F3 New Orleans

Category: New Orleans

  • Madness in the Gloom

    It was a true cinderella story! The dream of young men and old men aspiring to greatness coming true! To rise before the sun. To journey out into the damp gloom, a dampness that foreshadows summers brutal heat that hammers us with the heat of Hephaestus’ forges! Yes it was that kind of morning!

    Seizing the moment that I dreamt of, yhs launched the pax into the gloom;

    First Preal
    Imperial Walker x21
    SSH (obligatory) x21
    Mountain Climber x21
    Hilly Billy x21

    Back to the track and to the Row Bars
    Count was 20 Rows
    Group of Lunges
    Group of Hello Dollies
    Group of Parker Peters
    Rinse and Repeat!

    Back to the track for Catch Me If You Can / Indian Run. Dividing the Pax into 2 columns last man did 10 Mericans to sprint up back to the pax, tagging last man to drop, while continuing on to the front.

    At the benches for some classic Tinkles
    Declined Mericans x10 immediately followed by 10 shoulder taps.
    RL & LL step ups x22 each
    Dips x15
    RLPU & LLPU x 21 each.

    Back to the track and the Mary Hole for
    LBCs x20
    Rosalita x20
    Jay Los’ x20
    Leg Lefts x 20
    LBT x 20
    Box Cutters x20

    Back enmasse to the pull bars
    Count was Carolina Dry Docks x15
    Pull Ups
    Something ab related
    And since no one could think of something better we had to do Burpees!

    On to the circle.

  • A CSAUP Convergence in the Mud

    Well, the day was finally upon us. With a 50% chance of rain it was anybody’s guess what the weather would do. But when it’s called Tough Mudder, either way is good. The clown cars converged at NOLA Motor Park and the clowns met up just inside the official Tough Mudder grounds. The southshore boys called a last minute audible.With Fracsac having to pull out, Cowbell, was and easy EH to grab his spot. Speaking of last minute, YHC pulled up to the meeting spot to see that none other than the elusively nomadic Butt Splice had joined the party, having bought his ticket yesterday.

    Due to the race being 12 mud-filled miles long, not to mention this guy’s exhausted brain, I won’t list all the obstacles, but give a greatest hits and honorable mentions overview.

    Like ripping off a band aid, the 1st obstacle thrown at us was Kiss of Mud 2.o, involving an army crawl under barbed wire through the soupy mud. Butt Splice was fully submerged and in heaven!

    The Hero Carry obstacle (which was much easier the 1st time around) found us carrying our partner about 50 or so yards, then switching for the next 50. Strategically speaking we tried to match up size-wise with Steve/Tanked Up, Butt Splice/Gabrielle, Shooter/Walleye, Bushwacker/Ocho (had I only known this deceptively sized man was actually heavier than the solid Shooter, I might have chosen more wisely), and Reluctant Yankee/Cowbell. Jingle Vader paired up with a random to complete the obstacle.

    Much better acquainted, the fun continued.

    Somewhere along the way, we chanced on a solo mudder who by some stoke of good fortune joined our  regal ranks on this muddy mission. This bald bruiser (sorry the alliteration is addictive) was visiting Nawlins with his lovely wife (who was a loyal spectator) from Chattanooga, TN. An easy Eh and a great F3 fit to round the crew out at 12.

    There were more muddy water-filled pits, walls, hay bales, nets and unpredictable terrain in store for our daring band of F3 brothers. The course lent itself to some quality mumble chatter that added to the intrinsic appreciation of the experience. Speaking of mumble chatter, between Gabrielle and Ocho’s slew of  salacious interactions with random members of the fairer sex, I’m surprised we didn’t walk away from the course with our own fan club. Or better yet, a new cadre of FIA recruits!

    Not that we didn’t all have an appreciation for the females we ran into. A bunch of us made a new friend in a medical assistant at the Trench Warfare obstacle when we gave her a big F3 group hug, sharing all the muddy goodness we had to offer…especially Ocho.

    There were back busting back flips and reverse swan dives at the Shawshank obstacle. This one was quite refreshing!

    At Everest 2.0 we joined the waiting crowd in an attempt to scale the slick quarter pipe and, with the assistance of the previous victors, to mount the 15′ summit. In an attempt to get up quickly and help some folks, F3 and otherwise, YHC skirted the waiting onlookers and made a few unsuccessful shots at the top. In between tries, many, especially the tall gents, were making it look like child’s play. I returned to the fold to find Ocho back on the ground after having already made the ascent. Butt Splice had inadvertently pulled him back down as he tried, in vain, to make it up. With the brilliant Walleye extending his lengthy arms towards the next contestants, the guys one by one made it up. After an embarrassingly  high number of failed tries, this now bruised and battered Q joined his comrades in victory.

    Anyone who knows anything about the tough mudder knows that that one of the most anticipated , and feared, obstacles is the Electroshock! While most of us caught a shock or 2, poor Shooter, who had almost made it through with only 1 zap, took a shot that rung his bell. Being St.Patty’s day, the luck of the Irish must have been shining on Steve, Reluctant Yankee and Jingle Vader (hope I got that right), because they got through scott free. We were all entertained as we prepared to move on by a bald, hardcore ranter who got tagged in the face and many other places as he worked his way through – SON OF A BITCH!

    At the last obstacle, Happy Ending, we ran into fellow F3 Saxon who, along with Jesse from Chattanooga, Ocho, and Butt Splice, formed the base and extension of our human ladder that helped a lot of recently rinsed fools get to the top. Eventually we retrieved our magnanimous brothers and slid down the other side to cross the finish line, arms locked.

    As we gathered post-race with out victory beers (and recovery drinks) in hand to close out with a COT, we were in a unique and enviable position to name an out-of-state FNG. Welcome Big Easy to the F3 Nation! We hope he returns to Chattanooga and hits up one of the 5 area posts up that way. Thanks to Butt Splice for his emotionally aroused prayer to take us out.

    Gentlemen, despite some bumps and bruises this was an extraordinary adventure, and I am blessed to have taken the journey with each of you. Many thanks for following my lead to the starting line today.

  • To your left, no my left….Get Some!

    From the start (a bit of humility and learning) set in for the QIC as 16 men gathered and heard the disclaimer by none other than Craig…..Oh wait a minute a.k.a. Mahatma-Ice.  So it begins –

    DISCLAIMER

    Mosey to towards the big field for warm up – while listing to chirping complaints that “running” is only supposed to on certain F3 workout days.

    Warm up

    SSH x 30

    Seal Jacks x 25

    Down to your 6 – no stand up (to moans from the Pax primarily Rudy and FracSac, as if the extra effort was going to cause a little more sweat).

    Once back up Hillbilly x 15

    ISW x 10

    Austin Butt Kickers (again communication break down as to left arm out, “what leg” back.  QIC may be better at demonstrating the exercise, it finally begins) x 20

    Dive Bombers x 5 (4 cnt)

    Bicycle Kicks x  20

    Now for the reason we all got up and came out this morning… The Thang-

    1st Field Event:

    2 man team – 100 Burpees total split “evenly” between them.  (1) did Burpees will the other went out 2 tree distances doing Bear Crawl then back doing Kongs – Switch the effort.  I think most got a shot at doing the out and back twice.  I teamed with Frac, he was determined to add in additional Burpees thinking I might have gotten more than him (I’ve come to learn, he likes them!)  Can’t speak for any other teams.

    2nd Field Event:

    Pax broken up into 4 teams of 4 –

    ZigZag Squat Run; Indian Style (with some kind of audible to note that Pax member completed their run and next Pax to go).  Distance 4 trees with the entire team to sprint back. QIC noted after the start of this “thang” that the losing team had to complete 5 Burpees (TripleShift’s team lost – complaints about brotherhood so all teams gave the 5).

