Month: April 2025

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Back to High School

AO: greenmachine
Q: Pole Dancer
PAX: moneyshot, Pep, Black Lung, Betty Ford, Shania, Esposa, LB
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: Drizzly

WARMUP: Mosey through the field house and onto the track for a lap, dynamic warmups and stretching on the field

THE THANG: reworked exercises back from my high school soccer and track days;

1. Corners!

Run diagonally across the field, corner to corner. Exercise on the corner, karaoke the width of the field to the next corner, exercise. Repeat ad nauseum.

Exercises x20:
– Merkins/Dry Docks
– Squats/Iron Mikes
– Supermans/Lateral Supermans
– WW1s/Diamond Sit-ups

2. Stair Jumpers (stadium steps)
– jump up one stair at a time, right leg
– one stair at a time, left leg
– one stair, both legs
– two stairs, both legs
– three stairs, both legs
– two stairs, both legs
– one stair, both legs

Mosey to the parking lot and 10 minutes of Mary.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: BBQ Sunday, Night Moves in East on Saturday

COT: Prayers for my wife and puppy as they recover from their respective surgeries, folks dealing with storm damage, those on the job hunt.

Appreciate the hospitality from the Green Machine crew!

Playlist: Passin’ Me By Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E8ENeNzGVJ3Q3?si=1108794c46db4ab3

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Who’s on Deck?

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: AAA, Sooie, Phillip Lee, Pitmaster, Stubs, Half Lyfe, Gold Digger, Eagle (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: Perfect, slight spot of rain at the beginning.

WARMUP:
Woke up. Wanted to go back to sleep. Checked slack. morning stār and Bumblebee have to be DR! I’ll Q. Get the trusty deck of cards. Go to the knoll. Greet PAX.
– loosen up the neck
– (Rain…let’s get that heart rate up)
– Motivators from 5 (hat tip to Bumblebee)
– (Mean streak)
– Baby arm Circles (keep ’em up)
– Back BAC (keep ’em up)
– shoulder taps via bicep curl (keep ’em up)
– Shoulder press (keep ’em up)
– Seal claps (end scene)
– Hip gyrations (don’t make eye contact)
– Walk out merkins
– WMH (review F3 Mission, Core Principles, Credo)

Speaking of “Credo”, *cranks up Creed “Human Clay” (the whole album)

THE THANG:
Hit the Deck
R1:
♣️ = pull-up
♠️ = squat
♦️ = WW2
♥️ = (I know what I have to do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it) burpees
🃏 = mosey around back stop.
R2: “y’all wanna switch up the exercises or keep em?” 4 hands go up (YHC first). 4 hands stay down. AAA does the “right” thing and raises his hand. (Relief)
R2:
♣️ = merkins
♠️ = lunges (none this round)
♦️ = American hammers
♥️ = SSH in cadence
🃏 = mosey around back stop.
(No drama)
R3:
♣️ = dips
♠️ = lunges (frfr)
♦️ = flutter kicks
♥️ = Mtn climbers

Finished the deck at 0612. Time for Mary.
– hollow hold (hat tip to G-string)
– Low plank (thanks Stubs)

MOLESKINE:
Creed got me nostalgic. Shared a conversation I had with my daughters about the importance of cultivating friendships at an early age (Listening to “Old Friends” by Ben Rector as I’m typing this. [I’m not crying, you’re crying]). Encouraged PAX to reach out to an old friend and be aware of opportunities for new friendships.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
SPRING FLING THIS SUNDAY!!! Signup if you haven’t.

COT:
Prayers offered. Half Lyfe homebrew thoroughly enjoyed!

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Sandbag Man Maker(s)

AO: the-discipline
Q: hambone
PAX: Dilbert
FNGs: None
COUNT: 2
CONDITIONS: too cold

WARMUP: light movement

THE THANG: 10 rounds, starting at one, increase by one, with the following:

1) 10 deadlifts each round
2) sandbag merkins
3) sandbag merkins
4) curls
5) curls

MOLESKINE: early meetings are the worst. Early meetings that are cancelled why youre driving home are worse than worst.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT:

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Good Grief

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning stār
PAX: Pebbles, Sooie, Stubs, AAA, Pitmaster, Half Lyfe, El Capitan, morning stār, Papa Bear, Derby, Malibu, clay hoover, Phillip Lee, Gold Digger, She told me, Sardine
FNGs: 2 She told me, Sardine
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS: Chilly yet spring-like.

WARMUP: Mosey to tree line and back. Ground movements on the way. Avoid the puddle (YHC wasn’t in the mood to get wet this am), avoid posts. Circle up for low slow squats and SSH.

Mosey to 2010 flood memorial bench.

THE THANG:
31 rounds of 15 seconds of work, 45 seconds of active recovery.
Exercise one: 3-2-1 ladder of power erkins and dips
Exercise two: 3-2-1 ladder of jump squats and squats

Modify up option: finish the ladder instead of stopping at the timer.

Each PAX took turns walking around the back stop with a 30# ruck and 30# kettle bell while considering a loss they have not grieved.

Mosey back to the startex for an extended COT.

MOLESKINE:
If we keep the momentum up we the knoll may be ready to spin off another AO … which on one hand, I don’t look forward to because of the great connections we have growing here. And yet, this is how we grow and provide more opportunities for men to accelerate.

Welcome to She told me (formerly “My wife told me”) and Sardine!

Well done welcoming the new men, PAX! Hospitality is one of my favorite things about F3 and we excel at it.

I used to try to come up with a new, creative BD every time I Q’ed. I’m enjoying not having to think much about it and intending to run the “power rounds” for the rest of my days. Let’s see how long that lasts.

Here’s a quote on the danger of not facing our sadness that I didn’t share:
“”Sadness does not sink a person; it is the energy a person spends trying to avoid sadness that does that.” “- Barbara Brown Taylor, From theplacewefindourselves.libsyn.com/17-what-it-looks-like-to-actually-grieve-your-wounds of Adam Young’s “The Place We Find Ourselves” Podcast: “What it looks like to actually grieve your wounds”.

I pray we all find the courage and space to face the losses of our past and present.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: skipped them; check slack or come back Thursday.

COT:
YHC shared that learning to grieve what is, what was not (or what has not come to be) has been the most effective way to grow as a man.

Shared about the 4 achetypes of masculinity: Warrior, Lover, King and Sage. Each has an entry emotion … anger for warrior, sadness for lover, joy for king and fear for sage. In YHC’s experience growing as a lover has helped mature as a King.

YHC read the an account of the passing of Eric Liddel’s life from For the Glory (by Duncan Hamilton). This is a gut wrenching account as Lidell died withough meeting his youngest child.

When I was growing up, I chased after many things. Now, at 41, I am to live in the moment and pour out as much delight on my family and those close to me as I can.

Stay curious my brothers,
-m*

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Tortoise & Hare, Run #5

AO: thestronghold
Q: Red Skull
PAX: Crawlspace, Right Said, Hair Band, Judy, tampalibra, Young and Restless, Chunks, Barney, Poker Face, Hello Kitty, By Design, All Wheel Drive, Hot Wire, Greyhound, Fresh Start, Hoop Dreams, Richie Rich
FNGs: None
COUNT: 18
CONDITIONS: Cold and windy….39 degrees

WARMUP: Normal pre-run warmup of SSH, Squats, IWs, stretching and some OYO WMH and Good Mornings

THE THANG: Partner Up and RUN!! All in under 35:00 leaving plenty of time for some more work.

Mosey to the school parking lot for a quick round of 3 1 min challenges. 1st min 15 burpees, 2nd min 25 jump squats, 3rd min 25 WWIs.

Mosey back to the StartEx

MOLESKINE: This class continues to push themselves. We had 1 PR today as Hot Wire got sub 30:00 for the first time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Signing Day is next Friday, 4/18 at 11:30. The Standing Strong Dinner at Rocketown is Thursday 4/24 at 6pm. Some F3 seats remain…it looks like Franklin could use a little help filling their table. If you would like to join us for the evening, click the link and select F3 Franklin as you Table Sponsor. Or, just DM me and I will find a seat for you.

secure.fundeasy.com/ministrysync/event/?e=29356

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Night Hawk

AO: toratoratora
Q: Goose
PAX: 40 Minutes, Ultratecht, Longcut
FNGs: None
COUNT: 4
CONDITIONS: Chilly

WARMUP: Willie Mays Hays, Forward Fold, Arm Stretches

THE THANG:
-Dora: 250 squats, SSH, Merkins while partner runs.

-Lunges: 2 trips down and back

-Dora w/ coupon: 250 curls and press while partner runs

-50 Dips OYO

-50 Imperial Walker while partner runs

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Night Moves Saturday! Hipster for details

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Mystery Machine

AO: cruelhall
Q: Donkey Hammer
PAX: Pedialyte, Focker, Esposa, Young and Restless, Uncle Jerry, Athena
FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
CONDITIONS: pleasant but moist

WARMUP:
– SSH, GM, WMH, easy jog to pavilion
– Mobility warmup

THE THANG:
– Tabata:
– single leg split squats, decline merkins x 2 rounds
– jump squats, calf raises x 2 rounds
– 5’s: 5 kick throughs with merkins at bottom of hill, 5 jump squats and 5 calf raises at top, Bernie half the hill, run to top
– return to pavilion, lunging suicides with imperial walkers, hillbillies, burpees at the lines
– jog to start, 2 minutes APB to close out

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
handsomizer is coming to the Shire this Friday. Be there.

