F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • The artist formally known as “Jose10k” – from Jose10k

    I arrived to the A1C, driving through a downpour of rain, ready to work out. The skies opened up and cleared. I got out of my car and began warming up when my partner in crime, Moby, arrived. Now Moby, in a second life, was Bob Breck. He informed us of the incoming storms, so we went down to the second level to get out of the way of the storms that never did show up. I offered an olive branch to the notorious Russo. An offer of a truce, to get together and work out the differences between the splash pad and the A1C. Russo scoffed at me, and I believe pulled a Sampson towards me by “biting his thumb at me” So, the rumble is still on.
    We need to continue training for the cage match with the rowdy group from the splash pad. I don’t know if it’s at the level of the greasers vs socs rumble, the sharks vs the jets, the hatfields vs the mccoys, maybe even to the level of tom vs jerry. The talking is getting serious, so the training must get more intense. I heard that the splash pad was using the ancient teaching of Miyagi Do karate: wax on, wax off, paint the fence, sand the floors…, so we at the A1C knew how serious these gents were. We knew where we had to get our training from: the only practical source of knowledge of men our ages: 80s movies. Should we practice kicking banana trees like JVD in Kickboxer, running up snow covered mountains, splitting firewood a la Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV, or maybe increasing our cardio with some giant piano dancing like Tom Hanks did in Big? Perhaps even bring in bicycles to train like they did in RAD. Too many to choose from for just one beat down, and plus, did I forget to mention, I am leaving tomorrow to fly to the Caribbean to get married. I am not crushing myself this morning. I will save those epic training sessions when I get back, so hold onto your butts…
    Warm-up: ssh, torso twists, self love, windmills, grass grabbers, arm circles, hi jack, hey jills,
    Beginning: bruno mars think I’m gonna marry you, simple concept, ssh for the song, drop for a burpee each time the word Marry is sung.
    I promised Katie that I wouldn’t kill myself, so I kept it simple. 4 corners, 10 merkins, 15 squats, 20 big boy situps at each corner. Bear crawl the width, back peddle the length halfway, turn and sprint the rest. After that, round robin tabata, 45 seconds on , 15 second rest. The conversations were excellent as always. Including retirement, job opportunities, and of course, 80s classic movies. Including the hilarious Grumpier Old Men, National Lampoons, and of course, Kickboxer.

    COT, mention of the Inferno tomorrow, Hammer prayed us out. Everyone have safe travels, have great celebrations with your family and friends, and I will see you on the other side Ray. The next time I see y’all, I will be a happily married man. SYITG!

  • Write a Backblast – from Einstein

    A humid 72 degrees for the gathered PAX, this Wednesday morning, at The Gipper.

    Warmup:
    Toe Touch, SSHops, Good Mornings, Neck Rolls, Arm Circles, Shoulder Slingbacks, Imperial Walkers, Ankle Rolls, Hillbillies, High Kneees, Butt Kicks, Scissors, Thumb Drives, Swimmers, Hi-Jack-Hi-Jills, Smurf Jacks, Ice Skater Hops etc.

    mosey to the coupon cache location (tautology?, maybe…I’ll check my Harbrace handbook)

    Event: grab your cinder block; lift it, pull it, push it, carry it, etc. finishing up with murder bunnies uphill and downhill (yes there is a three foot hill at the Gipper location)

    Mary: flutter kicks, gas pumps, plank

    Count-o-rama, DarkWingDuck leads us out with prayer and intentions.

    Thanks guys. Always fun.

  • Taking it to the Track! – from Charmin

    For the first day in a week, the gate to the track and field was open. That being said, the ruckers intentionally took a path across the track to get out to the neighborhood, whereas the runners took their usual path out but could be seen taking advantage of the track towards the end of their run.

    Overall it was a good time to be out in the Gloom.

    COT focused on desiring to embrace the Cross, to unite our sufferings with those of Christ and realizing that part of life is suffering, but also being able to see through it to the Resurrection.

  • You Don’t Got This, Bro – from Goose

    As six PAX gathered at the Lion’s Den, and Smooth revealed his beastly self, which was straining against the turqoise spandex of the Euro-tank, YHC was putting the last second finishing touches on a Holy Thursday themed beatdown.

