F3 Knoxville

Author: Booster

A Believer / Husband / Father / Non-Profit Leader / Hates Cancer / Sports Fan / Executive Director of Provision CARES Foundation / F3 Knoxville - Booster

What Does Frozen 2 & 100 Burpees Have in Common?

THE SCENE: 41 degrees – great weather for a day in the gloom!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 8
  • Side Straddle Hops (IC) X 15
  • Baby Arm Circles Forward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Baby Arm Circles Backward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Hand Release Merkins – OYO X 10
  • Tempo Squats (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Sprints back & forth across the parking lot X 4
  • No Mosey – Stayed in the AO Lot the entire time

THA-THANG: AO Parking Lot

January Challenge – 100 burpees for time

Four corners – 10 reps of each exercise in all 4 corners.

  • 1st Lap – squats, diamond merkins, big boy situps
  • 2nd Lap – lunges, merkins, heals to heaven
  • 3rd Lap – calf raises, wide merkins, Freddie Mercury
  • Rinse and repeat

MARY: Part of the Q

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA  26 HIMs & 1 FNG – DeVito

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Back in December, I took my youngest daughter to see Frozen 2. During one scene of the movie, Anna was sad because she though Olaf and Elsa were dead. She almost gave up but sang the song “The Next Right Thing” and me and my daughter got pretty emotional. Read the words below and realize that we are faced daily to do the next right thing. The question is are we going to do it?

  • Should we WATCH basketball on TV or PLAY basketball with our kids?
  • Should we PLAY a game on our phone or PLAY a game with our kids?
  • Should we volunteer in our community or live in our own little bubble and not go out of our comfort zone?
  • Should we exercise, read the Bible, be a great employee, friend and family member or just muddle through life?

Let’s always think about what the right thing is, take a breath and then take a step in the right direction!

The Next Right Thing from Frozen 2

I’ve seen dark before, but not like this
This is cold, this is empty, this is numb
The life I knew is over, the lights are out
Hello, darkness, I’m ready to succumb
I follow you around, I always have
But you’ve gone to a place I cannot find
This grief has a gravity, it pulls me down
But a tiny voice whispers in my mind
You are lost, hope is gone
But you must go on
And do the next right thing
Can there be a day beyond this night?
I don’t know anymore what is true
I can’t find my direction, I’m all alone
The only star that guided me was you
How to rise from the floor?
But it’s not you I’m rising for
Just do the next right thing
Take a step, step again
It is all that I can to do
The next right thing
I won’t look too far ahead
It’s too much for me to take
But break it down to this next breath, this next step
This next choice is one that I can make
So I’ll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light
And do the next right thing
And, with it done, what comes then?
When it’s clear that everything will never be the same again
Then I’ll make the choice to hear that voice
And do the next right thing

MOLESKIN:  Be open to learning wherever you are…like the movies seeing Frozen 2 w/ your daughter, Strawberry Shortcake

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Help build pullup bars on February 29 at the Dog Pound
  • Hardship Hill is on May 2

I’m Dreaming Of A JUCO Christmas!

THE SCENE: 45 and raining hard…a typical December day in the gloom!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Insert information about the warmup.
THA-THANG:
Insert information about the workout.

  • Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Side Straddle Hops (IC) X 20
  • Baby Arm Circles Forward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Baby Arm Circles Backward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Overhead Claps – X 10 IC
  • Randys – You’ve seen A Christmas story, poor Randy can’t put his arms down. With arms straight out but with face palms down, move arms up and down 6 to 12 inches in cadence. X 20 IC
  • Tempo Squats (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Jingle Balls – From the plank position, move right foot to right hand, back, right foot to left hand, back, left foot to left hand, back, left foot to right band, back. 1 X 10 (IC)
  • Big Sexy – Pickle Pounders and Monkey Humpers. 2 x 10 of each (IC)
  • Diamonds & Butts – Diamond Merkins are a girls best friends – 4 rounds of 15 Diamonds and 15 Squats (OYO)
  • Mosey

Tha-Thing:

All About The Benjamins – (people love money in addition to Diamonds)

Each PAX got to pick an exercise we would do 50 reps of and the HIM next to him would pick another exercise we would do 50 reps of (adding up to a Benjamin)

We did close to 1,000 reps total of:

  • Merkins
  • Diamonds
  • Burpees
  • LBCs
  • FlutterKicks
  • Shoulder Taps
  • Squats
  • Lunges
  • Calf Raises
  • Box Cutters

MARY

Little Merkin Boy – We played the Christmas song Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby. Hold plank and complete one Merkin every time you here “Pa rum pum pum pum”. That is 3 minutes of plank and 21 Merkins. We’ll never hear that song again and not grimace in pain…haha.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

17 HIMs – Abscess, Bagger (from Atlanta), Chaco, Cheatsheet, Clothespin (from F3 Cleveland), Commission, Curveball, Frenchie, Ginger, Jitters, Mailbox, Mandolin, Mermaid, Pool Boy, Snaggletooth, Training Wheels and Booster.

