F3 Knoxville

Donkey Kong is a beast, be like Donkey Kong

THE SCENE: Dampness filled the air from the left over rain the day before
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 25 (4ct)

Little baby arm circles forward x 10

Little baby arm circles backward x 10

Cherry Pickers x 5

Bobby Hurley’s x 10

THA-THANG:
Mosey to church for a game of Donkey Kong.

Arcade games used to cost 25 cents, so to play you must pay the price but in merkins but on this arcade you must do so every level.  Then progress side to side of the parking lot jumping barrels (CMUs) and stopping to do each exercise along the way.  Start the next level but increment exercises by 5 each level.

The level goes as follows.  Pay your 25 merkins, lunge to the next exercise.

5 Mtn. Climbers, jump barrels, 5 Monkey Humpers, jump barrels, Speed ladder, jump barrels, 5 WW2 Sit-ups, jump barrels, 5 Iron Squats, jump barrels, and finally 5 burpees.  Start back at the beginning repeat but increment exercises to 10 until you reach level 5 and do 25 burpees, then enter the Bonus level.  Running laps around the parking lot until time or the 6 finishes.

 

MARY:
Plank, Captain Thors, Low Plank Peter Parkers, LBCs, and Flutter Kicks

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Get outside your comfort zone.  Personally I am making it a focus to things that seem difficult or uncomfortable and outside my comfort zone.  Staying in your comfort zone is just that, comfortable, but it is hard to make any real progress if you stay in that comfort zone.  You end up spinning your wheels.  Pushing yourself outside of that zone will open up more opportunities.  Look at things in your life that might be uncomfortable/difficult but you know you need to get them done, get out of your comfort zone and get after it.  Doing these uncomfortable/difficult things on purpose now will make the surprise difficult things much easier when they pop up, because you will already be used to doing things outside your comfort zone.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COMING UP: OTB on January 4th, 6th, and 8th at Sandy Springs park starting at 5:30.

Asylum CSAUP on 1/30

Backup

THE SCENE: 47 degrees F.,
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH, Baby Arm Circles, Cherry Pickers, Imperial Squat Walkers
THA-THANG:

Set 1 Exercises (Under Pavilion)

Step Ups x12/leg

Dry Docks x12

Squat Jumps x12

Merkins x12

SSH (4 count) x12

WWII Sit ups x12

Mountain Climbers x12

Run Across Grinder

Set 2 Exercises (All with CMU)

Russian Swings x12

On the Shelf x6/side

Bent Rows x12

Curls x12

Goblet Squats x12

Lawnmowers x12/arm

Overhead Press x12

Run down to the road.

Road Work

Merkins x12

BBS x9

Drydocks x6

Burpees x3

Run back to Pavilion and repeat until “Recover” is called

MARY:
21 Boxcutters, 20 Flutter kicks, 60 LBCs
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 HIMs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Merry Clayton and Gimme Shelter

We started the workout to the song Gimme Shelter, the opening track from the Rolling Stones 1969 album, Let It Bleed.  When asked who sang the song most will generically say the Rolling Stones or specifically, Mick Jagger.  When I listen to the song, I hear Merry Clayton.  She is the background vocalist and the one who puts her heart and soul in the song.  Merry was born on Christmas Day, 1948, and was the daughter of a Baptist minister in the New Orleans area.  She began singing gospel music in church before she was tagged as a background singer for Ray Charles and others at the ripe age of 14.

In 1969 she was pregnant and living with her husband in Los Angeles.  The phone rang around midnight and an agent said this British rock group needed a background vocalist for a track to complete a soon to be released album.  They needed her to come to the recording studio right away.  At first she said no, she was tired and she wasn’t feeling too well.  Her husband said she needed to go; that it might be good for her singing career.  Merry shows up at the studio and talks to Keith Richards about the song, the significance of the words written by Jagger, and the way they wanted it sung.

She sang one take, got some feedback from Richards and Jagger, and then said she would give it one more try.  After the second take she offered a third and then said goodnight.  The rest is history for the Stones.

Merry is always the singer I hear in the song.  She was the one that gave it everything she had and she blows it away – as a backup singer.  The Rolling Stones almost always gets the credit for this hit from almost 50 years ago.

There are many times that our roll in life is like Merry’s that night.  We are not the one to make the decisions, we are not THE face in the crowd, we are not the leader, we may not get the recognition we deserve.  We are the backup, the support member of the team, the one given a specific task in the big picture, the one that will be an integral part of future success.  Regardless, our job is to push ourselves, attain the objective, and move on to the next.  Always remember that there is no limit to what can be attained if no one cares who gets the credit.

So where is Merry?  She went home after the Stones session and had a miscarriage late that morning.  She believes the stress she put herself in earlier was a factor and she could barely bring herself to sing the song for a few years afterwards.  She continued mostly in a backup singer roll and was highlighted in a 2012 documentary about others in similar rolls that made many of the legendary songs of the past.  Finally some well deserved recognition has come to her.  In 2014 a car accident left her without legs.  Her faith in God and the inner strength and determination derived from that faith is keeping her on her feet and her music alive.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
OTBs start January 4th at Sandy Springs Park and will be held each Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 5:30 am.  These will continue until launch of the new AO in Maryville.  Meet at the basketball court.

It’s been a year…

THE SCENE: Cold and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Al Gore for the Disclaimer
  • Tempo Merkins
  • Windmills
  • SSH
  • Walking Knee-to-chest
  • Short mosey and do burpees every other light pole, 1, then 2, then 3 etc…just up to 5 and mosey back to grinder
    THA-THANG:
  • 4 rounds of exercises. Do 3 sets of each round and and suicide before moving on to the next round
    • Round 1
      • 15x Water Pumps each leg
      • 5 per arm, 1 arm-assisted merkins (on back of the bench)
      • 15 Goblet squats (w/ CMU)
      • 15x Curls: 5x ½ High, 5x ½ low, 5 x full
    • Round 2
      • Box Jumps x 15
      • 10 CMU Lawnmower per arm
      • Wall Sit Overhead press x10
      • 1 leg line hops x 15 per leg (2ct)
    • Round 3
      • 10 tuck jumps
      • 15 hand release merkins
      • Calf Raises: 15 each position: Toes forward, Toes out, Toes in
      • Upright Rows x 15
    • Round 4
      • 15 CMU Swings
      • 10 Over block merkins (each merkin =1)
      • 10 Iron Squats (Iron Mike + deep air squat)
      • 10 each side, Elf on the Shelf
    • If finished before time is called, do suicides and 20 merkins/20 Big Boy Sit Ups until the end
  • MARY:
  • Leg circles each way
  • Marching Low Planks
  • Gas Pumps
  • Flutter Kicks
    CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
    As we look back at the year 2020, it seems like it is expected of us to say something negative about this strange year. We need to make sure we look at it with balanced view: rightly mourn our losses (and there have been many of these: loved ones, friends, jobs, celebrations, opportunities for fellowship) but also celebrate the blessings that we have enjoyed (including those unexpected blessings brought about by changes in our circumstances do to the pandemic).  In all these circumstances and as we look ahead to the new year whatever it may bring, let the words of the Doxology remind us what we should do everyday: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise him all creatures here below, praise him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.” 
  • MOLESKIN:
    Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
    ANNOUNCEMENTS:
    Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

Silent Night

THE SCENE: 42 degree F, 67% humidity, very dark
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH, Baby arm circles, Cherry pickers, Imperial squat walkers

THA-THANG:
Grab your numbered CMU and mosey to Mt. Crumpit.

 

Mt. Crumpit Dora  (1 partners with 2, 3 with 4, 5 with 6, etc.)

(Partner #1 starts exercises while Partner #2 runs to back side of tree, does 3 Burpees, runs back down, and switches with partner to complete required number of exercises.)

100 Squat Trusts

200 Bent Rows

200 Upright Rows

200 OH CMU Flutter Kicks

200 Curls

200 Derkins

200 Dips

200 Triceps Extensions

100 Russian Swings

 

Mosey back to AO

MARY:
Everyone did 10 Russian Swings before time was up.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 HIMs and 1 2.0 (Lumberjack)
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
The Simon and Garfunkel album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme was released in October 1966.  Silent Night/7 O’Clock News is one of the tracks.  It starts with the duo singing Silent Night and soon into the song a broadcaster starts to present the top headlines of the day. There is mention of antiwar protests, civil rights marches, calling in the National Guard, mass murders by Richard Speck, suicide by comedian Lenny Bruce, and messages of political dispute.  In the midst of the beautiful singing of Silent Night, the listener realizes that there never seems to be one.

The reality of this broken world is that there never will be a night without strife and turmoil and greed and disagreement and pain and sorrow.  Only when Jesus comes again will all of this be wiped away.  The good news is that we are all able to cope with the worlds brokenness when we lay our troubles at the feet of our Savior.  We can only have a silent night when we rest in His arms.

The challenge for us is to take the time and do this.  Rest in His arms if only for a short time.  Do it with your family and loved ones.  Carve out that time this Christmas season and then try to make a habit of it.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

‘Twas the Day After Christmas

THE SCENE: 11°? Too cold to matter.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 20

Run to the other end

5 Burpees

Run back

SSH x 15

Run to the other end

5 Burpees

Run back

Nair joins us

SSH x 10

Run to the other end

5 Burpees

Run back

THA-THANG:

Route 66 off the Grinder

Round 1 – Iron Squats

Round 2 – Spider Knee Merkin

Mosey with CMUs to Crumpit. Do the CMU circuit at the bottom. Run to the top and drop BOMBS. Run back down and repeat.

B – Burpees x 10

O – Lunges x 15 per leg

M – Merkins x 20

B – BBS x 25

S – Squats x 30

CMU circuit

10 Curls

10 Swings

10 Lawnmowers per arm

10 Goblet Squats

MARY:

Xs & Os on Q

LBCs to cash out

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
7 men worked harder than they wanted to and they grew because of it.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas

BY MAJOR HENRY LIVINGSTON, JR.

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danc’d in their heads,

And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap —

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and call’d them by name:

“Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,

“On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem;

“To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

“Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Toys — and St. Nicholas too:

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:

He was dress’d all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnish’d with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys was flung on his back,

And he look’d like a peddler just opening his pack:

His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry,

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow.

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face, and a little round belly

That shook when he laugh’d, like a bowl full of jelly:

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laugh’d when I saw him in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And fill’d all the stockings; then turn’d with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight —

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

MOLESKIN:
Spider Knee Merkin is a Merkin, right knee to elbow, Merkin, left knee to elbow. Let me tell you I thought the Iron Squats would be tough, but boy the Merkins were brutal. You get to the 7th light pole or so and can only do mini sets of 4 before taking a rest.
Avocado says the Os don’t look like an “O” but are called that because of the sound you make when you go from an X to reaching everything up…It made sense to me.
The work was harder than expected this morning. The quads didn’t want to work in a Burpee. The Merkins were just tougher than I could have imagined. Nair says the blood flow restriction from cold weather causes your body to use anaerobic method more than usual and it’s harder but you’re still making progress. I like the idea of training differently like air flow restricted and what not.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP at the Asylum January 30