…Held [indoors], rain or shine

AO: pain-train
Q: Siri
PAX: Pebbles, Stubs, Pitmaster, Cheeks, Wolfpack
FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
CONDITIONS:

Dark and damp. Perfect for coffeeteria.

WARMUP:

Side straddle hops, shoulders, mosey to grab a couple coupons and then rendezvous at a pavilion.

THE THANG:

Grab the extra large cinder block and two regular cinder blocks.
One person do short bursts with the 54# cinder block while everyone else does various maintenance exercises.

Short bursts:
5 floor-to-ceiling raises
5 bent over rows (increased to 15 halfway through)
10 goblet squats
Farmers carry two smaller cinder blocks, about 10-15 yards

Maintenance exercises:
Merkins
Monkey humpers
J-los
Burpees
Big boy sit-ups
And whatever else I felt like

Go until everyone has completed 3 rounds with the big coupon.

MOLESKINE:

Rain is not an excuse to miss the pain train.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

– LeanPax starting January 1. Head to the LeanPax channel to refresh on the rules, grab an accountability buddy, and sign up on the spreadsheet.
– NYE Convergence at Titan led by Grape.
– F3 Franklin 10-year anniversary coming in hot. I don’t remember the details…

COT:

Personal details shared, prayer lifted up, Go Team.

12 Days of Christmas

AO: the-knoll
Q: AAA
PAX: Pebbles, Timber, The Banker, morning stār, Stubs, Sparrow, G-string, Bumblebee, Smoltz, Moochi
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: a little chilly

WARMUP: -5 motivators
-Baby arm circles 8 forward 7 back
-imperial walkers
-slow squats
-slow push ups
-mosey down to bottom of hill
-5 squats : backwards up hill and jog back
-5 lunges: shuffle sideways up and down hill
-5 squats: run up hill

THE THANG: 12 days of Christmas theme workout. Each day of Christmas you do that number of reps of an exercise.
Day 1- 1 inch worm
day 2- 2 burpees
Day 3 – 3 LT Dans
Day 4- 4 side lunges (2 is 1)
Day 5- 5 hand release mercans
Day 6- 6 squat jumps
Day 7 – 7 Carolina dry docks
Day 8 – 8 mountain climbers (2 is 1)
Day 9 – 9 dips
Day 10- 10 leg lifts
Day 11- 11 dercans
Day 12- 12 step ups (2 is 1)

Once we completed the 12 days of Christmas, we did a pull up ladder with partner starting at 6 reps and working down.

We finished by one partner holding a plank while the other partner ran down to street and back. We alternated for 5 minutes. Finished the last couple of minutes with stretching.

MOLESKINE: Holiday Season can be stressful and a tough time for some, especially those who have lost loved ones or feel stress of travel, gifts, etc. Challenge this year is to first remember what you are celebrating, and then remember to till all those close to you that you love them and appreciate them.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: lean PAX starts in January, workout on the 26th is the gift exchange so bring any item or (leftover gift you don’t want) to do a gift exchange.

COT:

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

Short Card, Knoll Ed.

AO: the-knoll
Q: Malibu
PAX: Pebbles, AAA, Waffle, Timber, Stubs, Sparrow, Sooie, morning stār, Malibu, Bumblebee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: 27*, frosty, and motivated.

WARMUP: Mosey to stop sign, BAC+BBAC, slow squats, imperial walkers, something else I can’t remember rn, and stretching on own.

THE THANG: modified version of a workout from an earlier life: the Marine Corps Recon Short Card. The Knoll’s edition of this is: tabata (120s work, 60s rest) of each:
Squats
Mericans
Burpees
Crunches (dealers choice of WWI, WWII, baby crunches, or other)
Mountain climbers
Flutter kicks
Burpees again
Daisy pickers
Back extensions
American Hammers

MOLESKINE: sometimes life stretches you and diminishes your ability to create new things. A lesson from Marine Corps days in these situations: sometimes the value of habits isn’t in something new but in going through something that works. Grateful for this community to do the work in the dark, cold, and yet wonderful mornings together.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: lean pax coming up in January.

COT: Closing prayers for family and brothers, in the words of a great friend (Peace at Last, JH Newman).

Coffeeteria ftw, thanks to Pebbles for bringing the brew!

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:

Joy center

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning stār
PAX: Parka-Eh, Timber, Pebbles, morning stār, Bumble bee (2.0), Pele (2.0), Smoltz (2.0), Mona Lisa (2.0)
FNGs: 1 Mona Lisa (2.0)
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: chilly

WARMUP: SSH, arm circles, mosey.

THE THANG:
5 burpees and run up hill. Pair up at top of hill.

Each pair completes a hill run and then walk backwards together while practicing appreciation using GAMES:
– gratitude for something in the present
– anticipation for something in the future
– memory from past that brings you joy
– experience: somethong you can do to bring a smile to someone’s face
– singing (Timber Lee us in Lean on me)

COT:
– the joy center of our brain is the only part of our brain that can keep growing our whole life
– Cold plunge face off … props to all the PAX that embraced the suck. Parka-Eh reigns as this years champ!

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

AOQ Grow School

AO: -f3-nashville-general
Q: Hair Band
PAX: Toothless, Right Said, Young and Restless, Natural Ice – CBO, Firefox, Pebbles, t-cell, hambone, SalPal, Tim the Toolman, Hair Band, F3 Omaha: @Lot Lizard, @g-string
FNGs: None
COUNT: 13
CONDITIONS: nippy

WARMUP:
Hair Band was late so Toothless and the boys took us through a warm up

THE THANG:
Once HB finally showed, we moseyed to the hill by the flag and had a relay race.

2 teams
Both teams do burpees
1st person does a 10 burpee buy in then runs up the hill, touches the flag, and them back down tagging the next person
The next person does not have to do the buy since they have been doing burpees the whole time
First team to complete gets to choose next exercise
Rinse repeat
Winning team gets first dibs at breakfast/coffee

During the beatdown HIMs were encouraged to discuss:
1 What “hooked” you into joining F3?
2 What leadership did you witness?

Final Tally
Team 1: IIII
Team 2: II

Breakfast is served

We were joined by Black Lung, Jason Callen (Deep Dish), & one other who i’m forgetting

t-cell shared some wisdom and thoughts surrounding the starting of F3 Nashville. He read some emails sent to him from F3 Charlotte when F3 Nash was first getting kicked off.

We split into two groups and had discussion time prompted by a list of questions the SLT put together. Groups were encouraged to pick the questions that stuck out, not necessarily go through all. :party_parrot: I encourage each of you to read these questions and answer one that sticks out to you below, let’s keep the discussion going!

List of questions:

1 Who is your favorite AOQ? And why? 
2 What makes you afraid of being an AOQ/stepping into leadership? What are your insecurities as an AOQ? 
3 What should the trajectory of an AOQ look like?
4 What makes a quality transition? How can new AOQs be lead best? 
5 What’s the one thing you do that makes your AO successful? 
6 What does success look like as an AOQ? 
7 1⭐️-10⭐️ AOQ experiences? What would perfection look like?
8 What are their experiences as AOQs? 
9 What is a good FNG intake process? 
10 How do we reconnect with Kotters? 
11 How can the AOQ be the Chief Energy Officer?
12 Best practices to achieve? 
13 What makes a good AOQ? 
14 What makes a bad AOQ? 
15 Where are AOQs not performing their duties? 
16 What should the trajectory of an AOQ look like?
17 What makes a quality transition? How can new AOQs be lead best?

Takeaways:
– “It’s about the led, not the leader”
– Growth trajectory of AOQ:
1. Aware of breadth of influence:
1. Tone
2. Energy
3. Expectations
4. Connection
5. Give “permission” to others
1. Grow in confidence and skill
2. Set other men on fire to lead and grow

– As soon as you start feeling comfortable in the role, start looking for and investing in your replacement – basically lead before you’re ready and leave before you’re ready. You’re stewarding the time in the role well as a servant leader, not holding onto it forever.
– Personal connection is magic of F3
– Main fear to starting as an AOQ is “will anyone show up?”
– Best AOQs have a “presence,” I.e. they are felt when there and immediately missed when gone, they set the tone
– Many AOQs may stop at the logistics level, but it’s important to be intentional in thinking of the impact beyond logistics
– Big focus should be on growing leaders for sake of not just F3, but for how that shapes them as they go back to their families & workplace

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Cruel Hall Butterball Crawl! See main channel for details

COT:
• family & friends going into surgery, HIMs with new borns and babies on the way

Thanks so very much to everyone that attended, I would love to do this again. Special shout out to Toothless, Right Said, Natural Ice – CBO, & Chunks for their invaluable help in planning and putting this together. Additional thanks to t-cell for spending time with us and sharing.

It was a pleasure to Q this, I had an absolute ball.

Rock on,

Hair Band

FREEDOM!

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string
PAX: Pebbles, Timber, Waffle, AAA, Stubs, Sooie, morning stār, Ike(William Herbert), Bumblebee, The Judge, Rubix
FNGs: None
COUNT: 14
CONDITIONS: Warmer than Tuesday and wet

WARMUP:
13 of each for the colonies
– SSH
– Don Quixote
– Hill-billy
– BACs
– Merkins
– Indigenous people’s run to the stop sign and back

THE THANG:
– 56 Pull-ups for the 56 signatures on the Declaration of Independence
– 65 No Surrenders for the 65 countries who have won independence from Great Britain
– 76 Merkins for 1776 signing of the Declaration and the 76th birthday of the British Monarch, King Charles
– 87 Squats for 1787 ratification of the Constitution
Each of the PAX was encouraged to modify up or down according to their ability. There were Sandbags and Coupons available.

One of the cultural phenomenon lost as the British Empire spread was stone lifting in Ireland and Scotland. There were heavy stones of cultural significance that the people lifted as rights of passage, job interviews, funeral games, etc.
I brought a large stone from home that anyone who wanted to could attempt to lift. T-Claps to Timber and Waffle for lifting the stone, to Pebbles and morning stār for working together, Sooie for getting an ghaoth faoi (the wind under it), and to the 2.0s for their heart to try!!

MARY:
– American Hammers
– WW1s
– WW2s
– Panamas

MOLESKINE:
There were blocks and sandbags to allow PAX to modify up as well as options to modify down. Know yourself and what you need. Push yourself when you can, and pull-back when you need to.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– No Noise November
– Bingro

COT:
– Prayers were offered up.