Category: Richmond, VA

  • Go to your corner!! #SupportTheBlue

    3rd F (Faith)

    • TAP to PAX brother HighTower and his family.. HighTower was shot and killed while on duty this week. #SupportTheBlue
    • BoBerry on Q for the RVA bible study on 10/13 at 8 PM.. See Slack 3rd F chan for meeting location
    • Thank you Attila for taking us out this morning

    2nd F (Fellowship)

    • There is a 100 mile relay race coming up on the weekend of the 24th. See Slack 1st F chan for more details.
    • Shoe drive still moving forward. SOJ crew has made it a personal mission to collect more than all other locations combined
      • HoneyDo is collecting for WestSide
      • DTH is collecting in SOJ
      • Spit has the Da-Ville PAX

    1st F (Fitness)
    Disclaimer given stealing the words of Attila .. Check yourself before you wreck yourself and you cant sue any of us if you do wreck yourself.

    Quick warm up with Side Straddle Hops (Jumping Jacks), Low slow Squats in Cadence, and Michael Phillips OYO

    The Thag: Four Corners

    Each round consists of 10 reps of each exercise and two rounds full rounds
    Round one: Legs
    Goblet squats: hold Kettlebell (KB) as if drinking from a Goblet and do full Squat
    Calf raise: hold KB in both hands down in front and do standard calf raises
    Romanian Leg lifts: KB in one hand leaning forward at the hip as your opposite leg kicks up straight behind you. (10 each side)
    Lunges: Holding KB at the chest perform standard front lunges

    Round 2: core
    American hammer: sitting down on the ground feet off the ground. Move the weight back and forth in from of you from one hip to the other to complete 1 rep
    Flutter press: laying flat on the ground perform standard flutter but do a chest press with your KB as the counter.
    Good morning: Feet shoulder width apart. KBin both hands hanging directly in front of you. Bend over at the hips until KB touches the ground then stand straight back up.
    Tea pots: Hold KB in one hand to your side. Other hand on your head. Bend over sideways at the hip driving your elbow for the side touching your head to point toward the ground. then return to standing position. (10 each side)

    Round 3: Upper body
    Overhead press: KB in both hands and push straight above your head until arms are fully extended above you. then return to KB in front of your face.
    Front raise: Using light KB or block holding weight in both hands straight arms lift. From waist level keeping arms straight raise up to shoulder level and return to waist
    Tricep extension: KB over head at full arm extension. Bind at the elbows and take KB back behind your head then return to straight up.
    Merkin: just a plain ole’ Pushup

    Round 4: Back and biceps
    Lawn mower: Left leg out in front bent at the knee 90* KB beside left foot. one hand pull the KB up toward body keeping your arm tight against your body. Return KB to the ground. (10 each side)
    Up tight row: feet shoulder width apart. holding KB with two hands hanging directly in front of you. Left KB up to chin level raising elbows to shoulder level at same time. return to neutral position.
    Bent over rows: Bent over at the hips. Back flat. Holding KB in two hands lift KB off the ground to chest and return to neutral.
    Curls: Two handed standard bicep curls

    Round 5: Mix
    Goblet Squats
    Flutter Press
    Curls
    Upright row

    Burn out time:
    7s KB style: DO NOT PUT KB DOWN UNTIL COMPLETED
    7 Upright rows, 7 deep squats
    6 Upright rows, 6 deep squats
    5 Upright rows, 5 deep squats
    4 Upright rows, 4 deep squats
    3 Upright rows, 3 deep squats
    2 Upright rows, 2 deep squats
    1 Upright rows, 1 deep squats

    Swings: 1 min of swings 30 secs of rest. (3 times)

    4 mins of stretching

    And DONE!!!

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead this morning. I always enjoying getting a good 0.0 KB workout in during a heavy run week.

