Fishers of Men

June 25, 2019July 5, 2019 / f3roadrunner / Leave a comment

I hate mornings, I love sleep, and I’m not too fond of groups of people. That’s what I use to tell myself. At least, until I was reluctantly introduced to F3.

I fought F3 every time it was mentioned to me, starting with this weird group of guys with painted faces in the parking lot of Oak Mountain after a mud run in 40 degree weather. I fought it from the same friend I ran with after he decided to give F3 a try. It’s the mornings. Those sweet, precious moments when you are dead asleep in a warm bed, hopefully next to a beautiful woman. I thought there was nothing better. But there is!

Now I find sleep to be the necessary ingredient needed to help me have the energy to get up in the Gloom of the morning to crawl, sweat, hurt and fellowship with my new found Brothers. That initial rise out of bed in the wee hours of the morning gets overshadowed by the excitement I find when I pull up to a parking lot filled with guys I love and respect.

So, now I find myself attempting what F3 lovingly refers to as a Headlock. But, unlike most workout groups, I don’t find myself looking for that guy that is already in shape and may want to save money with a free workout (which you do). I literally tell everyone. Because everyone needs to be part of something bigger than themselves. It is less of a workout group and more of a brotherhood. Matthew 4:19 states – Jesus said to them “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to be fishers of men” There are few places to put that message from God into practice better than F3. Don’t just invite people to F3. Tell them your story. What does F3 mean to you?

This isn’t Fight Club. The first 2 rules are NOT “Don’t talk about F3”. Slumlord ends all of his emails with “ALWAYS BE HEADLOCKING”. So, lets do our part. We are 1,000 PAX strong. Imagine the impact we can have on our community if that number doubled or even tripled. Imagine the differences we can see in our 2.0s, our M’s that witness us attempting to better ourselves. You may not realize it, but it affects them too. Its like a spark igniting a flame. This world is in desperate need of Male leaders. I can’t imagine better leaders than men that have the discipline to do the hard thing in the gloom of the morning while also following God’s word.

Let’s go be Fishers of Men

Spartan – June 11, 2018 – Culver Road HILLS HIIT

June 11, 2018 / f3peaches / Leave a comment

Monday Morning Hill HIIT Workout

Warm-up

Side Strattle Hop x25
Butt Kicks x25
High Knees x25
Willy Mays x15
Merkins x25
Ray Lewis x25
Jump Rope x25

Mozy 0.5 mile to Culver Road

Culver Road West (0.4 mile HILL)

Run up / Back pedal down
- Prisoner Squats x50
- Side Lunge x10ea leg
Run up / Back pedal down
- Mountain Climbers x22
- Flutter Kicks x15

Culver Road East (0.1 mile HILL)

Side Shuffle half / Other side shuffle half / back pedal down
- Sumo Squats x50
- Merkins x 25
Side Shuffle half / Other side shuffle half – back pedal half way down
- Laying up slope Freddie Mercury x20
- Laying up slope X Lifts (Flat Freddie Mercury) x10
- Incline Merkin to T Lift with 5 hip bridges x 4 each side

Culver Road West HILL one final time / back pedal down

Mozy 0.5 mile to MBE Field

Thor (1:4, Big Boy Situp: American Hammer) – PAX made it to 8:32 before burn out

SUMMARY:

A mile of mozy
Over a mile of uphill runs and decline backpedals
54 merkins for you June challenge folks
Plenty of core

Happy Monday – Good start to a week!

~Peaches

Memorial Day Murph

May 28, 2018 / f3barneyfife / Leave a comment

Here’s a quick backblast for today’s Memorial Day Murph out of Railroad Park.

30 PAX including one walk-on FNG (welcome Smelt) answered the call to honor a fallen American hero. Rabbit circled us up in the rain beside the Railroad Park pavilion at 0600, and led a healthy warm-up. We made a last minute change to a straight line 1-mile run down the Rotary Trail, instead of running around the park’s path. Keep in mind if you are ever to use this park for F3 workouts that it officially does not open until 0700, and it does have 24 security.

