F3 Knoxville

Tag: Steam

The Switchgrass and Squirtle show: In Rememberance

THE SCENE: 60s Sunny and Windy
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER 
WARM-O-RAMA:
15X Little Baby Arm Circles (front then backwards)

22X 4ct Side Straddle Hops

Little Bit of This

Little Bit of That

22X Jump Squat

Run the Space Needle

22X Jump Squat

THA-THANG:
Switchgrass has the Mic:

2 Rounds

1st Round:  (Bottom of Everest) 22 Merkins, 22 Big Boy Sit Ups, 22 Air Squats

(Midway Up) 22 Burpees

(Top of Everest)  22 Calf Raises, 22 American Hammers / Durkins, 22 Hello Dollys

2nd Round:  (Bottom) 44 Merkins, 44 Big Boy Sit ups, 44 Air Squats,

(Midway) Still 22 Burpees

(Top) 44 Calf Raises, 44 American Hammers / Durkins, 44 Hello Dollys

 

Squirtle Takes the Mic:

Mosey over to the amphitheater. (Workout modification to share space with other park patron running his dog)

Bottom of hill 5 Merkins, Bear Crawl up hill, 10 Merkins, Mosey back down hill, 15 Merkins, Bear Crawl up then 20 Merkins, Mosey back down.

Repeat same workout but with Carolina Dry Docks.

Repeat but with Diamond Merkins and Crab Crawl or Reverse Bear Crawl

Repeat with Hand Release Merkins and Crab Crawl or Reverse Bear Crawl

Mary: 22 Hello Dollies in Cadence, 22 Box Cutters, 22 Reverse Box Cutters

 

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 Pax no Fngs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

In memory of and making aware that 22 Veterans commit suicide everyday. Even if they aren’t a vet please reach out and help pull a brother or sister out of darkness. Show and give them hope that people really do care. – Switchgrass

We all feel from time to time that we are in a bad place, a place that hurts, a place that makes you want to quit. But there is a light at the end of that dark tunnel. God knows and cares about your situation, your pain and your life.

He has a gift for you: Encouragement

We find that many people in the bible, like us, had been easily discouraged, depressed, and felt like giving up.

Moses for example, before he was used by God to deliver the Israelites from slavery, he wanted to give up at several points when circumstances didn’t meet his expectations.

Imagine getting to a stage in your life where you think you are too old and the idea that freeing the Israelites was a mistake. And then God showing up in a burning bush to revive your desire, power and might to accomplish that task.

If you’re still breathing, God’s not done with you. Your life has purpose and meaning.

  • Condensed from the You Version Holy Bible App, 13 Reasons to Keep Going, daily devotional plan.

 

MOLESKIN:
Keep Austin East and Jinxy in our prayers. Remembering Jetlag, Squirtle’s and other Pax’s friends and family members who fell victim to suicide.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
No announcements

With One Eye Squinted…

THE SCENE: Partly cloudy, very pretty clouds, low 70s, quite breezy.  Good kite-flying weather.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check.

WARM-O-RAMA:

-Motivators (7-ct)

– 10 Cherry Pickers (4-ct), in cadence, maintain position…

– Hamstring stretches, sky reaches

– 20 Grady Corns (4-ct), in cadence

– Little of this and that

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to stop sign at northeast corner of circle drive.

  • ARM STATION: MUCHO CHESTO
    • 10x Merkin
    • 10x Wide Merkin
    • 10x Stagger Left Merkin
    • 10x Stagger Right Merkin
    • RINSE AND REPEAT

MOSEY to Center of Coliseum.

  • LEG STATION: AIKEN LEGS
    • 20 squats
    • 20 Box Jumps (on wall)
    • 20 Lunges (10 each leg… but we did 20 each leg for extra credit)
    • 20 Split Jacks (10 each leg forward… but we did 20 each leg forward for extra credit)
    • RINSE AND REPEAT

MOSEY to lower parking lot under Coliseum

  • 5/10/15s. Get a Battle Buddy.  Partner 1 runs up to stop sign and does 5x reps of two exercises, then comes down and switches with Partner 2, who is running in place or doing SSH.  R&R with 10x, then 15x exercises.  The exercises are:
    • Round 1: Mountain Climbers and Peter Parkers (both 2-ct)
    • Round 2: Smurf Jacks and Froggy Jumps

Mosey to stop sign at southern corner of circle drive.  20 American hammers (4-ct, IC), 10 BBS.

Bernie Sanders to no parking sign.  20 American hammers (4-ct, IC), 10 BBS.

MOSEY TO AO.

CMU Catch Me If You Can!

  • Partner 1 Lunges away, Partner 2 does 20x of an exercise, then runs with CMU (overhead carry) to catch Partner 1.   Keep going, changing the exercises.  Partners must agree on exercise.
    • OPTIONS: Overhead Press, Curls, CMU Press, Situps, Rows, Triceps, Squats

MARY:
LBCs until 6 caught up.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
19 strong!  Plus one doggy.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Those of us in the Christian faith have just emerged from a special part of year, the Easter season.  Part of what makes Easter so extraordinary is that it is about moving on, emerging from the darkness, and having faith that God will make all things new again.  As the seasons change, winter turns to spring, and the Easter season arrives, we move ahead slowly, deliberately, with great love, and great hope.  But the true meaning of Easter is not without some darker elements as well.  Before we reach the time of great renewal and hope there can be much fear, hesitation, and confusion, similar to what Mary Magdalene felt initially when she saw the empty tomb.

(Mary) Flannery O’Connor is a well-known southern author who wrote strange and often violent short stories.  She was diagnosed with Lupus at a relatively young age.  Her stories were often influenced by her struggles with her disease, and were often sardonic and dark, but she was a devout Christian that also incorporated messages of faith in her writings.  Her faith-based outlook on life are on full display in a book called THE HABIT OF BEING, which is a collection of letters she wrote in the latter half of her life. And she writes that being a person of faith is not all sunshine and rainbows….

She writes, “All Human Nature rigorously resists grace. Grace changes us, and change is painful.  We don’t run towards Grace, sometimes we are dragged fighting it all the way.”  Faith calls us out of complacency, and into places of uncertainty. It’s risky. Uncomfortable.  It’s transformative.  She writes, “What people don’t realize is how much religion costs…” “It seems to be a fact that you have to suffer as much from the Church as for it, but if you believe in the divinity of Christ, you have to cherish the world at the same time that you struggle to endure it.”  Fear. Uncertainty. Transformation. And only then, Exultation! That’s Easter in a nutshell.

Flannery O’Connor died of her illness at age 39.  Despite the struggles and challenges, she wrote of her life, “I can, with one eye squinted, take it all as a blessing.”  As we move through the darkness of the past year, hopefully we can acknowledge our blessings and faith in the journey, and, with one eye squinted, find some grace, some miracles in the year behind us, and recognize and act on the ways we were all called to be changed.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for the return home of Corona Weight’s brother, prayers for Ribbed, Jinxy, La-Z-Boy and Lillydipper, as they recover from injury and illness, prayers for Steam’s friend Shawn.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
April service challenge! Details TBA.

The Value of Giving

THE SCENE: Just about perfect. Partly cloudy, slight breeze, high 60s.
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 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:

-20 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 Windmills (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 BACs forward/10 BACs backward (4-ct), in cadence (1/2 were wide-arm circles)

– 10 Tempo Squats (4-ct), in cadence

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to front of Admin Bldg.

  • Count off by 4s. 1’s and 2’s do 50 CALF RAISES, 3’s and 4’s do 50 AMERICAN HAMMERS. Run to the corner of the loop and back, then do the other exercise, then run again.  Alternate 20 SQUATS/10 MERKINS until 6 catches up.
  • RINSE AND REPEAT. But this time do 50 CDDs and 50 GRADY CORNS (single count)

MOSEY to stop sign at southeast corner of the circle drive.

– UPHILL SPRINTS.  Four sets of cones will be laid out up the road, about 40 yards apart.  Sprint from one cone to the next in same groups of 4.  One of the sprints will be a BERNIE SANDERS.

MOSEY to Bowl Area south of Admin Bldg.

TRAINING FOR MARCH MADNESS!:

Start at the base of the hill.  Defensive basketball stance. Backpedal left shoulder x 4, Right Shoulder x 4, RINSE AND REPEAT, Charge up the hill, 5 Bobby Hurleys.

Wait until 6 catches up, and rinse and repeat x4 (1st half/2nd half/overtime/double OT*). *We didn’t get to Double OT due to a wedding engagement situation.  Q considered calling an audible to Pickle Pounders, but resisted.

MOSEY to Bat house.

– GRINDERS! 4 STATIONS:

  1. BAT HOUSE: 25 SMURF JACKS
  2. BOTTOM OF STAIRS: 25 BBS
  3. BOTTOM OF SUMMIT: 10 Burpees
  4. TOP OF SUMMIT: 25 LBCs.

Do two rounds, then meet at Base of Summit for one last charge up to the top, staggered (1s, 2s, 3s, 4s). PAX had option of doing Burpees at the top or cheering on their fellow PAX as they ran up.  Good participation on the latter option.  Didn’t see one burpee being performed…

MARY:

  • 20 American Hammers (4-ct), in cadence
  • 20 Box Cutters (4-ct), in cadence
  • Xs and Os
  • 10 Leg Lifts

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
17 strong!

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Katharine Hepburn, in her own words [paraphrased]:

“Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus.  Finally, there was only one other family between us and the ticket counter.  There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. The way they were dressed, you could tell they didn’t have a lot of money, but their clothes were neat and clean.

The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. They were so excited, jabbering about the clowns, animals, and all the acts they would be seeing that night. By their excitement you could sense they had never been to the circus before.

The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be. They were smiling and enjoying seeing their family happy.

The ticket lady asked the man how many tickets he wanted? He proudly responded, “I’d like to buy eight children’s tickets and two adult tickets, so I can take my family to the circus.” The ticket lady stated the price.

The man’s wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the man’s jaw fell open. Then he leaned a little closer to the ticket lady and asked, “How much did you say?” She again stated the price.

The man didn’t have enough money. How was he supposed to tell his eight kids that he didn’t have enough money to take them to the circus?

Seeing what was going on, my dad reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill, and then dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!) My father bent down, picked up the $20 bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket.”

The man understood what was going on. He wasn’t begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking and embarrassing situation.

He looked straight into my dad’s eyes, took my dad’s hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied; “Thank you, thank you, sir. This means so much to me and my family.”

My father and I went back to our car and drove home. The $20 that my dad gave away is what we were going to buy our own tickets with.

Although we didn’t get to see the circus that night, we both felt a joy inside us that was far greater than seeing the circus could ever provide.”

That day I learned the value to give.

~ Katharine Hepburn*

(from Everything Good in the World)

(* Online research showed that this is actually a narrative that was published in the 1995 book “A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul,” part of the popular Chicken Soup collections of inspirational tales.  It illustrates a powerful lesson, regardless of its actual source. But I hate Fake News, so I just wanted to point this out…)

 We have an opportunity to give as a group to this month’s fund drive, which benefits STREET HOPE, an organization that assists victims of human trafficking. They still need 55 gallon trash bags, napkins, and/or copy paper.  Bring those items to a workout and we will get them delivered.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers of thanks that Dungbeetle’s situation at work is resolving itself, prayers of healing for Jinxy and for Abacus’s mother.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
None

There and Back Again

[ The Scene ]

60s + sunny

[ Welcome/Disclaimer ]

(1) Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith! My name is Steam and I’ll be your Q tonight.

(2) A few things before we begin:

    • I’m not a professional
    • You’re here on your own volition
    • If you need to modify anything we do this evening feel free to do so, especially when lifting the sandbags. We’ll focus on form tonight with our rucks and gear.

No FNGs

[ Warm o Rama ]

  • Bend and Reach: 10×4 IC
  • Rockette: 10×4 IC
  • Each arm over chest: 15 seconds
  • Each arm over shoulder: 15 seconds
  • Windmill: 10×4 IC
  • SSH: 10×4 IC

[ The Thang ]

Theme: There and Back Again — Mileage based

HQ: Shovel-flag

  • Sandbag PT at HQ: always 5 Xs, always 10 reps, rucks optional (emphasize form)
  • Ruck .25 miles (around the Colesium)
    • 25 merkins
  • Ruck back to HQ: Sandbag PT
    • Deadlifts
    • Rows
    • Curls
    • Squat clings
    • Chin-ups (w/sandbag)
  • Ruck .50 out (down past the Saturday AM lot and up Pickett’s Charge to the Colesium and back to the shovel flag)
    • 25 merkins
    • 25 squats
  • Ruck back to HQ: Sandbag PT
    • Deadlifts
    • Rows
    • Curls
    • Chin-ups (w/sandbag)
    • SUBSTITUTE squat clings for chest presses
  • Ruck .75 out (down to Northshore drive entrance)
    • 25 merkins
    • 25 squats
    • 25 overhead flutter kicks 
  • Ruck back to HQ for Mary

[ Mary ]

Ring of Fire — Sandbag Edition

  • Round 1: PAX hold Al Gore while each person executes 1 Sandy deadlift, 1 burpee, and tosses Sandy to the the next man on the left.
  • Round 2: PAX execute lunges while each person executes 1 Sandy deadlift, 1 Sandy curl, and tosses Sandy to the next man on the left.
  • Round 3: PAX executes SSHs while each person executes 1 Sandy sumo deadlift, 1 squat, and tosses Sandy backwards over shoulder to the next person on the left.

[ COT ]

  • # off — 6
  • Name o Rama
  • FNGs — 0
  • BOM

The 3 Expressions of Courage (From Any Stanley’s “Next Generation Leader”)

(1) The Courage to Say No

    • Opportunity does not equal obligation
    • Saying no can be a form of respect and honor
    • Just as much as we tend to make “to-do” lists, we need to learn how to make “stop-doing lists”

(2) The Courage to Face Current Reality

    • Adopt an “own it” mentality. Own your current reality, even if it’s not the one you want right now.
    • You can face your current reality or run from it.
    • You have two options with every circumstance: an obstacle or opportunity. Most people choose one or the other, not both. Next generation leaders see obstacles as opportunities.

(3) The Courage to Dream

    • Dream no small dreams, for they stir not the hearts of men.

Takeaways

    • What is keeping you on the sidelines of opportunity?
    • Next generation leaders do not let their fear bind them to mediocrity.
    • Next generation leaders ask “What could be?” “What should be” — write it down, and then broadcast it.

 

Lighting the Arsenal’s Cannons

THE SCENE: Low/Mid 30’s with some sunshine
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
This is F3, Stands for Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith
It is a FREE workout
I am not a professional
You are here on your own volition
I have no knowledge of any injuries or your fitness considerations
It is your individual responsibility to be safe and to modify exercises if you need to, we all do it
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH – 15 (IC)
  • LBAC – F/B – 10 (IC)
  • Air Squat – 10 (IC)
  • Merkin – 10 (IC)
  • BBS – 10 (IC)

Active Warm-O-Rama – Ring of Fire:

  • While Pax are still in circle have everyone alternating between plank and Al-Gore. 1 Pax will run to the center of the circle and burnie back. Once they return to the plank position the next Pax member goes. Rinse and repeat until all Pax have run to the center and back.

** Have Pax number off by 1s and 2s. 1s will go with Drifter to the Baseball Field and 2s will go with Moses to the Football Field.

THA-THANG:

Baseball Field: Bleacher Work
5 Minute AMRAP:

  • Step-ups – 10 each leg
  • Incline Merkins – 10 (4ct)
  • Dips – 10 (4ct)
  • Step-ups – 10 each leg
  • Decline Merkins – 10 (4ct)
  • Dips – 10 (4ct)

Mosey to Outfield:

  • Suicides – 30 seconds
  • LBC – 20 (4ct)
  • Suicides – 30 Seconds
  • BBS – 10 (4ct)

Rinse & repeat until other group is done

Football Field Work

Place cones at 10, 20, 30, and 40 yards. Pax will run to first cone, complete the exercise and run back. Then run to the 2nd cone complete the exercise, run back. 3rd cone exercise, run back. 4th cone exercise, run back. Rinse and repeat.
5 Minute AMRAP

Circuit 1: Legs

  • 1st cone 10 lunges in place
  • 2nd cone 5 burpees
  • 3rd cone 10 squats
  • 4th cone 5 burpees

Circuit 2: Abs

  • 1st cone 10 BBS
  • 2nd cone 10 American Hammers (count only one side)
  • 3rd cone 10 Hello Dolly (single count)
  • 4th cone 30 LBC

Suicides on cones 1-4 until 15 minutes is up.

Q2 and Q1 Groups flap jack and repeat circuits.

Merge Groups and mosey to Shovel Flag and present the flag

The shovel flag is one of the classic symbols of F3. No matter where you are within F3 Nation, the Shovel Flag is the one true physical link that connects us all. Just like we leave no man where we find them, the Shovel Flag is portable so that it can be carried forward and shared with others.

This shovel flag represents Respect: respect for country, respect for those who hae served and currently serve to protect our freedoms, and respect for the other AO’s across F3 Nation where similar flags are planted ever week

It represents Hard Work: it bears witness to the blood, sweat, and tears of the men of F3 who gather together at some obscene early hour to get better physically while finding new mental limits. Men getting stronger, fit, and conditioned to handle life’s challenges – most of which are not physical at all – Hard Work

This flag also represents the lives of men being changed. Men are moving from being passive participants in life, to being present. Present in our families, present in our places of work and worship, and present in our communities.

Mosey to SP (Smuggler leading the way carrying the flag)

MARY:

We returned with a little extra time to spare so we decided to push through a few more variations of Merkins!

  • Regular Merkin 10(IC)
  • Wide Merkin 10(IC)
  • Dimond Merkin 5(IC)
  • 6” Crunch 10(IC)
  • Gas Pumps 15(OYO)
  • Ankle Touches 20(IC)
  • LBC for time!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
48 Pax! Included (2) 2.0s and (1) FNG – Welcome ‘That Guy’
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

F3 has always been and will always be more than a workout.  We definitely want to push ourselves and each other physically, but we also want to grow relationally and spiritually.  The PAX is unique in many ways, But the one that is most important to remember is that we are not out here to compete against each other, but collaborate together to grow as husbands, fathers, sons, employees, employers, friends, and neighbors.  We are bound together under a high power for a greater purpose. And I pray that this group of men will continue to lead they way in setting the example for others.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS: