Backblasts

F3 Annapolis – New Year’s Day 2020

PAX: Chew Toy (Q), Hightower, Deflator, 3 FNG’s

Welcome to F3:

Gather at flagpole – not at shovel flag

F3’s mission is to plant, serve and grow men’s small workout groups, in order to reinvigorate male community leadership.

F3 principles:

•    It must be free of charge;

•    It must be open to all men;

•    It must be held outdoor, rain or shine, heat or cold;

•    It must be peer led in a rotating fashion by men who participate in the Workout, with no training or certification necessary;

•    It must end with a Circle of Trust (the “COT”)

Disclaimer

Opening Comments:

At 6:50 am on this day nine years ago, 34 men gathered in the gloom. This set into motion a series of events which ultimately delivered you to the gloom too. 

The shovel flag is a symbol which we have grown to love, but it didn’t even exist at the beginning of this first workout so they naturally gathered under the flagpole.

They didn’t know it at the time, but they were launching an unprecedented crusade against sad clowns that would give rise to new found strength in men like you and like me. We are all Qrusaders fighting for ourselves and now too for the men next to us. 

It is not an accident or some sort of coincidence that you posted here today. You posted because you demand more from yourself. Only you know if you are reaching your limits. Stand tall. Feel strong. Be proud. Unshackle your warrior!

Welcome to the Gloom gentlemen. 

The Thang:

Today’s beatdown is not the exact workout performed by the men at the first post, but inspired by it. Unless specified otherwise, all exercises will be to a 34 count in recognition of the 34 men posting at that first workout 9years ago.

¼ mile lap 

In Cadence:

1.    Merkins

2.    Wide-Arm Merkins

3.    Diamond Merkins

¼ mile lap OR Hill Run

In Cadence:

1.    Hydraulic Squats (squat- right knee down- left knee down- right knee up- left knee up- stand up)

2.    Dolly (on your 6 with legs 6” off ground- spread apart- bring together)

3.    Flutter Kick 

4.    LBC

¼ mile lap 

In Cadence:

1.    Side Straddle Hop

2.    Burpees

3.    Mountain Climber 

¼ mile lap

1.    Howling Monkeys (Circle up- 10 monkey humpers each around the circle like dominos- when done you hold it until everyone gets a turn to do theirs… faster is better here.)

2.    Jacob’s Ladder (Increasing burpees by 1 at the top of the hill up to 7 in recognition of the 7th anniversary of F3). Pick up the six when you finish. 

Mosey to the Shovel Flag:

The Campos was a workout group that grew to problematic numbers and created the first starfish style spinoff – this spinoff was the birth of F3. The Campos Qrusaders left the first shovel flag as a tongue in cheek gift to this first pax with the following note attached to it. 

Pax (if you last),

Blood, Sweat, Toil & Beer (to bastardize a great phrase) will breed a deep regard called Brotherhood.  If you give yourselves to this endeavor, you will find it, and it will find you.  

I hope you reach a point today or next Saturday — where you want to quit.  So, in the union of men, “you against you” becomes a public and/or common struggle.  It’s here you will see there is much more in you that you’ve withheld — or in your weakness, you’ve rationalized away.

It’s time; but if you don’t care, we won’t care either.  

What’s it gonna be, son??

– Apostle Gx

We have met this challenge for the first time as a region. Today is the first workout for F3 Annapolis. To commemorate this feat, the last exercise of the morning will be to perform a 100-count plank around our shovel flag.

Count-O-Rama

Name-O-Rama

Chew Toy was the 6

Intentions

Announcements

Ball of Man

 Named 3 FNGS’s- Wopr, WildThing and Ponch

Q-Chew Toy

PAX- WildThing, FNG

To plant, grow and serve small men’s workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership

Always free

Open to all men

Always outdoor in rain or shine, heat or cold

Lead in a rotating fashion by a member of the group with no certification 

Always ends in a circle of trust

Warmup

In cadence (explain) Windmills

High knees

Arm circles 

Trunk twists

The Thang:

5 burpees 

Run 100yds

10 BBSU (explain)

Run

15 Flutterkicks (explain 2 is 1)

Run

20 merkins (explain)

Run

25 squats

Run

30 Carolina dry docks (explain)

Run

30 Carolina dry docks (explain)

Bear crawl 25 yds and back

25 Bonnie Blair’s

BC

20 merkins

BC

15 mountain climbers (2 is 1)

BC

10 leg ups

BC

5 burpees

5 burpees 

Run 100yds

10 BBSU (explain)

Run

15 Flutterkicks (explain 2 is 1)

Run

20 merkins (explain)

Run

25 squats

Run

30 Carolina dry docks (explain)

Run

Ab exercises

Cor 

Nor

Name FNG-Pinocchio

Announcement 

Prayer

January 2, 2020

AO: The Highlands

PAX: JAG; Jenner; 2 Percent

Warm-Up: Seal Claps; Windmills; Willie Mays Hays; IBAC and Imperial Walkers – 20 each.

The Thang: The PAX completed 10 circuits of merkins, walking lunges, squats, WWIIs and butt kickers.  The merkins, squats and WWIIs totaled 20 in each circuit.  Upon finishing those circuits, they moseyed around lush Highlands grounds, executing dips, derkins and box jumps at the nearby bleachers – again 20 each.  They then performed a set of 5 diamond merkins, 5 Carolina Dry Docks, 5 bear crawls and 5 Bonnie Blairs.

The PAX then ambled to the nearby jungle gym where they completed toe taps, “L-holds”, single arm swings and what can only be described as hanging gas pumpers.  They returned to the field to do broad jumps and walking lunges as they set up cones for the next torture exercise, which was slaloming bear crawls through those cones while dribbling weighted balls with their hands and then their feet.  The PAX finished this part of the beatdown with walking lunges while holding the same weighted balls overhead.

Mary: A set of 5×20 LBCs and 20 penguin crunches

COT: As noted on New Year’s Day, tomorrow is tomorrow and yesterday was yesterday – there is nothing you can do about either.  Use this workout as a springboard to make today the best you make it.

January 1, 2020

AO: The Patriot

Q: JAG

PAX: Pop Fly; Mayberry; Bone; Jenner; Maj. Payne; 3 Mile; Lazlo; Fish Fry

Warm-Up: SSH; Imperial Walkers; Potato Pickers; LBAC and Merkins – 20 each.

The Thang: The PAX celebrated 2020 by performing a circuit centered on – what else? – the number 20.  The circuit started at the goal line, where the PAX executed 20 coupon curls.  The PAX then bear crawled to the 20-yard line, did an Al Gore and then performed 20 flutterkicks.  The PAX returned to the goal line via walking lunges.  After the PAX convened in the end zone, they took a mosey around the track to the home side bleachers.  There they serpentined up and down the stairs and performed dips, derkins and ierkins – 20 each.

Subsequent rounds of the circuit included: 20 each of squat thrusters, overhead presses and skull crushers with a coupon at the goal line; crab walks and inchworm merkins to get to the 20-yard line; 20 each of WWIIs, LBCs and Freddie Mercuries at the 20; and finally, Mt. Everests, travelling burpees and walking lunges to get back to the 20.  Additional laps around the track and bleachers included more dips and derkins and box jumps (sets of 20, natch) and a Ricky Bobby.

Mary: 20 of WWIs, protractors, dirty dogs (x2), mule kicks (x2) and boxcutters.

COT: Today is the first day of the new decade.  Tomorrow is tomorrow and yesterday was yesterday – there is nothing you can do about either.  Use this workout as a springboard to make today the best you make it.  Lather, rinse, repeat for tomorrow.  Aye!

AO: The Patriot

QIC: Jenner

PAX: Bone, Lazlo, Two Percent, Sticks, Lucius

The night before, there was no Q. YHC had the [mis]fortune of talking with the Site Q, who was fighting the flue, and mentioning that they’d be backup Q, half regretting the offer as a sore throat and potential cold was coming on. Worse yet, the weather forecast called for rain. Morning came. Throat was sore. Rain pattered on the window. Fart sack? Nope. Suck it up. Here’s the story of the struggle.

Warmup:

The rain was fortunately light enough so we didn’t have to warm up under the roof ledge of the restrooms. Things are already looking brighter.

Side Shuffle Hops, Arm Circles, Imperial Walkers, Cherry Pickers, Downward Dog and Calf Stretch, Merkins.

The Thang:

Partners & Gravity: PAX moseyed over to the pull up bars to take advantage of the light rain in case it worsened and performed 2 rounds of 6 stations:

1. Merkins w/ resistance (x10 and was the timer)
2. Partner providing merkin resistance
3. Chest to bar
4. Pull ups
5. Push press w/ resistance
6. Partner providing push press resistance

Bike Rack Bonanza: PAX then moseyed towards the arena, but stopped at the bike racks for some Mobility Leg Swings. Starting in the center of the 30 bike racks, we swung right leg up and over followed by left leg up and over the same rack progressing towards the right for a total of 15 leg swings right lead leg. Then we ran back to the center of the bike racks and progressed left for a total of 15 swings left lead leg. We did 2 rounds of leg swings separated by 30s of Air Running Mans and 15s of Air Knee Ups where a PAX mentioned we could conveniently use the swimming clock as the timer.

UnderCover Unique Exercises: Pax then moseyed over to the corner of the school by the arena that had plenty of roof cover.

PAX split into 2 groups. First group performed lower body hyperextensions on the picnic tables while the second group performed Traveling Balls to The Wall – but since there wasn’t any good contiguous wall space without a window jutting out, we traversed the corner, which was interestingly tricky. YHC never done this corner traversal before. Bone says, matter of factly, “If you had, we wouldn’t be doing it.” Possibly, truth speak. Groups switched for a total of 2 rounds.

Then, PAX performed some precision jumps. Starting at an intersection of four lines in the sidewalk, jumped forward and back to center and left and back, back and forward, and right and back in a counter clockwise circular motion for 30s. Then, we speed roped for 30 seconds. Then precision jumped in clockwise circular motion for 30s. Then we lined up on the wall and performed quadrupedal movement forward, then to the left, then backward, and to the right returning where we started (supposedly). Dubbed by the PAX as Square Bears, we did 2 rounds counter clockwise and 2 rounds clockwise. Then we did scissor jumps for 30s. YHC demonstrated this exercise after some confused looks. And PAX said, “Oh, so Bonnie Blairs”. “What? Uh…oookay, just not all the way down,” YHC tentatively agreed. Then a PAX said, “That’s how Bone does Bonnie Blairs.” “Boney Blairs!” someone shouted. For the record, this video shows what we did for scissor kicks aka Boney Blairs. Then, we performed some two legged butt scoots, 1 round counter clockwise and 1 round clockwise. Then one legged butt scoots forward and backward 1 round each leg. PAX dubbed this dubious exercise the Itchy A-hole.

Mary:

Still under the cover from the rain, the PAX got on their six.

Oh Yeahs for a 10 count. Slowing it down for the last two counts results in an entirely new exercise called, “Oh No Jenners”.

Reverse Elbow Merkins Progression for 2 rounds of 10. First progression was lying flat on back, arms stiffly by the side, upper body raised up on elbows for one rep. Second progression is repeating with both upper body and butt in the air with only heals and elbows touching the ground.

CoT:

So YHC woke up with a sore throat and heard the rain and was so ready to fart sack. But name was on the Q Sign Up Sheet, shovel flag was in the car, so had to post and lead whatever men decided to show up. With 6 PAX out here, it’s a testament to the resolve and the self-dedication and also the accountability to the group that each of you have since you weren’t as compelled to be out here. So good for you. That is awesome. It’s what makes F3 so great and makes each of us better.

Moleskin:

These small area, under cover from the rain exercises inspired by these videos:

 

• 10 Minute Parkour Workout | Ground Exercises | Training At Home
• Getting Started In Parkour-Top 6 Exercises For Beginner Parkour Training

Inspiration for the name of this backblast comes from the saying in computer science that naming things is hard [ref].