    We started with a warmup of the usuals after which Paradox, with much pomp and circumstance, formally shared his conclusion (after much research) that high knees and butt kicks usually go together. Thank you, Paradox, for your contribution to the scientific F3 community.

    We moseyed to the basketball courts where YHC meticulously set up cones 20 meters (not feet, not yards) apart while Paradox meticulously connected YHC’s phone to JBL. We would be completing a bleep test, wherein an app gives beeps at intervals a few seconds apart, and those intervals get shorter and shorter as time goes by. At each beep, those being tested have to run the 20 meters from one cone line to the next before the next beep is sounded. At the next beep, they run back. If you can’t reach the cones before the next beep, you’re out and have to plank up off to the side.
    The focus this morning was on not leaving your brother to suffer alone–that was the challenge given. F3 is all about shared suffering, so don’t let the guy next to you down by leaving him to suffer alone. This worked surprisingly well as all PAX blew through the previous performances at Schreiver Park. Once the first and then second guy dropped, though, it was like dominos. Cardinal and Lil’ Cuz showed some serious tenacity, though, by holding strong for multiple laps after that initial wave had crashed. Ultimately, though, everyone eventually called it quits, which gave YHC the chance to unpack some Holy Thursday content:

    When Jesus told is apostles that they’d all abandon him, they thought they wouldn’t, that they could hang, especially Peter who swore to stay with him to the end. None of them knew their limitations like God did. And, when he asked Peter, James, and John to stay awake and watch and pray with him, they couldn’t, even after multiple chances were given. They were weak, and they all ran away, and Peter even denied him, not once, but three times. God didn’t call them and entrust his mission to them because they were strong and brave, but because of what He could do through them. But, they had to experience their limitations first before they could learn to rely on His mercy and His strength.

    Next, we moseyed back to the front of the civic center and partnered up for a classic Dora 1, 2, 3. This would bring us into the chaotic experience of the apostles running every which way to try to survive–cuz that’s what happens when you try to measure how much you have to offer, or how much more you can take. You end up just trying to survive.
    While Partner 1 chipped away at 100 merkins, 200 squats, and 300 LBC’s, Partner 2 bunny hopped up the stairs during the first 100, nurred up and down during the 200 (pretty chaotic), and ran two steps at a time up and down for the last 300 before coming back and switching with their partner.

    So, now that we understood a little better the fruitlessness of trying to measure what we have to offer, we turned our attention to what Jesus wants to offer. We gathered at the lion for the song “Remembrance” by Matt Maher. Imperial Walkers for the duration (legs got pretty darn heavy) and burpees on remember/remembrance and worship.

    3 minutes of Mary, and COT with some solid prayer intentions. Smooth needed the help of two men to remove the Euro-tank, and he lobbed the sweaty mess at Lil’ Cuz. Looking forward to seeing it on you Saturday, Cuz!

    SYITG,
    Goose

  • Afternoon Delight – 4-5-2023 – from Almonaster

    To the Levee!

    PAX:

    – Strings
    – Bulleseye
    – Doublefudge
    – Big Willie
    – Almonaster

    Warmup:

    SSH – 20 IC
    Arm Circles -10 IC
    Reverse Arm Circles – 10 IC
    Imperial Walkers – 10 IC
    Balance on 1 foot for 10 seconds – Each Foot
    The Morpheus – 10 IC
    Grass Grabbers – 10 IC
    Windmills – 10 IC
    Mountain Climbers – 10 IC

    The Thang:

    We went to the Levee to take in the sites at the River.

    11’s
    – Start at the bottom with one Merkin and at the top with 10 Wife Pleasers. Inverse each way until opposite, making for 55 reps of each. We lunge walked up the levee and ran down each time.

    Mosey atop the levee, down the road, and over to the Statue.

    Dora’s
    – Team up with a partner and mosey around the Stop Sign.
    – 50 Squats
    – 75 Dips
    – 200 LBC’s

    Mary
    – Flutter Kicks – 20 IC
    – Douillies – 20 IC

    Back to Flag

    Birthdays
    Anniversaries
    Announcements
    Intentions
    Prayer

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead!

  • My cadence is PURE. Angie is Rotten inside. – from Reluctant Yankee

    Much afternoon debate on the cadence. After I made the PAX repeat their SSH until they followed my cadence this gloom – this afternoon the handheld devil box has been full of chatter about the call of cadence. Fun times.

    Humid gloom.
    24 pax including 1 FNG gathered for a TubeSteak led beatdown but TubeSteak is in Hawaii with the Navy this week so I volunteered to cover for him.
    disclaimer.
    Ran to the FIELD by AUDUBON ZOO.
    COP 1: SSH x until everyone got in cadence. Imp Scott Walkers Merks Mtn Climbers Roaches
    Ran to the Birdwatcher Statue
    Explained the Dirty MacDeuce
    Then we ran a long lap to Magazine St and back.
    COP 2: Slow Squats, Merks, Dying Bugs. Flutters x 12
    Long lap.
    COP 3: Lunges, Shoulder Taps, Hip Dips both sides x 12
    Long lap.
    COP 4: Bobby Hurleys, Staggered Merks, Lil Baby Obliques both sides x 12
    ***Angie’s list full of hot air – let it fly today – so bad I almost barfed. Thats AL.
    Long lap.
    COP 5: Monkey Humpers, Plank Jacks, Freddie Merks, and Low Country Crab
    Ran to soccer field for more CORE.
    Russian Twist, LBC, Scissor Kicks, Plank Walk and JLOS. x 20

    Ran back to FLAG. Southern Gentleman, Yankee Agressor, Nolan Ryans both sides

    CLOSED WITH A CIRCLE OF TRUST.

    We named FNG – THIRST-ON

    Peace-RY

  • Parade of Pavilions – from Pool Boy

    The Architect and I decided on a combo Q. We bounced some ideas off each other and picked El Diablo
    With near perfect weather, 13 pax were ready to Cease the day.
    Mosey to the rock pile

    Warmorama
    Side Straddle Hops
    Grass Grabbers
    Arm Circles
    Peter Parker’s
    Toy Soldiers

    Round 1 – Grab a rock and Mosey to first pavilion by dog park
    15 step ups each leg
    20 dips
    25 curls with rock

    Round 2 – Indian Walk to pavilion #2 by gym while rifle carrying rock. 3 burpess along the way
    15 step ups each leg
    20 dips
    25 curls with rock
    5 burpees

    Round 3 – Mosey to pavilion #3 by kids playground
    3x 10 Rock squats
    3X 20 American Hammers
    3x 30 Rows

    Round 4 – Mosey to pavilion #4 by track
    3x 10 rock presses
    3x 20 Big Boy Situps
    3x 10 merkins

    The clock struck 6:10. Head back to rock pile and then horses back to stable.
    The Architect prayed us out. Thanks for allowing us the combo Q!!

  • The Fools of April – from Reluctant Yankee

    1/2 dozen pax posted for a workout meant to spark the metabolism enough to digest the anticipated breaking of fast at Panolas post beatdown. Quite a few pax out of rotation due to Hawgs for the Cause.
    I like to keep things moving so a quick jog over the base of WPM.
    COP 1: SSH, Paul Imperial Walkers, Mtn Climbers and Roaches x 20
    Run up to the 4th floor – plank using the wall for leverage.
    Leg lifts right and left from the captains chair
    COP 2: walking plank using wall x 20, walking plank with legs using wall x 20
    Run to the 6th FLOOR – use the park stop aka curb aka Almonaster knew the name of it
    COP 3: to do MERKS round the clock x 12 facing 12 oclock, 3oclock, 6 oclock, 9 and then finished
    Run to the top of Wolfpack Mtn
    COP 4: Fire hydrants x 20 each leg, bird dogs x 20 each side, Lil baby obliques left and right x 20
    DO A LAP ON THE STAIRWELL – down and then back up
    COP 5: Plank Jacks x 20, Jlos x 20, Shoulder taps x 20 and Freddies mercurys x 20
    DO A LAP ON THE STAIRWELL – down then back up
    COP 6: Nolan Ryans and Hip dips each side x 20, Low Country Crabs
    Back down the stairs to the bench alley
    Here will did a quick 20 dips then a slow cadence 20 dips.
    Back to flag. Glad to get a solid beatdown in with these guys.

