F3 New Orleans

Tag: Gideon

  • 44 Minutes of Yoga and 1 Burpee

    Attendees: (9) Abacus, Belloq, Catfish, Chips, Fracsac, Gideon, Heisenberg, Hokie Pokey, Sogo (+1) Dog (DJ Diver)

    YHC wanted to plan his second Q carefully after he personally perceived his VQ at Okwata over a year ago a failure. With Catfish in the PAX on Sundays, you don’t want to be remembered as the guy who bored him to the point that he decides to do burpees because you haven’t challenged him enough.
    I have been hinting that it would be a workout of yoga and when they saw me arrive in my favorite Lululemon shorts, I could see that the 8 other men who got out of bed this morning were worried we’d be stretching for 44 minutes with 1 burpee to make it count as a Sunday morning beat down according to Fracsac; however, I had a road trip in mind…
    Started with the disclaimer and circled up the 8 around YHC in the 85° gloom to start the workout.
    Warm up:

    • Abe Vigodas x 10 IC
    • Grass Grabbers x 10 IC
    • Sun Gods forward x 10 IC
    • Sun Gods reverse x 10 IC
    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Peter Parkers x 15 IC
    • Parker Peters x 15 IC
    • Recovered to our feet


    The Track Thang: Moseyed to the practice track and planked for the 6. Bataan Death March with 3 burpees x 2 laps for 800 meters total.


    The Foundry Thang: Moseyed to the Foundry for 8 stations one full cycle

    • Station 1: Snake Jump
    • Station 2: Big Boy Situps
    • Station 3: Run to track with 3 burpees and return (timer)
    • Station 4: Pull up
    • Station 5: Dips
    • Station 6: Irkins
    • Station 7: Derkins
    • Station 8: Flex Arm Hangs


    The Wall Thang: Mosey to our wall on NOMA and plank for the 6. During plank, YHC held an informal poll to determine name for next exercise. Sunday Mornings or Sunny Sundays? Sunny Sundays was unanimous so we proceeded to do Sunny Sundays.
    Sunny Sundays were brought to us by Gideon from our brethren in Austin. The cycle includes the following:

    Squat with back against the wall in a chair position. 10 air arm presses while holding chair position.

    Go to all fours with hind side to wall for 5 donkey kicks.

    Hold fifth donkey kick and walk legs up the wall into a handstand. Do one handstand body weight press. We rinse and repeated twice for a total of 3 cycles.

     
    The Mary Thang: Moseyed back by flag and circled up for a little Mary:

    • LBC x 25 IC
      • Box cutters x 20 IC
    • Count off
    • Name-O-Rama
    • Announcements
    • Intentions

    Knowing we have a new Iron PAX challenge starting Monday and given the clues to add construction equipment to the back of my truck over the coming week, I decided to go cardio heavy on our workout.

    We lost Chips on the way due to a quick break and unfortunately I didn’t give him my plan so he ran around NOMA until we returned. T-Claps to Chips for not giving up. Also, T-Claps to Gideon for a beastly Flex Arm Hang which to be fair was done during Catfish’s turn to be our timer, but I still think his effort was outstanding.

    Thank you all for the opportunity to lead these incredible men as we start our week. Remember safety and hydration in this heat.

  • The Killer Burpees

    We had a nice breeze Monday morning when we arrived at the UNO Human Performance Center for the newly dubbed Chamber of Horrors. The instructions were simple – do the Iron Pax week 1 challenge, consisting of an aggregate 150 yards of broad jumping, 150 yards of bear crawling, 150 burpees, 150 big boy situps, and 150 Bonnie Blairs. The challenge itself was anything but simple. Everyone rose to the occasion anyway, and we all completed it in under 40 minutes. Breadsticks paced us at right around 31 minutes.

    When I first began F3, I could not do a burpee. Rather, worse, I did not even know how to do a burpee. First, I did something of a squat thrust, completely omitting the merkin and the jump. In fact, I thought the guys jumping and clapping after each rep were taking a victory lap on me or something. Look at me, this is so easy I’m gonna let you know each time I complete one by jumping and clapping for myself. I thought my squat thrusts were pretty damn good, even if I could only do about 5 of them before exhaustion.

    Then, I found out the jump portion was not optional. This makes a lot of sense in hindsight, and my only defense is that I function at something less than optimal mental processing at 5:30 in the morning, especially before I got used to it. Squat thrust + jump. Okay fine, I can do this, but I don’t have to like it.

    Then I noticed the merkin part. Ohhhhhhh. When guys around me are generally saying to no one in particular “watch your form on those burpees”, they’re totally talking to me, right? Damn.

    Since then, I have made burpee form something of a personal crusade. It’s funny how you can take something you’re bad at, and really focus on it, and all of a sudden, it’s not so bad anymore. You crack the code. By paying careful attention to each step AND committing to yourself to never do 9 when 10 is called, to never cheat on form, and to never accept less than your best, you can improve.

    And so if I’m a bit of a burpee nazi with others sometimes, please accept my apologies. I wish someone had more directly told me that I was not doing burpees correctly early on in my F3 career. This is the form I at least attempt to emulate at all times:

    Chest all the way to the ground; everything hits at once. Back straight.

    If you ever see me doing them wrong or dogging them or you think I’m cutting a corner, please return the favor. Don’t let me get away with cheating myself, and I won’t let you get away with cheating yourself. Deal?

    Afterwards, we gave prayers of thanks for all we have, and enjoyed a coffeeteria at Starbucks on Harrison.

  • 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.

  • It’s about that time for….

    A disclaimer? No, that’s just what we have to do at the beginning of these beatdowns.  So, with a disclaimer, we are off!

    Mosey to lawn in front of Loyola for warm up with a little help from my friends!

    • Alternating Open Gates IC X20
    • Imperial Walkers with help from Gideon IC X20
    • Kim Jong Uns aka Supreme Leaders IC X20’s
    • Low Slow Squats with help from Thumb Wars IC X20
    • Olivia Newton John’s IC X20 (brought these PAX-pleasers from the Fly Q)

    Nice job Triple Shift for suggesting Co-Q’s to newish PAX to help them get acclimated to leading.  I think it will pay off. 

    Mosey to bottom of Mountain for:

    Here it is…It’s been awhile…Yes it’s time for…Indian Run to top of Mountain!  PAX form 3 lines and up we go!  Can’t remember last time we did this at WPM.  6 floors, Incline run with sprints, 80 plus degrees with Heat Index in the 90’s.  We got this PAX!  Let’s GO!

    Ok.  That was tough. 

    At top, partner up for B.O.M.B.S. All below counts are cumulative.  PAX one runs down top ramp and back to top running backwards while PAX two completes exercises.  Flapjack till reps are complete.

    • 50 Burpees
    • 100 OH Press in People’s Chair
    • 150 Merkins
    • 200 Big Boy Sit-Ups  (had to modify these to 150 because they were taking some time)
    • 250 Squats (modified these to 200)

    Got some comments on mumblechatter about butt-burn from the Big Boy Sit-Ups.  I call that Character Building!  My job is done.

    Down stairs and mosey to Bench’s for:

    • Bulgarian Split Squats L IC X15
    • Dips IC X20
    • Bulgarian Split Squats R IC X15

    Time is running short.  Mosey back to flag for count-off, name-o-rama, intentions and prayer.

  • A Good Ole Fashion Beat Down!

    It was an extremely humid morning at the Birdcage where 32 PAXs came together for a good ole fashion beat down! After the standard disclaimer and identification of FNGs (there were 2), we proceeded to mosey into the field in front of Audubon Zoo for warm up exercises.  I an effort to encourage more PAX to join the Q sheet, I voluntold Quincy and Moist to each lead an exercise.  

    Warm up Exersises consisted of the following all in cadence:

    SSH x20, Windmills x10 (lead by Quincy), Forward Arm Circles x10, Backwards Arm Circles (Seaman style) x10, Self Love x10

    The PAX then made their way to the front of the Zoo, partnered up and had a DORA 1,2,3 consisting of 100 Merkins, 200 Bobby Hurley’s, 300 Freddie Mercury’s (1:1). While one pax was exercising their partner was running the loop. Once the lap was completed, the PAX switched. The count was cumulative, and this process continued until all reps were complete.

    Once DORA was complete, the PAX mosyed to the pull up station, broke up into 6 groups.  Pull ups x10 was the count, while the rest of groups were Hillbillies, Plank Jacks, Squats, Hurpees, and LBCs. The Pax rotated through each group.

    The workout was concluded with a round of Mary and some stretching. The exercises were as follows, all in cadence:

    Penguins x 15, LBCs (lead by Moist) x15, Hello Dolly x 15, Freddie Mercury’s x15

    The COT ensued with the Count off, Nameorama, announcements, and closing prayer. We welcomed two FNGs this morning Two Wrongs and LittleTiny Tree 

    loop 

  • Maiden Voyage

    Eager to mark our territory with a trail of sweat, 14 PAX, aka privateers, gathered this Monday for a maiden voyage in the uncharted waters of northern 70122, and area deep with nautical history.  This would be a test run to check out the area and also see what interests there may be in establishing a new AO.  As the clock neared 5:30, it was encouraging to see a mix of guys, coming from near and far, that all wanted to be in that number.  Before we set sail, YHC mentioned that this workout would be somewhat of an exploratory mission and perhaps a work-in-progress as we bounced around.  The disclaimer came next followed by the annual recitation of a crude yet useful nugget from the F3 Lexicon that is something we should strive to avoid:  Whiskey Dicking (verb) – “Half stepping through a workout or other event.  More generally, execution of anything without sufficient zeal”…recently updated to read “Tentative execution of a task”.  Basically, try to give it your all and make the most out of the next 45 minutes.  Here’s what we did:

    Quick “capri lap” around the parking lot with a COP in the nearby field for a warmup of IW, Phelps, WM, AC, Toy Soilders, LSS.  

    Then we kept it close for any lost latecomers with a continuation of the warmup, getting in a diamond formation for Burpees x20, Bench/Bleacher Dips x15, Jump Squats x10, Tire Flips x5.  This circuit would hopefully be repeated later on but no dice.  

    From there, we moseyed into the heart of UNO’s campus, with a stop to plank for the six followed by 10 Merkins.  T-claps to Kuch and Gideon who YHC overheard discuss trying to nudge a guy back out in the gloom…#HIM!  We ended the mosey near an area officially named “the lazy river” by Gabrielle which is adjacent to a few tall sets of stairs leading up to the amphitheater hill.  Here we dropped anchor for the first round of Dora, partnering up for 100 crossfit/hand-release Merkins while PAX#2 ran a lap up and down the stairs and hill.  Pull anchor up…

    Northerly mosey to the concrete planters in front of the Alumni Building for the second round of Dora.  T-claps to Holy Grove and others for pushing hard then sweeping the six. Partner up with someone different (swinger style) for Inclined Hip Slappers x200 while PAX#2 run to the top of the levee and back.  Some groans and panting were heard on this one.    

    From here we changed course back towards harbor, stopping in front of The UC for the third round of Dora.  Original plans called for a stair running loop but time was ticking and we had to wing it with LBC x300 (in sets of 50) which PAX#2 held a low squat #ISI.  We had to cut this a tad short and hightail it across the field to the flag.  Shout out to HG and JJ for kicking it in high gear on the final run.  Total distance covered was approx 2.17 miles.  YHC’s goal of scoping out the area was accomplished but the run/plank time squeezed out some of the circuit work.   

    Finished things off with a COT.  Next two workouts in that location (NW corner of Leon C. Simon and Elysian Fields) will be 8/26 and 9/9.  Input and Qs are welcome so please chime in and/or step up.  Hopefully this AO takes off, in turn further growing the footprint of F3 and having a positive impact on more men.  T-claps to Gideon for the nudge and pledge to help get this going.  

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead. 

    Tool 

  • Emergency Free Renaissance

    YHC arrived at the Renaissance AO a solid 2 minutes before kickoff with 4 other Pax eagerly awaiting my arrival. Each Pax was a HIM looking to kick off their Sunday right. As War Eagle pointed out at the Mothership on Saturday, the Q should always carry a phone in case of an emergency. So, YHC zipped the phone in his FlipBelt, gave a brief disclaimer and got right to the warmup:
    SSH IC x 31
    Hillbilly’s IC x 15
    Abe Vigodas IC x around 8 or 9 – Remember that reference to the phone in the FlipBelt? Somehow, Siri thought we had an emergency, and she called 911. YHC heard her speak around #4, but what she said didn’t sink in until around #8. Upon pulling out the phone, YHC saw the 911 call had gone through and hung up. YHC was apparently no match for NO emergency services, as a call came right back. A sincere apology followed, and the call was disregarded. Let’s move on….
    Grass Grabbers IC x 10
    Peter Parkers IC x 20
    Mountain Climbers IC x 20
    Arm Circles IC x 20

    First up, help a brother out. Tanner that is. Line up on tree #1 and do the following, all while looking for the infamous lost Fob lost at the Muscleship:
    Tree #1 to Tree #2 – Bearcrawl followed by 5 Burpees
    Tree #2 to Tree #3 – Lungewalk followed by 5 Burpees
    Tree #3 to Tree #4 – Bearcrawl followed by 5 Burpees
    Tree #4 to Tree #5 – Lungewalk followed by 5 Burpees
    Sprint back to Tree #1
    Spoiler Alert – No luck on the Fob……

    Mosey to the Foundry for Station Set #1
    Split up in two groups, a group of 3 and a group of 2.
    Group 1 – Merkins IC x 20 (timer)
    Group 2 – 90 degrees flexed arm hang
    Flapjack for 3 full sets.

    Mosey to the bike trail for Bataan Death March. An Indian Run where the last man drops for 3 Burpees and then sprints to the front of the column. As the sprinter is passing the new last runner, the new last man drops for 3 Burpees. Continue for a full lap, or about a mile.

    Return to the Foundry for Station Set #2
    Station 1 – Run to Bike Trail, complete 5 Burpees and run back (Timer)
    Station 2 – Dips – AMRAP
    Station 3 – Squats – AMRAP
    Station 4 – 90 Degrees Flex Hang
    Station 5 – Big Boi Situps – AMRAP

    Mosey back to the Flag. With 1:30 remaining, fill it with ISI challenge. Each Pax completed 1:30 of the mobility challenge, the other 2:10 are on you!

    COT
    Count off, Name-o-rama, Announcements, Intentions, closed with a prayer to the Sky Q.

    NMM

    If ever there was an emergency, YHC proved today that he stands at the ready. The summer heat and humidity is really on us, even at 0600 to 0645!

    Coffeteria was great as always. Glad to see the Renaissance AO is getting some love! Thanks for posting with me today, and thanks for allowing me to be a part of F3!

    SYITG


  • Halfway to 70

    Can’t think of a better way to spend the day after my birthday than getting sweaty with a bunch of dudes.

    I never thought I would feel better at 35 than I did at 25. I owe it all to F3 and all of you guys for giving me a reason to wake up at 5AM and sweat my ass off. Big thanks to everyone that made it out to celebrate my birthday beatdown with me.

    Short jog to the Tulane sign and circled up.

    • 35 SSH
    • 15 Grass grabbers
    • 35 Mountain climbers
    • 15 Peter Parkers

    Mosey’d to the benches:

    • 35 Right leg step-ups
    • 20 Diamond derkins
    • 35 Left leg step-ups
    • 35 Dips
    • 20 Incline Merkins

    Mosey’d to the garage for the crowd favorite Indian Run all the way up.

    Once at the top of the mountain we split into pairs for some Dora. One person ran all the way to the bottom of the stairs and back up the other stairs while the partner did the following:

    • 50 Burpees
    • 100 Jump squats
    • 200 Shoulder taps

    Sang Kumbaya while we watched the sunrise and then mosey’d back to the flag for COT.

  • Typical, Humid, Summer 610 Stomp Morning

    What is also becoming typical on Tuesdays is the large PAX and participation we continue to see and grow through F3.  This is despite even adding a Monday morning running workout.  This is a good thing.

    The workout was very simple:

    15 minutes out and back,  traditional route via Bayou St John.

    Then directly to the track for 10 minutes of running the straights,  jog

    curves.

    Then some stretching exercises, LBCs,  and a “slant” hold for that last 5 minutes.  Some folks haven’t stretched since high school.

    Count off, Nam-a-rama, Announcements, COT.

    Always a privilege to lead with such a great large group of like minded individuals.

    From San Jose, CA see you in the gloom and on the radio,

    Bongo

     

  • This ain’t no democracy

    Just sit there and shut up. This ain't no democracy.

    A very very damp morning greeted the PAX, after yesterday’s squall lines rolled through. YHC had done a quick drive by one of the intended workout areas to see whether it was usable, and alas – discovered that it was quite soupy. So perhaps an audible was going to be necessary. More on that later.

    5:30 – Issue a disclaimer, and 21 PAX moseyed off to the track. YHC is not a regular at the Foundry. His recollections of the Foundry from way-back-when was of an intimate gathering of just a few close friends. Now we are at 21 PAX (and apparently that’s the new normal at The Foundry!) Fantastic to see such growth – more HIMs, more impact, more motivations. Thank you all.

    The Warmup

    Circle up on the track for a typical warmup, consisting of Windmills (oops – bad move on the part of the YHC, needed to restart , SSH, Arm Circles, Overhead Claps, more Arm Circles (alas, Amnesty kept chit chatting and missing the instructions to KEEP YOUR ARMS UP). Then some planks, just because.

    The Thing #1

    BLIMPS. Partner up for the BLIMPS-a-go-go. Partners run opposite directions on the track, and wherever they meet – do the next letter exercise. Then run opposite directions again. Start with Burpees x10. You all know the drill from there (except, apparently, YHC who attempted to spell out BIMPS). Ya Mom’n’Dem did a great job carrying an additional heavy weight on his back (“Jesus Juice”). Meanwhile, Holy Grove and Smooth finished about 15 minutes ahead of the next closes finisher.

    As PAX finish, start LBC’ing and Dollying awaiting the 6. YHC then offered the PAX a choice:

    • Elevens: PAX who want to do 11s, line up on YHC’s left
    • Get your shoes wet: PAX who want to get their shoes wet, line up on YHC’s right

    YHC was astounded to see a vote of 20-1 in favor of “Keep your shoes dry” (and the humble reader can guess who was the “1”). Apparently, a lesson in the Art of Manliness was in order. As this is NOT a democracy – the PAX moseyed off to collect a cinderblock from the swamp.

    The Thing #2

    Grab your cinder block and line up along the left field line in the puddles (you know, the area that looks like a baseball field when not covered by muck and grass clippings). Pop Tart scoffed at the rest of us, as the mud and water just oozed right out of his mandals…

    Round 1: 15 each Overhead Press, Curls, Rows, Bench Press. Then a Bear Crawl out about 30 yards, and Lunge Walk back. Briefs grumbling “my shoes won’t be dry for days”. Screw Top whining “Can’t we go do pullups instead? Its dry over there”.

    Round 2: 12 each. Crawl Bear out, Walk Lunge back. Words fail to express my disappointment at hearing Tool suggest that Walk Lunge would be easier if his footsies weren’t so wet.

    Round 3: 10 each. Not enough time for more out-and-back, so return our Cinderblock friends and slosh back to the flag.

    Finished about 5 mins late. Sorry PAX (but not really)

    Count-off and name-o-rama (lots of young guns at the Foundry – thanks for pushing me harder everyone!) Announcements and Intentions, especially praying for Holy Grove’s dad in his recovery from health challenges.

    As today is the feast day of St. Ignatius, YHC closed with his Prayer for Generosity. Thanks for letting me lead. And thanks for following where I go! Into the Muck and Mire!