It’s a good little run down that urban trail. Rabbit stopped us a mile out at a nice little overgrown fire ant field (I only have about 40 bites on my thigh, which are burning as I type this – thanks Rabbit). In groups of 6, we got to work on 20 sets of…. 5 burpees/10 merkins/15 squats. A walk-on steel worker we found in the park (now F3 Smelt), was in my squad, and he did quite well. We took this photo before heading back.

On the way back, one more photo of Rabbit’s design.

Rabbit capped off the fitness activities with a group set of 5/10/15. After that, name-o-rama, announcements, and Sparrow prayed us out.

YHC mentioned in the COT, the Kohima Epitaph. I have found it to be very moving since seeing it on a plaque in Canterbury many years ago. It occurred to me over the weekend that although Memorial Day was created to honor American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, many of them – were they here with us today – would likely themselves also seek to honor those who served in allied forces, either side-by-side with our American heros, or separately, but for the same cause – freedom.

In April through June of 1944, British, Indian and Nepalese forces were fighting the same cause against the unyielding Japanese, but in a theater apart from most American forces. The Battle of Kohima (India), part of the larger Burma Campaign, was called the “Stalingrad of the East”. The Allies saw over 4,000 casualties in that battle. The Kohima Epitaph, which can be found at the cemetery for those fallen allies, and has been reprinted on plaques throughout the world, is as follows.

“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today.”

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

– Fife

Photos: Korean Memorial in Washington. A war that claimed over 33,000 American lives.

Froggy Merlot Splash

May 21, 2018 / sbperlisgmailcom / Leave a comment

Circle of Pain:

SSH x25

Willie Mays’s’s’s’s x15

Ray Lewis x25

Merkins x25

Raise the Roof x 25

Little Baby Arm Circles x 30

The Thang:

Mosey to front entrance of Mountain Brook Elementary for two sets of:

Dips x20

Flutter kicks x25

Sumo Squats x25

Mosey to Western Supermarket for:

Sprint to one end of the parking lot, do PAX-led merkins or jump squats. Rinse and repeat x10. Froggy splashed merlot somewhere around set #6. Quickie duck walks like a speed skater. Some guy walked-on with us for about three sets, then darted off–maybe he’ll come back.

Bear crawl half of the parking lot, then duck walk the other half. Rinse and repeat x3

Mosey back to MBE for:

Flutter kicks x20

Box cutters x20

American hammers x20

Merkins till exhaustion

CoT

Quarter Pounder Challenge – May 16, 2018

May 16, 2018 / jasonlrhodes / Leave a comment

17 PAX including two FNGs took the Quarter Pounder challenge. Men got better and fun was had by all.

Warm Up

Side Straddle Hops – 25
Merkins – 25
Prisoner Squats – 25
Big Boy Sit Ups – 25
Mountain Climbers – 25

Mosey around MBE parking lot

Quarter Pounder

Set 1

Run 25 yards, perform 25 Merkins, run back to starting line
Run 50 yards, perform 25 Squats, run back to starting line
Run 75 yards, perform 25 Big Boy Sit Ups, run back to starting line
Run 100 yards, perform 25 Mountain Climbers, run back to starting line

Set 2

Run 100 yards, perform 50 Side Straddle Hops, run back to starting line

Set 3

Run 25 yards, perform 25 Merkins, run back to starting line
Run 50 yards, perform 25 Squats, run back to starting line
Run 75 yards, perform 25 Big Boy Sit Ups, run back to starting line
Run 100 yards, perform 25 Mountain Climbers, run back to starting line
Run 100 yards, perform 50 Side Straddle Hops, run back to starting line

Set 4

Run 25 yards, perform 25 Merkins, run back to starting line
Run 50 yards, perform 25 Squats, run back to starting line
Run 75 yards, perform 25 Big Boy Sit Ups, run back to starting line
Run 100 yards, perform 25 Mountain Climbers, run back to starting line
Run 100 yards, perform 50 Side Straddle Hops, run back to starting line

Finale

Clock Merkins – 3, 6, 9 and 12
Lunge around COT while PAX Al Gore

Circle up. Name o Rama. Announcements. Prayer. Lead on 3.

