Author: Vagabond

  • A Bunch of Dangerfields

    6 HIMs, four of which will now be known as Dangerfields (Respect HIMs) to YHC, braved a cool, crisp, low humidity morning to attack the day! The mumble chatter was strong this morning spanning from classic Top Gun to VCRs and Eight tracks. It was a day that revolved around…back in my day. Many of the HIMs recount running up Satan’s Hill, in a Snow Storm with no shoes on during their first Q. Oh the memories. Anyways, according to the frog that camouflaged himself in the parking lot, here’s what went down.

    Warmerama – Hill Run, SSH, DQ, Arm Circles, Imp Walkers, Merkins, LBC, Flutter Kick, Freddie Merc, Scorpion Kicks.

    The Thang – SLOOOWWW 11’s. Start at the base of the hill, and in standard 11s fashion, start with 1 at the bottom, 10 at the top. 2/9, 3/8, yada yada, you can see the pattern. Bottom of the hill were Hand release Merkins, Top WW2. However, we progress up the hill in different fashion each time, plank for the six at the bottom. Progression up the hill went as follows – bear crawl, crab walk, lunge, bernie, karaoke L, karaoke R, repeato minus karaoke R on the last rep. Final progression was a broad jump.

    Mosey to the Rock pile for a triple check. Which unfortunately we had to discount to a double check due to time. Runner to the NM entrance, P1 does a curl to overhead press compound, P2 does a WW2 to FM compound. Time…

    COT – Discussed slack, new channels, #leadership channel, 50+ BRR. Thanked the fellas for coming out as YHC has been inconsistent and trying to find new ways to get back into Rhythm. Looked to Q sheet to help motivate. Prayed that we all have the vision to see the path that is being laid for us daily.

    I appreciate you guys as always – SYITG

    -Vagabond

  • 39

    Lucky number 13 HIMs locked shields to join YHC in a memorial Q for his fallen brother at Satan’s Hill. More on this in COT. It’s been a few weeks since YHC has jumped on the Q sheet, and instead of dealing with the heaviness of the last week as a Sad Clown, he decided it was time to jump headfirst back into the gloom with his brothers that helped to pull him out of it to begin with. What a better way to do that than to lead!

    COP – 39 SSHs, DQs, Arm Circles front and back totaling 39, Imperial Walkers, Cherry Pickers, Merkins, LBCs, Flutter Kicks.

    The Thang–

    Mosey to the top of the hill for a 4-corner build that Wilson surely missed out on. Corner 1 – 10 up/downs, corner 2 – 10 up/downs, 20 merkins, corner 3 – 10 up/downs, 20 merkins, 30 groiners, corner 4 – 10 up/downs, 20 merkins, 30 groiners, 40 squat jumps…see what we did there?! Deconstructed Burpees. Mosey to start and reconstruct with 10 burpees. There was plenty of mumblechatter among the PAX to kick things off until we got to corner 3, at which time it quickly turned from laughable conversation to Tim Allen style grunts.

    Mosey to bottom of the hill grab a coupon, triple check…complex style. Partner one runs with rock overhead to the curb and does 10 thrusters, partner 2 – WW2 with rock, partner 3 – American Hammers with rock. Recover.

    Triple check #2 – Partners 2/3 lose the rocks. Partner 1 runs with rock overhead and completes a curl, overhead press to tricep extension (1 rep). Complete 10 full reps and run back with rock overhead. Partner 2 – LBCs, Partner 3 – Freddie Mercury.

    Mosey to start and complete 39 squats

    COT – Numberama/Namerama. YHC opened up to the significance of the number 39. Some knew, some didn’t that YHC lost a close friend this week. His best friend from high school unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack at the age of 39. He lived his life on the road, by himself aside from his work colleagues, and had never found something as beneficial as F3. Instead of having a brotherhood like F3 to help him overcome Sad Clown syndrome, he turned to food, alcohol, and an unfit lifestyle. A sobering reminder to hug those close to you, reach out to those you have “meant” to reach out to more often, and never lose sight of the fact that you never know when the last time, might just possibly be the last time. A reminder to reach out and shield lock our brothers that we have not seen in a while. A reminder to get a will or trust completed to save your family that additional grief if that were to ever come. (Thank you for that reminder Nancy).

    YHC gives a big thanks to the PAX that have reached out over the last few days, that listened to the story, and that gave a hug or fist bump after the Q. YHC sincerely appreciates each of you for your brotherhood, and for helping shake the Sad Clown Syndrome he was dealing with before he joined.

