F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • Grumble Grumble No Mas!

    Feels like 76 degrees? Yes please! Like a water-less version of adult Marco Polo, YHC called out upon arrival, “Grumble…. ?Grumble…?” Alas, with the 1st day of St. Tammany school upon us, Jose’s streak had come to an end, and he was a fish out of water. But still the Cowley Cones were back for another appearance, Debo was creepin’ down the dimly lit trace on his bike, and making certain the sweaty coast was clear, Zoolander popped up with hopeful talk of a potential stay of execution via a “double down” popostion. Hmmmm???

    WARMORAMA

    x10 IC:

    Torso Twist, Windmills, Fire Hydrants, Scorpion Kicks

    THANG

    They say three’s company, and so it made for good rounds of convo when 2 men did LBC’s, Freddy Mercury’s, or any other core exercise that came to mind while the third man bear crawled along the columns doing 5 (then 4,3,2,1) merkins at each of 5 cones placed along the way and ran back.

    Rotate each man for each round until complete.

    Then, with another set of 6 or so cones set up along the trace, thePAX lined up at the Lafitte end and ran some extended suicdes to let the lungs in on the action.

    COT

    Ending at 6:00, there was enough time for a short and sharp count and name off before YHC took us out with some short n sweet sentiments.

    Thanks for coming out, guys. See y’all in the gloom!

    T claps to Jose 10K aka The Shadow, aka Grumble Grumble, aka A1C, aka, Soundtrack, aka Early Bird, aka Sweat Jug, aka The Streak for 57 (I hope I’ve got that number right) consecutive beatdowns, showing his love for F3 and men we call brothers, his tenacity, dedication and incredible good fortune at having not injured himself! Well done sir.

    And lest we forget that this Saturday is sure to provide the dramatic culmination of the funky accrual of Anderson DNA in the acidic, ordoriferous swill that may (or may NOT be) poured all over Zoo’s head.

    You may have to turn away, but it’s not to be missed!

  • What Does the Fox Say…BURPEE SUICIDES!!!

    In preparation, YHC arrived early (though never as early as “Early Bird” 10K) and began walking down Livingston towards Marigny laying out strategically placed Cowley Cones along the way. Trotting along obliviously without a care in the world came a shaddowy pointy-eard poofy-tailed pedestrian. So what does the fox say? I don’t know, but when YHC said hello it took off faster than greased lightening! I guess the world may never know.

    WARMOAMA

    x10 IC:

    Apple Grabbers, Cherry Pickers, Imperial Walkers, Torso Twists, Fire Hydrants, Mountain Climbers, Scorpion Kicks

    THANG

    6 sets of cones were placed every 2/100 of a mile between Lamarque and Marigny. Each PAX was to run suicides doing 5 burpees at each set of cones. After completing all 6 sets, 4 burpees at each sets of cones and so on until 1 burpee and completion.

    This was one of those where you say “Go” and it’s non stop for the rest of the beatdown. Heart rates remained elevated and sweat was dripping (much to Jose’s delight and we imagine Zoolander’s chagrin). Speaking of which, from the looks of things one more sweaty event ought to seal the deal on that funky foul sweat jug. If you come on out saturday, be sure that it’s on an empty stomach because…yeeeah-no.

    COT

    YHC finished up with traditional words of appreciation and awareness on the Labor Day.

    Thank you gentlemen, and remember to tip your waiter by signing up to Q!

  • The Cave of Time

    Back in the day, YHC was really into the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books.  One of the few I remember was called The Cave of Time, where you enter this cave and, depending on the path you choose, you might find yourself stuck in an Ice Age, or in the Jurassic Era, or in a never-ending time loop.  The great thing about these books is that there were many, many bad endings.  If the series was written today, every ending would probably be a happy one.  But no, in the 80’s, death awaited at every turn!  

    So much like The Cave of Time, the 28 pax who posted were faced with a similar “choose your own adventure”™: take the path to the left, and follow Bushwacker into the world of pain known as The Iron Pax Challenge; or take the path to the right, and follow YHC into a potentially less painful but hopefully equally rewarding beatdown.  As in the books, misery awaited the pax in both paths!  (Obviously, YHC is a sucker for bad endings.)

    A couple of new faces, so a hastily given disclaimer was issued, before launching into:

    Warmorama: Good mornings, arm circles, torso twists, IW’s, Seal Jacks, mountain climbers, plank jacks, and SSHs.

    The Iron Paxers took off with Bush to begin their timed misery, while the rest of us moseyed to the splash pad, stopping at each intersection for a quick round of exercises:

    @ Marigny:

    • 20 Wide armed merkins
    • 20 Jump squats IC
    • 20 LBCs IC

    @ Lamarque:

    • 20 Diamond merkins
    • 20 Sister Mary’s IC
    • 20 Leg raises IC

    @ Foy:

    • 20 T-merkins
    • 20 Monkey humpers IC
    • 20 V-ups OYO

    Finally at the playground, time for a quick COP:

    • Circle Burp!  (high knees while each of the pax drop for 3 burpees)
    • Then, Al Gore while each of the pax knock out 3 jump squats

    Over to the curb for a set of 11’s:

    • 1 Mike Tyson, bear crawl to opposite curb, 10 star jumps, continue until numbers are reversed.

    Here’s where things got brutal.  YHC had heard of Mike Tysons (which involve planking with your feet on the curb, doing a horizontal squat, then back out to plank for a merkin – that’s one), but never actually tried them.  Combining those with bear crawls for a set of 11’s was one of those “it looked good on paper!” moments.  Nevertheless, the pax pushed on, unaware that YHC would call it about 3/4ths of the way in.  T-claps to the younger men in our group who put in a heroic effort here. 

    And finally, one more routine just for Jose 10k (only two more days to fill that jug!): Sprints! P1 sprints, while P2 does: Peter Parkers, then rinse and repeat with plank jacks.

    With time running short, time for a Bataan Death March back to the flag (t-claps to Shooter for picking up the six).

    The Iron Pax men were still wandering around looking like someone hit them with a hammer, but YHC was able to convince a few to drop to their six for an abbreviated Mary of Dollies and Rosalitas. T-claps to all the men who attempted the challenge this week, regardless of times. It was a tough one.

    Countdown, nameorama, and naming of FNGs.  YHC is very bad at naming FNG’s, so apologies to the new guys.  Welcome Cucumber, Squid, and… TruCoat!  (That’s right, there was a post-coffeteria renaming of our final FNG.)  It was determined by the two co-Q’s that Woodchuck was just too lame.  So in a nod to the movie Fargo, he was renamed for the following scene:

    Mathlete prayed us out, with intentions for Legal’s friend, and everyone made their way over for some coffee… some even got a lift in Amnesia’s sweet new ride!

    Thank you men for the tremendous push this morning!

  • Jose’s Pride and Joy

    Yep, you guessed it! It’s his sweat jug! (Zoo is starting to get nervous, folks). It’s not that he has his very own AO, the prized, smartly named, A1C (reminds me of Vanilla Ice). Nor is it his nickname, which he re-branded himself from Jose Mourinho to Jose 10k, more recently to Grumble Grumble (and who knows what else).

    We came here to exercise didnt we, Pik? Oh, yeah, here we go…

    YHC broke out and old standby today at the A1C, the Tabata workout. Every 30 seconds, the PAX did an AMRAP exercise with 30 seconds of rest in between. The exercises were: big boy sit-ups, merkins, derkins, flutter kicks, Hello dollies, more merkins, jump squats, bobby hurleys, apollo ohnos, leg raises, stone mountains.

    Thanks for hard work this gloom my brothers! Until next time, SYITG

    Pik

  • 7 Stars and a Flag with a View

    YHC arrived to the view, planted a shovel flag, and watched as eager Pax arrived in the gloom. At 0530, a disclaimer was given, followed by a short mosey across the bike path.

    Warmup

    • SSH IC x 31
    • GG IC x 10
    • Hillbillies IC x 20
    • Abe Vigodas IC x 10
    • AC IC x 20 (fwd and back)
    • Imperial Squat Walkers IC x 10

    Shock and Awe

    • SSH IC x 5 – 10 Burpees OYO
    • SSH IC x 5 – 9 Burpees OYO
    • SSH IC x 5 – 8 Burpees OYO
    • You get the idea….
    • SSH IC x 5 – 2 Burpees OYO
    • SSH IC x 5 – 10 (never 1) Burpees OYO

    Triple Nickle

    • At the base of the levee – Squats x 5 – Bear Crawl up levee
    • At top of levee – Bobby Hurley x 5 – Run down other side
    • At base of levee – Squats x 5 – Bear Crawl up levee
    • At top of levee – Bobby Hurley x 5 – Run down to starting point
    • That was one evolution – Rinse and Repeat x 5

    Ring of Fire

    • Hold Al Gore, each Pax does 10 Jungle Boi Squats 2 Spoonz style (count to 5 then next pax starts) – Pass around x 3
    • Hold Plank Position, each Pax does 10 merkins – Pass around x 3
    • Continually do Monkey Humpers, each Pax does 10 squats – Pass around x 3

    Final Push

    • Flutter Kicks IC x 20
    • Sudden Change – 10 Burpees OYO
    • Pax choice of exercise – call the exercise and the cadence, included Penguins, Hip Flexors, Reverse Crunches, and Tin Snips
    • Ended with Catalina Wine Mixers x 10

    COT with Announcements, Intentions, Prayer to Sky Q

    NMM

    • Glad to see Thumb War make it out to the View
    • The Shock and Awe drill never gets old – there’s always at least one Pax that thinks we’re going to do 1 Burpee, but we never do!
    • So, the Triple Nickle routine was probably not named quite right. Probably should have called it the Quintuple Nickle……
    • The Burpee is the perfect exercise, and YHC is trying to get back to where they are a little easier to do, but it is a struggle!
    • Coffeteria enjoyed by Pax from both the View and the Uptowner at PJ’s!

    SYITG

  • Wackerless Wednesday and Thursday?

    YHC cannot remember the last time he has gone Wackerless for so many post!! 😳 Not the same without your mumble chatter in the Gloom sir Bushwacker.. Eight PAX posted on this humid Gloom including the ever reliable Jose10k/A1C/Grumble/Grumble/Sweat Jug contestant.. Boy is that Jug looking nasty 🤢🤮 as Cowbell illustrated in our announcements.. Zoolander, the sights to be seen if this challenge is met will go down in the history books my friend.. Not sure I would want to be on the receiving end of this one though.

    warmup

    10IC Torso twist, Toe touches, Superman’s, Scorpion kicks, down Dawg stretch with left and right lizard poses finished with Copperhead squats..

    thang

    PAX journeyed the standard route with Cowbell scaling back to the Qs pace. Appreciate the chatter and pacing Cowbell. Rest of the PAX ran a moderate 8:50 pace as we returned with 8 mins to spare for some ISI. Alternating 30 seconds of pull-ups as each PAX proceeded through the routine with some added plank holds. Once through the PAX finished with 20IC Hello Dollys and YHC showed admiration to Cowbell with the close of 10IC Crunchy frogs..

    YHC prayed us out and till the next Gloom 👊🏼💪🏼✌🏼!

  • Wally Run Heavyweights

    4 Pax posted at the Wally Run on a very humid Thursday in the gloom. At 0530 YHC asked who was going to write the BB, and the silence hung in the air, held up by the humidity. So, YHC gave a disclaimer, and said run!

    We all ran. The end.

    COT with announcements, intentions, and closed with a prayer to the Sky Q.

    NMM

    • YHC is feeling a lot better, it’s amazing how much better one can breathe without blood clots in the lungs. YHC ran 4 miles. Not bad, but not good enough. Time to get back to where things were before PE, and then progress beyond.
    • Still no lights at Pontiff.
    • After the COT, the four of us talked about how we all became bigger men over the last few months, which is slowing us down. We want to be HIM’s but have a little less FUPA to ease our strain on the Big Ball. With that, Mahatma challenged us to meet back at the Wally Run the Thursday before Labor Day 2021, and report back on how much less of a man each of us have become. Challenge accepted!

