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Train Your Body For What You Want
The Barber Physical Activity Center's functional fitness room echoed with grunts and groans as three Marines endured intense physical combat fitness training Friday.
Combat body conditioning is geared toward increasing muscle strength, power, endurance and agility, spotlighting the combat fitness test and physical fitness test.
The ultimate purpose of this program is to "increase CFT and PFT scores while improving Marines' physical fitness and combat readiness," said Ira Seth, the fitness event coordinator.
"I hurt my back seven months ago and this is the first regular conditioning program I've done since," said Gunnery Sgt. Terrance Mingo, who just recently began attending. "I figured if I was going to get back into it, why not go hard-body? So far my back has been great."
The Marines warmed up slowly with two sets of 15 pushups; each set followed a 500-meter row.
The first set of exercises consisted of the push press, attack and retreat with ammo cans and crunches. Each Marine performed a maximum set of each exercise for one minute. The Marines rotated between stations three times before moving on to other workouts.
"It's intense," said Mingo. "The intensity is what-ever you put into it. You have the opportunity to go out there and push [yourself]."
The second set of workouts included the side shuffle, wall ball and kettle bell lunges.
The Marines performed one set of the final work-outs that included J-hooking, reclined rowing andwall sitting.
Marines attend this training class for the overall benefit of personal physical conditioning as well asfurthering their Marine Corps career.
"I started because I'm trying to get ready for Marine Corps Special Operations Command," said Sgt.Enrique Quezada, who has been training for almost three months. "This program alone is amazing. I've worked out with four of the five trainers; they will train your body for what you want."
"A lot of people who come to the gym hit a plateau to where they're not moving up," said Mingo. "Adding this to your exercise program will help you get over that plateau."
The biggest turnout for this program so far is 12 Marines, but the trainers are willing to continue the program for as long as it is supported, said Seth.
The trainers spend much of their time putting together different exercises for each day of training to help each Marine isolate and work each muscle group separately.
"There's muscle endurance and muscle strength," said Mingo. "Many of us have muscle strength and not muscle endurance, and when you're doing the CFT that's when it shows. When I come here, every muscle is being targeted and I have to adapt to new exercises."
"[The trainers] have the ability to just break your body down and work the muscles you never thought you had," said Quezada. "They have the creative mind to help a Marine like myself go from food service to MARSOC. There's no doubt in my mind they can get me there."
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