We’ll Make It Breathable

I know Beacon had this idea in mind but as you’re reading, think about an area of your life where you can push yourself just a little bit more. Not in the sense of looking to DO more but rather, looking to BE more. This comes from pushing yourself. Push yourself to meet guys at another workout, push yourself to be present for others, push yourself to be more engaged. When you get comfortable with your routine, you coast rather than accelerate.

23 was the number at Footloose this morning and evidently, not everyone knew who was on Q. Once they learned, I was happy that nobody left. We started with 23 and we finished with 23. My ask of the PAX was this: I don’t know what you’re carrying on your mind as you roll in here at 0515 but as you’re here for the next 45mins, be HERE, be present, enjoy the guys to your left and right.

Once we were disclaimed, we took a long mosey over to and up Main Street to the Methodist Church to circle up in their parking lot.

Wind Mills

Imperial Walkers

Hillbilly Walkers

5 Burpees by special request

Squats

Moroccan Night Clubs

Carolina Dry Docks

5 more Burpees by special request

Mosey over to behind the Baptist Church

Switzer to explain the deal. Partner up while partners start on opposite ends of the large parking lot.

Each partner bear crawls to their respective 1st island then run to meet their partner in the “middle” of the lot. 20 Single count merkins, run back to that previously-mentioned island and crawl bear back to your starting point. Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

Rd 2 was crab walk to that island, then run to meet the partner, 20 Wide Arm Merkins, run back to the island and walk crab back to your starting point. Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

Mosey back to our starting parking lot for a little plank work.

20 Mountain Climbers

10 Peter Parkers

10 Donkey Kicks

10 Parker Peters

2min plank hold

2min Al Gore

1min Burpees

Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

1min Side Straddle Hops

7min of Mary

WWII Sit-Ups

Flutter Kicks

Freddy Mercury

Heels to Heaven

Protractor

Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

And that was it…well done.

Announcements:

  1. Mini-convergence at Slow Burn tomorrow to pray for and send Wegmans off on his F3 mission trip to Peru. (Broga will be at 0500 at Slow Burn AO)
  2. Engage in the running training plan that Anchorman and Barry Manilow are leading guys through
  3. Read your newsletter b/c I forgot the remainder.

Prayers:

PRAY

 

Until next time.

Maximus

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What day is it? It’s Hump Day

8 men showed up for the workout this morning.  T-Claps to Band Camp for bringing an FNG “Cow Bell”.  He’s is from Oklahoma.  It was the best we could do after the workout.  After a quick disclaimer, we jogged around the carpool circle to the side of the school for the following warm up exercises:

SSH x 10

Imperial Walker x 15

Plank Stretch

Squat x 10

Moroccan  Night Club x 10

Next, we moseyed to the Amphitheater and performed several rounds of exercises up and down the hill.

Round 1:  Slow mosey up hill, Monkey Humpers (set of 15 on each level).

Round 2:  Lunge walk up hill, Burpees (set of 5 on each level).

Round 3:  Slow mosey up hill, Squats (set of 15 on each level), backwards lunge down the hill.

Round 4:  Run up to each level and back down to the hill.  Rinse and repeat for all four levels.

Next, we jogged around the carpool circle to the front of the school. We lined up along the crosswalk for a series of cadence exercises.

Bear crawl / merkins, 10 and 5 count

Crab walk / LBCs, 10 and 10 count

Lunge walk/Squats, 10 and 10 count

Backwards bear crawl / Carolina Dry Docks, 10 and 5 count

Back to COT

Announcements:

Read Newsletter

Prayers:

Funhouse’s Brother

Mile High (Traveling)

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“Brick” Walls of Terror at Block Party

8 at Block Party for a balmy morning with some lively mumble chatter.

Message:

Read the monthly theme to engage in the discussion.

Living

Stretch
Warm up – Mosey to Anne Springs parking lot for some Rugby Sprints with SSH, Merkins, Goof Balls and Mountain Climbers
The thang – Dora-like with partner on the high wall
– 50 Wall climbs
– 20 Handstands
– 50 Spider-Man’s
Mosey to courtyard x3 increasing by 5 each time
  • 5/10/15 – step ups
  • 10/15/20 – derkins
  • 15/20/25 – dips
Cool Down by going back to the wall for some sits with arm flutters, then morrocan night clubs and finally overhead claps
Return to WEP for some MARY
COT
Pleasure to lead
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#Kotter Q was how it was billed

8 PAX joined YHC this cool morning. Site Q Wegmans has been holding me accountable with getting out to post, regularly. His solution: put him on the Q list! It worked.

Disclaimer – Disclaimed.

Warm up:

Mosey around parking lot; dynamic stretches:

+Karaoke left/right

+Knees to chest / ankles to hips

COP:

+40 SSH; in cadence

+8 Windmills; in cadence

+10 Imperial Walkers; in cadence

+10; Merkins / 8 Peter Parkers / 8 Parker Peters; all in cadence

+Honey Mooners / Downward dog

Mosey past pull-up bars towards the playground

The Thang:

Two teams –

25 yards – Wind sprints: Result – Losing team 10 burpees / Winning team 5 burpees

25 yard – bear crawls: Result – Losing team 10 burpees / Winning team 5 burpees

25 yard – wheel barrows – Result – Losing team 10 burpees / Winning team 5 burpees

Partner- up:

Exercise #1 Partner 1: 100 Merkins  (total between both partners) / Partner 2: run lap around playground

Exercise#2 Partner 1: 200 LBC  (total between both partners) / Partner 2: run lap around playground

Exercise#3 Partner 1: 100 Carolina Dry Docks  (total between both partners) / Partner 2: run lap around playground

~5 minutes of Mary.

COT.

NMM:

Thanks to Site Q Wegmans for getting me on and keeping me on the Q List. It was the motivation I needed to get back into shape to at least try to bring a beatdown.

#CoopStrong

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The Armory: Envelope Notes

A lucky 13 PAX gathered in the not too cold late-January gloom for this rendition of The Armory.

Set the disclaimer into motion and the PAX soon followed moseying over to the far side of the church parking lot.

Warm Up:
Windmill x10
SSH x35 (sparked up Trucker’s legendary mumble chatter)
Mountain Climbers x10 (fast count)
Down Dog –> Honeymooner
Mountain Climbers x10 (fast count)
Down Dog –> Honeymooner –> Down Dog –> Standing forward bend (SFB)

Mosey towards bells but then right turn to the back side of the church

Imperial Walkers x10
Hillbilly Walkers x15
Merkin x 10 (slow count)
Down Dog –> HM –>  DD –> SFB

Mosey to bells

The Thang:

Circuit of:
Goblet Squat x20
Upright Row x12
Merkin x10 (modified to manmakers in the 2nd set)
Romanian Deadlift x12 (this was a lot)
Split Squat x8 each side (lunge isolating the reps to one leg before moving to the other side)
One arm press x8 each arm
Kettlebell Swings x20

Mosey a little — 8 snatches (each arm) — rinse and repeat.

At Trucker’s suggestion, we utilized the bell during the Merkins by modifying to 10 Manmakers. I’m not 100% sure that’s what he meant, but his input was helpful.

We made it through 3 sets. Somewhere in the workout we held a plank and everyone shared their word for 2019. I believe Deacon’s word is Maat or Ma’at which is Egyptian mꜣꜥt /ˈmuʀʕat and required a little explanation: the additional plank challenge was welcome. We also discussed at one point how feeling the weight of the kettlebell and gravity pulling you down also allows you to feel the earth holding you up.

After 3 sets, we sprinted to the end of the parking lot and back, did some pigeon lunges, and followed that with flutters until the hour arrived (we made it to 40).

NMM:
I referenced Mary Oliver‘s passing two weeks ago and none of the PAX were familiar with her work. So YHC took the opportunity to read some of her poem “The Summer Day:”

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention . . .
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild precious life?

Gotta up the culture and Third F challenges during the First F work. F3 is certainly more than a workout.

Announcements:
Joe Davis Run
Yeti
Paradise Reading Center

Prayers and Praises:
Shady’s M back pain
38 Special: 2.0 is having an EKG
Deacon’s dad is recovering well from surgery
Chicken Hawk’s extended family interpersonal
Trucker’s 2.0 is dealing with some illness

Official welcome to FNG’s from last week: Chunk and Pigeon. Must have missed getting into the system directly and should now be up and running as PAX of The Fort.

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Heavy Hors D’oeuvres at Block Party

Today, we enjoyed a variable palate of play sand, peat gravel, and dirt. Luckily it rained around 0400, making it not “too dry” of an offering. I rolled up around 0445 to check site conditions, and had my back up plan ready in case it was too moist. Cars started rolling in around 0505. 

 

Meet up to start

Disclaimer

Mosey halfway around park and Back

Stop at .10 & .20 Mile Intervals to Warm Up

Each Stop = Warm Up Exercise (s)

Mosey to 

7 x Merkins

Pause for walker!

3 x Merkins

Mosey to next .10

11 x SSH

10 x Windmills

10 x Deep Squats + Yogi Squat

Mosey Back to Parking Lot

Quick Yoga Sun Salutation/Side Plank both sides

 

Partner Up 

This is when I turned to my truck bed, filled with a delicious offering of pain. 

Grab some heavy hors d’oeuvres and mosey to the lower Pike Parking Lot. Halfway(ish) we swap coupons with partner. 

 

Circuit Down in the Parking Lot – Flap Jack the following:

Partner 1 Runs up the grass hill and back, partner 2 works out with coupon. Flapjack.

Squats

Thrusters

Deadlifts

Bent Over Rows

Curls

Every round, shift to sandbag to the left of you so everyone enjoys the varying weights (40-60).

After we finish in the lower parking lot, we mosey to the base of the hill.

Partner Farmer Carry sandbags to upper Pike Parking Lot

Line up on end of the parking lot:

Partner 1 lunges with coupon on shoulders across lot, partner 2 does 10 merkins, runs to partner 1 and flapjack. Do to the end of the lot. Switch sandbags. 

Line up on this side of the lot.

P1 holding sandbag does manmaker burpees while P2 runs to far end of lot and back. Flapjack. Do two rounds. 

Mosey back to COT. Halfway there, partner 2 takes the bag from partner 1. 

Everyone grabs a coupon! Flutters to the end. 

 

Name-a-rama

 

Announcements

YETI Happening 2/23

Joe Davis Run for Recovery – 3/9 – Prices go up 2/1

Q Source this week: Lizards, Bull Frogs, and Leeches 

If you aren’t doing Q Source as the group, it is still worth reading. I was pushed by Pusher to do so, and I think I will. 

 

Prayers/Praises

C-Span was next-door to the active shooter at the UPS store in Philly yesterday. Pray for his (and concentrica) continued safety and readiness at all times. 

Prayers for my brother-in-law and his current dive down deep into “end of times” theories. His marriage, relationships, and work are all suffering. Pray that he keeps his eyes focused on Jesus first and foremost. 

 

After we prayed we discussed our words for the year. I heard a few in passing, but wanted to remind all to keep your focus on your word and let those close to you know it and hold you accountable to it. 

Mine is Activate. I am not the leader I want to be, and I have for too long sat passively and let things happen as they happen. This is the year I activate the leadership within me that I know has always been there. 

Block Party was a mainstay of mine this past summer, and I’m excited I finally was asked to Q. Thanks for the opportunity, Shady. I appreciate you asking me to step up. Everyone kept saying how quickly the 45 minutes went. I agree and I was happy we were able to keep it moving quickly! Great work by all men who showed up. 

Punch List Out.

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5 at the Hive

Five at the hive for a rainy day with just enough space to stay dry.  It was a great morning of fellowship exploring our words from last year and looking ahead to next year.  Thank you for the opportunity to lead!
Warm up: (High Intensity) – High Pace Mosey between exercises
– SSH 101
– Seal Jacks 50
– Cherry Pickers 30
– Imperial Walkers 20
– Merkins 10
Interval AMRAP: (Partner Up) 1-min per station (6 stations) switch partners after each round
  – curls
  – squats
  – triceps extensions
  – pass through lunges
  – Clean & snatch
  – calf raises
15 Min AMRAP – Pick your poison – count total reps
  – KB Swing
  – Shoulder Press
  – plank row
  – vertical chest press
Ended with some Mary!
Great morning!
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“Is this a typo?”, said Grantan. “A long time coming”, said the new Nantan. “Hey man, you tha Q,” said Bonsai.

Thanks Shady for the chance to VQ. We had 21 PAX at this Block Party. I felt the love and encouragement, made it fun and invigorating. A slight chill on this early 2019 morn also added some vigor.

The first Mosey took us to a lot too close to potential noise ordinance violation, so we audibled to Founders, where the warm-up Windmills, Little Baby Circles, Imperial Walkers, and Hillbilly Walkers ensued. I purposefully passed over the traditional warm-up SSHs, trying to save legs for what came later.

I then introduced a Dora, had two exercises planned for it but one PAX said, “Where’s the third?” So Doras typically involve three exercises I learned, VQ mistake, but then Bonsai chimed in, “Hey man, you tha Q.” So we partnered up and settled in for 100 LBCs and 200 Flutters.

Then a circuitous Mosey route around the bank across the street to the lot below the old Springs complex. Ab work: a Captain Thor 1:4 up to 10 big boys and then Rosalitas in cadence, in Spanish, like they should be shouted.

Then a Bear Crawl up the Hill to the upper lot where we circled up for a word on Accountability. In short, the point: accountability is about more than sharing our brokenness, about more than sharing our struggles, but sharing our dreams and desires and ambitions as we say to one another, “Go for it, brother!”

And then, the beat down. 22 was the operative number, Lunge Jumps and Merkens the mix. It went down like: 20 LJs, 2 Merks; 18 LJs, 4 Merks; 16 LJs, 6 Merks…and so on, down to 2 and 20.

A third and final Mosey then to the COT. Remember QSource. Remember Joe Davis. PAX hopeful for new job opportunities. Sugardaddy’s daughter Caroline going Legally Blonde this week:) Pray for her Elle Woods debut.

LAST WORD: About half way through with us all holding a Chillcut, I shared my one word: Deeper. Going Deeper for me means caring for my soul well this year. But how? I’m gonna pursue better and more beautiful inputs. Yes, I’m talking about reading better literature, listening to better stories, discovering beautiful art and landscapes that inspire me. But better and beautiful abounds when I’m engaged with my 2.0s, and M.

Oh, and this is the mountain if any of you want to “go for it” with me.

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The Cornerstone – Challenge ( One Year Long )

To all the Pax of F3 Nation

Are you prepared to challenge your self for 2019? I am challenging all Pax’s to join me for 2019 we will take on one exercise for January (merkins single count) 100 reps every day. Then in February we will add another exercise which will be done every day on top of the 100 merkins and so on and so on. We will increase by adding one exercise each month.  These exercises will be above and beyond when you post. So by the end of the year there will be 12 exercises that need to be done everyday at the reps set.

Do you accept the challenge? Do you want to get better?

I will set the next month exercise and reps the week before to keep you on your toes

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Movement keeps one warm

21 gathered at Laces Out and Laces In – 8 and 13 respectively – to prove the theory that movement keeps one warm in chilly December temperatures.

YHC had promised site Q for months that I would take a Laces In Q and it was great to finally fulfill that with such a strong group of PAX and make it through with good fellowship, a little mumble chatter and 45 minutes (or an hour for the 8 runners) of getting a little better than we were the day before.

After a disclaimer and delegating the assumption of risk to all gathered, we moseyed to the FMHS Band parking lot for COP:

COP: Moroccan Night Clubs IC x 20, arm circles – forward and backward in varying quantities, SSH IC x 30, Merkins IC x 12, Windmills IC x 15

Mosey back to the Stadium entrance for Jacob’s Ladder.  Since our workout was 12 days before Christmas, it only seemed fitting that the exercises add up to 12 instead of 11.  YHC, therefore, modified the ladder, given the date on the calendar.

Burpees at the bottom – 11, 10, 9, 8, etc.

Lunge Walks uphill to the 2nd lightpole (crowd pleaser )

Carolina Dry Docks at the 2nd lightpole – 1, 2, 3, 4 and mosey back down

Mosey to the main parking lot for a little partner Dora

100 merkins total – Partner 1 starts, partner 2 does a roughly 120 yard shuttle run  – switch until 100 is reached.

200 squats – Partner 1 starts, partner 2 runs, you get the idea

Had a plan for 300 as well, but YHC was compelled to call an audible at 5:57 (time ran short) to head back for a little ab work…..but just a little.

Boxcutters IC x 30, American Hammers IC x 15, and a body destroyer promptly executed at 5:59 AM.

There was much movement, a little chatter, varying amounts of sweat and a few comments in the days that followed relating to the amount of lunge walks – complimentary of course.

Announcements – Christmas Eve convergence – 12-24 at the Abyss – Palisades Park Elementary and Q source begins on Saturday 1-5-19.

Prayers for all traveling for the holidays.

Relatively new to leading workouts, it was great to see some #HIM’s who, years ago, were encouraging of this serial runner guy to get out of his comfort zone and go do something else.  You each know who you are.  Thank you.

My thanks to Lil’ E for the opportunity to lead.  It was a privilege.

Cyclops

 

 

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