Author: NTB

  • Huge Bells #2 – Conquering Mt. Chaplain

    Six men of Gondor brought their finest forged steel from the mines of Moria to do battle on this gloomy Monday morn.

    Warmarama – Mosey around the parking lot, observing all traffic cones, then circle up in the parking lot for various stretches. YHC kept the calisthenics light today given our pump-focused workout. It honestly felt a little weird given all of the running that takes place at Huguenot High on a later day of the week.

    COP #1 – Kettle Bell Bear Crawl
    To launch into our workout the PAX bear crawled down the parking lot from L Woods’ bumper to Chaplain’s and then back, advancing our kettlebells underneath us as we went.

    COP #2 – Mt. Chaplain Circuit
    Six stations – 2min. max effort each station with a 20sec. rest in between
    1) Lateral Deadlift Passes – With feet wider than shoulders, place the KB/weight on the outside of one foot and then transfer it across the body using the opposite hand.
    2) Rows – Hinged at the waist, single arm. AKA lawn mower pulls.
    3) Squats – You know this one
    4) Swings – Russian style
    5) Shoulder to Overhead – Alternating single arm. Depending on the weight in use this could be ground-to-overhead, strict, or assisted with a kip.
    6) 50lb KB carry up and down Mt. Chaplain as many times as allowable in the time limit.

    COP #3 – Swing/Squat/Press Complex
    Cadence: Always perform a KB swing, front squat, and OH press in quick succession. Each round one of the movements goes up in reps.
    – Round 1: 1-5 Swings, 1 Squat, 1 Press
    – Round 2: 1 Swing, 1-5 Squats, 1 Press
    – Round 3: 1 Swing, 1 Squat, 1-5 Press
    – Total Reps: 75

    COP #4 – Ab Circuit
    – 2 Rounds of 20 Deadbugs, 20 Front Plank Pass-Throughs, and 20 American Hammers
    – 2 minutes of Turkish Get-Ups OYO until time called.

    Numbers/Names/Announcements/Prayer Requests
    – The Bridge – Saturday 11/15
    – SOJ Chili-Cookoff
    – Daddy/Daughter Dance
    – Prayers for NTB travelling with family out of the country this weekend.

    Awesome morning with the PAX! Looking forward to seeing this AO grow.

  • Fart Symphony at the Pavilion

    SIXTEEN HIMs were not deterred by the cold and rainy forecast, choosing instead to jump aboard the NTB beatdown bus. The following is based on real events:

    Hot Start – 1 burpee in honor of baby Zoe’s first birthday today. Then off for a mosey to the soccer fields. Stopped at the bridge to pay the toll despite Snuff’s protest.

    Warmarama

    • One lap around the right field skipping and frolicking for a dynamic warm up. Then we circled up in the middle for a disclaimer and a variety of IC movements.

    COP #1 – Kilo-Dora

    • 100 Merkins/200 Squats/300 LBCs/400 SSHs
    • Bernie to sideline and jog back/squat walk to right end of pavilion and back/squat walk to left end of pavilion and back/jog to sideline and Bernie back to the center.

    COP #2 – Jack Webb (Ab Edition)

    • Movement A: Box Cutters (1-10 reps)
    • Movement B: Flutter Kicks (4-40 reps)
    • Try to keep feet off the ground the whole time. YHC could not keep his feet off the ground…
    • With 16 PAX huddled under the pavilion a symphony of farts erupted through the early morning air.

    IP run back to the flag where we spent the few remaining minutes with half a round of license plate roulette. Kudos to snip for the surprise 17 burpees at the end.

    COT

    • New AOs Bon Iron and Huge Bells are being added to the Q Sheet and Map.
    • Ramp Build project happening this week. See slack for details.
    • Welcome Cotton Tail to RVA, moving here from Greensboro.
    • Reminder to give F3 away! It’s not a club it’s a mission, and sometimes a cult. Invite someone new this week.

  • Non-Respectable Ruckers

    Nine (the best of the single digit odd numbers) PAX took an extra lap around the Stony Point Shopping Center while the tardy Q got his act together and then set off for a 3.5mi journey around the north end of Larus Park! Dr. Try Hard’s pesky 60lb friend once again joined us for our trek. Too tired to walk itself, Mr. Sandbag was shouldered by many a strong fellow.

    It was a great morning to be with these HIMs once again. At the end of our ruck we shared several announcements about the SOJ chili cookoff and father-daughter dance planned before diving into prayer for Broadway’s recovery from a heart attack, L Woods’ dad recovering post-op, and for Bru’s family finding a nearby home for his mother. It was at this time that the not-yet-respect members of our band were encouraged to get their hearts screened. Their ages may or may not have been inflated, YHC’s memory is fuzzy.

    After COT we continued the discussion in Einstein’s Bagels where we reviewed habit stacking from chapter 5 of Atomic Habits and something about only drinking water for an extended period of time.

  • On Time Arrival

    Seven frequent ruckers pounded the pavement for another 3.5mi trek around Bon Air. We pushed back from the gate a minute or so late, but after encountering some turbulent hills YHC landed the rucking plane perfectly at 0600. Great mumblechatter by all as is accustomed on these Wednesday mornings and the group once again attempted to understand the chasm between men and women to no avail.

