MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marines and sailors from units all around the air station gathered to compete in the Commander’s Cup 2010 endurance challenge at the IronWorks Gym here June 18.
Coming in first place was Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 with a total of 1,622 total rep points.
Trailing very closely with MWSS-171 was Combat Logistics Company 36, placing second.
“It was a lot harder than I expected. Everything was pretty difficult,” said Travis Eno, MWSS-171 competitor.
The event consisted of four rounds, in which one competitor from each unit rotated between five endurance work-out stations each round.
At each station, the competitors were given two minutes to do as many reps as they could per station and were given 30-minute breaks while rotating between stations.
At the end of the fourth round, the judges tallied up the total amount of reps for each competitor pumped out and a came up with a total number of reps per unit.
The unit with the highest amount of combined reps was determined the winner.
“Everyone starts strong, but not everyone finishes strong,” said Anthony Baker, MWSS-171 competitor. “By the third or fourth event, you’re pretty wiped out; there’s not much left in the tank, and that’s really how I think we won the event because we had the actual endurance to finish those last events strong.”
The five stations were balance ball push-ups, crunches, dips, lunges and pull-ups.
If getting only a 30-second break between stations wasn’t hard enough for the competitors, judges were posted at each station, ensuring the competitors were exercising proper form and completion.
Although the competitors from MWSS- 171 were physically prepared for the competition, their primary strategy was to be mentally prepared for the competition as well.
“We strategized. It’s always good to look over the rules before hand, said Baker. “We tried to match strength for strength.”
By the end of the second round, the sign of exhaustion was obvious on the competitors who had already completed the five stations for the competition
“All in all, it was a good high endurance competition. You have to train hard to do it,” said Brian Reda, CLC-36 competitor. “I think everyone put out all that they could.”
The competitors left it all on the floor and gave it their best shot, but as far as future competitions, Baker said he encourages more Marines and sailors to participate in upcoming Commander’s Cup events.
“It gives you a chance to meet people who wouldn’t meet otherwise, and it provides that camaraderie on base,” said Travis Eno, MWSS-171 competitor. “You’d be amazed how many friends you can find through just friendly competition on base.”
For more information on future Commander’s Cup events and base activities, contact the health promotions office at 253-6359.