By Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor
3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Burrill, an instructor for U.S. Army Physical Readiness Division, Fort Jackson S.C., briefs Soldiers with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, on resistance training modalities and analysis during a Master Fitness Trainer course at the Garcia Physical Fitness Center June 18, 2018. (Photo by 1st Lt. Daniel Lee)
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers are expected to train to standard and be physically fit at all times.
In order to maintain fitness and minimize injuries, the Army trains Soldiers as master fitness trainers (MFT). An MFT enhances a unit’s readiness by giving advice on physical readiness issues and monitoring unit or individual physical readiness programs.
MFT instructors from the U.S. Army Physical Readiness Division, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, certified Soldiers across Fort Carson as MFTs June 18-29, 2018.
“This course certified the Soldiers to be MFT trainers within their organization,” said Capt. Justin Winn, team leader with Leader Training Brigade, U.S. Army Physical Readiness Division. “Under the current program of instruction, we moved toward making it strength-based; commanders can think of their certified Soldiers as strength and conditioning coaches for their unit.”
The course included a physical fitness assessment, science of exercise, exercise training principles, exercise prescription, exercise leadership and the development of individual and unit physical readiness programs in accordance with current Army doctrine and regulations.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Sgt. Susanna Mireles, human resource specialist with Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, performs a deadlift during a Master Fitness Trainer course at the Garcia Physical Fitness Center June 18, 2018. (Photo by 1st Lt. Daniel Lee)
“Since we have been tracking a lot of the readiness statistics over the years, we started to see our overuse injury numbers increase,” said Winn. “Some of that comes from the fact that we don’t necessarily program our physical readiness training with a purpose behind it.”
One of the underlying issues of overuse injuries is Soldiers focusing too acutely on an individual event or activity, such as ruck marching.
“Unfortunately, Soldiers are more worried about being the best, and not focused on strength training for their goals or mission,” said Winn. “That’s one of the things that we drive home; (find) a goal from the unit, then implement that goal in a physical readiness training program to achieve the desired end state.”
Most people are familiar with American football; you have a quarterback, a lineman, and a running back, said Winn. Strength coaches who specialize at the professional level have different training programs for specific roles, because each role has a different athletic demand. You can compare that to Soldiers who are infantry vs. mechanics; they each have a different athletic demand.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Sgt. Kendall Matsunaga, wheeled vehicle mechanic with Company G, Forward Support Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, performs a deadlift during a Master Fitness Trainer course at the Garcia Physical Fitness Center June 18, 2018. (Photo by 1st Lt. Daniel Lee)
“All the Soldiers who are taking this course will be trained in all the areas toward their individual unit’s mission,” said Winn. “By implementing this training we should see fewer injuries, better performance in units’ missions, and overall enhanced physical readiness.”
The MFT program also teaches Soldiers how to do the exercises correctly to minimize future injuries.
“I never knew how to do something simple, like the proper way of squatting or doing deadlifts,” said Sgt. Susanna Mireles, human resource specialist with Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “Now that I have taken the MFT course, I feel like I can help minimize or help prevent injuries. When I walk into a gym, I’m confident enough now to approach anyone I see and help them by providing guidance and coach them on the proper form.”