Conditions: Balmy 50 degrees and clear morning sky’s. Making it perfect for a great workout with 9 other HIMs.

With no FNGs present I gave an abbriviated disclaimer and advise the pax to feel free to modify as needed – even modify up. (Note: I didn’t see much upward modification and mumble chatter dissipated).

The thang….

Mosey to the lower school parking lot with a shortcut through the field so we could bear crawl down the hill. Once down the hill we finished the mosey up to the school entrance and circled up.

COP

25 SSH IC; 20 morrocan night clubs IC, 10 merkins IC, 10 mountain climbers IC, 10 windmills IC

The pax were nice enough to remind me that my cadence count could use some work. I’ve been a bit rusty on my q skills as I’ve been walking around with a light back pack and running more often. I’m glad the majority of my workout didn’t require much of a cadence count.

We then moseyed to the back of the school by the track. We were a little tired so I had the pax stop and take a seat on the wall.

We lined up for 30 seconds of people’s chair followed up with 20 single count merkins. We repeated 3x.

Now for the fun and one of my favorite burn outs and workouts at the Ranch.

We headed behind the bleachers (not that kind of group) to find a good spot for pull ups. The things is 11….

10 pull ups, run .1 miles to the center of the parking lot, 1 burppee, run back to the bars for 9 pull ups, back to the center parking lot for 2 burppee and repeate until we were down to 1 pull up and up to 10 burppee.

No cadence count needed.

Pax finished up strong and we headed back towards COT for some Mary.

15 flutters, 10 Freddy Mercurys and 10 LBC.

We finished right at six and went into name-aroma.

Announcements:

yeti, yeti, yeti on 2/18.

childrens attention home – read the newsletter and get involved

Theme of the month is intentional. This theme, along with all of them, find special meaning and purpose in all of us. Last February the theme was Love.  Last year that theme inspired me to show more love, which is always possible, towards my M and 2.0s is daily basis during February. This year, intentional is helping me improve my focus and intentions of how I can continue to show my love for my family.  Love is what I have for them, without question and many times with disregard to my selfish wishes (hanging with the guys, golfing, consuming extra and unnecessary but tasty beers, etc….). But I need to make sure my actions are fully intentional and with purpose so instead of living in a daddy simply loves me environment with my girls they can share how they know I love them.

Prayers:

Orwell was making a big decision on Friday. We hope it went well!

My 2.0 can’t hear well out of her left ear.  She’s having tubs put in on Tuesday and prayers are requested to keep her safe and for mom and dad deal with the nerves of any medical procedure like this.

For the injured pax and for those prayers said and unsaid.

Backdraft, thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead.  It’s always an honor.

Out,

WhatDid

*Typed on and iPad and hence the many more formatting choices (Apple always has an awkward suggestion.  Kind of like these crazy workouts.

10 Pax posted at The Ranch on Thursday Jan 19 for a ride out to the foothills and a morning dose of core-focused pain.  It was looking a little lonely when Skinny Jeans sitting in his truck was the sole arrival a few minutes before launch.  Perhaps he was debating whether to stick around while he checked the phone for other posting options?  Then the Springfield clown car arrived, plus MacGyver (never one to post early) and others.  With a quick disclaimer and shout out to Site Q Backdraft who was DR, we set off.

The Thang

COP in the parking lot to lube up YHC’s joints enough to be able to give the you wranglers something to sweat about.

Mountain climbers

Parker Peter

SSH

Windmill

Merkins

Hillbilly walkers

Squats

Mosey over to the middle school with karaoke, butt kicks, high knees, toy soldiers along the way.

In front of middle school, each pax finds a bench (10 benches+10 pax=maximum pain opportunity)

Derkins x10
Dips x10
Run down the grass hill then run back to top
Bear crawl across parking lot to bench & plank up
(Rinse & Repeat)

Circle of Core — Freddie Mercury, Hello dollies, flutter

Repeat 2 rounds of Derkins/dips on bench with hill run & bear crawl

CoC — Makhtar N’Dyae, LBCs, Peter Parkers

Repeat 2 rounds on benches with hill run & bear crawl except change exercises Step ups x10 each leg & Squats x20

CoC — Plank punches, Plank jacks, Stump jumpers

Repeat 2 rounds Step ups & Squats on benches with hill run & bear crawl

CoC — Penguins, LBCs, Superman

Run home

COT

The message today revolved around “The Struggle.”   Ginsu posted in full Clemson regalia (two layers even!), which provided the opportunity to focus on Coach Dabo as an example of a man who leads from the core of who he is.  His leadership and his identity were formed through a personal struggle at his core — no different than any of us.  Each of our struggles is different, but we all struggle in some way.  Embracing that struggle, and engaging in it willingly and courageously is how we form the character that we will be.  “Character” comes in a couple of contexts — “Boy, is he a character!” OR “Man, does he have character.”  Strive to have character rather than be one.

