Blog

  • Darkness bells

    A dark and cool AM. 56 degrees.

    Willie arrived after I started to worry about being alone for the Sweaty Bells.

    Willie and I moseyed over to the soccer field for a 2 man deal.

    Then Jingle and Kong arrived so we were 4.

    Started with warmups: Halos, Figure 8, Bus Driver, Round the waist, Hot Potato

    The THANG: I envisioned a 10-15-20-15-10 cycle for the following exercises. However time kept us to a 10-15-10 cycle.

    Exercises in order: 1/2 burpee to row, KB overhead press, Tricep press, Kb Swings, Rows L/R, Curls, Reverse Lunge, Lateral Pulls/Drag.

    After that cycle we ran a lap around the soccer field. Then repeat for 15 reps then finished with 10 reps.

    That took all of our time – I had some Mary planned but we had to skip it.

    Some chill time with the boys and bells. Who are all these sketchy people at the FLY in the gloom? Strange folks.

    Thanks for letting me Q. It is always a blast.

  • Low Impact Muscleship

    Conditions: 68 degrees with 94% humidity. Lots of debris across the park as a result of either Tropical Storm Olga or VooDoo Fest…not sure which.

    Warm-up

    Imperial Walkers x 25; Windmills x 15; Alternating Lunges x 10; Tempo Merkins x 20; Low Slow Squats x 25; Forward Arm Circles x 20; Moroccan Night Club x 25; Backward Arm Circles. Hobbs starts to worry about the extended amount of shoulder warm-up.

    The Thang

    Bear Crawl the length of Lelong Dr. (a little shy of 1/4 mile). When lead dog, err..bear, reaches Wisner, he turns around and bear crawls back toward the six. As the lead bear gets to you, turn around and join his crawl to the six. Hobbs fears are realized.

    Mary: Flutter Kicks x 20; LBCs x 20; Penguins x 20

    Head back toward museum along the tree line. Jameis Winston for two trees, bear crawl two trees, lunge walk two trees. There were 16 or so trees. Again, the lead pax came back to the six and all joined in along the way.

    One more bear crawl for 6 or so tree lengths.

    Grab a cinderblock and start walking toward the Baby Foundry, aka the Refinery. Along the way we…walked Cusak Style, did curls, did Farmer Carries.

    Partner up at the BF Refinery. One partner pulls a Bernie Sanders on the pull up bars while the other does a Curl, Squat, Curl, Press Combo. Flap Jack when partner one falls out. After two rounds or so, it turned to straight curls. Did 3 or 4 rounds.

    Walk back with block, moving it from right shoulder to left shoulder via a shoulder press on call. Stopped at Victory Avenue for some Curls in Cadence.

    8-count merkin walk over block x 7

    Cool Down

    World’s Greatest Stretch, Touch your Toes, COT

    NMM

    • I listened to a F3 Roundtable Call with F3 Gastonia. They have a no run AO called Pain Lab. They take it as far as to have no high impact exercises…No-Impact = two feet on the ground, Low-Impact = one foot on ground at all times; High Impact = both feet come off the ground. I thought the Muscleship would be a great place to try this out. It meant no SSHs in the warm-up and no burpees.
    • The bear crawl was Epic. SOGO did a quarter of a mile without stopping. The rest of us were not far behind. How far can someone bear crawl without stopping?
    • JVs audible exertions are reaching new levels.
    • From what I could understand, Tool’s Coach O impersonation was very encouraging.
    • SOGO agrees that rain-soaked coupons are the best coupons
    • War Eagle hates Lloyd Dobbler. Not sure about his feelings for Diane Court. What am I saying? He has know idea who those people are.
    • There are patriots among us at City Park. Our flag fell while we were at the Refinery and someone stuck it back in the ground. This evens the score for when they stole our flag a few years ago. City Park Patriots 1 – City Park Commie Bastards 1.
    • Can I still say Commie or is that a Twitter offense?
    • Thumb War was noticeably excited about the Yoga at the end. Beware, I see some Warrior poses in his future Qs.
    • T-claps to all our F3 brethren that ran the Jazz Half and those doing the GoRuck tonight.

