F3 New Orleans

Tag: King Kong

  • He’s not heavy, he’s my brother!

    As I was preparing for my Q at the Mothership (Rudy ‘Voluntold’ me last week), I wanted to incorporate some new exercises to keep it ‘Fresh’ as my kids say and to have a theme of teamwork.  The one thing about F3 I so greatly appreciate is the partner workouts.  I know myself too well and I will quit on myself far earlier than quitting on someone else.   After going through the Exicon on our F3NOLA website, I gathered some thoughts and formulated a plan.

     

    WARMUP

    25 SSH, 10 Abe Vigoda, 10 Arm Circles (front and back) all in cadence.

    20 x Cheerleaders (Things got off kilter and I got messed up but this was pretty difficult)

    10 x Sprinklers

    20 x J-Lo’s and 20 Peter Parkers

     

    THE THANG #1

    Incorporating the partner theme, we grouped up into 2 groups of three and 2 groups of four and did ‘Catch us if you can’.  We would head from the great lawn to the large grassy area to the right of NOMA (Thank the Lord there are trees for shade and the grass was cut).  For the groups of three, one member carries another member by fireman’s carry or piggyback and runs to the field while the final pax member does 5 plank walks and runs to catch up to their teammates and switches out until they reach the field.  For the groups of four, one pax member will fireman’s carry or piggyback their partner while the other two pax members perform 5 plank walks and then runs to catch the other members of their team and switches out until they reach the field.

     

    THE THANG #2

    After we arrived at the field with many stares from onlookers, we partnered up for B.O.M.B.S. in the shady tree line.  50 Burpees, 100 Overhead Claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Bridges a.k.a Wife Pleasers and 250 Squat Jumps.  One pax member runs out approximately 100 yards and then back while their partner performs the exercises listed.  There was very little mumble chatter as we got to work.  As the PAX started on the Squat Jumps, I could see the fatigue amongst the PAX and quickly decided to drop the total number to 200 from 250.

     

    THE THANG #3

    After a quick water break, we did the Genuflect.  What is the Genuflect, you may ask?  It is a modified Lt. Dan where you are standing and then kneel down and stand back up.  After you stand back up, you perform 2 forward lunges.  From there you kneel down and stand up 2 times and lunge walk forward 4 times.  We did this all the way up to 10 kneel downs and 20 forward lunges.  Again, no mumble chatter.  After we arrived at the 8th tree, we slowsyed back to the water fountain with about 4 minutes left.

     

    THE THANG #4

    Did we run or walk back?  No!  This is a partner themed workout!  Because we did ‘Catch Us If You Can’ on the way out, we would do ‘Catch Us If You Can’ on the way back.

     

    Countoff, Namerama, and Circle of Trust.

    It always amazes me how F3 has grown and impacted so many men in our area and throughout the country.  Over half the men at today’s workout weren’t there 6 months ago!  Prayers for the sick and strength and grace for parents that have special needs children.  Lord help us to be difference makers in our homes and in our community!  Thank you for allowing me the privilege of leading the PAX of F3 NOLA!

     

     

     

     

  • And for the Beatdown, I’ll start with Shoulders and then for my entrée shoulders with a side of shoulders and for dessert…Shoulders!!!!

    Oh yes, now we are in the dog days of summer.  So not only did we have 80 degree temperature greeting us at 5:30 but let’s add 100% humidity as it rained the day before.  Fun times and time for some upper-body work.  As El Wire duly noted towards the end of our beatdown.  Every exercise except one included shoulders.  Yes El Wire they did, they surely did.  Onward to the Thang!

    Mosey to a open space by Magazine St. for Warmup:

    • Arm Circles Forward X15
    • Arm Circles Reverse X15
    • IW X20
    • Windmills X 15

    Mosey to Soccer Field for Bear Crawl Ring of Fire

    • Bearcrawl Counter-Clockwise all till Q yells halt
      • 10 merkins
    • Bearcrawl Clockwise
      • 10 diamond merks

    Let’s increase the difficulty!

    • Boo Boo Bearcrawl Counterclockwise Right Leg Up
      • 10 staggered right
    • Boo Boo Bearcrawl Clockwise Left Leg Up
      • 10 staggered left

    Mosey to street leading to statue for:

    Indian Crab Crawl to Statue – Line up in four lines of four or five PAX.  Last PAX crabwalks to front of column while other PAX does LBC’s and so on.  This exercise took a little bit longer than expected so we stopped about halfway and…

    Moseyed to the statue for:

    Dora 123 – Partner Up

    • 100 burpees
    • 200 derkins
    • 300 squats

    Ran out of time, so called it with most PAX somewhere in their Squat count.

    Moseyed to flag with one minute to spare, so, 10 Nolan Ryans each side OYO!

    Count off, Name-o-rama (one FNG, Betty Crocker as he likes to bake), announcements, intentions and prayer.

    Thank you for letting me lead!

  • A Beat Down 2 Years in the the Making

    When Jingle Vader said he would be out of town and needed someone to step up to Q, YHC realized this was roughly his two year F3 Anniversary, and agreed to take the reigns from the mighty JV.  YHC first posted on June 11, 2016 where Maverick was the Q, and it was a good one!  With two years under the belt, YHC figured he could deliver a good one.  Two FNG’s posted with us today, along with 20 Regulars.  After some odd discussions about circles and such (that’s Bogey and Rudy for ya), it was time for the disclaimer…….and then….

    Mosey to the Great Lawn for the Warmup

    SSH IC x 31
    IW IC x 20
    Sun Gods (Arms Circles) 10 fwd, 10 back
    Mountain Climbers IC x 20
    Peter Parker IC x 20
    Parker Peter IC x 20

    Someone set up some cones on the Great Lawn, wonder who that was? YHC figured we could thank him later….

    Well, since cones are set up to mirror a basketball court, roughly about 35 feet between cones, may as well put them to good use. Time for some:

    Suicides

    Part 1
    sprint to one quarter line, sprint back and do 5 burpees
    sprint to half line, sprint back and do 5 burpees
    sprint to three quarter line, sprint back and do 5 burpees
    sprint full court, sprint back and do 5 burpees

    Part 2
    Same suicides, only 10 merkins each time the pax sprints back

    Part 3
    Bear crawl semi suicides
    Bear crawl to one quarter line, complete 10 LBC’s, bear crawl back to base line and do 10 merkins
    Bear crawl to half court line, 10 LBC’s, bear crawl back to base line for 10 merkins.

    Part 4
    Lunge Walk Suicides
    Lunge walk to one quarter line, 10 monkey humpers, run back to base line for 10 merkins.
    Lunge walk to half court line, 10 monkey humpers, run back to base line for 10 merkins.
    Lunge walk to three quarter line, 10 monkey humpers, run back to base line for 10 merkins.
    Lunge walk full court, 10 monkey humpers, run back to base line for 10 merkins.

    Line up in two columns for an indian run to NOMA. Apparently YHC did not do a very good job of explaining this, but we all ran, and we made it, so all is good.

    Partner up for:

    Mini Dora 123 (for time)
    Pax 1 runs from first tree, or tree zero, or whatever we call it now, to the fountain for 10 dip
    Pax two does exercise until relieved. The count is cumulative.
    50 Burpees
    100 Squats
    150 Merkins

    Partner Derkins
    Starting at the now infamous first tree
    Pax 1 planks, while Pax 2 uses Pax 1 for 10 Derkins.
    Run to next tree, flapjack
    Run to next tree, flapjack
    Run to next tree, flapjack
    Run back to starting point
    That’s 20 derkins for each

    Circle up for Mary
    LBC IC x 30
    Flutter Kicks IC x 20
    Dying Cockroach IC x 20
    Penguins IC x 20

    Mosey back to flags

    COT
    Count off, Name-O-Rama, Name the FNG’s, Announcements, Intentions, closed with a prayer to the Sky Q

    NMM
    Welcome Outbreak and Sour Patch, T-Claps to Woz and Coxswain for the EH’s!!!
    Thanks to all of you for continuing to post in support of F3. There is no doubt my life has changed for the better over the last two years, and I remain several pounds lighter. The daily beatdowns, the Capital Ruck, the Grow Ruck, the Gnarly Nutria, the ISI monthly challenges, and a plethora of other F2 CSAUP events have filled these last two years with incredible memories, and the experiences have improved my roll as a Father, a Husband, and a Friend.

    SYITG

  • Viva la cucaracha

    Hurt yourself, don’t hurt yourself, your Q had disclaimer issues. Least of the Pax’ problems today…let’s mosey.

    Around the horn discover Brown Bag hiding in the shrubbery then over to touchdown Jesus for the first COP: SSHx 20, MC x20, HB x20, PP x20, Squat Jacks no Smurf Jacks x 20, PP x20

    Mosey to the mountain for three lines of Indian run fun to the top.

    COP #2 with a quick change between exercises: Dying Cockroach x10 > Flutter Kicks x10 > DC x10 > Hello Dollys x10 > DC x10 > High Dollys x10 > DC x10

    Mosey over to the down ramp: 10 RT, 10 merkins the run down for 7 crossfit-merkin jump sqaut burpees, backwards up the hill twice and third time bear crawl.

    Down the stairs for a nice cool round at the benches: RSLU x20, Dips x20, RLPU x20, Incline Merkins x10, LLSU x20, Dips x15, LLPU x20 & Incline Merkins x10

    Lastly another quick round of Mary at TD Jesus: Dying Cockroach x15 > elbow PP x15 > Dying Cockroach x15 > eblow MC x15

    Back to the flag for the count, name-o-rama, welcome FNG Shrinkage & the prayer.

    zero comments, please

  • Oh the Terror

    This Q had me shaking in fear like night. I was not intending to Q this morning. I had made plans with Hawg to swap Qs. I would take his birdcage Q in early April, and he would take my Q in early June. I filled in admirably for him in the spring, but this week he informed me that he was running out of town to Arizona to avoid filling in for me. After eight weeks of missing birdcage workouts (family vacation, sickness, and trip to Israel), I did not feel ready to Q in my first F3 at this location since my April, but God gives grace to the weak and I faced my terror of leading a workout while feeling woefully out of shape.

    We started with 15 at the imaginary flag and following the disclaimer, we moseyed over to the WWI flag for a warm-up.

    SSH – 20

    Hillbillies – 20

    Peter Parker – 20

    Windmills – 21

    We ended by cleaning up with 20 Annies

    We did an Indian Run back past our starting spot and over to the monkey bars. We did a 4 part rotation with 10 pull-ups as the count Freddie Mercury, Merkins, and Big Boy Sit-ups with the other three stations. We did two rotations.

    We moseyed over to the open field in front of the zoo for the Suck. We did two rounds. 3 minutes each time to see how many reps of 7 SSH, 7 merks, and 7 squats we could each knock out.

    Following the Suck, we moseyed down Constance St. to the levee. My goal was to do elevens at this point. I think I sapped too much of our time and endurance with the 2nd suck, because we only finished half of the exercise before we needed to mosey back to the flag. The elevens started with 10 burpees on the bottom and 1 jump squat on the top. Most men finished the round with 5 burpees and 6 jump squats.

    We moseyed back to the flag. I hate Mary and tried to arrive right at 6:15, but we arrived about 90 seconds early. We did a round of American Hammers and then a round of Wife Pleasers to get ready for Father’s Day and my watch said we were done.

    We counted to 15, said our names, and called it a day.

    Thanks for putting up with my anxiety over my lack of recent attendance. The workout beat me down, and I hope all of the pax felt the same.

     

  • Field of Dreams, and Rocks

    Well, summer is clearly here. Humidity, damp air, and sweaty shirts will be the norm for the next 3-4 months. And that means we are left with baseball and golf for the remainder of the summer. So to celebrate the nation’s (past) past-time, we worked in a beat down on the baseball diamond.  13 men showed up ready to sweat. A disclaimer and off we go.

    A short mosey to the warm-up COP:
    SSH x 20 IC
    Imperial walkers x 20 IC
    Windmills x 10 IC
    Arm circles x 10 forward, 10 backward, IC
    Mountain climbers x 20 IC

    Grab a rock! Mosey to the baseball diamond for some Rock Circuits.
    Round 1: exercise, then run to the next base with rock overhead.
    Shoulder press x 20 IC, Curls x 20 IC, Rock Rows x 20 IC, Chest Press x 20 IC
    Round 2: exercise, then run to the next base with rock at chest level.
    Shoulder press x 10 IC, Curls x 10 IC, Rock Rows x 10 IC, Chest Press x 10 IC
    Round 3: exercise, leave your rock, bear crawl to next base, and pick up somebody else’s rock.
    Shoulder press x 10 IC, Curls x 10 IC, Rock Rows x 10 IC, Chest Press x 10 IC

    Mosey to the baseball outfield for Dora 1,2,3:
    Partner 1 exercises, Partner 2 runs across the baseball outfield and back.
    100 merkins, 200 squats, 300 LBC’s

    Stay in the outfield for Mary:
    Flutter kicks x 20 IC
    Penguins x 20 IC
    Hello Dolly x 20 IC
    Dying cockroaches x 20 IC
    American Hammer x 20 IC

    1 sprint across the baseball outfield and back. Then return your beloved rock to the rock pile. Run back to the flag for a finish right on time. Count off, Name-o-rama, Announcements, Intentions, and a prayer. Thanks for letting me lead!

    Walleye

  • Pushing through

    YHC hadn’t been to the Uptowner for almost three months–not since he banged up his right arm at the end of the Tough Mudder on St. Patty’s Day.  Walleye said it’d take two months or so to start to feel right again–he was right about the “or so” part.  But YHC decided he’d ease back in in the gloom this morning.  So au revoir to Wolfpack Mountain, and into Metry.  As PAX began to gather, YHC learned that HVAC was the Q: perfect: a tough-ass yoga session, but hopefully light on the triceps.  With great (but wholly incorrect) insight, YHC commented that HVAC always runs a lap or two before posting, so he should be here any second.  Tick, tick, tick, tick: no HVAC.  [Summertime can be busy for A/C guys: customers maybe will tolerate a broken heater for a few hours in January, but more than about 10 minutes without A/C in the summer garners no such similar tolerance. T-claps to HVAC and Duct Tape for keeping summers tolerable.]  So when Mahatma recommended a split Q, YHC figured his arm had had enough rest: time to step up for the first part.

    Warm Up:

    • SSHs 25xIC
    • Low, Very Slow Squats (4-count down, 4-count hold, 4-count to up) 24xIC
    • Abe Vagodas 25xIC
    • Merkins 25xIC

    The PAX then grabbed rocks for a favorite Friday routine for YHC:

    • 20 overhead presses
    • 20 squats
    • 20 curls
    • 20 bench presses

    Then rinse and repeat with a 15-count, then again with a 10-count and finally with a f-count.  But before turning the Q over to Mahatma, time for some sitting around.  On the fence:

    • Sit for 30 seconds
    • Curls 20xIC
    • sit for 30 seconds
    • Overhead Presses 20xIC

    Mahatma then took over for some cardio delight.  The PAX divided their rocks into two rows about 10 yards or so apart and then paired up.  Each pair faced each other then side shuffled across to the other row, did a jump squat, side-shuffled back and then concluded with another jump squat–repeat 6 times for a total of 12 jump squats.  After a 30-count countdown, the PAX rinsed and repeated.

    Lining up along one of the rows again, each PAX carried his rock overhead to the other row to do 5 burpees and then returned the first row carrying his rock straight out front a la Frankenstein’s monster for 5 more burpees, and rinsed and repeated–for a total of 20 burpees.

    Then after returning their rocks, the PAX circled up for a final COP:

    • Plank for a minute
    • Crunches from legs extended overhead to legs extended straight (but off the ground) x12 IC
    • alligator pushups (lift hands on the up-extension) x20 IC
    • Dying cockroach (x10IC), straight into flutter kicks (x10IC); rinse and repeat with x10IC, and then a second time with x5IC for a total of 25xIC cockroaches and 25xIC flutter kicks

    Thanks for letting YHC share the Q.  Jingle Vader

  • Did I mention the ISI Challenge….

    So as 23 PAX gathered in the short-lived gloom, YHC reminded everyone that this month’s ISI challenge is 10,000 Merkins in one month.  Quite the task as that equates to an average of 333.33 merkins/day for those who are mathematically challenged.  Merkins were promised and as you will soon see,  Merkins were delivered.  After the standard disclaimer, we were off!

    Mosey around entrance to Golf Club and then to front of bandstand for Warm Up:

    • Hillbillies X 20 IC
    • Windmills X 15 IC
    • Imperial Walkers X20
    • Forward Arm Circles X15
    • Reverse Arm Circles X15

    Then short Mosey to Oak Alley for Red Barchetta (went deep in Exicon for this one).  Apparently it’s supposed to get your heart racing like a “Rush song”.

    • Start at 1st light run to last light for 100 SSH
    • Run back to starting point
    • Run to 2nd to last light for 75 Mountain Climbers
    • Run back to starting point
    • Run to 3rd to last light for 50 LBC’s
    • Run back to starting point
    • Run to 4th to last light for 25 merkins
    • Last is 10 Burpees

    I agree the routine got the heart racing, but even though I’m a fan of Red Barchetta, I think this Rush song seems more appropriate:

    Here’s to all you Working Men! Or is it Working #HIM?  BTW, where’s all the merkins?  That’s only 35 including the burpees…

    Next Mosey to Kickball Field for Merkin Ladder.  There they are!!!

    • Start on one side and do 20 merkins sprint to other side and do 19 back to starting point for 18 and so forth until you hit 1. 210 merkins total if you’re counting.  Now we’re cooking…or at least our chests are burning.

    Quite a bit of mumblechatter during this routine.  I even think I heard some comment about t-rex arms that help some of the PAX do push-ups faster… All I got to say is sometimes it’s good to be short…or short-armed.

    Next mosey to shelter for

    • Incline Merkins X15 IC
    • Right Leg Step Ups X15 IC
    • Decline Merkins X15 IC
    • Left Leg Step Ups X 15 IC
    • Merkins X15 OYO

    Next mosey to right outside shelter for

    Mary

    • Flutter Kicks x 15 IC
    • Penguins X 20 IC
    • Tin Snips X 15 IC
    • Nolan Ryans X5 each side OYO

    Mosey to Flag for Count-Off, Name-o-rama, Intentions and Prayer.  PAX, don’t forget about NOTC 2-miler this Wednesday.  Should be some good F2 and recruiting opportunities.

    So, for those counting, that’s 320 merkins to get your ISI Challenge day started.  Keep ‘em coming and Go Team Gabrielle!

    Thanks for letting me lead.

  • RED Friday – Tommy Mac

    This year the first Friday of the month has been RED Friday at The Uptowner.  I have to give credit to F3 Greenwood.  I stole their idea and sometimes steal their workouts.  Today we celebrated the life and service of Sgt. Thomas MacPherson.  More on him in the NMM.

    Conditions: 81 degrees and 91% Humidity (Heat Index of 89 in the gloom)

    Equipment:  Rocks Ranging from 30 – 50 pounds

    Warm-up:  SSH x 31: IW x 31; Abe Vigodas x 10; Good Mornings x 10; Moroccan Night Club x 31; Self-love x 10; Copperhead Squats x 10

    The Tommy Mac uses 5 different lifts, so we practiced a few with the rocks.  These lifts actually require a barbell, so we made some slight modifications in order to perform them

    • Thrusters – Squat, then press rock above head.
    • Power Snatches – Pick up rock from the ground, lift over head, then throw it back on the ground real manly like.
    • Push Jerks – Shoulder Presses with a rock that’s too heavy to shoulder press.
    • Hang Squat Cleans – Curl the rock, then squat.
    • Overhead Squats – Just keep the rock at chest and squat.  Don’t get crazy.

    The Thang

    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Thrusters
    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Power Snatches
    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Hang Squat Cleans
    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Overhead Squats

    We went AMRAP.  I believe everyone completed 2 rounds in 28 minutes, some started a 3rd before time was up.

    NMM

    Today’s workout was in honor of Thomas MacPherson.  Sgt. Thomas R. MacPherson, 26, was killed in action on October 12, 2012 by enemy forces during a heavy firefight while conducting combat operations in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. He was leading an assault against an enemy position when he was mortally wounded by small arms fire.

    MacPherson was a team leader assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He previously served one deployment to Iraq and this was his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.

    The “Tommy Mac” Hero WOD was created by elite-level coach Rudy Nielsen of CrossFit Outlaw (Alexandria, VA, USA), who first posted the workout on his “The Outlaw Way” blog as the workout of the day for October 27, 2012. The post included the following quote from Tommy’s former Platoon Leader:

    “The whole thing with Tommy is that he embodies everything that’s right about Ranger Battalion. He held the position of Ranger Team Leader which is literally the tip of the spear. He was the consummate, quiet professional—he expected absolutely zero recognition for what he did. He loved his job because he was a born protector. He was perfectly content to carry out his life’s work under the cover of darkness, with his and his comrades’ actions to remain forever under the cloak of shadows. He died doing what he loved; protecting all of us. What stood out about Tommy the most was his maturity beyond his years. I believe it was the fact that he was the older brother of younger siblings, but like another Sgt. said “Tommy wasn’t one of those guys who joined the Army and grew into a man. He joined as a man and grew others.” He left behind his beautiful wife wife, Claudia MacPherson, and their son, Brayden.”

    Lagniappe

    • It was great to be joined by 3 actual Uptowners at The Uptowner.  I believe that is equal to the number of Uptowners that have posted in the past year.  If Uptowners ever outnumber the World at the Uptowner, we may consider a name change.  These Uptowners handled themselves admirably.  Tools always said an Uptowner would never suvive the Uptowner, but these three proved him wrong.  I hypothesize that since they are relatively new to F3, they have not been sufficiently softened by the tickle fights that occur at the Skinny.  Let’s get Douille or Yankee out here and see what happens then.
    • It was agreed by all that the rock exercises were the best part of this workout.  #BurpeeLoveHate
    • No Mahatma today, so I believe it was Tool that took home the prize of WOD crusher.
    • Pay attention to what Abacus wears.  He gets it.
    • I did my best Cowbell impersonation and wore flip-flops to the workout.  Difference is that I worked out instead of drinking an umbrellaed libation and looking on.  Baby steps.  (If Shorty is reading this, this is where he says “I think you mean Cowbell steps.”)
    • 2 Rounds = 120 burpees which we all did correctly and can count toward the June ISI challenge of 10,000 merkins.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Wolfpack Mtn intro to the Deck of Death

    A little slow with the bb but here it is nevertheless…

    Inspired by the new for sale deck of death – and realizing that as far as I know – the Uptown crew has never lived a Deck of Death.  So I brought a deck and we did the deed on Wolfpack Mtn.

    We ran to the lower area of WPM – here we did SSH x 2o, Imperial Walker Squats x 2o, Mtn Climbers x 20 and Dying Roaches x 20.

    From there we ran to the top.

    At the TOP we started our deck of Death!  – Spades were burpees, Hearts were plank jacks, Diamonds were merks, and Clubs were Peter Parkers

    Each ACE was a lap down the stairs then up the other stairs.

    I removed the twos.  So we did 151 of each exercise.  We didn’t complete the 9 and 10 of spades so we were 19 burpees short but all other suits were completed.

    We did 3 aces but on the 4th ACE ran back to the flag.

    We had a solid PAX of 24.  I unfortunately didn’t document the PAX but I will add some names of guys I was 100% sure were there.  I will add some names if you notice your name is missing – send me a text or email F3 NOLA.