    NMS: If you have read this far then take the next 30 secs to reach out with a text to a pax member you have not seen in a while. I hear rumors of guys that have not posted in a while.. send them a message and tell them you are thinking of them this morning.
    Remember why you started in F3.. and also remember what the mission is.. try not to hide behind the way things have always been just because someone said so. This a men’s fellowship organization that helps promote leadership. So WE should challenge all men of F3 every day in everything they do, to lead and not just blindly follow because someone said so or “because we have always done it this way”.
    Guess what.. Change happens and its not always a bad thing. Those that try to prevent change are not leading.. they are placing a cap on the growth of men that may want to step and learn how to lead in a safe Fellowship environment. Allowing the pax to be mentored along the way by those that have come before them from that mythical place called “Always” that is referred to in the “because we have Always done it this way”
    #FreeToLead #BeADisrupter

    v/r

    John (Gypsy) Boles

  • Talladega Glooms

    Warmarama :

    10 F3 count SSH

    10 F3 count Don Quixote’s

    10 F3 count Imperial Walkers

    10 F3 count Cherry Pickers

    The Thang : 

    Mosey to track

    All PAX together as one group perform Shake n Bake aka Indian Run aka Indigenous Run around track for as many laps as possible (at the end of each lap, perform an exercise)

    Lap 1 exercise :  100 merkins

    Lap 2 exercise : 100 squats 

    Lap 3 exercise : 100 WWII’s

    Lap 4 exercise :  50 Merkins

    Lap 5 exercise :  50 four count Mountain Climbers 

    Lap 6 exercise :  50 four count plank jacks 

    Lap 7 exercise : 25 Merkins

    DONE

    I had planned on 2 more rounds of the following but time expired :

    Lap 8 exercise : 25 jump squats 

    Lap 9 exercise : 25 F3 count flutters

    COT :

    All PAX are doing well and glad to join their brothers in the gloom 

    Prayer :

    Herme

    Pledge of Allegiance

  • Hot for teacher, now go ahead and JUMP!

    A Pax of 5 made it out on a beautiful cool morning to hoist some iron and try to graduate.

    The Thang

    COP: SSH, DQ, arm circles, Imperial walkers, LBC’s. Mosey to bus loop for Billy Madison. Start out with 1 exercise (1st grade), 12 reps, run the loop, repeat first exercise, add 2nd exercise for 2nd grade, run loop, repeat until you have added 12 exercises and graduate MANNdate school! Exercises were: lawnmowers, halos, demon crushers, curls, Helix squats, tricep extensions, situp press, lunges, cleans, flutterkick press, side lunges, and American Hammers.

    Mosey to SF, numberama, namerama, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    YHC found this idea on the F3 website, thought it was a nice variation for a ladder workout. Trout and Bulkhead led the group by getting through 8th grade, but not quite starting high school, while the rest of us were stuck in middle school. YHC had Van Halen playing in the background to honor the passing of Eddie Van Halen, one of the best guitarists of the 80’s and 90’s. There were a lot of Adam Sandler movie references this morning, along with 1 Deniro movie, still not sure how that came up. Trout provided the 4th F to motivate the Pax to finish their reps and run.

    Announcement: Spit is collecting shoes to contribute toward Gypsy’s charity drive, so if you have any extra shoes (not sure if it’s just kids, or adults and kids, check the pre-blast for details).

    As usual, I have No Idea what I’m doing….

  • Kill the Lights

    A lucky 7 emerged from the gloom for WDog on a beautiful fall morning. With no-one on the Q sheet, Swirly took the proverbial bull and kicked off our hot potato.

    Swirly COP: A bunch of stretching stuff, then a bunch of ab exercises and some merkins.

    Oyster on the Field: Oyster kicked us off with a Washington Football Team Run around the perimeter of the field. Next, four corners: Merkins x20, Jump Squats x20, Burpees x10, WW2s x20.

    Shiplap with the Coupons: At the stage, Shiplap led us in a series of exercises with coupons, including bench press, overhead press, curls, merkins, and some other stuff YHC can’t remember. But it was difficult.

    Bodos at the Cage: Triple Check. P1: Burp-ups, P2: Body Pulls, P3: Run to hydrant and back. Mosey back to the flag, end with LBCsx25 and American Hammers x25.

    Numberama, Namerama, Corned Beef took us out.

    NMS: Hot potatoes are always fun to see what everyone comes up with. Nice balance of exercises this morning. The flood lights were so bright on the back of the Amphitheater that none of us could see as we ran from the cage to the fire hydrant. We were all so blinded that Shakedown hit a boulder and Swirly ran so tentatively it almost looked like he had just drunk a 6-pack of Whiteclaw. We thought about shooting the lights out but no one had any ammunition.

  • Gumbo’s Back on the Menu with two Tributes as side dishes

    Twenty men and 1 faithful companion total out at SOT this morning. 15 started their day with a warm bowl of fermented Gumbo. 5 took to the roads around SOT to continue race training. Well done all!

    For the Bootcamper 15, it went something like this:

    COT – Mosey down to the field and spot the PoPo parked in the lot down there when he/she shined the spotlight on the PAX and then left the scene. At the field, Van Halen tunes were started and COT went as follows:

    • SSHs IC x10
    • Imperial Walkers IC x10
    • Don Qs SLOW IC x10
    • Helicopters IC x10
    • Merkins IC x10
    • LBCs IC x20
    • Freddie Mercuries IC x10

    SHOWTIME

    Tribute to Van Halen with a JUMP-starter. Plank position, perform the up movement of the burpee with a jump every time you hear the word “Jump” then back down into plank. No biggie, just a 4-minute plank with about 30 “jumps”. That will get the blood flowing and wake the muscles up. May see that again on the circuit.

    S-T-A-C-H-E Time. Line up on the field end line for the following:

    • S – SSHs x84 OYO, run length of the field and back, Al Gore for SIX;
    • T – “Taps” Alternating Shoulder Taps IC x42, run, plank for SIX;
    • A – APDs IC x42, run, Al Gore;
    • C – Carolina Dry Docks x84 OYO, run, plank;
    • H – “Humpers” Monkey Humpers x84 OYO, run, Al Gore;
    • E – Eighty Four Seconds of PLANK (feel the burn);

    Mosey 1 lap around the track with the tunes in tow to shake out the muscles

    Triple Check Time at the bathroom building. 1 team member runs up the hill and back; 1 does Chicken-peckers, 1 does WWIIs. Three rotations, you know the drill.

    Lunges in place for the SIX.

    BTTF and plank for SIX and for the bell.

    COT, Numbers, Names, Announcements and YHC took us out

    Announcements:

    • DTH says shirts should be delivered in the next week or two.
    • Shoe collection. SOJ is ahead now – let’s keep it that way! Men’s shoes and kids shoes. All kinds welcome. Bring them out to AOs throughout the month.
    • Boberry has the Q for third F on Zoom – Tuesday at 7pm

    NMS:

    Great to get back in the Q saddle. And, amazing to have such a great PAX there this morning. The “84” reps in the STACHE workout was a tribute to YHC’s mom, who would have been 84 today!

    Oh, and did I mention that the STACHE BROS won the cornhole tournament on Saturday. Ok, I promise, last time I’ll bring that up…today.

    Strong work by all. Beautiful morning for it. Keep getting stronger men. Keep working hard. Be the best you can be all day, every day.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Burning the Clock

    A lucky 7 beefcakes arose earlier than most to get their sweat on before the sun could peak above the trees. Perfect weather for an autumn smoker. As typical YHC promised a minimal running Q, this is it is rumored to have occurred.

    5 am struck, lets mosey to Henrico’s darkest park. Warmorama included SSH’s, DQ’s, Helis, Arm Circles, Gumbo Style Freddie Mercuries and a Pax favorite – Scorpion Kicks. Warm, lets get started

    Mosey to parking lot for a bit of 4 corners SOJ style (prostitute). 10 Lt. Dans (switched to lunges after round 2), 20 Bone Rubs, 30 Dancing Bears, 40 WWII’s.

    Mosey to front of church stopping for a burpee check at each speed bump. A perfect number of Coupons were found for a TABATA workout. Circle up at your favorite cinderblock with everyone leading 4 sets of 20 second exercises AMRAP with a 10 second rest. Coupon included exercises were overhead dips, squats, curls for the girls, around the world, coupon run, chest press and the very popular American hammers.

    Just enough time left to coupon carry BTTF to deposit coupon on the pile for future use.

