Category: The Stronghold

Posted on

Anyone Pack a Sponge?

PAX: Play, Rabbit, Water Boy, Scar, Luigi, Slim, Timon, Kid, Frozen, Simba, Turbo, Radio, Donkey, Lightning, Styles, Mater, Too Tall, Bagger Vance, Right Said, Crawlspace, Caps Lock, Brother At Law, Life Champ, Red Skull, Pop a Lock, Toga (QIC), Porcelain, Right Said, Crablegs

29 strong posted at the 4:13 site for some fun in the sun.  Spirits were high as we joined a new class at the Stronghold, and here’s how it went down:

Disclaimer then mosey around the complex and back to the field near Foster Ave.  Warm-up COP including SSH, Imperial Walkers, Cherry Pickers, Hillbillies, Merkins, Scorpion Stretch (crowd pleaser).

Mosey to office building near the entrance for triple check.  Teams of three executing three exercises and rotating through all of them three times.  Round 1= People’s Chair, WWII, backwards run.  Round 2= plank walks on the wall, flutter kicks, and forward run.

Mosey up to the main road and begin curb crawls.  Round 1 = bear crawls and crawl bears with ascending merkins to 7.  Round 2= crab walks with ascending dips to 5.

Mosey to basketball court for Mary= 10-15 reps of core work, flip over for a quick 5 merkins then hold the plank.  Repeato for flutter kicks, WWII, APD, single leg APDs, squat thrust interlude, then finish with bicycles.

COT with Bagger taking us out

Announcement: See Red Skull’s invite for a new Bible study on the struggle to be Authentic Men.  Date and Time: Friday mornings, 7:15am – 8:45am, 1/25 – 2/22
Location: Flavor Catering (downtown Nashville), 618 Ewing Avenue near the Rescue Mission. Parking is available beside the building and on the street.

NMM:  The PAX may have worked hard, but YHC has never heard so much grumbling about getting wet.  Most of us shower, and YHC assumes everyone can swim, so how was this different?  As my son explained this morning when arguing over packing a rain jacket for school, “you don’t need one if you run fast enough.”  Word!

This is another great group of young men embarking on a new challenge, and it was awesome to see so many F3 faces out there on such a fine morning.  Strong Work- FEBA!

Stay Classy,

Toga

Posted on

The Stronghold – 08.23.18 – “C is for Cookie”

24 PAX including 5 FNGs and 4 Willy Lomans from all over the country posted for the final workout of the year with the men of 4:13 Strong. These men are will start new jobs next week (6 out of 10 already started!), so YHC wanted to send them off with a special workout highlighting the Leadership Characteristics known as “the 5 C’s.”

QIC: Princess Aurora, Toga

PAX: CAPSLOCK, Red Skull, Jersey Money, Big Ticket, Bruh Bruh, Teddy, Fallout, Life Champ, Biscuit, Tool Time, Straight Pipe (FNG), PewPew (Louisville), Scuba Steve (Louisville), Olaf (Dallas), Flo Jo (Louisville), Cargo (FNG), Paradise (FNG), Naked & Afraid (FNG), Fungi (FNG), Casual Friday, Stranger, Joey Freshwater

THE THANG:

Toga kicked things off with a masterfully presented disclaimer followed by a brief mosey and warm-o-rama consisting of:

  • Imperial Walkers
  • Hillbillies
  • Good Mornings
  • LBACs
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Scorpions

YHC took over for today’s lesson in the 5 C’s. PAX were divided into groups of three and we moseyed over to the baseball field to get started.

  • Candor: being open and honest; frank

– P1 performs max Merkins, P2 performs max Jump Lunges, P3 rests and critiques form, doesn’t allow team members to slack. Call outs were encouraged.

  • Commitment: being dedicated to your group and to the mission

– P1 holds Air Chair, P2 performs SSH x 100, P3 performs 4ct FKs x 50. If P1 breaks Air Chair before others finish, add 20 to rep count. Rotate through.

  • Contentment: consistent attitude

– Suicides for 8′.

  • Courage: strength in the face of pain or fear

– Block Webb (1 Merkin, 2 Block Presses, 2 Merkins, 4 Block Presses…5 Merkins, 10 Block Presses, back down to 1). Finished with a nice surprise of 5 and 10 again.

  • Competence: the ability to do something successfully or efficiently

– Mary led by each of the PAX using proper cadence. We got through all of the 4:13 guys as well as some FNGs who all performed wonderfully in the moment.

MOLESKINE:

It was great to have PewPew and his conference buddies in tow. F3 Louisville is doing big things, so big that they’re taking over Nashville apparently. As the FNGs return to their respective cities, I hope they will find a way to continue giving it away in their own communities.

