Category: New Orleans

  • Im a Virgin and this is my first time. April Fools, Fools.

    YCH was recovering from a loooong Hogs for the Cause weekend, sound asleep, when at 11 PM Yankee texted letting me know I had the Q in the morning. Somehow wires had been crossed and I had been under the assumption for weeks that my VQ was to be this Friday. Nope. I rose early Monday Morning and devised a plan recalling the dream I had that woke me at 2 AM and kept me up for an hour. In said dream YHC had lead the PAX through a beatdown but stepped into the latrine for a sec. Inside he was distracted by his Instagram feed and when he was done scrolling the time was 6:54 AM and the entire PAX had vanished with no COT. That shook me a little. Needless to say I was taking my VQ seriously.

    20 PAX assembled in the unusually late season cool gloom to greet me and after a brief disclamier we mosey’d to the grass near Exposition and Magazine.

    THE WARM UP

    • SSHx20
    • ACX10
    • RACX9 (Just to mess with Seaman)
    • WMx20
    • on you face for-
    • MCx20
    • Stay down. That means you Jingle Vader.
    • PPx20
    • PPx20
    • Merkinsx20

    Next we mosey’d to the rowbars and split into 4 groups.

    • Group 1 10 burpees
    • Group 2 Plank Jacks
    • Group 3 Squats
    • Group 4 Rowbar Pull Ups

    YHC then asked the PAX whether we should form 2 lines or one for a quick Indian Run to the fountain. 2 was the consensus so we took off in 1 very long Indian Run. Not april fools.

    AROD

    • YCH devised a clever idea for the next activity during the Indian Run. DORA spelled backward is AROD. DORA has only existed on the South end of the park until now. Flipped the spelling and the location. Clever, no? Muy. Anyway The Thang was to pair up and complete 3 exercises while your partner ran a loop around the side of the fountain area. I called some audibles. The first was to scratch 100 burpees. There is always Friday.
    • 100 Merkins
    • 200 Plank Jacks
    • 300 Dips (quickly modified to 100 after attempting post-merkin dips.

    After that we got in 2 lines and headed back South for a long half-assed Indian Run. Pulled over by the Prytania entrace to hit the grass and do some PAX choice Mary. I am sure I am remembering this wrong but here goes.

    • Reluctant Yankee- Low Country Crab (of course) (PAX eye roll)
    • Jingle Vader- Dying Cockroach.
    • Brown Bag- WW2 Situps
    • Nip Tuck- Might have been American Hammer?
    • Someone- LBC’s?
    • Bartman maybe Boxcutters?

    Finish up with Mary and wonder aloud about the time. Someone makes a cute remark so 10 burpees on your own. Another cute remark bring the total to 15. Not April Fooling today. Yankee did not do 15. Not April Fooling again.

    Mosey back to the flag with a sprint to finish out the last 200 yards. YHC pushed it a little early and flamed out before the finish. Might have been the self administered burpees. Might have been the 34 pounds of pork consumed over the weekend. Might have been the keg of beer. Probaly a little of all 3.

    Couple of minutes left so I have Brown Bag lead us in some Yoga during which he tells us all about how much better the view is when his personal Yoga instructer “Logan” is with him. Another collective PAX eyeroll.

    Countoff and Name-o-rama, not nicknames for God sake Tchip “Tchinkles” Roth. We welcomed Khakis who posted from some far away land. Feel free to tell me from where.

    Announcements-

    I tell everyone again this is my VQ. Apparently no one heard the first time. Everyone is surprised. Mostly due to the skill with which my Beat Down was dispensed but also due to the fact I have attend pretty religiously for 14 months and have slipped through the Q cracks.

    -Long, shadeless run at the Belle Chasse Navy Base “Need For Speed” 5k. Takes place 4/13. Static displays of aircraft and me in a heap at the end of the 10,000′ runway. Kenny Loggins “Danger Zone” will be blasted on repeat. Naval aviatiors will be wearing Ray-Bans, bluejeans and not much else playing sand volleyball. Peppa plans to buzz the tower and on and on.

    -Brown Bag sells beer and has new beer he is selling.

    -Speaking of beer, Urban South is having a YUGE 3 year anniversary 4/6. Lots of beer, crawfish and family friendly fun.

    -There may have been other which I have forgotten.

    Intentions are called, especially keeping Hawgcycle in our thoughts. Prayers are offered up thanking Sky Q for the ability to better ourselves and for the gift of our F3 Brotherhood.

    Thank yall for keeping me accountable and the opportunity to lead.

  • RC was “Peachless”

    No doubt it was a LONG fun weekend for many PAX – especially those working the Hogs for the Cause BBQ fund raiser. All we can assume is that after “BARKING” for team Deswine Intervention – Peaches was canned! Monday was cold and with the PAX restless realizing Peaches was a no show, I figured it was time to get moving. We moseyed to our normal RC warm up spot. Disclaimer was given for the group as this was going to be a PAX lead beatdown. Mahatma (initial QIC) set to ground rules, ALL would be called out to lead. The warm up began:

    All in cadence 15 – 30 

    • SSH – Mahatma 
    • Hill Billy Cow Bell
    • King Kong
    • WindMills Baby Face
    • Grass Grabers Madula
    • Arm Circles Screw Top

    Grab a Rock – Mosey to the open field

    Pax lined up for a 7

    KK called out ManMakers then run 25 yards for Bobby Hurley 

    RugaRu – Partner Dora – 50 cross over Merkins, 100 Curls, 150 Squats – While pax 1 starts exerciser, pax 2 runs 25 yards and back – switch and keep building toward the #.  

    Mosey back toward the rock pile BUT there was still time for a Ring of PAX where one by one each Pax lead an effort.   Memory loss- If you’ve read to this point feel free to update or send a shoutout through Mumblechatter and I’ll update. 

    Return Rocks – Mosey back to flag.

    COT – After count off and Name O Rama – Pax named and welcomed Swisher-Sweets.   Intentions and Prayers of Thanks.

    Honestly this is F3 at it’s roots – Men leading Men.  Great effort by all. 

  • Speed workout

    Something different for pax this morning at 610 stomp, some speed work at the track. Isn’t this why we set up the workout near the track, yet we always head away from it? In any event it is great timing for those getting ready for CCC on the 20th. Here is what we did:

    Warm ups:

    IW x 20

    PP x 15

    Grass grabbers x 15

    Then (1) mile as fast as we can for a baseline time measure, cool down.

    Back again for another mile but…. 10 burpees at each split 4 times

    The speed runs at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 100 jog in between.

    Then some stretching and Mary:

    Flutter kicks -15

    Freddie Mercury – 15

    IBCs – 15

    Then back to COT to name fngs and the normal closings, welcome to new FNGs and hope to see you again.

    Finally, condolences to Hawgcycle for the passing of his mother. Our prayers are with you and your family in this hard time.

    See y’all on the radio and in the gloom

    Bongo

  • Fiat Lux

    Seven PAX convened for YHC’s virgin Q. The disclaimer was initially botched and we rudely cut off a biker so it was a rocky start.

    Alas, got the blood flowing along St. Charles for a few blocks before turning around for a warm-up in Cowen Circle:

    • SSH x 20
    • Windmills x 15
    • Mountain climbers x 25
    • Slow merkins x 15

    Next, headed out on a mosey, missed the originally planned turn, and eventually arrived at the Tulane ROTC pull-up bars. There we:

    • Round 1: Pull-ups to failure + 10 merkins + 15 jumping air squats
    • Round 2: Pull-ups to at least half of Round 1 number + 10 merkins + 15 jumping air squats
    • Round 3: Pull-ups to failure + 10 merkins + 15 jumping air squats

    Then we continued on a mosey to the LBC Quad where the University had graciously set-up spotlights for us; it was a sight to behold:

    Let there be light!

    In honor of Bones and my beloved San Francisco Giants beating the Dodgers last night, we played “baseball” under the lights, performing different exercises at each “base” of the diamond:

    • Home plate: 9 burpees
    • 1st base: 18 Nolan Ryans
    • 2nd base: 27 jumping lunge squats
    • 3rd base: 36 LBCs

    Multiples of nine since it’s both eponymous with my namesake and baseball games have nine innings. Bases were longer than MLB standards at about 40-50 yards apart; we did two rounds.

    Mosey back towards towards our AO with an initial pitstop at the Loyola Rec Center garage.

    Side note: does this garage have a name? If not, I’m going with Freret Street Summit or Wolfpack Pinnacle. To be discussed at our next F2 event…

    Nonethless, ran up the stairs, performed a round of Mary at the top with each of the 7 PAX leading their favorite ab workout, and headed back down the stairs.

    Continued the mosey homeward with the final stop being WPM for 15 decline merks on the first ramp followed by 15 incline merks. Popped over to the stairwell, did a quick up-and-down the Mountain, and made it back to the flag with 30 seconds to spare.

    Special shoutout to the fine gentlemen of this morning’s Tsunami (namely Mariah) for enduring my horrendous navigational skills and poor sense of timing…

  • Partner Up the WPM

    28 PAX gathered on this beautiful, calm, cool Friday morning. Still very dark at 5:25 a.m…. but YHC noticed he wasn’t the only one using passports frequently these days… Your Mom’n Dem and Half Nelson traveled ALL THE WAY from Lakeview to Uptown just for this beat down. Seconds later, YHC noted 2 more Lakeview Pax, Screw Top and Jesus Juice, were also here for their WPM debut. T-Claps to all the out-of-towners including Dr. Quinn from St. Louis. Welcome!!! YHC gave his standard disclaimer and off we went!!!

    Warm-ups

    Short mosey to Loyola campus and did the following in cadence:

    Grass Grabbers x 10

    Windmills x 10

    Imperial Walkers x 20

    Self Love x 10

    SSHs x 20

    Mountain Climbers x 20

    The WPM

    Moseyed to the base of the WPM. YHC told the PAX to sweep the Six by running up and down the ramps instead of planking.

    1.) Ran up the first ramp so that the PAX were at the base of the 2nd ramp. Partner up. First exercise – burpees jump over. One PAX was doing the burpee jump over the other PAX, who was in the low plank position. Each PAX did 5 burpees jump over then Flap Jack. Then ran up the ramp and repeat the same burpees jump over. Ran back down the ramp, rinse and repeat. Then ran back up the ramp and did the final set of burpees jump over. In total, each PAX did 4 rounds (total 20 burpees jump over each).

    2.) Side hopped on the flat level from one end to the other and switched direction in the middle. Now at the base of the 3rd ramp. Picked a different partner. 2nd exercise – synchronized air squats. Started off at the base with 20 air squats, ran up the ramp then did 15 squats, ran back down with 10 squats. Ran back up the ramp and finished with 5 squats.

    3.) Karaoke on the flat level from one end to the other and switched direction in the middle. Now the PAX were at the base of the 4th ramp. Picked another different partner. 3rd exercise – patty cake merkins. Started off at the base with 20 patty cake merkins, ran up the ramp then did 15 merkins, ran back down with 10 more. Ran back up the ramp and finished with 5 merkins.

    4.) Prisoner ran on the flat level from one end to the other to get to the next ramp. Now at the base of the 5th ramp. Picked a new partner. 4th exercise – decline merkins. One PAX (while in a squat position) was holding other PAX’s legs, who was doing 5 derkins. Flap Jack. Then ran up the ramp and repeat the same reps. Ran back down the ramp, rinse and repeat. Then ran back up the ramp and did the final set of derkins. In total, each PAX did 4 rounds (total 20 derkins each while the holder was in a squat position).

    5.) Prisoner ran on the flat level from one end to the other to get to the next ramp. Now at the base of the 6th ramp. Picked another partner. 5th exercise – synchronized big boy sit-ups. Started off at the base with 20 sit-ups, ran up the ramp then did 15 more, ran back down with 10 reps. Ran back up the ramp and did 5 sit-ups. Then ran back down the ramp and waited for the SIX.

    6.) Now at the base of the 6th ramp again. Picked a different partner for one last time. Wheel barrel up the ramp. Flap Jack at the PAX discretion. Each PAX finished the beat down with 30 LBCs at the top of the WPM.

    Ran down the stairs back to flag and finished at about 6:17 a.m. Couple minutes late but no mumble chatter. Yes because Rudy wasn’t there.

    COT

    Count-O-Rama 28PAX, Name-O-Rama, announcements, intentions. YHC invited the PAX to stop by Deswine Intervention tent at Hogs for the Cause. Thank You all again for the opportunity to lead. Always a pleasure and honor to workout with the PAX. SYITG

    King Kong

  • F3 Workout Deck – Westbank

    I just got back from vacation. While there, I met a guy who had an app on his phone that ran through a standard deck of cards associated with different exercises. That inspired me that Master Melvin has not ran through the F3 Workout Deck yet.

    So on Thursday, FroZone, Short Bus, and I committed to see how many cards we could get through. Our goal, of course, was to go through all 52 cards.

    We got a great workout that I am still sore from it. But we only got through about a half the cards.

    This means we have a good challenge ahead of us. I think I will bring the cards out once a quarter to see how many cards we can get through and see if we can get all the way through the deck.

    Good job this week, guys!

  • Old School

    It’s been awhile since YHC was at The Uptowner.  Inertia–and the ability to fartsack for another ten minutes–had been drawing him to Wolf Pack Mountain for many weeks, as it’s just a stone’s throw (well, if Mahatma is throwing stones, not YHC) from YHC’s home.  So back to roots for an old school Beatdown with a PAX of eleven.

    The Thang

    • SSHs 40xIC
    • Low Slow Squats 20xIC
    • Pulses 10xIC
    • Imperial Walkers 20xIC
    • Mountain Climbers 20xIC
    • Peter Parkers 20xIC
    • Merkins 20xIC
    • Parker Peters 20xIC
    • Arm Circles 15xIC forward, 15xIC backwards

    The Main COP:

    • overhead press 15xIC
    • curls 15xIC
    • rows 15xIC
    • squats 15xIC
    • triceps curls 15xIC
    • Peoples Chair for a minute with overhead press 15xIC
    • Peoples Chair for a minute with curls 15xIC

    Rinse and repeat for 10xIC, then again for 8xIC, and then again for 5xIC.

    Mary

    • LBCs with rock 20xIC
    • Flutter kicks with rock 20xIC
    • Hello Dolly with rock 20xIC
    • Dying Cockroach 20xIC
    • WWII situps 20xIC
    • Real Freddie Mercury 20xIC
    • Superman with Y 20xIC, then T 20xIC, then W 20xIC

    Finish with 10 burpees OYO.  Close out with COT.  YHC trusts that the old school beatdown was a good DownPainMent.  Thanks, JV

  • Time Flies When You’re Having Fun, But I’ll Be Back To Finish What I Started!

    YHC hasn’t been to the NOLA Foundry since the start of the Popeyes AO.  Smartly, Amnesty volunteered me to Q so I can give back to one of the AOs that helped me get started in F3.  It was nice to see PAX YHC hasn’t seen in a while and a good reminder of all the NOLA Foundry has to offer.  Consider hitting an AO you haven’t been to in a while or ever!

    WARMUP

    After giving the disclaimer, YHC led the PAX in what was considered an unorthodox direction.  Some of the PAX were confused with the change, but the concerns were quickly quelled as we moseyed a short distance for the following warm up IC: SSH x 21, IW x 20, Arm Circles x 20 (10 each direction), Grass Grabbers x 20, Plank Jacks x 20, and Abe Vigodas x 10.

    The Thang

    The PAX were divided by 1s and 2s on either side of the Roosevelt Mall for a Route 66 (War Eagle would be proud!). PAX 1 to the left for incline merkins adding one at each bench and PAX 2 to the right for dips using the same counting scheme, for a total of 12. Plank and wait at the end, then switch sides. Once each PAX had their turn on either side with both exercise, rinse and repeat using LSS and step-ups, but the step-ups were cut back to ten so the opposing PAX didn’t have wait too long.

    Being my second Q ever, I did not estimate time correctly and had what would amount to another beat down that was going to go unused. Not a problem, I will return to finish what I started! With approximately seven minutes to kill, we did the following Mary IC: Tin Snips x 20, LBCs x 25, Dying Cockroaches x 20, Peguins x 20 (as a reprieve to silence some of the mumbling), and J-Lo’s x 20 (in honor of Amnesty who has been down and out with a nasty lung infection). Returned the PAX to the flag exactly at 0615. I noted Smooth wasn’t winded nor sweating, so the mumbling about the Mary was unfounded and attempts were made to make Cowbell take the fall for the mumbling, but we know better!

    After a quick reminder from the PAX on the proper order to end a beat down (another attempt to be unorthodox), COUNTOFF, NAMERAMA, and COT. Prayers for the sick, injured, struggling, and private intentions, as well as gratitude for this group of men who work hard and motivate each other.

    Once again, it was an honor to lead and I’m thankful for your willingness to follow. I’ll be back soon as a PAX and to finish the beat down.

    12 strong at the NOLA Foundry
  • 40 – a.k.a. The Rudy Special

    With all the new NOLA PAX members that have taken the Daily Red Pill and joined our ranks, there are so many great workouts they have missed since the inception of F3 NOLA. One of my favorites at Okwata is the 40! Thank you, Rudy! Other epic beatdowns such as the H8 and Elevens with Burpees at Okwata are always crowd pleasers. Since the Army Corps of Engineers raised the height of the lake levee, this AO is like no other in the city. As a side note, you can also thank Mayor Cantrell and former Mayor Landrieu for keeping the grass well manicured over the years.

    WARMUP

    After my disclainer, we do a quick mosey around the Mardi Gras fountain with side shuffles, high knees and butt kicks and head over to the levee. The space between the sidewalk and the bottom of the levee is very spongelike and lumpy so watch your step.

    THE THANG

    As I give the instructions, I hear some groans from the veterans and get some puzzled looks from the newcomers as they process the task ahead of them. It’s pretty simple. Run up and over the levee 40 times and perform 10 exercises 40 times. The sequence of the beatdown is as follows:

    Burpees, Plank Jacks – 10 sec break

    Side Lunges, Catalina Wine Mixers – 20 sec break

    Supermans (Red Sun/Yellow Sun), Shoulder Taps – 30 sec break

    Reverse Crunches, Bonnie Blairs – 40 sec break

    Merkins, WW2 Situps / Wife Pleasers

    It’s 6:13am and we head back to the Freedom Hammer

    COUNTOFF, NAMERAMA AND COT

    Honored to lead all the HIM (High Impact Men) today and grateful for your friendship, camaraderie, and accountability. Prayers for those fighting cancer and those who have lost loved ones! Lord help us be the leaders we were destined to be for our wives, children, and community!

  • Techno-Free Beatdowns

    YHC knows he’s old school, old fashioned, and just plain old.  #RespectHasItsDrawbacks.  For the COT, he utterly–and proudly–failed in his effort to record the names of the 28!!! PAX who posted in the gloom.  Even with Mariah’s held (#TClaps), it was hopeless.  Thank God our beatdowns are (generally) techno-free.

    With a quick disclaimer (and YHC’s failure yet again to ask whether there were any FNGs, of which there were none), the PAX was off to the soccer fields in front of Audubon for the first COP:

    • SSHs 25xIC
    • Imperial Walkers 25xIC
    • Grass Grabbers 25xIC
    • Merkins 25xIC
    • Low Slow Squats 25xIC (with a lagniappe of 5 burpees OYO in the middle)

    Mosey over to the levee for some Elevens: ten burpees down to one at the bottom of the levee, and one jump squat up to ten at the top.

    Then mosey over to the Audubon statue for some Dora 1-2-3: PAX paired up for 100 dips, 200 squats and 300 LBCs.

    Then mosey back to one of the soccer fields (to get our of ears’ reach of the Clipboard barking out numbers and orders to the hapless Wallets in Tights) for a quick round of Mary:

    • American Hammer 20xIC
    • Dying Cockroach 20xIC (keep feet up for next round)
    • Flutter Kicks 20xIC (keep feet up for next round)
    • Hello Dolly 20xIC
    • Crunchy Frog 20xIC

    Mosey back to the flag for COT and YHC’s complete inability to work either a video or audio stream on his cell phone.  There was a PAX of 28, but YHC (with the help of other PAX, @TClaps) could recall all but one.  So apologies to that one PAX, who gets credit from the SkyQ even though he’s anonymous (at least for now) to us mortals.