American Grit (2016–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Squat Till You Drop - full transcript

Previously on American Grit:

Go. Let's go.

- Let's go, Red.
- Pick it up.

In the last Evolution,

the teams set off on a race
for shelter, water, and fire.

- Yeah.
- Keep going, keep going.

Once again, Team Tee collapsed

and Rorke finally lost his cool,

and his team
crumbled around him.

Why did we change?
Why did we go short?

In the end, Team Nick
blazed to victory.



I am a fire starter!

Winning their first Evolution,

giving Team Noah their
first taste of defeat.

It just makes it so
much sweeter a victory.

Bodybuilder mom Lisa,
former NFL player Tony,

and world-ranked
triathlete Mario

went head-to-head in the Circus.

Mario! Mario!

Let's go, Tony.

Lisa was tough, but
collapsed in exhaustion.

That's it, that's it!

Tonight...

Your psyche and strategy will
be pushed to absolute limits.

Does Team Nick
have what it takes



to get back in the
winners' circle?

It feels good to beat Team Noah

but it feels even better to
be the first ones to do it.

But you got to keep
your mind focused

on the overall objective

which is win this whole thing.

We're the Marines.

How dare we have some Army kid

come in and take over our vets?

We need to show them
what we're made of.

Will Team Noah's first
defeat motivate them

to come back even stronger?

Rah!

It's tough to lose one
of our team members,

but my team has got their
eyes faced forward.

Whether it's a win or a loss
that will be behind us,

it will not bother us.

It will not faze us.

It will not break us.

Who will be the next contestant

to give up, ring
out, and go home

on American Grit?

♪ Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

♪ Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

♪ Whoa-oh-oh

♪ All alone now

♪ We in the fire

♪ Gonna burn it down

♪ Get out alive

♪ Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

♪ Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

There goes somebody.

That was the bell.

If it was Mario,
I'd shave my head.

Yeah.

Hearing the bell and not knowing
who it is was horrible.

Oh, I see the way it is.

This is weird.

I don't like to be
on the other side.

Isn't it weird being
on the other side?

- It's weird.
- Like, wait a minute.

Way to make it through, boys.

I got to say, I thought
Lisa was gonna survive.

She did not go down without
a fight, I tell you that.

It's hard to watch one
of your team members go,

but we are going to
come back fighting

and we're going to try
and win the next one.

So what is it going to be like

to do an Evolution
with one less person?

Like, we've all
experienced that,

so that's going to
be new for you.

It's hybrid vigor, you know?

Every time you Evolve,
you should get stronger.

I'm not calling
Lisa dead weight,

but she was the slowest
one on their team.

You know, they just
dropped off that caboose

and this train is
probably coming through.

We're going to carry a
little heart with us

and we're just going
to storm you guys.

So if you guys are ready to
storm back, let's rumble.

Yes!

Ready to rumble.

♪ ♪

- Oh! For real?
- I knew you'd remember this...

Oh, you remember
this piece of gear?

This is one of the most
elemental building blocks

of SEAL training.

It's called Log PT.

The reason I like this
thing is one, it sucks...

but also requires a
team to do it well.

The fact that this team lost

because we didn't
execute on a plan

that would have led to better
performance irritates me,

so at this point
in SEAL training

we use a little system
called "remediation,"

which to them is going to feel
a lot like team punishment.

When I say "ready,"
you say "ready."

- Ready?
- Ready!

Down.

Up.

One.

Down.

Up.

Two!

Ah!

Three.

I mean, we all know what the
Evolution is going to be,

but I need to make sure
their head's in the game,

so I want to do some workout

that gets them focused on
getting us to a Team Rorke win.

Down.

Up!

Four!!

- Up!
- Six.

- Down.
- Seven.

Up.

Nine.

Nine.

- Ten.
- It's written

all over Rorke's face.

He is clearly disappointed
not listening to him.

That's where we went wrong
in the last Evolution.

One, two, three.

One!

One, two, three.

- Two!
- Today, whatever Rorke says,

we're gonna listen to him

and we're gonna do whatever
he say and execute it.

Let's hop this
thing out of here.

♪ ♪

- Morning, everybody.
- Good morning!

It is the halfway point
in the competition.

I think everyone
gains a perspective

of, as the competitors
get few and few,

the competition gets
more and more intense.

That being said, here's
today's Evolution.

Today your psyche and
strategy will be pushed

to its absolute limit.

Only the most efficient team
will win this Evolution

and be safe from the Circus.

The Evolution itself
is called "Bridge It"

and it works like this.

The field we are standing
on now is 60 yards.

First team to cross it wins.

There are four different types
of obstacles on this course,

so you will have
to work as a team

to build functional
bridges to cross them.

You will face cable
wires, a huge wall,

40 yards to cross using
barrels and planks of wood,

and finally connect a maze of
poles using the same planks.

