FORT SILL, Okla.-- Physical fitness is a cornerstone of the 75th Fires Brigade, whether in combat or in garrison here. Diamond Brigade Soldiers' attitude toward fitness helps them complete any mission they are assigned.
There are many individuals in the brigade that take their own personal time to stay fit.
Staff Sgt. Mark Middleton, brigade liaison officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 75th Fires Brigade, is one of those individuals.
Describing himself growing up as a pudgy kid before joining the Army, Middleton went through a light workout Sept. 5 during lunch in the Diamond Cutter Gym in the brigade's basement.
"I was inspired to start lifting weights when I was denied a waiver to be promoted to the rank of specialist," said Middleton.
When that happened, his morale suffered until a section chief in his battery took him aside and told him that people who face their problems lift weights. That statement made such an impact on the 19- year-old Soldier, he started lifting regularly and has never looked back.
"There are many benefits for lifting weights but everyone does it for a different reason," said Middleton. "I do it because it is healthy, makes me stronger and it just makes me feel good about myself."
While there are many benefits to weightlifting, the regular maintenance of a stringent routine is not a completely risk-free lifestyle.
"The biggest negative is you could end up injured somewhere down the line if you are not careful," warned the Charleston, S.C. native. "You have to swallow your pride at the door and know what good form is when you start to lift weights. If you do not use proper form, you can cause some serious injuries to yourself."
Many weight-room enthusiasts, however, are adamant that the rewards outweigh the risk. Middleton asserts that his adherence to the goals he sets for himself is his key to being successful in the gym.
While in Afghanistan during 2010-2011, his battalion had a weight-lifting competition. His goal was to be within the top five. At the end of the competition he had reached that goal.
Middleton offers some great tips for Soldiers who have similar goals or are trying to get in better shape.
"Like minded individuals push each other and receive a lot more muscle gains," he advised when discussing the topic of picking a workout partner or spotter who can best help someone achieve their goals.
"I would lose a training partner every two or three weeks, because they did not have the same goals as me," he recollected.
Middleton also gave some tips on how to lose body fat.
"A rule of thumb for when you are trying to lose body fat is from all your calories you take in that day, you want 50 percent to come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fats and 20 percent from protein," he said. "If you don't think that percentage is going to suit your needs, then you can customize it on the site to meet your goals."
Middleton did not forget to stress the significance of good cardio work in a fat-loss plan.
"If you are running, you have to push yourself, because you have to get your heart rate up and keep it there," he said.
You can also do a series of explosive jumps which is when you jump up and down as high as you can, with no rest between jumps, or simply jump rope, he offered as another option, noting that all of those exercises are good when balanced with a proper diet.
Middleton has set the bar high in terms of his future fitness goals, but his reasons for these remain well grounded.
By the early part of 2013, he wants to get his run time back down into the 14- to 15-minute bracket. When he has finished serving in the Army, he wants to become a personal trainer or a strength coach at a high school so he can continue to help people and work with those who want to better themselves.
Middleton has already shown the Soldiers in the brigade that he is a person who is willing to work with anyone in need of his help, especially those who demonstrate a desire and commitment to getting better.
"Soldiers can call me any day of the week, to include weekends, to work out or even go on a 3-mile run," said Middleton. "I rarely tell a Soldier no, unless I have something going on with my family."
In an effort to expand on his ability to better mentor Soldiers while simultaneously bettering himself, he attended the two-day Mission Essential Fitness Course and the Commanders Total Fitness Course both offered through the Army.
He is scheduled to attend a longer Mission Essential Fitness Course at Fort Bliss, Texas, in about a week and is excited by the prospects in spite of knowing well the rigors that await.
"The two-day course at Fort Riley, (Kan.) beat me up," he said. "The reason I want to go is to prove to people you can be injured, hurt and still be able to do things."
Middleton is big on inspirational quotations. Many of his have been repeated through the Diamond Brigade by Soldiers he has mentored who have witnessed the actions behind the words.
"[Whatever your fitness goals may be] you never reach them sitting down," he said.
While deployed he was known for saying, "This training does not stop." It was a short quote, but one he applies both while weightlifting in the gym and when doing his job in the Diamond Brigade.
Noncommissioned officers are the backbone of the 75th FiB. NCOs like Middleton make that backbone "tough as diamonds."
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