Things got a little bumpy right from the start as the PAX arrived and learned that Jiffy is having some work done to improve the AO. Cones everywhere and new pavement is going in. Modification therefore stared early as the PAX were forced to park somewhere other than our normal place.
The PAX of 9 gathered near the entrance to the Middle School rather than the Elementary School and received their notification of the element of risk that laid before them. With that we were off on a mosey to the front of the middle school.
Warm up:
Honeymooner and downward dog – the mumble chatter broke this one up pretty quickly…..
SSH x52
Windmill x10
Merkin x10
The Thang:
Burpee/Merkin/Plank Chase – The PAX lined up in a plank position with a 10 yard separation between each man. The first man ran up to the next man in plank, performed a burpee and jumped over the planking man at the top of the burpee. He then ran to the next member of the PAX and did the same until he reached the end of the line. For the men holding plank, they performed a hand release merkin each time a member of the PAX on the burpee chase passed them. When the last PAX passed them, they would start the chase. This continued for the full drop off circle which is a quarter mile. With the number of PAX in attendance, everyone had the chance to do the burpee chase 3 times for one lap around the circle.
Regroup at the front of the school and each man grabbed a bench for leg work.
Squat Jumps Slow – lower until your six is on the bench and then explode up. Done slowly in cadence x10
One Leg Squats – Put one leg the bench and squat with the other leg x10 each leg
Squat Jumps Fast – Q yells out Down to lower six to the bench and then up for exploding into a jump. Done in quick cadence (approximately 1 per second) X10
Calf Raises Straight x10
Calf Raises Out x10
Calf Raises In x10
Run a lap 1/4 mile
Line back up for another round of the Burpee/Merkin Plank Chase.
Leg work again:
Squat Jumps Fast x20
Calf Raises Straight x20
Calf Raises Out x15
Calf Raises In x15
Mary:
Dying Cockroach x25
Big Boy Sit-ups x15
COT
Announcements – Convergence this Saturday
Prayer Requests – Prayers to those traveling this weekend.
It was an honor to Q such a strong group of HIM! Thank you to Jiffy for the opportunity!
On the morning of Friday, August 3rd, 61 Men of High Impact joined Homebrew, Deacon, & Jiffy for some #Convergence work.
For this Round Robin of Pain, we separated the PAX into 3 groups and rotated to each station for 12 minutes.
Station 1 – Jiffy:
He had setup a row of 4 cones in the bank parking lot and ran the PAX through the following exercises.
5 Burpees OYO
Straight suicides
Lunge walk, 10 squats at each cone
Bear crawl, 10 merkins at each cone
15 American Hammers in cadence
Suicides with 3 Bomb Jacks at each cone
Broad jump to each cone, 5 lunges each leg
Crab walk, 5 diamond merkins at each cone
15 LBC’s in cadence
Station 2 – Deacon:
Find a partner
One partner runs to Pizza Hut and back while the other does a series of exercises until the team does merkins (100x), Squats (200x), LBCs (300x).
Partner Drills (Round 1) – Partner Big Boy Sit Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partners Push Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Leg Lifts (15x for 2 rounds)
Partner Drills (Round 2 if time permits) – Partner Wheel Barrels to each side of the parking lot (2x for 2 rounds), Partner Ski Jumps (15x for 2 rounds)
Station 3 – Homebrew:
4 Corners and Burpee Roll
PAX were divided into four groups, with one group being sent to each corner. Complete all exercises listed at your corner then bear crawl to the center. At the center was a large foam die. One PAX would roll the die for the group to determine how may burpees everyone would do. Amazingly, only one 6 was rolled all morning – I’m lookin at you IceT. Once the burpees were completed, crab walk from the center to the next corner going clockwise. Rinse and repeat until all corners are done or time runs out.
