Filed under: British Military Fitness, Commando Challenge | Tags: British Military Fitness, Commando Challenge, prospect park
I decided I quite like being bossed about by men wearing boots and camouflage trousers, so I signed up to British Military Fitness classes last week. Then failed to go to the Wednesday class because I was drinking wine and eating curry with friends; then failed to go on Saturday as well because I was in Devon eating the biggest ploughman’s lunch in the world in a sunny cafe on the beach. Oops.
I resolved to rectify this and – despite feeling a bit battered and bruised after Commando Challenge – I reported for duty just before 7 on Monday evening. I was relieved that I left work a few mins earlier than I had to – one girl was late, didn’t get a bib and was relentlessly picked on for the next hour and referred to as “girl in dirty white t-shirt” and instead of, for example, “blue number 40″ (me).
Two different instructors took the whole group together on Monday, and had us traipsing all over the park. Some small allowances were made for the beginners (blue) and intermediates (red) – “DOWN ON THE FLOOR, PRESS-UPS. GREENS 12, REDS 10, BLUES 8. CLEAR?” Obviously I did as I was told.
Struggled a bit when were were warned there were snipers in the area (in Prospect Park, Reading? Then again…) and told to get down and commando crawl into the shadows. My poor elbows and knees were already traumatised by the Bicton Park tunnels, and they didn’t like that at all.
The best bit was resting in between tummy crunches, laying down on the cool, wet grass, staring up at a beautiful starry, moonlit sky. I wouldn’t have seen that if I’d gone straight home and flopped in front of the telly-box.
It was so good, I went back to the Wednesday class tonight. Another two completely different instructors, split into two groups, all blues together. We did a shit load of running around – sprints and jogs – then swapped instructors and did sets of leg exercises, stomach exercises and upper body stuff. With a few more sprints round some goal posts chucked in for good measure. I think I’m going to hurt tomorrow.
Oooh, check this out – appears to be a new WordPress web poll feature. Or at least I’ve never noticed it before…
