#the-knoll’s 1st Annual (B)easter Egg Hunt!

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Aflac, Wolfpack, morning star, El Capitan, Ex-Pat, Sooie, Link (2.0), Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: frosty & starlit

TUNES: Americana / Alt-country

WARMUP:

1. downward dog
2. Viper
3. 3x power push-ups (both sides)
4. Deep Calf stretch
5. Back twist
6. BACs & BackBACs 15x each
7. Motivators to 5

THE THANG:

All PAX circle up in grass beside picnic table.

One PAX will don headlamp & bring back one (B)easter egg – eggs are hidden around playground, underneath trees, etc.

Waiting PAX will perform a plank until seeker returns.

All PAX will perform whatever exercise is written on the slip of paper in the (B)easter eggs.

Rotate until all eggs have been opened (25 eggs total – we did 24!)

MOLESKINE:

I encouraged the PAX to find ways to include joy in the hum-drum and routine moments of life.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

– Plankril starts Monday!

– BYO2.0 workout on Tuesday, April 2nd.

COT:

– Countorama
– Nameorama
– Sooie on the 6
– Prayer requests shared & lifted up to the Lord
– Sooie Brewie

So thankful for y’all!

:mountain:

Endless Reps, Together

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: morning star, El Capitan, Wolfpack, Sooie, Malibu, Merchant, Right Said, Link (2.0), Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: Decent weather for ducks, but at least we had 70s Rock to listen to. :the_horns:

WARMUP: Caboose-is-loose run to the top of Harpeth Knoll hill. At top of hill, all PAX will do together:

-10x 3-count merkins
-10x 3-count squats

Turn around & return to playground. Split up into two teams & line up at playground.

THE THANG:

Phase 1:

Each PAX team will perform the following “endless” exercises …
– Lunges
– Leg Raises on back
– Carolina Dry Docks
– Freddy Mercuries

One PAX will long jump to opposite end zone lamp, high knees back. Rotate until all PAX have completed the mosey, then move on to the next exercise. Rinse, repeat.

Phase 2:

Mosey to flood table.

All PAX perform “endless” dips while one PAX runs to backstop & back. Exercise is complete when all PAX have completed backstop mosey.

Phase 3:

A Cool Down Stretch!

– Butterflies with deep breathing sequence
– Straight-leg stretch
– Child’s pose (my favorite)
– Downward dog / arch
– Viper
– Power Push-up Stretch
– Deep calf stretch
– Back twist

MOLESKINE:

I struggle with anxiety, especially when it comes to finances. Recently, we’ve had several (expensive) things hit my family at once which has caused me to reflect… do I trust that God will take care of us? As a Christian, do I believe Jesus’ words when He tells His disciples to “consider the birds of the air & the flowers of the field” and “does not Your Father provide for them”? I challenged the PAX to consider their personal anxieties, and to give them up to the Lord who knows & cares for them.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

– #PreHab will continue each morning at 5:15 unless otherwise notified by morning star
– That Mile :grimacing: is happening at greenmachine Thursday. I will be offering a slightly (but only just) less difficult workout at the-knoll.
– Plankril is less than a week away… One minute plank on April 1st (no fooling), add 6 seconds each day after that.

COT:

Prayer requests were shared amongst the PAX. We closed in a moment of silent reflection & prayer, followed by Sooie Brewie.

I’m so thankful for y’all.

:mountain:

Put your back into it!

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string (Eli Kresta)
PAX: morning star, Pebbles, Siri, The Banker, Sooie, El Capitan, Wolfpack, Ex-Pat, @Link, @Bumblebee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS:
Warmer than Tuesday but still brisk.

