F3 Knoxville

The Hope Within You

THE SCENE: dry, cool, and perfect for a beat down.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 SSH, 15 Mountain climbers, 10 tempo merkins, 15 Moroccan night club, 15 Imperial walkers, 10 tempo squats, 5 cherry pickers
THA-THANG:
Mosey to our beloved JUCOmanjaro. Do the following exercises sequentially, one at every other line.

  • 10 burpees
  • 25 merkins
  • 25 squats
  • 25, 2-ct flutter kicks

AMRAP all the way to the top.

Mosey back down to the strip mall. Each corner will be an exercise location. Run down the long ends and bear crawl the short ones.

  • 10 burpees
  • 25 diamond merkins
  • 26 lunges
  • 25 heels to Heaven

Repeat until time is called.

MARY:
Merkin ring of fire. LBCs, gas pumpers, 6″ LBCs.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 with a late Rucker arrival.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
If you are anything like YHC, you may find yourself with a bad attitude. There may be a good excuse for that bad attitude: “it’s been a tough day”, “that guy just cut me off”, “there are too many things on my plate at work”, etc. The list could go on and on. However, if one is in Christ, they truly don’t an acceptable excuse for a bad attitude because we have hope. We have hope in eternity when this life is over.

“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” 1 Peter 3:13‭-‬15 NASB1995

Let’s do our best to let that hope we have within bubble over into our everyday lives so that others may want to know about Jesus.

MOLESKIN:
JUCOmanjaro…always a pleasure. We should visit more often.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Q101 at the Project on Saturday, VQ week of Valentine’s day, Escape from Haw Ridge coming up in April.

Enemies – So Far As It Is Up To You

THE SCENE: Post rain but a not too cold 43 degrees.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Side straddle hop x 25

Cherry pickers x 5 

Tempo merkins x 10 

Tempo squats x 10

Mountain Climbers (4 count) x 15 

THA-THANG:

Mosey to the coupon pile

  • 1 block for every 2 HIMS
  • Circle up, shoulder to shoulder, facing outward and on your 6, pass the block to clockwise for approximately 1 minute. 
  • At the break, those with the blocks do bench presses. Those without do squats for approximately 30-45 seconds
  • Circle up, pass the block to counterclockwise for approximately 1 minute.
  • At the break, if you did bench press last time, do squats and vice versa. (1 round complete)
  • 2 rounds completed

Mosey to the large parking lot between the coupon pile and the flag

Parking lot suicides 

At each line:

  • 5 head, shoulders knees and toes with merkin (modified to 3 after 2 rounds)
  • 10 monkey humpers
  • 5 get ups 

Mosey to the flag

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Sometimes when we are facing an enemy, our effort to do right feels like we are just passing a coupon around in a circle, not building anything. Sometimes it feels like heads, shoulders knees and toes…lots of motion but no movement.

I became a Christian when I was 26. For 16 years, I enjoyed life without enemies…not a single one. That peace was broken recently and it has been the single biggest challenge of my faith to date. Maybe it was Satan attacking me or maybe it was providential that I should prepare for it but I taught a class at church about ‘Dealing With Enemies.’

The key to dealing with any challenge, including an enemy is Romans 12:18 – If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. This takes away the excuse of what they have done to you or how they react or ignore your efforts to reconcile. I simplified that to myself as ‘I can’t say anything or do anything that would keep me from asking them to have a Bible study in the next breath.’ This is ultimately handling the situation in a way that is beyond reproach.  

In context, vs 18 is surrounded by additional guidance: Romans 12:​​14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Be beyond reproach.

In Tents Rain

THE SCENE: pouring rain, 40°
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Delivered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Grasshopper, Baby Arm Circles, Harry Rockets, 8 Count merkins (not as good as Butterknives counting Monday)
THA-THANG:
Quickly ran for cover in the ‘circus’ tent behind the building that makes an appearance in nearly every picture.

While one HIM did a farmer carry around the building (lap 1), around the tent (lap 2) and rifle carry down the stairs and back) the remaining HIM’s did rounds of the following

Since last week there was so much moaning about abs, we did more:

Cross Knee Planks, Heavy American Hammer, Torture Tucks, Heavy Big boys. CMU paddleboats, 1 Up 2 Down (Really slow, really big flutter)

Then Legs: Heavy Squats, Wall Kicks (minus the wall), Bonnie Blair, 4 Way lunge

Then we switched to Arms: Curls, Merkins, Dry Docks, Donkey Kicks

Finally we rolled some 8 sided dice for more core, arms and legs.

MARY:
No time for it and it was really dang wet.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

I am not a professional …. and that applies to this topic as well.  I am NOT a therapist.
I’m not good at Loss, Lament or Listening.  But we are out here to get better where we are weak.  No man left where he is, right?

We are good at some aspects of grief – I’m so proud of how F3 Knoxville has collectively mourned the loss of Cardinal.  We are good a doing grief. 170 show up for a memorial workout. GoFundMe climbs to 100k in a week.  We buy t shirts. Make videos.
But we are not good at verbalizing grief.  First to God. out loud. Nor are we good at sharing it with brothers.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Psalm 55:22 ESV

Next Level: be more like David.  Have the courage to ask questions we can’t answer and ask them with someone hurting.
“Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 10:1 ESV
Can it get awkward?  Yes.  Lean into that.
What if I say the wrong things? What if I forget? that information is a burden. What if I can’t carry it?
What if I don’t have the right response – (they are not looking for a response – they are looking for connection.)
What if I make them cry? What if I cry? How do you hold it together? YOU DON’T!
We have that point of connection in Christ. Sin keeps us from being able to connect… but as we journey closer to Christ, less obstruction, more connection, more healing.
I don’t know what “science” says about growing your EQ… but in Christ, your ability to Empathize will grow. We have the Holy Spirit.
It’s what I want to work on. By God’s grace we all can become better listeners. Better at Loss and better at Lament with one another.

MOLESKIN:
Continued prayers for Andrea, Cardinal Jr and Evie.  Prayers for Jen and Rob as they have 9yr old John’s funeral Thursday

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
VQ from Trash Panda on Friday!

Killer Abs

THE SCENE:

40’s and clear

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Given and received.
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry Pickers
Tempo Squats
Harry Rockets
Tempo Merkins
Baby arm circles forward
Baby arm circles back

THA-THANG:
Mosy to the big parking lot by the new math/science building.
Start with 5 hand-release-merkins and run to the first exercise. Complete the first and return to start. Do 5 HRM at the start every time and then continue to the next exercise. Continue down the ladder doing an exercise and then return to the start for 5 HRMs.

Exercises are:

  • 20 BBS
  • 40 Pickle Pounders
  • 60 Box cutters
  • 80 Hello Dolly’s
  • 100 LBC
  • 80 Freddy Mercury
  • 60 Pickle Pointer
  • 40 Flutter Kicks
  • 20 Rainbow Drops

Finish it out with some exercises at the math/science building wall:

  • 20 Derkins
  • 20 Step ups
  • 20 Irkins
  • 20 Box Jumps

MARY:
Imperial walkers
Hill Billy Walkers

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Little Known Facts About Laziness #5

Let’s review the facts…

Fact #5 – Laziness begets laziness

Consider this verse:

Slothfulness casts into deep sleep and an idle person will suffer hunger.

– Psalm 19:15

The first part of this verse indicates laziness makes you tired or sleepy. Notice it’s not the other way around. It’s not that tiredness makes you lazy. It’s not that you’re tired so you are lazy, it’s the other way. Laziness makes you tired. We can’t even trust our feelings and body in this case.

Also, remember fact #2: The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

The lazy are self-deceived. They can’t trust their thoughts and now they can’t trust their feelings. This is getting tricky and a cycle that be a trap. You think you’re tired and need to rest but maybe you’re just lazy?

Of course, tiredness is a thing and real but we can’t always trust our self-evaluation.

I challenge all of you to watch out for this laziness trap.

Reinvigorate and Replant

THE SCENE: Some of the most beautiful gloom I’ve ever seen.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Done
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • RFTS / LIH
  • Shoulder burn
  • WMH
  • Finkle swings

Partner up – grab one block per pair.  Partner 1 moseys with the block.  Partner 2 completes 20 merkins then runs to catch up and takes the block from his partner.  Keeping switching roles until we arrive at the King’s parking lot.

THA THANG:

Dora-style work

Partner 1 performs exercises

Partner 2 takes a lap around the island.

After each set is complete – both partners run up the hill and back

  • 50 SQUAT AND CURLS
  • 75 LUNGE PRESS
  • 100 CMU SWINGS
  • 125 CURLS
  • 150 HEAVY LBC
  • 125 TRI EXTENSIONS
  • 100 DERKINS
  • 75 HEAVY FREDDY
  • 50 BLOCKEES

MARY:

PAX choice for 3 minutes

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

16 men and 1 2.0

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Cardinal made his living as the pastor of a church in Harriman.  Years ago, he received two job offers on the same day.  One was a larger established church.  The other was a tiny country church that was actively disappearing.  He took his family to the smaller church.  He had a passion for “revitalizing” and “replanting” churches – that’s how he said it.

During the last week, I’ve heard this from many of you and from scores of men around the world who have reached out…I’ve also thought it myself – “That could have been me.”  It makes me reflect on how precious life is and on what my priorities are.  Sometimes my highest priorities do not always get the best of me and the most of me.

Psalm 39:4-5, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered how fleeting my life is.”

Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”

Several PAX shared how they can reset on their highest priorities to make sure they are giving their best to what is most important.  Make sure you are taking your role and responsibilities seriously (e.g., make sure your M will be taken care of if you were to die suddenly).

I think our friend Cardinal would be thrilled to know that even his death caused so many men to be revitalized and replanted in their responsibilities and priorities.

MOLESKIN:

This workout was inspired by the beatdown I suffered at the hands of Feeny on Monday.  I was still sore when we started it all again!

PRAYERS / ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Prayers for Cardinal’s family, for the Rampart men, and for Cosmo’s family