The Common Thread Isn’t Excellence

In a far too brief moment at our holiday party, I made a short toast. The gist was that the folks inside of this community are a uniquely remarkable bunch. This is true even for LA standards. While it’s worth mentioning all the wonderful accolades and accomplishments from our diverse group from the silver screen and the arts to business and leadership, it’s ironic that these things aren’t actually what brings the group together. 

You see if we were a social club, it would make sense. The guy who’s up for an Oscar can rub elbows with the woman who’s bringing life changing mentorship to underprivileged youth at scale and the context would make sense. Across the room, the tech start up champion could swap jokes with the sports agent and the popular restaurateur and the NY Time Best selling author. In fact, this is exactly what happens at DEUCE every day. But, we aren’t a social club at all. 

The reason we all come together is to train. Training is unavoidably vulnerable because, as I said in my toast, “heavy is heavy” and “hard is hard”. Training is a relative voyage to our vulnerable limits. A gym, then, is precisely the opposite of a social club where the context is specifically oriented around the members successes. The interest of training is much different. Where the social club asks, “How great are you?” the gym asks, “How willing are you to explore where you’re weak?”

To me this is the most beautiful paradox in our family. If you ask me, it’s no coincidence that the most remarkable people I’ve ever met share but one common characteristic: a willingness to engage in vulnerable growth. 

Hats off to you!

 

Logan Gelbrich  

@functionalcoach

12/19/19 WOD

Complete the following for time:

2000m Row

 

Then, complete 3 rounds for quality of:

8 Partner Assisted GHRs

12 Tempo DB Goblet Squat

 

Then, complete 3 rounds for time of:

20 Alt 1-Arm KB Swings (53/35)

5 KB Thrusters – Left

5 KB Thrusters – Right

400m Run