Tag: High Rise

  • Lending a Helping Hand

    A couple weeks ago I helped out my fellow LVCC member Screw Top and we swapped Q’s. Unfortunately Screw Top went and had a minor setback and was not ready to return for his Q so I once again helped him out and took over my original Q slot. On a typical muggy morning 14 PAX, including 2 FNG’s, joined me in the gloom. Disclaimer was given and off we moseyed to the practice track.

    Warm up:

    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Windmills x 10 IC
    • Arm circles fwx and rev x 10 each IC
    • Grass grabbers x 15 IC
    • Self love x 15 IC

    Tha Thang #1:

    For the first portion of the beatdown we stayed in the circle for a routine I created a couple weeks ago. It was time for the second attempt of Red Light/Green Light. All red light exercises would be static and all green light exercises would be dynamic. Exercises were called out by the Q and we would immediately change exercises once the randomized timer called out red light or green light.

    Red light exercises:

    • Al Gore
    • High plank
    • L side plank
    • R side plank
    • Low plank
    • R leg lunge hold
    • L leg lunge hold
    • Supine leg hold
    • Reverse plank
    • Calf raise hold

    Green light exercises:

    • Mountain climbers
    • LBCs
    • Merkins
    • Lateral/cross-over lunges
    • High knees
    • R single leg wife pleasers
    • L single leg wife pleasers
    • Penguins
    • Crunchy frog
    • Freddy Mercury’s

    After this we moseyed to Roosevelt Mall where PAX splint into 2 groups for an Indian Run to the steps in front of NOMA.

    Tha Thang #2:

    At that time we partnered up for some Dora 1,2,3. Combined total of 100 merkins, 200 squats, and 300 LBCs. While PAX #1 performed the exercise, PAX #2 bunny hopped the steps and performed 3 burpees at the top of the steps. I may have overshot this one as I know my group only got halfway through the LBCs before it was time to mosey back to the flag. Although I know multiple groups were able to complete all reps so T-claps to you guys.

    Circle up for countoff, name-o-rama, annoucement, named our 2 FNG’s, intentions, and COT. Welcome Blazing Saddles (had a tough time coming up with that name but props to Amnesty for nailing it) and Choppa. Can’t wait to lead again.

  • Stompkwata

    Despite fair warning, 14 men set off into a pleasant September gloom this morning at Okwata. The warning: bring your running shoes, we’re trying something new. And so we did.

    Since we started doing Okwata, YHC has been wanting to run to the large Lakeshore Drive bridge for a change of pace. Today, we did it.

    It’s around 1.1 miles just to get there, so we had to be quick. We wrapped our warm-up into our mosey with some high knees, butt kicks, Super Marios, carioca, and Zombie walks.

    When we got to the bridge, the instructions were simple: 11’s with burpees at the bottom and merkins at the top. YHC had measured it out, and from base to center of the bridge is about 1/10 of a mile, so each “lap” would be 2/10 of a mile. No one quite completed the 11’s, but Breadsticks was close. Breadsticks seems to have found another gear lately. T-claps for that.

    T-claps to Two Yutes, who went back and swept the runners on the way there, giving them the instruction so everyone could get started. We called an end to the 11’s leaving around 12 minutes to return to the flag, and according to my calculations***, we arrived exactly on time. All in all, we ran about 4 miles, with about 1 mile of that being uphill, broken up with some burpees and merkins. We may try this one again during Run Ranger Run.

    Surge closed us out with a prayer. Thanks for trying something new with me today. – Kuch

  • Watch your head

    Four PAX decided to participate in the second week of the Iron PAX 2019 Challenge on a hot and humid Monday morning. After the disclaimer, we took on the challenge.


    “Meatloaf’s massacre”

    4 rounds for time (Elapsed Time Scoring) Round 1:

    *10 Manmakers

    *20 Overhead Presses

    *30 Kettlebell Swings

    *40 Goblet Squats

    *50 Incline Block Merkins

    **1600 Meter Run
    **Rinse and repeat for rounds 2,3 and 4 with the following modification: decrease run 400 meters for each subsequent round. Round 2 was 1200m, round 3 was 800m and round 4 was 400m

    I was eager to take on this week’s challenge and tackle what I thought would be the toughest part of the challenge, the Manmakers. The very first rep produced a painful result for me when my coupon hit the front part of my hairline which left a knot on my head for a week. 
    From there I proceeded a little more carefully. We all completed the challenge, encouraging each other along the way.
    Results: Belloq 56:24, Thumb War 56:38, Tool   59:30, High Rise  62:04
    Thank you for the opportunity to lead this challenge. 

  • Post Iron Pax Beatdown

    With my LVCC brother Screw Top still nursing an injury I was asked again to do a relief Q which I gladly accepted. I spent Tuesday night scrolling through the Exicon for some suggestions and found something new (for me) and remembered something that I had not done in a while.

    14 PAX gathered at the our usual spot in Roosevelt Mall. I can’t speak for everyone but I was still feeling the effects of the Iron Pax beatdown from Monday so burpees, jump lunges, and sit ups were not to be on the menu for today. Disclaimer was given and off we moseyed to the track for warm up.

    Warm Up:

    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Windmills x 10 IC
    • Grassgrabbers x 10 IC
    • Self Love x 15 IC
    • Arm circles fwd/rev x 10 each IC
    • Figure 4 piriformis stretch x 15 sec hold each leg

    Tha Thang #1:

    Following warm-up we moseyed back to Roosevelt Mall where the 14 members were split into 2 groups for a little Route 66. I hadn’t done this exercise routine in months so I figured it was just as good a time as any to break it back out. On 1 side of the mall PAX would do derkins increasing reps with each bench. On the other side PAX would perform step ups (1 is 1 for each leg) with increasing reps each bench. Plank and wait for the 6 at the end of the mall.

    Tha Thang #2:

    PAX moseyed to the back of NOMA where were again splint into groups. Since we had 14 men we were splint into 2 groups of 3 and 2 groups of 4 for Triple Check. PAX #1 perform The People’s Chair and PAX #2 planks while PAX #3 runs around NOMA. Upon PAX #3’s return to the start everyone rotate until each member of the group has performed a round in all 3 positions. Rinse and repeat 2 more times so each PAX will have performed 3 rounds in all 3 positions total.

    Tha Thang #3:

    Mosey back to the mall where we reversed our Route 66. All PAX that had performed derkins now did step ups and vice versa. Suggestion was thrown out that we do the reps in descending order which I obliged. The PAX performing step up seemed to take a bit longer so t-claps for the PAX performing derkins to get some Mary in while waiting.

    Mosey back to the flag for some Mary for all:

    • Freddy Mercury’s x 15 IC
    • Dying Cockroaches x 15 IC
    • Penguins x 15 IC

    Count-off, name-o-rama, annoucements, intentions, sweaty ball of man. Once again it was a pleasure to lead the men in a beatdown that was hopefully enjoyable but challenging.

  • Thank you USMC Joey Bovia!

    Introduction to USMC Joey Bovia

    Sgt. Joseph “Joey” Bovia, USMC, was a native of Metairie, Louisiana.  He served in the Marine Corps for six years.  Sgt. Bovia volunteered for two deployments to Iraq and his last deployment to Afghanistan.  He was the leader of a combat engineering platoon and was building an outpost to protect an elementary school in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by insurgents.  Sgt.  Bovia was killed in action on August 31, 2010, in the name of freedom and protection.  

    On August 31, 2019, 10 men of F3 (including FNG Complicated) converged at Muscleship to pay tribute to this hometown hero through a workout, on the 9th anniversary of his sacrifice, created by Sgt. Bovia’s fellow Marines. Sgt. Bovia’s mom was notified of the F3 tribute and she sent her deepest gratitude to the men of F3.  Sgt. Bovia’s mom was assured Joey’s sacrifice would not be forgotten. She expressed her greatest fear is people forgetting Joey.

    Warm up

    After an introduction to USMC Joey Bovia, we left the flag and took a slow mosey over to The Foundry to warm up.

    Once there, Hokie Pokey solicited assistance from @SOGO for Warm Ups as SOGO has not held his VQ yet.

    31 SSH, 8 Merkins, 8 Hill Billies and 8 Arm Circles Forward and Backward for the Warm up

    The Tribute ~ 8 stations 31 reps “plus bonus burpees ;-)” in teams of 2 split between 5 stations and then rotating through the 8 stations

    • Hand Release Merkins
    • Low Slow Squats
    • Pull ups with FULL extension at bottom
    • Alabama Ass Kickers
    • Floyd Mayweathers
    • Dips ensuring you get DEEP into the dip
    • Lunges (stepping way out front and getting the back knee down)
    • Mule Kicks (possibly being renamed Sunday Mornings)
    • PLUS we started and ended with 5 burpees and 3 burpees at each transition … 7 transitions x 3 = 21 +5 +5 = 31

    There was leftover time so we added some bonuses of planks while our partner ran to the track and back. We concluded by moseying back to the fountain in front of NOMA for step ups and then closing with a circle of 8 minutes of Mary

    Thank you Joey Bovia & COT

    We closed with our Circle of Trust and once again lifting up RED (Remembering Everyone Deployed) and giving special thanks to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. We also lifted up @Bell Hop and @Rudy’s Dad and all those dealing with cancer! We also lifted up all those dealing with Hurricane Dorian and those traveling this weekend.

    We also welcomed our FNG, Steven Arthur with the F3 name of Complicated which is way to complicated for me to explain here.

    As always, I thank my F3 brothers for the opportunity to push myself and hopefully aid in each of you pushing yourselves through my attempt to challenge you at your fitness level while still being able to Q.

    Thank you USMC Joey Bovia (RIP 08.31.10)
    The tribute with 8 stations and 31 reps at each station
  • Preseason at Da Chamber

    12 PAX were greeted with the perfect mix warm, muggy, and damp conditions at the new UNO site on Monday. Ideal setting to sweat out the celebratory weekend beers from a kinda-stellar Saints preseason victory on Sat followed by our little league dudes lighting it up in Williamsport on Sunday. YHC encountered Belloq upon arrival where we gazed upon the intramural fields at UNO, recalling our time spent out there mid-90’s playing sports for our respective fraternities, oftentimes with a cold beverage in one hand and football in the other. Yes, those were some glory days, but I think it’s safe to say we’re probably both in better shape now than we were then, at least we’d find out in the next 45 min. Perhaps our real glory days still lie ahead?

    YHC stepped in to Q the day before, filling in for Holy Grove who originally stepped up to help lead, but is on IR and hopefully will be back in the fold soon. Quick warmup included paying a little homage to the Easbank All-Stars for playing strong, displaying great teamwork, and making Louisiana proud. Scores = rep counts. YHC is no ESPN commentator but did my best with a recap of the LLBWS:

    SW/LA vs W/Hawaii    2-5      2 SSH- 5 Burpees

    LA vs NW/Oregon    3-2         3 WM- 2 Burpees

    LA vs MW/Minnesota  10-0    10 AC

    LA vs MA/New Jersey   4-1      4 Side Lunge-1 Burpees

    LA vs SE/Virginia   10-0             10 PP

    LA vs W/Hawaii   9-5  (US Final)     9 IW- 5Burpess

    LA vs Carribean Region 8-0 (LLBWS Final)    8 GG

    Next up, time to pay some even greater respect to Staff Sergeant Edwardo Loredo by knocking out the Loredo Workout, a Crossfit favorite and the “preseason” workout for the F3 Iron Pax Challenge.

    6 Rounds For Time:

    • 24 Air Squats
    • 24 Push-ups
    • 24 Walking Lunges
    • 400m Run

    Given the rainy forecast, YHC mapped this out to be done near the overhang at the front entrance to the UNO HPC Building, aka Chamber of Horrors, using the parking lot as our 400M lap, verified by Google. As the PAX started churning away, there were some pros and cons with our site. Pros included lots of dry pavement and a steady flow of puzzled student athletes tricking in the building for training. Cons included a rather slippery sidewalk for the walking lunges (hindering form for some) and what appeared to be a rather long 400M lap, despite what Google said. Anyway, we plowed through and several PAX pushed extra hard. T-claps to Shorty and Shuffles for blasting out of the gate and setting the bar…and t-claps to several others that YHC saw digging deep. All PAX managed to finish before the bell rang, with times ranging from 27:48 to 36:ish minutes.

    Great job knocking out a not-so-pleasant WOD. September is going to be a looooong month, especially if one opts to do the Iron Pax workouts multiple times per week. Hopefully we’ll all be faster and stronger come October….the H8 should be chump change. We capped things off with a COT. Afterwards we officially named the AO “Chamber of Horrors” which is the old nickname for the adjacent HPC building which has seen many a sweaty athletes and students alike for the past 50 years.

