F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • No Rocks in the Rock City

    During my one day layover in NOLA I had to get my Q-on so that Hawg could get a break from Q duty for a few days.

    It was almost sunny when we started this AM!  Hot and humid as will be normal for the next few months here in NOLA.  Pontiff was dry which was pretty unusual.

    When Hawgcycle arrived Jazzy and I took off so that we could burn some cals.

    We turned left instead of the usual right – and went for a quick COP warm up.

    SSH x 25, Imperial Walker Squats x 25, Carolina Dry Dock x 20 and Peter Parkers x 25 IC

    Then we ran 1/4 mi to the gym with a pull up bar.  Today we went for a half murph.

    So OYO we did 50 pull ups, 100 merkins, and 150 squats.  I broke my work out in to a 5-10-15 rotation.  At the halfway point we did a plank and wait for the 6.  Then we finished strong.  Gotta get more pullups in the workouts!

    Next we ran out for a long run to the Rock City Hill.  At RCH we a backwards bear crawl up the hill, then a forward bear crawl down the hill and then 25 LBCs at the bottom.  We did that 22 times.

    Then we ran to the baseball field by the rocks and we did a quick flutter and hello dolly x25  IC

    From the field we pushed to the flag for a 615 finish.

    Tclaps to Hawgcycle and Jazzy for showing up this AM – lots of people out of town!

    COT – A prayer for gratitude for the things that make our lives easier – a prayer of gratitude for the things in our lives that don’t cost money.

    See you guys in 2 weeks on June 20th.

  • To Boldly Go Where No Men Have Gone Before

    4 men met at Pontiff Lake, formerly known as Pontiff Playground.  Luckily a strong storm moved through the area last night to keep the reservoir full.  YHC was hoping to stretch his legs this morning and get some mileage in.

    * Listen up kids.  Don’t wait a week to write-up your backblast, especially if you are old.  YHC’s brain function is probably also affected by the seemingly half mile of bear crawls I did at City Park with QIC Amnesty earlier this morning.  Anyway, YHC has a fuzzy recollection of the details on this one.  I think it’s pretty close, but feel free to correct me in the comments.

    The Thang

    The point of the workout this morning was to do something that had never been done at #RockCity – run the entire 1-mile loop con roca.  We were successful.  We were even blessed with the opportunity to run through the ankle deep flood waters on the far side of the park.   As far as we know there are only four men in New Orleans who have completed this.

    Here are the stops we made along the way:

    • Warm-up COP  Where is the dog walker?Warm-up COP: SSH IC x 30; Peter Parkers IC  x 30; Good Mornings IC x 15; Arm Circles IC x 40 (Forward x 20 and Reverse x 20)
    • Rock COP at the top of the hill:  Squat Press IC x 15; Curls IC x 15; Rows IC x 15
    • Chili Pepper IC:  RL Step-ups x 16; Decline Merkins x 8; LL Step-ups x 16; Incline Merkins x 8; repeato doing reps of 8 and 4.
    • 6MOM:  Flutter Kicks IC x 20 – Hold it – Rosalita IC x 20; Reverse Crunches IC x 30; Superman to Boat x 3

    Moleskin

    Great feeling making it all the way around the park.

    Shout Out

    “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”  Ephesians 3:20

  • Memorial Day at the Lake

    9 men met at Pontiff Lake, formerly known as Pontiff Playground.  Rev planted the flag on the nearest shore.  There was a lot of early mumble chatter regarding the lingering stiffness/soreness from Saturday’s #beatdown at the hands of Side Effects and Amnesty.  As we know, there is only one good way to get rid of soreness.

    The Thang

    • Mosey to the rock pile for our Warm-Up. The 5:30 Dog walker was in our normal spot so we circled up in the bog next to the pile.
    • Warm-up COP: SSH IC x 30; Peter Parkers IC  x 40; Good Mornings IC x 15; Arm Circles IC x 30 (Forward x 15 and Reverse x 15)
    • Select your rock. Then Mosey along the driest of lands to the area near the t-ball field.
    • Rock COP: Squat Presses IC x 15; Curls IC x 15; Dead-lifts IC x 12; Shoulder Press IC x 12
    • Mosey to the main Football Field
    • Modified Carse Hero Workout: Line up on the sideline.  Each set involves a bear crawl to the middle of the field and back (50 yards), squat presses, bunny hops over rock, back rows, and Merkins.  1st set 21 reps of each exercise, 2nd set = 18 reps,… 5th set = 9 reps
    • Mosey back to the rock pile
    • Horses to the stable.

    Moleskin

    Another big week for #RockCity Counts.  That’s 23 PAX in the past 3 weeks for those counting.  The workout was certainly tough on YHC, my brain was not firing very well at the end.  I don’t think everyone appreciated the bear crawls through the sticker grass.

    Shout Out

    We continue to pray family and friends afflicted with disease.  Also praying for travels for several missions. Verse of the day was John 15:13:  “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  We honored those members of our armed forces that had expressed this type of love literally for  their country, family, and friends.  We praised our Savior, who showed the ultimate expression of this love.  We also spoke of ways we can love others like this in a figurative sense, laying down our own desires for the needs of others.

    Announcements

    • Wednesday – 5:30 @ The Birdcage
    • Friday – 5:30 @ Wolfpack Mountain
    • Saturday – 6:30 @ City Park

  • D-Day Remembered

    Seven men met to test their fortitude this morning.

    Disclaimer and step off…mosey to lawn in front of museum.
    COP IC: SSHx30, IPWx30, Peter Parkers x 30…mosey to soccer field by the outdoor gym.

    In rememberance of the men who crossed the beach at Normandy, this was our workout; bear crawl 50 yards across the soccer field (think about the soldiers who low crawled under machinegun fire), five burpees, sprint back to the beginning (thinking of the men who sprinted across the beach at Normandy)…and rinse repeat five times. We had to reach down and grab a hold…of our intestinal fortitude to get through this one.

    We recovered at the nearby water fountain. Then it was the foundry, modified. We lined up in the plank and followed the leader. I started: pull-ups, dips, rows, monkey bars, back to the plank. We did this twice and threw in a third set of pull-ups and dips. Mosey around the front of the museum…

    We found our ledge by the botanical gardens IC: step-ups left leg x 15, dips x 15, step-ups right leg x 15, decline pushups x 15. Mosey to Great Lawn.

    6 MOM IC: LBC x 20, Hello Dollys x 20, wife pleasers x 20, swinging bridge (in pushup position, lower hips to the side right and left) x 20.

    Line up with palm trees; lunges to next tree, side squat right side to next tree, lunges to next tree, side squat left side to next tree, get on line and sprint to where the flag should be….HAWG!!!!

    Count off, namerama, and the shoutout. We offered prayers and thoughts to those battling cancers and illness in our lives. TClaps to Side Effect for the prayer.

    Then we hit some F2 with cofferteria.

  • Yank’s Dirty Dozen

    This is Amnesty ghost writing for Reluctant Yankee(RY) who Q’d on Saturday and then got on a plane to Nicaragua on a mission trip. (Disclaimer: not expecting to post this BB, my memory will be faulty).

    T-Claps to Hawgcycle for dropping off the shovel-flag before running off to hit the Honey-Do list.

    After the Disclaimer we were off. A quick mosey to the Great Lawn.
    COP, IC:
    -SSH x 25
    -Imperial Walker Squats x 25 (humor ensued as RY struggled coordinating the cadence with this one…)
    -Peter Parkers x 25
    Mosey to softball field:
    -one squat, four lunges
    -two squats, eight lunges
    -three squats, twelve lunges
    -four squats, sixteen lunges
    -five squats, twenty lunges
    -six squats, twenty-four lunges
    -seven squats, thirty lunges
    Mosey to the track for a little Dirty Dozen:
    -12 x Merkins offset Left hand
    -12 x Rosalitas
    -12 x Merkins offset Right hand
    -400m sprint
    -12 x Parker Peters
    -12 x Hello Dollys
    -12 x LBCs
    -400m sprint
    -12 x Real Freddie Mercuries
    -12 x Flutter Kicks
    -12 x Merkins
    -400m sprint

    Mosey to the shovel-flag.

