"The Downward Facing Dogs Of War"

RallyPoint Shared Content — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 15:59:59 -0400

This article was originally published on thedailybeast.com:
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The U.S. Army has been incorporating yogic exercises into its training program, but it’s not telling soldiers they’re doing yoga.

Four years have passed since the Army revamped what’s known as the Army’s Physical Readiness Training (PRT) program, and yogic exercises are increasingly incorporated into much of the new training. The twist? The Army doesn’t call it yoga in the Physical Readiness Training online tutorial.

“Included in the new PRT (Physical Readiness Training) are hip mobility drills and active cool-downs, some of which resemble yoga, such as the extend and flex,” said Corporal Evan Cooper, a former infantry squad leader. “This is a combination of downward facing dog and sun salutation, but not referred to as yoga in the military fitness world, while in the civilian world it is.”

Gaining first-hand perspective on how soldiers carry out their exercise on a daily basis and after the shock of boot camp, 1st Lt. Dave McCarthy, a platoon leader with the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment in El Paso, Texas, told the Daily Beast: “I’ve often been told to think of the physical readiness program as a way to maintain your current level of fitness and help prevent injuries. I try and vary up the conditioning through swimming, running, sprinting, and such.”

While wounded soldiers and veterans can participate in classes that are unambiguously yogic, as part of post-deployment programming, the Army is unequivocally getting its chataranga flow on with its troops in the pre-deployment phase—exercises seem to be taken directly from the teachings of yoga guru B.K.S. Iyenger.

What the Army calls squat position is essentially a precursor to crow pose in yoga—with benefits to the groin, core, and arms. Think the straddle stance looks an awful lot like mountain pose? They are spitting images of one another. What the Army calls prone position echoes yoga’s chataranga dandasana. And just like in yoga, the Army’s version has the elbows tight along the sides of the body at 90 degrees.

Regardless of the suggested exercises being yogic or not, this is not the main concern for McCarthy.

“In my opinion, the exercises suggested by physical readiness training program just don’t hit the level of intensity that I’d like it to be, even if we don’t yet have a set deployment date,” he said. “I use the suggested exercises as a boilerplate for my soldiers and intensify them all.”

For that reason, in times of pre-deployment, the Army uses a different standard of fitness training called Mission Essential Fitness (MEF) to whip soldiers into combat readiness.

According to Cooper, “It’s more akin to CrossFit than yoga, as the program involves sit-ups, push-ups, bar work, and ruck marching.”

Though no yoga exists in Mission Essential Fitness training, many fitness experts would argue most styles of yoga, when paired with this high intensity strength training, could help soldiers achieve even better what the Army intends from their current fitness training program: helping soldiers continue to fight and win.

How long will it take before we see yoga integrated in the Army’s Physical Readiness Training program?

To that question, McCarthy said, “I think that change is slower in the Army because we have pre-established notions of what works and what doesn’t work. When something new is introduced, it may not catch on right away because people may feel it is too light in a certain area of aerobic fitness or strength training, like yoga. But I’m open to anything that can get my soldiers the healthiest and strongest they can be.”

I may have to introduce McCarthy to our allies, the Brits, and their English National Rugby team, who practice something very much akin to power yoga. But for now, we’ll just have to settle on toy Yoga Joes honoring yoga for what it is, instead of calling it the extend and flex.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/05/23/the-downward-facing-dogs-of-war.html?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 2 at 2015 4:02 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:02:56 -0400

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/01/411202468/those-yoga-poses-may-not-be-ancient-after-all-and-maybe-thats-ok

Response by SGT James Elphick made Jun 2 at 2015 4:08 PM

SGT James Elphick — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:08:43 -0400

This sounds like a good thing. Besides power-lifting yoga is the only thing that has helped my back pain.

Response by SGT Alexander Hildenbrandt made Jun 2 at 2015 4:15 PM

SGT Alexander Hildenbrandt — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:15:09 -0400

Cross-fit works for military readiness to deploy and builds stronger team cohesion. Proven many times. Good luck to the kinder more gentler Army.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2015 4:17 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:17:35 -0400

Soldiers need functional movement exercises in order to prevent injuries. Yoga accomplishes this.
But I have to say, the worst PRT session I ever has was led by a sadistic yoga ninja. I was embarrassed and broken afterwards.

Response by MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2015 4:21 PM

MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:21:38 -0400

I don't think I've ever taken part in an organized PRT or yoga session, but the inclusion of yoga like movements and positions makes sense. I think it is pretty well accepted that yoga has benefits and it is probably good for Soldiers to not only focus on the traditional push up/ sit up improvement and running. Mixing it up also probably makes one a more adaptable athlete. Of course, if you don't want to call it yoga that is fine too, I doubt your body cares either way.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jun 2 at 2015 4:24 PM

LTC John Shaw — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:24:25 -0400

Flexibility is an area that we can use improvement, so I applaud the move. I am concerned about overall fitness, so the heart rate needs to get ramped up.

I don't want it to completely replace traditional pushup/situp/running. I concur with other commentary, strength training and cross training are important for all soldiers.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jun 2 at 2015 4:30 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:30:28 -0400

This is not the first time the Army has taken something and just called it Army Training or Comparatives or Music and crossed their fingers hoping people did not figure out where and what it was.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2015 10:02 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 22:02:05 -0400

Thank you for the info! I wouldn't have figured it out.

Response by CW2 Stephen Pate made Jun 2 at 2015 11:15 PM

CW2 Stephen Pate — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 23:15:22 -0400

Ummmm....what's this MEF stuff?!?!?

Response by Thomas Weissmuller made Apr 7 at 2016 7:53 AM

Thomas Weissmuller — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 07:53:16 -0400

Iyengar yoga is pretty gentle stuff. While no one should pursue exercise to the point of injury, all yoga should have intense components to it in order to be truly effective. "No pain no gain" still makes a lot of sense; just be sure it is not injury pain.