Tag: 3rdF

3rd F meetups are service and faith related where faith is believing the world is bigger than just yourself

  • Annual RVA Shoe Drive

    F3: Our mission is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership.

    Fall is upon us and the cold months of Winter will be setting in before you know it. For many, life is comfortable, warm, and stable, the choices we have made along the road have led us to right here where we are being called upon to lead in a world that desperately needs leaders to step up and take action in the community.

    Officially Starting November 12th and ending December 30th, the men of F3 RVA are being called upon to help those men of Richmond that are in need of a small gesture of help. Over the 7 weeks, the challenge is to collect 62 pairs of new or gently used shoes or boots that will be donated to various organizations we have partered with including Shood, The Healing Place, Habitat For Humanity, and others.. For every pair collected, YHC will buy a corresponding set of new socks to go with them.

    Track shoes, Sport cleat, and Running shoes that have 85 to 100% life left are in a huge demand for this drive. If your 2.0s have out grown or you bought a pair of running shoes the just didn’t fit right, them please send them.

    Point of Contacts (POC)s have been spread out around the region with YHC tasked with collecting from the POCs.
    SOJ: (South of the James) POC: Dr.Try Hard
    West End POC: YHC
    Da-Ville: POC: Cornbeef

    Center City: POC: Mr. ROGERS


    These #HIM will collect your donations at the weekly Saturday AOs.

    Let’s make a mountain of shoes and socks men. I know you have pairs in the back of the closet just collecting dust and your 2.0s have outgrown a few pairs as well.

    SYITG!!!
    v/r
    John (Gypsy) Boles

  • Annual Birthday Breaking Bread

    For the last few years, YHC has decided to give back during his birthday week (46th birthday was on the 22nd, btw!) This year, 8 fine people were served Minced Pork BBQ sandwiches, cole slaw, hot mac-n-cheese, pototoe salad, cupcakes and tea. All were most appreciative. One resident asked for seconds but was shutdown by the lady in charge because of his blood sugar levels! He wasn’t too happy.

    This is one one my family’s favorite things to do and one of F3RVA’s most important.

    BE THE LIGHT!!

    Tomorrow, EF Hutton has the honors. F3RVA is filling them up this weekend.

    Sign up! There are plenty of spots left in 2023.

    SYITG!

    Kubota

  • 16 Record-setting Sons of the King

    Setting a record on “The Mountain” a hearty 16 gloom warriors from all over the Carolinas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Virginia climbed aboard Day 2 of the DTH pain train. A handful of yesterday’s FNG’s solidified their membership and the PAX also welcomed two fresh FNG’s for a taste of F3 glory. Here’s how these awesome brothers in Christ claimed victory for the day:

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • PAX circled up
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom – introduce a few new exercises, including the proverbial and DTH-beloved 8-counts

    COP #1:

    • Longish Mosey down to the “toll bridge”
    • x20 Dips IC
    • x20 Incline Mericans OYO

    COP #2:

    • Bernie Sanders up the long steep serpentine driveway – FEEL THE BERN!
    • Circle up for x40 Flutters IC
    • Mosey halfway down the hill

    COP #3:

    • BOOYAH LADDER
    • Partner up to complete x10 Booyah Mericans, then Bernie back to the top, then x9 Booyah Mericans, mosey back down, x8 Booyahs, Bernie back up, etc etc down to 1
    • Wait for the Six with a few IC reps

    COP #4:

    • Longish mosey back down the hill and back around toward our starting point
    • Stop for some WALL WORK
    • x10 Hoesdown’s IC
    • x10 Dirty-Hookups (Left hand first)
    • x10 Dirty-Hookups (Right first)
    • Donkey Kick-offs up to 15

    COP #5: 

    • Mosey around to the long steep grassy hill leading up to the field
    • FIFTIES with a run up/down the hill between sets
    • x50 Monkey Humpers
    • x50 LBC’s
    • x50 Groiners
    • x50 Flutters

    Circle up for COT:

    • Counterama # 16
    • Namerama
    • MOUTHPIECE took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  It was great to set the new record on The Mountain with 16 awesome brothers. TClaps to our repeat FNG offenders from yesterday’s beatdown – hope ya’ll can find an AO near your home towns to keep the momentum going! Also great to host so many veteran PAX from a ton of different regions all over the Southeastern US. There were many an appreciative comment in the level of pain train challenges served. What an AWESOME privilege to enjoy F3 brotherhood among men who also share a deep and transparent affection for Jesus. Thank you Mouthpiece for leading us out in that powerful prayer. Look forward to building even greater numbers at the retreat next year!!! Yours, DTH

  • Mountain Men LOVE Burpees

    The Carolina mountain gloom welcome 14 warriors, including 8 FNG’s, for a ride on the DTH pain train. These men of God kicked off their mountain retreat with the following hearty ground&pound at “The Mountain” AO (Windy Gap YoungLife camp near Weaverville, NC):

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • 0600, Circle up next to the sand volleyball courts
    • F3 Welcome & Disclaimer
    • EXTENDED Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom

    COP #1:

    • Mosey to the driveway loop
    • LIGHT-POLE ALLEY
    • x10 Burpees, bear crawl to next light
    • x9 Burpees, lunge to next light
    • x8 Burpees, crabwalk to next light
    • x7 Burpees, broad jump to next light
    • x6 Burpees, inchworm to next light
    • FRONT runners circling back for the SIX at each interval, and reviewed the Credo and x5 Core Principles holding elbow plank

    COP #2:

    • Mosey to the steep grassy hill on the backside of the lake
    • Partner up for a DORA
    • x100 Mericans
    • x200 Squats
    • x300 LBC’s
    • Moving partner bear crawls up the hill, then crawlbears back down to switch

    Mosey BTTF:

    • En route, stop for the following:
    • x5 Burpees
    • x10 Feet Uphill WWII’s IC
    • x4 Burpees
    • x10 SSH’s
    • x3 Burpees
    • x2 Burpees
    • x1 Burpee

    COT:

    • Counterama # 14
    • Namerama (naming EIGHT FNG’s!)
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  This is YHC’s third time to The Mountain for the annual Windy Gap men’s retreat, and we’ve had F3 workouts each year. This year YHC thought ahead to make and put up a few fliers on the mess hall and meeting hall doors, and we definitely had some new takers today! Turned out to be a little more of a tough grind than YHC had anticipated leading, but the men stuck with it and crushed the beatdown with a whole lot of grit and very little chatter. The quiet moments weren’t left vacant however, as YHC filled the many FNG’s in with all the essential F3 truths. Today the PAX chose to embrace something truly challenging and revitalizing, and YHC prays it has lifted up their spirits to receive new revelation and respite in the presence of Jesus and brothers bearing His name. We’ll just have to wait and see how many repeat offenders tomorrow brings. All for Jesus, DTH

  • Fish Tales

    6 men of purpose united for an evening of suds and buds. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the 17-year old evaluating the PAX’s driving skills, the following might have happened:

    The PAX assembled with 2 F’s in mind:

    2nd F: Beers with your buds;

    3rd F: The ante for attendance was bringing food for Feed More. Roughly 100 cans or can-equivalents raised, at least according to Handshake’s amortization curve, which itself is experiencing negative convexity.

  • Mr. Rogers, we really should coordinate next time

    With the menu all planned out and all the ingredients bought for dinner for our friends at the Daily Planet on Sunday night, I was ready to cook up the meal for 10: Baked Spaghetti, caesar salad, bread, and cookies for dessert. Then I happened to see Mr Roger’s backblast from what he brought the night before: Baked Spaghetti, caesar salad, bread, and cookies for dessert. I guess great minds think alike?

    Anyway, Oyster said it was no big deal, so one of my 2.0s and I brought the meal and it was joyfully welcomed despite the repetitive menu. If they were sick of baked spaghetti, they didn’t let on.

    This is a great way we can quietly serve, and a great way to include your 2.0s. Thanks Oyster for coordinating and Upchuck for leading it all those years.