Make it to the final platform,

and your team wins
this Evolution.

Here's the catch.

As a team, you must
travel this 60-yard field

without your feet
touching the ground.

Mmm.

You fall at any time
and you'll return

to the start of that obstacle.

It involves a lot of,
as Rorke would say,

strategery.

The first team to successfully
cross this 60-yard field

without your feet
touching the ground

wins the Evolution

which means the
entire team is safe.

Cadre, who has the
greater advantage?

Rangers, SEALs, Army, Marines?

- Marine Corps.
- Tee, why?

'Cause this is so similar
to our Crucible.

I think that Rorke's team is
going to have a harder time.

Just a little too
complicated for SEALs

to comprehend what's
going on here.

He's just upset that there's
usually a height...

There's a height requirement to
play the game and he's, like,

really wrestling with

"I don't think I'm
gonna be allowed in."

That was a good one.

Shots fired indeed and we'll
back it up with strategy. Cadre?

Get with your team,
form a game plan.

We're gonna tie the beams
together at the middle.

- Yep.
- Lay it out.

We won the last evolution and
were safe from the Circus.

Our team is focused,
communicating perfectly.

If we just keep that dialed
in, we can win again.

Here's what I'm thinking.
You go up first.

You straddle the top.

You know, I'm happy that
Team Nick pulled off a win,

but I hope that's
their last one.

I hope we take the rest.

I don't want to have to
go back to the Circus,

so I'm hoping that with our
strengths and our strategy,

we can pull it off.

Let me talk you through this,

'cause I already have a
sense of what I want to do.

I know we can win
this Evolution.

This is one where I'm
going to be present

and able to give them
specific guidance

at each phase of this race,

so we should be right in it.

They're going to be
sitting up there

and bringing down
lower and lower...

Today's obstacle course
is going to be a version

of the Marine Corps Crucible,

which is a crushing
54-hour event

that one must do in order to
become a United States Marine.

And getting two people in sync

is a hell of a lot easier than
getting three people in sync.

Don't focus on them.
Focus on us.

Zone in.

Green!

Team Tee!

Hoo yah!

Competitors, at the ready.

Three, two, one, go.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa...
- Come on, Cam.

For the fist obstacle,

competitors must cross
a thin one-inch cable.

They may use the
rope for support,

but it's extremely loose,

so the teams must figure out
how to maintain tension.

So pull the slack down.
Pull the slack.

Okay, so we got good tension.

Yep, yep, take your time.

Good good. Perfect. Perfect.

No rush.

Mario has fallen.

He's going to have
to start over.

Off to the side just like that.

Take your time on
those last steps.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...

Ah!

- All right.
- You got it.

- All right, here we go.
- You're good, you're good.

- There you go.
- God!

- Mark to cross first.
- Just like that... perfect.

Cam, next.

Nice and easy. Yep.

And Mario third.
Real tight, come on.

Oh, right on, man.

Good. Good.

There you go.

Walk it.

There you go.

All right. All right.
There we go.

Oh, my goodness.

Mark, Clare, and David made
it across the first cable.

Let's see how they
do with the second.

- Nice, Jim.
- Come on, Cam.

Team Nick, the same. The same.

Team Noah and Team Nick
going head to head.

Right underneath. There you go.

Nice.

You good? Yep.

Keep coming.

I believe all of Team Rorke

is now set up for the
second platform.

Mario, get this rope.

Super tight. There
you go, first.

This is the first
race in a while

where we can be right there
having an influence.

I know I can add just a
voice that's distinct.

Give her a little bit of
slack if she needs it.

Not a competitor has fallen yet

on this half of
the cable bridge.

Hey, take the slack out.

Hey, take... go back.

Whoops, spoke too soon.

♪ ♪

- Stay steady.
- Jim continuing to fall.

Mario still trying
to figure it out.

Tony continuing to fall.

Even Mark looks like
he's in trouble.

Could it be a sign
of things to come?

God.

There you go.

Ah!

Ooh, Tony took a bad
spill over there.

Is anyone going to
make it across?

There you go. Nice.

Stay steady. Come on, baby.

Jim falls. He'll
have to start again.

Don't rush. Don't rush.

Get your tension.

Mario still can't figure it out.

- There you go...
- Ah!

Ooh.

Tony took a bad
spill over there.

We all keep falling
off the cable.

Take your time. Take your time.

I'm thinking, "Jim,
you're an idiot.

Get your crap together, man.
Get across this cable."

Don't look at them. Look at you.

Tony's struggling. He needs
to find his balance.

We cannot lose another
Evolution today.

Ooh.

Tee even getting
down in the mix.

Get back up.

Just get up. Get up. Get up.

Come on.

Mario once again has to
start from the beginning

of the obstacle.

Breathe.

