F3 Knoxville

Tag: Base Salary

Carry me to the Cure

AO: shamrock
Q: slappy
PAX: Tinker, Eliza, Baby Boomer, Base Salary, Mermaid, Curveball, DeVito, Honeydew, Commission, Skidmark, Pom Pom (Grayson Vaughn), Toretto, Gringo, Smoked Pickle, Command Strip, Double Dribble, John Boat, Fudd
FNGs: 1 Fudd
COUNT: 20
WARMUP:
– projectovators
– arm circles (forward and back)
– a few burpees
– circle warm up run
– Grady Corns
– cherry pickers
– stretch (calf, runner, and whatever else)

THE THANG:
– We collected all of the rucks and sandbags that we had and moved to the football field end zone
– In the end zone we all came down with FMS (flutter merkin syndrome). This is a medical condition that causes a person to perpetually rotate between 10 merkins and 10 flutter kicks. The only antidote is located in the center of the field at the 50 yrd line. The problem is that you cannot move there yourself. You must be carried. It is a good thing that Mermaid wasn’t in the end zone and didn’t get sick. Once he received the antidote himself, he was able to return without fear of illness and (man) carry one of us to the antidote. Once healed we were also able to carry the afflicted and all of the gear to the antidote. Then we all came down with FBS (Freddy-Burpee Syndrome) where again we rotated between 3 burpees and 10 freddys. Good think that Gringo didn’t get it and was able to begin the carry to the cure. After that we succumbed to MHSS (monkey humper squat syndrome) where we rotated between 10 monkey humpers and 10 squats until saved. This time it was Skidmark that began hauling our butts to the cure. Finally we had a bout of BBSSHS (big boy side saddle hop syndrome). Our bodies convulsed into alternating 10 of each until saved. This time by Toretto. It was a scary day, but we all survived.

MARY:
– Hello Dollys
– Plank Jacks
– LBC

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– “Falcon Memorial Q” will be lead by Eliza on Monday
– Dragon Boat Race 6/15/24 – No cost, donation if you got it, just need some bros to help us win! see Honeydew for deets
– Thunderhead Challenge 5/18/24 – Hike up and down Thunderhead Mtn with your F3 Bros. Hosted by f3 Smokies.
– Hardship Hill 5/26/24 – 2 mile obstacle course on Memorial Day. Open to anyone. I’m gonna do it with my Daughter. Will you join my team?
– Sign up for a Q if you haven’t lead in the past 6 weeks.

COT:
– We can learn from our exercise today that it is a powerful thing to work together as a group with a common goal rather than OYO. It would have been pretty discouraging if you were tasked to man carry 19 other guys. It was actually pretty fun and went fast when we were working as a unit. (this was my mini COT that came to me during the workout)
– “Send Me” is our F3 region motto as well as the theme for the GTE 46 event that some of us did this past weekend. I’ve not really thought about it much until this past weekend. I thought it was more about the Davy Crockett / Volunteer / Alamo thing. No doubt that this is a central part but it is actually from Isaiah 6:8 where Isaiah is getting his commission from God to speak to his people. “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Was Isaiah perfect? No. But he was ready to to accept this assignment from God. No doubt that God has prepared him somewhat for the challenged before without Isaiah’s knowing though.
– What do you think God is preparing you for? Is there an assignment you need to take on? Are you willing to say “Send Me.” Be on the lookout for these things, because they are all around us. Some are big things like job, church, or family needs. Some maybe are not so big, but may be just as important…an encouraging word, a bit of charity, doing your tasks with integrity, asking forgiveness, being a peacemaker, being a pleasant coworker, etc.
– In all that you face know that you are being prepared for an assignment, be ready to say “Send Me”

When the SAINTS go marching in…

AO: shamrock
Q: Mermaid
PAX: Base Salary, Commission, Crawlspace, Gringo, Stitch, Eliza, slappy, Tinker, Mermaid
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
We carried heavy things today. I repurposed some statues that VOODOO kindly gave to me as a house warming gift. We marked out 1/10 of a mile around a parking area, and performed the following exercises while we carried the saints.
The goal was to start on opposite ends and carry items until you pass the other team.

Divide into two teams. Position each team on the opposite side of a loop. 1/10 mile
Carry the saint and a CMU with one team member while the remainer works through a list of exercises
Swap at every lap

The game ends when one team passes the other team

Grab a CMU and rotate through these exercises
Do them until your player gets back, they are the timer
Every 5 exercises performed meant we added weight, and by round three the weight was near 100lbs.

