(05.22.21) – Meters, Merkins, Burpees OH MY!

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Lumbergh

PAX: Houdini, Danish, Andy, Stout, Slice (F3 Boise)

Conditions

Gloomy start to the weekend, a little wet but not enough to slow down this crew. Down ranger from Boise, Slice, here to give us a little Idaho flavor.

Warm up

  • SSH x 15
  • 3rd Grade Exercise x 15
  • Slow High Knees x 15
  • Monkey Humpers x 10
  • Scissor Arms x 15
  • Alternating Shoulder Taps x 15
  • SSH x 15

Mosey to track

The Thang

Round 1

  • Merkin Mile
  • Run 400m
  • 25 Merkins

Round 2

  • Merkin while team mate runs 400m (switch)
  • Complete 500 Merkins combined

Round 3

  • Burpee while teammate sprints 25 yards
  • Complete 100 Burpees combined

6MoM

  • 50 Big Bois x IC (easy count)
  • 10 Outlaws x IC (both directions)
  • 15 LBCs x

COT

A man needs help to Get Right

The boats of some men have been so long capsized that they have gradually surrendered to a life of being swept downstream by circumstance. Having lost the ability to make headway, they become fully focused on mere survival. We call these men Sad Clowns and their affliction Sad Clown Syndrome .

The symptoms of Sad Clown Syndrome are subtle, so the malady can be difficult to diagnose. The Sad Clown may not be chronically obese–but he is not physical fit, lacking in strength, speed, stamina and toughness. He may not be alone–but he is lonely, living bereft of meaningful male friendships. He may not be unemployed–but he lacks true purpose, having no clear vision, belief system or direction governing the things he does or fails to do. The Sad Clown may seem happy on the outside–but that is only what he seems to be, not what he is.

Focused on mere survival, the Sad Clown zombie-shuffles through the motions of his life governed by his perception of what is expected of him from the world rather than in the manner for which he was created. Having no sense of purpose other than existential continuity, he squanders his days and energy trying to seem like a man rather than be one. This makes him a Mascot , aspiring for little more than the clearance of his last check in the final fearful moments before greeting what awaits him in the Super Unknown .

That’s a wrap

-Lumbergh

(05.17.21) UBB Day


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Bunny

PAX: > Giggles, Free Lunch, Danish, Lumbergh, Walkman, Stray Cat, Face Plant



CONDITIONS

> 8 PAX to kick off the week right. About 57 and dry – no hoodies today!

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • SSH x 20 IC
  • Third Grade Exercise x 15 IC
  • Windmills x 15 IC
  • Donkey Kicks x 10 IC (each leg)

Its a great Monday – some chatter about the weekend and the fact that it’s my last Q.

The THANG

Everybody picks up their coupons and fast walks to the football field. Pick up coupons and mosey down the field, every 20 yards hitting 2 exercises at X number of reps until the touchdown line, completing 5 sets. Turn around, and start the next exercise. 10-20 count between sets.

x10 curls & x5 skull crushers

x10 squat to shoulder press & x10 incline merkins

x10 kettle bell swings & x10 rows (5 on each side)

x10 deadlift & x10 mountain climbers

Lumbergh finished early and was hitting some merkins. Looked like a good idea to me.

x20 Merkins as a group IC (hard count)

6MOM

  • x15 Merkins as a group IC (hard count)
  • x50 LBC IC
  • x25 plank IC
  • x10 shoulder taps IC
  • x10 Merkins IC

Moleskin

Appreciation and Gratitude for F3

Discussed how much F3 has meant to me during the last year with the pandemic and being laid off etc. It truly motivated me and gave me purpose during a stagnant and bleak period of my life. I thanked everyone for giving me the opportunity to Q and grow as a leader. It hasn’t always been perfect, but it has really pushed me to keep getting better and improve. F3 has, as simple, as it seems given me the 3 Fs. Obviously fitness, but also faith in something bigger than myself, and fellowship with a great group of guys I hope to keep in contact with long into the future. It has been awesome watching F3 Portland grow, and now new pax are stepping up to Q. I am excited to help contribute to their success in any way I can and continue posting hard as I get ready to leave the country. Moment of silence for appreciation and gratitude for F3 or anything else on your mind.

> Over and Out for the last time as Q in Portland (at least for awhile),

Bunny

(05.14.21) – Bye Bye Friday

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Lumbergh

PAX: Bunny, Kiwi, Free Lunch, Stray Cat, Danish, Herbie, Slash

Conditions

45F and gloomy, the PAX showed up ready to charge, kick off the day right!!

Warm up

  • SSH x 20
  • 3rd Grade Exercise x 15
  • Slow High Knees x 15
  • Monkey Humpers x 10
  • Scissor Arms x 15
  • Alternating Shoulder Taps x 15
  • SSH x 20

Mosey to track

The Thang

Run a mile (4 laps around the track)

Round 1

  • Bear Crawl 25 yards
  • 25 Merkins
  • Rinse and repeat for a 100 yards

Round 2

  • Split Leg Lunge Walk 25 yards
  • 25 Jump Squats
  • Rinse and repeat for a 100 yards

Round 3

  • Burpee Broad Jumps 25 yards
  • 25 Big Bois

COT

Keeping a Positive Mindset throughout your Workouts

“Always keep your mind strong with thoughts of positivity; your head up with full confidence and a big smile on your face, because you truly have greatness in you.”
― Edmond Mbiaka

Even on a day you wake up feeling like you don’t want to work out, you can still maintain a positive approach. Instead of holding yourself to a rigid schedule, give yourself some flexibility around your workouts, and listen to your body. If you’re not feeling motivated, it might be your body telling you that you need to get some extra rest. Or, you might need to be your own cheerleader and get yourself to the gym. Even with a consistent weekly workout routine, leave space so that you can make small adjustments to your plan. For example, if you were planning on working out before work, but you needed a few extra hours of sleep, then move your workout to later in the day.

That’s a wrap

-Lumbergh

(05.10.21) Coupon Day


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Bunny

PAX: > Giggles, Herbie, Kiwi, Samurai, Free Lunch, Ghost, Danish, Lumbergh, Walkman, Stray Cat



CONDITIONS

> 11 PAX to kick off the week right. About 47 and dry – great conditions.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • SSH x 20 IC
  • Third Grade Exercise x 12 IC
  • Windmills x 12 IC
  • Slow High Knees x 15 IC
  • Donkey Kicks x 10 IC (each leg)
  • Monkey Humpers x 15 IC

The THANG

Everybody picks up their coupons and fast walks to the big hill. Leave coupons at top of the hill, and partner up into groups of 2 at the bottom. While 1 partner is running up hill and doing x25 of a coupon exercise, other partner waits in plank. Partner doing coupon exercises finishes and runs back down hill, partners then switch. This is done until 200 reps are completed per team, 100 for each partner.

x200 Coupon Swings

x200 Curls

stationary partner switches planks for popping a squats or regular squats for next set of reps

x200 shoulder press

6MOM

  • No time

Moleskin

Being able to learn from others

Discussed how easy it is to get set in our ways as we get older, thinking we have it all figured out, and stop learning from others. Talked about the importance of being willing to learn new things, and open to criticism and advice. Meeting and learning from new people is so important to continued growth in life. We are lucky to have this amazing fellowship, with guys that really want to grow. As we grow in numbers, I think it is important to recognize the benefits of new perspectives and voices. I challenged all pax to be open to learning from others in their daily lives. The Pax shared some stories and perspectives. Walkman talked about staring up the NE AO. Moment of silence for prayer/positivity to end it.

> Over and Out, Bunny

(05.09.21) – Cleveland Rocks

AO: LavaField

QIC: Lumbergh

PAX: 2 Chainz, Andy, Houdini, Slumberkins, Samurai

Conditions

45F and gloomy, the PAX showed up ready to charge, kick off the day right!!

Warm up

  • SSH x 20
  • 3rd Grade Exercise x 15
  • Slow High Knees x 15
  • Monkey Humpers x 10
  • Scissor Arms x 15
  • Alternating Shoulder Taps x 15
  • SSH x 20

Mosey to track

The Thang

7 of Diamonds – Track Style (Burpees, Squats, Big Bois, Merkins)

Round 1 – Burpees

PAX Runs 400m (complete 7 Burpees) x 4

Round 2 – Squats

PAX Runs 400m (complete 14 Squats) x 4

Round 3 – Big Bois

PAX Runs 400m (complete 21 Big Bois) x 4

Round 4 – Merkins

PAX Runs 400m (complete 28 Merkins) x 4

Time Permitting – Football field gassers, sprint 25 yards and back, then 50, 75, 100 (10 Merkins at the End Zone each time)

COT

Movement is a release of energy

Ignition is the act of setting something on fire and starting it to burn. It is the transformation of energy from the potential to the kinetic. Potential energy resides in something held motionless by restraint, like water impounded behind a dam. That restrained energy cannot be transferred until it is released and begins to flow.

Likewise the potential of a man. To become kinetic, to be transferable, it must be released into Movement. The HIM helps other men do this by Influencing them to open the floodgates of their lives and let the water flow. He does this primarily through example, by the way he talks and the things he does. Seeing this in the HIM (and the effect it has), the Sad Clown is infected with a palpable desire to initiate Movement in his own life.

A palpable desire is one that can be plainly perceived. Whether by sight, touch or feel it is a yearning (once obscured) that has been driven to the surface and can no longer be ignored. Until his potential energy is released a man stuck behind a dam is inert, suspended in a state of non-Movement. Through Influence, the HIM helps people release their deepest desires for action. He unblocks the dam to let the river flow. He unlocks the Status Quo and releases energy.

5.3.21 – Charge!

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Walkman

PAX: Danish, Lumbergh, Giggles, Kiwi, Bunny, Ditka!, Herbie, Ghost, Samurai, Free Lunch

Conditions

49 clear and dry. 10 Pax arrived on time with one more straggling in (nice job) and another who showed up but missed us (also nice job!).

Warm up

Mosied down to 52nd and down to division, circling up for:

SSH x 15

Windmill x 12

Slow high knees x 12

Third Grade Exercise x 12

Monkey Humpers x 12

Side Lunge x 12

Then mosied to the hill by the track.

The Thang

Started at the bottom of the hill. The Pax ran up, starting the exercise immediately at the top, and once the six was in we performed the exercise in cadence. Jogged down the hill, and started pull ups immediately. Once the six was in, performed 10 pullups in cadence. Repeated for:

Merkins x 10, Jump Squats x 10, Plank x 10, Lunges x 10

Ran up the hill backwards and completed the same for:

Merkins x 15, Jump squats x 15, Plank x 15, Lunges x 15

Broke the group into two groups and completed a lap of a six man run.

Pulled up at the wall and completed wall sits w/ Cherry Pickers x 15, Morrocan Night club x 15, OHP x 10.

Went back to the hill and repeated the above for:

Merkins x 5, Jump squats x 5, Plank x 5, Lunges x 5

Ran up the hill backwards for

Merkins x 10, Jump squats x 10, Lunges x 10

Mosied back to the Lightning Rod.

6MOM

Box Cutter x 15

Big Bois x 25

Frozen Freddie x 10

Plank, L/R side plank x 10ea

Superman x 15

LBX x 10

COT

I shared that I’m currently reading ‘freed to lead’ and am finding it hitting home. In particular, the need to work every single day to become who I want to be is hitting right now. I’ve had this mental block on the need to push myself every day, feeling like 2-3 days a week ‘should’ be good enough. The funny thing is, it obviously isn’t. I keep telling myself I don’t want to do this 5 days a week, particularly as we’re looking to launch NE, but I have all of this evidence that I really do want to do it more: I’m happier, more present, a better husband/father/friend, I see massive cognitive gains, I eat/drink better, i read more, walk my dog, etc. All the evidence in the world, and I still have a mental block on it being ‘required’ to push it every day. The story of F3 is doing a great job of breaking that down for me.

Good work today – Walkman

(04.26.21) DOD Zombie edition


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Bunny

PAX: > Giggles, Herbie, Kiwi, Samurai, Free Lunch, Ghost, Danish



CONDITIONS

> 8 PAX to kick off the week. About 45 and dry – great conditions.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • SSH x 25 IC
  • Third Grade Exercise x 12 IC
  • Windmills x 15 IC
  • Slow High Knees x 15 IC
  • Donkey Kicks x 10 IC (each leg)
  • Arm Circles x 20 IC

The THANG

DOD. Hearts/Merkins (easy count), Diamonds/Incline Merkins (easy count), Spades/Squats (hard count), Clubs/Lunges (hard count), and Jokers/ 12 burpees.

Since we have some VQs this month, and more to come soon, I wanted to give all pax a chance to try out calling exercises IC and getting a feel for the Q. The person that draws the card calls cadence. It went great – I think that every one of the pax present today will eventually lead a kickass Q.

Tried to get through it all, but time and burpees kicked our ass – we left off with 4 cards remaining and a minute to spare.

6MOM

  • LBC x 25 IC

Moleskin

Stepping outside your comfort zone to get where you want to be

Discussed the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone/taking risks, and trying to do at least one thing truly uncomfortable everyday. Every single one of the pax today did this by coming to F3 and continuing to grow as HIMs. Talked about taking some risk in life – without risk there is safety, but no reward. All pax had some good insights/stories/examples to share.

I am really impressed at how this group has grown and retained a sense of fellowship, with everybody adding something different and positive – just a great group of guys. Really makes getting up at 5am worth it.

> Over and Out, Bunny

4.23.21 – Shothouse!

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Walkman

PAX: Giggles, Herbie, Kiwi, Stray Cat, Free Lunch, Danish, Lumbergh, Slash

Conditions

45 and dry for a great Friday beatdown! 10 strong to round of a double digit week!

Warm up

Sun salutations and some light yoga twists to get our joints warmed up and then mosied to the track.

The Thang

Tabata

Shothouse 1000: 100 reps of each exercise. Preferrably performed one at a time (complete 100, move on to next exercise) but encouraged the PAX to adapt as necessary to keep the body moving. We had two finishers and a large number hitting over 750 reps this morning. Killer work!

Merkins

Lunges (left leg)

Lunges (right leg)

Squats

Dips

Pull ups

Shoulder taps (2 count)

Mtn. climber pulses (HC)

Big Bois

LBC’s

6MOM

Box Cutters x 10

COT

The mission of F3 is to Plant, Serve, and Grow men’s small workout groups to reinvigorate male community leadership. This happens day by dad – brick by brick. Each time you take the DRP and show up, you lay another brick and keep getting closer to PRO and becoming a HIM. We find someone faster than ourselves and chase them, every day.

Great work! Walkman

(04.19.21) The Great Equalizer


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Lumbergh

PAX: > Giggles, Herbie, Kiwi, Samurai, Walkman, Free Lunch, Ghost, Stray Cat, Danish



CONDITIONS

> 10 PAX strong this morning. Another dry morning in the PNW, men were out and thirsty for a kickstart to the week.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • Mosey to the Track
  • SSH x 20 IC
  • Slow High Knees x 15 IC
  • Butt Kickers x 15 IC
  • Third Grade Exercises x 15 IC
  • Single Leg Quad Stretch x 10 IC (each leg)
  • SSH x 20 IC

The THANG

For 25 mins

  • Run 400m
  • 20 merkins
  • 20 squats
  • 20 big bois

Mosey back to LR!

6MOM

  • Outlaws x 10 IC (each direction)
  • Dead bugs x 20 IC

Moleskin

The importance of being missional and setting goals to meet that mission

Discussed the need for setting goals, to be a man on mission, leading towards ‘getting right’ and being better men, husbands, fathers, co-workers, neighbors. Highlighted the accountability tools we have in place for meeting these goals (GO30)

Spoke into encouragement to seeking more in oneself through these goals and being there for the group.

> That’s a wrap, Lumbergh

(04.17.21) The Q is for Queen


AO: > LavaField

QIC: > Lumbergh

PAX: > Stray Cat, 2 Chainz, Slash, Tater Tot, Danish, Baguette



CONDITIONS

Best day of the year, sunny and warm. T-shirt weather in full force….some tops were popped as the sun was blasting! PAX was Ready to Rock. Lead a beatdown with musical accompaniment by none other than QUEEN.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain) – Breakthru by Queen played

  • SSH x 15 IC
  • Fast High Knees x 15 IC
  • Butt Kickers x 15 IC
  • Monkey Humpers x 10 IC
  • Scissor Arms x 15 IC
  • Windmill x 15 IC
  • SSH x 15 IC

The THANG

Round 1: KILLER QUEENS (aka Bees)

  • Bear Crawl 30 yards
  • Broad Jump Back to start
  • Every 5 Broad Jumps, 3 Burpees
  • Continue for 3 rounds of “Killer Queen” looping (9:00 mins)

Round 2: Break Free and Bite Dust (Football Field Gassers with Merkin add)

  • 25 yard sprint gassers
  • Start on endzone, sprint to 25 yards and back (10 Merkins)
  • 50 yards and back (10 Merkins)
  • 75 yards and back (10 Merkins)
  • 100 yards and back (10 Merkins)
  • Start back at 25 yards…continue till music stops
  • Round 2 complete after playing “I Want To Break Free” (3:40 mins), “Don’t Stop Me Now” (3:30 mins), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (6:00 mins), “Another One Bites The Dust” (3:35 mins)

Round 3: Under Pressure, Save MePLEASE!

  • Mosey to the Bleachers
  • 20 Squats
  • 20 Step Ups (EC)
  • 20 Box Jumps
  • 20 Side Lunges (EC)
  • Continue for “Under Pressure” (4:00 mins) and “Save Me” (3:40 mins)

Round 4: Mosey Mile (completed in three songs)

  • Mosey Mile
  • Continue for “Fat Bottomed Girls” (3:20 mins), “Radio Ga Ga” (5:20 mins), and “This Thing Called Love” (2:40 mins)

6MOM

  • Rock’ Planks (single arm Plank, switch arm each chorus of we will rock you)
  • Freddie Mercurys x 10 IC
  • Victory Crunches till “We are the Champions” ends

Moleskin

The Daily Discipline Over What Is Put Into The Body Queen (Q1.3)

Man does not stay Fit through exercise alone

The Queen is an integral Guardrail in the HIM’s pursuit of proper personal alignment. As with chess, if the Queen is taken off the board, it is not long before the King finds himself checkmated. No matter how hard and consistently a man may exercise, if his diet is haphazard his Fitness kingdom will not long stand. The Queen cannot be ignored, even by the strongest of Kings.

I have dreamt my entire adult life of that wonderful place where I could out-King my Queen. Surely, I’ve always thought, there is a magical number of miles I could run in a week that would enable me to eat whatever I want without gaining weight. Forty, fifty, sixty–whatever it is, once I had attained that mileage count, then I could abandon the grating discipline over what I put in my mouth. Repeatedly, I have had to relearn the same hard lesson that this wonderful place does not really exist, and that my belief that I could find it is a cruel self-generated hoax. It is a fool’s quest based upon a lie.

The truth is that to Get Right I have to exert daily discipline over what I put in mouth no matter how fast I am Accelerating my King. In fact, it is in those periods of Acceleration that I have to be more disciplined in my service to the Queen. The reason is simple: more exercise means more calorie burn and more calorie burn means more hunger. The harder I exercise, the hungrier I get–the hungrier I get, the more I eat. That is the reason I can’t out-King my Queen. The faster I go on the Fitness road the higher my Guardrail needs to be to keep out of the ditch.

The first step to serving the Queen is accepting that truth. The next step is doing something about it.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mudgear Product shipping soon!!

Great Happy Hour turnout, we’ll look to have a 2nd F activity each month moving forward

Remember –> Plant, Serve, Grow.

> That’s a wrap, Lumbergh