Blood and Honey

AO: bomber
Q: Salpal
PAX: Chunks, Right Said, Firefox, Solo Cup, Puzzlah, Cuban Missile, Detective Pikachu, hambone, DintyMoore, Papa Bear, Critical Fail
FNGs: 1 Critical Fail
COUNT: 12
CONDITIONS:
Full from Thanksgiving dinner.

WARMUP:
A simple warning that this was gonna suck.

THE THANG:
Crawlbear up the hill. Bearcrawl to islands in parking lot, 5 burpees at each. Bearcrawl Paula Abduls. Bearcrawl back down the hill. Pullups, burpees and big boy situps from 1 to 7 and back down again, ‘cuz people wanted to stop bearcrawling.

MARY:
Dealers Choice

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Brewruck Dec. 16th.
– Game Night @ Firefox Residence Dec. 2
– Jan. 1st convergence.

COT:
– Prayers for the homeless of Nashville.
– Prayers for safe travels of loved ones.

Coffee at Star Bagel.

Sincerely,
MeanPal

Bomber 112023: Celebrating the PAX on 6th Qversary

AO: bomber
Q: Vector
PAX: Crawlspace, DintyMoore, Firefox, Grape, hambone, Papa Bear, Pep, Right Said, Tim the Toolman, Recharge, Focker, (Missing 1 — That’s why you don’t delay the BB), 0
FNGs: 1 0
COUNT: 13
It’s 2017. A slightly more overweight and less fit dude is coaxed by @Ebola to join some cult that meets Friday mornings to workout. Some dude named @Hambone is the leader. We run what seems like 3 miles (it was just to McCabe Pub); we do bear crawls up a public street (crazy!); and I get named @Vector (as an infectious diseases doc, it could have been much, much worse . . . like “Pus” or “Festering Sores,” but I digress). To celebrate 6 years with this madcap bunch of HIM of F3 Nashville, I decided to theme the playlist with songs that were about some PAX. (If you didn’t make the cut, sorry. Some names don’t lend themselves to catchy up-tempo tunes. I mean a song about “Fockers” or “T-cells” ain’t happening . . .).

Playlist:
Fox on the Run – Sweet (@Firefox)
Natural – Imagine Dragons (@Natural Ice)
Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith (@SoloCup)
More, More, More – Andrea True Connection (@Dinty Moore)
Pep Rally – Missy Elliott (@Pep)
Supernova – Liz Phair (@Supernova)
I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred (@Right Said)
I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal, J. Cash (@Chunks)
I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Marvin Gaye (@Grape)
Hambone, Tennessee Ernie Ford (@ Duh)
Mustang Sally, Wilson Pickett (@SalPal)
Blank Space, Tay-Tay (@Crawlspace)
Go Cubs Co (2009 Mix), Code Red (@Cub Cadet)
Once Upon a Dream from Sleeping Beauty (@Princessaurora)

CONDITIONS: Quite nice, thank you

WARMUP: Mosey around to the Rec Center circle. Then selection of favorites from LBACs, RLBACs, Overhead Press, Seal Claps, WMHs, Good Mornings, and SSH.

THE THANG I: Super DORA – Partner up. 100 Pull-ups, 200 Incline Merkins, 300 Squats, 200 WWIs, 100 Iron Mikes (changed from Lt Dan’s for time). Partner runs around Rec Center.

THE THANG II: Duck-Duck-PAX. Circle around cul-de-sac. 1 PAX runs around the group and then tags another member of the group, who yells out a new exercise that the groups does until another is tagged. We could not stop until every HIM had gone, so kudos to the PAX for getting it done with 30 seconds to spare.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Prayers for @Rightsaid and @Crawlspace whose dad is having aortic surgery later today c/o Dr. Rupp.

COT: Completed with thanks for the blessings and for each of the PAX who push me each day.

