Author: Rudy

  • The Ducks can talk but that’s it – from Fracsac

    YHC rolled up to the Renaissance and found it to be quiet, too quiet.
    At 0630, only the ducks were talking. Since I speak duck, it was a deep and invigorating discussion. That inspired YHC to put a proposed beat down to the test.
    2.5 miles and 200 burpees later, it was time for Sunday Mornings.
    Sweaty BOM with 3 is a triangle, 2 is a hug, and 1, well it just looks awkward to those passing by…..Ducks don’t seem to get the COT…

  • El Diablo: the Devil is in the Upper Chest and the burpees—of course – from Bolt

    YHC finally arrived to Q toting 5 new exercises, 4 novel exercise implements, the Bolt 3M promise, 2 coupons, and 1 speaker. During the thick of it, the ever-astute Hawg picked up on the playlist theme and while I’m not 420-friendly, I’m not above culturally appropriating references of Goo Nation so I went with it. It should be duly noted Charmin was horrified and perplexed by the playlist (and secretly enjoying it, replete with his requisite guilt—of course) but I digress https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3EdFoz3pFUQxfJbvRL0WRa?si=4j7Qkg4ARpOg4CBZCB5VjQ

    The devil is in the details because the new exercises all activate the rarely trained upper chest and the hope was we would feel the fire burning as if the devil himself was being expelled from the upper two thirds of our pecs; I’ll count on the pax to weigh in.

    Warmorama: Rapper’s Delight Version (too long for this workout) complete with MNC for Frac, with penalty burpees for too much mumblechatter

    The Thang: 5 burpees while pax one moseys to pavilion with two coupons in tow Indian Run style, tag/take off, 5 burpees for all others

    Upper Chest
    (6 moves, 1 min/move, feet elevated)

    Explosive
    Pseudo Pike (hands at waist high)
    Archer (thumbs at lower chest)
    Plunge (wide grip, coupons as base)
    Diamond merk (Incline, touch pinkies at top)
    Burpees
    Pax 2&3 legs/abs and rotate at the table until each pax does the chest exercise; switch tables.
    Round 1: squats/LBC
    Round 2: reverse lunge/BBS
    Round 3: side lunge/penguin
    Round 4: squats/LBC
    Round 5: step ups/crunchy frogs

    We didn’t get to round 6 bc:
    Too much bitchin’ about how long the new exercises took to explain—they r NEW!

  • Earth Day @ the A1C – from Einstein

    …and the Q forgot to do some Al Gore’s

    Warmup:
    all 20xIC: Toe Touch, Side Straddle Hops, Shoulder Rolls, High Knees, Arm Circles,
    Butt Kicks, Hi Jack Hi Jills, Imperial Walkers, Neck Rolls, Hillbillys

    Thang: atop the Justice Center Parking Garage

    First round- using the down ramp; a few burpees, then side shuffle down ramp, a few burpees, then back peddle up ramp, repeat with side shuffle facing opposite.

    Second round: lunge-walk forward two parking spaces, lunge walk backward one parking space, traversing the whole upper deck

    Third round: one squat with a 3 count up-down pulse at each parking space stripe, traversing the whole upper deck

    for the pit-stop at the four corners we did:
    20 hip rolls
    20 bird wings (on your stomach with bird wing flap type motion)
    20 reverse pushups (on your stomach bringing shoulder blades back in pinching type move)
    20 crunchy frogs
    20 atomic sit-ups
    20 swimmers (on your stomach with breast stroke type motion)
    20 left elbow to right knee sit-ups
    20 right elbow to left knee sit-ups

    last minute, Jose leads with leg lifts, then The Hammer with gas-pumps

    Count-o-rama

    The Hammer led us out with a prayer.

    Thanks guys. Always good to start the day with my fellow galoots.

  • Highway to the Danger Zone – from Paradox

    “I guess it comes down to a simple choice, get busy living or get busy dying”- Andy Dufrene

    “Owens, you have to stop opening essays with Shawshank Redemption quotes”- YHC’s Junior English teacher

    Birthdays make YHC emotional. This is a known fact. A day for self-deprecating humor about YHCs body breaking down but also a time of reflection and gratitude for everyone in my life.
    YHC arrived at the stage with perfect F3 weather and made a few laps around the track reflecting on lessons learned in a whirlwind of 34 years. The lone lights of a familiar Tundra cut through the gloom and YHCs sensei/F3 mentor joined the fray. The flag was planted and a two-man birthday beatdown commenced.

    Warm Up
    34 SSH, 20 IW, AC, Cherry Pickers, High Knees, Butt Kicks -Bumper to Stop Sign Mosey

    The Thang- 5 Rules of Aging

    Rule #1 Recognize your Danger Zone
    YHC is approaching the age where things start to break. Physical fitness is vital when entering the health danger zone and F3 has been a gamechanger for consistency and accountability in this department.
    JBL played “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins- Burpees on Danger Zone, Windmills on the rest then a lap around the track

    Rule #2 Cleanse the Palate
    As the years pass its very easy to pick up baggage. These stick to us like barnacles inhibiting progress and growth.
    We added an exercise each round to represent the yearly barnacles with a track lap in between as the cleanser.

    Round 1: 4 reps of 4X4: 4 Merkins, 4 mountain climbers, back to stand position with hands up- that’s 1
    Round 2 added 21s (all clear 2/3 rounds, let my mind wander once and we paid 5 burpees)
    Round 3 added 34 calf raises.
    Round 4 added 88 lbcs

    Rule #3 Stop and Smell the Roses
    YHC has been learning to step off the hamster wheel and look around. God has filled our life with Graces waiting to be accepted.
    We completed a round of Protractors. Start on your 6 in leg raise position, increased elevation slowly and incrementally by alternating the count until we reached 90 degrees. We both found it difficult to keep up with this cadence and many numbers were repeated. Went round 2 with low and slow squats.

    Rule #4 We are all in the same Boat
    F3 has given me a great sense of companionship with fellow 30- and 40-year-old washed up fart sackers. At the end of the day we are all rowing the boat together.
    Alternated Bar lunges with 10 merkins from the stage to the benches.

    Rule #5 If you get knocked down, get back up
    No lengthy discourse here. ChumbaWamba did the talking.
    JBL provided a thunderous rendition of “TubThumping” while we got down and got back up roughly 34 times with high knees for the rest. This one was dedicated to Enron.

    Just enough time for an additional #rule 6, spend some time with Mary.
    20 Wife Pleasers
    Goose led Lazy Boys
    20 Penguins

    Grateful for the camaraderie and leadership opportunities that F3 provides. Solid way to start the bday festivities and get a jump on the next 34 years.

    Announcements and plans for attending the Zoorich Classic.
    Prayers for upcoming events
    COT and Goose prayed us out

    Till then next Gloom
    -Paradox

  • Murph Training 75-150-225 – from Hokie

    8 Pax fought mosquitos to get in 15 rounds of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups & 15 squats in 2 minutes 40 seconds or less each round with 20 seconds minimum rest between rounds I.e. Tabata

  • Afternoon Delight – 4-20-2022 – from Almonaster

    Over to the Fly!

    PAX:

    – Coast Rat
    – SOGO
    – Mointe
    – Big Willie
    – Couch
    – Almonaster

    Mosey to the field with the Soccer goal.

    Warmup:

    SSH – 20 IC
    Arm Circles -10 IC
    Reverse Arm Circles – 10 IC
    Imperial Walkers – 10 IC
    Balance on 1 foot for 10 seconds – Each Foot
    The Morpheus – 10 IC
    Grass Grabbers – 10 IC
    Windmills – 10 IC
    Mountain Climbers – 10 IC

    The Thang:

    Mosey to the levee.

    11’s
    Merkins – Starting with 10
    Squats – Starting with 1

    Mosey to the Fly, Light Pole.

    Dora around the pine tree.
    100 – Wife Pleasers
    200 – LBC’s
    200 – Shoulder Taps 1 is 1

    Mosey to the Statue.

    Mary
    Leg Lifts – 20 OYO
    Freddie Mercury’s – 40, 2 is 1 OYO
    Ukrainian Douilles – 20 IC
    Burpees – 10 OYO

    Back to Flag

    Birthdays
    Anniversaries
    Announcements
    Intentions
    Prayer

    Thanks for the opportunity to Lead!

  • Primarily Chest – from Mahatma

    Short Disclaimer

    Mosey to the Dark track

    Warm up
    SS
    Side Lunge
    AbVagoda
    Mnt Man Pooper
    Mnt Climbers
    Febreeze

    Line up along the width of the pad:
    2-6-10
    Bear crawl out 5 yards 2 – 2 double unders 2 merkins 2 plank jack then 5 yrd bear crawl then 6 of each another 10 yrds then 10 of each – plank for the 6

    Now

    14
    13 double under 1 merkin
    12 double under 2 merkin
    Continue until # swap
    30 second “pause” at 7 and finish YHC modified the merkins from knees – this was the 2nd time YHC attempted and it was no easier then the 1st.

    1771
    Line up rocks in the middle of the field
    Start on one side 7 Burpee 1 V ups
    Run to opposite side of field
    7 v ups and 1 burpee
    then back across again to the starting side now 6 burpee and 2 V ups
    Continue to repeat the above until the numbers on either side flip flop always adding up to 8.

    Circle up for ring of 63 merkins

    Mary:
    Gas Pumpers
    Leg Lifts
    Star
    High Plank with Merkins built in 1:30

    Short stretch then finish 10 burpees in 1 minutes (EZ).

    Head back to the flag

    COT

  • Holy Saturday and a Visit from a Forefather – from Goose

    As the PAX slowly trickled in at the Peltch on the morning of Holy Saturday, we tried to guess whose car was pulling in as soon as we could see the headlights down the road. But one car mystified us, even as it pulled to a stop in the parking lot–was it another one of Tighty Whitey’s FNG’s showing up nervously without him? Or, was it an overly excited little league coach coming to set up his dugout a few hours early? We were way off. White hair was the first thing to become clear in the gloom, and then a Run Cajun Run shirt–could it be? Yes!! It was Reluctant Yankee! I had the distinct pleasure of directing the following proclamation to the PAX, “Gentlemen, this is the founder of F3 NOLA, and today he has deigned to join us bayou PAX for our humble beatdown at The Peltch.” YHC would have preferred to have some trumpeters, a red carpet, and a scroll to read from, but all we had was Coyote, my 10-year-old 2.0, who rattled off as many F3 terms as he could think of (“fartsack” came up multiple times).
    Ultimately, 12 PAX, including an FNG, were present as we commenced a Holy Saturday themed beatdown.

    Warmup: SSH, WM, AC, Cherry Pickers, IW, high knees, butt kicks

    Thang 1:
    Moseyed to the Thunderdome for a Flora 1, 2, 3 and a couple of songs. The theme was uncomfortable waiting–Jesus is lying dead in a dark, stone tomb, and we’re waiting with him.
    Partnered up for the Flora (waiting in uncomfortable positions while your partner completes his reps):
    1. Partners split 100 dips, each does 10 at a time while the other holds dip position (down).
    2. 200 air presses in people’s chair against the columns, 20 at a time while other holds chair position.
    3. 300 flutter kicks, 30 at a time while other holds legs six inches off the ground.

    Song 1: “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller–held plank for the duration (almost 5 min.) and 3 mountain climbers (2:1) every time he said “Waiting” (90 mountain climbers total). YHC’s calves are still sore.
    Song 2: “The Final Countdown” by Europe–side straddle hops for the duration (over 5 min.) and three Bonnie Blairs (1:1) for every “Final Countdown” (over 50 total).

    Thang 2: Empty Tomb
    When the disciples saw/heard the tomb was empty, the waiting/difficulty wasn’t immediately relieved. There were questions, confusion, running, freaking out, etc. So, the PAX lined up at the first of three cones and completed 20 Chinooks (arm circles over the head) to represent the women freaking out and telling the disciples the tomb was empty, and then sprinted to the second cone to represent to apostles running to the tomb, and then army crawled from there to the third cone (crawling into the tomb to check it out).
    Repeated this 5 times (and gained some souvenir brush burns in the process).
    Then, all PAX ran backward to the last cone and back followed by carioca to the last cone and back.
    Then, partnered up and PAX 1 ran backward from the first cone to the third, and PAX 2 sprinted to try to catch him once he reached the second cone (like Peter trying to catch up with John). Flapjack and then rinse and repeat.

    Indian Run around the park gave YHC a chance to chatter with Yankee a bit about F3 leadership, followed by some substantial Mary at the flag. Tried to include 10 Absolutions, a somewhat complicated 8-count plank exercise, which failed miserably, leading to the obvious lesson that absolution (cleansing from sin) can’t be earned. Other exercises were crunchy frogs, wife pleasers, leg raises, and a couple of other things, I think.

    Count off, name off, and named our FNG Neanderthal–welcome!! Announcements included a push to hop in the clown car headed to the Northshore for the Zoorich Classic this Saturday, and Kilo prayed us out. Thanks, gents, for letting me lead, and huge thanks to Reluctant Yankee for the surprise visit!

    SYITG,
    Goose

  • Lieutenant FNG – from Goose

    YHC pulled up to Lumen Christi this morning to a crowded hill crest–Cardinal brought three FNG’s who were excitedly awaiting the flag planting, and, I think, expecting that they’d probably be able to outperform Cardinal and whatever other old guys who might show up (ha!). The three young’uns are two seminarians and one prospective seminarian, and they certainly showed some interior fortitude this morning by sticking with it the whole time with smiles on their (sweating, dirty) faces.

    Warmup: side straddle hops, windmills, arm circles, cherry pickers, imperial walkers, self-love, and 50 Moroccan Night Clubs IC (waiting for Paradiddle to join–it took a while).

    Thang 1: Lieutentant Dans
    I had to ask the young PAX (only Picadilly is as old as YHC) if they knew who Lt. Dan was. Thankfully, these fellas are cultured, and they were able to pull out the famous quote immediately (“Lt. Dan, you ain’t got no legs.”)
    We moseyed to the bench by the small pond, and starting there, moved toward the last bench on the shore of the big lake using the following mode of transportation: 1 squat to 2 lunge walk steps (2 squats, 4 lunge steps, 3 squats, 6 lunge steps, etc.). It felt successful given the sincere statements of hatred directed toward YHC as we neared the finish line.

    Thang 2: Bench Work
    Gave the legs a break as we squeezed seven medium to large men onto three benches for two sets of 20 freak nasties, 15 irkins, 10 derkins. The form on the dips may have been compromised a bit for the FNG threesome due to the formidable wingspan of the soon to be Uncle Rico.

    Thang 3: F3 Poker
    Figured we’d give the Houma guys a taste of the official F3 Deck of Death–the more we can connect them to the bigger picture of F3, the better! So, YHC dealt 5-card stud, and the winning hand was the workout set for the whole PAX. Got through two hands, and was able to introduce them to Monkey Humpers, Smurf jacks, Chuck Norris merkins, Ranger Merkins, and what 100 side-straddle-hops feel like after doing Lt. Dans.
    For the second of two hands (both won by Picadilly, interestingly), Jokers and Dueces were wild, and the winner included a Joker, which YHC explained should be assigned a ridiculous exercise. So, we ascended the hill via crawl bear (backward bear crawl). The key was to keep the flag in sight between your legs so you don’t veer off, take small steps, and pretend you’re anywhere else but crawling backward up a hill.

    Finished with enough time for some solid Mary: Crunchy Frogs, leg raises, and wife pleasers (since they had been mentioned before as the second most dignified exercise, monkey humpers being number one).

    Count off, name off, and we provided new identities to Donut Day, Econoline, and Uncle Rico–welcome fellas! These guys did a great job pushing themselves for their first beatdown, and we’re looking forward to what God has in store for them!

    See You In the Gloom,
    Goose

  • White elephant (Special co-Q by Pokémon Deez Nuts) – from Russo

    Cooler-than-normal temps (50 degrees) greeted the Pax of 7 this morning for a recycled/repurposed beatdown. But, hey, it was new for ‘22, and for at least some, it was new to them, so we proceed!

    Warmup (All IC, 10x to 20x)
    – SSH
    – Toe touches
    – Arm circles
    – Good mornings
    – Self love

    Thang
    Dirty Santa / White Elephant. The rules are simple:
    (1) Each HIM picks a number.
    (2) Number 1 picks a random gift/exercise from the bag (in this case, a quart sized Ziploc) and performs said exercise while the other HIM perform the standard (e.g. 10 merkins).
    (3) Number 2 has a choice: Number 1’s chosen exercise, the standard, or a new “gift”. If he chooses either of the first two options, the one who had their “gift” stolen can steal or select another mystery “gift”.
    (4) Around and around we go, until all HIM have a chance to select.

    The “gifts”:
    -10 merkins
    -18 jump squats
    -25 squats
    -8 Hand release merkins
    -20 hello dollies
    -14 leg raises
    -30 monkey humpers
    -25 plank jacks
    -4 krakken burpees
    -8 SMCs
    -15 murder bunnies or groiners
    -20 bear crawls
    -10 diamond merkins
    -50 high knees
    -24 Apollo ohnos
    -12 star jumps
    -2 calf raises
    -20 hip slappers
    -12 hallelujah squats
    -33 cherry pickers
    -6 donkey kicks

    Between rounds, Pax also moseyed around Granny’s, on occasion doing the “column slalom” ™ to provide for some strategizing.

    There was just enough time to get in 20 IC Freak Nastys, a trip up the pilot house with 2 calf raises on each step, 10 star jumps at the top, and a quick round of a Mary (20IC American Hammers and Wife Pleasers).

    COT, name-o-rama, announcements and prayer closed us out.

    MVP to JV for his outstanding work imitating a bear for almost an entire round.

    I appreciate you all joining me and letting me lead another All-Star crew.

    SYITG