Steam – F3 Knoxville

The Way We Go About It Matters

March 12, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Lilydipper
PAX: Dain Bramage, Curveball, Dung Beetle, MD Hammer, Tenderfoot, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Crash Dummy, Kung Blue, Lizzy, Steam, Tigger (Jack Panick)
FNGs: 1 Tigger (Jack Panick)
COUNT: 12
WARMUP: 7 Motivators, 7 Cherry Pickers, 7 Twistees, 7 Hand Release Merkins, 10 Rockettes, 7 Pterodactyls Forward and 7 Backward.

THE THANG: Mosey on park roadway to the Caribbean Parking Lot. We will stop to do 40 Baby Crunches. Next, we will sprint for three islands, then slow to a walk to the end of the parking lot. On the other side of the parking lot we will sprint for three more islands, then walk to the end of the parking lot.

Next, we will sprint to the sidewalk that head to the Bros Bowl. We will walk for 20 paces then mosey to the Bros Bowl.
We will run clockwise on the outside circle of the Bros Bowl, stopping three times at any point along the way to do 10 Merkins each time one stops. Those getting halfway around first do squats until the six arrives. Then we will run back to the bottom of the Bros Bowl stopping three more times along the way to do 10 Merkins at each stop. Those getting back to the bottom of the Bros Bowl do baby crunches until the six arrives.
We will all do 20 Hello Dollies.

Next, we will next run clockwise on the second most outside circle, this time stopping two times at any point along the way to do 10 Squats with each stop. Those getting to the benches at the top of the Bros Bowl do incline merkins until the six arrives. Then we will run back down clockwise to the bottom of the Bros Bowl, stopping two more times to do 10 Squats at each chosen stop. Those getting back to the beginning of the loop jog slowly in place until the six arrives.

Next, we will run clockwise in the innermost sidewalk of the Bros Bowl, stopping at 3 o’clock to do 10 Jump Squats, and at 6 o’clock to do Bench Dips until the six arrives. We will then continue to 9 o’clock to do Jump Squats and then run back to the bottom of the Bros Bowl. Those arriving first run in place until the six arrives.

Mosey back to the Caribbean. Go to the west end of the parking lot. We will go to the end of the parking lot by lunges to the 1st island, bear crawls to 2nd island, Bernie Sanders to the 3rd island, hops to the 4th island and sprinting to the end of the parking lot.

Mosey to the gate by the AO parking lot. We will stop to pick up CMU weight rocks and do 20 Overhead Presses.

Mosey back to AO.

MARY: No time, baby!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Our brother, Steam, had a baby girl last month. Her name is Anastasia. Haw Ridge will be on the last Friday of this month. Kung Blue has $10 shopping cards you can purchase for his sons’ Boy Scout troop.

COT:

Message
The Way We Go About It Matters
This evening I am going to read the lyrics from a song I really like. The writer of the song is Kyle Matthews. The song is called The Way We Go About It and it is from his album See For Yourself.
Years ago, she read a letter from the teacher
Sent home with her third-grade son
Tested on some reading
He had been caught cheating
“Why?”, she said
“You told me to make good grades”, he said.
She tried to explain.

“Son, the way we go about it matters
It’s the testimony of the heart
Yes, the way we go about it matters
It’s the proof of who we are”.

Eight years down the road
He’s in a load of trouble
Drugs get him expelled from school
Mother stands her ground
He curses her and heads for town
And says, “It’s good money
For the things we need”
But she says, “It’s worth nothing to me

‘Cause the way we go about it matters
It’s the testimony of the heart
Yes, the way we go about it matters
It’s the proof of who we truly are”
Who we truly are

Tonight, she’ll welcome home
The boy she raised alone
Who has done his time in prison like his father
Friends will come, they’ll dance and laugh
She’ll prepare the fatted calf
And at her table, he will take the seat of honor
And she’ll hold him in her arms

Because the way we go about it matters
It’s the testimony of the heart
Yes, the way we go about it matters
It’s the proof of who we truly are
Who we truly are

Brothers, they way we go about it does matter. Riches, worldly success, power, what does that mean without honor, kindness and love toward our fellow man? Many of you will recognize the story of the prodigal son reflected in the lines of the song. God does love us and will welcome us to Him despite our sins. But the way we go about our lives matters to Him. He wants us to follow His word and His way. That is a way of Glory, of something beyond ourselves, where we can be High Impact Men and strive to be something holy that just isn’t rewarded in our sinful world. But it matters.

Prayers
Prayers of praise for Steam’s baby girl, Anastasia. Prayers for Steam and his wife, Megan, in raising their daughter. Prayers for all traveling at this time during Spring Break. Prayers for High Heels who is on a trip to Spain at this time.

The Little Things

January 13, 2026 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Lilydipper
PAX: Steam, Joshua Foster, Pusher, Crash Dummy, Rooney(Carl Whipple), Drum Major, Curveball, Pele (Jon Lindberg), Tenderfoot, Lizzy
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WARMUP: 20 Side-Straddle-Hops, Run around the parking lot, 10 Mountain Climbers, Run around the parking lot, 7 Twistees, 7 Knoxville Cherry Pickers, 10 Tennessee Rocking Chairs, 30 Brady Corns, Little of This and That.

THE THANG: Mosey up Mini-Cardiac. We will stop at the top to do 20 Squats.
Mosey to the bottom of Cardiac.
Next we will run back up Cardiac, stopping at the following points to do the following exercises:
First Curve: 20 American Hammers 2 ct
–
Second Curve: 20 Hello Dollies
–
Third Curve: 20 Decline Merkins
–
Benches: 20 Bench Dips
–
Next, we will Mosey to the crosswalk of the roadway to do 20 more Squats.
Then we will run to the bottom of the Dragon Fly. We will then do a Route 66 up the Dragon Fly, doing Bobbie Hurleys at each light and adding one each time until we do 11 Bobbie Hurleys at the 11th light.
Next, we will run back down the Dragon Fly to the parking lot by the nice restrooms. We will Bear Crawl 20 paces, lunge 20 paces and continue that past the restrooms, then run to the end of the curb.
Next, we will Mosey to the Caribbean. We will do candy canes around the parking lot, stopping at every other island to do an exercise and ending with the second island we stop at on the other side. Those finishing first sweep all men back to the beginning. Here are the exercises we will do with each cane:

Cane 1: 10 Shoulder Taps (each shoulder = 1)
–
Cane 2: 10 Carolina Dry Docks
–
Mosey to the middle of the parking lot south of the playground. We will Bernie Sanders to the end of the parking lot, then mosey to the AO.

MARY: No time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Convergence at Asylum on Saturday, January 31 at 7 am. At the AO we will split F3 Knoxville into an East and West region with new Na’ntans being appointed for each new region.

COT:

Message:

The Little Things
I see a 72-year-old woman in my psychotherapy practice that I think quite fondly of. Her name is Rhonda. She is a strong Christian woman and her faith in God had helped her greatly because last January, 2025, she lost her daughter to cancer. Rhonda is a good mother (she also has a son) who was quite close to her daughter who was survived by a husband and two of Rhonda’s grandchildren

There have been weeks of pain, weeks of wondering about God, weeks of anger at God, but also a strong reliance on God that has helped Rhonda to come to an acceptance of her daughter’s death.

Something that really hit me recently when Rhonda was talking about her daughter was Rhonda saying, “You know what I really miss, John? I miss those simple calls from Laura and just hearing, “hey mom”. Yes, Rhonda has so many memories of her daughter but she longs to hear that simple “hey mom” again.

It makes me think of how valuable the simple things are to us. In F3 it is often the simple things that I love about our brotherhood. The “hey, Pusher or hey, Tenderfoot” when guys come into the circle before the workout. The mumble chatter and High-Heels yelling out Walker! when we are running along the trails. The laughter at our board meetings. The honk to the guys and wave from the guys as someone takes off after the workout.

That simple ”hey Mom” was an automatic acknowledgement that you are comfortable and are loved. We should be thankful for those “heys”. And so guys, hey, I’m thankful for you.

Prayers: Prayers for Pele’s former high school friend who recently committed suicide, leaving behind a wife and two children. Prayers for his family and friends who grieve. Prayers of the 5-year-old student of Drum Major’s wife. The student was recently diagnosed with cancer. Prayers for organizations who raise money to fight cancer including a group who will be putting on a Fight Against Cancer Night. Anyone interested in going to the event can talk to Tenderfoot.

[genesis] Moving on up

November 10, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: genesis
Q: Lizzy
PAX: Mountain Ice, Brick, Steam
FNGs: None
COUNT: 4
WARMUP:
Slow squats
Ssh
THE THANG:
With 3 sandbags, person without the bag sets the Indian run pace. When person in the back gets to front rotate bags.

Mosey to top of hill in Trader Joes parking lot. 4 corners at each side. Fast shuffle between each spot of corners with bags.

Exercises at corners

Merkins x 20 (3x)
Squats x 20 (2x)
Burpees x 5

Slow mosey back to ao.

All total shuffle was 3 miles.

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.

PE Exam

June 12, 2025 BackBlasts

AO: asylum-pm
Q: Pele (Jon Lindberg)
PAX: Sparkler, Serpentine (Jason Pierce), MD Hammer, Abacus, Mr Jinxy, Tenderfoot, Lilydipper, High Heels (Henry Ritchie), Lizzy, Brick, Drum Major, Stitch, Curveball, Rooney(Carl Whipple), Steam, Pele (Jon Lindberg)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 16
WARMUP:
-20 Split Jacks (4-ct), 10 each leg, in cadence
– 10 Cherry Pickers (4-ct), in cadence
– 10 Rockettes (4-ct), in cadence
– 5 PCMBs, OYO
– 20 Grady Corns (4-ct), in cadence
THE THANG:
Moved to Pavillion due to storms.
PE EXAM (Hat tip, Erector)
Run around Pav 2x, doing …
P – 10 Prisoner Cell Merkin Burpees aka PCMBs.
Mosey down the long side of the Pav and back doing…
E – Elevens – CDDs at one end and squats at the other
MOSEY to Road leading to Lyons View entrance.
E – Escalator – I actually totally forgot to do this one. Q Fail.
**WE INTERRUPT THE PE EXAM DUE TO THE INVASION OF A KRAKEN!**
KRAKEN: 6 cones in a circle, with Ab exercises in blue, and upper body exercises in red. Do the blue exercise, then run around clockwise plus one cone and do the next exercise. Rinse and repeat until back and starting point. Then do the same thing, in the opposite direction, doing the red exercises.
Blue exercises:
1. 20 BBS
2. 20 Gas Pumps
3. 20 Box Cutters
4. 20 LBCs
5. 20 Bicycle kicks (4-ct)
6. 20 American Hammers (4-ct)

Red exercises:
7. 20 Merkins
8. 20 Carolina Dry Docks
9. 20 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders =1)
10. 20 Diamond Merkins
11. 20 Bottle Openers
12. 20 Wide Merkins

X –Xs and Os , on Q’s call

A – Aiken legs – Done in succession with no rest — 20 Squats, 20 Bobby Hurleys, 20 Lunges (10 each leg), 20 Split Jacks (10 each leg forward). Rinse and repeat
M – Mary – PAX called out Burpees, and reverse lunges

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT:
This past Sunday was Pentecost.
Some traditions associate with it include Wearing Red (symbolizes the fire of the Holy Spirit). Praying for Guidance: and Engaging in Fellowship: Participate in activities that promote unity and fellowship.
So I don’t know about wearing red, but the other two traditions I have absolutely immersed myself in this week. It’s been a challenging week, and as leaders, I think praying for guidance does a couple of things.
It indicates a willingness to be open to inspiration, comfort, and guidance, specifically from your Sky Q, but
–
this willingness can also trickle over into seeking guidance from others that you respect, tapping into others for inspiration and direction. The burden of leadership does not have to be borne alone.
–
And I think Engaging in Fellowship is also important for leaders. Sometimes being a leader feels very lonely. Sometimes it feels like, in spite of your best efforts, everything you’ve worked hard for to accomplish in your position has been in vain. It’s very important not to isolate yourself. Engaging with others is healthy and often very helpful. Connecting, sharing ideas, sharing concerns, even just having someone to have a beer with or tell a funny joke is important. You are not as alone as you might think. And when things are rough, those HIMs that you surround yourself with will give you that inspiration to keep fighting the good fight. AYE.