    Numberama, Namerama, Announcements – YHC took us out.

    Announcements – Shoe Drive continues. Seems to be a bit of competition between Nanoregions. See your local rep to collect lightly used footwear. Prayers for Hightower, F3 brother from South Carolina that was seriously injured in the line of duty.

    I may have missed other announcements so please see comments below.

    Moleskin: YHC was hoping to get a 4 corner and Tabata workout in but the parking lot was a bit larger than planned. This led to the audible to lunges and elimination of decreased corners after WWII’s.

    Tabata workout was a 1st for YHC but PAX came up with some great exercises and mumble chatter was excellent. Music is certainly recommended in the future. Thank you for indulging me in this effort. Luckily the coupons worked out perfectly.

    Appreciate the regulars coming out and encouraging YHC out of the fartsac on a weekly basis as today was a glorious morning. Great chatter during and afterward, really shows why this is such a great group.

  • Gangnam Style^^

    9 men gathered a bit earlier and started talking about the Upchuck’s legendary corn hole play during the 2nd annual F3 gathering. Mosey to the basket ball court and started the COP with music playing as follows: DMH X10, Helicopter X10, DQ X10, SSH X 50, Copperhead squat X 10, Merkins X10, LBC X20, American Hammers X 20, Reverse Crunch X 20, Scorpion Kicks X5 OYO, not YOY. (Upchuck corrected YHC gently that it is OYO and reminded YHC that the music is somewhat loud.)

    Exercise #1: Dora. Partner up for 100 Merkins, 200 LBCs, 300 squats with the timer running to the other side of the court and back. Due to the popular demand, YHC played the “Gangnam Style” while moseying to the parking lot.

    Exercise #2: 11. One side of the parking lot starting to do 1 merkin walk and bear crawl to the other side of the parking lot and do 10 WWII and then 2 merkin walks and 9 WWII.

    Exercise #3: Another Dora. Partner up for 50 Burpees, 100 flutter kicks, 150 SSHs with the timer running around the inner circle in the parking lot.

    Announcements: collecting shoes for Homeward organization.

    I just wanted to have fun with you guys by playing some music while exercising. Hope this did not disrupt your workout too much.

    Thanks Hitchhiker!

  • Mash up: Double the Knee Replacement, Tabata, and Classic Rock

    The inky shadows of NoToll and a very friendly (and smelly) un-neutered lab/pit stray welcomed 19 warriors and completely disrupted Cooper’s mojo. The Defender of the Pax was entirely bothered by this musky intruder and made sure we all knew it. Anyhoo – YHC brought some novel ideas to share, and here’s how it went down:

    The THANG:

    COP #1:

    • Short mosey to the BBall Court & Circle Up
    • Welcome & F3 Disclaimer
    • EYE OF THE TIGER WARMERAMA:
    • Invisible Jumprope
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Squats
    • Russian Soldiers
    • Hand-release Mericans
    • Boxing Cockroaches
    • Crab Cakes
    • Freddie Mercurys
    • Rosalitas

    COP #2:

    • Mosey to the Pavilion
    • TABATA LAPS:
    • 30s Exercise, 30s Lap Pavilion
    • x9 Rounds rotating through:
    • Merkins
    • Monkey Humpers
    • Lt Dans

    COP #3:

    • Mosey to the Parking Lot
    • Blast some Classic Rock
    • Partner up for CORA:
    • x100 WWII’s
    • x200 Pole Smokers
    • x300 Flutters (hands up, 2-ct)
    • Moving partner runs the x10 cone loop, stopping to complete Broad Jump Burpee at each cone

    Mosey BTTF for Mary Finale:

    • Ring of Fire
    • Variable Mary to the beat of the Classic Rock mix

    COT:

    • Counterama # 19
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Comments)
    • YHC took us out in Prayer

    NMS:

    • Doublemint was first on the scene and had already called in Animal Control by the time YHC arrived – but they wouldn’t be showing up for a while so Mr Stink joined the SOJ PAX and Cooper for a beatdown heavy on the beats and entirely lacking the cadence calling (first time for YHC). Poor buddy Cooper kept running around his boys, growling his displeasure, and making sure the newcomer didn’t steal any pets. Wilson may have been the only other one just as bothered, but everyone was keeping on their toes with not one, but TWO, knee breakers getting under foot. The Rocky themed warmerama, while inspiring, felt too short. The Tabata version of a triple check had to modify from Dips/Derkins/Dans because there were no benches in the pavilion. And the Cone Dora was improved by the PAX mishearing YHC suggesting burpees at every other cone, and a broad jump between – which became a supermanly broad jump burpee at every cone. Solid work gents! YHC was really feeling the classic rock during all those Pole Smokers – gonna bring the tunes out more often. And no Hardywood, I will not be playing your foul death metal.  SOJ had strong representation for the shoe donation today – is it a competition between Nano-Regions? If so, we’re winning…as usual. #SOJ4Life At the end of the morning, YHC had Mr Stink and Cooper in the car leaving the lot to head home because Animal Control hadn’t showed – then they pulled in and we did a quick offloading of the pup – hopefully he’ll find his home. Thanks for letting me lead today fellas, for humoring my Q-style, and for being the best dang PAX around. SYITG!

  • A potato not shared

    A lucky 13 came out to see who HP was on the Q sheet. Handshake took us off to start as we did:

    COP: Don Qs, Dead man hangs, Helicopters, HRMs, incorrectly done Scorpion Kicks. Over to straight-away on side of school: 10 sets of sprints length of the lot. Up to the PES lot for a Triple check of: WWIIS, Donkey Kicks, run the side lot. Q was finally passed at 5:57 to YHC.

    Down to back of QMS for 3 sets of 20 PLTs, then down to the Jerkin Gym for 4 sets of 8 Jerkins. Last second pass to Greenbow who took us to Heartbreak hill for a few rounds up: Bear Crawl, Crab Walk, then Bunny hop up. Back to flag. Atilla took us out.

    Annoucements: PAX is doing well collecting shoes for this October shoe-drive challenge. After this morning likely over 15 pairs or more. See Slack for more details. Tomorrow is soft launch of running focused boot camp at Pocahontas MS. 3+ miles and boot camp in 45 minutes. Also see Malpractice’s post on Slack about Crossover Ministry.

    NMS: Handshake had requested a Hot Potato Q last night with the Q sheet open. Having called for it he took us from the COP on until almost 6:00. The series of 10 sprints at the start were awful. He then called up a Triple check which ate up more time. Finally the Q was passed and YHC wanted to get some Jerkin Gym time in. Apparently Handshake is generous with his bourbon but not a Q.

    Greenbow stepped up by taking us straight to the hill and making sure our gloves & hands were properly soaked before the COT. Great to have 13 out this morning as HBR continues to grow. Will the Coupons from the IPC sit dormant for the rest of October? Will a Q break those out again soon?

  • Reverse Saabski?

    A lucky eleven showed for a cool early morning run.

    Route:

    From Commons, take the Eco-Corridor (aka Batcave) to RR Shopping Center, the Westham Station along the canal, up Ridge Rd. to River.

    Dog-leg left to Gaymont. Take to the end until it intersects with University.

    4 Milers: Take right on University, cross Ridge to Westham Pkwy. Left on Pkwy then right on Lakewood. Lakewood down to College (near lake). Run up to Robins Center parking lot then down to lake. Cross bridge then counterclockwise to Commons

    5 and 6 Milers: Left on University to end, quick right then left back onto University which turns into Ziontown.

    5 Milers: Take right on Holmes avenue to Ridge. Cross Ridge to Sunset. Sunset to Westham Parkway. Go straight (right) to University. Take University to College (near lake). Up to Robins center then down to lake (see 4-miler finish)

    6 Milers: Ziontown to Ridge, then cutover near shopping center to Forest. Forest to Lindsay. Lindsay to Westham Pkwy. Head north to Waveny. Waveny to Wood. Wood to Lakewood. (see 4-miler for finish)

    NMS:

    Thanks to Lockjaw for taking us out, and thanks to his new puppy for waking him up in the first place and getting him out to a spider run.

    Great to run with Sippy, it has been too long.

    Saab Abides