We did this not because it is easy, but because we thought it would be easy.

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: Half Lyfe, Pebbles, Sooie
FNGs: None
COUNT: 3
CONDITIONS: :cold_face: brrrr-ning up :cold_face:

WARMUP:
Good Morning OYO
Head circles
BAC
BBAC
Front Shoulder taps
Air presses
Motivators

THE THANG:
Circle up hold a low plank.
When first PAX collapses, all run to the tree line and back (~0.24 mile). PAX who gave up first does exercises. Remaining PAX resume plank competition. Repeat. Since there were only three of us, we did 3 full rounds. Pebbles was the overall victor with Half Lyfe in a close second.

After the plankapalooza we each did 30 DIDs.
Finished with Mary.

MOLESKINE:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Leanpax
Pebbles has a cool F3 book he’s willing to lend after he finishes it.

COT:
Prayers spoken and offered. Great coffeeteria provided by Pebbles

Iron & Fire

AO: pain-train
Q: Sooie
PAX: Wolfpack, Half Lyfe, Siri, G-string, Cheeks, Sooie, Stubs, Pitmaster
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS:
Balmy 33 degrees.
Fire playlist courtesy of Wolfpack
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/51444TzeSN59drKik8lhkx?si=N_-BxdfGSyS3YU8lFSrdrA&pi=u-tGeq90oXQ7mj

WARMUP:
Loosen up OYO.
Circle up on our six and fire up the bellows: 30 breaths Wim Hoff style to the rhythm of “We Will Rock You”.
Hammer the Anvil: on the last breath transition to high plank. Exhale. AMRAP merkins on a single breath. TClaps to G-string for getting the most reps…probably like 100 or something.
Plank head, shoulders, knees, and toes 5x OYO
Plank jacks 5x in cadence

Mosey to get cinder blocks.

THE THANG:
BATTLE STATIONS!
– 15lb dumbbell farmer carry around the perimeter of the playground holding the dumbbell by the weight rather than the handle. After 1 lap, PAX rotate to next station.
– IYT MERKIN: plyo merkin with hands and feet leave my the ground. Arms make an “I”, then arms make a “Y”, then arms make a “T”
– SUPER IYT: superman position arms in “I” position gripping 5lb dumbbells. Move arms to “Y”, move arms to “T”, back to “Y”, back to “I”
– BLOCK THRUSTERS
– BLOCK TWISTS/HAMMERS
– BLOCK SWINGS
– BLOCK CURLS
– BLOCK CURL TO SHOULDER PRESS TO EXTENSION

All PAX completed each station. Mosey around the perimeter then repeat. Timer exercise for second round was 12lb dumbbell punches 20x.

MOLESKINE:
New years intentions have a better chance of success in the presence of community.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Leanpax
Hearing regarding ADA compliant equipment to Harpeth Knoll parks Thursday, January 9th. Thanks Stubs for putting this on our radar!

COT:
Prayers and requests lifted. Enjoyed the delicious :wolf: :coffee: for coffeeteria

Memory Game Part Deux!

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Pitmaster, Sparrow, morning stār, Sooie, Half Lyfe, Stubs, El Capitan, @Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: :cold_face:

TUNES: “Lost in the Dream” by War on Drugs

WARMUP:

Climb stretch routine (1.5x speed)
Joint work!
Overhead presses
Seal claps
Moroccan Night Clubs
Motivators to 7

THE THANG:

18 pairs of cards, each with a workout written on them.

PAX will circle around cards & take turns drawing.
If the cards drawn don’t match, all PAX will perform both card’s exercises 5x

If cards do match, no exercise is performed & the drawer can draw again.

Repeat until all cards are matched

Exercises:

happy crunchy frogs
Bulgarian split squats (2 is 1)
Mountain climbers (2 is 1)
Dips
SSH (4 count)
Cherry Pickers
Step Ups (2 is 1)
Flutter kicks (4 is 1)
Elevated Merkins
Burpees
Sky Thrusters
Broken Bicycle
Yerkins (clap merkins)
Lunges (2 is 1)
WW1 Snow Angel
hacky sacks (4 is 1)
Ukrainian hammers
Don Quixotes (4 count)

Welcome the New Year with 25 pull-ups! (Deduct the number of matched cards you found from your total).

MOLESKINE:

Shared how I really enjoyed the Q workout on Tuesday & was excited to create a Volume 2 for today. Sometimes the formula works when you’re Q’ing multiple times – take what works, tweak it a bit, and share it with the PAX!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

LeanPax starts soon!

TClaps to morning stār for writing up a letter to our local government leaders in favor of adding ADA-compliant playground equipment to the-knoll! Thanks also to Stubs for bringing it to our attention. :muscle:

COT:

Nameorama, Countorama, prayers of gratitude lifted up, and :el-capitan: :coffee: enjoyed.

Memory Game 2024

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Half Lyfe, Papa Bear, Stubs, AAA, El Capitan, @TheJudge (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
CONDITIONS: Low 40s & overcast

WARMUP:

– Pilates flow stretches
– Run to tree line & back (25%, 50%, 100%)

THE THANG:

18 pairs of cards, each with a workout written on them.

PAX will circle around cards & take turns drawing.

If the cards drawn don’t match, all PAX will perform both card’s exercises 5x

If cards do match, no exercise is performed & the drawer can draw again.

Repeat until all cards are matched

We ended with 4 minutes to spare so waved goodbye to 2024 with 24 pull-ups.

MOLESKINE:

As we begin the new year, who in your life could you reach out to that’s lonely or “broken”? The memory game caused me to remember those in my family that struggle with mental issues or are sick and spend a lot of time alone or only with a caregiver. If every person is an Image-bearer, then every person is worthy of respect & your compassion. Who can you spend more time with in the New Year that could use a friend?

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

LeanPax begins 01/01. Q schedule for the-knoll is open for January!

COT:

Countorama, Nameorama, and closed with a prayer of thanksgiving + supplication for the sick.

Thank you Half Lyfe for bringing the coffee!

Grateful for y’all.

:el-capitan:

Friday the 13th

AO: pain-train
Q: G-string
PAX: Timber, Wolfpack, FLO, Half Lyfe, Cheeks, Pebbles
FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
CONDITIONS:
Crisp and still

WARMUP:
– SSH
– BACs
– Back-BACs
– Slow squats
– Slow merkins
– Willie-Mays-Hayes

THE THANG:
Mosey to grab some coupons
Partner up for a little Dora
THANG 1:
– 150 Floor to ceilings
– 200 One-Arm coupon merkins
– 250 Coupon goblet squats
other partner is running a lap around the playground
THANG 2:
– 50 Pull-ups
– 100 Lunges
other partner is doing bear crawls around the small jungle gym

King and Country Drummer Boy challenge

MOLESKINE:
Happy Friday the 13th! In my family, Friday the 13th is a holiday. My Great-great-grandfather Wynn (who my son is named after) instituted this holiday in the 1930s, and the tradition is that every Friday the 13th he would take off work and pull his daughter, my Grani, out of school and take her to see a movie and get ice cream. It was one way he showed her that their relationship was more important than work or school. She passed away this September at 96 years old and still said her dad was the best man she had ever known.

This tradition has been passed down every generation since, and I will continue it with my children. I share all of this because traditions are important only inasmuch as they connect us through time. Love, family, and community are all remembered and celebrated through carrying on these traditions. As the holidays approach and are celebrated, take a moment to appreciate not only your family’s traditions but why you do them and where they come from. Then communicate all of that to your children. Then maybe one day in 90+ years, your great-great grandchildren will still know your name and treasure what was important to you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Franklin 10th anniversary on January 4th.

COT:
– Prayers were offered up.

Thanks for letting me lead you fine gentlemen! G-String out

Simplify

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: morning stār, Sparrow, Stubs, El Capitan, FLO, Half Lyfe, Papa Bear, Pebbles, Pitmaster, Sooie, @Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: damp & foggy; mid-50s

WARMUP:

10 minutes of Pilates Warrior Flow with speed cardio mixed in (mountain climbers, scissor kicks)

THE THANG:

Part 1: Held a 90-30-Run around the Flood Table

Workouts included:
1. Elevated merkins
2. dips
3. Step-ups
4. Elevated shoulder taps
5. Elevated crunches

Work for 90 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, run to backstop & back as a group.

Discussed the F3 Mission Statement, Credo, and what F3 means to us as men during the rest breaks.

Part 2: Light Battle

Split into two teams / three light-up cones per side

Object of game is to change color of all three lights of other team first by hitting the (hard-to-push) buttons.

If you are tagged (two hand touch) by a defender, you must return to your side’s end zone & perform 5 Lt. Dan’s before returning to game.

MOLESKINE:

December is an extremely busy month. I’m grateful for the opportunity to simplify with a straight-forward workout & focus on stretching (something I haven’t had time to do in weeks!). I encouraged the Pax to remember the Advent season with the word “Immanuel” (God with us). The birth of Jesus & His Presence with us through the Holy Spirit is a great comfort in the chaos.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

LeanPax starts in January. Enjoy those treats while you can. 😀

COT: Countorama, Nameorama, and ended with Mountain Mojo + Mochas.

I’m grateful for y’all! :el-capitan:

Freed to Lead

AO: the-knoll
Q: Pebbles , The Banker, AAA
PAX: morning stār, Timber, Half Lyfe, Wolfpack, Stubs, Bumble Bee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: Cold and windy

WARMUP:
Half mile run with various dynamic movements (not stretching)

THE THANG:
Randomly selected 3 PAX to lead 10min of the workout. Surprise!

Banker – monkey humpers, partner carry, wall sit
AAA – AMRAP merkins, squat jumps, pull ups, big boys
Bumble bee – game of infection

MOLESKINE:
T-Claps to The Banker, AAA, and Bumble for stepping up to lead with no notice. It’s tough to lead with no prep, but as men we need to be ready to step in and step up.

I was up all night with a sick two year old and was not in good mental shape to lead the workout.

Shared that I was grateful for the time I spent comforting my 2.0. Time goes by fast and she won’t need me for long.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT: Prayers

The freedom of forgiveness

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning stār
PAX: Timber, AAA, Sparrow, Half Lyfe, El Capitan, Étouffée, Papa Bear, Pebbles, morning stār, Pitmaster, Bumble bee (2.0), Shmoltz (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
CONDITIONS: chilly and windy

WARMUP: moved all the joints and some SSH

THE THANG: each packed picked up a coupon or two; this was their burden for the pilgrimage ahead.

We spent most of the time in the gloom walking in essential silence reflecting on parts of our lives that were painful.

We paused for body builder burpees, bird dogs and dead bugs with some step ups thrown in there.

YHC then invited each PAX to practice forgiveness through a simple yet practical process.

MOLESKINE: it was a pleasure sharing this sacred space with you all.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– leanpax is coming
– cold plunge battle happening at the-knoll on thursday; bring a down. Your clothes wont’ get wet unless it rains.

COT: YHC shared how forgiving myself for the consequences of my choices around toothcare in childhood has liberated me from regret, fear and anxiety.

May we all grow in the courageous skill of forgiveness,
-m*

Keep it Simple

AO: the-knoll
Q: Wolfpack
PAX: Hair Band, El Capitan, Timber, Sooie, The Banker, FLO, Parka-Eh, Pitmaster, Pebbles, Papa Bear, Malibu, Half Lyfe, morning stār, Link, Bumblebee, Schmoltz, Goliath, Ace, Monkey, Dr.Kitty, Taz
FNGs: None
COUNT: 22
CONDITIONS: Little wet, but temp was right

WARMUP: Jog around the Knoll while the 2.0’s call out various movements to get those joints loose.

THE THANG:
Tabata: 30 seconds on 10 seconds rest. 4 exercises in a round. 4 rounds total:
– Merkins
– Mountain Climbers
– Squats
– High Knees

VCR
Split up into pairs. One PAX is the VHS and the other has the remote. If remote runs backwards, the VHS goes in slow motion. If remote runs forwards, the VHS goes fast. If the remote pauses, the VHS holds it’s current position in the exercise.

4 rounds of Squats
4 rounds of Merkins

5 minutes of Yoga then 10 minutes of Mary

MOLESKINE: Little bit of mumble chatter. Lots of 2.0’s today, which always makes it fun!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: morning stār on Q next week with so get ready for some cold cold ice plunges.

COT: In NoNoiseNovember I have reflected on some of the key writings I find important. I’ve found that these are broken out into three categories that really feed off of each other. So a reminder to PAX to make sure you have a FOUNDATION to build your ACTIONS off of so that you can push into the unknown and GROW. For me, I use the Tao Te Ching for my Foundation, The Four Agreements for Action and Emerson’s Self Reliance for Growth. Find what works for you and take the time to read and reflect

Burnout

AO: pain-train
Q: Timber
PAX: G-string, Half Lyfe, Pitmaster, Siri, Stubs, Timber
FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
CONDITIONS: 50 degrees

WARMUP: SSH, slow burpees, runner’s lunge stretch (covered core principles, mission, credo)

THE THANG: Run 2.1 loop with a burnout exercise every 5 minutes. Exercises: inverted rows (AMRAP until you have to pause), squat jumps/iron mikes (AMRAP in 1 minute), merkins (AMRAP until you have to pause), lunges for ~100 yards, burpees (AMRAP for 30 sec) right into continuous broad jumps (for 30 seconds)

MOLESKINE: I enjoyed the fellowship on the run; burpees into broad jumps for 1 minute burns; Pitmaster executed a flawless lift of G-string’s gigantic stone (still in the back of his truck from Thursday’s the-knoll beatdown) before departure

ANNOUNCEMENTS: no-noise-november still ongoing

COT: Arnold Schwarzenegger one said that the most important rep in a workout was the last one. Push until you don’t think you can get another rep, and then get one more. May we continue pushing ourselves (sometimes modifying down, sometimes up) to keep getting better.

Thanks for the push this morning!
-Timber