Look at Team Noah.

Just stoic.

Moving forward.

God.

Dog! Mark!

Team Noah has reached
the second obstacle.

Here, all teams must tie
two planks together

to hold their weight

as they climb up and
over a ten-foot wall.

Hold them together.
Hold them together.

There you go.

Take your time. Take your time.

He's good. Okay.

Ah, yes, here we go.

Team Rorke to the next platform.

If this doesn't hold Mark,

we'll lose this
lead that we have,

and we can't afford to do that.

We need this win.

[(wood creaking]

Big Mark up and maybe hanging
out there a little bit.

Jim still trying
to figure it out.

Tony, let's go. Crawl
commando-style.

You're going to lay
your body on the wire

and you're going to crawl.

Team Tee making it across.

Using a commando crawl.

Very smart.

Jim, can you commando
crawl up here?

Just lay on it.

Come on. Grab the rope.

Use the rope.

- Watch that knee.
- Oh, you got it, baby.

- There you go.
- Come on.

Jim has adapted his style.

- Just like that.
- Yes, Jim!

- Nice, nice, nice.
- Come on, let's go.

Your feet are going to slide,
so stay close to the board.

Bind it right in there. Exactly.

I think it's gonna hold.

That does not look like
it's gonna hold anybody.

Shimmy up.

- Cam, go up first.
- Yep.

Cam, go.

Here comes David.

Team Noah, just using their
ingenuity and teamwork

to get him up.

Good, good.

Mark, Clare, and David
have great confidence,

but we lost our winning streak
and that set us back a lot.

Easy. There you go.

Boot's on it. All right.

This is anyone's
game at this point.

- Okay, there we go.
- Team Nick gaining ground

as Team Tee having a little bit
of trouble with the structure.

Flip the boards over.

There you go. Just
roll them over.

Just like that.

Now go up.

There you go.

All right, Clare.

All right, on top.

Team Noah arrives at
the third obstacle.

They must balance the planks
on top of the barrels

to bridge them across
A 40-yard gap.

And then, so we keep it small.

That's fine.

Ahh!

Are you all right?

Ooh, that hurt. Aah!

I'm sliding down and there's at
least three knots in this board.

Aah!

You all right?

Ooh, that hurt.

Aah!

And I'm finding them and you
know where I'm finding them,

and I'm yelling, man.

- Ah!
- Almost there, almost there.

- Ah!
- Almost there.

- Wha...
- Come on, Jim.

Okay.

Come on, KJoy.

Come on, KJoy, you got it.

Haze down.

Look at Mario.

Down, and now they begin
their quest on the barrels.

Get one in front of the other.

- Yes.
- Come on, guys.

Come on.

Team Nick is now
on to the barrels.

Team Tee falling behind.

Ivette sliding down a rather
risky plank structure.

Will this hold Tony?

And it does hold.

Every team now on to
conquering the barrels.

You're good, David.

Just slow and steady.

The thing about the
barrel crossing

is it takes patience.

If you're not careful,
you could fall off

and you have to start all over.

- Wait, wait, wait.
- Be careful.

You're doing great.

- Good job, Goldie.
- Good job, Goldie.

The three of us was built
for this type of challenge.

We're lean, we're strong,

and even though Team Noah's
slightly ahead of us,

we definitely feel like we're
still in the challenge.

- Good.
- Looking great.

- Good.
- Now Haze.

- You get up there to here.
- There you go.

- Nice.
- Easy. Easy.

- Be careful, be careful.
- Separate them a little more.

Yep.

One in front of the other.

Get it out a little bit more.

Which piece of wood
are we moving?

That one's moving.

All right. Slide it.

Team Noah efficient

but not exactly speedy

as team Rorke seems
to be catching them.

Got it?

Keep it as close
to you as you can.

Close. Good, good job, Goldie.

Finally, my team's
listening to me,

and we're now in second place,
knocking on the door of first.

We are close to getting a win.

The gap certainly closing.

Tony and Ivette have a
little bit of mojo going.

They're actually
making up some time.

I'm going to pass them
both to you, okay,

so just hold that for me.

This is where a mistake
will be crucial

as a competitor must go back
to the start of the crossing.

This is where it
gets interesting.

Nice and smooth.
Nice and smooth.

All right, KJoy.

Watch it, watch it, watch it.

- Ah!
- Damn it.

Nice and smooth.

Nice and smooth.

All right, KJoy.

Watch it, watch it, watch it.

- Aah!
- Damn it!

Ugh. My foot slipped,

and it was the biggest
balloon just being popped.

KJoy is a fall. Team
Nick back to the start.

Hey, calm down, guys.

Don't get frustrated.

Team Nick back to the
start of the obstacle.

But the other three teams are
inching their way forward.

Got it.

Come across.

Nice, blue. Nice.

Can you push out a
little bit further?

Yep.

Being neck and neck
with Team Noah,

if we drop a board now,

we're probably out of the race.

Hold up, Mario.

Keep on that a little bit

so you don't lose tension

so you can come across.

Come on.

Swing it around.

Almost there.

Don't let it fall.

We're two planks away
from the final obstacle.

We could finally win
a Evolution today.

Nice.

Team Noah first to reach
the final obstacle.

Ivette and Tony's
gaining on them.

They're in second place.

Uh-oh, and Team Rorke
is only one plank away

from the platform.

This one's the closest.

For the final obstacle,

the teams must balance the
planks and themselves

across the maze of narrow poles
to reach the finish line.

Easy.

That board is taking
a lot of weight.

Steady the balance.

Keep going. Keep pushing.

Let's go.

We're 15 feet away
from winning this.

It's about time the Marines
take home an Evolution.

I'm not losing this to the
Army or the SEALs today.

Listen to me. Listen to me.

Mario, you put this one
from here to here.

Trust that peg.

Nope, there's...

- Nope, nope, nope.
- All right, go the other way.

I don't want my team
to get distracted.

I need them to
stay in their lane

and focus on what they need to

and not worry about
the other teams.

I'm paying attention to them.

If they just keep moving
and concentrating,

we can pull off a win.

Let's go! Keep going.

Not too much in the middle.

Hurry up, hurry up.

Keep coming. Keep coming.

Yep.

We are right there.

We are right on their heels.

This is anybody's game.

Boom.

Clare is on the final platform.

Team Noah is seconds
away from victory.

All right, check it.

Stay on the bottom one.

We got to accelerate our speed.

That's what I'm talkin' about!

You've got David like a cat.

Right here. We're right here.

Nice and gentle. You got it.

- Go, go, go. Go, go.
- Let's go!

Boom!

Team Noah has won the Evolution.

- Yeah!
- Yeah!

♪

Clare: That was fun.

Awesome.

We're going to celebrate.

We're going to bask in
this one a little bit,

but we got to stay
focused, you know?

We got to get right
back on the pace,

get ready for the next Evolution

because we know that everybody
is still coming for us.

We get here 30 seconds earlier,

we're maybe on that
platform right now.

God! Oh...

That was bull.

That sucks with that one,
because we were on Team Noah.

We were there. We were
already in the mix.

Now we're going
back to the Circus.

We had that, though.
We had that.

Happens, guys.

I know KJoy and Jim both feel
responsible for the loss.

Jim had a hard
time on the wires.

KJoy, she did slip and put us
a little bit farther behind,

so it's going to be
a tough decision

who walks into the Circus.

Team Noah, congratulations.

You won today's Evolution,

and you are safe
from the Circus.

Seems as if all they
needed was a wake-up call.

Rorke, Nick, you must now
rely on your own strategy

and soon we'll find out

who you've chosen
to face the Circus.

Tee, in your case, Ivette
will face the Circus.

Tony is safe. He
survived the last one.

Back to base camp. Rest up.

I'll catch up with
you guys later.

All right. We start at 20.

Nice. Nice.

And I'm like, "Yeah."

He goes, "So you don't look
like a million bucks."

Haze said that she
would give me a kiss

if she won the last Evolution.

So part of me was rooting

for not only Team Reaper
but also Team Rorke.

I have to get up, Cam.

No, you don't.

I totally do.

I know.

Don't make that face.

I won't.

I won't go.

Get the out of here, Jim.

I truly was hoping today was
the day for you and Tony.

But the bottom line is that now

we're both back at the Circus

and I know you have
to go for sure.

The last person I would want
to compete against is you

and then second last is Goldie.

I know.

And it's probably
going to be Goldie.

It's probably going
to be Goldie.

And that would be devastating.

I don't want to lose
either one of you.

- No.
- Especially not you.

I know.

Serious.

I do not want to go up
against you at Circus.

Like, anybody but you.

I'd rather go up against Jim.

Ivette is so sweet,

but at the end of the day,

it is a competition.

First, you want yourself to win,

then you want your
friend to win.

If I have to go up
against Ivette,

that's just the
nature of the beast.

- All of this is all mental.
- Yeah.

And that's why I think that
you're the strongest one

in your team,

because you're more...
You're mentally strong.

♪ ♪

Look who's here.

Hey, guys.

What's going on?

Thank you for allowing me
to change your common room,

but I come also bearing
an award today.

We will be working out,

which may help you move a
little bit better out there.

I'm looking forward
to lift some weights,

it sounds like.

That'll be entertaining.

In the spirit of competition,

I'll take Clare on my team.

You two big guys can
split up on a team.

Two lifts, highest
pound total weights.

Let's do it.

I'm good. Yeah.

John Cena wants to
work out the team.

I think that's awesome.

