F3 Knoxville

You Are Already There

THE SCENE: You Are Already There
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Jog around the lot, 20 Side-Straddle Hops, 15 Shoulder Taps, 10 Rockettes, 5 Cherry Pickers, 5 Windmills, Michael Phelps, A Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Men split up into teams of two.  We will go to parking lot across the street.  Each team gets two bricks.  Mosey with bricks to the Caribbean parking lot.

Team runs together around parking lot stopping at every two islands.  At each island each partner does five mini-man-makers with bricks.  While one partner does the five mini-man-makers the other partner does five shoulder taps (both shoulders = 1).

Next, we will do Doras with the bricks.  While one partner runs to the cone which is about 40 yards away, the other does the exercises with the bricks.  Then partners switch.  Each team does the following exercises:

  • 100 Overhead Presses
  • 100 Curls
  • 100 Rows
  • 100 Punches with each hand
  • 100 Wings Up
  • 100 Wings Out
  • 100 Winds Down

Mosey back to the shaded parking lot to drop off the bricks.

Mosey up Mini-Cardiac and then go on perimeter trail to the stop sign at road that lead to Admin Bldg. We will do 20 American Hammers in cadence.

Mosey to bottom of Mt. Everest.  We will do the following exercises before running to the top of the Space Needle, then back to the portion of the road in front of the Admin Bldg Parking Lot.

  • 20 Hello Dollies
  • 20 Flutter Kicks
  • 40 Little Baby Crunches

Mosey from Admin Parking Lot to Front Porch of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 Calf Raises on steps then run counter-clockwise on loop that goes through Coliseum Area.  On the benches in that area we will do 20 Bench Lifts.  Then we will continue to run counter-clockwise around the loop and go back to porch.  Rinse and Repeat.

Mosey to AO

MARY:
Bernie and Skip Around the Parking Lot.  Ten Jump Squats.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
17 Men with one FNG whom we dubbed, “Britches.”
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
You Are Already There

“Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely. … He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken.”
― Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Life is a journey.  In that journey, men tend to live it like a quest.  The quest is the prize and we are always yearning for something more.  And, we tend to tie our self-concept into it.  That quest can be a good thing.  We tend to grow along the way.  But if that quest is not for God, we fall short.  We get that worldly thing but will always yearn for something more.  More money, a better job, a bigger home, a faster car.  Further, if we tie our self-concepts into that quest, we are deceived.  Are egos grow too big if we attain the worldly goal or we look at ourselves as failures if we don’t attain it.

Stop to think about life’s purpose.  What are we living for?  What is it that we are supposed to attain in this life.  Brothers, what if we are already there?  What if God loves us completely, just as we are.  What if we don’t have to win the prize, set the high mark, achieve some kind of standard to have God love us to the very depth of our being?  God loves us despite our flaws.  God keeps no record of being wronged by us.  God is patient, is kind, and never gives up in us, is always hopeful for us, enduring every one of our circumstances and human failures.

If we have that kind of love, we can be satisfied with what we have and who we are.  I don’t need the fast car, the mansion on the hill, to eat at the best restaurants.

Having that kind of love, knowing that whatever I do, that I am always favored by God and I am never seen as a failure in his eyes – that gives me the confidence to go out and take risks.  Knowing that should give us brothers the confidence to try, fail, and try again.  For we may fail, but we are not failures.  God is with us.  He loves us to the end.  We may never achieve our worldly quests.  We may fall short of getting that job we want, buying the house we hope for, earning the type of money to give our wives and children the things we long to give them.  But we have already attained our heavenly quest.  God is there with us already.  And if we trust in that, even if we die tomorrow, we have achieved our prize.

MOLESKIN:
Praise for Swimmies who has a daughter due to be born and house about to be closed on for the same day.  Prayers for those who are ill or shut in, including Steam’s mother who recently contracted Covid.  Fortunately, she is doing well.  Prayers for all those who are traveling at Thanksgiving.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Christmas Party at Judge Judy’s home on December 11.  Thanksgiving workout at Asylum will be at 7 am this Thursday.  Asylum and Asylum PM will combine for that workout.