    Shout Out: Shout out to Channel Mullet’s and Amnesty’s fathers who are battling prostate cancer. And for Channel Mullet’s ACL. We prayed for those battling illnesses, especially Dr. Keith Collins who is battling an aggressive cancer, Mr. Awesome to have a successful trip, and Reluctant Yankee to have a safe and productive mission trip to Nicaragua.

    Schedule:
    Monday with Hawgcycle. 530AM Rock City/Pontiff
    Wednesday with Splash 530AM Birdcage/Audubon at Pull ups
    Friday with Roots 530AM Wolfpack Mtn/Audubon at St Charles entrance
    Saturday with Amnesty 630AM Storyland/GreatLawn at City Park (a DDAy Commemoration)
    -On June 15th we are going to have an evening F2 event. Stay tuned…

    CSAUPs:
    6/27 – NOLA Trail Series Armadillo Dash – Spillway in Norco
    7/11 – NOLA Trail Series Coyote Chase – City Park
    7/19 – Spillway Classic – Norco
    10/27 – Spartan Race – Mobile, AL

    Time for some coffeeria.

    For a little extra credit, your ghost writer went to help Hawgcycle with his Honey-Do list and moved boxes and furniture. I’m mentioning this not for TClaps, but to set the scene…. Channel Mullet, on IR List for ACL, donated a file cabinet for Hawg’s wife’s new business location. Upon retrieving said cabinet, it had to be emptied. The contents exposed Channel Mullet’s penchant for possessing every season on ‘90210’ on DVD. There is probably a 12 step program for his obsession.

  • 6’s on the River

    Pre-Thang

    At 80 degrees and 80% humidity, the Gloom was exceptionally sticky this morning.  Reveille had already had a run in with the mosquitos within seconds of walking outside.  I guess he’s just too sweet.

    Warm-Up

    Mosey down the track towards the back end of the park for a warm up COP:

    • COP IC: SSH x 30, Mountain Climbers x 20, Imperial Walkers x 22

    The Thang

    Mosey over to the soccer field for some 6’s (a tapered down version of 11’s) OYO.  Start with 5 pull-ups on cross bar.  Sprint to end of the field and do 1 Surfer Merikan (SM).  Sprint back to soccer goal for 4 pull-ups.  Repeat by subtracting one pull-up and adding one SM until completing five SMs.  While there were no “Cowabungas” yelled out, there were plenty of puddles to surf our shoes through.

    Mosey over to the levy for another round of modified 6’s.  At top of the levy do 5 burpees.  Run to the bottom of the levy and do 10 sit-ups.  Back up levy for 1 less burpee.  Continue until getting down to 1 burpee.  Always do 10 sit-ups at the bottom of the levy.  If you’re not officially soaked by the end of this, you’re not doing something right.  Amnesty appeared to have a shoe malfunction, but he finished strong.

    Mosey up the levee to the Mighty Mississippi for some sunrise abs:

    • COP IC: Hello Dolly x 20, Real Freddie Mercury x 15, Flutter Kicks x 15, Russian Twists x 15, Pickle Pounders x 15

    Mosey to the entrance of Audubon Zoo for IC step ups (right side) x 15, dips x 12, step ups (left side) x 15

    Mosey back to the flag.

    Name-O-Rama: There were a total of 8 this fine, muggy morning.  YHC asked everyone to mention what they did over Memorial Day Weekend.  Most men enjoyed time with their kids and wife.  A couple guys went to see Amy Schumer.

    Shout Out:

    Amnesty’s father and few other’s known by the PAX shared thoughts on the fight against cancer.