    3rd Field Event:

    2 teams of 8 –

    Body Tent Low Crawl – Distance 5 trees (Again complaining from the field that there was some kind of “big” brother rules as to the line of completion for everyone to sprint back) so again PAX all participated in Burpees

    4th Field Event – Back to 4 teams of 4

    Low Crawl – Frog Hop – Low Crawl – Frog Hop….. Distance 4 trees.  (Bit of a communication break down but PAX figured it out and the event was completed)  Can’t recall the losers but I think the understanding was we all shared in the Burpees.

    5th Field Event – Pax back to 2 teams of 8

    Plank Body Hurdles (Indian Run) – losing team busted butt to make it close but circled up to start Burbees – somehow the brotherhood of sharing the pain was now gone with the other team heading off to get water…..Rudy called them out and most jumped in grinded out a few.

    Slow mosey towards fountain –

    Pax circled the Fountain with QIC wanting to create 8 2 man teams – seemed easy enough….”look to your left and that’s your teammate; well my left!  QIC learned a lesson as to using a count off to establish PAX position then match 1&2…… (this will be used next time for sure).  Now add in that we pissed off the legal training crew, encroaching on their space – we only needed a small section but this might be why women aren’t mixed in with F3 groups, they pick up their stuff and stormed off, clearing the area.  (When Qing in future, I’ll be more sensitive).

    1st Fountain Team AMRP

    While one member did box jumps the other hopped 1st set of steps then 2 Burpees at landing area then hopped as many steps at a time until reaching the top landing 3 Burpees, run back – SWITCH  x 2

    2nd Fountain AMRP

    Same team effort as above except Shoulder Taps 1st, then Durkins while teammate hops the steps and does Burpees.

    With about 7 minutes to go – Mosey back towards the flag – TripleShift was pushing the pace so we had enough time to detour to the big field for some last minute Mary-

    LBC x 20 (4cnt)

    Scuba kicks (Flutter Kicks) x 20 (4cnt)

    WWII – Sit ups x 4 (4cnt)

    Pax member reminded (actually it might have been a complaint) that QIC had passed the 7:30 mark so the fun had to end with a quick mosey back to the flag.

    COP, announcements, no intentions – closing prayer.

    Gents thank you for the opportunity to lead (and learn) today.  No doubt God gives us the blessing of the present to be embrace and enjoy.  I’m want to give a shout out to 2-Utes for getting me involved with F3!

     

     

  • Oops, it’s me again.

    It’s been gloomy this week.  A good resbit before the Turkish steam bath that is soon to arrive.  QHC sees a lonely silhouette of a PAX ready to go.  It’s Hand-Grenada, our FNG from Monday gratis Walleye.  He’s nervously peering into the chasm for the pumping station into Pontiff.  It’s scary business.  But not nearly as scary as when QHC asked who’s today’s Q and was told he was!  Actually, that doesn’t frighten QHC any more.  I just hope my on-the-cuff DownPainMents aren’t too dull, whiskey-dick-ish (TClaps to Tool for the vocab drills) or repetitive.  So with an opportunity for a real Disclaimer (because a professional trainer would know he’s up), the PAX is off–for a distance of about twelve feet.

    COP1:

    • SSHs ICx20
    • Inchworm (gratis YSR at the Birdcage this week) ICx10
    • Moroccan Casbah (gratis The Rev from about a year ago or so) [squat while twisting arms] ICx20
    • Mountain Climbers ICx20

    The PAX gets two rocks: big and bigger for COP2:

    • Overhead press ICx20
    • Curls ICx20
    • Nape scratchers (tricep lifts) ICx20
    • Rows ICx20
    • Bench press on our 6s ICx20
    • Low slow squats ICx20

    Rinse and repeat, but with ICx15 (and regular squats instead of LSS); rinse and repeat again, but with ICx10 (again regular squats instead of LLS); then rinse and repeat again–kinda:

    • Overhead press ICx5 (but real slow, 20 count, for #5)
    • Curls ICx5
    • Nape scratchers ICxG (but real slow, 20 count, for #5)
    • Rows ICx5
    • Bench press ICx5 (hold last for 20 count)
    • Low slow squats (for a total of 25 LLS and 25 regular squats) ICx5

    Time for some relaxing at the wall:

    • People’s chair for a long-ass time, with overheads ICx10 and curls ICx10 and sitting some more
    • Rest oh so briefly
    • People’s chair again for not at long: overheads ICx10, curls ICx10, hold rock out 30 seconds.

    Mosey back (10 feet) for Circle of Mary:

    • Flutter kicks with rocks ICx20
    • LBTs ICx20
    • Hello Dollys with rocks ICx20
    • Penguins ICx20
    • Rosalitas with rocks ICx20
    • WWII situps ICx20
    • Russian twists with rocks ICx20
    • LCBs with rocks ICx20

    And it’s 6:15.  Countoff, Name-o-Rama, Shout Outs and closing prayer from HVAC.  Tclaps to Hand-Grenada for two posts in his first week.  Jingle Vader

  • The 40, Part 4

    Its Okwata Time. That means its Levee time. 40 times.

    11 PAX gathered around the shovel flag this morning in the dark gloom. Alas, no glorious sunrise over the waters of Okwata. The PAX will have to wait several weeks for the morning light to appear during the workouts again. Until then, just gloomy gloom. The PAX welcomed the visitor – Schottenheimer from Cleveland. Thanks for coming out to join us!

    At 5:30, YHC pronounced the disclaimer and so we began.

    First, Mosey 10 yards to the flag (from all the way across the sidewalk). Circle up for warmup, sprinkled with mumble chatter.

    • SSH x25
    • Abe Vigoda x10
    • IW x25

    Then off to the base of the Levee.

    By now, the PAX know the drill.  10 exercises.  4 Sets of each exercise.  10 reps per set.  Back and forth over the Levee for each set.  That equals (do the math….) 40 trips over the levee.

    1. Cross Fit Merkins: Oh, the grass is cold.  And wet.
    2. Box Cutters: Out-Up-In-Down half the time, Up-Out-Down-In the other half.  Shorty finally realizes there’s a difference.
    3. 4-Count Lunges: Triple Shift appears to have mixed signals and went for the 20 reps of 4 count lunges.
    4. Derkins: a new wrinkle – stop half-way down the levee for the exercise.  Slip and Slide trying to stop
    5. Dying Cockroach: Frac rightly points out that Roaches crawl, forcing a clarification from YHC that we were doing the Dying variety.  On our backs.
    6. Bobby Hurley: OK, YHC certainly felt this when running up the hill.
    7. Irkins: stop half-way up the levee for the exercise.
    8. Monkey Humpers: I thought the Bobby Hurley burned….
    9. Hello Dolly: I think that just maybe I saw Mahatma break a sweat.
    10. Burpees: The crowning glory, as Tool was lamenting the lack of burpees in the workout.

    Finished up at 6:08.  We are getting better at this.  That meant we had time for more!  Quadrophelia!  Up to the top of the levee, so we can run forwards-down and backwards-up (i.e., always look to the lake) for 4 minutes.

    Back to the flag with a minute to spare.  Time for LBC x40.

    Finish up with Count-off and Name-o-rama.  Intentions, then close with prayers.  Psalm 40, a song of praise.

    I waited patiently for the Lord;
        he turned to me and heard my cry.
    He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
        out of the mud and mire;
    he set my feet on a rock
        and gave me a firm place to stand.
    He put a new song in my mouth,
        a hymn of praise to our God.
    Many will see and fear the Lord
        and put their trust in him.

    Thanks for letting me lead!

  • Sudden Change!

    8 F3 regulars circled the virtual site flag on a cool 50 degree gloom ready to get better!

    DISCLAIMER

    Mosey to the track and around it once doing butt kicks, high knees, karaoke each way, repeat X2.

    COP #1: WARM UP
    SSH X 20
    Hillbillies X 20
    J Lo’s X 10
    Squat Pulses X 20
    Good Mornings X 10
    Burpees X 5 OYO

    Mosey to the Foundry stopping twice for sudden change: 5 Burpees OYO
    The mumblechatter was music to my ears!!

