Lower-body muscular power predicts performance on urban combat simulation.

Background: Military operations in urban environments requires faster movements and therefore may place greater demands on soldier strength and anaerobic ability.

Objective: The aim was to study how physical fitness and body composition are associated with occupational test for urban combat soldiers before and after a 5-day military field exercise (MFE).

Methods: Twenty-six conscripts (age = 20±1 yrs.

Exercise self-efficacy remains unaltered during military service.

Background: Exercise self-efficacy is a crucial aspect of adopting and maintaining a physically active lifestyle. Regular physical activity may enhance exercise self-efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the baseline associations of physical fitness, physical activity, and body composition with exercise self-efficacy and the effects of military service on exercise self-efficacy.

Effects of male paratroopers' initial body composition on changes in physical performance and recovery during a 20-day winter military field training.

Changes in physiological markers and physical performance in relation to paratroopers' initial body composition were investigated during a 20-day winter military field training (MFT) and the subsequent 10-day recovery period. Body composition, serum hormone concentrations and enzymatic biomarkers, and physical performance of 58 soldiers were measured before, during, and after MFT. Comparisons were done according to soldiers' body fat percentage before MFT between low-fat (<12% body fat) and high-fat (>12% body fat) groups.

Effects of 36-hour recovery on marksmanship and hormone concentrations during strenuous winter military survival training.

Objectives: Survival training can provide a unique setting for scientific examination of human stress responses and physical performance in a realistic operational military context. The aim of the present study was to observe effects of a 36-h recovery period on serum hormone concentrations, salivary cortisol, and marksmanship during 10-day winter military survival training in north of the Arctic Circle.

Design And Methods: Sixty-eight male soldiers were randomly divided into two groups; EXP (n = 26) and CON (n = 42).

High-Intensity Functional Training Induces Superior Training Adaptations Compared With Traditional Military Physical Training.

Helén, J, Kyröläinen, H, Ojanen, T, Pihlainen, K, Santtila, M, Heikkinen, R, and Vaara, JP. High-intensity functional training induces superior training adaptations compared with traditional military physical training. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2477-2483, 2023-This study examined the effectiveness of concurrent strength and endurance training with an emphasis on high-intensity functional training (HIFT) during military service.

Physiological and physical performance changes during a 20-day winter military training course and its subsequent 10-day recovery period.

The present study investigated physiological, mental and physical performance changes during a 20-day winter military training course and the following 10-day recovery period. Fifty-eight (age 19 ± 1 years, height 182 ± 6 cm, body mass 78.5 ± 7.

Performance changes during repeated military occupational test and its associations to physical performance.

The present study investigated performance changes during three runs (1 min recovery) of repeated military simulation task test (RMST) and its associations with physical performance. Voluntary male soldiers ( = 114) participated in a series of measurements of physical performance. Lower body explosive force production, anaerobic endurance and upper body strength endurance together explained 58% of the variance in the first RSMT ( < 0.

Energy Balance, Hormonal Status, and Military Performance in Strenuous Winter Training.

Severe energy deficit may impair hormonal regulation and physical performance in military trainings. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between energy intake, expenditure, and balance, hormones and military performance during a winter survival training. Two groups were studied: the FEX group ( = 46) had 8-day garrison and field training, whereas the RECO group ( = 26) had a 36-h recovery period after the 6-day garrison and field training phase.

Relationships between psychosocial well-being and leisure time physical activity among 160.000 young Finnish men: a cross-sectional study during 2015-2021.

Evidence on the relationship between psychosocial well-being and physical activity (PA) is insufficient, especially in young adults between 18 and 29 years. Identifying protective factors for psychosocial well-being as well as factors that may promote PA behaviour in this specific age group is crucial.The aim of the present study was to explore the association between self-reported leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and a number of measures of psychosocial well-being in a large sample of Finnish young men.

Effects of overnight military training and acute battle stress on the cognitive performance of soldiers in simulated urban combat.

Understanding the effect of stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation on the ability to maintain an alert and attentive state in an ecologically valid setting is of importance as lapsing attention can, in many safety-critical professions, have devastating consequences. Here we studied the effect of close-quarters battle (CQ battle) exercise combined with overnight military training with sleep deprivation on cognitive performance, namely sustained attention and response inhibition. In addition, the effect of the CQ battle and overnight training on cardiac activity [heart rate and root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD)] during the cognitive testing and the relationship between cardiac activity and cognitive performance were examined.

Physical training considerations for optimizing performance in essential military tasks.

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.

Training-Induced Acute Neuromuscular Responses to Military Specific Test during a Six-Month Military Operation.

Limited data are available regarding strength and endurance training adaptations to occupational physical performance during deployment. This study assessed acute training-induced changes in neuromuscular (electromyography; EMG) and metabolic (blood lactate, BLa) responses during a high-intensity military simulation test (MST), performed in the beginning (PRE) and at the end (POST) of a six-month crisis-management operation. MST time shortened (145 ± 21 vs.

