Fitness, Fellowship, Faith

Day: August 13, 2016

Cycle, Leader and Ladder

Pax started filing in one by one. Quiche having already ran 7 miles, ran more to go get his car and drove back and pulled in up front. Mumble chatter all around. Discount Dbl. Check explained to me he had to go home to google his new name from posting Thursday at the goat. Apparently he doesn’t watch a lot of tv during football season. Anyway, time was drawing near so we convened at the bottom of the steps. I introduced myself and a quick reminder of disclaimer for the new guy from Thursday’s post.

I quickly stated I don’t like warming up under the trees (aka The Nest), so we moseyed to the covered wooden stage. That’s where we would do the warm up. That’s also where I explained I will always give the guys a goal number of reps. With that being said here’s what I remember about what we did……

Warmarama:
SSH 25ic
Mericans 15ic
Flutter Kicks 30ic
Wind Mills 10ic

We moseyed from there to the track. We took the long way….. After the long mosey to the track I explained the the guys I played baseball in high school and our first goal for the morning was to hit a cycle. A cycle for those that don’t know (which a lot didn’t) is in a single game a batter hits a single, dbl, triple and a home run. Here’s how we did it….

The Cycle:

1 lap around track (400m) 4 laps(HomeRun)
Set 1 (30 single reps for the triple)
15ic Merkins
15ic LBC
15ic Carolina Dry Docks
15ic Squats
15ic Mt Climbers
1lap
Set 2 (20 single reps for the dbl)
10ic Merkins
10ic LBC
10ic Carolina Dry Docks
10ic Squats
10ic Mt Climbers
1lap
Set 3 (10 single reps for the single)
5ic Merkins
5ic LBC
5ic Carolina Dry Docks
5ic Squats
5ic Mt Climbers
1lap

During the last lap I promised WILSON (14yr old nephew to TOOLTIME) that I would cut some of the running out. He did a great job all morning. Respect to you lil man! So after the cycle we moseyed over by the pull up bars. That’s where I introduced our next goal…… “Leader”

Leader – plank in line, first guy does the 5 exercise then starts mosey to bottom of the paved patch and back, next guy follows starting his 5 after the first guy finishes his 5, creating a staggered succession. Plank and wait for all to finish.

5 Pullups / Mosey / Plank
5 Toes to Bar / Mosey / Plank
5 Pullups / Mosey / Plank

During the planking Quiche and I shared quotes from “Fletch” after he complained about not having gloves. I explained it was soft pavement, he comes back with “not for a doctor” then we joked about his “trigger finger” for certain exams. That’s where he quoted from “Fletch”……”MOON RIVER”…..classic. Good laughs all around.

After this I gave a pep talk the guys explaining F3 and it’s not who’s better, but us making us better. The reason I set goals and why it’s better than not knowing……. Ok…off the soap box. Then we moseyed to the hill. The hill is cut with level terrace for sitting. That’s where we would do the “Ladder”

5-10-15 Ladder – using the terrace hill, first exercise at the top, second at the bottom.

Mericans/WWII
Burpees/LBC

With only 5 mins left we moseyed to the flag for pledge and Mary.

Pledge

Mary:
Mason twist 15ic
Flutter Kicks 50ic- this was brought to us by ToolTime (jerk) not disclosing the number lead us to 50ic where I quit at one point to look at him with a death stare and the man winks and keeps counting……(jerk) 😉
Old School Crunches 20ic – Wilson (14yr) took us out. Great work lil man!

Time!!!

Ended this morning with announcements and prayer request and namarama. It’s always a pleasure leading. Great work by all and I would go and stand with everyone one of my F3 brothers. Y’all are family!!! Brownstreak out!!

50, 100, Rudolph, and 1 Gomer

So the start time of 630am at Folsom on Saturday was initially not good, however, it turned out better than expected-read on and you will understand. I got there with plenty of time and saw a couple of the Folsom regulars (Huckleberry and Gomer) milling around like some stray cats. Soon Pizza Man and Redskin pulled up and we got things going. I had pre-blasted something about the numbers 50 and 100 which I figured might end up backfiring with me posting solo so I was relieved to see we had a good solid 5 this am. We talked about the benefits of the smaller group workouts and how it really has helped me get to know the Pax in GasHouse better over the last year.

WU: 5 exercises X 20 reps each IC (5X20=100). SSH, Merkins, Flutter Kicks, MTN Climbers, Squats. I made the reference to 50 and 100 which really was designed to keep me in the warmup longer than I like, otherwise I would have stopped midway.

The THANG:

Mosey to bathrooms for 20 reps of 5 different exercises (each pax got to lead an exercise). Hip Slappers, LBC, Donkey Kicks, Merkins, Squats. Quick discussion on CONCENTRICA layer #1: most important relationship is with M.

Mosey again then ATM (Alternating shoulder tap X 30, Tempo merkins X 10, regular Merkins X 10=total of 50 reps). Discussion on CONCENTRICA layer #2: next most important relationship is with shorties (kids).

Mosey again with some short detour up and down the grassy area a few times just to keep Gomer from breaking out too far ahead then on to a short Wolfpack-type Grinder (borrowed idea from Stroganoff whose Downtown workout on Friday with 22’s inspired today’s 50 and 100 reference). Started at speed bump with Jack Webb then mosey to next speed bump for 25 Squats. The plan was 2 cycles of this, however I referenced an unwritten F3 rule, “IF YOU CAN’T DO IT, DON’T Q IT” so I quickly Omaha’d to change the second round of Jack Webb to 25 reps of Freddy Mercury. The Q then broke into the short discussion on CONCENTRICA layer #3: Shield Lock (the men you spend time with in the gloom) as the next most important relationship. Thankfully Pizza Man reeled us back to finish the other round of 25 squats.

Final beatdown was probably the worst (especially for my partner Pizza Man)….we moseyed to another parking lot and paired off for the main event….Partner 50’s, not to be confused with 11’s. P1 and P2 do 45 SSH together, P1 (piggy back) carries P2 to other side of lot, P1 and P2 do 5 Flutter kicks, P2 carries P1 back to start. Each round go down by 5 reps of SSH while going up on 5 reps of flutter kicks with partner carry between exercises. Sorry Pizza Man, I had pizza last night and more ice cream over the last year than I will admit. At the half-way point I was ready to quit and would have if I was exercising on my own. Thanks for the push-Pizza Man and I got a little closer and shared more sweat than I care to admit-again, great work guys!

We then moseyed back to start for the pledge and about 10 minutes of on-the-fly discussion about F3 and what it has done for us individually. Among the things shared, Huckleberry said he has lost approximately 80 pounds since starting (we decided that was equivalent to 1 Gomer in weight). He then went on to tell us about his first post and how one person in particular, RUDOLPH, worked with him and supported him through that painful first workout that we have all had. It was Rudolph’s impact on him that made him come back for more F3. I am sure each of us has some story similar to this in some way that kept us coming back.

Back to why the 630am turned out not so bad….We finished at Folsom and I started heading home and realized I could make it back for the COT at Schiele, hoping I could share with Rudolph the above story. Sure enough, I made it in time to share the story with Rudolph and the other 13 or so guys before heading off for the coffeteeria. It reminded me again how important our interactions with others can be. It may be something as simple as spending a few extra minutes with someone to help them through a rough morning or just listening as they share something good about their week. I think when this happens in the gloom, it hits some common thread we, as men, all have and means that much more.

Keep up the great work guys-I am amazed at how we have grown in the past 1.5 years. It has made a huge difference for me being a part of this.

Whoopee

Big kids had fun time at the Sprayground

As I type this back-blast, men’s Olympic rowing is on the TV in the background.  The commentators describe the race and comment on the difficulty of the third 500.  As Freed To Lead communicates so well, a mans life in the 3rd 500 can also be as challenging.  That point in life where a lot of energy has been spent to get there, and so much more energy must be spent to complete the race with strength and dignity.  As ages go, YHC is probably still in his second 500, but I will hit my third 500 with force; I will hit it with the other high impact brothers of F3.  Monk shared during the 3rd F this morning on a man’s compartmentalization and sad clown syndrome, as described in Freed to Lead.  He then showed examples of the disciples being challenged by Jesus to take up their cross, and even the “Divine smack down” Peter received as he questioned the Savior, but later made an impact in his life.  We can all learn from the disciples who entered their third 500 with force and changed the course of history.

The disclaimer: I suggest you get back in the car and go home. I am hushpuppy, I am a soft and squishy side dish but I will hurt your insides

The warm up: Short mosey to the library parking lot, Plank-O-Rama.  Left arm up, then left leg, alternate, then regular.  Hold the plank, plank Jacks, Shoulder taps, Peter Parkers, Merkins, Parker Peters, all X 15 IC. Then re position for planking caterpillars down the hill in the parking lot, then for fun, did it back up the hill!  Mosey to flat area in the parking lot for SSH X 15 IC, imperial walkers X 15 IC.  On the 6 for LBC’s, Flutter kicks X 15 IC.

Tha Thang: 1 mile Mosey to Lineberger Park.  3 Pearls of plank and some flutters on the way to let the breath and the 6 catch up; Then circle up at the flag pole once we arrived at the park.  Looking on at the Stars and Stripes, and the POW/MIA flag, we remembered the High Impact Men who gave their lives.  The pledge was made and then on to dips on the park benches, X 15 IC.  Then, it was off to the playground!  Partner up, 1 partner did ab crunches with feet on the swings and planking, pulling knees to chest, while partner 2 did pull ups from a piece of playground equipment.  3 rounds of that, and it was time for an uphill Mosey.  Up the steep hill, across the parking lot and to the concrete steps beside the basketball goal.  Incline pushups IC X 15, then Donkey kicks IC X 15 (thanks for the cadence call Bandit, YHC was a bit winded).  Then Hip slappers IC x 15.  At about the 4th slapper, I began to taste my morning snack in the back of my throat and Yo Adrian took over the cadence call.  YHC tends to do that when is 6 is above his head.  After a slow count off, it was mosey up the hill to the Spray Ground.  Bear crawls on your own through the spraying playground!  Some modified to keep their fancy shoes dry, but most had a good cool-down.  Mosey back to the lower part of the park to find picnic tables for step ups.  Due to the concern of the strength of the picnic tables, and the unusually low ceiling to the shelter, an Omaha was called and squats were done X 15 IC instead.  Now began the mile long mosey back to the Schiele, with pearls at each of the same stop.  Stroganoff reminded YHC of the tradition of sidewalk monkey humpers showing the passerby’s our best side, so it was 15 monkey humpers IC! At the bottom of the hill a hard left was turned into the nature trail and it was Lunge walk until the Q was no longer tired, then up the hill and back to the parking lot for ring of fire.  14 men held the down as the circle came round, then hold the up while it goes around, all until the Q was no longer tired. Then on the 6 for 25 flutter kicks by Stroganoff. With time for 1 more exercise, YHC attempted to communicate some side ab exercise that Dr Feelgood likes to do but I seemed to confuse people so I just started exercising and let everyone catch up.  10X on one side, shaking my hips sideways up and down, then flipped over for 10X on the other side.  Just as #10 was called, the church bells sound and the beat down was complete!

Announcements: Billy Madison offering to host a small F3 group Fantasy Football league.  Contact him if you are interested; Hushpuppy is moving Saturday, several offered to help.  Much Appreciated.

COT: Prayers for Davinci and family traveling home from a mission trip, Bacon’s father and acquaintance of Monk and an acquaintance of Hushpuppy battling cancer, Our country and leaders.

It was an honor to lead 14 #HIM’s this morning.  A year ago I would have never imagined I would be doing this, and I am better for it.

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