Chapter 3

           There’sanexercisecalledanisopush-up.Youliftyourbodylikeyouwouldinanordinarypush-up,thenyouholdthatposition.

           It’salotharderthanitsounds.Youcanfeelyourarmsandabstrembling,andeventuallyyouloseyoursenseoftime.Afteryou’vecountedsomethinglikethethousandthsheepjumpingafence,you’llbegtobedoingordinarypush-ups,anythingbutthis.Yourarmsaren’tdesignedtobepillars.Musclesandjointsaretheretoflexandbend.Flexandbend.Soundsnicejustthinkingaboutit.Butyoucan’tthinkaboutit,oryou’llfeelevenworse.You’repillars,hearme?Pillars!Nicestrongpillars.

           Muscleisn’treallyallthatimportantforaJacketjockey.Whetheraperson’sgripisthirtykilosorseventy,assoonastheyputonthatJacket,they’llhave370kilosofforceinthepalmoftheirhands.WhataJacketjockeyneedsisenduranceandcontrol-theabilitytoholdonepositionwithouttwitchingamuscle.

           Isopush-upsarejustthethingforthat.Wallsittingisn’thalfbad,either.

           Someclaimedisopush-upshadbecomethefavoredformofdisciplineintheoldJapanSelf-DefenseForceaftertheybannedcorporalpunishment.IhadahardtimebelievingthepracticehadsurvivedlongenoughtobepickedupbytheArmoredInfantryDivision-theJSDFhadjoinedtheUDFbeforeIwasevenborn.Butwhoeverthoughtofit,Ihopehediedaslow,painfuldeath.

           "Ninety-eight!"

           "NINETY-EIGHT!"weallcriedout.