The Few The Proud

It’s growing. It’s spreading! In a recent paper by the Assistant Commandant for Combat Development and Integration of the U.S. Marine Corps, General James Amos, an entirely new paradigm was put forth for marine fitness training.

Having collected extensive amounts of data from marines coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq, General Amos determined that USMC fitness training has to change. Currently focusing on endurance training (long distance running) and body building based training just doesn’t adequately prepare our troops for combat missions.

He concluded:

1. Fitness should follow combat function.
2. A balanced approach must be used to develop speed, power, strength & flexibility.
3. The program must have intensity and great variety
4. It must also be characteristically general and well balanced.

In short, his marines should be training like athletes.

Sound familiar? True fitness, be it marines, college baseball players, soccer moms or minivan dads, prepares you for the demands your life and your job places on you. Your fitness level is determined by how well you’re prepared to take on those tasks.

Disagree? Tell it to the marines.