March Merkin Tour de Force

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DATE: March 2, 2021

QIC: Chappie

The first workout for March arrived and so did 14 PAX for YHC’s March Merkin Tour de Force. It’s March so there’s got to be Merkins; lots of Merkins! Plenty today but no doubt there’s more to come.

Disclaimer:

  1. Welcome to F3!
  2. F3 is a non-profit men’s workout group. We don’t own anything and, therefore, make no claims on rights or permissions from the church. The church therefore assumes no liability, nor does F3 (i.e. you can’t sue us).
  3. You are here of your own accord
  4. I’m not a professional, so anything I instruct you to do is only a suggestion, but give your maximum effort. It’s you against you!
  5. If there is an exercise you shouldn’t do, modify. 6. We will not leave you behind, but we won’t leave you where we found you either!

F3 has 5 Core Principles we adhere to:

  1. We are: Open to all men
  2. We are: Always free
  3. We are: Always outdoors…rain or shine, hot or cold
  4. We are: Always peer-led in rotating fashion
  5. We: Always end with a COT

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH – 10 IC
  • Swartzjacks – 10 IC
  • Stop & Go Merkins (Down, hold 2, 3 up, rep) – 10 IC
  • American Hammers – 18 IC
  • Single Arm Flying Squirrels (5 each arm) – 10 OYO
  • Imperial Squat Walker – 10 IC
  • Cherry Picker – 10 IC

*Walk-thru explanation of Starfish Stations (group up – groups of 3 to 4 PAX)

THE THANG:

STARFISH/MARCH MERKIN TOUR DE FORCE: Groups picked a station and began working toward completing each one. Not all stations were completed by all PAX, but March definitely came in like a lion (i.e. Plenty-O-Merkins = Plenty-O-Roarin’…and man, those Swerkins!). Here’s each station:

  • 100 Merkins
  • 100 Plankjacks (5 Brick Merkins @ quarters, brick under PAX and down all the way to touch with chest)
  • 100 Drydirks (Drydocks w/feet on boardwalk benches)
  • 100 Swerkins (10 reps/10 sets, lap to platform and back after each set, resume)
  • 100 Tilted Kilts (Gas Pumpers tilted on side, feet over top of parking block, 50 reps each side)
  • AFTER first station PAX returned to center platform to complete 10 Burpee Step-ups. Subsequent rounds: 5 Burpee Step-ups

Overtime Grand Finale Crowd Pleaser: JACK WEBB! (Ratio: 1 Merkin, 4 OHC… to 10 Merkins, 40 OHC’s)

Arms. What arms? You didn’t need them today, did you?

YHC shared the following 3rdF somewhere around mid-workout:

IF – By RUDYARD KIPLING

If you can keep your head when all about you 

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,    

But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,    

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,    

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;       

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster    

And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken    

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,    

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings    

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings    

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew    

To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you    

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,       

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,    

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute    

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,       

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

—————————

YHC heard this poem a few weeks ago and immediately looked it up, then sent it to my oldest son in California. The poem is embedded throughout with biblical wisdom. While not all of it is found in 1 Cor. 16:13-14, much of it is captured in the phrase “act like men.” That phrase ought to echo in our hearts in minds throughout each day. When we’re making decisions or responding to situations and opportunities we ought to be asking ourselves how would a man act in this moment. Responding is such a manner will inevitably lead to being HIM; it will lead us to becoming better husbands, fathers, neighbors, co-workers, etc.

Here (1 Cor. 16:13-14) the Bible says, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (emphasis added)

Here are 5 quick commands for you today which, if you do them, will help you to be a HIM…a better husband, father, man:

  1. Be on the alert
  2. Stand firm in the faith
  3. Act like men
  4. Be strong
  5. Let all that you do be done in love

As mentioned, everyone got in their fair share of Merkins–it’s March!

COT:

  • Number-Rama
  • Name-O-Rama
  • Announcements: ShamRuck Family Ruck coming up on Mar. 13 +@ 3:17 p.m. Meeting at Georgetown Circle (Aegis AO) and rucking to McDonalds for a Shamrock Shake. Also, we’re planning to strengthen our 2nd & 3rdF’s by starting a study of the book Chosen Suffering by Tom Ryan, Head Coach of the Ohio State wrestling team. Up for discussion: Do study at Saturday Coffeeteria or on Mondays from 0500-0600hrs? Starting end of March or early April. Watch for the poll on our F3 First State Groupme. GREAT BOOK! Recommended reading by Toy Soldier.
  • Prayer: We lifted up baby Beau, his body is rejecting the new heart and he’s back on the transplant list; continue prayers for Gavin – praying for a miracle for this young man to walk again after being paralyzed from a snowboarding accident in January

Honored to Q up the first March Merkin Madness beatdown with a Tour de Force. Welcome to March gentlemen!

