Some days are diamonds (version 2) 1 year anniversary Q

Preamble:

Unlike his first Q YHC actually slept pretty well last night (just not long enough) and was prepared for the morning’s festivities. I wanted to repeat my first Q but with a significant increase in difficulty and suck factor. YHC had that covered in spades. How hard can we make just a simple 7 of diamonds? Apparently quite a bit. Just add some distance for the circuit and wear a 40# ruck for most of the workout. Done and YHC was very done at the end of the BD.

Warm-O-Rama:

Short mosey to the warm up spot.

We did – SSHs, Weed Pickers, Sun Gods, Moon Gods, and Willie Mays Hayes.

The Thang:

YHC had two thangs prepared but as it turned out there was only time for 1.

I placed 4 cones around the circle and at each we did an exercise in multiples of 7, going up in ladder fashion each lap.

7 Of Diamonds + (w/ruck optional) 

Lap 1 – Burpees 7 x 4 – (7 Burpees at each cone) Did not wear the ruck for the burpees, more potential for injury than potential benefit of wearing it.

Lap 2 – Flutter Kicks 14 x 4 – (14 at each cone, and so on…)  Ruck overhead

Lap 3 – Merkins 21 x 4 – Plus ruck – realized that it was impossible to complete all 21 merkins with full range of motion after the second cone – did as many as possible with full range of motion then moved on.

Lap 4 – Squats 28 x 4 – With ruck

Lap 5 – Merkins 21 x 4 – Did same as before completing only full ROM merkins

Lap 6 – Flutter kicks 14 x 4 – Ruck overhead

Lap 7 – Burpees 7 x 4 – No ruck

Ended with time for one round of mary from Suarez and we did 20 AC windshield wipers.

Wearing the ruck increased the suck factor by an order of magnitude – turned a somewhat normal BD into a smokefest for YHC.

COT:

Acceleration Point-  I shared a little about the sense of encouragement and connection that I feel with other guys now that I have been involved with F3 for a year. So many guys kind of suffer in silence, feeling like their best days physically and mentally are behind them. F3 has been a real game changer for me and I have made some genuine friends who challenge me each week. I am glad I found F3 and EHed myself into coming to the my first workout.

Prayers

Coffee – It was at that point that Beeline (Bette Midler) showed up – some good discussion and good natured razzing took place. We finished up and headed out.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

I am worlds apart from where I was a year ago. Not just physically, but relationally as well. I know that there are some dudes in the gloom that will help to keep me motivated and encouraged – NOT just for a workout but for all the tasks I take on in life.

Sometimes it’s easy to get down on ourselves and feel like we aren’t improving or doing enough – there is a place for real conversation about growth that needs to happen and we certainly should not get to the point where we simply say (about ourselves) that’s good enough. But also we should take time to notice the incremental improvements that we have made and are continuing to make. Change always happens – either positive or negative change – sometimes it is dramatic and rapid, but most of the time it happens in bits and pieces – one more rep, a little bit faster, I felt a little less sore – a little less tired today. It happens in our relationships, our families, our work. Just a little progress repeated again and again adds up to big long term gains. Thankful for F3 and getting a little better each day – SYITG!