A lot of us think we’re in pretty good shape, especially if we like to keep ourselves active, watch the carbs we eat and exercise on a regular basis. But, if you’re in the right age group, which is between the ages of 18- to 35 and 35 is pushing it! You may want to see just how good of shape you really are in by taking the Army’s new physical fitness test. You can see how well you measure up against those young men and women that would like to be all that they can be by joining the army.

The main reason the army is changing up their fitness tests is to make it a more overall test of a recruit ability to perform so that they are ready for combat. The current one that had been modified in the 80’s does not measure how well a soldier will perform under fire. The service has spent more than a decade looking for a better way to not only measure combat readiness but also to train soldiers to that standard while reducing injuries.

Now, the army has a core fitness program that they feel addresses this obstacle to helping instill stamina, strength/ and agility training into a fitness program. They’ve created a 6-module exercise readiness test that consists of 6 fitness sets. They have called it the “Army Fitness Readiness Test”.

The way this was created is that When you reverse-engineer combat specific tasks, you end up needing to train five different domains of physical fitness, Lt. Col. David Feltwell, the principal doctrine developer for the Army ‘s physical readiness program. Those domains include muscular and cardiovascular endurance — which is measured by muscular strength, explosive strength and agility.

There were a lot of difference choices to represent all of those types of fitness.

“We then selected somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 field-expedient tests — everything from pullups and sit-ups to bench press and dead lift, to vertical jump to sumo squats — and we administered those to a large sample at Fort Riley [in Kansas] in 2014,” East said.

They narrowed those options down to six:

1. A two-mile run.

2. A 250-meter sprint/drag/carry. Soldier begins in the prone position, stands up and sprints 25 meters to the far line, returns to the start line, pulls sled backwards to the far line, returns backwards with sled to the start line, grasps two 30-pound kettlebells and runs 25 meters to the far line, returns with the kettlebells to the start line, drops kettlebells at start line, turns and sprints 25 meters to the far line, and returns to the start/finish line.

3. A maximum weight deadlift.

4. The leg tuck. Soldier grasps a climbing bar with alternating neutral grip in the dead hang position; flexes with elbows, hips, and waist to bring knees up, touching both elbows with knees; and returns to the dead hang position. Repeat.

5. Standing power throw. Soldier tosses a 10-pound medicine ball backward.

6. T-pushup. The soldier begins in the down position, pushes the body into up position, lowers body to the ground, extends arms out to the sides into the T position, and then returns to the starting position

“The sprint/drag/carry is actually pretty rough,” said Sgt. Thomas Masi, of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. “I didn’t think it was going to be that bad.”

A 2017 Best Ranger Competition winner agreed that it was the most challenging event.
“I think the sprint, drag and carry — just because it’s an all-out event and incorporates a bunch of different muscle groups so it stresses you more than just an individual muscle group,

“When that test was developed, they were still under the guidance of zero equipment,” said East, the research physiologist at CIMT. “What we know is that we can’t assess muscular strength with no equipment. You have to pick something up and put it down.”

If in looking at this test you recognize the fact that it is pretty similar to a “HIIT” exercise program. (High-Intensity Interval Training) which has gained in popularity with fitness buffs over the past several years.

So, you don’t have to enlist to go through this grueling test. You can join a gym or fitness training group and see just how well you measure up against what the new army recruits are doing to get in the best possible shape to defend our country.

Keeping track of your results as you put yourself through the paces of a HIIT workout is important to make sure your performing at your maximum, and also that your rest periods are also being taking at the right time and right duration. In order to track these results properly using an Activity monitor with a heart rate function along with V02Max functionality can be beneficial to your end results. One such device is the Garmin Vivoactive 3 GPS Smart Activity Tracker  With help from Elevate™ Wrist-based heart rate technology², Vivoactive 3 lets you monitor key aspects of your fitness and stress to show how your body responds under various circumstances. For example, it’s able to estimate your VO2 max and fitness age, 2 indicators of physical fitness that can often improve over time with regular exercise. It also tracks your heart rate variability (HRV), which is used to calculate and track your stress level. Vivoactive 3 can make you aware when physical or emotional sources cause your stress level to rise so you can find a way to relieve the pressure.

So with using a fitness tracker like the Vívosmart, you can monitor your progress as you put yourself through your own PT training. Then you can prove it to yourself that you are really performing at your peak and being “All That You Can Be”!

This is a followup to a post which we did a few weeks ago on getting yourself out and running for the New Year.  In the body of the post on exercising for the new year, we mentioned the Fartlek technique which enables those who are either looking for a more intense workout or those who have plateaued and need to shake themselves out of their normal routines which their bodies have acclimated themselves to. Below is a condensed explanation on Fartlek and we think, just like the HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training program) it can work for you in the same way.

Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish, is a training method that blends continuous training with interval training. Fartlek runs are a very simple form of a long distance run. Fartlek training “is simply defined as periods of fast running intermixed with periods of slower running."

What's the Difference Between Fartlek, Tempo, and Interval Runs?
Fartlek Workouts, are not only fun to say out loud, but they're fun to run. Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play," and that is exactly what it’s all about. Unlike tempo and interval work, fartlek is unstructured and alternates moderate-to-hard efforts with easy, tempo based workouts along with your high intense moves. After a warm-up, you play with speed by running at faster efforts for short periods of time (to that tree, to the sign) followed by easy-effort running to recover, usually for about a 10-15 minute interval. It's fun in a group setting, as you can alternate the leader and mix up the pace and time. And in doing so, you reap the mental benefits of being pushed by your buddies through an unpredictable workout. The goal is to keep it free-flowing so you’re untethered to the watch or a plan and to run at harder efforts but not a specific pace.

Now, we still think using a fitness tracker, especially one that measures your heart rate is an important tool. Especially since you’re going to be subjecting yourself to some intense sprints during your run. You want to make sure your heart-rate is where it should be and in order to monitor this correctly, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 235 GPS Running Watch 

Benefits: the Stress-free workout that improves mind-body awareness, mental strength, and stamina.

Tempo Workouts are runs, that use some effort at or slightly above your anaerobic threshold (the place where your body shifts to using more glycogen for energy). Again that heart rate monitor is great for monitoring this, once you know that level, you can use it as a mark. This is the effort level just outside your comfort zone—you can hear your breathing, but you're not gasping for air. If you can talk easily, you’re not in the tempo zone, and if you can’t talk at all, you’re above the zone. It should be at an effort somewhere in the middle, so you can talk in broken words. Pace, is not an effective means for running a tempo workout, as there are many variables that can affect pace including heat, the wind, fatigue, and the terrain your running on.

Interval Workouts are short, intense efforts followed by equal or slightly longer recovery time. For example, after a warm-up, run two minutes at a hard effort, followed by two to three minutes of easy jogging or walking to catch your breath. Unlike tempo workouts, you’re running above your red line and at an effort where you are reaching hard for air and counting the seconds until you can stop—a controlled fast effort followed by a truly easy jog. The secret is in the recovery as patience and discipline while you’re running easy allows you to run the next interval strong and finish the entire workout fatigued but not completely spent. Just like rest, your body adapts and gets stronger in the recovery mode.
Benefits: Improved running form and economy, endurance, mind-body coordination, motivation, and fat-burning.

So now that you know just what “Fartlek” training is, start implementing it and spread the word along to your friends and see if they want to join you on a Fartlek excursion. Who knows, you may want to get some t-shirts or sweatshirts made promoting your Fartleking group. If nothing else, you’re gonna be making an awareness statement for a lot of those people that see you and your group pass by and have no idea what the word stands for.

Happy Fartleking!

So, Will I Suffer From Scaling Back My Exercise and Running Routines at this time of year?

Runners DO need a break!  It doesn't matter how old you are or how many miles a week you run, a period of reduced volume and intensity will do your body—and your brain—good. And for many runners, there's no better time to back off than during the holiday season, with its competing time demands and family obligations.

But taking some time off, or just scaling back does NOT open the door to over indulging in all of those holiday favorites.  We believe we spoke enough about the do's and don ts of sampling all those holiday goodies, so we are not going over this here at this time.

"By the end of the year, most people, who are avid runners, are doing their max mileage, whether it's 20, 40, or 100 miles per week, and they've taken their bodies to their maximum level, too," says Jenny Spangler, coach of the Jenny Spangler Racing team in Chicago.  "Waking up early day after day to run can eventually lead to burning out, no matter how tough you are."

How long you choose to back off is up to you—a newbie running 10 to 20 miles a week may feel rejuvenated after two to three weeks of scaling back, while a hard-charging marathoner may need up to two months of easy going. Don't quit exercising entirely, or coming back will be more difficult. Instead, try these ways to tone things down so you're rested, recovered, and ready for a fitter, faster 2017.

During your break, you need to inject some speed to keep your legs and lungs strong—this will also help ease the eventual return to your regular running routine. "Fartleks are a great way to maintain some leg speed without stressing your body or mind too much," says Spangler. "There are no time, distance, or pace goals involved; it's only about the effort."

Once or twice a week, in the middle of a run, do five fartlek pickups of up to three minutes each, at a pace that feels moderately hard. Jog between each for as long as it takes you to recover. If you're running with friends, take turns initiating the pickup and determining how long and how fast to make it.
Once or twice a week, in the middle of a run, do five fartlek pickups, of up to three minutes each at a pace that feels moderately hard. Jog between each for as long as it takes you to recover. If you're running with friends, take turns initiating the pickup and determining how long and how fast to make it.

And What is Fartlek training? Well, this is a topic for another blog.

LONG RUNS MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME
Putting long runs on the shelf for a while not only gives your running muscles more time to recover from a year of steady running but gives you more free time to spend with the family or to tackle long-neglected, demanding household tasks, such as your leaf-choked gutters. After you cross-train for a week or two, run no longer than 30 to 40 minutes at a time for two weeks. For the remaining three to four weeks of your scale-back period, your longest run should be one-third to one-half the distance of your pre-break long run.

TIME GOALS
It may seem strange to schedule an event when you're supposed to be taking it easy, but the opportunity to race with zero pressure can be liberating and fun too. Without the stress of “I must perform”, you'll be free to soak up the vibe happening around you at the event, pace will be slower, your friends or family members can be a part of it, you can cheer on fellow runners, and revel in the post-race party. Find a local Turkey Trot or Jingle-Bell Jog, encourage a buddy to join you, and leave the watch at home.

The main goal here is to scale back and enjoy this time off, you’re not pulling the switch on exercising completely, and you’re just dialing back on the intensity and the regimen of that early morning or after work training venues at the gym or taking to your regular trails.

So, the bottom line is, NO, you won’t hurt yourself by scaling back during the holidays this year. In fact, you’re going to be helping yourself by giving your body a rest. Enjoy the holidays, eat smart and stay loose with some small running/jogging, or walking periods just to remind your muscle groups that they are still needed for when you get back into your normal exercise/training routines.

A key point in this is to set yourself a “Startup” goal on when you're going to get back into your fitness mode. This depends on you and how intense your previous workout schedules were. It’s hard to scale back but it's also just as hard to re-commit to your old routines, that is why you need that ‘Startup” date set in stone.

You might want to give yourself an incentive, to get back to the grind by getting yourself a motivation gift. Maybe a new pair of running shoes, a new running outfit, one that’s made for the winter training climates in your locale or maybe, just maybe that new fitness monitor. For some ideas, you can always go to https:www.heartratemonitorsusa.com  and select that perfect incentive gift you’ve been putting off.

Enjoy the Holidays from the gang here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com!