Comprehensive Soldier Fitness - Building Resilience
Written by Ben Bunting: BA(Hons), PGCert. Sport & Exercise Nutrition. British Army Physical Training Instructor.
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The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program (CSF) is a system of military training that focuses on improving soldier fitness and resilience.
It includes several components, including Sustainment Resilience Training, which is designed to minimize catastrophic thinking in soldiers.
IRT is another component of CSF, which helps soldiers to develop the skills to be resilient in the face of stress.
The Importance of Mental Resilience in Military Performance
Resilience is an important aspect of military performance.
Soldiers that have high levels of resilience are able to recover from stressful situations and handle a range of life challenges.
In addition to reducing stress, resilience can also improve coping skills. The process of resiliency involves physical, psychological, and social factors.
It is crucial in a modern warfare environment where physical and mental exertion are common.
A study of young adult Swiss males during basic military training revealed that higher resilience at baseline predicted lower stress. This could be replicated in other settings.
However, there has been no research that has examined the long-term impact of resilience on mental distress and subjectively perceived stress.
The present study focused on relationships between resiliency factors and the military performance of recruits in the Swiss Armed Forces Infantry School of Aarau.
Participants completed questionnaires on their resilience, military performance, and perceived stress.
After week 11, BMT dropouts had higher scores for perceived stress and mental distress than did non-dropouts. For those that left the BMT for physical reasons, the resilience score was lower.
The results of the study add to the existing literature. However, the research does not clarify the underlying mechanisms.
The study used the CD-RISC mental resilience scale, which measures 25 items divided into three dimensions.
These factors are self-comfort, emotional regulation, and social support. Self-comfort is a method of positive emotion regulation that influences the way people express their emotions.
Positive coping styles are more effective in guiding air force soldiers.
Importance of Fitness for Military Personnel
Military personnel need to maintain a certain level of fitness to ensure that they are physically fit to perform their duties.
If a service member fails to meet a standard of fitness, he or she could be at risk of losing their job or even disciplinary action.
In addition to physical fitness, a high level of cardiovascular fitness and strength is important to reduce the likelihood of injuries.
While there isn't a universally accepted definition of physical fitness, there are some guidelines to follow.
Specifically, the Army has a fitness testing program called PFT, which measures the fitness of active duty Army personnel in a variety of locations. It also makes recommendations on future programs.
For example, the military has been researching the effects of task-specific training and ergonomic redesign on performance.
Researchers believe that these factors can reduce the amount of physical exertion required to perform a given task. This may lead to less aches and pains and more overall performance.
A study showed that there is a correlation between increased body fat and decreased fitness. Other studies have praised the benefits of a healthy diet, which can help to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
There are numerous benefits to a strong body, from reducing the chance of injury to enabling a service member to contribute to their team.
These benefits can be a huge advantage to a soldier in a physically demanding field, and should be embraced.
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Review
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) is an initiative to train soldiers to be more resilient.
It has been disseminated to over one million soldiers in the U.S. Army. The goal of the program is to increase soldiers' ability to take meaning from their experiences in combat.
CSF uses positive psychology strategies to help soldiers develop resilience. The program includes mental pre-deployment training and mental resilience tests.
These components are designed to help Soldiers learn how to cope with stress and anxiety, as well as to increase their overall performance.
There are four key elements to the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program.
One is the Master Resilience Trainer, which is a training program for Soldiers. This training is designed to increase psychological health, enhance Soldier performance, and prevent Soldiers from developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Another is the Global Assessment Tool, which is a confidential self-assessment tool. The tool measures a Soldier's psychosocial fitness in the emotional, social, family, and spiritual domains.
In addition, the assessment will create resilience training that is tailored to each individual's specific needs.
Another important aspect of the program is the use of "master" trainers, who teach stress-fighting skills to Soldiers. These "master" trainers are also given a 10-day course on talk sessions.
Although the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program is meant to train Soldiers to develop resilience, there is limited information available to determine its effectiveness. A comprehensive review of the program's impact is needed.
Aerobic training is essential to building resilience
Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt to stress, and is associated with decreased rates of depression.
Resilience is a trainable capacity, and can be developed. Aerobic training is a key component of resilience building. It improves HPA axis function, and reduces anxiety response.
Developing physical and psychological resilience is a symbiotic relationship, requiring finesse and a bit of discomfort.
The best way to improve your resilience is to train.
Luckily, there are many ways to boost your resilience. Some methods include:
- implementing a stress management strategy
- learning the proper techniques to handle stress
- and engaging in physical activity
Taking a resilience class is also a great way to build your skills.
Several hospitals offer such classes, including the Benson-Henry Institute for Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) Program.
There is much research to be done to understand exactly how much exercise is needed to achieve positive health outcomes.
However, a number of studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise increases the rate at which we develop resilience.
This may be due to a number of factors, such as the way that aerobic exercises stimulate neuroplasticity.
IRT is used to minimize catastrophic thinking in soldiers
IRT (Intensive Resilience Training) is a military-specific form of cognitive behavioral therapy used to help soldiers develop psychological resilience.
This type of training is based on a combination of positive psychology, mindfulness techniques, and self-regulation.
Soldiers are taught about the benefits of positive mental health, which include the reduction of PTSD and suicide attempts.
They are also exposed to the perks of teamwork, including the promotion of individual resilience and communication.
The most exciting thing about this type of program is the plethora of useful tools soldiers receive. In particular, there is an ABC model for recognizing and assessing the impact of one's thought processes.
One of the perks of this is the opportunity to think critically and the power to overcome your natural inclinations.
Another plus is the chance to build a better relationship with your squadmates.
A good teammate can be a lifesaver in times of need, so building a solid rapport is an important component in developing resilience.
Conclusion
Sustainment Resilience Training is a component of CSF. The goal of this training is to increase Soldier's mental health and resilience.
In addition to enhancing their skills, it also helps them to stay healthy and avoid maladaptive responses.
Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back from adversity. It is a psychological concept that was first explored in the 1970s.
Since then, the concept has developed into a learnable skill that can be used by anyone.
The CSF program was developed based on positive psychology principles. This method aims to divert the attention of soldiers away from the negative aspects of life and toward their dreams and goals.
Besides increasing resilience, the CSF program improves a Soldier's physical and emotional health.
It is designed to increase a Soldier's confidence, self-awareness, and mental alertness. The program also includes individualized learning modules. Throughout the program, a soldier is trained by Army master resilience trainers.
