F3 New Orleans

Author: TurboTax

  • Carpe Diem

    Three veteran PAX made themselves better at the Covington Trailhead this morning while the young guys fartsacked.  Blackbird embarked on his Virgin Q with a thorough warmup much appreciated by the geriatric PAX.  You know it’s an old guy workout when the Q has trouble reading his Weinke because he forgot his reading glasses. But read it at arm’s length he did, and a respectable beatdown was had.

    Warmup consisted of SSH, old school Windmills, IW, Seal Jacks, mountain climbers, hillbillies, leg swings multiple directions, all 20x IC.

    Mosey to the Justice Center entrance.  Tripod Merkins 10x IC switching legs then jog down the stairs and sprint it out about 30-35 yards to the end of the entrance alley.  Lunge walk back making stops at each set of benches for Freak Nasties 15x IC, Irkins 10x IC, and Derkins 10x IC.  Climb the stairs backwards back to the entrance.  Rinse and repeat three more trips substituting Ballerina Squats for Tripod Merkins and Regular and then Lateral Step Ups for Freak Nasties, Irkins and Derkins on the last trip.

    Mosey around the Justice Center the long way back to the Trailhead for Mary.  Leg lifts 10x IC; Hello Dollys 15x IC; Freddy Mercuries 20x IC; then LBCs with a twist 20x IC.

    Count-o-rama; name-o-rama; and a prayer for Blackbird’s niece and her family after her husband’s untimely death.  Einstein reminded the PAX that today could be our last day so we always should act accordingly.  Words of wisdom we all should heed.  Carpe Diem.

     

  • Did we post this morning? YHC cannot remember.

    Three veterans (and by veterans YHC means old-the average age was well into the 90s) F3ers crawled out of their fartsacks this morning, left their wives, 23 children, and 14 dogs at home to fend for themselves, and posted in the thunder and lightening at the Covington Trailhead.  Where were the 30 somethings?  Probably playing Pokeman GO in their fartsacks.  At least that’s what the PAX concluded.

    So the THANG got underway with a warmup consisting of exercises that the three PAX have been performing since basic training for the French and Indian War:  SSH, IW, torso twists, squats, airplanes, seal jacks, mountain climbers, plank jacks and some other exercises that YHC cannot remember because of his short term memory challenges.  All 20x IC.

    Mosey to the Justice Center for some sprints and burpees to box jumps.  Starting at the top of the steps, the PAX jogged down the steps, sprinted it out about 30 yards to the end of the entrance alley, and then on the way back to the steps hit 10 burpees to box jumps OYO.  Rinse and repeat for 5 trips total, mixing up the burpees to box jumps with lateral jumps each side.

    Mosey to the Veterans’ Memorial for the Northshore version of Ring of Fire around the Stars and Stripes.  Einstein and Blackbird marveled at the 50 stars.  They only remembered 48.  Why is Hawaii a state anyway?  At any rate, starting in a plank position, the PAX bear crawled to the right, hit 10 Merkins IC, bear crawled to the left, hit 10 Merkins IC, back to the right, right leg up then left leg up, to the left, right arm up then left arm up, then one final lateral bear crawl to 10 more Merkins IC.

    Mosey back to the Trailhead for Mary.  Bird dogs 10x each way IC; long flutters 20x IC; Hello Dollys 20x IC; side plank hip ups 10x IC; and Jane Fondas 20x IC.

    Count-o-rama, Name-o-rama (Respect, Respect, Respect), and prayer.  Blackbird’s Virgin Q is next Wednesday.  Come out and post with the old guys.

  • Plyometrics in the Rain

    One nice thing about the Covington AO is that it has a number of covered spaces, among them the Justice Center Parking Garage.  The PAX choose to do their work mostly in the rain this morning, however.  The rain felt great.  It was a very welcome break from the heat ,and the Covington PAX do not seem to mind getting wet and dirty.

    Kicked off the THANG with a warmup:  SSH 20x IC; IW 20x IC; torso twists 10x IC; prisoner squats 10x IC; airplanes 10x IC; three angle heel to calf raises 10x each angle IC; hillbillies 20x IC.

    Mosey to entrance of Justice Center.  Jog down stairs then stride it out about 50 yards to the street; alternate lunge walk and skips on the trip back to the entrance; repeat the jog and strides three more times, mixing up our return trips with carioca and bear crawls.

    Mosey over to the parking garage for the main event.  Five rounds of squat jumps 6x, run up the stairs to the top level; split jumps 6x; run across the parking lot; ice skater hops 6x; run down the stairs; plyometric Merkins 6x; then run back to the starting point.  Veritable festival of plyometrics that had  the PAX breathing hard.

    Back to the trailhead for Mary:  thumbs up dynamic planks 10x IC; toes up dynamic back planks 10x IC; side plank Jane Fondas 10x IC each side.

    Solid effort this morning from all PAX.  Thanks for letting me Q.

  • Frogger

    There’s Pokeman GO and then there’s Frogger.  YHC doesn’t understand and is too old for Pokeman GO yet remembers Frogger fondly.  The Covington PAX, five strong including one FNG, engaged in their own version of Frogger this morning.  Nacho Libre was conspicuously absent.  Last week’s admonition to “bring your running shoes next week” apparently was enough to keep him in the fartsack.

    The Thang started with a warmup in the Gipper’s shadow:  SSH 20x IC; IW 20x IC; trunk rotations 10x IC; squats 10x IC; good mornings 10x IC;  Merkins 10x IC; mountain climbers 20x IC; and hillbillies 20x IC.

    Mosey to the School Board HQ for a couple rounds of sprint/backpedal and then side shuffles through the fancy parking barriers.  Then some front to back leg swings and side to side leg swings holding onto the same barriers to loosen up for the sprints to come.  Mosey to the school board flag incorporating skips, shuffles and backpedals.

    COP around the flag where the PAX hit a round of squats, lunges, and Merkins all with a 10 count negative, 10 second isolation hold in max pain position, and then a 10 second recovery.  Mosey back to the Trailhead for the main event… Frogger.

    The Covington Trailhead is the westerly terminus of the Tammany Trace.  It also has become some kind of Pokeman GO gathering place.  At any rate, after about 20 yards or so, the Trace crosses New Hampshire Street via a CLEARLY MARKED CROSSWALK, and then continues through the middle of the block in a nice curve to the next street.  YHC gave the PAX five walks from which to choose…suitcase walk with kettlebell, twisting lunge walk holding bumper plate, OH bumper plate walk, lateral hops, and toe walks…for the first stretch, park the weights and then AFTER CROSSING THE STREET AVOIDING DRIVERS PLAYING POKEMAN GO AND OTHERWISE ENGAGED IN PHONE AND MAKEUP APPLICATION ACTIVITIES ON THEIR WAY TO WORK sprint from pole to pole approximately 30 yards on the next stretch of curving Trace.  10 count then sprint back to the crosswalk, across the street AT YOUR OWN RISK, and then pick up your weight and walk back.  Four round trips total.  YHC is pleased to report that there were no injuries or fatalities.

    Wrapped things up with Mary:  crossover crunches 10x each leg IC; crossover wife pleasers 10x each leg IC; and crossover reverse crunches 10x each leg IC.

    Countorama, nameorama, and prayer of thanks for another great day.

     

  • Throw Down for Chief Byers

    The Northshore PAX, with a nice assist from Southshore brothers Reluctant Yankee and Hawg, threw it down this morning on the Lakefront in honor of Chief Petty Officer Byers, our country’s most recent recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.  Chief Byers did a Jack Bauer and then some on some bad guys in Afghanistan holding an American hostage back in 2012.  After breaching a hostile building and taking immediate fire which mortally wounded a teammate, Chief Byers entered with no regard for his own safety.  His bold and decisive actions under fire saved the hostage and the rest of his teammates from harm.  Infused with respect for this hero, the PAX got underway with a mosey to  the first COP.

    Warmup with SSH, IW, squat thrusts, Merkins, seal jacks, hillbillies, torso twists, mountain climbers, good mornings…all IC for 20x

    Mosey to the Proving Ground for a nice dynamic warmup.  Started out relaxed with quad stretches, lunges, Frankenstein walks, shuffles, lateral lunges, forward skips, backward skips and then picked up intensity with backpedal/jog, skip for height, skip for distance, crossover runs, carioca, groin skips, broad jump to vertical jump, and finally lateral jump to vertical jump.  T claps to Southshore stalwart Hawg who backpedaled right into a drainage grate, twisted his ankle, declared that it was just a flesh wound and that he was unworthy of any further attention, and then proceeded to knock out the workout as if nothing had happened.

    Mosey further down the Lakefront for a Ring of Fire.  Circle up in plank position.  Bear crawl to the right for a half circle, halt, and then hit a Merkin wave around the circle.  At the time, the PAX were 12 (including a FNG who later departed early and unnamed-like Chevy Chase he had a ‘thing”) counting out Merkins like clockwork.  Bear crawl left for a half circle, halt, and then another Merkin wave.  Back to the right, halt, right foot up for ten count, left foot up for ten count.  Yes you guessed it back to the left, right arm up for a ten count, left arm up for a ten count.  Then bear crawl forward to the center, backwards to reform the circle, halt and another Merkin wave.  One more time bear crawl forward to the center, back to the circle, halt.  Ring of fire.  There you have it.

    Mosey back to the Proving Ground for 7 reps of fun.  Jog in place, hit the deck, pop right up and sprint about 20 yards, returning to the starting line at a jog.  10 counts between reps from pretty much every member of the PAX, the speed of which betrayed his relative fitness.  FNG Coffee Break counted like he had to visit the head and fast.

    Final mosey to the shovel flag for Mary.  Long flutters, slow Hello Dollys, wife pleasers, jackknives, and Nolan Ryans, all IC and 10x,

    Countoff, name o rama, and a Ball of Man with prayers for the safety of our law enforcement officers, for all families and communities touched by the recent and unfortunate violence, and for peace brothers peace.

    Northshore PAX are strong and getting stronger.  Come post with us.

  • I’m from the government and I’m here to

    set up tables for the Farmer’s Market.

    Under the watchful eyes of the Gipper and a suspicious yet curious government worker, the PAX got down to business on time and in an exceedingly efficient manner.

    The Thang began with a thorough warmup:  SSH 20x IC; IW 20x IC; Merkins 10x IC; Mountain Climbers 20x IC; Squat Thrusts 20x IC; Seal Jacks 20x IC; and Hillbillies 20x IC.

    Mosey over to the Justice Center parking deck for a 10 minute AMRAP.  5x burpees ground level, climb the stairs, 5x burpees top level, run across the parking deck, 5x ice skater hops, down the stairs, 5x ice skater hops, and run back to the starting point.  The PAX got 4 reps.  OK, almost got 4.  Let’s call it 3 3/4.  Gimmie a break; burpees are hard.

    Mosey to the Justice Center itself and then take a short 10 count break before hitting 5x 45 degree standing lunges, caricoa to the JC steps, caricoa up the steps, then 5x regular standing lunges on the landing, caricoa down the steps and then back to our starting point.  Rinse and repeat for 3 total sets.  End up at the Veterans Memorial for a Sudden Change.  Burpees really are hard.  They are.  Hard.

    Back to the Trailhead for some TRX strength work.  YHC set up TRXs as the PAX arrived and that probably is exactly what made our friendly governmental employee wary.  He was dying to see what we were going to do with the TRXs and ready to pull the plug at the first sign of any property damage or funny business.  But once EiEi dug into the first horizontal TRX pull in a manly manner with a nice hold at the top, all suspicion of unwholesome activity evaporated.  10x horizontal TRX pulls; 20x TRX Merkins; 20x TRX mountain climbers; and 20x TRX leg curls demonstrated that the PAX were there only to improve themselves.

    So another Wednesday morning in Covington is a wrap.  Come join us next Wednesday.

    One last thing:  YHC is running the 17th Annual Four on the 4th on Monday.  It’s at Hubie Gallager Park in Covington.  Come run with me.  Bring your families. Visit the 15th Street Flyers website for all the details.  4 mile run starts at 7:30 AM; 1/2 mile kids race after the 4 miler.  Rumors are that there is a Budweiser Bikini Beer Mile after the kids race.

  • Wednesday Workout of Dreams. If we build it, they will come.

    Looking at things from an optimistic, corporate angle, F3 Covington experienced a 100% week over week growth rate.  Last Wednesday, EiEi posted alone.  This Wednesday, YHC joined him.  And the PAX would have experienced an even greater growth rate had Sir Mix-a-Lot remembered that we post at 0600 not 0630. Yes, we saw him pass by looking for us.  At least he remembered it was Wednesday.

    Kicked off the Thang with a warmup of 20x IW IC, 10x Merkins IC, 10x squat thrusts IC, 20x SSH IC, and 10x plank jacks IC.

    Mosey to St. Tammany Parish School Board Taj Mahal like HQ for some agility work.  Set of sprint/backpedals through the fancy upright parking barriers, then a set of parking lot backpedals/jog.  Set of shuffles through the barriers, then another set of parking lot backpedals/jog.  Time to move on now that EiEi just getting warmed up.

    Landed on the other side of the Taj Mahal and used the flagpole circle for a Ring of Fire:  bear crawl half circle to the right, 10x Merkins IC, 15 second front plank; bear crawl left to starting position, 10x mountain climbers IC, 15 second front plank; bear crawl half circle to the right, 10x pank step ups IC, 15 seconds front plank; bear crawl back to starting position, 10x plank jacks IC, 15 seconds front plank.  Shoulders on fire.

    Time for tabata People’s Chair using the flagpole.  20 seconds on, 10 seconds off 8x for 4 minutes of quad burn.

    Tabata bench dips.  Same drill.  20 seconds on, 10 seconds off 8x for 4 minutes of work.  EiEi finally warmed up.

    Mosey to Justice Center parking deck.  Spint up the two inclines, “recovering” on the flat sections, sprint down the two inclines, again “recovering” on the flat sections.  Then a mosey around the Justice Center through the Veterans Memorial and back to the Trailhead for Mary.

    15x wife pleasers IC, 30 seconds back plank, 10x pike reaches IC, 10x leg circles each leg IC, flip over for 1 minute of front plank, then it’s a wrap.

    Wednesday mornings in Covington are happening.  Come join the PAX.

     

  • Tear Down This Wall

    F3 Nation officially launched in Covington this morning.  The PAX met in the Gloom next to The Gipper and, after some mumble chatter from Nacho and EiEi about their relationships with their respective fartsacks, got down to business.

    First things first, the PAX dedicated the Thang to the memory of Medal of Honor Recipient Sgt. Darrell S. Cole.  The USS Cole visited NOLA during last year’s Fleet Week and ever since then TurboTax has been wondering how you manage to get a US Navy ship named after yourself.  A little research over the Memorial Day weekend revealed that taking out three Japanese machine gun nests armed with only a pistol and a few grenades in WWII’s Battle for Iwo Jima and getting shot for your troubles will do the trick.  So Sgt. Cole’s story of heroism was imparted to the PAX and succeeded in getting their minds right to tear down some walls in search of some serious fitness.

    Warmup:  SSH x 20 IC; IW x 20 IC; Merkins x10 IC; Mountain Climbers x 10 IC; Squat Thrusts x 10 IC; Good Mornings x 20 IC; and Hillbillies x 20 IC.

    Mosey over to the Justice Center where we entertained all the arriving to work court personnel with a set of elevens.  Bench dips on one end, hand slappers on the other, with some painful lunge walking in between.  What it is about a lunge walk that looks so easy but is so so hard…Nacho wants to know.

    Mosey then to the other side of the Justice Center where there is a very nice Veterans Memorial.  TurboTax laying down instructions for the Tabata melody on tap (20 seconds on; 10 seconds rest; rinse and repeat 8 times using squat jumps, Merkins, split jumps, and Merkins again as our poison) when EiEi takes a sudden interest in straightening up all the Memorial Day wreaths that had blown over in the wind.  Once we got a recovered EiEi’s attention again, the PAX put down 4 minutes of serious work.  Hard to slack off on your 20 seconds of Merkins when you are looking straight down at bricks covered with Veterans’ names and deployments.

    A couple of welcome 10 counts and then mosey back to the Trailhead for the Mary finale:  some A-B-C-D abs; Scuba Steves, and dynamic side planks.

    COT, prayer, and the Covington launch is a wrap.  Looking forward to many more, my brothers.