F3 Knoxville

Tag: Erector

Things to think on

THE SCENE: Cold and spitting snow. Here to help me celebrate 36 years!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
36 SSH, 9 Moroccan night club, 9 Peter Parkers, 9 Parker Peters, 9 J-Los
THA-THANG:
Indian run to the Sophomore. At the Sophomore, we did a couple of sets of 4 corners.

1st Set

  • 36 Merkins, Bernie Sanders up
  • 36 Squats
  • 36 Imperial walkers
  • 9 Burpees

2nd Set

  • 20 Peter Parkers with merkin, Bernie Sanders up the hill
  • 20 Lunges
  • 20 Heels to Heaven
  • 20, 2-ct Mountain climbers

Begin to indian run back towards the shovel flag but pass it up and go up the hill to the Maple Street parking lot.

  • 20 Diamond merkins, bear crawl to the next corner
  • 20 Squats, sprint to next corner
  • 20 J-Los (2-ct), lunge walk to next corner
  • 20 werkins
  • 10 burpees broad jumps towards the starting corner
    MARY:
    Ring of fire Merkins. Go around the circle while holding plank and each PAX does 1 merkin. Increase count until 4. 15 Freddie Mercury, protractor
    COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
    10 PAX helped me celebrate 36 years.
    CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
    “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. “
  • Philippians 4:4‭-‬9 NASB

YHC has heard this passage or a portion of it a few times in the past days. I thought it was worth sharing this morning given the state of the world. It is always encouraging to think of the good things in life and, more importantly, the life to come when times are tough.
MOLESKIN:
Welcome Mr. Slate to Knoxville from Lexington.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP coming up at Asylum January 30.

Focusing on Jesus

THE SCENE: 30 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:YES
WARM-O-RAMA:
Squats – merkins – imperial squawker – arm circles (bigger…)
Moroccan nightclub x7 – IC
Tempo Merkins x5 – IC
Projectivator x5 – IC
Cherry picker x5 – IC
MOSEY TO POOL WALL
@Pool Wall – 5x Wall-up
@Playground – 5x pull-up
@Amphitheater – 5x boxjumps
MOSEY TO RECRUITING CENTER

THA-THANG:

HEAVY Stations – 2 ROUNDS
1. CMU Thrusters
2. CMU Lunges
3. CMU Overhead Press
4. Tire Flips
5. Burpee pull-ups
6. Bear Crawl – TIMER

CMU CIRCLE
Each pax has CMU in a circle:
1. Hold CMU Gore while 1 pax at a time does 5 squats – ladder down 4-3-2-1 – Recover.
2. Hold Rifle Carry while 1 pax at a time does 5 Tri Ext – 4-3-2-1-Recover.
3. Hold CMU 6” Leg Lift while 1 pax does 5 V-Ups – 4-3-2-1-Recover.

MARY:
V-ups covered it.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
6STRONG: Erector, Kickflip, Rocket, Slappy, Mathlete, and Snaggletooth

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
I Peter 1:13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

MOLESKIN:
Another beautiful morning – crazy world, but God is working…

There is still good news and joy and peace to experience and be grateful for.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sign up to Q! Asylum CSAUP coming up!

Always be Sober-Minded

THE SCENE: A cool, crisp morning, temp in low 30s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
7 Cherry Pickers, 20 Side-Straddle-Hops, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Tempo Squats, 7 lunges each leg.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the Coupon Pile and carry the coupons to Sophomore Hill. We started in the lower left hand corner, doing one workout at each corner before duck walking the coupon up and down the hill while Rifle Carrying the coupon between the corners at the top and bottom. We did three laps around Sophomore Hill. The first lap had

  • Curls (20)
  • Shoulder Raises (15)
  • Front Shoulder Raises (10)
  • Burpees (5)

The second lap had

  • Squats (20)
  • Calf Raises (15)
  • Monkey Humpers (10)
  • Lunges (5 each leg)

The third lap had

  • Hello Dolly’s (20)
  • Heals to Heaven (15)
  • Big Boys (10)
  • Heavy Mercury’s (5, 4 count)

The only workout done without holding the coupon was the burpees and monkey humpers.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 present, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
In the book the Hobbit, there is a scene in which Bilbo Baggins is having a conversation with Smaug the Dragon. At first, Bilbo is thinking clearly and he is confident in his conversation with Smaug. But the more that Smaug talks, he begins to lure Bilbo into believing certain lies about why he is there and about the troop that brought him there. Bilbo slowly starts to believe the dragon and he comes to a point where he almost reveals himself to the dragon, he almost gives into the dragon and his lies. But he comes to his senses and runs from the dragon.

In 2 Timothy, Paul is talking to Timothy and reminding him of the people they know that have fallen away from the faith. They have seen the truth, but then they are slowly deceived and believe lies that they devil tells them and they fall away from the faith. Then, in 2 Timothy 4:5, Paul tells Timothy to “Always be sober-minded.” Paul reminds Timothy of his ministry, of his focus. He reminds Timothy of the truth.

So many times, the devil tempts us and lies to us about what is important, lies about ourselves, lies about God. As we go about our days today, let’s focus on the truth that we are loved by God, we are saved through grace by faith and we are His. Let’s be sober minded in all that we do and not fall into the trap of the devil to believe the lies that he tries to tell us.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for our country, peace and integrity. Prayers for Boosters friend JJ in the ICU. Prayers for Guardrails wife’s uncle who is having some issues in the hospital.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP at the Asylum on Saturday, January 30 from 6:30 am to 9 am.

Project: Friendship

THE SCENE: 50% chance of rain. 100% chance of pain (well, at least 100% chance of D.O.M.S.)

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER – Administered + COVID (hopefully we don’t have to do this soon! 2021: ROPE (Return Of Partner Exercises)

WARM-O-RAMA:
Started cold, warmed up… Actual warmup:
Moroccan Night Club x 10 IC
Newton’s Cradle, OHC x 5 each IC
SLOW Dance Tempo Squats x 5 IC
Lunges x 5 each
Tempo Hand-release Merkins x 5 IC
Donkey Kicks x 5
Tennessee Rocking Chair x 7 IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Amphitheater

Mary 20-21’s – Do 20 reps of the first exercise, do 21 reps of the second exercises, run a lap around the Amphitheater. First one back calls a Mary exercise max 15 reps. Single Count unless otherwise noted:
Round 1 – BBS – Flutter Kicks (4ct IC) – (Lap + Mary Exercise) “Am I really that predictable?” called by Erector. I don’t remember the exercise but I thought it was the QOTD
Round 2 – Pickle pounders – pickle pointers – (Lap + Mary Exercise)
Round 3 – LBC’s – Heels to Heaven – (Lap + Mary Exercise)

30 seconds rest

DORA 20-21’s – same as Mary 20-21’s but your battle buddy does the exercise in parentheses until you complete 20 reps of the first exercise, flapjack (swap and do what he was doing), and then go to the 21’s doing the same alternate exercise in parentheses
Round 1 – Squats (Newton’s Cradle) – Merkins (Stationary Lunges) – (Lap + Mary Exercise)
Round 2 – Burpee (Reach for the Sky / Let it Hang) – OHC (Seal Clap Squat) – (Lap + Mary Exercise)

30 seconds rest

“The Wave” – in a circle but starting with the Q doing the following in a circle – 5 rounds of each exercise then take a lap around the Amphitheater

  • 1 x Burpee (start your Burpee when the previous PAX claps his hands – you should have plenty of rest between Burpees here)
  • 2 x Squats (start your Squat when the previous PAX has completed 1 of his)
  • 2 x Iron Mikes (IC so 4 total 2 each leg, start your Iron Mikes when the previous PAX has finished his first rep on each leg)
  • 5 x BBS (start your BBS when the previous PAX has completed 1 BBS. There should be a 1 BBS break before you start again)

Final Mary / Mary /  Hail Mary (Not sure what to call it)
American Hammer x 10 IC
Heels to Heaven x 10 IC
ABC’s (all 26 of them!)
Lap around Amphitheater
E2K(oblique crunch)

MARY:
Lots of Mary today. None at the #shovelflag so we’ll leave this blank. Aye!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA – 7 PAX.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM: Today’s Project: Friendship

Prov 17:17 – A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
1 John 4:21 – And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Since I started F3 a year and a half a ago, the men at F3 have provided the right kind of friendship I didn’t really have before starting F3. I’ve developed this in other areas of my life, but F3 has been so good, challenging, and refining that I wanted to focus on aspects Friendship and 3 aspects / modes it can take for us to consider:

1. Seek to reconcile strained or former friendships (I am seeking to personally apply this right now so pray for me!)
Matthew 5:23-24 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

You and I are called to go to the brother we have wronged (if possible and wise, of course) and seek reconciliation (because God has reconciled us to Himself we can be reconciled to each other – 2 Cor 5:11-21). This is hard because the we may believe that we were more wronged personally but that is not what God calls us to here. See “Seven A’s of a Biblical Confession” by Ken Sande for specifics of how to walk this out. We must seek to be the mature ones. Jesus pursues us in reconciliation and while He is perfect and we are not, the steps Ken lays out are the hard path that did not revile when reviled, that sought us when we weren’t looking for Him. This is what a man of God does when he is wrong – he seeks confession and reconciliation!

2. Maintain solid friendships through peaceful unity, keeping the Gospel at the core.
Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

F3 is a men’s leadership organization. When we come out here, we are saying we are going to challenge others and let others challenge us. It’s not easy, but the crucible is where hearts are tested say Proverbs 17:3 and 27:21. We walk in goodness with each other, seeking to help others watch their six, and working together toward common goals that we have first in Christ and then in F3 and other areas. ISI Proverbs 27:17.

3. Know the Hill you’re willing to die on.
There are some things, while few and far between, that are more important than a “friendship”. I put it in quotes because these things should be so rare and understood to be as such that when they do pop up, it is a clear boundary crossed that a friendship cannot continue without major reconciliation (and usually lots of honesty, sincerity, and humility from someone over time before trust can be rebuilt). The Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) is one of these examples. If anyone adds to or takes away from Christ-crucified with the only work we do is faith by repenting and turning from our sins, this is a hill to die on because Jesus died on that hill (Calvary).

Another example of this is when a friend goes long in unrepentant sin, we have to love that friend enough to call him back (Galatians 6:1-2). We always look to restore the friendship, but it must be in truth. Our goal should always be reconciliation when we call someone to repentance, first with God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21) and then with each other. The book of James talks about this and how wonderful it is to bring a brother back from the second death:

James 5:19-20 – 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Remember, there are not many hills to die on. You might even say the Gospel and a friend in unrepentance are one and the same hill to die on. But knowing these is a huge part of friendship because we uphold truth.

A #project of building rich, deep friendship doesn’t mean you jump off a cliff together the first time you meet a guy, but it does eventually get to taking that kind of risk. Talk about deep things along the way. Be intentional. Be men who walk steadfastly, build friendships with other men, and build those friendships on the deep, solid Rock of Jesus Christ.

MOLESKIN:
Thankful for friends, especially the PAX of JUCO and The Project (and that Ribbed guy who not only invited me to F3 but stuck with me when I didn’t deserve a chance).

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP at The Asylum 1/31/2021 0630 – 0900
You can order Asylum gear with their pre-order here (through January 18th, 2021)

Press On Toward The Goal

THE SCENE: 31 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
cherry picker, rocking chair, ‘merkins
THA-THANG:
Mohammed Ali, when asked how many reps he could do of an exercise, he said he had no idea – he doesn’t really count. He just goes until he is exhausted and then does an additional set. We didn’t do that…but we did a mini version!

  • Mosey to small rock pile.
  • Shoulder as many as possible your own for 1 min (front raises, lateral, overhead clap) followed by 5 reps together each time.
  • Mosey to coupon pile (with drop 2x burpee / 2 lines)
  • Coupon pile exercises (Each is max out for 1 minute and then do 5x together)
      • (merkins, coupon press, overhead and/or skull crushers)
      • Rows, bicep
      • Squats, calf raises
  • Between each major muscle group: Mosey to hill and Bear crawl up hill w/1 burpee @ top
  • Mosey to flag with 2x burpee drop off lines again

MARY: no time…finished @ 6:15

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
17 present: Guardrail, Erector, 5K, Booster, Wheelchair, Butter Knife, Dart Gun, Footsie, Wanderer, Sty, Gump, Commission, Pool Boy, sos, Mailbox, Spotter, hound dog
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Janus, the Roman God for which January was named, had two faces: one looked forward to the new year and one looked backward to the past year. This morning I related that I am not big on resolutions because most people give up on them by “ditch day,” January 17th. Nevertheless, I do believe in the power of goals. After all, if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time!

Personal confession: even though I lost about 45 pounds over the last couple years, I put back 10 -15 this year off of a sweet tooth and lazy habits. I hit F3 3x week, but as they say, “you can’t outrun your fork.” How does the weight come back on like that? Slowly…1 pound at a time!

So we have to be diligent. And like physical weight, we might be carrying a few extra spiritual pounds into 2021 too. Ghandi said that the chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. Bad habits come on slowly, day by day. We might have a secret sin or a burden we aren’t willing to unload. How do we overcome? Do what we can, give ourselves over completely, and hand more of our lives over to God each day.

They say that elephants are trained by securing their leg against something strong enough when they are young so that when they are old they remember that they cannot break free. Then, a mere rope and tiny tent peg in the ground is enough to keep them in place. We must break free of the thought that we can do ONLY 20 or 30 or 50 reps. By maxing out in a minute and then “adding 5,” we learned we are capable of more than we thought…or at least I did!

Thanks for letting me lead again…and hope you’re sore tomorrow…’cause I already can’t lift my arms 🙂