Commando Challenge

“It’s ok, you can do it”

“…..”

“I promise, I’ve got you. All you have to do is move your weight forward.”

“…ok….”

“Keep going, you’re almost there.”

“I don’t think I can do this.”

“You can, you’ve almost got it….see? Now climb down. Told you you could do it”

This is a conversation I’ve been having this summer whilst perched at the top of a 2m high net climb. Usually with either a small child or a teenager. It was a new conversation to me at the start of the holidays, but then our assault course was brand new as well.

The old course was a challenge, developed, tweaked and adjusted over 5 years of use but it looked a little bit Heath Robinson and a lot Blue Peter and didn’t really do justice to the image of the Bottom Field course at the Commando Training Centre.

Some things were a simple case of building more robust, permanent versions of what we were using already like the crawling obstacles. However, what we were really lacking were two things:

1. A zip wire. It’s an iconic part of the Tarzan course and gives a real “wow” factor to the run. Definitely wanted one.
2. Some height. The real thing tests mind as well as body, requires confidence in your abilities to get through.

It’s that second reason that puts me at the top of a net climb trying to convince someone they can get over it.

The important thing is that, so far, everyone has got over it. No matter how big, small, confident or worried they were. That’s really important to us, that we can get everyone through this and make everyone feel like they’ve achieved something.

Commando Fit runs on Tuesday at 11am and 2pm through the summer holidays but you can have a go on the assault course whenever the museum is open. We offer sessions at 11am and 2pm every working day of the school holidays, please contact us for more information.