Sparkler – Page 2 – F3 Knoxville

Gratitude and Recognition

October 30, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Serpentine (Jason Pierce)
PAX: Drum Major, Curveball, Doubtfire (Nick Bond), Crash Dummy, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Mr Jinxy, Kung Blue, Switchhitter (Tony), Sparkler, Lizzy, Brick, High Heels, MD Hammer, Tenderfoot
FNGs: None
COUNT: 15
WARMUP:
– SSH 20 IC
– Monkey Humpers 20IC
– Baby Arm Circles 10 up, 10 down IC
– Cherry Pickers 5 IC
– Merkins 10

THE THANG:
Mosey down Hilltop Drive to the stop sign
3 x, 20 lunges – 10 each leg, 20 lbc
Mosey down the trail to the left and stop around the rock pile area
3x 20 squat jumps, 20 American hammers
Indian run on paved trail along Lakeshore Greenway, through Pryse Garden Pavilion to the round about circle
3x Rocky Balboas 10 count IC, 10 Smurf jacks IC
Mosey to bathroom area and parking near open field below the East Terrace
3 x 20 Carolina dry docks, 5 Lunge Worms toward hill
Mosey through the field and up the hills, stopping at the last hill below the overlook
10-5-25: 3 rounds
10 merkins
Run to top of hill
5 burpees
Run down
25 squats
Sprint up hill
Mosey to first stop sign on Circle Drive
Final run up Hilltop Drive to the flag

MARY:
SSH until time

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
10 year anniversary convergence 11/8
Winter location starts next week
Ruck Event
Prayers for Crankbait

COT:
Gratitude and Recognition

Thinking about my VQ, I was reminded of something we do with our family to bring us closer and to humbly remind all of us to stop, reflect and appreciate each other, and appreciate our blessings.

So, when we do sit around the table at dinner, which sways with the waves of an active family, as sports and dance and work are in motion, our family goes around the table and each person offers up what they are grateful for and then we each compliment someone at the table (not a pet) in recognition of a positive accomplishment or worthy action that the person did.

This exercise brought us closer, diffused disagreements, and drove us to think about all the blessings we have. Blessings sitting in front of us every day. It also reminded us that we are surrounded by amazing talented people. We are all remarkable in our own God given way.

Sometimes simple, sometime deep. Perhaps it was beautiful day with the sun shinning, or just that we were all together. Compliments on a well cooked healthy dinner or a Major sports or dance achievement were the norm.

As Ferris Bueller said…Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it,”

I think that is great advice on many different levels. In this case, look around, there are so many simple blessings we experience and the achievements by ourselves and our friends and loved ones that will pass us by if we fail to stop, look around, and take notice.

In that spirit, I will close with saying that I’m very grateful for F3, for Sparkler who recruited me back, and for this amazing group of men Asylum PM that welcomed me back in on a rainy day this past spring.

I also want to compliment you all. Everyone in the circle has inspired me in some way and you all are amazing men of God and it is a blessing to be with you.

Rain won’t keep us away

October 27, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: juco
Q: Dart Gun
PAX: Windex, Sparkler, Lt. Dan, Mailbox, Dart Gun, Wanderer, Guardrail, Dairy Queen, Butterknife
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
WARMUP:
Cherry pickers
Harry Rockets
SSH
Arm circles forward then backward

THE THANG:
Mosey to the covered patio entrance

30 of each then run a lap in the courtyard. Buy in for the next round is to do 10 partner merkins.

Heels to heaven
Squats
Flutter Kicks
Lunges
Mtn climbers
CDD
Plank Sevens
Crabby Toes

MARY:
In honor of the rain, row your boat and paddle the canoe.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT: Discipline over Motivation
Heavyweight champ Oleksanr Usyk was interviewed and said that he doesn’t have motivation, only discipline. It made me think of you guys.

Showing up for F3…If we treat those things as something we’re going to do and not something that is optional, then we show up.

Treat your intentions as facts and not choices. Be intentional with your time and actions.

Practicing the Way

September 17, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: juco
Q: Booster
PAX: Man Bun, Bowser, Wanderer, Sparkler, Guardrail, TrailMix, Mailbox, Stye (Hal Phillips), Starlink, Windex, Booster
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP:

• Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 10
• Baby Arm Circles Forward X 10 (IC)
• Baby Arm Circles Backwards X 10 (IC)
• Overhead claps X 10 (IC)
• Tempo Squats X 10 (IC)
• Windmills X 10 (IC)
• Hand Release Merkins X 10 (OYO)
• 1 minute on your own
• Mosey to big parking lot

THE THANG:

• Station 1 – 10 Thrusters, 20 Overhead Press, 30 Bentover Rows w/ CMUs then run to next location
• Station 2 – 20 Squats, 40 calf Raises & Run to next location
• Station 3 – 20 Merkins, 40 Mountain Climbers (single count), 60 second plank & Run to next location
• Station 4 – 20 Curls, 20 Deadlifts, 20 Single Arm Rows (each side) w/ dumbbells then run to next location
• Station 5 – 40 American Hammers (single count), 40 flutter kicks (single count), 10 Diamond Merkins, & Run to the next location
• Rinse & Repeat

MARY: Part of Q

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT:

John Mark Comer wrote a book, “Practicing The Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Him & Do As He Did.”

The purpose of the book is for each person to craft their Rule of Life with their total focus on their relationship with God.

We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice.

To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.

This book involves a mix of theological substance and cultural insight as well as practical wisdom on developing your own Rule of Life.

These ancient practices have much to offer us. By learning to rearrange our days, we can follow the Way of Jesus. We can be with him. Become like him. And do as he did.

9 Focus areas include:

• Sabbath
• Solitude
• Prayer
• Fasting
• Scripture
• Community
• Generosity
• Service
• Witness

Some of us may be strong in certain areas but never do the others. For me, practicing the Sabbath and being a Witness are not a focus of my life but I have started giving a monthly devotional to the men in the emergency shelter at KARM. I’m doing a decent job in some areas but worse in others.

Just like New Years Resolutions or Giving Up Things for Lent, Comer recommends starting slow and small so to develop better habits and then continuing to add as you grow.

Consistency

August 15, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: juco
Q: Erector
PAX: Butterknife, Dairy Queen, Wanderer, Windex, Guardrail, Mailbox, Love Shaq, Starlink, Romeo, Erector, Sparkler, Lt. Dan
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
WARMUP:

THE THANG:
Mosey to Sophomore Hill stopping once for Freddy Mercury. Do 11s at the hill: merkins at the bottom, Bernie Sanders up the hill, and Iron Mikes at the top. Mosey to the court yard. Mosey to the coupon pile. Do 20 curls and then run down the road to the first entrance of the parking lot. Do 10 burpees, repeat once. Do 1 round of 20 step ups and 20 derkins, run the loop, but bear crawl the short sides. Return to the flag.
MARY:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT:

Leap of Faith

June 19, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Crash Dummy
PAX: Lilydipper, Drum Major, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Doubtfire (Nick Bond), Steam, Sparkler, Switchhitter (Tony), Abacus, Rooney (Carl Whipple), MD Hammer, Brick, Mr Jinxy, Curveball, Serpentine (Jason Pierce), Petunia (aka Daniel Ellis), Gridiron, Franzia
FNGs: 1 Franzia
COUNT: 18
WARMUP: Side Straddle Hops – 20, Cherry Pickers – 5, Good Mornings – 10. Runner’s Stretch, Fire Hydrants, Donkey Kicks, $ Stretch.

THE THANG: 1st POC – Mini Cardiac (Pele suggested moving to the grass hill to avoid traffic): Battle Buddy up, Partner 1, Bernie up the hill & back. Partner 2, reverse lunge. x4

2nd POC – Cardiac: Suicides – Start w/10 Squat Jumps at bottom. Run to the 1st bend. 10 Merkins. Run back Down. 10 Squat Jumps. Run up to the 2nd Bend. 10 Merkins. Run back down to the bottom. 10 Squat Jumps. Run to the bench at the top. 10 Merkins. Run back down to the bottom. 10 Squat Jumps.

3rd POC – Bros Bowl – Either run back to AO or sprint up & around the Bros Bowl and back to AO.

MARY: None

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Pass the Flag 6/26 to Crash Dummy

COT: Growing up, my friends & I loved to drive up to Townsend, to the Wye, & jump off the cliffs into the water. The toughest part was not the jump itself but thinking about the jump. For the guys who are out here, that want to Q but might be overthinking it, I say, take that leap. It gets a little easier each time.