The BackBlast:

Spike’s 3 year Manniversary Beat Down

Conditions :  54F, sunny and quite pleasant with a slight breeze
Beatdown  : 10 PAX posted

DISCLAIMER :  Was given by YHC, including the 5 core principles – mostly to remind myself, but also to remind the PAX.

On this date 3 years ago, YHC found himself in a Park in Phoenixville, PA for his very first F3 workout. As a tribute to the HIM that EH’d me, YHC figured to do a tribute dedicated to him – FLIPPER.

And since YHC has been in F3 for 36 months, all the reps of the workout should be 36, right?

Warmup :  

1. SSHs 10X IC
2. Arm circles 10X IC
3. Chinooks 10X IC
4. Circle arms 10X IC
5. Goofballs 10X IC
6. Weed Pickers 10X IC
7. Abe Vigoda 10X IC
8. Plank Position – push down on toes (heels to ground) stretch
9. Cobra Pose stretch
10. Best Stretch Ever – right leg 5 seconds, left leg 5 seconds
11. Merkins 5X IC

As Woody arrived a bit late, the PAX did 5 burpees to be thankful we weren’t doing more!

Mosey around the big loop.

The Thang :  

Round 1 :

Floyd Mayweather – plank punch (out, behind, under) x36 IC
LBCs x36 IC
Imperial Walkers x36 IC

Long mosey around the loop, ending up at the baseball fence.

People’s Air Presses x36 IC
Peter Parker x36 IC (18 each leg)
E2K – x36 IC (18 each leg)
Rosalita x36 IC 

Shorter mosey around the pavilion loop, arriving back at the cone where YHC had his weinke posted!

Round 2 : (pretty much the same except for L)
Floyd Mayweather – plank punch (out, behind, under) x36 IC
LBFC – Little Baby Flutter Crunch x36 IC  [ this exercise was horrible, and most of the PAX agreed it should be stricken from the list ]
Imperial Walkers x36 IC

Long mosey around the loop, ending up at the baseball fence.

People’s Air Presses x36 IC
Peter Parker x36 IC (18 each leg)
E2K – x36 IC (18 each leg)
Rosalita x36 IC

No time for another mosey, so we went right into :

6MOM :
Superman Holds – 5, then 6, then 7…up to 10 seconds
Hello Dolly x15 IC
Australian Sweat Angels x10 IC
Fredy Mercury x15 IC

COUNT-A-RAMA : 10
NAME-A-RAMA 

COT / BALL of MAN!
Closing prayer for those on vacation, for allowing us to meet outside.  Thankful for the men of F3!

As Lowes so eloquently put it on Twitter, one man, one HIGH IMPACT MAN – can definitely make a difference.  I think back 3 years to the Sunday where Flipper stood up in front of our church and said “I’m doing this F3 thing on Saturday morning this week.  Who wants to join me?”  I said to myself, “what do I have to lose?”

Now I realize all I had to GAIN from joining F3.

I began F3 out of shape, and assumed I would never be in shape again.  Anyone else feel that way for their first workout?  Their 5th workout?  Their 10th workout?  I couldn’t run a quarter mile without gasping for breath.  I was lucky to manage 10 push-ups without taking a break.  I was overweight, whether I knew it or not.

I showed up that first day not knowing what to expect.  I HAD to modify, and modify, and modify.  I was the SIX for MONTHS.  It felt like everyone was faster than me, stronger than me, waiting on me.

But they ENCOURAGED me.  They CAME BACK for me.  They did NOT leave me where I was.  They weren’t sad to see me, unhappy to have to wait for me – again.  They greeted me with cheers and fist-bumps when I rolled in, however long it took me.

And you know what?  Despite my inability to see it at that time – I GOT STRONGER.  It took me a while to be able to run that first mile without stopping, and this year, I ran my first 5K – along side 9 of my F3 brothers who ran with me.

This year I did 5000 Merkins in the month of May, along with other PAX in my region (and also F3 Cherokee!)

It took me FOREVER to lead my First Q.  I finally asked CSPAN “How can I possibly lead if I’m always in the back?”  And CSPAN, in his infinite wisdom had an answer for me.  “Just tell the PAX what to do while they wait for you.  You’ll figure it out.”

Now I get tell that to all new PAX before they Q, to give them ideas that I still use today.  But boy, let me tell you how good it felt to NO LONGER BE THE SIX!   If you’re the SIX and you’re reading this, you don’t have to stay there!  You too will get stronger!  Just keep posting.

I can honestly say that F3 changed the way I look at things.  I look at fitness completely differently.  I’m not out there to be the best, or the fastest, or do the most reps.  I’m out there trying to push myself, to complete the course set before me.  But not just for myself, but for those around me – my family, my coworkers, those in my community.

I have brothers and friends I didn’t know existed 3 years ago.  We share things I don’t share with anyone else – anyone.  I have a bond with my F3 brothers that is often hard to explain to people outside of F3.  If its a cult, its a good one! 🙂

THAT is what F3 means to me.  My Faith is impacted by my Fitness and the Fellowship I have found, and I try to spread all 3 of those Fs wherever I go.

It was an honor and a privilege to Q for the men this morning at the Chieftain!