F3 New Orleans

Tag: Darkwing Duck

  • Sloppy Seconds Ain’t My Style

    Today is March 2nd, which means we’re nearing the end of the (sometimes) cold season here in New Orleans. For those of you keeping track, and I’m sure you all are, my attendance has been spotty over the past several months in what can only be described as F3 hibernation. I loathe below-50 degree weather and do my best to avoid it, especially if its also been raining. I know many people hate the humidity here, but I’ll take the heat any day.

    Now, given the Calvinist nature of the Q assignment, we (usually) don’t select our own Q-ings, but are predestined according to the (presumed) foreknowledge of the AO site coordinator. And as such, I’ve only “reported for duty” on days when the temperature was 50+, unless I was predestined for Q-ing in the cold (see 11/13/2019). But it seems that Rock City AO coordinator Mahatma, in his grace and mercy, saw fit to elect me to Q on March second, a day that had no cold and no sloppy ground – really a perfect weather day.

    So it began with warm-up exercises in the traditional Rock City warm-up area. It was the usual bag of tricks:

    SSH

    Abe Vigodas

    Imperial Walkers

    Grass Grabbers

    Peter Parkers

    Arm Circles

    All @ 26 each. There appeared to be some great letdown among the PAX that 26 had no significance other than having an equal number of forward and backward arm circles. Sorry for those that thought that I might be honoring P.J. Williams or celebrating my 26th birthday…

    Next up we gathered our rocks and headed to the football field, where we paced 10 yards for every exercise, from the goal line, in reps of 15, in cadence:

    Curls

    Tricep Extension

    Merkins

    Chest Press

    Shoulder Press

    We then partnered up for a dash from the 50 yard line to the goal line and back, while the alternating partner worked to complete the following:

    Burpees x 50

    World War II Sit-Ups x 100

    Squats x 150

    Flutter Kicks x 200

    Rows x 300

    Finally, we reversed our 10 yards/reps of 15/in cadence to the original goal line, finishing with just enough time to return our rocks and circle up. I have to say, given my F3 hibernation as of late, I’m definitely not in the same shape I was in November. So much so, that I was fading badly on the last set of tricep extensions and apparently lost the ability to count. Fortunately, Mahatma stepped in and picked up my slack continuing the cadence. It reminded me of that scene in Casino when Joe Pesci is all coked out near the end of the film, and he starts to beat a guy to death, but then doesn’t have the stamina to finish, so one of his henchmen takes over to finish the beatdown. Only without the coke. Or murder.

    In closing, we had no announcements, only prayers for those in our F3 community and those connected to it, giving thanks and glory to God.

    *The title of this post was a line uttered by Danny Zuko (John Travolta) in the movie Grease referring to…well, not muddy fields or March 2nd.

  • The Morning After

    15 pax showed up in the gloom, possibly still a bit hung over from a few too many brewskies watching the SB or maybe from the ongoing boycott party with the Who Dat’s one call away from making a run into the big game, again!  Regardless with the disclaimer made it’s time to work….

     We headed out the gate for a quick mosey around the track switching to a Bernie Sanders trot midway around with a bit of bewilderment until it was understood all were supposed to participate.  Then out the gate to the field circling up for a warm up.

    All in cadence x 12 or 20 or 10:

    Squats

    SS Hops  x 10 then after seeing the pax was a bit lethargic, QIC decided to entice focus with a Fracsac special, finish as a group on a silent count or punish work to follow – thanks in part to a “silent whisper of Marlin” the pax got into cadence focus and all stopped on 17

    Grass grabbers

    Peter Parker ( Hokie reminded QIC and FNG was in our midst and Rudy let everyone know he likes to pretend he really is climbing a wall)

    Scorpion kicks

    Arm Circles

    Grab a rock!

    After moseying over to the tree line instructions were given for our 1st task at hand:

    The 7

    Start with 1 front raise (mid waist raise your rock over your head) Then lower rock holding out front run to the center of the field.

    Each time PAX gets to this center point perform 5 squat presses

    Now run with Rock over head to the other side – complete 6 man makers – run back to the center with rock overhead at the center 5 squat presses then run back to the beginning side with rock out front.

    Continue this back and forth effort with numbers flip flopping  exercises and 5 squat presses in the middle until 1 becomes 6 and 6 becomes 1. 

    Now for the early finishers line up behind the starting point – SSH in cadence until 6 was in.

    Grab your rock and mosey to the parking lot – get a partner.

    Line up for some chess press to tricep over head press – 200 to 200

    PAX does chess press while PAX 2 walks post to post performs over head tricep presses – upon return flip flop until 200 of each are completed.

    Now for the early finishers line up behind the starting point – SSH in cadence until 6 was in.

    Return to you rock – for some Mary

    American Hammer x 12

    Gas Pumps with Rock in an upward press position x 12

    Bus Drivers x 12

    Front rock lifts x 10

    Time to return our rocks

    Mosey back to the flag – Rudy reminded me he want his full 45 minutes so with 2 minutes left we completed a ring of fire with a 10 merkin count off.

    Count off and COT

    Our FNG was welcomed and given is F3 name – Vagabond.

    Let us all aspire to inspire before we expire…..  We are all accountable; It’s an honor to lead

  • Crazy 8s

    Conditions

    Mostly cloudy, 65 F, Feels like 66 F, Humidity 93%, Wind 8 MPH from ESE.

    Warm-up

    Imperial Walkers x 31; Shoulder Taps x 31; Arm Circles: Forward x 16, Backerds x 15; Windmills x 10

    The Thang

    Grab your favorite rock and circle up for the duration.  Crazy 8s with a Deck of Death.

    • Hearts – Ground ‘n Pound con roca.  Reps = card value (2-14)
    • Spades – Squat Thrust con roca.  Reps = card value (2-14)
    • Diamonds – Curl to Press con roca.  Reps = card value (2-14)
    • Clubs – Core Exercise on the card sin roca. Reps = card value + 10 for numbers; 25 for face cards, 50 for the ace
    • Jokers – Repeat the last exercise
    • 8s – Do 8 eight count body builders each time an 8 is drawn

    NMM

    • Apparently I walked in hot and late.  Thought I had perfect timing to coolly stroll in at 0530 and give the disclaimer flag in hand, but the mumblechatter revealed that it was 0531.
    • War Eagle continues to be a non-conformist with his rock selection.  In spite of all of his peers selecting the traditional Pontiff drainage rocks, he continues to use a man-made cinder block.  Will War Eagle’s non-conformity lead to amazing success like Bill Bradley’s granny shot free throws, or will he always be viewed as a nut job like the guy that works out barefoot with F3 Nola?  Only time will tell. 
    • Mahatma taught us all an important life principle today.  Mahatma had a misshapen rock that was not easy to handle for some of the exercises.  After a round where some of the Pax traded rocks, Mahatma ended up with Frac’s rock.  Those of you that have posted at Rock City or The Uptowner may be familiar with this beast of a rock.  It appears to be a nice oblong shape that would be easy to handle, but once you start with it, you learn that one side weighs about 35 pounds and the other side weighs 15.  Remember kids, whatever your struggles are in life, there’s always someone else out there that has it harder than you. 
    • I suggest we start naming rocks.  I imagine that the aforementioned rock did not take kindly to our talk about its one-sided girth.  I can hear it protesting “It’s not a toomah!” like Governor Arnold in Kindergarten cop.  Therefore this rock shall henceforth be known as Schwarzenegger. 
    • Strava had my total mileage today at 0.18 miles.  That’s a successful Uptowner in my book. 

  • Is this Heaven? No, it’s Lafreniere Park.

    While perusing the Q list to see who would be leading the beatdowns this week of the AOs I most often attend, I happened to see my name listed. I thought this was odd because I had just Q’ed 2 last week and didn’t remember signing up. I then gazed up to see that I was Q for Popeye’s which is not my regular Wednesday AO. I’ve been out there a few times and enjoy the challenge of a virtual blank slate of opportunities to lead a PAX. I accepted the challenge of Q’ing an unfamiliar locale and brought 2 Lakeview guys with me. 8 PAX joined me at the shovelflag, brought to you courtesy of Fracsac, disclaimer was given, directions were asked by me to the exercise area near W. Napoleon, and off we went.

    Warm up:

    Mosey over to the parking lot directly next to exercise area where we circled up.

    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Windmills x 10 IC
    • Concrete grabbers x 15 IC
    • Arm circles fwd/rev x 10 each direction IC
    • Self love x 10 IC

    Thang #1:

    Tabata is always a tough routine to choose as the Q because you never know how many PAX will be there, odd numbers always make it interesting, and the AO site can make it interesting to select exercises. So naturally we had 9 men total. I was going to initially go solo but I was appropriately convinced to go with 3 groups of 3. I opted to have the groups perform 2 sets of 3 different exercises. (for a total of 6 sets per round). Rinse and repeat x 3 additional rounds with all different exercise combinations.

    • Round 1: Pull ups, 8-count absolution, box jumps/step ups
    • Round 2: Burpess, Al Gore, Jump the snake
    • Round 3: Merkins, Low plank, Rocky Balboas
    • Round 4: Box cutters, Freddy Mercurys, levels

    Thang #2:

    I figured most, if not all, of the PAX had not experienced my son’s previous suggestion for a “game.” So we proceeded to play the F3 version of Red Light/Green Light. As explained in previous backblasts all red light exercises will be static and all green light exercises will be dynamic. Exercises alternate between red light and green light. Timer for each exercise is controlled by randomity timer.

    Red Light exercises:

    • Al Gore
    • High plank
    • L side plank
    • R side plank
    • Low plank
    • Static lunge with L leg in front
    • Static lunge with R leg in front
    • Reverse plank
    • Static calf raise (heretofore renamed Tippy Toes)
    • Static leg hold (level)

    Green Light exercises:

    • Mountain climbers
    • LBCs
    • Merkins
    • Lateral lunges
    • High knees
    • L single leg wife pleasers
    • R single leg wife pleasers
    • Penguins
    • Crunchy frog
    • Freddy Mercury

    20 exercises total, randomity timer set between 15-45 sec. Average time of 30 sec per exercise should take about 10 minutes total for the routine. While toggling between apps on my phone while leading the Q it was only until I was on my way home that I accidentally skipped over one of the side planks and lateral lunges. Sorry guys.

    But it all worked out in the end because at 6:10 we moseyed back to the shovelflag and got back at exactly 6:15. See I knew what I was doing all along. Countoff, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, sweaty ball of man. Can’t wait to come back to Popeye’s for future beatdowns and whoever put me on the list can do so in the future if you are looking for Q’s.

  • I Simply Must Go (Baby, Its Cold Outside)

    Not every man would wake up before 5am on what may be the coldest day of the year to stay on mission. Five PAX braved the early morning, pressing on towards the goal to win the prize (Phil 3:14). This is their story.

    We begin with a quick run over to the Gazebo in the center of the park for a warm up. Seems that the area in question is fenced off for the upcoming Christmas lighting display.

    Whoops.

    As I was saying, we begin with a quick run over to the Clock Tower near the road for a warm up.

    Warmup

    Side Straddle Hop x 10

    Peter Parker x 10

    Parker Peter x 10

    Smurf Jacks x 15

    Merkins x 10

    LBC x 20

    Bonnie Blairs x 10

    Mission I

    We began by alternating Bear Crawl (10 “steps”) and Lunge Walk (10 steps) across the soccer field to the running track. Upon completing the Bear Crawl/Lunge Walk, the PAX had a longer mosey on the outside running track to the West Napoleon exercise area. Along the way, we stopped to smell the roses (Roses = Burpees, Merkins, American Hammer, Big Boy Sit Ups).

    Mission II

    Once we arrived at the West Napoleon exercise area, the PAX were treated to alternating Pull Ups, Curls, Box Jumps, Big Boy Sit Ups and Chest Press (Curls & Chest press brought to you by cinder blocks liberated from behind the water pump wall at Pontiff). Three rounds on the circuit, pace set by Pull Ups, and a run back to the flag.

    Closing Ceremony

    Count Off, Name-o-rama, Announcements, Prayer Requests, Icy Ball O Man.

    In the end, did we break any new ground? In terms of creativity, not so much. But I’m proud to say each lionhearted man there today in 33° conditions earned the coveted John M. “Jack” Frost Award for Courage Under Cold Weather.

    Of course, the plaque for those “missing in action” today can be found in the Popeyes’s north side ladies room, right next to the feminine hygene products dispenser. Perhaps if you go in there to check it out, you’ll run into one of the handful of elderly ladies we saw on the track this morning while you were sleeping.

  • 11 11 11 and Saban what?

    Veterans Day occurs on November 11 every year in the United States in honor of the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918 that signaled the end of World War I, known as Armistice Day.

    It had been a few weeks (50+) since I had last Q’d a workout and yes my Q skills were a little rusty.  I saw some new faces and some old ones.  After the disclaimer we mosey’d toward the rock pile stopping for 11 burpees on the way.

    Circle Up for the Warm UP

    S – ide Straddle Hops – IC 11

    A – rm Circles – IC 11

    B – onnie Blairs – IC 11

    A – merican Hammer IC 11

    N – olan Ryan -IC 11

    S – murf jacks – IC 11

    U – p downs  IC 11

    C – opper head squats – IC 11

    K – nerkin IC UD

    S – eal jacks I C 11

    11 Burpees OYO

    We then moved to the tree line.  Trees were larger and further apart than I remembered.

    11’s – on the tree lines starting with 1 Merkin and 10 Squats

    Then to the rock pile to retrieve a rock or block depending on personal preference. 

    The movements were done in cadence

    Rock Curls on our knees 22

    Rock Squats – 11
    Elf on the Shelf – 11 each leg

    Rock up – flutter kicks – 22ish

    Chest press – 22

    Curls – 10 IC

    11 burpees OYO

    Mosey back to the flag for some Mary

    High plank Peter Parkers – IC 11

    Low plank Peter Parkers – IC 11

    LBC – IC 22

    Pretzel Crunch – IC 11 each leg

    High plank Parker Peter – IC 11

    Low Plank Parker Peter – IC 1

    Real Freddie Mercuries – IC

    Last round Burpees 11 OYO

    Count off, name-a-rama, announcements, intentions (Marlon’s friend and all Veterans), Prayer

    Thanks for letting me lead. 

    Almost forgot War Eagle paid is bet to Tua in the form of a 100 yard bear crawl. We wish we had a camera.

  • Rockless City

    On Saturday, YHC discovered that the Q Sheet for Rock City was mysteriously blank for the upcoming beatdown. Knowing that these opportunities do not occur often. YHC jumped at an opportunity to lead his home AO.

    Since the end of IPC, coupons have been the preferred weight of choice for YHC so before the Pax appeared from the gloom four heavy coupons were positioned at the starting point.

    Disclaimer, Grab the Coupons, turn LEFT, and Mosey toward the parking lot.

    Warm-Up: SSH, Imperial Squat Walkers, Hill Billies, Windmills, Arm Circles

    After the warm-up, we counted off for some circuit work at the vastly underused playground on the south side of the park.

    Thang #1

    One minute of the following:

    Group 1 – Pull-Ups at the playground

    Group 2 – Alternating Leg Step-ups at the shelter

    Group 3 – Shoulder Press w/ Coupon under the shelter

    Group 4 – Underdogs at the swing set

    Thang #2

    One minute of the following:

    Group 1 – Pull-Ups at the playground

    Group 2 – Alternating Leg Step-ups at the shelter

    Group 3 – Curls under the shelter

    Group 4 – Underdogs at the swing set

    Thang # 3

    One minute of the following:

    Group 1 – Pull-Ups at the playground

    Group 2 – Irkins under the shelter

    Group 3 – Squat Thrusters under the shelter

    Group 4 – Underdogs at the swing set

    Thang #4

    Mosey to the football field and partner up.

    Pax 1 – Run 10 yards do five merkins and return

    Pax 2 – Squats until Pax 1 returns

    Rinse and Repeat adding ten yards.

    Once both pax completed 50 yards squats were replaced by LBCs until both pax completed 100 yards.

    COT, Namarama, and special attention given to those battling cancer, and for all F3 men to be a better husband, fathers, and man.

  • Roulette wheel at Popeye

    Random counts because the Q just felt like it and it was funny to watch. The weather was beautiful, almost crisp.

    Imperial walkers 14 @ 4 count

    Abe Vigoda 16 @ 4 count

    Side shuffles

    Runner Stretch

    Bat wings 21x 4 count

    Push up side plank reach 5/side

    To Gazeeba circle run 4x

    Bear Crawl-Sit-ups combo ¼ round then 12 sit-ups 4 circles

    30 count down 

    Hanging leg/knee Raises. OYO, 25 total

    Push up then move in circle

    Lunge around the gazeebo Jump down/up stairs. 4x around

    Inchsworms 21x pushups at bottom

    Supine Bridge holds 40 count 5x

    Skaters 20/side

  • A walk in the park

    10 pax including an FNG arrived for a post iron pax beatdown that had hints of IP worked in, but for this hardened group, would be nothing short of a walk in the park.  This was YHC’s first opportunity to not only Q at Popeyes, but also do a standard non- IP workout.  

    Warmup 

    Mosey to steepest hill after some of the experienced Popeye group pointed us in the right direction. 

    Arm circles – 10 x front and backwards 

    Mountain climbers x 12

    Shoulder taps x 10

    Foot to alternating hand touch in plank x 10 each foot/hand

    Grass grabbers x 10

    Windmills x 10

    The thang – 

    • 11’s on hill – top/burpees, bottom/diamond merkins

    Run to exercise playground for 2 rounds of the following:

    • 4 stations 
    • Pull-ups, close grip merkins in first round and wide grip merkins in 2nd round, deep squats, calf raises
    • 45 seconds each w/ 10 second break in between sets

    Run through the center of the park and stopped at the gazebo 

    • 20 dips led by Boo-Boo
    • 15 V-ups led by Tua

    Moseyed back to flag and arrived at 6:15 on the dot.  

    COT – count-off, name-o-Rama where FNG/Dodger was born, announcements and intentions.  Special intentions offered for Bellhop, and thanks for the positive results of Tua’s wife’s ultrasound.  

    Thanks for posting and the opportunity to lead. SYITG!