Tag: #SOJ

  • Wait… It’s not Friday at Satan’s Hill

    That’s right…. The bands came out today. I have been thinking of what I could do with them and the tennis courts were the perfect area to use them today. 13 regulars plus 1 FNG braved the madness that was to come. A little run around the tennis courts, then starting the warm-up: SSHs, Don Quixotes, Imperial Walkers, Ukrainian Soldiers, Copperhead Squats, Merkins, LBCs, and Alabama Prom Dates was just an appetizer. Onto the main part.

    Partner up, with a band each tennis court (3) together you were going to go to the end, an exercise, then that movement back with the exercise again. First court: side plank walks at the end hand released merkins. A little rest, the second court: walking lunges with the band, ball dippers at the end, turn and repeat. Third was bear crawls(3 tennis courts it will catch up to you), at the end Mike Tysons (tell you what I love those yet I have something in my arsenal that can enhance those), turn and repeat.

    3 rounds over, now the bands are perfect to take around the post and use it just on its own. The next 3 parts started with jogging at the doubles line, partner runs down and back. Second was bernie with the band on(adding in and out to change the variation) bernie all the way dorm and back. Third broad jump far as you can, Mario jumps down and back

    Mosey down to the track…..50 yard sprints (with the bands). First rounds at about 25-30% intensity the second all out fast as you can. The time was done with the bands so onto the field for a little Build-A-Beast (2 rounds) with Merkins and squats. Once finished there was a little time left so to the wall near the flag for a 20/10(20 donkey kicks, 10 pole smokers) 2 rounds time was up

    Back to the flag for names, announcements, prayer led by YHC to close another session

    Congrats to State Farm’s wife for her new job. Welcome Jason(Button) to the group if you see him and he tells you his age(he does not look it at all). Next week is VQ week (come out and support these guys as they lead their first of many more Qs). Once we get the sun a little earlier, it will open more things up. There’s a hill to the side of the track, basketball plus more to come

    I am still adjusting my body and everything with the working nights (I basically slept for about a short nap, woke up then after everything came home slept more). Are there weekdays I would like to come out? I would but I have to make sure that I am a little rested not easy but in due time. Saturday, if you come to RNR I have the Q again, there will be an element of Spartan race involved. After the Q, we go over to the Latino Farmer’s Market give them support plus they have real good food and coffee plus benches we can chill and chatter. A final thing….I will be teaching starting in the fall at my son’s Co-op schooling a Train Like A Spartan class. It’s by Dogwood Del so if a Thursday afternoon is available and you want to train, reach out this will be a Co-Ed group. Enjoy the rest of the day!!

  • Back at it

    YHC isn’t at his best, but the pack has teamed up to drag him along for the foreseeable future. This week’s MOT is no different. Consensus led to an easy out&back down Coalfield. Everyone got between 4 & 6 miles, then Doozy added another 3 after COT. Another great run in the books. Thanks for the push, gents… it was much needed.

    Numberama/Namerama with SOT fellas, OC took us out, high-fives and fist-bumps all around

  • 17 Days Remain

    A squad of six SOJ ruck maniacs took to the Stratford Hills for a few laps around the hood, and to assist YHC in shifting the GTE logs closer to the load & launch area. Only 17 days remain until GTE #47 and conversation abounded with log lifting strategies, footwear and sock tips, knot tying methods, and other useful preparedness knowledge. Knowing is half the battle. Let’s GO! 😎💪 ~DTH

    PRAYERS for our brothers suffering injuries and illnesses. 🙏👊

  • Stupid Headlamp

    YHC and Big Rig cruised a solid 3 mile route around Ecoff Park. Good convo and a brisk pace to help us warm up for our SEAL training test. My bulky ass headlamp fell off and busted – in the market for a new one! DM me if you have extra 🙂

  • Are you sure it’s that way?

    4 pax met at 8pm tonight to test the legs and the gear for 10 miles of rucking. Thanks to YHC’s impeccable route and mostly successful navigation of said route, we got the 10 miles in and went by the Swift Creek Resevoir at least twice. That hurt. TCLAPS to Rosie for completing the training at 1 percent personal battery according to his watch. Lessons learned: bring water and snacks, wear comfortable shoes, give your shoulders a break so your hands don’t go numb. Also Tobit has more AKAs than Old Dirty Bastard (RIP).

  • Gonna Make You Sweat

    13 SOJ gloom bangers circled up at Rockwood and were immediately inspired and vitalized by the groovy moves of their Q shaking hips to La Bouche’s “Be My Lover” – YES, it’s back to the 90’s night club for these lucky MC Hammer wannabe’s. Here’s why they kept singing “don’t hurt me”… 😎🎸🎤

    The THANG: 

    • Moseyrama lap around the lot and circle up in a grassy area for the Welcome & Disclaimer
    • A few stretching reps IC with A-ha’s “Take Me On”

    WHAT IS LOVE, by Haddaway

    • Squats to the beat
    • Burpees for every “Don’t Hurt Me” (total of x20 completed)
    • SSH’s for instrumental parts

    (Shake it out with a lap around the lot)

    I’M TOO SEXY, by Right Said Fred

    • Flutters to the beat
    • WWII’s for every “Too Sexy”
    • Crabwalk 360 degrees for “Catwalk”

    (Shake it out with a lap around the lot)

    BLUE, by Eiffel 65

    • Plank up for Shoulder Taps to the beat
    • Merican for every “Blue” (total of x30 mericans completed)

    DIRTY McDEUCE:

    • Mosey over to the grassy slope
    • x4 Sets separated by crossing the space, each set with x3 exercises (chest, legs, core), x12 reps for each exercise
    • Bear crawl up/down the hill to cross about 30 yards
    • Exercises: Merkins, Ball Dippers, & WWII’s

    PULLUP LADDER:

    • Mosey over to the Workout Station and partner up
    • P1 sets pace with descending Pullups while P2 Donkey Kicks on a tree – each partner descends from 7 pullups to 1

    WOODS RUN:

    • Run the paved trail, stopping for some lunge walking up a hill

    PARKING SPACE LADDER:

    • Bear crawl between 10 lines, increasing merican reps 1 to 10 at each line

    PLANK REVIEW:

    • Moseying back around the outside loop, stop to wait for the SIX curb planking
    • When all present, review the F3 Mission, Credo, and Core Principles 

    CAPTAIN THOR:

    • Mosey back down the middle lot to circle up in the grass
    • x1WW2 then x4 AmHam …escalate 2:8, 3:12, 4:16, 5:20…all the way to 10:40!!!

    Mosey BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 13 (plus a beast-mode shirtless State Farm)
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Nothin like adding reps to thumpin beats to drive muscle groups to exhaustion. Appreciate the PAX humoring YHC’s little 90’s night club flavor this morning. YHC noticed the various routines had a fair percentage of the PAX modifying, so we can assume they were sufficiently challenged. Also, we had a bold visitor “Donny” who YHC earlier noticed running the AO and called out an invite to join, but then didn’t see him again until he joined our COT. He’s given his HC for coming to R&R next Saturday! That said, it’s ALWAYS worth going out of our way to invite those solitary men you see making an effort at/near your AO – you never know what bringing them into your PAX might mean for their life! Let’s GO! Yours, DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • 10 Mile Rucks! Tomorrow (Sun) at 4am from Dogpile, and 8pm from Timberwolf! 
    • VQ WEEK April 22-27
    • GTE weekend May 3-5

  • Not Rucking Around

    6 men showed up to challenge themselves to ruck 10 miles this morning. Many of the world’s problems were solved as we rucked throughout Rockwood Park and North Chesterfield. More details to come on that.

    Thanks to the crew for the company and the conversation!

  • Lakeside Reflections

    10 Morning Wood ruckers burdened with over 400 pounds of steel and sand embraced a beautiful morning on the Rockwood back trails. Big Rig forgot his ruck and opted (like the warrior he is!) to carry all 60 pounds of Sandy for the 55 minute, 2.8 miles. Mudslide was kind enough to lead the PAX along a quaint lakeside trail and we enjoyed deep conversation and a purple orange sunrise over the misted lake. Many MANY reasons to be thankful. 🙏 Yours, DTH

  • Dont drop the rock

    18 Men showed up this morning for a little fun on Satan’s Hill. YHC sent out a challenge to a group of people last night and challenged them to post. to encourage them I told them I would donate $ towards the F3 / Brightside fundraiser for pediatric cancer. 8 of those people took me up on the challenge and YHC donated $100 towards the fundraiser! If you are reading this and feeling like you want to help the cause I have included the link for you.

    Warmarama- after a stroll up satan’s hill and back we started with SSH, Imperial Walkers, ukranian soldiers, dead man hang , some leg stretches, LBCs and merkins

    THE THANG

    dont drop the rock- Triple check with the rocks partner 1 carried the rock and ran around the parking lot island as the timer, partner 2 curls, partner 3 skull crushers

    Suicides on the hill – round 1 – bear crawl 1/4 way up the hill 10 merkins and back to start. ROund 2 – cardio changed to lunges 1/4 way merkins and back and then 1/2 way up for 20 lbcs and back. Round 3 cardio changed to karoke up 1/4 10 merkins, 1/2 20 lbs, 3/4 30 squats. Round 4 cardio changed to run and 1/4 10 merkins and back , 1/2 20 lbcs and back, 3/4 30 squats and back, then up the whole hill for 40 SSH and back

    Finished off with 8 burpees for the 8 guys that caused me to donate to the cause this morning. TIme called

    annoucements- F3 / TEAM BRIGHTSIDE fundraiser- DONATE and tell friends we can make a big impact!

    https://pages.donately.com/teambrightside/fundraiser/john-schroepfer-f3-rva

    SWOOP leading 10 mile ruck from rockwood park tomorrow at 6 am. grab a sack and meet us there!

    Nancy took us out in prayer

  • 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!