F3 Knoxville

Tag: Dung Beetle

Perspective

THE SCENE: Foggy, temps in high 60’s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Jump Squats, Around the World Each Hand, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Windmills, Michael Phelps

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Southern Ball Fields Parking Lot.  We will circle the parking lot twice, stopping at each cone to perform exercise and moving to the next cone by the method designated on the cone:

  • Cone 1:  20 Bobby Hurleys.  Butt Kick to Cone 2.
  • Cone 2:  20 Hello Dollies (4 ct). Sprint to Cone 3
  • Cone 3:  20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1).  Bear Crawl to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4:  20 Merkins.  Bernie to Cone 5.
  • Cone 5:  20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  High Knees to Cone 6.
  • Cone 6:  20 Star Jumps.  Grapevine Left to Cone 7.
  • Cone 7:  20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct).  Hop to Cone 8.
  • Cone 8:  20 Carolina Dry Docks.  Grapevine Right to Cone 1.

Mosey toward the Northshore Entrance to park.  We will stop at shaded area by apt buildings.  20 American Hammers.  10 Tempo Merkins.

Mosey to stop sign at southeastern corner of Admin Bldg.  30 second gander at scenery.  Mosey to Bat House.  We will do High Mountain Roundabout which will be the following:

  • 10 Hand Release Merkins by Bat House.  Then run down initial steps of Roadshow Run to grassy field below.
  • 20 Diamond Merkins.  Then run to grove of trees just below summit of Mt. Everest.
  • 10 Burpees.  Then run uphill to summit of Mt. Everest.
  • 20 Boy Boy Sit-ups.
  • Rinse and Repeat above.

Next, we will run down Roadshow Run to Perimeter Trail. From there we will head on trail toward Lyons Bend.  At perimeter trail we will head east and across road that goes to entrance way at Lyons Bend.  We will cross the roadway and stop to do 20 American Hammers.

We will then head on trail east and south to lower area parking lot.  We will head that way by doing 14’s, lunging for one light and then sprinting for four until we reach parking lot.

Next, head back to AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
2020 has certainly been a difficult year and citizens in our country are a bit on edge right now.  You see it in the arguments between citizens on how serious a threat the Coronavirus truly is and whether we should be opening businesses at this time.  You see it in the protests going on related to the recent killings of black men by police.  Whether you support or are against opening up during the Coronavirus, whether you tend to look favorably upon the protests or are more prone to see the destruction caused by rioters, it is easy to judge that “other side”.  In some of our BOMs, however, we have been asking ourselves whether this is what God wants us to do.  Should we angrily judge someone whose ideas are different than ours or should we try to love them and make the attempt to understand their perspective?

We can learn to love even our worst enemies if we can learn to truly put ourselves in their shoes, openly hear their stories, and do so in a non-judging way.  And I think that is what we are needing more of at this time when politicians and even newspapers and news stations make quick judgments and fail to view the perspective of the other side.

When I spoke in my last BOM, I did not have time to talk about a story that I had actually included in the written Back Blast. The story is about White Fang.  White Fang is the name of a novel written by Jack London.  Some of you may have read it.  In the novel, White Fang is a vicious dog, one that will strike you and tear you apart.  He is a dog to avoid because his look and actions spell D-A-N-G-E-R and H-A-R-M.  Why is he like this?  Part of the reason is his genetics.  He is part wolf and wolves can certainly be savage.  The bigger reason, however, it that he has been taken advantage of by humans his entire life.  He has been beaten by others for use as a work and sled dog and has been unfairly used by men in betting games where White Fang fights with other dogs.  A guy named Weedon Scott meets White Fang for the first time after one of these fights where White Fang is almost killed.  He takes pity on the dog and takes him away from it’s current owner who has used him in the dog fights.  He feeds the dog and nurtures him back to life.  The dog doesn’t trust him but Weedon certainly can understand why, given what the dog has gone through.  Weedon slowly, slowly gets closer to the dog, trying to develop a bond with him.  At one point he goes too quickly and is viciously bitten.  But, Weedon doesn’t give up on the dog.  He takes the dogs perspective, realizing that he had tried to quickly to pet the dog when the dog feared him and didn’t trust him.  He continues to feed the dog, continues to use cooing language and weeks later touches the dog again.  White Fang growls a low growl.  He both doesn’t like the touch but also likes it.  This touch thing is different and for some reason it feels good.  Over time the man and dog form a wonderful bond. Those of you who love dogs know what that bond can be like.  Weedon Scott is long longer seen as a threat – he is seen as a Love God by White Fang.  This once vicious dog is so strongly bonded to Weedon that he will do anything for him.  And, at the end of the book he saves both Weedon Scott and his family from their own harm and possible deaths.

As HIMs, we can learn to patient and loving.  We can learn to take the perspective of others, even when we don’t agree with their opinions.  We can learn to love our enemy as Jesus would want us to do.  In so doing, we may form bonds we never thought we could have and even change the lives of those former enemies for the better.

MOLESKIN:

Praise for Choir Boy’s wife that, although she is having lymph node issues, her Ultra Sound looked good.  Prayers for the wife of Rainbow’s wive’s grandmother who is at her last days of life.  Prayers for Rainbow’s friend whose wife died.  Prayers for Lillydipper’s wife, Jan, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment at this time for breast cancer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Q101 is occurring this morning at Bomb Shelter

Grateful

THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Motivators starting with seven, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Rockettes, 10 Windmills, 5 Baby Arm Circles Forward and Backward, 5 Wide Arm Circles Forward and Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the South Ball Fields Parking Lot.  We will be running from one end of the parking lot to the other.  There will be four cones set up along the run.  At each cone, stop to do ten of the first exercise listed.  Keep going in order from each end of the parking lot.  Here are the exercises:

Running south to north:

  1. Squat Jumps
  2. Merkins
  3. Big Boy Sit-ups
  4. Hello Dollies (4 ct.)

Running north to south:

  1. Flutter Kicks (4 ct)
  2. Plank Jacks
  3. Carolina Dry Docks
  4. Shoulder Taps (each shoulder)

Once done with all exercises, jog around the parking lot.

Next, starting from Cone 1 we will do a five parking lane bear crawl to 5 lane lunge all the way to Cone 4.

Next, we will mosey to soccer field.  We will do suicides on field going to first, second, and third cone and back.  Each time coming back men will do 20 Baby Crunches.  We will do a different type of run on each suicide.  They will be as follows:

  • Bernie Sanders.
  • Grapevine Left
  • Grapevine Right
  • Skip
  • High knees

Mosey to perimeter trail at the end of the parking lot.  We will head east and north on the trail doing Nickel Dime Quarters.  Here are the exercises for each stop.

  • Bobby Hurleys
  • Diamond Merkins
  • Bicycle Kicks
  • Iron Mikes (each leg = 1)
  • Dive Bombers
  • Box Cutters
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Squats

We will turn west at the Serpentine Sidewalk and continue to the Island Parking Lot.  At the parking lot we will have the Relay Race Around the Island.  Men divide up into teams with each team stationing men at an island.  The race starts with the first man running to second man, second to third, etc. until last man meets first man again (no touching, keep social distance).  The first man starts again.  The race isn’t over until the last man gets back to where he started.

Mosey to base of Mini Cardiac.  Do 20 Buzz Saws.  Next we will Bernie Sanders up Mini Cardiac to Park Sign, then sprint the rest of the way to the AO.

MARY:
Boat Canoe and ATMS
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:

From John 15: 12-15.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 
During this coronavirus epidemic I had to lay out from F3 as did you.  When F3 started meeting again, it hurt me not to be able to join with you brothers.  I was concerned about working out with you because, as you know, my wife, Jan, was diagnosed with breast cancer at about the same time the coronavirus epidemic was beginning to spread in the United States.  We hear that we can carry the coronavirus without even knowing it. I didn’t want to catch the virus by getting close to others, then unknowingly spread it to my wife.
I realized during the months away from you guys how much strength I get from just meeting with you.  I did work out alone and with my son, Bennett (aka Puddle in F3).  So, I kept in ok shape.  What I missed was the strength of the fellowship, of the encouragement we get from one another as men, of the message shared at the end of each workout, of the commitment to lock shields through the struggle, of the way we push each other forward not only in workouts but as HIMs, of the way we pray for each other, reach out to each other, hold each other in our hearts.  Man, I missed you guys.
On Thursday, May 21, Jan and I had a serious talk with her oncologist.  Jan has an aggressive breast cancer.  The chemotherapy weakens her immune system.  She can’t fight off Covid-19 the way you and I might be able to.  She was understandably scared about having me go to F3 workouts.  She doesn’t want to die and the odds would be significantly higher of that happening to her than to most if she did get Covid-19.  But, God bless her, she also saw how much as was missing F3.  On the way to chemotherapy, she said that we should talk to the oncologist about the safety of my working out with you guys.  The oncologist told me that she felt pretty good about the low risks of outdoor workouts, particularly if a social distance is kept from others.  She gave me the green light to come to F3 and so did Jan.  Sweat release!!  I can’t tell you how that felt to me.  I couldn’t believe it. With the news about the coronavirus sticking around all year long, I was wondering if I would ever to get to see you again.  And now, if I keep a distance from you, forgive me, it isn’t that I don’t want to be near you.  Heck, I want to give each of you a big ol bear hug.
Anyway, what I am saying is thank you.  Thank you for praying for me and for Jan.  Thank you for the encouraging words you have sent me. Thank you for praying for Jan and me.  And, thank you for being a greater source of strength than I even realized.

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

Ode to Coolio

THE SCENE: A balmy 70.  At least it wasn’t raining.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH x 20 (4 ct IC); 15 Moroccan Nightclubs (4ct IC); Imperial Squat Walkers x 10 (4 ct IC); 5 burpees
THA-THANG:

  • Mosey up toward the Colosseum, stop at the last Stop Sign for 25s – Merkins and 4ct LBCs
  • Keep moseying to the Colosseum for 25s of Dips and 4 ct Squats
  • Mosey down the other side all the way to the Elysium Fields for a Coolio special- high knees, with some drop and rolls in the wet grass.  Mosey to the other side of the field, then sprint back across
  • Mosey to the little chapel for 25s of Merkins and 4ct American Hammers
  • Mosey to the base of Cardiac and start the first part of 25s of CDDs and BBS
    • Bernie to the first turn, second part of the 25s,
    • Bear Crawl to the next turn, third part of the 25s,
    • Sprint to the top and finish the 25s
  • Just enough time to make it back to the AO for the COT

MARY:
No time.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Love is hard:  From 1 Corinthians 4-8: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”  Those are tough words to live up to, but as HIM, that is what we are called to do, and not just for those closest to us, for our family and friends, but for all.  We will fall short.  Keep striving.
MOLESKIN:
Great to see Pac-Man back in action today.  I enjoyed the company guys.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We don’t have to split up if we have 12 now.

Memorial Day Murph at the Asylum

THE SCENE: Perfect weather today around 68 at time of workout
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Reviewed the standard disclaimer and included that not only am I not a professional I am worse… included Covid disclaimer and keep your spit and snot to yourself

WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 20

Slow Cherry Pickers x 5

Butter Fly Stretch combined with Coach Dunn’s advise.

Shoulder stretch

5 burpees

THA-THANG:

Today we did a modified Murph workout – the Murph is dedicated to Lt. Michael P. Murphy.  United States Navy Seal May 7, 1976 -June 28, 2005. This workout is traditionally done by the F3 community and many others on Memorial Day in remembrance of Lt. Murphy and all the others who have made the supreme sacrifice for our country. For more information about Lt . Murphy and the Murph challenge : https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/27/us/memorial-day-murph-challenge-trnd/index.html

The Murph:

  • 1 Mile Run
  • 100 Pull Ups
  • 200 Merkins
  • 300 Squats
  • 1 Mile Run

We modified the workout by submitting CDD for the 100 pull ups ( Fellas I am 53 and can’t swing 100 pull ups) The Pax ran to three different area in the park to complete sets of the exercises.  Ten total sets each containing  10 CDDs, 20 Merkins,  and 30 Squats. final leg of the workout was a run to the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.

At the Cemetery Crankbait ( Pluto’s 2.0 ) led a short program on Memorial Day and shared a letter that he had received two weeks ago from Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams. Woody Williams is the last surviving Marine Medal of Honor recipient from the Pacific theatre. For more information about Woody: http://www.hwwmohf.org

Crankbait added that this part of the letter was most meaningful and spoke to what Memorial Day means:

” I have been designated a hero many times since WWII but in my mind the heroes never got to come home. The rest of us were blessed with the opportunity of coming home to our loved ones. I am grateful to be one of those. My wife who is in heaven had a saying she would remain me of very often.

Life is God’s gift to us..what we do with it is our gift to God”

MARY:
the group ran back to the AO and did one round of name your ab work while the Q stayed with the 6 to bring it home on the run back.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 Pax got better!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Pluto shared the importance of Memorial Day and remember those who gave the utmost sacrifice. Pluto asked each of the Pax present to realize that there are many who are not Americans who would be grateful for the problems that we each have. Many in other countries have life and death challenges every day and would gladly take a day of challenges as experienced by an American.
MOLESKIN:

I was grateful to have Crankbait as my Co Q !
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Training for the Beach

THE SCENE: Cool with a nice break in the rain (i.e. perfect)
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER (no snot rockets, don’t get close enough to hold hands and swap spit)
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH x 15, IC;  CP x 5, IC; Tie Fighters, front and back x 15 each way, IC
THA-THANG:
This is a 4 corners workout.  To maintain social distancing protocol, no more than 5 in a corner at a time.  This is a workout scientifically designed to get a HIM ready for the beach.  First order of business is to, one at a time, grab a coupon from the CMU pile.  This is yours for the entire workout.  Because HIMs are the ones to carry all the heavy stuff across the sand to the beach, everybody carries a CMU everywhere they go.  Beach themed music provided.

  • First Corner – 3 exercises:  Curls (for the girls) x 25; Flutter Presses x 25 (2 ct); Goblet Squats x 25
  • Second Corner – 3 exercises:  Superman Swims x 25; CMU rows x 25; Lunges x 25;
  • Third Corner – 3 exercises:  Derkins x 25; American Hammers (with CMU option) x 25 (2ct); More Curls x 25;
  • Forth Corner – 1 exercise.  25 Blockees (it helped to think of the CMU as a cooler full of beer)
  • If you hear Queen’s “Bicycle Race,” stop what you’re doing and hit your six for Freddy Mercury’s the duration of the song (3:01).
  • Complete at least 2 circuits
  • Q calls an audible after 2 circuits to go run a little bit.  Groups split up to run up Baby Everest and down the Dragon or vice versa, stopping at one point to knock out 5 burpees.  Race ensues. Bunny may or may not have taken a short cut to beat Gibbler.  All wagon wheel and finish together at the AO.

MARY:
Just enough time to get to 5/20 on Capt. Thors
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
A reflection on a couple of quotes.  From Henry Ford: “He who says he can and he who says he can’t are both usually right.” And from Hallerin Hilton Hill: “Attitude determines altitude.”  Stay positive men!

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Mrs. Lillydipper and family, Pinto and family, and for a good, safe summer for everybody but special request for Dung Beetle as he guides the kids of Emerald Youth this summer.

Playlist from the morning:  School’s Out, Alice Cooper; Summertime, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince; Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys; Beautiful Girls, Van Halen; Heat Wave, Martha and the Vandellas; Bicycle Race, Queen; Hot Fun in the Summer Sun, Sly and the Family Stone; Cruel Summer, Bananarama; Rockaway Beach, Ramones; Wipe Out, The Surfaries; The Boys of Summer, Don Henley.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Regular time for Monday.  Pluto will Q and have something special.