Ode to Nairobi

WARMUP: usuals
THE THANG: started off by discussing the brief history of our connection with F3 Nairobi and Safari (Phelix), shared the mission of bringing clean water to Homabay Africa, Safaris home and how it was divine intervention perhaps that brought Jonathan Fraufenhaur (F3 Mapquest) into F3 where he learned of F3 Nairobi. Our plans to raise 50,000 to fund the project over there led by Living Waters International of which Jonathan is an executive, and the involvement of the Fort.

I brought a Jerry Can to represent the cans that the people of that part of the world have to use to get water every day walking 3-4 miles to get to water sources that are not even clean!

The goal was to keep the can in the air the whole 45 minutes while we travelled to several pain stations bringing the kettlebells with us to complete the exercises at the stations.

Station one:

One Pax holds Can while other pax rotate through 4 exercises 10x each exercise once the Pax complete the 4 exercises the Can gets passed to the next Pax- 7 minutes total then we move to the next station-

There were 3 stations, actually 4 but we missed one because YHC forgot about it :man-facepalming:

Station 1
Press
Squats
Twists
Swings

Station 2
Bent over rows
Lunges
Clean to press
Plank drags

Station 3
10 Kettlebell Bent-Over Rows
• 10 Kettlebell Swings
• 10 Kettlebell Deadlifts
• 10 Kettlebell Sumo High Pulls

After this we walked back to COT, we held plank while PAX carried YJC to end of lot and back, then next Pax went to end of lot and back while we all did exercise called by the last pax that got back. Did this for 8 minutes

MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT: https://fundraise.water.cc/give/f5969080/#!/donation/checkout

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Christmas in October

WARMUP: ssh, windmills, imp walkers, Peter parkers – all in cadence
THE THANG: the old 12 days of Christmas workout. The days were as follows:
1 kraken burpee
2 bomb jacks
3 navy seal merkins
4 shoulder taps
5 crab cakes
6 big boys
7 merkins
8 jump squats
9 flutters
10 LBCs
11 monkey humpers
12 ssh

We broke it up into 4 chunks 1-5, 6-8, 9-10, 11-12 and moseyed to a different part of the school for each chunk

We ended up in the loop in front of the middle school. Then we started an alt version jack webb with 1 burpee to 4 Mike Tysons. After each round of that, we moseyed a quarter of the way around the loop. We only got to 3 before it was time to head back to cot
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:

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Stand Up’s Spooky Stockade Beatdown

WARMUP:
SSH – 15 IC
Imperial Walkers – 15 IC
Hillbillies – 15 IC
Arm Circles (forward/back) – 10 IC each
Windmills– 15 IC
Mosey

THE THANG:
Part 1 – Explosive 11’s

Ran between curbs about 15 yds apart.
Exercises were Jump Squats and Merkins

Part 2 – “The Triangle of Terror”

Picked three points in a large triangle (about 25 yds apart).
Corner 1 : 20 Hand-Release Merkins + 10 Burpees
Corner 2 : 25 Lunges (each leg) + 20 Calf Raises
Corner 3 : 30 Flutter Kicks (2-count) + 20 Big Boys

Mode of travel chanted with each of the 3 rounds
Round 1: Sprint
Round 2: Bear Crawl
Round 3: Power Skip

MARY:
American Hammers – 15 IC
Freddie Mercuries – 15 IC
Cherry Pickers – 15 IC
Stretch

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Golf tournament, litter pickup, bethel men’s shelter, new region opening up in Texas, <@U09K7S9CM2M> is expecting a new daughter any day

COT: Yes

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The Smokin Ladder Beatdown

Warm-Up:
SSH – 20 IC
Windmills – 10 IC
Moroccan Night Clubs – 15 IC
Imperial Walkers- 20 IC

The Thang:
1. Ladders
Start at 5 reps, add +5 each round until 25, then work back down.
Exercises:
KB Swings
Goblet Squats
KB Rows (each arm)

Ladder format: 5-10-15-20-25-20-15-10-5

2. Grinder (3 Rounds)
10 KB Chest Press
15 KB Deadlifts
20 KB American Hammers (with KB, 2-count = 1)

Round 1 MOT: Bear Crawl
Round 2 MOT: Lunges
Round 3 MOT: Farmer’s Carry Above Head

3. Last Minute Arms:
10 KB Curls IC
10 KB Triceps IC

Mary was a no show

Announcements: Read your newsletter

COT: Prayers and Praises

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Parking Lot Tour

15 (12 boot, 3 run) toured Slow Burn’s parking lots. Here’s what we did:

Warm Up
– 10 SSHs (IC)
– 10 Mountain Climbers (IC)
– 10 Plank Jacks (IC)

Four Corners (front, sides, and rear of restaurant row)
– 15 Merkins at each corner
– 15 Squats
– 15 LBCs
– 15 Alternating Shoulder Taps

Mosey to BP
– 15 Irkins
– 15 Derkins
– 15 Dips

Mosey to the upper lot at Chick-fil-A
– 5 (if older than 45) or 10 Burpees (if 45 and under) at each corner

Mosey back to COT lot
– 15 Big Boys at each corner
– 15 American Hammers
– 15 Boxcutters
– 15 Freddies

NMM
The distance between your dreams and your reality is discipline. You have to do the thing, especially when you don’t feel like it. 80% of success is showing up. The rest is willingness to work and learn. Put in the work and reap the rewards.

