Burpees and Detours at Colosseum

5 pax arrived at Colosseum ready for a strong start to a Tuesday morning. No FNGs, the disclaimer was given and we were off… or so I thought. YHC quickly aggravated a recurring leg issue and we came to a grinding halt. (Queue the sound of the needle sliding off a record) Fortunately, Router had been briefed, he took the Weinke and ran with it and the remaining pax to the lot behind GHES/GHMS for:

20 Low Slow Squats
20 SSH
10 Windmills
20 Mountain Climbers

This was then followed by an extended mosey to the small parking lot at GHES for:

11 Merkins
20 Mountain Climbers
15 Flutter Kicks

The pax proceeded to the gates at the bottom of the hill for some Jacob’s Ladder consisting of 10 burpees at the bottom of the hill and one CDD at the top. (55 of each for those who don’t want to do the math)

Once completed, the pax moseyed back to GHMS and met up with YHC who had been doing an ongoing loop of Low Slow Squats, LBCs, Merkins, American Hammers, Bench Dips and Planks. With limited time left, the pax completed two rounds of Mary (American Hammers and LBCs)

Before heading back to COT we spoke about GHMS student Cameron Ward who passed away in 2000 at the age of 13. There is a memorial bench between the flags just outside the main entrance so a part of him is at every Colosseum. The pax finished with 13 Merkins (loud) in his honor.

COT – Announcements, Prayers and Praises

TClaps to Router for taking the Q with next to no notice and ZERO hesitation or pushback. While not being part of the pax, YHC was looking for the greater lesson to be learned. Router likely did not see what he did as significant, but it’s a great reminder of the importance of helping others and what it means to those you help when you step up.

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’Tis the Season to be D.E.L.I.G.H.T.ed!!!

Song from Caedmon’s Call:

“We delight in the law of Your Word.

We DELIGHT in the son who was perfect from birth!”

Yes, I truly did serenade my fellow PAX. Fortunately, no major side comments were heard although one PAX leader stated that it may be the first recorded serenade at an F3 workout.

It was an honor to share a Q at this time of year (in 29 degree weather) with such a remarkable set of F3 men! Merry Christmas!

Today’s Q was in honor of Jesus. I definitely DELIGHT in the son who was perfect from birth!

For today between each exercise, each person throughout the workout gave at least one thing over the past month they are thankful/grateful for OR something they have learned about regarding giving.

WARM-UP:

DYNAMIC STRETCHING emphasis:

Jog – 1 Min

High Knees – 30 Seconds

Butt Kickers – 30 Seconds

Toy Soldiers – 30 Seconds

Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Lateral Lunges – 10 (5 each side)

Squats – 12

Alternating Forward Lunges  – 10 (5 each side)

Merkins – 15 single set

Single Leg Toe touches with other leg going back – 10 (5 each side)

Glute Bridges – 10

Rolling Crucifix – 5X each side

Table Twists – 5X each side

 

The Thang:

For each exercise, PAX randomly chose their D.E.L.I.G.H.T.(ful) A, B or C exercise option! Below are the ones chosen. For the ones that were not chosen, you will just how to show up for a future workout of mine! (Maybe next 12/26: “The Return of D.E.L.I.G.H.T.(fulness)?)

(Note: I had a lot of positive feedback about this workout and some requests for descriptions so I have put them in below in case you want to use them for any of your next Qs.)

D:

Daft Punk: 1 rep is 4 way lunges each side of your body for a total of 8 aggregate reps

E:

Empty Wheelbarrow: crab walk with a fellow PAX holding your feet about 25-30 yards – 1 round each

L:

Low Country Crab: crab walk position, left arm touching right toe and do other side: 10X minimum or go to failure or whenever it gets boring for you

I:

Indian Bear Crawl: line up head to toe in plank; first person from back bear crawls to front, while everyone else does OYO 1 rep very slow merkin with a pause and continuing until it is your turn to bear crawl

G:

Good morning Abbey: lay flat, move feet in and sit upright, then get up without touching the ground (if possible), then lower self back without using arms again (12 X)

H:

Hurpees: hand release burpees with a twist for my version: 5X: 1 hand release merkin, then 1 merkin, then 5X: 5 hand releases, then 5 slow merkins

T:

(just when you thought you were done . . .)

