March Merkin Tour de Force

DATE: March 2, 2021

QIC: Chappie

The first workout for March arrived and so did 14 PAX for YHC’s March Merkin Tour de Force. It’s March so there’s got to be Merkins; lots of Merkins! Plenty today but no doubt there’s more to come.

Disclaimer:

1. Welcome to F3!
2. F3 is a non-profit men’s workout group. We don’t own anything and, therefore, make no claims on rights or permissions from the church. The church therefore assumes no liability, nor does F3 (i.e. you can’t sue us).
3. You are here of your own accord
4. I’m not a professional, so anything I instruct you to do is only a suggestion, but give your maximum effort. It’s you against you!
5. If there is an exercise you shouldn’t do, modify. 6. We will not leave you behind, but we won’t leave you where we found you either!

F3 has 5 Core Principles we adhere to:

1. We are: Open to all men
2. We are: Always free
3. We are: Always outdoors…rain or shine, hot or cold
4. We are: Always peer-led in rotating fashion
5. We: Always end with a COT

WARM-O-RAMA:

• SSH – 10 IC
• Swartzjacks – 10 IC
• Stop & Go Merkins (Down, hold 2, 3 up, rep) – 10 IC
• American Hammers – 18 IC
• Single Arm Flying Squirrels (5 each arm) – 10 OYO
• Imperial Squat Walker – 10 IC
• Cherry Picker – 10 IC

*Walk-thru explanation of Starfish Stations (group up – groups of 3 to 4 PAX)

THE THANG:

STARFISH/MARCH MERKIN TOUR DE FORCE: Groups picked a station and began working toward completing each one. Not all stations were completed by all PAX, but March definitely came in like a lion (i.e. Plenty-O-Merkins = Plenty-O-Roarin’…and man, those Swerkins!). Here’s each station:

• 100 Merkins
• 100 Plankjacks (5 Brick Merkins @ quarters, brick under PAX and down all the way to touch with chest)
• 100 Drydirks (Drydocks w/feet on boardwalk benches)
• 100 Swerkins (10 reps/10 sets, lap to platform and back after each set, resume)
• 100 Tilted Kilts (Gas Pumpers tilted on side, feet over top of parking block, 50 reps each side)
• AFTER first station PAX returned to center platform to complete 10 Burpee Step-ups. Subsequent rounds: 5 Burpee Step-ups

Overtime Grand Finale Crowd Pleaser: JACK WEBB! (Ratio: 1 Merkin, 4 OHC… to 10 Merkins, 40 OHC’s)

Arms. What arms? You didn’t need them today, did you?

YHC shared the following 3rdF somewhere around mid-workout:

IF – By RUDYARD KIPLING

If you can keep your head when all about you 

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,    

But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,    

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,    

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;       

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster    

And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken    

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,    

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings    

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings    

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew    

To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you    

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,       

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,    

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute    

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,       

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

—————————

YHC heard this poem a few weeks ago and immediately looked it up, then sent it to my oldest son in California. The poem is embedded throughout with biblical wisdom. While not all of it is found in 1 Cor. 16:13-14, much of it is captured in the phrase “act like men.” That phrase ought to echo in our hearts in minds throughout each day. When we’re making decisions or responding to situations and opportunities we ought to be asking ourselves how would a man act in this moment. Responding is such a manner will inevitably lead to being HIM; it will lead us to becoming better husbands, fathers, neighbors, co-workers, etc.

Here (1 Cor. 16:13-14) the Bible says, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (emphasis added)

Here are 5 quick commands for you today which, if you do them, will help you to be a HIM…a better husband, father, man:

1. Be on the alert
2. Stand firm in the faith
3. Act like men
4. Be strong
5. Let all that you do be done in love

As mentioned, everyone got in their fair share of Merkins–it’s March!

COT:

• Number-Rama
• Name-O-Rama
• Announcements: ShamRuck Family Ruck coming up on Mar. 13 +@ 3:17 p.m. Meeting at Georgetown Circle (Aegis AO) and rucking to McDonalds for a Shamrock Shake. Also, we’re planning to strengthen our 2nd & 3rdF’s by starting a study of the book Chosen Suffering by Tom Ryan, Head Coach of the Ohio State wrestling team. Up for discussion: Do study at Saturday Coffeeteria or on Mondays from 0500-0600hrs? Starting end of March or early April. Watch for the poll on our F3 First State Groupme. GREAT BOOK! Recommended reading by Toy Soldier.

• Prayer: We lifted up baby Beau, his body is rejecting the new heart and he’s back on the transplant list; continue prayers for Gavin – praying for a miracle for this young man to walk again after being paralyzed from a snowboarding accident in January

Honored to Q up the first March Merkin Madness beatdown with a Tour de Force. Welcome to March gentlemen!

Shaky arms,

Chappie, out!