COT:
Went around the circle discussing marital advice. Communication, loyalty, trust were all discussed.

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Dynamic AOQ duo

AO: handsomizer
Q: Purple Tiger
PAX: Freakonomics
FNGs: None
COUNT: 2
CONDITIONS: Nice

WARMUP: dynamic warmup on turf

THE THANG: Used the turf field and picnic tables to do a series of moves. Bear crawl/crawl bear followed by 20 steps & 20 dips. Broad jump with squat walk backs followed by squat jumps and incline merkins x 20. Side lunges and power skips followed by apd hamstring curls and decline merkins x 20.

Mosey to bottom of ramp, 3 sets of rows and politician up ramp.

Mosey back to turf field and repeat 1st iteration.

MOLESKINE: Lots of mumblechatter about economics and shared struggles of the AOQ role.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: BBQ on Sunday, check 2nd F for details

COT: Prayers for continued safety and recovery from storms.

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Month of the FNG Prep!

AO: bomber
Q: Toothless
PAX: Grape, Pep, Firefox, Vector, Tim the Toolman, Right Said, Sherlock, CubCadet, Papa Bear, Crawlspace, Supernova, DintyMoore, Toothless, Chunks
FNGs: None
COUNT: 14
CONDITIONS: Quite fair, a bit muggy but no complaints for being solidly back in T shirt weather!

PLAYLIST: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/459qwYOyQ4j1hCmtMHFZsC?si=a23bad9eb37c4a0b

WARMUP:

Mosey to high ground, circle up

WAR
– SSH x 30
– Air presses x 10
– Windmills x 10
– Michael Phelps x 10
– Willy Mays Hays x 10
– Carrot pullers x 10
– Scorpions x 10 oyo

THE THANG: Month of the FNG Prep! :fng:

PAX count off forming three groups, 1, 2, 3…

– Group 1 does a patrol run down to end of lot and back up
– Group 2 does a ground exercise
– Group 3 does a standing exercise

All shuffle when G1 returns. Runners to the ground, ground stands up, and standing group runs.

Do four rounds (~2 mins AMRAP in each station based on runners):
1. G: Peter Parkers, S: Prisoner squats
2. G: American Hammers, S: Burpees
3. G: Carolina Dry Docks, S: Lt. Dans
4. G: Big Boy Sit Ups, S: SSHs (cut for time)

All answer a question within their group each round:
1. How did you get your F3 name?
2. What do you remember about your first workout?
3. Who invited you and why did you come to that first workout?
4. Why did you keep coming back? (cut for time)

Circle up for…

Rings of Fire :fire:

Thunderstruck
– High and low plank, up or down on “Thunder”
Roxanne
– SSH / Burpees on “Roxanne”
Flower (Bring Sally Up)
– Squat holds on “up” or “down”

MOLESKINE: Welp, the Respects may have HC’d, but the Un-Respectables recovered and showed out in force. Double Pickney action and the return of not 1 but 2 previous AOQ’s in Dinty Moore and Supernova walking into the warmup out of the Gloom made the comeback a statement victory. Will it start a streak??

Many people are saying the Rings of Fire section was their favorite part. That section was closely followed in the rankings by YHC calling out a penalty of 10 eight count body builders for the stalling of movement upon returning from a running segment, as Pep owned up to above, but there were others….

Hottest personal take of the day….Star Bagel has earned it’s place. After long dissent, taking over the porch with 10 dudes cracking wise ones and sharing about life has won me over (but just for bomber! don’t read this men of westeros)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Spring Fling! This Sunday from 12-3p! Edwin Warner Park Shelter #5 off of Vaughn Rd!
– It’s MONTH OF THE FNG! Let’s get new men out with us in the Gloom and give this thing away!
– The Merchant has a hot wing eating 2ndf opportunity the weekend after Easter, 4/26
– End of April will feature the Impossible Mile CSAUP @ greenmachine, Focker for details

COT:
– Toothless shared
– Grape shared

COT featured a message from YHC about Month of the FNG – F3 has been tremendously impactful to me over the last 6 years. This group has been there with me through job changes, kids, and all sorts of ups and downs. I want other men to have that same kind of connection and community, and I know you do too. Let’s give this thing away and invite the men in our lives who need F3!

As always, it was an honor to lead. Thanks to Firefox for the invite! It was a pleasure.

SYITG,
— Toothless :tooth: