Our desire to get uncomfortable is at an all-time low. Chosen suffering is a mindset. Never willing to settle for the easy way, an Elite person constantly moves toward pain to push themselves beyond their current abilities.
Growth means stretching away from our comfort zone. Nothing stays the same you either progress or regress. Growth requires pain, which is why it’s difficult to stay on top.
People matter; choosing the right ones to be with matters. Pain unifies us and love sustains us.
Elite people understand that short bursts of choosing the right way doesn’t make enough of a difference. Building habits take time. Deep rooted good habits must be formed. It’s the long term, sustained commitment that turns normal into special. Show up and give over and over. Discomfort shows its face during intense training, intense studying, rehabbing an injury, building one’s business, raising a family, managing people and so on.
The elite surround themselves with others who help them master their craft. If you’re not willing to pay a high price but are looking for a quick solution instead, you’re headed down a road to nowhere. The elite are curious, they are thinkers and problem solvers with a growth mind set. Deep suffering is far more fun to talk about than to live. Greatness is developed. Humans will get nowhere unless they compile information, make a plan, and act on it. Good to great isn’t an overnight thing. The only way to transform is to earn it.
Commitment means your life reflects your beliefs and I was committed. Spent mornings, afternoons, and most evenings in the wrestling room. The rate at which a person works is a window into the soul of what he values as priceless. There is a clear connection between effort and workload that occur when few are watching. There’s a massive chasm between believing something and committing to it.
Becoming elite is a choice, people aren’t born elite. Winning is never something we can completely control. Those who suffer the greatest do so because of their deep love of what they’re doing. Deep suffering moves us from good to great. Sense of value in our lives must be built from the inside out. Anything worth having requires suffering. Living on impulse without discipline gets us nowhere. Your goal should be to wake up better than you were today. Every great performance relies on solid training. Gratitude comes from the underlying belief that one’s life is no accident. The elite figure out what needs to get done, and they do it. Many people establish their wants, but they don’t consistently practice the habits to bring their desires to complete fruition. An elite individual understands that sustained success is the result of repeated good decisions over time. The elite don’t speak or think of excuses, they problem solve.
Falling short is painful, but pain is a gift. We waste our pain when we don’t learn from our losses and discomfort. Every person fails, but what’s more important is how we each manage the hurt. The elite assess, plan, and repeat until they’re refined. A strong plan and solid execution will increase our odds for the desired outcome.
Failure is a gift. Change happens with action. Harden oneself, but never get down on oneself. Excellence is the ability to do work every single time no matter who’s watching. Most people are unwilling to give at the required level to get what they want.
Struggle is at the center of all growth. We need people who care about us and challenge us to move from where we are to where we want to be.
The Elite work ethic is having the ability to repeatedly take yourself into chosen suffering. Eliteness comes from the absolute love for their desired outcome. Competency relies on training. You have to know that you’ve paid the price. Day in and day out you work on areas that need improvement.
Elite athletes are problem solvers. Humans say what we want, but we aren’t willing to back up with action. Instead, we offer excuses instead of taking responsibility. Successful people own their decisions and stand by the results. Hone in on the things you can control like your thoughts. Winning isn’t something we can control. However good you think you are there is always someone better. Choose each day to work alongside others who push you to greater levels of suffering. Wrestling teaches transformational lessons in humility because it’s raw and real, there’s no hiding. It’s the simple things done well and repeatedly that separate good from great. Winning is less controllable than your effort. Control what you can. Our effort should deplete us and bring us intense discomfort. We are capable of so much more that we think we are. It’s human nature to fall back into complacency to find the easy way out. As a wrestler you have to define your priceless, that objective or goal you’ll do anything to achieve. Actions speak louder than words. Too often we say we want success, but when struggling becomes more than what we imagined we give up.
Becoming elite is about letting go of the things that hold us back and pressing on. In every stage of life, complacency longs to sneak in. We must fight this natural desire to be easy on ourselves. We should be hard on ourselves, but never down on ourselves. We are built for glorious things and made to stretch ourselves. We will always need to choose suffering because it’s healing. We have a soul that long to be challenged and lifted.
Dan lt to top of bridge 5 burpees Lt dan rest of way across bridge
Toy soldier set 50 lbc 25 e2k 15 big boys
25 derkins Backwards lunge to top of bridge Forward lunge back down
3rd F
==================================== But I say to you… Love your enemies! ====================================
Matthew 5:43-48 ESV “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.5.43-48.ESV
Love your enemies!
50 urkins Side shuffle to top of bridge Side shuffle back down
31 reverse crunch Karaoke across bridge switching sides halfway
Mosey back to AO
25 Single leg hip thrust per leg 15 backwards big arm circles 25 split squats
LINE UP AT IN THE PARKING LOT, DO 30 MERKINS NEXT PAX LINE UP AND SPRINT TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT WALK BACK. RINSE AND REPEAT 10 TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 300 MERKINS.
F3 MESSAGE:
And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it? ’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ” So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord !’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Luke 19:29-40 NKJV
This is my question for you? Are you getting the donkey for Jesus? In other words are you listening to what the Lord asks of you, or does life bog you down and restrict you from serving the Lord. If we are doing what the Lord asks of us he will make the way for us, could you imagine what the owner of the donkey thought about this? Could you just give away your car? Obviously not, but because the disciples were doing what the Lord asked Jesus made the way for them. Men we have to put aside our busy lifestyle and simply just get the donkey.
The Grit Mill was greeted by 8 PAX who won THAT FIRST BATTLE against the fartsack and posted for a ruck beatdown–tailored by YHC to limit being too mobile with hopes of bringing some recovery to an ankle feeling every bit of 53-yrs-old.
PAX included FNG Steve McDougall (n.k.a MacDaddy). As YHC was welcoming our FNG, he asked if YHC knew him or remembered him. He looked familiar but had to jog YHC’s memory. Amazing! Steve was the guy who came into my room when I was hospitalized with COVID19 back in December. Then, he put a new IV in my arm, we talked for awhile, YHC EH’d him (anywhere, anytime, baby!). But the most remarkable thing YHC remembers is that before Steve left my room, he knelt beside my bed, grabbed my hand, and prayed for my recovery. That’s a HIM right there! Since that week in mid-December Looney Tunes EH’d him as well. Sometimes it takes a few contacts with F3 HIM before guys will actually post. EH! EH! EH! Welcome to F3 MacDaddy! (So named because he’s carried several “Mac” nicknames, especially in the USMC, but now he’s got 5 children.)
Anyway, YHC created a ruck workout with some Grit (he hopes) but with limited mobility (travel), and here’s how it all went down:
Ruck Step Ups x 50 (sc) ☆ Suitcase carry around library (half/half)
Overhead Shoulder Press x 50 (sc) ☆ Lunge-walk 1/2 around library
Ruck Pull Side-to-side x 50, (due to time) FOLLOWED BY Ruck Merkins x 50
The following 3rdF was shared mid-workout:
UPDATED 3/24/21 for the Grit Mill
If you’ve been around F3 First State for any length if time, then you know I often share 3rd F messages based upon my personal military experiences. This one has 3 core components: A military experience, an F3 leadership principle, and a biblical text that most are at least familiar with.
Let’s start with the biblical text and work backwards. When I enlisted to join the PA Army National Guard (“Roll on!”), we were sent off to “pre-basic” right before we shipped out to Ft. Sill, OK (and other places) for regular Army Basic Training. On the first night of pre-basic, after lights-out, nobody knew what to say or if they should say anything at all! All of us troops just lay there in our “racks” in silence. I thought about it for what seemed like an eternity, but after only a minute or two, there in the darkness, I decided to say the Lord’s Prayer…OUT LOUD!
My fear was that nobody would join me. And we were all feeling a little scared —- I’d call it a fear of the unknown about what was ahead of us—completely unfamiliar territory—as we were entering a new phase of life, a part of which would be dominated by Drill Sergeants…doing what Drill Sergeants do!!! (We had drill sergeants in pre-basic there at Ft. Indiantown Gap.) So as I began to recite the Lord’s Prayer, imagine my surprise when everyone else in our barracks chimed in, and 40-some men recited the prayer together!! I think it settled all our hearts that first night.
I did it because my desire was to be a good witness. And I did it because I suspected everyone else lying there in the dark held the same fears I had (their joining in the prayer affirmed this reality). However I DID NOT do it to demonstrate leadership. Yet in doing so, I would say that I discovered leadership. I unknowingly began to discover a principle of leadership, a principle defined in F3 as Individual Initiative(I2). As our workouts are always PEER-LED Individual Initiative (I2) comes to the forefront. Here’s a summary of what we must all do as leaders to instill and grow Individual Initiative:
A leader must teach what he knows
A leader must make clear the mission
A leader must reward I2 whenever and wherever he sees it. “Leaders always get more of what they reward and less of what they punish.”
I couldn’t have defined it that night way back in Nov. 1989 when I found myself leading 40 other [YOUNG] men in the Lord’s Prayer, but in inadvertently taking the initiative, I BEGAN to discover this critical principle of leadership which also applies in many areas of life; it IS that which helps to define each of us as HIGH IMPACT Men: INDIVIDIAL INITIATIVE! It doesn’t matter whether an opportunity arises at home, in the workplace, or in the community in which you serve…Take the initiative and lead!
COT:
Number-Rama
Name-O-Rama – naming of FNG
Announcements: Rucking in Millsboro for Roving RuckF3st Friday, followed by Bible Study at the Country Kitchen
Prayers: For Beau’s family as they grieve the loss of this little boy; for Gavin and a miracle to heal his spine; for Woodstock facing some big stuff today (details to be shared later). For all of the men in the circle to be intentional with Individual initiative today.
Good times getting after it with rucks. Awesome to see some growth at the Milford, DE AO The Gri[s]t Mill. As always, humbled to Q, but even more humbled to have an FNG join us who cared for YHC when hospitalized with the Rona. Again, welcome to F3 MacDaddy.
20 Seal jack i/c 20 Windmill i/c 20 seal wave i/c 20 mountain climbers i/c 20 mountain man pooper i/c 20 cherry picker i/c
The Thang
Frisbee golf
On this nice foggy morning green disc flew through the air. Following behind were 11 HIM completing exercises to the ‘hole’ or at the ‘hole’ depending on what the Q called out. 9 holes were played with a bonus hole to finish the morning. Exercise completed were: Dan Lt. Merkins Nur Side shuffle both directions Burpees Toy soldier set 25,15,10 Lbcs Lt. Dan Bonus – bear crawl
3rd F
Intimacy As men we usually think of sex when we hear that word. But there are other forms of intimacy: Intellectual Recreational Spiritual Financial Emotional Physical I have been listening to a podcast called One Extraordinary Marriage. Toni and Alisia wrote a book, Stripped Down, 13 keys to unlocking intimacy in your marriage. It has opened my eyes that I need to work on other areas of intimacy with my wife. These intimacies don’t just apply to marriage, they can be used in your everyday interactions. Take F3 for an example, we come together as a band of brothers for Spiritual, Emotional, Recreational, Intellectual, and Physical intimacy. Especially in the times we are in we need this group of brothers!
Number-Rama NAME-A-RAMA COT
11 HIM showed today: Semi, Fireplex, Chattahoochee, Quarto, Ruxpin, Woodstock, Struedel, Whirlybird, and welcome back Toad, Summit, and Toy Soldier
Bolt 45’s – IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Windmills – 20 IC
Mosey .5 miles to Oh Hill No
The Thang
The Super Sheldon Cooper on old “Sam Hill” with a few of my friendly animals – Complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big Boys. Dragon Crawl up & mosey down and complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 7 Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys. Crawl Bear up & Bear Crawl down and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6 Merkins & 6 Big Boys.
Time did not allow us to finish, but below are the remaining evolutions as planned if you want to make your own trip back to Oh Hill No.
Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 5 Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big Boys. Inch Worm up the hill and mosey down and complete 4 Burpees, 4 Squats, 4 Merkins, & 4 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 3 Burpees, 3 Squats, 3 Merkins, & 3 Big Boys. Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 2 Burpees, 2 Squats, 2 Merkins, & 2 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 1 Burpee, 1 Squat, 1 Merkin, & 1 Big Boy.
Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP
F3 Message
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers
I’ve lost my shamrock tie, and I’m bummed. Of course, everyone else is thrilled. I loved wearing it for St. Patrick’s Day every year to celebrate the part of me that’s Irish. In spite of the fact that people insensitively described the color as “barf green.” It doesn’t seem that anyone’s missing it but me.
I’m not sure what old St. Pat would make of the holiday named for him – pouring green dye into the Chicago River and parades full of green-dressed celebrants. I do know that Patrick – who’s pretty much obscured by the festivities – was quite a guy with quite a story.
His first trip to Ireland wasn’t his choice. He was 14 and got kidnapped and carried off to Ireland where he became a sheep-tendin’, pig-sloppin’ slave. But while he was there, he realized that Jesus died to forgive his sins, and he put his trust in Him to do just that. Patrick finally escaped and got back home to Britain where he, presumably, swore he’d never wear anything green!
But his second trip was his choice. A choice that should give a lot of us something to think about.
As Patrick told it, he was asleep one night when he saw Victor, his former Irish captor, in a vision. He “appeared to have come from Ireland with an unlimited number of letters.” Patrick said that the letters seemed to shout with one voice: “We ask you, holy boy, come and walk once more among us.” He “was cut to heart and could read no more.”
And Patrick did walk among them. Spreading the Good News about Jesus that had changed his life. He introduced thousands of Irishmen to Jesus. Patrick reflected on the legacy of his life this way: “I am greatly a debtor to God who hath vouchsafed me such great grace that many people by my means should be born again to God.”
People in heaven. That’s St. Patrick’s ultimate legacy. It’s like the Apostle Paul said about some folks he’d introduced to Jesus: “What is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of the Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).
Which raises the question all of us Jesus-followers should be asking: “Who will be in heaven, because of me?”
God let Patrick know He was counting on him to bring Jesus to people he had “walked among.” Which raises another question: “Who are my ‘walk among them’ people?” They’re the folks who are part of the daily network and experiences of my life. We’ve all got them – the ones who God is counting on us to rescue. He says if “you do not speak out…I will hold you accountable for his blood” (Ezekiel 33:8). Why? Because I knew what that person needed to know to get to heaven – and never told them.
We don’t need a vision. We’ve got orders. “You will be my witnesses, telling people about Me” (Acts 1:8).
Patrick was biographically credentialed to tell the Irish about Jesus. His life had apparently been crafted by God to make him a man who understood them, who they would listen to because of what he had experienced. But that’s not just true of the “shamrock saint.” Every Jesus-follower has been biographically credentialed to share Jesus with folks. Because of what you’ve experienced. Your personal story is your point of entry to ultimately tell them how His story changed your story forever.
So you may be able to celebrate “that many people by my means” were “born again to God.”
Patrick was in a very hard place when he made the greatest discovery of his life – a personal relationship with Jesus. By giving his life to Jesus, he stepped into a greatness he could have never otherwise imagined. It may be that the hard place you’re in right now is where you’ll finally find what you’ve spent your whole life looking for – that love relationship with Jesus Christ. If you want to know how to get started with Him, I encourage you to go to our website, YoursForLife.net, and step into God’s great plan for your life.
PAX complete 100 of an exercise first one done hollers DONE PAX bear crawl to other side of parking lot complete 100 of another exercise and crawl bear back. Rinse and repeat.
100 LBC
100 flutterkicks
100 leg lifts
100 double tap Freddie’s
100 reverse crunch
100 e2k 50 each leg
100 lower case outlaws
100 over head press
F3 MESSAGE
Shadrach meesach and abenda nego were thrown into a fire for not bowing down and praying to the king and they lived and didn’t even smell like smoke. David as a little Shepard boy defeated a Giant with a sling and a rock! Daniel was alive in the morning when he was thrown into the lions den, Moses split the red sea when the Israelites were facing rough seas ahead and certain death from behind, Noah built an ark and lived thru a flood that killed every living thing on the earth. Elijah challenged and defeated 450 baal profits on Mt Carmel. What do all of these have in common FAITH! We will certainly face challenges in our time here on earth. Every single one of us will face difficulty, marriage difficulty, work problems,, money problems. It may seem like you are at the end of your rope but in His own words Jesus taught us that if we believe and have faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains! Then there is the greatest miracle in the Bible, Jesus, for all of humanity, willingly stretched out his hands and was killed on a Cross, thrown into a cave and rose from the dead 3 days later. he promised us if we believe in him he has prepared a place for us and we will be with him in heaven. Have faith!, So gentlemen think of it like this, what is 100 years of suffering compared to an eternity in Heaven? Stand strong in faith, act like men, Believe in Jesus.
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:
Welcome to F3!
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).
You are here of your own accord
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!
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:
We are: Open to all men
We are: Always free
We are: Always outdoors…rain or shine, hot or cold
We are: Always peer-led in rotating fashion
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:
Be on the alert
Stand firm in the faith
Act like men
Be strong
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!
