Pushups, deadlifts, plank, 2-mile run: These exercises and more are part of how the Army assesses a soldier’s fitness. But a new holistic approach goes deeper.
And a dedicated area at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference focuses solely on the various ways soldiers can attain, maintain and improve all-around fitness.
For the first time in the expo’s recent history, an entire pavilion is dedicated to human performance: everything from physical fitness to mental well-being to nutrition, spiritual fitness and sleep.
The pavilion will host Army leaders talking about how they’re applying the principles of Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, and will also feature health industry members, including BeaverFit USA and Polar USA.
And there’s a chance to sweat. The pavilion will feature early morning workouts each day of AUSA, which runs Oct. 10-12.
The companies in attendance will showcase goods and services, such as software applications, digital devices and training support methodologies to bring professional athlete-level tools to the Army’s newest private.
The Army fielded performance coaches and equipment to all 28 Forces Command brigades over the past two years, said Col. Kevin Bigelman, H2F director. He added that the service aims to deliver resources next year to at least 10 brigades — five in the 101st Airborne Division; two at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, training units; and three at training units on Fort Benning, Georgia.
The pavilion will give unit leaders from captain and above new tools and methods as well as the chance to hear from senior Army leaders who have used the H2F program, Bigelman said.
BeaverFit USA was the primary coordinator for the industry side of the event. The company provides exercise equipment and services for the Army’s ACFT program under a government contract.
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