15 HIM beat the gloom yesterday for a Saturday morning improvised beatdown, we’ll call it “Crawling in the Park.” Warm-O-Rama = 25 SSH IC, 20 Dancing Bears IC, 25 Windmills IC, 25 Cherry Pickers IC, 6 Pretzel Merkins IC (each arm) Mosey to the park next to the Presbyterian church by route of the Old Train Station. The Thang: Bear Crawl to specified tree, Plank for 6. 30 American Hammers IC. Crab Crawl to next tree, Crab Plank for 6. 30 Gas Pumpers IC. Dragon Crawl to next tree, plank for 6. 25 Big Boys OYO. Shared 3rd F about not grumbling and complaining. Jesus gave us the perfect example by asking those crucifying him to be forgiven as he was being punished for my sins. Crawl Crab to last tree, Crab Plank for 6. 30 Hello Dolly IC. Crawl Bear back one tree, Plank for 6. 20 4 Count Freddies. Lt Dan to last tree, Plank for 6. 20 Crabbie Patties (thank you Chattahoochee and Quattro). Wind Sprints back to starting tree. Mosey back to circle for a round of Mary til the bell tolled 0800. Number-Rama, Name-O-Rama, COT.
A dirty dozen (12 PAX) jumped their Fartsacks in the back alley of the Gloom and won THAT FIRST BATTLE. They’re a step ahead of most, all because of the highly anticipated Warm-O-Rama VQ by Looney Tunes. Great job on your first go ’round brother! All PAX would agree that’s not all folks–now it’s time to get rolled into the regular Q rotation. Stay tuned, there’s a new month right around the corner!
WARM-O-RAMA:
Disclaimer given
SSH – 21 IC
Windmill – 20 IC
Cherry Pickers – 21 IC
Imperial Walkers – 20 IC
Moroccan Night Clubs – 21 IC
Turned it over to Q, Chappie…
THE THANGITY THANG: (A few comments were suggestive of “not showing had they known what we were in for.” He! He! He! He! He….)
PAX lined up for an Indian Run as YHC gave the following Pre-Instructions:
The plan: Indian Run to hill at the base of the tower. Nice easy pace, stick together, man in back goes to front. Rinse and repeat til we reach destination TOGETHER (an Indian run is just like the Patriot Run but without the shovel-flag).
Our route: Left on Bay, Right on Behringer and take it all the way to the end. (Half-mile to destination)
THE CATCH: It’s going to be a quiet Indian Run. Everyone grab a bottle of water and will fill their mouth with water and keep it there. This is about DISCIPLINE. You have to FOCUS. Those who spit out their water or swallow it on the way, will have to watch the others do 18 Burpees once we reach the hill. If no one swallows or spits the water = no Burpees. Focus and think of your team! DO NOT spit it out or swallow it until you receive permission at the bottom of the hill. (i.e. breath through your nose) Ready…Fill ‘er up!
Only 4 of 12 PAX were able to make the half-mile mosey while keeping the water in their mouths. Those who completed the run as planned were rewarded with 18 Burpees, those who spat out or swallowed their mouthful of water along the way had to watch. A few tried to participate in the Burpees but were stopped by the Q – no reward! Like Seinfeld’s soup Nazi, only instead the Burpee Nazi…none for you! It was an interesting activity to say the least. OBSERVATION: Those who didn’t keep the water in their mouth the entire run appeared to be a bit upset with themselves, while those who succeeded and were rewarded with Burpees seemed to do them with a sense of renewed vigor. PREDICTION: The number of PAX who successfully complete this exercise WILL BE HIGHER the next time (if there is a next time). Kudos and T-Claps to the finishers: Drago, Toy Soldier, Quattro & Chappie…18 Burpees never felt so good!
At this point YHC shared the following 3rdF Message:
In his book Warriors Creed Roger Sparks tells of being a Marine Recon instructor. He said, “I was always peeling the onion with the guys. An old story I recalled spoke about the Apache spirit runners. Apache boys learned early that running went hand in hand with becoming a warrior. The young boys would have to fill their mouths with water and go for a long run, in the scorching Summer heat of what is now New Mexico, and when they got back, they would spit out the water. Only the ones who spat out the water could be trusted and trained. Those who swallowed or spit it out during the run couldn’t be trained because they didn’t have discipline. Holding water in the mouth forced rhythmic breathing through the nose, and kept the young future warriors from panting and drying out their mouths and throats. Carrying the water also required deep focus.”
Sparks wrote: “I really liked that particular approach to training, so I used it religiously. If guys spat the water out or swallowed it, then I would have them fill their mouths with gravel. Not fine, clean gravel; I’m talking the dirt on the side of the road. I’d point and say, “Fill your mouth with that gravel. You have no discipline. Those around you will suffer because of your lack of character. If you fall out of the run, I’m going to condition everyone while you watch. You’re going to keep your boots on, and your team will finish the run barefoot.”
“We’d go on a ten-mile run with the water in our mouths. I really got behind the water in the mouth, especially after I read John Douillard’s Body, Mind and Sport. That book was about principles of human performance. If you breath through your nose when you exercise, you generally will not go beyond 50% of your max threshold for your heart rate. When I read that there was no benefit from training endurance that went past 50% of the maximum heart rate, I thought, those Apache had it all figured out. The idea that the Apache could run sixty miles a day like that only added to the allure.” (Roger Sparks, Warrior’s Creed 91-92)
I love some of the phrases Sparks uses in reference to suffering and how it trains us to be disciplined and focused; and, by the way, he wrote in terms of life, not just training in Marine Recon, the French Foreign Legion, or as a Pararescueman:
It inoculates against sensitivities/feelings of misery. YHC’s addition: Even Jesus taught that suffering pays dividends. We’re talking about chosen suffering or suffering for doing what is right (as opposed to suffering for doing stupid things –though that has the reward of learning in the school of hard knocks, if we learn from it). James teaches in James 1:2-4, that we are to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete [mature], lacking in nothing.” Suffering always pays dividends!
Suffering produces strength of mind
Suffering brings you to a place of functioning out of virtue
Suffering teaches you to constantly embracing risk
Suffering trains you to pay attention to details
Suffering reminds you that you’re more often only an agent of something bigger
Suffering brings us to our humanity
And…that life without struggle is meaningless
Roger Sparks went on to quote a fitting samurai mantra: “If you have to choose between suffering and not suffering, always suffer.”
THE THANG, PART DEUX:11’s on aptly named Merlot Hill (Yes, there’s a story behind that. The hill may or may not have been at one time a catalyst for a previous “Splash”)
LBC’s at the bottom – Starting with 1 up to 10
Merkins at the top – Starting with 10 down to 1
Transitions up and down the hill included variations of: LT. Dans, Mosey, Nur
All PAX completed a full set of 11’s
Once completed, PAX lined up again for an Indian Run back to the AO (no water in the mouth). Round trip run = 1 mile.
COT:
Announcements:
Paintball shenanigans this Saturday @ 3 in Georgetown. Still room for more. Sign up online. Don’t forget to complete your waiver online if you haven’t done so already. Come, get “inoculated” (shot) by other PAX!
Sponsors. Keep hitting up your friends and family to sponsor you for the Roving RuckF3st for Gavin fundraiser. Let’s see how much we can raise for this great cause! Ruck will take place on Sunday, May 16th. Stepping off at NLT 12 from CHOP and Rucking to the community Gather and Give for Gavin event at Hudson Fields.
Prayers:
For the Morris family as they continue to work through the grief of losing little Beau.
For Semi as he travels
For Gavin as he prepares to return home then continue rehab and for God to do a miracle in this young man’s spine and body
For all the PAX of F3 First State to embrace suffering to learn to endure well in order to reap its dividends. To be examples of those who endure and mature so that we are more effective leaders in our homes, workplaces, and in the communities in which we serve.
Disclaimer: As the PAX circled up YHC reiterated that this exercise (success of keeping the water or lack thereof) was not the same as what Roger Sparks was teaching his Marine Recon candidates–this was an entirely different context and situation. And its results were not a statement concerning PAX’s character, per se, but merely a challenge to discipline and mental toughness in our context. We embraced the suck. And suck it did! YHC was honored to lead and bring such a challenge, but he is also ever grateful to the other HIM who bring challenges that push us all beyond our self-imposed limits. This one was definitely new…and cerebral!
Honor to lead, challenge, and suffer along side the men of F3 First State,
7 Pax on a wet (but not raining) morning. Our guest (Ferrari) from F3PugetSound posted again this morning before leaving town.
Warmups: SSH x 40 IC; Mosey to softball field parking lot; Imperial Walkers x 20 IC; Hillbillies x 20 IC; Copperhead Squats x 15 IC; Bat Wings x 15 IC. Cleveland Rocks suddenly became hard of hearing when Q called for Bat Wings.
The Thang:
Merkin Mountain OYO with Incline Merkins & Dips on the bleachers. Bleachers have 15 rows of seats. Start at bottom. First seat=1 Incline Merkin/15 Dips. Second seat=2 Incline Merkins/14 Dips. Continue in this fashion until you reach the top. Start over at the bottom until the 6 finishes. Q called it after half of Pax finished. Completion of all rows = 120 each of Incline Merkins and Dips.
To the softball field. Railroad Tracks around the bases. Stopped at 2nd base for SSH x 30, then continued to 3rd and home plate.
Circle up for Xs & Os until Q calls it.
Round the bases again, stopping at each base for 25 Big Boy Situps + 25 Gas Pumps. Karaoke between bases. OYO. Ran out of time and Q called it half way through. Mosey back to flag.
COT, Counterama, Namerama
Announcements: Murph Challenge on Memorial Day. Concorso Italiano Aug 14 with proceeds going to Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Services, contact Ferrari via email or Slack if you would like to help at this event. Helping out also gains you free admission for the event. The Q sign up sheet has spots that need to be filled. The F3 Cleveland challenge is during the month of May. It’s free. Check Slack and talk to Cleveland Rocks if you wanna participate. We need some Pax to fill 1st F site Q roles. Let us know if you can take this role. If you know of any 3rd F needs, please contact Beach. All Pax are encouraged to join the F3Monterey Slack channel. This is where a lot of our communication happens.
4 strong 💪 journeyed back in time to visit some of California’s oldest buildings.
Warm up: Cherry Pickers Tea Pots Heel raises
The Thang: History lesson started. “55 historic sites lay along Monterey’s two-mile “Path of History,” providing residents and visitors with a unique, hands-on chance to experience California’s rich heritage.” Today we visited 10 of them.
Run to Royal Presidio Chapel (AKA San Carlos Cathedral)do 10 Mike Tysons Run to Robert Louis Stevenson House do 10 Mike Tysons, 10 squats Run to Cooper-Molera Adobe do 10 Mike Tysons, 10 squats, 10 air presses Run to Larkin House do 10 Mike Tysons, 10 squats, 10 air presses, 10 LBCs Run to Colton Hall do 10 Mike Tysons, 10 squats, 10 air presses, 10 LBCs, 10 heel raises Run to Casa Serrano do 50 LBCs Run to Casa Soberanes do 20 squats Run to California’s First Theater do 10 army merkins Run to Pacific House do 10 hello dollies Run to The Custom House do 10 box jumps Run back to AO
Name-o-rama, Count-o-rama…
In person school starting for a few of the PAXs 2.0s today. We all hope that goes well after a year + of at home schooling. YHC shared things happen “For you and not to you.”
