F3 New Orleans

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  • The Oval of Pain

    It all started with a few guys out for a nice workout….then Side Effect said, “Let’s Mosey” and it was downhill from there….

    Mosey to a nice grassy area
    Side straddle hops x 25
    Mosey to track at a nice click
    LBC x 25
    400m
    LBFC x 15…now those were fun…
    400m
    LBC with legs straight up x 20
    400m
    LBC x 25
    4 x 200m w/ partner
    Flutter kicks
    Reverse Crunches x25

    After we were gassed and read to spew, Side Effect handed the Q over to Amnesty:

    Mosey to the outdoor gym for a couple rounds at the “Foundry”

    Line up in the plank position and follow the leader…
    Pull ups x 10 or AMRAP
    Dips x 10 or AMRAP
    Rows x 10 or AMRAP
    Cross the monkey bars
    Run across the soccer field to the far side goal and 20 lunges (10 each leg) first round / 20 air squats second round
    Run back to outdoor gym, rinse repeat.
    Head back to the flag with a quick plank session so we can sprint in as a group.

    Iron was definitely sharpened this day.

    Shout out to Channel Mullet’s and Amnesty’s fathers who are battling prostate cancer.  And for Channel Mullet’s ACL.  We prayed for those battling illnesses, Mr. Awesome to have a successful trip, and Reluctant Yankee to have a safe and productive mission trip to Nicaragua.

    Schedule:
    Monday with Hawgcycle. 530AM Rock City/Pontiff *Bonus holiday F2 coffeeteria
    Wednesday with Splash 530AM Birdcage/Audubon at Pull ups
    Friday with Roots 530AM Wolfpack Mtn/Audubon at St Charles entrance
    Saturday with Rev 630AM Storyland/GreatLawn at City Park

  • They did what to the Tulane sign?

    OK so I typed this up and left the computer for a bit – and the whole thing got deleted on a time out – so…this one will be less exciting.

    Funny intro about the Tulane University sign and a public image problem of recent graduations post-tweets of themselves in a cap and gown minus their under gown garments.

    At the sign, High Knees, butt kicks, bear crawl, grapevine, side hop each direction, sprint.  40 yards.

    Then SSH x 20, Mountain Climbers x 20, Imperial Walker Squats x 20, Monkey Humps x 20,

    Then we ran to Wolfpack Mtn.

    The Thang

    Run up the inclines, jog the flats and at each end of the parking garage each member of the PAX needed to do 10 cross fit merks.  Half way up we modified to 5 xfit merks.

    At the top plank and wait then circle up for 6MOM

    Lbc x 20 lbc twist x 20, flutter x 20 penguin x 20, hello dolly x 20 rosalita x 20

    Then the PAX divided into two groups – one ran down a floor of stairs and ran up the ramp and straight away back to the PAX.  While one group ran – the other did 10 merkins and as many LBCs as possible while waiting for the other group.   Then they switched.

    At that point we rain down the stairs and headed to the benches.  At the benches we did:

    left leg step ups x 20 right leg step ups x 20 freak nastys x 20 left leg squats x 15 right leg squats x 15

    Mosey back to the Flag.

    As always it was a pleasure to Q.  At the shout out – we reflected on the Memorial in Memorial Day – something I haven’t done in years.  YHC also asked for TShirts for the Nicaragua mission that I take on Saturday.  The breeze at the top of Wolfpack Mtn was a special treat in NOLA this late in MAY I hope you enjoyed that!

  • F3-A Damn Good Midlife Crisis

    After some encouragement, I was asked to tag multiple regions for this post. I am JD from Lake Murray, SC.

    Here we go. This is the, “what F3 has meant to me post”. Now, I know this post has been done many times before, so hopefully I can add something to what has already been said. Disclaimer: I am not the best writer when it comes to writing about my thought and feelings. Scientific writing is my wheelhouse, give me some data and I will give you a nice report with succinct analysis. So be patient as I muddle through. I want this post to be an encouragement and a thank you to all PAX. Anyone who has been in F3 longer than a few months knows that this is more than just a workout. What we do on a daily basis is of extreme value and instrumental in changing and/or accelerating the lives of men.

