F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • Popeyes Preseason

    Popeyes Preseason

    8 men came out in the gloom and suffocating humidity to Popeyes on Wednesday, August 28th at 5:30am to try their hand at the IronPax Preseason challenge.

    YHC started with the basic disclaimer at 5:29am and led the pax in a 400 meter warmup mosey to establish the lap for the run of this morning’s challenge.

    The Thang

    24 squats, 24 merkins, 24 lunge steps (2 count as 1), and a 400 meter run is one lap. The goal is to complete six in the fastest time possible. Simple but not easy, especially in the humid conditions.

    The Times

    Two Yutes – 23:57

    Tua – 27:25

    RevSox – 30:09

    Hokie – 32:47

    BooBoo – 34:01

    Darkwing Duck – 37:36

    KennerBrah – 39:21

    Chips – 42:02

    Tclaps to Two Yutes for coming in first with a dominate time under 24 minutes!

    Tua for finishing 2nd after starting F3 only a couple of months ago. He’s going to be gunning for Mahatma soon.

    BooBoo for picking up the Uptowner AO Q (if you ask me the Uptowner Q has been slacking off on his Q duties lately, it’ll be great to see fresh blood restore life to the Uptowner)

    Hokie for improving on his previous time for the IronPax preason by an insane 8 minutes. Hokie basically lapped his Monday time.

    Darkwing Duck for improving in leaps and bounds since his F3 start and making me feel guilty for being more consistent to the Metairie workouts than I am.

    KennerBrah for putting all of us young guys to shame with his work ethic.

    Chips for pushing through to the end and ensuring that every Pax member left this morning stronger and faster than when he arrived.

    The Conclusion

    Count-Off, Name-O-Rama, Chips continued with last lunge walks as we counted off and the Pax ran Chips last lap with him. Announcements and Prayer in the extra sweaty ball of man.

    -Rev Sox

  • With a little help from my friends

    Mosey to the bandstand:
    Warm up. IC
    20x SSH’s
    20x windmills
    20x hillbillies
    20x mountain climbers

    The thang:

    Mosey to the light poles

    BLIMPS
    Burpees
    Lunges
    Imperial walkers
    Merkins
    Plank jacks
    Squats
    Initially did 3x rinse and repeat with a little resistance from the group and added another round on for good measure

    I Love You Man helped with some Freddie
    Mercs while I finished

    Mosey to the picnic benches under the shelter
    20x right leg step ups
    5x dips accident raise in cadence caused everyone to halt-oops
    20x left leg step ups
    20x Decline merkins

    6 MOM
    20x lbc’s
    20x jingle Vader- Dr.W
    20x Willy
    20x 86

    Mosey back to the light post
    Good old fashioned suicides at the 5 light posts

    Stayed at the light posts:

    Bear crawl
    Duck walk to the first light pole
    Low country crab to the second

    Mosey back to flag
    Plank it out for 20 seconds
    Right arm planks 20 seconds
    Left arm planks 20 seconds

    COT, Name-O-Rama, Welcome FNG Paper Mache

    Thanks for giving me the opportunity to lead and thanks for the help with the cadence.
    Who would have thought it would be that hard to count to 20. A little advise for those doing their first Q. Add more exercises than you’ll need in your routine. It goes by fast.
    Very little hazing from Seamen and Angies’s List.

  • B-Limps

    8 pax met at Gma’s house on the gloriously muggy morning.

    The attendance was a little up this morning, after Cowbell’s call to action on Saturday at the lakefront.

    The Thang:

    Mosey to parking lot for Quick Warm up:

    SSH x 20; IW x 20; Merkins x 20 all IC

    Mosey to the under pass for

    1 lap of hill repeats and 25 Burpees, Lunges, IW, Merkins, Plank J’s, and Skwaats after each

    Mosey back to the Flag
    Distance 2.5 miles according to Cowbell.

    COM: including Side ups, and V Ups x 25 and BB sit ups x 10 led by Zoo

    Zoolander, again showing his ability to heal like Wolverine, running hill repeats < 10 weeks post-op ankle surgery.

    COT, Name-o-Rama: Welcome FNG Handy, who is married to Zoolander’s sister. Prayer .

    thanks guys for letting me lead,

    Chewy.

  • SOAP Note

    Subjective: The pax arrived at Shovel flag, everyone was happy to see EiEi and Burgundy. They haven’t been around in a while.

    Objective: Warm up exercises including jane fondas, wife pleasers, Mt climbers and IW x 20 each. The pax then ran 3.something miles, and then finished up with 100 skwaats.

    Assessment: Cowbell and Waterpick are fast, they had to plank a long time waiting for Ei and YHC. There was a lot of grumbling about the 100 skwaats, but overall everyone enjoyed the run and seemed to tolerate it well.

    Plan: Lets do it again next Thursday!

    Thanks for letting me lead,

    Chewy

  • Circuit Soup

    4 pax met up at Gma’s house last tuesday for a circuit of exercises in the 95 degrees heat and humidity at 5:00 am.

    Is November here yet?!

    The Thang:

    1/4 mile run around the block followed by

    -10 Aussie Pull ups

    -15 HR Merkins

    -20 Good Mornings

    -25 Skwaats

    Rinse and Repeat x 6

    Name-o-rama, COT, Prayer.

  • Brick by Brick

    DISCLAIMER

    YHC spent some extra time on the disclaimer this morning. Watch your six. Watch yourself.

    WARM UP
    Mosey the parking lot to the truck to distribute 2 bricks per PAX. PAX circled the lot and then to the front of the bandstand. 20 SSH IC, 20 Grassgrabbers IC, 10 Self Love IC, General leg stretching, 20 Peter Parkers IC, followed by 50 LBCs OYO.

    THANG 1 – BLIMPS (with Bricks) at the lightpost intervals, followed by….another brick BLIMPS across magazine to the fountain.

    THANG 2 – PAX paired up for CBGB (Curls, Brickbys, Goblet Squats, Brick-rows ), one PAX lifts while the other runs with the bricks up two lights and back and flapjack, until all PAX complete.

    THANG 3 – Grab some Wall. Dodo Bird (With two bricks assume the People’s Chair, brick in each hand and at rest down your sides is the default position. In cadence or OYO, (1) side shoulder raise [arms straight and lifted to the sides to shoulder height], (2) back to default, (3) front shoulder raise [arms straight and lifted in front of you to shoulder height],and Wonderbra (assume the People’s Chair position. Start with bricks close to body at chest level. Push bricks up over head fully extending arms, bring bricks back down to chest position, then push them straight out in front until complete arm extension reached. Return to starting position). 3 sets 3 each. 10 count between. Then the PAX finished with some balls-to-the-wall for old times sake.

    YHC then led the PAX to some dry-ish parking in front of the pool. Circle up for Mary – Russian Brick Twists, Brick Mission Impossible, and flutterkicks with bricks held high. The PAX then ligned up facing each other, bricks extended but not touching, forming a tunnel, down which the PAX on the end had to bear crawl. Certainly an element of trust going under trembling arms from the previous exercises.

    The PAX then “stashed” the bricks in an orderly fashion with the hopes they will be there for the Skinny and Birdcage in upcoming weeks.

    COT

    Back to the flag for countoff, name-o-rama, announcements and intentions. Remember Holy Grove, that he recovers quickly and can rejoin us soon.

  • Nothing Gold Can Stay…

    So the time had finally come. The great scepter of Q had been passed to YHC, for the first time ever – with wise words from the Q’s before, and much great advice, pomp and circumstance; I had been called to lead and could not refuse. Humbly, I accepted.

    And while some historians may have differing stories… about how the burden of Q leadership was thrust hastily upon the first available, unsuspecting, member of that weeks coffeteria; or how there were no wise words, or any advice, or how the pomp mostly came from the circumstance of bad jokes and poor planning… YHC chose to see the bigger picture, to take away the more important lesson: Historians are dumb, and only believe what they read in books, or on Backblasts. So there is really no way way of knowing exactly what happened on that day except that the result was, I was an HC to Q the #Renaissance for my VQ.

    In the darkness of a sultry morning, while the rest of the city slept, like so many sheep, YHC went to the AO early to scope out a few areas for our challenge – only to find a wiley Catfish who apparently had run to the site to warm up for the beatdown. Tclaps! (and consequently ran to coffeteria and then home…)

    As a small digression, YHC had just spent the week in Austin on a work trip and was able to commune with the NATX AOs to stay sharp. It is a powerful and reassuring feeling to stumble in to another F3 group (in another city, in another state) and see them keeping the same commitment, the same standard, to the F3 code. Our brothers are out there just as we are here, every day.

    So as we waited for the remainder of the Renaissance crew to materialize in the gloom, YHC had the eerie feeling of waiting on all the other good men, materializing in the gloom of cities all across the nation. All, ready for a new day and a new beat down.

    THE THANG

    The rabble gathered and YHC gave a short disclaimer sure to let all know he was not the professional he appeared to be, and a circle was made.

    All IC:
    x10 Grass Grabbers
    x10 Toe touches
    x15 Windmill
    x20 Peter-Parker
    x20 Parker-Peter

    A quick turn around in the grass, facing up Lelong Dr, with Trees to our left, noting them as markers for first exercise (as measured on gmaps, Trees are 50ft apart):
    OYO, in succession no break-
    5 Burpees
    Bear Crawl to next tree
    5 Burpees
    Crawl-Bear to next tree
    5 Burpees
    Crab Walk to next tree
    5 Burpees
    Walk-Crab to next tree
    5 Burpees
    Sprint distance back to start
    Plank for 6

    Next a mosey up Roosevelt Mall to Track, plank for 6
    Partner up

    Next Ex:
    Catch Me if You Can – One man starts with 3 Burpees while partner runs/sprints backwards around track. When Burpees complete, sprint normal to catch partner; alternate. Tagged man goes down for Burpees while other switches to backwards run… Until tagged… Continue all around track. – 1 lap. Plank for 6

    Next Ex: Move to open area of track
    Keep your partner
    100 Merkins/Plank combined. Alternate in intervals of 10. While partner completes merkin set, you hold plank, back and forth… hold plank for 6

    Next:
    200 Squats/Al Gore combined. Alternate intervals of 20 squats. While partner completes set, you hold (a tree) Al Gore, back and forth…

    Next:
    300 LBCs/Leg Raise combined. Alternate intervals of 30 LBCs. While partner completes set, you hold 6in leg left (or modify with legs kept in LBC position…. either way, no touching the ground till complete), back and forth.

    Might have had a 20 count in here for recovery, but I’m no historian…

    Mosey back to flag, stop at rear of NOMA to post up against the wall for a rest… sort of.

    Next Ex:
    x3 sets of following, OYO
    1 set =
    Peoples chair timed by completing x10 Jack Reachers
    x5 Donkey Kicks (half plank type position, kicking both feet up and back against wall)
    Straight in to Balls to the Wall, or Reverse Wall Stand (Kick feet all the way up, walk back if need be, doing hand stand). Do 1 hand stand press, or hold count 10. (YHC open to better name for this maneuver, or maybe one already exists).

    Complete mosey back to Flag
    Approx 4-5m easy stretches

    All above written upon memory of YHC, the quality of which cannot be accounted for or verified. As a reminder, YHC is NOT a historian. So while no one really knows what happened on this day, or others before it, the sound of trumpets were heard in the distance at one point, and it has been said that a bevy of doves was seen above, as this VQ came to a close (whether or not those trumpets were the screeching brakes of local dump trucks and the doves were pigeons is not for us to debate).  But one thing is for sure, no more Gold of showing up to another man’s Q, just to make it through. It’all Iron now.

    Jokes aside – I am thankful for the opportunity to Q, had a lot of fun doing it, and I hope I presented a challenge to those who showed. Tclaps to FracSac for nudging me in and putting me on rotation. I am appreciative of the F3 brotherhood and have seen huge strides in health, fitness, and energy in just the few months I’ve been committed. Thanks to all who continue to show up daily so that we can all hold each other accountable, to be just a little better, every day. Thank you, F3 NOLA.

  • What’s your function…

    7 #HIM showed up at the Fly on an unusually nice, Summer Sunday morning for a Sweaty Bells workout.  YHC has been thinking a lot about functional fitness lately.  How can we bring more functional fitness to the PAX?  Well, the Kettle Bells provide a unique opportunity.  I’m thinking Farmer’s Carry…but first:

    Circle up for Warm-Up

    • Alternating Open Gates (Jingle Vader opened his own gates to Hell on this one!) IC X20
    • Halos Around Head switching right to left till Q yells halt
    • Halos Around Body switching right to left till Q yells halt
    • Imperial Walkers IC X20
    • Self-Love IC X20

    Here it is. First Round of Farmer’s Carry up and over the Hill for 3 minutes alternating holding kettle bell in right and left hands

    Next Mosey to First Cone on soccer field for Four Corners

    • Bear Crawl to Second Cone moving your Kettle Bell in Right Hand
      • At Second Cone, Squat to Right Hand Press X10 IC then Squat to Left Hand Press X10 IC
      • Crab Crawl to Third Cone moving your Kettle Bell in Right Hand
      • At Third Cone, Sumo Squat to upright row X20 IC
      • Bear Crawl to Fourth Cone moving your Kettle Bell in Left Hand
      • At Fourth Cone, Alternate Reverse Lunges with Opposite Shoulder Reaches X10 each leg IC
      • Crab Crawl to First Cone moving your Kettle Bell in Left Hand
      • At First Cone, Alternating Front Lunges with OH Press.  X10 Each leg IC

    Back to Hill for second round of Farmer’s Carry up and over the Hill for 3 minutes alternating holding kettle bell in right and left hands

    Next, circle up at soccer field for:

    • Curl to Press to Tricep Extension IC X20
    • Ballistic Rows X10 (2 is 1)
    • High Planks with Row R then L X10 each side IC
    • Hip Bridge with Press Right then Left X 12 each side IC
    • Russian Twists X20 IC holding Kettle Bell

    Back to Hill for third round of Farmer’s Carry up and over the Hill for 3 minutes alternating holding kettle bell in right and left hands

    Time’s up and we are at the top of the mole hill.  Let’s circle up here for CoT.  Count-off, Name-o-rama, Announcements, Intentions, and Prayer.

    I think the PAX enjoyed the Farmer’s Carry.  Maybe next time they have to carry something heavy it will be a little easier!

    Thanks for letting me lead!

  • Diamonds In The Rough

    Warmarama:

    10 reps IC for each exercise:

    Toe Touches, Wind Mills, Imperial Walkers, Slow Squats, Side Straddle Hops, Seal Jacks,  High Knees, Butt Kicks, Forward Arm Circles, Reverse Arm Circles, Overhead Claps

    Mosey

    Circle Burp……

    All pacs formed the best circle that 22 guys could make. Everyone starts doing High Knees. Starting and ending with yours truly, when Pac shouts “DOWN,” all pacs do one burpee. High Knees commence until the next pac says down. Rinse and repeat until all pacs have done one burpee.

    Mosey to the Park

    7 of Diamonds

    Not sure if anyone found any diamonds, but I am pretty sure everyone found the bottom of their gas tanks with this one.

    Starting at one corner of the park, all Pacs will perform an exercise layed out by THE Manny for 7 reps.  Once that exercise is complete, all pacs mosey to the second “corner” of the park. The same exercise is completed for the same amount of reps.  Pacs mosey to the third corner,   rinse and repeat the same exercise and reps performed at the first two corners. Once everyone gets back to the first corner, plank it up until 6 gets there and then wait for the next exercise and reps to be distributed to the troops.  Here’s how this went down this morning.

    Round 1 – 7 Burpees

    Round 2 – 14 Merkins

    Round 3 – 21 Squats

    Round 4 – 28 Plank Jacks

    Round 5 – 21 Mountain Climbers

    Round 6 – 14 Squat Jumps

    Round 7 – 7 Burpees

    Mosey to the spot of the Circle Burp and get on your 6 for some Mary.

    Little Manny Crunches – 15 IC

    Freddie Mercuries – 20 IC

    Flutter Kicks – 10 IC

    Leg Lifts – 10 IC

    Puttins – 10 IC

    100s – 10 IC

    Absolutions – 10 IC

    Pacs break into two groups and Mosey back to flag.

    Special appearance by Capt Sparkles for the Circle of Trust. Thanks for treating the 22 Pac Turn Out to coffee Capt.

    The Hammer prayed us out.

  • A bit of Notre Dame, and a bit of YIPPEE!

    19 PAX (incluing Rewatch, downriver from Houston) in the morning gloom to help YHC celebrate the end of his 51st year. Yippee!

    Started out with a disclaimer, trying to be more thoughtful than normal with thoughts of Holy Grove in mind. Everyone: be mindful of your health. Hydrate. Modify. Its Hot and Humid. Most important – remain healthy. All this, while continuing to push yourselves. So with thoughts and prayers for Holy Grove in mind, lets get started.

    YHC brought along a YIPPEE! bag full of birthday gifts. The idea: all PAX feel free – at any point in the workout – come pick a gift from the YIPPEE! bag. What’s in the bag? A collection of goodies – exercises for the Q, exercises for the PAX, a few special gotchas. Each piece of paper is something new and different.

    Mosey over to the Great Lawn.

    Warmup with some stretching and SSH (x51). First dip into the YIPPEE bag produces 20 Dips for everyone at the benches! Its going to be a fun hour.

    7 Heisman Trophy Winners

    7 of Diamonds, in honor of the ND 7 heisman trophy winners (Bertelli, Hart, Lattner, Lujack, Hornung, Huarte and Brown). Yes, Douille is correct in noting that Hornung is the only Heisman winner from a losing team. Douile was incorrect in thinking Hornung lost to Tulane.

    PAX split into 4 groups. 4 cones set up in a diamond shape.

    Round 1: 7 Bobby Hurleys at a cone, Bear Crawl to the next. Repeat all the way around

    Round 2: 14 Merkins, Lunge Walks

    Round 3: 21 Squats, Crab Walks

    Round 4: 28 Flutter Kicks, Lunge Walks

    War Eagle and Catfish seem to be greatly enjoying the YIPPEE bag – produce burpees, merkins, squat jumps for the PAX, for themselves, for the Q. “10 Burpees for Me”. “20 Merkins for PAX of choice” (tough break, Angie’s List). “15 Squat Jumps for the Q”. “10 Genuflects for the PAX”. The cards are flying faster.

    YHC also especially enjoyed War Eagle’s “Sing Happy Birthday to the Q”. Thank you.

    11 National Championships

    Yes, YHC is aware that our glory days are old. No, YHC does not care. Yes, YHC always believes that next year represents our return to glory.

    11s with Burpees and Catalina Wine Mixers. Go. PAX now are running past the YIPPEE bag with more frequency, resulting in more draws.

    Pop Tart pulls a “Sprint vs the Q”, and pays dearly for his arrogance – slipping and falling as he turns to mock the slower Q. The Tortoise revels in his glorious victory. Rewatch and Catfish both draw Laps around the park.

    Triple Shift adamantly refuses to approach the Yippee bag. He must not like birthdays. Or presents.

    5 Pillars

    YHC has to call off the 11s somewhere around half-way point due to time constraints. 5 Pillars of Holy Cross Education: Mind, Heart, Zeal, Family, Hope. For each one, PAX will do 5 Rise Ups (squat for a 5 count, then jump up, return to squat position). Even while explaining the exercise, Hokie is standing at the bag waiting to draw. And of course, he pulls “10 Burpees for the Q”. Everyone else gets a 10 count while YHC gets 10 burpees in.

    At Zeal, Rev Sox pulls “20 Merkins for the Q”. Thanks. Rev Sox leads PAX in 5 Rise Ups while YHC knocks out 20 Merkins.

    Mary

    Circle up for last 5 minutes of Mary. But we never get to Mary. More cards are drawn – “10 Burpees for everyone”. Seems there were more Burpee cards than YHC remembers putting in the bag.

    Alas, we never got to the Duck Duck Goose game that YHC was really hoping for. Next time… But for now, return to the flag.

    COT

    Count-off: 19 PAX (including 2 FNGs). Thank you all for celebrating my birthday with me! First, from Atlanta, still a dirty bird fan, so the PAX were unanimous in welcoming “28-3” to the tribe. Then – deep voice, handsome beard, claims he might kinda sing a bit: Pavarotti, glad to have you with us!

    Close up with announcements, intentions and prayers to remember each day granted to us is a gift. May we treasure it, and use it wisely.

    Thank you all for the opportunity to lead. I welcome your patience with me as I try new and potentially stupid things at workouts.