F3 New Orleans

Category: Northshore

  • The Marsh Was HOPPIN’ today, Boys!

    When YHC pulled up at the always quiet, very dark Basketball Court at the corner of Livingston and Lamarque, a spot known by our band of F3 brothers as the Milestone Marsh, there was a car slowly patrolling the area.  Driving slowly, first it passed on Livingston street, then it turned on Lamarque street, and finally the car parked next to mine and a guy got out.  But the person who emerged wasnt one of the regulars -Bushwacker, Shooter, etc.  This was a new car, an unknown one. After a while, we all can recognize our F3 compadres as soon as they round the corner by the car they drive.  We can always identify who drives what car, from which direction they usually come, where they usually park, and… if they usually come in HOT or not to the workouts.  (Unless you are OCHO and you sleep at the AO!).  By this time, I was trying to figure out who this guy was, certain, at some point, I would recognize him.  But, he was avoiding eye contact, and keeping his distance as I was at center court, our normal meeting point.  Long story short, he was an FNG, who lived in Hawaii, went to Duke University, and now works for Chevron.  He was EH’ed by co-worker, Sea Bass.  Here’s a BIG WELCOME to FNG, COCONUTS!

    Warmup: SSH, HK, BK, GM, WM all IC x 15

    Mosey to Lakefront for some action at RIPS:

    One member of Pax runs up and over the staircase at Rips while the other members do an exercise.  When one man goes up and over, the next man goes, until everyone is done.  Then, rinse and repeat with a new exercise.  Here’s a sampling, a taste, if you will, of the exercises: merkins, squats, lunges, flutterkicks, calf raises, Rocky Balboa’s.

    Mosey across the street to seawall.

    Starting at sidewalk, one man does an animal walk (this morning it was bearcrawl, crabwalk, duck walk). to seawall while Pax does an exercise (Al Gore, lunges). Sorry, Turbo, for leaving out the Ostrich walk, and OCHO for not sprinkling in your monkey humpers.

    Then it was ISI (rower sit-ups) sets of 10 x 4, alternating w/ 10 merkins x 4.

    Mosey back to Marsh.  COT, and YHC prayed us out!

    Thanks, fellas, for letting me lead and making me a better version of myself.

    Waterpik

     

  • Post July 4th Scramble

    YHC and Shooter  descended upon Mandeville City Hall on July 5th a little weary from Turbo’s July 4th Patriotic beatdown combined with a full day of holiday activities due to the rare mid-week day off.  On this particular gloomy Thursday, it just felt like a Monday.  But, both Shooter and YHC acknowledged a sense of accomplishment that we passed Jocko Willink’s first test of our day, getting out of bed at the sound of the alarm clock. So off we went and here’s what we did, more or less.

    Warmup: SSH, Toe touches, WM, GM. all IC x 10.

    5k run.  It seemed the Mandeville Pier at Sunset Point was a happening place this 4th of July as there was an over abundance of trash to collect (as has become the custom of the F3 Pax at the Scramble).

    After the 5k, mosey to the playground equipment for ISI, some pull-ups, Merkins and some Putins.

    YHC prayed us out.  Thanks to the always dependable, Shooter, for joining me for the weekly 5k.  I appreciate the companionship, it makes me a better man.

     

     

  • R.I.P. 10k Friday

    He who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back.

    -Henri Maisse

    YHC has been like a ghost in the wind for the last 2 weeks, as some physical issues needed to be resolved as best as 2 weeks would allow. Between the need to start training for the Northshore Half Marathon in October, not wanting to fall too far out of F3 habits, and, of course, missing my F3 brothers, The Cove was the perfect place to make my return…. to run 5k (admittedly abbreviated) alone. The fact of the matter is that Friday does not call to the average F3 participant as it consists of a 6.2 mile run. Add tho that the fact that, as early as we meet the day when we all gather, 4:45am is especially early. I suppose the label of seal team 6 was apropo!

    In the spirit of F3, this guy suggests opening the floor to ideas for a Friday beatdown (same place or not) that appeals to more brethren in both starting time and content. I’m looking for input, but would be glad to Q a grand reopening to a northshore friday beatdown. If, as in past ideas (new f3 names on anniversaries), this is met with a multitude of good-natured rejection, let the sparcely attended Captain’s Cove remain in tact.

  • Duty Calls

    Making ourselves better is in many ways a critical first step towards making a positive impact on our friends, families and communities.  This simple statement is a core tenant and one of the things YHC loves most about F3.  Making ourselves better requires discipline and hard work.  No one can make you better except for yourself.  You must answer the call of duty if you want to project positive force in the world.  Teddy Roosevelt had this figured out.  He observed “the things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living, and the get rich quick theory of life.”  Amen.

