'Fitter' to fight: warrior ethos demands fitness evolution

Airman, July-August, 2008

Evolution and progression have been a way of life for the Air Force since its creation more than 60 years ago. But while many people focus oil the technological side of the evolution, there's a physical side as well.

You only have to look back less than five years when the Air Force tested Airmen's fitness with a bike test. Exercise was not part of Airmen's daily culture. Today the service marks four years under a new fitness program and, as of August, one year since the Air Force made fitness an integral part of all Airmen's performance reports.

The message is clear--our evolution to an expeditionary force also requires an evolution into a "fitter" force. But while fitness facilities across the Air Force are seemingly brimming with customers, many Airmen are still not tapping into their potential. For some, the operational tempo doesn't allow time for organized physical training. For others it's a profile that gets in the way. And for many, it's a lack of motivation.

The reality is, no measure of unit PT will reverse the excuses--being physically fit and ready to succeed in the deployed environment begins with each Airman. Each person has to make the conscious decision to get in shape. Not doing so can not only threaten his or her safety, but also the Safety of his or her wing man. Longer-term, both career and health are at risk.

Airmen must look past PT scores. Though a means of measurement, scores should only serve as a snapshot of a person's fitness, not a once-a-year affair they prepare for only to then resume a couch-potato lifestyle. Being fit to fight requires a year-round focus.

"Training to test won't help as much as a mix of cardiovascular, muscular and flexibility training," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley said in a message to Airmen last spring. "To successfully boost fitness levels, we must all make regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle a part of our daily regimen."

Fitness program directors like Byron Black, from the health and wellness center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, couldn't agree more. To develop a regular fitness program, Mr. Black said it comes down to a simple principle--the FITTER principle.

"It stands for frequency, intensity, time, type, enjoyment and rate of progression," he said, adding that applying this principle not only ensures a good program, but a program that a person can do long term--adapting and adding changes along the way.

"The key is picking something you enjoy, and applying the principle to ensure you're getting a good workout out at the same time," Mr. Black said.

How does someone do this? The American College of Sports Medicine recommends working out at a:

Frequency of 3 to 5 times a week at an ...

Intensity of 60 to 90 percent of maximum heart rate for a ...

Time of 20 to 60 minutes using a ...

Type of aerobic activity that uses a large muscle group that a person can ...

Enjoy doing, and one where they can monitor the ...

Rate of progression by--continuing to challenge themselves, workouts become easier.

While applying the FITTER principle to a workout may be simple, many Airmen are not sold on swapping their running, push-ups and sit-ups workout. After all, that's the standard. For those Airmen, a future injury may eventually change their minds for them.

"Running is brutal on the body," said Jim Wood, fitness center director at Lackland's Gateway Fitness Center. "Airmen should run occasionally to check their performance, but should use a variety of aspects of aerobic activity to gain better endurance."

And there's proof in this advice. Mr. Wood runs the fitness program specialized for Lackland trainees on "medical hold." He developed a circuit training workout to help trainees reach fitness goals.

"Circuit training enables them to find unique ways to work out," Mr. Wood said. "Though they're not running, we're building endurance, and we're doing it in a safer manner."

Fitness specialists like Mr. Black and Mr. Wood, who see thousands of new Air Force recruits, are no strangers to Airmen who develop overuse injuries. To avoid these injuries, they recommend adding more variety to workouts.

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"Most units have their Airmen run, do push-ups and sit-ups at PT, which makes it even more critical for Airmen to do something different on the other days," Mr. Wood says.

So, while running is easy and people can do it everywhere, it's not the solution for everyone. Not only do many find it boring, but injuries can result from overuse and heavy impact on joints.

What else can a person do? Here are just a few ways Airmen can become FITTER to fight.

10. Balance caloric intake: It's a simple equation: To lose weight, caloric intake must be less than calories output. While most Airmen focus on burning calories, the calories they ingest can have a negative impact. It's true: All calories are created equal. So why not put in calories that also positively influence a fitness routine--like lean protein, fruits and vegetables?

"If you think of your body as a car, then you know that the better grade of gas you put in your car, the better it will perform," Mr. Black said. "If you eat healthy foods, then your body will have good fuel to use during exercise."