    SYITG

  • Easy Breezy Workout @ The View?

    My intention was a nice stretchy, mobility style workout. But we got a lot more than we bargained for.

    Warmsies

    SSH @ 15 -4 count
    Bat Wings @ 10 Each -4 count
    Abe Vigoda’s @ 10 -4 count
    Grass Grabbers @ 10 -4Count

    Mosey to top of concrete

    Thang 1
    5 rounds of 10 reps
    Dive Bomber Push ups
    Superman for 5 sec x 10
    Static Wife Pleaser 5 sec x 10

    Thang 2
    3 Rounds
    Inch Worm 8 count 5x
    Lunge around the world 8 count 5x
    Bow/Boat hold 5 sec 5x

    trot over to the wall –
    Wall walk with feet on the wall 10 x OYO, Pushups optional

    Trouble –
    Hop on top of wall for Warrior 1 Yoga Left-Right while trying NOT to fall off the wall
    Hop down, mosey to end of gravel rod by pumping station. Run up to top of levee 10 Squat, run down to bike path, 20 LBCs

    Run to top, 10 Squats, And We’re done!!

    COT etc.


  • 60 is the new 45- Sunday @ the Renaissance

    60 is the new 45- Sunday @ the Renaissance

    8 PAX got themselves out of bed on a Sunday morning to battle through the heat and humidity to start their week off right with a beatdown. We even had an FNG show up to see why other PAX left their AC’d houses for the discomfort of City Park. YHC gave the disclaimer and we moseyed to the steps of NOMA to warmup.

    WARMUP-
    SSH IC x20
    AV IC x 20
    Arm circles IC x 20
    Dying cockroaches IC x 20
    Peter Parkers IC x 20
    Parker Peters IC x 20

    I had heard the Iron Pax Challenge was going to be stationary this week, so to honor the Iron Pax, I decided to lead the PAX in an Indian Run over to the Great Lawn for:

    Suicide 11’s- Big Boy Situps and 8 Count Bodybuilders
    I had 8 counts planned for Catfish, but apparently he had to run across 2 more states that morning. For this beatdown we started at the top of the Great Lawn facing North with 1 Big Boy Situp, running to the first swing and performing 10 8-count bodybuilders. We then continued running to the electrical box, and then to the second swing for the farthest sprint.

    Running suicides as part of 11s definitely took more time, but I looked at my watch and knew we were in the clear to Indian Run to Roosevelt Mall for:

    Route 66– Jump Squats
    Taking advantage of the concrete benches on Roosevelt Mall, PAX ran up one side of Roosevelt Mall with Jump Squats until the 11th Bench, PAX then crossed Roosevelt Mall for:
    Route 66 – Dips
    There was some grumbling among the PAX regarding time, for Sunday Mornings (a Renaissance signature exercise). Again, I looked at my watch and knew we were good on time.

    After completing descending Dips and Moseying to the back of NOMA, we took a 20 count and I noticed Hokey Pokey was already waiting, and questioned why we were taking so long. I looked at my watch again, said,
    “It’s 7:23 we’ve got 7 minutes, that’s plenty of time for Sunday Mornings.
    “Renaissance is 45min, not 60.”
    Well, YHC was quite surprised and embarrassed.
    One of the PAX said, “60 is the new 45”. We laughed and I learned a new word- LAGNIAPPE: Something extra the Q makes you do when you don’t want to (nailed it!). As we were over time, I cut our final exercise down from 5 rounds to 3:

    Sunday Mornings

    10 Air Presses in the peoples chair, followed by 5 donkey kicks, on the 5th donkey kick up to Balls to the Wall with one merkin/shoulder press. That’s one.

    COT
    This was a particularly memorable beatdown, not only for the extra time, but also as we got to welcome FNG- Full Count into F3. As we start the Iron Pax Challenge there’s always a bit of rubbernecking and chatter about times/scores, I reminded the PAX about this quote from Hemingway, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” Just by coming out to post each one of us is better than we were yesterday. I’m very thankful that we can come out, post and motivate each other to be better than our former selves.

    A great start to the week and a fun time at coffeteria. SYITG.