MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marines aboard the station participated in the Semper Fit Combat Fitness Course at the IronWorks Gym here March 24-25 to gain knowledge about proper physical training techniques and safety.
“The program is designed for the unit physical training leaders and Marines who have a role in designing a PT program for their units,” said Alma Dickinson, IronWorks Gym health promotions director.
The two-day course was split into morning classroom sessions and afternoon activities.
In the morning, the Marines received a lecture about training for performance, injury prevention, functional fitness modalities, tactical nutrition and how to design a workout.
The topic of injury prevention was broken down into concepts which included common athletic injuries, modifiable factors of injuries and how to address previous injuries.
One focus of the program highlighted the importance of knowing the risk factors and different types of injuries, which include heat injury, cold injury, altitude, illness and how to treat them.
“If you injure your ankle or leg, you want to stay off of that certain part of the body so that it can heal,” said Dickinson.
The course also focused heavily on nutrition providing the class with tips and facts about maintaining proper
diet, hydration, facts about supplements and how to time meals.
“If you’re not giving your body good fuel, you’re not going to perform as well as you should perform,” said Sgt. Felix Morris, semitrailer refueler operator. “Good nutrition, hydration and vitamins are good.”
In the afternoon, Marines learned and performed exercises to incorporate into a PT routine.
During the course, Marines learned and performed basic total body resistance exercises.
Resistance bands allow Marines to perform core, leg, triceps, chest, back and shoulder exercises while maintaining a stationary position. It allows for the changing of position, working angle, and forces exercisers to focus on their center of gravity.
Because training for the combat fitness test is a vital part of Marine Corps readiness, the course focuses on basic drills and circuit training workouts.
Marines participated and performed cone drills, shuttle drills, kettle bell training and static flexibility exercises.
“We talked about general fitness principles and specifically about preparing for the Combat Fitness Test,” said Dickinson. “It’s to increase their speed, increase their power and their ability to perform in those situations.”
Included in the curriculum is a brief history of United States Marine Corps fitness testing, which outlines the evolution of how Marines are evaluated for physical fitness and combat.
“It’s not just about training for the CFT,” said Dickinson. “It’s about training for combat in general. You have a lot of Marines leading PT and it’s important to understand the principles, the science behind it, and why we train the way we do.”
“These classes are good for variation in training,” said Morris.
Marines who complete the course receive a certificate of completion and an abundance of knowledge to apply when leading and preparing their fellow Marines for combat.
For more information about upcoming Semper Fit Combat Fitness courses, call 253-6883.