  • Bustin Makes Me Feel Good

    Bustin makes me feel good

    Warmarama
    25 SSH
    15 Finkle Swings
    15 Alabama Ass Kickers
    7 Failure to Launch
    Bat wings plus extra credit- 20 forward arm circles x 20 backward x 20 sec hold x 20 seal claps x 10 sec hold x 20 overhead claps x 10 sec hold x 10 Moroccan Night Clubs

    Mosey to Pull up bar for some Dubyas. 3 sets of AMRAP.

    Mosey back to coupons. Queued stereo for some Gone in 60 seconds theme music for exercise called “Bring Sally Up.” 3 did curls and 1 did squats. Held curl/squat until “Bring Sally Up. Bring Sally Down” then hold till repeated. You can thank Moby for their song, Flower.

    Next Gutbusters! Bustin makes me feel good! Burpees every time “Ghostbusters” was said and plank jack in rhythm for rest of song.

    Slowjangle biscuits to get legs back in it. 10 Dwight Howards on the wall. And then gathered in a circle for 10 Lion Kings as we passed the lion (er, coupon) around after each rep. Next, we improvised for some Arms on Fire. Push-up circle around and with the 3 coupons. Both off, one on and one off, both on, one on and one off rinse and repeat around circle.

    We ended our music medley with Proud Mary by CCR.
    Big Boy Sit-ups until “Rolling, Rolling”, then Gas Pumps during that part and flutter kicks thereafter. Rinse and repeat on Rolling parts until song ends.
    Count-a-Rama: 4
    COT

  • First Co-Q

    4 men including one sort of new member to the Westbank crewe worked out together on Thursday morning at 5am prompt.

    Warmup:
    Light jog from AO to parking lot
    Side Straddle Hop x 15
    Arm Circles x 10 forwards and 10 backwards
    Merkins x 20
    Mountain Climbers x 20

    Main Workout – 7 of Diamonds(4 rounds) — With the parking lot as our square:
    Round 1 – x 7 burpees at each of the 4 corners with a mosey in between corners.
    Round 2 – x 14 four count flutter kicks at each of the 4 corners.
    Round 3 – x 21 merkins at each of the 4 corners.
    Round 4 – x 28 squats at each of the 4 corners.

    Mosey back to middle of park for ab workouts:

    In a circle and on our sixes with each PAX taking turns:
    x 15 – 3 count flutter kicks
    x 10 – 3 count flutter kicks
    x 15 – 3 count cross flutter kicks
    x 20 – side sit-ups( left and right)
    x 20 – alternate shoulder taps

    For 3mins – x 7 ss hops, x 7 merkins, and x 7 jump squats

    Final light jog to AO for COT and Prayer.

    Thanks brethren for the counting tips and the guidance for my first Q!

  • “This isn’t The Stomp!”

    YHC arrived early for round two of the Wally Run. This week seven men arrived early to stretch and begin the run. YHC announced we would complete a three-mile loop through the neighborhood and finish with some work on the track.

    The seven fearless Pax members started off down the Pontiff track. A ¼ of a mile through the run, a dark shadowy figure approached. It was as strong as an ox, sneaky as a snake, and quick as a cheetah. It was the man, the myth, the legend—it was Hawgcycle! The eight men together completed the run and finished on the track. Some incorporated sprints, others simply kept running.

    At 6:10, the wannabe Q, Rev Sox stopped running to include Mary. YHC questioned such a decision. Rev Sox said, “At The Stomp, we always do Mary at the end.” Well, Reverend Sox, “This isn’t The Stomp!” But, YHC obliged and concluded with LBCs, Flutter Kicks, and Reverse Crunches.

    T-claps to Hokey Pokey. He was hesitant to try the three-mile loop but endured and finished. T-claps to Boo Boo. He expressed multiple times that he was not a runner but he came and completed the run anyway. T-claps to Rev Sox, Pai Gow, and Hobbs for constantly sweeping the six. T-claps to Tua and Hawg –we all want to be like you when we grow-up!

    COT

    It was a pleasure to lead. Join us every Thursday at Pontiff for the Wally Run. You won’t be disappointed.

  • “Do they make men’s sports bras?”

    The answer to that question is no, but more on that in a moment.

    YHC arrived at Popeyes on this cool, crisp morning with a beatdown appropriate for individuals who would find their joy in running the following morning at the Wally Run. The temperature was 62 degrees but based on Boo Boo’s attire you would have thought it was minus 62 degrees. With the park set-up for a weekend event, the mosey to the Esplanade workout equipment would take a bit longer. At 5:28, YHC gave the disclaimer and headed out making sure not to get out of sight before 5:30 in case someone came in hot.

    Warm-Up

    No time to circle up so a warm-up on the go—

    High Knees, Butt-Kicks, Carioca Right, Carioca Left, Walking Imperial Walkers, Arm Circles as we ran. We did circle up once about halfway through for SSH, Abe Vigodas, and Seal Jacks (note: these men do not have the coordination required for Seal Jacks)

    The Thang

    At the Esplanade workout equipment we completed one minute each of the following exercises:

    Burpees, Lunges, Dips, Inch Worms, Irkins, Military Sit-Ups, Plank Jacks, LBCs, Squats, Bonnie Blairs, Leg Raises (hanging from the pull-up bars), and Imperial Squat Walkers. We completed the circuit with a 6-pack (Think 11s with pull-ups and Merkins but only totaling 6 reps)

    We completed the round and moseyed back toward the flag. Along the way we had an opportunity to encourage one of our newest Metry Pax, Mile High. Mile High has worked hard over the last couple of weeks but has made it known to everyone he is not a runner. We let him set the pace on the return mosey but not without asking, “Do they make men’s sporting bras?” They don’t, but T-claps to Mile High for sprinting to the finish.

    Mile High’s effort and the Pax response is a subtle reminder, “Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you found him!”

    COT, prayers for families and marriages associated with F3

    As always, it was a please to lead.

  • Stiffler’s Mom with Guests

    5 runners braved the French Quarter for a 5 mile run.

    Guests included Drizzle, Flying Wasp and Hermes.

    COT and Prayer.

  • Whats a “Slow-Zee”?

    A little chilly for your preference or, as Turbo would have us all believe, perfect running weather? Well, as YHC philosophizes, everything in life is relative, and this is simply one more example. My heart was gladdened to hear that, like myself, Cowbell feels more distinctly at home in the 70s to 80s with slightly lower humidity. Speaking of Cowbell, his suggestion of a …slow-zee…? sounded just about right just days before this year’s North Shore Half Marathon. And thus…

    WARMORAMA

    x10 IC:

    Good Mornings

    Imperial Walkers

    High Knees

    Butt Kicks

    Scorpion Kicks

    THANG

    Scrambling along the traditional old MANDEVILLE (ahem, Hawgcycle) route, Q made sure to keep the PAX more or less together by instituting several location-based stops to either Freddy Mercury or LBC OYO until the 6 caught up, then start an IC 10 count. That was until the final stop at Monroe, after which the stallions were let loose from the barn!

    MARY

    The Freddy Mercury/LBC count was extended back at the flag to a mischievous 26 reps before OYO 10 Burpees and 50 (with good form) Merkins.

    COT

    Count/Name Amnesia, whose third child is due in December, prayed us out.

    Thanks, guys, for following my lead and my shenanigans.

    *BE PREPARED FOR SOME MUD-SLOPPY FUN N GAMES SATURDAY (GLOVES/TOWELS)*

  • Breakin’ 60

    So, YHC stepped outside in the gloomy gloom noting how crisp the morning was.  Would the PAX appreciate the Beatdown ahead of them?  Should YHC dial it back?  Well, as the PAX gathered at the Flag at 5:30 AM, Reluctant Yankee made it clear that the temps had gotten into the 50’s for the first time this F3 Fall season.  Decision made, no humid, unseasonably warm weather for the PAX to complain about.  The Beatdown will continue as originally planned.  Thank you Yankee!  No FNG’s but we do have a brother from F3 Wilmington, Flying Wasp, visiting.  Welcome and how did you get such a cool name?  Sounds like a superhero to me.  Off we go!!!

    Warm Up on Kick Ball Fields

    Line up in a single-file row shoulder to shoulder for:

    • Alternating Open Gates till Q yells halt
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Toy Soldiers/Kim Jong Un’s till Q yells halt
    • Self-Love
    • High Knees to Q yells halt
    • Hillbillies

    Thing 1

    Mosey to Base of Hill for Everest/Merkin combo:

    • Merkins with right leg up IC X15
    • Everest (Alternating Lunge Walks with squat in between) up the hill alternating lunge with squat in middle.  Run Down
    • Merkins with left leg up IC X15
    • Everest up the hill run down
    • Wide Merkins IC X15

    Thing 2

    Mosey to PIMP station for Route 66:

    Starting at first running man by PIMP station:

    • Body Bag Builders starting at 1 Body Builder with Plank Jack/Mountain Climber/Merkin upping 1 rep at each succeeding running man up to 11 Benches for a total of 66 reps.

    Complete core exercises, crunchy frogs, flutter kicks, and Peter Parkers all in cadence while we wait for the Six.

    Thing 3

    Mosey to Shelter for red hot chili pepper:

    • Right Leg Step Ups x 16; Incline Merkins x 12; Left Leg Step Ups x 16; Decline Merkins x 12
    • Right Leg Step Ups x 12; Incline Merkins x 8; Left Leg Step Ups x 12; Decline Merkins x 8

    We are done!  Count-off, name-o-rama, announcements, prayer.

    Thanks for letting me lead!

  • Crowd Pleaser

    Let’s just acknowledge that there was an actual “crowd” to please in the first place – Grandma’s was a-hoppin’ this morning. Aside from the regulars, there was Zoo, who has started to become a regular. There was Hammer, who not only posted today, but yesterday at the Marsh as well. And then there was Captain, the Chief, the Sparkliest of firefighters and most notable of actors in the Hollywood South, who made a rare guest appearance. Sounds like he may soon bump himself up to a series regular if we continue to EH him (hint, hint). There was also a very vocal owl that greeted the Hammer and I with eerily childlike rantings (YHC was reminded of the Hammer’s demonic, discarded doll), but he didn’t stick around long enough to make the cut. Anyhow, for Granny, it was a packed house.

    Warmorama: IWs, torso twists, toe touches, SSHs, and probably something else. Finished with 20x merkins OYO.

    As the fall weather settles in, YHC sometimes worries that the PAX just won’t sweat enough. This is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night. I mean, if Shooter doesn’t sweat during a beatdown, then really what was the point? Luckily temperatures hadn’t dropped too much, but YHC decided to start with a quick mosey around the block to get the blood flowing.

    Next up was the “crowd pleaser,” a term YHC takes at face value, rather the ironic one that seems to be intended. In front of the stage (which was well illuminated for some reason this morning), we spread out to four imaginary corners. The routine would be to travel clockwise to each corner, and perform the same exercise x10 until you’ve returned to your original corner. So:

    Bear crawl, x10 merkins at each corner
    Lunge walk, x10 squats at each corner
    Crab walk, 10x big boys at each corner
    Frog jumps, 10x burpees at each corner

    Recovery walk over to the corridor for partner sprints: P1 holds a people’s chair while doing air presses, P2 sprints half the corridor and back, then the full thing (including the stairs but mindful of our friendly stair-climbing couple) and back to flapjack.

    The Grand Finale was a last minute call – seeing that stage so well-lilt, and having an actor in our presence, it seemed necessary to get up there in the spotlight. So we hopped up to center stage for a little game of Rochamburpees. Same partners, rock/paper/scissors with the winner doing 1 merkin and the loser, 1 burpee. Redos for ties, and an ascending count each round, up to 10x. As the odd man out, YHC unfortunately hitched his wagon to the wrong horse, with Captain defying the odds and losing the first 8 straight. Out of sympathy, Cowbell even tried purposefully losing, which failed as well. Such was the bad luck of Cap. In the end, though, he came through when it mattered and secured the final two wins.

    Back to the flag for a some Mary: Crunchy Frogs, LBC’s, Putins, Flutters, and 100’s, all x20 IC. COT and Shooter prayed us out. Thank you men for getting out of the sack this morning and helping me become a stronger and better man.