The Secret to Success…

Following Saturday’s Q at the GasHouse and having DREDD among the PAX, I got to follow up that event with yet another Q – this time at The Sandlot. It wasn’t intentional, just the way it worked out on the schedule. As First FQ, I plan to get around and Q as much as I can. It’s not a requirement of “the job” but something I’ve adopted from past leaders. I tapped the creative vault for Saturday’s Weinke and during NFL divisional championships contemplated what I would do for the gloom that was fast approaching? Some wise old Nantan posted yet more Mumble Chatter on Twitter (as if he didn’t exhaust himself Saturday morning), about the “push/pull” approach of a workout. That can work but I shared at The Convergence “Dare to Fail,” so let’s take this show to The Sandlot. My watch was still a minute off this morning (shut up Freight – I’ve since adjusted my smart watch to smarter time – 1 minute ahead), arriving at the circle with mere seconds to spare. I stumbled through a disclaimer of modify and follow suggestions. My warm-up was not scripted and if you don’t already know, I don’t like to begin with everyone’s favorite so here ’tis:

• Imperial Walkers IC x 10 (though I think I may have said Hillbillies – can’t remember, the PAX will correct me)
• Seal Jacks IC x 10 (just as good as SSH but it’s not SSH)
• Moroccan Night Clubs IC x 10 (it’s an exercise when you’re warming up for plank work)
• Jingle Balls IC x 10 (not just for December…)
• Pledge

Thang:

From the Snoballs parking lot, we slow moseyed out across the street to the old bank that closed. We circled the parking lot and then I went for one more lap…PAX were puzzled. We stopped after the second trip under the awning of the drive-up/ATM. I announced that would be all the running we’d do this morning. Not sure if all thought that would be a good thing, ’cause it means a hurricane of cardio is rising. I had another idea but upon checking the forecast which called for rain, I checked to this plan, even though the rain held off. I turned on the playlist, an old one but with some good stuff ranging from Rush, Van Halen, Journey, The Who and Led Zeppelin. We had 9 total men, so a modified Dora was up first, I joined Watt’s Up (#legend) and Folgers (#nomerlottoday). Wait – he said no running. You dang skippy I said no running. Well how, but what, I mean how does Dora work without running? Grab some paper and pen to take notes:

• 100 Plank Jack + Shoulder Tap
• 200 Parker Peter
• 300 Mtn Climbers
• While Pax 1 exercises, Pax 2 does sets of 25 SSH (see, we can all agree to meet in the middle #healing); once the 25 are complete, switch positions

JJ provided a 10 second count off, ironic because his Heels beat my Wolfpack by 10 on Saturday, congrats. Next thing, staying under the awning. Start the clock for 5 minutes of AMRAP. We took a 45 second rest between sets and did this a total of 3 times.

• 10 HR Merkins
• 20 LBCs
• 30 (total) Reverse Lunge

Damn, sounds simple. It is! Without the pressure to chase bat flippers, this is UvsU of nothing but head-down hard work. The focus is on form, plenty of time to get a few sets in. Upon completion Flintstone gave a 10 count. Time was ticking so the third set would need to be brief. Sticking with the 5 minute time we went to one round of core:

• 10 Plank to Pike, alternate toe touch (not as complicated as it sounds – think Def Leppard merkin, opposite hand/toe, back to plank, and then pike with other hand/toe combo)
• 10 Heels2Heaven Crunch (kept this from Saturday)
• 10 American Hammer
• 10 Ski Abs

With a minute to spare, we moseyed across the street the “long way” around the building. Time!

Announcements – Extinction Run from Bottoms UP (Primal Brewery) 2/13 at 0900. See pre-blast. The Mortimer is March 19-20 (same weekend as P200) and Watts Up is leading a ruck team. If you’re up for an adventure, reach out to him. Prayer requests – our nation. YHC took us out.

Moleskin – If you’ve stuck with me, you’re probably hanging on for The Secret to Success. Well I don’t have an answer that suits everyone, but I did learn this morning how one of the PAX achieved it. From my Q on Saturday, if you read the BB, you’d learn about DREDD needing some talk. Like many of our circles and workouts, there is friendly banter among the PAX at various times. But there are times when we’re focused and trying to bust out some reps. From my view we’ve got to know each other and so we ask about family and work and other guy stuff. We poke a bit of fun but we’re not too hard on each other (I know you Folsom and Midoriyama are tougher in throwing shade). But however the mumble chatter comes, it’s why we post, for accountability, getting some work in with fellowship too. So while Led Zeppelin’s “In the Evening” played, Flintstone shared that song was the key to his success in school – that would play it prior to every test he took and he did pretty well. Now for those that don’t know the new Site Q too well, he’s a mathematical genius. He’s forgotten more quadratic equations than the Midoriyama boys could count on their bare toes. Not that Flintstone will brag on himself – that’s not his thing. Rumor is that Good Will Hunting is dumber than Flintstone – but that’s just a rumor that I’m starting. Wonder what ole Will Hunting’s song is? Probably not by Tool, that’s for sure.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Short Sale