F3 Knoxville

Tag: Erector

YOU CAN’T OUT-KING YOUR QUEEN

THE SCENE:  A steamy 59 degrees

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER ✅

WARM-O-RAMA:

ALL IC: SSH x20, Imperial Walkers x20, American Hammers (4ct) x20, Merkins x15, Mountain Climbers (4ct) x15, Squats x15, Flutter-kicks (4ct) x 20, LBCs (4ct) x20,

Burpees OYO x10

THA-THANG:
Battle-Buddy up for some Partner Sets. Partner 1 does 10 reps while other holds position; switch and repeat until 100 reps is reached:

  • Merkins (or plank)
  • Squats (or Al Gore)
  • Flutter-Kicks (4ct) (or 6inch)
  • Shoulder Taps (or plank)
  • Jump Squats (or free throw position)
  • LBCs (or knees to chest)
  • Burpees (or stand and catch breath) – for this last one we did sets of 5 until 50 total reps completed.

Mosey to Large Student Parking Lot and rotate between bear crawl and lunges (switching at each parking lane), making our way across the lot (total distance around 120 yards).

MARY:
100 yard mosey repeats with dealer’s choice exercises at each end.  For practice, Q had three men who had not Q’d yet call the exercises the proper F3 way: Slappy, Nadia and Curveball all did great and are ready to Q!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
24 Strong
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Fitness is the first “F” for a reason.  Every day you make that decision to get out of bed, you swallow a pill that most men won’t – the Daily Red Pill (DRP). The DRP is the first of many bricks you lay that will solidify and start a process that steam rolls into having an effective day as a dad, a boss, a neighbor, whatever. You cannot effectively lead unless you get your body right first. We come out here and suffer together to get fit. Once our bodies are right, we can then effectively lead in our daily circles.

There is an old saying in F3: “You can’t out-king your queen.”  With The game of Chess as a comparison, the King represents your fitness, the Queen your diet. We all know that in chess while both are important, the Queen is the most valuable player  on the board. You lose your Queen and it’s not long until the game is over. Similarly, you will never be able to out-exercise a bad diet. If you are really serious about becoming a better leader, the First F requires dietary discipline. Find what works for you. For me, it’s Calories in v. Calories out.  I track my food intake and you should too. It can be a real eye-opener for those that never have.  You can’t out-King your Queen! ISI!

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
JUCO CONVERGENCE 3-28

March Slaughterhouse

THE SCENE: Dark and gloomy, high chance of smoke
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
S.S.H. x 10 IC;  Cherry Picker x 5 IC;  OHC x 10 IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey to the “new” parking lot, brief stations in the first corner, split into 4 groups of 3 for the main event.  4 corners of the lot, each has 2 exercises x20 reps to complete.  After completing corner reps, run 3/4 of a lap to next station, moving as a group.  AMRAP.  Each group completed at least 2 full 4-corner laps.

  • Corner 1:  diamond walk ; 10kg bushwhacker (lunge while swinging a 10kg kettle bell in front of the face)
  • Corner 2:  burpees ; smurf jacks
  • Corner 3:  CMU pullovers ; CMU BBS
  • Corner 4:  broad jumps ; 4ct American Hammers
  • Mosey back to AO

MARY:
Roughly 2 minutes remained upon arrival back to AO, just enough time for 50 Overhead claps, in cadence.  Judging by the grumbling, this was the correct recipe.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
This was a tough one men.  I knew walking in that I would struggle to hold it together, and almost didn’t make it through the first paragraph of the poem.  My grandfather cut a poem out of a newspaper sometime in the 1940’s or early 50’s, titled “Thoroughbred Man” that he gave to my dad circa 1953.  My dad carried it in his wallet for 50+ years, to the point that he had to laminate it with a new typed copy just to preserve it.  He passed it on to me in 2002 before my first trip into a warzone.  Years later, I had it emblazoned on a plaque for him to put up on his wall.  He passed away in January 2015 after struggling through dementia and alzheimers’ for several years.  That was the longest day of my life, standing watch at his bedside for 20 hours, praying and talking to him.  I had siblings rushing in from as far away as Colorado.  About an hour after the last of us got to spend some 1 on 1 time with him, we all held him as he breathed his last, then his stubborn heart (if you knew him, you’d understand) went on for another 5 minutes.  I didn’t have the composure to share all of this in the BOM, so here it is.  I prayed for him.  I wanted more time with him, but I also knew that it would only prolong his suffering.  I prayed for God to take him.  After I took the plaque down off his wall, it stayed hidden, in a closet.  When I moved I put it up in my workshop, but still didn’t see it often.  I spent a lot of time embarrassed and ashamed of the man that I had become.  I wasn’t living up to what I was responsible for.  F3 has changed that in me.  Laziness, fear, and anxiety are afterthoughts now.  The plaque is in a spot where I see it daily, where it should be, as a reminder of how I need to live for my family.  It reads:

Am I the thoroughbred man, I want my laddie to be:

In the days that are now his future, Do I want him to be like me?

Nature’s put my mark on his features, I’m putting my stamp on his soul.

Can I help my boy reach the highlands, If I strive for a lesser goal?

’tis a sobering thought for fathers, aye a sobering thought for me;

As my boy sets on life’s ocean, shall he chart his course by me?

Shall he think the thoughts that I think; shall he say the things that I say;

Shall he live the life that I live; when I come to the end of my way?

To our boys is the task of the future, we’ll soon leave the world in their care.

As a father, I’ll help or hinder my boy’s life burdens to bear.

For this law is not to be broken, ’tis almighty God’s wonderful plan-

I must be a thoroughbred father, if I’d sire a thoroughbred man.

HIMs, we can’t be perfect.  But, we can do better than we are.  If you have to think twice about doing something, odds are it is sinful.  If you are about to do something that you wouldn’t want your wife, kids, or God to see you do, stop.  If you don’t want your son to grow up to be like you, change.  And, if you wouldn’t want your daughter to bring you home to meet you, sins and all, do something about it.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
JUCO is hosting convergence on 3/28/20, put it on your calendars and get out there!  Mermaid and myself will be heading up a pre-ruck from 0600-0700 before the beatdown, full smokey plus the third leg.

Dora the Explorer Experience

THE SCENE: 46 degrees, all clear

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER


WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 20
Mt Climbers x 10
Tempo Merkins x 10
Windmill x 10
Tempo Squats

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Brick Wall – Dora Up
– 100 Burpees
– 200 Squats
– 150 Derkins / 150 Irkins
Mosey to CMU pile – New Dora Partner
– 50 Curls
– 50 Tri-extensions
– 100 Freddie Mecuries 4-count
Mosey to Pull UP bars
1 pull-up on your own to break in the new pullup bars

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Psalm 119:9,11

MOLESKIN:
Using Scripture to combat those areas where we as men need help

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
F3 Convergence at JUCO end of March-be there

“Are You With Me?”

THE SCENE: Awesome weather.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Done and done. 
WARM-O-RAMA:

  1. 10 Tempo Squat – 4ct, IC
  2. 10 Tempo Merkins – 4ct, IC
  3. 10 Windmills – 4ct, IC
  4. 10 Cherry Pickers – 4 ct, IC
  5. Mosey to Playground

THA-THANG:

7s @ Playground: Pullups + Burpees=7. 1 Pullup+6 Burpees, 2 Pullups+5 Burpees, etc. (Still lose count at the tipping point: 3 Pullups + 4 Burpees, 4 Pullups + 3 Burpees!)

Brick Work @ Toy Box (until we get a proper name for all our equipment near the Recruiting Offices – CMUs, Cut Utility Poles, Tractor Tires, Concrete Boxes, Pull-up [some assembly required]:

  • One at a time, each PAX will Farmer Carry 2 CMUs (pinch grip) from Toy Box to parking lot curb. This will establish the time/# reps for each exercise. Everyone else rotates through these exercises:
    • Curls (vary grips – inside, outside, etc)
    • Single Arm Bent Over Row (alternating 10 each side)
    • Kettle Bell Swing
    • Thrusters (cuz we can’t get enough of these!)
    • Squat (vary stances – feet together, regular, wide sumo, etc)
    • Single Leg Dead Lift (alternating 10 each side)
    • Burpees
    • For variety, we threw in some Tricep Extensions, Calf Raises, or PAX choice
  • At time, Mosey back to Shovel Flag

MARY:
After all that BRICKWORK, PAX Choice yielded 10 Windmills + 10 Cherry Pickers with a lot of moaning and groaning, and a last minute mad rush of Flutter Kicks, Hello Dolly, and Freddy Mercury.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Fantastic 4+1: Erector, Kickflip, Whipper, Snaggletooth and Jesus.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM: “Are You With Me?”
I’ve shared a prayer request with some of the PAX earlier in the week that I’ve had a few stupid moments in the last month (more than usual in quick succession): blow-up anger that terrified my family, open-mouth-insert-foot conversation with wife. I knew something was wrong and that I needed help. Since then, I’ve been able to see a counselor that has proved to be very fruitful and helpful to me. I came away with a question that is vital for marriage. What each partner wants to know is: “Are you with me?” In the midst of pain and fear, anxiety and sin, triggers and rush, each of us needs to know that the answer to this question is, “Yes. I am with you. I am for you.” When I get derailed, lose focus, or forget my priorities, I need to be asked, “Are you with me?” And when I feel scared or anxious, and I ask the question, I’ll need to be convinced that the answer is “Yes.”

With a little distance from Christmas, we may still remember this verse in the gospel of Matthew 1:23, quoted from the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 – “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”

Because of Jesus (Emmanuel), whenever we ask God, “Are you with me?” the answer is forever “Yes. I am with you. I am for you.” Ask Him. (Rom 8:31-39)

MOLESKIN:
This is why Jesus came – that we might be reconciled to God, adopted as sons. (Rom 5, Rom 8) He is a Friend who sticks “closer than a brother.”(Prov 18:24) He teaches us “how deep the Father’s love for us.” (I Jn 3:1) He fulfills God’s promise, “I will never leave nor forsake you.” (Deut 31:6, Heb 13:5) How important it is for us to ask the question of God – so that we are reminded afresh of His answer: “Yes. I am with you. I am for you.” This is the good news for us. This is the gospel.

Prayed for Rocket’s mom, Spotter’s mom, and people affected by tornadoes in Middle Tennessee.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Collecting snacks for Wesley House on Friday March 6, Convergence at JUCO on Sat, March 28, Hardship Hill on Sat, May 2

A.K.A.

THE SCENE:   Mid-50s.  Rainy, thundery, lightningy.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:
Seal claps x 10 IC
Knee Tap Merkins x 10 IC
Tempo Squats x 10 IC
Lunge Runners x 10 each leg IC
Projectivator x 10 IC

THA THANG:
Dodge the lightning and head to cover under the senior center veranda.

Last week, Erector started a ridiculously hard pyramid workout.  We didn’t even get halfway through….  Time to pick-up where we left off…at lunges (i.e. Round 6 of the pyramid).  Instead of running a lap between Rounds (Erector’s plan), we’ll bear crawl the length of the veranda.

The pyramid was;
20 Merkins
20 Squats
20 Mountain Climbers
20 Flutter Kicks
20 Diamond Merkins
20 Lunge
20 Burpees
20 Freddy Mercury

We finished 7 more rounds – 800 reps and a bunch of bear crawls.  180 burpees between the three of us (Yeeeessss, Mermaid….we will log them….) 

MARY:
Hillbillies
Hello Dollies
BBS
Sleeping Hillbillies

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
3 HIMs

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Early in the biblical story of Daniel, the nation of Babylon besieges Jerusalem – plundering the Temple of God and kidnapping some of the noble families.  Among the captives brought back to Babylon were Daniel and his three friends; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  Once in captivity, they were given new names to conform to the culture; Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and placed into service of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar.

Two years later, Nebuchadnezzar had a nightmare and issued a threat to his sorcerers and counselors (whom Daniel/Belteshazzar was then among), “Tell me what my dream was and what it means – or you’ll be torn limb from limb and your houses destroyed…”  Picking up in Daniel 2:17-18, “Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.”  When he was in trouble and needed true friends to pray with him, Daniel found the three men whom he knew like none other.  He had a history with these men, and he called them by names that few others in Babylon knew them as; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Some of our F3 culture is, admittedly, peculiar – like calling each other by nicknames.  But I love it.  That nickname marks you in a distinctive way, and those who identify you by your alias know you as few others do.  We know you as a man who is willing to time-and-again slide from his warm bed to better himself and his friends.  We don’t care about your career, your education, your stuff – or your mistakes, your history, your insecurities… Instead, we value your authenticity, your humility, and your determination to get better in all facets of life.  Your vulnerability during a Word impresses us more than your physical intensity during the Q.  We know you as few others do.  

In the gloom, the relationships are as exceptional as the names are unique.  I know that men named Erector and Snaggletooth will get out of bed and do burpees with me in the lightning and pouring rain.  Men named Mailbox and Rocket challenge me to be the best version of myself that I can be – physically, relationally, spiritually.  Men named Samaritan, Slappy, and Guardrail pray for my family and pray that I will be more like Christ each day.  Those men all know that KickFlip is praying for their vitality and he has their back during any trouble that may come their way.  If help is needed, I hope I’m at the top of their call lists.

Out here, you are known in a unique way – which is why you are known by a different name.

MOLESKIN:

Don’t blame me…blame Erector!

Prayers for Rocket and his mother, for Spotter/Gump and their mother, for the health of each other’s families, for each other’s patience

Hat tip to Brad Raby

ANNOUNCEMENTS: