In terms of overall tax I would say row. The only issue is that the times don't translate. I think the row is more taxing. The recovery stroke doesn't require as much horsepower as the row, especially for good swimmers. Maybe a 2,500 mtr row?
Performance for the majority of the population is generally dictated by preparation. Doing well on this type of test requires monotonous preparation, i.e. training almost exclusively for the test. My philosophy is that I should be able to pass on any given day if this test was required for a particular job. The minimum standards (14:00, 42, 50, 6, 12:45) are easy enough for anyone with a modicum of fitness to pass. It's not a bad test when driving at 75% or higher. I look at each event being a warm up to the next and ending in an all out foot race. The swim is a good warm up, especially at 0630. Finished comfortably at 10:27, warmed up for push ups. 75 full range of motion whereas most people stop short of 90 degrees. Followed by 85 sit ups at an even pace. 20 dead hangs. 9:47 on the run. This was dictated by the fastest person until I passed him on the return. I started in the back and slowly reeled people in one by one. The pace out was slow. On the return I snuck up on his heels and then moved into his blind spot making him uncomfortable. He slowly picked up the pace as a natural reaction but couldn't maintain it. Getting close to another runner is like being a leach and drains them of mental energy. When I saw his spirit jump ship I turned on the afterburners and gained considerable distance. I find more interest in the strategy when running in a group than the splits and times. This was a slow 1.5 mile run but certainly exercised a different mental pathway.
Mike It is funny you choose this. Chuck and I have been fighting tooth and nail to change this. We have been doing alot of experiments down here with cf and the students. After the fourth week of doing cf with the students, and we give them this test again, it is almost hard to keep them awake. This PST is outdated by 10 years at least. Maybe not the exercise but the numbers and times.
What's even funnier is that I didn't choose it. I had to do it for my quals. Completely agreed. Swimming is a skill period. You can be the fittest man on the planet but if you don't have the skill then you'll have the slowest swim, weakest clean and jerk, and anything else that requires skill. Every person employs a different range of motion for the push ups and sit ups. A good test measures one or two qualities in this context, skill or capacity. It is pointless to test a skill if a person wasn't taught or exposed to the skill first. Everything else in life works this way. Learn and then test. Capacity, on the other hand, is a matter of motivation. If the test is a mile run or sand bag drag then it's up to me to train myself. It would make sense to employ a test that encompasses the entire body and not just parts. This is also why an obstacle course is better than the PST. Plan to have a consortium next year. We'll change it and make history. Or at least try.
Is the PST itself really outdated? Performing a max set of push-ups in two minutes evaluates the same it did 10 year ago. The problem lies with the entire evaluation evolving from what is now an antiquated definition physical preparedness. To instigate sweeping changes in the assessment process, there must be a complete paradigm shift, a realization that appraising the fitness of personnel requires more than isolated tests of “strength” and “endurance.” A noteworthy task in an environment where you can request to execute the timed run on a stationary bike.
(Preface: Wrote this before Mike's reply yesterday... Took forever to write on an iPhone so I'm posting it. Obstacle course idea makes complete sense)
The human body has not changed very much within the last 10 years or so, nor has the concept of functional movement. Sure, I could agree that "I too" feel more physically superior to the current Physical Screening standard set fourth by the special program communities, but I also understand that there has to be a some type of baseline. Without one, how does an individual assess where he is currently at or a program keep the "less likely to succeed" from getting in? What HAS changed within the last ten years is how candidates have focused their physical training thoughts. A paradigm shift insued itself into the starving athletes searching for a more challenging way to crush their bodies while yielding superhuman results. I strongly disagree that the standards are out-dated. Why??? Like I said before, man hasn't changed. The concepts we utilize today (Crossfit) were readily available to us then. There just wasn't anyone around to lead us by the hand and show us what to do. The real animals of "yester-year" achieved physical superiority through trial and error and blood and sweat. What works... What doesn't... How did you prepare for the PST way back when? Could you have done better? As Mike pointed out, training for this event as a whole, requires monotonous sport specific training. Look at it from any angle, but to get better at any one thing, you have to do more of it. Also, that's how a LOT of kids train for these selection programs. Not EVERYONE does Crossfit. Another important piece to the pie (and I'll back Mike's claim 100%) "most" candidates fail to perform during each evolution with Full range of motion. Therefore, they're cheating the system. Why have any standard at all? If the numbers increase and the times drop in order to accommodate man today (which doesn't exist) will form deteriorate completely? It's all a balance. I feel incredibly comfortable with the standards set fourth. What makes a good operator? Is it the guy who aces the PST or is it the candidate that continues to meet all the requirements and succeed through the training? I'm always reminded of that story told by every training commands OIC... You never know who's going to make it. The muscle bound guy or Olympic athlete falls to the wayside, as the country boy from Kansas graduates with his Trident! Funny how things work. The PST is only an interview. Special Programs not only expect it's candidates to be physically hard, the also have to express the mental fortitude. "IF" the OIC's story held true, what type of success rate would these programs be subject to if the standards were raised? Honestly, we'd probably work harder (or just not be so lazy) and strive to maintain a higher physical apptitude.
