F3 New Orleans

Tag: Hand-Grenada

  • Dirty Dozen for Rock City with no Rocks for BLIMPSS

    The weather was perfect at 64* for 12 men to gather in the gloom during this time of uncertainty to push each other and to control what was in our control.

    Safety does matter!

    As we started to gather we immediately moved towards the football field to give us extra social distance rather than gathering in the confines of the fence, With an opening disclaimer about the Q not knowing if the virus can linger on rocks and therefore no rocks would be used today we took a nice 400 m mosey around the track before meeting in the middle of the football field along some cones that made their way to the field around 5:10 this AM

    EMOM’s of BLIMPSS … with no breaks

    The Q announced as we lined up midfield the BLIMPS would be done with each exercise lasting for one minute and immediately leading into the next exercise without any breaks between the EMOM (to eliminate any confusion on last week’s debate on EMOM’s and breaks). One minute of Burpees, one minute of Lunges, one minute Imperial walkers, one minute of Merkins, one minute of Plank jacks, one minute of Squats and then one minute of Suicides (utilizing the cones).

    The Q then had Rev Sox give us a 20 count and we moseyed back to the track.

    Another 400m mosey followed by BLIMPSS round 2 – One minute of Burpees, one minute of Lunges (Backwards lunges this time), one minute Imperial walkers, one minute of Merkins, one minute Plank (not plank jacks), one minute of Squats and then one minute of Suicides (utilizing the cones) ~ This time we did the suicides in reverse at request of Mahatma.

    Back to the track for another 400 m mosey and then round 3 of BLIMPSS repeating round 2 with the lunges going from midfield of the football field to the end zone.

    Mahatma gave us a 20 count as we made our way to the end zone area of the track for our last rendition of BLIMPS. This time we only moseyed about 100 m and then did 19 of each (BLIMPS) then another 100 m. It was noted as folks were planking for the 6, one could see steam rising from our backs.

    We then gathered at a safe distance for countarama, nameorama, announcements, intentions and closing prayer.

    Walleye lets us know about the young attorney from St. Ann’s who was misdiagnosed with the flu and is now in EJ ICU with COVID-19.

    We closed with prayers and lifted up all those brothers dealing with adversity, injury, cash flow changes, health issues, families with health issues, life changes from COVID 19 and encouraged each other to recognize COVID 19 is real and to exercise prudent precautions to protect each other and our families.

    Be safe my brothers! Thank you for pushing this 60 year old man to be better!

  • 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.

  • Was it you, BooBoo?

    It was just like old times as seven PAX gathered to celebrate my F3 Anniversary. As some of you know, my first workout was last February on the coldest day of 2019. Today, we were greeted by 41 degree (and dropping) temperatures, but fortunately for us it was also wet – @mahatma made sure to point out the hoarfrost once the sun started to come out. I said a quick “Thank You” to whoever signed me up to Q (sideways glance at @boo-boo).

    Disclaimers and a warm up – side straddle hop, “A?” Pagodas (slow windmills), arm circles, and grass grabbers. Then it was a grab your rock and head to the hill sort of day.

    Out of consideration for the PAX, I went over the hill to check on the moisture and – uh oh – wet AND my calves cramp. It will be modifications for me. We decide it’s not TOO wet, so we begin our 11’s. First round is curls for girls, up and over the hill, merkins, and back again. I decided against making the men do sit ups in the wet grass, so for the second round of 11s we do squat presses, climb the hill and back, then big boy sit ups on the track. This takes less time than I anticipated so we finish off the lifting with 30 rows, then it’s back to the rockpile.

    @hand-grenada does the math for us: 11’s gives you 55 reps of both exercises (or some other high number).

    We finish with Mary’s, but not before cameo appearances by random joggers named @revsox and @rudy (congrats on the 100 miles!). Everyone gets to call a workout today. LBCs, dying cockroach (GET YOUR LEGS UP!), crunchy frog, v-hold, russian twist (or american hammers), gas pumps, and penguins.

    Name-O-Rama, circle of trust, I thank F3Nola for helping me to grow, then it’s off to a hot shower. In the end, thank you for pushing me to Q, BooBoo!

  • 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

  • Redux of Round One

    Following the honored tradition of Amnesty for Rock City, YHC did a repeat Q (not than any of the PAX had the slightest clue, since they seem to all fartsack on Sundays and are never seen at Sweaty Bells). 

    Warm-up: SSHs 25xIC, Hill Billies 25xIC, Arm Circles 25xIC, Squat Pulses 25xIC, Windmills 25xIC, and (with a brain infarct and thus variation from Sweaty Bells) Merkins 25xIC.

    Mosey to the track for the THANG: Shoulder Presses 20xIC halos, Curls 20xIC, Squats 20xIC, Rows 20xIC, and then a mosey around the track.  Rinse and repeat, but with only 15 reps IC each time and a lap around the track in the opposite direction (lots of mumblechatter from the lemmings).  Rinse and repeat again, but with only 10 reps IC each time, and then a lap around the track in the original direction.  Finally rinse and repeat with just 5 reps IC and a final lap around the track in the opposite direction again.

    Return to rock pile for a Circle of Mary:

    • LBT x20
    • Flutter Kicks x20
    • Hello Dollies x20
    • American Hammers x20
    • Crunchy Frogs x20
    • Dying Cockroaches x20
    • Manmakers x10 OYO

    Count Off, Name-O-Rama, Intentions, and COT.  Thanks to the PAX for helping me recover by glasses after the Post.  I would have been up Schitt’s Creek without ’em, JV

  • 2019 Rock City Review

    Conditions:  A cool 50 degrees and clear.  Dark.

    For our last 2019 Rock City we looked back on the year that was.

    Warm-up

    We hit the most popular RC warm-up exercises of 2019 according to those that write backblasts:

    • SSH x 19 – Still the popular starter.  We did 19 for the year 2019.
    • Hillbillies x 20 – A surprising replacement of the customary IWs.  Hillbillies seem wildly popular at RC.  We did 20 because I forgot to stop at 19
    • Grass Grabbers x 19 – I’m sure the popularity is based on the name.  The clap at the end feels silly, but it doesn’t keep us from doing them. 
    •  Windmills (aka Abe Vigodas) x 10 – Lots of Qs find these to be a warm-up staple, but you will have to do them prior to 5:30 anytime Spartacus is on the schedule. 

    A Sea of Crimson

    Our first Rock City Workout of 2019 happened on July 7th.  That just happened to be the day of the College Football National Championship.  War Eagle must have been feeling good that morning as he delivered a brutal beatdown, on par with the beating his Crimson Tide took later that night. 

    We paired up for a quasi-dora with the following exercises:

    • 250 curls
    • 200 squats
    • 150 rows
    • 100 shoulder presses
    • 50 burpees

    While pax #1 did the exercise, pax #2 ran 40 yards and back.

    Iron Pax

    This morning we paid tribute to the Iron Pax workouts of 2019 by reenacting Week Zero.  This time we did one round instead of six and we did the reps together. 

    • 24 squats
    • 24 merkins
    • 24 Lunges in cadence
    • 400 meter run

    Sgt. Bovia Tribute

    We saved my favorite Rock City Workout of the year for last.  It was the tribute Boo-Boo Qd for Marine Sgt. Joey Bovia.  Sgt. Bovia was killed in Afghanistan on August 31, 2010.  The Tribute consisted of 31 reps of 8 different exercises.  This morning, we did as many as we could in the allotted time.

    • 31 merkins
    • 31 Big Boy Sit-ups
    • 31 Squats
    • 31 Push Presses

    Time ran out before the 31 burpees.  We brought our rocks back to the pile and moseyed to the flag for the COT.

    NMM

    • Smallest numbers at Rock City all year. 
    • The 5 guys that posted were there to work though.  We made it through a lot more than I thought we would.  I honestly expected that I would have to cut the Iron Pax or Bovia workout, but that was not the case.
    • Looking back on the National Championship themed workout that started the year, who would have thought that LSU would be playing those same Clemson Tigers for the Natty after the 2019 season. And who could have forecast the Alabama program falling off the face of the earth like they did.  I don’t even think they made a bowl game this year.  Seems like the end of an era.

  • Stand-in Q for the Tanner

    Stood in for a stricken Tanner at the rocks, Clear and breezy day with 17 PAX. Crimson visited from Raleigh
    Mosey to the spot

    Warmup
    19 Self love @ 4 ct
    19 Each way Arm circle @ 4 ct
    19 Abe Vigoda
    19 SSH
    Poor inflection discipline on my part caused some chortles

    Thang 1 With Rocks in the circle
    After each set of exercises, we rotate clockwise using the next rock till you get back to yours, Very few chose challenging weights so so ribbing ensued.
    SET
    5x Slow Squat
    5x Over Head Press
    5x Curls
    5x Rows or Tricep Extension

    Thang 2 – Rock Relay Ladder –
    The group is split in two and sent to opposite sides of the parking lot of an area. Group A Does 5 burpees then carrites rock to the other side while B side holds Plank.
    Then 10x Merkin, Carry while opposite guy does LBCs
    Then 15x Squats, carry, while Opposite guy dies Side Plank Right
    Then 10x Merkins,carry, while Opposite guy dies Side Plank left
    Then 5x Burpees,carry, then Wife Pleasers.

    Thang 3 – Setup PAx in pairs, back-back and transferred rock to the partner either right or left depending on my call This was metally challenging since rock holder and receiver ofter went opposite ways, Many laughs,

    Mosey to the pumps, then we wrapped up with 10 or so merkins to left/right side plank for a brief hold. Then back to the flag and namearama etc.

    Sweaty, breathless men balled up and closed out.

  • No really – Stop me if you’ve done this before

    YHC’s 4th year anniversary in F3, so what to do? Why – how about the same thing that he did for 3rd year, 2nd year and 1st year? The Q that writes itself…

    Looking for Amnesty

    YHC was joined on a gloomy, chilly Monday morning at Rock City by 13 PAX. Several had been there for previous celebrations. And one made his first ever appearance at the 4th celebration of his Fart Sacking of my first workout. Welcome, Amnesty! Conversely, thank you Bogey – not only did you drag me into this, you’ve actually been at the anniversary each year (as far as I recall, anyways…)

    The Thing

    Same thing again. Quick warmup before grabbing rocks and heading to the trees.

    Captain Dan

    With your rock, 2x Lunge, 1x Squat. Repeat, increasing reps each time. Get to the fence at the end of the field. YHC was up to 14x Lunge steps. Scantron and his legs seemed to make it in about 6x Lunge steps.

    Take a seat in the People’s Chair while we patiently wait for Triple Shift to arrive. Then we patiently continue sitting waiting for Triple Shift to realize that he is also supposed to take a seat.

    Jack Webb

    1x Merkin (hand on rock), 2x Shoulder Presses (with Rock). Start increasing. Up to 8x/16x. PAX humored YHC by following his slower-than-you cadence. But everyone powered through…

    Circle of Abs and Pull Ups

    Circle up for some ab work. While one group of 3-4 ran off to the playground to get 10 Pull Ups in, the rest of the group did some ab work. Box cutters, Flutters, Dollys and Penguins while everyone got their pull ups. Marlin gave a 20 count in his head. The rest of us waited in silence.

    Start heading towards home by Lieutenent Danning back to where we started.

    Bloom Where You’re Planted

    Lets run through some reps without putting the rock down. Shoulder Press, Curl, Row. x12, x10, x8, x6, x4, x2. YHC did need to take a break.

    Back to the Flag, still had time for 10 Burpees OYO. PAX – we are getting faster. Previous years, we’ve not had time for EXTRA work at the end.

    Thanks for a great 4 years!

  • Friday Workout after Thanksgiving – Back to Work PAX

    YHC spent a few minutes Thursday evening after a second Thanksgiving meal to lay out a workout for Friday after Thanksgiving.    The plan was to keep it simple, no nonsense and focus on burning a few calories from the food and drink consumed the day before. 

    The alarm clock went off at normal time, but what was not normal was YHC hit the snooze button.     Alas a few minutes later, YHC awoke in a panic realizing he would not be at Pontiff for the 5:30 start time.    YHC quickly sent a message on mumblechatter that he would be “coming in hot”. 

    YHC arrived at Pontiff, near the rock pile and Tool stepped in to lead the warm-up.  After warm-up, we each grabbed a rock and circled up near the rock pile for Thang 1.    Ten-minute total time doing the following exercises in the following sequence:  10 ct. Merkins, 20 ct. Curls, 30 ct. Al Gore, 40 ct. Monkey Humpers, and 50ct. LBC’s. 

    After a brief 20 ct of rest – Thang 2 was started.     Ten-minute total time doing the following exercises in the following sequence:  10 ct. Squats, 20 ct. Flutter kicks, 30 ct. Squat press, 40 ct. Shoulder taps, and 50 ct. Penguins.

    After another 20ct. to catch breath, it was on to Thang 3.     Each PAX picked up rock and did the following exercises together in succession – 10 ct. curls, 10 ct. squat, 10 ct. bench press, and 10 ct. rows.  We then did 8 ct. of each exercise, 6 ct. of each exercise, and finished with 4 count of each exercise.   

    HVAC obliged and led the PAX for about 8 minutes of stretching and Yoga to close out the workout.  

    COT, announcements, intentions, and gratefulness for the Thanksgiving holiday.    This workout was great example of teamwork and fellowship – T-claps to Tool for helping with the warm-up, and T-claps to HVAC for leading the Yoga exercises.