BULLHORN:

  • Next 4:13 class begins in January, so no more The Stronghold for 2018. Talk to Red Skull to learn how you can continue to support them in other ways.
  • 4th Anniversary Convergence and Q School on 9/29 at Stonewall. BE THERE.
  • Ironclad is wrapping up in a week! Hope to patch you all!

PA out.

 

Posted on

Lil Tony’s VQ

Conditions: High 70s and humid with a nice breeze and the threat of rain.

PAX: Lil’ Tony (VQ), Preacher Man, Duce, Mile High, Claud, Life Champ, Can’t Get Right, Fallout, Big Ticket, Gussy, Teddy, Bruh-Bruh, Jersey$, Hambone, Hot N’ Ready, Brother-at-law, Spinal Tap, Porcelain and Red Skull (YHC).

Warmorama: Long mosey around the campus with several rapid and unexpected turns thrown in to keep all PAX on their toes. Gussy started off the Mosey by leading the pack but quickly dropped back when he realized he had to slow down in order to “keep his shorts on”. End at the tennis court for 10 Hillbilly Walkers and 10 Seal Claps IC. Then off for another Mosey and back to the tennis court for 10 GM IC.

Thang: Battan Death March to the end of the main drive and back. Form two lines for Indian Run with last man doing 5 burpees before sprinting to the front. Waited with SSH IC for six. All in and mosey to the rear parking lot for the next exercise.

Partner up for a little Dora 1-2-3. Adding a concrete block to the run was a real crowd pleaser. Squat for six.

Bear Crawl to the basketball court for Mary: 10 each IC: Flutter Kicks, American Hammers and Pickle Pointers. Plank for final two minutes while Hambone entrains all with a couple of jokes.

CoT

There is only one more workout with this group of 4:13 Strong men. After next week, they will begin working and will likely be on the clock when F3 gathers. Come out next week for a farewell workout and help send these 10 men off to the next chapter of their journey with some sore muscles and an extra boost of confidence.

Posted on

Batter Up!

Conditions: 70ish Degrees and balmy

20 PAX: Hambone, Jekyll (DR), Porcelain, Casual Friday, Red Skull, Big Ticket, Gussy, Satchmo, Bruh Bruh, Teddy, Lil Tony, Can’t Get Right, Fallout, Jersey$, Biscuit, Life Champ, Toga, Dupree, Vector, Hot N Ready (Q)

Disclaimer 
Mosey across campus to grassy area.
SSH X 30 IC
Good Mornings X 5 IC
Imperial Walkers X 20 IC
Squats X 20
Thang
 
Indian Run to baseball field. Picked up Jersey$ along the way. IR didn’t go as planned so circled up for Burpees X 10 to reset. Continued IR to baseball field.
Gather at home plate. Burpees x 5. Bear crawl to 1st  base. Merkins x 10 at 1st base. Sprint to right field fence.
Gather in right field. Carolina Dry Docks X 15. Mosey to center field.
Gather in center field. Jump Lunges X 15. Run backwards to 2nd base. Squats X 10. Super Mario back to center field. Alternating Shoulder Taps X 10 (Scratch that, make it 20). Mosey to left field.
Gather in left field. Jump Squats X 10. Sprint to 3rd base. Bear Crawl Home.
Rinse and Repeat 1X
At that point our feet were good and wet so we decided to embrace the dew filled grass.
Counted off 1s and 2s and split in two teams. This was a race across the field to the fence. Each team got in plank position in a line separated by a few feet. Last man farthest from the fence hopped over each man until reaching the end of the line and back in plank position. Continued until fence was reached.
Winner’s prize – Burpees X 10
Loser’s prize – Burpees X 20
**Team 2 with the WIN!**
 
20 Second countdown
Mosey over to basketball courts for Mary.
Around mid-mosey Biscuit was spotted cutting through buildings. Upon arrival at basketball courts, Biscuit was discovered lying on basketball court begging for mercy and claiming that the Q was “trying to kill” him. Kill attempt unsuccessful.
American Hammers
Flutter Kicks
Hand Release Merkins
Good Mornings
Flutter Kicks
Finished.
COT 
2 weeks and 2 days remain for 4:13 Strong before transitioning to Full-Time Jobs.
Great to see Wolverine during coffee. Wolverine is working with an electrician and doing great! Let’s keep praying for him.
Thank you men for for working through my first Q. Way to bring it!
Posted on

Stronghold 8/2/18

Rolled into the 4:13 compound with a truck bed full of fun this balmy AM.

