Obstacle Courses and Additional Drills - 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.


Fore-Up, Squat
This is a four-count exercise done at a moderate cadence.

Fore-Up, Behind Back
This is a four-count exercise done at a moderate cadence.


Fore-Up, Back Bend
This is a four-count exercise done at moderate cadence.

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.