    Lately, I have been thinking a lot on what is F3 to me? This is the best answer I came up with. It is a gift from God I didn’t deserve or even knew I needed. God has blessed me with many things in my life. He has blessed me with so many people throughout my life whom have supported and helped me. I have an awesome wife, two of the best children and a great career. Isn’t it funny how we pray for things and instead of granting our prayers, God gives us more than we could have even conceived to begin with. I was praying to lose some weight, God gave me F3, how small was my faith?

    A little history about myself. My father left when I was 2. I grew up poor, mostly in WV. I moved 16 times. I was raised in an abusive home by a bipolar mother with a revolving door of loser stepdad/boyfriends. Cocaine, marijuana, alcohol abuse were the norm. It sucked. I never felt secure and it was hard. I could write a book on the last 2 sentences. Then, I got invited to church in junior high. I accepted Jesus and found myself surrounded by a 2nd F group. Without the help of my grandparents and this group of people, I would most likely have been a statistic. Instead, I am the first person in my family with a doctorate degree (or even graduate degree). Fellowship changed it all. I didn’t know I needed those people but God did. I feel the same way about my F3 brothers. My life has been changed again with the motor of fellowship and accountability.

    When I first posted to F3, I was going through one of the saddest times of my life. My grandfather passed away on June 9, 2014. It wasn’t expected. He had a heart attack. My grandfather was flawed, simple, and good. Not a bad way to live. He was the only father figure that I had and the only man I felt ever loved me. Losing him was tough and I was depressed for a while. Death is one of those things that makes you reevaluate yourself. I wanted to be better. Even armed with the knowledge of a degree in exercise physiology and a doctorate in physical therapy I found it hard to get into shape. As I looked in the mirror at a 260# size 44 waist-ed man who works in healthcare, I knew I had to change. I didn’t want my family crying over my casket like we were that day. I knelt down by my grandfather, held his hand, prayed, and promised him I would change. I would lose 40#. (Now, I had not yet read Free to Lead, and didn’t even know about POGO 40, so I find this ironic).

    When I got back home, the next week I got invited to F3 by Swampy and on 7/23/2014 I showed up in all my glory for a Pothole led leg day. It was too hard for me. I pulled an ab doing a burpee, I was back of the pack wheezing just trying to keep up. Had it been any other class at a gym or crossfit place I probably wouldn’t have came back. But F3 does something different. They pick up the 6, they encourage, they inspire, they don’t leave a man behind. I couldn’t even run 100 yards my first time out, but I had resolve to #getbetter to #bebetter. 6 months later I ran a 1/2 marathon. I’ve done a 12K trail run, mud run, P200, GRL730, I’ve lost 57lbs. A guy that couldn’t run a 100 yards did all that in less than a year. Why, because men saw fit to invest in the lives of other men. #service Next up are a GRC/GRL double down and the BRR. I look forward to the fellowship. These CSAUPs/adventures have been some of the best times of my life.

    Today I am in the best shape of my life. I am definitely a better father, husband, and son. It is funny, I used to think, with my judgemental POGO 40 brain, fathers in excellent shape must not be paying attention to their families and are focused too much on themselves. It became my excuse much of the time. I don’t go to the gym because I love my family. I convinced myself that my inactivity was noble. How messed up is that? I used to think, why would I go run a mile, I would be too tired to play with my kids. Now, I can double down, get home when they are waking up and still run circles around them all day. I am calmer, happier, stronger, and faster.

    What we do is important. It is more than a workout. I am honored to share life with you gentlemen. I want to say thank you! Let’s keep getting these FNGs out here, keep picking up the 6, and do what we do. I love you guys!

    Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Phillipians 3:14

    #ThankYouForTheseAwesomeBodies

     

     

  • Slip N Slide in the Gloom

    Pre-Thang
    9 well adjusted chaps got their 6 out of the fartsack to get better in the gloomy, dewy grass of the BirdCage. Unfortunately, our beloved flag fartsacked. Hopefully it will choose to get better Friday.

