It’s the age of comic characters come to life on the big screen. Blockbuster mega-hits like Spiderman, Avengers 1 and 2, and the recent Antman are inspiring young kids everywhere to grow up to be like superheroes—whether they aspire to a Hulk-like strength or Superman’s physique, comic craze abounds. Still there are some who have taken the call to hero-hood to the max by risking their lives to serve their country and there’s no one better suited for the role of drill sergeant than Antman star Paul Rudd’s very own personal trainer.
Richard Louis’ Team Eagle One Boot Camp — an outreach program for diverse young men — meets every weekend in Central Park where roughly 30 recruits cycle through each week preparing to face the most hardcore fitness test ever constructed—the Navy Seal recruit training at Coronado. Spectators gather in awe watching Richard push the trainees further than they ever imagined. “Recruits come in fairly conditioned already because they know what they’re trying to achieve. But my job is to see where they are and take them beyond that,” says Richard.
His strong yet encouraging presence sets the tone for a group’s extreme fitness program. “It’s absolutely necessary to have someone training you—somebody who’s been there who can show you the way to go,” says Richard. His time in the Trinidad Tobago Regiment from 1984-1990 shapes the exercises for Team Eagle One. “I put them through what I went through along with more modern techniques that get them ready for training.”
For Richard, pushing the trainees past their breaking point is a must in order to build endurance and mental toughness. “It’s 60 percent mental and 40 percent physical. You might have physical strength, but the mind tends to give out before the body. You are going to be in pain and you are going go to be uncomfortable. But you have to be willing to push yourself through that,” says Richard.
It may seem like his method is extreme, but it’s only a fragment of the intensity the recruits will face in January when they try for their Navy Contracts. “What they do here is nothing compared to when they get to Coronado,” Richard says. He’s a drill sergeant, but he’s no bully and sideline spectators in Central Park can attest to his positive attitude and supportive instruction. “They inspire me. They’re going to be protecting us and taking a very difficult road. That’s something very few people can handle,” says Richard.
Without the instruction of Team Eagle On, it would be difficult for the trainees to rise to the level of focus and perseverance required to survive what lies ahead. It’s blood, sweat, and tears but it’s worth it for young recruits who want to succeed.
To learn more about Richard Louis’s boot camp go to www.teameagleone.com [verifying this link]. Groups meet on weekends on the Upper West Side of Central Park as well as in various locations in New Jersey. You can also learn more about Richard and his personal training at www.fitspace.nyc.
