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Ok I'll admit it, I'm a gym rat and like to do PT on my own because I know what I need, I know my limits and I know what I don't need. I've never found any benefit to Guerrilla drills, log PT or flipping gigantic tires and if I ever end up having to pull my HMMWV down the road I will be speaking with my mechanics.
Seriously though the majority of unit led PT I see is sorely inadequate and ultimately ends up with everyone doing what one person thinks they need to do. How can we say that we have an organization of professionals yet we don't trust them to take charge of their own physical fitness? Sure there are those soldiers that when confronted with a choice would rather not do PT but that just shows that they don't want to be here, easy fix.
The Army said I need to pass a PT test twice a year and meet HT/WT standards, got it, and I go to the gym nearly everyday to meet those standards, I don't need someone to tell me what to do. The Army also says I need to come to work everyday but no one comes to my house and wakes me up.
The point I'm trying to make is that disciplined soldiers will do what needs to be done even when no one is watching in order to meet the standard and accomplish the mission. The undisciplined soldiers won't and that will help us to get rid of them but we need to treat the good soldiers like adults. If they can't be trusted to do what's expected then we don't need them in the first place.
Seriously though the majority of unit led PT I see is sorely inadequate and ultimately ends up with everyone doing what one person thinks they need to do. How can we say that we have an organization of professionals yet we don't trust them to take charge of their own physical fitness? Sure there are those soldiers that when confronted with a choice would rather not do PT but that just shows that they don't want to be here, easy fix.
The Army said I need to pass a PT test twice a year and meet HT/WT standards, got it, and I go to the gym nearly everyday to meet those standards, I don't need someone to tell me what to do. The Army also says I need to come to work everyday but no one comes to my house and wakes me up.
The point I'm trying to make is that disciplined soldiers will do what needs to be done even when no one is watching in order to meet the standard and accomplish the mission. The undisciplined soldiers won't and that will help us to get rid of them but we need to treat the good soldiers like adults. If they can't be trusted to do what's expected then we don't need them in the first place.
APFT
Discipline
Physical Training
Fitness
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 30
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I agree. PT should either be completely overhauled to reflect a total fitness package or be reduced to an individual event where individual Soldiers are responsible for meeting Army goals and standards.
With all the benefits the Army provides, it might make sense to develop individual fitness plans through AKO, similar to what Daily Burn provides for civilians. Leaders can have input and approval and a single Co level MFT could be in charge of the whole thing.
That way every Soldier has an way to achieve Army physical fitness standards regardless of their preferred work-out routines, such as CrossFit, Spin, Zumba (::Scoff::), or body building.
With all the benefits the Army provides, it might make sense to develop individual fitness plans through AKO, similar to what Daily Burn provides for civilians. Leaders can have input and approval and a single Co level MFT could be in charge of the whole thing.
That way every Soldier has an way to achieve Army physical fitness standards regardless of their preferred work-out routines, such as CrossFit, Spin, Zumba (::Scoff::), or body building.
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CPT Zachary Brooks
Heck, even those who are "in shape" to do Crossfit have an above average injury rate. It has no place in the Army in my opinion.
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SSG (Join to see)
There aren't any studies backing those claims up, gentlemen. Anecdotal data is hardly scientific, and science is a great foundation for an effective fitness program.
If we as an Army are truly concerned about health and fitness then we should ask ourselves how many injuries runners sustain on a yearly basis? Look at how many Soldiers on Fort Bragg go down with profiles every year, where those Airborne Infantry love to run five days a week for PT? Why does the army ban shoes designed to help develop a natural and healthy stride and encourage others that make runners prone to injury?
If we as an Army are truly concerned about health and fitness then we should ask ourselves how many injuries runners sustain on a yearly basis? Look at how many Soldiers on Fort Bragg go down with profiles every year, where those Airborne Infantry love to run five days a week for PT? Why does the army ban shoes designed to help develop a natural and healthy stride and encourage others that make runners prone to injury?
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG Wyse. If you are referring to five toed shoes, you may want to read this article. http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/vibram-fivefinger-shoes-give-refunds-over-allegedly-bare-health-claims-n101301
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SFC (Join to see)
Running has always been that go to exercise for the Army, heck for all military branches but just because you can run 5 miles in 30 minutes doesn't mean that everyone can.
During my years in the Army I have run, jogged and marched thousands of miles, many times while in pain because someone was yelling at me to catch up or keep up.
The other day I had an MRI on a knee that was constantly giving me trouble. Results: no cartilage left, bone on bone contact. Treatment- steroid injections or full knee replacement neither of which is very pleasant.
During my years in the Army I have run, jogged and marched thousands of miles, many times while in pain because someone was yelling at me to catch up or keep up.
The other day I had an MRI on a knee that was constantly giving me trouble. Results: no cartilage left, bone on bone contact. Treatment- steroid injections or full knee replacement neither of which is very pleasant.
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I’m going to be honest. I think PT is a joke. It gets people from point A to point A1/2, meaning that if you’re undisciplined and out of shape, it’ll get you slightly better, maybe. Furthermore, those who have discipline and workout on their own time get negative effects from it in regards to their recovery from said individual workouts. Being in shape/fit is a culturally motivated attribute that is not a result of organized PT. In other words, if you show up to your unit and everyone goes to the gym and is in decent shape, odds are you’ll eventually start going with your peers and develop that similar interest. I’ve been to units that have and do not have this culture (PT is irrelevant in both). Lastly, I’m all on board for teamwork. It’s great and it most definitely correlated with positive results. With that being said, this teamwork development should be prevalent during that duty day within platoons/shops through tastings/missions. A good example of this is a solid FTX (shared hardships).
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Most of my career has been in the Reserves so I have not done much organized PT unless I am a an Army course. I recognize the importance of it, but my preference is to do it on my own. The few unit runs I participated in were great for morale, but not individual fitness.
When mobilized, I had a great commanding officer. She said PT is on you, but you better not fail your APFT. If you did, you were doing organized PT daily.
When mobilized, I had a great commanding officer. She said PT is on you, but you better not fail your APFT. If you did, you were doing organized PT daily.
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I completely agree with you but simply stated no everyone will do PT on there own. Frankly as long as they meet the Army Standard I dont care if a cook or the human resources clerk cant run a 12min 2 mile. There is the whole team building line of thought which has some merit to it. Most army PT is pretty ineffective. If we really cared about this as an organization mabey a strength and conditioning coach and a real free personal training would be avaiable at the BN level. We tried to do something like this with the Master Fitness trainer but its pretty much a failure. Just my opinion.
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Hats off to u big sgt u couldn't have said it any better. The pt that the army thinks works is closer to hurting a soldier than helping them.
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Yes, start treating people as adults & hold them accountable. If they can't maintain the standard after a few chances, kick them out. Organized PT is a waste of time in my opinion & it seems to promote resentment towards leadership & the organization. It's just a pain in the ass show put on so the Army. Unfortunately, it will NEVER go away because the Army is about tradition & keeping its old ways.
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I hear and understand where you are coming from. While I prefer the gym as well, I know as a senior it's not about me! If you feel that organized pt is a waste of time, then challenge your squad/team leaders to be more creative and challenging in their approach!!!
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Organized PT sucks. I agree that it serves a purpose. I dknt believe it's needed everyday. It hurts more than it helps. Organized pt is geared for one event. The run. Strengthening is better don't at gym. There's no way to overhaul it though. And people at the top are against changing it. They're too hyped for changing the IPFU to motivate you to do more. Lol.
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