    Reveille commented about Mr. Awesome’s missionary trip as well as wishing some of his buds a healthy return as they battle a stomach bug on their missionary trip in Haiti.  Roots mentioned Reluctant Yankee’s trip to Nicaragua.

    YHC had two and a half weeks off from F3 due to work travels in Oregon, and YHC recently roasted a whole pig in Kentucky for his best man who got married a few months back.  YHC had the opportunity to visit his family whom he hasn’t seen since January.  YHC is lucky to have such an infrastructure around me both family and friends.  Something YHC is very bad about is staying in touch with people who have impacted his life, including his own family.  There are groomsmen from his wedding just 9 months ago who he’s not spoken to since getting married.  YHC wants to encourage everyone here to make an effort in reaching out to someone who has positively influenced him and reconnect.  Catch up with that person and let them know how much they mean to you.

  • The Oval of Pain

    It all started with a few guys out for a nice workout….then Side Effect said, “Let’s Mosey” and it was downhill from there….

    Mosey to a nice grassy area
    Side straddle hops x 25
    Mosey to track at a nice click
    LBC x 25
    400m
    LBFC x 15…now those were fun…
    400m
    LBC with legs straight up x 20
    400m
    LBC x 25
    4 x 200m w/ partner
    Flutter kicks
    Reverse Crunches x25

    After we were gassed and read to spew, Side Effect handed the Q over to Amnesty:

    Mosey to the outdoor gym for a couple rounds at the “Foundry”

    Line up in the plank position and follow the leader…
    Pull ups x 10 or AMRAP
    Dips x 10 or AMRAP
    Rows x 10 or AMRAP
    Cross the monkey bars
    Run across the soccer field to the far side goal and 20 lunges (10 each leg) first round / 20 air squats second round
    Run back to outdoor gym, rinse repeat.
    Head back to the flag with a quick plank session so we can sprint in as a group.

    Iron was definitely sharpened this day.

    Shout out to Channel Mullet’s and Amnesty’s fathers who are battling prostate cancer.  And for Channel Mullet’s ACL.  We prayed for those battling illnesses, Mr. Awesome to have a successful trip, and Reluctant Yankee to have a safe and productive mission trip to Nicaragua.

    Schedule:
    Monday with Hawgcycle. 530AM Rock City/Pontiff *Bonus holiday F2 coffeeteria
    Wednesday with Splash 530AM Birdcage/Audubon at Pull ups
    Friday with Roots 530AM Wolfpack Mtn/Audubon at St Charles entrance
    Saturday with Rev 630AM Storyland/GreatLawn at City Park

  • They did what to the Tulane sign?

    OK so I typed this up and left the computer for a bit – and the whole thing got deleted on a time out – so…this one will be less exciting.

    Funny intro about the Tulane University sign and a public image problem of recent graduations post-tweets of themselves in a cap and gown minus their under gown garments.

    At the sign, High Knees, butt kicks, bear crawl, grapevine, side hop each direction, sprint.  40 yards.

    Then SSH x 20, Mountain Climbers x 20, Imperial Walker Squats x 20, Monkey Humps x 20,

    Then we ran to Wolfpack Mtn.

    The Thang

    Run up the inclines, jog the flats and at each end of the parking garage each member of the PAX needed to do 10 cross fit merks.  Half way up we modified to 5 xfit merks.

    At the top plank and wait then circle up for 6MOM

    Lbc x 20 lbc twist x 20, flutter x 20 penguin x 20, hello dolly x 20 rosalita x 20

    Then the PAX divided into two groups – one ran down a floor of stairs and ran up the ramp and straight away back to the PAX.  While one group ran – the other did 10 merkins and as many LBCs as possible while waiting for the other group.   Then they switched.

    At that point we rain down the stairs and headed to the benches.  At the benches we did:

    left leg step ups x 20 right leg step ups x 20 freak nastys x 20 left leg squats x 15 right leg squats x 15

    Mosey back to the Flag.

