F3 Knoxville

Tag: Pusher

You Are More Than Your Job

THE SCENE: Windy, temps in low 60s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, 10 Cherry Pickers, 20 Side-Straddle Hops, 10 Windmills, Sitting knee stretches 10 count right, forward and left.
THA-THANG:
Mosey up Dragon Tail to Haslam Rock.  Stop on roadway to do 20 Box Cutters.

Mosey to Coliseum Courtyard Area.  We will run counterclockwise around the sidewalk loop.  We will do the following exercises around the circle:

  • First loop:  20 Bench Dips at Coliseum and Admin Bldg steps and 20 Merkins at the two sides of loop.
  • Second loop:  20 Box Jumps on Steps and 20 Carolina Dry Cocks at sides of loop.
  • Third loop:  20 Calf Raises on Steps and 20 Diamond Merkins at side of loop.
  • Rinse and Repeat.

Mosey to roadway area close to Haslam Rock.  We will do 20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey on Perimeter Trail to area at bottom of Mt. Everest.  We will split into teams of two and do Doras.  One partner runs to the construction fence going south on the perimeter trail, touches the fence and runs back.  The other partner works on the listed exercises and then partners switch.  As a team, the partners will do the following exercises:

  • 150 Freddie Mercuries (4 ct)
  • 150 Jump Squats
  • 150 Baby Crunches
  • 150 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1)

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
Abdominals
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
21 men with one FNG:  Robert Kelly whom we dubbed Kung Blue.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I know that some men in our brotherhood and some M’s of our brothers have struggled with the jobs they are in and the vocational decisions they are attempting to make. It is difficult to have a job that just doesn’t seem right for you.  It can be bewildering to wonder what direction your professional life should take. It can feel oppressive to go to a job you just don’t like and wonder when the right job will come along.  I look back to my own vocational struggles when I was in my 20’s and early 30’s. I can say that during some of those struggles I was clinically depressed.

As a 66-year-old who has been in the job market for quite some time, let me offer some words to you that may help be of benefit to those of you who have struggled vocationally or who have loved ones who have struggled:

  1. You are more than your job.  I know of people who feel they have never found the “right job.”  But some of them are amongst the finest people I know.  Yes, at parties we may introduce ourselves to others and answer the questions about what we do for a living.  But that isn’t our identity.  There is so much more:  our worship, our families, our friends, our activities outside of work, how we listen to others, how we treat others, how we lead others.
  2. If you are dissatisfied with your job, keep looking.  That doesn’t mean quit your current job.  But network with others, talk to your brothers, let them know you are looking for something new.  Also, when you interview for jobs, that in itself can be a learning process.  I am proud of my son, Bennett, for his growth through networking and interviewing in the past year.  He had a good job but wanted something different.  He thought he wanted to get into the banking industry but he wasn’t sure in what area or what direction to take.  He gradually found out a job that is fitting his desires by networking and interviewing for jobs that weren’t quite the fit.
  3. As our brother High-Heels said in a recent Q, even if you aren’t thrilled with your job, it’s a blessing to have it.  You are getting paid.  Your job is putting food on the table.  There are many people who are jobless and hungry.  Don’t forget that.
  4. You have an opportunity to serve others, no matter what your job.  You can smile at your customers, try to make their lives better, and enhance the lives of your fellow employees with a kind and eager spirit.  And, no matter what your job, whether physician or trash collector, that work is probably contributing to what makes our world spin.

I will sum up the last point with some of the words from a song we sometimes sing at my church called “Day by Day.”

Server, you remind us of our Savior's bowl and towel.
Teacher, you are raising up a child to be kind.
Lawyer, give us hope that justice one day will surround us.
May God's kingdom come, on earth His will be done.

Farmer, you are working for a table full of bounty.
Painter, with each color you are teaching us to see.
Nurse, yours are the healing hands that touch the poor and broken.
May God's kingdom come, on earth His will be done.

Lord, be close to us.  Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, please put Your hand on us day by day.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Jinxy and his family after the death of Jinxy’s father.  The funeral was today.  Prayers of praise for Operation as his wife is over six weeks pregnant after she and Operation went through such a lengthy time with issues of infertility.  Operation is going to be a great father!!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Hot Toddy Triple Q at the Asylum on Saturday morning, January 28 at the Asylum!  Pusher will have his Birthday Q with Lumpia likely in February!

1st PM Q 2023: New + Improved Tour de Pavilion

1st Q of 2023

1.3.23 — Asylum PM

5:45pm – 6:30pm

[ The Scene ]

  • 1st Q of the year
  • Setting the tone for the year

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith
  • My name is Steam and I’ll be your Q this morning
  • A few things before we begin:
    • I’m not a professional
    • You’re here on your own volition
    • You know your injuries if you have any so if you need to modify anything we do today feel free to do so, but push yourselves and the men around you. They deserve it and so do you.
  • FNGs?

[ Warm o Rama ]

  • SSH: 23×4
  • Mountain Climber: 23×4
  • Squat: 23×4
  • Merkin: 23×4
  • Flutter Kick: 23×4

(You just completed all of the exercises we will do tonight)

[ The Thang ]

The New + Improved Tour de Pavilion!

(Mosey to Pavilion Sr.)

(1) Pavilion Sr.

  • Pyramid 5s
    • Xs: SSH, Mountain Climber, Squat, Merkin, Flutter Kick (all on a 4 count)
    • Run through all 5 Xs, starting at 5 reps
    • When you’re done with all 5, run out to the circle and do 1 merkin
    • Run back and rinse and repeat, but with 10 reps for each X
    • Rinse and repeat until you complete 25 reps of all Xs and complete your last burpee

(Mosey to the Pavilion Jr.)

(2) Pavilion Jr.

“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”

  • Battle buddy up
  • 1 BB will be rocking 1 of the Xs here in the Pav. Jr. – while the other one runs out to the top of the island and executes 10 SSH (1-count)
  • You and your BB team will run through all 5 Xs here in the Pav. Jr.
    • No # to hit in the Pav. Jr.
    • Merkins can be incline or decline merkins

-All pax execute 25 final incline merkins together-

(Mosey back to the the flag)

[ COT ]

  • # off — 9
  • Name o Rama
  • FNGs — 0
  • BOM

2023 – The Year of the Resolute Man

Resolute (adj.)

  • Admirably purposeful, determined, unwavering
  • Marked by firm determination, bold, steady

Resolutions have a very strong track record of failing and falling short by the wayside. Resolute men do not.

What do you want to be marked by this year? Picture yourself where you were just last week, but in 11 months from now. What story might you tell?

Remembering

THE SCENE: Slightly cool somewhere in the low 50s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

I think I covered all the points and no FNGs
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH IC – 20 /3ct
Cherry pickers IC / 10 IC
Baby Arm circles IC  /6 up, 6 down
Windmills IC/10
Grady Corns – IC /34

THA-THANG:

Quick Mosey to Rock Pile up the hill – 3 sets of Curl, Row, Press – IC/25 each set
Mosey to stop sign on north east side of admin bldg.
Lt Dans – one lunge each leg, then 1 squat, one lunge each leg, then 2 squats, keep going until 10 squats
Mosey further up road by light at overlook

Progressive up then back down as follows:
Complete each first exercise  , then run up stairs to cone by tree, return. Then add one exercise , run to cone by tree, return until all 5 are completed. Then work down to 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 ending back up at the first one

  1. Star Jump – 5 x
  2. Merkins – 10 x
  3. BBS – 15x
  4. SSH – 20 x
  5. Freddie Mercury – 25 x

Mosey back down hill to sidewalk by small parking lot, stop at wall.
7’s – dips/jump squats. Start with dips at wall and run up to first light for jump squats

Mosey to sidewalk at top of hill
Nickel dime quarter-  4 ct Hello Dolly – Every other light (per Swimmies’ request) down sidewalk, then mosey to AO.

MARY:
na
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Dec 13 is the 4th anniversary of my son Grady’s death (F3 Quickrete). I have had the discussion about the grieving process with the F3 brothers during the past anniversaries of his death and his birthday. We all have lost loved ones – that is a part of life. Let’s remember the legacies our loved ones have left us, the good times we had with them and remember the impact they have had on our lives. Last night, on the evening news, they were talking about the Lockerbie Scotland bombing 34 years ago. There was a group of US students on that flight returning home for Christmas. One of the student’s parents commented that his daughter had written in her notebook (recovered from the wreckage in Lockerbie) that “no-one dies unless they are forgotten.” (BTW- Grady was born in Oct 1988.) So, lets take a few minutes and think about the loved ones that we have lost while I play Amazing Grace played by bagpipes (Grady liked bagpipe music so I think he would like this song).

MOLESKIN:
none
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Inclusive

THE SCENE: rain, rain, go away
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER done
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, rockettes, cherry pickers, this & that, runner’s stretch, imperial walkers
THA-THANG:

Under the Pav-i-Lon

  • Dora – 250 SSH, 200 Rocky Balboa, 150 calf raise, 100 big boy, 50 burpee
  • 11’s – squat+lunges / merkin+kneel ups
  • 7’s – inclines / step ups

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 + an FNG makes 10!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Tonight we celebrated Cheat-ah Boy’s 1 year anniversary.  A 9 y/o who chooses to post in the heat, rain, snow, and gloom over eating Cheetohs on the couch playing video games.  I’m blessed that he and I are part of such an inclusive organization who’s motto is “Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you find him.”  Young or old, in shape or not, believer in anything, doesn’t matter.  Doesn’t matter who you are, what you do for a living, or where you’re from…everyone is welcome.  SYITG

The Stubborn Ounces Of My Weight

THE SCENE: REAL gloom in the Fake Gloom.  Misty, steamy, not too cold, not too warm.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Performed adequately.

WARM-O-RAMA:

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

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

  • 10 Temp Merkins (4-ct IC)

– 10 Tempo Squats (4-ct), in Cadence

– 10 Moroccan Nightclub (4-Ct) in cadence

– 10 Overhead claps (4-Ct) in cadence

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to Caribbean

CANDY CANE ESCALATORS (addressed questions from Swimmies)

  • Run to first cone. Do exercise then run to second cone, do exercise, run back, etc.  Go to 8 Cones. Exercises are:
    • Cone 1: 5 Burpees
    • Cone 2: 10 Bobby Hurleys
    • Cone 3: 15 Carolina Dry Docks
    • Cone 4: 20 BBSs
    • Cone 5: 25 LBCs
    • Cone 6: 30 iron mikes (single count)
    • Cone 7: 35 Hello dollies (single count)
    • Cone 8 : 40 Imperial Walkers (single count).

MOSEY to bottom of Cardiac (addressed more questions from Swimmies), stopping at Intersection to do some maintenance exercises.  Where’s Switchgrass??

Steam goes back to check, he had a ruck so will meet us later… but where? The plot thickens…

  • CARDIAC WORKOUT PYRAMID (addressed more questions from Swimmies):
    • Do the following exercises at the bottom then Bernie up to first turn and back. Do 5x reps the first time, then 10x, then 15x.
      • Star Jumps
      • Mountain Climbers (2-ct)
      • Froggie Jumps
    • Run back up the entire hill, doing 15 merkins at each turn

Where’s Switchgrass??

  • Mosey to Parking Lot  THERE’S Switchgrass!!!!
    • PARTNER UP. Partner 1 does exercise, Partner 2 goes to far end of parking lot by method indicated, does 5 SSH, and returns the same way.  Partners switch. The exercises and traveling method are as follows ((addressed more questions from Swimmies):
      • CURLS / KARAOKE LEFT
      • AROUND THE WORLDS / KARAOKE RIGHT
      • What did we do here??? / SPRINT

MARY:
About 20 seconds of STS (Stretching with Steam) before time
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 Studs!!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The holiday season can be awfully exciting… but there can be a weariness that sets in too.  Weariness of parties, shopping, commercials, food/clothing/toy drives, parades and then you can add to that non-holiday related stuff… election cycles, home repairs, what have you.  And there’s also a more general sense of weariness, that despite all of our efforts to do good, sometimes it seems like we’re not making a difference.

Take a deep breath, the long view, and the celebrate the small wins.  We don’t have to save the world.  Small wins sometimes add up to God’s miracles. St. Augustine lived in N. African town of Hyppa.  (Algeria) “Architect of the church”.  Wrote incredible works and classics that have defined Christian faith for generations in a time when the Roman empire was collapsing around him. At the end of his life he was watching barbarians storming his town, knew it would burn to the ground.  Went up to the battlements, and prayed.  One of his prayers, one of his last, was this one: “Lord, my one hope, hear me that weariness may not lesson my will to seek you.” He passed away never giving up to despair.

Ted Loder was a retired Methodist minister who was known for his artistic political activism and passion for social justice.  He was named at one time One of America’s Outstanding Creative Preachers

He wrote about an older woman in one of his congregations. She was nearly blind, bad arthritis, home bound.  Lived on a small teacher’s pension that she mostly gave away to causes she believed in.  She gave to Loder a poem.  “You say the little efforts that I make will do no good. They will never prevail to tip the hovering scale where justice hangs in the balance.  I never thought they would.  But I am prejudiced beyond debate in favor of my right to choose which side shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight.”  Even on days when it doesn’t seem to matter, where will you put the stubborn ounces of your weight?  Let us not be weary of doing good.

As Paul wrote in Galations 6:9-10 “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith”.  Don’t give in to weariness this holiday season.  Learn to Rest, Not Quit.

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