Backblasts

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8/18/2021 – Ten-Hut

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Slash

PAX: Lumbergh, Sandbag, Danish, Kiwi, StrayCat, Murse, Walkman, Ghost

Conditions

55 with a nice (and unusual, given our heat wave) dew on the ground. There was a camera crew onsite. Danish was sure they were there to interview him. Not this morning.

Warm up

SSH x 10

Windmills x10

Forward arm circles x 10

Backward arm circles x 10

Alligators x10

Pickle Bombers x10

The Thang

Mosey to northern side of school, with long pony wall.

Decline Peter parkers IC x10 (hard count)

Box jumps x 10

Burpees x 10

Burpee box jumps x10

Mosey to end zone farthest from school.

Run a loop clockwise with 4 stations: far end zone, row bars, up hill (bear crawls), top stop next to school. 

10 reps per exercise, increasing by 10 each round. As many rounds as possible. 

End zone: Hand release merkins

Row bars: Rows with 3 second hold at top

Hill: bear crawl 

Top spot: Palm jump squats (full palm touches down)

Great effort from the PAX. Most got through 3 rounds.

ABS

Ankle Grinders IC x 20 (in down dog, reach left hand to grab right ankle, then back to down dog. repeat with opposite hand)

Breakdancers IC x 20 (in crab position, lift and extend left foot to the left side, reach right hand to left foot, back to crab. repeat with opposite hand/foot)

COT

I asked the group for guidance on managing work stress. I’m feeling strong expectations I’m putting on myself right now due to a few big projects where I feel like I’m proving myself to a new team, in a new role.

Many had advice, like Danish recommending to not sacrifice established habits (like my meditation, journaling, fitness) even if the pull to get busy doing work was strong because I’d be off my flow doing that work. Lumbergh reviewed agile work practices which aim for progress over perfection and bringing people into the process earlier.

Walkman advised to talk to others on the team who are going through similar things, and in giving them support I’d support myself. Murse shared that he uses the fuel of what’s going right in other parts of his life to support the areas where he needs help. Sandbag shared about relieving yourselves of the burden of having to have all the answers and letting others help.

Bringing others into my situation was a big theme and something I’m less inclined to do naturally (vs grunt through it myself, rely on grit and introspection). I’ll aim to give and get support from others during stressful times!

Rock on, Slash!

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8/11/2020 – Tennis ball soccer

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: 

Bob Evans – VQ

PAX: 

Danish, Kiwi, Lumbergh, Walkman, Free Lunch, Samurai, Bob Evans

Conditions: 

70 and clear, little humid, excellent

Warm Up: 

Imperial Walkers 10X

Mosey to the field by tennis courts

The Thang:

2X around the field

Storm Kickers in-cadence knee raises and extension (kick) each leg

Mosey 50 yards

Happy Jacks – imperial walkers for 5 count, then 2 squats, repeat 5X

Mosey 50 yards

Peter Parkers – plank with knees to elbows

Mosey 50 yards

Jack Webbs – 1 merkin to 4 air presses, 10X

Mosey 50 yards

Pure Burn – hold fence, on tippy-toes, squat 3/4 to 1/2 – 10x, 1/2 to bottom – 10x

Mosey 50 yards

Parker Peters – Plank, knee to opposite elbow

Mosey 50 yards

Sleeping Hillbillies – on your side, side crunch knee to elbow, 10x, flapjack

Mosey 50 yards

Absolution – 8 count exercise, plank, jump forward, backward (1, 2), down onto arms (3, 4), hop wide then narrow (5, 6), then up onto hands (7, 8). 10x

Mosey 50 yards

Mike Tyson – plank with feet against curb, squat in plank position, and back to full plank position, 10X

Mosey 50 yards

Between each tree perform, lunge walks, duck walks, run – 2X

Back to starting position on the field – repeat

Mosey back to Lightning Rod – for time

COT: 

Announcements, mumble chatter, and close with Prayer of thankfulness.

We found a tennis ball on the field and it made the round with us. Passing back and forth, nailing each other with it for score to be tallied at the end. I think Free Lunch got the highest score by nailing the Q the most. The tennis ball became our mascot and was supportive of our efforts cheering us on as we wept with sweat. By the end of the VQ we were keeping the mascot in play and making the most of it. We even hit the playground for some action on the rings reminiscing of the Olympics.

