Warmup: 20 SSH, 15 Cherry Pickers, 10 Finkle Swings each leg, 10 Nancy Kerrigans each leg.
The Thang 1: Mosey up Union Street to 16 and back Mulberry Street to Shipbuilders field. William Wallace: 4 Corners with Teams of 2 with Q jumping in as a 3rd wheel! Round 1: Corner does LBCs while teammate sprints to middle of field and does 25 Burpees and sprints back; Round 2:Corner Plank & Middle Field 25 Merkins; Round 3: Corner American Hammers & Middle Field 50 Squats; Round 4: Corner Plank & Middle Field 25 Hand release Merkins. 10 Count and break for F3 message.
F3 Message: Friendship. We all have friends but do you know your true friends? Proverbs 12:26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 16:28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Proverbs 17:17 A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Ecclesiates 4:9-12 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
We have a lot of aquaintaices but we need to know who are true friends are.
The Thang 2: Mosey back up Mulberry, cut over to Union with jail break at end. 10 Count. Super Toy Soldier Set 50 LBCs-30 E2Ks-20 Big Boys. 15 Ranger Merkins 15 Diamond Merkins 15 Wide Armed Merkins 25 Flutter Kicks. Toy Soldier led ABCs lower case and Hideous led 4 Count Freddie.
Count off followed by Name-O-Rama. Circle up. Thanks to all those that posted and be with those who didnt post. Prayers and thanks for Toy Soldiers friends Dad Sandy pulling through coma and continue to be with him and his famiy, continued prayers for Qs mom, prayers for healing of Hideous’s ankle and Chappie’s chest, and prayers for all those in harms way on daily basis whether our troops or 1st responders.
Warm up. 20 each. SSH. Plank jack. Cherry picker. Windmill. Tempo merkins. Tempo squats. Tempo big boys. (Kinda).
Ultimate football! Like ultimate frisbee. Can only take two steps once caught. If team with possession drops they have to do 2 burpees while opposing team can move down field. When team scores they call out exercise all PAX do BUT the team that got scored on does double the reps! Play for 30 minutes! 3rd F. On the platform we have and I used the Eagles as an example for when they won the Super Bowl and glorified all the glory to God rather than beating their chest.
Once again a “dirty dozen” HIM posted in the Gloom, even with the threat of rain. That shouldn’t be surprising. After all we post rain or shine, hot or cold. That’s a great lesson for life in and of itself–i.e. circumstances and conditions should not be given a whole lot of power over us.
The Backblast title says “0.0”—this was as a result of a request by one of the PAX who injured an ankle and needed a low-run to no-run workout. Well, there you have it. But it was a workout nonetheless! Here’s how it went down:
Warm-O-Rama:
SSH – 18 IC
Parker Peter – 10 IC
Crazy SH (CSH) – 18 IC (Thanks Mr. Swartz, YHC’s elementary school gym teacher. He always taught is SSH’s this way! Addition to the Exicon? Who knows.)
Plank Jacks – 18 IC
Calf Raises – 30 OYO (toes in)
Calf Raises – 30 OYO (toes out)
The Thang:
PAX paired up after counting off by 2’s as instructed by YHC for some unknown reason. Duh, huh, huh! Anyway, after a brief intro to the workout stations around the AO parking lot, PAX commenced to the no “mike, mikes” (slang for miles) beatdown.
Here’s the list of stations:
*Timer: Box Jump Squat – 10, Curb Steps – 10, Flying Squirrel – 10, Side-to-Side Line Touch – 10 (*This station was used in lieu of a timer, upon completion, PAX rotated to next station–approximately 2 mins. per round)
Ruck – OH Presses/Ruck – Curls, AMRAP
Ruck – OH extended while woseying around lot
Bearcrawl/Crawlbear – Around parking space, AMRAP
Log Press/Log Upright Row – AMRAP
Sandbag Sit-ups – AMRAP
Parking Line Burpees – AMRAP
Single Leg Hip Thrusters – AMRAP (on park bench…this was punishing)
Paver Drive – AMRAP (Also punishing, they burn! PAX held pavers straight out and turned left/right, like driving, for the duration of the round. YHC hopes the messages motivated some push.) Here’s an image of the infamous pavers…
3rd F Message shared a couple of rounds in:
As much as those in the military experience that in training and in battle conditions, and as much as athletes experience it while training and more so in competition, and as much as we experience here in the Gloom, those thoughts are made real as we experience them day-in and day-out—they’re lived out by us all.
