MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- “I kinda lost myself in that one, did that make sense?” asked Jeffery Velazquez standing in front of a huge fan in the Ironworks Gym. “I’m in too much pain right now.”
Having just witnessed his participation in the Fitness Skills Challenge, the sixth major event in this year’s Commander’s Cup Challenge held here July 17, no one could blame him.
Representing Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, the Air Ops team comprised of Kevin Harmon, Dominique G. Laboy, David W. Moss and Velazquez definitively took first place with 1,515 total repetitions, 122 more than their closest competitors Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12.
The competition sounded simple enough, in two minutes complete as many repetitions as possible in the six events: pull-ups, crunches, push-ups, standing jumps, dips and shuttle runs.
When it actually came down to performing, the nearly hour and a half session appeared to be more of a torture session than an endurance challenge.
“I think it’s a great test of overall fitness, a work-out from head to toe,” said Alma Dickinson, Marine Corps Community Services’ health promotions director.
Perhaps the gauntlet could be viewed as a test, but the competitors may have had a slightly different view.
“I’m ... dying man,” said Velazquez halfway through the competition.
Then again, Velazquez may have been pushing just too hard.
“I had a great time honestly,” said Joe R. Cantu, a member with the third-place team representing Marine Wing Support Squadron 171. “Overall, I’m surprised by how much I put out.”
Just from seeing the grimaces and well, obvious facial signs denoting pain, showed everyone was trying hard.
“(The competitors) just give 100 percent, and it’s nice to see that in competition,” said Dickinson.
Even though they may have been giving 100 percent, the all-around nature of the competition highlighted areas where individuals struggled.
“Shockingly it was the crunches,” said Kevin Chang, a member of the second-place team representing MALS-12, when asked what was most difficult. “Those Marine Corps crunches, I don’t like them.”
Chang performed 102 crunches, the lowest for his team, but by contrast, he pumped out 47 pull-ups, 12 more than the nearest member of any team.
Cantu said the shuttle run portion proved to be the most challenging.
Looking at the statistics though, either everyone was equally tired because the shuttle run was the last event, or they all struggled because the separation between first and fifth in this event was four reps.
The current standings for the Commander’s Cup Challenge have a winner beginning to emerge with Air Ops now leading the pack by 32 points.
In no small part, the lead must largely be attributed to the open bench press event where only Air Ops earned any points, 20 to be exact.
But, the Commander’s Cup Challenge is far from over. There are still three major events and three Tuesday Tune Ups to go.
“I know you can earn enough points in Gladiators so usually the top few teams can all win it,” said Dickinson. “And those Tuesday Tune Ups really help too.”
The game is most certainly afoot ... or perhaps flipper as the next event will take to the waters in the Commander’s Cup Aqua Fitness Feud scheduled for Aug. 14.