| CONFIDENCE
OBSTACLE COURSE
Confidence obstacle courses must be built in accordance
with Folio No. 1, “Training Facilities,” Corps of Engineers Drawing Number 28-13-95.
You can obtain this publication from the Directorate of Facilities Engineering
at most Army installations.
Confidence courses can develop confidence and strength
by using obstacles that train and test balance and muscular strength. Soldiers
do not negotiate these obstacles at high speed or against time. The obstacles
vary from fairly easy to difficult, and some are high. For these, safety nets
are provided. Soldiers progress through the course without individual equipment.
Only one soldier at a time negotiates an obstacle unless it is designed for use
by
more than one.
Confidence courses should accommodate four platoons, one
at each group of six obstacles. Each platoon begins at a different starting point.
In the example below, colors are used to group the obstacles. Any similar method
may be used to spread a group over the course. Soldiers are separated into
groups
of 8 to 12 at each obstacle. At the starting signal, they proceed through the
course.
Soldiers may skip any obstacle they are unwilling to try. Instructors
should encourage fearful soldiers to try the easier obstacles first. Gradually,
as their confidence improves, they can take their places in the normal rotation.
Soldiers proceed from one obstacle to the next until time is called. They then
assemble and move to the next group of obstacles. Rules
for the Course
Supervisors should encourage, but not force, soldiers to
try every obstacle. Soldiers who have not run the course before should receive
a brief orientation at each obstacle, including an explanation and demonstration
of the best way to negotiate it. Instructors should help those who have problems.
Trainers and soldiers should not try to make obstacles more difficult by shaking
ropes, rolling logs, and so forth. Close supervision and common sense must be
constantly used to enhance safety and prevent injuries.
Soldiers need not conform
to any one method of negotiating obstacles, but there is a uniformity in the general
approach. Recommended ways to negotiate obstacles are described below. Red
Group
This group contains the first six obstacles. These are described
below and numbered 1 through 6 in Figure 8-8. Belly Buster. Soldiers vault, jump,
or climb over the log. They must be warned that it is not stationary. Therefore,
they should not roll or rock the log while others are negotiating it.
Reverse
Climb. Soldiers climb the reverse incline and go down the other side to the
ground.
Weaver. Soldiers move from one end of the obstacle to the other
by weaving their bodies under one bar and over the next.
Hip-Hip. Soldiers
step over each bar; they either alternate legs or use the same lead leg each time.
Balancing
Logs. Soldiers step up on a log and walk or run along it while keeping their
balance.
Island Hopper. Soldiers jump from one log to another until
the obstacle is negotiated.
 White
Group
This group contains the second six obstacles. These are described
below and numbered 7 through 12 in Figure 8-9.
Tough Nut. Soldiers step
over each X in the lane.
Inverted Rope Descent. Soldiers climb the tower,
grasp the rope firmly, and swing their legs upward. They hold the rope with their
legs to distribute the
weight between their legs and arms. Braking the slide
with their feet and legs, they proceed down the rope. Soldiers must be warned
that they may get
rope burns on their hands. This obstacle can be dangerous
when the rope is slippery. Soldiers leave the rope at a clearly marked point of
release. Only one soldier at a time is allowed on the rope. Soldiers should not
shake or bounce the ropes. This obstacle requires two instructors--one on the
platform and the other at the base.
Low Belly-Over. Soldiers mount the
low log and jump onto the high log. They grasp over the top of the log with both
arms, keeping the belly area in contact with it. They swing their legs over the
log and lower themselves to the ground.
Belly Crawl. Soldiers move forward
under the wire on their bellies to the end of the obstacle. To reduce the tendency
to push the crawling surface, it is filled with sand or sawdust to the far end
of the obstacle. The direction of negotiating the crawl is reversed from time
to time.
Easy Balancer. Soldiers walk up one inclined log and down the
one on the other side to the ground.
Tarzan. Soldiers mount the lowest
log, walk the length of it, then each higher log until they reach the horizontal
ladder. They grasp two rungs of the ladder and swing themselves into the air.
They negotiate the length of the ladder by releasing one hand at a time and swinging
forward, grasping a more distant rung each time.
 Blue
Group
This group contains the third six obstacles. These are described
below and numbered 13 through 18 in Figure 8-10.
High Step-over. Soldiers
step over each log while alternating their lead foot or using the same one.
Swinger.
Soldiers climb over the swing log to the ground on the opposite side.
Low
Wire. Soldiers move under the wire on their backs while raising the wire with
their hands to clear their bodies. To reduce the tendency to push the crawling
surface, it is filled with sand or sawdust to the far end of the obstacle. The
direction of negotiating the obstacle is alternated.
Swing, Stop, and Jump.
Soldiers gain momentum with a short run, grasp the rope, and swing their bodies
forward to the top of the wall. They release the
rope while standing on the
wall and jump to the ground.
Six Vaults. Soldiers vault over the logs
using one or both hands.
Wall Hanger. Soldiers walk up the wall using
the rope. From the top of the wall, they grasp the bar and go hand-over-hand to
the rope on the opposite end. They use the rope to descend.
 Black
Group
This group contains the last six obstacles. These are described
below and numbered 19 through 24 in Figure 8- 11.
Inclining Wall. Soldiers
approach the underside of the wall, jump up and grasp the top, and pull themselves
up and over. They slide or jump down the
incline to the ground.
Skyscraper.
Soldiers jump or climb to the first floor and either climb the corner posts or
help one another to the higher floors. They descend to the ground individually
or help one another down. The top level or roof is off limits, and the obstacle
should not be overloaded. A floor must not become so crowded that soldiers are
bumped off. Soldiers should not jump to the ground from above the first level.
Jump
and Land. Soldiers climb the ladder to the platform and jump to the ground.
Confidence
Climb. Soldiers climb the inclined ladder to the vertical ladder. They go
to the top of the vertical ladder, then down the other side to the ground.
Belly
Robber. Soldiers step on the lower log and take a prone position on the horizontal
logs. They crawl over the logs to the opposite end of the obstacle. Rope gaskets
must be tied to the ends of each log to keep the hands from being pinched and
the logs from falling.
The Tough One. Soldiers climb the rope or pole
on the lowest end of the obstacle. They go over or between the logs at the top
of the rope. They move
across the log walkway, climb the ladder to the high
end, then climb down the cargo net to the ground.
 Rifle
Drills
Rifle drills are suitable activities for fitness training while
bivouacking or during extended time in the field. In most situations, the time
consumed in drawing weapons makes this activity cumbersome for garrison use. However,
it is a good conditioning activity, and the use of individual weapons in training
fosters a warrior’s spirit.
There are four rifle-drill exercises that develop
the upper body. They are numbered in a set pattern. The main muscle groups strengthened
by rifle drills are those of the arms, shoulders, and back.
Rifle drill is
a fast-moving method of exercising that soldiers can do in as little as 15 minutes.
With imagination, the number of steps and/or rifle exercises can be expanded beyond
those described here. EXERCISE
PROGRESSION
The rifle-drill exercise normally begins with six repetitions
and increases by one repetition for each three periods of exercise. This rate
continues until soldiers can do 12 repetitions. However, the number of repetitions
can be adjusted as the soldiers improve.
In exercises that start from the rifle-downward
position,
on the command “Move,” soldiers execute port arms and assume the starting position.
At the end of the exercise, the command to return soldiers to attention is “Position
of attention, move.”
In exercises that end in other than the rifle-downward
position, soldiers assume that position before executing port arms and order arms.
These
movements are done without command and need not be precise. Effective rifle exercises
are strenuous enough to tire the arms. When the arms are tired, moving them with
precision is difficult. RIFLE
DRILL EXERCISES
The following exercises are for use in rifle drills. Up
and Forward
This is a four-count exercise done at a fast cadence. (See
Figure 8-12.)
 Fore-Up,
Squat
This is a four-count exercise done at a moderate cadence. (See Figure
8-13.)
 Fore-Up,
Behind Back
This is a four-count exercise done at a moderate cadence.
(See Figure 8- 14.)
 Fore-Up,
Back Bend
This is a four-count exercise done at moderate cadence. (See
Figure 8- 15.)
Log
Drills
Log drills are team-conditioning exercises. They are excellent
for developing strength and muscular endurance because they require the muscles
to contract under heavy loads. They also develop teamwork and add variety to the
PT program.
Log drills consist of six different exercises numbered in a set
pattern. The drills are intense, and teams should complete them in 15 minutes.
The teams have six to eight soldiers per team. A principal instructor is required
to teach, demonstrate, and lead the drill. He must be familiar with leadership
techniques for conditioning exercises and techniques peculiar to log drills. AREA
AND EQUIPMENT
Any level area is good for doing log drills. All exercises
are done from a standing position. If the group is larger than a platoon, an instructor’s
stand may be needed.
The logs should be from six to eight inches thick, and
they may vary from 14 to 18 feet long for six and eight soldiers, respectively.
The logs should be stripped, smoothed, and dried. The 14-foot logs weigh about
300 pounds, the 18-foot logs about 400 pounds. Rings should be painted on the
logs to show each soldier’s position. When not in use, the logs are stored on
a rack above the ground. FORMATION
All soldiers assigned to a log team should be about the same height at the shoulders.
The best way to divide a platoon is to have them form a single file or column
with short soldiers in front and tall soldiers at the rear. They take their positions
in the column according to shoulder height, not head height. When they are in
position, they are divided into teams of six or eight. The command is “Count off
by sixes (or eights), count off.” Each team, in turn, goes to the log rack, shoulders
a log, and carries it to the exercise area.
The teams form columns in front
of the instructor. Holding the logs in chest position, they face the instructor
and ground the log. Ten yards should separate log teams within the columns. If
more than one column is used, 10 yards should separate columns. STARTING
DOSAGE AND PROGRESSION
The starting session is six repetitions of each
exercise. The progression rate is an increase of one repetition for each three
periods of exercise. Soldiers continue this rate until they do 12 repetitions
with no rest between exercises. This level is maintained until another drill is
used. START
POSITIONS
The soldiers fall in facing their log, with toes about four
inches away. Figure 8-16 shows the basic starting positions and commands. Right-Hand
Start Position, Move
On the command “Move,” move the left foot 12 inches
to the left, and lower the body into a flatfooted squat. Keep the back straight,
head up, and arms between the legs. Encircle the far side of the log with the
left hand. Place the right hand under the log. (See 1, Figure 8-16.) Left-Hand
Start Position, Move
This command is done the same way as the preceding
command. However, the left hand is under the log, and the right hand encircles
its far side. (See 2, Figure 8-16.) Right-Shoulder
Position, Move
This command is given from the right-hand-start position.
On the command “Move,” pull the log upward in one continuous motion to the right
shoulder. At the same time, move the left foot to the rear and stand up, facing
left. Balance the log on the right shoulder with both hands. (See 3, Figure 8-16.)
This movement cannot be done from the left-hand-start position because of the
position of the hands.
 Left-Shoulder
Position, Move
This command is given from the left-hand-start position.
On the command “Move, ” pull the log upward to the left shoulder in one continuous
motion. At the same time, move the right foot to the rear, and stand up facing
right. Balance the log on the left shoulder with both hands. (See 4, Figure 8-17.)
This movement cannot be done from the right-hand-start position. Waist
Position, Move
From the right-hand-start position, pull the log waist
high. Keep the arms straight and fingers laced under the log. The body is inclined
slightly to the rear, and the chest is lifted and arched. (See 5, Figure 8-17.) Chest
Position, Move
This command is given after taking the waist position.
On the command “Move,” shift the log to a position high on the chest, bring the
left arm under the log, and hold the log in the bend of the arms. (See 6, figure
8-17.) Keep the upper arms parallel to the ground.
To move the log from the
right to the left shoulder, the command is “Left-shoulder position, move.” Push
the log overhead, and lower it to the opposite shoulder.
To return the log
to the ground from any of the above positions, the command is “Start position,
move.” At the command “Move,” slowly lower the log to the ground. Position the
hands and fingers so they are not under the log.
Continue to Log Drill Exercises | 