WARMUP:
– windmills, imperial walkers, wmh, gm
– Indigenous People’s run with football around the field
– Shoulder warmup

THE THANG:
Two people per station. Three rounds.
– Station 1: sandbag swings
– Station 2: pull-ups jump up and 3-count down
– Station 3: log floor to ceilings
– Station 4: lunges to the street and back
– Station 5: plank hold

MOLESKINE:
On Tuesday we talked about the GK Chesterton quote. Today I wanted to talk about our specific role as fathers. Whenever God the Father called someone in the OT, it led to an adventure. Moses brought his people out of Egypt, Abraham left his country and his family, David went up against Goliath, etc.
Part of our role as fathers is to provide our children with adventure in the context of safety. Even if you don’t believe in God or the bible, this is a biological fact. The role of fathers in hormonal development of their children is different than that of mothers and cannot be easily replaced. Fathers who engage in rough and tumble play in a adventurous (but controlled) manner have children who are better able to stand up to challenges and face adversity. Fathers are more influential on early language development because we often use higher level language with our children. Fathers even have an epigenetic effect on protein synthesis and gene expression. What we do matters.
In light of that, I am looking for ways to provide adventure and new challenges for my family. Introducing my daughter to the world one experience at a time.

If you want to read a little more on the science behind the unique role of fathers, this is a good article to start with and its references.
www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-anthro-091908-164334

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– That mile is coming next week at Green Machine. The knoll will continue as regularly scheduled
– Plankril is coming. One minute plank on the first and add 6 seconds every day.

COT:
Intentions were offered and prayers were said.

Sawing Logs

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string (Eli Kresta)
PAX: Malibu, morning star, Pebbles, El Capitan, Aflac, Sooie, @Bumblebee, @Iowa
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS:
Cold. Where did the Spring go???

WARMUP:
(bonus warmup of unloading the logs from my truck)
– Good mornings and WMH
– Inchworm to merkin
– BAC
– Back-BAC
– Modified Welsh Dragons

THE THANG:
THANG 1
Pair up. Grab a log. 3 Rounds of the following
X20 broad jump burpees
X20 shoulder presses
X20 squats
Lap to Backstop and back

Thang 2
Two Rounds of the following
X20 Derkins
X20 Bulgarian Split Squats

Mary
American hammers with ball
WW1s
Hollow hold

MOLESKINE:
“The most extraordinary thing is the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.” – GK Chesterton
In a world full of chaos, broken families, and almost no respect for life, holding your family close really is becoming uncommon. We are not the norm, but, in all honesty, we should be. How often do I see the little moments with my wife and daughter as extraordinary. Are those moments where I’m tired and grumpy turned heroic when I can be a good father? For those of us who are Christians, we believe in a God who called people on epic adventures. But if you read closely, every epic story is centered around families, and the ones that end best, involve families that stick together and love each other well.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
THAT mile is coming soon
April marks the beginning of Pre-Hab at the Knoll. Come 15 minutes early for extra stretching and warming up.

COT:
Intentions were mentioned and prayers were said.

Creating a 4F AO

AO: the-knoll
Q: Hair Band
PAX: Sooie, morning star, Wolfpack, Siri, Malibu, Ex-Pat, Pebbles, Merchant, Bumblebee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: hummid

WARMUP:
50 SSHs
Arm circles
Air press
Michael phelps

THE THANG:
Spread out into Teams & stations

Push station
Skull crushers 20
Carolina dry docks 20
Elbow tap push ups 10
Rotate

Pull station
Pullups 10
Rows 15
Rotate

Core station
Supermans 20
V-ups 20
Ukrainian hanmers 20
Rotate

Burpee freeze tag

MOLESKINE:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Plankpril coming up soon, check 1st F channel
– Murder mile coming, check green machine

COT:
– everyone shared a prayer request, work, families, deaths, travels

Thanks y’all! So happy to have lead this morning, it was an honor and privilege!

