F3 New Orleans

Blog

  • Hawgcycle Tries to Kill The Uptowner

    “Try everything once, except folk dancing and incest” – Thomas Beecham

    Words to live by especially for a young man growing up in Arkansas.  Things got dicey in High School when I was forced to Square Dance with my Football Coach during P.E., but that is a story for another day.  True to good ole’ Tom’s quote, I decided to introduce an all Yoga workout at The Uptowner today.  As awkward as leading a bunch of dudes through Yoga poses might be for 45 minutes, it’s not one of the things restricted by Thomas Beecham’s quote, so I figured we had to try it.

    I am not a professional trainer and I am certainly not a Yogi Master.  The only Yoga I have ever done was Yoga X from the original P90X DVDs.  That was probably my favorite (and at the same time most hated) part of P90X, along with the Plyometrics.  I was surprised at how hard it was the first time I did it, but I could tell it was good for me, strength and flexibility wise.

    So, in an effort to help the PAX proactively prevent hamstring and back injuries, I channeled my inner Tony Horton and tried my best to remember the first 45 minutes of Yoga X.

    The Thang

    We grabbed some rocks to use as Yoga blocks, but I don’t think anyone used them.

    • Mountain Pose (5 deep breaths)
    • Wide Stance Hamstring Stretch
    • Split Leg Hamstring Strectch
    • Side Stretch
    • Sun Salutations x 3
    • Series of Asanas (Mission Impossible to Upward Dog to Merkin to Downward Dog, to Pose, and then back to plank)  Poses included:  Runner’s Pose, Crescent Pose, Warrior One, Warrior Two, Reverse Warrior, Triangle Pose, Chair to Prayer Twist, Twisting Triangle Pose, Right angle Pose to Right Angle Pose & Grab.

    That was all we had time for.  I purposefully took my time and did not make it to Warrior 3 or Half Moon.  Maybe next time?

    Naked Man Moleskin

    Fortunately we had an FNG today, but unfortunately his first introduction to F3 was Yoga.  My bad.  Not sure where we go from here.  Maybe it’s worth trying again some day at The Uptowner (assuming people continue to come after this).  If so, our resident Yogi Shorty should Q the next one.  Maybe it becomes wildly popular as our Chi gets right and we decide to start a Yoga only AO (Sculpture Garden seems appropriate).  Or maybe we decide to never mention this day again for as long as we live.

    JV says we do not want to mention this to Douille and I whole-heartedly agree.  I doubt he ever looks at a backblast other than the Uptown ones, so we should be good.  When I mentioned that anything is worth trying once, Amnesty reminded us all of how much trouble that philosophy can get you into in New Orleans, especially in the Quarter.  Fortunately we were in Jefferson Parish this mornig, so I carried on.  I definitely need to bring some Yoga Music next time.

    Namaste

     

     

  • F3+NOTC+2Miles+ColdBeer=GoodTime

    “Running is not, as it often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week.  It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too.”   -Richard O’Brien

    The PAX of F3 NOLA trickled into City Park Wednesday evening to not only test the limits of our middle-aged chassis (minus the 20-somethings) but also support NOTC in their quest to promote running in the community.  This was a good setting for us to get the word out about F3 and EH a few new guys.  T-claps to the 16+ PAX for posting, even though it looked like it was going to be a washout.  Luckily, it cleared up and the race went off as planned.  T-claps to those who stayed behind to man the tent and churn our cups of Gatorade to the masses.  Those that ran were greeted with the all so pleasant mugginess that is to be expected this time of year.  Despite the heat and humidity, several PAX pushed hard and had great race times.  T-claps to Cowbell, Rudy, Shorty, Roots, etc for taking the lead.  T-claps to everyone for EHing after the race.  The rain made the crowd a bit light but there were plenty of potential gloomers.  YHC gets the vibe our numbers will continue to grow due to the PAX spreading the F3 love.

    T-claps to Rudy for getting this pic and t-claps to Side Effects for building the cool sign:

    Thanks to everyone who came out, contributed, or helped out.  Hopefully we can do more events like these in the future.  It was also good to meet some of the Ms and 2.0s.

    See you in the gloom.

    Tool

  • How Many Concrete Planters?

    6 PAX posted on a morning with a distinct scent of fartsacking in the air as track club participants from last night failed to show. But Rudy, Surge, and SOGO stood in the gap and made their presence known.

    And, we should all give serious TClaps to SOGO who has made four straight posts after being an FNG on Monday at Rock City. Is that a record??

    We also heard Tclaps in order for SFx professional f3 sign he brought last night. Well done!

    And, by the way, you know you are an F3 faithful when you phone auto-corrects your typing on unrelated words to “Derkin”.

    Enough mumble chatter, here’s…

    the thang

    After disclaimer, mosey around brightly lit-up fountain.

    Warm-Up COP

    All IC

    SSH x 35
    Windmill x 20
    Arm circle
    IW x 20

    Mosey down path towards levee near street

    20 – 10 Tabata
    3 sets of 20-10 Tabata. 20 seconds on one workout, 10 second rest, then 20 seconds on the other, 10 sec rest, and repeat for two more identical reps.

    First Set
    Plank jacks
    Seal jacks

    2nd Set
    High plank to elbow and back
    Stationary running

    3rd Set
    Mountain climbers
    Imperial squat walkers

    PAX moseyed down hill, with lunges mixed in.

    Gathered by concrete planters on lakefront. A rather lame attempt at a relay race followed. YHC needs to learn how to count concrete planters!

    1st Race

    2 teams of 3.

    Pax separate among concrete planters and did derkins while first guy ran, tagged, next guy, and other started running. Went down, and on way back men at planters did Russian twists. First race ended.

    2nd race

    Longer version of the first with hipslappers replacing twists.

    Moseyed to pull up bars.

    Johnny Cash Ring of Fire

    PAX held boat position while on pax did set of 10 pull-ups. Rotated.

    Pax finished with dolly/flutter routine (low dolly, flutters, then high rosita dolly) and half burpees (two legged mountain climbers).

    Prayer for Awesome and his family for their upcoming adoption proceeded, and an awesome sunrise (unrelated to Mr. Awesome) sent us on our way.

    After the COT, YHC did his best RY impression and attempted to EH 4 guys in the vicinity of the AO. Hopefully it bears fruit.

  • Clockwise, or Counter Clockwise?

    This is the second time writing this – bc it deleted when I tried to publish last time with all of my witty banter and commentary. So this one is a bit more bare bones.

    10 PAX in a relatively cool summer AM.
    Mosey to Soccer Field. COP1
    SSH X 25 Imp Walker Squats x 20, Monkey Humps x 15, LBCs x 25 (enter some witty comeback for JV who commented that Hawg always does 85 of these) and finally Merks x 20.

    Mosey to goalpost where we do Rocketman.
    4 stations. 10 burpees is the count. Other stations were squats, peekaboo pullups, and merks.
    Insert Some interesting commentary here from Seaman about why we Clockwise on the zoo side of Magazine and counter clockwise on the park side…and frankly I never noticed but his observation does seem to be true.

    Mosey to the Audubon statue. Decline Peter Parkers and Hip Slappers x 20 each.
    DORAS 300 Dying Cockroaches. Partner 1 does a .25 mile loop. Partner 2 does the dyin’roach until the pair hit 300.
    Back to the wall for one leg squats x 20 each leg.
    Then a DORA set again. Dips to 200. We had to modify to 150. After 30 dips I was hurting pretty bad so the modify was necessary. Partner 2 did the lap.

    Then we mosey’d past the tomatoes bootcamp for $$ and did some Mary in the Field.
    Here we did LbTwists x 25 (not 85), Ys Ts and Ws x 20 each, and then Vups x 25, and we finished with Hip Dippers x 10 each side.
    Then we hustled back to the FLAG for COT.
    We prayed for Law Enforcement, our city, our country, our state and Tinkles.

    Reminded everyone to make it to City park tonight for the Summer Series Race!

    See you tonight and then Friday in the Gloom!
    RY

  • 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.

     

  • Beachy Murph

    Six F3 veterans surfaced for the 1st portion of an F3 2-a-day in City Park, a light showing but understandable considering the fierce competition expected this evening.  Thinking it was a little late to improve “The World’s” long distance running for the CSUP this evening, YHC set his eyes on options for the next possible Uptown v the World (Murph or the bi-annual fitness test anyone???).  The fact that YHC is headed to the beach next week may have also been a factor.

    Disclaimer
    Lengthy discussion of the workout, thankfully with no demonstrations necessary.

    Modified Murph (OYO)
    Mosey to the Foundry (0.7 mile)
    100 Pull-ups (Low bar rows to modify)
    200 Merkins300 LBCs and/or Dying Cockroaches (sparing our legs for tonight)

    Extra credit OYO while waiting for the 6:
    Decline pike merkins or inverted shoulder presses
    Superman’s

    Entire PAX Extra Credit:
    2 minutes of planking including on left and right with arm raises
    Dr. W’s (IC) x 15
    Flutter Kicks (IC) x 15
    Uptown style stretching (3 minutes)

    Mosey to the Flag

    OSHA Safety Minute:
    Do not wear open toed shoes on Bourbon Street.  Allowing the “party gravy” to contact your bare skin may cause “Hepitoes.”

    Announcements:
    Discussion of the NOTC Event tonight

    Prayers
    Brady and entire Tool Family
    Unity in our Country
    Traveling mercies

  • Abita Springs Trailhead…Take 2

    YHC apologizes, again for the tardiness of the back blast, it is now getting done after catching up on over 40 back logged backblasts due for Medicare reimbursement.
    3 pax – met last thursday morning at 5:15…ish for a major beat down, or may be just a minor one with some corrective exercises sprinkled in to help improve posture and hip stability, so we can continue to endure future beat downs.
    Anyway, the thang:
    Warm up lap around the playground followed by dynamic warm-up/stretches: including high knees, power skips for height and again for distance, bounding, lunge with trunk twist, and quad stretch walk, with probably a set of merkins or two here or there. It has been almost a week, so YHC can’t remember all the details

    Pearl one: clam shells with band in sidelying position 2 x 20 B sides in slow cadence to burn out the external rotators of the hips (great for all the desk jockeys out there who sit on the outstretched bums all day)
    Partner up:
    partner one ~ Farmer’s walk (or EiEi in this case) carrying 45# dumbells in each hand x approximately 40 yds out and back
    Partner deuce ~ kettle bell swing with 15 # DB x 20 + 10 merkins
    Partner 3 ~ “No Money” (Bilateral shoulder external rotation with scapular retraction using resistance from a blue theraband) x 20 + 10 merkins; again this one is great for the desk jockeys hunched over a computer screen all day like Quasimodo

    Pearl Deuce: one lap around play ground followed by partner up exercise:
    P1 ~ vaults over bike rack x 20 flip with P2
    P2 ~ toes to Bar kipping exercise x 10…ish, flip with P2
    P3 ~ sprint lap around track
    rinse and repeat 2 sets

    Pearl 3: Single leg mini squats x 20 Both sides, single leg toe taps with opposite leg 3 x 10
    COM … ab exercises, YHC is now suffering from CRS syndrome, and promises from here on out to have the backblasts completed in a more timely manner after his next Q, which will be saturday at the lakefront.

    Come one out to the new F3 northshore workout, on thursday mornings it is a great AO.

    Chewy

  • 610 Stomp #48

    “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.” – Chinese proverb

    10 men gathered in the gloom this morning.  Great turnout!

    DISCLAIMER

    Tha Thang

    6 minute run, 1 minute burpees/walk/recover/etc.  Our destination was the highest point in NOLA, which Tool is the only one who knows it by name… we will call it Tool Mountain #hammertime. Pax stayed together for this one.  Got in two sets of burpees x 10 by the time we got to the start of the trail.  Once we had our six, we ventured into the forest… Cowbell was like:

    nailed it reaction excited amazed

    After running through 3 spider webs, we arrived at the base of Tool Mtn.  Pax partnered up…Pax #1 ran up the mtn.  Pax #2 did low slow squat jumps.  Flapjack one time due to time, and head back to civilization.  10 more burpees before our trek back to the flag.  Once back, held the COT which included the countoff, namorama, and prayer. Thanks for letting me lead.

    Naked Man Moleskin

    2-a-day tomorrow –  Part 1: Foundry/Birdcage @ 0530 hours;  Part 2: NOTC Race @ 1900 hours (a.k.a 7pm)

    GO Ruck is 11.11.16.   Signup today!

     

     

  • Getting in 9 holes the hard way

    In the spirit of 40 something year olds winning and finishing second in the Open, I had the privilege to lead a crowd of 30 and 40 somethings (no “Hate” and no “Respect” this morning.)  Also they have blocked off part of the running track at Audubon so we improvised.

    Started with a PAX of 10, RY showed up at the first to bring us to 11.

    Mosey to the Grandstand

    COP#1 SSH x 20, Mountain Climbers x20, Jump ups x 20, pool outs x 20 (done while standing pushing yourself up on a platform at chest height to resemble getting out of the pool)

    Mosey to the golf course where we “played 9” in a somewhat random order

    Hole 7- Sprint the length of the Par 3.  3 Burpees and 20 Merkins

    Hole 8- SSH the length of the Par 4. 4 Burpees and 20 Squat jumps

    Hole 9- Side step left x 10 then right x 10 and repeat for length of par 4.  4 Burpees and 20 Russian twists

    Indian Run to hole 10.  To celebrate our 5 under score we did 5 burpees.

    Hole 10- Indian Run to end of par 5. 5 Burpees, 10 Diamond Merkins, 10 staggered arm merkins (5 each arm)

    Hole 11- Sprint the length of the par 3. 3 Burpees, 20 lunges

    Hole 12- Bear crawl then mosey the Par 4. 4 Burpees 20 LBC’s.

    Hole 13- Backwards run the par 3. 3 Burpees, 20 Dips.

    Hole 18- Indian run the par 5. 5 burpees, 20 lateral jumps

    Hole 5- Sprint to the end of par 4. (El-Wire took the win).  4 Burpees and 20 Hello Dollys

    Mosey back to the missing flag.  Count off, Name-o-rama. FNG (he is an architect and Constanza was taken so he gets to be Vandalay even though that was in import-export business.) Prayer for understanding and friends in uniforms. Announcements and off for Coffee.  Yankee says we finished with 2.28 miles. (I had sore arms as well)

  • Rockin’ the Core

    On humid rock city Monday morning, 9 pax started their week right. After disclaimer, we moseyed to the pile…

    Warm-Up COP

    All IC

    SSH x 35
    Windmill x 20
    IW x 20
    Plank Jack x 20
    Peter Parker x 20;
    Parker Peter x 20;
    Nolan Ryan x 10 each side

    Pick one one-handed Rock and one medium “hold over your head” rock.

    Mosey to COP

    All IC

    Mountain climbers X 20
    Hot potato squat x 15
    Backwards Hike x 15
    Archer row x 10 each arm.

    Mountain climbers X 12
    Hot potato squat x 10
    Backwards Hike x 10
    Archer row x 10 each arm.

    Mosey to muddy field

    11s rock lunges
    Start with 1 burpee, lunge with rock overhead, and do 10 rock slams on other side of path. Continue equally 11.

    PAX almost completed 11. Broke off due to time and moseyed back to rock pile.

    Finished with 20 Rocky Twists IC.

    Sent rock home and moseyed to flag.

    PAX named FNG “SOGO”. Tclaps to Tool for EH, and Tclaps to SOGO for dropping over 50 lbs over last two years.

    Specific prayers offered for families in Baton Rouge, especially for conversion of people that may consider doing something evil.