Tag: The FORGE

A dozen of Richmond’s finest lumberjacks assembled at The Forge for an inaugural DTH caberama. With a 70 degree sunrise making mumblechatter merry, the PAX partnered up, collected their cabers from YHC’s truck, and at 05:30 on 05/30 a team of steely-eyed men was seen carrying heavy logs into the distance…

The THANG:

Mosey to COP #1: 

• Partners shoulder carry cabers down to the culdesac, stopping at each light post for x3 overhead press
• Circle up for SSH x20 IC
• Incline Merkins on cabers, x10 IC
• DQ’s x10 IC
• Derkins with feet on cabers, x20 IC
• LBC’s x20 IC
• Rapid Alternating Feet on Cabers x20 IC

Mosey to COP #2:

• NEW Partners carry cabers back up Love Hill, stopping at each light post to complete x3 caber curls
• Triple Check at the grassy knoll:
• Two men at bottom squat pressing standing caber back and forth, while 3rd man bear crawls up the hill and runs back down

Mosey to COP #3:

• NEW Partners shoulder carry cabers around school to soccer field
• Teams space well out on sideline
• Caber Toss Suicides: cross the field and back by tossing caber as far as possible (either as a team or individual tosses) running back together to touch baseline between throws 
• ABC’s for the Six

Mosey Back to Flag:

• NEW partner/caber carry back to the ST
• Stow cabers in YHC’s truck
• Circle up for hands-up low flutters x30 IC

COT:

• Counterama #12
• Namerama
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took us out in Prayer

NMS: 

• Beautiful morning to add a little CSAUP to the Forge routine. YHC has a LOT of oak trees at the house, so there has been a steady accumulation of 5-6 foot logs over the last couple months, with a Caberama in mind for a future Q. Couldn’t have asked for a better group of men to handle my wood… and special kudos to Wojo & Fire Marshal for their Caber Tossing competence. 

God presented this beautiful morning for my VQ along with 7 other great men looking to better themselves. I had been stressing over my ability to lead a workout that meets everybody where they are and push them to the next level.

It was that time to start, we moseyed to the front of the school. I requested the pax to circle up. I ran through a quick intro. I showed 3 different moves, Heisman, 3 step Heisman, and Mummy kicks before we began the cardioramma.

Cardioramma consisted of 7 moves, 40 seconds each and repeat 2 more times:
• Jog in place
• Side straddle hops
• Heisman
• 3 step Heisman
• Butt kicks
• High knees
• Mummy kicks

“Have you ever work so hard and not move very far?” “yes, last night!”

Once completed we moseyed down the stairs to the soccer field. I told the group that I play rugby which is how I got the name “Scrum.” We are doing some moves to get into some type of rugby shape.

Conditions starts with:
Get into pairs
Round 1 – partner carry the width of the field and complete 10 burpees
Partner carry back with 10 merkins
Round 2 – frog hop the width of the field 15 Alabama prom date
Lunge back 15 star jumps

Now we moseyed up the hill to the Amphitheater for stair workout.

The pax paired off again with a quick explanation:
Get into pairs
Round 1: run upstairs touching each step, sprint towards the building, turn and shuffle facing out towards the grass, half way switch to facing the building, turn to run down the stairs, finished with box jumps up the bricks and back down and tag your partner, who is doing WWII
Round 2: run upstairs touching ever other step and repeat everything else and tag your partner who is doing Freddie Mercury
Round 3: hop every other step and repeat everything else and tag your partner who is doing heals to heaven

Once completed it was time for a change in location so we moseyed towards the flag for the final cardioramma where I explained the plank ski abs and plank in and out.

This Cardioramma filled with a solid ab work is a follows:
4 moves, 30 seconds each move with a 30 seconds break, first set follow my commands, the next 2 sets AMARP.
• Jump Squats
• Burpee with 4 pushup and 8 mountain climbers and up
• plank ski abs
• plank in and out abs

When we finished the second set the question was asked, “How much time do we have left?” “little more than 2 minutes.” I responded with, “That’s great, because we have a little more than 2 minutes until we finish the workout.”

When the timer went off, all you heard was people breathing hard, and sounds of excitement because we finished a hard cardiorama focused on abs and my completion of my VQ!!!!!

We then walked to the flag and did number-rama and name-a-rama, and announcements.

