Ring of Fire

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: AAA, El Capitan, morning star, Pebbles, Sooie, Timber, Wolfpack, G-string (Eli Kresta), @Bumblebee 2.0, @Repugnus 2.0
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS:
59 degrees, starry night on the knoll.

WARMUP:
Yes/No/Maybe’s 8x
BAC 15x
BBAC 15x
Imperial Walkers 15x
Cherry pickers 10x
Loose Caboose mosey around the knoll with various moseying techniques (politician, high knees, butt kickers, skips etc)

THE THANG:
6 stations indicated by glowing, orange cones arranged in a circle with a 20 yard diameter. Pair up and pick a starting point. Coupons at each station must be used for all the reps, can be split between partners.
1. 50 Merkins 50 Iron Mikes (12lb vest)
2. 100 ‘Merican punches (5lb dumbbells)
3. 100 shoulder presses (12lb kettlebell)
4. 100 Goblet Squats (25lb dumbbell)
5. 100 ‘Merican Hammers (12lb dumbbell)
6. 100 kneeling rows (15lb dumbbell)
Burpees if you were waiting on a station. 2.0’s ran around the circle tagging random pairs who would then have to complete a lap.

MARY:
Breathwork:
30 breaths 60bpm and breath hold
3 sets of box breathing (4 sec inhale, 4 sec hold, 8 sec exhale)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Octoburpee convergence at #iii-pillars 10/31.
Costume burpee workout at #the-knoll 10/31 for PAX unable to make it to the convergence.

COT:
Honor Time: publicly recognize admirable qualities in the PAX present. Prayer requests.

Tussle AMRAP

AO: the-knoll
Q: Timber
PAX: Wolfpack, El Capitan, DB, Pebbles, morning star, Sooie, Timber, AAA, Malibu, G-string (Eli Kresta), House Party, Bumblebee (2.0), Big Red (2.0), Smoltz (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 14
CONDITIONS: 60 degrees

WARMUP: in cadence: jump combo (8 down to 1), slow squats (10), merkins (10), pike merkins (8); OYO: lunge stretch (covered F3 mission, 5 core principles, credo)

THE THANG: Tussle AMRAP
1.5 minutes AMRAP, 1 minute recovery
Exercises: Burpees, WWIIs, floor to ceiling (w/coupon), burpees, LT Dans, hand release merkins, burpees, flutter kicks, shoulder swings (w/coupon), burpees, Apollo Ohnos

MARY: None

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Tussle this Saturday, last week of Octoburpee and convergence on Oct 31 at 3 Pillars to finish off the month challenge

COT: story of Charles Plumb: Plumb was a navy fighter pilot in Vietnam, who by all measures was considered one of the best. On his 75th and final mission his plane was shot down and he had to eject and parachute to safety. He was captured by the enemy and held in a POW prison for 6 years. Several years after his safe return home, a random stranger approached him and said “I know you. You’re Charles Plumb and I packed your parachute on the Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier.” Plumb didn’t sleep that night, as he thought about all the times he probably passed this soldier on the aircraft carrier, and never recognized him or acknowledged him. And this was the guy that saved Charles Plumb’s life! LESSON for me: be grateful and be intentional about acknowledging and thanking those around me who “pack my parachute.”

Visit to the Burpee Zoo

AO: the-knoll
Q: Salpal
PAX: morning star, AAA, The Banker, Wolfpack, G-string (Eli Kresta), Timber, Pebbles, Ex-Pat, Malibu, Bumblebee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Great day to go to the zoo.

WARMUP: OYO Stretching + Warmup Run

THE THANG:

Today we are going to the burpee zoo. It’s like any other zoo, except instead of animals, there are burpees. Also, all transactions are done in burpees.

When we first arrive, we have to pay for parking.

10 Burpee Buyin

As we arrive to the front gate, we have to pay the price of admission. 50 burpees!

10 Burpee Emom – 5 minutes

Now inside, we can go see all the burpees on display.

Ladder of Burpees (each station starts at 1, add 1 more as you go around, end at 5):

Set one:
– 1st station: bodybuilder burpees
– 2nd station: shoulder tap burpees

Set two:
– 1st station: spider monkey burpees (burpee + peter parkers)
– 2nd station: kraken burpees

Big Cat Exhibits!
Cheetah Burpees – Burpee Sprints:
– Suicides, but a burpee at each cone before running back.

Tiger burpees – Bear crawl to each cone, 5 burpees

MARY: Isometric Merkins

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Lots of social events. See #3f channel for details on Side-Straddle-Hops, Night Moves, Game Night, and Cookout.

COT: Prayers for my wife, Elizabeth, and firefighter Jake.

