The temperatures dropped down significantly overnight, so the 0500 EC run was nice and cold. 3 PAX decided to hit the run anyway (and to be honest 2 PAX wanted a run and a third had to see it for himself). After the “run” concluded the rabbits met a couple of ruckers and 1 PAX that was smart enough to just get the extra sleep.
Today’s AMRAP was going to be about choosing the harder thing and tapping into the other 60%. David Goggins says that when we hit the point that our mind tells our body to stop, we have only really tapped into 40% of our physical potential and ability, we tend to leave 60% on the table.
Warmup:
SSH IC x 20
WMH IC
LBAC x 10 F/R
Overhead Claps IC x 10
Squats IC x 10
The Thang:
The plan came together to use sandbags and uncertainty to attempt to get that extra 60% out of the PAX. First all patches that indicate weight were stripped off of the sandbags. While we have all handled sandbags before and could estimate the weights, no guarantees. It also helps that YHCs 40 has 60#s in it and 60 has 80#s in it. The sandbags were circled up and the idea was such:
PAX approach a sandbag and would work with it. The exercise was up to the individual, but the guideline was to do the most difficult thing imaginable with that sandbag. When that became too difficult, switch to something else, but first force out additional reps.
The PAX would rotate right to a different bag, in some cases of a different weight, in some cases the same, but who knows?! The rotations would be at random intervals. No timer. With no light at the end of the tunnel, no choice but to push.
After a random and unannounced amount of rotations the PAX would do a lap around the parking lot. They would do that lap with the bag they happened to be in front of. The way the sandbag was moved was along the same lines. Move in the most difficult way possible. If you get there fast, take another lap and pick up the six.
That was it. Unmarked weight, indeterminate amount of time per rotation, indeterminate amount of rotations until movement. Only instructions were to 1) choose to do the hardest movement you were capable of with the given sandbag 2) when you reached the point where you wanted to switch to something easier, pick a number of extra repetitions or steps and crush them first.
Mary:
LBC IC x 25
WW II x 10
CoT:
Announcements:
-This Saturday, December 8th, Christmas party. BYOB at the BC clubhouse.
-We have several of our brothers doing the GORUCK Tough and/or Light this weekend. Wish them luck if you see them.
-This is form week, please use good form.
BoM:
Like I said above, David Goggins (who is in a tier of BadAss that very few will match or surpass) says that when our mind tells us our body is done we have really only exerted 40% of our capacity. We are leaving 60% completely untapped. Malware worked into his Q this week that when a number of reps is set it can lead to poor form in the rush to get to the end. YHC liked that, and agreed with it. To take it a step further, what if the same is true of a timer? Lets ditch the timer. Bottom line is our minds f*ck with us. They lie to us to try to get out of hard shit.
If we see a heavy weight, our mind will tell our body we cant overhead press it. If we have a 2-minute timer our mind will tell us to slow down at 70 seconds and save something for the end. Best way to get the mind out of the equation is to hide the facts form it. Can’t talk yourself out of a heavy lift if you don’t know its heavy. Can’t sandbag until 20 seconds before time if you don’t know when time is.
This is how you get the lost 60% back. Spend your time getting that 60%. Choose the harder thing, because that’s how we get better. Overhead press instead of squat. Farmer’s carry instead of shouldering. Grad 2 sixty bags instead of 1. Go to work 20 minutes early instead of sitting on the couch watching sports center. Take the kids to the park instead of putting the TV on.
Oh yeah…focus on form too.