Meeting the professionals behind the obstacles
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on July 30, 2017 1:45 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Pro Rebekah Bonilla demonstrates the Alpha Warrior obstacle course to a group of competitors Saturday at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base fire department.è‹"
News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Pro Brent Steffensen demonstrates the Alpha Warrior obstacle course to a group of competitors Saturday at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base fire department. Steffensen completed the course in 28.95 seconds, breaking his previous record.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Pro Rebekah Bonilla demonstrates the Alpha Warrior obstacle course to a group of competitors Saturday at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base fire department.
With terms like "battle rig" being part of the common vocabulary, it makes sense that the Alpha Warrior obstacle training company would feel right at home on military bases.
Three such Alpha Warriors -- Rebekah Bonilla, Bennie Wylie and Brent Steffensen -- brought the program to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Saturday.
The battle rig they bring with them -- a large customizable obstacle course -- is designed to provide airmen with a difficulty challenge both physically and mentally.
Ms. Bonilla, who has competed on the show "American Ninja Warrior," said that obstacle training helps develop physical strength and adaptability, both of which people in the military need.
Alpha Warrior will bring similar rigs to 15 military bases nationwide, which will serve as regional hubs for Alpha Warrior competitions, said Steffensen, another ANW competitor. Other installations will get a "battle station," essentially a scaled down rig, to train on.
Winners of regional competitions will compete at the Alpha Warrior national competition in San Antonio, Texas. Alpha Warrior has been going to military bases for less than a year, Steffensen said. He said that airmen who come out to take part are in for a good time.
"It's a lot of fun, you get a great workout and you band together with your fellow airmen," he said. "You're all kind of competing against the rig together."
Wylie serves as a coach for military members looking to test themselves on the course. Next to the professional athletes Bonilla and Steffensen, he jokingly compared himself to the A-10 Thunderbolt jet -- low and slow -- an analogy which Steffensen furthered.
"And he kills everything," Steffensen said with a smile.
Wylie said that periodically altering the course by changing out obstacles is a good way to keep the airmen using it on their toes.
"Airmen need to be challenged mentally as well as physically," he said. "I bring the training aspect, to where they're not just using it as a fun toy to play with."