F3 New Orleans

Category: New Orleans

  • The Uptowner Yoga Challenge: Week #4

    I’ll start with the Moleskin – As we finished our workout, I noticed a man walking his dog with a ruck on.  I’ve seen this many several times over the past few years.  He is out there every morning with his ruck and two dogs.  Heisenberg and I stopped him to ask him how much weight was in his ruck. He proceeded to tell us of the wonders of “ruck marching”.  He’s been doing if for the past 30 years at the suggestion of the Saints team doctor at the time.  He says he carries 23 pounds and walks 3 miles every day.  He wears the ruck low so that it is uncomfortable (also the Dr.’s suggestion).  He says this makes him work harder.  He is now 67 and is in excellent health.  He doesn’t take any of the medications his friends take and unlike the rest of his family, he has never had back problems.  In fact, he said his current doctor remarked on the strength of his back muscles, wanting to know what type of exercises he does.  It was an inspiring discussion.  As Heisenberg remarked, this is a guy that has been taking the DRP for 30 straight years.  Every morning, he gets up and rucks 3 miles, even on the holidays like today.  The DRP has benefits.  GRT Baby!

    The Thang

    • SSHs IC x 25
    • IWs IC x 25
    • Squats IC x 25
    • Windmills IC x 15
    • Wide Leg Hamstring Stretch
    • Split Leg Hamstring Stretch
    • Standing Side Stretch
    • Sun Salutations (x3)
    • Runner’s Stretch
    • Crescent Pose
    • Warrior 1
    • Warrior 2
    • Reverse Warrior
    • Triangle Pose
    • Twisting Triangle Pose
    • Right Angle Pose with Grab and Hold
    • Namaste

     

  • Now I’ve Seen Everything on Bourbon Street

    There is a lot a crazy things on Bourbon Street, and YHC has seen some sights….but 7 men rucking down Bourbon was a first for me.  The Pax of seven gathered at 1830 hours on St. Charles & First for our first official NOLA Ruck event.

    The Thang

    Started rucking out towards the Quarter. Lots of mubblechatter and information flying around from the veteran GRTers about equipment, necessities, tips and advice for the upcoming GrowRuck03. We maintained about an 18 minute pace with all the traffic, bathroom, Lucky Dog, hydration (aka beer) stops that we did.  A few highlights were discussing a new, special-event AO out in Woldenberg Park…it’s like a combined AO with all our existing AOs.  Another one was our ruck through Bourbon Street…where else can you ruck and listen to a jazz band, eat a lucky dog, watch a magic show, and avoid the eerie Bourbon Street water puddles…it hasn’t rained in over 5 days.

    Made it back to Avenue Pub, where quality F2 was had by all. We rucked about 5.25 miles by the end of it. We will do this again real soon!

    Moleskin

    GrowRuck03 is happening 06.10.17.  Do it!

    Week 0 of GRT Training is in full swing… the requirements for Week 0 are due by Sunday, 04/16. Here are the requirements:
    1) Sign up at this link here
    2) Assemble your ruck with the required weight: 20lbs (4 bricks) for Pax weighing less than 150lbs, 30lbs (6 bricks) for everyone else.

    Tclaps to Heisenberg for getting this Ruck Event kicked off!

  • Foundry Fun

    Five F3 veterans decided to rise and shine on Wednesday and head to City Park for some Foundry fun.  Not sure where the rest of the usual Wednesday suspects were…rumor is one guy was painting his wife’s toenails and another rumor was that Team Millennial was up late watching a Jersey Shore marathon….no names mentioned.  So after the disclaimer, we were off in a mosey down Roosevelt Mall with a pit stop for a quick warmup COP:

    SSH x30, Arm Circles x20, Windmills x20, Goofballs x20, all IC

    Mosey over to the Foundry for circuit exercises including the ones from the April Challenge (55 Merkins, 55 WWII Sit Ups, 55 Pull Ups).  This was a 4 station circuit with both a rep count and a smartphone timer of 50 sec high intensity followed by 12 sec of rest and positioning.  This allowed just enough time to work in all reps and kept the PAX in check.  The four stations included:

    10 Pull Ups (or modify with Negative Pull Ups or Jumping Pull Ups)

    20 WWII Sit Ups

    10 Burpees (make sure to use good Merkin form)

    20 Squats

    Rinse and repeat twice for a total of 3 rounds with plans to come back for more.

    Trot over to the Museum ledge for:

    Step Ups IC x15R x15L

    Step Ups IC x10R x10L

    Step Ups IC x5R x6L (#lagniappe #grumblingPAX)

    Re-position on the Lelong Dr median for an Indian Bear Crawl:

    Russian Twists 2 rounds

    Pickle Pounder 2 rounds

    Crunchy Frog 1 round

    High Plank 1 round

    Time was ticking so any plans to return to the Foundry were nixed.  So off we went back towards base with a quick detour at the Refinery for:

    Pull Ups (Reg, Neg, or Jumping) AMRAP for 1 minute

    PAX then lined up for an Indian Run back to the flag.

    COT to seal the deal on another fine morning with F3.

    Always a pleasure to lead!

    Tool

     

     

  • Burpee Fun Time

    With only Saban’s single burpee on Monday the PAX requested a healthy dose.To enhance our Wednesday morning experience, we added a fun movement to every burpee.

    After mocking Tickles’ shorts that he apparently stole from John Stockton in the 80’s, we moseyed:

    1st COP – the warm-up: SSH x20, Mountain Climbers x15, Elbow MC x15, IW x20, Peter Parker x15, Elbow PP x15, Low slow squat x20

    To the bollards: Burpee Knee-Up suicides – starting at one then increasing by one per light intertwined with 5 merkins at the bollards

    Over to the benches: Dips x20, Bulgarian Split Lunges L x15, Dips x15,  Bulgarian Split Lunges R x15

    Back to the bollards: Burpee Star Jumps suicides intertwined with 5 diamond merkins (stars and diamonds)

    Once more to the benches: RLSU x25, Incline Merkin Right leg up x15, LLSU x25, IMLLU x15

    Mosey to the track by the lights: Bear crawl to the 1st light then five Half Burpee-Plank Jack-Mekins, crab walk to the second then Five HBPJMs again repeat to the third and forth light

    Final COP for mary:

    Russian Twist (aka The Carter Page or The Paul Manafort or The Roger Stone) x20

    LBC x20, LBT x20

    Russian Twist again (also aka The Micheal Flynn or The Jeff Sessions or The Rex Tillerson or Ivaka’s BFF…F’ it…I’ll just call it “The Treason” from now on to simplify things) x20

    Back to the flag for count-off, name-o-rama & a short prayer.

    God Bless America!

     

     

  • Pre & Post Fartsacker Rehab

    YHC had every intention of posting at the foundry, was even dressed and ready, but nature had other plans.  Needless to say, YHC was now a fartsacker and no one wants to be a fartsacker.  So, Rehab was the only solution…

    After pinging GroupMe, Rudy was the only taker, but because of his plan to fartsack the next morning.  Thinking ahead!!

    We met at the foundry in City Park for 1730.

    Rudy’s inconvenient injury didn’t stop us. Running and Core would do just fine.

    The Thang:

    • Run ~2 miles
    • 30 X LBC
    • 20 X Penguins
    • 20 X Flutter Kicks
    • Run ~1 mile
    • 20 X Hello Dolly
    • 20 X American Hammer
    • 20 X Superman
    • Run ~1 mile

    YHC still had to complete the #aprilchallenge #55/55/55

    • Rudy elbow plank / YHC 35 pull ups
    • Rudy elbow plank / YHC 55 big boy sit ups

    No COT, the entire post was one! #2pax

    If you happen to fall in the fartsack, don’t be shy to lead some Rehab!!

    Thanks for letting me lead!

    -Cowbell

  • Okwata Welcomes DirtyMacDeuce

    “Don’t try to be perfect, just try to be better than you were yesterday.”

    Anonymous

    The correspondence that was sent out at the beginning of the week showed no Q for Okwata.  YHC checked his schedule, identified there was no urgency for an early appearance at work, and signed up to Q.  YHC gave the PAX the gift of Burp Back Mountain last week, while still incorporating elements of the April challenge.  Would YHC become predictable, or would something new be brought to the levee?  YHC indicated to the PAX through Group Me that the ever so athletic Dirty Mac Deuce just might make an appearance this week at Okwata.  Three men joined YHC to stand up to DMD!  Throw in some elements of the April Challenge, and we have what we can proudly call a downpainment on improvement!

    But first, the Disclaimer……..and then….

    The Thang

    Mosey to the House of Pain.  A mosey around the fountain would be predictable, and YHC is anything but predictable this day!  Circle up outside the House of Pain for a Warm Up:

    SSH x 31 IC – cause 31 is my thang…
    IW x 15 IC

    Enough warm up, we have business to get to…..

    House of Pain

    Enter the House of Pain, comprised of four stations:

    Run over the levee, complete 5 Burpees, and run back (timer)
    Pull – ups AMRAP – YHC brought a pull up assist band, allowing all to embrace the pull up!
    Dips – AMRAP
    Squats – AMRAP

    Okwata gave the PAX the gift of cool weather on the south side of the levee. It actually felt like at least 5 degrees cooler. It felt so good, a rinse and repeat was in order!

    DirtyMacDeuce

    Mosey to the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Canal, which is where Hawgcycle introduced the H8. But instead of the H8, this is where the PAX met DMD.  Would the PAX be intimidated?  Negative! We are men of F3!
    DMD is comprised of 4 sets of 3 exercises done to 12 count reps.  There is one chest exercise, one leg exercise, and one core exercise.  After each set of 3, the PAX runs a lap.  The lap at Okwata would be the figure 8 from the H8.  In staying with the theme of unpredictability, YHC made the lap an Indian Run!

    Set #1
    Merkins x 12 IC
    Jump Squats x 12 IC
    Big Boy (WW2) Situps x 12 IC

    Indian Run a figure 8 lap

    Set #2
    Catalina Wine Mixer x 12 IC
    Lunges x 12 IC
    Big Boy (WW2) Situps x 12 IC

    Indian Run a figure 8 lap

    Set #3
    Burpees x 12 OYO
    Monkey Humpers x 12 IC
    Big Boy (WW2) Situps x 12 IC

    Indian Run a figure 8 lap

    Set #4
    Merkins x 12 IC – Mumble Chatter that the PAX only did 12 Merkins in first set, so YHC doubled down and delivered 24 total in set #4
    Plank Jacks x 12
    Big Boy (WW2) Situps x 12 IC

    Indian Run a figure 8 lap

    Mosey back to the VSF for….

    Round of Mary
    Big Boy (WW2) Situps x 12 IC
    Flutter Kicks x 12
    Hello Dolly x 12
    Real Freddie Mercury x 12
    Tin Snips x 12

    COT
    Count off, Name-O-Rama, announcements, intentions, and closed with a prayer to the Sky Q.

    Moleskin
    Heisenberg is Q’ing a Grow Ruck F2 tonight at the corner of St Charles and First.
    Avenue Pub is in the plans…
    The CCC10K is this weekend, and several F3 men will be in attendance. Due to the time of the event, YHC will be unable to post at the Mothership, although you know he would if he could!
    YHC would never push this hard while working out alone. Okwata is a great AO, and YHC thanks the dedicated men of F3 for posting!

     

  • 610 Stomp #85 – What the Ruck?

    “If you carry your cross joyfully, it will carry you.” – Thomas A Kempis

    YHC dropped a ruck workout teaser late last night… so figuring we would have one or two show up this gloom (actually had three or four! Tclaps Kim Chi/Frac/Hawg), a partner ruck-share was required.  A Pax of eight + one K9 gathered in the gloom to win the first battle of the day against the dreaded enemy who calls himself, The Fartsack. So here we go…but first, DISCLAIMER….

    The Thang

    Ruck/Mosey over to the track, and divide into two Pax of four Pax (Make sense??).

    GIPHY Originals math numbers count counting GIF

    Pax #1:  Run around NOMA and back (timer).
    Pax #2: Two Pax Ruck 400m while the other two do this AMSAP until Ruckers get back:

    • 10x Merkins
    • 15x Plank Jacks
    • 10x WWII Situps
    • 20x Squats

    Pax #2 was able to get through 2 full rounds each before Pax #1 made it back.  Flapjack one time, then we all mosey/ruck to the Refinery.

    Pax #1: Run out to Wisner and back (timer).
    Pax #2: Four Stations of Position Holds until someone yells Halt.

    1. Straight-Arm Dip Holds
    2. Dead-Hang Knee Curls
    3. Balls-to-the-Wall
    4. Low Squat Holds w/ Ruck

    Pax #2 was able to get through 2 full rounds each before Pax #1 made it back.  Flapjack one time, then hauled it back to the flag, where we held the COT- Countoff, Nameorama, Shoutouts, and Prayer.  Make America..or F3 Nation… Ruck Again!!

    wave donald trump thumbs up republican debate gopdebate1028 GIF

    Moleskin

    • Heisenburg is Q’ing an F2 GrowRuck event this Thursday, 4/13.  We will meet at the corner of St. Charles and First, and ruck 45 min out and back….some “hydration stations” will be incorporated in the route.
    • GrowRuck03 is 6/10/17… Nine full weeks remain until the start of the event…. Week 0 of GrowRuck Training has started…this week’s requirements are:
      • 1) Sign up at this link here
      • 2) Assemble your ruck with the required weight: 20lbs (4 bricks) for Pax weighing less than 150lbs, 30lbs (6 bricks) for everyone else….or if you’re Kim Chi, 60 lbs like his ruck was today #Tclaps.

  • Superstar Bucktown Coastie

    Three Pax rolled to the gloom with the mission of self-improvement.   HAPPY HOLY WEEK!   This week’s Gospel, be it ever long, was the Passion of the Christ.  Several films have been made to illustrate the rise, “fall”, and rise again of Jesus Christ.  This week, bless yourself with the opportunity to watch one or several of these films.   YHC’s personal suggestions include, The Passion of the Christ, and his number one favorite, Jesus Christ Superstar.   That’s right.   This rock opera gives the perspectives of Jesus, Judas, Mary, Peter in the form of fantastic harmonies, jam out dancing, and attire that anyone we RESPECT would have had in their closet (I’m looking at you JV).  

    The Thang

    ·       Ride Lakeshore Dr to the turn around and back.   YHC will play Jesus Christ Superstar from a speaker on his bike.  

    The Pax kept up together most of the way for rocking ~14 miles with an average speed of 16.8 mph.  Not too shabby.

    Moleskin

    ·       New Orleans Regional Leadership Program is currently offering info session into the 2018 cohort.   (there is no finder’s fee for me).   If you fancy yourself a leader in the community, which as Qs and men of F3 we all are, I encourage everyone to attend the info session.   http://norli.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NorliRecruitmentFlyer-copy.pdf

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead.

    Da Parish

  • Side of Crunchy Rolls

    When I checked the weather at 5 a.m., my phone said there was a 100% chance of light rain. I decided to forgo a jacket, just put on baseball cap instead. But when I got to City Park, the rain had stopped. The ground was shiny wet and the park surprisingly empty for such a balmy and pleasant morning. Luckily, it wasn’t totally empty. There were six other PAX waiting at the spot, including an FNG.

    It was my VQ (not counting the half-Q I shared with Rudy one Saturday a few months back). I had written down some exercises and the outline of a route on a little blue notecard, but in the gloom it was unreadable. No matter. I had re-read before I left the house. I tucked it into the waistband of my shorts just in case, assured everyone that I had no idea what I was doing, and then we were off.

    We moseyed a short ways to the athletic track—the one with the markings and measurements—and we found a patch of concrete to do our warm-ups.
    •    20 Windmills
    •    20 press ups
    •    20 SSHs

    Got on the ground and revolved around with plank jacks, left-hand Nolan Ryans, crab toe touches, right-hand Nolan Ryans and 20-count mountain climbers.

    Moseyed over to the museum and circled up on a soft patch of grass there. My F3 name is a reference to aikido, and I wanted to try an aikido warm-up exercise. It probably has a Japanese name, but for F3 I called them “crunchy rolls” (sushi reference at least). Basically, you begin seated, rock backwards onto your upper back/shoulders and then rock forward again, crossing your legs in the air each time. 10 count. Next exercise was the same thing, but as you rocked forward, you come up onto your foot with knee bent at 90 degrees before rocking backwards again. 10 times. Finally, it became a “crunchy roll step-up” (again, my own term) where you take the previous exercise but totally stand up on one foot, then lower back to your butt, rock backwards, cross legs in the air, and rock forward and stand up on the other foot. Try not to use your hands at all. 10 count.

    In the same spot, did some bear crawling and wheelbarrowing to the kiddie train tracks, and went over to the fountain:

    •    10 box jumps
    •    10 incline merkins
    •    10 box jumps
    •    10 decline merkins

    Hit the track to mosey around the lake and went most of the way around until we got to the boat rental cottage. On a patch of grass there we did some Mary:

    •    Putins
    •    Crunchy frogs
    •    Flutter kicks
    •    Pretzel crunches (left and right sides)

    When we were leaving, we noticed a tent nearby. Hope we didn’t disturb the poor guy sleeping inside. Moseyed back to the museum fountain for a few more derkins and incline merkins interspersed with left- and right-leg step ups. With five minutes left, we all moseyed over to the spot.

    We dubbed our FNG “Spaniel” for his love of his dog. Gave our intentions in recognition of disturbing world events (Syrian chemicals, Russian subway attack) and events closer to home, including the passing of Walleye’s uncle. A prayer, and we were off into the world, feeling energized and ready to take on the day.

  • Age is a state of mind

    Waiting for Marlin, so YHC’d have some company.  Alas, he’s a youngster, fartsacking with the best of them.  So after a Disclaimer and announcement of the time in Bermuda,

    THE THANG

    Mosey to rock pile for COP1:

    • Jump Squats 25xIC (too much mumble chatter about missing SSHs)
    • Side Straddle Hops 25xIC
    • Hillbillies 25xIC (after all that mumble chatter, no IWs for the PAX)–PAX welcomes Hawg.
    • Casablancas 25xIC (QHC’s mashup of a Rev move and a Shorty move: pulsing squats while rotating the arms out up and down)
    • Face time: Peter Parkers 25xIC, Parker Peters 25xIC, Mountain Climbers 25xIC, JLos 25xIC and Merkins 25xIC (in homage to Rudy, as he circles the track with his pinned pinky)

    Pick up a rock (any size) and mosey to the oval track for COP2:

    • Bear crawl (25 yards or so), and back with crab walks (mumble chatter about the razor grass, so YHC had pity and deep-sixed the Boo Boo Bear Crawls and Bear-pees).
    •  Lunge walks (same distance and back)
    • Duck Walk (same distance and back)
    • Frog Hops (same distance and back)

    Circle up for COP3 avec les pierres:

    • Shoulder lifts 25xIC
    • Curls 25xIC
    • Rows 25xIC
    • Squats 25xIC
    • Calf raises 25xIC

    A quick mosey around the track for COP4.  #TClaps to Yo-Yo for the antelope sprint.

    Mosey to the soft grass for Circle of Mary:

    • LBCs 55xIC (just because)
    • Flutter kicks with rocks over abs 25xIC
    • Y-T-W (or your torso whines): arms lifts on the belly, first Ys 25xIC, then Ts 25xIC, then Wx 25xIC
    • Hello Dollys with rocks over abs 25xIC
    • Rosalita (without rocks, as far as QHC could see) 25xIC
    • Real Freddy Mercuries 25xIC
    • Putins with (or without) rocks 25xIC

    Mosey back to rock pile to return our friends, and then the PAX moseys fastish (QHC is getting better, but he’s still slow as molasses in going fast, another year to improve) to the Virtual Flag for Count Off, Name-o-Rama and COT.

    Thanks for a great B-Day Q: double nickels are a great stop in life’s journey!   Welcome back Rudy pinky, pin and all; modification is what it’s about.  Been missing our pirate: where are you Bubba?  JV