    Foundry Circuit: Partner up, 4 groups
    – Run to water fountain, 5 Burpees, run back (timer)
    – Hanging leg lift oblique twists
    – WWII Sit Ups
    – Pull Ups

    Rinse and Repeat

    Mosey to NOMA stopping on the bridge for sudden change: 5 Burpees OYO
    YHC noticed a well lit area with a nice sized curb, perfect for D14 ISI!
    Single leg curb hops X 45 seconds each leg.
    If you’d like a demonstration on perfect form, just ask Bogey.

    Line up at the fountain for:
    Dips X 20
    Ierkins X 15
    Derkins X 10

    COP #2: MARY
    LBC X 30
    Russian Twist X 20
    Crunchy Frog X 20 (RIP Shorty/Snooze)
    Hello Dolly X 10

    Mosey back to the VSF.
    Hold up, sudden change: 5 Burpees OYO

    Made it back with 30 seconds to spare, my bad…
    5 Burpees OYO

    Sealed the deal with COT: Count-off, Name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and Prayer.
    Good luck to those Tough Muddin’.

    Thanks for letting me lead.
    Cowbell

  • Track Work

    7 men gathered in the chilly gloom to better themselves today.  Instead of venturing down the usual Stomp route (honestly…it’s been so long…i didn’t know what usual was anymore), YHC choose to play it safe and get after it on the track.  We were off…but first…

    DISCLAIMER

    The Thang

    Mosey over and around the track one time, then circle up for a quick warmup:

    15x SSHs IC
    6x Don Quixotes IC
    6x Good Mornings IC

    YHC explained to beatdown to come…1 min AMRAP of an exercise, then a lap around the track….plank and wait for the six.

    Exercises:
    1) Squat Jacks
    2) Switch Kicks
    3) Jump Knee Tucks
    4) Speed Knee Curls
    … 12 count by Woz…
    5) Burpees
    6) Frog Jumps (Front/Back)…Cowbell had an advantage of course (this joke never gets old!)
    7) Low Plank Parker Peters
    8) Plank Jacks (Modify 1min to 3min to handle the daily challenge) #ISI Tclaps Turbo!

    Slowzy back to the flagless AO, where we had a Plankorama OYO for the last 2min.  Pax gathered around for the COT, which included the Countoff, Nameorama, Shoutouts and a Prayer.

    The Pax moved quickly through this beatdown. Well done, men!  Time flies when you are having fun….Oh, yeah…no more Hate for YHC!

    Thanks for letting me lead!

    Moleskin

    Miss you guys.  Definitely needed this beatdown to get my ass back in shape.  Best way to start the day!

    Tough Mudder is this weekend.  Good luck to the guys getting after it!

     

  • The bear went over the mountain

    The PAX gathered at the AO in the refreshingly cool morning gloom, and as Brown Bag was not wearing a parka, YHC knew it must be just above 50 degrees.

    Standard disclaimer and mosey around the track with a hard right turn across Magazine St, through the bollards and around much standing water to relative high ground in the oak alley.

    Warm up COP

    5 burpees OYO , SSH x20 IC, Peter Parkers x20 IC, 5 burpees OYO, Sealjacks x20 IC, ParkerPeters x20 IC, 5 burpees OYO, Smurfjacks x20 IC, Mountain Climbers x20 IC, 5 burpees OYO, plankjacks x20IC

    Mosey down magazine to the field in front of the zoo, which was looking like a lake. Much mumble chatter about puddles and wet shoes. We modified to the parking lot, using it as a large rectangle for cycling through BLIMPS at the corners. 5 Burpees, 10 lunges (2 legs is one), 15 Imperial Walkers, 20 merkins, 25 Plankjacks, 30 squats.

    PAX then assembled in two lines for Indian run across the levy to the ‘fly.  One large pool of water disrupted the smooth flow of the indian run formation with PAX tacking starboard and port to avoid it, except for Sea Man, who would not be deterred by mere water and kept his line straight down the middle of it.

    PAX assembled at the molehill at the end of the soccer fields.

    We then bear crawled up over and down the other side of the mountain, to see what we could see.

    On the other side we did 30 LBCs, then moseyed back around the mountain and reassembled.  Up and over the mountain again, but the second time we planked until all assembled, then Jack Webb 7s (merk followed by 2 air presses, to 7 merks) . Bear crawl back over the mountain to Jack Webb’s meaner brother, the Iron Hulk 6s. (merk followed by 4 air presses to 6 merks). Bear crawl back over the mountain.

    4 trips over the mountain and we were out of time.

    fast mosey back to the flag, COP, announcements and intentions.

    Thanks for the opportunity.

     

  • The Q needs a flashlight and directions

    The only thing worse than posting at 5:30am to workout is posting at 5:30am on the Monday after Daylight Savings Time. I should have checked on that before asking Hawg to let me Q for the first time. Hawg did make my morning by arriving with the flag just before we started to get going. I think this was the 3rd or 4th time I’ve seen the elusive F3 flag.

    Disclaimer and then mosey to the rocks.

    The cadence was shaky but we did:

    – SSH x 20

    – Peter Parkers x 30

    – Imperial Walkers x 20

    – Propellers x 22 (11 each direction)

    -Hillbillies x 20

    We grabbed our rocks for some classic rock city exercises with more of my shaky cadence:

    Shoulder Press x 15

    Curls for the Girls x 15

    Rows x 20

    Low, Slow Squats x 30

    We moseyed over to the playground equipment for a 4 part rotation exercise. I needed a little help along the way to locate both the swings and later to the hill. It turns out that working out in the dark doesn’t help me know how Pontiff Park is laid out.

    Our rotation workout:

    Elf on the Shelf with a rock for a 10 count while we rotated between elf, underdogs, dips, and mercins.

    After playing around under the swings, we took our rocks to the hill for elevens. It was 10 bench presses with the rock on one side of the hill and 1 burpee on the other to start.

    We ended with Mary:

    American Hammer x 15

    Penguin x 20

    Dying Cockroach x 15

    LBC x 15

    We dropped off our rocks and moseyed back to the flag. I got us there one minute early and was threatened to put shame upon my family name for finishing at 6:14, so we did Freddie Mercury for one minute.

    Count off, namerama, announcements, and a prayer.

    I led. I survived. I am now a man.

  • Marsh Madness!!!

    With the beginning of the week and March madness tipping off on Thursday. The QIC arrived at the Marsh to the sights of 2 Cinderella hopefuls waiting at center court. Would either be selected by the NCAA committee for this weekends tournament? Or would they need to except another invitation to the CUSAP at the Tough Mudder on Saturday spearheaded by the Bushwacker? With the latter of the 2 choices clearly in their sights as well as mine we tipoff our training with the warmup..

    25IC SSH, 15IC WM, 25IC IW, 15IC GM, 25IC BK, 15 IC SJ

    With the opportunity of slipping in as a number 16 seed the ISI challenge would prove the worthiness of one Steve rocking out 35 on this Gloom.. With Captain taking second and the QIC rounding out the PAX we all responded with a sigh of completion and reverence to Turbo for coming up with such great challenges… We began a Mosey down Lamarque to the lakefront. Arriving at the bulkhead we completed an upper body of 15IC Freak nasties, followed by 15IC Derkins and 15IC Erkins. Climbed on top the sea wall and Racoon crawled about 50 yards west. Next we focused on legs completing 10 step ups each leg, followed by 15 box jumps. Using the sea wall as a guide to a perfect 90 degree squat of 15 followed by right single leg squat 10IC back to regular squat 15, and completed left leg single 10IC. We then began our journey back up Marigny to the Marsh. Closing things up we completed 8 count bodybuildiers to 20 and then took to the six for Mary. 30IC flutter kicks, right single leg extension wife pleaser and left single leg wife pleaser wrapping up with 30IC flutter kicks..

    countoff, announcements, COT

    Thanks to Captain for praying us out and Steve for the lessons of survival when supporting a fellow brother on a bachelor party.. Well done lads!!

    Appreciate the lead!