Tips on improving fitness

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Heather Tevebaugh
  • 319th Medical Group
GRAND FORKS AFB, N.D. --  The Air Force fitness program is here to stay. Some have passed with flying colors and are happy not to be tested for another year. Others need to make some improvements. For those not testing for until next year remember not to give up on your fitness track. If you continue to improve next year will come and go without worry. For those that need some more help here are a few tips:

Aerobic training: The best way to train for the fitness program is to train how you test….run, run,run. If you are orthopedically challenged, as a result of injury or illness, there are many other ways to train. Some examples include swimming, recumbent bikes and elliptical machines.

The most important thing to keep in mind while training aerobically is intensity, and the best way to measure intensity is by target heart rate zones. Managing intensity by THRZ is safe and most effective. If you’re interested in finding out what your personal target heart rate zones are, see the staff at the health and wellness center or visit your human performance training team.

Resistance training: Push-ups and crunches are a great way to improve your muscular strength and increase lean muscle and they can be done anytime, anywhere…no excuses! If you are unable to perform a military push-up, you can start off with a modified push-up performed on the knees and gradually work up to the military style push-up.
As for crunches, the most important thing to remember is proper form. If a crunch is performed improperly, your lower back can be injured.

Remember to train for higher than 75. Your performance on test day can be affected by many things such as fatigue, dehydration or just plain nerves. When you train, try to do at least 10 more than required so your body is ready for anything.

Muscular fitness can do other things such as decrease your body fat. By increasing lean muscle tissue through muscular fitness, you also increase metabolic function. Basically you are trading your four cylinder for a V8. When you perform aerobic exercises with increased lean muscle tissue, your fat burning capabilities will also increase.
If you are unsure on the proper form for either the push-ups or crunches, or have any other fitness-related questions, contact your unit physical training leader or the HAWC
staff for more information on training programs.

Air Force members are encouraged to optimize their own fitness and readiness by improving their overall fitness. As your body’s fitness level increases so will your ability to meet the high demands of work both at home and while deployed. For more information on fitness or health call the HAWC at (701)747-5546.