3.28.22 Cave Dwellers!


AO: >Lightning Rod

QIC: > Walkman

PAX: > Jelly Fish, Lumbergh, Kiwi, Stray Cat, Free Lunch



CONDITIONS

mid 40’s and dry! Pax showed up in good moods with sore legs from Saturday. YHC didn’t read the Saturday Backblast….so I punished their legs again.

Warm up

  • Mosied to 62nd looking for good morning merkins, didn’t find any, mosied to the tennis courts
  • Circled up for SSH x 10, monkey humpers x 10, daisy pickers x 10

The Thang

Cave Dwellers! Start on the edge of the tennis courts

Bear Crawl to other side of first court, 10 merkins, crawl bear back, 10 merkins

Guerrilla walk to other side of second court, 10 merkins, reverse inch worm back, 10 merkins

Bear Crawl to other side of 3rd court, 10 merkins, crawl bear back, 10 merkins

Guerrilla walk to other side of fourth court, 10 merkins, reverse inch worm back, 10 merkins

Pick up the six!

6MoM

  • LBC x 25
  • Good morning merkins x10 (found some!)
  • Plank and side planks x 10 each
  • Merkins x 10

COT

I shared that preparation has been a common theme in my life in the last few months, so I shared some from the Q Source:

Prepare for what you expect and the be prepared for the unexpected 

The first disturbance the Disrupter makes in the life of the Mascot is to elicit Commitment . To Get Right, the Mascot has to Commit to actual Movement, not just its appearance. To obtain proper personal alignment, he must stop seeking to seem and determine to be. He must decide to turn Pro rather than continue life as an Amateur .

The superficially-Committed Mascot is an Amateur. To him, what truly matters is only that he make periodic resolutions and look like he is trying to fulfill them. Then, when the circumstances of his life inevitably undo whatever small progress he might have made, he can repeat the process without being completely embarrassed. For that man it is all about the appearance of the process not the substance of the progress.

The fully-Committed HIM is a Pro. He views his proper personal alignment as a skill that requires daily practice to first obtain and then continually sharpen. Determined to be rather than merely to seem, a HIM focuses on Preparedness absent any concern of how that appears to the world.

Take golf as an illustration of the contrast between the Amateur and the Pro. A professional golfer goes to the driving range every day to get prepared for what he expects from his next match and to be prepared for what he doesn’t. He practices driving and putting because he plans on doing a lot of both–but he also practices his sand shots and getting out of the rough because he knows that his plan to stay in the fairway will not always succeed. What he’s wearing while he does all that is of very little concern to him.

An amateur golfer spends more time trying to look like a golfer than he does practicing his swing. He might go to the range if he can fit it in, but he usually comes in hot on Saturday morning five minutes before his tee time hoping for good things to happen and reacting emotionally when inevitably they don’t. How could they? He is prepared for neither the fairway nor the rough. He is not actually a golfer–he only seems like one because he’s wearing the right shoes.

A Mascot brings the same Amateur approach to his proper personal alignment. Instead of organizing his time around the daily grind required to work out his imperfections, he just shows up and reacts emotionally to his circumstances. For him Preparedness is something he never seems to be able to fit around his “real” life when in fact the Get Right is his real life.

The HIM is the complete opposite. He is a man who has turned Pro. He knows that proper personal alignment requires the constant honing that can only be done through daily practice. Unlike the Mascot, the HIM’s focus is on Preparedness–not just for the next Event in his life, but for his life in general as well as what awaits him in the Super Unknown.

Until the Mascot turns Pro he will be ruled by the emotional surges that result from his lack of Preparedness for the expected and unexpected Events of his life. He will make the same resolutions every December and break them in the same way every January. Because he is an Amateur he will start each day with the Blue Pill and live a life of seeming rather than being.

Fortunately, no man is too far wrong to Get Right. No matter how long his boat has been capsized he can begin returning it to the normal upright position with one very small Movement–the decision to take the Red Pill instead of the Blue one. He need only determine to begin doing those things necessary today to become a HIM tomorrow

True freedom is the predetermined ‘what’ that allows full focus on the ‘how’

Good work Men

-Walkman

(03/26/22) – Freeze Frame

AO: LavaField

QIC: Lumbergh (written by 2Chainz – out sick)

PAX: Stray Cat, Kiwi, Walkman, Free Lunch, Steamy Nix, Danish

Conditions

Mild, little damp, and a glimmer in every guy’s eye!!

