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!

BACK on Q

AO: detention
Q: Accounts Receivable
PAX: Accounts Receivable, Deep State, Esposa, Movin On Up, Pedialyte, Young and Restless, Tinkertoy, Peabody
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: Clear, windy, cold

WARMUP: Side-straddle hops, yoga stretches, merkins

THE THANG:
Indian run around neighborhood loop.
Grab blocks and head to playground

5 rounds of:
26 Overhead press
30 sec dead-hang
10 corncob rows
20 4 count merkins
Run the hill

MARY:
Round Robbin core exercises for 5 min

MOLESKINE:
Prayer for health for fam members
Prayer for our marriages
Prayer for guidance as we head into 2026

Strength and honor

12 Days of Squatmas

AO: cruelhall
Q: tampalibra
PAX: Esposa, Donkey Hammer, Focker, Pedialyte, Tinkertoy
FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
SSH x 50
Squats SL x 10
Late penalty burpees x 20

THANG:
12 Days style – 1 rep of the first, 2 reps of the 2nd + 1 rep of the first, etc

Intentionally threw a ton of new movements focused on foundational strength, taking care of core, low back, and shoulders.

Rx: 30lb block

– Pistol hop (from a sitting position, holding block, single leg get up with power hop). 1 each leg.
– Worthy squats (Squat with straight arm block hold, we’re not worthy at the bottom)
– Referee jump. Modify to Iron Mike if needed (2 is 1)
– Around the world deep squat (4 each side, block around your noggin and back)
– Tennessee Wedding Dates (Hold top of APD with block overhead, reach it back down behind head and back up)
– Haunted tower (plank feet on bench and block in front, hands step up onto block and back down. 6 each side)
– Block pullover (Press block out front, back in, hinge it over your head and back (like you’re taking off a sweater))
– Thruster
– Angel crunch (crunchy with a block and on the picnic table)
– Ground 2 OH (block go on ground now block go overhead)
– Hinge squat (block squat, hinge and like your six at the bottom and back down)
– Plank reach (low plank, reach and touch block, rocking at full extension to extend further

Emergency Q

AO: detention
Q: Donkey Hammer
PAX: Accounts Receivable, Movin On Up, Cal Worthington, Pedialyte, Esposa, Tinkertoy, Kraut, Harry Caray, Fortran, Deep State, Michael Freiburg, Focker
FNGs: None
COUNT: 13
CONDITIONS:
48 degrees, dark

WARMUP:
easy short loop, old man stretches

THE THANG:
short jog to Sir Winston Church Hill

11’s – atomic merkins at the bottom, jump squats at the top

short jog back to the start
Tabata 40 seconds on/15 seconds off- multiple rounds of Jane Fondas, SLR, imperial walkers, hillbillies, calf raises, Freddy Mercs, shoulder taps

MOLESKINE:
Thanks for letting me be the emergency Q. We made it up as we went but the energy level was high. Most animated coffeeteria I’ve seen in a while.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Crieve Hall Butter Ball Crawl this Thursday. Run starts at 7am. Coffee and pancakes after. Bring the whole family. EZ-Go sent out a sign up for planning purposes. $5 donation encouraged. We will also meet up Wednesday night for prerun planning and putting out signs. I’ll send out a time when I know it.

COT:
Thinking about Deep State ‘s aunt and Dale Clay.

Howdy Partner! Catch me if you Can + Dora

AO: cruelhall
Q: Cal Worthington
PAX: Harry Caray, Esposa, Tinkertoy, Donkey Hammer, Young and Restless, Pedialyte, Deep State, Mistah Mistah
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: 2 Parts Cool, 1 part Moist with a touch of Fog.

WARMUP: I.C. x15
15x Imp. Walkers
15x Toy Soldiers
15x SSH
15x PickUp
15x Grass Git’rs
Stay down 4 stretch

THE THANG:

Thang 1. – Mosey to Street / Partner Up 👥 Catch me if you can / Burpee Edition
2 Burpees at each Tag! 🏃🏻‍♂️
End of St and Back

Thang 2. – Partner 👥 4 DORA.
100 🖐️ Release Merkins / High Knees Lap
150 Big Boy Sit Ups / Bear Crawl Lap
200 Jump Squats / Crab Walk Lap

COT:
What is one thing you want to change about your life? Career? Family? Marriage? Personal?

Take steps in th right direction and make the change you want to see!!

5:40 free men’s workout

AO: cruelhall
Q: Works for a Guy
PAX: Accounts Receivable, Matador, Esposa, Harry Caray, Pedialyte, EZ-Go, Tinkertoy, Works for a Guy, I am missing someone. Who am I missing??? I was a bit discombobulated with the late wake up.
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: brisk but not cold

WARMUP: I don’t know. I wasn’t there

THE THANG: yo boy woke up at 5:33 so that was awkward

But anyway I pulled up at 5:40:

Get block

11s with dips and burpees – farmers carry in between

20 each

curls
Overhead press
Squats
block pick ups

Run – 5 pullups

Tricep extensions
Rows
calf raises each leg
WWIs

Run – 10 pullups

Repeat once

Time

ANNOUNCEMENTS: turkey day at the Hall. 7am. EZ-Go has way too many pancakes for it.

COT: continue to pray for Dale Clay and family

Deck of Horrors!!!! Ft. Cotton Eye Joe =?utf-8?q??= 🃏🪕

AO: cruelhall
Q: Toothless
PAX: Tinkertoy, Smokehouse, Focker, Esposa, Donkey Hammer, Kraut, Matador, EZ-Go, Harry Caray, Michael Freiburg
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Clear and crisp, but mild feeling for the temp.

WARMUP:
– Side straddle hops x 31
– Werewolfs (aka Downward Dog into Cobra and back) x 10
– Scorpions x 10
– Zombie walk out & back

THE THANG:

First, obligatory Burpee Thriller, listen to Thriller and do a burpee every time you hear the signature “thriller” in the chorus or something scary in the lyrics

Deck of Horrors!!! :wolf: :spades: :diamonds: :clubs: :heart: :male_vampire:

To the pavilion, circle up and get ready to pull cards.
– Add 10 to digits (2-10)
– Royals trigger a flat 10 reps of a harder exercise
– Aces have their own deviltry

Spades :spades:
– Digits = Squats
– Royals = Squat Jumps
– Ace = Broad Jump around the square
Clubs :clubs:
– Digits = LBC’s
– Royals = V-Ups
– Ace = 200 American Hammers (single count)
Hearts :heart:
– Digits = High Knees
– Royals = Hopping Hillbillies
– Ace = Cotton Eye Joe (High Knees with words, Hillbillies with instrumentals)
Diamonds :diamonds:
– Digits = Carolina Dry Docks
– Royals = Diamond Merkins
– Ace = Bear Crawl around the square

Back to post at 5 mins out for Howler Monkeys, I.e. monkey humper ring of fire

MOLESKINE:

Instructions were for the next man pulling a card to do half the reps before getting up to pull the card so we keep it moving. That worked once we got the hang of it.

The Aces were obviously everyone’s favorite, and the mumblechatter peaked during Cotton Eye Joe as predicted. Fan favorite, sure to be repeated soon! Honestly I was pretty wiped by the time we got there but we made it through.

We completed all but 4 cards! That brings the total reps to very close to the following full counts:
– 144 x Squats
– 30 x Squat Jumps
– 144 x LBCs
– 30 x V-Ups
– 144 x High Knees
– 30 x Hopping Hillbillies
– 144 x Dry Docks
– 30 x Diamond Merkins

Not counting the Aces, that’s 700 reps of good work, more than the standard Dora, and the Aces were some good work too. Way to keep it moving men!

Coffeeteeria was a smashing success with a co-brew from Toothless and Esposa, with Esposa bringing gatorade and even Twisted Tea for the road…well not for the road but you get it.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– f3dads workout was this AM!
– Esposa on Q for Halloween, or for the daring, handsomizer will be aiming for the local in-workout record of 315 burpees

COT:
– Prayers for the family Focker was visiting with their newborn experiencing complications
– Prayers for Prayers for YHC (Toothless) for the move to Crieve Hall in December and the current home selling in the meantime

As always, it was an honor to lead, men! Thanks for having me out, and I’ll be seein’ ya!

— Toothless :tooth:

Tour de Crieve Hills

AO: cruelhall
Q: Focker
PAX: Esposa, Accounts Receivable, Pedialyte, Pepsi, Tinkertoy, Donkey Hammer, Finger Dust, EZ-Go, Harry Caray, Fortran
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: some would say perfect. Finger Dust would say a tad chilly

WARMUP: various active stuff (high knees and the sort)

THE THANG:
-indigenous people run to bottom of Cochran. Catch-me-if-you-can with partner going backward up hill while other partner does squats and WW1 then sprints to catch up
-mosey to grassy hill in ag center
-10 squats—>sprint up—>20 ww1–>back down
-10 merkins, 10 squats—>sprint—>20 heel lifts
-10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 monkey humpers—>20 crunchy frogs
-10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 monkey humpers, 10 dry socks—>sprint—> 20 Ww1
-indigenous people run back to start
-sprints and jogs of various %
-2 minute low plank

MOLESKINE: thank you men for entertaining me with the long journey today. Covered almost a 5K. LOL, lots of love

ANNOUNCEMENTS: octoburpee , f3dads , and come out for F3 After Dark

COT: step back and assess where you’re at. Complacent? Make a change

9/11 Convergence

AO: greenmachine
Q: Cowboy , SalPal, Pole Dancer, Black Lung
PAX: Michelin Man, Pep, moneyshot, Esposa, Betty Ford, Tim the Toolman, Works for a Guy, Goose, Squatter, Pepsi, Tinkertoy, Hipster, Purple Tiger, Chunks, Puzzlah, Hoffa
FNGs: None
COUNT: 20
CONDITIONS: Beautiful Meteorological Fall Morning

WARMUP: SalPal led with F3 sanctioned exercises
Count off – 4 Groups
Mosey to Stadium

THE THANG:
Theme: Constant movement, Use stairs
Co-Qs: Pole Dancer, Black Lung, SalPal, Cowboy
4-Qs; 4 stations: 4 Stadium Sections:
1 Co-Q leads at a section. PAX rotates.
Tabata Style- 6 sets of 80sec +10sec rest btw sets – 1 min transition between stations.
By the end all have rotated thru all stations

Station 1: SalPal : Five Big Boy Situps, Run to top of Stairs, return
Station 2: Pole Dancer : Run Up the stairs, down the stairs, 10 burpees. Wall sit for the Six.
Station 3: Black Lung : Run Up the Stairs, AMRAP exercise to the timer.
Stair run variations by round: 1, hit every step, 2, hit every other step, 3, hit every third step, 4, bunny hop on every step, 5, broad jump up every other step, 6, free style stair run
AMRAP exercise by round (alternating upper/lower body by round): 1, merkins, 2, squats, 3, hand-release merkins, 4, iron mikes, 5, clap merkins (clerkins), 6, lunges
Station 4: Cowboy : Exercise then ascend the stairs
Rounds 1: Fire Hydrants 10 each leg. Bunny Hop up stairs; Round 2: Star Jumps, Bunny Hop Up 3: AL Prom Date Bridge, Leg out, Drop Leg and back up. 10 each leg, bunny hop.
Rounds 4-6 Repeat exercises followed by Box Jumps up Bleachers this time.

No Time for Mary

MOLESKINE:
Things OverHeard:
I gotta Go to Work
You did how many Burpees?
The inventor of the Burpee warned to never do more than 4 in at a single exercise session.

Great Representations from atlantis thestronghold greenmachine

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Check 1st F and F3 General Slack – Grow School , Night Moves 9/18, etc

COT: On this day we are remember the tragedy of 9/11, Charlie Kirk’s assassination (his family’s grief), Colorado School Shooting (grief of those families), generally hurt, loneliness, brewing hatred going unnoticed.

Upper and Lower

AO: detention
Q: Focker
PAX: Esposa, Matador, Accounts Receivable, Mistah Mistah, Pepsi, Tinkertoy, Fortran, Movin On Up, Pedialyte, Uncle Jerry, Andrew McDermott, Finger Dust, Kraut, Harry Caray
FNGs: None
COUNT: 15
CONDITIONS: start with your hoodie, take off within five minutes

WARMUP: dynamic stretching

THE THANG: upper body first
12 rounds of “pump you ups” AKA
1 minute of:
5 pull ups
10 hand release merkins
15 dry docks

Mosey to bus hill for lower body
10 jump squats
15 lunges (single count)
20 Alabama prom dates
Run up hill
10 feet together squats
15 monkey humpers
20 hip flexor pumps
Bernie hill
10 star jumps
15 Smurf jacks
20 frog pumps
Sprint 100%
Repeat one more time

Mosey to start for my choice of gut work

MOLESKINE: good upper body pump today. Gonna be lots of men walking sideways through doors. Booty cheeks and quads definitely gonna be sore.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: too many to mention! Check Slack you dummies

COT: thankful for Topanga (Scott) and his example. Prayers for his mom in this time. Andrew McDermott’s sister upcoming surgery. Shoutout to Mistah Mistah on the new addition tomorrow!
Thankful for my wife who continues to be gracious and patient with me as we celebrate 7 years today.