Physical Fitness, Training Volume, and Self-Determined Motivation in Soldiers during a Peacekeeping Mission

Military Medicine, Feb 2007 by Dyrstad, Sindre M, Miller, Blake W, Hallén, Jostein

Purpose: The goal was to register physical training volume and to measure changes in physical fitness in soldiers during a peacekeeping mission. The relationship between these factors and motivation for physical training was also investigated. Methods: Physical training volume was registered and maximal oxygen uptake, 3-km run time, sit-ups, push-ups, and chin-ups were tested before and after 1 year of service for 71 Norwegian soldiers in the international Kosovo Force. Selfdetermined motivation was measured at the end of the service. Results: Physical training volume was 117 ± 77 minutes/week. The average maximal oxygen uptake decreased by 2.5 ± 0.8% (p

Introduction

Physical fitness is one of the basic military skills required for soldiers to perform their tasks effectively. Regular physical training is therefore included in soldiers' obligatory educational programs around the world. Physical training facilities in military camps are also part of the welfare service. To improve the quality of physical training, it is important to evaluate training outcomes and how soldiers exercise. Many studies have evaluated the effects of physical training on soldiers' fitness during domestic military service, but such studies are missing for international military missions. Therefore, very little is known about the soldiers' physical training habits and how physical fitness develops in soldiers during international peacekeeping missions.

Motivation is important for health behavior performance and thus, to a great extent, health.1 It is postulated that understanding motivation is key to the health-promoting efforts of physical activity.2 To better understand how to increase motivation for physical training among soldiers, it is important to gain knowledge of why soldiers exercise. One of the major theoretical approaches in motivation research in sports is self-determination theory.3-5 Self-determination theory explains that individuals can be motivated for different reasons, which range from high to low levels of autonomy. Intrinsic motivation represents the most self-determined motivation and refers to participation in activities for the feelings of pleasure and satisfaction that are derived directly from participation.3 Extrinsic motivation refers to a variety of regulatory styles (i.e., external and identified regulation) and is characterized by an individual's goal of action being directed by an external consequence, such as a reward, benefit, or punishment.6 The least self-determined construct in selfdetermination theory is amotivation, which represents a lack of intention and a relative absence of motivation.7 Research has identified links between a physically active lifestyle and motivation and has found that individuals who identify training as important and see themselves as being physically active also identify themselves as being more intrinsically, rather than extrinsically, motivated.6,8 Much of the motivation research to date has been preoccupied with physical education settings and, to our knowledge, physical training in the military is a virtually untapped milieu for investigating self-determined motivation toward physical training.

The main purpose of the present study was to register the physical training volume and to measure the changes in physical fitness among soldiers in the international Kosovo Force (KFOR). We also wanted to investigate the relationship between these factors and self-determined motivation for physical training.

Methods

Participants

The participants were 71 male, Norwegian, infantry soldiers from one company in the international KFOR. The average age at the start of the study was 20.5 ± 1.8 years. Illness, injury, and leave of absence resulted in 12 dropouts from the tests of maximal oxygen uptake (VO^sub 2max^) and nine dropouts from the measurement of self-determined motivation. The body weight and body height of the tested soldiers before the mission were 80.3 ± 9.7 kg and 181.3 ± 7.4 cm, respectively. The study was approved by the regional ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from the soldiers.

Study Design

VO^sub 2max^, time to exhaustion (TTE), 3-km run time, and maximal numbers of push-ups, sit-ups, and chin-ups were tested before the start of military service in Kosovo and before demobilization, 1 year later. The amount of all physical training in a sweat suit was registered throughout the service, and selfdetermined motivation for physical training was measured before demobilization.

Measurements

VO^sub 2max^ and TTE

VO^sub 2max^ and TTE were assessed by treadmill running using a stepwise incremental protocol with constant incline of 5.2% and speed increment of 1 km/hour every 1 minute until volitional exhaustion. The initial speed for each individual was chosen according to a pretest familiarization trial, to ensure that the continuous exercising phase would last 4 to 7 minutes. The participants were encouraged to run as long as possible, and TTE was measured. Before the test, participants wanned up with 20 minutes of running, followed by a 5-minute rest.