The Army Training System - AskTOP

Log drills are excellentfor developing strengthand muscular endurance,because they require themuscles to contractunder heavy loads.Log DrillsLog drills are team-conditioningexercises. They are excellent for developingstrength and muscular endurancebecause they require the musclesto contract under heavy loads. Theyalso develop teamwork and add varietyto the PT program.Log drills consist of six differentexercises numbered in a set pattern.The drills are intense, and teams shouldcomplete them in 15 minutes. Theteams have six to eight soldiers perteam. A principal instructor is requiredto teach, demonstrate, and leadthe drill. He must be familiar withleadership techniques for conditioningexercises and techniques peculiar to logdrills.AREA AND EQUIPMENTAny level area is good for doing logdrills. All exercises are done from astanding position. If the group is largerthan a platoon, an instructor’s standmay be needed.The logs should be from six to eightinches thick, and they may vary from14 to 18 feet long for six and eight soldiers,respectively. The logs should bestripped, smoothed, and dried. The14-foot logs weigh about 300 pounds,the 18-foot logs about 400 pounds.Rings should be painted on the logs toshow each soldier’s position. When notin use, the logs are stored on a rackabove the ground.FORMATIONAll soldiers assigned to a log teamshould be about the same height at theshoulders. The best way to divide aplatoon is to have them form a singlefile or column with short soldiers infront and tall soldiers at the rear. Theytake their positions in the column accordingto shoulder height, not headheight. When they are in position, theyare divided into teams of six or eight.The command is “Count off by sixes(or eights), count off.” Each team, inturn, goes to the log rack, shoulders alog, and carries it to the exercise area.The teams form columns in front ofthe instructor. Holding the logs inchest position, they face the instructorand ground the log. Ten yards shouldseparate log teams within the columns.If more than one column is used, 10yards should separate columns.STARTING DOSAGE ANDPROGRESSIONThe starting session is six repetitionsof each exercise. The progressionrate is an increase of one repetitionfor each three periods of exercise.Soldiers continue this rate until theydo 12 repetitions with no rest betweenexercises. This level is maintained untilanother drill is used.START POSITIONSThe soldiers fall in facing their log,with toes about four inches away.Figure 8-16 shows the basic startingpositions and commands.Right-Hand Start Position, MoveOn the command “Move,” move theleft foot 12 inches to the left, andlower the body into a flatfooted squat.Keep the back straight, head up, andarms between the legs. Encircle thefar side of the log with the left hand.Place the right hand under the log.(See 1, Figure 8-16.)Left-Hand Start Position, MoveThis command is done the sameway as the preceding command.However, the left hand is under thelog, and the right hand encircles its farside. (See 2, Figure 8-16.)8-13