Q School Session 1
LANCO ran a Q School at AOs during the week. It was rinse-and-repeat, but was meant to give some knowledge and tips of running a workout.
NOTICE: this is looooong as it has all the Q notes used for the Q School. Maybe it's a help to future Q's.
Stated the day's objectives and goals of Q School:
– Keep things in sync across AOs and the nation
– Template for running a Q
– Give a common basic knowledge of F3 mission and values
– Because F3 is more than a workout group but a response to the Sad Clown Syndrome that hits many men, especially in mid-life (insert mission statement here)
Reviewed some tips for Q'ing:
– Step 1: sign up (obvious but signing up is the hardest part)
– Next, make a plan and overplan; be prepared to cut if things run long but ensure there's enough to keep the PAX working until the end.
– As Q, you are there to serve the PAX; run a WO to push them, but plan to wait for the 6
– When planning, consider 2 things:
– If you can't Q it, don't do. You're there to lead the PAX. It's hard to lead when you can't keep up yourself
– Just cause you can do it, doesn't mean you should. Not everyone can do 100 pull ups in a row. Allow for flexibility in execution so that all PAXs are pushed, but none are left behind
– Day before Q, Preblast is important to inform the Q's that you're ready. Communication is a key part of leadership
– On the day of Q:
– show up with enough time to be prepared
– Start on time; in LANCO, we do 10x penalty burpees for the group for each PAX that's late. This instills accountability (and everyone loves burpees)
– If an FNG shows up, LANCO should assign a veteran as a battle buddy to encourage and show them the ropes (e.g. cadence, exercise names, etc).
To break up this lecture, PAX held plank with periodic exercises thrown in. Exercises included:
10x IC Michael Phelps
10x IC Merkins
10x IC Mountain climbers
10x IC Merkins
PAX switched to Al Gore during the following:
Disclaimer:
– we are not professionals
– modify as needed (because injuries suck)
– you against you, quality over quantity of reps
Typical workout structure:
– WARMAROMA
– THE THANG
– MARY
– COT
WARMAROMA
– Reviewed importance of warming up
– Get blood flowing
– Gets guys synchronized
– As Q, you know what will be worked, so loosen anything that’s needed (e.g. shoulders)
– But if guys require extra stretching, they should show up early in preparation
Reviewed F3 Cadence calling asked 2x PAX lead in the following:
– 10x IC SSH
– 10x IC Monkey humpers
Carried our blocks over to the baseball field to review THE THANG
THE THANG:
(Q's notes) The THANG is the main event of the workout. It's up to the Q to determine how to challenge the hard chargers, but consider the whole group. The goals is for everyone to feel challenged and always remember pick up the 6 before moving on (insert F3 motto here).
Today's Q School workout was to highlight the 3 F's (Fitness Fellowship and Faith). It recycled the bowling ball metaphor from Freed to Lead to show that F3 is meant to fill three holes often found in a Sad Clown. F3 fills these holes by providing Fitness, Fellowship and Faith (hence, F3).
Fitness – Pogo 40
(Q's notes) Freed to Lead says F3 is to address the Pogo40; the up/down nature of the Sad Clown fitness cycle. It's often that Sad Clowns start something for awhile, but busyness, lack of accountability, and encouragement finds it falling by the wayside.
For today's Q School answer to Fitness, we did a series of exercises to reflect the 4 quadrants of virtuous leadership taken from Q Source
– Get Right – 7's (like 11's, but shorter). PAX did grave diggers at one end, and 8-ct manmakers on the other. The sum of the reps should always add to 7. The manmakers represent the building of a virtuous man by killing and burying (hence, grave diggers) of things that keep use from accelerating.
(Q's notes) Getting right is the first step to becoming a virtuous leader. Freed to Lead says an undisciplined man is like a man who has capsized in a river, pushed around without control. He is crushed by all the problems of life and succumbs to his temptations. Getting right is like righting his boat so he can navigate the river. He has trained his body and mind and with the help of his shield lock, can weather many of the storms of life
– Live Right – PAX partnered up and ran the same routine, but the reps were split between the two. This represents that part of Living Right supporting others.
(Q's notes) Living right is taking what a man has know and acting it out and helping others do the same. He helps others fix their capsized boat so they can get right. Hard work is made light when the load is shared. We help one another to keep our boats upright
– Lead Right – Called on 2x PAX to lead an exercise of their choosing. Exercises were:
– 10x IC squat
– 10x IC WWIIs
(Q's notes) Leading right is about taking what we know and leader others to a position of advantage. But since we ourselves have gotten right and lived right, we lead with integrity that provides a solid foundation for those whose follow
– Leave Right – No exercises, but PAX were encouraged to think about the legacy the want to pass on to their 2.0s, family, and places of work
(Q's notes) Leaving right is about training up those who will follow. We are finite, but our service to others is the stepping stone for the next leaders to continue.
Fellowship – Sifter
(Q's notes) The sifter represents loneliness and lack of accountability
– men often have shallow or convenient friendships. But when Troubles start, theee relationships are sifted away.
– The fellowship of F3 is meant to provide bonds between men that can be shown to last through the hard times of life
PAX partnered up and did a 3 legged race. Good times were had by all as PAX ran/hobbled ~50ft, did 10 squats and 10 pushups and returned to the start. This was to represent the bonds of fellowship between men can last through the hard times of life.
Faith – Reacher
(Q's notes) Named after the novel Jack Reacher that is about an antihero that would act justice and purpose as he saw fit. Men want to have meaning and impact but often get lost in the heroic acts of Hollywood and novels. Real heroes focus at home by protect their Ms and 2.0s and act justly in their community (again, insert F3 mission here)
The 3rd F also seeks for men to find their dolphin ( their unique skills of efficient and effectiveness) and apply it to support their daffodils (those things and causes they cherish).
For Faith, PAX were reminded we are to believe in something bigger than ourselves, find their Dolphin and apply it to support their Daffodils.
With all three holes filled, a man gets a bowling ball grip in life and is ready to be a High Impact Man (HIM).
We continued this metaphor into MARY.
MARY:
MARY is meant to exercise the core. No major intro needed.
One PAX would throw the bowling ball down field. PAX were instructed for how to move to the ball, then another PAX called a core exercise of their choosing.
– NUR/10x IC plank
– alligator crawl/10x IC flutter kicks
Ran out of time so we mosey'd back to the flag.
Reviewed the last portion of Q'ing while PAX held Tree Pose
(Q notes) The following points were made:
– End on time (it's respectful to the PAX)
– Count-o-rama
– Name-o-rama
– Announcements
– COT / Ball of man (BOM)
– Importance of posting a Backblast
– Keeps pax in the know, can be used by VQs or other PAX for inspiration, helps injured and DR pax stay connected
– should be posted end of day, 24 hours at most
– Closing thoughts:
– Stepping up to Q a workout is a great opportunity. You will fail, but the PAX will support you
– Just remember that Q’ing is not about you, it’s about serving your fellow PAX to make them better
– As PAX being led, allow the Q be the Q and lead as he sees fit.
– As a Q; Experiment, make it hard but always remember the 6
– I firmly believe F3 is a training ground that teaches to embrace the suck, do hard things, and be a friend and leader to your peers. These skills easily transfer to life outside the gloom and I’ve personally benefitted within my family, job and life.
COT
Ended with Count-o-rama, Name-o-rama and COT.