Author: James Carroll

  • AAR: Convenience or growth? Buy for self or give to those in need? Join us for opportunities to grow, to lead.

    WoR: 20x SSH, 15x Abe Vigodas, 10x Mt. man poopers

    Da Thang: 4 corners ladder
    10 reps each:
    green: curls
    blue: thruster (incl. squat)
    yellow: goblet squat
    purple: derkin
    then 20 reps of each
    then 30
    then 20
    finally 10

    stairs for 3 minutes

    mozy run 1/2 mile

  • AAR: Do it, even when you don’t feel it. The feelings will follow, and then you can do it with the feeling

    .WoR: 20x SSH, 20x abe vigodas, mozy ’round fitness center

    Da Thang:
    4 corners:

    1. 40x curls
    2. 40x overhead press
    3. 40x c. swings
    4. 40x nut crushers

    1.’ 40x Bent over rows
    2.’ 40x merkin
    3.’ single arm shoulder raise 20x L 20x R
    4.’ 20x blockee
    Repeat 1-4, 1′-4′
    MoT: pogo, rifle carry L, farmer carry, rifle carry R

  • AAR: Get after it

    Thinking of the PAX, the men of F3 Emberwatch.

    WoR: warm up run, then stretch hamstrings and calves

    Da Thang:
    run to end of trail, round the rocks, and back again

  • OTB: AO T20 ATL

    AAR: Did something.

    WoR: 3 leg dog, lizard lunge, twist, SSH, mozy to washroom

    Da Thang:
    2 sets of:
    8x burpee
    10x merkin
    20x WWI situp

    2 sets of:
    25x Am. hammer
    20x dips (2 is 1)
    20x squats

    cool down mozy to washroom

    Facing out the window, whispered my rep counts, yet felt heavy the gaze of onlookers. Felt so good to get moving and sweat.

  • AAR: Lasting change begins deep and before visible changes.

    When starting to get stronger, the first change is innervation, the growth of nerve endings in muscles. Before muscle fiber changes, nerve fibers extend further into the muscle, enabling contraction of more fibers, which means you can push more, pull more, even with no change in the muscle fiber. Muscle fiber and the balance between fat and lean tissue does change, but the first change is in the nerves. The nerve endings grow deeper into the muscle and become more efficient in causing the muscle fibers to contract.
    There is a metaphysical parallel: when we begin to accelerate our honesty, our Candor, our Courage: there are real, meaningful changes that happen inside us before it’s visible in our behavior. This is the foundation of lasting change, real change. Take heart, and know that no sincere effort is wasted, and that even so-called failures can be part of growth if we chose to learn.

    Intro: What? 5 core principles, mission-ish, Credo.
    WoR: Led by @Van Go! SSH, Good mornings, Helicopter, Merkin

    Da Thang: 5 Alive: 3 exercises:

    1. Shoulder tap
    2. Mt. Climber
    3. Merkin
      Every other lamppost around lawn

    Ring of fire: PAX choice:
    leg lifts, Am. hammer, LBC, Jack knives

  • Backblast: DR Free Parking, Since we brought Coupons!

    Date: 05/06/2026
    AO: #ao-Crack-O’Dawn (Las Vegas, NV – Emberwatch Region)
    PAX: @What?@Peacebone@Newsy. @Kodiak @Van Go!
    FNGs: 1 @Van Go!
    Q: @Formica (F3 Gwinnett cty GA)
    Count: 7
    Conditions: 62 nice!!
    Disclaimer/Mission/Credo: Given

    Warm-o-Rama: SSH (Side Stradde Hop), Little Baby Arm Circles, Pool Pisser, Seal Claps, Weed Pickers (ATTEMPTED a Motivator but YHC Fumbled up the Count!!!)
    Thang1: Moseyed to the neighboring set of parking spots, that happens to be the right size for this one, and set up for free parking.
    Set up: Free Parking is 5 rounds to be executed as seen below after setting your Coupon @ the painstation.
    Round 1
    Bearcrawl 6 spaces to your coupon
    1 set of 10 coupon presses
    HighKnees back to the Start

    Round 2
    Bearcrawl 6 parking spaces to your coupon
    1 set of 10 coupon presses
    1 set of 20 overhead presses
    Bernie Sanders (back peddle) back to the start

    Round 3
    Carioca (left shoulder leading) 6 spaces to your coupon
    1 set of 10 coupon presses
    1 set of 20 overhead presses
    1 set of 30 skull crushers
    Carioca back to the start (Right shoulder leading)

    Round 4
    Broad Jump to your Coupon
    1 set of 10 coupon presses
    1 set of 20 overhead presses
    1 set of 30 skull crushers
    1 set of 40 Sgl Count Lunges
    Mosey back to start

    Round 5
    Lunge Walk to your coupon
    1 set of 10 coupon presses
    1 set of 20 overhead presses
    1 set of 30 skull crushers
    1 set of 40 Sgl Count Lunges
    1 set of 50 goblet squats
    Moseyed back to the Start hold an airchair until the 6 is in.

