F3 Knoxville

This Is 2020 (Without Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters)

THE SCENE: Rainy, low to mid 50s

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 20, baby arm circles forward x 20, baby arm circles backward x 20, 20-second plank, Pilates push-ups x 20 (10 each leg – merkins with left leg raised up x 10 followed by merkins with right leg raised up x 10), tempo squats x 20

THA-THANG:
Mosey to CMU pile via the Dragon’s Tail stopping at each light pole to do an exercise x 20 reps – alternating between merkins and squats

Pickup a CMU and mosey to the pavilon

CMU curls x 20 followed by 20-second recovery, rinse and repeat for 4 rounds (80 total reps)

Mosey to Crawdad’s Yoga Studio

Carolina dry docks x 20 followed by 20-second recovery, rinse and repeat for 4 rounds (80 total reps)

Mosey back to pavilon for table rows using the same reps and recovery as before

Mosey back to the yoga studio for flutter kicks, same schedule

Mosey back to the pavilon for CMU overhead presses, same schedule

Mosey back to the yoga studio for more Pilates push-ups, same schedule – Cheatsheet and Crawdad started singing the Hokey Pokey Song and dubbed the Pilates push-ups the “Hokey Pokeys”

Mosey back to the pavilon, pick up the CMUs and mosey to the CMU pile to return them

Mosey to Cardiac with just a few minutes to spare, so we only had time for one run up Cardiac and to the AO without stopping for any exercises

MARY:
We ran out of time for Mary, but we did get some ab work in during the workout

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 HIMs getting better in the rain on the first Saturday workout at the Asylum in 2020

Veggie was here, but he is not in the group, so I couldn’t tag him.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
It is a new year and a new decade and no one knows what it holds.  It could be the year that someone is added to your life, or it could be the year that someone is taken away.  It could be the year of the promotion, or it could be the year of the demotion.  It could be the year of kindergarten, or it could be the year of graduation.  It could be the year of the big win, or it could be the year of the big loss.  Regardless, you don’t need a resolution, you need a constitution, a foundation.  On a big scale, it should be God, your family, your friends, etc.  But, it can be anything that grounds you.  It can even be as simple as the F3 workouts.  The asphalt, concrete, and grass do not change, and they are always there waiting for you whether you have a good day/week or a bad day/week.  They are checkpoints after good times or bad and before whatever lies ahead.  If nothing else, start there and build.  Have a good new year but not just for what good fortunes may come your way during the year but based on what you keep your eye on and focus on while the year goes by

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Pinto, Flashback 2, Lady Tank, Cheatsheet’s family, Lady Junk, and Veggie going back for another semester of college
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Party at Tank’s house on 1/10

Still need money for pull up bars for the Dog Pound

Confession

THE SCENE: Raining, temps in low 40s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side Straddle Hops, 30 seconds of butt kickers, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Windmills, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward, 7 Backward
THA-THANG:
Mosey to CMU Pile.  Half of men pick up CMU’s and carry them to pavilion at Northern Ball Fields. The CMUs will be placed at one corner of the pavilion.

We will do totem pole with 30 seconds each of the following exercises.  By the end of the totem pole workout, each exercise will have been performed for 30 seconds five different times.  The exercises are:

  • Burpees
  • Picnic Table Pull Ups
  • Bench Dips
  • Hello Dollies
  • Plank Jacks

Next, we will go counterclockwise around the pavilion three separate times, doing the exercises listed in sequence at each corner.  We will always bear crawl from Corner 1 to Corner 2 and Corner 3 to Corner 4.  We will always lunge from Corner 2 to Corner 3 and Corner 4 to Corner 1.  We will do 20 of each of the exercises at the corners.  The exercises we will perform at each corner are listed in sequence below:

  • Corner 1:  1. Merkins  2.  Carolina Dry Docks  3.  Dive Bombers
  • Corner 2:  1. Big Boys  2.  Bicycle Kicks  3.  Dying Bugs
  • Corner 3:  1. Squat Jumps  2. Star Jumps  3. Smurf Jacks
  • Corner 4:  (with CMUs)   1. Overhead Presses  2. Curls  3. Rows

Next, we will do squat with back to the wall for one minute.  Then, we will do quick steps with turns on command for 2 minutes.  Finally, we will end with one minute of stretches before putting the CMUs back at the CMU pile and running back to AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Six men, no FNGs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
One of the greatest comforts I have each week at church is to read, together with the other church members, the Confession of Sin.  Why should it bring comfort to confess that I have done wrong?  That I have sinned against God?  The Confession of Sin lets me know a number of important things:

  • I am not perfect and I should not require those around me to be perfect.  I fail, I screw up.  And while I can admonish myself for this, I need to realize that I am human.  So are those around me, even those members of my church that I consider to be like saints.  So, even though I drank too much on a Saturday night, even though I failed to truly listen when my wife talked to me earlier in the week, even though I got too angry at a stranger on the roadway and flipped him the bird, even though I failed to be like I was so desirous of being the previous Sunday when feeling so inspired at church, I am not alone in this sinfulness.  My wife and the guy who almost cut me off on the roadway are not alone in their sinfulness either.  It is our nature to sin.
  • Yet, we as Christians can strive to be more like God, like Jesus.  We can delight in God and find Glory in His name.  And in doing so, we can become more like Him.
  • We can also confess and admit that we fall short of God’s expectations and our own expectations. In so doing, we are not saying we are failures. But we are also not turning a blind eye to the fact that we do make mistakes and do sin.
  • Despite the sinfulness, we have a God who loves us.  He made us in His image.  He acknowledges our sinful nature.  Yet, He forgives us of these sins and calls us His own.  And, He finds favor in each of us.  He finds favor in us even though we screw up every week of the year.  We do not need to turn our faces from Him.  We can proudly say, I am yours and you are mine.