In my opinion... I think pushing for higher standards on the PST is a lost cause. Instead, I would focus on finding those candidates that display the physical and mental responsibility on their own and quit attempting to lead them by the hand. After all, it is a "Special" program and requires a different breed of man. They should be preparing on their own and finding their own answers. I don't believe in charitable fitness. If they want it... They will come. Oh... And as usual, staff turnovers are unavoidable. OIC's tend to be "Old School". No matter what the latest fitness craze, good ole grinder PT will always prevail! Be proud of your success wilst incorporating Crossfit into the training schedule. If anything, the change should be in how you physically push the students from check in to graduation.
I agree the human body has not changed in the past ten years. As we know it takes centuries for adaptation to happen. We as humans are very arrogant to say the least, for some reason we think that we know it all, and the goals and limits we put on ourselves are perfect. The old adage “if it is not broke don't fix it”. We are limiting the human body by setting a limit on what we can and cannot do. I am very tired of this way of thinking. We are becoming more intelligent about how we eat and how we train, and just general wellness as athletes and operators. We are learning how to tap the potential of the human body more and more everyday. But yet we set these standards years ago and think they are adequate for today. This in a combat tactics would be considered complacency. We don't fight at the same standard we did ten years ago, we don't operate with the same technology we operated with ten years ago. We don't even physically train the same way we did ten years ago. So why is everyone so damn infatuated with our level of the PST. Yes it works but why limit our communities, why limit yourself.
Very good points. What if the PST consisted of five of ten possible events but were chosen at random or out of a hopper? This would put the responsibility on the candidate. Too many candidates and regular gym clients expect to be spoon fed preparation. Gyms aren't service stations where you can pass your car (body) to the expert and not have to worry about or understand what is happening. They are more like libraries as they facilitate or corroborate what I suspect or have discovered on my own. They open up new avenues of thought and action, inspire new ideas, and collect/disseminate the latest knowledge. Some books as well as ideas are outdated. Everything evolves. Records in sports achievements have evolved tremendously. With good training the athletically inclined person can achieve levels of performance that rivaled top tier performance of 20 or 30 years ago. Not to stray too far from the topic but what if we didn't have the current recruiting efforts? People who would be attracted to these programs would come regardless but now we are getting an inordinate percentage of the population that bring the traditional nuances of regular society. Politics and numbers get involved and now programs evolve in a variety of different directions, some to include better training methods and others to include different levels of accommodation. For example, if the current fitness trend says sit ups are bad and we employ crunches instead then we've made things a little easier. If we do this with most of the exercises and then institute a pre-program fitness/preparation plan then who can't make it through? Can the best trainer in the world prepare the worst athlete for anything? Probably. So what this comes down to, when considering the ease with which one can shift career paths, is nothing more than desire. What does a candidate have to do on his or her own if the code is cracked and the burden of responsibility for preparedness has shifted from the candidate to the program? My point is that the evolution of knowledge about training has been great but it's also made things a little easier for those who wouldn't find it on their own. A will forged out of steel is enough to find the necessary tools but when they get delivered to your doorstep they just aren't as appreciated.
Take the current recruiting push for example... Without these "standards" how would the government attract these "gamers" from their living rooms to the arena? I could be absolutely wrong here, but I believe that the "brass" somewhere aren't maintaining these standards because the test has the ability to predict who is/is not physically capable of the job... I think they MIGHT be smart enough to realize, that with the caliber of candidate today, these numbers appear within reach of the "average Joe" (with some form of athletic ability) and not only boost the flow of prospects through the program (hoping to get more out the other end) but also increase the ranks of the military branch!
After reading the above, I was reminded of another point. This PST is not and was not designed to predict an individuals physical capacity for the job, but rather to determine the candidates potential and probability of being trainable. There are different standards for different programs. (EOD 14:00 min swim v.s. SEAL 12:30 min swim) A SEAL candidate will be asked to perform a list of completely different physical tasks as compared to an EOD or Dive candidate during their training. Let me ask this... How does running 1.5 miles in 11:30 min or less prepare an individual to run 4 miles on the beach, in pants and boots, in 28 minutes? (Especially if they're only performing to "standard") It doesn't! This raises another question... Why not just require each candidate to perform to the schools exit standard up front in order to secure a spot in the program? This would satisfy the desire to change or raise the "standard" right? I would like to see the response to this :) Each program has a physical progression that is asked of it's candidates, leading to graduation. As I said in my previous post, the PST is like an interview for a job. When somebody submits their resume to an employer, they're asking for a chance to display what they have to offer (Picking up a phone and calling a Spec Op's rep) Once asked to the interview (PST) the individual is assesed based on their knowledge, experience, qualifications, etc... (Physical performance on the PST) If the interview-ee gets the job, he/she is usualy put on a probationary level that would involve extensive job training or what have you. (Special Program School) At the conclusion of the training, that individual would then start their normal job and hopefully begin collecting that huge chunk of change! (SEAL, Tech, Diver... Without the huge chunk) The schools these kids are screening for are not expecting them to know everything about the job before they apply. There is physical progression
There is a physical progression to the training, which eventually gives way to graduation of the program. In turn, MORE training!!!
To sum this up... The PST is not out dated. "IF" you're merely looking to assess an individuals fitness level to attend training. As operators, you will never be happy with the "standard" as you will expect (and should) higher levels of performance. I absolutely Love the idea on having a blind series of events to determine capacity! Sounds like another Selection program (Army) I'm sure you're familiar with... Maybe the special programs should only recruit from the physically superior based on overall health assessments and not physical performance evolutions! Remember, this is only to get you IN to the school and not the job... Right.
Case and point... How many candidates have you seen that struggle with the current "standard"? I can't count the number of kids that I've seen come up short during a screening! I would hope fitness levels improve through training as well as motivation. As stated before, the candidates were almost asleep performing the exit PST. Hmmmmmm.... Progression?
"My point is that the evolution of knowledge about training has been great but it's also made things a little easier for those who wouldn't find it on their own."
Not sure why I continue to debate this subject (PST "standards" being out-dated")? But I think that it's a very broad statement to make, without taking all sides in to consideration.
This begs the question... "Are standards too low and are we sacraficing the quality of our communities or is this generation producing a better equiped and more functionally adapted specimen?"
We're not born into this world with all the knowledge that we aquire throughout our lifetime, therefore it would be "old school" of me to shun somebody for learning differently than I did. If you're handed the seeds, grow them. If the communities ARE suffering (I don't feel that they are) I highly doubt it's because of novice physical screening numbers (which provide a ticket to the formal training) but rather an issue within the structure of the school house. (I don't believe that to be the case either.)
I think we all want to hear that, Crossfit has given opportunity and a new avenue to achieve greatness with better results. It's quicker, more adaptable, appropriate for the modern day warrior and just WAY more awesome-er!
Why we incorporate it in our preparation and reserve it until AFTER the completion of these schools seems to be an issue. If it's what we ALL want, why hasn't it replaced our traditional fitness regemine within the Special Programs Selection process? I think maybe the "T" word tends to stick out a bit to higher ups... The PST is merely an entrance fee to the main event. Everyone pays into the same pool and when the shot rings and the timer starts... Game on!
what would be a good sub for 500m swim?
ReplyDeleteIn terms of overall tax I would say row. The only issue is that the times don't translate. I think the row is more taxing. The recovery stroke doesn't require as much horsepower as the row, especially for good swimmers. Maybe a 2,500 mtr row?
ReplyDeletePerformance for the majority of the population is generally dictated by preparation. Doing well on this type of test requires monotonous preparation, i.e. training almost exclusively for the test. My philosophy is that I should be able to pass on any given day if this test was required for a particular job. The minimum standards (14:00, 42, 50, 6, 12:45) are easy enough for anyone with a modicum of fitness to pass. It's not a bad test when driving at 75% or higher. I look at each event being a warm up to the next and ending in an all out foot race. The swim is a good warm up, especially at 0630. Finished comfortably at 10:27, warmed up for push ups. 75 full range of motion whereas most people stop short of 90 degrees. Followed by 85 sit ups at an even pace. 20 dead hangs. 9:47 on the run. This was dictated by the fastest person until I passed him on the return. I started in the back and slowly reeled people in one by one. The pace out was slow. On the return I snuck up on his heels and then moved into his blind spot making him uncomfortable. He slowly picked up the pace as a natural reaction but couldn't maintain it. Getting close to another runner is like being a leach and drains them of mental energy. When I saw his spirit jump ship I turned on the afterburners and gained considerable distance. I find more interest in the strategy when running in a group than the splits and times. This was a slow 1.5 mile run but certainly exercised a different mental pathway.
ReplyDeleteMike
ReplyDeleteIt is funny you choose this. Chuck and I have been fighting tooth and nail to change this. We have been doing alot of experiments down here with cf and the students. After the fourth week of doing cf with the students, and we give them this test again, it is almost hard to keep them awake. This PST is outdated by 10 years at least. Maybe not the exercise but the numbers and times.
What's even funnier is that I didn't choose it. I had to do it for my quals. Completely agreed. Swimming is a skill period. You can be the fittest man on the planet but if you don't have the skill then you'll have the slowest swim, weakest clean and jerk, and anything else that requires skill. Every person employs a different range of motion for the push ups and sit ups. A good test measures one or two qualities in this context, skill or capacity. It is pointless to test a skill if a person wasn't taught or exposed to the skill first. Everything else in life works this way. Learn and then test. Capacity, on the other hand, is a matter of motivation. If the test is a mile run or sand bag drag then it's up to me to train myself. It would make sense to employ a test that encompasses the entire body and not just parts. This is also why an obstacle course is better than the PST. Plan to have a consortium next year. We'll change it and make history. Or at least try.
ReplyDeletePST FOR MASTERS
ReplyDeleteA TRIBUTE TO THE 15 FINALISTS
100 MUSCLE UPS
1 MILE RUN
100 BALL SLAMS
100 DOUBLE UNDERS
Witnessed By Turbo J.
Time just over 60 min
Is the PST itself really outdated? Performing a max set of push-ups in two minutes evaluates the same it did 10 year ago. The problem lies with the entire evaluation evolving from what is now an antiquated definition physical preparedness. To instigate sweeping changes in the assessment process, there must be a complete paradigm shift, a realization that appraising the fitness of personnel requires more than isolated tests of “strength” and “endurance.” A noteworthy task in an environment where you can request to execute the timed run on a stationary bike.
ReplyDeleteThe Navy now allows the use of the elliptical machine to assess fitness.
ReplyDelete44 tire flips with 10kg weight vest on. Had to make up a b-day wod. 12:?. Vid to follow.
ReplyDeleteI'm affraid I disagree with NDSTC...
ReplyDelete(Preface: Wrote this before Mike's reply yesterday... Took forever to write on an
iPhone so I'm posting it. Obstacle course idea makes complete sense)
The human body has not changed very much within the last 10 years or
so, nor has the concept of functional movement. Sure, I could agree
that "I too" feel more physically superior to the current Physical
Screening standard set fourth by the special program communities, but
I also understand that there has to be a some type of baseline.
Without one, how does an individual assess where he is currently at or
a program keep the "less likely to succeed" from getting in? What HAS
changed within the last ten years is how candidates have focused their
physical training thoughts. A paradigm shift insued itself into the
starving athletes searching for a more challenging way to crush their
bodies while yielding superhuman results. I strongly disagree that the
standards are out-dated. Why??? Like I said before, man hasn't
changed. The concepts we utilize today (Crossfit) were readily
available to us then. There just wasn't anyone around to lead us by
the hand and show us what to do. The real animals of "yester-year"
achieved physical superiority through trial and error and blood and
sweat. What works... What doesn't... How did you prepare for the PST
way back when? Could you have done better? As Mike pointed out,
training for this event as a whole, requires monotonous sport specific
training. Look at it from any angle, but to get better at any one
thing, you have to do more of it. Also, that's how a LOT of kids train
for these selection programs. Not EVERYONE does Crossfit. Another
important piece to the pie (and I'll back Mike's claim 100%) "most"
candidates fail to perform during each evolution with Full range of
motion. Therefore, they're cheating the system. Why have any standard
at all? If the numbers increase and the times drop in order to
accommodate man today (which doesn't exist) will form deteriorate
completely? It's all a balance. I feel incredibly comfortable with the
standards set fourth. What makes a good operator? Is it the guy who
aces the PST or is it the candidate that continues to meet all the
requirements and succeed through the training? I'm always reminded of
that story told by every training commands OIC... You never know who's
going to make it. The muscle bound guy or Olympic athlete falls to the
wayside, as the country boy from Kansas graduates with his Trident!
Funny how things work. The PST is only an interview. Special Programs
not only expect it's candidates to be physically hard, the also have
to express the mental fortitude. "IF" the OIC's story held true, what
type of success rate would these programs be subject to if the
standards were raised? Honestly, we'd probably work harder (or just
not be so lazy) and strive to maintain a higher physical apptitude.
In my opinion... I think pushing for higher standards on the PST is a
lost cause. Instead, I would focus on finding those candidates that
display the physical and mental responsibility on their own and quit
attempting to lead them by the hand. After all, it is a "Special"
program and requires a different breed of man. They should be
preparing on their own and finding their own answers. I don't believe
in charitable fitness. If they want it... They will come. Oh... And as
usual, staff turnovers are unavoidable. OIC's tend to be "Old School".
No matter what the latest fitness craze, good ole grinder PT will
always prevail! Be proud of your success wilst incorporating Crossfit
into the training schedule. If anything, the change should be in how
you physically push the students from check in to graduation.
I agree the human body has not changed in the past ten years. As we know it takes centuries for adaptation to happen. We as humans are very arrogant to say the least, for some reason we think that we know it all, and the goals and limits we put on ourselves are perfect. The old adage “if it is not broke don't fix it”. We are limiting the human body by setting a limit on what we can and cannot do. I am very tired of this way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteWe are becoming more intelligent about how we eat and how we train, and just general wellness as athletes and operators. We are learning how to tap the potential of the human body more and more everyday. But yet we set these standards years ago and think they are adequate for today. This in a combat tactics would be considered complacency. We don't fight at the same standard we did ten years ago, we don't operate with the same technology we operated with ten years ago. We don't even physically train the same way we did ten years ago. So why is everyone so damn infatuated with our level of the PST. Yes it works but why limit our communities, why limit yourself.
Very good points. What if the PST consisted of five of ten possible events but were chosen at random or out of a hopper? This would put the responsibility on the candidate. Too many candidates and regular gym clients expect to be spoon fed preparation. Gyms aren't service stations where you can pass your car (body) to the expert and not have to worry about or understand what is happening. They are more like libraries as they facilitate or corroborate what I suspect or have discovered on my own. They open up new avenues of thought and action, inspire new ideas, and collect/disseminate the latest knowledge. Some books as well as ideas are outdated. Everything evolves. Records in sports achievements have evolved tremendously. With good training the athletically inclined person can achieve levels of performance that rivaled top tier performance of 20 or 30 years ago. Not to stray too far from the topic but what if we didn't have the current recruiting efforts? People who would be attracted to these programs would come regardless but now we are getting an inordinate percentage of the population that bring the traditional nuances of regular society. Politics and numbers get involved and now programs evolve in a variety of different directions, some to include better training methods and others to include different levels of accommodation. For example, if the current fitness trend says sit ups are bad and we employ crunches instead then we've made things a little easier. If we do this with most of the exercises and then institute a pre-program fitness/preparation plan then who can't make it through? Can the best trainer in the world prepare the worst athlete for anything? Probably. So what this comes down to, when considering the ease with which one can shift career paths, is nothing more than desire. What does a candidate have to do on his or her own if the code is cracked and the burden of responsibility for preparedness has shifted from the candidate to the program? My point is that the evolution of knowledge about training has been great but it's also made things a little easier for those who wouldn't find it on their own. A will forged out of steel is enough to find the necessary tools but when they get delivered to your doorstep they just aren't as appreciated.
ReplyDeleteTake the current recruiting push for example... Without these "standards" how would the government attract these "gamers" from their living rooms to the arena? I could be absolutely wrong here, but I believe that the "brass" somewhere aren't maintaining these standards because the test has the ability to predict who is/is not physically capable of the job... I think they MIGHT be smart enough to realize, that with the caliber of candidate today, these numbers appear within reach of the "average Joe" (with some form of athletic ability) and not only boost the flow of prospects through the program (hoping to get more out the other end) but also increase the ranks of the military branch!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the above, I was reminded of another point. This PST is not and was not designed to predict an individuals physical capacity for the job, but rather to determine the candidates potential and probability of being trainable. There are different standards for different programs. (EOD 14:00 min swim v.s. SEAL 12:30 min swim) A SEAL candidate will be asked to perform a list of completely different physical tasks as compared to an EOD or Dive candidate during their training. Let me ask this... How does running 1.5 miles in 11:30 min or less prepare an individual to run 4 miles on the beach, in pants and boots, in 28 minutes? (Especially if they're only performing to "standard") It doesn't! This raises another question... Why not just require each candidate to perform to the schools exit standard up front in order to secure a spot in the program? This would satisfy the desire to change or raise the "standard" right? I would like to see the response to this :) Each program has a physical progression that is asked of it's candidates, leading to graduation. As I said in my previous post, the PST is like an interview for a job. When somebody submits their resume to an employer, they're asking for a chance to display what they have to offer (Picking up a phone and calling a Spec Op's rep) Once asked to the interview (PST) the individual is assesed based on their knowledge, experience, qualifications, etc... (Physical performance on the PST) If the interview-ee gets the job, he/she is usualy put on a probationary level that would involve extensive job training or what have you. (Special Program School) At the conclusion of the training, that individual would then start their normal job and hopefully begin collecting that huge chunk of change! (SEAL, Tech, Diver... Without the huge chunk) The schools these kids are screening for are not expecting them to know everything about the job before they apply. There is physical progression
(iPhone cut out sorry)
ReplyDeleteThere is a physical progression to the training, which eventually gives way to graduation of the program. In turn, MORE training!!!
To sum this up... The PST is not out dated. "IF" you're merely looking to assess an individuals fitness level to attend training. As operators, you will never be happy with the "standard" as you will expect (and should) higher levels of performance. I absolutely Love the idea on having a blind series of events to determine capacity! Sounds like another Selection program (Army) I'm sure you're familiar with... Maybe the special programs should only recruit from the physically superior based on overall health assessments and not physical performance evolutions! Remember, this is only to get you IN to the school and not the job... Right.
Case and point... How many candidates have you seen that struggle with the current "standard"? I can't count the number of kids that I've seen come up short during a screening! I would hope fitness levels improve through training as well as motivation. As stated before, the candidates were almost asleep performing the exit PST. Hmmmmmm.... Progression?
Say no to charitable fitness :)
Says it all:
ReplyDelete"My point is that the evolution of knowledge about training has been great but it's also made things a little easier for those who wouldn't find it on their own."
Not sure why I continue to debate this subject (PST "standards" being out-dated")? But I think that it's a very broad statement to make, without taking all sides in to consideration.
This begs the question... "Are standards too low and are we sacraficing the quality of our communities or is this generation producing a better equiped and more functionally adapted specimen?"
We're not born into this world with all the knowledge that we aquire throughout our lifetime, therefore it would be "old school" of me to shun somebody for learning differently than I did. If you're handed the seeds, grow them. If the communities ARE suffering (I don't feel that they are) I highly doubt it's because of novice physical screening numbers (which provide a ticket to the formal training) but rather an issue within the structure of the school house. (I don't believe that to be the case either.)
I think we all want to hear that, Crossfit has given opportunity and a new avenue to achieve greatness with better results. It's quicker, more adaptable, appropriate for the modern day warrior and just WAY more awesome-er!
Why we incorporate it in our preparation and reserve it until AFTER the completion of these schools seems to be an issue. If it's what we ALL want, why hasn't it replaced our traditional fitness regemine within the Special Programs Selection process? I think maybe the "T" word tends to stick out a bit to higher ups... The PST is merely an entrance fee to the main event. Everyone pays into the same pool and when the shot rings and the timer starts... Game on!