1. The Effect of Physical Readiness Training on Reserve Officers' Training Corps Freshmen Cadets
- Author
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Shane C. Jenke, Jason D. Stone, Andrew R. Jagim, Jonathan M. Oliver, Margaret T. Jones, and Chris Holt
- Subjects
Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Physical fitness ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Squat ,02 engineering and technology ,Body Mass Index ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,Vertical jump ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Longitudinal Studies ,Exercise ,021110 strategic, defence & security studies ,business.industry ,Teaching ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,VO2 max ,030229 sport sciences ,General Medicine ,Texas ,Test (assessment) ,Military Personnel ,Physical Fitness ,Body Composition ,Exercise Test ,Physical therapy ,Cadet ,Female ,business ,Early phase - Abstract
The U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is the largest commissioning source among all branches. Physical Readiness Training (PRT) is fundamental to ROTC cadet training. However, although studies have evaluated the effectiveness of PRT in cadets with prior PRT experience, no study has examined the early phase adaptations in those cadets with no prior PRT experience.To determine the effect of PRT over the course of an academic year (9 months) in freshmen ROTC cadets, thirteen (n = 13; 7 male [180.8 ± 4.7 cm, 77.4 ± 10.0 kg; 19.8 ± 6.5 % body fat], 6 female [159.5 ± 12.1 cm; 63.4 ± 8.4 kg; 29.6 ± 6.2% body fat]) cadets with no prior PRT performed laboratory (body composition, 1-repetition maximum [1RM] bench and squat, countermovement vertical jump, maximal aerobic capacity [VONo changes occurred in body composition, VONine months of PRT improved APFT scores of freshmen cadets while minor effects were noted in laboratory-based performance. Given the lack of improvements in strength and power, it would be advisable to provide supplemental strength and power training. Being a large commissioning resource for the Army with greater access to equipment and resources, the time spent in ROTC may be a unique opportunity to improve and educate young commissioning officers on the benefits of proper strength and power training for the use in future commands while units are considerably smaller and equipment is more accessible on university grounds.
- Published
- 2017