Quacken – Page 10 – F3 Knoxville

Heavy Metal Monday: Full Frontal Assault

September 15, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: thequacken
Q: Mountain Ice
PAX: CrossPuke, DoorKicker (Jud), Z-Pack, FixerUpper, Shotgun, Backflow, Chinstrap, Tokyo Drift, Mr.May, Handbell
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP:
SSH
Tie Fighters (10 FWD, 11 REV)
TN Rocking Chairs
Downward Dog
Cobra hold
Runners stretch L/R
Overhead Clap
Seal Clap

THE THANG:
Tabata station work

45 secs on
30 sec rest
45 sec on
30 sec transition time (bear crawl rnd 1/ gentlemens’ mosey rnd 2)

Stations
1.) Ohead press (25lbs ruck plate)/LBCs
2.) CMU reverse Curls/Am hams
3.) Squats (50lbs sand bag)/Carolina Dry Docks
4.) Thrusters (25lbs bag)/Bobby Hurleys
5.) Laying Chest Press (35lbs kettelbell)/WW3 sit-ups
6.) 25lbs dumbbell bent over rows/flutter kicks
7.) Overhead Tri Extensions (15 lbs dumbbell)/overhead claps
8.) renegade rows (20lbs dumbbell)/heels to heaven
9.) Sumo squats (50lbs kettlebell)/outlaws clockwise

Run a parking lot tour loop at the start of a new round

MARY:
Alabama Prom Dates
Pickle Pounders
Dead bugs
Mr. Phelps
V UPS

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A lot.
– Street Hope in Oct
– Goruck in November
– OTB @ Clayton park
– Convergence 10 year in Nov
– Quacken T-shirt order (get in on it now!)

COT:
Recently, I have found myself saying, “after this tough time is over, things will get better.” Unfortunately for most of us, before that time can end, another thing arises. We don’t need to be in the habit of wishing time away. They don’t say “Embrace the suck” without reason. Live life to the fullest and don’t get in the habit of putting off living with false promises to yourself.

IPC Week 1 – The Feeks WOD

September 10, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: thequacken
Q: Z-Pack
PAX: Shotgun, DoorKicker (Jud), FixerUpper, Frizzles, Mountain Ice, Chinstrap, Backflow, Mr.May, Tokyo Drift, Recoil (Blake Conley)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP:
SSH
Windmills
Squat and Reach
OH Claps
Michael Phelps
Mtn Climbers
Downward Dog – Runner Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch

THE THANG:
Feeks WOD
– Format
– 50-minute AMRAP
– Counting the total number of 100-meter sprints
– If time stops and you’re in the middle of the sprint, it does not count. Whole numbers only.
– Equipment
– Standard coupon
– 100 meter (110 yard) field
– The Thang
– Start the timer
– 2 thrusters
– 2 100-meter sprints (down and back = 2)
– 4 thrusters
– 4 100-meter sprints
– 6 thrusters
– 6 100-meter sprints
– 8 thrusters
– 8 100-meter sprints
– Continue the pattern until time is called
Scoring
– Count the total number of 100-meter sprints in 50 minutes
– Example:
– 2 thrusters – 2 100-meter sprints = 2
– 4 thrusters – 4 100-meter sprints = 4
– 6 thrusters – 6 100-meter sprints = 6
– 8 thrusters – time is called after you complete 4 100-meter sprints = 4
– TOTAL SCORE = 16
Frizzles showed up as Forest Gump. He looked great! And he was running!

MARY:
nope

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Lunch downtown Friday
10 year, F3 knoxville convergence on 11/8
Go Ruck Tough and Basic on 11-14,15
Street Hope fundraiser in October, there is a link in the weekly newsletter.

COT:
We remembered Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Patrick D. Feeks. He was killed on 8/16/2012 when a U.S. military helicopter crashed during a firefight with insurgents in a remote area of southern Afghanistan. “Some gave all, all gave some”
We give thanks for DoorKicker’s and Chinstrap’s service.

John 15:13 ESV
[13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

See You In The Gloom

August 29, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: thequacken
Q: FixerUpper
PAX: Backflow, Recoil (Blake Conley), Natty, Gmail, Z-Pack, Mountain Ice, Chinstrap, Handbell, Shotgun, Frizzles, Floppy Disc, Tokyo Drift, Mr. May, Tokyo Drift
FNGs: 2 Mr. May, Tokyo Drift
COUNT: 14
WARMUP:
Ruck a loop

THE THANG:
Cross Broadway. Everyone made it.
Ruck in hopes to Central HS.
Discover Central HS track locked down. Hopes diminish a little.
Pivot.
Ruck back to the AO.
Ring of Fire Merkins with rucks on to 4.

MARY:
Groan after ROF

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
T shirt orders and patches are still in the works.
9/1 Monday – 1 Hour Labor Day Beatdown at the Quacken courtesy of our own Icy Mountain man, Mountain Ice
9/2 Tuesday – Recoil (Blake Conley) VQ at the Brickyard, gloom o’clock
9/3 Wednesday – Iron PAX, Week 0
9/5 Friday – need a ruck Q, sign up!

COT:
While working on the t shirt orders, I thought it would be good to include the F3 saying “See you in the gloom.” Its something that wierdos like us say to mean “I will see you tomorrow morning when its dark, and we’ll do some burpees in a random parking lot.” But as I was writing and thinking about this phrase, I realized there can be a deeper meaning to it.

More often than we would like, we are in the metaphorical “gloom.” Job struggles, health scares or injury, broken relationships, disappointments, money problems, fatigue, burnout, depression, despair. To see another man, and meet him in this sort of gloom is a common thing in F3. How many times have I come to a workout with my mind weighed down, and then had my burdens lifted by you all? Many times, and I am thankful for that.

Early this morning, I realized there is an even deeper meaning. Jesus chooses to see us in this gloomy world. The world is broken and cursed and dark because of sin, and he chose to enter into it as the light. Matthew 4:16 describes the beginning of his ministry as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy :
“…the people living in darkness have see a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a great light has dawned.”

He says to you, “I’ll see you in the gloom.”

SYITG next time. :v::fixer-upper:

Half a Century Challenge Plus 2

August 27, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: thequacken
Q: Wedding Singer
PAX: Frizzles, Mountain Ice, Backflow, Z-Pack, N/A
FNGs: 1 N/A
COUNT: 7
WARMUP:
52 SSH as well as 5 each of Hillbillies, Standing Shoulder Taps, Windmill, Tempo Squats…

THE THANG:
Do 5 rounds of 10 reps of each of these exercises:
– 10 Blockees
– 10 CMU Jump overs
– 10 Bent Over Rows
– 10 Derkins
– 10 Wipers (Verticle Block Windshield Wipers)
– 10 Incline Merkins
– 10 Globlet Squats
– 10 press jacks
– 10 N’urls (Narrow Curls)
– 10 Reverse Lunges (5 each leg)

Short run in between rounds.
Then do 2 reps of each exercise for a total of 52 reps of the ten exercises.

MARY:

Light Stretching to Enya’s Caribbean Blue

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Iron Pax Starts next week

COT:
Men, I’m 52 years old—and that’s why this morning we did the Half a Century Challenge plus two.It was harder than last year’s workout… and last year’s was harder than the one the year before that.
Life works the same way. Each year, the challenges can get bigger, the load heavier, the pace faster. And we don’t get younger…But harder, doesn’t necessarily mean worse. Harder can mean we’ve grown. Harder can mean we’re carrying more because we’re trusted with more. Harder can mean our strength is finally being tested for the purpose it was built.
The F3 mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for men… Why? for the invigoration of male community leadership. Leadership is tested in hard seasons—when you’d rather tap out, but instead you dig in.
And we don’t do it alone. Our credo says: Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you found him. Today, you proved that—nobody got left, but we all got pushed further than we would have gone alone.
So, I hope you found something difficult in today’s workout… I hope you found some measure of suffering.
Sometimes we are tempted to believe the lie that we shouldn’t have to face hard things – that life should be easy… or we believe a different lie that there is no point to suffering…
There is a purpose in going through hard things. We improve our physical and mental strength, our endurance, our determination, our ability to meet challenges. But there is greater purpose than that. The ultimate example is Jesus on the cross. F3 is not formally a Christian organization, but I am a Christian and when I see Jesus, the song of God on the cross, I know that God doesn’t just allow suffering, he himself endured suffering and there was purpose in it. He doesn’t remain aloof and detached from our troubles. He became suffering for us so that we who sinned can be redeemed… he paid the price… took the penalty for our sins and we are made righteous… we who were separated from God were brought back into fellowship with him.
Hebrews 4:14-16
“14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
So as you leave here, remember: life will get harder. But that doesn’t mean life can’t be mean better, richer, fuller—because you’re stronger, wiser, and surrounded by men who’ve got your back. And when it gets hard—lean in, keep moving, and pull another man with you

Ruck Down Garden

August 15, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: thequacken
Q: Mountain Ice
PAX: Z-Pack, Recoil (Blake Conley), Shotgun, FixerUpper, Backflow (Wesley Hunt), DoorKicker (Jud), Wedding Singer, Spellcheck, Handbell, Flathead
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP:
Ruck-a-loop, as dictated by tradition

THE THANG:
Walk down Garden Dr, loop through Central High’s parking lot and head home

MARY:
No time
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Same old, same old
OTB Ruck tomorrow morning, see DoorKicker (Jud)
OTB Goruck training at Asylum, 0600 ruck, 0700 PT
COT:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

— Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

A lot of people read the final stanza of this poem and assume it’s about taking the road less traveled, when earlier in the poem, it states that both paths are about the same. I believe it’s about standing strong in your decisions and forging ahead regardless of what lies down the path. I encourage each of you to stand at the precipice of a decision (path) look down both ways as far as you can see and stop to ponder each one. Make your decision with intention, and don’t look back as you head off towards the next intersection.