It was an honor to be asked by Maximus to Q a Beyond Workout and after many days of juggling other commitments on the calendar, we ended up at Laces In. Thank you Lil’ E for allowing us to move in on your territory on this date. This Q was not that difficult to build as I have had plenty of time to work on it. Also, this BackBlast is a little different with the NMM at the beginning. The rest is below.
I had previously asked the PAX to warmup before the start time. However, just in case there were some who showed up cold, we did a quick warmup with 5 Burpees & 20 SSH’s in Cadence.
Let’s Go Beyond!
NMM
I Cor. 15:58 ‘Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.’
In the age of trains and cars, but before automatic crossing gates, the incidence of trains and cars intersecting at the railroad crossing often delivered disastrous results. Drivers of cars never seemed to see the train coming. The continued disruption with trains and cars brought forth the creation of the crossing guard position. The crossing guard was in a shack by the railroad crossing 24/7, with the train schedule, a lantern and the task of being on the road, at the crossing, waving a lantern to warn cars that a train was coming through.
One dark and stormy night, even with a crossing guard on duty, another tragic crash occurred. A lawsuit was filed by the aggrieved party (car). Who was at fault in this tragedy? Was it the car? Train? Crossing guard?
As the lawsuit proceeded in court, the judge begins his line of questioning to the crossing guard, “Were you there that night?”
Under oath the crossing guard replies, “Yes.”
Continuing with his line of questioning, the judge continues, “Did you have your train schedule?”
To which the crossing guard replies, “Yes.”
“Were you standing in the road at the appropriate time waving your lantern?” asks the judge.
“Yes,” replies the crossing guard.
The judge rules and finds in favor of the railroad, no damages and they were not liable for the tragedy. Upon leaving the courtroom, a spectator hears the crossing guard say, “Whew, sure am glad they didn’t ask whether the lamp was lit.” Moral to the story, don’t forget to ask if the lamp was lit. The judge asked the crossing guard all kinds of questions, but he did not ask the obvious, “Was the lamp lit?”
As we go through life, we are given many opportunities to ‘wave our lanterns’. Opportunities at home, at church, at work, in the community, etc. As a Christian, I can carry my Bible, act morally, share with my F3 brothers, those at work and in my home. I can attend church and participate in all sorts of ministries through the it and outside of it. However, if I do all of these things without my lamp being consistently lit, I do them in vain.
The verse from I Corinthians says we should always abound in the work of the Lord. It does not say, when you are at work, abound; or when you are at a workout, abound; at church, abound. It says ALWAYS.
This is something I think about regularly. It is easy for me to be joyful with my F3 brothers, those at my church, and even those at work. It is also easy to discuss salvation and what it means to me.
However, I am not as consistent when it comes to my own home. We get on a good roll, but it always seems that busyness and life takes over, and the first thing that is affected is my joyfulness at home and good discussions on our faith. So, as I start each day, I ask God to grant me a day where I can be a light for him no matter where I am at or who I face, especially at home. I have to request this because I know I need his help.
Are you waving a lantern that is not lit today? Is your lamp lit in most places, but not in some? Where do you need to ask for help from God and your F3 brothers to help you keep your lamp lit consistently?
Always abound in the work of the Lord, and your work will not be in vain. Make sure you are not just waving your lantern. Make sure your lamp is consistently lit.
WARMUP
See above.
THE THANG
After the warmup YHC requested that the PAX perform 5 burpees. From that point to the end of the WO we performed 5 burpees at the beginning of each round of exercises and at the end, with the exception of a few.
We quickly moseyed over the the large parking lot where I requested that the PAX circle up and perform the following in cadence: Merkins, CDD’s, Alternating Lunges, and V-Ups.
We took another quick mosey another parking lot where we performed Wide Arm Merkins, Pike Presses, Low Slow Squats, and American Hammers.
We took another quick mosey another parking lot where we performed Diamond Merkins, Dips, Low Slow Jump Squats, and LBC’s.
We took another quick mosey another to the front of the stadium we performed Hand Release Merkins, CDD’s, Alternating Jump Lunges, & Big Boy SitUps.
Then we took a mosey over to the Stadium and a small wall where we performed: Irkins, Dips, Step-Ups, & Derkins.
Then we took a mosey back to the COT for some blast off merkins, squats, and big boy sit-ups while I discussed the NMM.
The burpees were the constant in everything and if I forgot them, the PAX reminded me we didn’t perform them. As we went through the workout and I had some time, which was limited, I spoke about the NMM while doing planks or Al Gore’s. The completion came at the end.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Read Your Newsletter.
Hurricane Florence Relief Efforts-Watch Twitter.
Sept. 29-6-Yr. Birthday Convergence at The Fort-0600.
Oct. 13-Poverty Simulation-0900-1200/First Baptist Church Fort Mill.
So today I had the privilege to Q at Tomahawk. After driving what seemed like a time i could have squeezed in a Lord of the Rings movie, I finally made it out to Doby’s Bridge Elementary. I’ll make the backblast short and sweet.
There was a warmup that consisted of the usual suspects: SSH, Windmills, Merkins, Peter Parkers…
The THANG consisted of three parts
Lunge walk with bell pass through. Lunge steps not in cadence but on my “Step!” and sprint when I say “Go!” This was broken up by burpees (everything was broken up by a few burpees), KB swings x20 and snatches x5 each arm.
Next was a DORA but one runs with your partners and your own bell to the end of the parking lot and back. Exercises were 100 Merkins, 100 LBCs, 100 squats
Last (I think) was mobility. Wide sumo squat and hold, left, right. Then work it out with a low slow quat in cadence. Superman hold to an overhead clap for shoulder mobility. Then work it out with some plank work: merkins, shoulder taps, 1 arm holds, 6 inches, mountain climbers.
Finish it with a few minutes of mary. Flutters with bell, protractor with bell, LBCs with bell.
This thing got started with a quick gathering to listen in to the disclaimer before we began the 45 min of activities planned. Short mosey from COT over to the band practice practice field for a warm up.
Warm up included:
40 SSH, 2 burpees
30 shoulder press, 2 burpees
25 Moroccan night club, 2 burpees
8 windmill, 2 burpees
15 squats, 2 burpees
10 hillbilly walkers, 2 burpees
quick leg stretches, honeymooners, and downward dog – then we took off to the next spot
Mosey’d over to the smaller parking lot in front of the school with the loop in front of the main entrance where YHC scooped up a parking cone and dropped it off about 80-100 yards from the front of the school. Next piece of fun ensued was as follows:
50% run from main entrance to cone, followed up by 5 burpees
50% run back to main entrance, followed by 10 bench step up’s each leg, and then 20 dips
Then repeat the above for round 2
75% run from main entrance to cone, followed up by 5 burpees
75% run back to main entrance, followed by 15 bench step up’s each leg, and then 25 dips
Repeat the above @ 75%
100% / all you got run from main entrance to cone, followed up by 5 burpees
100% / all you got run back to main entrance, followed by 20 bench step up’s each leg, and then 30 dips
Repeat the above @ 100%
In-between the 50-75% round and 75-100% round, YHC provided some words on “control”. While some of us are more controlling than others, we all have our control issues somewhere in our lives. Whether that be at home with the M and 2.0s, at work with co-workers or just the company in general, or trying to control and plan for a hurricane. In the end, we can only control ourselves, how we act, what words we use and choices we make, if we want to push ourselves during a workout, etc. When something like a hurricane comes along and we have no control, we can comfort our M’s and our 2.0s, but it’s really in God’s hands and we need to put our trust in Him.
Quick mosey back to COT (with the Laces Out PAX “stretching”) for some Mary, name-o-rama, announcements, prayers / praises, and ball of man. Also knocked out 42 burpees in total for #1000September !
I do this thing called The Tomahawk Test every 8 weeks at #TheTomahawk site. It’s all about making sure we are getting better/getting stronger. I encourage the pax to workout the same way they did the previous session…if you curled on your knee last time, curl on your knee this time. Seeing our reps increase is a good thing. Seeing them decrease is a weird thing that hopefully becomes a motivator to push harder. I brought it to #TheHive because we have different “regulars”. I believe only 1 person at this workout had done the #TomahawkTest before (DESTINY). Check out the image for how our workout went down. I have all the hard copies and will be sharing them with the pax individually, as well as keeping a digital copy for reference. Blasted 90’s Alternative while we tossed the iron around.
Just so we could get our burpees, I blasted Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping. 28 burpees (27 if you don’t follow my lead and do 1 as the song ends). We moseyed back to COT and did 6 more burpees so we all got our 33 in for the day. #1000burpees
Shout out to Tesh for the Q opportunity. I love it and consider it an honor. Prayers for our brothers on IR.
I’m sitting down to write this BB and literally can’t do what I challenged the PAX with at this morning’s BEYOND workout. Eliminate the distractions. Oh, what’s this text say, how about this tweet mention (can’t miss that), work email really needs my immediate response, man those kids left their cereal bowls on the counter, what time are we leaving today, etc, etc, etc. At times it can be funny but others, it can be really frustrating. I allow myself to continuously chase progress and other tasks rather than finding joy in where I am. It then leads to what you’ll read about later…burnout.
So there you have it, this BEYOND post will be focused on a struggle many of us face and that is running from joy, not finding joy where we are or honestly, not being a joy to spend time with. That latter one has been my challenge over these last several years because of those first two.
On to it. Car after car after car rolled into the Hive parking lot and you know the feeling, the feeling of way more cars than you were expecting. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, it gives you that kick in the pants, that extra motivation, that reminder of why you put your feet on the floor in the 4 o’clock hour. That’s what I was blessed to experience this beautiful morning as 33 other men, men that have pushed me over the years, men I’ve looked up to over the years, men who are about to bust it right along side me as we embark on something that typically looks better on paper. But that’s the idea, to push ourselves BEYOND our sense of normalcy both physically and mentally.
Funhouse escorted a group of 5 PAX for his killer initiative of RYAOA (T-claps on keeping that going) and the rest of us, 29 to be exact, circled up. After a quick explanation of BEYOND for the rookies and the search for any FNG’s, we discussed the plan with the weight, either Kettle Bell or Ruck…your choice. What I just realized, and to which nobody held be accountable, was that I forgot the all-important disclaimer. Men, never do that again. DO NOT START A WORKOUT WITHOUT A DISCLAIMER. You don’t have to be an attorney but verbalize the basics.
Starting on the curb nearest the tennis courts, run to the other side of the parking lot at 50% then 25% back. 10 Squats, 5 Burpee Broad Jumps then run to the other side at 75% then 25% back. 15 Diamond Merkins, 5 Burpee Broad Jumps then 100% to the other side followed by 100% back.
Switzer up for the first part of the discussion. I read the following definition: “Feeling of great pleasure & happiness.” After a few likely words were tossed out when I asked what word that defines, we got to the word of the day, JOY. I’m sure guys were wondering why in the world we’re talking about joy at an F3 workout, what kind of soft, starbucky-hands nonsense is this? That exact reason is the reason we’re discussing this word. It’s a word and feeling we don’t allow ourselves to enjoy often enough. There are people I enjoy being around and things I like doing but do I truly find joy in those situations? Said differently, do I enjoy being around those people or being in those moments and perhaps more importantly, do people find joy in being around me? Over these last few years, I’ve been operating like a hard-ass, focusing on task completion and moving from one thing to another. I can tell you, I’ve not been a joy to be around. While I was in it, I didn’t even realize it. How did I get here? Really, how do I get out of it?
That said, we split up into 4 groups, 1 for each corner of the large parking lot. In each corner, we did 10 Man Makers with your weight of choice. What varies is your mode of transportation between the corners.
Lunge walks with the weight overhead.
Bear crawl and transport the weight by any means necessary.
Reverse lunge walks with weight overhead or held out front. (This was definitely better on paper as many of us had to modify to a bear hugging of the weight.)
4 Kettle Bell swings or Ruck swings followed by 4 walking steps.
After 3 of these 4, time got away from me and I had to audible and bring the group back to the center of the lot. As mentioned before, us task-completers run from one half-baked focus to another and we rob ourselves of contentment and joy in the moment. After weeks, months or years of doing this, we inevitably get burned out. Very rarely does something positive come after this stage. However, here in the gloom of our Hive AO here, burn out means something different. I was hoping to have 15mins left at this point but as it was, we had 6 and only got part of the way (you see, I tried to fill the schedule with too much and didn’t complete what I intended). See the irony?
21 Curls in cadence (3ct down, 1 up)
21 Flutter Presses in cadence
21 LBC in cadence
15 Overhead presses in cadence (b/c I didn’t have what it took to get to 21)
Closeout: We have a hard time refocusing once something bad happens or if it’s not bad, just something that temporarily knocks us off our trajectory. Oddly enough, our kids do a better job of getting back on track than we do. If something negative happens to you during the course of the day, how quickly are you able to course-correct? Are you able to move on from a less-than-positive comment made about you and not let it affect the rest of your day? Watch your kids and take note. Watch them get in a disagreement with a sibling, maybe pout, then start playing or hanging out with them 1-2hrs later. Could you imagine what it’d be like if we dusted ourselves off and went back at it? There’s joy in overcoming.
Listening to a podcast yesterday where Rob O’Neill was being interviewed, he briefly touched on this by saying something that hit me like a 50lb Kettle Bell across the bridge of the nose. A little background, Mr. O’Neill is the Operator on Seal Team 6 who fired the shot that killed the most wanted terrorist of all time, OBL. I’ve been fascinated by our military and specifically, SF, for years and imagine how quickly they need to pivot on a decision and adjust to chart a new course. His comment was this when discussing attitudes, “Are you having a bad day or did you have a bad moment that you’re milking into a bad day.” Don’t shake that off, marinate on that for a while and it might just change how you respond in that next bad moment.
Tesh, I appreciate your willingness to let me run BEYOND at the Hive.
Men of F3, I’m humbled by your company this morning and every morning you allow me to state my hospital name, age and F3 name.
No man left behind but leave no man where you found him.
“I love when a plan comes together” Famous quote from ’80s TV series The A-Team. Here’s a brief description of the show, for you youngsters:
“In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… the A-Team.”
Why the reference? It was the first thought in my head when faced with finding a last minute Q and trying to coordinate the last week of the Iron Pax Challenge. The Challenge was originally scheduled to take place at the Pantheon, but it required pull-up bars so the location was changes to Fort Mill High School. No worries, Bolt and I worked it out. The plan came together.
Six men showed up for the workout. After the disclaimer, we ran around the car loop to the front of the school. Next, we performed the following dynamic leg exercises:
Butt Kickers
High Knees
Lunges
Soccer Circles
Next, we ran to the basketball court in the back of the school for COP.
SSH x 20
Imperial Walker x 20
Windmill x 10
Plank
Honeymooner
Parker Peter x 10
Downward Dog
Peter Parker x 10
Honeymooner
Mountain Climber x 10
Downward Dog
LBCs x 10
Flutter x 10
Next, we lined up on the baseline for several rounds of basketball sprints. Partner 1 performed the below exercises while Partner 2 ran sprints:
Merkins (Rinse and repeat)
Squats (Rinse and repeat) *Partner 2 – bear crawl to center court and back
Burpees (Rinse and repeat)
Plank hold (Rinse and repeat).
We finished up with a slow jog back to COT.
Announcements:
6th Annual Invergence – Sept 21st at 1730 Rush Pavillon
Prayers/Praises:
Schools back in session – prayers for students, teachers, administration, and parents
Woke up this morning to a cool breeze which helped me forget the stiffness I felt from my first post the day before at Clydesdale’s. 13 PAX showed up for the party and ready to work.
Disclaimer and off we went
Warm-ups
Mosey to large parking where we lined up at the closest curb. Facing the field, we started with Side-shuffles. Proceeded down to the light post and returned facing the opposite way. Then it was time for some carioca down, toy soldiers back, followed by some knee to chest walks.
Mosey to center of parking lot and circle up:
Windmill x15
Low-slow squat- x15
Shoulder claps- x30
Moroccan night club- x40
Happy Jacks (Bonsai’s favorite FYI)- 5 rounds – 5 SSH/2 squat jumps for each
Mountain Climbers- x15
Honeymooner into Downward Dog- repeat x1
Mosey to the parking lot towards the back near the football practice fields for some Light post work. Not exactly 4 -corners so I had to audible.
The Thang:
Partner-up- size did not matter. Each of the 4 light posts had 3 rounds of exercises on it. Between each exercise, PAX were to either sprint or bear crawl to the next light post, depending on distance. The 2 LP with the further distance carried a sprint, and the smaller ones the bear crawl. 2nd round of short distances carried a walk lunge, with the third alternating between bear crawls and walking lunges respectively.
Light Post 1
Merkins- x20
Burpees- x10
Wide-arm Merkins- x15
Light Post 2
Jump squats x10
Low slow x10
Calf raises x40
Light Post 3
Mountain Climbers x15
Plank Jacks x20
Ski Jumps x15
Light Post 4
LBC x30
Reverse Crunches x20
American Hammers x25 (cadence)
Once completed, PAX met in the middle for a short talk on “Presence.” I find this word to be one of the most relevant in our time as parents. Take the time each day, even if it is just 5 min. to talk to your M’s and your 2.0’s. Recommended “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters” again to the PAX as a great book for insight into your daughter’s development (Thanks again Pusher for the first Rec). PAX broke the circle and mosey to the next stop, small parking lot in the back.
Next up- a round of 7’s
PAX lined up on one of the lot and started with 1 dip. Bear crawl to the other side and complete 6 CDD. Run backwards to the starting spot and complete 2 dips. Continue this pattern until the PAX reach 6 dips and 1 CDD.
Unfortunately, I had to skip the pull-up work due to time. Next up was a mosey over to the wall at the school. Wall sits for a 10 second count for each of the 13 PAX. Recover for a ten count and then up for a little Ballz to the Walls. 20 count, recover for 10, and then up again. Recover.
Mosey back towards COT, stopping in the connection sidewalk between the two parking lots. Quick circle up for some SSH x 40. Mosey back towards COT to the curb where it all started at the far end of the lot. Line up and turn around facing the school. With 3 minutes to go, what better way to complete a strong finish then a round of suicides. Everyone pushed hard to the end. Mosey back to COT.
Quick round of Hello Dolly.
Announcements- read your newsletter
Prayers:
Teachers
M’s
Patience
Strength for our 2.0’s
Thanks Olaf for taking us out and Lil E for the opportunity!
Thanks PAX for the support and showing up for the party.
14 PAX arrived to a beautifully crisp August gloom.
Mosey around the parking lot, alternating with carioca, butt kickers, & high knees.
COP:
The Thang: a modified Super 21 sequence. We skipped the 21 reps of tricep extensions, but got the 21 LBCs in just under the wire (despite what Chicken Hawk’s clock might have said).
Naked Man Moleskin: Imposter Syndrome
I work as an academic and a musician. By outward measurements, I am successful (especially relative to the job market for musicians in academia at the moment…….). Yet I struggle with a few corrosively persistent thoughts:
“I just got lucky”
“I feel like a fake”
“I must not fail”
This is not unique in either of my fields (or perhaps any field?). In fact, I think some of these feelings continue to drive me to improve and grow. However, when our identity or self worth becomes intertwined so heavily with what we do (see also Mammon in the lexicon), life is out of sync/rhythm.
My desire to grow and develop as a professor and musician is a passion. Unfortunately I often become confused about my relationship with my work and who I am. My goal is to know that my identity is found in my Third F relationship with Christ. No……scratch that. This is something I already “know.” My goal is to consistently exhibit the presence of mind to remember where my identity is found. That if a performance or a class goes poorly, my relationship with my M, my 2.0s, or my prayer life doesn’t have to be affected in the slightest.
Thanks to Tesh for the opportunity to lead and the PAX of The Fort (plus Greenspan from Winston-Salem….this HIM is “Dash Strong”) for pushing me to be better.
141 Men came to show the Respectable**CSPAN** some Respect!!
He leaves The Fort and heads north or as Dredd refers to Yankee land. Not gone forever but just up the road 600 miles to start a new chapter in life and in F3 as he will launch F3Philly.
I am not the most eloquent with my back-blasts and I am usually to the point with posting the workout, add some words and being done, however since I can’t get Italian Job to write this up and Double D challenged the PAX to think of one word to represent CSAPN, I think that is the best way to document this convergence.
Thank you CSPAN for being all of these things and more to you r brothers in the PAX. As posted on Twitter and many of these were repeated multiple times:
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.
