F3 New Orleans

Tag: High Rise

  • Preseason at Da Chamber

    12 PAX were greeted with the perfect mix warm, muggy, and damp conditions at the new UNO site on Monday. Ideal setting to sweat out the celebratory weekend beers from a kinda-stellar Saints preseason victory on Sat followed by our little league dudes lighting it up in Williamsport on Sunday. YHC encountered Belloq upon arrival where we gazed upon the intramural fields at UNO, recalling our time spent out there mid-90’s playing sports for our respective fraternities, oftentimes with a cold beverage in one hand and football in the other. Yes, those were some glory days, but I think it’s safe to say we’re probably both in better shape now than we were then, at least we’d find out in the next 45 min. Perhaps our real glory days still lie ahead?

    YHC stepped in to Q the day before, filling in for Holy Grove who originally stepped up to help lead, but is on IR and hopefully will be back in the fold soon. Quick warmup included paying a little homage to the Easbank All-Stars for playing strong, displaying great teamwork, and making Louisiana proud. Scores = rep counts. YHC is no ESPN commentator but did my best with a recap of the LLBWS:

    SW/LA vs W/Hawaii    2-5      2 SSH- 5 Burpees

    LA vs NW/Oregon    3-2         3 WM- 2 Burpees

    LA vs MW/Minnesota  10-0    10 AC

    LA vs MA/New Jersey   4-1      4 Side Lunge-1 Burpees

    LA vs SE/Virginia   10-0             10 PP

    LA vs W/Hawaii   9-5  (US Final)     9 IW- 5Burpess

    LA vs Carribean Region 8-0 (LLBWS Final)    8 GG

    Next up, time to pay some even greater respect to Staff Sergeant Edwardo Loredo by knocking out the Loredo Workout, a Crossfit favorite and the “preseason” workout for the F3 Iron Pax Challenge.

    6 Rounds For Time:

    • 24 Air Squats
    • 24 Push-ups
    • 24 Walking Lunges
    • 400m Run

    Given the rainy forecast, YHC mapped this out to be done near the overhang at the front entrance to the UNO HPC Building, aka Chamber of Horrors, using the parking lot as our 400M lap, verified by Google. As the PAX started churning away, there were some pros and cons with our site. Pros included lots of dry pavement and a steady flow of puzzled student athletes tricking in the building for training. Cons included a rather slippery sidewalk for the walking lunges (hindering form for some) and what appeared to be a rather long 400M lap, despite what Google said. Anyway, we plowed through and several PAX pushed extra hard. T-claps to Shorty and Shuffles for blasting out of the gate and setting the bar…and t-claps to several others that YHC saw digging deep. All PAX managed to finish before the bell rang, with times ranging from 27:48 to 36:ish minutes.

    Great job knocking out a not-so-pleasant WOD. September is going to be a looooong month, especially if one opts to do the Iron Pax workouts multiple times per week. Hopefully we’ll all be faster and stronger come October….the H8 should be chump change. We capped things off with a COT. Afterwards we officially named the AO “Chamber of Horrors” which is the old nickname for the adjacent HPC building which has seen many a sweaty athletes and students alike for the past 50 years.

    NMM:

    1. It’s nice to have dry-ish feet.
    2. Pop Tart killed it and is filling Smooth’s shoes as a front runner.
    3. T-claps to Shorty for knowing when to listen to your body/stomach and throw in the towel. With other PAX recently going down or feeling ill mid-workout, a new addition to the Lexicon has been proposed by Da Parish…..Kenny Rogers (verb?) – Knowing when to hold em and when to fold em.
    4. T-claps to the PAX for posting and supporting the new AO. We pay back F3 not only by leading workouts, but by continuing to grow and spread the footprint…just like several guys did here when they kicked things off in NOLA.
    5. “U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Edwardo Loredo, 34, of Houston, Texas, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was killed on June 24, 2010 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, First Sergeant Jennifer Loredo; his daughter, Laura Isabelle; his stepdaughter, Alexis; and his son, Eduardo Enrique.”

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead and the motivation to keeping getting out in the gloom.

    Tool

  • You Better Have Glaucoma

    Conditions: 79 Degrees, 90% Humidity, Heat Index of 83

    Lots of good grass at Okwata and a fair amount of smoking this morning.

    Warmup

    Mandatory mosey through Louisiana’s smallest registered body of water, the sidewalk puddle just east of the shovel flag. It was good to get the shoes wet from the start so that there would be no worries about anything that might come later. We circled the Mardis Gras Fountain (where are the lights Latoya?) with high knees, carioca two ways, but kicks, and bear crawls.

    We then headed up the levee and proceeded west on the top of the levee. I almost ran over a local Shaman in Sukhasana. It would be helpful if all local Shaman wore blinking bicycle lights for safety.

    After destroying that dude’s Chi we pointlessly gathered on the leeward side of the levee. I was hoping to find some well manicured grass, but there was none to be found. So we planked for the six and headed back over the levee.

    The Thang

    11s on the levee. Burpees at the top Squat Jumps at the bottom. After you finish, run back up with anyone more than a lap behind you.

    10! – 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 Sit-ups, 9 merkins, 9 squats,….1 merkin, 1 squat, 1 Sit-up

    House of Pain – Three lines at the pull-up bars. Each man does Bernie Sanders (L-hang on pull up bar for as long as you can), 30 dips, then go to the back of the line and do BLIMPS until you get back to the pull up bar. We did 2 rounds.

    Quadraphilia – 4 minutes up and down the levee always facing the lake #CrowdPleaser

    Mary – LBCs x 20, Flutter Kicks x 15

    COT

    Announcements: Extra Summer Series at Lafreniere. Anyone want to lead? 5-year Convergence 10/12 – Start working on your buddies that have been AWOL. New Monday Workout at UNO – Post this coming Monday.

    Prayers: Spouse facing surgery, Friends and Relatives with cancer, Praise for new grandchildren, prayers for those that have recently lost loved ones.

    NMM

    • Great to be back at Okwata. My odd race preparations have derailed my Okwata attendance over the past year, but it is still one of my favorite AOs. Glad Mahatma asked me to fill in for him.
    • Speaking of odd running habits, the Half-Fast running club sauntered by while we were at the House of Pain and gave me a serious case of #FOMO. They were running way too fast. I’m not going to be able to keep up when I return. It’s like a couple of new kids showed up to school when you were absent and the next day you no longer have a seat at the lunch table.
    • I still believe you haven’t really done 11s until you’ve done them on the levee at Okwata with burpees. Are you diggin’ me Uptown? River < Lake.
    • Usually time flies when you are having fun, but this seemed like an extra long 45 minutes. May have been the trip to the flag at the 15 minute mark that did a number on my cognitive functioning.
    • According to MapMyRun this workout was 3.8% more intense than my Popeye’s Q last week. #Acceleration
    • Mumblechatter award of the day goes to……JV the all-time champ. During Quadraphilia:
      • Me (in my Rah-Rah voice): C’mon men, you can do anything for four minutes!
      • JV: My wife would disagree.
    • T-claps to Room Service for leading us out with Flutter Kicks.
    • Happy Birthday Dad!

  • Bring in the lefty

    Over the weekend my fellow LVCC member, and unofficial F3 chauffeur, Screw Top was injured (not seriously) in a purely unavoidable pool incident in which he was emulating Odell Beckham Jr. Thankfully Kuch being the big man that he is volunteered to step up as replacement Q. Unfortunately it was determined on Tuesday afternoon that Kuch’s schedule would not allow him to Q. So your resident relief pitcher stepped in to clean up the mess. I scoured the F3 exicon for a solid routine and came across one that had a fitting name for me but also would somewhat put me out of my comfort zone.

    25 PAX gathered at our usual location for The Foundry on a typical hot, humid, windless morning. Disclaimer was given and off we went to the track.

    Warm Up (all exercises IC):

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

    Tha Thang:

    I found a routine on the exicon called The Cooper which was fitting for me since my youngest 2.0 is named Cooper, who also happened to turn 3 y.o. 4 days ago. The Cooper consists on running a lap around the track then performing 10 burpees, 10 squats, and 10 merkins. Then run a lap and follow with 9,9,9, etc. in descending order until completed.

    T-claps to Shuffles and Holygrove who absolutely killed it. Speaking for myself I still had over 2 laps plus exercises to go when they finished. As instructed (rather poorly) anyone who had finished all 10 rounds were to plank, perform the ISI squat, do some mary, or help sweep the 6. I apologize if I missed anyone deserving of T-claps.

    Around 6:10 I yelled for anyone who hadn’t completed all 10 rounds to circle up back at the start with the rest of the PAX for some mary. To keep in line of helping newer members get practice with leading workouts Mmmbop, Tug Boat, and Pop Tart stepped to each lead an exercise. T-claps to all 3 men.

    Mosey back to the flag. I explained to the PAX my reasoning for choosing this routine. I will never be the best distance runner, I will never be able to easily crank out merkins, and burpees are among my least favorite exercises. But I wanted to better myself in these areas and hopefully everyone that participated was able to do the same. Countoff, name-o-rama, announcements, sweat ball of man.

  • Sprints and Merkins

    On another glorious hot and muggy August morning, 11 pax arrived for what may possibly have been the last Danger Zone workout, and Smooth’s bon voyage before heading to the life of Tapas and Sangria. 

    After a quick disclaimer, we moseyed to the track for a warmup that consisted of:

    • SSH x 20
    • Squat jacks x 20
    • Windmills x 20
    • Grass grabbers x 15
    • High kicks 
    • Butt kicks
    • High knees

    The thang – 

    Pax were to make 4 laps (1 mile) around the track as fast as possible.   After each lap, pax were required to do 50 merkins each, totaling 200 merkins.  When finished the group did LBC’s and other core exercises waiting for the six.  

    Next on the agenda was a sprint beep test, which was initially planned to be done on the track, but a large group of runners were also on the track, so we shifted to the grass in the middle of the field.  

    YHC forgot to bring cones so we formed 2 points about 20 yards apart.   All pax lined up with the objective to sprint to the opposite “cone” before the sound of the beep.  Once the next beep would sound, the Pax would sprint back to the opposite side awaiting the next beep.  This continued while the time between beeps decreased.  If a pax was unable to make it back to the line before the beep, he would be eliminated and assume a plank position.  T-claps to Holy Grove and Jesus Juice for battling it out to the end with JJ taking the crown.  

    With about 5 minutes remaining, we circled up for some more core called out by the pax.  Exercises included Freddy Mercurys, LBCs, and a few others that I can’t remember.  Last but not least we finished up with a merkin ring of fire before heading back to the flag. 

    Circled up where intentions were offered for those battling cancer, Holy Grove’s father, Smooth’s impending move to Spain and giving thanks for our health and good fortunes.  

    Thank you for posting with me and the opportunity to lead. 

    SYITG!

  • Adios para ahora

    It was a typical summer Sunday morning in front of NOMA. We had our biggest showing yet at the Renaissance and it was the first time I q’d that wasn’t the stomp. All in all it went really well…even a little tougher than I originally thought. Started off with the disclaimer in Spanish and translated to English for those that took Latin in school.

    Warmup with a lap around noma and circled up for TARRAGONA (where I’ll be living)

    Tin snips, air squats, Russian twists, ranger merkins, Abe vigoda, gas pumps, intended to do one armed pickle pounders but turned into the normal ones, Nolan Ryan’s, and finished with angle grinders

    Then we partnered up and did bear crawl 1,2,3 (cumulative 100 merkins, 200 lbc, and 300 air squats while other person bear crawls to second tree and back). My neck is still a little sore.

    Lastly, everyone completed two rounds of what I call 3 x 5’s. Kept your same partner…one is running up and back lelong drive while the other goes through 5 smurf jacks, 5 merkins, and 5 crunchy frogs). Continue with that pattern until partner gets back.

    I’m very grateful to belong to such an awesome group. Best wishes to everyone! I look forward to seeing you all in the gloom 🇺🇸🇪🇸💪🏻👊🏻🏃‍♂️

  • Kicking Some Grass with The King

    It was a somber day on August 16, 1977.  Elvis Aaron Presley was just finishing up his morning glory when the King collapsed due to heart failure.  Today we honor that great American in the best way we know how; by empowering our bodies through exercise and our souls through listening to his music.  Elvis was a HIM before we know what a HIM was.  

    W/U

    • Side Straddle Hop x 42
    • Imperial Walkers x 20
    • Hill Billies x 20
    • Arm Circles x 20
    • Mountain Climbers x 2o
    • J Lo’s x 10

    The Thang – Complete each exercise for the duration of the song playing. 

    • Hound Dog – Doggie Paddle 2:15
    • Teddy Bear – Bear crawl & Crawl Bear suicide – 1:48
    • American Trilogy – Merkins x10, Staggeredx 10, Staggered x10, Diamond x 10, Wide x 10, Chuck Norris x10,  Crossfit x 10, – 4:28
    • Burning Love – Pure Burn (1. Face the fence 2. Get in the squat position 3/4 up while holding the fence; 3. On the balls of your feet (tiptoes);  Pulse 3/4 down to 1/2 (90 degrees) X 10;  Pulse 1/2 all the way down X10; Repeat) – 2:50
    • Blue Suede Shoes – 1 merk, 2 LBC, 3 Squats,  25 Rocky Balboa’s – 2:00
    • Can’t Help Falling – Tunnel of Love 3:02
    • Don’t be cruel – Burp & Merk  (add a merkin to each burpee) – 2:03
    • Marie’s The Name x 3 – We brought those who had not Qed to the middle to lead.  T-Claps to Breadsticks, Tug Boat, and Fast Tax

    Announcements –  IRON PAX!  Sign up at https://f3greenwood.com/ironpax-form/  We are currently in 2nd place by 11 Pax. 

    Intentions – Those with cancer, our new students starting another school year especially Brady Lefleur, those intentions unspoken and kept in our hearts.

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead, thank you very much!

    Da Parish

  • Maiden Voyage

    Eager to mark our territory with a trail of sweat, 14 PAX, aka privateers, gathered this Monday for a maiden voyage in the uncharted waters of northern 70122, and area deep with nautical history.  This would be a test run to check out the area and also see what interests there may be in establishing a new AO.  As the clock neared 5:30, it was encouraging to see a mix of guys, coming from near and far, that all wanted to be in that number.  Before we set sail, YHC mentioned that this workout would be somewhat of an exploratory mission and perhaps a work-in-progress as we bounced around.  The disclaimer came next followed by the annual recitation of a crude yet useful nugget from the F3 Lexicon that is something we should strive to avoid:  Whiskey Dicking (verb) – “Half stepping through a workout or other event.  More generally, execution of anything without sufficient zeal”…recently updated to read “Tentative execution of a task”.  Basically, try to give it your all and make the most out of the next 45 minutes.  Here’s what we did:

    Quick “capri lap” around the parking lot with a COP in the nearby field for a warmup of IW, Phelps, WM, AC, Toy Soilders, LSS.  

    Then we kept it close for any lost latecomers with a continuation of the warmup, getting in a diamond formation for Burpees x20, Bench/Bleacher Dips x15, Jump Squats x10, Tire Flips x5.  This circuit would hopefully be repeated later on but no dice.  

    From there, we moseyed into the heart of UNO’s campus, with a stop to plank for the six followed by 10 Merkins.  T-claps to Kuch and Gideon who YHC overheard discuss trying to nudge a guy back out in the gloom…#HIM!  We ended the mosey near an area officially named “the lazy river” by Gabrielle which is adjacent to a few tall sets of stairs leading up to the amphitheater hill.  Here we dropped anchor for the first round of Dora, partnering up for 100 crossfit/hand-release Merkins while PAX#2 ran a lap up and down the stairs and hill.  Pull anchor up…

    Northerly mosey to the concrete planters in front of the Alumni Building for the second round of Dora.  T-claps to Holy Grove and others for pushing hard then sweeping the six. Partner up with someone different (swinger style) for Inclined Hip Slappers x200 while PAX#2 run to the top of the levee and back.  Some groans and panting were heard on this one.    

    From here we changed course back towards harbor, stopping in front of The UC for the third round of Dora.  Original plans called for a stair running loop but time was ticking and we had to wing it with LBC x300 (in sets of 50) which PAX#2 held a low squat #ISI.  We had to cut this a tad short and hightail it across the field to the flag.  Shout out to HG and JJ for kicking it in high gear on the final run.  Total distance covered was approx 2.17 miles.  YHC’s goal of scoping out the area was accomplished but the run/plank time squeezed out some of the circuit work.   

    Finished things off with a COT.  Next two workouts in that location (NW corner of Leon C. Simon and Elysian Fields) will be 8/26 and 9/9.  Input and Qs are welcome so please chime in and/or step up.  Hopefully this AO takes off, in turn further growing the footprint of F3 and having a positive impact on more men.  T-claps to Gideon for the nudge and pledge to help get this going.  

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead. 

    Tool 

  • No Fancy names today….

    No fancy name but hopefully a little pain; that was the mantra going into my VQ. 12 Pax braved the heat and humidity of an August morning to get better physically and mentally.  

    Throughout the week leading up to the big event, I went back and forth thinking, “Would the beatdown be tough enough?  Do we need more to fill the time?”   About 20 minutes in after YHC was sucking wind, and judging by the groans coming from the other Pax, those questions were answered.  

    Gave the disclaimer and we did a quick mosey around NOMA before circling up for some warmups in cadence.  

    • SSH x 20
    • Kettle Bell Squats x 20
    • Peter Parkers x 20
    • Shoulder taps x 20 each shoulder
    • Arm circles – 20 forward and 20 backwards 

    From here we lined up in 2 groups and did an Indian Run from NOMA down to the entrance of the park (Carrollton) and back up heading to the Foundry.  

    Once we reached the Foundry the Pax split into groups at 5 stations for a Tabata workout of 45 seconds on, with a 10 second break in between stations.  We completed AMRAP and did 3 rounds of the following:

    • Jump squats
    • Carolina dry docks
    • Single leg jump lunges
    • Pull-ups
    • Dips

    After completing the 3 rounds we moseyed back to the field in front of NOMA, where there were 4 cones spread about 20 yards apart in a square formation.  The Pax formed 4 groups with 3 at each cone.  Moving clockwise, each Pax had to bear crawl to the first cone and wait for all Pax to reach their cone.  While waiting for the 6, Pax were to assume a squat position.  

    Once everyone reached the cone, the Pax did 10 burpees.  Next cone was a crab walk with the same instructions (hold squat waiting for the six and then 10 burpees).  We repeated the same pattern for the remaining 2 cones for a quick 40 burpees after both bear crawls and crab walks. 

    After a short 20 count break, we regrouped lining up with the first tree and did an all- out sprint (40-50 yds).  We repeated this for a total of 4 sprints.  

    With a solid 6 minutes or so remaining, we circled up for some core exercises called out by different Pax.  From memory we did:

    Wife pleasers

    Hey mary? (Probably butchered the actual name)

    Side leg lifts

    Dying Cockroach

    Reverse cork screw? (See above)

    LBC

    Crunchy frogs

    1-2 other core 

    Finally we finished in the CoT for the conclusion with the NOR, announcements, intentions and prayer.  

    With the exception of YHC losing his car key, it was a great first Q, and I appreciate everyone coming out and posting.  Also,  big thanks to everyone for helping me look afterwards for the missing key, albeit without any success.  And lastly, thank you to Thumb War for the ride home.  

    Enjoyed the opportunity to lead and SYITG!


  • Typical, Humid, Summer 610 Stomp Morning

    What is also becoming typical on Tuesdays is the large PAX and participation we continue to see and grow through F3.  This is despite even adding a Monday morning running workout.  This is a good thing.

    The workout was very simple:

    15 minutes out and back,  traditional route via Bayou St John.

    Then directly to the track for 10 minutes of running the straights,  jog

    curves.

    Then some stretching exercises, LBCs,  and a “slant” hold for that last 5 minutes.  Some folks haven’t stretched since high school.

    Count off, Nam-a-rama, Announcements, COT.

    Always a privilege to lead with such a great large group of like minded individuals.

    From San Jose, CA see you in the gloom and on the radio,

    Bongo

     

  • My first Okwata Q

    21 PAX gathered for my first Okwata Q on a gloriously humid morning, although a slight breeze was present so it made for a much more tolerable beatdown. Since the grass on the levee is still well over a foot high and plenty saturated from all the rain we have been having I opted have the PAX stay mostly on cement today, much to the dismay of couple members of the PAX. Disclaimer was given at our usual location and we moseyed over to the intersection for some warm up.

    Warm Up (all done IC):

    • SSH x 20
    • Windmills x 10
    • Cement grabbers x 15
    • Self love x 15
    • Arm circles fwd/rev x 10 each
    • Imperial Squat Walkers x 15

    The Thang #1: PAX was split into 2 groups (1 group had 3 members due to the odd number). 1 member of the PAX would run up the hill in stated direction while partner stayed at the bottom and performed an exercise. When partner 1 completes the lap swap with partner 2.

    • Lap 1: partner 1 run uphill facing forward, partner 2 high plank
    • Lap 2: partner 1 side shuffle facing neutral ground, partner 2 L side plank
    • Lap 3: partner 1 Bernie Sanders, partner 2 R side plank
    • Lap 4: partner 1 side shuffle facing sidewalk, partner 2 plank clocks (right arm move hand back and forth from 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 positions; left arm move hand back and forth from 11:00, 9:00, and 7:00)

    While planking Hokie Pokie asked if I had plans on performing the 20 sec worth of squats for ISI today. I told him I was unaware but would work that in for later in the beatdown.

    The Thang #2:

    Mosey over to the benches for some alternating upper and lower body exercises. Burpees are the counter.

    • Burpees x 15 reps
    • L step ups
    • Derkins
    • Calf raises
    • Dips
    • R step ups
    • Shoulder taps
    • Squats jumps

    Thankfully PAX is intelligent enough to avoid some standing water with exercises so not all exercises were performed on or in front of the bench in order to stay as dry as possible. After this it was time to mosey back to the flag for some Freddy Mercury x 25 reps and the ISI challenge for 20 seconds, with proper form demonstrated by Mahatma. Count-off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and sweaty ball of man.

    Thanks to all the men who got out in the gloom for my first Okwata Q. Hopefully it was worthwhile. Can’t wait to do it again.