PUBLISHED 11/02/2006
In the 1970s and '80s, Frank Palkoska and Stephen Van Camp were charter members of the first running boom. As an Army officer, Palkoska logged mega miles during training, and Van Camp, once a high school sprinter, competed in 10-Ks and triathlons. Today, the bow-legged Palkoska has a repaired ACL. Van Camp has fake cartilage in his knee. The two don't blame running for their injuries, but their old-school approach to it. "Over-distance, overuse, and running while injured," says Van Camp.
Products of their time, maybe, but at least they learned from their mistakes. In 2003, Palkoska, who is now acting director of the U.S. Army Physical Fitness School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and Van Camp, the codirector, revamped the physical fitness manual to keep performance high and breakdowns low--objectives that match any runner's goals.
Prior to the revised program, some units would run four to six miles three times a week, while others ran every day. That was fine for the already fit, but some soldiers with little aerobic experience were more prone to shin splints, patella pain, and other below-the-belt injuries. On top of the miles, soldiers just entering the army spend up to 12 hours lugging equipment and weapons, often wearing armor. "There's a cumulative effect," says Palkoska. "Not just the running time, but the total time they're on their feet."
Quality Over Quantity
The goal of the revamped program was to maximize fitness while minimizing injury. Most soldiers in basic training work out four to six days a week for an hour. Van Camp and Palkoska fine-tuned their speed session (six 30- to 60-second sprints with double recovery time) and standardized endurance runs to twice a week for 30 minutes. The new program also includes three days of strength training--focusing on upper-body and core moves--and a series of postworkout stretches. Mobility exercises (plyometrics) are done every day because they're a crucial skill for soldiers dodging bullets, but the workouts are also useful for runners, who may need to jump over curbs or side-step pooped-out competitors. "If all you ever do is run in a straight line, your ankles won't have the explosive power to cut or turn," says Van Camp. The soldiers' exercises and drills can be done with little equipment, which makes them perfect for runners without a lot of time to get to the gym.
While there was some resistance to the changes, the numbers won out. Independent studies showed a 12 to 25 percent decrease in injuries and significant increase in performance. "We saw improvement of fitness based on two-mile tests and fewer injuries," says Van Camp. But for him and Palkoska, it's not just a matter of making a few cadets score better on tests. It's about making sure their soldiers are as strong and as fit as they can be. That's some basic training we all can use.
