Five SOJ redwoods welcomed an upstate brother and an FNG to the Rock&Roll gloom. AO was secured by Florence and Chaplain rubbing out an early one, and cool Fall weather got the PAX frisky for the DTH beatdown:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Mosey loop around the lot & circle up on the basketball court
CHUMBABURPEE – Musical warmup with ongoing SSH, broken up with a Burpee everytime they sing “I get knocked down”!
F3 Welcome & Disclaimer
A smattering of stretchy IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
COP #1:
Mosey via GRABASS back to the Woods Trail Pull-up Bars
Grabass = Q calls a PAX name, he takes off like a bat out of hell, first PAX to catch him calls x20 reps of their choosing. The Catch – front runners mosey back to the Six to perform the reps.
COP#3:
Brother “FLINT” throws down a CINDY challenge:
Split up among 3 Stations
Station 1 – x5 Pull-ups
Station 2 – Merkins
Station 3 – Squats
Rotate for a total of 7 min
COP #4:
Indigenous People’s Run along the back loop
Stop half-way along grassy side for OVER-UNDERS x50 yards
COP #5:
Mosey to the Picnic Pavilion for TABLE MADNESS:
WINGNUTS – x10 IC
COYOTE UGLY’S – Each Partner x5 reps
WINGNUTS – x10 IC
HAIL MARY’S – x20 each, x2 Rounds
WINGNUTS – x10 IC
COP #
Mosey over to the parking lot
Circle up for PLANK COMPASS – each PAX’ feet remain fixed in place, while hands plank walk X degrees in whichever direction Q calls, with x5 merkins between each new direction
Mosey BTTF:
Body Builders, x10 IC
Flutters IC, Low & High, x20 IC each
CIRCLE MERK x3
COT:
Counterama # 7
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
Flint took the PAX out in Prayer
NMS: Beautiful fall morning to have YHC’s brother FLINT (John Henderson) down from NYC, and to reunite with HEARTBURN after his long rehab from a crazy jaw injury, and to welcome Heartburn’s Jamaican friend BAYWATCH (used to be a lifeguard). Missed some of the regulars who are out of town – praying for safe travels guys! SYITG, DTH
Nine nubile gentlemen of the gloom struck their best pose on the catwalk while Snuff judged the lighting with an expert eye. Some earned a place on the centerfold, while all gave their best, but you had to be there to really bask in Glory:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Welcome & review NEW GLORY
Moseyrama around the parking lot loop then a few Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
NEW GLORY:
x14 stations around a loop Circuit
You VS You, complete as many Circuit rounds as possible within 30min
Rosie – 4th HRM (3.5), DTH – Opener Burpees (3.1), Florence – WWII’s (3.0), Machismo – Mtn Climbers (2.13), Fiona – Ball Dippers (2.10), Singer – Chap Hill Burpees (2.9), Dealer – Chap Hill Burpees (2.9), HP – Jerkins (2.8), Snuff – IR Modified
BTTF:
5min of breathing/stretching
COT:
Counterama # 9
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
SNUFF took the PAX out in Prayer
NMS: Solid numbers for this 3rd iteration of the Forge’s quarterly New Glory, and excellent efforts by all with Rosie breaking the record and Florence joining the 3.0 club. Also keeping an eye on Machismo accelerating closer to the 3.0 mark. Well done everyone! This won’t get easier, but keep posting and you WILL get faster. SYITG, DTH
Announcements:
10/20 SOJ HDHH at The Veil Brewing (BEER, CIDER, TACOS)
A swarthy band of gloom brothers gathered at NoToll to celebrate the DTH 4 year anniversary. There were promises of something new, and the eager PAX went to work:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Circle up on the BBall Court
Welcome & Disclaimer
x9 DQ’s IC
x27 SSH’s IC
x20 Copperhead Squats IC
x18 WWII’s IC
4×4’s Countdown Warmerama (4 down to 1, running across and back between sets)
Numbers derived from YHC’s first F3 post on 9/27/2018, making today 4 years!
Discover YHC’s Old Town Canoe awaiting the PAX at the gate
BOAT INTERVALS: 2 PAX Board the Canoe, rest of PAX carry the Canoe to next Interval, complete called exercise, repeato with x2 new PAX riding each time
Exercises completed in sets of 9, 27, 20, 18 (honoring YHC’s anniversary date)
x4 new PAX into canoe pulled/pushed to 50yard line, complete x50 Squats
Bernie back with empty canoe
x4 new PAX into canoe pulled/pushed to 75yard line, complete x75 Flutters (2-ct)
Bernie back with empty canoe
x4 new PAX into canoe pulled/pushed 100yard line, complete x100 LBC’s
Mosey BTTF carrying canoe overhead, and pause to take a group photo:
COT:
Counterama # 14
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
YHC took the PAX out in Prayer
NMS: Today’s team work with the boat was an awesome example of what we can accomplish when we rely on one another. There is more to F3 than merkins and mumblechatter, and YHC is deeply grateful to you brothers who have reciprocated encouragement and accountability. As YHC mentioned in closing, God doesn’t promise or call us to happiness or ease, but rather to holiness and tribulation. We aren’t made to do it alone, and YHC has found a brotherhood in you guys that’ll overcome every obstacle in a way that glorifies God. Here’s to 4 years and 44 more! (And happy co-anniversary to Don Draper!) SYITG, DTH
Fitness is best Accelerated by running with faster men. There is no best or only way to Accelerate 3S2T – Speed, Strength, Stamina, Toughness (physical) and Toughness (mental). What works best for the individual man will be dependent on the man himself and the circumstances of the time, place and age that are beyond his control. But what is true for all men seeking to Accelerate, is that it works much better as a GROUP than alone. Together, we pool our collective knowledge for the benefit of each individual and spur one another on to places we would never reach alone. This is the power of the Shield Lock, which is the horizontal relationship between men. Together, we sharpen each other–as iron sharpens iron. (QSource 1.2)
The Shield Lock has a Purpose beyond mere companionship. It is the means by which we fight the Flux, which is the emotional reaction to the peaks and valleys that appear throughout a man’s life. When things go well for the Amateur he is Happy and thinks the good times will roll on forever. When things go badly, he is un-Happy and thinks the world is out to get him. Happiness, the transitory positive feeling governed by mere external circumstance, is the province of the Amateur who is un-Prepared for the Flux. The Pro, through Preparedness, gets ready for the Flux because it is expected, and he also stays ready for its unexpected aspect: timing–he never knows precisely when to expect the next peak or valley. By locking shields with other men, the HIM hedges his brother’s peak against his own valley, and vice-versa. He knows that his valleys will tempt him to the Flux, and that he will need the strength of his brother’s peak to maintain Acceleration. Likewise, he knows that it will be his peak that provides his brother the bulwark he will need when a valley draws him toward the Flux. This, not companionship, is the ultimate Purpose of the Shield Lock and its primary distinction from a Club. (QSource 1.7)
Eight faithful HIM’s chose Rocking out over sleeping in, and posted for a sunny and seventy beatdown delivered by yours truly. Keeping in form with Park rules, there were no merkins harmed in the making of this beatdown.