    The Thang
    We moseyed down the track to the rear corner of the park for a warm up COP

    COP (all in cadence)
    SSH x 25
    Hillbillies x 20 (didn’t know if we were doing them right, as Hawg wasn’t present to critique form.)
    Merkins x 10
    Imperial walker x 20
    Lunges x 15

    Mosey to the Fly
    The Slip n Slide
    With the pax lined up in plank position, and the weight bag at the end of the line, the two men on the outside edges line up to sprint up the levee and back. If the bag gets passed down the line, before the runners get back, the runners do 5 burpees. Go until everyone runs. If the men have to do burpees, everyone gets a 5 count recovery before the next runners go. (The name is derived from the lack of braking ability for some of the men on the way down the levee at full speed, one of those men being YHC, who slid far enough to end up in a ‘water’ filled ditch.)

    Mosey to the riverside
    The Mississippi Salute
    LBCs x 20
    Merkin x 10
    LSS x 15
    Repeat

    Modified Putin – With the pax in a line facing the river, and the weight bag at the end of the line, everyone assumes Putin position, and we pass the bag down the line and back, keeping feet in the air. Recover with a 5 count. Repeat x 5

    Mosey to J.J. Audubon
    Step ups (right foot lead) x 20
    Dips x 15
    Step ups (left foot lead) x 20

    Mosey to the light poles
    Football workout of which I don’t remember the name x 2 – Men start in  a standing line, upon beginning, start chopping your feet (kind of like running in place, with your feet staying low to the ground.) When Q calls “drop,” the men drop chest to ground, get back up, and continue chopping. Repeat until Q shouts “go,” then you sprint to the first light, and recover jog/walk to second light.
    From here, move into plank position, when Q starts, everyone chops their feet agian. When Q shouts “left,” drop to the ground, roll to the left, roll back, and get back to chopping in plank position. If Q shouts “right,” do the same, but roll to the right. When Q shouts “go,”  sprint to the next light, and recover to the second light.

    Mosey to the nice grass adjacent the ‘flag’ and do 3 Minutes of Mary.
    LBC x 20
    Penguins x 15
    Flutter Kicks x 20
    Freddie Mercury x 15

    Mosey to the Flag

    COT
    Requests for prayer for Channel Mullet’s Father, Amnesty’s father, as well as Dr. Collins, a friend of many of the PAX in Metairie, followed by a prayer offered by YHC.

    Moleskine: 

    Lots of camaraderie today amongst men who haven’t worked out together in a long time, it was really a delightful thing to see Iron sharpening Iron.

    Lots of conversation during the mosey, which means it’s time to pick up our pace.

    TClaps to Zombie for posting twice in a row upon Kottering post newborn.

    Announcements

    Friday @ 5:30, Splash Q’s wolfpack Mountain
    Saturday @ 6:30, Side Effect will Co-Q with Amnesty at City Park
    Monday @ 5:30, Hawg Q’s Rock City at Pontiff Park

  • Shut Up You Old Bag

    6 men got off their 6 and headed to the #RockCity Gloom this morning.  YHC was pleased to see two new faces to the #RockCity crowd this morning.  Tool came out, which may have earned him the badge for posting at all four NOLA AOs.  Zombie made a triumphant Kotter post newborn.  After congratulating him we headed off to the rock pile.

    The Thang

    • Mosey to the rock pile for our Warm-Up
    • Warm-up COP: SSH IC x 30; Imperial Walkers IC  x 30; Plank Jacks IC x 30; Good Mornings IC x 15; Arm Circles IC x 30 (Forward x 15 and Reverse x 15)
    • Select your rock. Then Mosey out to the flag football field.
    • Rock COP: Squats IC x 12; Shoulder Press IC x 12; Dead-lifts IC x 12; Curls IC x 12
    • Mosey to the outhouse.
    • People’s Toe: People’s Chair x 45 secs followed by Toe Raises IC x 40.  Repeato for 3 sets (Standard, Outward, and Inward Toe Raises)
    • Mosey to the hill
    • Sprint up and over the hill con roca x 6
    • Cusak Run for 250 yards: PAX run single file with rock overhead (Lloyd Dobler style).  Man in the back runs to the front Marble Rye style or rock on shoulder.
    • 6 MOM: LBC IC x 50; Flutter Kicks IC x 40; Russian Twists IC x 20
    • Mosey to the flag.
    • Fence Chunkers x 20 or so.
    • Cusak run to Rock Pile – 200 yards
    • Horses to the stable.