Honor leading and hard to believe I’ve been doing this for 6 years. While I still haven’t found my abs (not that diet has anything to do with this), I’m healthier, happier, and a better HIM because of all of you.
SYITG, @Vector

Partner Smartner

AO: bomber
Q: DintyMoore
PAX: Papa Bear, Pep, Sherlock, Spinal Tap, Tim the Toolman, Vector, Wolfpack, 1 DR from Blount County TN
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: Dark and Crisp

WARMUP:
Mosey around Start Ex
– partner up at parking lot
– Over/Under – 1 min each

Part 1
– Partner 1 sits on 6 with arms out to side doing heel taps in front
– Partner 2 jumps over arms/legs in clockwise manner
Part 2
– Partner 1 alternates low/high plank
– Partner 2 jumps over then crawls under
Part 3
Bear Crawl Tag – if your hand is touched then you leave the game area and do 5 burpees before re-enter

THE THANG:
Mosey to Playground
Dora Dora Dora
Same partners – partner 1 runs building perimeter while partner 2 does below
50 pull-ups
100 push-ups
150 squats
200 american hammers

MARY:
Mary – Go – Round for 10 minutes w/ each Pax choosing their favorite

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Join #nonoisenovember

COT:
Upcoming travel and family dynamics surrounding those opportunities.

Go Burpees for Donuts

AO: bomber
Q: Firefox
PAX: Subway, Papa Bear, Recharge, Cream Cheese, Michelin Man, DintyMoore, Vector, Tim the Toolman, Spinal Tap, sooner, Oatmeal, PeteTheCat
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12.5
CONDITIONS: No complaints

WARMUP:
– SSH x 15
– Good Mornings x 10
– WMH x 10

THE THANG:
To prepare folks for Game Night tomorrow, I adapted the rules of a fun, family game called Go Nuts for Donuts. But rather than collecting a variety of donuts, PAX were attempting to collect a variety of exercises.

6 cards, each showing a specific exercise and number of reps were displayed in a row, numbered 1 through 6. PAX were split into 5 teams and given a set of cards, also numbered 1 through 6. One member from each team held a plank and selected the number from their cards corresponding with the exercise they wanted for their team that round. If no one else picked the same number, their team “won” the exercise. If any teams picked the same number, those teams had to do 15 burpees instead. Meanwhile, all other PAX did SSH.

Exercises included (with variable but not trival rep counts):
– Merkins
– Decline Merkins
– Iron Mikes
– Buzzsaw Planks
– Jump Squats
– Drop Squats
– Monkey Humpers
– Pull-Ups
– Hanging Leg Raises
– Bear Crawl around the circle
– Crawl Bear around the circle
– Split Squats
– Plank Jacks

We did 12 rounds of this. For reference, Team 2, consisting of me, @sooner, and @tim_the_toolman did a crawl bear circuit, 20 pull-ups, 30 monkey humpers, 30 jump squats, 40 iron mikes (each side is a half), 40 buzzsaw planks, and 40 merkins to go along with 75 burpees (Thanks, @sooner )

Fun was had by ~all~ me.

MARY:
– 4 rounds of 10 WW1s and a Hollow Body Hold

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Did I mention Game Night?
– Family-friendly shindig at casa de @tim_the_toolman Oct. 27

COT:
– My mom’s speedy and smooth recovery from knee surgery
– Peace and comfort for all those suffering and/or under threat due to violence overseas

Donut Den donuts were consumed by many. Star Bagel was had by some.

Other observations:
– @PeteTheCat showed up and startled many a PAX with aggressive friendliness. @sooner was not a fan. Pete was wise to avoid the HBH but did try to sneak in for some donuts.
– I’m pretty sure there was at least 1 team that exceeded their burpee quota today (looking at @michelin_man and co)
– @oatmeal used some very subtle tactics to dissuade other teams from picking the same exercise as him. It only worked some of the time
– The 30 pull-ups card was in high demand and led to a lot of burpees, for some reason.
– Gratitude to @oatmeal for picking up all the cards

Bomber Burpees

AO: bomber
Q: DintyMoore
PAX: Cream Cheese, hambone, Hayes Carll – Solo Cup, Papa Bear, Recharge, Tim the Toolman, Vector, ThePuzzlah, Abacus 🧮
FNGs: 1 Abacus 🧮
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: Gloomious

WARMUP: mosey to top parking lot
– 10 L&S Merkins
– 10 Michael Phelps
– 10 L&S Squats
– 10 WMHs
– 10 burpees w/ plank jacks

20 burpees total (approved modifications shared for the remainder of the workout!)

THE THANG:
Mosey to Small Field
3 Groups –
– Group 1 does 15 burpees (descending)
– Group 2 does 15 v-ups (descending)
– Group 3 does 15 coupon swings (descending)

+ 120 burpees

140 burpees total for workout

MARY:
Broga with thoracic stretch followed by high plank to downward dog and finish in sphinx with a couple toe touches and good mornings to finish

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Night Moves w/ @chunks next Thursday
Last Friday in October @timthetoolman hosting dinner
#octoburpee challenge continues
F3 Game Night @firefox house October 23rd

COT: prayers for Solo Cups friend facing a surgery soon and for healing

Bomber 5-26-2023: Graduation

It’s been a bittersweet few weeks at YHC’s house, as my 2.0 Thomas has picked his college destination (Boiler Up!) and last Saturday graduated from high school.  As our relationship hits an important transition, YHC wanted to celebrate graduation and provide some life lessons. As an added bonus, my 2.O as well as Cub Cadet’s 2.0 Edward came out for their first F3 workouts.

PAX:  23 (to celebrate the Class of ’23?)  Chunks, Cream Cheese, Cub Cadet, Dinty Moore, Firefox, Focker, Hambone, Legal Eagle, Kat Scan, Princess Aurora, Ranch Hand, Shockdoc (FNG),  Siri, Solocup, Spinal Tap, Steampunk (FNG), Supernova, T-cell,  The Flop (FNG), Toolman, Topps (FNG), Vector (QIC), Wet Wipes 

Conditions:   60 degrees and perfect

Disclaimer given and then start the playlist:  
Pomp & Circumstance to start the day, but sometimes graduation means learning hard lessons . . . cue

Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears for Fears
(“Welcome to your life. There’s no turning back.”)

Everyone does SSH until the song title is sung –> 3 burpees.  Song timed at 4 minutes to reflect 4 years of high school.

Graduate – Third Eye Blind
(“Do you live the days you go through?”)
Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
(“Live  your life with arms wide open.”)
Life’s What You Make It – Talk Talk
(“Baby, life’s what you make it. Celebrate it. Anticipate it.”)
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
(“Don’t stop believin’. Hold on to that feeling.”)
Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
(“But take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and breakaway.”)
Wide Open Spaces – The Chicks
(“Room to make her big mistakes.”)
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Green Day
(“I hope you have the time of your life.”)
You Get What You Give – New Radicals
(“You’ll be okay, follow your heart.”)
Hey Look Ma, I Made It – Panic at the Disco
(“Think I must be dreamin’, wide awake and dreamin'”)
Celebration – Kool and the Gang
(“So bring your good times and your laughter too. We gonna celebrate your party with you.”)

  • Warm-o-rama:    WMH, Good mornings, LBAC x 15, RLBAC x 15, Imperial Walkers x 20
  • Thang 1:  GRADUATE

G:  Gorilla humpers x 50
R: Raises of calves x 50 (each leg)
A: American Hammers x 50 a side
D: DIPS x 50
U: Underdogs x 50
A: Air Presses x 50
T:  Tunnel of Love x 2 teams
E: Erkins x 50

  • Thang 2:  Partner UP – DORA

50 Pull-ups
150 Squats
250 LBCs

Partner runs around Rec Center

  • MARY:

Flutter kicks, Hello Dollys, Boxcutters

  • COT

Thanks, HIM for helping Cub Cadet and me celebrate Thomas and Edward and reflect on their graduation.  Those with little ones, realize their graduation day will be here much faster than you want (the days are long but the years are short). While, yes, I did make my 2.0 splash (sorry T!), later that day he said, “Dad, I think I will come out again. When I was doing it, it was no fun, but you feel so much better if you start your day that way.”  Perhaps we have a new convert? We’ll see.  Remember, we all have our graduations, big and small.  Cherish those around you and make in impact in their lives.  You all do that for me and hopefully I return the favor.

SYITG,

Vector

Bomber 3-24-2023: 53DM

YHC turned 53 last week (you may have seen Cub Cadet’s backblast from the OTB cruise workout in the middle of the Caribbean last week – see Titan channel), so wanted to celebrate a little late with my favorite burpee brothers (even though not a single burpee occurred). Playlist wasn’t a cute theme – just a playlist of YHC’s favorite band, Depeche Mode, who kicked off their world tour last night and who I will see for the first time next weekend.  If you didn’t like post-punk British new wave or the number 53, you were not happy . . .

PAX:  Black Lung, Cream Cheese, Cub Cadet, Dinty Moore, Firefox, Pep, Pop-a-Lock, Right Said, Supernova, T-cell, Vector (QIC), Wet Wipes 

Conditions:   Balmy 70 with birds tweeting

DM Playlist:  
Personal Jesus
Just Can’t Get Enough
Behind the Wheel
Never Let Me Down Again
Walking in my Shoes
It’s No Good
Precious
I Feel You
Everything Counts (Live)

Disclaimer given and then a tradition unlike any other:

  • Warm-o-rama:    SSH x 53 (Pep asked “How old are you Vector?” to which I responded “Oh you will learn very soon”)
  • Wander to Rec Center:  LBAC x 15, RLBAC x 15, WMH 15 OHO, Good Mornings 10 OHO
  • Thang 1:  53 Dora

Partner up. one does exercise, one runs around rec center:  53 pull ups, 153 merkins, 253 squats.  When done, improvised rock pass on wall.

  • Thang 2:  Presents!

Go to hill and see what presents the HIM brought.  PAX pick exercise x 53 reps, then sprint up the hill.  So many good presents . . . but oddly, I didn’t ask for Black Lung’s present, as I suspected it might have rhymed with “burped peas.”

  • Thang 3: My gift to the PAX

As at every quality birthday party, you get a take home gift.  Today it was DIDs: 18 dips, 18 incline merkins, and 17 decline merkins (adds up to 53. Get it?).  PAX was so deserving that they got a second present of the same thing.

COT:

  • Prayers for Firefox’s M, kids making college decisions, and others unnamed. CSAUP this weekend and Richland Creek Run the following weekend (sign up for F3 team).

Thanks, HIM.  Thinking back, the thought that at 53 I could do what I do now (even though I’m a little slow) would have been laughable. I owe thanks to each of you (not just those not present today but who spent time with me in the gloom).  You’ve made me a better man, and I deeply appreciate each of you.

SYITG,

Vector

Bomber 11-11-2022: Celebrating 5 Years in the Beautiful Driving Rain

A shy over 5 years ago, I finally relented to Ebola’s prodding and came out to meet a bunch of men, working out, in the dark cold gloom. Led by Hambone, I thought I would (but proudly did not) splash merlot after the WOR.  Flash forward to 2022, and the positive impact of F3 on my life, especially the past 3 years, has been huge (if my biceps are not quite so).  Thus, this morning, I wanted to celebrate all things 5.

PAX:  Black Lung, Focker, Legal Eagle, Michelin Man, Porcelain, Salpal, Supernova, T-cell, Tim the Toolman, Vector (QIC) and Wet Wipes with the dedicated wounded but healing walkers Cub Cadet and Firefox

Conditions:   Pelting sloppy rain, 60s – truly in the words of many PAX “beautiful”

Playlist:  Bands and songs with “5” in the name — a lot of bands with a lot of not so good songs:

I Want You Back – Jackson 5 (inadvertently deleted from playlist at the start by the soggy Q)
Wake Up Call – Maroon 5
Mambo No. 5 – Lou Bega
White Lines – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
Video Killed the Radio Star – Ben Folds Five
She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer
5-1-5-0 – Dierks Bentley
Worth It – Fifth Harmony
Go Where You Want to Go – The 5th Dimension
Bad Company – Five Finger Death Punch
When the Lights Go Out – Five
Kick Out the Jams – MC5
Glad All Over – The Dave Clark Five (cut for time)
Superman (It’s Not Easy) – Five for Fighting (cut for time)

Disclaimer given and then mosey in the beautiful pelting rain to the McCabe Rec Center for the Sloppy Warm-o-rama (as Q tried to get music started):  

Squats, LBAC, Reverse LBAC, WMH, Good Mornings

The Thang:  5 Exercises, 5(0) Reps, 5 Sets

5 exercises: Merkins, squats, big boy sit ups, DIPs, pull ups

Do 50 reps of each, run around the Rec Center, repeat for 5 sets. Q, in the interest of time, Q reduced reps of a selected exercise to 5 with each set.

Mary:  Flutter Kicks, Ankle Lifts, 10 Burpees, and a few SSH to close us out.

COT:

  • Open Tab (or Maybe Tap Out, Tap In – we were confused) tonight — check Slack for deets and come for the beers and more importantly the discussion.
  • 30 seconds to listen to the world (and our walkers returning to the COT)
  • Sincere thanks to the HIM and F3.  This morning, being grown up dudes basically splashing in the rain, illustrates why F3 is so special.  Reach out to those we encounter who would benefit from F3 as I have — I am stronger physically, emotionally, mentally thanks to all of the HIM who I’ve encountered along this journey.  Keep pushing and inspiring me and each other. #ISI
  • Also, I unfortunately failed to send thanks for our veterans on 11/11 — appreciate all of you (including Porcelain and Cub Cadet who were with us this morning).
  • Cafe Dose followed and was awesome (complete with Focker looking like he walked out of the sauna at the Y)

SYITG,

Vector

Bomber – 09.16.22 – “16th September”

16 (on the 16th!) PAX paid a trip to the Museum de Pain to critique form.

