I'm getting email from women interested in knowing what they'll be expected to do at the tryouts for "American Gladiators".

My understanding is that these physical challenges were part of the auditions for the first season:

• 40 meter sprint
• Pull-ups (as many as you can do)
• Run a small obstacle course including 'blurpees', 'suicides' and some other traditional track & field training exercises

There may be others as part of the second season casting.

Additionally, aspiring gladiators and competitors are required to fill out a pretty substantial application package (downloadable here). It's a good idea to complete the form beforehand. Done right it could easily take a full hour to complete, and squatting hunched over on bleachers for an hour won't help anyone's performance.

Finally, NBC will snap photos and film video of anyone auditioning, and casting agents may also conduct interviews. There's a good "top ten" list of how to perform well on television here. Read it! I would amend it as follows:

1. Enunciate - especially make sure to avoid dropping the "g" at the end of words, and only use words you're really comfortable with. In your interview, do not use words you don't regularly use in conversation.
2. Wear darker colored workout clothing to avoid looking "washed out" on camera. This is especially important if you have a pale complexion.
3. Wear tight, rather than loose, clothing. Tight clothes will emphasize your physique, which is important for "American Gladiators".
4. Lean slightly forward - toward the camera - when speaking. Do not tilt your head backward or up.
5. Don't look directly into the camera unless specifically asked to do so.
6. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer, unless specifically asked not to. This will keep your eyes from wandering around, which looks bad on TV.
7. Stand still when being taped. Don't twist around or play with your hands. Be still.
8. Work on your "quotable quote" - have a trademark line that you want to convey to the audience. You need to tell the casting director why you should be selected for "American Gladiators".
9. Avoid drinking milk or any stimulants (coffee, Red Bull, etc). Milk often clogs a person's mouth and nasal passages, and stimulants can make people seem hyper and nervous on camera. Drink water only and be well-hydrated.
10. Practice. Have a friend interview you on tape and then play it back on TV and evaluate how it looks. Frame some of the video shots from the waist up, and do others from the shoulders up.

The casting call schedule for "American Gladiators" is here. Good look auditioning for "American Gladiators"!