34 and On a Birthday Q

THE SCENE: Not as chilly as it could be. 

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Done and Done. Lots of chatter during this, mostly from the lawyer in the group.

WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH IC x34; LBAC IC x17 EWay; Tempo Squat x10; Tempo Merk x10; Butt Kicks; High Knees

THA-THANG:

Route 66 

  • Captain Thor 1:2 ratio every other light for 10 sets 

Mosey to Everest and go up it

Mosey with wet shoes to the Coliseum 

Ghostman Baseball 

  • First → 10 Merkins 
  • Second → 10 Squats 
  • Third → 10 Should taps 
  • Home → 4 Burpees 
    • 1 group goes to 1st and back while the other does ab work; switch
    • Repeat adding a base and an exercise returning back down the bases 
    • Q led one group through ab work
    • Choir Boy (the inventor of Ghostman Baseball) led the other group

Long Mosey to Circus Maximus 

Circus Maximus

  • Blindside’s Fellowship Biscuit  (PAX stays together, once 6 starts the ab work; Q starts the 10 count)
    • Lap → 34 Merkins → Hello Dolly 
    • Lap → 34 Squats → Flutter Kicks
    • Lap → 34 4 ct. SSH → Freddie Mercury

Return to AO 

MARY:

Stretching out the legs after (almost 3.4 miles) a lot of moseys 

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

17 HIMs; 1 FNG; Welcome “Bag-Daddy,” a double respect HIM who also happens to be Blindside’s own dad! 

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Luke 13:8-9 … Parable of a fig tree not bearing fruit. 3 years without fruit? The owner of the vineyard wanted to cut it down, it was wasting space. The steward pleads by saying he will dig around it, fertilize it, and tend to it more. If we want the fruit of God’s presence in our lives, then we must continually choose to make our hearts a fruitful garden in which the virtues of God grow and are nourished in abundance. 

Today is my birthday. I signed up for this Q several months ago when I learned that Birthday-Qs were a thing. It took me a while to remember that by performing a Birthday-Q, I would be publicizing my birthday. For most of my adult life, I have hated celebrating my birthday. I had several poor birthday experiences in a row during college and felt like it was always a burden on others like I didn’t want to be let down. I have gone so far as to ask my M to cancel a surprise party she was planning for me a couple of years ago because I didn’t want to celebrate. 

What I have learned recently is that by acting this way, by acting like I don’t want to be celebrated, I am actually taking away others’ ability to celebrate me. I love celebrating others and I am taking that joy away from the people that mean the most to me in my life. I thought I was being humble and not a bother to those around me, but in actuality, I was being selfish and hurtful to my family, my friends, and all those in my life that care about me. 

Don’t be selfish, ya’ll. It’s a bad look. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Coats for the Cold: Donate coats for KARM now through November 13th. 
  • Brovember Challenge: F3Knoxville’s November Challenge. Sign-up on Slack. Slack channel “brovember2021” 

 

Q101 + GrowSchool

F3 Q101 + GrowSchool

  • 9.25.21
  • 0700-0900
  • AO: Asylum

[ The Scene ]

Dark. Chilly. Foggy. The creaks and moans of men arriving are accompanied by the wake up calls of Creation.

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness-Fellowship-Faith
  • My name is Steam and I am honored to be your Q this morning
  • This will be a Q101 + GrowSchool:
    • Q101:
      • For the next 60 minutes, we will be doing a Q101 — walking through how to lead an F3 workout with tips and tricks along the way. If you haven’t led an F3 workout yet — you have what it takes to lead. This will be a great learning experience and catalyst for your leadership.

      • For those of you that have led an F3 workout, this is not a time to coast, but a time to work and sharpen your skills.
    • GrowSchool: An intentional time of leadership development in the form of an extended BOM after the Q101.

5 Principles of an F3 Workout:

  • Be free of charge
  • Be open to all men
  • Be held outdoors, rain or shine, heat or cold
  • Be led by men who participate in the workout in a rotating fashion, with no training or certification necessary
  • End with a Circle of Trust

Many of these seem self-explanatory but can get lost in the moment:

  • Start on time. Wear a watch. End on time.
  • Be prepared for your lead to be more strenuous physically than you think.  Counting cadence while you exercise can make it harder to breathe.
  • Remember you have help. If for any reason you want someone to grab a part of the workout even while you are out there, speak up.
  • When you screw up or fail, keep calm and drive on… count louder and push forward. As Dredd says, “When falling, dive!”
  • Every man thrashed, no man left behind. To promote “you versus you” but also to keep the PAX together, offer extra credit to the frontrunners via burpees, planks, merkins, etc.
  • Don’t take unnecessary risks or do stupid stuff. The Pax is looking for leadership and will follow often before thinking if they’re getting a great workout.
  • If your region has the Q do the shoutout, think of CoT words in advance.
  • HAVE FUN. F3 groups are always supportive of new Qs. We love to see new people stepping up.

Disclaimer and Notice — From f3nation.com

“F3 Nation, Inc. (“F3”) is a peer-led, zero-cost non-profit workout group. F3 makes no representations with regard to the skill level of workout leaders, the safety of the exercises performed during workouts or the hazardousness of the premises upon which workouts are conducted. The men who lead F3 workouts are not paid to do so and no representations of any kind are made by F3 about their skill level. The premises upon which F3 workouts are conducted are not owned or maintained by F3. F3 makes no representations of any kind regarding their safety. Although F3 workouts vary widely in intensity, all F3 workouts tend to be rigorous and are undertaken upon uneven ground during periods of limited visibility. Therefore, there are certain dangers inherent in participating in an F3 workout. Participants must be 18 or older and are assumed to have made their own reasonable decision as to whether they should so participate. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a father or male legal guardian. F3 disclaims any and all responsibility for any individual’s decision to participate in an F3 workout. By participating in an F3 workout, an individual assumes the risks inherent in doing so. This Disclaimer and Notice is made by F3 on its own behalf and on the behalf and for the benefit of any person leading an F3 workout and/or otherwise acting for the benefit of F3.”

  • Another and way easier of saying this is:
    • Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith
    • My name is Steam and I’ll be your Q this morning
    • Few things before we begin:
      • I’m not a professional
      • You’re here on your own volition
      • You know your body better than anyone, so if you need to modify anything we do this morning, feel free to do so, but push yourself and the men around you — they deserve it and so do you.
  • FNGs? — always check for FNGs. This helps with identifying them to the PAX so they can help them throughout the Q.

[ Warm o Rama ]

Think of muscles like taffy… when cold, snapping happens easier. When warm, nice and smooth.

This is probably the trickiest part for new Qs. Calling Cadence in the F3 style serves a number of purposes:

  • Creates rhythm which distracts the mind from the task at hand
  • Builds teamwork by synchronizing PAX and creating focus
  • Not knowing the number of reps discourages budgeting of effort; you get used to going as long as you have to
  • Cadence
    • “The next exercise is…” [pause] “Side Straddle Hop!” (or name of other exercise)
    • “Starting Position…” [pause] “Move!”
    • “In Cadence…” [pause] “Exercise!” (begin count 1..2..3)
  • There is not a magic # to hit for how many reps you should do. You’re the Q, you choose the # of reps. But be strategic in this effort as well (i.e. not leading 300 squats right out of the gates)
    • SSH: 25×4 IC
    • Rockette: 20×4 IC
    • Squat: 15×4 IC
    • Baby Arm Circles: 10×4 IC (B and F)
    • Merkins: 5×4 IC

For how to lead a cadence — see here: https://youtu.be/xRTitxnE-mI

[ The Thang ]

KISS = Keep It Simple Superstar

If you’re a planner, “schedule” more exercises than there is workout time. Time will pass faster than usual, most likely.

Usually you’ll want something that’s a time-eater after a warm-up, search for “routine” in the exercise DB and remember the “pearls on a string” concept. You stop, do something, run to another place, so something else.

(1) 4 Corners

  • 2 Points of contact
    • Parking Lot Corners (4)
    • Pavilion
  • Parking Lot Corners: 10 squats
  • Pavilion: 10 incline merkins
  • Run down to the pavilion, do our 10 incline merkins, and come back up here to 1 of the corners and execute our 10 squats. We will rinse and repeat that process until we hit all 4 corners up here.
  • Recover up here in the parking lot after you finish your 4th corner — merkin plank

(20 seconds and talk)

(Mosey to Cardiac Hill)

(2) SlingShot

  • Battle buddy up
  • 3 points of contact
    • Top
    • 1st curve
    • Bottom (light post)
  • The exercises for cardiac hill is the big boy sit-up + mountain climber
  • One battle buddy will run from the top to the 1st curve — execute 10 big boy sit-ups while battle buddy #2 is at the top executing mountain climbers.
  • Once battle buddy #1 is is done with his 10 BBS at the 1st curve, he will come back to the top and now both battle buddies are running to the 1st curve.
  • This time, the BB that was doing the mountain climbers the first time will run from the 1st curve to the bottom and execute 10 BBS, while the other BB stays at the 1st curve and executes mountain climbers.
  • Once his BBS are complete, he will come back to the 1st curve and BOTH BB will run to the bottom and execute 10 BBS and 10 mountain climbers on a 4 count together.
  • Both BB are going down cardiac, but taking turns being the slingshot

(20 count and talk) — Pause for the Cause

  • Huge learning experience with this
  • The failure or success of an F3 workout is ultimately on the Q and his communication and leadership.
  • Halfway through the “Slingshot” workout, it became clear that there was a miscommunication between the Q and the PAX.
  • This is on the Q. Let me say this again — this is on the Q.
  • The Q circled everyone back together and restated the instructions of the workout and the PAX completed the workout all together until the end.
  • After a 20-count, the Q went through the above bullet points with the PAX — learning experience.

[ Mary ]

Post-beatdown, usually some core Xs or cool down, depending on the Q

Core 4

  • Flutter Kicks: 25

Run across the lot and back

  • LBCs: 25

Run across the lot and back

  • American Hammers: 25

Run across the lot and back

  • Cockroach: 25

Run across the lot and back

Stretching with Steam

  • Q led the PAX in light stretches to end the Mary portions before the COT.

Takeaway from the Q101:

HAVE FUN. F3 groups are always supportive of new Qs. We love to see new people stepping up.

[ COT ]

  • # off — start and finish with the same # of guys 
  • Name o Rama
    • Hospital name, age, F3 name
    • 50 = Respect
    • 60 = Double Respect
    • 70 = Triple Respect
    • 80+ = basically immortal
  • FNGs — none
  • BOM (GrowSchool)

The BOM is a time for the Q to share something that’s on his heart with the men. An encouraging quote, a motivational story, something from the Bible, as long as it is something positive, encouraging, and challenging to the growth of the PAX, that’ll do.

The Q shared a few points from the GrowSchool portion at the COT, and then the PAX converged to Coffeteria at Panera to continue.

Q Source: The F3 Manual of Virtuous Leadership

Foundation: Disruption

Socratic Qs // TPQs

  • What do leaders do?
  • What effect does leadership have on the status quo?
  • Is there a common characteristic shared by leaders who leave a legacy?

Disruption = a disturbance to the status quo

The connection between movement and leadership is critical because it presupposes a need for action, a recognition by the leader himself that that status quo is something less advantageous than some other place — a location the leader visualizes and then articulates to his followers.

Because it induces movement, leadership causes disruption, or a disturbance to the status quo.

If a man calls himself a leader but does not cause disruption by initiating movement, then he is not practicing leadership.

Like the agitator in a washing machine, leadership dislodges things long embedded in people’s emotional fabric.

A Leader is a person who influences movement to advantage.

A great leader’s legacy is built on love, because a great leader’s focus is always upon his followers rather than himself.

He views leadership as a craft that must be honed through continual study and application

It is their (the followers) advantage, not his (the leader’s) to which he initiated movement.

Takeaways

  • Leaders influence movement to advantage
  • Because it induces movement, leadership causes disruption
  • A great leader’s legacy is built on love

For everything about your first Q — check this out: https://f3nation.com/q101/

 

#NeverForget2021

[ The Scene ] 

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness/Fellowship/Faith
  • My name is Steam and I will be your Q this morning 
  • Few things before we begin:
    • I’m not a professional 
    • You’re here on your own volition – meaning you are here on purpose 
    • I don’t know any injuries you may or may not have so feel free to modify any of the exercises we do this morning as need be. 
    • FNGs? — No
    • I’m going to go back to the modify clause for a second.
      • Just because you can modify, is not an excuse to do so
      • Today is not the day to half-ass anything we do………
      • Here’s why: 20 years ago….
        • 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights
        • 2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning
        • 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift
        • 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for their morning patrol
        • 8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift
        • None of them saw past 10:00am on September 11th, 2001
        • #NeverForget

[ Warm o Rama ] 

SSH: 20×4 IC 

Merkin: 20×4 IC 

Squat: 20×4 IC

Imperial Walker: 20×4 IC

Mountain Climber: 20×4 IC

[ The Thang ] 

(The flag will always stay out front of us this morning)

(Mosey down to the bottom of Mini-Cardiac)

  1. Back Up Again
    • Battle Buddy teams of 4
    • 2 POCs (Points of Contact)
      • Bottom: SSHs
        • Execute 25 SSHs (1ct) and then hold the plank for 20 seconds until your team of 4 is recovered to go up top 
        • THE FLAG WILL ALWAYS GO TO THE TOP
      • Top: Merkins
    • In battle buddy teams of 4, farmers carry the 2 40lb Sandy’s up to the top — everyone executes 10 merkins (1ct)
    • Farmers carry back down to the bottom (other 2 in the battle Buddy team)
  • Rinse and repeat until every battle buddy group has gone up and executed merkins (550 —> 2 locations (275) —> 40 merkins

(Mosey to the bottom of Pickett’s Charge — WITH 2 40lb sandbags)

  1. Pre-Across and Up
  • 2 40lb sandbags 
  • 1 60lb sandbag
  • 2 120lb sandbags
  • 2 POCs
    • Sandys 
      • Rotate between 
      • Curls
      • Deadlifts 
      • Rows
      • Execute 10 reps (1ct) of one exercise and run across the field
    • Across the field 
      • Squats (10)
  • Once you complete your curls, deadlifts, and rows — pick someone who’s not done and run with them. Do not stay behind and do not hold a position here — pick up with someone 

(15 count) 

  1. Across and Up 
  • 2 40lb sandbags 
  • 1 60lb sandbag
  • 2 120lb sandbags 
  • Describe the situation 
  • Get in battle buddy teams of 2-4
  • Our mission is to get these items to safety across this field and up to the Colesium. 
  • When you can’t lift it anymore, your battle buddy should step in and help you carry it
  • Finish at the flat area of the bottom of the Coliseum
     
  • PAX say the pledge of allegiance and knock out some SSHs

(Movement to the bottom of Everest – battle buddy carries and drags the 2 120lb sandbags, 1 60lb sandbag, and 2 40lb sandbags)

  1. Up Everest 
  • with Sandys (gear) 
  • Flag up front always 
  • Plant it at the top
    • 25 SSHs
    • 25 Big Boy situps
    • 25 Merkins
    • 25 squats
  • Make our way back to the AO (flag out front)[ COT ]
    • # off 
    • Name o Rama 
    • FNGs
    • BOM

    Where was God?

Millions of people asked this question on this day 20 years ago, and years later as well. God where were you when those towers fell and these innocent people died?

He was right there with them. He was at the Pentagon, He was in those two towers, He was on Flight 93, and He was right there with them. 20 years later, as we honor the men and women and children and heroes that were killed on this day, we remember that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with us. We also remember that on that day and the days afterwards as well, something changed, even for a little bit –> faith, religion, politics, credence, country affiliation aside — we were reminded of our humanity. We were reminded that no matter what we call ourselves or how, we are all humans first and foremost.

So if you remember where you were that day, don’t forget your location – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And if you don’t remember where you were that day, ask someone who does.

And yet the question remains 20 years later — “God, where are you? Do you not see what’s happening in our world and country? Where are you?” Each man must wrestle with this question, daily. We must choose to see God and seek Him out. At our coffee shops, in our conversations, in our workouts, in our places of work, in our families, in our wife and children, in our friendships and relationships — He is there. I have a hunch that if you make the ask of “God where are you,” He will reveal himself in ways that only He can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Saturday AM @ Asylum – 7/17/21

THE SCENE: Mid-70s but humid
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Open circle, disclaimer, etc:

Single count 15 – side straddle hops

Cherry pickers

Baby arm circles

Rockettes

Little of this and that

5 Burpees and go…

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Caribbean

Caribbean Suicides (Or Old Rotary Phones, thanks Matlock)– go to island do exercise, run back to beginning and do 10 rocky balboas (each time) and then run to next island and do that exercise…etc, all the way until you complete the full loop.

1st island – 15 bobby hurleys

2nd – 15 no touch merkins

3rd – 15 flutter kicks – 2 count

4th – 15 big boys

5th – 15 wide merkins

6th – 15 lunges each leg

7th – 15 box cutters

(some covered around 2 miles total just on this section alone)

 

Route 66 from Caribbean to near Picketts

Exercise is merkins – start with one and every light pole add one up to 11

Mosey to Pickett’s rock pile

Battle buddies grab rocks to share or 2 rocks

One end, one buddy will start the following while other karaokes to other curb, does 10 side straddle hops and Bernies back

Shared exercises:

100 Curls

100 Overhead presses

100 Rows

100 Squats

Mosey to base of Pickett’s to do Pickett’s Charge Suicide

Each bottom – 5 burpees

Top of first tier – 10 imperial walkers 2 count

2nd tier – 10 prisoner getups

Run up to Coliseum, stay and do LBCs until 6 gets in

Mosey to AO

MARY:
Finished on time

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

19 men total, 1 FNG

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Word on the show Ted Lasso, explain new season coming out Friday

The show was initially thought of to be silly. I mean it was based off a commercial. Nobody saw critical praise as a possibility and so many people ended up loving the show.

Why was it so liked? Could have something to do with the characters, I will try to explain without major spoilers.

Main character overwhelmingly positive thinker, but is flawed. He is dealing with some life failings to the point of affecting him mentally and physically

A main female character starts out seeming to be negative, but you find out she has been emotionally abused by her ex-husband and ends up likeable.

A player on the team is a narcissist and disruptive, but you come to find out he has an abusive father and is not all bad either.

The greater point other than saying it is a good show and pumping up subscriptions for Apple TV is just that like the show itself and the characters on the show don’t be quick to judge people on first impressions, rumors, etc. Get to know a person before making that judgement.

MOLESKIN:
Welcome to FNG – Chiclets (Ryan McElveen)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Dad camp Aug 12-14 – CSAUP @ Dogpound Aug 21