21 PAX:

Red Skull, Hot N Ready, Big Ticket, Gussy, Biscuit, Satchmo, Bruh Bruh, Teddy, Lil Tony, Can’t Get Right, Fallout, Claud, Jersy$ (FNG), Olan Mills, PA, Bagger Vance, CAPSLOCK, Porcelain, Hambone, Hi-Viz, Blood Clot, Preacher Man (Q)

Circle up and read the riot act. Mosey to upper field for some side-shuffle, back-peddle and the following WOR: Goo’mornin, SSH, LBC forward and back, Squats, and maybe something else.

 

THANG:

You know when you can’t help but take your work home with you? Well YHC couldn’t help but take his work to his workout with him. PAX were informed we was going to be at church this morning and started off with a bang:

 

C – Crawl Bear roughly 100yds

H – High Knees x50

U – Up-downs (5 steps + 1 drop) x10

R – Russian plank-kicks x50

C – Crunches x50

H – Hallelujah High Knees x50

 

Mosey back to edge of upper field where PAX partnered up and lined up in two rows – on top and bottom of steep bank. Top row AMRAP of Murkins, bottom row AMRAP of squats. All the while, wheelbarrow full of unknown weight of blocks, rocks, and wood was passed up and down the bank from partner to partner all the way down the line…and back so everyone had the pleasure of pushing the roughly 75lbs of flat-tired fun up the bank.

 

Mosey to bball court for quick sprint races (loser does 10 burpees) and then circle up for Mary.

 

MARY:

Spell “church” with outstretched legs

Flutter kicks X20

WW1s X20

J-Los X10

Hallelujah High Knees for 1.5 mins

 

Countoff/Nameoff with naming of FNG Jersey$.

Prayer

Posted on

Weight and Wait a Homonym of a Q

Temp: Low 70s maybe, YHC was a discombobulated this AM

Gloom: Nil

PAX: Red Skull, Hot N Ready, Big Ticket, Gussy, Biscuit, Satchmo, Bruh Bruh, Teddy, Lil Tony, Can’t Get Right, Fallout, Claud, Life Champ, CAPSLOCK, Bagger Vance

QIC: BV

Quick Mosey out of the gate to the lot behind the STEM center only to find out there are some brand new consumers of Fossil Fuels in the way.  No worries, head around the building and to the upper lot with the dumpster.

Circle Up for WOR:

Two minute or so plank while YHC explained the grammatical terminology of a #Homonym and shared an #Example Weight v Wait.  In true ATQ fashion, there was some choice language thrown in for Color.

All IC x 13

SSH, IW, Squats, Hill Billy’s

THANG:

Dirty McDeuce-ish

Partner Up in 1s and 2s and take a leisurely mosey around our loop for the day.  Once the 6 was in we performed

Squats x 13, Merkins x 13, Flutter Kicks x 13 IC (had a couple of restarts to stress form) and to the building for Wall Thrusters (think Mike Tysons w/o the Merkin)

Run a lap

Jump Tucks x 13, Lunges x 13, Power Merkins x 13 (Crowd Pleaser), Ola Dolly (IC) x 13

Run a short lap

Skaters x 13, Lunge to Squat x 13, Atomic Merkins x 13, Reverse Thrusters x 13

Run a lap but go through the quad to the back of the building where YHC introduced two Firsts

P1 squats on wall while P2 performs Bulgarian Split Squat (P1 holding P2’s foot) x 13 ea leg

Flap Jack

Holy Moley, there are some spare tires over here, why don’t we P1 v P2 in a spare tire tug of war.  Lots of grit and heart out there, couple of bruises and some blood but a good time was had.

To the main Lot for the last lil Bit

Monkey Humpers x 13

Merkins, Dips, Merkins x 13

6 MOM:

F Kix x 13

Time

Count Off

NMM:

So, the idea of the Weight and the Wait has been weighing heavily on YHC’s mind as I wait on what the Lord has in store for me and my family and as I think about the Burdens we carry in this life.

Funyuns and I ran with Rob Jones last year as he was completing 31 Marathons in 31 Days in 31 Cities…First one was in London (Not Kentucky).  Oh by the way, Rob is a 2x Amputee.  Rob’s tag line his to “Use The Weight” and his story can be found at https://youtu.be/gq4IdUpxVYY  …

We all have different Weights and we all carry them differently.   The only thing I would change in Rob’s awesome message is that we all need a partner, a spouse, a friend and sometimes a Brotherhood to help us carry the weight.

As a man with a Christian worldview (and a Potty Mouth), I also think about the word Wait and what it means to me.  Right now, I am waiting on the Lord to show me the way to my next career so that I may provide for my family.  The life that has been predestined and ordained for me is one of waiting, Waiting on the Not Yet but Will Be, waiting on the Voice for the next step and Waiting on being reunited with all my Brothers and Sisters at Home.

BH:

Prayers up for Spicoli, for this Class of young men that they become HIM (High Impact Men) and that they change the course and trajectory of their lives and families.  Spoke with Olan Mills today, his Dad received good news from his Doc yesterday.

YHC,

Bagger Vance

Posted on

Fastest Mule!

PAX: Lots of FNGs= Mufasa, Sachmo, Avatar, Lil Tony, Claud, Teddy, Can’t Get Right, Fallout, Bruh Bruh, Biscuit, Big Ticket and Gussy

Old Timers: Redskull, Right Said, Hambone, Brother at law, Blue Mule, Frugal McDougal, Life Champ, Toga (QIC)

Twenty, yes twenty, redwoods found some time to get better at The Stronghold.  It went something like this:

Thang: Disclaimer (yes, before we ran a step) and mosey around the complex to the road above the STEM  center for Warmup COP: usual stuff…

Lineup on road for curb crawls= bear crawl to other side of the road for 1 merkin, crawl bear back to other side for 2 merkins… up to five and back down to 1.

Mosey down hill to STEM building for 40 lunges, 30 sec wall sit, 38 lunges, 30 sec wall sit… 36, 34, 32, 30 lunges and 30 wall sit

Divide into teams of 3 for ye ol’ triple check:  P1 wall sit, P2 WW2 sit-ups, P3 run up hill and across lot and back.  All players rotate through all three exercises three times.

Mosey to basketball court for shuttle run of doom= 10 yd shuttle with increasing reps EMOM.  We started with 5, and you had to drop out and work on Mary if you didn’t complete the reps in the minute.  Blue Mule made it to 16!!!

COT:  Reminders for Warpath, Can Ruck and prayers for brothers dealing with illness.  QIC took us out.

NMM:  The PAX was excited to welcome the new 4:13 class, and they got after it.  Lil Tony decided he wouldn’t be held back by the Q’s mosey pace, and took off.  Several of the PAX were right there on the Shuttle Run of Doom up till the 15 rep mark.  Someone is going to overtake Blue Mule’s 16 rep record real soon!

Re the lunges and wall sits, YHC is sure there are some sore glutes out there today.  You’re welcome!

Stay Classy,

Toga

Posted on

4:13 Strong: Sinestro Had to Take Off His Jacket

It was hot this morning.  Yet there was Sinestro rocking a full sweat suit.  Hoodie.  Pants.  The works.  What a guy.  Here is what happened.

PAX: Porcelain, CAPSLOCK, Hot n’ Ready (incredible name), Venom, Sinestro, Night Crawler, Red Skull, Wolverine, Killmonger, Floppy D, Donuts/Dmish, CCR (CoQ), Brother-at-Law (CoQ).

WOR:

CCR kicked us off with a mosey to the LF foul pole.  Killmonger took off like a bat out of hell.  After the workout Red Skull informed us that Killmonger was determined to kick ass this week after what he felt was a poor showing last week, thus the fast start.  We’ll get to how that turned out.

SSH (x20), GMs (x10), WMH (x10), LBAC (x12?), Reverse LBAC (x12), Overhead claps (x12), NAVY SEAL claps (x12).

Four corner workout.  Each station has 4 sets of 13 reps of the following:

1. Merkin variations

Broad jump to behind home plate

2. Squat jumps.  Sinestro led us by counting.  Killmonger faded after the third set and had splashed merlot by the time we lunged our way to the RF foul pole.  “Steve, that pork is coming up on me.”  I assume they all had pork for dinner last night.

3. Carolina Dry Docks.  Sinestro ditched the hoodie here.  Wise.

Backwards run to Center field.

4. Burpees.  People were struggling at this point, but everybody perservered.

Slowsey to LF foul pole, gather up, then Brother-at-law tags in for a slowsey to the basketball court.  We picked Killmonger back up in the parking lot.  He jumped right back in like a champ.  Love it.

11’s on the basketball court with jump lunges at one end broad jump to wide grip merkins, then jog back to jump lunges.  Many were hurting during this, but everybody kept at it.  Great attitude across the whole group this morning.

Everybody was pretty gassed so we slow rolled into Mary with some GMs and WMHs, then a bunch of Happy Jacks IC.

Mary was a simple flutter kick x20 IC and high plank shoulder taps x20.  Wrap it up with 10 GMs.

Porcelain delivered an excellent announcement to the group about taking responsibility for your own actions.  Porcelain will have the Q next week and will be splitting it with Wolverine, who asked to Q for the first time.  Awesome initiative shown on his part.  Let’s try to get as many guys out to support them.  Sinestro and Venom both offered up prayers that they keep on the right path and keep looking forward.  Killmonger and Red Skull discussed how to deal with negative thoughts towards others.  A great final five minutes and COT.

Unfortunately Shaq left 4:13 Strong on Sunday night.  Let’s pray for him and all the others that are sticking with it.

-30-