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Moseyrama around the lot and circle up on the basketball court
Welcome & Disclaimer
Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
COP #1:
Indigenous Mosey to the far parking lot
SIX-PACK OF DIAMONDS: (6 Rounds each with a different exercise, and each round’s reps completed at each of the diamond’s 4 corners)
Round 1: x6 Kimchi Twists
Round 2: x12 WWII’s
Round 3: x18 American Hammers (2-ct)
Round 4: x18 Oblique LBC’s (alt sides)
Round 5: x12 Flutters (2-ct)
Round 6: x6 DTH’s
COP #2:
Variable mosey/run/sprint around to the Stairs / Bath House
Box jump steps
Donkey Kick-Offs 5-10-15-20
Hop down steps
Squat Step up steps
COP #3:
Moseyrama over to the tennis courts
DIRTY MCDEUCE (x4 rounds, x3 ex’s ea round, x12 reps per ex, perimeter run after each round)
NMS: This was the second abb/leg-heavy Q since YHC’s Right shoulder issues started. Gotta say it feels really good to focus on the core – might just have to keep it going! DTH’s for everyone! Haha…. Great to see Brown Noser, Belichick, and Seadoo out there today – gonna have to work on getting ya’ll on the Q sheet! Thanks for letting me leads gents – SYITG, YHC, DTH
Announcements:
Doozy and Florence are leaving tonight (3am!) for the 9/11 Memorial Convergence in DC – PM them if you wanna join the madness
Lovely cool gloom welcomed a sixpack of faithful HIM’s, including our prodigal darling Fiona, who we joyfully welcomed back into the F3 fold today after a 2 year hiatus. With YHC’s shoulder still on IR, a no-merkin beatdown was the name of the game, and it went a little something like this:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Moseyrama over to the school front and circle up
Welcome & Disclaimer
Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
COP #1:
Mosey around to the amphitheater
ABBITHEATER ASCENTS:
Variable IC reps on each step with a short mosey in between
NMS: It was really great to see Fiona out this morning – welcome back bro!!! Always fun to remember how he earned his nickname – cause he said wearing gloves was for princesses. Haha! There was a generally light spirit to accompany the grind (with the ever clever quips from Thugs), and a nice cool temp was welcome while the six pack perfected their six packs. SYITG! ~DTH
Announcements:
Iron Pax Challenge continues at TwinTeam tomorrow with Florence on Q
14 studs posted to SOT for a Tryhard Running Bootcamp. Some were happier about then others, but everyone got a good sweat and did stuff they’d have never done alone.
The THANG:
Mosey over to Mount Midlo and circle up for an F3 Welcome, Disclaimer, and brief outline of the plan
The Plan: Run a big loop, stopping a bunch of times to work out (YHC hadn’t planned exactly what exercises, but it worked out OK)
31 days in August, so we started with 31 reps, then moseyed a ways, and stopped for 30 reps, then moseyed a ways, then stopped for 29 reps….and on and on…some in cadence, some OYO
Gumbo called out the fact that YHC shouldn’t be calling a mosey between stops when YHC was taking off at full running speed – “Noted good Sir!”
YHC also messed up and gifted the PAX an extra rep around COP #14, which got the Grumblechatter going
To be fair Duke had already been leading the Grumblechatter from the get go, but corporate grief sharing was going strong toward the end of our “little” run
We were down to the 8 Rep mark by the time we got BTTF, and Rosie was kind enough to help YHC’s oxygen deprived brain come up with some rapid fire exercises (he has great experience with this doing the annual 12 Days of Christmas)
We finished with x1 Burpee, which the PAX gladly completed given that was not called earlier!
Was great to meet McRibb this morning, and to get to see some other deep South homies that aren’t usually at YHC’s usual stomping grounds (NoToll/Forge/R&R).
Will definitely work to be out at SOT more often!!!
COT:
Counterama # 14
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
YHC took the PAX out in Prayer
Announcements:
Iron Pax Challenge will kick off at TwinTeam this Friday with Florence on Q
Prayers for our BRR brothers as they prepare and complete the relay
Prayer Request: Rosie shared a prayer request for a family who suddenly lost a husband/father named Jeff, who died in his sleep. He has a kid entering freshman year of high school. If this doesn’t break your heart and cause you to hold your loved ones close, not sure what would. Not one of us is guaranteed tomorrow, so I hope you’ll be challenged to ask yourself the “What What” – “What happens to me and my loved ones when I die?”, and “What does that change about how I’m living my life today?”
