F3 Knoxville

Protect Your Critical Infrastructure

THE SCENE:  72 and clear.  Perfect for an IPC beatdown.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Skipped. 
WARM-O-RAMA:
 Warmup OYO while we talk through the workout.
THA THANG:  IPC Week 2
MARY:  None
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA:  23 of the best men I know

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

We remembered this morning, the 2,977 lives which were taken 19 years ago in New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.  That number incudes 343 firefighters and 60 police officers who worked desperately to evacuate 25,000 people from the World Trade Center buildings before they collapsed.  Those lost were not just our countrymen – citizens of 78 different nations died in those tragedies.  It was a solemn day for the world.

After we mourned our dead, our challenge was to learn and apply lessons from that tragic day.  The events of Sept 11 exposed vulnerabilities in the national systems which protect us.  The Department of Homeland Security was created and charged with preventing future terror attacks – and the FBI has cataloged at least 42 major domestic terrorist attacks which were prevented in the nineteen years since 9/11.  In February 2003, a year and a half after the Sept 11 attacks, the White House released a report titled, “The National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets”.  Airports, interstates, powerplants, bridges – can you imagine a nation without them?  No, they are critical infrastructure – and they are vulnerable.  After the crisis that we went through, federal leadership recognized that we must dramatically improve how we protect these important assets from disaster and sabotage.

Let’s talk an application to your life, a specific challenge to think about, and a plea…

  • The Application:  Think about your personal “critical infrastructure”.  I’m not talking about your house…  I’m talking about your mind, your heart, your eyes, and your mouth.  These are essential to your vitality.  Can you imagine your life without them?  No – and they are vulnerableWe must dramatically improve how we protect these important assets from disaster and sabotage.
  • The Challenge:  What do you need to do to better protect your critical infrastructure?  Which one of these resonates with you?  Maybe you’re like me and they ALL hit home…
    • Your Mind: Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things”.  What are you filling your mind with?  What do you think about day in and day out?  How do you allow your thoughts to persist – constructive or destructive?  What changes are needed for you to better protect your mind?   
    • Your Heart:  Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.”  What do you spend your energy, time, and treasure on?  What are you devoting yourself to?  Is that thing or cause worthy of your heart?    What changes are needed for you to better protect your heart?   
    • Your Eyes: Matthew 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light”.  Do you feel full of light? What do you watch for leisure? Murder, adultery, pride – these are things that our God hates.  Are you consuming them as entertainment?  Do you gulp through your eyes fake pictures of fake naked women and fill your body with that counterfeit romance?  What changes are needed for you to better protect your eyes?   
    • Your Mouth: Proverbs 13:3 “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin”.  Proverbs 15:4, “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”  Do the words that come out of your mouth bring life and sweetness to a conversation?  Are you careful with your tongue – or do you wield that powerful weapon like a fool?  What changes are needed for you to better protect your mouth?   
  • The PleaDON’T WAIT UNTIL DISASTER HITS BEFORE YOU EVALUATE YOUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE THE NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS.  Don’t wait until you’ve been gut punched before you protect your mind, heart, eyes, and mouth.  Don’t wait until your marriage is falling apart before you finally admit that consuming pornography is mental adultery – and it has a very real and terrible impact on your relationship with the most important woman in your life.  Don’t wait until your kids are grown, gone, and want nothing to do with you before you realize that you were foolish with your tongue and that the destructive words you spoke over them brought death to that relationship. Don’t wait until you are laying on a bed one day breathing your last, to look back with regret and realize that you spent your thoughts and gave your heart to things which have no significance in eternity.

Evaluate your critical infrastructure and make the needed changes.  Break habits and start habits today.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Valley Church is launching this Sunday – 5:00 pm at HVA.  See Booster for details.

VQ for Honeydew

THE SCENE: Clear morning, low humidity, temp in the mid 60’s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER 

I’m not a professional

Modify your workout for your injuries

Keep social distancing in mind during the COVID pandemic

It’s my first Q so bear with me.

WARM-O-RAMA:
20-Side-straddle-hops IC

15-Baby Arm Circles forward IC

15-Baby Arm Circles Backwards IC

5 Cherry Pickers IC

20 Merkins IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey over to the CMU pile near the buses. Each person grabbed 1 CMU and proceeded to the adjacent parking lot. 4 stations were set up and a speaker was in place to begin a time using the Tabata Timer App. 3 exercises at each station. the first exercise was done for :45 seconds with a :10 second rest x 3 sets then moved to the next station and repeated :45 seconds of work :10 second rest for 3 sets for all stations. CMU is carried to each station and.

  • Station 1
    • Decline Merkins
    • Vertical Press (From Iron PAX video)
    • Overhead Press
  • Station 2
    • Goblet Squats
    • Rocky Balboas
    • Lunges
  • Station 3
    • Curls
    • Alpos (From Iron PAX video)
    • Dips
  • Station 4
    • Big Boys
    • Plank
    • Freddie Mercury

MARY:American Hammers 4 Count x 15 back at the AO

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Use the TAGS on right-side to record PAX (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF) in attendance. Be sure to select the AO in CATEGORY above TAGS and then delete these notes!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM: Treat others with respect and lead by example. I would not be where I am today without a positive role model in my life. By being good examples and role models we can help end racism, sexism, and hate.
MOLESKIN:
Being raised in home with 2 working parents in a small town in southern West Virginia my parents didn’t have resources like a daycare, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club or anything like that.  My parents relied on a a baby sitter, a black lady named Lucille. This lady was a woman of God and very religious and treated me as one of her own children and I often referred to her as my other mother. She was a leader in her church and when I met her family everyone knew who I was because she kept up with my achievements in the paper and would continue to guide me long after being my babysitter.  When Lucille passed away I was unable to attend the funeral but discovered through her obituary that she had made me one of her God Children. My parents weren’t even aware of this fact, but we took it as an honor and privilege. For this reason I never thought someone was different because of their color, heritage, or religious belief. This role model never told me to not hate she showed my how to be good to people and how to treat people with respect. When my daughter was born I was so happy and honored to that my wife agreed and allowed my daughter to be named Lucille, because my wife could see how much love I had for this great lady. Sorry if this is too long again my first time doing this, but thanks again for giving me the opportunity to lead today and thanks for all the guys to push me to lead this workout today

JUCO: Iron PAX Week 1

THE SCENE: 70ish and muggier than a dark alley in NYC
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

6x Cherry Pickers, Sample of challenge exercises: Hand Release Release Merkins, Leg Raises, Jungle Boi Squats, BBS, Lunges, and Burpees

THA-THANG:
Iron PAX Week 1 Challenge

EMOM (Every minute on the minute) do 3xburpees. After burpees are complete work through the following:

  • 50 x Hand Release Release Merkins
  • 100 x Leg Raises
  • 150 x Jungle Boi Squats (2 Scoopz Style)
  • 200 x Big Boy Situps
  • 250 x Lunges (Forward)

MARY:
Definitely not, some PAX sat on the curb
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 HIMS with one FNG. Welcome Skybox! You picked an awesome day to start F3!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Be accountable. Told the story of PGA player Brian Davis in a playoff against Jim Furyk at Harbour Town. Brian hit his approach shot onto the beach (a hazard area). In a hazard area, your club cannot move anything out of the way on the backswing. Brian hit a great recovery shot onto the green, but was 99% sure that he had brushed one single reed out of the way during his backwing. Without hesitation he called over a rules official and notified them that he would be taking the penalty. As a result he lost the tournament. Brian was the only person in the world that knew about the infraction, but he had no second thoughts about calling it on himself. We need to hold ourselves accountable even when no one else knows about our failures. Strive to be more accountable to yourself, seek God’s help and forgiveness in those times that you have failed in private.

MOLESKIN:
The Iron PAX is a great challenge to push ourselves as hard as we can physically, but I view it more as a test of personal standards. F3 Greenwood continuously pushes for every PAX to strive for perfect form, which is a tough test in and of itself. My goal during the Iron PAX is to hold myself accountable on my form, I’m not perfect, but I’m gonna do my best to be. Understandably, some PAX will need to modify the workouts due to injuries or time constraints, but if you are able to complete it with perfect form, then do it!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Hardship Hill is October 3rd, we’ll need to schedule a date to build the obstacles that JUCO is responsible for.

Median’s VQ

THE SCENE: 70° and breezy
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: VQ by @Median (guardrail’s 2.0)
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Cherry pickers & Reach for the stars
  • 10 High knees
  • 10 Side straddle hops 
  • 10 Jungle Boi squats 
  • Baby Arm Circles (forward and back) w Michael Phelps
  • 10 Donkey Kicks On your own
    THA-THANG:
    Black snake Mosey through the courtyard to the parking lot

10 of each of the following at the stations, looping, 12 for the second lap

  • Merkin –>Burpee –> Bernie
  • Ranger Merkin –>Burpee –> Bernie
  • Wide Merkin –> Burpee –> Bernie
  • Diamond Merkin –> Burpee – Coupon Pile (no grass)
  • CPR “Curl Press tRIcep”
  • Bent over row
  • Pull ups
  • Flutter Kicks
  • Leg Raises
  • Box cutters
  • Hello Dolly
  • Jungle Boi Squats
  • Calf Raises

MARY:
Dealers choice: plank, Merkins, American Hammers, box cutters
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians  1:15 

We need to keep God in the center of our life. That’s hard to do because God is an invisible God. The things we can see are much easier to put our attention on.  But if you always keep God in the center of your mind you will see God moving in so many ways. But how do you know that God is the center of your life?  If you think about a thing more than God you have that in the center of your life instead of God. 

I challenge you to look at how you are spending your free time, does it reflect God?  If your thoughts are always on

  • School (for some of us) 
  • work (most of you ) 
  • or a hobby, 
  • or worrying about COVID 
  • or even your next F3 workout 

–that may be a sign that Christ isn’t the center of your life.  

Instead if your thoughts are on Jesus and His Kingdom and loving others well, you have Christ as the center of your life.  Thank you for being men in my life who help me put Christ as the center.

MOLESKIN:
@Median, Luke Brown, at 12yrs old felt the call to lead and bring a tough word to a tough and awesome group of HIM’s.  Very proud to call him my 2.0.  – Guardrail
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome FNG “Jolly GG”

Iron Pax challenge week 1 Friday. Come early 5:15.

Patience of Unanswered Prayer

THE SCENE: Sunny, temp about 90 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Plank Jacks, Plank Stretches, 10 Rockettes, 10 Windmills, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Stop Sign at Southeastern Corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to grassy area that is south of Area 51.  There will be four cones set up in a square pattern.  We will be going in a counter-clockwise route around the square four times, stopping to do an exercise at each cone.  By the end we will have done four exercises at each cone.  Following are the exercises at each cone and the method by which to get to the next cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 20 Side Straddle Hops (4 ct)  2. 15 Mountain Climbers (4 ct)  3. 20 Star Jumps  4.  20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1)  (After exercise, Sprint to Cone 2)
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Merkins  2. 15 Shoulder Taps  3. 10 Hand Release Merkins  4. 20 Carolina Dry Docks  (After exercise, Skip to Cone 3)
  • Cone 3.  1. 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  2. 20 Hello Dollies (4 ct).  3.  20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct.)  4. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct)  (After exercise, Bernie Sanders to Cone 4)
  • Cone 4.  1. 10 Burpees  2. 15 Imperial Walkers (both legs = 1)  3. 20 Bobby Hurleys  4. 20 Squat Jumps  (High Knees to Cone 1).

Mosey to Northshore Entrance to Park.  We will go south then east on the perimeter trail, doing Nickel Dime Quarters with the following exercises:

  • Squats
  • Dead Bugs
  • Diamond Merkins
  • Dive Bombers

We will be near the Southern Ball Fields when we have done the above.  Mosey to the parking lot at the Southern Ball Fields.  We will do 8 count Bear Crawls then 8 Count Lunges, repeating this pattern from one end of the parking lot to the other.  

Mosey to Outdoor Chapel.  Take 15 second breather.  Then mosey up hill all the way to the new built area near the Admin Bldg.  Take 30 second breather.  Mosey to AO.

MARY:
25 Hello Dollies
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
22 men with two FNGs whom we named Whistler (Brett Marshman) and Leo Turcas (Nadia).  Nadia was a Flying EH victim!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Asking with Patience

Matthew 7: 7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Romans 8:25

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

2 Peter 3:8

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

At last week’s internet streamed worship service at my church, a line struck me from one of the songs we sang.  The song is “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” by Croly and Digerness.  The line that struck me is “Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”  That is certainly a line I need to hear during the time of this coronavirus and national unrest after the death of George Floyd.  I read the bible verse that says, “everyone who asks receives.”  I know that people all over Earth are asking that this coronavirus would end.  I ask, “God, when will you answer our prayer?”  Yet, I need to also ask, “God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”

When I was a boy, my best friend, Neil, who lived next door, was the first family on our block to get a Color TV set.  Seven years later, most people had Color TV sets but I was still praying for our first one.  My mother was a single parent and a teacher – and, just like today, teachers don’t make enough money for all the work they do.  I remember getting excited when we went to a big store that had a television promo.  As part of the promo, people could bring in advertisements they received in the mail.  If your code number on the advertisement was one of the winning code numbers, you could get a free TV set.  My mother, of course, told me the odds were minuscule for us to have a winning number.  We went to the store and there were all these magnificent color television sets, sitting there for a kid like me to gawk at.  Needless to say we didn’t win a set.  “But, mom, can’t we even buy one of the smaller sets?”  I know my mother felt bad for me but with her lack of funds she was also teaching my about life – about limiting oneself to a budget; about not coveting; about appreciating what we have; about patience.

About six or seven months later I came home to find a portable television set sitting on a cabinet in our living room.  It was on, it was playing a television show, and the show was in living color!!!  My mother had saved for quite some time to get that portable but color TV set.  I was so happy!  It may have been small but it was a COLOR SET!

God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.  I think of people who have endured wars that last for many years.  Teach me to be grateful for what I do have.  I think of people who endured plagues like the Black Plague where cities of people were wiped out by the disease or indian tribes in America who were practically wiped out by diseases that Europeans brought from another continent.  God, teach me to have trust that you are there for me, for us, no matter what difficulties and even tragedies beset us.  For in You we have something that hardship, suffering, even death cannot take away.  As the famous poet, John Donne, said, in you Death Shall Die.

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for our nation at this time of unrest, prayers for Iceman’s father who will need surgery for his heart again, prayers for Thunderstruck’s mother and grandfather, prayers for Lillydipper’s wife.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
F3 Launch at Morristown this weekend.