Soldiers learn fitness fundamentals with master fitness trainer course

By Staff Sgt. Alexander BurnettJune 25, 2014

Soldiers learn fitness fundamentals with master fitness trainer course
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Juna C. Cyriaque, a personnel noncommissioned officer assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's Special Troops Battalion and a native of Florida, leads her class in performing "the windmill" during physical readiness training as a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers learn fitness fundamentals with master fitness trainer course
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Michael B. Perry, a fueling noncommissioned officer assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade and a native of Pioneer, Cali... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers learn fitness fundamentals with master fitness trainer course
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Alex Z. Hoffman, a Master Fitness Trainer course instructor with Anautics and a native of San Diego, observes and critiques Soldier performance during physical readiness training as a part of the Master Fitness Trainer course on Vogelweh Military Com... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germnay - Soldiers from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command and other organizations throughout Germany received in depth physical readiness training through the Master Fitness Trainer course hosted in the Kaiserslautern Military Community May 29 - June 26.

A team comprised of one Army officer from the Army Training and Doctrine Command and three civilian fitness coaches from Anautics administered the course. The training typically consisted of hands-on physical training in the morning accompanied by classroom instruction in the afternoon. The course explained the entire Army physical readiness training regimen down to the science of each movement, said 1st Lt. Caeson L. Daniell, the MFT course team leader and a native of Saginaw, Texas.

"In the mornings we focus heavily on the movements and drills from PRT that people have been overlooking in the last few years, focusing on precision, progression and integration which are the three principles of PRT," Daniell said. "In the afternoon they learn anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, exercise science and nutrition. It's a pretty well rounded course."

Heavy emphasis was placed on executing each exercise within the PRT program to with precise motion and timing. Throughout the course, the Soldiers learned when each exercise was necessary and why. Even veterans of Army PRT were surprised to learn they had not been performing the exercises correctly.

"I was a drill sergeant for two years and I thought I was doing PRT right the whole time, but I wasn't," said Staff Sgt. Juna C. Cyriaque, a personnel noncommissioned officer assigned to the 21st TSC's Special Troops Battalion while performing the "Side Bridge" exercise. "Doing it right is kicking my butt!"

To both the trainers and trainees, the course and its material are considered extremely important. One of the trainers went on to explain why proper implementation of PRT is so crucial.

"The Army has a great program in place with PRT but it is not being utilized as is should, we want to make sure it is implemented correctly because, as performance coach having worked with athletes at the collegiate level, we know that when you do performance training it's all about the specificity of the training to the job we are going to do," Alex Z. Hoffman, an MFT course instructor from Anautics. "The Army has one of the most important jobs in the world because they provide for our safety."