Blog

  • Pre-Blast: AO Launch “The Lavafield”

    We are launching a new AO (workout location) on 10/10 7am at Clackamas HS.

    It’s time to start preparing for Saturdays and introducing new parts of the city to F3. So go ahead and mark your calendars. Invite your buddies. And do what you gotta do to make sure your wife and kids have what they need to survive without you for a little while on Saturday morning.

    There will be a 1 hour workout lead by Gobbler from F3 Puget Sound with Coffeeteria (our term for time for fellowship over breakfast and/or coffee) immediately to follow (Probably a PLC to avoid conflicts with Covid-19). Gobbler will also cover some of the F3 Leadership principles during this time after the workout.

    As a reminder, this workout is completely free and is open to all men (respectfully, men only). Review the rest of the core principles on the about page.

    Wear workout clothes (a lot of guys also like to bring gloves) and bring water.

    Be sure to review our Covid Preparedness document to understand how we are making considerations for C19.

    What:
    F3 Portland is launching the first Saturday workout at Clackamas High School aka “The Lavafield”

    Where:
    Clackamas High School
    14486 SE 122nd Ave, Clackamas, OR 97015

    When:
    10/10 at 0700 — we start promptly so show up early.

    Who:
    Gavin Payne aka Lumbergh will be the AOQ and co-coordinator of the launch — so you can direct any questions about the AO to him (@GPeezy21 on twitter)

  • Deck of Death for VQ

    AO: > Lightening Rod

    QIC: > WalkMan

    PAX: > Angus, Lumbergh, Walkman (VQ)

    Conditions

    > 60 degree’s and overcast, most of the smoke was gone, light drizzle to cool us off as we headed back for 6MOM.

    Angus and Lumbergh both there early to help me kick off my VQ.

    Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

    > Mosy with Good Morning Merkins (GMM’s) and a ticket check at every curb, price of admission was (20) calf raises on the way to the track.

    High Knees x 15, Butt Kickers x 15, Squat x 10, Imperial Walker x 15, Scissor Arms x 15

    The Thang

    > Deck of Death

    • Diamonds – American hammers
    • Spades – Freddie Mercury’s
    • Hearts – Burpees (duh)
    • Clubs – Peter Parkers
    • Jokers – stair run

    Missed the last 6-8 cards, including some high heart cards due to

    6MOM

    > No Mary’s as DoD took longer than expected.

    Moleskin

    >

    I’m working on taking my family and career in a new direction and I’ve been re-acquainted recently with how difficult it is to bump, forcefully and intentionally, into our own limits, boundaries, and ceilings. When we find the true edge of our capabilities it’s scary, the path is unknown, the outcome isn’t certain, and our character limitations flare. Our defaults kick in; to retreat, doubt, and redirect. As men, our natural reaction to this instinct is often to push harder – that’s one of the reasons I love this group, it re-enforces that instinct to push because we are often capable of so much more than we think. But growth – in emotion, skill, perspective, and character do not always follow the growth path of our physical bodies and the associated mental strain. The instincts we hone in the gloom are often incredibly valuable, they forge our character in meaningful ways, and sometimes they are at odds with true leadership. As I was preparing for this I was drawn to a book that was shared with me a few years ago, by my coach, that helped me grow substantial as a leader, father, husband, and man. In the tao of leadership, it is said, “I am at peace, and have energy to spare, because I am not resisting what is happening.” This can only be the case when we are present, observing what is happening in a humble effort to understand how things happen. In these moments, we are afforded a rare opportunity to redirect the outcome – the one we’ve been pushing so hard to accomplish – into the river of what is possible. To become a part of Tao in a way that we could never have intended, but that may ultimately serve us more in alignment with our vision and values. Doing this requires courage, presence, and humility.

    With that, I’d like to close us out in an offering. It’s important for everyone to note that while the third F in F3 is faith, this is not a religious entity. We acknowledge faith as a belief in something outside ourselves. And while I am not religious in any formal sense, I have a tremendous amount of respect for speaking good things into the world, and into the lives of the people I care for. And so with that, If you’ll accept it, I’d like to offer this. May you be courageous enough to look into the face of your challenge and ask what it has to share with you, humble enough to listen, and present enough to decide what to do with what you hear. May you be at peace, have energy to spare, and not resist what is happening.

    > Walkman

  • Always Be Crushing

    AO: Lightning Rod

    QIC: Angus

    PAX: Lumberg, Samsonite, Walkman

    Conditions

    55 degrees with fog rolling in — AQI is good but a little on the high side sitting just at about 100

    Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

    The disclaimer provided. YHC brought the energy and we stayed right at the flagpole to kick things off.

    Welcome back Samsonite — glad to have you back with us.

    SSH x 15
    High Knees x 15
    SSH x 15
    Ass Kickers x 15
    SSH x 15
    Third Grade Exercises x 15

    Mosey to the track

    Infinite Plank
    Plank x 10
    Merkin x 10
    Plank x 10
    Stump Hugger x 10
    (Thank Splinter from F3Toledo for this one)
    Plank x 10
    Mountain Climbers x 10

    Grab Some Wall
    And HOLD IT.

    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Little Arm Circles x 10 (Fwd / Bwd)
    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Moroccan Night Club x 10
    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Macarenas x 10

    The Thang

    Merkin Mile
    There was no chatter on the sound of pax sucking wind.

    Decons “track” ted Burpees
    This is where the chatter started once we started our 5th lap of the morning around the track. Pax were coming up with alternate names for the routine. Walkman threw out “murder mile” and I think Lumberg said “Quarter Mile Killer” or something like that.

    4 stations around the track

    • Station 1
      — Merkins
    • Station 2
      — Frog Jumps
    • Station 3
      — Squats
    • Station 4
      — High Knees

    Run from station to station performing the predetermined repetitions.

    10/8/6/4/2

    1 lap at 10 reps of each exercise then 8 and so on…
    We avoided stops on the last laps to make sure we were back at the flag pole in time for some mary.

    Hustle to the flag pole

    6MOM

    — LBC
    — Flutter
    — Flutter Jack

    COT

    Candor (Q3.8)

    What is it? F3 defines it as Graciously Telling The Hard Truth And Demanding To Hear It From Others. 

    Dictionary – the quality of being open and honest in expression. 

    Kim Scott wrote a book called Radical Candor where she describes it as caring personally and challenging directly. 

    So why even bring it up? what does this have to do with us? 

    It comes down to truth. 

    Only hard truths require candor because Easy truths don’t require character. There is no particular virtue in being the bearer of good news. 

    We are here to get better. Period. Yes to get physically stronger but also to be better leaders. 

    And in order to be great leaders for our community, we must be able to graciously communicate AND accept these hard truths with one another. 

    Reminder:

    Mission of F3 is the plant, serve, grow small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership. 

    Read more about Candor in Qsource

    _Angus

  • COVID Preparedness

    How F3 Portland is making special considerations for workouts during C19.

    In-person locations will be taking the following measures to help decrease the likelihood of spreading the virus:

    • We will avoid exercises that require touching bars, coupons, partners, and will generally promote exercises that maintain healthy distance.
    • We will keep at least 10 feet of distance at all times
    • If you aren’t feeling well, think you’ve been exposed, or have a family member who is medically vulnerable, please stay home and join us online instead.

    We respect the protections put in place by our government and hope to prevent the spread of disease by doing what is necessary and will continue to check on the phase level for Multnomah County (here) in order to ensure compliance.

    Multnomah County is currently in Phase 1 of reopening. There has been a limited reopening of restaurants and bars, personal services, gyms and malls.

    Multnomah County is not ready to apply for Phase 2 due to rising case counts and hospitalizations. Latest reopening information

    Face coverings are required in Oregon for everyone 5 years or older in indoor public spaces, and also outdoors when you can’t keep 6 feet from others.

    multco.us/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/notifications/update-august-7-multnomah-county-remains-phase-1-reopening // Updated 09.21.20

    See here for Clackamas County

  • Yard Work

    AO: Lightning Rod

    QIC: Angus

    PAX: Angus

    Conditions

    Hazy and dry coming off of extreme wind, the city is surrounded by fires.

    Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

    YHC showed up early and came prepared.

    SSH x 10
    High Knees x 10
    SSH x 10
    Ass Kickers x 10
    SSH x 10
    Third Grade Exercises x 10

    Infinite Plank
    Plank x 10
    Merkin x 10
    Plank x 10
    Stump Hugger x 10
    (Thank Splinter from F3Toledo for this one)
    Plank x 10
    Mountain Climbers x 10

    Mosey to the Track

    Grab Some Wall
    And HOLD IT.

    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Little Arm Circles x 10 (Fwd / Bwd)
    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Moroccan Night Club x 10
    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Macarenas x 10

    The Thang

    Ascending Ladder on the Field (with a Kicker)

    • Start at the goal
    • Bear crawl to the 10 yd
      — 10 merkins
      — run to the opposing goal line
      — 5 burpees
      — Run back to the 10 yd
    • Bear from the 10 to the 20
      — 15 merkins
      — run to the opposing goal line
      — 5 burpees
      — Run back to the 20 yd
    • Bear from the 20 to the 30
      — 20 merkins
      — run to the opposing goal line
      — 5 burpees
      — Run back to the 30 yd
    • Bear from the 30 to the 40
      — 25 merkins
      — run to the opposing goal line
      — 5 burpees
      — Run back to the 40 yd
    • Bear from the 40 to the 50
      — 30 merkins
      — run to the opposing goal line
      — 5 burpees
      — Run back to the starting goal line

    Mosey to the Franklin Statue

    • 4 stations starting on Franklin’s right hand side
      Station A: Inverted Rows x 10
      Station B: Dips x 10
      Station C: Inverted Row ISO (5 count) x 10
      Station D: Dip ISO (5 count) x 10
    • repeato x 5

    At the top

    • 3×10 merkin complex
      — Incline Merkin
      — Decline Merkin
      — Standard Merkin

    6MOM

    LBC, Flutter, Crunchy Frog

    Moleskin

    Look closely at Vince Lombardi and what do we find?

    — Never had a losing season as a head coach 

    — Transformed the Greenbay Packers who had previously gone 11 straight seasons without a winning record 

    — In 1948 Lombardi accepted an assistant coaching job at West Point 

    “As integral as religion was to [Lombardi’s] sense of self, it was not until he reached West Point and combined his spiritual discipline with Blaik’s military discipline that his coaching persona began to take its mature form.” – David Maranes

    — Lombardi was 37 years old when his iconic persona began to take form. 

    — And 47 when he accepted the job for the Greenbay Packers. 

    Think about your own life. Your own pursuits and ambitions. How old are you? And think critically, what can you accomplish starting today? Don’t let your current status of employement, age, or range of capability limit what defines you. Push yourself everyday toward perfection so that you might “catch excellence”.

    Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.

    • Vince Lombardi 

    _Angus

  • Four Corners TABATAS

    AO: Lightning Rod

    QIC: Angus

    PAX: Walkman, Samsonite, and Lumbergh

    Conditions

    We were rolling off a hot weekend and while Portland mornings are never too hot or too cold this one was a bit warmer out of the gate. I rolled up 2 minutes to start after completing a pre-run and set up for post.

    Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

    Did my usual thing — the guys will start getting tired of it eventually. Thankfully more leaders are coming soon.

    SSH x 20
    Slow Tempo High Knees x 12
    SSH x 15
    Windmills x 12
    SSH x 10
    Third Grade Exercises x 12

    Mosey around the lower soccer field

    Infinite Plank
    Plank x 20
    Merkin x 12
    Plank x 15
    Mountain Climber x 12
    Plank x 10
    Shoulder Taps x 12

    Mosey Up and Down The Hill x 3

    Grab Some Wall
    And HOLD IT.

    Cherry Pickers x 20
    Little Arm Circles x 12 (Fwd / Bwd)
    Cherry Pickers x 15
    Overhead Press x 12
    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Seal Clap x 12

    MUCH Mumble from the pax as we started back down the hill from those wall sits.

    Mosey around the lower soccer field

    The Thang

    Four Corners TABATAS on the tennis court

    Just like regular tabatas but with more exercises. each station had an exercise. work for 20 seconds then during the rest you move to the next station. complete each round 3 times.

    R1 – LBC, CURL (CMU), SQUAT, AND MERKIN
    R2 – FLUTTER, OVERHEAD PRESS, LUNGE, AND CDD

    6MOM

    American Hammer, Crunchy Frog, Freddie Mercury, Pickle Pounders, and Rosalita.

    Moleskin

    There are (at least) two methods of Motivation:

    1. Coercion
    2. Inspiration

    Coercion is motivation by force and Inspiration is motivating someone to do something by their own means. We aspire to inspire.

    _Angus

  • As seen on The Today Show

    How fitness, fellowship and faith are bringing thousands of men together

    TODAY’s Craig Melvin joins a few dozen men in North Carolina before sunrise for 45 minutes of fitness, fellowship and faith. He learns how the group, known as F3, started with 34 men in 2011 but has attracted 15,000 more across the country.

    Watch / Read on Today.com

  • As seen on Men’s Health

    How This Group Brings Men Together Through Sweat and Prayers

    Men become fast friends in this free, early-morning, guys-only workout class that’s exploded in popularity.

