F3 Knoxville

Tag: Brick

Giving Thanks… and no Beaver Moon!

THE SCENE: Cold, low 40s, fairly calm and clear, but the hallowed Beaver Moon didn’t make an appearance, to everyone’s disappointment.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check.


WARM-O-RAMA:

– Motivators 7 count decreasing

– 10 Cherry Pickers (4-ct), in cadence (aborted this exercise due to mumblechatter around 6 or so…)

– 10 Rockettes (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 Grady Corns  (4-ct), in cadence

– Calf stretches

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Caribbean Parking Lot

  • NO MERCY MILE (really more like a half mile)
    • Near end: Bear Crawl around turn
    • Run to ½ way point. 25 Merkins. Run to curve
    • Far End: Lunges around turn
    • Sprint to ½ way point. 25 Squats. Run to Curve.
    • Rinse and Repeat.

Mosey to open air Chapel

  • AMRAPS
    • 30 sec dips, rest 10 sec. R&R x4
    • 30 sec incline merkins, rest 10 sec R&R x4
    • 30 sec isometric squats (alternating), rest 10 sec R&R x4

Mosey to east down path towards the bottom of Cardiac.  At intersection, 20 American Hammers (4-ct)

Mosey to bottom of Cardiac.  20 Imperial Walkers (4-ct)

  • Cardiac Crusher
    • Run to first curve and back, 20 flutter kicks (2-ct)
    • Run to second curve and back, 20 flutter kicks (2-ct)
    • Run to top, stop at each turn to do 10 merkins, 10 squats, and 10 BBS

Mosey to AO

MARY:
Homer/Marge leg raises

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 strong
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Thanksgiving:

Back in 1620, 102 separatists Christians left Europe and came to America via a little boat called the Mayflower.  The first years in America were very hard, and about half the population died within the first several months.  They likely all would have died without the help of the Native Americans, who provided food and taught them how to grow crops.  They celebrated the harvest the following year, in 1621, with Thanksgiving. The celebration lasted 3 days. Thanksgiving was only sporadically celebrated until 1789 when George Washington called for it to be a recurring celebration.  Even then, it still didn’t totally catch on until 1941, when FDR and Congress declared it a national holiday.  Why is it so tough to celebrate Thanksgiving?  We seem to want to skip over it it and move right from Halloween to Christmas.  If you’re cynical, maybe it’s because there’s no money in Thanksgiving?  Not as many cards, gifts, and promotional events…Except for the Macy’s parade, and for that everyone is just waiting for Santa at the end.

But there is a human need to give Thanks.  One of the first things parents teach their children is to say Thank You (when handing a young child something…: “What do you say? What do you SAY??”).  Giving Thanks is important because it interrupts the Self, recognizes the Other in our life.  We value that other.  We have an imperative and a need to give Thanks to those we have relationships with.  And who or what is the primary relationship in our life?  It’s God, and we need to give Thanks to God.  Giving Thanks reminds us that we are recipients, not creators.  It allows us a moment to pause and count our blessings.  STEAM recently posted a message in Sticky Notes Channel: “GAS PRICES ARE HIGH, THIS SUCKS” VS “I WAS ABLE TO FILL UP MY CAR WITH GAS. THANK YOU JESUS.” What a great perspective for the week of Thanksgiving.

I love the line from the song Signs that was sung by Tesla and written by Five Man Electrical Band… “Thank you Lord, for thinking about me, I’m alive and doing fine.”

Here’s what I think.  I think we need to build a world that strips out the biases and fear of other religions, other cultures, other world views and focuses on the basics.  Love God, Love your Neighbor.  Easy Peasy.  Right?  Wrong.  It’s simple, but it’s not easy.  How do we do that? Giving Thanks can be a great place to start and get beyond the differences.  Seek first the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God is love, generosity, thankfulness, and justice.  That is how we live in that Kingdom.  This is what was in the heart of the Pilgrim’s journey. To be a loving, generous, and thankful community.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Steam’s mom who has COVID, for other friends and family members going through illness or trials.  Prayers for the victims of the Waukesha driving calamity.  Prayers for our nation as tensions rise and the Enemy tries to divide and discourage us.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Christmas party Dec. 11!

Getting Uncomfortable

THE SCENE: Rainy day, but skies cleared by start of Q as temperatures started to drop
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20x Side straddle hops, Cherry Pickers, 15x Moroccan Bightclubs, Tempo Squats and Little of this and that

THA-THANG:
The grass was wet, but we hit it early anyway

  • Straight to the bottom of Pickett’s Charge for a Pickett’s Charge Suicide run.
    • 5 merkins at the bottom each time back, 1st tier 5 Prisoner Get-ups, 2nd tier 5 Imperial Walkers and 3rd trip all the way up to the Coliseum and stayed there
  • Coliseum, under the string lights. A little back and forth.
    • One side under the lights, lunges to each pole and 10 Big Boys at each of the 4 stops, run back to the other side
    • Other side is bear crawls to each pole with 10 squats at each stop then run back to first side and rinse and repeat each side twice to finish up
  • Mosey to the light pole at the base of the Haslam Rock. Route 66 heading towards the rest rooms downhill. 11 light poles adding 1 merkin each stop to 11 lights.
  • After gathering ourselves we wandered to the adjacent parking lot across the street from the Cloud and ran 2 Karaoke runs the full length of the lot switching sides halfway each run and sprinting back to the beginning
  • Slosey to the base of mini-Cardiac hill where we did 5 Burpees before a Bernie to the sign a bit more than halfway up and then sprinted to the top. Followed by a run back to the AO for circle time and a couple minutes of stretching

MARY:
Just a few leg stretches to finish off the last 2 minutes
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Spoke of a retired Marine friend of mine who has spent the last half year getting himself into uncomfortable positions talking to those less fortunate than us on the streets of Tampa and befriending them to know their stories and helping them out as much as he can. He related getting uncomfortable to the November tradition of men growing facial hair and how that can remind those that do that to embrace getting uncomfortable and seeking to find hard truths during the month. That is a great lead in to Thanksgiving week where we then express thanks for what all we have, which then leads to December where you can better target giving and gifts and the great holiday spiritual journey ties up nicely in January where you can then find a way to better yourself with a resolution for the New Year. Don’t coast through the holidays, grow through them.

MOLESKIN:
The Q started tough and didn’t let up, but our 10 hung tough.

We also welcomed an FNG tonight. Welcome to @Moneyball

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Announcement on the upcoming F3 Christmas party on Dec 11

Spooky Tabata Skeletons

THE SCENE: Wet but no rain; a perfect 50’s kind of fall morning; a few puddles to play in (at your own volition)
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH (IC) x 20; Frankenstein-in-place (OYO) x 10; Werewolves (OYO) x 10; Shoulder Smash = 4ct Seal, Overhead, BAC-F, and BAC-R without rest x 10 each; Michael Phelps
THA-THANG:

Mosey to lot by CMU pile; 11’s warmup between two parking spots; Merkins – Lunge to other side – Squats – Bear Crawl back

Grab a CMU and head to lower lot corner by chains for some Tabata-inspired pain loops; Perform selected exercise for 45 seconds, Run a lap, rest for 15 seconds, rinse and repeat; Exercises by round = 1) CMU Curls, 2) Modified Creapees on CMU or curb, 3) Frankenstein-in-place hold CMU like a Zombie, 4) Monkey Humpers, 5) Kraken Burpees, and 6) Mother Earth Merkins

Stash those CMU’s and fellowship mosey back to AO – talk to a HIM you don’t know as well, ask their hospital name, where they are from originally, and how many years in F3.

MARY:

Bloody Mary Circle of Fun: 10 of each – 4ct Box Cutters, Merkins, SSH (led by @pool boy), Howler Circle (Monkey Humpers for a bit), 4ct Hello Dollies

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
10 experienced HIMs

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
From Q Source:

“The Pursuit Of Proper Personal Alignment – A man must Get Right before he can do anything else

To understand the Get Right, picture a man vigorously rowing a boat across a fast moving stream. If it suddenly capsizes so that the keel is skyward, the man would have to right it–return it to its upright position–before he could continue rowing. Until he did that he could not make headway against the current and get his boat to the far bank. At best, he would be simply trying to survive, clinging to his capsized boat as it was pushed by the current to points unknown downstream.

Now apply this image to the life of a man. If he has become (or always was) un-Right, he cannot make headway in any aspect of his life. The fast moving current of his surrounding circumstances will sweep him yon while he clings desperately to the hull of his overturned boat. Worse, his Concentrica –the passengers that he is charged to bring safely to the far bank–will be right there in the water with him, helpless because their husband, father and boss can do little more than focus on his own survival. Before he can help them, or himself, he has to Right his boat.”

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

  • A man must Get Right before he can do anything else
  • An unfit man is a slave to his lack of self-control
  • To be able to help others, a man must first help himself

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
2nd F Coffeteria after workout at Dunkin (every Friday)

Mini Seabiscuit at Asylum

THE SCENE: Mostly sunny ,slight breeze, low 80’s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH 33 IC

Cherry Pickers 20 IC

Michael Phelps  OYO

Baby Arm Circles – Up 10 IC

Baby Arm Circles – Down 10 IC

Merkins – 10 OYO

THA-THANG:

Partner Up, Grab your CMU

Mosey to south stop sign at “Y

Do 33 CMU curls

Mosey to Lower Gravel Loop

Each Team of 2 selects 1 or 2 exercises from following list:

SSH

Iron Mike

Merkins

CMU Overhead Press

CMU Curl

CMU Row

Squat

Jump Squat

BBS

4 ct American Hammers

Hello Dolly

Grady Corn

Bobby Hurley

Squat Jack

The Combined count of reps between the one or two exercise must add up to 33

For example, each person on the team does 33 reps. of chosen 1 exercise, or they each do 16 of one and 17 of another. Or 30 of one and 3 of another, etc. Must add up to 33

Do set of exercise, then run as follows:

1 lap, exercise, 2 laps, exercise, 3 Laps, exercise, 4 laps, exercise, 3 laps, exercise, 2 laps, exercise, 2 laps (goal is to complete 18 laps)

Mosey Back to stop sign at “Y”, do whatever set of 33 exercises you were doing at seabiscuit

Mosy Back to AO

MARY:
Insert information about any additional post-THANG work (if applicable).
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
19 HIMs total
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Life is tough and full of unexpected challenges. We can be better prepared to face life’s challenges if we take control (the best we can) and make a plan. Of course, situations change and we may not follow our plan, but we are certainly better prepared when we do have a plan. Tonight my plan seemed simple (I had planned 18 laps plus mosey distance for everyone at a reasonable pace) to end up at 3.3 miles. I chose 33 because my late son Grady’s (F3 Quikrete) 33rd birthday was 10/17. We didn’t quite hit 3.3 miles but we got close. Situations usually never go as planned, but plans are invaluable.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

Repeat It ’til You Believe It

THE SCENE: Very cloudy, temp in high 60s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, 15 Side-Straddle-Hops, 10 Imperial Walkers, 10 Windmills, Leg Stretches, Michael Phelps, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Stop Sign at Northeastern Corner of Admin Bldg.  Do 20 Hello Dollies.

Next we will go from Cone to Cone along the road that semi-circles around the Admin Bldg.  We will do the following at each Cone:

  • Cone 1.  Do 20 Squat Jumps.  Then, Bernie Sanders to Cone 2.
  • Cone 2.  Do 20 Merkins. Then, Skip to Cone 3.
  • Cone 3.  Do 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  Then, Bear Crawl to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4.  Do 20 Star Jumps.  Then, Sprint to Cone 5.
  • Cone 5.  Do 20 Squats.  Then Lunge to Cone 6.
  • Cone 6.  Do 20 Bobby Hurleys.  Then run to Cone 7.
  • Cone 7.  Do 20 Dive Bombers, 30 Calf Raises, 40 LBC’s, 30 Bicycle Kicks, 20 Iron Mikes (2 count), 20 Shoulder Taps (2 Count), Rinse and Repeat.

Mosey to main roadway and approach Lyon’s Bend Gate.  Turn left on little road that is close to Power Bldg.  We will do split into teams of two and do Doras.  While partner runs to end of roadway, does one burpee and runs back the other partner does exercise.  Each team will complete the following exercises:

  • 100 Merkins
  • 100 Big Boy Sit-ups
  • 100 American Hammers (2 count)
  • 300 Baby Crunches

Mosey to Area 51.  Then, we will run up hill to roadway where it turns toward Admin Bldg.  First arriving do Baby Crunches until everyone is there.

Mosey to Bat Feeder. Line up on street and sprint back to parking lot. Then go to AO.

MARY:
20 Flutter Kicks
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

For those of you who read the bible, have you noticed how many lines, particularly in the Psalms, are repeated again and again.  A fellow in my church, Britton Sharp, who does quite a bit of religious study, informed me that one reason why followers often repeated lines was that they felt they should repeat it until they believed it.  They recognized that humans, unlike God, are fickle creatures, subject to whim and inconsistency.  We may believe something one moment and change the next day.  For us humans, our beliefs, our faith, our love is subject to change.  This can particularly happen during difficult times.

Almost every parent has heard their children say at some time in their life, “I hate you.”  Good parents know that is not the case.  Their child may be upset and angry at them.  In that moment they may hate their parents.  But deep down they still love them.  They still need them.  And, over time, when they have had time to cool off or when things settle down, their faith and belief in their parent is restored.

As a therapist, I have often seen spouses say, “I no longer love my wife” or “I no longer love my husband.”  In some cases that is true.  But in most cases, if that very spouse whom they say they no longer love were to leave them, they would go nuts.  They would ache and yearn for the spouse to come back.

I am a Christian.  But my faith in God, unfortunately, can vary.  This is true for all Christians.  Look at Christ’s disciples.  When Christ was taken to be executed, all of his disciples ran, they lost faith.  Even Peter, who said he would never turn against Christ, denied him three times when he was being hung on the cross.  Knowing that our beliefs are subject to change, knowing the fickle creatures we are, I think it is a good idea to repeat verses again and again.  On some days we will believe them more than others.

I encourage you, this week, to find a bible verse and commit it to memory.  Say it again and again during your days of the week.  A bible verse I want to repeat this week is from Psalm 121:

 From where does my help come?
 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

My belief in that verse will likely vary during the week.  But, the idea is to repeat it until I believe it.

MOLESKIN:
Prayer for Junk’s wife who is going for check up one year after cancer treatment. Prayer of praise for Emoji getting his CPA license today and for Pele who was able to workout today after injuring his knee on Monday at softball.