KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid)

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string
PAX: Stubs, AAA, Pebbles, Timber, morning stār, El Capitan, Sooie, Ex-Pat, Siri, Papa Bear, Sparrow, Bumblebee, the Judge, Rubix
FNGs: None
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS: Cool and damp

WARMUP:
– SSH
– Seal Claps
– Overhead Press
– Mission and Credo while stretching
– High Plank with 5 merkins for each of the 5 core principles

THE THANG:
– Brief run to the far stop sign with stops
– 10 Burpees
– Politician two houses
– 10 Iron Mikes
– Karaoke two houses
– Wounded Bear Crawl
MAIN THANG: Partner up for a DORA
– 100 Pullups
– 200 Bulgarian Split Squats
– 30 yard Bear-crawl
– One partner crawls while the other does reps. Alternate bear-crawl and crawl-bear

Count the number of sets each pair took to complete the work (35 total). 7 PAX over the HC count (thought it was 8 because I didn’t count the 2.0 HC).
Set out to finish with 8 sets of:
– 35 merkins
– Hill Sprint

T-Claps to Timber, Pebbles, and AAA for completing six sets.

MOLESKINE:
I tried for a long while to come up with a super involved workout that would have taken as much time to explain as it would to do. But then I remembered to just keep it simple. Do lots of just a few exercises, and it’ll work. Sometimes I get so bogged down in the details that I forget simplicity. How often things go better if we do them the straightforward way.
Also, we often say to “modify as necessary,” with the thought of modifying down, but what about modifying up? How often do we challenge ourselves and really try hard? Today I wore a weight vest to challenge myself a bit more, and it was brutal! I felt like it was my first workout all over again. Seek out challenges when they are available.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
none

COT:
-Thankful for our veterans

Sandbag Special

AO: the-knoll
Q: Timber
PAX: AAA, G-string, Lady Liberty, Pebbles, Stubs, The Banker, Timber, Wolfpack, Link (2.0), Sandlot (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: 35 degrees, lots of moonlight

WARMUP: 4 minute mosey, BACs, back BACs, Seal Claps, Shoulder Press

THE THANG: as many rounds as possible
-Thang 1 (12 minutes): 7 pull-ups, 7 hang clean to squat and press (w/ 60lb sandbag), 15 merkins, 100 yard run
-Thang 2 (10 minutes): 15 squats, 15 curls (w/ 60lb sandbag), 15 WWIIs, 100 yard run
-Thang 3 (2 minutes): sprint 100 yards (w/ 60lb sandbag), rotate with partner

MOLESKINE: finished with 2 minutes of stretching, Pebbles with a great post workout brew, happy birthday to Stubs twins (9 yrs old on Saturday), thanks to Pebbles G-string The Banker for bringing sandbags, Wolfpack caught everyone up on his crazy week stuck in the hurricane, good push by all this morning

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Chiliteria this Sunday!

COT: I have a lot of gratitude for the encouragement from my F3 brothers, and for working hard which motivates me to push harder. Special thanks to Pebbles who joined up on a tussle team with me and G-string, and expressed gratitude for his willingness to take over as AOQ on Thursdays at the-knoll!

Thanks for the push in the gloom!
-Timber

4 Minutes Ain’t Nothin’

AO: the-knoll
Q: Timber
PAX: El Capitan, Ex-Pat, Sooie, G-string, Sparrow, Pebbles, Papa Bear, Wolfpack, Stubs, Timber, Smoltz (2.0), Rubiks (2.0), Link (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 13
CONDITIONS: Chilly (43 degrees), damp, dark

WARMUP: SSH, Slow Merkins, Slow Squats, Don Quixotes, High Knees (talked about F3 mission, 5 core principles, credo between exercises)

THE THANG: AMRAP; 6 exercises, 4 minutes each, 1 minute rest in between
Exercises:
1. Burpees,
2. LT Dans (10, 15 yard murder bunny w/coupon, 9, murder bunny, etc.)
3. Perfect Merkins
4. Squats (level up option w/coupon)
5. Floor to Ceiling (coupon)
6. WWIIs
*option to jog 50 yrds and back for a break at any point during the 4 minutes

MOLESKINE: Hoping for dry grass, we got wet grass. No worries, the men of the knoll executed instructions with minimal mumble chatter. Everyone layered up nicely, and quickly began to shed layers. El Capitan provided some warm coffee afterwards to warm up the bones. Good push by all.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Chiliteria this Sunday @ Shelby Park from 12:30p-2:30p. Sign up docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17_9407aYu87ZAMPuzUaCmJ3WaD7bwOyDyOxLUXz_BP8/edit?gid=0#gid=0!

