Blog

  • First at the Marsh for ole EiEi Oh? Literally/Figuratively

    YHC arrived at the Marsh to the sights of an unfamiliar truck.. As I exited, so did one EiEi now that’s a pleasant surprise but certainly a welcomed one.. Then the likes of another arrival not seen in sometime with Pelican pulling in as Steve and Bushwacker make there way to center court.. Of course the Marsh would not be complete without the pillar of Monday posts Water Pik rolling in right on time.. We circle up at center court to warmup for our “Marsh 500” on this heavy humid Gloom.. Not sure of the track temperatures but most of the PAX would soon be cooling things down with much perspiration as we embark down Lamarque street..

    Warmup

    15 IC Toe Touches

    10 IC Good Mornings

    15 IC Windmills

    10 IC Arm circles forward/reverse

    15 IC SSH

    Thang

    Assembled on Lamarque for the first bit of instruction. Simple Mosey to the first cross street for our 1st of only 5 exercises.. 20 8 count body builders OYO, as the YHC knew that he would not be able to maintain an accurate count as we progressed down Lamarque. Corner 2 20 8 count body builders, 25 Merkins. Moseyed on to our next block 20 8 count body builders, 25 Merkins, 34 Squats. By this point Q was beginning to wonder what possessed him to elect 8 count body builders as one of the exercises, but then Bushwhacker noticed the Ragnar t-shirt YHC was wearing which states “It’s not crazy if we all are doing it!” On to the fourth corner for 20 8 count body builders, 25 Merkins, 33 Squats, 50 Plank Jacks.. Arrived on the 5th corner at Lakeshore and Lamarque for completion. 20 8 count body builders, 25 Merkins, 33 Squats, 50 Plank Jacks and 100 LBCs.. By this point the objective of the PAX is to just complete in whatever order necessary or as we like to say modify to your abilities… PAX began some mumble chatter of a possible Uber pickup, which made the YHC feel as though he had delivered a quality product for a great price… “Marsh 500” complete 5 corners, 5 exercises and 500 Total reps.. Moseyed our 1/2 mile return to the court arriving with 2 mins to spare for a chill cut Plank followed by 10 IC J-lows..

    Glad to have all you men post this Gloom, especially EIEI. Looking forward to seeing you at other AO’s as well 👊🏻!!

    count, announce, COT

    👏🏻👏🏻 to EIEI for closing us in prayer!!

    Always appreciate the Gloom with you brethren of F3!!

    👍🏻👊🏻✌🏻 til the next Gloom!!

  • Burpee Free Monday, Respecting the Tradition, Edition

    Warm and humid spring morning at the skinny. I picked up the Q from Seaman who picked up the Q from Sabin so I felt obligated to not have the pax do a single burpee in Seaman’s honor.

    We moseyed then circled up for warm up:

    A bit of stretching followed by 15 windmills, 10 forward arm circles and 10 reverse arm circles (I even made the pax count backward in Seaman’s honor)

    Then we lined up for 7’s (froggers and hand realease merkins

    Then we lined up for 6’s (8 count body builders and high knee jump squats)

    Then we lined up for 5’s (Jack Webb’s and groiners)

    Next we ran four corners:

    5 squats

    5 squats, 10 merkins

    5 squats, 10 merkins, 15 plank jacks

    5 squats, 10 merkins, 15 plank jacks, 20 lunges

    Next four corners again:

    10 lbc

    20 lbc

    30 lbc

    40 lbc

    On to mini Dora 123 after partnering up:

    50 v ups

    100 Russian twists

    150 dying cockroach

    Slow mosey to the grass, by the benches, for Mary:

    PAX pick your poison Mary with 10 merkins between each exercise

    Mosey to the flag for 10 Nolan Ryan’s each side and 20 count mission impossible.

    Count off, name-o-rama (with FNG named Pauly D), announcements and prayer.

    Thank you for letting me lead,

    86

  • Base Chase stolen from Tito, and pregame for the Barathon

    Still full from the amazing dinner prepared by 86 at the Harrah’s steakhouse and my ears ringing from the Foo Fighters show that last until 1am. Not sure how it happened but I managed to forget to set my alarm but I just naturally woke up at 5:08am. Plenty of time to get to the AO.

    Tinkles who was also up VERY late split the group and took a crew for the Angry Wave – Hokey Pokey Bad Moon, 86 Gatsby Chips and some others went their way.

    My phone had no charge so no special jammy fanny. Damn it!

    OG warmup on the Loyola lawn: SSH x 20, Hillbilly x 20, Mtn Climber x 20, Peter Parkers x 20, Roaches x 20

    Then we ran to the top of WPM x 25 plank jacks on one side and 10 hand release merks. Ping Pong back to the 6.

