22 of Area 51’s finest non-fartsackers stepped out into the gloom for their weekly dose of Skunkworks pain. Here is what we did:
WARMUP
– SSH x 20
– IW x 20
– Merkins x 15 IC
– Mtn Climber x 15 IC
– Slow squat x 15 IC
The THANG
– 20 two-handed swings
– Sprint to the buses and back
– 20 two-handed swings/20 curls
– Sprint to the buses and back
– 20 swings/20 curls/20 Tea Bag Squats
– Sprint to the buses and back
– 20 swings/20 curls/20 Tea Bag Squats/20 Upright rows
– Sprint to the buses and back
– 20 swings/20 curls/20 Tea Bag Squats/20 Upright rows/20 Tricep Extensions
– Sprint to the buses and back
– 20 swings/20 curls/20 Tea Bag Squats/20 Upright rows/20 Triceps/10 each leg lunges
– Sprint to the buses and back
– 20 swings/20 curls/20 Tea Bag Squats/20 Upright rows/20 Triceps/10 each leg lunges/10 each one-arm presses
– Sprint to the buses and back
Partner Up – like-size KBs
P1 LBC’s/P2 firemen carry both bells around loop, flapjack
Mosey back to field, just enough time for some Russian Twists x 15 IC
Moleskin
Good work by all the pax today. T-claps to Header, Lab Rat, and Su-Sudio for logging a few miles prior to the workout. Strong work brothers. Not a lot of mumble chatter out there except for some moans and groans each time the number ‘20’ was called. The “Partner 2” group in the firemen’s carry got to flex their muscles as they sped past a couple of ladies out for their morning run, and those of us in the Partner 1 group could hear the sounds of the ladies laughing at the pax. Something about taking hold of a kettlebell or something…..not quite sure what was going on up there. YHC had a couple more laps of that planned, but thankfully we were out of time. Several options thrown around for FNG Robert Lee, settled on Premature aka “Preemie” after he rattled off his name/FNG during the count-off. Thanks for coming out, hope to see you back out soon!
Thanks to Su-Sudio for sending us out, and thanks to all the pax for allowing me to lead. It was an honor. Sound off in comments if I missed anything above.
Good Hands
Better late than never…27 fine fellas showed up for a beatdown with lots of gear included. Another great turnout for the pre KB workout lead by Tiger Rag and a few more were stupid enough to also wear a fully laden ruck for both.
THE THANG
Mosey to parking lot
IW’s x 20
Merkins x 15
Squats x 16
Jacobs Ladder to 7 burpees
Mosey back to school
Circle of pain with a bunch of tires, kb’s, boxes, and tunes.
Merkin wave
COT
MOLESKIN
Tiger Rags KB form has been called into question lately therefore we had to bring in Byron to check on his Q technique as he lead the pre-workout. Strong showing by the pre KB’ers and especially those wearing rucks for both (Young Love, Cottonmouth, Busch, Radar, and YHC). This probably made the fartsackers showing up at 0530 feel the peer pressure even more…
Got started a couple of mins late due to the organizing of such a complex workout involving bells, ropes, boxes, tethers, notecards, a unicycle, and a six iron but it was well worth it.
Jacobs ladder was a wind sucker for the ruck boys and the circle of pain meant that the tethered bear crawl was the main focus. Hamish and Byron moved like rabid dogs whereas Bananas and Cottontail took quite a while knocking out their 4 merkins. Turkey Leg tried the no hands approach and Country Livin about snapped the tether.
Little confusion from Spackler on the merkin wave at the end but he was not as dazed as Cottonmouth looked as he blacked out due to wearing his ruck for a regular workout for the first time!
Thanks to Headers FNG bro pastor turned Sinner for taking us out!
Cheers, Bulldog
14 pax turned up at Chic Fil A this morning to discuss section 5 or the book “Fight” by Craig Groeschel. The book has been a close look at the life of Samson and the potential he had been given by God and yet how his incredibly week will caused him all kinds of trouble.
Stone Cold opened us up by discussing “The Rising Cost of Regret” and how Samson must have looked back at his life and wished he would have made different choices. Horsehead made a great point in that regret is a dangerous place to live and that we should really focus on the repentance factor and that should spur as forward rather than being stuck in the past. YHC mentioned that sometimes looking back at our past is ok if we are doing so with a grateful heart and understanding the extent of the forgiveness that has been given to us through Christ. Busch then added that at no point should our past cause us shame if we have laid it out there to be forgiven as it has been cast “as far as the east is to the west” and it is the enemy’s tactic to bring things back to condemn us. The discussion then moved to the fact that so often we are reminded of our past and our mistakes and how these things can haunt us. Lab Rat asked a question: are we able to come to repentance without first going through regret and remorse? Minimum then brought to light a great verse in 2 Corinthians 7:10 which states “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” Two very different outcomes…
Cottontail then read Ephesians 2:1-10 where Paul writes about how we are made alive in Christ after once being dead in our sins and gratifying the cravings of our flesh. Our F3 Bible scholar (!) then gave us a great visual: are we, as men, either a faucet or a drain? Are we a faucet connected to the source by having a relationship with our Savior and having the Word as our filter? Or are we a drain with our thoughts in the gutter and allowing the mess of life overwhelm us?
Stone Cold then brought it back to Samson and the fact that even though he had screwed up so many times he asked God for strength one more time. Despite the dire circumstances he had now found himself in God was able to use him because he cried out. “With one last push, he (Samson) fulfilled his purpose: taking the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines. So no matter what you have done, God is not finished with you yet. Ask him for one more chance. And God might do more through the next chapter of your life than in all of the previous ones combined.”
Amen
We are about to start a new book and we are open to suggestions. Also we would love for any new guys to come and join our study whether you can make it once a month or every time. All are welcome. I wanted to write this back blast to let you know what we are doing and the topics we discuss. The books are used as a vehicle to talk about life and faith and to ultimately strengthen us as we band together. Come one come all and if we need to split up the group because we have too many we will.
Cheers,
BD
If there is a facility in the F3 Nation that can handle a light dusting of snow it is PDS which is the sight for The Charge tomorrow. With the heated track, warm towels, and Double D’s at the helm you will be shedding layers quickly. The fun kicks off at 0530 and park next to the gym.
The temperatures were nipply, the tires smelly, the plates rough, and the rocks jagged but 31 fine men came out to celebrate the one year of the first Area 51 Friday workout.
THE THANG
SSH x 20
10 burpees OYO
MC’s x 20
Rock hoppers x 20
Squat jacks x 20
Merkins x 15
Dry docks x 20
Split into 4 groups and gather gear to move down to lower lot:
Group 1 – plates (curb and back x 2)
Group 2 – hills (increasing burpees and then jump squats at bottom and sprint up)
Group 3 – tires (inverse grip merkins, dry docks, stagger merkins, tri dips)
Group 4 – rocks (rock press, curl rock press, squat/curl/press, lunges)
Plank exercises.
In groups the goal was to perform required exercise until the plates group had pushed them to curb and back twice.
Repeato x 4 with different exercises each time.
Gather gear and head back to lot.
4 mins of Mary.
COT.
MOLESKIN
Great turnout today with 13 lads coming for the pre-KB mixmaster special followed by another 18 fartsackers for the Kevlar one year anniversary beatdown. Crazy to think that just one year ago we had no Friday workouts in Area 51 and now 31 show up in 12 degree temperatures. YHC tried to give the pax a taste of Kevlar over the past year with the tires/plates/rocks/hills combo although it nearly went pear shaped off the bat. The O2 deprivation from the KB pre-workout, and then the over zealous warm up due to “Eye of the Tiger” still lingering in the cold air meant that the pax were sent off in disarray with no real instruction from YHC. The plates were locked in TR’s car, the tires were probably still chained, and guys were pulling out some pitiful looking rocks from the creek, and Radar started whining. Order, however, was restored quickly but YHC got a taste of what Deadwood must have felt during the bear crawl weave. YHC missed a lot of the banter today due to the extra ear coverings but sound off below on anything missed.
On a serious note I really appreciate you guys coming out. As I mentioned in the closing prayer, F3 has really meant a lot to me over the past year or more. Dredd (one of the founders of F3) calls the average man a sad clown who looks happy on the outside but is yet a shell internally. That was me on a number of levels a year and a half ago. I’d go to the gym once in a while, had a few distant buddies, a luke warm faith, and a marriage that was in trouble. On the outside all looked fine but inwardly I was needing more. F3 became the catalyst of change for me on all three levels – fitness, fellowship, and faith. As hard as it can be to wake up at 0430 on a weekday I have seen my life improve so much as a result. Morning workouts, Go Ruck Challenge, F3 Dads, nights out at HDHH, back blast banter, and discussions about faith over a chicken biscuit at Compass are what it’s all about. Keep head locking guys you know that need this because as Proverbs 27:17 states “as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another.” We have such a tendency as guys to slip into complacency and mediocrity unless we are challenging one another on many levels whether it be with our wives, our families, our faith, health, careers etc. I have been sharpened by many of you, and will continue to need it, so thank you.
Have a great weekend and sign up for the Go Ruck otherwise Dora will come and knock on your door at 0415!
Bulldog
For the launch of Kevlar one year ago the following 11 men were in attendance: Baracus, Strikeout, Countertop, Joker, Tiger Rag, Cottontail, Young Love, Strange Brew (Ruck), Header, Short Sale (aka Skywalker) and Bulldog.