    Moleskin

    We are gaining momentum out at #RockCity. 14 Pax may be a two-week record.  If you haven’t tried it yet, you need to come on out.

    Shout Out

    We prayed for friends and family afflicted by cancer.  Prayers for Amnesty’s friend that lost his Father.  YHC shared Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”  YHC was in my twenties when I realized that God is more than some ancient cosmic force, that He is a loving creator that cares for us specifically and that we can have a personal relationship with Him.  Have faith that God cares for us and that His plan for us was created out of love.  He is for us.

    Announcements

    • Wednesday – 5:30 @ The Birdcage
    • Friday – 5:30 @ Wolfpack Mountain
    • Saturday – 6:30 @ City Park

  • You don’t have to put on the red light

    Pre-Thang –

    A post Bar A Thon workout.  My butt was the only dummy to show up post – 6 beers 6 miles!

    A nice crew of 6 for a not so gloomy but very balmy workout.  Humidity sucks!

    The Thang – Maverick had the Q first.

    He started us off by running us a way we have never run.  We ran back out the AO towards Orleans Ave.  There was actually a small hill on the bridge to add a nice little bonus to the run.  We stopped at the 600 year OAK tree.  Is that for real?? 600 year old tree.  It is the McDonogh Oak.  It is actually 26 feet in circumference.    An arborist said it is probably on 350 on his visit to the tree, but 600 sounds better.

    Anyway this tree was the site of a little warmup courtesy of Maverick.

    25 SSH, plank for 1 min-Maverick said we have to plank bc he never gets to plank in a normal workout, Imperial Walker squats x 20 , plank 1 min, Lunge walk 100 ft then plank 1 min.

    Then we mosey to back across a bridge to the island–which should be called SMELLY Crawfish guts island.  We did one set of Dips x 20 then we had to get out of there.  maverick good call on the modification.  City Park sure seems to have a ton of stinky places.

    We ran to the front of the Museum.  At the front of the Museum we had to run up the stairs and do 10 burpees.  Then at the bottom 1 inclined merkin , then to the fountain 1 dip.  Mav we need a name for this thing.  It is almost an 11 but sucks more than 11’s.  We love you, but we hate you for this invention.   Each rep you reduce one burpee and increase one merkin and dip.  Maverick’s name was taken in vain several times.

    Then came the hammer of hammers.  After the mosey over to the outdoor gym.

    Maverick did the ROXANNE.  One merkin every Roxanne and one plank jack every time sting sang put on the red light.  For a grand total of 25 Roxannes and a 3 min plank with some jacks in there.  We love you, but we hate you Maverick!

    YHC took over at this point.  We mosey’d a bit and then we did 25 LbCs, 25 Peter Parkers, 25 penguins.

    Outdoor gym with partners- 10 pull ups, 10 row ups, and 10 dips on the bars.  Then a second time through with 8 of the same exercises.

    Then after that exercise we did a short mosey and did 25 LBC twists, and 25 Parker Peters.

    Then we Mosey’d over to the Art Museum for a backwards bear crawl up the stairs and a regular bear crawl down the stairs.   2 at a time – the Pax had to plank and wait.

    Then the final mosey back to the FLAG.  In the run to the FLAG Hawgcycle tried to sneak up on me, but thanks to a tip off from Side Effects I was able to find the last gear to keep my boy in 2nd.   (Even after 6 beers barathon the night before!)

    It is always a pleasure men!  And even better is that with Maverick we are in good hands from now on!

     

     

  • 6 beers 6 bars 6 miles Tchoupitoulas Barathon

     

    Beer 1Meet at Le Bon Temps Roulez for a pre-game beer.  I lost my M before the start of the race and couldn’t find her until the 2nd beer stop at TJ’s because she is too darn fast.  I got to chat with a few of the guys before the start of the race.  At 605 the horn and the first beer is pounded.  It was a rather enjoyable Fat Tire.

    Beer 2:  Ran this leg with World Peas and Ecks.  This is a short leg to Reginellis on the corner of Magazine and State.  I was thinking life is easy for this leg.  I passed a few running bananas and tennis outfit people and few tomatoes dressed up like a Japanese cartoon.  I shared my first beer moment with Ecks Roots World Peas Amnesty and Tool.  The race is crazy there is no route and the cars were freaking out wondering how long they would be stuck.  At some point they just decided to drive and if a “dumb” runner got in their way- well…tough luck for the runner.  Drank my second Fat Tire at Regis.

    Beer 3:  The 2nd longest leg from Regis to TJ Quills on Maple.  A good  1.75  mile run.  Roots and I started with the group but we left them to meet up later.  My wife had ditched me and I was trying to catch up.  Roots and YHC kept a nice 8.09 pace to the bar. We chose to run down ST Charles Ave.    At Quills we met the gang but we didn’t stay long and we were off to Patois on Webster.  The beer served was terrible.   Lost the F3 boys until after the race at this point.

    Beer 4: This is the longest leg at 2 miles.  I thought I might have to give up due to the beer but I was able to push through the pain thanks to Roots talking to me through the pain.  Arrived at Patois and had a beer with some nice Costa Ricans.  Watched some runners in suits act like idiots.  Drank a cold Miller lite here – which was fine at this point.  The lighter the better after 3.

    Beer 5:  We left Patois for the short run to Dos Jefes.  Dos Jefes had WARM beer.  Were they trying to make us barf?  Anyway we stayed only a second here.  Too many knuckleheads smoking cigars and I couldn’t hang so we pushed it to the last bar stop – Grits.

    Beer 6.  Grits was great and at this point you know you are only 2 blocks away from the finish line and you can make that even with 6 beers in your belly.  We drank our beer.  Hung out a bit then pushed to the finish.  Got to finish a race with M who is always too fast for me – so that was cool.  I also got to the finish line with Roots and Ecks so that was pretty cool too.  F2 baby!

    Next year I hope to get more of the guys out for this event.  It is one of my favorite races in NOLA.  If you are a tourist this is the absolute best way to see the Uptown neighborhood.  Maybe next year we can send an invite to the F3 pax and get some out of towners for this one.

    At the finish line I collected my coozie, my tshirt, my poster and then had another beer.  Not even a buzz – how is that possible!?  I finished that beer with Ecks, Roots, Amnesty, and Tool.  Whatever happened to World Peas?

    Anyway at 830pm they brought out the Watermelon for the traditional sacrifice. And that was the official end of the 2015 (34th) Tchoupitoulas Barathon.   Good times!

     

  • Little Caesar’s VQ

    This post by RY on behalf of Little Caesar

    Pre-thang
    First workout in 2 weeks (been battling a lingering cold) and also my first Q so i’m pumped and ready to work.
    Warm-Up
    Mosey to the Green Wave Lawn: SSH x 20, Frog Hops x20
    The Thang
    Mosey over to wolfpup hill?: alternating burpees and squats.10 burpees at the bottom followed by 1 squat at the top, followed by 9 burpees at the bottom and 2 squats at the top, so on and so forth. The Humidity has come on strong since my last visit. Roots did a 15 second countdown for recovery.
    Mosey to Wolfpack Mountain: Lunges to the first lip. Indian run to the summit. RY did a 20 second countdown for recovery. While up top: Close Grip Merkins x 15, Wide Grip Merkins x15, LBC’s x 25, Mountain Climbers x 20. Slow decent to the bottom with plank at the bike rack. Head back to the flag.
    Name-O-Rama: We had 8 brave men this morning. No FNG’s :(.
    Shout Out: Cavalier mentioned a family going through a tough time; one child was lost, one has epilepsy and another was just recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Keep this family in your prayers and appreciate the little things.

  • Squatapusharama, India.

    Pre-Thang

    9 men rolled themselves out of the fartsack for a completely bass ackwards, muggy beatdown. Great to see Chard again, it’s been a long time, brother.