Tempo Merkin: 13 Merkins in cadence with 3 count down and 1 count up

 

Extra Credit for these 10 hardworking PAX:

Daniel-Son: Karate Kid position; alternate legs in quick succession

rotating with Dying Cockroach (10 reps, then 8, then 7)

3 rounds accomplished with different speeds

Abs:

Seated Ab Circles – 30 secs each direction; 5 sec rest between each

Cross Knee Planks with a leg raise (similar to a Parker Peter with a leg raise) – 60 secs

Recliner Elbow to Knee Tucks – 30 secs – (seriously this one hurt if you are really reclining)

Planks on elbows with right arm/left arm high rotation – 60 secs

Plank – 1 minute

Flat back stretch, rotate arms on top

Downward Dog with A+ form

Honeymooner with knees not touching ground

COT:

Highlighted Announcements: Joe Davis Run, New Black Diamond AO beginning 1/9/18, Laces In this week highlighted

Highlighted Prayer Requests: for babies to be born this year and babies just born

Closing Prayer of Thanksgiving

Final shout out: These 10 PAX did an excellent job today of sharing and being open with each other as well as pushing themselves physically. Again, it was an honor. Thank you, Jekyl for the opportunity!

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2017 Clave Boss 5k/10k & Christmas Convergence

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more——Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!!

The largest turn out by far for the Clave Boss 5k/10k was a success. We started on time and as far as I know nobody died. Thank you to all the PAX that ran and had a fun time and fellowship.

For the 5k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. MacGyver
  2. Harry Carry

For the 10k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Sir Topham Hat
  2. mix of PAX coming from all directions—no idea

For the Ruck, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Dark Helmet for 11min pace 5k ruck…..nice work!

Honorable Mention for Anchorman completing the 5k and Barry Manilow being his wingman!

The Convergence kicked off on time and we had Gecko open us up in prayer. We split the groups up and away we went with COT at 0750. Click on links to see the pain that was delivered…..Merry Christmas!

Black Diamond – Longshanks Q – https://t.co/odVJHWCBPS

Bootcamp – Cha Ching Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/christmas-convergence-boot-camp-mixed-w-some-bd/

Noderate – Barry Manilow Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/your-moderate-option-at-the-convergence/

COT came together and we had 83 men attend this year.

Welcome FNG – Lake Effect, who is 41 not the 50 that he just shouted out. Classic!

Many announcements:

  • Thank you Site Qs for all your work, dedication and leadership!
  • Serve Saturdays ….reach out to Deacon, Bolt, NASA for info…..HIMs!!
  • Joe Davis Run Jan 6
  • Friday Convergence with 3rdF post beat down Jan 12
  • Rooster CSAUP Jan 20
  • Yeti – February
  • P200 – March

More than a workout!!

Prayers/Praises

  • Dark Helmet shared his sister is in need of prayer. Please remember DH and his family each day in prayer
  • Family visiting is fun and sometimes no so fun. BE HIMs!!
  • Prayers for all the PAX traveling and for peace this week!

Challenge:

I spoke to the PAX about how 2000 years ago Sky Q sent his son into the world in the form of a baby. When looking for a place to come in from the cold there WAS NO ROOM AT THE INN. I believe we all fall into this trap and put so much busy into our lives that we don’t have ROOM AT THE INN for Sky Q in our lives. We fill our hearts and minds with so much and when it come to his word and being in relationship, we DON”T HAVE ROOM AT THE INN (in our hearts).

I challenge myself and the PAX to make room for SKY Q and see how it changes your life in 2018 and beyond.

Honored to lead this PAX. I am blessed and grateful for each of you!

Cake Boss

 

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The G.R.I.N.C.H. Posts to Colosseum

18 pax showed up at Colosseum to steal Christmas back from the GRINCH.  Though not a regular at this AO, YHC jumped at the chance to pinch-hit for Pusher.  And being so close to Christmas, it’d almost be a sin to not have a Christmas theme.

Fresh out of Christmas workout ideas (see Alcatraz backblast from 2 weeks ago), YHC took to backblasts from other regions and found a Grinch theme workouted posted in F3GSO. T-Claps to GSO’s CHiPS and WoJo for the idea.

Disclamer was delivered as a few pax were coming in hot.  25 SSH allowed them time to catch up.

Warm-up

We ran a bit, then stopped for 5 burpee broadjumps and a few toy soilders.

Moseyed some more (in the general direction of 160), stopping at various times for warm-up exercises, including:

  • Squats
  • Peter Parkers
  • Seal Jacks
  • Moroccian Nightclubs
  • Windmills

Our run end in the Velux parking lot.  A few pax tried to claim we were at Golden Corral (sarcasm, perhaps?).  On the hill of the parking lot, 3 stations were set up:

  • Bottom of the hill was an orange cone, representing “Whoville”.
  • Mid-way up the hill was a green cone
  • At the top of the hill was a lantern with this sheet:

GRINCH

To summarize, pax were to do the exercises, run down the hill, stop halfway for 5 squats, run the rest of the way and do 5 LBCs, then run backwards up the hill, stopping halfway for 5 monkey humpers.  Once returning to the top, pax planked up for the 6 before starting the next round.

