F3 New Orleans

Tag: Popeyes

  • Mosey to the Chickens

    QHC thought it was a joke when RY posted that QHC was to be Q at Popeye’s this morning.  QHC had been there only twice, and pretty sure that at least once he got there only by accident.  With a sly smile across Rev Sox’s face, no PAX was fessing up.  So with a disclaimer, the PAX were off.

    Warm Up:

    • Side Straddle Hops 20xIC
    • Low Slow Squats 20xIC
    • Imperial Walkers 20xIC
    • Mountain Climbers 20xIC
    • Merkins 20xIC

    With the roosters crowing away and time to mosey, QHC announced that the PAX should mosey to the chickens.  QHC didn’t see any chickens, but lots of geese, which smell like hell.  Get past them ASAP!, and continue to the Popeye Foundry.

    At the foundry, a round of fun.  The PAX divided up five routines: PAX One did 15 burpees as the timer, PAX Two pullups, PAX Three box jumps, PAX Four pirouettes/twirl-girls (jump up and try to get a 360 twirl), and PAX five hanging dips.  Rotate around.  Then rinse and repeat but with just 10 burpees as the timer.  Because it was so much fun, rinse and repeat with a mere 5 burpees as the timer.

    Slow mosey to the adjacent field for a round of Elevens–moseying between two trees, at one end doing merkins from 10 down to 1 and at the other end doing jump squats from 1 up to 10.  QHC was getting tired, so Rev Sox did a stellar countdown from 20 with a few fractions in between.

    Mosey back to the warmup spot in the grass for some Mary:

    • LBCs 20xIC (last five fooled the PAX because QHC slowed the cadence down so everyone else stopped for a round or two)
    • Flutter Kicks 20xIC
    • Penguins 20xIC
    • Russian Twists 20xIC
    • Dying Cockroaches 20xIC

    Mosey back to the flag for QHC’s surprise: today’s Iron Challenge Iron special: a full, feet-flat-on-the-ground, balls and butt just an inch or so off the ground, stretch-your-spine squat for a full 2:20.

    And it was time.  Count Off, Name-O-Rama, Announcements (such as they were, all PAX professing to have signed up for F3 Greenwood’s Iron Challenge), and a COT thanking our Sky Q for his infinite gifts.  JV

  • 1.7 Mile (or 2.57 for the fast ones doubling back for the six) Mosey Around Popeye’s

    Warm Up

    Started with lunges… knee low to ground and hands stretching up over head, gentle backwards run and cossacks

    The Thang

    Run out of parking lot and go right to running path

    1. Stop at .2 mile mark(across from Shelter #5) for another stretch… hands to ground, feet flat, walk hands out and do a Merkin. Slowly walk hands back to feet. There was some debate as to whether this stretches hamstrings, back or both depending on your age and flexibility ;-)… then Slow “Deconstructed” Big Boy Sit Ups 4 count x 19
    2. Continue on path to Dog Park (.4 mile mark) circling back for the six before “Deconstructed” Dips 4 count x 19
    3. Continue on path to playground (.6 mile mark) circling back for the six before Slow “Deconstructed” Merkins 4 count with hand releases at bottom x 19
    4. Continue down path to exercise area along W Napolean (1.0 Mile Mark) circling back for the six before
    • Scapular Pull ups with full arm extension AMRAP
    • Burpees AMRAP
    • Pull ups with full arm ur extension x 10 as timer
    • Squats low n hold as long as possible

    5. Continue top Shelter #8 on Right (1.2 mile mark) circling back for the six before Shoulder Taps x 19

    6. Continue to Fountain (1.5 mile mark) for Box Jumps or Step Ups x AMRAP before the clock would strike 6:13 and we would then …


    7. Continue to Flag (1.7 mile mark)

    COT

    We went through countoff, namearama and announcements:

    1. Read Yankee’s e-mail
    2. This Friday 12 noon at Galliano’s if you want to help plan F2 Picnic for Aug 3rd
    3. Next Thursday FIA/F3 Joint beatdown and F2. @Gatsby says he will reach out to Wrong Iron owner to pursue discounts
    4. Gnarley Nutria July 17th
    5. Summer Race Series July 24th
    6. @Gatsby put in a plug for F3 NOLA Swim and says he wants to target July 6th after MotherShip/MuscleShip and Coffeeteria (Save the date)
    7. Aug 3rd F3 F2 Picnic!!!!
    8. We then lifted up intentions for those dealing with cancer, illness, loss, and death. We also gave thanks for Gratitude.
    9. Thank you Sky Q for F3. Please help me have eyes to see the best in people; a heart to forgive the worst in people; a mind to forget the bad; and a soul to never lose faith in You!

    Thank you

    Thanks to Triple Shift for EH’ing me in March 2018. Thanks to Rev Sox for assigning me this Q. Thanks to each of you for helping me in my journey to get fit by 60!

  • NAME-O-RAMA

    NAME-O-RAMA

    YHC has been on the sidelines with a shoulder injury for the last couple of months, so he had plenty of time to plan for this particular workout at his beloved Popeyes. So as 10 men arrived in the sweaty, gloom it was time to roll at 5:30am. sharp. Wait….an FNG arrived at 5:31, so the Pax took off at 5:32.

    The Warm-Up

    YHC led the Pax on a short mosey to do a standard warm-up

    SSH -25

    Imperial Walkers – 20

    Shoulder Taps – 15 (should have been prepared for shoulder taps to aggravate my shoulder injury, but alas)

    Side lunges – 15 (someone needs to come up with a good F3 name for this exercise)

    Hillbillies – 20

    The Thang

    YHC saw another F3 Pax on Twitter spell their F3 names using an exercise to represent each letter. Since he had plenty of time between Qs, YHC made up his own version of the NAME-O-RAMA . Each Pax would do the exercises corresponding to the letters of his name. Once finished, the Pax with shorter names would find members with longer names and help them finish. All of the vowels were running exercises (in hindsight I should have come up with a better system to cut down on the amount of long runs. I hit 3.2 miles and I think other members ran longer than I did). It would have been nice to see the Reluctant Yankee here this morning.

    Check out the featured image of this post to see the whole alphabet and bring this to the other AOs in NOLA.

    YHC’s morning workout as an example:

    R- 20 Pull-ups E- Run to the F3 Flag and back V- 50 Big Boy Sit-ups S- 20 Burpees O – Run to the top of the bleachers X – 30 Box Jumps YHC then did another E – Run to the F3 Flag and back to hit Hokie Pokey’s last E.

    The runs were too long, so not every Pax finished and YHC committed one of the seven deadly sins of F3 by running the Pax back to the flag at 6:18am.

    The Close

    COUNTERAMA, NAME-O-RAMA, and the Pax named two FNGS. Chips’ 2.0 was named Frito Lays, and we also welcomed Voyeur into our ranks. Sweaty-Ball-O-Man lifted our prayers and thanksgiving to the King calling for mercy to our family and F3NOLA members in need and asking God to empower us to be the men He desires us to be.

  • 11’s at Popeyes

    YHC was excited for his second  Q at Popeyes and had a decided to use the vast opportunities that the parks has to offer for some 11’s.  Quick disclaimer was given and we moseyed a bit for the warm up.

    Warm-Up

    SSHs x 25

    Seal Jacks x 20

    Grass Grabbers x 20

    Plank Jacks x 20

    Arm Circles x 10 forward and x 10 backwards

    Smurf Jacks x20

    Wind Mills x 10

    The Thang

    Two rounds of 11’s kicked things off using the cement wall around the lagoon.

    Round 1

    10 right leg step ups at one end run across the green space and 1 LBC on the other side. Run back to the start for 9 right leg set ups over to the other side for 2 LBC’s.  8 right leg step us/3 LBC’s and so on.

    Round 2

    10 left leg step ups at one end run across the green space and 1 dip on the other side. Run back to the start for 9 left leg set ups over to the other side for 2 dips.  8 left leg step us/3 LBC’s and so on.

    Still have some time for so more fun and YHC called out an Indian Run with no real destination in sight and the PAX naturally had some fun with no set destination. Finally we made it to the exercise equipment for two rounds of 5 pull ups as the timer with merkins and squats the exercises until the timer completed his 5 pull ups.  Thanks to Hawg for calling our various merkin and squats so not to do the same repetition twice.

    Time is running low so back to the flag for a 20 Russian Twists to close things out.

    COT

    Count O Rama, Name O Rama, announcements and intentions.  War Eagle and Kenna Brah closed out with a prayer and some reflection.  As always it is an honor to lead and workout with the F3 brotherhood.  SYITG.

  • I don’t know what this is called, but….

    A great day for a VQ, relatively low humidity, nice breeze, and 3 partners in the un-gloom.

    Opened with some variety, shoulder tag was fun, alternating side shuffles. Abe Vigoda and the Sprinkler got us warmed up. Mosey to the Gazebo with a bonus run around the perimeter. Monkey humpers and Bat Wings to start. Trying to remember to lead a good cadence is always a challenge and not having a good bead on the official names of some exercises (hence the title). TClaps for the assistance of the PAX. Partner workouts Help a Brother up, Big Boy Situps (modified), assisted single leg squats, various Parkour type jaunts, hanging leg lifts, partner sit-ups rotating to touch elbows, Out of the pool, some other spontaneous static hold challenges. Mosey back to the flag for closing, intentions, announcements, BOM. Thank you all for supporting my VQ!

  • I think I can. I think I can. I think I can…

    YHC has longed dreamed of making it around the entire Lafreniere Park walking track in one workout. Two Yutes, Boo Boo, and Darkwing Duck emerged form the gloom to assist in my attempt to make it around the park.

    5:30 Disclaimer and mosey to the beginning of the walking track.

    The Thang

    The goal–Route 66 around the park stopping at each light pole.

    1st exercise: SS. When you pass a bench do as many dips as possible until you complete 66

    2nd exercise: Mountain Climbers

    3rd exercise: Imperial Walkers. Those who have completed dips begin working on 66 Irkins

    4th exercise: Peter Parkers

    5th exercise: detour form the route and complete 20 pull-ups OYO

    6th exercise: Back to Route 66 – Squats

    7th exercise: Merkins

    8th exercise: Overhand Claps

    At last, the dream of making it around the park in one workout died. It was not meant to be this day. A mosey through the park back to the flag two minutes late.

    Count-off, Name-o-rama, COT

  • Hoke no like Cinder Block. Hoke Smash.

    On a warm, muggy morning that serves as a reminder of what’s to come in the next few months, 13 PAX (a Popeye’s record) gathered for YHC’s Q, motivated only by getting better and not missing YHC’s Q…. and maybe because Popeye’s was the ISI point today. Perhaps they knew there would be smashing involved.

    Brief mosey to one of the workout areas with some high knees and butt kicks along the way, followed by a fast-paced warm-up of the following:

    • Imperial Squat Walkers x10
    • SSXx20
    • Arm Circlesx20
    • Parker Peterx20
    • Self love

    The workout

    8 stations using Tabata as a timer (20 seconds on, 10 seconds to rotate)

    • Turkish Get Up’s w/ 10lb Kb (became sweat angels when we “ran out of” a cinder block)
    • Jumping rope (with 2 recently purchased speed ropes, neither of which withstood the workout. This eventually became Rocky Balboas)
    • Pull-ups/hang from pull-up bar
    • Burpees (of course)
    • 8 count bodybuilders (right after burpees because why not?)
    • Dips
    • Jump Squats (side note: while on vacation recently, I attended a yoga class that took place on a raft in the pool. One exercise was jump squats, and let’s just say the instructor’s form was a bit better than mine. He would squat down, jump up, turn 180 degrees in the air, and would drop back into a squat as he landed. This resulted in YHC falling off the raft several times, but being convinced this was the right way to do a jump squat. YHC encouraged everyone to try it this way today.)
    • Curl and press with cinder blocks.

    A couple rounds in, and we were all feeling it, some more than others. And by some, I mean Hokie Pokey, who opted for a demonstration of strength during this exercise. And by demonstration, I mean he smashed the cinder block at his feet, and then stood over it like a DB who had just leveled a receiver coming across the middle. We all applauded this feat of strength, made certain modifications and mental notes, and moved on.

    All in all, I think we got 5 rounds of this Tabata circuit in. For the first 3, we listed to Rage Against the Machine songs, but YHC made the mistake of throwing out a couple song choices to the Pax. Thus, our final round was done to “Video Killed the Radio Star”, compliments of Frac Sac. Thanks?

    We moseyed back to the flag, down a coupon, for some stretching led by Mahatama, and then a bit of planking. We gave thanks for the day, and remembered to appreciate even the hot, muggy days.

    Thanks to our Uptowners, Nip Tuck, Bones and JV who hopped on their flights this morning and made it all the way out to Lafreniere. And thanks for letting me lead. – Kuch

  • What I Like

    With RevSox on the IL and a number of regulars “preparing” for the H8!, I figured we might have some low numbers and that maybe it would be a good time to do an impromptu Q school at Popeyes. We are going to need some more Qs with RevSox out for the time being.

    The Disclaimer

    I gave the disclaimer with a little extra explanation of what F3 is and why it is different. The mission of F3 is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership. There are other workout groups on the city, but not counting FIA, these workout groups are led by the same people each time. F3, not only provides us with a good workout, but it also gives us the opportunity to hone our leadership skills. If you are not stepping up to Q, you are missing out on the most important aspect of F3. I love the fact that F3 is organized to be a community of leaders. Every man not only has the opportunity, but is expected to provide leadership for the group. This benefits the entire group. At the most basic level, it gives us a variety of workouts that improves, helping to accelerate our fitness. On a higher level it teaches us how to operate in a community, it helps us to learn how to support one another, it teaches us what works and doesn’t work, etc.

    When you Q, you have to create a plan and execute it. You have to prepare for different situations. You have to effectively communicate your vision to a group of men and have them carry it out. You have to learn to be efficient. You have to motivate and encourage. You have to teach. You have to lead by example. You may just think of it as leading a workout, but if you do it correctly there are a number of skills involved that translate to the most important areas of your life.

    The Warm-up

    Counting is an important skill. We use a standard that helps us to communicate effectively. This makes the workout more efficient. Make sure you have memorized the following:

    • Next exercise is…..the ___________
    • Starting position…..move
    • In-cadence…..exercise

    There are several different types of cadences you can use. Make sure you think through them and choose the one that will be most effective for the exercises you are doing. Make sure you count at an appropriate tempo. You want to make sure you don’t leave others behind. You also want to make sure it supports what you are trying to accomplish with the exercise. In the Warm-up, make sure you touch all of the different muscle groups you will be using. Dynamic stretches are good after the body has warmed. I like to alternate exercise in a standing position and in a plank position to make the pax get up and down.

    SSH x 20 (4-count cadence – Chips), Imperial Squat Walkers x 20 (4-count cadence – Boo Boo), Mountain Climbers x 20 (4-count Kenna), Low Slow Squats x 20 (4-count cadence), Peter Parker x 20 (4-count), , 8-count Body Builders x 10 (Hokey Pokey), Red Bull Smurf Jacks x 20 (4-count cadence – Boo Boo), Catalina Wine Mixers x 10 (6-count cadence Dark Wing Duck), Abe Vigodas (4-count Chips), Merkins x 20 (2-count cadence Kenner Brah)

    The Thang

    The difficulty of Qing a workout is to plan for a variety of physical fitness and abilities. This is the F3 motto: Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you found him. This is difficult and it means that you, and other pax members, are paying attention.

    Mosey to the wall for a Red Hot Chili Pepper. I remember how hard this was when I did it for the first time. It has to be hard. It has to be challenging. Is it ok if guys can’t do it? Of course. They can modify. Make the workout so that you are pushing the fittest guys. Others can modify as needed. If you see a lot of people modifying or just all out quitting, encourage them to keep going by providing them with ways to modify.

    • Bulgarian Split Leg Lunge Right Leg Forward (IC) x 10
    • Derkins (IC) x 20
    • Bulgarian Split Leg Lunge Left Leg Forward (IC) x 10
    • Incline Merkins (IC) x 20
    • BSLL Left (IC) x 8 – (When you smoke yourself, call for a countdown)
    • Derkins (IC) x 10
    • BSLL Right (IC) x 8
    • Incline Merkins (IC) x 10

    Sometimes you have to admit defeat and an realize that you won’t finish eveything you want to. That said, it’s much better to plan too much than not enough.

    We moseyed back to the flag for a round of dealer’s choice Mary.

    • LBC x 20 (Kenna Brah)
    • Big Boi Sit-ups (Hokey Pokey) x 10
    • LBC x 20 (Chips)
    • Flutter Kicks x 20 (Darkwing Duck)
    The Skinny

    The above account is mostly true. It is certainly true that the 6 men named in this backblast all posted at Popeyes and we all led different exercises. Who led which exercises and how many reps did they lead – who knows? But I do know that everyone did a good job of leading and I see some hard-core beatdowns at Popeyes from this group of men in the near future.

  • Spot Start at Popeye’s

    Rev Sox is on the IL with shoulder inflammation so the team at Popeye’s turned to YHC for the spot start. Temps were in the mid 60s and the birds were out in full force.

    Warm-Up

    SSH x 25, Mountain Climbers x 26, Imperial Walkers x 20, Grass Grabbers x 15, Parker Peter x 20 – this all occurred after a mosey of about 15 feet.

    The Thang

    We moseyed to the ledge by the replica of the West Metairie Canal, for some 363 exercises. For those that have forgotten, the 363 was the developed to commemorate the World’s victory over Uptown at the 2017 Gnarly Nutria: World 363 – Uptown 360. The exercise consists of 3 reps of super slow cadence. If you are doing merkins it is a 4 count to go down, another 4 count to come up, etc. You end up holding yourself in the worse possible position at the end of these 3 reps. That didn’t quite come out right, but I mean for merkins you would be holding a mission impossible, for squats it would be an Al Gore…you get it. After those 3 slow reps, you do 6 regular cadence reps that again bring you to Mission Impossible or Al Gore or whatever at the end. Hold that and then start 3 more super slow reps. It’s meant to be a burner, they way it burns the World Victory into your memory forever.

    We did 3-6-3 Merkins, 3-6-3 Squats (using the ledge for full compliance), 3-6-3 Inclined Merkins, then 10 box jumps, 3-6-3 Decline Merkins (by far the worst), Tatum Channings x 20, Channing Tatums x 20.

    Long mosey to a sticker filled soccer field near W. Napoleon for 5 minutes of 12 Burpee EMOM. That’s 60 burpees total for everyone reading this not named Abacus

    Partnered up at the outdoor gym for partner assisted pull ups on the rings: Reps of 10, 7, and finished with 4.

    Long Mosey around Gar Lake to the pavilion. Here we (and by we I mean I) introduced Dr. Webb to F3 NOLA. This is a marriage of Dr. Ws and Jack Webbs that comes from the sick and twisted mind of F3 Jackson’s SFx (formerly of F3 NOLA and F3 Valley Forge. I’m not sure if Jackson claims him or not. He’s definitely a nomadic ginger). JV will love this. 1 Dr. W followed by 4 Dying Cockroaches in cadence, 2 Dr. Ws / 8 dying cockroaches, 3/12, etc… We worked our way up to 5/20 before I felt like time was short (yeah, that’s why I stopped at 5) and moseyed to the flag.

    Luck would have it, we were two minutes early so we did another 3-6-3 set of merkins and squats.

    Boo Boo gave a good reminder to us all about the importance of gratitude in our prayers. I prayed us out, struggling to be heard over the chatter of the birds.

  • A Track so Soft you can run in Mandals

    While this title refers to everywhere if you happen to be Hawg, most of us resort to our carefully fitted and selected-for-foot-type running shoes. However, we could all borrow a page from Hawg’s book (maybe minus all the straps) and run barefoot on the track at Lafreniere. It’s some kind of composite rubber wizardry that feels both springy and cushioned at the same time, never leaving my knees hurting the next day.

    The other great thing about Popeyes is the dedication of Rev Sox. Most of us post, Q from time to time, and make a comment on the mumblechatter every once in a while. Rev has done everything in his power to get a great AO going out in the depths of Metairie, first manning a workout that regularly averaged only a few attendees, and ultimately moving it a bit closer in to an even better location, never giving up on it. This has already paid dividends in forcing some newer guys to step up, and drawing some new blood from that area. So T-claps to Rev Sox for a job well done. Repay his service by making your way out to this AO every once in a while, and I doubt you will be disappointed.

    The Workout

    Speaking of disappointment, I’m sure the PAX was less than thrilled when 5:30 struck, and YHC was nowhere to be found. The LV clown car was moving a little slower than usual this morning, and we had a few coupons to place, so we pulled up at 5:31 sharp, and the PAX, to its credit, had already moseyed and was doing some SSH, where we joined in for:

    • SSHx25
    • Arm Circles forward and back
    • Hill Billies
    • Peter Parker / Parker Peter

    Next, YHC asked for directions for the easiest path to the workout area where the coupons awaited. Helpful locals Boo Boo and Pai Gow showed us the way and off we set on a brisk mosey to the workout area for the thang:

    6 Stations, Rotating

    • Absolution x10 (timer – I messed these up a bit and excluded the plank jack when down on elbows. My mistake). Everything else, AMRAP
    • Arnold Press with pavers, drop set
    • Turkish Get-ups w/ 5 lb dumbells
    • Straight legged deadlift w/ 10 lb kettlebells (bought a couple of these – if anyone ever wants to use them, I can bring them)
    • Kettlebell swings with cinder blocks
    • Hang from pull-up bar as long as possible.

    PAX was encouraged not to cheat yourself. Get every rep. Don’t do 9.5. Don’t lose form. Don’t cut corners. Don’t be afraid to take as long as necessary to complete an exercise. Inspiration: I read this post yesterday, and it made me rethink some of my recent workouts – did I do all 60 burpees yesterday, or did I accept 57 or 58? Do I always do every merkin, or am I afraid of everyone finishing before me? Great read:
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=683278642142599&id=100013814083617

    After that, we sprinted across the field and bear crawled back, where High Rise took over:

    • Wife pleasers w/ legs on bench x15
    • Single leg wife pleasers w/ legs on bench x10 each leg
    • W’s x20

    I’d promised High Rise more time, but had also underestimated the time it would take to get back to the flag. Plus, this time we had coupons. So we finished up with a 5-minute coupon run to the flag, where we all learned that it actually kinda sucks to run with a cinder block. Good to know for future reference. We also left some pavers behind with Rev Sox, so Popeyes now has some coupons.

    Some brief announcements, notably, the 5K run at the Belle Chasse base this weekend, and Rev prayed us out. Come be a part of the great thing we’ve got going at this AO. – Kuch