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Waterfront Fitness Pump Up Sailors
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Wasp (LHD 1) attended a special physical training (PT) session July 15 hosted by Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic's Waterfront Fitness Specialists at Naval Station Norfolk.
"I had a really good time at this PT session," said Midshipman 3rd Class Catherine Nuar, a second-year student at the U.S. Naval Academy who is majoring in mechanical engineering.
"With the usual Navy PT there's only so much you can do, but having the different stations made it interesting."
Three of the specialists, Shanda Binder, Susan Lowry, and Jodie Byrkett, set up the event, which included 20 different exercise stations into which the Wasp crew was divided. Each station featured an exercise specifically designed to challenge the Sailors.
"The variety was good, but the intensity was higher, and doing the exercises used my muscles differently," said Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) 1st Class (SW) Jason Patterson, Wasp ship signal exploitation space leading petty officer.
"Parts of my body were on fire from some of the exercises. It's not that regular PT is bad, but this was different. We were definitely sweating out there."
Wasp Command Fitness Leader Chief Postal Clerk (SW/AW) James Harris, said the special PT session was designed to push the Sailors out of their routines.
"We looked to [the specialists] to show us some new ways to conduct command PT - something to help break up the monotony," said Harris. "I asked them to hit us pretty good, and they promised a kick-butt workout. When I talked to the crew afterwards I heard a lot of good things about it. From officers to blueshirts, midshipmen and chiefs, they all thoroughly enjoyed it."
The program recently hired another specialist due to the popularity of the program.
"We offer PT sessions for the waterfront almost all, if not all, days of the week," said Byrkett. "We do our best to accommodate all the requests we receive to conduct command physical fitness for our deploying forces and our schedule is always full. We have even had to combine commands to meet the needs of the waterfront."
As a result, can gauge each ship's PT program by how their Sailors perform during the special PT sessions. Byrkett noted that Wasp's Sailors were up to the task.
"The Wasp Sailors did an outstanding job this morning with leadership engaged in PT and motivating their Sailors to participate," said Byrkett. "The commanding officer, XO (executive officer) and CMC (command master chief) support the culture of fitness and ensure their command take advantage of any fitness program that will assist their Sailors not only stay healthy and fit, but more energized for their daily activities and operational commitments."
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