Posted on Jul 8, 2014
Physical Training and fitness motivation without "abuse"...strategies? What has worked for you as a leader?
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I put a lot of effort into working on my platoon's PT with my NCOs. In combat arms, especially the BN I am in...there is a huge emphasis on all kinds of PT...APFT, RPFT, Cross Fit, ect... As the Medical PL, I put a lot of emphasis on making sure my medics are right there with the infantry.
When I first started out as PL, we had a pretty intense regiment of PT every morning that kept our guys in shape. However, our scores have recently gone down. A lot of it has to do with the effort that some of the less motivated Soldiers put in. They are passing, but not achieving what they should be.
What changed was the motivation used to push them during PT. There has been a lot of turnover in my Platoon over the past 1.5 years in terms of NCOs/E-4s. The old set of NCOs/senior E-4s were borderline abusive during PT in some people's opinions. My old PSG was also a drill sergeant at his previous assignment who was extremely strict and old school. There was a lot of calling out and spotlighting weak performers with not the most appropriate choice of words. Now there is much less of that due to the fact that I have NCOs that have been in trouble before for doing that at previous duty stations, even though based on the story, I would have sided with the NCO.
What I have seen is that the "Come on, run faster, you can do it! (Soldier continues to run at the same speed without even breathing hard)" does not work as well as 2-3 stud senior E-4s and NCOs yelling "Hurry up! You are holding up the entire formation...making us all late! Everyone, we are going to continue turning around until PFC (Soldier) starts putting in effort! Are you serious?!? Falling out?!?! Oh, you don't want to run anymore?? Just sit down...hey everyone PFC (Soldier) doesn't want to run so we are going to have to take turns carrying him back." Many would also say that the choice of inappropriate words thrown in these quotes that I did not display are a no-go.
What seemed like a better one to me was shuttle sprint penalties at the end of runs for missed time hacks or people falling out.
I like positive motivation and encouragement, but when you see people who have the potential to go hard and do way better than they are performing, that encouragement does not do anything for them. However, more and more folks tend to go to behavioral health, ect...in a stricter military environment.
I hear AIT, at least longer ones like 68W, have recently gone extremely soft. I get guys who show up with awful PT scores and are not very thick skinned...fragile.
What are your experiences or strategies with something like this? What do you consider abusive during PT situations like the ones described above?
When I first started out as PL, we had a pretty intense regiment of PT every morning that kept our guys in shape. However, our scores have recently gone down. A lot of it has to do with the effort that some of the less motivated Soldiers put in. They are passing, but not achieving what they should be.
What changed was the motivation used to push them during PT. There has been a lot of turnover in my Platoon over the past 1.5 years in terms of NCOs/E-4s. The old set of NCOs/senior E-4s were borderline abusive during PT in some people's opinions. My old PSG was also a drill sergeant at his previous assignment who was extremely strict and old school. There was a lot of calling out and spotlighting weak performers with not the most appropriate choice of words. Now there is much less of that due to the fact that I have NCOs that have been in trouble before for doing that at previous duty stations, even though based on the story, I would have sided with the NCO.
What I have seen is that the "Come on, run faster, you can do it! (Soldier continues to run at the same speed without even breathing hard)" does not work as well as 2-3 stud senior E-4s and NCOs yelling "Hurry up! You are holding up the entire formation...making us all late! Everyone, we are going to continue turning around until PFC (Soldier) starts putting in effort! Are you serious?!? Falling out?!?! Oh, you don't want to run anymore?? Just sit down...hey everyone PFC (Soldier) doesn't want to run so we are going to have to take turns carrying him back." Many would also say that the choice of inappropriate words thrown in these quotes that I did not display are a no-go.
What seemed like a better one to me was shuttle sprint penalties at the end of runs for missed time hacks or people falling out.
I like positive motivation and encouragement, but when you see people who have the potential to go hard and do way better than they are performing, that encouragement does not do anything for them. However, more and more folks tend to go to behavioral health, ect...in a stricter military environment.
I hear AIT, at least longer ones like 68W, have recently gone extremely soft. I get guys who show up with awful PT scores and are not very thick skinned...fragile.
What are your experiences or strategies with something like this? What do you consider abusive during PT situations like the ones described above?
Physical Training
Behavioral Health
Morale
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 3
I rarely used things like formation runs or the like. Everything was competition with a twist. Soccer with two full platoons and 11 balls on the field, Every man armed with his sleeping bag in a pillow case as a bludgeon. A goal gets you off the field until the next one. First team to get six balls in the other teams net gets 1 point. Typical game is 5 points. They spend more time beating on each other than kicking the ball. But its a good cardio workout and upperbody/arm workout. A ball out of bounds brings all balls out of the net, but gets the offender a 1/2 mile sprints until he can do one under 3:30 or he's run 2 miles.
Bull in the ring with a full platoon, first complete squad thrown out, 1/2 mile sprints until the entire squad comes in under 3:30 or they've run 2 miles.
Force march, someone drops out, someone from the squad carries the Marine's gear, the rest of the squad carries him on a stretcher until he can shoulder a pack and march on. Corpsman evaluation before coming off the stretcher.
Bull in the ring with a full platoon, first complete squad thrown out, 1/2 mile sprints until the entire squad comes in under 3:30 or they've run 2 miles.
Force march, someone drops out, someone from the squad carries the Marine's gear, the rest of the squad carries him on a stretcher until he can shoulder a pack and march on. Corpsman evaluation before coming off the stretcher.
One thing that may work is set the pace for the Platoon Run. Have one or two of your more mature NCOS stay in the back of the formation and encourage those who fall out to catch up. Once the individual drops back so far he is a drop. Other than having someone keep an eye on them don't waste your breath or effort berating them to keep up.
Once your platoon finishes the run, dismiss them and send them to shower.
The run drops that show up later get to run an extra mile with NCOS helping them out.
Counsel them and put them on remedial PT on their time with NCO supervision.
Once your platoon finishes the run, dismiss them and send them to shower.
The run drops that show up later get to run an extra mile with NCOS helping them out.
Counsel them and put them on remedial PT on their time with NCO supervision.
As you pointed out, peer pressure is an extreme motivator. You don't have to embarrass a soldier, but letting people know that you'll do U-turn on formations to pick up the stragglers, train to standard, not time (if it happens that it takes more time for that non-motivated soldier to meet the standard, so be it) and you will maintain unit cohesion (everyone stays to meet the standard as a unit).
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Good point Sir. Though it gets frustrating when it is done over and over yet those guys continue to just do enough to make the minimum standard. It makes everyone (peers) angry and want to call out the individual/be borderline abusive...especially if that Soldier lives in the barracks and those who achieve the standard live further away on post or off post (they need their breakfast/hygiene time).
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