F3 Knoxville

The Power of Friends

THE SCENE: Temps in high 50’s, clear, breezy
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

10 Pinto About-Face Twists each way, 20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Plank Jacks, 5 Baby Arm Circles forward and backward, 5 Wide Arm Circles forward and backward, 10 Cherry Pickers
THA-THANG:
Mosey to northern parking lot of park.  We will do Route 66 along the sidewalk that heads to park entrance at Lyon’s Bend.  We will run back to the start after each exercise.  These will be the exercises:

  • Plank Jacks
  • Dive Bombers
  • Jump Squats

After these exercises we will alternate between Bernies, Lunges and Sprints along each light until we get to street that extends from entrance gate.

Mosey up street towards AO but stop at stop sign at intersection of road coming from Admin Bldg.  On grassy area near stop sign we will do 20 Hello Dollies and 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to Northern Ball Field Entrance Parking Lot.  We will do the following from one end of parking lot to other and then do ten merkins after each run there and back:

  • Sideways runs with feet crossing.
  • Hops for four parking spaces then sprint to curb and back.
  • Bernies to curb and back.
  • Bear crawl for four parking space then sprint to curb and back.
  • Lunge for four parking spaces then sprint to curb and back.
  • Sprint to curb and back.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
Box cutters and planks.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 men, no FNG’s.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Proverbs 18: 24.  A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Sometimes our self-doubts, our shame, our anxiety, or even our pride can keep us from turning to friends when we are hurt or in trouble.  As a psychologist, I often see individuals coping with hurtful issues that they are too embarrassed to speak to their friends about.  A young man in his twenties recently lost a job that he had out of state.  He has friends who are smart, energetic, and growth-pursuing and who appear to be going places with their lives.  He has come back to his home town and has a few of those “successful” friends who still live here in Knoxville.  He hasn’t even contacted them, too embarrassed to tell them about his loss of job.

If these guys are true friends, they are the very ones he should turn to at this difficult time.  If they are true friends, they will care for him and hold him up.  His true friends won’t begrudge him for losing a job. They like him for who he is, not the type of job he has.  Yes, back when he got the job they may have praised, pat him on the back, wished him well, told him he was going to “kick ass” at it.  They were saying that because they care for him and want the best for him.  They won’t turn their backs on him because he has stumbled.  They are going to want to pick him up, carry him.  If they don’t do that, what kind of friends are they?

I remember a troubled time I had in my early 20’s.  I was lost in terms of what I wanted to do with my life.  I had fumbled around in a few jobs and was working as a forklift driver at a warehouse just to earn enough money to buy groceries while I lived with my uncle who put me up.  I was depressed and certainly not my usual self.  I remember my friends hanging in there with me at that difficult time.  They would take me to rec centers to play basketball, take me out for meals, call me to shoot the breeze, – not necessarily ask about my job search or career struggles but just be there for me and certainly lend an ear if I needed to talk.  They didn’t have the “sage” advice that I needed from older men, sometimes even offered stupid advice to me.  But they cared and I knew it.  They were going to be my friend through thick and thin.  They were there for me at a most important time and I made it through that time because of them.

We need our friends.  Don’t shy away from telling them about your troubles when you hit a low spot.  Turn to them for strength.  It may not be their words of wisdom that push you through – leave that to the shrinks, philosophers, and preachers.  But your friends will give you that powerful something that is hard to put into words – unless you call it love and that love will raise you up.

 

20 Tips (& exercises) for a Positive New Year!

THE SCENE: 40 and beautiful!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Mosey to flag
  • Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Baby Arm Circles Forward/Backward X 10 followed by Michael Phelps
  • Side Straddle Hop (IC)
  • Tempo Squats (IC)
  • Tempo Merkins (IC)
  • Mosey

THA-THANG:

11s

  • 11s with pushups at the AO & pullups on the monkey bars
  • Mosey

Splash pad

  • 3 X 15 of box jumps/step ups & dips
  • mosey

Loop

  • 10 burpees & 20 squats by the AO
  • run a ½ lap
  • 20 CMU presses & 20 curls by the tennis courts
  • Run a ½ lap
  • Rinse & repeat (PAQ ranged from 5-8 laps)

MARY:

  • Flutterkicks X 20 (IC)
  • American Hammers X 25 (IC) – Detention led
  • Peter Parker combo led by Proton

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

Abacus, Bagger, Bypass, Detention, Farva, Hot Tub, Jail Bait, Proton, Smalls, Umbro and Booster

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

I follow Jon Gordon, an author, on Twitter (@jongordon11).  Every day, he posts positive messages.  He released 20 Tips for a Positive New Year and I love it!  Please take a moment to read his words and see what you might be able to apply to your personal life.  Some of these are common sense but many I take for granted!

