U.S. Army Fitness Training Handbook

A soldier’s level of physical fitness has a direct impact on his combat readiness. The many battles in which American troops have fought underscore the important role physical fitness plays on the battlefield. The renewed interest in fitness has been accompanied by many research studies on the effects of regular participation in sound physical fitness programmes. The conclusion of these studies is that such programmes enhance a person’s quality of life, improve productivity, and bring about positive physical and mental changes. This manual is primarily concerned with issues relating directly to the development and maintenance of the five components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory (CR) endurance - the efficiency with which the body delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from the cells; muscular strength - the greatest amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort; muscular endurance - the ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated movements with a sub maximal force for extended periods of time; flexibility - the ability to move the joints (for example, elbow or knee) or any group of joints through an entire, normal range of motion; and body composition - the amount of body fat a soldier has in comparison to his total body mass. This fitness training handbook should be useful for anyone interested in improving mental health, physical health and general well being.