Month: January 2024 (Page 2 of 12)

17 HIM of varying movement styles showed up for a beautiful Sunday morning. Some rucked, some ran, but only members were allowed inside the velvet ropes.

Some stayed afterward for discussion from the Q Source about Language with YHC and Disruption with Tesla. Everyone got better for having been there. Aye!

Announcements – Eh Yall is the new site Q of Members Only, Pushing Rocks starts Thursday, FRC official launch Friday, Folsom Winter Nationals 2/10 – bring food donations for the needy that day

Prayer requests – Anchorman, Turtleman, Huck, Jackson Hall, Jackson Curti, recovery for PAX on IR, Breaker Breaker’s aunt’s medical issues, Virus’ father-in-law, Goose’s M has shingles

General WU,

To the blocks: 10 burpees/light pole x 5 =50

10 plyo merkins on block, 10 block swings, 10 alpo’s with block. Run lap, 9,9,9. 8.8.8, etc. Had to Omaha at 1.

To COT: 10 burpees/light pole x 5 =50

Time.

BOLD:

”If God is for us, who can be against us” from Romans 8:31.

Knowing God is for us is amazing and empowering. This fundamental truth through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ should have us all pumped up. Society on the other hand tries to mute us, make us docile little sadclowns that clock in, clock out, and repeat. F3 has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, grow in my faith, stand firm in it, and act boldly with faith the God is for me.  I aim to honor him in thought word and deed of course and trust in good faith he will handle the rest. Carry yourself boldly, in a way that will honor God, and trust in good faith that he is for you and will not forsake you. The world will try and put you down but it doesn’t have crap on our almighty God.

Shrinkage ran rampant through the PAX on a frosty Saturday morning as a number of PAX came and went, but 11 were there for the bootcamp, and here’s what I remember:

YHC planned for a cold day, and it was just that, though maybe a touch warmer than expected.  Still, there was plenty of sand below Tesla’s favorite line, and we all complained about it.

YHC ran with Alma Mater before the bootcamp, and he pulled a Quiche and stuck around for warmup.  Tiger, Breaker, and some others got out there to get in some early miles too.  Part of the Core Principles is to just get out in the elements.  Safety is important (it is third after all), but comfort isn’t, so glad to see guys pushing the rock in the cold weather.

The Thang:

• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Don Qs (IC)
• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Toy Soldiers (IC)
• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Gravel Pickers (IC)
• 10 x SSH (IC)

Mosey to the long parking lot on Glenway across from the train station.

• 5 x Burpees (just because I guess)

So YHC described the routine as like 11’s, but instead of adding to 11, we’d just start at 10 and work our way down on both ends, until we got to 5, then go back up.  So reps were: 10-9-8-7-6-5-6-7-8-9-10 at both ends.  In the middle, a brief pause both ways, but it wasn’t “Dirty” because we did squats not burpees.  So it wasn’t anything like what was advertised:

• Run towards the far end of the lot
• Stop halfway for
  • 5 x Squats (OYO)
• Run to the end
  • 10 x CDDs (OYO)
  • 10 x Double Crunches (OYO)
• Run back towards the near end of the lot
• Stop halfway for
  • 5 x Squats (OYO)
• Run to the beginning
  • 10 x Merkins (OYO)
  • 10 x American Hammers (OYO)
• Repeato for the rep counts listed above

It was a grind and helped us stay warm, but before you know it, half the workout was over, and all that happened was our nuts froze over, except for Jane Fonda and Tesla.  There’s were dragging the ground in shorts in the cold weather.

Mosey next to The Bunker for a tornado of sorts.  As cold as it was, we were all there for some reason, and it wasn’t necessarily to get faster or show off our strength.  We were there because someone else needed us to be there.  We show up for each other.  So there was still work to be done, but we’d spend some time showing how much we know about each other.

The routine:

• 5 x Burpees (OYO)
• Call on 2 PAX to each call an exercise in cadence
• After the exercises, we say everything we know about each of the two PAX that called the exercises – family, kids, hobbies, job, and anything else we found to discuss
• After they heard all we had to say, it was their turn to offer something we didn’t say
• YHC called either 5 x Imperial Walkers or 5 x Hillbillies IC
• Run a lap and a quarter around the Bunker
• Repeato until we got through all the PAX

With an odd number, YHC was last, and we waited until we got to the flag for mine.

I shared with the guys that the inspiration was just in spending time with my mom.  After over 60 years of a life devoted mostly to caring for others, she is in a spot physically where she can’t be out much.  She said the lack of interaction can make you feel invisible, and it really goes against our needs to just be seen.  So much of what we experience as Sadclowns and men who isolate ourselves is a lack of connection, and that same invisible feeling.  That, among other reasons, has to be why the Fifth Core Principle exists.  To see and be seen.  To be heard and to listen.  To create bonds big enough that The Sifter of life has them catch and stay rather than just pass on through.

Every man who showed up today realized that there are people listening and watching, who know things about them that they may not even know they’d mentioned, and can see blind spots that maybe they themselves can’t.  I can’t tell you how impressed I was at the PAX today who rattled off fact after fact like it was a final exam that they’d been up all night studying for, when it was actually a pop quiz.

The line blurred between the end of the workout and the word and message, but it didn’t matter at that point.  We were frozen and joined by 2 runners who were putting in long miles.  We were also joined by Bruce, who just showed up at COT.  Turns out he knew we would be out there and just wanted to see what we were doing.  Hopefully he will make it back out and we can give him a stupid nickname.

I’m thankful for this group and the HIM who invest in each other in every way they can.  Proud to be one of y’all.

Yabba Dabba Doo

Some ran fast some ran slow. Some ran a little while some ran a little more and some even rucked. Once that fun was done we shared a few words from my daily devotion that happened to be about judgment. Not that I’m passing judgment on you but if you wanted the entire conversation then I guess you should’ve been there.

Well it would appear that the PAX retrieval plan worked. Slaw is actually alive and well and back out here getting at it with us this morning. He escaped the Death Grips of conference calls, Corporate Reorganization, and watching that new season of Reacher on his phone when he’s supposed to be programming relays. It was really tough on him but now he’s back. With that said it’s time to get at it. After what I thought was a pretty decent warmup SA started chipping and complaining that the warmup took too long. Well I had a cure for that. Partner Work 5 rounds of 5 pull-ups each. While your partner works you rest and motivate or shame your teammate through their set. We working yet SA? I am but I’m not sure you are. I see you over there struggling to get that massive head to the bar. You do however get a little credit for cleaning that mess up now we can’t confuse you with that cat down at I-85 and 321 for now. Alright that’s enough beating up on SA we’re off to Main St. for one his favorite routines Mike Tyson – Route 66. Once finished we ran back down Route 66 11-1 this time with Jungle Boy squats at each exit.  From here we’re off to the bottom level of the parking deck for some DORA. The working sets were 100 squat, 200 LBCs, and 300 SSHs while teammates swap turns running across parking deck. We’re all finished here and it’s getting close so as we’re heading back we stop in 5 or 6 randomly selected spots to get in 10 HR merkins at each location. We sprint it out to the Flag and we’re done. Good work men. Thanks SA for letting me snag this one up.

Lots to give Praise for and Lots of Prayers as well.

Pushing Rocks and Folsom Winter Nationals

13 runners and ruckers at a nice, breezy morning in big D. I chased the running group for a while but never caught them. Freight was rucking at a 14:20 pace for some reason. Most stayed for Q Source on Groups and Wirenut joined us. The main points have been discussed several times at Crossroads through the years so I wanted to emphasize a few specific points today. One was to be sure you are moving your groups to ADVANTAGE. Another focus word was DYNAMIC which in a group setting means always changing which most groups have to deal with constantly, especially the group of our family. Questions were asked. Examples were given. Stories were told. Jokes were made. Quotes from some famous people about family and friends were told.

Questions we discussed:
1) In each of your teams (family, work, church, friends) do you have someone who will tell you that you are wrong or right?
2) What would you do to help any of your teams if the worst happens?
3) Are you the person in your team who tells or listens or maybe not even engaged? Why?

Thanks for coming guys. Lots of HIGH IMPACT MEN in this GROUP.

I stepped in to Q at Pain Lab on 17 hours notice.  ChatGPT (via Hunchback’s phone) provided the playlist on about 17 seconds notice as the Pain Lab Pax gathered our equipment at the picnic tables near the far end of the Schiele parking lot.  Problems were solved through mumblechatter (e.g. sleep deprivation, general state of the US Postal Service) and clothing was shed (but thankfully nothing approaching Gearwrench status) through hard work.

We began with a warmup from Roscoe before bootcampers took to the streets of the GasHouse.  Before assembling at the picnic tables, we hit shoulders hard with a Merkin Pull-through Circle of Pain, passing three kettlebells around the circle a few times.  That definitely got the blood flowing.  Next was the main event.  I explained the “30 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest” concept while AI (er, I mean Hunchback) took 17 seconds to set up music.  The exercises were selected to emphasize stability and balance, things that we don’t always give the attention they deserve:
– Step-ups
– Lawn mower rows (R then L)
– One-legged overhead presses (R then L – one arm KB press)
– Bulgarian split squats (R then L) – especially tough for balance with slippery benches
– Kettlebell swings

After 3 rounds, we paused for some core work:
– American hammers
– Star crunches
– Scissor kicks
– Big boys / Heels to Heaven
– One legged babymakers (R then L) – Grunts and groans confirmed to me that everyone loved these, especially performing for some of the girl scouts coming out to load up their cars from last night’s “camp-in” event.