It was great to have Bagger back from Atlanta and Clothespin come up and visit from F3 Cleveland.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

As the scripture says below, fortunately, Jesus died for us so we are forgiven for being sinners if we believe in Him and try to live a life through Him. I’m so thankful I’m forgiven for being a sinner but want to continue to strive to be a better person who lives more like Jesus each and every day.
1 Timothy 1:15-17  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 9:15  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Matthew 1:21  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
 
Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • New healthy eating group begins in January – Check with Woodshack on GroupMe if you are interested – the goal is to educate each other with good ideas and suggestions and hold each other accountable

 

Pumpkins & Prison Workout

THE SCENE: High 50s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Side Straddle Hops (IC) X 20
  • Baby Arm Circles Forward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Baby Arm Circles Backward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Hand Release Merkins – OYO X 10
  • Tempo Squats (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Calf Raises X 50 (OYO)
  • Frankenstein Leg Lifts X 20 Yards
  • Mosey

THA-THANG:

Parking Lot near AO

  • 20 Merkins on one end & 20 Squats at the other
  • Rinse & repeat X 4
  • Max Big Boy Sit-ups – 1 minute
  • Indian Run Mosey

Sophomore Hill

  • AMRAP burpees at the Bottom while partners sprints up and back; switch
  • Rinse & Repeat X 4
  • Spider crawl & bear crawl to the top of the hill

Fitness Center

  • 20 Pullups while partner does AMRAP of Diamond Merkins, Wide Grip Merkins & Carolina DryDocks; rinse & repeat X 3
  • Flutterkicks

MARY:

  • LBCs
  • Hello Dollies
  • Superman

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

26 HIMs – 5K, Anchorman, Archie, Butcher, Commission, Cosmo, Cortez, Curveball, Downhill, Erector, Frenchie, Ginger, Gump, Jitters, Judge Judy, KickFlip, Mermaid, Nadia, Pool Boy, Sargent Slaughter, Snaggletooth, Spotter, Stye, Triage, Weedwacker and Booster.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

On Wednesday, October 23, I met two people in Oklahoma City who have overcome great obstacles to make a difference in our world and impact me in a strong way.  Amy Downs was a 335 pound woman living a bad, unfulfilling life.  She was a college dropout, had no social life, didn’t volunteer in the community and was a teller at a local credit union.  One morning while talking to a friend at work, there was an explosion and she found herself trapped. She thought it was a nightmare but it was a real nightmare.  The Murrah Federal Building where her credit union was located on the 3rd floor was under attack by domestic terrorists.  She fell 3 stories and was trapped on the first floor where the daycare was located.  For 6+ hours, she cried, asked God to forgive her for not living her life to her fullest and begged to be saved.  She promised God if her life was spared that she would do her best to fulfill her promise.  She was rescued and turned into a different women.  She lost 200 pounds, she got her bachelors and MBA, she started attending church and volunteering in the community.  Amy got married, had 2 children and is now President/CEO of Allegiance Credit Union where she worked during the bombing.  Amy became an endurance athlete and has competed in countless ironman, marathons, etc. around the world.  She is now making the most of the gift God gave her.

Lt. Colonel Forrest “Woody” Aurentz (retired) and I sat next to each other on the plane back from Oklahoma City to Atlanta.  He’s a great guy.  He started the Gathering of Mountain Eagles, a charity that helps wounded veterans.  Woody and his volunteer team takes them whitewater rafting, deep sea fishing, skiing, etc.  I asked him what made him start his charity…he paused and looked away.  I told him it’s OK if he didn’t want to share.  Woody looked back with tears in his eyes and began another nightmare that led us both to start crying at 30,000 feet above our great country.  When his daughter was 14, she went on a church trip to an amusement park out of town.  A drunk driver hit her bus and 27 people were killed including her best friend.  His daughter would have died but she woke up because her legs were on fire.  She crawled off the bus.  She lost her leg and was burnt more than 65% of her body.  Woody ended up having PTSD himself because he would hold his daughter’s hand as the trauma team would cut the dead skin off of his baby girl twice a day.  He said it was the worst experience of his life.  The military men and women up near Fort Knox, Kentucky where they were stationed were there to help Woody, his wife and family with food, financial and emotional support, donating blood, etc.  He promised that if he was ever in a position to help the men and women who have served our country that he would.  Woody said he’s great at organizing but doesn’t know anything about fundraising.  I asked Woody what he would do if his charity had more money and he said have more activities and trips because there’s always a waiting list and people that can’t afford to pay to get to wherever the activity will be held.  I’m going to start helping the charity pro bono through my new fundraising consulting firm.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Brolympics is on November 9

Bring canned food.

200th F3 Workout!

THE SCENE: 68 and awesome!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

A little of this and that to loosen up my old bones!

THA-THANG:

Run 1 mile & do pull-ups, pushups, and squats

Run 2nd mile & do more of the same

Run 3rd mile & did pushups, & calf raises

Ran another 3/4 of a mile

MARY:

Big Boi Sit-ups, FlutterKicks, Hello Dollies (What Up Girl?)

