F3 Knoxville

Don’t slow your roll

THE SCENE: Plenty warm to work up a good sweat. Mostly clear. Air stinks kinda bad for some unknown reason…
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x25 IC
Cherry Pickers x6 IC
Crabettes x15 IC
Outside plank heel touches x15 IC
Inside plank heel touches x15 IC
Tempo Merkins x10 IC
Tempo Squats x15 IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey to the restaurant courtyard by the Poke Bowl place.

Split into 2 teams. Each team has an identical pile of exercise cards.
One extra-large size die with numbers 1,2,3.
One team rolls the die. That’s the number of laps up the stairs and back around.
While that team runs the laps, other team works through the pile until laps completed.
When entire team returns from laps, other team rolls.
When pile is complete, set up a cone as a counter and start again.
See how many times each team can work through the pile.
Pile exercises:
15 Merkins
15 4-ct Monkey Humpers
10 Iron Mikes (each leg)
10 Squat Jumps
10 Burpees
20 Flutter Kicks
15 Carolina Dry Docks
20 BBS
20 4-ct Mtn Climbers

The die seemed weighted to roll 3’s… Lots of stairs for us!
Each team completed two trips through the pile, came out pretty even when time ran out.

Mosey back to the AO, stopping halfway for 15 4-ct Monkey Humpers on Hardin Valley Rd.

MARY:
Hey! We have some time for Mary this time!
20x 4ct LBCs
25x Hello Dolly IC
20x Flutter Kicks IC
4x Row Your Boat

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
8 HIMs made for 2 pretty evenly matched teams.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Even with the die rolling this morning, both teams came out pretty evenly in the end. I had no idea if it would work out that way or not. We don’t always know how things will turn out in life either, but rather than just random chance, the thing controlling our situation is an all-knowing God, who works things for our good. Even when we don’t understand what’s going on at the time…
MOLESKIN:
Great effort today! Both from the team-to-team competition aspect and the push within each team! Hitting those stairs really sucked, especially right after that opening sequence of Monkey Humpers, Iron Mikes, and Squat Jumps…
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Hardship Hill coming soon – If you’re not registered, you should be! Abridged OEW benefit night Thursday 5/9.

All Around JUCO

THE SCENE: Beautiful 50 something.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER  given
WARM-O-RAMA:

15 SSH, 10 tempo squats, 10 tempo merkins, 15 Moroccan night club
THA-THANG:
In an attempt to run around all of JUCO, begin mosey toward the Sophomore.  At the four corners,

  • 20 merkins
  • 20 squats
  • 20 mountain climbers
  • 20 Freddie Mercury

Continue run around the back of the maintenance building to the grassy hill.  Run up the hill 5 times while zig-zagging around each tree.  At the top, alternate with 15 diamond merkins and 15 lunges each leg. Squats at the bottom at the end until the 6 gets in.

Mosey to the small parking lot next to the pond and do 20 Flutter kicks IC.  Run around the walk path and stop as instructed to perform exercises:

  • 10 burpees OYO
  • 20 Hello Dolly IC

Cut off the walk path at the large parking lot northeast of the school.

  • 10 8 Count body builders IC

Run to the next corner of the parking lot towards Hardin Valley road.  Perform exercise at the intersections.

  • 20 squat jumps
  • 20 star jacks
  • 20 iron Mikes
  • 10 burpees back at the shovel flag

MARY:
LBC smoker:  10 of each of these LBCs, reverse LBCs (moving the lower body only), 6 inch LBCs (LBCs with legs straight and 6″ of the ground), and full-grown LBCs (regular and reverse together).
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 HIMS made it all the way around JUCO this morning!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Take time to appreciate the mothers and especially stay-at-home mothers in your lives.  They do not get the credit they deserve, but try your best to remind them how important they are.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
May 9th fund raiser for Operation Enduring Warriors at Abridged. May 19th Hardship Hill.

45

THE SCENE: Beautiful…50s and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

The usual…SSH, Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Tempo Squats, Cherry Pickers

THA-THANG:
Unexpected closure of my favorite pull-up place… so we found a wall with a good height for muscle-ups.

(15 muscle-ups+15 dips) x3 rounds=45 muscle ups and 45 dips

Moseyed over to K-2(5) – K2 like the summit and K25 like the nuclear facility – our modest hill along ORAU Drive (staying away from the ORAU parking lot as Spotter and I were told not to use it without permission).

Partner up for Doras to work on the following:

  • 45 burpees
  • 45 BBS
  • 45 lunges (2-ct)
  • 45 squats
  • started on merkins until time.

Partner runs up K-2(5): 1st time – sprint up, mosey down; 2nd time – bear crawl up, mosey down; 3rd time – bernie up, mosey down. Rinse and repeat until all exercises are complete.

MARY:
The usual: flutter kicks, Freddy Mercury, box-cutters – until time

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
7 HIMS worked on The Project today and got it DONE: Erector, Trolley, Rocket, Samaritan, Archie, FNG – Kick-flip (WELCOME), and Snaggletooth

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Turned 45 this weekend and feeling it! But we’ve found a way to renew our strength – even in old age!

He energizes those who get tired,
    gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
    they walk and don’t lag behind. (Isaiah 40:30-31, MSG)

MOLESKIN:
Make time – take time – spend time waiting/hoping/trusting in the Lord. Not multitasking our quiet time. Solid, one-on-one time with HIM. And you’ll find you have the strength for everything you are called to.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Hardship Hill and Abridged

Wallz ‘n’ Crawlz

THE SCENE: Warm enough that it’s not cold, but also cool enough that it’s not hot. Clear enough that it’s not cloudy.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x25 IC
Cherry Pickers x8 IC
Travoltas x10 each side
Mtn Parkers x15 IC
AGT (AKA Failure to Launch) xLucky7
Crabettes x15 IC

THA-THANG:
Grab a handful of cones and mosey to the main quad.
One hand and one leg up on the wall, 20x merkins OYO.
Mosey to the covered entry, bear crawl down the stairs, then mosey around up the ramp and back to the wall.
Other hand and other leg up on the wall, 20x more merkins OYO
Repeat mosey

Now that everyone is familiar with the running portion, partner up for Dora-style:
50 8-Count Body Builders
100 6″ LBCs
150 Star Jacks
Running partner hops over the wall slalom style between about 6 cones set up on the wall, then bear crawl the stairs and back
Plank for the 6 when reps complete

Mosey to the back of the maintenance building for Rock the Block Merkins:
Plank up on 2 landscape CMUs. Follow Q instructions on rocking the block to rest on various faces, with a merkin after each rock.
30 CMU curls
30 CMU Tri-ext
20 CMU Squats

Mosey back to the AO, stopping about halfway for 20x BBS OYO

MARY:
Got a little time for the old gal.
30x Flutter Kicks IC
20x LBCs IC
15x Side Crunch each side IC

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 PAX for the beatdown proper, plus a few more snagged some ruckin’ miles and made it to the AO just in time for the word
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
John 21
So, everyone knows today is the day after Easter. What did the disciples do after the resurrection? Kinda looks like they just sat around waiting for Jesus to show up and tell them what to do. In the meantime, I guess they got bored because Peter said, “Hey, I’m going fishing”. He did something. Something good, something positive, and it sound like he put his heart into it. BUT, as soon as he realized the Lord was the one calling from the shore, he dropped the good thing he was doing, stripped off anything that would hinder, and went hard after Jesus. If you’re not sure what to do, what you’re being called to, be patient, do good, and do it with all your heart as to the Lord. But don’t get so caught up in doing that you miss His call when it comes!
MOLESKIN:
What a morning… 12 PAX for the Elevation Challenge, 13 for the beatdown! Three weirdos killed the ruck so bad, they had time to finish a yoga routine, then get all cold and stiff before the beatdown…
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Abridged – Thursday May 9th – Proceeds to OEW. Come out and support wounded veterans!

Cogs in the Wheel

THE SCENE: Misty, in 40’s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side Straddle Hops, 15 Plank Jacks, 10 Windmills, 10 Rockettes, 10 Cherry Pickers
THA-THANG:
Mosey to parking lot near entry to northern ball fields.  We will split into partners of two men each to do Doras.  One partner will Bernie Sanders to cone, then sprint to end of parking lot.  At end of parking lot he does two burpees.  He then does Bernie Sanders to cone and sprints back.  Meanwhile, the other partner is working on exercises with CMU’s.  The exercises are the following

  • 100 Overhead Presses
  • 100 Curls
  • 100 Rows
  • 100 Squats with CMU at chest area

Mosey to beginning of Serpentine Sidewalk located between north ball fields and outdoor chapel.  We will do 14’s (do listed exercise for one light then run for four lights) to where sidewalk hits perimeter trail or from perimeter trail back to roadway if it is next exercise on list).  We will do three exercises and, therefore, will end at perimeter trail.  All men who finish first on any exercise and run will do baby crunches until last man arrives.  Here are the exercises:

  • Bear Crawl
  • Hops
  • Lunges

When we are through with above we will do 20 Hello Dollies (four count) as a group.

Mosey on perimeter trail to cardiac hill.  At cardiac hill we will run up hill doing the following exercises at each turn:

  • Turn 1:  20 American Hammer
  • Turn 2:  20 Big Boy Sit Ups
  • Turn 3:  20 Decline Merkins
  • Turn 4:  20 Bench Raises

Rinse and Repeat

Mosey to bottom of mini-cardiac.

We will do 20 Merkins at bottom of mini-cardiac, then run up and do 20 Carolina Dry Docks by gate.  Rinse and repeat.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
20 Flutter Kicks (four count); 15 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1); stretch of each leg and slow toe touches, slow back bends.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
12 Men, no FNG’s.  Finger Paint was with us but has yet to be tagged for the post.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM

God had created each one of us as special, unique individuals.  As the apostle Paul claims, we each have individual gifts.  But he also remarks that these individual gifts we have serve the whole community.  In this way, we are all part of the body of Christ.

From 1 Corinthians 12:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[d] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts,[e] yet one body.

There is a song by the group Fleet Foxes that I particularly enjoy.  It is called Helplessness Blues.  Here are the lyrics in the beginning of the song:

I was raised up believing I was somehow unique
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see
And now after some thinking, I’d say I’d rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me.

We are each of us unique.  Each one of us is different – in body size, strength and endurance levels; in age; in the backgrounds we come from; in the types of jobs we have; in our politics; in our dreams for the future.  But as the great poet John Donne proclaimed, “No man is an island unto himself.”  We have a need for our fellow man.  And when united together, we give service to something that is greater than ourselves.  I often feel that with the men of F3.  It is sometimes difficult to put into words.  But by getting up in the morning to be here with my friends, my brothers, I am not only serving myself but something beyond myself – something that brings me, brings each of us, closer to what God created us for – and, therefore, closer to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Hardship Hill in May!