F3 Knoxville

Absolutely

THE SCENE: Nice evening, temps in 50s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Plank Stretches, 20 Plank Jacks, 10 Rockettes, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Windmills, 7 Full Body Twists, Little of This and That.
THA-THANG:

Mosey to the Caribbean parking lot.  We will run around the Caribbean stopping at cones to do the exercises listed.  Instructions on how to get to the next cone will also be listed.

  • Cone 1:  20 Squat Jumps then Bernie to Cone 2.
  • Cone 2:  20 Big Boys then Hop to Cone 3.
  • Cone 3:  20 Iron Mikes (2 count) then Lunge to Cone 4
  • Cone 4:  20 Diamond Merkins then Grapevine with right foot leading to Cone 5
  • Cone 5:  20 Star Jumps then Bernie to Cone 6
  • Cone 6:  20 Bicycle Kicks (2 count) then Hop to Cone 7
  • Cone 7:  20 Side Straddle Hops (2 count) then Lunge to Cone 8
  • Cone 8:  20 Shoulder Taps (2 count) then Grapevine with left foot leading to Cone 1.
  • Rinse and Repeat

Mosey to the street-side end of the Serpentine Sidewalk.  We will go on the Serpentine Sidewalk doing patterns of 1 and 4, where we will bear crawl to one light then run four more lights and repeat that pattern until we get to the perimeter trail.  We will then go back on the Serpentine Sidewalk but lunge for one light and run for four light, repeating that pattern until we hit the street.  The first brother to get to the street will sweep everyone back to the perimeter trail.

Mosey to Cardiac.   We will run up Cardiac stopping at the following spots to do the following exercises:

  • Turn 1:  20 American Hammers (four count)
  • Turn 2:  20 Hello Dollies
  • Turn 3:  20 Decline Merkins
  • Benches:  20 Bench Dips

Mosey to the bottom of mini-cardiac.  We will Bernie up mini-cardiac to the Park Sign then sprint the rest of the way up to the crosswalk. Then we will sprint back to the AO.

MARY:  Stretches .

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA 
15 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Shaun Slate, the preacher at my church, said something recently that really got me to thinking.  He said, “We can be absolutely right.  But, if we do not love we are absolutely wrong.”

Think about that the next time you are debating with someone about an issue you feel strongly about.  “We can be absolutely right but if we don’t love we are absolutely wrong.”  Think about that when your child doesn’t live up to your standards.  Think about that when someone doesn’t worship the way you do.  Think about that the next time you argue with your wife.

I might get angry with someone for a stance they take.  I might think, why won’t that person get vaccinated.  Or why can’t he see how electing that money-spending candidate will effect the economy.  I can question their stance.  But, I shouldn’t let my questioning stand in the way of loving that person.
Too often we got on our high horse and fail to see the viewpoint of the other, thinking they are ridiculous.  If we do that, we are not loving them. 

As a therapist, I see this issue come up many time in marriages.  In the therapy session, each spouse wants to make their own point.  By golly, their spouse is wrong and they need to set things straight with the spouse.  But, focusing on the wrong and trying to set things straight is damaging the marriage.  In marriage, we need to love our spouses even when they are wrong.  And in life, we need to love other people, even when they are wrong.  

Thank you Lord that you are that way.  You continue to love us humans no matter how often we are wrong.  Lord, forgive me for getting on my high horse and sometimes thinking I am better than someone else because “I have it right.”  Firstly, I probably don’t have it right.  And secondly, if I am not hearing and loving that person, than I am absolutely wrong.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for mother of Steam’s girlfriend as the mother is currently starting chemotherapy for cancer.  Prayers for Pusher as tomorrow is the anniversary of his widow’s death.  Prayers for religious mentoring for The King James.  Prayers for wife of Juke Box.  Prayers for Sparkler’s mother who lost her husband (Sparkler’s stepfather) about one year ago.  Prayers for Mr. Jinxy’s small grandchild who has a problem with her foot and for Hooker and his wife, Carli, who are the parents of the child.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Toy collection by F3 for charity.  Remember Judge Judy’s Christmas Party on Saturday, December 11.  You need to sign up for it on Slack.

