F3 Knoxville

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!

You Gotta Fight For Your Right…

THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Side straddle hop in cadence 21
5 burpees on your own
Plank Variations (left arm up, reach through, repeat otherside)
Cherry Pickers
10 tempo squats
10 Windmills in cadence
Side straddle hop in cadence

THA-THANG:
Mosey towards JUCOMANJARO stopping at the guardrail

  • 20 dips, bearcrawl across the street, bernie back 2x’s until we were sure it was a she and not an FNG

Continue Mosey towards JUCOMANJARO stopping in the Hard Knox parking lot for wheelbarrows. Pick up the 6 and head across Hardin Valley to our hill.

  • Sprint to first stripe 5 Burpees
  • Next stripe 10 Burpees
  • Next stripe 10 Burpees
  • Repeat with Squats, Derkins (w/ Bernies), Flutter Kicks
  • 20 Heels to Heaven at the summit
  • 20 Soul Claps on the way down
  • Mosey back to the Hard Knox parking lot guardrail
  • 20 dips, bearcrawl across the street, bernie back 2x’s
  • Mosey to coupons stack by the flag

MARY:

  • 20 curls, 5 blockees 2x’s
  • Muder Bunnies to the block pile to return the CMU

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:
Message:
The warrior ethos (AKA Jedi Training) consist of 13 pillars: commitment, honor, respect, prepared, faithful, fighter, hungry, humble, lover, teachable, firestarter, truthful, and generous.
Each one is tied to a Bible verse.

Fighter: the 6th pillar
The verse for this pillar is Ephesians 6:12

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12 NLT

Fight for the right things!!

Either the world will discipline your children or YOU WILL!

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”
RED LETTERS
Matthew 5:9 NLT

Never fight for pride.
MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

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

The Simplicity of HIM

THE SCENE: A chilly 28 degrees but clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Side straddle hop (4 count) x 25

Cherry pickers x 5

Tempo merkins x 10

Tempo squats x 10

THA-THANG:
Mosey to Sophomore Hill

  • 4 Corners x 2
    • 25 squats
    • 25 merkins
    • 25 flutter kicks (4 count)
    • 25 shoulder taps (2 count)

Mosey to the big parking lot (between Sophomore Hill and the Flag)

  • Stationary Exercise with a travel exercise (2 car parking spots) hitting the same muscle group
    • 10 squats and lunge travel (10 sets)
    • 3 burpees and bear crawl travel (10 sets)
    • 10 monkey humpers with tip toe travel (10 sets)
    • 10 American hammers (2 count) with imperial walker travel (10 sets)
    • 10 twinkle toes with Bernie travel (10 sets)

MARY:
Flutter Kicks (4 count) x 25

Pickle Pounders (4 count) x 10

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
James 4:17 – So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

The HIM – High Impact Male is a man of initiative. He is not one who needs to be told what to do. He is vigilant, he is pro-active, he scans his surroundings for ways to serve. He sees the thing that needs to be done and he does it, without first being told, without being asked, he does the task that always needed to be done, the task that others walked by. In only a playful sense, he does it before others can do – not in arrogance, not to deprive someone else, but in the spirit of Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

I was first inspired with this thought at the Bomb shelter convergence when we were walking into the gym. There were three or four cases of water sitting on a tailgate and I saw Woodshack and three others just walk over there, grab the waters and carry them inside where we all knew that they were needed. I said to myself, that in it’s simplicity is a HIM. Since then, I have been trying to move on things quickly if I see a need. When Butter Knife said he needed someone to grab the shovel flag last Wednesday, I volunteered. When Booster said he needed to give up today’s Q, I volunteered. I didn’t want either of you to have to worry or wonder if someone was going to step up, there was no need for me to hesitate or let someone else do something that I was capable of taking responsibility for. If we can all do this just a little bit more, we will truly impact those around us.

MOLESKIN:
T-Claps for all the HIMs who made Cardinal’s Convergence happen in addition to the support F3 Nation is showing to his family.