Author: Hardywood

  • Pain Tolerance Disguised As Genius

    Most people mistake discomfort as a signal to stop; the great ones see it as evidence they’re on the right track. Excellence is just pain tolerance disguised as genius, the real advantage isn’t talent, but cultivating a perverse appreciation for the discomfort others distinctly avoid. – Shane Parrish

    7 warriors stepped up to the challenge to greet the dawn of a new day. According to ancient scribes it went a little something like this.

    Wamerama: SSH, Kalahari SSH, Arm Circles, LBC, WWII, Flutter, IW

    The Thang: 5 Round Fiasco

    5 rounds of the following 5 exercises for one minute all out efforts. Each round concludes with a one minute active recovery / mosey. Exercises:

    -Strict merkins, Bonnie Blair, Donkey Kick, Squat, Plank

    With the 5th round complete we made our way back to the flag. Numberama, namerama, news, prayer requests. Our brother Dr. Scholl’s led us out.

    Moleskin: A light night opening for the Green Mile Q came up and YHC grabbed it. The above quote was the overriding theme for today. How often have we felt the tinges of discomfort and backed away? How many opportunities did we miss because we believed our own pain tolerance wasn’t enough to get from comfortable and unfulfilling place we were, through the valley of temporary darkness to the more desirable light? As I’ve reflected over the past few months it’s become clear there are two routinely avoided ingredients for transformation: A) Dicomfort B) Time. Leaving your comfortable fart sack well before the sun comes up is uncomfortable. Seeing some real physical change after working out takes time. The shortcut is that there are no shortcuts.

    It was an honor to have the privilege to lead today and our boy Dr. Scholl’s had some powerful insights he gained in this recent season of challenge. This will be a workout or words YHC won’t soon forget.

    -Hardywood

  • Clam Trap Is My Safeword

    6 of the southside’s finest pineapple partiers arose to greet the dawn of a new day. According to oral tradition passed down by our sweaty forefathers, chaos was voluntarily introduced like this:

    Warmerama: Mosey around the school. 30 SSH, 10 DQ, 0 Clam Traps (IYKYN), 10 shoulder taps, 10 Peter Parkers, 10 HRM. Mosey to parking lot.

    Richard Simmons: Get in the center of the parking lot. Each corner represented an exercise with a bonus exercise on one side. For this workout start in the middle with 3 Amelia Burpees. Run to each station complete the exercise and run back to center for 3 Amelia Burpees. Complete each station and run back to middle for Amelia Burpees until completion. Station exercises: #1 – 10 burpees, #2 20 Lt. Dan, #3 30 Hand Release Merkins, #4 40 squats, #5 grab a heavy sand bag and run around the gate and back.

    Dora Skora: 100 merkins, 200 squats, 300 SSH. The timer grabs a heavy ass sandbag and runs around the gate.

    Mosey back to start.

    Plank till end, which was about a minute. And let’s be honest a minute of full effort should be more than enough for anyone to be satisfied.

    Moleskin: Great job today fellas and way to hustle out there! YHC brought the greatest hits from Amelia to introduce a little voluntary chaos. For those keeping track the sandbag weights ranged from 72lbs to 44 lbs. You guys made it look easy. Thank you for your effort!

    Be sure to get it all out and dig a little deeper. – Hardywood

  • Double Bird Surprise

    Double Bird Surprise

    5 Amelia warriors rose to greet the dawn of a new day. According to legend, it went a little something like this…

    Wamerama: SSH x 20, DQ x 10, LBC x 20, FC x 15, AC x 20, HRM x 10

    Mosey to Field of Dreams (aptly named youth soccer field behind the courthouse)

    Beast of The East: This is an F3 classic! 6 rounds of 6 sets of 6 exercises. Round 1 squats, round 2 two count flutter kicks, round 3 two count lunges, round 4 strict merkins, round 5 WWII and an extra special round 6. When a Q respects his pax to the highest order he calls the grandaddy of exercises for the final round. Round 6 was burpees and if you are doing the math at home that is 6 sets of 6 burpees for 36 total burpees to close out the round!!

