Currahees complete Master Fitness Trainer Course

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky -- Soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team "Currahees," 101st Airborne Division, along with Soldiers from various other units completed the four-week Master Fitness Trainer Course, Sept. 13, 2013, at Clarksville Base gym at Fort Campbell, Ky.

MTFC is a course designed to create additional-duty special advisers trained to assist unit commanders in facilitating the physical training found in the U.S. Army Field Manual 7-22.

Soldiers with 4th BCT said that the training was informative, was physically rigorous and tested mental aptitude.

"All the classes are college-level classes so, they covered things like muscle anatomy, so you really have to be on your game as far as the mental aspect of the course," said Sgt. 1st Class Shahied Abdulbaar, a platoon sergeant with 1st Platoon, Troop C, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th BCT, 101st Abn. Div.

"I consider myself in pretty good shape," he said. "Doing PT, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., three straight hours. I thought the Master Fitness Program the course was adequately physically challenging."

Abdulbaar highlighted that MFTC focused on the basics of Army Physical Readiness Training program, a program designed with the intent of mitigating injuries to Soldiers during PT, which will also help units better rehabilitate injured Soldiers.

"The Master Fitness program, one of the biggest benefits we will gain as a platoon or as a company, is getting the Soldiers that are injured or currently on profile, rehabilitating those Soldiers the proper way through physical fitness," he said. "The Master Fitness [Trainer] when he [or she] has all the tools to get that Soldier from point A to point B and when that Soldier gets to point B they will be in better physical condition than before he [was injured] and went on profile."

The MFT certified Soldiers also said that along with lowering injury, making sure Soldiers execute the PRT exercises properly will prepare them for situations they may face in battle.

"MFT is designed to enhance the Soldiers' tasks and battle drills," said Staff Sgt. Geraldo Alcantara, the squadron rear-detachment logistics noncommissioned officer in charge with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Sqdn. 61st Regt., 4th BCT, 101st Abn. Div. "If you do it precisely,

it will minimize the risk of injury."

Alcantara shared that information he attained in class was beneficial to him as well.

"I learn a lot of new things; I thought I was physically in shape, 50 percent of that stuff I was doing was wrong," he said. "Over training, that is one of the things I learned, is that you don't have to over train to get better."

To qualify for MFTC Soldiers must pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with a minimum 80 points scored in each of the three events and a overall score of 240.

In addition to the three-hour PT sessions, the Soldiers are also graded on three written tests in order to complete the course.

Abdulbaar said that the training he received was important and encouraged all Soldiers in leadership positions to attend the course.

"I recommend that all platoon sergeants and platoon leaders and squad leaders should go to this course," he said. "That way, we can have injury prevention. If you are a squad leader or platoon sergeant, even a first sergeants or company commander, they should be allowed to go to Master Fitness because not only does it prove they have a certain level of physical fitness, but they also have the knowledge to back it up."