F3 Knoxville

Author: Guardrail

Wacky Wednesday

THE SCENE: 44° clear calm and perfect
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Cherry Pickers, Plank Left/Right, Merkins, Hill-billy walkers, Clockwork Merkins, Jumping without rope and Tempo Squats
THA-THANG:

12 Hims, 4 Pre-Ruckers, +5 Rushers.
2 line indian run to Sophomore Hill, Bernie up the hill to Pull up bars.  6 stayed at the bars and did

  • 5 Pull Ups
  • 10 Leg Raises
  • 15 BB situps

Mosey down the stairs to where the first team started for

  • 5 4 count Australian Mountain Climbers
  • 10 Heavy Squats
  • 15 (or till the group finished) CPR (Curl, Press, Tricep ext)

2 Rounds of that.  Then everyone grabbed 2 CMU’s and headed to the bottom of the stadium hill

Hot lava across the street (stepping from one cmu to move the other and never touching the street)

Carry 1 CMU up the hill for 10 Diamond Merkins on the block. Run to the top corner of the stadium for 20 Squats

Crawl bear down the hill to run the curb: 25 Ski jumps up and down the curb.  Then do it in reverse, Bear Crawl, Squats, Diamond Merkins, Hot Lava over and back and then back up to 10 Diamond Merkins and 20 squats as time allowed.

Fun run through the Courtyard.  Obstacles included a summersault roll, Jump off a pole, inverted handstand, Ski jumping the brick wall, crawling under a bench (thanks for the dirty knees Footsie), Stair bears and more)

Ran out of time for Mary or even a visit to the Guardrail.  Next time.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

We talk a lot about Scripture as a guidebook to life and it is.  It is also so much more than this.  There is power and God’s promise in it and how He speaks to us.  But it is also this incredible opportunity for us as humans… sinful broken humans… to give back to God.

It is a song book and should stir emotions.  Take the gift of scripture, give it to God by reading it.  Don’t hesitate to shout out! Get Excited about it!

Take a listen to this video of an old friend reciting this Psalm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCQ3ehcC15U

Psalm 96

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

If that last part about judgement seems like a change in tone that scares you, see Galatians 2 and 2 Cor 5:21 (below) that shows us that it isn’t our own righteousness but the Righteousness of Jesus

  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him

My challenge to you is to speak scripture in your home this week.  Maybe it is out loud when you are alone, maybe it is to your whole family.  Speak scripture into your life!

MOLESKIN:
Continued prayers for Brian, Wanderer’s brother-in-law in the ICU with COVID

A Hidden Present

THE SCENE: 30° calm and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:✓
WARM-O-RAMA:
Cherry Pickers, Miracan Night club,  Mountain climbers, Newton’s Cradle, X Man crunch
THA-THANG:

10 HIM’s (2 2.0’s) +3 early runners, 2 Rushers, 1 Rucker
Drew some Strava/GPS art today: See the map https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z5iz5mzafyMn2om16

 

My Gift to you: 4 corners plus 2: 10 of each Merkin, Wide Merkin, Guardrail hand walk, Ranger Merkins, More Merkins, then Calf raises, then Squats, Ranger Merkin, Sprints.  Bear crawl over a burm, Ski jump around a tree

Indian Run to big lot where we drew “F3” and worked on abs: Flutter kick, Freddy Mercury, BBS, LBC, Hello Dolly and x Man crunch.  Impressive job sticking together.

Run back to Calf raises, long way to the long lot: Shuttle run with bear crawls, crawl bears and crab walks (the stump) Bernie to light pole where we drew a Plank Star with Plank dips, Plank Jacks, Shoulder Taps, Plank ups, Newtons Cradle.  Then close out the tree.

MARY:
Dealers choice of: heels to heaven, Snow Angels, pickle pounders, BBS, Lunges, diamond merkins, SSH
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Today we drew a big picture (see above) but many of us didn’t know how it would turn out or even that we were drawing.  Just like in life we don’t always know what our picture looks like till we zoom out a little.  But we are all painting a picture with how we live our lives.  And people are watching. This time of year as you think about gifts under the tree we probably all know of the disappointment of just getting gifts and have learned the joy of giving them, but even in that we can make it about our selves.  Instead we should look to Christ’s example of living for others.

A Christmas Verse from Philippians 2:3‭-‬7 (NLT, color and emphasis added) is our challenge for today:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Be like Christ in your servant leadership of the home.  Think of others.

One more challenge:  This Christmas speak of Jesus Christ.  The picture we paint with how we live is important but sometimes we need to spell it out so people see the reason for how we live the way we live.  This season is about Him and we can find ways to speak of Him and bring Him Glory!

MOLESKIN:
Merry Christmas!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Visit Big Ball on Thursday Morning; No Q planned for Christmas Day

Cold and Difficult Things

THE SCENE: Clear, calm 21°
WARM-O-RAMA:
Kept it quick to get moving.  Maracan Night club, Side Straddle Hops Imperial Squat Walkers
THA-THANG:
8 HIMs +  5 Rushers + 1 surprise Rucker

1st Cold thing: the Guardrail (obligatory with the name and all) 30Dips, Plank with feet on Guardrail

  • Black snake the long way to the big parking lot
  • Hard thing 1: 20 Merkins/20 BBS then 15/10/5.  Just like we did on Monday.  Did you feel stronger?
  • Bernie to the new parking lot for Guantanamo Line (Feet up while one guy runs the line and tries to throw feet to the ground)
  • Hard thing 2: Little Drummer Boy Lead by Median (Side straddle hops, high knees & Burpee with each “rum pum pum pum”  22 if you are counting.
  • Hard thing 3: Mosey to CMU pile & partner up for 2 cycles of each team collectively performing
    • 20 Pull Ups
    • 40 Tri curl with CMU
    • 60 Overhead Press
    • 80 Squats
    • 100 Curls
  • Long way home via courtyard with a some bear crawls down some stairs b/c why not

MARY:
Dealers choice of Freddie Mercury, Box Cutters, Pickle Pounders, Imperial Walkers, Heels to Heaven, LBC
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Last week was Thanksgiving and maybe you went around the table and shared something you were thankful for but this morning I’m going to challenge you each to think of something hard in 2020 that you are thankful for. Maybe it was a hard workout or maybe it’s something bigger than that.

Thankfulness is not sticking our heads in the sand and pretending like 2020 has been great in every regard. Biblical thinking on suffering is not taking that approach of being thankful in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:18) by simply thinking of the eternal hope that we hold onto and ignoring the pain of loss.

It is not mutually exclusive to be thankful and affirm that COVID has caused a lot of pain this year. There is the loss of life and health. There is the loss of normalcy. There is the loss of hugs at a Thanksgiving gathering or travel to see loved ones. The economic loss is real too.

My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.  Psalms 119:71 NLT

Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
C.S. Lewis

If we really graduate from God’s school of Thankfulness, we are thankful not just in the trial, but for the trail. And not just because the pain brings us closer to God, though that would be worth it, but because God knows what He is doing and the pain, the loss, the trial are part of His will because he loves us.

Consider Christ who suffered and was not at all outside the will of God. It is in these sufferings we can be closest to God.

Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
1 Peter 4:13‭, ‬19 NLT

“The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust – not only for all the gifts that I receive from God, but gratitude for all the suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God.”
– Brennan Manning

Powerful time of sharing challenges from the year that we are thankful for.

MOLESKIN:
Thank you guys for sharing your hearts.  It was great to look in your eyes this morning as you shared some really hard things that this year brought.  God has carried through us all a lot.  God has given us hope and to see how we have drawn closer to him.  It’s an honor to see God at work in each of you and speak truth into our hurts: God is bigger than that challenge, God wants you to draw near to him in the hurt.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Based upon the amount of steam rising off all your shoulders and heads you worked really hard this morning, but @spotter takes the prize for looking most like he was on fire.

Median’s VQ

THE SCENE: 70° and breezy
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: VQ by @Median (guardrail’s 2.0)
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Cherry pickers & Reach for the stars
  • 10 High knees
  • 10 Side straddle hops 
  • 10 Jungle Boi squats 
  • Baby Arm Circles (forward and back) w Michael Phelps
  • 10 Donkey Kicks On your own
    THA-THANG:
    Black snake Mosey through the courtyard to the parking lot

10 of each of the following at the stations, looping, 12 for the second lap

  • Merkin –>Burpee –> Bernie
  • Ranger Merkin –>Burpee –> Bernie
  • Wide Merkin –> Burpee –> Bernie
  • Diamond Merkin –> Burpee – Coupon Pile (no grass)
  • CPR “Curl Press tRIcep”
  • Bent over row
  • Pull ups
  • Flutter Kicks
  • Leg Raises
  • Box cutters
  • Hello Dolly
  • Jungle Boi Squats
  • Calf Raises

MARY:
Dealers choice: plank, Merkins, American Hammers, box cutters
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians  1:15 

We need to keep God in the center of our life. That’s hard to do because God is an invisible God. The things we can see are much easier to put our attention on.  But if you always keep God in the center of your mind you will see God moving in so many ways. But how do you know that God is the center of your life?  If you think about a thing more than God you have that in the center of your life instead of God. 