In fact, I would even add that it is those real-life experiences of suffering and hardship that are really training us to be faithful.
Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:3-9, “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.”
I love that, Paul, here in Scripture, speaks in terms that we can understand. Here’s the takeaways on this one. Paul was talking about Kingdom values vs. World’s values. He said,
▪Suffering/hardship is normative, not just in training, but in everyday life (in ministry!). Can you imagine that? Well, it’s the rule rather than the exception! ▪ We endure it, however, because we understand there’s a greater purpose behind ALL suffering. So wherever it’s taken you, focus on the bigger purpose, the eternal—do your job in order to please the ONE who is carrying you through it. ▪It’s meant to sharpen and purify you. To strengthen you. It’s meant, in the context of this passage, to make you a greater witness to Jesus Christ. “No guts, no story!” Right? ▪After all, if you won’t quit and walk away when things get tough, others are gonna want exactly what you have. Add to that, no cheating! No short-cuts! ▪Pain IS only temporary—that’s a reality taught us EVERY TIME we show up in the gloom and workout. Here it’s only 45 mike, mikes. In life it may be a day, a week, a year, etc. Enduring it builds muscle, but in greater ways than just physically. It builds muscle emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and in return WE BECOME BETTER LEADERS AT HOME, AT CHURCH, IN THE WORKPLACE, AND IN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE SERVE.
That’s why we use slogans like: ▪DFQ – “Don’t Freakin’ Quit!” ▪”Embrace the suck” (Embrace it because it is normative! Paul: “Suffer hardship with me”) ▪”Find an Excuse to Win!” ▪And, yes, “No guts, no story.”
That’s about it. The pain actually was temporary—it only lasted 45 mins! Well, actually, post-workout chatter implies that it’s lasting throughout the day. Yep! YHC will take that as a compliment! It was great to see everyone pushing hard today, even as we partnered up it was still a “you against you” kind of day.
COT/BOM:
~Announcements: Get your flyers for the Grace Church Father/Son Campout ~Prayers: Lifted up Chris and Lifted up Bethany, along with other young people trying to figure out life.
Bolt 45’s – IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats. Actually this was BOLT 46’s as Q lost count…:)…
Mosey Indian Run Style .14 miles to the Wesleyan Church Parking Lot to complete Happy Jacks which were completed as 5 SSH IC followed by 2 Bomb Jacks. Pax completed 4 evolutions completed in succession.
Bataan Death March – Indian run with a twist to the hill by the water tower around .4 miles. The last person in line drops and completes five Burpees, then runs to catch up to the front of the line tapping the last person in line on his way by. The last person drops and completes five Burpees, etc. etc. until reaching the hill by the water tower.
The Thang
At the base of “Oh, Hill No”, PAX teamed up to complete 100 merkins, 200 LBC’s & 300 squats. One team member will crawl bear up the hill and bear crawl down while the other works on the exercises. The hill is approx. .02 miles up and .02 miles down. Here is the twist, each PAX must complete half of the designated exercises. Once you have reached 50 merkins, 100 LBC’s and 150 squat’s, you will plank until your partner has completed his ascent and descent of the hill. Continue the rotation until your team has completed the full amount of exercises.
Mosey .5 miles back to the AO for the Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please continue to keep Chairman’s Mom in your thoughts and prayers and all those affected by Hurricane Florence. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message
We don’t always understand why God allows things to happen a certain way, or why our prayers are not always answered in a manner that is the most convenient for our earthly lifestyle. We must always trust that God’s plan for our lives far exceeds anything that we could ever begin to imagine. I found this poem by an unknown author that speaks to the fact that in all things God gives us everything that we actually need.
I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.
I asked for courage and God gave me danger to overcome.
I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted and I received everything I needed.
Proverbs 3:5-6 New King James version (NKJV) – 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [a]direct your paths.
Philippians 4:19 New King James version (NKJV) – 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
3 pax showed up at the circle for another beatdown in this glorious saturday morning. The message for today was a quote on leadership by different presidents after each pain station i believe the burpees got to me after the 3rd one and i forgot a couple.
Warm up— 20 SSH, 20 Seal Jacks, 20 Windmills, 20 Cherry Pickers, 20 MNC, followed by high needs half way around circle and Toy Soldiers the other half.
The Thangs- – mosey down north bedford to the park by church. 12 burpees and 25 flutter kicks.
Quote by George Washington Associate yourself with men of good quality, If you can esteem your own reputation for tis better to be alone than in bad company.
Mosey to the old NAPA building 12 burpees and a toy soldier set 35 LBC , 25 E2KS and 15 big boy situps.
Thomas Jefferson. No thing can stop a man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal, nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong mental attitude.
Mosey to the library 12 burpees , 25 4 count freddies.
John Quincy Adams. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more you are a leader.
Mosey to firehall. 12 burpees 15 crab jacks did someone mention a wall to intentionally poke the bear took a seat on the wall for 25 overhead handclaps then 15 squats rinse and repeat once
George W. Bush. A leadership is someone that brings people together.
Mosey down to Dominos and out to East market back to the circle i did not like the number 48 so 12 more burpees for a total of 60 for anyone that wants to work them in today and finish with a round of mary 20 hello dollies, 10 Xs and Os then low plank until the first pax drops.
Number-rama, Name-o-rama and the COT
Prayers to the victims of Florence, and all the PAX or their Ms that are traveling or about to travel this weekend
LOTS OF RESPECT to Chappie for rucking to and from the beatdown this morning
10 HIM posted at the CHOP in the misty gloom for the dirty dozen circuit course
Date: 9/13/18
QIC: Chattahoochee
WARM UP– 20 SSH, 20 Windmills, 20 Cherrypickers all in cadence followed by 10 arm circles forward 10 backwards OYO
THE THANG– 12 stations set up in the parking lot at the AO
1) weighted run 20 lb weight vest run the back entrance to the street and back the runner was the timer for the other stations.
2) Dips on the bench
3) Box jumps
4) Slosh pipe lunges
5) Flutter kicks
6) Rowing Merkins with 15 lb dumbells
7) Squats
8) Bearcrawl
9) Abyss Merkins
10) WWII situps
11) Burpee
12) Tire flip
We completed 2 complete rounds
Message for the day was a poem by
Robert J. Robicheau titled the Eleventh of September.
COT: Prayers for Chairmans mother, All of the people in the path of Florence, Waterfall and family , Leatherman and Ruxpins Ms in their upcoming women’s retreat
It was truly the Gloom for this workout–parking lot lights were not functioning and on top of that the fog was swimmable. The Gloom lived up to its name for this 9/11 workout. YHC was honored to Q it for that reason, along with the fact that it’s youngest 2.0’s 16th birthday. Here’s how it went down:
Disclaimer given
Warm-O-Rama:
SSH – 9 IC, 11 IC
GofMerkins – 9 OYO, 11 OYO
Rev. Lunge – 9 OYO, 11 OYO
Seal Jack – 9 IC, 11 IC
Plank Jack – 9 IC, 11 IC
Windmill – 9 IC, 11 IC
Calf Raises – 9 OYO, 11 OYO
The Thang:
So…we have this log at the CHOP. A log purchased just for F3 workouts, but one we tend to avoid because, well, THAT SUCKER IS HEAVY! (Guesstimation from a log measuring app–yes, it exists!–is about 250 lbs.) Well, avoid it no longer, we finally got the logoutfor this workout. Mosey to the other side of the parking lot to get the log and pickup a few Cindy’s too. Here’s a pic of what it looked like:
8 PAX: 4 on the log, and 4 on Mary – Switch after each round of 11x reps on the Log (L to R, R to L = 1 Rep – shoulder to shoulder)
Log to Mary AMRAP:
Dolly
American Hammer
E2k – 11 each leg, switch AMRAP
Flutter Kicks – courtesy called by Chattahoochee
Took a breather here for 3rd F Message: YHC briefly shared how his youngest was born. When his M conceived the due date for their 3rd 2.0 was 9/11/02, the one year anniversary of the attacks. Simon, was actually born on his due date, and YHC shared how that blessing actually put a new face and a new outlook on the day. The interesting part was that he (2.0 Simon) was born at home. THAT was NOT the plan. Long story short, after some miscommunication with the hospital (2x!), 911 was called and Simon was born while 6 first responders looked on, and 2 church deaconesses delivered him. One of the first responders was an ordained minister heading to the Pentagon later in the day to marry a couple who’d survived the attacks there the year before. What a start to the day! And what a wonderful blessing! Now for the planned 3rd Word: The mission of F3, represented by the shovel-flag at every AO is: To plant, grow, and serve small workout groups of men for the invigoration of male community leadership.
Invigorating leadership is our bread & butter. Because of that and because of ongoing commitment to F3 and gaining ground in our own leadership abilities, we tend to have our ears tuned to leadership talk and leadership principles whenever and wherever we hear them.
The idea, however, is to put what we hear and what we learn into practice. After all, “LEADERSHIP IS AN ACTION, NOT A POSITION.”
One of the leadership concepts I heard recently on a GoRuck video caused me to stop the tape, back it up, and listen to it again so I could write it down (and share it with you guys). Plus, if I write something down I’m more prone to remember it, and, therefore, more apt to apply it. Here’s what caught my ear:
“In order to have high performing teams, you have to have high performing individuals who are selfless and committed to the cause.”
[WE CERTAINLY THINK ABOUT THE FIRST RESPONDERS ON 9/11 AS HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS/INDIVIDUALS.]
First things first: Are YOU a high performing individual? Do you represent your team well? Do you represent your community well, as a high performing individual?
Secondly, and this applies to each member of a team, whether they’re the leader of the team or not; if you’re going to be a high performing individual as part of a high performing team, you must check your ego (because, likely, it ain’t about you), and, as they say, you gotta get in the zone!
If you want the guy to your right and the guy to your left to be guys who are aware of the standards and take those standards to the next higher level, then YOU have to be the guy on their left or right who’s aware of the standards and takes those standards to the next higher level. This means [to the best of your ability] knowing what is ahead of you and being prepared for it — physically, mentally, spiritually, materially, etc.
Scripture records that “iron sharpens iron” (Prov. 27:17); we’re all familiar with that verse, but the outcome is obvious: that of becoming a high performing tool (a sharp team member, husband, father, athlete, community leader, etc.) because YOU sharpen and are being sharpened. High performing teams could also be likened to the “chord of three strands that is not easily broken” (Ecc. 4:12). Each strand performs at a standard, if you will, when he is selfless and committed to the cause. HOME causes? CHURCH causes? WORKPLACE causes? COMMUNITY causes?
No matter the cause, be a high performing member by finding out the standards, upholding them, AND taking them to the next higher level. Aye?
*Changed Log reps to 9x
Gas Pumpers
LBC’s
Both groups of 4 PAX got in their fair share of rounds on the log (6 rounds); seems to YHC that the last round we might have been going down, ducking under the log, rather than actually lifting it up from shoulder to shoulder… Time for one last set of Mary. PAX partnered up for…
Cindy Sit-ups/Block Big-boys: 9x (PAX interlocked feet to perform big-boys while exchanging Cindy back and forth when in the up position)
That’s a wrap – time to logout!
