III Pillars – 07.15.25 – “Crystal Clear”

AO: iiipillars
Q: princessaurora
PAX: LorelaiG, t-cell, Choo Choo, Haggis, Swiffer, Go Fish, Pep
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
8 PAX were gathered here today to celebrate YHC’s 15th anniversary F3-style. Conditions were just as steamy as they were that hot July night in 2010, but the company left a little to be desired in comparison.

THE THANG:

After a brief disclaimer and a couple of laps around the track while I fumbled with the Bluetooth speaker, we circled up for:

SSH x 15

Shoulder Mobility
– Prone Alternating External Rotations
– Prone Presses

Hip Mobility
– 90-90 Alternating Internal Rotations
– 90-90 Pigeon
– 90-90 Heel/Knee Raises
– WMH x 10

Quick trip to the wall to hit a seated scapula stretch and then it was time for the show.

The traditional 15th anniversary gift is crystal, so I wanted to share that with all today.

PAX perform one set of 15 of each exercise below, followed by one lap around the track. After each lap, PAX drop one rep for the set (14, 13…1) and continue to do so until finished or time.

– Clerkin
– Reverse Crunch
– Y-Raise
– Squat
– Toe Touched
– Ab Thruster
– Lateral Lunge

Just as expectations are often unmet in marriage, so went our routine as most only got down in the 9-10 range.

Mosey back to startex for COT/BOM

MOLESKINE:

Today’s playlist was brought to you by my wife. Some fun facts about it: not only did I play it blind (my only direction for her was that it needs to be 45 minutes), but it was also her first playlist. I believe most would agree she nailed it. Consider yourselves lucky, gentlemen. I know I do.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CSAUP 50-Miler 8/29. Hit up Chunks with any questions.

COT:

We took this time for everybody to share some piece of wisdom applicable either specific to marriage or to life in general, and wise words were shared indeed. Thank you for that.

Prayers for navigating health issues, familial strife, and relationships.

Always a pleasure to lead and be led at iiiP!

PA out.

Off campus : does @princess aurora know

AO: iiipillars
Q: Pep
PAX: Grape, Black Lung, Choo Choo (F3 Spring Hill), Swiffer, princessaurora, t-cell, Two Face, Formica
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: warm and humid

WARMUP: none

THE THANG: deck of death
– suits
– hearts: lieutenant Dan
– Diamond: hand release merican
– spade: windshield wiper
– Club: burpee
– run every five cards

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– July 4 convergence at handsomizer
– June 27: nantan ceremony at green machine

COT:
– prayer: grape going with family to California. Nervous mom is the hard thing
– Praise: pa’s dog survived a weekend in the crate

Songbirds of a Generation

AO: iiipillars
Q: Grape
PAX: Go Fish, Sherlock, gov’t mule, t-cell, Shania, Black Lung, Pep, YumYum, Swiffer, Haggis
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: good

WARMUP: normal

THE THANG: Tabata workout (1 minute on, 15 second rest), 2 rounds with a lap in between each group

SCOTT (staggered merkins, Caroline dry docks, OH press, twist merkins, tricep dips)
STAPP (squats, Turkish getups, Apollo ohnos, prisoner squats, pulse lunge)
CHAD (crunchy frogs, hollow body hold, APD’s, dead bugs)

:grapes:

Field Day

AO: greenmachine
Q: Firefox
PAX: Betty Ford, Shania, moneyshot, Sherlock, Pep, t-cell, Young and Restless, Esposa, Matador, LB, Steam, High Heels
FNGs: None
COUNT: 13
CONDITIONS: Perfectly fine

WARMUP: PAX split up into 2 groups and did a rice bag run twice around the track. We welcomed :downrange: posters from Knoxville Steam and High Heels during the run. t-cell was missing his LBAC.

THE THANG: With the school year coming to a close, in the grand tradition of I Have No Idea Why, we held our very own haphazard Field Day celebration. If you haven’t witnessed or been a part of one of these, everyone gathers and participates in random events. Sometimes there are winners, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Part 1: Partner Races – PAX partnered up, starting at the end zone and raced down to mid-field and back.
– Race 1 – Wheelbarrow (with partners swapping places at mid-field)
– Race 2 – Leap Frog
There were winners! Hurray!

Part 2: Rice Bag Relays – PAX split into 4 groups. 1 member of each team traveled 30 yards and back with the rice bag, handing off to the next member of the team. All others held a plank.
– Race 1 – Run
– Race 2 – Run
– Race 3 – Run
– Race 4 – Broad Jumps (which maybe were more like Bunny Hops)
There was a bit that I did not explain well at all in which a winning team’s cone was pushed back 5 yards as a “reward”… but yeah, we kinda abandoned that part. Also, Pep and t-cell turned this into a contact sport.

Also, some teams won! Some more than others.

Part 3: Rice Bag Relay – Even Ricier
The 4 teams consolidated to two teams and did a zipper relay with the ricebag. PAX got on their six, alternating position so that the person next to you was facing toward you (like teeth in a zipper). 1st team member did a WW1 with the rice bag overhead and passed to the next team member, then ran down to the end of the line. Teams passed the rice bag this way to the 30yd line and back.

Part 4: Wind Screws Everything Up
We attempted to play “Flip the Cone” but, in addition to having one less player, the wind was flipping over any upside-down cone. So, the first round was ended prematurely. We modified to scatter short cones in the middle of a 30x15yd play area. Teams lined up at opposite ends and had to travel to pick up a (single) cone and bring it (a single cone) back to their starting line. We did 2 or 3 rounds of this with bear crawls and another round with murder bunnies.

Part 5: Pick up all the crap I brought

Part 6: Back at Startex, 20 V-ups and 30s of a hollow body hold

MOLESKINE:
– Some poor explaining on my part and some unfortunately windy conditions. But we were flexible and everyone was a good sport. Except that t-cell guy.
– Loved getting to use the big field and track. Hopefully I’ll be invited back to Q again!
– I did not have blue ribbons. Instead we had donut holes. Thanks to Betty Ford for bringing the coffee.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: N/A

COT:
– Matador family health scare
– YHC dealing with workforce reductions on team

Impossible/Manly/Murder Mile

AO: greenmachine
Q: Focker
PAX: Betty Ford, Toothless, SalPal, Pep, Cowboy, Pole Dancer, Works for a Guy, t-cell, Black Lung, moneyshot, Young and Restless, Esposa, Matador, Shania, Topanga
FNGs: None
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS: Moist

WARMUP: Drive your car to the workout

THE THANG:
400 meter burpee broad jump :burpee:
400 meter lunge :leg:
400 meter bear crawl :teddy_bear:
400 meter “run” :man-running:

MOLESKINE: -the bear crawl makes the burpee broad jump feel like the lunges
-Works for a Guy unsurprisingly took the crown
-everyone was under one hour!
-coffee, Purity chocolate milk, and Donut Den treats provided (thanks Toothless!)
-one of my new favorite traditions is this horrible mile
ANNOUNCEMENTS: see ya next year!

COT: I think everyone wrestled with their respective higher power during the bear crawls

Holy Week 2025

AO: greenmachine
Q: sooner
PAX: t-cell, Grape, Pep, Matador, moneyshot, Black Lung, Esposa, Betty Ford, Cowboy, Focker
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Glorious and Maundy

WARMUP: dynamic

THE THANG:

“AI can’t make this up”

Palm Sunday – Palm Swap – split up into two groups, line up in plank on opposite sides of the field, last pax sprints to front of opposite line until both lines meet in the middle

Stations of the cross – 12s: star jumps and crunchy frogs; travel is beak crawl/crawl bear; 10 yards

Maundy Thursday – Washing of the feet; stairs

Good Friday – lunge walk and 2 x double plank burpees at 10 yards; 60 yards

Holy Saturday – ring of fire

Easter – up downs to “christ the lord is risen today”

MOLESKINE:
Easter

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Grape is singing in his church choir and he invites you to come see him sing. He’s a tenor.

COT: Matador’s international students event

April Fools

AO: iiipillars
Q: Grape
PAX: princessaurora, Go Fish, Shania, Canned Heat, t-cell, Pep, Haggis, Swiffer
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: cold again

WARMUP:

While the origins of April Fool’s day are disputed, some believe it traces all the way back to Noah, when Noah sent the dove out from the ark on April 1 while there was still water all around, which was a foolish thing to do.

SSH
5 Burpees
SSH
4 Burpees
LBAC F
3 Burpees
LBAC F
2 Burpees
LBAC R
1 Burpee
LBAC R
Stretch
Mosey, but then stop every so often to do 10 merkins

THE THANG:

Circle up and do Webb Jacks
40 OH press, 10 merkins, 10 plank jacks
36, 9, 9, etc.

Partner up Dora
400 Flutters
300 OH Press
Switch partners midway through
200 O squats
100 Leg lifts
Partner runs backwards down and back on the field

Plank until failure

Mosey back to startex

MOLESKINE: don’t get distressed when life throws chaos at you

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Plankpril, Spring Fling, Brewsday, check slack

COT: prayers for Ms. Webb, Ms. Mullis, Sam Savage, kids’ mental health, wisdom in prioritizing life’s responsibilities

:grapes:

Animal Movements

AO: greenmachine
Q: DintyMoore
PAX: Cowboy, Esposa, Hipster, Betty Ford, t-cell, Canned Heat, moneyshot, Shania, Ronaldo (2.0), Leonardo (2.1)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Solid

WARMUP: Lap and arm exercises

THE THANG:
Animal Movements
Working across the field, go halfway for each exercise and switch. Some evolution/Darwinism from smallest to largest animal.

Animal 1 and 2
Inchworm :worm:
Crab walk :crab:
1/2 Bernie

Animal 3 and 4
Frog Jumps :frog:
Leaping Lizard :lizard:
1/2 lap

Animal 5 and 6
Duck walk :duck:
Donkey Jumps 🫏
1/2 Bernie

Animal 7 and 8
Coyote :wolf:
Kangaroos :kangaroo:
1/2 lap

Animal 9 & 10
Bear Crawl :bear:
T. rex :t-rex:
1/2 Bernie

Finished with 10 minutes of ultimate football with Ronaldo scoring two goals (woops) touchdowns

MOLESKINE:
Great to be at green machine with my boys. Good to see Hipster on this side of the river.
Appreciate the opportunity from Cowboy to appreciate and use parts of our body that we overlook. #staysore

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
LentPax, Game Night, MarchMerkin, Night Moves, Biscuit Run

COT: Tactisquatch from Black Rifle on Brew today

Redemption Tour

AO: iiipillars
Q: Focker
PAX: t-cell, Grape, Harbaugh, gov’t mule, Haggis, Shania, Pep, Sherlock, wardas1, Swiffer, Canned Heat, Young and Restless, princessaurora, Howitzer, Big Bird
FNGs: 1 Big Bird
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS: near tropical

WARMUP: stretches followed by mental math consisting of pull ups to failure, multiply by 5 and do squats, multiply by 2 and do crunches

THE THANG:
On track do the following:
-5 dive bomber push ups
-15 monkey humpers
-20 WW1
Run around track with straightaway sprints

-5 kick throughs
-15 jump squats
-20 dry docks
Run the opposite way
Broke this up by 2 sets of 10,20,30 DIDS

Mosey to start with one legged burpees and Mary to end it

MOLESKINE: lots of grumbling about the math. Yacht rock playlist really was enjoyed by all. Great way to set an intimate mood for the FNG

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Merlin Madness

COT: prayers for shared sorrow and shared joys!
“Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark” James 3:5
^i was an idiot in my marriage yesterday with my words. Learn from my mistakes

What Piqued My Interest in 2024

AO: greenmachine
Q: Cowboy
PAX: Focker, Michelin Man, Esposa, moneyshot, Grape, t-cell, Cowboy, Canned Heat, Betty Ford, Shania
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: Balmy You Say? 60 something
PLAY LIST: music.apple.com/us/playlist/2024-cowboy-listen/pl.u-b3b889eHL5zqDp
WARMUP:
SSH
General Stretch OYO – WMH, Good Mornings
Sit Spread legs lean forward – oops the parking lot is wet, darn let’s go to the field

Grab Coupons, 3 total and mosey
Yog to encircle the Mustang at the 50yardline.
Stretch – Sit Spread legs lean forward
Left heel to nuts –
Right heel to nuts
Low WMH – Hands down 2x count IC

THE THANG:
Circle Up – Every 2 reps pass the coupon to the right (quickly modified to every 5). After passing the coupon run to sideline and back. Rounds as follows IC.
30 Squats. 40 Lunges, 50 Thrusters, 60 Kettle Swings (squats)
Elbow Dips at Benches on each sideline bench.
Go to Benches
Elbow dips both or 1 leg
Elbow dips run across when a guy gets there one man runs across the field. When the teams are flipped hold till the 6
Push Ups Bent Elbows

Run to the Stairs at Stands
The PAX holds a plank till their turn.
Crawl Bear up stairs and then run up stands, across, down and back to start
Hold Plank
Rinse and Repeat the stands run.
Back to Star Deck
Mary. Dealer’s Choice

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 25K Merkin Challenge, March mini challenge Merkin Ladders of 10 Per Day, Lean Pax in the last days.
PRAYERS:” for Cowboy’s Friend Richard,