F3 New Orleans

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  • Who Needs Shooter When We Have P Shooter? (We Still Love Ya Pappa Bear!)

    As hot as it’s been the last month, one may be surprised to know that it was a mild 73 degrees at 5:15 Tuesday morning, with 84% humidity. And, while it may have been relatively comfortable, nobody was mistaking it for early fall. Slowly the men of F3 gathered at Grandmother’s house one by one, with Jay Hammer esquire attorney-at-law being the first to arrive, devoting every extra minute to studying his partners’ briefs. It even got close enough to go time that the possibility of the end of Jose’s streak was spoken aloud! But when the 1st exercise was called out, to the relief of everyone’s consternation, “grumble grumble” was retorted.

    WARMORAMA

    Near identical to the previous day at the Marsh except x15 IC:

    Toe Touches

    Imperial Walkers

    T Stretches

    Apple Pickers

    Torso Twists

    THANG

    Also identical to the previous day’s beatdown, Q showed up with one idea and let the rest grow organically from there.

    Mosey to the bus stop for:

    Irkins

    Nolan Ryans (Happy Anniversary!)

    Box Jumps plus 1 or 2 more

    Mosey to the tunnel where:

    Whole PAX did merkins while one sprinted down the tunnel to the other side and back, calling the next exercise as he tagged the next man.

    merkins

    arm circles

    squats

    LBCs

    Plank

    After, we lined the wall in the middle of the tunnel for some “up the row and back again” exercises starting with P Shooter on down to Jose and back.

    Handstand Push ups

    L/R one hand push ups

    hand clap push ups

    Mosey back to the non-existant flag for:

    MARY

    IC x15

    Hello Dolleys

    Rosalitas

    100s

    Leg Lifts

    COT

    Splice prayed us out

    T claps to grumble grumble double hand clap,

    to Splice for making the long commute,

    to P Shooter for successfully locating us,

    to Hammer just because he’s Hammer,

    and to Pelican’s hair.

    I appreciate you guys!

  • Slow Down and Feel the Burn…Live in the Present

    Knowing that Steve was likely typing the weekly email at that moment, YHC decided to hurry up and throw his name into the Q sheet ring – the last step to feel officially “back” to full time F3-ing. But now that the easy part was done, the challenge of putting together a worthy beatdown remained. However, it was past Bushwacker’s bed time and so it was off to dreamland with low n slow merkins on the mind.

    The players gathered and soon the games began. Not Turbo-esque games of coordination laced frivolity, but games of focus and being present in the moment.

    WARM O RAMA

    IC x10:

    Toe Touches

    Imperial Walkers

    T Stretches

    Apple Pickers

    Torso Twists

    THANG

    The PAX started off with a visit to the monkey bars, et al for a run at this month’s ISI challenge of pull ups.

    After a casually chatter-filled few rounds of pull ups, with Jose’s magnitude of manhood laying all of our egos low, and meandering out to the middle of Livingston, we began with a set of merkins, x10, IC (30 reps). No big deal, right? But Q was interested in good form with a more moderate tempo. And so it went.

    The men mosied down to Marigny for squats, x10, IC (30 reps). This one, YHC felt today! (I’m lookin at you Waterpik)

    Then it was on towards the lake to Monroe for lunges, x10, IC (15 per leg).

    Rinse and repeat for 2 more blocks before just going all the way to the lakefront. You see, there was an incredible full moon the YHC had glimpsed en route to the Marsh and it became an imperative to see it in a clear sky over Lake Pontchartrain. It was a thing to behold! But it wasn’t alone, for off to the east were storm clouds with constant flashes of lightening amongst them! With more time remaining than Q realized, the PAX took full advantage of the opportunity to be experiencing that present moment of awe-inspiring nature. In the same slow fashion we continued with irkins, step ups, and squats on the wall, so as to keep the view before us.

    MARY

    After moseying back, it was time for some more moderate tempo focus, again x10, again IC: LMCs, Hello Dolleys, Rosalitas and one or two more.

    COT

    QIC lead the PAX out with an impassioned message of slowing down and recognizing the splendor of the moments we find ourselves being present in throughout the day, and experiencing them to the fullest.

    Thank you guys for following my lead and allowing me to become stronger by your examples. It feels good to be back in the saddle again.

  • Making Monday Great Again

    Five pax gathered by the rock pile after the disclaimer for SSH, Grass Grabber, Single foot balance raises, L/R Squat toe touches, Peter Parker, Mtn. Climber, Windmills.

    GYM CIRCUMNAVIGATION:  3 sets of 12 reps of four maneuvers:  dirkins, big boys, jump squats, hillbilly.  Run to back of gym, reverse ascend the wide ramp, 6 donkey kicks, return to front for another round via the ramp in front. Capped with calf raises.

    FOOTBALL FIELD O’ PAIN:  bear crawl while pushing rock 15 yards, then at 20 yard intervals, ALL WITH ROCK:  10x Turkish getups, 10x prisoner kneels, 10x lunge twist, 10x burpees rock lifts.  Returned back across field doing same thing with 6 reps apiece.  At end zone 15 curls, 10 tricep extensions.

    RING O’ FIRE: 3x around:  hold rock in squat, then extend arms holding  7 secs, and then hold rock directly overhead for one time around

    Count, ID, COT Sharing / Prayer.

    mmmBop is leaving for Hawaii soon… will miss him, but dude I be jelly furreal.

    God bless the F3Nola brotherhood.

  • The Joy of The Stack… and unstack???

    The Joy of The Stack… and unstack???

    7 Pax showed up at 45th & Erlander at 0530 to break in the new AO known as The Joy “of dry feet” at The View.

    The Q welcomed folks on the street with a reminder of the 5 Core Principles of F3 ~ Always free ~ Open to ALL men ~ Help Outdoors (rain, shine, heat, humidty) ~ Peer led ~ Close with a COT and a reminder with the new AO starting on the street to be respectful of the neighbors who were still sleeping.

    The warm up consisted of self love, arm circles, and Chinook… none of which were done in cadence so we could keep the noise level virtually non-existent on the street.

    We then each grabbed two cinder blocks and did a farmers carry up the paved walkway to the top of the level so we could enjoy The View while still having dry feet 😉 Once on the top we spaced out for social distancing and to allow space to start our stack

    Round 1 ~ Do a burpee, jump over the block, do another, repeat for 5 burpees

    Round 2 ~ Repeat round 1 and now add 10 cross over merkins with one hand on cinderblock…. so left hand on block, right hand on ground, do a merkin for one; walk hands over block so right hand on ground and left hand on block, do a merkin for two; repeat for 10 merkins

    Round 3 ~ Repeat round 2 with 5 burpees, 10 merkins plus add 15 curls

    Round 4 ~ Repeat round 3 with 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 curls plus add 20 step ups with high knees (10 each leg alternating for a total of 20)

    Round 5 ~ Repeat round 4 with 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 curls, 20 step ups plus add 25 shoulder presses

    Round 6 ~ Repeat round 5 with 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 15 curls, 20 step ups, 25 shoulder presses, plus add 30 chest presses.

    Round 7 ~ Top of the mountain ~ Repeat round 6 plus add 35 tricep presses

    Round 8 ~ Coming back down… repeat round 6

    Round 9 ~ Repeat round 5

    Round 10 ~ Repeat round 4

    As the Q realized he was over-ambitious in his stack & unstack quest and time was running out because he failed the group by designing and unrealistic stack and unstack in the allotted time; we farmer’s carried our blocks back down to the base at 45th and Erlanger for COT.

    All in all the 7 Pax seemed to enjoy the new AO

  • Barefoot Led Bedlam

    Warm-up

    SSH x ??; Plank Jacks x 25; The Frac (Burpee Shock and Awe made famous by Fracsac); Don Quixote x 10; Low Slow Squats x 10; Justifier contemplation x 15;

    The Thang

    Mosey to the Rock Pile For A Stack

    • 5 Rock Burpees
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats, 15 Shoulder Presses
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats; 15 Shoulder Presses; 20 Curls
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats; 15 Shoulder Presses; 20 Curls; 25 Rows

    Lt. Dan – 2 lunges:1 Squat ……20 lunges 10 squats

    Dying Cockroach x 20; Penguins x 20

    Lt. Dan Repeato

    Dying Cockroach x 20; Penguins x 20

    Unstack the stack

    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats; 15 Shoulder Presses; 20 Curls; 25 Rows
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats; 15 Shoulder Presses; 20 Curls
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats, 15 Shoulder Presses
    • 5 Rock Burpees; 10 Squats
    • 5 Rock Burpees

    Recovery walk back to the flag and the top of the levee

    Levee Sprints x 5

    NMM

    • Two Yutes took charge and made up for my tardiness by starting the pax with some SSH and Plank Jacks.  I had decided to smoke a couple of pork shoulders Friday.  Smoking takes very little attention, but I somehow managed to give it less attention than it requires.  When I woke up at 0530 my fire was out, so I worked as long as I could to save the pork before heading to The View.  That’s my story.
    • We did the stack when I Q’d last week and it sucked just as much this week
    • Rumor has it that Papa Smurf showed up to a few workouts barefoot last week.  He was asking me a bunch of questions during the sprints about Earth Grounding.  It was hard to act cool and contain my excitement.  It’s hard going it alone.

    Papa Smurf never seems to get tired.  It’s worthy challenge to try and wear him out.  It may take a round robin Q or CSAUP to do it. 

  • Never Too Old to Play Games

    Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. You’re never too old to play games. The PAX proved as much on the Mandeville Lakefront this weekend.

    After a rather exhaustive one burpee OYO warmup, the PAX formed up into 4 or 5 man teams for the first game of the morning. Each team had to transport a sandbag and a ball to the finish line a few blocks away. Both the sandbag and ball could not touch the ground, and the man with the ball could not move. 20 and 5 all team burpee penalties, respectively, for a dropped sandbag or dropped ball. Hijinks ensued.

    It was both a blessing and a curse to have Shooter on YHC’s team. Shooter carried the sandbag with his pinkie finger the entire way in another demonstration of his real world strength. That was the blessing. The curse was that it was rather embarrassing for the rest of the team to reach the finish line much later than Shooter. He was almost finished his cigarette when we arrived.

    This whole fiasco prompted a rule change and for the next race to the Milestone Marsh each team member had to carry the sandbag at least twice. This seemed to level the playing field somewhat, and it was a much closer race with teams sticking together to exchange the sandbag regularly.

    Once at the Marsh, it was time for some passing games. We cooperated as one big team to keep the ball moving at first. Then we transformed into shirts and skins and got competitive. There were impressive displays of athletic prowess, and the shirts convincing claimed the day.

    Back to the shovel flag with our sandbags, this time with the requirement that each man carry the sandbag at least four times and play the ball with his feet only.

    Countorama, nameorama, and then young Pope prayed us out on the way to our coffeeteria.

    Thanks for letting me lead guys and for playing along with the silly games. Remember, you’re never too old to play games.

  • Buying the Bundle

    Conditions:  Humid

    Warm-UP

    IW x 31; Bat Wings and Moroccan Robin (Forward Arm Circles x 20; Backards Arm Circles x 20, Seal Claps x 25, Overhead Claps x 25, Moroccan Night Clubs x 31) #Crowd Pleaser; Low Slow Squats x 15; Don Quixote x 10; Peter Parker x 15; Merkins x 15; Parker Peter x 15; Justifier Reflection x 15; Flutters x 15

    The Thang

    Bear Crawl to the Rock Pile (approximately 250 yards)

    Carry a Big Rock and a one handed rock to the Gym (approximately 100 yards)

    Wall Work:  Ball to the Wall; Ascending Testicles, Down and Dirty x 15; Chicken Peckers x 15; Hip Slappers x 15

    Carry Rocks back to the Rock Pile (Approximately 100 yards)

