| Phases
of Fitness Conditioning
The physical fitness training program is divided
into three phases: preparatory, conditioning, and maintenance. The starting phases
for different units or individuals vary depending on their age, fitness levels,
and previous physical activity.
Young, healthy persons may be able to start
with the conditioning phase, while those who have been exercising regularly may
already be in the maintenance phase. Factors such as extended field training,
leave time, and illness can cause soldiers to drop from a maintenance to a conditioning
phase. Persons who have not been active, especially if they are age 40 or older,
should start with the preparatory phase. Many soldiers who fall into this category
may be recovering from illness or injury, or they may be just out of high school.
Most units will have soldiers in all three phases of training at the same time. PREPARATORY
PHASE
The preparatory phase helps both the cardiorespiratory and muscular
systems get used to exercise, preparing the body to handle the conditioning phase.
The work load in the beginning must be moderate. Progression from a lower to a
higher level of fitness should be achieved by gradual, planned increases in frequency,
intensity, and time. Initially, poorly conditioned soldiers should run, or walk
if need be, three times a week at a comfortable pace that elevates their heart
rate to about 60 percent HRR for 10 to 15 minutes. Recovery days should be evenly
distributed throughout the week, and training should progress slowly. Soldiers
should continue at this or an appropriate level until they have no undue fatigue
or muscle soreness the day following the exercise. They should then lengthen their
exercise session to 16 to 20 minutes and/or elevate their heart rate to about
70 percent HRR by increasing their pace. To be sure their pace is faster, they
should run a known distance and try to cover it in less time. Those who feel breathless
or whose heart rate rises beyond their training heart rate (THR) while running
should resume walking until the heart rate returns to the correct training level.
When they can handle an intensity of 70 percent HRR for 20 to 25 minutes, they
should be ready for the next phase. Chapter 2 shows how to determine the THR,
that is, the right training level during aerobic training.
The preparatory
phase for improving muscular endurance and strength through weight training should
start easily and progress gradually. Beginning weight trainers should select about
8 to 12 exercises that work all the body’s major muscle groups. They should use
only very light weights the first week (that is, the first two to three workouts).
This is very important, as they must first learn the proper form for each exercise.
Light weights will also help minimize muscle soreness and decrease the likelihood
of injury to the muscles, joints, and ligaments. During the second week, they
should use progressively heavier weights on each resistance exercise. By the end
of the second week (four to six workouts), they should know how much weight will
let them do 8 to 12 repetitions to muscle failure for each exercise. At this point
the conditioning phase begins. CONDITIONING
PHASE
To reach the desired level of fitness, soldiers must increase the
amount of exercise and/or the workout intensity as their strength and/or endurance
increases.
To improve cardiorespiratory endurance, for example, they must
increase the length of time they run. They should start with the preparatory phase
and gradually increase the running time by one or two minutes each week until
they can run continuously for 20 to 30 minutes. At this point, they can increase
the intensity until they reach the desired level of fitness. They should train
at least three times a week and take no more than two days between workouts.
For weight trainers, the conditioning phase normally begins during the third week.
They should do one set of 8 to 12 repetitions for each of the selected resistance
exercises. When they can do more than 12 repetitions of any exercise, they should
increase the weight used on that exercise by about five percent so they can again
do only 8 to 12 repetitions. This process continues throughout the conditioning
phase. As long as they continue to progress and get stronger while doing only
one set of each exercise, it is not necessary for them to do more than one set
per exercise. When they stop making progress with one set, they should add another
set on those exercises in which progress has slowed. As training progresses, they
may want to increase the sets to three to help promote further increases in strength
and/ or muscle mass.
For maximum benefit, soldiers should do strength training
three times a week with 48 hours of rest between workouts for any given muscle
group. It helps to periodically do a different type of exercise for a given muscle
or muscle group. This adds variety and ensures better strength development.
The conditioning phase ends when a soldier is physically mission-capable and all
personal, strength-related goals and unit-fitness goals have been met. MAINTENANCE
PHASE
The maintenance phase sustains the high level of fitness achieved
in the conditioning phase. The emphasis here is no longer on progression. A well-designed,
45- to 60-minute workout (including warm-up and cool-down) at the right intensity
three times a week is enough to maintain almost any appropriate level of physical
fitness. These workouts give soldiers time to stabilize their flexibility, CR
endurance, and muscular endurance and strength. However, more frequent training
may be needed to reach and maintain peak fitness levels.
Soldiers and units
should always be encouraged to progress beyond minimum requirements. Maintaining
an optimal level of fitness should become part of every soldier’s life-style and
should be continued throughout his life.
An effective program uses a variety
of activities to develop muscular endurance and strength, CR endurance, and flexibility,
and to achieve good body composition. It should also promote the development of
coordination as well as basic physical skills. (See Chapter 10 for guidance in
constructing a unit program.) Types
of Fitness Programs
The Army has too many types of units with different
missions to have one single fitness program for everyone. Therefore, only broad
categories of programs and general considerations are covered here. They are classified
as unit, individual, and special programs. UNIT
PROGRAMS
Unit programs must support unit missions. A single unit may require
several types of programs. Some units, such as infantry companies, have generally
the same types of soldiers and MOSS. On the other hand, certain combat--service-support
units have many different types of soldiers, each with unique needs. Commanders
can develop programs for their own unit by following the principles in this chapter.
MFTs know how to help commanders develop programs for their units/soldiers.
Commanders of units composed of both men and women must also understand the physiological
differences between the sexes. These are summarized in Appendix A. Although women
are able to participate in the same fitness programs as men, they must work harder
to perform at the same absolute level of work or exercise. The same holds true
for poorly-conditioned soldiers running with well-conditioned soldiers.
To
overcome this problem in the case of running, for example, the unit should use
ability group runs rather than unit runs. Soldiers in a given ability group will
run at a set pace, with groups based on each soldier’s most recent 2-mile-run
time. Three to six groups per company-sized unit are usually enough. Within each
group, each soldier’s heart rate while running should be at his own THR. When
the run is not intense enough to bring one or more of the soldiers to THR, it
is time for those soldiers to move up to the next ability group.
Ability group running does two things more effectively than unit runs: 1) it lets
soldiers improve to their highest attainable fitness level; and, 2) it more quickly
brings subpar performers up to minimum standards.
It also allows soldiers
to train to excel on the APFT which, in turn, helps promotion opportunities. Holding
a fit soldier back by making him run at a slow, unit-run pace (normally less than
his minimum pace for the 2- mile run on the APFT) hurts his morale and violates
the principle of training to challenge. Initial
Entry Training (IET)
The training program in basic training (BT) brings
soldiers up to the level of physical fitness they need to do their jobs as soldiers.
However, the program requires good cadre leadership to ensure that it is appropriate,
demanding, and challenging.
Trainees report to active duty at various levels
of physical fitness and ability. During basic training they pass through the preparatory
into the conditioning phase. During “fill” periods and the first week of training,
the focus is on learning and developing the basics of physical fitness.
Training
emphasizes progressive conditioning of the whole body. To minimize the risk of
injury, exercises must be done properly, and the intensity must progress at an
appropriate rate. Special training should be considered for soldiers who fail
to maintain the unit’s or group’s rate of progression. Commanders should evaluate
each basic trainee who falls below standard and give him individualized, special
assistance to improve his deficiencies.
Additional training should not be
used as punishment for a soldier's inability to perform well.
More PT is not
necessarily better. Chapter 11 describes how to develop physical training programs
in IET units. Advanced
Individual Training (AIT)
Although AIT focuses on technical and MOS-oriented
subjects, physical fitness must be emphasized throughout. Most soldiers arriving
from basic training are already well into the conditioning phase. Therefore, AIT
unit training should focus on preparing soldiers to meet the physical requirements
of their initial duty assignments. (See TRADOC Reg. 350-6, Chapter 4.)
Walking,
running, and climbing during unit training contribute to physical fitness, but
they are not enough. Physical training in AIT requires continued, regular, vigorous
exercise which stresses the whole body and addresses all the components of fitness.
By the end of AIT, soldiers must meet APFT standards. With good programs and special
training, all healthy AIT graduates should easily be able to demonstrate that
they, possess the required level of physical fitness. TOE
and TDA Units-Active Component
There are many types of units in the Army,
and their missions often require different levels of fitness. TOE and TDA units
must emphasize attaining and maintaining the fitness level required for the mission.
The unit’s standards may exceed the Army’s minimums. By regulation (AR 350- 15),
the unit’s standards can be established by the unit’s commander, based on mission
requirements. TOE
and TDA Units-Reserve Components
The considerations for the active component
also apply to reserve components (RCS). However, since members of RC units cannot
participate together in collective physical training on a regular basis, RC unit
programs must focus on the individual’s fitness responsibilities and efforts.
Commanders, however, must still ensure that the unit’s fitness level and individual
PT programs are maintained. MFTs can give valuable assistance to RC commanders
and soldiers. INDIVIDUAL
PROGRAMS
Many soldiers are assigned to duty positions that offer little
opportunity to participate in collective unit PT programs. Examples are HQDA,
MACOM staffs, hospitals, service school staff and faculty, recruiting, and ROTC.
In such organizations, commanders must develop leadership environments that encourage
and motivate soldiers to accept individual responsibility for their own physical
fitness. Fitness requirements are the same for these personnel as for others.
Section chiefs and individual soldiers need to use the fundamental principles
and techniques outlined in this manual to help them attain and maintain a high
level of physical fitness. MFTs can help develop individual fitness programs.
Continue to Special Programs |
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