Rock on,

Hair Band

SLAMBALLY’ALL

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: AAA, DB, morning star, Pebbles, Sooie, Wolfpack, Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
CONDITIONS: old man winter not dead yet

WARMUP:
Motivators from 5
Yes/No/maybes 5
BAC 15
BBAC 15
Don Quixote 10
WMH OYO
Good Morning OYO
Caboose is loose with the slam ball around the knoll. Slamball gets fumbled, 5 slow merkins ended up doing 20 all together

THE THANG:
THANG 1:
Iron Mikes 10x
Side lunges 10x
Shoulder taps 10x
Climber taps 10x
Derkins MAX
Single Leg Bridges 10x
Side Bridges 10x
Squat hold for the 6’s the mosey around the backstop.
REPEAT 3x

THANG 2:
Hangs: 1 minute on 30 seconds off (3x)

THANG 3:
Ultimate Capture the Slamball
Get tagged, turnover possession.
Slamball hits the deck/fumbled, 5 burpees

MOLESKINE:
Faithfulness in the mundane will echo forward for centuries. Recounted a small excerpt from the autobiography of John G. Patton (1824-1907) about his relationship with his father and when he left home for seminary. His father was a sock maker and they lived in a small village in Scotland:

My dear father walked with me the first six miles of the way. His counsels and tears and heavenly conversation on that parting journey are fresh in my heart as if it had been but yesterday; and tears are on my cheeks as freely now as then, whenever memory steals me away to the scene…His lips kept moving in silent prayers for me; and his tears fell fast when our eyes met each other in looks for which all speech was vain! We halted on reaching the appointed parting place; he grasped my hand firmly for a minute in silence, and then solemnly and affectionately said :
“God bless you, my son! Your father’s God prosper you, and keep you from all evil !”
Unable to say more, his lips kept moving in silent prayer: in tears we embraced, and parted.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– biscuit run Saturday, March 2
– Bring Your Kid to Workout day at #the-knoll Tuesday, March 5
– Terrible mile: Thursday, March 28

COT:
Closed with prayer.

Ten Trees!

AO: the-knoll
Q: Wolfpack
PAX: AAA, The Banker, G-string (Eli Kresta), Pebbles, morning star, El Capitan, Sooie, Bumblebee (2.0), Big Red (2.0), Link (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Cold enough for gloves, yet warm enough for short sleeves… very confusing times we live in…

WARMUP: Mosey to stop sign then a series of stretching exercises led by Link.

THE THANG:
Thang 1
Huddle around the River Table to complete a series of exercises done in reps of 10. After each set of 10 you must run and touch a tree.

Round 1: Squats (5reps) Merkins (5reps) x10 sets
Round 2: Iron Mikes (5reps) Dips (5reps) x10 sets

Partnered up for the next two rounds:
Round 3: Picolis until partner returns from touching a tree x10 sets
Round 4: Shoulder taps until partner returns from touch a tree x10 sets

Thang 2
6 rounds of 1 minute freeze tag.
If you get tagged you must stand with legs apart performing Overhead claps until someone crawls between your legs to unfreeze you. All Pax got a chance to be “it”

Mary
LBCs and Flutter kicks

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Lots coming up! I encourage everyone to check out Toothless’s latest post in General for everything.

Tuesday 3/5 – Take Your Kid to Workout Day here at The Knoll… great chance to share our passion for the three Fs with your family, friends, Pax who haven’t come out in a while, and PAX who haven’t experienced the beatdown that is a 2.0 workout.

COT:
Sometimes showing up is enough.

AMMAP

AO: the-knoll
Q: Wolfpack
PAX: Sooie, El Capitan, Pebbles, Malibu, morning star, Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
CONDITIONS: B-E-A-uuuutiful

WARMUP: Mosey around. Open up them hips. Stretch those shoulders.

THE THANG:

As Many Merkins As Possible!
90seconds work/60seconds rest

Merkins
Dips
Run to backstop
Diamond Merkins
Carolina Dry Docks
Run to table
Incline Merkins
Squats
Run to the big tree
Flux Capacitor Merkins
Iron Mikes
Run to playground
Ring of Fire Merkins
Lazy Imperial Walkers

Mary: WW1, Box Cutters, LBCs with stretch’s in between

MOLESKINE: prayers for PAX health.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Just a Mile at Greenmachine March 28th. Biscuit run coming up.

COT: It’s possible to take responsibility to lead while also asking for help. Each of the none Merkin workouts were called out by the PAX who came out. There’s no reason so go at it alone fellas!

Deck of cards workout

AO: the-knoll
Q: AAA
PAX: Wolfpack, morning star, Sooie, Pebbles, G-string (Eli Kresta), El Capitan, Malibu, Bumblebee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
CONDITIONS: 30 degrees, a little snow, a little
Wet.

WARMUP:
-Mosey to stop sign and back
-5 motivators
-10 lunges with twist
-Baby arm circles 12 forward 12 back
-10 Slow squat 4 count
-10 cherry pickers 4 count
-stretch out on own

THE THANG:
Card workout: cards were pulled one at a time from a 52 deck of playing cards. Yes number on the card determine how many reps of an exercise the PAX had to perform.
-clubs : mercans
– club facecard: mountain climbers
-hearts: squats
-heart facecard: jump squat
-diamonds: sit ups
– Diamond facecard: run to stop sign at top of hill and back
-spades: lunges
– spade facecard: iron mikes

Finished with ring of fire mercans: PAX had to hold the plank position while each PAX in order of where they were in the circle did 5 mercans.

MOLESKINE: Discussed how the anterior midcingulate cortex in the brain is like a muscle unlike many other parts of the brain; it can grow or atrophy based on the work you do. The anterior midcingulate cortex is linked to will power, discipline, and goals, and it is strengthened by continually doing things you may not want to do.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: biscuit run in Franklin coming up, terrible mile coming up as well will most likely send a carpool out there on that day.

COT: finished meeting in prayer.

Goals and grace

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning star
PAX: Sooie, AAA, Pebbles, El Capitan, morning star, DB, Bumble bee (2.0). Big red (2.0), Tonk (2.0), Fish biscuit (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: 40’s with a hint of spring

YHC and Bumble bee were late … thanks to the PAX for starting the warm up as we showed up.

WARMUP: whatever the PAX did before YHC showed up, followed by: motivator (6 to 1), hard style low slow squats, lazy imperial walkers.

Instructions/set up for the thang: pick a weight if you like … this is an auto-regulated workout … two transition signs to pay attention to: you lose power or feel stiffness in your body or you can’t talk in complete sentences … if you experience one of those drop your weight and do jumps without it or do SSH if you’re working without a weight.

THE THANG: 20 sets of 11 seconds of jump squats (with or without the weight) followed by 49 seconds of active recovery (fast and loose drills; keep moving).

YHC encouraged the PAX to practice appreciation using the GAMES method:
G – gratitude: think of something you’re thankful for right now
A – anticipation: what are you looking forward to?
M – memories: what’s a time in the past you experienced joy?
E – experiences: what’s something you can do to create some relational joy?
S – singing: hum a tune, sing a song ..

We got to memories.

Took a detour before we finished to organize a search party for Bumble bee. We found him at the backstop pretty shaken up. YHC got to practice helping him get back to joy using what I’ve recently learned: VCR (validate, comfort, recover). PAX kept working with the weight ball during this time.

Finished the 20 rounds.

MARY: led by Sooie … flutter kicks, heel touches, something else and breath work.

MOLESKIN: YHC shared about a big goal I went after last year: simple timeless. 10 sets of 10 single arm kettle bell swings followed by 10 turkish getups with a 71lb kettle bell, autoregulated by the talk test.

YHC started with a 30# KB and insured my shoulder. Since then I’ve realized that my approach towards this goal was going to be long and with some detours to strengthen my core, reflexive strength, etc. Now I’m doing things like head nods, crawling, rocking, rolling. This is completely different than swinging or lifting a kettle bell. However, this is my path way towards my goal.

The takeaways:
1 – what big goal are you going for?
2 – give yourself freedom and grace to enjoy the journey and accept that the journey may be different than you imagined

Shared prayer requests and appreciations and YHC took PAX out with a prayer.

Followed by some great conversation around Sooie Brewie.

YCH appreciates this space, you men (and your 2.0s) and the grace and encouragement we offer one another.

Great to see Tonk and Fish biscuit out with us again!

-m out!