F3Monterey welcomed Ferrari from F3PugetSound to the gloom. Except Ferrari says that 55 degrees does not qualify as gloom. We had 13 pax post on this Saturday, including 3 FNGs who were EH’d by Dragon.
Q: Beach
Disclaimer: given
Warmups: Sidestraddle Hops x 50 IC; Imperial Walkers x 20-30 IC; Hillbillies x 20-30 IC; Copperhead Squats x 20 IC; Cherry Pickers x 15 IC; Bat Wings x 20 IC. Q asked pax for some good jokes during Bat Wings. Instead, Happy Gates told a bad joke.
The Thang: Line up on goal line. Lunge walk to the 10. Stop to do 1 calf raise and one Absolution. Lunge walk to the 20. 2 calf raises, 2 Absolutions. Rinse and repeat to the opposite goal line with 10 each of calf raises and Absolutions. Early finishers pick up the 6.
Repeat, except this time with Bear Crawls, Mike Tysons, and 4 count LBCs.
Repeat, except this time with Crab Walks, 4 count Squats, and 4 count Air Press (ie. Shoulder Press).
2 Laps around the track of Last Man Sprints f/b Sidestraddle Hops x 35 f/b 1 minute Plank.
COT, Counterama, Namerama. Ferrari offered a 3rd F opportunity to work at the Concorso Italiano car show in August to raise funds to support Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services. Sharkbait reminded us about the upcoming Murph Challenge and the Del Monte Beach Clean-up today. Sharkbait stated the F3 motto.
Break for coffeeteria at Starbucks where Ferrari told us more about the Concorso Italiano and Jacob’s Heart.
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Cherry Pickers – 15 IC
Mosey @ .5 miles to the hill by the boat docks
The Thang
Pax went right at a set of Doracides which is identified in the Exicon as follows: Two Pax worked together to reach exercise reps of 100, 200, 300, & 400 of 4 different exercises. One Pax worked on the exercises while the second Pax completed suicides to three designated waypoints approx. 30 yards apart by way of a NUR up the hill. Another extra twist is at the waypoint of each suicide run; the Pax completed 1 burpee, then 2 burpees, and finally 3 burpees before returning to the starting point. Once all three suicide sprints were completed, the Pax switched stations until all reps of each exercise were completed. The exercises completed are as follows: 100 American Hammers, 200 Merkins, 300 LBC’s, & 400 squats. Each Pax will make every attempt to complete their half of the total exercises.
Mosey @ .5 miles back to CHOP
F3 Message – See Below
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message 04/15/21 – Gleaned from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries
My first hint that things were changing was the Storm Troopers suddenly patrolling the parking lot. Then I saw the man with the floor-length wolf tail. Followed by seeing X-Men in the hotel lobby.
And that was just the beginning. Batman, Superman, Darth Vader, Wonder Woman – and, of course, all the insects. Spiderman, Wasp, Bumblebee, The Tick. I fully expected Arnold Scharzenegger to arrive any minute as the ExTerminator. The growing invasion included all kinds of superhero movie characters and science fiction types that were from outside my universe.
The annual convention of National Religious Broadcasters was just moving out. You know, guys in suits. With briefcases.
And the annual convention of comic book, movie and science fiction folks was moving in. You know, characters in capes and masks and Spandex.
Standing in the lobby, waiting for my ride to the airport, was outrageously amusing. Two worlds colliding. Two polar opposite worlds!
Here’s the crazy part. Standing around in my jeans, shirt and sneakers, I had the strangest feeling. All of a sudden, I was the weird one. Not long before, I had been normal. But now I was surrounded by – well, what would be considered weird in most settings.
That’s when my mind started wandering into the whole culture I live in. Where the guard is changing at eye-blurring speed. Where the values and moral consensus that used to define our lives is rapidly receding.
And where it’s becoming increasingly “weird” to believe that God’s Word is the final word. Where those who are trying to follow in Jesus’ footsteps find themselves increasingly out of step with the cadence of the culture. Sometimes, even out of step with the folks at church.
