F3 New Orleans

Category: New Orleans

  • Cold, wind & rainy

    Did the usual 15 out and 15 back route but finished at the lawn where we did 8 minutes of 1 lap around with 5 burpees and then 1 lap of sprinting the long straightaways and jog across the shorter horizontal runs with another 5 burpees upon completion of lap. Rinse and repeat this pattern for 8 minutes. Trying to strengthen the heart by confusing it with some interval training. Great work gents! We made it back to flag a few minutes past 615 so we kept announcements brief. It was a great way to start the day. Thanks for letting me lead.

  • Everyone Needs a Friend from St. Bernard

    • Kuch: next, we’re going to do 11’s, but a little different
    • Da Parish: How is this 11’s?
    • K: Well you go back and forth and do a different exercise on each side of the levee like 11’s, but we’re going to do it together.
    • DP: So you don’t count to 11?
    • K: Well, No
    • DP: Those are not 11’s
    • K: Look, I’m new here, okay?

    Cool, dry mornings at Okwata with a hint of a sunrise thrown in truly make the 5 AM wake-up call worth every minute of lost sleep. At 5:30 this morning, as we started out over the dark course ahead, I mumbled out a brief disclaimer and off we went into the 40 degree gloom for a bit of a leg workout. T-claps to Rudy who had already run a couple miles at that point, a decision he may have later come to regret…

    WARMUP

    • IW’s x 24 (everyone always starts with SSH, so we switched it up a little)
    • SSHx25 (a very little in fact)
    • Windmills x 15
    • Parker Peter x 25
    • 5 8-count bodybuilders OYO just for a bit of practice…
    • Mosey across the street and down the lakefront past canal for…

    FIRST EXERCISE

    Route 55, 8-count bodybuilders OUT, Low-Slow-Squats IN

    Route 55 v2, Low-Slow-Squats OUT, 8-count bodybuilders IN

    The nice thing about 8-count bodybuilder is, if you do enough of them, they make burpees feel like side straddle hops. I felt it was important to put this contrast on full display for the PAX in attendance, so we moseyed to the foot of canal for….

    SECOND EXERCISE

    “11’s”

    All Pax do one exercise for one minute on one side of the levee, and then scale the levee together to the other side, where we do another exercise for one minute, then back, rinse and repeat. We managed to get in:

    • Burpees – Monkey Humpers
    • Merkins – Squats
    • Shoulder Taps – Alternating leg lunges
    • Going up forwards got a little dull, so we did the last round Bernie Sanders, and then moseyed to the flag and got back right at 6:15 or so….

    It’s truly a privilege to lead this group.

  • TSUNAMI!

    A strong wind blows, the rain and waves approach! 13 men of purpose and intent launched into the howling gloom and alas, F3 Tsunami had launched. 

    Thang:

    Mosey down the block and back to front of Tulane for warm-up:

    • SSH x15
    • Imperial Walkers x10
    • Mountain Climbers x15
    • Merkins x10

    Up Law Rd, right into Johnston Quad

    Four corners circuit work x3:

    • Merkins x10
    • Dips x10
    • Knee ups x10
    • Squats x10
    • 2 more laps around, adding 5 reps to each time (x15,  x20)
    • Mary while we wait for the 6

    The wind and rain are picking up now…the angry, dark sea approaches.

    Back to Law Rd, and continuing up to Freret then deeper into campus to Newcomb/LBC Quad

    • Line up for 20 LBCs > Backwards to wall and mosey back, 40 LBCs
    • Side step to wall and mosey back, 40 LBCs
    • Sprint to wall and mosey back, 20 LBCs

    Ahoy now, see how the sea she churns and the waves doth rise…the dreaded Tsunami is nigh. 

    Back to Freret then over to West Rd, to the familiar sight of Wolfpack Mountain. Up the stairs to the roof.

    Now above the turbulent seas that froth below, but 7 stories up the wind howls and the rain cuts like needles into our dampened microfiber, wicking performance apparel.

    Better circle up for 10 diamonds. 

    The tsunami is really rolling in at this point.  Starfish and creatures of the deep strewn here and there, covering the manicured campus below. 

    Down the ramp to find some cover. Circle up for merkins IC x10, flutters x20, widearms x10, Dolly x15, Merkins x10 

    Back down the stairs and out into the storm…Mosey back to the flag…but wait, what’s this?? 4 minutes to spare?

    • At the Gumbel Fountain:
    • Right leg step ups x20
    • Dips x15
    • Left leg step ups x20
    • Derkins x10

    6:15…the tsunami hits the pax and we’re all dead. 

    COT

    Strong group today for the first Tsunami, including two visiting pax from Nashville and Tallahassee.  It’s truly awesome to see the growth and health of F3 NOLA, and fun to be able to launch a new workout to provide the nation with another alternative in our busy schedules.  There are so many un-explored areas in this AO, and today was just a taste.

    Hawgcycle has the Tsunami Q next week, so come on out and see what’s in store. (Btw, his baby soft feet loved the Tulane quad…maybe enough to make him a regular!)

    Until next time, your friend,

    Mariah xo 

  • 3 Years and Counting

    My thermometer on the car showed 39 F driving in the gloom, could have been worst (610 Stomp yesterday…) given little wind and no rain. Regardless, (9) PAX showed up wide eyed and willing to help celebrate a beat down marking (3) years in F3 for me! Everything revolved around the number 3 or multiples of, so off we go into the cold.

    Warm Up

    (27) — SSH

    (18) — IW

    (18) — Arm Circles

    (18) — Mountain Climbers

    (18) — Toe Touches

    Now to formally “Warm Up”:

    Route 66 via Burpees at each park bench, easy enough….

    Then to the open field across from the new Children’s Museum under construction

    Bear Crawl Ring of Fire: All PAX form a circle and get in a plank position, in a counter clockwise order each PAX does 10 Merkins. After one rotation we near bear crawl 1/3 of the circle circumference. Repeat for one full 360 rotation.

    Move on to Museum pond, after a brief recap of risks of box jumps and former incident…. exercises in cadence excluding Box jumps:

    • (18) Dips
    • (18) Right Leg step ups
    • (18) Left Leg step ups
    • Repeat 1 X

    Mosey back to Track for Mary:

    (30) LBCs

    (18) Flutter Kicks

    (18) Hello Dollies

    (2) Laps around track sprint straight aways, jog curves, after curve (6) Jump Squats

    Back to flag for COT. As I noted above, many thanks to F3 for the opportunity to lead and participate in this experiment. Emphasis on the 2nd F for Fellowship and the drive to get us all out here on a 39 degree morning for the good of all! Also welcomed PAX from Tallahassee F3 Chapter in town for a visit, and likewise Tclaps for the hurricane recovery efforts from F3 in the area ongoing from last season, hard to think about tropical storms on a morning like this, but we are familiar.

    Take it easy and see you in the gloom and on the radio.

    Bongo

  • Louisiana Fast

    Louisiana Fast

    YHC had dreams of a legendary AO at the Fight Club in Kenner, alas his inability to EH guys over to Kenner resulted in one too many solo workouts, so he is shifting gears and moving this Wednesday workout from LaSalle Landing to Lafreniere Park. So Metairie, Kenner, and River Ridge Pax – sign up to lead Popeyes on the Q schedule.

    Warm-up

    YHC led the Pax on a mosey past the large gazebo in the middle of the park for a standard warm-up

    SSH – 25

    Annies – 20

    Plank Jacks – 20

    Inch worm – 20

    Leg Stuff

    YHC led the Pax on a short mosey back to the starting location for some leg exercises on the wall.

    Channing Tatums – 20

    Box Jumps – 10

    Tatum Channings – 20

    Incline Merkins – 10

    Repeat with reps at 15, 10, and 5 for the Channing Tatums while Box jumps went from 10 to 7 to 5 and merkins remained at 10

    Global Warming

    The forecast called for temps of 36 degrees with windchills in the 20s. YHC assumed this would be the coldest hour of the year for New Orleans which is the right time for some Global Warming. God was good and the temps were in the low 40s, but the Pax still did two rounds of Global Warming.

    Circle up with everyone in the Al Gore position. One Pax starts the round with 2 burpees and we follow in sequence. Round two was 5 merkins. Each round consisted of 3 trips around the circle. Tclaps to the Pax for clapping on the burpee jump and shouting out their merkin count.

    The Real Mountain Climbers

    Popeyes is the home to fast Louisiana fried chicken and good hills for F3 workouts. YHC broke us into the hills with some real mountain climbers. Three hills are lined up in a good order or running up and down so the Pax ran up to the top of the first hill, got down on their face for a 30 count of mountain climbers, down the hill and back up the next for more mountain climbers. We went up and down 3 hills on the first round and up and down 4 hills on the second round.

    The Apparatus

    Popeyes not only has good biscuits but also two sets of outdoor workout equipment. The Pax moseyed over to one set and everyone picked an apparatus to climb on for a brief workout. The Pax doing pull-ups was the count at 5 pull-ups to switch to the next apparatus. The Pax completed two rounds and moseyed back to the start for some Mary.

    Mary

    Flutterkicks – 16

    Penguins – 20

    O Dolly – 20

    The Close

    Count off, Name-o-rama, announcements, and intentions. Closed in Prayer

    Join us at Popeyes at Lafreniere Park on Wednesdays for a beatdown that promises to bring a good variety of exercises.

    Rev Sox



  • RevSox’s Birthday Party

    The news spread slowly at first but soon gained speed and momentum. The beatdown on January 28th was sure to be epic, inspiring, and convoluted with poor instructions. YHC’s birthday Q was coming and the Pax was coming out in numbers to celebrate. F3 Nation arrived in record numbers with men from Kenner, River Ridge, Metairie, Uptown, and Tallahassee to celebrate the birthday of own of their own.

    YHC began the workout with a welcome to his birthday party, the standard disclaimer, and a mosey over to the open grass next to rock pile.

    Warm-Up

    Since YHC was born 36 years ago, YHC gave us a brief trip back to 1983, a year of Pop Culture glory.

    SSH – 36

    Imperial Walkers – 20 in honor of the release of the Return of the Jedi

    Peter Parkers – 20 in honor of the comic debut of Spider-Ham

    Parker Peters – 20 because Spider-Ham hasn’t receive enough love over the last 36 years

    Playing at the Park

    The Pax was invited to go pick up one party favor (a rock) for each guest and head over to the playground for some play. Each Pax member paired up with their best friend as we tackled an exercise rotation that took far too long to explain because YHC did not anticipate numbers swelling above 20. The Pax was stationed by pairs around the playground to workout at their spot while one pair knocked out 10 pull-ups as the timer. The Pax would rotate to the next spot after each set of 10 pull-ups were completed.

    The exercise stations: Pull-ups, Partner Shrugs #1, Partner Shrugs #2, Partner Curls #1, Partner Curls #2, Underdogs, Triceps Ext, Thrusters, Bicycles, Flutterkicks, Burpees, and 8 count body builders.

    Once every pair had hit every station, the Pax grabbed their rocks and headed over to the football field.

    The Suicide

    YHC wanted to relive his old soccer practices from high school, so this required suicides, Rock City style.

    The pax lined up at the end line with their rocks and ran it to 1/4 length of the field, stopped for 15 shoulder presses, and dropped the rock. Then the pax ran back to the end line and returned to grab the rock and take it mid-field for 15 curls and dropped the rock. Then the pax ran back to the end line and returned to grab the rock and take it to 3/4 length of the field, stopped for 15 low slow squats, and dropped the rock. Finally the pax ran back to the end line and returned to grab the rock and take it to the end of the field for 15 bench presses, and ran the rock back to the starting point.

    Ultimate Frisbee

    Since this was YHC’s birthday, he wanted to celebrate with some fun. There is no better F3 fun than Ultimate Frisbee with some merkins thrown in. The Pax split into two teams (shirts vs. skins). The game was standard Ultimate Frisbee rules with the addition of 5 merkins every time there was a turnover and 10 merkins for every score.

    YHC’s team (the shirts) won a close, hard-fought battle with Scantron coming in big with two scores in a 3-2 victory!

    The Close

    The Pax took their rocks back to the pile and moseyed to the flag. TClaps to Left Eye for pushing it to the end so he could get a little extra plank in before the six arrived. This is what F3 is all about, pushing each other each morning in the gloom, so we can be stronger and faster this week than the week before.

    Counted off for a Pax of 24 to set a new Rock City attendance record.

    Name-o-rama, announcements, intentions (keep praying for the Ranger in need, Cheese Fries’ family with the passing of his friend, and the growth of our men), and we came in close for the sweaty ball of man.

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead and the birthday wishes, thanks to you all 36 will be better than 35,

    RevSox

  • King Kong – 1 Year Anniversary – Thank You PAX!!!

    King Kong – 1 Year Anniversary – Thank You PAX!!!

    Pre-Thang

    31 PAX managed to meet up on a beautiful, calm, cold Friday morning for the WPM.  At 5:30, YHC gave his disclaimer. This is YHC’s 1 year anniversary with F3 Nola!!! YHC gave thanks to all the PAX for motivating and pushing him at 5:30 a.m. on a regular basis. YHC told the PAX to modify as needed, whether increasing or decreasing the reps. The key is to maximize your own workout and no one is here to judge.

    Warm-ups

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

    SSHs x 20

    Windmills x 20

    Imperial Walkers x 20

    Seal Jacks x 20

    The Thang

    Moseyed to the base of the WPM.

    1.) Ran up the first ramp and did slow merkins IC x 10, focusing on form rather than speed.

    2.) Ran up backwards the second ramp, and YHC called out Bartman to show everyone how a low slow squat is done because YHC noticed Bartman always has perfect form with his squats. Also – YHC gave a shout out to Bartman because YHC’s first F3 beatdown a year ago was Q’ed by him. YHC still remembers his very first Dora 1, 2, 3. Thank You Bartman, who led low slow squat X 10 IC.

    3.) Side hopped on the flat level from one end to the other and switched direction in the middle. YHC called out Reluctant Yankee to do his favorite exercise, low country crab X 20 IC. YHC remembers during his very first WPM – Yankee was sweeping the Six, which was YHC. YHC never forgets the importance of sweeping the Six. Thank You Yankee.

    4.) Ran up the ramp, and YHC called out Fracsac. YHC’s very first mothership was Q’ed by Fracsac. After the beatdown, YHC remembers this guy loves suicides and Cat. Wine Mixer. Why not….. YHC asked Fracsac to demonstrate the mixer with a 6 count. He led Cat. Wine Mixer X 10 IC.

    5.) Karaoke on the flat level from one end to the other and switched direction in the middle. YHC called out Douille for his “Classic Douille”, American Hammer X 20 IC.

    6.) Bear crawled up the ramp. Instead of crawling all the way up on this ramp, YHC broke up the crawl by yelling “HALT.” Stayed where everyone was and did 15 incline plank jacks IC. Bear crawled again and “HALT” again and did 15 incline mountain climbers IC. Then finished crawling to the top.

    7.) Prisoner ran on the flat level from one end to the other to get to the next ramp. YHC heard few mumble chatter here when YHC announced “burpee broad jumps on the ramp.” YHC broke up this workout by yelling “HALT.” Stayed where everyone was and did 15 incline Peter Parkers IC. Burpee broad jumping again until the next “HALT” and did 15 Imperial Walkers IC. Then finished the burpee broad jumps to the top.

    8.) Ran on the flat level from one end to the other to get to the next ramp. The group did lunge walks to the top of the ramp. Once again, YHC broke up the lunge walk in the middle with a “HALT.” Thanks to Gabrielle, the group did 20 decline (rather than incline) Parker Peter IC. Then finished the lunge walk all the way to the top of the mountain.

    9.) At the top of the WPM, YHC decided to do some suicides. Ran down the ramp to the third light post and back to the top of the WPM and did 20 leg raises. Ran down the ramp to the second post and back to the top and did 15 leg raises. Finally, ran down the ramp to the closest light post and back to do 10 leg raises.

    Ran down the stairs back to Loyola campus where the group started the workout with our warm-ups earlier.

    Round of Mary

    YHC dedicated this round of Mary to all the HNJ dads, who invited YHC to F3. Without them, YHC would have no idea F3 NOLA is here. YHC called out the following HNJ PAX to lead the following exercise in cadence.

    Willie – Very slow Penguins x 15

    Medulla – Dying Cockroach x 15

    Gabrielle – Nolan Ryan x 10 on each side

    YHC wanted to continue to call out the rest of the HNJ PAX but ran out of time. Moseyed back to the flag for the COT right at 6:15 a.m.

    COT

    Count-O-Rama 30PAX, Name-O-Rama, announcements, intentions. We will start a new Uptown workout on Tuesday. We will meet at the same spot as WPM, top of Audubon Park on St. Charles Ave. Our thoughts and prayers for Piranha’s family as they are expecting their newborn on Monday. Also prayers for De La Salle’s President. I am blessed and thankful to be able to workout with my F3 brothers on a regular basis and hope to do so for many years to come. Thank You all again for the opportunity to lead. Always a pleasure and honor to workout with the PAX. SYITG

    King Kong


  • 40 Days ’til Mardi Gras

    January 24th, 2019. Only 40 days until March 5th – Mardi Gras! And what better way to celebrate than a traditional Okwata 40?!? Even better, its a blustery sub-forty degree day at the Lakefront (YHC’s car said 37 degrees – but that didn’t account for the gales). Good Times!

    8 hearty PAX braved the chill. Some, like YHC, were bundled in full winter (aka “Marlin”) gear. Smooth managed to have his entire face covered, while DaParish seemed to be sporting some fancy earmuffs. Then, of course, there was JV wearing his tank top and calling the rest of us a bunch of cowards. Disclaimer issued – including warnings to try and keep warm – and we were off.

    Due to yesterday’s rain, and with Surge’s strong urging, YHC modified the 40 in an effort to keep our shoes dry. PAX moseyed down to Canal Street and over the levee, seeking shelter from the wind. Instead of over-and-back, we would instead just do up-and-down, always staying on the sheltered side of the levee. Other than that, its a traditional 40: 10 exercises, each done in 4 sets (40 sets!). In between each set, up-and-down the levee (40 trips up the levee!). Each set is 10 reps (40 reps!). When PAX finishes his set for one exercise, keep repping or plank until the 6. No rest until everyone’s done. The exercises (and some 40-themed Mardi Gras trivia that helped keep the PAX entertained…..):

    • Burpees first, of course.
    • Penguins. 2nd Modification: lets do the reps at the top of the levee rather than the bottom. Sure its windy up there. But its a heck of a lot dryer.
      • Did you know there are 40 parades in February (from Chewbacca through Muses)
    • Low Slow Squats.
      • Per NOLA.com in February 2018, there are 40 marching groups too. YHC doesn’t fact-check, just reports.
    • Cross-fit Merkins
      • Who remembers Mardi Gras 40 years ago? That’s right – the 1979 Police Strike!
    • Peter Parkers
      • Bacchus 40 years ago? Ron Howard.
      • Bacchus XL? The one, the only Hulk Hogan
      • Bacchus this year? 40 year old Jensen Ackles.
    • Box Cutters
      • Who’s playing Endymion? 40 year old Flo Rida.
      • Lionel Ritchie – hit the charts with Sail On 40 years ago
    • Lunges
      • One Krewe turns 40 this year. No one could guess it. And YHC was not surprised: Krewe of Bilge from Eden Isles.
    • Plank Walks
      • Did you know…. (apparently JV did, as he tried to correct YHC): King of Comus and King of Carnival (not King of Rex…) meet at 40 minutes past 9:00 on Mardi Gras night.
    • Mountain Climbers
    • LBC

    Mosey back to the flag – which was leaning with the wind, but still standing. Thanks to Cowbell for his constant encouragement for all the PAX to keep after it; keep pushing up the levee. Nice work M-Bop! Remember, the workouts get easier, because you get stronger! Great to have you out with us.

    Fast trip through announcements (RRR), intentions and prayers. Then fast mosey back to cars to start the long process of thawing toes. Thanks everyone for letting me lead.

  • Stomps and Sprints

    Thanks to Gabrielle, YHC had a different take on his usual Stomp-and-Sprint workout. So Tuesday am, time was right to give it a test run. I think it has some potential, but needs some help. We will definitely try again soon.

    12 PAX gathered in the gloom. Nice to see a good sized crowd on a Tuesday am – thanks, brothers! Warmer than expected, causing YHC to regret the choice to bundle up. Oh, the fun of winter weather cycles in NOLA. After a disclaimer, the PAX set off for 30 minute run: meet back at the track at 6am.

    Not surprisingly, Smooth, El Guapo and Mahatma took off to the front. Even less surprisingly, Mr. Freedom-Hammer himself decided he didn’t want to hang back with El-G or M-Ice, and bolted. Smooth sure can fly. YHC enjoyed the chance to catch up with Sesame Street – I wish I had his dedication when travelling. 5 days in NOLA and 4 workouts. Nice work!

    Back at the track at 6am (Hawg straggling in late at his 11:45 pace), we gathered to try Gabrielle-themed workout. Split into groups of 4. 3 of the 4 take their position on the track roughly 1/3 apart from each other for a sprint relay. The 4th toes the line to get ready….

    • Position 1: 25 LBC
    • Position 2: 25 PJ
    • Position 3: 25 Merkins

    Go… PAX sprints to the Position 1. Tag, you’re it! PAX from Position sprints to the next spot, while the arriving PAX does the exercise and waits for the relay to come back around. That’s the cycle. Sprint when its your turn, do your exercise on arrival, and wait. As YHC says – needs a bit of work, but everyone got 3 or 4 sprints in before we headed back to the flag.

    COT ends with our count-off, name-o-rama, and close with a prayer to use the gift of Tuesday, January 22nd wisely.

  • Three is the magic number

    15 somber Pax showed up for a cold beat-down after witnessing an egregious no-call that sent the hometown team packing. Quarter Pipe summed it nicely upon arrival by yelling “we were robbed”. But after a quick disclaimer we moved forward (we must)…on to the light posts for the warm-up:

    • High Knees to the 1st light post then 3 burpees
    • Butt Kicks to the 2nd light post then 3 burpees
    • Leg Kicks (damn you Zuerlein) to the 3rd then 3 burpees
    • Bear crawls to the last with 3 burpees

    Then a quick circle-up before taking to the track:

    • 20 SSH, 20 MC, 20 HB & 20 PJ

    Quick run to the rows breaking up in four groups: Rows, 12 Burpees as the count, merkins & squats with group one on the rows getting crop dusted by G-spot sending a few crawling off for air. After all groups rotated, back to the track for an Indian run.

    Stopping by a light post – 10 burpees w/three merkins each for 30 total

    Back to track with a hands up indian run to the fountain benches:

    • LLSU x26, Dips x15, LLPU x15, Dips x10, RLSU x20, Incline merkins x10, RLPU x15, Decline Parker Peters x10 w/ a 5 Decline Merkins kicker

    Back to the track for an Indian run to the green. Another circle-up for Mary:

    • RT x20, Decline PP x20, Flutter Kicks x15, Hello Dolly x15, Real Freddies x15 & RT X20

    Cutting back through the course and over the bridge for one last Indian run back to the light posts. With two minutes to spare a round of bear crawls & crab walks over a couple acorns then back to the flag.

    Name-o-rama, announcements (South Shore Ivan Victory) & prayer with MLK’s quote: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”