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***image1***The Ramstein Health and Wellness Center, physical therapy, and fitness center staff are now collaboratively engaged in the Air Force’s Total Fit pilot test.
Total Fit is an effort to increase fitness levels, decrease injury rates, better prepare to fight and ultimately change the physical training culture. The focus of the pilot test is to evaluate what sister services have determined to be beneficial – functional physical fitness training with an emphasis on balance, flexibility, core stability, speed, agility and power.
Since the inception of the Air Force’s current fitness program, it is very common to see members engage in group physical training sessions that revolve almost solely around running, push-ups, and crunches.
The issue with this training regimen is that these exercises only partially prepare members for the physical rigors associated with deployment.
In addition, overuse and overtraining injuries are often commonly associated with this training and often results in a duty-limiting condition which can further reduce fitness readiness rates.
The significance of this issue is exemplified by a recent study conducted by the Army, which found that physical training was the number one cause for decreased war-fighting readiness of the force.
The Air Force has found a similar experience.
“Over the past couple of years the Air Force has seen an increase in injuries due to mandatory physical training,” said Jerry McDermott, 435th Air Base Wing chief of safety. “The key to preventing these injuries is to get fit gradually by following safe exercise techniques.”
“The routines of just running, push-ups, sit-ups and machine-based, one-dimensional movements have not improved the overall fitness of our Air Force but have unfortunately contributed to increased injuries,” said Maj. Chu Soh, physical therapy flight commander. “
Our aim is to develop a full-spectrum fitness program that will produce a fit and ready war fighter employing out of the box fitness principles that can be carried over to all aspects of life and performed anytime, anywhere.
“This is a dramatic paradigm shift in the training philosophy with a vision to train new unit physical training leaders with the skills and knowledge to lead and deploy these types of programs in the future.”
The pilot test on the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Computer Systems Squadron began Jan. 14 and will conclude April 7.
The data will ultimately be used to inform senior leaders on this installation of the most optimal form of physical training with recommendations to adopt the Total Fit concepts throughout USAFE and beyond.
As a jump start to this new Air Force concept, Ramstein’s PTL course has been entirely revamped to better prepare unit physical fitness leaders to lead effective training sessions to improve fitness levels, strengthen the core and reduce injuries.
In addition, new fitness assessment programs have been initiated at the Health and Wellness Center to include gait analysis assessments, MicroFit assessments, and functional movement screenings. These programs, while currently only offered to active-duty personnel, will provide members the tools required to achieve a higher level of fitness while preventing overuse and overtraining injuries.
“The enhanced assessments will serve as a comprehensive measuring tool to give Airmen a complete picture of general, preventative and functional components of fitness,” said Tim Cline, Ramstein’s fitness center director.
Members can use this information to design their personal fitness plan to focus on injury prevention and total fitness, which will in turn increase their overall physical readiness, he said.
For more information, contact your local unit fitness program manager or visit the HAWC Web site at https://sg2.usafe.af.mil/RamClinic/wwwmil/435mdg/clinic/divisions/HAWC/HAWC.htm#Fitness.