I felt so relieved that I was done with my VQ. I was really worried about time and not having enough work planned out. The Pax was very encouraging and I thank you all for that. It makes me want to Q more!

Announcements:
Summer Tour – Sign up! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-L8e9W24ygnU0suaGyKxzi1PgPqY1CBd57hLrKTZI-g/edit#gid=1083932325

New AO The Anvil starts next Thursday

Memorial Day Convergence 7:00am at Tredegar (downtown RVA)

18 men with their college years in the rear view mirror (some farther than others) posted to THE FORGE on this beautiful Thursday morning for a serving of Gumbo. The menu was as follows:

Mosey down the large hill to the cul-de-sac for COP, including some Variety Mosey between various lightpoles (including high knees (I SAID HIGH KNEES OLLIE!), butt-kickers, backwards running and side-shuffles).

COP in the Circle all IC x19 (except 1 brain fart but the PAX got a Burpee to subtract that one — yes, Rosie, that works), including:

• SSHs
• DQs (19 slow DQs is a lot)
• Imperial Walkers
• LBCs
• Flutter Kicks
• Merkins (just a “Down” 1-count)

THE THANG:

Love Hill – Mosey back to the bottom of the straight away of the hill for FORGE’s Love Hill. Partner up and make our way back up to the Flag. Partner 1 runs up and back while Partner 2 starts climbing by exercise. Flapjack and repeat until reaching the Flag. Exercises were Lunges, then polar bears, then broad-jump burpees…repeat and recycle until getting to the top.

Mosey around the front of the school over to the courtyard and steps. Plank-o-rama for the Six.

Triple Check on the Steps – Groups of 3. 1 man does merkins, 1 man does flutter kicks, 3rd man box-jumps up the steps and does 2 burpees at the top. Repeato x 3.

Wall Work – Line up on the large retaining wall, perform 20 Donkey Kicks. Run across courtyard to brick wall for 10 Chicken Peckers. Repeato x2. Plank in the middle for the Six.

Mosey back around front of the school and circle up in the bus loop for Mary, including:

• hold six inches
• Hello Dollies x19
• Rosalitas x19
• Freddie Mercuries x19 (variety cadence – SLOOOW to FAST)
• American Hammers x19
• Alternating Shoulder Taps x19

AYG (All You Got) Sprint back to the Flag.

COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

Announcements/Prayers:

• Early Risers this Saturday – launches from Dogpile parking area at 0400 (yep, that’s right) and will hit the trails and link up with Breakfast Club. See Vinny if you’re crazy enough.
• Summer Tour sign-up sheet is up.
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-L8e9W24ygnU0suaGyKxzi1PgPqY1CBd57hLrKTZI-g/edit#gid=1083932325
• Scrum VQ next week at the FORGE
• Continued prayers for Swirly and his M and family
• Prayers for the Sexton-Ruis family (old neighbors of Handshake). The Wife/Mother recently lost her battle with brain cancer at the WAY-too-young age of 27. We say it often these days, but each day is precious men!
• Puppy Pile on 6/1 at 0700

NMS:

Today was graduation at VMI and YHC’s nephew (F3RVA – Shawshank) graduated. “4 and out the door” baby! Bleeder’s neice (I think?) was also among the graduating cadets. It was great to get back to Mother I and support my sister and my nephew today. In honor of Shawshank and all those in the Class of 2019, our counts today were all 19 (well, except the 1…oops).

WOW, did the memories and feelings come rushing back. There is something special about the Institute (cue TYA comment…). It was a great day!

Thanks to everyone who posted in the Gloom this morning at The Forge. It was great effort and great encouragement. No man was left behind this morning and no man was left where he started. We did some hard work and get a sweat going. Well done men.

A Kotters to McRib. Thanks for posting! Posh – I hope the quad or hammy is ok brother. Don Draper – Way to fly on the AYG sprint – I see you working. Fiona – great to see you back out after your first post on Tuesday — I hope we have hooked you.

Great job everyone!

No More Gumbo For You!

13 veterans and 1 FNG arose in the gloom to meet the challenge of The Forge today. This is what went down, more or less.

Long Mosey to the cul-de-sac behind the football field for COP, all IC: SSH x 25, DQ x 10, helicopters x 10, LBC x 25, HRM x 15

Working our way back up, stop along the way to the bottom of the hill for curb crawls to 5, repeato at 5 and back down. 1 Derkin, bear crawl, 2 incline merkins, crawl bear, 3 derkins … up to 5, repeato and back down. Some finished on one side of the road, some on the other; all began to sweat, and most stopped talking.

Continue working back towards bottom of hill, stop and partner up for 25 PLT x 4, each man. Then plank on the steep embankment facing up hill (12 o’clock) for clockwork merkins OYO: 10 at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. Some repeated at 12. Nothing wrong with extra credit.

At the bottom of the hill, switch partners. One man runs up to flag and back, while other switches between lunges and bear crawl as needed, change positions at meet. Continue until the team has lunge/bearcrawled the hill.

Alphabets – for the six and for a minute or so after.

Mosey to the front of the school and switch partners again. Proper Dora is called, to 100 or time. 1 man runs the bus loop while the other performs 1 merkin, 2 WW2, 3 squats = 1 rep. With only 15 minutes remaining, some teams got to 50, other in the 30s or 40s when time was called. Way to push to the end.

Announcements:

Field day this Saturday at Dogpile, see the preblast and your nano region captains for costume requirements.

Orange Crush VQ at Twin Team tomorrow.

Scrum VQ at the Forge in two weeks.

Flange took us out.

NMS:

Always a pleasure to lead such a fine group. You gentleman always bring an outstanding effort that makes it easy.

Welcome to Flush, who joins us from Crossfit, and crushed the workout. YHC takes it under advisement that Flush is not to be played in Poker.

The mumblechatter started strong, but died quickly in the curb crawl. The Q generally takes that as a sign that something was working correctly.

A much shorter drive this morning to The AO with PAX members and FNG’s getting a sit rep from DTH regarding the myth and legend of F3 RVA. Virgin Q at this AO for YHC and a smile to go with, 14 gentlemen posted to The Forge and what an AO to work with!! 0530.. time to mosey.

Down the hill to the back parking lot next to HHS for COP: x 10 Don Quixote’s, x 30 SSH, x 20 Copperhead Squats, x 20 Flutter Kicks, X 20 LBC’s, x 20 Freddie Mercuries, x 20 Imperial Walkers. Time to move!

With the track off limits, legally, modified Merkin Mile called. Run out to the 5th light pole approx 400 m and back. 12 Merkins after each out and back and repeat x 4. Mosey to wall near tennis courts.

Triple Check- partner up x 3. Exercise 1-run backwards up the ramp to stadium entrance, run forwards back. Exercise 2-Chicken Peckers. Exercise 3-Merkins. WWII’s while waiting for PAX to finish.

Mosey back up the hill to the Flag.

Number-ama, Name-r-ama, Announcements: Field Day May 11, Dogpile. See your nano regions captain for uniform attire. With several new PAX members and FNG’s this am, YHC took a few minutes to explain the Q-COP, workout, COT, and F3RVA.org.

YHC took us out!

Naked Mole Skin: AO assessed yesterday afternoon and man, lots of ways to get crushed here. Hills aplenty and only 1/4 of the AO was assessed. This AO will have minimum mumblechatter once the workout starts.

Dr. Tryhard, respect and congrats for EHing so many new PAX members. Awesome work and yes, the AO has an appropriate name!!

To those new PAX members YHC met this morning-welcome to F3 RVA and keep posting. Yes, there is pain involved but it gets so much easier and the 2nd F is truly a blessing! Obvious you men already have the 3rd F! Sea-Doo (originally Kamikaze) YHC changed your name after talking with DTH and Tobit and you were gone-welcome. Same to Rocket and The Chaplain! YHC has never named 2 FNG’s before so 3 is super and made my day!!

Lumbergh, way to push through triple check with just two of us. YHC sees your work!

Tobit, Handshake, Sugar Sock, Don Draper-way to support a new AO! Your leadership and effort are commended!

Keep posting and put in the effort!

Only those who post understand.

