Date: 2026-01-03
AO: ao-the-furnace
Q: Turtle
PAX: Sockos, Mater, Wrecking Ball, Yo-Yo, BeWell, Turtle, Capsized FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
WARMUP:
Little baby arm circles
Copperhead squats (shoutout BeWell)
Plank holds

THE THANG:

Today’s BD followed the stages of the Hero’s Journey, which is possibly the oldest story of mankind. In it, an ordinary person is called into challenge, tested by struggle, transformed through effort, and returns stronger for the good of others. I chose a song to represent each stage of the journey along with an exercise that symbolically embodies it. One man works while the other runs, then switch. We did this until the song ended then moved on to the next stage.

Part 1: Separation

Stage: Ordinary World
Song: “Circle of Life” (The Lion King)
Exercise: Ran a lap together
Symbolism: Life moving in familiar patterns; the hero’s world before change

Stage: Status Quo
Song: “Where You Are” (Moana)
Exercise: Merkins
Symbolism: Feeling “grounded,” safe, and rooted in what is known

Stage: Call to Adventure
Song: “Touch the Sky” (Brave)
Exercise: Overhead Cindy presses
Symbolism: Reaching upward; the desire for something more

Stage: Refusal of the Call / Inner Conflict
Song: “Let It Go” (Frozen)
Exercise: Burpees
Symbolism: The inner conflict of wanting to stay “grounded” in what is familiar but also being called to reach new heights

Stage: Crossing the Threshold
Song: “Golden” (K-Pop Demon Hunters)
Exercise: Pull-ups
Symbolism: Leaving the ground behind, going “up, up, up”

Part 2: Struggle

Stage: Tests
Song: “My Shot” (Hamilton)
Exercise: Cindy lunges
Symbolism: Stepping forward into challenge and opportunity

Stage: Meeting the Mentor / Training
Song: “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” (Mulan)
Exercise: Wheelbarrows
Symbolism: Discipline, guidance, and becoming forged through effort

Stage: Preparation & Approach
Song: “Gonna Fly Now” (Rocky)
Exercise: Sprints / jogs
Symbolism: The final push before the defining test

Stage: Belly of the Beast
Song: “Surface Pressure” (Encanto)
Exercise: Plank hold with Cindy on back
Symbolism: Carrying weight under pressure with no escape

Part 3: Return

Stage: Reward
Song: “Zero to Hero” (Hercules)
Exercise: Big Boy Sit-ups (BBS)
Symbolism: Rising again and again

Stage: The Road Back / Return with the Elixir
Song: “Carry On Wayward Son” (Happy Gilmore)
Exercise: Cindy walk
Symbolism: The long journey home, bringing wisdom back to the world

Stage: Resurrection / Transformation
Song: “This Is Me” (The Greatest Showman)
Exercise: Burpees
Symbolism: Rebirth through effort; returning stronger and fully realized

MARY: no but we rose from the ashes like a damn Phoenix, so…

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Krampus???

COT:

BeWell – Congrats on one year at the furnace !! Learning to stay disciplined and remembering that discipline = freedom

Capsized – praying for his brother and that he seize the job opportunity

Wrecking Ball – kids going back to school, with only one semester left. Triplets entering a new phase of life – college prospects and more adult things to come.

Turtle – hoping brother gets the job he interviewed for so he can provide for his family.

Tags: ao-the-furnace, Sockos, Mater, Wrecking Ball, Yo-Yo, BeWell, Turtle, Capsized