20 Tips for a Positive New Year

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. Take a daily “Thank You Walk.” You can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time. Feel blessed and you won’t be stressed.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and less foods manufactured in plants.

4. Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself with words of truth and encouragement.

5. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires Allowed.” Gandhi said, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” Watch This.

6. Be a Positive Team Member. Being positive doesn’t just make you better, it makes everyone around you better.

7. Don’t chase success. Decide to make a difference and success will find you. [ Tweet This ]

8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.

9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.

10. Look for opportunities to Love, Serve and Care. You don’t have to be great to serve but you have to serve to be great.

11. Live your purpose. Remember why you do what you do. We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.

12. Remember, there’s no such thing as an overnight success. Love the process and you’ll love what the process produces.

13. Trust that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. If you are complaining, you’re not leading.

15. Read more books than you did in 2018. I happen to know of a few good ones. : )

16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead live with love, passion and purpose and happiness will find you.

17. Focus on “Get to” vs “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

20 Tips for a Positive New year in 201918. The next time you “fail” remember that it’s not meant to define you. It’s meant to refine you.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

 

MOLESKIN:

The Equalizer is a great venue and I look forward to coming back again

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Monthly Challenge – Post, bring a friend, recruit a former F3 HIM
  • Hardship Hill is May 18 – Sign Up!!!

New Years Beatdown

THE SCENE: low 50s, mostly cloudy, and mostly pleasant!!

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check.


WARM-O-RAMA:

20x then 19x SSH (4-ct, IC) (2019, baby!!); 20x Cherry pickers (4-ct, IC), 30x Ussain Bolts (10 for each squat increment),  baby arm circles forward (10x) and backward (10x); little of this, little of that.

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Parking Lot south of ball fields

  • PARKING LOT PYRAMIDS (hat tip to someone else who did this… maybe Woodshack?)
    • PYRAMID LAPS! Partner up with like speed. Run opposite directions, high five when you pass at the far end, and every time you meet at the near end, do the following exercises in reps of 20 except burpees, which will have 10 reps:
      • Lap 1 LBCs
      • Lap 2 LBCs, Mtn Climbers
      • Lap 3 LBCs, Mtn Climbers, Bobby Hurley’s
      • Lap 4 LBCs, Mtn Climbers, Bobby Hurley’s, burpees
      • Lap 5 Mtn Climbers, Bobby Hurley’s, burpees
      • Lap 6 Bobby Hurley’s, burpees
      • Lap 7 burpees

Mosey to sidewalk leading to Cardiac Hill:

  • Starting at end of Parking Lot, do PAULA ABDULS. Run two lightposts, Bernie Sanders back one, do 10 Iron Mikes (5 each leg), rinse and repeat until path intersects perimeter trail.
  • Reverse course.  Do 11s back up to parking lot (jump squats).

Mosey to perimeter road.  AYG sprint back to AO.

MARY:
20x EH2s right side, 20x left side (it was at this point that the Q couldn’t figure out which was his left or right ankle); 25x American Hammers (4-ct, IC); 20 BBS (OYO)

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
6 F3 HIMs and two FNGs, Stockton Webb and Ross Dempster, who we named Misfire and Cellar.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

About a year ago, I did something I’m not particularly good at: practiced forgiveness.  A friend of the family approached me after my mom passed and mentioned a sizable loan that she had given to him a year or so previously.  Trying to tie up loose ends quickly, I approached him with a number of payback options, all of which he agreed to.  However, he failed to live up to his promises, and claimed that one emergency after another consumed the funds he was trying to save up to pay back the loan.  After years of this, I became frustrated and angry.  A year ago this past Christmas, however, I prayed on the matter and felt an overwhelming peace.  I must do the Christian thing and practice forgiveness.  Not with regards to accepting the excuses, but with the loan itself.  I resolved to trust him that his reasons were valid, and the only conclusion at that point was to decide that he needed the money more than I did.  I let him know of this in an email, and felt satisfied that I had done the right thing.  But after a few months, the old feelings of resentment, anger, and frustration resurfaced.  I prayed again, and realized I had not fully gone through with the forgiveness process.  I had forgiven him in my mind, but not in my soul and heart.  I prayed again, and this time I felt fully at peace.  I tried to put Grace into practice, and forgive my debtor, as my debt is forgiven by God.  I encourage everyone to adopt as their New Year’s resolution to release the negative energy and forgive at least one person in their life that has wronged them, completely and unconditionally.