    In this spirit, five patriots gathered under The Gipper’s gaze to celebrate their 4th of July with some hard work.  Mosey to the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center for a warmup of SSHs, Windmills, Seal Jacks, and Overhead Hand Claps, all IC 10 to 15 reps with trips up and down the Justice Center stairs between exercises.  Then it was off to the animal races with:

    30 yard Ostrich walk, 70 yard strides, and repeat in the opposite direction.  Rinse and repeat with Crabwalks, Bear Crawls, Lizard Walks, and Duck Walks.

    Mosey to the Veterans Memorial at the front of the Justice Center for 30 seconds each of front to back jumps and lateral jumps with a short pause to reflect that we as Americans may be blessed with freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but the duty is ours to manifest and maximize those gifts through our actions and words.

    Mosey to the top of the Parking Garage where we performed a 7 minute AMRAP of sprints down the ramp, climbs up the stairs, and short run back to the starting point complete the loop.

    Mosey to the back of the Justice Center for 30 seconds each of lateral box jumps.

    Then back to The Gipper for our ISI challenge of the day (30 rower situps IC), countorama, nameorama, and prayer.

    Thanks for letting me lead guys.

    God Bless America!

     

  • WayBackBlast

    …like last Wednesday

    Four pax posted at the Gipper early this past Wednesday. And a fifth pax posted, shortly thereafter, for his 35 minute workout.

    While waiting for the six a.m.start bell, we wondered about California Steve. “It’s 4 a.m. out there”, Shooter remarked, “Steve is probably doing some pushups.”
    Or maybe fartsacking and dreaming about riding his bike past the moon, or dreaming of running for Govenor of California…then on to the Presidency.
    We’ll all vote for you Steve!

    Anyways…here is how it went

    Short disclaimer …

    warmup
    all 20xIC; side straddle hops, windmills, imperial walkers, hillbillys, arm circles, lunges, squats, mummy kicks

    mosey to Bedrock Quarry; pick up a 10 pounder or so

    about this time Maverick sidles-up, saying something about “my bus transfer expired and I had to jog the last five blocks.”
    after admonishing, we continue…
    all 15xIC; curls, overhead presses, rows, outward presses, elf on the shelf

    mosey to the back of the Taj-Mahal for a stop-start ladder; run up, backpedal back, repeat

    mosey to the front of the Taj-Mahal for the MERKIN MEMORIAL
    here we have lots of brick pavers, each with a name and date,
    one pax, at a time, bearcrawls in toward the flagpole to a brick, reads the name and the date, choose a number and that’s how many merkins we did.

    mosey to the St.Tammany Parish Courthouse parking garage for sprints up the ramps with a merkin stop at each level
    once at the top level, break up into two groups. One group holds Al-Gore postion, while the other group sprints down the ramp and backpedals back. Repeat

    back to the Gipper statue as time expires.
    count-o-rama, Shooter lead us out with a prayer.

    It’s always fun running around dowtown Covington, and thanks guys for letting me lead today.

    And I apolgize for the late posting of the BackBlast. I’ve been busy sitting on the couch in my boxers eating a block of cheese and watching Netflix.

  • Remembering Wilt!!

    Following the start of free agency for the NBA with record breaking contracts of just 4 top players eclipsing 600 million the YHC decided to reminisce about an old baller back in the day. Although we wouldn’t be throwing around the millions this Gloom we paid tribute to one of the greats on the court. The Marsh with its full court available laid tribute to some of the down payment on this beatdown.

    warmup

    All IC 15 toe touches, good mornings, windmills, SSH and Butt kicks..

    thang

    Started off with”Wilt Chamberlains” 100 LBCs, sprint the court to the other end 100 Squats, sprint back 100 Flutter kicks, sprint again and wrap up with 100 leg lunges. Started a Mosey down Lamarque to the lakefront and hooked a right to the corner of Girod and Lakeshore. Arriving with the smells of cigarette smoke coming through the walls of a local saloon Q instructed the next round which is “Wall of fire” with a twist. Waterpik held balls to the wall while YHC completed 10 Merkins, 10 LBCs and 10 Burpees then reversed positions. Round 2 10 Werkins, 10 Flutter kicks and 10 Burpees. Round 3 10 hand release Merkins, 10 Putin’s and 10 Burpees.  Much respect to Waterpik who never released from the wall, unlike the Q who had to take breaks through the balls to the wall to salvage potential face plants on the concrete surface.. After a gathering of composure we began the journey back to the AO for a close with the ISI by Steve this month starting with 20 sit-ups.. Go get some men increasing by 5 daily which will prove interesting toward the end of July.

    2 count, announced 4 on 4th, Q prayed us into the day!!

    Thanks for posting Waterpik and keeping me accountable to not only myself but also the AO!!