The Spartan – Banker’s Hill climbing – April 16, 2018

April 16, 2018 / dardept / Leave a comment

12 PAX started the week off right doing the hard thang…Skeletor, Pothole, Bird-dog, DadBod, Nova, Zaccheus, Speedo, Stuntman, Rabbit, Juice, Sparrow and YHC.

Warmup:

-SSH X30

– Imperial Walker X30

– Stretched the legs

– Ray Lewis X25

The Thang:

PAX mosey’d down Jemison Trail to the intersection of Cahaba Rd. and Mtn. Brook Parkway and stopped for some upper body and core work:

– Merkins X20 (hold plank)

– Mtn. Climbers X25

-Burpees X10

Commenced Indian Run over the new Watkins Brook wooden bridge, down Shades Creek Parkway and took a killer right turn up (yes, straight up the hill) Shades Creek Place giving each PAX the opportunity at being the Indian running up the hill. From the top of SCP PAX mosey’d halfway back down and found a guard rail suitable for some chest, arm and leg work:

– Dips X20

– Bulgarian Squats X15 ea. leg

– Incline Merkins X20

Back down the hill to Shades Creek Parkway for some ab work:

– LBC’s X30

– American Hammer’s 2 count X20

PAX sprinted back up the hill to the guardrail for more arms, chest and leg work (Repeat Dips, Bulgarian Squats (X10 ea. leg this set) and Incline Merkins).

Mosey or for those PAX keeping up with Zaccheus and Skeletor (Sprinted) back to MBE:

The finish:

– LBC’s X30

-American Hammers 2 count X20

-Jack Webb waterfall (Two rounds…X2/4 and X3/6)

CoT

Spartan Waterfalls

April 9, 2018 / f3breach / Leave a comment

Pushing yourself is always easier when you have other men alongside. The Spartan AO (19 PAX, including FNG’s Budget and Pontoon) started with a few usual warm-ups and a merkin and burpee waterfall. Back-to-back waterfalls is a good way to start off pushing.

We took an indian run to the Western Supermarket, taking a mid-run break to add a couple of more waterfalls (plank jack and American hammers). Navigation notwithstanding, the parking lot at Western is an ideal playground for a Dora.

Q learned the lesson that 100 burpees is a lot more than it sounds. We followed that up with 200 merkins and 300 squats. Lot’s of hard breathing and complaints, but all the men pushed through and got better. I want to call out Froggy, who always seems to run faster than most.

After moseying to the athletic field, we began a rotation of exercises with sprints in-between. Q challenged the PAX to lead an exercise each, and the PAX stepped up, specifically Dispatch, Skeletor, Ping, Rabbit and Pilgrim. The goal was to give a little variety and give some fresh challenge to the PAX. I think Ping (fire drills) and Skeletor (flutter-kick pyramid) win the award for bringing the most pain.

After that, COT and naming of two FNGS made a for a strong finish. Rabbit encouraged the PAX to step up and Q, but as punishment for our lack of initiative, Scam is Qing on Wednesday.

Staycation at The Spartan-March 28, 2018

March 28, 2018 / nfitzpatricksouthviewmedicalcom / Leave a comment

Rabbit, recovering from surgery and starting to get his hop back, returned to Q at The Spartan during spring break.

PAX: Stuntman, Pothole, Juice, Nova, Dispatch, Breach, Bird Dog, Speedo, Elmer, Taiwan, and YHC

Warmup:

SSH (4count) x 30; Imperial Walker (4count) x 30; Prisoner Squats x 30; Mountain Climbers (4count) x 30; LBCs x 30; Merkins x 30

Mosey to the village 0.4 mi

Flutter Kicks (4count)x 30; Big Boy Sit-ups x 30; Burpees x 10

Mosey to SV Presbyterian 0.3 mi

Dora 1-2-3 (merkins x 100, LBCs x 200, Squats x 300; running up parking lot hill)

Mosey to MBE 0.4 mi

Flutter Kicks (4count) x 30

American Hammer (4count) x 30

Name-o-rama, announcements, prayers, dismissal

Rabbit

The Spartan 3/21/18

March 25, 2018 / f3pothole / Leave a comment

18 PAX posted at the Spartan and did the hard thing for a hump day workout.

Warmup:

SSH x30
Willie Mays x20
Prisoner Squat x30
Burpie x10
Ray Lewis x20
LBC x40

Mosy to parking deck:

2 sets:

Box Jumps x20
Dips x20
Decline Mercan x15
American Hammer x20

Mosy to Canterbury Park and Indian Run back to MBE field. Circle up around flag:

All PAX in plank position and remained in plank position for next 2 exercises:

Plank jacks x20
Shoulder taps x20

PAX partnered up for cone drill. Cones every 25 yds +\- length of field. At each cone partners did 10 Patty Cake Mercans on way down and 15 Bog Boy Sit-ups with fist bump on way back.

Bear crawl to cone #1
Frog hop to cone #2
Crab walk to cone #3
Duck walk to cone #4

Next exercise was partner carry:

25 SSH carry partner to cone #2, 25 SSH swap carry partner to cone #4 , 25 SSH sprint to Flag

Finished with:

cockroach x20
Burpie waterfall

Mosy back to parking lot

COT

Announcements
Name-o-roma
Welcome FNG Speedo
Prayer
1-2-3 Lead

Posted PAX- Juice, Tarbaby, Edge, Skullbucket, Froggy, Elvis, Zacheeus, Skeletor, Elmer, Quickcrete, Rabbit, Speedo, Breach, Mullin, Dispatch, Harbaugh, Birddog.

Men got better.

——Pothole

The Spartan 3/19/2018

March 20, 2018 / pdruhan / Leave a comment

15 PAX posted Monday morning at Mountain Brook Elementary. A great Spring morning with temp in the high 50’s. Perfect for getting over any lingering consequences from St. Patrick’s Day. PAX present – Bagman, Tarbaby, Zacchaeus, Stuntman, Taiwan, Elmer, Slumlord, Breach, Elvis, Sparrow, Froggy, Pothole, Dispatch, Commie, and YHC.

Warmup

SSH IC x 25
Straight leg stretch
Willie Mays
Imperial Walkers IC x 25
Plank jacks IC x 25

Mosey to front of MBE – find a bench

Dips x 15
Decline shoulder taps IC x 15
Dips x 15
Decline shoulder taps IC x 15

Mosey to MBE field for THE THANG

Bear-back 11’s – PAX line up along goal line with cones set in front 15-ish yards (hard to tell on lacrosse field in the dark)

10 Carolina dry docks then bear crawl out to cone; 1 jump squat then run backwards to goal line
9 CDD then bear crawl out to cone; 2 jump squats then run backwards back
and so on until 1CDD bear crawl to 10 jumps squats and back.
it was pointed out to YHC that the combination of CDDs and bear crawls was challenging, nay “sadistic”, by fellow PAX (ahem Stuntman).
Completion of challenge with 20 seconds of encouragement, one of YHC’s favorite practices borrowed from our F3 compatriots at THE FORUM.

6MOM interlude

Flutter kicks IC x 20
High flutter kicks IC x 20
Hello Dolly IC x 20
flip to high plank
Standard shoulder taps IC x 20
Mountain climbers IC x 20
Elbow plank
Spiderman IC x 20
Big boy situps x 20
Six inches

21’s – PAX back to goal line with cones out 30-ish yards; count descending/ascending by 2’s . The challenge here was maintaining the wherewithal for basic computations skills under physical duress.

20 merkins with sprint to cones followed by 1 LBC and sprint back
18 merkins with sprint followed by 3 LBCs then back…..and so on.
Strong work by all PAX with extras push at the end to grind out the last sprints associated the final 2 merkins and 19 LBCs. (110 total merkins on top of the 55 CDDs for those counting)

Mosey back to MBE parking lot

Final ab buster – Protractor with mix of flutter kicks and six inch holds

COT

-Skeletor

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