Warm up

  • SSH x 25
  • Windmill x 15
  • Arm Scissors x 15
  • Slow High Knees x 15
  • Butt Kickers x 15
  • Imperial Walkers x 15
  • Arm Circles x 15

The Thang

Mosey to the courtyard.

Hold wall sits for all exercises

  • Cherry Pickers x 12
  • Forward Arm Circles x 12
  • Backward Arm Circles x 12
  • Seal Claps x 12
  • OH Claps x 12

Mosey to the field.

Partner up, one partner holds frozen position while other partners knocks out reps. Then switch. Once one round of reps is completed by both partners, complete movement together.

Round 1:

  • Merkins x (10, 15, 20)
  • Frozen down merkin till partner 1 is done
  • Switch
  • Movement: Crab walk width of the field (football lines), mosey back, complete the remaining rounds

Mosey to courtyard. Repeat wall sit round above. Mosey back to field.

Round 2:

  • Squats x (10, 15, 20)
  • Frozen down squat till partner 1 is done
  • Switch
  • Movement: Lunge walk width of field (football lines), mosey back, complete the remaining rounds

Mosey to courtyard. Repeat wall sit round above. Mosey to the bleachers.

Round 3:

  • Dips x (10, 15, 20)
  • Frozen down dip till partner 1 is done
  • Switch
  • Movement: Bear crawl up stadium (on seats not stairs), side shuffle at top, mosey down stadium on stairs, complete the remaining rounds

Mosey back to endzone

  • LBCs x 15
  • Grounded LBCs x 15
  • Penguins x 15
  • Frozen 6 inches x 15

COT

Took a moment to share some personal updates on a family friend who is staring a grim outlook to a long fight with cancer. We were fortunate enough to pour into their family, namely the kiddo and take them with us on Spring Break. It was both great to see her enjoyment with my kids and having genuine fun. While it’s a tough road ahead and certainly will come with heartache, I’m grateful the God is at the center of the family and that undefinable faith will help them thru every day.

Make every day matter, tomorrow is never promised. My ask is simple, go home and hold your loved ones close and be better today than you were yesterday. Have a great weekend!

That’s a wrap,

Lumbergh

(03.18.22) – Charge the Hill and 2 zig zags

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Walkman

PAX: Free Lunch, Jelly Fish, Steamy Nix, Stray Cat

Conditions

47, wet ground but otherwise dry. Great morning for a beatdown!

Warm up

Jogged to the corner with our coupons, completed:

  • Burpee Box jump x 5
  • Neck rolls x 10
  • Arm Scissors x 10
  • Imperial Walker x 10
  • Burpee Box Jumps x 5
  • Windmill x 10
  • Third Grade x 10
  • Monkey Humper x 10
  • Burpee Box Jump x5
  • Side Lung x 10

Mosied to the tiered hill by the football field with our coupons.

The Thang

Charge the Hill:

  • 5 Pull ups
  • Charge the hill while bear hugging the coupon
  • 5 merkins
  • run down the hill
  • repeato with 10, 15, 20 reps

2 Zig Zags (I always accidentally call Bolt 45’s ‘Colt 45’s’, and then I get the Afro Man song in my head, which birthed this idea).

Bolt 45 1: 15 top 1/3 squats, 15 mid range squats, 15 bottom 1/3 squats, 15 merkins, 15 jump squats

Bolt 45 2: 15 top 1/3 Merkins, 15 mid range merkins, 15 bottom 1/3 merkins, 15 squats, 15 full Merkins.

Charge the hill:

  • 5 pull ups
  • charge the hill while bear hugging the coupon
  • 5 Squats with the coupon
  • run down the hill
  • repeato with 10, 15 reps.

Mosy back to the ‘Rod.

6MOM

  • Big Bois w/coupon and OHP x 10
  • Frozen Freddie x 20
  • Plank x 15, side plank x 15 each side
  • LBC x 25

COT

I shared that my family is in a tremendous period of transition, and that’s its been really important for me to be able to be very empathetic to the emotional swings, rational fears and challenges, etc. We had a good conversation about handling transitions, self awareness, and some great edification from the pax.

Great work today Men!

Walkman

(03/04/22) – Pass the Merlot

AO: Lightning Rod

QIC: Lumbergh

PAX: Stray Cat, Kiwi, Walkman, Free Lunch, Steamy Nix, Danish

Conditions

Mild, dry, and a glimmer in every guy’s eye!!