This also ties in with the link that Cap’n Crunch posted a month or so ago describing an amazing act of forgiveness when a man lost his wife and unborn child in a traffic accident involving a firefighter medic who fell asleep at the wheel.  An excerpt: “In moments where tragedy happens or even hurt, there’s opportunities to demonstrate grace or to exact vengeance.  Here was an opportunity where I could do that. And I chose to demonstrate grace.”

For those who missed it, the link is https://www.today.com/news/one-man-s-forgiveness-after-tragedy-creates-profound-friendship-stranger-t144626?fbclid=IwAR1l1J1wtO2ymOSzzE8MfHHp9oor_GjRSaApQGTQY7mINCtlPHv4lGnrFAg

 

Ephesians 4:31-32

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

Lords Prayer: “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”

MOLESKIN:
We had a lot of fun and fellowship at the Polar Bear Plunge this year.  Let’s do it again next year!  Also, a word of appreciation to all the PAX who showed support in any way for the Pitstick family during the difficult time following the loss of Quickrete (Grady Pitstick) last month.  F3 at its finest…

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The 12 Stations of Christmas

THE SCENE: 33 Degrees with clear skies
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH (IC) x 15, Moroccan Night Clubs (IC) x 10, Cherry Pickers (IC) x 10, Hand Release Merkins (OYO) x 10
THA-THANG:

Mosey to parking lot just north of AO and gather around the tree (light pole).  Everyone gets 12 presents (stations).  The PAX will perform the exercise at each station for 45 seconds. Every third station, QIC will call out an exercise that each PAX will do as a group for 45 seconds.  Should make at least through all exercise at least 2 times.

  1. Bicep Curls with CMU
  2. Flutter Kicks
  3. Overhead Press with CMU
  4. Big Boys
  5. Squats with CMU
  6. Freddie Mercury
  7. Triceps Extension with CMU
  8. Plank
  9. CMU Chest Press/Merkins
  10. LBCs
  11. CMU Pull Overs
  12. Star Crunches

Extras (Every Third Station)

  • SSH
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Burpees
  • Lap around parking lot
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Parking lot suicides
  • Alternating lunges

MARY:
No time today
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
7 PAX strong today
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

As most of you know, I’m in the process of getting a new job and relocating.  It has been a very lengthy process with several hurdles along the way.  I find myself constantly thinking about it and wanting it to hurry up.  I basically wish my days away at times looking forward to the future because I’m not happy with my current work situation.  Be happy with what you have and don’t constantly wish for other things.  If you are always looking forward, you will not be able to enjoy the moment you have now.

Psalm 118:24 – This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

MOLESKIN:
Safe travels to everyone for the holidays.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

3rd F Prep Work

THE SCENE: Brisk morning, temp in the 30’s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH, A little of this and a little of that, Tempo Squats, Tempo Merkins
THA-THANG:

Mosey to Sunsphere to tackle the stairs.

  • Bear crawl up stairs with 5 Merkins at the middle and top
  • Lunge up stairs with 5 squats at the middle and top
  • Repeat

Mosey to parking lot S7.  Divide up into 4 teams for a relay.  One man runs the length of lot while others do flutter kicks.  Each man takes a turn running.  Recover.  Same thing with plank/Merkins.

Mosey to parking lot C15.  Everyone grabbed a coupon for the following:

  • Curls x 10 – run up stairs and back
  • Presses x 10 – run up stairs and back
  • Flutter kicks with coupon over head x 10 – run up stairs and back
  • Squats x 10 – run up stairs and back

Recover then everyone does American Hammer with coupon x 10 IC.  Also a round of circle burps without coupons.

Mosey to amplitheater for some SSH IC.  Mosey back to AO while Steam lead F3 cadence. Wrap up with a round of “leg pushes” (not sure if it has a name, everyone on their backs, legs up pointing outside circle. Each man runs around pushing everyone’s legs down.)  Over head claps x 25
MARY:

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
22 HIM’s total with 3 FNG’s
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Philippians 2:3-4  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.

We can all be selfish with our time and resources.  Let’s humble ourselves and seek to serve others in a way that glorifies God.  Put others first and seek to do what we can to meet their needs and not just our own.
MOLESKIN:
Everyone keep in mind the Fountain City AO that they are trying to get started.  If anyone can attend some of those workouts it would be greatly appreciated especially to the Mend House guys who have been coming out.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

3rd F event immediately followed.  Great job to the guys who spoke!!  Very encouraging and insightful.