We had 16 pax brave the weather which ended up not being an issue. After a brief intro and disclaimer we took a short mosey to the first carport at church #1. Broga was the warmup for our first stop. The pax was introduced to cat call and pigeon stretches. Another mosey on to the second carport behind FBC. We continued broga with some more leg stretches and arm stretches. Mulble chatter was becoming an issue so I threw in set of burpees. It got quiet quick. Mosey to our next stop at the upper parking lot of COG. A couple of more warmup sets with merkins and peter parkers. Finished up the broga with some upward dogs and walked the dog. More burpees then our final mosey to the meat and potatoes.
Before diving in pax got a short switzer on #getinthegame. Referred back to the invergence and the service opportunities with CAH, paradise GFit and reading opportunities. Find out your spiritual gifts and put them into action.
On to the main event. A couple of rounds of 1/2 parking lot of toy soldiers, knee grabs and lunges then run the other have of lot and back. I asked pin up if he cracked a sweat yet. He said no. Wrong answer. Ran the whole lot that time up and back. Not much chatter after that.
We did a pax choice DORA. 100 Merkins, 200 Moroccan night clubs, 300 LBC’s and 400 squats. The Pax partnered up and alternated run across parking lot while partner worked on exercise. By the time we got to the squats we had to call an Omaha. Ended up doing 200 squats and 200 monkey humpers. More burpees in there somewhere.
Mosey back to COT for a little mary and wrapped up the burpees. Ended up with 33 in total.
Thanks Beacon for the opportunity. Always a good group at Footloose!
Amazing weather morning for a F3 gathering …
Weather was perfect, humidity was bearable and the Pax showed up eager to get better. NoFNG’s Disclaimer : Mosey for warmup
Circle up for the following IC:
Side straddle Hop 15x
Imperial Walkers 10x
Mtn Climbers 10x
LBC’s 10x
Hillbillie Walkers 10x
Moroccan Nightclub 15x
Merkins 10x
Plank Jack 10x
Windmills 10x
2 Burpees (OYO) closed us out
Mosey :
Explained Theme and Goals for the workout : GET in the Game: “Look for opportunities that are presented! Specifically, the people you intersect within your life…..”
Partner up! Accountability and Opportunity to GET Better.
Proverbs 27:17. As Iron sharpens Iron, so a Friend sharpens a Friend.
Partner UP for accountability.
Explained to PAX , I joined F3 in September 2015 : My fitness, spiritual and fellowship commitments are so much stronger over the past 3 years than in my previous 40 years on this earth, I am blessed !
The THANG: Partner up!
10x reps : 2 sets Partner Derkins :
Partner 1 planks : Partner 2 Derkins Partner Leg Raises ( Iron Crosses)
Partner 1 Assists / counts
Partner 2 : (on six) raises legs to touch hands of partner one :
Jog to other side of parking lot : Partner Merkins : hand slap Merkins
Jog back to start : Partner 2 completes reps and sets
Mosey for Round 2 and 3 :
Round 2 : Partner up! Combined total 100 Merkins :
Rotate every (20) : Partner 2 planks
200 Flutter Kicks :
Rotate every (25) Partner: Al Gore
300 Squats:
Rotate every (30) Partner : Plank
Round 3 : Line up on the curb (plenty of room located for all 21 pax…)
Toe Taps : while each pax jumps out of line for 2 burps ( start at one end and move to other : modified for each end to start and meet in the middle)
Once completed : Circle up Body destroyer : while 2 pax met in middle of circle for 2 burpees.
Finished with round of Mary :
COT : 21 Pax : Announcements/Prayers for Hurricane Florence recovery and First Responders along with all volunteers heading over the coast to assist with recovery.
Very Blessed for the Opportunity to Q
Thank you to Beacon!!!
18 assembled this morning for some bells (6) and #Beyond (12). YHC decided to change things up slightly. We did the Name-a-Rama first. Read on to see why.
NMM
You’ll also note that I’m posting the Naked Man Moleskin before the workout. Sometimes the message is more important than the workout. Today was one of those days. #Beyond is designed to take you out of your comfort zone and push buttons we would rather leave untouched. Today’s discussion was on depression.
Some facts:
There are 123 suicides in America every day
The highest suicide rate is adult males between the ages of 40 and 54
White males accounted for 7 out of every 10 suicides in 2016
These sobering statistics spoke to me because our PAX fit right in the sweet spot of these ranges. The average age this morning was 44 – right in the thick of these numbers. Depression effects men in different ways. This group is sandwiched in between the traditional silent, strong fathers who went to work and provided for their families and the more progressive, open generations of their sons who share parenting duties and aren’t always the breadwinners of the household. Many men never mastered either of these roles and now feel lost. We’ve married capable women who take care of everything from the children to the social agenda, leaving men to feel a void of purpose. Around this age, men look around at their neighbors and ask, “why am I not as successful as my neighbor?” Outside of our homes, we are lonely. We’ve lost track of our college buddies and only connect with our co-workers on a water cooler level. We feel like we haven’t accomplished enough. For all intents and purposes, men in their mid-40s often feel neutered – unable to provide the ways their dads did and unwilling or unprepared to be Mr. Mom to their older children. To make matters worse, a job loss or divorce often leads these men into a downward spiral of addiction and despair. Chances are, you’ve felt this way or know someone who does. It becomes our responsibility to reach out to these men and invite them into a brotherhood of love. Medical professionals recommend a few steps to battle depression. I added number 5:
Seek social support
Support your health (get enough sleep, control stress, and go outside)
Exercise
Eat Healthy
Give your concerns to God
All of these are incorporated into what we do each morning at F3. Social support comes in the form of other men who are battling or have battled this demon themselves. To me, its finding blades and stones to sharpen each other. It’s the second F – Fellowship. Doctors recommend finding outlets to blow off steam, exercising and getting outside. How else better than exercising outside in the elements pushing past pain with your brothers in the Gloom? This is the first F – Fitness. Finally, acknowledging that there is a higher being that loves you and wants what is best for you. Rather than telling God how big your problems are, tell your problem how big your God is. This is the third F – Faith.
I realized that the reason F3 is growing is because it is the answer to the question we never knew we had. It is the antidote to society’s poison of depression. We all struggle, from project managers to pastors. We all battle life. Why not surround yourself with guys who can build the 3 Fs right beside you? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says it best: “Two are better than one because they have good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, the other can help them up. But pity anyone who falls and has no other to help them up. Also if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Interpret those three strands however you wish. I like to think of them as me, God, and my brothers. That dream team can win any fight. Grab your shield and suit up, we’ve got a battle to wage.
The Thang
Mosey to the front of the church
Hold the Plank for the duration of Disturbed “Sound of Silence”
Listen to the lyrics. Acknowledge that many men battle depression in silence. We weren’t made to fight alone.