F3 Knoxville

Author: Hammy

Backup

THE SCENE: 47 degrees F.,
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, Baby Arm Circles, Cherry Pickers, Imperial Squat Walkers
THA-THANG:

Set 1 Exercises (Under Pavilion)

Step Ups x12/leg

Dry Docks x12

Squat Jumps x12

Merkins x12

SSH (4 count) x12

WWII Sit ups x12

Mountain Climbers x12

Run Across Grinder

Set 2 Exercises (All with CMU)

Russian Swings x12

On the Shelf x6/side

Bent Rows x12

Curls x12

Goblet Squats x12

Lawnmowers x12/arm

Overhead Press x12

Run down to the road.

Road Work

Merkins x12

BBS x9

Drydocks x6

Burpees x3

Run back to Pavilion and repeat until “Recover” is called

MARY:
21 Boxcutters, 20 Flutter kicks, 60 LBCs
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 HIMs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Merry Clayton and Gimme Shelter

We started the workout to the song Gimme Shelter, the opening track from the Rolling Stones 1969 album, Let It Bleed.  When asked who sang the song most will generically say the Rolling Stones or specifically, Mick Jagger.  When I listen to the song, I hear Merry Clayton.  She is the background vocalist and the one who puts her heart and soul in the song.  Merry was born on Christmas Day, 1948, and was the daughter of a Baptist minister in the New Orleans area.  She began singing gospel music in church before she was tagged as a background singer for Ray Charles and others at the ripe age of 14.

In 1969 she was pregnant and living with her husband in Los Angeles.  The phone rang around midnight and an agent said this British rock group needed a background vocalist for a track to complete a soon to be released album.  They needed her to come to the recording studio right away.  At first she said no, she was tired and she wasn’t feeling too well.  Her husband said she needed to go; that it might be good for her singing career.  Merry shows up at the studio and talks to Keith Richards about the song, the significance of the words written by Jagger, and the way they wanted it sung.

She sang one take, got some feedback from Richards and Jagger, and then said she would give it one more try.  After the second take she offered a third and then said goodnight.  The rest is history for the Stones.

Merry is always the singer I hear in the song.  She was the one that gave it everything she had and she blows it away – as a backup singer.  The Rolling Stones almost always gets the credit for this hit from almost 50 years ago.

There are many times that our roll in life is like Merry’s that night.  We are not the one to make the decisions, we are not THE face in the crowd, we are not the leader, we may not get the recognition we deserve.  We are the backup, the support member of the team, the one given a specific task in the big picture, the one that will be an integral part of future success.  Regardless, our job is to push ourselves, attain the objective, and move on to the next.  Always remember that there is no limit to what can be attained if no one cares who gets the credit.

So where is Merry?  She went home after the Stones session and had a miscarriage late that morning.  She believes the stress she put herself in earlier was a factor and she could barely bring herself to sing the song for a few years afterwards.  She continued mostly in a backup singer roll and was highlighted in a 2012 documentary about others in similar rolls that made many of the legendary songs of the past.  Finally some well deserved recognition has come to her.  In 2014 a car accident left her without legs.  Her faith in God and the inner strength and determination derived from that faith is keeping her on her feet and her music alive.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
OTBs start January 4th at Sandy Springs Park and will be held each Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 5:30 am.  These will continue until launch of the new AO in Maryville.  Meet at the basketball court.

Silent Night

THE SCENE: 42 degree F, 67% humidity, very dark
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, Baby arm circles, Cherry pickers, Imperial squat walkers

THA-THANG:
Grab your numbered CMU and mosey to Mt. Crumpit.

 

Mt. Crumpit Dora  (1 partners with 2, 3 with 4, 5 with 6, etc.)

(Partner #1 starts exercises while Partner #2 runs to back side of tree, does 3 Burpees, runs back down, and switches with partner to complete required number of exercises.)

100 Squat Trusts

200 Bent Rows

200 Upright Rows

200 OH CMU Flutter Kicks

200 Curls

200 Derkins

200 Dips

200 Triceps Extensions

100 Russian Swings

 

Mosey back to AO

MARY:
Everyone did 10 Russian Swings before time was up.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 HIMs and 1 2.0 (Lumberjack)
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
The Simon and Garfunkel album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme was released in October 1966.  Silent Night/7 O’Clock News is one of the tracks.  It starts with the duo singing Silent Night and soon into the song a broadcaster starts to present the top headlines of the day. There is mention of antiwar protests, civil rights marches, calling in the National Guard, mass murders by Richard Speck, suicide by comedian Lenny Bruce, and messages of political dispute.  In the midst of the beautiful singing of Silent Night, the listener realizes that there never seems to be one.

The reality of this broken world is that there never will be a night without strife and turmoil and greed and disagreement and pain and sorrow.  Only when Jesus comes again will all of this be wiped away.  The good news is that we are all able to cope with the worlds brokenness when we lay our troubles at the feet of our Savior.  We can only have a silent night when we rest in His arms.

The challenge for us is to take the time and do this.  Rest in His arms if only for a short time.  Do it with your family and loved ones.  Carve out that time this Christmas season and then try to make a habit of it.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

11, 11, 11

THE SCENE: 36 degree F., 93% humidity, partly cloudy skies.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, Inch Worm Stretch, Cherry Pickers, Baby Arm Circles
THA-THANG:
Indian Run on the way to Alcoa Elementary and stop at First Baptist Church to do 20 squats, 20 SSH, and 20 dry docks.

Continue to Alcoa Elementary and perform the first set of 11’s.  WWII sit-ups and flutter kicks at the basketball court.  Traverse the court with Bear Crawls

Second set of 11’s performed at the school soccer field.  Box jumps and burpees and Bernie across the field.

Third set of 11’s performed at Mt Suckmore.  Box cutters and merkins were the exercises between runs up and down Mt Suckmore.

Mosey back to the AO with a quick stop at First Baptist Church to do squats, SSH, and dry docks.

Perform 5 reps of each of the 6 exercises in the three sets of 11’s

MARY:
ABC’s and Little Baby Crunches to cash out.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
10 HIMs including Fins who joined us after an 8 mile run.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Today we commemorated Armistice Day (Veterans Day in the USA).  The fighting during WWI ceased with this truce signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.  This brought and end to the conflict that took the lives of 9 million soldiers and well over 5 million civilians.  We performed 3 sets of 11’s in remembrance.

The conflict started as a result of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in 1915 by a Serbian patriot.  Various treaties that existed in Europe combined with forms of aggression of one nation toward another led to the involvement of major players like Russia, Germany, France, Belgium, England, and the United States.  The 14+ million dead and 22 million wounded were basically the result of people believing and following the positions taken by their leaders.  Certainly patriotism was a major driving force but leaders of nations and principalities brought it to their citizens.  The leaders believed that enemies of the State must be crushed but when it comes to ordinary citizens of the state it is summed up by the line in poem The Charge of the Light Brigade, “Ours is not to reason why; ours is to do and die.”

So most of us may not have influence or impact over the conflicts between nations but the Bible gives us clear direction on how we are to treat those that we fight with, those we count as enemies.  Here are two good passages:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”  (NIV, Matthew 5:38-45)
“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  (NAS, Romans 12:17-21)

As Christians, we are sent into our world with the expectations found in Holy Scripture.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

16 Candles

THE SCENE: 34 degrees F, 92% humidity, dark skies.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, Imperial Squat Walkers, Little baby arm circles.

Run across parking lot, skip back, karaoke run across parking lot, karaoke back.