With no Friday workouts scheduled in Area 51 the shovel flag was planted in the frozen tundra on 01/25/13 at Covenant Day School and so it began. “Kevlar” was named so as to be in direct competition with its Metro rival “Armor”. The goal being a boot camp workout with some bells and whistles thrown in. There have been plenty so YHC will refresh your memory:
Backcracker and his ankle bands, Tiger Rag and the blasted plates, YHC and the soccer balls, Bananas and the rocks, Spackler with the hill/tire/bear crawl combo, Busch and the pre KB’s, Deadwood and the weave, and who can forget the new year Shakeweight special!
Hope to see you tomorrow for the best bits beatdown. 0500 pre KB with epic tunes. 0530 for fartsackers and some heckling.
Bulldog
A Barracuda led beatdown is in store at The Charge tomorrow at PDS. With balmy temperatures forecasted it is time to show up in force at the poshest facility F3 has to offer. 0530 start and bring a friend.
34 fine fellas took the bait on the pre-blast (see video for those who missed it) and dialed it up one more notch this morning at Skunk Works.
THE THANG
11 burpees on yer own.
Partner up and fireman carry chasers to parking lot with 11 merkins of choice.
All cadence count:
SSH x 11
Stagger merkins right x 11
Stagger merkins left x 11
Two handed swings x 11
Right arm high pulls x 11
Left area high pulls x 11
KB hoppers x 11
Diamond merkins on KB x 11
Mosey to bottom of parking lot
1) Tea baggers x 11
Sprint to road and back
2) KB curls x 11 plus exercise #1
Sprint to road and back
3) Alternating lunges x 11 plus exercise #1 and #2
Sprint to road and back
4) Two handed swings x 11 plus exercise #1, #2, and #3
Sprint to road and back
5) Goblet squats x 11 plus all of the above
Sprint to road and back
6) Push presses x 11 plus all of the above (switch to civilian count)
Sprint to road and back
7) Good mornings x 11 plus all of the above
Sprint to road and back
8) Two handed high pulls x 11 plus all of the above
Sprint to road and take KB.
COT
MOLESKIN
Early humor this morning as Cottonmouth pulled up and dropped a massive 5lb kettlebell in the middle of the pax! It may have been a good idea to pick the little fella for this mornings workout…
During the pre workout banter the cars just kept coming and YHC was concerned about the lack of space on the hill for the combine type set up. Some old chestnuts reappeared in the form of Runstopper and 49er which was great to see. The theme stemmed from site Q Harley stating that the workout needed to be an “11” out of 10 on the toughnesss scale and I’m hoping it did not dissapoint.
After a somewhat extended warm up it was time to hit the hills. We started way down low and had to manoevre over three elevations to reach the summit. Fletch and Busch were leading the way on the sprints with Good Hands and Bugeater hanging close. After each sprint back down the pax had to rack the bell to move on. Nightcourt with his first post of 2014 (?) tended to be the one we were waiting on as he staggered up from his knees!
The plan was to do eleven exercises all military count but the hands of time saved us all.
Great job by all this morning and a warm welcome to FNG Joel H (Hamish) who was EH’d by Country Livin.
Pleasure leading you this morning lads and comment away on anything that was missed.
For any pax looking for an extra push over the cliff show up to Skunk Works tomorrow. This will be a workout taking you beyond your preconceived limitations. Site Q Harley, when asked how hard this workout should be, answered simply; “11!”
Bring a bucket lads. BD
16 fine fellas ventured out into the Arctic blast along with their favorite home fitness equipment for some New Year pain.
THE THANG
10 burpees on your own
Mosey to parking lot
SSH x 25
Squat jacks x 15
Merkins x 12
Parker Peters x 12
MC’s x 20
Slow squats x 15
Hill ladder. Burpees at top and squat jumps at bottom 1-7.
Mosey to school.
45 secs on 15 off.
Tethered bear crawl touching chalk.
Shake weight.
Push up handles.
Box jumps.
Squats with sandbag.
Stretchy band curls.
Perfect push ups.
Ab roller.
Jump rope.
Tricep dips.
Push up handles.
Medicine balls squats/throws.
KB good mornings
KB curls.
Repeato with 30 secs on and 10 off.
Mary
COT
MOLESKIN
I think Hairband tweeted that there are several exercises or contraptions that causes one to question his manhood. The thigh master being one, the hand on hip Cleveland County viaduct, and even the Rosalita being others. Today however many of us got to experience the Shake Weight for the first time. Although it may not be as girly looking as the exercises mentioned above, there is an awkwardness about this one, and you would rather not shake it while staring at a bunch of lads. It seemed though that Hacker (as the War Daddy) had a great technique and many of us could only admire the way he shook and circled that thing around. The young 22 year old FNG Fast Cash was the only one keeping up with Radar on the tethered bear crawl but he still had a lot of catching up to do when it came to the Shake Weight.
The person performing the bear crawl was prime pickings for some haggling from the pax and I think Semi Gloss got a nice dose as he showed off his six pack in the freezing temps.
Sound off below if I missed anything.
Thanks for showing up today and keeping up with your resolutions!
Bulldog