Super Bowl Prep

Date: 2026-02-05 AO: thestronghold Q: Wham-O PAX: Tinkertoy, Young and Restless, Dan and Dave, Decaf, toga, Chunks, Wham-O, Hipster, Pearl (Jonathan Halter), Brown Slip, Barney, Red Skull, 4:13 Strong Men FNGs: None COUNT: 25 CONDITIONS: brisk / windy / good championship football weather
WARMUP: SSH 25, LB arm circles 10, imperial walkers 10, Good Mornings 10, Merkins 10, Coupons
THE THANG: “Championships aren’t won on Super Bowl Sunday. They’re built in the weight room, sharpened on the practice field, and finished at the goal line. Today, we go through all three.”
TODAYS RULES: 1. Every single rep, every block has a hand on it 2. If a teammate cannot complete the rep with the block, another man may hold it for him (while the teammate in need does an “un-burdened” rep beside him)
ESTABLISH TEAMS (4) W/CAPTAINS
1 – THE WEIGHT ROOM (10): NO POINTS | 3 Rounds • 20 DL → Upright Row • 15 Chest Press • 10 Thrusters Plank on coupon until all done
2 – THE PRACTICE FIELD (10): 1 Round = • 10 Merkins (coupon) • 15 Swings • 20 Chest Press • 25 Mtn Climbers (4ct) Each completed round = 1 Point
Drive 3 – THE GAME: GOAL LINE (10): Teams VS. Teams race / 3 “Plays” head to head / each winning team earns a point / final play you’re vs. EVERYONE only the 1 winning team earns 2 points.
plays: – 25 Blockees – 15 Blockees – 5 Blockees
MOLESKINE: stick to consistency in the little things over time and you’ll build something great. Don’t do it alone, bring in the man beside you!
ANNOUNCEMENTS: N/A
COT: prayers for Caleb’s family (hospitalized) (brought forward from Road-trip)

Run #4

Date: 2026-02-03 AO: tortoise-and-hare Q: Red Skull PAX: Brown Slip, Barney, Decaf, Chunks, Wham-O, Zumies, Puff Puff, Finger Tips, Papa Bear, Slurpee, Pom Pom, Sticky Fingers, Torta, Chicken Little, Guppy, Stir Fry FNGs: None COUNT: 17 CONDITIONS: Balmy 30 degrees
WARMUP: Standard Pre-run warm-up: SSH, Squats, IWs, Stretches
THE THANG: RUN!! Followed by a Brown Slip after party that was hijacked by Guppy who took control and closed us down by leading the COT.
MOLESKINE: 5 PRs today! And for the first time this class, the last man in broke 50:00!
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. Signing Day will be at 11:30a on Friday 2/20 2. The Whiskey House benefiting 4:13 Strong will be Friday 2/20, 5:30-8:30. This is a unique opportunity to gain access to the largest open bottle collection of whiskey and sample some of the finest, rarest, whiskey around. Interested? Less than 20 spots remain. Contact Barney or Red Skull for details and a registration link.
COT: Guppy jumped in to close the morning.

Shanty to a Pain Island Beatdown

Date: 2026-01-22 AO: thestronghold Q: Brown Slip PAX: Barney, Decaf, Red Skull, Young and Restless, Right Said, Dan Tanna, Dan and Dave, Fingertips, Torta, Zoomie, Pom Pom, Puff Puff, Slurpy, Chicken Little, Stir Fry, Guppy, Duncan, Papa Bear, Sticky Fingers, The Count FNGs: None COUNT: 21 CONDITIONS: High Seas, Moist, Misty, Damp – Perfect for setting sail
WARMUP: SSH – 20 IC Arm Circles – 10 forward / 10 backward Imperial Walkers – 15 IC
THE THANG: Collect Coupons and mosey to basketball court, circle up – Provided instruction
The Thar She Blows Circuit – As Many Reps as Possible * Each song has different instructions *
“Wellerman” • Coupon Thrusters (squat + overhead press) • Every chorus = 5 burpees without coupon
20 Windmills – led by Young and Restless + 20 Count Recovery
“Drunken Sailor” • Coupon Swings (kettlebell swings) • Every “early in the morning” = 5 coupon curls
20 SSH – led by Puff Puff (because Bedazzle Fart Sacked) 20 Count
“Roll the Old Chariot Along” • Coupon Goblet Squats • Every “roll along”= 5 coupon overhead presses
20 Rosalitas – led by Red Skull (delegated by Puff Puff) 20 Count
“South Australia” • Coupon Deadlifts (not really) • Every “South Australia” = 10 coupon rows (pretty much the whole song)
20 Monkey Humpers – led by Torta 20 Count
“Fish in the Sea” • Coupon plank hold during verses • At each “Windy Weather” chorus = 10 coupon push-ups
The Count – 20 Count + Ahh Ahh Ahh after each number (because Sesame Street)
“Paddy Lay Back” • WW1 Sit-ups with coupon Yelled “SWITCH”to alternate • Leg Lifts with coupon held overhead
FINISHER: Circle up | Count 1 / 2 – 1’s Keep Coupons – tighten up the circle
“Haul and Drag” • American Hammer w/ Coupons = Pass to the left
COOL DOWN: “Randy Dandy Oh” • Mosey back to the flag & return coupons
“John Kanaka” • Stretch hamstrings, shoulders, and back
90 Second Buyout = 18 burpees
MOLESKINE: • Always be prepared to lead, you never know when you will be called on to fill in for someone who Fart Sacked – Great job Puff Puff! • When asked to pick a number at the end of a workout, pick low. • Now everyone knows what sea shanties are!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Check Slack
COT: • Prayers for end of life of family member • Prayers for beginning of new life and family • Prayers for health & guidance

Coldest Run of the Year!

AO: tortoise-and-hare
Q: Red Skull
PAX: Judy, Brown Slip, Young and Restless, Barney, Decaf, Dunkin (Waxhaw), Zumiez, Puff Puff, Finger Tips, Papa Bear, Slurpee, Pom Pom, Bedazzle, Sticky Fingers, Torta, The Count, Chicken Little, Guppy, Stir Fry
FNGs: None
COUNT: 20
CONDITIONS: 16 Degrees :cold_face:

WARMUP: Standard Pre-Run Warm-Up: SSH, Squats, IWs, Down and Hold

THE THANG: RUN!!!

MOLESKINE: We had 6 4:13 Strong men set a new Personal Best time this morning. I think the cold must make them faster. Thank you Brown Slip for the extended after run party while we waited for the six to arrive.

COT: There was a lot of moaning and groaning as we took a knee to offer thanksgiving and ask for guidance.

Warm Welcome

AO: thestronghold
Q: tampalibra
PAX: Decaf, Skeet, Dan and Dave, Dan Tanna, Goodwill, Chunks, Young and Restless, Barney, Red Skull, Pearl (Jonathan Halter), Wham-O, Hipster, Tater, Zumiez, Puff Puff, Finger Tips, Papa Bear, Slurpee, Pom Pom, Torta, Giggity, The Count, Chicken Little, Guppy, Stir Fry, Bedazzle, Sticky Fingers, Nut Spread
FNGs: 15 Zumiez, Puff Puff, Finger Tips, Papa Bear, Slurpee, Pom Pom, Torta, Giggity, The Count, Chicken Little, Guppy, Stir Fry, Bedazzle, Sticky Fingers, Nut Spread
COUNT: 29
Red Skull commented that we saw the softer side of Tampa today :joy:. Nothing too brutal, didn’t harp on cadence, and didn’t start with burpeeapocolypse!

Warm ups:
SSH x 50 (to get the heart rate going, warmup, and stop the complaints about the cold weather)
Squats x 10
WMH x 10 OYO
Air Press x 50
LBAC x 10 each
Finger Bangers x 10

Grab a coupon and mosey to the courts.

Without explaining group 1 vs group 2 here is what we did:
Perfect Merkin x 20
Mosey (either murder bunny or lunge)
Ground to shoulder x 20
Mosey back

R&R 15, 10, and then 5

Then. same pattern with:
We’re Not Worthy x 5
Mosey (no blocks)
Thruster x 5
Mosey back

R&R 10, 15, 20

Back to startex, circle up for name-a-rama, started burpees instead bc everyone wanted to dilly dally getting back to startex.

These men are breaking deeply rooted habits and ways of living/thinking. Pray for them. Pray the Lord gives them the vision to see why they need it, courage to do the hard things, and confidence that they can accomplish it despite the difficulty,

…And we named a dude Nut Spread :peanuts:

[tortoisehare] Run #1 – The Slowest Run of the Year

AO: tortoise-and-hare
Q: Red Skull
PAX: Chunks, Decaf, Young and Restless, Goodwill, Judy, Barney, Right Said, Hipster, Stir Fry, 12 FNGs
FNGs: 1 12 FNGs
COUNT: 23
CONDITIONS: Brisk 34 degrees….perfect running weather

WARMUP: Standard Pre-Run Warm-Up: SSH, Squats, IWs, Stretches

THE THANG: RUN!!! – One 4:13 Strong man under 30:00, One 4:13 Strong man over 55:00. Lots of room for improvement over the next six weeks.

MOLESKINE: Sometimes we make what should be the easiest parts of the day hard (like getting into the circle for COT). Men who are successful in life do not let the easy things knock them off track.

Hipster called Chunks old and slow and challenged the 4:13 Strong men to beat him next week.

COT: Prayers for strength and courage.

New Years Day Convergence – Welcome 2026!

AO: thestronghold
Q: Red Skull
PAX: Hipster, DintyMoore, Mumbler, Ponzi, Natural Ice, Purple Tiger, hambone, toga, Chunks, Barney, Wolfpack, Tinkertoy, Young and Restless, Tim the Toolman, Decaf, Grape, Pep, Topanga, Take 3, Animal, BTB, Tool Bit
FNGs: None
COUNT: 23
CONDITIONS: 32 Degrees – perfect workout weather!

WARMUP: Mosey to the gravel lot for the usual warm-up: SSH, IWs, Windmills, Squats, Merkins, T-Ups and Scorpion Stretch.

THE THANG:
Mosey to the Auditorium

Part 1: Mental Toughness Week (Tryouts) – Burpee Apocalypse with a run around the building the building in between each round.

Mosey to the North Lot

Part 2: 40 Day Challenge – 6 weeks of work condensed down to six movements: Lt. Dan, Bear Crawl, Crab Walk, Burpee Broad Jump, Crawl Bear and Politician.

Mosey to The Hill

Part 3: The Work Phase – 7’s on the hill with Hand Release Merkins at the top, run down the hill, Jump Squats at the bottom, Politician up the hill.

Mosey back to the flag and time!

MOLESKINE:
4:13 Strong is a great program for men who want to change the course of their life, but it is hard. Only 35% of the men who enroll have what it takes to complete all program requirements. A big factor to success are the relationships that our men build with other men who can show them how to handle hard things. You can make a real difference for the 4:13 Strong guys by showing up, working out with them and modeling how HIM face challenges.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
LeanPax begins on 1/5
The Stronghold is now meeting every Thursday
Struggle Prep is coming in a few short weeks
Young and Restless is the new AOQ of The Stronghold

COT:
A great turnout for our New Years Day Convergence. Thank you all for coming out to join us!

A Time for Reflection

AO: thestronghold
Q: Red Skull
PAX: Right Said, Brown Slip, toga, Young and Restless, Wham-O, Dan and Dave, Barney, Hipster, Decaf, Phonics (Franklin), Mater, Dinky, Mosh Pit, Shred-It, Cuties, Speed Date, Raisin, Old Man River
FNGs: None
COUNT: 19
CONDITIONS: 45 degrees…the first chilly workout of the season at The Stronghold.

WARMUP: SSH, Windmills and Willie Mays Hayes. Mosey to the first school parking lot to continue the warm-up with Squats and Imperial Walkers.

