Thermopylae Games - TOMORROW!!

This March 15, Valley Creek will be hosting the first Thermopylae Games.  This challenge will consist of 5 events where athletes, from grade 4-9, will compete to set their personal best at each station in a two minute time frame.  As they progress through the challenges they will track their score to add to their schools total.  This total will be added together to form an aggregate score and rank the teams.  The true nature of the games is to give athletes a training goal while fostering healthy competition and having student athletes work together in preparation for the Thermopylae Obstacle Course Race in June.

Events:
Push Up
- the push up must be completed with a straight body line, arms locked out at the beginning and lowered to a 90 degree angle at the bottom of the movement.  When the athlete returns to the locked out position a rep is recorded.

Full Sit Up
- the sit up begins with a normal sit up position, the student curls forward and up until their chest is at their knees and elbows are in line with, or past, the knees.  When the student returns their shoulder blades to the floor, a rep is recorded.

Bench Step Up
- both feet start on the floor with the athlete facing the bench.  The athlete then steps both feet up onto the bench in a standing position and then steps both feet back down to the floor.  When both feet have returned to the floor a rep is recorded.

Burpee
- the athlete starts in a standing position and jumps so that both feet leave the ground.  The athlete lands and then drops into a plank position while lowering their chest to the floor.  They push back up and bring their feet into a crouch position and return to standing.  Once the athlete is standing again a rep is recorded.

Bench Dip
- the athlete starts in a straight body line supported by their arms with their torso close to the bench and their fingers pointed in the direction of their feet.  They then lower themselves down, performing a hip hinge while their elbows bend to 90 degrees.  Once the athlete reaches 90 degrees and returns to a locked out position, while maintaining straight legs throughout, a rep is recorded.