Category: The Knoll

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Illegal Takeover

AO: the-knoll
Q: The Banker
PAX: Sooie, Pebbles, Parka-Eh, Wolfpack, Timber, morning stār, G-string, Ex-Pat, Rubix, Bumblebee, Pele
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
CONDITIONS: Pristine

WARMUP: Mosey to baseball park with a few stops to do BAC’s and Good mornings.

THE THANG: 11’s Burpees one end, squat jumps/lunges MOT, Donkey Kicks on other end

2 each Wall sits and rotating one leg extension (one min total)

Mosey back and took a pit stop in front of El Cap’s home to do some big boys in his honor.

MOLESKINE: Talked about Pele and his ability when things got hard or pressure was intense to remember his Why. He’d think back to when he was a boy and playing barefoot. That joy allowed him to play free. May we always build our foundation on that joy that allows you to love freely!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: May push-up challenge

COT: prayers for all!

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Sometimes hugs say more than words / 1 year knollaversary!

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning stār , El Capitan
PAX: Ex-Pat, Wolfpack, The Merchant, El Capitan, FLO, The Banker, Timber, Lunch Lady, Ranger, morning stār, Pebbles, Parka-Eh, Birdman (2.0), Rubiks (2.0), Smoltz (2.0), Mozart (2.0), Bumble bee (2.0), Link (2.0), Retro (2.0), 2 fun new kids yet to be named
FNGs: 2 Retro (2.0), 2 fun new kids yet to be named
COUNT: 21
CONDITIONS: delightful

WARMUP:
– mosey around the backstop as a group while signing “happy anniversary to the knoll”
– SSH x12, joint warmups x 12 (neck, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles)

THE THANG:
Split into 2 teams, then again to get 4 teams.

Part 1: minute to win it
Each team performed given exercises at own pace for 1 min. Add up team total at the end.
Exercises: merkins, squats, lt. dans

Timber’s team won the first two. Lots of fun mumble chatter about legitimacy of this.

Mosey around the backstop and sing “happy anniversary to the knoll” again.

Hand off Q to El Capitan.

Part 2: Fun and Games
Form back into original 2 teams.

Round 1: frisbee
Round 2: soccer
Round 3: Calvin ball … 2 adults and 2 kids from each team split off to do human wheelbarrow to the tree and back while the rest played soccer and frisbee (all at once)

Stopped Calvin ball early to bring in the six because “we leave no man behind”.

COT:
– count-o-roma and name-o-roma
– YHC read “The Rabbit Listened” and talked about how this kids book gives him a wonderful example of how to BE with those around him that are hurting or upset.
– We poured drinks and YCH toasted (with a shot of olive oil).

“May we all continue to learn to live from our hearts.
May we all continue to get physically fit.
May we all continue to choose fellowship over isolation.
May we all continue to give this away and invite others into this space.
Blessing to all of you present, and all of those that will join us in the next year!”
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Lunch Lady and YHC informal fasting club, reach out to one of us if you’re interested. It’s for those that want to explore fasting (from physical health or spiritual perspective) or those that are already fasting and could use encouragement/mutual edification.
– may-you-pull-up challenge starting next Monday. Goal is to see how much you can improve your pull up max over 4 weeks. Most improved gets a beer or coffee on Hair Band.
– pain-train official launch next week! Bring your coupons (cinder blocks so they can get branded).
– Ex-Pat is leading a book study on Falling Upward by Richard Rohr starting May 14th. This is especially for men in their late 30s or 40s and feeling a shift in their outlook on life; open to all though. Reach out to him directly if interested.
– Check slack for others …

MOLESKINE:
– Great to see new and old friends today!
– Backstory on the Rabbit Listened: we got this book via Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (free books for kids though age 5). When I first read it I was deeply moved. My typical reaction to something going wrong around me is to find blame (who did it?) and then to fix it. This reaction has done a lot of harm to my relationships, especially with my M (wife) and 2.0s (kids). The Rabbit listened gave such a clear picture of how I could BE with those around me that are hurting or upset.
– I choke up and tear up each time I read it. I want to be the rabbit and I also am grateful for all those in my life that have chosen to BE with me in the beautiful mess of my broken humanity.
– About 6 months ago I traveled to California to spend with with my dad, step mom and my sister. They were all going through really hard times. When I prayed and considered how to BE on that trip, I realized that God was inviting me to sit and listen like the Rabbit. I took that book on my trip and it helped me recenter and practice this skill.
– Here’s the book being read: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjAWkog9n0&ab_channel=BuddySonStorytime

Continue to practice BEING with others my brothers,
-m*

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Grand Slam

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: El Capitan, Ex-Pat, morning stār, Pebbles, Siri, Sooie, Sparrow, The Merchant
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: Soggy yet pleasant

WARMUP:
Yes/no/maybes
Shoulder rolls
Good Mornings OYO
WMH OYO

30 breaths into 4 minute plank

THE THANG:
Mosey to the baseball field
1 PAX at bat, hit the ball little league coach style then sprinted to retrieve it. 3 burpees for every strike. The rest of the lineup performed the following depending on where they were at in the lineup:
– Active recovery
– Irkins/Derkins
– Spicollis
– Step ups
– Jump squats
– Mtn climbers
– WW1’s
– Archer Merkins
– Dips
– Plank rotations
– Dry docks

MOLESKINE:
Reflected on opportunities for improving my attitude in adverse situations. It’s not the circumstances that define us but how we react in those difficult circumstances.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– KNOLLIVERSARY 5/2 get ready for fun
– May pull-up challenge kicking off Monday

COT:
Prayers requested and offered. Sooie Brewie and fellowship enjoyed by all

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Slow down

AO: the-knoll
Q: Timber
PAX: Siri, FLO, morning stār, The Merchant, G-string, Ex-Pat, The Banker, Pebbles, Timber, Sooie, matthew hayes, Lunch Lady, Bumblebee (2.0), Fish Biscuit (2.0), Tonks (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 15
CONDITIONS:

WARMUP:

THE THANG:

MOLESKINE:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT:

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You Can Do Anything for 10 Minutes

AO: the-knoll
Q: SalPal
PAX: The Banker, Timber, Sparrow, matthew hayes, Sooie, Pebbles, morning stār, The Merchant, Ex-Pat, El Capitan, G-string, FLO, Rubics (sp?) and Birdman, very brave 2.0s
FNGs: None
COUNT: 15
CONDITIONS: Shoe-gonna-get wet

WARMUP: Non-existent

THE THANG:
“Life isn’t measured in moments, but in the moments that take our breath away. Now give me ten burpees.””
“”Black Lung”” “1. 10 minutes: 10 burpees, EMOM
2. 10 minutes: 2 minutes on, 30 seconds off plan
3. 10 minutes: interval sprints
4. 10 minutes to do ~50-75 yards of burpee broad jumps

MARY to close.

MOLESKINE: T-Claps to the 2.0s sprinting to give us the distance for our run, and to everyone for dragging their broken bodies through the 40 degree wet grass. Sooie brought some of that sweet sweet jet fuel to close.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next week, big things happening at both atlantis and the-knoll, bring men out that need the fitness, fellowship and faith.

COT: All intentions spoken and unspoken; practice gratitude today fellas. 5 thank yous and praises for every 1 sh*tty thing you say. Show the world and your community you chose joy.

Green Sally Out

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Vulnerability Line Dance

AO: the-knoll
Q: Ex-Pat
PAX: Pebbles, Siri, Lunch Lady, morning star, Timber, Sparrow, Ex-Pat, Wolfpack, Sooie, G-string, Link (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: wonderful, cool and breezy

WARMUP: Downward Dog to Plank to Upward Dog on Command, BACS, Back-BACS in Cadence, Willie Mays Hays on own, Motivators starting with 5

THE THANG:
There is a line of cones in the grass, each cone has 2 people. 5 minute exercise where one partner does the exercise and the other answers a question and has a conversation. 2.5 minutes for each and switch. After the 5 minutes you rotate to the next cone on your right to have a new parter. Q calls out the exercise and question for each round

Exercise 1 – Plankril – 2min 42 seconds or Side Plank to Plank to Other Side Plank 10 seconds each.
Question 1 – what are you most grateful for in your life? Why?

