Tag: Esso

Go quickly, go alone. Go far, go together.

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YHC was called out of the bullpen this weekend and had to bring a W/O that would make all PAX better.  A little thinking from prior beat down kettle bell sessions triggered moments of past pain that merited being brought out from the archives, so our week started off on the right (or wrong) foot.

11 #HIMs came out on a much warmer morning than prior days brought.  Could it be spring?  An opportunity for perspiration surfaced in YHC’s mind so after all disclaimers were put out, an acknowledgement of the FNG was given and off we moseyed to put the bells in the middle parking lot and circle up nearby for COP:

COP (all in cadence)

Morrocan Night clubs X 15, forward little arm circles X 15 and backward little arm circles X 15

SSH X 30 – varying speeds

Imperial Walkers X 15

Low slow squats X 15

Merkins X 12

Honeymooner, Salutations right and left, 6 inch hold (a curiously slow 10 count was delivered by one of the PAX – crowd pleaser)

Mosey around the A/O and back to the bells for the next round:

Main Event

Part of getting better and sharpening involves pushing limits and stretching comfort zones.  Prior to the W/O, YHC sketched out 3 exercises that the PAX were to repeat, as many rounds as they could, for 10 minutes.   They were:

15 Swings, 10 Goblet squats, 5 shoulder presses per arm – chalk was generously provided (by YHC’s 2.0) for PAX to keep their score and track progress (more to come on that).  After 10 minutes of hard work, decreasing mumble chatter as time elapsed and more sweat than anticipated, PAX finished, YHC called for a few 10 counts and, together, we took a “recovery mosey (couldn’t let the heart rate drop too much)” around the A/O coming back to where we started for……..yes……round 2: U versus U.

Rinse and repeat for 10 more minutes, PAX were challenged to do better and all responded.  Sweating ensued and work was done – all in the name of getting just a little better than before.

When time was called, YHC called for a “recovery” bear crawl to the inner curb and a “recovery” crawl bear back to the kettle bells where PAX gathered their belongings and wobble moseyed to COT for a little ab work…………but just a little.

All I/C and with bells (except the protractor)

American hammers (D/C) x 12

Flutters (D/C) X 12

Protractor at varying angles (10 degrees was the crowd favorite) with a few 10 counts at different points…….but just a few.

30 second body destroyer to finish……just because.

Transition to name-o-rama and COT:

Announcements – Paradise reading center Monday & Wednesday of this week – 4:00 Bethlehem Baptist Church.  G-Fit this Saturday at 3:00 – Steele St. park.  If you feel called to serve – do it.  Read your newsletter.

Welcome FNG – Bo Knows

Prayers – For those traveling on spring break.  Slow down and let those in a hurry pass.  Stay present and safe in life’s harried moments.  It can wait.  For injured PAX and those on the road to recovery. For all unspoken needs known to the silence of our hearts and Sky-Q alone.

It is always an honor and privilege to lead a group of #HIMs in any workout.  YHC hopes the invitation comes around again as today’s 45 minutes were inspired by different #HIMs in YHC’s life who have made me better than I could ever be on my own.  Leading today reinforced, once again, that we all sharpen one another by pushing past our perceived limits and stretching our threshold for discomfort and pain and that the reward of improvement is well worth the work put in.  So…….DO THE WORK!

My thanks to JWOW for the opportunity.  Looking forward to getting better with all of you……one day at time.

Cyclops

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5

Return to the Gloom

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15 PAX Strong posted to the Fort on Saturday. It seemed fitting that my return to the Gloom would be where it all started back in October of 2012. The Fort! I started that workout  an FNG and finished it almost spilling merlot! Got a “cool” name. I also found a brotherhood of guys who aren’t that much different than me. Found something I never knew I needed too. I went all in, with a small hiatus of a hernia repair surgery, brought on by all this new activity. Fast Forward several years and several CSAUPs later. Life happens. New job. Life challenges. Deceleration. I went full #kotter there for quite some time. Sure I went to an occasional workout here and there but in my heart I knew I was decelerating.

So I recently moved to a neighborhood that is populated with quite a few F3 brothers. They really laid into me strong and got me back out to the gloom. I can’t even remember why or when the deceleration started, but this is what makes F3 great! Your proximity to other men. They’ll get in the weeds with you and stay on you and won’t leave you behind. All this to say, if you haven’t seen a guy around in a while, reach out to them. Call them out on twitter. Chances are it’s what they need!

Now onto the 1 hour CSAUP that I crammed down their throats:

Prior to the beatdown Dirty Harry and Punchlist did the 12 Mile Time Hack #weirdos #rucking #330starttime. A couple of us pre-rucked, which was nice.

0630 Time to Roll, this was referenced as a ruck “friendly” workout. So some had rucks, others did not, it was difficult either way.

THANG
-Mosey around the park, stop for some SSH, Merkins and Windmills
-Mosey some more and stop for some Mtn Climbers and a few others I forgot
-Mosey to the…wait for it…

RING OF FIRE
Large Circle comprised of 8 cones. Each cone has an exercise and count. There’s also a cone in the middle.
-Start in the middle and do 5 burpees
-Walk to first cone, do the exercise
-Bear Crawl to the center cone, do 5 burpees
-Walk to the next cone, Repeat
-After completing the ring, run around the playground, return and start over…see how many times you can complete the ring

Here were the exercises and counts (memory is fuzzy):
1. 15 Merkins
2. 20 Lunges (10 each leg)
3. 30 Flutter Kicks (2-count)
4. 15 GTOs (Ground to Overhead) w/ 40# sandbags
5. 20 Squats (either w/ Ruck or Block)
6. 30 Big Boy Situps
7. 20 CDD
8. 30 Mtn Climbers

Half the PAX did it with Rucks on. It was equally difficult for all though. If you had a ruck on you probably got 2 rounds in. No ruck probably got 3 or close to it.

Some notable take-aways:
-Pax get punch-drunk when the workout gets rough
-Apparently noon is not the time to go to a certain type of club
-Tesh kept his shirt on
-Geronimo took his shirt off 😐
-Each round represented 40 burpees and 2-3 rounds were completed…do the math #ouch

I think we were all glad when this one was over.

COT
Announcements
Prayers and Praise
BOM

Thanks to Bonsai for the opportunity. And thanks to my brothers for encouraging me to get back after it. Glad to be back in the Gloom!

Aye!
Zima

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5

#F3MentalBattle at The Coop

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It was a powerful day across F3 Nation as men from all over gathered at their AOs to workout and to raise awareness for Mental Health, specifically Depression and Suicide. It’s a thing that we as men tend to shy away from discussing, and our brothers Aerobie and Miyagi out of F3Louisville put out the call to post and to start eroding the stigma of mental health challenges among men (including our Pax).

So, we warmed up, I shared a bunch of statistics, and we went to work.

A modified Dirty MacDeuce was on the menu that morning.
3 exercises, 22 reps each (for the 22 Vets that commit suicide every day), then run a lap around the track. We did arms, legs, core each round; and we attempted to get in as many rounds as we could in the time we had.

I don’t remember all the exercises that we did, there were Merkins, and Squats, and Flutters, and Dry Docks, and lunges, and Makthar N’Diayes, and a bunch of other stuff. The point, though, wasn’t the workout. I’ll tell a couple of things I did remember…

  • Suicide is the 7th leading cause of death among men in the US
  • Every man in the circle raised his hand when asked if they or someone they know had experienced some sort of mental health issue
  • One of the main contributing factors to mental health issues is a feeling of isolation

You are not alone. You are NEVER alone. Reach out. Don’t suffer in silence.

Helmet, out.

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2

Where are you cheating?

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16 HIMs descended upon the Coop this AM for the DRP and a downpainment for the day. YHC volunteered to Q a few months ago when Punch List took over as  Site Q. IMHO the Site Q sets the tone and culture for the AO and is the most important building block of leadership in the 1st F. Punch List has continued the momentum from the past Q and has added his style. Honestly, I wanted to be a part of that momentum.

The topic was Choosing to Cheat written by Andy Stanley. This book has served as the Q point for previous workouts led by YHC and resonates with me after the most recent Q Source on M and the Jester. Despite all of my attempts to create relational rhythm across my #Concentrica, I simply can’t keep all of the plates spinning at once. When I choose to spin the M plate, my Mammon slows. When I choose to spin the Mammon plate, I notice my M plate, 2.0 plate and #shieldlock plate slow down. In every instance, I am choosing to cheat when I spin one plate vs. another plate. Something or someone is being cheated.

YHC asked the Pax this AM to choose not to cheat on the workout and away we went…

Mosey down the hill

SSHs x 30 (30 is the minimum)

Its x 15

Windmills x 10

CDDs x 15

10 Burpees

Mosey to next spot

10 Burpees

Peoples Chair x 3 ten counts

Squats x 20

Monkey Hummers x 10

10 Burpees

Mosey to pull up bars

10 Burpees

Group 1 – 10 pull ups

Group 2 -LBCs while we wait

Flapjack and then do it again

10 Burpees (We are up to 50)

Mosey behind the school

10 Burpees

Step Ups x 10

Dips x 10

Rinse and repeat

10 Burpees

Mosey to breezeway

10 Burpees

Big Boy situps x 15

Flutters x 15

Rinse and Repeat

10 Burpees

Mosey to parking lot

10 Burpees

Mosey to COT

IWs x 8

3 Burpees

Windmills x 8

2 Burpees

Total of 105 Burpees

 

Moleskin

  • Prayers and praise to Chicken Hawk and the impact of F3 at the Children’s Attention Home
  • Praise for Repeats Mom for her recent scan improvement with pancreatic cancer
  • Reminder about the Operation Sweet Tooth 8k on 3/30
  • Prayers for Esso who injured his back during the workout
  • Read the newletter

Thanks to Punch List for the opportunity.

Pusher out…

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The Fort: Flat Tire & Band Camp

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8 PAX gathered in the gloom among many more vehicles than the represented by the posting. Clearly some P200 Runners were  training in our midst.

Flat Tire on Q

Disclaimer

Clockwise Mosey full-loop around jogging path.
COP IC
SSH
Imperial walkers
Windmill
Wide arm merkins
Low slow squats with calf raise
Bomb jacks
Overhead claps

Mosey down jogging path to mile marker for group work
At each marker, start with 1 exercise, 5 count.
At each subsequent marker do that again and add next exercise plus 5 more IC.

We did:
5 burpees
10 Scorpion Dry Docks
15 Freddy mercury
20 jumping lunges
25 mountain climbers

Mosey to the dreaded hill

Pick a partner around the same size
Wheelbarrow up hill
Walk back down and switch Back up

Handoff to Band Camp

Monkey Humpers x10
Howling Monkeys

Mosey down the hill towards set cones

Lateral Slalom through cones

Bearpees (OYO 1 Burpee followed up by 4 count bearcrawl forward) from cones to bottom of the hill

10 squats, 10 leg thrusts, 10 Merkins, 10 leg thrusts, then up (Deconstructed Burpee)

Bearpees back to cones (2 burpees, 8-count bear crawl). YHC had more of this planned but was smoked after two rounds…..If you can’t Q it, don’t do it….so I modified.

Plank–>Honeymooner–>Downdog–>High Lunge–>rinse repeat
Message during sequence

Lateral Slalom through cones x4

Plank–>yoga quad stretch (Crescent Lunge: Anjaneyasana)

Bear Crawl Slalom through cones x2

Slow mosey towards the hill (called out for walking by the returning-from-a-9-mile-run Gecko)
Crawl Bear up the hill

Mosey towards Calhoun St. field.

Bear crawl back to COT (this was a long way to bear crawl)

Plank
Shoulder Tap x10
J-Lo x6

Saved just enough time for some Pigeon Lunges

NMM

In my professional life as a music professor, I’ve been thinking about language and the way we talk to ourselves. After attempting something for the first time or a skill that is still developing, I often hear students say, “I can’t ______.” As if saying “I can’t” excuses them from needing the skill/competency/etc.

My response is often a little pithy at first. “Well you know what Abraham Lincoln said. If at first you don’t succeed. . . . . . just quit. You’re done.” This usually gets a little laughter. Then we redirect to more constructive language. E.g., I’m still developing that; I’m not there yet; (or if “can’t” must be in their vocabulary) I can’t do that yet. The yet makes all the difference; it allows for progress to happen in the future.

We would never talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. If a friend attempted something for the first time and failed, no one would seriously respond, “Oh well, guess you can’t do it.” But we tell ourselves that or something similar all the time. And what’s even worse: we believe it! By believing it, we make it true! Living out the definition of self-fulfilling prophecy.

In our inner monologue can we treat ourselves like a fellow PAX? Strive to create an internal language that leads to encouragement and acceleration. A language that allows for disruption rather than just perpetuates the status quo.

-Band Camp dismissed

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2

The Coop 11:2019

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15 PAX (The Coop consistently draws some solid numbers) gathered in one of (possibly…) our last coldish gloom in The Fort. A quick disclaimer and we were off. We got in 40 burpees to help alleviate the penalty burpees Wegmans accumulated for sleeping through a Q at Fire Ant on Tuesday. (We got mathematically to 600, but probably only 550 counting modifications.)

Warmup

SSH x30
Mtn Climbers x30
TWSS induced bomb jacks
5 Burpees
IW x20
HW x20

Move to line
25%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75%, 85%, 90%, 95%, full sprint, bear crawl, full sprint, Burpees

Message about acceleration

Burpees

Mosey to pull up bars

Groups of 3
Derkin on hill
People’s chair with calf raise
Pull up

Burpees

Started in the down position and called up/down. Roughly 5 reps each. Switch stations, rinse and repeat

Round 2
Derkin in Hill
People’s chair w/calf raises
Toes to bar

Mosey to elementary lot. Burpees

Curb up for 10 Mike Tyson’s and bear crawl to the other side. Rinse and Repeat.

Lunges Around the World x5 Burpees

Message on self-denial during Lent. Discussion of what we’re giving up. YHC – alcohol, Dirty Harry – alcohol, Esso – TV

Burpees

Head to COT

Burpees
Pigeon Lunge
Seated Forward Bend (held for awhile)

NMM

In this Lenten season, I find myself contemplating the Christian discipline of self denial that relates to accelerating man and issues that hinder acceleration (The Jester). A fast helps focus the mind to a higher purpose. During Lent, when I’d normally reach for a beer or some bourbon, I am forced to focus on why I chose to give that up for 40 days. I am reminded of what Jesus gave up for my salvation. I try to remain grateful for to opportunity to sacrifice something and be connected closer to his sacrifice. As a bonus, I can also analyze the times I just habitually reach for a beer instead of actually waiting until I want a beer.

My challenge as a Q is to build 2nd and 3rd F elements into the 1st F workout. For this Q, I  accelerated (and occasionally decelerated) most cadence counts to help emphasize the additional physical gain from moving faster or slower. And hopefully these tempo changes focused the PAX on accelerating in all 3Fs during Lent, much like Cake Boss’s 40 day challenge.

Thanks to Punch List for the opportunity to lead.

-Band Camp dismissed

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Laces In 11:2019

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14 PAX gathered in the Lenten gloom. 10 Laced up bootcampers stayed IN and 4 runners went OUT. With a disclaimer and a reminder that YHC makes no claims as to the efficacy of the following workout, we were off:

Mosey to spot outside the cafeteria
SSH x50 (almost all cadence counts began slowly and got faster. See the NMM.)
Plank
Acceleration talk
Mtn Climbers x20
Windmill x10
Plank
HoneyMooner→DownDog
Moroccan Night Club x20
BTTW
BTTW w/ shoulder tap x10

Mosey to band practice lot
Set up on the line
Run 100+yards
25% 50% 75% 95%, Bear Crawl the entire length, 100% (accelerating)

Mosey to spot between the main building and the band/ceramics wing
Hold People’s Chair while each PAX completes 5 burpees
10 count
Hold People’s Chair while each PAX says their 2019 word of the year
PAX echo the word of the year in affirmation

Mosey to the front entrance
Dips x20
Derkins x10

Mosey back to COT running up and down the tennis bleachers and around the back (there’s two barely visible benches back there, be careful if you take that route).

Broga:
Down Dog to Piegon Lunges
Standing and Seated Forward Bend

Flutters x20 (variable tempo on the count)
Dying Cockroach x20 (variable tempo on the count)

COT

NMM

In this Lenten season, I find myself contemplating the Christian discipline of self denial and examination that relate to accelerating man and issues that hinder acceleration (The Jester).

When PAX commit to accelerating towards advantage, then deceleration may (must?) take place in areas of a man’s life that hinder acceleration. Like deciding to run a race with a weight attached, we can remove the handicap by our choices, systems, and structures (my word for 2019). An accelerating man is continually refocusing on what is important and what is essential for each of the three Fs. Where in our life to we need to decelerate to maximize acceleration?

My challenge as a Q is to build 2nd and 3rd F elements into the 1st F workout. For this one, I  accelerated most cadence counts and occasionally decelerating the count (especially in Flutters) to help emphasize the additional physical gain from moving faster or slower.

Great to post with such a illustrious group of HIMs; an honor and a privilege to lead them.

-Band Camp dismissed

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Do you need a bell? VQ at Armory

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So I was nervous about my first Kettlebell Q.  Sure, I’ve been to The Hive and The Armory a few times but never Q’d.  Honestly, YHC had to pour over backblasts to get some exercises to call.  Then Youtube to see how to do them.  But hey, the theme of the month is Growth so let’s do this!

To make my Q a bit easier, I got to the AO early to literally chalk out the Main Event.  I start seeing the cars roll in as I’m finishing up then I head over to the gathered circle of men, excited to see some familiar and newer faces.  Good crowd I’m thinking.  I set my Kettlebell down and proceed to great the PAX.  I get to Peabody as he’s rolling up and he and asks me if I need a Kettlebell.  Man, I guess it’s obvious I don’t know what I’m doing!  A quick disclaimer was given, we left the bells, and took off.

The Thang

After a mosey around the back of the church, we circled up in the front parking lot for some warm-up exercises.  All IC in no particular order:

  • SSH
  • Imperial walker
  • Windmill
  • Merkins
  • Dips
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Moroccan Night Club
  • Low slow squats

Mosey backs to the start spot and grab your bell.  In cadence for a round of squat curls.

Mosey back to the front parking lot with kettlebell.  Partner up for some Dora.  One partner ran a lap around the lot while the other lifted.  As a group, complete  100 squats, 150 curls, 200 lbc’s.   Special shout out to Fish Sticks who would not let me take it easy on the run and ran me down each lap.  Well done Sir!

Main Event

Mosey over to the far lot where 5 parking spots at the top and 5 spots at the bottom had exercises posted.  With your partner, pick a parking space.  Both would do 10 reps of the exercises listed.  When complete, rotate over one spot to the right, leaving your kettlebell behind for the next group.  When you get done with the 5th station, rotate to other end of the lot.

Everyone got through one complete rotation, some made a few more before time was up.  Here’s what we did at each station:

  • goblin squat / calf raises
  • tricep extention / curl
  • shoulder press / single arm swing with pass through
  • figure 8’s / halos
  • LBC / merkins
  • lawn mower pulls, each arm
  • squats / lunge with pass through
  • skull crushers / big boy sit-ups
  • American hammers / merkins
  • swings / curls

Mosey to COT

Announcements – Sign up for Operation Sweet Tooth 8K, Huntersville, NC on 3/20.  Virtual Option available

Prayers – David Chadwick resigned as Sr. Pastor at Forest Hill Church after 39 years.  Prayers for church body and Elder leadership in this time of transition.  Peabody is on the Council of Elders so we prayed for him, our families, children, & injured PAX.

Thanks JWOW for the chance to Q!  Thanks also for the encouraging word from the PAX.  I encourage anyone out there to attend kettlebell workouts and Q!  If you need a bell, just ask Peabody.

Flat Tire

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6

Block Party of 11 no make that 13

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Disclaimer while a couple of guys slid into parking lot. Must have been one of those mornings Guys either forgetting what time we start, or where we meet on certain days but all good cause they made it.
Warm up- Butt kickers, high knees, toy soldiers, and knees to chest.
Circle up- 15 SSH, 10 Cherry pickers, 10 windmills, 10 Moroccan nightclubs, 10 mtn. climbers, 10 CDDs.
Take off on sprint to track at each drill bit we perform 10 of the following merkins, squats, bomb jacks. Sprint to next drill bit until we hit 5 by the playground.
Go onto playground 5 pull-ups 5 CDDs work your way down to 1.
Mosey to low walls down the block when 6 is in we complete the following 10 box jumps, 10 Merkins work your way down to 1 of each.
Mosey to hill Lunge walk 4 steps then 1 burpee all the way up the hill until you reach the parking lot.
At parking lot count off by 2s for DORA 1,2,3
P1 10 merkins while P2 holds plank switch at every 10.
P1 20 squats while P2 holds leg lift at 6 inches switch every 20
P1 30 LBCs while P2 holds AL Gore switch at every 30.

Jail Break back to COT.

Announcements- Look out for preblast for Chicken Hawk doing 8 week study on you giving God your attention.
MAR 27- Cornerstone and Stang dividing and conquering 2 AOS to address mental Awareness.
40 day challenge get hooked up on Slack.

Prayers- Water bug on his passing be with his family

Praise on JAVA be back out after layoff.

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5

Clovis-esq (Honey Badger cont., kind of, from Monday)

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On this cold Wednesday morning in the gloom (sub 30 temp), YHC did a quick disclaimer after no FNGs were identified and took off for a quick mosey.  Circled up for some stretching and warm-up to get the blood flowing with the following: SSH (varying speeds, but mostly double and triple speed), diamond merkins, handful of burpees, low slow squats, arm and shoulder stretches, cherry pickers, more SSH at various speeds, and mountain climbers.

Had the PAX head over to the pull up bars while YHC went back for speaker and weinke.  YHC then laid out the plan for the remainder of the time – call it ~35 min….

The Thang

  • Partner up, size did not matter but accountability and pushing ability did…so good thing we’re all able to push each other and hold each other accountable – funny how that worked out
  • Each partner would do the following so no sharing or adding but here’s where the push and accountability came into effect
  • Partners would stay together and not leave each other
  • Exercises could be broken up;  meaning, do some chin ups together, then do some burpees, then go back to chin ups, etc. until the number was met by each person
  • (Music was then cranked on, which of course started with some Slim Shady…)
  • 40 – chin ups
  • 40 – hanging from bar, knees to chest
  • 40 – burpees
  • 4 – laps together around the big loop (about 1/4 mile per loop)
  • Then 30 of the above (3 laps), then 20 (2 laps), then 10 (1 lap)

Needless to say, this looked really good on paper YHC admits, but only to the running!  Note to future self is just 1 loop (maybe 2 max), but keep the rest of the exercises.  While there were some groups that made it through the 2nd round (30s), there may have been a few that got partially  into the 3rd round / 20s.  Either way, the low temps became an afterthought and with 5 min remaining, we packed up gear and headed back to COT for a couple rounds of Mary called out by the PAX where mumberchatter ensued.

All things in COT were had and we all set off for our day.  The push, partnership and accountability we had for 45 min was inspiring as YHC heard from some of you first hand how good it was to “feel the burn” from the workout.  This didn’t necessarily come from YHC and the workout, but the push you gave each other.  And looking back to the running portion, not such a terrible idea b/c YHC did give you a “cool down” period and a chance to do some 2nd F with your partner – so you’re welcome!  HAHAHA…maybe the PAX just didn’t need so long of a cool down.

Always a pleasure to take the reigns to write the workout and look back in the backblast write-up, but always exciting to see how it shakes out once the 45 min bell rings!  Until next time…

And as a last add, this workout was inspired from #DOAH and his Honey Badger service member “Clovis” from the HB hero book.  While we didn’t get to do the Clovis workout on Monday, this workout, although modified slightly, was also a tribute to Clovis.

Shady

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