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Riddle me this…

QIC: Whittler

Date: 09/28/2019

PAX: Ringwald, Best in Show, Iron Butt, Threeskin, Moneyball, Pink Panther, Back Pew, Red Tees, Candu, Skitch, Outbreak, Uncle Fester

AO: Landfill

Conditions

Gloomy and humid

COP

Mosey down to the lower lot and circle up.

SSH x 25

Windmills

Third grade exercises

Willie mays hays

Arm circles

Overhead claps

Merkins

SSH

The Thang

The PAX divided into 4 teams and were tasked with figuring out riddles to instruct them on location for various stations

Head to the hill bottom

Daily Red Pills? We got’em

Carry the pill along the way

Complete the work to master the day

Each team picked up their red pill to carry with them along the way

Riddle me this

Head to the upper eating area

Underestimate this, I dare ya

The benches there await your arrival

You will need your arms for survival

Pavilion

Dips x 50

Incline Merkins x 25

Decline merkins x 25

Step ups x 50

Head to where you would buy some snacks

But instead, you’ll rest your backs

Against the wall made of bricks

You’ll have a chance to show your….tricks

Concession

Wall sit x 20 (4-count)

Upper cuts x 20 (4-count)

Jab x 20 (4-count)

Arms extended x 20 (4-count)

Mosey to where the kids play

And you did too back in the day

You’ll find your clue near the fountain

And don’t have to travel up the mountain

Playground

Swing crunches x 15

Pull ups x 5

Burpees x 20

Your next stop is a field of green

Where the dew often causes a glean

Please don’t stop and play with your ball

This station will require your all

Soccer Field

Suicides (60 yards, 5 stops) x 3 rounds

Now that you’re done you should feel great

But don’t bask long ‘cause you’ll be late

Mosey to the lower lot

To see the prize your place got

Lower Lot

LBC x 30

Flutter kick x 20

Pretzels x 20

Repeat until all PAX in

Headed up the hill back to the field 

Lunge walk suicides (again 60 yards with 5 stops)

Pavilion for 5 MoM

LBCs

Heel touches

Pickle pointers

Pickle pounders (small, medium, and large)

COT

I again re-emphasized the importance of the second F.  I shared this a couple weeks back at Smackdown but with a different crowd, I thought it was appropriate to share what we mean by the second F. While the first F is the “magnet” that brings us here, the second F is the “glue” that keeps us coming back.  I will admit, I don’t particularly like exercise.  For me, it’s a means to an end.  However, I keep coming back to F3 not only because of the exercise, but because of the fellowship with other like-minded men to support each other.  Nobody likes doing tough things.  However, when you have a group of men like we have, it makes it that much easier and forges a bond that is unbreakable.  Iron truly sharpening iron.  I am thankful for these men and the opportunity to lead and help everyone get better.

Moleskin

We all had a scare this morning when one of our brothers was in distress.  Luckily, there were three physicians there should anything have happened.  

Outbreak really got a kick out of the pickle pointers and there was a lot of snickering amongst the PAX

Our FNG had to leave early so he didn’t get named

Iron Butt led us out by saying something positive about everyone in attendance. 

News

Smackdown is going to Tuesday/Thursday starting in October.  Reach out and send someone that way.  It will also be a once a month IronPax AO.

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    Iowa? I owe a Zack Ten Bucks

    QIC: Whittler

    Date: 09/17/2019

    PAX: Prosciutto, Fissure, Money Ball, Blindside, Laces Out, John Doe, Burrito, Shredder, Iron Butt, FNG-Coypu, FNG-Gusher, FNG-Slater, FNG-Parlay, FNG-Homer

    AO: Smackdown

    Conditions

    Nothing beats the fresh mountain air

    COP

    Thorough disclaimer given before a mosey on the track with jog, skip, and Bernie

    SSH x 25

    Egyptians

    Arm Circles

    Forward Fold

    Heel Stretch

    Windmill

    3rd Grade Exercises

    SSH fast x 25

    Ape walk

    The Thang

    Mosey over to the bleachers
    The Smackdown
    Station 1 (Bleachers) – Box jump, step up, toe merkins x 10

    Mosey to end zone

    Station 2 – V-ups, LBCs, flutter kicks x 20

    Station 3 (Bleachers) – Incline merkins, dips, alternating arms x 30

    Station 4 – Burpees, Bonnie Blairs, Squat Jumps

    Repeat Stations 1, 2, 3

    Box jump suicides with squats x 2 rounds

    Mini-Dora 

    50 merkins

    100 squats

    Partner 2 run

    Cool down mosey lap

    COT

    The Second F of F3 is fellowship, also known as the “Glue”.  As we discussed last week, the first F (Fitness) is the magnet that brings us in but the second F is the glue that forms those “sticky” relationships that men need but so many are missing.  Most men have voids in their lives because they lack the strong male relationships that helps fight off Sad Clown.  When men endure something difficult together, that sticky bond becomes even stronger.  By forging these strong bonds, men develop a network of guys that will be there during the tough times.  In the almost two years I have been doing F3, these bonds have dramatically changed my life in a positive way.  Having that “sticky” network of close friends makes me a better man.  

    Moleskin

    Burrito complained.  A lot.  But then complimented the Q

    News

    IronPax week 3 – check your channel to find locations

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      Once you go beast, you never go east

      QIC: Whittler

      Date: 09/09/2019

      PAX: Peanuts, Sidekick, Fissure, Threeskin, FastLane, Toucan, FNG-Wallflower, Best in Show, Iron Butt, Gaylord, Mayhem, Early Bird, Jazzy Jag

      AO: Beast Ridge

      Conditions

      Cool with the smell of fresh reptile poop

      COP

      Mosey to the big parking lot, while doing 4×4 intermittently

      Linear SSH x 20

      3rd grade exercises x 15

      Willie Mays Hays x 20

      Windmill x 20

      Forward fold x 5

      Arm circles x 10 each way

      Overhead seal claps x 15

      SSH circle x 10

      The Thang

      Counted off to 7 so we would each have a partner that we might not be familiar with
      Doracide
      Partner one run suicides x 6 lines while partner two exercised then switch

      4×4 x 50 (modified to 20)

      Bonnie Blair x 100

      Flutter kick (4 count) x 200

      Plank x 2 rounds

      Mosey back to cars for Mary

      LBC x 30

      Pretzel  crunch x 15 each side

      Pickle pointers x 30

      Pickle Pounder x 10

      COT

      Sometimes the phrase “Silence is Golden” rings true.  Today was one of those days.  I was gassed and the lack of oxygen to the brain prevented coherent thoughts for a true COT.  

      Moleskin

      Not a lot of chatter

      Many grumblings about IronPax week 2

      Best in Show apparently didn’t think the number of Pickle ________ reflected reality

      News

      IronPax week 2 is live!  Find a day to get it done.

      Signal AO (Smackdown) launches 9/10 and will be every Tuesday

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        Own the Day

        QIC: Whittler

        Date: 07/29/2019

        PAX: Freetime, Hasbro, U-turn

        AO: The Huey

        Conditions

        Surprisingly cool

        COP

        Little warm up 4×4 mosey with incremental 4x4s around the track

        SSH x 20

        Imperial Walker x 20

        Arm circles x 10 each direction

        Seal Claps x 15

        Windmills x 15

        Third Grade Exercises x 15

        SSH x 15

        The Thang

        YHC modified to accommodate the low PAX numbers in order to leave no man behind.
        Super 21s in cadence
        Squats on one end beginning with 1

        LBCs on the other beginning with 20

        Run about 30 yards in between

        To the Pavilion

        Bench dips x 10

        Incline merkin x 10

        Bench Thrusters x 10

        Decline merkin x 10

        MoM Dealers choice (4 min)

        Pretzel both sides

        Dogward dog

        V ups

        COT

        YHC has been reading “Own the Day” recently and has been inspired.  The basic premise of each chapter is taking one part of your day and optimizing it.  If you put these things together, you can “own the day” instead of it owning you.  The chapter last night was regarding work and finding fulfillment in your work.  Workers who are happy and fulfilled in what they are doing tend to do better work.  Those that feel hindered tend to be less efficient and hate their job.  Up to 80% of people hate going to work everyday.  Why spend life doing something that makes you miserable?  Find your passion, follow your dream, and achieve levels you’ve never achieved before.

        Moleskin

        Fairly low on the MC this morning but it was great spending time with guys I don’t see too often.

        Prayed for those who weren’t able to be with us for reason of work, injury, illness, etc.  

        News

        8.10.19 Dadurday at the Landfill

        8.24.19 Cam Run

        9.27.19 Unteal There is a Cure Golf Tournament – get your team together and register!

        10.12.19 Equatorial Guinea Independence Day

        12.25.19  Christmas Day

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          Do what works for you

          QIC: Whittler

          Date: 07/23/2019

          PAX: WuzntMe, Sidekick, Ringwald, Money Ball, Red Tees, The Count (Respect), Back Pew

          AO: Hill City

          Conditions

          Balmy with a slight mist at the end.

          COP

          Moving warm up started with mosey and 4×4 incremental warm up until we arrived at the River Walk.

          SSH x 10 while moving laterally

          Arm circles x 10 both ways while moving laterally

          Carolina Dry Docks x 10

          Willie Mays Hays x 10

          Windmill x 10

          Forward Fold x 5

          High knees half way back (20 yards)

          Butt kickers (20 yards)

          The Thang

          We moseyed to the parking lot near the bridge.
          Four Corners AMRAP

          Corner 1 – merkins

          Corner 2 – Monkey humpers

          Corner 3 – flutter kicks

          Corner 4 – Squats

          The fifth group ran around the corners until they ended at run.  Each group subsequently ran a lap and stopped at the next station (#1 ran around and stopped at 2, 2 ran around and stopped at 3, etc.).  This continued until all groups were back to the start point

          Lunge suicides

          Lunge 2 lines, one merkin, jog back

          Lunge 4 lines, 2 merkins, jog back

          Lunge 6 lines, 3 merkins, jog back

          Lunge 8 lines, 4 merkins, jog back

          Lunge 10 lines, 5 merkins, jog back

          At this point, our group went from 7 to 8 as Back Pew finally found us.

          Burpee circle – Each PAX does SSH while we go around the circle and each pax does number of burpees.  This went 3 rounds.

          Slow meandering mosey back to the cars

          6 MoM

          LBCs x 25

          Freddie Mercury x 20

          Hollywoods x 10 each side

          Flutter kicks x 10

          Slutter kicks (also referred to as “the Auburn cheerleader”) x 10

          American Hammer x 10

          Plank x 10, high and low

          COT

          As odd as it sounds, I had a dream Sunday night where Prosciutto was speaking to me about how to Q.  He kept repeating words like “Just do what works for you” or “Just do what’s right for you”.  I have been thinking about this for two solid days, trying to tie in what this meant for me.  I take it to mean that we can’t worry about conforming to societal standards, we must do what’s right for us and what works for us (and by us I mean our family, friends, co-workers, etc.).  This is not meant to be selfish or self-serving in any way.  The reality is that what works for one person or group may not work for another.  Over the last several years, my family and I have been trying to figure out what’s right for us.  Our decisions haven’t always been the most popular  but we truly believe that God presented us with certain situations and opportunities because it was what was right for us at the time.  It’s not for everyone, but it was what worked for us.  I encourage everyone to seek out what’s best for them.  Don’t conform, do something because you believe it’s the right thing to do.  

          Moleskin

          Lots of Alabama/Auburn jokes exchanged during the MC.

          We joked at the beginning about finding Peanuts half way through the workout.  Turns out, we found Back Pew half way through the workout.

          Name substitutions were popular (i.e. Slutter kicks = Auburn cheerleader, Forward Fold = Auburn fans, Butt kickers = Alabama)

          News

          8.10.19 F3 Dadurday

          FiA interest group going strong on Signal on MWF.  Encourage your M to join!

          4 VQs coming up in August at HC

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          Publish this prior to deleting

          QIC: Whittler

          Date: 06/10/2019

          PAX: Mr. Clean, U-turn, The Count (respect), Hasbro, Red Tees, Ducktales, Lugnut

          AO: The Huey

          Conditions

          The ground was moist but the air was dry

          COP

          Mosey to Parking Lot

          SSH x 40

          Arm circles x 15 each direction

          Moroccan night clubs x 15

          Imperial walker x 15

          Forward fold x 3

          Willie Mays Hays x 10

          Windmills x 20

          The Thang

          In order to squelch the MC, running was in order
          The Silencer
          Lap 1 – Run 1/4 of track, 10 merkins, run the remaining 3/4

          Lap 2 – Run.  At the 1/4, 10 merkins.  At the 1/2, 20 froggy squats.  Finish lap

          Lap 3 – Run.  At the 1/4, 10 merkins.  At the 1/2, 20 froggy squats.  At 3/4, 30 LBCs.  Finish lap

          Lap 4 – Run.  At the 1/4, 10 merkins.  At the 1/2, 20 froggy squats.  At 3/4, 30 LBCs. After one lap, 40 flutter kicks

          Lap 5 – Repeat lap 4

          Lap 6 – cool down mosey lap

          Mosey to Pavilion

          Dips x 15

          Elevated Pickle pointers x 10

          Hollywoods x 10 each side

          Freddie Mercury x 10

          LBC x 20

          Plank x 10

          Indian lunge back to the cars

          COT

          “He was right in saying that the only certain happiness in life is to live for others.” – Leo Tolstoy

          I came across this quote in my readings and it really stuck with me.  This is what F3 is all about.  I had a long weekend with little sleep and lots of work.  However, knowing that I needed to be out here for my fellow HIM motivated me to get up and lead this morning.  Consider this each day.  The most selfless thing that we can do is to live for others.  

          Moleskin

          YHC was running on fumes so his participation in the MC was minimal.  There was plenty going on about the usually things:  unit size, pickle pointers, etc.  It was also good to have a brief but worthwhile discussion with Ducktales regarding priorities in life and being present for our family.  The Count made it known that he chose this AO today because he knew that I valued staying dry as much as possible. 

          News

          Fallen Five Ruck July 13th – Ask Clean for the dirty deets

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            Sacrifice (not in a Creed sort of way…)

            QIC: Whittler

            Date: 05/25/2019

            PAX: Fissure, Geek Squad, The Count (Respect), Goose, Fly-by, Sunburn (Respect), Daisy (Willy Loman), Ringwald, Best in Show (Respect), Cowbell, Laces Out (Respect)

            AO: The Landfill

            Conditions

            PERFECTION

            COP

            Disclaimer was given on the fly as we mosey along the light poles, stopping about every 5th pole

            10 Imperial Walkers, 8 CBB x 1

            20 3rd grade exercise, 10 IW, 8 CBB x 2

            30 arm circles, 20 TGE, 10 IW, 8 CBB x 3

            40 SSH, 30 AC, 20 TGE, 10 IW, 8 CBB x 4

            The Thang

            Originally designed as a County Fair/Circus theme, I realized there was no theme

            7 of Diamonds

            7 Merkins per corner, run between corners

            14 Squats per corner

            21 LBC per corner

            28 calf raises per corner

            21 LBC per corner

            14 squats per corner

            7 merkins per corner

            Mosey to Playground for 3 ring circus

            PAX #1 did 10 swing crunches while PAX 2 did BBSU and PAX 3 did monkey humpers AMRAP.  Repeated 3x

            Mosey up to the soccer field where some fortuitous sandbags were placed

            Teams of 3 – One PAX carries sandbags across field while others do merkins.  Go until 3 carries have been done by each PAX

            Sand bag carry up and down the hill – same idea, just on a hill

            Cool down Indian Run

            Mary in the Pavilion

            Baby Shark x 2 minutes

            Pickle Pounders

            Pretzel

            Plank

            Reverse PP

            Hollywoods

            COT

            YHC wanted to talk about sacrifice.  This weekend is about sacrifice.  We are able to enjoy a free workout in a public park because of the sacrifices of those before us.  Memorial Day represents the sacrifice that our military made for us in order to have the freedoms that we have.  Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so we could live on this Earth.  Sacrifice occurs all around us.  I challenged the PAX to figure out how they could sacrifice for someone else this weekend.  

            Moleskin

            It was great to have Best in Show back in the fold

            The 80s rock was strong and the speaker provided a nice coupon for the day

            Apparently Ringwald’s lady wants him to get rubbed down by a dude later.  Poll was taken as to whether this was weird or not.  (YHC confirmed that getting a rub down by a dude is weird)

            News

            The Murph

            Fallen Five Ruck July 13th

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              Peanuts can you hear me?

              QIC: Whittler

              Date: 04/22/2019

              PAX: Sidekick, Threeskin, Jabooti, Peanuts, Fastlane

              AO: Beast Ridge

              Conditions

              48 degrees and surprisingly dry

              COP

              Mosey to the large parking lot.

              SSH x 25

              Forward Fold x 4

              Cotton pickers x 15

              Windmills x 15

              Willie mays hays x 20

              Arm circles x 15 both directions

              Finkle swings x 10 per leg

              The Thang

              By this time, we all had seen the unmistakeable Ford Escape of Peanuts pass by but we had no Peanuts.  YHC decided to flip flop the order and head over to the entrance to find Peanuts.
              Elevens on the Hill

              Jump squats at the bottom, V ups at the top

              Still no Peanuts 

              Mosey back to the parking lot

              Paula Abdul the parking spaces (2 lines forward, 10 merkins, one line back for LBC x 10) for a total of 10 spaces. Bear crawls forward and back (unless you’re a hand model like Threeskin and need to protect those hands ala David Duchovny in Zoolander).  We finally found Peanuts during this part of the routine.

              4 corners Mary

              Flutter kicks x 10

              Backward lunge

              Hollywood x 10 left side

              lunge

              Hollywood x 10 right side

              backward lunge

              Plank x 10

              Done

              COT

              Find whatever it takes to get motivated. YHC has trouble with motivation in March so I decided to Q more often so I was forced to show up.  

              Moleskin

              Surprisingly little MC this morning. We all wondered where Peanuts had gone.

              There was a golden opportunity to poke fun at Threeskin when he opted to modify and lunge instead of bear crawl. 

              News

               Black ops Collegedale on Friday – ask Threeskin for deets

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                Threeskin at The Battery (04/17/2019)

                P

                QIC: Whittler

                Date: 04/17/2019

                PAX: Fissure, Mr. Clean, Sunburn, Candu, Iron Butt, She Shed, Belly Roll, PCH, Vila, Radiohead, Milkman, Ohms

                AO: LIONS DEN

                Conditions

                A little cooler than expected but warm enough to break a sweat

                COP

                We began with a little warmup of stadium stairs as multiple PAX were late arriving. We then transitioned to the track.

                Arm circles x 15 both directions

                windmills x 15

                Cotton pickers x 15

                Willie Mays Hays x 15

                cherry pickers x 15

                imperial walkers x 15

                Moroccan Night club x 15

                Plank x 10

                Plank Jack x 10

                The Thang

                We moseyed around the track to the lone shining light on the field.
                Grid of Death
                I whipped out my large Weinke to reveal the Grid. First go round there were 5 rounds. Run 200m between rounds

                8 count BB x1, x2, x3, x4, x5

                Leg raises x2, x4, x6, x8, x10

                Merkins x3, x6, x9, x12, x15

                Flutter kicks x4, x8, x12, x16, x20

                The Weinke was then flipped for 4 rounds

                Flutter kick x16, x12, x8, x4

                Merkins x12, x9, x6, x3

                Leg raises x8, x6, x4, x2

                8 CBB x4, x3, x2, x1

                Cool down lap before Mary

                MoM

                Freddie Mercury x 15

                LBC x15

                Pretzel x 10 each leg

                Reverse Pickle Pounder x 15

                Pickle Pounder x 10

                Plank x 10

                COT

                I didn’t prepare a WOD today but my M sent me a podcast yesterday entitled “The Paradox if Progress”. While there were numerous salient points for me. Most applicable to me was his point about the priorities we have. We get so consumed with how we look, what we drive, where we live and other markers of status that we often forget why we have those things. We forget what’s important in life and what makes that all possible. Whether Christian or not, it’s important to realize that someone or something above ourselves aided us along the way. We work hard to make progress. We make progress to make us happy. We want happiness to enjoy our lives. The paradox comes when we’ve achieved all these things, we often forget how we got there and who helped us get there. So while we think we are making progress in life, we are actually regressing as people. I encourage everyone to sit back and appreciate how we got to where we are and give credit where credit is due.  

                Moleskin

                Surprisingly low MC today. I think we were all disturbed at the prospect of Iron Butt posting in a speedo on Saturday. 

                News

                CSAUP Saturday 

                GoRuck in may

                GrowRuck in August. 

                I’m sure there will be pre-rucks galore.

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                  Edit This –> <--

                  QIC: Whittler
                  Date: 04/04/2019
                  PAX: Pumpkin, Prosciutto, Truck Yeah, Hasbro, Snowflake, Ducktales, She Shed, Hector
                  AO: The Huey

                  Conditions

                  Mild with a smell of ground pepper in the air

                  COP

                  The Huey PAX began by taking a mosey around the walking track, stopping at each 1/4 to do descending 4x4s (4, 3, 2, 1).  We then circled up for the real warm up

                  Windmill x 12

                  Willie Mays Hays x 12

                  Imperial Walker x 12

                  Cotton Pickers x 12

                  Arm circles, both directions x 12

                  Cherry pickers x 12

                  Plank x 12

                  Plank Jack x 12

                  The Thang

                  We moseyed to the big parking lot
                  Escalator/De-escalator
                  4 corners escalator (Run between each corner):

                  Corner 1 – 10 merkins

                  Corner 2 – 10 merkins, 20 flutter kicks

                  Corner 3 – 10 merkins, 20 flutters, 30 jump squats

                  Corner 4 – 10 merkins, 20 flutters, 30 jump squats, 40 LBCs

                  De-escalate – above exercises, repeated in reverse order with Bernie between but this time exercises done in cadence

                  Mosey to playground for some swinging

                  PAX take their turn doing swing crunches x 10 while other PAX do LBCs to failure

                  Mosey around the track and head to the picnic tables

                  Dips x 12

                  Incline merkins x 12

                  MoM

                  Freddy Mercury x 12

                  Hollywood x 12 per side

                  Flutter kick x 12

                  Heel touches x 12

                  Pretzel crunch x 12

                  Reverse Pickle pounder x 12

                  Low plank x 10

                  COT

                  While picking random Scripture earlier this week, I came across a verse in a book that I seldom read, Zephaniah.  Interestingly, there was a verse underlined on that page:  “Seek to do what is right and to live humbly” (Zephaniah 2:3).  This really spoke to me and I thought it was very appropriate for the mission of F3.  Whether Christian or not, something can be learned from this verse.  Simply words to live by that have a huge impact.

                  First, seek to do what is right.  This should be our goal with each action, each and every day.  If you stick to doing what’s right, you can’t go wrong.  Even when no one is looking, seek to do what is right.  If we all did this, the impact would be enormous

                  Second, live humbly.  It took me a minute to decipher what was meant here.  To me, living humbly follows with one theme of F3, recognizing that you are not the end all be all, there is a higher power.  I am blessed beyond anything that I’ve ever deserved and I did nothing to earn it.  I am humbled when I think about the infinite blessings each and every day that I’ve done nothing to deserve.

                  Moleskin

                  There were lots of noxious gases being admitted during the workout.  Some may or may not have been blamed on the lady walking by us.  Ducktales mentioned the GrowRuck interest form no less than 73 times.  Several PAX need new alarm clocks. 

                  News

                  F3 Lunch tomorrow!  Bea’s Restaurant, 4500 Dodds Ave at 12

                  GrowRuck Interest form is out there

                  Go Ruck events the first weekend in May

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