Three Strands Ain’t Easily Broken

F3 Q — 11/27/21

AO: Asylum (Saturday)

0700 – 0800

[ The Scene ]

  • 40s
  • Sunrise at 7:10am
  • Cold, but character building

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness, Fellowship, Faith
  • My name is Steam and I’ll be your Q this morning!
  • A few things before we begin:
    • I’m not a professional
    • You’re here on your own volition
    • If you need to modify anything that 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?

[ Warm o Rama ]

  • SSH — 20×4 IC
  • Rockette: 10×4 IC
  • SSH: 20×4 IC
  • Imperial Walker: 10×4 IC
  • SSH: 20×4 IC
  • Merkin: 10×4 IC
  • SSH: 20×4 IC
  • Squat: 10×4 IC
  • SSH: 20×4 IC

[ The Thang ]

(Mosey to the playground)

(1) 13s

  • Playground: 12 box jumps/step-ups
  • Pavilion: 1 incline merkin
  • Rinse and Repeat (11+2, 10+3, etc)
  • When you’re done — flutter kicks right here in the center

(10 count or so)

(Mosey to The Island)

(2) Island Hopping

  • Battle Buddy Up
  • 4 stopping points around the island
    • (1) Top and Bottom
      • Battle Buddy BBS – 10 each
    • (2) Sides
      • 4 count Merkins — 10 together
  • Rinse and repeat for a total of 2x around the island
  • When your BB team gets done, pickup with another BB team as they finish

(10 count or so)

(Mosey to The 3 Strands)

Image.png

(3) The 3 Strands

  • Break into teams of 2 or 3
  • Each of the 3 strands has a start (L) and finish (R) point (where the trail starts and where the trail ends)
  • Each team will do all 3 of the strands, 1 at a time.
  • When you’re done with 1 strand, execute 1 burpee before moving on to the next one
  • Strand 1 (Grassy)
    • Start: 25 Carolina Dry Docks (1ct)
    • Finish: 25 merkins
  • Strand 2 (Mulchy)
    • Start: 25 LBCs (1ct)
    • Finish: 25: Reverse crunches (1ct)
  • Strand 3 (Woodsy)
    • Start: 25 Squats (1ct)
    • Finish: 25 Iron Mikes (1ct)

(Mosey to the AO lot)

[ Mary ]

(4) ATM Withdrawal + Deposit

  • We’re doing a regular ATM — CASH OUT
  • 15×4 shoulder taps
  • 10×4 slow merkins
  • 10 fast merkins

SWS (Stretching With Steam)

  • Light stretching infused with motivational insights, with Steam

[ COT ]

  • # off — 15
  • Name o Rama
  • FNGs
  • BOM

“Training For Battle & Maintaining Defense Systems”

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”

  • ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭144:1‬-2 ‭ESV‬

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A chord of three strands is not easily broken.”

  • Ecclesiastes 4:12

“We ought not to receive so great a boon as strength to resist evil, to defend truth, and to conquer error, without knowing who gave it to us, and rendering to him the glory of it. Not only does Jehovah give strength to his saints, but he is their strength. The strength is made theirs because God is theirs. God is full of power, and he becomes the power of those who trust him. In him our great strength lieth, and to him be blessings more than we are able to utter. It may be read, “My Rock;” but this hardly so well consorts with the following words: “Which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” The word rock is the Hebrew way of expressing strength: the grand old language is full of such suggestive symbols. The Psalmist in the second part of the verse sets forth the Lord as teacher in the arts of war.

If we have strength we are not much the better unless we have skill also. Untrained force is often an injury to the man who possesses it, and it even becomes a danger to those who are round about him; and therefore the Psalmist blesses the Lord as much for teaching as for strength.

Let us also bless Jehovah if he has in anything made us efficient. The tuition mentioned was very practical, it was not so much of the brain as of the hands and fingers; for these were the members most needful for conflict. Men with little scholastic education should be grateful for deftness and skill in their handicrafts.

To a fighting man the education of the hands is of far more value than mere book learning could ever be; he who has to use a sling or a bow needs suitable training, quite as much as a scientific man or a classical professor.

Men are too apt to fancy that an artisan’s efficiency is to be ascribed to himself; but this is a popular fallacy. A clergyman may be supposed to be taught of God, but people do not allow this to be true of weavers or workers in brass; yet these callings are specially mentioned in the Bible as having been taught to holy women and earnest men when the tabernacle was set up at the first. All wisdom and skill are from the Lord, and for them he deserves to be gratefully extolled.

This teaching extends to the smallest members of our frame; the Lord teaches fingers as well as hands; indeed, it sometimes happens that if the finger is not well trained the whole hand is incapable.”

  • Charles Spurgeon

“Such strange creatures are human beings, that if a number of them are kept in peaceful association under the leadership of any one of the Lord’s servants, he is bound to bless God every day for the wonderful fact. The victories of peace are as much worthy of joyful gratitude as the victories of war. Leaders in the Christian church cannot maintain their position except as the Lord preserves to them the mighty influence which ensures obedience and evokes enthusiastic loyalty. For every particle of influence for good which we may possess let us magnify the name of the Lord.”

  • Charles Spurgeon

Farewell to Everest

THE SCENE: Getting chilly and dark.  Winter is coming.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check
WARM-O-RAMA:

-20 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 Imperial Squat Walkers (4-ct, in cadence)

– 10 windmills (4-ct, in cadence)

– 20 Grady Corns (4-ct, in cadence)

THA-THANG:

Mosey to EVEREST.  FAREWELL TO EVEREST!!  We’ll be switching our meeting place to the opposite side of the park for winter, so we might not see Everest again for awhile.  We shall pay our respects before we leave…

EVEREST SUICIDES x5

Up and back to tree stumps/trees. Every time you get to the bottom, do 10 reps of an exercise, which will change for each Suicide.   At end of each suicide, hold a plank until 6 catches up.

Exercises:

  1. Plank Jacks
  2. Monkey Humpers
  3. Squats
  4. Merkins
  5. Stargazers (you’re welcome)

Mosey to flat area at base of the Summit.

Partner UP.  One partner, run to bottom of the Roadshow Run stairs, do 10 SSH, run back.  Other Partner BEAR CRAWL to tree, do 10 Merkins, and Bear Crawl back. Meet back at starting point, do 5 Patty-cake merkins, and switch.  Rinse and repeat

STOMACH BUSTER! 20 Am. Hammers, 20 flutter kicks (both 4-ct IC).

AYG up the summit and to the AO

MARY:
No time for her.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 HIMs

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

THE LANGUAGE OF GOD PART DEUX: Things that make you go Hmmm…

Continuing on with my Words about The Language of God by Francis Collins, I just wanted to share some of the observations he makes regarding Life, the Universe, and Everything when contemplating his Christian views and how they aren’t incompatible with his rigid and extensive training as a scientist.  [DISCLAIMER ABOUT BELIEFS].  His observations have helped me, as a scientist, understand how the origins of Creation can have a supernatural, Godly origin yet still obey the laws of science.  There are an amazing number of incredible coincidences that have led to where we are today, standing in a park, on a planet we call Earth.  Consider for example…

  • In the early moments of the universe, following the BIG BANG, matter and antimatter were created in almost equivalent amounts.   But there was one part per billion more subatomic matter particles than anti matter.  If there was pure symmetry, or more dark matter, the universe would have devolved into pure radiation.  But that tiny bit of extra matter is what forms all the mass in the universe.
  • The way the universe expanded following the Big Bang depended critically on how much total mass and energy the universe had and the strength of the gravitational constant. If this constant was smaller by even one part in 100 thousand million, million, the universe would have collapsed before it reached its current size.  If it had been GREATER by just 1 part per million, stars and planets could not have formed.
  • And there are at least 15 other physical constants whose values are impossible to predict how they came to be what they are. And yet they are exactly the values they need to be to have a stable universe capable of sustaining complex life forms.  As it happens, the existence of a universe as we know it rests upon a knife edge of improbability.  Is this really an accident?…. Are we just really, really lucky to be here today?  HMMM…

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Abscess’ MRI, prayers for Jetlag’s return journey
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Coat Drive still going on for another week; Sign up for Brovember challenge; we’ll move our meeting spot to the parking lot across the street from where AM meets starting next week after the time change.

