May the 4th Be With You!

Date: 5.4.23

AO: #ao_dark_room
PAX: @Beaker @LeMond @Toto @Noodles
FNGs: 0
Q: @Noodles
Total: 4

WoR: Motivators x7, Tappy Taps x15, Batwings X15, Moroccan Night Clubs x15, R/L Calf Stretch

The Thang: Cinco de Cardio Circuit

PAX completed 2 Rounds of the following:

400 meters (2 laps around skating park lot)
10 Burpees
400 meters
20 Squat Jumps
400 meters
30 Box Jumps
400 meters
40 Mountain Climbers
400 meters
50 Rocky Balboas (2=1 count)

Moleskin: Don’t underestimate yourself. We are capable of doing more than we give ourselves credit for. Be gritty, welcome challenges and see them as an opportunity to continue shaping ourselves. Persevere. As some of us celebrate Cinco de Mayo, remember the history behind it. It’s become such a big part of American culture but we often just associate it with Margaritas and Tacos. The battle took place on 5/5/1862 in the city of Puebla between the Mexican Army and the French Army. The Mexican army was considered the inferior army yet defeated the much larger and experienced French army. The battle itself did not prevent French invasion but was the first battle in a war that Mexico would eventually win.

CoT: Prayers for @Toto’s M as she celebrates another year of life. We pray for many more years of celebration. Prayers for @LeMond’s father as he struggles with back issues. Bless the hands of the providers to be involved in his care. Prayers for patience, good communication and positive conflict resolution.

Everything’s Harder with a Hill

Date: 05/03/23
AO: #ao_tar_pit
PAX: @Big Mac @8-Track @The wet burrito @Tortuga @Panhandle @SAGA @Da Vinci @Jolly @Shiplap @Bloomer @Pool Boy @Blackout @DQ
FNGs: 0
Q: @DQ
Total: 13

WoR

  • SSH
  • Arm circles
  • Picking daisies

The Thang
PAX partnered up and headed to the spa. At the spa, one partner performed reps of the given exercises while the other ran down and back up the hill. The partnership performed the reps until they combined accumulated the target number. Each round concluded with a different exercise for picking up the six. Below were the exercises and reps completed for each round:

  • Round 1
    • Speed skaters – 100
    • Dive bombers – 50
    • Pick up the six: Pike Around the World
  • Round 2
    • Grave diggers – 100
    • Leg lifts to knee tucks – 100
    • Pick up the six: wall squats
  • Round 3
    • Side to side merkins – 100
    • Deep swimmers press – 50
    • Pick up the six: leg raises with coupon hold
  • Round 4
    • Big boy shoulder presses – 25
    • Alternating staggered pushups on coupon – 25
    • Pick up the six: heel overs

Round 4 had to be cut short due to time.

Moleskine
Distance creates distortion. Proximity creates perspective. The closer you are to people, the more accurately you understand them. The further you are, the more likely you are to have a distorted understanding of who they are.

CoT

  • Praise for @Tortuga’s daughter coming home and the work she’s done
  • Prayers for healing for @Pool Boy’s daughter, and for resilience for his family
  • Prayers for @Big Mac’s mom, her health, and wisdom/discernment for her doctors

Backblast: SAGA Beatdown SAGA – black diamond

Date: Tues, 05/02/23
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Shiplap @Panhandle @Jolly @Katniss @SAGA
FNGs: 0
Q: @SAGA
Total: 5

Conditions: a great day to sucker punch one’s self
Warm-Up: Goofballs, Mtn. Climbers, Merkins, Arm Circles, Sally (squats into merkins), EMOM for 5min: 35 side straddle hops + 8 burpees

The Thang: Redrum x3 // @ Cooties x3: 10 pullups, 20 merkins + 30 squats // lap back to Hoffa & rinse-repeat into x2…however SAGA decided that SAGA was doing too much and told him to toss some merlot and jolly about while various reps continued around him…one more lap & and a redrum to finish

COT: prayed for @Crack & family / @Gummi Bear and the addition of a 2.0 / @Tortuga’s 2.0 returning / @Aloha’s coming 2.0

Moleskin: You display what you obey; obedience is the showcase of what you trust.

Announcements: #2nd-f frivolity coming on Hale Street + Sat family beatdown to notice in #1st-f

Backblast: Moving slowly in a big circle

Date: 4/27/2023

AO: #ao_dark_room

PAX: @Captain Crunch, @Banks, @Shiplap, @Noodles, @Manhole, @Tarzan, @Beaker

FNGs: 0

Q: @Beaker

Total: 7

WOR

Motivators, ic, x7

Mountain climbers, ic, x15

Sn soldiers, ic, x15

Batwings, ic, x15

Pretzel arms, ic, x27

The Thang

We completed round of the following exercises clockwise around the 0.5 mi loop, waited for the 6 holding something and then moseyed back to the rear to move onto the next round.

All rounds were completed by performing multiples of the reps listed below, starting at 1 and ending at 8. For example, 1 mountain climber (2 is 1) and 4 bear crawls, followed by 2 mountain climbers and 8 bear crawls, all the way to 8 mountain climbers and 32 bear crawls.

The rounds:

Mountain bears

– 1 mountain climber (2 is 1) and 4 bear crawls. Plank for the 6.

Dan Taylors

– 1 squat and 4 lunges (1 is 1). Al Gore for the 6.

Crab dip

– 1 dip and 4 crab walks. Plank for the 6 (EC for a reverse plank.)

Broadbees

– 1 burpee and 2 broad jumps. Al Gore for the 6 (Jolly for the 6 for Captain and Shippy)

Flat tires

– 1 partner derkin followed by 4 wheelbarrows. There was no 6.

Broadbees are hard. Crab dips cause complaining. We never got to duck humpers. With that, I am pleased.

45 seconds of plank at the flag, just to induce some grumbling. It worked.

Moleskin

To honor @Sparrow’s moleskin challenge:

An important concept that I think about is the importance of naming. When we receive a name, we are given and identity and a mission. Our identity is giving to us. It is not something we can earn, or even change. Our mission is something we are called to. We can live up to it, we can fail to live up to it, but it doesn’t change our identity.

One example of this in my life is fatherhood. On April 7, 2013, I was named "father", and I will be a father for the rest of my life. My mission is to lead my children as a father. Somedays I live into that mission, others I do not live into it nearly enough. However, regardless of my performance in my mission, I cannot change that I am a father. I can, at worst, be a terrible father, but not a non-father.

I received my most important name in my baptism, wherein I was named "son of God". All of us in this circle who are Christians are so named. Remember that this naming was God’s doing, and as such, He gave you an identity and a mission. This identity was given to you by God, not by yourself, and your performance in your mission, or lack thereof, does not strengthen nor weaken your identity as a son of God. Therefore, you are freed to live your mission as a son of God without restriction or fear.

When you live your mission fully, excellent! When you live it poorly, return to your name and remember that your identity is held in Christ, freeing you to live your mission again. Therefore, go forth today remembering your identity as father and as son of God and live into each of those callings in one way today more than you did yesterday, secure in your name(s).

COT

YHC forgot a bunch, so let me simply note that we are all lifting up @Crack and his family right now and leave it at that.

Backblast: Prisoner Cell Workout

Date: 4/26/2023
AO: #ao_tar_pit
PAX: @Shiplap, @SAGA, @T-bone, @Da Vinci, @Tortuga, @Panhandle, @Pool Boy, @DQ, @LeMond
FNGs: 0
Q: @LeMond
Total: 9

* Warmorama
o SSHs
o Frankensteins: arm to opposite leg
o Windmills
o Arm circles, overhead claps
* Thang 1
o No surrender: 25 reps
o Prisoner Guardian Run around track: 1 round or have everyone go twice.
o Crowd Pleaser: pyramid to 5 in cell
* Thang 2
o Mike Tyson squat workout with card deck
o Deal out cards.
o 7s with PCMB (Prisoner Cell Merkin Burpees) and V-Ups.
o 20 high-knees, 20 mountain climbers in between
* Thang 3:
o Traveling SSHs
o Prisoner Get ups: 10 OYO
o Failure to launch
o Protractor
* Mary:
o Absolutions
o Protractor
o Freddie Mercury
* Notes:
o Q forgot how to do Absolutions, which are an 8-COUNT exercise:
o Combination of a Groiner, Mahktar N’ Diayes, and Chilly Jack, done on an 8-count cadence. An awesome core and upper body workout that is both the solution to flabby abs, and a reason to beg absolution for your sins. Start in plank position and perform a single Groiner (cadence “1” jump feet forward, “2” jump feet back), then Mahktar N’ Diayes to Chillcut position (cadence “3” & “4” with drop to each elbow), then Chilly Jack (cadence “5” feet out, “6” feet together), and finally Mahktar N’ Diayes to plank starting position (cadence “7” and “ONE, TWO, etc.”
* Moleskin:
o Who am I?
o I think of Saint Joseph.
o I’ve heard it said that when you have your principles in life worked out, decision making comes more naturally.

DQ thought 1 yard = 12 feet

Date: 04/25/23
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Pool Boy @Big Mac @Blackout @Stock boy @LeMond @Da Vinci @DQ
FNGs: 0
Q: @DQ
Total: 7

WoR

  • SSH
  • Goofballs
  • Picking daisies

The Thang
Started off with a brisk jog around the short loop of the path that starts and ends at the parking lot. The PAX then made their way around the loop with the follow lamp post based workout. At each lamp post, PAX completed:

  • 5 thrusters
  • 10 deadlifts
  • 15 coupon swings
  • leave coupons. lunge to the next lamp post, jog back to coupons
  • sprint the distance of two lamp posts, jog back to coupons
  • Rifle carry / farmer carry coupon to the next lamp post
  • Repeat at the next lamp post

That ended up being way too much work to finish the loop on time… because YHC made the gaff of thinking 1 yard = 12 feet, leading to the belief that the lamp posts were only 11 yards apart after seeing on google maps they’re about 130 feet apart. The PAX quickly cut out lunging to a lamp post, and only sprinted the distance to the next lamp post, instead of two lamp posts. Suffice it to say… whoops.

Moleskine
Spend time with Jesus to nurture your relationship with him. I’ve felt distant from Jesus, despite focusing my time and energy on forming my life around him. Looking at these layers of my life:

  • I can talk about my passion for F3
  • I can talk about my passion for my young families group
  • I can talk about my passion for my church
  • I can even talk about my passion for scripture. It truly is sweet as honey to me.
  • But at the root of all these things, I can’t off the cuff share my passion for and relationship with Jesus

So that was a red flag, and something I’m working on. As @SAGA shared with me, sometimes you just need to date God. Just like I need to date my wife so our relationship isn’t just a business partnership in life, I need to date God. Just sit and be with him.

CoT

  • Prayers for @Crack’s sister and sister in law as they go through their struggles with health and with grief, and processing the anger and frustration that follows.
  • Prayers for healing for @Pool Boy’s daughter Naomi, and for resilience for his family
  • Prayers for @Big Mac’s mom and her recent heart concerns, that she remains in good health and this is nothing more than a short-lived scare

Backblast: Movement on a Dark Path

Date: 4/20/2023
AO: #ao_dark_room
PAX: @Captain Crunch, @Crack, @Noodles, @Toto, @Tarzan, @Beaker, @LeMond
FNGs: 0
Q: @LeMond
Total: 7

* Warmorama: 5 mins
o SSHs
o Imperial Squat Walkers
o Windmills
o Arm circles, overhead claps
o Mountain climbers
* Coupon movement on a mile-long route through the park.
o Stop every 3 minutes for coupon work.
o First stop:
* Ferris wheels, 10 in each direction
* Elf on a shelf, 10 on each side
o Second stop:
* Coupon pass between partners
o Third stop:
* Coupon press up and pass behind back, 10 in each direction
o Fourth stop:
* BJO: Burpee block jump overs
* Leg raises holding coupon over chest.
o Fifth stop:
* Ferris wheels, 10 in each direction
* Elf on a shelf, 10 on each side.
* Moleskin
Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
* Q read this passage because he had been feeling weak recently and needed the rely on the Lord for strength.
* Prayers for @Crack, his M, and his sister in their transition stage.
* Thank you to @Captain Crunch for calling out the Q for not keeping to the 3 minute timer.

Backblast: Run South

Date: 4/21/2023

AO: #ao_ground_zero
PAX: @Hershey, @Toto, @Da Vinci, @Topham, @Bloomer, @Shiplap, @Jolly, @Tortuga, @Cheese, @TBTF, @Banks, @LeMond, @Stock boy, @Panhandle, @Sally, @Blackout, @Beaker, @DQ, @Pool Boy, @SAGA, @Hancock
FNGs: 0
Q: @Hancock
Total: 21

WoR: SSH without the Q. Q showed up late and led more SSH. Stretch OYO.

The thang: we ran south, then came back.

