Monday Black Session Week 2

Losing Light

WAR PROGRAM NOTE: I only have 4 slots open for the 6PM WAR Class. If you are someone who has already been through the 12 week program and wants to go through again, you need to let me know. If not, you need to come at 4,5 or 7pm. Call or text me if you have any questions. Like I said, I only have 4 slots available, so jump on it if you want to go through. By Wednesday I want to have an exact roll sheet of who all is going through the program so that we have some accountability. I take this WAR program very serious, so if you can't commit, don't tell me you want to do it. I've already talked with certain individuals who are acting as mentors/lifestyle coaches for the new people in the program. It's important that we do everything that we can to teach these new people the WAR Lifestyle. Make this happen and let's be organized. Be on time. The class starts at 6PM sharp, so be 5 minutes early. The classroom starts at 6:50; all are welcome to attend the classroom, depending on room. I will have the New WAR Black Session workbook available to all new people. Veterans to the program, if you want one they are $20. Your purchase goes as a donation to the program. If you are going through the session, it's a must have, or your not really going through the program.  This workbook is the soul of WAR.WAR WorkoutA. Front Squat 5 Reps X 3 (85% effort -3 sets across)    Rest 2 Minutes4 sets of:10 TnG Clean High Pulls (95,75,65)5 Fast Burpees10 Thrusters (95,75,65-same bar)5 Fast Burpees    Rest 3 MinutesB. Ring Plank Holds on a minute, rest a minute X 3GYM NOTE: Front squat is at 85% effort, however, effort should increase as legs get stronger throughout this program. Advanced will be based on 85% per 5RM.  Sets across means using the same load per 3 work sets at 85% effort/5RM; Work your way up and then begin.  The 4 sets is at a high intensity each time (should log 4 different times). We are hammering the high pulls again this week in an effort to get you familiar with the first 2 pulls of the clean and Snatch, which are 2 movements we will start getting into these next couple of weeks.  Remember, on the high pull we Deadlift to mid thigh/pockets with a good consistent back angle, and then from there I want you to think about jumping into the high pull, hips,come up on your toes slightly, and then leading with your elbows. Think: Dead, Dead, Dead, hips/Jump, high pull leading with elbows.  We've gotta get this movement locked in this week so we can move forward. We will hammer technique the first 15 minutes of class, so come ready to learn and get better at these movements. The thruster is a front squat into a press. Hips have to open prior to the press. Stick to the rest times. Thanks.ClassroomBe sure to read "Expanding Our Circle of Influence" prior to coming to class, or you will not be your best in the classroom.  Make it happen:

Expanding Our Circle of Influence

Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

It is inspiring to realize that in choosing our response to circumstance, we powerfully affect our circumstance.  When we change one part of the chemical formula, we change the nature of the results.

I worked with one organization for several years that was headed by a very dynamic person.  He could read trends, he was creative, talented, capable, and brilliant – and everyone knew it.  But he had a very dictatorial style of management.  He tended to treat people like “gofers,” as if they didn’t have any judgment.  His manner of speaking to those who worked in the organization was, “Go for this… go for that… now do this… now do that – I’ll make the decisions.” The net effect was that he alienated almost the entire executive team surrounding him.  They would gather in the corridors and complain to each other about him.  Their discussion was all very sophisticated, very articulate, as if they were trying to help the situation.  But they did it endlessly, absolving themselves of responsibility in the name of the president’s weaknesses.“You can’t imagine what’s happened this time,” someone would say.  “The other day he went into my department.  I had everything all laid out.  But he came in and gave totally different signals.  Everything I’d done for months was shot, just like that.  I don’t know how I’m supposed to keep working for him.  How long will it be until he retires?”But one of the executives was proactive.  He was driven by values, not feelings.  He took the initiative – he anticipated, he empathized, he read the situation.  He was not blind to the president’s weaknesses; but instead of criticizing them, he would compensate for them.  Where the president was weak in his style, he’d try to buffer his own people and make such weaknesses irrelevant.  And he’d work with the president’s strengths – his vision, talent, creativity.The man focused on his Circle of Influence.  He was treated like a gofer, also.  But he would do more than what was expected.  He anticipated the president’s need.  He read with empathy the president’s underlying concern, so when he presented information, he also gave his analysis and his recommendations based on that analysis.As I sat one day with the president in an advisory capacity, he said, “Stephen, I just can’t believe what this man has done.  He’s not only given me the information I requested, but he’s provided additional information that’s exactly what we needed.  He even gave me his analysis of it in terms of my deepest concerns, and a list of his recommendations.“The recommendations are consistent with the analysis, and the analysis is consistent with the data.  He’s remarkable! What a relief not to have to worry about this part of the business.”At the next meeting, it was “go for this” and “go for that” to all the executives… but one.  To this man, it was “what’s your opinion?” His circle of Influence had grown.This caused quite a stir in the organization.  The reactive minds in the executive corridors began shooting their vindictive ammunition at the proactive man. It’s the nature of reactive people to absolve themselves of responsibility.  It’s so much safer to say, “I am not responsible.”  I say “I am responsible,” I might have to say, “I am irresponsible.”  It would be very hard for me to say that I have the power to choose my response and that the response I have chosen has resulted in my involvement in a negative, collusive environment, especially if for years I have absolved myself of responsibility for results in the name of someone else’s weaknesses.So these executives focused on finding more information, more ammunition, more evidence as to why they weren’t responsible.  But this man was proactive toward them too.  Little by little, his Circle of Influence toward them grew also.  It continued to expand to the extent that eventually no one made any significant moves in the organization without the man’s involvement and approval, including the president.  But the president did not feel threatened because this man’s strength complemented his strength and compensated for his weaknesses.  So he had the strength of two people, a complementary team.This man’s success was not dependent on his circumstances.  Many others were in the same situation.  It was his chosen response to those circumstances, his focus on his Circle of Influence that made the difference.