10/23/18 Bag of Wrenches Backblast #QSchoolWeek

QIC: Wham!

17 PAX: Trump; Scuba Steve; Flo Jo; Carlose; Captain Insane-o; Beaker; Zartan; Tammy Faye Baker; PK; Who Dey; Diablo; Kilo; Gillespie; Weedwacker; OJ; Nino; Wham! (Q)

Time: 0530

Weather: 48 degrees; Clear skies (I saw the Little Dipper)

ZooZooLemon Gear Check: Black F3 Louisville long sleeve shirt I bought on the black market from Zartan many moons ago; Kilo Yellow Champion Duo Dry t-shirt; Black shorts; Solomon Speedcross 3’s; F3 Louisville hoorag; Head lamp

Pre-WO
Because it’s Q School week, in addition to giving the Pax a good workout, my goal was to focus on the following traits of an effective Q:

• The importance of pre-blasts and backblasts
• Proper command sequence during COP
• Proper cadence counting (each count should be connected to a movement)
• Being prepared for unknowns or unexpected occurrences
• Giving clear instructions
• Importance of giving demonstrations

  I did my best to incorporate these concepts into my Q today and I appreciated the patience of the Pax as I stumbled through that effort on a few occasions.  Iron sharpens iron and we all get better together…even if we don’t always succeed in what we are trying to do.  The key is that we are out there making an effort and supporting each other as we hone our leadership skills.  F3 is more than a workout, indeed.

  COP 
  We moseyed to one of the tennis courts we rarely use and circled up for the following:

  – SSH x 15 IC
  – Abe Vigodas x 10 IC (discuss proper commands during COP)
  – Finkle Swings (discuss importance of offering/giving a demonstration) (shout out to PK for regularly incorporating this obscure movement into his Qs…I had never heard of it)
  – Groiners x 10 and then flow into Merkins x 10
  – Imperial Squat Walkers x 10 IC (discuss one movement for each IC count)

  Thang 1
  After COP, we left the friendly confines of the O for a nicely paced run through the adjoining neighborhood (this is where reading the pre-blast was important because I said to wear reflective gear or head lamps).  Halfway through the run, we stopped at a small bridge between the houses and did 2 sets of 20 Dips and 20 Derkins.  Our run then continued until we reached the hill at Cogan’s Corner, at which time I directed the Pax to crab walk halfway up the hill and then Bernie Sanders the rest of the way [Side note: Crab walks always bring out some grumbling and mumble chatter from the Pax and today was no different (especially with more crab walks in Thang 2)].

  Thang 2
  The Pax count off into 3 groups for the following station work on 3 different sections of the tennis courts:

  Court 1
  – x 10 of Thrusters, Coupon curls, Coupon Irkins and Coupon Swings
  – Repeat until time is called

  Courts 2-5
  – Sprint across all 4 courts; 20 LBCs; Bernie Sanders Back; 20 Rosalita’s
  – Repeat until time is called

  Courts 6-9
  – Bear crawl across first 2 courts; Crab walk across last 2 courts
  – Move to other side of net
  – Broad jump across first 2 courts; Lunge walk across last 2 courts
  – Repeat until time is called

The first round of these stations lasted 4 minutes each, but because we were running short on time (always be prepared for the unexpected!), the second round of these stations were 2 minutes each.  During this Thang, I also attempted to cause confusion on purpose by not telling the Pax which way to rotate after time was called.  However, I underestimated the group because they chose a rotation and everyone followed it without issue.  T-Claps gents.  I couldn’t confuse you despite my best effort.

COT
It was now time for the 5th core principle of F3…every workout ends with a Circle of Trust.  COT includes count-o-rama, name-o-rama, announcements and intentions.  We did each of these things and then YHC led us out with words of encouragement and a short prayer.

Since I joined F3 in late June 2017, I have now Q’d 23 times (shoutout to our weasel shaker, Tron!) and still get a little nervous before each Q.  I also continue to learn how to be a better leader (and follower when someone else is Q’ing) from the Pax.  That’s the beauty of this thing we have going.  We never stop helping each other get better.  We all have the ability to improve ourselves and this group facilitates that process.

Until we meet again…

-Wham!