In the misty gloom of Windy Gap a handful of F3RVA natives rallied a few brothers in Christ to beat the fartsack and embrace something glorious. Here’s how the first morning of the annual men’s retreat kicked off:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Circle up on the Basketball Court
F3 Welcome & Disclaimer for the FNG’s
Review of the Core Principles and Credo
Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
COP #1:
Mosey and partner up for a DORA
x100 Merkins
x200 Squats
x300 LBC’s
Moving partners bear crawl up the hill and mosey back around the loop
COP #2:
Indigenous People’s Mosey to the back parking lot, last man completing x2 Burpees before sprinting to take the lead
COP #3:
Line up for ELEVENS
Ball Dippers (2-ct), descending 10-1
WWII’s ascending 1-10
Run between sides of the lot
Mosey BTTF for COT:
Counterama #7
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
YHC took the PAX out in Prayer
NMS: About 400 men gathered on the mountain in southwest NC for the retreat, this being the 47th year of annual meetings of the Fellowship. Last year YHC attended for the first time on invitation from Greenbow and there was no question that we would return. YHC was blessed to bring along Seadoo this year, and we enjoyed Doozy’s company along with a handful of other Virginia men. It is without any doubt the most spiritually refreshing experience of my adult life. Feeling exceptionally thankful, YHC, DTH
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
14 SOJ redwoods grew a little taller and a little stronger in a hurricane of pain at NoToll this morning. The PAX enjoyed a gentle warm-up opener of ChumbaBurpee (Burpees completed for each “I get knocked down”) with SSH in between, then completed three delightful rounds of the F3 Beatdown Deck (x5 cards each round with a mosey around the field between), then returned to the Basketball court for a relaxing ChumbaMary finale (dealers choice for baseline reps and knockdown reps). It was in fact quite challenging and invigorating. Mumble chatter was light. Classic rock played for the F3 Deck rounds was solid. Always a pleasure gentlemen. YHC, DTH
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)
A swarthy half dozen gloom warriors took the Forge by storm, kicking off with DTH doing some kinda freaky rain dance that Juanita later came to regret…
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Mosey down to the culdesac, stopping for x3 Groiners at each light pole en route
Circle up, Welcome, Disclaimer
Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
COP #1:
Mosey to the handicap ramp, completing x3 Merkins at each light pole
Bear Crawl half way up ramp, Lunge walk the rest of the way
Partner up for Jerkins
x3 Sets of x10 each
COP #2:
Tooth Fairies up the steps
Partner up for PLT’s
x3 Sets of x20 each
COP #3:
Mosey up to the School Wall
x10 Hoedowns IC
x10 Hip Slappers IC
x10 Dirty Hookups IC (each side)
COP #3:
Mosey around to the Soccer Field
Team up 3V3 for 10min of pick-up soccer
x3 burpees if you get scored on
Mosey BTTF for COT:
Counterama # 6
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
YHC took the PAX out in Prayer
NMS: Awesome time with the Forge fellas today, and with such cool weather! Enjoyed hearing all about Sundance having blue ribbons affixed to his banana hammock – but actually congrats, that’s a ton of work to win a body building competition! Was also entertaining to overhear during PLT’s Juanita ask “Is it raining?”, to which Last Call replied ”No, that’s ball sweat bro!” Yikes, hope you didn’t taste that salty rain. And we finished the morning with a quick game of pick-up soccer in the dawn light. Very kind of the HHS grounds crew to cut the grass – it’s only been about 3 months since the last trim! Notable soccer highlights were Posey megging Sundance for the first goal, Last Call doing a fancy behind the back kick, and YHC taking about 10 hits in a row to stop a Juanita goal from happening. It was fun and definitely got the heart rate up. Until next time, YHC, DTH
Announcements:
9/24 F3 Retreat – sign up for cornhole on the challenges spreadsheet
Prayer Requests:
Doublemint, Fresh Prince, Heartburn, and plenty of other guys on IR
