muscle & fitness - new trends

5/21/2018 Muscle & Fitness - New Trends

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THEARMY

FITNESSPLAYBOOK

Scrapping the RUN-TILL-YOU-PUKE REGIMEN

of yesteryear, the U.S. ARMYs Physical

Readiness Division (PRD) has combinedold-school training tactics with cutting-edge

exercise science to crank out brigades

of physically fit, battle-ready soldiers.

BY ERIC VELAZQUEZ, N.S.C.A.-C.P.T.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DUSTIN SNIPES

SHOT ON LOCATION AT GOLDS GYM, VENICE, CA


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GRIP STRENGTH TESTTodays soldiers are being trained tohandle whatever is thrown at them.To that end, they are not exclusivelylimited to the programs in the officialFM 7-22 manual. Model Kyle Clarke,a veteran himself, demonstrates atimed grip strength test that can be

added to any session.


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GROOM

INGBYRACHEL

LEIGH

Save for the epic tale of Phidippides running 26.2 miles to Athens to

report the Greek victory over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon,

youd be hard pressed to find such examples of requisite endurance in

modern combat. Todays conflicts are usually marked by shorter skir-

mishes in myriad settings, where dashes to cover, climbing over walls,

negotiating uncertain terrain, and hurdling barriers are invaluable job

skills. These predominantly anaerobic tasks call for specific, structured

training that stands in stark contrast to what your grandfather did to

prepare for D-Day. The U.S. Army has taken the lead in developing atraining curriculum based on what they call warrior tasks and battle

drills, or WTBD, universally crucial skills for combat success and surviv-

al. Frank Palkoska, the division chief for the Armys Physical Readiness

Division (PRD) at Fort Jackson, SC, is the co-author of FM 7-22,the ser-

vice-wide field manual for prepping soldiers for the physical rigors of war.

He believes that Physical Readiness Training (PRT)which includes jumps,

sprints, and more functional exerciseswill not only reduce the incidence of

injuries with a largely unfit recruiting class but will also produce a leaner, fit-ter fighting force that provides an instant upgrade to U.S. national security.

2 8 M U S C L E & F I T N E S S D I G I T A L I S S U E 2 0 1 4

ALTERNATEQUARTER-

TURN JUMPFrom a partialsquat position,quickly jump antwist the hips 9degrees to theleft, while keep

ing your torsofacing forwardQuickly jumpback to center,then again to thright.


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Theres no question this type of training makes us

safer, Palkoska says. Since the 1980s, weve had thisthree-event test that measures performance in run-

ning, pushups and situps. Well, people have a tenden-

cy to train toward the testnot to train for mission.

We had created an overemphasis on sustained running

and muscular endurance. But most programs ignored

speed, power, and stability.

Not anymore. Soldiers in todays Armyall the way

from recruit-level to Special Operationsare being

held to a higher standard, one more closely associated

with the regimens of elite athletes than boot-clad GIs.

RISE OF THE TACTICAL ATHLETE

Palkoska and Steve Van Camp, PRDs chief of doctrine,

decided that it should be the Armys goal to develop

soldiers that left service without injury in far better

shape than when they entered. To do this, they needed

to start approaching their preparation with the same

structure and resources as professional athletes, some-

thing easier said than done with budget restrictions

and age-old traditions to contend with.

Law enforcement, fire, or military, they need to be

considered athletes because they are, says Palkoska.

But theres a few problems. One, they dont typicallytrain like athletes. Two, they dont rest like athletes.

Three, they dont eat like athletes. Four, they dont get

paid like athletes.

Palkoska and Van Camp worked with the National

Strength and Conditioning Associations (NSCA) ef-fort to develop specialized training for these groups.

The NSCA eventually rolled out the Tactical Strength

and Conditioning (TSAC) curriculum and certification

that has helped many services better prepare its ranks

for the tasks it will encounter on the job.

If we wanted to rank all of the core elements,

training would be last, Van Camp says. Recoveryand nutrition are more important. If you dont get

enough rest, you cant perform well and your muscles

dont repair.

But to spawn a generation of rugged tactical athletes,

PRD had to do more than say, run less and rest more.

Just as football receivers practice aggressive plant-

and-cut drills to run crisper routes, soldiers rehearse

tasks that take place in combat. And when lives count,

minutiae matter. Moving under fire, for example, has

been broken down into several essential elements. To

do it right, a soldier may be called upon to run fastunder load, jump, bound, crawl, push, pull, squat, roll,

PULLUP + LEG TUCKHang from a pullup bar with amixed grip. Pull up with the armswhile simultaneously raisingthe knees toward the chest untilthe elbows touch the thighs justabove the knees.

SUMO SQUATHold a kettle-bell with twohands and letit hang straightdown. Take a

wide stance ansquat low untilthe kettlebellalmost touchesthe floor. Pushthrough yourheels to returnto the start.


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stop, start, change direction, and get up and/or down.

If youre deficient in any of these components, yourchances of eating a round from an insurgents AK-47

rise dramatically.

FM 7-22addresses each of those indispensable skills

through a broad range of exercises that Van Camp

and Palkoska have charted out in a very detailed,periodized program encompassing several workouts,

each with a purpose that transcends the pursuit of

bigger pecs. The conditioning drill laid out here, for

example, focuses on power, coordination, and agil-

ity, so dont expect to see any barbell curls. Instead, it

calls for single-leg deadlifts and sudden sprints to flee

small-arms fire, half squat laterals to gain position onan enemy in a close-quarters fight, and tuck jumps to

build the explosive power required to clear a low wall

during a foot chase.

And its all done without the need for a state-of-

the-art fitness facility. Soldiers at Fort Jackson have

swapped out posh digs for kettlebells and pullup

bars. They are simple, crude, and effective and are

thus a few of PRDs favorite things. And while

there is some machine work present inFM 7-22,

a soldiers body is still his best piece of equipment.

Pushups, lunges, jumping jacks, and burpeeswhichhave all been around since Pattonstill exist in this

Armys fitness curriculum.

Both Palkoska and Van Camp are quick to point outthat theres nothing wrong with running. But soldiers,

they say, are better served by doing it in a way that

benefits mission performance, not just their two-mile

run time.

Running is fine, says Van Camp. If youre goingto do it, a good way to plan your week would be to

run at your ability one day a week for 2030 minutes

straight. Another day, walk under load with a weight

vest. Another day, do sprint work. If you break it up

this way, youll be less likely to get injured and youll

see more benefit. Youll have worked on energy sys-

tems that buffer lactic acid...there has to be balance.Perhaps not surprisingly, the Armys body-armored

homeland defenders are becoming increasingly faster,

stronger, and more agile than their enemies. Raw

physical dominance has been added to the Armys

already-lethal combination of tactical superiority and

advanced weaponry. The realities of combat, Palkoska

says, have warranted this revolution in exercise ethos.

No more training to the test, but rather toward deci-

sive victory.

What is perhaps most telling of that storied run to Ath-

ens is what happened to Phidippides after he conveyedhis message: He collapsed and died of exhaustion.


SUPINE BODY TWISTLie on the floor holding a kettlebellwith a neutral grip, your kneesbent at 90 degrees, thighs perpen-dicular to the floor. Rotate yourtorso to the left while rotatingyour legs to the right, then reversedirections and repeat.


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Perform five reps of each exercise (five on each side for unilateral moves), movingthrough the circuit without rest. Repeat the circuit two or three times total. When youcan complete the entire circuit three times with ease, bump your rep range up to 6-7 toincrease the challenge to working muscles. This will increase your caloric burn and mus-

cle breakdown, setting the table for greater adaptation and changes to body composition.

BEING ARMY STRONG

is only the beginning of

operational readiness.

To do everything that a

soldier needs to do well,you also need to train

your body to be quick,

agile and powerful. FM

7-22,the Armys author-

itative field manual for

exercise, lays out a host

of programs that devel-

op soldiers in physical

totality. These two work-

outs, each with different

aims, constitute a snap-

shot of the curriculum

that the Physical Readi-

ness Division (PRD) has

set forth.

WORKOUT 1

CONDITIONINGDRILLKnown as Conditioning Drill 3 in the pag-

es ofFM 7-22,this workout is designed

to improve power, coordination, muscu-

lar strength and endurance, and agility.

It is a more advanced drill not typically

done by new recruits, which, if done to

the letter, is certain to challenge all but

the most elite athlete. The sequence of

exercises is important because the early

moves prepare muscles for the later

ones, says PRD chief of doctrine Steve

Vancamp. Youll move from one exerciseto another without rest. Its very P90X-

ish in nature. This drill encompasses

many of the WTBDs warrior tasks and

battle drills that have been identified as

crucial to mission success.

1. Y Squat

2. Single-leg Deadlift

3. Side-to-Side Knee Lifts

4. Front Kick Alternate

Toe Touch5. Tuck Jump

6. Straddle Run

7. Lateral Half-Squat

8. Frog Jump

9. Alternate Quarter- Turn Jump

10. Alternating Jump Lunge

EXERCISE

FRONT KICKALTERNATE TOE TOUCHRaise the right leg out in frontof you until it is parallel to

the ground while simultane-ously bending forward at thewaist, extending the left armforward, and reaching withthe left hand toward the rightfoot. Switch sides with eachrep and move quickly.



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WORKOUT 2

STRENGTH CIRCUITFrank Palkoska, division chief for the Armys Physical Readiness Division, believes

that strength is an overlooked component of soldier training. This basic circuit,

which calls for you to perform reps of a given exercise continuously for 60 sec-

onds, builds functional total-body streng th and trains proper movement patterns.

And while dumbbells can be used for the routine, Palkoska recommends kettle-

bells. Unlike dumbbells or barbells, kettlebell handles are much thicker, which also

develops grip strength, a key asset fo r soldiers in the field, he says. It is a differ -

ent challenge altogether to become prof icient at wielding ungainly equipment.

1. Sumo Squat

2. Straight-leg Deadlift

3. Alternating Lunge

4. Alternating Stepup

5. Pullup

6. Floor Press

7. Bentover Row

8. Overhead Press

9. Supine Body Twist

10. Pullup +Leg Tuck

EXERCISE

For this circuit, youll perform reps continuously at each station for 60 seconds. On resistance exercises, choose a weight thatyou would normally be able to handle for about 15 reps. Rest only as long as necessary to get to the next exercise. Keep the repsrhythmic and smooth, says Vancamp. It may take a few times through to determine the proper load needed.

You can find the Armysentire periodized PRT pla

demonstration videos,and more at the

Physical ReadinessDivisions website:

http://www.armyprt.co


STRADDLE RUNBound forwardand to your left ata 45-degree angle,landing on yourleft foot. Quicklypress through yourleft foot to boundforward and to the

right. Repeat thatsequence, then dothe same in reverse,bounding backwardat 45-degree angles,alternating feet.


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S I L V I A C O R T E S8 6 M U S C L E & F I T N E S S D I G I T A L I S S U E 2 0 1 4

Flip your wrists when you curl for an

alternative approach to biceps training.with James Grage

ASK AND WINSubmit your question atmuscleandfitness.com/

60seconds for thechance to win assorted

BPI products.

ReversePsychology

Ive been there, Jeff. Most

serious lifters have at somepoint. I smashed my biceps

with dropsets, forced reps,pyra-

mids, etc., but nothing worked to

break the plateau. It wasnt until I

learned to train smarter (lighten the

load), use better form, and a better

mind-muscle connection that Istarted to break past that plateau.

