Tag: Okwata

  • Rebirth of the Barre

    Right now ladies and gentlemen, back to Okwata with the lights and lonely music of that gone groove, where you can sit back and relax dig some of the wonderful things . . .

    Warm-Up: mosey to the seawall in front of the fountain and then circle up for SSH x20, Abe Vigoda x15, Arm Circles x20 (10 each direction), Imperial Walkers x20, Peter Parkers x15, Floyd Maywethers x15, and Parker Peters x15.

    The PAX moseyed to the fountain barricade for barre.

    COP1: 3 exercises (Single-leg lunge, Side leg raise, Pistol squat), 3 Sets with a mosey after each set, 1st Set x20, 2nd Set x15, 3rd Set x10 (each leg, i.e. 1st Set 20 on left and 20 on right)

    COP2: The PAX moseyed to the fountain barricade for Jack Webb Went to the Bar.  This was like a standard Jack Webb, but for the air presses, the PAX had to sit against the bar. If the PAX’s legs weren’t mush yet, sitting against the bar took care of it. Jingle Vader took over the cadence for YHC.

    COP3: The PAX moseyed to the sea wall for a Hurricane Hoedown (counting down from 7 with flutterkicks in 4 positions – upright, hands, elbows, flat). High Rise took over the cadence for YHC.

    COP4: The PAX moseyed to the Cabana of Pain for 3 sets of pull-ups x5.

    Count off, Nameorama, close out with announcements, intentions, and prayer. The gift is great, but the Giver is greater still. Teach us to be generous!

    The PAX did a lot of work in a short amount of time, and the whole body got hit.  Perfect start for the day.  Thank you for letting me Q!

  • Stompkwata

    Despite fair warning, 14 men set off into a pleasant September gloom this morning at Okwata. The warning: bring your running shoes, we’re trying something new. And so we did.

    Since we started doing Okwata, YHC has been wanting to run to the large Lakeshore Drive bridge for a change of pace. Today, we did it.

    It’s around 1.1 miles just to get there, so we had to be quick. We wrapped our warm-up into our mosey with some high knees, butt kicks, Super Marios, carioca, and Zombie walks.

    When we got to the bridge, the instructions were simple: 11’s with burpees at the bottom and merkins at the top. YHC had measured it out, and from base to center of the bridge is about 1/10 of a mile, so each “lap” would be 2/10 of a mile. No one quite completed the 11’s, but Breadsticks was close. Breadsticks seems to have found another gear lately. T-claps for that.

    T-claps to Two Yutes, who went back and swept the runners on the way there, giving them the instruction so everyone could get started. We called an end to the 11’s leaving around 12 minutes to return to the flag, and according to my calculations***, we arrived exactly on time. All in all, we ran about 4 miles, with about 1 mile of that being uphill, broken up with some burpees and merkins. We may try this one again during Run Ranger Run.

    Surge closed us out with a prayer. Thanks for trying something new with me today. – Kuch

  • 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!
  • Okwata in the Fall

    Or at least it felt that way. The 22 PAX present were treated to 71 degrees and a beautiful sunrise this morning. They were also treated to: LEG DAY. (After Screw Top’s beatdown the previous day, YHC was in no mood for Merkins or Burpees)

    Mosey to the center of the intersection no one ever uses (possibly because we are in it) for

    • Mountain climbers
    • Scorpion kicks
    • SSH
    • Arm Circles
    • Hill Billies
    • All x20

    Split into 2 groups for the second running of the Single Reverse Indian Run. Like an Indian Run, but all the PAX run the loop and up and down the levee, while the last in line peels off and runs the opposite way around the loop.

    20 second count, enough time to stretch out the hips with a little open the gate and close the gate.

    Next pair up for 5 Bernies and 5 Planks. PAX 1 runs backward up the levee while PAX 2 holds one of 5 different planks, starting with high, low, left, right, and ending with bows and toes. Alternate with partner after each plank and Bernie.

    Finally, a bit of DORA 1-2-3 OYO

    • 50 Money Humpers
    • 100 Jump Lunges
    • 150 Squats

    *After each exercise is completed, one sprint up the levee and back. We made it to, but not through the squats, when it came time to head back to the flag.

    Vigorous run back led by Smooth, just in time for 6:15, where we circled up and admired the sunrise. Hokie prayed us out. Thanks for pushing me today. – Kuch

    Total Mileage: 2.86 miles

  • 1776 Merkins and a tour of Okwata

    Well, that’s what 1776 Merkins feels like! I’m glad we decided to share them as a group…

    This was my first Q and we had an amazing attendance with very special guests from uptown. The idea was to get a little tour of Okwata and also celebrate America by doing Merkins and planking after each quick run.

    We started at the flag, moseyed to the “round thing with water in it” for 20 merkins, arm circles, Side straddle hops

    We then ran on top of the levy to canal for: 20 Merkins, bear crawl across canal on top of Levy, Then 20 Merkins

    Next, we ran down the levy to the “circle of benches” for an assortment of excercises including 20 Merkins, American hammers (thanks for reminding me how to do them! Lol), dips, derkins, low slow squats.

    Next, we ran to the parking lot by the “family reunion center” and did 20 Merkins, side straddle hops, imperial walkers,  Peter Parker’s, dying cockroaches.

    We then ran back to the “circle of benches” and did 20 Derkins, low slow squats, grass grabbers, box jumps, dips, each of these separated with a 180 degree rotation (jog) around around the circle.

    The group agreed to a “one minute of standing at attention” (maybe we can make a name for this) to honor our military.

    Back to the flag for20
    More merkins and cot.

    At some point we did some burpees for good measure. Can’t remember when though…

    Special thanks to all For putting up with my lack of consistency in beginning the exercises and to Sogo for remaining me the names of exercises. Also thanks to Screwtop for signing me up for this Q! He missed a good one!

    Pax:

    King Kong, Angie’s list, Breadsticks, Catfish, Hockie pokey, Shuffle, Dirty dell, Triple shift, Tanner, Surge, High rise, Ya mama and them, Walleye, Frack sack, Bongo, Willy , So go , Jingle vador, Smooth, Tool, Shuffles, Undertaker 

  • Lake Pontchatrain like a champion

    It’s always nice to start the day off with a beatdown on the lakefront. So i issued the disclaimer & we mosey’d to the corner of canal / lakeshore drive to warm up

    WARM UP

    • Side straddle hop – 15 in cadence
    • Mountain climbers – 15 in cadence
    • Arm circles – 10 forward, 10 backwards
    • Concrete grabbers – 15 in cadence

    Next we mosey’d to the concrete planters along the lakefront and we did 11’s with derkins & dips. We started with one dip and 10 derkins, and then worked our way down to 10 dips and 1 derkin. Screw Top & Mahatma were leading the charge.

    Once the 11’s were completed, we mosey’d back to the corner of canal / lakeshore drive and did 2 laps of the following:

    • Run backwards up the concrete part of the levee
    • sprint across the center
    • run down the other side of the concrete levee
    • then when you reached the starting point, you would then do 25 LBC’s

    Next we mosey’d across the street by the lake. We partnered up and then we did 3 sets of sprints:

    • Sprint 1 – sprint to the first light pole and back (about 20 yards) while the other partner planks and waits. When partner one gets back, partner two then sprints to the first light pole & back while partner one planks and waits
    • Sprint 2 – sprint to the second light pole and back (about 40 yards) using same plank & wait technique as first sprint
    • Sprint 3 – sprint to the third light pole and back (about 60 yards) using the same plank and wait technique as the previous 2 sprints

    After the sprints were done, we mosey’d back to the flag for the count-off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions & prayer. Thanks, as always, for the opportunity to lead, fellas. I enjoy it more each time!

  • Who signed up the Q and didn’t tell him?

    Okwata was missing it’s Q this AM

    We showed up in the gloom but were missing our Q who never attends Okwata and has never Q’d but was signed up for his VQ

    This group of gentleman stepped right up starting with @High Rise leading the warm up and stretches.

    Thanks to all who jumped in to lead when called upon.

    The mini H8 included running backwards up the hill, bear crawl across at the top, run down the hill with burpees, dying cockroaches, Freddie Mercuries & LBC’s at the four corners.

    Bread Sticks then lead us on levie runs with burpees & Merkins.

    We then were lead in the Motivator, aka the dance 😉 by our Birmingham guest, Ethanol. The Motivator is a deconstructed side straddle hop into 4 parts. A hop, separated legs, arms 1/2 way up, arms overhead. One of each, two of each, three of each … up to 10 of each… I imagine you will see the Motivator again.

    During The Motivator by Ethanol from Birmingham, there was a siting of Rudy & Hawg on their mosey heckling us for being a new dance Krewe.

    We then closed the exercise portion of our morning with Mary.

    Announcements included Gnarley Nutria, Summer Race Series, our Family F2 event & RED shirt pre-orders.

    We closed with our COT with intentions & gratitude!

    Thank you for allowing me to step in and step up

  • First Timer at Okwata

    It wasn’t how YHC planned. It just sort of happened.  Nonetheless, YHC arrived at Okwata in the Lakeview Clown Car on a bright morning, devoid of gloom, ready to lead 16 PAX.

    Disclaimer issued and a quick mosey to warmup:

    SSH x 15 IC
    Hill Billies x 15 IC
    Arm Circles x 15 IC
    Mountain Climbers x 15 IC

    The Workout

    Run up the levee at Canal, sprint across the grass median, run back down, complete 5 burpees. Rinse and repeat with 4 burpees down to 0 burpees.

    YHC wasn’t thrilled with the sprinting effort, so penalty Bernies were issued. Two rounds of the above with Bernies up the hill, with sets of 5 and 4 burpees respectively. 

    Part 2

    Mosey to benches, 16 PAX, 2 per bench:

    Floyd Mayweather x 20 
    Low Slow Squats x 20
    LBC x 20
    Merkins x 20
    Lunges x 20
    Dips x 20
    Step ups x 20
    Derkins x 20

    Repeat for 10 each

    At 6:11 we moseyed back for the usual formalities.  Thanks to all who came out to my VQ and gave me the opportunity to lead. 

  • Party at Okwata

    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………

    Bar-a-thon tomorrow night!!!

    ISI point!

    SYITG




  • 11 from Heck

    Okwata started with a beautiful moonrise and gentle breeze and then quickly went to CSAUP.

    After the disclaimer, the PAX moseyed to the Center of the Universe for the warm-up: SSH x 25, Abe Vigoda x 15, Imperial Walkers x 25, Peter Parkers x 20, Parker Peters x 20, Sun Gods x 10 (each direction). The PAX then moseyed to the bottom of the levee for the THANG.

    The THANG was an 11 using one-side of the levee: Merkins at the top (descending) and LBCs at the bottom (ascending). To achieve full CSAUP status, YHC directed the PAX to Quadrofeelia (a.k.a. Bernie Sanders) up the levee and Bear Crawl down the levee during the 11. After this, YHC needed O2, so Two Youths gave the PAX a twenty-count.

    Next, the PAX moseyed to the seawall in front of the MG fountain for a Hurricane Hoedown. YHC was so spent the PAX DJ-ed the cadence. Then, the PAX DJ-ed some additional MARY: Sweat Angels, Dying Cockroach, Real Freddie Mercury, and more LBCs.

    The PAX moseyed then to the virtual flag for the COT. Count Off. Nameorama. Announcements. Intentions. Prayer. Lord, teach me to be generous. . . .

    Moleskin: It was a great effort from the PAX today. YHC was beat after the 11. The PAX also stepped up to help YHC with cadence and then MARY. Future Qs sharpening. Fellowship. Teamwork. You name it.