SAN DIEGO --
Recruits of Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, began their first Circuit Course event during forming week at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Aug. 11.
The purpose of the circuit course is to increase each recruit’s strength and endurance for upcoming events in recruit training, explained Sgt. Wing S. Ye, drill instructor, Platoon 2110.
“This course introduces recruits to not only the circuit course, but also how to follow simple directions,” said Ye, a native of Miami. “That is probably the most challenging thing for them right now.”
The Circuit Course is comprised of more than 20 exercise stations, each with its own purpose. These exercises included monkey bars, jump ropes and weight lifting.
However, before they even began the course, the recruits performed the dynamic warm-up series to get their blood flowing and teach them how they will be forming up for physical training throughout the remainder of recruit training.
“While this is the first physical training session the recruits receive while in recruit training, they will also learn how a normal session is conducted,” said Ye.
After recruits completed the warm-ups, they lined up by platoon and began a mile-and-a- half run, which was part of the circuit course.
Once recruits completed the run, they moved on to the stations where drill instructors were waiting to demonstrate each exercise to them.
When recruits finished the run, most of them were tired and worn out, explained Recruit Luke A. Roseen, guide, Platoon 2109, Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion.
“For me the run wasn’t that bad,” said Roseen, a native of Houston. “I could tell that a lot of recruit were ready to pass out.”
Recruits were split up into groups of 15, and for 30 seconds, they pushed themselves as hard as they could.
As much as the recruits wanted to quit, their drill instructors would not let them.
“These recruits haven’t even started training, so we don’t expect much out of them other than to be performing the exercises correctly,” said 26-year-old Ye. “Most recruits come to recruit training out of shape, so we have to start slow and begin the transformation.”
Tired, dirty and weak, recruits of Echo Company have completed their first physical test and will continue on the path the becoming Marines.