  • A Bridge Extended

    A dozen men posted for the Saturday beatdown and fellowship at the Bridge Ministries in Cumberland county. YHC has never experienced quite a large group at this AO, and to say it was uplifting is an understatement. Men with varying backgrounds, stories of adversity, redemption and hardship, coming together with one common purpose….

    Saab took the Q today while TYA provided his usual commentary, which reminded the PAX what F3 is really about.

    Saab abides

  • Crushing it at The Crucible

    Whelp, I am not that good at posting backblasts in a timely manner. Please forgive me…

    It was a lovely morning in Blackwell for the four gloom warriors to take the field. We started with a COP, as usual. It consisted of the regular stuff that I do – you know, SSHs, DQs, Ukrainian Soldiers, merkins, and the like.

    Offshore had some coupons – a 40lb kettle bell and a 30 pound ruck plate so YHC decided to use those because it’s not really working unless it hurts a little bit. YHC is going to start bringing a couple of KBs on the regular.

    We partnered up and one partner did an exercise with the coupons while the other ran across the playground to the tree and back. Exercises were Russian kettlebell swings (the Russian swings are where the KB is straight out in front of the swinger, the American is when you swing it overhead – in case you were wondering), overhead press, and goblet squats – good times

    Then we went to the brutal and steep but mercifully not huge. We did 11’s featuring Carolina Dry Docks and jump squats.

    Next we moseyed across the street to the sports fields and went all the way to the end where we did some burpees, WW2s. and something else I cannot remember. Mosey back to the flag for numberama, namerama, and COT.

    Keep Caleb in your thoughts and prayers – he is struggling.

    So – I marked this post 3rd F for a couple of reasons. This AO has a couple of purposes and you may know – one is to attract men from The Healing Place and the other is to expand into neighborhoods underserved by F3RVA. This is something that we all (or most) agreed would be an important thing to do during our Pandemic Zoom town hall thing. It is so late because we are working with the schedules of the men in THP. We have a couple of ex THP Pax who have dug right in to F3RVA and I am grateful that they are now reaping the benefits of what we as a group have to offer.

    The second reason is that The Crucible has been added as a 3rd F AO for the Summer Tour. YHC plans to do the tour and hope some of you other touring Pax come by.

    Yours in service and brotherhood,

    Shakedown

  • Thank You, Big Data.

    10 sleek chargers bounded out of the Fart Sack to the latest edition of First Watch. Conditions held steady at 70 and sunny. According to the sports car driver slinking his car through the Pax, the following might have happened:

    04:28 YHC arrived to secure the AO.

    04:30 Broga start time (Lockjaw had the Q)

    04:55 Broga end time

    05:00 Mosey around the River Road Church, Baptist (RRCB) Auxiliary Parking lot.

    Circle up for the COP.

    100 SSHs (x10 men = 1,000 SSHs)

    Reach for the sky

    Shoulder rolls

    WWIIs

    Plank up, drop to 6 inches, and hoooollllld it.

    Jazzercise

    Imperial walkers

    Scorpion Kicks

    Flutter kicks with hands over head

    Slow mosey, then super, super slow mosey, then “I want to run by myself” slow. Like, so slow, several PAX walked past YHC.

    Stop at Kubota’s truck. Pick a partner. One partner picks up a block.

    05:15 Senor Frog coughs.

    05:16 Senor Frog still coughing.

    Mosey to the end of the parking lot. 5 overhead presses with the block. Partner performs squats. Swap the block. Mosey to the triangle / stop sign. Repeato 5 overhead presses or squats.

    Triangle Loop:

    (Note: YHC called directions for an exercise that made complete sense in YHC’s head. It made less sense to the PAX.)

    Partner 1: Carry the block counter-clockwise around the Triangle. At each corner of the Triangle, do 5 reps with the block.

    Partner 2: Run the Triangle clock-wise. When meeting Partner 1, swap the block, and do 5 reps of the exercise. The block continues going counter-clockwise with 5 reps at each corner of the Triangle.

    Round 1: Overhead presses

    Round 2: bench press

    Modification: During Round 1, it became clear quickly that running on River with the blocks was a poor leadership suggestion. On their own, the PAX modified to run on the grass. Smart PAX. Good suggestion. A smart Q listens to the PAX, discards his ego, learns on his feet, and adapts. (Lesson: learning is critical to leadership.)

    Mosey to Culpeper and Cameron. 

    Hill Work:

    Pax 1: Carry block to top of hill on Culpeper and return to the bottom.

    Pax 2: Bernie Sanders to top of hill on Cameron and return to the bottom.

    Swap and repeato.

    One Fast Guy Runs Alone:

    Split into 3 groups:

    Group 1: one super-fast guy. He runs the neighborhood solo. Thank you, Flo!

    Group 2: people with a block carry it up the hill on Culpeper.

    Group 3: people without a block bear crawl up Culpeper.

    When the runner meets the group, circle up. 

    People with blocks form single-file line. Slow mosey back to Cameron, then up the hill to Ridge. While block group runs single-file, remaining PAX runs in a circle around the PAX, Heartbreak Ridge-style. (Some PAX tried to give up by slowing down, attempting to anticipate the Q calling for a swap. The Q softly whispered, “Don’t give the prick the satisfaction.”)

    At Ridge and Cameron, circle up. YHC joking called for AYG to the traffic light, then backed off. But, the PAX insisted. AYG it is! 

    BTTVSF:

    American hammers
    Hello Dolly
    Rosalitas
    Reverse crunches
    Ball dipper (1, and only 1)

    Announcements: 

    Convergence on Memorial Day at Tredegar. YHC believes 7 a.m., but let’s get the Convergence Q to check on that. 

    Breaking Bread – sign up!

    Summer Tour. Check Slack for the routes / requirements. HoneyDo posted them today. As F3RVA’s resident concert touring expert, Shakedown, once noted, few attend every concert on a tour. “You don’t have to complete the Tour to have been on Tour.” Go out there and hit the road!

    (Suggestion: Before showing up to Q at an AO, take a few minutes to scout the place.)

    NMS:

    And, just like that, Big Data has YHC checked in for 1,000 posts. Boom. Hard to believe YHC has been at this for 7+ years since HoneyDo dragged YHC to WDog, where Bleeder dragged YHC back and forth on the tennis courts. Someone asked today how many total workouts YHC has as Big Data did not start until 2017. YHC guesses somewhere around 1,100. Whatever the number, it’s been fun, and YHC appreciates being a part of this place.

    Many thanks to the men who act as leaders everyday for F3RVA. YHC read the list of names ahead of him on the 1K Club, and it is a Who’s Who of role models. No prima donnas at the top, just men setting a solid example for others to follow, both at workouts and in life. It occurred to YHC that not one of those guys is afraid to listen, take suggestions, explore ideas, and improve. Learning is the essence of being a good leader. Today’s workout had a series of exercises to thank them. Most are a staple of their Q’s or personalities. See if you can figure out who is referenced and where.

    One Big Data Thank You…the 1K Club exists because of one person. Splinter. Without him, there is no 1K Club, and in many ways, there would not be the community that is F3RVA. Thank you, my friend, for putting forward your time and resources to help this group, completely without compensation. Your contribution is very much appreciated. We owe you a debt of gratitude.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • PRE-BLAST!! CPR class: Limited spots open

    Gentlemen of RVA F3
    We have been presented a limited availability opportunity for 12 of us. (only 6 per night and only open to F3 RVA Pax to start off with due to very limited slots)
    We will work on setting up another round soon if there is interest.

    • What: CPR certification class
    • When: On April 25th and 26th from 6 to 8PM
    • Where: Trinity United Methodist Church: 903 Forest Ave, Henrico, VA 23229
    • Cost: ZERO dollars.. (F3 RVA PAX have pooled together to cover the cost.)
      Just your 2 hours of time to potential save a life one day.

    Sign up sheet is the F3RVA monthly challenge sheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-L8e9W24ygnU0suaGyKxzi1PgPqY1CBd57hLrKTZI-g/edit?usp=sharing

    T-Claps to Flatline for identifying the instructor and Gomer Pyle for securing the location.

    V/r
    John (Gypsy) Boles