-IJ

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Varsity stuff

WARMUP:
– 10 Moroccan Nightclubs
– 10 Grass pickers
– 10 Down dog to up dog (do what feels right)

THE THANG:
– 50 pickle pushers OYO

– Run 1 mile – Up hill to wall, out and around the outside loop, around the back of the school down to the football field turn L and go back to the middle school around the front circle back up to the chin-up bars

– 2 min dead hang on the chin-up bars

– Run up to the wall at the top of the hill – Balls to the wall and do a handstand walk for 10 move left, 10 moves right, hold and repeat.

– Run down the hill bear crawls back up to sidewalk

– Walk down the hill, jog over to the benches and do 50 dips

– Run back over to the bottom of the hill do 50 merkins

– Run over to the chin-up bars and do 1 minute dead hang

– Run back to parking lot do lunge walks up the hill past last island, walk back down and lunge walk up again.

– Walk back down and ner up the hill back down the hill and ner up the hill again

– Head to COT.

MARY:
– 20 Mountain Climbers,
– 20 Heels to heaven,
– 10 Jo-Lo’s

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Read your newsletter
COT: It is what it is… Know we are all dealing with it and here for each other.

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Tuck it in !

WARMUP: None

THE THANG:
Jaunt in a two by two fashion towards the Coach’s Box,
Huddle Up at Opposite side of the Campus for some Ruck Moves in Reps of 10
Curls
Triceps
Bent over Rows
Jaunt back to COT for a shared message
MARY: None
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Leaders on the Link Golf, Bourbon & BBQ
COT: Never forgotten

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Cindy with a Tire Smoke Show

Warm-Up:
SSH – 20 IC
Imperial Walkers – 15 IC
Windmills – 10 IC
Moroccan NC – 10 IC
Mosey lap around AO

Main Thang:
Round 1: Cinder Strength
Perform 3 rounds: (10, 15, 20 reps)

Cinder Block Squat Press (Thruster)
Cinder Block Rows
Cinder Block Lunges (10 per leg)
Cinder Block Curls
Cinder Block Flutter Kicks (with a press)

Recovery: Mosey to 50 yards and back between rounds.

Round 2: Tire Gauntlet
2 rounds total.

1. Tire Flips – One person Flips the tire, while the other person does a Burpee switching until the 20 yard line and back
2. Tire Jumps – Hop in/out of the tire continuously switching off.
3. Tire Farmer Carry – 40-yard carry and back.
4. Merkins on Tire – Hands elevated and decline (10 reps)

Round 3: Team Grinder Finisher
Pair up. One partner flips the tire 3 times down and back. The other does cinder block reps until relieved.

1 Round:
Partner A: Running 50 yards and back
Partner B: Cinder Block movement (rotate each set)

1. Overhead Press
2. Goblet Squat
3. Block Swing
4. Bent Row

COT Discussion:
Controlling Your Emotions

Let’s talk about something every one of us wrestles with — emotions. Emotional control isn’t just about staying calm; it’s about staying effective. When your emotions take over, logic shuts down, words fly out, and relationships get damaged. You can’t lead your family, your team, or yourself if you’re letting anger, pride, or fear call the shots.

We like to think we’re logical, steady, and unshakable… but truth be told, every man has moments when emotions start running the show. Anger. Frustration. Fear. Pride. Anxiety. Those feelings are part of being human — but if we’re not careful, they can become the ones driving the truck while we’re just along for the ride.

I once heard someone say, “If you can’t control your emotions, your emotions will control your decisions.”
And that’s the truth. Every bad decision we’ve ever made — snapping at someone, overreacting, walking away when we should’ve stayed — came from an uncontrolled moment.

We live in a world that tells us, “Just follow your heart.”
That sounds good — until your heart’s leading you into a wall.
Your feelings will tell you to quit when things get hard, to speak when you should listen, or to fight when you should forgive.

But here’s the deal: your emotions are real, but they’re not always right.

Now, emotions aren’t bad. God gave them to us. They help us connect, empathize, protect, and love. But emotions make terrible leaders. When emotions take the driver’s seat, discipline, faith, and wisdom usually end up in the back.

Proverbs 25:28 says:

> “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”

That’s a strong image — a man without self-control is vulnerable, defenseless, and exposed. When we lose control of our emotions, we leave our marriages, our families, and our leadership wide open to damage.

Faith — real, active faith — is how we rebuild those walls. Faith doesn’t mean we never get angry or frustrated. It means we know where to take those emotions when they come.

When you walk in faith, you’re saying:

> “God, I’m not strong enough to control everything, but I trust that You are.”

That shift in mindset changes everything. Instead of reacting out of pride or fear, you start responding out of peace and perspective. Faith gives you breathing room — space between the emotion and your reaction.

Think about Christ — faced with betrayal, hatred, torture, and humiliation. Yet He controlled His emotions perfectly. He didn’t lash out. He didn’t let anger dictate His actions. He stayed grounded in His purpose. That’s not weakness — that’s power under control.

We can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control our response. And that’s what separates men who lead from men who drift.

In our daily lives — at work, at home, even right here in the gloom — emotions will flare up. The question is: Do you react from emotion, or do you respond from faith?

Faith says, “Pause.”
Faith says, “Breathe.”
Faith says, “Remember Who’s in charge.”

The Solution: Pause, Pray, Proceed

Here’s a simple three-step formula for emotional control that’s grounded in faith and discipline:

1. Pause – When that rush of emotion hits, don’t react immediately. Take a breath. Walk away if you need to. You’ll rarely regret the words you don’t say.

> Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”

2. Pray – Turn that emotion into a moment of surrender.
“God, help me respond, not react.”
That quick prayer realigns your spirit before your mouth gets involved.

3. Proceed – Once you’ve calmed and prayed, act with intention, not impulse.
Make your move from a place of strength and faith, not frustration or fear.

And over time, when you consistently hand those moments to God, you start to build a quiet strength that others notice. Your wife feels it. Your kids see it. Your coworkers respect it. And your brothers here feel it too.

Emotional control doesn’t come from pretending you’re unshakable — it comes from trusting a God who is.
When you anchor your emotions in faith, the storms still come, but you don’t get tossed around.

Jesus didn’t panic in the storm — He slept through it.
Not because He didn’t care, but because He trusted His Father’s plan. That’s the model: peace through trust.

So when your day spins out — deadlines, conflict, stress — remember:

> “I don’t have to control everything. I just need to stay connected to the One who does.”

Because men who control their emotions through faith become anchors — not just for themselves, but for everyone around them.

Challenge for the Week

This week, when emotion starts to rise — frustration at work, anger at home, or fear about something you can’t control — take a breath and ask one question:

> “Am I reacting from faith or from feeling?”

If it’s faith, keep moving forward. If it’s feeling, stop and hand it to God. Let Him take the wheel before your emotions drive you off course.

— before you speak, text, or act — say this to yourself:

> “Pause. Pray. Proceed.”

Try it three times this week and see what changes — not in your circumstances, but in your peace.

Closing Thought

> “Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

Stillness doesn’t mean weakness. It means control. It means faith. And in that stillness, God restores your strength, rebuilds your walls, and reminds you who’s really in charge.

> “Better a patient man than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” — Proverbs 16:32

We admire the man who conquers others.
But God admires the man who conquers himself.
That’s real strength. That’s leadership.

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Simple, but not Easy

Three got up early to do the hard thing. Here’s what we did:

Carry sandbag to the traffic circle at the bottom of Hubert Graham and back. Stopped 5 times to repeat 5 Manmakers, 10 OH Press, 15 Curls, and 20 Squats. 2.03 miles and great conversation about the positives and negatives of being dependable, reliable, and strong. Workout sucked but the company was great!

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The Bodyweight Battalion

Disclaimer Shared
WARMUP:
All reps of 10
Wind Mills
Moroccan Night Clubs
Imperial Walkers
Hillbilly Walkers
Cherry :cherries: :pineapple: Pickers
Jog to the top of hill and meet (Non-Jogging) Q at the stage

THE THANG:
3 Mini Circuits Workout 3 Rounds at Each

First Circuit- Upper Body Control
– Incline Merkins (Push-Ups) 15Reps
– Glute Bridges 30 Sec Hold
– Plank Shoulder Taps 20 Reps
– Carolina Dry Docks 10 Reps
– Rest. Rinse and repeat for a total of 3 Rounds
Second Circuit- Core & Stability
– Forearm Plank Hold – 30 Seconds
– Dead :skull_and_crossbones: Bugs :bug:- 10 Reps each Side
– Side Plank – 20 Seconds per side
– Slow Mountain Climbers- 20 Total
– Rest. Rinse and repeat for a total of 3 Rounds
Third Circuit- Lower Body Strength
– Low Slow Squats – 15 Reps
– Reverse Lunges – 10 Per Leg
– Glute Bridges- 15 Reps
– Wall Sits – 30 Secs
– Rest. Rinse and repeat for a total of 3 Rounds
Finisher – Finish Together
– Low slow squats – 10
– Merkins – 10
– LBCs – 10
– 20 Second Plank Hold

MARY: Stretch and Cooldown

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Leaders on the Link, Bourbon :tumbler_glass: & BBQ :meat_on_bone:, Read newsletter

COT: Always stay with COT

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