By Joe Castelli
Staff writer
The Cadets of
Drill sergeants stood in front of each platoon leading them through warm-ups while several other Cadre paced around, aiding any fumbling Cadets. Some struggled to maintain rhythm and balance during exercises such as lunges and incremental push-ups, but a Cadre member was never too far away to offer individual instruction.
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| Cadet Brandon McCauley and the rest of platoon 3 count off repetitions of PT stretches to begin their workout Monday. Photo by Mackenzie Reiss |
“If you put your knees down, you’re done,” a drill sergeant shouted to Cadets lacking proper form halfway through their initial push-up assessment. “Thirty seconds. C’mon, you can do anything for 30 seconds.”
Alpha Co., the first to arrive at the Leader’s Training Course, began its first physical training session at 5:30 a.m. Sunday, the first of many aimed at shaping Cadets’ bodies into ones fit enough to handle the rigors of life as a Soldier. Cadets arriving at LTC vary widely in their physical condition and prior athletic experience, meaning some struggle more than others during all aspects of the training.
PT at LTC is a way of life throughout the four weeks of the course, whether it be organized workouts or supplemental training in the form of another physical activity.
While at Fort Knox, all Cadets will take a diagnostic PT test, which Co. A took Thursday, and a final test, both of which are opportunities to attain a high enough score to join ROTC.
The Leader’s Training Course PT program is designed to prepare Cadets to endure the physical demands of everyday life, including those associated with combat that can entail carrying 75 pounds of equipment for hundreds of yards at a time.
Trainers conduct physical training with a purpose and with Cadet safety in mind. Regimens have been checked for safety with experts from the Army Physical Fitness School at Fort Jackson, S.C.
“There is nothing that’s off-the-cuff. Everything is written by professionals with safety as a priority,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Green, the command sergeant major of LTC. “If Cadets can survive one week of physical training, they’re gold. They need to get used to the soreness and consistency.”
During organized morning PT, Cadets perform a variety of cardiovascular exercises and muscle training.
Part of the preparation for Alpha Co.’s first session was simply understanding how PT sessions run.
Though some doing push-ups Sunday thrust at the pavement as though they’d been training all summer, others paused, arching their backs to relieve pressure off their arms and back muscles to catch a break.
Following the push-up assessment, each Cadet partnered with another for sit-ups, which would also be timed for one minute and counted. But even organizing partnerships induced confusion for some.
“You’d better find a partner,” yelled a drill sergeant to a disoriented Cadet.
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| Cadet Kathryn O'Keefe executes an Army-style push-up. To pass the final PT test, female Cadets between the ages of 17-21 must perform at least 19 push-ups to standard. Photo by Mackenzie Reiss |
Push-ups and sit-ups are two of the three events Cadets are tested on during PT. Their first cardiovascular exercise would come in the form of a one-mile run.
After running two laps, Cadets received their times and began to catch their breath.
“Hey, keep walking,” Maj. Donald Smith reminded the Cadets of Co. A 1/46th Inf. as many of them stopped to hunch over and rest.
“If they stop walking or bend over, they’ll lose it,” said Smith, the Co. A operations officer.
Despite his advice, several who drank too much water still vomited.
“When students arrive, you have some students who have played sports and some who have done nothing at all,” Command Sgt. Maj. Green said.
Cadet John Larsen, a 27-year-old nursing major from the University of Utah, is one of the latter.
“It’s not as bad as I thought, but it’s still pretty challenging for me,” said Larsen, who had no prior structured athletic experience.
Other Cadets have already experienced workouts of similar intensity to their first days of physical training.
“It’s not that hard. I’m used to doing this,” said Cadet Matt Trotter, a swimmer who studies international affairs at Georgia Tech.
Cadet Jacki Carty has been participating in sports such as track, gymnastics and cheerleading since age 5.
“It’s all mental,” said Carty, who thought the interval sprinting drill on the second day of PT was the hardest exercise so far. “If you don’t have it in your head that you can do it, then you probably won’t.”
Cadets will eventually be categorized into four groups based upon how quickly they run their mile. Those who run the mile in seven minutes or less will be placed in group A.
“Those are our gazelles,” Green said. “That's the group where you turn up the heat.”
Group B will contain Cadets who run their mile between seven and nine minutes. Group C includes those running between nine minutes and 10 minutes, 30 seconds. The final group is for those finishing in more than 10:30.
PT will then be tailored to cater to the needs of the ability groups, and Cadets who have sufficiently improved will be moved up to the next group.
Cadets will be pushed to their limits, but safety is a priority in all aspects of LTC.
“Our program is designed to take them beyond their comfort zone,” said Green, who has been in the Army for nearly three decades. “But it’s about balance.”
The training they take on here is only the beginning for many of the Cadets. Though it is typical for a Cadet to lose anywhere between five to 20 pounds during their 29 days at LTC, Green wants them to continue stay healthy.
“We want to make sure they leave here with a basic knowledge of conditioning, nutrition, and proper dieting,” he said. “We want them to know how to continue that conditioning plan.”