Touch the Trees

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: AAA, DB, El Capitan, Ex-Pat, G-string (Eli Kresta), Hot Stuff, Malibu, morning star, Pebbles, Sooie, Wolfpack, Bumble Bee, Big Red, Link, Wrenaldo, Monkey (FNG) [all 2.0’s]
FNGs: None
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS:
60 degrees, light of the moon, perfect!

WARMUP:
Top to bottom warm-up:
Yes/No/Maybe’s
BAC
BBAC
Overhead claps
imperial walkers
SSH
OYO Shake out

THE THANG:
Thang 1:
Breakdancer Merkin countdown from 5. X2 air presses between. Plank for the six’s

Thang 2:
Touch the trees in the Knoll, perform exercises at each tree:
Mtn Climbers
Big boy sit-ups
Iron mikes
Plank
Floor to ceilings
Burpees
Jog down hill/Politician back up
Crawl bear down/ Bear crawl up (#FatBearWeek)
Step ups
Spicolli’s
DID’s
Mosey to the rest of the trees
Hang until you can’t x3
Hold a low squat between hangs 30 seconds

MARY:
Pax picked the exercise 15 reps
Flutter kicks
Happy crunchy Frogs
Leg lifts
Hold legs 6″ above the deck for 1 minute
Spell the alphabet with your legs

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Octoburpee!

COT:
YHC reminded Pax that pain is temporary. Shared prayer requests. Prayed. Enjoyed some Sooie Brewie.

Slow flow joint work + octoburpee primer

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning star
PAX: Sooie, Timber, The Banker, morning star, G-string (Eli Kresta), El Capitan, AAA, Pebbles, bumble bee (co-Q, 2.0), big red (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: pleasant and overcast with lightning on the horizon … clear by end of the workout

WARMUP: LBCs, Egyptian, Hip rotations, Angle rotations while on one foot, SSH, Imperial Walkers, Imaginary jump rope.

THE THANG:
Part 1: mobility burpees in cadence (morning star)
The movement is:
1. stretch up to the sky,
2. move into hip hinge (flat back, butt back, hamstrings in tension) – 5 second countdown
3. down with hands, step back into plank – flex glutes and core
4. right arm to the sky for 3 count, switch to left arm for another 3 count
5. back to plank, then slow push up down
6. 3 breast strokes
7. slow push up up
8. shoulder taps
9. step forward into a goblet squat, stretch the hips by shifting to the right and left
10. explode up to a jump from goblet, aim to do a vertical plank (flex core and glutes)

Mosey around the backstop

Part 2 – circuits + creative burpees (bumble bee)
8 creative burpees: star jump to plank to push up to rotate to the right (where you’re looking at the sky), back to plank, rotate to the left, up again

8 count of the following exercises in cadence:
– squats
– merkins
– jump squats
– star jumps
– air presses
– apple pickers

Do as many creative burpees as you can in 2 minutes (do a push up and dip on every rotation).

Part 3: soccer
If you score, your team does 4 jump squats
If you get scored on, your team does 8 jump squats
If the lantern falls that’s placed at the center line falls over: 5 burpees for everyone

MARY: Count-o-roma and name-o-roma while in plank

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– off the books workout at Red Caboose next wed
– TN Tussle competition (check with @the banker if you want more info)
– night moves evening workout followed by secondF event next week, check slack

COT:
– Consider the pace of your life. Is it smooth or erratic? Challenge to all PAX to reflect on this and consider how to add more smoothness and flow into their daily routine.
– I as a man sometimes have trouble naming what I want and need. Yet, that is so important for me in my growth and acceleration. Each PAX was encouraged to consider a situation in their life and then consider what kind of man they wanted to be in that situation. What virtue do you want to embody?
– PAX shared the virtue they wanted to embody if they were willing and YHC blessed all the men to go out and embody those. Each one of us is capable.

Very much enjoyed the conversation during coffeeteria. Appreciate you men bringing your whole selves to each workout. Love your hearts!

m out!

Hit The Deck

AO: the-knoll
Q: Sooie
PAX: AAA, DB, El Capitan, G-string (Eli Kresta), Hot Stuff, Malibu, morning star, Pebbles, Siri, The Banker, Timber, Wolfpack, Bumblebee (2.0), Big Red (2.0), Mark Marchetti (House Party), Lyle Dough (Link 2.0), Wren Carmona (Wrenaldo, 2.0)
FNGs: 4 Mark Marchetti (House Party), Lyle Dough (Link 2.0), Wren Carmona (Wrenaldo, 2.0)
COUNT: 18
CONDITIONS:
59 degrees and perfect

WARMUP:
Windmills
BACs
Back BACs
Imperial Walkers
Willie Mays Hays
45 seconds stretching OYO

THE THANG:
Moseyed over to the flood table. Shuffled the deck cards and began 3 rounds of pain. Jokers were in the deck after the 18th and 35th cards. PAX rotated drawing cards. Suit was the exercise, value was the reps. (J – 11, Q – 12, K – 13, A – 14). When a joker was drawn, PAX would run approx 166.8 yards then proceed to the next round of exercises.

| Suit | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 |
| —– | ———- | ——— | ———- |
| ♣️ | Merkins | Carolina Dry Docks | Dips |
| ❤️ | SSH | Mtn Climbers | Burpees |
| ♦️ | V-Ups | Freddy Mercs | Big Boys |
| ♠️ | Spiccolis | Squats | Iron Mikes |

MARY:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Octoburpee coming up
YHC stepping up as AOQ for Tuesday workouts at The Knoll

COT:
Romans 12:10 “…Outdo one another in showing honor”

One of the unexpected lessons I’ve learned from the wonderful PAX in Bellevue is the power of encouragement in the midst of suffering. We took turns recognizing the admirable qualities apparent in each other and closed in prayer.

Special shoutout here to @Siri for giving the Knoll a baptism by fire early in May showing us what an F3 workout should be. I was ready to give up at the end of it but he came alongside me and made sure I finished well!

Breaking Wind

AO: the-knoll
Q: Pebbles
PAX: DB, morning star, Ex-Pat, AAA, Squints (Will Simpson), The Banker, Sooie, Pebbles, Timber, BigRed2.0, Bumblebee2.0
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS:
Beautifully fall and foggy.

WARMUP:
400 meter mosey
side straddle hops
bacs
back bacs
slow squats
stretch on your own

THE THANG:
2-mile relay race
-split into 2 teams
-as a team complete 8 consecutive laps around improvised 400m track
– during race, Pax complete 100 merkins, 100 squats, 100 dips

400 meter mosey

Worlds Fastest Man
– Pax run 1 lap at marathon world record pace (5:40 mile pace) 85 second lap
Eliud Kipchoge is world record holder @ 2:01:09. Dude is 40 years old! Should be an inspiration for all.

Pull Ups x 30 or Swing Ups x 45

BONUS: Javelin Thow! Pax competed to see who could throw a big stick the farthest.

MARY:
5-min of Mary’s

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

COT:
Decide to be good. Always give your best.
When we see successful athletes or people we often assume they are naturally gifted. This is often not true. @Pebbles shared his personal journey from back of the pack JV cross-country runner to relatively successful D1 athlete. The “secret” to success was simply deciding he wanted to be better, then putting in the hard work to get there. As men we can apply this to our daily family and work duties.

“Recovery Day”

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string (Eli Kresta)
PAX: morning star, AAA, El Capitan, G-string (Eli Kresta), Pebbles, The Banker, Squints (Will Simpson), Sooie, Ringo, @Bumblebee, @BigRed
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Brisk morning air and a cold, wet ground
Ended with cold brew and a beautiful sunrise

WARMUP:
-side straddle hops
-plank walkouts
-bacs
-back bacs
-willie Mays hayes
-slow squats

THE THANG:
Indigenous run to hill

Partner up
bear crawl up/crawl bear down
Round 1: Iron mikes
Round 2: merkins
Round 3 world war 1s

Partner carry to playground
two rounds pull-ups x 10
Two rounds swing ups x 15
Partner is holding squat

Wheelbarrow to table
Two rounds:
pike push-ups X20
Step-ups X20

One Round:
Erkins x25
Split squatsx12

MARY:
7 minutes of Mary
Slow leg raisesX10
Flutter kicksX20
Emperor penguinsX20
Spider-Man push-ups X16
Mountain Climbers X20
Plank X1minute

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Possible Convergence coming in October
Octo-burpee starts soon

COT:
Hope is the most painful of virtues. It’s a desire for some good not yet attained. We can get too lost in the bad going on around us, but if we ever want our hope to be realized, we have to be the change. To leave a better world for our children, we must be better ourselves and raise good children. Raise them to love well, to fight hard, and surpass us in virtue.

Prayers for @squints as he moves next Monday.
“” for @el_capitan ‘s parents who are traveling
“” for @g-string ‘s dad who turns 57 today

The Knoll BB – 07.27.23 – “In Soviet Russia, alters mark you”

7 PAX and their 2.0’s contemplated their alters and enjoyed a fun game of soccer.

AO: The Knoll (Harpeth Knoll Park, Bellevue)
CONDITIONS: 70’s and humid
TUNES: birds of the air
PAX (12): @Squints (Will Simpson) + 2.0’s: bullseye, bolt, hip toss, @Pebbles + 2.0: big red (FNK), @morning star + 2.0: bumble bee, @Ranger, @AAA (triple A), @Sooie, @El Capitan
FNG’s: 0
FNK’s: 1 (big red)
QIC: YHC + bumble bee

5:30 – Group welcomed, disclaimer forgotten.

Q commentary: This morning we’re going to reflect on our alters. One way to think about an alter is: it’s a physical representation of a significant event in your life where someone came through for you. In other words it’s a marking of challenging event where someone showed up for you with care, faithfulness, goodness and helped you. That someone could be a parent, a friend or God.

WOR:
– Mosey to morning star’s house to get the coupons (rocks that represent your alter)
– 5 squats at the stop sign
– Find a rock that you can carry for at least 10 minutes. Men chose from a pile of large rocks, 2.0’s chose from a pile of smaller rocks.
– Lunges to the top of the drive way with your coupon
– Walk to the stop sign, 5 squats at the stop sign
– Walk to the park, 5 presses at the entry way

YHC realized that the disclaimer was missed and gave it at the start of the THANG.

THE THANG:
Part 1: let your alter mark you
– Pair up and stay together
– 5 squats, 5 presses, 5 lunches towards the tree in the corner of the park
– if you arrive at the tree before others, burpees or SSH as you wait for the six
– bring your rock

Part 2: mark your alter
Q commentary: In my experience, if I don’t process a challenging event then I carry it like this rock. It becomes a burden. But if I can process it, open up about it to a friend and then get to a place of gratitude about it then the burden is lifted and I grow. The moment marks me in a positive way. I take goodness and wisdom from it.

YHC invited everyone to put their rocks down around the tree and take one minute of silence to consider their alter.

Part 3: soccer fun!
– split into teams and play soccer
– every 5 minutes or so men froze and did an 2 exercises for a minute or so while 2.0’s kept playing, then rejoined the game

MARY:
– 2.0’s took turn doing penalty shots
– if they missed, men did 20 reps of an exercise, if they made it: 5 reps
– exercises: Ukrainian hammers, freddy mercuries, toe touches, some thing else
– circled up to end with a series of planks

Q commentary: Sometimes the best way to think is to plank.

Q commentary: If you have a challenging moment from your past that is still unresolved consider bringing that to someone you trust and sharing it with them, If you’re a kid, bring it to your parents. If you’re a man: take it to a friend or mentor. Don’t let those painful moments become burdens, turn them into alters.

COT:
– Count-o-roma, name-o-roma + named friendly new kid (big red)
– Announcements (see below)
– Pebbles and big red took us out with a prayer and St. Michael’s prayer. (YHC put Pebbles on the spot. Honor to you @Pebbles for stepping up and sharing your heart through your prayer and inviting Big Red to lead us in the prayer to St. Michael)

Coffeeteria followed (thanks for the coffee, @Sooie!)

Announcements: see slack

MOLESKIN:
It was a delight to see the kids and watch them play during coffeeteria.

My desire is to see families built up and strengthened through our time together. I think it’s happening and it’s beautiful.

“If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it” -Richard Rohr

PAX, I encourage you to do the hard inner work of transforming your pain. Marking your alters is one way to do that.

May we all be marked toward maturity,
m* out!

The Knoll – Backblast 06.22.2023

Gloom: 11/10
PAX: The Banker, Ranger, Sooie, Bumblebee, Morning Star, El Capitan, Timber
QIC: Detective Pikachu
Theme: Introduction to Rugby, Bellevue Edition

Warmarama: 6 will be 1st, 1st will be 2nd run around The Loop, passing the rugby ball back to the man behind you, until it got to the 6. The 6 sprinted up and repeato. Every dropped ball = 5 merkins. Ball dropped 5 times on the Loop
At StartEx, 25 Low and Slow Squats, and PAX stretch OYO

Thang: Rugby Drills
Thang 1: Square Passing Drill
Thang 2: 3-Line Passing Drill
Thang 2.1: 3-Line with QIC as Defender
Thang 2.2: 3-Line with QIC and Bumblebee as Defenders
Thang 3: Quick primer on the Foot part of Rugby Football
Thang 4: 10 Minutes of Touch

COT: Keep the soon-to-be First Time Fathers in your prayers (and their wives, too, I guess).

Announcements: Brew Ruck on Saturday. Check slack for details. Come out for all or part of it and drink some beers with us.

Moleskin: Thanks for having me out to Nashville’s Newest AO. Y’all have a great spot with plenty of possibilities, and a fantastic AOQ in Morning Star leading the charge. It was my pleasure to work out with y’all this AM.
DP Out