Several guys got to the Yard early to do some pre-running and pre-rucking. Finally at start time 15 PAX gathered up. We moseyed (rambled?) to the back of the school for warm-up: SSH-20, Hillbilly Walkers-15, Windmills-10, Merkins-10, & Shoulder Taps-10. PAX were starting to get loose and the mumble-chatter was in full swing. Next we moseyed out to the entrance to the schools and used the hill. 4 minutes of leg work. Start at the top, run down about 2 light posts, then run back up backwards. Repeat for 4 minutes or until your quads say stop.

Next we went back in front of the middle school for some core work. I was at a workout earlier in the week with Double D and his theme of core strength stayed with me. I think its important to realize how important core strength is: physically, mentally, and spiritually. Life will be difficult from time to time. But your core strengths will help you get through those difficulties. With that, it was time for dirty McDuece of core work.
> 12-Mtn Climbers, 12-Peter Parkers, 12-Parker Peters – Run to end and back.
> 12-LBCs, 12-Freddie Mercury’s, 12-Flutters – Run to end and back.
> Plank, RH high, 6″, LH high, 6″, Over (reverse plank), LL-high, RL-high, Back to normal, RH-LL high, LH-RR high – Run to end and back
> 12-Plank Jacks, 12-Ski hops, 12-Plank punches – Run to end
Good work by all the PAX. Now it was time to play some games.

We made our way over to the 4 basketball hoops in the middle of the Yard. We split up into 2 groups on opposite goals. First game was each PAX had to shoot a free-throw. Made=5 Merkins, Miss=10 Merkins, Airball=15 Merkins. After you shoot and do the Merkins you run around the outside to the other goal. SSHs while waiting in line. As you can guess from the title, there was some bad shots. I mean really ugly like never heard of the game of basketball shots. It made for great mumble-chatter.

After a few rounds of that we moved to the next game. Person with the ball had to make a layup on the near basket, run to the far basket for another layup, and then back to original basket for final layup. Next person in line called an exercise for the remaining PAX to do while also making fun of the guy airballing the layups. All kinds of excuses were given: gloves threw me off, my knee, my spleen, etc. So after some good laughs and Gilmore proving that he can fog out a large outdoor space we moseyed back to COT.

I hope everyone had some fun with the games. It was a great group of PAX who could dish it out as well as laugh at themselves. As always it was an honor to lead.

Logging out –
Mainframe

Yep, just like the Ruck Workout this past Christmas Eve, the Backblast proved to be almost as difficult. Weeks prior there were some rumblings amongst the PAX if there was going to be a ruck option. Actually Orange Crush asked if there would be one and I informed him “There is now!” A quick text to Cake Boss that we would be adding a ruck option (because, ya know we are a #starfish org) to which he replied, “I knew I’d be hearing from you!”

So there we were, all pre-runned, pre-rucked and ready to roll. YHC wanted to inform the PAX about a welcome party. This is the term that Goruck uses for beating you down for the first few hours of a Goruck Challenge. They beat you down and then make you carry heavy stuff, for like 20 miles. I informed everyone I’d be asking them to do some things that seem very difficult, uncomfortable and pretty dicey at times. Exercise your best judgement, modify as needed and DFQ.

The Thang (Welcome Party)
After a quick mosey to the immaculate football field we did the following (as best I can remember. We did a lot of improvising thanks to Cobra Kai).

• Sprint to 50 yd and back
• Sprint 100 yd and back
• Merkins 10X IC
• Slow Squats 20X IC
• Bear Crawl as group 100 yds
• OH Carries Back 100 yds
• Repeat BC and OHCarries 100 yds
• Partner Carry Series (3 Pax w/ 1 carried) 100 yds and back
• OH Indian Ruck Pass 100 yds (Thanks CK)
• Mosey Back
• Tunnel of love w/ rucks approx 50 yds (kinda fell apart)
• Sniper attack 100 yds
• 10 Manmakers
• 100 yd wheelbarrow/lunge walk

Mosey back for word from CB, Rock Thrill and BOM

Moleskin
Great work by all and thanks for your willingness to push the envelope with me. A few months ago I didn’t think half of what we did was possible. Cobains for being so late with this BB. Christmas and Life and Laziness got the best of me. Also, great words from Cake Boss and Rock Thrill. Two guys making a difference in their community. They inspire me to do more. God bless you all. 2016 was amazing. Let’s get better together in 2017.

Aye!
Zima

A man can only hope that the Boss of Cakes would call on him to Q a convergence, and even better when the Boss asks you to Q a Black Diamond at The Christmas Convergence for 2016 @F3TheFort.

So, I used to be a “real” Q, even used to Q @F3Indianland, so I knew I had to show up with some #oldman strengths…and like the “old” days see if I could provide a challenge to truly test your fitness level.

Here was “The thing”:
The course was 10 light poles long (about 1/3 a mile total), 10 reps of each exercise at each light pole to get to 100 total repetitions, a different exercise would be used to commute in between the light poles, and upon completion of that set a run back that also had a section where you were required to have a partner and get in a 50 yard sprint/race before moving onto the next lap on the board.

Lap #1 Seal Jack and Lunge Walk
Lap #2 Flying Squirrel and Duck Walk
Lap #3 Squats and Run Backwards
Lap #4 LBC and Crab Walk
Lap #5 Dying Cockroach and Bear Crawl
Lap #6 CDD and Squirrel Broad Jumps
Lap #7 Diamond Merkins and Dragon Walk
Repeato (I laugh about that now, I actually thought someone might finish)

Naked Man:
-Yes, this was a tribute to 2 of my favorite workouts= Board of Pain & Arkloader
-Just awful, most men made it to lap 4…still sore 2 days later…
-Almost all of the men pre-run/rucked (bad idea)
-Not a true Black Diamond because a few counts and exercises were modified (you know who you are)
-A taste of Black Diamond makes you realize you are capable of so much more…
-Largest number of Black Diamond attendees ever
-Alright-Alright-Alright traveled all the way from @F3Dallas to enjoy the beating
-First 3 laps destroy your legs, distance was too far…or was it?
-I gave the over 40 crowd a few cone head start, War Daddy Q can make that type of call
-Please feel free to replicate this in your F3-Region, it will shut up the bat flippers…
-With fatigue I still think it will take over an hour to complete…but I think I need to finish it at least once…
-The partner sprints were meant to keep anyone from getting too large a lead…it worked…
-I had some quit in me during the crabwalk portion…
-T-Claps to our Black Diamond Winners: 1st place= MaryLou, 2nd place=Cha-Ching, and 3rd place= Geronimo!
-Yes it was a race, and it is really always a race…#UvsU only works as you chase and are chased
-Solid effort by all who participated
-I gave a quick sermon about how F3 needs all styles of men, and the kind of men who are willing to do a Christmas Eve Black Diamonds are important to the group because we all know that the pace will be pushed, max effort is always given, and personal fitness standards are set high, and in doing so you hold all of F3 accountable to that standard and achievement…and while us regular men might not show it, we appreciate you and your efforts.

Honor to Q and it was my honor to be with a great group of men today.

Be a better man today than you were yesterday,
AYE!
CSPAN

So this was the first time back to The Yard in a while.  Always a great AO so I was excited to be able to cover the Q when offered the opportunity.  The Yard starts at 7:00 and at 6:54 as I was the only one sitting in the parking lot I started checking Twitter and the web site to make sure the time and location had not been changed.  By 7:00 3 other pax rolled in and we had a few short comments and good mornings and then we were off.

Warm up with a short mosey around the back drive and back to the bus parking lot.  COP

• SSH x 15
• IW x 10
• Mountain Climber x 10
• Merkin x 10
• Slow squat x10

This was a busy morning at the Yard with a lot of traffic coming to drop off for some school activity or parade staging.  On the back driveway each light pole we had an exercise.  Five light poles start at 1st exercise, run to 2nd exercise, back to 1st then 2nd and 3rd back to the 1st and it goes until the five poles are completed.  Poles:

• 1st – Squats x 10
• 2nd – Merkins x 10
• 3rd – CDD x10
• 4th – Wide Arm Merkins x 10
• 5th – Full Sit ups

Mosey to back parking to escape the traffic.  Wasn’t hard to partner up and we did an exercise while the other partner ran the length of the lot and back and then switched.  Exercises were – SSH, Merkin, full sit up, dips, wall sit.

Mosey to the front lot with wall step ups, dips, derkins, lunge walk, partner assisted pull-ups under the breeze way and then some fast feet agility through the poles in the driveway.  With only a few minutes left we finished out with some Hello Dolly and crowd favorite of LBC with feet at 6 inches.

Time for COT….we discussed HOPE and what are you placing your hope in this season, year and next year.  We see people everyday that are hopeless and lost and we can be the Light for them and share Christ’s Love with them to turn hopelessness to hopeful.

We talked about the low number and how for this morning it was a perfect number.  The benefit of a low number is it will keep you accountable to do the full workout and not hide out and do half work.  It was also a benefit to get to know 3 more pax better than I knew them at 7:00.  Great work by all and a special shout out to Tico who has been out of the routine for over a year and this was his 3rd time back out.

Prayers and praises were lifted by each pax.  Special request for Car Bomb and his M as they are expecting their first child very soon.

Thanks to Hasselhoff for the opportunity to Q and Cake Boss for being out of town and I could take his spot.  Always a pleasure to Q.

9 posted for a chilly moderate beatdown this past Saturday at The Yard.

We spent a few minutes stretching, which I thought would be crowd pleasing, for much running was to come.

We moseyed to the driveway in the back where we partnered up. Partner runs a lap while partner performs LBC’s, SSH’s and repeat.

We mall-walked to the back entrance and found a small wall, where we did our share of dips and durkins and step-ups. Then mall-walked and found a wall and sat for a while.

By the way, mall-walking is the term for a speed walk. Some took to it, others ….

Mosey to the end of the driveway at the school where we found coupons in a ditch near the road. We passed out a few. Partner 1 carries the coupon to the top of the hill and dropped it. Partner 2 sprinted to the top of the hill to retrieve it and return. We did this a few times to the pleasure of the PAX and then retreated back to COT.

Prayers for Quickbooks on his job search/career decisions and for Darlene and Cindy (Magnum’s family.) So much to be Thankful for, and another successful run at the Yard.

Assassin –

Zima asked YHC to sub for him as Q of TheYard this past past weekend. I had planned on saying yes anyway, but there was no way I could say “no” when provided an idea for the Weinke. We all know Zima’s ideas are notoriously terrible.

The Board of Pain is a mid-summer special of Jekyll. The idea was to bring this gift to TheYard, in a moderate flavor. Enter the “Board of Discomfort”. Same great exercises, but half the reps and recovery-run distance.

YHC added in some questions and contemplations on the 3rdF theme of the month: Margin. After each exercises, Pax were to read the one of the questions/do’s/don’ts taken from the theme document, and give it some thought as they ran the recovery segments.

Warm-up
Mosey around the FMMS parking lot to the basketball courts, then circle up for warm-up.

– SSH x15 (IC)
– Windmills x10 (slow and IC)
– Imperial Walkers x10 (IC)
– Peter Parkers x12 (IC)
– Parker Peters x12 (IC)
– Low Slow Squats x10 (IC)

Shmosey to the covered area near the basketball courts for a quick discussion about Magins. YHC read the introduction from the theme document, then instructed pax on the Board of Discomfort.

* Burpees – 30
* Calf Raises – 75
—-> 25 regular
—-> 25 toes pointed in
—-> 25 toes pointed out)
* Ski Abs – 50
* Merkins – 50
* Deep Squats – 50
* LBCs – 100
* Carolina Dry Docks – 50
* Russian Twists – 50
* Mac Tar Jai– 50
* Jump Squats – 50
* Mountain Climbers – 50
* Shoulder Raises – 100
* Mary Catherines (ie Jumping Lunge) – 50
* Hello Dolly – 100
==== This was as far as we got =====
* Wide Arm Merkins – 50
* Squat Jacks – 50
* Nippler– 50
* Burpees – 30

During run recovery after each exercise, pax where to think about the appropriate question/thought.

* After Burpees –> How have you squandered the Margin in your life in the past?
* After Calf Raises –> How can you consume less to give more?
* After Ski Abs –> How can/have you create a safety net to protect your time with God, Spouse, and your children?
* After Merkins –> Who do you look to as a model for generosity? What do they do differently?
* After Deep Squats –> How can you fully trust God with the resources you have been given? Not just money.
* After LBCs –> How much time per week do you give to the most important things in your life?
* After Carolina Dry Docks –> How available are you to respond to God?
* After Russian Twists –> Do build margin into your schedule to spend time with God
* After Mac Tar Jai –> Do live life open handed
* After Jump Squats –> Do focus your resources on areas that are of significance
* After Mountain Climbers –> Do say no to many good things to say yes to the best things
* After Shoulder Raises –> Don’t hoard the blessings God has given you
* After Mary Catherines –> Don’t be afraid to say NO to a demand that interferes with creating Margin
* After Hello Dolly –> Don’t try to build margin with speed
* After Wide Arm Merkins –> Don’t be fooled that what you consider “required” is really an excuse and a distraction.

At COT, we talked about how intensional use of our margins is like exercise: if we aren’t working to improve how we are using them, we are sliding backwards. A particular definition of Margins struck me as appropriate for the theme of the month: “an amount by which something is won or falls short”. Our individual battles to expand God’s Kingdom is often won or lost in the margins.

Thank you men of TheYard for allowing me the opportunity to lead. It was an honor to serve such a fine group of pax.

YHC answered the call to Q this week, in spite of the fact that i had not previously posted at The Yard.  I arrived a little earlier than normal to get a quick recon in, and was excited to see a lot of cars rolling into the parking lot. Unfortunately it appeared that the Elementary Parents were launching their own yard work session at the same time.  However, nine of us were there for our F3 brothers and our DRP.

As the clock approached 0700, after greetings and introductions, we observed a very short disclaimer (not a professional, don’t get hurt) and moseyed off to the Middle School Blacktop.

Toy Soldiers
Walking knee pulls
Walking ankle pulls
Lunges
Mosey to the end of the lot and line up for some laps
Jog 1/3, High Knees 1/3, Jog 1/3.
Repeat with But Kickers
Karaoke Right
Karaoke Left

Circle up for COP
SSH x 20
IW x 20
Windmills x 20
Merkins x 10
Mountain Climbers x 10
Peter Parker x 10

Partner up for a Modified Dora
Dora 1 2 3 2 1
One partner runs the length of the parking lot and back while the other performs the exercise, flip flop until cumulative exercise count is complete.

• 100 Merkins
• 200 Squats
• 300 LBC’s
• 200 Calf Raises
• 100 CDD’s

Early finishers were treated to a few extra laps & reps until all were done.

Mosey across the lot to the building for some wall work.
PAX hold a wall exercise until everyone, in turn runs approx 20 yards to the basketball hoop and back before reclaiming their place on the wall.

People’s Chair
Wall Plank (plank with feet on the wall at shoulder height) – run in pairs
People’s Chair – run in pairs
And, by request… BTTW with a professional 10 count (thanks Anchorman)
BTTW again, just for fun with a Beacon 10 count

4 minute Ab Lab taking turns calling exercise and count.

Flutter
Hello Dolly
Box Cutter
Scissors
Hello Dolly

Mosey to COT
Sign up for the Christmas Party and Joe Davis Run.
Prayers for those still struggling with the effects of Hurricane Matthew and those working to help them.

As always, I am honored to have the opportunity to lead my F3 brothers.

Smuggler

Pax were huddled in their cars as the rain poured down when YHC pulled into the school parking lot at 6:59. We all jumped out and ran to the covered area of the school where we circled up.  Quick disclaimer and we were off.

COP:

• SSH X25
• Merkin X10
• Windmill X10
• Imperial Walker X10
• Peter Parker X 10
• Hold 6 inches

Short mosey to the end of the covered area at the end of the middle school and everyone grabbed a bench.

• Dips X10
• Step ups onto the bench bringing the knee up X25 (left leg)
• Dips X10
• Step ups onto the bench bringing the knee up X25 (right leg)
• Dips X10 this time with a slow 3 count down and then explode up

4 “corners”

Starting next to the benches we just finished with we started a series that consisted of one exercise done in cadence and then a mosey to another area for the next exercise. We would visit four locations that were not necessarily corners of anything.  We made the loop 4 times.

1^st location:

1. Peter Parkers
2. Parker Peters
3. Peter Parkers
4. Dips

Mosey from the benches across the parking lot to the front door of the elementary school

2^nd location – Merkins double count in cadence with a wall tap alternating arms between merkins (20 on the first pass and 8 on the other three)

Mosey from the front of the elementary school across the lot with the basketball goals up on the loading dock and down the covered section.

3^rd location – People’s Chair

Mosey straight under the covered section to the overhang connecting the elementary and middle schools.

4^th location – Partner assisted pull ups to failure.

American Thor – 1 big boy situp:4 American Hammers – completed as a group to 8

As always, a tremendous honor to lead such a strong group.