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AFZA-AP-CO (350) 7 January 1999 MEMORANDUM FOR All Leaders SUBJECT: Physical Fitness Training Program 1. The intent of this program is to develop each soldier to his/her maximum physical fitness and inculcate a physical training ethic that will last a lifetime. 2. Our goal is to increase everyone’s S3 (Strength, Stamina and Speed) and we must continually assess our soldiers toward this goal. Use this booklet as a guide/tool to help you achieve this goal. To do this, we must train to standard. On run/aerobic days, the standard is to achieve an average training heart rate (THR) for 20 to 30 minutes and on alternate strength training days, achieve the appropriate muscle failure in order to progress; understanding that adequate rest and nutrition between training periods are essential as well. Each soldier will be instructed in his THR upon inprocessing the unit. 3. Our PT Program is designed to improve the following physical fitness components: Cardiorespiratory (CR) endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. However, we will focus primarily on CR endurance, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. I expect you to continually assess your soldiers’ fitness relative to these components and structure PT that will build on individual strengths and improve individual weaknesses. 4. Plan and execute PT IAW the Army’s FITT factors while employing the Army’s exercise principles: Regularity, Overload & Progression, Balance, Specificity & Recovery, and Variety (ROBSRV). An example of how to apply these Factors and Principles follows: Frequency: Monday - Friday @ 0630 with aerobic training typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and muscular strength/endurance training on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This may vary as needed based upon availability of facilities or if 3 days per week is required for muscular strength training. (Soldiers are encouraged to conduct individual muscular strength/endurance training on Saturday or Sunday.) This routine complies with the Regularity and Recovery exercise principles. Intensity: Sustain each soldier’s THR for 20-to-30 minutes on aerobic days and achieve muscle failure on muscular strength/endurance days. Concentrate on the Progression and Overload principles (i.e., how long and how hard to exercise and how much to exceed normal limits). Ensure the exercise resistance and/or duration is gradually increased and that each PT session pushes each soldier beyond his normal PT limits. Time: To achieve the above effects, exercise periods will usually last for 30-to-90 minutes. Leaders will normally have from 0630-0900, including personal hygiene and breakfast, to achieve PT Standards. Type: Focus on running on aerobic days and upper body muscle failure on muscular strength/endurance training days. Based on an assessment of your soldiers, I want you to emphasize those running exercises contained herein to improve each soldier’s 2-mile run time and cardiorespiratory endurance. Concentrate on upper body strength, and sit-up and push-up improvement on muscular strength/endurance training days. Use the following guidelines: Muscular Strength: Apply the amount of resistance it takes to achieve muscle failure in 3-7 repetitions. Muscular Endurance: Apply the amount of resistance it takes to achieve muscle failure in 12+ repetitions. Muscular Strength/Endurance: Apply the amount of resistance it takes to achieve muscle failure in 8-12 repetitions. Note: The leadership challenge here is twofold: (1) incorporate the exercise principles of Balance, Variety, and Specificity when choosing the type of exercise and (2) tailor the number of sets and repetitions to individual needs. 5. Our PT Refinement Program complements FM 21-20 and details several “assessment” techniques. In order to build a program that applies the factors and principles I’ve just described, we must know where our soldiers’ strengths and weaknesses lie in each of the five components of physical fitness - - cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. It is important to note that we are doing nothing more here than taking the training management cycle that is outlined for us in FM 25-100 and applying it to our PT program. Once we know our relative strengths and weaknesses, we can then establish goals which individuals can and should attain. 6. Intensity, Intensity, Intensity is the key to success. For the most part, the factors - - Frequency, Time, and Type are governed by our PT plan. Intensity, however, is where effective leaders make the difference in PT as it’s the leader who is responsible for assessing his soldiers and for determining the Progression and Overload that each individual needs to optimize his physical fitness potential. 7. Athletic Activity: Athletic activities reinforce physical abilities and help build esprit and teamship. Although these activities are strongly encouraged, they will never be conducted during PT sessions as their incorporation may detract from the established physical fitness training concepts and inhibit PT plans. However, after the respective training standard has been achieved, commanders may conduct athletic activities as they deem appropriate. 8. Physical Training Strategy: a. Frequency: Conducted 0630-0900 daily (including breakfast and personal hygiene). No other training/activity will be conducted. All personnel will participate, to include those on profile, whose unit leadership will ensure that they also have a supervised and appropriately tailored PT training period (consider aerobic fitness machines for profiles such as Stairmasters, Lifecycles, etc.). Routinely, aerobic days and muscular strength training days will be alternated (e.g., M.W.F.=aerobic days while T.T.=muscular strength days). b. Standard: Sustain training heart rate 20-30 minutes on aerobic days; achieve appropriate muscle failure on muscular strength days. c. Running Environment: Interval training should, when possible, be conducted at some oval running track; distance running and some speed work running such as Fartlek sessions can be just as easily instructed on straight away running courses or cross-country courses. d. Running/Aerobic Routines: Use the routines prescribed in this program or approved by the commander. Conduct speed work at least once a week and if this is a weakness then conduct this training twice a week. e. PT Special Events w/frequency: (1) Within 90 days, new soldiers will be administered a PT assessment, which will include a diagnostic APFT, in order to evaluate their fitness level. (2) Train-up ruckmarches. Consider doing this in conjunction with other unit training (i.e., should not always be conducted during PT sessions). Ensure the proper frequency of this type of training in order to build up to the 12.5 mile distance. All ruck marches must be conducted IAW the planning considerations listed in FM 21-18. Boots must always be worn. (3) Quarterly unit (collectively) 4 mi. run. (4) Semi-annual APFT and weigh-in. (5) Annual 20km (12.5 mile) road march (with 15 to 72 lb. rucksack, LCE, Kevlar, BDUs, individual weapon and boots) conducted as an individual physical readiness event and scheduled apart from the routine PT session. f. Weight Training: Use routines specified in this program unless otherwise authorized by the unit commander. When possible, conduct this training in a gym with appropriate weight training facilities. If gyms are not available in the morning, this would be a good reason for altering the PT session time. Consider reverse cycle training (i.e., bring soldiers into the gym in the late afternoon prior to night training). g. Leader Training: Leaders (first line supervisors) should know their soldiers’ PT assessments and progress. All leaders will receive leader training on this PT program to include how to execute PT sessions herein within 90 days of assignment. No leader will instruct PT until he has been certified or is an MFT. h. PT Instruction: Training Objectives (task, condition, and standards) will be read and when appropriate demonstrated to all soldiers at every PT session. i. Teach PT Standards: All new soldiers will be instructed and evaluated on how to measure their training heart rates and what is meant by appropriate muscle failure upon in-processing. Place this on the in-processing checklist. j. Athletic Activities: Try to schedule weekly, usually in the late afternoon. 9. PT Goals/Assessment Events (perform initial assessment of all soldiers and periodically reassess for improvement). a. Unit goals: (1) Quarterly conduct 4 mi. run ˂36 min. (2) Unit average APFT >250 b. Individual PT Assessment Goals/Standards: (1) Annual 20km (12.5 mile) road march ˂4 hours (with 15 to 72 lb. rucksack, Kevlar, individual weapon, BDUs and boots). ** (2) Strive to meet the following Superior, Excellent, and Good PT Assessment Goals/Standards:
Superior Excellent Good APFT >290 >275 >225* 3 mi. run (Male) ˂21 min. ˂22:30 min. ˂24 min. (Female) ˂22:30 min. ˂24 min. ˂25:30 min. 4 mi. run (Male) ˂30 min. ˂33 min. ˂36 min.** (Female) ˂32 min. ˂34 min. ˂36 min.** 6 mi. run (Male) ˂48 min. ˂51 min. ˂54 min. (Female) ˂51 min. ˂54 min. ˂57 min. Bench Press (Free Weights) IAW Assessment Tables
Pull-Ups IAW Assessment Tables
* XVIII Abn Corps Goal
** XVIII Abn Corps Standard
9. Superior PT Fitness Award: Those soldiers who receive superior on all the above PT assessment events and can meet the Corps ruck march standard will be awarded the Brigade Superior Physical Fitness Award. Awardees will receive a Brigade PT Superior Fitness T-shirt; a Brigade Certificate of Achievement and names/pictures posted on the Brigade Superior Fitness Honors Board. 10. Physical Readiness Training: Train as we fight! Build-in the most rigorous physical demands on your soldiers in conjunction with METL training. Consider competitive physical readiness training. For example, our MP Pentathlon Training Package is a test of critical combat skills and physical readiness. PT Tips are included in the following enclosure to aid junior leaders in executing their PT program. 11. Remember, you, the leader are accountable for your soldiers meeting the Standard -- Physical Fitness Training is no exception. Airborne! Encl TERRY S. MOREAU PT Tips COL, MP PT Refinement Program Commanding
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