F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • Gettysburg

    Bill, it was hard but I did find a pic from this morning.

    By: MegaDad

    The Scene:  The  Colosseum

    Conditions:  perfect. Moonlight and light fog

    Pax: 10!

    Me

    Cat 5

    Workhorse

    Tapanga

    Fastball

    Big easy

    Duracell

    Shangeaux

    Dagwood 

    MegaDad

    It was another random fluke that I was able to post on Wednesday. Maybe divine intervention, as worms reached out to me through email yesterday and that reminded me that I was working from home and could sneak away for 1hr

    I volunteered to lead, to get back in the swing of things.

    It was not planned, so I’m going to do a haphazard attempt to document what we did

    Mosey under the bridge and over to the foggy field. Tapanga pointed out that we had entered the Gettysburg scene of remember the titans. We stopped at ~3 park benches for various Merkin rotations, jump squats, SS hops,  pistol squats, etc

    We turned around next to the bayou behind Pennington. After enjoying the moonlight remove seat all the way back doing some front, sideways, backwards,  karaoke right and left, and repeat all of those while squatting.   Finished with a slow sprint to the bridge, running back to meet the six if you were fast enough. Few were by this point.   Actually, it’s probably because shangeaux and work horse are the fastest 6’s of ever seen

    We did lunges to the top of the hill then mosey to the circle in the back corner behind baseball fields. Duracell took my challenge to lead a long ring of fire. I wasn’t sure if he was ever going to stop, so I killed it finally.

    Mosey back to home point and finished with some Mary’s. Leg toss on the bench, then again at 45°.  Cat5  was, by far, the best counter.  Although, easier to count when your legs are swinging around.  Next was crunchy frogs on the table top and then CAT5 finished with a bang. I shout out to rocket. Jane Fonda on the table top. I’m sure someone  got a picture,  look for it on the onion or  Jimmy Fallon.

    Best of all, all the conversation between men. I’ve never seen that much during the work out. It was still tough, but these men are getting tougher

     

  • Happy Birthday to the City of New Orleans

    The City of New Orleans has been celebrating its 300th birthday throughout the 2018 year. You may not have known that May 7, 1718 is the date most commonly recognized as when the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne De Bienville, founded Nouvelle – Orleans. So in honor of NOLA’s 300th birthday the following beat down occurred.

    Warm Up

    B   Big Boy Sit-ups – 30x – plus a few more as Q off to rough start with cadence.
    D   Dying Cockroach – 30x
    A   Abe Vigoda – 30x
    Y   Why Side Straddle Hops 30x – because we always do side straddle hops during warm-ups.

    N   Nolan Ryan – 15x Left and 15x Right
    O   Outlaw – 15x Left and 15x Right
    L   LBC’s – 30x
    A   Arm Circles – 15 forward and 15 backward

    The Thang

    Grab a rock and mosey to the track/field. Partner up with each team doing the following:

    Stand on sideline of the field with each pair of PAX completing cumulative 300 rock curls, 300 shoulder-taps, and 300 rock shoulder presses. While one PAX was doing curls, or shoulder-taps, or shoulder presses, the other PAX was running to the opposite sideline and doing bear crawl, then run back to opposite sideline.

    Bring rocks pack to pile and finish with a few minutes of Mary.

    Back to Flag for Count off, Namorama (named FNG Pai Gow), and Announcements (CSAUP this week and UNO Crawfish Mambo this Saturday). Welcome to Pai Gow – thanks for joining the group.

    I am enjoying the F3 experience. Thank you all for the opportunity to lead.

  • Dirty McDeuce at the Birdcage

    Nice turnout at the Birdcage where the Pax was treated to a variation on the Dirty McDeuce.  But first, a disclaimer, quick mosey down oak alley, and warump COP:  SSHx25, IW x26, Burpee x10 (OYO).  Then a slow jog back down oak alley, down the jogging track to the row bars, and back to the lamppost nearest to the bandstand (approx. 500-600 m).  That would be our lap for the Dirty McDeuce, which went something like this:

    • Lamppost 1:  Merkins x10, Monkey humpers x20, Mountain climbers x20, bearcrawl to lamppost two, hard run
    • Lamppost 2: Diamond merks x10, squat jumps x30 (2-count cadence), plank jacks x20, backward bearcrawl to lamppost three, hard run
    • Lamppost 3: Wide merks x10, lunges x20, Peter Parkers x20, bearcrawl to lamppost 4, hard run
    • Lamppost 4: Merks x10, burpees x1 (OYO), Parker Peters x20, backward bearcrawl to track, hard run

    We then used the balance of our time for some Mary:

    • LBC x25
    • V-Up x15
    • Russian Twist x20
    • Dying cockroach x20
    • Hello Dolly x20
    • J-Lo x20

    Finally, wrap up with the count, name-o-rama, and prayer.

    -Mulligan

  • Running In Circles

    There were a couple of noteworthy things at this morning’s beatdown: Bubba’s victorious return after a lengthy F3 hiatus, Moby’s first completed workout since suffering an ankle injury, and Maverick’s remarkably prompt arrival at the Gipper!  T-claps to all these men for stepping it up.

    So… after a month of running stagnation, YHC was finally in a running mood this morning.  Most of the thang today therefore involved… you guessed it, running.

    Warm-up: Good Mornings, Toe Touches, Windmills, 15x IC.  SSHs, Seal Jacks, and High Knees, 25x IC.

    The Thang: First, off to the Taj for a new partner routine: PAX performs flutter kicks while two men run the perimeter of the Taj in opposite directions.  Once they meet on the other side, they knock out 5 burpees and then return along the same path.  Next pair up, and so on, until the entire PAX has completed the run.  Followed up with the same drill but mountain climbers replaced flutter kicks, and lastly, jump squats.

    Mosey to the grass in front of the parking garage for a quick set of Catalina Wine Mixers, 15x IC (at an odd 6-count that miraculously went over smoothly).  The name may be hoity toity, but the exercise itself is straight grunt work.  Then up to the 2nd floor to start another partner drill: P1 begins lunge walking up the ramp, while P2 runs past him to do a loop – up, around, and back down the stairs to catch P1 and switcheroo.  Then bear crawls, then broad jumps.

    Lastly, before returning to the flag: burpee suicides.  Sprint to mid-parking lot and back, 5 burpees.  Full length and back, 5 burpees.  This one was inspired by Grundy’s looooong PFT sprint, which I think I can safely say kicked everyone’s ass last Saturday (except Turbo, of course).

    Back safely at the flag, there was just enough time to do Jane Fonda’s, 20x IC each leg.

    Countdown, nameorama, and Moby prayed us out.  As always, thank you men for the opportunity to lead and get stronger with you.

  • Your Kids Are How Old?!?!

    YHC’s commute was from Kenner this morning.  Rather than the usual 20 min drive, it was more like 12 with very little stop lights.   With the extra time, YHC reviewed his Weinke in preparation for todays Beatdown.  A Pax can always prep for his Q, but the only true way to perfect is through experience.   YHC is grateful for F3 and it’s $0 cost mantra.  The best way to show your gratitude and “pay” back what you receive is by signing up to Q.

    W/U

    • SSH x 26
    • Ave Vigoda x 20
    • IW x 20
    • MC x 20
    • Butt Kicks x 10

    The Thang

    Indian Run to NOMA

    • Wall Sits – In COT fashion, name your Occupation, M’s Name, # of Children

    Indian Run to the Foundry for equipment free Beatdown Stations

    • 8 Ct Body Builder x 10 is the count
    • Jack Webbs 1:2, 2:4, 3:6
    • Squat + Plank
    • Plank Combo
    • Jump Squats

    Circle Up for Merkins – In Cot fashion, do a Merkin for each year of the age of your children.  This was either a really good or really bad idea.  Depends on the Pax interpretation.

    • Mambi – 7, 5
    • Pai Gow – 7, 5
    • Walleye – 8, 5
    • Da Parish – 3, 1
    • Cowbell – (K9) 3
    • Bogey – 20, 19, 14
    • Tool – 14, 12

    Mosey to the Track – Pax assigns Mary to be performed and then takes off for a lap.  To save time, a new Pax took off every half lap.

