Program helps Airmen stay 'Fit to Fight'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William O'Brien
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  To withstand the rigor of deployment and combat, Team Edwards provides Airmen with the essentials to stay "fit to fight."

The Fit to Fight program helps Airmen maintain physical fitness for deployment.

To help maintain a warrior ethos, Edwards has two primary facilities available for Airmen -- the Rosburg Fitness Center and the Health and Wellness Center. The HAWC conducts informational lectures intended to keep Airmen informed on how to stay in fighting form for deployments, while the fitness center offers a variety of exercise equipment and fitness facilities to allow Airmen to perform physical training regularly.

"It's important to stay fit for mission readiness, if Airmen are in better shape, they'll perform better when deployed," said Todd Amon, 95th Aerospace Medicine Squadron information system manager.

Mr. Amon said Team Edwards has been on track in keeping its Airmen fit to fight proven by the 91.5 percent of Airmen who passed their fitness test.

Edwards was also one of only two bases last year in the Air Force Materiel Command that lowered tobacco use and decreased average body mass index, Mr. Amon said.

There are many ways to improve one's fitness, said Amy Nelms, 95th AMDS dietician. The United States department of agriculture suggested performing a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, including cardiovascular conditioning and resistance exercise five times weekly.

"In order to benefit from cardiovascular conditioning, people need to achieve at least a 65-percent target heart rate," Ms. Nelms said.

According to the USDA, people should maintain proper hydration by drinking two to four liters of non-alcoholic, non-carbonated, non-caffeinated fluids throughout the day, Ms. Nelms said. These fluids include, water, milk, 100-percent juice, diet drinks, broth and energy drinks.

"Keeping your body properly fed and hydrated as well as engaging in a regular PT regimen are the fundamental keys to maintaining good health and being ready for a deployment," Mr. Amon said. "We are trying to give servicemembers an opportunity to improve their physical fitness and prepare themselves for deployment."