Saint only 35-40lbs
Merkins
Bench Press
Curls
Squats
Flutter Kicks
Saint and CMU 70-80lbs
Merkins
Bench Press
Curls
Squats
Flutter Kicks
Saint, CMU, RUCK 100-110 lbs
Merkins
Bench Press
Curls
Squats
Flutter Kicks

For the COT we discussed Mary Magdalen getting up early and being a spectator to the stone being rolled away from the tomb that denotes Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. She got up and went to the tomb and as a result, she was able to witness history. That stone was moving that day whether she was there or not. I think we can all apply this to our lives in some way. Events and good things are happening all around us, even at F3. These things will be there whether we attend or not, and it is up to us to be a part of things, or be present within our family. An example is tonight with Haw Ridge, or the upcoming GTE. I have serious FOMO about both events that I can’t fully attend. Great things will transpire and I am going to miss them. You have a choice, and if you can find a way to make these events happen, I am telling you that these are potentially life changing opportunities that you don’t want to miss. Maybe not stone rolling away from the tomb opportunities, but life changing non the less.

Shag Carpet Crawl

AO: shamrock
Q: Stitch
PAX: KickFlip, Curveball, Commission, Anchorman, Base Salary, Survivor, Guardrail, Wanderer, LeBling, Baby Boomer, The Situation, Swifty, Free Fall (Justin Whitaker), Honeydew, Mermaid, Eliza, Dumpster Dive (Brad Burnette), Stiff Arm (Devin Ware), Fab Five (Mark Tichon)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 20
WARMUP:
SSH
Tie Fighters
Tempo Squats
Imperial Walkers
Mountain Climbers

THE THANG:
Mosey w football to the Coupon pile
25 Merkins
25 OHP
25 Curls
25 Tricep Dips

Football mosey to football field

>From the endzone corner we will Lunge Walk to the Goal post and do 5 Burpees. Mosey to the far end (middle of the field) and then Bear Crawl to the next endzone corner. Will then do 5 Burpees, 25 Squats. Mosey back to the 1st corner endzone and then Lunge Walk to the next corner. 5 Burpees, 25 Squats, 20 Shoulder Taps, etc. Mosey, repeat…

After each lunge/crawl we add a set:
(5) Burpees,
(25) Squats,
(20) Shoulder Taps,
(15) SSH,
(10) Flutter Kicks – 4 ct.
(5) more Burpees to end.

Run the stairs on the last lap.

MARY:
Circle up for Mary (PAX callout):
Jane Fondas
Freddy Mercuries
Supermans
Hello Dolly

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Sign up for Haw Ridge (April 5)

COT:
50 Years!! – 1974 Fun Facts:

-Richard Nixon was president but resigned because of the Watergate scandal, and Gerald Ford became the 38th president.
-Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s HR record with #715.
– Speed limit was set to 55 MPH to help save on gas, which averaged $.53 per gallon.
– The average home price was $35,000 and rent was $150.
– Blazing Saddles was the top grossing movie, by Mel Brooks and Happy Days was new to TV.
– The Rubik’s Cube was introduced.
– You likely heard the phrase “Tastes great, Less filling!” – Miller Lite
– UPC barcodes were created and first used at supermarkets in Ohio.

If you were here at my last Q, about 3 weeks ago, you’ll remember that I talked about truth and the importance of grounding your life in objective, not subjective truth. Truth tells us something about the nature of reality, whether we believe that or not. Jesus was an example of truth, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”. Truth guides us in our faith. Not blind faith, but good reasons to know what to put our faith in.

It was a little more than 10 years ago that I began to reengage my faith. My Christian faith. I had been wandering away from God for some time. I was struggling as a young father, was in a difficult marriage, and in a challenging retail career. I needed some answers. I needed some direction. I needed some real brothers. And, I needed truth to be at the center of it all. I needed God.

So, I returned to church and I got plugged into a men’s group. It wasn’t just a “How was the game?” group, or “What kind of car do you drive?” group. It was real. It was connecting. It was hard. It made men open up and be vulnerable. It was life. It was true! It really saved me at a dark time in my life. Those men and that community.