Exercise 2 – Lunge & Squat – lunge left, lunge right, 5 second slow squat and repeat
Question 2 – what is something you are afraid of? Why?

Exercise 3 – Shoulder press & London Bridges – shoulder press x 20 then London Bridge x 10 and repeat
Question 3 – what do you value most in a friendship and why?

Exercise 4 – Butt Kicks x20 then High Knees x20 then Mountain Climbers x20 and repeat
Question 4 – what is something you would change about how you were raised? How did affect you as a kid and how does it affect you now?

Exercise 5 – Merkins – Either do merkins the entire 2.5 minutes, do side plank to merkin to other side plank repeat, or do 10 merkins then 5 burpees and repeat
Question 5 – what is something you need to or can do to deepen a friendship or your involvement in community?

Mary – 1 minute choose you own adventure – choose your own Mary

MOLESKINE:
I’ve been thinking about wealth lately. We tend to only think of monetary wealth. But what happens if that doesn’t exist? What if money was useless? What is going to be the most important resource? It is social wealth. Our species survived because it could think and the first thing we thought to do is to group together and work together. We need to get back to that and think about our social wealth and how we build that. And we need to think about how busy we are and does that add or subtract to our social wealth. We never do nothing – and we need to do more of nothing, and do nothing with others – so the challenge is to grab someone and go do nothing with them – go take a walk, sit and watch a sunset, etc.

Prayed a Scottish Celtic Blessing and took prayer requests

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Pain Train on Fridays
New locations are starting

COT: morning star brought the cold ginger tea and it was amazing! Thank you all again for honoring me by allowing me to lead you. Thank you for your vulnerability and having conversations that blessed me.

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Running Through the Wet Grass

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: Ex-Pat, G-string, Malibu, Pebbles, The Merchant, Sooie, Lunch Lady, Josh Stevenson (Sparrow)
FNGs: 1 Josh Stevenson (Sparrow)
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: Perfect temperature. A bit damp.

WARMUP:
Motivators from 5
Imperial Walkers
“Keep em Up!”:
Shoulder taps
Side shoulder taps
Front shoulder taps
Scissor chops
Horizontal scissors
BAC
BBAC
Don Quixotes
OYO stretch/shakeout

Might as well knock out today’s 2 minute plank

THE THANG:
5 cones between the road and the tree line across the knoll. Began at the road. Exercise and MOT to each cone was different.
Sprint to cone 1: 20 burpees
Crab crawl to cone 2: 20 Lt. Dans
Crawl crab to cone 3: 10 breakdancer merkins
Mosey to cone 4: 30 Spicolli’s
Bear crawl to cone 5: 10 plank rotations
Mosey to tree line: 2 minute active recovery.

COMPETE FOR CONES:
first PAX to pick up the cone got a point. Sprint to cone 1 then tree line, cone 2 then tree line, cone 3 then tree line…you get the idea.

Mosey to the playground. Split into 2 groups. Group 1 dead hangs. Group 2 lunges to the road and mosey’s back. Swap.

Close out with some recovery breath work. Pebbles contributed to the air quality during this phase. :dash:

MOLESKINE:
Proverbs 24:5-6
A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

These verses have meant a lot to me and have grown more as I have spent more time in F3. Thank you men for the encouragement, support, and camaraderie!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Plankril continues
G-string will be conductor at pain-train tomorrow. Be sure to punch your ticket!
The knolliversary is coming up 5/2. More on that later

COT:
The Merchant was the 6 and shared what F3 meant to him.
Prayers requested and lifted.

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Your story matters

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning star
PAX: Wolfpack, Siri, The Merchant, Ex-Pat, El Capitan, morning star, Malibu, Pebbles, Bumble bee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: delightful and the rain held off

5:30am – welcome and disclaimer

WARMUP:
YHC loves motivators so much that I asked a PAX to lead a round since I couldn’t die to my Achilles recovery. El Capitan stepped up.

Motivators followed by lazy imperial walkers, little baby arm circles, and something else I can’t remember.

THE THANG:
Part 1
30 rounds of 10 seconds of work / 20 seconds of active recovery:
1. hinge from knees / neck mobility
2. hard style plank + super slow push up / rocking
3. super slow Freddy mercuries / egg rolls

YHC demoed the excerccises and then had to pre-evac Bumble bee home.

Part 2:
Wolfpack stepped in and led the pax in:
Alternating between Low Slow Squat and Low Slow Merkin.

– 20 reps, 10 second rest of both
– 15 reps, 15 second rest of both
– 10 reps, 20 second rest of both
– 5 reps with 5 second hold, 25 second rest of both

Part 3:
YHC returned and led PAX through originally planned thang 1. Swapped recovery and work time for last round (20 seconds work / 10 seconds active recovery)

Mary:
– Max plank for those doing plankpril.
– Flow core work along with low slow squats and slow merkins, ground movement (cat crawl, baby crawl), lots of rocking

MOLESKINE:
– I find that when I do “inner work” it cones in rounds … work that is slow and methodical, then a rest, then another round of work that may vary in intensity, then rest. If I don’t take time to actively recover I sputter and burn out. This applies to all areas of life.
– I like being able to play with the creativity of these workouts to reinforced things I’m learning and practicing in my day to day. Appreciate the PAX for engaging in these mini experiment and / learning labs.
– I’ll be coming back to this topic of our stories when I Q at pain-train in a couple weeks.
– Thank you to Wolfpack and the PAX for continuing the BD while I had to leave. Am continuously encouraged by how powerful shared leadership is. Let’s keep practicing it and demonstrating it in our day to day outside the gloom.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– plankpril continues, get out in public and take some photos
– Good meat and fellowship at Chunks place, check 2ndf for details
– Drop into pain-train this Friday, Wolfpack is leading growth phase ramp up to official launch on 5/10
– Keep inviting men you know, grab a business card if it helps to leave them with something tangible

COT:
YHC reflected on the peaks and valleys of his life, shared some. Encouraged the PAX to reflect on their story and find ways to celebrate and honor it, even the touch painful scenes.

Here are some things to consider:
– What are the most beautiful moments of my life?
– What are the most broken moments of my life?
– What are the highs and what are the lows?
– Who are the people that have had the impact impact on who I am today (even those that hurt or abused me)?

Here is the why behind this (quote from the Intentional Father by Jon Tyson):

“The goal here is to begin to get a sense of your own story, have awareness of the moments that have defined you,and remember the people who have shaped you. “”It’s important to come to terms with your own story. “”[Victor] Frankl said there’s something powerful about stepping back, gaining an objective distance from your own story, and observing the things that have made you who you are.”
YHC used to avoid his story, even despise it. It’s only recently that he’s come to explore it and honor it. That work (and it’s hard work) has led to much acceleration.

We ended with a ball of man with “honor” on 3.

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It takes movement … so, move!

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning star
PAX: Sooie, Wolfpack, Siri, morning star, Right Said, El Capitan, Merchant, Malibu, Ex-Pat, Pebbles, Big Red (2.0), Bumble Bee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
CONDITIONS: low 40s and not too bad

5:30 – welcome to the knoll, where 2.”a are always welcome. Took a moment to appreciate the birds.

Mosey to the flood monument bench

WARMUP:
Circle up for Lazy imperial walkers, all arm movements balanced on one leg (alternate to other leg when you lose balance): LBCs, reverse LBCs, put your glasses on, take your glasses off, jimmy goes to Egypt, slow merkins, low slow squats

THE THANG:
30 rounds of 5 seconds of work, 25 seconds of active recovery, alternating between merkins and jump squats (or modification).
– roll after merkins, before getting up
– lots of variations of active recovery and silly interactions after squats

Mosey to the playground, find a bar and do a max habg, mosey back and plank to wait for six.

YHC remembered the disclaimer…

Repeat 30 rounds.

Mary:
– Alternate crab walk and cat/baby crawl back to playground.
– Baby rocking to wrap up

MOLESKINE: I’m a leadership and personal development geek. I love thinking about it and practicing it. I enjoyed sharing some thoughts on it today. Remember that to bless simply means to find good and call it out. Don’t forget to bless yourself as you practice blessing. It’s a skill. I also enjoyed all the laughter and horse play during our active recovery. Joy is also worth practicing.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– plankril today is 1min 16 seconds
– 5 mile Saturday run to support Richland creek, meets at Richland park, see Right Said for details

COT:
– Counts, names and announcements
– The founders of F3 thought they men functioned best when they were aware of and connected to something bigger than themselves
– Took a moment of silent reflection to connect with personal SkyQ … consider someone you’re close to, picture their face, what might be one thing you could do to deepen your connection? Commit to doing that today
– YHC blessed the PAX to go forth and practice bless today
– Poured ginger tea as YHC shared on leadership (see below)

Here is a framework for personal acceleration:
– draw a y and x axis … the y axis represents your motivation: who are you serving? Bottom is you, top is others … the x axis represents type of action. The left is responding (following or participating) the right is initiating (leading)
– bottom left quadrant is participating to serve yourself
– top left is participating to serve others
– Top right is leading to serve others
– bottom right is leading to serve yourself
– growth is recognizing what quadrant you tend to be comfortable in and then considering moving to another quadrant to practice something you may not be as comfortable in
– The key to maturity is to keep moving through the quadrants to be well practiced in all, there’s no “bad” expression here

Wolfpack encouraged the PAX to make their comfort spot with an x.

YHC encouraged the PAX to consider a growth edge: challenge yourself to do something you don’t normally do. That may be initiating or participating. That maybe to shift your focus to yourself or to others. Honor to each man in his unique journey. We all bring a contribution that is valuable.

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Games with Dad – Bring your kids to workout, part 2

AO: the-knoll
Q: Wolfpack , Sooie, Ex-Pat, Pebbles
PAX: Aflac, El Capitan, Siri, Sooie, Ex-Pat, Wolfpack, morning star, Merchant, Firefox, Bumble bee (2.0), Awesome Axolotl (2.0), Link (2.0), Birdman (2.0), White Pony (2.0), Rubiks (2.0)
FNGs: 2 White Pony (2.0), Rubiks (2.0)
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS: warm, overcast and delightful

WARMUP: (Wolfpack and Link)
I Spy With My Little Eye – Various stretches while Link called out different parts of the playground he spies (Top of a slide, a pole, a ladder). PAX has to run and touch that spot on the playground.

THE THANG:
Part 1 – baseball practice (Pebbles)
Pax team up with a 2.0 for infield practice. 1 Pax does exercise while the other runs the bases. Switch between exercise and running for 2:30.
– First Base – Lunges
– Second Base – Carolina Dry Docks
– Short Stop – Burpees
– Third Base – Merkins
– Catcher – Squats

Part 2 (Ex-pat and Birdman)
2 min each circuit, 30 sec rest/explain and mosie to other area
1. London bridge – dad goes into bridge and kid army crawls under then dad comes down or not and kid continues to make circles
2. Leap Frog to next exercise
3. Slow hold tandem crunch – face each other feet together and hold hands, one moves to a low hold for 10 seconds and then switch. Keep going for all time
4. High skip to next exercise
5. Hold squat jumping jacks – dad holds a squat and kid does 15 jumping jacks and then switch
6. Bear crawl to next exercise
7. Stacked push ups – dad on ground, kids hands on back, dad does merkin then kid does one – go till fatigue
8. Ladder – take turns following each other through the ladder making up steps as you go

Mary (Sooie) – PAX choice

MOLESKINE: this was round 2 and we’ll continue this each month. Was great to see 2 new 2.0s!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– pre-hab continues at 5:15 before the workout
– Plankril is on!

COT: (Pebbles)
We have many roles as fathers. One of the most important is to teach our kids what’s right and wrong. However our delivery (tone, body language, etc) is just as important as our message. Sometimes we need to be firm and enforce consiwuiendes and other times our kids need complete mercy. May we consider this and have discernment.

Requests shared and prayers said.