Here are the words from the Confession of Sin at my church (Redeemer Church of Knoxville).  Read them knowing that you are not alone in your sin and that God loves you, knowing that you sin.

Most merciful God,

We confess that we have sinned against you

In thought, word and deed,

By what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

Have mercy on us and forgive us;

That we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways,

To the glory of your Name.

Amen.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Tank’s wife who is in the hospital due to large kidney stone that will need surgery.  Prayers for Pinto and his treatment for multiple myeloma.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Tank’s 2nd F party is being pushed back from Friday, January 3 to Friday, January 10, due to his wife being in hospital.

God’s Way Isn’t What the World Expects

THE SCENE: Clear, temps in 40’s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side Straddle Hops, 8 Burpees, 10 Tempo Merkins, 6 Burpees, 10 Windmills, 4 Burpees, 10 Cherry Pickers, 2 Burpees, Michael Phelps
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Outdoor Chapel.  We will do elevens starting with 1 Bench Dip at stage and 10 Mountain Climbers (4 count) at other end of chapel.

Mosey to Pavilion at Southern Ball Fields.  We will do a one minute squat with backs against wall.

Mosey to perimeter trail right by the pavilion.  We will do nickel, dime, quarters with the exercises listed below until we reach the Serpentine Sidewalk.  (Run to first light, do five of exercise, run two more lights, do ten of exercise, run five more lights and do 25 of exercise)

  • Squat Jumps
  • Big Boy Sit-ups
  • Merkins
  • High Knees where both knees = 1

Next, we will do 14’s on Serpentine Sidewalk all the way to the roadway (bear crawl for one light, run for four and repeat the sequence to the roadway)

Mosey to Pavilion at Northern Ball Fields.  We will do picnic table pull-ups, starting with 25, then 20, then 15, then 10, then 5 with short breaks between each set.

Mosey to 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:
God’s way may sometimes seem backwards from the world’s way.  The world expects you to be “successful and rich.”  Jesus says the meek shall inherit the earth.  The world says achieve these goals to get your reward.  Jesus says come to me first and give your heart to me.  Then you will desire to achieve God’s goals.  The world expects a king who is born into fortune and wears a golden crown.  Jesus was a king who was born in a manger and wore a crown of thorns.  Think upon these things as we celebrate Christmas.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Puddle’s elderly friend, Vince, whose girlfriend had a stroke and later, perhaps due to neurological issues related to the stroke, attempted suicide.  Pray for her recovery.  Pray for our brother Pinto as he goes through chemotherapy and, perhaps, radiation therapy.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Polar Bear Plunge on January 1 and party at Tank’s house on January 3.

Majestic Yet Close

THE SCENE: Cloudy, temp in mid-forties.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Insert information about the warmup.
THA-THANG:
25 Side Straddle Hops, 31 Brady Corns, 10 Rockettes, 7 Baby Arm Circles Forward, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward, 7 Baby Arm Circles Backward, 7 Wide Arm Circles Backward, 10 Cherry Pickers.

Divide into two teams.  Mosey to CMU Pile.  Each team grabs one CMU.  Each team can divide among the men in terms of carrying the CMU through various moseys.

Mosey to the parking lot south of northern ball fields that has scenic island in middle of the lot.  There will be one cone placed on either side of the parking lot.  Each team must accomplish the exercises listed at each cone.  They can divide up the exercises among the team members in any way they chose (e.g., have one man take each exercise or divide all exercises among the men on the team).  Once the exercises are completed by the team, one man from the team runs with the CMU to the next cone while other team members race ahead of him to start the exercises at the next cone.  Once those exercises are completed by the team, a new team member takes the CMU back to the first cone.  The team does those exercises again.  This cycle continues until every man on the team has carried the cone one time.  The following are the exercises to be performed at each cone:

  • Cone 1:  30 Burpees, 50 Plank Jacks, 50 Merkins, 50 Big Boy Sit-Ups, 50 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1) 50 Overhead Presses with CMU
  • Cone 2:  30 Mountain Climbers (four count), 50 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1), 50 Jump Squats, 50 Dive Bombers, 50 Hello Dollies, 50 Curls with CMU.

Mosey to beginning of Serpentine Sidewalk where it intersects with street.  Each team will still carry their CMU.  We will do 14’s on Serpentine Sidewalk until it reaches the perimeter trail. We will lunge for one light then run for four light, repeating that sequence until we reach the perimeter trail.  We will then, as a group, do 20 Imperial Walkers (four count).

