F3 Knoxville

Tag: Mailbox

Hey, Let’s Move Swimmies’ Car!

THE SCENE: Unusually Warm, upper 70s, partly sunny but getting dark earlier and earlier…
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Check
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 SSH, 4-ct IC, 10 Cherry Pickers, 4-ct, IC, Twist stretches…

Then Jinxy told us Swimmies (who we thought was just typically late) was actually stuck on the entrance road with a blown clutch.  So… forget the rest of the warmup… MOSEY RUN TO THE RESCUE!

Followed Swimmies to his car, which was on the entrance road from Lyons View, dead in the water, smelling very unpleasantly of fried clutch.  It was HIM’s to the rescue! Pushed it up to a pull off area, then proceeded with warmup.

10 Hillbillies, 4-ct, IC, Little of this and that.

THA-THANG:

[Q crumples up his Weinke and starts just making stuff up, since the original workout was supposed to be on the opposite side of the park from where we moved the car… Crawdad appears out of nowhere.  So does Brick.]

Moseyed to terraced hill on side of Everest.  Start at the bottom, do 5 reps of three exercises , then run up to first terrace and return, do 10 reps of each exercise and run up second terrace and return, then do 15 reps of each exercise and go all the way to the treeline.  EXERCISES: Merkins, Squats, American Hammers (2-ct)

MOSEY to perimeter trail and over to edge of park that looks out at the Veterans Cemetery.  Pause, take a moment to pay respects to the Veterans buried at the cemetery.

NICKEL/DIME/QUARTERS along perimeter trail to top of the Tail of the Dragon.  Run 1 light post, do 5x exercise, run 2 light posts do 10x exercise, run 5 light posts do 25x exercise.

  1. [Can’t remember the first exercise… something awesome]
  2. CDDs
  3. Mountain Climbers (2-ct)

MOSEY to the hill along the Tail of the Dragon that leads up to the monument.  Do 7’s Top: Prisoner Get Ups, Bottom: Prisoner Cell Merkin Burpees.  These were brutal.

MOSEY to AO. DORAS.  Partner 1 works on exercise, Partner 2 runs about 2/3 up Baby Cardiac.  Exercises are 100 Merkins and 100 BBS.  Final Sprint up Baby Cardiac with everyone.

MARY:
Hamstring stretches, 20 American Hammers, 4-ct, IC

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
17 strong. No FNGs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Veteran’s Day is tomorrow, and it’s had me thinking about those who have served our country, the men and women that have been a part of the armed forces, as well as their families.  We took a moment earlier to pause and remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  What does sacrifice entail?

One of the defining traits of human beings is altruism. Altruism is the practice of doing things that benefit others even at the cost of your own happiness, welfare, or (to use a biological term) “fitness”.  It is unusual in the Animal Kingdom because of the principle of “Survival of the Fittest”… if an action benefits someone else rather than you, you might be the one eaten by a cheetah on the Serengeti, or fail to make sweet love with that attractive she-moose over there, or die of thirst in a desert with a limited number of watering holes

What force is it that allows men and women to sacrifice their comfort, families, even their lives in service to others?  To me, it is the gift of Grace from God.

St Francis of Assisi articulated this when he said “Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.”

But there’s more to it than that. Even though we have the ABILITY to sacrifice and be altruistic doesn’t necessarily mean we will USE that gift.  What inspires us to use it?

Bob Hope, who entertained troops overseas for decades, once said, “I saw more courage, more good humor in the face of discomfort, more love in an era of hate, and more devotion to duty than could exist under tyranny.”

And as Ernest Hemmingway said in a FAREWELL TO ARMS, “When you love, you wish to do things for that which you love. You wish to sacrifice. You wish to serve.”

Another saying about veterans is that they don’t fight for what’s in front of them, they fight for what’s behind them.  We are fortunate to live in a country that is free from tyranny, where military service is voluntary, where autocrats and dictators do not hold sway over our democracy.  The veterans that paid the ultimate price didn’t fight for themselves, they fought for what they loved.  America the Beautiful.  The Land of the Free.

The veterans who have served and died for this country overcame self, and is so doing, in my opinion, became one with the Grace of God.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for several PAX and their relatives.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Why are you here? Hammie or HIM day?

THE SCENE: Upper 40’s and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Yep
WARM-O-RAMA:
Cherry Pickers, Hairy Rockettes, Tempo Merkins, Tempo Squats

THA-THANG:
Mosey to the big parking lot and line up at the first light pole:

Perform 20 squats, 20 merkins, and 20 BBS then lunge to the next parking line. Once at the line, sprint to the far light pole and Bernie back. Repeat till you make it to the light pole.

Mosey to the CMU pile and grab a coupon.

At the base of stadium hill, line up along the curb facing the hill. Perform the following sequence:

  • 10 CMU OHP
  • 10 CMU Squats
  • 10 CMU Thrusters
  • 10 CMU Swings
  • Bear crawl to the top of Stadium Hill and mosey back.

We completed 3-4 rounds of the above sequence.

Mosey back to the big parking lot. Line up along the long curb.

Performed 11’s with Bobby Hurley’s on one end and Diamond Merkins on the other.

Called time before we finished.

MARY:
None

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 Men that I pray are striving to be HIMs! Glad to see Footsie back out again.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Why are you here?

I started asking myself that question about 3 months after joining F3. My initial reason for coming out to F3 to prove to myself that I was fit enough to keep up. (Spoiler Alert: I wasn’t!) My hurt ego kept me coming those first 3 months as I pushed to get faster and stronger. I was no doubt here for the wrong reason.

Today, my reason for coming to F3 is different, I’m here because it makes me a better man, a better father, a better husband, and even a better Christian. The workout is an added bonus to the BOM & COT that offer the true reward for rolling out of bed at an unreasonable time. F3’s purpose is to “invigorate male community leadership.” F3 is also a “Faith” based group. If you read up on that aspect per F3 nation it does not define “Faith” as Christianity or even religion, but as a belief in something bigger than oneself. However, I’m blessed that here at JUCO each member of the PAX has shared their own belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. This has allowed for an even greater impact from the PAX on my life as they each share Biblical messages that push us to be better Christians and strive to be HIMs.

A note on High Impact Men (HIMs). We use this term frequently when referring to our PAX in F3, but let’s take a moment to reflect on what this term means. A High Impact Man can be defined by immeasurable qualities, integrity, honesty, loyalty, servitude, leadership, humbleness, meekness, etc.  In my mind, the true HIM need only be defined by one single word, Godly. Any man that can be defined as such will inherently be a High Impact Man. I’m urging each member of the JUCO PAX to strive for Godliness in all that you do.

1 Timothy 4:8

“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

 

MOLESKIN:
Judge Judy took over as the F3 Knoxville N’antan on Saturday. I shared some of his message and challenge with the JUCO PAX and encouraged them to pray for Judge as he takes on this burden.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Workout at the Boys and Girls Club this Wednesday.

IMPACT

THE SCENE: 40s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER✔
WARM-O-RAMA:
Tempo Merkins, Tempo Squats, TN Rock’n Chair, Mountain Climbers, Crabettes, SSH: All IC, 10 Reps Each

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Large West Parking Lot, stopping for a little bear crawl on the way.

  • Pole to Pole: 10-20-30
    • 10 Merkins, Mosey
    • 20 Merkins, Mosey
    • 30 Merkins, Mosey
    • Repeat w/Squats
  • Mosey back to the baseball field for some Burpee Baseball.
    • Team 1: Line up at Home Plate.  One player at a time, run to 1st base – 5 Burpee no Merkin, 2nd Base – 20 Mountain Climbers, 3rd Base 30 Squat Jumps, Back to end of Lineup.  While players are traversing the bases, the Lineup is doing Burpees until everyone has gone around. So fun! (FNG Spewdent spilled Chunky Merlot but recovered nicely – that’s leadership!)
    • Team 2: Mosey around the outside of the field until Team 1 is finished
    • Teams switch roles
  • Completed 1 Inning.
  • Mosey to Top of Sophomore Hill: Team 1 does pullups while Team 2 Lunges across small lot and Crawl Bears back. Switch and repeat.
  • Mosey to small wall on way back to Shovel Flag: Aiken Legs! 20 Wall-Jumps, 20 Lunges, 20 Iron Mikes
  • Mosey toward Shovel Flag some more, stopping for a plank walk along the curb: PAX in plank position and walk themselves with hands down the curb, switching sides once.  We went about 50 yards or so.

MARY:
No time.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
17 Strong
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
1 John 2: 15-17:  “Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them….”  So many people today, with all that is going on, are clinging to the things of this world, whether it’s their money, or property, or taxes, or presidential candidate.  Our society needs strong, male, virtuous leadership now more than ever – the kind of leadership that makes an impact.  Q encouraged the men to not be of this world and to cultivate a heavenly perspective.  That perspective changes not only your life but others’ as well because having a heavenly perspective increases a man’s impact on the world around him.  Q shared the story of Paul Watson, a co-worker and friend, who struggled with a rare form of heart cancer and finally succumbed to it after a courageous fight.  Q recalled Paul’s funeral, which the Q will never forget.  Paul’s wife and two little girls were looking at his casket and the pastor stood up and stated to the entire congregation which was packed: “If your observations of Paul’s struggle with the cancer over this past year have brought you closer to Jesus, please stand.” One by one, people began to stand and by the end of it there wasn’t a single person sitting in the entire church.  He asked Paul’s wife and little girls to turn around and look.  Men – THAT is impact.  What legacy are you leaving behind?

MOLESKIN:
N/A
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Anniversary Convergence

BYOB – Anniversary

THE SCENE:

Partly Cloudy Temperature Humidity Feels like Wind Speed Wind Direction
62 ℉ 100% 63 ℉ 1.8 mi/h SSE

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER.
I am not a professional.

WARM-O-RAMA:
25 SSHs.
10 Baby Arm Circles forward.
10 backward.
3 Cherry Pickers.

THA-THANG:
Mosey to my car trunk and everyone pick up a standard 16oz water bottle.  The water bottle is yours for the day.

Mosey to CMU pile.  Along the way stopping three times.  At each stop the water bottle is placed on the ground and with Merkins the chest touches the bottle.  With the leg exercises, the hands touch the bottle.  The objective is to make noise with the bottle.

  • 20 Regular Merkins and 20 Squats.
  • 20 Wide Merkins and 20 Monkey Humpers
  • 20 Diamond Merkins and 20 Lunges

At CMU pile everyone grab one to go along with the water bottle.  Groups of three.  The three split about 30 yards apart.  1st PAX staying at one end, 2nd PAX at other end, and 3rd PAX is walking between the two.  While walking he carries the CMU away from his body with the water bottle balanced on the CMU. As he reaches the other side the 2nd PAX walks with CMU and bottle back to PAX #1.  And then #1 down to #3.  If the water bottle falls off, then 10 Monkey Humpers.  While PAX is walking, the other two do a series of exercises.  Only after all three make one walk, the three of them then move to the next exercise.  The exercises where:

  • Curls
  • Tricep Extensions
  • Rows
  • Overhead Press
  • Thrusters

Mosey to big parking lot.  Group lines up on the north edge.  Everyone throws their water bottle across the parking lot.  Everyone running to their bottle and doing an exercise then throwing again go to bottle and exercise, throw again exercise etc. until the reach the south edge of the lot.  With each crossing more water is removed from the bottle and the exercise changes.

  • Full Bottle – 20 American Hammers (bottle touches ground each time)
  • ¾ Bottle – 10 War Hammers (bottle touches ground each time)
  • ½ Bottle – 20 Windshield Wipers (feet over standing water bottle)
  • ¼ Bottle – 20 Pickle Pounders (water bottle crunched each rep)
  • Empty – 5 Worst Merkins Ever (water bottle crunched each rep)

So, that was the plan with the bottles and the parking lot.  BUT, on our first throws, most of the water bottles exploded.  Which was cool but made it extremely difficult to throw the bottle any distance at all.  So, we modified to everyone running to the lone surviving bottles.  And that PAX continued to throw/skid it along the ground.  Once across lot first time, quick trip to the car got us some spare bottles. Then we just had one PAX skid one bottle and we all ran to that distance.  Worked out fine.

Mosey back to AO.

MARY:
No time for Mary
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 HIMs.   19 Listed above and SOS also.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
My first year with F3 has been filled with some great examples along with many reasons to be proud to be a part of F3.  Thanks to all my F3 brothers for a fun year #1.

Proverbs 18:24
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

“I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded me. I sought my brother and I found all three.” – Unknown.

MOLESKIN:
—
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Breaking the Fall Break Rut

THE SCENE: Perfect for a post Fall Break beatdown
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
10xWindmills, 15xlbac fwd/bck, 10xTempo Merkins, 10xTempo Squats

THA-THANG:
Reverse Indian Run with front guy dropping off for 3 burpees before joining the back of the line.

At Freshman Hill, partner up with a battle buddy to knock out some DORA 123:

  • 100xMerkins
  • 200xMonkey Humpers
  • 300xLBCs

Once finished, mosey to the coupon pile. Each HIM grabs one coupon. At the bottom of the stairs complete 20xcurls, 20xTricep Presses, 20xCMU Swings then run to the top of the stairs to complete 5 pull-ups. Reapeato till time was called.

 

Mosey back to the shovel flag.

MARY:
Started with 20xFreddie Mercuries then went to Dealer’s Choice from the PAX including Hello Dollies, Scissor Kicks, Imperial Walkers, Plank.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 HIMs knocked off the rust from Fall Break with a good old fashioned beatdown.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
This world is becoming more confusing every day, especially for our children. We as men need to ensure that we are being definitive examples of Godly men to our children. To ensure that they see how a Godly man acts, thinks, and most importantly rejects worldly living to seek after Christ. If we don’t teach our children, then the world will. It’s quite evident that too many children today have been shaped by a corrupt world and not by Godly parents.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Convergence on November 7th