F3 Knoxville

Dear John

THE SCENE: Clears skies, 74 degrees F., 92% humidity
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Completed
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x20

Little Baby Arm Circles: x12 forward, x12 backward

Cherry Pickers x12

Overhead Claps x25

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Mt. Crumpet

Partner Up (one teammate ascends while other starts exercise count):

Run up, Merkins x12, Dry Dock x12                                     300 squats

Bernie up, Merkins x12, Dry Dock x12                                 150 BBS

Bear crawl up, Merkins x12, Dry Dock x12                          150 OH claps

Mosey to Grinder

Partner Up (one teammate runs suicide while other starts CME exercise count):

100 OH lifts                                                                            Suicides

150 Bent rows

100 Curls

100 cross over merkins

100 lunge dead lifts right

100 lunge dead lifts left

MARY:

Box cutters x20

Flutter kicks x20

Protractors, various

LBC’s for 1 minute

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Total of 20 HIMs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
It happened on my 5th of 14 trips to Saudi Arabia.  Typical of the United Airlines flight from Washington, DC we landed in Kuwait City and had to deplane while refueling the plane and taking on more passengers.  Over an hour later we would load up and head to my final flying destination in Manama, Bahrain.  3 to 4 hours later I would finish the drive from Bahrain to the work site in Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia.

About a minute after deplaning in Kuwait City, I saw John entering the gate holding area and coming toward me.  I stood up, stuck out my hand, shook his, and said “hello, John, it’s good to see you.”  John nodded his head, gave a sheepish grin, and said it was nice to see me.  He continued over to a seat a few rows away.  I sat down and was kicking myself for saying what I said.  I decided to pull out a piece of paper and I wrote a note.  In it I apologized for greeting him with a casual “hello John.”  He deserved much more respect that that.  I recognized the service he has given to our country as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War, the awful conditions and treatment he endured as a prisoner of war for many years, and his continued service as a United States Senator.  I wished him the best and continued success in his job.  My note began with “Dear Senator McCain.”  I handed Senator McCain the note as we were getting on the plane.  I said, “Senator McCain, this is for you.”  I got another sheepish grin and a slight head nod.

Getting off in Bahrain meant descending the stairs to the tarmac and getting on a shuttle bus to get to the terminal.  Senator McCain entered the bus shortly after I did.  From about 12 feet away we looked at each other.  This time he gave me a real big smile and a more deliberate nod of his head.  I believe his gesture indicated acceptance of my note to him.  I felt better about the entire encounter.

I reminded the group this morning that many of the exercises we did could not have been performed by Senator McCain because of the broken arms and leg he sustained while ejecting from his jet bomber and the subsequent abuse and lack of medical care he received in captivity.  I also said that this story is not really about him.  It is just because of his recent death that I was reminded that I learned something a long time ago that I wanted to share – especially with the younger men in our group.

There are many things that I have done wrong in my 66 years of life.  I have been unkind, judgmental, angry, and a host of other things.  I have hurt others with my words and deeds.  I have found that the best thing to do for those I’ve hurt, and for myself, is to try to make things right.  I try to own up to my mistakes and let those I’ve hurt know that I am sorry, that I recognize how I was wrong, and that I seek forgiveness.  It certainly isn’t easy but it is always good for the soul.  Going through that act of self-inflicted punishment introduces a little bit of pain that helps me on the straight and narrow in the future.

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

12 Days of Christmas…in August

THE SCENE: Clear Sky’s and 70°
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Arm Circles, Cherry pickers, and some high knees while waiting on Butterfingers.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Mt. Crumpit

Begin with gift 1 from your not-so true love. Complete and then move on to gift 2 followed by gift 1 again, move on to 3 followed by 2 & 1, Etc. through all 12 days. If you finish opening all 12 presents(Drifter and Snorkel) then work backwards from 11.

The # of the Day represents the # of reps for that exercise.

  • 1 Lap up the hill and around the Christmas tree.
  • 2 Bernies to the 1st set of trees and back
  • 3 Burpees
  • 4 Dry Docks
  • 5 Iron Miles 2ct
  • 6 Push Up Jacks
  • 7 V-Ups 4ct
  • 8 Jump Squats
  • 9 Alligator Merkin 2ct
  • 10 Bicycle Crunches 4ct
  • 11 Jump Knee Tucks
  • 12 Superman Burpees

MARY:
No Mary, We had enough V-ups already.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Discussed the need for us to have an accountability partner. Someone we can open up to about our struggles but  someone who also has the courage to call us out when it’s needed.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
TTTP Saturday!

Swallow the toad

THE SCENE: About 70, a little humid but some nice light winds
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Set the standard with exercises in he thang

10 cmu curls ic

5- blockers/ manmakers oyo

5 cmu swings oyo

5 cmu thrusters oyo
THA-THANG:
F3 iron pax workout week 2. Check out f3 iron pax on Twitter. It’s a weekly challenge with some great workouts designed for 45-60 minutes. This particular workout was

  • 8 minutes of Cmu curls 25 curls then run 25 yards and back , rinse abs repeat for 8 minutes
  • 25 blockees, Run 25 Yard’s and back. Rinse and repeat for 8 minutes
  • 25 cmu /kettle bell style swings. Run 25 yards and back . RnR for 8 minutes
  • 25 thrusters , Run 25 Yard’s and back , 25 goblet squats , RnR for 8 minutes
  • 2 minutes rest between the 8 min sets.

MARY:
Flutters x 20 ic

lbc x 20 ic

lazy boys to finish out (60 seconds)
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 pax
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Swallow a toad in the morning and you will encounter nothing more disgusting the rest of the day.
MOLESKIN:
Always people or things ready to bring you down . Misery loves company . Well, we don’t go looking for it everyday but we should prepare for negativity physically and mentally. F3 is one way to do that. Getting up early, doing a brutal workout not only prepares you physically but also prepares you mentally to take on life in a positive way. Embrace the suck and swallow the toad now!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Trucking to the pound this weekend. F3 olympics coming soon!

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

THE SCENE: Cool and Damp
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIME

Warm Up
Side Straddle Hops@15
Arms Circles B/F@10
Arm Stretches
Michael Phelps
Cherry Pickers@9
Memory Match Game
Match an exercise and only do that exercise. Mismatch and do both exercises.  Match to eliminate the exercise from the game.
10 Burpees 5 Burpee Sit Throughs 15 Groiners 20 Squats
5 Burpee Sit Throughs 15 Merkins Bear Crawl 15 Groiners
15 Merkins 15 Pickle Pounders 15 Bigboys 10 Burpess
20 Squats Bear Crawl 15 Pickle Pounders 15 Big Boys
Workout ( The Kraken) 10 Each w/ CMU
Bent Over Rows
Sumo Squats
Overhead Press
Upright Rows
Swings
Incline Merkins
Decline Merkins
Cling and Press
Mary
15 BB, 15 Pickle Pounders, 15 Box Cutters, LBC’s  (1 Minute)


COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA


(12 Total) Butterfingers, Chaco, Dreamer,Drifter, Emeril, Fins, Neighbor, Pinocchio, Snorkel, Squeaker, Squiggly, Tin Man

BOM
Humility
I’ve found myself thinking about the necessity of humility lately.  I’ve started a new job, and I’m still in that awkward phase of trying to figure out where I fit in. However, it occurred to me that my own ego might be getting in the way.  When we put our own self-worth above others we find ourselves alone with only our own ego to defend.  True humility allows us to listen, ask for help, and opens our minds to new points of view.  It should not to be confused with modesty, because while modesty is also a good trait to possess it doesn’t always reflect our true feelings.  In summary, let’s all strive to have a little more humility in our lives so that we can be better leaders, parents, spouses, and friends.

 

 

Christmas in July

THE SCENE: 70ish degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x20 IC
LB Arm Circles x12 each side IC
Squats (low and slow) x15 IC
Cherry Pickers x10 IC
THA-THANG:
Half the HIMs grab a CMU and mosey over to Mt. Crumpet with a stop for 5 road block burpees. Bring the CMUs to the top and then grab a partner. First partner decorates the tree (City of Alcoa already had lights on there for us) while the second partner does exercises at the bottom of the hill.

On Crumpet:
Round 1 – Bear crawl up and start decorating with putting the CMU on the shelf (8 each side)
Round 2 – Bernie up and get the higher spots with overhead presses (x20)
Round 3 – Bear crawl up and get even higher with squat jumps (x20)
Round 4 – Bernie up and do Upright rows (just because) (x20)
Round 5 – Bear crawl up and get the ornament you dropped under the tree with 20 4 count flutter kicks
Round 6 – Bernie up and carefully lunge in to the tree to fix those last details (x20)

Bottom of Crumpet: (Do these exercises until your partner gets back)
Round 1 – Sprint to the road, lunge back
Round 2 – Merkins and Squats (20 and 20)
Round 3 – Sprint to road, inchworm merkin back
Round 4 – Shoulder taps and BBS (20 and 20)
Round 5 – Plank Jacks and Mountain Climbers (20 and 20)
Round 6 – Run to fountain and back, then do ankle touches

Grab the CMUs and mosey back to AO for Mary with another stop for 5 more road block burpees.

MARY:
Captain Thor up to 5 and 20
Boxcutters x30 IC

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
15 men strong including men doing the OCHO! No FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I hear people talking about Christmas in July every year and they seem happy thinking about the euphoria that they feel at Christmas time and the food they want to eat and the presents and, of course, the sales. When Christmas time rolls around, you’ll hear people talking about “the reason for the season” and they will try to focus on Christ. I don’t hear people saying that in July. Statistically, church attendance goes down in the summer months as people go on vacation and focus on having kids home from school and places to go and people to see. I haven’t seen any statistics on this, but I imagine that prayer declines in the summer months as well. Christmas and Easter are the two most important days for a Christian. The day our savior was born, and the day that He gave his life on the cross for us. Just because those are the two most important days does not mean that we should be slacking the rest of the year. To me, Christmas in July is a reminder that we should be preparing ourselves to meet Christ. We need to focus throughout the entire year to get ready for his coming, not just two days.
MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS: