F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • Modified Murph

    Three veteran PAX gathered on a beautiful morning on the Mandeville Lakefront for a pre-Thang run.  We’ve all been following the Southshore’s backlists and have been putting in some extra miles on Saturday mornings so that when we join forces for NOLA Tough Mudder this upcoming weekend, we will be in shape to do our part.  Back at the flag, the three of us realized that we were it for the day so we got down to business.

    The Thang:

    Chewy started us off with the warmup, determined to loosen up our hips for the Modified Murph workout to come.  Jane Fondas, scorpions, plank walks and some additional exercises expertly coached by our resident PT were all on the appetizer menu.  Then it was time for the main course.

    For time:  One mile run down the lakefront to the grassy knoll, 100 Merkins, 200 good mornings, and 300 squats.  We divided them up into 10 sets of 10/20/20 with each of us counting off a set with a group count on the last one.  Then back to the shovel flag for the final mile run.  Took us about 29:30 and I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it was plenty challenging.

    Recovery walk over to the swing set.  Sets of man makers (burpee to a pull up), toes to bar, leg lift hanging from the bar, and hip twists hanging from the bar using back planks to rest between sets.

    Mosey back to the flag for a round robin Mary of Putins, heels to heaven, jackknives, flutters, Freddy Mercuries, and Supermans.

    Great way to start off the weekend.

  • Suprise

    “The key to happiness is low expectations” – a wise man

    YHC woke up with excitement today, not just because of an Okwata beatdown with F3 brothers…it was my birthday Q!  So excited that I picked up a pack of cupcakes for a post-beatdown celebration. But pulling up to the AO…it looked like this:

    Image result for empty parking lot

    That one car was Torque, my only friend who decided to celebrate with me on my Birthday Q.  As 0530 hrs came, YHC was depressed… where could all the Pax be?? Was Kim Chi’s posting streak over now??? Not going to lie, my excitement I had when I woke up was evaporating quickly!  At 0532 hrs, reality set in that no one else was coming, and Torque and I were going to get stronger today!

    DISCLAIMER (depressed tone)

    The Thang

    Mosey around the fountain, which was on this gloom (at least Mitch remembered my birthday!)… then a strange noise could be heard, and a lot of movement on top of the levee:

    South Park running crowd rush mob

    It was a Pax of 10 pranksters storming down the levee!  Well played, gentlemen…well played! They got me good…I can just imagine them up on top the levee watching us two around the flag:

    staring interested creep creeper george clooney

    Anyway, circle up in a high-grassy area.

    COP #1: Warmup

    29x SSH IC (YHC’s age!)
    20x Smurf Jacks IC (Cowbell still did SSH for some reason!)
    20x Squat Jacks IC
    15x Merkins IC
    15x Mountain Climbers IC

    Stayed in our circle for Game #1.

    Game #1: Squat Pulses

    Pax performed squat pulses until 3 Pax were left standing. If you fall out, plank and wait.  4x Burpees if you weren’t one of the three.

    Mosey over to the levee and partner up.

    Game #2: Dora 100
    Pax 1: Run up the levee backwards and back down forward (quad burn after Game #1).
    Pax 2: AMRAP Burpees (keep going until the group hits 100x Burpees).

    No penalty here…just doing it was penalty enough!

    Mosey up to the top of the levee and line up facing the lake.

    Game #3: 3 minutes of Planks

    If you fall out, LBCs for you…not many Pax doing LBCs…our time with Mary is helping!

    Mosey down to the backside of levee (aka Prankster Parking Lot) and partner up.

    Game #4: Team BLIMPS

    BLIMPS together with your partner. Cannot advance until both finish the letter. Alternate letters at the top and bottom of the levee (e.g. B at the top, L at the bottom, I at the top, etc.)

    Tclaps to Torque & Triple Shift for winning, they watched the rest of us do 4x Burpees.

    Mosey to the frontside of the levee (aka Lonely Island) and partner up.

    Game #5: Dora 300
    Pax 1: AMRAP Dips (keep going until the group hits 300x Dips)
    Pax 2: 1x Pullup (Best Pullup of your life!). Probably ended up with about 20x Pullups per Group.

    Mosey back to the flag..2 minutes left… so Mary Time

    COP #2: 2MOM

    12x Crunchy Frog IC
    12x Flutter Kicks IC

    Now back to the flag, where we held the COT – Countoff, Nameorama, Shoutouts and Prayer….and Birthday Cupcakes too!  Thanks for coming to my party….and for that lovely surprise!

    Moleskin

    One more year of hate from YHC!  After this little prank from the Pax, i’ll get revenge!

    Tough Mudder is next weekend!  Tclaps to the men who signed up!

  • NOLA Maltz Challenge

    YHC called an audible and changed #TheUptowner plans from Awkward Yoga to The Maltz Challenge.  Today, people around the country honored fallen service men by completing the Maltz Challenge.  This is a Hero WOD named after USAF Master Sergeant Mike Maltz, who along with five others, was killed in 2003 on a para rescue mission trying to save children in an Afghani Hospital.  His grave is inscribed with the phrase “That others may live.”  His older brother, who works for the Drug Enforcement Agency, started this challenge as a way to honor those that have been killed in action.  Today people around the country participated in remembrance of the sacrifice others have made for us and others around the world.

    The Thang

    Fireman Carry 100 meters (Frac & Kim, YHC & Triple) or Farmer Carry 50 lbs 200 meters (Torque)

    100 pull-ups

    50 Dips (we did bench dips)

    400m run to playground on opposite side of Pontiff

    50 Knees to Elbows (hang from rings and bring your knees up to your elbows)

    100 merkins

    100 sit-ups

    400m run back to the other playground.

    We ended with some Vinyasas, including runners pose and the world’s greatest stretch.

    Moleskin

    Reading through all the information on MSgt Maltz is powerful stuff.  I encourage you to do so if you haven’t.  In John 15:13 Jesus said “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  The six men killed that day laid down their lives for strangers, sick children that were in desperate need of supplies.  MSgt Maltz was 42 years old that day; my age.  He had two kids of his own.  Many of us would say that we would do what ever was necessary for our own children and I think that’s honest.  But would we be able to sacrifice everything for someone else’s children; children we had never met; children from a far away place that shares very little in common with our culture and ideals; children with relatives that might be trying to kill you?  That’s what those six men did that day.

    It’s not likely we will be asked to do what MSgt Maltz and his comrades did that day.  But what we can do is look to put the needs of others ahead of our own needs; loving those around us, even strangers, with sacrificial love; not counting the cost, but giving freely.  Let’s condition ourselves to love without counting the cost.  Take some time to reflect on I John 3:16-18 today:  “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

    Great work by all of the guys that showed up to The Uptowner today.  I’m really proud to have completed this challenge with you all.  Everyone completed it sub 29 minutes.  Impressive work fellows.

    -Hawg

  • 610 Stomp #80

    “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” Satchel Paige

    Today was YHC’s birthday Stomp and first post at the Stomp. You don’t get to pick the day on which your birthday falls.

    DISCLAIMER

    The Thang

    Typical bayou route, but turn around after 15 minutes to leave time for Mary.

    COP: Mary

    YHC started it off with:

    25x LBCs IC
    25x Flutter Kicks IC

    Then, YHC asked for some Mary b-day presents from the PAX:

    25x Slow Dying Cockroach IC (increasing cadence) from Kimchi
    25x Wife Pleasers IC (eyes closed) from Amnesty
    25x Tin Snips IC from Fracsac
    2-minute Rotisserie Chicken from Tool

    10 burpees to close out with an awesome finish!

    COT:
    Countoff, Nameorama, and Prayer (for the blessings received and generosity)

  • Hill + Mountain

    This morning, it was decided that our group needed a little more prep time before attempting the Maltz Challenge.  We considered the components, specifically the pull ups and knees-to-elbows, and thought a bit more training might be in order, lest we all spend all day at the park.

    Warmup was a quick mosey to mid-Loyola campus near the library.  We did 20 x SSH and 15 x one legged arm circles forward and back.

    We then mosey’d to ROTC zone where we broke into 4 groups: knees-to-elbows, dips, LBTs and decline planks.  Count was 15 KTEs the first go round and then 10 on round 2.  Then we contemplated what it might be like to have done 25 more.  And then 50 pull ups.

