Army physical readiness training is the physical training required to get the soldier into good enough physical condition to meet the challenges of the type of combat that he or she will be required to perform. In other words the army has to get you ready to meet the expected challenge.
The army has its minimum standard that all troops must meet. Regular infantry troops wont have to reach the standard of Army Rangers because the combat situations that they might have to function in will are not normally as grueling. Commanders at different installations have the right to increase their standards if they feel that the expected tactical situation warrants it.
The armys Eighteenth Airborne Corps has a higher standard of endurance as far as the time and distance that its troops need to be able to run. The reason for this is that most of the airborne troops are light infantry. They may have to travel longer distances on foot carrying heavy equipment. Actual paratroopers need strong leg muscles in order to handle the shock of landing as well as walk the distances that they may need to travel carrying gear on their backs. This is not as important for mechanized infantry troops because they ride to wherever they go to fight.
In the Second Infantry Division in Korea troops are required to walk fifteen miles each month in full combat gear. The reason for this is because the terrain of Korea is very rugged. Troops could easily be cut off in combat and have to negotiate the rugged terrain to link up with other units on foot. Soldiers are required to do this year round because war could occur at any time of the year. What better way to prepare for having to negotiate Koreas rough terrain during war than doing it during peacetime?
Troops who train for the army physical fitness test can make a perfect score but it takes training. They know the requirements so all that they have to do is perform until they are able to do the maximum for each exercise. For one thing, preparation for the army physical fitness test has a lot to do with training specifically for the test. Training for the test requires doing what you have to do on the actual test. The test itself is designed to mimic physical tasks which would have to be performed during combat.
While physical training and exercises are no doubt essential, it is also important that sufficient focus is given on the aspects of diet and rest. The regular troop diet should include lean proteins, vegetables and a significant proportion of fresh fruits. Proper exercises punctuated with the right rest schedules help the body recuperate and rejuvenate for optimum performance. When troops eat their meals in unit dining facilities they are fed the right foods for adequate nutrition. Their caloric intake is difficult to monitor if they dont. Field rations are designed to be dense with calories and nutrients that the body needs. Troops who consume field rations and dont work will gain weight because the rations are designed to sustain their bodies during times of intense combat.
The army encourages extracurricular physical activity by building numerous gymnasiums and furnishing them with the best athletic equipment that money can buy. They also encourage troops to participate in just about every intramural sport possible.
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