CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT – The Area Support Group – Kuwait and Morale, Welfare and Recreation or MWR program held a power-lifting competition and a fitness mile challenge on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait March 4, 2018.
The MWR power-lifting competition brought contestants from all over Camp Arifjan together see who could lift the most. Those competing were broken down into five different weight classes with each group taking turns lifting in three events.
The first was event was the squat. Competitors had to lift as much weight as they could off of a rack onto their shoulders then squat down and stand back up to the starting position. Contestants were encouraged to start out low in weight and work their way up during each event.
The next event was the bench press. Contestants started out with their regular lifting weight. Each was encouraged to reach a new record for themselves in the hopes of beating out the rest. The final event was the dead lift. Each competitor must grab the bar with a predetermined amount of weight from the ground and bring it up to their waist with their knees slightly bent until they are upright
The overall winners of the competition, which was scored on a pound-for-pound basis, were Sgt. Paul Lzard, 82nd Airborne Division, in first place; Sgt. Jacob Gray, 82nd Airborne Division, in second; and Spc. Joshua Pinkerson, 82nd Airborne Division, in third place.
Leading the women’s portion of the competition were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Takiyah Adolfu, 35th Infantry Division, in first place, and Cpt. Jacki Handloser, 648th Military Engagement Team, in second place.
The fitness mile challenge had Soldiers pick four-person, co-ed; teams with each person competing in one of four events. The team with the fastest overall time was the winner.
The first Soldier had to run one lap and complete 25 “burpees” by going to the ground and doing a push up, getting back up on their feet, jumping as high as possible, and repeating the motions. The next person then took off running.
The second person upon completion of their lap had to complete 30 squats, a standard squat exercise performed without weight. Then the third participant was required to complete a full lap as fast as possible with a weighted bag on their shoulders. The final competitor had to complete a lap and then flip a large truck tire down and back over a short distance across a soccer field.
“It was really strenuous, but it was so much fun and we loved it,” said Sgt. Adam Arredondo, 236th Military Police Company. “It’s feels amazing to be on top, to be winners.”
The Lone Rangers, a team of Soldiers from the 236th Military Police Company were the champions with the fastest time overall of the competition.