9 strong men including 1 FNG woke up early on a Saturday morning for a beat down at the Fighting Yank. I hope I gave them their money’s worth. With the mud run coning soon, I planned to Q a workout that would include at least a 5k with exercise obstacles around the city of Belmont. That all changed when I got a text from Pockets Friday evening. He is coming off of IR Saturday morning! His only request was ” not a lot of running”. That’s ok, we’ll just do more merkins. Here’s how it went:

Warm up

SSHx15IC

Don Quixotesx15IC

LBCsx15IC

Merkinsx10IC

The Thang

Mosey up the hill to the front of Belmont Central for some station work. Perform an exercise and then run a lap around the front of the school. Each exercise will be 50 reps. the exercises were: LBCs, merkins, squats, calf raises, dips, flutter kicks, and decline merkins.

Now that we’re warmed up, lets mosey around to the back of the school for some rugby sprints. YHC will call out an exercise and we will do them until I say go. We will then sprint around 30 yards down and back then walk to the other end. Exercises included merkins, LBCs, CDDs and a few others I don’t remember.

Mosey to the picnic shelter for some exercises done as 10,10,9,9,8,8….the first exercises were dips and Bobby Hurlies, next were LBCs and merkins.

Still some time left so a short mosey to the hill for some Quadraphillia (thanks Billy Madison). Partner up, 1 partner holds plank position while the other runs up the hill backwards and down forwards. Switch at the bottom. The clock was set for 5 minutes but it seemed like longer.

Back to where we started for the Pledge and 5 minutes of Mary. Times up!

COT

Announcements: Mud run approaching, Burpiethon details to be released soon

Prayer requests: Those on the IR, friends and family members

It was good to have Pockets back off of IR. Welcome FNG Gumbo (Boudan’s 2.0)

It was an honor to lead. I look forward to next time.

Impact.  We all make one; either positive and intentional or sometimes negative or uneventful.  lets face it, in our 21st century Oprah-Bomb society we often don’t hear about real impact.  The talking heads on TV and Fakebook news posts tell us of every failure of man in real time; every ill chosen word or illicit act of those we put high on their pedestals, but in most cases we never recognize the ones who have a real impact on our lives or in our society.  Around you every day are opportunities for impact.  When you put on your seat belt, do you ever think about the inventor of the 3 point seat belt in your car?  Ever heard of Nils Bohlin?  How many lives do you suppose have been saved by this simple design we take for granted?  Ever heard of Rick Rescorla who saved 2700 people during the 9/11 attacks on the world trade center?  https://www.yahoo.com/news/a-family-remembers–hero-of-9-11-gave-life-to-save-thousands.html ? I can hear your cynicism now: “Come on Hushpuppy, those people were in opportunities for impact.  I’m just plain old me, unless someone drops in front of me and I have a chance for CPR, I’ll never really make an impact.  These guy’s not only made an impact, they left a dent the world will always remember.  I’m about as impactful as a bug on the windshield.  One smear and I’m wiped away with a spray and a wipe”.  Well brother, in either case, you’re right.  You can leave a mark on someone, or you can simply leave a stain.  The choice is up to you.

In The book “Freed to lead; F3, the unshackling of the Modern-Day Warrior”, Dredd and OBT describe what they saw in the men of F3 as their lives became more intentional.  They began to recognize the target or zone where Impact was most effective. Like the rings of a tree that move outward from the center, so are their rings of impact, or the “Concentrica” in a mans life.  In your life the center of your target of impact should be your wife and children.  If this is not the bulls-eye at which you are aiming then you are aiming at the wrong target.  The next ring is your brothers in arms, then a ring of 18 close people, then a ring of 80, Then finally, the rest of the world.  Each week we will delve into the next ring of this Concentrica and how YOU can make an impact on those around you, and possibly the world!.

May 6th: Many will travel to the Fort for a convergence. YHC will Share on the first ring of the Concentrica, M and Shorties. Ephesians 5:28 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself”.  And, Psalm 127: 1-5 A “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate”.

May 13th, Convergence in Belmont for CSPAN Q.  6:30 3rd F at the Yank Statue: “Brothers in Arms”.  Proverbs 13:20: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

May 20th, Ring of 18: Col 3:12-14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. and John 15:12-15 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

May 27th: The World: Matthew 5:13-15 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.…

Be intentional today with your bulls-eye.  Hug your Shorties. Kiss them on the head (even if their grown).  Tell them they are a blessing from the Lord.  Let them know that you are proud of them. Even if they are screw ups, do as Abraham did and call those things that are not as though they already were.  Tell your children they are successful, smart, and blessed.  Convince them that they have a purpose for their lives and that they too can have impact.  Then go find a way to bless your M.  Demonstrate the example of Christ and love your M as Christ loved the church.  Be willing to set aside yourself, be humble and serve her in love.  Lead with Love.

Post!

John Wayne is one of my favorite actors, and the first movie I remember him in as a youngster was Sands of Iwo Jima. Every red blooded American boy from the 50’s & ‘60’s wanted to be John Wayne! Keeping that movie in mind, I quickly worked up this theme using significant land marks from the battle.

Disclaimer, warm up with 10 SSH (IC)

Mosey to RED BEACH for elevens (merkins & squats). When the marines landed on Iwo Jima, they had to swiftly disembark from the amphibious craft, and charge up the beach and take cover. They quickly found the black volcanic sand berm took all their effort to scale and every step grew heavier and heavier. Just as in real life when it got tough, all mumble chatter died quickly on the beach.
Mosey to YELLOW BEACH for 25 WW2 situps OYO.

Mosey (semi Indian run with FUTATSU ROCK in an ALICE pack passed amongst PAX in succession) to HILL 362A 25 merkins OYO
Mosey Indian run style to the QUARRY 25 calf raises OYO.

Mosey to Airfield #1, but due to the fog of war, totally forget what was called.

Mosey to MOUNT SURIBACHI Indian run style for a planned 25 Donkey Kicks and 50 LBFC OYO.

However, just like what happened to SGT Stryker in the movie…..our time ran out before seeing the flag go up.

Mosey back for Announcements & COT

OK guys, here’s the pre blast for 2nd F event of the year, at least until the next event…. (insert Christmas party joke now Freight and others)

SKEET SHOOTING (background applause goes wild)

Saturday, May 27 at Rankin Lake in the afternoon, we can finalize the time as it gets closer depending on interest

Anyone brave enough to be within range of me is welcome, especially Kotters and FNGs.

Food after for those interested, would prefer to wait on the fire water until after we have emptied our guns. Check out the website, not expensive, looks pretty easy to make this work for us.

MAY 27 IN AFTERNOON, PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.

Whoopee

14 strong with 2 FNG’s for the first Def Leppard Q at the Gashouse. It’s been about a year since I had my first post here at an F3 workout and I have never Q’d the Gashouse so when Stroganoff sent out a request for Q’s I decided to volunteer. This being a Spring Break week I wasn’t expecting a big turnout but was happy with our group. After a wonderful Third F reminder from Hushpuppy about how much Sky Q loves us, it was time to start.

Disclaimer was given, I’m an idiot, Slaw’s an idiot, these are only suggestions, get back in your car, do not get hurt, etc, etc.

SSH IC x 10

Don Quixotes (Tool Time) IC x 10

Hillbillies IC x 10

22 Single Count Merkins for the VETS, thanks Slaw and Oompa!

Mosey to the Flag for the Pledge

Mosey to Grier Track for Quarter Pounder

Run 25 yards to 1st cone, 25 Merkins (single), Nur back. Run 50 yards to next cone, 50 Squats, Nur back. Run 75 yards to next cone, 75 Mountain Climbers, nur back. Run 100 yards to last cone, 100 SSH, Nur back. Word: Reminder to keep pushing through everything.

Mosey across the road to the basketball court behind the Presbyterian church where we found 2 sizes of coupons, Heavy and Heavier. If your shirt sleeve was within an inch of your biceps muscle you were supposed to take the heavier coupon and many did. Curls x 30, On your six for chest presses x 30, Stand for Overhead presses x 30. We did 2 sets of these. Word: Reminder to stay strong. You never know when you will need to be strong for your family. I related about my wife’s recent surgery and me trying to keep her from lifting or overdoing it. Somebody has to be strong for your family and it should be you! Shrink talked about having to be strong right now for his dad. Aye! Great word Shrink!

Mosey to Parkwood parking lot for Hindenberg BLIMPS. We stayed together as a group, run to the middle of the parking lot, 10 Burpees, 20 Lunges, 30 Imperial Walkers, 40 Merkins, 50 Plank Jacks and we skipped the squats for time.

Mosey back to the football field for Football with Frisbee Golf rules. I borrowed this from Freight. We split up and played half the field and had a nice little game. Word: Reminder to have fun!

Mosey back to the Gashouse as the bells were ringing. Word: Reminder from Dredd’s words at our CSAUP on how to connect with guys. Ask, Listen, Remember. This will help you connect with guys and make lasting friendships and keep guys coming back. I have been very fortunate before F3 to have a small group of great friends but in the last year I can say I now have a large group of great friends. As you get older you begin to realize how important these relationships are. The nest empties, good health is harder to keep, difficult situations arise, but its great to have friends to help you “Keep Pushing!” A big thanks to all of F3 Gastonia for the last year. Lots of HIM’s in this group!

Announcements and COT then Coffeeteria at Panera.

Welcome FNG Carnivore (Jason Hardin), dude lost over 100 lbs. eliminating meat from his diet. Aye! Welcome FNG Hitchball (Brad Pruitt). These 2 new guys pushed hard today and we hope to see them back!