    At the top we got a partner and did a quick lap one floor down

    FLIP FLOP x LC CRabs, Monkey humpers, Freddies, and Fire hydrants

    So that was four more laps

    Then down to the benchs for some dips and some bulgarian split lunges IC

    Finally was a base chase challenge. Team one vs Team two. Team two won so team one had to pay up 10 burpees.

    Things don’t always go as you plan – but we got it done. A messy am and Q but it was a pleasure to lead. I am missing some PAX – leave me a message below and I will add you so that you can get credit for attendance!

  • Waxing Angie’s List

    Beautiful AM at the FLY. Started with a debate about the launch point for the beatdown. Riverview vs the Hill. For now the Hill wins but I see Angie’s point. The riverview is nice.

    We circled up. I allowed for quite a bit of Mumblechatter today because I really wanted to focus on form and discuss form variations as we start this new AO with Kettlebells.

    We started with some warmup around the body, under the legs and hand tosses.

    Then we did a circuit x 3

    8 Halos IC
    10 Goblet Squats IC, 8 Overhead Presses IC each side, 15 Swings OYO, 8 Bend over Rows IC each side, and 10 Lunge Each Side IC
    Each lap of the circuit we got faster

    Tclaps to Triple Shift for really teaching us about our form options and variations.

    There were some definite gawkers driving by us – and they were looking. Perhaps at Angie List’s hairy arms? Lots discussion of waxing Angie or Angie checking out Triple Shift.

    After the circuit we did 6 min of Mary

    Low Country Crab – Me, Big Boi Pleasers – TShift, Russian Twist – ILUman Angie – LBCs Jingle – Dying Roach Willie – Penguins, King Kong – Hello Dolly

    Then we closed with a circle of trust.

    I am excited about this AO – I hope it takes off!

  • The Birth of the Renaissance

    Last week was technically supposed to be the official launch of the new Sunday AO, but Mother Nature prevented anyone beyond YHC from actually posting. With fair weather and high humidity, 6 men, including 1 FNG, met near NOMA to celebrate the actual official launch of the new AO. No kettle bells here, just a good old fashioned beat down was expected, as was promised on Mumble Chatter. YHC rolled in sort of hot, with only 3 minutes to spare. With the clock striking 0630, it was time for the disclaimer, and then a short mosey to the grass near the tree line for…..

    Warmup
    SSH IC x 31
    IW IC x 20
    Abe Vigodas IC x 10
    Grass Grabbers IC x 15
    Arm Circles IC x 20
    Peter Parker IC x 20
    Mountain Climbers IC x 20
    Parker Peter IC x 20

    Thang 1
    Instructions were simple….
    Line up at first tree, bear crawl to the next tree and complete 5 Burpees
    Lunge Walk to next tree, and complete 5 Burpees
    Bear crawl to next tree, and complete 5 Burpees
    Lunge walk to next tree, and complete 5 Burpees
    Sprint back to first tree
    YHC was leading the way, and sprinted back to the first tree, with Tool right behind. Once back at the tree, Tool informs YHC that we may have skipped a part. Yes, we did. YHC did not follow his own instructions and left off the second lunge walk. Of course all Pax followed suit, as the Q is always right. However, once back at the tree line, we completed the lunge walk with 5 burpees to the first tree, and sprinted back. All was right in the world once again.

    Thang 2
    Bataan Death March on Lelong Drive
    Form a column for an Indian Run with the last man dropping for 3 Burpees then sprinting to the front of the column.
    Each Pax had the pleasure of doing it once with a regular Indian Run to finish at the museum.

    Thang 3
    Dora 1..2..3
    Partner up
    100 Burpees, 200 Squats, 300 LBC’s
    Cumulative exercise where Pax 1 starts and Pax 2 runs a lap around NOMA, then flap jack until complete.

    Thang 4
    Shock and Awe
    Some mumblechatter initially, but it didn’t last long
    SSH IC x 5
    10 Burpees OYO
    SSH IC x 5
    9 Burpees OYO
    ……..
    SSH IC x 5
    2 Burpees OYO
    SSH IC x 5
    At this point, most pax know what comes next. However YHC had a surprise. Instead of the anticipated 10 Burpees at the bottom of the ladder, YHC did a sudden change and incorporated another favorite exercise….
    Catalina Wine Mixers IC x 10 (6 count) – It’s a real crowd pleaser.

    With 3 minutes remaining, a few stretches to assist in the cool down.

    COT
    Count off, Name-o-rama, name the FNG, Announcements, and closed it out with a prayer.

