F3 Knoxville

Tag: Curveball

VQ for Honeydew

THE SCENE: Clear morning, low humidity, temp in the mid 60’s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER 

I’m not a professional

Modify your workout for your injuries

Keep social distancing in mind during the COVID pandemic

It’s my first Q so bear with me.

WARM-O-RAMA:
20-Side-straddle-hops IC

15-Baby Arm Circles forward IC

15-Baby Arm Circles Backwards IC

5 Cherry Pickers IC

20 Merkins IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey over to the CMU pile near the buses. Each person grabbed 1 CMU and proceeded to the adjacent parking lot. 4 stations were set up and a speaker was in place to begin a time using the Tabata Timer App. 3 exercises at each station. the first exercise was done for :45 seconds with a :10 second rest x 3 sets then moved to the next station and repeated :45 seconds of work :10 second rest for 3 sets for all stations. CMU is carried to each station and.

  • Station 1
    • Decline Merkins
    • Vertical Press (From Iron PAX video)
    • Overhead Press
  • Station 2
    • Goblet Squats
    • Rocky Balboas
    • Lunges
  • Station 3
    • Curls
    • Alpos (From Iron PAX video)
    • Dips
  • Station 4
    • Big Boys
    • Plank
    • Freddie Mercury

MARY:American Hammers 4 Count x 15 back at the AO

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Use the TAGS on right-side to record PAX (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF) in attendance. Be sure to select the AO in CATEGORY above TAGS and then delete these notes!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM: Treat others with respect and lead by example. I would not be where I am today without a positive role model in my life. By being good examples and role models we can help end racism, sexism, and hate.
MOLESKIN:
Being raised in home with 2 working parents in a small town in southern West Virginia my parents didn’t have resources like a daycare, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club or anything like that.  My parents relied on a a baby sitter, a black lady named Lucille. This lady was a woman of God and very religious and treated me as one of her own children and I often referred to her as my other mother. She was a leader in her church and when I met her family everyone knew who I was because she kept up with my achievements in the paper and would continue to guide me long after being my babysitter.  When Lucille passed away I was unable to attend the funeral but discovered through her obituary that she had made me one of her God Children. My parents weren’t even aware of this fact, but we took it as an honor and privilege. For this reason I never thought someone was different because of their color, heritage, or religious belief. This role model never told me to not hate she showed my how to be good to people and how to treat people with respect. When my daughter was born I was so happy and honored to that my wife agreed and allowed my daughter to be named Lucille, because my wife could see how much love I had for this great lady. Sorry if this is too long again my first time doing this, but thanks again for giving me the opportunity to lead today and thanks for all the guys to push me to lead this workout today

God Is God

THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-Straddle-Hops, 10 Pinto Twists, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Windmills, 7 Baby Arm Circles Forward and Backward, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward and Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Northeast Corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 Hello Dollies.  Mosey to CMU Pile.  Each man grabs CMU and places it on east side of Parking Lot.  Cone 1 is at that side of parking lot.  Cone 2 is on opposite west side.  We will do one of the listed exercises at Cone 1 with CMU.  We then
Bernie Sanders (without CMU) to Cone 2 and do one of the listed exercises.  We then run up mini cardiac to crosswalk and run back to Cone 1.  We will repeat this sequence with the next set of exercises.  We will have run up and down mini cardiac three times by the time we are finished. Here are the exercises at each cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 25 Overhead Presses.  2. 25 Curls.  3. 25 Rows.
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct).  2. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 cts).  3. 20 Hello Dollies (4 ct.)

Replace CMUs.

Mosey to parking lot that has islands on the other side of ball fields.  We will run around the parking lot stopping at each island to do 10 Merkins.  At island that semi-circle that we semi-circle around we will bear crawl instead of run.  Once around the parking lot, we will do the same thing but do 10 Big Boys at each island.

Mosey to beginning of Pickett’s Charge.  We will Pickett’s Charge to Northeastern Corner of Parking Lot.  We will stop at each hill of Pickett’s Charge to do 5 Hand Release Merkins.  We will also bear crawl up each hill.  After finishing Pickett’s charge we will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to Bat House.  We will sprint from Bat House to Parking Lot.

Mosey to AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
23 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The Kingdom grows, because the kingdom is already planted.  It grows of itself and in its own good time.  Above all, it grows we know not how.

–Robert Farrar Capon

Difficult times, like those we are facing with the coronavirus, racial protests, and our very heated political situation, test our beliefs and faith.  Our faith in our government, in other people, in ourselves, and even in God is being put to the test.  At a time like this we may be asking questions such as:

  • God, how can you let this happen?
  • God, where are you in all of this?
  • God, do you have any power to stop this?
  • God, what is your purpose?

We look to solutions to this world problem as if we know the answer, as if we know how the world should be run.  We do that individually and corporately, blaming the whole state affairs on others or claiming that surely us Democrats or us Republicans are in “the right.”

At such times of angst, of confusion, of bewilderment, it is reassuring to know that, as Robert Farrar Capon proclaims, the kingdom is already planted and it grows of itself in its own good time.  It is good to know that God is in control and that is the truth whether we like it or not.  Look at history, at humankind’s treatment of one another, at the devastation of war, of slavery, of corruption, of pollution, and we can see how we botch things when we play God.

One of my favorite songs is “God is God” by Steve Earle.   In discussing fate, uncertainty, miracles, and life he proclaims both that “God ain’t me” and “God ain’t us.”  But through the mystery and uncertainty he believes in God:

Every day that passes I’m sure about a little bit less.
(But) even my money keeps telling me it’s God I need to trust.
And I believe in God, but God ain’t us.

If we believe in God then we must accept that he has a plan that goes beyond our understanding.  His plan is a mystery but one that we must trust.  God is God.  And that is certainly reassuring in difficult times like these.  Personally, it gives me hope.  And, it gives me comfort to know that neither I nor the rulers of this world have the final say.

I will close with the last stanza of Steve Earle’s song which puts in better words than what I can say this mystery, this miracle, and our need to accept it.

God, of my little understanding, don’t care what name I call.
Whether or not I believe doesn’t matter at all.
I receive the blessin’s.
And every day on Earth’s another chance to get it right.
Let this little light of mine shine and rage against the night.
Just another lesson
Maybe someone’s watching and wondering what I got.
Maybe this is why I’m here on Earth, and maybe not.
But I believe in God, and God is God.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Sparkler’s son and daughter-in-law, whose son, who died last Christmas Holidays, would have been two today.  Prayers for Jinxy’s wife who has surgery on September 17, for Lilydipper’s wife, and for Thunderstruck’s mother.  Prayer’s for Lulu and Doubtfire whose mothers died this summer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Fake Gloomers will be building two obstacles for Hardship Hill.  We will get started the weekend of September 19-20.  Talk to Sparkler for details.  Be at Asylum PM this Thursday because Pusher will be on Q and is bringing Filipino noodles (made by his mother-in-law) for our board meeting!

Duck Duck Goose

THE SCENE: Wet and steamy 70’s

WARM-O-RAMA:
4ct SSH x 25 (IC); 4ct Tai Fighter Combo (forward, reverse, front clap, and overhead clap) x 10 (IC); 4ct Plank Medley (plank jacks, shoulder taps, Catalina wine mixers, and merkins) x 7 (IC); Temp Squat Jumps x 7 (IC)

THA-THANG:
Don’t stop the fun… Indian-style: PAX mosied over to back corner of high school and formed a COVID-friendly single file line along the curb; Exercises began and 6-man sprints to the front while PAX moves; Next HIM follows suit and so on and so forth making our way ultimately around to the AO; AMRAP exercises performed along the way as a group were 1) Rocky Balboas, 2) Merkins, 3) Big Boy Sit Ups, 4) Squat Jumps, 5) Carolina Dry Docks.

Group paused half way for a little F3 Duck, Duck, Goose (Dora-style)… PAX formed a COVID-friendly circle and each worked OYO to finish 100 Iron Mikes (Q accidently called them Magic Mikes), 200 Carolina Dry Docks, and 300 SSH; meanwhile each HIM would run around the circle back to their starting point and then the next HIM would take a lap; much panting and groaning followed.

Continued the Indian-style conga line back toward the AO: Again the PAX performed AMRAP exercises while 6-man kept advancing to the front; group exercises were 1) SSH, 2) Lunges, 3) Rocky Balboas, 4) Lunges; PAX paused just before reaching AO and ran some 40yd sprints back and forth with 5 merkins on each end (AMRAP and OYO).

MARY:
Alternated 10 merkins then 10 SSH for about 3 minutes (OYO)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Talked about the unique benefits of flying in V-formation as geese: 1) Group can fly 70% farther than an individual goose using the same amount of energy, 2) If they fall out of formation, they quickly realize the benefits of the group, 3) Leader of the formation rotates back and each goose takes a turn leading, 4) Each goose honks to encourage the group to push beyond their limits and remind others they are there, 5) If a goose is injured or sick and falls out of formation, at least two of the geese will drop out with them to encourage them and protect them while vulnerable.

Talked about the parallel between geese and F3 PAX.  Talked about Genesis 2:18 and how God declared “it is not good for man to be alone”.  Paired that with Galatians 6:2 that says we should “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”.  Encouraged the PAX to be like the geese and lead, encourage, and help those in their sphere of influence.  Encouraged those hurting or isolated or struggling to reach out for help – if no one else, call me – and that there were men in the circle that would step up for them.

Be Prepared, a Field Trip to The Cedar Bluff Schools


THE SCENE: 70’s clear and HUMID
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER 
WARM-O-RAMA:
No one took the open Q, so Mermaid picked it up and treated everyone to a field trip off the Shamrock A/O and a visit to the Cedar Bluff Schools.
Motivators from 9, and 3 Cherry Pickers, then Mosey to the Cedar Bluff Schools
THA-THANG:

Meet in the middle of the circle.
Call out an exercise, an amount, and a location,
run to the location, do the exercise in the amount called and run back, repeat the exercise
Hold an Al Gore until everyone returns and finishes
stop at 6:05 and run back to Shamrock a/o
Tree Hand release, release merkins
light pole Leg Raises
chain link fences Jungle Boi Squats
cross walk BBS
grass Stationary Lunge Steps
brick wall Wall Squats
steps calf raises
sidewalk burpees
handicap parking bobby hurley
covered area american hammers
directional arrow merkins
stop sign at cedar bluff road monkey humpers
repeat as necessary

MARY:
4 rounds of a PAX calling out a core exercise followed by 10 merkins.
Pickle Pounders, Little Baby Crunches, Freddie Mercuries, and box cutters were called and performed.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Be Prepared
Ezekiel 38:7
New International Version
7 “‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them.
Matthew 24:44
New International Version
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Iron Pax week 1 on Friday begins at 0515
Mandolin is looking for some OTB partners for an evening workout.
Pringle has a friend looking for a substitute on a paper route.  This route only needs coverage so the normal carrier can take some time off.  Two weeks currently needed in October and in November.  The pay could be as high as $500 per week.  Let me know if you are interested, or know someone that might be, and I will put you in touch with Pringle.

The Essential Isn’t Imposed

THE SCENE: Misty and humid, temps is 80s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, 10 Burpees, 10 Windmills, 10 Toes Reaches, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward, 7 Backward
THA-THANG:
Mosey to stop sign at northeastern corner of Admin Bldg.  20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey to perimeter trail and head west.  We will follow the perimeter trail north to the shaded tree by Lyons Bend.  20 American Hammers.

Mosey to Mt. Everest.  We will do 40 Baby Crunches, then run up to large tree, circle around it and return.

Mosey to shaded area by water bldg.  20 Flutter Kicks.

Mosey to North Shore gate and head east on trail.  There will be cones in flat grassy area to the right.  We will divide up men to start at different cones.  We will go counter-clockwise to each cone. The cones will list exercises.  We will do circle the cones three times doing the first exercise listed the first time there and continue in sequence the next time there.  However, before starting into the next sequence of cone exercises we will make a full circle around the cones.  Here are the exercises for each cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 20 Bobby Hurleys.  2. 20 Smurf Jacks.  3. 20 Star Jumps.
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  2. 20 Squats.  3. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct)
  • Cone 3:  1. 20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1).  2. 20 Mountain Climbers (both legs = 1).  3. 20 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1)
  • Cone 4:  1. 20 Merkins.  2. 20 Carolina Dry Docks  3.  20 Diamond Merkins

Mosey to beginning of parking lot at Area 51.  We will Bernie Sanders to the curb by the grass, then run back to the starting point of the parking lot, then Bernie Sanders back to the curb again.  Next, at curb we will do 20 Toe Taps (4 ct).  Then we will run to the road up top where there is a shaded tree.  There, we will do 30 Second Leg Lift.

Mosey to bat cave.  From the bat cave we will sprint to the administration parking lot.  Each man walks back to bat cave after the sprint, then sprints to parking lot again.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
20 Hello Dollies, 20 Tempo Merkins.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Quote from James Finley, a theologian and former monk who studied under Thomas Merton: “That which is essential never imposes itself for love is always offered, it’s never imposed, and that which in unessential is constantly imposing itself.”

God created us in His image.  He made us for communication with Him.  We fall short in life if not with Him.  We are in need of Him.  Without Him we are thirsty.  Without Him there is something wrong in our lives.  His love is Essential.  And, as James Finley says, his love is offered freely to us.  It is not imposed, it is not forced upon us. It comes to us in so many ways: the playfulness of a child, the chance for rest or Sabbath, the words of the Bible, the laughter among friends, intimacy with a partner, the love shared by a neighbor, the smile of a stranger, the songs of the birds, the beauty of the mountains, the plains, the wind, the sky, God’s creation.  Notice how these Essential things hang back, they do not force their will on us, they do not impose themselves.  Notice how we have to truly look, to truly listen, to truly observe in order to appreciate them.  It is like pulling over to the side of the road to really enjoy a sunset.  You sit there in your car and our blown away by the beauty.  And then, after you start the car up and drive on home, you think to yourself, I need to do this more often, I need to truly take this beauty in each day.  It is like when you hear a great song that makes the hair rise on your skin and you think, how beautiful, how powerful, this song makes me want to be more than what I have been.  Or, it is like when you are at worship and hear a particular sermon that makes you almost want to cry and you think, man, I need to remember this, I need to take this into the fiber of my being . . . and, a few days later you kind of forget what the sermon was all about.

A problem we humans face is that, like Finley claims, “the unessential is constantly imposing itself” on us.  What are some of these unessential things?  Wealth, power, fame, success, popularity are examples.  Think about our daily lives.  Think about what the world says we should be.  We are constantly bombarded by shoulds in our lives. “I should do more to rise to the top at work.”  “I should work more hours so that I can make more money.”  “I should get a bigger home.”  “I should get a nicer car.”  “I need to participate in more organizations so that I am doing more with my life.”  “I gotta make that deadline.” “I should be slimmer and more fit.”  “I should spend more of my time working for charities so that people see how much I am giving to others.”  “I need to be the top salesman in my region this year”.  “I need to belong to that country club because it is populated by some of the most notable people in Knoxville.”  I am not saying that any of the above things are unworthy.  But, they are unessential.  These shoulds are often what we pay the most attention to.  And by doing that, we lose sight of God’s creation, God’s love.  We miss out on what God has made essential for us.

Lord, help us to spend more time focusing on the essential.  You have given these essential things to us because you love us.  You don’t impose them on us.  You give us free will to accept them because you know that true love cannot be forced upon us.  Help take our eyes away from what is unessential and keep our eyes on you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Prayers for Title -9 as he adjusts to living in Oregon, for Lily’s wife who will have double mastectomy surgery on Wednesday, Augut 19, for Thunderstruck’s mother as she faces chemotherapy and blood transfusions, for safety of the F3 dads and kids at camp this weekend, for the AO in Morristown that we helped start.  Steam will be going to the Morristown AO workout to support them this Saturday and welcomes anyone who would like to go with him.