Tag: Candy Land

  • Stepping Up

    Does a back blast need to be timely? Just needs to prove we did something.

    In every circle we talk about getting better, pushing ourselves and each other to get better. To be better husbands, fathers, and leaders. I hear it all the time. It’s great, Leadership is aspirational! But it also requires action towards that end. Without action is is just a platitude.

    I’m a Michigan man and over the last week I’ve been bothered by the OSU situation. The dust has yet to settle and this is probably today’s cherry on our national discourse. But I’m disappointed in the failure of leadership to hold to a principle and make something happen. When I look at the pax of F3 I see great things, and I have renewed hope.

    Yankee was being a little self critical about the long email he sent out the night before. Long or short I love the emails. F3 just doesn’t happen, guys step up and make things happens quietly and in the greatest of ways. Every AO has a guy keeping the schedule going, they just do it and don’t make a big deal about. In the last email Yankee reiterated what I have been hearing around the flag for a few weeks now. If people want a new AO, step up, dedicate yourself to Qing it and it will happen. Step up and take action. Enough of the pontification…

    Started with standard circle, with arm circles reverse and forward, did some peter parkers, burpees and moseyed to the mountain.

    Started on level 2, on that gloomy muggy day. We lunged up the inclines, dashed (faster than a mosey slower than a sprint) to the turn where we did 15 Mericans. Rinse and repeat all the way to the top.

    At the top we did BLIMPS but with a 1 level down lap in between each exercise.

    Down the chute to the benches for some dips, decline Mericans, and some more dips.

    Mosey over to the softest grass for some call out Mary (Russian Twist, Hello Dollys, Pickle Pounders, and something else to round out the time.

    Finished at the flag on time with a sweaty ball of man.

  • Banzai!!!!

    The opportunity to Q The Birdcage the morning of the Gnarly Nutria presented itself yesterday and I jumped at it.  Immediately, I started brainstorming my Kamikaze Q –  come in hard and heavy, destroy my legs, but take out as many Uptowners along the way as possible.  What would I do? 45 minutes of Monkey Humpers? Run 3 laps around Audubon? Sprint-o-rama? Boo-boo bear crawls?  Quadraphilia?  F3 provides lots of good leg breaking choices.  Unfortunately, my plan would be contingent on me being im better shape then these guys and that is unfortunately not the case.  Kamikazes can’t do much good if they don’t have the power to destroy their target.  It’s like a sacrifice bunt with two outs (which may have been a more apt name for this backblast).  In the end, I chose a path I could finish, at least almost.

    100 Burpee Warm-Up

    • 20 burpees
    • 20 Hillbillies, 15 Windmills, 15 Good Mornings
    • Burpees EMOM: 12, 12, 12,12, 10, 10
    • Parker Peter x 20, Monkey Humpers x 20, Daft Punk? x 28
    • 12 Burpees

    The Thang

    We moseyed aimlessly, as I was hoping to get everyone’s shoes sufficiently wet and slightly heavier.  Once I realized I couldn’t break them, this became my best opportunity for sabotage.  We ended up at the shelter for some Red Hot Chili Pepper.

    • 8 Bulgarian Split Leg Lunges with the right leg, 16 Derkins, 8 Bulgarian Split Leg Lunges with the left leg, 16 Irkins
    • 6 BSLLRL, 6 Derkins, 6 BSLLLL, 6 Irkins,  (G Spot disappears?)
    • 4….
    • 2….

    We then moseyed about 50 feet to open area for our last chance at some celebratory 3-6-3 exercises.  3 Super Slow Cadence reps, holding position at the end.  Then 6 regular cadence reps, holding position at the end.  Ending with 3 more super slow cadence reps.  We did squats, monkey humpers, merkins, right leg lunges, and left leg lunges.

    Mariah took over and finished us off with some Mary.  Hello Dolly x 25 followed by Flutter Kicks x 25 (feet don’t touch the ground), Freddie Mercuries x 25, oblique crunches (each side) x 25, and a Protractor (15, 45, 90, 45, 2, 15, 45)

    Back to the shovel flag, naming our FNG, and closing it out with a prayer

    NMM

    • I had good intentions, but I can’t say the mission was successful.  I’m going to need back up next year.
    • Perhaps I knocked out G-Spot, but that seems highly unlikely, seeing as he wears a weighted vest and was Larry Birding me the last time I Q’d.  His schedule is tight and he always leaves prior to the COT.  This time he left much earlier.  Yankee said it’s the first time someone’s gone AWOL Uptown.  I’m taking that as a compliment, although I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.
    • We didn’t run much today.  Some may think it’s because we have the Gnarly Nutria tonight, but I ain’t going to lie:  Being this close to the zoo, I had every intention of staying close to our cars.
    • FNG Ocho Cinco is from Cincinnati.  He couldn’t be Ocho Seis, cause we got one of those.
    • Speaking of, Happy Birthday to the aforementioned Ocho Seis.
    • I’m over three years in and still can’t do a complete Red Hot Chili Pepper.  It’s a goal.
    • Looking forward to tonight.  Here’s to having fun and World Domination.

     

     

     

     

  • Dirty McDeuce at the Birdcage

    Nice turnout at the Birdcage where the Pax was treated to a variation on the Dirty McDeuce.  But first, a disclaimer, quick mosey down oak alley, and warump COP:  SSHx25, IW x26, Burpee x10 (OYO).  Then a slow jog back down oak alley, down the jogging track to the row bars, and back to the lamppost nearest to the bandstand (approx. 500-600 m).  That would be our lap for the Dirty McDeuce, which went something like this:

    • Lamppost 1:  Merkins x10, Monkey humpers x20, Mountain climbers x20, bearcrawl to lamppost two, hard run
    • Lamppost 2: Diamond merks x10, squat jumps x30 (2-count cadence), plank jacks x20, backward bearcrawl to lamppost three, hard run
    • Lamppost 3: Wide merks x10, lunges x20, Peter Parkers x20, bearcrawl to lamppost 4, hard run
    • Lamppost 4: Merks x10, burpees x1 (OYO), Parker Peters x20, backward bearcrawl to track, hard run

    We then used the balance of our time for some Mary:

    • LBC x25
    • V-Up x15
    • Russian Twist x20
    • Dying cockroach x20
    • Hello Dolly x20
    • J-Lo x20

    Finally, wrap up with the count, name-o-rama, and prayer.

    -Mulligan

  • YSR– technologically challenged?

    BIG 25 person PAX for a YSR Q

    Warm up:  partner one does defensive slides while the other does jumping jacks.  Flapjack.

    Repeat with Parker Peters and Imperial Walker Squats

    Mosey to the Mountain.

    Run up and alternate between 5 burpees and abs of choice x 20.

    BLIMP and wait at TOP.

    Run down the stairs.

    At benches Left leg power up, incline merks, right leg power up, decline merks x 20

    Back to mountain and Indian Run up

    At TOP – Circle of Mary (not sure which exercises were done for Mary)

    Mosey back to the FLAG –FINISH BLIMP and Wait.

    Welcome back KOTTER to Pony Boy!

  • Tony! Toni! Tone’! or is it Trevor…..?

    On a beautiful Monday morning YHC gathered with 15 other PAX for a great start to the day.  As I walked up to the AO I noticed Seaman.  Not only did he come to wish all the other PAX a good beatdown but he brought his new dog and an FNG he EH’ed.  After introducing myself to Tony or was it Toni, maybe Tone’?, we all circled up and waited for a few PAX coming in hot.  When all were ready, I asked if there were any other FNG’s in the group besides Tony, Toni, Tone’ apparently there were none and I was quickly corrected by numerous PAX that the FNG who was there was not actually Tony or Toni or even Tone’ but Trevor.  I guess a weekend in Lafayette for International Festival de Acadiens had me a little slow.  With that, disclaimer and we moseyed to an open field by Magazine Street for:

    Warm-Up

    • Forward Arm Circles X 15
    • Reverse Arm Circles X 15
    • Hillbillies X 20
    • Imperial Walkers X20

    Next we moseyed to the levee (dodging multiple cars, what’s up with the traffic at 5:30AM?) for:

    Burp Back Mountain

    • Partner 1 does 8-Count Body Builders
    • Partner 2 runs up the hill backwards and down hill forwards X 3 then Flapjack

    Rinse and repeat until 100 Body Builders are completed.