    We then mosey’d to the stairs at the Rec Center.  We ran up the stairs and planked at the top.  Then we ran down the ramps and at each level chair’d until the 6 arrived, and held for 10 seconds thereafter.

    When we got done with that garage, we headed to Wolfpack Mountain.  We again ran up the stairs and planked.  At the top we did a potluck Mary.  And then we ran down the ramps with BTTW at each level until 6 arrived, then held for 10 additional seconds.

    We then headed back to the flag and arrived right at 0615.

    We kept MSgt. Maltz in our minds as we prayed and ended.  I look forward to completing his challenge one day soon.

  • some guys exercising

    YHC came in hot at 5:31, shot out the shortest disclaimer in F3 history and six men hit the soggy road running. A quarter mile or so later the Pax pulled on to the neutral ground for a warmup COP.

    all in cadence

    SSH x 20
    LSS x 20
    Merkins x 20
    Hllbillies x 15
    Peter Parkers x 15

    Lining up for ELEVENS! -distance 3 trees
    start with 1 (each leg) jump lunge, run and 10 burpees

    After some heavy breathing and a silent 30 count from Cowbell, the Pax was on the move again to the Foundry

    Six men, six exercises

    10 holy craps (aka walking plank) had the count
    pullups on the monkey bars
    hip slappers
    inverted row
    dips
    pullups

    Rinse and repeat

    Slow mosey to the track.

    The Pax rejoiced that we were out of time to do the planned 1000m of Hades, but grumbled nonetheless at the 100m sprint the Q chose as replacement.

    Circle up for a quick DJ style 3.5min of Mary
    all in cadence

    Dr. Ws x 10 (YHC)
    Crunchy Frogs x 20 (Shorty)
    Flutter kicks x 20 with arms up (Cowbell)
    LBCs x 20 (Kimchee)

    To the flag for the COT.

    It’s Lent – pay attention.

  • Moby at the Trailhead

    A beautiful morning provided our men a great way to bond and work out like a well oiled machine. A FNG joined the ranks and he pressed hard to stay with the pack. At the end of the session we named our friend which will be provided at the end of the post.

    Warmup–15 reps in cadence-side straddle hops, windmills, imperial walkers, mummy kicks, split jacks, squats

    The Thang- the team spent 7 performing a jog/exercise routine performing various exercises such as leaps, butt kicks, lunges–thanks Steve giving me hints during the jog portion. You my buddy!

    From there we crafted a 10-1 routine with cinder blocks, merkins, and squats. A routine I plagiarized from our fearless member-Turbo.

    After that fun we did a short mosey to the trailhead where the team went 5 rounds of Butkus excercises. In essence,1 minute rounds of Rocky Balboa hops. Einstein and TankedUp were in such perfect unison their steps sounded like a bad ass  military unit.  I sort of felt like Ali dancing in the ring.

    The team closed out the thang with a merkin, bear crawl, and run routine for a solid 7 minutes.

    Warm Down–a short warm down routine featuring Jane Fonda’s

    In closing we had fun with our FNG… Through our short talk it became obvious our friend must be named Moby Dick!! If you want to know the rest of the story we hope you join us next week for the “non written” explanation!

    In closing, Einstein led the PAX in prayer and off we went!

     

     

     

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  • B.O.M.B.S Away!

    After many days and more sleepless nights of relentlessly preparing for what I prayed would be a perfect VQ, I woke up to a beautifully, wet, muddy and demeaning Gloom, courtesy of the Birdcage. Nonetheless, 16 strong braved the weather and duck-filled fields to get covered in sweat and dirt.

    The Thang:

    • Disclaimer
    • “Side Straddle Hop” x 25
    • Two lines of a “Burpee Catch Me If You Can Indian Run”
      • Enough for each Pax to get in one set of 5 Burpees
    • “Global Warming” where the ducks most certainly left some treats behind for us
      • Mixed in with…
        • Peter Parkers x 25
        • Imperial Walkers x 21…  –  hope to get better at the whole counting thing
        • Arm Circles Forward x 20
        • Arm Circles Back x 20
        • Monkey Humpers x 20
      • (All done while a park employee surely sat in his truck recording the 16 strange men dancing in a circle)
    • Mosey back to light posts
    • “B.O.M.B.S.” – I severely underestimated how long this would take us. When I look at the numbers again, I’m not sure why. Timing adjustments will be made for my next Q!
      • 50 Burpees
      • 100 Overhead Claps
      • 150 Merkins
      • 200 Big Boy Sit-Ups
      • 250 Squats
      • (pairs who finished early started a second round)
    • Workout Complete
    • Successful name coup by Breitbart mid-nameorama. Bold move. Bold indeed.

    Pumped to have lost my V-card and looking forward to the next Q!

    Words of wisdom to anyone planning their VQ:

    • You’ll need to take off an entire day of work to go through ALL the exercises on the F3 site.
    • Run through your full workout ahead of time so you know what you’ll actually be able to fit in. Should have listened to Reverend on this one!

     

     

  • Tunnel of Pain, Re-Revisited

    Those among us, who may indeed be few, familiar with a certain Metallica E.P. released in 1987 may appreciate the title aptly given to this workout.  For those who are not… “I GOT SOMETHIN’ TO SAY!!!….”

    Prologue: Mosey to fake bus stop for: Fondas left side x 20, Wife Pleasers x 10, Fondas left side x 20, all IC

    Rising Action: Mosey through Tunnel of Darkness to Tunnel of Pain.  Mumble chatter about how dark the Tunnel of Darkness was not, photons, cosmetic sales, etc…  Upon emerging from Tunnel of (not so) Darkness, 20 IW’s IC, then:

    Climax:

    1. Mosey down the hill, karaoke (or whatever the hell it is), sprint up the hill.  MC’s x 20 IC
    2. Repeat
    3. Mosey down the hill, lunge walk, sprint up the hill.  Peter Parkers x 20 IC
    4. Repeat but with Parker Peters
    5. Mosey down the hill, back pedal, sprint up the hill.  Crabcakes x 10 IC
    6. Repeat but with some annoying planking
    7. Mosey down the hill, high skips, sprint up the hill.  something IC
    8. Repeat
    9. Mosey down the hill, something, sprint up the hill.  something IC
    10. Repeat
    11. Mosey down the hill, karaoke (or whatever the hell it is), sprint up the hill.  shoulder taps
    12. Repeat. Lots of planking

    Denouement: Mosey back to flag.  Chewy and Choppah mumbled about who knows what, likely more talk of cosmetics I guess, I really couldn’t tell you.  Me and SeaBass mumbled about oilfield trash and other burly stuff for which tomatoes go craycray.  Back to the flag for countorama and nameorama.  At this point we awkwardly began some sort of weird homage to Turbo’s cardio capacity and athletic F3 superiority.  This was abruptly halted once things got really awkward.   Choppah forgot how old he was, but we helped him out.

    EI

  • Who Fartlek’d??

    Pre Thang: After having shoulders and arms blown up at WPM and The Mothership, YHC decided to focus on the legs this fine morning. The plan was almost thwarted when the M needed a ride to the airport at 04:30 this morning—since the actual departure was 04:55ish… Thanks to RY for responding to my last minute text and getting things started before I rolled in hot a few minutes late.

    The Thang: Mosey toward the club house then over to the bollards at oak alley. Lunge to the first light, High Knees to the next–alternating until we reached the track. Time to put some running back into the skinny w/ Fartleks. That’s Swedish for speed play, not Sea Man’s morning call…

    So, OYO, we jogged toward St. Charles to the first light and sprinted to the next–continuing the cycle until we reached the bridge midway through the park. As the pax arrived we did squats until the six was there. More fartleks to the fountain, where we did the squat and wait for the pax.

    Next we partnered up at the fountain. One partner ran the square between the track and the avenue while the other did the designated exercise at the benches(Left Leg Step Up, LBC, Right Leg Step Up), then flip flopped until all exercises were complete at which point we did the squat and wait.

    More fartleks followed as we made our way to the old golf club house green for some Mary: V-Ups, Russian Twist, Dolly, Freddie, Flutter Kicks x 15 IC.

    Indian run back to the virtual flag and circle up for Low Slow Squats x 15 and a brief plank-o-rama.

    COT w/ Shout out by YHC

    T-Claps to the pax for keeping it together for a great run workout!(Approx. 2.5 miles)

    Good Times!
    Roots