Set the stage for your ultimate performance this year. What is your goal? What do you want to achieve this year? Talk to the experts at the R2 Performance Center and go over those goals and get a mental to-do list to keep your mind in the right place no matter the circumstance. Then make an appointment at the Army Wellness Center to get your physical performance in peak shape. They will measure where you’re at, and based on your individual goals, give you a plan and provide accountability to help you move forward.

FORT SILL, Okla., Jan. 14, 2021 — For those who are resolute to become their best selves this year, there are experts on Fort Sill who can craft individualized plans to support those goals. Service members, families, Department of the Army civilians,  and retirees are eligible to use the free services offered at the Graham Performance Enhancement Center, in Building 2934 Marcy Road.

On opposite wings of the building are specialists who focus on giving clients enhanced body and mind performance.

“Mental resilience is the ability to grow and thrive in the face of challenges. If you think about right now, 2021, it’s going to present us with new challenges, probably new levels of adversity, but 2021 also has a lot of opportunity,” said Briana Salter, R2 Performance Center expert.

Goals like “How can I grow and thrive in the year to come?” will be mapped out for you with ways to stay mentally fit and on track.

Salter said part of achieving those goals is how you communicate to yourself every single day about them.

“How are you keeping your goals in the forefront of your mind? How do you set up your environment to trip over your goals every single day?”

The performance experts at the R2 Center can go over what a client wants to achieve, and then create a mental performance plan to develop or strengthen mental toughness and resilience to forge ahead.

Physical fitness

On the east wing of the Graham Performance Enhancement Center is the Army Wellness Center (AWC) which uses the same technology as professional sports teams to achieve fitness goals.

“If you are interested in being the best version of yourself, I strongly encourage you to have a health and wellness checkup, and the best place to do that is at the wellness center,” said Seann Hightower, AWC supervisor.

Hightower acknowledges New Year’s resolutions involve healthy weight management. He said: “The services that we provide here are definitely beneficial if someone wants to change their body composition.

“If we’re not assessing we’re guessing,” said Hightower. “One thing I would recommend is seeing where you are. One way to determine that is through our BodPod testing which has a breakdown of your total weight. It will show how much of your total weight is in muscle versus body fat. Once we determine that value we just go from there.”

If you find yourself quarantined, AWC health educator Stacey Oliver said you just need to reach out to the AWC.

“You can easily shoot your health educator an email and ask for a home workout plan for your quarantine. As long as you have a dumbbell or a kettlebell, or if not, we can guide you to what household item you’re able to grab whether it’s a bag of cat food, dog food, or gallon milk jugs ... That’s the beauty of functional fitness. You don’t need a trap bar to train for it, you can really just use what you have around. We can help you really stay fit and active through your quarantine,” said Oliver.

The AWC has a new Performance Optimization class that walks participants through exercise moves to power through the ACFT. They can teach individuals and also teach units by appointment. They also offer a new interactive nutrition workshop that covers micro and macro nutrients, water, sleep, and more to give an individual the right fuel for achieving their fitness goals.

To make an appointment with AWC, call 580-442-0680, or find their FT Sill Army Wellness Center Facebook page. To make an appointment with the R2 Performance Center, call 580-442-6054, or visit Fort Sill R2 Performance Center on Facebook.