm Up: Mosey to the Ivan lot, SSH, daisy pickers, imperial walkers, hillbillies.

The Workout:

  1. 4 Corners around the parking lot:

1st round with 15 Reps of Standard Merkins, Wide Merkins, Diamond Merkins, Hand release Merkins (OYO).

2nd round with 15 Reps of Standard Merkins, LBC’s, Diamond Merkins, Hand release Merkins (OYO).

3rd round with 15 Reps of Standard Merkins, LBC’s, Prisoner Squats, Hand release Merkins (OYO).

4th round with 15 Reps of Standard Merkins, LBC’s, Prisoner Squats, Mountain Climbers (OYO).

5th round with 15 Reps of Shoulder taps, LBC’s, Prisoner Squats, Mountain Climbers (OYO).

All 5 rounds included Lunges on the short stretches between the corners and sprints on the long stretches between the corners.

Squat hold for the six at end of every round.

  1. Moseyed to Picnic Pavilion, paired up;

1st round Partner 1 Balls to the Wall. Partner 2 irkins (15), partners switched.

2nd round Partner 1 Balls to the Wall. Partner 2 derkins (15), partners switched.

3rd round Partner 1 Balls to the Wall. Partner 2 dips (15), Partners switched.

Mary:  Mary-o-rama featuring burpees, indefinite plank holds, break dancing, and sailing, among others.  Just when we thought it was over, POTS added more burpees for good measure.
Announcements:  Frosty, F3 Christmas Party 12/14 (location still under review). New AO – RedOctober 10/28 at Honeycutt Park Fuquay.
T-Claps (Recognition): POTS, for a great VQ
Prayer: For Quiver’s friend Stan, Duaber for his daughter’s last cross-country event.   DoubleD took us out.

Between Two Ferns with your host Chips

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Everyone seemed happy before the workout started. Folks where chatting. Once the workout started most of the mumble chatter died down. Except Chips continued to interview Pax for his local cable broadcast show Between Two Ferns. He got some great material. To not be out done Dumbo brought his own source of entertainment. Red beans and rice the night before packs a powerful punch in the morning.

EC: Dawgpound, Pablo, Buford, Sliderule, Blue Hen, Flanigan
FNGs: None… Bummer
Warm Up:

A jog to pick up the bricks. Yes they are still there.

Circle Up for the following exercises with the bricks
Side Straddle Hops
Bat Wing
Ralpies

The Workout:

Head to the wall for the following:

3 Rounds:
30 Count Balls to the wall
10 Count Squat hold bricks being held out
5 Count Left Leg Up
5 Count Squat hold
5 Count Right Leg Up
5 Count Squat hold

Head to the playground for the following:

3 Rounds
Split pax into two
Pax 1 Pull Ups
Pax 2 Squat Goblet Press — Timer 20 Reps. — Last round we added a bicep curl

Head to the flag pole for the following:

2 Rounds
Dipplers (Dirken Nipplers)
Dips
Lunge Bricks Overhead

Head to the grass area by the side parking lot for the following:

3 Rounds
Pax forms two lines facing each other. Hold Bricks straight out to create a sort of tunnel
Pax at one end BearCrawl between the pax to the other end

Head to the soccer field for the following:
Jack Web 1 Push up to 3 Shoulder press ratio with bricks up to 5
Squater Pyramid up to 15

Mary:

Head back to the flag pole for Mary:
Toe Taps
LBCs
Homer to Marge
Toe Taps
LBCs

Announcements:

Frosty December 7th.
Holiday party December 14th
Shield Lock challenge

T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer:

Family involved in the Plane Crash
Families involved in the death of the 14 year old girl

Is this even safe?

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EC: Pikachu, Coal Ash, Maybelline, Dawgpound, 187, Emeril, Dumbo, ShamWow! Axe M4L on the Ruck. Anyone else?

FNGs: Not today
Warm Up: Quick Mosey around the lot back to the flag, Windmills x10, 5 Burpees OYO… (Didn’t you advertise no burpees? Yes, yes I did.), Frankenstein x10, 4 Burpees, Hillbillies x10, 3 Burpees, Imperial Walkers x10, 2 Burpees, SSH x41, 1 Burpee. Let’s do this thing.
The Workout:

PAX lined up to form 2 lines of 7. Death March w/ the last runner dropping for 10 Merkins. Continued for 2 cycles which led us to the top of the road by the school.  From there, last in was Emeril and ShamWow! Where we broke for a return back to the closer lot on the right.

PAX found a space to line up side by side in a chill-cut. YHC indicated that first PAX start bunny hopping over and down the end of the line. Couldn’t start the next PAX until the previous found the end.  One cycle through.

Re-formed Death March with 5 Merkins and jail broke at the playground hill to the “bowl”.

At the bowl, YHC instructed same lines split in different directions. At the top of first hill Star Jumps x10, other hill Monkey Humpers x10. Continued until 40 count complete.

Mosey to the stairs. Squat hold for the 6.

YHC laid out the plan… First group of 7 would go down the stairs as Bear Crawl with 5 Merkins at each landing (overheard “Is this even safe?” as Pikachu darted down into the gloom) rinse and repeat back to the top. While waiting second group completed Star Jumps OYO. Switch.

Next all PAX down the stairs, return back up with Bunny Hops for each step.

Mosey back to the flag!

Mary: Squat hold for the 6 in. WWII x41, Freddy Mercury x41, Homer to Marge x10 + RL/LL, Have a ni- “we can’t not finish the last 11 right?”, Homer to Marge x11.
Announcements: 12/7 South Wake CSAUP…Details coming soon. 12/14 Holiday Party.
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: Yesterday’s tragedy with 14 YO girl being struck in traffic. Unspoken. YHC took us out.