  • E=M(Burpees)² – from Steve

    Looooooong beatdown today. Sometimes these things fly by, other times it takes an eternity to get to Mary. This beatdown felt like it fell into the latter category, with the only reasonable explanation being that all of this morning’s burpees created some sort of gravitational field that resulted in time dilating. Well, maybe it was the burpees, maybe it was the black hole known as humidity.

    Anyway, YHC woke up this morning and briefly weighed all options, but Waterpik had killed our legs at the Marsh the day before and, as for core, well… let’s just say YHC can’t do another sit-up for at least a week after Pope’s core-palooza at the baseball field during Saturday’s convergence. So upper body it was. (T-claps to Pope, btw, for handling the unruly men of the Northshore with such assured leadership.).

    Three pax turned into four when Onions rolled up on his bike for his second consecutive beatdown. 👏👏👏 YHC is no longer the only guy biking to beatdowns, so now I expect some sorta Jets vs Sharks face-off with runners Hammer and Pik on the streets of Old Mandeville.

    Warmorama: Grass grabbers, self love, torso twist, IW’s, SSH’s. x10 IC.

    Thang: YHC has often heard, “Nothing good ever happens in the tunnel.” And while that may be true, I’d argue that worse things happen on the way to the tunnel. This morning, though, wasn’t so bad as we nixed the Kraken Burpees and opted instead for 10x T-merkins at each of the three intersections.

    Moseyed to the base of the tunnel, where we partnered up for Burpback Mountain, with a cumulative tally of 75 burpees. Felt like that alone should’ve shaved 15 minutes off the clock, but no, only about 6. So we went directly into another partner routine, P1 performing alternating leg lunges (cumulative total of 100) and P2 up the ramp for x10 merkins and back down to flap jack.

    Next up, some quick leg work consisting of 10-15x IC squats, monkey humpers, and jump squats. Then a mosey back to the flag, stopping again at each intersection for 10x T-merkins.

    Surely by this point we’d be out of time, but no – amazingly we had enough time to squeeze in a set of 7’s (freak nasties down below, and Sister Mary’s up top of the tower) as well as a full 6 minutes of Mary where we practically hit everything in the book. But, if Wicket taught me anything at Saturday’s beatdown, it’s that YHC is a very poor judge of many things, time being chief among them.

    COT and Russo prayed us out, with thanks for our many blessings, above all the gift of grace. And thank you men also for the accountability, the opportunity, and the fellowship.

  • Blindman’s Dodgeball – from Fast Tax

    17 PAX showed up in the gloom at Rock City.

    Warmups consisted of Abe Vigodas, Grass Grabbers, Toy Soldiers, and Hairy Rockettes

    After “medium” rock selections, we lined up in the gloom for the first event, Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum.
    We lined up and, trying not to hit each other and incur 30 burpees, we threw our rocks as far as we could and broad jumped the remaining distance to the rock. Rinse and repeat until we YHC said stop – about 50 yds.

    Still bearing the brunt of PAX chit-chat and aware that most PAX ignored the suggestion to pick a smooth rock, YHC went with Hairburners. This involved PAX lining up in a plank and then pushing the rock (both hands on the rock) across the ground until we returned to the starting point.

    Rock-Lift Wife Pleasers were next.
    Holding the upward wife pleaser position, PAX overhead lifted their rocks for 20 reps IC, followed by several more reps for PAX chatter (thanks Fracsac).

    With 20 mins remaining, it was time for Blindman’s Dodgeball.
    Using the bottom half of the unlit tennis court, Four PAX were designated throwers and were restricted to the bluish-green area of the court while rest of the PAX had to stay in the red areas. When a PAX got hit, he would step off and one of four exercises (10 Burpees, 10 8 Ct Body Builders, 20 BBS, 10 Pullups), then he would return and take over as a ball thrower. The reps were eventually cut in half to speed things along.

    At 6:15, quick mosey to the flag for COT.
    Coffeteria at PJs followed.
    Thanks for the fellowship!

    SYITG