    -Vagabond

  • Breaking (ginger) “Bread” – Stout that is

    15 men, a few M’s, and several 2.0s converged on Hardywood for a 2nd F opportunity to combine our donations for the clothing and shoe drive yesterday. It was a strong showing that came to discuss leadership, giving, and along the way throw back a few Gingerbread stouts in standard F3 fellowship fashion.

    The Thang-

    Show up with donations for the Karatas clothing and Shood shoe drive. Get in line, grab a beer, and enjoy the company of like minded men and their support teams (Ms and 2.0s). Mosey to a table that we couldn’t seem to get long enough for everyone. 100 mug raises to mouth, mosey to fire pit 100 more, mosey near the windows, 100 more. Time was called.

    Gentlemen, I couldn’t be more happy to have seen such a strong group show up and be willing to give to others in need. We have an incredibly strong group of leaders in the community and it was great to break bread with you all and absorb your perspectives on life and leadership. Several of you I met for the first time, and others I had the chance to get to know even better. Iron sharpens Iron and I appreciate each of you for giving some of your time to each other and the cause. We will post a final tally once we have it all weighed and sorted, but initial estimates look to be over 400 lbs of clothes and over 60 pairs of shoes. T-claps and appreciation to you all!

    -Vagabond

  • Stacks on Stacks on…What’s that STENCH?!

    Four brazen warriors started strong on a perfect morning for a beatdown by the wolf. Things couldn’t have started any better…then came…the smell. Not one of those smells that come from the exhaust of our brothers during a solid stretch of LBCs or WW2s, but one of those smells that slap you in the face, cause your head to jerk backwards, and give you the feeling that you may very well spill merlot. Be it a decaying carcass left by the mythical wolf itself, or an overflowing port o john, we will never know. But it followed us all the way around the track and punched each of us right in the sniffers over and over again. Couldn’t be more proud of the guys as they pushed through, we couldn’t stop…we were committed to the workout, though a little dry heaving may have ensued at different times during the pain. Well done men!

    Let’s break it all down-

    Warmarama:

    SSHx30, helicopters, DQ, Jazzercise, Russian Soldiers, Imp Walkers, Hillbillies, 3 count calf raises, 3 count buttkickers, merkins, LBCs, Flutter Kicks, Hello Dolly, Rosalita

    The Thang:

    Mosey to the track. This is where the stacks started and the stench made itself known…during the entire stacked mile. Front stretch, back stretch, the pain was REAL. The plan was to stack the exercises. Begin at 10, run a lap, same 10 and add 20 of another exercise, run a lap, 10, 20, 30 run a lap, 10, 20 , 30 , 40 run a lap. Exercises were 10x burpees, 20x ball dippers, 30x drydocks, 40x squats. Somehow, we all pushed through. Well done gents.

    Mosey to the basketball courts. Four corners lady of the night style…and stacked focusing on core. Same numbers and plan 10/20/30/40 at each corner. First corner was heels to heaven, second – flutter kicks, then back to first and re-do H2H back to start. Back to first corner10x H2H, 20xFK, 30x Freddie Mercury at 3rd corner, back to FK/H2H back to start. Re-run the stack and finish at fourth corner with 40 LBCs, back through the gauntlet.

    Abs on fire, we still had 6 min left so we played a little door to door salesman. Each door has a number on it, and each PAX calls out an exercise. We do the amount to match the number on the door. We hit four doors with the numbers 14, 15, 16, 17 on each respective door. Exercises were 14x merkins, 15x donkey kicks, 16x ???, 17 x WW2, Merkins, and Lt Dans to honor our veterans with a military theme finisher.

    Mosey to the flag. YHC took us out. A brief discussion on the importance of this day and giving thanks to our service men and women and keeping them all in our prayers. Honoring all that either have served, or are still serving, on a day that is meant for them and the sacrifices they gave to protect our freedom. Remembrance of Nancy’s father who was a Marine and served his final post just a year and a half ago. Oorah Mr. Saylor. Prayers to the Saylor family for continued healing and that he may continue to look down and guide the family. Prayers for mental resolve for all that may be suffering post service. Prayers to the men of F3 that we may continue to lead in our communities and continue to grow as fathers, husbands, and men in our communities. Continue to give us all the strength and motivation to lead.

    Thanks as always gents, it’s always an honor attacking the gloom with each of you and having the opportunity to lead when the opportunity presents itself. Happy Veterans day to all of our F3 brothers that served…THANK YOU!

    -Vagabond

  • Hot Potato and a Game of Risk

    Four New Marketers, and one Rountrey Beast soldiered through the cold morning in a Hot potato that finished with some POG strategery (a la GWB) to avoid the Backblast. In his spirit, I will add what I know his backblast would have consisted of. “Five guys got up and worked out”. (More to come on how he avoided the recap.) But First…

    Honeymoon kicked things off hot with the potato in his hands.

    Warmup:

    DQ, Imperial Walkers, Jazzercise, SSH, Deadman Hang, Merkins, 6in to LBC, Freddie Mercury, Plank

    The Thang:

    Mosey to the benches out front. 10x dips, 10x incline merkins. Repeato x5 with 15 sec breaks in between. Lactic acid burning, we mosey to the light poles for a little game of light pole alley. (start with 10 of called exercise, run to last light pole, do 10 of same exercise and run back reducing one pole per run.) Pax took turns choosing exercises as we made our way down the alley. POG kicked us off with burpees, we moved down Pax with squat jumps, toe kickers, merkins, lunges, WW2’s, heels to heaven, monkey humpers, I think there was one more I’m missing here, but I do know that we bear crawled the last stretch…it was early…

    Honeymoon tossed the potato to POG. Different stretch of light poles by the bus parking. Do 10x ball dippers and 10x flutter kicks at each light pole all the way around to the flag. This is where POG, as if he were playing a game of Risk, tosses the potato to yours truly with 5 minutes left to avoid typing up the backblast. Knowing his strategy, and his passion for recapping our workouts, we continued to the poles past the flag doing burpees at each additional light pole until time was up. However, we had .07 miles left to hit the 2 mile mark in addition to the exercises, so we finished up by running around the cones and hitting our mark.

    Announcements:

    Gypsy reached out asking for donations for a clothing drive to help men in need acquire professional dress attire to help with job interviews. I will be consolidating donations for SOJ brothers to get to him. I will try to do my best to make it to all SOJ AOs this month, so if you have any, please bring with you, or feel free to give to any of the SH regulars if I can’t for any reason. Or you can reach out to me directly if you have something to donate and I will coordinate with you individually or make it a point to get to your AO on the given day that you wish to bring your donation.

    Reach out to your brothers that have shown some inconsistency recently. We know the dark and cold mornings are where our brothers will fall off. Let’s make a concerted effort to motivate each other to challenge the gloom as the days get darker and colder.

    Honeymoon took us out in prayer. Solid day gents, thanks for posting and pushing me as always. Especially you POG…well played…

    -Vagabond

  • Wake up the Wolf…Timberwolf that is

    5 STRONG SOJ regulars posted at Timberwolf on a perfect morning to wake up the wolf. The last few weeks, attendance has been light with no one slated to Q, so there’s been a lot of potato’s in the air. After three weeks of tossing it around unprepared, YHC stepped up to take on just his third Q since joining F3 in July. Time to lead! Here’s what went down…then up…then down again

    Warmup: SSH x 30, DQ, Helicopter, Jazzercise (I practiced to try and match Nancy’s perfect form), 3 count butt-kickers, 3 count calf raises, cherry pickers, stretch C/R/L, Merkins, LBC, Flutter Kicks, Hello Dolly, Rosalita, Sitting stretch C/R/L, Butterfly

    Workout: Mosey to the hill in front of the school. Dora to burn the abs. Partner 1 – Bernie up the hill, run down, Partner 2 – 100 WW2, 200 LBC, 300 Freddie Freeman, oh I mean Mercury (Go Braves, Chop on!!!).

    Mosey to the light poles, partner up again. P1 – run to farthest pole while P2 works their way to the end with various exercises, switch when P1 reaches P2. Exercises – Broad jump burpee, lunge, bear crawl. Repeato back with new exercises – one leg broad jump, lunge, spiderman.

    Mosey to Bus Parking. Parking lot tracers to the end, 50 merkins, repeat the tracers back 50 squats.

    Mosey to the large island for indigenous walk. Pax works their way around the island on their hands while we alternate who runs around the island one at a time.

    Mosey to the flag for a two minute stretch. If you want to know the specifics, talk to Nancy.

    Numberama/Namerama, YHC took us out in prayer. Shout out to those that participated in Freed to Bleed. Well done gents and Ms. Prayers of thanks for the men of F3, for those that didn’t make it into the gloom that they find their way again, and that we can be better men and leaders for each other, our families, and our communities.

    YHC really appreciates the support of the men who came out to support his attempt to become a more consistent leader in his third Q. The goal to bring the same level of growth and participation that we have seen at SH to Timberwolf. Bring the clown cars fellas, and let’s have some fun, we are all freed to lead!

    -Vagabond

  • 13s

    Nine WARRIORS came out in what couldn’t be a more perfect morning to join YHC in just his second Q, including an evacuee from NOLA that has posted over 270 times this year in the deep south. Shout out to Hokie! After a few vets admitted to taking the day off due to college football kickoff, YHC thought it best to step back up and give another run to lead the PAX. After a few months in the gloom and feeling better about the process, we put on a team based beatdown honoring our brothers and sisters that gave the ultimate sacrifice to allow us to do the things we do.

    The THANG :

    COP – SSH, DQ, Arm Circles, Cherry Pickers, Standing stretch Right/Center/Left, LBC, Hello Dolly/Flutter Kicks, Sitting stretch R/L/C

    Mosey to top of the hill. Plan was to involve every brother in leadership. No brothers left behind. Pause at every corner giving each brother the chance to call out their favorite exercise. Along the way, option to do one burpee, or three squats at every mailbox on the right. 50 exercises at every corner – Copperhead Squats, Merkins, Chainsaw (this was Hokies attempt at making light of what was to come for him back home), Carolina DD, Money Humpers, 4 count Mountain Climbers. Run the trail back to parking lot and grab a coupon.

    13’s – In honor of the brave 13 brothers and sisters that lost their lives protecting our freedoms last week, we did a workout for them. Partner up. Runner halfway up the hill does 13 Merkins, 13 WW2s, 13 Box Cutters (soon audibled to FKs), while partner does curls first set, tri extensions second set, shoulder press third set. FINISH!

    COT – Prayers of gratitude for F3 brotherhood and what it means to each of us. Prayers for Hokie and safe travels home, with a speedy recovery of his property. Prayers for all of NOLA and everyone in the NE that have been impacted by Ida. Prayers for every one of us to provide leadership and inspiration to those in need.

    Thank you PAX for joining me for a much needed morning with my brothers in the gloom. I appreciate each and everyone of you.

    -Vagabond

  • A Virgin No More

    10 absolute BEASTS posted on a perfect 62 degree day at Satan’s Hill to enjoy a VQ beatdown. Nobody was sure what was to come, until it happened. The grizzled vets tried to knock the new QIC off his game by working off cadence to start…but to no avail. Cadence held strong, and that came back to bite them a little later. Here is how it all went down.

    Warm-ups:

    Helicopters, Don Quixote, Imp Walkers, Side Straddle Hops, Cherry Pickers, Left/Right/Center stretch, Flutter Kicks, and a Hello Dolly.

    Mosey up the hill to the first corner, pause, run to the first stop sign at the far corner – 20 Merkins, back to start 40 Dying Cockroaches, back again, 60 LBC’s. Mosey down the long stretch to the next corner, similar routine to next corner. 20 Monkey Humpers, 40 Carolina Dry Docks, 60 Squats. Run back to start. Lunge to the bottom of the hill and re-group. Alleluia to the top at 50%, 30 WW2s and back down. 75% effort 3/4 of the way up, 30 jump squats, 100% effort half way, 30 burpees. (Now this was supposed to be a progression down 30/20/10, however, after some purposeful off cadence movement to kick things off, and some belly aching during the run, I thought 30 each was in order.

    Recover, then mosey back down to the parking lot. Grab a coupon, triple check time. Curls, Tri extensions, runner (not sure if we have a name for these yet). Toes on the curb for 10 decline Merkins. We still had five minutes left, so we finished by toeing the line and Joe Judging back to the curb for three rounds. Each return was different. Bernie, Side Straddle hops, and finish with some High Knees.

    Circle up, Numberama, Namerama, and finish by thanking the Big man upstairs.

    Again, thanks to all the gentleman for coming out in numbers to support by first Q. You all put in some hard work today. I’m appreciative to all of you for welcoming me in, and to all the F3 brothers. Thanks for allowing me to join you in the pain each week. It’s been incredibly impactful for me, and has helped me start to get things back to a real positive place. Appreciate you all!

    -Vagabond