F3 New Orleans

Tag: The Hammer

  • Bear Poker – from Hogs Breath

    Somehow we welcomed back Shortcake!

    Feeling way too muggy for March, four met for today’s beat down.

    Warm-up
    20ish IC SSH
    10 each direction IC arm circles
    10 imperial walkers
    10 mountain man poopers

    The thang

    Well after last weeks hit, we had to bear crawl again! Up the stairs, around the tower, and back down!
    After, we all played a round of Deck O’ Death poker. YHC won with a pair of 7’s and my prize was to lead the round of exercises; some arm circles, plank jacks, derkins and some other stuff.
    Then we went back to the midway for a round of bear inch. Or an Indian run with bear crawls and planks!
    Then back for another round of Deck O’ Death poker. And this time shortcake won the round. We did some dips and other stuff….
    complaining about a lack of leg exercises, YHC decided to throw in a length of walking lunges and a mosey to the tunnel. This provided a reprieve and good mumblechatter about the crazy state of the world. However, YHC had us complete a bear crawl up the tunnel incline!
    We had just enough to time to mosey back to the shovelflag for another round of poker! Again some merkins, lbc, and stuff but we ended with a 25 second plank rounding us out to 0600!
    Ended with count-o-Rama, name-o-Rama, announcements, and COT!

    A great start to the day with some great men!

  • Try to Make It Better, Keep Learning from Your Mistakes – from Bushwacker

    Last week YHC picked up the Q at the A1C after a long absence. The iron was present, the core was tested, and QIC walked away happy, yet unsatisfied. So with building upon that success in mind, it was time to double down! Same iron, same core, more exercises plus cones. But sometimes the best laid plans of mice and men go awry.

    WARMORAMA

    x10 IC: Windmills, T Stretches, Torso Twists, Hairy Rockettes, Imperial Walkers

    THANG

    What was SUPPOSED to happen: With 5 cones spread out across the length of the parking garage and a pair of 20lb dumbbells, 45lb dumbbells, a 25lb plate and a 45lb plate at one end. Each man would walk/run the length with a designated weight while the rest of the PAX did various core exercises. At each cone on separate turns(there AND back) would be: 5 Burpees, 10 Merkins, 10 Squats, 10 Sister Mary Katherines, 10 Torso Twists, 10 Mountain Climbers, 10 Squat Thrusters, and 10 Kettle Bell Swings.(See, could’ve been worse, huh guys?)

    What ACTUALLY happened: With such a strong showing It took us nearly 30 minutes just to get through the 1st exercise! QIC didn’t audible soon enough, but when I did two men went at a time, it went from 5 to 4 to 1 cone, and it was exercise on the way there and walk/run back. With these changes we still only got through the Burpees, Merkins and Squats before time experied.

    COT
    With no time for Mary, the COT capped by Einstein’s prayer was all we could fit in. From what was SUPPOSED to happen you can see YHC had intended some strenuous coupon work, but for the best of reasons it simply was not quite to be. Regardless, the attendance and effort are both appreciated and applauded. Well done gentlemen!

  • Marsh Madness 2021 – from Zoolander

    Welcome to Marsh Madness 2021. Twenty-four Pax converged upon the Milestone Marsh for this second-time event1

    In the presence of the Pick Axe-entrusted Freedom Hammer, we started with a quick disclaimer, Warmorama, Bushwacker-style2 instructions, and then the THANG.

    The Pax counted off in 4’s and formed 4 x 6ish-man teams at each corner of the court with a basketball. While 1 member of each team backpedaled with their ball to half court, performed a Bobby Hurley, and drove to goal for a shot of his choosing:

    – Layup (1 point),
    – Free Throw (2 points), or
    – Three point shot (3 points)
    Zero points for missed shots

    the rest of each team completed the following series of exercises in cadence led by a rotating corner Q.
    • Burpees
    • Air Presses
    • Shoulder Tap Merkins
    • Copperhead Jump Squats
    • LBCs
    • Plank Jacks
    • Monkey Humpers
    • Flutter Kicks
    Each man – including FNGs, 2nd timers, and celebrity guests – had multiple chances to lead the cadence.

    Shooters marked their points with sidewalk chalk and fell in line to call the cadence for the next exercise. It took a few rounds before each team found its own rhythm, but after that it was like watching a philharmonic orchestra playing Mary had a little lamb.
    After “40 minutes of hell,” team member points were tallied, and the highest scoring individual from each of the 4 teams were down-bracketed to a 5-shot “Around-the-World” shoot out on their respective side of the court. The rest of the Pax performed Goofballs and Side Straddle Hops to distract the Final Four shooters.
    Grundy, with accountant like focus, out-calculated Speedy;
    Ocho outdanced Whip.

    Grundy and Ocho were then down-bracketed to compete in a best-of-10 shootout from the free throw line. As luck would have it, they tied, and we went to Sudden Death from the Three Point line. Despite Ocho’s shenanigans, Grundy stomped the Stomper and emerged as the 2021 Marsh Madness champion!

    – Trophy
    – Count-orama
    – Name-orama – Welcome FNGs Sonar (EH’d by Turbo Tax) and Gomer Pyle (EH’d by Sparky).
    – Announcements
    o Northshore 5-year convergence led by Waterpik at the Lakefront on April 10.
    o Next F3/FiA mixer is 4/29. Thank you Jose10k, some of us do have to plan ahead for weeknight workouts.
    o ZOORICH CLASSIC at the Lakefront on April 24. (See how I slipped that in there Cowbell?…never too early!)

    QIC prayed us out and group photo followed. Great job by all. We’ll see if Grundy can defend his title in 2022. Thanks for playing along men. See you in the next Gloom.

    Footnotes:
    1Seriously, footnotes in a Backblast? Why not? The first Marsh Madness was in 2019 with a small, dare I say Elite, group of 8. Bird was an FNG and drained 16 x 3-point shots. The B-ball gods did not favor him today though. And well, Corona (as it was called back then) had other plans in ‘20.

    2Bushwacker-style instructions typically include circumlocutory, sesquipedalian musings about man’s ultimate life purpose with some semblance of what the Pax should be doing for the next 40-50 minutes. They are often accompanied by Mumble Chatter and confusion by all within earshot. Bushwacker-style instructions are the exact opposite of Turbo-style instructions, which are direct, concise, and never to be interrupted without penalty.

  • Bear, Webb, Lunge – from Hogs Breath

    I showed up at grandmas house just in time to see Hammer pull in around 5:05am. Planting the flag, that Aikbar confidently left behind on Monday’s marsh beatdown, YHC awaited to see if any others would arrive.

    Once we had a decent crew arriving we began the warm-up to some “unfamiliar” and “new” exercises (that YHC simply pulled off the F3 exicon!). Bushwhacker was insistent that Grandmas House hid a tire so YHC began to mentally formulate how we could incorporate this into our workout!

    10 IC MountainMan poopers
    15 Hairy Rockettes
    15 or so Butt Kicks
    10 Torso Twists

    The thang:

    A bear crawl the length of the pavilion, up the stairs! Yes, up the stairs. Around the tower, and back down the stairs! Yes, down the stairs. Returning to the start point.

    We then moved to a round of Jack Webbs. Having some trouble keeping rhythm and cadence the Q threw in a few extra merkins!

    At this point do our eyes deceive us????? But it was Cowbell arriving only 12 minutes late!

    Back to the pavilion for a round of lunge walks. Up the stairs, round’ the tower, back down the stairs and returning to the start line!

    Then a set of Squat Webb’s. 1 squat, 2 calf raises followed by 2 squats, 4 calf raises a la Jack Webb style.

    At this point we detoured and spent a few minutes crawling through the bushes, looking for a tire that simply was not there!!! So we returned to the pavilion for a round of Inch Bears. All pax would get into the plank while the last pax would bear crawl to the front, rinse and repeat. For the return trip we modified to a Gore Lunge, where all pax would Al Gore and the last would lunge walk to the front, rinse and repeat.

    We finished out with 90seconds of Mary. Some LBCs and Flutter kicks.
    Announcements about camping, go-ruck San Antonio, FIA/F3 mashup, and COT and prayer.

  • We’re Caught in a Trap, and Can’t Walk Out… – from Akbar

    Because I love y’all too much baby.

    And so it began, the 2nd annual Merkin Trap on the lakefront. Last year around this time we did 400 Merkins, could it be topped? I think so.

    18 PAX converged at the Lakefront today (without Gnats!) to make ourselves better. It could have been an even 20 if TankedUp didn’t steel Bush and Steve for a OYO Marathon.

    Gloom Factor – overcast, chilly 47 degrees

    Warm up – Nada. It’s time to get to business

    THANG – multiple exercises, mosey’s, and a lot of Merkins with a surprise thrown in mid-way. Exercises were done IC, 12,8,5 (50 reps) and some OYO.

    Starting out at the shovel flag: SSH | Merkins IC 12,8,5

    Mosey to Rips for Calf Raises on the stairs | Dirkins on the curb. 12,8,5 IC

    Mosey to the wall: Step Ups OYO in sets of 12/8/5 | Irkins OYO 24, 16, 10

    Run 2 blocks to Jefferson, stop for 10 Merkins at Claiborne. Monkey Humpers |Stone Mountain 12/8/5 IC

    Run 2 blocks to Monroe stop at Madison for 10 Merkins. Squats | Leg-up Merkins 12,8,5 IC

    Run to the Marsh, stop at Livingston for 10 Merkins

    Milestone Marsh: 50 pull ups, 50 Freak Nasties OYO – modification was supine or negative pullups

    Cowbell gave me a time check before we hit the Marsh, and after 100 reps YHC had to modify to make it back in time.

    Run back to the flag, stopping at each street for 15 Merkins.

    On the way, some father son intensification took place with Hammer and Pickaxe. Hammer carried Pickaxe most of the way piggyback style, and I took a turn for 1 leg. While Hammer and I did Merkins, Pickaxe did a Luigi (I think) – or pretty much a Merkin with no arms. At least he didn’t have to carry Shooter for 6 blocks.

    Back to the shovel flag for the wrap up.

    · Crunchy Frogs for Cowbell | Merkins 12,8,5 IC
    · LBC’s IC 12,8,5 24 Irkins OYO 8,5 FIA Merkins IC
    · Hello Dolly | Merkins IC 12,8

    500 Merkins in an hour, Advil post beatdown OYO

    Count, Name – Welcome FNG Binky!

    Announcements:

    1. F2 with FIA Thursday March 25th, 6pm at the Lakefront Gazebo and Barley Oak afterwards. Bring your wife, girlfriend, your female children, and their friends. Who wouldn’t want to attend that!

    2. Zoolander Q next week at the Milestone Marsh – NOT THE LAKEFRONT

    Thanks for following my lead,

    Till Next Gloom – Akbar

    Moleskin

    I first did this workout in Atlanta and loved the cadence. Last year we did it with 400 Merkins and hit 500 this year. 600 in 2022?

    Great to see Blaze back at the Mothership again.

    Zoolander had a 3 man EH. T claps for What’s That making the trip all the way from Kenner.

    T Claps to Pickaxe who hung in there, that’s a long way to run for a young man.

    Great to see Steve again at coffee and glad he’s back in the workforce.

    TankedUp is either crazy, a beast, or both. He just decided to run a marathon in Covington on his own. Maybe because Hammer called him Geriatric. T Claps brother.

  • March On – from Einstein

    Short disclaimer …

    Warmup:
    all 15xIC; side straddle hops, toe touch, imperial walkers, drew brees, knee highs, good mornings

    Mosey:
    to the front of the Taj-Mahal, circle up around the flag-pole, for the MROF (Merkin Ring Of Fire)
    all pax do a merkin then sidecrawl counter-clockwise, then repeat in the clockwise direction, with a set of ten jumps squats in between

    Mosey:
    to the top level of the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse parking garage, line up and at each of the parking stripes, do a burpee (twenty five in total) then follow with a core exercise.
    We repeated this sequence about six times, inserting a different challenge for the stripes

    Mosey:
    back to the Gipper statue as time expires,
    count-o-rama, Bushwacker leads us out with a prayer.

    It’s always fun running around downtown Covington, and thanks guys for letting me lead today.

  • We hid the coupons – from Waterpik

    T Claps to Akbar we now have LOGOED cinder block coupons at the Marsh again. And we didn’t “hide” them behind the restrooms . Who knows? Maybe they won’t disappear this time. And if someone wants them this time around, they’ll have to carry them from their new hiding place near the back of the field to the street. At that point their forearms will be swoll so maybe they’ll want to join F3.

    Mosey down the trace a couple of blocks to Jackson Ave. mandeville doesn’t have many hills but YHC found one there, and made a mental note that it would be a good mew spot to incorporate into a beatdown at the marsh.

    Main thang: Bear crawl up hill, jog back.
    Crawl bear up hill, jog back
    Partner carry up hill, jog back.
    (Shooter was an absolute animal)
    5 sprints up hill, jog back
    Rinse and repeat, then head back to AO

    Thanks to Akbar for praying us out

  • Gnats 1 PAX 1 – from TurboTax

    It was a draw. The Gnats mobilized early and mounted a fierce attack, but the PAX persevered and evened the score with a strong showing. It all started with a burpee heavy warmup which, in all honesty, wasn’t much of a warmup at all. It was The Thang from the bell. Burpees were performed with a sprinkling of standard warmup exercises added to the mix and then it was on to the main event…PAX vs sandbag. Dividing up into teams of two and three, we moved back and forth in 10 yard increments carrying our sandbags in various fashions while bear crawling, running, burpee long jumping, etc in between rounds. We then dropped the sand bags and ran a few sprint relays wrapping things up with some Mary after returning to the Shovel Flag. Countorama nameorama and Russo prayed us out. Thanks for letting me lead guys and making us all look good for the little old lady videographer. Hammer, did you remember to give her Bushwacker’s contact info?

  • Brood of Vipers – from Akbar

    4 braved the frigid 37 degrees this morning to start out their week right. We arrived to witness the leftovers of a Sunday birthday party, and the Marsh was trashier than usually this gloom. Waterpik said it best – “the best thing about having a birthday party here is you don’t have to clean up.”

    6am – YHC, Hammer, and Waterpik started out with warm ups consisting of Windmills , SSH, Torso Twist Imperial Walkers, and… Hogsbreath pulls up speeding in Cowbell-like fashion to join us for Hillbillies

    If you ever run out of ideas to Q, the Exicon (frequently perused by @Shooter) and other backblasts across the nation offer a wealth of pain. That was the case for YHC this weekend, spending way too much time reading what our brothers have been up to in the gloom. Also gives you ideas on new exercises you may not of heard of – like the Wojo Squat, Flock o Seagulls, or String Rippers.

    QIC settled on a modified Brood of Vipers, from F3 Greenwood

    Thang: Three round ladder, 5 sets, 3-4 exercises in each set, IC and OYO, recovery run in between rounds

    All exercises Copperhead Style

    Round 1 12 reps
    Round 2 10 reps
    Round 3 5 reps

    1. Negative Pull Up (12 count down), Supine Row
    2. Calf raises, Wojo Squat (slap the ground), Side Lunge
    3. LBC, Hello Dolly, Heels to Heaven
    4. Merkin, Irkin, Werkin
    5. Freak Nasty, Cobra Merkin

    Mary IC

    Flutter kicks, E2k x 20, Stone Mountains x10

    Count, Name, Hammer prayed us out.

    Moleskin

    Hogsbreath was rather witty this morning. When we got to the second round of Irkins, Hogsbreath said “you’re really Irkin me.” Also noting as the daylight started to set in, that “the brighter it got, the uglier you guys look.”

    The term “looks good on paper” came to mind after set 4 & 5 in round 1, when YHC realized doing 3 tempo Merkin exercises x12 followed by 2×12 triceps was difficult to say the least. But we pushed through.

    I got enough workouts from surfing backblasts for 5 weeks. 😉

  • This is what happens when you don’t sign up to Q – from Amnesia

    Pre-Thang: Some of the PAX ran the 2 mile Pre-Thang to get those miles in for RCR.

    Warm-O-Rama: 25 SSH, 25 Imperial Walkers, 20 mountain climbers – we needed some warming as the temps were still below freezing.

    The Thang: YHC had signed up planning to run the whole time, as Run Cajun Run was still ongoing. After warning from some PAX as to the running abilities of other PAX, YHC had to adapt. So adapt we did! We ran to the beach, with random stops for 5 burpees OYO.

    Then we came back and completed Dora at Marigny Avenue. You know the drill: 100 merkins, 200 big boi sit-ups, and 300 squats cumulative – one partner runs while the other completes the exercises.

    I don’t blame Jose 10k…at this point he said “screw it” and left the workout to get pure running in. Which was my intent anyway.

    Next was BLIMPS…5 burpees at the shovel flag, then run a block and complete 10 lunges…continue with 15 Imperial Walkers, 20 merkins, 25 plank jacks, and 30 squats. I had the leaders complete SPMILB on their way back to the shovel flag.

    Mary: After running back to the flag, we had barely enough time for 20 each of leg lifts and hello dolly’s.

    Name-O-Rama and COT concluded the beatdown and then YHC had to skip coffeeteria as a drive to Dallas was planned for that afternoon!!