F3 New Orleans

Tag: Mothership

  • Earn That King Cake

    After several nights of great parade weather with many of the PAX riding and/or reveling, YHC was figuring we’d have a light turnout at The Mothership.  Fortunately, a dozen die-hards mustered up the courage and energy to post for what would be a slight twist on our normal Saturday workouts.  T-claps to Pace Car from F3 Houston for joining us.  It was Mardi Gras weekend and lots going on near City Park with prep for Endymion so the plan called for some running up and down the parade route.  With my co-Q having to back out last minute, all eyes were on YHC to bring a king cake burning beatdown. After briefing the PAX on what would be in store, we circled up under the Peristyle for a warmup COP:

    • SSH X30
    • Arm Circle X30
    • IPW X20
    • Low Slow Squat X20
    • Low Country Crab (or Crab Cakes?) x20
    • Mardi Gras Mambo Plank…back by popular demand (hold high plank while Mardi Gras Mambo is played.  A plank jack for every “Mambo” in the song and a merkin for each “New Orleans”.  Total count was a 2+ minute plank with about a dozen merkins and two dozen plank jacks)

    After getting the juices flowing and in the carnival spirit, we moseyed over near City Park Ave and stopped for a Sudden Change of 10 Burpees.  From there, we made our way to Orleans Ave with plans to reconvene past the red light at Carrollton.  The PAX gradually spaced apart into a few groups that allowed the fast guys to go fast and the almost fast guys to run at a comfortable pace.  Lots of other runners going up and down the route along with plenty of early morning parade goers, some of which offered us beads and beer.  After planking to wait for the Six, YHC handed the mic over to Mr. Awesome for a round of:

    • Jack Webs – One Merkin, two air presses,….up to 10 Merkins and 20 Shoulder Presses.      

    Short trot down Carrollton and ducked off on the Lafitte Greenway for an impromptu DJ style COP consisting of:

    • High Post/Ledge Hip Slappers x10
    • Russian Twist x20
    • Freddie Merc x20
    • Slow Dying Cockroach x20
    • Nolan Ryan x10L, x10R
    • Box Cutters x20

    Run back to previous spot on neutral ground for another COP.  Since the co-Q didn’t make it, YHC offered up the next five minutes to someone else.  T-claps to Triple Shift for leading the following:

    • Anti-Pullup (?) routine with Superman Pulls (?)x1 followed by Air Press x2 all the way up to x10&x20.  Some mumble chatter about how awkward this may look to all of the nearby onlookers…like some strange ritual.  It brought the burn.   

    Catch our breath and head back down the parade route on Orleans Ave and plank by the floats on Marconi….about 1/2 mile.  Regroup for a jog past the floats to the nearby field for:

    • Bearpees – 4 count Bear Crawl followed by 1 Burpee.  Ascending count up to 40ct Bear Crawl and 10 Burpees.  These were not easy but the PAX dug deep and made it happen.  

    With two minutes left, time to head back to the flag with a quick detour on the Great Lawn for another sudden change of 10 Burpees.

    Total distance covered was 2.5 miles.  T-claps to the guys for hopping in to help lead the COP’s and fill in for Amensty who was unable to make it.  Solid COT and prayed for those in need as well as a safe Mardi Gras.

     

    Thanks for giving me the chance to lead.  Happy Mardi Gras to all!

    Tool

    Side Note:  The intersection (Carrollton&Orleans) near where we did two COP’s is just feet from where the very bad car accident occurred later that night during the parade.  Let’s make an extra effort to ensure that we we don’t let anyone we know get behind the wheel while intoxicated.  Prayers to all of those injured that night.

     

     

     

     

  • If a tree falls in the woods…

    Or a birthday boy misses his birthday beat down does he still hear us signing?  Or was that signing coming from the Pax? Makes you ponder for sure.  Quick Draw did give himself an out that if he had to investigate a murder he may not be able to make it.  As the only NOLA F3 Pax member that is also in law enforcement he earns my respect post or no post.  Nonetheless our workout kept the running (my favorite way to kill the chatter and burn time) to a minimum in his regard.  The NOLA.com reporter did make a second appearance only to find me as Q again which could be good or bad.  I really hope she stayed for the Moguls as I’d love to see that footage.

    Disclaimer and nod to the FNG and away we go, real far away like across the street to great lawn.  (Perhaps one day the Mothership flag could be moved to the great lawn?  I know I’m from uptown but still, that patch of rubble where we currently post up is pretty lame.)

    Warm-up:

    • SSH X 30
    • IW X 30
    • Seal Jack X 30
    • Peter Parker X 20 => Plank Jack X 20 => Mountain Climber X 20

    Corner BLiMPS:

    This took some explaining but the Pax nailed it despite my ill-fated attempt at Burpees in cadence.  I couldn’t get Rudy and Bogey to quit the chatter so I got desperate.  Oh well.

    Burpees x 10 in center, then spilt into 4 groups and head to the respective corner for one excercise per corner.
    Lunges x 20
    Merkins x 20
    Parker Peter x 20
    Squats x 20

    Now for the real fun!  With Park City on the horizon I needed a little extra leg work and the Pax was happy to oblige. After an excellent demonstration by Roots and the QIC some Pax remained befuddled but alas we lined up in one very long line in plank position with alternating directions of heads and feet. The first man began with jumping over the legs of the entire Pax which required a motion similar to skiing moguls.  Some Pax choose the bunny slope but there is no shame in modifying.  Once at the end of the line plank and become the line.  Well done.

    Mosey (POW and backwards) to the NOMA fountain for a Ferrari car show and more beat down.  At one point I swear Cameron almost drove his dad’s Ferrari of the top deck of a semi.  Over the roaring of the engines at the fountain:

    • RL step up X 20
    • LL step up X 20
    • Dips X 20
    • Box Jumps X 20 (IC, yes it can be done)

    Amble over to the steps for:

    • Rocky Balboas X 30 (IC)
    • Decline merkin X 10 => Shoulder Taps X 20 => Decline merkin X 10

    Slow mosey to the side of the front drive for a version of Route 66.  A little cops and robbers was what I came up with for Quick Draw.  It went something like this:

    Partner 1 Mosey to first light and Burpee until tagged by Parnter 2 and then LBC x 20, then tag partner at next light
    Partner 2 LBC x 20, tag partner, continue to next light and burpee until tagged.  Somehow this worked enough that we had time to reverse it the other way once out of lights.

    Cirlce of Mary:

    • Dying Cockroach X 20
    • V Ups X 10
    • Supermans at varying length
    •  Putins X 20

    Mosey back to the flag with some POW run and backwards job all while dodging cars.

    2 minutes to spare so minor plank work back at the flag.

    Count off, nameorama.  Welcome to Thumper our FNG with 6 children and only one wife!  Ball of Man with thanks and praise to God.  Thanks for the chance to lead!

  • Where are the Side Straddle Hops?

    YHC came in hot as the clock ticked over to 6:31 while 28 Pax already waited in the dawning of a beautiful morning, two others were running in as I barked out the disclaimer and tied my shoes. We made a tiny mosey into the peristyle and the 31 of us filled the place.

    Warm up COP

    YHC clearly called out the first exercise at Low Slow Squats and the Pax shouted it back.. “in cadence, begin” and Bogey and his buddy (was it FracSac or Rudy, I can’t remember) started doing SSH instead. Bogey continued to mumble about wanted to side straddle throughout the beatdown.

    LSS ic x 30
    Imperial Walkers ic x 30
    Peter Parkers ic x 20
    Merkins ic x 15
    Burpees oyo x 15

    Now that everyone was good and warm, we took a mosey down past the coffeeteria to the big grassy area next to NOMA for a parade of animals. We lined up about 25 yards from the train tracks to begin.

    Backwards bear crawls
    a nice flowing skip on back (stretching humility and masculinity while stretching the hips)

    Booboo bear crawls (switch lags half way)
    skip on back

    Burpee Broad jumps
    plank and wait

    YHC let the Pax (and himself) get a 30 count. I think I let Bogey work the numbers. Then we took a long mosey over to the Foundry. Rudy was driving the pace, and continued to do so for the rest of our moseys. What’s with that guy?