It was easier to be faithful Jesus-followers when that was respected. When it was, in a sense, “normal.” But now it’s increasingly “intolerant” … “narrow-minded” … “hateful” – judgments that at times we bring on ourselves. Because, instead of holding the truth in love, we come across with anger, self-righteousness and judgment.
And while I must be against what my God is against, I want to be known more for what I’m for. I’m for love without scars, selflessness in relationships, respect for every life, compassion for the broken. I want to be the guy who is quick to listen, ready to forgive and known for integrity. That’s not “weird.” That’s rare! And what’s rare is valuable.
But even with a positive brand of purity, it’s still getting lonelier to be God’s guy or gal in an increasingly God-“dissing” world. We shouldn’t be surprised.
The Bible forecasts a day when “normal” will be a world where people “will consider nothing sacred. Evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived…People will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 3:1, 12; 4:3-4).
God’s word for His people in that world where untruths will be revered as truth is clear: “But you must remain faithful in the things you have been taught … the holy Scriptures … All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:14-16).
I really can’t afford to begin my day without first being with my Jesus. Letting the unchanging truth of His Word rekindle my love for Him so once again He’s the only One I care about pleasing. And so I can download His perspective on what I will see, hear and experience today in a God-denying culture with its pretty packages and powerful magnets.
A world that is constantly trying to get you to be like them desperately needs you to be like Jesus. You are hope with skin on – hope that there is another way to be. “Blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16).
If it seems to be getting darker where you are, remember – stars show most brightly against the backdrop of a very dark sky.
Our desire to get uncomfortable is at an all-time low. Chosen suffering is a mindset. Never willing to settle for the easy way, an Elite person constantly moves toward pain to push themselves beyond their current abilities.
Growth means stretching away from our comfort zone. Nothing stays the same you either progress or regress. Growth requires pain, which is why it’s difficult to stay on top.
People matter; choosing the right ones to be with matters. Pain unifies us and love sustains us.
Elite people understand that short bursts of choosing the right way doesn’t make enough of a difference. Building habits take time. Deep rooted good habits must be formed. It’s the long term, sustained commitment that turns normal into special. Show up and give over and over. Discomfort shows its face during intense training, intense studying, rehabbing an injury, building one’s business, raising a family, managing people and so on.
The elite surround themselves with others who help them master their craft. If you’re not willing to pay a high price but are looking for a quick solution instead, you’re headed down a road to nowhere. The elite are curious, they are thinkers and problem solvers with a growth mind set. Deep suffering is far more fun to talk about than to live. Greatness is developed. Humans will get nowhere unless they compile information, make a plan, and act on it. Good to great isn’t an overnight thing. The only way to transform is to earn it.
Commitment means your life reflects your beliefs and I was committed. Spent mornings, afternoons, and most evenings in the wrestling room. The rate at which a person works is a window into the soul of what he values as priceless. There is a clear connection between effort and workload that occur when few are watching. There’s a massive chasm between believing something and committing to it.
Becoming elite is a choice, people aren’t born elite. Winning is never something we can completely control. Those who suffer the greatest do so because of their deep love of what they’re doing. Deep suffering moves us from good to great. Sense of value in our lives must be built from the inside out. Anything worth having requires suffering. Living on impulse without discipline gets us nowhere. Your goal should be to wake up better than you were today. Every great performance relies on solid training. Gratitude comes from the underlying belief that one’s life is no accident. The elite figure out what needs to get done, and they do it. Many people establish their wants, but they don’t consistently practice the habits to bring their desires to complete fruition. An elite individual understands that sustained success is the result of repeated good decisions over time. The elite don’t speak or think of excuses, they problem solve.
Falling short is painful, but pain is a gift. We waste our pain when we don’t learn from our losses and discomfort. Every person fails, but what’s more important is how we each manage the hurt. The elite assess, plan, and repeat until they’re refined. A strong plan and solid execution will increase our odds for the desired outcome.
Failure is a gift. Change happens with action. Harden oneself, but never get down on oneself. Excellence is the ability to do work every single time no matter who’s watching. Most people are unwilling to give at the required level to get what they want.
Struggle is at the center of all growth. We need people who care about us and challenge us to move from where we are to where we want to be.
The Elite work ethic is having the ability to repeatedly take yourself into chosen suffering. Eliteness comes from the absolute love for their desired outcome. Competency relies on training. You have to know that you’ve paid the price. Day in and day out you work on areas that need improvement.
Elite athletes are problem solvers. Humans say what we want, but we aren’t willing to back up with action. Instead, we offer excuses instead of taking responsibility. Successful people own their decisions and stand by the results. Hone in on the things you can control like your thoughts. Winning isn’t something we can control. However good you think you are there is always someone better. Choose each day to work alongside others who push you to greater levels of suffering. Wrestling teaches transformational lessons in humility because it’s raw and real, there’s no hiding. It’s the simple things done well and repeatedly that separate good from great. Winning is less controllable than your effort. Control what you can. Our effort should deplete us and bring us intense discomfort. We are capable of so much more that we think we are. It’s human nature to fall back into complacency to find the easy way out. As a wrestler you have to define your priceless, that objective or goal you’ll do anything to achieve. Actions speak louder than words. Too often we say we want success, but when struggling becomes more than what we imagined we give up.
Becoming elite is about letting go of the things that hold us back and pressing on. In every stage of life, complacency longs to sneak in. We must fight this natural desire to be easy on ourselves. We should be hard on ourselves, but never down on ourselves. We are built for glorious things and made to stretch ourselves. We will always need to choose suffering because it’s healing. We have a soul that long to be challenged and lifted.
Warm-a-Rama 20 ssh i/c 15 seal wave i/c 15 mountain man pooper i/c 20 plank jack i/c
The Thang Mosey to park behind library While waiting on 6 we did one leg hip thrust Pax pairs off, while one HIM completes lap around gazebo other HIM completes exercises. Laps are: mosey, side shuffle, and nur Exercises are: merkins, swerkins, fire hose
3rd F
and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. John 20:7 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.20.7.ESV The culture back then when you were done eating you tossed your napkin on the table. If your were leaving the table but planned on coming back you folded your napkin. Jesus folded HIS head wrap symbolizing HE plans on coming back!
Mosey back to CHOP
While waiting for 6 another round of single leg hip thrust and 15 hello dollies i/c
We drew a line in the sand today and crossed it a bunch of times. It was cold for an April morning at home, but at the beach it was beautiful. Micro-climates at its best.
Warm Up: LBCs Tea Pots Cherry Pickers
The Thang: Mosey to a the line in the sand that had a nice F3 logo drawn in it. Though some could not tell it was the F3 logo. Sand art… not my specialty I guess. Do 15 Rowers, run to other line in the sand, mosey back to pick up the six, cross the other line in the sand together No do 15 Mike Tysons and run back to the other line in the sand and pick up the six. Repeat for 10 minutes. Now do same thing but reduce reps to 10. Repeat for 10 minuts. Again do same thing but reduce reps to 5. Repeat for 10 minutes.
Mosey to the wall for wall sits, planks and mumble chatter.
Count & Name-o-rama
We chatted a bit about Q source.: King – exercise (to prepare for not just the expected but the unexpected) Queen – diet (“You can’t out king your queen”) Jester – The Jester is the temptation of the flesh that hinders Acceleration. It is that one stumbling block (amongst the many available) that a man finds himself tripping over repeatedly before he turns Pro. No matter how strong his Routines are that support his King and Queen, if he fails to Prepare for his Jester he will not be able to Get Right. Unimpeded, the Jester will undo his hard work and destroy his proper personal alignment.
Do you know what your jester is? Identifying it can help you prepare for the Jester as Preparedness keeps the Jester at bay