Jetlag Comes Full Circle

THE SCENE: Pretty chilly. However, the lack of Doubtfire’s Action Slacks and Trunk’s Equalizer Tank suggest otherwise.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Did this. It went well

WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH IC x15; LBAC each way IC x10; Windmills IC x10; Tempo Squats IC x10; Mosey to Splash Pad

THA-THANG:

Tabata workout: eight 20-second rounds of an exercise with a 10-second rest between rounds. Short mosey between exercises as rain allows.

Exercises:

  • Step-ups/Box Jumps
    • To the Bathhouse for Pull-ups x5
  • LBCs
    • To the Dock for CCD x15 
  • Squats
    • To the Stonehenge for Burpees x5 
  • BBS
    • To the Playground for BodyBuilders+ x5
  • Dips
    • A short lap around Splash Pad to start of parking spaces for Bear Crawls the length of the spaces 
  • What started out as a Fellowship Mosey ended up being a lap around The Equalizer track the long way

MARY:

Fire of Ring → Starting with 1 merkin around, up to three 

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

15 HIMs; 0 FNGs … With the exception of the flag handoff in April, this is the most posting at the Equalizer in recent memory. 

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

1Pet1:13-16 – So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

This BOM and (most of) the workout was from Jetlag’s first post back in November of 2020. I wanted to honor his time here with us by going back to where F3 started for him. It is appropriate that this passage from 1st Peter was chosen by Stripped for Jetlag’s first posting, and even more appropriate as he returns to the Philippines. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Coats for the Cold, donate to AOs now through Nov. 13th

Brovember Challenge starts today. Look for a link to track your progress in the #brovember2021 Slack channel around Wednesday. 

Farewell Q

THE SCENE: 54F, drizzling
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to F3, Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. F3 is a free workout program designed to improve fitness, share some camaraderie, and foster male leadership in the community. I’m Jetlag and I will be your Q today.  I am not a professional, and I do not know your fitness level or injury history.  Please push yourself, but modify the workout as necessary to avoid making any existing injuries worse.  The goal is to get better together!

WARM-O-RAMA:

Motivators starting at 5

Box jumps + run around pavillon

High knees

Plank jacks

Mountain climbers


THA-THANG:

Pyramid: 20 reps

  1. Merkins
  2. Merkins – shoulder press
  3. Merkins – shoulder press – curls – table pulls/cmu rows
  4. Merkins – shoulder press – curls – tp – squat jumps
  5. Merkins – shoulder press – curls – tp – squat jumps – step overs
  6. Intermission break: run around pavilion twice or burpees (F3 names, F3 workouts, F3 AOs, F3 Hospital Names)
  7. Shoulder press – curls – TP – squat jumps – step overs
  8. Curls – TP – squat jumps – step overs
  9. TP – squat jumps
  10. Squat Jumps
  11. Burpees

Alleluias


MARY:

5min yoga stretching

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 HIMs in attendance.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
There will be times in your life that you may question God and His plans for you. These times are usually when you struggle, lose someone, or uncertainties in life. But, I tell you this – God’s plan is perfect. He’s timing is always right. It may not seem like it but have faith that God is working His ways for the better of you.
MOLESKIN:
My brothers, as I host my last Q (at least for this year) I am truly grateful and honored to be part of such an amazing brotherhood that we have here in F3. I was supposed to stay for only 6 weeks here in the US and that 6 weeks turned into a year. And you guys made it truly memorable for me and my family. You have made a huge impact on my life and my family’s. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you and until next time! I love you, brothers!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Coat Drive – Coats donation still on going. You can give out your old coats to Rainbow.