Moleskin:

I knew I wanted to share a moleskin on brotherhood in response to @Sparrow’s moleskin challenge, but just could not find the words. My M suggested I think back on what the F3 brothers have done for me. This is what came to mind:

That @Sparrow welcomed me in and made sure that someone included me on the conversation.

That @Da Vinci captured my imagination with the Northwest Passage workout and made me want to learn.

That my kids wouldn’t talk to me, through my own actions, but @Panhandle prayed for me. They love me and talk to me today. All of them.

That @SAGA prayed and cared for my family during that same rough season.

That @Captain Crunch didn’t leave me alone as the 6 when I was slow.

That @Archive took over reps for me when I was weak and not strong enough yet.

That @Beaker remembered me from our history together and never let me feel like a newbie.

That @Crack inspired me to reach for being more, not being less.

That @Shiplap challenged me and made me feel stronger. Or really, really sore. Or both.

That I love seeing @Maniac come out with us.

Brotherhood is not just the things we actively do, but it’s also the environment we build. I didn’t learn to have the confidence to say “you should hire me” to the boss’s face in an interview because I was taught to say that. I didn’t learn great leadership skills outright, properly, from a brother. But, seeing you all every week, and having our brotherhood together, encouraged that to come out in me. Don’t take for granted what we have.

CoT: Prayer’s for @Crack’s sister-in-law and sister, for @Blackout’s friend having heart surgery soon, and for @Majorette’s obnoxiously long bike ride journey.

Coupons and Frisbee

Date: 4.22.23
AO: ao_tar_pit
PAX: Panhandle, T-bone, Pool Boy, Archive, LeMond, Spokes, Shiplap, Banks, Tortuga, Gummi Bear, Hershey, Jolly, Gold Bond, DQ, Noodles
FNGs: 0
Q: Noodles
Total: 15

After a night of confusion and Jolly hijacking my Q, we met at Tarpit for our warmup before peeling off to Ackerman for our beatdown and frisbee. #MakeAckermanItsOwnAO

WoR: Motivators x7, Goofballs x15, Ballerina Toe Squats x15, Picking Daisies OYO

Thang 1: Frisbee for the majority

Thang 2: Dan Taylors x8 – Group of 3 remained to put in coupon work

Thang 3: Greta

Planted flags at about 30 yards out.

150 Kettlebell Swings
250 Overhead Presses
350 Goblet Squats

2 PAX began with Kettlebells on one count. No combined reps. The other PAX began with Bears and Blocks out to the flag. Pistol carry back to starting point. Switch, PAX picks up count until Kettlebells are done. Other 2 PAX do Bears and Blocks. Jump into Overhead Presses and then on to Goblet Squats.

CoT: Prayers for the Whetherington family in this difficult season. Give them peace and grant them strength as they mourn the passing of Baby Taylor.

Moleskin: One definition of nest – a person’s snug or secluded retreat or shelter. Find your nest and spend time with God.

Backblast: Fun With Coupons

Date: 4/15/2023
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @T-bone (respect) @Tortuga (respect) @Doublemint (respect) @Hancock@Blackout@Captain Crunch@Jailbreak@The wet burrito@Short Circuit@Stock boy@Wide Right@TBTF (QIC)
FNGs: 0
Q: @TBTF
Total: 12Warm-O-Rama:
– SSH x50 IC
– TBone burpees x10 OYO
– Copperhead Merkins x10IC
– Good mornings x10 OYO
– Abe Vegodas x10 IC (nice and slow)
– Stretch as needed/Michael Phelps it out OYOThang 1 – Using Hoffa – 5 rounds
– 25 coupon curls at bottom
– Bear Crawl/Bunny Hop/Broad Jump/Lunge/Sprint to top – switch mode of travel for each round
– 10 burpees at the top each time
– mosey down for next round
– when your done Murder Bunny for the six
– recovery jog around the baseball diamondThang 2 – Coupon Work
– Shoulder Press x25; hold in rifle carry for the six
– Chest Press x25 + Decline Merkin x25, hold plank for the six
– BBSU x25, hold boat for the six
– Squats x25, hold Al Gore for the six
– recovery jog around the baseball diamondRace to the top of Hoffa6MOM – top of Hoffa – Ring of fire styleMoleskin – Keep perspective and don’t sweat the small stuff (easier said than done)CoT – Crack’s sister and her recovery, Jailbreak’s Dad working through a medical issue, be with SAGA as he remembers his Mom on the anniversary of her passing