F3 Knoxville

Tag: Archie

YOU CAN’T OUT-KING YOUR QUEEN

THE SCENE:  A steamy 59 degrees

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER ✅

WARM-O-RAMA:

ALL IC: SSH x20, Imperial Walkers x20, American Hammers (4ct) x20, Merkins x15, Mountain Climbers (4ct) x15, Squats x15, Flutter-kicks (4ct) x 20, LBCs (4ct) x20,

Burpees OYO x10

THA-THANG:
Battle-Buddy up for some Partner Sets. Partner 1 does 10 reps while other holds position; switch and repeat until 100 reps is reached:

  • Merkins (or plank)
  • Squats (or Al Gore)
  • Flutter-Kicks (4ct) (or 6inch)
  • Shoulder Taps (or plank)
  • Jump Squats (or free throw position)
  • LBCs (or knees to chest)
  • Burpees (or stand and catch breath) – for this last one we did sets of 5 until 50 total reps completed.

Mosey to Large Student Parking Lot and rotate between bear crawl and lunges (switching at each parking lane), making our way across the lot (total distance around 120 yards).

MARY:
100 yard mosey repeats with dealer’s choice exercises at each end.  For practice, Q had three men who had not Q’d yet call the exercises the proper F3 way: Slappy, Nadia and Curveball all did great and are ready to Q!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
24 Strong
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Fitness is the first “F” for a reason.  Every day you make that decision to get out of bed, you swallow a pill that most men won’t – the Daily Red Pill (DRP). The DRP is the first of many bricks you lay that will solidify and start a process that steam rolls into having an effective day as a dad, a boss, a neighbor, whatever. You cannot effectively lead unless you get your body right first. We come out here and suffer together to get fit. Once our bodies are right, we can then effectively lead in our daily circles.

There is an old saying in F3: “You can’t out-king your queen.”  With The game of Chess as a comparison, the King represents your fitness, the Queen your diet. We all know that in chess while both are important, the Queen is the most valuable player  on the board. You lose your Queen and it’s not long until the game is over. Similarly, you will never be able to out-exercise a bad diet. If you are really serious about becoming a better leader, the First F requires dietary discipline. Find what works for you. For me, it’s Calories in v. Calories out.  I track my food intake and you should too. It can be a real eye-opener for those that never have.  You can’t out-King your Queen! ISI!

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
JUCO CONVERGENCE 3-28

March Slaughterhouse

THE SCENE: Dark and gloomy, high chance of smoke
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
S.S.H. x 10 IC;  Cherry Picker x 5 IC;  OHC x 10 IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey to the “new” parking lot, brief stations in the first corner, split into 4 groups of 3 for the main event.  4 corners of the lot, each has 2 exercises x20 reps to complete.  After completing corner reps, run 3/4 of a lap to next station, moving as a group.  AMRAP.  Each group completed at least 2 full 4-corner laps.

  • Corner 1:  diamond walk ; 10kg bushwhacker (lunge while swinging a 10kg kettle bell in front of the face)
  • Corner 2:  burpees ; smurf jacks
  • Corner 3:  CMU pullovers ; CMU BBS
  • Corner 4:  broad jumps ; 4ct American Hammers
  • Mosey back to AO

MARY:
Roughly 2 minutes remained upon arrival back to AO, just enough time for 50 Overhead claps, in cadence.  Judging by the grumbling, this was the correct recipe.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
This was a tough one men.  I knew walking in that I would struggle to hold it together, and almost didn’t make it through the first paragraph of the poem.  My grandfather cut a poem out of a newspaper sometime in the 1940’s or early 50’s, titled “Thoroughbred Man” that he gave to my dad circa 1953.  My dad carried it in his wallet for 50+ years, to the point that he had to laminate it with a new typed copy just to preserve it.  He passed it on to me in 2002 before my first trip into a warzone.  Years later, I had it emblazoned on a plaque for him to put up on his wall.  He passed away in January 2015 after struggling through dementia and alzheimers’ for several years.  That was the longest day of my life, standing watch at his bedside for 20 hours, praying and talking to him.  I had siblings rushing in from as far away as Colorado.  About an hour after the last of us got to spend some 1 on 1 time with him, we all held him as he breathed his last, then his stubborn heart (if you knew him, you’d understand) went on for another 5 minutes.  I didn’t have the composure to share all of this in the BOM, so here it is.  I prayed for him.  I wanted more time with him, but I also knew that it would only prolong his suffering.  I prayed for God to take him.  After I took the plaque down off his wall, it stayed hidden, in a closet.  When I moved I put it up in my workshop, but still didn’t see it often.  I spent a lot of time embarrassed and ashamed of the man that I had become.  I wasn’t living up to what I was responsible for.  F3 has changed that in me.  Laziness, fear, and anxiety are afterthoughts now.  The plaque is in a spot where I see it daily, where it should be, as a reminder of how I need to live for my family.  It reads:

Am I the thoroughbred man, I want my laddie to be:

In the days that are now his future, Do I want him to be like me?

Nature’s put my mark on his features, I’m putting my stamp on his soul.

Can I help my boy reach the highlands, If I strive for a lesser goal?

’tis a sobering thought for fathers, aye a sobering thought for me;

As my boy sets on life’s ocean, shall he chart his course by me?

Shall he think the thoughts that I think; shall he say the things that I say;

Shall he live the life that I live; when I come to the end of my way?

To our boys is the task of the future, we’ll soon leave the world in their care.

As a father, I’ll help or hinder my boy’s life burdens to bear.

For this law is not to be broken, ’tis almighty God’s wonderful plan-

I must be a thoroughbred father, if I’d sire a thoroughbred man.

HIMs, we can’t be perfect.  But, we can do better than we are.  If you have to think twice about doing something, odds are it is sinful.  If you are about to do something that you wouldn’t want your wife, kids, or God to see you do, stop.  If you don’t want your son to grow up to be like you, change.  And, if you wouldn’t want your daughter to bring you home to meet you, sins and all, do something about it.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
JUCO is hosting convergence on 3/28/20, put it on your calendars and get out there!  Mermaid and myself will be heading up a pre-ruck from 0600-0700 before the beatdown, full smokey plus the third leg.

The little dipper amrap

THE SCENE: Crisp and cold in the high 20’s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Side Straddle Hops, Moroccan Night Clubs, Tempo Merkins, Windmills, Little Baby Crunches

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Sophomore hill for 2-3 laps of circuit with:

10x T push ups

20x BBS

30x Flutter Kicks

40x Squats

50x Coupon Curls

Next Mosey to Quad area for 11s with Dips and Bobbie Hurley’s, Bear Crawls down the steps.

MARY:
Ran out of time.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” MLK  Even with all the evil and hardship in the world we have to keep moving forward and continue to be a light to the world to overcome darkness and trouble
MOLESKIN:
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Forgot to ask

The Standard Route

THE SCENE: 21F Windy, felt like 16F
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
THA-THANG:
Easy 5 miles. We left the park on Watt Road and headed up the hill to McFee Park. We turned around at 2.5mi out and headed back the way we came.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Sparky, Erector, Frenchie, QIC-Archie
BOM/COT
Leave no man behind and leave no man where you found him. The COT at the end of the F3 workout is the most important part. I was reminded of this by Kick-flip last week at JUCO.
Lets review the three Fs
Fitness- encourage each other and keep each other accountable
‘for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ‘ 1 Timothy 4:8 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/1TI.4.8
Fellowship- Look for opportunities to connect with guys outside of workouts. Look to connect.
Faith- Remind each other of God’s love, and then reflect God’s character to the people around you as you live your life. Be a high impact man (HIM).

Lasting Invigoration

One comment

THE SCENE:  WHAT?  I thought there was supposed to be a THUNDERSTORM!?!?!  It’s super nice!  60 and no rain!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Abe Vigoda x 8 IC
Moroccan Nightclub x 8 IC
Mosey to the ducks, Carolina Dry Dock x 10 OYO
Mosey to the flag, Heels 2 Heaven x 15 IC
Fast mosey to the ducks (75%), Merkin x 10 OYO
Fast mosey to the flag (75%), Flutter Kick x 15 IC
Sprint to the ducks, Burpees x 5 OYO

THA THANG:

Mosey to the big parking lot.  Partner up

(Hat tip, Archie!)  Pairs spread out across 6 stations.  At each station there is a “stationary” exercise and a “move” exercise.  First partner does the “stationary” exercise until the second partner does the “move” exercise to the cone and back.

Two minutes each station.  30-second recovery and rotate.

Exercises were;

Station 1:  Bear crawl / Flutter kick
Station 2:  Sprint / Carolina Dry Dock
Station 3:  Broad Jump / Heels 2 Heaven
Station 4:  Sprint / Burpee
Station 5:  Lunge / Merkin
Station 6:  Sprint / Mountain Climber

Performed 9 sets.

Mosey back

MARY:

(Hat tip, Spotter!)  Each person names an exercise and leads 10 reps.  Rotate around x 5 exercises.

Hold plank.  I passed out 12 pieces of paper – each containing a quote from a previous Q at JUCO.  One quote is read aloud.  3 merkins.  Next quote is read…3 Merkins.  Repeat until finished.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

17 strong (+6 Rushers for the CoT)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

During Mary, I passed out pieces of paper and asked for them to be read aloud (while we plank and Merkin).  On each paper was a quote from a previous Q at JUCO.

