FIGHT SCIENCE "Ultimate Soldiers"

This was one of the best reality shows I've seen in a long time. It always amazes me what the human body and brain can accomplish. In this episode they tested a Marine Sniper in extreme conditions of heat of 130 degrees, packed in ice for an hour and then covered in bugs, and he made each shot between heartbeats. The only one he slightly missed on was with the bugs and I think it's because they put so many in and he was being stung by something at the time. They had tarantulas, scorpions, large cockroaches and slug worms all over him. All while laying in a plexiglass sniper box they made. it's was wild to watch.

Then they took an Airforce Fighter pilot put him in a gyroscope and had him type responses to questions. He did just fine. Heart beat barely changed. They they took an Army Ranger and had him do the same thing. He did well, but was sweating like crazy from it. They were in the gyroscope for 9 minutes each. Then they had a civilian with no training do it and he didn't last 5 minutes before telling them to stop. He got out of the gyroscope and was dizzy and throwing up.

Then they simulated high altitude climbing with the Army Ranger, who's trained to do this. wearing a 60 lb. vest to simulate the gear he would be wearing on a mission, he climbed on an 11 foot rotating climbing wall at a simulation 15,000 feet in altitude, then he had to drop down shoot at a target that pops out from behind something. But one target was unarmed an the other was armed. He hit the armed guy center mass. They they tried testing the Fighter Pilot, who immediately said that if he was at some high altitude, no longer in his plane, then he would have jettisoned for some reason and would be waiting for the Army Ranger to come save him. He didn't last 2 minutes before he started having a hard time holding on and his heart rate shot through the roof. They stopped him before he was ready to stop, but he knew he wasn't feeling well.

They then had the Army Ranger climb again at 20,000 foot simulated altitude, with a drop down and firing at the armed person. He totally passed the test. Its amazing to watch.

Next, they try to drown (not literally) a Navy Seal. Part of the Navy Seal training is called Drown Proofing. It teaches them to swim with hands and feet bound, teaching them not to panic underwater. They put the Seal in a 12 foot tank of water, measuring 64 degrees fahrenheit, for 5 minutes, where he uses a bobbing technique to push off the bottom of the tank to come up for a breaths of air. They put a weighted vest on him for added test. They don't do this in Navy Seal training. Because the first test is such a piece of cake for him they end up adding weight and make it a 50 lb. weighted vest. He did well so they add another 25 lbs. The 75 lbs. finally stop him. He lost his balance and couldn't get his feet under him, so the diver with oxygen had to come to his rescue. But he did a few bobs before losing to the weighted vest.

I couldn't believe it when they tried it on the same civilian who couldn't take the gyroscope. That guy is a gluten for punishment or they are paying him a mint. There is no way I would do any of that without training first.

I really like when the show the graphics of what they body does when it's working at peak efficiency or when it's struggling to save your life. So crazy and exciting to watch. Really amazing. Can't wait to see the next episode, "Fight Like an Animal," where they take a look at martial arts techniques inspired by the animal kingdom. JUST COOL!


National Geographic Channel
Monday, Feb. 1, 2010
10:00 PM PST