Device-Based Measures of Sedentary Time and Physical Activity Are Associated With Physical Fitness and Body Fat Content.

Physical activity and sedentary time may associate with physical fitness and body composition. Yet, there exists some observational studies that have investigated the associations of device-based measures of sedentary time and physical activity (PA) with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and body composition but associations with muscular fitness (MF) are less studied. Objective sedentary time and physical activity was measured by a hip worn accelerometer from 415 young adult men (age: mean 26, standard deviation 7 years).

Effects of Combined Strength and Endurance Training on Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Serum Hormones During a 6-Month Crisis Management Operation.

Pihlainen, K, Kyröläinen, H, Santtila, M, Ojanen, T, Raitanen, J, and Häkkinen, K. Effects of combined strength and endurance training on body composition, physical fitness, and serum hormones during a 6-month crisis management operation. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2361-2370, 2022-Very few studies have examined the impact of training interventions on soldier readiness during an international military operation.

Can Physiological and Psychological Factors Predict Dropout from Intense 10-Day Winter Military Survival Training?

In the military context, high levels of physiological and psychological stress together can compromise individual's ability to complete given duty or mission and increase dropout rates. The purpose of this study was to investigate if baseline physical fitness, body composition, hormonal and psychological factors could predict dropout from a 10-day intense winter military survival training. 69 conscripts volunteered to participate in the study.

Associations of nutrition and body composition with cardiovascular disease risk factors in soldiers during a 6-month deployment.

Objectives: This observational follow-up study investigated the associations of nutrition and body composition with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including pro-inflammatory biomarkers, in soldiers during a 6-month deployment.

Material And Methods: Thirty-five male soldiers were assessed at months 0, 3 and 6, and their parameters, i.e.

Differences in Training Adaptations of Endurance Performance during Combined Strength and Endurance Training in a 6-Month Crisis Management Operation.

Decreases in aerobic fitness during military operations have been observed in several studies. Thus, differences in training adaptations during a 6-month crisis-management operation were compared by using the change in endurance performance as the outcome measure. Sixty-six male soldiers volunteered for the study, consisting of pre-post assessments of blood biomarkers, body composition, physical performance, and the military simulation test (MST) performance.

Effects of baseline fitness and BMI levels on changes in physical fitness during military service.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate how aerobic fitness, muscle fitness and body mass index (BMI) change in relation to their baseline levels during 6-12 months of military service.

Design: Retrospective longitudinal follow-up study.

Methods: The study group consisted of 249279 healthy young male conscripts (age 19.

Cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in young adult Finnish men between 2003 and 2015.

Introduction: Physical fitness is strongly related to health and may offer valuable information about public health. We investigated trends in physical fitness, leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), and anthropometry of young healthy adult Finnish men in representative population-based samples between 2003 and 2015.

Methods: Three independent cross-sectional samples of 18- to 35-year-old Finnish men were assessed in 2003 (n = 889), 2008 (n = 803), and 2015 (n = 690).

Diet Macronutrient Composition, Physical Activity, and Body Composition in Soldiers During 6 Months Deployment.

Introduction: Optimal diet together with good physical fitness maintains readiness and military performance during longer deployments. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in dietary macronutrient and energy intake, total physical activity and body composition during a 6-month deployment in South Lebanon. Furthermore, associations of diet macronutrient intake and physical activity on body composition were also studied.

Optimising training adaptations and performance in military environment.

Objectives: Worldwide decreases in physical fitness and increases in body fat among youth have set challenges for armed forces to recruit physically capable soldiers. Therefore, knowledge of optimizing physical adaptation and performance through physical training is vital. In addition, maintaining or improving physical performance among professional soldiers in various military environments is crucial for overall military readiness.

Physical Fitness in Young Men between 1975 and 2015 with a Focus on the Years 2005-2015.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in physical fitness and anthropometry of young men entering the military service in Finland during the years 1975-2015.

Methods: The study included the fitness test results of 627,142 healthy young male conscripts (age 19.1 ± 0.

Evaluation of occupational physical load during 6-month international crisis management operation.

Objectives: Generally, operational military duties are associated with a variety of stressors, such as prolonged physical activity (PA). However, limited information is available on the occupational workload or changes in PA during international military operations. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the changes in body composition, stress biomarkers, PA, and heart rate (HR) responses of 79 male soldiers during a 6-month international crisis management operation.

Associations of Physical Fitness and Body Composition Characteristics With Simulated Military Task Performance.

Pihlainen, K, Santtila, M, Häkkinen, K, and Kyröläinen, H. Associations of physical fitness and body composition characteristics with simulated military task performance. J Strength Cond Res 32(4): 1089-1098, 2018-The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of physical fitness and body composition characteristics with anaerobic endurance performance, tested in the combat load using the occupationally relevant military simulation test (MST).