Army cuts ‘hell for leather’ training
FOR centuries, the British Army has made soldiers endure the excruciating long march, carrying full kit, to ensure troops are at the peak of physical fitness and combat-ready.
But an overhaul of training will now mean soldiers will also use the latest sports science techniques favoured by footballers and Olympians to get them fit and protect them from injury.
Instead of new recruits being “thrashed” with “hell for leather” training, they will focus more on short bursts of strength and conditioning work, as well as being given adequate rests to allow their bodies to recover. The Army’s review of its fitness regime is an attempt to reduce the number of people discharged after suffering musculoskeletal injuries, such as torn tendons and ligaments, muscle strains and damage to nerves.
For the past 15 years, such injuries have accounted for about 60 per cent of the Army’s medical discharges.
An Army source said the Royal Army Physical Training Corps’ shift in fitness philosophy was an attempt to “bring training into the 21st century”.
As well as underlining the importance of rest, hydration and nutrition, soldiers will be encouraged to report niggling pains they experience in order to treat injuries early, rather than pre- tending suffering in silence is “macho”. Meanwhile, more sessions are likely to be carried out in swimming pools because water offers support and reduces impact injuries.
Greater emphasis will also be placed on preparing recruits for the specific physical rigours each unit will be asked to face in the field of battle.
The source added that the Army had learnt from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, where marching at speed became irrelevant, in part because of the heat, and hidden improvised explosives posing an ever-present threat.
“But there may be a need for a soldier to employ a short burst of energy, carrying an injured colleague,” he said. “We want to make soldiers stronger and better prepared for the jobs that they will face in their unit.”
“And, in so doing we also want to reduce injuries. It’s not just about going hell for leather. Professional athletes do not do all-out training all of the time.”
Outlining the concept behind the new regime, Major Robert Heagarty, a physiotherapist who also works with British Olympics, said “soldiers need to be fit to run, not just run to get fit”.
In an interview with Soldier, the magazine of the British Army, he said: “Youngsters today don’t do as much physical activity as the previous generation so the step from civilian to soldier is bigger than ever before. I have reviewed our methods with the intent of reducing musculoskeletal injuries and medical discharges without compromising the Army’s physical fitness standards.”
The source insisted that the Army was not adjusting to an influx of the socalled “snowflake generation”, but wanted to prevent injury to ensure that it remained one of the best fighting forces in the world.
An Army spokesman said: “This new fitness programme will reduce the number of musculoskeletal injuries sustained by soldiers of all ages and ensure our physical training gets our soldiers ready for the rigours of combat.”