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FITNESS TIPS & WORKOUTS

Components of Physical Fitness

Developing a fitness base is important for both the health and performance benefits of a regular fitness regimen. A comprehensive program, or total conditioning, is designed to develop capabilities across all physical fitness components. Many athletes used the total conditioning approach when developing their off-season and pre-season workout plans. Members and services of the U.S. Armed Forces couple total body conditioning with military skills in order to best prepare for the rigors of combat. The components of physical fitness are:

a. Agility – the ability to quickly change directions;

b. Cardiovascular Endurance – the ability of the cardio-respiratory system to deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscles;

c. Coordination – the ability to combine simple movements into an efficient complex movement;

d. Flexibility – the ability to move joints through a full range of motion;

e. Muscular Endurance – the ability to execute movements repeatedly;

f. Muscular Strength – the ability to produce force;

g. Power – the ability to quickly produce maximal force;

h. Speed – the ability to move quickly from one point to another.

i. Stamina – the ability to sustain rigorous activity.

A total conditioning program combines these fitness components and may be coupled with an athletic or functional program to maximize strengths while mitigating weaknesses.

FITNESS PLANS, TIPS & WORKOUTS

U.S. ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST

General: The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) consist of three equally-weighted events designed to measure soldiers’ cardiovascular and muscular endurance. The events are a 2-mile run, push-ups and sit-ups.

Testing: All events must be completed within 2 hours with a maximum rest period of 20 minutes between events. The events must be completed in the following order; push-ups, sit-ups, 2-mile run. Push-ups and sit-ups have a two minute time limit.

Event	Minimum	Maximum
	Male/Female	Male/Female
2 mile run	16:36/19:42	13:00/15:36
Push-ups	35/13	77/50
Sit-ups	47/47	82/82

ALL U.S. ARMED FORCES PHYSICAL FITNESS EVALUATIONS

TEMPTATION TO QUIT...

FITNESS PROGRAMS

IF IT WASN'T HARD...

GET FIT

HIKING FOR FITNESS

The workout's main training event is a 3-mile conditioning hike under load. Conditioning hikes or "rucking" is simply moving with a pack or "ruck" with weight for a distance.

The weight should be placed in the ruck mid pack or higher. Weight placed low in the pack causes flexion at the waist which causes a quicker rate of fatigue and may lead to injury.

Proper foot care is important prior to , during, and after the hike. Bring an extra set of socks in your pack; if your socks are wet half way through the hike, change them with your extra set.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
High knee walk - Skipping - Partial side lunge - High knee fog in place - Jog in place butt kicks	1	10
Conditioning hike	1	3 miles
Stretch: Hurdler - Quad - Cobra - Lower back - Delts - Chest - Triceps	2	10 seconds each

FITNESS TIPS & WORKOUT IDEAS

GENERAL PHYSICAL PREPARATION (GPP) WORKOUT

A sound General Physical Preparation (GPP) program provides training across a wide spectrum of activities. This workout was structured to include a variety of exercises as a GPP workout.

The workout included the physical fitness components of cardiovascular endurance (3-mile run), flexibility (warm-up and cool-down exercises), muscular endurance (maximum effort body weight exercises) and stamina (swimming drills).

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
Partial lunge - Hip thrust - Bird dog - Partial squat - Lunge stretch - High knee walk - Standing quad stretch - High knee walk - Standing glute stretch - Donkey kicks - Butt kicks	1	6
Pull-ups*	1	AMRAP
Crunches	1	AMRAP 2 minutes
Jog	1	3 miles
Swim	1	50m
Treadwater	2	2 minutes
Stretch: Calf - Hurdler - Groin - Quad - Lower back - Triceps - Delts	1	20 seconds

* Pull-ups or chin-ups

WEEKLY PHYSICAL TRAINING PLAN

CORE STABILITY & UPPER BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT

This workout was designed to increase core stability and upper body strength using, for the most part, only one's body weight.

Depending on your conditioning level, these exercises can serve as the daily workout or as a supplement to your planned training program. This workout can be conducted in a single session or conducted as time permits any time during the day.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
Heel raise - Butt kicks - Side lunges - Trunk circles - Horizontal arm swings - Curl & press - Wrist curls - Jumping jacks	1	6
Pull-ups*	3	10
Crunches	5	10/15/20/15/10
Lunge	1	20
Weighted pull-ups*	2	5
Front plank - Left plank - Right Plank - Bridge	1	15 seconds each
Stretch: Hurdler - Quad - Delts - Triceps - Upper back - Biceps	1	15 seconds each

* Pull-ups and/or chin-ups

COMPLETE WEEKLY PROGRAM

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Enhancing physical performance through the combination of endurance and strength training coupled with nutrition. Exercises and workouts used throughout the U.S. Armed Forces will help prepare anyone improve the physical fitness aspect of their well-being. An elevated level of fitness relies on many factors, including:

Workout Preparation. Following a well-designed plan accounting for accepted physical fitness components and principles.

Warm-up. Preparing your body for strenuous exercises and training. The warm-up increases your heart rate and blood flow to muscles, promotes flexibility, elevates your body temperature, and helps reduce the risk of injury.

Workout. Exercises and training designed to develop muscle tone and promote wellness. Physical training throughout the military services relies heavily on body weight drills with minimal equipment requirements.

Cool-down. Activities that help the body recover from workouts in order to maximize gains and assists in the long-term sustainment of flexibility and performance.

Nutrition. It's a "garbage in, garbage out" relationship. Optimum physical output relies on balanced, healthy nutritional input.

PERFORMANCE FITNESS

DO WHAT YOU CAN...

WORKOUTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS REQUIRING MINIMAL EQUIPMENT

PERFORMANCE FITNESS: 17-23 July Workout Plan (Preview)

Exercises and workouts designed to improve muscle tone, elevate overall fitness and enhance physical performance. Designed using proven armed forces conditioning components and principles.

Built around the core components of physical fitness; body composition, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance and muscular strength, PERFORMANCE FITNESS: 17-23 July Workout Plan features a training regime that helps you gain and maintain a healthy body composition and overall fitness. Using military-based exercises and techniques you will build strength and endurance, eliminate excess body fat, improve athleticism and flexibility.

Full article: PERFORMANCE FITNESS: 17-23 July Workout plan

TRAINING JOURNAL

This week’s physical conditioning plan and daily workout sessions were designed and developed by myself to accomplish my fitness goal of maintaining a solid base of overall physical fitness. To sustain a solid base of overall physical conditioning I consider all components of physical fitness while conducting exercise planning.

Daily emphasis of physical fitness components

Day	Emphasis
Sunday	Cardiovascular endurance
Monday	Cardiovascular endurance & Muscular strength
Tuesday	Muscular endurance & Muscular strength
Wednesday	Stamina
Thursday	Active rest
Friday	Passive rest
Saturday	Speed

MY TRAINING JOURNAL

FITNESS FOR LIFE

The standing glute stretch adds a balance factor to a flexibility exercise.

Exercising on a regular basis improves coordination, endurance and strength in addition to enhancing one’s overall health and physical appearance. I have made the decision to workout daily and believe that physical training benefits my physical and mental performance. Studies have shown that consistent exercise programs reduce stress, greatly assist in weight management and add efficiency in handling of daily physical tasks.

WEEKLY WORKOUT PLAN

U.S. COAST GUARD PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST

General: Currently, the Coast Guard does not have a force-wide standardized physical fitness evaluation. They do have minimum physical fitness basic training graduation requirements which are designed to measure cardiovascular and muscular endurance, and the ability to swim. In addition to the swim requirements, the basic physical fitness events include a 1.5 mile run, push-ups and sit-ups.

Testing: The ability to swim is measured by an untimed 100 meter swim and being able to tread water for five minutes. Push-ups and sit-ups have a one minute time limit.

Event	Male	Female
1.5 mile run	12:51	15:26
Push-ups	29	15
Sit-ups	38	32

ALL U.S. ARMED FORCES PHYSICAL FITNESS EVALUATIONS

LOOK TO THE MOUNTAINTOP

Raising the American flag over Mount Suribachi during the Battle for Iwo Jima. Joe Rosenthal/The Associated Press

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING WORKOUTS TO GET YOU TO THE MOUNTAINTO

STRENGTH & STAMINA TRAINING

Swimming coupled with body weight exercises were on the stamina maintenance plan.

1. General warm-up

2. Specific warm-up

• 3 rounds of air squats, crunches, flutter kicks and push-ups.

3. Muscular strength

• 6 sets of chin-ups and pull-ups

4. Stamina

• 100m swim
• 6 minutes of treading water
• 5 rounds of swimming plus squats

5. Cool-down

MY TRAINING JOURNAL

LAWS TO A FIT LIFE

7 Laws to a Fit Life http://bit.ly/7FitLaws  thanks to @JenniferDawnPro --- @dymatize #fitness #fitnessmotivation

https://twitter.com/FittestGirl/status/756158933409132544

EXERCISE & FITNESS ARTICLES

CORE & UPPER BODY DEVELOPMENT ROUTINE

This workout is designed to develop core stability and upper body strength.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
Arm circles-Horizontal arm swings-Jumping jacks	2	10
Alternate chin- pull-up pyramid	7	2-3-4-5-4-3-2
Crunch pyramid	7	10-10-15-20-15-10-10
Vertical jumps	2	10
Alternate weighted chin- pull-ups	2	5
Front leaning rest-front plank-side planks-bridge	1	15 seconds each
Streching: Quad-Hamstring-Calf -Upper back-Delts-Biceps	1	15 seconds each

DAILY WORKOUTS

CARDIOVASCULAR & MUSCULAR ENDURANCE WORKOUT

This session includes 10 minutes of completing as many reps as possible (AMRAP) of alternating pull-ups and chin-ups combined with crunches. You will have to manage fatigue in order to complete the highest number. Completing sets to failure is not an efficient strategy.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETTIONS
High knee walk-Skipping-Arm circles-High knee run in place-Butt kick run in place-Horizontal arm swings	1	5
Alternate chin- pull-ups + crunches	1	AMRAP 10 minutes
Jog	1	3 miles
High knee walk-Skipping-Arm circles-High knee run in place-Butt kick run in place-Horizontal arm swings	1	5
Stretch: Calf-Hamstring-Groin-Quad-Biceps-Triceps-Upper back	2	10 seconds each

DAILY WORKOUTS & TRAINING PLAN