I was the only one working out, so I scrapped my plans and did a few laps around the marching band skillet and mixture of LBCs, merkins, merkins against the brick post, and bench dips.
Soundtrack: Amazon Music Playlist: ”F3 30/30 Cindy Lauper”
For the second 30 minutes, Cherry Pie showed up and we chatted over some coffee.
WARMUP: Mosey, SSH, MNC, Imperial Walker, Hillbilly Walker, Merkin
THE THANG: We did a 3 many relay where one pax ran the 100 yard and the other 2 did the exercise until the pax got back. We did OYO squats, reverse lunge, merkins, shoulder taps, plank, calf raise, flutters, American hammer.
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:
WARMUP: :white_check_mark:
THE THANG: move around and do a lot.
MARY: not much. Made it back for 10 burpees at the close
ANNOUNCEMENTS: :white_check_mark:
COT: discussion on candor
WARMUP: SSH, windmill, mosey around the perimeter of skillet (football yard lines in the parking lot for marching band practice)
THE THANG:
Start at one end of the skillet run 10yds and do an exercise. Ladder across 10-20-30-40-50-40-30-20-10.
1st time across: Burpee 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1
2nd: Merkins- 5-10-15-20-25-20-15-10-5
3rd: squats: 10-20-30-40-50-40-30-20-10
Mosey around skillet back to COT
MARY: is a beacon of Joy in her visit to cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-56)
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 12/24 convergence
COT: Hope and Joy. Shared how these have appeared in our lives and changed with the seasons of life. We also shared the struggles we face as men, husbands, fathers etc… to maintain a posture of Hope and Joy in our lives amid the daily chaos surrounding us and the challenges of balancing that real, genuine posture vs. just “pretending” all is ok. Most of us walk around carrying more on our shoulders than we talk about, and can easily become weighed down… affecting our ability to experience hope and joy.
Romans 15:13
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the holy spirit”
We had a 7 of Diamonds workout in the band lot.
7 burpees at each corner(28)
14 Merkins each corner (56)
21 LBC’s each corner (84)
28 squats each corner (102)
21 LBC’s each corner (84)
14 merkins each corner (56)
7 burpees each corner (28) (Skipped for ABC’s)
Finisher of ABC’s on your 6
feet elevated like 6-inch hold – spell out the alphabet with your feet. Capital letters only.
Close it out with 30 minutes of fatherhood wisdom
WARMUP: Set-up for the workout, guys showed up, gave the disclaimer, and we completed SSHx10IC at each station with 1 burpee OYO as the exercise and flow was explained. Came back to the center to start.
THE THANG:
Modified Belle Ringer
Format: AMRAP for 30 minutes
Set-Up: Make a 5-point star with each point of the star being 10 – 15 yards away from the center.
Workout starts with:
1. 5 ManMakers in the middle. Rifle carry to cone 2 and perform 10 “We’re Not Worthy”. Farmer carry back to center.
2. 5 ManMakers in middle. Rifle carry to cone 3 and perform 15 Goblet Squats. Farmer carry back to center.
3. 5 ManMakers in middle. Rifle carry to cone 4 and perform 20 CurltoCleantoPress. Farmer carry back to center.
4. 5 ManMakers in the middle. Rifle carry to cone 5 and perform 25 KB Swings. Farmer carry back to center.
5. 5 ManMakers in the middle. Rifle carry to cone 5 and perform 30 Bent Over Rows. Farmer carry back to middle.
Each complete trip is 125 reps
Most PAX made 2 complete trips!
MARY: NONE – Cindy would have been jealous.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Christmas Party, Bethel serve, read your newsletter
COT: The second half of this workout is really COT centered around a topic of conversation. All guys participated which was great to witness and sparked back and forth conversation that I pray helped those who are seeking a Shield Lock. Will not go into the specifics of what was shared, gotta STK!
WARMUP: No warmups at the Box! Get after it.
THE THANG:
Repeat previous Rounds before doing next
Round 1:
5 burpees
Walk Yards 0-10
10 Goblet Squats
Round 2:
Lunge Walk Yards 10-20
10 OH Press
Round 3:
Murder Bunnies Yards 20-30
10 Chest Press
Round 4:
Cinchworm Yards 30-40
10 curls
Round 5:
Burpee Broad Jumps w Manmakers 40-50
10 Skull Crushers
Discussed Exhortation related to Hebrews 12-1:3
Sin entangles. None of us can overcome sin by trying harder. Only by trusting more. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Identify your sin and celebrate the powerlessness. Call on him in a time of trouble.
WARMUP:
THE THANG: carried Cindy’s for 30 min while walking and talking.
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:
WARMUP: The usual suspects & a bit of Ye Olde “Stretchy-stretch”
THE THANG: 3 rounds of ~ 15 min. gear/pain… then ~ 5 min. Convo. on the Queen
Round-1: 3 pax take on Burning Skidmark
Switch positions each side of the triangle
Extra Pax have choice of Gorilla-Smashes or Sledgehammer on Tire
Rotate new pax onto Burning skidmark
– Repeat until time is called
Discussion: Core Idea:
– The Queen = discipline over input. You can’t “out-King your Queen.”
– Pride whispers that we can outwork bad habits or outshine accountability—this is the Queen of narcissism pretending she serves the King.
Discussion Questions:
1. What’s one area where you’ve tried to “out-King your Queen”—to compensate for poor discipline with more effort or pride?
2. How can physical training mirror spiritual or emotional discipline?
——————————–
Round-2: Same as R.1… but now w/ RAM-JAM
Switch positions at the turn
Extra Pax have choice of mace-Swings … or … Tire-Flips
an attempt at the “wheel of burden“ was made, but abandoned for safety reasons.
– After full rotation, jog to far end zone. Run forward 20 yards, back 10… Repeat. Each stop, add five Merkins.
–
Discussion: Core Idea:
– Guardrails protect acceleration. The faster you move, the higher the need for discipline.
– Portion control = stewardship, not restriction. Life/Heart change always beats rule-following.
– Accountability prevents drift—especially when comfort or ego dulls your senses.
Discussion Questions:
4. What’s a “Queen” in your life other than food—something that offers comfort but slowly takes control?
5. Who holds you accountable when you start believing your own excuses?
________________________________________
Round 3:
Partner up… 1 pax takes Cindie (on Grass) to light pole
Murder-Bunny-humpers out to pole …
Resurrection Bunnies back
Partner performs w/ Cindie:
deadman-to-barbarian (2-Bi/2-Tri)
Swap upon return
Repeat until all pax cycle through
Run to our end zone, same as after R-2, But now with squats at the yard lines.
———————-
Discussion: Core Idea:
Bricklaying = daily habit formation.
The King = your purpose (faith, family, legacy).
Misplaced priorities and narcissism threaten that King by exalting self over service.
Discussion Questions:
7. What’s a “Brick” you could lay this week—one simple, sustainable act to better serve your Queen?
8. When have you seen self-focus (narcissism, image, pride) pull men off mission?
MARY: There’s something about her….
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Bourbon, Christmas, Turkey day converg.
COT: Worked it in – Yup…
Two of us four-cornered the band lot and discussed modern-day warriors. Here’s what we did:
Warm-Up
– Jog around the football field
– Stretches
– 10 Imperial Walkers (IC)
– 10 Windmills (IC)
The Thang
4 Corners
– Corner 1 – 10 Merkins
– Corner 2 – 10 Merkins, 20 Squats
– Corner 3 – 10 Merkins, 20 Squats, 30 SSHs
– Corner 4 – 10 Merkins, 20 Squats, 30 SSHs, 40 Plank Jacks
Repeat
Repeat, dropping one exercise per corner
Repeat, 5 reps per corner
NMM
The discussions I lead come from a myriad of sources. Sometimes it is something I read, hear on the radio, or see on social media. Today’s discussion came from this video https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LtLM8D7gF/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
I very well could have had the same conversation with my dad, but it would have been fishing and not bow hunting. It made me wonder, what is our role as a modern-day warrior? I think it is protecting the vulnerable.
In “American Sniper,” Wayne Kyle tells his sons the following:
“There are three types of people in this world: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. Some people prefer to believe that evil doesn’t exist in the world, and if it ever darkened their doorstep, they wouldn’t know how to protect themselves. Those are the sheep. Then you’ve got predators who use violence to prey on the weak. They’re the wolves. And then there are those blessed with the gift of aggression, an overpowering need to protect the flock. These men are the rare breed who live to confront the wolf. They are the sheepdog.”
We are to be the sheepdog, protecting the herd because they can’t protect themselves. Don’t be a sheep and never be a wolf.
Being a warrior today means having the moral backbone to confront wrong, even when it costs you comfort or reputation.
– Speaking truth in a culture that prefers silence.
– Protecting women and children from harm or exploitation.
– Standing up for integrity in the workplace or community.
The warrior doesn’t look for a fight, but he refuses to back down from one that protects others.
Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God… having done all, to stand firm.”
True strength always bends toward mercy.
Jesus, the ultimate Warrior-King, fought for the weak — not by crushing His enemies, but by bearing their burdens.
– He healed the sick, touched the outcasts, and defended the accused (John 8:1–11).
– He confronted hypocrisy and injustice (Matthew 23).
– He laid down His life for His friends (John 15:13).
Being a modern-day warrior means using your strength to shelter, not to dominate, but to make others feel safe, not small.
Protection today means:
– Guarding your family from spiritual drift and moral compromise.
– Mentoring the young and defending the overlooked.
– Giving your time, presence, and strength to those who cannot repay you.
Proverbs 31:8–9:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”
1 Corinthians 16:13:
“Stand firm and act like men. Do everything in love.”
A modern-day warrior is not a man who seeks conflict, but one who refuses to let evil go unchecked. He leads with love, stands with courage, and fights with faith – using his strength to protect, not to harm.
Men, hold the middle when the enemy is at the door!
Aye!
IJ