But he better not underestimate
how strong my team is.

♪ ♪

185.

- Yeah, yeah.
- Look at that.

220.

185.

I was an Olympic athlete,

so I've done some
Olympic lifts before.

But Cena is definitely a beast,

and it comes to the weight room,

he doesn't play around.

Ah!

That's a miss. He's out.

Your total is 590 pounds.

That was good.

Clare, you're at 105.

Clare is tough as nails.

The rest of the cadre all know

that she is a force
to be reckoned with

and they all wish they
had her on her team.

Shall we dance?

♪ ♪

220, I believe that's
gonna round out at.

His arms are huge.

They're like my thighs.
No, not quite.

Maybe like your thighs.

I'm going to add
95 pounds to that,

but I'll go 315 next.

If I can lift that,
Clare and I win.

Okay. Go big or go home.

♪ ♪

Come on, come on,
come on, come on!

♪ ♪

Come on, come on, come on.

Yes. Nice.

- Whoo!
- Whoa.

Yeah.

Floor is flexing.

Our total's 755.

We win!

That was impressive,
but now it's my turn.

I'm going to take a
60-pound kettle bell

and I'm gonna go until
I can't go anymore.

All right.

Sounds good.

- Here we go.
- All right.

One...

two...

three...

four.

- Come on.
- Keep goin'.

Five. Here we go.

Six. Keep going, keep
going, keep going.

Seven.

Not everyone is cut out
for military training.

Keep going. Keep going.

- 14.
- You got plenty more.

- 15.
- Come on, push it.

One thing I learned in the
Army and with my injuries

is the mind will try to stop you

when the body can keep going,

and you have to
ignore those thoughts

and keep pushing on.

- Come on, you got it.
- Two more.

- Rah!
- You got it!

20, baby!

One more. That's 20.

- Get it!
- Yeah!

Yeah! Ha ha ha!

Whoo!

Super-impressive. So great.

Made my butthole hurt.

Who doesn't love the
elements, right?

Whoo.

Mother Nature seems
to understand

what we're doing here
at American Grit

as she knows one of you,
after facing the Circus,

will ring out and go home.

For weeks, we have
speculated that Team Noah,

although strong as a team,

if brought to this platform
as individuals would crumble,

and they would become weaker.

Team Noah was finally
bested in Evolution,

but in that failure
they took a step back

and somehow became
more efficient,

more powerful and strong.

So, here we are, guys.

I stare at the usual suspects.

Those who take the hard road
knowing that of that road,

of the three competitors chosen,

one competitor's
journey will be over.

So, it's time to find out who's
been chosen to face the Circus.

Tee, your team's back
is against the wall.

Tony, you survived
the last Circus.

You cannot be chosen to run.

That means Ivette,

you have been chosen
to face the Circus.

Please stand by Tee.

Rorke,

with Mario having smoked the
obstacle portion of the Circus,

a new course record by the
way, congratulations,

he is not eligible to be chosen.

You have two choices.

Explain your
decision-making process.

People ask all the time,

"How do you prepare for
what you're going to face

on the battlefield?" And
the fact of the matter

is that we inoculate
ourselves to it in advance.

We immerse ourselves in that
which is gonna cause fear,

gonna push you to a place
where you can't perform.

And to be honest,

everyone here is
battle-hardened.

That being said, Rorke,

who are you sending
to the Circus?

I've got this little
jumping bean over here

which is, you know,

exploding out of her
skin wanting to go,

but I'm going to deny her.

So I'm going to send
my girl Goldie.

Goldie, you've been chosen
to face the Circus.

I like pairing Goldie against
Ivette in this round.

I think Ivette has a leg up

with the option
of beating Goldie

in the actual obstacle course,

but the Circus as
best I can tell

is all about that
endurance platform

and Goldie can go
up against anyone.

I'm ready to take
another bite at it.

I feel like my team
has confidence in me.

I know Rorke has
confidence in me

and I have it in myself, so
I'm ready to go back in.

So you're ready to rumble?

I'm ready to rumble.

That leads me to Nick.

By winning the last Evolution,

all your players are essentially
back in the game for choosing.

Uh, for me it's not
really hard at all.

I think they all have the
intestinal fortitude

required to defeat the obstacle
course and the Circus.

Nick, that being said,

who are you sending
to the Circus?

A person who jumped out the
most and who I see myself in.

It's gonna be Jim.

Jim.

You've been chosen
to face the Circus.

And Jim's a tactician.

He has the mental stamina to
withstand this entire Circus.

Whatever you put
Jim in front of,

he's gonna come back.

Confidence is high
on all three teams.

Goldie, Ivette, Jim,

you have been chosen
to face the Circus.

But facts are facts.

One of you will give up,
one of you will go home,

one of you will ring out.

Prepare to face the Circus.

♪ ♪

You got it?

Yep.

Most important right now
is come back strong

so we can stay Triple T now.

I hate this packing

because I just have to
unpack everything tomorrow.

I know.

You're feeling good
though, right?

You know, I mean,

when you're going to the
Circus, it's risky.

It's always risky,
but I ain't scared.

I seen a lot scarier
things than a Circus,

trust and believe that.

On my 18th birthday,

I came home from school,

I chucked my clothes in a
garbage bag, and I left.

I left.

And it was really tough because I
had to leave my sister behind.

I had a lot of people tell me

I wouldn't amount to
anything in life.

But I faced it all,
and just like today,

I'm going to face this Circus

and I'm going to come out alive.

We'll see you back
after the Circus.

Yes, absolutely.

The people in this house,

they have become
like family to us.

- They have, yeah.
- You know?

Absolutely.

But during competition,
I'll say, you know,

"Hey family, uh, we'll see
you at the next holiday."

See you at the reunion.

I definitely have
respect for Goldie.

She is a competitor.

She's a tough lady.

I counted her out on
the first Circus,

and that was a mistake.

It's over.

It is over.

By no means do I plan on walking
through her or Ivette today.

But I will win.

I mean, I love you,

but go ring the bell.

It's time for you to leave.

Ring-a-ding-ding.

- It's not coming from the red.
- Ringadingading.

You show up to the
platform today.

What is the one thing
where you'd be like,

"Man, of all the stuff
they could choose,

I can't believe they chose..."

You know, I wasn't crazy about
that balancing event, you know.

Why?

Because anybody can
lose their balance,

you know what I mean?

I want something that's
going to test me,

try and get me to quit.

You do know Ivette has the
female course record.

She runs pretty fast.

Yeah. I'm not gonna celebrate
sending one of them packing,

but I am gonna celebrate
another victory for Team Nick.

When I left, my family
said, "Don't come home,"

because they know
what's at stake,

and they know that
I gave my word

that I was gonna come
here and not quit.

That's support from my family.

You say you're coming back.

Oh, yeah.

Right on.

I like to see that.

No doubt. Boston Strong, John.

Indeed.

He may think he's
in for a cakewalk

and may be sorely mistaken.

He's up against a young lady
in Goldie with an iron will,

and someone in Ivette who
I've seen do a complete 180.

You have been quite a story
in this competition.

A tremendous turnaround. Why?

Since I was young, I've always
been competing all my life,

and I'm competitive, and I...
I don't want to lose,

so if I feel as though
I'm going to lose,

that anger comes out of me

and you'll see a
different side of me.

And I'm not going to give up, and
Tony's not going to give up,

and that's another thing
that motivates me too

is not leaving Tony.

I know he can do this without me

and I know I can
do it without him,

but I don't want to
and neither does he.

Fear of failure is what drives a
lot of very successful people.

Best of luck out there.

Thank you.

She has her eyes
on today's Circus,

and her eyes on the finish line.

So you've said before
that this competition,

you are somewhat on a mission.

Care to explain that?

I left my niece at home
who just lost her mother.

I left two kids who...
very dependent on me.

I left... I left two jobs.

I work two jobs, not one.

I left a lot of things
behind to be here,

so I'm going to go out here

and I'm going to give it my all.

Good luck today.

All right. Thank you.

She has it in her DNA

to make it to the end
of this competition.

I think it involves
Rorke's leadership

to bring that out of her,

and he certainly did it
in the first Circus.

♪ ♪

Jim.

Ivette.

Goldie.

You've been chosen
to face the Circus.

Confidence in your
group is high.

But you are well aware that
your life in this competition

hangs in the balance,

and you are also aware

that one of the three of you
will have their last day

on American Grit today.

Let's talk about the test.

The test is called
"Squat Till You Drop."

When your test starts,

you will squat inside
this tiny 3x5 foot frame,

hold onto a piece of timber,

and on that timber you
will balance a cylinder.

This cramped frame is
the size of a child.

It will not be comfortable.

As you crouch, you will
begin to feel pain

within the first
couple of minutes,

but you must maintain
your balance and focus.

Should that cylinder fall,

should you exhaust yourself to
the point of leaving your frame,

you must ring out and go home.

This test will be taxing,

and you will be
pushed to the limit.

The competitor to arrive third
in the endurance platform,

their test begins immediately.

One minute later,

the competitor to arrive
second's test begins.

One minute after that,

the fastest competitor
through the obstacle course

and the one to arrive
first begins their test.

Nick, rather familiar test.

Anything to add?

Yeah, it's all going
to be all mental.

Being a sniper, I would find
the smallest place possible

and stay there for
as long as it takes.

It's all a mental game.

You guys know the test.

You know the advantages.

It's time to make your way
into the starting position.

Goldie.

