The Bon Air soft launch was a perfect opportunity to celebrate what it means to start a new AO, and to honor the legacy of the Richmond Flying Squirrels’ old baseball diamond. We rededicated ourselves to the F3 mission to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership.

Machismo led the workout, beginning with a mosey to the grassy baseball diamond. With introductions and the F3 disclaimer complete, we kicked off with warm-ups including SSH, merkins, LBCs, Imperial Squat Walkers, and UKs.

The Thang:

We started with a tribute to the last games at the old Diamond with Thang 1: The 7 of Diamonds. We hit each base for a round of exercises, climbing the rep count with each trip: 7 burpees, 14 merkins, 21 squats, and 28 pickle pounders. Then, we ran it back down the ladder with 21 LBCs, 14 of something, and 7 Lt Dans.

Next up was Thang 2: Triple Check. The PAX worked in groups of three. One partner did chain smokers, another did hand release merkins, and the third ran to the playground for 5 chinups before returning.

Finally, we wrapped it up with a diamond classic in Thang 3: Run the Bases. We bear crawled to first base for 10 squats, crab-walked to second for 10 WWII sit-ups, and either Bernie-sanded or ran backwards to third base for 10 lunges, with a final sprint to home.

COT (Circle of Trust)

After the sweat and the struggle, we circled up for names and numbers. The inspiration for this new AO became clear as we heard from FNG, LFG. He hasn’t worked out in years, recovering from a viral infection that required the removal of fascia from his leg. As a father of two growing sons with special needs, his desire for a close, neighborhood-based F3 community spoke to the very core of our mission. This AO, a right fit for Bon Air with its strong ties to F3RVA through No Toll and The Forge, is a reminder of why we’re here: to serve and encourage our fellow men and build communities.

Let’s F-ing Go.

-Machismo