Evaluation of the Mountain Athlete Warrior (MAW) Program in a Light Infantry Brigade, March 2011 February 2012

Abstract

A variety of exercise and conditioning programs with greater focus on injury reduction and improved physical fitness are currently being implemented by brigades and battalions throughout the United States Army. The Mountain Athlete Warrior (MAW) physical fitness program was developed to mentally and physically prepare Soldiers for the rigorous demands of combat in varied environments. The MAW program was based on the fundamentals of powerlifting and on extreme conditioning. Purpose: To evaluate risk factors for injury among participants in the MAW program and all battalions in a light infantry brigade. Methods: Personal characteristics, physical training, physical fitness scores, and injury data over 6 month periods were obtained by initial and follow-up surveys from male and female Soldiers in an Army light infantry brigade. Physical fitness tests including Functional Movement Screening (FMSTM) were performed before and after implementation of MAW. Results: A total of 595 male and 31 female Soldiers completed both initial and follow-up surveys. Both average body mass index and the number of smokers increased among male Soldiers after implementation of MAW. Injury incidence did not change after implementation of MAW (23 before MAW vs. 23 after MAW). Soldiers had higher average total FMS scores before implementation of MAW (16.9 points) compared to after implementation of MAW (16.5 points). Significant improvement was noted in the APFT total score for male Soldiers (an increase of 8 points after MAW implementation). Conclusion: The MAW program resulted in no change in injury incidence, but some physical performance improved.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 15, 2016
Accession Number
AD1022930

Entities

People

  • Bruce H. Jones
  • Michelle Canham-chervak
  • Morgan K. Anderson
  • Tyson Grier

Organizations

  • United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Body Regions
  • Body Weight
  • Burns
  • Databases
  • Disability Administration
  • Health Services
  • Injury Prevention
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Training
  • Physical Fitness
  • Public Health
  • Surveys
  • Training
  • United States
  • Warfare
  • Wounds And Injuries

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