COT: My youngest’s 4th birthday is today (where is time going??) which has caused me to reflect on slowing down time and reflecting on each day I have. God has gifted us so much, including each day. Whenever I’ve given a gift to someone, I’ve wanted them to cherish it and use it. May we do the same with God’s gifts – show gratitude for our lives, pour into those around us, and not take our gifts and challenges for granted.

Thanks for putting in the work with me this morning, men!
-Timber

Games in the Dark

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: AAA, El Capitan, Ex-Pat, morning stār, Pebbles, Sooie, Stubs, Wolfpack, Bumblebee (2.0), Tonks (2.0), Fish Biscuit (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Perfect

WARMUP:
Head and shoulders OYO
BAC
BBAC
Imperial Walkers
Cherry Pickers
Don Quixote’s
WMH OYO
Slow squats
Slow Merkins
20 yard mosey

THE THANG:
2 team relay
2 cones 20 yards apart
Each team sends a runner down to perform exercise, runner sprints back. After everyone on the team ran, we progressed to the next exercise. First team to finish wins. Exercises were:
5 burpees
10 jump squats
15 WWII’s

GAMES!!!
Bear Crawl Tag to determine who would hold the torch first in Torch Tag.
Torch Tag
1 pax with a flashlight, all other Pax try to tag them. Pax had to do SSH while the flashlight was shining on them. Bumblebee held the torch longest.
Infection
Toilet Tag

Ring of Fire to 5

MOLESKINE:
Didn’t have much of a moleskine planned other than having family fun during fall break.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Big announcement coming 10/10! Come to the-knoll to find out.
Chili Cookoff 10/20. 12:30-2:30 Shelby Park. Bring your M’s and 2.0’s. See Wolfpack for additional details.

COT:
Prayed for East Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida as well as PAX traveling over fall break.

Enjoyed the Mtn Mocha generously provided by El Capitan !

Elevens & the Deadly Dice

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Ex-Pat, AAA, morning stār, El Capitan, Malibu, Sooie, Lady Liberty, Pebbles, Timber, Stubs, Bumblebee (2.0), Schmoltz (2.0), TopGun (2.0), TheJudge (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 14
CONDITIONS: 60 degrees & foggy. Starlit overhead.
TUNES: Joyful eclectic playlist

WARMUP:
– Downdog + cobra
– 10x mountain climbers
– Bird Dogs (3x) each side, 3 sets
– Back stretches (the best)

THE THANG:
PART 1: ELEVENS
– Squat Jumps at top of road
– Butt-kickers down hill to road
– Plank Jacks on road curb
– High Knees back up hill.

Repeat until 11’s complete

PART 2: Deadly Dice

Circle up around flood table. One PAX rolls 12-sided die with regular die into bucket.

Regular die represents exercises:
– 1 (Burpees)
– 2 (Downward Dog Toe Taps 2=1)
– 3 (Dips)
– 4 (American Hammers 2=1)
– 5 (Hand-release merkins)
– 6 (Iron Mikes 2=1)

12-sided die represents the amount of reps.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

PART 3: Return of the Plank, Plank, Goose!
– Circle up in grass. One person is “it”. Goes around duck-duck-goose style. When he chooses a goose, he immediately does 10 SSH while the tagged runs around circle & tries to return to spot before tagger does.

Cool down mosey to coupon tree & back to playground.

MOLESKINE:
Encouraged the PAX to look outside themselves & seek opportunities to better serve their families & communities. It’s so easy to be primarily concerned with what matters to me – but true manliness is sacrificial, seeking the good of others for the glory of God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Happy birthday, @Schmoltz!! Enjoy those birthday breakfast bagels in bed. :joy:
Fat Bear Week is next week, per Sooie! :bear:

COT: Lifted up prayer requests & held a moment of silence. Enjoyed a delicious moment of fellowship & :boar::coffee::tm: post-workout.

Grateful for y’all!

:el-capitan:

MOT CIRCUIT

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Timber, Ex-Pat, The Banker, AAA, El Capitan, morning stār, Sooie, Stubs, Pitmaster, Pebbles, Papa Bear, The Merchant, Bumblebee (2.0), Schmoltz (2.0), Eagle (2.0), TheJudge (2.0), TopGun (2.0)
FNGs: 1 TopGun (2.0)
COUNT: 17
CONDITIONS: mid-60s & blustery

WARMUP:
– Stretches (down dog, cobra, sprinter stretch, BACs & BacBACs x10
– Motivators 5x, run to backstop & back to playground

THE THANG:
PART 1: MOT CIRCUIT
– count off into two teams

Round #1:
– team 1 BEAR CRAWLS around perimeter of playground
– team 2 SKY THRUSTS until team 1 returns, then SWITCH

Round #2:
– team 1 LIZARD CRAWLS around perimeter of playground
– Team 2 FREDDY MERCURY’S until team 1 returns, then SWITCH

Round #3:
– team 1 GORILLA HOPS around perimeter of playground
– Team 2 “REVERSE” BURPEE (WW2 to jump) until team 1 returns, then SWITCH

Round #4:
– team 1 CRAB WALK around perimeter of playground
– Team 2 IMPERIAL WALKERS until team 1 returns, then SWITCH

Part 2: MYSTERY MARY

Two sets of cardboard cards
One set has times (:45-2 min)
One set has CORE workouts
Lie cards face down in two groups, memory game style.
Pax circle up- 2.0s choose a time card + workout card.

Wash, rinse, repeat

Ended with a 1:45 round of Ring of Fire.

MOLESKINE:
“Love is a long road.” Our culture tends to view love as a feeling, something you fall into, experience passionately, etc. But real love is indeed a long road – one that is often defined much more by commitment & faithfulness than feeling. I encouraged the PAX to consider this viewpoint & look around their circle of influence to see who God has placed in their lives to serve for the long haul.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Check Slack for October updates coming soon!

COT: Lifted up G-string & his family at the passing of his great-grandmother, friends of the The Banker dealing with a cancer diagnose, and The Merchant’s purchase of his first home.

A prayer was lifted & coffee + chocolate milk enjoyed.

So grateful for y’all!
:el-capitan:

National Parks Road Trip Tabata!

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Sparrow, AAA, Papa Bear, Timber, Wolfpack, morning stār, The Merchant, Pebbles, Tea Party, G-string, Sooie, El Capitan, Bookworm, Fishbiscuit, Tonks, Bumblebee, Eevee
FNGs: 1 Eevee
COUNT: 17
CONDITIONS: Muggy mid-70s

WARMUP:

– Bacs + bacbacs 15x
– Downward dog + cobra + plank leg stretch
– Willie mays hays OYO
– Imperial Walkers 15x
– Motivators to 5

THE THANG:

National Parks Road Trip Tabata
(1:45 on, 30 sec. rest, rotate)

It’s good to backpack with a buddy- pair up to visit the Parks together.

1. (Joshua Tree) Hangs Monkey bars
2. (Acadia) Tandem leg-lift thrusters: lie on backs with linked arms, lift & kick sky with both feet
3. (Black Canyon) Dips
4. (Arches) Lieutenant Dans with 18lb. cases
5. (Denali) Coupon floor-to-ceiling (49lb. Case + 29 lb. case + boulders for 2.0’s)
6. (Sequoia) WW2s with axe throws
7. (Everglades) Swing presses
8. (Death Valley) Line touch moseys

Repeat circuit 2x

MOLESKINE:

The National Parks have been called America’s Best Idea. There are few natural places in the world more glorious than the Parks. Visiting one causes you to feel a sense of smallness, wonder, and gratitude for the opportunity to just be “here.”

Some of my favorite memories with my family growing up are at the Parks, especially as our family business began creating National Parks artwork + products.

I encourage each of y’all to go visit the Parks when the opportunity arises & make memories with those you love. Cherish this American heritage that has been preserved for you & your children to enjoy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Check Slack for the latest F3 news & updates.

COT:

Countorama & Nameorama (welcome @Eevee!)

Ended with the Lord’s Prayer & gave thanks to our Father in Heaven for our health & the fellowship of the PAX. It was a joy getting stronger together today.

Thank you Sooie for the Brewie!

:el-capitan:

Dora day

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string
PAX: The Banker, Timber, Sooie, morning stār, Pebbles, Bumblebee, Tonks, FishBiscuit
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS:
Cool enough, misty morning, full of gnats

WARMUP:
Came in hot one minute late.
Inch worm walkouts to merkin
Daisy pickers
Don Quixote
SSH
Mosey to the stop sign and back

THE THANG:
Partner up. Dora workout
One partner bear-crawls to the cones and duck walk back
As a team
– 50 pull-ups
– 100 floor-to-ceilings
– 150 merkins
– 200 squats
All were done hero style. When the first team finished, all PAX mosey around the backstop

Mary:
Ring of fire to 5
Emperor penguins
Alternating clap v-ups
Leg raises
WWIIs
Hollow hold for 30 seconds

MOLESKINE:
Are there dreams you’ve let go of because they are “too hard” or you’re “too old”? Can some of those still be realities? If we encourage our children to work hard and follow their dreams, how much more effective will it be if they see us doing the same thing.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Gulliver’s travels is still going on
4:13 has started a new class

COT:
Prayers were offered up

Childish Play

AO: the-knoll
Q: Timber
PAX: The Banker, Malibu, morning stār, El Capitan, Pebbles, G-string, Timber, Smoltz (2.0), Mucchi (2.0), Iowa (2.0), Bumblebee (2.0), Butter
FNGs: 1 Butter
COUNT: 12
CONDITIONS: 73 degrees, light rain for the first 20 minutes

WARMUP: SSH, Squats, Overhead arm clap, variety of stretches for legs (covered F3 mission, principles, credo here)

THE THANG:
Station 1: Item Toss
-divided into 2 teams, each PAX selected an item to throw to a target 25 yards away (items: football, tennis ball, frisbee, dodgeball)
-total # of steps from the target that items landed = total # of reps of exercises
-exercises: pullups, burpees, merkins (Round 1); squat jumps, Apollo Ohnos, spicollis (Round 2)
Station 2: Obstacle Course Run
-1 PAX from each team ran the playground obstacle course while other PAX completed a dealer’s choice of shoulder/core exercise (2 rounds)
Station 3: Matching
-8 pairs of workout cards (16 cardboard cards total) placed face down; PAX took turns flipping the cards. If NO match, PAX completed both workouts; if match, PAX discarded the cards without having to complete the workout. Cards: Carolina Dry Docks, Burpees, Merkins, 4ct flutter kicks, WWIIs, LT Dans, Jump Squats, Pullups

MOLESKINE: for the item toss, # of reps ranged in the 20-28 reps range for teams. The rain added in some challenges (like making the obstacle course a tad slick) – good work by PAX to err on the side of going slower to stay safe. El Capitan proved his tremendous servant leadership by showing up at the end with Mtn Mojo for the group. We expressed gratitude for a successful court date for Sparrow in their adoption process.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: check slack channel!

COT: emphasis on the power of AFFIRMATION. When genuine, affirmation has the ability to install confidence and a feeling of security in our kids, and it has the ability to break down barriers with others we might have conflict with in our lives.

Great work this morning!
-Timber

Tabata to Johnny Cash

AO: the-knoll
Q: Timber
PAX: Pebbles, The Merchant, morning stār, The Banker, Sparrow, El Capitan, AAA, FLO, Timber, Eric Phillips Snapshot (Suncoast), Tea Party, Smoltz (2.0), Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 13
CONDITIONS: mid 70s, no dew on the grass

WARMUP: 3 sets of 50 yard jogs, SSH, merkins, squats, mountain climbers, lunge streches (covered F3 mission, principles, credo here)

THE THANG: played to the tunes of Johnny Cash hits
Station 1 (Tabata): 30 seconds on/15 sec recover, 6 exercises, 5 rounds; Exercises: merkins, squats, dips, burpees, split squats, LBCs
Station 2 (Pull-up challenge): 6 minutes (I said 5, but we ended doing 6 minutes), set of 10 pullups followed by ~100 yard run, 9 pullups/run, 8….Challenge was to see if you could finish before time was up.
Station 3 (Marys): American hammers, Big Boy SUs, flutter kicks, pickle something (Eric Phillips Snapshot (Suncoast) you’ll have to remind me of the name – we’ll do them again for sure!)

MOLESKINE: it was great to have our guest from Florida stop by (Eric Phillips Snapshot (Suncoast)), El Capitan came through again with some ever delicious Mtn Mojo, The Banker and Pebbles were closest to finishing the pullup challenge (I think they got to 2 pullups); Smoltz says he finished, but I’m not sure I can believe him.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: check F3 channel for details!

COT: Don’t be afraid to seek challenges. Putting ourselves in front of something we fear (even if small) can help us develop courage we’ll need in bigger moments. Also, a reminder to continue practicing gratitude – a pillar of happiness!

Thanks for coming together with me in the gloom boys!
-Timber