Shaky arms,

Chappie, out!

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Growing

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8 on a Monday. Awesome. These 8 were challenged to attend all workouts in the Month of March.

Welcome FNGs Shaffer & Grappler.

Warm Up
20 SSH IC
15 Merkins IC
Windmills IC

The Thang
Mosey then Bear Crawl

Pax does squats while 1 at a time 1 pax runs to X and does 10 Merkins

Partner up. One pax runs, other exercises. First team calls it: 100 leg presses, 200 hello dollies, 300 LBCs

Mosey to sea wall – wall sites & mike tysons
Mosey back

There’s more time… what to do: Air squats & Al gore,
arm raises & merkins
SSHs to close it out

YHC and Q Cleveland Rocks

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ABSolute beatdown

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On 25 February 2021 8 HIM beat the fartsack and posted at the CHOP for a little fun in the gloom

Warm up – 25 SSH, 20 windmills, 20 mountain climbers, 20 cherry pickers, 15 arm circles forward 15 backwards all IC except arm circles

THE THANG- mosey to the entrance of HOB

20 merkins, 20 Bobby Hurleys ,toysoldier set 60/30/15, 30 flutter kicks IC

Mosey to fishing pier- 20 wide arm merkins, 1 round of Cpt. Thor 1 to 4 ratio 1 bigboy 4 American hammers til you reach 10 and 40, 25 split jacks, 20 hello dollies IC. 10 burpees.

Mosey back to CHOP but oops the Q forgot something at the first pain station stop back at HOB for 10 burpees. Then return to CHOP

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SLT

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5 strong 💪 this morning at Carmel High. Great discussions at coffeeteria to create a SLT to grow F3 Monterey.

It was not gloomy but the field was cold and damp. Gloves quickly soaked up the water to freeze the fingers.

Congratulations to Potato Chip for accepting and completing the challenge to attend every F3 Monterey workout in February. Prize is on it’s way!

Disclaimer given

Warm Up
50 moroccan night clubs
20 Hill Billies
20 cherry pickers
25 Calf raises
Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.
20 Hello Dolly

The Thang
Run lap
Burpees – 1 pax runs to 40, rest of pax do burpees … do until all pax have run… repeat if needed.

Bunny hop & at 10 do 10 Groiner, High plank, low plank, low plank jack, back to high plank jack…. Reduce by 1 every 10 yards

Pair up – 1 partner crab walkds o 5 planks while partner crab walks to 10 & planks, first pax goes to 15… repeat for 100 yards

Run to 50… 10 bobby hurleys…. All the way to 1 every 50 yards

Run to 50… 10 rowers …. All the way to 1 every 50 yards

8 minutes left and we did LBCs, Squats fast and slow, Lunges, planks and Mie Tysons.

YHC and Q Cleveland Rocks

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3 x 24 = 300

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7 HIM came out in the dampness for a beatdown. @fireplex, @chattahoochee, @semi, @quattro, @yukon, bolt and swarts

Warm Up

20 of each I/C

SSH, Windmill, Mountain Climbers, Cherry Pickers

Mosey to Presbyterian Church parking lot

The Thang

3×24=300 OYO, Pax does 25 each Merkins, LBC and Squats followed by 23, 22 and so on down to 1. After every 4 sets each HIM does a lap around the parking lot. Side 1 is Mosey, side 2 is NUR, side 3 is Jail Break, side 4 is Mosey.
When all HIM completed we shared Third F.
OYO, PAX did 100 SSH (single count) then Mosey across parking lot- plank til 6. 100 Jump Rope then NUR across parking lot. 25 Burpee then Jail Break across parking lot.
Mosey back to circle for Number-Rama, Name-O-Rama and COT.

Third F

Read James 3:2-8.
If we can control our mouth we can control our whole body. Just like a horse is controlled by the bridle in its mouth we must be dependent on God and allow Him to control us. We must focus on Him and His word so we can know His plan and purpose for our lives.

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You Don’t Know Squat

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Date: 02/23/2021

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Smurf Jacks – 20 IC

Moroccan Night Clubs – 20 IC

Lt. Dan’s – Approx. 50 Yards

Hydraulic Squats – 10 IC (6 Count)

Mosey @ .5 mile to the Hill by the Goshen Church

The Thang

Burpee Squats – 10 IC

Ballerina Toe Squats – 20 IC

Split Jacks – 20 IC

Alternating Side Squats – 20 IC

Burpee Squats – 10 IC

Bobby Hurleys – 20 OYO

NUR up the hill and run down.  Plank for the 6.

Tempo Merkins – 20 IC

Inclined Toy Soldier Set – 100 LBC’s, 50 E2K’s x2, 25 Big Boys OYO.  Plank for the 6.

F3 Message – See Below

Mosey @ .5 miles back to CHOP

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayer. 

F3 Message 02/23/21 – Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

REAL YOU, REAL PRAYER – #8051

Monday, November 20, 2017

It was one of those real short nights. I had just spoken for a large youth event, and the night went late for the best of reasons: God brought hundreds of young people to faith in Christ that night. The counseling of all those kids took a blessedly long time. Now Jason, who was one of the organizers, took me to my hotel that night and he told me he would be picking me up in a few hours for my very early morning flight. I said, “I’m sorry you have to get me so early when you’ve been up so late.” He said, “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll just roll out of bed, throw on a baseball cap, and come on over.” (Which, by the way, I think is the major reason there are baseball caps.) Well, bless his heart, that’s just what he did. When we got to the airport, I asked him if we could pray together before I went on my plane. He respectfully took off his baseball cap, and we had a neat time of prayer. When I opened my eyes at the end, he still had his cap off. And a very creative hair style – I mean, it was all over the place! He even laughed about it. The cap covered what he didn’t want anyone to see-except when he was praying.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Real You, Real Prayer.”

Actually, prayer should be the time when we are willing to expose what we don’t want anyone to see or know otherwise. It’s meant to be the place where we can be 100% honest and 100% transparent. And when we are, some amazing things can happen.

Our word for today from the Word of God begins with Hebrews 4:13, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” In other words, there is no point in posing or role-playing when you’re with God. He already knows your deepest feelings, your deepest failings, your deepest struggles. Our hat is always off in front of God, whether we take it off or not. He knows everything we cover up for other people. There’s no point in trying to put a tie on for God if “everything is uncovered and laid bare before Him.” Right?

Now we might worry about how God will respond if we really get real with Him. Well, listen to verse 15. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.” The Savior you’re approaching is the one who has been here, who has been, while fully God, fully human. He gets us!

When God the Son was here, He experienced temptation from Satan himself. He experienced loneliness, abandonment, agonizing over God’s will, grief, family tensions, homelessness, excruciating pain, even dying. So you come emotionally naked to one who has lived…not necessarily all your exact circumstances, but feelings very much like yours. You’ll not shock Him with your struggles-He already knows. You won’t be rejected for your feelings-He understands.

And when you come with the cover off, you leave with resources from God that can change everything. Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then (in other words, since we’re going to a God who knows all about us, who has walked in our moccasins) approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

God wants to pour out His mercy and His grace on the hardest, hurtingest parts of your heart and life. But the real God will only help the real you. You don’t come with your “cap off” to show God what He doesn’t know about. You come totally exposed emotionally and spiritually because God will only help you with what you honestly open up to Him.

So when you’re praying, don’t come to God with the official you, with the image you show everyone else, with the dressed up, touched up, covered up you. Uncover in His presence what you can’t uncover to anyone else. And let His grace; let His healing come pouring into the parts of your heart that need it the most.

Come like the old hymn says, “Just as I am without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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20 February 2021 Beatdown

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DATE: 20 Feb 21

QIC: Yukon

Warm-O-Rama (all 25 & I/C)

SSH -Cherry Picker – Goof Ball – Windmill

Dancing Bear (15)

Mosey to St Michael’s Church

The Thang

#1 – 100 Jump Squats-20 Merkins Lt Dan across parking lot – Plank til 6

#2 – 100 LBC-20 Merkins Standing long jump across parking lot- Al Gore til 6

#3 – 100 Lunges (50 each leg)-20 Merkins Duck walk across parking lot- Plank til 6

#4 – 100 Calf raises-20 Merkins Bear crawl across parking lot-Crab plank til 6

Mosey back to circle

#5 – 100 Crab jacks – 10 Burpees

COT:

  • Number Rama
  • Name O Rama
  • Name FNG (TRex pronounced T-Rex…welcome to F3 brother!)
  • Announcements, Prayer Request and Prayer
  • Greenhouse Effect Coffeeteria: IF you have to ask: The local “Blackwatering” watering hole is closed to indoor coffeeteria’ing, so we moved to one of Aegis Site-Q, Quattro’s, greenhouses. Perfect location

3rd F (between rounds #3 & #4):

Reputation and character have been recently discussed on group me. Reputation is what people think of us while character is what we really are, what we do when no one is looking. Listen to the following and think about them, do they reflect your character?

  • Trustworthy,
  • Loyal,
  • Helpful,
  • Friendly,
  • Courteous,
  • Kind,
  • Obedient,
  • Cheerful,
  • Thrifty,
  • Brave,
  • Clean, and
  • Reverent 

On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Be prepared

Many boys learned these, the Boy Scout Law, Oath and Motto. I recited them almost every Thursday from 6th grade to age 21. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, these words were becoming part of my character.  At age 39 I can still say that these words help to guide me. As a parent I can’t help but think about what I am doing to instill values in my kids as they grow to shape them into good and productive people. Throughout the next day or two think about the words that help to guide you and make you who you are? What do they say about your character? Are you happy with that answer? If not, what are you going to do about it?

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Blurry

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I swung most of this one from the hip this morning so hopefully the below is accurate.

Warm up:
Grady Corn
Moroccan Night Clubs
Calf Raises
Tea Pots
SSH

The Thang
Line up on goal line. Crawl Bear to other goal line. Any pax that takes a knee and entire PAX does 5 burpees. First one to goal line calls it. No one wanted to do burpees and DPR crushed the Crawl Bears to call it.

Mosey to north end of school.

Jump over curbs x10, 10 LBCs (4 count) and reduce by 1 each time.

Mosey to middle of school

5 dips each row of amphitheater going down

going back up – 5 mike tysons & 5 decline merkins

Mosey back to north side of school

10 hops over curb & 10 rowers, reduce by 1

Mosey back to field, bear crawls again & 5 burpees for any knee for PAX. We did one set of burpees before DPR again crushed the crawl bears to call it.

6 mins left. 1 min of LBCs, 1 min of cherry pickers, a little rest and 3 minutes of plank to wrap it up.

YHC and Q Cleveland Rocks

Welcome FNG Detective.

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Not so gloomy

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4 strong 💪 for the beat down today. Weather was perfect once we started moving. About 99.999% of the country seems to be below freezing and without any power right now. A bit of this beatdown came courtesy of Kobayashi’s back blast from his visit a few years back. Only two remaining members of the Pax are qualifying for the February ‘tide pod challenge’ to post at all the beatdowns in February and Q twice. 4 more posts left in the month. Can they make it?

Warm up
Grady Corn
Shoulder Taps
Heal Raises
Sun Gods
SSH
Cherry Pickers

The Thang
Mosey to parking lot.
10 LBCs and bear crawl to do 10 rowers. Walk back, repeat reducing 1 each time. First person to 1 calls it for the pax.

Mosey… we did a little parkour at the boat ramp and then stopped for some Squats & Al Gores (in cadence.)

Mosey some more to wharf sea wall for some hand stands against the wall and planks. Then some wall sits and more planks.

A few minutes left and we strolled down the beach.

YHC and Q: Cleveland Rocks

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COLD!!

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QIC: Semi

Warm-a-Rama

21 All i/c
Seal Jacks
Seal waves
Imperial walkers
Mountain climbers
Ssh
Windmill

The Thang

Mosey to playground by ballfields

2 rounds

5 leg lifts
10 split squats per leg
15 knee lifts
20 big boys
25 derkins
30 erkins

3rd F

Play The Man • Devotional
https://bible.com/reading-plans/4023/day/3?segment=0

Round 3

5 leg lifts
10 split squats per leg
15 knee lifts
20 big boys
25 derkins
30 Flutter kicks

Mosey back to AO

Round of Mary

21 4 count Freddie

50 lbcs

15 v hello dollies

20 E2ks

Number Rama
Name Rama
COT

5 HIM showed today: Swartz, Ruxpin, Leatherman, Semi, Woodstock

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