F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • 3 Musketeers at the Scramble

    It was cold in the gloom this morning at the Scramble.  After some mumble chatter, we got right to it.

     

    Warmup (all IC):  10 SSHs, butt kicks, high knees, Wind Mills, plank-jacks, shoulder taps.

    Pre thang:  3 minutes of pull-ups, freak nasties, shoulder shrugs, in rotation

    Thang:  3.2mi run.

    Post Thang Mary (all IC): 20 IBCs, Flutter Kicks, Hello Dollys, Wife Pleasers

    I was glad to have two of my F3 brothers post for my first Q, especially on such a cold gloom.  Looking forward to many more with this band of men.

  • Gelid Air at Okwata

    YHC had so much fun with the Pax at the Foundry in the below freezing temperatures the day before that he just had to sign up and take the Q for the gelid wind conditions expected to be at the angry Okwata. Upon arrival to the Okwata AO with one minute to spare, YHC found two Pax he had never seen before. Two Pax from F3 Birmingham were in New Orleans on business, but nobody told them the city was pretty much shut down. But these F3 men scoff at wintry weather conditions, and YHC was pleased to see them. This would not have been a good day to be a Pax of one! Wait, where are the NOLA men of F3? No time to think about that. Good thing Hawgcycle showed up and found us with his crochet visor and gloveless! I nearly lost hope for F3 NOLA!
    With no shovel flag to plant, YHC gave a brief disclaimer, and then…

    Mosey across the levee to the south side, where Hawgcycle found us. The thermometer read 25 degrees, and the wind chill brought that down to a “feels like” 12 degrees or so. Any hospitable host would do what he could to keep guests somewhat shielded from the gelid wind of the north!
    Circle up at the base of the levee for warmup:

    SSH IC x 20
    IW IC x 20

    Taking a sheet from the Shorty Q book, mosey to Lakeshore Pkwy for some Circuits, as the Pax needs to get warmed up more:

    Circuit one: Starting at the middle lamp post, call it #2, sprint to #1 lamp post and do 10 merkins. Run back to lamp post #2 and do 10 merkins, then run to lamp post #3 and complete 10 burpees all OYO

    Circuit two: Starting back at lamp post #2, sprint to #1 lamp post, complete 10 Catalina Wine Mixers IC, run back to lamp post #2 and complete 10 merkins IC, then run to lamp post #3 and complete 10 burpees OYO.

    Now the Pax is nice and toasty, but can’t slow down now! Mosey to Canal Street for some BLIMPS:

    Corner of Amethyst and Canal: 5 double merkin Burpees OYO
    Run over the levee to the north side, enduring the gelid wind, to Lakeshore Drive: 10 Lunges IC
    Bear crawl across the median (oops, called it the wrong thing – thanks Hawg) err…Neutral Ground….to the other corner: 15 Imperial walkers IC
    Run across the levee to the other corner of Amethyst and Canal for: 20 Merkins IC (4 count of course)
    Bear crawl across the neutral ground to the first corner: 25 Plank jacks IC
    Run across the levee against the gelid winds again to finish it off: 30 squats IC

    Mosey back to the south side of the levee for an Okwata favorite: Burp Back Mountain! Modified due to time.
    Partner up, Pax 1 begins burpees at the base of levee. Pax 2 runs backwards up the levee (quadraphilia) and down three times, then rotate. Goal is 50 burpees cumulative.
    With 6 minutes to go, only one thing will do:

    6 Minutes of Mary! All IC
    Flutter Kicks x 20
    Hello Dolly x 20
    Tin Snips x 20
    Freddie Mercury x 20
    Russian twist aka Putins x 15
    WW2 situps x 10

    Times up, mosey back to the VSF.

    COT

    Count off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions and close with a prayer.

