F3 Knoxville

A Year In The Making

THE SCENE: A comfortable mid-50’s fall morning

WARM-O-RAMA:
4ct SSH (IC) x 25; 4ct Tai Fighters (IC) x 10 – forwards and reverse; 4ct Starfish Crunches (IC) x 10; 4ct Plank Jacks (IC) x 10; Mosey to the CMU pile in the alley

THA-THANG:
A killer few rounds of fun to be had:

Before beginning the first round of pain, murder bunnies for 25 yards and then rifle carry CMU back to starting line.  Repeat murder bunnies and rifle carry between each round and to finish off the killer workout.

Round 1: Alternate between exercise 1 (CMU dead lifts) and exercise 2 (SSH’s) running 25 yards between each set of reps.  Perform 5 reps of exercise 1, run 25 yards and perform 20 reps of exercise 2, then run back to starting line.  Now perform 10 reps of exercise 1, run 25 yards and perform 15 reps of exercise 2, then run back to starting line.  Perform 15 reps of exercise 1, run 25 yards and perform 10 reps of exercise 2, then run back to starting line.  Last set perform 20 reps of exercise 1, run 25 yards and perform 5 reps of exercise 2, then run back to starting line.

Round 2: Similar 4 sets of 25 total reps.  Exercise 1 is CMU bentover rows and exercise 2 is merkins.

Round 3: Similar 4 sets of 25 total reps.  Exercise 1 is CMU squat thrusters and exercise 2 is mother earth burpees.

Return the CMU’s to the pile.

MARY:
Indian run formation to head back toward AO but start with planks instead of running.  6-man sprints to the front and resumes plank then next HIM in the rear sprints to the front – rinse a repeat as the formation inches toward the AO.  After much growing and clamoring, switch to Al Gores.  After a little more ground is gained, switch to Rocky Balboas.  Once the AO is close enough to smell it, switch to SSH’s.  Finally a jailbreak leads the PAX back to the AO just in time for a speed round of 10 SSH’s then 10 merkins back and forth in AMRAP/OYO fashion until the Q draws to an end.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”  Election next week has many divided and pitted against each other and causing undue stress and worry.  Trust in the Sovereign Almighty and know that He is in control – no matter the results of the election.  Do your civic duty and vote, but trust God for the result.  Join me in prayer on Tuesday while others watch the polls.  2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

 

The Skunk Biscuit

THE SCENE: Man, one day it’s chilly.  The next day it’s muggy and humid.  This was one of those days.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Yep. Did that.
WARM-O-RAMA:

So, I picked up this Q basically as I went to bed since nobody else had.  I’m off the cuff here boys.  Some side straddle hops, some cherry pickers, some imperial squat walkers.  That’s about it.  Let’s mosey.

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Circus Maximus for a Baby Sea Biscuit

  • 10 Burpees; 20 Merkins; 30 LBCs, 40 squats, run a lap;
  • Repeat above reps, run 2 laps;
  • Again, run 3 laps;
  • Ditto, run 4 laps.
  • At this point, a true Sea Biscuit requires us to move back down the ladder, but the friendly neighborhood skunk made an appearance and decided to hang out in the middle of the CM oval.  Maybe he reserved it before we did?  At any rate, we called an audible at that point and moseyed back to the foot of baby Everest.
  • With some time left, let’s sprint to the top, 5 man makers (or is it body builders?) and back down for 20 squats.  Do it again, but Bernie up the hill.  Repeat this series one more time.

MARY:
Circle drills with Ring of Fire Merkins.  Each takes a turn doing 2 merkins, but alternating holding plank and 6 inches low with each turn.  Then Howling Monkeys, then Hands of Time.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
From 2 Corinthians 12:8-10:  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability.  The Lord is with you and makes you stronger because of it, and that brings glory to Him.
MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Convergence for 5 year anniversary. Nov. 7 – Asylum.

Back blast and use of worst metaphor in F3 History at BOM

THE SCENE: Low 50s, light rain, random dude sitting down with umbrella drinking coffee at top of AO…nice aroma every time we ran by.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

I am worst than a nonprofessional , follow Covid guideline
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 20, Arm Circles, Cherrypickers, Leg over leg stretch, Butterfly stretch ( Included Coach Dunn’s advice) Couple of yoga stretches

THA-THANG:
Ran to top of AO at Parks and Rec office area and did a circuit run between the end points of the Colosseum/overlook. Did a exercise at each stop point and then ran back to start point

Start point at Haslam monument

  • Squat x 20
  • Squat Jump x 20
  • Fire Hydrant x 20 ( 10 each side )

Mid-Point at center of overlook

  • Flutter Kick 4 count x 20
  • Hello Dolly 4 count x 20
  • LBS x 20

End-Point at stop sign at bottom of hill

  • Mountain Climber 4 count x 20
  • CDD x 20
  • Merkins x 20

Slow Mosey to base of Everest

2 sets of Break dance Merkins with run half way up Everest

Then…ran to Summit of Everest and then mosey to AO.

At AO

10 Burpies followed by 20 LBS

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 Pax got better today~ Pluto, Rainbow, Archie, Gibbler, Hands, Crab-legs, Code Brown, Cat Gut, Bunny, Kentucky, Fabio, Toll Bridge, Hot Tub, Matlock
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Worst metaphor inF3 history…

Shared that as High Impact men we are often striving to be leaders in our families, church, work, and friend groups. You are working hard to both fit in AND to stand out. Working hard and stepping up to be a humble leader when called upon to do so… each of us is carrying a lot of strength as Hims, yet it may not be noticed as we live life as humble servants, yet when called to do so we step up and show our strength and stand out when called to do so.

Shared a story about how while driving home from our vacation yesterday my son had noticed and commented on seeing an El Camino driving in our neighborhood.

Shared that as HIMs sometimes we are like an El Camino… We may look simple, fit in, and appear to be a regular person or Sad Clown at first glance. Like looking at an El Camino from the front …Heck it looks like a car!

Yet each of us has strength and power that through our humility is not apparent at the first head on glance.  Our strength, power and influence as a HIM is seen after getting the full picture of each of us as a man. Much like an El Camino has the strength to haul almost 1,500 lbs in the back and in many models  a high performance engine making it a true muscle car! We each can look like an average man from the front, yet as we strive to be HIMS we have the extra strength in the back that you might not see at first.

So strive to be like an El Camino … humble, car like, and unassuming at first glance, yet strong, capable of carrying a heavy weight, and a high performance HIM who is a servant to others.

EDIT: Added this link after initial post of back blast – Today is the anniversary of the introduction of the El Camino… I had no idea this was the case when I planned the Q last night!

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chevrolet-introduces-the-el-camino

MOLESKIN:
Closed with this verse from Thessalonians 5:14

” And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all”
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Reminded everyone of the Convergence & 3rd F at Bomb Shelter tomorrow morning

Steamed & Smoked, Not Skunk’d

[ The Scene ]

– Couple of skunk sightings in the cool 60-degree air.

– Some diesel powered ‘Mercian trucks roll up

– It’s about to go down

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith
  • My name is Steam and I’m honored to be in your company and be your Q this morning
  • FNGs?
  • Couple of things before we begin:
    • (1) Contrary to popular belief I am not a professional
    • (2) You’re here on your own volition
    • (3) If you need to modify anything we do this morning – feel free to do so as you need but push yourself and those around you. .

[ Warm o Rama ]

  • Imperial Walker: 11×4 IC
  • Rockette: 11×4 IC
  • Windmill: 11×4 IC
  • Merkin: 11×4 IC
  • SSH: 11×4 IC

[ The Thang ]

(Mosey to the Pav)

(1) Power of 3s

  • 3 points of contact:
    • Dugouts: 3 pull-ups
    • Pav: 6 incline Merkins
    • AO parking lot far corner: 9 Big Boy Sit-ups
  • Dugouts — Pav — AO parking lot far corner
  • R & R this 2x — adding 3 reps to each station each time
    • Round 2: 6, 9, 12

Done? — Wall-sits & Seal Claps (Yayyyyyyy)

(10 count)

(Mosey to parking lot outside of playground)

Tour de Parking Lots

(2) 9s

  • Rocky Balboas on the curb
  • Freddie Mercury’s at the opposite end of the parking lot
  • Everything on a 4 count
  • 8 & 1
  • 7 & 2 etc etc etc

GET SOME.

(Mosey across the street to opposite parking lot)

(A very distinct skunk smell is in the air — and no, it wasn’t the newest scent of Axe body spray, this was clearly a  skunk. Cutting Parking Lot #2 short — PAX execute 25 u0/down squats and mosey to Parking Lot 3. Shame, Parking Lot #2 had a cool name – but in the wild wild gloom, in a 19 to 1 battle of PAX vs. skunk – the skunk wins.)

(3) There and Back Again — cut short by Skunkinitis

  • 3 points of contact
    • 1 end of the lot
    • Middle of the lot
    • End of the lot
  • 2 ways of getting to them
    • Bear crawl
    • Lunge
  • At each POC: 25 SSH (1 count)
  • When you get back here: Hold the squat
  • Complete the last 25 SSHs together to = 100

(Mosey to roundabout parking lot next to baseball field)

(3) Rounding Up (To 100)

  • We’ll do this together
  • 25×4 mountain climbers

(Run around to the right to the opposite side)

  • 25×4 Carolina Dry Docks

(Run around to the right back to the start)

  • 25×4 mountain climbers 

(Run around to the right to the opposite side)

  • 25×4 Carolina dry docks 

(Mosey pax the back way up past the dugouts and Pav to the AO parking lot)

  • 3 good pull-ups at the dugout
  • 6 good incline merkins at the Pav
  • 9 good big boy sit-ups at the AO parking lot

PAX circle up — still breathing and still time on the clock

[ Mary ]

  • ATMs (15×4 shoulder taps, 10 slow merkins, 10 quick merkins)

 

  • Dynamic Stretching with Steam (Last 5 minutes)
    • Back stretches
    • leg stretches
    • Calf stretches
    • Core stretches
    • GOOD STUFF (not a stretch – stretching is just good stuff)

[ COT ]

  • # off — 19
  • Name o Rama
  • FNGs — 0 
  • BOM

“The Power to Change our Thoughts”

  • Jerry Flowers

I shared that it’s been a really hard year for us all and whether we realize it or not it’s probably affected how we think and our thought life (whether we give it credit or not).

So I heard this sermon by a pastor by Jerry Flowers about thought life and the power we have to change the way we think and he listed the exercise below to prove this.

Picture a lion in your head.

Got it?

Now picture a a tiger in your head.

Got it?

You just proved to yourself that you have the power to change your thoughts.

 

The way we think is important! How we think about ourselves, how we think about our life and family and communities, it’s important.

I say this as an encouragement so that if you’ve ever found yourself in a place like I’ve been in and out of this year – desperation and just being tired and exhausted – (1) Give the situation you’re in to the Lord and (2) Realize you have the power to change how you think.

 

Stay in the fight men!

Steam

Drop Dead Legs

THE SCENE: Though the thermometer said it was over 50, I could barely see the road from the heat coming off as I pulled into the AO and was met by 15 HIMs ready to get unchained and hit the ground running.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Ain’t talking ’bout love. I’m talking ’bout Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. I’m Charmin, you’re Q.  All my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy. Plus they’re free.  Cause of this Full Bug called COVID, don’t spit on each other and and if Push Comes To Shove, you’re not social distancing.
WARM-O-RAMA:

Might as well Jump with some SSH, IC (4ct) x 20; followed by some BBQ squats (low and slow), Imperial Squat Walkers x 10 and Tie Fighters, back and forth with the BAC, 10x each.

Move to the baseline for some Rocky Balboas, IC (4ct) x 20, then it’s Bottoms Up with a burpee broad jump across the AO, lunging back to the beginning.
THA-THANG:
Time to hit the Mean Streets.  The Q wanted to run but also get some quad work in, so why not the Best of Both Worlds with a Bernie up Baby Everest and a run down the Dragon to the Cloud.

At the Cloud,we did some Aiken Legs (Box Jumps/Step Ups, Mary Catherines, Reverse Lunges), 20 each for 2 rounds.  The Q forgot to throw in Squats to lead off, so the Aiken Legs wasn’t fully legit, and now I’m feeling like an Atomic Punk.

After that House of Pain, we had another round of Bernie up BE, down the Dragon to the AO.

Now it’s into the Pleasure Dome for a little 7 of Diamonds.  Repeat each exercise and reps at each corner for 4 total laps around the AO.

  • 1st lap: 7 burpees at each corner
  • 2nd lap; 14 Flutter kicks, 4 ct;
  • 3rd lap; 21 Merkins;
  • 4th lap; 28 Squats.

Circle up for Death by Squats:  Start with 10 jump squats, followed by 10 squats, then 9 jump squats, followed by 10 squats, etc., down to 1 last “Failure to Launch” jump squat and 10 squats.  At this point, Somebody Get Me a Doctor, because my legs are On Fire.  I don’t know if Jamie’s Cryin’, but I sure am.

MARY:
Q has a Loss of Control and Kentucky takes over, calling out a favorite: Bicycles (Play Bicycle by Queen.  Do Freddy Mercurys plus a BBS every time he sings Bicycle or Bike).  Why? because Everybody Wants Some!
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 HIMs feel Black and Blue but are on Top of the World.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I know everybody has One Foot Out the Door and wants to be Dancing In the Streets, but you can’t miss the BOM and just Hear About It Later.  Stealing from Steam’s podcast with Cap’n Crunch, we need to remember what F3 is and is not. As Cap’n perfectly put it, “We are not a workout group.  We are not a men’s group.  We do those things, but that’s not what we are. The goal of F3 is to invigorate male community leadership.  We are a leadership factory . . .A leadership university.”  Leadership requires practice and experience.  What better place to get in practice than leading the men of F3 through a workout.  Remember that Iron Sharpens Iron.  Are we being sharpened by those around us?  Are we in turn sharpening those around us?
MOLESKIN:
Eddie Van Halen’s music was part of the soundtrack of my life.  The music for today’s workout and this BB is dedicated to his memory. RIP.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
3rd F on 10/17 at the Bomb Shelter.  Be there!