Photo By Spc. Anthony Zane | Soldiers from Headquarters Support Company, Eighth U.S. Army, conduct sprints using...... read more read more
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WARRIOR BASE, South Korea – Going to the gym may be a common event for most soldiers when stateside or in a cantonment area, but staying physically fit while in the field presents its own challenges. With a lack of dumbbells, weight machines and the possibility of inclement weather, nature can challenge soldiers while also providing the motivation they need to continue to strive for peak fitness.
Soldiers at the Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2013 exercise strive to maintain their physical fitness level through regular physical-fitness training using the limited resources they have at their disposal during the annual training exercise at Warrior Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 10-30, 2013.
Though working out in a gym can provide soldiers with amenities such as shelter from the elements and an assortment of free-weights and machines, training outdoors gives soldiers a more spacious workout area and the ability to be creative by finding alternatives to their typical gym routines.
Nature can also provide enhancements to a workout, and can stimulate the senses in a way that does not exist within the confines of gym walls.
“You don’t get the same feeling in the gym as you do when you’re outside and running free,” said Pfc. Michael Kennedy, an infantryman with Headquarters Support Company, Eighth Army, adding, “There’s a change of scenery, and breathing fresh air …”
Along with the fresh air, nature provides numerous alternatives to the gym environment. Soldiers can take advantage of winding roads with varied terrain instead of running in place on a treadmill.
“I don’t really like the treadmill, ” said Pfc. Taylor Redmond, satellite communications operator and maintainer from Charlie Company, 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, First Signal Brigade, Eighth Army. “It does nothing for me. I like running outdoors because the climate changes and so does the terrain,” explained the New Brockton, Ala., native.
Soldiers at UFG 13 are also getting creative by using sandbags in place of the standard free weights. Sandbags are commonly found on military installations and add a new level of challenge to mundane exercises. Without the standard grip of a dumbbell, this form of weight resistance is sure to add a welcome change to any routine.
“I like working out outside because it feels better than just being in air-conditioning,” said Kennedy, a Las Vegas native.
Typically PT is conducted as a unit, but sometimes that isn’t possible for various reasons such as work schedule or additional work duties that soldiers find themselves with during UFG 13. In these cases, soldiers must conduct PT on their own time.
“I enjoy exercising wherever I am,” said Capt. Brian Lee, an operations officer for Eighth Army.
Lee has been engaged in a rigorous workout regiment for about two years now and said he loves working out on his own. Through various field-training exercises such as UFG 13, he has learned to become highly adaptable when conducting physical fitness training in the field.
“We’re in the Army, and we don’t have a gym all the time - especially while we’re deployed, so you have to get used to trying out new things and keeping up with [PT],” said Lee, a former Staten Island, N.Y., resident. “Working out outside, inside, wherever; trying different workouts constantly and regularly, that’s key for me.”
Physical training is just as much a mental challenge as it is a physical challenge.
“I’m one of those guys who gets up and thinks, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do this,’ but then I get out there and once I start doing [PT] and I start waking up, I just get through it and it’s worth it,” said Kennedy.
Soldiers admit that a change of scenery and breaking away from the common routine with PT in the field can really help them overcome that challenge.
Despite being in the field, maintaining physical fitness is just as important as in the cantonment area. The versatility of conducting PT outside, in nature’s gym, sustains soldiers’ physical and mental fitness and helps keep them prepared for future challenges.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2013 05:01 |
| Story ID: | 112645 |
| Location: | SEOUL TEUGBYEOLSI [SEOUL-T'UKPYOLSHI], KR |
| Hometown: | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, US |
| Hometown: | NEW BROCKTON, ALABAMA, US |
| Hometown: | STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 219 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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