Concept for USAF Functional Fitness

Maj Jeremy Gordon, http://www.saveusafpt.blogspot.com/

Introduction

Physical preparedness is a job requirement for all Airmen. The USAF’s current Fitness Program
does not fully meet the needs of its Airmen. The current USAF Fitness Assessment and training
guidance does not support the development of complete fitness necessary for success in the
functions of daily job execution and combat. The assessment and training over-emphasize
aerobic training (long distance running) and Body Mass Index (BMI)/body fat measurement and
gives inadequate attention to stamina, flexibility, strength, power, speed, coordination, balance,
accuracy and agility. Daily duty, combat and life’s everyday tasks demand a fitness that
“follows function, based on core strength and total body stamina.” (Doyle 1). The currently
assessed tasks in the USAF Fitness model are not weighted based on functional fitness abilities
as they apply to our airmen, but on an outdated model of fitness for a non-descript demographic
as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (AFI 10-248). This has driven
our Airmen to an insufficient, non-varied training program based almost entirely on the
conditioning of one metabolic pathway. This not only increases the risk of injury in training, but
it cannot provide the training stimulus required to develop Airmen ready for daily duty and
combat.

Goal

This memorandum suggests a new USAF Fitness training methodology and Fitness Assessment
based on a Functional Fitness model. The USMC, U.S. Navy Seals, U.S. Army Special Forces,
several Federal Law Enforcement Agencies and Fire Departments have all adopted similar
Functional Fitness models of physical training. The goal is to change the USAF fitness training
program from an aerobic-based protocol to a program of constantly varied, high-intensity
functional movements.

Fitness

Fitness is oriented on the ability to perform physical work. Airmen’s duties and life in general
pose an infinite variety of physical tasks, many of which are foreseeable and many of which are
not. This varied nature of physical requirements put specialized training (i.e. focusing on long distance running) at risk of irrelevance. Life punishes specificity in fitness training (Glassman).
Functional Fitness

As defined in the “USMC Concept for Functional Fitness,” Functional Fitness is described as
“the ability to perform a broad array of natural or realistic physical work.” Jim Crawley defined
10 General Physical Skills by which Fitness can be measured: cardiovascular/respiratory
endurance, strength, stamina, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, accuracy, balance and
agility. The goal of a Functional Fitness program is to increase an Airman’s performance across
the spectrum of the 10 General Physical Skills listed above. Rarely does an Airman’s job call for
long-duration (aerobic) exertions (greater than several minutes) without any weight or external
objects to move. The majority of tasks required of our airmen are repetitive short-duration (a
few seconds to 5 minutes) bursts of anaerobic excursions to lift or move an object or themselves.
Training to high-intensity varied Functional Movements will better prepare our airmen for their
daily tasks, combat and for life in general. In fact, the same fitness components that create fit and
healthy Airmen, Marines and Soldiers are the same fitness components that make for an effective
“everyone.” The desired product from a Functional Fitness product is an airman with “increased
work capacity across broad time and modal domains” (Glassman); an Airman that can work short
or long durations with heavy or light loads across an infinite spectrum of tasks.
Metabolic Conditioning and Varied Training

The emphasis on body composition and aerobic fitness in the USAF Fitness Assessment does
not guide Fitness preparation required for combat Airmen, nor for the everyday tasks of Airmen.
Our roads and tracks are filled with airmen running long distances to train for a 1.5 mile run.
Distance running tasks the oxidative metabolic pathway (aerobic training). Solely training to
aerobic running (utilizing the oxidative metabolic pathway) neglects the phosphagen and
glycolytic metabolic pathways. Total fitness (that applicable to Airmen) requires consistent
training in all three pathways. “Favoring one or two to the exclusion of the others and not
recognizing the impact of excessive training in the oxidative pathway are arguably the two most
common faults in fitness training” (Glassman). Running remains an important part of Functional
Fitness training, but it would be a mix of short and medium distance speed-work (400-800
meters) with periodic long-distance training (5K-10K). This mix, when combined with other
elements of functional fitness, tasks all three metabolic pathways in each training session.
The tested distance of 1.5 miles leads to persistent long-distance training at the neglect of
anaerobic training. It is a myth that low-powered long-distance (aka aerobic) training is the only
effective way to increase and measure endurance. Emphasizing the 1.5 mi run is similar to
assessing VO2 max as a measure of aerobic fitness. Recent advances in kinesiology and sports
fitness (primarily at the collegiate and professional level) have diminished the value of VO2 max
as the “gold standard” of aerobic fitness (Glassman). VO2 max is defined as the maximum
amount of oxygen that can be used continuously divided by body mass. Endurance athletes tend
to have a slight VO2 max advantage over anaerobic athletes, but this is primarily attributed to
low body mass of endurance athletes. A similar definition of strength – by dividing lifts by
weight - could show that people that weigh less are stronger than bigger people (Glassman).
Intensity

In Fitness, Intensity is exactly equal to power, and “intensity is the independent variable most
commonly associated with maximizing favorable adaptation to exercise” (Glassman). Training
at high intensity provides all of the gains in Fitness desired of Airmen (fat loss, muscle gain,
increased bone density and improved performance across the 10 General Physical Skills defined
above). “Intensity is (also) directly correlated with discomfort” (Glassman). Bottom line:
Intensity provides the best Fitness product…but it is hard.

Safety

Functional movements are remarkably safe, especially when compared to non-functional
movements (such as many of the machines found in current Air Force Fitness facilities).
Specifically, Functional Movements are safe at loads greater than your One Rep Max (1RM). If
an Airman has a Deadlift 1RM of 185 lbs, he can safely attempt a 200 lb deadlift without fear of
injury. This cannot be said of guided-pathway single jointed non-functional movements (bicep
curl, hamstring curl, leg extension. Functional movements are unavoidable in everyday life:
getting out of a chair, lifting, pushing, throwing, pushing are all examples of functional
movements. Training functional movements is essentially a form of “pre-habilitation” by
maintaining the full range of motion of natural movements.

Current Fitness Assessment

The breakout of the current USAF Fitness Assessment is:

- “Aerobic fitness” comprises 50% of overall score

- Body composition comprises 30% of overall score

- “Muscular Fitness” comprises 20% of overall score

This drives an unbalanced Fitness training program that does not prepare Airmen for the varied
functional tasks they face daily. (the current proposed change to the USAF Fitness Assessment
increases the weight of the 1.5mi run to 60% and decreases BMI to 10%).

Proposed Fitness Assessment

- Assessment of an Airman’s ability to do a given amount of work (functional fitness
tasks incorporating cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength,
flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy) as fast as possible.
This drives a Total Fitness training program exposing Airmen to all three metabolic pathways. It
is with hesitance that a new assessment is proposed. The emphasis is not on the assessment, but
on the training regimen that it encourages from Airmen.

Suggested New USAF Fitness Assessment:

With a continuously running clock, complete the following tasks as fast as possible.

Males

Run 800m
30lb weighted object press: 50 reps
Run 400m
70 lb weighted object carry: 100 feet
5 pullups
Females
Run 800m
15lb weighted object press: 50 reps
Run 400m
50 lb weighted object carry: 100 feet
5 jumping pullups
Exercise standards:
-800m/400m runs: none

-Pull-ups: Begin from full extended hang. Full extension is required at the bottom of each rep (no
bend in elbow). Bar is lower than chin at some point in execution. No restriction on kipping,
kicking, swinging, etc… to get chin over bar as long as full ROM is met. The Airman can stop &
dismount from the bar as often as require, but cannot jump into the repetition; it must start from
a dead-hang. When life presents a physical barrier, an Airman doesn’t pull over it with perfectly
strict form. This is not a test of upper body strength; this is a test of their ability to efficiently
move their body weight across the range of motion from bottom to top (over the bar). For
females, jumping pull-ups are used. This starts with the bar from 4-9” below fingertip level with
arms fully extended. The airmen grips the bar, lowers her body (with feet on the ground) until
arms are fully extended. She then jumps to get her chin over the bar. She returns to the arms extended

position and repeats.

-Weighted Object Press: The airman must move an object (30 lb male / 15lb female) from chest
level to fully overhead (arms and legs locked out with hips fully open). The airman can shoulder
press, push press or push/split jerk the object (i.e., legs do not have to remain locked out
throughout the exercise, but the rep is not complete until legs are straight and hips are open with
the weight overhead). Airmen are encouraged to “dip and drive” the object overhead with hip
extension. The airman can immediately re-bend legs and begin the next repetition once the object
has been locked out overhead with straight legs and open hips.

-Weighted Object Carry: The object can be a dumbbell, sandbag, ammo box, log, etc. that
weighs 70 lbs (male)/50 lbs (female). The object can be carried from any position with one or
two hands. The Airman can stop and/or set the object down as often as required. The Airman
can run or walk.

Scoring

Score is based on total time to complete all tasks with the clock continuously running. This is a
test of the Airman’s Fitness abilities as a whole, not as individual elements. Time/Score
standards are based on gender and age.

Example Scoring (this is only a sample based roughly on estimated performance
expectations…several trials and standard assessments would be completed prior to publishing
full score table)

Breakout: the 10:05 time assumes the following performance:

800m – 3min00sec
Transition to Weighted Object Press – 10 sec
Weighted Object Press – 55 sec
Transition to run – 10 sec
400m – 1min30sec

MALE AGE 20-24

TOTAL TIME SCORE

<6:42 100
6:43-7:30 95
7:31-8:17 90
8:18-9:05 85

Transition to Weighted Object Carry – 10 sec
70 lb weighted object carry: 100 feet – 30 sec
Transition to pull-ups – 10 sec
5 pullups – 7 sec

Equipment and Infrastructure for Training

The Functional Fitness concept does not require a great deal of sophisticated equipment. Most of
the exercises can be conducted with basic weight equipment such as barbells, dumbbells,
medicine balls, pull-up bars, rings, jump ropes, boxes for box jumps, and some “cardio”
equipment such as rowers and bikes. In fact, it should ideally require the acquisition only of a
limited amount of basic, multi-use fitness equipment. This model also lends itself to
deployments in “austere” environments without sophisticated equipment. The Canadian School
of Infantry has been executing their “austere” fitness program successfully for over three years
using ammo boxes, rocks and pull-up bars.

Summary

To achieve the desired level and type of Fitness required of our Airmen, the USAF Fitness model
of aerobic training must change. Implementing the Functional Fitness model will not be without
difficulty. For the majority of Airmen, Functional Fitness training will be significantly more
challenging than anything they have previously experienced. They will, however, find that the
average time spent in training will be significantly less than the current training model of long distance

running and weight training. The key components of constantly varied functional
movement exercises executed with intensity will lead to the core strength, stamina, speed and
coordination that best enables Airmen to perform their daily duties and to be physically prepared
for combat effectiveness.

Sources:

1. Coach Greg Glassman. “Understanding Crossfit.” Crossfit Journal April 07.
www.crossfit.com.
2. Eric Doyle. “A Concept for Functional Fitness.” USMC Plans Document, 9 Nov 2006.
3. AFI 10-248, September 2006.
4. David S.C. Chu. “Request for 2-year Waiver Of Body fat Measurement Methodology in
Department of Defense Instruction 1308.3, Department of Defense Physical Fitness and
body Fat Procedures.” Memorandum for the Secretary of the Air Force. 25 Aug 2006.
* Coach Greg Glassman, founder of Crossfit, Inc. has been instrumental in developing the concept of functional
fitness. He has also been the motive force behind its inception into the military and law enforcement communities.
Coach Glassman’s Crossfit organization is probably the best single source representation of the Functional Fitness
concept. Many USAF bases have already adopted the model and have established Crossfit programs. For more
information on Crossfit, go to www.crossfit.com.
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