    Thang 2:
    DORA – Pair up and group count alternating runner and exerciser
    100 – Merkin
    200 – BBS/LBC (due to time) – DNF (did not finish)
    300 – Squats DNF

    Mary: Gas Pumpers, Ankle Taps, Flutter Kicks

    YHC and @Faceplant(F3 NEO/F3 Orlando) gave praise for the region and AO for being an active operation and for extending a wonderfully warm welcome to us as we are DR (Downrange)

    NMM: We discussed the need for PAX and men in general to execute a “Shieldlock”, and remain consistent and maintain it. The power of 3 PAX together is unstoppable. This discussion flowed straight into a discussion on QSource regarding the “Whetsone” concept and the need in ALL of our society for this to take place. HIMs must embrace this opportunity to sharpen PAX around them, without this sharpening and maintaining, we will have a dull and vulnerable society. We need this more now than ever! For this to be affective, as stated in the Q Source we need to apply the three P’s to this, Proximity, have Purpose, and have Periodicity.

  • AAR: Less.

    – Less is More. Most men need less of these things in their life: weight, stress, anxiety, fear, loneliness, avoidance, drama, ego, and others. We discussed how to help each other with these things.`

    Backblast: It started out as a dark and gloomy day at AO Death Pond. 55 degrees was not the weather two pax from the Southeast expected. What? was on the scene with coupons and gloves ready to go. What? generously offered the Q to Faceplant, who graciously accepted.

    We started on time at 5:15am and commenced with the welcome, 5 core principles, mission of F3, and the disclaimer.

    Warmups: (1)small circles (2) tappy taps (3) grass pickers (4) side straddle hops.

    The Thing: Pyramid of Pain

    The goal of today was to get to:
    – 100 Merkins
    – 100 Big Boy Sit-ups
    – 100 Curls
    – 100 Goblet Squats
    – 100 Overhead Press
    – 1400/700 Meter Run/Walk

    We will do a 7 round pyramid to get there. They were all in cadence.

    5 reps of each exercise followed by a run. Repeat process with 10 reps, 20 reps, 30 reps, 20 reps, 10 reps, 5 reps (sloth style).

    We broke up each round with a run/walk break.

    com.nhncorp.m2app 28.0.2
  • AAR: Prepare. Split the load. Together, step by step.

    AAR: Prepare. Split the load. Together, step by step.
    Life and leadership is full of opportunities and challenges, both those that can be anticipated and those that cannot. The leader prepares himself for both.
    Today we did some exercises sharing the load: DORA combined rep count; other exercises we did together: IC. In your relationships, projects: where would it be better if you divided and conquered, taking something off someone’s plate? Where might it be better if you stayed with someone, step by step?

    PAX: @Kodiak, @Peacebone@Newsy. @What?

    WoR: 5 core burpee principles, alarm clock

    Da Thang:
    1. Bulgarian split squats
    2. box jumps 50x DORA
    3. goblet squats 50x DORA
    4. squat jump IC
    5. derkin 20x IC
    6. uneven side lunge (foot on coupon) 8x
    7. hop scotch: fwd, side, backward
    MoT: rifle, farmer, pogo stick, salt shaker, comfort, lunge walk, Imp. Walker

    circle of pain/PAX choice:
    LBC, flutter kick, am. hammer x25, Merkin x20, leg lifts, plank: single, side, high, low. Shabashana 20 sec mindful stillness

  • AAR: Brotherhood. Seek for shared purpose.

    There is far, far more that unites us than separates us. When we look for our shared purposes, common identify, we will find it. The differences that divide us are often superficial: titles, appearance. Often the things that unite us are the things inside: feelings, fears, our humanity. F3 brings together men, all men: men of any or no spiritual tradition. Men who have their own fantastic 1stF, men who had no 1stF until they found F3. We find so much journey purpose. As we bring those firesticks together, we burn brighter. All for male community leadership.
    Spur: Knowing that every man is your brother, knowing there is something inside him that will resonate with you, I challenge you to look for it, to give lesser priority to the superficial differences. Perhaps a spouse, a child, that you are struggling to connect with. Don’t ignore the difference or pretend it doesn’t exist, but focus on common purpose, and let them know that’s what you’re trying to do. Be patient. The mindset that is successful in the beatdown, that mindset can, if you choose to, bring about great results in your relationships. Will you do it?

    WoR: 5 core principle burpees, SSH, Abe Vigodas, arm/shoulder series: circles, flap jack; overhead claps; seal claps (tie fighter).

    4 Corner trapezoid:
    1. overhead press: 80x DORA mozy to next corner
    MoT: rifle
    2. derkin x80 DORA mozy to next corner
    MoT farmer carry / lunge walk DORA every 10 lunges
    3. standing side shrug/lift 40x one side DORA mozy
    MoT: salt shaker / shovel toss one side
    4. nutcracker x80 DORA mozy
    MoT: pogo coupon
    1′: side lift x40 other side DORA
    MoT salt shaker other side
    2′: derkin x80 platoon count
    MoT: ____
    3′: coupon swing x80 DORA
    MoT: farmer carry / lunge
    4′: WWIII situp 40x DORA
    MoT: rifle
    1”: blockee 40x DORA