    ✌🏻👊🏻👍🏻

  • 8ball Qball

    YHC’s first Saturday Q:

    BACKSTORY: YHC stayed out late the night before and still hadn’t formed the plan…but it was done by about 02:00 when YHC finished his festivities. As a precaution not to fartsack the Q YHC drove to the location and, after attaching a note to the window that said “WAKE THE Q”, turned down the seat and went to sleep until the morning. But the note wasn’t necessary as YHC just shot up awake at 06:00. Fortunately YHC awoke early because, like every morning, there was a sycamore down under if you catch my driftwood…err drift. After running behind a dumpster behind a building to fix the situation, YHC returned to start the thang.

    YHC skipped the foreplay and awaited the rest of the PAX that would show.

     

    Warmup:

    Monkey Humpers, imperial walkers, windmills, monkey humpers

    The Thang:

    1.) partnered up, one person does sit-ups while the other is lunging with twist approx. 30yds and return back with side shimmy to switch with partner until 200 sit-ups reached.

    2.) partnered up, one planks while other sprints same distance back and forth. 10 rounds.

    3.) partnered up, “Bad Dog” one bear crawls while other is in front of them back peddling 30 yds. Then switch roles back to start line. 5 rounds.

    4.) duck duck goose abs circle – PAX in a circle doing flutter kicks until everyone takes a turn sprinting around the circle. Second round was same thing but with Freddy Mercuries.

    COOL DOWN

    ran back to flag, monkey humpers

    COT, BOM – jul 4th event announced by Turbo

    new FNG = ZOOLANDER

     

  • One to grow on!!

    With another year in the books the YHC arrived at the Scramble on his birthday Q. To no surprise the regulars, with the exception of one Bushwacker 🤔decided to post and celebrate in the festivities. Jumped into a short warmup before we embarked on our standard Scramble route..

    Warmup

    15 IC Toe touches

    15 IC Windmills

    15 IC SSH

    Started our Mosey with Chatter of the previous nights Arkansas/Oregon State game ending in a way, which surly would have a betting man thinking how did that just happen.. Come on!! Let’s hope a routine  pop up with 2 outs to win your first Ship doesn’t come back to put the Razor in their Backs figuratively speaking.. Enough with the hate of an SEC foe, go Hogs!! Returned to the AO for 42 Merkins and two rounds of  protractor with each PAX calling out a degree of leg extensions.  Something the Q picked up in his travels to Charlotte this past weekend.. Closed with 21 IC LBCs. For those with better math skills than I equals  42 hence the one to grow on..

    Appreciate the post gentleman!!

    Count, announcements (Choppa considering a Q featuring a beefed up Murph at a post near you), COT

    Much thanks to Sprocket for the pray out into the day!!!

     

  • Discipline Equals Freedom

    “Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen.  You won’t be.  Don’t count on motivation.  Count on discipline.” – Jocko Willink, Discipline Equals Freedom:  Field Manual

    “The test is not a complex one:  when the alarm goes off, do you get up out of bed, or do you lie there in comfort and fall back to sleep?  If you have the discipline to get out of bet, you win-you pass the test.  If you are mentally weak for that moment and you let that weakness keep you in bed, you fail.  Though it seems small, that weakness translates to more significant decisions.  But if you exercise discipline, that too translates to more substantial elements of your life.”  Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership:  How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win.

    “Our freedom to operate and maneuver had increased substantially through disciplined procedures.  Discipline equals freedom.”  Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership:  How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win.

    YHC sprinkled words of wisdom from his favorite U.S. Navy SEAL throughout this morning’s beatdown.  He was preaching to the choir, of course, because all seven PAX standing around the shovel flag on the Mandeville Lakefront at 0630 already had passed their first test of the day.  Their alarms sounded and they posted, ready to get some.

    Barely Legal assisted YHC with this morning’s Warmup, a Q school of sorts.  YHC led the PAX in Seal Jacks, lunges, Merkins, Copperhead Squats, windmills, and OH Hand Claps.  Barely Legal followed suit and, being a quick study, had mastered several counting styles in no time at all.  When all was said and done, the PAX had a solid 20 reps IC for each exercise and was ready to mosey down the Lakefront for a

    Ring of Fire

    Forming a ring around YHC’s backpack, the PAX bear crawled around the ring to the left, then the right, forward to the backpack and back, performing Merkins, Parker Peters, and plank variations along the way.  Then we recovered for a standing Ring of Fire, shuffling with thighs parallel to the ground around the ring to the left, then the right, duck walk forward to the backpack and back, with Copperhead Squats and some Al Gore mixed in.  Brief recovery then a mosey further down the Lakefront for

    3×30

    YHC placed two cones about 100 yards apart, sweeping the lane of travel for land mines as an early morning gift to the PAX.  The next bit went like this:

    10 regular Merkins, stride it out to the far cone, backpedal to the near cone; 10 right hand forward Merkins, stride/backpedal again, then 10 left hand forward Merkins, final stride/backpedal

    10 Good Mornings, prime time to the far cone and back; rinse and repeat two times

    10 hand release Merkins, lateral bounce extend to the far cone and back; 10 hand release T Merkins, lateral bounce extend again; 5 regular hand release Merkins and 5 hand release T Merkins; later bounce extend for the final trip

    Another pause to catch our breath and then time for the main event.

    Flying Sprints

    Starting at the near cone, the PAX ran at 50% for the first 75 yards and then executed an all out sprint the remaining 25 yards to the far cone.  Instructions were to give it everything for those final 25 yards, run ugly if necessary to close the distance as fast as possible.  Recovery walk back to the start.  Rinse and repeat twice for 3 high quality sprints.

    Of note, Moby surprised us all, and himself as well, with Bo Jacksonesque sprints.  If anyone personifies our “discipline equals freedom” mantra for the day, it’s Moby.  When was the last time you saw a 67 year old run like a Heisman trophy winner?

    Back to the shovel flag for

    Mary

    70 second front plank, Jane Fonda left then right 20x IC each, single leg lifts 10x IC each leg, and finally a set of scorpions 10x IC.

    Countorama, nameorama and then off to the Beach House for our coffeeteria with a few wins under our collective belts to start our weekends.

    Thanks for letting me lead this morning, guys, and for always pushing me to be better.

  • Just Another Lazy Morning

    It was just another lazy morning for the six PAX that showed up to the Gipper this morning (7 if you count our Honorary Member for the day Moby). Because it was a nice and cool morning I thought it fitting to add an exercise that has “lazy” in the title. How hard can something with “lazy” in the title really be? Well, as the PAX soon discovered, there was nothing lazy about it.

    Warmup

    SSH 25 IC (In Cadence)

    Windmills 15 IC

    High Knees 20 IC

    Butt Kicks 20 IC

    Arm Circles (forward, backwards, and backwards larger circles) 15 IC

    Let’s get this party started!

    The Thang’

    Mosey to the Taj Mahal.

    Today I focused on one of the elements of F3 that sets it apart in my mind, and that is the area of togetherness. No man left behind and we are all in this together! So all of the exercises today were done with a partner or as a team.

    First we partnered up and had one partner get in a wall sqauat. The other partner would do 2 burpees and run a lap around the building (stopping to do 2 more burpees on the opposite side). When partner 2 returns they replace partner 1 on the wall and reverse roles. 3 total laps were done for today.

    After a brief 10-count we split up into groups of three and got about 75 feet apart or so facing each other. Group 1 held an Al Gore while group 2 lung walked to group 1’s location. Once there they switched and group 1 lunge walked back to group 2’s original location while group 2 held an Al Gore. Rinse and repeat!

    After that everyone was acting really lazy so I decided to bring in the aforementioned “lazy” exercise. The exercise is called Lazy Doras.

    The objective is similar to Dora 1-2-3 in that as a group you are to accomplish 100-200-and 300 reps of an exercise. The difference is that  rather than having one partner run off and return to replace the partner at where they left off, both partners never separate. Instead, while one partner does the reps of the merkin portion , for example, the other partner is in a plank. Along those lines, when one partner does squats the other holds an Al Gore, and while one does lbc’s the other does a six inch dead man’s hold.

    The format of accomplishing the objective was split up into 10-20-and 30 reps for each corresponding exercise session. When one partner does 10 merkins, the other partner continues immediately with the next 10 and so it ping pongs until completion. We did 100 merkins, 200 squats, and 300 lbc’s with that pattern.

    It was so hard, that even Einstein’s legs were sweating (his words on the measure of the intensity of a workout…).

    After everyone was done being lazy, we moved into our final event called Blue Falcon. Splitting into teams of three the objective was to create a workout that your group tries to finish in three minutes (with some adjustments to the plan during the 3 minutes granted). Simultaneously both groups attempt their workout and do as much as they can. Once done, the workouts are attempted by the other team. Whoever finishes the other team’s workout first is declared the winner. The loser has some penalty exercise to do.

    The winning team (Maverick, In-Time, and Einstein) were gracious enough to join the losers club (Turbo, Barely Legal, and YHC) in the penalty of 20 Russian Twists IC.

    Slow mosey back to the Flag and lo and behold, there she blows! Moby Dick in the flesh doing some core work! Way to be committed even when most would have just called it a lost day. Nicely done man.

     

    Circled up and counted off.

     

    C.O.T. to close with Maverick praying us out.

     

    Great job everyone!!! It really is such an honor to be a part of this group let alone being allowed to lead some. It’s awesome!

     

    Have a great day men!!!