    Foundry Circuit (groups of 3 +1)

    1. Burpees had the count x 10
    2. step ups
    3. hanging leg raises
    4. pullups
    5. hip slappers
    6. step ups (yes, again)
    7. dips
    8. merkins
    9. squats
    10. plank

    Rinse and repeat with the Burpees on a 5 count

    At this point, Squeegee had to make like a baby and the mumble chatter was getting mildly mutinous. Everyone got their panties unbundled as we took a Duct Tape 30 count then chased Rudy back to our grassy spot by the tracks and NOMA.

    Mary’s COP

    Mountain climbers ic x 20
    LBCs ic x 20
    cross body mtn climbers ic x 15
    flutter kicks ic x 15
    spider monkey climbers ic x 15
    spider man merkins ic x 10 or 8?
    hup hup lung jumps in hup hup cadence x 15

    YHC was struggling on the cadences; breath was getting hard to come by. Hup hups got the Pax rejuvenated and the nearly silenced mumble chatter kicked back in. YHC called someone else out for a 30 count then the Pax moseyed over to the great lawn, chasing Rudy. Rudy didn’t know what awaited him at said lawn or he might have slowed his roll a bit.

    Sprints

    20 yard sprints with a jog back on your own for 2.5 min

    And the Pax mostly stumbled back to the flag after making sure Flyboy aka Simba got up from the grass. Dude flew a couple yards before kissing the big ball with his six. A couple of guys were still sprinting back to the flag. Probably Rudy and definitely Hawg. They must not have worked hard enough.

    COT

    We lost Mulligan somewhere, but named the FNG Cupcake after his father, Cake Man.

    Closed out with the Lord’s Prayer aka the Our Father.

    YHC thoroughly enjoyed qing this large Pax – largest ever for me.

    Great work fellas #tclaps
    the mumble chatter was spirited and hilarious #keepitup

    #howmanyentendres?

  • The Great Lawn

    With the Rock ‘n’ Roll 5k scheduled in City Park, the PAX was warned ahead of time that parking might be an issue. YHC joined Da Parish as he ran past my block, making for some good F2 on the way to the Mothership. Upon arrival to the VSF at 0622, we find Bogey (rumor has it he was brought in via drone), and YHC thought the 5k would keep the PAX numbers low. The PAX slowly started to grow, until 23 men stood ready. Hawgcycle came rolling in on his bike from Morning Call where the 3rd F took place at 0600 for bible study, but still not sure why he had to ride. I guess he was just Born To Be Wild!
    YHC had a beatdown planned that kept the PAX at the Great Lawn, as it could have been trouble getting around with the 5k ongoing. With 24 eager men of F3 ready to roll, YHC gave the brief disclaimer, and we were off on a mosey to the Great Lawn for:

    The Thang

    COP #1
    SSH x 31 IC (Cause 31 is what we do)
    10 x Burpees OYO
    IW x 15 IC
    9 Burpees OYO
    Windmills (Abe Vigoda) x 10 IC
    8 Burpees OYO – the PAX started to see where this was going, but not much mumble chatter – Burpees have that effect
    Woodchucks x 10 IC
    7 Burpees OYO
    Hill Billy’s x 15 IC
    6 Burpees OYO
    Arm Circles IC 10 x F and 10 x B
    5 Burpees OYO
    Peter Parkers x 10 IC
    6 Plank Jacks IC – The Burpee ladder down ended, time to climb back up with PJ’s Plank-o-rama style!
    Parker Peter x 10 IC
    7 PJ’s IC
    Mountain Climber x 10 IC
    8 PJ’s IC
    Shoulder Taps x 10 IC
    9 PJ’s IC
    Plank Walks x 10 IC
    10 PJ’s IC

    Frac Dora
    Pair up. PAX 1 starts with exercise while PAX 2 runs to the four corners of the Great Lawn with 5 x Burpee at 1st corner, 10 x IW at 2nd corner, 15 x MH at 3rd corner, and 20 x squats at 4th corner, then relieve partner for continuation of cummalitive exercise:
    100 x merkins
    200 x LBFC’s (Little Baby Flutter Crunches)
    300 x squat jumps
    Once PAX finish exercise, continue running outside corner circuit until all PAX complete.

    BLIMPS
    All PAX run to the corners of the Great Lawn(2 corners twice obviously) for 5 x Burpees 1st corner, 10 x Lunges 2nd corner, 15 x IW 3rd corner, 20 x merkins 4th corner, 25 x PJ’s back at 1st corner, and 30 x squats at 2nd corner.

    COP #2 – Partner Mary
    Partner up for some Abdominal Fun:
    One PAX down and holds the second standing PAX legs for support – Leg Throws x 15 – alternate left, right, and center. Switch positions.
    On your six, lock legs and do alternating situps x 30 (15 for each PAX)
    Rinse & Repeat for a total of 3 times

    Final Mary
    With time running out, time to get in a little more of our favorite gal, Mary!
    Flutter Kicks x 20 IC
    Tin Snips x 15 IC
    Freddie Mercury x 15 IC
    Box Cutters x 15 IC
    Hello Dolly’s x 15 IC

    With the sound of the 5k starting gun, YHC knew it was 0730 and time to mosey back to the VSF. Count off, namorama, and FNG naming ceremony. Then finished it off with announcements, and intentions in the COT.

    Mole Skin
    Run Ranger Run in support of the Gallant Few Non-Profit is underway, and we’re well on our way to achieving 565 miles through walking, running, biking, and swimming in the month of February. RRR is a movement to help bring awareness to the issues our service members and Veterans face as they transition from active military service to civilian life. It’s not too late to join us, just send a note to nola@F3nation.com and Hawg will give you the link.
    T-Claps to Triple Shift for bringing in 5 FNG’s to the Mothership! You are the EH Guru!
    T-Claps to KimChi for not missing a single post to date in the 2017 NYR challenge. You have my respect, Brother! Keep it up!

    Most people don’t know that I was a commercial diver that worked in the Gulf of Mexico for 15 years before taking an office position for the last 10 years. Staying in shape as a diver was easy, but an office job with no exercise is a recipe for weight gain! Thanks to the PAX for the camaraderie and for pushing me to become better.
    One thing we also kept handy while working offshore was duct tape. It was the one thing that could hold anything together, even underwater! The ends of the rope are frayed? Grab the duct tape! Boots are falling apart? Grab some duct tape and wrap ’em! Need a Back Blast to know the PAX that posted? I guess we need to work on that one!

    This was my first Mothership Q. Thanks for letting me lead!

  • Saturday…in the park

    Another Saturday in the park. 18 PAX posted for a beatdown and I was determined to minimize the mumblechatter and get to work with quick transitions.

    Disclaimer than we moseyed to the Great Lawn.
    No time for chatter – straight into SSH x 20, IMp Walker Squats x 20, Cross Fit Merks x 20, Mtn Climbers x 20, Lateral Lunges x 20, Hillbillies x 20…For Hawg.

    Then long mosey to the Track.

    I like to make the guys to the Dirty MacDeuce. Its my jam. I also think it is a good workout – so I try to remind everyone that the Deuce is always an option.

    Round 1: Crab Toe Touch, Staggered Merks, Peter Parkers, Slow Squat
    Lap
    Round 2: Crab Toe Touch, Staggered Merks, Parker Peters, Squat Jumps,
    Lap
    Round 3: Crab Toe Touch, Shoulder Taps, Plank Jacks, Reg Squats
    Lap
    Round 4: Crab Toe Touch, Punch Merks (guys from Metairie whined about who punches like that – classic Metairie), Plank Walk, Monkey Humps
    Lap

    Finish that Final Lap and run over to the Football Field.

    We had time for some Tyson. Run to the 50 yrd line and do an exercise, then the goal line, then back to the 50, then finish at the goal line where we started. That gives us 4 stations.

    Rd 1: 15 Dying Roaches, each leg is 1. 30 per station for a total of 120 (Line jumps to wait for the 6)
    Rd 2: I stupidly gave control to Bogey who did 20 Monkey Humps in cadence for a total of 40 Humps per station. 160. (LBCs to wait for the 6)
    Rd 3: I gave control to Mulligan who gave us 15 Mtn Climbers per station for a total of 60.

    We ran out of time here and started our way back to the FLAG.

    Thanks for giving me the privilege of leading. Thanks for getting me out of the sack on this fine Saturday AM.

  • Splish Splash

    Workout started dry and rain started to fall during our warm up.

    Rain ranged from moderate to heavy throughout but the lightning stayed away.

    15 pax weren’t deterred by the weather and pushed through.

    Started with a warmup in the great lawn:

    side straddle hop x 31 ( because that’s what everyone seems to start with and I didn’t want to rock the boat)

    Imperial Walkers, arm circles, hold plank for a minute and after 20 Peter Parkers we weee warmed up

    Mosey to the museum steps.

    Here we did my modified version of an 11. Some have called it Stairway to Heaven. Some have called it Stairway to Hell:

    Bunny hop up the stairs, 10 Burpees at the top, then on the way down the stairs on merkin and then one dip in the fountain ( if you count the merkin and dip as the same exercise it adds up to 11). Then proceed in typical 11 fashion.

    Mosey to the pier over the lake for some Mucho Chesto.

    Mosey to the picnic benches under the pavilion for

    A series of dips with a break to do some step ups.

    By this point the rain was so hard we all looked like we had just climbed out of a swimming pool (but at least it wasn’t hot and there were finally no mosquitoes)

    Zombie walk on the way back to the museum.

    Break into groups of 3. Backwards crawl ( at Kim Chi’s request) up the side museum steps while the other two pax in the group do Rocky Balboas and LBC.

    We finished with a couple of the only women we met in on F3. One is Mary and the other is Roxanne.

    One FNG today who I’m pretty sure I’ve seen wearing a black and gold helmet on TV before.

  • Foggy Gloom

    Well here in New Orleans,  we had our two days of winter (<40F) last week and that can be considered behind us….  Going with the F3 term Gloom, this morning is exactly what I envision for an F3 W.   Great turnout by the PAX @ 22,  enthusiasm and involvement was great as expected (no consideration of DRTF).

    The Thang

     Opening act — Mosey over to the Museum lawn for a typical warm up:

    IWX25, Peter ParkersX20, Mountain Climbers X 20, SSHX25, Shoulder circlesX30 (always remember to breath when counting…)

    Then over to the fountain for some leg work

    **Immediate safety awareness from Q of the slippery surface for box jumps

    Box jumps X 12

    After (6), Q that made safety disclaimer, is the one whom slips on his right leg and bust shin open….. Many thanks to Duct Tape for reacting and providing makeshift gauss pads and band aid (later to be referred to as my sanitary napkin).  Ironically, did not show up with Duct tape?   Likewise to Maverick and others offering to take over as Q,  but as Freddy Mercury said in his last years,  “The Show Must Go On”

    Left Leg step up lunges X12

    Right leg step up lunges X12 (still working on terminology,  but much better alternative to Box jumps now to me!)

    Add another set of all three exercises

    Main Attraction:

    Mosey over to the Foundry for a bit of running and upper body:

    Half group on the workout tasks — Pull ups, dips, lunges, monkey bars, LBCs,  all timed by 8 burpies in rotation.

    Main timer is the second group doing an Indian Run for a full lap around track

    Each group gets a run and work out at the gym,  we loved it so much, everyone asked may I please have another? So we did.

    Time flies when your having fun,  Mosey back to the shovel flag left us no time for the eleven I wanted to get to today.

    Encore

    Number call, namearama, announcements and intro to our new FNG Puff and final COT rounded out a good workout to start our Saturday off right.

    Most should have got >2 miles in running today,  and with the weather,  looks like we are breaking sweats again.   Can’t wait for August.

    Many thanks to Hawg for encouragement and set up for my first Back Blast and everyone bearing with me on my slip.

    Post work out update,  I did take Duct Tapes advise and went to urgent care, got 8 stitches in my Shin….  Doctors orders to stay off leg work out for 14 days.

  • Icy Bliss

    “Ice, Ice Baby” – Vanilla Ice

    So cold that JV didn’t wear a wife beater!  But JV, Rudy, and a FNG showed up in shorts… yall made me cold!  Anyway, our Pax of 17 + 1 (find out later) was in a ball of man praying to start.  With a minimal, but essential DISCLAIMER, we were off to go warm up.

    The Thang

    Quick mosey across the great lawn to a bricked area (about 30 yards in length).  We will be here a while.  YHC explained that in the cold, skiing is always on my mind.  (FYI, Rudy is going next week!).  So the deal was we would perform an exercise first, then perform:

    15x Mountain Climbers IC
    Ski Jumps 30 yds to the other side

    Here were the exercises:

    Slaugther Starter – 13 x Burpees OYO
    Nipple Scrappers – 12 x High Plank, then under the fence, and back under
    Oblique Planks – 30 sec holds, then 10x pulses IC (each side)
    Wheel of Animal Walk – 10 merkins, then animal walk across(Duck, Frog, Bear)
    Floyd Mayweathers – 25x Plank Punches IC
    Legorama – 12x LSS IC, 12x Squats IC, 10x LSLunge w/10x Pulse (each leg)
    Alt. Shoulder Taps – 30x IC
    Knee Tucks – 20x Squat Jumps OYO
    Elevens – Merkins & Lunges (YHC loves you!)

    Great warmup!  Now lets mosey over to the parking lot for a test, before the test began, Tool showed up from his morning run…since he missed the exercise spelling warmup, he offered little help to win the game, but in today’s world, he still got a participation trophy!

    Kinda like Wheel of Fortune, but instead of spinning a wheel, we do burpees for YHC telling the Pax the letters (e.g. 1 burpee = 1st letter; 3 burpees = 3rd letter, etc).  I think the Pax’s reaction was like the guy to the right:

    fortune

    YHC messed up the explanation, so we went in letter order… Pax got it by letter 5 S N O W F _ _ _ _ = 10 burpees total.  That could have been bad if they didnt!

    Mosey over to NOMA and split into 6 groups of 3 Pax.  So YHC has been taking a Computer Science course OYO, so here is my attempt at what I’ve learned.   I’m sure Rudy will comment!

    #include <stdPaxMumbleChatter>
    #include <stdExicon>

    Pax1 = Run up to top of NOMA and back down, tag Pax2.
    Pax0 = Pax1
    Pax2 = Burpees OYO, run to tag Pax3.
    Pax3 = Peoples Chair.
    Circuit = Pax1 + Pax2 + Pax3

    int main (void)
    do Circuit (int n, n < until Q says so, n++)
    {
    if (Pax1 tags Pax2)
    Pax1 = Pax2
    else if (Pax2 tags Pax3)
    Pax2 = Pax3
    else
    Pax3 = Pax0
    }
    return 0

    Did 10 minutes of that circuit.  Mosey back to the parking lot neat the SF, and circled up.

    Plie Work: Low open squat hold, while performing these exercises.

    10x Arm Circles (F) IC
    10x Arm Circles (B) IC
    10x Out and Front Claps IC
    10x Out and Up Claps IC

    3 Minutes w/ Mary:
    12x Crunchy Frogs IC
    12x Flutter Kicks IC
    12x Hello Dolly IC
    12x Box Cutters IC

    Times Up!  We held the COT and headed over to Coffeeteria after.  Thanks for letting me lead!

    Moleskin

    Hawg, JV, and Kim Chi are a perfect 6/6 in 2017!  Awesome guys!

  • 2016: Good Riddance

    Weather: Light sprinkles greeted the PAX in the early City Park gloom; an omen of the storms awaiting us for the rest of the day, perhaps – but nothing that keeps the loyal PAX from their morning workout.  Cars rolling in hot turns a PAX of 5 at 5:27 to a PAX of 14 at 5:30.  After the disclaimer, off to the main lawn.  YHC had a workout ready to look back on 2016, remembering those who were called to greater glory during the year.  And what a list it is.

    Warm Up: Mosey to the Great Lawn.  Quick warm up of SSH x25, Peter Parker x25, Mountain Climber x24 (oops…).

    COP 1: Actors left and right.  Debbie Reynolds; Abe Vigoda AND Ron Glass from Barney Miller.  But for the workout, we went with Florence Henderson: TV’s ultimate Mom.  And what says Mom better than a round of every “Minute On the Minute”.

    • 10x Burpees OYO (modify to 12x for the brave, 8x for the faint-of-heart).
    • Repeat at the top of every minute.
    • 7 minutes: Greg, Peter, Bobby, Marcia, Jan, Cindy and Alice.

    COP 2: Mosey back to the Jungle where we remember the Animals we lost.

    • Harambe: What better way to remember the most famous Gorilla of 2016?
      • Monkey Humpers x25
      • Gorilla Humpers x20 (Monkey Humpers but with feet spread wide and grab inside of ankles)
      • Howling Monkeys: Circle up and all PAX hold the Monkey Humper position.  1 PAX does 10 Monkey Humpers, repeat with the PAX on the right.  All hold until the wave makes it all the way back to the start.  Having so much fun, start a second wave while the first is still going around.
    • Jia Jia: Worlds oldest Panda Bear passes on in October.  Dan Haggerty, he of Grizzly Adams fame too.
      • Bear Crawl Ring of Fire.  Crawl in circle for a while, then PAX hold plank while we pass around a wave of 10 Merkins.
    • Pepe the Frog: Feels Bad Man.  Feels Good Man.
      • Frog Jump to the big oak tree over yonder.

    COP 3: Off to the Tad Gormley fence.  People feared the Calf Raises, but not today.  Instead, YHC calls out from the long list of notable musicians: Maurice White, Leon Russel, Pete Fountain for starters. According to Wikipedia (the source of all truth): Glenn Frey, David Bowie, Prince, George Michael, Merle Haggard combined for a total of 66 Billboard #1 hits.  So – Route 66 it is.  11 Brick Pillars on the Tad Gormley Fence.  Squat Jumps is the exercise.  1 at the 1st, 2 at the 2nd, etc…  YHC legs were burning by the end.

    COP 4: To the mini-foundry, today referred to as “Space”.  Here we run a set YHC chooses to call “The Right Stuff”

    • 5 Pull Ups for John Glenn, America’s first Astronaut
    • 10 Dips for Edgar Mitchell, survived Apollo 13 and then landed on the moon with Apollo 14
    • 15 Death-Star Merkins for Carrie Fisher.  Combine Plank Jack and Merkin: “Out, Down, Up, In”.  (People mocked YHC “That’s it?  That’s the best she gets?”  YHC heard much less mocking after PAX had been at it for a while…)

    OYO, repeat repeat repeat until YHC says stop.  YHC said stop after 4:55, commemorating John Glenns 4 hour 55 minute first trip to space.

    In memory of Kenny Baker, the actor who literally played R2-D2, PAX repeated the same cycle for 2 more minutes.

    COP 5: Literary figures: Edward Albee, Umberto Eco.  But for this round, we commemorate Harper Lee with a re-enactment of the great chase scene.  Partner up.

    • PAX 1: Scout.  We don’t have our pageant costumes on.  Instead, High Knee run.  Hands in front, keep knees hitting hands.
    • PAX 2: Bob Ewell.  Drop for 10 Merkins, then chase Scout.
    • Flapjack and repeat until back to the Great Lawn

    YHC noticed that PAX knees (especially his own) were not nearly as high at the end as they were at the start.

    COP 6: Athletes.  Muhammad Ali, 4 separate heavyweight title belts.  Gordie Howe, 4 Stanley Cups.  Arnold Palmer, 4 Masters.  Nate Thurmond, first ever NBA quadruple double.  Athletes and the number 4.

    • Tabata: 4 minutes of Mountain Climbers.

    PAX grumbled about DJ-Rudy’s music selection (1999 from Prince and Heroes from Bowie).

    COP 7: Running short of time, but one last round: Politics.  Intentionally kept to a short list.  Antonin Scalia and Fidel Castro.  Opposite ends of the spectrum (YHC forgot to reference Scalia.  My apologies….).

    • Tabata, take your pick: Scalia’s American Hammer or Castro’s Russian Twist.

    DJ-Rudy queued up Freedom by George Michael.  Bogey especially appreciated DJ-Rudy’s enthusiastic rendition.

    Back to the VSF (where are the flags?).  Count-off, Name-o-Rama, Announcements:

    • Join the F3 NOLA 2017 NYR: how many F3 workouts will you shoot for?  Join the GroupMe chat, make a commitment public.  Let us all hold each other accountable.
    • Check the Q schedule, you may be on it with or without your knowledge

    Finish with a prayer.  As we look back on 2016 and those lost, let us all remember that none of knows the day nor the hour when we will be called back home.  Let us live our life every day as good and faithful servants, doing our best with the talents and abilities we have been blessed with, to be leaders and followers, helpers and servants, inspirers and inspired.  When our time comes, let us each be ready to look back on our time here with pride for what we have done for our brothers and sisters around us.

    Thank you for letting me lead.  I pray for blessings for all of my F3 brothers and their families for a joyful 2017.

  • Countdown to Christmas

    YHC arrived with just one PAX waiting: Cruiser from Houston. Great to have a visitor. But really, just one other PAX? Fear not. Out of Gloom slowly crept 17 more PAX for a quite awesome showing this Christmas Tide, Rudy with his guns a blazin’. So after a Disclaimer, a PAX of 19 set off for the countdown to the Twelve Days of Christmas on this 24th of December.

    Warm Up Countoff
    Sudden Change of 12 burpees
    SSHs 24xIC
    Eric Heidens (ice skaters) 24xIC
    Bows to the King (alternating curtsies) 24xIC
    Parker Peters 24xIC
    Imperial Walkers 24xIC
    Sudden Change of 12 more burpees
    Lots of mumble chatter. Rudy, ever the observant one, seems to detect a pattern.

    Mosey to the wall of honor. The quivering excitement of every kid in anticipation of Christmas or Hannukah is, well, just exciting. How they jump up and down. It’s so infectious. YHC wanted to see if the PAX felt as excited.
    Calf Raises x24IC
    Toes Out x24IC
    Toes In x24IC
    Right Leg Only x24IC
    Left Leg Only x24IC
    Slow Lift x24IC
    The mubble chatter was deafening. Too many in the PAX were still smiling but not giddy enough, so Rinse and Repeat.

    Mosey to Roosevelt Mall for some mix and match: mashing bear crawls, duck walks and frog hops between benches with derkins, dips, erkins (incline merkins) and LBCs (feet on bench) at the benches.
    Bear Crawl to 1st bench for 12 derkins
    Duck Walk to 2nd bench for 12 dips
    Frog Hop to 3rd bench for 12 erkins
    Bear Crawl to 4th bench for 12 LBCs
    Duck Walk to 5th bench for 12 derkins
    Frog Hop to 6th bench for 12 dips
    Bear Crawl to 7th bench for 12 erkins
    Duck Walk to 8th bench for 12 LBCs
    Frog Hop to 9th bench for 12 derkins
    Bear Crawl to 10th bench for 12 dips
    Duck Walk to 11th bench for 12 erkins
    Frog Hop to 12th bench for 12 LBCs
    Missed you, Hawg. Hey, that was one animal walk for each bench exercise, cuz 3×4 always equals 12.

    Mosey back to great lawn for a closing Circle of Mary, with a theme that by now should have been obvious.
    Crunchy Frogs x12IC
    Hundreds (pulsing V-Ups), but just x12IC, not 100
    Russian Twists x12IC
    I box cutters (since you open most boxes by slicing across the botton, up the middle and across the top, this 6-count seemed more apt) x12IC
    Straight Sit-ups x12
    Twists (as in LBTs) x12IC
    Merkins x12IC
    Alternating (i.e., staggered with the right arm forward) Merkins x12IC (it was supposed to be Alternating Shoulder Taps, but YHC had a brain freeze, no blood circulating up top apparently)
    Staggered Merkins (with the left arm forward) x12IC
    Dr. Ws x6IC
    All arounds (aka Rotisserie), as the FIA PAX appeared for some eye candy through the circle o planks
    Ys (pulsing arm lifts on belly) x12IC
    For the orthographically challenged, that’s CHRISTMAS DAY. And with YHC’s apologies to the PAX for running over, we made it through all of CHRISTMAS DAY because, of course, it has 12 letters.

    Tclaps to Cruiser, 60 years young, for posting from Houston, the second Double Respect in two weeks. Way to keep us all humble and inspired. After countoff and namorama, a quick COP with the inspiration to make us all better servant leaders. Merry Christmas to all.