Warm up

  • SSH x 20
  • Slow High Knees x 10
  • Windmill x 10
  • Daisy Pickers x10
  • 3rd Grade Exercises x 10
  • Halos x 10
  • SSH x 10

The Thang

Mosey to the field.

Line up on the End Zone. Partner up

Round 1:

  • Line Up on the track
  • Partner 1: Run 400m
  • Partner 2: Incline Merkins
  • Switch
  • Partner 1: Run 400m
  • Partner 2; Decline Merkins
  • Switch

Round 2:

  • Mosey to Stadium
  • Partner 1: Run up and down the stairs 10 times (one group per aisle)
  • Partner 2: Step ups
  • Switch
  • Partner 1: Run up and down the stairs 10 times
  • Partner 2: Box jumps
  • Switch

Round 3:

  • Mosey to End Zone
  • Partner 1: Run 25 yards and back, Run 50 yards and back
  • Partner 2: X-Factors
  • Switch
  • Partner 1: Run 25 yards and back, Run 50 yards and back
  • Partner 2: Big Bois
  • Switch
  • Partner 1: Run 25 yards and back, Run 50 yards and back
  • Partner 2: Leg Raises
  • Switch

Mosey back to LR

As a PAX, block march back to LR. On Q’s call lift press block up and over to the other shoulder, continue all the way back.

  • Grounded LBCs x 20

COT

LANGUAGE (F2)

The Lexicon Of Virtuous Leadership

The culture denatures words to uselessness

Take the word accountability as an example. If you look that word up in the dictionary you will find some form of the following definition: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. That definition, while technically accurate, isn’t very useful in advantage-seeking because it doesn’t tell you how you do it.

Moreover, the culture has further maligned the word into full-blown uselessness. Very smart people routinely say things like “yup, this is the year I start holding myself accountable.” While that may sound good, it’s actually a useless statement because nobody can hold themselves accountable. If that were possible, the word accountability would not need to exist because the concept of accountability would be unnecessary–we would all just lead ourselves down the virtuous path through our own self-will. But we can’t, at least not enough of the time to render the world free of the problems that the concept of accountability arose to address in the first place.

As a result, for the purpose of the Language of effective leadership, the word accountability has been denatured by the culture and rendered useless. Which is not good, because the concept of accountability is inexpressibly important to the skill of leadership. Without accountability, leaders cannot influence movement to advantage.

That’s a wrap,

Lumbergh

Gwen and Isla


AO: >Lightning Rod

QIC: > Walkman

PAX: > Stray Cat, Lumbergh, Free Lunch, Danish, Steamy Nix



CONDITIONS

51 and drizzly – balmy morning and everyone was in good spirits.

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

Warm up

Everyone snagged a bench and completed fire feet x 12, toe taps x 12, and step ups x 12 before mosying around the corner and down to the field. Circled up at the goal line for Halos x 10, Imperial Walkers x 12, Windmill x 12, Monkey Humpers x 12, Daisy Pickers x 12. Steamy Nix found us just before we circled up!

The Thang

Beatdown inspired by my Daughters Gwen and Isla:

10 merkins, 11 big bois, 12 lunge walks (Easy Count), 13 Squats

3 burpees

14 merkins, 15 big bois, 16 lunge walks, 14 squats

3 burpees

repeato until time is up. Asked everyone to remember what # of reps they made it to. Danish and Free Lunch made it to 39! Mosied back to the rod.

6MoM

LBX x 39, Plank/Side Planks x 39 (total), Frozen Freddie x 39 (yikes)

COT

I loved this workout. I didn’t post on Monday, and my oldest stayed home for a bit with me and insisted we do a workout. She lead us through 10 merkins, 11 big bois, 12 lunges and 13 squats. Last week, my youngest wanted to work out randomly one evening, so we did a few burpees (a few of you saw the video). I was excited to share this workout, and while perusing the Q Source I came upon Positive Habit Transfer. I thought that was fitting – my daughters want to workout with me because it’s such a regular part of our lives.

The Q source breaks it into 3 categories.

Negative Habits – work to eliminate these

Neutral Habits – work to reduce these

Positive habits – work to reinforce and add more

You cannot give away what you do not possess. Living right is being a HIM. Part of being a High Impact Man is understanding IMPACT, an acronym.