    Next, mosey to median by Audubon Statue for:

    Rock IV aka “I must break you”

    • Rocky Balboa’s X 100 on curb 1
    • Bear Crawl forward over median to far curb for
    • Incline Merkins X 10
    • Crab Crawl forward to beginning
    • Rinse and repeat X3 alternating between forward and backward bear crawls and crab crawls

    next, mosey to Oak Alley for:

    C.L.I.M.B.

    • Crab Cake
    • Lunge
    • Iron Cross
    • Mountain Climbers
    • Burpees

    1 Crab Cake, 2 Lunges, 3 Iron Cross, 4 Mountain Climbers, 5 Burpees at first light then double up each successive light.  Carioca one way to second light, other way to third light, defensive slide one way to fourth light then other way to fifth light. Due to time constraints, we had to cut this short before the last light.

    We quickly moseyed to the flag and as it was still 6:14, 10 Nolan Ryan’s each side OYO!

    Count off and Name 0 Rama (where YHC initally forgot to give his name, etc. see note about International Fest above).  We had one FNG who is a Marine which lead some kind of way to his F3 name of Colonel Mustard.  Who just so happens to be YHC favorite Clue character.  Maybe it’s the monocle?  Who’s your favorite character????

    We ended with announcements, intentions and prayer to be safe and have a good time this JazzFest week.

    Thanks for letting me lead.

     

  • The Three Mountains

    A record large group of PAX (28!) gathered at the AO in the refreshingly cool morning gloom.

    YHC bumbled the disclaimer,  and we set off on a mosey across St. Charles, toward the traditional Wolfpack mountain.

    At the base of Wolfpack, the PAX divided into two groups for parallel Indian runs to the top.  Pax kept a swift pace and YHC noted the 4 FNGs hitting the afterburners on the upslope switchbacks. Who were these guys?

    Quick summit and we headed down the stairs to West Rd (the alley behind and under Wolfpack). On West Rd. the PAX did prisoner run, followed by karoake run left and right up to Freret st. The PAX reassembled for another mosey up McAllister to the Tulane quad.

    Warm up COP

    SSH x20 IC, 5 burpees OYO, Imperial Walkers x20, 10 merks OYO, Peter Parkers x20 IC, 5 burpees OYO

    Mosey on up McAllister past Aron Residences (former address of YHC-much water under that bridge) to the 2nd mountain. The PAX lined up for a parallel Indian run again.  YHC noted the trespassing signs forbid biking, skateboarding and rollerblading, but no mention of running.  We press on with haste. At the top the lead PAX did LBCs until the arrival of the 6. Mid – LBC, El Wire philosophically mused (as he is apt to do), what is the name of this mountain? YHC suggested “sugar mountain” in honor of the former Sugar Bowl that formerly stood on the very spot. However, on the decline mosey through the stairwell some PAX noted that near the gloomy bottom, a trespasser, probably wearing roller blades, had left a pile of human stain in a corner.  In honor of that discovery, YHC posits “Sugar Loaf” as the appropriate name for the mountain.

    At the bottom, PAX assembled for a mosey back down McAlister to pullup bars between ROTC and the law school. Immediately, plans were trashed however, as the good folk who maintain and improve the campus had replaced the grassy berm and retaining wall with a bike parking lot. Nonetheless the PAX divided into 6 groups between the ribbon racks and rotated between pullups, plankjacks, burpees, merkins, low slow squats, and something else YHC can’t remember.  Pullups had the count of 7.

    Mosey to the last mountain.  Also unnamed.  The other garage on the other campus.  Again, 2 parallel Indian runs to the top. Down the stairs and slow mosey to the flag.

    COP, countoff and name-o-rama.  The 4 speedster FNGs were EHd were Walleye’s ortho bros.  Promptly named by the PAX – eh, B, Gooooooooooal, and Windowlicker – it all made sense at the time!

    Thanks for the opportunity.

  • I Hate Trains

    I left 15 minutes early for F3 at the Birdcage this morning, so I could check out the route for the workout. I was only a few minutes from my destination when suddenly – There was a big train in the road Jock! I hate trains Jock! I hate em! Instead of arriving early to check out our route and get my head ready to Q, I rushed in one minute late to see Yankee running the Pax to the WWI memorial and Jingle Vader getting out of his car. I sprinted down the path to the memorial, flying past Vader, who used the dark side to run in the wrong direction, and I arrived just in time to start the warmup.

    SSH – 25

    Hillbillies – 20

    Peter Parkers – 25

    Windmills – 20

    Shoulder taps – 25

    We moseyed back down the path and across Magazine St to East Dr (ensuring that Vader would never find us) and down to the Labyrinth for some park bench work.

    Right leg lifts – 20

    Dips – 20

    Left leg lifts – 20

    We moseyed from the Labyrinth to the Tree of Life where I informed everyone that our workout today was planned at a wedding I officiated under the tree on April 6th.

    Dora needed to make her way to the Tree of Life, and the map told her that she needed to do 100 merkins, 200 jump lunges, and 300 Russian twits to make it to the Tree of Life. We partnered up to complete our journey. One partner ran down the field to the oak at the opposite end while the other knocked out the exercises.

    Arriving at the Tree of Life, I discovered that the tree looked lonely, so we gave it a big hug.  We circled up for a little Global Warming. Everyone started in Al Gore and we did 5 burpees each in a wave. Once that was finished we started over and did 10 burpees this time in honor of absent Q, Hawgcycle.

    We moseyed back toward the flag but stopped just before we got to magazine for a little Mary.

    Flutterkicks – 15

    Penguins – 15

    Big Boy Situps – 15

    Dying Cockroach – 15

    LBCs – 15

    We moseyed back to the flag for the names and the count. I hate that I was a minute late, but the Yankee and the Rev Sox worked together to get us all in the full 45 minute beat down. Thanks for the opportunity to Q. – Rev Sox

  • Yes we have F3 in California – now you know

    Wow it was kind of CHILLY this am with 55 degrees and wet earth to greet our AM.  I picked up our exchange student –Priorities– from Monterrey California – who was in town for WrestleMANIA.

    Hung out for a few minutes then at 530 I gave the disclaimer – we had a FNG today – F3 KOOPA – named after his Mario habits. Not fortnite but Mario.  Thats cool!  Welcome to the team – koopa.  18 PAX total for this gloomy beatdown.

    OK – so after the disclaimer we ran a parking lot lap.  Then we circled up  – SSH x 20, Imp Walker Squat x 20, Mountain Climber x 20, and Low Slow Squats x 20.   Mosey to the track.

    At the track we did – jog one running man, grapevine left one running man, grapevine right one running man, then backwards run for one running man.  REPEAT until we reach the PIMP station.  (Named by Nip Tuck)

    At the PIMP station – we did Px3B – Burpees x 15 and that is your count, then Pull ups, Plank jacks, and Pickle Pounders for the other 3 groups. One rotation.

    Back to the track.  RUN to the water station by the golf course.  Fast at your own pace.  At the water Dying Roaches until the 6 arrives.   IN CADENCE –   Flutter Kicks, Peter Parkers, Russian Twists, Parker Peters x 20

    Then Prisoner Run to the fountain.  (Hallelujah run) Hands over head.

    At the fountain we did – 25 step ups each leg, 20 dips and 15 decline merks OYO  This COP was CLASSIC 86 – no counting

    Bataan Lunge Walk with last guy doing 5 burpees before sprinting to the front

    After we all got one sprint and a ton of lunges, we ran to the row bars.  Plank Jacks instead of plank and wait.

    The plan was to run one running man and jog one running man.  CANDYLAND went crazy here and spent some serious energy

    At the row bars we set up for a short indian run to the FLAG.  It was 2 sprints for me to get to the FLAG.

    COT – we prayed for health and recovery for Holy Name dad – Kenny.  We also prayed for strength for his family in this tough week.

     

  • Crips Don’t Drive Volvos

    I have to admit that I anticipated a light and groggy pax this morning following a beautiful Easter weekend here in NOLA.  I know I afforded myself an extra beer or two between the Crescent City Classic and family festivities over the weekend.  Yankee perhaps anticipated the same when he texted last night to make sure I had the Q on my radar.  Too tired to orchestrate a plan last night I figured I’d hash one out on the fly this morning.  All was going perfectly while I walked towards the park this morning thinking about the best beatdown possible.  All of sudden I see a car creeping down Magazine without its lights on.  My heart rate ticked up a bit thinking that maybe this was it.  Then as it came closer I noticed it was white Volvo SUV and I remembered that old adage that Crips (or Bloods for that matter) don’t ride in Volvos.  That’s just when G-spot came in to focus and I knew that I wasn’t the only one that was groggy!  I went back to my resting heart rate.  But not for long as I walked up to the virtual flag and saw we had a guest pax in our midst- no other then F3 co-founder OBT.  Thanks Yankee for the heads up!  At least it will be an authentic beatdown.

    The Thang:

    Disclaimer and we’re off a traditional Skinny lap.

    Mosey counter clockwise around the track to a grassy spot for a warm up:

    • SSH IC x 30
    • Smurf Jacks IC x 20
    • Plank Jacks IC x 30

    Mosey to the row bars for 4 groups of 4:

    • Rows
    • Mountain Climbers
    • Jump Squats
    • Burpees for the count x 15

    Two columns for Indian Run all the way to the benches at the St. Charles entrance fountain:

    • Dips IC x 20
    • R Leg Power Ups x 20
    • L Leg Power Ups x 20
    • Derkins => Shoulder Taps => Derkins IC x 10,10,10

    Back to the track for some running intervals:

    • Mosey
    • R karaoke
    • L karaoke
    • Backwards run
    • Mosey
    • POW run until halt

    Green space by the green for some Mary:

    • 10 Burpees OYO (just to mix it up)
    • Dying Cockroach IC x 20
    • LBT IC x 20
    • Hello Dolly IC x 20
    • Invitation to Douille to pick the next classic ab exercise, Pickle Pounders (go figure!) IC X 10

    Two column Indian Run to the pull up bars.

    • 4 groups of 4: each guy doing 10 pull ups while the others Al Gore.  When all four are done mosey together back to the flag.

    Count off to 16 and namorama.  Announcements: Blue Ridge Relay, thanks to OBT for telling his experience with this team building opportunity!  Intentions:  for a Holy Name dad undergoing cancer treatment MD Anderson and for all the dad’s of new babies including Landing Strip.  Thanks for the opportunity to lead!

    Post Script:  So authentic was the beatdown OBT congratulated me on a good VQ!  Here’s hoping perhaps he was little groggy too!

  • Good Friday

    Good Friday.  I didn’t plan anything special.  I get a big fail for not including anything Good Friday related.  Mid-workout Sandbar had an idea for a Stations of the Cross workout!  I hope that happens next year.

    A very cool 60 degrees – wet ground but no rain.

    I brought back the CLassic Tinkles Blimps on the Avenue.  Here we did Burpees-Lunges-Imperial Walkers – Merks – Plank Jacks – Squats  – increasing by 5 at each intersection.  A very visible advertisement for F3 NOLA.

    From the Avenue we rain straight to the top of Wolfpack Mtn.  Once I realized how wet it was up top – we came back down to the 6th floor which we used as a base.  Here we did SSH x 20, Mtn Climbers x 20.

    From here – we ran down the stairs and up the far stairs.  Once back at the top we did  Dying Roach x 20, Dying Bug x 20.

    Another LAP.  We did Peter Parkers, and Parker Peters.

    Another LAP.  (3.5 total laps)  Back on the 6th floor we did Hip Dips x 12 each side, Bird Dogs x 20, and Monkey Humpers x 20.

    After that 3rd lap we ran back down to the bottom – and did Merks around the clock.  Each pax grab a concrete barrier for cars, DO 10 Merks facing 12 o clcok, 10 merks facing 3 oclock, 10 merks facing 3 oclock hand on the concrete barrier for a staggered effect, 10 merks facing 6 oclock decline effect, and 10 merks facing 9 oclock .

    A quick scramble over to the alley of benches.  Here we did 40 dips OYO.  Then we decline planked and waited for the 6.

    Finally we hustled back to the FLAG for COT.  A Good Friday prayer .

    Peace and See You in the Gloom.

    Always a pleasure to lead.  Reluctant Yankee