F3 Knoxville

Step Up – Fulfill Your Responsibilities!

THE SCENE: Dry but about to produce some sweat.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER + COVID distancing: Administered + Cell Phone
WARM-O-RAMA:

IC 10 x Moroccan Night Club (Erector almost missed this one but quickly rose to his feet!)
IC 10 x Oompa Loompa IC (everyone in the warmup circle squat alternating with the person next to you)
IC 7 x Overhead Clap
IC 10 x Raise the roof (calf raise + air press)
OYO 10 x El Capitan
IC 7 x “Power T” Merkins (S/O to Mailbox for this one – it’s a hand release merkin but arms go straight out to each side)
OYO 5 x “Projectee” (burpee + donkey kick after the push-up part – it didn’t flow like I wanted but it was hard haha)

THA-THANG:Picture of the Workout path from 1 (Warmup) to 7, stop at 3 on the way back and finish at 1:
Mosey to 2: 7 runs total to the first light pole:
1 warmup
5@100% sprints
1 cool down

Mosey to 3 aka the International Friendship Bell
Do 10 each exercise for the duration of the “Friends” theme song (full length)

Freddy Mercury
Rocky Balboa (high steps)
Incline Merkins
El Capitan
Newton’s Cradle
Derkins
Step Ups

Mosey to 4 Descending Route 66:
11, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 burpees – 1 set per parking space + 1 Projectee (burpee + donkey kick) per set
Q-called this one with most PAX starting at 5 or 4.

Mosey to 5 Will the Circle Be Unbroken:
During the song:
Verse – Newton’s Cradle
Chorus – Lunge in alternating circular directions starting clockwise
Instrumental Break / Bridge – Q called several PAX to name a core exercise that we did until the next verse / chorus

Run to 6: Wagon Wheel as necessary while pushing the pace from mosey to faster
At 6 we did 10 of each of the following (out and back like a “wagon wheel):
Diamon Merkin (I think we did these – a car came and we had to break for that but then they turned away)
Crab walk
Lunge

Mosey to 7 for Mucho leg-o (okay so no song “directly” goes with this one but Bailamos was the best I could find)
1) Narrow squat (feet together),
2) regular-stance squat,
3) wide squat,
4) Bonnie Blair (jumping lunge) with left foot forward,
5) Bonnie Blair with right foot forward (then back to narrow stance).
Repeato until you look like a baby giraffe stumbling across the Savannah.
Q called it after ~10 sets so 40 squats but doing them slowly, 1 at a time was a new DOMS experience for sure!

Mosey back to 3 with a Wagon Wheel along the way that included an unexpected detour through the grass.
At 3 do 10 Step-Ups OYO (that’s all the time we had left!)

MARY:
No time for that.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 PAX Stepped It Up Today to be HIMs! (picture in link)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Initial Question: What are you responsible for? F3 (Q, follow, invest), wife/gf (if you have one), children, friends, family, church… Think about it- are you passive or active? Are you idle or do you take initiative?
2 Thessalonians 3:10-15
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let
him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12
Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to
earn their own living. 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not
obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be
ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

3 Questions we can ask from this passage
1. What are you being idle about?
For me? Very clearly: My PE Exam study. I’m getting my application in this week and will follow my study schedule that I’m going to make.
2. Who do you need to warn as a brother with regard to idleness, passivity?
You reading this is me warning you if you’re being idle. Of course I’m aware of people I need to warn (and am praying about when to say this warning to them), but we are called to go directly to our brother and not gossip (Matthew 18) so I’ll leave you with that thought to consider yourself. Also, I’d love to talk to any of you who wrestle with this (because it’s common to us all)
3. Last, how can you rely more on God to work in you and in others?
If we try to be busy working on our own but not relying on God, we can despair if we “fail” or become prideful if we “succeed.” Philippians 4:6-7 has served me well in many hard times – in the moment, take a moment and pray and rely on God’s strength as you act yourself and as you warn others who are busybodies but not busy working.

MOLESKIN:
Praise and continued prayer for Slappy’s father-in-law as the doctors/tests have found they’re unsure what to make of his health situation as they can’t find anything wrong with him in all the testing and markers.
Prayer for Erector’s pastor who was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer just this past week

Somewhere along the way I lost a glove. I took it off to use my phone to play the mp3s of all of the songs and then I forgot to put it back on. Always wear gloves! I had such a fun time Q’ing. But I’m still learning- and boy do I have a long way to go!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Announcements: Iron PAX Challenge coming up in September Friday’s at JUCO & Shamrock

PAUSE – and LISTEN (HEAVY PT @THE PROJECT)

THE SCENE: Beautiful morning to work out…
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: All the good stuff…
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • “Reach for the skies”/”Let it hang…” (from Survivor’s VQ yesterday!)
  • Projectivator (The Project Special Motivator) x7
  • LBAC (fwd/back) x10/Overhead clap x10
  • Tempo Merkins x7/Mtn Climbers x10
  • Tempo Squats X7
  • Cherry Pickers x7
  • Mosey to RC

THA-THANG: HEAVY PT THURSDAYS

CMU WORK:

  • 20 CMU Thrusters/CMU bearcrawl to next parking island
  • 20 CMU Squats/CMU lunge to next parking island
  • 20 CMU Curls/CMU lunge back to last parking island
  • 20 CMU Combo Overhead Press-Tricep Ext/CMU bearcrawl back to 1st parking island

PARTNER (groups of 2-3) PAIN STATIONS:

  • “Flippin’ Big Boys” Tire Flip (1 big/1 bigger): 10 flips/20 BBS (2 rounds)
  • “Squat/Carry” Telephone Pole or Big Wood Block: 20 squats/Mosey w/ pole/block to end of parking lot/20 squats/Mosey back w/pole/block
  • Pull-UP/Flutter Kick: 10 PU/20 FK (4-ct), 5 PU/10 FK, 3 PU/6 FK, 2 PU/4 FK, 1 PU/2 FK

MARY:
Just enough time for some Freddie Mercury

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
7STRONG: ERECTOR, MATHLETE, PI, SLAPPY, HOUND DOG, NUCLEAR NINJA, SNAGGLETOOTH

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Simple word – tough application: PAUSE AND LISTEN

It’s been my experience since the world went crazy with COVID that God has been trying to teach me to slow down to LISTEN TO HIM. All the world has been disrupted but there is more information and misinformation than ever before – the Twitterverse is all a-twitter, you could say twitterpated. But for all this disruption, for the information, news, constant changes – there is NO PEACE. We want peace, but won’t slow down and listen for the ONE WHO IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Our challenge today is to slow down for communion with God, quiet our busy hearts and minds (actually shut up and be quiet), and wait… for the still small voice of God’s Spirit.

“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” (I Peter 3:12, NLT) God hears you. He is listening to you.

Will you PAUSE to hear Him?

MOLESKIN:

Today was an especially beautiful morning to be out with the guys – working hard, getting better. Special prayers lifted up for Slappy’s father-in-law for cancer diagnosis/treatments/healing, and peace/strengthened faith for him and the family.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Erector’s friend is putting on a benefit 5K run (that he doesn’t have to train for!) He’ll put more info in the F3 Slack channels.

PERSEVERANCE (Nuclear Ninja VQ!)

THE SCENE: PERFECT GLOOM
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Regular + Cell phone + COVID
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH x15
  • Tempo Squat x10
  • Moroccan Nightclub x15
  • Cherrypickers x10

THA-THANG:
Mosey around canal to back wall for Mucho Chesto:

  • Decline merkin x10
  • Regular merkin x10
  • Wide merkin x10
  • Diamond merkin x10
  • Stagger merkin x10
  • Stagger merkin x10 (other side for SYMMETRY!)
  • Incline merkin x10

Mosey into the gloom of Bissell Park for BURPEES:

  • 30 BURPEES
  • Lunge OUT (x10/leg)
  • Broadjump back to start
  • 25 BURPEES
  • Rinse/Repeat – working down to 5 BURPEES for time

MARY:
Mountain Climbers x20

LBC x20

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Nuclear Ninja, Pi, Erector, Kickflip, Chaco, Mailbox, Dart Gun, Pool Boy, Snaggletooth, FNG (yet to be named – didn’t make the COT/BOM)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
PERSEVERANCE – Pushing past the dark place in your mind that would want to give up, knowing that the prize will be worth the work. Great athletes pushed the boundaries of what could be done but pushing into their own perseverance is the greatest obstacle. F3 is an example: today we persevered to do over 100 burpees. Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame – Why? – for the joy set before him of bringing us into relationship with God. (Heb 12:2) He saw the prize of obedience to His Father’s plan greater than the suffering he bore on the cross for our sins. He persevered. And so can we.

MOLESKIN:
I (Snaggletooth) am so proud of this guy. Nuclear Ninja and his dad Pi have been coming to The Project since March or April. ORIGIN STORY: I saw these hardcore guys from my office window running laps and doing burpees (30 at a time!) at the Robertsville Middle School track. I thought, “Who are these guys and what are they training for?” These guys were making everyone else look like sad clowns. So I went out there with a card and invited them to F3. They showed up Thursday and (un)lucky for them Doubtfire came with a guest Q and we bearcrawled all over creation – I thought these guys are never coming back. But we named them Nuclear Ninja and Pi and they’ve been back EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY since then (barring being out of town).

My own 2.0 (Isaiah, 9-years-old) came out this morning but didn’t make it to the COT/BOM so he remains an FNG. He’ll be back and we’ll get him a proper F3 name. One day, I know he’ll be like Nuclear Ninja – running us all ragged and bringing a good word to his fellow PAX. SYITG!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

Time well spent

THE SCENE: clear and not quite as humid
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

15 mountain climbers IC, 10 tempo Merkins, 15 harry Rockettes IC, 10 tempo squats, 15 Moroccan night club IC
THA-THANG:
Mosey to our Thursday spot behind the recruitment center and grab a block. Today, we focused on upper body and core. Perform the following pairs of exercises four times alternating between the exercises.

  • 25 Merkins and 25 heels to Heaven
  • 25 curls and 25, 2-ct heavy Freddie’s
  • 25 overhead presses and 25, big boy sit-ups
  • 25 tricep extensions and 25, 2-ct heavy flutters

Mosey back to the shovel flag.
MARY:
Back just in time
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
8 HIMs today
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1‭-‬8 NASB
Since there is an appointed time for everything, we should use our time wisely. We never know when it will be time for some new stage of our life. Take advantage of the present and don’t wish for something new to begin. Enjoy future prospects, and don’t dwell on the past. Live for today because that is the day we are promised.

MOLESKIN:
We didn’t quite get through all the reps today, but everyone worked hard. With all the running lately, YHC has forgotten the feeling you get after cranking out some major strength training exercises. It felt good today.

Custom Fit

THE SCENE: 68 and clear.  Perfect.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Moroccan nightclubs (for our boy, Erector) – IC x 8
  • Cherry pickers – IC x 8
  • Ranger merkins – IC x 8
  • Mountain climbers – IC x 8
  • X and O

THA-THANG:

Mosey, sprint, and bear crawl our way to “The Half-Pipe” (two sets of 15 steps that face each other).

Perform exercise at the top of staircase 1, run down, across, and up staircase 2.  Perform the same exercise at the top of staircase 2, run down, across, and up staircase 1.  That’s one round – repeat with the following;

  • 20 Bobby Hurleys
  • 20 Flutter Kicks 4-ct
  • 20 Ranger Merkins
  • 20 Mountain Climbers 4-ct
  • 20 Lunges
  • 20 Hello Dolly 4-ct
  • 20 Carolina Dry Docks
  • 20 LBCs

Mosey, sprint, and bear crawl our way back…

MARY:

  • Freddy Mercury IC x 20
  • Hello dolly IC x 20
  • Sleeping hillbilly L&R IC x 10
  • Jailbreak!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

SEVEN:  5 HIMs and 2 2.0s

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

Many of you have heard me talk about a sad time that our family recently went through.  My wife was 10 weeks pregnant and we lost the baby.  I’ve spoken before about the grief that followed – but this morning, I want to commemorate one part of that season which impacted me in a positive way.

We got the bad news from the OBGYN on Monday, May 18th.  We heard that the pregnancy was not viable and that a miscarriage would happen after some time – that might be days or weeks.  It occurred on the day which we’d dreaded most – May 20th, which was also the 4th birthday of our youngest son.  So instead of joyfully celebrating him, our family was devastated, and my wife spent that day in agony.

In that terrible moment… Mailbox’s wife (S.O.S’s mom) texted my wife to check on her.  Knowing our situation, his wife asked this unexpected and deeply moving question, “can we come decorate your home for your 4-year-old’s birthday?”  The family brought balloons, streamers, and homemade signs – they made our living room look awesome.  They brought Chick-fil-a for lunch, gave him a personalized tee-shirt, sang Happy Birthday, and had him blow out a candle on a cookie.  They brought all of our kids to the park for a play date…. For our 4-year old, it was a good birthday.

They came to meet a need that we didn’t even know we had.  They came to make our son’s birthday special, when we could not even think about it.  I will remember their kindness for the rest of my life.  We were so moved by this gesture (I tear up writing about it almost 3 months later) because it was incredibly thoughtful and tailored specifically to our need.  

That action has inspired me to seek out opportunities to meet the needs of others in a way that is customized to their need.  I’ve challenged myself to not only offer those around me, “if there’s anything I can do, just ask…” – but rather to look deeper into their situations and offer something specific.

Takeaway:  Search for opportunities to serve others in a way which is customized to their circumstances – and offer them specific, not general, support in their time of need. 

You’ll need to be observant and thoughtful.  What’s more, you’ll need to be creative to identify the needs of others that they may not even realize they have.  Are you up to that challenge?

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

 

MOLESKIN:

  • The Word was inspired by Mailbox’s awesome crew; C, K, C (S.O.S.), and K – you guys are so thoughtful and special! T-Claps! T-Claps! T-Claps!
  • Prayers for Erector’s family
  • Speedy and full recovery, Rocket!  See you in the gloom again soon, brother!
  • Where on earth has Samaritan been?

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
none