HPRC & ACSM’s
High Intensity Training Conference and
Performance Optimization Workshop
Sponsored by the
Human Performance Resource Center
September 13-14, 2010
Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences,
Bethesda, MD
Baseline Fitness Requirements
Edward J. Zambraski PhD, FACSM
Division Chief, Military Performance Division
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
Natick, MA
Issues to be addressed
• What specifically do these commercial
companies (e.g. CrossFit) say about baseline
or minimal fitness requirements?
• Fitness requirements or other standards for
circuit training in general?
• Risk factors for musculoskeletal injury?
• Injury potential for individuals with low aerobic
fitness?
• Army physical fitness standards/profile of the
average Soldier.
Options Offered by CrossFit.com Regarding Program Implementation
1.
If you are largely familiar with the stable of CrossFit exercises then start with the WOD (Workout
of the Day). This option is for those athletes with an extensive experience in athletic strength
and conditioning
2.
If some or many of the exercises are unfamiliar to you and you are only modestly acquainted with
elite athletic training, we recommend that you follow the WOD and substitute other exercises for
those where you don't have either the equipment or skill and then devise a plan for acquisition
of the necessary skills or equipment needed to participate completely.
3.
If many or most of the exercises are relatively or completely unknown to you, then we
recommend that you begin learning the movements for a month or two until you can either
perform our common exercises or have substitutions worked out for those movements under
development.
•
CrossFit workouts are extremely demanding and will tax the capacities of even the world's best
athletes. You would be well advised to take on the WOD carefully, cautiously, and work first
towards completing the workouts comfortably and consistently.
•
The best results have come for those who've "gone through the motions" of the WOD by
reducing recommended loads, reps, and sets while not endeavoring towards impressive times for
a month before turning up the heat.
•
We counsel you to establish consistency with the WOD before maximizing intensity.
www.crossfit.com
“You would be well advised to take on the
WOD carefully, cautiously, and work first
towards completing the workouts comfortably
and consistently before "throwing" yourself at
them 100%"
www.crossfit.com
“You would be well advised to take on the
WOD carefully, cautiously, and work first
towards completing the workouts comfortably
and consistently before "throwing" yourself at
them 100%"
CrossFit Training Guide
[Copyright: 2006, page 5 (94 page document) ]
“CrossFit has tested its methods
on sedentary, overweight,
pathological, and elderly and found
that these special populations met
the same success as our stable of
athletes.”
Fitness or other requirements for
beginning an activity or circuit training
program.
ACSM guidelines for participation screening
such as the PAR-Q (Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire) and/or the ACSM
risk stratification for screening and medical
supervision.
Risk Factors for Muscle Injury
• Prior Injury
• Being “untrained” (low aerobic fitness)
• Unaccustomed exercise
• Gender (female)
• Smoking
• High BMI
• Too little or too much flexibility
• “Over Training” (running mileage)
Rates of Knee Injury per 1,000 Soldiers in Active Duty Army,
2000-2005: Stratified by Prior Injury (in Previous 2 Years)
180
Rate per 1,000 Soldiers
160
140
Prior Injury
120
No Prior
Injury
100
80
60
40
20
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
(Data from USARIEM, Injury Epidemiology (TAIHOD) )
Association of First Two-Mile Run
With Time-Loss Injuries in BCT
Injury Incidence (%)
70
59
55
50
Men
Women
39
32
30
61
23
21
30
10
Q1(fast)
Q2
Q3
Q4(slow)
Quartiles of Two-Mile Run Times
N=684 Men, 381 Women; Risk Ratio(Q4/Q1):Men=1.4,Women=1.6
p-value for Trend: Men=0.03, Women=<0.01
Knapik, USACHPPM Epicon Report No 29-HE-8370-99, 1999
Variability in Fitness/Work Capacity
Summary of Studies in Basic Combat Training
Parameter
Value
Strength Measures
VO2max
Two Mile Run Time (min)
One Mile Run Time (min)
Body Weight (kg)
--Males
14 - 28
50 ± 6 mL/kg/min
12
Females 39 ± 5 mL/Kg/min
12
Males
16
15 - 17 ± 2-3
Females 20 - 21 ± 3
14
Males
15
8.4 ± 1.3
Females 10.3 ± 1.3
20
Males
16
79.3 ± 13 (N = 404)
Females 63.5 ± 8
% Body Fat
Coefficient of
Variation
Males
(N = 143)
12
18.7 ± 4.8
25
Females 30.7 ± 6.3
20
Summary
There is an apparent lack of concern about those entering these
programs who may have a low level of fitness, strength, and/or other
risk factors. “One size fits all.”
Those with low aerobic fitness/strength are particularly vulnerable
to musculoskeletal injury; even with moderate intensity exercise
programs.
Comment on “injury” is essentially totally absent.
The military population represents the full array of fitness/strength
levels; they are all not elite athletes.
Musculoskeletal injuries within the Army are the major cause
for medical disability discharge, lost duty time and medical
costs.