GrowRuck 12 – Grow School Workout

On September 22, 2018, F3 Nation’s GrowRuck Q (Bono), Weasel Shaker (Slaughter), and Nantan (Dredd) led 62 PAX in a 60-minute beatdown at ECS. This is what happened, in Bono’s words.

GrowRuck 12 Memphis Workout

It was 0700 at Evangelical Christian School in Cordova, TN. The pax gathered near the entrance to the astroturf field engaging in that nervous mumble chatter that occurs when men don’t know exactly what to expect. This was the beginning of GrowSchool and GrowRuck 12. 62 men joined us for the disclaimer…

Disclaimer
We always begin with the Disclaimer. Here’s a version the Q sometimes uses: “Welcome to F3Nation. We are a free, peer-led workout, which means that even if you think I look like a stud, I am not a professional. This will be difficult and I recommend you get in your car and go home. Or you can modify as needed and watch out for your brothers beside you. We leave no man behind, and we leave no man where they are. Pay attention to the Q. Pay attention to what your body tells you.”

The Thang
Follow Me/Shock & Awe – The unexpected is part of what we expect during a GrowRuck. A “Follow Me” run allows us to break a normal routine of doing 20 Side Straddle Hops IC. We circled up at the football practice field and started with a warm-up of 10 Burpees OYO. Next we continue with 8 Burpees IC (6-count); Then we continue with 6 burpees. The pax started to figure out the routine and determined that next we would do 4 Burpees. Before the final round, the pax had to guess the count – NOT 2 burpees, but 10 burpees. Never think the finish line is the finish until you hear “recover”, aka “Get prepared for the expected, BE prepared for the unexpected.

Counting Cadence – Next Dredd gave a quick overview of counting cadence. He reviewed the reasons WHY we count cadence and led the pax through a series of exercises. Throughout the workout we had several pax come up at count cadence and learned that even though Dredd almost always does a 4-count cadence, a Q can use a “tempo” cadence if it works for the exercise. After that we did another “follow me” to the track.

Dirty McDeuce – The Dirty McDeuce is made up of 4 sets of 3 exercises done to 12 reps. Each set has one chest exercise, one leg exercise and one core exercise. After each set of three exercises, you run a lap of a track or whatever else is handy (parking lot, etc.)
1st Stop – Merkins, Squats, Flutter Kicks
2nd Stop- Carolina Dry Docks; Mule Kicks, Freddy Mercurys
3rd Stop – Wide Arm Merkins, Jump Squats, “Oh Yeah!! IC. This time we made sure to connect with another pax on the mosey around the track.
4th Stop – Merkins IC, Squats IC, Flutter Kicks IC – This round was done IC with three locals leading the way.
Then Gus led everyone around the track to mosey as a TEAM, it became a side shuffle, hand holding effort. We learned why the “Rule of 3” is key in leading a large group of men, because as the Q whispered changes to Gus, it was harder to communicate and meet the standard. The pax did not meet the standard, so the Q led the pax in 10 burpees IC. The pax then moseyed to the luxurious astroturf field for a final evolution. On the way we stopped for the 6 and pounded out 59 4-count flutter kicks (that’s about how many men registered for the Tough challenge originally…”Be prepared for the unexpected…”

Bear Crawls – The final evolution was modified to become a bear crawl to the 45 OYO and followed by a team bear crawl back. On the way back the men determined that pausing at the yard lines became a good way to stay together, which was a skill used early on in the Tough that evening.

6MoM – Slaughter finished out the last 3 minutes with some of his favorite ab exercises. The trick here is by not “recovering” the burn was compounded, even in 3 minutes. Remember to make things difficult, so “no man is left where we found him.”

COT/BOM – Thanks was offered for the pax, safety, and strength. We got to sing “It is well” and all was well.

PAX 
Co-Qs – Bono, Dredd, Slaughter
Memphis PAX – Shoestring, Uncle Rico, Pops, Halpert, Short Timer, Commie, Choker, O Positive, Bruce Wayne, Tiger Lily, Cheesesteak, Slicnut, Soybean, Speaker, Nature Boy, Tomb Raider, Toms, Captain Obvious, Handsy, Woody, Gilligan, Snowman, C-Lo, Mama’s Boy, Renfro, Daniel Tiger, Tree Hugger, Bookworm, Woodpecker, Bombay, Gus, Lazarus, Harbaugh, Teacher’s Pet, Thundercat, Nickelback, U-Rock, Sleep Number, Phat Pat, Carport, T-Swift, Four Eyes, Pronto Pup, Bottomless, Snookie, Laettner, Meter Maid, Geppetto, Orange Julius
Willy Lomans – Kramer (STL), Sheldon (STL), Halfpipe (Jackson MS), Duck Tales (Chattanooga), F150 (Dallas), Boy Scout (Houston)
FNGs (4) – Rock, The Seeker, Mercy, Young Lucille

Moleskin – Jocko once said, “Life is like burpees, you fall down and get back up. You fall down and get back up.” This group of men started with a bang and at this workout and never disappointed the F3Nation pax. We figured out how to do burpees, how to count cadence, how to recover when falling by diving. We moseyed with brothers, we muscled through 59 flutter kicks when they were not expected. We were men enough to hold each other’s hands (man the Q was surprised when that took place) and we began to learn the power of connecting with a brother by asking him questions and leading through love. When we had to work as a team, it seemed like the pax was given a heads up on the bear crawls, because the Q didn’t give directions, the pax organized themselves. This was a Sua Sponte occurrence that continued to take place as the Individual Initiative (I2) took place over the next 24 hours through the challenge.

This weekend was one of the most rewarding, difficult things the Q has participated in. The bonds of brotherhood and friendship that started with the Friday Night 2nd F really culminated at the service on the Mississippi led by 4 Eyes at the end of the Tough. YHC is proud to call all of the F3 Memphis, St Louis, Dallas, Houston, Jackson, and Chattanooga, pax a brother.

Thank you my friends. SYITG – Bono