F3 New Orleans

Blog

  • Mahatma Modified

    Oh sure, Mahatma will blame it on being unable to hear the Q, or faulty Q instructions, or the Q just not knowing what the heck he was doing. All of which might be true. But on this glorious morning in City Park, Mahatma Modified.

    06:15: YHC joined Rev-Sox and others at the Peristyle for a round of prayer and stretching Thank you, Rev Sox, for getting this started. What a great way to welcome the morning and get ready for the workout.

    06:25: YHC bolts from the Peristyle to try and get back to MOMA and the Muscleship in time for his Q. Arrives at 6:28:30 to see a group of PAX questioning whether their Q would arrive. As expected, Bogey seemed to be in charge of the muttering and grumbling. Welcome back, Bogey!

    06:30: With a disclaimer, PAX are off – short mosey (WATCH OUT FOR THE CARS) to the Great Lake for a quick warmup watching the sunrise. SSH, Windmills, IW, Grass grabbers. Just enough to get the heart pumping. Then an Indian Run over to the Cinderblocks to get started.

    The Thing

    Grab a cinderblock.

    Round 1: Shoulder Press, Curl, Row x20. Then bear crawl about 30-40 yards, dragging your cinderblock. Some PAX took to throwing the cinderblock. YHC decided that was legal form, as long as PAX did not leave bear crawl form. Much fun had by all, so do the same – and bear crawl back to the starting line.

    Bogey relied on a note from his “doctor” (going by the name “Walleye”) as an excuse to modify his bear crawl.

    Round 2: Shoulder Press, Curl, Row x15. Then duck walk the same distance, again dragging your cinderblock. Again, throwing was deemed acceptable as long as one did not egregiously abandon duck walk stance. Then repeat and return to the starting line.

    Pop Tart’s form is impeccable. All duck-walking-wannabes: take time to watch Pop Tart, and marvel at how his butt can be that close to the grass whilst he walks. Watch and learn and imitate. YHC’s form is, uh, less-good than that.

    Round 3: Shoulder Press, Curl, Row x10. This time crab walk the same distance, again dragging your cinderblock. As YHC started his trek across the field – he saw the sight he never expected to see. Mahatma not following instructions. Instead of dragging, he CARRIED his cinderblock in his lap while crab-walking. Now – that may be just as hard, if not harder. But none-the-less – IT WAS A MODIFICATION.

    Return the cinderblocks. We’ve got more stuff to do.

    More Things

    Quick stop by Tool’s Wall for 2 rounds of Calf-Raise/Monkey Humber combo.

    Quick stop by the Foundry for everyone to get 10 full Pull Ups in. PAX plank while groups went to get their 10 done – using spotter’s as necessary. And for YHC, spotting was definitely necessary (thank you, Mahatma!)

    Indian Run back to the field for a game YHC learned in Houston.

    Ka-Burpee

    Divide into two teams each taking half of a very-imprecisely laid out field (roughly 15 yards across, each half about 30 yards deep). The game:

    PAX from one team crosses the line. Has 30 seconds to tag one member of the other team, then race back across the line to his original side of the field. Upon tagging an opponent, all members of opposing team do 1 burpee, then try to catch the tagger before he crosses back over the line. If the tagger is caught, his team does 5 burpees. If not, the taggee’s team does 5 more burpees.

    Trust me, it makes a bit more sense when you actually play it.

    Cycle through until everyone gets a turn as tagger. Strategies evolved, including Walleye using a Full Takedown maneuver to ensure Tanner would not make it back over the line. Nicely played!

    COT

    Hydrate hydrate hydrate. Then circle up for count-off, announcements (including a definition of CSAUP – Complete Stupid and Utterly Pointless event. Lets get some on the calendar!) Then clone in for a very very sweaty ball of man, and finish with a prayer – as always for YHC, ending with St. Ignatius’ Prayer for Generosity.

    Thank you all for allowing me the opportunity to lead.

  • Routine break

    Backblast will be like the beatdown, just a routine break at work.. It shall be brief and to the point so here it goes..

    Warmup

    10IC Torso twist, 10IC Scorpion kicks, Down dawg stretch with right leg high and left leg high.. 10IC SSH and 10IC Butt kicks..

    Thang

    Standard route through ole Mandeville with 4 breaks in the run. 3 taking place at the corner of Monroe and Massena Street to drop for 5 Merkins, 5 eight count body builders and 25 LBCs. One on the run down, after the circle, on Sunset pier and again at the corner on the return to the AO..

    Upon return the PAX completed 20IC Freddie Mercuries, chill cut Plank with right arm high and left arm high.

    count, announce, COT

    Appreciation to Waterpik for 🙏🏻 us out!!

    👍🏻👊🏻✌🏻 Till the next Gloom!

  • The Dirty DMD – Embrace it!

    YHC was expecting a small group at the Master Melvin, but word obviously spread far and wide about the Q, and 7 eager Pax were in attendance, in desire of a solid beat down. Plant the flag, give a brief disclaimer, and off to the Warm up:

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

    YHC decided to introduce a couple great work out routines to my West Bank Friends. First, the DirtMacDuece. But YHC is calling it the Dirty DMD, as each round is kicked off with 10 Burpees OYO. That’s just Dirty…..
    All exercises are completed in cadence to 12

    Round 1
    10 Burpees OYO
    Merkins
    LBC’s
    Squats
    Run a lap around the park

    Round 2
    10 Burpees OYO
    Shoulder Taps
    Flutter Kicks
    Lunges
    Run a lap

    Round 3
    10 Burpees OYO
    Floyd Mayweathers
    Hello Dolly’s
    Jump Lunges
    Run a lap

    Round 4
    10 Burpees OYO
    Catalina Wine Mixers (6 count, but still 12)
    Big Boi Situps (WW2)
    Low Slow Squats
    Run a lap

    Next up was the Suck. F3 Nola has learned to Embrace it! Not sure who started this, but YHC will credit it to Tool, as that’s where I got it from. Time to introduce our West Bank crew to this horrible routine.

    3 Rounds of 3 minutes doing the following exercises over and over
    7 SSH
    7 Merkins
    7 Jump Squats
    1 minute rest between each round (actually only 30 seconds, but YHC made the Pax feel like they were getting more, YHC is cruel like that….)
    The Westbankers killed it!

    Finish off with some Mary
    Freddie Mercury IC x 15
    Tin Snips IC x 10
    American Hammer IC x 10
    Crunchy Frog IC x 10
    YHC remembered about the Q school thing with only a couple minutes left.
    Called out to T-Square to call an exercise and correctly call to start:
    Spiderman Merkins (aka Angle Grinders I think) IC x 10
    Called out to Pauly D – Dying Cockroach IC x 20

    Times Up, mosey back to flag for

    COT
    Count off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, closed with a prayer to the Sky Q

    NMM

    YHC attended his first Master Melvin last week, and discovered a solid group of Pax that had a lot of drive and no quit. This is pretty much the opposite of YHC. These guys are definitely going to make me better, so I figured I needed to step it up and see if I could challenge these HIM’s. I hope all enjoyed the beat down, and thanks for posting with me!

    SYITG

  • ARMAPALOOZA

    The Uptowner Q list was running low, so YHC jumped at a chance to give Hawg a break and tryout an unused Uptowner resource YHC has had his eye on for a while. Turns out, a no running beatdown is more of a challenge than this F3 neophyte imagined. YHC was honored to lead 13 men through the gloom for this experiment.

    Warmup x 20

    SSH, IW, Arm Circles (10 forward/10 back), Grass Grabbers, Plank Jacks, and Abe Vigodas. There was quite a bit of mumblechatter towards the end of the warmup by a PAX who will remain nameless to protect the guilty so YHC imposed a five-burpee penalty to maintain order. The offending PAX refused to clap during the burpees, which almost lead to another round of penalty burpees, but there was more work to be done so the group was spared.

    The Thang

    The PAX was instructed to grab a medium-sized rock and slowsey to the parking lot in front of the gym. YHC is a fan of Dora 1-2-3 and merkin ladders. The PAX partnered up for 100 curls, 200 overhead presses, and 300 air squats (modified from squat presses with rock after a round or two of an excruciating arm and shoulder workout). While PAX 1 completed the above exercises, PAX 2 bear crawled from the parking lot to the steps of the gym for a merkin ladder (one merkin at the base of the steps and adding a merkin for each step up, for a total of 35), then lunge walk back and switch with PAX 1. Tclaps to mmmBop and Amnesty for bear crawling through a rather large puddle without complaining (guess Amnesty learned his lesson after the penalty burpees). After completing the ARMAPOLOOZA workout, the PAX circled up for a three-minute ISI compliant squat.

    COT- Nam-a-rama, announcements, and prayers.

    Thank you F3 for another opportunity to lead. It’s never taken lightly and always an honor. Thanks to the PAX for participating in my experiment. Parts of this beatdown will be repeated at a future beatdown, but YHC will look to modify to strive for a full body workout with compound exercises.

  • Substance over Form

    Conditions: 82 with a Heat Index of 91. Slight breeze and lots of wet, freshly cut grass to frolic in.

