F3 Knoxville

Tag: Steam

The Essential Isn’t Imposed

THE SCENE: Misty and humid, temps is 80s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, 10 Burpees, 10 Windmills, 10 Toes Reaches, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward, 7 Backward
THA-THANG:
Mosey to stop sign at northeastern corner of Admin Bldg.  20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey to perimeter trail and head west.  We will follow the perimeter trail north to the shaded tree by Lyons Bend.  20 American Hammers.

Mosey to Mt. Everest.  We will do 40 Baby Crunches, then run up to large tree, circle around it and return.

Mosey to shaded area by water bldg.  20 Flutter Kicks.

Mosey to North Shore gate and head east on trail.  There will be cones in flat grassy area to the right.  We will divide up men to start at different cones.  We will go counter-clockwise to each cone. The cones will list exercises.  We will do circle the cones three times doing the first exercise listed the first time there and continue in sequence the next time there.  However, before starting into the next sequence of cone exercises we will make a full circle around the cones.  Here are the exercises for each cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 20 Bobby Hurleys.  2. 20 Smurf Jacks.  3. 20 Star Jumps.
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  2. 20 Squats.  3. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct)
  • Cone 3:  1. 20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1).  2. 20 Mountain Climbers (both legs = 1).  3. 20 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1)
  • Cone 4:  1. 20 Merkins.  2. 20 Carolina Dry Docks  3.  20 Diamond Merkins

Mosey to beginning of parking lot at Area 51.  We will Bernie Sanders to the curb by the grass, then run back to the starting point of the parking lot, then Bernie Sanders back to the curb again.  Next, at curb we will do 20 Toe Taps (4 ct).  Then we will run to the road up top where there is a shaded tree.  There, we will do 30 Second Leg Lift.

Mosey to bat cave.  From the bat cave we will sprint to the administration parking lot.  Each man walks back to bat cave after the sprint, then sprints to parking lot again.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
20 Hello Dollies, 20 Tempo Merkins.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Quote from James Finley, a theologian and former monk who studied under Thomas Merton: “That which is essential never imposes itself for love is always offered, it’s never imposed, and that which in unessential is constantly imposing itself.”

God created us in His image.  He made us for communication with Him.  We fall short in life if not with Him.  We are in need of Him.  Without Him we are thirsty.  Without Him there is something wrong in our lives.  His love is Essential.  And, as James Finley says, his love is offered freely to us.  It is not imposed, it is not forced upon us. It comes to us in so many ways: the playfulness of a child, the chance for rest or Sabbath, the words of the Bible, the laughter among friends, intimacy with a partner, the love shared by a neighbor, the smile of a stranger, the songs of the birds, the beauty of the mountains, the plains, the wind, the sky, God’s creation.  Notice how these Essential things hang back, they do not force their will on us, they do not impose themselves.  Notice how we have to truly look, to truly listen, to truly observe in order to appreciate them.  It is like pulling over to the side of the road to really enjoy a sunset.  You sit there in your car and our blown away by the beauty.  And then, after you start the car up and drive on home, you think to yourself, I need to do this more often, I need to truly take this beauty in each day.  It is like when you hear a great song that makes the hair rise on your skin and you think, how beautiful, how powerful, this song makes me want to be more than what I have been.  Or, it is like when you are at worship and hear a particular sermon that makes you almost want to cry and you think, man, I need to remember this, I need to take this into the fiber of my being . . . and, a few days later you kind of forget what the sermon was all about.

A problem we humans face is that, like Finley claims, “the unessential is constantly imposing itself” on us.  What are some of these unessential things?  Wealth, power, fame, success, popularity are examples.  Think about our daily lives.  Think about what the world says we should be.  We are constantly bombarded by shoulds in our lives. “I should do more to rise to the top at work.”  “I should work more hours so that I can make more money.”  “I should get a bigger home.”  “I should get a nicer car.”  “I need to participate in more organizations so that I am doing more with my life.”  “I gotta make that deadline.” “I should be slimmer and more fit.”  “I should spend more of my time working for charities so that people see how much I am giving to others.”  “I need to be the top salesman in my region this year”.  “I need to belong to that country club because it is populated by some of the most notable people in Knoxville.”  I am not saying that any of the above things are unworthy.  But, they are unessential.  These shoulds are often what we pay the most attention to.  And by doing that, we lose sight of God’s creation, God’s love.  We miss out on what God has made essential for us.

Lord, help us to spend more time focusing on the essential.  You have given these essential things to us because you love us.  You don’t impose them on us.  You give us free will to accept them because you know that true love cannot be forced upon us.  Help take our eyes away from what is unessential and keep our eyes on you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Prayers for Title -9 as he adjusts to living in Oregon, for Lily’s wife who will have double mastectomy surgery on Wednesday, Augut 19, for Thunderstruck’s mother as she faces chemotherapy and blood transfusions, for safety of the F3 dads and kids at camp this weekend, for the AO in Morristown that we helped start.  Steam will be going to the Morristown AO workout to support them this Saturday and welcomes anyone who would like to go with him.

Happy 11s Day

[ Welcome/Intro/Safety-Brief ]

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness/Fellowship/Faith
  • Name is Steam and I’m honored to be your Q this morning
  • FNGs?
  • Couple of things before we begin:
    • Not a professional
    • You’re here on your own volition – meaning that you made a conscious choice to be here – you’re here on purpose
    • I don’t know any injuries you may or may not have – you do. If there’s anything you need to modify this morning feel free to do it. We start and end with the same number. Push yourselves and the men around you.
  • Do something a little different today:
    • Posted in Johnson City a few weeks ago and they did this at the beginning and I thought it was really cool.
    • (1) Pray over the men and our time

[ Warm-Up Xs ]

  • SSH: 11 x 4 IC
  • Rockette: 11 x 4 IC
  • Cherry Picker: 11 x 4 IC
  • Imperial Walker: 11 x 4 IC
  • Little bit of this (arms/back stretch)
  • Little bit of that (arms/back stretch)
  • 5 burpees

Pre-step off: Ruck has med gear, water – feel free to throw anything in. I’ll have my phone throughout as well

[ PT ]

(Mosey to Big Ball stairs)

1 – 11s

(Split up the group in 2 if need be for #s)

  • At the base: 1 Squat
  • 1st plateau: 10 man-makers
  • R & R (9/2, 8/3, etc)
  • Group 1: go counter clockwise
  • Group 2: go clockwise

(11 SSHs)

(11 count)

(Mosey to bridge across water to Amp)

  • across the bridge: walking rockette = walkette
    • Kick leg up and touch with opposite hand

(Mosey to amphitheater)

2 – 11s (Ping Pong – Down)

  • Stage: Box jumps (or step-ups) – make sure to stand up it you can (good form)
  • Top: pull-up/chin-up
  • After you complete whatever # of pull-ups /chin-ups you’re on each time — run around your respective side back to the stage
  • start with 11 box jumps — 11 pull-ups/chin-ups
  • 10:10
  • 9:9
  • So on and so forth
  • PAX finished with 11 up/down incline merkins on the stage + running up to the top of the amp and knocking out 11 pull/chin ups

(11 SSHs)

(11 count)

(American Indian run back to AO)

[ COT ]

  • # off – 11
  • Name o Rama
    • Postman, PDA, Jenner, Clark, Bilko, Swanson, Walrus, Magic Mic, Half Calf, Abort, Steam
  • FNGs – none
  • BOM
  • Has 2020 been hard? Have you ever found it hard to lead in your marriage or relationship or job?
  • Quote from a young man who just graduated that G-6 and I both know that’s now serving dutifully in the Army full-time and he dropped this knowledge on us sometime last year and I’ve always kept it close because it’s relevant and makes sense:

“Leadership should be a burden, if should be hard.”

            – Tanner Swanner

  • Leadership is not always easy, it’s just not. But do you have enough in the tank and enough grit to lead yourself so that you can lead others?
  • Spoiler alert: you do.

This verse ties in well along this topic, and the 4 different versions below say it a little differently but there are a few words I want to draw out/point out:

    • “strength of soul”
    • “greatly emboldened me”
    • “encourage me by giving me strength”
    • “made me bold with strength in my soul”
  • Psalm 138:3 (ESV): “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased”
  • (NIV): “When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.”
  • (NLT): “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving my strength.”
  • (NKJV): “In the day when I cried out, you answered me; and made me bold with strength in my soul.”

Hold Thy Tongue

THE SCENE: Rained heavy immediately before the workout and ended up with dry but humid conditions, temp in low 80s.  The AO was at northern ball field parking lot due to rainy conditions before we started.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, 10 Pinto Twists, 10 Tempo Squats, 10 Rockettes, 10 Cherry Pickers, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to parking lot with islands on south side of northern ball fields.  Do 20 Hello Dollies.

