Category: Richmond, VA

  • Across from the Food Dog

    Davillians braved the pollen to get in some miles.

    Runners – Cool Spring Loop and Bojangles Loop for almost 4 miles

    Ruckers – Rutland Loop, to the tunnel and back to the parking lot

    Food Lion will hence be know as Food Dog via Corned Beef

    Announcements – Happy Hour next Thursday most likely at PBR

    SPIT ON THAT !!

  • What, No Masters Theme?

    Several PAX members noted that Hutton usually does a Masters themed workout ahead of Masters weekend and were surprised (perhapssad) that YHC was the on the Q sheet. With no Hutton in sight, the 7 PAX assembled headed out.

    First, mosey to the blacktop to warm up with SSHs, Ukranian Soldiers, Don Quixotes, Helicopters, LBCs and Merkins.

    Then, mosey to the front of Reveille UMC, with a stop for 3 burpees.

    Partner up for a Dora. P1 runs to the circular drop off in the front, Bernie Sanders around the loop and then run back. P2 does exercises. 50 flutter kicks, 100 squats, 150 LBCs.

    Mosey to the back parking lot of Reveille for a Triple Check. P1 runs the outer loop of the parking lot (no short cuts through the middle row). P2 does dips. P3 does WWIIs.

    Mosey back to the flag down Kingcrest Parkway. Along the way, do lunges along first median, bear crawl the second median and lunges on the third.

    With one minute left, the PAX completed a round of American Hammers before numberama and namerama.

    Announcements – Bodos and Oyster are in a pickleball tournament next Sunday. Several PAX members are running the Monument Ave 10K – come out to cheer.

    YHC took us out with a reflection on the power of prayer in our every day lives.

  • Seckora Airplane

    Seckora Airplane

    According to the White Rabbit that was running in the woods:

    One swing makes you larger, and one swing makes you small, And the ones that White Deer gives you, sometimes don’t do anything at all. Go ask White Deer, when he’s ten feet tall.

    And if you go chasing kettlebells, And you know you’re going to fall, Tell them a workout, filled with exercises, White Deer did call. Call White Deer, when he was just small (5′ 6″).

    When the participants get up and he tells you where to crawl, And you’ve just had some kind of weird twist exercise And Atilla’s ass is crying out for more.

    Go ask White Deer. I think he’ll know. When little logic and thinking to a set of canoe exercises he will call And the Whitesnake is assigned the write-up and the rest still want off with my head (from last week).

    Remember what the kettlebell said, Feed your head, feed your head.

    According to the text I got from White Deer, the song can be replaced with a warm up of SSH, DQ, Squats, Merkins, Freddies, Partner leg tosses (straight and then side to side). Then we went around the circle as a rotating pax kettlebell bear crawled while the others did presses, curls, halos, some silly twist, high pulls and 360s.

    Before the dumb canoes, we did another timer rotation where one person ran to a sign and back while the others rotated through snatches, mower pulls, swings, squats, sit&press, bench press, overhead pulls and curls.

  • Dora with a Twist

    8 SOJ brothers came out to Timberwolf on a perfect morning weather wise. Despite ridiculous amounts of pollen in the air, the PAX was ready for a nice little beatdown. Here is how it all went down:

    Mosey to the front parking lot for a warm up including SSH, Arm Circles (Forward & Reverse), Deadman Hang (C/R/L), Helicopters, Merkins and LBCs. Mosey to the picnic benches by the school for the first COP.

    COP 1: Dora with a Twist – 100 decline merkins, 200 dips, 300 ab circles (150 clockwise, 150 counterclockwise) Partner performing the exercises was the timer as partners split things up in sets of 25 or 50 to even out the repetitions performed. Partner 2 performed mountain climbers while waiting on the timer. This was surprisingly harder than we all expected! Mosey around parking lot to the hill for COP 2.

    COP 2: 11’s on the hill with HRMs and holding squat position with calf raises; Bernie up the hill, jog back down. Mosey to the bus parking lot for COP 3.

    COP 3: Started at bus parking spot #1 and ran to #10 to perform reps equivalent to the bus parking spot, returned to spot #1 and then continued back to #9 and so on until finishing at spot #1. At even numbers the exercise was Carolina dry docks and at odd numbers the exercise was ab in and outs. Mosey to the basketball courts for COP 4.

    COP 4: 2 PAX members per 1/2 court for a little around the world performing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 squat jump shots at each spot on the 3-point line. Mosey to the wall for a little thankful reflection.

    COP 5: Wall sit x 2 minutes while each PAX member went down the line and expressed what they were thankful for this morning. We have a lot to be thankful for and are very blessed for what we have!

    Back to the flag for numbers and names

    Announcements (Grow Ruck May 3-5: Plan to come out Friday evening and Saturday morning to attend the convergence style workouts even if you aren’t attending Grow Ruck; SOJ VQ Week April 22-26; SOJ 1st F/2nd F events rolling out – see slack; F3 RVA/Pediatric Cancer Awareness Convergence September 21 at Dogpile – see slack and let’s start getting some donations rolling in! F3 RVA by Team Bright Side (donately.com)

    Prayer Requests (Florence’s MIL with cancer scans today, Florence for positive outcomes from his police physical and moving forward with the job, Freud’s FIL whose company building was impacted by a chemical fire yesterday – Thankfully no one was injured, Taziki’s wife continues to heal and he is able to return to work Monday and be relieved of his nursing duties, Wildcat and wife expecting a baby any minute

    Grateful to lead this group this morning and appreciate all of the words of kindness and thanks! We truly are blessed and take life for granted sometimes. Hug your loved ones, reach out today and thank someone for who they are or what they do to impact you and stay blessed!

  • Migraines Make Musical Memories

    At 04:59 a distress signal from Chaplain suffering a Migraine got the DTH gears churning for how to bring the Forge PAX a decent beatdown. But YHC needed help having woken up feeling bone weary after a 72hr whirlwind of other beatdowns. Inspired by the presence of Handshake, YHC looked back in the Q-annals and chose the first Forge beatdown of 2024 to replicate. So, YHC handed off the Q to a very energetic January 2024 virtual DTH, put on some slammin beatdown beats, and we got to work!

    The THANG: 

    LOVE HILL WARMERAMA: 

    • Mosey to the bottom of Love Hill and circle up
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable IC Reps with a run half way up and down the hill between sets

    COP #1: 

    • BATTAN DEATH MARCH 
    • Line up at bottom of handicap ramp, Lunge walk length of ramp with last man doing x3 Burpees then running to front

    COP #2:

    • BAR BUDDY
    • Partner up and complete x3 Rounds of:
    • x10 Jerkins each
    • x10 Cliffhanger Mericans

    COP #3:

    • Mosey up to the school awning
    • Circle up in elbow plank to review the F3 Mission, Credo, and 5 Core Principles 
    • MUSICAL MARY – Complete a wide variety of core exercises to the beat of the music, including all 5 minutes of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

    COP #4:

    • Mosey around to the Amphitheater
    • BOX JUMP LINDSEY
    • Incline Mericans on the bottom step 30-25-20-15-10
    • Groiners at the top 10-15-20-25-30
    • Box Jump steps between
    • ABC’s for the SIX

    COP #5:

    • Begin to mosey BTTF
    • Stop for the ECHO CHAMBER
    • People’s Chair
    • Hoedowns IC
    • BTTW, Hip Slappers IC if you’ve got it
    • Milkers IC
    • Donkey Kick-Off’s (up to 20)

    Mosey BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 12
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • DTH took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:

    • Many thanks to January DTH for leading today. That level of beatdown would certainly not have happened without him taking the reins. YHC really needed the accountability after NTB’s smokefest ruck bootcamp at NoToll, yesterday mornings heavy-duty OTB ruck, and Meatball’s COP-fest at the Crossing last night. Also appreciate Handshake crossing the river, and TClaps to Snip posting twice in his first week! And now, YHC is going to go hibernate until Rockwood. Love you guys, DTH

    Prayer Requests

    • Chaplain – Migraine today
    • Handshake – niece Charlotte bone cancer 
    • Last Call – tough life at present, deep thx to PAX for the camaraderie and laughs
    • Bone Thugs – knee meniscus issues

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

  • Triple, Triple

    As nine determined (including 1 FNG) arrived, they were greeted by a parking lot blanketed with a thick layer of pollen. Undeterred by nature’s seasonal offering, we ventured on. Despite the occasional sneeze and the gritty sensation underfoot, their spirits remained high as they powered through turning the pollen-filled air into a symbol of their commitment to The Crossing.

    COP: Side Straddle Hops, Dead Man Hang, Plank to Merkins, WW2

    The Thang:

    By 2s; Indian Run Mosey to the far corner of the lot.

    COT #1: Dora – Merkins (100), Flutter Kicks (100), LBC (100)

    COT #2: Triple Check to even out the numbers. Side Straddle Hops, CopperHead Squats

    COT #3: Triple Check – Air Chair, Balls to the Wall

    COT #4: Triple Check – American Hammers, Heels to Heaven

    COT #5: Found a field for 2 Sets of 25 Yard WheelBarrow Walks

    Ring of Fire and finished with a final Mosey to the COT.

    Announcements: GROWRUCK coming up, Men’s Fellowship Event at The Crossing Location 4/12.

  • Welcome Trail Mix

    The usual Manndate crew arrived to find Trail Mix joining the fun. A lap around the parking lot then some COP.

    Thang

    Parking spot circuit – each PAX took a parking spot and an exercise with the 4th PAX the timer running a lap around parking lot. Multiple exercises: curls, squats, lawn mowers, demon crushers, WW2s, flutter kicks, etc.

    A little stretching at the end to close out. Numbers, names, Corned Beef took us out.

