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WHEN I WAS IN THE ARMY I WAS ORDERED TO RUN THE OBSTACLE COURSE (CONFIDENCE COURSE) ALL BY MYSELF AS THE COMPANY WATCHED.

I CRAWLED UNDER THE BARBED WIRE, RAN TO A 3’WIDE TUNNEL DUG IN THE GROUND, CRAWLED IN AND WOULDN’T COME OUT. AN INSTRUCTOR YELLED AT ME TO COME OUT, SO I TOLD HIM TO COME IN AND GET ME. HE STARTED TO JUMP ON THE TUNNEL (NO CONDUIT PIPE JUST BARE EARTH), SO I SCRAMBLED OUT. WE WERE BOTH LAUGHING WHEN A SGT. CAME OVER AND TOLD ME TO WIPE THE SMILE OFF MY FACE. “I CAN’T SGT., I’M TOO HAPPY.” (I WAS JUST THAT WAY, I GUESS.)

“GET DOWN AND GIVE ME 20 (PUSH UPS)!”SO I DID, AND CAME UP SMILING.
“TOLD YOU TO WIPE THAT SMILE OFF YOUR FACE!”
“I CAN’T SGT. I’M STILL TOO HAPPY!” IF THERE WEREN’T HUNDREDS OF EYES ON US HE’D HAVE KILLED ME ON THE SPOT!
“GIVE ME ANOTHER 20!” I DID, AND POPPED UP SMILING, SO AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN, 20 AT A TIME, FOR HUNDREDS OF THEM. WHEN I COULDN’T DO ANYMORE IT WAS SIT UPS. WHEN MY COMPANY SGT FOUND OUT ABOUT IT HE CAME OVER, PUT AN END TO IT, TOLD THIS IMPOTENT SADIST (THERE’S ALWAYS THAT 10%) THAT IF HE EVER MESSED WITH ANY OF HIS MEN AGAIN HE’D KILL HIM, AND TOOK ME TO THE INFIRMARY.

MY ARMS WERE SO SWOLLEN THAT I LOOKED LIKE POPEYE, AND IT TOOK DAYS TO RECOVER.

YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE WAY, WAY OFF. TRUST ME ON THAT.

Do you always yell?

How long a break did you take between sets of 20?

If, as the article seems to state, they had an hour to do it, then the situation outlined for the players was rather different than what you experienced.