    Lunge walk x 40 yards

    Bear Crawl 60 yards

    NMM

    • My advertisement of a Low Impact Workout was more successful than anticipated.  I was pleasantly surprised to see 8 High Impact Men at my Low Impact workout.  I am sure The Boge, MmmmmBop, Vagabond, and even Hand Grenada were up for something Low Impact after the horrible things Hand Grenada made us do on Monday (Basically Sprint a mile with a 35 pound rock on your shoulder).  The meaner, leaner Gabby has been struggling with an injury to his svelty body and also seems to be in some kind of exclusive coffee tasting club with War Eagle and The Boge, which explains why they all wanted to be here.  Tool and JV came from afar because they love intrigue. 
    • After the initial Bear Crawl, Hand Grenada suggested that I with my promise of a low impact workout I was selling him a Bundle of goods that sounded good, but that he in fact did not want or need.
    • I have so missed JV’s labor pains.  They were in fine form during the initial bear crawl
    • There is a lot of perseveration on genitalia in the names of the wall exercises.  I did not name them   I got them off the F3 Nation website.  I can only imagine they were named by a 6th grader in an old man’s body. 
    • I’m a fan of these wall exercises.  Props to Ethanol
    • The new non-shovel Shovel Flag that Vagabond is flying should be the new standard in F3 Nola Shovel Flags. 

  • Sprinting on Wisner Mountain

    A hot but not so muggy morning presented me with another opportunity to Q. Over the last several weeks we have done some interesting beatdowns involving the Wisner overpass. I thought I’d try something different today. Kuch and Snooze joined me by the festival grounds for a change of pace.

    Warm up:

    Mosey around the parking lot and circle up.

    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Windmill x 10 IC
    • Grassgrabbers x 15 IC
    • Standing quad stretch each leg x ~30 seconds
    • Mountain climbers x 20 IC
    • Walking Frankenstein kicks through the parking lot

    After the warm up we moseyed over a portion of the trail surrounding the festival grounds on the way to the base of Wisner Mountain. From here, for research purposes, we moseyed up and over the mountain at a steady pace which took ~3 min (I’ll bank that knowledge and use it at a later date).

    From here we would work on some sprint intervals.

    • Sprint to the first expansion joint, recovery walk back to the start
    • Sprint to the second expansion joint, recovery walk back to the start
    • Sprint to the apex of the mountain, continue recovery walking to the other side

    Following a brief rest the running resumed

    • Mosey up the mountain and sprint the decline to the bottom of the other side
    • Sprint to the apex of the mountain, recovery walk to the bottom on the other side
    • Mosey back to the playground

    A round of round robin Mary commenced. Count off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and physically distances COT. Thanks for the change to once again lead. God bless.

  • The Mosquito Mob

    The Mosquito Mob

    Warm-o-rama

    Jog around the stadium

    The Thang (Arms – Abs – Legs)

    Merkins, Freddy Mercuries, Al Gores

    Rest (The Mosquito Mob then joined us. They were very attracted to the greatness that leaked from our pores. THEY WANTED SOME FOR THEMSELVES!)

    Irkins, Crunchy Frogs, Lunges,

    Rest

    Freak Nasties, Bear Crawl, Butt Kickers

    Rest

    Derkins

    The presence of the Mosquito Mob was now overwhelming. SnackPack suggested we run to where some stairs were located. Run ning seemed to be one of few things that would deter any blood sucking members of the Mob.

    Box jump variations proceeded at the stairs.Every Step 5x (up and down), Every other step 5x, Skips up the steps 5x. Then jogged back.

    Count-o-rama and Name-o-rama then proceeded followed by the socially distanced Circle of Trust. The Mosquito Mob didn’t show up as much then. We must have killed enough of their comrades that I think the rest got the picture that we weren’t messing around.

  • Burpee Ball

    Warm ups: ssh, toe touches, arm circles, cherry pickers, self love

    The thang: lt. Steve the length of the parking garage. Lazy Dora afterwards, 100 Mericans, 200 squats, 300 lbcs.

    Then I opened my trunk of beach balls. In groups of two, we began burpee ball. At first the rules were after teammate one hit the ball, do a burpee while teammate two hit it back. This proved a bit too difficult. Grundy modified the rules which worked out better. Teammate two was allowed two hits while teammate 1 did the burpee. Once the ball hit the ground, both did 20 copperhead squats. Modification 2 from Grundy, the whole group circled up with one ball and whoever hit it up, they did the burpee. It’ll get your heart rate up for sure gentleman. COt, pik prayed us out . Happy 8th birthday and first communion to his daughter. Thanks for letting me lead guys