Building Bridges

Building Bridges

Pax: Goodfella, Hi-Hat, PETA, SoCal, Showgirl, FNG Exodus

One of the Forest Hill Church pastors (F3 “SoCal”) mentioned to me a couple months ago about these 30-minute workouts they were holding on Monday mornings at the church. The leader of the group is a young, jacked, Tactical Defense Professional and Competitor from Indian Land, SC who served in Afghanistan. He is in training for an upcoming competition.  Since SoCal’s daughter is in my son’s Kindergarten Class at NorthPoint, I felt like I was being EH’d all over again by Ice9.  So…I attended my first workout, with Hi-Hat and some other F3 Pax from Indian Land and the area (Periscope and PETA).  I posted 2 more times to feel it out and volunteered to Q for my 4^th workout at this “unofficial” F3 AO at Forest Hill – Waxhaw.

The Thang:

Though these guys have been doing 30-minute workouts so far, I have been pre- and post-running to get some more exercise. They joined me last week on a post-run and mentioned we needed to make this a thing to get to 45 minutes…sounds a lot like F3! I designed a typical Strength + Speed + Core workout to cram into “only” 30 minutes, and it went well. Here is how it looked/felt:

• Warm-up lap around the campus, stopping along the way for:
  • (15) SSH
  • (15) Low Slow Squats
  • (15) Imperial Walkers
  • DONE!

• Mosey to the center of the large, well-lit parking lot for “4 Core-ners” (all abs!) consisting of:
  • (20) LBC’s IC…with (10) Merkins in the Center
  • (20) H2H IC…repeat Merkins in the Center
  • (20) Freddy Mercuries IC…repeat Merkins in the Center
  • (20) Flutters IC…repeat Merkins in the Center
  • DONE!

• Mosey to the parking lot hill for 7’s, consisting of:
  • (1) Burpee + (6) Squats…etc
  • DONE!

• Mosey to the retention wall for:
  • (10) Donkey Kicks
  • (10) Air Presses
  • (10) Donkey Kicks
  • DONE!

• Mosey over to the Cinder Block pile for:
  • (20) Bicep Curls as a group…run a hot lap
  • (20) Overhead Press as a group…run a hot lap
  • (20) Bent Over Rows as a group…run a hot lap
  • (20) Bicep Curls as a group…run a hot lap
  • DONE!

5-minute warning goes off (already?), mosey around the lot doing some side shuffles, backward running, etc.

Two minutes left for a quick Merkin Ladder in front of the church doors.  Brutal way to end. DONE!

Moleskin:

F3 is all about being Freed to Lead as we all know. I’m grateful for the opportunity provided by the crew to join them for a “non-F3 workout” weeks ago, but also to allow me to lead these men today. Of the 6 Pax posting today, 5 of us either participate or have participated in F3 at some point or season of life (i.e. Showgirl hasn’t posted since March!).  I’m also grateful for brother Hi-Hat showing up every week with me for accountability. He and his son (“Rock”) have been a tremendous addition to the NorthPoint family as well.  Welcome to our F3 FNG and current Forest Hill Site Q, “Exodus” (Tristin Turner).  Exodus left the desert of Afghanistan after he tore his bicep working out, but returned back to his family in SC to do the work he needed to do there.

What God has taught me through this is that F3 is everywhere, and it doesn’t have to be an official F3 workout or AO to do what F3 does.  As long as we stick to the 5 Core Principles, it all works out (I even gave a quick disclaimer this morning!). God revealed to me what is happening through this workout and this site. After the workout, one Pax talked about his HS daughter struggling with Anxiety and Depression. Another wanted us to pray for his buddy who is going through a very difficult season of life.  We also talked about 3 little girls at the school who are dealing with a tough domestic issue/divorce at home that is affecting them so much.  This is creating a Bridge between guys from Forest Hill Church, NorthPoint Christian Academy, F3 Waxhaw & Indian Land, and non-F3 on a Monday to break themselves down so they can be built back up.  There is a consistent bridge between these organizations and the mission of F3 to “Plant, Grow, and Serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership”. So many lives are being impacted by the work being done through and at Forest Hill and NorthPoint, and it has been a blessing to witness this for myself on a daily basis over the past 4 months.

We are in discussions with the school and church about when to launch the Official F3 AO and weekly workout here on campus. It will happen sooner rather than later, and the AO Name is already decided. There is no doubt it will be a success due to the need and interest in the communities and the organizations involved here. This site is going to bring me out of Site Q retirement, so I appreciate you guys praying for and supporting us. It’s the right time and place.  Looking forward to seeing you guys soon.    Iron Sharpens Iron!

YHC took us out in prayer!

Goodfella

“And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” – Romans 8:28