F3 Knoxville

Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup

THE SCENE: Sunny, temp in low 80s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Mountain Climbers, Plank Stretches, 7 Tennessee Rocking Chairs, 10 Iron Mikes, 7 Cherry Pickers, 7 Twisties, 10 Little Baby Arm Circles Forward and 10 Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Stop Sign at Northeastern Corner of Admin Bldg then mosey to shade of large conifer tree.  We will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to small parking lot on north side of park roadway, then go on trail that leads north toward Lyons Bend.  We will stop at rock pile.  Each man grabs a CMU weight boulder to do the following:

  • 25 Overhead Presses
  • 25 Curls
  • 25 Triceps
  • 25 Rows

After putting the boulders in the rock pile we will head north and then west on the trail doing “Run Ten Tens”.  We will run forward ten light posts, then do ten Merkins and ten Big Boy Situps.  We will do this until we get to the park roadway as it approaches the gate at Lyons Bend.

Next, we will Mosey further west on the trail until we come to another rock pile that is at the intersection of the trail we are on and the trail coming down close to Roadshow Run.  Each man grabs a CMU weight boulder to do the following:

  • 25 Overhead Presses
  • 25 Curls
  • 25 Triceps
  • 25 Rows

After placing the boulders back in the rock pile we will run west and then south on the Perimeter Trail until we get to the bottom of Mt. Everest.  We will serpentine from the trail to three different trees on Mt. Everest.  We will do two burpees in the shade of the first tree, run back to the trail, run to the second tree to do two burpees in the shade, then run back to the trail, and finally run to the shade of the third tree to do two burpees.

Mosey back to the perimeter trail and south until we get to the fence that blocks further movement on the trail.  We will then run up the mulch trail until we reach a cone on the trail.  We will do 25 Hello Dollies, 25 Flutter Kicks, and 25 Freddie Mercury’s then run about 40 yards up the mulch trail to another cone to do 5 Burpees.  We will then run back to the first cone and rinse and repeat the above two more times.

Mosey to the little grove of trees at the bottom of the summit of Everest.  We will do 20 Baby Crunches, then run up the summit to the flat grassy area to do 20 Carolina Dry Docks, then run to the Bat Cave to do 20 Sky Jumps.

Next, we will run north to the large tree near the administration bldg roadway.  We will run around the tree and back to the AO.

Next we will run down the stairs by the Bat Cave, run toward Mt. Everest, and go back up the summit. We will then head back to the AO.

MARY:
Stretches
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
We had 17 men and one FNG, Karter Moore, whom we named “Decal”.  Some of our men rucked today.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

I have been watching the Tour de France the past few weeks. The bikers in the tour bike over 100 miles per day in frequently mountainous terrain.  They burn so many calories that they sometimes must eat food while riding their bikes.  That food can make the difference between winning and losing the race.  If they do not have enough food they will not have the strength to compete with the other riders.

I was thinking about that when taking communion at church this past Sunday.  When we take in the bread of communion, Christ proclaims to us, “This is my body given for you. When you eat it, do this in remembrance of me.”  And when we take the wine at communion, Christ proclaims to us, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, when you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  What Christ is essentially saying is, like one of our communion songs says:

Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry.
Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in me and you will not thirst.

God wants us to know that there is something much more important than food that can sustain us. And so, week by week, I, with other brothers and sisters, who just like me are imperfect individuals who stumble, remember that I still have a God who loves me.  And I eat that bread and drink that wine, realizing that people all over the world are doing the same.  Are we more deserving than others?  No, we come because we are unworthy.  But it nourishes us.  It nourishes me.  It gives me the strength to carry on, hoping that it may shine a little light on my soul that I can then shine on others.  For that, I am thankful.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Brick and his family, for Junk and his injury, for Glamper’s manager of work, and a prayer of praise for Lilydipper’s recovery from shoulder replacement and hip replacement surgery.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We will have a 2nd F gathering at the home of Abacus on July 29. The F3 “In the Nude” workout will be on the morning of July 29.  The F3 Dad’s camp will be on the weekend of August 11-13.  And the 3rd F camp at Doe River Gorge will be the weekend of September 22-24.

19 Strong at Asylum- Bearcrawling islands and pyramids

THE SCENE: Dark clouds, humid, 80’s with looming storms
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

standard disclaimer with no FNGS
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry Pickers (IC)

Twisties IC

Windmills (IC)

Motivators 5 IC

Grady Corns 25 IC

THA-THANG:

Mosey to parking lot west of playground

Bear crawl halfway – 5 excercises

Bernie to end – 10 exercises

Karaoke half back – 25 exercises

10 count rest

Rinse and repeat with different exercise (I forgot which 2 exercises we did)

20 count rest

Mosey back to Pavalon

2 sets of Ladders as follows:

Round Pull UP LBC
1 ct
Squat Plank Jack
1
10 Run
2 10 10 Run
3 10 10 10 Run
5 10 10 10 10 Run
6 Run 10 10
7 Run 10 10 10
8 Run 10 10 10 10
Round Step Up Imp Walker SSH (1 ct) Shoulder Taps (2ct)
1
10
Run
2 10 10 Run
3 10 10 10 Run
5 10 10 10 10 Run
6 Run 10 10
7 Run 10 10 10
8 Run 10 10 10 10

MARY:
none
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

You can make a difference

You can achieve a lot through either through volunteering or by starting something completely new, it just needs to begin with a spark and a little effort. There are likely others that support your cause in one way or another.  Dream big, especially when it comes to helping others. Once you get the momentum and more involved, it’s hard to stop to it. In our F3 circle we can see what can result from an idea or a desire to make a difference.

Hardship Hill – Tank’s idea has grown into a large event making a huge difference with OEW

Saturday volunteer day at Lakeshore

Don’t be afraid to step up and volunteer or to initiate an event (small or large) you would be surprised in what you can achieve!

MOLESKIN:
none
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
convergence on July 8 at Shamrock

2 For Tuesday / End of Chapter 28

The Scene 

  • Asylum PM
  • 5:45pm – 6:30pm
  • Weather, etc
  • Pre-Ruck: 5:10pm

F3 Welcome + Disclaimer

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith 
  • My name is Steam and I’ll be your Q this evening 
  • 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?

💪 Pre-Blast for Tonight 💪 

– 70s

– Sunny 

– Shield Lock ruck/walk: 5:10pm

– 2 For Tuesday 

– AGNB = All Gas No Brakes 

– IP, PF, + FP = Initial Push, Push Forward, Final Push 

– ISI 

SYITFG! 💪 

Welcome to THE last 2 For Tuesday of my 28th year of life. Tomorrow I turn 29, and I can’t think of a more perfect way to ring year 29 in than with a strong 2 For Tuesday.



Warm-o-Rama

[ IP = Initial Push ]

  • Rockette: 10×4
  • Motivator: 5
  • Cherry Picker: 10×4
  • Cherry Picker: OYO for 10 seconds
  • Rockette: 5
  • Motivator: 5
  • Cherry Picker: 5×4

The Thang 

(What went down during the workout)

(Mosey to the roundabout on the right of the Coliseum)

1 — Cone’n Around 

  • 3 cones @ the roundabout 
  • 3 cones @ the wall below
  • 3 rounds total
    • 2 cones per round / 1 up top + 1 below
    • Pick a cone you want to do at each location and crush it 
  • 25 reps / cone
  • Everything on a 1 count

(10 count or so)

2 — Cone’n Around Part II – 2 For Tuesday

  • Same thing as the 1st round – but all Xs are 25 reps on a 4 count / 50 reps total

(10 count or so)

(Mosey to the bottom of the wall, where the 3 cones below are)

[ PF = Push Forward ]

3 — Up and Over 

  • 3 lanes, each with 2 cones (exercises), at the bottom of a wall, all the way up to the top to the Coliseum roundabout
  • Complete one workout at the bottom of the wall
  • Scale the wall
  • Complete the 2nd workout
  • Run up the hill to the top, then back around down the stairs to the bottom
  • Complete all 3 lanes
  • 50 reps (1 count) each exercise

(10 count or so)

4 — Up and Over Part II – 2 For Tuesday

(Mosey to the Admin Building stairs)

[ Fp = Final Push ]

  • Core 4
    • American Hammer: 25
    • LBC: 25
    • Penguin: 25
    • Dead Bug: 25
  • BTTW to the 🇺🇸)

Mary 

(Insert information about any additional post-Thang work)

  • SWS for the last 60 seconds

COT (Circle of Trust)

Count Off

  • 13

Name o Rama

  • Pele, Title9, Glamper, OnStar, Pusher, Duggar, Squirtle, Abacus, Scrubs, Sparkler, Tenderfoot, Drum Major, Steam

Word 

  • “I don’t feel brave right now”
  • “That doesn’t mean you aren’t brave”
    • From a show my wife and I watch on Netflix called SWAT

Hear some things I’ve said, either verbally or mentally, over the past year, that go along with this. 

  • I don’t know if can do this
    • That doesn’t mean I can’t do this 
  • I don’t feel like I have what it takes 
    • That doesn’t mean I don’t have what it takes 
  • I don’t feel good enough 
    • That doesn’t mean I’m not good enough 
  • I don’t feel like I’m leading or serving well 
    • That doesn’t mean I’m not leading or serving well 

So I encourage you to think about the statements you say to yourself, either out loud or in the deepest parts of mind, and flip the script. 

Just because you feel a certain way, doesn’t mean you are a certain way. 

Feelings don’t always reflect reality. 

Better Versions of Ourselves

THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

25 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Mountain Climbers, 7 Twisties, 7 Windmills, 7 Cherry Pickers, 7 Pterodactyls forward and 7 Pterodactyls Backward, Little of This and That.
THA-THANG:
There will be bricks laid out by the AO.  We will split into teams of two for Doras.  While one partner starts on the exercises listed below the other runs on the road going north and east to the large shaded tree.  Do five merkins at the tree and run back.  Partners change position and the other runs.  This pattern goes on until each team has completed the following exercises:

  • 100 Overhead Presses
  • 100 Triceps
  • 100  Curls
  • Rows
  • 100 Punches (both hands = 1)
  • 100 Wings Up
  • 100 Winds Down
  • 100 Wings Out.

We will mosey with the bricks to my car in the parking lot and place the bricks behind the back of my car.  Next we will run to the steps of the Admin Bldg.  There will be a list of exercises that we will do while running around the loop.  The steps of the Admin Bldg will be 12 o’clock.  We will do the first exercise at 12 o’clock and then will run around the loop stopping to do the first exercise at 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock.  The first man to finish the exercise at 9 o’clock will sweep men back to 12 o’clock.  Each time we reach 12 o’clock we will run up and down the stairs one time.  Then we will start the loop again but with the next set of exercises.  Here are the exercises:

  • 5 Burpees
  • 10  Merkins
  • 10 Big Boy Sit-ups
  • 10 Plank Jacks
  • 10 Carolina Dry Docks
  • 10 Box Cutters

Mosey Back to AO.

MARY:
Abdominals.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Eleven men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I recently attending a video seminar that discussed people with disabilities and discrimination that can occur, even from the health professions, towards those with disabilities.  Some of the best moments of the seminar were when two men with disabilities were interviewed.  One of them, a man in his forties named Matt, was born with a very rare disease that caused his bones to be deformed.  His shoulders were awkwardly small, his hands deformed and turned inward, his legs small and crooked, and other bones deformed as well.  Fortunately, the disease had not impacted his brain and he was quite an intelligent person.  Because of his deformities, he had gone through periods of depression in his lifetime but was now a man comfortable in his own skin.  He has a career in film production.

Matt had many important things to say at the seminar but one that stuck out for me and which I want to share with you regarded his physical conditioning.  He was asked what it was like growing up and not being able to do things other kids did like play kickball, run around on the playground and climb the jumble gym. He did say it was difficult and that the inability to do the things others were doing impacted his self-esteem and mood. He commented that as a younger man he was overweight.  After all, he could not do the types of things that we do in F3.  After some time, he decided to work on his conditioning.  He said he began to realize that we cannot expect, through physical conditioning, to look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson but we can certainly become a better version of ourselves.  So Matt began to work on his diet, eating healthier foods.  He also began to work out doing simple exercises that he could perform, like leg lifts and raising books above his head.  He could do things to raise his heartbeat and work up a sweat without jumping or running.  For a guy with the disabilities he had, Matt looked to be in very good condition.  He had some muscle tone despite the slumped shoulders and curvature in his body.  He felt good about himself and, like I said, was comfortable in his own skin.

Gents, we do not have to look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, but we can become, like Matt said, “better versions of ourselves.”  We may not have the speed of Swimmies or the all-around ability of someone like Woodshack but we can strive to increase our physical, mental and spiritual prowess.  That’s important to know for an old geezer like me who cannot keep up with you younguns.

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for employees at Crispr’s workplace where some things have been happening and an employee will be fired; prayer for safe travel for Drum Major and his daughter and for Dawg Paddle; prayers for Pusher’s son as he decides on graduate school; prayers for Abacus’ daughter as she prepares for graduation; prayer for all students at the end of this school year.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We will meet again to work on our Obstacles at Hardship Hill on Saturday, May 20.

Murph Prep / 2 For Tuesday

F3 Q  – 5.2.23

  • Asylum PM 
  • 5:45pm – 6:30pm
    • Pre-ruck / Shield Lock at 5:10pm

[ The Scene ] 

  • 60s
  • Windy 
  • Sunny

[ 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?

The cool thing about today? It’s 2 For Tuesday ON May 2nd. So let’s roll. So let’s roll. 

[ Warm o Rama ] 

  • SSH: 5×4
    • 5 merkins 
  • SSH: 10×4
    • 5 merkins 
  • SSH: 15×4
    • 5 merkins 

(Rinse + Repeat — 2FT!)

[ The Thang ] 

— Mosey to the Coliseum — 

(1) Murph Practice — May’s Metric Workout

  • Murph 
    • 1 mile run 
    • 300 push-ups
    • 200 squats
    • 100 pull-ups
    • 1 mile run
    • All with a 20lb weighted vest
  • TOC (Top Of Coliseum)
    • 5, 10, 15 model — all on a 1-count
      • 5 shoulder presses (in place of pull-ups — hitting the lats)
      • 10 merkins 
      • 15 squats 
      • Sprint, not mosey, sprint around the circle as fast as you can 
      • Rinse and repeat once 
    • 10, 10, 10 model — all on a 1 count
      • 10 dry docks
      • 10 merkins 
      • 10 squats 
      • Sprint, not mosey, sprint around the circle as fast as you can 
      • Rinse and repeat once
    • 10, 20, 30 model — all on a 1-count
      • 10 shoulder presses 
      • 20 merkins 
      • 30 squats 
      • Sprint, not mosey, sprint around the circle as fast as you can
      • Rinse and repeat once 

— Mosey to the picnic tables beside the Coliseum —

(2) There And Back Again

  • Points of contact: picnic table + far bench on the hill
  • Ping Pong Model
    • 5 pull-ups on the table / 5 merkins on the bench
    • 10 pull-ups on the table / 10 merkins on the bench
    • 15 pull-ups on the table / 15 merkins on the bench
    • 20 pull-ups on the table / 20 merkins on the bench

(3) Enough Upper, Focus on Lower

  • Points of Contact: picnic table + wall at the Coliseum
  • Ping Pong Model
    • 10 squats / 10 squats
    • 20 squats / 20 squats
    • 30 squats / 30 squats

— Mosey back to the AO — 

[ Mary ] 

Breathe

[ COT ]

  • # off — 9 
  • Name o Rama 
  • FNGs
  • Word — Tear Up The Planks – God Wants What’s Underneath

No doubt I now grew very pale; — but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased — and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound — much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath — and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly — more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men — but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed — I raved — I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder — louder — louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! — no, no! They heard! — they suspected! — they knew! — they were making a mockery of my horror! — this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! — and now — again! — hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! —

“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! — tear up the planks! — here, here! — it is the beating of his hideous heart!”

  • The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe

— RD’s talk at the Fellowship men’s retreat – he spoke on this idea of “tearing up the planks.”

— More recently, I’m learning a lot about flooring. We’re going to have to replace our wood floors at some point this year, and unfortunately, due to some water damage from the dishwasher and fridge, the subfloor is now damaged in some places too, which means we’ll have to replace that. Ah, the joys of home ownership. 

— All that being said, when we first realized some of the planks were warped and twisting up, and probably needed to just be taken off and covered, we tried to get them to lay flat again, or covered them with a rug.

— If you think about your life like a floor, you have a couple of components

    • Planks (floor) top level
    • Subfloor is underneath
    • Whatever is under the subfloor 

— My journey in vulnerability over the past year or so has increased tremendously, and to be honest, more rapidly than I am comfortable with — but I don’t think we’re called to be comfortable in this life. It’s in the uncomfortable places that growth happens. 

— Maybe this is true for you – it definitely it for me. Here’s what happens a lot of times: something really tough or hard happens in our life, maybe that we’ve done or caused, or maybe that someone else has, and we want to stow it underneath the surface so no one can see it. And we nail that plank down super hard – with self-denial, disassociation, coping mechanisms, distractions – these are some of the nails we use to do this. 

— This is a good fix – it’s safe for the time being, it’s underneath the surface where no one can see it. But up top on the surface, man! That floor looks good. Polished, put together, everything’s cool! 

— But unfortunately like in my case with my house — what’s not addressed and brought out of the darkness and into the light, can damage the subfloor over time. It can be maddening – just like in The Tell-Tale Heart. How does everyone not see this?! Surely they’re on to me and know what I’m struggling with! But unfortunately, our culture have become masters in the art and tactics of camouflage. 

— Over time, that plank needs to be ripped up and dealt with, and addressed — but what’s true in my life is that anytime I get the sense that the plank I don’t want to come up starts to come up, I grab some of those nails (self-denial, disassociation, coping mechanisms, distractions) and nail that sucker back harder than the first time, or the most recent time that is. 

— “I’m not ready to tear that plank up yet! I don’t want to go there. It’s too painful. I’m the only one that deals with this. No one would understand or be empathetic.” These are all lies. 

— But God is not just interested in how you look from the outside, he wants what’s underneath.

— You know what a good homeowner does? They don’t just pay attention to what’s on the surface in their home, they deeply care about what’s going on underneath. God is the best homeowner – because in reality He does own the home (our lives). And over the course of our lives there is a sometimes gentle and sometimes more urgent invitation to tear up the planks. He wants what’s underneath. Those places that are really hard to go sometimes. And His deep care and love for us wasn’t enough, he puts people and things in our life, just like F3 and our community of men, to help in this process.

The journey of vulnerability and tearing up the planks is not easy nor is it comfortable, but it is good, very good.