In between torrential downpours, we were able to fit in a beatdown on the soaked streets of old mandeville.
All somewhat reluctant to be out there in the drizzle, we all said we were glad to have posted after all was said and done.
Have a good day, men!
Showing up to Grandma’s house, no other cars dotting the lot, at 0512. I got out, looked around and began to hum to Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself”.
So I began what any good pax would do, and began to lead myself!
As I began my 100 ssh, a single light of hope appeared, Cowbell arrived sharply at 0518!!!
So the two yutes began a rousing workout of
WU /
20 ic imperial walkers
20 good mornings
Run to tunnel
Set of 11’s with merkins and squats on the tunnel incline
50 step ups
25 freak nasty
Switch legs 50 freak nasty
Jacob ladder, where one pax ran to the tower performed a burpee, then ran back for some Mary, and the second pax woood then run. The burpees continued in an escalating fashion, until cowbell sun Daley exclaimed “wait you were increasing the burpees the whole time?!?!?”
The Mary performed at the bottom of the tower was;
Lbc
Flutter kicks
Big boy
Gas pumps
Oblieks
Cot (which lets be honest with two, is a big circle of trust!)
4 HIM showed at the Marsh, picking a great morning to be up so early. Cool temperatures, no mosquitos, and a non-running workout. YHC is still having a little foot pain, so blocks were on the menu. I know, it’s surprising.
WU: x20 SSH, arm circles front back x10, self-love x10
THANG full body workout
12, 10, 8 reps per set, slow tempo IC and OYO, 6 sets total
Block Press, Freak Nasties IC
Block row, Curls for the Girls OYO
Shoulder Press, Block Squat OYO/IC
Merkins, Tricep Raise IC, OYO
Block Swings, Curls for the Girls OYO
Alpo’s, Bulgarian Split Squat OYO, IC
MARY
Mountain Climbers – Tabata: 20s on, 10 s rest, 3 sets total
Announcements: Last Thursday in April, F3/FIA at the Gipper, 6:30
Count, Name, YHC prayed us out
Thanks for letting me lead,
SYITG, Akbar
What a great day it was, as today’s experience crystallized the essence of F3 in so many ways. YHC awakened, checked my phone and noticed a text from cowbell, inquiring on the status of the beatdown on behalf of the PAX from Nola who were preparing to cross the causeway. That was at 0455! T-Claps to those guys for even considering making the trip across for the convergence. After all, and unbeknownst to them, the causeway was CLOSED at the time due to the severity of the weather.
And don’t forget Goose, who decided to make a surprise appearance and left his home in Thibodeaux at 0445, driving through rain storms, lightning, and thunder at a mere 45 mph on the interstate before encountering the closed causeway bridge himself. T-Claps to you, Goose, for your perseverance and your faith that F3 would stick to its credo of “rain or shine”. And that we did! It was really go to see you, Goose!
And what about Jose and Speedy and Bushwacker, who showed up at 0600, ready for the pre thing on the Lakefront? Thanks for sticking around, guys, until 0730, and for your dedication to our Organization.
And then, despite the horrific weather over night, 15 PAX showed up the beatdown! T-claps to all of you guys who showed up for the convergence. Without a PAX, we are all sad clowns. And thanks to F3 for giving me more than I have given to it! I am definitely a better man now than I was before. That is, more dedicated, more confident, more responsible, more faithful, more resolute, more grounded, and more and more and more!
And here’s a prayer for F3 Nation, who has had a change of leadership and has very ambitious goals to keep growing, thriving, and adapting. Those will be no easy tasks, but my prayer is that they (we) will succeed. It’s because of PAX like YOU GUYS that I have confidence that WE can do just that.
And by the way, there was a workout. It was much of the same. You know the drill, merkins, cinder blocks, Mary, COT, special intentions and Goose to pray us out
Pax of 4 ventured to Granny’s in Goldilocks weather (not too hot, not too cold) to see how much sweat YHC could drum up.
Early mumble revolve around basketball, podcasts, 80s rock, and how Soundgarden has been around for almost 30 years now.
Warm-up (all IC)
SSH (20)
Cherry pickers (15)
Self love (15)
Toe touches (15)
Torso twists (15)
High knees (20)
Pre-thang 1 (3 rounds, OYO)
Freak Nastys and Step ups (2 is 1)
15x, 10x, 5x
Pre-thang 2
Bear crawl slaloms through the columns at Granny’s, 5 calf raises for each step up the pilot house, bear crawl around said pilot house, 5 calf raises for each step down, back pedal slalom (it’s a thing) back to start.
Mosey to the tunnel of love for Thang:
4 merkins, mosey down the tunnel, 3 merkins, back pedal up the tunnel, 4 merkins. Rinse and repeat four times.
Mosey back to start for a quick round of Mary: a few more freak nastys, durkins, crunchy frogs IC (requisite since Cowbell posted), 6 inch drill IC (requisite with YHC), hands to heels IC, leg raises IC.
COT, name o rama, and prayer to close.
Reminder about both the Northshore convergence this Saturday and F3/FIA get together later in the month (4/29 @ 6:30 PM)
Thank you to the Pax for pushing me, there were some superstars out there. Until we do it all again, SYITG!
The Northshore beatdown on Holy Saturday was themed around Dante’s Inferno. A group of 18 Pax, including a guest appearance from the Southshore’s SOGO, descended upon the Lakefront for 9 Circles of Hell. Warmup exercises were completed in reverse cadence (4-3-2-1) to align with the date (4/3/21) and to remind everyone it was Cowbell’s birthday. We traveled 9 blocks, circling up at each one to perform the 66 exercises illustrated below. Lots of Mumble Chatter, especially at Circle no. 2. We finished at the shovel flag with some Absolution, completing 666 total reps (or there about) for the day.
Announcements:
– Northshore 5 year Convergence to be led by Waterpik on Saturday 4/10.
– Fia/F3 mixer at the Gipper on 4/29 at 6:30pm.
Cowbell prayed us out. Happy Easter to all.
Yhc and Grover arrived at the Milestone Marsh 10 minutes early this gloom to a clear night, quarter moon, and 48 degrees. As Grover slept in the car waiting for go time, QIC walked around the AO stretching from the prior week of pain. As the clock got closer to 5:15, there was still no one in site. Most of us have been close to or experienced a no show, and the thoughts were swimming through at this time. But as the AO was perused, there were messages inscribed on the court in chalk: Work hard, work harder, strive, grind. Then Grover emerged from his nap and we got to work, a father/son beatdown that went like this:
Construction:
Mosey down to the lakefront stopping at each street.
Karaoke 30 Werkins
Butt Kick 25 Merkins
Skips 20 T Merkins
High Knees 15 Cobra Merkins
Mosey 10 T Merkins
Mosey 5 Diamond Merkins
Deconstruction
Mosey back to the Marsh stopping at each block for deconstructed burpees – starting at 7 and descending to 1
Squats, merkins, groiners, squat jumps
Mary: IC x 10 LBC’s, leg raises, E2k left, E2k right
YHC prayed us out.
Till next Gloom – Akbar
Moleskin
YHC remembered the Q on the way to Grandmas in Hattiesburg Sunday and had to pivot quickly to get something in place. Just so happens this beatdown was the next one on my list. Modification was in store after a week of block beatdowns, intense shoulder work, and pruning 8 trees on Friday – but after a big Easter meal the modification would not happen. So more chest and shoulders it was.
Ailing all week with the potential diagnosis of a broken foot YHC got the news Thursday he needed too go ahead and shed the boot 🥾 he had worn the previous 3 days.. Only problem now is the arrival and center stage monkey humper position of “Turbo Dawg” to lay out a Hershey squirt right in the center of the PAX. Which for whatever reason would find the PAX once again circling up around the damaged section of concrete for count and call and the addition of him emptying his bladder as if his territory was not marked up enough. “Watch your step!” Zoolander. YHC must have known the gloom would have presented these moments as Jose 10k arrived mentioning the fact of how his week started with a deranged axe 🪓 yielding fellow swinging it above head as the school week began. Be sure to ask him the next time you see him. As for the rest of us on top the parking garage we couldn’t resist the mention of #Floridaman by Russo to start reminiscing of the days of W&J broadcasting on B97 as Hammer recalls. The enormous “B” inflatable could be seen around town at car dealerships and on site broadcast events all around the Metro NOLA area and if there are still any 10% out there check them out on the 99.5 weekday mornings..
Alright enough mumbling we can save for F2 at the Waffle House where the rest of the #floridamen meet before getting there assignments.. No judgement here just something I heard mentioned worthy of noting….
Warmup
All IC 10 Arm circles F/J, Cherry pickers, Toe touches, SSH, Windmills and Torso twists.
Thang
YHC parked his certainly Manly and always roomy Honda FIT a floor below with coupons for the beatdown. Stations were set with the dice of doom, jump rope, Ruck plate, the Black mystery bag, a wagon and a selection of light and heavy cylinder blocks..
2 men alternate turns wheeling there fellow brethren up the ramp in the wagon completing a burpee at the top and returning for their pull back up. Rest of the PAX alternate through the station’s completing one arm plate swings, rolling your own destiny with the dice of doom, jumping rope, curls for the girls, squat thrusters, Tri-extensions and bag carries up and down the stairs.. Every man made it through each station and we finished with 3 mins to return the coupons to the FIT.
We assembled back up top for countarama, namarama and COT with Russo closing us out in prayer.. Not quite sure why the PAX assembled back where we did, however I appreciate that we did because it certainly assisted with the naming of this backblast.
Thanks for following my lead and until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!!
Cool temperatures greeted the PAX this morning out at mandeville city hall. We took the regular route today, then hit the Play ground equipment for some exercises such as Merkins slow squats Peter Parker‘s 100s crunchy frogs.
T-claps to shooter for showing up And riding the bike with us despite having a bum ankle
Somehow we welcomed back Shortcake!
Feeling way too muggy for March, four met for today’s beat down.
Warm-up
20ish IC SSH
10 each direction IC arm circles
10 imperial walkers
10 mountain man poopers
The thang
Well after last weeks hit, we had to bear crawl again! Up the stairs, around the tower, and back down!
After, we all played a round of Deck O’ Death poker. YHC won with a pair of 7’s and my prize was to lead the round of exercises; some arm circles, plank jacks, derkins and some other stuff.
Then we went back to the midway for a round of bear inch. Or an Indian run with bear crawls and planks!
Then back for another round of Deck O’ Death poker. And this time shortcake won the round. We did some dips and other stuff….
complaining about a lack of leg exercises, YHC decided to throw in a length of walking lunges and a mosey to the tunnel. This provided a reprieve and good mumblechatter about the crazy state of the world. However, YHC had us complete a bear crawl up the tunnel incline!
We had just enough to time to mosey back to the shovelflag for another round of poker! Again some merkins, lbc, and stuff but we ended with a 25 second plank rounding us out to 0600!
Ended with count-o-Rama, name-o-Rama, announcements, and COT!
A great start to the day with some great men!