Influence: igniting a powerful desire for Movement
Missionality: Serving in the High Impact Zone
Positive Habit Transfer: ingraining Advantageous tendencies in others
Accountability: submitting to Standard through Enforcement and Consequence
Correction: zealously advocating for shared virtue
Targeting: initiating Missionality in others

I asked the PAX to take a few minutes and think about the positive, negative, and neutral habits they are transferring in their lives, and some good sharing ensued.

Great work Men!

Walkman

(02.07.22) Franklin Mountain Summit


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Lumbergh

PAX: > Bob Evans, Danish, Walkman, Kiwi, Stray Cat, Steamy Nix, Free Lunch



CONDITIONS

Frosty and foggy. Perfect Monday for a gloomy beatdown

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • Mosey to the Track
  • SSH x 20 IC
  • Windmill x 15 IC
  • Scissor Arm x 15 IC
  • Monkey Humpers x 10 IC
  • Third Grade Exercise x 10 IC
  • Slow High Knees x 10 IC
  • Butt Kickers x 10 IC
  • SSH x 20 IC

The THANG

As many rounds as possible before mosey back to LR for COT. Goal is 3 rounds.

  • Run to the Franklin Statue
  • 50 merkins
  • Run back to track and back up to Franklin Statue
  • 50 big bois
  • Run back to track and back up to Franklin Statue
  • 50 squats

Great push by the PAX. Lots of encouragement and effort out there!!

Mosey back to LR!

6MOM

> Finished on the 6, holding 6 inches till the 6 is in.

  • LBC x 15 IC (heals planted on the ground)
  • LBC x 15 IC (standard)

Moleskin

A moment of struggle then focus on thankfulness

Shared some details around my family getaway. How it was a wonderful time away with just my crew but had two blowouts with our oldest. Spoke into that and how it just looms over me and struggle in them and I let them linger over me, taking away from the good that was just experienced.

My wife had an amazing idea to have my oldest pray about the things in her life she is thankful for each morning, I love it and have chosen to model this same behavior. Encouraged the PAX to adopt a way to focus energy on the positives each day to be that gentle reminder of why we serve others, especially our families.

> That’s a wrap, Lumbergh

(1.28.22) Hop Hop and Don’t Stop!


AO: > Lightning Rod

QIC: > Samurai

PAX: > Bob Evans, Kiwi, Slash, Herbie, Walkman, Steak Juice, Free Lunch



CONDITIONS

29 degrees, clear skies and windy.

Warm Up

Mosey down to the track, up and down the stairs a few times, then down to the goal line.

  • Side Straddle Hop X 25
  • Third Grade X 10
  • Monkey Humpers X 15
  • Butt Kickers X 10
  • Fast High Knees X 10
  • Y to T x 20
  • Side Straddle Hop x 25

The Thang

First exercise is a buddy exercise. Buddy A does the stationary exercise while buddy B does the moving exercise down to the 30 yard line and back. Then buddy B does stationary and buddy A does the moving exercise.

  • Round 1 Squats/Bear Crawl
  • Round 2 Lunges/Big Boys
  • Round 3 Merkins/Broad Jump

Mosey over to the low wall and do the second exercise two times through:

  • 1 Minute Inverted Row
  • 30 Seconds Rest
  • 1 Minute Bench Dips
  • 30 Seconds Rest

Then mosey back to the goal line for the last exercise:

  • Run to the 10 yard line and back
  • Do 1 Burpee
  • Run to the 20 yard line and back
  • Do 2 Burpees…

Everyone made it to the 70 yard line and some PAX got through to 100. Then we mosied back to the Lightning Rod with an extra stairs run on the way.

6MOM

  • Scissor Kicks x 20 in cadence

COT

Each part of this workout was intended to represent one of the three Fs.

The timed portion is a measure of Fitness. Fitness is about being fit for a purpose, suitable for the task we are assigned. It’s not about looking good or even about feeling good. In order to talk about Fitness, we need to know what task we are trying to be fit for. That’s our reason, our Why.

The buddy portion represents Fellowship. It’s a scary world out there, and we’re not going to make it alone. In order to survive, in order to thrive, we have to stick together. We have to work together to get it done, encouraging each other as we go.

