Billy Madison at The Bridge

Preamble:

Released 25(!) years ago next month, ‘Billy Madison’ is, in YHCHO, Adam Sandler’s funniest film.   Our hero must complete grades 1-12 in 24 weeks to maintain his inheritance.  11 PAX gathered in the wet but balmy gloom, coupons in hand, to do something comparable in 45 minutes.

Warm-O-Rama:

Standard-issue Mosey ’round the parking deck, followed by SSHs, Weed Pickers, Windmills.

The Thang:

In homage to Billy Madison, the PAX must complete 12 grades to graduate this beatdown.  Each grade consists of 12 reps of a given exercise, followed by a lap around the parking deck.

1st Grade: Curls (w/Coupon)

2nd Grade: LBCs (w/Coupon)

3rd Grade: Merkins

4th Grade: American Hammer (w/Coupon)

5th Grade: Dips

6th Grade: Upright Rows (w/Coupon)

7th Grade: Burpees

8th Grade: Big Boy Situps

9th Grade: Kettle Bell Swings (w/Coupon)

10th Grade: Box Cutters

11th Grade: Overhead Presses (w/Coupon)

12th Grade: Blockees (w/Coupon)

However, just as our educational system is designed such that what we learn in each successive grade builds upon the foundation laid in the prior years – so, too, is this routine.   Each grade consists of not only the prescribed exercise, but also a thorough review of each prior year’s learnings.  That means that Grade 12 consists of one full gross of repetitions across all 12 exercises.

All of this fun was conducted to the unofficial soundtrack of songs from and inspired by ‘Billy Madison’ – an unnatural mix of Culture Club, Billy Squire, Van Halen, Sam Cooke, The Ramones, The Jackson 5, The Cars, ELO, Motley Crue, Styx, and REO Speedwagon.  Miraculously, both the routine and the playlist concluded at precisely 6:15.

COT:

Prayers for the New Year, and for healing and peace for so many in and around our circle who are dealing with major health issues.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

Like many of the men in this fellowship, I have laid out well-considered goals and objectives for 2020, several of which are designed to help me achieve my worldly ambitions.  I was reminded by my devotional this morning to evaluate my motives for those ambitions and to ask myself, “Are they God-ambitions or self-ambitions?”  I share his prayer with you – “Father, give me the ambition to serve you.  Use me to do great things for your kingdom.”