Category: Uncategorized

Today, we celebrated my (Panhandle’s) 25th wedding anniversary with 12 PAX (Panhandle, Shiplap, Big Mac, DaVinci, Jolly, Sparrow, Archive, SAGA, Beaker, Crack, Tortuga, T-Bone) doing a workout on a nice, crisp, 15-degree morning at AO Mastodon. After a quick warm-up (Goofballs, leg stretches, arm circles, and Michael Phelps), we jumped into the THANG:

In honor of the 54 months Panhandle and M dated before being engaged, we did 54 bear crawls. We then paired up and shared the load with the following

In honor of the 3 years we were in Augusta, GA, we each did three trips up Hoffa while the other did LBCs and BBSs.

In honor of the 5 years we were in Providence, RI, we each did 5 trips up Hoffa while the other did derkins, chest presses, and overhead presses.

In honor of the 5 years we spent in Athens, GA, we each did 5 trips up Hoffa while the other did squats, lunges, and no-surrenders.

And in honor of the 12 years we’ve been in Wheaton, we as pairs were scheduled for 12 trips up Hoffa while the other did curls, rows, and kettlebells. (This last one got curtailed because of time).

COT: thanks for marriages, prayer for Noodles’ safe travels.

5 PAX for a Boxing Day Beatdown w/ presents from Archive (QIC).

WOR- 7x Motivators, Lap around Glenbard hitting every set of stairs. Gummi Bear rolled up mid lap…

The Thang: Archive had collected a variety of “gifts” (2 logs, 2 sandbags, and 5 coupons). The gifts and PAX had to get the gifts and themselves to various objectives under a time limit. Penalty reps (per weight) would be added for every 10 seconds elapsed above the time limit. Objectives:

Top of the Wheel- 2 minutes. Made it with time to spare. 10 Squats with each weight.

Center of the drop of circle- 3 minutes. Did not make it, added 50 penalty reps. 60 OH presses with each weight.

Down the stairs/10 curls per weight/back to the top- 5 minutes. Made it. 20 rows.

10 curls/ From the circle all the way bottom of the Wheel- 8 minutes. Made it with 10 seconds to spare. 10 squats/ 10 rows/ 10 squats.

COR NOR- Archive (QIC), Captain Crunch, Gummi Bear, Tortuga, Shiplap.

Moleskine- Giving thanks for F3, the community and the accountability to keep pushing myself. Love you gents! COT- Gave thanks for Tortuga’s daughter’s wisdom teeth healing up.

SECRET SANTA Q  
6 PAX came out to spread some Christmas cheer through the AO: Jolly, Archive, Tortuga, Da Vinci, TBTF, SAGA (Q)

We loaded up the “sleigh” with our gifts and a beautiful wingless coupon with a 12-day-beatdown stenciled on it. A few crooners in the likes of Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, & Elvis opened our ears to the sounds of Christmas and caused our hearts to warm as we engaged a bit of WoR: in rounds of 12 we completed some Tappy Taps + Side Straddle Hops + Mtn. Climbers + Arm Circles + Mtn. Man. Poopers.

THE THANG: pulling our musical Christmas sleigh, we stopped at every lamppost and rotated through each PAX gifting us with a workout of his choosing in a rep count of 20. A whole variety of gifts were given: lunges, flutter kicks, merkins, burpees, squats, Bonny Blair’s, diamond merkins, derkins, nerkins, kick throughs, LBCs, big boy situps, jump squat burpees, jollies, star jumps, shoulder taps + a few more lost to memory…

Every 7th lamppost we paused for Christmas and exchanged a secret Santa gift (except that time Da Vinci got excited and we celebrated Christmas early). Once the gift exchanged took place, the lucky PAX who just received a gift earned himself 10 blockbees while the rest of the PAX celebrated the incarnation of Christ (the reason for the season) by completing birthbees until the blockbees were finished.

After 50+ minutes of circling the AO and helping others believe F3 is really something to wonder about, we ended at Hoffa to complete 20 final birthbees. However, catching the spirit of Father Christmas, SAGA gave one final gift of ending on time as we concluded wherever we were in our birthbee count and sprinted the hill in a manrise reminder that the incarnation leads to the resurrection!

Opportunities to steal presents were engaged and every PAX present not only grew stronger but left the AO with a gift from a loving brother-at-arms. For those not present, ask about the nuts!

Prayers for Archive’s M heading back to work, Tortuga’s 2.0 successful wisdom teeth removal, gratitude for no injuries in the recent explosion in Nashville, and thanksgiving for the gift of one another.

Backblast, 12/24/20, 5:30am

AO Mastodon

On a dark, chilly morning (4 degrees with wind chill), seven brave PAX posted for the twelfth day of beatdown. It was a beautiful thing.

WOR: Goof Balls, IC x25, Tappy Taps, IC x10, skip down the parking lot and back, arm circles OYO while I explained the Thang.

Thang:

Started on the grass between Hoffa and the closest bridge. All PAX completed the 110 American Hammers facing away from the bridge. As they completed their 110, they turned to face the bridge and continued with Hammers. Once the six finished his 110, we moseyed to the next bridge. We continued this pattern with 100 mountain climbers before the next bridge, 90 LBCs at the north west corner of the AO, and 80 shoulder taps before the final bridge.

Same locations for the 70 seal jacks, 60 lunges, 50 hand release merkins, and 40 Big Bois. Final four reps were along the longer loop (not longest): 30 squats, 20 flutter kicks (IC), 10 burpees, and finishing off with 120 seconds of corpse pose in a wind protected area (where Jazz Handz’ big puddle was).

NOR: Crack, T-bone, Panhandle, DaVinci, Beaker, Captain Crunch, Tortuga (Q).

COT: Prayers for extended family dynamics for T-bone and Crack over the next several days, Captain Crunch expressed thanks for this group and the blessing it continues to be for him, thanks for bodies that work, The Advent season, and a God who made us in His image (which includes being made to live in relationship to Him and others).

God is good, fellas. Merry Christmas!

15 PAX showed up having prepared (or not) for the big exam. In attendance: Jolly, Archive, Da Vinci, Beaker, Sparrow, DBC, TBTF, Wet Burrito, SAGA, K-Pop, Loafers, Crash, Crack, Rainman, BigMac

Warmup: Motivators and other similar activities that help to warm the mind and body.

The Test: Section A – (AKA Thang 1)

Each HIM takes turns choosing one of the available exercises (Goblet squats, Rows, Blockbees, Bonnie Blairs, hand release merkins, Overhead press, Murder Bunnies, curls, kettle bell swings, star jumps, skull crushers). Then the Q gives a question and all PAX perform 5x the number of PAX who answered incorrectly of the exercise chosen (or 3x for the blockbees). Everybody who gets it wrong runs the hill.

1. Where were the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights stored during World War II? Hint: Army post in the south (Fort Knox)
2. What is one of two states that don’t observe daylight savings? (Arizona and Hawaii)
3. What was the first toy to be advertised on television? Hint: It’s a vegetable (Mr. Potato head)
4. Which state produces nearly half of the country’s rice? Hint: It’s in the south (Arkansas)
5. What is the loudest animal on earth? Hint: It lives in the ocean (a sperm whale)
6. How many trees are on the earth? It’s 3 billion, 30 billion or 300 billion or 3 trillion (3 trillion)
7. What was the first animated film to be nominated for best picture at the academy awards? (Beauty and the Beast)
8. What is boanthropy? (A disorder that leads people to believe they are a bovine animal)
9. Where does the term soccer come from? A) name of famous player, B) An abbreviation C) The name of a prominent field D) An acronym
10. What fraction of the population has black or brown hair? (Get within 10%) 90%
11. What country has the most fresh water in the world? (Brazil)

The Test: Section B – (AKA Thang 2)

All HIMs guess a numerical answer and then everyone does the difference between the actual number and the worst guess.

1. Based on McDonald’s website, their double quarter pounder with cheese contained 19 grams of saturated fat. Based on a 2000 calorie diet, what percentage of the recommended daily allowance for saturated fat has the burger supplied? (95 %)

Shoulder taps

• Approximately how much of the average body weight is muscle? (40%)

Burpees

• A pound of muscle burns calories x times faster than a pound of fat. What is x? (3)

Hoffa runs

• By age 80 the average person has walked about how many miles? Round to the nearest 1000 miles. (110,000 miles)

Lunges

• How much time on average does food take to get from mouth to butt in hours? 53 hours

Seal jumps

Results: It would appear that working at a library seems like a good activity to make one better at trivia (@Archive). Unfortunately, most of us don’t work at a library so that meant a lot of other work was completed instead. Even still, everyone finished the exam and credit was given for either a correct answer or completing the exercises. So a good showing all around.

Moleskin: In many economic models, inputs to production are assumed to have a positive cross partial derivative. Basically, that means the inputs are better together, better tools make a worker more productive per hour, more fertilizer makes the land more productive in a season etc. I think F3 members have a positive cross partial derivative. Thanks for making me better!

• PAX – 9 HIMs in attendance

• WoR – SSHx20, Michael Phelps (30 seconds), Abe Vigodas x10, Arm Circles/Claps (6 variations; approx 20 seconds each)

• Tha Thang we did a 3 part workout representing the 3 days remaining until Christmas, then another thang, then another thang

• 3 Days left = 1 round of S.A.N.T.A. (Squats x25, Arms Up/Hand Release Merkins x25, Near Neck/Shoulder Taps x25 each side, Twitch/Flutter Kicks x25 each leg, Abs/LBCs x50), followed by 5 burpees, a Bear Crawl up Hoffa, and a Man Rise (indicating the end of the day)

• 2 Days left = 1 round of C.L.A.U.S. (Climbers/Mountain x25 each side, Lunges x25, American Hammers x50, Ups/Big Boy Sit x25, Seal Jacks x25), followed by 5 burpees, a Bear Crawl up Hoffa, and a Man Rise (indicating the end of the day)

• 1 Day left = 1 round of S.A.N.T.A. C.L.A.U.S. (half reps from prior rounds), followed by 5 burpees but we did not end the day with the Man Rise because there was work still to be done.

• Then it was time to deliver the presents around the world (the AO in this case) – the PAX moseyed around the Archive mile; every HIM had 3 burpees to dole out to the PAX along the way; all in all the PAX gifted themselves and each other 27 burpees over the course of the mile mosey; The last approx 100 yard was a sprint.

• We finished off the beatdown with a “4AM Wakeup” to represent what those of us with young 2.0s can expect on Christmas morning (and those past this phase can relate to). Starting in “Jolly” position for 3 seconds, we did a BBS, then the last half of a burpee ending in the jump (I should have made this a star jump representing how “excited” we are to get up at 4AM; where were you on that one @Katniss). We did 5.

• NoR -Tortuga, Jolly, Crack, Captain Crunch, Katniss, SAGA, Da Vinci, Panhandle, TBTF
• CoT – prayers for Captain’s in-laws traveling in for the holidays, SAGAs recovery from a rough morning in the gloom, and for general wellness and happiness of the community and the PAX

• Moleskin – today’s exercises were based on the 12 Days Of Christmas (but can not be used for the 12th day); for those that may have needed a little help getting the reps in I hope this was a boost to get you there and I will see you on Thursday for @Tortuga’s grand finale!! The true motivation behind this beatdown was knowing and understanding the goals of the PAX and the opportunity we all have and often execute against to help each other reach their goals whether you know you are doing it or not. The motivation of each other and the community of this group is why it all works. It is more than a workout.

Five PAX posted in the gloom on this mild December morning. I had been mulling around Christmas themed ideas for this workout, but nothing seemed good enough to match the creativity that had been on display over the previous week. Instead of creativity, I went for the old-fashioned beatdown. No notes, no specific plan made for an interesting morning of improvisation.

WoR: Motivators IC (7), Windmills IC (10), Tappy Taps IC (9), Arm Circles OYO

Thang #1: Bataan Death march counterclockwise around Lake Ellyn (last PAX in line does 5 burpees then sprints to front of line). Each PAX got two sets of burpees in by the time we made it back to the field.

Thang #2: Improv Session – Line up along the fence. Complete each exercise then sprint to sidewalk and back.
1. Curls for the Girls – 50
2. Overhead Presses – 50
3. Goblet Squats – 50
4. Alternating Block-over Merkins – 20 (one hand on coupon, other on the ground, perform merkin, then switch hands on coupon and repeat. 2 = 1 rep) Bernie rather than sprint after this set.
– at this point the Q asked each PAX for an exercise and rep count (group improv!)
5. Hodors – 40
6. Skull Crushers – 50
7. Big Boi Sit-ups w/ coupon (25)
8. Bonnie Blairs – 25
9. Blockees – 10
10. Thrusters – 25(?)

We finished things off with a mosey/jog clockwise around Lake Ellyn.
NoR: Katniss, Shiplap, Beaker, Noodles, Crack (Q)
CoT: Prayers for Noodles’ travel, Tortuga’s 2.0 (wisdom teeth pulled yesterday), and Crash’s foot pain.

Entering the gloom on a windless day, Ol’ Glory still and limp (a sign of what was too come). Following COVID protocols, the 17 PAX divided into two separate groups of 9 & 8 for the beatdown. Guided by the prophetic words of an ancient proverb whose number and verse rang out like something from a Da Vinci code – 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” It was meant to be, on this day greatness would shine forth before the dawn in the form of 12/17/20!

WoR: 15 Mtn. Man Poopers / 2 nipple scrappers / 15 Tappy Taps / 2 nipple scrappers / 15 Mtn. Climbers / 2 nipple scrappers / OYO Arm Circles w/a few Michael Phelps (Why did I not do 17? Everybody, do two more of each right now!)

THANG 1: 12/17/20 in the form of 12 merkins + 17 bicycle crunches + 20 air squats + increasing burpees, starting at 1 and adding one more at each lamp post (to keep track of how many rounds were completed). Sprinted to each lamp post and started next round. A few PAX hit the MAX REP COUNT of 15 lamp posts = 180 merkins / 255 bicycle crunches / 300 air squats + 120 burpees

THANG 2: We went back in time to recall where we had come from as we moseyed the loop that was previously completed. Moving from lamp post to lamp post mindful of all the good that we had brought into the world.

THANG 3: 5 more rounds of 12/17/20 w/increasing burpees. Started at the base of Hoffa and completed 1 round, then sprinted the hill. Completed round 2 at the top and moseyed back to the base to repeat; mindful of the hill in our day and the reps of life before us. REP COUNT for these 5 rounds = 60 merkins / 85 bicycle crunches / 100 air squats + 15 burpees

TOTAL MAX WORKOUT = 240 merkins / 340 bicycle crunches / 400 air squats + 135 burpees

NoR / CoT: Banks, Da Vinci, Sparrow, Captain Crunch, Panhandle, Wet Burrito, Beaker, Tortuga, Crack, Crash, Beef Stick, Sweet Treats, Big Mac, TBTF, Jolly, Katnis, SAGA (Q)

Prayers for upcoming travel, celebration of Big Mac’s promotion to tenure, and thanksgiving for our bodies to use to serve others…

Moleskin: Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

A new lexicon suggestion from Banks – “The Jolly”: those moments when you are switching from one exercise to another and in place of seamless movement you give yourself a bit of an extra pause, while on your back with your arms spread out in the form of a prostrate prayer position that is saying, “Please stop!”

Great job by many PAX and creativity in recent beatdowns. It made this beatdown much harder to think about. Nevertheless, I decided to bring back an old favorite, 12 Days of Christmas style. The weather was a bit rainy with plenty of puddles. By the end of the beatdown, plenty of ground will have been “pushed”.

WoR: Side Straddle Hops x30, Stretch Center/Right/Left, Malasana Pose, Michael Phelps x30, Little Merkin Boy (Little Drummer Boy – Plank Hold – Merkin on Pa rum pum pum pum. 21 total).

Mosey around AO Mastodon’s short mile and AYG sprint up Hoffa. Moseyed over to Shiplap’s House of Pain, today To Be Known As Santa’s Workshop. PAX spread out on the inside and outside of the Workshop for social distancing.

The Thang – Merkin Hour Part II – PAX to start with Day 1, representing the number of reps for designated Merkin. PAX to then move on to Day 2 plus previous day rep count (Ex: Day 2 = 2 Worst Merkin Ever plus Day 1 = 1 Worst Worst Merkin Ever).

Day 1 – 1 Worst Worst Merkin Ever

Day 2 – 2 Worst Merkin Ever

Day 3 – 3 Diamond Merkins

Day 4 – 4 Hand Release Merkins

Day 5 – 5 Chuck Norris Merkins

Day 6 – 6 Derkins w/ coupon

Day 7 – 7 Ranger Merkins

Day 8 – 8 Werkins

Day 9 – 9 Crucible Merkins

Day 10 – 10 Spider-Man Merkins

Day 11 – 11 Sphinx Merkins

Day 12 – 12 Manmaker Merkins w/ coupon

Shout out to Archive for finishing all 12 Days. Remaining PAX made it to Days 10 & 11.

CoR: Jolly, Jazz Hands, Banks, Da Vinci, K-pop, Crash, Tortuga, Crack, TBTF, Sparrow, Wet Burrito, Archive, Cookies, Katniss, Shiplap, Beaker, Captain Crunch, Noodles (QIC)

CoT: Prayers for health and rest, Prayers for those traveling. Prayers for Crack’s friend battling cancer.