November 10th, 2018 By Man Down

5 years ago today, YHC was trying to put my money where my mouth was as a fairly new healthcare provider who was encouraging my patients to exercise regularly. Apparently my hypocrisy has limits. So, when I came up to Black Mountain, NC for the annual StoneBridge Men’s Retreat, I brought some winter workout clothes with me, intending to jog a mile or two (about all I could do at that point). That evening I overhead a few guys (Dingo, Hammer, Kemosabe, Kevorkian, and Yearbook if recollection serves) discussing a workout the next morning, so I asked them if I could join in. Turned out most of these guys had recently connected with F3 in Highland Creek. The next morning was my first peer-led bootcamp-style workout, and I was hooked! Even the sprained ankle that determined my F3 name a few days later wasn’t going to stop me from pressing into this powerful combination of Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith. 5 years and a few thousand workouts later, I am privileged to still be coming to these annual StoneBridge retreats and privileged to still be accelerating as a man with the brothers of F3. So how does one express his gratitude F3-style? By leading a beatdown of course! 24 men, including 3 FNGs, joined me in the celebration! New location for the Men’s Retreat this year meant new territory to explore, so here’s how it went down…

• Disclaimer shared with all PAX, specifically our FNGs.
• Slow mosey with butt-kickers, high knees, and carioca around Lake Susan and down to Moore Center Field. Circle up for…
  • SSH x5
  • IST x5
  • Hillbilly x5
  • Air Squats x5
  • Cotton Pickers x5
  • Windmills x5
• Repeato x3
• 5:1 Ladder using hill to lake with…
  • Jump Squats and Merkins
  • Jump Lunges and Burpees
• Partner up and mosey over to Lake Susan Dam for some dam exercises:
  • P1 does Dam Muscle Ups x15 while partner 2 does Dam Carolina Dry Docks until P1 is done, then switch.
  • Repeato the dam exercises.
• Enough dam fun here. Time to mosey up to William Black Lodge and grab paver stones.
  • P1 does Stone Curls while P2 runs to bottom of hill and Bear Crawls back up, then switch.
  • Start smiling and waving to the old lady in the window taking our pictures, either for her Facebook page or to send to the police.
  • P1 does Stone Shoulder Press while P2 runs to bottom and Backwards Runs back up, then switch.
  • P2 does Stone Triceps Extensions while P2 runs to bottom and Lunge Walks back up.
• Mosey back to Assembly Inn for MARY:
  • Crunchy Frogs x5
  • Pretzel Sticks x5
  • Low Dollys x5
  • Rosalitas x5
  • Box Cutters x5
  • Homer to Marge
• Recover Recover!

That was a great dam way to celebrate my 5th F3-versary! My life is better because of this group and, as a result, so are the lives of those I have the opportunity to impact. THANK YOU to those of you who have encouraged and challenged me along the way!

Namorama