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Vaara JP, Groeller H, Drain J, Kyröläinen H, Pihlainen K, Ojanen T, Connaboy C, Santtila M, Agostinelli P, Nindl BC. Physical training considerations for optimizing performance in essential military tasks. Eur J Sport Sci 2021; 22:43-57. [PMID: 34006204 DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1930193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Physically demanding essential military tasks include load carriage, manual material handling and casualty evacuation. This narrative review characterizes the main physical attributes related to performance of these occupational tasks and reviews physical training intervention studies in military settings to improve performance in these military tasks. Load carriage performance requires both aerobic and neuromuscular fitness with greater emphasis on maximal strength and absolute maximal oxygen uptake, especially when carrying heavier loads. In manual material handling, maximal strength and power are strongly associated with discrete lifting, while muscular strength, muscular endurance and aerobic fitness are also associated with repetitive lifting performance. Maximal strength including grip strength, muscular endurance, absolute maximal oxygen uptake and anaerobic capacity are associated with casualty evacuation performance. The results of the present review particularly emphasize the role of muscular fitness in successful performance of the reviewed military occupational tasks. Training intervention studies indicate that load carriage performance can be effectively improved by combining strength, aerobic and specific load carriage training. Improvement in maximal lifting capacity can be achieved by strength training or combined strength and aerobic training, while strength and aerobic training alone, or their combination are effective in improving repetitive lifting, and carry tasks. Only a few studies are available for casualty evacuation and the results are inconclusive but may indicate benefits of strength or combined training. Moreover, emphasis on lower volume but higher intensity in combined training may be a feasible and effective mode to improve military occupational performance in recruits and active-duty soldiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jani P Vaara
- National Defence University, Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Herbert Groeller
- Centre for Medical and Exercise Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Jace Drain
- Defence Science and Technology Group, Fishermans Bends, Australia
| | - Heikki Kyröläinen
- National Defence University, Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, Helsinki, Finland.,Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kai Pihlainen
- Defence Command, Training Division, Finnish Defence Forces, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tommi Ojanen
- Finnish Defence Research Agency, Human Performance Division, Finnish Defence Forces, Tuusula, Finland
| | - Chris Connaboy
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matti Santtila
- National Defence University, Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Philip Agostinelli
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Brad C Nindl
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Carstairs GL, Ham DJ, Savage RJ, Best SA, Beck B, Billing DC. A method for developing organisation-wide manual handling based physical employment standards in a military context. J Sci Med Sport 2018; 21:1162-1167. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2018.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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