Military Muscle: Add some heavy metal to your next PT session - Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Navy Times

Military Muscle: Add some heavy metal to your next PT session

Here is another great drill from everyday life in northern New England.

Drivers end up getting stuck in the snow or the deep spring mud at least once a month during the winter and spring months, it seems.

This leads to a lot of pushing, of course, as you try to get back on the road. It’s great exercise — even if it is frustrating at the time.

Years after leaving the farm, I find myself returning to a lot of things we used to do in everyday life, such as pushing vehicles. This is great exercise since it is something we do regularly in the military. It might be pushing a vehicle, a door, a shipping container or any number of similar items.

It’s great for your stamina as it is important to be able to exert a high degree of force over a prolonged period of time.

Many of the old-time Army Special Forces operators have not-so-fond memories of pushing disabled vehicles.

All you need for some brutal PT is a couple of vehicles. I prefer Humvees because they don’t seem to coast well, which means more work for you. If you have a small group, just one truck will do.

Start by figuring out how many people it takes to push the thing on level ground — generally three to five troops — and split into two teams. Then you simply set the distance and start pushing. When you reach the goal line, the other team gets to push the truck back. You’ll probably need a driver to keep the wheel straight; remember to put the truck in neutral and take off the parking brake.

To make things interesting, time yourself or race to beat the other team’s time. If you get two vehicles, you can go head to head, which always adds to the competitive spirit.

If this isn’t enough for you, set out some cones and try a slalom race. This is great because the pushing dynamics change a lot when the wheel is turned and you have to redistribute around the vehicle.

Another way to mix things up is to get two vehicles of different weight. Push one 25 to 50 meters, then switch to the other for a while before going back to the first one. If you have three vehicles — one light weight, one medium and one heavy — then you have one heck of a drop set.

If you are alone, you can still do this drill, if you have a small enough vehicle. On my last deployment, I would do super sets, alternating between sets of of 50 swings with a 70-pound kettlebell — it looks like a cannonball with a handle — and pushing a Polaris 500 ATV around the compound. I was amused to find that the heavy swings were actually a relief after pushing the quad 150 meters, a distance that included four corners.

Also be aware that you can turn around and push with your back to the vehicle. You could even turn a shoulder toward the vehicle and push sideways.

Generally, putting your back to the vehicle is best to get it going, and then turn around and face it to keep it going.

Nate Morrison is an Air Force pararescueman staff sergeant. He is a military fitness expert and founder of an online fitness magazine.