Tag: Zoolander

  • This is Halloween – from Russo

    Lower 70s and high humidity this morning while we waited for a cool front that didn’t make it to Granny’s. 5 foolish mortals for Halloween fun a week out. It’s never too early.

    Warmup (all IC, even self love)
    – Sealjacks
    – Imperial walkers
    – Self love
    – Arm circles
    – Grass grabbers

    Thang

    (1) Ghostbusters
    High knees as the theme plays, with a plankjack merkin every time you hear “Ghostbusters”

    (2) Count 1-2-3 (perform exercise while your partner zombie walks the grass and back pedals back)

    100 Merkins
    200 zombie squats
    300 gas pumps

    (3) Bobbing for apples
    20-ish Pew kneels with a Kneel Diamond thrown in

    (4) Mummy Pyramid
    Using the benches:
    – 5 Durkins
    – 10 Urkins
    – 15 Freak Nastys
    – 10 Bulgarian split squats (2 is 1)
    – 5 Step ups (2 is 1)

    (5) Refill the candy bowl (Suicides / Shuttle Run)

    (6) Scary stories
    Designed to become a ghost story around an F3 campfire:
    (A) Join us in the Redrum: Murder Bunnies through the field
    (B) He sat straight up like he was possessed: Exorcist sit-ups (big boys, but your legs remain straight out in front of you)
    (C) You’ve sinned and need Absolution: lots of Absolution IC
    (D) We don’t like our babysitter: Mosey around Granny’s searching for Laurie Strode, practicing our stabbing form along the way
    (E) Camp Crystal Lake: Crunchy frogs IC, designed to be rows, like on a lake escaping Jason Voorhies

    COT, count, Name-o-Rama, announcements, and prayer closed us out.

    Thank you for indulging me in part I of the Halloween fun, with part II on Friday, especially if you weren’t feeling 100% physically or mentally. That’s what makes you a HIM.

    SYITG

  • Change of pace with the change in weather!! – from Shooter

    YHC loves the seasonal change to fall, there is much reward when you open the door and your not slammed by the heavy humidity that south LA can bring.. It certainly puts a pep in one’s step especially when there is running involved…
    Must give a BIG T👏🏼 to JV for posting even though a late night text from Akbar explaining he would not be rucking this morning and YHC EHing him into running..With a nice showing of PAX we broke into two groups..

    Warmup
    15IC SSH, Toe Touches, Windmill’s, Hillbillies, Imperial walkers and leg swings front/back left/right..

    Thang
    Speed group consisting of Waterpik, Bird, Cowbell and Zoolander journeyed the standard route with 2x through the loop..

    YHC, Chewy and JV to the point and returned to the AO.. Completed 50 SSH OYO, 25 Butt kicks OYO, 15 slow squats with 3 second hold at the bottom.. Targeted stretching and wrapped up with 25 LBCs OYO and 25 hands to heels..

    Appreciate Bird for the closeout and until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!

  • IPC Week 3 – Mrs. Burns – from Akbar

    Saturday, what a great day. YHC hasn’t really thought about it lately, but it’s true. As Wicket told me after Coffeeteria – On Saturdays I get to go to F3, wear my gym shorts all day, play with friends, don’t have to do school, and eat donuts and pancakes. That’s good, and so was the beatdown.

    YHC and Wicket arrived early to set up, seeing Pik and Speedy for the pre-thang 2miler. Circle up for the flag just in time to hear loud crying – Hammer brought Machete out for a beatdown. Machete cried pretty much the whole time, until we started the warmup. The cadence call was like a lullaby for the young man.

    Everyone arrived and we started out with warm ups x 10 IC, except for 1 exercise that was x9IC. SSH, arm circles front/back, imperial walkers, hillbillies, high knees, butt Kicks, self-love, toe touches, and grass grabbers.

    Grab blocks, head to the tree/start line and instructions were given.

    Week 3 was called Mrs. Burns, doing 571 reps to honor Kathleen Walzer and her fight with pancreatic cancer for 571 days.

    5 Rounds + one extra 400m run at the end. 571 reps for time

    20 Overhead Presses

    20 Burpees

    20 Curls

    20 V Ups

    20 Goblet Squats

    13 Manmakers

    400m run

    Grundy, Tank, and Steve were out of the gate fast. Wicket did some stuff, then put on my shades and decided to DJ for a while – then got back to work. This was brutal. The workout pretty much took everything out of you making the run harder. So instead of making up time on the run, it was more recovery. Halfway through a guy joined us that was unrecognizable, and I thought we may have another Fly By EH. But it turned out to be Gronk who we haven’t seen in a couple of years. Great to have you back man.

    T Claps to the top unofficial finishers, meaning the guys sitting on the wall while everyone else was still working hard. Grundy, Tanked Up, Steve, and Hammer

    Time called, with a short rest in the grass. A brief glimpse of Jose 10k holding Hammers legs over the seawall. YHC figured Machete had dropped a baby toy in the water. Hammer waded in the murky water to retrieve only his hat. Which is much better than dropping a toy.

    Head back to the flag just in time for Count and Nameorama.

    YHC closed us out with this prayer – which was said each day the Kathleen Welzer had pancreatic cancer:

    “Lord, we thank you for this day. A day we get to choose. We get to choose between darkness or light. Today, we choose light. Amen”

    Coffeeteria at Book and the Bean:

    Great work today guys, way to push hard and get it done. 1 more week and IPC is in the books.

    SYITG – Akbar

  • Split Q (IronPax and Cakewalk) – from Russo

    78 degrees to start today, and looking for any reason for positive weather news, (1) there was no rain and (2) it was slightly less humid than it has been. Really good start to the morning for a split Q of IPC week 0 and a birthday cakewalk.

    Warmup (between 10x and 14x, all IC)

    -Toe touches
    -Arm circles
    -Self love
    -Cherry pickers
    -Grass grabbers

    Thang: while Zoolander took half the pax to the west for IPC, YHC led a cakewalk (trademark to either Grundy or Zoolander), your basic descending ladder of exercises and reps, starting at YHC’s age (in this case, 44) and work your way to 1, with some moseying in between around Old Mandeville/Lakefront.

    The order:

    44 High knees (2 is 1, which YHC forgot right off the bat and thought “count by 2”, so thanks to Jose for keeping me honest. Math is hard)
    43 SSHs
    42 Plank Jacks
    41 goof balls
    40 squats
    39 Hello Dollies
    38 Calf raises
    37 Apollo Ohno’s
    36 Freak Nastys (correctly guessed by JV Raider Pride!)
    35 step ups (also correctly guessed by the Pax)
    34 flutter kicks
    33 butt kicks (2 is 1) (lead IC by the entire pax rotating, very nice job, gents!)
    32 Peter Parker’s (2 is 1)
    31 imperial walkers
    30 Shoulder taps (2 is 1)
    29 American hammers
    28 Monkey Humpers (Happy Birthday JV!)
    27 Merkins
    26 Smurf jacks (where we were joined by Ms. Cute Young Jogger, who either (1) felt bad for the old guys struggling to mosey and catch their breath, (2) knew it was JV’s birthday and wanted to give him an early birthday present, (3) was on a runner’s high and wanted to be friendly on a Saturday morning, or (4) some combo of all of the above)
    25 leg raises
    24 Rosalitas
    23 crab jacks (crab position – think reverse plank jacks, which Moby was having none of)
    22 groiners
    21 Bear crawls (counting your right hand as a rep)
    20 murder bunnies
    19 Wide merkins
    18 Bobby Hurley’s
    17 crab cakes
    16 circle ups
    15 Bulgarian split squats
    14 durkins
    13 big boy sit-ups
    12 LMCs IC
    11 diamond merkins
    10 star jumps
    9 donkey kicks (an ode to Shooter)
    8 wife pleasers
    7 merkins
    6 6 inch drills
    5 Carolina dry docks
    4 SMCs (2 is 1)
    3 jump squats
    2 burpees
    1 minute plank

    COT, name-o-rama, announcements, and prayer closed us out.

    Thank you, gents, for either joining me or pushing yourself hard with IronPax. And a larger thanks to each of you for not only pushing me harder, making me better through your example, and providing friendship for 4 of my 44 years, but for being a light in your families, work, and communities.

    SYITG

  • What the Ruck is happening here!! – from Shooter

    Well what used to be known as a running AO has quickly changed to a 50/50 mix of Ruckers and runners.. However, the Ruckers today joined by Zoolander outnumbered the stallion’s with a 5/3 advantage, only as the unusually late Cowbell arrived so late that he had to sprint to catch the Ruckers.. Believe he shortened his run as Waterpik and Hammer were just about out of sight by the time we hit Messina.. YHC is still not actually sure why Cowbell is not resting in preparation for Rudy’s 55 on Saturday.. Only thought can be is that he knows Tanked up is losing sleep, still working out in some capacity and putting in 8 hour days in the brutal heat while endlessly planning to conquer and destroy yet another CSAUP… Anyways the PAX did a brief warmup of 20IC SSH, 10IC Windmills, 20IC Toe Touches, 10IC self love and 10 OYO Merkins and squats.. Gave instructions of a route that produced 4.6 miles for Hammer and Waterpik which even though it’s dark outside the heat is still relentless but those guys constantly crush it by running to the AOs and putting in the extra work.. Big T👏🏼 to their discipline and leadership in that way.. As for the Ruckers YHC knew he had to add a little intensity to impress Zoolander, so we stopped 4x for 10 squats and 10 Merkins of course with the Ruck sack..
    Lots of great chatter about high school football games quickly approaching, to insurance coverage, etc.. We chose to not actually solve the worlds problems on this Gloom but who knows what next week will bring..

    Appreciate the following and 👍🏼💪🏼✌🏼 till the next Gloom!!

    Thanks to Akbar for the closing in prayer!!

  • The St. Vincent 500 – from Paradox

    Our tale begins in the spring of 2022 in a small bayou town where a community pharmacy, after taking losses from storm and plague, had great need. After decades of providing vital prescription medicine for those in need, this team of volunteers now searched for the same helping hand. The Pax of F3 Thibodaux heard the call, and a plan was devised. We consulted our sage leader for advice. This HIM had carried the torch of 3Fs from the Mandevillage many moons ago. He knew the way of the pax and was skilled in the smithing of a fine beatdown. He peered into the gloom with a thousand-mile stare and the fate of the fundraiser hung in the balance. “if you build it..they will come” Goose said with a nod and then promptly vanished into a flurry of burpees. With a team formed and a grant secured we dove into the work.
    An event was needed and a place to rally the pax. A race, but not just any race. A challenge of physical and mental strength that would call to the hearts of the Louisiana PAX. A series of pain and cardiovascular torture so intense that no self-respecting HIM of F3 Nola could resist. It was forged in the caves of .word files and hammered through the gmail circuit boards. Welded to perfection one station at a time. A burpee here, a bonnie blair there. Precious metals adorned it at every corner to award prepared pax but many traps lay waiting for poor form. It was written, and it was done and it was beautiful.

    The beacons of aid were lit! Thibodaux called for aid…and our brothers answered.
    39 PAX (including 6 FNGs!) assembled at the stage on a gorgeous bayou morning! They came from northern shores and from western banks. From uptowns and motherships. From Grannies and Lakefronts. They came in calf sleeves, mudgears and some even bare of foot! Namesakes that struck fear like Shooter and Tanked. Some that drew intrigue like Hokie and Hawg. Famed backblasters we had read for years like Steve and Akbar. Even legends of the gloom like Frac and the Reluctant Yankee, who were there when the deep magic was gifted to us from the eastern coast. They followed a lonesome bayou road and mumbled Deliverance jokes along the way. They came as one to help a great cause and lock shields with their brothers in the bayou. The course was set, pleasantries exchanged, and the only thing left to do was make a run at 500. Let’s get to it…

    Warmup

    Goose gave the disclaimer and race details, and pointed out key safety and strategy reminders. Each two-person pax team would start at a numbered station along the course. Once the horn was blown, they would begin at their station and advance. Each station had 3 options: bronze, silver or gold. (Worth 10, 15 and 25 points respectively. So, a perfect score of gold at all 20 stations would reach the mythical 500 points. These corresponded to the number of reps completed by a team combined. They then would grab the token and secure it in an advanced technology carrying case (Ziploc bag). Head for the next station and rinse and repeat until you have finished 20 stations or ran out of time.
    After this was explained he led a thunderous cadence of our usuals stage warmups. This was YHCs first experience with a >20 pax group and the big group energy was powerful

    THE THANG

    Pair up, line up and we were numbered off 1-19 (one team of 3). Each team headed for their station and when GI Joe hit the airhorn it was geaux time. The stations were as follows:

    STATIONS:
    1. Merkins- 40, 80, 120
    2. Bobby Hurleys—30, 60, 90
    3. Freddy Mercuries—50, 100, 200
    4. Coupon Curls—40, 60, 100
    5. SSH: 50, 100, 150
    6. Carolina Dry Docks- 40, 60, 100
    7. Big Boy Sit Ups- Partner does big boys, one partner sprints to next station and back. 100, 150, 200 situps
    8. Side lunges (2 is 1)- 40, 80, 120
    9. Coupon OHP- 40, 60, 100
    10. Burpees- 30, 50, 100
    11. LBC’s- 50, 100, 200
    12. Peter Parker Merkins- 30, 60, 90
    13. Bonnie Blair (2 is 1) 40, 60, 100
    14. Brick Back Flys- 50, 100, 200
    15. Leg Raise Dora – One partner Leg raises, one partner bear crawl to next station and run back. 50, 100 or 200
    16. Mission Impossible Plank- combined time: 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes
    17. Coupon Swings- 40, 60, 100
    18. Prisoner Squats – 50, 100, 150
    19. Mountain Climber (2:1) 50, 100, 200
    20. Arm Circles while partner crabwalks to next station and runs back. Complete 100, 200, or 400

    After 1 hour of “Pax vs St. Vincent course” the dust settled and everyone returned to the flag. Chatter was high about the difficulty of the layout, the supreme fun had traversing the course and low rumblings of scores north of 400 permeated the air. A few teams completed counting up their coins while we began the count off, and name off. YHC was impressed with the veteran naming experience of NOLA and northshore pax. Their FNG naming skills were unparalled and we left with six newly minted local PAX: Welcome Sir Lawrence, Kodiak (CodyYak), MeatSweats, One Call, Wallflower and Lambchops. Looking forward to getting yall in the mix.

    Now down to serious business. YHC and Goose dramatically unveiled the official St. Vincent 500 dual trophies for the final presentation. Imagine a 12-inch manifestation of the love child between Hulk and Stretch Armstrong, in a full rage pose. Victory is all he has ever known. After appropriate oooohhhhs and ahhhhsss Goose led a suspenseful point count-off to see who the last team was standing. In the end, the combination of Tanked Up and Speedy Gonzalez tallied 470 points and took home the first annual St. Vincent 500 trophy! T- Claps on those numbers gentlemen. Phenomenal effort. We’ll all be gunning for you next year.

    Coffeeteria after provided by our St. Vincent de Paul board and it was great to get a chance to talk shop with all the pax and compare notes on course strategy.

    YHC could not have envisioned the tremendous amount of support we would receive from both our local community and our F3 community for this cause.
    So grateful for each one of you who spent your weekend time and energy for this event.

    At the time of writing this backblast we have raised $10, 451. 51!! This goes directly to purchase of prescription medicine for those individuals in need. Praise God!

    Thank you for the oppurtunity to lead.

    SYITG,
    Paradox

  • 1-2-3 Go! – from Russo

    Surprise surprise it was hot and humid this morning for a pax of 5.

    Warmup (10x – 16x, all IC)
    – Sealjacks
    – Self love
    – Toe touches
    – Hillbillies
    – Good mornings
    – High knees

    Thang

    1-2-3 GO! (Exercise one, move up a column, exercise two, move up a column, exercise 3…), then up, around, and back down the pilot house)

    Rounds 1 and 2: Absolution

    1 groiner
    2 Mahktar N’dyiae’s
    3 chill jacks

    Round 3 and 4: 8 count body builders

    1 half burpee (ignoring the merkin)
    2 burpees
    3 plank jacks

    Rounds 5 and 6: Front and Back
    1 Crab cake
    2 Parker Peters
    3 Big boi sit-ups

    Round 7: Prey to Predator
    Crab walk one column
    Duck walk two columns
    Bear crawl three columns

    Rounds 8 and 9: Famous People
    1 Kneel Diamond / 1 Apollo Ohno
    2 SMCs
    3 Bobby Hurley’s

    No time for Mary today. COT, Name-o-Rama, announcements, and prayer to close us out. Reminder that Hammer’s Bible study (this Wednesday) and the September 11 5k (on 9/10) are both quickly approaching. Check Slack for more info.

    Thanks for joining. SYITG

  • Part 1 of Super 21! – from Shooter

    Having signed up a few weeks back to Q Granny’s and the upcoming A1c YHC decided to pull out an old one from the Exicon.. Knowing that the allotted 45 mins would not be enough time for even the fiercest of competitors in Cowbell and Steve to finish YHC gave the PAX an opportunity to commit to Friday’s A1c for a to be continued Super 21…

    YHC was quite impressed with the number of men who took the 💊 on this Tuesday Gloom..
    Arriving a little early to the AO some good chatter was already occurring about the recent ISI thrown out by Zoolander.. Much kudos to HIM as he clearly exemplifies amazing leadership in the way he EHs and challenges the PAX..

    With the arrival of more PAX the time work was upon us, so we jumped into a brief warmup of 10IC Grass grabbers, Torso twists, Cherry Pickers, Arm circles forward/reverse and Imperial walkers..
    PAX then moseyed to the Treen education center where the details of the Super 21 were administered..
    Rounds 1-7 8 count body builders, plank jacks and squats.. 21 LBCs Moseyed loop around the center between each round..
    Rounds 8-14 Merkins, Mountain climbers and alternating leg lunges 2/1. 21 Crunchy 🐸..
    Rounds 15-21 to be continued….

    Most PAX ended around the 12th to13th round with Cowbell and Steve getting through the 14th..

    Moseyed back to the flag with closing of Mary.

    Plank position held with alternating left/right arm high followed by 5 each side Nolan Ryan’s, Up/down plank to chill cut and finished 10 Super mans OYO…

    Count, announce, COT

    Thanks to Fletch for the closeout in prayer..

    Lots of activities on the calendar…

    Till the next Gloom 👊🏼👍🏼✌🏼!!!

  • 2 year anniversary of the A1C – from Jose10k

    Nice humid morning, YHC arrived extra early to apply the finishing touches to the 2nd anniversary beatdown of the A1C. I love when the lights of the parking garage turn on at 5:00, it helps turn on my switch to get ready for the beatdown. An unusual truck appeared first, it took awhile to determine who it was…JV showed up for his first A1C. The numbers showed up, and I was very humbled by the support of my brothers.
    Warm-up: ssh, grass grabbers, self love, torso twists, imperial walkers all ic. Then the cupid shuffle: everyone in plank position, the music starts, shoulder taps until the chorus, right steps, left steps, butt kicks, mountain climbers, then back to shoulder taps.
    The thang: Mosey to the side of the parking garage for some dora. Partner one runs a loops while partner two performs the exercise, then switch up. 100 lunges (2 is 1), 200 squats, 300 merkins. After that fun, mosey back up to the top, where we broke up into 3 groups of 4 for some burpee ball. Every time you hit the ball in the air, you drop and do a burpee. The beach ball is allowed to touch the ground only one time. Penalty exercise is 25 squats. Went all the way to 6, then COT. Welcome back Einstein. Shooter prayed us out, BBQ busted out the celebratory brownies, and we huddle up for a quick picture.
    This was the 106th A1C, and I appreciate all those the help create this AO. The ones who helped me create it, the ones who showed up each week to keep it going, the Mandevillians who came out to support this Covington AO, and my brothers who are always there no matter what is going on. When people ask my about F3, I always tell them that the F2 is the most important aspect of F3. The exercises is just the lagniappe. Thank you for letting me lead today, thank you for giving me the courage to step out of my comfort zone, two years ago, to create this AO. Thank you to Moby, BBQ, and Einstein (my Covington Crew) for making it out each week. Thank you my brothers!! SYITG

  • Did Cowbell send out a message?? – from Shooter

    YHC arrived a little earlier than normal for the Scramble, but as the clock ticked away and 0515 approached, it seemed as if I might actually not have any participants this gloom…
    Not so fast though as the clock struck 0513 and Bird turned the corner quickly parking and emerging wearing flip flops, which one could easily mistaken as the Southshores Hawgcycle.. Then right behind comes in Zoolander and Waterpik… Now you know where this is going because it’s 0515 and time to get started.. As if it’s precisely planned and never altered here comes the sights of Cowbell rounding the corner and pulling up after a few warmup exercises… YHC took the PAX through, 10IC Self love, Abe Vogadas, Toe Touches, SSH, Hillbillies, Imperial walkers and some calf stretch’s and runners poses…
    This mornings route was traditional adding in a loop in Hermitage and wrapping up with 25IC LBCs and a plank hold for a min..

    Appreciate you guys slowing your pace this morning as Cowbell and Waterpik circled back for the ole caboose 2x…

    Until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!