Next we will do Christmas Candy Canes in July.  We start on one end of parking lot and go around and 1/3 of the way back down.  Thus, the diagram of the travel is in the form of a candy cane.  We will do the following runs with stops at each island to do the following exercises, running back to the start of the candy cane once the full route is complete:

  • Sprint, stopping to do 3 Burpees at each island.
  • Bernie Sanders, stopping to do 10 Squats at each island.
  • Sprint, stopping to do 10 Merkins at each island
  • Grapevine left or right stopping to do 10 Big Boy Sit-Ups at each island.

Mosey to Pavilion at northern ball fields.  Do 25 Picnic Table Pull-ups, 25 Bench Dips and 25 Decline Merkins.

Mosey to CMU Pile.  Each man grabs CMU.  We will do the following exercises.  We will Sprint to end of parking lot and Bernie Sanders back after each exercise.

  • 20 Overhead Presses
  • 20 Curls
  • 20 Rows
  • 20 Squats with CMU at chest

Replace CMUs and mosey to center of parking lot.

MARY:
20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct) and 40 Baby Crunches.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Proverbs 10:14

Wise men store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

Proverbs 13:3

The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Some of us are extroverts and some of us are introverts.  Some of us are talkers and some of us prefer to say little.  I tend to be on the talkative side and sometimes get in trouble because of it.  I haven’t experienced the ruin talked about in the verses above but I have sounded mighty foolish at times.

In groups settings, it helps me to listen closely to the words of those who generally keep silent.  I find that, if they do speak up, what they have to say is usually doggone important.  Back in my college days, I belonged to a fraternity.  We would have fraternity meetings weekly.  All members had the opportunity to speak.  I don’t mean to tell you that those who spoke often did not have good things to say. But, members who seldom spoke often gave us wonderful pearls of wisdom when they did.  I particularly think of two fraternity brothers:  Mark Williams and Blair Jones.  They were some of the shier guys in the fraternity.  When they did speak at our meetings you could sometimes her a pause in the air – that was because our guys were truly contemplating what they said.  What they said was on point and meaningful, frequently giving us perspectives we had not considered.  Mark Williams is one of my best friends today. I still can count on him for advice and council.

Why do I bring this up?  Partially for my own benefit.  Being a guy who sometimes speak too much, I need to remember to store up knowledge and guard my mouth, as the aforementioned Proverbs allude to.  But I also say it for the benefit of those of you who are not extroverts, who are not likely to speak before large groups.  Don’t be afraid to share what you have to say when we gather together at the end of our workouts.  Don’t be afraid to Q a workout and give a message at the end of it.  You are the wise men who have been holding your tongues and storing up knowledge.  Give us the benefit of your words of wisdom.  We will grow because of it.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Pacman and his daughter.  Prayers for wives of Lilydipper and Choir Boy.  Prayers for the City of Portland and the peace that is needed there.  Prayers for Title 9 who is now in Eugene, Oregon.

‘Ballin on #2ForTuesday

THE SCENE: THICK air. Like real thick.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith
  • My name is Steam and I am stoked to be your Q this morning
  • Couple things before we begin:
    • FNGs?
    • Not a professional
    • You’re here on your own volition = you’re here on purpose
    • I don’t know any injuries you may or may not have – so if you need to modify any of the exercises we do this morning feel free to do so but push yourself and the men around you
    • $free.99


WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH: 21 x 4 IC
  • Windmill: 10 x 4 IC
  • Squat: 10 x 4 IC
  • 4 count Merkin: 10 x 4 IC

(2 For Tuesday – Rinse & Repeat Warm-Up Xs)

  • Announce ruck with med gear and phone and water

THA-THANG:

(Mosey to Amphitheater)

  1. #2ForTuesday Numero Uno
  • 11 incline merkins on the stage
    • jump up and sprint across the stage
  • 11 decline merkins

(#2ForTuesday — rinse & repeat)

—10 count—

(#2ForTuesday — 2nd 10 count)

  • 9 dips on the stage
    • sprint up to the top of amphitheater and execute 1 pull-up

(#2ForTuesday — Rinse & Repeat)

—10 count—

(#2ForTuesday — 2nd 10 count)

(American Indian run mosey to Big Ball AO track)

2. #2ForTuesday Numero Dos

  • 10 4-count Merkins in cadence
  • take a lap
    • Halfway around: 10 squats (1-count)
  • R & R – #2FT
  • Recover here in a forearm plank

(10 count)

(#2FT – 2nd 10 count)

(Mosey to bridge overlooking Cumberland Avenue)

2. 2FT Special Numero Dos

  • 15 1-count big boy sit-ups on the rail
    • Mosey to parking lot to the left
  • 15 lunges across a parking space line
  • R & R – #2FT
  • Recover here in a forearm plank

(10 count)

(#2FT – 2nd 10 count)

(Mosey to Big Ball stairs)

  1. 2FT Special Numero Tres
  • 5 burpees
    • sprint up the stairs to the top
  • 5 SSHs
  • R & R – #2FT

(Mosey back to AO)

 

MARY:

Pick a bench, any bench

  • 10 LBCs (1 count)
  • 10 box jumps
    • run to the bench to your right — execute the same 2 exercises

#2ForTuesday — R & R

Go out the same way we came in —- SSH: 10 x 4 IC

( Dynamic Stretching led by Steam )

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

13 PAX including Hightower (Capitol F3 in D.C.)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Shoutout to a HIM doing HIM stuff — Swanson.

It can be easy to get lost in all that’s going on in the world and get caught up, frustrated, upset, agitated, etc etc. It happens to me wayyyyy more than I’d like to admit. When I do get lost in all that, it can prevent me from using correct discipline, judgement, and discernment about what I say and do, and especially what I post for people to see. Like Hebrews 12:1 says below – we’re surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.

So last week I re-posted something on my social media (Facebook/Instagram) from an account I follow that was satirical and meant to be a funny yet sad reality check of what’s really going on in the country at the hands of certain government officials. While it was a view point of truth, my re-posting of it lacked a few things:

    • Discernment
    • Judgement
    • Wisdom
    • Responsibility

And so as High Impact Men are expected to do – I was called out and called higher by Swanson. I would expect nothing less from a true HIM. And it wasn’t shaming or negative – it was verbatim “You’re better than this.”

Dang.

A fellow HIM knows I’m better than this reaffirmed that. Swanson stepped up into his rightful position of leadership as a high impact man and held me accountable and called me higher. That’s HIM stuff. And I had to check my own pride and ego at the door (not always easy).

I knew Swanson was right. Why? Because time and time again he’s proven to be a trustworthy HIM of wisdom. While that may have been a little tough for me to hear and recognize, I knew that he was right and that he was calling me higher. I trust Swanson. He was helping remind me of who I truly was – why? Because High Impact Men hold High Impact Men accountable. I needed to hear that.

We all need a Swanson in our lives – someone who’s going to keep us accountable, call us higher, and remind us of who we are.

MOLESKIN:

 

  • “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
    • ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬
  • “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
    • Colossians‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

 

Q101 in the Scorching Fake Gloom

THE SCENE: Hot enough to melt your face off… think of that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the bad guy sees the ark’s contents. 97 degrees at LEAST with probably a 110 degree heat index. It sucked.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Introduced myself as Q and Lilydipper as Co-Q for a Q101 beatdown that will include some commentary during the workout to reinforce the F3 standards of what we do and why we do it.

Done, with explanations as to what the components are and why we do it, including:

– Call out TIME WARNING (2 mins, 1 min) and START ON TIME.

– Carry a WATCH and PHONE!

–  WELCOME to F3! FITNESS, FELLOWSHIP, AND FAITH!!

INTRODUCE yourself! You will be leading these men for the next 45 minutes to an hour, establish yourself as their Q!

– IDENTIFY ANY FNGs

  1. Make sure they understand the disclaimer (get a nod of understanding)
  2. Make sure you demonstrate exercises that may be unfamiliar to them.
  3. Make them feel welcome! Pay special attention to their status during the workout.

–  Include LEGAL DISCLAIMERS:

  1. I am not a professional
  2. You are here on your own volition, and participating at your own risk
  3. F3 is a free program open to all men
  4. Know your limits, and modify if you need to, but do the best you can! ALWAYS GIVE 100%… UNLESS YOU’RE DONATING BLOOD!  Ha Ha Ha.
  5. Additional COVID-related disclaimers. 1. Limit of 50 PAX, 2. No sharing of equipment; gloves recommended, 3. If you’ve been sick, or around someone who’s sick, please stay home. 4. Maintain social distancing.


WARM-O-RAMA:
Performed exercises that would demonstrate various counts and focused on 1.) getting the heart rate up, 2.) stretching the legs, and 3.) stretching the arms.

– TAKE CHARGE!

  1. Make eye contact
  2. Use your “outside voice”
  3. Use GOOD FORM
  4. Bring great ENERGY and ENCOURAGE!

– The Warm up usually consists of 4 to 5 exercises designed to get the heart rate going and provide some stretching of the arms and legs. Call out:

  1. The NAME of the exercise
  2. Whether it’s single count or in cadence
  3. “Ready position”… “Exercise!”
  4. Change cadence on the final rep.

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

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

– 10 Steve Earls (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 calf raises, SINGLE COUNT

– Little of this and that

THA-THANG:

THA THANG is the main part of the workout, and usually consist of 3 to 5 “stations”, where you mosey to and then do an exercise (“String of Pearls”). Keeps the PAX together and provides some variation.

– PLAN OUT the workout ahead of time!

– Keep an eye on your TIME

– EXPLAIN CLEARLY and ENCOURAGE

– If you can’t Q it, don’t do it!  Not a “clipboard” program where the Q sits out

– Be FLEXIBLE!

– Make sure everyone is always ACTIVE! Give the rabbits something to do if they finish first.

– Situational awareness! Pay attention to the PAX. Sweep back to get the 6. NO man left behind!!

MOSEY to the parking lot below the Coliseum.

DORAS: These are a common type of exercise used in F3 where you pick a battle buddy and work towards a cumulative goal, like reps of an exercise.  RABBITS, Help out with the reps of others!

One partner runs a loop up the stairs and around while the other starts the exercises.  Each pair shall complete the total number:

  • 100 Carolina Dry Docks
  • 100 Big Boy Situps
  • 100 Lunges (2-count; only count the left leg)

** Turned the beatdown over to the great and powerful Lilydipper!!**

Mosey to the shaded parking lot across the street from the Northern Ball Fields Entryway parking lot.

We will do four corners with the following exercises:

Corner 1:  20 Star Jumps.  Then Bear Crawl to Corner 2.

Corner 2:  20 Big Boy Sit-Ups.  Then Bernie Sanders to Corner 3.

Corner 3:  20 Merkins.  Then Lunge to Corner 4.

Corner 4:  20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct).  Then Sprint to Corner 1.

Rinse and Repeat.

Next we will take a short mosey to beginning of the Dragon Tail.  We will do Route 66 up the Dragon Tail with the following exercises. (Note:  Those finishing the last light of the Dragon Tail will sweep men back to start the Dragon Tail again with the next exercise.)

  • Squat Jumps
  • Dive Bombers
  • Iron Mikes (both legs = 1)

(We only finished the first one due to time). Mosey to Shady Tree area by stoplight at northeastern corner of Admin Bldg.  20 American Hammers.

Mosey to AO.
MARY:
20 Hello Dollies

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Use the TAGS on right-side to record PAX (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF) in attendance. Be sure to select the AO in CATEGORY above TAGS and then delete these notes!

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

One thing that many of us worry about in regarding to Q’ing a workout is giving the message, the BOM, at the end of the workout. We might think “I can’t speak the way that some people can.”  “I don’t have anything wise or good to say.”  “I’m not religious enough.”  “I will screw it up.”

You don’t have to deliver a long speech for the BOM.  Also, you need not know the bible well or deliver a message that must pass religious muster.  Just speak about something you have learned, something important to you, something that might help others.  Not everyone will respond the same way but I can almost guarantee that some of your brothers will get something out of your message.  I personally love hearing what different brothers have to say, the little pearls of life wisdom they can share with me.  And, as for your ability to speak well, thing about Moses, the great leader of the Israelites that led them from Egypt to Isreal:

From Exodus 4: 10-12

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

As to worrying about screwing up, your brothers are on your side no matter what.  And, screwing up is what we do.  Think of Abraham Lincoln.  The following list is from an article by Ron Kurtus:

A common list of the failures of Abraham Lincoln (along with a few successes) is:

  • 1831 – Lost his job
  • 1832 – Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature
  • 1833 – Failed in business
  • 1834 – Elected to Illinois State Legislature (success)
  • 1835 – Sweetheart died
  • 1836 – Had nervous breakdown
  • 1838 – Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker
  • 1843 – Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress
  • 1846 – Elected to Congress (success)
  • 1848 – Lost re-nomination
  • 1849 – Rejected for land officer position
  • 1854 – Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
  • 1856 – Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President
  • 1858 – Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate
  • 1860 – Elected President (success)

The fact is that we are supposed to screw up as leaders.  That is how we learn and how we grow.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
GrowSchool to immediately follow the workout.  CSAUP this week-end at the Dog Pound, 6:30 am Saturday. Asylum PM is trying to break the attendance record on Tuesday to send Title IX out in style!