Speed Skating?

It’s week six of “The Biggest Loser” and there’s more promotions for the Winter Olympics and new twists added to the competition. The competitors visit the training center in Colorado as they learn that the teams will be broken up. Yes folks the game has changed once again as one contestant will be eliminated automatically when they fall below the red line, then as two more people fall below the yellow line, one of them will be sent home. Its one brutal episode as family members must now compete against each other to stay on the ranch. It makes for one interesting episode.

As the yellow team proclaims they “will never pass this way again” and need to take this opportunity they are given. It’s a time where they are taught how to handle their food intake from the athletes’ nutritionists. Essentially do you want to be a sumo wrestler or a skier? The contestants must make the right choices. Having said that, there are some who would have had the chocolate cake instead of the sugar-free gum Bob offered Sunshine.

Then there is the Grey team who still can’t get over the Brown team (John) exiting the show last week. They need to get it together this week or they could go home. For Koli that means not running away from a challenge. For all the contestants it means circuit training with some of the gold-medal winning winter athletes. The workouts are insane as Jillian gives the athletes free reign “to punish them.” Oh yes we cannot forget the altitude – it’s more challenging to someone who’s morbidly obese when it feels as if you have a small child pressing on your chest and your back.

There is a mini-challenge that leads up to the big one. Consider it the contestants Olympic trials where they speed skate. The producers definitely threw this in for entertainment value as Allison Sweeney (host of “The Biggest Loser”) points out that “there’s a learning curve” to the exercise. Let’s remember that the contestants are now competing as individuals and the altitude is still a factor.

The major challenge is a biathlon where contestants will run around a field and take a shot at a target. The mini challenge comes back to haunt the “winners” as a new twist is added. The challenge is demonstrated by a Para-Olympian – who has one arm. One thing about “The Biggest Loser” is that it’s a show that challenges you to be better than you once were. And this is one challenge where the contestants fight for immunity with strong conviction and determination.

As usual the last chance workout is insane as the boot camp workout in Colorado is followed by a real workout back at the ranch. This is followed by a tension riddled weigh-in as Allison reminds the contestants of the rules and just how many people are being sent home. Of course there is yet another twist as the two contestants who are under the yellow line are met with one more challenge in order for them to stay. It’s definitely a torch burner.

Who will win the challenge to stay on the ranch? Stay tuned the Tuesday after the Olympics as yet another twist is implemented in this competition.