How do you make PT enjoyable?

For some people a little license is a good thing. Some of your soldiers are naturally going to be more fitness oriented than others. In one unit I was in, soldiers who consistently maxed out their PT scores were allowed to perform PT on their own oftentimes. At Ft Carson we would then get together and do things like run the Pike's Peak trail or other challenges that not everybody would be up to. I liked the extended runs personally, and especially since I was tall and running in the back of the formation with the yo-yo effect was always very difficult, not very productive (I found myself walking half of the time and sprinting the other half) and made people more prone to injury. Also, a half an hour or hour at the gym can be a lot more productive than an an hour of calisthenics with all the "smokin' and jokin'" that's built into regular sessions. Of coarse we always still participated in organized runs at Battalion level or up. More motivated soldiers will enjoy the chance to improve and enhance their fitness and not just match the least common denominator.

I retired after Desert Storm, but first deployed in 1966--a long stretch. I've also studied the development of fitness training for soldiers beginning in the 1930's. Here's my take: the mechanics of fitness programs are generally specified by exercise physiologists, and focus on very definable outcomes affecting strength, endurance, agility, and flexibility. They try to motivate the body to rise to requirements. Unfortunately, they often fall short of motivating the mind, which is just as important.

In the 30's and into WWII, exercise programs were formal and repetitive (setting-up exercises, rifle drills, hikes, etc.), and so they were disliked. During WWII there was a revolution. A TM published in 1944 changed that, recognizing that variety, competition, and morale were essential factors. The basic "setting-up" exercises that had dominated the Army day for decades were combined with grass drills, log drills, guerrilla exercises, combatives, competitive activities (not just what we used to call "organized grab-ass", but specific activities with specific goals). Thanks to the dominance of the airborne philosophy, runs started to replace hikes.

I saw the APFT change several times during my service (and since--I stay current as a consultant to the Army). I'm still a soldier inside, but also a human factors engineer. This is what I've learned:

1. Avoid fads. Focus on what is effective and mission-specific, not what is fashionable.

2. Vary activities. It's important to limber up, but after the setting-up phase mix things people like (e.g., competitive activities) with things people hate on principle but accept because their purpose is obvious (ruck marches).

3. Never forget we're serving the needs of soldiers, not gym rats. Keep it real.

4. Heretical thought: accept risk of injury. It will happen anyway.

5. Stop agonizing over reflective belts and the color of socks. Neither affects combat outcomes.

Sp4 Byron Skinner. The services have gone anal on this PT bull shit. It could only make sense to an officers to teach soldiers how to run. There is way to much PT for 95% of the military personal. I will agree that combat arms soldiers need to be physically fit and while in garrison that was taken care of just by routine training. I know all of you like those cute little PT uniform especially guys in mixed gender units but I can see not purpose for them. If you are going to need to use your body strength you are going to be in full battle rattle and bullets and blast shock waves and fragmentation all around the adrenaline pumping. PT should as it was done in combat uniform to include you assigned weapon. We are in a situation now where our generals can do six minute miles, but can't win wars. I doubt if MacArthur, Patton, Trescot, Patch or Bradley etc. I doubt could even walk a mile let alone run one, but they won wars and had leadership and didn't have time for such nonsense. Another point the majority of soldiers in base hospitals are there for an injury sustained during PT. This cost money, takes soldiers from their jobs and in all to many cases causes a premature termination of their military careers. The Gal/Guy that pushes the button on a drone that kills a party planting IEDS and kills fie or six folks that want to kill US soldiers doesn't need to be pass an PT test. In short officers who can't win wars need to find something for soldiers to do to keep their moral up.

Obstacle courses, never seen soldiers happier to be soaked and coverd in mud. Make sure to get 1sg permission fist. Found that one out the hard way...

We broke up the same old by having intersquad/platoon flag or touch football games, wind sprints, basketball ect there are so many ways to build morale and teamwork and make PT fun just use your imagination we even played duck duck goose and dodgeball

Remind people that civilians spend lots of money to join a gym in order to do what they're getting paid to do. It won't make PT any more enjoyable, but it does put it in a new perspective.

plank to the cha cha slide. https://www.facebook.com/haley.mahoney.1/videos/ [login to see] 01191/

Use your fitness to do something you enjoy. Ride a mountain bike, go skiing, play tennis. There are plenty to choose from, but you'll be better at anything you do if you're fit. That will motivate you through those endless miles of running, innumerable push-ups or crunches. Also, don't forget to take a day off so you don't burn out.

One of the best things you can do is promote a healthy competitive competition. Do sports days or special challenge days. Pick a day a week where you all go to a trampoline park or something instead of running, have a Platoon capture the flag or even company depending on the size of your company. there is also a zoombie run app that you need to have an open space and your phone and it tells you how fast to go and has different challenges as well

PT IS THE DEVIL!!! LOL Jk, I'm a PTL, I tend to make it competition with teams. I split everyone up that way all the guys who tend to score high on there on the PFT is helping everyone else out.