    The Thang

    Mosey across magazine st, find a spot of grass, and circle up for 6 Minutes of Mary, all in cadence.
    LBC x 25
    Wife pleasers x 15 ( This is where amnesty joins in, apparently we weren’t hard to spot)
    REAL Freddie Mercuries x 15
    Back Scratchers x 20

    Mosey to J.J. Audubon
    Dips x 15
    Step-ups (Right leg lead) x 20
    Incline Push Ups x 10
    Step-ups (Left Leg lead) x 20

    Mosey to the levee, partner up.
    Run up the levee with your partner
    Wheel barrow your partner back down the levee
    Run back up, and trade places
    Repeat x 5, plank up when you’re finished

    Mosey to the fly, circle up for Squatapusharama
    Standard squat x 15
    Wide arm pushup x 10
    Sumo squat x 15
    Merkin x 10
    Low slow squat x 15
    Diamond pushup x 8
    Alternating lunges x 15
    Pike pushup x 10

    Mosey back to the soccer post
    3 Minutes of Mary
    Flutter Kick x 25
    LBC x 20
    Hip raise (right side high) x 10
    Hip raise (left side high) x 10

    Mosey to pull up bars, set up in 5 stations
    Burpees
    Squats
    Get – ups (start in laying down position, get up without using your hands)
    Mountain climbers
    Pull-ups

    Do as many reps of the exercise you are stationed at in the time that it takes the men doing burpees to complete 10. Rotate until everyone has done every station.

    Return to the flag, COT

    Announcements:
    Wolfpack mountain AO at 5:30am Friday, Little Caesar is still in the docket to Q
    CSAUP Tchoupitoulas Beer Run (Reg Closed) 6pm at Le Bon Temps Rouler
    City Park AO at 6:30 saturday, Co-Q between Maverick and RY
    Rock City AO at Pontiff Park in Metairie 5:30am on Monday, Hawgcycle the Q

    Tclaps to Chardonnay for Helping out Hawg with the furniture move

    TClaps to Ikea for making his second post

  • Crazy 8s

    The excitement was palpable in the gloom as 8 committed men posted this morning at #RockCity.  Alas, despite the $50 pledge, Chard did not make it.  Rumor has it that he was sitting on the throne writing a check to the Human Fund.

    The Thang

    • Mosey to the end of the track for our Warm-Up
    • Warm-up COP: SSH IC x 25; Parker Peters IC  x 25; Lunges IC x 25; Peter Parker Push-ups (P3) IC x 15;
    • Mosey to the pile and select your rock. Then Mosey out to the flag football field.
    • Rock COP: Squats IC x 12; Toe Raises IC x 50; Shoulder Press IC x 12; Curls IC x 12; Dead Lift IC x 12; Row IC x 12
    • Mosey to the street light on the other side of the track.
    • Boss Keane’s Rock Pile. 4 passes which equals 32 reps for each man.  It was also 32 reps for Yankee.  Finish it off with 10 burpees
    • Mosey to the hill
    • Jacob’s Ladder to Hell: run up and over the hill con roca, on the far side of the hill do one burpee, increasing the reps each time until 7 burpees.  On the near side of the hill lay on your back and do 10 rock presses each time with max reps on the last set.
    • Mosey to the to the water fountain, dropping of your rock along the way.
    • COP: Low Slow Squats IC x 10; Good Mornings IC x 5.
    • Horses to the stable. T-claps to Blue Dog and Reluctant Yankee for being the fastest.

    Moleskin

    Really exciting to have an 8 man Pax this morning.  Hope some of you guys will continue to come out to the Monday morning workouts and spread the news.  Blue Dog remarked about how nice it is to finish in the daylight.  I would have to agree with him.  YHC is looking for some help to move furniture on Tuesday.  Chard, feel free to come help.  The Human Fund takes volunteer donations as well as monetary.

    Shout Out

    We praised God for our health and the opportunity to exercise.  We do not take it for granted.  We prayed for those with ill family members and an upcoming job interview.

    Announcements

    • Wednesday – 5:30 @ The Birdcage
    • Friday – 5:30 @ Wolfpack Mountain
    • Saturday – 6:30 @ City Park