We struggled a lot today through core work.  The pax did an awesome job persevering through the routine, especially when I called for the third round on the benches, and it became very clear to all what was in store the rest of the way.  Excellent job!

Fortunately we had an Aggie on board today to make the “rodeo-themed” tweet from the night before valid.  My first encounter with Dixie Chicken and I look forward to posts with my fellow Texan refugee.

Thanks to Backdraft for the invite (and apologies for the delay on this BB).  Always an honor to be followed by the men of F3.  Until we meet again…

6 Men posted on the best morning of the week at the ranch and I know I’m better because of it and I hope the other 5 men are a little bit better too.

The Message:

Empathy- we don’t often chose the things, the experiences and the people that God puts In our life.  But we do chose how we engage and respond to the experience and how we open our heart to the struggles with what God has put in our life.  

Call to action: what has god put in your life that he is calling you to enter into?  How are you responding?  

Cop – Various and sundry amounts of pain

Stationary Indian run with line in plank that leap frog each other with Pax doing 1 merkin as Pax jumps over. x3

Stationary Indian run with Pax weaving between Pax while Pax does jump squat as Pax passes x3

Stationary Indian run burpee broad jump while Pax is doing calf raises x3

Pain stations 

Plate push – group 1 pushing plate to group 2 through full rotation and vice Versa.  Pax doing sumo squats while others pushing plate.  Rinse and repeat until quads are on FIRE!

Burpee ball – group 1 vs 2 first to make the shot from the cone.  Group that doesn’t get Ball in first does a burpee.  Pax is doing mountain climbers, squats and bomb jacks.  3 rounds moving the shot back each time.  First group to 5 wins

Wall sit plate pass – each group lines up in the wall and passes the plate to the next guy over then under

Picnic tables 20/10 – step ups, derkins, dips

Mary

As always it was an honor to lead!  AYE!

0400 – Thunder and Lightning all around and sheets of rain…..I close my eyes

0415 – Alarm goes off and same weather conditions as 0400 and a lot can happen in 30 mins in the south. Mosey downstairs and begin the morning ritual. Open the door to let the K-9s out and it is like a war zone out there with the lightning and pouring rain.

0430 – Send tweet to PAX to be careful posting as lightning is real, however post if possible since we are more dependable than the postal service.

0445 – arrive at The Ranch for the proposed Pre-run. Weather conditions are the same….ridiculous amount of rain and thunder…but lightning has slowed. I am an Audience of One at this point and communicating with Dark Helmet and Geronimo via twitter on their situations.

0510 – Macquaver arrives at The Ranch. Party of 2 please! I crack the window wide enough to say, “meet in front of school in 5 mins.”

0515 – We mosey (in cars) to front of Springfield Middle to do our thing. As we are stretching, Geronimo pulls in and joins the party as nobody showed for NAFO Ruck. RAIN STOPPED!

The Thang:

COP:

Squats, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Merkins, Butt kickers X2, High Knees X2, Karaoke X2

Here’s the deal – do two exercises for each set of reps, then take a lap and then move to next two exercises. Each number = Reps

• 50 – SSHs
• 50 – LBCs
• 45 – SSHs
• 45 – Squats
• 40 – SSHs
• 40 – Lunges
• 35 – SSHs
• 35 – Merkins
• 30 – SSHs
• 30 – Monkey Humpers
• 25 – SSHs
• 25 – Mtn Climbers
• 20 – SSHs
• 20 – Freddys
• 15 – SSHs
• 15 – Russian Twists
• 10 – SSHs
• 10 – Diamond Merkins
• 5 – SSHs
• 5 – Box Jumps

YHC talked about the monotony of life and doing the same things day in and day out and sometimes not seeing the benefits. Doing all these SSHs, one may think how boring, however there is a benefit to performing exercises to build strength and cardio that we don’t always realize. If we get lazy we get hurt. We cut corners….someone else might get hurt. Making lunches, driving kids to school, reading our bibles, saying prayers and serving our M’s not looking for our own benefit all the time are some of the things we get lazy with. There are hidden benefits if we stick to form and don’t get lazy in the simple things!

Round 2:

• 50 – SSHs
• 50 – 2 min Wall sit
• 45 – SSHs
• 45 – Rosalitas
• 40 – SSHs
• 40 – jump rope
• 35 – SSHs
• 35 – Wide Arm Merkins

Time cut us short, but fun and fellowship was had by all……all 3 of us. If there are 1 or more that is all that is needed for an F3 workout to happen. Sadden by the low numbers on a rainy day, but I understand. I understand how fear and compromise creep in. I been there! However, I have posted many of times in the nasty weather and its been the most beneficial and impactful.

• 9 degrees at WEP we had 19 post and some of the best memories in the cold.
• Sheets of rain at The Fort on a Saturday morning one other time and 12 men came an we had a great workout and fellowship with awesome memories.
• Shut-down and myself posted to The Coop one winter morning in 4 inches of snow and ice and pushed each other to get better.
• Double D, Chicken Wing and I posted at same place in the snow and was one of best workouts and challenges that made me better and a leader in this thing we call F3 The Fort.

This is why we post, rain or shine! To get better and make leaders of men. I challenge all the PAX to stop controlling everything and be vulnerable and POST when its not perfect out. Stop letting fear and compromise rule your life and get better with your fellow PAX and become the best leader GOD wants you to be. The Hard choice is posting….the easy choice is fartsacking….Nothing comes EASY!!

Thank you Backdraft for the Q. Looking forward to leading again and posting with my brothers!

Cake Boss

Perfect day for some stuff at The Ranch as 5 got out the Fartsack and came to get their daily beatdown in. Disclaimer given and it was time to go.

The Thang

Mosey lap with high knees, butt kicks, toy soldiers, and karoake.

Circle Up for COP
20 x SSH
10 X IW
10 X Windmills
10 X Hillbilly Walkers
20 x Mountain Climbers
then Some plankarama

Partner up for the following as 1 partner runs to the lightpole and back the other exercises then switch
50 Merkins
100 Bombjacks
200 lunges (right then left equals 1, real crowd pleaser)
300 LBC’s
200 Squats
100 Carolina Dry Docks
50 Burpees (another crowd pleaser)

Mosey to the picnic tables
20 Dips
10 Irkins
15 X Flutter Kicks
15 X Rosalitas
20 Dips
10 Irkins
15 x LBC’s
Ab Stretch
Superman
Plakarama

Mosey Back for COT

Announcements – Christmas Party December 17th, Operation Sweet Tooth December 10-17th, Joe Davis Run

Prayers – families, kids, Whopner family surgery, for Hope

Moleskin
1. I really have a lot to say here but I don’t think this backblast is the place to say it.

Longshanks out!! (mic drop)

As 8 PAX gathered we realized we didn’t have a Q. Not a major problem for this group of HIMs. Maximus stepped forward to take the first half and YHC took the second half. With about 30 seconds of prep time for Maximus, off we went.

• Mosey over to the middle school entrance for warm ups: WMs, SSHs, Squats, 5 Burpees, CDDs.
• Partner up and grab a bench. One partner runs to the far left end and back while other partner does the work then flapjack. Accumulate 100 dips, 100 step ups, and 100 Derkins.
• Ab time: Box cutters, American hammers, & Flutters.

Maximus passed the lead to YHC.

• Mosey to back wall of middle school for Wall Webbs. Basically Jack Webbs but instead of overhead claps on your knees we got into People’s Chair with overhead claps. Normal 1:4 up to 10:40.
• Mosey to rear parking lot. Line up on one end of parking line and shuffle to other end, broad jump to next parking line, repeat for about 8 lines.
• Spread out so everyone gets 2 parking spaces. Shuffle from line to line 20 times.
• Burping bear – Bear crawl 2 parking spaces then out of order burpee: push-up, jump up and rotate, then back down to bear crawl. 10 of those. Always a crowd pleaser.
• Suicides running across parking lot.
• Another round of shuffling 20 times between 2 parking lines.
• Mosey back to COT for a few minutes of Mary.

Even unplanned, it was an honor to lead. Opportunities are funny things. People want them, but they tend to present themselves at strange times. But stay ready because nothing is more frustrating than a missed opportunity.

Logging off,
Mainframe