Club 813

An awesome group of 30+ men came out to “Club 813”…celebrating the birthdays of Harry Carry, Fogerty, and Grassy Knoll!
HarryCarry started with a short mosey run.
Warmup:
SSH (20x I/C)
Windmills (8x I/C)
Imperial Walkers (15x I/C)
Moroccan Nightclubs (12x I/C)
Low slow squats (10x I/C)
Big Arm Circles (7 forward, 7 backwards)
Peter Parkers (10x I/C)
Plank Stretches (Downward dog, upward dog)

Short mosey run

Fish tracks routine:
Pax do the transportation and stop when instructed and do the exercise called.
Toy soldiers…stop and do Bobby Hurleys, repeat
Bear crawl…stop and do mountain climbers, repeat
Lunge walk…stop and do squats, repeat
Crab walk…stop and do pickle pointers (no repeat)

Hand off to Grassy Knoll:
Motivators from ten.
Jack Webb routine: One big boy sit up and four American Hammers, went to 11 bigboys to hit Grassy’s 44 years of age.

Hand off to Fogerty:
Elevens routine: 10 merkins at top of the hill, one bomb jack at the bottom, and proceed from there.

Run back to COT
Announcements
Prayers/Praises
Lastly, Badlands was inducted into Club 813.

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Independence Day 1776 Challenge

Good morning America! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Soupy muggy morning. We had one FNG EH’d by Beaker, so the full disclaimer was disclaimed and off we went to the NaFo track.

WARMUP: None. Got right into it.

The Main Event: The 1776 Challenge
7 laps of 400m along with 1776 exercises as follows (everything single count unless otherwise noted):
* 50 burpees
* 100 calf raises (50 regular, 50 toes out)
* 100 ski abs (double count)
>> Run 400m
* 100 ‘merkins
* 100 LSS
* 100 LBC
>> Run 400m
* 100 CDD
* 100 jump squat
* 100 American hammer (DC)
>> Run 400m
* 100 OH clap
* 100 mountain climbers (DC)
* 100 hello dolly
>> Run 400m
* 100 wide-arm merkin
* 100 jump lunge (DC)
* 100 flutter kicks (DC)
>> Run 100m
* 100 plank shoulder taps (DC)
* 100 hillbilly walkers
** Badger Challenge (optional, level-up) – 100m crab walk
* 100 SSH
** Badger Challenge (optional, level-up) – 100m bear crawl
>> Run 400m
* 26 burpees
>> Run 400m
>>>ENDEX<<<

It was a total sweat fest this morning, but so worth it. Not much mumblechatter after a while, but A LOT of pain. The fellowship helped alot…..seeing your fellow PAX push through things makes you want to push as well. Thank you everyone for the push!

Capped it all off with a gorgeous sunrise and Pledge of Allegiance at COT, along with some announcements and P&Ps.

Special kudos for Clickbait for opening up his home for anyone who does not have anywhere or anyone to go celebrate the holiday with. #HIM

NMM:
7-4-1776 was a BIG day in the history of this world. Not only is it the birth of our great nation, but it was a loud exclamation to the world that freedom reigns and is worth fighting for. We exercise our freedoms every day whether we know it or not, from being able to wake up early and go work out with like-minded men, voice our opinions on whatever topic in however means, practice whatever religion or belief system we choose, or choose not to practice any type religion or belief system – all without fear of persecution. There are some people in this country who are challenging these various freedoms, not knowing that they themselves are exercising the constitutionally guaranteed right to challenge the status quo and advocate change. Many countries would severely persecute that type of vocality. Yet we as a nation allow and even foster it, for through adversity, change, and pain comes growth, wisdom, and strength.

During your various Independence Day celebrations please take time out to give thanks for the many things we have (i.e., blessings) as well as our many various freedoms, however you may define them, including – IMO most importantly – the freedom to speak up and make change happen, however large or small the magnitude, scope, and/or scale. That’s what happened on 7-4-1776, on a great scale and magnitude, and has continued since. The United States of America as a whole is never stagnant, it is always evolving. Hopefully for the better. It is by no means perfect either (what made of man is?), but it could most definitely be worse in many many ways. It is up to each one of us, exercising our various freedoms, to ensure we as a nation continue to move forward and get better in some way every day. Change happens through action, not just words. The mission behind F3 is to plant. serve, and grow small workout groups for the purpose of invigorating male community leadership. Keep at it, continue to BE the change you want to see in this world through not just your words but your actions. Give it away, for when you do YOU help facilitate positive change in others.

Have a happy and safe Independence Day. Happy Birthday America!

Thank you for the opportunity to lead. Blessed and thankful for every one of you F3 The Fort PAX that are in my life. SYITG.
– NASA

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BAOPS worthy – don’t do easy

WARMUP: Run to the back of the fields 5 burpees, windmills (for trucker), 4 burpees, low slow squats finishing to peoples chair while doing Moroccan night clubs. Mosey to pull up bars. Plank while each pax did 1 pull up (for trucker). Mosey to hole #2
THE THANG: the intention was to play 9 holes of golf. Squats at the tee box followed by burpees at the green rinsing and repeating over 8 rounds and a grand total of 72 each. On the first round – halfway to the green, the golf course staff had other plans and firmly asked that we leave the course. So……we played 9 holes of golf in the street taking our ball, squats and burpees elsewhere. We also did 10 double count monkey humpers in cadence facing the golf course access road. 30 ish minutes and two ten counts later we were complete with a total of 72 squats, 72 burpees, some running of hills in between and on to part two – four corners.

Part two – this looked much better on paper. Goal was 4 rounds. We got to 2 rounds before the clock demanded a return to COT.

Corner 1 – 7 krakens, 2 hand release merkins, 22 lunges (11 per leg). Crawl bear to corner 2

Corner 2 – 7 diamond merkins, 2 krakens, 22 squats – run to corner 3

Corner 3 – 7 merkins, 2 diamond merkins, 22 monkey humpers, bear crawl to corner 4

Corner 4 – 7 burpees, 2 squats, 22 wide arm merkins

Time was called at 0725 when Maximus and Vuvu rolled in from a long hilly 9 plus mile BRR training run to join us for……

MARY: 5 minutes of stretching – desperately needed and welcomed by all.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 10 year anniversary is coming. Events running the week of 9/10 to 9/17. Get your hall passes in order.

COT: Praise for Bonsai’s two year anniversary of recovery from heart episode. Praise for the men of The Fort and prayers for continued discernment and patience in our homes and within our concentrica.

NMM: When we were asked to leave the golf course 10 minutes into the workout, the plan had to change. For the unprepared leader an event like that may have brought about a circumstance for which they weren’t prepared. Fortunately, for us, we are surrounded by HIM who help us know that remaining prepared and modifying for the unexpected is part of being the leaders we are called to be in our communities, workplace, and in our homes.

So…..always be ready for the expected, but prepare for the unexpected. Good reminders of that faced us in a small way this morning.

It’s always a privilege to lead at BAOPS – the site of YHC’s EH eight years ago. Great work by all pax this morning on a sticky and humid Saturday. Thanks to Skipper for the opportunity. Until next time……

Honored,
Cyclops

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The New Name of the Swamp is …

Today was the launch of the Swamp at a new location. The new name will be revealed at the end so you can skip down or search Slack.
10 men showed up, will a sneaky snowman arriving after warm-ups. Slow mosey to the church parking lot for COP. Standard exercises (SSH, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Plank Stretches. Next we broke into groups of three, alternating sprints by each pax to get our heart rates up. Ten minutes, with a decrease in distance making the rest period less as we progressed through this exercise.
Next, we moseyed to the daycare parking lot for two rounds of Ab exercises (LBCs, Flutters). No rest, continued on our journey to the fountain. Half Pike routine, 10 hand release merkins at the fire station, down the hill to the fountain, 1 burpee and +1 after every pass, top of the other hill, 10 lunges. Rinse and Repeat. Most pax got in 5 to 6 rounds.
Back to COT.
Great job everyone. Its good to see guys out this morning especially with it being hot and muggy.
New AO name: Stockade

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Convergence: Love & a passing of the flag

Station 1 (Santini): Traditional Pain Platoon

Just your basic beat the hell out of your legs exercises of lunges, squats, and burpees intermixed with meditation and box breathing exercises. Sprint to the top of the hill, recover, and do more exercises including Moroccan night clubs and Carolina dry docks.

NMM: Anxiety and gratitude are not able to occupy the same space.

Station 2 (Shady / Maximus)

Warmup (Shady) – 21 SSH, 5 burpees, 18 SSH, 5 burpees, 12 SSH, someone whined about burpees so we did 10 diamonds merkins…then did 5 burpees
Group 1
  • partnered up and Dora style started out with 100 pull-ups.  Partner 1 on the pull-up bar, partner 2 did a lap around the playgroud
  • Stayed on playground, stayed with partner, Partner 1 AMRAP merkins while partner 2 ran the length of the playground and back to AMRAP merkins
  • Stayed on the AMRAP theme with flutters, then back to merkins, then back to flutters…then (I think) time was called

Group 2

  • Partnered up and Dora style, but this time 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground (Q modification given time and we aren’t cyborgs)
  • AMRAPs were just 1 round of merkins and flutters (again, I think…may need a lifeline here from Max)
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 American hammers..we did this twice
  • W/ time to spare we ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for 10 V-ups
  • In buzzer beater fashion, we ran to the top again for 10 ranger merkins and ran to the bottom for a partner 1 lay on the ground and grab partner 2s ankles where partner 2 would throw partner 1s feet down 10 times as you straight leg lifted them to his face

Group 3

  • Dora style 50 pull-ups with the run around the playground
  • We made our way to the hill with the statue where Maximus laid down the NUR up the hill and at the top 10 bomb jacks and ran to the bottom where we did 20 american hammers..we did this twice
  • Running low on time ran to the top for 10 diamond merkins and ran to the bottom for the ankle grabbing / feet throwing core exercise 10 times
NMM: After each of the groups had done their pull-ups, Maximus and Shady shared their thoughts and experiences on LOVE.
  • Shady – areas of focus were loving your brother and being your brothers keeper.  Sending a text or reaching out to someone to just say “hey, thinking of you” could change their day.  Realizing that the ones you love are watching you, emulating you, picking up on good and bad habits.  Realizing we don’t know it all, especially to the ones we love, is a sign of humility and a factor of growth and development.  For those of us with children, we have never been parents before so we honestly have no idea what we’re doing.  Love starts with servant leadership and personally for YHC, this usually progresses when the mouth is shut and ears are open.
  • Maximus – For my discussion on love, it begins with being intentional as love is a decision. We must make the decision to be intentional with our actions. Whether it be in our faith, marriage, parenting of our kids, with friends and yes, even with work relationships, we must be intentional. Think about how easy it is to get distracted, whether at dinner with your wife or even on a Zoom call for work. We often allow our minds to wander or even start doing something else while the other person is talking, looking for our engagement. Stop. Be the person who is present in the moment. Put the shoe on the other foot. Love that person as your relationship to them allows.

Station 3 (Pusher & Cakeboss): Love Edition

COP
  • SSHs
  • Windmills
  • Squats
  • Mtn Climbers
  • Merkins
  • IWs
Cake Boss spells love “B-U-R-P-E-E”
The Thang
  • Jacobs Ladder with Derkins and Monkey Humpers
  • Plank/Dip sequence
  • Bear crawl to top with burpees
NMM:
  • Cord of 3 strands cannot be broken. Having God in your marriage is the 3rd string. Adding communication to the marriage strengthens it. – CB
  • Gifts vs Gaps. Focus on the gifts that your wife or significant other bring vs what she is missing. Seeing her this way builds love. – Pusher
  • Much love was on display with all of the mumblechatter and fellowship. The relationships formed through F3 has increased our love internally and is reflected outward to our Ms, 2.0s, PAX and community… #morethanaworkout

Shovel Flag hand off for two leadership positions in the Fort:

Shady handed off the Nantan role to Double D
Esso handed off the Weasel Shaker role to YHC

Awesome work by the PAX today. Hard to put into words how much improved my disposition on life is since moving back to Fort Mill because of F3. Grateful for an opportunity to serve the PAX of The Fort.

NMM: Double D was the site-Q at Block Party when I started posting. If it wasn’t for his steady presence with a commitment to the integrating 2nd F and 3rd F elements into each workout, I doubt I’d have kept posting. Double D is a genuine human, I’m a better dude for knowing him, and I’m excited for his leadership.


Band Camp dismissed

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Thanksgiving Convergence 2021

68 PAX in attendance for a pre-thanksgiving beatdown and some fellowship on a brisk morning Thursday 11/25/2021.

 

With the anticipation of fried turkey, oreos and coffee brought by @Change Order, @Smuggler and @RubySlippers, mumble-chatter abounded,  until @Hardwood took the center and called attention at 0600 hours. Disclaimer was disclaimed and the call for new FNG’s was made, no new FNG’s was the lone blemish on the otherwise fantastic morning in my humble opinion.

