F3 Knoxville

Tag: Switchgrass

Talk Less, Smile More

THE SCENE: Started off a bit misty, but turned out to be cloudy and downright pleasant, around 65 degrees
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!


WARM-O-RAMA:

– Motivators (5-ct, descending)

– 10 Windmills (4-ct), in cadence

– Michael Phelps

– 10 Tempo Seal Claps (4-ct), in Cadence

– 10 Tempo Overhead Claps (4-ct), in Cadence

-10 Steve Earle’s (4-ct), in Cadence

– OYO leg stretching

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to Small parking lot south of Colosseum.

  • Do each group of exercises, running a loop after each group is completed, for a total of 5 times around the lot. Can be done in any order.  Exercise groups are:
  1. AB BLASTER:
    • 20x: LBCs, BBSs, American Hammers (2-ct), Dead Bugs (2-ct)
  2. ARM BLASTER:
    • 20x: Merkins, Carolina Dry Docks, Bottle Openers (2-ct), Shoulder Taps (2-ct)
  3. LEG BLASTER:
    • 20x: Bobby Hurleys, Iron Mikes (2-ct), Froggie Jumps, Squats.
  4. CARDIO BLASTER:
    • 20x: SSH (2-ct), High Knees (2-ct), Butt Kickers (2-ct), Mountain Climbers (2-ct), Smurf Jacks
  5. STRETCH BLASTER:
    • 10 x: Cherry Pickers (4-ct), Windmills (4-ct), Grady Corns (4-ct)

Mosey to Road by Roundabout.

  • 5 sets of 30 seconds, AMRAP, 10 second break, BERNIE up to Curb at end of each set:
    • PLANK JACKS, LUNGES

MOSEY to roadway leading up to AO.

  • PARTNER PYRAMIDS! Partner up with like speed. Start ½ way between flag and tree. One partner runs towards flag, other partner runs towards stop sign or tree and back.   Meet at center point and   do the following exercises in REPS of 15.  Then switch directions.
    • LAP 1 Patty-cake Planks (2-ct)
    • LAP 2 Patty-cake Planks, LBCs
    • LAP 3 Patty-cake Planks, LBCs, Mtn Climbers (2-ct)
    • LAP 4 Patty-cake Planks, LBCs, Mtn Climbers (2-ct), Bobby Hurleys
    • LAP 5 LBCs, Mtn Climbers (2-ct), Bobby Hurleys
    • LAP 6 Mtn Climbers (2-ct), Bobby Hurley s
    • LAP 7 Bobby Hurleys

(we got about 1/2 way through this before running out of time.)
MARY:
Nope
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
7 sweaty dudes
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Early in the musical HAMILTON, Alexander Hamilton introduces himself to his hero (and future killer), Aaron Burr.  He’s nervous, trying to make a good impression, etc. is kind of hyper, talking passionately, and he’s sort of running off at the mouth a bit.  Aaron Burr stops him and gives him some advice.  “TALK LESS.  SMILE MORE.  DON’T TELL THEM WHAT YOU’RE AGAINST OR WHAT YOU’RE FOR.”

I constantly go back and forth with this concept in my head.  I’ve heard athletes, politicians, movie stars, all sorts of public figures say some version of “I’m going to speak my mind and I don’t give a BLEEP what you think about it.” And they get applauded for it.  Yeah, you go girl.  That’s right, tell them what you think and don’t let anybody tell you you’re wrong.

Well, the knife cuts both ways sometimes.  I was recently in a pretty intense discussion about some deep topics with a friend of mine. I was pretty dang sure that I was on the right side of the argument.  I was dropping knowledge bombs left and right.  Boom. There’s another one, Boom!  Big one coming, BOOM!  Shock and Awe kind of stuff.  And became more and more frustrated and angry that my friend wasn’t agreeing with me or seeing things the same way.  Afterwards, it really bothered me NOT that he didn’t agree with me so much, but that I had been so hard on my friend for not agreeing in the World According to Pele.  I went back to him and apologized, and those lyrics from Hamilton ran through my head.  Talk less. Smile more. Hmmm… maybe I should do that.

This probably isn’t a news flash to you, but people aren’t always going to agree with you.  And when that happens (not if, but when), don’t be like me, and don’t let your emotions get the best of you.  Give THEM an opportunity to explain what their point of view is and be patient, don’t interrupt them at every step pointing out what you think are the flaws of their argument.  TALK LESS.  And at the end of it, even if you never reach an agreement, shake their hand and say you respect their position.  SMILE MORE.  Like the Avett Brothers song says, No Hard Feelings.  Love Thy Neighbor (even when they’re wrong, hee hee).  Friendships are worth more than a fight about who’s right and who’s wrong.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for various PAX, their families and friends
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

March Metric Workout – Asylum PM’d

F3 Q – 3.28.23

  • Asylum PM AO
  • 5:45pm – 6:30pm
  • Steam on Q
  • Accelerate You vs. You – March Metric Workout 

[ Warm o Rama ]

  • 3-5 minutes

[ The Thang ] 

March Metric Workout

  • Start the timer
  • All PAX perform each exercise for 1 full minute (no rest interval between sets)
  • Immediately following the 10th exercise (CMU deadlifts) (no rest), perform 5 minutes of CMU Thrusters (keep counting toward your total # of reps)
  • You will keep track of the TOTAL number of reps (cumulative) for each exercise below
  • Duration: 15 minutes
  •  Exercises
    • 1-minute of CMU OHP
    • 1-minute of CMU Goblet Squats
    • 1-minute of CMU Bent Over Rows
    • 1-minute of CMU BBS
    • 1-minute of CMU Biceps curls
    • 1-minute of CMU Lunges
    • 1-minute of Derkins (feet elevated on CMU)
    • 1-minute of CMU LBCs
    • 1-minute of CMU Triceps extension
    • 1-minute of CMU Deadlifts
    • 5-minutes of CMU Thrusters

Crispr recorded 1st Round # of reps

Rest 3 minutes.

Repeat the full routine – starting over with your rep count. Total duration: 30 minutes.

Submit BOTH scores – Round 1 reps and Round 2 reps (scored individually, not cumulatively).

Enter your times and reps on THIS FORM. 

[ Mary ]

Stretched for the last 60 seconds

[ COT ]

  • # off – 16
  • FNGs? – 0
  • Name o Rama
    • Pusher, Pluto, Rooney, Sparkler, Z-Bone, Lillydipper, Onstar, Crispr, Cheetah Boy, Steam, Flashback, Red Card, Abacus, Switchgrass, Down Under, Swimmies
  • Word

Pray for Nashville’s shooting victims. This morning at a small group I’m a part of one of the older guys said that you were going to see a lot of blame start to happen because of this weather it is gun control or stuff about the shooter, being transgender or the lack of security, and all this stuff. But really what it is, is that we live in a fallen world and its sin.

Do we need better precautions and things in place to protect our kids and be more responsible as citizens of this earth? Absolutely but we need Jesus even more. 

Check out these powerful lyrics, from the song “Never Let Go” by Seventh Day Slumber. I was listening to this on the way to the workout tonight and these lyrics hit really hard:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of deathYour perfect love is casting out fearAnd even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this lifeI won’t turn backI know You are near
And I will fear no evilFor my God is with meAnd if my God is with meWhom then shall I fear?Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let goThrough the calm and through the stormOh no, You never let goIn every high and every lowOh no, You never let goLord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds onA glorious light beyond all compareAnd there will be an end to these troublesBut until that day comesWe’ll live to know You here on the earth

Listen to “Never Let Go” on Spotify

Suicide Hill

THE SCENE: Sunny, warm evening around 75 F. Especially warm for February.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, Slow Windmills, Imperial Walkers, Rockettes, Baby Arm circles, & Cherry Pickers.

THA-THANG:

5 stations were evenly (or not so evenly) placed along the hill at Lakeshore. Each station contained a sheet with 2 exercises on it, one for going over the hill and the other for coming back. Starting at the bottom by the stop sign, the PAX was instructed to run up 2 stations and back one and perform the “Going” exercise 10 times. Then run 2 more stations and back one, perform the Going exercise 10 times. At the 5th station, perform both exercises (Going & Back) and then do the same thing (up 2, back 1) on the way back, except perform the “Back” exercises. Once the PAX reaches the 1st station, rinse and repeat but perform 15 of each exercise, 3rd round 20 of each. Exercises were as follows:

  1. Going – Merkins, Back – American Hammers
  2. Going – Monkey Humpers, Back – TIE Fighters
  3. Going – Box Cutters, Back – Shoulder Taps
  4. Going – Carolina Dry Docks, Back – Hello Dollys
  5. Going – Big Boy Situps, Back – Squats

(After 1st Round, I called an audible and just had us run to the next station instead of up 2 and back 1)

MARY: 

Circled up and finished with LBCs, Ring of Fire, and 5 Burpees

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA – 17 HIMs

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
God is Love. Love conquers hate. I know that because I know in myself that love feels better than hate. Where there is love, there is hope and peace. Finished BOM with playing of Amazing Grace on trombone.

Facing Your Fears

THE SCENE: Gorgeous! Mild (almost warm) 78 degrees, outstanding sunset
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check
WARM-O-RAMA:

-25 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), in cadence

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

– 10 Imperial Walkers (4-ct), in Cadence

– 10 LBACs backwards and forwards (4-ct)  (in cadence)

-10 plank jacks (4-ct)  (in cadence)

  • Misc. stretching

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to bottom of Pickett’s Charge:

  • 5/10/15s up 3 of the small hills
    • PARTNER 1 moseys up to the top of the hill, does 5x of both exercises, then hands off to PARTNER 2, who is slow moseying in the bullpen (flat part). R&R with 10x, then 15x. If you finish early, start over until 6 is done.
      • ROUND 1: MERKINS AND PLANK JACKS (2-ct) /BEAR CRAWL
      • ROUND 2: BBS AND AMERICAN HAMMERS (2-ct) / BERNIE
      • ROUND 3: SSH AND IRON MIKES (both 2-ct) / RUN

MOSEY to Small Parking Lot next to Coliseum:

  • 25’s:
    • Run around loop. At bottom and midpoint do 5/20, 10/15, 15/10, 20/5 reps of:
      • Shoulder taps (2-ct) / Flutter Kicks (2 ct)

MOSEY to Haslem’s rock, 20 American Hammers (4-ct, IC)

MOSEY To AO

MARY:
We did a Welsh Dragon contest to see who could go farthest without stopping.  Of course it was Doubtfire…
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
21!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Today I want to talk a little bit about the pilot Neal V. Loving. 

  • Loving was born in 1916
  • Was passionate about being a military pilot from a young age but had to switch his focus to aeronautical engineering upon discovering that the Army Air Corps did not accept Black aviators (the US AIR FORCE wasn’t established until 1947- TRIVIA QUESTION!).
  • He helped found an all-black squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer training program for young pilots. This led to a horrific crash while flying for the patrol and left him a double amputee. When the doctors removed his second leg, they estimated a 50-50 chance of survival. He did survive, and was fit for protheses.  He recalled being asked by the prosthesis fitter what size shoe he would like to have with his new legs.  What a question!

 He was made an offer to visit a local municipal airport.  He was hesitant, but ultimately agreed, and when he got there he felt his passion for flying returning, and was given the opportunity to climb into the cockpit again.  While on his first flight back, as he says, “I entered a 180-degree turn followed by a stall entry and spin, the same sequence of events that led to my accident. The ground rushed toward me, spinning in a familiar blur of green and brown. I recovered quickly and returned to level flight. My co-pilot leaned forward and patted me on the back. I smiled in return, happy in the realization that the fears or emotional scars that might destroy my love of flying had not materialized.”

 

After returning to the cockpit, Loving continued his love of aviation by:

– launching his own flight school

– building experimental rading planes. One of Loving’s airplane designs is on display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

– Earning a degree in aeronautical engineering  

– Conducting research for the Air Force, retiring in 1982 and

– publishing his memoir in 1994. He died in 1998 at age 83.

 What fears do you have that are keeping you from pursuing your goals?

MOLESKIN:
Perfect weather, and a big welcome to FNG Z-Bone!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Saturday AM triple Q this Saturday!

Get in the Wheelbarrow

THE SCENE: Cool and breezy, around 40 degrees moderate cloud coverage
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check, if you could hear it over the mumblechatter, which picked up significantly when Brick and Steam decided to go bare chested.  Glass cutters club!
WARM-O-RAMA:

-10 SSH (20x, (4-ct), in cadence) RUN 2 CIRCLE LAPS (TO THE LEFT) R&R 10 SSH RUN 2 CIRCLE LAPS TO THE RIGHT

– 10 STEVE EARLES (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 Rockettes, (4-ct), in cadence

-LBCS Forward/backward  (4-ct), in cadence

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

THA-THANG:

  • Mosey to Serpentine Sidewalk north of the AO.
    • “2-4-6-8 WHO DO WE APPRECIATE” Run down sidewalk, suicide style, stopping at EVEN # lights to do the following exercises:
      • 2 lights: 4 MERKINS/ 4 lights: 8 merkins/ 6 lights 12 merkins/ 8 lights, 16 merkins. ON LAST REP SWEEP FOWARD
      • Rinse and repeat with SQUATS
      • Rinse and repeat with BBS (2-ct)
    • Mosey east on path to intersection, stop to do 20 Imperial Walkers
    • Mosey to base of Cardiac
      • 5s from base to first curve, starting with 1 OFFSET RIGHT MERKIN, run up and do 4 OFFSET LEFT MERKINS 1 JUMP SQUAT
      • Fellowship Mosey to second curve
      • 5s from Second curve to Benches, Starting with 1 FROGGY JUMP, run up and do 4 SMURF JACKS.
    • Mosey to AO

 

MARY:
I wanted to give Mary her due, since we’ve been ignoring this fair lady for awhile, so we had a good 5-6 minutes of Mary…

  • MURDER PLANKS
    • Plank position, knee to opposite elbow x 10
    • Reverse, x10
    • Hold Elbow Plank x10 seconds
    • R&R until time called
  • Captain Thors
    • 1 BBS/1 4-ct American Hammer
    • 2/8
    • 3/12
    • 4/16

Stretching with Pele
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 Hims and 1 2.0, Cheetah Boy
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

THE TIGHTROPE WALKER

There’s a story I read recently about a tight rope walker in Europe who was very talented, could do all sorts of tricks.  One of these tricks was to walk on tightrope while pushing a wheel barrow.  A Big Time Promoter over here in the States heard about him, and invited him over to North America to walk over Niagara falls for a lot of money. A LOT of money.  But the Promoter wanted to make sure the guy really was all that and a bag of chips, so he asked him to come over for a demonstration.  The tightrope walker was a bit insulted that his talent was being questioned, but he flew over, they went to Niagara Falls, he walked back and forth over the falls, without the wheelbarrow, and then he did it with the wheelbarrow.

When he was finished, he returned to the Promoter and said, “There!  Now do you believe I can do it”?

The Promoter said, “Yes, I’m sorry I doubted you, I believe you can do it.”

“No No” said the tightrope walker, “I want to REALLY make sure you believe in my abilities! After all, I don’t want you to have any doubts”.

“Of Course I believe you! I just saw you do it!  Yes, yes, I believe you!”

The Tightrope walker said with an evil grin…  “If you really believe I can do it… Then get in the wheelbarrow.”

Living in Faith requires us to get in that wheelbarrow and have trust and faith. Must give control up to God.  It can be a little bit scary.  When I was about 10 I went on the American Eagle roller coaster at Great America in Gurnee, Illinois for the first time.  Wooden roller coaster that held several records when it was built in the 80s, including longest drop and fastest speed.  Here are some stats on that sucker:

  • built with approximately 1,360,000 feet (410,000 m) of lumber,
  • 129,720 bolts,
  • 30,600 pounds (13,900 kg) of nails (How many of those have come loose over the years?)
  • 55 degree max invert angle (Think of that!)

Rickety, wheels squealing on the rails, lots of motion.  I was petrified.  But you have to believe that the safety measures are in place and that you’ll be ok.  But you don’t really KNOW it until you take that ride.  There are ups and downs, twists and turns on your faith journey.  But in the end, you’ll be exhilarated, like that 10 year kid on a rollercoaster.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Get your dogtag order in!  Looking for new F3 Knoxville F1 and F3 leaders.  Hot Toddy Q this Saturday!