The Wally run happened the day after the Old Metry mosey with a temperature of 32 degrees with a brisk north wind creating a feels like environment of 21 degrees. Many topics discussed including a lot of new builds and homes for sale. Hawg suggested we purchase the John Goodman house for $5.5M and turn it into an F3 house. YHC graciously offered to give a $20, so I’m sure it’ll happen.
SYITG
YHC arose on time and ready to take on whatever today’s Q was to serve up. Upon arrival, only 4 PAX were present and after a few mumbled greetings I was enlightened with the fact that I was indeed the Q for the day (I blame Rudy for my lack of awareness).
Disclaimer provided and off we mosey’d to the Rock Pile for warmups. A few more less inspired PAX arrived, one donning a new garment that apparently made him feel “like one of the cool kids”. A little of this and a few of those, now we are nice an warm.
Da Thang….
Rocks were selected, and we cycled through a deconstructed “clean and press” focusing on form and mobility. Deadlifts, rows, squats, OHP and then finally putting it all together for the full movement.
PAX mosey’d to hill for next exercise. 5 min plank holds, if rest was required, PAX ran up and over hill to resume planks on the other side. Apparently some felt it unnecessary to engage in the prescribed plank position and just ran up and down for 5 mins, it must’ve been his new threads. Others fought till the end, although form was questioned and criticized by certain individuals, again, must’ve had something to-do with being a “cool kid”.
PAX continued to the gym to perform 5 min wall-sits with 3 burpees to be performed during “rest periods”…it came as no surprise that yet another vest-donning PAX felt this was an unacceptable exercise and thus performed burpees for the duration while offering kind words of recommendation on form to the others.
Final round of holds were done back at the rocks, Over head holds for 5 mins. This is where the majority of the “UHHHGGGSSSS…” were vocalized. I think everyone did these, but there was probably someone that chose to do something else, regardless of what they were wearing.
Final exercise was a quick round of PAX’s choice of movements with the Rocks. We had squats, OHP, Big-boys, merkins and probably something else…it was delightful.
COT with minimal announcements and intentions, special thanks for all that is past, present, and future.
No AI were harmed in the making of this beatdown or BB.
Hey Chat. I need to write a backblast for my F3 New Orleans workout that happened the morning after we got 10 inches of snow. The participants at the workout were Mr. Rogers, The Architect, and me (Hawgcycle). We took a picture with a snowman, so if you want to include him as a 4th participant you can. Mr. Rogers name is misspelled in most of our communications as Mr. Rodgers. I suspect that is a mistake, likely his. Feel free to use whichever spelling you want. The Architect and Mr. Ro(d)gers both happen to wear weight vests to every workout. I don’t. I will let you draw your own conclusions about us from that tidbit of information. That day we warmed up with some side straddle hops, imperial walkers, Merkins, where our noses touched the snow, Abe Vigodas and snow grabbers. Then we selected one rock from the snow covered rock pile and went to the hill. One man used a boogie board to sled down the hill, one used an inner tube, and one man did exercises with the rock at the bottom of the hill. We rotated every time someone slid down the hill. Mr. Rogers popped the inner tube on the first try. We replaced it with a boogie board we found among the items littering the hill. After finishing the rotations we raced down the hill to see who could slide the farthest. The Architect was the winner. Then we ditched the rock and went to the field. We crawled through the snow to write a giant F3 in the middle of the football field. I would like for you to write up a backblast for the workout. Please do it in the style of the movie Cool Runnings. You will need to include what actually happened, but feel free to embellish or create things in order to make the backblast fun. Also, please make Hawgcycle the coolest character in the story.
…. First Attempt….I’ll spare you the details
That was pretty good. Can you add some more fiction to the story? It needs an intriguing plot. Don’t forget about the weight vests
Alright, let’s add a twist! Here we go:
—
**Backblast: Bobsleds and Boogie Boards**
*It was a morning like no other. After ten inches of snow buried the Big Easy in an icy wonderland, three brave warriors ventured out into the frozen abyss: Mr. Rogers (or as we fondly call him, Mr. Rodgers), The Architect, and the legendary Hawgcycle. With determination in their hearts and snowflakes on their eyelashes, they forged ahead with the spirit of true champions. And don’t forget Frosty, the snowman who joined their ranks, cheering them on in his own frosty way.*
The trio began with their traditional warm-up, shaking off the chill with Side Straddle Hops and Imperial Walkers. Merkins took on a whole new meaning as they touched their noses to the snowy ground, while Abe Vigodas and Snow Grabbers had them moving in ways they never thought possible.
The challenge didn’t stop there. The snowy rock pile awaited, each man choosing his weapon—a rock that they’d soon come to know very well. They marched toward the hill, where the real test of grit and resilience began.
First up, the sledding battle: one warrior on a boogie board, another on an inner tube, and the third enduring grueling exercises with the rock at the hill’s base. Mr. Rogers, however, proved the inner tube’s match was short-lived—popping it like a balloon on the first run. Not to be outdone, they scavenged and found another boogie board among the scattered gear, and the epic rotations continued.
They slid, they slipped, they sweated—each descent down the hill followed by a fierce race to see who could glide the farthest. The Architect emerged victorious, his form as flawless as an Olympic gold medalist.
But this was no ordinary workout. Unbeknownst to our heroes, hidden within their weight vests was a treasure map, etched by a mysterious benefactor known only as “The Snowman.” The Architect and Mr. Rogers always wore their weight vests, suspecting that the added resistance was more than just physical training. Hawgcycle, the natural leader, sensed the importance of their discovery.
With the map revealed, they realized the snow-covered hill was the key to unlocking the hidden treasure. The coordinates led them back to the hill where they had been sledding. They dug through the snow, uncovering an ancient chest filled with relics of a forgotten era: golden dumbbells, an indestructible inner tube, and a boogie board rumored to have magical sliding powers.
Feeling the rhythm of destiny, our heroes knew they had to put their newfound treasures to the test. They raced down the hill one final time, the golden dumbbells providing an otherworldly strength, the indestructible inner tube gliding effortlessly over the snow, and the magical boogie board propelling its rider forward like a bobsled champion.
The final descent was a spectacle of epic proportions. As they crossed the finish line, the air was filled with the cheers of Frosty and the echoes of their triumphant laughter. The Architect’s form was still impeccable, but it was Hawgcycle who truly shone—leading his team to victory with an aura of cool unmatched, his every move a testament to their unbreakable bond.
With their mission complete and the treasure secured, they ditched their rocks and headed to the snow-covered field. Crawling through the snow, they etched a giant F3 into the middle of the football field, a symbol of their brotherhood and unyielding spirit.
—
In the end, it wasn’t just about the workout—it was about the bond, the laughter, and the shared moments of triumph and struggle. And leading the pack, with an aura of cool unmatched, was Hawgcycle—proving that even in the chilliest of conditions, the warmth of camaraderie can melt the frostiest of mornings.
—
Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, it’s F3 time! 🛷🥇❄️
On the eve of impending gloom, some hardy men gathered in anticipation of acceleration.
Since no one formally took the Q, and with a weak offer by Mr. Rodgers, KB, took the helm and steered the crew to the Pile.
In the spirit of Sua Spontaneity, YHC dished out the delegated authority to the man on my left and repeated that for a series of warmups that involved everyone as the Q of the moment”. (QOM) I’d appreciate your using this monicker going forward and ensconce it in the Lexicon.
Thang – Owing to the lack of preparation, I pulled out a KB favorite – 10 things 10 times
The PAX selected Rocks and formed a circle. After each exercise of 10 reps, we perform 3 burpees , move counterclockwise and pick up the next rock, repeating till every PAX leads in 10 reps.
Starting with Rudy
Curls
Hell raisers (Guess who?)
Rows
Squats
Chest Press
Run with Rock to the light pole and back ( Mayhem )
Thrusters
Burpees were replaced with ad hoc items chosen by the PAX or myself,
finishing with holding rocks overhead and reciting the OUR FATHER (Protestant Version i hear) in unison.
We got three rounds in and returned the rocks did an AB series of lead by each member till time ran out, and moseyed back for COT
Conditions: Rainy, 53 degrees, windchill of 45, 95% humidity, wind 11 mph from NNE
I woke up this morning to a post from Boss Keane on Slack. He’s a bit of a Luddite, so I was surprised. He rambled a bit about police response times and then said that the men off Pontiff had moved his rock pile and he wanted it moved back
Warm-up:
SSH x 31; IW x 20, Abr Vigoda x 10, Grass Grabber x 10, Low Slow Squats x 15, Tempo Merkins x 15
The Thang:
Boss Keane’s Rock Pile – We moved it 6 times
Sevens – donkey kicks at the gym; Curl Squat Curl Presses at the Rick Pile
Track Chunkers – stand on the misdemeanor side and throw your rock as far as you can toward the park. Finish when someone reaches the ditch
6MOM – LBC x 20, Flutter kicks x 20, Dying Cockroaches x 20, Nolan Ryans x 15
YHC woke up this morning to a weather report from his soon to be best man who said “it’s freezing rain, are we doing this?” The reply “of course. F3 is rain or shine.” Today being YHC’s second Q and the day of the big ask, decided to keep it simple and do another Mogadishu Mile to remember the fallen of Blackhawk Down. It was rainy but warm and 9 HiMs started out for the warmarama and then to the thang.
Pick up a rock, get to the gazebo
4 rounds:
19 ground to overhead
19 front squats
19 push-ups (one hand on the rock, then switch so 38)
15 burpees
run a 1/4 mile.
All this was done with smiles and joy and the promise to show up this afternoon and try to talk some sense into my future fiancé. It’s a great day to have a great day, gentlemen.
COT and Announcements as well as a welcome to FNG, Freaky Fast who drove 12 hours yesterday for the occasion.
Temp: 42, Winds: 70+ mph (or that’s what it felt like).
Hand Grenada looked around and asked “Who’s Q?” He should have known better, as YHC was decked out in full Irish gear, waiting to celebrate a long-overdue victory over an SEC team in a game that mattered. Grumbling from everyone, expect the latest Johnny-come-lately Bandwagon-hopping Irish fan, Hawg. As expected, Mahatma arrives in full LSU gear, celebrating his big win over a different green-and-gold team in their bowl game. Kilo chose this day to NOT wear his ND gear (though he stripped off outer layers to reveal the ND garments later). Two entirely hooded and disguised PAX opened their face masks just enough to reveal Pool Boy and Bogey, then closed up and recovered all exposed skin.
After announcing the Irish theme, the PAX took off for the rocks. We passed a leprechaun-like figure in the gloom; Triple Shift grudgingly agreed to join us, as his KOT krewe had apparently abandoned him.
Slow Stretches to warm up. Abe’s and Grass Grabbers both x7 (ND as a 7 seed), followed by 2 burpees (Georgia as a 2 seed). 23 Imperial Walkers to loosen the hips, 10 burpees. Then grab a rock and head to the football field.
The Thang: 23-10. 23 reps, bearcrawl 25 yards (Architect astutely observes that it should have been 23 yards), 10 burpees, bearcrawl back. (Though Mr. Rogers seemed to replace a bearcrawl with a 100 yd dash out and back, in a 30lb vest)
Overhead press, curls, rows, chest press, squats, kettle bells, BBSU, Monkey Humpers, Gas Pumps.
Had to modify halfway changing bearcrawl due to time constraints. And because Mayhem positioned himself directly in YHC’s bearcrawl path
Return the Rox, and Mosey back to the flag to meet the (absent…) KOT gang right at 615. Finish with COT – prayers for healing on the feast day of St. Andre Bessette.
Rolled into the gloom at 5:15 a.m., ready to grab a rock from the stash pile that would make Mr. Rodgers proud. Instead, the Knees Over Toes crew had apparently left me with a pile of pebbles. Refusing to settle for a rock fit for a garden gnome, I hopped on my bike and sped to the main rock pile. Found a man’s rock, loaded it up, and pedaled back in full beast mode—until I saw Bogey. Naturally, I flipped my bike and wiped out in a display of athletic grace (or lack thereof). Bogey looked genuinely concerned, but I popped up like a champ, pretending nothing happened while mentally checking for broken pride.
Kenna brah rolled in with the kettlebell as requested, and we kicked things off with the disclaimer. The five pax made their way to “Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood Playground,” which Bogey suggested renaming “Venice Beach” (because pull-ups in the gloom are as close as we’re getting to Cali vibes).
Warm-Up:
10 Wife Pleasers
10 Scorpions
10 Low Slow Squats
10 Peter Parkers
10 Parker Peters
25 Side Straddle Hops
Once sufficiently loosened up, it was time to hit the stations. Here’s the breakdown:
Stations Round 1-3: Thrusters, Kettlebell Swings, Pull-Ups, Burpees.
Timer: Jog to the tower, up the stairs, and back. The station guys couldn’t stop until the timer returned—just enough time to question life choices.
After three rounds, we swapped to:
Stations Round 4: Curls with the rock, Press Ups, Dead Hang, Merkins.
Finished one round of these, then headed back to the flag, victorious but slightly broken (in the best way).
Closing:
Namarama
Announcements
Prayers for the victims of the terrorist attack in the Quarter
Group prayer for my bike crash and a collective “thankful to be alive and still kicking.”
Moral of the story: Mr Rodgers rocks are heavy, bikes are tricky, and F3 camaraderie fixes everything.
Conditions: Thick Gloom, 52 degrees, 95% Humidity, Wind 2.0 mph from SSW
Ten men met in a thick fog for a Rock City 2024 Year End Review.
Warm-up:
• SSH x 20
• Abe Vigoda x 10 – We did them slooooow like they are supposed to be done
• Grass Grabbers x 10 – The natural follow-up
• Crab Cakes x 10 – Why do we just touch our knee? Can we change that in 2025?
• Tai Fighters x 10 – Quality stretch for the knee. Similar to the stretch you get from standing
The Thang:
Today was the 53rd Monday of 2024 and you are reading the 29th RC BB of the year. That leaves 24 Mondays without a BB. We did a burpee for each.
Moment of Silence for the Schaff Family, who were involved in a car accident and lost April Schaff at the beginning of the year.
Triple Shift’s Mini-Cooper. In February, Triple Shift wanted to do a Cooper (10 burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins, and a 400m run, followed by 9 burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, another 400m run, continue counting down to 1 rep of each). A wet track thwarted his plans and he modified. Today we did the round of 10 and the round of 9.
We moseyed to the Rock Pile, remembering the time Fast Tax sterilized himself jumping the fence by the playground. We all took the gate by the parking lot.
Architect’s Manniversary Workout – We recreated a portion of this workout.
• Architect – 12 Thrusters
• Hawg – 12 Curls, Architect – 10 Thrusters
• Vagabond – 10 Lunge twists, Hawg – 10 Curls, Architect – 8 Thrusters
• Mr. Rogers – 10 Hell Raisers, Vagabond – 10 Lunge Twists, Hawg – 8 curls, Architect – 6 Thrusters
Mosey with the Rock to the Flag
Hand Grenada’s Rock Mile – One of the backblasts was a hand written note on the back of a McDonald’s napkin that someone found and entered into the computer for Hand Grenada. It detailed a mile around the track carrying the rock and doing exercises every quarter mile. We started with 10 chest presses, ran ¼ mile and did 10 OH Presses, ran ¼ mile and did 10 squats.
Mosey back to the rock pile where we dropped off the rock and walked backwards to the flag
NMM
Overall we had a good year at Rock City. I was pleasantly surprised that there were 28 completed backblast. I think most people would have taken the under on that number. We still have lots of room for improvement. As many of the men spoke about in the COT: let’s reach out and encourage the guys that haven’t posted in a while, let’s try to get new men to come out, let’s be more fit at the end of 2025 than the beginning, and let’s make sure that we are investing in ourselves and those around us throughout the year. There is no reason we shouldn’t have 20 men on the regular at Rock City. Let’s make it happen.
Conditions: 57 degrees, Humidity 98%, Wind 2.2 mph form ENE
It’s been a while since I have been the Q. I dusted off a favorite Pandemic Exercise, the Stack. There is more recovery built in than most F3 workouts. The idea for the recovery is based off the chapters about Maximum Sustained Power in the book Primal Endurance that Turbo Tax recommended to me years ago. The idea is to basically get a weight that is hard to lift, wear yourself out lifting it, then recover so that you can give it your all again.
The Thang:
Warm up – SSH x 20; Grass Grabbers x 10; Imperial Walkers x 15; Merkins x 10; Squats x 10; Peter Parkers x 15; Abe Vigodas x 10
The Stack:
• Hell Raisers x 5
• Hell Raisers x 5; Shoulder Press x 10
• Hell Raisers x 5; Shoulder Press x 10; Squats x 15
• Hell Raisers x 5; Shoulder Press x 10; Squats x 15; Curls x 20
• 2 min Recovery – Tree Pose
• Hell Raisers x 5; Shoulder Press x 10; Squats x 15; Curls x 20; Rows x 25
• 2 min Recovery – Planks and Bridge
• Hell Raisers x 5; Shoulder Press x 10; Squats x 15; Curls x 20; Rows x 25; Chest Press x 30
• Stretching
There was a 20-30 second recovery between each exercise in addition to the 2-minute recovery between sets starting after the 4th.
Back to the flag to join up with The Boge, who had requested a private KnOT session with Scantron.