Run options led by @Gekko and a Moderate group led by @TripleLindy set off as the rest of the PAX moseyed towards back of Springfield Elementary. First Destination was in parking lot way back by the Middle School.

Circled up and @Hardwood called out the following exercises:

SSH- 40

Windmills

Downward Dogs and Honeymooners

Low & Slow Squats

Cyclops: Stay in Squat Position and complete Moroccan Nightclubs

 

The Thing

Series of Webs

Starting with Merkins and Overhead Claps

1×4 for 10 rounds of excruciating shoulder pain, mumble-chatter becoming more focused on the task at hand

more SSH 🤮

Next we completed ANOTHER WEB, worse than the last,

Shoulder Taps and Moroccan Nightclubs

1×4 for 10 more rounds that was never ever going to end

Lots of requests for Burpees strangely or anything other then arm workouts!

 

YHC began the 2nd half of the workout with more SSH

Mosey around to front of Middle School with 3 stops for 5 Burpees OYO, at the request of the PAX

Line up at bottom of small hill in front of school and explain the workout, AMRAP LEG CIRCUIT

Teams of 4 ish men cycle through three exercises at bottom of hill individually:

2 Squats

2 Split Lunges

2 Bomb Jacks

Next Broad Jump up Hill to top and complete the following:

2 V-ups

Bear Crawl to bench

2 Step Ups

Run around and down to bottom of hill stopping at cones for 2 burpees (two stops per lap)

Meet back at bottom of hill and repeat, only this time DOUBLE ALL REPS TO 4X

Goal is to complete 5 rounds or AMRAP, almost completed but just short of time before we had to get back to COT

YHC shared a article on Gratitude, and then @Shady shared the heart of the Fort, the success of @Seamstress initiative with the help of the PAX, @Seamstress shared his excitement and appreciation for the success of the event! Great job by all T-claps!

Finally we had a shovel hand-off YHC taking the Ranch from a long line of great site Q’s which I hope to make proud.

Then we were finally able to enjoy the fried delicacies and coffee! Cheers!

 

 

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Naked….and Afraid VQ warmup! Then up and down and sit in a circle…easy stuff

Oh my special backblast, how I’ve missed you.  You are now my motivation for at least the next 2 months to write you after workouts (and I will not commit to the scrutiny of “within 24 hours” some of these monster writers make happen).  Need to build some habits here so next 2 months I know I’m on some calendars to Q so lookout (and hold me accountable anyone who may be reading this).

This morning started out with a Naked and Afraid warmup (which now duet o waiting too long to write anything up), the details are a bit fuzzy.  See kids, this is what happens when you wait TOO long.  I do recall some SSH, merkins, squats, and some windmills…I think.  AAR was given (3 things he did well, 3 things to work on next time).  AAR = After Action Review

For the first time doing a warm-up, I think this boy has something.  You know what else Naked and Afraid did – he asked some questions about what a full Q would look like, what to prepare for, how to prepare for it, how to make sure it’s long enough.  And you know what, we had answers for him so he could be more successful next time.  I little quote from QSource:

The LDP (Leadership Development Process) has four steps: schooling, apprenticeship, opportunity and failure.

These 4 steps were exercised today.

Next up was YHC for the main KB event.  Here’s what we did, and we didn’t take breaks.

  • Shoulder Press
  • Swings
  • Shoulder Shrugs
  • Triceps extensions
  • Curls
  • Chest Press
  • Lawn Mower
  • Good mornings
  • Squat
  • Lunge pass through
  • Calf raise
  • Flutters
  • Circle of fun (more on this)

For the shoulder press down to Lunges, we started with 10 reps and then increased by 5 up to 20, and for Calf raise and flutters we started with 10 and increased by 10s up to 30.  We did the full circuit at 10s, did the “circle of fun”, then went to 15 (or 20s), and so on.  After we got to 20 (or 30s), we came back down for round 4.

Circle of fun = we sat in a circle with our feet in the middle and passed each of our bells around clockwise until your bell returned to you, then we went counterclockwise until your bell returned.  And for the record, there are some monster bells of 45lbs and up in this group – ouch!

Wrapped up with COT (prayers and praises which again, sadly I don’t remember…fail again).

Thanks for the opportunity Shatner and keep getting after it Naked and Afraid!!

Shady

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Milkshake Found and Not Found

Six pax posted for Milkshake with half rucking it.  The route and exercises are in the image below.

Through the walk I presented sayings/things that people generally think are from the Bible…but really are not.  These are:

The forbidden apple in the garden of Eden: Bible does not specify it was an apple.

Three wise men: there was three gifts…but the number of wise men is not specified.

A whale swallowed Jonah: Original translations say a “great fish”.

Money is the root of all evil: 1 Timothy 6:10 actually says that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

God works in mysterious ways: Isaiah 55:8-9 says that God’s ways are different from ours, not mysterious as U2 may want us to believe.

God helps those who help themselves: nope not there. Variations are proverbial statements in ancient Greek tragedies. The Quran (13:11) has something similar. An English politician gave us the exact wording, which Benjamin Franklin quotes in Poor Richard’s Almanac.

But these next sayings are FROM the Bible:

Escaping by the skin of your teeth: Job says he escaped with his life by the skin of his teeth in Job 19:20.

A house divided against itself cannot stand: not honest Abe but Jesus when rebuffing Pharisee charges that he was casting out demons because He was possessed Himself, Jesus uttered the phrase.

A drop in the bucket: To demonstrate the enormity of God, the prophet coins the phrase in Isaiah 40:15: “the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered as a speck of dust in the scales.”

Scapegoat: In the Old Testament, two goats were chosen for the Day of Atonement. One was sacrificed, but Leviticus 16:10 speaks of the scapegoat, which was released into the wilderness to carry away the sins of the people.

Writing is on the wall: No one knew what the writing on the wall in Daniel 5 meant, until God gave Daniel the interpretation that the kingdom would be taken away from the king.

Fini.

Milkshake route and exercises

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Sweep The Leg: Called in off the Bench to Close this one out!

Respect the Claves as started a few days early! Vuvu called me up to fill in and I happily accepted.

The Thang:

19 PAX emerged from the gloom at Sweep the Leg for a Monday morning kick in the teeth.

  • Mosey to the Baxter mushroom pool and do lunch walks until 6 arrives
    • Take a .5mi lap and then complete the reverse board of pain, dropping one exercise each round
    • 10 Dips x1
    • 10 Merkins x2
    • 10 Squats x3
    • 10 Big Boys x4
    • 10 Burpees x5
  • Back to COT with anywhere between 3-4mi and potentially 50 burpees

Cyclops got the Bundt cake prize

River Rat had the actual birthday

Shortstop prayed us out and it was surely a gift for sure!!

 

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Stealing from Metro

11 PAX on a crisp November morning

YHC got some influence one from one of the few backblasts written at F3-Metro’s Combine (Kettlebell and Sprinting) AO.

Warm-up
Run a big lap with unnecessary looping
Plank
– shoulder tap
– yoga
– mountain climber
– yoga
– peter parker
– yoga
– parker peter
Imperial Walker
Hillbilly Walker

Move with bells to parking lot
Line up from one island facing another

Ladder:

  • 5 manmakers
    -bear crawl to the next island and back
    KB Swings for the six
  • 5 manmakers
    5 goblet squats in cadence
    -bear crawl to the next island and back
    KB Swings for the six
  • 5 manmakers
    5 goblet squats in cadence
    10 upright rows in cadence
    -crawl bear to the next island and back
    KB Swings for the six
  • 5 manmakers
    5 goblet squats in cadence
    10 upright rows in cadence
    10 overhead presses in cadence

Move with bells to the farthest parking lot
Line up between one set of lights facing the other
We did an exercise with the bells and then sprinted to the other set of lights. At the other end, we did a descending count of merkins and sprinted back to our bells. So:

10 Merkins/Sprint/10 Alternating Lunges in cadence/Sprint back
9 Merkins / 5R & 5L Single Legged Dead-lifts
8 Merkins / 10 Sumo Squats
7 Merkins / 5 Manmakers, then 5 more
6 Merkins / 5R & 5L Snatches
5 Merkins / 5R & 5L Single arm overhead press
4 Merkins / 5 Lawnmower pulls each side, then 5 more, then 5 more
3 Merkins / 5 Goblet Squats in cadence
2 Merkins / 10 Swings
1 Merkin / 10 Overhead Presses

Move with bell back to COT

Flutters with press
Seated Yoga until 0600

Prayers:
Fathers that have passed recently
Those battling illness (COVID, Cancer)

NMM:
I sat on this backblast a bit and have lost my steam on a message. I remember an idea of checking in with your word of the year and how much of a struggle this year has been.

My word was Input. And I’ve been letting the world decide what my mental input is more often than deciding myself. There’s still days in the year left to get better…so let’s go work on it.


Band Camp dismissed

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