Prof. Michael Spivock, PhD (Research Manager in Human Performance. Canadian Forces) FIT TO FIGHT: PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE CANADIAN FORCES

FIT TO FIGHT:  PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE CANADIAN FORCES

SUZANNE JAENEN, MSc;
STEPHEN CORNISH, PhD;
MICHAEL SPIVOCK, PhD;
TARA REILLY, PhD;
LINDSAY GOULET, PhD;
PATRICK GAGNON, MSc.

Canadian Forces, Director General Personnel and Family Support Services, Director of Fitness, Ottawa, Canada

Canadian Forces (CF) members must be physically fit to meet military operational requirements, to perform under a wide range of geographical and environmental conditions, to cope with the stresses of sustained operations, and be ready to respond on short notice. Thus, physical fitness training forms an important part of the CF physical education programme.  All members of the CF are expected to achieve and maintain levels of physical fitness which will enable them to perform their normal duties with maximum efficiency; keep them prepared to meet any emergency that may require them to perform effectively under adverse conditions for a prolonged period of time; and contribute to the maintenance of their health.  The necessary high levels of physical fitness required by Canadian Forces members can only be achieved through physical fitness training programs. 

Physical fitness training programs in the CF are developed based upon the results of task and physical demand analyses conducted during the research and development of operationally relevant physical fitness standards. This process ensures a scientific linkage between physical fitness standards and supporting physical fitness training programs.

There are three levels of physical fitness programs in the CF: (i) General; (ii) Environmental, and (iii) Trade specific. Within each of these different levels of programming, there are physical, functional, and operational training modalities. General physical fitness programs ensure that all CF members are provided with an exercise prescription (ExPres) tailored to their individual needs and fitness test results, and permits CF members to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to participate effectively in the prescribed physical fitness programs.  Environmental and Trade specific physical fitness programs ensure that Navy, Army, and Air Force personnel, as well as members of specialized Trades or Units, such as Fire Fighters and Special Operations Forces, are provided with operationally relevant physical fitness training. To complement existing physical fitness programs, new physical fitness programs for the Navy, Army and Air Force are currently being developed in conjunction with the Environment-specific fitness standards as part of the CF Health and Fitness Strategy. These physical fitness programs, geared towards the Tactical Athlete, will be comprised of physical, functional and operational training modules, and integrated into the deployment and force generation cycle.

This paper will detail the current physical fitness training programs in the CF, and the philosophical framework for the new Environment physical fitness programs.