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Alcoa Road and divide into two groups.  Both groups are to stay on the fountain loop trail where there are 16 light poles.  One group runs clockwise while the other runs clockwise.  The following is to be performed:

16 Candles

Light post #1:  5 Merkins

Light post #2:  5 WWII Sit-ups

Light post #3:  5 Jump Squats

Light post #4:  5 Dry Docks

Run to Start Line

1 Body Builder

Run to Light post #5

Light post #5:  10 Merkins

Light post #6:  10 WWII Sit-ups

Light post #7:  10 Jump Squats

Light post #8:  10 Dry Docks

Run to Start Line

1 Body Builder

Run to Light post #9

Light post   #9:  15 Merkins

Light post #10:  15 WWII Sit-ups

Light post #11:  15 Jump Squats

Light post #12:  15 Dry Docks

Run to Start Line

1 Body Builder

Run to Light post #13

Light post #13:  20 Merkins

Light post #14:  20 WWII Sit-ups

Light post #15:  20 Jump Squats

Light post #16:  20 Dry Docks

1 Body Builder @ #16

Run back to Start Line.  Stop at each light post to do 1 Body Builder at each one.

Mosey to the base of Mt. Krumpit for a round of 11’s

Start with one 4 count flutter kicks at base, run to summit and perform 10 merkins.

Continue until “Recover” is called.

Mosey back to the AO.

MARY:
Alternate Flutter kicks and Merkins to perform those not completed by the Q at Mt. Krumpit.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 HIMs and two, 2.0s (Lumberjack and War Thunder)
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I came out of retirement in early 2012 and worked in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (KSA) until mid-2014.  It was full time for 6 months, with generous two week R&Rs every 6 or 7 weeks, followed by two week trips over to KSA every two months for almost 2 years.  The time was filled with great work professionally, a generally tough work environment, and, like here, a mix of tough and pleasant folk to work with.

One trip home was just before Thanksgiving 2013 and mu return was not to be until after the start of 2014.  As I was preparing to leave by limo for the Manama, Bahrain airport two Saudis wished me a Merry Christmas.  It caught me by surprise and I commented that I truly appreciated their well wishes.  I proceeded to explain that back in the United States it is getting to be less frequent that I here “Merry Christmas” and that it was more common to here “Happy Holidays.”  I went on to explain the nature of our secular society and the prevalent political correctness that is taking over our traditional terms, phrases, and comments.  Saying Merry Christmas to some was offensive and ill received.  One of the Saudis, Yousef Al-Turki, immediately said, “You should honor the one you hold in such high regard.”

Yousef nailed it.  I should remember Christ in Christmas.  After all, He is the true reason for my celebration and that of all Christians.  To Him we owe honor and respect.  I should remember Him as my Lord and Savior each and every day.  He should come foremost into my heart and soul when I say Merry Christmas – and I should have no hesitations to say them as an expression of my faith and beliefs.

Merry Christmas, F3 Knoxville!

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Coats for the Homeless – Get them in on Thursday.

Tuesday 10

THE SCENE: 53 degrees F, 95% humidity, partly cloudy skies
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH until we got in sync,  lower back/hammy stretch
THA-THANG:

  1. Burpees:  5 each lap

2.  Thrusters:  25-20-15-10-5 (descending number after each 1/4 mile lap

CMU Bear Crawl 15 yard

3.  Curls:  25-20-15-10-5

CMU Bear Crawl 15 yard

  1. Russian Swings:  25-20-15-10-5

Start 1/4 mile lap.  Stop at the 6 marked stations to complete exercises.

5.  Merkins:  25-20-15-10-5

6.  WWII Sit Ups:  25-20-15-10-5

7.  Squat Jumps:  25-20-15-10-5

8.  Dry Docks:  25-20-15-10-5

9.  Flutter Kicks (4 cnt.):  25-20-15-10-5

  1. Pavilion Dips:  25-20-15-10-5

Repeat circuit. 

MARY:
Edward Scissorlegs (AKA Hello Dollys), ABCs in all printed caps

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 HIMs, No FNGs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
With the election all but over there is some amount of disappointment on all sides be it Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, Independent, etc.  Personally, I am hopeful that the Senate remains Republican controlled for the sake of balance of power.  As the saying goes, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Sir John Dalberg-Acton).

To put my disappointment into proper perspective, I returned to Romans Chapter 13:1,2,5: “(1) Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  (2) Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  (5) Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.”

Unfortunately, I need to be reminded that God is in control.  I know His will shall be done.

MOLESKIN:
Pray for relief from Covid-19 and especially for our students and teachers.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.