    By Matt Crossman

    Read Article on Men’s Health

  • The Stumptown Idiot

    Preamble

    A Dancing Idiot is a HIM who initiates a Movement by Influencing a First Follower.

    YHC had been posting as a Dancing Idiot for some time and keeping up the discipline was always a challenge. This is why F3 is so important. I never stopped running and posting regularly but I have to admit the degree to which I had been pushing myself fell dramatically. My standard had been compromised by solitude.

    On 11/8/2019 Gusher from F3 Chattanooga joined me in the gloom of what would eventually be dubbed the Lightning Rod.

    It had been a good while since YHC posted with other PAX so there might have been an extra dose of Qdrenaline behind everything.

    After completing a 4 mile pre-run YHC strolled up to find Gusher on a dark, cold, and wet morning. Perfectly gloom.

    We started things off at the parking lot by the lower fields

    Warm Up (Circle of Pain)

    SSH x 20
    High Knees x 20
    SSH x 20
    Ass Kickers x 20
    SSH x 20
    Squat x 20

    Mosey around the lower soccer field

    Infinite Plank
    Plank x 20
    Merkin x 12
    Plank x 15
    Mountain Climber x 12
    Plank x 10
    Shoulder Taps x 12

    Shoulder Blaster
    Cherry Pickers x 20
    Little Arm Circles x 12 (Fwd / Bwd)
    Cherry Pickers x 15
    Overhead Press x 12
    Cherry Pickers x 10
    Seal Clap x 12

    Mosey around the lower soccer field

    The Thang

    4 x 3 x 10

    1. Burpees and Squats on the Hill
      • 3 sets of 10
      • Burpees at the top and Squats on the bottom
    2. Pullups and Merkins on the playground
      • 3 sets of 10
    3. Dips and Box Jumps on the Corner
      • little bit longer mosey around the front corner of the High School
      • 3 set of 10
    4. Lunges and Broad Jumps
      • Head back to the tennis court
      • 3 sets of 10
    6MOM

    LBC, Flutter Kicks, and Box Cutters

    Moleskin

    I have to thank Gusher for being willing endure a beat down while he’s traveling to the PNW. This marks the first OTB post of two PAX in F3 Portland. It afforded YHC the energy to keep going.

    Personally, I never thought I would be doing this again. Since launching Chattanooga in 11/16/2016 (along with Gus) and the long road to building the area into what is now an exploding and securely established region (TCLAPS to Prosciutto, Ohms, Mr. Clean, The Count, Fissure, and many others) I never ever thought I would do it again.

    It requires a higher level of commitment and energy and I didn’t believe I had it in me to do it again. And in the time since leaving Chattanooga and moving to Portland our family had experienced what felt like a non-stop barrage of personal challenges. Acting as an in-home caretaker for a parent with Dementia, two miscarriages, relocating for the 5th time in 5 years, starting another new job, the loss of a parent, and then COVID on top of everything else. I don’t say all this to garner sympathy or as an excuse but maybe to provide hope to any brothers who might be in the midst of darkness and looking for hope. F3 isn’t THE answer but damnit it helps get you through the day and to the next day.

    In the months leading up to our soft launch of F3 Portland I connected with Gobbler and participated in a few of the Western Regions calls — just listening to the leaders from other regions working their way through the challenges from just attracting new pax to dealing with multiple problematic AOs was a reminder of the fruit of that labor. It planted the seed.

    You see I had been operating in a vacuum. Trying to feed my own spark void of oxygen. It just wasn’t working. I needed camaraderie and brotherhood, that’s what gives us motivation and energy to persist.

    In time I was connected with Beach Bum. This was the only thing I ever asked for or needed to get things started. I just wanted connection to 1 other pax that had already drank to koolaid.

    Since then (mid-July 2020) we unfortunately lost Beach Bum to relocation but have built a solid foundation with the addition of Walkman, Danish, and Lumbergh. And at the writing of this post we are 1 week away from launching our second AO and first Saturday workout. It’s worth noting here that 3 months ago, when Beach Bum and I posted for the first time at the Lightning Rod there were 0 workouts in the state of Oregon. Z-E-R-O. Nil. Nada. And now there are plants in Bend, Eugene, Hood River, and Portland. Four Cities. I can see that 2020 has been a great year for the growth of F3 into the Beaver State, but I’m excited to see where we take this thing into the future.

    2021 is going to be BIG.

    _Angus Out