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(08.13.21) – Ultimate Boot Camp

AO: Lightning Rod

VQIC: Ghost

PAX: Kiwi, Free Lunch, Stray Cat, Whitney

Conditions

Mid 70s before dawn!

Warm up

  • SSH x 15 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 12 IC
  • Scissor Arms x 10 IC
  • Fast High Knees x 15 IC

The Thang

Mosey down to track. Gather at near side end zone. Hold plank while Free Lunch takes a leak. 🙂

Boot Camp Part 1: Meet your mini-coupon (175g disc for each PAX)

  • Mini-coupon slide burpees (90 seconds)
  • Mini-coupon side lunges (35 seconds each leg)
  • Mini-coupon back slide (20 yards down and back – then come back to pick up the 6)

Boot Camp Part 2: 50 minus merkins

  • Line up on the end zone line. Throw mini-coupon down the field
  • Bear crawl to your mini-coupon. Do merkins equal to remaining yardage to the fifty yard line. Broad jump back to endzone line. Repeat for 7.5 minutes.

Boot Camp Part 3: Throwing Practice

  • Partner up. One of you on end zone line. The other starts on the 10 yard line.
  • Throw the mini-coupon to your partner. If your partner must move to catch or retrieve the mini coupon you both do burpees for each step they have to take.
  • If you complete 4 passes in a row without having to move then the partner on the 10 yard line moves back five yards (to the 15, then to the 20, then to the 25, etc.)
  • Continue for 10 minutes.

Boot Camp Part 4: “Ultimate Freezebee”

  • Not enough PAX – Needed one more 🙁

Tuff Enuff Pull Ups

  • Alternating pullups and holding squat – switching between the two each time you hear the chorus

6MoM

  • 20 Plank Tick Tocks x IC EC
  • 20 LBCs x IC
  • 20 Merkins x IC
  • 15 Box Cutters x IC
  • 5 Big Bois x OYO

COT

Vulnerability

I love that F3 includes this as an integral part of the workout and I love that you in this region have clearly taken that to heart. I don’t have a lot of close male relationships at this time, but I know how valuable they are. The thing I value most about it is that it fosters vulnerability, which helps us connect with each other and is critical to true growth and true servant leadership.

“The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” There are things that all of us keep hidden about ourselves and even hidden from ourselves (self-deception is real!). These include addiction, weakness, fears, anger, pride, etc. Bringing them to the light by sharing them with other men helps to break down the facade of invulnerable competence that we generally keep up. These hidden things control and affect our whole lives so bringing them to light is often the first step in being set free, for a “man is slave to whatever has mastered him.”

PAX shared different struggles, addictions, and weaknesses they have had and were encouraged to share more honestly about these with each other or in other safe male relationships.

-Ghost

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(08.12.21) – Build a Burpee Workshop

AO: Gauntlet

QIC: Walkman

PAX: Stray Cat, Free Lunch

Conditions

72(!) and sunny. Lot’s of early activity on the track this morning, our two RESPECT Pax showed up ready for a killer beatdown.

Warm up

Lap and a half mosy around the track, 3 wide, with each pax calling out different movements we could do while mosying – high knees, jog backwards, side slides, ohp, buttkickers, arm circles. Triangled up for Windmill x 10, monkey humpers x 10, third grade exercise x 10.

The Thang

Build a Burpee workshop!

Used one of the small hills by the track. Pax lined up on the track and performed a movement while one member moved up the hill. When that member arrived, next guy went, and so on. Repeated at top of the hill and then back down.

Movements were all the pieces of a burpee: Ground touch squat, Frog’s, Merkin, Frog, Squat jump. Jogged backwards up the hill and lunge walked down it. Repeated each movement at both top and bottom before moving on to next movement. Once we’d built the burpee, we did the last round with full burpee’s at top and bottom.

Mosied to the amphitheater type stairs (need to name this space). Now that we had a burpee built, it was time to deconstruct it. Started at the bottom and box jump/broad jumped up the concrete seating. At the top, performed each piece of a burpee – Ground Touch Squat, Frog, Merkin, Squat Jump and then jogged back down the stairs. Repeato in a descending ladder – 10 reps, 9 reps, 8 reps, etc. Pax was TOUGH through this – YHC was close to spilling some Merlot on several occasions.

Finished with box jump burpees. One box jump, one burpee. Two Box jumps, two burpees…..until 7 of each. Nearly splashed merlot here as well.

Mosied back to the field.

6MoM

Rallied on the sideline for Frozen Freddies x 20, 6 inch hold x 20.

COT

Shared a collection of perspective and quotes that I’d been gathering over the last few months.

“Hard Times make Hard Men, Hard Men make Soft Times, Soft Times make Soft Men, Soft Men make hard Times.”

“Hard things are hard”

“Growing is hard”

“There is the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Choose one.”

Also shared from the F3 Nation Slack Q Source channel – Initiation is the first movement. Incrementally moving in the direction of advantage is the initial goal. Baby steps are good. Consistent baby steps leads to habit, growth, and discipline.

These have been bouncing around in my brain for the last few months. I’ve realized that if you’re not bumping into ‘hard’ regularly, then you’re probably not growing. For me, the last 2 months of Go30 have been great for this. The discipline required to consistently hit 1800 calories, to make decisions I don’t want to make, has been excellent. The actual thing (1800 calories, journaling) is less important (not unimportant!) to me than the discipline of doing something challenging and growing through it. I’ve found a lot of value in ‘leaning into my own reluctance’ as a good way for me to find meaningful ways to grow – whether it’s the 100 merkins a day, grow ruck, journaling, Iron Pax, etc. Pushing my own reluctance and engaging it directly has been very impactful.

Stray Cat shared his thoughts about the “hard times…” quote above. That he contrasts it to the men fighting in WW2 and fears that we’re much softer, but that F3 has helped him continue to grow Hard (hah). Free Lunch encourage him that if Stray Cat were alive then, he would have been one of those Hard Men too. We also discussed that “Discipline is Freedom” and how our perceptions of that have grown throughout our lives.

Free Lunch also shared that he’s identified some of the challenge with this around the language his daughters use – describing something that happened vs. the responsibility in what happened. His example was “the salsa spilled vs. I spilled the salsa.” I’ve seen the same in my girls. Taking responsibility continues to be a theme we all see as a critical to growth, discipline, and being the men we want to be.

Great work Men.

-Walkman

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(08.10.21) – Ask for Improv and you shall receive

AO: THE Gauntlet

QIC: Lumbergh

PAX: Slash, Danish, Kiwi, Free Lunch, Walkman, Samurai, Houdini

Conditions

60 degree start, monsoon season effect still dropping some humidity. PAX ready and able for sweaty beatdown.

Warm up

  • SSH x 10 IC
  • Seal Claps x 10 IC
  • Arm Circles x 10 IC (Fwd & Bkwd)
  • Scissor Kicks x 10 IC
  • Flutter Jacks x 10 IC
  • Windshield Wipers x 10 IC
  • World’s Greatest Stretch x 5 (alternate to other leg)
  • Fold Overs x 5 IC

The Thang

Mosey around the path around the track, make way to other end zone, where the block awaits the PAX.

ROUND 1

  • PAX holds plank in a line
  • Block starts on left end
  • Drag the block with right arm to the other end of the line
  • When it gets to the end, sprint the width of the field and back
  • Pass the block back to the left
  • When it gets to the end, sprint the width of the field and back
  • After the block passes each HIM, complete 3 Burpees

ROUND 2

  • PAX holds American Hammer position in a line
  • Block starts on left end
  • Pass the block to the right first
  • When it gets to the end, sprint the width of the field and back
  • Pass the block back to the left
  • When it gets to the end, sprint the width of the field and back
  • After the block passes each HIM, complete 5 Big Bois

ROUND 3

  • PAX holds Squat position in a line
  • Block starts on left end
  • Pass the block to the right first
  • When it gets to the end, sprint the width of the field and back
  • Pass the block back to the left
  • When it gets to the end, sprint the width of the field and back
  • After the block passes each HIM, complete 5 jump squats

ROUND 4

  • Bantaan Rifle Carry High Knees March to the bike racks
  • Hop overs all the way to one end
  • PAX squats while idle, till the six is in
  • On the way back, Bear crawl
  • PAX squats while idle, till the six is in
  • Hop overs again
  • PAX merkins while idle, till the six is in
  • On the way back, Bear crawl
  • PAX holds and alternates side planks, till the six is in

ROUND 4

  • Bantaan Curl March with PAX lunge walking behind, six runs to front to start curls
  • Meet at the end zone

6MoM

  • 25 Leg Raises x IC EC
  • 10 Glute Bridge x IC
  • 25 Dead Bugs x IC EC (each leg, total of 50)
  • 10 Glute Bridge x IC
  • 25 Big Bois x IC EC
  • 10 Glute Bridge x IC
  • 25 LBCs x IC

COT

Follow up and Recognition

A quick moment of recognition. Like any organization you pivot with growth, I’m proud of the men in this community stepping up to the challenge. Recently, you were challenged to rally around this new AO and each of you have given all that you can to ensure it’s success. Special thank you to Walkman for leading the charge.

Simple things like Slack etiquette and you all recognized and addressed the need/call. Go30 commitments were lacking authentic quality and commitment, with the right amount of accountability callouts and motivation driven by Danish and Kiwi, we’ve seen a nice about face and invigoration.

My next challenge is to have all of you join us and make our first year as a recognized region, a successful one in the IronPAX challenge. Who’s coming with me?

That’s a wrap

-Lumbergh

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8.9.2021- 3M Core 10-4 Murder Bunny Go Time (w/ Coupons)


AO: 

Lightning Rod

QIC: 

Free Lunch

PAX: 

 Danish, Ghost, Kiwi, Whitney, Lumbergh, Walkman, welcomed FNG- Burn Deck

Conditions: 

57 and overcast, excellent

Warm Up: 

Side Straddle Hops x25, 3rd Graders x15, Windmills x15, Quad Stretch 10 count, Hammy Stretch 10 count

Mosey to the field by tennis courts

The Thang:

Starting at bottom of hill

10 point Coupon lift x4

Murder Bunnies up the hill to the “M” (orange cones laid out 30yds apart in a capital M). Leave coupon at top of hill.

Do first Core exercise in GOOD FORM TO EXHAUSTION. Exhaustion defined as when you break form continually or must stop to rest outside of form

Core Workouts to Exhaustion:

Big Boys,

Plank Tick Tocks (aka Plank Hip Dips)

V-ups

Flutter Kicks

Run the M three times

SPRINT (up the M)

BACK PEDAL (to the middle of M)

1 LEG JUMPS- (to top go M, broad jump lead and land on same leg, no steps forward,                    switch legs)

SPRINT- (down the M)

BEAR CRAWL- across and repeat two more time

Rifle Carry coupon down the hill

Repeat  but move on to next Core Exercise to exhaustion

Mosey back to Lightning Rod-  2 min. AMRAP pushups diamond to regular to wide- in GOOD FORM, full arm extension, chest all the way down, butt stays up, feet together, move to knees instead of breaking form.Music: “Let it all Go” Beats Antique and Preservation Hall Jazz Band

COT: 

Take a moment to think of something that you are holding onto that no longer serves you. What next step you can take to let it go, however small. Also think about what you will put in it’s place that does serve you.

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8/7/2021 – Power Hour

AO: Lava Field

QIC: Danish

PAX: Lumbergh, Samurai, Slash

Conditions

60 something degrees when we started but man, was it sweaty.

Warm up

400m mosey

SSH x 25

Imperial Walkers X x 15

Lateral Lunges x 16

Forward arm circles x 10

Backward arm circles x 10

Scissor Arms x 12

The Thang

Each exercise takes 1 minute. Do 3 sets of:

  • Mike Tysons
  • X Lunge
  • Merkins
  • Flutter Jacks
  • Bonnie Blairs
  • High Plank
  • Frozen Freddie Mercury’s
  • Burpees
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Squat Steps
  • Merkins
  • Swimmers
  • Reverse Plank hold
  • Squat touch down jumps
  • Heel touches

COT

I shared my experience of having travelled to 5 different AOs and how it differed from ours. I was happy to share that our rigor and discipline in keeping the core values and set up of F3 is working to create more HIMs in our community.

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8/6/21 – Blackjack

AO: The Lightning Rod

CONDITIONS:

Balmy, humid mid-60s. Straycat arrived at 1am from Phoenix and was a little tired for this workout. We had a couple of downrangers from Columbus

Q: StrayCat

PAX: Danish, FreeLunch, Geo (Columbus), Ghost, Herbie, Kiwi, Lumbergh, Scrappy (Columbus)

WARMUP:

SSH x 20

Side Lunges x 10

Third Grade Exercise x 10

Oil Derricks x 10 (per side)

Mosey to track

THE THANG

Groups of two. One does 10, 20, 30 yd gasser, the other doe an exercise until the first PAX come back.

First: Gasser (regular) and Merkins

Second: Gasser (sideways) and Burpees

Third: Gasser (forwards and backwards) and Bonnie Blairs

BlackJack:

Line up side of Football Field and do one Big Boy. Run to other side and do 20 Merkins. Run back to the starting side and do two Big Boys. Run to other side and do 19 Merkins. Repeat until done (one merkin and twenty big boys).

Mosey back and do 20xflutter kicks.

COT

We discussed the impact that F3 has made on people that never go to F3. We also talked about how missing a workout does not only negatively affect you, but also impacts the brothers who attend F3.

I shared some personal stories of how F3 has had a positive impact on my family. I won’t write about it here, but ask about it or one of the PAX that attended.

Straycat out.

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8/5/21 – Up, Down, Left, Right

AO: The Gauntlet

CONDITIONS:

Balmy, humid mid-60s. Crazy looking sliver of a moon shining through the forest fire haze. All of us were feeling sluggish and hearing some strong whiny voices not to get out of bed this morning. Walkman’s knee was tweaked from a late bball game last night, FreeLunch didn’t get a great night sleep and Slash was feeling tired from a race (and post-race beers) last night.

Q: Slash

PAX: FreeLunch, Walkman

WARMUP:

Slow High Knees x15

Scissor arms x15

Halos x15

Shoulder circles forward x10, reverse x10

Pickle bombers x10

YTWs x10

Mountain climbers x15

Carry coupon to stairs next to bike rack alley

THE THANG

“Up, Down, Left, Right”

Reps ladder up and down: 10 (per side on merkins), 20, 30, 20, 10

Coupon swings at the top (next to the bike rack alley)

Rifle carry coupon down stairs to middle of grassy patch

Staggered coupon merkins (1-hand on coupon, 1-hand on ground). Do full set of reps w/ right hand on coupon, then alternate to left.

Rifle carry up the other stairs, back to starting place.

Work the way up and back down the ladder.

We each made it through the ladder. Woot!

Mosey back to track.

Coupon plank jacks (plank on coupon, step right foot off coupon to the side, step left foot off coupon, then right foot back on and left foot back on). IC x20

COT

“Getting a toe-hold”

We talked about how sometimes when we’re not feeling it (either working out, an assignment at work or family duties), one action can ripple out and create momentum. FreeLunch shared that yesterday was his hump in working out. He wasn’t feeling it, but showed up. That day felt great, then today was much easier to show. Sometimes we need a toe-hold to change the course of the day/week/month/etc.

We talked about toe-holds ability to disrupt negative cycles. Sometimes a small action can redirect unproductive self-talk. Walkman shared that it’s always the same voice that shows up whether it’s working out, work or other parts of life. I shared that toe-holds reminded him of adding a joke during a tense conversations. It can disrupt and diffuse the whole thing w/out any thought.

I added that it’s important for me to notice when I’m hearing that inner whiny/negative/critical/rationalizing voice. When I’m fighting against doing something, coming up w/ excuses or feel overly burdened, it’s a good time to look for toe-holds and small actions that can disrupt the cycle.

Rock on, Slash!!

Posted on

Bases loaded

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Kiwi

PAX: Danish, Free Lunch, Bob Evans, Ghost

Conditions

62s degrees, crisp, and beautiful

Warm up

  • Imperial walkers x 15 IC
  • Arm scissors
  • Arm Circles x 10 IC (Fwd & Bkwd)
  • 3rd grade exercise x 10 IC
  • Windmill x 10 IC

The Thang

Mosey to the baseball field

Start at home plate. One legged Bear crawl to first base. Do 10 Merkins, Duck walk to 2nd base. Do 10 Bonnie blairs. One legged bear crawl to third base with other leg. Do 10 big bois, Crab walk to home plate. Do ten count of wall sits. Start around the bases again.

Go until time, increasing by ten as you go past home run.

Mosey back

15 x Box cutters

CoT

Share the quote:

“The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you raise your foot.” ~ Benny Lewis

We went through a meditation one what is the most important thing we want to focus on in our lives and what is one things we can do this year, this month, today to work towards it. Talked about setting our go30 goals. I shared my goal of being more rested and focused so I could be a better leader. I wanted to start tracking my sugar, mood, sleep quality, caffeine, and chocolate intake to see what might be causing restless nights.

Bob Evans shared his goal of posting everyday to prepare for the grizzly ruck

Free lunch shared his go30 of wanting to network in his business more.

Danish shared his frustration with seeing people fall back on their goals.

We all expressed that we missed Herbie

-Kiwi