Fast forward to 2021. My Christian faith had strengthened. My community life was also much stronger. But I was still a Sad Clown, in a few ways. My physical condition was not so great. I needed growth and strengthening in that area, as well. I had a close friend at church. Many of you know him as Guardrail and I’m thankful he’s here today. He was the one that first told me about F3. He told me about the nicknames, the 5:30 meetings (which I thought was crazy), and the community and leading that was taking place at F3. Often, when we were together, he would casually throw out a “you should come by F3 in the morning. Check it out”. It took awhile, but I finally showed up one morning. It just happened to be Booster’s 50th Birthday Respect Q. Guys showed up on a chilly April morning wearing button up shirts and ties to workout in the gloom. It was fun, and a bit festive… until we started the workout. And then I nearly died! KickFlip was there and he remembers how I struggled just to make it to from station to station of our 4 corner workout.

That brings me to today. I’m 50!

Have I finally figured out life? Nope.

Is life still hard and with struggles? Yep.

Do I still struggle with things I feel like I shouldn’t still struggle with? Yes, but fewer.

Do I have God back in my life? Yes!

Is goodness and truth present in my life? Yes!

Am I more physically fit and stronger today? Yes! In the best shape of my life and about 20 lbs lighter than I was when I showed up.

Do I have more than 10 men that I can call on when I am in those struggles and need someone to lean on? Yes! (By the way, there are very few men in our world who can say that).

Is my life more meaningful and richer today than it was when I was 40? Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt!
God, Truth, and F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, & Faith), are all a part of my life today and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

If you know someone that needs F3, give them a friendly nudge. We all know what this group means to us and what it can do for someone else. Thank you, ALL! I love you!

Go you Chicken Fat, Go!

AO: shamrock
Q: Eliza
PAX: Dumpster Dive, Base Salary, Curveball, Eliza, LeBling, Lizzy, Mermaid, Waxjob, Stitch
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
WARMUP: “Go you Chicken Fat Go!”- Robert Preston complete with exercises

THE THANG: Part I: Mosey to the Pavillion. Complete sets of 12,10,8,6,4,2 of Step Ups, Derkins, Dips

Part II: Grab 2 CMUs. Murder bunny Merkin 6 parking spaces. 25 bench press, 25 curls. Lunge walk back to first CMU. 25 American Hammers, 25 Flutters. Lunge walk back and repeat exercises. Farmer carry back and rack em.

Part III: Elevens- squats and iron mikes OR rocky balboas

MARY: hello dolly’s, snow angels, captain thors

ANNOUNCEMENTS: respect q Wednesday with Stitch

COT: Post downrange even if it’s locally.

Battleship at the Shammy

AO: shamrock
Q: KickFlip
PAX: Commission, slappy, LeBling, Oscar Meyer, Stitch, Gringo, Honeydew, Mermaid, Jardet, Anchorman, Eliza, Base Salary, Curveball, Crawlspace, Toretto, KickFlip, Snaggletooth (Elijah Tafao), Nutcracker (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 17
WARMUP: RFTS/LIH, Cherry pickers, TIE fighters, down dog, $tretch, merkins, mountain climbers, predator jacks, walking stretch kicks, walking fence steppers. Mosey to the big parking lot.

THE THANG:
Divide into two teams for Battleship. 5 sets of cones set out facing each other. Run and grab a tennis ball, sprint to your far side, sprint to a battle station and perform the exercise on the cardboard, fire your tennis ball at the other team’s ships. Repeat until one team sinks all of the other team’s ship.

Team 1 wins Round 1. Team 2 wins Round 2.

Teams hold plank while 1 man sprints to collect a tennis ball and comes back. First team to 17 balls is our winner.

MARY:
“Turn it Up” by Oh the Larceny. Burpee each time the song says “Turn it Up” – SSH the rest of the time. Crawlspace and Toretto finished and hereby join Erector in the PAX Hall of Fame as men who have completed this challenge!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mermaid’s home tonight, Rainbow Falls hike tomorrow, Mountain Biking AO launches Monday, Escape From Haw Ridge April 5th – details for all these are on Slack.

COT:
Tagged on to Crawlspace’s COT from Wednesday – specifically about having discipline over your thoughts.

Take every thought captive…and make it obedient to Christ… 2 Corinthians 10:5

Philippians 4:8
“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Let’s work to get really good at realizing when our thoughts are negative and we are daydreaming about guilt, mistakes, slights (real or imagined), and other unhelpful darkness where (whiny voice) “I’m the victim…” Let’s get good at shifting out of that mindset and into virtuous thinking. One of the best ways to shift from negative thinking to positive thinking is by expressing gratitude.