The Burpee Ladder is about Faith. We have to believe in something outside of ourselves. This could be God, the Fellowship, the connectedness of the universe- there has to be some Higher Power out there because we can’t be it. We can’t do it on our own. There’s not enough strength in me to run up and down the field doing burpees when it’s freezing cold and dark. That power has to come from somewhere outside of us.

PAX went around the circle and shared about their Why, the task and purpose they want to be fit for, and about their Higher Power, where they get their Faith and their Strength from.

Remember your Why, stay close to your Fellows, and reach out to your Higher Power for help!

With Love,
Samurai

01/15/2022 – Fitness Class

AO: LavaField

QIC: Danish

PAX: Houdini, Stray Cat, Slash

Conditions

Very foggy and cold. Low 30Fs and finger shattering frost on the field.

Warm up

400m mosey

SSH x 25

SSJ x 25

Lateral Lunges x 16

Forward arm circles x 10

Backward arm circles x 10

Scissor Arms x 12

The Thang

Holding our blocks, we go through various routines all to the beat of the music and focusing on the following areas:

  • Biceps
  • Triceps
  • Core
  • Quads
  • Hamstrings

COT

Action before Mood.

We had a good conversation about how we can take action to change or shape out mood when we need to. The action of getting out a starting a run can get you through a time when you’re contemplating not doing anything and creating excuses not to exercise.

Danish is DONE!

(1.10.22) Left, Right, Left


AO: >Lightning Rod

VQIC: > Samurai

PAX: > Danish, Bob Evans, Kiwi, Walkman, Steak Juice, Free Lunch, Stray Cat



CONDITIONS

35 degrees out. Overcast but not raining!

Warm Up

We did the whole warm up in cadence.

  • Side Straddle Hop x 25
  • Daisy Pickers X 20
  • Slow High Knees X 10
  • Fast High Knees X 20
  • Forward Small Arm Circles x 15
  • Reverse Small Arm Circles x 15
  • Side Straddle Hop x 25

The Thang

PAX formed into two columns and ran 1/2 mile in cadence with Q calling cadences. We are going to need some music lessons to improve our singing. Ended our run down at the track.

Beatdown Part A:

  • 1 Minute of continuous Merkins
  • Big Boys x 10 in cadence (hard count)
  • 1 Minute of continuous Merkins
  • Squats x 20 in cadence (hard count)
  • 1 Minute of continuous merkins

Beatdown Part B:

On the track, on your own. Lunge Walk x 30 (hard count) and then run the rest of the lap back to the starting line. All PAX completed 3 laps and some did more.

PAX formed into two columns and ran in cadence back to the flagpole. Our singing was slightly improved this time around.

6MOM

  • Flutter Kicks x 30 in cadence
  • 1 Minute Low Plank
  • Freddie Mercury x 20 in cadence
  • Reverse Freddie Mercury x 20 in cadence

COT

Q shared about personal journey and the power of fellowship to transform lives. Reach out to your brother next to you and offer your help. It could make all the difference!

With Love,
Samurai

So Long, and thanks for all the Merlot!


AO: >The Gauntlet

QIC: > Walkman

PAX: > Stray Cat



CONDITIONS

mid 20’s but dry snow on the ground!

Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

  • Mosy two laps and circle up for Halo’s x 10, Squat x 10, Third Grade Exercise x 10, Imperial Walker x 10, mosy to the playground.
  • Pull up x 5, Swing extensions (stand in front the swing, hold it with your arms, push it out as far as you can, supporting yourself with it and your core) x 10. repeato x 2. Mosy to the stairs.

The Thang

5 rounds: 5 burpees, 5 step up high knees (HC), run top of stairs, 5 decline merkins on the benches.

Mosy to the bike racks and stairs.

3 rounds: Sprint down one lane of bike racks (length wise), 5 squats, spring back, 5 squats, repeato down each lane, run down the stairs, 5 decline merkins, run up the stairs.

Mosy to the football field. Lunge walk 20 yards, broad jump 20 yards, repeato till end zone. Mosy back to starting spot.

6MoM

  • Penguins x 25, LBC’s x 25, Frozen Freddies x 25.

COT

We talked about the end of the year, closing of things and the opportunity to reset and declare new purposes, and intentions for the new year. YHC also shared how critical the fellowship is in my life. I’ve been injured, sick, or out of town largely for the last 8 weeks, and though I kept up my workouts, even my M commented on me being off. I need the group. This has been the best week of the last 8 because of it. Thanks!

Great work men!

Walkman