20 Arm Circles forward, 20 backwards, 20 seal claps, 20 overhead claps
Cherry Pickers 20 IC
Imperial Squat Walker 20 IC
Mountain Man Poopers 20 IC
Hairy Rockets 15 IC
Slow lateral stretch 10 IC
The Thang:
Mosey to Alley
Lt. Dan to stop sign
Mosey across street, jailbreak to corner
Mike Tysons 25 OYO
The People’s chair with overhead clap 25 OYO
The American Hammer 25 IC
Mosey to grassy park
Decline Merkins 25 OYO
Balance Lunges 15 each leg
Marionettes 30 total 10 each direction
Mosey to playground
Dips 50 OYO
Pendulum Squats 10 each leg IC
Toy Soldier Set
50 crunches
15 Pretzel Sticks each side
10 Big Boys
F3 Message Mark Munoz –
With determination and faith, you will eventually rise above, succeeding despite the odds. For God gives us life; the rest is up to us to accept His challenge. God created us to serve others with passion and presence.
Through wrestling, I learned the true meaning of life. My father said “If you join, you will wrestle the first day, the last day, and every day. You will not quit.” I lasted one practice, so after getting taken down, pummeled by cross faces, and turned in half nelsons and wings, I was ready to give up. Dad found me sitting at home the next day instead of at practice. I told him: “I don’t want to wrestle anymore.” Stoically, he reminded me of the commitment I had made. Leading me by the arm, he returned me to a place I would learn to love. Wrestling fostered a mentality of excellence whereby I was on honor roll all four years and made the National Honor Society. Although I rose to the second ranked MMA fighter in the world, I never forgot that God created us to serve and to love others more than ourselves. My Reign youth wrestling club is rooted in the belief that as God reigns, we must learn how to reign over our competition.
Champions are not defined by wins, but by how many times you pick yourself up after a loss. Rise above adversity. Embrace the grind. Love what you do and do what you love.
As a society, we must learn to love with one another with love and compassion. Truly listen to and know each other’s story. Hear how they grew up and what they had to overcome. Share with them that none of us is perfect; all we can do is live the best life. Live, learn, and get better. The process of learning is a lifelong journey. If you learn how to handle adversity, how to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes, you will succeed in getting through the most difficult moments in your life, with your heart full and your mind ready to confidently take on whatever life confronts you with next
Mosey to Masonic Building
Plyo Merkins 25 OYO
Iron Mikes 10 IC
Flutter Kicks 25 IC
Easter Day Prayer
Dear God,
We come before you on this special day, celebrating the resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ. We give thanks for the sacrifice that he made for us, and for the love that you have shown us through him. As we gather with friends and family, may we be reminded of the hope and joy that Easter brings.
We pray for those who are suffering or in need, that they may find comfort and peace in your love. May your blessings be upon us all as we go forth in faith, hope, and love.
On Saturday 7/16 (yes, that’s right…if there’s no Backblast, it didn’t happen) 24 PAX won THAT FIRST BATTLE over the fartsack and posted for a new variation of the Bearmuda Triangle (keep reading below).
WARM-O-RAMA
SSH – 10 IC
Bolt 45 (keep moving) – IC
“Lanco Special” – IC (YHC can’t remember what its called but he picked it up at Lanco, so…
ISW – 18 IC
THE THANG
Mosey around the block to County Building parking lot for YHC’s Bearmuda Highs, a variation of its close cousin, the Bearmuda Triangle, only this one keeps moving locations.
3 Cones, 50′ apart in a triangle
1st Set of Cones (1st Triangle)
Bearcrawl to Cone #2, 1 Burpee
Bearcrawl to Cone #3, 2 Burpees
Bearcrawl to Cone #1, 3 Burpees
Mosey to Library Parking Lot (Oops! Don’t forget the cones!)
