MD Hammer – F3 Knoxville

The Way We Go About It Matters

March 12, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Lilydipper
PAX: Dain Bramage, Curveball, Dung Beetle, MD Hammer, Tenderfoot, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Crash Dummy, Kung Blue, Lizzy, Steam, Tigger (Jack Panick)
FNGs: 1 Tigger (Jack Panick)
COUNT: 12
WARMUP: 7 Motivators, 7 Cherry Pickers, 7 Twistees, 7 Hand Release Merkins, 10 Rockettes, 7 Pterodactyls Forward and 7 Backward.

THE THANG: Mosey on park roadway to the Caribbean Parking Lot. We will stop to do 40 Baby Crunches. Next, we will sprint for three islands, then slow to a walk to the end of the parking lot. On the other side of the parking lot we will sprint for three more islands, then walk to the end of the parking lot.

Next, we will sprint to the sidewalk that head to the Bros Bowl. We will walk for 20 paces then mosey to the Bros Bowl.
We will run clockwise on the outside circle of the Bros Bowl, stopping three times at any point along the way to do 10 Merkins each time one stops. Those getting halfway around first do squats until the six arrives. Then we will run back to the bottom of the Bros Bowl stopping three more times along the way to do 10 Merkins at each stop. Those getting back to the bottom of the Bros Bowl do baby crunches until the six arrives.
We will all do 20 Hello Dollies.

Next, we will next run clockwise on the second most outside circle, this time stopping two times at any point along the way to do 10 Squats with each stop. Those getting to the benches at the top of the Bros Bowl do incline merkins until the six arrives. Then we will run back down clockwise to the bottom of the Bros Bowl, stopping two more times to do 10 Squats at each chosen stop. Those getting back to the beginning of the loop jog slowly in place until the six arrives.

Next, we will run clockwise in the innermost sidewalk of the Bros Bowl, stopping at 3 o’clock to do 10 Jump Squats, and at 6 o’clock to do Bench Dips until the six arrives. We will then continue to 9 o’clock to do Jump Squats and then run back to the bottom of the Bros Bowl. Those arriving first run in place until the six arrives.

Mosey back to the Caribbean. Go to the west end of the parking lot. We will go to the end of the parking lot by lunges to the 1st island, bear crawls to 2nd island, Bernie Sanders to the 3rd island, hops to the 4th island and sprinting to the end of the parking lot.

Mosey to the gate by the AO parking lot. We will stop to pick up CMU weight rocks and do 20 Overhead Presses.

Mosey back to AO.

MARY: No time, baby!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Our brother, Steam, had a baby girl last month. Her name is Anastasia. Haw Ridge will be on the last Friday of this month. Kung Blue has $10 shopping cards you can purchase for his sons’ Boy Scout troop.

COT:

Message
The Way We Go About It Matters
This evening I am going to read the lyrics from a song I really like. The writer of the song is Kyle Matthews. The song is called The Way We Go About It and it is from his album See For Yourself.
Years ago, she read a letter from the teacher
Sent home with her third-grade son
Tested on some reading
He had been caught cheating
“Why?”, she said
“You told me to make good grades”, he said.
She tried to explain.

“Son, the way we go about it matters
It’s the testimony of the heart
Yes, the way we go about it matters
It’s the proof of who we are”.

Eight years down the road
He’s in a load of trouble
Drugs get him expelled from school
Mother stands her ground
He curses her and heads for town
And says, “It’s good money
For the things we need”
But she says, “It’s worth nothing to me

‘Cause the way we go about it matters
It’s the testimony of the heart
Yes, the way we go about it matters
It’s the proof of who we truly are”
Who we truly are

Tonight, she’ll welcome home
The boy she raised alone
Who has done his time in prison like his father
Friends will come, they’ll dance and laugh
She’ll prepare the fatted calf
And at her table, he will take the seat of honor
And she’ll hold him in her arms

Because the way we go about it matters
It’s the testimony of the heart
Yes, the way we go about it matters
It’s the proof of who we truly are
Who we truly are

Brothers, they way we go about it does matter. Riches, worldly success, power, what does that mean without honor, kindness and love toward our fellow man? Many of you will recognize the story of the prodigal son reflected in the lines of the song. God does love us and will welcome us to Him despite our sins. But the way we go about our lives matters to Him. He wants us to follow His word and His way. That is a way of Glory, of something beyond ourselves, where we can be High Impact Men and strive to be something holy that just isn’t rewarded in our sinful world. But it matters.

Prayers
Prayers of praise for Steam’s baby girl, Anastasia. Prayers for Steam and his wife, Megan, in raising their daughter. Prayers for all traveling at this time during Spring Break. Prayers for High Heels who is on a trip to Spain at this time.

“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”

February 26, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Crash Dummy
PAX: Mr Jinxy, Switchhitter (Tony), Lizzy, Sparkler, Rooney(Carl Whipple), Brick, Drum Major, High Heels, MD Hammer, Curveball
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP: Run around pavilion/playground back to AO. Pterodactyl – fwd/reverse – 10ea. SSH – 20ea. Windmills – 10, Cherry Pickers – 5, Tempo Squats – 10. Monkey Humpers – 10. Stretching. Run the parking lot.

THE THANG: Run to hill (near Pickett’s). 7’s: Squats/Merkins. Run to the small parking lot. Every lamp post you add 1 Burpee. Lung Walk to the next lamp post. total of 7 lamp posts. Reverse. Start at lamp post 10. Reverse Lunges (x2). Bernie to next post.
Ran to Bat Cave to view the construction. Ran back to AO.

MARY: American Hammers

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Escape from Haw Ridge

COT: I recently attended a work conference in Las Vegas. The CEO of my company talked about a bible verse that he reminds his kids of once a year:

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48)

Greatly paraphrased by Uncle Ben to Peter Parker “With great power comes great responsibility.”

The idea is that we are held responsible for what we have. If we are blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we use these gifts to glorify God and benefit others.

4 Corners

February 13, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Drum Major
PAX: Lizzy, Kung Blue, Franzia, Mr Jinxy, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Lilydipper, Crash Dummy, Pusher, Rooney(Carl Whipple), Switchhitter (Tony), MD Hammer
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
WARMUP:

5 Motivators
5 Cherry Pickers
10 Rockettes
Baby arm circles each way, throw in Morrocan Night Clubs
This and that and one jog around parking lot then go grab rocks

THE THANG:

Grab a coupon and start in corner of parking lot.
Start with 4 corner, karaoke or shuffle to corner, Bernie to 2nd, shuffle other way to 3rd and run to 4th. Face the same way all the way around. Run 2 laps between each circuit.
Circuit 1- 25 each
1.    Merkins
2.    Rows
3.    Overhead press
4.    Curls
5.    Carolina Dry Docks
Circuit 2 – 25 each
1.    Goblet squats
2.    Lunges
3.    Calf Raises
4.    Backwards lunges
5.    Bobby Hurleys
Circuit 3 – 25 each
1.    LBCs
2.    Flutter Kicks
3.    Mountain Climbers
4.    American Hammers
5.    Box Cutters
If you complete all 3, start from beginning until Recover is called.

MARY:

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Haw Ridge coming soon.

COT:

Empathy: Understanding and Connection
• Definition: The capacity to feel what another person is feeling and understand their perspective.
• Purpose: Fosters prosocial behavior, compassion, and kindness.
• Nuance: It does not always lead to compassion; one can understand another’s pain without wishing to alleviate it.
Cruelty: Deliberate Infliction of Pain
• Definition: The deliberate causing of physical or emotional suffering to others.
• Origins: Often stems from a lack of empathy or a “warped response” where a perpetrator feels the victim’s pain but derives pleasure from it.
• Types: Ranges from overt violence to covert acts like mockery, “macho minimizing,” or “tough love”.

While low empathy is linked to cruelty, some research suggests cruelty can require high, albeit misused, empathy to know exactly how to cause maximum distress.

Key insights on empathy:
• A Strength, Not a Weakness: Empathy is often confused with being “nice” or “soft,” but it is actually a skill that requires profound mental strength to understand perspectives different from one’s own.
• Enhances Leadership: In leadership, empathy is a “superpower” that helps in understanding others’ emotions to create better work environments, rather than just absorbing their pain
.
• Distinction from Sympathy: Empathy is about understanding another’s perspective, whereas sympathy is feeling pity from your own perspective.
• The Risk of “Too Much” Empathy: Unmanaged empathy, or emotional entanglement, can lead to burnout or “unhealthy helping”.
• A Sign of Health: The absence of empathy is associated with serious mental health conditions, such as narcissistic or antisocial personality disorders.
• A Social Lubricant: Empathy is crucial for building and maintaining relationships, acting as a foundation for trust within communities.

Choose your adventure #2

February 5, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Lizzy
PAX: Brick, Bacon (Ben), Pusher, Kung Blue, Franzia, FixerUpper, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Lilydipper, Drum Major, Serpentine (Jason Pierce), MD Hammer
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
WARMUP:
While warming up gave the guys options of two workouts. 1- is approximately 3 miles of running called the sea biscuit, 2 – right at 2 miles but would be harder. I warned the guys option 2 would be challenging ahead

THE THANG:
Mosey to hill on the backside of the park to the hill. Round 1 up hill was 6 suicides to the each light and bottom of the hill. Round 2 – suicides again with increasing burpees up to 6. Round 3 suicides with merkins increasing to 6.

Bear crawl to next benches.

Did some ab work here.

Then burpee broad jump to the end of the path.

MARY:
We don’t know her
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Escape from Haw Ridge

COT:
At the beginning I gave you a choice and as a group we chose what we thought was the easiest workout. As a group we declined to do a sea biscuit workout because it’s a daunting task. A lot of times we do this in our daily lives. We choose the shorter or easier path when we have the option. But many times we end up with more work or a harder experience. Don’t always choose what the easiest path is. Lots of prayers but the important one was Pele and Lily are now in a civil union and will be traveling to West Virginia to celebrate. We’ll celebrate them as a couple when they come back.

Nothing but the Truth!…

January 29, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Pele (Jon Lindberg)
PAX: Lilydipper, Drum Major, Pusher, Sparkler, Lizzy, Tenderfoot, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Franzia, MD Hammer, Curveball, Bacon (Ben)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP: 10 SSH IC
line up on curb, slow mosey to far end. FIVE BURPEES!! Windmills, 4-ct in cadence.
– slow mosey back. 10 Windmills, 4-ct, IC
-light shuffle down, switching ½ way 10 Imperial Squat Walkers, 4-ct, IC.
– shuffle/run back 10 Grady Corns, 4-ct IC

THE THANG:
Mosey to Sidewalk just northeast of the nice bathrooms.
“2-4-6-8 WHO DO WE APPRECIATE” : Run south and then east on sidewalk stopping at second, fourth, sixth, and eighth lights to do the following exercises:
– 2 lights: 4 CDDS/ 4 lights: 8 CDDs/ 6 lights 12 CDDs/ SWEEP FORWARD 8 lights, 16 CDDs. Stop at 8th light. PUTS
– Rinse and repeat with SQUATS
–
Rinse and repeat with PETER PARKERS (2-ct)

Mosey to base of Cardiac

5s (like 7s…) from base to first curve, starting with 1 OFFSET RIGHT MERKIN, run up and do 4 OFFSET LEFT MERKINS

Fellowship Mosey to second curve

5s from Second curve to Benches, Starting with 1 FROGGY JUMP, run up and do 4 Bobby Hurleys

Alternate Dips and incline merkins until the 6 gets there.

Enough time to fellowship mosey to top of the dragon’s tail and do last set of 2-4-6-8s with Supermans (SuperMEN?)

Alternate Lunging and Bunny Hopping across parking lot by bathrooms, then AYG to flag.
Mosey to AO

MARY: Dead Bugs and Pain Planks (Plank position, move left knee to right elbow, switch, R&R).

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Convergence Saturday!

COT: I had a math teacher in middle school (Mr. Alexander) who, as punishment for students who talked in class, would make them write lines on the chalkboard of some of his favorite sayings. The only one I still remember to this day is, “Oh the tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!”
Like most of us, I would imagine, I’ve told a lot of white lies in my past, and probably even a few lies that are not all that white. But I certainly try to be an honest person, especially as I’ve grown older, because I have learned how valuable the TRUTH IS. Trust is a haaaard thing to win back. And I’m not talking about your version of the truth, I’m talking about black-and-white truth. If something that’s not black-and-white truth comes out of my mouth, I always try to say “that’s my opinion, anyway”, or “that’s how I interpret it.”

When I was in grad school I was a teaching assistant. Taught classes, created and graded exams, etc. One time these two girls who were best friends were taking a test sitting next to each other and just obviously looking at each other’s papers. I cleared my throat, rustled some papers, and tried to get them to realize I was watching. They kept doing it. When I was grading their tests, they had the exact same answers, word for word, for about ½ the test. And they were wrong answers. If they had been accurate answers, you could almost believe they just came up with it on their own. I confronted them about it, individually, and they already had their stories aligned. They never made eye contact when we were talking, just said the same thing to me… they had studied together, practiced the answers to likely questions together, etc. And they said they never looked at each other’s test during the exam. Bullshit. If they had just admitted it I would have been very lenient, probably just said knock it off, don’t do it again, and I’m going to ask you not to sit to each other. But they flat out lied to me. Thought I was stupid. Thought that what I saw with my very own eyes wasn’t the truth. That is flat-out insulting.

And it got me mad. I gave them both zeros for the test, and brought the matter up to the honor council. One girl ended up dropping out of school. The other actually handled it well, worked hard the rest of the semester and brought her grade up to a C+ or so, as I recall.

In retrospect, I do sort of regret that I was so hard on them, and that my response caused one of the girls to drop out (according to her). I wish I had handled it a bit differently. But I have to say, for them to sit there and completely deny something that I personally witnessed really pissed me off. I didn’t like to be gaslit then. And I hate it even more now.

Proverbs 12:22: “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” That just doesn’t apply to the Lord. I would say it applies to just about everyone.

If we are to be HIMs, Truth matters. Facts matter. Accountability matters.