Beautiful AM at the FLY. Started with a debate about the launch point for the beatdown. Riverview vs the Hill. For now the Hill wins but I see Angie’s point. The riverview is nice.
We circled up. I allowed for quite a bit of Mumblechatter today because I really wanted to focus on form and discuss form variations as we start this new AO with Kettlebells.
We started with some warmup around the body, under the legs and hand tosses.
Then we did a circuit x 3
8 Halos IC 10 Goblet Squats IC, 8 Overhead Presses IC each side, 15 Swings OYO, 8 Bend over Rows IC each side, and 10 Lunge Each Side IC Each lap of the circuit we got faster
Tclaps to Triple Shift for really teaching us about our form options and variations.
There were some definite gawkers driving by us – and they were looking. Perhaps at Angie List’s hairy arms? Lots discussion of waxing Angie or Angie checking out Triple Shift.
After the circuit we did 6 min of Mary
Low Country Crab – Me, Big Boi Pleasers – TShift, Russian Twist – ILUman Angie – LBCs Jingle – Dying Roach Willie – Penguins, King Kong – Hello Dolly
Whenever I sign up to Q or when someone signs me up to Q (Fracsac, Hawgcycle, Tool, et. al., there is always a nervous energy that starts to build up until the morning of the beatdown. I’m not exactly sure what causes that. Maybe its leading the PAX, maybe its the unspoken expectations of a great workout, maybe its the work that will be required, or maybe its the bean burrito I ate the night before. Well, whatever it is, the date on the calendar doesn’t move no matter what happens the day before. I can’t let my F3 brothers down!
DISCLAIMER AND WARM UP
Arrive at the virtual flag in front of NOMA, give the disclaimer and then take off to the coupon pile by Tad Gormley. Man, that is far! Maybe we can move the AO to the baby foundry to be more centrally located to the coupons, but I digress. We arrive at the coupon pile and break the pax up into groups of three (3). 2 pax members grab one coupon each and the other pax member grabs two coupons as we head to the field next to Roosevelt mall. Circle up for a warmup of 20 SSH, 20 Hacky Sacks, 20 High Knees and 20 Butt Kicks, and 20 J-Lows all IC.
THE THANG
Line up in groups of three facing the sidewalk of Roosevelt Mall and perform the following exercises.
PAX 1 (Timer) – Farmers carry two coupons to the sidewalk and back (25 yards). PAX 2 – Burpee broad jump three (3) times out and three (3) times back. PAX 3 – Thrusters with coupon. 2 rounds
PAX 1 (Timer) – Farmers carry two coupons to the sidewalk and back (25 yards). PAX 2 – Lunge walk with coupon overhead five (5) times out and five times (5) back. PAX 3 – WW2 situps with coupon. 2 rounds
PAX 1 (Timer) – Farmers carry two coupons to the sidewalk and back (25 yards). PAX 2 – Side lunge with coupon five (5) times out and five times (5) back. PAX 3 – Sundial – plank walk in a circle with feet on a coupon. 2 rounds
THANG TWO (2)
Absolution x 10 IC, Angle Grinder x 10 IC and A.L.A.R.M. (Shoulder press, lunge, LBC, run to the sidewalk and back, and mountain climbers all with a coupon.
Put the coupons back, headed back to the virtual flag and was incensed that the Mothership crew was tresspassing and, of course, mumblechatter ensued :-). With a few minutes left, we do some mobility to cool down.
COUNTOFF, NAMERAMA and CIRCLE OF TRUST
So honored to lead such a great group of men. Prayed for Rudy’s father, for the safety of Amanda Eller (she is the niece of my mentor and is the missing woman in Hawaii) and that we would positively impact others by being involved and virtuous.
Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Da Parish, Happy Birthday to me. YHC is not sure who started this tradition of Qing a PAX special day, but the gloom was not the first thing I wanted to greet on the first day of my 37th year. But alas, I put my name on the spreadsheet, as I do every year.
The Thang
A – Abe Vigoda
B – Burpee
C – Catalina Wine Mixer
D – dying cockroach
E – E2K (elbow to knee)
F – Floyd Mayweather
G – Goofball
H – Hurpees (burpee with hand release merkin)
I – Imperial Walkers
J – J Lo’s
K – Knerkin (knuckle merkin)
L – LBFCs (LBC’s while flutter kicking)
M – Monkey Humpers
N – Nolan Ryan’s
OP- Partner up for overhead claps+people’s chair & plank jacks
Q – quad stretch + hamstring stretch
R – Rosalita (while we listen to Bruce Springsteen’s Rosalita)
S – Seal Jack’s
T – Travoltas (while we listened to the BeeJee’s Staying Alive)
U – Up Straddle Hop (1 legged SSH)
V – V Ups
W – Wife Pleasers
X – X Lunges (I just made this up. 2 forward & 2 reverse lunges forming an X),
Y – Y’s (a higher than normal air press)
Z – Zombie crawl back to the flag.
Thanks were given to the Sky Q for the ability to better ourselves this morning and give strength & patience to those who need it. Closed with the serenity prayer.
There was excitement oozing from GroupMe yesterday in anticipation of the party at Okwata. Bones was trying to draw the uptown crowd in. The lakeview clown car(s) all showed up! 16 Pax joined YHC on the lakefront to celebrate the day a legend was born. Brief disclaimer, then a mosey around the mardi gras fountain with butt kicks, high knees, and carioca.
Circle up on the grassy area for a warmup.
SSH IC x 49 – Hokie Pokie figured it out…… Abe Vigodas IC x 10 Arm Circles IC x 20 Grass Grabbers IC x 15 Peter parker IC x 20 Mountain Climbers IC x 20 Parker Peter IC x 20
Party favor 1
Mosey to the top of the levee for a disperse Indian Run. Last pax runs to the front and yells disperse and an exercise. Pax disperse either side of the levee, complete 3 of the exercise, and run back up the levee back in formation. YHC called it a little over half way through as time was a concern. Regular Indian run to a clear spot for:
Catalina Wine Mixers IC x 10 (Crowd pleaser) Disperse Indian Run is a challenge with 17 Pax. But no complaints here!
Party favor 2
Mosey back to a drier area for a little Shock and Awe (Happy Birthday to Me!) SSH IC x 6 10 Burpees OYO SSH IC x 6 9 Burpees OYO SSH IC x 6 8 Burpees OYO …….. …….. SSH IC x 6 2 Burpees OYO SSH IC x 6 10 Burpees OYO (cause we don’t do 1 Burpee) Nobody commented on the odd 6 SSH. YHC let an extra slide by the first time, but there was no chance of letting anyone actually know. So 6 SSH’s it was throughout…….
Mary Tin Snips IC x 15 Flutter Kicks IC x 20
Party favor 3
Mosey back to the levee for : Quadraphilia with 5 burpees at the top of the levee each time up. Completed approximately 5 minutes of this horrible evolution before time was up
Mosey back to the virtual shovel flag for countoff, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and closed out with a prayer to the Sky Q.
NMM
Thank you for showing up in force this morning and celebrating my birthday with me. A legend was born this day. That’s right, YHC shares a birthday with Janet Jackson………
13 men arrived at the Foundry on a really beautiful May morning. Clear skies, cool, sun rising. Days like this really make you appreciate the beauty in the world, and make getting out of bed worth it. Enjoy it while it lasts fellas, because the heat is coming. A disclaimer and off we go.
We mosey to the track for the warm-up COP: SSH x 20 IC, IW x 20 IC, Windmills x 10 IC, Arm Circles 10 forward 10 backward IC, J-Lo’s x 10 IC, Mountain Climbers x 10 IC.
We stayed at the track for a Dirty McDeuce. 3 exercises with a 12 count (1 arm, 1 leg, 1 core), then a 400m lap around the track.
Round 1: Merkins, Squats, LBC’s
Round 2: Right leg cross-over Merkins, Side Lunges, Flutter Kicks
Round 3: Left leg cross-over Merkins, Jump Lunges, Hello Dolly
Round 4: Teepee Merkins, Monkey Humpers, American Hammer
Next we moseyed to the Foundry, stopping at each Light post for 5 Merkins. At the Foundry, 4 stations for circuit work.
Round 1: Body Rows, Step-ups, Pull-ups, 15 WWII sit ups (the count)
Round 2: Body Rows, Dips, Hanging knee ups, 20 Squats (the count)
We mosey back to the track for a 200m sprint, then mosey on to the flag for count-off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and a prayer. Days like this are really what it’s all about. A beautiful crisp day spect with friends trying to make ourselves better. Thank you guys.
Thanks to Douille for giving up his birthday Q so I could lead a 3-year anniversary beat down. I meant to give him a shout out during the work out and totally forgot so please tell him happy birthday next time you see him. I racked my brain to come up with a good workout involving the number 3 but none seemed to want to stick. I figured I’d catch my groove with something and moved on to the idea that I would provide a little F3 Nola 5/11/16 trivia.
Warm UP:
Disclaimer and quick mosey to the peristyle. It’s always refreshing to see America’s future lounging around the lagoon with a good vape in hand at 6:30. I must say I was a little jealous of the one guy with three girls but recalled that set up usually meant no deal was going to be sealed and buddy you might just need to pack it in the for night. Nonetheless I think they were curious of the pax and when one young lady started doing side straddle hops I lost the pax momentarily. We re-centered though and knocked out those SSH IC x 30, IW IC x 30, Grass Grabbers IC x 30, Peter Parker IC x 20, Mountain Climbers IC x 20, Parker Peter IC x 20, and something else.
The Thing:
Mosey around the way OYO to the little foundry. Plank and wait. Divvy into groups of 3: Al Gores, Pull-ups (count, 10), Dips. Rotate and repeat x 1.
Mosey further around the way OYO to the track.
Trivia fact one: 5/11/16 was a banner day at The Skinny. FNG’s included YHC plus Quick Draw (anyone spotted our favorite boy in blue lately?) and G-spot. Not sure who in the pax that day knew that ‘G-spot’ is a nickname for Greensboro, NC but the name caught on. I assume G-spot omits that nugget when detailing how he really got his name.
Anyway the pax has caught their breath by now and is ready to run a mile. Easy enough but catch 10 burpees at the start of each lap. On the last lap instead of crossing the finish line the leader stops 20 yards short of the finish line and the next guy stops 20 yards short of him etc, etc. Plank and wait and the 6 with sweep you up to the finish. This went ok.
Trivia fact two: I left my first beatdown with the name Tee-Tee. There was some trepidation in the name but urinary names can do that. My kids were stoked when I came home from the gloom and explained my new name. Well it didn’t last. Sometime between the post and the publication of the backblast (Shorty was Q so it may have been a bit) I was renamed Tinkles. Some backroom maneuvering but I think the right call was made.
Indian run to the NOMA fountain. Spirits were running high so no need for more trivia. Need was for: RLSU IC x 20, LLSU x 20, Classic Tinkles (someone else said it not me) IC x 20.
Partner up. Partner one stay and do modified LBC with feet on the bench. Partner two run around the now-open circular drive around NOMA. A pleasant mix of AC and paint fumes hung in the air around the museum. I almost vomited but survived. Switch.
Just enough time to catch a view of Muscleship doing classic Muscleship aka Indian Walk or something like that.
Mosey back to the flag with just enough time for some plank work on the side walk. We welcomed back Rudy from his butt cyst recovery run. Didn’t see any bloody discharge on the back of his shorts so I assume that it went ok.
Circle up. Trivia fact three: I was EH’d by Walleye with an assist from Roots. This gave me the idea of having the pax say who EH’d them during the namorama:
JV- Yankee
Rudy- Heisenburg
Catfish- F3nola.com
86- Tinkles
Angie’s List- Willie
Douille- Bagasse/Yankee
King Kong- Angie’s List
War Eagle- Baby Face
Two Utes- Hawg
Colonel Mustard- Seaman
Bongo- Maverick
Gabrielle- Seaman
Triple Shift- Triple Shift
Organ Grinder- Google
Fracsac- Maverick/Bubba
Heisenbery- Bogey
T-claps to Seaman, Yankee, and Maverick for topping list of EH’ers
Close with a prayer with special dedications to Fracsac’s mom, Triple Shift’s friend, and Moms. Thanks for the chance to lead and looking forward to another 3 years!
On a warm, muggy morning that serves as a reminder of what’s to come in the next few months, 13 PAX (a Popeye’s record) gathered for YHC’s Q, motivated only by getting better and not missing YHC’s Q…. and maybe because Popeye’s was the ISI point today. Perhaps they knew there would be smashing involved.
Brief mosey to one of the workout areas with some high knees and butt kicks along the way, followed by a fast-paced warm-up of the following:
Imperial Squat Walkers x10
SSXx20
Arm Circlesx20
Parker Peterx20
Self love
The workout
8 stations using Tabata as a timer (20 seconds on, 10 seconds to rotate)
Turkish Get Up’s w/ 10lb Kb (became sweat angels when we “ran out of” a cinder block)
Jumping rope (with 2 recently purchased speed ropes, neither of which withstood the workout. This eventually became Rocky Balboas)
Pull-ups/hang from pull-up bar
Burpees (of course)
8 count bodybuilders (right after burpees because why not?)
Dips
Jump Squats (side note: while on vacation recently, I attended a yoga class that took place on a raft in the pool. One exercise was jump squats, and let’s just say the instructor’s form was a bit better than mine. He would squat down, jump up, turn 180 degrees in the air, and would drop back into a squat as he landed. This resulted in YHC falling off the raft several times, but being convinced this was the right way to do a jump squat. YHC encouraged everyone to try it this way today.)
Curl and press with cinder blocks.
A couple rounds in, and we were all feeling it, some more than others. And by some, I mean Hokie Pokey, who opted for a demonstration of strength during this exercise. And by demonstration, I mean he smashed the cinder block at his feet, and then stood over it like a DB who had just leveled a receiver coming across the middle. We all applauded this feat of strength, made certain modifications and mental notes, and moved on.
All in all, I think we got 5 rounds of this Tabata circuit in. For the first 3, we listed to Rage Against the Machine songs, but YHC made the mistake of throwing out a couple song choices to the Pax. Thus, our final round was done to “Video Killed the Radio Star”, compliments of Frac Sac. Thanks?
We moseyed back to the flag, down a coupon, for some stretching led by Mahatama, and then a bit of planking. We gave thanks for the day, and remembered to appreciate even the hot, muggy days.
Thanks to our Uptowners, Nip Tuck, Bones and JV who hopped on their flights this morning and made it all the way out to Lafreniere. And thanks for letting me lead. – Kuch
When Hawgcycle posted May’s ISI Challenge, YHC was excited to see that there will be a workout every Sunday. Hawgcycle even called YHC out “@King Kong We have one if someone gets it going.” Without any hesitation, YHC nominated himself to Q the first Sunday Uptown workout. YHC originally wanted to meet at the Audubon Park entrance on St. Charles Ave because YHC wanted to go to places where we don’t go often. YHC was thinking to explore Tulane Campus, possibly to the Yulman Stadium since YHC is an alum. However, Yankee was messaging YHC about how he really wanted to have a Kettle Bell Workout in NOLA because it was never done before and that other AOs in other cities have dedicated Kettle Bell workouts. Yankee even suggested maybe the new AO can be the Hill at the Fly behind Audubon Zoo. YHC couldn’t agree more because the Uptown AOs lack a workout with weights. Cinder blocks were introduced at the Skinny and Birdcage during last year’s ISI Challenge. The PAX used those blocks for about 6 months until the maintenance crew of Aududon Park discovered them and tossed them away. This would be a perfect opportunity to bring weights back with kettle bells. With all that being said, Yankee didn’t even show up for the Inaugural Sweaty Bells Workout 🙂
YHC couldn’t ask for better weather. It was a cool, dry, sunny morning in the low 70’s. At 6:30 a.m., 8 strong PAX showed up by the Hill. YHC gave his standard disclaimer, and the PAX brought their kettle bells to a flat, smooth, soccer field right next to the hill with warm ups.
Warm Ups in cadence:
Hill Billies x 20 (with the help of Tool because YHC needed to get his phone out of his car).
Windmills x 15 (with the help of Tool)
Grass Grabber x 10
SSHs x 20
Forward Arm Circles x 10
Backward Arm Circles x 10
Peter Parkers x 20
Then a warm up jog to the end of the soccer field and back leading to our first set of exercises with our beloved kettle bells
Thang 1
Low Slow Goblot Squats x 20 IC
Curls x 15 IC
Kettle Bell Swing x 20 OYO
Triceps x 10 IC
Thrusters x 10 OYO
Rows x 10 IC
Reverse Grip x 10 IC
Overhead presses x 10 IC
High Pull x 10 OYO
Then moseyed to the end of the soccer field and back.
Rinse and repeat the same exercises with a different amount of reps.
Thang 2 – AMRAP
AMRAP in 3 minutes with the following exercises to celebrate Cinco de Mayo by doing each with 5 reps: 5 thrusters, 5 curls, and 5 SSHs = one set. Each round was 3 minutes. Then rested 1 minute. Rinse and repeat. The PAX did a total of 3 rounds. Every time a PAX finished one set of 5 thrusters, 5 curls, and 5 SSHs – he shouted out the number of set he just finished. YHC believes the highest was 10 sets in 3 minutes.
Thang 3 – DORA
Partnered up with a DORA 1-2-3 (100 curls, 200 kettle bell swing, 300 LBCs with or without the bell). While one PAX was doing those exercises, the other PAX was running up the hill and back with his kettle bell. In the middle of the workout, YHC called for modification with 150 kettle bell swing instead.
Round of Mary
With the help of the PAX, each PAX called out an exercise:
1.) Angie’s List – Penguins x 20 IC
2.) Peppa – Protractor
3.) Hokie Pokey – arm circles x 20 IC
4.) Tool – American Hammer with or without the bell – 20 IC
5.) Jingle Vader – flutter kicks with or without the bell x 20 IC
6.) Gabrielle – Reverse Mountain Climber x 20 IC
7.) Rev-It – Dying Cockroach x 20 IC
Finished at 7:31 a.m.
COT
Count-O-Rama 8PAX, Name-O-Rama, announcements, intentions. Thank You all again for the opportunity to lead. The PAX met up at PJs on Magazine St. after the workout. Always a pleasure and honor to workout with the PAX. I hope the Sunday workout will stick around beyond May. SYITG
Conditions: 72 degrees, 90% humidity, winds out of the SSE at 4 mph.
Participants: 30 Pax including, 7 H8!ers, and 14 first timers.
Each lap consists of running south to the top of the levee, crossing canal (bear crawling the neutral ground), running south to the bottom of the levee, cross canal and run north to the top of the levee, cross canal (bear crawling the neutral ground), running north down the levee and back across canal to the starting point. At the starting point you do a descending burp and merk pyramid starting at 8 (burpee with 8 merkins, burpee with 7 merkins, …..burpee with 1 merkin)
At the end of the 2nd lap the burp and merk pyramid starts at 7, etc.
The goal is to complete 8 laps in 40 minutes. According to MapMyRun, each loop is approximately 0.4 miles. Therefore, to conquer the H8! you will have to do the following in 40 minutes:
Run just less than 3.5 Miles of Hills
550 Yards of Bear Crawls
36 Burpees
120 Merkins
We did AMRAP and then moseyed back to the flag.
The Skinny
12 finishers for a 40% success rate: SOGO, Cowbell, Smooth, Mahatma, 86, Thighs, Mariah, Triple Shift, Dirty Dell, Ya Mom N Dem, Screwtop, and Hawgcycle
No one got nine. Who will be the first?
I feel like YHC spent most of my energy chirping at Mahatma, at least until the 5th lap at which point he left me far enough behind he couldn’t hear me anymore.
I may have to put cones out next time to protect the integrity of the H8!.
Rudy had his first DNF at the H8! but it was for medical reasons. His doctor says no burpees. I would like to find a doctor like that.
YHC had a different title in mind for the beatdown today, but God had other plans. YHC arrived at the Muscleship AO ten minutes early in real gloom, rain and lightening. Catfish was already in place and doing somersaults in the rain. Then Bogey appeared out of the gloom. At this point, there was no turning back. The Muscleship flag was planted as a total of ten PAX arrived, including Pace Car from Houston, ready to conquer the day. YHC is not creative, but made a feeble attempt to be creative with an animal themed workout to satisfy Kuch’s recent fascination with animal exercises; however, Abacus quickly pointed out a obvious missed opportunity for a Star Wars theme being May 4th (May the Fourth be With You)! Again, creativity is not YHC’s area of strength.
Warm-up
As leaders we have the responsibility of the safety of those we lead. With lightening in the area, an open field, and a shovel flag built out of metal pipe, YHC made the decision to adapt the planned beatdown to avoid the lightening. A short mosey was made to the overhang at the entrance of NOMA for a warmup IC, as follows x 25: SSH, Hill Billies, Arm circles (x 10 each direction), Grass Grabbers, Plank Jacks, Abe Vigodas (x15).
The Thang
We moseyed to a nearby pavilion for the amended beatdown and were greeted with music and booths for the Daiquiri Run, where the pre-race prep involved libations and cigarettes. There was mumble chatter about registering for the race to exude dominance over the smoker division, but the PAX chose a wet, semi-animal themed beatdown. We opted for the neighboring play area, which provided little shelter from the rain or the lightening, but it’s what we had. As an added bonus, we were treated to an unexpected test of mental toughness by having to dodge garbage strewn throughout the play area. An immune builder technique for the PAX and the children of NOLA.
In lieu of an animal theme suicide routine, the PAX performed alligator merkins, dragon walks, frog hops, and bear crawls at the distance of two support poles per exercise.
Next, the PAX paired off for DORA 1-2-3 consisting of 100 crunchy frogs, 200 incline merkins, and 300 LSS. A 363 routine of merkins and LSS was completed, with some confusion over the Q’s cadence. Tclaps to the PAX for staying with it.
Then some Mary consisting of the following x 20: side lunges, tin snips, LBCs, penguins, and Freddy Mercury.
Next, the PAX formed a circle and executed a Ring of Fire using burpees and LSS, x5 each.
The PAX moseyed back to the flag just in time for the lightening and rain to stop. With two minutes left, the PAX completed monkey humpers x 20 and smurf jacks x 15.
COT: Count off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions and a prayer. Tclaps to the PAX for showing up on a truly gloomy Saturday; staying with it through less than ideal conditions; and helping me adapt, improvise, and overcome. It’s truly an honor to be part of such a great group of men and even more of an honor to be given an opportunity to lead them.