    NMM

    It took the Pax a long time to name the FNG. He’s going to work for Monster Energy Drinks, but we were drawing a blank, so Metry it became, as he lives there, and we don’t have one yet. If you don’t like it, too bad. You should have posted……

    With the time it took to name the FNG, YHC decided we would let the name for the AO marinate in our heads, and any good options could be submitted on Mumble chatter. Since we want something to do with the museum, YHC came up with The Renaissance, or just Renaissance. Unless there is serious opposition to this proposal, it shall stand. The Renaissance was primarily a time of the revival of Classical learning and wisdom after a long period of cultural decline and stagnation. Sounds like a cure for Sad Clown Syndrome to me……it lends to the DRP.

    Whenever YHC needs to bring a good beat down, burpees seem to do the trick. They are the perfect full body exercise.

    With 3 Q’s in the last 4 days, YHC did not see 1 Shovel Flag…….just sayin’

    Thanks for helping me launch the new AO. Somebody needs to step up and take the Q for next week.

    SYITG


  • Fuzzy Balls

    22 PAX strong on the Mandeville Lakefront. 23 if you count Brat who joined us for a little foreplay as he works his way off injured reserve. Brat, an officer with the NOPD, injured himself successfully tackling and arresting a bad guy. The PAX’s consensus is that he should use a Tazer next time Indiana Jones style or perhaps transfer to a Northshore police agency where a polite request to stop, issued with an English accent, is all that is required to apprehend a criminal.

    Kicked things off with warmup of seal jacks, toe touches, SSHs, imperial walkers, merkins, and Jane Fondas. We then divided into three teams, and YHC retrieved his bag and revealed his fuzzy balls.

    Each team received a fuzzy tennis ball (yes, YHC had three) and instructions to race with it about a half mile west along the Lakefront to the Shaft. To begin, there were only three rules: first, you cannot run if you are holding the ball; second, no pass backs-you cannot receive a pass back from the man you just passed to; and third, the entire team had to stop dead and perform five burpees every time the ball touched the ground before proceeding. Then Cowbell whipped a legal pad out of his briefcase and starting asking questions and for clarification on a few items so we ended up with a few more rules. No wonder you guys don’t get anything done on the Southshore.

    Circled up upon arrival at the Shaft for T merkins and alternating Supermans..

    Back to the races with another tennis ball sprint further westward along the Lakefront to the playground where we circled up for prisoner squats, hand release merkins and crab cakes.

    Raced back eastward with our fuzzy balls to the Shaft for a third COP consisting of a merkin wave, lunges, Supermans, arm circles, overhead hand claps, and air presses.

    One final race back to the shovel flag, wrapping things up with some Mary…single leg raises, scuba Steves and a 60 second plank.

    Countorama, nameorama and Phoenix prayed us out on the way to the coffeeteria.

    Thanks for letting me lead, guys, and thanks for competing so earnestly in the silly tennis ball game.

  • Sandy Returns

    A Grundy beatdown in 2019 wouldn’t be complete unless Sandy showed up. And showed up she did. But let’s warm up first.

    Warmup included, Seal Jacks, Butt Kicks, High Knees, and Nolan Ryans. All of them were in cadence.

    We then moseyed to the parking garage to meet up with the aforementioned Sandy who was conveniently waiting in the Grundymobile.

    We showed her the usual respect and did a planking tunnel of love and pulled her through with our right arms up the first ramp. We then pulled her through our legs down the straightaway to the other ramp. We rinsed and repeated up the second ramp pulling through with our left arms.

    On the top we partnered up and did catch me if you can with three laps for each team. Turbo decided to make YHC’s first backpedal extra long. Thanks man…

    We then got in some of my PT and did some core work while one PAX took a band and in a squat shuffled left and right up the straightaway. We did that for every PAX while switching the exercise in between.

    After a Indian run on the roof we left Sandy behind and went to the Justice center benches. We did a Steve classic with some step ups and freak nasties in cadence.

    We moseyed back to the flag and concluding with a count off and COT with prayer.

    Thanks for letting me lead!

  • I think I can. I think I can. I think I can…

    YHC has longed dreamed of making it around the entire Lafreniere Park walking track in one workout. Two Yutes, Boo Boo, and Darkwing Duck emerged form the gloom to assist in my attempt to make it around the park.

    5:30 Disclaimer and mosey to the beginning of the walking track.

    The Thang

    The goal–Route 66 around the park stopping at each light pole.

    1st exercise: SS. When you pass a bench do as many dips as possible until you complete 66

    2nd exercise: Mountain Climbers

    3rd exercise: Imperial Walkers. Those who have completed dips begin working on 66 Irkins

    4th exercise: Peter Parkers

    5th exercise: detour form the route and complete 20 pull-ups OYO

    6th exercise: Back to Route 66 – Squats

    7th exercise: Merkins

    8th exercise: Overhand Claps

    At last, the dream of making it around the park in one workout died. It was not meant to be this day. A mosey through the park back to the flag two minutes late.

