F3 Knoxville

* HIMs making it work in the torrential downpour at Asylum

THE SCENE: Chance of rain turns to light rain, then moderate, then torrential with wind
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH- IC

Cherry pickers- IC

Michael Phelps

Grady Corns -IC

Light Back Stretch

Baby Arm Circles_IC

Second round of SSH – IC

THA-THANG:
Under cover in the shelter at the bottom lot

11’s Merkins / Bench Pull ups with Bernie to opposite end of shelter

25 CMU – curls, then 25 CMU overhead press, then 25 Rows

11’s BBS / Pickle Pounders with bear crawl

25 CMU – curl, then 25 CMU overhead press, then 25 Rows

11’s Squats / Jump Squats with lunge between ends

25 CMU – curl, then 25 CMU overhead press, then 25 Rows

MARY:

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
8
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

God makes the seasons change in our physical world and also in our lives. Most of the time we have little influence on when a season changes and what that season will be. We have to accept that fact that we are in a new season. Fighting to not change is futile. For example, personally, with aging, we transition slowly into a different season, but once you realize you have changed seasons, you have accept the fact you cannot do the things you used to. I can do my best to stay fit, but getting upset about not having the capabilities I used to is pointless. Sometimes you have to modify- but that’s ok. Other season changes are abrupt like the loss of a loved one or a sudden job change (like getting laid off). Raising children and the various transitions is another set of seasons that can be challenging. Losing control of the children is another tough one we have to accept or we will cause more harm. This is God’s plan and we cannot change it.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Puddles Galore

THE SCENE: Raining, temp in 60s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Mosey to Pavilion because it is raining by golly.  20 Side-Straddle-Hops, 15 Plank Jacks, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Rockettes, 10 Little Baby Arm Circles Forward and 10 Backward.

Next, do 20 Picnic Table Pullups and then run around around the Pavilion.  Next do 20 Bench Dips and then run around the Pavilion.  Rinse and Repeat.

Why heck, it’s still raining, let’s get wet.  Mosey down ball field sidewalk to Caribbean parking lot and to the southwestern side of the parking lot.  We will run in a candy cane motion stopping at each island to do the listed exercise.  Those getting to the end of the candy cane sweep all men back to the start.  Then do the same with the next exercise.  These are the exercises:

  • 10 Merkins
  • 10 Big Boy Sit-ups
  • 20 Little Baby Crunches

Next, we mosey on park roadway to the old southern ball field parking lot.  We will start on the southern curb and do suicide, returning back to curb from each parking lot light and northern curb.  The run to the first curb is always a Bernie Sanders while all the other running is a sprint.

Next we mosey to the park perimeter trail just off the pavilion by the old south ball fields.  We will do nickel dime quarter doing the following exercises:

  • Dive Bomber
  • Squat Jump

Next we do double quarters (run 5 lights then do 25 of exercise, then rinse and repeat) with the following exercises:

  • Toe touches
  • Bobby Hurleys

We stop where perimeter trail meets serpentine sidewalk.  We next run on serpentine sidewalk for four lights and lunge for one light until we reach the Caribean Parking Lot.  From there, mosey to Pavilion by northern ball fields.  From there, sprint to the AO Flag with winner (who happened to be Lulu) getting a free breakfast from your Q.

MARY:
Who’s she?  Cross-Eyed Mary happens to be an incredible song by Jethro Tull.  Just sayin.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Ten men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
William Shatner, the actor who played good ol Captain Kirk, flew into space this past week.  At age 90 he is the oldest person to ever travel in space.  He was overcome with emotion when he returned.  He talked about the beautiful blue skies of earth and how, once the space vessel passed through the Earth’s atmosphere, the beautiful blue of earth went suddenly black in space.  It made him think of the preciousness and fragility of Earth, how it can vanish into nothing, and about the fragility of our own lives, about how our bodies will one day just die.  Thankfully, our lives are more than what is spent on Earth.  There is the infinity of God, the Alpha and Omega, who created everything, and the opportunity to live with HIM, forever.
MOLESKIN:
We live on a beautiful planet.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Christmas party at Judge Judy’s home on December 11.  Wives or partners are invited.

The Pumpkin Says…

THE SCENE: Sunny, a bit warm, low 80s.  Maybe the last 80 degree day of the year?…

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check.
WARM-O-RAMA:

-20 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), in cadence

– Air Squared (Squat chair while forward extended arm claps) 10 Overhead, then 10 sideways (seal claps)

– 10 Cherry Pickers (4-ct, in cadence)

-LBCs, forward/backward

-Leg Stretches

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Big Tree next to circle drive, south of the Admin bldg.  What’s that?? A bag?? A bag with a PUMPKIN IN IT??!! Let’s get it.

Get Pumpkin.  Indian Run to oval parking lot down by Field of Dreams.  Pass the Pumpkin to the back of the line.  When it gets there, that person runs to front, carrying it over his head, then passes it backwards.

  • The Pumpkin Says What You’re Going to Be! This was my favorite Halloween song from grade school.  I can’t remember the exact lyrics, but it talks about how the pumpkin will select what your get-up is for Trick or Treating that year.  So… Pick a card from the Trick or Treat container.  This is the “disguise” we will have for Halloween, and an associated exercise..
    • A DRAGON!
      • Do a 5-count Welsh Dragon. RUN A LAP
    • AN INMATE!
      • Do 10 Prisoner Get Ups. RUN A LAP
    • A FAMOUS ATHLETE!
      • Do 20 Bobby Hurleys, RUN A LAP
    • A STAR WARS VILLAIN!
      • Do 20 Imperial Squat Walkers, RUN A LAP
    • AN ANNOYING CARTOON CHARACTER!
      • Do 20 Smurf Jacks, RUN A LAP
    • DOLLY PARTON!
      • Do 20 Hello Dollies (4-ct), RUN A LAP
    • A ZOMBIE!
      • 20 Walking ROCKETTES (feet straight out) (4-ct), RUN A LAP
    • A PIMP!
      • 20 Pickle Pounders, RUN A LAP
    • THOR!
      • Do a round of CAPTAIN THORS (up to 5 reps), RUN A LAP
    • SPIDER MAN!
      • 20 Peter Parkers (4-ct), RUN A LAP
    • A ZOMBIE!
      • 20 Zombie Crunches each side (LBC with both legs laid to the side like a dead zombie), RUN A LAP

REVERSE INDIAN RUN UP PICKET’S CHARGE.  Person in front runs with the Pumpkin over their head as long as they can, then hands it off and goes to back of line.

Mid-way up Pickett’s… Pumpkin Line Dance.  Get in a line.  Do the following exercises, doing a special Pumpkin exercise when it gets to you (in parentheses).

  • Big Boy Situps (5 American Hammers w/ pumpkin)
  • Hold Plank (5 Pumpkin Press Burpees)
  • Tempo Squats (5 Squat Thrusts with Pumpkin)

MARY:
The PAX did some ab work while the 6 caught up.  Then some stretching to wrap it up.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Nine little ghouls! And a pumpkin.  Which we smashed at the end.  It was a good pumpkin.  It deserved better.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Scrapped my original Word, and talked about how grateful I am to have to of our Double-Respect HIMs, Lilydipper and Jinxy, back from their hip surgeries and working out with us again.  We are a better PAX for it, and their dedication and effort to recover and get back into our workout group is nothing short of inspiring.
MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Christmas Party!

Stick It Out for the Sticky Notes

F3 Q: 10.12.21

AO: Asylum PM

5:45pm – 6:30pm

[ The Scene ]

  • 70s
  • Sunny

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

Welcome to F3: Fitness, Fellowship, Faith

My name is Steam and I will be your Q this evening

Before we begin let’s get a few things out of the way:

  • FNGS?
  • I’m not a professional
  • You’re here on your own volition
  • If you need to modify anything we do this evening, please feel free to do so BUT push yourself and the men around you. They deserve it and so do you.

[ Warm o Rama ]

  1. SSH — 12×4 IC
    • Light mosey down the stairs
  1. Rockette — 12×4 IC
    • Light mosey up the stairs
  1. Windmill — 12×4 IC
    • Light mosey down the stairs
  1. Baby Arm Circles (Forward) — 12×4 IC
    • Light mosey up the stairs
  1. Baby Arm Circles (Backwards) — 12×4 IC

[ The Thang ]

Batcave

(1) DORA

  • Battle buddy up
  • Top of stairs: 300 merkins, 200 squats, 100 SSHs (together as a team)
  • Bottom of Stairs: 10 BBSs
  • BB1 is knocking out reps at the top, while BB2 is running down the stairs, knocking out the 10 BBSs, and then coming to recover BB1 up top at whatever # of reps he’s on  (finish all 300 Merkins, 200 squats, and 100 SSHs

(Mosey to the Colesium)

(2) The Gladiator

  • HQ for the Arena: 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 SSHs
  • Run down to the right
    • Halfway — 10 dive bombers
  • Run back up and complete the HQ Xs
  • Run down to the left
    • Halfway — 10 lunges
  • Run back up and complete the HQ Xs
  • Run straight down to the plateau
    • 10 man makers
  • Run back up and complete the HQ Xs

(Mosey around to the right to the Long Curve)

(3) The Long Curve

  • Release run

[ Mary ]

#StretchingWithSteam

[ COT ]

  • # off
  • Name o Rama
  • FNGs
  • BOM

“Do for a few, what you wish you could do for many.” — John Maxwell

What did Jesus do? He did for a few what he was going to do for many.

Here’s the deal with this picture below. I walked into Starbucks this morning to get my coffee on the way to work, and they had this little board up on a table, with sticky notes covering all of it. On these sticky notes were encouraging words, mantras, and more — based on the directions for people to write down something encouraging, positive, uplifting, and unique on a sticky note and post it on the board, to spread positivity throughout people’s day. Here’s the cool thing, and surprising thing for me actually — there were more mentions of Jesus, God, and Bible verses on this board that I thought. They actually outweighed everything else pretty much. So as I waited for my coffee, I wrote down one of my favorites, “Keep the Faith & Fight the Good Fight” and stuck it on there.

That reminded me of the John Maxwell quote. For me personally, sometimes I have all these big ideas that I want to start and implement and create for people all over, but then I see these sticky notes and it so quickly reminded me of “Do for a few, what you wish you could do for many.” The people that are immediately around me (family, friends, co-workers, etc), am I serving them well? So the question I must ask myself, and I believe we as HIM must ask ourselves is “what can I do for a few, that I wish i could do for many?”

And men, sometimes it’s as simple as putting a positive, encouraging, and uplifting message, verse, phrase, mantra on a sticky note. But what good does this sticky note (now with this powerful message on it) do if it is not shared and spread? So the Asylum PM men and I were discussing this tonight and I gave them this challenge: take this sticky note idea and implement it in your life this week. Write a personal favorite verse, encouraging word, positive phrase or mantra on a sticky note and give/share it with someone. You’ll be amazed at what something just as small as this can do for a few, to affect and serve the many.

Let’s take this a step further. I want to hear from you. Other men in our PAX want (and need) to hear from you as well. Across different AOs and parts of our city and region. So not only are we externalizing this, but we’re internalizing it for F3 Knoxville as well. Check out a new channel on slack called #sticky-note-encouragement. This channel will be created to allow the men of our region to do this. We all need encouragement, and sometimes it’s as easy as putting it on a sticky note and sharing it. #ISI

Where you’re supposed to be

THE SCENE: Beautiful, a tad warm, plentiful sunshine, low 80s, no breeze
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check, with special focus on our FNG, Chris, who is a mentee of Tank’s.
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Motivators (Q butchered these, so we moved on after 6)
  • 7 BAC Forward, Backward  (4 ct, IC)
  • 7 Windmills (4 ct, IC)
  • 7 Rockettes (4 ct, IC)
  • 7 Tempo Merkins
  • 7 Cherry Pickers (4 ct, IC)

We established (not easily, mind you…) that 7 squared = 49. Apropos, as this was a 49th Bday Q, no?
THA-THANG:

MOSEY down to gavel circle across from Area 51 :

  • Birthday Sea Biscuit!
    • ROUND 1: Run a lap, 49 Merkins
    • ROUND 2: Run TWO laps, 49 BBS
    • ROUND 3: Run THREE laps, 49 SSH
    • ROUND 4: Run TWO laps, 49 Squats
    • ROUND 5: Run ONE lap, 49 Seal Claps

Mosey to Big Tree near Pickett’s charge.  Here there be Dragons!!

  • Welsh Dragon (7 count ascending).  Tclaps to F6 who did it without stopping to rest! (Q rested a bunch of times…)

MOSEY to Bottom of Pickett’s Charge.  49s! Do 4 reps of the exercise at the bottom of each of the three hill tiers, and 9 at the top.  The exercises are:

  • 4 Jump Squats, Run up first level, 9 more Jump Squats
  • 4 Lunges (2-ct), Run up second level, 9 more Lunges
  • 4 Burpees, Run up to wall at Coliseum, 9 more Burpees.

MOSEY to AO

MARY:
No time
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
15 strong.  Welcome FNG Iron Mike, real name Chris, an 11-year old mentee of Tank’s.  He wants to play middle linebacker in football, so we named him Iron Mike, with his approval.  Iron Mike and After Party not tagged.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

I recently read the Language of God by Francis Collins, a physician and scientist who spearheaded the Human Genome Project.  He is currently the director of the National Institutes of Health.  The book discusses his struggles as a scientist to accept God, given his rigorous training in the Scientific Method, and his reluctance, at least early on in his life, to be able to rationalize a spiritual Father without being able to identify any actual evidence that He exists.  I’ll touch on some of the revelations and evidence that he lays out that builds his case for the existence of God in another Word, but I wanted to highlight one portion of the book today, because it seems timely.  Dr. Collins volunteered to go on a mission trip to a hospital in a small, impoverished village in Nigeria one summer, and in the book he admits that at the time he had some illusions of being sort of a Savior figure for the people there.  Here he was, a highly educated physician from America, coming to save the day for these poor villagers. But those illusions were quickly dashed.  He became frustrated that most of the illnesses he was called to treat were highly preventable with just some simple sanitary and medical standards.  The shortcomings of the facility where he worked were appalling… there weren’t enough hospital beds, X-ray and other basic hospital resources were lacking, etc.  Frustrated, disillusioned, and overwhelmed, Dr. Collins was losing faith that his efforts could ever make a difference.  And then a young farmer came in with an illness that at first appeared to be tuberculosis, but further testing revealed that he had fluid build-up in the pericardial sac around his heart.  The only cure was to draw out that fluid with a syringe.  In a modern hospital, this would be easily done by a computer guiding the needle.  But here in this hospital, Dr. Collins was forced to do it manually.  The man would die otherwise.  But it was terribly risky. Dr. Collins put the syringe into the man’s sternum, and was able to draw off the liquid without piercing the heart.  The farmer recovered, however, his long-term prognosis was still poor.  A few days later, he came across the farmer again, who said, “I get the sense you are wondering why you came here.”  Dr. Collins was shocked that the farmer had seen so clearly how he was feeling.  “You came here for one reason,” the farmer continued. “You came here for me.”  This was an epiphany for Dr. Collins.  He wasn’t there to be the great white doctor, saving an entire village.  He was there for that man.   As he puts it in his book, “We are each called to reach out to others.  On rare occasions, that can happen on a grandiose scale.  But most of the time, it happens with simple acts of kindness of one person to another.  Those are the events that really matter.”

As Steam said recently in a Word, You are exactly where you are supposed to be.

As another brother who is acting as friend and counselor to some people close to him recently said to me, “I’m exactly where I need to be”.

Maybe those simple acts of kindness will be so much more meaningful to others than you think.  Maybe your belonging to F3 is part of it.  Maybe that meal you deliver to Waxjob’s family will mean more to them than you can imagine.  Maybe the blood you donate on Friday will save someone’s life.  Maybe the Word you deliver at your Q will inspire someone to reach out to someone in need. Look for those opportunities, and then grasp them, even if they seem trivial.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for F6 and his cousin, who is expected to deliver on Wednesday (update that the delivery was successful, and Baby Jasmine and mother are doing well). Prayers for Jetlag and his family.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Blood Drive Friday at Asylum, Hardship hill this Saturday!!