2nd Set of Cones (2nd Triangle)
Crawlbear to Cone #2, 4 Hand-Release Burpees
Crawlbear to Cone #3, 5 Hand-Release Burpees
Crawlbear to Cone #1, 6 Hand-Release Burpees
Mosey to School Parking Lot (Take the cones with you!)
PAX took a quick breather here for 3rdF (See below), before returning to the Bearmuda Triangle
3rd Set of Cones (3rd Triangle)
Bearcrawl/Crawlbear to Cone #2, 7 Burpees/Hand-Release Burpees
Bearcrawl/Crawlbear to Cone #3, 8 Burpees/Hand-Release Burpees
Bearcrawl/Crawlbear to Cone #1, 9 Burpees/Hand-Release Burpees
Final round had to be done half & half: Bearcrawl/Crawlbear & Burpees/Hand-Release Burpees
Total Burpees = 45
PAX formed into 2 groups, lined up for parallel Snake Runs back to the AO.
Meanwhile back at the AO…PAX planked feet up around the circular planter for what turned out to be a “turrible” (think Sir Charles) round of the Wheel of Derkin, YHC Omaha’d this as it was taking forever to get all the way around the circle–we started going both directions. This took us from the Bearmuda Triangle to Bearmuda Highs because after all the Bearcrawls, Burpees and running, the Wheel of Derkin made the PAX a bit delirious (and gave us a cheap buzz).
Finally, a short round of Mary: Held feet at 6″, followed by 18 Gas Pumpers IC.
We talk about leadership, especially in men’s circles and in circles where we speak of “iron sharpening iron” (Prov. 27:17); we often borrow ideas, thoughts, & principles that express values that are prevalent in the military, where leadership is developed around potentially life/death situations.
After having served nearly 12 yrs in the Army National Guard I’ve seen some of the best leaders, but I’ve also seen some of the absolute worst (those familiar with Band of Brothers, think of Sobel). Personally, I’ve been both a good leader and a failed leader in my time in the military. I can say that even those failed experiences sharpened my ability to lead. It’s crucial that we continually learn from those experiences, from those who failed to lead well, and most importantly from those who did lead us well. We should not only borrow from their examples and teaching, but strive to live out the good examples.
Some of greatest military leaders come from the special operations realm. They have the most grueling assessments, evaluations, and training just to be picked to join their ranks–then the real training begins. There’s a lot of leadership training, and it’s the mental toughness that seems to count the most. When my nephew was going through Ranger School I told him a few times to “never give up what you want most (becoming a Ranger) for what you want in the moment (rest, relief, relaxation, food, etc.). We ALL do that too easily, too often! In fact, it’s the easy road!
Here’s four of the most important and valuable lessons one operator shared from his training and experiences in special ops that I think all leaders should adopt/develop:
1) ADAPTABILITY: Readiness for change. That’s why we’re “disrupters” as F3 HIM. We’ve declared in varied ways that we’ll not settle for the status quo. We’re following the lead of others who’ve brought about change, we’re following after an amazing servant-leader Savior who disrupted the status quo and brought about change, and we’re striving to be leaders who do the same. In order to do that, we must first train ourselves to be adaptable. Status quo kills! Jesus spoke of this when He said you can’t put new wine into old wineskins (Mt. 9:14-17)
2) EMOTIONAL STABILITY: This involves being able to make good decisions under pressure. Proverbs is chocked full of wisdom to help us develop the capacity to stay objective and deliver a high level of performance regardless of what we’re feeling. Important to us? Yes! But crucial to gaining, earning, keeping, and honoring the respect of those we lead! Proverbs 16:32 says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.”
3) PERSPECTIVE: Leaders have to be able to carry on when the world seems to have turned against them. We have to keep our troubles in PROPER perspective so that we do not lose sight of what needs to be accomplished. In a world full of lone rangers, keep in mind that “in an abundance of counselors there is victory” (Prov. 11:14b). And “Without consultation, plans are frustrated” (Prov. 15:22). We must train our perspective, and often other eyes/wisdom/counsel is crucial to helping us see properly.
4) TENACITY: This goes well with the acronym we hear a lot – DFQ! What defines tenacity is never giving up! ILLUST.: In the 1912 Olympics, Jim Thorpe, an American Indian from OK represented the U.S. in track & field. On the morning of his competitions, his shoes were stolen. Jim ended up finding two shoes in the garbage. Those are the shoes he wore — one was too big, so he had to wear an extra pair of socks (different shoes and different socks!). Wearing those shoes, Jim won 2 Gold Medals that day. A perfect reminder of tenacity and that you don’t have to resign to the excuses that have held you back.
So, these are 4 valuable tools every HIM should develop consistently: ADAPTABILITY. EMOTIONAL STABILITY. PERSPECTIVE. TENACITY.
18 PAX won that first battle and posted for “Sandbag Saturday” led by YHC. Shout out to TRex and Gump for adding to the collection of 9 GORUCK bags (varied weights) plus 10 good ol’ fashioned 40lb sandbags. The collection made everyone’s day. Here’s how it went down…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
Swartzjacks – 18 IC
Sealjacks – 54 IC (Since YHC is 54 years respect) *Too many quit! (See 3rdF shared: Slaughter in F3 Nation Newsletter)
Windmill – 10 IC
Mosey to the field beside the Presb. Church (where PAX found the beautiful stack of sandbags. PAX circled up for 3rdF. YHC played the audio from Slaughter’s message in the most recent F3 Nation Newsletter (Had planned a 3rdF “Habits Eat Willpower for Breakfast” but Slaughter’s message was too good NOT to share.) Then it was time for sandbag business…
THE THANG:
PAX were directed to split up with sandbags: 1/2 at cone #1 and 1/2 40 yards away at cone #2. THE PURPOSE: Keep moving! Run to next cone with sandbag, drop it, run back without. Carry bags at intervals but never pass a bag. Just keep carrying bags and KEEP MOVING. YHC also called out the following exercises throughout the durations:
OH Press – 25 OYO
Sandbag Squats – 25 (Get low! A2G!)
Sand Bears – Cone to cone
OH Shoulder Press – 25 OYO
Grand Finale:
PAX counted off by 2’s and separated into 2 teams for Sandbag Tic-Tac-Toe
Good ol’ fashioned sandbags painted with X’s & O’s (Tic-Tac-Toe painted on center of the field)
Teams 70′ apart. Each PAX (in-turn) must do 10 Chest-Bump Merkins on their sandbag before jumping up and carrying it to strategically place it in the Tic-Tac-Toe board. Must return to line before next PAX takes turn.
X’s went up 2-0 before the O’s made a come from behind run for the victory. Losers had to do 10 Sandbag Burpees as punishment.
Good fun and healthy competition won the day before we made our way back to the AO.
The only question is…what was Biddie doing? Lol
NUMBER-RAMA
NAME-O-RAMA
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Coffeeteria at Dunkin; Memorial Day Mini (CSAUP) coming up, invite everyone; Q Rotation coming out NLT than Sunday afternoon
Prayers: Fireplex’s dad – Battling cancer; Quattro’s feet?. YHC encouraged PAX to begin more regularly sharing requests in the COT (i.e. we tend to pray for those outside the circle–neighbors, friends, co-workers–those requests are important, but the idea is for us get real and personal by praying for each other as well).
As always YHC counts it a privilege and is thrilled by the opportunity to Q. Appreciate all the men who posted, to include the 2.0’s (they carried man-sized sandbags and never complained once – that’s fire!)
Blockbuster with his Swag – Proud of our Army Bound Young BrotherProud Dad20 Straight Workouts for Ruxpin – The man’s a beast on the verge of getting even more RESPECT
Date: 02/26/2022
AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE
QIC: Fireplex
Warm up
SSH – 25 IC
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
Monkey Humpers – 15 IC
Bolt 45’s – 15 squats full up to half way down, 15 squats half way down to full down, & 15 squats full motion. All completed IC as a 4 count.
Windmills – 20 IC
The Thang
Mosey to Ruby Slippers home for a robust round of 20 monkey humpers followed by a round of merkin Jax. Merkin Jax are a 1:4 ratio of I merkin to 4 plank jacks followed by 2 merkins to 8 plank jacks continuing until reaching the 10:40 ratio. It types easier than it really is…😊..
F3 message before leaving the first pain station.
Mosey to the Georgetown Elementary School and completed a deconstructed toy soldier set that 50 LBC’s, 30 E2K’s each side, and 20 big boys. Nur to each sidewalk across the front completing the 50 lbc’s, then 30 E2K’s, then a second set of 30 E2K’s opposite side, and finally the 20 big boys. Rinse and repeat and return to the starting sidewalk.
Mosey to Georgetown Public Library where all PAX completed a round of Captain Thor – 1 Big Boy sit up to 4 American hammers in a ratio up to 10:40.
Mosey to the Armory steps and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 Iron Mike’s (10 each Leg). The twist is that each PAX will box jump up each step up of the armory and walk down each step before performing each individual exercise of Aiken Legs.
Mosey back to AEGIS for Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Prayers were offered for multiple needs within the attending PAX, but please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers. Please keep Blockbuster in your thoughts and prayers as he leaves for Army boot camp. Congrats to Ruxpin for completing 20 straight workouts and joining the RESPECT crowd on 2/28/22.
They’re some of the best of the best in America’s military. They’re known as the Navy Seals. And when there’s a mission that’s almost impossible, they send the Seals behind enemy lines, or maybe it’s a highly sensitive covert mission, against enormous odds. They’re trained in just about any military skill you can think of. In fact, their training was the subject of a cover story in a national magazine a while back; especially that brutal final week that decides who will and will not be a Navy Seal.
Cold, and wet, and fatigued, there’s pain, there’s a pace that are more than most human beings could bear. And some might call it cruel and extreme. But the Navy is trying to prepare these men for heroism. They say they’re trying to build men who learn one mindset that is often the difference between a hero and a zero. Turn off the pain and focus on the mission.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Mission and the Pain.”
Here’s our word for today from the Word of God – 2 Timothy 2:1. God says, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” See, God doesn’t need any more spiritual wimps. That’s why He’s calling for warriors here. And in verse 4 He says, “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. He wants to please his commanding officer.”
Well, what does that take? Verse 3: “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Endurance: staying with the mission even when you’re hurting. Those Navy Seals do it for their country. We do it for our Savior. Our mission is to be like Jesus so the people in our world can get a good look at what He’s like. And to be His personal representative to people who are lost and needy and have no hope for eternity without Him.
There’s one problem though. Instead of turning off the pain and focusing on the mission, our tendency is to focus on our pain and forget our mission, and put the work of the Lord at the mercy of how we’re feeling. When we’re hurting, let’s face it, we usually get pretty self-focused don’t we? We’re consumed with our survival, our needs, our hurt. And that’s natural. It’s understandable, but it’s unacceptable for a soldier of Jesus Christ.
No matter how great the pain was, He never abandoned His mission; not when His family turned against Him, not when the crowds turned against Him, not when His life was threatened, not when He was arrested or beaten or humiliated or nailed to a cross. Even when He was dying, Jesus was looking out for His mother. He was reaching out to a dying thief, He was forgiving His crucifiers.
We will never begin to face the pain that our leader did. But we do have our share of pain. Here’s the question: Do we retreat from what we’ve been doing for the Lord when it gets hard or when we’re hurting? Are we so full of our own agenda that we shut down to the needs of others? Do we quit when it’s dark?
If you forget your mission because of your pain, you can still belong to Jesus. His love for us is unconditional. This isn’t about His love for you. It’s about your love and service for Him. He wants to trust you with some heroic assignments for Him. He’s got so much to be done! He’s looking for heroes like the song says, “Jesus needs a few good men.” And I might say, “a few good women.”
In the rigors of your life right now the training and testing of Jesus are not to hurt you. They’re not to sink you. They’re His tools to make you a warrior. To strengthen you. to prepare you for a great work for Him. So be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
No, that title is not a shout out to Britney Spears; rather, it’s actually a shout out to Roger Sparks. His book, Warrior’s Creed is where YHC got the idea of running with water in your mouth. The PAX who won THAT FIRST BATTLE and posted at the Aegis in Georgetown, DE for a Chappie-led workout were treated once again to this practice–a total mental exercise! We did it before. Last time 4 of 12 PAX (33.3%) made the 0.5 distance. The other 8 were peeved with themselves and YHC could sense they wanted another shot at it, so, Oops! We did it again. This time we raised the percentage of finishers (71.4%). That is 15 of 21 PAX were able to Mosey 0.5 miles without spitting out or swallowing the water they swigged at the starting point. This is a difficult challenge. It forces runners to breath through their nose, and it actually has some incredible physiological benefits to the heart-rate (a worthwhile study to do on your own, but a good place to start is Warrior’s Creed); the Apaches used the practice to identify whether young men were ready to be trained as warriors—however, they would run an entire day, up to 50 or 60 miles. A half-mile has been quite the test, we’re going to have to up our game. Oops! We’re going to have to do it again. In the meantime, here’s how it fit into today’s workout:
WARM-O-RAMA
SSH – 17 IC
High Knees – 76 (single count IC)
Swartzjack – 17 IC
Calf Raises – 76 (single count OYO)
Smurfjack – 17 IC
Windmill – 17 IC
Wosey to the darkside of he shrubbery planter. Lo and behold…bottles of water! Instructions to the PAX: Take a swig of water and keep it in your mouth without swallowing or spitting it out for the duration of 0.5 mile run. Nice easy mosey down W. Market Street, right onto Robinson Street, then to the end at the corner of Robinson St. and Edward St. Job well-done to the 15 PAX who completed this [mental] challenge and were rewarded with 17 Burpees. Shout out to Sink-O and Fireplex: Word on the street is that Sink-O repeated the challenge on the return to the AO and Fireplex is said to have made his first successful attempt.
After the water challenge PAX were treated to a public reading of The Declaration of Independence. (Read it, or if your familiar with it, scroll down to the Thang below) :
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should DECLARE the causes which impel them to separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the CONSENT of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinced a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their Former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be attained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent upon his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out of their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders, which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For Imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and DECLARE, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this DECLARATION, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. (ALL CAPS: Emphasis added. Names of signers listed as well.)
Oh, look! A rather conspicuously placed stack of sandbags! WITH a Workout Deck secretly lurking within. Here’s how it went from there…
THE THANG
17’s – Merkins & Gas Pumpers (Plus, draw 3 cards from the workout deck in middle of the field along the way.) AND never pass a sandbag (unless you just placed it in the middle or at the end). Started with 16 Merkins at one end and 1 Gas Pumper at the other…all the way down to 1 Merkin and 16 Gas Pumpers. lots of 17’s and 76’s on this fine July 3rd, but we ran out of time before being able to pair up for cumulative 76 Burpees.
Mosey back to the AO:
COT:
Name-O-Rama – special shout out welcome to Breakfast Club from downrange Lexington, SC!
Announcements: Cabana will post Spartan workout on Groupme for a Sunday morning up-for-grabs workout in Milton.
Prayers: Semi’s M, traveling; prayers for the Winske family who lost 59-yr-old father to pancreatic cancer; prayers for Streudel; prayers for Bean family and YHC’s son, Zeke; etc. (Whatever YHC has forgotten, God hasn’t. He’s got it!
Coffeeteria followed at Dunkin. Good crowd of PAX! YHC was on vacation over the last week and so it was not only good to be back in the Q saddle, but it was good to be back around the coffeeteria table. Ribbing and all, the fellowship is always glue!
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.
With Turkey Season coming in and training events causing some PAX to absent themselves from today’s beatdown, YHC wasn’t sure anyone was going to show. Not to worry, 10 PAX won THAT FIRST BATTLE and posted for an ABSolute Saturday morning. I.e. we focused on the abs…a little bit. It went a lil’ something like this:
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
Swartzjacks – 18 IC
Imperial Squat Walker – 18 IC (Squat didn’t work in public as well as it worked at home. Next time)
Cherry Picker – 17 IC
Windmill – 10 IC
Wheel of Merkin – 10 OYO Merkins each PAX, around the ring
Sealjacks – 40 IC (In honor of Hideous)
THE THANG:
Mosey around the circle, between the courthouse and the admin building, and around to the double steps on the S. Bedford St. side of admin building:
Abs Station #1: Admin Building steps
Gas Pumpers – All PAX do Gas Pumpers continuously until each PAX has run steps
Merkins – 2 mins., AMRAP
Mosey to armory…
Abs Station #2: National Guard Armory steps
LBC’s – 5 sets of 100, run to top step & back (500 total)
Big Boys – 2 mins., AMRAP …because Biddie requested them 😉
Mosey to School (side lot)…
Brief breather for the 3rdF:
Back on March 20th Spencer Lee won his 3rd individual National Championship as an NCAA wrestler for Iowa. Then in his after-match interview he dropped some crazy news on the college wrestling world. He’d been wrestling with a torn ACL! This was not the first time. He finished his high school career with the same injury sat out a portion of his first season at Iowa, before taking off his red-shirt and winning his first National title.
When questioned further after his March 20 win about why he would continue with such an injury, he said “Excuses are for F’n wussies!“
Fact is, there are times in sports and there are times in life when we might actually have a legitimate excuse to step away from competition, off the battlefield, or from something else. Spencer Lee had a legit excuse to withdraw from competition. Everybody would’ve understood if he had. And many would’ve said he should step aside. But he didn’t. Why? Well, yes, he wanted to win his 3rd NCAA individual title, but he also had an even greater goal in mind, a goal beyond himself: He wanted stay in the battle for his team to win the National Championship title. And they did!
A disclaimer: I’m not suggesting you and I continue with an injury that we may further aggravate or only cause worse injury if we keep going (like my foot). You know your own body, so be your own advocate. Just don’t make excuses. Not in competition. Not in family. Not in work. Not in battle. And to add the double negative… “Not nowhere!”
Of course, this mindset goes way beyond our workouts (a “mindset microcosm” of real life and facing hard things). So what I am suggesting is that you NOT take the easy road; that you not take the “out” even when everyone else expects it or okays it or even offers it. What I am suggesting is that you be stronger than your excuses. What I am suggesting, as Navy Seal, Marcus Luttrell put it, is that you, “Find an excuse to win.”
When we find an excuse to win, it will almost always be in direct proportion to the prize pursued (whatever that may be). But with that, we’ve got to stop thinking of ourselves alone. We’ve got to stop making excuses, and stop doing so for the betterment of our family, of those in our workplaces (on our teams), and for those in the communities in which we serve. Excuses serve YOU well (not really), but they almost never serve well those around you who may be part of some of the bigger picture stuff. We make excuses in daily life because we can. We make excuses because we’re able to get away with it with no accountability…we make excuses because we lose sight of our goals or THE [bigger picture] goal(s).
A few statements to be adopted by those who want to develop the mindset of being a HIM:
EXCUSES ARE FOR WUSSIES!
BE STRONGER THAN YOUR EXCUSES!
FIND AN EXCUSE TO WIN!
Whatever you commit to, make sure you carry that commitment to completion, to the end goal. Don’t make excuses and DFQ! Be it a workout, or a war; be it a wakeup or walk, a wrestling match on a mat or with a foe unseen–be a no-excuse warrior for your family, your friends, your team, your co-workers, yourself! Whatever it is, “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.” (Jesus in Matthew 5:37) Excuses are for wussies!
Abs Station #3: Parking lot, the looooong lot…
Freddie Mercury – 5 sets of 50, run length of lot and back between sets (250 total)
LAST TRANSITION: Bearcrawl/Crawlbear back to start from far end of lot (canceled due to time)
Mosey back to AO to call it a day.
COT:
Number-Rama – 10 PAX
Name-O-Rama – a Happy Birthday to Woodstock, hit the big “4-2”
Announcements – Today is the day: Commit to the F3 Paintball outing (Sat. April 24 @ 3 pm). Commit today by getting your deposit of $25 to Jay Baxter (Quattro). Did YHC mention to do it today? Today it is then!
Prayers – Prayers lifted for PAX and families traveling home following Spring Break. Prayers for the Brown family and Cape students grieving the tragic loss of Maggie Brown and for other girls involved in the gator accident this past week.
ABSolutely honored to Q at the Aegis, it’s been awhile.
14 HIM beat the fartsack and made it out for the first Saturday workout for 2021. All though there was some chatter among the packs and maybe a couple jokingly threats of bodily harm to the Q we all made it through to look forward to many more beatdowns in the upcoming year
The Thang- Mosey to the old NAPA for a short pain station stop 10 Jimmeny Crickets,and a Toy Soldier set 40 LBCs, 20 E2KS each side, 15 big boys. Back to a Mosey to the school for some BOMBS partner up PAX #1 runs from end sidewalk to center sidewalk of front schoolyard and back while PAX #2 performs excercises then switches out until team reaches said number of excercises combined as a team
50 burbees, 100 overhead hand claps, 150 Merkins, 200 bigboys, 250 squats. All PAX held plank until 6 was in.
BOMBS were followed by a short 3rd F then a nice friendly mosey back to the AO. Once we reached the AO and fireplex demonstrated his dancing abilities thanks to music from the gentleman on the Harley. we finished up with a round of HOWLING MONKEYS all PAX held monkey humper position while all PAX 1 at a time performed 10 monkey humpers
3rd F Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens Iron so one person sharpens another at f3 first state the Q is physically sharpening all PAX that post in return all those PAX are sharpening the Q’s leadership abilities. At the end of the beatdown we all come together in a COT were we all come together and sharpen each other physically, mentally and emotionally
All i/c 20 Seal jacks 20 Plank jacks Mosey around circle 20 Mountain man pooper 20 Cherry picker side shuffle around circle, switching halfway 20 SSH 20 Seal waves Nur around circle 20 Imperial walkers 20 mountain climbers
The Thang
Mosey up Bradford street to park past church on left. Each pair will play Frisbee golf through park and down Edward street to other field by other church doing an exercise as many times it takes to get to the hole. Hole #1 Burpees Hole #2 Lbcs – 40 extra at end of hole Hole #3 Lunge between shots Hole #4 Squats x 5 Hole #5 – throwing with non-dominit arm E2ks (per knee) x 5 Hole #6 Sshs x 5 Hole #7 Merkins x 5
3RD F
Wavewalker song lyrics (abbreviated)
How’s it so simple? Faith like a child I give you an inch and you take me a mile I feel the wind rush and the thunder roll And two feet on the water, only one way to go, yeah
I don’t gotta be afraid no more ‘Cause I know You’ll walk me through the storm I’m more than just a talker
I’m a wavewalker I’m dancing on water When the devil tried to shake me, I just pray harder Even in my darkest hour Got Holy Ghost power When I keep my eyes upon You, Jesus I’m a wavewalker (wavewalker)
I walk over my fears, over my doubt The supernatural, it feels so natural now
I don’t gotta be afraid no more ‘Cause I know You’ll walk me through the storm I’m more than just a talker I’m a wavewalker
This song made me think of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. How we need to keep our eyes on Him at all times.
