Tag: The Uptowner

*Disclaimer* YHC is Ghost Writing this BB for the Q, HVAC.

Today is the last day of the MapMyRun Challenge so YHC took the long way to the park.  As I jogged up at T minus 1 minute, I saw that the PAX already had their rocks and were circled up ready to start.  This was a clue that there would be know time for messing around this morning.

I’ll update this once HVAC sends me the details, but it went something like this:

• SSH x 30 IC
• Way Backs x 30 IC
• Windmills x 30  IC
• Freddy Mercurys x 30 IC
• Tin Snips x 30 IC (New exercise.  Like a Rosalita, except legs stay closer together and you cross them over when you bring them together.  Alternate one over the other.
• Lionel Ritchies x 30 IC (New exercise.  Bicycle, feet straight up in the air – Like you are dancing on the ceiling)
• Merkin Planks – 10 Merkins followed by 10 second plank straight into 8 merkins followed by 8 second plank straight into 6 merkins…..finish with 2 second plank.
• What The Hell – 10 seconds Downward Dog, 10 seconds Plank, 10 seconds Mission impossible, repeat with no rest for a total of 3 sets. (This exercise was not named until the next time we did it).
• Side plank from left elbow x 25 seconds, Side Plank from right elbow x 25 seconds – Repeato

Finally it was time to grab your rock.  We had been instructed to go Medium Size.

• Put it on The Left Shelf x 30 IC
• Put it on The Right Shelf x 30 IC
• Alternating Lunges con roca x 30 IC
• Low Slow Squats con roca x 30 IC

Then HVAC exclaims “Back on your  butt – let’s go again”

• Freddy Mercurys x 30 IC
• Tin Snips x 30 IC
• Lionel Ritchies x 30 IC
• What The Hell – most of us were thinking “He forgot the Merkin Plank Torture,” but not one of us spoke up.  What The Hell (although it was not called that yet) seemed a much better alternative.  We were wrong.  We did the Downward Dog – Plank – Mission Impossible sequence 3 times, but as HVAC was counting out the last Mission Impossible he interjected, “since you all are having so much fun, let’s do it again.”  Ok, I thought.  I can do it again. So Downward Dog – Plank – Mission Impossible, but as he starts counting on the Mission Impossible he says, “let’s do it one more time.”  “One more time” he says.  Well at least we know it’s the last one.  But it wasn’t.  Perhaps fueled by the groans from the Pax, HVAC made it his ritual to say “What the hell?  Let’s do it again” every time we came within a few seconds of completing the Mission Impossible.  I have know idea how many times we went through the total sequence.  I am certain I blacked out at one point.  I do remember my face starting to go numb…not sure what that was about but it did help me to understand what The Weeknd was talking about.  I’m going to guess we did it 9 times?
• Side plank from left elbow x 25 seconds, Side Plank from right elbow x 25 seconds – Repeato – (JV engouraged some Leg raises at this point)
• A new addition to the rotation – Sit on your six with arms spread and feet off the ground.  Hold that position for 25 seconds, or so he said.  At this point, we knew he was a liar.  We held it for 50.
• Merkin Planks – He didn’t forget, he was just saving them.  Same thing, start at 10 and descend by 2s.
• Lionel Ritchie x 30 IC

Moleskin

This may have been my favorite Uptowner workout yet.  This is the kind of workout YHC envisioned when we started the Uptowner.  It was a break from the normal routine of the rest of the week, something that gives us some variety.  Lots of good core exercises today and What The Hell was epic.  I’ll remember that for a while.

T-claps to Tiny Dancer for posting at his second workout in a row.  Since he started, he has never missed a workout.

Rumors abound that the Broke Bike Mountain workout is happening on Tuesday.  Talk to Triple Shift for details (and the the real name of the workout).

You have until 1/22/17 to order a F3 NOLA shirt.  Click here.

See me if you want to sign up for the Darby Challenge.  Challenge starts 2/1/17.

-Hawg

 

Mother nature spared us what could have been a nasty morning.  YHC had been eyeing up the forecast for a few days and was planning for a cold and rainy workout, possibly solo.  Despite the testosterone themed F3 motto “rain or shine”, YHC planned to spend as little time in the 40 something degree rain and soggy grass and relocate the main beatdown in the nearby shelter.   Much to our surprise, we only had to bear the brunt of chilly midst.  YHC walked up to the rock pile with -1 minutes to spare and after a quick disclaimer, we were circled up for a quick Warmup before relocating:

SSH x30, Arm Circles x20, Windmill x20, Imperial Walker x20, Mountain Climber x20

Grab a med/med-large rock, start shoulder pressing and/or curling the rock while briskly walking 100yds away to the shelter.  The predictable mumble chatter from Hawg spewed out about deviating from the 50ft perimeter of the rock pile but YHC wanted to make sure the PAX stayed dry and could focus on form.  Once there, grab a bench/table for several rounds exercises using a Tabata timer.  Most Tabata workouts have 20 second intervals of high intensity exercises followed by 10 second rest periods.  YHC thought this would be best to keep the PAX on course as opposed to attempting 45 minutes of a winded cadence count.  The plan was to focus on core and arms for three reasons; 1) king cake season is upon us so waistlines need taming, 2) had to take it easy on the legs since several PAX are running the 9K Jackson Day race on Sun, 3) YHC has a slightly tweaked ankle and hoping to avoid hobbling home.  Out came the smartphone for a series of 4 minute Tabata songs courtesy of YouTube, providing for (8)20sec intervals of each.  The PAX was treated to hip hop, Irish music, metal, and more, all with built in start-stop timers (links posted below if curious).  Here’s how it went:

Tabata Rounds (4 minutes ea):

1) Wide Grip Mountain Climbers

2) Rock Curls

3) Hand to Knee Mountain Climber

4) Rock Row

5) Side to Side Mountain Climbers (these sucked…very little MC)

6) Dip (4 rounds), Russian Twist (4 rounds)

7) Cross Crunch, aka Pretzel (alternating sides)

Time was up so round 8 was a no go.

Grab rock and start pressing and/or curling back to the pile.  This had YHC’s shoulders beat and hoping the others got their money’s worth too.

Quick COT and prayer for those in need.

Glad to see the iffy weather forecast didn’t scare off the real men, only the millennials.

Thanks for the chance to lead this morning.

Tool

 

Moleskin:  I’ve seen Kimchi’s name spelled 5 different ways….not sure whish is correct

Moleskin #2:  Jan 6th is King’s Day, the official start of Mardi Gras season and also the point at which it’s kosher to eat King Cake.   http://www.mardigrasparadeschedule.com/kingcakes/

Tabata Appendix:   Search “Top Dog Fitness Tabata” in YouTube and several songs come up.  YHC tried pasting links but the video gets embedded in the backblast.

 

Giving other PAX grief for not posting a back blast took a toll on YHC, keeping me sick and out of commission most of the week. YHC began to feel better late Wednesday, and decided to post to Okwata Thursday morning. YHC was rewarded with ants fighting for their existence at the base of the levee, leaving their mark for more thoughtful positioning along the levee in the future. Needless to say, YHC needed a good turnout at the Uptowner to be inspired and to feel that it was all worth it. The PAX did not disappoint.
7 Men of F3 Nation gathered at the somewhat cooler Uptowner for the final beatdown at this location for 2016.  YHC gave the disclaimer and….

The Thang

Warm Up

SSH x 25 IC

IW x 25 IC

Arm Circles 15 forward and 15 back IC

Now that the PAX was warm….

10 Burpees OYO

Everyone grab a rock…..

COP #1

Rock on the shelf to the right x 15 IC

Big Boy situps with the rock x 15 IC

Rock on the shelf to the left x 15 IC

Rinse and Repeat and then….

Rock Curls x 15 IC

Rock Rows x 15 IC

Big Boy Situps with the rock x 15 IC

Repeato 3 times

The Field

With rocks as markers, estimating 50 feet, the PAX bear crawls to one side and broad jump burpees the way back.  That was so much fun, we had to repeat.

COP #2

Rock on the shelf to the right x 15 IC

American Hammer with the rock x 15 IC

Rock on the shelf to the left x 15 IC

Rinse and Repeat and then….

Rock Curls x 15 IC

Rock Rows x 15 IC

American Hammer with the rock x 15 IC

Rinse and Repeat

The Field again

With rocks as markers, estimating 50 feet once again, the PAX bear crawls to one side and…. crawl bears (backwards bear crawl) the way back.  That wasn’t so much fun, but we still had to repeat.

COP #3

Rock curl burpee circle…..all PAX continuously does rock curls until the count is theirs, then drop the rock, complete burpee, then start curls again.  PAX counted up to 35.

With only a couple minutes left, time for more abs….

with rock 6 inches off the chest…

Flutter kicks x 24 IC (24 just felt right)

Hello Dolly’s x 24 IC

LBC’s with rock x 10 IC (didn’t really work so…)

Big Boy situps with rock x 10 IC to finish it off

COT

Count-off, Name-o-Rama, announcements and intentions.  F3 pushes me harder than I could push myself, and you guys inspire me to become better in all things.  Tclaps to the PAX!

Tclaps to Thibodaux for posting while visiting from Greenville, NC.  Rumor has it we might see him again on Saturday at the Mothership.

 

 

WARM UP

After posting a few times for the initial launch back in 2014 and the two anniversary convergences, I finally had my first Q…man was I nervous.  We started out in the gloom picking up eight (8) five-gallon buckets of pain for our workout and moving them to the AO.  After dropping off the buckets of pain, we did a mosey to a picnic shelter and then back to the AO.  After the mosey and hearing Rudy’s mumble chatter about the AO not being a run oriented workout, we warmed up with 20 x Side Straddle Hops, 15 x High Knees, 15 x Butt Kicks, 15 x Hacky Sacks, 15 x Eric Heidens, 15 x Imperial Squat Walkers and finished up with 15 x Plank Jacks.

 

MAIN SET (a.k.a. Triple Shift Special)

After warming we set up four separate stations with two (2) five-gallon buckets at each station.  With ten (10) PAX (a record at Pontiff), the numbers were off for my Triple Shift Special so we set up Two (2) stations that had three PAX each and two (2) stations that had two PAX each.  The main set for the three (3) person stations were.

3 PAX station

One member (timer) does a farmer’s carry with 55 lb bucket of sand 20 yards out and 20 yards back.  The other member does three (2) burpee broad jumps out and three (3) burpee broad jumps back.  The final member does AMRAP push presses with a 35 lb bucket of water (lids were sealed).  When the timer gets back, each member rotates to the next station until everyone does each exercise. The two following exercises were bent over rows and front squats.

2 PAX Station

One member (timer) does a farmer’s carry with a 55 lb bucket of sand 20 yards out and 20 yards back. The other member does AMRAP push presses with the 35 lb bucket of water.  Rinse and Repeat. The next exercises were bent over rows and front squats.

After our MAIN SET, we walked to the play structure and I had technical difficulty with one of the two suspension trainers to do Body Rows but thanks to FracSac we overcame.  With two (2) Pax doing 100 body rows, the rest of the Pax were doing 100 x Wife Pleasers with shoulders on a bench and 100 x dips.  Seeing the log jam at the body row station, I changed things and substituted the 100 x body rows with 25 pull-ups for the PAX that were waiting.

 

COOL DOWN

Running out of time, we cut things short and went back to the AO to finish up with 20 x LBC, 10 x Swimmers, 10 x Superman with Lat Pull, 20 x Pretzel Sticks (10 each side) and 20 x Crab Jacks.

At the COT, I reminded the PAX that the Mission of F3 is to ‘Reinvigorate Male Community Leadership’.  After going over the Mission statement, I wanted to inspire the PAX and I gave them a living definition of what REAL Manhood should be:

1. Reject Passivity
2. Accept Responsibility
3. Lead Courageously
4. Invest Eternally (Expects God’s greater reward)

 

 

 

 

While the Wolfpack boyz were worried whether they could lift their arms for some good huggin’ to keep anyone from crying or whether they could stay in a stairwell so that their skinny legs wouldn’t shiver, YHC and his PAX were into some Serious DownPainMent in the real outdoors under the stars and in the North Dakota-worthy wind.

After the Disclaimer, the THANG.

First, a quick (as in quick, not some uptown hug-and-kisses tempo) warm-up (with a false start when YHC said “ready, in cadence, exercise” without first announcing the exercise):
SSHs 30xIC
Hillbilly squats (a first, at least for QHC) 30xIC
Don Quixotes 20xIC
Sudden change of 5 burpees

To the rock pile to pick up some medium-sized boulders for a fast-paced COP:
High curls (horizontal to forehead, no going below shoulders) 20xIC
Shoulder presses 20xIC
Full curls for the gurls 20xIC
static arm extension 40 seconds
Elf on the right shelf (lift from left foot to right extension) 20xIC
Elf on the left shelf (lift from right foot to left extension) 20xIC
Flutter kicks with boulder six inches over sternum 20xIC
Hello dolly with boulder six inches over sternum 20xIC
Putins 20xIC
People’s Chair 1:30
People’s Chair with Shoulder Press 20xIC
People’s Chair with Curls for the Gurls 20xIC
People’s Chair with static arm extension 40 seconds

Shake out to rinse and repeat, except 16xIC.

Pair up for Pogo WWIIs (pass rock from overhead to partner and back, etc.): 30 and then another 30.

Wrap up with 10 burpees–which at least for YHC were a gazillion times harder than the first 5: he had no more thighs or shoulders. YHC’s arms and thighs were now, officially, spaghetti.

Close with Namorama, few announcements (because Amnesty either fartsacked or was busy hugging the uptown boyz) and then a short Shoutout to let your example, even more than your words, be an eloquent lesson to the world.

It’s a dangerous place we live in.  Nothing his safe – not shovel flags, not 50 lb bags of play sand.

YHC arrived to find a full parking lot.  Triple Shift and Duct Tape both arrived with FNGs in tow.  HVAC came in hot and in need of a restroom.  We pointed him toward the port-a-potty on the far side of the park and told him we would see him after the warm-up.  I gave the disclaimer and being the Uptowner we were off on a ten foot mosey for the COP.

The Thang

Warm-up (all IC): SSH x 30, Imperial Walkers x 25, Windmills x 20; Arm circles – Forward x 15, Backward x 17 (YHC was distracted), 8-count body builders x 12?  – I’m not sure.  The Pax was not counting and I couldn’t keep it straight, so we went until I was tired.

We headed over to retrieve some sandbags for the next COP and instead of 6, we only found 4.  Luckily 4 was the perfect amount, but I am not sure where the other two have gone.  Hopefully whoever took them got as much use out of them as we got out of the 4 they left.

Dora 1-1-1 – We partnered up.  Pax #1 bear crawls out and back (50-60 yards in total) while Pax #2 does the prescribed exercise with the 50 lb. sandbag.  Set is over when the team reaches 100 reps in total.

• Set 1 = Rows
• Set 2 = Shoulder lifts (move sandbag from one shoulder to the next)
• Set 3 = Squats (hug the sandbag like Al Gore would a tree).

We finished the day with some Mary interspersed with 8-count body builders, all IC:  8-count BB x 10, LBC x 30, 8-count BB x 10, Dying Cockroach x 25, 8-count BB x 8, Putins x 20

Grab a sandbag and return it to the not so good hiding spot.

COT included an lengthy Amnesty style announcement session complete with F3 mission statement, historical significance, AO list and reviews, etc.  We named the FNGs and closed it out with a prayer for those in the Smokeys, Baton Rouge, and the sick.

Moleskin

• T-claps to Triple Shift as he continues to infuse our workouts with new blood.
• T-claps to Duct Tape for his consistency (due in no small part to the bounty of information Amnesty provided him with).  Today he brought his 2.0, the first 2.0 we have had in a long time.
• Strong showing by the FNGs.  I had thought figured the Dora with the sandbags would be tough, but the FNGs had no problems with it.  If only we had more sandbags to make it harder.

Thanks,

Hawg

YHC wasn’t expecting a big PAX, but was expecting at least someone beside himself. But at 5:30, YHC was a man standing alone: so be it.
Thus, YHC began a slow COP1: SSHs 30xIC, Low Double-Slow Squats 30xIC, Imperial Walkers 30xIC, Slow as hell merkins 20xIC (wanted to get to 30, but didn’t get there; a goal for next time–like his goal of 100–yep 100–monkey humpers. It won’t be all at once, YHC is not insane, but it’s a doable DownPainMent, though sure to result in some mummblechatter).
Still no other PAX. YHC didn’t have the discipline to stay put, even though The Uptowner is supposed to be stationary. So he moseyed around Pontiff to the gym set at the opposite side of the park for a modified Murphy of pull-ups, squats and more merkins (all sans extra weight). It’s tough with no motivation from other PAX, but YHC trudged on until he couldn’t any more.
YHC then continued a mosey around the rest of the outside track, and then onto the inner track for a final sprint at his all out: not a Cowbell or NipTuck sprint, but way better than what YHC could have done a year ago. Finished off with 100 LBCs, when who should appear but Duct Tape. He apparently got to the virtual flag about when YHC had decided to mosey and thus was also then his own PAX of one. YHC was kicking himself for not staying put. Why is self-discipline the hardest? [Difficult question, but it’s obvious why a PAX of more than one is compelling; getting the ego to accept that it needs help can be tough.]
Anyway, a great F2 with Duct Tape. Tclaps to Triple Shift for all his recent EHing.
Here’s to a large PAX this upcoming Friday at The Uptowner.

The men of F3 were treated to perfect conditions this morning in Pontiff Park.  Despite many regulars resting up for tonight’s GoRuck, we still had six gloomers converge near the rock pile for the usual no-run Friday beatdown.  After exchanging the usual pleasantries and questioning Hawg’s sanity for posting, we circled up for the warmup:

SSH x30 IC

Arm Circles X20 IC

Shoulder Taps x20 IC

Plank Jacks x20 IC

Squats x20 IC

Windmills x20 IC

Hill Billies x20 IC

 

Grab two rocks (one “good form” rock and one “manly” rock) and re-position the circle in an acorn/gravel free zone of the field for:

Imperial Rock Walkers R X20 IC 

Large Rock Curls x20 IC

Imperial Rock Walkers L x20 IC

Large Rock Curls x20 IC

Imperial Rock Walkers R x15 IC

Small Rock One Hand Curls RH x15 IC

Imperial Rock Walkers L x15 IC

Small Rock One Hand Curls LH x15 IC

 

Quick breather and tighten the circle for a circuit of exercises with a cumulative group count:

Plank/Merkin Circle – 120 count (all PAX hold high plank position while first person completes a Merkin starting the count on 1 up to specified number)

Rock Crunch Press Circle – 120 count (all PAX hold cockroach/crunch position with feet up while first person completes a crunch with rock press to shoestrings starting the count on 1 up to specified number)

Plank/Merkin Circle – 90 count

Rock Crunch Press – 90 count

Plank Merkin Circle – 60 count

Rock Crunch – 60 count

The counts on some of these were slightly botched, which stemmed from the unorthodox math taught to those from the state directly north of Louisiana…no names mentioned.  Lots of mumble chatter and engagement from the group made for an entertaining circuit.

Cool down with a bear crawl to the tree line (40-50yds?) and crab walk back.

Circle back up for:

Rock Burpee/Shoulder Press – 30 count (all PAX grab rock of choice and crank out shoulder presses while first PAX starts with one rock burpee going all the way around until 30)

Up Downs (football drill, no rock needed) – 30 count (all PAX run in place, aka “chop feet”, while first person drops down, chest to ground, pop up with count of 1 and so on around the circle)

Rock Burpee/ Shoulder Press – 30 Count

Rocks back to rock pile as time expired.

COT announcements included Saturday workout led by RY for 6:30 at Peristyle, official FIA launch on Saturday for 7:30 at the Great Lawn, and maybe a few other things that YHC can’t recall.  Prayed for strength and endurance for those taking part in the GoRuck tonight along with those battling cancer, Mason, Brady, and for political tensions to subside in our country.

Definitely a good way to start the day.  Thanks for letting me take the lead.

Tool.

 

 

 

 

 

In Search of Rememberance of Things Past… in other words, YHC hopes that this backblast at least someone approximates the PAX’s BeatDown. YHC was running late, so with a dash off of a disclaimer, the PAX jumped into it.

Warm-up uptown-style (but without hugging and kissing):
Imperial Walkers 28xIC
SSHs 28xIC
Merkins 28xIC
Low Double-Slow Squats (one count down, one up) 28xIC
Monkey Humpers 28xIC
[Somewhere in here, Hawg the erstwhile mathematician observed that today was the 28th: quick one he is.]

COP2 (one long slog with 50-lb sand bags and smaller rocks)
Shoulder Press 28xIC
Squats 28xIC
Bench Press 28xIC
Flutter Kicks with sandbag on belly 28xIC
Table top (hold up smaller rock with arms out and elbows 90d up) 1:28 (plus or minus)
High curls (straight out to overhead) 28xIC (death to QHC)
Left shelf 28xIC
Right shelf 28xIC
Rinse and repeat two more times (with some variations QHC can’t recall, and occasional sudden changes interspersed for some R&R)
Merkins 28xIC
Left front Merkins 14xIC
Right front Merkins 14xIC
Wide Merkins 14xIC
Dr W 14xIC
American Hammer (with rock) 28xIC

Close with COT for a glorious weekend.