However, the word athlete finds its roots in the Latin word athleta, which means combatant in public games. The root word of combatant is combat - fighting between armed forces (hence, the "Armed Forces"). The word athleticism refers to someone who possesses characteristics of physical strength and capability of robust activity.
In this light, military personnel would be classified as athletes - but instead of competing in games and sports, we are competing in combat and war.
The Tactical Athlete is anybody who contributes to carrying out tactical operations. In other words, if you are in the military, you are considered a tactical athlete.
Several, if not all MOS's (military occupational specialty) require some form of physical strength and capability. Failure to perform certain physical tasks (e.g., carry up to 100 lb of PPE, sprinting across enemy fire, or hoisting cargo into a C-130) could result in mission failure, not to mention severe injury or death to those involved.
So what physical qualities does a tactical athlete need in order to be successful in his/her mission? Does it really require running 1.5 miles in under 10 minutes and doing 3 1/2 minutes of planks? And how can you train to help yourself be the most successful in carrying out your missions?
The Anatomy of the Tactical Athlete
The physical qualities required by the tactical athlete will be largely dependent on the warfighter's MOS. For example, a Green Beret in the Army will have completely different physical requirements than an Aviation Mechanic in the Navy.
However, there are general similarities across the board.
Whereas past wars have required long treks of 15+ miles, which demands high aerobic fitness for long-term activity, today's operational environment is characterized as an anaerobic battlefield. This means that shorter, but more intense bouts of activity are required instead of long-term, but lower intensity activity. Think of a sprint vs a mile run, or bench-pressing 250 lbs for 5 reps vs doing 80 push-ups.
An anaerobic battlefield requires personnel to be able to perform the following tasks:
Strength is the amount of force a muscle can produce in a given movement (for future reference, strength = force and force = strength). Strength is not how many repetitions of lighter movements you can perform. Bench pressing 3x your bodyweight is pure strength. Performing 80 push-ups is not. Rather, performing many reps of a lighter movement would be classified as "strength-endurance" or simply "muscular endurance".
Strength, strength endurance, and muscular endurance could all be important factors in being able to effectively perform one's warfighting duties. However, the vast majority of military fitness programs and workouts focus purely on muscular endurance (think countless push-ups, pull-ups, air squats, and planks). Rarely is strength and power incorporated into the fitness routine. This is unfortunate because, given the anaerobic demands of the battlefield, strength and power are often the limiting factors in how well the warfighter is able to perform their tasks.
Load Carriage
- Sprinting
- Heavy Lifting
- Repetitive Lifting
- Casualty Evacuation
- Offensive/Defensive Maneuvers
These tasks require the following physical qualities:
- Strength
- Power
- Load Carriage
- Aerobic Fitness
- Coordination
Strength
Strength is the amount of force a muscle can produce in a given movement (for future reference, strength = force and force = strength). Strength is not how many repetitions of lighter movements you can perform. Bench pressing 3x your bodyweight is pure strength. Performing 80 push-ups is not. Rather, performing many reps of a lighter movement would be classified as "strength-endurance" or simply "muscular endurance."
Strength, strength endurance, and muscular endurance could all be important factors in being able to effectively perform one's warfighting duties. However, the vast majority of military fitness programs and workouts focus purely on muscular endurance (think countless push-ups, pull-ups, air squats, and planks). Rarely is strength and power incorporated into the fitness routine. This is unfortunate because, given the anaerobic demands of the battlefield, strength and power are often the limiting factors in how well the warfighter is able to perform their tasks.
- Strength is developed by lifting heavy amounts of weight, usually for lower reps and longer rest periods between sets.
- Strength endurance is building your capacity (slowly over time) to lift heavier weight for larger amounts of reps and shorter rest periods.
- Muscular endurance is building your capacity to lift moderate, or lighter amounts of weight for higher reps and shorter rest periods.
Power
- The amount of strength a muscle can produce (force)
- How quickly that muscle can produce that strength (velocity)
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