The Bear Did What on the Hill?

Date: 09/18/18

AO: Milton, De.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 25 IC

Windmills – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

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 God – inspirationalstories.wordpress.com

July 25, 2007 — inspirationalstories

(Author Unknown)

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) – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  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.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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4

Dirty Dozen Beatdown

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

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2

Logout

Date: 9/11

QIC: Chappie

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 logout for 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!

~Chappie, [Logged] out!

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14

What Thunderstorms??

4 HIM braved the storm this morning for what turned into a ‘nice’ hour of no rain.   But of course two men started their mornings early with a Ruck from Milton…. interrupted by a few flashes of lighting and some thunder, but still managed to get in 5+ miles??  Chappie and Leatherman setting the pace and a higher standard…. well done. 

Warm-UP                                                                                                                    SSH – 25   Cherry picker- 20 Moroccan NC- 15 Bolt 45s   IC  Standing to 1/2- 15  Half to full- 15   Full Deep Squats – 15 Moroccan NC – 10. Cherry picker – 15 SSH -20                                                                                                                              
Mosey to courthouse lot                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          4 corners –                                                                                                                    1st corner- 10 burpees    Nur to 2nd corner    2nd corner- 50 merkins (20 reg, 15 diamond, 15 wide )   Lt Dan to 3rd corner                                                                                                                         3rd corner- 100 lbc – nice steady pace         NUR To corner 4   4th corner- 50 dips   Bear Crawl Back to starting point                                                                               
Mosey to field by ballpark                                                                                            
Toy soldier set – IN Cadence                                                                          Shoulder taps -20  In Cadence                                                                            Merk and rolls – 20 oyo                                                                                                              
Mosey back to courthouse lot 
3rd F-       Consistency- in growth and counsel.                                                                                                                            
Set of 11s  11 deep squats Burpee broad jump to line 11 big boy  Lunge Walk back 10 deep squats. Burpee broad jump to line   10 Big Boys Lunge Walk Back Repeat to 1 squat and 1 big ol boy            
Mosey to circle 
NAME-A-RAMA                                                                                                        COT   

3rd F-  HIM are consistent. Consistency comes from a desire for growth and staying in counsel. Growth- you’ve never arrived. I’ve heard it said you are either growing or dying. In this world there is no such thing as stagnant. You’re moving forward or backwards.  HIM focus on doing the daily things that move them forward.  Yes, there are setbacks-  but identifying them , rectifying them properly and pressing on, chisels you more and more Into the man you are meant to be.  Ways to grow- Read. Listen. Study. Allow yourself to be stretched. Associate with other men who are in life where you want to be or committed to getting there with you. 
Counsel- I’ll never follow a man who isn’t being lead.  Every one of us needs to be in some form of transparent counsel.  Someone who can offer us a 30000 ft view and help us with our blind spots. This can be at work, in your business, within the community , church or home. All areas of life will benefit from proper counsel.  I’m not talking about Social media opinions or break room water cooler talk- this is one on one man to man counsel. Iron sharpening iron. 
These are just two areas – but effect every aspect of who we are as HIM. 
If you are not consistent- you will not be loyal, you will not be trusted, you will not be counted on , and maybe most of all you will not be performing at the high level a true leader should be. I didn’t even like writing that last paragraph that way because I like to focus on the positive , so I’ll end it like this- When you are consistent – you will be a loyal friend, co-worker, business owner,  husband , father , grandfather, son and member of the community. A trusted go-to man who because you have prepared, you are ready for any situation- a man that can be counted on.  Most of all you’ll be and continue  to become the leader of your life and in your home  – which is where we are needed most.

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1

Head & Chest Crud — Why Not a Trip to the Hospital?

QIC: Chappie

Date: 8/29/18

YHC was pumped to Q 2x in less than a week, though he wasn’t 100% sure he was even going to be able to make after battling head & chest crud since Friday evening. Skipped what sounds like a serious beatdown at the hands Leatherman who Q’d at CHOP yesterday. The goal was to try to rest up and stay/get healthy for today. #summercoldsuck

Seven awesome PAX posted in Lewes, DE at the Primis AO for a trip to the hospital. Well, actually there were only 6 of us til deer slayer himself, Chairman, rolled in after bringing the gavel down on Bambi. She did a job on your ride, man! Here’s what YHC’s ride looked like when he showed up at the Aegis AO one Saturday morning right after the AO was planted…

Have to get a shot of your ride and post it for posterity purposes. Looks like we’ve got a special way of initiating new AO’s; don’t say anything to the insurance companies! Chairman, we’re all glad you’re okay brother. …and this just in…

Of course, anytime you’re in an accident they say its best to go to the hospital to get checked out. So, here’s how that developed…

Warm-O-Rama:

  • Disclaimer…uh, thought about…kinda. It’s hard to think when you have a cloud raining down snot inside your head.
  • SSH – 10 IC
  • Nipple Scraper Merkins – 10 IC
  • Hello Dolly – 20 IC
  • Windmill – (we heard him coming — enter the deer slayer, so YHC forgot the rep count)

Omaha’d the Weinke due to time constraints: Also had planned to do Peter Parkers, Merican Hammers, Shell Picker/Crab Flippers, and Delmarva Drydocks. It’s not a bad trip to the hospital from the AO, but last time YHC ran out of time and had to make a withdrawal from PPB (the PAX Patience Bank) to get the job done. So off we go with a steady  mosey to Beebe Hospital’s parking garage.

The Thang:

  • Swift Mosey up Level 1
    • 25 Merkins
    • 25 Gas Pumpers
  • Swift Mosey up Level 2
    • 50 Merkins
    • 50 Gas Pumpers
  • Swift Mosey up Level 3
    • 10 Burpees
  • Double Decker Mosey up Level 4 & 5
    • 100 LBC’s
  • Double Decker Mosey up Level 6 & 7
    • 10 Burpees
  • Swift Mosey up Level 8
    • 50 E2K’s

Top-O-The-Garage, great location for 3rd F:  Did you know that at the age of 67, Thomas Edison watched a fire destroy much of his work and equipment? Time to retire? Time to hang up the old lab coat? No way! “All our mistakes are burned up,” the inventor said, “now we can start anew.” There is a time to retire but Edison knew this time had not come. The fire that consumed his work didn’t destroy the fire that burned within him to continue his work. Edison’s commitment remained.

People tend to associate commitment with emotions. If they feel the right way they can follow through on their commitments. But true commitment doesn’t work that way. Commitment is not an emotion. It is a character quality that enables us to reach our goals. Emotions go up and down all the time, but commitment must remain rock solid. A solid team, whether it is in sports, business, workplace, marriage, or ministry, must have team members who are solidly committed.

3 things we need to know about being committed:
1. Commitment is usually discovered in the midst of adversity. You never know the level of your commitment until things get tough. Commitment is revealed, not necessarily built, by adversity.
2. Commitment is revealed in choices, not conditions.
3. Commitment lasts when it is based on values. Establishing commitment from a team is a critical piece of leadership. The only way to sustain commitment is to link it with personal values. Values drive your choices and they stand up to the test of adversity.
(Adapted: TFC President’s letter, D.O. Young)

  • Psalm 37:5 ESV
    Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
  • Proverbs 16:3 ESV
    Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
  • 2 Timothy 4:7 ESV
    I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there’s a man, along with our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was committed regardless of conditions!

Commitment. One character trait of leaders leading leaders—of HIM!

As they say, what goes up must come back down; here goes on the descent back to Level 1:

  • Lt. Dan (1 of YHC’s favorites, especially descending…hits the muscles a little differently)
  • Nur to Level 5, waiting for the six, we realized we were in a motorcycle parking spot. So…
    • 20 Four-Count Freddies IC (get on your bike and ride!)
    • 20 Derkins (high wall created some chatter from Chattahoochee. Hmm…name change? Chatterhoochee? Oops! Didn’t mean to poke the bear, he’s on Q in the Gloom.)
  • Lt. Dan once more
  • Bearcrawl (Whoa! watch the traffic! The PAX definitely created some chatter as the shift change was nearing and people were racing to their parking spots and trying to kill the bears. Hey, YHC thought this was deer season. Chairman?)

We made it! Kind of funny to hear hospital employees talking about what they saw as they arrived for work at the hospital. Parking Garage Playa’s! Aye!

Mosey back to the AO.

Great group of HIM to workout with today. YHC was pushed and pulled (mostly pulled) on this Gloom. Ruxpin you’re a beast brother! You jumped right in to the crazy amazing thing called F3 and nothing has stopped you. Seriously, that’s commitment! Think about where you’ll be a few months from now. Vanilla, thanks for posting even while you’re battling the same kind of head & chest crud–Site Q leadership! Summit, what can be said? If YHC’s not mistaken you led the mosey all the way back to the AO. You against you, better and faster! Not to mention, Chairman who was right up there with you — it’s like he was looking for deer or something. Leatherman, you’re bringing beatdowns that leave the PAX chattering, and then you post for another Q’s serving the next day. Way to step it up, keep raising the bar brother (brothers)! Chattahoochee, always appreciate you “picking up the 6” — you never fail. Never leave a man behind, but never leave him where you found him.

After a little trip to the hospital, we made it back on time.

COT/BOM:

Announcements:

  • Run, White, & Blue 5k, next Thursday, Sep 6 at Del-Tech
  • Monday, Sep 3, First State F3 Annual Labor-Day Beach Day Beatdown Convergence: 7 am north end of the boardwalk. See the Pre-blast. (Site Q’s bring your AO Shovel-flag)

Prayers:

  • Troopers involved in shooting yesterday at Harbison
  • YHC and his M as they’re raising teenagers — tough times (but praise God anyway!)

Saboutit!

Honored to lead again. Thanks for the op!

~Chappie, out

 

And, oh, who was that doing 60 catch-up Squats? LEA-THER-MAAAAN!

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6

Staying Power

QIC: Chappie

DATE: Aug. 25 2018

6 HIM posted for a beatdown in perfect weather. It’s still August but several mentioned the temptation to wear long sleeves or turn on the heat in vehicles on the way in. It’s been cooler than normal, Chappie still wants Summer!

Let’s talk about staying power. YHC announced that today’s workout would tag-team with Vanilla’s 3rd F message from Wednesday (See “Finishing Strong” Backblast from 8/22). Vanilla’s message spoke of 3 ambushes which most men will face at one point or another (maybe even repeatedly) throughout their life:

  • the ambush of another woman
  • the ambush of money
  • the ambush of neglected family

These were written about in the book Finishing Strong by Steve Farrar. Great book and a recommended read for all men! Today’s workout (based on the book as well) was designed to complement what Vanilla shared on Wednesday, and revolved around how to avoid or overcome the aforementioned (that sounds sophisticated, ain’t?) ambushes—the workout itself will be offered as today’s 3rd F.

So here’s how it went down:

Chatter about the wet grass? OMAHA! To stay out of the wet grass, PAX moseyed to parking lot in front of Justice the Peace Court.

Disclaimer given. Made it official, even though no FNG’s were present. Practice makes perfect.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • SSH – 20 IC
  • Imperial Walker – 18 IC
  • Windmill – 18 IC
  • Shell Pickers – 15 IC
  • Calf Raises – 30 OYO (toes in)
  • Calf Raises – 30 OYO (toes out)
  • FULL Squats – 10 OYO (not that we don’t always do full squats)
  • GoFMerkins (Good Form Merkins) – 10 (single count cadence on YHC’s d/u – not that we don’t always use good form)

Mosey down Pine St. to ARNG Armory…

The Thang:

How do you avoid the 3 ambushes of another woman, money, & neglect of family?

By STAYING in the Scriptures (each exercise begins with S for Scriptures)

PAX were asked by YHC at each pain station to pick the number of rep counts prior to each exercised being announced. Fun! (generally we did 20 reps, but Chattahoochee did call out 22 to keep us mindful of the avg. number of veterans who take their own life every day)

  • Seal Jacks
  • Stagger Merkins
  • Squat Jacks w/cross
  • Sphinx Merkins (Do Not do these on asphalt! Lol. We switched to the grass at the half)

Mosey to side lot of Georgetown Middle School… Same question about the ambushes:

By STAYING close to a Friend – (someone you can share your challenges with and who will ask you the tough questions – F is for friend)

  • Fiddler Crab to cone, switch at the half
  • Finger-tip Merkins
  • Flying Squirrel
  • Flutter Kick

Mosey to Wall 2.0 on the opposite side of the school…

By STAYING away from other Women – (set up protective hedges to keep yourself from the ambush of another Woman)

  • Wall Plank (interesting, kinda)
  • Windmill
  • Wheel of Merkin (5 rotations)
  • Wall of Fire: PAX hold Air Chair, while in turn each does 10 Merkins, 10 LBCs, & 10 Burpees

Mosey back toward AO to lot behind building on the corner of W Market & N. Front Streets…

By STAYING Alert to the tactics of the enemy (A is for Alert – “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” 1 Peter 5:8)

  • ATM’s: 10 Alternating Shoulder Taps, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Merkins Fast)
  • Air Squared
  • American Hammer
  • Aiken Legs: 20 Squats, 20 Box Jumps (skipped), 20 Lunges, & 20 Split-Jacks, all OYO)

Mosey back to AO…

COT/BOM:

Announcements: Labor Day Beach Day Beatdown. Rehoboth Beach, North end of the boardwalk near Henlopen Hotel. Start Time: 7 a.m.

Prayer:

  • Those taking 2.0’s to school
  • Waterfall/Felicia and newborn bay girl 2.0
  • Meg & Rachel (Vanilla & Stretch’s M’s) – both due to deliver 2.0’s in Nov
  • Prayers for all PAX to have STAYING POWER and avoid the ambushes of other women, money, and neglect of family by STAYING in the Scriptures, STAYING close to a Friend, STAYING away from other Women, and STAYING Alert to the tactics of the enemy. After all, it’s what HIM do!
  • Prayer for YHC, who has a sore throat and is preaching a funeral message later in the morning

Honored to lead the 6 HIM who posted at the Aegis on a beautiful (perfect weather for a workout) Saturday morning. Thanks for the push, men!

~Chappie, out!

The book:

 

 

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5

Little Baby Beatdown

Waterfall Brings the Little Baby Beatdown (His 2.2 to be born soon)

August 18, 2018 at The Aegis

QIC:  Waterfall

The warmup:  37 SSH IC (37 because we are at 37 weeks) Diaper pickers (formerly shell pickers, formerly cherry pickers) 21 little BABY crunches (because she will be born on the 21st) and windmills

The THANG:  Mosey to a little field next to the little league fields.  At this point Leatherman joined us because he was rolling in way past hot.  LOL I am calling this the LITTLE BABY BEATDOWN.  We started with three exercises: Little baby crunches, little baby arm circles, and little baby merkins.

OK, I made up the little baby merkins “LBMs”.  You take the plank on your elbows position and do merkins on your elbows.

After the 3 exercises you push your partner across the field and they push you back.  Because you have to push the baby out!  This beatdown is descending.  I think we got down to about 31 LBCs, LBACs, and LBMs.

We mosied back to the AO and used the ball of suck a couple of times along the way.  More merkins and mexican jumping beans!

Countarama, Namarama, and COT

We had the ceremonial passing of the shovel flag to Summit.  Way to step up Summit!!

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5

Super 21 – “Rump Skin” or Ruxpin

Date: 08/14/18

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 21 IC

Cherry Pickers – 21 IC

Prisoner Squats – 21 IC

Windmills – 21 IC

Patriot Run around the block – .48 mile

The Thang

The Super 21 as it appears in the Exicon.  1 Merkin to 1 Big Boy Sit up.  2 Merkins to 2 Big Boy Sit-ups.  3 Merkins to 3 Big Boy Sit-ups, etc., etc., etc.  But wait there is a twist….after each set completed of #1 though #5 complete 21 Imperial Walkers.  After each set completed of #6 through #10 complete 21 Mountain Climbers.  After each set completed of # 11 through #15 complete 21 Monkey Humpers.  After each completed set of #16 through #20 complete 21 Prisoner Squats.  After the final set of 21 Merkins & 21 Big Boys then finish strong with 21 Burpees.

Q received multiple reports of the loss of “Rump Skin” due to PAX choice of completing the set on the asphalt instead of the available wet grass that was just steps away.  I think our FNG dodged the bullet on this one when he received his F3 name…:)…Welcome Ruxpin…..

F3 Message

Q spoke about several characteristics of leadership as gleaned from an article by Thomas A. Merrill as it appears on fireengineering.com.  “Mr. Merill  is a 35-year fire department veteran and a former chief of the Snyder Fire Department in Amherst, New York. He is a fire commissioner for the Snyder Fire District. He served 26 years as a department officer including 15 years in the chief officer ranks. Merrill recently completed five years as chief of department. He has conducted various fire service presentations throughout the Western New York area as well as at FDIC. He also is a fire dispatcher for the Amherst (NY) Fire Alarm Office.”  Mr. Merrill stated that ” it is important for leaders to exercise good judgement and strive to lead their department in a positive manner; otherwise, so much of what I call wasted energy is invested in leadership quandaries that can truly bog down an organization and prevent good work from getting done.  It can also cause good people to leave.”  This observation can be applied to any business, group or organization.  Mr. Merrill went on to identify 8 “must have” traits that all leaders should possess.  The first is ownership and responsibility for any success or failure.  The ability to admit mistakes, be accountable, and move forward.  The second is consistency.  “A good leader will do jobs for which he is responsible in a consistent and regular manner, all while maintaining a positive attitude.  The third is being tired.   “All leaders should expect to be tired.  Simply, if you are doing your job as a leader, you will be tired.”  You may need to put in the extra time and effort to accomplish tasks with excellence.  The fourth is a positive example.  “All great leaders have learned to lead by their own personal example.  “Learn to lead by the power of your example, not by examples of your power.”  The fifth trait is organization.  “All leaders need to develop an organizational plan that works for them.  Find a system that works for you and strive to be as organized as possible.”  The sixth is Integrity.  “People are watching you all the time; they pay attention to what you say and how you handle yourself.  Once it’s lost you may never get it back.  A leader without integrity is certainly not a professional in any organization.”   The seventh identified trait of a great leader is honesty.  “Coupled with integrity, honesty is equally as important. Don’t ever think your people won’t know if you lie to them. Similar to losing integrity, once you are branded a liar, it sticks to you forever and your people will lose all trust and confidence in you. It’s okay to not have an answer to a question. It’s okay to not know how to do something. It’s not okay to make up answers and pretend to be something you are not. Be upfront and honest with your membership at all times, and don’t ever lie to them.”  The last trait identified by Mr. Merill is trust.  “All good leaders are trustworthy. Your members must know that you have their backs at all times. They need to know that when you tell them you will do something or get an answer for them, you will follow through and do it.  Learn to gain your members trust, and more importantly, work hard to maintain it.”

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, possessed all of the traits identified by Mr. Merill and so many more.   As a leader and teacher he was judged and scrutinized mercilessly.  He humbly served and provided the ultimate sacrifice in laying down his life so that we might have the opportunity to choose everlasting life.  Is he your President, Chief, Chairman, CEO…..??

James 3:1 New King James Version (NKJV)  1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

James 4:10 New King James Version (NKJV)  10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Matthew 20:26 New King James Version (NKJV)  26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Welcome to FNG (Ruxpin).  Prayers the Savini Family, Betts Family, and Sanders.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers as we go about the business of being HIM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

https://www.facebook.com/F3FirstState/videos/515858145502708/?t=62

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Shipcarpenter Square

8/8/18 Work out. Lewes, DE.

Warm up. 20 SSH. 15 cherry pickers. 15 windmills. Start on baseline, high knees to half, butt kick to end. Start on opposite baseline, right shuffle to half, switch and left shuffle to start. Warm up basketball. First team to 5 wins. After every point, opposing team does 5 burpees. Losing team does suicide. 

Run to ship carpenter square. 

While going clockwise,complete 2 rotations of square. Starting at bottom left corner you run to first station and do 25 merkins. Right shuffle to second and do 25 big boys. Nur to 3rd and do 25 shoulder taps. Left shuffle to 4th and do 25 mountain climbers. 

3rd F is on utterly obsessed vs uninterested.

 Have the right priorities. Be more all in with things that matter like your relationships, especially with wife and kids & with God. Be utterly obsessed with things that matter in your life but also turn away from things that don’t move you and your family, and your relationship with God forward.

Run back to AO. Quick game of knock out as cool-down. End in COT. Excited for guest Q tomorrow! Continue to be HIM!

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SUPER DOOPER SHELDON COOPER – WAIT…WHAT? ON A HILL?

07/19/2018

QIC: Fireplex

AO: CHOP Milton, De.

PAX:  Chairman, Chattahoochee, Leatherman, Skipper, Waterfall, & Fireplex.

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Bolt 45’s (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Windmills – 15 IC

The Thang

Mosey 0.5 mile to “Oh Hill No” to complete the Thang.  Complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and run down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big Boys.  All completed OYO.  Rinse and repeat in descending order until reaching 5 of each exercise.  Extra credit and a shout out to Leatherman who did not hear the descending order part of the exercise and he completed 10 of each during each cycle of the exercises.  The F3 message (see below) was an opportunity to catch a breather, and because of time we did not complete the exercises descending all the way to 1 of each.  However, Chairman decided to “poke the bear”.  We added one full exercise evolution that was comprised of a crawl bear up the hill and bear crawl down, where we completed the next cycle of Burpees, Squats, Merkins & Big Boys before moseying 0.5 mile back to the AO.

F3 Message

Q spoke about Caleb and how he had spent 45 years in the wilderness in his obedience to God when others that were filled with disbelief created that exile.  He persevered when it would have been easier to fold.  Once all the disbelievers had passed away, and the promised land was realized, he went on at 85 years old to defeat the Anakites to take the hill country that he had been promised.  Caleb did not give up much like Jim Kelly, Hall of Fame QB of the Buffalo Bill who received the ESPY Jimmy V award for perseverance on 07/18/18.  His life is a testimony to perseverance as he led his team four times to the Super Bowl and was defeated each time.  He has two lovely daughters but had a son that was born with Krabbe’s disease which is a deadly nervous system disorder.  His son passed at the age of 8.  Mr. Kelly has battled cancer himself having been diagnosed in 2013 with oral cavity cancer that had been in remission.  Recent reports are that the cancer has returned.  I am sure that he will face that diagnosis as he has faced all other adversity; while all the time praising God and living for Him as is evident from the quotes below.

“We are shocked, heartbroken, sad, angry, confused, and just darn tired,” Jill Kelly said in her post. “Yet, despite how we feel, we KNOW that God is a promise maker and keeper.”

Kelly, who remained a towering force in Buffalo and in the N.F.L. despite all of his Super Bowl appearances ending in losses, said he was relying on what he called the “four Fs”: faith, family, friends and fans.

“With all of you by my side we will fight and win this battle together,” he said. “Staying ‘Kelly Tough’ and trusting God will carry us through this difficult time.”

“O Hill NO” doesn’t seem so steep and exercises don’t seem so taxing when you are inspired by these stories of facing such huge adversity.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Prayers for traveling mercies for Chappie, peace for an upcoming event for Leatherman, heat related health concerns for brother Firemen responding to recent alarms.   Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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