  • Other side of the world

    2nd Tuesday, 2nd F: Noon at Firehouse Subs in Innsbrook. Discussions about traveling and visiting India, real estate, meniscus surgery and other things I don’t remember. Next month, 2nd Tuesday, same place same time.

     

  • Ruck Games

    SIXTEEN southside studs assembled at NoToll to answer the NTB bell. YHC sent out a pre-blast that with GTE-47 on the horizon we would use our rucksacks as coupons for practice. Most got the memo, a few did not, and a handful of others were co-opted to grab their rucks out of their vehicles against their will. One brave FNG joined the F3 ranks and performed exceptionally well. Welcome SNIP!

    WARMARAMA – Circle up at the basketball court and drop the rucks for IC reps of the following:

    • SSH / DQs / Jazzercise (w/ toe taps) / Ukranian Soldiers / DMH / Alabama Prom Dates / etc.
    • Our warmup was enhancedby the repetitive, but very catchy, Epic Sax Guy groove on the bluetooth speaker. Snuff would not have approved. State Farm would have loved it. Most in the PAX were not amused…. anyways…. time to ruck up and line up along the baseline.

    COP 1 – 11s – Jump Squats and Merkins w/ Rucks

    • To most everyone’s delight the bluetooth speaker died in the early stages of our cross-court 11s and the smooth sax was replaced with the huffing and puffing of weighted movements.
    • Mosey to the soccer field pavilion and partner up!

    COP 2 – Mother Rucking Dora

    • 100 Lt. Dan’s / 200 Hand-Release Merkins / 300 Diamond Sit-Ups
    • Timer carries the ruck(s) farmer-style the width of the soccer field and back.
      • Mad respect to the PAX who carried two rucks that length for multiple rounds!
    • After the PAX made it through the 100 Lt. Dans, YHC recognized that the remaining rep counts were very ambitious when combined with the heavy coupon carry, so we modified to 100 HRMs and 100 diamond sit-ups, which left us just enough time for the finale.

    COP 3 – Ruck Games

    • Partners line up along the touchline (learned that from Ted Lasso) facing one another, making two rows of 8. Your teammate on the Dora just became your competitor in this epic showdown. Team NTB had five rucks while Team Last Call had six rucks, because leading has it privileges. Pile all of the rucks on one end of the line. On YHC’s “go”, we passed our rucks down the line to the other side. The last team to finish performed a five-merkin penalty for losing. YHC is happy to report that merkins were served out on either side of the line. 7 rounds were performed in this order:
      • Standard Pass
      • OH Press
      • Squat
      • Thruster
      • Plank Position – Left Arm Pull Through
      • Plank Position – Right Arm Pull Through
      • x2 Squats
    • Recover, rucks on, and mosey back to the flag for COT.

    Numbers / Names / Announcements / Prayer Requests

    • Growruck #47 – There is still time to sign up. You will add value to everyone’s experience by being there! See DTH or Rosie for questions regarding the event.
    • Pray for Wildcat and the birth of their new child today!
    • Pray for health and resilience among the PAX as we support our own as well as our families battling serious illness.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead today! I really enjoyed this workout and I look forward to similar creative themes in the future. Special shout-out to Last Call for crushing the 50lb ruck he unknowingly partnered with on the Dora.

  • The defining characteristics of an F3 workout are that it takes place outdoors, almost always at an unpleasantly early hour; that it is led by one of the participants (not a paid fitness instructor); and that it is physically challenging while being inclusive of all men who show up for the workout. 

    0430 BROGA- In Anglo-Saxon Baby Names the meaning of the name Broga is: Terror. Last Call, Bacon Bits, Kuboto, Lock Jaw, Señor Frog, EF Hutton, Honey Do. Last Call’s BROGA instructions would make lots of Yogi’s envious I’m sure..

    Well one or two maybe….

    0500- Eight Leaders worked on their pollen tolerances in an effort to better themselves in being leaders of men. 

    Starting in the parking lot we counted off with a task of remembering his or her number. 1- Burpee.

    Mosey around the church paying respect to each speed bump.

    COP Introductions & warm up in front of church. Each man that remembered his number was given the opportunity to lead a warm up exercise. 

    Mosey around church, paying attention to speed bumps, to back parking lot for some four corner fun & instruction in leadership. 

    Each man with a number was given the opportunity to lead the PAX in an evolution around the four corners with an exercise of his choosing. 

    Mosey around the church for 5- burpees at front of church. 

    Mosey to parking lot for some would be marry APD’s.

    Prayer Request- Ronnie’s long time friend (Robert McCormick) age 32 from Baltimore Maryland left to meet our God around the time of the bridge collapse. 

    Let’s keep Robert in our thoughts and prayers. He sounded like a very remarkable man. 

    No announcements at this time. 

    Señor Frog took us out in a group acknowledgment of thankfulness. 

    Hutton seemed very thankful this morning….