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

Just me there to celebrate my 200th F3 workout

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Honestly, I prayed and thought about life, my strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement throughout the hour workout. I thought a lot about Mr. Rogers and his family. I prayed for all of the men in F3 and especially for those men and that aren’t a part of our group but really need to be. I hope they find F3 and it helps them become better men like it has many of us.

MOLESKIN:

I didn’t do my planned Q and thought I would save it for another day.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Boosters Last Stand

THE SCENE: 70 or so in the gloom
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Baby Arm Circles (forwards) & Michael Phelps (OYO)
  • Baby Arm Circles (backwards) & Michael Phelps (OYO)
  • 5 burpees (OYO)
  • 10 Tempo Squats (IC)
  • 10 Hand release merkins (OYO)
  • 20 Side Straddle Hops (IC)
  • 50 Curb Calf Raises (OYO)
  • Karaokes & Sprints
  • Mosey – Double Wide Indian Run

THA-THANG:

Don’t Act Like A Sophomore on the Hill 

  • Get into groups of 3
  • Partner 1 does AMRAP merkins while Partner 2 runs up Sophomore Hill while partner 3 at the top does AMRAP squats
  • Rotate throughout each position; rinse & repeat
  • Mosey to the junkyard

Be a Junkyard Dog

  • Stay with your same partners, same structure
  • Partner 1 does 10 CMU reps Overhead Press, Triceps extension, Curls & bentover rows as many rounds of the lifts as possible until partner 3 gets down the stairs
  • Partner 2 runs up & replaces Partner 3 who has been doing Big Boy Situps
  • Rinse & Repeat
  • Mosey to big parking lot

Light Pole to Pole

  • 5 burpees & sprint to the next pole, 5 more burpees
  • mosey to AO

MARY:

Judge Judy led us in 75 (or 500) flutterkicks

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

26 HIMS and 1 FNG – Nutmeg

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

We know these words but do we always believe them or have doubts?  Sure we have doubts.  We’re human.  We have doubts, fears, etc.

I started at JUCO in October 2017.  I weighed about 270 and was out of shape physically and spiritually.  I’ve lost 40 pounds since that time and I’m much stronger physically and spiritually.  While I don’t and never will have all of the answers on this Earth, I know more about myself and how I should live my life because of each of you.  Your witness.  Your love for your families and each other is inspiring.  Your willingness to share, be open and vulnerable out here is awesome.

During my first time or two out here, Bartman had me out here in the pouring rain doing burpees and bear crawls down the stairs.  I thought “what the heck am I doing here.”  I don’t remember his closing BOM that day but I really liked it.  Me, him and Shooter circled up, put our hands on one another and prayed and I promise I felt closer to God in this parking lot than I had in a long time in a church pew.

As some of you know, today is my last day at my job as executive director of a cancer charity.  It’s been an honor to build that charity and help more than 7,000 families over the last 5 years.  But I felt it was a time for a change.  I prayed about it.  Shortly thereafter, a couple of consulting opportunities came up so I turned in a 3-month notice and it was the fastest 3 months of my life.  I’m sad, happy, relived and nervous.

I went to Oklahoma last weekend and had a hard time sleeping.  On Monday, I met Sarah McLean who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 25.  A couple of years later she felt like she should start a charity since she had learned so much and wanted to help others battling breast cancer.  She prayed and God told her no, not now so she continued to work at a church and had 2 kids. She then got breast cancer again.  After she healed, she prayed and God told her she was ready.  She shared her story, her faith journey and she wept as she told me about one of her board members dying in her arms.  I was ugly crying.  It wasn’t pretty.  We stood up and hugged.  At that moment, I knew God put me in the right place to help her charity in addition to the other one I will be leading in Oklahoma City.

While I don’t know exactly what will happen in my life, I know God has it under control and will lead me where I need to be.

Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot    a time to kill and a time to heal,     a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5   a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,   a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,     a time for war and a time for peace

There’s a time for everything and my time as executive director has come to an end.  When I started at JUCO, we were averaging 2-5 people.  We’ve grown so much but not because of me.  God brought you here for a reason.  I needed F3 and still do.  We all need F3 and there are men out there asleep that should be here right now.  There are men out there worried about their kids, their marriage, their job that could use us in his lives.

Today I’m stepping down as AO Q for JUCO.  I’m going to be travelling quite a bit.  So, I’m proud to say Judge Judy is taking over as AO Q.  He’s a great person, smart, funny, a leader, a lawyer, a husband and father, a great friend and has the coolest name out here.  Abscess is taking over next week as lead of all F3 Knoxville and he’s asked me to help him on some special projects so I’m not going anywhere.  I’ll actually be here all week next week so get ready to wagonwheel to get me at the back!

MOLESKIN:

It’s been an honor to lead JUCO for the last 19 months!  We’re in better hands now with Judge Judy.  Whether you are an FNG or been around for years, we’re all brothers and I want you to know I would do anything for any of you!  Thank each of you for helping me try to become a better person!  God bless each of you and your families!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Dunkin
  • Sign up to Q
  • 3rd F Convergence next Saturday on August 10th at 7:00 a.m. at the Big Ball followed by breakfast/testimonials at Redeemer Church