Exercises were cumulative, so pax had to repeat all previous exercises for each round.  A smattering of #mumblechatter ensued when pax learned 30 HR Merkins would follow 25 CDDs.

We wrapped up with about 12 minutes left, so we headed back, with Jekyll (who ran to the WO from home) Larry Bird’ing most of the way back.

We stopped at a parking lot on the edge of campus and effectively did a lap of alternating bear crawls and lunges, with a couple segments of crab walks.

Finally we ran to where we had done the initial burpee broad jumps, and finished out with the same.

Moleskin

Great job by the pax.  Seems like we put on more miles than a typical bootcamp, and with some hills, yet the 6 was never far behind.  Prayer requests at COT:

  • For Trucker’s neighbor
  • For Orange Crush
  • For Fratboy’s friend
  • For Stang

 

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Long Route to COT

17 PAX on this 43 deg morning

Warmup: 1 Burpee, SSH, 2 Burpees, Moroccan Night Clubs, 3 Burpees, Imperial Walkers, 4 Burpess, Hillbilly Walkers, 5 Burpees

Wave Merkins to 10, Wave Grave Diggers to 10 followed by a few sprints at 50%, 75%, and AYG

Jacob’s Ladders

Set 1: Carolina Dry Docks 1 to 7 with bear crawl down; Jump Lunges 7 to 1 with sprint back

Set 2: Jump Squats 1 to 7 with long jumps down; Mtn Climbers 7 to 1 with sprint back

Set 3: LBCs 1 to 7 with sprints down; Bomb Jacks 7 to 1 with sprint back

Mosey other parking lot.  Here the “we’re going the wrong way” chatter begins.  Partner 1: Merkins while Partner 2: scales half wall, touches building and back x5

Finish with wall sits, last man to front through all PAX, then BTW for 2 ten-counts

COT… We prayed for families, marriages, and comfort in sickness.

Always honored to Q.

Rocks Out

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The Fort pledge to help another Pax out

Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

 

 

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Crazy 8’s at the Coop

Was a great cool morning at the coop.  19 showed up to take some punishment from YHC.  Hadnt been to The Coop in a while. Good to be back.

*there were more than the 9 guys tagged- my recording didn’t take.  Sorry men!

Disclaimer as we had an FNG- brought by Ginsu…soon to be named Caddy Shack.  He has two pet groundhogs or he likes golf.  not sure.

We ran around to circle up for COP.  Usual suspects were there and interspersed burpees to get the blood going.

The Thang

  • P1 does hanging crunches/leg twists while P2 does LBC.  Rinse Repeat x3

Down the hill to the flat parking lot

  • bearcrawl down, 10 merkins, backward bearcrawl 10 CDD
  • Lunge walk down, 10 squats, backward lunge walk, 10 squats
  • Bobby Hurley down and back

Its at this point someone suggested legs…

Go to the hill

  • Crazy 8s
    • Bottom Merkins, LBC 8 reps each
    • Top: Jump Knee Tucks, Dips 8 reps each
    • Rinse repeat 8x

Great morning and reminder to take inventory of your gifts and what you bring to the table.  Develop them and allow to flourish at home, community and work.

AYE!

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Christmas Movie Trivia Loop

When Pusher and YHC realized we were co-q’ing Alcatraz, and the weather was predicted to be quite winter-like, we decided a Christmas theme was in order.  But we wanted something a little unique.  So, we landed on Christmas Movie Trivia.

The wintry weather showed up on cue, though more cold and wet than snowy and Christmas-like.  “No matter” said the 12 pax that posted ready for the physical and mental challenges.

Pusher started us off with a jog intentionally avoiding the path around the ball fields.  We moseyed to a few different intersections near the park for various warm-up exercises, including SSHs, merkins, peter parkers, and a few others, while playing a little frogger.

We then moseyed to the bottom of a steep hill and partnered up (size no matter).  Partner 1 took the hill, while partner 2 held a squat.  Flapjack.  Repeat 2 additional times.

We then moseyed up the hill half way, and lunged the rest of the way.  Pusher then took us back to the parking lot where we started and turned it over to YHC.

We moseyed around the parking lot, then to the path that circles the park, where the first of about 30 cones was sitting (each about 10-20 yards apart, all along the path).  And so began the Christmas Movie trivia challenge.  Here’s how it worked:

  • On each cone was a trivia question.  Upon arrival to the cone, the question was read aloud.
  • While pax pondered and discussed the question, an exercise was performed, which was dependent on the movie.  Here were the exercises (some of which we didn’t get to):
    • A Christmas Carol – 10 high jumps
    • A Christmas Story – 10 Plank Jacks
    • Christmas Vacation – 10 Mountain Climbers
    • Christmas With The Kranks – 10 Bombjacks
    • Deck The Halls – 10 Plank Punches
    • Four Christmases – 10 Sumo Squats
    • Elf (My Favorite!) – 10 Squat Jacks
    • Ernest Saves Christmas – 15 Hillbilly Walkers
    • Holiday Inn – 10 Morning Wood
    • How The Grinch Stole Christmas – 10 Russian Twists
    • It’s A Wonderful Life – 10 Dry Docks
    • Jingle All The Way – 10 Run Stance Switch
    • Nightmare Before Xmas – 10 Crab Cakes
    • Miracle On 34th Street – 10 Merkins
    • The Polar Express – Bearcrawl to next cone
    • Scrooged – 10 Monkey Humpers
    • The Santa Clause – 10 Chop Sticks
    • Santa Claus: The Movie – 10 Speed Skaters
    • White Christmas – 10 Donkey Kicks
  • Once the exercise was done, pax had to agree on an answer.
    • If the answer was correct, pax moved on to the next cone
    • If the answer was not correct, pax had to do one or more penalty exercises.  Here’s how the penalties worked:
      • 1st incorrect answer – 10 burpees
      • 2nd consecutive incorrect answer (i.e. at next cone) – 10 burpees AND 100 yard run
      • 3rd (or more) consecutive incorrect answer (3 cones in a row)- 10 burpees AND 100 yard run AND 10 merkins
      • After the penalty was served, pax moved on to the next cone

We got through about 25 cones (with a score of about 50%) before running out of time.  The questions were tough, and thus we clocked in over 100 burpees.  I won’t post the questions/answers here in case any pax want to reuse this weinke, or a variant thereof (contact me on twitter if you’d like the questions and answers).

Moleskin

It was a privilege for Pusher and YHC to lead the workout at Alcatraz.  Pusher talked about how thankful we are for F3 and the amazing HIMs that make it so great, including and especially the pax posting to Alcatraz.  For me, what has made F3 so life changing isn’t the organization, or structure, or exercises or cool gear; it is the men of F3 that invested their time into “FNGs”, long after their first post.

If you are a man that a fellow F3 pax has invested time into, my encouragement to you (and to me) is to find a pax in F3 that could benefit from you pouring into them.

 

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Visitors at the Prison

Alcatraz was full of the normal Saturday chatter with the expected return of F3 Aquaman.  In addition, F3 Prosciutto was visiting from Chattanooga, TN with an FNG in tow.  His name, Heater, given based on his pre-workout  ritual.  On the Rocks led with the disclaimer and a lap around the field.  Next, we ran several rounds on sprints and circled up for the following warm-up exercises:

SSH

Imperial Walker

Windmills

Squats

LBCs

Next, we ran over to the baseball field and split into two groups.  The first group bear crawled to second base while the second group performed wall sits.  We switched up after the completion of the exercises.  Next, the first group ran to the outfield fence while the other group performed balls to the wall (switched when complete).

We then circled up for a merkin wave up to ten, followed by a crowd favorite, the grave digger.  On the Rocks finished with the merkin caterpillar.

Next, we headed to the hill to reduce some of the chatter from the regulars.  We ran to the bottom of the hill and waited for all to reach the bottom.  The group was instructed to sprint to the top of the hill.  After a quick ten count, we split into teams of two.  The first person ran to the bottom of the hill and back to the top while the other person performed an exercise (merkins, squats, LBCs).  Once complete, they switched.

After a couple ten counts, we moseyed to the landscape timbers for derkins, step-ups, and more LBCs.  We finished up in the parking lot with some paver exercises (overhead presses, curls, burpees, and LBCs).

Great job by all.  I mentioned during the workout that this time of year is very difficult for some people due to events in their lives, issues with depression, struggles with substance abuse.  I challenged each person reach out to these family members or friends and tell them you love and care about them.  These simple words go a long way.

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Quagmire –

20 At the Quagmire for a fill in Q

  • Welcomed everyone and introduced Will our FNG
  • We did a disclaimer
  • We mentioned Victory and what it looks like in all areas of our lives
  • Mosey to COP
  • Mosey to alley between Home Depot and Target
  • Beatdown doing 8 exercises and sliding crates on the ground (burners)
  • Mosey to fountain for derkins, dips and step ups
  • Mosey to COT
  • Had some announcements
  • Few prayers and couple of praises
  • Ball of Man

Thank you for the lead DaVinci!

CB

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