    As always it was a pleasure to Q.  At the shout out – we reflected on the Memorial in Memorial Day – something I haven’t done in years.  YHC also asked for TShirts for the Nicaragua mission that I take on Saturday.  The breeze at the top of Wolfpack Mtn was a special treat in NOLA this late in MAY I hope you enjoyed that!

  • F3-A Damn Good Midlife Crisis

    After some encouragement, I was asked to tag multiple regions for this post. I am JD from Lake Murray, SC.

    Here we go. This is the, “what F3 has meant to me post”. Now, I know this post has been done many times before, so hopefully I can add something to what has already been said. Disclaimer: I am not the best writer when it comes to writing about my thought and feelings. Scientific writing is my wheelhouse, give me some data and I will give you a nice report with succinct analysis. So be patient as I muddle through. I want this post to be an encouragement and a thank you to all PAX. Anyone who has been in F3 longer than a few months knows that this is more than just a workout. What we do on a daily basis is of extreme value and instrumental in changing and/or accelerating the lives of men.

    Lately, I have been thinking a lot on what is F3 to me? This is the best answer I came up with. It is a gift from God I didn’t deserve or even knew I needed. God has blessed me with many things in my life. He has blessed me with so many people throughout my life whom have supported and helped me. I have an awesome wife, two of the best children and a great career. Isn’t it funny how we pray for things and instead of granting our prayers, God gives us more than we could have even conceived to begin with. I was praying to lose some weight, God gave me F3, how small was my faith?

    A little history about myself. My father left when I was 2. I grew up poor, mostly in WV. I moved 16 times. I was raised in an abusive home by a bipolar mother with a revolving door of loser stepdad/boyfriends. Cocaine, marijuana, alcohol abuse were the norm. It sucked. I never felt secure and it was hard. I could write a book on the last 2 sentences. Then, I got invited to church in junior high. I accepted Jesus and found myself surrounded by a 2nd F group. Without the help of my grandparents and this group of people, I would most likely have been a statistic. Instead, I am the first person in my family with a doctorate degree (or even graduate degree). Fellowship changed it all. I didn’t know I needed those people but God did. I feel the same way about my F3 brothers. My life has been changed again with the motor of fellowship and accountability.

    When I first posted to F3, I was going through one of the saddest times of my life. My grandfather passed away on June 9, 2014. It wasn’t expected. He had a heart attack. My grandfather was flawed, simple, and good. Not a bad way to live. He was the only father figure that I had and the only man I felt ever loved me. Losing him was tough and I was depressed for a while. Death is one of those things that makes you reevaluate yourself. I wanted to be better. Even armed with the knowledge of a degree in exercise physiology and a doctorate in physical therapy I found it hard to get into shape. As I looked in the mirror at a 260# size 44 waist-ed man who works in healthcare, I knew I had to change. I didn’t want my family crying over my casket like we were that day. I knelt down by my grandfather, held his hand, prayed, and promised him I would change. I would lose 40#. (Now, I had not yet read Free to Lead, and didn’t even know about POGO 40, so I find this ironic).

    When I got back home, the next week I got invited to F3 by Swampy and on 7/23/2014 I showed up in all my glory for a Pothole led leg day. It was too hard for me. I pulled an ab doing a burpee, I was back of the pack wheezing just trying to keep up. Had it been any other class at a gym or crossfit place I probably wouldn’t have came back. But F3 does something different. They pick up the 6, they encourage, they inspire, they don’t leave a man behind. I couldn’t even run 100 yards my first time out, but I had resolve to #getbetter to #bebetter. 6 months later I ran a 1/2 marathon. I’ve done a 12K trail run, mud run, P200, GRL730, I’ve lost 57lbs. A guy that couldn’t run a 100 yards did all that in less than a year. Why, because men saw fit to invest in the lives of other men. #service Next up are a GRC/GRL double down and the BRR. I look forward to the fellowship. These CSAUPs/adventures have been some of the best times of my life.

    Today I am in the best shape of my life. I am definitely a better father, husband, and son. It is funny, I used to think, with my judgemental POGO 40 brain, fathers in excellent shape must not be paying attention to their families and are focused too much on themselves. It became my excuse much of the time. I don’t go to the gym because I love my family. I convinced myself that my inactivity was noble. How messed up is that? I used to think, why would I go run a mile, I would be too tired to play with my kids. Now, I can double down, get home when they are waking up and still run circles around them all day. I am calmer, happier, stronger, and faster.

    What we do is important. It is more than a workout. I am honored to share life with you gentlemen. I want to say thank you! Let’s keep getting these FNGs out here, keep picking up the 6, and do what we do. I love you guys!

    Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Phillipians 3:14

    #ThankYouForTheseAwesomeBodies

     

     

  • Slip N Slide in the Gloom

    Pre-Thang
    9 well adjusted chaps got their 6 out of the fartsack to get better in the gloomy, dewy grass of the BirdCage. Unfortunately, our beloved flag fartsacked. Hopefully it will choose to get better Friday.

    The Thang
    We moseyed down the track to the rear corner of the park for a warm up COP

    COP (all in cadence)
    SSH x 25
    Hillbillies x 20 (didn’t know if we were doing them right, as Hawg wasn’t present to critique form.)
    Merkins x 10
    Imperial walker x 20
    Lunges x 15

    Mosey to the Fly
    The Slip n Slide
    With the pax lined up in plank position, and the weight bag at the end of the line, the two men on the outside edges line up to sprint up the levee and back. If the bag gets passed down the line, before the runners get back, the runners do 5 burpees. Go until everyone runs. If the men have to do burpees, everyone gets a 5 count recovery before the next runners go. (The name is derived from the lack of braking ability for some of the men on the way down the levee at full speed, one of those men being YHC, who slid far enough to end up in a ‘water’ filled ditch.)

    Mosey to the riverside
    The Mississippi Salute
    LBCs x 20
    Merkin x 10
    LSS x 15
    Repeat

    Modified Putin – With the pax in a line facing the river, and the weight bag at the end of the line, everyone assumes Putin position, and we pass the bag down the line and back, keeping feet in the air. Recover with a 5 count. Repeat x 5

    Mosey to J.J. Audubon
    Step ups (right foot lead) x 20
    Dips x 15
    Step ups (left foot lead) x 20

    Mosey to the light poles
    Football workout of which I don’t remember the name x 2 – Men start in  a standing line, upon beginning, start chopping your feet (kind of like running in place, with your feet staying low to the ground.) When Q calls “drop,” the men drop chest to ground, get back up, and continue chopping. Repeat until Q shouts “go,” then you sprint to the first light, and recover jog/walk to second light.
    From here, move into plank position, when Q starts, everyone chops their feet agian. When Q shouts “left,” drop to the ground, roll to the left, roll back, and get back to chopping in plank position. If Q shouts “right,” do the same, but roll to the right. When Q shouts “go,”  sprint to the next light, and recover to the second light.

    Mosey to the nice grass adjacent the ‘flag’ and do 3 Minutes of Mary.
    LBC x 20
    Penguins x 15
    Flutter Kicks x 20
    Freddie Mercury x 15

    Mosey to the Flag

    COT
    Requests for prayer for Channel Mullet’s Father, Amnesty’s father, as well as Dr. Collins, a friend of many of the PAX in Metairie, followed by a prayer offered by YHC.

    Moleskine: 

    Lots of camaraderie today amongst men who haven’t worked out together in a long time, it was really a delightful thing to see Iron sharpening Iron.

    Lots of conversation during the mosey, which means it’s time to pick up our pace.

    TClaps to Zombie for posting twice in a row upon Kottering post newborn.

    Announcements

    Friday @ 5:30, Splash Q’s wolfpack Mountain
    Saturday @ 6:30, Side Effect will Co-Q with Amnesty at City Park
    Monday @ 5:30, Hawg Q’s Rock City at Pontiff Park