F3 New Orleans

Tag: Grandma's House

  • Going to the 7/11, you need anything? – from Russo

    You might know it as The Kart and Karry. Maybe Circle-K. Up north: Wawa. A fan of Clerks? the Quick Stop. My Cousin Vinny more to your liking? The Sack O’ Suds.

    Whatever you call your favorite neighborhood convenience store / bodega, YHC can almost guarantee it brings up fond memories of either (a) spending all of your lunch money on candy, chips, carbonated beverages, gum, or slushies, (b) buying smokes, alcohol, and other age-restricted items you got earlier than you should (or legally could) because you had a friend that played at Miley with the clerk that worked there (what’s up Earl W. from the class of ‘96, Raider Pride), or (c) grabbing some late night fried chicken or meat pies because you had the munchies. For me, it was all three, and it was a 7-11.

    So that was the theme for July 11 (7/11), where everything we did was based on one of those two prime numbers.

    78 degrees or so, with Shooter brave enough to join, and helped YHC understand Medicare a whole lot better among other mumblechatter.

    Warmup (all 11x)
    – Seal jacks
    – Toe touches
    – Cherry pickers
    – Arm circles
    – SSHs

    Thang

    Mosey to the bridge, where every 70 seconds of the travel it was:
    7 shoulder tap merkins
    11 ballerina squats

    At the bridge (while partner traverses the length of the bridge):

    70 merkins
    110 Apollo ohno’s

    70 Peter Parker’s (2 is 1)
    110 squats

    70 leg raises
    110 gas pumps

    70 groiners
    110 side lunges (1 is 1)

    70 monkey humpers
    110 lbcs

    Recovery walk/mosey back with a few more merkins and squats thrown in.

    COT, Name-o-Rama, announcements, prayer, in that order. Continued prayers for our F3 brethren dealing with some difficulties (including NS Godfather Turbo), and reminders about the St. Vincent 500 and Gnarly Nutria (next Wednesday 7/19).

    Until next time, SYITG

  • Gorillas in the Mist – from Jose10k

    I arrived to Grandma’s a little early to get in a little run before the beatdown. The weather came through the night before which brought the temperature down a bit. The humidity was there, but a little more bearable. I passed Steve on my run, so I knew I wasn’t going to be alone ( I was worried driving up to the AO). A good mile run, then back to the flag.
    Warm-up: Again, you’ve been to a beat down before, so you know how it goes.

    The Thang:
    I know, you guys have a lake. I know you guys have a tunnel. But once again, the A1C has music. YHC brought the music to Grandma’s House, namely CottonEye Joe.
    SSH until the word CottonEye Joe, then a burpee each time you heard that name. Great way to start the workout. Then it was to the trunk of the sentra to pick your poison. 35 lb plates, coupons, or a pair of 30 lb dumbells. It was a Gorilla workout that Shooter introduced to me a few weeks back. 8 reps of each exercise, 8 rounds. Curls, shoulder presses, merkins, and kettlebell swings. Run from stop sign to stop sign then 8 gorilla humpers. Rinse and repeat for 8 rounds. Followed it up with 3 minutes of Mary. COT with Shooter praying us out.

    Mumble Chatter included the recent weather, business operations in the Mandeville area, and LSU baseball. Steve, the resident Entomologist of Mandeville, taught us all about the Mayfly which is the popular diet of the local Horse Flies of Mandeville. Sadly though, I missed out on the stepfather of the AO, Russo. Where can he be? Did he see my name on the Q sheet and decided to stay home? He couldn’t be afraid of A1C guys coming into Mandeville? I’ll let you come to your own conclusion, but clearly something is up

  • We have a tunnel too – from Russo

    The Splashpad and Granny’s share a common space. It’s unclear where one begins and the other ends. It’s more of an F3 commune for midweek beatdown madness. Neither can claim to be unique, but both can claim individuality.

    Even though you technically can make the Tunnel from the Pad, YHC thinks we may have only been once, but it is a regular part of Granny’s thanks to Steve and Shooter’s sadistic side and YHC’s determination to conquer it and not regret the decision to traverse. Today, Cowbell and YHC did indeed sing “Hi ho, the derry-o, a tunneling we will go!” (maybe that part was only in my head).

    Warmup (all 10x IC)
    – Good mornings
    – Toe touches
    – Self love
    – Arm circles
    – High knees

    Thang
    Traverse to the bus stop and tunnel, where a Tabata of 90 seconds on and 15 seconds off got us there and back. We alternated between:
    1 – mosey
    2 – lunge walk
    3 – side shuffle
    4 – back pedal
    5 – high knees

    At the bus stop
    – 10 IC freak nasties
    – 10 Durkins
    – R&R those two

    At the tunnel

    Mosey down, side shuffle through, back pedal up, with 5 burpees at the top. Then 5 Shoulder tap plank jacks. Followed by 5 hand release merkins. Repeat those three rounds for 6 rounds total.

    Mosey back to bus stop where it was 10 more durkins and freak nastys.

    Mary (10 IC)
    – crunchy frogs
    – Flutter kicks
    – LMCs
    – Gas pumps

    COT, Name-o-Rama, and prayer closed us out. Ya’ll keep Cowbell and his expectant M in your prayers for a healthy pregnancy.

    Good chatter around college baseball and babies, and of course a good sweat this morning.

    SYITG

  • And Twins! – from Russo

    About 70 degrees and “not too bad” as Steve concurred this morning. 6 pack this morning for what I thought might be an ambitious beatdown.

    Great conversation throughout revolving around vacations, movies, beaches, gravel in our elbows…and twins! (Remember when beer commercials used to be fun?)

    Warmup – all 10x IC
    Toe touches
    SSHs
    Self love
    Cherry pickers
    Grass grabbers
    High knees

    Thang
    Mosey to the bridge, with 10 Peter Parker’s, Jump squats, and Flutter kicks interspersed.

    At the bridge

    11s – 8 count body builders and Absolution, with alternating side shuffles, backpedals, sprints, cariocas, and recovery walks from one side of the bridge to the other.

    Rounds 8/3, 9/2, and 10/1 were part of the mosey back (with a modification to merkins on the last round in the interest of time).

    COT, Name-o-Rama, Announcements, Prayer, in that order.

    Akbar had Saturday lakefront Q, YHC has Splashpad Friday Q, and check the schedule for the rest of the week.

    Another week at Granny’s in the books. Thanks for joining and reading.

    SYITG

  • Diamonds in the Gloom, No not the bling bling kind!! – from Shooter

    Wanting to give the Q grand master Russo a break from the Q sheet, YHC decided to signup for Grannies.. While I am sure many PAX celebrated their M’s on Mother’s Day with brunches, flowers, dinners, chore lists or some maybe even supplied a Diamond or (2). Not sure on the last, but the only bling served on this Gloom would be the glistening glow of sweat as the street lights at the Treen center reflected off the PAX as we completed the Exicon 7 of Diamonds..

    Another amazing difference into the New year is YHC has experienced an ON time Cowbell at two occasions recently.. Not sure if he is prepping for the arrival of his twin boys? Or the soon to be awakening of feeding time? Maybe it’s simply the fact that he missed the F3 brethren in the Gloom and doesn’t want to especially miss a minute of Wacker chatter?
    Whatever it is, the PAX of course are happy to have him back in our presence regardless..

    Warmup
    All 10IC (with the help of only Russo) in the beginning..Arm circles, Torso twist, Abe Vogadas, Grass grabbers, Mummy kicks, Butt kicks and Cherry pickers..

    Thang
    7 of Diamonds
    Burpees/Sprint
    Jump squats/back pedal
    WW1 or WW2 sit-ups/Carioca
    Alternating Irkins/Derkins/Staggered Merkin/recovery walk
    Sister Mary Catherine’s/skipping
    Flutter kicks 2/1/Mosey
    Carolina dry docks/Mosey

    Returned with the 6 at 6 for the count, announce and COT..

