F3 New Orleans

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  • Float like a butterfly, sting like a…

    The Killer B’s ended with a bang Saturday morning, with Grundy taking the Northshore lead by mere seconds.  Sure, we could debate the fairness of doing it on the lakefront’s luxurious grass vs. the Marsh’s unyielding concrete, or the legality of the proctor himself taking home first place, but when it comes down to it, we must (begrudgingly) give Grundy due credit (and hate!) – it was a pretty inspirational effort.  In fact, Tank was nipping at his heels the entire time and it seems the two were feeding off one another’s energy to push each other to their record times.

    So t-claps to those two men for giving it their all and, while we’re t-clapping, we might as well toss another one out to Zoo and his miraculous self-healing leg, for taking the opportunity to hit the challenge for a second time and improve upon his score.  Alright, the rundown:

    Usual pre-thang 2 miler featured guest appearances by both Bushwacker and Garfield, and then we went right into the warmorama: Arm circles (forward/back), IW’s, copperhead squats, toe touches, hillbillies, SSHs, mountain climbers, all x20 IC.

    Thang:  Half the PAX followed Grundy to complete the IP challenge, while those that had already had their fill followed YHC.

    First stop on our tour of the lakefront was an old favorite that can be difficult to use with a large pax: Rips.  Instead of the traditional stair run/Rocky Balboa’s, though, we simply grabbed a handrail and did one legged negative calf raises, at a slow cadence: x15 per leg.

    Then, eastward towards the baseball field, stopping for a quick COP of high knees and a burpee wave.  About 6 rounds, and then onward…

    To the pull-up bars behind the baseball field.  Circled up on our six for flutter kicks, while 2 men got up to do 5x pull-ups.  Around the circle again and again and again, until each man had 25 pull-ups.  We maxed out on flutters and at some point switched to Freddie Mercs, which did not really help all that much.

    Next up, flip over to a plank for plank jacks, while 2 men got up to do hanging knee tucks x10.  Round the circle a few times, switching about halfway to shoulder taps, until each man had 30 tucks.

    Mosey back towards the boat launch to split into two teams for a 100-yard sprint relay race.  Losing team gets hit with 25 burpees, winning team gets 25 merkins.  (YHC has learned that, in the realm of F3, the winning team never takes the easy way and sits out on the work so why even bother pretending there’s a reward.)  With Bean pulling double duty for Team 2 to secure the win, they performed their merkins and then jumped in to help Team 1 finish up with their burpees.  And then everyone took a page from Pik, who’s been keeping Old Mandeville clean for the better part of two years, and did a quick sweep of beer bottles before heading over to the playground for a quick partner routine.

    P1 holds people’s chair while doing air presses, P2 bear crawls up the small hill to the swingset pad for 10 merkins and then bunny hops back down to flapjack with P1.

    Just enough time to Indian Run back to Rips, get in one more set of calf raises (x10 each leg this time), and back at the flag for a round of boxcutters, x20 IC.  The rest of the gang joined us at this point, looking thoroughly destroyed, and we circled up for COT.  Zoo encouraged all to share the gift of F3 and bring out some new brothers, and Maverick took us out with a prayer, encouraging us to be men of strength. Then off to coffeeteria.  Thank you men for the opportunity not only to lead, but to get stronger and sharper alongside you.

  • 44 Minutes of Yoga and 1 Burpee

    Attendees: (9) Abacus, Belloq, Catfish, Chips, Fracsac, Gideon, Heisenberg, Hokie Pokey, Sogo (+1) Dog (DJ Diver)

    YHC wanted to plan his second Q carefully after he personally perceived his VQ at Okwata over a year ago a failure. With Catfish in the PAX on Sundays, you don’t want to be remembered as the guy who bored him to the point that he decides to do burpees because you haven’t challenged him enough.
    I have been hinting that it would be a workout of yoga and when they saw me arrive in my favorite Lululemon shorts, I could see that the 8 other men who got out of bed this morning were worried we’d be stretching for 44 minutes with 1 burpee to make it count as a Sunday morning beat down according to Fracsac; however, I had a road trip in mind…
    Started with the disclaimer and circled up the 8 around YHC in the 85° gloom to start the workout.
    Warm up:

    • Abe Vigodas x 10 IC
    • Grass Grabbers x 10 IC
    • Sun Gods forward x 10 IC
    • Sun Gods reverse x 10 IC
    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Peter Parkers x 15 IC
    • Parker Peters x 15 IC
    • Recovered to our feet


    The Track Thang: Moseyed to the practice track and planked for the 6. Bataan Death March with 3 burpees x 2 laps for 800 meters total.


    The Foundry Thang: Moseyed to the Foundry for 8 stations one full cycle

    • Station 1: Snake Jump
    • Station 2: Big Boy Situps
    • Station 3: Run to track with 3 burpees and return (timer)
    • Station 4: Pull up
    • Station 5: Dips
    • Station 6: Irkins
    • Station 7: Derkins
    • Station 8: Flex Arm Hangs


    The Wall Thang: Mosey to our wall on NOMA and plank for the 6. During plank, YHC held an informal poll to determine name for next exercise. Sunday Mornings or Sunny Sundays? Sunny Sundays was unanimous so we proceeded to do Sunny Sundays.
    Sunny Sundays were brought to us by Gideon from our brethren in Austin. The cycle includes the following:

    Squat with back against the wall in a chair position. 10 air arm presses while holding chair position.

    Go to all fours with hind side to wall for 5 donkey kicks.

    Hold fifth donkey kick and walk legs up the wall into a handstand. Do one handstand body weight press. We rinse and repeated twice for a total of 3 cycles.

     
    The Mary Thang: Moseyed back by flag and circled up for a little Mary:

    • LBC x 25 IC
      • Box cutters x 20 IC
    • Count off
    • Name-O-Rama
    • Announcements
    • Intentions

    Knowing we have a new Iron PAX challenge starting Monday and given the clues to add construction equipment to the back of my truck over the coming week, I decided to go cardio heavy on our workout.

    We lost Chips on the way due to a quick break and unfortunately I didn’t give him my plan so he ran around NOMA until we returned. T-Claps to Chips for not giving up. Also, T-Claps to Gideon for a beastly Flex Arm Hang which to be fair was done during Catfish’s turn to be our timer, but I still think his effort was outstanding.

    Thank you all for the opportunity to lead these incredible men as we start our week. Remember safety and hydration in this heat.

  • NOLA Mothership 2019-09-07

    Attendees: Cowbell, Triple Bypass, Angel Dust, RevSox, Shorty, Mamby, Thomas the Train, Babyface, Gideon, King Kong, Hokey Pokey, Tua, UnCut, Rudy, Angie’s List, Three-Way, Breadsticks, Catfish (Q)

    Another day on the Mothership started aggressively with a mosey over to the museum lawn for a good long side straddles hop, right into 8-count bodybuilders and low slow squats.

    PAX then lined up on the museum drive for two laps of Indian Run, then went to the museum steps for some Merkins in cadence. PAX moved to the fountain for right leg step-ups, decline merkins, left-leg step-ups, incline merkins, and dips.

    Moseyed over to the brick storage area. Each PAX grabbed a coupon for a round of “enhanced” IronPAX challenge, which included 10 broad jumps, 10 brick burpees, 10 bonnie blairs w/ holding the brick, and 10 brick big-boy sit-ups. Rinse and repeat 3x. PAX who finished continued with chest presses and curls waiting for the six. Continued with a round of brick webb (jack web w/ bricks where air press is done with the brick). Only got to 5 with this one!

    PAX moseyed over to the track for a final round of catch me if you can. Back to the flag for COT.

    As always, thanks to everyone who stuck in with this one. It definitely rocked my world!

    -Catfish

  • The WB Week 1 IronPax Challenge

    YHC took advantage of Labor Day and posted at the new AO Chamber of Horrors to get the first opportunity of the week in for the IPC. To his delight, Short Bus made the trek as well. Would that mean the Master Melvin was going to be down 2 Pax? Hardly! YHC arrived a few minutes early with a 100 foot tape and some cones to set up the field.

    At 0500, six devoted Pax were assembled around the flag planted on site. YHC gave a brief disclaimer, then mosey for a warmup:

    SSH IC x 31
    Abe Vigodas IC x 10
    Grass Grabbers IC x 10
    Arm Circled IC x 20

    With the warmup completed, mosey to the cones for the main course, The IPC week 1 “Killer B’s”

    Times for the Pax ranged from 28+ to 31+ with improvements from both Short Bus and YHC.

    Good times!

    SYITG

  • Post Iron Pax Beatdown

    With my LVCC brother Screw Top still nursing an injury I was asked again to do a relief Q which I gladly accepted. I spent Tuesday night scrolling through the Exicon for some suggestions and found something new (for me) and remembered something that I had not done in a while.

    14 PAX gathered at the our usual spot in Roosevelt Mall. I can’t speak for everyone but I was still feeling the effects of the Iron Pax beatdown from Monday so burpees, jump lunges, and sit ups were not to be on the menu for today. Disclaimer was given and off we moseyed to the track for warm up.

    Warm Up:

    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Windmills x 10 IC
    • Grassgrabbers x 10 IC
    • Self Love x 15 IC
    • Arm circles fwd/rev x 10 each IC
    • Figure 4 piriformis stretch x 15 sec hold each leg

    Tha Thang #1:

    Following warm-up we moseyed back to Roosevelt Mall where the 14 members were split into 2 groups for a little Route 66. I hadn’t done this exercise routine in months so I figured it was just as good a time as any to break it back out. On 1 side of the mall PAX would do derkins increasing reps with each bench. On the other side PAX would perform step ups (1 is 1 for each leg) with increasing reps each bench. Plank and wait for the 6 at the end of the mall.

    Tha Thang #2:

    PAX moseyed to the back of NOMA where were again splint into groups. Since we had 14 men we were splint into 2 groups of 3 and 2 groups of 4 for Triple Check. PAX #1 perform The People’s Chair and PAX #2 planks while PAX #3 runs around NOMA. Upon PAX #3’s return to the start everyone rotate until each member of the group has performed a round in all 3 positions. Rinse and repeat 2 more times so each PAX will have performed 3 rounds in all 3 positions total.

    Tha Thang #3:

    Mosey back to the mall where we reversed our Route 66. All PAX that had performed derkins now did step ups and vice versa. Suggestion was thrown out that we do the reps in descending order which I obliged. The PAX performing step up seemed to take a bit longer so t-claps for the PAX performing derkins to get some Mary in while waiting.

    Mosey back to the flag for some Mary for all:

    • Freddy Mercury’s x 15 IC
    • Dying Cockroaches x 15 IC
    • Penguins x 15 IC

    Count-off, name-o-rama, annoucements, intentions, sweaty ball of man. Once again it was a pleasure to lead the men in a beatdown that was hopefully enjoyable but challenging.

  • The Killer Burpees

    We had a nice breeze Monday morning when we arrived at the UNO Human Performance Center for the newly dubbed Chamber of Horrors. The instructions were simple – do the Iron Pax week 1 challenge, consisting of an aggregate 150 yards of broad jumping, 150 yards of bear crawling, 150 burpees, 150 big boy situps, and 150 Bonnie Blairs. The challenge itself was anything but simple. Everyone rose to the occasion anyway, and we all completed it in under 40 minutes. Breadsticks paced us at right around 31 minutes.

    When I first began F3, I could not do a burpee. Rather, worse, I did not even know how to do a burpee. First, I did something of a squat thrust, completely omitting the merkin and the jump. In fact, I thought the guys jumping and clapping after each rep were taking a victory lap on me or something. Look at me, this is so easy I’m gonna let you know each time I complete one by jumping and clapping for myself. I thought my squat thrusts were pretty damn good, even if I could only do about 5 of them before exhaustion.

    Then, I found out the jump portion was not optional. This makes a lot of sense in hindsight, and my only defense is that I function at something less than optimal mental processing at 5:30 in the morning, especially before I got used to it. Squat thrust + jump. Okay fine, I can do this, but I don’t have to like it.

    Then I noticed the merkin part. Ohhhhhhh. When guys around me are generally saying to no one in particular “watch your form on those burpees”, they’re totally talking to me, right? Damn.

    Since then, I have made burpee form something of a personal crusade. It’s funny how you can take something you’re bad at, and really focus on it, and all of a sudden, it’s not so bad anymore. You crack the code. By paying careful attention to each step AND committing to yourself to never do 9 when 10 is called, to never cheat on form, and to never accept less than your best, you can improve.

    And so if I’m a bit of a burpee nazi with others sometimes, please accept my apologies. I wish someone had more directly told me that I was not doing burpees correctly early on in my F3 career. This is the form I at least attempt to emulate at all times:

    Chest all the way to the ground; everything hits at once. Back straight.

    If you ever see me doing them wrong or dogging them or you think I’m cutting a corner, please return the favor. Don’t let me get away with cheating myself, and I won’t let you get away with cheating yourself. Deal?

    Afterwards, we gave prayers of thanks for all we have, and enjoyed a coffeeteria at Starbucks on Harrison.

  • The Best Chicken IronPax

    Popeyes not only holds the crown for the best chicken sandwich in the Fastfood wars but also holds the crown for the best location for the IronPax challenge.

    12 men came out in the heat and humidity to conquer the IronPax challenge and all 12 men finished the task at hand.

    Challenge One: The Killer Bs

    10 Yard Bunny Hop

    10 Burpees, 10 Bonnie Blairs, 10 Big Boy Situps

    10 Yard Bunny Hop

    10 Burpees, 10 Bonnie Blairs, 10 Big Boy Situps

    10 Yard Bunny Hop

    10 Burpees, 10 Bonnie Blairs, 10 Big Boy Situps

    30 Yard Bear Crawl

    Rinse and Repeat for 5 laps

    SoGo won the day with a time of 21:15 but all 12 men pushed themselves through the dirt and grass to complete the challenge. YHC, SOGO, Tua, Shuffles, and Tanner all completed the Challenge for the 2nd time this week and each improved on his time before. T-Claps to Tua for knocking 7 minutes off his Rock City time.

    The End

    Count-Off, Name-O-Rama, Prayer in the Sweaty-Ball-O-Man

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead,

    Rev Sox

  • Killer B’s at Birdcage Iron Pax Week #1

    Posted in a million degree weather with 1000% humidity to start this IPC.

    Meet at the lawn by the ZOO! Line up.

    Broad jump 10 yards, 10 burpees, 10 bonnieblairs, and 10 big bois, broad jump 10 yards do it again, and broad jump 10 yards and do it again.

    Bear Crawl back to start line and do it again – 5 times

    Easy if you write it – hard if you do it.

    Tclaps to Happy Little Trees and G-Spot for the sub-20 finish. I think if you did it again you could shave another 30 secs or so off your time.

    The early finishers ran laps around the course while the rest of the PAX finished.

    While this contest is you vs everyone – it is also you vs you. I’d love to pull out the KILLER Bs in January and have you compare your times – I am sure you would see some great results.

    Great work and here are the results by time. We need to keep participating every week!

    1938 Happly Little Trees

    1947 GSpot

    2120 DOuille

    2230 Sandbar

    2435 Seaman

    2451 ILOVEYOUMAN
    2451 CHIQUITA
    2445 86

    2530 Saban

    2540 Jingle Vader

    2629 Gabrielle

    2647 King Kong

    2800 Tinkles

    2842 Quarterpipe

    2941 Brown Bag

    2957 Bones

    3000 Tube Steak

    3002 Bartman

    3030 Angies List

    3055 R. Yankee

    3055 Quincy

    3223 Squeal

    3254 Chowda

  • Power of Two

    The morning before Labor Day should be a time to get ahead, so that Labor Day can be a day of rest.  86 on Saturday: “Jingle Vader, you’re Q’ing tomorrow?”  YHC: “Yep.”  Willy on Saturday: “See you tomorrow, JV.”  So who shows up?  Just Douille and YHC.  Carpe diem.

    • SSHs 25xIC
    • Imperial Walkers 25xIC
    • Low Slow Squats 25xIC
    • Mountain Climbers 20xIC
    • Peter Parkers 20xIC
    • Parker Peters 20xIC

    Mosey to the top of the Hill for Round One.  Apparently, the PAX aren’t the only ones ever to venture up here.  Evidence of a good time abounded: about a dozen beer cans and two towels.  But no bodies in sight.  SOOOO

    • Halos clockwise 20xIC
    • Hales counterclockwise 20xIC
    • Overhead press 20xIC
    • Leg Arm lift to chest 20xIC
    • Right Arm lift to chest 20xIC
    • Kettle Bell swings 20 OYO
    • Bench press 20xIC
    • Sprint to the levee and back

    Rinse and repeat, but this time just 15xIC; then rinse and repeat again with just 10xIC; and rinse and repeat one last time with just 5xIC.

    For a bit of working rest: farmer’s carry around the hill twice alternating arms half way around each time.

    Back up the hill for Circle of Mary:

    • Russian Twist 20xIC (with kettle bell)
    • Flutter Kicks 20xIC (with kettle bell)
    • Penguins 20xIC
    • Dying Cockroaches 20xIC
    • Hello Dolly 20xIC (with kettle bell)
    • Superman about 2 minutes
    • Plank about 2 minutes

    COT with a very quick countoff, name-o-rama, and thanks for a glorious weekend.  Off to Coffeeteria.  Thanks Douille for keeping it going.  JV

  • It’s a Race!

    16 men arrived to stomp through the streets of New Orleans this morning, but YHC had other plans. YHC has enjoyed tracking his endurance and capabilities through the IronPax challenge, H8, and bi-annual F3NOLA races. YHC thought it was time to throw in another way to measure himself and his brethren.

    Going forward whenever YHC Qs the 610 Stomp, the workout will be a 3 mile race followed by some fun and games. YHC’s hope is that the Pax will be able to track their time and distance to see how F3 has made us faster and stronger on this journey.

    The Thang

    Standard disclaimer and mosey from the flag to the track. The men lined up for an F3 race – 3 miles without using the inner two lanes in the track. This resulted in a 3.2 mile race. The times were as follows:

    1. Shuffles 20:16
    2. Screw Top 23:06
    3. Belloq 23:43
    4. Rudy 23:47
    5. Tua 24:11
    6. Sacagawea 24:15
    7. Jesus Juice 24:51
    8. Rev Sox 25:28
    9. Col. Mustard 27:20
    10. Swiss Miss 28:08
    11. Kuch 27:25 – 11 laps
    12. War Eagle 27:52 – 11 laps
    13. Tool 28:08 – 11 laps
    14. Complicated 25:05 – 10 laps
    15. Hokie Pokey 26:37 – 10 laps
    16. Hawg 27:04 – 10 laps

    The Game

    The Pax moseyed through the mud and over to the football field for some ultimate frisbee. The Pax counted off by two and spit into 2 teams. The skins blew out the shirts by a score of 28-7. The winners were YHC, Jesus Juice, War Eagle, Tua, Col Mustard, Kuch, and someone else on my team that I can’t remember.

    The Conclusion

    Count-Off, Name-O-Rama, and Prayer at the flag. Thank for playing some games and letting YHC score some touchdowns.

    -Rev Sox