Come on, Jim.

In the last Circus, Ivette
steamrolled over Haze.

She dominated,

so there's no reason she
can't do the same today.

Here we go, Goldie.

- Let's go, Ivette!
- Goldie, Goldie!

Jim's a tactician. Him
being the older guy,

he's had more life experience

and I think it's
going to come out

during the endurance
portion of it.

He just can't quit.

Let's go, baby. You got this.

You got this!

Yeah.

I think this is gonna
be an interesting one.

You got Jim, who's the oldest
competitor in the game,

so he's probably feeling that

so he needs to kind of be in
the right place to win it.

Ivette's feeling confident.

She's gone in there
and come back

and I think she can do it again.

Goldie's kind of the smallest,

you know, underdog-type
athlete left in the game,

but she... gosh, she proved
herself the first time.

I know she can do that again,
and so it'll be a battle.

All we ask is all you got.

Competitors at the ready.

Let's go, Goldie.

Three, two, one.

There you go, girl!
There you go!

♪

Everybody seeming to go

a little bit faster having
known the course now.

You got this, girl.

I'm impressed with
Goldie's run right now.

Oh, Ivette is out
to an early lead.

- Go, Jim!
- You got this, Goldie.

- Jim!
- Yeah, Jim.

Ivette the first
one up and over.

Let's go, baby.

Neither Ivette nor
Jim gets caught up

on the tail end of the net.

They're off to the
second obstacle.

Goldie hot on their heels.

I like it.

She's picked up the
pace of her first run.

I see you, 'Vette!

Looks like Ivette is up and over

the crest of the
second obstacle.

Jim right behind her.

We got ourselves
a bit of a race.

- Come on, Jim!
- Make that time!

Look at Goldie
right behind them.

- I dig it.
- Focus right now!

Come on, Jim.

It's your game, baby. Your game.

Nice and easy. You're good.

Get up there, Jim, start.
Start now, start now!

- Don't wait.
- Hey, Jim, get up there.

Look at this.

Ivette is stride for stride
with Jim on the Giant's Ladder.

Hey Jim, pick it
up a little notch.

Pick it up a notch.
Pick it up a notch.

You pick it up some, Ivette.

- Get ahead of him.
- Come on, Jim.

Nice! Nice! There you go.

-Come on, baby!

Jim is first over the ladder.

Ivette right behind him.

Okay, we got ourselves a race.

- Pick it up, Ivette!
- Yeah, baby!

- Let's get this, baby!
- Go, Jim, go, Jim!

Pick it up, Ivette.

Let's go.

Jim being a little aggressive.

Ivette taking a play
out of Jim's playbook.

They are neck and neck.

Jim and Ivette are
fighting for first place.

You know what you got to do.
You know what you got to do.

Somehow Jim got to the
Burma Bridge first.

Let's go, Ivette!

I'm seeing Jim cross the
Burma Bridge right now.

Yeah, Jim.

Ivette right behind him.

There you go, Ivette,
there you go!

Go, Ivette!

You got this, girl.

Come on, Jim.

Here we go, Jim.

Keep going, Jim.

Yes!

They are neck and neck

going into the last
few hurdle obstacles.

Where you at, Ivette?

Let's go.

Goldie had some reservations

on the heights last time.

I don't know if she's
gonna make it up and over

a little swifter... It is tall.

Jim is only seconds
ahead of Ivette,

- but can she catch up?
- Come on, Jim!

Here we go! Here we go!

It's gonna be a tumble!

I see Jim at the final net.

Remember, Ivette overtook Haze

on the final obstacle
on her last Circus.

Ivette's jumping right into it,

although Jim is very effective.

Oh, my goodness!

We got ourselves a
race at the end.

Jim's two feet are
on the platform.

He gets a two-minute
advantage in the endurance.

Ivette arrives second.

She will have a
one-minute advantage.

Great run by both competitors.

Take a breath. Take a breath.

You got a nice, long break.

Focus.

Stand up. You're good.

Get warm and get focused.

This is your playground, got it?

Come on, Goldie.

Better late than never, huh?

Good job, girl.

Goldie may have come out last,

but I don't think that's
gonna be a problem.

It looks like Jim and
Ivette are smoked.

Goldie, position yourself
inside the frame.

When it comes to the
endurance platform,

she's conserved her energy

so she's going to
be ready to go.

Once you get settled,

you cannot touch the frame
with any part of your body.

Don't look at them.

Stay right here.

Pick up the timber.

Balance the cylinder.

Just nice and slow corrections.

Stabilize.

Tilt it a little bit
back towards you.

She's in. Start the clock.

Find that spot where
you're locked.

Ivette, less than a minute.

Remember, this is where
it's going to be won,

and they're going to be
starting this thing in no time.

We are right here
with you, Goldie.