Corner 1
40 SSH
40 Plank Jacks
40 Mountain Climbers
20 Crab Cakes
Corner 2
15 Merkins
30 CDD
15 Wide Arm Merkins
5 Kraken Burpees
Corner 3
10 Donkey Kicks
50 Calf Raises
40 Monkey Humpers
20 Lunges
Corner 4
10 Big Boy Situps
20 Hello Dollys
30 Dying Cockroaches (double count)
10 Boxcutters
There were prayer requests for family, school returning and those with health needs.
5 PAX joined YHC in the early morning for a bag of mixed eggs. Unsure of how the Q had prepared for, we got right to it at 0515.
The Warm-up: all IC
SSH
Al Gore Nightclub- Hold Air Squat like normal Al Gore, but do Moroccan Night Clubs during
Fly Sun Gods- forward bend at waist, one leg straight back, doing arm circles
Chinook – Overhead arm cirlces
Peter Parkers
I wanted to get the PAX to the loop in front of the Middle School but didn’t want to just plain mosey there. If anyone knows me, I like to torture the PAX with lunges. The last time at The Ranch, we did 300 yards of lunges. Now I’m not sure how far the distance was to get there but I heard about “Walk Like an Egyptian” It’s an Indian Run style way to get there but instead of running, you hold a lunge on the right leg while the last PAX jailbreaks to the front. Once he gets to the front, switch and hold a left lunge until the last PAX jail breaks to the front. According to my rudimentary post-it note method of measuring the distance off the computer screen, it was around 1400 feet, or just over one-quarter of a mile.
Once there, we partnered up, and the PAX were told to hold their partners accountable for the reps they were performing. All PAX completed 25 reps of the exercise while their partner completed the same number of reps and they ran a lap around the bus loop. The exercises were, and in no particular order, are as follows:
Dips
Squats
Calf Raises
CDD
Flutters
There may have been others but you get the general consensus of it. We did a couple of other exercises together over there before heading back to COT for some Mary and one final egg up my sleeve, if you will.
MARY- the last exercise I wanted to treat the PAX to is called Hands of Time. I saw the men of F3 Chicago doing something that looked fun on a news cast and was fortunate enough to find out what is was by reading through the website.
Hands of Time- PAX lay on their 6 in a circle with heads towards the center. Legs are raised at 90 degrees and 1 PAX jumps up, and throws the feet down of all the PAX in a circle. The PAX have to prevent their legs from touching the ground and hold their legs just off the ground until all the PAX have their legs thrown down. We repeated this until everyone had the opportunity to run around the circle, throwing down the legs.
Jiff also taught us a different exercise, the Elbow Plank Knee Taps. That one is pretty self explanatory.
Thank you to Jiffy for the opportunity to lead the PAX.
Eighteen men posted on a beautiful morning to make each other stronger in body and spirit. I won’t try to capture all of the words of wisdom shared but get out there and post to engage…
The Message… The bottom line of the messages given intermittently throughout the pain was around impact and finding your God given purpose and engaging in the Journey that will take you from where you are today to where God wants to to be, having an impact in the areas of the world he has called you. Don’t just mosey through life smelling the flowers and then moving on to the next thing.
The Thang…
Mosey to the corporate parking lot where Shinguard started the morning with COP.
SSH x20
Squats x20
LBC x20
High Low Flutter x20
Worlds Worst Merkin x10 (Wide arm, Regular, diamond = 1 rep) that was terrible
Mosey to the wall for some muscle up and donkey action. 2 sets (10 x 10 then 5 x 20)
Mosey to the top of the Hill for some hill repeats. x2 Run down hill and run backwards back up with 10 burps at the top.
Mosey to the grass hill with a forward bear crawl down the hill to the sidewalk
Mosey to the lower wall for some wall sits and baby dips while in sitting position
Mosey to the courtyard for wall jumps, derkins, irking, and dips with a few rounds.
Santina took over and rotated through a series of SSH, Carolina Dry Docks, Lunges, Moroccan Night Clubs, Seal Jacks and a repeated, slow, methodical rip your muscles out shoulder type of experience.
Moseyed back to COT for a couple of ab exercises then done.
It was an honor and privilege to Q and to Q with Santini.
Today I had the opportunity to lead a Beyond Workout, I’ve been to many of them and decided to share some of my personal stories. I was welcomed by all the PAX that decided to get better and a new name for my toys/props, Tinsel’s Utensils, great name Mainframe!!
We started the warm up with a short run around the parking lot with high knees and butt kickers and then circled up for a few warm up exercises: Windmills, Moroccan night clubs, low slow squats followed by story sharing while on different variations of planks (regular, elbows, right/left leg up while on elbows, right/left arm up while on regular, back to regular), downward dog-honeymooner; with 9 minutes into the WO we split in 4 groups and each group went to a different station.
Station 1:
-> 10 diamond merkins
-> 15 wide arm merkins
-> 20 regular merkins
-> 30 battle rope wave SC
-> 40 plank jacks
-> 50 Shoulder taps
Station 2:
-> 15 boat and canoe
-> 20 Rosalitas
-> 30 Sledgehammer swings (15 each side)
-> 40 Heel Touches SC
-> 40 Dying Roach
Station 3:
-> 15 overhead press
-> 15 biceps curls
-> 25 dumbbell swing
-> 30 SSH
-> 50 Carolina drydocks
Station 4:
-> 10 Tire flips
-> 20 Monkey Humpers
-> 30 reverse lunges
-> 30 squat pops
-> 50 calf raises
After each group completed a station we met at the center for a brake and to continue my story sharing, on first brake we had a visit from Captain Thor (1 big boy sit up and 4 american hammers, 2 BBSU and 8 AH, 3 BBSU and 12 AH and so on) the plan calls for 10 BBSU and 40 AH but it’s looks easier on paper so we stopped at 8 BBSU and 32 AH. Back to the next station.
Time for brake number 2 and more story sharing, we did one of my favorite exercises the famous Worst Merkin ever, start with wide arm, down to regular and finish with a diamond merkin, that counts as one, we did 10 total. Back to the next station.
Brake number 3 came up and more of the story of my life was shared and since we were running out of time we went back to finish our 4th station.
I guess I didn’t take all the talking that I was going to do into consideration and we stopped at about 49 minutes, circled back into COT for a final chatter about my personal story.
We finished up with prayers, praises and announcements.
Thank you Straight up for lifting us up for the final prayer.
I think the best part of the WO was at the end when some of the PAX decided to skip the fist bump and switched it for a hug!!
Big props to Maximus for this great idea to go Beyond!
Beyond Workout & The Ranch joined up to discuss and experience Creativity in leadership through the lens of F3 – Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith.
As I spent time preparing for this Beyond workout, a lot of what I planned to cover resonated pretty heavily with me.
I asked 3 things of the PAX: (1) challenge yourself (2) encourage one another (3) engage in the workout/discussions and begin responding to the challenges in the days and weeks to come.
Started with dynamic warm-ups: a combination of mosey, toy soldiers, knees to chest, ankle toward chest, karaoke.
The Thang:
Mosey to first location at the end line of soccer field in front of Springfield Elementary School. Talked about part 1 of 3 things that I believe is necessary to achieve creativity in leadership: Get out of your comfort zone, leading from the front and when more appropriate partnering, delegating and/or supporting.
There’s the adage “don’t Q it if you can’t do it”. In every workout I Q I try to push myself and the PAX outside of the comfort zone, because the biggest gains come from being challenged. There is a guy I’ll refer to as Geronimo, who once said “if you want to run faster, you have to practice running faster.” This can be applied to many facets of your life – whether talking about actually running faster or getting stronger or if you want to be a “better” husband, father, friend, employee, saver, giver, fill in the blank. Get out in front of it (outside the comfort zone) and hallenge yourself. All f that being said, there are enevitably things that are not my/your strengths or are the strengths of others – where it s doesn’t make sense to lead from the front. In these situations, Partner, delegate and/or support those around us that have those strengths. It could be the PAX to our left/right or our M, a Whetstone partner…again fill in the blank. We are all HIM, but we can’t do everything ourselves. Remember that 1 grain of sand doesn’t make a beach. Challenge: Think of the impact we can make when we both lead from the front and (when more appropriate) partner, delegate and/or support those around us.
exercise group 1: First, from the end line, lead from the front in a soccer field length sprint (if your not in the front or are the 6, make sure you challenge yourself). Down and back 3 times. Next, on the sideline, partner-up and support someone by carrying them across the field. Alternate back and forth 3 times.
Mosey to second location at the bottom of the hill at the bus loop in front of Springfield Middle School. Talked about part 2 of 3 in achieving creativity in leadership: always look for opportunities to set yourself apart.
When I took the reins at Varsity, we had plenty of bootcamps and I was reluctant to Q “another bootcamp” – it was winter, attendance was very low, and frankly there was talk of consolidating the AO. I knew that for it to remain on its own, it needed to stand apart from other workouts, which resukted in choosing the HIIT workout format. The AO went from many weeks of myself and maybe 1 or 2 others to consistently 10-15 PAX. I believe that the uniqueness of the AO and the willingness to try something new outside of the comfort zone is what drew the PAX. Challenge: Think about what it means to start ourselves apart in how we interact with those within our spheres of influence – out Ms, 2.0s, coworkers. Light always frowns out darkness.
exercise group 2: The PAX we’re split into two groups with group 1 running the bus loop while group 2 performed a modified Jacobs ladder of 3 burpees at the top of the hill and 3 v-ups at the bottom until the first group returned. Switcharoo. Rinse and repeat until each group ran the bus loop 3 times.
Mosey to the third location at the back entrance to the middle school. Talked about part 3 of 3 in how to achieve creativity in leadership: don’t be predictable.
I was a runner pre-F3. In fact, that’s is what drove me to F3 (a story for another time). When I was asked to Q my first kettlebell workout, my natural inclination was to run with the bell. There have been many iterations of that since – bells, blocks, rocks, flat ground, hills. My goal is to alway challenge myself and the PAX in ways we may have not been challenged before. There are reasons why there are different variations on the merkin or squat! Not to mention I get bored doing he same thing over and over. Challenge: think about he areas of your life where you are predictable – your relationship with you M or 2.0s or how you exercise your faith – what are some ways to break out of that comfort zone and be less predictable?
exercise group 3: 3 LEGIT reps of each – Merkins, Squats, Diamond Merkins, Sumo Squats, Wide Arm Merkins, Alternating Solit Squats, Hand Release Merkins, Pistol Squats.
Running out of time, bear crawl to the straight away and then mosey back to COT.
The preview was we will do lots of dumb things together. YHC hopes the advance billing lived up to the hype! We had a good discussion on trajectory and how many missteps does it take to get you off course. Surround yourself my PAX that will keep any missteps in check…plug for Whetstone. We need an accountability partner. Seeing that I have lost a few friends over the years to addiction, as recently as this week, take a look around and see how you can make an impact on others trajectory.
With that, we did a nice warm up that got us sweaty in an already humid environment quickly.
Mosey around the bus loop twice with dynamic stretching.
Circle up.
SSH
LS Merkins
LSS
Peter Parker
Parker Peter
CDDs
Some downward and upward dogs and some other goodness.
Now that was behind us we were ready for the main course.
The bus loop has three light poles about 30 yerds apart.