Loud and Proud,

Flatline

Twas a bright and beautiful morning for a Ghost Flag reunion at The FORGE, and two FNG’s joined the throng of fartsack escapees to see what DTH had in store. Here’s how it went down:

The THANG:

Mosey to COP #1:

• FNG Welcome & Disclaimer
• SSH’s
• DQ’s
• Imperial Squat Walkers
• Dive-bomber Merkins
• Breakdancer Merkins (confusing for everyone, even the Q…)
• Crab Cakes
• Flutterkicks
• Heels to Heaven

Mosey to COP #2:

• Run to the CulDeSac, stopping at each light post to perform x3 merkins (around 15 posts total)
• Circle up on your six for Guantanamo – Legs Up at 45 degrees, Each man runs circle, forcefully throwing legs down (goal for PAX is to keep feet from hitting the deck, then hold at 6”), then the next man in line is following, hitting legs back up for PAX to hold at 45 degrees. PAX completed x3 rounds!

Mosey to COP #3:

• Indigenous People’s Run back around the top of the high school to the Amphitheater
• Triple Check: P1 JackAss Merkins on the Wall, P2 Captain Thors, P3 sets pace with going up/down steps, performing x3 Monkey Humpers at each landing both going up & down (27 MH’s each time) …some of our more studly bro’s box-jumped each step. Booyah!

Mosey to COP #4:

• Over/Unders down the Field
• Out of time – Back to the Flags

COT:

• Counterama #19
• Namerama (x2 FNG’s)
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took us out in Prayer  

NMS: 

• GREAT time this morning guys! It is such a blessings to see so many of my WEAG brothers coming out to F3. Of the 19 who posted this morning, a grand total of EIGHT men from WEAG!!! – well done fellas! In the F3 book “Freed to Lead”, which I recommend all F3 men to read ASAP if not already done, the authors talk about the risk of DRTF (Diminishing Returns of Fellowship) when any given AO grows to beyond 18 men attending, and the importance of “Addition By Division” – splitting the PAX into new AO’s in order to create better fellowship/accountability with smaller groups, and also increase each AO’s drive to headlock more Sad Clowns into attending F3. Well, today was only the 4th meeting of The FORGE, and we surpassed the magic number of 18…no doubt in part due to the magnetic appeal of a Ghost Flag showing…but all the same The FORGE is an awesome AO, and I expect numbers will only continue to grow! That being said, if YOU feel led to plant a new AO, do it! I can attest to the amazing experience of facilitating a new AO – truly there is no more supportive group of men than the RVA PAX! 

YHC arrived early for his VQ, greeted by Dr TryHard who was graciously planting the ShovelFlag. In the following minutes, sixteen men, including FNG Fire Marshall Bill, assembled at Hugenaut High for the third ever FORGE beatdown. Cordial chitchat was hastily interrupted as 5:30 flipped on the wrist apparatus and the clouds parted to a balmy 70 & sunny, off we went.  

The Thang:
MOSEY: Headed straight to kid drop off for COP

• Burpees, Burpees, Burpees
• Cherry Pickers
• SSH
• Arm Circles
• Reverso Arm Circles
• Merkins
• Box Cutters
• Alabama Prom Dates

MOSEY: To the middle school (soccer?) field for a 4 CORNERS Escalator 

• 10 Hand Release Merkins
• 10 Hand Release Merkins + 20 Shoulder Taps
• 10 Hand Release Merkins + 20 Shoulder Taps + 30 Monkey Humpers
• 10 Hand Release Merkins + 20 Shoulder Taps + 30 Monkey Humpers + 40Flutter Kicks
• Wall sit for the six

MOSEY: To the amphitheater for a LINDSAY

• Descending WW2’s (30/25/20…) & Ascending Plank Jacks (10/15/20…) 
  
• Box jump up amphitheater seats, hop back down

MOSEY: Back to kid drop off for a DORA 1-2-3

• Partner up to take on 100 Burpees, 200 WW2’s, & 300 Plank Jacks as you alternate laps around the parking lot. 
• Partner Leg Toss & extra Plank Jacks to bring up the six

MOSEY: Back to the ShovelFlag for COT

• Numberama 
• Namerama 
• Announcerama – Bullseye Q’ing an Easter Egg Hunt @ Twin Team tomorrow
• Prayer

Eight gloom veterans and 3 WEAG FNG’s posted in balmy temps for our second FORGE experience. Here’s how DTH kept the PAX moving as a team:

The THANG:

Mosey to COP #1: (Remain in 1st Lot)

• Chumbaburpee – musical warmerama with a Burpee for every “I Get Knocked Down”, and other to-the-beat exercises in during verses – Imperial Walkers, Russian Soldiers, Ball Dippers
• Total of 24 Burpees

Mosey to COP #2: (2nd Lot)

• DQ’s x10
• Cherry Pickers x10
• Dancing Bears x20
• Angle Grinders x20

Mosey to COP #3: (Rails)

• Circuit: Complete x3 sets of x10 Dips & x10 Incline Merkins at the top end of the rails, with x10 WWII’s 50 yards away back at the bottom of the ramp
• Captain Thors & Pankercises while awaiting the Six

Mosey to COP #4: (Hills)

• Burp Back Mountain – Partner 1 starts 100 count Burpees at bottom while Partner 2 bear crawls up the hill, completes x10 Heels to Heaven, then runs back down to switch with Partner 1 …early finishers teamed up to complete the Six’s Burpees.

Circle up for COP #5:

• Flutter Kicks OYO x1min awaiting the Six
• Freddie M’s x20
• APD’s x20
• Dying Cockroaches x20
• Protractor variations
• Scissors/Flutters variations
• Wilson’s ab stretch
• No Cheat Merkins x10
• The DTH Circle Merk x3

COT at the ShovelFlag:

• Counterama #11
• Namerama (x3 FNG’s)
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took us out in Prayer

NMS: 

• Beautiful morning to celebrate our freedoms among F3 brothers. Very happy to introduce a few more WEAG brothers to F3. Thomas Lord’s favorite hobby is making sweet love to his wife – welcome TROJAN! Tim Hughes (age 59) plays keys for his band – welcome PIANO MAN! And Vik Karunakar sings for the same band and enjoys watching Cricket – welcome JIMINY CRICKET! YHC thought the Chumbaburpee warmerama was a fun way to get things started, and will be considering some other songs for future Q’s. Keep posting fellas!

F3 RVA rung in a new AO this morning at Huguenot High School near Bon Air, with a dirty dozen fartsac escapees ready to tackle a DTH beatdown on new ground. Flange arrived on foot as he lives right around the corner, and one Friendly New Guy answered the call to be born again in the F3 Fiery Forge. Here’s how DTH hammered these iron warriors into glory:

The THANG:

Mosey to COP #1: (next parking lot down)

• SSH x20
• DQ’s x10
• Ball Dippers x10
• No Cheat Merkins x10 (Hand Release + Shoulder Tap = 8ct)
• Freddie M’s x20
• DR. W – Dolly / Rosalita / W – 8ct x10

Mosey to COP #2:

• Partner up at Parallel rails of stadium’s wheelchair ramp
• 3 rounds of x10 Jerkins & x10 CliffHanger Merkins

Mosey to COP #3:

• Indigenous Peoples Run to the cul-de-sac at the end of South Coleman Ln (behind stadium)
• Circle up and review the F3 CREDO
• Sweat Angels x15 IC
• Crab Cakes x15 IC
• Find a new Partner to complete x3 sets of: x20 PLT each, x10 Squerkins each

Mosey to COP #3:

• Run the ~ 0.5mile run back up South Coleman to a grassy hillside
• New partners for DORA (x100 Merkins, x200 LBC’s, x300 Squats) – While P1 completes stationary exercises, P2 Bear Crawls up and down the three hills, then runs back to trade off …most PAX nearly completed the Squats before YHC called an audible back to the ShovelFlag

At the ShovelFlag:

• 2 minutes of High & Low Flutters and Scissors
• The DTH CircleMerk x3

COT:

• Counterama #12
• Namerama
• Announcerama (see Comments)
• YHC took us out in Prayer

NMS: 

• YHC feels REBORN and honored to facilitate and Q a new F3RVA AO. Thank you all SO much for your encouragement to make this happen. Multiple times this morning a very enthusiastic Q was reminded to dial back the Qadrenaline. Our new FORGE has so much great potential, and we’ve only skimmed the surface! YHC heard from many F3 veterans and wannabe FNG friends that this week didn’t work for them due to Spring Break travels – so while 12 PAX felt perfect this morning, we will likely see this group grow quickly. Rumor has it the Ghost Flag will make its appearance sometime this month at the Forge, and YHC aims to make SOJ the GhostFlag’s permanent home, so you other areas best represent!