    NMM
    The announcements were pretty short, not only because it was frigid, but also because it was really just YHC and Hawg from NOLA. With the roads shut down, YHC was impressed with Hawg’s determination to make it to Okwata. T-Claps to Mullen and Zacchaeus from F3 Birmingham for posting on this cold morning. It’s always great to see men from other regions post, and F3 NOLA always welcomes them with a good beat down.
    The Q signup sheet has a lot of blanks on it. See what you can do to remedy that…..

  • What keeps you warm you ask! BURPEES DO!!!

    We came from the land of the ice and snow
    From the midnight sun, where our hot beds stow
    BURPEES were The hammer of the gods
    We dropped and moved the earth with our hands
    To fight the cold, we ran and yelled
    Valhalla, we are a coming!

    From the shelter we sortied onto the Tundra Ice
    Around the park we soared
    From station to station moving faster than the wind to our bones
    We whispered tales of dips and power ups.

    Victory through BURPEES our only warmth
    Hungry we yelled for more
    All we heard were Gabrille’s snore
    Lunge, Burpee, Run, Burpee, Lunge

    Back to the shelter in search of our ROOTS
    We circled for Mary
    Of how we calmed the tides of war
    We are your overlords

  • Global Warming at the Gipper

    Could not ask for a better morning with 9 bad ..ss F3 Warriors. Cold stopped no one this morning. Simply made for a great experience with the friendship thanks to F3.

     

    Warmup–we shot through 13 exercises with highlighted Side Straddle Hops where as 1 man at a time bounced to the center and back like a one man show during a wedding reception party. I think Bushwacker took that one as the best SSH dancer!  Other exercises included high knees, butt kicks, lunges, Merkins, side lunges, sumo squats-that was fun too, especially with the added arm gestures. Some of the exercises were repeated for a total of 13.

    The Thang–mosey to the courthouse (and a cyclist) for a little fun with merkins and Derkins… 5/20 rotation till it was 20/5 for a total of 100 merk/derks!

    Mosey to the parking lot for 3 more activities. 1- Four laps of a combination of lunges, bear hops, and bunny hops 2- circle around the imaginary flag pole. To the center and back with 12/3/6/9 rotation followed by crab crawl… Oh, when we got to the center it required a hand slap or twinkle toe touches.. Have to have been there to get the picture.3–Fifteen merkins with 2 runs blended in. Great for the cardio.

    Mosey back to the Gipper for some warm down exercises. Some discussion about the race this Saturday at 9 pm.. Be there, we are ready! And don’t forget Tough Mudder on the horizon.

    Hero of the day–Shooter–why you ask– no gloves!

    Closeout prayer by Bushwacker..reminded us how blessed we are.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Grandmas house has a new norm when it comes to attire!!

    Grandmas house has been changed by the appearance of leggings, beanies, gloves, sweatshirts, jogging pants, etc. in recent weeks.. The harsh winter weather on the Northshore has also hampered the turnouts to many locations, which in the past has seen upwards of 10 plus men on a weekday Gloom…. In past experience of being locked into a contract of the cosmetic facilities, I would always notice the high turnout for the New Years. However, with F3 I have seen a decline at most AOs with the exception of the Gipper. So I pose a question or two for my past and future F3 brothers.. Is it the weather? If so, then purchase some beanies, gloves, leggings, etc. and show up. Is it the price we pay? Doubtful, because as we all know it’s FREE and only requires 45 min of our day (much cheaper and less time consuming than the cosmetic facilities). So if your still reading this and haven’t posted in awhile let’s start packing the AOs once again and keep the commitment into the New year.. Statistics show 12% of all memberships for any given facility come in Jan. but it actually represents a 35-50% increase in volume and by the second week in Feb. only 20% of that increase remain committed. Also the cosmetics sell memberships with the intention of only 18% actually using them. Meaning there is a 1 in 5 chance you will actually use it consistently for longer than a month… Let’s not be a statistic my F3 brothers… Get out there beanies and all. No matter what the conditions, know that your body and mind will thank you.. And the F2 and chatter will be lagniappe as we like to say..

    warmarama

    25 IC SSH, IW, WM, BK

    15 IC GM, Arm Circles

    the thang

    Walkway for a set of 11s with Burpees on the bottom and squats at the top of the flag pole. Moseyed to the stage for some core work. Hit the 6 for some FK IC 30 followed by leg raises IC 15. Then LBCs IC 30 including left/right IC 15 side crunch’s rounding out with Superman’s IC 15. Moseyed to the bench’s by the trace for 15 Box jumps oyo then 25 Merkins, 15 oyo left to right side jump overs then 25 Merkins R/R. Moseyed back to the walkway for 1 min front, left and right plank and then to the benches under the flag pole for 15 IC Freak nasties and then 10IC Derkins. To the steps for completion, 5 calf raises 2 steps R/R up to the top. Descended the steps with 5 squats and 2 steps R/R back to the bottom.

    Count off, Announcements, COT

    Appreciate the Gloom with you two F3 brothers…

    Thanks to Bubba for praying us out!!

  • Crochet Visor, Sans Gloves

    There are many reasons Hawgcycle is one of my heroes. He leads by example, he pushes himself and everyone around him to be better, Iron Sharpens Iron, he provides words of inspiration, he is a literary genius (just read the Tough Mudder backblast), and so on. Today, it is because he showed up in the gloom with a Crochet Visor and no gloves in 33 degree coldness to hoist some rocks. Gotta love the guy.

     

    View image on Twitter

    6 men braved the cold temperatures today to get stronger. As we discussed the heart-breaking ending to the Saints season, the men trickled in. The usual disclaimer and off we go.

    Warm-Up COP:

    SSH x 30 IC
    Imperial Walkers x 20 IC
    Mountain Climbers x 20 IC
    Arm Circles x 10 Forward, 10 Backward IC
    Windmills x 10 IC
    Plank Jacks x 20 IC

    Grab a Rock! We each grabbed a rock of our own choosing. And once again, Triple Shift grabbed the ol’ 51 pounder. #Respect #WayToLead

    We moseyed over to the field between the 2 tree lines for our entire workout. As the temperature was 33 degrees, YHC did not feel like running too far.

    Exercise 1: quick fire rock circuits, run-to-rest in between. Let it be noted, Hawg hoisted a frozen rock for all of these exercises without gloves, and never once dropped the rock early. Respect.

    Rock Shoulder Press x 10 IC
    Rock Biceps Curls x 10 IC
    Rock Rows x 10 IC
    Rock Squats x 10 IC
    Rock Chest Press x 10 IC

    Run to the parking lot (50 yards) and back

    Rock Shoulder Press x 10 IC
    Rock Biceps Curls x 10 IC
    Rock Rows x 10 IC
    Rock Squats x 10 IC
    Rock Chest Press x 10 IC

    Run to the parking lot (50 yards) and back

    Rock Shoulder Press x 10 IC
    Rock Biceps Curls x 10 IC
    Rock Rows x 10 IC
    Rock Squats x 10 IC
    Rock Chest Press x 10 IC

    Run to the parking lot (50 yards) and back

    Rock Shoulder Press x 10 IC
    Rock Biceps Curls x 10 IC
    Rock Rows x 10 IC
    Rock Squats x 10 IC
    Rock Chest Press x 10 IC

    Run to the parking lot (50 yards) and back

    Exercise 2:
    Rock lunges across the field, 50 yards, to the groans and huffs of the PAX.

    Exercise 3:
    8-count body builders x 10 IC
    8-count rock press x 10 IC
    Left side lunge with rock chest press x 10 IC
    Right side lunge with rock chest press x 10 IC

    Exercise 4:
    Rock lunges across the field, 50 yards, to the music of more groans.

    Mary COP:
    Flutter Kicks x 20 IC
    LBC’s x 20 IC
    Hello Dolly x 20 IC
    American Hammer x 20 IC

    We returned our beloved rocks to the rock pile, and ran back to the flag to finish just in the nick of time. Count off, Name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and a prayer. Special shout out to Abacus for killing it since he joined F3. Thank you for allowing me to lead. Stay warm out there this week!

    Walleye

  • On Holiday At The Marsh

    Dashing out the door this morning in an effort not to be late to my own Q, I neglected to bring my gloves or even a sweatshirt.  As soon as the wipers hit a massive sheet of unyielding ice on my windshield, I realized I was woefully underdressed for the 29° weather.  Too late, no time.  And so, pulling up to the Marsh right at 0500, I sat in the car and began that inner monologue that has become too familiar over the past few cold weeks: Maybe no one will show today…  Maybe I can turn this car back around… Maybe I can get right back in bed… This mantra never really works, and post-beatdown, I’ve always been happy for that.  Which is why it was so shocking that today, for the first time in a long, long time, no one posted.

    I suspect that was partly due to the cold, and mostly due to the fact that it was MLK Day, and many were off work and could sleep in for a change (ahem…especially those returning from a big hunting trip).  Well, I’m not gonna lie and say I wasn’t a little bit excited by the prospect of a no-show.  But, in honor of King and his famous speech (which will have it’s 55th anniversary this year), YHC knocked out 55 pull-ups, followed by 55 merkins as quickly as humanly possible.  Then I drove back home (I’m not a total idiot), got my sweatshirt and gloves, and went for a short mosey.  And then… I got back into bed.

    It certainly wasn’t the caliber of a true F3 beatdown, but it was just enough to get out of bed for.  And it was a good reminder of why I need the F3 brothers in my life.  King’s notion that we are all brothers and sisters, despite our many differences, is a powerful one, and one that I see at work in the F3 nation every week.  So thanks to my brothers, enjoy your holiday, and YHC expects to see you men back out there tomorrow at Grandmother’s House.

  • Backblast, Baton Rouge, Dec. 23, 2017

    12-23-17
    Josh Black Fastball
    Rocket. Dirk Higginbotham, Rocket
    Devon Lajaunie, Propeller head
    Kevin McCarty, Wizard
    Darin-Hoosier-Daddy Travis

    Mosey to central brick circle
    Shoulder tap. Get in Plank position. Rest on left hand only. Touch rt shoulder with right hand. Do left side.

    Squats
    Ballerinas – Toe Squats
    Mary
    Al Gore
    Alabama butt kickers
    Mosey around the track from circle to building clockwise

    Crab walk
    Merkin
    Derkin
    Flutter kicks
    Tin snips (touch feet together)
    Scissor kicks

  • F3 BatonRouge laughs at the cold 30F

    • Coffeeteria & Bear crawl tunnel

      7 locals whip the ice, and the cinder block COUPONS!

    Pax

    CAT5
    Megadad
    Worms
    Rocket
    Fastball
    Propeller Head
    Workhorse

    Co-Qed by Fastball and Rocket.  They took the lead today and ran with it to the touchdown.

    Cool.

    Round 1. Arm Circle Forward.

    Arm Circle Backward.

    Side straddle hop.

    Forward lunge.

    Side straddle hop.

    Reverse lunge.

    Round 2. Overhead lunge with rock.

    (Rock=Block= Coupon!)

    Merkin feet on block.

    Row right with block.

    Row left with block.

    LBC with block.

    Overhead tricep with block.

    High knee with block overhead.

    Round 3 mosey.

    Squats LBC Burpee mountain climbers flutter kicks.

    Round 4 mosey.

    Burpee cotton picker Merkin ssh.

    Superman.

    Round 5 mosey to hill.

    20 Burpee total sets of 5.

    Up and down hill between sets.

    Round 6 LBC with block flutter kick with block.

    Russian twist with block.

    Tunnel of love.

    circle of trust.  All experienced Pax today

    advanced to Cofeeteria Starbucks Highland at I-10.   Fantastic events today

     

  • Winter Soldiers

    Knowing that it was going to be cold on the Mandeville Lakefront this morning, YHC cast about late Friday for an appropriate pearl of wisdom to drop on the PAX.  Almost instantly, Thomas Paine’s immortal words from the American Revolution came mind:

    These are the times that try men’s souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.  Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.  What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.

    The parallels to a beat down in the Gloom on a cold, windy and kind of wet morning in South Louisiana are too obvious to require explanation.  Let’s just say that eight winter soldiers and stout patriots assembled in a brotherly manner to make themselves better this morning.

    The Warmup

    Steve has the Bulgarian squat, Butt Splice owns the longest block, EiEi is best friends with Jane Fonda, Einstein likes to lunge backwards, and Shooter frequently employs the front plank to adjust the PAX’s attitude.  For YHC, it’s the stairs at Rips Restaurant and so that’s where we headed for this morning’s warmup:

    Partner up, one partner does SSHs while the other heads up and over the Rips’ stairs, switch up, rinse and repeat for 10 minutes alternating SSHs with IWs and the straight runs up and over the stairs with crossover runs.

    The Thang

    Short 10 count then short mosey to the East for the first COP:

    Round 1:  Merkin Wave to 80; then on our Sixes holding feet at 6 inches for an Up and Out Circle Leg Raise Wave to 80; back on our feet holding the People’s Chair while executing a Vertical Jump Wave to 80.

    Round 2:  Another Merkin Wave to 80; then on our Sixes holding feet at 6 inches for a Out and Up Circle Leg Raise Wave to 80; back on our feel holding People’s Chair while executing a Knees to Chest Vertical Jump Wave to 80.

    Recovery walk morphing into a mosey to the Harbor Playground, spicing up the mosey with random short accelerations, Merkins, and soccer style headers.  Formed up for the next COP on arrival:

    Isometric lunge hold left leg forward to a count of 30 followed immediately by 30 lunges pulses; switch legs and repeat; then Mission Impossible hold for 30 seconds followed by 30 Merkin pulses.

    Mosey to the Harbor Pavilion where we spread out among the benches for a few rounds of box jumps. Every 30 seconds, the PAX was asked to perform a set of three jumps, a straight jump, a lateral jump to the right and a lateral jump to the left.  We then picked up the pace for the second round, executing four box jumps every 30 seconds.  Round 3 called for six jumps and then the 4th and final round called for eight jumps.

    Mosey to the baseball field where we partnered up once again for two rounds of pull ups, Northshore Merkins (OK we officially claim the name of Northshore Merkins for plyo pushups), Tonya Hardings, and lateral squat jumps.

    Indian Run back to the Shovel Flag for a round of Mary:  back plank bicycles IC 20x, side plank dips IC 20x each side, and J Lo’s IC 20x.

    Countorama, nameorama, and Tanked Up prayed us out on the way to THE Manny funded Coffeeteria.

    Moleskin

    CRAZY IVAN.  It’s on next Saturday, January 20th at 2100.  Mandeville Lakefront AO.  EiEi scientifically has designed this CSAUP event to be .001% better than the Southshore’s Gnarly Nutria.  We’ll see if the Southshore PAX forgo their regularly scheduled Saturday evening bubble baths in order to cross the Causeway for some Cold War games.  Bragging rights for the next six months are on the line.  The Northshore Cold Warriors are ready.

    Chewy is off IR and how appropriate to have one of our Founding Father’s Kotter on a Thomas Paine themed beatdown.

    YHC learned at the Coffeeteria that Carpool’s employer has traded him to the Houston AO.  We’ll miss him here on the Northshore but of course are proud of him for his promotion and know that he’ll represent us well at the Houston AO.

    Captain Sparkles and Turtle are hunting with Shooter this weekend.  Will Shooter make it home alive?