2 more rounds of 30 sec work / 10 sec rest followed by same core routine, then another round of 30 / 10 exercises.  Clavin had to leave to get to work somewhere in the midst of all that.  With 2 minutes left, bootcampers returned to hold plank til we heard the 8:00 church bells for pledge and COT.

Announcements:  Feb 10 Folsom Nationals

Prayers:  Wojo’s coworker, Doff’s cousin, Huckeberry, Turtleman.  Praise for Whoopee’s 2.0s’ acceptance to NCSU and prayers for all young adults to have mental and fortitude in the face of adversity.

It was an honor to lead a great crowd at PainLab.  I appreciate Hunchback for the opportunity to fill in for Voodoo and all the HIM’s who joined in the fun.  I hope you got more than your money’s worth and a good start to your Saturday!

– Nutria

It was rather foggy at the AO today but that didn’t stop plenty of HIM from posting and many of them getting some EC in too. We gathered in a circle as time approached. This is what happened…

Disclaimer of sorts. The first exercise was the Pledge of Allegiance, which exercises our freedom! Warmup that included Merkins and other stuff. Count off.

Mosey about 75 feet to the end of the parking lot for the first Thang.

Triple Nickel – 5 Merkins at the start, do 5 Goofballs in the middle going and coming and do 5 Squats at the other end. Good start to get the blood pumping.

From there we headed toward the courthouse, stopping at a couple corners for more Goofballs (why wouldn’t we?). When we arrived at the corner of the courthouse square, the second Thang was explained.

4 Corner Escalator –

1st Corner – 10 Shoulder Taps count 1 side

2nd Corner – 10 Shoulder Taps and 20 Hillbillies count 1 side

3rd Corner – 10 Shoulder Taps, 20 Hillibillies and 30 Peter Parkers

4th Corner that ended up being at the steps of the courthouse itself, 10 Shoulder Taps, 20 Hillbillies, 30 Peter Parkers and 40 Steps Ups (those of us over 6′ tall had to step up 2 steps for increased effort). We gathered at the top of the steps for a count off to make sure everyone was there.

Mosey around the building to the gazebo for the third Thang

Lazy Dora was first explained but then revised when YHC realized that was in anticipation of rain. There was not moisture coming from the sky so we switched to regular Dora 123. Partner up with #1 running around the building while the other does the exercises.

100 Lunges each side that we changed to counting both

150 Chancellors (NEW EXERCISE alert!) – in a standing position with hands in air guitar position, you throw your upper body and head as far back as possible like a reverse headbang. This is what the bassist from TOOL did a lot of at the concert Sunday. It really works you lower abs and thighs too. Give it a try.

200 Maynards (another NEW EXERCISE alert again from the TOOL concert) – feet more than shoulder width apart, crouch by bending at knees and put forearms on inside of thighs. Move your body weight from one side to the other and back, that’s one rep. Obviously this works the thighs and glutes a lot.

Once we got our fill of this, we went back to where we ended the 4 Corners to do the fourth Thang

4 Corner De-Escalator – we did all the exercises and reps in reverse order.

Mosey back to the start for some Mary with direction for the PAX to call 10 reps of an ab exercise. Of course, a couple of the wiseguys insisted on calling various forms of burpee that were semi completed by some. TIME!

Thanks for coming out today men. I believe we all got better for having been there!

Announcements – Pushing rocks starts Thursday 2/1, Winter Nationals at Folsom 2/10 – bring food donations to Anchorman that day, Devotion after LifeLine starting Monday

Prayer requests – Montross’ mom, Wirenut’s mom & M, Medicine Woman’s sister in law, Gumby unspoken, Broke’s coworker’s 16 year old son with lots of broken bones after car accident

Broke took us out

The Goat was closed. Well the park was anyways. No problem we still got in plenty of work regardless. We warmed up then some ran or rucked while the rest of us ran up a long ass hill to our workout destination. We did an escalator – de-escalator workout. We did a bunch of Jungle Boys on the way back. My knees have paid the price ever since. By this time the run/ruck crew caught back up with us just in time for the COT.

TIME

Pledge, Praise, Prayers

2nd F at Floyd and Blackies after we finished

This was another 1st time Q for me. BIG Thanks to all who showed up.