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by L&T Health and Fitness

Understanding how the military trains will help you to design and implement military-style training programs in your facility.

Military training conjures up images of push-ups, sit-ups and running in the rain.Think GI Jane, An Officer and a Gentlemen and even Full Metal Jacket. While many military movies are purely fiction, the physical training the characters perform are often presented accurately. All branches of service take their soldiers’physical readiness seriously.

Following are examples of fitness programs designed for the military, or based on military training programs. These may inspire you to begin a military-type fitness class at your facility.

Physical fitness
The U.S. Army has a physical fitness school and research center for physical training in Fort Benning, Ga. Doctors, physical therapists and trainers work together to develop Army doctrine (Field Manual 21-20) that guides soldiers to develop not just good physical training scores, but a well-rounded fitness level. The Army Physical Fitness School travels to units to train officers and non-commissioned officers to lead safe and effective physical training programs based on current guidelines and proper biomechanics.

The more challenging the mission, the more challenging the physical training. Soldiers assigned to a special operations unit have little time for traditional fitness, as their workday is largely physical itself. Their workout motto is “time management,” and a 45-minute workout is typical. One soldier developed a plan with a personal trainer to increase muscular strength and endurance for the entire body. As this soldier says, “Stronger, faster and the endurance of doing it over and over again is the goal. It all has applicability to what I do on a daily basis.” The usual suspects are exercised — chest, shoulders, back, legs. But, of particular interest to this soldier’s workout, is a focus on improving grip strength. Biceps, triceps and forearm muscles are trained specifically because grip strength is important in the types of missions this unit executes. Dips to failure, cable tricep extensions and cable curls precede rope climbing and grip machines — anything to develop more strength in the hands and forearms.

Not-so-basic training
With such a fit population, you’d expect to find some high-tech fitness centers in the military. Each post or base has one or more fitness facilities, depending on the population size of the post. Often, these fitness centers are nothing fancy. The fitness center in the Pentagon, for instance, is located in an old bomb shelter.The fitness center in Wackerheim, Germany, is located in converted World War II horse stables. There are always exceptions to this rule, and the fitness center at Ft. Meyer, Va., is one of them. It is a beautiful, state-of-the-art building with enough space, natural light and equipment torival any private fitness center.

The programs offered at military Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites are fresh and often on the cutting edge of fitness. Classes such as step, hi-low, kickboxing, martial arts training and the like are typically offered at these centers for military identification card-holders or civilians working on the base. But, with spouses and civilians relocating every few years, there are always plenty of new and unique programs to be found. Instructors share ideas, and fitness managers are sent to yearly trainings to bring back the latest and greatest in fitness programming. Together, the teams of instructors and trainers offer innovative, safe and high-quality instruction.

In addition to military bases, fitness programs can be found at MWR resorts in Hawaii, Florida, Korea and Germany. Each MWR resort is self-sufficient, in that it does not receive taxpayer support for upkeep or operation. These resorts are a place for hard-working military personnelto relax and recharge their batteries. Because the military is so focused on staying fit, these resorts typically have tennis courts; access to nearby skiing, hiking or ocean swimming; fitness centers and classes; as well as specialty events.

Fort DeRussy Biathlon
The Hale Koa Hotel (www.hale koa.com), Honolulu, Hawaii, offers the Fort DeRussy Biathlon each March. Held on the hotel’s property, the distance in which participants compete varies by age: younger children, older children, and adult 5K run and 1K swim. Athletes of all levelsenjoy this event, and participants do not have to be in the military. The number of participants increases each year, with the 2003 total reaching 327. The oldest participant was 80 years old, and the youngest was three.

Kelley Hupp, parks and recreation director for the Hale Koa Hotel, works hard to ensure the event is safe and a success. Coordination with the Department of Nature, Land and Resources; Department of Transportation; and the Honolulu Police Department; as well as numerous staff and volunteers, helps the biathlon run smoothly. “The event promotes health and fitness…, and is truly a memorable experience,” says Hupp. Mary Branch, a participant in the 2002 Ft. DeRussey Biathlon, says it was by far the most exciting event she’s competed in. “You really feel like a winner,” she says.”Even if you aren’t at the front of the pack!”

Civilian boot camp
Military fitness regimens have become popular with civilians, and “boot camps” are popping up everywhere. Regiment Fitness, based in California and Illinois, trains civilians five mornings a week at “oh-dark-thirty.” President and CEO of Regiment Fitness, Joseph Casas, is a former Marine who employs current reservists and former Marines to help him run his successful boot camp. Regiment Fitness tailors its program to meet the needs of civilians who are looking for a motivating, challenging, fun and different type of workout. Participants progress through the ranks as they become more fit and better able to handle the next challenge.

Class size is small, so each participant receives one-on-one attention. Exercises focus on common physical training moves: sit-ups, push-ups, shuttle runs and flutter kicks. Many exercises the military espouses are difficult, so Casas and his team identify clients for whom this type of exercise may not be appropriate. A health history questionnaire and a survey about past exercise experience takes place before the first workout, and a doctor’s clearance is required. The four-week program is pre-planned, so that no matter who the instructor is, the workout is basically the same. Each instructor has a lesson plan that includes body parts to work, types of exercises, reps and sets. The protocol the instructors use has been evaluated as safe by not only the Marine Fitness School, but also a certified personal trainer.

Participants are given the Marine Physical Fitness Test at the beginning of the four-week program, and again at the end to chart their progress. Instructors give participants an authentic Marine experience — rain or shine outside — without pushing too hard. Casas says the instructors are the key to the success of the program. They need to be able to read people and know when they are physically tired and need to stop, or mentally tired and need a push. “These people are paying to get in shape, and we are here to motivate them to get there,” he says. Casas reminds his clientele that it’s not just the hour you workout, it’s also the 23 that you don’t. On that note, participants also receive simple and safe nutrition instruction.

Zen and the art of fitness
Not all civilian boot camps are about hard-core fitness. Take, for instance, Zen Boot Camp at the award-winning Miraval Spa (www.miravalresort.com) in Tucson, Ariz. Featured in the January 2003 issue of O Magazine and on a March 2003 airing of the Oprah television show, Miraval helps participants, many of whom are just there for a relaxing and rejuvenating week or weekend, look inward and focus on their bodies and health to make lifelong changes. “Life in balance” is the motto, and Nordine G. Zouareg, fitness manager at Miraval, leads Zen Boot Camp participants through the traditional push-ups, sit-ups and jumping jacks — with a twist.

In the warm-up, Zouareg asks participants to visualize their muscles, and shift their minds to their workout. Participants are encouraged to listen to their bodies, feel the blood moving to the working muscles and work on meditation. For many, the word meditation can be scary, so Zouareg instead uses words like concentration, and asks class participants to “be in the moment.” “You can work 10 times harder if you really concentrate on your body,” Zouareg explains. After the warm-up, participants are led through a traditional boot camp class. At the end of class, participants quietly sit or lie down and relax. It is Zouareg’s hope that the instructors at Miraval help participants take some of this concentration home with them.

A program for your facility
If your facility is looking to incorporate some military-type training, ideas are all over the Internet. Try www.turnstep.com for boot camp class ideas, or think of your old elementary school activities — shuttle runs, standing jumps, pull-ups and the flexed-arm hang. All can fit into a unique and fun experience for your class participants.

Hooah 4 Health (www.hooah4health.com) is another source for information. It was developed for the health protection and readiness requirements of the U.S. Army — particularly the reserve component — and has information on not only fitness, but also programming ideas based on military workouts. See the section on reserve physical fitness programs to learn what reservists are doing to increase their fitness, and download the Soldier Health Maintenance Manual.

One part of this website is the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) Calculator, a three-event test used to “provide a baseline assessment regardless of MOS [Military Occupational Specialty] or duty.” Just plug in gender and age, and out comes what the AFPT scores should be. The workout guidelines to maximize this physical training test are laid out starting with week one, day one. There are even some ideas to keep it interesting.

Another idea is Physical Training Poker, which requires shuffling a deck of cards and performing sit-ups for every red card drawn, or push-ups for every black card. Aces require 11 repetitions for those who are more fit, and one repetition for those who are less. Last — Man — Up requires a group of people to run in a line, with the last person sprinting to the front, then resuming the speed of the formation. The new last person then sprints to the front and resumes the speed of the formation, and so on. Don’t forget your whistle! It’s a must to give an air of authenticity to your new drill sergeant status.

Safety. Many of the exercises that the military considers a staple have been deemed unsafe by the fitness industry. The Army Physical Fitness School’s website (www.benning.army.mil) shares insight as to why these types of calisthenics are a necessity for soldiers: “The soldier that has never practiced jumping and landing in physical training is less likely to perform these movements safely and efficiently” in drills or combat. Functional fitness is a hot word these days, and, for a soldier, jumping, squatting, twisting and bending are just a few of the things their bodies are required to do in combat. For them, these exercises are functional.

The military trains hard everyday. With a little ingenuity, you can help your class participants train like the military, too. Whether outside or in, be creative in your planning — basic movements are all that is needed to give new life to old exercises.

Published with permission from:
Fitness Management Magazine 2005