6.21.21 — Ruck Day Classic

After a surprisingly eventful night of severe weather, the midsummer dawn arrived serenely as 14 PAX (Banks, Big Mac, Shiplap, Da Vinci, Jolly, Panhandle, Dr. Phil, SAGA, Noodles, Cookies, Getaway/Babysitter(disambiguation?), Reels, Babe, Captain Crunch(QIC)) arrived groggy but ready for their weekly dose of monday. 2 Runners, 5 Ruckers, and 7 Murphers.

After a warm-up:
– 10 Mountain Man Poopers
– 10 Goofballs
– 10 Abe Vigodas
– Arm Circles OYO
Ruck Crew got a treated to a classic Crunch prayer-walk:
– Merkin Mile (Mile Loop, 25 Ruck Merkins on the quarters)
– A brief stop at Rucker Point to lift up those who will find there way to F3 Wheaton in the future.
– Thruster Mile (Mile Loop, 10 Thrusters on the quarters)

COR/NOR/COT: prayers for Banks’ son, heading to camp for the first time — for Panhandle’s son off to the Dominican Republic on a missions trip — for Tortuga, DBC and other PAX travelling or soon to be travelling — for Cookies’ M’s friend and her many struggles — for those who walk alone and need F3 in their life

MOLESKIN: It was easy to see and feel the difference of time from 2018 to now. I am grateful for the impulse to pray for unknown PAX during those months, and overjoyed at the current form of Mondays.

Sparrow’s Intro to Old Testament

This workout was designed so that someday, somewhere, a man would make an intelligent comment about the Old Testament, and get some raised eyebrows from those around him. “How would you know anything about that?” they ask incredulously. “Well, you see, I one time did this workout…

“Motivators”, which were actually side straddle hops.
Tap-y-Taps.
Calf stretches.
Mountain man poopers
etc.

The Creation of the Universe


1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.


Hold Superman like you’re hovering over the face of the waters.
Progress to Al Gore
God makes man: Man Makers X 10

The Garden of Eden

Calf raises around the garden. Eye to eye with your fellow PAX, enjoying relationship and a non-stressful exercise. Pass an apple from PAX to PAX until somebody succumbs to temptation and bites the apple.

The Fall of Man

Saga bites the apple. All hell breaks loose. 10 burpees.

Noah’s Flood

Pax pair up and complete 100 merkins and 100 squats together, then choose an animal and do that crawl up the hill, two-by-two. Circle up at the top of the hill to form an ark, then do flutter kicks and leg raises. The ark lands on Mt. Ararat.

The Tower of Babel

“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, … And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower… and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” PAX TOWER/Human Pyramid.

Call of Abraham

God calls Abraham to leave his home. Abraham follows God. Abraham believes God’s promise even though in his own lifetime he didn’t see all of it fulfilled. The promise was true, and Abraham became a mighty nation. AMRAP Big boy situps 2 Minutes.


We give Isaac a miss.

Jacob and Esau

Jacob grasped the heal, we do one set of pull ups, your personal max. God renamed Jacob into “Israel” Jacob had 12 sons, who became the 12 tribes of israel. One of them was Joseph.

Joseph and the Coat of many Colors

Chest presses while we learned that Joseph was enslaved by his brothers. God had a plan for Joseph to be the leader of Egypt, a savior of his people, and the training ground for all of that was slavery and prison. Joseph saved his family by storing up grain before the entire world got hit by a famine.

Slavery in Egypt

Joseph’s family (Israel and his sons) were saved by traveling to Egypt and getting fed, but eventually things took a turn for the worse. Pharaoh enslaved the Jews. They spent their time making bricks. The PAX did 20 grave diggers, then a rifle carry up hoffa.

Exodus: Let my people go

God gives Moses a special upbringing and leadership training, and then tells him to go talk to Pharaoh. Moses complains, but it turns out God was right. Moses tells Pharaoh that God says “let my people go.” During the 10 plagues, God told his people to paint their doorways with the blood of a lamb, so that the angel of death would pass over their house. That sounds strange, but Christians also believe that the blood of Jesus is also able to spare us from death. PAX do squat thrusters reminiscent of painting an overhead doorway.
After 10 plagues and the death of his son, Pharaoh lets them go.

10 commandments

God gives Moses the 10 commandments while they are in the desert. Pax do 10 block merkins (later in the workout).

Wandering in the wilderness

God’s people make it right up to the edge of the promised land, but they refused to obey God and go into it, so he told them they could wander for a while (40 years) while they thought about it. PAX go for a fast jog (a fog) with an emphasis on picking up the 6, which creates the sensation of wandering.

Promised Land

PAX enter the promised land and enjoy some much needed rest.

moleskin

The Old Testament is a beautifully written collection of history, poetry and prophecy. It tells the story of a God who desires relationship with us. If you find yourself asking “Why God?”, read the Old Testament and ask yourself “Why People?” People do some silly things, and God keeps moving towards us in relationship.

COT. Prayers.

You Do You Monday

Backblast, 6/14/21, AO Mastodon

20 HIM gathered for a do your thing beatdown.

WOR: Tappy Taps, Goofballs, Michael Phelps, Arm circles, Copperhead Merkins.

We then broke off into three groups: run, ruck, Murph. I joined the Murph. Dr. Phil also joined the Murph thinking it was the run. HA!

Good Murph.

NOR:

Ruck: Shiplap, Jailbreak, Archive, Babe, Reels

Run: Cheese, DaVinci, Aloha

Murph: Hotbox, Katniss, Sparrow, Jolly, Whittler, Panhandle, Heist, Dr. Phil, Noodles, Tortuga (Q), Saga, Bloomer

COT: Praise for Noodles’ three job offers, Babe and family doing great with new baby. Prayers for Noodles’ M going through some depression, Jailbreak’s friend, Tim, had a stroke, Dr. Phil is getting back to F3 after mourning his brother’s death.

Moleskin: Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for him. We are called to love our wives sacrificially. We can’t do it on our own. That’s why God sent Jesus and equips us with the Holy Spirit.

Backblast – Saturday, 6/12/21 – AO Tarpit – “You’ve been served”

WOR- In cadence- Batwings, stretch, split into two groups, give each group a volleyball and see how many volleys each group can do without the ball touching the ground. After each hit do some burpees (1, 2 or 3). This did not work well.

Mosey via Indian run to Ackerman Park Volleyball Court.

With the two teams from earlier play volleyball, but after each time touching the ball do a burpee and if your team loses a point do two.

Mosey back to the flag, do some Mary.

Moleskin – So much glory in the mundane, don’t miss it.

Prayer

14 PAX came out – @Sparrow @Beaker @Panhandle @Draper(respect) @Hotbox @Tortuga(respect) @Heist @SAGA @Shiplap (Happy Birthday) @Cheese(respect) @Cookies @Jolly @Katniss @Big Mac

BACKBLAST: Tues 6.15.21 “SAGA Is A Four Letter Word” @ AO Mastodon

WOR: Birthbees / Tappy Taps / Mt Climbers

THANG 1: Manrise for beauty and bros

10 burpees at top of Hoffa to take in the view of the AO (call out to 3rd-F)

Mosey to lamppost by parking lot

THANG 2: 11s – SAGA rhymes with MABA (a bit of January in June!)

At the lamppost we divided into three teams – goal was to stay together as a whole PAX: call out to 2nd-F)

10 squats + 1 burpee

9 squats + 2 burpees

8 squats + 3 burpees…until 1 & 10)

10 merkins in cadence

THANG 3: Sometimes you are on your own

Race to the bottom of Hoffa while trying to catch SAGA on his scooter (shoutout to @Sparrow @Gummi Bear @Hotbox)

LBCs in cadence

THANG 4: more 11s up and down Hoffa—SAGA is a synonym for PAIN

10 squats at base + 1 burpee at top

9 squats at base + 2 burpees at top

8 squats at base + 3 burpees at top…until 1 & 10

Flutter Kicks on top of Hoffa in cadence

Mosey to base of Hoffa…

THANG 5: Ring of fire—descent into HELL

In a circle, all PAX doing burpees while the Q begins with 20 squats and goes into burpees and passes squats to the next PAX who does 20 squats and so on around the circle…push ‘til the end, hit that wall and go over it…

10 merkins to show you still got some in you

THANG 6: Manrise to top of Hoffa—we’re all in this together #F3

10 burpees

American Hammers in cadence

Mosey to flags

CoR/NoR/Cot: 18 PAX in attendance: @Aloha @Beaker @Bloomer @BOGO @Captian Crunch @Cheese (respect) @Crack @Da Vinci @Gummi Bear @Hotbox @Jolly @Panda Express @SAGA (Q) @Sherpa @Shiplap @Sparrow @T-Bone (respect) @Whittler

Prayers for @Tortuga’s travel and his M, @Whittler and decisions about work, @Gummi Bear’s sister Lindy and her recent move

MOLESKIN: You can do hard things and you can do even more hard things when you’re with a PAX. The gift of F3 in fitness, fellowship, & faith—we never travel alone when we travel with the PAX—so much for which to give thanks…

“Squats and Other Stuff” – AO Mastodon, June 12, 2021

10 PAX showed up on a humid Saturday morning to find out if we could actually do “just” squats. Mumblechatter earlier in the week got YHC thinking. Recently we have gotten into the habit of doing exercises like “Mucho-lego” that include the squat, but aren’t just squats.

Warm-o-Rama:
Side-straddle hops – IC 25
Tappy Taps – IC 10
Abe Vigodas – IC 10
Merkins – IC 10
Mountain Man Poopers – IC 10
Arm Circles – IC 10 each small forward, small reverse, big reverse, big forward
Michael Phelps – OYO

We started with a mosey around the short loop, finishing at the base of Hoffa.

Thang 1: 11’s on the hill (Heartbreak 11’s?)
The PAX lined up across the the base of Hoffa. Exercises were air squats at the bottom, merkins at the top, starting with 10 squats, 1 merkin, and working to 1 squat, 10 merkins.

Due to the heat/humidity, YHC called an audible on the plans, and we headed to the shade.

Thang 2: Pain Stations
The PAX split into 3 groups. Group 1 headed to the COOTIES, group 2 headed to the swings, and group 3 headed to the SHOP.
Rounds 1&2: Pull-ups (10 ea), Atomic Merkins (20 ea), picnic table presses (15 ea)
Rounds 3&4: Dips (20 ea), Big Boy Sit-ups (20 ea), Picnic Table step-ups (20 ea)

The PAX then retraced their steps back around the short loop to the flag for some Ring of Fire

Each PAX chose an exercise, performed 1 rep. Going around the circle, each PAX then increased the rep count by 1 until it came back to the original PAX, who finished with 10 reps.
K-Pop – merkins
Wet Burrito – flutter kicks (4 count)
Reels – Big Boy Situps
SAGA – Burpees (modified to AMRAP, start after the previous PAX has completed 1 rep)
Bloomer – Squats
Da Vinci – LBCs (SAGA style)
Jailbreak – mountain climbers

COT – Crash, Jailbreak, Da Vinci, Bloomer, SAGA, Reels (FNG), Wet Burrito, K-Pop, Crack (Q)

6.10.21 AO Mastodon – 5 Alive Reprisal!

It was another beautiful morning at the AO, 70 degrees and humid! 15 PAX (Aloha, Banks, Beaker, Bloomer, BOGO, Crack, DaVinci, Hotbox, Jolly, Katniss, Little Debbie (DR from Tennessee), Panda Express, Shiplap, Sparrow, Tortuga) came out to see what they were made of when they were asked the question, “Can you do 5 of anything?” Most PAX knew what was coming, but that didn’t stop them from coming out to do the hard thing this morning!

Warm-O-Rama: The Usual

  • 7x Motivators
  • 15x Mountain Man Poopers IC
  • Stretch OYO as YHC explained the thang

The Thang: 5 Alive!

The PAX would start out on the path and mosey around the AO stopping at each light pole adding 1 rep each time. There was a wrinkle thrown in that while crossing every bridge, your feet had to be on the hand rails and you had to cross on your hands. The first light pole was 1 burpee, 2nd = 2 burpees, and so on until the 6th light pole where it was 5 burpees and 1 Merkin. The Merkin count increased until the 11th light pole where is was 5 burpees, 5 Merkins, and 1 Star Jump. The Star Jumps Progressed until the 16th Light pole where Dive Bombers were added into the mix. At the 21st Light pole Mucho Leggo was added. At the 25th light pole, all PAX completed 5 burpees, 5 Merkins, 5 Star Jumps, 5 Dive Bombers, and 5 Mucho Leggos. All PAX finished around 35 minutes, and some were under 30 minutes to completion! For those of you keeping count, this results in the following:

  • 115 burpees
  • 90 Merkins
  • 65 Star Jumps
  • 40 Dive Bombers
  • 15 Mucho Leggos

We then moseyed to the hill and completed 3 sprints to the top! (We ran out of time, so we weren’t able to get to the magic number of 5…)

COR/NOR/COT:

Archive came and joined us for coffee. Thankful for this group and how we accelerate each other, remember:

  • Acceleration requires daily commitment
  • The decision to accelerate is done in solitude, but the act of accelerating is done in multitude
  • Acceleration only requires movement today that is marginally faster than yesterday

Prayers for Archive’s fingers, Babe and his M and new 2.0, DBC, and for all of us to have a strong finish to the week.

FrisFall

The PAX: @bloomer, @banks, @tortuga, @wetburrito, @binford, @TBTF, @Jolly, @bigmac @milkduds, @whittler, @aloha, @shiplap, @panhandle, @katniss, @davinci (Q)

Warmorama: Side straddle hops during Kook and the Gang’s Celebration with Burpee at the word “Celebrate.” Arm circles, Tappy taps, quad and calf stretch.

The Thang:

Run 100 yards, 10 merkens, 90 yards, 10 merkens, 80 yards, 10 merkens and so on.

Ultimate Frisbee with an added FutFall-inspired dimension (penalty burpees on interceptions).

Destroy your core (ab exercise of choice for 2 minutes)

Moleskin: “The wonderful Danish writer Isak Dinesen once suggested that there are three occasions for happiness in human life: when there is an excess of energy; during the cessation of pain; and when we possess absolute certainty that we are doing the will of God. The first of these belongs mostly to youth, and the second is, by definition, brief. The third, however, is open to anyone at any and all times.” (Robert Johnson, Balancing Heaven and Earth, p. 276)

COT: Prayers extemporaneous style, especially for the safe delivery of baby Babe.

BACKBLAST: 6/8/2021 @ AO Mastodon

23 PAX came out on a warm, humid Tuesday morning. @Shiplap took 8 of our newer PAX (Aloha, Babe, Binford, BOGO, Cheese, Getaway, Heist, Panda Express) along with @ Sparrow for some VQ training. I took the remaining 13 PAX (Banks, Beaker, Big Mac, Bloomer, Crack, Hotbox, Jolly, Katniss, Panandle, Tbone, TBTF, Tortuga, Whittler) for a regular Tuesday beat down.

WOR:

Motivators (first time I’ve made it through without screwing them up!)

Arm Circles – in cadence

Michael Phelps – OYO

Tappy Taps – in cadence

THANG 1:

Indian Run to far baseball field

THANG 2:

11s – Burpees/Merkins. Started along the right field foul line with 1 Burpee and ran about 100 feet for 10 Merkins. Repeat increasing Burpees and decreasing Merkins until 10 burpees/1 Merkin.

THANG 3:

Catch Me if You Can – PAX partnered up. One PAX started running backwards while the other did 5 Bobby Hurley’s. After completing the Bobby Hurleys you sprint to catch your partner and switch. We did this back to the base of Hoffa

THANG 4:

More 11s – American Hammers/BBSU. American Hammers at the base of Hoffa – BBSU at the top. Finished off a humid sweaty morning with a man rise up Hoffa.

COT:

Praise for Tortuga and his M and the progress that has been made along with prayers for continued progress. Prayers for Babe and his M and the 2.0 on the way tomorrow! Prayers for Noodles and his job search.

Convergence w/ Geneva Part 1: 6.5.21

Due to smoking a brisket overnight YHC didn’t sleep much. I am not sure if that was because of the brisket or the excitement I had to Q the fist convergence of F3 Wheaton/Geneva. It was a muggy morning and a perfect temperature to get a good sweat in! While thinking of what to call, I could help but think of my college football days and the fun and memories I have in a hot, muggy weight room during summer workouts! Selfishly, this was crated to help me riminess some of my favorite memories.

WOR: We all introduced ourselves before any warmup.
SSH x 30
Goof Balls x 15
Picking Daiseys – middle, right, left
Standing quad stretch OYO
Arm Circles – forward, backward

Thang 1: We split up into 5 groups and mosey’ed to the COOTIES.

Each Station was a 4 minute AMRAP with a minute between stations. During the “recovery” minute the Q yelled out an exercise to complete. It was mostly BURPEES!

Station1: Bis and Tri’s
10 Pull ups
20 1 Arm Rows
30 High Pulls
40 Curls

Station 2: Sandbags
10 Sandbag Thrusters
20 Bent Over Rows
30 OH Press
40 Front Squats

Station 3: Legs
10 Mucho Lego
20 Bonnie Blairs – Hard Way
30 1 legged RDLs
40 Calf Raises

Station 4: Chest and Tri’s
10 Blockees
20 Derkin – knee to chest
30 Coupon Press
40 Skull Crushers

Station 5: Abs
10 Boat/Canoe – 10 second hold each
20 BBSU
30 Leg Lifts
40 IC Flutter Kicks

Thang 2: 10 Minute AMRAP of REDRUM

Moleskin: F3 in a wonderful thing. Anywhere there is an F3 event the group will welcome anyone with open arms. This was evident when @Banks and I crashed Geneva’s 2nd F Happy Hour