    Lamplighter: Making our way back to the courthouse stop at each lamp post and complete 10 of a prescribed exercise. Light 1 squats, light 2 LBC, light 3 merkins, light 4 squats, light 5 LBC, light 6 merkins, wrap up on the courthouse steps for 10 final squats.

    Numberama, namerama, Woodstock took us out.

    Moleskin: At 5:20am an unknown vehicle drop slowly past the AO (we are using Judgement Day as a placeholder). YHC (your humble correspondent) watched carefully for a potential FNG. As the great Gomer Pyle (not to be confused with F3 Gomer) would say, surprise, surprise, surprise! The great EF Hutton emerged from the darkness to share his light. It was wonderful to see a familiar face and join us for a beat down. Beast of the East is no joke and one of the hardest workouts in the F3 Richmond Exicon (funny enough this was not in the F3 Nation Exicon). YHC ended up eating lunch at 11am. The Amelia boys are freaking bringing it. Woodstock and Boo Boo have posted at every single workout!! Welcome Kingpin (former Amish, turned Mennonite, turned Presbyterian, turned barndominium builder).

    Announcements: Get in a run with Woodstock and his M (F3 name for wife and short for “M”ost important relationship) with the Amelia 10K training team. Come out to walk or run. Open to all ages and abilities.

    Join Boo Boo sharing the good word at the River Run Presbyterian services held every Sunday on 10am at Amelia Academy. Bonus points this week for eating your weight in shrimp at the low country boil on Wed. See Boo Boo or Kingpin for details.

  • The Hard Thing About Hard Things

    12 warriors arose to greet the dawn of a new day. Undeterred by the cultural normalization of fragility, the standards of excellence were raised. According to legend, it went a little something like this.

    Warm Up: SSH, FC, WWII, HRM, Lunges X 20. Arm circles X 1 (Even that was too many, RIP Flashdance)

    Four Courtesan: This four corner action was completed in the nymph du prairie style; Corner #1 five burpees, corner #2 ten squats, corner #3 20 Lillith Fairs (this is a V-up with a scissor), corner #4 thirty hand release merkins.

    Hardest Mile Training: 100 meter lunges, run 300 meters, 100 meter bear crawls, run 300 meter, 100 meter broad jump burpee, 300 meter run.

    Back to the flag for 5MOM. The fun stuff included squats, American arm circles (the only way arm circles should be done).

    Numberama, namerama, COT, YHC led us out.

    Moleskin: This was the first Q for YHC in a long, long time. With the deepest of gratitude, I thank the eleven men for the honor of leading today. We got after it. With the holiday week, and challenging weather there were lots of reasons not to bring it. However, personal transformation has never happened when one is comfortable. It only happens at the hard edges. If you are unhappy with your day or life, it’s on you to fix it. You can complain or you can get accountable. Your choice here is more powerful than your circumstance.

    We should be very careful in wanting an easier, more comfortable and more equitable world. By wishing away the hard stuff, we are robbing individuals of opportunities to change their perspective of themselves and in many instances their family tree. The world is not fair and it is not equitable. No amount of complaining or victimization will change that. Not now, not ever. This is a good thing.

    Something changes in your spirit when you get the experience that validates you have the tools to deal with what life will throw at you. The people who have risen to meet the challenges that life faces them always end up transformed. These are the people who accomplish great things. When you know you can put a boot to the throat of the injustices of the world, you become the arbiter of your own life, not a victim of circumstance.

    As we navigate these issues in our families, work and communities let us be courageous enough to have tactical empathy; but wise enough to recognize the value of hard things for other people.

    Notes:

    Sign up for Grow Ruck 47 with events on May 3-5. YHC is signed up and ready for the challenge. Don’t procrastinate or let your ego get in the way of a good thing.

    Hardest Mile this Saturday at Rock N Roll starting at 6am followed by a DTH beat down at 7am. IYKYK

  • Reps Wear Down Resistance

    18 warriors rose to greet the dawn of a new day. According to legend and Twitter’s Trust and Safety Review Board it went a little something like this.

    COP: 40 SSH, 30 HRM, 20 FC, 20 LBC, 20 AHAC, 1 Arm Circle and that was too many.

    Exercise #1: 5 Rounds 10 EZ Burpee (burpee + Lt. Dan) + short run to pavilion and back.

    Exercise #2: 5 Rounds 20 Super Sit Up (combo of WW2 + scissor kick + Don Quiote) + short run

    Exercise #3: 5 Rounds 10 Kracken Burpee (burpee + 3 hand release merkins) + short run

    Mosey back to the flack for 5MOM. American hammers, hand release merkins and 1 min plank.

    Moleskin: The. Pax. Brought. It. This was designed to push, pull and challenge the pax. The modified burpees were no match for the fearless warriors. The nature center and accompanying trails make this one of the best AOs around. If you haven’t hit a Rock N Roll workout, get it done!

    NMS: Welcome Melville! He was named by Machismo for something about Moby Dick or that hot dolphin trainer from Free Willy. If we went down that thread I don’t know how in the hell we did not name him Blow Hole. Any way, welcome Melville.

    Activities/ Mixers / Missed Connections: Gomer is pretending it’s 1991 for some soccer game or something with some bar hopping. Speaking of soccer, YHC has watched some futbol and I learned something new. A) You can tie B) I haven’t seen that many floppers since I went to that assisted living nudist camp.

    Northern Invasion – Join the fellas from F3 The Capital at Hardywood West Creek from 1-4.

    12 Days of Christmas 12/20: Now in it’s 7th inaugural annual tradition. This is an F3 RVA classic. Join your old pal Rosie at No Toll. Another fun fact. No one talks about Rudolph’s brother Kyle The Brown Nosed Reindeer. Turns out he could fly just as fast as Rudolph but was terrible at stopping.

    HDHH – 12/21 Final Gravity. Keep an eye out for Lockjaw and the liberal MILFs from the northside.

    The Epiphany/SOJ Conference of Success on January 6th: I mean good lord, Rosie is all over the place and we are all better for it. He’ll be leading a strategy and growth session for the SOJ crew on January 6th, which also happens to be the Epiphany. Details coming.

    Frozen Triangle: If you know, you know. CSAUP. See Rosie. 1/21/23

  • Mont Perelin Farm

    “It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now–independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back one’s own conviction against a majority, and the willingness to voluntary cooperation with one’s neighbors–are essentially those on which an individualist society rests.

    Collectivism has nothing to put in their place, and in so far as it already has destroyed then it has left a void filled by nothing but the demand for obedience and the compulsion of the individual to what is collectively decided to be good.”― Friedrich Hayek, The Road to Serfdom 1944

    14 warriors rose the greet the dawn of a new day and without a mandate in sight, we chose by our own free will to improve the quality of our lives. According to legend, it went a little something like this.

    COP

    SSH, IW, CS, FC, WWII, HRM and only one Arm Circle. Even that is too many.

    I’m Gonna Bale

    6 bales were waiting for our fearless studs. Get into three groups in a pseudo triple check fashion. The exercises were as follows; hay bale run, squats, LBC. In a shock, this centrally planned exercise was a cluster f and needed a fair amount of modification.

    Farmer In The Dell

    Our bales were rearranged and the pax was introduced to Success Barrels. These 80 gallon barrels weigh in the neighborhood of 250 lbs and contain spent grain from Final Gravity Brewing Company in which animals are fed. The barrels are pushed over, then lifted to be right side up. We started with a barrel deadlift and used the rows of bales for broad jump burpees. The pax completed two rounds.

    Four Coroners (see what I did there)

    This is an escalating four corners in which you add a corner each round and complete all corners on the way out and the way back in. Corner #1 5 Burpees, Corner #2 20 Merkins, Corner #3 10 Lt. Dan, Corner #4 20 WWII.

    Triple Check NFT

    Mosey over to the baseball fields for a proper triple check. Exercises were as follows; run from stands up the hill and complete two burpees, dips, step ups.

    5 Min of Mary

    Mosey to basketball court to wrap up the conference. Planks, HRM, Moroccan Christmas (combo American Hammers/ Arm Circles), WWII, 1 min plan. No puppies were killed.

    Numberama, namerama and Chaplain took us out.

    NMS

    Way to work fellas and thank you so much for the great effort. Welcome Fugitive and T-Claps to Doublemint for the incredibly fast name. Big thanks to Doozy for the coffee! And thanks to DTH for licking all the cups.

    The farm workout theme had good intentions but did not feel like a natural fit in an F3 workout. The lesson is that if you are gonna have coupons, have enough for everybody. Coupon sharing is for suckers and interrupts the flow. Lesson learned.

    Rock N Roll just might prove to be the best AO in the F3 RVA region. We’ve just scratched the surface on this place. A word to future Qs, scout this area and think about bringing a bow and arrow.

    Moleskin

    At the beginning of each year for the last decade or so I have read Frederich Hayek’s Road To Serfdom. This is a short, phenomenal book he wrote between 1942 – 1943 in a response to the unrestrained encroachment of socialist viewpoints at the London School of Economics.

    He wrote this because he felt lonely. He saw counter viewpoints to the wisdom of government was gradually being suppressed. His concern was that governments were trying to ensure continuing prosperity with centralized planning. As an Austrian born citizen, he had first-hand experience that well-intended central planning inevitably leads to totalitarianism.

    The concepts are absolutely timeless and are more relevant in 2022 than they were in 1944. If you have felt like you have been in the minority in the last two years because you don’t see blind obedience and uniformity as moral virtues, you’ll love this book.

    The video is of the great Milton Friedman who wrote the foreword of the 50th anniversary. Even if you just check out a few minutes, it’s a great perspective enhancer. His philosophy on individual liberty, personal freedoms and the dangers of central planning are so refreshing to hear.

    Have a great weekend fellas!

    Your pal,

    Hardywood

  • Two To Tango

    Two freedom loving warriors made a choice without force or coercion to greet the dawn of a new day. The internal calling to improve oneself was so great no incentive, lottery or external prize was needed. According to the Amelia County Historical Society, it went a little something like this.

    Start at the courthouse and mosey around downtown to the public soccer field. This soccer field was to No Toll as road kill is to filet minon. COP

    SSH, IW, DQ, WWII, FB, Merkin X 20

    Country Mile: Follow the approximately 1/2 mile loop and complete one burpee at each light post.

    Lindsey/Lindsay/Linsee Lite: Start with 10 Merkins at the bottom of the hill, run to top of the hill to the school house and complete 30 Squats. Back to bottom for round two of 20/20, round three 30/10.

    Beast Of Me Is The Best Of Me: Mosey to previously mentioned soccer field. Exercises – SSH, squat, AH, crunch, merkin, burpee.

    Triple Czech: Start at the courthouse steps. 3 rounds of man running, the other man exercising. Exercises – dips, decline merkins, plank.

    COT: Numberama, namerama and Nails took us out.

    Moleskin: When a man finds himself with so many blessings, the next logical step is to share them. This was a scouting workout as we are making a concerted effort to share the incredible joy and meaning a bunch of sweaty middle aged guys can bring to one another. Details to come this week.

    And finally…

    Q: What do you it when a chameleon can’t change colors?

    A: A reptile dysfunction.

    Your pal,

    Hardywood

  • It Begins At The End

    One freedom loving warrior fought off the fartsack to christen the newest AO. According to the county historical offices, it went a little something like this.

    COP – Light run around courthouse square.

    Hells Half Mile Burpees – Following a 6/10 mile route around town, complete a burpee at each light post.

    Hells Half Mile Pain Roulette – Same route as above. At each light alternate between 10 merkins and 10 v-ups.

    Compounding Four Corners – Corner 1 10 Squats, Corner 2 10 Merkins, Corner 3 10 WWII, Corner 4 10 Burpees. Hit each corner on the way out and back. At each corner escalate or deescalate exercises as well.

    COT: Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Moleskin: YHC has been talking about this for months. There’s always a reason to start something later, to plan a little better and what not. There’s also a place for action. When doing some headlocking I don’t want to say “I’m gonna start this soon”, I will be saying “join me, rain or shine”.