QIC: Princess Aurora

PAX: Black Lung, Caddieshack, Coach Weird (FNG), Firefox, Focker, Legal Eagle, Michelin Man, Pop-A-Lock, Ranch Hand, Spanarkel (WL-Lake Norman), Siri, Supernova, T-Cell, Toolman, Wet Wipes

THE THANG:

Medium mosey over to the side lot entrance to reintroduce an old Stonewall standby: the Ark Loader. PAX travel up the hill by Bear Crawl, followed by Bunny Hop, Crab Walk, and Duck Walk. SSH for six.

Return to startex for COP:

  • SSH x 8
  • LBAC F x 9
  • OHP x 10
  • IW x 11
  • LBAC R x 12
  • Hillbillies x 13
  • Nordic Jacks x 14

Hop over to base of driveway for the main event. In honor of René Magritte’s painting, 16th September, PAX partnered up to complete 160 team reps of the following:

  • Merkins
  • Ab Thrusters
  • Glute Bridge
  • Raise the Roof (OHP)
  • Iron Mikes (1ct)
  • T Raises (Bent-over Reverse Flyes)
  • Turkish Sit-Ups (switch sides every 10)
  • Elbows to Knees (Reverse Crunch-ish)

Almost everybody got through the entire circuit just before time was called.

COT/BOM

MOLESKINE:

Qing Bomber is always a pleasure, and today was no exception. An already special morning was made more special as this was our first opportunity for a post-Bomber visit to dose since 2020.

Welcome to Caleb aka Coach Weird!

BULLHORN:

TAPS

  • Formica and family as they goodbye to his father who entered hospice this week.
  • Wet Wipes’s M and all other women as they grapple with a shattered veil of safety in the wake of Liza Fletcher’s tragic murder.
  • Pop-A-Lock’s back and continued healing

Announcements:

  • Tennessee Tussle, brought to you by F3 Spring Hill, will run Saturday, Nov 12 at 0630 in Pinkerton Park in Franklin. Teams of four from across Middle Tennessee regions will compete in a unique workout relay in one of three divisions for bragging rights and a good time. Read more here.

Go Tigers.

PA out

NASHVILLE — 06/24/22

QIC: 

Pumpkin Spice

PAX: 

Black lung

Breadsticks

Crablegs 

Crawlspace

Cub cadet

Firefox

Focker

Hambone

Lunch lady

Michelin man

MCafee

Natural ice

Oops

Princess aurora

Ranchhand

Right said

Siri

Supernova

Vector

Yellow Hammer

Gloom:

Delightful, high-60s

Warmorama

A little jog around the greenway, stop at the top deck for some exercises.

  • SSH x 10
  • High Knees x 10
  • Butt Kickers x 10
  • LBAC x 10
  • rLBAC x 10
  • Moroccan night clubs x 10
  • WMH x 10

Main Event

NASHVILLE

The PAX partner up and make their way to the top of the entrance hill. One partner does an exercise, the other runs to the bottom of the entrance and Bernies back. Flapjack. SSH for the six before moving to the next exercise. Exercises are below:

No hand merkins (Hand release)

American Hammers

Squats

Humpers, monkey variety

V-Ups

Incline Merkins

Lunges

LBCs

Eight count body builders

After all NASHVILLE exercises are complete, the PAX make their way to the startex for some Mary Go Round, whereby we do 60 seconds of a Mary exercise I call out based upon my perceived favorite Mary exercise from certain long-time PAX.

Vector – Box Cutters

Crawlspace – Hello Dolly

Crablegs – Time Machine Leg Lifts

Hambone – Alabama Prom Dates

Firefox – High Plank

Princess Aurora – WWIs

Black Lung – Flutter Kicks

Moleskin:

The Nashville PAX have been an immense blessing to me these last 4 years, and I find myself tremendously grateful for your fellowship, encouragement, camaraderie, and fitness. As my last bomber Q, it was a pleasure to bring things to a close with a NASHVILLE Q. A special thanks to Crablegs for EH’ing me many moons ago. I look forward to popping in for a surprise Q sometime in the future!

COT:

Prayers for Lunch Lady’s friend Jim, who was recently diagnosed with small cell carcinoma.

  • PSpice