Category: Backblast (Page 357 of 904)

Things did not start off well this morning. Well last night when I announced that EC was at 6 and not 6:15 is really when it started..but i digress.  After a nice 6 mile mosey to deliver the Flag ( The Pole broke in 2 on the way) to Folsom at 7 we clocked in.

Warmup:

SSH 1 BURPEE

GRAVEL PICKERS 2 BURPEES

ABE VIGOTA 3 BURPEES

TOY SOLDIERS 4 BURPEES

MORICAN NIGHT CLUBS 5 BURPEES

Mosey:

On the way to Carr School we stopped at every intersection of a paved street (driveways do not count) or parking lots of major commercial or municipal building we did 5 merkins 20 MTN. climbers (CT both legs), and 10 squats.  We made quick detour to do Monkey Humpers in front of Toe Picks house to show our disapproval of him not posting today.   I kinda got messed up on the back roads of Dallas trying to get to the rear parking lot of the ball fields to access the playground…sorry guys Q fail.  I have lived in Dallas my whole life by not really in Dallas…more like Hardin/High Shoals.

Thang:

Once we finally made it to the playground we did work.  Linsdays–kinda of. 30 Dips and 10 Dirkins to start  but between the dips and dirkins we are going to do 10 pull Ups partner assisted unless you are Pizza Man he can do them himself! Then 25 dips/15 dirkins ..always with the 10 pull up in between.   Was some confusion here and after everybody did it a few times they finally got what i was trying to do .  This sucked toward the end and i even got a #1 signal from Mayor so there’s that.   Mosey back to main parking lot we did Tammy Waynets (stand by your man) Partner 1.. 10 Merkins P2 10 bigboys then switch  total is 100 merkins and 100 bigboys per man.

Mary & Carry:

To finish up with Mary and Carry…1 PAX  calls a ab/core exercise and then sprints to my two 5 gallon pales of c23 (racing fuel) and carry to the end of parking lot.  repeat till everybody has a turn.  5 burpees to wind it down. We said the pledge and Time!

Announcements:

Christmas part TONIGHT!

Christmas work out at Gashouse on the 25th other AOs maybe closed

Prayers:

Sargento on IR

Brokes mom

Towpicks mom

Gumbys mom

People with hard times during the holiday season.

I took us out in Prayer

Good Work by everyone even SA..Sorry i got us lost, we never even got to the court house steps 11s!

It was an honor to Lead Ya’ll today!

Balljoint

We started with the Pledge then I gave a quick summary of the plan for the day. I had posted a few messages earlier in the week about the 8 Block thing that CSPAN has talked about on several podcasts this time of year over the last few years. Just so everyone was aware, in my opinion (and probable a few others) CSPAN was one of the key PAX that got GasHouse up and running. If he was not here physically, he was partly responsible for a lot of the guys that were here the first few months when GasHouse started. To say he is a HIM is really not enough. He has positively influenced a lot of men and continues to impact many men within F3 whether they realize it or not. He gets credit for the 8 Block. Basically this is a structured assessment of your potential and your plans for the next year that focuses on a lot of the things F3 teaches and (in my opinion) is best done with several guys that know you pretty well (Shieldlock). You can find several versions of CSPAN’s presentation (or podcast) of this if you Google “F3 CSPAN 8 Block.” It will take you about 30 minutes to watch/listen to this. I would suggest having a pencil and paper in front of you while you listen so you can write notes then think about it for a few days and meet with a few guys to fill it out.

Our workout today was designed to teach us the framework of the 8 Block with some discussion along the way to ‘splain what each block was focused on. The general idea is take a piece paper, divide it into 4 boxes (a horizontal line and a vertical line) and each box addresses something. We moseyed to the football field at Grier and used the field as our paper. We started in the top left block: Concentrica-partner up, P1 ran the squared circle of this block on the field, P2 lunged the same route. When P1 caught up to P2 they swapped duties and this continued until we all did 1 big circle. Once all arrived back at start we got into plank and discussed what Concentrica is-if you don’t know what Concentrica is then 2 things: 1) you were not at Storm this past week when we discussed this, or 2) you have not been to Q source/read Freed to Lead. You can look this up and read it-it is time well spent so plan on reading it a few times then discuss with some of your F3 brothers sometime.  The idea with the 8 Block is to IDENTIFY THE AREAS OF YOUR CONCENTRICA THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON AND LIST THEM.

Next is the bottom left quadrant which is 2nd F: the idea with this quadrant is you should identify and LIST 3 guys that you need to spend extra time with. Remember the 3 guys you list don’t necessarily need to be F3 people-they are probably unique to you, but are people that maybe you have some work to do to be that friend that they need. LIST THEM BY NAME IN THIS SECTION. Our exercise was to partner carry across the field then swap and partner carries you back.

Next section is top right-3rd F. This one is easy to plan but toughest to follow thru with for me. In this section you need to list what you are planning to do SPECIFICALLY for your 3rd F this year. Set some goals. Write them down and share them with someone so they can hold you accountable. What are you studying-again, be specific-“I’m going to read the Bible more” does not count-what part(s) of the Bible are you going to focus on? Volunteer at church. Read Q Source. Whatever-it’s not so important what you plan to do, but MAKE A PLAN, WRITE IT OUT, THEN DO IT. Our exercise was P1 Heels to Heaven AMRAP while P2 did 10 Flying Squirrels then swap. We each did 2 sets.

The final section on the front is the bottom right: 1st F. To me this is the easiest to fill out and relatively tough to follow thru. List your 1st F Goals-CSAUPs you plan to do (Mortimer, GrowRuck,…), Goals for the year (1000 miles for the year). It seems best to me to take this in blocks within the year like maybe quarterly or even monthly. The idea is to think about what you can do, set a goal, write it down, then keep track of it. If it is worth doing, it is worth tracking and by tracking you will almost certainly get better. Some guys event pull their family or Shieldlock into these goals. Also, set a goal for how you will help EH guys or bring back a Kotter-how many can you get in the year? Maybe shoot for 1 per quarter or 1 per month if you are really up to it? Exercise was a version of Bear with Me. If you don’t know what this is, look it up. It’s a good workout with a ruck. We did not use rucks this am (thankfully).

I forgot to say this today, but if you pick a word for the year, write that word in the middle of the page to help you remember it.

Flip the page over and again, divide into 4 quadrants. Top Left back quadrant is the Jester-what is holding you back from being the best you can be. THIS IS TOUGHER THAN YOU THINK IF YOU HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED THIS. Read about this in Q Source and Freed to Lead then discuss the general topic one morning in the gloom with the guys. After you do that, go live in a monastery for 6 months and swear a vow of silence while you consider what your Jester is 10 hours each day, then maybe you will have an idea. This is another good topic to discuss with your Whetstone partner or Shieldlock, however it does require a lot of thought up front and thick skin if you want to do it right. Keep in mind you may have more that 1 Jester. Our exercise was combination of 10 Jump Squats and 10 Flying Squirrels I think total of 2 sets.

Bottom left quadrant on the back is DATE NIGHT: This applies to your M and your 2.0. The theme of this quadrant is that YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP DATING YOUR M AND YOU SHOULD DEMONSTRATE HOW YOUR 2.0 SHOULD TREAT OR BE TREATED BY ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE MATES. Date your M and date your 2.0, keeping in mind where each lives within the Concentrica. I don’t remember what exercise (if any?) we did at this point.

The top right quadrant on the back is listed at Podcast-what are you doing to make yourself better? What are you listening to and what are you reading to make yourself better? Thankfully we had a celebrity who has his own podcast called Gaston’s Great. This about this and write it down. What are you doing to mentally accelerate? Do you get home from work and sit in front of the TV and veg out until your M drags you to bed? Have a little purpose and plan that keeps you mentally in the game. Our exercise was for Stroganoff to lead us in his favorite exercise for whatever # reps he wanted (Flutter kicks).

The final quadrant is the lower right section and this area is labelled ALR (ask, listen, remember). This is the ADVICE area. Basically in this area, you should find someone to learn from. Find someone you feel knows more about something than you do and learn from them. In other words, find a mentor.

Thankfully a lot of guys chimed in on this for the discussion along the way and this was truly a group discussion that I hope was good for everyone. My best advice is to listen to one of CSPAN’s podcasts on this, take notes, think about this and fill it out by yourself then discuss with your shield lock or any group of guys that know you well-be prepared to provide and accept CANDOR. Don’t let someone’s comments hurt your feelings-they are trying to help you so listen and learn from what they are saying-maybe they are right or maybe they are wrong, but if they care enough to do this with you, you are getting their opinion and it is likely coming from a place of love.

COT was filled with a lot of prayer requests about either family members or PAX that need some prayers-it’s a tough time of year in a lot of ways. Keep posting so you can stay on track and help your brothers stay on track. Thanks for coming out this am and for everyone’s input.

Whoopee

I haven’t Q’d in a while so I worked on my weinke for a couple of weeks. Luckily it didn’t rain on us while we worked but it did before so it was a little messy. This is how it went down.

Warmup:
SSH IC 25
Moroccan Nightclubs IC 20
Goofballs IC 15
Gravel Pickers IC 10
Burpee’s 5

The first of two Q fails took place here. I took the boot campers and The Bunker went with Rebar. We moseyed to Old Stone to start what I called Route 66 but while instructing what to do I was quickly corrected. Not sure what I called but this is what we did.

Ran to String Bean stopping at every other light pole to do 5 merkins and 5 jump squats.

Triple nickel in String bean parking lot. 5 LBCs bear crawl, 5 flutter kicks bear crawl back.

Mosey to old middle school where 11’s was called.
Dips on one end then figure eight run to the other end for CDD’s. Stop in the middle for one merkin each time. Some called these burpees but it was a tad slower.

Mosey to The Fighting Yank for some Mary.
Flutters
Freddie mercurys
Penguins
Heels to heaven
Scissors
Churchy frogs

Pledge

Announcements:
Christmas party at 6
Need One more bell ringer see Sargento’s post
Possible Rice and bean opportunity see Tiger

Prayer Requests:
Tornado victims in KY
Dark Helmet’s knees
Brutus traveling with brother, hoping to point him towards Christ.

I took us out in prayer. Q fail 2, forgot Name-a-rama everyone come back!

Thanks for the opportunity to lead, I need to do it more to make it smoother. Thanks for the help gents.

Gavel out

O’ the places we went, the things we saw

A good time surely was had by all

We had warm-up and a workout and some Mary to end

But the fellowship we share is the best time to lend

No, it’s not easy, nor should it be

For the best things in life are never free

We saw a speech when it all was put to rest

To remind the Him’s, that God can use whatever is your best

God can do great things with what we think is not much

Just give Him the chance, He will change it bunch

After the workout I showed the video below of Ernie Johnson Jr.’ speech to the Alabama football team at the beginning of the football season.  The lame rhyme above is due to Ernie Johnon commencement address at the Univ of Georgia 2017 Spring commencement where he created a commencement rhyme from Dr Seuss’ O The Places You’ll Go.  

There are many life lessons in the five-minute excerpt  included, but to me there is one overriding message:  Trust God with whatever you have, no matter how little or how much, He will multiply in ways that will impact a bunch.

Prayers for Broke’s mom and family, Tiger’s M and stepsons, those who struggle in the holiday season

YHC took us out

Always and honor

Tiger

Ernie Johnson: ‘Make somebody’s life Better’ ‘There’s value in everybody’ – YouTube

There was some hating on your boy this morning.  Let’s start there.  At the end of the workout, there was some iron sharpened I guess you could say.
Comment #1 – When mentioning my next Q, “maybe we can get a real workout then
Comment #2 – “I didn’t get a heart rate until the very end”
Comment #3 – “I haven’t been at a boot camp in a while so I wanted to come to your Q and ease back into it”
Comment #4 – “There was a lot of running for you”

You could feel the love.

Here is the work.  Sargento had some cancer removed so he was on IR, but came out to support us and went where we did, but had to take it easier. We had music so he carried the load.

Disclaimer

Warmup:  SSH x20ic, Gravel Pickers x10ic, MNC x20ic, ROL/LOR

Thang:  Mosey to 321N and head south.  Alternate 10 merkins/squats at every light pole.  At Second, mosey to FARP for some stair work.  5 merkins and each step up and then down.  Squat for 30 seconds and then decline merkins up and then down.  (Reading back, we were supposed to do calf raises too-Q Fail)

Mosey to wall for step ups/dips: 5, 10, 15.  Cross road and zombie walk up half way to pavilion.  Jail break to Christmas tree for some old school work to music.

Ludacris Rollout > French Fries every time you hear rollout.  Comments were made about lyrics, but I did write the song, I just do the work.
Flowers (Sally) > Squat to the music
Bodies/Thunderstruck > Burpees.  We did both songs.

Pledge, Name-o-rama, COT

Announcements:  Christmas party tomorrow at Lewis Farm.  Please sign up and show up.

Prayers: Toe Picks mom, Brokes Mom, Wichitas mom, Pax and others with Covid, those with mental struggles during the short days and holiday season.

*Article from the Marine Times by JD Simkins in 2018

John Basilone served three years in the Army during the 1930s and become a boxing champion, but it wouldn’t be until he enlisted in the Marine Corps — and the country’s subsequent plunge into World War II — that he would reach mythical standing.

10x Toy Soldiers
10x Merkins
10x Mike Tysons

On the night of October 24, 1942, in the jungles of Guadalcanal, one of the hundreds of islands that comprise the Solomons, then-Sgt. Basilone was commanding two heavy .30-caliber machine gun sections from First Battalion, Seventh Marines, that were tasked with holding a narrow pass at the Tenaru River.

10 x Burbees
20 x Merkins
20 x Mountain Climbers

Take a lap.

As the small crews of Marines dug in for the night, a Japanese regiment numbering 3,000 men attacked the line, hammering the Marines with grenades and mortar fire. Wave after wave were kept at bay by the small teams of Marines, until one of the gun crews was disabled by enemy fire.

3000 LBC’S – split between the PAX

With total disregard for his own life, Basilone carried about 90 pounds of weaponry and ammunition to the silenced gun pit, running a distance of 200 yards through enemy fire and encountering Japanese soldiers along the route, who he killed with his Colt .45 pistol.

Rifle carry block down and back

10 x Burbees
20 x Merkins
20 x Mountian Climbersp

Basilone continued running back and forth between gun pits, supplying ammunition to those desperately in need and clearing gun jams for his junior Marines.

Sprints
5 Nolan Ryans

Amidst the carnage, Basilone lost his asbestos gloves, hand protection critical for holding or swapping out the scalding hot barrels of the heavily used machine guns.

10 Hand Release Merkins
Down and back

During the height of the battle, Basilone barehanded the searing barrel of his machine gun without hesitation and continued putting rounds downrange, killing an entire wave of Japanese soldiers and burning his hands and arms in the process.

Take a lap
10 Merkins

Enemy bodies were (literally) piling up so rapidly that he had to vacate their defensive positions to knock over the growing wall of flesh so they could reestablish clear fields of fire.

50 Calve Raisers x2
10 Wide Arm Merkins x2

An entire Japanese regiment was thwarted by the gun crews, and by the time reinforcements arrived, only Basilone and two other Marines were left standing. Basilone used his crews’ machine guns, his pistol and a machete to kill enemy soldiers.

4 corners
10 Burpees
10 Merkins

Pfc. Nash W. Phillips was with Basilone on Guadalcanal and recounted the other-worldly efforts of his sergeant.
“Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest or food,” said Phillips, who lost a hand in the fight.

Sprints
10 Merkins
Sprints

While receiving medical treatment, Phillips recalled Basilone’s mythical appearance as he came to check on him.
“He was barefooted and his eyes were red as fire,” he said. “His face was dirty black from gunfire and lack of sleep. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders. He had a .45 tucked into the waistband of his trousers. He’d just dropped by to see how I was making out; me and the others in the section. I’ll never forget him. He’ll never be dead in my mind!”

Lap
10 Merkins
10 Burpees
Lap
10 Merkins
10 Burpees

Basilone would go on to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on Guadalcanal. He returned to the U.S. to assist the war bond effort — and was offered a commission and the chance to spend the rest of the war in Washington.
He turned the offer down, forgoing the public attention being a war hero and opting instead to return to combat.

10 Merkins
10 Mountain Climbers
10 Imperial Walker Squats

On February 19, 1945, Basilone stormed Red Beach on Iwo Jima. Pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, he led his gunners up the steep black sand, kicking his inexperienced Marines to get off the beach as they hugged the ground for cover. Minutes after destroying a Japanese blockhouse, Basilone and four members of his platoon were killed when an enemy artillery shell exploded. He was 28 years old.

22 Merkins
10 Squats
22 Merkins
10 Squats
22 Merkins
10 squats
22 Merkins
10 squats

Gunnery Sgt. Basilone would be posthumously awarded the the Purple Heart and the Navy Cross for his actions on Iwo.

Pledge, then COT

Prayer Request

• Sparky, Bedpan, Purple Haze
• James Goulock
• Ball Joints Friend
• Gear Wrench
• Injured PAX

8 HIM’s got better this day at crossroads.

We had a great discussion on accountability.

Prayers

• Bed Pain
• Sparky
• Mayor
• Purple Haze friend
• Wire Nut Family

Announcements

• Christmas Party
• Vote for Awards