Day12. 268 I Asked You

If you have never done this, please (upon completion of this post) do.

Last night was a special Holiday treat for me. The small but passionate group assembled for our final spin session before Christmas seemed to be in a jovial mood and ready for action. It might have been due to shopping fatigue, Holiday stress or simply another Wednesday night opportunity to pick the best of myriad lifestyle choices.

The protocol I designed earlier in the day, as I piled copious amounts of protein and rest atop the blustery afternoon, was a relentless and challenging slug up a previously unnamed mountain. Atop this hill waited trophies, applause and carnations

We only scaled it twice, each assault lasting 24 minutes in four positions, each position lasting a mere minute. Twice was enough.

At the well-needed and well-earned mid-point of our expedition, I mentioned that one of the tools we routinely employ to access the quality of our Super Eight sessions is a rating based upon perceived effort. As in a brutally honest and objective rating on the traditional 1-10 scale of each repetition.  Not only might the results vary, they often vary very much. 

And I asked that we consider the reasoning behind this seemingly normal cause and effect scenario. Do we lose power, strength and endurance due simply to the fatigue factor, chemical imbalances or cardiovascular failure? Or is there something else?

I suggested that there is. That the something else is our will. Our desire to succeed and our ability to maintain a relaxed focus coupled with a ceaseless dedication to the discipline of progress, improvement and growth.

We began the second set after a short break and I asked for everyone to rate the second set versus the first in real time, as we rode. I also asked them to find something, somewhere, to make each one a little better than the first. I asked them nicely to do this, like a friend or training partner asking for a favor to - and more importantly for - themselves.

And a funny thing happened. Our 'little science' provided an astounding result. We all graded out better, higher, with more value during the second set than the first. In spite of all the contemporary wisdom associated with the sound reasoning why this shouldn't be the case.

Rhetorically I asked why, and then how. They all considered with sincere introspection. The I offered my analysis.

Simple, I crowed, we were better in the second set than the first for one single reason.

Because I asked you to.