Why I still do class-sets

For those of you not privileged enough to be a Fightin' Texas Aggie, a class-set is the number, which corresponds with your class year, of push-ups (any physically exhausting exercise will work really) you have to do. For example, if you graduated from Texas A&M in 1963, a class set would be 63 push-ups. However, since I graduated in 2007, I have the bawlsey number of 107. You might be wondering, "When does someone have to do a class set?" And that's a good question...the answer is: whenever an upperclassman tells you. I love it (I even loved it as a fish)! Ironically, since I graduated I have continued to do class-sets when I work out. Here's why:

11. 107 of anything is challenging and makes for a great workout 

10. It makes me recall all the places on Texas A&M's campus where I was made to push, and any thought about Texas A&M brings back the fondest of memories...

9. I think about pushing through the songs at the 50 yard line on Kyle Field at the beginning of Midnight Yell and looking over and seeing my family and Aggie buddies watching and praying for me. By the way, an Aggie buddy is a lot better than a friend.

8. I think about all the ol' Ags who taught me to have pride in my class (My fathers, Marty and Mike Holmes, My grandparents the Abbotts who don't even have a class but were Parents of the Year, Cliff Dugosh, Col. Biondi, Col. Lowe, Jimmy Tyree, David Lawhorn, etc.)

7. Because it helps me think about all my Aggie upperclassmen  who talked (and sometimes yelled) at and to me for hundreds of hours as a pushed (I loved it...)(Kevin James, Will Whitehurst, Keaton Askew, Patrick Hebert probably made me push the most) - Gig'em ...My older brothers...

6. Because it brings to mind all my fish buddies, my brothers, from E-2, with whom I did thousands of class-sets (Garcia, Chapman, Geyer, Cummins, Prochaska, Howell, Irwin, Griffin, Lukefahr, Hoover, Storbeck, Richards, etc)

5. I also remember doing thousands of class-sets across from my Junior Yell Leader buddy Tyler Wellborn..."I hear that Junior Yell boys can do 12 more"

4. For my Aggie buddies who are serving our country (Ben Grimme, John Anderson, Stanton Gardenhire, Tyler Vaughn, Ryan Fuege, Paxton Miller, Joe Lukefahr, Keaton Askew, Conner Prochaska, Trey Simko, etc.)

3. In honor of all the Aggies that I know that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country (Clay Kennedy, Kelly Castleberry, etc.) and those who have given much (Dan Moran, etc.)

2. In honor of my father, Preston Abbott, and in memory of my father, Kelly Castleberry, and my friend, David Gilbert, all of to whom I dedicated every Midnight Yell Practice and Football game.

1. It leads me back to worship God, because I have seen His hand so clearly in my life. What else can I do but thank Him and acknowledge His goodness? Every good thing is from Him (James 1:17).