EDGE 60 SECONDS TO FIT

EXERCISE SETS REPSStanding BarbellCurl (wide grip) 2 21*

DumbbellPreacher Curl 3 8-10

InclineDumbbell Curl 3 8-10

Reverse-gripBarbell Curl 3 8-10

*Do 7 bottom-half reps, 7 top-half reps,and 7 full-range-of-motion reps.

Ive trained mybiceps for yearsand cant grow.Any ideas on howto help me put onsize?

-JEFF W., COLORADO

BONUS

PLAYVID

EO

One great exercise I added to my

repertoire was reverse curls,

which work the brachialis muscle,

and put the biceps at a mechan-

ically disadvantaged position,

forcing them to work harder. To see

it in action, click on the video button

above, then try the workout below.

A

WORKOUT


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C

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TES

Y

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FR

EEB

O

K

EDITORIAL

You

vs.You

MARK BARROSO

is an editorial assistant forM&F

.Twitter: @Mark_Barroso

YES, I AM A FITNESS

enthusiast, but thatdoesnt mean I give allareas of fitness equal time.Ive been lifting for aboutseven years and neverdid much distance run-ning during that time. Afterregistering for the 2014Citi Field Spartan Race

in New Yorkmy first-ever obstacle course race(OCR)I was concernedabout the three-mile run.Having played high schooland college football, Iwas comfortable with thestop-and-go nature ofthe obstaclesand I knewI could jog three miles ona treadmillbut figured thecombination of obstaclesand distance runningwould gas me. And onceyoure gassed and startfailing at obstacles, Spar-tan races get even worse:If you dont complete anobstacle you must do 30burpees. These punish-ment burpees can start toadd up and make the raceeven harder than if you hadcompleted the obstacles.

So even though I wasnt

quite sure of what I hadgotten myself into, at the

sound of the horn thatstarts the race, I felt asense of freedom; none ofmy friends or family werewaiting for me at the finishline. If I wanted to quithalfway through, I couldhave and no one wouldhave ever known. Just likein the song from Rocky IV,

its you against you. Thismade me want to finisheven more.

I did finish, and in theend, I failed at three ob-stacles: the spear throw,wall traverse, and ropeclimb.

The wall traverse callsfor you to climb across awall on small pegs withouttouching the top of the walland I couldnt cross morethan the first two pegs.

For the rope climb, afterascending a 20-foot highrope without a harness,you hit a cowbell to ringit. I climbed up near to thetop of the rope and re-peatedly tried swatting atthe bell but it was just outof reach. My muscles justgave out and I slid backdown the rope in fear of

falling. While I was grind-ing through my punish-

ment burpees, I reflected

on how painfully close Icame to the bell.

The wall jumps and waterjug carries, meanwhile,were right in my wheel-house and I completedthem without issue. Ifinished the race in 52minutes and 59 seconds,which was 847 out of6,924 in the open heat,placing me in the top 12%.Knowing the extent of mycapabilities makes meeager to re-test.

My advice to someonewho is considering runningtheir first OCR would beto give it your all at everypoint because you willregret a lackluster effort atthe end. In addition, try toavoid burpees at all costs,even if means spending abit longer focusing on an

obstacle. The satisfactionof completing an obstacle

is just plain awesome.

When I finally crossed thefinish line, I felt an incred-ible sense of accomplish-ment, even though I failed acouple of obstacles.

I went into this racewanting to ace it so badly.When I didnt, I realizedthat like all failures, it wasa learning experience. Thereal accomplishment wastrying something I wasntentirely comfortable withand learning my limits. NowI know exactly what I needto focus on for my secondattempt. And next time, Iwill ace it.

Plus, I now know that ifyou never fail at anything,all it really means is youarent challenging yourselfenough.

Why its OKand evennecessaryto fail.by Mark Barroso

FIGHT TO

THE FINISH

Three roundsof punishmentburpees didnt

deter Markfrom finishing

the race


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muscle & fitness - new trends

Documents

i s s u

e f i t n e s s d i

physical rigors of war

prepping soldiers

division chief

combat success

atimed grip strength

warrior tasks