THE THANG: Long mosey to the far front lot followed. YHC demonstrated the cadence for 8-Count Body Builders by doing five and then invited each 4:13 Strong (8 in total) to lead the group in a set of five. Before leading they needed to share something that they had learned in the past 40 Days. Decaf jumped in to share and lead bring our total count to 50 8-Count Body Builders.

We celebrated our accomplishment with a mosey to the back of the campus. Then each 4:13 Strong man was invited to share their vision for the future and how that vision is different today vs. 40 Days ago, and then lead us in another set of 5 8-Count Body Builders. Barney jumped in at the end to share some of his wisdom and gave us 5 more 8-Count Body Builders, bringing our total to 95.

We reversed course and retraced our steps making stops at both locations on the way back home. Hipster had the privilege of getting us to 100 and Wham-O got us to 105.

Once we got back to the flag YHC offered another 5 to get the total for the day up to 110 8-Count Body Builders.

MOLESKINE: It was a great morning. Thank you to the F3 PAX for coming out and supporting our men. Winners of the 4:13 Strong shirts were Right Said, Dan and Dave and Phonics

ANNOUNCEMENTS: That was the last workout at The Stronghold for 2025. Please consider spending your Thursday mornings at greenmachine or atlantis for the next several weeks but make sure you come back to thestronghold in January!

Signing Day tomorrow at 11:30am. All are welcome.

COT: Prayers for wisdom, strength and guidance.

Tortoise & Hare, Final Run…#6

AO: thestronghold
Q: Red Skull
PAX: Wham-O, Hipster, Michelin Man, Dan Tanna, Laces Out, Barney, Decaf, SalPal, Brown Slip, Salami, Mater, Dinky, Mosh Pit, Shred-It, Cuties, Speed Date, Comic Book Guy, Raisin, Old Man River
FNGs: None
COUNT: 20
CONDITIONS: Perfect 61 degrees and dark

WARMUP: Standard pre-run warm-up: SSH, Squat, IW, Stretches, WMH

THE THANG: Partner up and RUN!!!

MOLESKINE: As men get comfortable with routine, they tend to let their guard down and slip into the comfort zone. 4 out of 9 4:13 Strong men were so deep into their comfort zone that they didn’t even hit their past five week average time. These men earned another run tomorrow morning. They will continue to run each morning until they get below their five week average.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Signing Day, Friday at 11:30am. Come join us for a celebration and lunch.

COT: Prayers for wisdom and perseverance.

Finish strong

AO: thestronghold
Q: Wham-O
PAX: Barney, Dan and Dave, Right Said, Chunks, Hipster, Decaf, Sanctions, Cuties, Dinky, Mosh Pit, Speed Date, Go Fish, Comic Book Guy, Old Man River, Mater, Shred It, Raisin
FNGs: None
COUNT: 18
CONDITIONS: starry and cool

WARMUP: side straddle hop, squat, Willy Mays hays, arm circles, stretches (runners and sky/toes)

THE THANG:
– Indian run to far intersection
– 21s (side straddle hop to 21 self count) PAX must end on 21 exact
– 10 penalty burpees. PAX executed well, however a few were heard “counting cards”, the house called the cheating + 21 burpees
– Mosey to basketball court with coupons.
– Partner timed exercise: 1’s with block, 2’s lunging, timed by lunging person reaching partner.
– Exercise Rounds: curls, over head press, blockees, curls (for the girls)

THE FINISH:
– Indian Merkin “Run”
– all PAX in plank position, back of the line progresses forward up the line by doing 1 merkin with just the PAX directly in front of him. Once he reaches the front of the line, he planks and awaits the next man progressing. The exercise ended when the line progressed across the entire basketball court.

MOLESKINE: word of encouragement was that “Leaders run towards smoke” there isn’t always an obvious fire, but don’t turn your back on the metaphorical smoke in your world. Go stand in the gap, run towards conflict, and address issues before they burn things down.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: the Struggle! Signing day next Friday 10/24

COT: :pray: