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ABSTRACT. Knapik, J., S. Darakjy, S.J. Scott, K.G. Hauret, S. Canada, R. Marin, W. Rieger, and B.H. Jones. Evaluation of a Standardized Physical Training Program for Basic Combat Training. J. Strength Cond. Res. 19(2):246-253. 2005.-A control group (CG, n = 1,138) that implemented a traditional Basic Combat Training (BCT) physical training (PT) program was compared to an evaluation group (EG, n = 829) that implemented a PT program newly designed for BCT. The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) was taken at various points in the PT program, and injuries were obtained from a medical surveillance system. After 9 weeks of training, the proportion failing the APFT was lower in the EG than in the CG (1.7 vs. 3.3%, p = 0.03). After adjustment for initial fitness levels, age, and body mass index, the relative risk of an injury in the CG was 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-2.0) and 1.5 (95% CI = 1.2-1.8) times higher than in the EG for men and women, respectively. The newly designed PT program resulted in higher fitness test pass rates and lower injury rates compared to a traditional BCT physical training program.
KEY WORDS. Injury, attrition, military personnel, aerobic fitness, muscle contraction
INTRODUCTION
Physical fitness is a necessary and critical element of soldiering. Military historians have repeatedly emphasized the importance of a high level of physical capability for the occupational tasks that soldiers are required to perform (3, 20, 21). New recruits entering the U.S. Army are provided regular physical training as an initial step to increasing their general physical fitness. However, physical training has also been shown to be associated with a high rate of injury (5, 6, 9, 29), an outcome that erodes the benefits of physical training. To counter negative effects of over-training, recent efforts to reduce injuries have focused on modifications in the physical training program itself (9, 13, 27).
In a previous study, we reported on a modified physical training program for Basic Combat Training (BCT) called Physical Readiness Training (13). Physical Readiness Training was shown to reduce injuries and improve fitness to a greater extent than the traditional BCT physical training program. But concern over the Physical Readiness Program was expressed by the leadership of the Army Training and Doctrine...