Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is not for the faint of heart, and Olympic soccer player Christie Pearce Rampone learned that the hard way when, after only two days of selection, she had already jumped out of a helicopter, undergone a water submersion test, and physically fought Next Gen NYC star Gia Giudice.

With three Olympic gold medals and two FIFA Women’s World Cup wins under her belt, Rampone set out to rediscover that same adrenaline rush she felt back when she was competing. However, not even an illustrious career as a top-performing athlete could have prepared her for what was to come in Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

“I think in sports your preparation is getting you ready to play. Your fitness is for that sport and your game plan,” she told Decider. “You go into Special Forces, there is no prep work. The game plan is always thrown out the window.”

In this week’s episode of FOX’s hit series, Rampone was forced to fight Gia, whose mom, Teresa Giudice of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, voluntarily withdrew from the course moments before their brawl. For Rampone, the exercise was “really intense,” especially since she had never fought someone before.

“I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, I love Gia. How am I going to fight her now?'” Rampone recalled. “It was just so hard. I kind of warped her face into somebody else that I don’t really like. So, that made it a little bit easier to kind of get into that moment.”

When the former soccer pro stopped by Decider’s studio earlier this week, she also shared her daughters’ reactions to her decision to join Special Forces, which recruits she grew the closest with, and what viewers can expect to see in her one-on-one with the DS. Check out the full interview below.

DECIDER: I’m so excited to have you here to talk all about Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. What made you decide to sign on for this show?

CHRISTIE PEARCE RAMPONE: Honestly, I got the call and I was a little hesitant because I don’t know how to swim, I’m not great in water, but I was turning 50, so I was like, “Why not?” And I kind of missed that adrenaline from competing. So, what better way to face all your fears to get that adrenaline going again? 

You are obviously very athletic. You’ve played multiple World Cups, Olympics, etc. How did your background in soccer prepare you for Special Forces?

Not really. I think in sports your preparation is getting you ready to play. Your fitness is for that sport and your game plan, and everything. You go into Special Forces, there is no prep work. The game plan is always thrown out the window. You’ll see on some episodes when you’re actually with your teammates thinking you’re going to head into something, and this is what we’re going to do if this goes wrong, and then you turn the corner and it’s all out the window. So I will say having a fitness base probably helped a little bit, but it’s definitely more mentally challenging than physically. 

Have you watched past seasons of the show? Are there any moments that stood out to you that inspired you or motivated you during your time on Special Forces?

I’ve watched some clips. To be honest, I started when Carli [Lloyd], my teammate, was on it. When she got submerged underwater, I was like, “I can’t watch this show anymore.” [I] full-on panicked. It freaked me out. I was like, “I can’t watch her suffer.” I see her as a strong, crazy, independent woman. She’s rock solid. So I kind of pulled away from the show. Then when I got asked, I started watching clips and I was like, “I can’t watch anymore. I won’t go on.” I didn’t want to psych myself out before I actually got there. I wanted to face it straight on without having too much of some imagery of something not going well for somebody. 

When I talked to Denise Richards after last season, she said her daughters didn’t want her to do Special Forces. What did your daughters think of you signing on for the show?

They thought it was crazy. I told my oldest because I didn’t want to tell my youngest until after I was on the show. I told her I went to a yoga retreat. So when she saw me come back, she was like, “Mom, you did not go to a yoga retreat.” But [the oldest] was like, “Mom, I can’t believe you’re going to do this.” She was like, “I know you’re tough and you’re fit, but you’re going to face all your fears.” I was like, “Yes, straight on. Mom’s going for it.” You know what? I needed a little me time, kind of just to get away, put the phone away, and go into these challenges.

One of my favorite things about Special Forces is the bond that’s created among the recruits. Who did you become the closest with during your time in Morocco? 

I think my side of the barracks. When we came back in, I really got close with Shawn Johnson and Chanel [Iman] because they were right there. We were kind of bathroom buddies. And I just think [of] all the athletes on that side. The Deckers. I love Jessie [Decker]. She was so sweet and always had energy. I was like, “I don’t know how you have this much energy.” I was falling apart every day. I was getting affected by the heat, and she always lifted spirits. So that side of where our sleeping cots were got a little bit closer. 

We are going into Episode 3 and we’ve already lost three recruits: Brittany, Teresa, and Eva. Do you watch any Bravo shows? And does it surprise you that most of the Bravo girls were first to go? 

It was nice because I got to see people for who they were, seeing them face their fears. I was impressed with everybody, because once you get there and you’re getting screamed at by the DS, you start bonding and getting to know people. It’s hard, because you have mics on, to really get to know somebody. But I was impressed. You can definitely tell there was some fierce fight in Eva and Teresa. I was really impressed. 

In this week’s episode, you were forced to fight Gia Giudice. Can you walk me through what that was like for you? 

It was intense because I’ve never fought before. They call your number out, and you go over, and you’re getting the helmet put on, and you’re putting on the boxing gloves, and you don’t know who you’re facing. DS is talking to me and I’m like, “I’m just going to fake this ‘til I make it. I’m going to hit my gloves together. I’m going to act like I belong. I’m going to act like I do this.” Then I turn and it’s Gia, and I’m like, “Oh my God, I love Gia. How am I going to fight her now?” It was just so hard. I kind of warped her face into somebody else that I don’t really like. So, that made it a little bit easier to kind of get into that moment. But it’s such an adrenaline high, because it’s so quick, so fast, you don’t even know how to throw a punch. You’re just getting after it. And the DS is yelling at you. It’s intense. Really intense. 

As a mom, do you understand why Teresa left? Or do you think she should’ve stuck around?

It’s harder, I think [with] mother-daughter. With my daughter, because we go to the gym together, I’d probably be like, “Get after it.” But they have a different bond. I get the fact that she’s like, “Mama Bear doesn’t want to watch her cub actually fight.” So, I guess it’s that part of it. I can see why. I think originally I was supposed to fight Teresa, but she heard it wrong. I think she was so into the fact that she didn’t want to watch Gia fight. I think she was the one that I was originally supposed to fight, and then she pulled out … You just don’t know what’s going on in the mindset of all the recruits. And you’re just focusing on, “Okay, I’m fighting.” And after watching the boys fight prior, I was like, “This is no joke, this is real stuff, real time, I got to do it. Get into that mindset.”

The DS also hit you guys with the water submersion test only two episodes in, which is my personal biggest fear. What do you remember about that? 

Well, it was even more difficult because the recruit who went before me had an incident. I got to watch that live. I realized that’s my biggest fear and kind of went into a panic, tried to walk away, took some deep breaths, started crying a little bit. Then I was like, “Alright, I have to do this. I really have to do this.” The pressure — it’s not like just dumping your head in a pool. When you’re slowly going in, you have more time to think. You’re like, “Take the last breath at the right time.” And it’s cold. And then the pressure when you first go under, it does take your breath away, but you’re holding your breath in. Again, the game plan [was] out the window. I was just like, “Keep holding, you have more breath than you think, just keep going.” Eyes are shut. Lips are blown out. But yeah, it was an experience. After doing that, I was like, “I could do anything.”

That’s one that would terrify me. You’re trapped, buckled in, going under water.

Watching some of the clips back, I never even saw the guy that was behind us. You don’t even know that the safety’s that close to you because they’re talking to you. You’re in the mindset. You’re focusing. You’re remembering the cues that the DS is giving you because you have to listen to make sure you get the task right, so you’re not really even aware of what’s around you. So I was like, “Oh, I didn’t realize all those guys were there to actually help.” All I knew was that DS Rudy was just going to tap my arm and tap my partner’s arm to get out. It was crazy.

We’ve heard a lot of people talk about the bathroom situation, the food situation. What was the hardest thing about camp for you to get used to?

I think the lack of food because it was so hot. When I’m hot, I lose my appetite, so all I wanted was a [protein] bar. Just give me a bar. I didn’t even need food. It was just the timing of when we ate. I was usually so exhausted that I barely ate. And I regret not trying to get more down because then physically I was getting more taxed because I couldn’t recover. It’s was task after task after task, work out, work out. So that was  the hardest part for me — not really getting enough nutrition like I should have.

Then you’re in the heat. You’re probably not sleeping well. Those cots don’t look very comfortable. 

No, they’re not comfortable. It’s hot in there. And then I was flipping the side that I was sleeping on because the dirt was not as much on the one side, so I went the opposite way. The first night, I even put my sleeping bag on it. I was too tired. I was like, “You know what? If they call me, I’m not going to roll this thing up and put it in my bag. I’m just going.” You’re living in tough situations. And that tent was blowing all night, too. It was loud and windy. You’re hot. You’re basically falling asleep for 10 minutes at a time just because you’re exhausted. So you’re never really getting that full night’s sleep.

We get to know each recruit a lot better in these mirror room scenes. We haven’t seen yours yet, but is there anything you can say about how your one-on-one with the DS went?

I was in a good place. I actually did well in the task, so when I went in to do the interview, it was hard because at first I was like, “I don’t want them to know about me, because I don’t want them to use it against me. I don’t want them to know my fears.” I was very short-answered in the beginning, and then I started opening up. I’ve had some trauma in my life. I’ve gone through some tough times. I’m divorced. Things didn’t go well. Unfortunately, I have a full restraining order on my ex-husband. So I divulged some of that information because it was my time to release it as well. I dealt with so much after I retired. My last eight, nine years have been crazy. I got it off the chest and I can move on. It was kind of just my own therapy within that room.

I’m excited to see it. I love getting to know everyone on a deeper level. It adds a human aspect to the show.

Yeah. I’m not just a strong, crazy, independent woman who’s winning Olympic gold medals. No one knows what goes on within your household and stuff. It was definitely taxing, not only playing into my 40s, but then going through a divorce once I retired.

What’s the biggest thing you learned about yourself through this experience? 

Just be patient with yourself. I’m someone who just goes 100 miles an hour and never gives myself that grace. I think I learned it in the show. In the first three days, I was going 100 miles an hour, and the DS were like, “Slow down. You’re falling off the ladder. You’re failing.” But I was just like, “That’s all I know. I only know one speed.” Now it’s like, “Okay, you’re not who you used to be. Give yourself a little bit more patience when things don’t go so well.” So, I think I’ve learned to calm down a little bit, take it all in and enjoy life a little bit more. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.