Category: Backblast

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3/24/2021 – Merkin Mayhem

AO: Lightening Rod

QIC: Danish

PAX: Bunny, Dockers, FNG, Herbie, Kiwi, Stray Cat, Walkman

Conditions

41F and still. A little threat of rain but the clouds never followed through.

Warm up

SSH x 20

Scissor arms x 15

Slow High Knees x 10

Forward arm circles x 12

Backwards arm circles x 12

Lateral Lunges x 12

Janes Fondas x 15 each side

The Thang

Raised split squat routine x 3

Max merkins in 1 minute

Single leg drop squats onto bench

Max merkins in 1 minute

Flutter kicks/6 inch hold/flutter jacks

Max merkins in 1 minute

Diagonal lunges x 15 each side

Max merkins in 1 minute

Merkin knee drives x 15 each

Max merkins in 1 minute

Step ups x 15 each (or jumps if it’s not wet)

Max merkins in 1 minute

Swimmers x 20

Max merkins in 1 minute

Peter Parkers

Max merkins in 1 minute

Ground touch squats x 15

Max merkins in 1 minute

Hamstring bridges x 10 each leg

Max merkins in 1 minute

Lateral lunge

Max merkins in 1 minute

COT

I had a talk with an F3 member who I coach. He’s done all of his F3 workouts as well as his marathon training. He’s lighter, stronger and fitter than he’s ever been. I’m so proud of him becoming the athlete he’s become. This weekend, he’s getting to put together all his hard work at his race.

The learning?

  • Smart and patient training pays off. He didn’t rush things even when others were doing workouts he wanted to do.
  • This was a 5 month approach to his race which went by really quickly (compared to 9 years of F3 work).
  • He stuck to the plan, didn’t miss a workout and never made an excuse.
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To Infinity and Beyond

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Walkman

PAX: Danish, Stray Cat, Kiwi

Conditions

A light drizzle, and 41 degrees with wet ground as 4 HIM’s started their week off right.

Warm Up

Sun Salutations x 5

Slow High Knees x 15

Scissor Arms x 15

WindMill x 10

Mosy to the track

The THANG

Jogged to the far side 100M line, completed ‘infinity plank’ of Merkin x 25, Plank x 20, Shoulder tap x 20.

Sprinted 100M

Jogged to next 100M line, completed 10 ‘infinity squat’. This is a split squat, split squat, jump squat done in cadence.

Sprinted 100M

Jogged to first 100M line and repeated x 4.

Mosied back to the ‘Rod.

6MOM

Big Bois x 25

Side to Side Heel touches x 15

Slow Flutter Kick x 10

LBC x 25

Big Bois x 3

Moleskin

Shared my experience with banishing a Jester for the month of march. My go30 Challenge this month was to not play video games. They’d been creeping into my life as a pleasant distraction and I found myself killing time with them instead of using that time creatively or productively. I’ve had an absolutely stellar March, and I think a huge piece of it is not having that distraction. The draw is still there, but the accountability of the go30 challenge has made it easy to dismiss. Danish asked how I’m going to re-integrate, if at all, and I’m not sure yet, but if there’s a Jester in your life, really consider putting it to the side for a period to see how it’s absence changes your life.

Great work – Walkman

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(03.20.21) Wait a Men-it


AO: > Lava Field

QIC: > Slash

PAX: > Danish, Samurai, Andy



CONDITIONS

Sun peaking out on a dry 40degree field. The grooves were kicking and feet were moving. Got some cool down rain going into 6MOM and Cost.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • Mosey lap
  • SSH x 20 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 20 IC
  • Fast high knees x 10 IC
  • Back squeezes x 20 IC
  • Side lunges x 10 IC
  • Scissor Arms x 15 IC
  • Swimmers x 20 IC

The THANG

EMOM (called by app)- 3 burpees are performed at the beginning of every minute on the minute until all cumulative work is completed. (We made it through 41 rounds)

50 Hand Release Release Merkins – both hands off ground at bottom, alternate one hand then the other off ground at top

100 reverse snow angles – on stomach, hands touch over head then swing around and touch over six.

150 Jungle Boi Squats – jump squat with arms raised, touch hands to ground at bottom

200 Hollow body rockers – on 6, arms and legs outstretched, rock body from blades to butt keeping body locked in a hollow position.

250 Stationary Lunge Steps (ct ea leg as 1 rep)

6MOM

  • Side plank leg lifts – right x 10 IC
  • Side plank leg lifts – left x 10 IC
  • Flutter Kicks x 20 IC
  • Leg lifts x 10 IC
  • 6 inches x 15 IC

Moleskin

Being in the moment

I talked about the day I found out I was going to be a dad. So emotional thinking about how this would change my life forever. Over the next weeks, found myself thinking about the future (how to be a good dad, logistics, etc) more than the present (being present with my wife, savoring the moment). I learned that I tend to look forward more than I sit with what’s going on right now and that can cause me to miss (or undervalue) some great momemts.

Danish shared that the beginning is a grind but having kids is amazing. You never stop worrying about them.

The rain was coming but the vibes were warm.

Slash out!!

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(03.19.21) Football Field Foley


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Lumbergh

PAX: > Herbie, Bunny, Slash, Danish, Kiwi, Samurai



CONDITIONS

Balmy and touch wet this morning at the Lightning Rod. 7 strong, packed in a grinder on the football field!

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • Mosey to Field
  • SSH x 15 IC
  • Windmill x 15 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 15 IC
  • Monkey Humpers x 10 IC
  • Scissor Arms x 15 IC
  • 3rd Grade Exercise x 15 IC
  • SSH x 15 IC

The THANG

SPLIT THE PAX INTO 2 SQUADS (Competition Style) – Each team starts on opposite side and ends of the football field (back of end zone)

Beatdown as follows:

  • 25 Merkins
  • Mosey length of field
  • 25 squats
  • Sprint width of field
  • 25 Merkins
  • Mosey length of field
  • 25 squats
  • Sprint width of field
  • 50 Big Bois
  • Repeat

Each HIM per team counts how many complete rounds they finish, team with the least amount of rounds earns 50 burpees as EC following COT

6MOM

  • Flutter Jacks x 10 IC
  • Flutter Kicks x 10 IC

Moleskin

Today marks almost 8 months I’ve been with F3 Portland, at that time there was many days where there was only 2 of us. Now, as I stand back, I look at what we’ve established, am in awe that we now have 15 men committed to a minimum of a day a week. That’s 15 men on mission, that’s 15 committed ‘To Plant, Serve and Grow men’s small Workout groups in order to reinvigorate Male Community Leadership.’

This is only the beginning, as we’ve experienced 2 FNGs already thru this month’s challenge, we have a few more close to joining. If we average 2-3 FNGs a month we could have between 40-50 by the end of year. While that seems like a lot, the more men we reach, the more connections to the community we unlock.

We have guys coming all the way from Beaverton, think about what it would look like if when we plant an AO there, or NE PDX, or Gresham. So much potential but it takes all of us spreading the word, putting in the work and Giving it Away!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

F3 Portland Logo Launch – Slash update

4.3.21 Event – Great beat down from Danish, followed by a fun beer mile

Extra Credit time!!

Remember –> Plant, Serve, Grow.

> That’s a wrap, Lumbergh

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Who’s Your Paddy?


AO: >Lighting Rod

QIC: > Slash

PAX: > Herbie, Stray Cat, Walkman, Danish, Lumbergh, Kiwi, Sherpa, Dockers, Bunny, Samurai



CONDITIONS

Mid 30’s and high St Paddy’s energy with Herbie in head to toe green, Lumbergh in a crocodile hat and Danish rocking some new red.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

x20 SSH

x20 Imperial walkers

X20 Fast high knees

x20 Squat jacks

x10 Windmills

x10 Gorilla humpers

x12 Blades of steel

The Thang

Riverdancing + swimming

Mosey to the curb for 30x good ole Celtic Riverdancing (alternating toe taps on curb) in cadence. Followed by 30x swimmers (on belly fluttering arms and legs) in cadence.

Leprechauns

Pax line up at goal line. Squat walk w/ arms raised overhead holding your pot of gold. End together at opposite goal line.

Return to starting goal line by leprechaun leaping back – broad jumps with a squat first.

Merkin ladders

Start in end zone and target 50 yrd line to squat walk with arms raised (holding your pot of gold) to. Start with 20 merkin. Sprint to 50yr. 19 merkins. Squat back to launch point. 18 merkins. Continue decreasing merkin count down to 1 merkin. Total of 210 merkins!

6MOM

Mosey back to courtyard

x20 frozen Freddy mercuries

x20 six inches

x 15 flutter kicks

x15 Freddy mercuries

x15 LBC

Moleskin

Traditions – new and old

We often follow traditions or they’re handed to us, but we talked about ways to start new traditions/rituals that further our purpose and fulfill us. Danish, Lumbergh and Walkmen shared how they instill daily traditions (like meeting the day w/ gratitude). Also – Lumbergh likes whiskey.

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The Revenant


AO: >Lighting Rod

QIC: > Bunny

PAX: > Herbie, Slash, Stray Cat, Walkman



CONDITIONS

COLD and 32F to start the day right

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

x25 SSH

x20 Windmills

X15 Left, right jab

x20 Donkey Kicks (10 on each side)

x20 3rd grade exercise

x12 Windmills

x12 Slow High Knees

The Thang

Mosey up the street and then back to the park field, and massive hill. Thought about calling an audible due to slightly icy conditions, but we pushed through. That time change is a real SOB.

Taking out the Grizzly

Pax line up at the bottom of the hill to start OYO sets. We do 1 exercise at the bottom, and 1 at the top, mixing up bear crawls or runs on the way up or down. We start with 10 of each, then 15, then 20.

1st set

Merkins/Jump Squats – reverse bear crawl up, run down

Break – upon completion, short jog to middle of field and sprint back

2nd set

Lunges (easy count)/Big boys – run up, normal bear crawl down

3rd set (running out of time, only got 10 and 15 of each), run up and down

Mountain climbers/Seal Push ups (lower back)

6MOM

Mosey back to courtyard

x20 lbc

x20 Merkins

x 15 flutter kicks

x15 Merkins

x15 LBX

Moleskin

We discussed staying motivated to grow, how hard it can be to keep it up with kids, and ways to work on not losing it.

Slash is buying a new house. We all agreed to let him use couches as coupons, and help him get settled.

Moment of silence for prayer/positivity.

Over and out,

Bunny

Posted on

(03.13.21) Push thru Failure


AO: > LavaField

QIC: > Lumbergh

PAX: > Samurai, Tater Tot, 2 Chainz, Andy, Danish, Slash



CONDITIONS

> Perfect sunny and cool day at the LavaField. 7 strong got in and got the work done. This Q ran late 2mins, FAILURE, awarded myself punishment burpees as EC following the CoT in front of the PAX. Shout out to Danish and Slash for starting a lap mosey to get the crew rolling.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • SSH x 15 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 15 IC
  • Windmill x 15 IC
  • Slow High Knees x 15 IC
  • Third Grade Exercise x 15 IC
  • Scissor Arms x 15 IC
  • SSH x 15 IC
  • Mosey to track

The Thang

ROUND 1

  • Merkin Mile (4 rounds)
  • 25 Merkins
  • Run 400 meters

ROUND 2

  • Big Boi 100s (4 rounds, there and back is one round, 200 BBs total)
  • 25 Big Bois
  • Run 100 yds

ROUND 3

  • Stadium Squatters (4 rounds)
  • 50 Jump Squats
  • Run up and down the bleachers until you get to the other side, mosey back to the start

ROUND 4

  • Merkin Half Mile (2 rounds)
  • 25 Merkins
  • Run 400 meters

MOM

  • LBCs (x 10 IC)
  • Outlaws (x 10 IC, both directions, keep the legs up)
  • Flutter Kick (x 10 IC)
  • Flutter Jacks (x 10 IC)

Moleskin

Planned to give the below but do technical difficulties with my phone, spoke into the learnings of failure as a leader. Spoke into why Preparedness is crucial to the success of a leader and today, I lacked in that discipline as I was not on time. No excuses, own it, learn and strive to never repeat it.

The Daily Discipline Of Physically Training The Body

A man’s Right relationship with himself–his Fitness–begins with his body

Because it is his most fundamental piece of physical equipment, a man must get it and keep it in the normal upright position at all times if he wants to be Effective. In fact, because Preparedness requires him to be ready for the unexpected (not just to get ready for the expected), the HIM (having turned Pro) is focused on gradually but consistently Accelerating his fitness level rather than merely staying in shape. Staying in shape is what Amateurs try to do.

These fragile bodies of ours are what we are given to house our souls. Life, the thing so precious to each person that he will fight tooth and nail to preserve it, is contained within this bag of flesh, muscle and bone we call the body. How can the soul prosper if the body withers? And wither it will, if we don’t put it into motion against continually steeper hills and heavier rocks. The body is made to be used. Let it lie fallow, and it will not produce a good crop. But if it is well plowed and carefully tended, the result will be a bounty of Preparedness.

> That’s a wrap, Lumbergh

Posted on

3/12/2021 – Pump it up

AO: Lightening Rod

QIC: Danish

PAX: Bunny, Herbie, Kiwi, Lumbergh, Slash, Stray Cat, Walkman

Conditions

32F WHAAATTT! A colder morning than it has been but absolutely no one complained about it.

Warm up

SSH x 25

Scissor arms x 10

Slow High Knees x 10

Fast High Knees x 10

Butt Kickers x 15

3rd Grade Exercise x 12

The Thang

Mosey to track and doing 50 merkins by the time we get there (then another 10 once we got there)

2 rounds, 20 secs each exercise, 30 sec rest between sets

Up down squats

Duck walk – 2 steps forward, 2 steps back

Foot fires

Reverse Lunges

Side lunge

Broad jump/shuffle back

Split squat left

Split squat right

Skater lunges

Then….

2 laps of the track running 100m hard, 100m easy

Then…

50 merkins – with a burpee every 10

In cadence:

3 sets of 10 each of

Over hand rows

Under hand rows

Mosey back to LR doing 50 merkins along the way

Ab Shredder

Running Man crunches

Flutter kicks

Moleskin

The order of operations

If you put the jelly on before the peanut butter, the sandwich will fail.

And if you try to spread the peanut butter on the plate and then add the bread, it will fail even worse.

Like so many things, the order is not optional.

And yet, we often do the least-scary or easiest parts first, regardless of what the order of operations tells us.

The importance of form when going through our exercises

Less soreness

Proper engagement of muscles

Wider range of motion

More time under tension

Went through good form for the following exercises:

Squats

Lunges

Merkins

Plank

Flutter kicks

Posted on

Testosterone booster!

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Walkman

PAX: Herbie, Lumbergh, Danish, Bunny, Samurai, Kiwi (FNG!), Sherpa (FNG!), Slash,

Conditions

38 and clear! Bring on the chilly dry Spring!

Warm up

Slow High Knees x 10

Arm Scissors x 10

Butt Kickers x 10

Windmill x 10

Imperial Walkers x 10

Third Grade Exercise x 10

Mosy to the platue hill by the track

The THANG

We all grabbed a rail at the bottom of the hill and spaced out. Completed the following exercises, first in a set of 5, then 10, then 15, then 20. We regrouped as a pax at the top of the hill and jogged down for a quick break in between sets.

Pull ups

Big Bois

Jog up the hill to the first plateau – Squat Jumps

Jog up the hill to the second plateau – Shoulder taps on the hard Count

Jog up the hill to the third plateau – Lunges on the hard count

Jog to the top of the hill – Merkins

Repeated OYO, starting back at 5, then 10, 15, and 20. Congrats to Slash and Danish who were able to finish before we mosied back to the rod.

6MOM

LBC x 25

Freddie x 12

Flutter Kicks x 13

LBX x 25

Moleskin

Shared that something I’d heard recently on a great podcast with a guy named Andrew Huberman who runs a sleep lab. He shared that ‘Testosterone makes effort feel good’. After hearing this I immediately thought of F3 and wondered how to best boost testosterone. Turns out one of the best ways is HiiT training. Several raging hard on jokes circled the group and will likely live with us forever now that we all have this curse of knowledge. F3 to start the day makes the rest of the effort of the day easier and rewarding. It sets the tone, and I love it.

Extra Testosterone brought to you today by Walkman

Posted on

(03.08.21) More than Marginal Gains


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Lumbergh

PAX: > Stray Cat, Walkman, Danish



CONDITIONS

Cool, crisp, dry morning at the Lightning Rod. 4 HIMs got in the work and now ready to take on the week!

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • Mosey to Field
  • SSH x 15
  • Windmill x 10 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 10 IC
  • Monkey Humpers x 10 IC

The THANG

> 4 stations of work (ladder down 10 reps from 50)

Station 1 (Center of the Field)

  • 50 Merkins
  • Mosey to Station 2

Station 2 (Parking Lot)

  • 50 Squat to side Crunch
  • Mosey to Station 3

Station 3 (Bench Courtyard)

  • 50 Box Jumps
  • Mosey to Station 4

Station 4 (Stadium Bleachers)

  • Tricep Dips
  • Mosey back to Station 1
  • Drop 10 reps and repeat stations, finish last round with 10 reps

6MOM

  • Small Flutter Kicks x 15 IC
  • Big Flutter Kicks x 15 IC
  • Flutter Jacks x 15 IC
  • Hold Six Inches
  • LBCs x 15 IC
  • LBX x 15 IC

Moleskin

In 2010, Dave Brailsford faced a tough job.

No British cyclist had ever won the Tour de France, but as the new General Manager and Performance Director for Team Sky (Great Britain’s professional cycling team), Brailsford was asked to change that.

His approach was simple.

Brailsford believed in a concept that he referred to as the “aggregation of marginal gains.” He explained it as “the 1 percent margin for improvement in everything you do.” His belief was that if you improved every area related to cycling by just 1 percent, then those small gains would add up to remarkable improvement.

They started by optimizing the things you might expect: the nutrition of riders, their weekly training program, the ergonomics of the bike seat, and the weight of the tires.

But Brailsford and his team didn’t stop there. They searched for 1 percent improvements in tiny areas that were overlooked by almost everyone else: discovering the pillow that offered the best sleep and taking it with them to hotels, testing for the most effective type of massage gel, and teaching riders the best way to wash their hands to avoid infection. They searched for 1 percent
improvements everywhere.

Remember –> Plant, Serve, Grow.

> That’s a wrap, Lumbergh