Ten seconds left, Ivette.

Make your way to
the frame please.

I see you, Ivette.

Focus in, baby girl.
Focus in, baby girl.

Focus, baby girl.

Focus.

Stabilize.

She's in. Start the clock.

Jim, you have one
minute, less than.

Once we get in our spot,
we're not budging.

Lock it in.

I'm right here. I'm right here.

This is it.

It's your game.

Jim, you have ten seconds.

Make your way to the frame.

Hey, Jim.

Good job, man.

You got this, Jim.

Yes, Jim.

Breathe. Relax.

Go ahead and pick
up your timber.

Nice, Jim.

Stabilize.

Everybody's in.

Now we wait.

Just hang tough, girl.
Hang tough.

Yep.

This is when their
backs start aching

and it's only going
to get worse.

Nothing physical.

All mental.

Just go to your
little happy spot.

Put that bubble around
you and stay there.

All three of you look calm,

but the pain must
be extraordinary.

The only way to make it stop
is for someone to give up.

Zone out. Ignore everything.

♪ ♪

Goldie, Jim, Ivette.

You've all been down
there for over an hour.

Keep it up. Keep it up.

She's shaking hard.

I'm looking at her butt.

She's shaking hard.

You got this, baby girl.

The reason she's saying
that is to psych you out.

You are good.

Trust me.

She's shaking. Trust me.

I'm telling you,

I don't think Ivette is going
to be able to keep her balance.

Am I sliding anywhere?

No, ma'am. You got it.

Just stay right where you are.

Stay freaking locked.

They just trying to
get in your head.

You got this. Easy, done.

You're good. You're good.

You see how she's telling
her to calm down?

Stay right where you're at.

She'll drop before you do
if you just stay locked.

Stay with it. Keep it there.

Go into this bubble and
ignore everything.

Come on, Jim.

Jim. Jim. Jim. Don't move, Jim.

Some teetering going on.
Some teetering going on.

No more mouth movement.

No more nothing.

Just stay in your zone.

That log does not move anymore.

No more.

You got this, Goldie.

Their legs must be burning
from staying in that squat.

We know it's burning, girl,

but you are strong.

It's tilting. You got to
roll this wood forward.

But I'm telling you,
it's teetering.

If it comes back to you, this
thing can teeter off, okay?

You hold it. You
give me one minute.

You give me one minute
of everything you got.

Just stay as perfectly
still as possible

or we're going home with this.

Hang in there, folks.

Hang in there.

You worked hard to get here.

You got to bring it a
little bit forward.

Little bit forward. You
understand what I'm saying?

Don't move, Jim.

Keep it there.

Stay in it, Goldie.
Stay in it, Goldie.

You got it. Keep it there.
Be careful.

You got it. There you go.

Don't move, Jim.

Focus on this.

Hang in there.

Think of the effort
you put to get here.

Hang in there.

- Ivette is out.
- Aah!

The Evolution is over.

- Here we go, Jim.
- No!

I told you. I told you.

That's what I'm talking about.

Thank you, Jesus!

I am so sorry.

I promise you, you got
nothing to be sorry for.

You got nothing to be sorry for.

We did it again.
We did it again.

You did.

I'm proud of you, Jim.

Goldie, Jim, you have
survived the Circus.

Come on up and
re-join your teams.

Ivette, it's time for
you to ring out.

We love you, Ivette.

We love you, girl.

I hope I showed people

not to judge a
book by its cover.

- I'm sorry.
- You didn't do anything wrong.

- I'm so sorry.
- You did everything right.

You did everything right.

You gave it all you got.
That's it. That's it.

Thank you so much.

I'm so grateful to have
had you as my cadre.

Ivette was the
backbone of our team.

She was able to inspire Tony
on a lot of these missions.

Her determination and
fire always impressed me.

Come on!

Our team is not gonna be
the same without her.

I'm honored to have
had you on my team.

Please don't give up.

Just keep running.

I know that they're proud of me,

but I still feel really bad

that Tony has to do
this by himself,

but I know he's tough and
I know he can do it.

Don't ever give up.

Just keep going.

I want you to win so bad.

And he'll always have Tee,
so I know he won't be alone.

I'm proud of you.

Like any experience, you know,

it makes you grow, and it
makes you a better person,

so I did learn a lot
from everybody.

I will have them in
my heart forever.

♪ ♪

Next time.

Time to wake!

The teams are in for
a big surprise.

Out and on the truck.
Out and on the truck.

We are going on a little
drive this morning.

Does Tony have enough grit
to keep Team Tee alive?

I don't see Tee,

and it's hard to not
have your cadre there.

Are you okay?

I feel like I haven't
made out in forever.

Who will be the next to give up?

Give me your hand, please.

Ring out...

- And go home?
- She's scared.

We're going to scare her more.
Let's run.