I challenge you to look at how you are spending your free time, does it reflect God?  If your thoughts are always on

  • School (for some of us) 
  • work (most of you ) 
  • or a hobby, 
  • or worrying about COVID 
  • or even your next F3 workout 

–that may be a sign that Christ isn’t the center of your life.  

Instead if your thoughts are on Jesus and His Kingdom and loving others well, you have Christ as the center of your life.  Thank you for being men in my life who help me put Christ as the center.

MOLESKIN:
@Median, Luke Brown, at 12yrs old felt the call to lead and bring a tough word to a tough and awesome group of HIM’s.  Very proud to call him my 2.0.  – Guardrail
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome FNG “Jolly GG”

Iron Pax challenge week 1 Friday. Come early 5:15.

Hill full of 20 somethings

One comment

THE SCENE: 70deg, dense fog, beautiful dark gloom
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

5 HIMs on Rush Speed work, 16 HIMs on the beatdown below.

WARM-O-RAMA:
Hill Billy Squats, Reach for the sky, Butt kicks, Cherry Pickers, Newton’s Craddle with Merkin, Bonnie Blair, Mountain Climbers, Freddy Mercury
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the closest guardrail (some not surprised by this).

  • 20 Derkins
  • 20 Tricep dips
  • 20 Small Rock Overhead claps

Cross the street to our favorite little hill: Jucomajaro

Every 100 feet a new Exercise chalked out.  HIMs had to choose one time to crawl bear, bear crawl, crab walk and bernie, rest were mosey between.

20 of each:

  • Newton Cradle with Merkin
  • Burpees
  • Mountain climbers
  • Bonnie Blair
  • BBS
  • V ups
  • LBC
  • Side crunch L
  • Side crunch R
  • Downhill Merkin
  • Uphill Merkin
  • Diamond Merkin

Mosey to the summit and hit the stations again on the way back down.  6 swept with the group finishing in time to mosey to the flag.

MARY:
Dealers choice: Flutter kicks, mountain climbers, American Hammers, planks
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
You all are impressive.  You do the hard things out here really well.
The verse I want to look at today: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  James 5:16
An area of the Christian life we don’t spend much time talking about is confession of our sins. Out here it is deep and hard and uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because of that or maybe it’s the complicated dynamics of southern hell fire and damnation preaching style or a catholic image of telling some sins to a priest in an ornate wooden box.
But we are called to do it. It’s in the Lord’s prayer and all throughout the Psalms

I see 4 types of confession and all are important to all the time:

  1. High School level confession: coming clean on blatant sin; probably having to do with actions – Maybe outbursts of anger, or the way you drive or sexual sin.
    God is faithful to forgive. Jesus conquered sin and death. Rest in that!  Praise God for that!
  2. College level confession: gets to the pride and heart and emotion and ways we have broken His Law privately and in our thoughts and desires
  3. Masters level confession: searching your heart for sins of omission and small ways we have turned our back to God and hurt Him and others
  4. Doctorate level confession:  is seeing that even in our good deeds with less than 100% pure motives are filthily rags to God.   God hates hypocrisy and says in Isaiah 64:6
    We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.

Even if I’m doing the right thing for my wife and kids but my heart is doing it so my life is easier or people think higher of me or whatever the reason, that can be sinful and we need to confess that.
Or take leading a Q. I encourage you all to sign up for a Q soon. But if it is so you think more of me or I get to boss you all around for 45 min, That’s sin I need to confess.  This week I checked my motives and confess they were not 100% pure but God rooted much of that out.
Are our motives ever perfectly pure – not this side of heaven, but are they increasingly motivated by the Holy Spirit and from a place of love? Be growing in that.  Do the hard work of examining your heart.  Pray God will show you the truth.
Don’t take this college level analogy too far – it falls way short – we must practice all levels of confession no matter how long we have been walking with Christ.   We must all get double doctorates in rooting out the sin in our hearts
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
James 5:16 (ESV)

It is a call to holiness, It isn’t some magic word; but it is a part of the walk of a follower of Jesus
Spend some time with the Lord confessing your sin. If you want to knock the power of sin out – confess your sins to a brother.
As HIMs we need to be willing to humbly confess sin.
MOLESKIN:
Prayer for Wander’s son’s upcoming surgery and pain – praise for Pool Boy’s friend Sam who continues to recover
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
IornPax Challenge Week 0 on Friday.  Sign up here