    Count-off, Name-o-rama, COT

  • Blue Angel Dropped B.O.M.B.S

    YHC has been out of the Qing game for a while trying to finish off another semester of PhD work. So when the opportunity came to Q The Foundry it was a no brainer. YHC has a habit of showing up extra early the mornings of Q to scout out the AO and make sure everything is in place for the beatdown ahead. Around 5:25, Screw Top and his band of misfits emerged from the gloom followed by a gentleman wearing a Jesuit blue shirt introducing himself with a “normal” name like John or something like that. Clearly, we had an FNG joining us this morning without the PAX member who EH’d him. (No worries, Walleye, we took care of him).

    5:30 – Disclaimer and we were off heading towards the City Park office.

    Warm-Up:

    SSH, Mountain Climbers, Hillbillies, Windmills, Arm Circles.

    The Thang

    Mosey to the Foundry. Along the way, the FNG became quite interested in each of our names. “I bet you aren’t an Auburn fan.” YHC knew then we had a genius on our hands

    B.O.M.B.S

    Partner up. As a pair complete the following as one PAX member runs to the track and back:

    Burpees X 50

    Overhand Claps X 100

    Merkins X150

    Big Boy Sit-Ups X 200

    Squats X 250

    Post-Thang

    Mosey to the beginning of the Roosevelt Mall. At the first bench complete 5 dips, 2nd bench 10 dips…carry on till you get to 40. Mosey back to the flag.

    Our FNG competed like a champion. Turns out he served in the Air Force, flys for FedEx and had a royal blue shirt. He throughly enjoyed supporting the Navy and proudly accepted the name Blue Angel.

    COT

    *Sorry for the delay in writing the backblast. As always it was a pleasure to lead this great group of men.

  • Dirty Dozen at the Mothership

    A post following the Tchoupitoulas Bar-A-Thon is never easy, but 3 committed Pax (Sogo, YHC and Heisenberg) made it to bring the total Pax to a dozen. With the clock hitting 0630, time for the brief disclaimer, and then a mosey to the Great Lawn for……

    Warmup

    SSH IC x 31
    Hillbillies IC x 20
    Abe Vigodas IC x 10
    Arm Circles IC x 20
    Grass Grabbers IC x 10
    Peter Parkers IC x 20
    Mountain Climbers IC x 20
    Parker Peters IC x 20

    Thang 1

    Dirty Mac Deuce…..
    Round 1
    Merkins IC x 12
    Squats IC x 12
    Flutter Kicks IC x 12
    Do a Lap around the Great Lawn

    Round 2
    Shoulder Taps IC x 12
    Lunges IC x 12
    Hello Dolly IC x 12
    Do a lap around the Great Lawn

    Round 3
    Floyd Mayweathers IC x 12
    Side Lunges IC x 12
    Dying Cockroach IC x 12
    Do a lap around the Great Lawn

    Round 4
    Diamond Merkins IC x 12
    Monkey Humpers IC x 12
    Tin Snips IC x 12
    Do a lap around the Great Lawn


    If anyone really knows this guy, you know that Catalina Wine Mixers usually make it into the DMD, but we were doing the exercises on the brick path, and YHC does not like the feel of elbows on brick. Knowing the Pax was itching to do this exercise, YHC moved the Pax to the grass where we performed Catalina Wine Mixers IC x 10. With the crowd back under control, time to mosey to the NOMA fountain.

    Thang 2
    Right leg step ups IC x 15
    Dips IC x 15
    Left Leg step ups IC x 15
    Derkins IC x 10

    Thang 3
    Mini Dora 1…2….3
    Count off, 1 and 3 partner up, 2 and 4, 5 and 7, etc.
    Burpees x 50
    Squats x 100
    LBC x 150
    1 Pax starts exercise, Pax 2 runs the circle around NOMA

    Thang 4
    Mosey to the Tree line for some “Embrace the Suck!”
    3 minutes of 6 x SSH, 6 x Merkins, 6 x Bobby Hurleys (over and over)
    During the exercise, Shorty recommended renaming the Bobby Hurleys to Zions. Shorty doesn’t post much and rarely has good ideas. At least he fixed one of those issues today……
    Rinse and Repeat for 3 minutes of 6 x SSH, 6 x merkins, and 6 x Zions!

    Mosey back to the VSF for the COT
    Announcements, Intentions, closed with prayer.

    NMM

    It looks like Smooth is leaving us soon with an awesome adventure to Spain! Good luck and come back and visit. Send us a photo of the shovel flag when you start the F3 there…..

    Speaking of shovel flags, where are they? Someone must has several in their trunk……..

    Glad to see Quick Draw back! Kotter!

    YHC got the selfie, minus Hawg and Dax. Thanks for posting with me today, and for allowing me to be part of such a great organization. Coffeteria after at Cafe Navarre was awesome as always!

    SYITG