Posted on Feb 23, 2015
Mark Rippetoe's idea for military PT and PT Tests
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I have seen a number of discussions on RallyPoint concerning PT and I read this article awhile back that I think provides an interesting look at what the future of PT should probably look like. I think one of the most important things he says in this article is how the nature of the service member has changed. 50 to 100 years ago recruits were mostly coming from a farm or some other kind of manual/physical labor so they were already strong, this instituted the military's insistence on endurance training and testing rather than strength, and this persist through to today in which many recruits enter very weak and never build strength, merely endurance.
http://rhinoden.rangerup.com/are-you-strong-enough-an-interview-with-mark-rippetoe/
http://rhinoden.rangerup.com/are-you-strong-enough-an-interview-with-mark-rippetoe/
Strength Training
Physical Training
APFT
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 2
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The biggest advantage of the current Army Physical Fitness test is that it requires almost no equipment - just a flat grass field, a relatively flat track or road of known distance, and a stopwatch. The Marines need only slightly more, just a pull up bar. Likewise, training for these PFTs doesn't require much in the way of equipment. (And dirt simple running PT can be led by just about anyone - "OK, we're going on a formation run. We're going to run out for 20 minutes, turn around, and come back." It requires very little mental effort on the part of leaders.)
Strength training like Mr. Rippetoe advocates requires two things: 1) weights (and the space to put them in and use them); and 2) leaders, mostly NCOs, who have a thorough understanding of how to use weights for physical training, especially proper form and how to avoid injury when using them. And when it comes to weights, you have to have enough of them that troops aren't standing around waiting their turn any longer than the prescribed rest between sets. (The common phenomenon of 1 or 2 guys lifting while the rest of the squad stands around and watches has led the CSM of more than one of my units to ban soldiers from the gym during scheduled PT hours.)
Ironically, soldiers/Marines, especially combat arms types stationed at small FOBs/COPs, probably do better at training Rippetoe-style when deployed than at home station, for the simple reason that they can't really go running (they're confined to their FOB/COP except on missions) but they can lift weights, and the necessity of watch/duty rotations means not everyone is trying to do PT from 0600-0700, so they can rotate through using the equipment more easily.
Strength training like Mr. Rippetoe advocates requires two things: 1) weights (and the space to put them in and use them); and 2) leaders, mostly NCOs, who have a thorough understanding of how to use weights for physical training, especially proper form and how to avoid injury when using them. And when it comes to weights, you have to have enough of them that troops aren't standing around waiting their turn any longer than the prescribed rest between sets. (The common phenomenon of 1 or 2 guys lifting while the rest of the squad stands around and watches has led the CSM of more than one of my units to ban soldiers from the gym during scheduled PT hours.)
Ironically, soldiers/Marines, especially combat arms types stationed at small FOBs/COPs, probably do better at training Rippetoe-style when deployed than at home station, for the simple reason that they can't really go running (they're confined to their FOB/COP except on missions) but they can lift weights, and the necessity of watch/duty rotations means not everyone is trying to do PT from 0600-0700, so they can rotate through using the equipment more easily.
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SGT James Elphick
I agree with your assessment and had some of the same thoughts. It would be difficult for sure to implement but I think if the Army thought outside it's rigid box a bit it could accomplish this. PT for Combat Arms units doesn't necessarily have to be from 0600-0700, most of our days in garrison are spent sitting around unfortunately. That could be a great time for soldiers to go to the gym. They could even do both. Run in the morning, lift later.
The space issue and the weights though are where I get caught up. Just to have a gym large enough and stocked enough to incorporate something like a battalion would be enormous and expensive. Because as you said, there needs to be enough equipment for soldiers to be using and not having to stand around and wait. It also requires more training for leaders to conduct effective PT (this doesn't sound like such a problem/bad idea though to me).
MAJ (Join to see) what are your thoughts on the utility of strength training rather than conditioning as a PT paradigm for the military?
The space issue and the weights though are where I get caught up. Just to have a gym large enough and stocked enough to incorporate something like a battalion would be enormous and expensive. Because as you said, there needs to be enough equipment for soldiers to be using and not having to stand around and wait. It also requires more training for leaders to conduct effective PT (this doesn't sound like such a problem/bad idea though to me).
MAJ (Join to see) what are your thoughts on the utility of strength training rather than conditioning as a PT paradigm for the military?
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I am actually studying to be a personal trainer. NSCA TSAC-F (Tactical Strength And Conditioning - Facilitator) to be exact. It is geared towards Military & Emergency personnel. I think we all need to be in 'warrior shape' in order to maintain the force. The stuff I'm learning about can be done by everyone. It has the goal of making everyone strong enough & have enough endurance to perform their duty, even if you're at the 'stuck as desk sgt cuz i'm so outta shape' mode.
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SGT James Elphick
SSgt (Join to see) does the program you are learning use weights? Body Weight? Some combination?
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