| Chapter
10 - Developing the Program
The goal of the Army’s physical fitness program is to improve each soldier’s physical
ability so he can survive and win on the battlefield. Physical fitness includes
all aspects of physical performance, not just performance on the APFT. Leaders
must understand the principles of exercise, the FITT factors, and know how to
apply them in order to develop a sound PT program that will improve all the fitness
components. To plan PT successfully, the commander and MFT must know the training
management system. (See FM 25-100.)
Commanders should not be satisfied with
merely meeting the minimum requirements for physical training which is having
all of their soldiers pass the APFT. They must develop programs that train soldiers
to maximize their physical performance. Leaders should use incentives. More importantly,
they must set the example through their own participation.
The unit PT program
is the commander’s program. It must reflect his goals and be based on sound, scientific
principles. The wise commander also uses his PT program as a basis for building
team spirit and for enhancing other training activities. Tough, realistic training
is good. However, leaders must be aware of the risks involved with physical training
and related activities. They should, therefore, plan wisely to minimize injuries
and accidents. Steps
in Planning
STEP 1: ANALYZE THE MISSION
When planning a physical
fitness program, the commander must consider the type of unit and its mission.
Missions vary as do the physical requirements necessary to complete them. As stated
in FM 25-100, “The wartime mission drives training.” A careful analysis of the
mission, coupled with the commander’s intent, yields the mission-essential task
list (METL) a unit must perform.
Regardless of the unit’s size or mission,
reasonable goals are essential. According to FM 25-100, the goals should provide
a common direction for all the commander’s programs and systems. An example of
a goal is as follows because the exceptional physical fitness of the soldier is
a critical combat-multiplier in the division, it must be our goal to ensure that
our soldiers are capable of roadmarching 12 miles with a 50-pound load in less
than three hours.
STEP 2: DEVELOP FITNESS OBJECTIVES
Objectives
direct the unit’s efforts by prescribing specific actions. The commander, as tactician,
and the MFT, as physical fitness advisor, must analyze the METL and equate this
to specific fitness objectives. Examples of fitness objectives are the following:
•
Improve the unit’s overall level of strength by ensuring that all soldiers in
the unit can correctly perform at least one repetition with 50 percent of their
bodyweight on the overhead press using a barbell.
• Improve the unit’s
average APFT score through each soldier obtaining a minimum score of 80 points
on the push-up and sit-up events and 70 points on the 2-mile run.
• Decrease
the number of physical training injuries by 25 percent through properly conducted
training.
The commander and MFT identify and prioritize the objectives. STEP
3: ASSESS THE UNIT
With the training objectives established, the commander
and MFT are ready to find the unit’s current fitness level and measure it against
the desired level.
Giving a diagnostic APFT is one way to find the current
level. Another way is to have the soldiers road march a certain distance within
a set time while carrying a specified load. Any quantifiable, physically demanding,
mission-essential task can be used as an assessment tool. Training records and
reports, as well as any previous ARTEP, EDREs, and so forth, can also provide
invaluable information. STEP
4: DETERMINE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
By possessing the unit’s fitness capabilities
and comparing them to the standards defined in training objectives, leaders can
determine fitness training requirements. When, after extensive training, soldiers
cannot reach the desired levels of fitness, training requirements may be too idealistic.
Once training requirements are determined, the commander reviews higher headquarters’
long- and short-range training plans to identify training events and allocations
of resources which will affect near-term planning. STEP
5: DEVELOP FITNESS TASKS
Fitness tasks provide the framework for accomplishing
all training requirements. They identify what has to be done to correct all deficiencies
and sustain All proficiencies. Fitness tasks establish priorities, frequencies,
and the sequence for training requirements. They must be adjusted for real world
constraints before they become a part of the training plan. The essential elements
of fitness tasks can be cataloged into four groups:
(1) Collective tasks
(2)
Individual tasks
(3) Leader tasks
(4) Resources required for training
Collective
tasks. Collective tasks are the training activities performed by the unit.
They are keyed to the unit’s specific fitness objectives. An example would be
to conduct training to develop strength and muscular endurance utilizing a sandbag
circuit.
Individual tasks. Individual tasks are activities that an individual
soldier must do to accomplish the collective training task. For example, to improve
CR endurance the individual soldier must do ability-group running, road marching,
Fartlek training, interval training, and calculate/monitor his THR when appropriate.
Leader
tasks. Leader tasks are the specific tasks leaders must do in order for collective
and individual training to take place. These will involve procuring resources,
the setting up of training, education of individual soldiers, and the supervision
of the actual training.
Resources. Identifying the necessary equipment,
facilities, and training aids during the planning phase gives the trainer ample
time to prepare for the training. The early identification and acquisition of
resources is necessary to fully implement the training program. The bottom line
is that training programs must be developed using resources which are available.
STEP
6: DEVELOP A TRAINING SCHEDULE
The fitness training schedule results from
leaders’ near-term planning. Leaders must emphasize the development of all the
fitness components and follow the principles of exercise and the FITT factors.
The training schedule shows the order, intensity, and duration of activities for
PT. Figure 10-1 illustrates a typical PT session and its component parts.
There
are three distinct steps in planning a unit's daily physical training activities.
They are as follows:
1. Determine the minimum frequency of training. Ideally,
it should include three cardiorespiratory and three muscular conditioning sessions
each weeks. (See the FITT factors in Chapter 1.)
2. Determine the type of activity.
This depends on the specific purpose of the training session. (See Figure 10-
2.) For more information on this topic, see Chapters 1, 2, and 3.
3. Determine
the intensity and time of the selected activity. (See the FITT factors in Chapter
1.)
Each activity period should include a warm-up, a workout that develops
cardiorespiratory fitness and/or muscular endurance and strength, and a cool-down.
(See Figure 10-1).
At the end of a well-planned and executed PT session, all
soldiers should feel that they have been physically stressed. They should also
understand the objective of the training session and how it will help them improve
their fitness levels.
 STEP
7: CONDUCT AND EVALUATE TRAINING
The commander and MFT now begin managing
and supervising the day-to-day training. They evaluate how the training is performed
by monitoring its intensity, using THR or muscle failure, along with the duration
of the daily workout.
The key to evaluating training is to determine if the
training being conducted will result in improvements in physical conditioning.
If not, the training needs revision. Leaders should not be sidetracked by PT that
is all form and little substance. Such training defeats the concept of objective-based
training and results in little benefit to soldiers. Education
Teaching soldiers about physical fitness is vital. It must be an ongoing effort
that uses trained experts like MFTs. Soldiers must understand why the program
is organized the way it is and what the basic fitness principles are. When they
know why they are training in a certain way, they are more likely to wholeheartedly
take part. This makes the training more effective.
Education also helps the
Army develop its total fitness concept. Total fitness should be reinforced throughout
each soldier’s career. Classroom instruction in subjects such as principles of
exercise, diet and nutrition, tobacco cessation, and stress management should
be held at regular intervals. Local “Fit to Win” coordinators (AR 600-63) can
help develop classes on such subjects. Common
Errors
There are some common errors in unit programs. The most common
error concerns the use of unit runs. When all soldiers must run at the same pace
as with a unit run, many do not receive a training effect because they do not
reach their training heart rate (THR). The least-fit soldiers of the unit may
be at risk because they may be training at heart rates above their THR. Another
error is exclusively using activities such as the “daily dozen.” These exercises
emphasize form over substance and do little to improve fitness.
Yet another
error is failing to strike a balance in a PT program between CR endurance training
and muscular endurance and strength training. In addition, imbalances often stem
from a lack of variety in the program which leads to boredom. The principles of
exercise are described in Chapter 1, and their application is shown in the sample
program below. A
Sample Program
The following sample program shows a commander’s thought
processes as he develops a 12-week fitness training program for his unit.
Captain
Frank Jones’s company has just returned from the field where it completed an ARTEP.
Several injuries occurred including a broken foot, resulting
from a dropped
container, and three low back strains. After evaluating his unit during this ARTEP,
CPT Jones concluded that its level of physical fitness was inadequate. He thought
this contributed to the injuries and poor performance. The soldiers’ flexibility
was poor, and there was an apparent lack of prior emphasis on, and training in,
good lifting techniques. This, combined with poor flexibility in the low back
and hamstrings, may have contributed to the
unacceptably high number of low
back strains. Captain Jones decided to ask the battalion’s MFT to help him develop
a good unit program for the company. They went through the following steps.
7-STEP
PLANNING PROCESS
ANALYZE THE MISSION
DEVELOP FITNESS OBJECTIVES
ASSESS
THE UNIT
DETERMINE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
DESIGN FITNESS TASKS
DEVELOP
A TRAINING SCHEDULE
CONDUCT AND EVALUATE TRAINING ANALYZE
THE MISSION
First, they analyzed the recently completed ARTEP and reviewed
the ARTEP manual to find the most physically demanding, mission-oriented tasks
the unit performs. The analysis showed that, typically, the company does a tactical
road march and then occupies a position. It establishes a perimeter, improves
its positions, and selects and prepares alternate positions. One of the most demanding
missions while in position requires soldiers to move by hand, for 15 to 30 minutes,
equipment weighing up to 95 pounds. If his unit received artillery fire, it would
need to be able to move to alternate positions as quickly as possible. This requires
much lifting, digging, loading, unloading, and moving of heavy equipment. All
of these tasks require good muscular endurance and strength and a reasonable level
of cardiorespiratory endurance. DEVELOP
FITNESS OBJECTIVES
Next, CPT Jones reviewed his battalion commander’s
physical training guidance. It showed that the commander was aware that the unit’s
tasks require muscular endurance and strength and cardiorespiratory fitness. The
guidance and objectives issued are as follows:
a. Units will do PT five days
a week (0600-0700) when in garrison. In the field, organized PT will beat the
commander’s discretion.
Captain Jones determined that the major PT emphasis
should be to improve muscular endurance and strength. He based this on his unit’s
mission, training schedule, available resources, and on his commander’s guidance
and objectives. With this information and the MIT’s recommendations, CPT Jones
developed
the following fitness objectives.
• Improve the unit’s overall level of
muscular endurance and strength.
• Improve the unit’s overall level of
flexibility.
• Improve the unit’s average APFT score. Each soldier will
score at least 80 points on the push-up and sit-up events and 70 points on the
2-mile run.
• Improve the unit’s road marching capability so that 100 percent
of the unit can complete a 12-mile road march with a 35-pound load in at least
3.5 hours.
• Decrease the number of profiles.
• Reduce tobacco use. ASSESS
THE UNIT
The next step CPT Jones accomplished was to assess his unit.
The
MFT studied the results of the unit’s latest APFT and came up with the following
information:
• The average push-up score was 68 points.
• The average
sit-up score was 72 points.
• The average number of points scored on the
2-mile run was 74.
• There were six failures, two on the 2-mile run and
four on the pushup.
The MFT also recommended that the unit be assessed in the
following areas: road march performance, strength, flexibility, substance abuse,
and profiled soldiers.
Following the MFT’s recommendations, subordinate leaders
made the following assessments/determinations:
• Eighty-eight percent of
the company finished the 12-mile road march with a 35-pound load in under 3 hours
30 minutes.
• A formation toe-touch test revealed that over half the company
could not touch their toes while their knees were extended.
• Thirty percent
of the unit uses tobacco.
• Two soldiers are in the overweight program.
•
Eight percent of the unit is now on temporary profile, most from back problems. DETERMINE
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
The next step CPT Jones accomplished was to determine
the training requirements.
Training requirements are determined by analyzing
the training results and the data obtained from the unit assessment. The next
step is to compare this data to the standards identified in the training objectives.
When performance is less than the established standard, the problem must be addressed
and corrected.
Captain Jones established the following training requirements.
Units
will do flexibility exercises during the warm-up and cool-down phase of every
PT session. During the cool-down, emphasis on will be placed on developing flexibility
in the low back, hamstrings, and hip extensor muscle groups.
Each soldier will
do 8 to 12 repetitions of bent-leg, sandbag dead-lifts at least two times a week
to develop strength. The section leader will supervise lifts.
Each soldier
will do heavy resistance/weight training for all the muscle groups of the body
two to three times a week.
Each soldier will perform timed sets of push-ups
and sit-ups.
Each soldier will train at least 20 to 30 minutes at THR two to
three times a week.
Road marches will be conducted at least once every other
week.
Tobacco cessation classes will be established to reduce the number of
tobacco users. DESIGN
FITNESS TASKS
Once all training requirements are identified, the next
step is to use them to design fitness tasks which relate to the fitness objectives.
In developing
the fitness tasks, CPT Jones must address collective, individual,
and leader tasks as well as resources required.
Fitness tasks provide the framework
for accomplishing the training requirements. By accurately listing the fitness
tasks that must be done and the resources required to do them, the subsequent
step of developing a training schedule is greatly facilitated.
An example of
designing fitness tasks is provided in Figure 10-3 by using the activities which
might occur during one week of physical training.
The collective tasks for
the unit are to perform the following: develop muscular endurance and strength,
improve CR endurance, and improve flexibility.
The individual tasks all soldiers
must perform during the week are as follows. For developing strength and muscular
endurance, they must perform appropriate strength circuit exercises, PREs, sandbag
circuits, to include performing bent-leg dead lifts exercises, and training for
push-up/sit-up improvement. To improve cardiorespiratory endurance, they must
do ability-group runs, interval training, road marching, and they must calculate
their THR and monitor THR when appropriate. To improve their flexibility, they
must do stretching exercises during their daily warm-up and cool-down.
The
leader’s tasks are to organize and supervise all strength- and muscle endurance-training
sessions and CR training sessions so as to best meet all
related fitness objectives.
Similarly, the leader must organize and supervise all warm-up and cool-down sessions
to best meet the fitness objectives for
the development and maintenance of
flexibility.
To provide specific examples of leaders tasks in the area of training
for strength and muscle endurance, the leader will ensure the following:
•
Each strength- and/or muscle endurance-training session works all the major muscle
groups of the body.
• High priority is given to training those muscles
and muscle groups used in mission-essential tasks.
• Areas where weaknesses
exist, with respect to strength/muscle endurance, are targeted in all work-outs.
•
Problem areas related to APFT performance are addressed in appropriate workouts.
•
The duration of each strength training session is 20-40 minutes.
• Soldiers
train to muscle failure.
• All the principles of exercise, to include regularity,
overload, recovery, progression, specificity, balance are used.
In a similar
manner, the leader would ensure that the guidelines and principles outlined in
this and earlier chapters are used to organize training sessions for improving
CR endurance and flexibility.
The resources needed for the one-week period
are as follows: a strength room, a gym, a PT field, a running track and/or running
trails, and sandbags.
 Continue
to Develop a Training Schedule |
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