    The AO is freaking awesome and I can’t wait to explore this place a little more. The important thing was to start.

    Dig a little deeper and get it all out.

    Your pal,

    Hardywood

  • Churchill or Chamberlain?

    “Tyranny is our foe. Whatever trapping or disguise it wears, whatever language it speaks, be it external or internal, we must for ever be on our guard, ever mobilized, ever vigilant, always ready to spring at its throat.

    In all this we march together. Not only do we march and strive shoulder to shoulder at this moment, under the fire of the enemy on the fields of war or in the air, but also in those realms of thought which are consecrated to the rights and the dignity of man.“-Winston S. Churchill

    17 Warriors for freedom, peace and prosperity by way of voluntary cooperation arose to greet the dawn of a new day and defend the island. The white flags were burned long ago and surrender was removed from the vernacular. There would be no appeasing of tyrants and according to legend it went a little something like this.

    Mosey over the grass circle for COP

    IC X 20; SSH, IW, Lunge, HRM, WWII. Arm circle X 1

    Mosey to the coupon depot and on to the valley of doubt.

    FIVER

    Five rounds of the following; squat press on one side, run to other side and complete five burpees.

    FARMER CARRY

    Partner up for a big boy version of Catch Me If You Can. One partner grabs both coupons and begins moving down the valley, up the other side, up the hill and on to the circle. The other partner completes 3 Polar Bears and runs to catch his partner, then switcheroo.

    TRIPLE CHECK

    Exercies are American Hammer with coupon and 6 inches. The timer is the man completing 20 Super Merkins. This is a merkin with both blocks on the ground and your hands on each, completing a merkin with a much bigger range of motion.

    FOUR CORNERS

    Mosey to field with coupon. Complete 4 burpee ups with blocks at each corner. Return coupons at completion.

    HOUSE OF PAIN

    Mosey to amphitheater and start at the bottom. Complete a box jump per the number of steps. 1 on first row, 2 on second row, etc.

    BURPEE SHUFFLE

    Mosey to circle for one last bit of fun.

    Namerama, numberama, Probation led us out.

    Prayer Requests: Keep Swirly’s M in your prayers this week and send him a word of encouragement. You know he’s done it for you.

    FNG: Welcome Schwing. This is an official upgrade as Hobby Lobby, Shot Gun and Fozzy Bear were in the running for the names. He is Shiplap’s step brother. There was some connection to Aldi (either the store or the town in northern Virginia). Aldi the store was also started by brothers who had a falling our with the older brother Dieter apparently being a real jerk. Dieter was a character played by Mike Meyers and the closest thing he had to a brother on SNL was Garth. When Wayne and Garth got boners at the same time they said “Schwing“.

    Moleskin: YHC has done lots of reflecting, thinking, praying and researching over the past nine months. It’s a really wild time and I’m particularly interested to think about how history will remember these past nine months and the decisions we have made and what we have allowed to be made for us. The video that opens the post is from a Winston Churchill speech he gave warning the Americans about the dangers of appeasing tyrants. It’s hard to truly understand through a modern lens how much of a pariah he was at the time for this belief. The world was still reeling from the first World War and understandably there was little appetite for a principled stand. This was recorded about one month after the Munich Pact was signed.

    The Munich Pact was an agreement that Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain thought would prevent a full on war. The agreement was that Germany could have some German speaking parts of Czechoslovakia and this little bit of concession would be enough to stop the totalitarian behavior of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party or Nazis for short. The Nazis had committed atrocities through the 1930s and they never once honored any agreement or pact. Chamberlain was sure that by appeasing them he could prevent a war and lots of smart people agreed with him. They were sure if they sacrificed just a little, they would get a desired outcome.

    Churchill stood nearly alone in his resoluteness that appeasing tyrants would only accelerate their abuse. He was steadfast in his belief that the best way to protect his people was by defending their freedom at all costs. Nine months after the Munich Pact was signed, the Germans invaded Poland just as Churchill predicted.

    Doing what was easy instead of what was right cost millions of lives and altered the trajectory for an entire nation of people. I wonder how many people initially supported Chamberlain who had a change of heart, but were too afraid to admit a mistake in their strategy. History paints a picture that as the situation with the Nazis worsened, there were many Brits intent on defending their decision rather than their island, much to their detriment.

    Winston was far from perfect, but he will go down as one of the most principled and courageous men the world ever produced. May we all be so courageous to identify and defend the things we believe in at all costs with clarity, purpose and conviction.

    If you aren’t clear in what you stand for and where your morals are, then some one will do it for you.

    HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

    Never give up. Dig a little deeper and get it all out.

    Your pal,

    Hardywood

  • Freedom Before Equality

    “A society that puts equality—in the sense of equality of outcome—ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom. The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom, and the force, introduced for good purposes, will end up in the hands of people who use it to promote their own interests.”

    “The most harm of all is done when power is in the hands of people who are absolutely persuaded of the purity of their intentions.“

    –Milton Friedman

    11 warriors answered the call of duty without force or coercion, driven by their own self interest to improve the quality of their lives and support those who voluntarily answered the same call. According to legend, it went a little something like this.

    Mosey to parking lot for a little COP

    SSH, DQ, Lunges, WWII, Merkins X 20 IC

    BASICS

    Mosey to the bottom of the hill to gently gaze upon 4 light posts between the bottom and top. Perform exercises at each light post, wait for pax at the top after the completion of each round.

    Round 1 – 25 Merkins at each post

    Round 2 – 10 Burpees at each post

    Round 3 – 5 decline merkins, bear crawl, 5 incline merkins, crawl bear, 5 more decline merkins at each post.

    Mosey to school for some Triple Check

    TRIPLE CHECK

    Find your two besties to complete the trifecta and complete the following exercises for a triple check: American Arm Circles, Donkey Kicks, run down the stairs to the ticket booth and hoof it back up the stairs.

    Mosey back to the flag for 5 Minutes of Mary

    Start it off with a little Burpee Shuffle (each pax pics 1, 2 or 3 burpees) and wrap it up with American Hammers and LBC in cadence.

    Namerama, numberama and Doozy took us out.

    News: YHC may have tuned out a bit from oxygen deprivation and seeing Bone Thug twerk, but pretty sure that the them at Dogpile this weekend is Gidget or Hawaii 5-0 or something like that. Think you are supposed to wear a hula skirt and a mullet. Perhaps there is a dolphin involved, no one really knows.

    Prayer requests for Fresh Princes’ family as he has a few family members dealing with some health challenges. Here’s to good health and a speedy recovery.

    Mole-freaking-skin

    Ohhhhh baby. YHC wanted to get in a workout very bad and did not realize that what was needed was a good Q. Kudos to DTH for the kind suggestion last night.

    YHC is wildly disillusioned with the crap on TV and social media. Even If we are all honest with ourselves, it’s mostly mental Doritios. Some times you crave it and you promise you’ll have just a little, then the next thing you know you’ve consumed way more that you had intended and you feel like crap.

    To do a little continuing education, I revisited the timeless works of Milton Friedman. He was a Nobel prize winning economist in the 1970s who spoke so simply about the power of personal freedom and individual liberty to improve the quality of peoples lives. It’s a refreshing counter narrative to the constant patronizing by well intentioned people dead set on improving the world by forcing others do think, believe and act as they do. Even the most noble of intentions are bound to end in brutality if they require coercion to be fulfilled.

    I was able to find a few of his old lectures on the interwebs and his talks reminded me so very much of this wonderful group. There’s no force or coercion to get you to show up at 0 Dark Thirty. We’ve created an environment in which you can voluntarily choose to improve the quality of your life at your own pace. The common thread isn’t that we are all equal in our abilities or backgrounds. It’s that we’ve decided that in order to improve the world, we first had to improve ourselves. We decided that is was nobodys job but our own.

    It’s a beautiful thing.

    Dig a little deeper, get it all out and be super.

    Your pal,

    Hardywood