Special Forces ultimate hell week

Larbre34 · 07-10-2021 11:59pm

Crawling through the storm drains at the Glen of Imaal barracks is very badly missed from this Cork based series.

Pussyhands · 08-10-2021 12:25am

The final the last regular season with literal torture. They were made kneel while handcuffed with headphones on with baby noises.

I couldn't handle that...that could seriously **** you up mentally for life.

VayNiice · 08-10-2021 12:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117957755#Comment_117957755

This is only 5 days, the real course is 36 weeks. These contestants know the difference but its still a great achievement to complete. Id say there are very few average Joe's who'd get through this 5 days.

Some of the real ranger course stuff is just too extreme for television. I've heard first hand of the recruits having to run hill sprints in gas masks and they can't stop until the last person has vomited in their mask. If you take the mask off before that point it's a fail.

jrosen · 08-10-2021 10:39am

I have really enjoyed it so far.

I do think the weight they had to carry should have been based on their size. It was almost half of what steph roche must weigh herself.

Laura put in a great effort. Melanie too. Peter stringer is a beast

dobman88 · 08-10-2021 10:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117991993#Comment_117991993

Tbf, they've mentioned the weight in previous series. Everyone is equal and treated the same on the course so everyone does the same tasks, carries the same weight etc. Which is how it should be. If you start making allowances for people, it makes a mockery of the thing.

Princess Calla · 08-10-2021 11:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117992019#Comment_117992019

No, I think the weight might be adjusted for girls.

The hike is always the event that culls the girls. I know myself even without a bag trying to keep pace with a man on a hike is extremely tough going. Their one stride is two of mine.

An "average" guy might make it through by the skin of their teeth on timings etc. An "average" girl won't. There are some events that biology just wins and this is one of them... in my opinion.

dobman88 · 08-10-2021 11:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117992140#Comment_117992140

I understand what you mean and your way of doing it would make sense on a team bonding exercise or some other light hearted stuff but look at it from the Army pov, you want the cream of the crop elite people and absolutely everything is equal.

Its not even that long since women have been allowed to go for the special forces, it was men only until very recently. If you started making allowances, it's going to cause rifts in the real world scenario. And because this show is supposed to be based on the real one, I think they're right to keep it all equal. Imagine how pissed you'd be knowing someone got throughbut carried half the weight you did. Would you trust that person to carry you out of a war zone after being shot?

Also, they would have known a weighted hike would be on the show and its probably the easiest one to train for. Stick a bag on your back and go for a few hours in the wicklow mountains or whatever.

straight · 08-10-2021 1:49pm

How did Darren O' Sullivan do. I barely noticed him

Man Vs ManUre · 09-10-2021 2:54pm

I see on my Instagram the Rory Story fella has a pic of himself and Goggins having a coffee together and saying they planning their next event. I guess Rory will expand his mental health talk from the building sites to the armed forces and gardai. What would we do without him.

Láidir agus Dílis · 09-10-2021 9:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117997502#Comment_117997502

He has some following on Facebook. A polarising character it seems.

Pussyhands · 09-10-2021 9:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117997502#Comment_117997502

That must have been why Rory was kept in for so long. He should have been booted off in the 2nd episode.

Be right back · 10-10-2021 7:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117992955#Comment_117992955

I think he left in the first episode.

Pussyhands · 10-10-2021 7:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118001812#Comment_118001812

No he left after the one where they were tied to the ground and water was let in. Episode 4 was it?

JustJoe7240 · 10-10-2021 7:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118001812#Comment_118001812

Left in the water tank challenge in Episode 4

Be right back · 10-10-2021 7:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118001814#Comment_118001814

Getting him mixed up with the Donegal lad so?

rob316 · 11-10-2021 4:26pm

Would they ever give stringer a challenge, he's a machine. Fair play to your man Mark too, doesn't look it but he's tough out. Rory wouldn't of got 100m on the climb before he cried so just aswell he dropped out earlier.

Apothic_Red · 12-10-2021 10:15am

Surprised Trimble went out as early as he did.

Thought there should have been some handicap system for backpack weight for the women.

FishOnABike · 12-10-2021 10:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118008002#Comment_118008002

If you start introducing a handicap system for backpack weight do you shorten the walk for people with shorter legs, give people who usually sleep eight and a half hours vs six hours for others a bit of a lie in, etc... ?

The formula is based on simulating part of army training. Everyone needs to be able to perform to the same minimum standard. If a participant doesn't make the standard, they don't make the standard, no exceptions, no allowances.

Láidir agus Dílis · 12-10-2021 11:41am

And so it starts.... Maybe it will help some people, and good look to him, and them. Wouldn't be for me.

'Rory O'Connor of Rory's Stories is well known for his comedy sketches, is a best selling author and is vocal about positive mental health. Rory has sold out venues across Ireland, has a large social media following and is currently appearing on RTE1 for Hellweek. The talk will take place in the Abbeyleix Manor.

During Rory's talk, he will share his own personal journey with mental health. Nobody thought Rory O’Connor would make it – written off as 'thick' at school, he later struggled to find a career he felt he could succeed in. When a hot tip led to a win on the horses it was the beginning of a dangerous spiral into a gambling addiction that gnawed away at his self-esteem even further.

How did the man struggling with depression who thought he had nothing to live for go on to become a stand-up comedian selling out venues around Ireland and reaching 1 million people through his social media platforms? This is Rory’s Stories - An Unexpected Journey to Self Belief.

Rory stresses the importance of knowing your own worth, being happy within your own life and also maintaining that work/life balance. He talks about his decision to follow his passion and the importance of finding passion in your own life - in whatever aspect that may be.

Although a serious topic Rory brings fun to his talks, mixing in some classic Rory's Stories to ensure everyone enjoys themselves but most crucially everyone walks away taking something from the evening.'

Pussyhands · 12-10-2021 7:03pm

Rory says Welcome after walking onto the stage...

Homesick Alien · 12-10-2021 11:18pm

I'm genuinely surprised at some of the nastiness towards Rory on here. To be calling out a guy with a history of mental health issues, who was way bigger than anyone else and so operating in a bigger calorie defecit, for being emotional? Seriously??

And for anyone criticising him for constantly crying, all those snippets are taken from the one interview they do after they leave the course. So if you're emotional for the interview you're likely to be so through the whole thing. You're just as sleep deprived then.

Muahahaha · 12-10-2021 11:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118011829#Comment_118011829

I havent got a problem with Rory as such but I do have a problem of this trend of minor celebrities talking about mental health and making money out of it as if they are some kind of experts in the field. The experts in mental health are psychiatrists so why has this important topic been outsourced to musicians and comedians? They are all over the media talking about it, never do you hear a proper qualified professional psychiatrst talking about it on tv and radio, i.e. someone with actual clinical experience across thousands of treated patients.

You wouldnt be happy with a comedian or musician flying your airplane so why would you be happy with them doling out out advice on a serious medical issue for many people. Thats the problem I have with Rory and Bressie and the rest of them grifting for the mental health dollar. Having a crappy 10 week diploma in 'wellness' does not make them experts in mental health when there are proper experts who study and practice in this field for years and years. The Irish media need to wake up to this and have psychiatrists on tv and radio talking about the problem, not musicians and comedians.

Láidir agus Dílis · 13-10-2021 12:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118011829#Comment_118011829

There were clips of interviews from day 1, corresponding to week 1, day 2 corresponding to week 2 etc. It wasn't Rory just crying in one interview at the end of his stay. All participants had one or two emotional lapses. Rory's were constant and he seemed totally self absorbed. You put yourself on a show like this you put yourself up for criticism aswell as praise.

Ultimate Hell Week is about mental and physical toughness. You should know your weaknesses, unless of course you want to go on the show for self promotion. Why had mental health to be shoe horned into this show, which was so enjoyable in 2019 and 2020? Surely there are better alternatives to promote mental health awareness...