Rd 1 – 10 burpees, bear crawl to the light, 15 jump squats, crab walk, 20 merkins
Rd 2 – 10 burpees, lunge walk, 15 jumping lunges per leg, bear crawl, 20 CDDs
Rd 3 – 10 burpees, sumo walk, 15 LSS, bunny hop, 20 dips
Rd 4 – 10 burpees, single r leg hop, 15 calf raises, single l leg hop, 20 arm circles
Mosey to front of SFMS
Rd 1 clock merkins on the curb at 12, 3, 6, and 9 10 merkins each position
4 corner box jumps going clockwise x 15
4 corner box jumps going counter clockwise x 15
Rd 2 clock merkins on the curb at 12, 3, 6, and 9 10 merkins each position
15 single r leg hops over the line
15 single l leg hops over the line
Mosey to the backside of SFMS
Wall sits while each pax counted to 10
15 wall tar jai
I was at The Fort a couple of months ago and mentioned to Bonsai that I would like to be put on the Q Schedule, as I had never had a Q at this great AO. Soon after, he contacted me to request that I give him a date. Well, that date has arrived.
I had originally had Ponytail as a CoQ, but do to his schedule change he couldn’t make it. I quickly asked Bonsai to find someone who could lead a short warmup as a VQ. Bonsai put it on Twitter about a week and advance and the HIM to step up was . . . well nobody. His only choice then was to tell everyone that Longshanks would be the CoQ if nobody stepped up. Well, again nobody stepped up, so YHC’s CoQ was Longshanks as determined by the PAX.
WARMUP
Well, this really wasn’t a warmup as it was Longshanks leading. It was more of a beginning to the madness that was about to continue. Longshanks led us in 15 SSH; 1 Burpee; 10 Windmills; 2 Burpees; 10 Imperial Walkers; 3 Burpees; 10 Hillbilly Walkers; 4 Burpees; 15 Low Slow Squats; 10 Burpees. We then took a mosey over to parking in front of US Synergetic for the following: High Knees; Butt Kickers; Toy Soldiers; & Soccer Moms.
We then moseyed over to Millstone Park for some Lucky 7’s. At the bottom of the stairs, 7 dips; at the top of the stairs, 7 squats; and at the short wall, 7 box jumps . . . X 7. As the PAX waited for the 6 they performed LBC’s. We then all performed 7 chin-ups on the bar, 7 pull ups on the bar, and 7 Bombjacks.
Then Longshanks passed it off to YHC.
THE THANG
Prior to moseying back to the following locations, we turned and faced the flag at Veteran’s Park for the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag led by Geronimo.
A few days earlier in the week, I had done an afternoon ReCon of the area to know exactly where I wanted to go to be prepared for this workout I have been long awaiting for. Well after we did the Warmup, we took a mosey over to the small parking lot in front of US Synergetic for the following: BOMBS-Burpees; Overhead Claps; Merkins; Big Boy SitUps; and Squats.
I’m not a big fan of exercises where the PAX have to do a lot of counting because I believe it takes away from the fellowship of our time in the gloom. So I did these BOMBS a little different. I asked the PAX to pair up with someone they know fairly well. Then we began the BOMBS. Partner 1 performed the exercise as the bottom of the hill (Massey St. Hill) while Partner 2 ran to the top and back. Then they flip flopped. We did this for 1 round of BOMBS at a pace that each PAX could maintain.
Before starting I had asked the PAX to get to know the other PAX while either running the hill or performing the exercises. The objective of this whole series of exercises was to allow for good fellowship in between breaths.
During the workout we stopped at a statue located just across from Veteran’s Park of three people assisting each other up a wall. I then discussed what is below in the NMM.
We then moseyed back to the COT where Zildjian led us in some MoM.
NMM
When I am unable to post due to work or other commitments, it seems as if my day just aren’t the same. Even if I have to do a #fern Workout or Run at the house or Y it is not the same. I can get fit by myself. I cannot keep a relationship with that #fern for a long period of time. I just get tired of talking and never getting anything back. It is a one way street.
F3 is just the opposite. It is a two way street with a purpose. The PAX of F3 push me to get better physically, emotionally, spiritually with a purpose to live a better life. F3 allows me to humble myself to authority and be led and it allows me to lead, all to make me a better man.
During our workout I stopped at a statue the three people helping each other up a wall. I mentioned the person at the top. This was someone who had already made it to the top: but one thing to notice is that this person was not still looking up or over the wall finding a way to get to the other side. They were looking down at the others with his hand held to assist them get over as well. Then there was the one in the middle being pushed and pulled. Almost to the top, but not quiet there. Needing assistance from both of the other two men. Then there was the person at the bottom. This person did not appear to be down in spirit because he hadn’t started. This person was pushing the other person up to make them better.
The important thing in all of this is they were all working to make each other better. This is what F3 is about. We are all in this as a team, and if we see another struggling we need not look the other way. We as F3 brothers, as men, should help in whatever way possible to help or assist.
This is a call out to all of our brothers. Keep you ears open and your eyes wide. There is always another brother struggling and you, yes YOU might be the HIM God has called to help.
Eccl. 4:9-12 ‘Tow are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Read Your Newsletter.
Start Time Change at The Fort starting June 2: 6:30-
A motivated group of 6 men met at The Ranch for another test of their strength and endurance. Here is what they did:
The Thang:
Warm up with walking knee pulls, ankle pulls, toy soldiers, and lunge twists. Take a short mosey and circle up for COP:
All in cadence:
SSH x 30, potato pickers x 10, merkin x 10, IW x 20, mountain climber x 30/hold/6”/regular/6”/low plank/regular. LBC x 25
Take a short mosey and stop at the entrance to the drop off circle at the elementary school entrance.
ST400 – (5 rounds, 4 exercises/round, 20 reps/exercise, run a lap in between). Today, we cut it to ST350
Round 1: Merkins, Freddie Mercs, squats, burpees, run a lap
Round 2: Diamonds, flutters, alternating lunges, burpees, run a lap
Round 3: Wide arms, hello dolly’s, sumo squats, burpees, run a lap
Round 4: Staggered merkins (L/R), Rosalita’s, monkey humpers, burpees, run a lap
Round 5: Dips, pretzel crunch – stop here. We ran out of time.
Take one last Indian run around the loop and head back to the starting point.
End with the body destroyer ( lay on your back, breathe deeply, stare at the sky, and don’t talk)
COT
This is a pretty tough workout and everyone got after it today. The 20 burpees followed immediately by the run kept the heart rate up quite well. Sasquatch ran at a swift pace around the loop this morning. I left a sweat stain on the asphalt during the warm-up and Change Order’s shirt came off after round one. Yes, it was humid. Not a lot of mumble chatter today, but Sasquatch did manage some slightly sarcastic encouragement to the group during round 3 or 4 of the burpees. We were running a bit short on time so we avoided the 5th round of burpees. We may or may have had time. Or, perhaps the Q was gassed after round 4 and could not call out another round of 20 burpees (maybe). In any event, it was a great day at the Ranch and a privilege as always to lead such a fine group of men.
Announcements/Prayers/Praises
Read your newsletter! Need a Q for Guidance (CAH on May 26), also need Q’s for F3 Dads in June (Change Order)
Continued prayers for Badger and his family and for the Jennings family
Praises for Sasquatch’s sister graduating from college. Safe travels for the Sasquatch and Wegmans to NY this weekend.
Back at The Yard and it was a glorious morning, and time to bring back my Styrofoam coolers with tickets of pain inside.
Plenty of moderate running space between coolers, as the PAX were divided into two groups and we ran past each other as we pulled tickets of misery out of three different coolers, spread out down the back driveway of the school. This was moderate, so I kept that in mind as I printed out the pain tickets late into the night before, and contemplated whether to print the ticket with 50 CDD’s, or leave it at 20.
For those who haven’t seen my Piggly Wiggly coolers filled with tickets, stay tuned for an appearance near you.
Maybe we got in a little over a mile of running, but I forgot to ask Barry.
Great COT, and a good dose for Jiffy’s EH, Snowman (Jerry Reed from Smokey and the Bandit)