    Warm-up

    SSH x 20, Mt. Climbers x 20, IW x 20, Alternating Lunges x 14, 3 Rounds of the Suck (6 SSH, 6 Merkins, 6 Jump Squats)

    The Thang

    Mosey over the 4 hills of Lafreniere landing on the top of the 4th. For a few rounds of 3-6-3 exercises (3 slow reps, 6 normal, 3 slow)

    • Merkins
    • Squats
    • Merkins
    • Sumo Squats
    • Werkins

    Mosey back to the second hill (the highest and possibly the steepest) and gather together about 40 yards from the base. Here we broke out for one of my favorite Iron Pax workouts from last year:

    • 50 Squats
    • 40 Big Boi Situps
    • 30 Merkins
    • 20 MKGs (aka Bonnie Blairs) 2 is one
    • 10 Burpees
    • Run up and over the hill and back
    • Start rolling through the Suck until the 6 arrives.

    We did two rotations of this and then headed back up the high hill for some Quadraphilia – 4 minutes of running down the hill forward and up the hill bakerds. #crowdpleaser

    Back to the flag where we prayed a prayer of gratitude and prayed for those in need.

    NMM

    The internet has this to say about a heat index of 91 – Extreme caution: at this condition, heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible. Continuing activity could result in heat stroke.

    Don’t listen to the internet. Today felt pretty nice. I only lost 3 lbs. of sweat, compared to the 5 I lost during the 10 mile run with Rudy the other day.

    As you may know, YHC’s Merkin form ain’t great. I blame it on my legs. They are too heavy. Same reason I am a terrible swimmer. My legs sink. Maybe it’s all the muscles in them. I don’t know. Anyway, t-claps to Mahatma for pointing this out once again with a “Bruh, you gotta do somethin’ ’bout that form.” With tips about glute activation and some feedback from War Eagle (who should have been working out instead of standing around watching me), I think I made some progress.

    We had to do the 3-6-3 Merkins twice, because I royally screwed them up the first go around. Didn’t help that I started in an ant pile. But that is no excuse, just a condition that I should have overcome. I’ll be better.

    Quadraphilia brings back such good memories of Okwata. I have to get back out there. I will be overwriting some of the LVCC names that have copied and pasted their way through the Q-sheet so that we can all enjoy a round of Quadraphilia in the tall, wet grass of the steep Okwata levee.

    And what’s up with calling running backwards up a hill Bernie Sanders? I see that term used all over F3 Nation. I don’t think Bernie would be all that flattered. Bernie is a man that never gives up, even after everyone else has, and the rest of the world sees absolutely no reason he should still be hanging in there. But Bernie doesn’t care what you have to say. Bernie don’t quit. He’s a fitting namesake for seeing how long you can keep your chin above a pull-up bar, or how long you can hold an Al Gore (oops that one is already named after a Democratic Presidential Candidate). Anyway naming an exercise after him because it burns and his first name is Bernie, is weak in my opinion. C’mon F3 Nation, we can do better. If anyone should be looking at the character of a man it should be us. Let the rest of the world focus on outward appearances and names that sound like Burn, but are spelled differently.

  • A Good Ole Fashion Beat Down!

    It was an extremely humid morning at the Birdcage where 32 PAXs came together for a good ole fashion beat down! After the standard disclaimer and identification of FNGs (there were 2), we proceeded to mosey into the field in front of Audubon Zoo for warm up exercises.  I an effort to encourage more PAX to join the Q sheet, I voluntold Quincy and Moist to each lead an exercise.  

    Warm up Exersises consisted of the following all in cadence:

    SSH x20, Windmills x10 (lead by Quincy), Forward Arm Circles x10, Backwards Arm Circles (Seaman style) x10, Self Love x10

    The PAX then made their way to the front of the Zoo, partnered up and had a DORA 1,2,3 consisting of 100 Merkins, 200 Bobby Hurley’s, 300 Freddie Mercury’s (1:1). While one pax was exercising their partner was running the loop. Once the lap was completed, the PAX switched. The count was cumulative, and this process continued until all reps were complete.

    Once DORA was complete, the PAX mosyed to the pull up station, broke up into 6 groups.  Pull ups x10 was the count, while the rest of groups were Hillbillies, Plank Jacks, Squats, Hurpees, and LBCs. The Pax rotated through each group.

    The workout was concluded with a round of Mary and some stretching. The exercises were as follows, all in cadence:

    Penguins x 15, LBCs (lead by Moist) x15, Hello Dolly x 15, Freddie Mercury’s x15

    The COT ensued with the Count off, Nameorama, announcements, and closing prayer. We welcomed two FNGs this morning Two Wrongs and LittleTiny Tree 

    loop 

  • Maiden Voyage

    Eager to mark our territory with a trail of sweat, 14 PAX, aka privateers, gathered this Monday for a maiden voyage in the uncharted waters of northern 70122, and area deep with nautical history.  This would be a test run to check out the area and also see what interests there may be in establishing a new AO.  As the clock neared 5:30, it was encouraging to see a mix of guys, coming from near and far, that all wanted to be in that number.  Before we set sail, YHC mentioned that this workout would be somewhat of an exploratory mission and perhaps a work-in-progress as we bounced around.  The disclaimer came next followed by the annual recitation of a crude yet useful nugget from the F3 Lexicon that is something we should strive to avoid:  Whiskey Dicking (verb) – “Half stepping through a workout or other event.  More generally, execution of anything without sufficient zeal”…recently updated to read “Tentative execution of a task”.  Basically, try to give it your all and make the most out of the next 45 minutes.  Here’s what we did:

    Quick “capri lap” around the parking lot with a COP in the nearby field for a warmup of IW, Phelps, WM, AC, Toy Soilders, LSS.  

    Then we kept it close for any lost latecomers with a continuation of the warmup, getting in a diamond formation for Burpees x20, Bench/Bleacher Dips x15, Jump Squats x10, Tire Flips x5.  This circuit would hopefully be repeated later on but no dice.  

    From there, we moseyed into the heart of UNO’s campus, with a stop to plank for the six followed by 10 Merkins.  T-claps to Kuch and Gideon who YHC overheard discuss trying to nudge a guy back out in the gloom…#HIM!  We ended the mosey near an area officially named “the lazy river” by Gabrielle which is adjacent to a few tall sets of stairs leading up to the amphitheater hill.  Here we dropped anchor for the first round of Dora, partnering up for 100 crossfit/hand-release Merkins while PAX#2 ran a lap up and down the stairs and hill.  Pull anchor up…

    Northerly mosey to the concrete planters in front of the Alumni Building for the second round of Dora.  T-claps to Holy Grove and others for pushing hard then sweeping the six. Partner up with someone different (swinger style) for Inclined Hip Slappers x200 while PAX#2 run to the top of the levee and back.  Some groans and panting were heard on this one.    

    From here we changed course back towards harbor, stopping in front of The UC for the third round of Dora.  Original plans called for a stair running loop but time was ticking and we had to wing it with LBC x300 (in sets of 50) which PAX#2 held a low squat #ISI.  We had to cut this a tad short and hightail it across the field to the flag.  Shout out to HG and JJ for kicking it in high gear on the final run.  Total distance covered was approx 2.17 miles.  YHC’s goal of scoping out the area was accomplished but the run/plank time squeezed out some of the circuit work.   

    Finished things off with a COT.  Next two workouts in that location (NW corner of Leon C. Simon and Elysian Fields) will be 8/26 and 9/9.  Input and Qs are welcome so please chime in and/or step up.  Hopefully this AO takes off, in turn further growing the footprint of F3 and having a positive impact on more men.  T-claps to Gideon for the nudge and pledge to help get this going.  

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead. 

    Tool 

  • Return of the Green Mile

    19 pax showed up to the Lakefront on Saturday Morning, for a beatdown known as the Green Mile.

    Pre-thang; 2 miles Tanked up, Bushwacker, Barely Legal and a late arriving YHC.

    The thang:

    Warm up: SSH, IW, Mt climbers, Slow skwaats, and dippy birds all IC x 20

    The Green Mile: 1/2 mile from shovel flag to eastern playground with 7 fire hydrants along the way. The pax were instructed to perform 5 merkins and 10 squats at each hydrant on the way down and 10 merkins and 20 squat on the way back. The pax returned to the shovel flag with 30 min to spare, just enough time for a second round. Only this time it was 10 merks/20 squats on the way down and 5 merks/10 squats on the way back.

    Cooldown: SSH, IW, Mt climbers, Slow skwaats, and dippy birds all IC x 20

    It seems that the pax has some superhumans among them: with Zoolander only weeks out of surgery for a lower leg fracture, leading the front of the pax…unreal. And Tanked-up despite finding a 7th gear to end the workout up front, well done guys.

  • Rock City Rocks

    YHC hasn’t been at Rock City for few months because of the launch of Sweaty Bells, which is a Sunday workout with kettle bells. Willie and YHC had thought of bringing their kettle bells to a Rock City workout one day but could only imagine the mumble chatter from a PAX named Rudy. Because it’s been awhile since the last Rock City, YHC was super excited to have an opportunity to Q again for the 2nd time at this AO. YHC is very happy to see many new faces just in few months. F3 Nola is definitely growing at a great pace, which leads to a FNG, later named Scam Newton, EH’ed by Marlin. At 5:30 am, YHC gave his standard disclaimer…. and off the PAX.

    Everyone grabbed a rock and headed to the middle of the football field. Rudy apparently is not strong enough to do that because he’s so used to warming up first before the PAX pick up the rocks. But Rudy somehow managed to suck it up and do what the Q said.

    Warm-ups

    Because there are so many new PAX who have never Q’ed before, YHC took this opportunity to invite Baloo to help with the warm up exercises:

    SSHs x 30 IC

    Windmills x 10 IC

    Arm Circles and Seal Claps x 15 IC

    Hill Billies x 20 IC

    Mountain Climbers x 15 IC

    Round 1

    Picked a partner for the entire workout. Everyone lined up at the 40 yard line of the football field. While one PAX lunge walked toward the field goal post, the other PAX ran backwards to the field goal post then ran back towards his partner. Flap jack until the team crosses the end zone. Once in the end zone, each PAX did 10 burpees each. However, while one PAX was doing the burpees, the other PAX was in Goblet Squat position with the rock until his partner finished with his burpees and then flap jack.

    Round 2 – Broken up Dora

    Starting from the end zone….

    Dora Part 1 – finished 80 thrusters as a team. While one PAX was doing the thrusters, the other PAX ran out to the 40 yard line and did 10 curls and moseyed back to the PAX. Flap jack until 80 thrusters were completed by the team.

    Dora Part 2 – finished 200 LBCs with the rock as a team. While one PAX was doing LBC’s, the other PAX ran to the 40 yard line and did 10 chest presses and moseyed back to his partner. Flap jack until 200 LBCs were completed by the team.

    Dora Part 3 – finished 300 shoulder taps as a team. While one PAX was doing shoulder taps, the other PAX ran to the 40 yard line and did 20 Rocky Balboa’s on the rock and moseyed back to his partner. Flap jack until 300 shoulder taps were finished.

    Round 3 – Sprint Relay Race

    Starting from the end zone, one PAX sprinted to the 40 yard line and did 5 manmakers and sprinted back and tagged his partner. The partner did the same thing. Rinse and repeat until finishing a total of 4 rounds as a team so that each PAX did 10 manmakers.

    After the sprint, the PAX did some active stretching with “open gates” and “zombie walk” to stretch those legs and hamstrings. Mumble chatter again from Rudy saying that we should have done these stretches at the beginning of the workout and not at the end. YHC believes Rudy is just getting anxieties because college football season is almost here. And he knows how crappy the losing Irish is going to be this season. Ouch!!!

    Brought our rocks back to the pile and moseyed back to the flag. YHC didn’t managed the time correctly and ended the workout at 6:17 a.m.

    COT

    Count-a-Rama – 24 PAX, Name-a- Rama, announcements, and intentions. One FNG named Scam Newton because he is an Auburn alumnus. Once again, thank you for the opportunity to lead. SYITG

    King Kong

    Willie, King Kong, Gabrielle, and Jingle Vader managed to meet up for coffee at PJs on Magazine Street after their respective beatdown. Today was also the inaugural beatdown on UNO campus lead by Tool. During coffee, YHC found out there were 14 PAX at the newly launched AO and 17 PAX at the Skinny. There was a total of 55 PAX on the Southshore participated a workout today. Great way to start off the week!!!

  • Stomp #207 – Good Morning Burpees

    The Tuesday crowd at the Stomp has exploded recently. YHC saw an opportunity to take the Q and bring a little something extra to the AO. Since everyone loves Burpees, YHC knew that incorporating them in a way not done before would be received with joy! YHC was not disappointed!

    24 Pax posted to improve their running ability, and their endurance. But first a brief disclaimer, and a very quick warmup:

    Grass Grabbers IC x 10 followed by Arm Circles IC x 20

    Instructions were simple. Run as a group down the traditional Bayou St John route. Every time the Pax came across a person or group of people, we would call out “Good Morning!” If we received a “Good Morning” back, all did 5 Burpees. If no “Good Morning” was received, then 10 Burpees was coming our way. If the Pax attempted to prod for them to say it, the penalty was 15 Burpees.

    How many Burpees completed? There were approximately 10 stops for 5 Burpees and only 1 stop for 10 Burpees. The Pax covered around 4 miles, and many folks on the streets of NOLA were greeted with a kind gesture.

    Good Times had by all.

    COT for Count off, name-o-rama, announcements and intentions.

    Thanks for posting with me today, and for allowing me to be a part of such a great organization!

    SYITG!