Men Don’t Do Coffee & Cry — But We Will Squat, Camp & Get Stuck in the Mud

Rethinking Men’s Mental Health Through Shared Struggle and Real Connection

Over the weekend, a few of the boys and I decided to do something simple: a “lads night” out. No plan. No itinerary. No rules — just food, fire, a few too many beers, and no phone reception.

We joked and called it “men’s mental health,” but truthfully, it might’ve been the most effective therapy session any of us have had in years.

We packed the cars the morning of, sorted food an hour before (as blokes do), and kicked off the arvo with a fire by the creek. Steaks on bread — 500g each — proper fuel. No salads. No nonsense. Just how it should be.

Then came the shooting.
One can in a tree. One log up the hill.
It was target practice for the soul, really. Bring down a few walls while knocking down a few cans.

Nothing about the night went to plan. But everything about it was exactly what we needed.
Beers. Banter. Byron defending Lando Norris like it was his full-time job.
And in between the laughter?
Real conversations — about life, stress, work, family, and what we might need help with.

Then… we got stuck.

And by “stuck,” I mean my car buried itself deeper than a cheat meal during comp prep.
Three hours of winching, a nap on the ground, and then another round of winching to finish the job in the morning. Honestly? It was perfect.

🧠 The Point Isn’t the Plan — It’s the People

We didn’t set out to “work on ourselves.”
But that’s exactly what happened.

That’s the message I want to share.
Because I’ve always cared about mental health — but I’ve never connected with the traditional approach.
Sitting in a room.
1-on-1 chats.
Talking to a stranger over coffee? I’d rather bench press a fridge.

But give me a fire, a barbell, or a shared challenge — and suddenly I can talk. I can open up. I can be honest.

Why?
Because environment is everything.
For men, connection often happens shoulder to shoulder, not face to face.

🏋️‍♂️ Why Gyms (and Muddy Creek Beds) Matter

At Unbound, we see it all the time:

A guy comes in for fitness.
Starts training a few times a week.
Six months later, he’s fitter… and tells us the gym helped him out of a dark patch.

And not because he cried mid-wod (although, fair if he did) — but because he showed up.
Sweated it out.
Talked in between sets.
Found community.

That’s what we’re about.

🧭 The Message Is Right — But the Medium Matters

Telling men to talk is the right advice.
But delivering that message through settings that feel unnatural to most blokes is where it breaks down.

We don’t all thrive in soft-lit rooms with matching couches.
Sometimes we need to be doing, moving, or failing to unstick a 4WD before we’re ready to speak.

So here’s my thought:
Let’s stop trying to force square pegs into round chairs.
And instead, create more spaces where men feel safe enough to show up as they are.

That might be:

A bro-sesh at the gym
A last-minute camping trip
A 3-minute bro drop set that turns into a life chat
Or just being surrounded by other men who are working on themselves — without needing to say the words out loud

💬 Final Thought

Mental health matters.
Talking matters.
Vulnerability matters.
But for a lot of men, environment is the unlock code.

So keep training. Keep moving. Keep showing up.
And when your mate randomly asks, “Want to go camping this weekend?” — say yes.
You never know what might come out of a night that didn’t go to plan.

Train hard. Stay human.
— Mick