F3 New Orleans

Tag: Thigh Master

  • A Brief History of Notre Dame

    YHC finished up his birthday Q week with Q at the Mothership.  Thanks to everyone who has shown up for my Qs this week….

    YHC dropped 2 kids at his University last week, hoping and praying that they will have experiences similar to his – the types of experiences that make one a Domer-for-life.  During the welcome weekend talks for the parents, much conversations  about the history of Notre Dame and the Holy Cross congregation.  YHC thought that would make a good topic for a Q.  So here we go…..

    First a (very flawed and poor) disclaimer.  I should be better at these by now.  Especially when we have an FNG in the fold (way to go, Calliope – rapidly taking over Top EH title from Triple Shift…).  Mosey off to the lawn in front of the museum.

    Warm Up

    Grass was long.  Very long.  Some questions about whether we should stop and look for Cowbell in the grass….

    • SSH x51 (PAX appropriately noted the relevance of this number for YHC)
    • Peter Parker x20
    • Plank Jack x20
    • Parker Peter x20

    Lets get to work…

    Presidential Pyramid

    Line up at Tree #1 (or Tree #0 as Woz and I refer to it).  We are doing a pyramid.  Each set recalls one president of the University.  Each set adds to what we’ve done before (i.e., do all of the exercises from previous sets then add the exercise for this set).

    • 5 Burpees for Blessed Father Basil Moreau, founder of the Holy Cross Congregation.  Run to first tree and back.
    • Add 10 Squats for Fr. Edward Sorin, founder of the University.  Run to second tree and back.
    • Add 15 Merkins for Fr. Andrew Morrisey.  Run to third tree and back.
    • Add 20 Crunchy Frogs for Fr. William Corby, chaplain of Irish Brigade in Civil War (and 2 time president of the University.  Run to fourth tree and back.
    • Add 25 Imperial Walkers for Fr. Thomas Walsh, president who oversaw rebuilding the University after the great Fire.  Run to fifth tree and back.
    • Add 30 Hello Dolly for Fr. John Dillon, entered the priesthood at age of 12, and served as president for one year during Civil War before dying prematurely of illness.  Run to sixth tree and back.

    Mosey to the Water Fountain to hydrate, then off to Lightpole #1.

    National Championship

    YHC takes a lot of flak for how long its been since the last ND National Championship.  The last one was 1988 (coincidentally, YHC’s senior year.)  30 years ago.  Sigh…

    Lets do a Route 88 with Bobby Hurleys  What’s that you ask?  A Route 66 but add 2 at each stop.

    • First Lightpole: BH x3
    • Second: BH x4
    • …
    • Eleventh: BH x13

    At completion, we’ve done 88 Bobby Hurleys.

    Top game of that year?  Notre Dame vs Miami.  Catholics vs Convicts.  What better way to remember the Catholics than with the Genuflect.  1:2 ratio of kneeldown/standup : lunge step.

    • 1 (4 count) kneel down/standup.  2 Lunge steps
    • 2 KD, 4 Lunge
    • 3 KD, 6 Lunge
    • …..

    In interest of time, YHC called it when clubhouse leader (#Tclaps for Outbreak) completed 10:20.  Most PAX were somewhere around iteration 7 or 8.

    Mosey to the Refinery.

    5 Pillars of Holy Cross Education

    Split PAX into 5 groups:

    • Box Jumps
    • Dips
    • Body Builders
    • Pull Ups
    • Merkins

    Rotate for 5 Iterations – one Iteration for each Pillar of a Holy Cross education.  Each iteration is a 60 second AMRAP.  30 second break between iterations to rotate and recover.

    • Iteration 1: Mind – Seeking understanding through the integration of faith and reason.
    • Iteration 2: Heart – Discerning our personal vocation in service to the Church and world.
    • Iteration 3: Zeal – Fueling the desire to offer our gifts for the good of all people.
    • Iteration 4: Family – Embracing Christian community as the context for lifelong formation.
    • Iteration 5: Hope – Trusting in the cross and God’s promise of the kingdom

    Mosey back to the Great Lawn.

    Mary

    Running low on time, but no Notre Dame workout will be complete without some Mary.  As PAX arrive at the lawn, join the circle and start LBC.  Once all PAX arrive, cadence starts and we finish with all LBC x25 together.

    COT

    Back at the flags, circle up for count-off, Name-o-Rama.  Welcome aboard Satchmo (he’s a musician, and an arborist).  Upcoming CSAUPs – talk to Da Parish if interested in Pelican Man duathalon.

    Intentions shared around the circle.  Sky Q – hear and answer them as you deem best for each of us.  Sweaty-ball-o-man to close with prayers.

    Thanks for the opportunity to Q, gentlemen!

     

  • The Thrillabon in the Audubon

    Being an F3 Nation member for only 10 months (last race I was nothin but a gleam in a Hawg’s eye), the Gnarly Nutria was the stuff of legend. A back and forth sporting event like the world has not witnessed since Ali vs. Frazier. Two heavyweights going toe to toe for 5.4 miles with the Uptowners dominating Gnarly Nutria I and The World squeaking by with a narrow victory in Gnarly Nutria II.

    This year The World looked to overwhelm the smug Uptowners with numbers, and we have been recruiting. I was even dreaming of running the first race of my life but fell to the wayside with a calf injury on Friday. Although The World would now be missing their best runner, they still persevered and began the race with a distinct advantage in numbers.

    Following an epic lightning storm, the race began at 9:10pm. Our first finishers were a family group, and hat’s off to Sandbar who brought two of his 2.0s who finished the first lap in solid time.

    I knew the Uptowners were going to be in trouble when the first runners to not complete all three laps were Uptowners. Then the top two finishers of all three laps were both from the World and the landslide began. Like an over-the-hill Frazier against Ali, the Uptowners were no match for The World in Gnarly Nutria III.

    The final score was 446 The World and 354 Uptowners. The World is so fast, we turned off the lights in our bedrooms when we got home last night and we were in bed before the room was dark.

    We welcomed 4 FNGs into our numbers in the largest sweaty ball of man I have ever seen. I got to hand it to the runners, the names for our new members were great. We welcome Tubbs, Tramp Stamp, Right Cheek and his brother Left Cheek to F3. May we forget your real names and always refer to you by your F3 names in public.

    Here are your Gnarly Nutria top finishers:

    1. Smooth – The World

    2. Turbo Tax – The World

    3. Pony Boy – Uptowner

    4. El Guapo – The World

    5. Mulligan – Uptowner

    6. End Time – The World

    7. YSR – Uptowner

    8. Swampcock – Uptowner

    9. Cavalier – Uptowner

    10. Mahatma-Ice – The World

    11. Right Cheek – The World

    12. Nip/Tuck – Uptowner

    13. Jadaveon – Uptowner

    14. Cowbell – The World

    15. Hawgcycle – The World

    16. Thighs – The World

    17. Freedo – Uptowner

    18. Cornbread – The World

    19. El Wire – Uptowner

    20. Mariah – Uptowner

    21. Rudy – The World

    22. Rocket – The World

    23. Peppa – Uptowner

    24. Saban – Uptowner

    25. Tubba – The World

    26. Tramp stamp – The World

    27. Bubba – The World

    28. Shorty – The World

    29. Brownbag – Uptowner

    30. Landing Strip – Uptowner

    Left cheek, Bad Moon, Two Yutes, Shooter, Bushwacker, Einstein, 86, Pi, Walleye, King Kong, Triple Shift, Reluctant Yankee, and Roots fell just outside the top 30 in this order. I couldn’t keep up with the names after Roots. Congrats to all who finished and all who completed 1 or 2 laps. Thank you for helping us all be better men as we do stupid, pointless things like run for no reason in the middle of a lightning storm while chased by Jaguars.

    I’m inviting you to our next AO at “the Boxing Match” sculpture in Kenner’s Rivertown. The first Wednesday of September will be the launch of the F3 NOLA “Fight Club.”

    Your Humble Scorekeeper (I don’t plan on doing this next year, so someone else better get hurt right before the race in 2019),

    RevSox

  • 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!

     

     

     

     

  • More Tool in lieu of more Cowbell

    Nineteen men posted to get the usual Saturday fix at The Mothership.  YHC filled in as Q for Cowbell who anticipated a late night at the Taylor Swift concert or something of the sorts.  Typical June conditions meant we were in for another sweat fest but nothing the PAX couldn’t handle.  YHC has been slacking lately on themed workouts and didn’t want to throw together a last minute history tour so then plan was a no-frills workout in an effort to deliver a beatdown to all, and make sure to include plenty Merkins for the ISI challenge.  As the PAX trickled in, it was good to see some 2nd and 3rd timers in the mix which is always a good thing.  After the disclaimer, we were off in a longer than usual mosey around the Great Lawn, made clear by Rain Man, and circled up for the Pre-Thang:

    SSH x25, AC x20, WM x10, IPW x25

    Then we lined up on one side of the lawn for a bear crawl halfway followed by a lunge walk the other half.

     

    Next up, a mosey around Storyland to the back of TG Stadium where we broke up into three groups for:

    Group 1 – Wall Sit against the train shed, which we made base for the circuit

    Group 2 – Run to the Refinery for 10 pullups and 10 inverted rows, or any combo of the two, run back and plank

    Group 3 – Run to the prison bars, aka Tool Wall, for calf raises x40, run back and plank

    After one round, rinse and repeat.

     

    Then a mosey to the Museum water fountain where we lined up along the trees for:

    Merkins x10, Squats x10 (OYO) at each light pole, run to the next…think think were 10 poles.

     

    How bout some Mary:  LBC x20, Box Cutters x20, Penguins x25

    How bout an Indian Run:  PAX split in two groups, one on each side of Lelong Dr., down and back (almost half mile), with a little friendly competition along the way.  T-claps to Rudy for the Nascar-like announcing.

    This brought us back to the light poles so this time we knocked out Merkins x5 and Squats x5 at each one, plank and wait/hydrate by the water fountain.

     

    More Mary:

    LBTs ? x20

    Merkins x10 OYO

    Russin Twist a la Jingle Vader x20?

    Merkins x10 OYO

    Mahatma took the mic for: Dying Cockroach x10, keep feet up, Flutter Kicks x10, repeat

    Time to head back to base.  Total ground covered was 2.68mi.  Merkin count was 170 for those in the ISI challenge.

    COT to seal the deal.  Coffeeteria included some good F2 followed by bible study…t-claps Woz.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

    Tool

     

     

  • Bridge Over Stagnant Waters

    Leading 20+ men on Saturday beat-down is a tall order, so Your Humble Correspondent (YHC) needed to prepare. On the afternoon before the workout, my 9-year-old son and I took I bike ride to City Park to survey any hidden corners typically overlooked during Mothership workouts. Whenever the Pax moseys from the flag to the museum of art, the little hill of a bridge just after Morning Call is a nice little challenge, especially because we don’t have hills in New Orleans. But there’s too much traffic along that road to do a workout on. On my bike, YHC spied those foot bridges over the lagoon behind Morning Call and thought it might be a good spot to try something new. (At least, YHC hasn’t worked out there before.)

    YHC showed up a few minutes before the workout was to begin, and there was already a healthy crowd there. A few stragglers joined in as the PAX moseyed to the Great Lawn. Let’s get started:

    • Arm circles – 10 forward, 10 back
    • Cross-legged windmills – 10
    • Then some stretching – Runners stretch, crouching and holding it for 10, knee circles, legs open with stretch forward, soles touching and stretch forward

     

    Warm ups

    • Hillbillies x20
    • Merkins x20 (maybe too fast a cadence)
    • Jump squats x20
    • Floyd Mayweather x20
    • Peter Parkers x20
    • SSH x20
    • 10 burpees on your own

    To the bridges

    We did a Dora 123 where one partner runs over one bridge and returns over the second with some nice steps to climb up. Taps out and the other partner does the circuit. A combined exercise of:

    • 100 plank jacks
    • 200 toe-touches (from crab-walk position)
    • 300 mountain climbers

    To NOMA

    After a moment of hydration at the museum, we partnered up again at the main fountain.

    One partner bunny-hopped up the stairs, while the other partner did:

    • derkins
    • irkins
    • dips

    …partners switching each time between bunny-hops and the exercises at the fountain. When we were done, rinse and repeat.

    At the trees

    Short mosey to the field with the line of trees in front of NOMA.

    • Lunge walk (length of two trees)
    • 10 burpees on your own
    • Duck walk (length of two trees)
    • 10 burpees on your own

    Mosey back to the Great Lawn

    Time for some Mary

    • Flutter kicks x20
    • American hammer x20
    • Hello Dolly x20
    • Crunchy rolls and crunchy roll step-ups (something from my martial arts practice) – on your own
    • Freddy Mercuries (I think) x 20

    Times up! Back to the flag for name-a-rama where we named two FNGs: Calliope and Mary Lou. (Mary Lou’s leaving town anyway, so a silly name won’t haunt him for long.) Announcements, a prayer, and then some camaraderie at Morning Call.

  • 21 Strong

    After participating in the Tchoupitoulas Bar-A-Thon the night before with approximately a dozen other F3 Beer Champions, YHC did not want to get up and post, much less Q, at the Mothership.  However, the being held accountable part of the F3 creed sat front and center of my brain, right next to the hangover part.  YHC could not let my F3 brothers down.

    YHC was eager to see how many other Bar-A-Thon patrons would post, but that thought quickly went away upon seeing Cruiser in attendance from Houston, aka New Orleans West according to Hawg.

    With 4 shovel flags planted, YHC quietly set out some cones in the parking lot and returned to the group of 20 other men that had assembled.  The clock struck 0630, time for a disclaimer, which YHC did give contrary to what Triple Shift says……and mosey toward the Peristyle.  Some of the sprinklers were jetting out water on the already rain soaked Great lawn, so YHC was attempting to avoid it, but Rudy talked the Q into testing it.  So, circle up on the Great Lawn, but we wouldn’t be here long…..

    Warmup
    SSH IC x 31
    Hillbilly’s IC x 20
    Abe Vigodas IC x 10
    Peter Parker IC x 20
    Mountain Climber IC x 20
    Parker Peter IC x 20

    Mosey to the strategically placed cones in the parking lot. Set up to mirror a basketball court, it was time for some suicides. Start at baseline, sprint to first line, sprint back and do exercise. Sprint to Half Court, sprint back and do exercise. Sprint to third line, sprint back and do exercise. Sprint full court, sprint back and do exercise. That’s one evolution.
    First Evolution – 5 Burpees OYO upon returning to baseline each time.
    Second Evolution – 5 Eight Count Body Builders IC upon returning to baseline each time.
    Third Evolution – 5 Copperhead Squats IC upon returning to baseline each time.
    Fourth Evolution – No exercises, just sprint to each line and back retrieving the cones.

    Mosey to trees near NOMA
    Line up at the first tree, and bear crawl to third tree. Lunges IC x 10
    Bear crawl from third tree to fifth tree. At this point, Rudy indicated a large pool of standing water near tree six that the Pax should engage. Looking back, YHC may have lost a great opportunity. Maybe next time…..
    Circle Up for Jack Webb
    1 merkin, 2 air presses
    2 merkin, 4 air presses
    You get the idea
    10 merkins, 20 air presses
    Kong walk from fifth tree back to third tree, Squats IC x 10
    Duck walk from third tree back to first tree, Monkey Humpers IC x 20

    Mosey to the fountain by NOMA. The regular Cross Fitters were on the steps doing Burpees, which the Pax began to critique. YHC decided to stay off the steps this day, we don’t need a West Side Story BB……
    RL Step Ups IC x 20
    Freak nasties IC x 20
    LL Step Ups IC x 20

    Mosey to the narrow strip of grass in front of NOMA and elbow plank up in two columns.
    Pax Bridge Jumps. Last man jumps over each Pax and assumes plank position in the front. Each Pax does 3. Although there were two teams, there was no competition here, YHC just wanted to equally spread the suck around. Speaking of Suck…
    Mosey back near the standing water that continued to call to Rudy for “The Suck”

    Three minutes of the following exercise over and over again
    7 SSH
    7 Merkins
    7 Squat Jumps
    The Pax said something about it being 6, but YHC stood his ground. This day would suck that much more…..
    YHC lost count, so not sure how many rounds were completed.

    Mosey back to the road in front of NOMA and line up in the two columns again for a two column Indian Run back to the Flags. Upon arriving at the flags with one minute to spare, YHC called a sudden change and directed all back to the Great Lawn for 10 Burpees OYO to seal the deal!

    COT

    Count Off, Nam-O-Rama, Announcements, Intentions and Closed with a prayer.

    NMM

    T-Claps to our IT guy for making the F3 website easy to find and the workouts well defined. Our newest FNG found F3 by searching the web and posted at the Mothership! Welcome Catfish! I think it has something to do with the Notre Dame scam, but who knows. Ask Rudy about it.
    It was a pleasure having Cruiser from Houston post. Cruiser is an inspiration to us all, a true HIM! Cruiser, know that you and your family are always in our thoughts and prayers.
    T-Claps to Woz for leading the bible study at 8:15 post coffeeteria.

    YHC intended to create a beatdown to recognize Armed Forces Day.  The 5 of each exercise in the suicides represented the 5 branches of our great military.  Thanks to all who serve and to our veterans.

    Thanks for posting with me today, for holding me accountable, and for making me a better husband, father, and man.

    SYITG

  • Side Effects and a side of bricks

    Going back through the backblasts while looking for ideas – YHC ended up in the way back machine, re-reading several of the ideas from good ol’ Side Effects.  So that, coupled with one surprise YHC saw while doing a slow mosey through City Park looking for something different, would inspire the Saturday workout.  YHC pulled in to the parking lot, happy to see lots of our recent new faces.  Always refreshing to see new gentleman returning, bringing new ideas, new members, new enthusiasm.  Thank you Pai Gow, Dry Rub, Mambi!  Keep it coming!

    5:30 – start with the disclaimer, and welcome to our FNG.  Challenge issued to the PAX to try to learn about our cohort during the workout so we can start the naming with some ideas!  Then mosey off towards MOMA to get started.

    Warm Up:

    Counts (and exercises?) are approximates.  But I think this is mostly right.

    • SSH x25
    • Windmills x12
    • Smurf Jacks x25
    • IW x25
    • Peter Parker x25
    • Floyd Mayweather x25
    • Parker Peter x25

    Bear Crawl over to the lightpole.

    Route 66

    Side Effects was always a fan of the Route 66.  One whole Sat AM workout was JUST Route 66.  6 of them, as I recall.  Just kept going down Esplanade Street.  Felt like it would NEVER END.

    Outbound – Squat Jumps.  1x at first light pole, 2X at the next, 3x, 4x, …. up to 11x at the end.  Al Gore on the netural ground for the 6.

    Inbound – Merkins.  1x, 2x, …. up to 11x back at the water fountain.  Plank and wait for the 6.

    Heat is here.  Humidity is out in force.  Everyone Hydrate, por favor…

    Tooth Fairy

    Another Side Effects special.  Irkins on the side MOMA stairs.  1x on the first stair, 2x on the second, 3x, 4x, … stopping at 10x.  The stairs go up to 14 (which is the expected measurement), but YHC audibled for the sake of time.

    4 groups (causing mass confusion, which YHC incorrectly blamed on bumbling PAX when it was, in fact, YHC who created this chaos through poor instructions).  Whatever.  Each PAX ended up cycling through the 4 stations.  Tooth Fairy was the timer.

    • Tooth Fairy
    • Continous Lunges
    • Continuous Dying Cockroach
    • Wall Sit

    Mosey back to the Fountain

    Fountain Times

    (or “Get in the way of the other morning group”)

    • Right Leg Step-up x20
    • Box Jump x10
    • Left Leg Step-up x20
    • Derkins x10
    • Dips x20
    • Irkins x10

    Mosey off to the Refinery.

    Refinery

    Side Effects always pushed us to get stronger, especially with Pull Ups.  7 stations.  Everyone partner up (PAX managed to get this right)

    • Burpees x12 (timer)
    • Jumpin’ the Shark
    • Pull Ups
    • Box Jumps
    • Dips
    • Knee-Ups
    • Merkins

    Everyone made it through one station.  (Thanks, Gabrielle, for the extra help to get YHC up to the pull up bar those last reps)

    The Surprise

    YHC had been cutting time short on some exercises to reserve time for one surprise, which he’d noticed on a drive through the park the night before.  More Bricks.  YHC has decided that adding bricks to the workout is a Good Thang, and plans to do it more.  And it so happens there was an unguarded pile o’ bricks right inside Tools Wall.  So everyone grab a pair.  (Much mumble chatter about who’s bricks were bigger.  CHILDREN.  PAY ATTENTION).

    • Newton’s Cradle x20
    • Jack Webbs: 1 Merkin: 2 Brick Presses.  OYO.  Go as far as you can.  YHC called time after 8:16
    • Shoulder Tabs x20

    Return the bricks just ahead of the park ranger arriving in his golf cart…

    Quick stop on the Tool Wall for Calf Raises x25 and Monkey Humpers x31.

    Mosey back to the Main Lawn, and one final sprint back to the flag.

    Lots of announcements to get through: Bible Study, Babycakes Game, Bar-a-thon, Summer Series, Summer cookout.  No shortage of F2 events coming up – hope to see everyone out!

    Count-off and Name-o-rama.  Then naming of the FNG.  Hoochey was a close 2nd, but the winner was Thigh Master, quickly shortened to just “Thighs”, coming from Suzanne Sommers, via Three’s Company.  And I don’t recall how we ended up on Three’s Company for him – but the name stuck.  Welcome aboard Thighs!

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead!