The Obstacle Course at Marine Boot Camp
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Marine Corps Obstacle Course
The Marine Corps Obstacle Course consists of several obstacles that will challenge your strength, endurance, stamina, and coordination.
The first obstacle is the low log. All that is required here is to jump or slide over the log. It about 2 to 3 feet off the deck.
The next obstacle is the high bar. You must go over this bar. It is approximately 6 to 8 feet off the deck. The two techniques for this are: the chicken wing, where you throw one arm over the bar and pull your body up and over; and the college boy roll, where you flip yourself backwards over the bar as if doing a reverse summersault. The chicken wing is easier, but the college boy roll is much quicker, if you can pull it off.
Next is the Combination Obstacle. This obstacle starts with a low log which you have to jump on top of. Once on top, you will jump up to a high bar about 10 feet off the deck. Once on the high bar, you will slide down a set of parallel bars about 10 feet to a log. Jump up on the log and walk across about 10 feet to the end, where you will have to jump across to a high log, about 10 feet off the deck. Your body must travel over the high log, and land on the ground on the opposite side.
Next is the high wall. This is a solid wooden wall that is 6 feet high. You must climb, jump, or crawl your body over this wall and land on the other side.
Next is another low log. You must get your body over this log.
Next is a medium log, which is about 4 feet off the deck. You must get your body over this log.
Next is another low log. You must get your body over this log.
Next is a set of four medium logs. You must get your body over all four of these logs.
Next is the double bar obstacle. This obstacle consists of two parallel bars oriented perpendicular to the course. The low bar is approximately 8 feet off the deck. The high bar is about 2 feet above the low bar. You must grab the low bar, chicken wing the bar into your armpit, just like the second obstacle. Next you kick your inside leg over the low bar and pull your outside leg up and hook it over the high bar. You then rotate your body and bring it over the top bar and land on the deck on the other side.
Next is one final low log.
The last obstacle is the rope. The rope is about two inches thick and 15 feet high. There are several techniques to climb the rope. The hands only method is the least preferred. This is just like it sounds, use only your upper body, and no feet or legs. This can be a very fast method, but not so great for conserving energy, and it requires a lot of upper body strength.
The "S" method involves weaving the rope over one foot and under the other, pinching it between the top of one foot and the bottom of the other. This allows you to create a ―bite‖, thereby taking all the pressure off your upperbody since the rope is locked between your feet. This technique is not as quick as the others, but will help you conserve energy if you are running the course more than once.
The wrap method is simply wrapping your leg around the rope and creating a bite with the feet. This is less secure than the ―S‖ method because the bite is not as strong and the rope may slip. This technique is good for speed, but not for conserving energy.
When you get to the top of the rope, you will likely have to call out your platoon number and the name of your Senior Drill Instructor. Make sure you control your descent so you do not get injured on the way down. Some common injuries from the rope are lower limb injuries from falling, or friction burns on the hands from coming down too fast.
The Marine Corps Obstacle Course consists of several obstacles that will challenge your strength, endurance, stamina, and coordination.
The first obstacle is the low log. All that is required here is to jump or slide over the log. It about 2 to 3 feet off the deck.
The next obstacle is the high bar. You must go over this bar. It is approximately 6 to 8 feet off the deck. The two techniques for this are: the chicken wing, where you throw one arm over the bar and pull your body up and over; and the college boy roll, where you flip yourself backwards over the bar as if doing a reverse summersault. The chicken wing is easier, but the college boy roll is much quicker, if you can pull it off.
Next is the Combination Obstacle. This obstacle starts with a low log which you have to jump on top of. Once on top, you will jump up to a high bar about 10 feet off the deck. Once on the high bar, you will slide down a set of parallel bars about 10 feet to a log. Jump up on the log and walk across about 10 feet to the end, where you will have to jump across to a high log, about 10 feet off the deck. Your body must travel over the high log, and land on the ground on the opposite side.
Next is the high wall. This is a solid wooden wall that is 6 feet high. You must climb, jump, or crawl your body over this wall and land on the other side.
Next is another low log. You must get your body over this log.
Next is a medium log, which is about 4 feet off the deck. You must get your body over this log.
Next is another low log. You must get your body over this log.
Next is a set of four medium logs. You must get your body over all four of these logs.
Next is the double bar obstacle. This obstacle consists of two parallel bars oriented perpendicular to the course. The low bar is approximately 8 feet off the deck. The high bar is about 2 feet above the low bar. You must grab the low bar, chicken wing the bar into your armpit, just like the second obstacle. Next you kick your inside leg over the low bar and pull your outside leg up and hook it over the high bar. You then rotate your body and bring it over the top bar and land on the deck on the other side.
Next is one final low log.
The last obstacle is the rope. The rope is about two inches thick and 15 feet high. There are several techniques to climb the rope. The hands only method is the least preferred. This is just like it sounds, use only your upper body, and no feet or legs. This can be a very fast method, but not so great for conserving energy, and it requires a lot of upper body strength.
The "S" method involves weaving the rope over one foot and under the other, pinching it between the top of one foot and the bottom of the other. This allows you to create a ―bite‖, thereby taking all the pressure off your upperbody since the rope is locked between your feet. This technique is not as quick as the others, but will help you conserve energy if you are running the course more than once.
The wrap method is simply wrapping your leg around the rope and creating a bite with the feet. This is less secure than the ―S‖ method because the bite is not as strong and the rope may slip. This technique is good for speed, but not for conserving energy.
When you get to the top of the rope, you will likely have to call out your platoon number and the name of your Senior Drill Instructor. Make sure you control your descent so you do not get injured on the way down. Some common injuries from the rope are lower limb injuries from falling, or friction burns on the hands from coming down too fast.