Rory took up approximately one third of air time of the 24 contestants. It seemed RTE had an agenda with this celebrity show. Personally i wanted to watch contestants completing physically and mentally demanding tasks as in the non celebrity seasons. I didn't want to watch a man child bawling his way through most of the air time. If you've had mental health issues, as I've had, you go seek professional help, you don't apply for Ultimate Hell Week. It's only career building stuff.

Homesick Alien · 13-10-2021 12:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118011985#Comment_118011985

You just said it's about mental and physical toughness and then you question why mental health has to be a part of it? Would you not think that physical and mental health are obvious components?

Homesick Alien · 13-10-2021 12:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118011985#Comment_118011985

That's incorrect. It was only 5 days. Not 5 weeks. Clue is in the name of the show.

I'm fairly certain he didn't plan to be as emotional as he was. Nobody on this forum has any idea what it's like doing hell week. You yourself could be bawling your eyes out from Day 2 - the fact is you don't know until you're doing it. But just because you might have mental health concerns doesn't disqualify you from challenging yourself.

Homesick Alien · 13-10-2021 12:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118011933#Comment_118011933

For years in this country mental health was a taboo subject and this contributed greatly to growing suicide rates. The reality is people will listen to musicians and comedians on this stuff and that's why it's now part of the mainstream. No one wants to listen to a clinical psychologist drone on. I think there is a place for people with professional training, like psychiatrists, alongside people who have actual experience of suffering mental health trauma to speak on the subject.

Also your analogy about flying the plane is completely inane. More appropriate would be would you want to hear a comedian talk about the time they suddenly had to fly a plane and had no idea what to do? My answer would be yes actually, that would probably be funny!

JustJoe7240 · 13-10-2021 1:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118011933#Comment_118011933

I have yet to see any of the public figures actually doling out medical advice. They refer to their own experience and the resounding message from all of them is to being open to getting help if needs be. If they help a single person, great, If they can make a living off it, more power to them.

Your airplane analogy is total nonsense and in no way comparable.

The shaming on here of a guy for crying after a week of arduous physical challenges, sleep and food deprivation as well as being away from their families is absolutely pathetic and says alot more about them than the fella on the screen.

Láidir agus Dílis · 13-10-2021 1:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013299#Comment_118013299

Mental and physical thoughness way above the norm.

It's not a show for someone who cries at the drop of a hat.

Pussyhands · 13-10-2021 1:23pm

If there wasn't money to be made in the MINTL HILT trope, they wouldn't be half as quick to come out with that kind of talk.

I don't think Rory is in a fit state to go around giving talks on mental health when he was on the show for 3 days and was crying about not wanting to go home to his wife dead, how he has 3 kids to support and how his wife was so good for letting him do it. (He was gone for 3 days ffs) Or how he didn't want to give up as he didn't want to be seen as a quitter...he's far from a good example when talking about mental health.

There were 17 other participants in the show and not one of them kept on and on and on about their fears or their worries. Ryan Andrews started crying when he had a balaclava on because his dad was in ICU with covid and struggled to breathe and it reminded him of that. We heard about it once, not multiple times like Rory.

If Rory was booted off the show when he deserved to be booted off the show we wouldn't have had to put up with his whinging as much.

Láidir agus Dílis · 13-10-2021 1:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013354#Comment_118013354

When I say each week it's pretty obvious I mean what we see on consecutive Wednesday nights.

He's bawling after every task. Was kept on after failing at least 3 tasks, it's ridiculous the air time he was given to help him along his path of becoming an amateur Irish mental health guru.

I'm desperately poor on heights and wouldn't dare apply. He's been desperately poor at everything bar the minutes boxing.

What was an enjoyable show about people with extreme mental and physical thoughness has turned into the Rory's stories show.

And no, if you're in as poor health mentally as that you have no business on a survival of the fittest show on national TV. You'd be far better seeking professional help, working on your self esteem etc away from the cameras. This is coming from someone who has suffered with bipolar II. There are way too many charlatans popping up on the nouveau mental health bandwagon. Those are my beliefs on the subject.

Special Forces ultimate hell week

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