F3 Knoxville

Tag: Mailbox

Spring to Action

THE SCENE: Perfect 67 degree morning, clear and dry
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
High Knees, Mtn Climbers, Shoulder Tap Merkins, Moroccan Night club, Side straddle hops
THA-THANG:
Fun-dian run through courtyard. – A chaotic scramble of two lines running through the courtyard.  Each leader gave up the lead by introducing an obstacle.  (Jumping over benches, bear crawling, snaking through trees).  Then planking till the back of the line made it through his obstacle.

Took a nice mosey of tour of 6 stations

  • Tricep Dips in courtyard
  • Burpee in parking lot (one we seem to never use)
  • Merkins at the stop sign
  • Squat Thrusters by CMU pile
  • Pull Ups at the pull up bars
  • Leg raises on the loading doc

Got into team of 4.  Each team could earn points (Springs) at each station.  The more of an exercise cumulative points, the more springs the team brought back.  Teams would then do core exercises till “released” by the next team to arrive. (this only sort of worked)
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Welcome 2 FNGs!    5K’s 2.0 Sunrise

Welcome Buttons – glad you made it out to clown around with us.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
You all inspire me. I push way harder out here than when I work out on my own.
There is a risk we only push on the physical things and we have to have the humility to express that we don’t see our own blind spots in other areas of our lives.
In prepping for this morning I discovered I was treating the spiritual discipline of reading as a chore. I’m not much of a reader. I was afraid of the length of Psalm 119. But just as you may dread 100 burpees, doing it is live giving, full of awesome verses like:

Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments.  Psalms 119:173

Jesus faithful provided his promised helper.

John 16:8 Nevertheless, I tel you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.

The Holy Spirit is that helper and will talk to you through His word (and other ways)
If you don’t know that Helper talk to me about it in person, online -anywhere.
Challenge to you is to Read Psalm 119; it is life giving.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for 2 Moms with major medical needs (Heart Surgery coming Friday and broken hip from a fall last week)  Prayer for our nation and the protection of those keeping peace

JUCOnapolis 500

THE SCENE:  Perfect Morning
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Fitness, Fellowship, Faith, Free, Modify, Not Professional, Own Volition, Social Distance, Phone

WARM-O-RAMA:
Cherry Pickers IC, Harry Rockettes IC; Grady Corns in Squat IC, Projectivator IC
THA-THANG:

Indianapolis 500 may have been cancelled this week but the JUCOnaplis 500 was a GO!

Quick mosey to Coupon Pile – stopping for 20 Merkins halfway.   Grabbed a coupon and started tabata timer – 10 AMRAP exercises for 50 seconds each with 10 second recovery between exercises for a nice 500 second push.  Did Walkover Merkins, Swings, Curls, Goblet Squats, Tricep Extensions, Heavy Freddy Mercuries, Overhead Press, Rocky Balboas, Bench Press and Squat Thrusters.   Dropped the coupons and headed over to the parking lot for our time trials.

Lined up on the curb across the parking lot.   Ready / Set / Go!   5 Burpees – Sprint to other side of Parking Lot; 5 Burpees; Bernie Back; 5 Burpees; and line up in the order you finish.

Now that we had our pole positions set it was time for the race.   Everyone ran the first lap (0.4 mi) without stopping at the pit (pain) stops.   At the start of the the second lap the pit (pain) were now open.  When you came to an open cone with no one at it you would stop and do the exercise on the ground then get up and start running again.  Ended up modifying to have two at each cone to make sure we didn’t run too much.  There were 10 cones with 50 reps at each cone.  10 exercises were Merkins, SSH, Flutter Kicks, Iron Mikes, Box Cutters, Single Leg Calf raises, Plank Jacks, Hello Dolly, Overhead Claps in Squat, and Mountain Climbers.

Mosey back to the AO; with a tire squealing JAILBREAK at the end.

MARY:
No time for Mary
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 HIMS in attendance
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Here is my best effort to put several rambling thoughts into one message for the day.   We talk about it often in F3 that we are all called to be HIMs (High Impact Men).    While we all got the Man part down…even clean shaven.   I know for me personally I can struggle with the first part – HIGH IMPACT.    When I reflect on my life, I often question am I making the high impact I am called to.   While I know I am far from perfect, I can make myself feel pretty good when I think about serving and impact those closest to me.  My family, my friends, co-workers, church community and next door neighbors (or at least those I know and like).     Where I have struggled in being a HIM is serving those that have nothing to give me in return.

You read from Matthew 5 and 6 – Jesus sermon on the mount and in Matthew 5:46-47 – Jesus says….If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?   Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?

Those are hard words to speak, to hear, to digest.  Because I know if I am honest with myself they expose the realities of my sinful nature.   But they are in red letters, Jesus is calling us to be different, to be set apart.   Mark 10:45   For even the Son of Man came to serve, not be served and to give his life as a ransom for many.   Jesus during his entire life was serving and ultimately gave his life to people who had nothing to give in return.

I can click on the link to donate money or hand out a $20 dollar bill here and there to the cause of the day and try to convince myself I am doing my part to help those in need but I know that in that moment that small token of generosity, while the right thing to do isn’t really a sacrifice.    Once again if I am honest how often am I willing to sacrifice myself, my time, my comfort, my needs, for those in true need, the orphans, widows, foreigners, poor.   That is the part of my life where I have been feeling God pull at me to make a change.   I am far from a finished product but want to be a doer of the Word, not just one who hears (James 1:22).  One who without hesitation knows the right thing to do and does it.   (James 4:17)

I stand here today thankful for many things.   Thankful for men around this circle who are constantly speaking truth and challenging one other to be the men God called us to be.   Men who are challenging each other to spend more time in scripture and prayer.   Men who are encouraging self reflection and repentance.  Men who are challenging one another to step up and help those in need.   Men who are living on mission day in and day out in the forgotten places and looking for others to join them.   I know I wouldn’t have done it on my own, I am too selfish.   But luckily, I have found you all and I have chosen to not do life alone.   

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Coffeeteria at DD still on even if GUMP isn’t here.

Run with Wisdom

THE SCENE: 56 degrees, no humidity, quite nice
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH
Tempo Squat
Windmill
Merkins

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Large Parking Lot Adjacent to the Pond
50 1-count Flutter Kicks
Run 75% to the other end, about 250 meters
50 Merkins
Run back to the beginning, that’s 1 set
Perform 4 sets
Mosey to Duck Pond
Burpee Mile
15 at the beginning of the loop
15 half-way through the loop
Tried to get 4 laps in; decreasing 5 burpees per round with each lap
Mosey back to AO

MARY:
A bit of time left for Hello Dolly

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Seeking and exercising Wisdom in light of today’s uncertainty
1 Kings 3
Desire Wisdom
Discover Wisdom
Demonstrate Wisdom

 

The Second Time is Better

THE SCENE:  67 and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered. 
WARM-O-RAMA: 

  • Cherry pickers x 7 IC
  • Tempo squats x 7 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 7 IC
  • Hillbillies x 7 IC
  • Mountain Climbers x 10 IC
  • Knee tap Merkins x 7 IC
  • Projectivator from 7

THA THANG:

Short mosey to the bars…
15 muscle-ups on the wall + 15 dips on the bars (x3 Rounds)

 

Mosey to K-25 Hill

DORA

Partner 1 – Up the hill

1st time – Sprint

2nd time – bear crawl

3rd time – Bernie

Partner 2

45 burpees

45 BBS

45 lunges (2-ct)

45 squats

45 Merkins

 

Mosey to the Friendship Bell

11s; Dips and Derkins + 5 box jumps between each set

 

MARY:

Mosey back to the flag for some Mary

  • Sleeping Hillbillies L&R
  • Flutter Kicks
  • Freddy Mercury
  • Hello Dolly

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

Me and 6 of the best men I know

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Did that workout seem familiar?  It was a do-over of my first ever F3 workout – one that Snaggletooth Q-ed last April.  Our first time, my performance was terrible.  I couldn’t finish the muscle-ups, was sucking for air like a drowning swimmer, felt ready to vomit at any moment, and was wondering why Archie would invite me to participate in such agony.  You guys dragged this sorry FNG around the park while he muttered to himself, “what the heck am I doing out here at 5:30 in the morning??”  Our second time, however, my personal performance was considerably better than the first.

Let’s talk a minute about regrets.  I’ll start with one of my own…

My wife was 10-weeks pregnant until we lost our baby last week.  We will surely be grieving that loss and processing our emotions for a long time.  While I’m not ready to talk about those feelings publicly – I am going to talk about my response to our tragedy.  You see, this isn’t our first time.  Eight years prior, almost to the day, we lost another baby – what would have been our second child.  Just like my first time doing this workout was a terrible performance, my first time leading after that tragedy was dreadful.  My wife and I grieved our loss separately – I did not try to communicate my feelings and I didn’t pursue hers well.  After just a few days, I went on a work trip to Las Vegas and left her to mourn with our infant son.  At the time, I had some unhealthy habits (self-centeredness, jealous thinking…) and few healthy habits (wasn’t exercising or praying regularly, no shield lock with other men…).  I’ve spoken before about a season of complacency in my marriage. It would be years later before I realized that the origin of that complacency may have been this occasion and some of the aftermath.  Little did I know how lasting an impact it would have… how that curve in the road would redefine us for a time.  My uninspired response and retreat after our shared trauma made an agonizing season even harder – and it is one of the biggest regrets that I have.

This second time isn’t any easier.  In fact, for a multitude of reasons – it seems to be much harder on both of us.  However, I have an opportunity to relive that regretful experience from 8 years ago.  This time, my response can be less selfish and more considerate.  I can think less often of myself and more often of the ones who I’m charged to support and lead.  I can engage with my wife and embrace her often.  I can pray for her and with her.  I can talk to her about my sadness.  I can grieve with her and be there to support her.  I can talk compassionately with our other kids – who are also confused and saddened by our circumstances.  I can continue to care for my physical and emotional health so that I can effectively lead my family.  Our second time, my personal performance will be considerably better than the first.

BB Reader – Are you ready to do something courageous?  Let’s reflect now on you…  What is something that you regret?  Write it down.  Why did you make that choice or decision?  Write it down.

Proverbs 26:11 “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness”

What specifically would you do differently if you are one day in a similar situation? Write it down.

  • What would you say differently?
  • How would you process your thoughts differently?
  • What would you do differently?
  • What would you not do or say?

Proverbs 24:16 “Though a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up…”

You may not ever get a chance to re-do your regret, but what can you do about it today?  Write it down.

  • Issue an apology?
  • Make a recommitment?
  • Take a step toward a long-abandoned dream?
  • Cast-off unhealthy habits which will set you into a tailspin next time?
  • Incorporate or continue healthy habits to be better prepared for next time?

MOLESKIN:

T-Claps to Snaggletooth for creating today’s workout and Q-ing it a little over a year ago

Hat-tip to Archie for pulling me out to F3

I know that, sadly, other HIMs have a wife who has, or will, experience a miscarriage.  If you want to work through that agony with someone who can relate, DM me on Slack and we’ll get together.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Pool Boy on Q tmrw at JUCO, Snaggletooth for Heavy PT on Thursday, Mailbox on Friday at JUCO

Tefillah – Shamrock

THE SCENE: Low 60’s, wet, but no rain
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Baby Arm Circles forwards and backwards, tempo squats and mountain climbers
THA-THANG:

  • Mosey to the softball field to grab CMUs and carry them to station #1
  • Station #1: 40 Curls, 30 Tricep extension while doing calf raises, 20 Goblet swings, 10 Alternating merkins on CMU
  • Mosey to station #2
  • Station #2: 40 calf raises on curb, 30 tricep dips, 20 Rocky Balboas 4-count, 10 Derkins + a bonus of 30 merkins at the suggestion of CheatSheet
  • Mosey to station #3
  • Station #3: 40 Squats, 30 Merkins, 20 Big Boys, 10 Smurf Jacks + a bonus of flutter kicks for 30 seconds
  • Mosey to station #4
  • Station #4: 40 American hammers single ct, 30 shoulder taps single ct, 20 Twinkle Toes 4-ct, 10 Burpees
  • Mosey back to station #1.
  • Completed #1 again: 40 Curls, 30 Tricep extension while doing calf raises, 20 Goblet swings, 10 Alternating merkins on CMU
  • Walked the CMUs back to CMU pile but stopped for some bonus CMU work
  • 25 bench press, 20 flutter kicks, 30 bench press, 20 hello Dollys, 35 bench press, 20 scissor kicks, 40 bench press, return blocks, we have 1 CMU casualty so we paid the penalty of 5 burpees as a group.
  • Mosey back to AO with some Wounded Bear Crawls along the way. We ran a total of 1 mile.

MARY:
Had a solid 4 minutes of Mary including 25 flutter kicks, 30 big boys, 20 monkey humpers, 25 LBCs
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 HIMs: Anchorman, Mermaid, Baby Boomer, War Zone, Pringle, Cheatsheet, Jitters, Mailbox, Jenner, Waxjob, Dumpster Dive, Pom-Pom, Dogbite, Slappy,
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Tefillah: Hebrew for Prayer

I’m doing a 7 day devotional with my community group about 7 Hebrew words that Christians should know. Too often we spend most of our prayer life asking for things. Praying for our health, success, healing for loved ones. All of which are great and commanded from God and Jesus to practice. We are supposed to ask Him in faith.

The Hebrew translation of Tefillah means to “self evaluate”. We should make it a point to open ourselves up to God through prayer. I am terrible at this. Even though I know that God knows everything about my heart I often times avoid being 100% honest with him about my state of mind and heart.
MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Dunkin’ parking lot hangout