    NMM:

    1. It’s nice to have dry-ish feet.
    2. Pop Tart killed it and is filling Smooth’s shoes as a front runner.
    3. T-claps to Shorty for knowing when to listen to your body/stomach and throw in the towel. With other PAX recently going down or feeling ill mid-workout, a new addition to the Lexicon has been proposed by Da Parish…..Kenny Rogers (verb?) – Knowing when to hold em and when to fold em.
    4. T-claps to the PAX for posting and supporting the new AO. We pay back F3 not only by leading workouts, but by continuing to grow and spread the footprint…just like several guys did here when they kicked things off in NOLA.
    5. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Edwardo Loredo, 34, of Houston, Texas, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was killed on June 24, 2010 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, First Sergeant Jennifer Loredo; his daughter, Laura Isabelle; his stepdaughter, Alexis; and his son, Eduardo Enrique.”

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead and the motivation to keeping getting out in the gloom.

    Tool

  • You Better Have Glaucoma

    Conditions: 79 Degrees, 90% Humidity, Heat Index of 83

    Lots of good grass at Okwata and a fair amount of smoking this morning.

    Warmup

    Mandatory mosey through Louisiana’s smallest registered body of water, the sidewalk puddle just east of the shovel flag. It was good to get the shoes wet from the start so that there would be no worries about anything that might come later. We circled the Mardis Gras Fountain (where are the lights Latoya?) with high knees, carioca two ways, but kicks, and bear crawls.

    We then headed up the levee and proceeded west on the top of the levee. I almost ran over a local Shaman in Sukhasana. It would be helpful if all local Shaman wore blinking bicycle lights for safety.

    After destroying that dude’s Chi we pointlessly gathered on the leeward side of the levee. I was hoping to find some well manicured grass, but there was none to be found. So we planked for the six and headed back over the levee.

    The Thang

    11s on the levee. Burpees at the top Squat Jumps at the bottom. After you finish, run back up with anyone more than a lap behind you.

    10! – 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 Sit-ups, 9 merkins, 9 squats,….1 merkin, 1 squat, 1 Sit-up

    House of Pain – Three lines at the pull-up bars. Each man does Bernie Sanders (L-hang on pull up bar for as long as you can), 30 dips, then go to the back of the line and do BLIMPS until you get back to the pull up bar. We did 2 rounds.

    Quadraphilia – 4 minutes up and down the levee always facing the lake #CrowdPleaser

    Mary – LBCs x 20, Flutter Kicks x 15

    COT

    Announcements: Extra Summer Series at Lafreniere. Anyone want to lead? 5-year Convergence 10/12 – Start working on your buddies that have been AWOL. New Monday Workout at UNO – Post this coming Monday.

    Prayers: Spouse facing surgery, Friends and Relatives with cancer, Praise for new grandchildren, prayers for those that have recently lost loved ones.

    NMM

    • Great to be back at Okwata. My odd race preparations have derailed my Okwata attendance over the past year, but it is still one of my favorite AOs. Glad Mahatma asked me to fill in for him.
    • Speaking of odd running habits, the Half-Fast running club sauntered by while we were at the House of Pain and gave me a serious case of #FOMO. They were running way too fast. I’m not going to be able to keep up when I return. It’s like a couple of new kids showed up to school when you were absent and the next day you no longer have a seat at the lunch table.
    • I still believe you haven’t really done 11s until you’ve done them on the levee at Okwata with burpees. Are you diggin’ me Uptown? River < Lake.
    • Usually time flies when you are having fun, but this seemed like an extra long 45 minutes. May have been the trip to the flag at the 15 minute mark that did a number on my cognitive functioning.
    • According to MapMyRun this workout was 3.8% more intense than my Popeye’s Q last week. #Acceleration
    • Mumblechatter award of the day goes to……JV the all-time champ. During Quadraphilia:
      • Me (in my Rah-Rah voice): C’mon men, you can do anything for four minutes!
      • JV: My wife would disagree.
    • T-claps to Room Service for leading us out with Flutter Kicks.
    • Happy Birthday Dad!
  • Bring in the lefty

    Over the weekend my fellow LVCC member, and unofficial F3 chauffeur, Screw Top was injured (not seriously) in a purely unavoidable pool incident in which he was emulating Odell Beckham Jr. Thankfully Kuch being the big man that he is volunteered to step up as replacement Q. Unfortunately it was determined on Tuesday afternoon that Kuch’s schedule would not allow him to Q. So your resident relief pitcher stepped in to clean up the mess. I scoured the F3 exicon for a solid routine and came across one that had a fitting name for me but also would somewhat put me out of my comfort zone.

    25 PAX gathered at our usual location for The Foundry on a typical hot, humid, windless morning. Disclaimer was given and off we went to the track.

    Warm Up (all exercises IC):

    • SSH x 20
    • Windmills x 10
    • Arm circles fwd/rev x 10 each
    • Grass grabbers x 15
    • Self love x 15

    Tha Thang:

    I found a routine on the exicon called The Cooper which was fitting for me since my youngest 2.0 is named Cooper, who also happened to turn 3 y.o. 4 days ago. The Cooper consists on running a lap around the track then performing 10 burpees, 10 squats, and 10 merkins. Then run a lap and follow with 9,9,9, etc. in descending order until completed.

    T-claps to Shuffles and Holygrove who absolutely killed it. Speaking for myself I still had over 2 laps plus exercises to go when they finished. As instructed (rather poorly) anyone who had finished all 10 rounds were to plank, perform the ISI squat, do some mary, or help sweep the 6. I apologize if I missed anyone deserving of T-claps.

    Around 6:10 I yelled for anyone who hadn’t completed all 10 rounds to circle up back at the start with the rest of the PAX for some mary. To keep in line of helping newer members get practice with leading workouts Mmmbop, Tug Boat, and Pop Tart stepped to each lead an exercise. T-claps to all 3 men.

    Mosey back to the flag. I explained to the PAX my reasoning for choosing this routine. I will never be the best distance runner, I will never be able to easily crank out merkins, and burpees are among my least favorite exercises. But I wanted to better myself in these areas and hopefully everyone that participated was able to do the same. Countoff, name-o-rama, announcements, sweat ball of man.

  • Sprints and Merkins

    On another glorious hot and muggy August morning, 11 pax arrived for what may possibly have been the last Danger Zone workout, and Smooth’s bon voyage before heading to the life of Tapas and Sangria. 

    After a quick disclaimer, we moseyed to the track for a warmup that consisted of:

    • SSH x 20
    • Squat jacks x 20
    • Windmills x 20
    • Grass grabbers x 15
    • High kicks 
    • Butt kicks
    • High knees

    The thang – 

    Pax were to make 4 laps (1 mile) around the track as fast as possible.   After each lap, pax were required to do 50 merkins each, totaling 200 merkins.  When finished the group did LBC’s and other core exercises waiting for the six.  

    Next on the agenda was a sprint beep test, which was initially planned to be done on the track, but a large group of runners were also on the track, so we shifted to the grass in the middle of the field.  

    YHC forgot to bring cones so we formed 2 points about 20 yards apart.   All pax lined up with the objective to sprint to the opposite “cone” before the sound of the beep.  Once the next beep would sound, the Pax would sprint back to the opposite side awaiting the next beep.  This continued while the time between beeps decreased.  If a pax was unable to make it back to the line before the beep, he would be eliminated and assume a plank position.  T-claps to Holy Grove and Jesus Juice for battling it out to the end with JJ taking the crown.  

    With about 5 minutes remaining, we circled up for some more core called out by the pax.  Exercises included Freddy Mercurys, LBCs, and a few others that I can’t remember.  Last but not least we finished up with a merkin ring of fire before heading back to the flag. 

    Circled up where intentions were offered for those battling cancer, Holy Grove’s father, Smooth’s impending move to Spain and giving thanks for our health and good fortunes.  

    Thank you for posting with me and the opportunity to lead. 

    SYITG!

  • Adios para ahora

    It was a typical summer Sunday morning in front of NOMA. We had our biggest showing yet at the Renaissance and it was the first time I q’d that wasn’t the stomp. All in all it went really well…even a little tougher than I originally thought. Started off with the disclaimer in Spanish and translated to English for those that took Latin in school.

    Warmup with a lap around noma and circled up for TARRAGONA (where I’ll be living)

    Tin snips, air squats, Russian twists, ranger merkins, Abe vigoda, gas pumps, intended to do one armed pickle pounders but turned into the normal ones, Nolan Ryan’s, and finished with angle grinders

    Then we partnered up and did bear crawl 1,2,3 (cumulative 100 merkins, 200 lbc, and 300 air squats while other person bear crawls to second tree and back). My neck is still a little sore.

    Lastly, everyone completed two rounds of what I call 3 x 5’s. Kept your same partner…one is running up and back lelong drive while the other goes through 5 smurf jacks, 5 merkins, and 5 crunchy frogs). Continue with that pattern until partner gets back.

    I’m very grateful to belong to such an awesome group. Best wishes to everyone! I look forward to seeing you all in the gloom 🇺🇸🇪🇸💪🏻👊🏻🏃‍♂️