    Appreciate Zoolander for the close in prayer and until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!!

  • Return of the Pax – from Russo

    With all due respect to Mark Morrison, and unbeknownst to me when YHC arrived, today was a day of returns. A Return of the Mack (Pax) at Granny’s. First up: a tanned, rested, and ready Shooter, full of fish, beer, and sangria (but no ice cream), as even the pull of a Mediterranean cruise is nothing compared to the friendly confines of Grandma’s House.

    Next up: Akbar, making a return from the valley of temporary single parenthood, where he had to be both hunter/gatherer for his brood and bedtime story teller, among his other numerous tasks at Casa Landshark It’s a Trap!

    Then, in an appearance that stunned YHC: a vigilant Cowbell! And at 5:14!! He either sensed his ears burning from the pax wondering how/where he’s been, or he knew it was JV’s turn to Q.

    Finally, it was the return of Bushwhacker, hobbling from weekend activities where sacrifices were made to the water gods. With this now a 2-week streak of posts, Bushwhacker is dangerously close to something that could be considered a Granny’s regular, but we all know there is no such thing.

    With the pax confirmed, off we went in 57 degree weather, infirmities and all.

    Warmup – all IC, 10x to 15x
    – Sealjacks
    – Toe touches
    – High knees
    – Cherry pickers
    – Hillbillies
    – Grass grabbers
    – Butt kicks

    Thang

    YHC passed the newly refurbished bridge on the trace, close to Jackson Ave., on Sunday, so a mosey to the bridge was in order (the tunnel needs a break), stopping every block or so for 5 8-count bodybuilders, then adding 10 monkey humpers, and then 15 LMCs.

    Once we reached the bridge, it was cross the bridge in varying fashion, with 10 merkins and 10 crunchy frogs after every crossing.

    Crossing the bridge, we did:
    – sprints (2x)
    – Bear crawl
    – Lunges
    – Side shuffles (2x)
    – Back pedal (2x)
    – Murder bunnies

    Mosey back to start, with more 8CBB’s thrown in, and we arrived back for a one minute plank.

    The usual COT, Name-o-Rama, and prayer closed us out.

    Gents, I know at least a couple of you were dealing with injuries, so much respect to you for joining us. You could have chosen to sit it out, but your fellowship was much appreciated.

    SYITG

  • Return of the Pax – from Russo

    With all due respect to Mark Morrison, and unbeknownst to me when YHC arrived, today was a day of returns. A Return of the Mack (Pax) at Granny’s. First up: a tanned, rested, and ready Shooter, full of fish, beer, and sangria (but no ice cream), as even the pull of a Mediterranean cruise is nothing compared to the friendly confines of Grandma’s House.

    Next up: Akbar, making a return from the valley of temporary single parenthood, where he had to be both hunter/gatherer for his brood and bedtime story teller, among his other numerous tasks at Casa Landshark It’s a Trap!

    Then, in an appearance that stunned YHC: a vigilant Cowbell! And at 5:14!! He either sensed his ears burning from the pax wondering how/where he’s been, or he knew it was JV’s turn to Q.

    Finally, it was the return of Bushwhacker, hobbling from weekend activities where sacrifices were made to the water gods. With this now a 2-week streak of posts, Bushwhacker is dangerously close to something that could be considered a Granny’s regular, but we all know there is no such thing.

    With the pax confirmed, off we went in 57 degree weather, infirmities and all.

    Warmup – all IC, 10x to 15x
    – Sealjacks
    – Toe touches
    – High knees
    – Cherry pickers
    – Hillbillies
    – Grass grabbers
    – Butt kicks

    Thang

    YHC passed the newly refurbished bridge on the trace, close to Jackson Ave., on Sunday, so a mosey to the bridge was in order (the tunnel needs a break), stopping every block or so for 5 8-count bodybuilders, then adding 10 monkey humpers, and then 15 LMCs.

    Once we reached the bridge, it was cross the bridge in varying fashion, with 10 merkins and 10 crunchy frogs after every crossing.

    Crossing the bridge, we did:
    – sprints (2x)
    – Bear crawl
    – Lunges
    – Side shuffles (2x)
    – Back pedal (2x)
    – Murder bunnies

    Mosey back to start, with more 8CBB’s thrown in, and we arrived back for a one minute plank.

    The usual COT, Name-o-Rama, and prayer closed us out.

    Gents, I know at least a couple of you were dealing with injuries, so much respect to you for joining us. You could have chosen to sit it out, but your fellowship was much appreciated.

    SYITG

  • Ta-Battle! OR Hog’s Breath’s Eye Glasses Match His Birthday Suit – from Bushwacker

    The idea was there, but planning and fleshing out said idea was left ‘til last minute. Assuming the best case scenario, QIC anticipated 7 PAX. Hog’s Breath was a HC because of a meeting, Russo was an HC because, well, it’s Russo. The rest? Eh. Anyhoo, the appropriate fleshing out involved a plethora of coupons and so it went…

    WARMORAMA

    Several exercises that provided dynamic stretching of muscles necessary to perform scheduled primary exercises of the planned beatdown were carried out, all IC x10.

    THANG

    Q set up ( with welcomed help from the TWO F3 brothers present) 6 stations to revolve around during a fun-filled Tabata, including Stretch Band for Curls, Jump Rope, Tire Flip, Battle Rope, 45lb Plate for Prisoner Carry, plus stairs. 20 minutes in, Hog’s Breath arrived like a nitrogen based explosive, hitting the ropes like he was propelling a Higgins boat in a storming by of the beaches of Pontachartrain! He claimed to be going over a presentation (possibly in just his reading glasses and socks?) when he realized the time and bolted. Meanwhile, YHC had an eclectic running playlist providing motivation, entertainment, and confusion? La la la la la di da

    MARY

    A series of exercises providing a physiological strain to core muscles were performed IC.

    You guys don’t know what you’re missing at Grandmother’s House. On site and in the area are opportunities for challenging and enjoyable beatdowns. It’s geographically well-located and long-standing. It just needs more HIM to make it worth the effort the few regulars put in, and for down-rangers to post. We all love this thing we have, our thing (la cosa nostra;) The more consistently we feed it the stronger it will grow. YHC’s time is dwindling, but F3 will always be my medicine!

    Humble thanks!

  • …and Zoo made two – from Russo

    Right at about 60 degrees this morning for Pax of 2.

    Warmup (all 10x to 15x)
    – SSHs
    – toe touches
    – Grass grabbers
    – Arm circles
    – Self love
    – Good mornings

    Thang
    Maybe not tradition, but as has become the norm, we moseyed around old Mandy, stopping every block or so to do a 5-4-3-2-1 rep for different exercises, even stopping a couple times at the Marsh to play on the swing set. Or at least take advantage of monkey bars.

    Reps/ exercises
    5 T merkins
    4 Peter Parker’s
    3 Wide merkins
    2 8 count body builders
    1 Burpee

    5 SMCs
    4 Ballerina squats
    3 Imperial squat walkers
    2 Star Jumps
    1 Smurfjack

    5 pull ups
    4 dips
    3 calf raises
    2 hanging knee raises
    1 leg raise

    5 Leg raises
    4 Crunchy frogs
    3 V ups
    2 Gas pumps
    1 Big Boy sit-up

    5 freak nastys
    4 durkins
    3 BSSs
    2 Box jumps
    1 Urkin

    Reverse! On the way back and at home base, we reversed the rep count (e.g., 5 urkins, 4 box jumps)

    Wrapped it up with some Mary: 3 calf raises all the way up the pilot house, and then a slaloming of the columns before count, name-o-Rama, and prayer closed us out.

    It is reported a good time was had by all.

    SYITG

  • 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.