    Announcements:
    9/6: SOJ Evening Ruck
    9/13: SOJ Family Cookout at L Woods’
    9/26: SOJ Night CSAUP Ruck @ Alamo
    Check Slack for Nancy Lopez’s announcement on collecting donations for our F3 brothers in Africa.

    Prayer Requests
    L Wood’s Dad – Cancer Diagnosis
    Dr Try Hard – Recover from illness and injury.

  • Not the Day for Proper Squat Form

    Fifteen F3 aficionados gathered at the Forge for YHCs birthday beatdown! This 33rd trip around the sun was celebrated in the following fashion:

    Warmarama
    – Mosey down the hill to the tennis courts and circle up with a welcome and disclaimer.
    – Various IC exercises head to toe and then mosey onto the football field.

    COP 1: Triple Pounder
    – Rather than the traditional quarter-pounder, we split the field into thirds and added a punishing twist that will likely not be seen again for a long time.
    – Goal Line: 33 SSHs
    – 33 Yard Line: 33 Squats
    – Opposite 33 Yard Line: 33 Lunges (two-count)
    – Opposite Goal Line: 33 Hand-Release Merkins
    – Similar to a quarter-pounder, always Bernie back to the starting line. However, each time a line is crossed the PAX stopped to perform those 33 specified reps in either direction. Quads were absolutely smoked at the end.

    COP 2: Triple Check
    – Flutter Kicks & American Hammers. Timer bear crawls (sheesh) to the 33 yard line and back.

    We ended our time with an Indigenous Peoples’ mosey back to the flag for COT.

    COT
    – Monday 9/1 – Labor Day Convergence @ Dogpile
    – Saturday 9/13 – SOJ Cookout at L Wood’s
    – October 3-5 – GrowRuck #59 – Downrange in Cary, NC
    – Prayer’s for YHC’s brother-in-law who broke his fibula.
    – Prayer’s for L Wood’s dad who received a cancer diagnosis earlier this week.

  • The Traveling Jugalos

    A magnificent seven rode into town on 4 (or 6) cylinder stallions to assemble in the early gloom for another round of Ruckhenge. Four water jugs appeared from the bed of L Woods truck, but they would have to wait their turn while the PAX attempted to escape the rain on the Larus Park trails. After a swift 2.5 mile ruck we returned to those four lonely water jugs where we used our remaining 15minutes for a weighted triple check! Weighted squats, weighted merkins, and water jug farmers carry to time the rounds was the name of the game. The PAX took the challenge well and finished strong.

    Coffeerama at Einstein was superb as we discussed Herbert Muller’s assessment of Christianity’s role and reaction to societal changes in the west. Uses of the Past has been a great conversation starter on these Wednesday mornings and I hope you choose to join us even if you aren’t reading the book.

  • Jolly Good Fellows

    Nine noble lads embarked on a 3.5mi ruck around Larus Park and the Stony Point Mall on this week’s episode of Ruckhenge. YHC brought a couple of gift bags for the PAX to share, each weighing approximately 40lbs.

    Coffeerama at Einstein’s followed as per usual and the PAX had a great discussion on chapter 3 of H. Muller’s Uses of the Past, which deals with Judaism, Christianity, and their proliferation throughout history. Next week we turn our attention to Ancient Greece.

    Prayers for Pad Thai and his M as they are expecting baby #2 at any day now, as well as, L Woods and his M who are scheduled for IVF implantation in the week to come.

  • Suns Out Guns Out

    Eight amigos toted their rucks around Larus Park next to the Stony Point Shopping Center for a power-hour of good times and hard work. The majority of the PAX kept their biceps modestly covered but Purple Rain would not be denied on this glorious morning. Inspired by PR’s pythons, YHC led us through the trails in a snake-like pattern for today’s 3.34mile trek. All eight returned to the flag for COT and then shared a coffee at Einstein’s to discuss the end of Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life, ideas for the next book, and the English…naturally.

    Announcements:
    – Summer Tour ’25 : Keep an eye on the 1st F Slack channel for each week’s hot spots.
    – Father’s Day (6/15) @ The Forge : 0700 : 2.0-friendly workout with games and slip-n-slide
    – Homegrown Half (8/16)
    – GROWRUCK #59 (Downrange – NC) : Oct. 3-5 : NTB and L Woods are HC and looking for more to join!

    Prayer Requests:
    – L Woods: Close friend waiting on results from lung scan.
    – NTB: Family going through hard times with the recent loss of grandparents
    – Purple Rain: Extended family health issues.

  • Searching for The Clinic

    YHC heard the F3 RVA satellite office known as The Clinic was located somewhere in the sunshine state. After five days and 25mi rucked along the redneck riviera, still no sign of any glowing neon calling YHC home. Still a couple more days and miles under load to go. Will report back.

  • Monkey Humpers at Casa de Snuff

    A swarthy seven stomped around Bon Air in the post-rain gloom. Conditions were wet and nearly 70. We welcomed Bru and Coon Bait (downrange from F3 Bruco) for the first time! Some wanted to say Bru was the upgraded Sable, but we’ll wait until next week when the two Africans can square off and finally meet. We ventured all the way down McRae to Casa de Snuff where we stopped for a couple of stretches and the customary monkey humpers in the driveway. Sleep well sweet Snuff. From there we circled back through the Bon Air Baptist parking lot where we hit some ruck get-ups at each island before returning back to the Stony Point shopping center. YHC took us out.

    Coffeeteria was excellent as expected as we march on towards the final third of 12 Rules for Life!