 The Army's physical fitness program is to prepare you for the strenuous activity the just plain hard work of shape physically threatens the security of himself, his unit, and the nation he is defending. To get in good physical condition and stay that way you have to exercise. All the advanced technology of modern warfare and the abundance of mechanized and computerized equipment haven't changed the picture. The physical condition of the individual soldier is still of prime importance. No matter what his job a soldier can do it better if he's fit. When recruits arrive at the basic combat training center most of them are not up to the physical requirements of soldiering. Requirements that must include the ability to go all out for long periods of time in case of crisis or emergency and the ordinary work of the military routine vigorous though it may be still cannot bring the men up to the necessary level of conditioning. That's why they need the benefits of the physical fitness program. Commanders are always commenting on the poor condition of recruits. Julius Caesar probably had the same complaint. Today it's something of a national problem but today a great deal is known about how to remedy the problem. Soon after you arrive at BCT you will begin to encounter that remedy in action. Under the expert and watchful care of your drill sergeant you'll march. You'll run and you'll exercise. Uncoordinated at first you'll be gradually introduced to the initial stages of the physical fitness program. It's a program that is carefully planned, thoroughly organized and expertly conducted embodying the latest advances in the field of physical conditioning and yet it's a program that cannot succeed without your help. Just going through the motions won't produce results. You have to participate with spirit and enthusiasm. Rapid improvement. This is part of Conditioning Drill 1 which is widely used in the physical fitness program. You'll be taught to give your own commands to keep up your interest and help you develop a sense of participation and leadership. These calisthenic drills exercise all major muscle groups and develop strength to do your job and endurance to carry it on for long periods of time. Remember every component of physical fitness must be developed. Strength, endurance, coordination and agility a soldier cannot afford a weakness. Marching has many military virtues and is a good conditioner but by itself cannot produce fitness. It does more for the legs than the arms and shoulders. It does not sufficiently touch your heart and respiratory system but as long as there's an army you can bet there'll be marching. Playing is a highly important element of the conditioning program. Running is the best way known to build up your wind and respiratory endurance. And of all aspects of fitness this is the most neglected in civilian life. Bin sprints help to prepare you for that extra burst of exertion. Exercise periods are preceded by warm-up preparation and followed by a cooling off break in accordance with accepted medical prescription. Most of your conditioning activities will be packaged into a 15-minute unit or units. A period of vigorous sustained effort is better than a long leisurely workout. Only in your basic combat training you'll be given your first physical combat proficiency test or PCPT. This is a way of rating your fitness and gives the army a yardstick for measuring your improvement and the efficiency of the fitness program. Men in need of additional training are assisted at special training companies located at each training center. There are five test events including the 40-yard low crawl. This event is done against the clock engages your coordination and strength in performing one of the physical military skills. On the horizontal ladder you are scored on the number of rungs you can make in a minute. This is a good measure of your arm and shoulder strength and your general muscular endurance. The dodge, run and jump event tests your speed and agility over a course requiring sharp changes in direction. The 150-yard man carry evaluates your ability to carry a man or perhaps a greater than normal combat load at a fast pace. The fifth event is the mile run. The PCPT is scored on the basis of 100 points for exceptional performance in each event making 500 a perfect score. Minimum army fitness standards require you to score a total of 300 points. To be judged combat ready you must score at least 60 points in each event. You will probably also find out during the first days of VCT about the aches and pains associated with the toughening stage of conditioning. This toughening period of discomfort lasts usually only a week or two. Then you'll enter the gradual improvement stage of conditioning as the soreness disappears and your capabilities increase. At first your improvement may be dramatically rapid as you find yourself accomplishing feats with ease that were beyond you not long ago. The obstacle course helps you to master the acts of running, jumping, vaulting, climbing and other valuable physical skills while at the same time providing you with a competitive challenge. You will usually be allowed to go at your own speed matching yourself against the course and not the clock. In the tough and strenuous grass drill the exercises are not done in cadence but at the best speed of the individual but don't try loafing. You may wonder sometimes just when you achieve a certain level of performance why the drills seem to get rougher and the rest shorter. That's the overload principle in operation. If you are to progress and benefit from the exercise it must extend you beyond your previous limits. That's how you improve. Guerrilla exercises are another example of rigorous but excellent conditioning activity you will encounter in basic combat training. First to stealthy fighter and the exercises are aimed at strengthening all major muscles and increasing your flexibility. The movable strength circuit is a layout of exercise equipment which you use in rotation to improve your muscular prowess. Introduction of different types of exercise activity into the program provides variety and balance and keeps you from getting bored. You will be taught combative techniques that call for a high degree of conditioning and rapid response. Due to subversion and guerrilla type warfare which confronts us in the world today both combat arms and support service soldiers must be skilled in close combat fighting. Pugil training allows you to test your bayonet skill against a live opponent who can think, move and strike back. If you don't get the other fellow he'll get you. You'll also be introduced to dual combatatives without benefit of padding. These are designed to develop aggressiveness and give you confidence in your ability to overcome an opponent. Basic hand-to-hand combat training teaches you how to deal with the enemy at close quarters. To become expert in these hand-to-hand combat skills takes a lot of practice. In basic combat training you will be taught methods of bringing your man down quickly. One method is the head twist takedown. You'll also engage in some simple and vigorous group contests. Throughout BCT you'll get some sort of conditioning activity just about every day. Regularity being an important principle of fitness training. When you take your second PCPT near the end of the cycle you can judge the results of the conditioning program for yourself. Average scores indicate that most of you will be in the best shape of your lives. Every effort is made to help you learn and qualify. Some of you will have qualified during your second PCPT as a result of having received personal attention. Special training companies located in each training center assist those with unusual difficulties. This is effective in bringing men up to qualifying level who might otherwise be separated as unsuited for army life. When basic combat training is over you should be well on your way to becoming a soldier technically mentally and physically fit. In the army however your physical training never stops. Next you will go on to advanced individual training or AIT under the army branch or service to which you are assigned. This trip may take you across the base or across the country. However no matter where you go you'll find that the physical fitness program is there ahead of you and an important part of that program will continue to be the set calisthenic drills like this conditioning drill too. During advanced individual training a lot of your time will be devoted to instructional periods as you acquire the technical skills associated with your MOS but every effort will be made to keep you moving forward on your conditioning schedule. If you find yourself in infantry AIT your fitness training will have a specially high priority. As part of this training there will be the rifle drill which is primarily designed to strengthen the arms and shoulders. All conditioning activities in AIT of course will tend to be at a faster pace and with shorter rest periods. The log drill is another set exercise you will meet in your training. This is particularly good for developing coordination and introducing an element of teamwork. By the time you reach AIT you should know the formal drill routines by heart and be able to execute them with snap and precision. Whether you're an infantry man or not you'll keep on marching out to the firing range, Bivouac area or just to training areas. Speed marching which involves alternate periods of quick time and double time pace builds up your endurance and has vital military applications. In combat tactical advantage has many times been gained by a unit that was able to move rapidly and show up unexpectedly in another part of the battle area. Fit troops can make four or five miles an hour or 15 miles in four hours if necessary. The rugged grass drills are also an effective part of the AIT physical training program. The routines of grass drill number two executed at rapid individual speed are more difficult and complicated than drill one. If you can maintain this activity for a full five minutes you know that you're shaping up in good style. The very toughness of the drill challenges you to keep going. Another event that presents a clear challenge is the confidence course, an obstacle course with some high flying thrills. With obstacles named tough one, the swinger, the tarzan, and the slide for life this is obviously not for the timid. You'll be encouraged to test yourself against the lofty challenges of the course because conquering it can give you important self-confidence and assurance. On the bayonet assault course you can perfect your bayonet techniques against a variety of targets while advancing in a simulated attack. By their construction the targets indicate the type of bayonet assault to be used against them. In AIT you will receive advanced hand-to-hand combat training. As your skill increases you will learn the more demanding parries counters and takedowns. Teen contests will also be a part of your schedule. Soccer is a good game to play during the improvement stage of your fitness development. It's fast and energetic and does not require long preparation or a high degree of skill to enjoy. By the end of your advanced individual training you will probably have reached the sustaining stage of conditioning having attained a level of fitness beyond which you could progress only with unusual effort. You might not be able to go 15 rounds in the boxing ring but you're in top shape and ready to handle even the most strenuous assignments which the army is likely to give you in the line of duty. Unless of course you should choose to qualify as a paratrooper or volunteer for ranger or special forces training. In that case the standards have to be changed a little. Parachute troops because of the physically rough nature of their job must undergo particularly rigorous preparation. By the time he is ready to take his first jumps the paratroopers conditioning rivals that of a professional athlete. It has to. If you volunteer as a ranger you will learn many new skills and negotiation of the confidence course is one of the requirements. Rangers develop a high level of physical skill and usually far exceed the basic qualifying level in the PCPT. Special forces troops similarly must be physically conditioned above and beyond the average soldier to carry out their arduous anti-gorilla missions where stealth and surprise are essential hand-to-hand combat techniques may be the only weapons at your disposal. For special missions of this nature only troops with exceptional skills are employed. This is the payoff. The army's physical fitness program continues at the unit level. Whatever unit you join after advanced individual training you will have to stay in top physical shape. Even technicians and chairborn specialists function better when in condition. You'll still get plenty of marching, exercise drills and conditioning activities. During unit training some new forms of physical training will be added. For instance team sports and intramural leagues emphasizing unit loyalties will be included. Other team activities requiring less skill are also staged so that all can participate. In unit training cross-country running allows for team and individual competition and is an excellent activity for keeping up your stamina and endurance. Regular workouts on the fixed strength circuit will help you sustain your muscular strength and endurance. You utilize the equipment at one station of the circuit for a prescribed period and then move on to the next station until all are covered. Water survival training is emphasized in unit programs because there's more time at a permanent station for teaching these important skills. Qualifying tests include a blindfold jump from the diving board and equipment removal under water. Us a 15 meter swim with rifle and equipment using the side stroke. Hand-to-hand combat training gets continued attention in unit training. The purpose of all this physical preparation whether basic combat training, advanced individual training or unit training is to make you a superior soldier capable of performing your military duties in training or combat at a high level of proficiency while maintaining a reserve of strength to meet emergency demands. This holds true not only for infantry riflemen and especially trained troops but for all branches of the army assault and support forces. Hard work to be done in every part of the battlefield. Under today's military realities the physical conditioning of army troops cannot be put aside for last minute attention. There may not be time. Physical readiness must be constantly maintained. Forces can be airlifted to any part of the world within a single day. Today's soldiers had better be physically prepared to meet the challenge before he gets there.