      • “When you do wrong by someone, you HAVE TO MAKE IT RIGHT”. – Commission
      • “The process of calling people out by name is BOLD, and it’s powerful to encourage.  We have been called to boldly pray for one another”. – Guardrail
      • “Being thankful is about the mindset of being conscious of what we have and what surrounds us and giving thanks for that as opposed to comparing our lives to others and striving to acquire more and more material objects”. – Mandolin
      • “Let’s strive to be passionate about all that we do. To push ourselves to the next level physically, spiritually, and mentally”.  – Spotter
      • “I come here for the fist bumps”. – Finger Food
      • “What kind of leader are you? Do you go home after a long day and expect to be served? Or are you serving? – Judge Judy
      • “We commit time and discipline to strengthening our physical bodies. How are we strengthening our spirits for the battles we are in?” – Snaggletooth
      • “Put others before yourself and be part of the solution”. – Erector
      • “We should strive to love others like God loves us”. – Booster
      • “To be fighters, we not only have to be physically ready, but mentally as well”. – Sargent Slaughter
      • “I need to set my mind on staying faithful to God’s will and not on my own comfort”. – Archie
      • “You’re here to bear your own load and carry other HIM’s burdens when they can’t, and you let them when you can’t”. – Pool Boy

T-claps for my good friend, Archie, who nagged me about F3 until I finally showed up 8 months ago!  I loved it from Day 1 and have been to almost 100 workouts since!  I love it because it is so much more than a workout (Hat tip, Finger Food).

A few days ago, Waxjob reminded us that F3 has a mission – “to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership”.  Men, this is not just about doing merkins and burpees in the dark – it is about the invigoration of men in our area.  The pump you get from a workout doesn’t last more than a few hours.  Real, life-changing, long-lasting invigoration grows out of these last 5 minutes of our time together (CoT) – when we share wisdom and pray for one-another.

This group is about energizing and revitalizing the man to your left and right (not us, but Christ working in us).  We are about challenging each other and holding each other accountable to a very high standard.  We are about being vulnerable with our own faults and failures, in order to promote growth in others.  We are about pouring into each other’s lives – encouraging one another and allowing yourself to be encouraged, so that we all get better together.  We are about sharing wisdom, a treasure far more precious than rubies (Proverbs 3:15), with each other.

 

Two thoughts about sharing wisdom during the CoT

#1:  Scripture says if you prize wisdom, she will make you great, she will honor you (Proverbs 4:8), add years to your life (Proverbs 9:11) and will bring you strength (Ecclesiastes 7:19) and success (Ecclesiastes 10:10). I think you can expect those returns, only IF YOU ARE APPLYING WHAT YOU HEAR (James 1:22).

Men, what if you were applying the wisdom that we read during our Mary (words that YOU have spoken to this group over the past few weeks)?  What if you selflessly served your loved ones (Judge’s Word), cultivated contentment in your life (Mandolin’s Word), sincerely apologized when you wronged others (Commission’s Word), subjugated your comfort to God’s will (Archie’s Word), prayed for your F3 brothers (Guardrail’s Word), loved others like God loves us (Booster’s Word)…  OH, WHAT A MAN YOU WOULD BE!!!  You would certainly be a High-Impact Man, if you APPLIED what you hear.

#2:  If wisdom will make you great, honored, strong, successful – that sounds like the antidote to a meaningless life.  If you have wisdom to share but you’re keeping it to yourself – man, what’s up with that?  Do you have a word of encouragement for us?  SHARE IT, because we struggle against discouragement every day.  Do you have a word that will cut us deeply and expose the innermost thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12)?  If you lack the courage to speak that word of rebuke, you have stolen peace and joy from us.  If, however, you hearten yourself to speak those uncomfortable words with truth and love, Christ may just use you to rescue your brother from his life of self-centeredness and meaninglessness.  OH, WHAT A MAN YOU WOULD BE!!!

Wisdom – APPLY it, SHARE it.

MOLESKIN:

This Q was a tribute to some of my favorite men on earth.

Hat tips to Archie and Spotter for the workout ideas.

Hat tips galore to those who provided inspiration for the Word; Waxjob, 5K, Archie, Spotter, Mandolin, Finger Food, Commission, Pool Boy, Erector, Snaggletooth, Sargent Slaughter, Guardrail, Booster, Judge Judy.

A note about wisdom… Not every sweet platitude written in script on a shabby chic board in Hobby Lobby is wisdom.  Not every word spoken by someone famous is worth repeating.  “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:12).  If you bring “wisdom” that you heard from Oprah to a BOM and it falls flat, don’t be surprised.  It is the Word of God which will cut like a sword (Hebrews 4:12) and which never returns void (Isaiah 55:11).  No such promises if your inspiration is another source. 

Music credits;
Rotate (Finger Food’s new favorite song), Rak-Su
Smack Down, Thousand Foot Crutch
Can’t Be Moved, Jeremy Camp
Fire it Up, Thousand Foot Crutch
Purpose for Pain, Scott Stapp
Lifeline, Thousand Foot Crutch
Feel Invincible, Skillet
Move, Thousand Foot Crutch
Move, Toby Mac
The Resistance, Skillet
Final Countdown, Europe
Freedom yell, Mel Gibson

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Prayers for Mailbox’s wife’s health, Mandolin’s wife’s job, Pool-Boy’s divorce hearing tomorrow, Fast-N-Easy’s family, Judge’s mentoring opportunity, WaxJob’s family