    • Mambi – Flutter Kicks
    • Tool – LBCs
    • Da Parish – Wife Pleasers
    • Walleye(?) – Hello Dolly
    • Cowbell – Crunchy Frog
    • Bogey – American Hammer
    • Pai Gow – Wheezy Jeffersons

    Back to the Flag for Count Off, Namorama, & Announcement (CSAUP/F2 tonight at the Lafitte Greenway & Bayou Beer Garden, Lakeview Running Club every Thursday, Free BabyCakes tickets on May 17).

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead.

    Da Parish

  • That’s Right, No Upper Body…

    Cobains for the delayed backblast…

    At 05:30, YHC gave the disclaimer and we moseyed around the golf club parking lot and over to the grass by the bandstand for the warm up COP: plank jacks, imperial walkers,  mtn. climbers, hill billies x 25 IC.

    Mosey to the shelter and grab a partner. Partner A runs a lap through the lights and back around through the parking lot(approx. qtr mile)while Partner B does the designated exercise AMRAP, then flip flop.  They were: monkey humpers, russian twists, left leg step ups, dolly, right leg step ups, elbow plank, lunge, flutter kick, low slow squat, lbc. Plank and wait for the six. Just enough time to quick mosey to the flag.

    COT w shoutout by YHC.

    T Claps to the pax for covering a little more than 2.5 miles on the run.

    Good Times!

    Roots

  • 610 Stomp is the Easiest Q Ever

    0530 struck and the scheduled Q was a fartsack.  “I’LL TAKE IT”, YHC passionately exclaimed, “The Stomp is the easiest Q there is.”   As Tool pointed out, this Back Blast is the hardest part.

    The Thang:

    30 min round trip on the traditional Bayou St. John route.   YHC enjoyed some quality F2 & mumblechatter with Tool & Hawgcycle.

    Back at the track for a climb down the sprint ladder.

    • Run as hard as you can for 400m; recover 100
    • Run as hard as you can for 300m; recover 200
    • Run as hard as you can for 200m; recover 300
    • RUN AS HARD AS YOU CAN FOR 100M; recover to the Flag

    Announcements – F2 opportunities ahead!!!  Beatdown with Tool tomorrow evening at the Lafitte Greenway followed by beers & burgers at Bayou Beer Garden.  Lakeview Running Club this Thursday and ever Thursday at the Basin.   Babycakes Baseball game next Thursday (May 17) for F2; let YHC know if you are coming and how many tickets you need.  The tickets are free, just like F3.

    F3 Opportunity available with Woz after Mothership/Coffeteria, Bible Study

    Thanks was given for the 300th anniversary of our city.  May She forever reign.  Intentions were said for her leaders and the impact they make on tomorrow.

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead.  It feels great to Q again.

    Da Parish

  • Pre-Blast What’s the 3rd F Again?

    1 Timothy 4:7b-8 (ESV)

      …train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present time and also for the life to come.

    Men, if F3 is going to accomplish it’s goal of “invigorating male community leadership”, then the 3rd F, Faith, cannot go uncultivated. Without the invigoration that comes from serving an ideal larger than yourself, the 1st and 2nd F’s can devolve into navel gazing, self service or worse… selfie posting, self worship. While the 1st F pushes you to achieve gains you didn’t think were possible, and the 2nd F places you in contact with a fraternity of men who quickly become an important part of your life. It is the 3rd F that propels you forward towards something greater, outward towards something meaningful, and upward towards something eternal. 

    This summer we have set aside time to explore faith through studying a book of the Bible. We will be studying through the Gospel of Mark each Saturday from 8:15 to 9:00 am following the morning beatdown and coffeeteria at the Mothership. The format of the book of Mark has a cadence that should be familiar to F3 with its short, explosive stories that transition at a quick pace. We will be using a study guide by John MacArthur to help set the pace for our study which should last about 13 weeks. The first shipment of books were handed out last week, and more are arriving just in time for this Saturday. This week we will be discussing the introduction to the Gospel of Mark and handing out more books. 

    See you in the gloom and hopefully the post gloom!

    Woz

  • Cinco de Mayo with Party Hats

    F3, the Knoll, 5-5-2018, uphill in reverse, IMG_8181

     

    By: Money Cat

    The Scene:  The Knoll

    Conditions: 72° overcast and soon to be festive.

     

    Money Cat arrived at the Knoll for 6:30 to plant the F3 shovel along with the stars and stripes. The gringos began arriving one by one around 6:45. By 7AM everyone had arrived and it was time to begin.

    Welcome: 11 men posted.

    Disclaimer:

    “I am not a professional trainer and have never claimed to be.

    You are participating at your own risk.

    You are responsible for your own well-being.

    You are here voluntarily, and you are not paying to be here. Although you do receive payment in the gift of fitness, fellowship and encouragement.

    Know your limits and do the best you can; all exercises are suggestions and can be modified

    If you are still sore by Tuesday morning please understand that nothing is wrong….it’s completely natural to feel that way! You’ve done the workout correctly.”

    After the disclaimer Money Cat advised the hombres that today was a special day because it was his first time to Q an F3 workout and it happened to be Cinco de Mayo. Money Cat had planned in advanced to make this workout a celebration of the Mexico national holiday by pulling out his garbage bag of tricks and passing out straw hats purchased from a local party store. There was laughing and smiling around knowing what these muchacho’s would look like. Money Cat pulled out a much larger yellow hat. He felt proud and authoritative placing it on his head. He wanted his nino’s to know who was in charge. Money Cat has a special ability of ESP(N) and one of the caballero’s was thinking Money Cat looked like the tall man with the yellow hat in the Curious George books. Thankfully Money Cat chose not to publicly add to this uno gringo’s workout…but payback is coming!

    Warm-a-Rama:

    The men mosey’d to the sundial. Money Cat explained in celebration of Cinco de Mayo being a date with a 5, every exercise will be multiplied by 5. Basically everything would be 25 reps.

    Don Quixotes (old school Windmills) – 25

    Jumping Jack’s – 25

    Dips – 25

    At this time during our workout at the end of our dips an elderly man was walking through our workout. He got to the end of the sundial and collapsed. Immediately our men were attending to his need for help. The men spoke to him to make sure he was ok and there were no serious injuries. After what seemed like the longest minute or two our guys helped him up slowly. The old timer said he was ok and was good to walk. Money Cat pointed out how proud it was of the men rushing to this mans’ need for help…its what all men are called to do.

    Arm Circles Forward – 25

    Arm Circles Backward – 25 (The Money Cat in his keen sense of awareness, detected groaning’s.)

    Inclined Merkins – 25

    Mexican Dips – 25

    Cinco Quads

    Lil mosey down the hill over the walk bridge and stopped at the bottom of the second hill. Once Money Cat (playing the weekly role of the 6th) arrived he announced the workout. Money Cat really enjoyed the activity Snack Pack introduced several weeks ago to the guys. Backwards walking up to the top of the hill and mosey back down to the bottom. Five times the guys would perform this activity and at the end of each rep the guys had a choice of their exercise starting at one and building up to five after each rep. The Money Cat gladly allowed the men to lap him. Money Cat’s legs are short but his heart is that of a lion with an ocean size of courage!!! He was glad to watch these men execute the routine.

    El Grande Event: 

     

    The men were ordered to mosey over the walk bridge and climb the hill and report back to the sundial for El Grande workout. Once again the humble Money Cat let the men go first and he followed behind as the 6th. Arriving at the sundial the men were told to come closer inside the sundial to hear the instructions. Money Cat explained the next activity is actually named Cards of Death from the F3 list of exercises but Money Cat felt the name was not appropriate considering the activity promoted good health. So, the name has been changed to Cards of Health. A normal deck of cards (with extra face cards and four extra jokers) is needed for this physical activity. Each of the men are to draw a card, multiple the number cards by five and mosey to the other sundial to the right or left of the main sundial, complete the activity listed on the card and mosey or walk back to the main sundial for another card. The activity is over when all the cards have been completed.

     

    The cards are as followed:

     

    Twos – mosey to the spot, perform 10 burpee’s, mosey or walk back.

     

    Threes – mosey to the spot, perform 15 merkin’s, mosey or walk back.

     

    Fours – mosey to the spot, perform 20 lunges, mosey or walk back.

     

    Fives – mosey to the spot, perform 25 Don Quixote’s, mosey or walk back.

     

    Sixes – mosey to the spot, perform 30 LBC’s, mosey or walk back.

     

    Sevens – mosey to the spot, perform 35 imperial walkers, mosey or walk back.

     

    Eights – mosey to the spot, perform 40 arm circles (20 forward, 20 backward), mosey or walk back.

     

    Nines – mosey to the spot, perform 45 arm forward claps, mosey or walk back.

     

    Tens – mosey to the spot, perform 50 we are not worthy’s, mosey or walk back.

    (It was suggested the 8, 9 and 10 card activities could be done while running to the spot.)

     

    Jack – mosey to the spot while doing the Al Gore, perform 11 Al Gore’s and mosey or walk back.

     

    Queen – skip to the spot, perform 12 chorus line leg kicks, mosey or walk back.

     

    King – horse trot to the spot, perform 13 Bobby Hurley’s, mosey or walk back.

     

    Ace – mosey to the spot flapping arms like a bird, perform 14 squats, mosey or walk back.

     

    Jokers – goofball run to the spot, perform 15 goofballs, mosey or walk back.

     

    Mary:

    After finishing the Cards of Health the men were instructed to mosey backwards to the shovel flag. Time was creeping away from us so there was only time enough for one Mary to spell our F3 names with our legs while laying down. Someone pointed out that 2 shoes had the easiest task of writing out a #2 and holding his foot up.

    Count-o-Rama

    Name-o-Rama

    F3, the Knoll, 5-5-2018, uphill in reverse, IMG_8181

  • NO FEAR!…or trash

    What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?

    -Vincent Van Gough

    Fear, largely based on the unknown, keeps us from even attempting things sometimes. Courage is the power to conquer the fear despite the unknown. Fear can pervade every area of our lives, as we can all attest, and for YHC, fear inundated me on several levels as I put together today’s beatdown – and even more so as I pulled up to the Marsh in the gloom! You see, I can’t shake the words of our illustrious brother Turbo Tax following the 2 year convergence when he told us, in essence, to stop phoning it in and be the F3 that we want by, among other things, putting thought and preparation into our beatdowns. With that in mind, I fearfully sprinkled just a little bit of Bushwacker Orgininality Spice on a piece of paper, worried that, as good as it sounded now, it may end up a flop. YHC may end up pushed past his breaking point. The PAX may snicker and scoff at the ridiculous commands presented to them and secretly ridicule the Wacker (as the southshore did with the ISI week of 100s). But courage overcame the baseless fears, and the trusty Men of the Marsh met to Master another Monday ass whoopin!

    Pre-Thang

    Slow dynamic stretching seemed in order so…

    All IC:

    Toe Touches x30

    Imperial Walkers x30

    Abe Vigodas x20

    Thang

    Off to the playground equipment for…

    (all OYO)

    5 pull ups, 10squats, 25 merkins, 50 LBCs

    5 chin ups, 10 lunges (5each leg),25 freak nasties, 50 heal pulses

    5Australian pull ups, 10 1 leg squats (5 each leg), 25 derkins, 50 putins

     

    Back to the B Ball court and partnered up for my own take on  B.O.M.B.S. called B.I.T.E. M.E.

    50 Burpees

    100Iron Hulks (1:4 ratio of merkins to air presses)

    The Two Amigos (wall squat back to back and walk from one end of the court and back)

    200 E2K (ankle over knee oblique crunch, 100 each side)

    Empty Wheelbarrow (crab walk with partner holding your legs)

    Wrap Up

    Pushing the limits of temporal respect, we finished sweaty sore and exhausted with COT and a prayer from the Sharp Dressed Pik himself.

    LAGNIAPPE (or Post Thang)

    As has proudly become somewhat of an F3 northshore tradition, we scoured the Marsh like kids on an easter egg hunt for all the litter we could find, so as to leave the place better than it was when we arrived.

    Thank you gentlemen for your friendship, comaraderie, and following my lead, despite my fears

     

    A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature

    -Ralph Waldo Emerson

     

    As a post script for those of you still reading, I just read an article that says a meta study comprised of 2 Harvard studies that followed over 700 men for 75 years testing all aspects of health and happiness found “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.” — Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. We, gentlemen, will live forever!