Mosey to beginning of cardiac hill, each team carrying CMU.  We will go up cardiac hill doing the following exercises at the following areas:

  • Corner 1: 20 American Hammers (four count)
  • Corner 2: 20 Leg Kicks (four count)
  • Corner 3: 20 Decline Merkins
  • Benches:  20 Bench Lifts

Mosey to CMU pile.  Drop off CMU’s.  Mosey to Pavilion.  We will do elevens starting with one Picnic Table Pull Up and ten Box Jumps.  We will then do a one minute squat with backs against wall.  Next, we will do sevens starting with one decline merkin and six bench lifts.

Mosey back to AO sprinting up mini-cardiac.

MARY:

Insert information about any additional post-THANG work (if applicable).
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:

1 Chronicles 29:11  Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

I sometimes consider God’s majesty and it is awe-inspiring.  This creation of His, the expansiveness of it, the fact that our galaxy is a mere spec amidst other galaxies, the infinity of space and of time.  We look with our most powerful telescopes to incredible distances and God has created this and so much more.  When one considers God from this perspective He is certainly powerful but also may seem distance.  There’s that song by Julie Gold that Bette Midler made popular:  God is Watching Us From a Distance.  It is good to think of a God who has created this world, who sees all, who is in control of everything.

But it is also good to know that God is close.  God is not only ever powerful, He is ever present.  I can dig down into the rich, deep earth, cup it in my hands and smell God’s presence.  I can pluck a daffodil and examine it in minute detail, knowing God is present in every cell.  We have a God who is close.  We have a God who wants us to know Him.  God whispers in our ear and says, guess what, you are mine.  He whispers in your ear and says, Ratchet, I know every hair on your head.  He whispers, Abscess, talk to me, give me your heartache and give me your joy.  He whispers, Crawdad, I was there the day you were born and will be with you always.  We are each His creation and He loves each one of us.  We have an Amazing God.

Psalm 139: 1-6

Lord, you have searched me and known me!
 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Pinto, for Cheatsheet’s friend, and prayer of praise for Crawdad’s son, Carson.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Coffeeteria!

Away in a Manger

THE SCENE: Overcast and cool, low 40s.  Nice sunset beyond the clouds, but quickly got dark.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Got it right this time! 🙂
WARM-O-RAMA:

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

– 10 Lunges (lungeus interruptus halfway through due to PAX losing count, resulting in 5 Burpees)

-20 Grady Corns (4-ct), in cadence

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

– 10 BACs forward and backward

THA-THANG:

  • Mosey to Big Parking Lot for CANDY CANES! (Hat tip to Cap’n Crunch!). Run to each station, do the exercise, and run back. The six stations are:
    • 20 Dive Bombers
    • 20 Iron Mikes (2-ct)
    • 20 BBS
    • 20 Star Jumps
    • 20 Squat Jumps
    • 20 LBCs
  • Mosey to Cardiac:
    • Cardiac Suicides. Run to first bend, 5 BODY BUILDERS, run back. Run to second bend, 10 BODY BUILDERS, run back.  Run to top, 15 BODY BUILDERS.
  • Mosey to CMU pile
    • DORAs 100 of each exercise while partner runs with CMU over his head to the end of parking lot and back.
      • Overhead Presses
      • Curls
      • Squats
      • Rows
      • Triceps (didn’t finish these…)
    • Mosey to AO

MARY:
20 Hello Dollies, + 5 punishment burpees for messing up the count… again…

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 Strong, no FNGs

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

(From Luke 2) So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

One of things that I love about the Christmas story and the life of Jesus is the circumstances under which he was brought into this world, and how he left it.  He came into it in the most humble conditions, and placed in a manger.

Definition of a MANGER: a long open box or trough for horses or cattle to eat from. The son of God came into this world basically in a soup bowl for livestock, and left this world on a cross, after being betrayed, humiliated and tortured.

This was not some gilded king, born in wealth and comfort, and who died gloriously.  This was a child born to a poor family who was sent by God to live among us and who died for our sins.

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

If we had the CEO for Crossfit or some other exercise program show up out of the blue in a limo, dressed in a fur coat, with leather gloves and wing-tipped shoes tell us to do 100 burpees, crawl in the mud, and run up and down a huge hill a few times, we’d probably tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine.  But when it’s an idiot like me, who is out here doing it with you, with snot running down my face and bloody shins and freezing cold hands, you nod, get your mind right, and get it done.  I love that Jesus was one of US, not one of THEM.  I love that the life he lead and the teachings he passed on came from a place of humanity and poverty, not power and wealth.  I think of the billionaire politicians that are supposed to be our leaders and it’s hard sometimes to relate to them and to accept what they say and how they want us to act.  But I will follow Jesus as my Q any day of the week.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for several members of the PAX who are suffering this holiday season due to the death of loved ones or illness. We pray for comfort and recovery.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 1, New Year’s party at Tank’s house Jan. 3, Ski Trip Feb 7-9.