F3 Knoxville

Tag: Squirtle

The Giving Tree

THE SCENE: Mid 80s, cloudy, humid as all get out.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER 

Welcome to F3, Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. F3 is a free workout program designed to improve fitness, share some camaraderie, and foster male leadership in the community.  I’m Pele and I will be your Q today.  I am not a professional, and I do not know your fitness level or injury history.  Please push yourself, but modify the workout as necessary to avoid making any existing injuries worse.  The goal is to get better together!  Some additional COVID-19 considerations: keep your distance between you and other members of the PAX and any other folks that we pass during moseys, etc. to 6-10 feet.  We will be splitting up into groups smaller than 10 if necessary.  We need to set good examples and be good neighbors out here at this public park, especially with so many folks out and about.

WARM-O-RAMA:

-Motivators, 7-CT decreasing

– 10 Windmills, 4-ct IC

– 25 Grady Corns , 4-ct IC

– 10 Imperial Squat Walkers 4-ct IC

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to Coliseum circle in front of admin building:

Modified KRAKEN with 4 cones (“X”s on sidewalk).  Do 5 reps of each exercise, then run around circle PLUS ONE cone, do 10 reps, etc. increasing the reps by 5 at each cone until you finish with 20 of each at the last cone.

  • EXERCISES: PLANK JACKS / SHOULDER TAPS (2-CT)/ Carolina Dry Docks

MOSEY to the dingy little parking lot to the south.  Get a BATTLE BUDDY for THREE BY FIVES.  One partner will be in the “bullpen” slowly running back and forth, while the other partner runs to the Stop sign and does two exercises, then runs back.  Start with 5 reps of both exercises and increase by 5, for three trips doing 5x/10x/15x of the exercises.  The three sets of exercises are:

  1. Peter Parkers (2-ct) / Half-Burpees
  2. Star Jumps / Iron Mikes
  3. Gas Pumps / American Hammers

Mosey to the edge of the lawn in front of the admin building.  25 AMERICAN HAMMERS (4-ct, IC)

BERNIE to the steps of admin building

40 CALF RAISES on steps, OYO

AYG back to the AO.

MARY:
No time.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 strong.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein was one of my favorite books when I was a child.  It was about a boy and a tree, and their special relationship.  Early on, the boy swings from the branches and eats apples provided by the tree and loves the tree so much that he carves “Me + Tree” into the bark.  As he gets older, he still comes to the tree, but less often, and not so much for friendship, but because he wants things.  Apples to sell.  Wood (which he chops down) for a house and boat.  The tree is happy to give everything for the “Boy”, but is also sad because they spend less time together, and the Boy leaves as soon as he has what he wants.  When he is an old man, he comes back to the tree one last time.  But the tree has nothing left to give, as it is only a stump.  The old man says that’s all he wants, just a place to sit down.  The tree has is able to give him this last gift.  And for that, it is happy.

Some see this story as an allegory for selfless Christian love.  Pope Francis recently said the following about how natural entities do not benefit from their own qualities themselves, but rather provide for others (from Jan Neece, Lilydipper’s wife’s FB page):

 “Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.

Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other.

No matter how difficult it is…Life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you.”

From Tank’s FB page… (Matt 22:34-40)

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Challenge for today: go show some love to a random person today by being kind and doing something for them.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Mrs. Lilydipper as she completes her chemo.  Happy 18th Birthday to Curveball’s daughter.  Prayers for Steam and his dad as they lead the effort for some community improvement efforts in Johnson City.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The Lord Is In This Place Although We May Not Know It

THE SCENE: Thunderstorms initially but clearing after we got started
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
We met at Northern Ball Fields Pavilion instead of Admin Bldg parking lot due to the initial thunderstorm.  We started with:  20 Side-Straddle Hops, 10 Pinto Twists, 10 Picnic Table Pull-ups, 10 Bench Dips, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Cherry Pickers, Arm Swings, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to parking lot with islands in it that is south of northern ball fields.  Stop to do 20 American Hammers.  Mosey to CMU Pile.  Each man grabs one CMU.  There will be cones placed in the CMU Pile parking lot and the shady parking lot directly across the street.  We will make the circuit of cones four times.  These are the exercises at each cone:

  • Cone 1:  (with CMUs) 1. 25 Overhead Presses  2. 25 Curls  3. 25 Squats  4. 25 Rows  (Bernie to Cone 2 )
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Curb Jumps  2. 10 Burpees  3. 20 Squat Jumps  4. 20 Bobby Hurleys  (Run to Cone 3)
  • Cone 3:  1. 20 Hello Dollies (4 ct)  2. 20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct)  3. 20 Box Cutters  4. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct) (Bear Crawl to Cone 4)
  • Cone 4:  1. 20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1) 2. 20 Mountain Climbers (both legs = 1)  3. 10 Burpees 4. 20 Plank Jacks (High Knees to Cone 5)
  • Cone 5:  1. 10 Hand Release Merkins 2. 20 Merkins 3. 20 Big Boys 4. 15 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1) (Lunge to Cone 6.)
  • Cone 6. 1. 10 Burpees.  40 Baby Crunches.  3. 20 Diamond Merkins.  4. 20 Carolina Dry Docks.  (Butt Kick to Cone 7).
  • Cone 7:  1. Run to top of Mini Cardiac (to the crosswalk) and then run back to Cone 1.  2, 3 and 4.  Same as above.

Go back to CMUs that are at Cone 1.  Do the following exercises with CMUs, running to curb at other side of parking lot and back after each exercise:

  • 25 Overhead Presses
  • 25 Curls
  • 25 Squats
  • 25 Rows

Replace CMUs.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
We had 13 men with no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Examining What We Take For Granted

In our lives we need to take a close look, more often than what we usually do, at the things we take for granted.  This Coronavirus Epidemic has been a reminder to me, and I know it has to you as well, of things that we take for granted.  Hugging our friends.  Standing together for a picture.  For me, going to Coffeeteria with my buddies.  Watching Current sporting events on television.  Going to a good old crowded restaurant, even if you have to wait to be seated. Feeling the jostle and enthusiasm of sitting with fans at a sporting event.  Going to a live music concert.  For some of us, staying in a hotel.  Going up to greet a neighbor without having to stand a social distance away from them.  Dropping your kids off at school without worrying about what the school will look like, how your children will keep their masks on, whether they may be exposed to Covid-19, or whether school might have to close again.  Finding what you want at a grocery store.  Helping out an old man or lady without scaring them because you might expose them to “you know what.”  The fact is, we are blessed with so much that we rarely take a close look at.  It sometimes takes awful events, tragedy or pandemics to make us truly see.  I know Pinto always loved coming to F3 workouts but I guarantee he thinks on it more poignantly because he is suffering Multiple Myeloma.  I know Filter will yearn for F3 now that he tore his Achilles.  I know Thunderstruck has always loved his mother but I think now of how he relishes the days with her knowing she has cancer.  My wife’s breast cancer has certainly brought home the idea of how much she means to me.

Even in this difficult year of 2020 we can look to see the ways we are blessed.  In those awful days in late March and April when I couldn’t work out with you guys, it sure helped me to just sit on my porch and watch the birds.  To see the flowering trees and bushes.  We may not be able to go to movie theaters or watch live sporting events but we can certainly spend meaningful time with our families.  The mountain, the stars, the cool breeze on a hot summer day, the blue sky, the smell or rain, the wandering animals, even the tiny little crawling insects are still there for us to observe or experience.  I encourage you to just take some time now and then to be thankful for it.  And, thank our Lord for it.  He is still there, he is still Majestic, even in 2020.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Crispr’s father who just had total knee replacement surgery; for Thunderstruck’s mom as she continues with chemotherapy and for Lillydipper’s wife as she continues with chemotherapy.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We will have Q101 at Asylum PM on Thursday, June 16.  Don’t forget CSAUP at Dog Pound on June 18.

Slow to Judge, Quick to Listen

THE SCENE: Windy, temp about 70 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side Straddle Hops.  10 Pinto Twists.  40 Grady Corns.  10 Windmills.  10 Tempo Squats.  Little of This and That.

THA-THANG:
Mosey to northeast corner of Admin Bldg.  From Cone 1 we will run to Cone 2 atend of sidewalk.  From Cone 2, bear crawl to the Cone 3 positioned at sidewalk going to steps of admin bldg.  At Cone 4, on steps do 40 Shin Lifts and 40 Bench Dips.  Then run back on sidewalk to Cone 5 on street.  At Cone 5 do 20 Merkins.  Then Bernie to Cone 6 by stop sign.  At that cone, do 20 Big Boys.  Then go back to Cone 1.  Rinse and repeat two more times.

Mosey on roadway and through parking lot to CMU pile.  Each man takes CMU.  Do 25 each of the following exercises but also sprint to end of parking lot and back after each exercise.  Here are the exercises:

  • Overhead presses
  • Curls
  • Squats
  • Rows

Mosey on grass past dugouts to bottom of Cardiac Hill.  We will go up hill stopping at corners and benches to do exercises.  Here are the exercises:

  • Corner 1:  20 American Hammers (four count)
  • Corner 2:  20 Hello Dollies (four count)
  • Corner 3:  20 Decline Merkins
  • Benches:  20 Bench Dips

Mosey to shady area by northeastern corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 Flutter Kicks and 20 Bicycle Kicks.

Mosey to AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
26 men that included four FNGs:  Sparty (Tony Burkhart), Hermes (Mason Burkhart), Orphan Annie (Dylan Berry) and a Flying EH, Couch Potato (Reginald Williams).
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Slow to Judge and Quick to Listen

Our current society is very quick to judge.  A politician makes a statement and the other party immediately attacks it, often taking the statement completely out of context.  Even news stations, which are supposed to give us the truth, are quick to judge.  CNN quickly pounces upon anything Trump says.  Fox News is sure to badmouth Biden.  It is difficult for any public figure to say anything without being judged.  Athletes are considered anti-American for taking the knee during the Pledge of Allegiance or racist for saying they will not join others in taking the knee.  We ourselves tend to blame the “other side” for the “state of affairs” whether that state be the declining economy, the coronavirus numbers, or good ol traffic on the way to our jobs.  We join with friends who are similar in opinion to us so that we can find support and comfort in our criticism of the other side.

The problem is, where does this get us?  How do parties resolve anything when they are so sure to attack and so unlikely to listen?  We cannot give an inch to reasonable comments from the other side because we feel that, in doing so, we would somehow admit that we are wrong.  Well, maybe WE are a little wrong.  Maybe THEY are a little right.  But we refuse to even look to see.  And we lose love and grace in the process.

Doubtfire gave a great message several weeks ago about Forgiveness. He said we need to learn to forgive even if we dislike what the other person has done.  Jesus talked about turning the other cheek to our enemies.  I get the idea that Jesus would also say we should be willing to listen to our enemies.  What do they have to say?  Is there anything reasonable in what they are saying.  And, if it doesn’t seem reasonable, what has happened in that person’s life that leads to their perspective?

Maybe it is too personal to look at the behavior of another human.  Let’s look at the behavior of an animal, a dog. Some of you may have read the book “White Fang” by Jack London.  In the book, a man meets up with a dog that is vicious toward humans.  People have used and abused the dog.  The dog, indeed, is mean.  The man finds the dog when it has been so badly mistreated that it is near to death.  He feeds the dog, talks kindly to it.  He cannot initially get close to the dog because the dog would attack him.  But he slowly, after many weeks, gets closer and finally, touches the dog.  The dog initially reacts with a biting move.  The man is patient.  Many days later he tries again.  The dog growls a low growl while the man keeps his hand there.  The dog both dislikes the touch but also thinks it good.  And as he learns to love the man, he learns to cherish the touch.  The dog gradually changes.  And, because of the love that the man shows him, he finally sees the man as his “Love God.”  An incredible bond forms between the man and this dog that once hated humans.  And, toward the end of the book, the dog saves the lives of the man and his family.

We must learn to listen to others, even our enemies.  We must learn to be quick to listen and slow to judge.  We must hold our tongue with others.  Try to see the perspective of the other.  Maybe there is some truth in what they say, particularly if you see things from their perspective.  You don’t have to fully agree.  But you may find some commonality.  You may find that the “enemy” has hopes, hurts, and dreams just like you.  As Sting once said in a song he wrote, “Maybe the Russians love their children too.”

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Crispr’s coworker and her husband.  Her husband has a terminal illness and will likely die soon.  Prayer of praise for the birth of Crispr’s niece.  Prayers for family member of Swimmies and Octomom as she has been in labor for over 24 hours and their is concern for the baby.  Prayers for David, a friend of Brick, Sparty and Hermes.  David’s son has been diagnosed with Melanoma.  Prayers for Pusher and his family, particularly his father as the one year anniversary of the death of Pusher’s mother will be this Friday.  Prayer of praise for Title 9 who has been coping with angst regarding an upcoming move to Oregon.  After reporting this last week he has had a sense of calm come over him.

Patience of Unanswered Prayer

THE SCENE: Sunny, temp about 90 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, Plank Stretches, 10 Rockettes, 10 Windmills, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Stop Sign at Southeastern Corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to grassy area that is south of Area 51.  There will be four cones set up in a square pattern.  We will be going in a counter-clockwise route around the square four times, stopping to do an exercise at each cone.  By the end we will have done four exercises at each cone.  Following are the exercises at each cone and the method by which to get to the next cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 20 Side Straddle Hops (4 ct)  2. 15 Mountain Climbers (4 ct)  3. 20 Star Jumps  4.  20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1)  (After exercise, Sprint to Cone 2)
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Merkins  2. 15 Shoulder Taps  3. 10 Hand Release Merkins  4. 20 Carolina Dry Docks  (After exercise, Skip to Cone 3)
  • Cone 3.  1. 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  2. 20 Hello Dollies (4 ct).  3.  20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct.)  4. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct)  (After exercise, Bernie Sanders to Cone 4)
  • Cone 4.  1. 10 Burpees  2. 15 Imperial Walkers (both legs = 1)  3. 20 Bobby Hurleys  4. 20 Squat Jumps  (High Knees to Cone 1).

Mosey to Northshore Entrance to Park.  We will go south then east on the perimeter trail, doing Nickel Dime Quarters with the following exercises:

  • Squats
  • Dead Bugs
  • Diamond Merkins
  • Dive Bombers

We will be near the Southern Ball Fields when we have done the above.  Mosey to the parking lot at the Southern Ball Fields.  We will do 8 count Bear Crawls then 8 Count Lunges, repeating this pattern from one end of the parking lot to the other.  

Mosey to Outdoor Chapel.  Take 15 second breather.  Then mosey up hill all the way to the new built area near the Admin Bldg.  Take 30 second breather.  Mosey to AO.

MARY:
25 Hello Dollies
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
22 men with two FNGs whom we named Whistler (Brett Marshman) and Leo Turcas (Nadia).  Nadia was a Flying EH victim!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Asking with Patience

Matthew 7: 7-8

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Romans 8:25

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

2 Peter 3:8

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

At last week’s internet streamed worship service at my church, a line struck me from one of the songs we sang.  The song is “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” by Croly and Digerness.  The line that struck me is “Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”  That is certainly a line I need to hear during the time of this coronavirus and national unrest after the death of George Floyd.  I read the bible verse that says, “everyone who asks receives.”  I know that people all over Earth are asking that this coronavirus would end.  I ask, “God, when will you answer our prayer?”  Yet, I need to also ask, “God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”

When I was a boy, my best friend, Neil, who lived next door, was the first family on our block to get a Color TV set.  Seven years later, most people had Color TV sets but I was still praying for our first one.  My mother was a single parent and a teacher – and, just like today, teachers don’t make enough money for all the work they do.  I remember getting excited when we went to a big store that had a television promo.  As part of the promo, people could bring in advertisements they received in the mail.  If your code number on the advertisement was one of the winning code numbers, you could get a free TV set.  My mother, of course, told me the odds were minuscule for us to have a winning number.  We went to the store and there were all these magnificent color television sets, sitting there for a kid like me to gawk at.  Needless to say we didn’t win a set.  “But, mom, can’t we even buy one of the smaller sets?”  I know my mother felt bad for me but with her lack of funds she was also teaching my about life – about limiting oneself to a budget; about not coveting; about appreciating what we have; about patience.

About six or seven months later I came home to find a portable television set sitting on a cabinet in our living room.  It was on, it was playing a television show, and the show was in living color!!!  My mother had saved for quite some time to get that portable but color TV set.  I was so happy!  It may have been small but it was a COLOR SET!

God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.  I think of people who have endured wars that last for many years.  Teach me to be grateful for what I do have.  I think of people who endured plagues like the Black Plague where cities of people were wiped out by the disease or indian tribes in America who were practically wiped out by diseases that Europeans brought from another continent.  God, teach me to have trust that you are there for me, for us, no matter what difficulties and even tragedies beset us.  For in You we have something that hardship, suffering, even death cannot take away.  As the famous poet, John Donne, said, in you Death Shall Die.

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for our nation at this time of unrest, prayers for Iceman’s father who will need surgery for his heart again, prayers for Thunderstruck’s mother and grandfather, prayers for Lillydipper’s wife.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
F3 Launch at Morristown this weekend.

This One’s for Jinxy

One comment

THE SCENE: Sunny, slight breeze, mid 60s… not bad.  Not bad at all.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

My BACKBLAST disclaimer is that I’m writing this for Mr. Jinxy, who was crying about doing one.  “I don’t know how to do it… the line spacing is all messed up… do I need to do it?  Wah wah wah…” So I’m just doing it for him this time.  THIS time.

I think he got through the welcome and disclaimer without too many screw ups.  I was Q2 for the beatdown, due to having more than 10 people show up (#covidsucks), and was frantically scanning the workout he printed out and handed me, oh, five whole minutes before starting.  Gave me PLENTY of time to try to figure out what the <radio edit> he had in mind.


WARM-O-RAMA:
We did some warm up stuff.  I recall SSH, Cherry Pickers, Tempo Squats, BACs… again, I was trying to kind of stretch and decipher his workout at the same time.
THA-THANG:
Mosey down Roadshow Run.  Nickle/Dime/Quarters along the perimeter trail (run 1 light, do 5 reps of exercise, then 2 lights do 10 reps, then 5 lights, do 25 reps).  Exercises: American Hammers, Burpees, Merkins, CDDs, Bobby Hurley’s, BBSs.

Mosey to Field of Dreams.  Bernie up the hill at the side of the field 3 times, doing 20x jump squats, deep squats, star jumps.

Four corners around Field of Dreams.  Run one long side, Bernie the other.  Bear Crawl on the short sides.  At the corners to 10x BBS, Flutter Kicks, Hello Dolly’s, Elbow to Hand Planks.

Mosey to the bench on the hill near the Admin Building.  This was a long uphill mosey, and the suck factor was pretty high.  Brick almost lost it, but he held on like a champ. Abscess: “I would NEVER do this all by myself.” I heartily agree.

MARY:
Capain Thors, Leg Lifts, maybe one other thing?  I was kind of making stuff up at this point.  Jinxy’s group was late (sooo typical), so it was just us doing the Mary.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
15 Strong, including two FNGs (one of whom was Pluto’s 2.0), who we named Utah and Crank Bait.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Jinxy had a bad day and told us all about it. We were super sympathetic.  He said something really awesome about getting joy out of setbacks.  I’m getting a #&%^-ton of joy out of the setback of having to write his backblast.  That’s for DANG sure.
MOLESKIN:
Impressed with the strength of Brick’s stomach, but was a bit disappointed about not witnessing merlot spillage.  Nice to see a good crowd out in the Fake Gloom.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
None