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Later today at Crossroads a special “5 to 10” service with 1st Responders in memory of 9/11, 10 am; Delmarva Christian School fundraiser, Oct. 5; Grace Church Father/Son Campout, Oct. 5-6
Prayers: Several items entrusted to the Lord of behalf of the HIM present.
Anybody else’s shoulders screaming? Whew! Great push by HIM, men who I’d call High Performing Individuals. And yes, it’s ’bout time we use that log. Fartsackers, y’all missed out! Think we might have to name her!
6 HIM showed up in the foggy gloom for an all around beat down. We stayed in the park, But hey, there is always fun to be had in the park!
Warm up -IC
SSH 20 Windmills-
10Moroccan NC- 20
Mountain climbers – 10
Cherry pickers – 20
Imperial Walkers – 10
Mosey around Park and back to basketball courts
PAX will do AMRAP of exercises until someone reaches 100. Once 100 is reached by one man, other men finish off to the next closest increment of 10. Each exercise is interrupted by a run around the park.
Exercises –
1.LBC
2. SSH
3. Flutter kicks
4. Merkins
5. Split jacks
Break for 3rd F
6. Squats
7. Hello dolly
8. Shoulder Taps
9. American Hammer
10. Burpees…… We each did 10.
Name-A-Rama
COT –
Remember Chairman’s mother as she endured another surgery and in recovery awaiting more test results.
3rd F- shared about emotions of 9/12 after 9/11. And how HIM need to live daily with intentional heightened emotion and passion.
We all remember exactly where we were when he heard of the 9/11 attacks. Some were near by, some working, some sleeping , but most of us remember watching as the the day unfolded , with all sorts of emotions, uncertainty, anger , speculation , fear , concern and helplessness. I know where I was. But do you remember the feeling on the morning of the 12th? Some of us couldn’t sleep. Some of us just wanted to be able to call a friend , family member or just go home. I was in college. I went to an all male, trade school outside of Philly. Close enough to the airport that is was eerily quiet when you stepped outside and didn’t hear planes. Campus was near a train station and multiple times many of us tried to get on , to head north and help. Do whatever we could. But were denied every Time. I watched people sneak on, do whatever they could to get closer to help. Some wanted to get to the city to check on family, friends , etc. some just wanted to help. Some how. I had one instructor who was a previous employee of the railroad… he got on with his badge and after two days was able to get up to ground zero. He helped on a bucket line, he helped feed people, he helped anyway he could. I already respected this man immensely. Fought in two wars, seen what most of us will never see, overcame obstacles in life that many of us couldn’t imagine…. but when he came home weeks later. He was a different man. It took him 6 months to be able to talk about it. You see, up there he saw horror, things nightmares are made of, carried body parts, carried people, peoples belongings, even found people that he knew … just not in a condition that you would want to. Ever. But… he also saw pride, unity, respect, love , passion, vigor, relentlessness, and so much more he couldn’t put into words. He saw America At its best just days after what seems it’s worst. It is these emotions that people felt on 9/12. I know we raised our flag on 9/12 with pride, stood at attention a little taller and even though it didn’t go up as high as is usually did. She went up. And flags went up all across the country. On overpasses , in front yards , on cars , at work, on desks and seemingly everywhere you looked. UNITY. PRIDE. Also on 9/12 , many left their homes differently than before. Maybe a longer hug, a meaningful kiss and ‘I love you’. A vivid reminder that no day is promised. And the future is unpredictable. As HIM , we need to be sure we are living out daily lives , especially every morning intentionally and with passion and vigor. Loving those closest to us and making sure they know. Through tragedy , we often see things differently …. but how long does it last? That is up to you and me. We need to be the men who cherish life daily and live it to its fullest. Never forgot what’s closest to you on any day. Your God. Your country. Your family.
